Star.
London, England, 1817-02-25 00:00:00

. stly he one opinion in the House. He now came to
) brooch of the question which, when formerly agi-
Med. hid caused much discussion, and on which
great difference of opinion had prevailed. What he
alluded to was the debates in 1793 and 1799. But
he was sure that all the considerations which weighed
on the minds of the Legislature at theso,perinds, and
induced them to pass the vote which declared the ille-
gality of all secret associations for political purposes,
and of all afli.iations which admitted to a fraternity
with such associations other classes of persons; whose
sole object was the application of whit they called
ellis'cal. force," for the purpose of bloodshed and
rebellion, wetilil he acknowledgifl to occur more (fir.
eibly on the present ozcasiore" The. House had not
hesitated, in 1799, to declife such associations ille-
sal, by a ltw not o: a temporary nature. but prima-
irnt and unrestricted as to the' time. during which 4
was to continue in force. It was far from the wish
or the intention of the Legislature by that Act to op-
pose any obstacle to the exercise of Constitutional
wants. What was wished to oppose, was to put
down that'system, springing out of the French Ke-
vaution, which sought, by means of affiliated So-
cieties, to excite the people to rebellion against every
Government. That law considered the very prin-
t pie of: affiliation and fraternization su abhorrent to
the spirit of our 'Constitution, that the law against
them Was made permanent ; but it had become inef-
ficient by the accidental circumstance of the Act of
the 36th of ch.?. King then in force being only a tem.
rimy Act. and it sr. happened, that some of the
operative clauses in the Act of the 39th referred to
the provisions of the Act of the 36th, the existence
of which was therefore necessary for the operation of
the Act of the 39th, in its executory clauses. When
the Act of the 36th expired, the intention of the Le.l
gist itnre was from this circumstance defeated, and''
the Act of the 39th of the King became inoperative.
With respect to this part of the subject, therefore,
Parliament would find it now not only necessary to
revive the Act of the 39th of the King, but also that
of the 3fith, commonly known by the name of the
Sedition Act. Ar the time when the Sedition 'Act
was pissed, several meetings of a very alarming na-
tureshad been held, and threatened the most serious
consequences. But none of the meetings at that
time bad proceeded to acts of open violence. The
Legislature then did what was very wise, is antici-
pating the designs of die agitators, and preventing all
the mischiefs and calamities with which the country
was threatened. But, in the present case, there was
no-need to exec cite so much foresight ; it was not tie.'
cessary now to calculate on 'the probability of the
acts of open violence, which, ini.79l'rs, when this Ace
hod beau passed, were only guested at and expected.
Those-Acts of violence which, in 1795, had only
been contemplated, had, in the present case, been
put into execution. There was no extremity to which
they bad not now either actually proceeded, or at
leant carried so far as to make'any doubt or hesitation
as to theirs designs impossible. All the artifices—all
the preparations—all the• precautions which could
Make such crimes most dangetous, had, in the pre-
' sent case, beta resorted to. A mob was assembled—
their basest passions were appealed to—their 'cupidity
irhfl tmed—their most lawless 'appetites promised to
be gratified—the means too were pointed out, and
these agitators watched in the countenances of the
deluded rabble the effect of their harangues, till they
found them wrought up to the perpetration of the
most horrid eecesses and crimes. All this had aw-
n:illy beta done: There were not only at these
meetings the Orators, but also those who absolutely
Went there to watch the effects produced upon the
people.. After all this, he would- say that it would.
be most besotted, if Parliament were to wait before
it put these laws into force, till it should see there'
was really occasion for them by a repetition of the
crimes. —( Beer, hear).—When, under less menacing
circumstances, the Legislature had thought it ['tees-.
*wry to enact .the laws to which he alluded. these
could be very little doubt whether, in the present
•thisess it was not the duty of Parliament to make
' gen: laws efficient, and to give that power to' the
infant which it had formerly given. There
had grown oat of that lie, a good effect, which be
hoped would likewise spring freavie on the presemi
stecasion. It had been the means of preventing the
exereise,of }he right of petition' (which this Act was,
by no means, intended to infringe upon, but. which,
ow the contrary. Parliament was beund by every
Means to facilitate) t it hod prevented that right from
being made the indirect mean: of corrupting the pub-
lic arind—(Hear, Ater) ;—not merely corrupting, but
leading them on to the perpetration of every atrocity,
• 141 e treason, felony, and rebellion.—(Hear,
lU'had no doubt, Mut when it was pronounced by
Posllanient that by such means a few designing men'
were attempting to lead the many to the commission
of such dreadful crimes t—when this was done, be'
bad no doubt that all those criminal acts would ex.
pin under the moral influence of the. law; that the
public mind would be • enlightened ; the instigators
would fall into merited disgrace, and such a change
you'd be produced, that it would not even be found
necessary to put in force, or to icflict the penakies
which the Act imposes.—(Hear, hear),—.ThirObranch
of the remedy must also extend to tliimode in which
diese pernicious doctrines had been diseeniinated.
The most extraordinary assiduity and industry had
been used in the circulation of every species of infi-
delity and seditioo. From the means used for this
purpose, be deemed it necessary to have all seditious
Clubs and Debating Societies pieced on' the same
footing as to criminality as they bad been bylie Act
of 1795. The. same system which then, prevailed
was now renewed. There was scarcely • room in
soy public-house which Ins not occupied by some
meeting of this kind. It was certainly with much
regret that he found that some persons of such a rank
in society as lett them no excuse on the ground of
norance, should have gone to Hampden Clubs and
made speeches, containing doctrines which, to say'
she least, were of the most wiiienievosts description.
• If ever these was a society that deserved to be marked
with verobatioO.. said to tlahe mime held up to
lip nom curetatiod as had Nip branded already is
1441,4iiktare as Inch Clobikg the - United Irhh.
• am, the Contspolidiag Societies, and others of the
manse 'Yazd—the iiit*ean Society was one deserv-
lag every Mark of frepeobatioo.—(Hoer, hear, sear).
A *Me Loud opfolsite (Laid Cochrane) had chosen
tto sty that thiesociaty dad pet consist of more than
a Ittadred theatherit; 140 t oat,d only say, that there

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