Star.
London, England, 1801-04-15 00:00:00

NARFAS CORPUS SUSPENSION.

Ms. Pr T. it A M moved the further confideration of
tL R.:lx)rt of the Committee of Secrecy, Ecc.
v. WI being read pro forma,
Lome role agreeably, he raid, to the no-
tice L had given, to move for the revival of thole
I.+ Lich appeared by the Report of the Com-
mittee to be abfolutcly neccffary. The Report
having b:cn primed and comph.tcly m the

fion of the notice, be trotted the confidence re-
poled by them in the Committee would render it
unnecelliiry for him to enter much at large upon
the filbjeet. The haffe with which the Committee
had made the Report now before the Houle, was
of itlelf in fome meafure evidence of the necellity
of the meafure he was about to prop:re, fince they
had thought it in all refpeets advilablii to make
an immediate Report of the neeeffity that exiited
for the revival of thofe coercive mcafurcs which
had been for a fhort time dormant, deferring to a
future opportunity that more detailed and circum-
ftantial Report which it was their intention to
make. The Reports made upon the fame ftibjea
in On! years 1794., and 1799, had been referred to
the Committee, and they had to lament that the
machinations of dilaffeeted perfons mentioned in
their former Reports, which had been checked by
the coercive but proper mcafures of the Legifla•
tore, were, immediately on the ceffation of thole
Aets of neceillary rigour, revived with the fame
malignity, the fitme perfeverance, and the film:
evil and flagitious tendency. He trulted the
Houle would agree with the Committee in opinion,
and viewing the fubjeet in the fame light, they
mull be convinced that not a moment was to be
loft in carrying into execution the meafilres recom-
mended by that Committee. He was ready to
allow the fufpenfion of the Habeas Corpus Aft
was a firong meafure, and ought to be viewed
With conliderable jealouffrrince it materially in-
ere:Jed the power of the Crown, by giving it the
authority to detain any perfon whatever at will.
At the fame time the power thus conferred could
not be greatly abufed, fince a heavy additional
refponfibility arofe out of their increafe of power,
and operated as a (comity which might with con-
fidence be relied on for the proper adminiftration
of that power. He waited the Bill for Sufpending
the Habeas Corpus Aft to be palled immediately,
after which he fhould propofc the revival of the
Sedition Aft. Having requefted the Ad of laii
Section for Sufpending the Habeas Corpus At to
be read, (which was read pro forma), he conclud-
ed by Moving for leave to bring in a Bill to revive
and continue the fame.

Mr. M. A. TAYLUII ezpreffed his furprize that
the Houfe fhould be called upon to come to fo
batty a difeuflion as that propofed by his Hon.
Friend over the way. He was aware when ru-
mours of plots and confpiracies were abroad, much
prejudice arofc agatnft thofe perfons oppofing mca-
lures apparently calculated to prevent any evil deft
refulting from thofe machinations. He thought,
however, it was the duty of the Houfe, before
they contented to pafs the Bill now propofed for
their confideration, fully and amply to difcufs the
reafons and faits urged in its fupport. He was
nut inclined to repute that implicit confidence in
. the Committee which his Hon. Friend was in-
clined to give them. It was true the Committee
was elated by ballot, but it was well known what
a ballot was when a Committee of this kind was
to be chofen, if tome from both fides of the Houfe
had been taken to form it, the public would doubt-
lets have had snore confidence in its inquiries and
reports, but all knew how the prefent Committee
had been formed. He could not therefore con-
fent to take upon truß the opinion 'of a Committee
fo compofed. Additional refponfibility, it had
been urged, would follow incrcafed power, and
there was little probability, therefore, of that power
being abufed. He well knew that enquiry and re-
fponlibility founded very prettily together, but lie
was alto perfally aware that enquiry never came,
and that relponfibility was never looked to. Why
fo much hafte ? Why were they to be called upon
in an unprecedented manner to pats a Bill through
all its Rases in one daq, and to futpend in a mo-
ment the Habeas Corpus AI,F when Government
might already apprehend perfons fufpceted of le-
ditiouspraCtices and keep them in cullody at leaft
for tome weeks before fuch perfons could make
'any effort for ,their releafe, when the fufpenlion
of the Habeas Corpus At might, if it was need.
tau, enable Government farther to detain them
there could be therefore no pretence for hurrying
the propofed Bill through the Houle in fo unpre-
cedented a manner, lime Government already
pofteffed, for a time, all die necelfary power, and
thc Houfe might, during that time, difenfs at its
kifure, and with all the rcquilitc attention, the
validity and force of the reafons urged in behalf
of the propofed lufpention. It was lingular that
no fpecific charge had been brought forward againil
any of the perfons detained under the laa lufpen-
lion of the Habeas Corpus All. If thc fame per-
lons were now plotting againfl the Contlitution,
and engaged in difaffefted praClices, there mull be
evidence againft them, or the Committee could
not have found them to be fo plotting. Why then
were not the grounds and the evidence on which
the Committee had afted laid before the Houk,
that they alto, as well as the Committee, might
form their judgment of the neceflity of the propo.
fed nicafurc ? !'his, lie obferved, was only the fe.
cond day after the reed's, and many Gentlemen
were not yet returned to town, not having the leaft
fufpicion that a notice of only four and twenty
hours would be given to fin Pend the Habeas Cor-
pus Aft. With t efpet to the other Bill his Right
Hon. Friend intended.to propofe, he laid feditious
Meetings might perhaps have been called, but it
unfortunately happened when fuel' a Bill was pat-
ted that the people were prevented from meeting
in a legal manner for the redrels of their grievan-
ces ; any Magillrate might take upon hint, mere-
ly from the iniptilfe of his own opinion or imagi-
nation, to dilperfe loch meetings, however legally
called or properly attembled. Appearances, he
laid, made him think it w.ts the determination of
Government, in times of difficulty and diltrefs like
the prefeut, to prevent men from Rating fairly
their grievances to thc Throne. 'iiic people had,
he laid, borne with the outwit patience thc !sta-
ture of thc times, and the return made to then)
was charging them with Jacobinifm and difaffec.
tion. He was unwilling to troll any man with
power if he could avoid it ; at the fame time, he
did hot fay he would eventually negative the !ma-
ture, if a proper time was allowed to difcufs it; but
he waited to conciliate the people, and he could
not content to coctcc them without the flrongell
evidence of the neceflity of fuck a mcafurc. Mat

