The Sun.
London, England, 1821-06-06 00:00:00

BRIDGE-STREET ASSOCIATION.

MANSION-110USE.—Yesterday Mr. PARILINCe
the Ex-Sheriff, waited upon the LORD MAYOR
at the Justice Room, as his Lordship was per-
forming the public duties of the day, and stated
that he had an application to make to him of the
most serious nature.

Mr. PARKINS stated, that himself and other citizens had ob-
tained the knowledge, and had seen with alarm, the growth of
a monstrous Association, which he had from its origin con-
ceived to be illegal; and perceiving its growth to assume a
most dangerous character, he had some days since taken the
opinion of Mr. Thackray, a Barrister of considerable research,
who at once declared it to be an Association contrary to the
Statutes, and in fact contrary to the Common Law of the land.
Two Lawyers of great learning had since this spoken of the
Association in question in the House of Commons, but it was
not until Monday last that one of them had-described it as an
illegal combireation within the Statute. Seeing that the com-
bination was increasing, he thought it hiS duty, as, a subject
and as a citizen, to apply to his Lordship for warrants. to appre-
hend the most active Members of the Cenfideracy, that the
penalty of the law might be visited upon them, and that by the
examples made of the ringleaders, ignorant persons might hs
cautioned against being entrapped into an Association, which
they would find to their surprise to be both illegal and utison -
stitutional. He further stated, that it was for the wart cf ma-
ture arrangement, and not from any doubt as to the illegality cf
the combination, that he bad not made a much earlier applies,.
tion to his Lon*Lship to put the law in force in a summary man-
ner against the Confederacy, which had assumed the name of
the " Constitutional Association." lie had, he said, upon the
present occasion, retained the Learned Counsel, .who wonld
state to his Lordship the grounds of the application.
Mr. T.:JAC:CRAY said, he grounded the application for war-
rants to apprehend the individuals as being Members of an
Association against the Act of the 39th of Geo. the cap. 79,

sec. 2, against illegal associations. There were tliiee points upon
which he founded the application against the body complained
of. The first was as being contrary to the Act, in setting forth,
subscribing to, and publishing a declaration not required by
law, and which had not been registered at the office of the
Clerk of the Peace in the manner and form required or direct-
ed by that statute. The second point upon which the applica-
tion was founded was, that the Association formed Part of a
branch Society as forbidden by, and within the intent of, the
Act. Upon this point he cited the declaration -of the Society,
in which it was stated, that it had -been determined " to

adopt a system of correspondence with those members
who live at a distance, and with such Associations as may L e
willing to co-operate in promoting the same objects," &c. The
third point upon which he proceeded was, that the parties_ against
whom they applied for warrants, formed a portion of a Society,
the whole of whose names are not known to the Society at
large. He read over the names of several anonymous corres-
pondents--" Nil desperandum pro Rege et Lege. P. J. P. V."

&c. &c. 11c argued upon the above points, and conamentad

upon the Section of the Act, which is to the following ef-
fect:—" And every Society, the Members whereof shall take,
or in any manner bind themselves by any oath or
.engage.
meat, on becoming, and in consequence of being,: members
of such Society, and every Society, the members whereof
shall take, subscribe, or assent to, any test or declaratic.z,,
not required by law, or not authorised in any marmer
herein after mentioned, and every Society, of .which the
names of the members, or any of them, shall be kept se-
cret from the Society at large, or which shell have any. Com-
mittee, so chosen or appointed, that the Members conatitutkg
the same shall not be known to the Society at large to be Members
of such Committee, or select body, or which shall have any
Pie-
sidcnt, Treasurer, Secretary, Delegate, or other officer so chosen
or appointed, that the election or appointment of teach persons
to such offices shall not be known to the Society at large, or of
which the names of all the Members of all the Committees or
Select Bodies shall not be entered in a book or books, to be
open to the inspection of all the Members of such Society, and
every Society which shall be composed of different divisions or
branches, or of different parts acting in any wanner separately,
or distinct from each other, or of which any part shall have a
distinct President, Secretary , Treasurer, Delegate, or other Officer
elected or appointed by such other part, to act as an office:
for such other part, shall,be deemed and taken to be unlaw-
ful combinations and confederacies; and every person or per-
sons, who, from and after the passing of this Act; shall after-
wards act as members thereof, and every person, who from arid
after the passing of this Act, shall directly or indirectly taainta.:.:a
correspondence or intercourse with any such Society, or with
any division, branch, Committee, or other select body, Presi-
dent, &e. or who shall, by contribution of money or otherwise,
aid or abet or support such Society, shall
.be deemed guilty
of an unlawfal combination and confederacy." The Act far-
ther goes on to authorise the Magistrate to proceed in a sum-
mar), manner against each member, and upon proof on oaft
to convict him or her in the peaalty of £2O, and in defau:t cf
payment to three months imprisonment in the common goal el
house of correction. The Learned Course/ submitted that the
Association in question was directly in face of this statute, ar4
indeed against the common law. He could offer much more;
but he trusted that what he had already stated would be rally
sufficient for their present purpose.
The Loup 'al AY OR put it, whether the Act cited was not of
a temporary nature against particular Societies eziauiEig at the
time of the enactment ?

