Star.
London, England, 1817-06-04 00:00:00

zaw MAGAZINE.

Oats sls of May will he piel.'isked, No. It. (price 2a. 6d.) of
THE k:DINAURGiI MONTHLY MAGA.
a• ZIN Ts..-,-tha the Olice of 7slaxescllal Ae-
-042 n . litliVetlyb ?tinning Pre N: ethe dof Enzrz% ilig
H•gtilarclecs tr 1745. by Mari la :y
ik—Oikir el Hospitals for the alek--Ou " witting be:ow the
43"—.11: the fall o Volcar.ie Dust is the Wand of liarbadoes--
new icven Horizon—Tales and Anecdote; of the l'as.
ifc, No. -J.—Remarks on Greek frascily, No. 4—Sliaitc-
-743ir at Alba—Nozices corccrning the Scoiti.b Gypsies--
a tto: banimervilles—Confessions Of Witchcraft, IC2S
-41ii,oest rociiy—Revie.is of Ricardo's Political Z.:mom,
irc—t.itenry and Scl.ntiße Inteiligeoce, Mochty Register, dc:.
Primed tor Wm. Blackwood, No. 17, Prbice's-wrese, Echn-
bl a 7,4 Baldwin, eradoct, and Joy, l'aternoster-riw,
Lott-
-1'1; to wLont Lorrimunleations (pest paid) may be addresicd.

STAI TRIALS.
%ii day was ;•uhlisbed, closely printed in double eolamas, royal
he. Volonic the 2.2 d (or the first of a New &nes), price I
tl I is. ed.
ACOM PLZTE COLLECTION of STATE I
1 RIALS and PROCEEDINGS for HIGH TREASON;
lad tiller Crimes mid Nlissierneanors, from the earliest Period to
!le, Year 17.3, with Notts and oilier lUustrations C•ntipded by
,`„•B• WA ELL, Esq F. R S. F S.A. and continued from the
'Ns to the present Time; HOMAS JONES
!lAA' kLi., Esti
Pruned tor Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orate, and
7•
•11; l• M. Richardson Black, Perbury, and Allen; DO&
• tradock, and Joy ; Allay ;J. Hadar(' ;R• 11. Evans;
Icekcc ; 1, Booth; Bodd, anti Callan; and 'f .C. Hansard.
fo' Ihe Casts comprised in tlds Volume include the Years
mis to 1794; and are of peculiar liiiercsa at the prescat Crisis.
tac; are :is ;claw : Charles Bembridge 1783;
• out Sirai.giord i7J4; 1.011.4 George 'Gordon 17974 John
had.* 1789; John Frith 1790; Duffin and Lloyd 1792; 'fho-
*lb Payne 179. i; John Frost • 792 ; wuliata Fiend 1794; Daniel
lialc Latta) 1793 (two Cues): Wtili n Winterhotham 1793
tttiCa*t i hOff.ai Bielajot 179 a ;-Isarnbett, t'arry, and Gray
93; Villtiam Hudson 1795; A. Hamilton Rowan 1193; D.
Bull 1793; A. Whyte 1793.
Fur the accommodation of such persons el poem, Hargrave.
, I
nal., a separate title page has been printed, so as to tender
'"t cailio.ua• ion appocabie to that as well as to the octavo lidl-
;71 Wk., th•ot who W.Sh to poi.ess the Modern State I dal.,
c r a 'cps. • c Work, or as a supplement to either of the
Wire'"). s, May U 4: provided with it accordingly. fin I twenty-
" Ant V
, ululue for towel of the Lontinuatiou) consisting cry
oi •
Scottish Lases, (many of them asset before publishoiN I. 1"
toxidcr..s4 tozwattlam...