• evidence was not now brought forward;
t all, no ground whatever was alit aged to jun t..
the precipitation which was called for, and
thou:el therefore woe againft tile motion.
, Mr. Cl/14W fail, however nopeCiable the Cent.
• mittee might be, tl:ey had no right to call foe
• meafure of this nature withont laying before :be
Houle the grounds of their opinion. It appeat.d
I to him, and he was forty to fee it, tlett the
I appointed Minitters aired upon the ptceile fee
I of their predeccifors. If it was neeeilary to ;,
through all the fine; of the propofed Bill in ,;1.•
day, how did it happen that the Chancellor id es;
t Exchequer fulfered the Houle te adjourn forme.,
than a week, knowing, as he Milt from the papa.:
: he laid before the Houle. the dangers wile::
hreatened, titter they mull he the feriae at
• moment as at the relent ? Until, howevet, it ie.
• t ame apparent to the Houle what thole deeger,
were; he could liQt coafent to aft unjuili7
Contlituents, and invade the liberties of the
: pie by ranflioning the propofed me:llitre.
The CFI ANCV LLOR of the F.XCIIF.QSEP Lit!, t!:t!
Hon. Gentleman who had jolt fat down had alle!.:
• ed lb pointedly to hiantelf that he felt it at:et:trate
to rife much earlier than he intended. The Hei
• Gentleman had accufed him of futfering the Houle
to adjourn when be knew (as lie was ready to a„e
mit he did) c:f thole dangers at itirli were new
preffed upon the attention of the Did the.
• Hon. Gentleman mean to make it a matter .1
charge againit him that the propofed meafure v..
not brought forward at the time the papers re
prefented to the Houle, before their nature w
known or their contents invetligated ? I>id •iet
, Hon. Gentleman mean to make it a charge again:!
• him, that he had not before propofed a meafure
which the Hon. Gentleman now deprecates as an
invafion upon the liberties of the. People ?
tunately the Committee had become every dee
, more and more convinced, not merely of the top-.
diency, but the abfolute neeetlity of the meaten:,
now propofed. His Hon. Friend, if he mieh:
• allowed to ufe that expreflion (Mr. M. A t)
had expreffed an opinion frequently delivered is
that Houk, relative to the appointmeet of Commia-
tees. He knew of no better or fairer nexle of choice
than that reforted to in the appointment of the C•ot:
mittec upon whore report they were now called tit
• on to ad. If a Cormiaittee was appenited by
mination, much embarraffment mutt fleet:Emily
• arife to Gentlemen wifhing to fubflittite one name
for another; but when it was appointed by ballot,
every Hon. Gentleman had the means of adclin
one name, or craft another, without the poffilaili-
ty of difcovery ; and however Gentlemen on the
other fade of the Houle thought proper to condemn
the latter mode, they had formerly thought it ne-
neffary to adopt ie. He had no ll:Topic to acknow•
ledge_ the regret with which he had prefented to
thelioufe the papers he had laid before them on the
laft day but one of the fitting previous to the re-
eels, but the pradice; of Jacobinifm and difaffee-
tion had been revived the moment thole meafure;
which prevented them had ceared, an:l the con-
fequent revival.of thole me:tames became ablU-
lutely tat:car:my. He did not however mean to
(late that Jacobinifin had extended its cnip;7e
in Britain, or increafed its profelytes, but the
pofition upon which it aded with foccels had in-
creafed. The people. diftrefled in confequence
the preifure of the times, and the exorbitant ;trite
of provifions, had been acted upon by lurking
malignity, by infidions Jacobiniiin and difiaffeCtion,
which led them to believe they could gain to-
thing by patient fir:liners and refignat ion, ar!
could only obtain relief in their diftreffes hers
ads of open hollility and violence. Let it not be
fuppofed lie charged the people with dititffeeiicr. ;
if that were really the cafe, the difeufflon of the
prcfent mealure would be unneceffary, (Ince the
Constitution depended upon the opinion of 11:e.
people. He difclainied any fuch charge—the
people were not dirgufted with the Conttitatta.,a.
It seas for the purport: of defending the great I,e.
dy of the people againfi the machinations of the
malignant and difaffeded few, that the prefela
measure was thought neceffity. His Honourable
Friend objeding to the meafure "ailed the people
to be • conciliated—but what flirt of conciliation
was to be offered, by rejefting the propolition of
the Committee ?—To the rich it seal to be
we will not vex you with laws by which you may
tie coerced, but we trill leave your property M
fpoliation and to rapine. To the poor—we will con-
ciliate you, but we will leave you a helplefs prey
to the machinations of Jacobinifm. Was this the
truc fpirit of conciliation ?—was it nu: rather the
belt mode of conciliation to do our duty to the
country, and prevent a few evil difpofeet perie
from &fir:tying the happinefs of all ? Majar-
ty's prefect Militia's had, he raid, been charged
with purfuing the fame fyftem as their Necked.-
furs. To this he would anfwer, they purrucl
I atoll: meafures which they thought calculated to
benefit the country, without eating whether they
clafhed or agreed with the meafures porfued by
others. Of his Majelty's late Minifters, hoe: ever•
he would fay,that had it not been for their wifilorn
and their energy, we flu.suld not now be enabled
to adopt meafures to meet the public nceilli.ies.
Every meafure ought only to be juftified by its
own necetlity, without reference to extraneous ear-
' cumltances. It was the peculiar beauty of our
Connotation, that it could adapt itfelf to ecety
neceflit y, and accommodate itfelf to circurnflancos
as they arofc. There were a let of men why,
whillt me:acmes like the prefent were in obeyance,
aded in open hoftility to the Conftitutiont and
when coerced by the effed of thole mealures,
ple:tded that very Conflitution they were in the
habit of attacking and reviling, againft thole wea-
fitres by which they found their machination% pre:
vented, and their guilty fames checked and Mud-
ttated. The necetlity oldie pi-pored meafure was
tintimtmately too apparent, %chilli it was a me.z.
lure of junky to the people and fislety to the Con-
Ilitution. Under there imprealons, he Mould give
the meafure his m..lt cordial fupport. With re-
feed to what had been laid by his Honourable
Friend relative to another Aft which it was like.
wik ieteneled to poltpone. he (hook! refrain fiom
making any obfervation, no queftion relatise to t't
being at prefent before the Houk.

