Star.
London, England, 1818-02-06 00:00:00

„,ceeding.he considered altogether. sv:2:ous pr :e•
r” mere was no example of papers being laid
Sent.
vote the House but with a view to some legislative
u The proposed inquiry too was announced
tc
°lsle reti ouse on the very 'first day of the Session, i
n, irn-„siately after a Speech from the Throne, which n-
si the House that tranquillity was restored to
consul, and that nothing more was wanted to
istail it than the vigilance of Magistrates. It
clear these documents were not laud before the
,se with a view to any legal investigation. Theo
what purpose were they produced, but to give a
of indemnity to Ministers ? 'They could not yen-
s, without some new proceeding, to have confi-
- e enough to ask for such a Bill. But let the
Ise reoollect the language of the Noble Lord at
time he askel for this measure. He told them it
a most dreadful responsibility that Ministers
e incurring, and now he sought to screen dumb
a Bill of Indemnity. But an Inquiry must be
that would give satisfaction to the country, and
one so delusive as that now proposed. Par
it s
ought to have been sitting in the Autumn,
they might have inquired into theweal situa-
hn ofthe country at that time, and have decided
Lac there was no necessity for suspending any di the
:sties of the people longer than November. Even
September it was said and known that tranquillity
so completely restored that it was not necessary
have recourse to the ordinary forms of jastice,
t they suffered November and December so pass,
at the end of January they thought it necessary
inquire whether those powers should be cla.sconti-
', without giving Parliament an opportunity oft
ig whether they might not long before have
lispensed with. By this conduct they had in•
-
incurred a most awful responsibility ; and it
F the utmost importance that an inquiry should
lace into the real state of the country when that
anion took place ; and whether they had not ac-
ipon false information, at the time when it was
'hat fifty thousand men were assembled in one
and thirty thousand in another, to throw the
country into a state of insufrcction. The
..'should recollect what responsibility they had
erred towards their Constituents, and should see,
• they wentinto the inquiry, what the real ob-
Ministers was. But it was impossible that
:ould have any other than to procure themselves
of Indemnity. And was this Bill to be granted
an inquiry of persons nominated by Ministers
:Ives? On the present occasion, the Ministers
slves were to be the Committee; but he would
the Committee should have the sense of the ma-
of the House with them. It was a small num-
' individuals that were accused, but they be-
a majority by having the nomination of the
mime. The House would recollect, that in
proceedings at Derby, nothing appeared ye-
s the origin of the conspiracy ; but on the con-
Counsel for the prisoners made it appear
an inquiry had been gone into, it would have
tired that the whole disturbance had been occa.l
aby the conduct of the informers and spies,
thi, occasion, he must say, that he thought the
,s-General had done his duty much better to-
, Ministers than to the public, and if those sus-
is which were imputed to them (whether fairly
t he would riot say), of encouraging those spies,
have been cleared away, that would have been
six to do it. What did the Right Honourable
leman mean by saying, that what took place ae
, precluded an inquiry into.those measures?—
.:ere were disturbances in all parts of the country,
would have shown the necessity of the measures
were adopted. But the Right Honourable Gen-
, had never shewn that the suspension of the
. Corpus Act was a remedy for the evil ;
in-
it was impossible to shew this, for the evil, as
been described, never did exist. The conspi-
was suppressed entirely, before it was necessary
recourse to the administration of justice, so
then, as usual on former occasions, the laws
found sufficient to suppress all disaffection.--
his own part he accused Ministers of nothing
than employing persons of no character to go
different parts of the country, not like those who
about to propagate the Gospel, but who were
.as of evil, going about to insinuate themselves
the favour of the poor and distressed, at their
)pt
,and their looms, and encouraging their
here were persons of consequence and con-
. ready to join them. Thus they acted, till
could return and "state to the Ministers who
to reward them, what good they had done.—
', hear.) It appeared to him that the proceeds
of last Session were so important, that it was'
issible for the Rouse to pass over them without
se atonement to their constituents, or doing
to take away the mischiefs that have ari-
cr might yet arise, from the suspension of the
• Corpus Act. Great as the evils were to those
__ who were dragged from their homes, loaded
sh irons, and condemned to solitary imprisonment,
. were not the most important part of the mea-
z There was a mischisf done to the Constitution,
iich far outweighed all the great mass of sufferings
:wined by individuals, by the powers entrusted to
hands of Ministers, and which they have acted
in the manner they have dose. Let the House re-
sect, that the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus
tt must of necessity become fruitful of great evils
times to come. Let them recollect hew eagerly
ceders were looked for, and how new preceaents
ays were made to go before any thing. What
.ght have happened if Ministers had already been
sossessionof such a precedent as this, if, when the
disturbance or suspicion of disloyalty prevailed,
I could have had recourse to it? ( Hear, hear.)
was. therefore to be considered what might hap-
in future times, when Ministers might wish to
I their own powers, or the powers of the Crown,
the present generation should have
when in future times some Prince of the=
Sck might think any advantage gained over
people a matter of triumph, or that it would be
:er to rank amongst the despots of Europe titan to
in the hearts of his subjects; what, he said,
:la be the consequence, if such a Prince should
' Ministers base enough to sanction his designs?
Honourable and Learned Geatlerqap continscd
argue that there had been no necessity for the
that were adopted. It had been said by=
cable Baronet that the writ- of Habeas Corpus
as well be expunged altogether, hecanso it was
dines wise& peci-le were d'atarbed and

~cuareiy
~ed the 1-1
country',
*ntain it tt
clea them
se with a
what purp
of iademni
without
ce enough
oast reooliec
, time he asl
a most
incurring
y a Bill of I
that woul
a one so del
ent ought t
hm they mil
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.at there was
'berties of the
September
'as co compli
o have recom
ut they sutfe
d at the eni
inqu;re wht
withou'
paginF wheti
dispenser
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; the utr
place int
rpension toe
, upon false
Itl that fifty
lace, and thi
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ouse'shoulc
tarred tow
ore they v
t of Mtnis
.ey could hi
Bill of Inde
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mselves ?
emselves wi
y, the Com(
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r of individ
.me a majc
,ramittee.
“ose proceed
ting the 0
-y, the Cos
if an inqi.
1! upired tha
.3aed by the
a this occasi
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deman
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would have
hat were ado
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at then. as
are found se
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ent about tl
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es that th+
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r g sow
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There
fax 03%
(stained by
hands
is the ma
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et must of
times to c
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'ways were
ight have 1
Possession
• disturb:
' could h
was theref
• in future
i ' crud their
cr the pt
y; when
• Brunswicl
people a
er to rant
t •gu in the
*gilt be the
• Ye Ministe
Honour
argue in;
easures tha
it onourable
Ight as wel
- •Y tin=