The LORD CIicINCELLOit (as organ of the
Commission) then Saha--.• t fr. Manners Sutton, we
hare receirert the commands of his Royal Highness
the Pence R•fgent to declare and state, that he is s
entirely satisfied of your perfect qualifications, and
full suffickncy for the proper discharge of the ardu
ous and important duties of the high and distil.
sruished situation to which you have been elecre.l. that
he has comet! his Royal Commission, und,:r the
Gre.it Seal, which ou have just heard read, to au-
thoriie us to declare the same : by virtue of which,
and in obedience to the commands of his Royal
Higooess thrPrince.Regenr, aetiortwthe na
on the behalf if his Majesty, we now communicate
to yots his Royal approbation of the ehtiee of his
M4jesty's faithful Commons in electing you to be
their Siwaker."
The SPEAKER (now fully confirmed in his of
lice) answered, 4, My Lords, I bufsmlt with all due
deference and humility to his R iyal Highness's most
gracious pleasure ; and I beg leave to express my own
deep sense of gratitude for this high and distin-
guished mark of his Royal Highness's approbation.
If. my Lords, in the discharge of the various and
important duties of the high and arduous situation to
'which I have been appointed—or if, in my endea-
vours towards the maintenance of the ancient and
undoubted rights and privileges of the Cnrnmons
House of Parliament, I should be involuntarily led
into the commission of any error, 1 have humbly to
request, that such may be attributed to me alone
and not to his Majesty's faithful and loyal Commons."
The Address and Response of the new Speaker
were delivered in a clear and articulate tone of voice,
and in the most appropriate, dignified, and collected
man.,er.

Tile Commons then wi:hdrew to their own House,
,ind their Lordships adjourned for some time during
pleasure.
Oa the re-opening of the Hense, the F.:chequer
Bills Bill, and a few others of minor importance,
were ~ugsit up from the Commons by Mr. Bac:cr.
DLN, Sir J. GILAHA3I, and other Members, and read
the first time.

RESIUNERATInST OF LAM:* cowizirea.

The iarl of LIVERPOOL presented a Message
from the Prince Regent to the following effec:

G. P. His Royal Higbee's the Prince Regent, acting
to :taint and on the behalf of his Majesty, thiiiits proper to
iaform the Home of Lords, that takiog the long, laitisful, and
impatient services of the Right Honourable Charles Abbott into
his Royal coosidemloo, be has been pleased to colorer upon him
the dignity of a llaioa of a* United Kingdoms of Great Britain
and Ireland, by the name, style, and title of Baron Coichesier
of Colchester, is the Cotzty of EMI. And the Prince Re-
gent further informs the House of his intention to coder urn:
the said Charles Baron Colas:owl and the heirs male of has
body, sual provision au shall, under the circumstances of the
case, be deemed just and reasoriable."
The Message of his Royal Highness was ordired
to be taken intoconsidgration.on Thursday.
ALLF.GLD
The Earl of DO:NOUGHNORE called the at-
' tendon of the Rouse to a statement which had ap-
peared in one of the Evening Papas, purporting to
.
be part of a Spe!ch of a Right Rev. Prelate in the
debate which
.took place on the Catholic Question.
He did not,nacati to charge misrepresentation on the I
Editor of the Piper to which lie referred, as he had
looked into several of the other reports, and found
them nearly the same. His object was that justice
aright be done to the character of a most worthy pei-
..ou, and to entleavoor to remove aspersions from his
character, which' lie believed could never have been'
.befiodely avant, and he was sure never had any
loondation. The chat acter which he alluded to was
twit of. the wortht 3E4 respectable Dr. Troy, the
Roman Cadicilk Aicbbtsbop of Dublin, which the

" G. P. R.—His R.lnd Higoine.s the Prince Regent, attars
in the name and on the bOialt of his Maje.iy, has given &ter-
duns that there be Lid Deltic.: the liou-e of Lauf% certam ea-
p.rs, c. Loathing Italica:nation respecting the coo:lnstance of thou
daLgereus p.Leerdiugs and cunthinadoes in ildierent parts of the
taigas:lir, to 'which, a. the coonmeneement of the present deision,
has R. y.i Higa.ness callni the attention of the HJUSt of Lor.L;
and which ar: 'toll carried On in a manner, and to each an extent,
u to disturb the public :rat:volt/ and to tadanga the secant),
of the :stab ithed Laos and Constitution of the Realm, • his

