Star.
London, England, 1818-03-04 00:00:00

lected, that on the Ist day of the meeting of Parlia-
ment la.st Session, a very daring outrage had been
committed against the person of the Regent ; he
therefore had no objection to this Act betag dated
from the 26th of January, 1817, the day before the
meeting of Parliament.
Lord LIVERPOOL'S Amendment was then agreed
to nem. dia. On the ses.and clause being read,
Lord HOLLAND said, he intended is move that
the word " discharged" should be left out ; but he
would not press that amendment, after the explana-
tion given by the Lord. Chancellor.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that under the
circumstances of this Bill, the word " discharged"
was most material ; because in some instances the
Magistrates may have irregularly discharged some
of the persons who were apprehended.
Lord HOLLAND said, that neither the Lord
Chancellor nor Lord Liverpool had explained what
the situation of those persons was, who had fius been
irregularly discharged. He had no objection to give
an Indemnity to the Magistrates ; but he wished to
know whether these persons so discharged would be
restored to their rights as if they had been discharged
by due courses of law.
Lord ERSKINE thought, it would he very easy
to propose a short provision, declaring all such per-
sons restore I to the rights they would have been en-
titled to had they been liseharned in a legal manner.
The Earl of LAUDERDALE remin led the House
in what situation it would have been had it a treed
first to the preamble, which declared that no one had
been arrested illegally.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said this clause was
to be considered with respect to three parties, t .e in-
dividuals, the Magistrates, and the Ministers of the
Crown; and if a clause with that view should b.! pro-
posed, it would be received.
Lord lIOLLAND withdrew his amendm! it.

Lord LAUDERDALE moved to insert, after the
word 4, practices," the words 44 not relatin to the
case."—The amendment was agreed to, ne .
The Marquis of LAN SDOWN said he was sure
there was not a Magistrate who would tof justify
his conduct openly in a Court of Law, r Cher than
by the protection of an Indemnity Bill, i he could
do it with safety to the State., He there ore moved,
that the part of the clause granting iudemnity to
other than those who acted limn St ite necessity,
should be left out. _ _ _

The LORD CHANCELLOR considered this the
most important part of the Bill. At Manchester ten
or twelve thousand men were stopped by the Magis-
trates, on their way to London; and would the Howe
expo; the Magistrates to actions brought against
them by ten or t elve thousand persons? Besides,'
the Magistrates might have secret information of
these persons intentions, which they could so more
disclose with safety to the State than the Ministers of
the Crown could.

The Marquis of LANSD3WN said, that as the
number arrested was very small, the Magistrates
could not have a great marl actions to fear.
The Earl of LIVERPOJL said, that in one place
alone 200 persons were ta'cen up, and great numbers
in other places.
Lord HOLLAND contended, that if protection of
this kind were to be afforded to the Magistrates, there
would not be a tumult put down by the Magistrates
which the latter would not expect an Indemnity Bill
for; and that was a doctrine which he must protest
against, as subversive of the law.
The Marquis of LANSDOWVS amendment was nc.
gatived without a division.
Lord EItSKINE felt as much as any ore the ne-
cessity of protecting the Magistrates. In order to
do substantial justice, he proposed a proviso, " that
nothing in this Act should extend to any persons'
who may have exercised their authority maliciously."
Many acts of oppression might have been maliciously
committed against individuals by Magistrates and
others, under the sanction of the late Act, without
any information, and for which the offending parties'
ought to be puniilied.
The LORD CHANCELLOR said, that if the
House were to adopt this proviso, it would undo all
it had already time. If they did not choose to pass
a Bill of Indemnity, let them say so, and not, by a
side blow like this, destroy the whole measure. It
was not only necessary to protect the Magistrates
from vexatious prosecutions, but also from their being
brought against them in such numbers as to be quite
destructive to any man.
The Earl of ROSSLYN said, the Amendment of
his Noble and Learned Friend did net apply so muck
to the Magistrates as it did to Constables and other:,
who have been guilty of illegal and malicious arrests.
Lord ERSKINE'S amendment was then negativ:d
without a *division.

The Marquis of LANSDOWN objected to the
word " Ireland," as it was not included in the Su.
pension Bill.
Lord SIDMOIJTH said, the extension of this Bill
to Ireland was necessary, on account of the special
case of one man, who was apprehended in that c =-
try for practices of a suspicious nature in Engla id.
Lord HOLLAND said, this was a very pretty co-
rollary on the Suspension Act indeed. Thit Act was
expressly not extended to Ireland ; yet there was a
clause introduced, without any special case having
been laid before Parliament, in order to justify the
introduction of it. This clause, for aught he knew,
might deprive the people of Ireland of their legal
rights against their oppressors.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, this clause did
not at all apply in the manner stated by the Noble
Lord. There was no secret in the case alluded to:
it was that of one Benbow, who escaped to Ireland,
and was there apprehended. The clause might have
been more unexceptionable had the words " Great
Britain" been inserted in the first clause.

The Marquis of LANSDOWN submitted that a
Clause should be brought in to meet this special case.
He moved to introduce the words " Great Britain."

Lord LIVERPOOL had no objection to that being
done on the Report on the third reading, as it was
never intended that this Bill should extend to Ireland.

Lord HOLLAND thought it would be better to
introduce a special clause, or even a new Bill, to meet
this special case.
The LORD CHANCELLOR suggested, that a
proviso might, at a future stage, be introduced, to
take the case of any person arrested in Irelar.d.
The word " Ireland" was then left out; and
64 Great Britain" substituted.

The Earl of CAERNARVON proposed an amend-