The Sun.
London, England, 1817-04-29 00:00:00

LORD SIDNIOITTH'S CIRCULAR.

Lord Viscount SIDNIOUTH upon the table
the opinions the Law Officers referred to
in
.his 'Lordship's Circular to the Lord Lieu-
tenants.--Ordered to be printed.

ACADEMICAL SOCIETY.--SEDITIOUS MEETINGS
ACT.

The Earl of DAttNLOY observed, that ntrorngst
the obit.ctions made against the Seditious Meet-
ings Bill by those Noble Lords who opposed
none was more strongly urged than that of the
large discretionary power vested by it in the Ma-
gistrates, and the possibility that existed of that
power being i..;reatly abused. 'Bat it never en-
tered into, their contemplation, that a' flagrant
would so soon have occurred, in vthich
cous recant) should he given to the Act, that
its Nbject vral to put down all political! dis-
cossiort whatever.. He had, on the last day of
the sitting of the House, alluded to the case
of the Academical Society, to whom, a licence
was refused by two of the Aldermen .of *Lon-
dolt—one of ‘vitoin expressly declared, that he on
elvrstood the obit:o'of .the Act to be to put down
all political discussion. , He had at the time only
seen 9 report of this case in the putdie papers, bor
co inquiry he found It to be Substantially correct,
told that the, Society Was highly respectable, con-
sk.ting, of Members• of the Learned Bodies, the
universities, and the Inns of Court. He under-
stood that these. Oentlemen., naturally feeling;
themselves aggrieved, intended to petition both
ll'onses of Pat liament, and lie thought, froM What
bad occurred, they were fully entitled so to
Tie did nor, however, come forward yin the behalf
of those Gentlemen whose ease would be More
filly before the .House, when their Petition•was
presented ; but he considered, that the decision
on their case involved a question of the greatest
poidir importance, BO less (hail tvWnher what had
by, ii liittierto considered the freedom of the Bri-,
rish (.:oh,;til taint) was utterly at an end. He eon.'
randy not mean to impute-to those who sup-,
ported tlle my itS tat! any intention of putting down
All discussion, but if such an interpreta‘
tion was given to the Act, their Lordships ought
not to lase is moment in passing :another Bill to
prevent this possibility of-such s'eonStreetion being
!lewd upon.' He trusted the Nolde_Seeretary of
State would disclaim any suck intention, and would
also disclaim having given any authority
stroet ion that could lead to such an interpretatioo.
It most be obvious, that if such was at.all Set up
as the construction of the Act, that persons would
hip ro„.(1, who, to court favour, Arotad put down
all freedom of tAiSetlSSiOli whatever.

Liird VISCOMIt SIIIMOUTH said, that it certainly
never was the intention of those who framed or
supported file Bill to put down all political dis.
cipo.ion.' Ai to the'case alluded to by the Noble
Lord, he could tint disclaim what he knew no•
thing about. Of the Magistrates who were said
to hare liven the decision referred.to, he knew
Toth %g xcept byname; and of the merits of the
case itself ne Was so ignorant, that he should be
utterly unable to give an opinion about it in a
private 'room, much less in that House. IVith
respect, however, to thesonstrnetion of the Act,
the 'opinions of those who framed or supported it
were unimportant ; let Noble Lords look to its
clauses, ' aud see whether any t ne Could possibly
hear the interpretation that, it was intended by 'it
to..put down all Political discussion whatever.

The Ea! of DARNLEY, in explanation, said,
that the Members of the Society in question
had intended to petition Parliament before he no-
tieedthe subject in that House.

Adjourned rill to-niorrow (this doy).

HOUSE 012 COMMONS.

Mr. Owl.Taw postponed his Motion on the
Cati,,,lic Question from Tuesday the oth till Fri-
doy the 9th of May.
The Muse went into a Committee ,on the
C 1,11( of the Peace's Fees Bill, when the blanks
were filled up. •
A Petition from the Roman 'Catholics of Water-
ford was presenter! anti read, praying the full en-
joyment of their rights, &c. ,
PoNsot.iay having moved the second read-
ing of the Civil and Military Offices Continuation

Lord CASTLIIREAGH observed, that he Will
glad to, find ;the Right Hon. Gentleman's 13i11 did
'tint go the. h4l extent of the general principles,
v :licit would open a much larger question,for the
c.m,ideration of the House, and would go to
abvr inciplea coeval with the Constitution: But
he thou:la the Right Hon. 'Gentleman'® Bill of a.
more limited description, and it certainly opened
peck! case of itself.. lie agreed.with him that
if. was extremely desirable to relieve The subject
from the expenee of ,renewing hi.s corntniWon,
utider the event coutcmplated.by'tfic Hill, :arid, on
,this,ground .he.did not led any objection 'to its
principles in the general sense.'' le therefor..
svas.not pripared togive the Second reading airy
objection, but only wished the nigh( Honcittrable
(ib.ntleman to alfow -about ten days to ..elapse
tween the second and third reacting, that the House:
might be enabled to look 'irtto the geilerarprin.
L.foes 4).1 the Bill.

M. I),oNsoatuY. expressed kims.Fif 4ePPY to find
that the 1301 bad met the concarince of the Ntible.
Li..e tot contemplated Z 11):, thing 1. 11 ELY
1,11 igla titakt; tin; least change .41 the Constitution
hMd no Ilestre
,to do any, thing but what,
iiilrlithave l.h vtpprobiition of lbe. !louse.
-...11'1.10- pill whil rf-,.ad a second time, and, on
WU: ittggeStiOil MV. '‘,oll ordered to
Eti coininittectort Thursti_ity,a4ollot.