The National Register.
London, England, 1818-02-08 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER'

MEETING

TO OPEN A SUBSCRIPTION FOR THOSE PERSONS
IMPRISONED UNDER THE HABEAS CORPUS SUS-
PENSION ACT.

A meeti►►g took place at the Crown and Anchor on Mon.
day, for the above purpose ; Sir Francis Burdett in the
Chair. _ _

The Chairman having opened the business by a short
speech,
Lord Cochrane stepped upon the table to propose a string of
Resolutions, the purport of which, wets to deplote the fre-
quent Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Art: to deprecate
the precipitancy with which the Suspension Act was hurried
through the House of Commons; to mark the sense of the
cruel manner in which persons apprehended by virtue of the
Suspension had been treated, and to open a subscription for
the Evanses, Benbow, and the other sufferers. In introduce
log these, Lord Cochrane observed, that he was happy to
see so numerons an assembly thus awake to the acts of Go-
vernment. Flail the same spirit anbnotrd France under its an.
(dent Gorernment the despotism which oppressed the people
would not have endured so long.
Mr. Wooler seconded the resolutions which had been just
submitted to their approbation.
Sir Francis Burdett stated, that his (timid, Major Cart.
aright, had Out been ahle to attend there that day ; but that
he Intl sent his mite to promote the object of the meeting;
accompanied by a letter, which he begged to be read.—
pplimse.)
Mr. Cleary received the letter of the Honourable Baronet,
and standitig on the table read it to the company. The writer
began by maintaining that Parliament had not the power to
suspend, at any time, or under any ciremnstai ces, the fiber
ties of Englishmen. This assertion he did not make on the
fact of the House of Commons not lit Mg the fair representa-
tion of the people, but on much broader grounds ; for although
the House of Commons were the true representatives of the
people, still they could have no authority to suspend their 1i...
betties fur a single moment, because the people were a power
greater than their delegatt•s. A set of inferior magistrates
might as well attempt to suspend the power of the Court of
King s Bench, and that Court in its turn might as well try to
suspend the authority of the Parliament. As no power thee
could suspend the higher power, so that of Parliament could
not suspend the rights of the people. The only pretence for
doing this was necessity, which was always the tyraut's plea
.—a necessity which none of the men in power thought pro-
per to explain. The letter,which was very long, contained a
variety of other arguments to the seine rift ct ; and before it
was half read through, the company became impatient, and
desired that the letter might be printed. This was assented
to, and Mr. Cleary sat down, intimating to the company that
their wish 'tumid be complied with.
Sir F. Burdett now announced the wish of Mr. Johnstone,
who was One of the sufferers ander the Suspension of the
Habeas Corpus Art, to addri as the meeting.
Al r. Johnstone then stepped on the table,and stated himself
to be John Johnstone, from Manchester. He was a
mai ried man, and had three children living; he had buried
four. He had long advocated the cause of Parliamentary
Reform, and therefote thought he knew something of the
subject. In October, Rile, he had attempted to address a
meeting in Manchester, who were called to consider of the
distressed state of the country. 1% hat he said on that cc_
casket happened to please the people ; and lie was afterwards
solicited to go to Lancaster, to 1 orkshire, and to Stafford-
state, In order iu assist at mceting,s winch were culled for
similar purposes. He went, in pul'Allallee Of the inv itat lees.
and he spoke boldly his sentiments, lUr he had nu secrets at
his heart. He was not afraid of speaking the truth, although
perhaps it was not at all times vepedient to be thus explicit,
truth s• big hecn, how,'s yr trien-tly, pronounced a tibia.
On Sunday night, the 9th of Male'', in the last year, he Was
fortably lied asleep, when he was alarmed by a loud
kriocking at his door. Ou looking out of his window, he
perceived 12 men, ahem- appearance and behaviour were
equally discreditanie. could with ditficudy be per-
steeled to wait until his wile had dressed herself, in order to
let them in. They refused to tt 11 who they were or what their
business wait, contenting themselves with vociferating" epee
the thaw!" • He was now about to make a statement which
might be thought singular, but as he said before, he had nu
secrets, and would openly tell the truth. He lind said he
was a married man, and to please his as de, who lit rains
alarmed at the desperadoes by ahem the house was sea.
rouuded, be attempted to make his escape. lie, lees eve,
knew he had noleipeol,necess, lint he %vase aline to give way
to the wishes sit' one who Walt naturally deer to him. • lie to
upon a wall, intending to jump into an adjoining yard, to
which he saw a neighbour of his, who would, i.e d , have
willingle given him a lodgiug, tie hold him e against the
at mornilig. -•(latiehter.)--The HMO called out, " You
rascal, it'
.v.11.0'1111, over, I'll blow your brains out."
Ile did jump over, in spite of this threat, and was immedi-
ately Stgllttil by three persons, tem of whale was the deputy
1:011.1a hit' of Manchester. The bawl. in under to shoa his
as iddy his the sei vice e, which he was destined, behaved in
the t ruffianly manner, and eeclaimed, " 1/41—
tailoring thief, we have got you sale at last." They then recoil-
ducted him to his house, ransacked his papers, and took

every thing whirls could or could Hot excite suspicion.
A iiiii g other thicgs tiny touts away was Volnes 's Ruins,
which happeued accidentally to be in a draw er, an'd from the
circumstance of the book being found undo r lock and Ley, it
was the more likely to excite the suspicion °film men engaged
in tills search. Ile was conveyed to the New Prison, where
he was confined all night among twelve men who had been
takes tip for vagrancy or ()fences of a criminal nature.
Next morning he 'was reinoi ed to another apartment, lint
was not allowed to semi home for either victuals or clothes,
though his house was at a short distance front the gaol. He
had a w ooden bedstead to lie nu without bedding, and a can
of water was placed beside lulu, out of which he was told he
might drink when h.• we, dry. With regard to food, he was
confined to the 144,4 anowance of hall a •mall loaf of coarse
In eati, and a bit ot cheese winch it was scandalous to oiler to
any lIIJII. 011 the Tuesday following he was taken troth the
New Prison in order to he conveyed to London, previous to
which attempts were made to force irons on his kg., on which
he wore bouts, such as were used for the worst of felons.
This effort; winch 'as made by the afoiesaid depute consta-
.

stable, gave him the greatest pain, and it was with the utmost
relorimire time was allowed him to stud to his house fur a
parr of slows. At length the shoes were brought, and he
rilitalir II to a fellow 'utterer : lie travelled to London. (to
his arrival he was comforted to told Bath-fields prison, where
lie 51011116 s first night in the iiitirmar, Cuntaiaiug eight licdsl
seven of which were orcupied persons latliourni4 under
disease or insanity. Tho Governor of the prisuu bring in-
formed thy am‘t morning of the virctuustance, gave Wm itu