Star.
London, England, 1819-12-03 00:00:00

reash) on Monday last, as the intention of his Ma-,
jesty s Ministers to introduce, reserving, however,
the right of objecting to or supporting any modifica-
tion or amendment in any one of the same which
might hereafter be proposed. Far the present he
shosild.eoutent himself with moving the second-read'
lag of.the Bill—(Cheering).
'ThiSOLICITOR-G EN ERAL then rose, and said,
that however much the measures proposed by his
, gajesty's Ministers on the present-occasion.mig.ht, at
first view, be considered by some Gentlemen inimi-
cal to the interests of the country, or inadequate to
the purposes intended by them, he was fully con-
vinced that, after their general character came to be
known; and the question more thorouhly under-
stood. they would not fail of meeting with the sup-
port they deserved. In consequence of the absence
of his Learned Friend (the Attorney-General) he had
• to claim the indulgence of thelloose whilst he per-
formed the duty which devolied upon him, of going
through the details of the measures about to be sub-
mitted to the House. He was convinced that, upon
i due consideration of them, they would be found
not to go ode step beyond the present necessities
which gave rise to them. A disposition had been
Manifeste4. by the Gentlemen on the opposite side
of the /Reuse to undervalue the extent of the dan-
ger ;. and it had been attempted to represent to
the House, that the danger was confined to the
Counties of Lancaster and Chester alone. To stew
the fallacy of such notions, it would only .be neces-
airy to advert. to fictsef.notorir.ty, Azhich were before
the Public. He could state, upon his own tesponsibi-
. lity, that the Counties,of Northumberland, Cumber-
land, Durham, and the vicinity, of Glasgow, were
in a state of disaffection and open hostility to Go-
vernment, almost approaching to rebellion—(Hear,
,hear).—Leaving out of consideration all that had
taken place under their more immediate observation
in and taking the -range of country from
the West Riding of York to the north of Glasgow,.
including, perhaps,. the most active-part of the pa-
Filiation of the kingdom, actuated by this hostile
spirit, lie thought there were sufficient grounds For
snaking the measures general in their application—
(Hear; sear).—He trusted these considerations would
be...accepted as sufficiently answering the objection
-whith had been made to the measures not, being of
aiartial nature. The. circumstance which was most
alarming iu the operations of the seditious, was the
'unremitting activity_ they. evinced in the pursuit of
=their object; the rapidity with which their.pernicious
__principles were diffused from their. head-quarters in
Lapcashire, which shewed not. only the necessity of.
the restrictive measures about to be proposed, but of
their immediate enforcement—(Hear, hear),-Were
all the causes which led tp, the events. of the French
Revolution_ to. be lost on the House?. Who 'did not
that it was the manufacturing districts that
first shewed the spirit of rebellion, and 'that it was
to the inertness of the others that. was.owing all tbe
fatal consequences that hadheen so much deplored?'
The particular points-to which the present measures
directed their operatiOn weie—traiiing to the used
arms ; the collecting of arms, for the purpose
carrying into effect designs-. formed against- the Coo-
stiatioo of the country ; and; thifdly,' whit Wei
great importance, the means resorted to in order tb
intimidate; for the purpose of checking all opposi-
tion, and to give encouragement to thkabettort ands
partisans of the system.. He would take this oppor;
tutillty"to call to'the recollectiotrof' the tiousithe
centives which had been held out to assassinatioor
'anirwhich had been publicly and unblushingly .ad.
voSoted as'a principle by. the Press. He would pir:
tiodirly advert to a Manchester print, which, 'in

. ;
ten* riot to be misconstrued, openly pointed at an
indfleidual at an objeCt of hatred, and concluded by
inking, if there was .. no noble Brutal ready to raise.
a dagger against such tr-ints r,—(Hear, hear)..—'
Tliondat Circumstance he ihaurd notice at one of
thrmeans employed with the same design, was the
biluterous asiesublies of large numbers collected un-,.
*.derPrittence of dicuising Parliamentary Reform, but i
• in !talky for the purpose of shewing their strength, I
in order to intimidate their opponent*, and encourage,
their partisans-.-(Hear, hear).—Another of the' ob-
jects contemplated in the measures proposed, Wis
the'present state of the Priss—he' meant that part . .
it which he should denominate the cheap orloW,
•Picis, and which was admitted by the Gentlimeti
opposite, to be much in need of restriction.. Havin*
thutpointed out the leading features of the measures
projected, for the opposition of that mischievous
'system Ur present in practice, by -the enemies of the
Cotintry, the question-to be considered was, whether
, they Were of that Wise, discreet, moderate, and con-
'ititational deicription, which it was deiirous they
ihould be? The first instance to which he should calk
the attention of the House was, what respected the
•7Liberty -of the Press. All that was asked on this
dread was thauthere should be some security Irons*
the authors of cheap- publications, that in-the event
'of their being convicted by a Jury of their country,
there &ids/ be Wherewithal to ythe fine ? 'They
were mot left at theiliscretion of a Magistrate. No
previous. censorship was demindedifear, hear,
from the 0 sitionk-alle: would' ask Gentleined, if
A mlefritiof this -formidable rratutt' Was to be en=
• trusted to personof such a description as at ii •:-
"'wielded if, without anT security?: In' order. to ob-
:"-irjatt any -difficultier wtsith alight- arise ' in' de :::115
the theses of publicitiottrint • whiCh the Lit • .
:11alliit *as prcipoped•tO/sy it on all such as discs;
"tilolitical subjects in the manner of Newspiperi. 'lt
--oraV'neiC: proposed, that after one Convictuve,..thf
-:Offelider shduid be visited with 'an increased *km
•••' of ptinishibent i -a principle which, he thought, cOuld
• not,in candour; benbjeeted to; and the more so w
it was consideridthat: this was solely nth, discretiest
' of *Judges. On thesubjete of die military. dralti
ing: and . traininr,' vfltich was carried to 04 -Aits
. alarming excels -throughout the' country, it was trip,
that the laws,. as they now stood,'-made it high`treir,
son, for any . one who was convicted 'of tramibg .00
military exercises; for the par pole of bvsitoruingliiil
Comunsent ; but • ak, it was dbviously difficult to
hridgippeli:lo perinas their niotßes and intentiOna,
'.. it was preptolad:that no such training be allowaill
to Bo carrsifiLliCivithisut permission. It was alai.
•• . p dto . , A new mode( 'of prosecution...'' ' 1;41* pershni
beili:
. With-. m isdenseanodts, with it'
lyre*, tt-aecelesyse ' ifiah; but ample time Sri.
in slit tans alltswril•tfor Ake ..prepatittinn 6f the ali.
fate ; and, as it was possible that individuals might