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• 51r FRARett BVRTIPTT raid, he now felt there
Oiled no distinEtion between the principles and
Obica of the late and prefcnt Adminifh-ations—the
machinations of both equally tending to th•f anni-
hilation of welbregulated liberty ; as the meal-sire
went to the liiliverfion of that resonant of
the •
old Engliflt Conflitution which was left. It
was evident to any man who had not given up his
reafon to the keeping of Milli:K:l3, that the plot
which was the ground-work of this propofition was
iialc, though the managers were new—there was
no fort of evidence before the Houle to Phew the
recelTitv rfthe Bill, and however flagitious the con-
do& of the late Minifters might have been, this
was the gal inflance where a Vote of Credit was
demanded on the blood and liberty of the people.
plea of necellitv for acts of injuftice ought,
kowevfm, never to he admitted ; it was the uni-
form excufe for that of atrocity ; it was equally
• on by the tyrant and the flare—the mur-
derer and the robber—it was ari apology for the
btieft calumnies, inch as had been promulgated
by former Committees on a fimilar fubjeCt.--rA
cr.(order! order!] He faid he alluded to the
tonduCt of a former Parliament, and exhorted
the Hcufe to examine the effeCts of the fvftern pur,
fn:d by that Parliament, in order to al-certain its
impoliey andinjuflice ; particularly fo far as that
fv,lon was aCted on in Iceland; where, at the
dole cf the American war, above 60,000 volun-
teers, fell-clothed, felf-appointed, fell-paid, and
felfdifdplined, flood forward to refill the threaten-
ed invaflou of rtance—while lately the Houle was
told that that people fent Ambaftidors to France
to folicit invalion. Could, he asked, fuch an ex.
tram Binary change originate from any other caufe
than the &milli& of the Irilh Government, lane-
tioned by the wicked fyftem purfoed by the Eng-
Ib ? It ruight indeed be Paid, that it was
produced by Jacobinifin ; that non-defcript which
LI alarmed the timid, deluded the weak, and
rotated the corrupt—what was Jacobinifm, was
it to invade delencelefs unoffending countries ?—to
trample upon thole that were weak, and to cringe
to thos'e that were flrong—to perfeente the friends
of liberty, and to drench the fcatFolds of Ireland
svitli blood? for fuch were the practices of an
Heaven-born Knitter, and his regular Govern-
ment ; or was it to affert the birth-right of Englifh-
men—to watch with jealoufy the conduEt of Mini-
fters who knew well there was no time between
gayety for their country, and punifhment for them-
felves--and to reftrain within proper limits the
power of the Crown ? He left it to the good fenfe
of the Country to afcertain the definition of that
bug-hear, trolling that no Minifter would have
the halalibood, upon fuch a vague pretence, to at-
tempt a repetition of the fame recites in England
which had defolated unfortunate Ireland. The
brave foldiers of England would never, he was
confident, confent to become the executioCfrs of
their countrymen, and the people would not be
the more reconciled to fuch ;lets, whether they
ihould originate with the Government, or with
that Hestia?, which they had a right to look to as ,
the peculiar guardians of their Conftitution. He
begged to repeat an old affertion, which could not
be contradicted, that perfecution could not con-
fute opinion, and that contentment was never the
offspring of oppreflion.
The Sostet TOR GIiKERAL Paid, he was not fur-
Fad at the fentiments expreffed by the Honour-
able Baronet who had juft fat down, however he
lamented the effects produced by fentiments of a
fimilar nature. The Hon. Baronet did not con-
ceive that Government was entitled to any grati-
tude Aielt haerpreferved the Conflitution againft
thole who had been ftruggling to fobvert it, but
he thought the people of quite a different opinion
en that of the Hon. Baronet. The meafure which
Jacobirtifm had provoked Gentlemen to srefort to,
had not attached to the Government that popular
odium which the Hon. Baronet had deferibed : it
was pointed at thole by whom Inch meafures were
made neceffarv. It was the fafhion of modern
patriotifm to rail againfl the Government on every
octane's—whether attacked by foreign or domeftic
enemies, it was the cuftom of the other fide of the
Hoar to take a decided part againft the Govern-
ment—every projeCt and party that was holtile to
Goverment might be Miura of their patronage.
The Nobility, Gentry, and Yeomanry, were abufed
as a faZtion leagued for bloodfhed—while their vir-
tue% their fortitude, and the high and loyal mo-
tives from which they aZted, and the dreadful pro-
vocations which excited them, were kept out of
view. If the queftion was, who fliould become ob-
noxious in confequence of thofe flrong meafures
which Government had been compelled to employ
for force tine back ? he could have no hefitation in
laying, the odium, if any, belonged to thofe who
Lad propagated mifchievous -doCtrines without
doors, and perhaps even more to thofe who had
adopted and defended thcfe datrines within that
hassle. He, however, acquitted Gentlemen on
the other fide altogether, of any intention to lane-
Con the proceedings of the difalfeCted, or of any co-
incidence in their views ; but that their language
in general had a firong tendency to flatter their
E- per, he did maintain. It mull be recolleCted that
when the rights of men were fo much the theme of
ds:affeCtion within,' doors, they had their advocates
• Parliament—when Reform alio was the pretext
of 'f reafon, it was brought forward in that Houfe,
aral lapported with .111 the eloquence of the Gen-
tiemen in the other tide. To flick Gentlemen,
therefore the country should, and did anually
look as the authors of filch meafures as that then
-before the 1-I,oufe—for had not the opinion% of the
Jacobins been adopted and pleaded for by them,
rile) might have fallen into contempt. He denied
that the mars of the 'people of Enghind would be
affe&ed by the 1.1 w• -there who were peaceable and
loyal, were jolt as likely to feel offended hy it'as
thofe who valued the fecitrity of their poffedionv
fhould by a law againft houfehreakers. He Was
confident_that all who were animated by lively fen-
liments of loyalty would be grateful to Parliament.
for Adopting the meafure, and would conrcler it as
a fr.end and benefaaor. With regard to the con-
Sdehcswha ought to be placed in the Report of
the Committee ut which be bad the honour to be,
a Member, the queftion was, would the Route
(411fick in that Committee which they bad them-

