Star.
London, England, 1819-12-07 00:00:00

tnd that it %%Thad be ineffectr.al ins previsions were
merely of a lccal chr.racter. • •
Mr. wiLagaroncE rejoiced that the Bill :-.as
pot to be o permanent measure, anc felt much
obliged to the Noble lord for consenting to make
it infrely temporary. It was one of the peculiar
bless:ugs of our Constitution that Parliament was
enabled in dangerous times to arm the Executive
with extraordinary powers, and when the storm had
passed by, to revert to our approved and ancient
system. He could with very-great difficulty have
reconciled himself to the pleasure as a permanent
law ; but posted only for one year, he was of opi-
nion that it would do no good, but would be found
a great evil. If the danger were. so great as to jus-
tify them in passing such an Act at all, they ought
to pass it for such a period as would be likely to
cover the danger, Not doing this, they would pay
the price of the longer period without obtaining the
benefits which it offered. Feeling this, be could not
with that its duration should be confined to three
years, but should. rather extend to five. He was
of opinion that it ought not to be made merely
loctl„ as to do this would be to defeat its object.—
It was because he valued the liberties of his country,
and thought them worthy of being preserved, that
he was disposed to concur in the temporary re.
strictions now proposed to be enacted. The Crown had
not encroached on the People, but when be saw tur-
bulence like that lately witnessed, he felt that our
liberties were indeed endongered by the demagogues,
and seeing this, he for one,
-•-•••••• r" MOE a toward, Lalf a patriot
- " Woll4l_ 111 from petty tyrants to the f= r
Lord MILTON said, the only right left by the
present Bill would be, not the right to meet, but the
right to ask an Officer of the Crown for leave to meet.
Mr. MARRYAT thostght the, period proposed- in
the original motion.,(Colonel Beaumont's), as the fit
period for the continuance of these restrictions, to be
too short, and that proposed in the ameminseat, five
years, to be too long.
Mr. C. WYNI4 was for the amendment proposed
by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. MAXWELL expressed an opinion that the
Bill ought.to continue to operation five years in the
disturbed districts, and one year its the other parts of
the Kingdom.
Lord COMPTON considered the measure abso-
lutely necessary, with a view to support the legiti-
mate mode of holding Public Meetings.
Mr. BENETT, (Member for Wilts) expressed his
intention to support the expected Amendment, limit-
ing the duration of the Bill to three years.
Lord CRANLEY said it was necessary to make a
distinction between public liberty and licentiousness.
The question being then loudly called for, the ori-
ginal Motion was put by the SPLAICIA,and negatived
The gallery was then cleared for a division.
the exclusion of strangers, Mr. Burrow pro,
in Amendment to limit the duration of the
ill to three years. The House then divided—
Par the Atomatiatetst - - - 153
41dt:et k - - - 3111
Majors - • •••••1711
The CIIANCILLLOR of the EXIIIIZQVIR'S Amend-
meat, extending the operation of the Bill to five
years, was then agreed to.
The House immediately after went into a Com-
mittee on the Bill ; the Chairman reported progress,
and begged leave to sit this day.—Adjourned.
While the Ministerial Majority was dividing in
the Lobby, Lord CASTLULZAOII was heard to exhort
them to be early and constant in their attendance
this afternoon.