Mr. TIZACKILAY submitted, that it was net by any..means ui
a temporary 'nature, and that the words of the Act particularly
directed it against such Associations as that cenVlaincd
which, he contended, under the mask and appearance of a Con.
etitutional Society, was more dangerous to the well-being, and
more likely eventually to overturn the Constitution and the es-
tablished Government, than any whose avowed objects were
directly hostile to the Government. The exceptions of the Act;
In favour of ouch Societies as were confined to " religious and.

charitable purposes only," confirmed the obvions consquctiou
. _ _

which h© contended for.

The LORD MAYOR said, that as the matter was one in
which there was some nicety of legal construction, and one

, -
which was of the most serious importance, he should take time
to deliberate and consult the Legal Authorities before he

cided upon any measures which might aXect the liberty of in-
dividuats.

The parties then left the Office, on the understandirsz, thot
they are to receive an answer on a future day.—(Morn. Paper.)

In Hampshire the ancient custom of May ing is
kept up with more spirit than in any other part
of the kingdom. At King's Worthing, in
that county, for three days, the rites were
strictly observed. An excellent band of .1,-vasic
attended. The bowers were beautifully adohed,
and in the evening illuminated with varicE,-ai-
ed lamps ; and the old and the younp-,,- the
rich and the poor; joined in the festive dune ctt
the green,

THE LONDON JOURNALS•

DAUT 'EXTRACTS FROM THE MORNING PAPERS.

June 6.

[MORNING lIERA/,D.]
The accounts from France are peculiarly un-
interesting. The trial for a conspiracy still con-
tinues. Col. Fabvier, the officer who was Aid-
de-Camp to Marmont, and accOmpanied him to
Lyons on his mission thither during the troubles,
has been examined as a witness, after having.
been arrested as a conspirator, but discharged.'
lie refused to disclose the name of a person to
whom he referred in his evidence, and was fined
500 francs for it. The conspiracy appears to
have been an atrocious mockery, got up by pro-
fligate wretches and some credulous,- hot-headed
party-men, to involve their adversaries in ,ruin.
A colonel, named-Berard, who implicated Col.
Fabvier, and attempted to-implicate several De-
puties of the. Liberal" side, is the chief sup-
port of the prosecution, though a prisoner ; ,but
his depositions, in. many instances, have proved
iaa',MOß3 fabrications.

[MORNING POST.]
business was transacted in the House of
Commons yesterday. One of the motions which
stead on the list of the day was that of Mr.
StuertVortley, relative to the late Declaration
of eie Allied Sovereigns.--We confess it gives
us ne Inconsiderable degree of pain to see a Gen-
tleman. of such known good motives disposed to
discuss the document in questipn, conceiving, as
we do, that his intended motion will meddle too
far v. ith the affairs of other nations ; and we are
the more disposed to dispute the policy of the
interference, because Parliament has been of late
so often solicited to take cognizance of the con-
duct of Foreign Monarchs, that a stranger might

-suppose it to be elected the Parliament, not
rnerely of- Great Britain, but of the , whole of
Europe.. 'Even the party who lately designated
as an evil intrornission in the affairs of another
country the resistance which we were com-
pelled to make to France,. now call upon
us- . to. become Inspectors-General of Con-
tinental Politics, at whatever hazard to .our
firances, our trade, and our repute for mo-
deration, or rather for our commendable ab-
stinence from presumption. Mr. Stuart Wort-
ley, who has hitherto been distinguished,
among many other sound-hearted Country G.en-
tlemen, for an honourable resistance to this party,
doubtless so introduce his motion', now that
he has a casual coincidence with them, as to
show a disdain, rather'than an envy of their pa,.
polarity with the worst part of the nation ; bat
We mistake if he does hot find that others will
avail themselves of hiS hasty - variation from a
bitter course, to introduce some of the worst po-
litics that ever yet excited his abhorrence. Dis-
arprovitw as we decidedly do of those princi-
ples in Which despotic Monarchs are brought up,
still do -we apprehend that the most plausible
part of what .Can be said•against the document