felves appnioted, and in which they had already
confided, without demanding from them a difclo-
fare of names and circumftances which it would be
highly impolitic and dangerous to publifh ? A !
Learned Gentlemar. had argued that the laws were
already fufficient to meet the evil complained of,
and called loudly for evidence to prove the nccef-1
fity for the fufpenfion of the Habeas Corpus All ;
but he would a& him if he fhould be apprifed of a
plan in contemplation to affaflinate him ? and put
completely on his guard, would he intlit upon a
knowledge of all the circumliances, if luch infor-
mation was likely to expofe his protedurs to 11111
greater dangers ? Perhaps the cafe was fimilar in
the prefent milance. Under filch circumftances as
thofe deferibed in the Report of the Secret Com-
mittee, he truiled the Houle would apply that re-
medy which had been already tried, and which had
been exei died with temper, moderation, and jullice.
Mr. M. A TArLOR explained.
Mr. GREY role he fetid not lefs as a Member of
Parliament to deliver his opinion on a very impor-
tant queflion, than to acquit himfelf of the imputa-
tion of having endeavoured at any time to abet or
atrill difaffeCtion—a charge levelled indifcriminate-
ly at his fide of the Houle, by a Creech of bril-
liancy and invective, but very little argument, by
the Learned Gentleman oppolite to him. He
thanked Con he had never given his vote for any
of thole ails of the late Minittcrs, which had led
the country to its prefent unparalleled flute of ca-
lamity. He had refilled the war as unnecefrary,
and condemned the incapacity with which it was I
concluded. In this lie fliould ever feel a proud I
recolledion, however he might be fubjed to cell- I
fare from the Honourable Gentleman and his
Friends. He propoled a Parliamentary Reform
to that Houle, in order to reflore the Contlitution
in the opinion of the people, and to contrail its
excellence with the theories then afloat : the pi o-
pofal never originated in the abaraCt principle of
the right, which he had always difclaimed, but on
the grounds of policy and expediency. The fyil
tern for fome time back aged on by Minillcrs was
calculated to pluck up the Conflitution by the roots.
He did not, however, mean to atfert, that in no
cafe fhould the Executive Nlagifirate be invefled
with extraordinary powers ; but a itrong proof of
neceillty Ihould be made out to jellify the demand.
'Such he did not by any ineaus conceive the Re-
port on the table to contain. It referred entirely
to former reports and conlpiracies, although fince
the year 1797 not more that twenty or thirty per-
lons had been arrelled—only two of whom were
of any rank, wealth, or co:mations, to render
them formidable. It followed, therefore, that the
confpiracy was not of fufficient confcquence to jul
tify the furrcndcr of the great main-flay of Britilli
liberty • particularly at a period when the people
had exhibited' fuch unexampled proofs of patience,
fubordination, loyalty, and firmnefs, under die
moft trying circumftances. It was not a proper
return for their conduel to expofe them to the ope-
rations of perfonal refentment. He meant not to
impute any fuch motives to the prefent •Admini-,
Oration, but it ought ever to be guarded against,
as he believed no maxim was ever more true, than
that in all rebellions and popular difaireftions, the
original fault was in the Government. He re-
ferred to the late Affixes, and Dated, that the
chief of the convilions were for the alts of men
drivel) to de(peration by poverty. He law no de-
triment that could *rife from allowing fome time
to examine the queftion fully, and to cone& evi-
dence. Such a mode of proceeding would be
more decorous, and much more fatisfaCtory to the
couutry, which the Report of the Committee
could not be, as it was very well known how that
Committee was appointed—how lifts were di(tri-
buted, and what means were employed to render
men amicable. He called on the Right Hon.
Gentleman over against him, (the Chancellor of
the Exchequer) to anfwer, had the lifts which were
diltributed been in any one inflance altered, or'
could the exertion of islf senor be denied t If that
Committee had ben otherwife conftituted, per-
haps the public would be difpofed to attach fome-
what more creditto the report. He deprecated fuels
precipitancy on important queftions, a praftice
which had never prevailed previous to thc Admi-
niftration of the Right Honourable Gentleman's
predecetror.
Mr. MARTIN (of Galway) fpoke in fupport of
the Bill. He confidered the report of the lrilh
Parliament as Cadent evidence of the exiflenee
of a confpiracy in England, and quoted an extra&
from that Report in illuttration, to thew the con-
neetion between the difaffeded in both countries.
The prefent Minifters, in (offering the Bill for the
Surpenfion of the Habeas Corpus An to expire,
had made an experiment which did much honour
to the liberality of their difpotitions, hut that ex-
periment only ferved to (hew the incorrigible nb-
flinacy of the difaffefted. It was true that their
numbers were sun confidcrable in England, but
they were yet to be dreaded, from the unending
aftivity of their exertions. At different periods the
Habeas Corpus Aft had been iltipended not lcfs
than fourteen times fince tl:c Revolution, and at
no time called for by a neceflity fo imperious as
that which exilled at prefent. It the neceftity was
even apprehended, as fume Gentlemen admitted,
the more promptly the remedy was adminiftered
the more likely to be effeltive. When delay was
recommended, he recolielted a Dory told of a cul-
prit fenti.nced to death in ancient Greece, who,
after fentence was pronounced, fupplicated the
Judge to defer the execution for three years, on
the ground that he had it in his power to render
cfrential fervice to fcicnce—by teaching a dog to
(peal Greek ; and that it would require that time
to complete this Wu: nahirg (a load lark). The
Judge granted his requeft, and on his return to
prifoin he exulted in the fuccels of his application.
His friends, ailing him how he could rejoice, as
he was certainly to die, he anfwered, " Perhaps
within three years the Prince may die—lonic
change may take place in his Councils—or the'
dog may die, and I than be allowed a longer pc-
rood to complete my experiment nn another—or
I mar die myklf. however, the effeet of my peti-
tion is, quarrorque r;a, that I (hall live three years."
Mr. Smains* laid, the Hon. Gentleman who
I Ind jail fat dewis bad Irgun by laying, that hc

