The National Register.
London, England, 1817-03-03 00:00:00

COSIMON HALL.

A Common Hall was convenes), ou Friday, for the pnrpose
of taking into consialcrotion the propriety of petitioning Por-
i's:uncut on thee:hive, of the suspension of the liabeas l'orpus
Act, and the other Ilills, the tendency of which is the abridg-
mesit of slue liberties it the subject.
Titc,i.orsl Mayor having opened the proceedings of the
day, Mr. Faye) proposed the rmoltstions. Hr said, theLi% ery
now appeared as defend:sots of that palladium of Minsk
liberty, the Habeas Corpus .%et, which, to stispi•tal, would be
to milieu(' the constitution. Ile trusted, however, they wools,
be wilting to die in defence of their rights, and Amor them-
• selves wet thy of being the descendants of a Hampden, a Syd-
' ney,, or a Ittliiikil. He concluded with moving a series of
I esolutions.
1111. Witithinan hail been thrust into the situation in which
"he then stood. It was nut (-home that induced him If/ come
'forward. lie was coovineiti that no conspiracy existed.
1 lie rid ulerl the idea very touch, and fipolo• with great plea-
-1 gantry abut a grcra•liag phd, atr.! a greets-coot plot; about
iStir W. Cuitis's horror at the sight of 'dlr. Harper's placard
lariveetisement of 1114 tract entitled e"Truth for a Penny,"
and after speaking with considerable acrimony against Ali-
Inisters, who, he said, " lived upon plunder," he concluded by
,secondine the motion.
'llse resolutions, which were similar to many others on this
subject; were passed inianimoiedy ; and a petition founded
of them was proposed by Mr. Waillinum.
Mr. Hitching, the gl.llllellllll ssho %sa.s so 'unhandsomely
treated by limit and the " gentlemen" at the last Spa fields
meeting, Remolded the motion.
Mr. Hunt talked less than on former occasion's., though lie
largely indulged its egotism, and said that the lion-Hart. (Sir
W. Curtis] knew when the Suspension Art passed Ministers
world have orient to drag hint [Mr. li.] to a dungeon. They
might torture his hesh, Lut they could not destroy a noble
mind !I [Laughing.]
The petition,waa agreed to, and Mr. Wisithman moved that
Sir JUMP, Shaw be requested to present itra the House.
Sir W. Curtis said he mould pre:.eht it Wilsey required him.
The worthy Wlronet was prt-% en ted from speakisig, or at
least from bring heard, by the liberates before the hustings,
and vans tioally driven front the exercise of his right as a
liveryman, by those very lives poen who %%ere tact to petition
agaiust the infringement of their rights.
A similar petition was agreed to be pi e,esitcii to the lords.
Thanks having been votesito the Lord Mayor, his Lordship
returned thanks, and said he was convinced no conspiracy
against (iiiverianteut exi tied. and that the Report of the So-
cret Committee contained allegations not founded in truth.
The merting then dissolved.

Wr.s.rwistsrim Mer.rtNo.—On Tuesaay a Meeting
was held in Palace-yard, in vonsequence of a acquisi-
tion presented to the High Balid; requesting him to
call a Meeting, fair the pmpose of considesint: the pro-
priety of petitioning rarliatuent against for the
Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act; Mier several
speeches from Mr. Starch, Mr Walker, Mr. Hunt, awl
Sir F. 'Burdett, a Petitioit v.ll* voted accordingly. It
was presented to the House in the.-eourse of the even-
ing.

