Star.
London, England, 1817-02-19 00:00:00

THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.

It scommenres by stati.tg that the Committee had
first directed their attention to such documents as re-
lated to the Metropolis t and that the result of their
investigation on this point is a conviction, that a con-
spiracy existed to overthrow by a general insurrec-
tion, the established Government, and to produce a
general system of plunder.

It goes on to state, that, in pursuance of this trea-
sonable object, different consultations were• held in
London in the last autumn, when, slier considering
and rejecting various plains, it was at last resolved to
call a Public Meeting in Spafields : it was conceived
that this plan would acquaint them with the probable
Dumber of adherents that could be raised, while at
the same time the place chosen was a central spot,
from which the City might be entered and attacked
in various places at once. For this purpose adver-
tisements and hand-bills were circulated, addressed
to the lower orders, and particularly to those whose
distressed circumstances and extreme sufferings, horn
the pressure of the tines, were supposed to render
them the fittest tools for discontent and disaffection.
The Report then briefly describes the proceedings
of the first Meeting of the 15th November, dwelling
strongly on the violent and inflammatory language
used by some of the speakers ; and refers to the pion.
der that took place on that first evening, as a conse-
quence of the doctrines promulgated in the course of
the day. The Report then notices the appointment
of December 2, as the time for a second meeting ;
and supposes that day was intended for the executian
of tl.eir object.•
The modes of effecting their purpose were—first,
a liberation of all prisoners in the different pots of
the Metropolis, to whom, accordingly, notice was
given (in the shape of an Address). that they would
all. be set free on that day, and have arms put into
their hands ; a recommendation bring added, to pro-
cure the National tricoloured cockade, and to spare
no means, however sanguinaiy, to ensure success.—
A second scheme was to set fire to all the Barracks;
and an attack on the Bank and the Tower was de-
termined upon after several consultations. Pikes and
arms were procured ; leaders were chosen ; and the
places of attack pointed our. Attempts were made
to seduce the soldiery at different stations, and the
most unremitting exertions were employed in the in-
terval of the two Meetings, in visiting all the clubs
and public-houses'in the Metropolis, where. even io
the most apparently c tsual conversations, endeavours
were made so to irritate and inflame the minds of the
hearers, that when collected in a burly they might
be ripe for the most desperate eqteriorise. The per.
sons so employed in going about and haranguing at
these clubs are stated to be the same who on the se.
cond day shewed themselves in Spafields, with arms,
ammunition, tricolour flags, tricolour cockades, and
the banner bearing the inscription—
s. The brave soldiers are our brothers, treat them kindly."
The Report then alludes to that direct exhortation
to open insurrection made by one speaker at Spa.
fields, and expresses its conviction that the outrage,
plunder, and. insurrectionary violence that ensued

were nut accidental and unpremeditated, but the re-
sult of a deliberate plan ; which, in their own opi.
nion, failed only from unexpected occurrences, and
was not altogether abandoned even alter this failure,
It notices also that different assoeiatiens, in different
parts of the country, had a knowledge and expecta-
tion of the riotous proceedings of that day. The
Committee then states, that these insurrectionary de-
signs had extended to many of the most popetous
arid manufacturing districts of Great Britain.
As a proof of the concert of even the :cost distant
and widely.separated parts of the kingdom, it is ,cared
that, conformably to the resolution of the Spai.eitls
leaders to meet again on the 10th of February,
Jar meetings were fixed for the very same day is
various parts of the country. The remote societies
waited for the example of the London combination,
and the most anxious expectation was awakened as
to the result of the proceedings of the 2d of Decem-
ber. The first news of that day excited their spirits
so a high degree, and their disappointment was ne
less on the news of the speedy suppression of the
in-
surtection. It is supposed that even partial success
iu London would have led to a general rising
throughout the kingdom—but since that failure, the
malcontents talk of waiting till the country is more
6 corinpletely organized," by which is meant, that
they hope, by establishing every where clubs, under
paw. of Reform, to be enabled to excite such a
general spirit of discontent, especially among the dis_
tressed chases, together with such a hope of relief

from general plunder, and with such a desire For
what are called their natural rights, that they shall
be ready, on the first signal, to take up arms for ac-
complishing their purposes.
The Committee then particularizes some of the
clubs and societies in which these principles are
taught, and .by which they are expected to be one
day put in practice. It first speaks of the Hampden
clubs, whose professed object is Parliamentary Re-
form ; and though it allows that many. members
have no conception of the real okjects of the more
disaffected leaders, it asserts, that among the manu-
facturing classes, clubs under this name have been
the instruments of disseminating the most dangerous
doctrines. It next alludes to the " Union Societies,"
the parent society under which name is in Lqndon,
and branches of it under the same name arc spread
through the country. The professed purposes of these
associations is Parliamentary Reform, in the shape of
universal suffrage and annual Parliaments, which
measures, in the opinion of the Committee, involve not
a change, but a total subversion of the Constitution.
The Spencean Philanthropists arc next alluded to;
and it is stated, that the London conspirators discus-
sed and matured their plots in a club of ibis de-
scription. The principles of these Spenceans are de-
scribed as spresading rapidly among all the other so-
cieties of all denominations. These men disclaim