felt it impoirible to give a filent vote on this octa-
-1
Pion, therefore he amufed the Houfe with a /afro
traltme—Ca laughl—he had told a Rory very mi-
nutely with all the circumftances, but forgot one
material point, which was, the application of it to
the queftion before the Houfe---[a !ant:]—A, had
' Dated that the Grecian culprit had obtained a re-
fpite of three years—that he might die within the
time—yet he concluded with laying, that the
Grecian would quarangur via live for three years [a
I.laugh]. He profelfed the utmoft relpea for the
natives of that country he fhould he ever proud to
call his own ; but wilted when they had any chi-
potition to entertain the Houti: with their mirth,
they would Peek to introduce it in props leafon.
The queftiou before the Houfe was limply whe-
ther there did exilt any necelity to jullify the act
before the Houfe, and if in the prefent circthtt-
lances there did, he would ark in wllkia putlible
Date of the Empire would Englifhmen be filffered
to enjoy their Conlitution ? It was nut foie to
attribute prejudice to his tide of the Hot& ; for
1 they had a much better right to call that prejudice
which dictated their exclution from die Committee.
' The Right Honourable Gentleman (the Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer) had let forward in his ca-
reer by afking for unanimity from the Houle, to
ha Ade all party prejudices, yet what does he do
to deferve it ? Does not he follow the footfteps
of his prcdeceffors, whofe every aft he approves ?
Does not he tell the Houle that to the vigour of
• Mr. Pitt we owe the prefervatiun of the Coutlitu-
tioa, yet when that Right 1-TUll,rue:dile Gentleman
was turned out of the fituation he held in his Ma-
jetty's Councils, his lofs was nut deplored by the
Country ; no petitions, 110 remonitrances were
heard againft the shirttail of the Right Honour-
able Gentleman. The Right Honourable Gentle-
man, (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) has avow-
ed a hit of the Secret Commitaze in evious to it:
being chokn, and yet he jollities the meafure. He,
raid he recolleaed having once in that Houk read
over before the Glaffes were opened, a lilt of one and
twenty Members who Were to be choler' to la m a •
Committee, and as he read them to they came vet.
Would the Right Honourable Gentleman fay,
he did not know on the morning of the day on '
which the Committee was chofen every Member
who was to compote it ? He ives Gentlemen at
this tide of the Houle credit for their attachment
to the Contlitution, yet, by his own confeflion,
he excludes them from that Committee which WAS
• to examine into plots tending to overturn it. I le
was fore- the country would tart be difpkaital at
having the teltinrony of Gentlemen who a 'led in
conjunction with him, of the cxiftence tit plots,
which made it necelllrry to deprive the people of
the very Conflitution itfelf—fur fuch he confider-
ed the Sufpenlion of the Habeas Corpus Aft.
When the Right Honourable Gentleman's prede-
cettors were hard preffeel, they hatched plots, and
found their heft Ally in a plot-bag. It was a
Ilrengthening-plafter to a weak-backed Admini-
Dration. When three-fourths (tithe induftry of the
country fithfilled upon charity, it was natural to
fuppofe difcontent mull follow the grinding op-
pretlion they laboured under ; yet their manner
of bearing their famine and mitery did not &terve
the meafure before the Houle—their conduft un-
der the prefent eircumflances was exemplary. He
ailed if the poor hungry populace had (truck a
blow—what outrage had they committed to war-
rant the fufpenfion of the Habeas Corpus Aft ?
It was the conduit of his Majefly's difmiffed Mi•
Milers that brought the country to ruin—and now
they aid towards his Majetty's prefent Minitters nn
the principle of reciprocity " Claw me and I'll
clad- you." They had been warned by the Right
Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Pitt) not to follow
tile conflict of Oppofition, though not follow-
ing their advice had ruined the country. The
prupofcd Billgave his Majcfty'sMinifters a power
to look round Great Britain, anti lodge any man
they thought proper in Cold-bath-Fields Prifon.
He heard very lately from the other tide of the
Houfe, great vauntings and congratulations on
the contempt of the people againtt Jaco,binitin,
and yet the Houfe is now called upon to fupprefs
what fo lately it was told did not exift in the coun-
try. He could but confider the meafure as a
pretext to make the fufpenfion permanent, be-
cattle nothing in thefe times demanded it. Let
his Majelty's 41inillers fpcak out—let the At he
ftruck at once from the Statute Book. When
tneafures which went to deprive the people of Eng-
land of their Conftitution were &tired by his
Majeltv's late Miniiters, th:y had only to hatch
up a pint and fend it to that Houfe ready cut and
dried in thegreen bag, and the lame fyltem appears
to he followed by their foci:ears. In the State
I Trials, nut one perfon was brought forward as a
witnels but the !pies of Minifters ; and what proof
had the Houle that the fpeeches of thole fpies did
not carafe the inflammatory Ipeeches with which
the perfons to be tried were charged ? He
willed to know at once the extent of the powers
willed for by his Majelly's Ministers. He law
no mercy in throwing a man into a (tone dungeon
without a pretext of guilt even futEcient to put
him on his trial. 'I he privileges of Englitb-
, men were gone, if unfortunate men toll releafed
Ifrom Stone cells were to he again tallely accufed
and implifoned. Notwithflanding the rigour Lord
Cloncurry and Mr. Bonham experienced in the
Tower, where they were not permitted to fee any
perfim but in the pretence of their guards, left any
plot might be hatching, nor to walk out of their
rooms without being attended by a soldier with a
loaded motket, and after all this parade and pre-
caution, enough could not be found again( them
to bring them to trial. Was this, he ailed, mercy-?
How merciful it was in his Majefly's Minifters not
to confine tour or five hundred instead of only 20
or 3o! He then adverted to the conduit of Go-
vernment in keeping Governor Ark in office after
the Report of the Committee of that Houle had
bore teilimony of his condua, which, he laid, was
feandaloto, No man took the part of the enemies
of his country. I lis Hon. Friend (Mr. ( :fey) had
been accuted by an Hon. and Learned Gentleman
of being an enemy to his country, becaufe he eon.
fidered Parliamentary Reform as nerefrary, and
as the moil likely means of bringing the Houle to
its former Rue of iudepcnderao And pro...ming