• in -4uestion May be atiswered 'by -a mere refer-
• once to the imperfection of all human systems,
• or- policies, and therefore cannot be usefully,
even if it may be safely urged. On the one
hand, if it be said that there is no case in which
. a nation may by force of arms resist their govern-
ment, then there is a possibility that a tyrannical
government may last as long as that doctrine. On
the other hand, if no. Foreign Power may inter-
fere to controul such resistance, then there is a.
possibility that those of
,any nation who happen
to ha re arms in their hands, may call a mere re-
volt, or mutiny, a national effort, and so subju-
gate the Throne and all their fellow-subjects,
without fear of any effectual opposition. Such
is 'the vibration of difficulties in which human

weakness leaves us. Who can regulate it by any
general system applicable to all cases ? We dis-
dain the quacks who pretend that they can. The
question is always one of complexion, and is to
be treated upon the separate merits of each case,
ont'of which if arises. We ask, then, what is
there to deserve the sympathy of the British
pcscple in the overthrow of the assassinating Car-
bienari of Naples, or in the baffled cunning of
-the Piedmontese Liberals, who never moved till
the).- had calculated that they could stab the
Azstrians in the back ?

[THE TI 31.ES.]
Sir Jarnes'illackintosh's Bill for mitigating the
p'smisnment in various cases-of forgery •was lost,
as will have been seen, by one of those unex-
pected invidents which justify the old English
_proverb derived from the Greek—" There. are
rna.,u.things between the cup and the lip." ..We
would not, however, introduce,an unseasonable
. pleasantry on so serious a. subject.
.We regret
the .event; for, had .been carried, it
wo;d still only have been looked on as an expe-
riment, and that on the side of humanity ;. and
v;koever turns over our statute-book, and consi-.
ders the rapidity with whiCh capital punishments
have been enacted, will not, we presume, be ap-
prehensive of any tardiness in reverting to them,
should more.lenient measures appear to tend. to the
multiplication of, offences. The- natural gravitation
lfr,islation seems to be to severity.; as the occa-
tiOnai introcuction of humane laws appears to be
a'kind of Projectile.•force, no matter -how gene-
-rated., but acting 'fora time in opposition to a
never-ceasink 'principle. Whatever the evils
were wider-the eXistinp.; system, of inflicting capi-
-tai.punighments on forgery; however' averse the
-person injured inight be to-Prosecute witnesses, to
-prove the offence, or juries to convict the offender;
these .-evils,•-it .may be -suspected, will be en-
hanced by the 'late discussions, inasmuch—aS
-the public will have been led yet more and more
'l6 doubt the propriety of those laws, which they
;hare now heard 'so• loudly condeninect.in that
',place from which.-all lawS spring.
.

{BRITISH PRESS.]
- The decision of the Court of King's Bench on
-Monday, in the case-, of the King v. Dolby, that
4o person shall be permitted tolserve on the Spe-
cial Jury in this case who may have subscribed
--to the ran " Constitutional Association," gives a
severe blow to this Society. If the right of

°serving as .alury rn ati be important to a member
of a free State, or if (regarded in the light of a
duty) it be of advantage to the public at large, it
becomes a matter of serious consideration whe-
ther an Association, shall be permitted to exist,
the immediate effect of which is to neutralize so
large a num4er of persons, and incapacitate them
from fulfilling one of the most important func-,
tions which can fall to them in .relation to the
general interests of society. "No man," said
Mr. Justice Bayley, " shall,. he on the Spe.
vial Jury who will not say that he is not a mem-
ber of that Association." This is founded osten-
sibly upon the common principle of justice,,
wikich declares that no man khan be at the same
time prosecutor and judge ; but. in effect it
throws a stigma upon. every member of the Asso-
ciation. The same principle ought to prevent
members of the Association from acting as Grand
Jurors, because as such they may have to deter-
mine
upon the validity of their own indictments,'
and it chews in a strong light the impropriety of
those Peers of. Parliament who have inadvertently
become members of this Socicty, and who.may
have in their judicial capacity, as members of
the Supreme Court, of Justice, "to determine upon
points of law or practice arising out of 'the pro-
secutions they shall themselves have instituted..

rAIORNING CIIRONI CLE.]
We call the attention of our readers to the
Report of Proceedings which took place yes-
terday, at the Mansion House, on an application
to the Lord Mayor, by Mr. Parkins, the late
Sheriff, for the arrest of certain Leading Mem-
bers of the Constitutional Association. Mr.
Parkins came, attended with Mr. Thackray, a
Barrister, who quoted the provisions of an Act
of Parliament violated by the Society. The
Lord Mayor took time to deliberate, and consult
the legal authorities before he came to any deci-
sion on the subject. It certainly seems to us,
from an examination of the clauses quoted,
that the Members of the Constitutional Asso-
ciation have subjected themselves to the penal-
ties of the 39th Geo. 111. cap. 79.—We yester-
day stated, on the authority of an Evening Paper,
that the parties already indicted by the Consti-
tutional Association had received notice of coun-
termand. We learn that this is a mistake, and
that half-past ten o'clock this day is the hour ap-
pointed for striking the Juries at the Crown
Office, in the case of Messrs. Thelwall and
Dolby.