Parliamentary Relearn as a worthless object, and
their hand-bill (so often quoted) is produced as a
proot that their object is a general plunder, under the
name of a general division of property. These so.
cieties are said to be so numerous as not to be redu-
cible under any one general description. The coun-
try societies are chiefly in the neighbourhood of Lei-
cester, Loughborough, Nottingham, Mansfield,
Derby, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Blackburne, Manches-
ter, Birmingham, Norwich, and Glasgow, with its vi-
cinity. 'they are said, in fact, to be spreading to every
village. Besides the hopes of plunder, intimidation
is said to be added to seduction ; threats are held out
to those who do not join the clubs, and these clubs I
themselves are bound to secrecy by the most horrid
and atroci;,us oaths. As an additional security for
secrecy, the proceedings of these societies are ail con-
ducted by speech ; nothing is committed to writing ;
and the communications between the most distant
clubs are not trusted to paper, but are made by
means of delegates and missionaries, acting under the
guidance of a managing Committee. Arms have.
lately been procured in considerable quantities, and
subscriptions have been raised, which, though trifling
in detail, are important in their aggregate amount.
The Committee then enters into a view of the ob-
jects of these societies, and argues, partly from their
publications and partly from its own private sources
of information, that their purpose is to destroy all
Government, all social order, all morality, all reli.
gion. The landholder is represerited as a rapacious
monster, and the fundholder as a still greater curse:
and the poor are told; that these two proprietors gain
fifteen-pence out of every quartern loaf. Parliamen-
tary Reform is derided, as calculated to change only
one set of thieves fur another. Every art is used
most calculated to unsettle and inflame the mind.
The meetings are prolonged to a late hour in the
night; seditious speeches are made, inflonimatnry
writings are read, and the sitting, particularly in
London, generally concludes with singing profane
and seditious songs, and-blasphemous parodies of the
Liturgy, in the responses of which the whole com-
pany join in chorus. Thus by the united force of
sedition and infidelity, the minds of the members are
tainted and inflamed ; and in the opinion of the Com-
mittee rendered fit for any atrocity against indivi.
duals or the State.

The Report then, in the most pointed language,
calls the attention of the House to the cheap, and
sometimes gratuitous, circulation, throughout the
kingdom, of seditious, inflammatory, irreligious and
blasphemous publications, which cut at the very
foundations of all society and government.
The Committee cons:ders the late attack upon the
Prince Regent as an additional and melancholy proof
of the efficacy of the system before described, to de-
stroy all reverence for eesstituted authority, even' in
its most important form.

The Committee neat describes it to be a part of the
system of the leaders of these societies, to give ut-
terance in all the great public meetings, to language
of the most unparalleled violence ; and even to an-
nounce openly, that if their Petitions are not com-
plied with, the Sovereign will have forfeited all claim
to allegiance. The publication of the speeches so
made at these meetings is stated to be a fresh vehicle
for sedition and treason.

The Committee in the last place notices the novel
practice of adjourning these meetings from time to
time and of thus alarming and agitating the minds
of all the peaceable and well-affected. This alarm
is increased by the plan of holding various Meetings
oat the same time in different places; a practice which
'seems to facilitate to the disaffected the means of ac-
complishing their designs, and embarrasses and dis-
tracts the civil power, while even the military torce
must necessarily be so subdivided, that Government
cannot readily send effectual assistance to the civil
power so as to secure the public tranquillity.
The Committee Concludes by saying that this state
of things cannot be suffered to continue without the
greatest evil ; and although it will not anticipate any
decision of Parliament as to the measures proper to
be adopted, it feels it to be a duty to express a deci..

ded opinion that further provision) ere ritcesiary for
the preservation of public peace, and fur the mainte-
nance of the common welfare of all classes of the
People.

Till the complete doeurneat shall hate been pub-
lished, we will retrain trum making many remarks on
the subject of the Report, or on the measures which
may in consequence be suggested for the adoption
of Parl:ament. That it is the duty of Government
to watch over the public safety ; that the machina-
tions of wicked men, whether to rob and plander, or
to overthrow the Constitution, should be counter-
acted and the individuals who m I be proved
guilty, be visited with exemplary vengeance ; and
that those to whom the preservation of peace and
order, and the protection of property, are more im-
mediately intrusted, should be armed with sufficient
power for these important purposes, are so many
sell-evident truisms. On these there can be bus one
opinion among rational men.
The questions fur cool discuss on will be, whether
the arm of the law has not s:rength sufficient td
pu-
nish the guilty, w ithout involving the innocent ? Whe-
titer it cannot arrest, imprison, try, and punish the
criminals, without invading the privileges and liberty
of the loyal ? Whether the danger, whatever may be
its complexion, is such, from the aurnbers, the cha-
racter, the influence. the resources of the trait'ms, as
to warrant other than the usual means so bring the
guilty to punishment, and to provide for the security
of persons and property ?
Ott these points it is impossible, from what is yet
before us, to form any thing like a correct opinion.
To these the wisdom of Parliameat will be directed ;
and we doubt not that they will all be discussed with
coolness, and with an anxious desire to come ta the
most correct conclusion. In fact, the main question
is one of very great magnitude. On the one hand the
preservation of the rights and liberties of the subjects ;
on the other the due protection of their properties and
their lives ; and all of these involved in the mainte-
nance of the laws and Constitution of the country.