the Conaitution in its purity—fur his part he con-
fidered his Majefty's late Ministers to be the
greaten enemies of the country 1 and this too af-
ter thofe amongft them had abandoned the prin.
ciples with which they had. commenced their pu-
litieal career. After they had abandoned what
they affertcd in the face of the country " that 11,,
freurits for Parliament, or tCcurity againn Mini-
Iters could be had without a Parliamentary Re-
form." He considered the Committee as having
gone farther than empowered by the Houle in re-
commending tin: prefent mcafure—it was fur the
Committee to tei,ore to the Heide, and leave the
Houle to fix upon the molt proper mealbres to be
puilued. The Chancellor in the Exchequer had
told the Hoot: the meafurc was for the purpnie
of taking the poor of England under the pi otec7
tion of his Maje:ly's bilinizters. This he cenfider-
ed a libel—a mockery. Tice people were allowed
to be loyal to the Crown and the Thrum:. if the
law; ale not equal to the prefet vation of peace,
under loch a dilpolition on the part of the people,
without the prefent meathre, they were not worth
preferving. He then adverted to the üblervation
of an Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Martin) that the Ha-
beas Corpus An had been futpended fourteen or
fifteen times, aferving that the Hon. Gentleman
knew more of the Grecian I linory and the .Gre-
cian Lap-Dog, than of the Hiftury of England,
or ht would not have made loch an afilirtion.—
. Previous to his Aslitjelty's late Minifiers coming
into office, it had not been ftifpended more than
five or fix times. He mild mention the of:cations
by recurring to memory, but he would not then
take up the time of the Houle ; this much he
would fay, that it never took place but in talcs of
the utmod necetlity, to which the prefent times
bore no analogy, never but ill cake's of anual rebel-
lion, or a"tual invalitm. lle laid he would oppole
the Bill in every nage.
The ATTOKNEti GINT.RAL laid, h.! role to ac-
cept the challenge which had been thrown uut by
the Hon. Gentleman who Ipokc lilt, and to de-
clare fulenaily, that the a':w.ifitution of the country
would nut be tail if the Bill which was now moved
for was fait pair:J. He felt himfelf founded in
making tins :dilation, in confequence of the ma-
terials and evidence which had been laid before the
Committee ; and the impreGion it Made upon him
in common with every other Member of the Com-
mittee was, that if chi Bill did not pats, that every
thing valualil: it: the Laws and Conftitution .of the
country, weinld be liable to be overfet and eon-
v oiled by th_ machinations of wicked mertavailing
thertoidves cf an untOrtutiate fcarcity, to fern:nit
hi:mount and to forther their ("wit purpofes. In
ilfpluating a Ball for the fitfpenflon of the Habeas
Corpus An, he sets ready to admit that it Wa•
meaftire of great vigour, and one to which he gave
his affent with great relunance, becaufe there was
no man in the }loon:, or the Country, more fen.
lible than lie was of the great value and import-
ance of that An , an Aa mere important, per-
haps, than any other on our Statute Book. In
the prefent Rate of affairs, however, his Majefty's
Minillers would, in his opinion, have been guilty
of a grufs dcrelition of their duty, if, knowing the
peril of the count y at this moment, they had not
reforted to this meafure. The Committee w hich had
been appointed by the Houle to invelligate this bo-
nnets, were men of high honour and charaner,
and they had with one voice agreed upon the fie-
cedity of the adoption ofthis meafure. Gentlemen
had affened to treat this fubje.l ludicrouily, when
it was reprefinited as a meafure of lenity, hut he
would maintain that it was a moll lenient meal-arcs
and particularly to thofe perfons againft whom it
was fuppoled to be intended. He wished to ark, if
it was not lenity to them to prevent treaffin, which
was intended, from being carried into effen, and
that undoubtedly was the object of the Bill. But
there appeared to be a confiderable degree of ineon-
littency in the manner in which Gentle Euti:il
. the Bill—fur at one moment it
a meafure of extraordinary feverity, and the neat
is was find that it was ufelefs, for that Minifiers
had hardly taken up any perfons in confequence
of the power which was vetted in their hands.—
One ground of argument upun which Gentlemen
had relied was, that many pet-runs had been taken
up, but had not been brought to trial ; upon this
point he wished to one, whetherit was not import-
ant to conceit' from the public view thefe commu-
nications which were made to Government, and
which enabled it toprovidc for the fafetyofthe State?
Every Gentleman muff feel how efrential it mutt
be that the channels through which Government
received its intelligence, fhould nut be publicly
known. If the perfiln who made the communi-
cations was once produced as a witncfs, it was ob-
vious he could not again be ufeftd in that way.—
la therefore became a quefkion of political COITTLI
tation, whether it was better to pond]: one man,
or to keep entire their means of communication ?
It had been raid, that there were no witneffes ex-
amined againd the perfons accufed of High TlCA-
iim, but the Spies of Government ; but in return
he %edited thcHon.Gentleman would point out any
initancc in Which the teltimony of theft: Witnetrcs
had been Linseed. In point of (alit, however, the
alreition was not corren, fur there were Witnefr3
of another defeription examined, and one in parti-
cular occurred to his recollenion, viz. a Gentle-
man of high rank and charaner in the prof-anon of
the Law. But there witnedes had not only nut been
euntradined, bin their evidence had been moll nia•
teriallyconfirmedbyfilbfequent events. He bei,ged
leave to rimind the Houle, that if it had notteen
for fubfequent events, the fainted O'Connor, who
had been praifed till he was lick of hearing it, would
have gone to his grave ( whenever he went there)
loaded with all the praife which his Co:ill:lag:cot •
htd bellowed foli:setally upon hint. lie thought
it unneceffary to occupy more of the time of the
Houle at prefent; he had rifer merely fur the pair-
pole of contending, that this was a meafure cat he.
nits, and oi hating the reasons why the perfiens
taken up had not been :nought to ti :Al. As to the
que:tiutt tslaeh the lion. Gentleman who (puke tail
bad put to him, cciltecliiig the conartalain of the
A's, lie collet only lay. that the Hon. Gentleman
had tit; na...ms of obtaining fuels excellent infurrna-
, :Lai Irani a J .:11Mt'd Qinetlenian luting near him.
cleat r. :vas ...:4-..-tsll.u) iv; lens to eve auy

