Star.
London, England, 1819-12-18 00:00:00

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gendral aystem of. coercion, which was making a
dangerous inroad on the Constitution ; and he a!si,,
objected to it, because there had been no inquiit
Made int&the circumstances on which it was founded-
At a time.when such strong measures as these were
called for, it was of the utmost consequence that pre-
lims incluirt:anikiagitieltie_o•-alkostld.take
Strong measures might be necesititY, but they could'
not be sci...wisbout examination, nor could they be
without sonie'ineaties of eciiiciliatlOn. Some thingsl
were no conceded ; but- the* very intention
mani-
fested by Giternment, prayed that at first they d 4
not mean...o'o4'er any conciliation. One of the great.
est dantlets4iithe country was, the disposition.on the
part •veinlyient to introduce such measures of
coercion' ditiese ; and, after seeing these things, there
was j ust'reason' to fear the designs of Ministers against,
the librifies'"of the-People. This was 'the greatest
symptorWan arbitrary Government.,, .11 there was
•a real fht2ntion on the part of Ministers to presewe
the Codlgthiion, they would have proposed a tem-
porary iitistire, and not extended a measure of this
kind tolfte• long period'of five years. The only re-
lief; Ind 'Cady means of restoring tranquillity to the
countiffias,lo abstain from taxation. If it was ne-
cessartii) have recourse to coercion, let that coercion
be but Ibr 'a short time; but as the measures were
now birlngbt forward, they, went to inflict a lasting
wound on the Constitution of the country; and for
that repzitti he .slionld-vote for the Motion for limit-
ing the 4ratinn of the Bill..
The Diike'cif ATHOL entered into a defence of
the mesiirss then before Parliament, particularly
that which went to put a itop •to the seditious and
blaspheimaus libels' that were chahging the character
of the rountry.- These measures would save, instead
ot injuKilg the COhstitulion -of the country. The ad-
mirabfe Addrecs 'voted to the Prince Regent at the
openinf of the Selsion;:by Ott overwhelming majority
of thatllOnse; fully proved" that the conduct of the
Govern Sent gaveleneral. tatitfaction to Parliament.
The wise measures brought forward in that House,
were alto carried by overwhelming..nzsjorities; and
great ar were the abilities' of the Nohle;Lords,ou,the
Opposition bend), still they 'wtte opposed, . and suc-
cessfully antwered by abilifiet: equally. as powerful.
The measures-of Ministcfszwere called for by Parlia-
ment and the Country, and- were requisite for the
salvation of the State; and he hoped they would go
on until they succeeded in completely suppressing
the mischiefs that' threatened the country. They all
caned have but one view, Which was; that the country
should flout ish, and that-the Constitution should be
handed down to remote ageS. There waslio occasion
to make the proposed limitatien in this Bill, becauxe,
ifit should at the end"rf two years be necessary to
extend the Bill, Parliament would have another battle
to fight, and-the lime akitation would be e*ited as
Of present. No Man 'Could regret more' thin.he did
the British blood thifikad been shed at Manchester ;
but it file BM no befdre Parliament existed as Wes,
to such calamity would have taken place; for then
there Weald be no ;nth thing as tleetintatMan-
Chester, or Meetings in Sodt,Lentl. Ile hoped,
ever, the dine was now sco'ine* *hen such persOns
as neti active iii those Meet is would hai,e. tio fur-
ther Opportunities' of intimiAting the Government.
The very knowledge of What was nee* waingfoSwaid
prevenled all Meetings of the kind. Ile believed the
quiet that prevaiied'ncw in the country was Diving
to the knowledge of these Mils. Ile admitted that
there 'was considerable distress atnong the Pelle;
but he did not think the factious spirit thatpfevailid:
in tbecnutitry "was confined to person's .a 'state Of
distresi. There existed, indeed, great dlacaliles, bast
iheie reason to that they weiiiii be alkeitir
ited.-I-k give his decided'negative so..the-MotiOn:
ihe:gulle Earl for limiting the duration ofthe Bilk::.
Earl MORE I Y viLhed "let ilepritisent•tw their. Gail-
ships, that previous to the.:§nting of rainenti..l a
general. spirit of disattletion prevailed throughout the
counts?; ancrthiPnbfiCEvele'tatight :to believe that
Pie Conduct stGoverattlent tuirkthe Magistrates had
arisen froth inagious' inotiVet. Bet the. discussions
that lied since taken-0114; tlearlf 4itUved that . on
all thOse points the PO,lie had labciused under an
erroneoli:Ampsetsion. • Hi}' Lordship.xlefended all
the tills that' bed been' bi•tglit before Parliament,
pardclalatfy the Mt fof the luppneilion of Liras,
whitli werFaiiimpciftant iinproverntaislon the %vb. •
law of llbehf and as tto 'the present -Bill,sitsfsvas per—
fectly.t dnsistenivrith die:principles -of the Constitu-
tiOn ; for the very idei'pflarge, numerous Meetings,
which the Bar went tb &vent, seat-a perfect'rnofhery
or ldl delibefatiphs: A very )fist panegyrie had been
pronounced on the unsalaned Magistracy of the
country :but the remark tended ultimately -*to do
&ern an injury, from the observation afterwards.
made relative to the Magisirates of Manchester.- He
lauteeted the distresses of the People ; but he thought
that remedial might ' be applied, and that means
might be taken, to promote the sale of our Manu-
factures in foreign countries, and by the etertitins-of
the higher orders after those salutary lasts Were
pissed, he had every reasoh to hope that these di:-
tsetse: would be remoVed. • • •
The Earl of DOSOTIGHMORE said, he should
prefer the proposal for afflicting •t/re iotintty fdt the
slionestisossible period *4 all: irdl. thou ht
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-treo-

the progress of disaffection, they would have com-
pletely prevented the necessity of any coercion.. In-
stead of having done so-oinstead of having rendered
available_the remedies Which they might have op.