Royal Hlstitaess titer, fine recommends it to the Noose Cu take

Pipers tats its vr4s.inly in 4 1

Lord SIDNUATTH rose. Their Lordships could!
not hate heard this message read without the
strongest teelings of regret ; but painful as it was to
hear such a mes,age, and painful as it was to make!
uch a comm.n yet, to cue opinion of the c;-;
vants of his Royal Highness the Ponce Regent, thi:
was called tor by a due regard :o the preservation of
public tranquillity and toe welts!, and existence of
the State. It would be for the it Lordships to consi.
der and determine what ought to be done in-.conse.
quener. of this communication; but what he now pro-
, posed to their Lordships, and to this he presumed
there would be no objection, was to agree to an A.
dress to his Ropl Highness the Prince Regent, thank•
• ins hint fur his gracious message, and assuring his
Ro)al Highness that the House would not tail to
.take the nitormation in the papers which he was
about to lay on their table into its immediate and
serious coanderation. When this informati n should,
be examined, it would then he for the House to con•
eider whether any, or farther proceedings ottAnt
to be atiop:ed. He would propose to their Lordships
to hallow the same course, or At toast a course sonilar
in its object, to that w:.ich had been pursued when ti
cocumuoication of the same nature was made at tne
beginning of the Session—that sat, to refer the pl•
pets to a Committee of Secrecy. So tar the course
WAS the same as that before adopted ; hut he no"
submitted that, in.t, ad of choosing a o,lllMlltee by
ballot, the papers should be retrared to the same
Noble Lords who had constitute•' the former Com-
mittee. He would thetetore propose the same indi-
viduals for the Committee, with the exception of a
Noble Duke, who, trom ill health, had not atten.ted
the tormer Committee, and who had requested that
ins name might not be inserted in the list of this
Contm►::ce. It would be altogether unfit, in thd
.present stage of the proceeding, to say what tardier
measures were to be Adopted. When the papers
should be examined, and the Report of the Colllllllt.
tee should be before their Lordships, it would then
Ibe time enough to deters ine what farther ought to
Ibe done. Their Lordships would then have to con-
sider and decide whether any thing farther ought to
be done, Or what farther measures ought o be adop.
ted for tar protection tit the public tranquillity, and
the interests and safety of the State. lie conclfided
by moving, that an humble Address be presented to
his Royal Highness the 'lance Regent, thanking Lis
Royal Highness tor his gracious Message, said as:ai-
ring his Royal Highness that the House would take
the communicatioia into its immediate and serious
consideration.

1' his motion was agreed to, and the Address or-
dered accordingly. •
In answer to a question from Earl Grey, Lord
Si1)M011 said, that instances were numerous
where the House had Toted an Address instanter on
ieceiving a Message from the Crown, where that Ad-
ds., ssd•d not pledge the House to any ulterior measure.
Lail GREY observ.rd, that, with this understand-
ing, that he was not piedged to any measure to be
founded upon the Message, he should nut oppose the
Address.—Tbe'question was then put and carried.
Lord 611.7140UTH then row tpr the 'purpose of

•
Earl GREY observed, that the N Seeretary of
State bad in fact admitted there were pieta dent;
for proceeding upon a IYressage the same day it was
brought down to the P. sese. The Noble Laid had
said that they might ni.ke a precedent. 414 this Le
(Lord Grey) admitted, but let it be putrid that for
dasng there was an indispensible icceisity, with ft
view to tne pt,tslic satel, and where in this case was
the prof ? Undoubtedly tneeves ftroLs4ia this CAW
did n .1 lie o a those who opposed tins vroceediaig.
drew that there acre no pteeiden.s. bat it lay upon
those who naaavcd the proc-edi:ag to spew that Litre
was a strong and cver.ru:ia4 tle.essity for U. A:.
cording to all the it-aim-m.lunit he had been enabied to
obt,ti, the state cau.ltt y was not such as those
who advised t!:e biingiug do.o. this Mesa ;e would
depict it; on the eihatrat y. ate heliitycd ;Lore was nO6.
thing; in the .tare of the cooloty that called for the
renewal of those strong m 4.1;1eb that had been en.
acted in the earls part .4 the Sessi an, and certaialy
for the (listless that existed in the couotry the renewal
an the Sospealsi,” of the Habeas thapaia was not the
oemedy. He tiu4,ed, however. it the CULlMl:ttett
were appointed, that, as he ILA before said. they
would atixi.vs.y weigh and si t the evidence su
tell too their esamiliali..n._ issamder n.a nova:4o .eoi
those alms into which they had fallen upon the for.
men occasion, but that they might not up.:n d.,uhtfid
evidence maSe statements that could not be borne
ou:. He trusted they would look well to the dm.
racte:s of the persons Ilona w!lo.n the evidence sub.
milted to them cane, a.. ttl:tt they %with! cstifflate
With ditl.l6ltsviClo,l th• ue, seh y ustliut they Affected
to support the Gosernme..t, I•Nst no ommtunity ni
inflawaing the pacsiOnv of Cle people at: sa suited their
p..risnse. His Lnr.ivhip here lead the tothiwing hand.
bill, Whict was circulated at Norwich Juttnt; the rt.
I cent election tot N rfolk

"M. Ent Whalen. what has caused the bigb price it Bread t
" A. I I:: Cant big.