NEW BILLS.
-4.-

The skeleton of the Iftll fir more .effeetnally preventing
seditious meetings has been published. It differs, as tar as
we see, iu no respect from die tinnier act, except that a
clause is added for the suppression of :•pectecan, or Spencean
Philanthropist Societies, which arc to be deelated uulaoful
cmiebniations against the lioserimient and the conemen good.
• We sobjitirrthe new clause:—
" And whereas, divers societies or combs have been insti-
tint 41 in tbe seen opotiet. aced iu various parts of this kingdom.
welairzerous nature and tendency, inconsistent with the
public tranquillity anti the.rxistenee of the established go-
vernvuent; Taws. and constitution, of the kingdom, and some
of which societie: profess for their object the confiscation alit
division of, the ijOtl, and the extinction of the funded pro-
pen 1' of the kingdom, particularly certain societies or clubs'
tailing theinsels Cs gpeueraln, or Seiraccon PhilqnthrupLisr
aua the nu in bet sof neatly of such societies or chiles have tat e
onlass ful oaths and engagements of fidelity and seerc ey, anti
lots. taken or sobsciiheil, or assented to. illegal t••sts and
iiedaratious, and many of the said societies or clubs elect
opoint, or. employ committees, delegates, reweseutatives or
mi-• binaries of ..rueit sociefit s or clubs, to meet, confer, coin.
ninnicate or correspond with oilier societies or clubs, or with
delegate'. represtiitahresur missiona ies of such othorsocieti.ni
or clubs, and to induce and persuade oilier persons to be-
come inventor's thereof, and by sucli.means maintain an in-
fluence over large bodies vi men,-and delude many ignorant
and nuwary persunsin the commission of acts highly
end win real .it expedient and iteeessary that all such see
cieties or Olin as aforesaid, 11111 i all societies or dolts of the
like Hating., stench{ be utterly soppres-ed and prohibited as
unlawful combinations acid confederacies, highly dangerous
to the peace and trmiquillity of the-e kjOgolOto.t. Oita to the
eonstitation of the tiovernmetit thereof, as by law establish-
ed: Be it enacted, 'that titan and alter the
all the said societies or elutes calling theinselit s Spencearts, or
Spencean Pliitanthprn;ilir, and all or tither sands Ancietir, or
t two, by whatever name or clescripe tire same are rolled
or known, shall be, and the :lathe' We hereby utterly suppress-
ed air I prohibited, as teeing unlawful combinations and con-
federal-4es again." the Govermaent of our Sovereign Lord
the Klieg, and against the peace anti security ut his Alajesty's
subjects:'
followitig tare other heads of the Bill :
" No oceetiag of inure Bean persons (exnept county
meetings, tee. )to be 44 td w ithout milles being given in some
urwspaper by lionseholeers. Notice to lee given to
the clink of the peace, who shall semi ropy to Justices.
" Meetings without notice to be deemed unlawtil, anti
may he Jesperst cl. Places for lectures or debates to Ise Li -
Ceti. lA, and unless previously I.:mused, to be deemed thsor-
deiiy !daces.
" against conk and tests. Licenses of public.
houses to be ivrietteti, tf huvibpei nicetinp shall Le held in
thew."

MARCH 3:

