The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-05-03 00:00:00

~~.

• r •
.
Jri• such he shall prose uliimately,to lszde e withi
toalstalre.
f.-1 have siren my Hon. Foirrol'iecortesi
Lord Sidmouth, aint isle Noble Lord's :Hosier, in
which he meows that it is not the intention of the
Home Department to bring Edwards to trial.
When I my this. I also wish to state, that I do not
wen to hr considered as raying Edwards ought not
to have been employed as a spy. 1 do not say his
information ought out to have been acted upon, en
the contrary, I tniiik. so far as I can see into the bu.
siness, it was properly, and wisely, and usefully acted
011ini. I alms differ entirely with my Hon. Friekid,
who thilsks Edwards was the sole instigstur at the
late ;slot, for I think t here were others as deeply ins-
;limited in it. I am perfectly ready to believe that he
was employed as a spy, and, like other spies, did
not satisfy himself iii giving information of what he
saw others doing, but went to work himself to
widen the circle—that he was actively employed in
inciting NO well as espying, and 'relit further thou
the liiie of his iiistructions--all this I cams easily
imagine. 1 do not, however, blame Gower iiiii eist
for employing spies—fur acting upon their Informa-
l; —:Or not producing them in Courts of Justice
on particular trials—or for not prosecuting them
fur high treason afterwards. As long us society can
Buell desperate characters as Thisilewood
and logs, Goveriiniestt is not only justified hot
bound to employ such persons es Erlwarrir, to watch
their motions and thwart their diabolical plates.
It is laineivahle to he compelled to employ such
persons, but so long. as the wretches they are acting
with are found in society, so long is Government
justified in rosploystig these means of detection.
The office of a soy is always odious, and so is that
of a hangman, but as long as the office of the latter
must stood, so must that of the funnier. Rot when
allude to this always lamentable and painful neces-
silty, I am ready to say, that he who does employ spies
should have a full arose of the delicate. difficult,
and grave responsibility he has taken upon his
hands, and should consider that its the use he makes
of them lie is deeply responsible to the justice of his
country —that he should take care he only employs
spies, not iristigators. The existence of such men
as Thisilewood and logs justifies the employment
of spies. hot their existence. be it remembered.
renders it squally unnecessary to employ instiga-
tors.—(//cur.)-1 N•sy this, that I should not be
considered ssjoining in the common clamour against
the use of spies, slid without at all blaming the
employment of Edwards. But if it does appear
that lie went beyond his office, amid was, in fact, an
instigator, and in matters totally unconnected with
the late plot—if he shall be proved to have been
an instigators mud in the manlier mentioned, in •
distinct plot then I say that the cause of justice
will be sacrificed, if, for this new offence, some
satisfactory CASK he tint .hewn wily he is not
brought to trial."--(//es../
Mr. CANNING said, that whether the subject
introduced by the worthy Alderman was fit matter
of dismission in that House sr not, it was clearly
the opinion of the House. that as a question or pri-
vilege it could not usefully he entertained by them.
He at plead guilty to the charge of bring one
who thuoght the employment of such persons as
had herb *Boded to, sad described by the Learned
Gentlemen (11r. Buoughism)•iie such jinn and manly
terms, was proper. It wasArcessary that such person.
should be employed, that they shut) :I joist, or appear
to join with the guilty plotters, for thepurpose of de-
feating their giiiliy combination's—for the safety
of the State this was necessary. lie was content
Assoook.Sl66l defeatist, sow Isoly of this Government,.
but of all the Governments which ever had em-
ployed such persi.us, on the statement mask by
the Hon. and Learned Gentleman. As, therefore,
the discussion could not be carried on to any be-
neficial result in the present .shape, he snlsesitted
to the word:, Alderman the propriety of withdraw.
lug his moil . Whether the worthy Alderman
would think it proper to bring the matter before
them in smoother shape, was a subject Ull which he
gine no opinion ; bur, at all events, he was per-
bustled, that both the House and the worthy Alder-
num would agree with him, that if it was discussed
it should tn. 640 discussed as to lead to goose prat:.
tical result.
Alilerinen Woos, said, he had not read the de.
posilinus to the House. lie had merely stated
some of the facts deposed to thereon, and had tint
indulged himself in making a single remark fur-
ther thou was necessary to put the House. in pus.
session of the ciruinstsuces of the case, nod there.
fore lie did not see °Halle had merited the remarks
which had bees* made from the Hou. Gentlemen
on the other side.
Mr. CANNING explained, that lie had not the
slightest iutentiuu of finding fault with the manner
its which the worthy Alderman had brought the
subject before the House. fits objections were to
the anode in which it was proposed to proceed.
The motion was withdrawal.