130011 the fubjea. He fhould therefore, conclude,
with giving his fupport to the Bill, convinced aN
be was, that when Confpiraciea of the moft clan.
gerous fort were aiming at the deftruElion of every
thing that was dear and valuable to the Country.
and when the moft licentious Syllems of French
Politics were in aftion, that Minifters would have
been guilty of accelerating the ruin of the Coun-
try, if they had not propofed this mesfurt.
Mr. Into: Hours Tooter raid, that at that late
hour he fhould trouble the Houfe but for a very
!bort time. If there was any thing which could'
drive him to defpair with regard to the fate of his
country, it was what he had witneffed that night.
When he heard men who filled high legal fitua-
tions under the Crown make Solemn appeals to
IitAVEII, and cape& to obtain credit for their afrer-
tions—when he heard Inch language and (uch
dos rines come from them as they had advanced,
what mull he think of the fituation of the future
fubjefts of this land, when there learned Gentlemen
were hereafter to fit as Judges on the Bench ? One
Learned Gentleman talked about the dangers of
atrnation, and Aced, whether it would be pro-
per, when fuch a thing was apprehended, to wait
for the common forms of the law ? But he would
afk if no affaffination was ever to be apprehended
from his Majelly's Minden? There certainly was
and he himielf had been atraffinated ; (a laugh) he
Rated nothing but what was true, and it was a
thing that none fhould laugh at. He believed
what he was then faying would make fome im-
, preidon on the Right Honourable Gentleman op-
polite to him (the Chancellor of the Exchequer),
whom he loved and admired, and of whom he
knew a little at a time when that Right Honour-
able Gentleman felt that peace and-tranquillity of
mind which be never would feel again. He knew
his principles and his heart : and he knew it
was his misfortune to have fallen a viaim to
one .of the nobleft and bed pallions that ever
animated the human breaft.—That Right Ho-
nourable Gentleman fell a viaim to his grati-
tude; and that was the caufe of his being placed
in the filtration be now held. But, as a father
and a hufband, he ought to feel for thofe who
were fathers and hufbands alfo : and when power
was placed in his bands, he ought to take care that
it Ihould not be abufed in the manner it had been
by former Minifters. But the poster that had been
veiled in the hands of Minifters did not alone
proceed from fuch a Bill as the prefent : almoft
the whole of the Conftitut ion was gone, and there-
fore more danger was likely to arife from truft-
ing them with the Stifpenfion of the Habeas
Corpus Aft. The freedom of the Conflitution
and the fart ty of the Country depended on the
feparate diiiribution of the various funftions
of Government among dillinft bodies. But now
this di ftribution was done away, and all the powers,
both Legiflative, Judicial, and Executive, were
united in cne hand, namely in that of the Mini.
filer of the Crown : this was not all, the Minifters
had to their other powers even added the func-
tions of jailors, and fnbjeeted men to rigorous
confinement without any charge. Several Gen-
tlemen tbour4lit proper to laugh when he laid he
had been ufrattinated: but he would afk if it was
not afafilitation for a man to be kept for the (pave
of (even months in dole cuftody, and during chit
time to be deprived of the comforts of converting
with, or even Peeing any of his neareft and dear-
ell friends and relations ? It might be Paid that this
privilege was granted to thole who had folieited it :
but it fhould have been given without folicitation.
It was true. he was the only perfon among the
prifoners confined at that time who was not
permitted to fee his friends, becaufe be had not
afked for fuch permiflion. But the prevention
was a violation of all liberty, and contrary to the
very ends of punifhment; by 111 hi eh every thing
ralatiug to the punithment was to be done in the
molt public manner.. The cultody in which a man
was kept Should be no more folitary or fecret
than his execution. He wished to know what our
forefathers would fay if a criminal after condem-
nation had happened to be executed fecretly in
prifon ? No fuch thing could' be done by law,
much lets was there any law to authorife the keep-
ing an innocent man in folitary confinement. Even
a nuns condemned to fufFer death wifhed to die in
public. He could (peak from his own feelings. He
had the courage nut to be afraid of injury, though
be did not let up for a brave man. He did at one
time cape& to have been led to a public execution;
and at that very time his
.greateft confolation was,
the hope that his execution Should take place in
public, and that he might have an opportunity
of .trying to chore around him, that death was
hot as full of terrors as Come people might fup-
pole. He would call on Gentlemen on the oppo-
Inc fide of the Houk to give an account to the
Houk and the Country why the laws were abufed?
lie alto wifbed the new Milliner would confider
the fitnation in which the country was now left in
his hands, and conjured him not to take the power
about to he given ; and if he did, that he would
keep it as than a time as poffible. An Hon. and
Learned Gentleman on the oppofite fide had
laid, that the prelim was nothing more than a
temporary meafure. 7t was (even years, howe-
ver, lance the meaftwe had been firft introduced,
and a antatitre of that continuance and which was
row to be renewed, could not be called temporary,
nor was it poffthle that a treafonable and danger-
ous confpiracy could Lift to long as fevers years in
any country. He was not frantic enough to ex-
pea a tenth part of a vote by all be Should fay;
bur he hoped he fhould he able to make force im-
predian on the Right Hun. Gentleman who had
taken upon hins the management of the country
in the Hate to which it was now reduced; al-
though, according to the aflertion of a late Moul-
der, the war bad been very fuccefsful, oar career
was glorious, and we were crowned with viaories!
That Right lion. Gentleman Should confider how
long this war was likely to lad. He would find
the Barmy in a &nation of being magnanimous
and politic at the fame time. He would fay, lie
was extremely defirous of making peace with this
cc untry ; that he was ready to abandon rhofe
poffallions, on the aequitisirus of which an
EAMinifter had lately dwelt,with fo mach exul-
tation ; but while he appeared to snake loch fatii.