Q. W'ka Wed Out Imp s. and cruel immure voLi:b
the liht,,btatotis mm .0 the ear.h, and ernmht misery and
carra ion tirm h. Nark.' family!

" A. I'he min who Lars rhr rrerholkien of Norfolk by :be
ow, maks."' t'tesu where h. 14rawp.
•• Q. WSW cppretts. 4 the u,.lu•cnoar littlP Farmer, t:tat eirri-
,,u, and Ind.i,e...:eut m. soh. r ..t C.O COMMt. tilt y, ont mro:po-
rz:,.,; :,,s land with tIF u%ll, f..r purt•o.e 0. 8.".1.mg bit al-
re...ty 1).414 . tare ?
•• .t. Übe praori an.lonfeetsr:g t of N44.11c, litho is a
t0.,1 01 ot:.ers.

" Q Who ii it dia.. Mr Cie isnot Mou4rel!efistee Ilse of Mo:
chide' y. nor only in AgllCol.6lio :tot in Maim.. lure% has les
dueed thousand. to a .fate of r .111, and .I,art.7r,
which bas led to the commis. ion of climes et Ir!sici. Httatz: 1•r
shudders

" A He who takes upon Lottscif t:le name and style of Po.
trio:. and vb... ottie. xilt fur.h, r w h00..w00 Rrcl casave the
risco ul talk.

" tins synem have ro in I- -,te 4;1 t 4r.,i1,-,s tf.
mat.ltind be .till tunber outt.g..l am! .1 •iitql...l
" .No ! Arise, and do your duty'

Wlt.it c..)!:1.1 evince welter atrocity than tllis
duction—wilat rn Tr decidedly proclaim those. prir.
ciples of tia:dly which had been t'ertonnred by
anceinmetit ? and yet this very hso.l-hi:l had bve:t
circulttcd in suppott of the GovErnoirnt. and in L..
your of the flovcroonent candidate! and be under-
stood it was the production of the head of the Blurt:-
wick :inciety. at Isi-mich. with whom N ,We &-
crew y of titate, through his lin.leroie.:ret.try,• had
held a rkirre4pon.ionce, in which he &elated the
lirunswicl: ;Society to be. 3 highly loy.al Association.
I'l:is ton. lw iindetstool, W 42 the •

author .d that contor•oucated to the in-
i• in the eirly part nt the Scs,io,o, with regard to
' the
~11 -ehled exi;arti‘e t.f tiedittous Sutictivg it. N..r.
wick, which
was compl-rely disproved by the evand
.
Jury there. It was astaind tarpk.....rd- upon by
11:, ,
1'.;: t s: that
ieileidjiliilw rien.l3tisit 1% front filch cfiara:-
,liesl to warn and cautptir ti'd
C. ilsszaitter. It the Com:late! were to be appointed;
lie was h4ppy to hear that the Intart.w.ts not,tu
rgyarled to, necause be was• as Clewy to ail hrr.
And h: thought nothinz lawmhypocritic.ll two%
to po.tcuJ that were W4s a free kleotoen be
when it was per:e.aly well karwn, esat, on
tact, a Commitee so CI.1:1„fn INdli appowitd i•y the
Ministers. With regard to p:oceettoig or ad how,
nouluoig had bten urged to, prove to hilts toe 11 verity
fur co doing, contrary to e:1 rev...lent: and thrtelort,
to p,,,itrone the colisiJiTa ion oot the
Message till Thifis...y. -11...dioug. t. ;,,%.• ;vet. %hie
nn pruceediug ourht to be I.ao till the 'mils tor Ingn
trtJS'..,ll sec, item whence evi. env. nytht

