Star.
London, England, 1818-02-25 00:00:00

COMIfON

Yesterday a Common Hall was held for the pal-
pose of moving Resolutions relative to the c.natuct
of Ministers daring. the Suspension of the Habeas
Corpus Act, and petitioning Parliament against grant-
intc indemnity to them.
The LORD MAYOR having informed the Meeting
for what purpose they were convened, requested that
a patient bleating should be given to each person who
presented himself.
Mr. Fnvett came forward.—After having spoken
at some length, upon the subject of the liberties of
Englishmen, &c. he observed, that at the rate Minis-
ters acted, although this country might bombard Al-
giers, it retained the spirit of that Government, He
proceeded to describe the hardships to which unfor-
tunate men had been subject during the suspension of
their liberties ; and read a letter from a respectable
person in the Borough, relative to a series of hard-
ships inflicted on onelliomas Riley, who was appre-
hended at Huddersfield ; and though the testimonials
of his loyalty were unquestionable, yet Government
refused to bring him to trial or admit him to bail ;
till at length, harassed by repeated disappointments,
he in a fit of desperation, terminated his existence,
leaving an unfortunate widow and ten children to
bewail his' hapless fate. Mr. Favell said, the object
oldie letter which he had every reason to think would
be read in the House of Commons by Lord Milton,
was, to beg some support for the wife and family of
the deceased. He gave a history of the apprehen-
sion, &c. of the unfortunate man, and excited strong
feelings of indignation in the Meeting. He hoped
these things would be remembered at the ensuing
Election. The hour of retribution was approaching,
and of course the day of reckoning to the City Mem-
bers, who had contributed to shield Ministers from
the heavy responsibility. He then moved the follow-
ing Resolutions:
" That this Common Hall has viewed with the deepest con-
cern the frequent violations which have of late years been made
upon the rights of the subject, more particularly by the late
Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act—, measure founded nei-
ther upon precedent nor necessity, but upon groundless alarms
made by Ministers, through infamous and abandoned hired emis-
saries, for the purpose of stilling the complaints of the People—
shielding corruption, and protecting abuses.
" That the existing Laws of the Land were fully sufficient fur
the suppression and punishment of acts of tumult and disorder,
and were so considered by our ancestors, who passed the Habeas
Corpus Act as an additional bather fur personal security, at a
time remarkable for plots and alarms, and arbitrary and illegal
arrests and imprisonments.
" That as the passing of the said Act, in time of profound
peace is without precedent—so is the wanton, arbitrary, and op-
pressive conduct of Ministers, under its suspension, unexampled
in the annals of the country.
That this Common hall cannot sufficiently express its ab-
horrence of those detestable miscreants, who, as Spies and In-
formers, have been seeking to ensnare the lives of unfortunate
men, under the influence of want and despair, by exciting them
to acts of treason and outrage. That the employment of such
infamous Agents is disgraceful te the Government, destructive
of social happiness and intercourse among the people, and putting
the lives of innocent men in a state of peril and hazard.
" That this Meeting forbears to detail the numerous illegal
arrests and detentions apersons who have since been discharged
without trial; nor will they recount the numerous cruel and
viadiedve prosecutions in which the Ministers have experienced
signal defeat and disgrace. They cannot, however, but express
their comae, that In the iseninces where convictions have taken
place, those deluded men were the victims of the hired Agents
of the Government; and had it not for the fortunate disco-
very of some of these wretches. Inuadinds of innocent mannikin
.b.?follows easeiiim-eseekositessmilioneedeendst esselieviorto'
That this Meeting has seen, with no less grief than indig-
nation, secret Parliamentary Committees, a at the sug-
gestion of Ministers, composed of those inisten, and other
Kacemen and Pensioners, for inquiry upon such ex parte evi-
dence as the Ministers find it convenient to furnish them—while

the Petitions of those who complain of injustice and opyression
have been refused even to be takhn into consideration.