floes on the part of France ; while he declared
that the Iflands fhould be no bone of contention,
he would fay that he had to confult the interell of
his Allies, and tell this country that (ho mull give'
up to the Dutch the Cape of Good Hope, and the
(hips which had been taken from thence.—[At
this part of the Hon. Member's 4)eech, there was
a loud cry of Isluf/lion tafflion
The SPEAKER—" The Honourable Gentleman
will explain to the Houfe what application thefe
obfervations have to the queftion under confide-
ration."

Mr. Tooks—Js I will not trouble the Houle
with any more obfervations."
The Gallery wgs then cleared of Strangers, in
order that a divilion might take place, but the
Monti continued debating for near two hours
after. during which time two divalent. took Alice.
The fira was on the quellion, That the BM for
Sufpending the Habeas Corpus Ad be read a fira
time, Ayes 189—Noes 42.
•On the quellion that the Bill be now read a Cc-
cond time, _ _ _

Mr. Cuawas (as we were informed) moved to
leave out row and fubliitute a longer time, in order
that the Bill might be IoR. The Houk divided.—
For pollponing the ad reading 34—Againft it 190.
The Bill then went through a Committee of the
whole Houle, was reported, read a third time, and
pa frcd.
A Bill was afterwards brought up for prevent-
ing Seditious Meetings, which was read a firit, and
ordered to be read a fecond time to-morrow.
Adjourned at Half patt Eleven o'clock.

LONDON.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL is.

PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK

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PRICE OF STOCKS YESTERDAY.
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