be collected more to be relied upon than the informa-
tion laid before the Committee.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL denied that it bad
been admitted by his Noble Friend that there were
no precedents, his Noble Friend having merely suited
that he was not aware of them—and upon this point
be food contend, that there was no ground for the!
plea of delay, there being no pretence for saying that
the House was taken by surprise. He had given
mike of the Message list Friday se'nnight ; that it
was not brought down last Friday arose from an
event that was not foreseen on the Friday preceding,
in consequence it was postponed till this day. Thus,
in point of tact, there was a longer notice given than
bad ever before been the case with regard to a Mes-
sage ; and added to this, it should be recollected that
it was distinctly contemplated at the time the Habeas
Corpus Suspension Dill passed through Parliament,
that the subject should again come under the censi•
deration of Parliament in the course of the present
Session. Undoubtedly it was only a strong sense of
duty, connected with the most important considera-
tions of the public safety, that could have induced
Ministers to advise the present message. With re-
gard to the hand-bill read by the Noble Earl, he as
much as any man detested attempts made to inflame
the base passions of the people, on whatever side they
vete attempted, whether ii, support of Government
of in opposition to it; and he trusted the case alluded
to by the Noble L trl would be a lesson to others on
whatever side of political opinion, not to resort to
such means of it:flaming the public mind. As to the
former Committee, it had been, perhaps, more fairly
chosen (comprising Noble Lords thinking differently
upon political subjects generally) than any oth,r
Committee ever betore formed in Parliament, and
the Members of it weir in their Report,
which Report had, iu all its material points, been
accurately confiirred. lie therefore saw no reason
whatever for impeaching, in the slightest degree, that
Report ; nor could he 'discover any solid reason why
the House should now ri train, after so long a notice,
from acting upon tl:c Message brought down this day,
and referring the papers communicated with it to a
s mils:. Committee.

Earl GROSVENOR animadverted upon the ex.
press disacquaintance of the Noble Mover with any
precedent whatever for the course which his motion
celled upon the House to adopt, and contended) that
as that course was contrary to established practice,
while it was wholly uncalled for by any valid plea of
necessity, it might not to be acceded to. The danger,
indeed, of agreeing to a departure from precedent in
this case was die more d.ingerous, because such a de-
pardire would serve to create a precedent kr the fu
tore, and of this precedent the worst use might be
in.ide—for should a Minister hereafter AMC, noes-
taining a desire to carry arbitrary power to extreme,
lie might avail !Orwell 0 this precedent to take the
House by surprise, and without any warning, on a
sadden press for the adoption of a measure subversive
of the themes of the country. But while he thought
the Noble Mover bound to show that there was some
precedent for the procredilg which he now proposed,
he would riot be understood so pertkaciously to
adhere to precedent, as to resist any deviation that
justice or necessity might appear to demand. lu
this case, however, he could nut imagine any degree
Of justification for departing from the established
practice of the 1-louse with respect to a Message from
t e croon.
Earl SI'ENCER observed, that as Ministers had
given notice, ten days ago, of their intention to sub-
mit the motion under consideration, he would ecquit
them ot any desire to take the klouse by surprise.
The only question for the House to decide upon at
present was, whether the Committee to which the
Message from the Throne was to be referred, should
be nominated this eveuing. or nn Thursday next
And this, whatever it might appear to others, was, in
his view. a question by no means of small impor-
tance, eapecially considering the subject of the Mes-
ses*, and the course taken in a former instance upon
the same subject. It was admitted by the Noble
Moyer, that he could adduce no precedent for the de-
parture from established practice, which he on this
occasion proposed. He must differ Irons the Noble
decretary, in recommending the Hi use to proceed
with the utmost circumspection, caution. and deli-
beration, particularly looking to the coneequences to
which this measure was likely to lead, considering
(and lie wished not to give offence to the feelings of
any individual) that it was meant to grant powers
unknown to the Constitution—(Near, hear, hear.)......
He did not mean to say that those powers had been.
or were likely to be abused; but dire necessity alone
could warrant the creation of powers so liable to
abuse, and so inconsistent with the constitutional
liberties of this country (Hear, hear.) The House
therefore should, upon ally proposition likely to lead
to the establishment of those extraordinary powers,
proceed with caution and reluctance. To the Address
to the Regent, in reply to his Royal Highness's Mes-
sage, be was quite ready to agree; but he could not
aecpkiesce in the propriety of nominating the Com.
mittee to-day, contrary to the precedent in all similar
cases; and his isbjectioo to this course was not dimi-
nished by the notice upon the Journals since Friday
w'noight ; for the ground of his objection did not
apply so much to the nomination of the Committee,
asp the creation of a precedent so different from
established usage It was known that lie entertained
. -the highest respect for sonic of tt.e Members of the
Committee then appointed, and those Members he
had no occasion to name, as he generally agreed with
their sentiments upon public questions. But with all
the respect and'regard which he felt for those Noble
Lordie'lle must say that the measures brought for-
ward is consequence of the Report of that Commit-
tee;did not appear to him to have been called for by
any adequate necessity—( Hear, hear.)
The Marquis of BUCKINGHAM argued strongly
for the speedy appointment wf the Committer, and
pelt that a peurialacie case of necessity sepeared, even
from the Report ot the former Committee..
Lord HOLLAND conteided, that the actual
question was One of simple precedent, and that no
nettnity was made ont for a deviation from the esta-
blished course; he also expressed his earnest hope
Oak the Committee would be sedulous in the inves-
tioatioo of every part of the evidence that was laid
before them.
The Marquis of BUCKINGHAM explained, that
though be advocated a speedy appointment of a
Cutuusittee, it did not follow that he Wished for the