'• That the object of suck Committees, in the opinion of this
Merging, cannot tend to forward the ends of justice—to vindi-
cate/Ise violated rights of the subject--or to secure the people
from oppression--but to screen, protect, and indemnify their
oppressors.
" That Petitions be presented to both liaises of Parliament,
praying them immediately to institute such full, impartial, and
rigid inquiry into the conduit of Ministers as can alone sanely
the justice of the Country or the expectations of the People, by
referring all the proceedings connected with the late Suspension
Act to a Committee, to be composed of such members only as
bold neither place nor passion under the Government; and that
they will not pass any Bill of Indemnity to Ministers, and pre-
clude those who have been the victims of oppression from a fair
appeal to the legal tribunal of the Country.'
Mr. WAITIIIIAN said, the question was not one to
argue, but to be indignant upon. It became now
necessary for Ministers to piove that they were justi-
fied, and their friends in the City were no doubt pre-
pared to aid them in the justification. He had seen
what was called- the Report of the Committee, ap-
pointed to examine the contents of the Green Bag,
and there was not one word in it that every body did
not know before. The only thing new to him, was
the declaration that the prisoners were not brought to
trial, owing to particular circumstances--(a laugh).

—The people were, however, left to guess at them.
The real cause was, the villainous agents employed
by Government would be exposed ; and could not,
therefore, be brought upon the stage—(loud applause).
If it were not for the discovery of Oliver, hundreds
might have been convicted. The same kind of Tra-
gedy had been played '2O years ago ; but the Mana-
gers of the present day were such bunglers, that their
machinery was exposed, and the piece could not be
brought out—(a laugh.) But the conduct of Govern-
ment was wanton as well as cruel : they knew they
could not bring forward those witnesses then, had
they detained the victims of their persecutions in
prison. A second Committee was formed, composed
of Ministers, Placemen, &c. to inquire into their own
conduct—(a laugh). Who now degraded Parliament,
he would ask those worthy Members behind him,
who were supporting the Indemnity Bill ? He trust-
ed the People would look about with firmness, and
stand forward and say, that Ministers ought to be
tried for their own acts by an honest and independent
Jury of their country. He concluded by giving his
hearty acsent to the Resolutions.
Mr. SCIUTLTES supported the Resolutions. The
Constitution, he said, knew nothing of a Bill of In-
demnity ; and such a measure was still more to be
reprobated, when it was considered by what artifices 1,
it was about to be produced by his Majesty's Mi-
nisters. Was it not, he would ask, a crying evil, to
rob twelve millions of people of their rights and liber-
ties? and were such proceedings consistent with that
divine precept upon which human law was founded—
" Do unto others as you would they should do unto
your —He said this, because the majority of his
Majesty's Ministers pretended to much religion—
(hear, hear.)—He contended, however, beyond this,
that the acts of Borough-mongers, Moncy-lenders,
and Pensioners, v. ere u...coastituuonal, and