[NEW TIMES.]
We have more than once had occasion to no-
. tice the attempt to put down the Constitutional
Association by clamour and abuse.. A new effort
is now made to. intimidate its Members, and they
are very gravely warned that they may all be trans-
, ported, under" Statute the 39th of the late King,
chap. 79, hitituled An Act for the more effectual
Suppression of Societies established for Seditious
and Treasonable purposes,-and for-better prevent-
ing Treasonable and Seditious Practices" !!.The
Preamble to that Act set forth, that a traitorous
conspiracy had long been carried on in conjunction
with the persons from time to time 'exercising
the powers of Government in France, to overturn
the Laws, Constitution, and Government, and
every existing Establishment, Civil and Eeclesias-
tical.; and that in pursuance of such design, cer-
tain Societies had been formed, .particularly the
London Corresponding Society (of which, we be-
lieve, Mr. Sheriff W'aithman and• Mr. Common
Councilman Galloway can give a better account
than we can), and that it was expedient that all
such Societies, and all Societies of the like na-
ture, should be suppressed—and this is the Act
under which the Duke of Wellington and the
A rchbishop of York, with about a hundred Mem-
bers of the two Houses of Parliament, are to be
sent to Botany Bay.—Ha! Ha ! Ha! Ha
Well, but if the spirit of the Act be not very
clearly against the Constitutional Association,.
may not the letter of it he so ? Can we not by
dint of great ingenuity pick out half a sentence,_
which shall eddy round against the main current
of the Statute? Let us try.- In section the second,
somewhere about the-middle, it is provided, for
the better effecting the purposes stated in the
title and preamble, that Societies in which the
names of the Members or any of them are kept
secret froin the' SOciefy at- large shall be deemed
unlawful. Now on examining the list of sub-
scribers to the fund of the Constitutional Asso-
ciation we find A Band X Y, of whom we know
nothing more than that the one contributes 2/.
and the other 5/. ; ergo this is one of the Socie-
ties intended -by the aforesaid Act of Parliament
to be more effectually suppressed. Q. E.

PROVINCIAL JOURNALS.

[Prom the" Sheffield Mercury," June 2.]
SPANISH REVOLUTION. ..

With whatever feelings cif satisfaction we were
.disposed- to view the Revolution in Spain at • first, we confess
that subsequent events have considerably modified our senti-
ments on the subject. To get, rid of antippressive government,
and to acquire a free one, are two operations ola different cha-
racter, and by no means follow each other as cause and effect.
AZ history is full ofinstances of a peopleaccomplishing the one
without achieving the other; and the Spaniards, we are afraid,
are destined to afford another example of the same sort. This
arises in a great ir,..asure from the tendency there is in. mankind
to run into extremes. No sooner are a people freed.-from. the
load that fOrmerly oppressed them, than they rush into an un-
controlled freedom :.and the• resilition from slavery leads them
to licentiousness. There seems, therefore, no experiment in
politics more dangerous than a revolution,• and this perhaps is
the reason .we find it so seldom succeed. Its success
.requires a
concurrence of circumstances that we seldom find to exist, and
its failure may be caused by a thousand contingencies which can
neither be foreseen nor prevented. The danger of the attempt
will generally be in a ratio with the suddenness, with which it is
achieved, and the.greatness ofAhechange. which it effects. A
people suddenly: loosened from the restraints of arbitrary rule
will be. apt to enjoy their new found freedom . with a viva-
city, and .even . greediness (if -one - may use the expres-
sion), that will not brook the rest mints which. 'their' own
interests render necessary... A. fatal, reaction is.. apt to -he en-
gendered, : and a state of -anarchy.. induced, by the collision
•of the various interests, anerthii,,,abullition of the various pAs-
si-ozls, that are set afloat during. the Riniplution and it is al.
ways.a.long time before such.a .nation, even under the most fa-
vourableFircunastances, can:enjoy that settled state of tranquil-
lity and security so necessary to its happiness. This considera-
tion wilLalways be found to check Ihe hopes, and abstract from
the pleasure, with which 'vole Should iiiherwise.•view a nation
sUcceed in freeing itself froxi'r the slitales of an arbitrary arid des-
potic governmen,t. Those 'Filo remember the commencement of
the French Revolution, and.thebopes it at first raised but soon
afterwards falsified, Will easily perceive the reason achy weilis-
trust the promises the It:evolution .in Spain at first • held
0ut.... : Already ,do ,we perceiy,e the Spanish people be,gin-
ning 'to perpetrate the same crimes that so fatally marked
the progress of anarchy in France. , The " aofertign people."
in Madrid appear to have usurped the power of the Qovern.