THE DRAMA.
•-•4o—
0 %Itors.
Mn. BOOTIL—In our last we stilted, that this o,entle.
man disappointed the Public on Saturday teed:, at
Drury-Lane Theatre, by his non-appsarance in the
Chanteter of Ingo, which had been advertised for that
night. Late on the same evening, he addressed a la.
der to Mr. Rae, declaring as follows:
" an unottaidell moment I quitted Covent Carden Thea-
tre (wliete the most situation fin the esertitm of nay
professional talents was open to me) to co over to ary•lane
Theatre, si here I have since found, and felt to ,n loss. that
every ell tracto. which I was either de.irom or ealiable of
playing, was already in p056M,i011, and that there was no
chance of my appealing in the same. What occasion, there-
fore, could you 11:11/0 ter ale, unless to crush any talent I mcy
possess in its infancy ? I have now seen through my ems.,
and Its.lts.v theielore renewed the negotiation ttl icn v..s sa
unfortunately interrupted with the Proprietors of Ca vent-
tiordeti Theatre, and have at last signed% regular article a :t
them for three ears; cuaseimently I have no longer ttc
power or appvating sgmin at Dfury-L.bo Mews. ."
On Sunday plaeards announced that Mr. Booth
would re-appear at Covent-Garden Tuesday evening.
iu the character of Richard; and as his vacillating con-
duct, antrinstat to the public, in disappointing them at
Drury-Lane Saturday, had greatly incensed a number
of persons, a violent opposition was naturally exreited.
The Theatre was crowded to the very utmost, and long
before the curtain rose, strong.symptoms of n- spirit of
discontetat manifested themselves,--the thunder which
towered at a distance previous to the.eurtain drawing
up, burst into tremendous tumults on Mr. Booth's com-
ing fbrward to addries them. After numerous at-
tempts, all inefiiy:toal, he was obliged to retire, wit' .
out soaking himself heard. Mr. Fawcett then came
f.noverd, and attempted to act ornitlish that is whi h
Mr. Booth bad previously failed, but with no better suc-
cess. Several notes were thrown to him on the stage,
and at length Mr. Fawcett retir. d, anti the p'av com-
menced. Aing Henoyand hisaturtdants ouch
their .partsin dumb show, till Richard appeared when
the uproar again became overwhelming. Mr. Fawcett
4agitia stopped forward and led. Mr. Booth to the front
oldie stage. Still, however, he could obtain no hear-
ing. A. placard was then displayed, containing the
following words:—" Grant silence for an explana-
tion !"—Thishadnor better effect than former attempts,
amid the play promelled in the midst of the chaotic con-
fusion until the conimeneetneut of the 'third act, when
another placard, to the following, alba, was displayed:
" Mr. Booth wishes to snake au aptdogy.--Thoy wtrald
not, however, hear hiampology. Another placard was
then presented. to the audience, " An Englishman . is
then condemned unheard." This to the uproar to its
highast -pitch, and the ronaindar of the piece pissed on_
till the death of Richard, and thelall of the curtain, in
mere dumb show ; a comparative calm beino- cause'. at.
intervals by the attention of the omoncnts t /the unfor-
tunate Richard being drawn to some dist eeate pogilis-
Htie contests which took plate in the pit between his
Ifriends and opponents. At the conc!nsion of the phr-,
jltdr. Fawcett again led Mr. Booth to the flout of the
I.B:age. This was signal for the renewal of the ttt-
mutt, and aThough he addros.:od the audience, not a
sentence of what he said coal,' be collected, and he re-
tired amidst mingled :,Ittets of c,cetie., anti applause.
At the close of the eetertainment, w'! ich proceeded
without ine.rr.lption, a number of the au knee remain-
ed behind, who ealliag for the Matia.;er, . Mr. Fawcett
appeared, and s.ated, Oat Mr. Booth had left the The-
atre, and lie welled to be excused saying any thing in
his aLsonee. On this the audit ace departed.
Saturday Mr. Booth made another attentpt at Ri-
chard; but it was, as be only as offrmig ; for be-
tween th,: bravos and offs not a word could be heard.
Placards were exhibited, expressive of Mr. Booth's de-
sire to make an apology ; but, alas ! John Bull, or a
number of persons taking upon themselves to enact
that honourable character, lost all sense of mercy in his
edhereece to what ho tor.eeived to be rigid justice, and
the unfoetunate ",prisoner at the bar," was net per-
mitted either to be heard or seen in his own defence.
Nay, not even to plead guilty to the indictment, end
throw himself' upon the mercy of the court. The
3lorning_ Chronicle has gravely told us, that all this is
a trick of Ministers to divert the pt.blic attention from
the Habeas Corpus Saspensiou Bill Possibly this may
Ise the case : for we remember having hetud it asserted,
that there never was such a person as Johann I South-
cote ; but it was all a " trick of Ministers" to divert
the public attention from the Corn Bill. Me. Booth is
announced for Monday. It would be dangerous to ha-
;:arti an opinion ; but it' the waving of weite hatelker-
chieti. is any criterion, " the ayes have it ;" anti if so,
Rieleard will be " himself again." It is gent rally
thought that nine Joys will complete this wonder.
On Monday last, the sub-Committer of Deny-lane
Theatre filed a Bill in Chancery apitiot Mr. Jun;as
Booth and the pruprietors of Covent Garden Theatre
for tm utittnetion to restrain Mr. Booth front a ling at
any other Theatre than at the Theatre Royal Drury-
Janie : but on the day following, on the petit:oa of the
plaintiff'', their bill was dismissed on their payity: tine.
whole of the costs.
• At new musical entertainment was proloced litre on
Thursday night, under the title of 'lke Heir if Firvni•
It .haaftsw faults but that. 01.1:ing mama dull, Fer-

MARCH S.

nand° di Vironi, long absent in the Moorish wars, is
presumed to be dead; and Orselli, an outlaw, personating
him, claims his inheritance. Through an imposture
which he practises on Orin, Alberti, the Governor of
the province, and in spite of the remonstrances anti stea-
dy resistance of Benito), the antient steward of the fa-
mily, the rubber, fur a short time, gets into possession;
but Vironi returning, announces himself to the Go-
vernor, when, after an examination of their respective
proofs, he establishes his own right, and Orselli being
detected is turned over to the hands of justice. There
are interspersed through this production some songs,
composed by Whitaker and Bishop. They arc not of a
♦ery distinguished east, though a few of eicin were
prettily executed. One, assigned to Miss Stephens,
beginning thus, " Oh, say not woman's hive is bought,"
se. could nut be listened to without pleasure ; and a
trio in the finale of the first a.:t, " In mercy, Sir, your
threats forbear," did great credit to the taste of that
sweet singer, supported by Master Barnett and Miss
Carew. It was given out fur repetition fur SuterJay
night.