continuance of the present measures unless the neces- '
sky was made apparent.
Viscount SIDMOUTH replied generally to the
various objections which bad been adduced, and con-
cluded by moving an open nomination of the Com-
mittee, of which his Lordship read some of the names.
He stated they were the same as constituted the for-
mer. with the exception of the Noble Duke alluded
to (Bedford).
It was proposed that in lieu of the Noble Duke,
Earl TALBOT should be appointed.
Lord HOLLAND did not think, that the Noble
Lord being soon likely to be appointed to a very high
office in the Sister bland, which was held to be free
from those traitorous combinations, was a good rea-
son for his serving 'a kind of initiatory apprenticeship
in the proposed Committee of Secrecy. He moved
that the E4ll of Rosslyn's name be inserted in the
list, in lieu of the Noble Earl's first proposed.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL did not see how the
probability of the Noble Earl's eventually going to
fill a high office in Ireland shouli disqualify him for
appointment to the Committee in question. It should
be recollected that that Noble Earl had many years
been Lord Lieutenant of one of the most wealthy.
populous and trading counties in England (Stafford),
and acquitted himself in that important office so as
to give general satisfaction.
The Question being put, the Earl of TALBOT was
appointed a Member of the Committee in the room
of his Grace of BILDIFORD.
Earl GREY moved, that, in consequence of the
variety and importance of his avocations, the name of
the Lord Chancellor should be omitted from the list.
and that of the Earl of Rossi yn inserted in lieu thereof.
This, on the question, which was put with great
good humour by the Noble Lord on the Woolsack,
was inirnediAtay and decidedly negatived.
On the motion of the Eat lof LIVERPOOL§ the name
of Viscount Sidmouth, which could not be regularly
moved by himself, was inserted on the list of the
Committee.

Being then fully appointed, the Papers communi-
cated by the Prince Regent that evening v.ere ordered
to be referred to the Committee of Secrecy, who were
ordered to commence their sittings to-morrow.

SERKSHIRE ►IAGISTItATES.
Lord HOLLAND, on rising to move for copies
of the Correspondence between the Magistrates of
Berkshire and the Secretary of State for the Home
Department, relative to visiting the Prisoners com-
mitted by his authority to Reading Gaol, alluded to
the printed letters which had appeared, purporting to
be this correspondence. It such questions had been
so answered, the Noble Lord contended that the
Noble Viscount had exceeded the authority with which
he was invested, either by the law or his situation.
He did rmt understand that the Noble Secretary
ought to be, in any degree, the expounder to Magis-
trates of the established law of the country; but at
all events, he would contend, that one of the answers
he had given was strictly illegal, to prove which he
should first read the Queries and Answers, and then
the Clause in the Act of Parliament which gave the
power to the Secretary of State to interfere with the
regulations concerning State Prisoners :

Q. May Magistrates genetally of the County of Beth, visit
the State Prisoners in common with other Prisoners, which they
art privileged to do, and ask questions, and enter into conversa-
tion with 'broil—A. No, except upon special reasons being as.
signed, which must be submitted to and be judged of by the
Secretary at State.
Q. It State Prisoners may have a copy of Official Directions to
Gauls:al—A. No.

Q. If they ntay have free use of pen, ink, and paper, under
crnain restrictions, as ordered by the Olficiel Directions?—A.
lie Official Directions, which must be strictly observed.
Q. If they may read the Public London .or Provincial News-
. papers, under certain restrictions ?—A No.
Q. If they may have books to read from Circulating libraries?
A. Such books as are approved of by the Visiting Magisttate.
Q. U they may have wine, or strong beer, or ale, in limited
quaiskies, at their own expense, or that of Government ?--A.
What quantity is desired
Q. It through the day they be confined In solitary cells, and
at night in better apartments, suck can be procured by Magi«
testes for them?—A. To be confined in such manner as has been
usual, aed in such apartments as have bees heretofore allotted
to State Prisoners.