trusted, that the whole unite 1 kingdom would take
example by the City of London, procLim their injii-
iies, and, W passible, secure redress.
Mr. %/att.+ us next attempted to address the Hall.
He was received with hissings and every mark of dis-
satisfaction. All that could be collected was, that it
had not yet been distinctly proved that Government
had employed spies, and that if men looked to the
private character of Ministers, they would not be so
ready to question their public measturs—(Groane
laughter).
Mr. WOOLY* next came forward.—He agreed
with the Mover and Seconler of the Resolutions
uhich had been read, as far as the spirit went; but
he did not think they went far enough. He did not
think, in fact, they spoke loud enough against the
conduct of Ministers. When Ministers were first
about to suspend the liberties of the country, they
proceeded upon es-parte evidence, and proclaimed
the country to be in a most awful situation. To this
credit was then given, though he was not among
those who did so believe it. But now the scene was •
changed, and when the eyes of the people had at
length been opened to behold the truth, he trusted the
attempt to " destroy the Constitution, under the pre-
tence of preserving it," would be manfully and col..
stitutionally resisted. (Hear, hear.) The country, for
2.5 years, had been struggling to obtain redress ef
grievances ; and at a moment when the people ex-
pected that their cries would be heard, they were told
that danger existed; and treason was abroad. But
what was that danger and that treason, except the
alarm of :Ministers, fest they should be dismissed from
office, and their anxiety to retain their places? The
one was the danger, the other the treason ! Hem .)
The whole of their conduct had been well compared
to a drama ; the plot was bad, and they dare not
produce the actors. The piece, in fact, was damned
embryo—(Applauses.) Was there, he would ask,
among the unioitunate victims who had been made
instruments in getting up the plot, a single man of
rank, consequence, or even common independence ?
Was it not, on the contrary, notorious, that all the
.unfortunate persons connected with the riots were
either very low in their condition, or totally desti-
tute?—{gear.) But then the objects of the vindic-
tive proceeding of Ministers, it appeared, might
now seek redress in yarn. If they were guilty, their
accusers were too lenient to proceed—and if they
were innocent, there v.lis to be a Bill of Intienuniy to
shield the aggressors--1 Loud and continued applause.)
Such proceedings would be to after ages a shame upon
the present era, and while we talked of the conduct
of the Dey of Algiers, it was scarcely 7possible to
believe that the meanest despot would be guilty of
imposing those arbitrary acts cf which this country
now complained— ( hear.) The people were Lord
that the Administration was both religious and
charitable, but he must first know that these terns
were changed before he would believe it—(laugl,ter.)
He had heard with horror of the case of Riley, from
the gentleman who commenced the business of the day,
but he had to add to this a still more infamous fact :
A person who had been with him on the previous day,
assured him, that together with anothervictim be had
been seised, and thrust into the very dungeon atYorkb..
where the unfortunate Riley' had been confined, and
this too, while the floor and walls were clotted and be-
smeared with bloisd—(loud cries of hear, hear, and
shame!) The assembly was told that tlie day of retri-
bution, or rather of election, was at hand, when the
people might secure a fair representatiert. He thought
this opinion fallacious, convinced that Ministers would
still secure to themselves sufficient support to retain
their places, taking due care at the same time to shut
out every enquiry. Under all the circumstances, he
thought the country should speak out. Mr. Wooller
concluded by moving a series of Resolutions, as an
Amendment to the original ones. They were to the
same effect, but couched in much stronger terms.
Mr. HUNT came forward to second the Amend-
ment, and was received with great applause. He said
that he was induced to second them from a necessity
of using the strongest terms that could possibly be
applied to the conduct of Ministers. The language
of the original Resolutions was that which had been
used in vain for the last twenty years—(hear). What
would they say of a physician who col:tinned to ap-
ply only common palliatives as the disorder of his
patient increased ?—why, they would say, that, in-
sttad of continuing the deacularn :olaister, he should
put on a blister' and if that would not do, the patient
should be bled. Now, these amended Resolutions were
intended to blister the Ministers—(loud laughter). As
to the Petition they were about to vote, it would be
of no use; it might be put into the green hag, where,
perhaps, the worthy Alderman (Curtis) would have
to decide upon it—(laughter).
Mr. FAVELL admitted,. that the country had been
Many years labouring to procure a redress of „griev-
ances, but that was not an argument against perse-
verance. He hoped that the opinions of the Livery
would not be divided on the subject, as nothing
pleated their enemies better than to see them divided-
- True fortitude consists in ways
" Which justice Warrants, and which wisdom loves!"

To the Livery of London he would leave it to decide,
whether the Amendment or the original Motion most
deserved their support—(hear, hear.)
Mr. Wool.En considered it would be silly to with-
draw his Resolutions. He had committed himself
with the Livery, and would abide the result of their

opinion.
"The amended Resolutions were then put and ne-
gatived upon a shew of hands, with the exception of
about five persons. The original Resolutions were
next put and carried with acclamations—and a Peti-
tion, founded upon the Resolutions--(Sce ildicr-
tisentent )—being read, and adopted, it was moved
and carried, that Mr. Alderman Wood should pre-
sent the same to the House of Commons.
It was then proposed and carried, that the other
Representatives of the City in Parliament, should
support the Petition.
Sir WIW,IAst CURTIS stepped forward, but was re-
ceived with hisses and cries of " (Mr, et!" He cow.
sidcred the proceedings unconstitutional, find should
alway s take his conscience as his guide. Vhen the
secrets of the Green Bag wure revealed, he was sure
he would be acquitted by his fellow-citizens; " but,
until then," said the worthy Baronet, " Mum is the
order of the day"—(lnimmirrate ktughter).
Sir JAMES SHAW promised faithfully to attend to
the object of the Petition which had been read. He
was ut tipiniop that Ministers had uct yet made out a