He dud not understand by what right it was, that the,
Noble Secretary could give official directions for the
management of these persons ; and in some eases be
was of opinion, their management bed been ex-
tremely harsh ; particularly in refusing them copies
of the informations, by which they could not know
what could be adduced in their favour or what could
not. The Noble Lord on the Woolsack had said,
that even persons so confined enjoyed the common
light of petitioning the Crown ; but how could they
do this unless they knew what directions had been
given to their jailor. In the Act of the 31st Geo.
111. (on which the Noble Speaker laid particular
stress), it was positively laid down that the Magis-
trates were to visit such persons, or all prisoneros,
without exception. But he had understood, that
when a most respectable Magistrate bad applied at
Reading Gaol for this purpose, a copy of the Noble
Secretary's instructions had been shewn him, by which
he was precluded from exercising the powers vested
in him by law. The consequence was, that he wrote
to the Noble Secretary who bad thought proper to do
that which, he would contend, was most improper
and unconstitutional, usurping an authority which she
law did not allow him, and by hisjat preventing that
from being done which the law had laid down as
proper. He had written to all the Magistrates of the
County, to give his own' interpretation of the Act,
by which it appeared they were nut to rely on their
own judgment, but to act contrary to these diem on
their peril. His.object was, under all the circutn-
st.nces, to have the subject inquired into, in order to
ascertain whether the Noble Secretary was or was
not legally invested with such extraordinary powers,
or whether he bad usurped them contrary to the ex-
press intent of the law ? He should therefore more
for the production of copies of the Correspondence
in question, and also that the sth section,of the Act
of the 31st Geo. 111. be entered as read.

Gn the question being put,
Viscount SIDMOUTH declared, that in the per-
formance of his arduous duty, be had never sicced ar-
rogantly, but only in strict conformity to the law,
and with the knowledge tkat he was responsible for
the just discharge of every duty of his office. The
Noble Lord imagined that the Act of the Slit of the
King prevented the interposition of the Secretary of
State, with respect to tht regulations to be adopted
towards State Prisoners, but he would contend . that
this Act in no degree interfered with, sick.regulations ;
fur if the prerogative of the Crowu was ibtewled w

be interfered with, there must 'have been a specie
clause in the Act for that purpose. The Noble Lord
on the Woolsack, whose opinion had been referred
to, knew that the same conduct was riot pursued with
respect to State Prisoners committed to close and safe
custody, as towards others, the former being liable
to the interference of the Secretary of State, if com-
mitted by him. The Noble Viscount referred to the
practice in the times of Chief Justices Holt and Ray-
mond, and argned that it wad the same as at present,
all jails being the King's Jails, and the Secretary
of State having the power 'of interference with all
persons committed to them by his warrant, under
charges of offences against the State—(flear, hear.)
With respect to the persons in question, he could
take upon himself to assert that no more rigour had
been exercised towards them than had been deemed
necessary in every former instance. In his answers
Ito the queries of the Magistrates, he contended that
he had violated no law nor exercised any undue in-
fluence in the discharge of the duties of his office in
connection with the prisoners in question. If, there.
fore, the motion of the Noble Lord were to be agreed
to, he would ask, whether it would not carry with it
the appearance of blame incurred by his Majesty's
Ministers, of which they were strictly innocent, and
whether it would not stand as the received opinion of
the House of an assumption on his part of au irnpro-
per authority ?
Earl GREY considered the withholding of papers
and books from the state prisoners to be an unneces-
sary degree of rigour and severity ; but this point
was by no means so important as the question, whe-
ther the Noble Lord had, or had not, exceeded his
powers, in preventing the Magistrates from visiting
those prisoners ? The Act of Parliament that had
been quoted, sheaved that it WAI absolutely impera.
fife on the Magistrates. to visit all prisoners ; and,
unless it could be 'hewn that the Noble. Secretary
had been invested with a new power, his con-
duct, in prohibiting them from pertorming their
duty, vials in direct contravention of that statute,
and an assumption of undue authority—( Hear, hear.)
Nuthinp had been stated to :hew, that since the pas.
sing of the Act that had been quoted, any new pro-
vision had been made to alter it, arid nn usage could
be adduced to prove the right of such interference,
unless the Noble Secretary meant to say that the pre-
rogative of the Crown stood above an Act of Parlia-
ment. It was in vain to say that the jails were the
King's jails ; and that the Secretary of State could
prescribe such rules for the management of State
Prisoners as be thought proper. He would assert
that the prerogative extended to all. The Legislature
had passed a law that there should be no abuse in the
treatment of prisoners, and be did not know in what
case abuse was to be guarded against, it not in that
of State Prisoners ; but yet we were told that an Act
of Parliament had nothing to do with the question
of the prerogative of the Crown, and that the Secre-
tary of State has the power to confine certain priso-
ners in what way he pleases, and to prevent the Ma-
gistrates from having access to them. lie hoped,
however, that the House would requite some better
-authority than the opinion of the Law Officers of the
-Crown on this subject. The question for their Lord-
ships' consideration was, whether the Royal Preroga-
tive went to the extent that was asserted ; and their
constitutional jealousy for the liberty of the subject
ought, on such an occasion, to be fully exerted. by
fur some further information ? There wasl
a twins., facie case before the House, and enough had
been stated to put the Noble Secretary in i situation
to :hew that what he had done was oot in. 5911414,181
with the law. On these grounds he should support
the motion.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL defended the conduct
of his Noble Colleague, insisting that he had done
nothing but u hat was in conformity with the practice
on all former occasions. He would not argue the,
question, whether this conduct was right or wrong
but would contend, that he acted on the principle
that the State prisoners were legally subjected to
these regulations. As to the Act of the 31st of the
Xing, it never could have been in the contemplation
of the person who introduced it, that it should inter-
fere with prisoners of State. Such prisoners being
committed under the warrant and authority of the
Secretary of State, were subject to his interference
and controul. This was always known to be his duty
by the authority of Parliament, and was supported
by all the Law Authorities under which it had since
been acted on.

The Earl of ROSSLYN supported the motion,
contending, that the Noble Secretary had assumed
to himself the power of dispensing with the law in
regard to the Prisoners of State, and that there was
neither practice, example, nor authority, to apply to
the case before the House.
The LORD CHANCELLOR did not rise to
give any opinidn on the case, which he thought would
nut be convenieut with justice in the present stage,
It was a large and strait subject to be considered.
In point of law, every gaol in the kingdom was the
King's gaol, and in the years 1793 and 1791, there
was certainly not a Lawyer in the kingdom who
would have denied the privilege of the Puvy Council
or thiSecritary of State of giving particular instruc-
tions fur the regulation of State Prisoners. It was a
question of vast importance, and if he had had the
least notice of it, he would have come prepared with
proper authorities for its exposition. It was certainly
a grave question, whether the prerogative of the
Crown was taken away by au Act of l'arliament ?
fie objected to the motion tar the eurrespotulence,
because he thought it much better to consider whe-
ther the Act of the Slat of the King had taken away
the prerogative of the Crows or hot'?
Eall SPENCER:had waited with' much anxiety
to hear on What ground the Noble Viscount hid as-
sumed the authority in question, but he had not beard
one answer of any kind• that was satisfactory to his
' mind. There was nethin4 in .tbe Act•that regarded
the treatmect of State Prisoners. He•agreed with-
the Noble Lord who.spoka last,• that the:subjed was
of very great importance,• and therefore it ought to
ire inquired into. With. pis view, he • thought -the
consideration of it. ought tribe sdjoarned to sonic fu..•
tote day, that it might be seen whether there were
such authorities its the Noble Leid.had intimated bis
ability to bring forward.
On these grounds he should
move, es an amendment, that thefarther considera-
tion-of the question be adjourn etto Monday next. •
Lord HOLLAND gayetistordiel support-te the
amendment. Ia reply to.thengurmats of the Noble
Lords-who bad spoken against the motion, he 404. k 4.

view of the different points tweed apainst it, and Iti
the cour,e of his observations, which embriced molt
of what he had previously said, fie insl'sred that ~,ct
one word had dropped which had invalidated his cp.
nions, or taken away the force or construction of the
Act he had quoted. it was proper to ascert.iin
the, the. Noble Lord had authority to sAy to the MA.
gistrates, in the teeth of that Act, 1‘ You hal I not
visit the Prisoners of State."

The questions were then put on t'e Arnakbrent
and the original Motion, and both we. nevured
without a division. Adjourned till Thunki.