Rued to the evils of the country, the, came forwers
and said, 41. ' Welhave hitherto rested on, our oarsoo
we have hitber4 remained inactive, whilst we ought
to have heal' rting ourselves, with- a view to r
dress the sufferings of the country--but now, when
the mewl is going to wreck, we come down to Pao
liatepat, and ask them to pass a Bill of pains int
peilairies against the PeOple !"--(Hear, heark-"" ii.
Meetingposible chat Government Goat
dtotankldenh
have
place
Smithfield such.;
" ch.
iwehinicniltellilat
toproceed ? Did we or did we -not live under ti
civil Government?—(Hey, hear).--His Lordship
next adverted to the extennoti of the Bill to Ireland!
YE was evident, he said, from the state of the Bill ill
self, that the framers of it had no intention of ex-
tending it to that country ; for, after having detailed
the.provisions as applicable in the first instance to
England, a clause was added, providing expressly
for the application of the Bill to-Scotland. If it had
been contemplated originally to include Irelind, why
was not that country expressly mentioned in the Bill,
as Scotland had heen ? But the truth was, that Mio
nisters, in the process of die measures said, " Come,.
we will extend the DWI* Ireland ; well make a Bill
for all the world?' -10 not enough . that the
People of that Country show ituYe once experienced
the benefits of coercive measures, when there was
some ground for their application ; but now that they
were quiet, they must he coerced likewise. The
efforts of the Radicals here were puny, and went no,
farther than a riot—there might then be some sha-
dow of justification for the exercise of preventive
measures; but when the People of Irelind rebelled,
they went to work like proper rebels. There was
not even a pretence for imputing disorder to that
country—every one who spoke of it, uniformly
lacnowledged its peaceable, orderly, and loyal dispo-
sition. Nevertheless this pacific state Was no secui ity
agajest harsh measures. The Noble Lord, in the
konchiding part of his speech, declared his intention
to move an instruction to the Committee, to exempt
Ireland _from the operation of the 13;11—(f/ear, hear):
• Earl HAILHOWaY said, he could not help being.
surprised at the inconsistency of the opposition which
was given to die Bill before their Lordships. One
NobleLtird objected to the Bill, upon the
.ground
that its principle was bad, but was desirous that it
should be more limited in its duration. if the Ilill
were a-bad Bill, why, let it not be passed at all. Bo;
he contended, thatthe Bill contained-nothing info,
yious to the Constitution, or at variance .with cons*
tutional policy ; and, although its principle might he
perpetuated, without the slightest injury to the rights
of the People, still they who introduced it, did,not
deem it proper to propose it as a permanent moon%
-geeing that it would be advaatageous to open an op,
portunity, at some future time, for Parliameot to re,
sue its provisions, and determine how. far it had been
capable of meeting the evils, which it was intended,
to remedy. -But the Noble Lord, who had just sail
down,.had argued ratherainguLarly, when he assertoti
the right of
,any number of people. to meet, at nay
time, and at any place,,,they thought proper ;
_and
at the same time reproached Government for net
harmg dispersed the Meeting at *nititAeld by mili-
tery force.
The gall of DoNoupu.mortE here intern
the Noble. 4.0 rd,. and said- he relented on cies _
°tent, notrbecatise•they abstained from the use of tht
military;, bus- because they
.did not use preventive'
Aiwa:iota. - ~
t Earl HARROWBY wos.sorry .to Have rriiitakin
jie Noble Lord, but it,tunied out that. his admission
was quite itioagh for thepurposes of his.aigurninej
for the Noble Lord's esplmiatio.a, amounted to.thisiy.
that any number of people might not meet 'at..ititg
given time and any given- place. d,reAl dear koof
„beep said as to the right of the -People to.*.ssembk
together for the purpose of deliberation. .Ws priei!
'op, it was erroneously said, was fouudedeit the aul
of -Rightse...But any one at all converse* With cloy
past.histo?yiAneve very well that this 1.341
of the events of the time, and that it yeaeistittlqten e 4
to assert.the general rights of the peoples, bat to
ply it to the. particular case for which it voisframed.
For his part, he-would not found the undyed right'
of the People to assemble upon any so7c, *Toad.
The. People always had the right to meet—it was in-
herein in them as the .People of .England, and not
conveyed, to them by any Statute; for he was of
ppinions- that that which was not forbidden' by any
law, was lawful.. It seemed, however, that Gover',
meat, while they admitted, while they eulogised, this
privilege, were conspiring to take it away—ernes-
duo.; landanduns, tollen him. The imputation was
ovholly.unfonnded. He felt that the right of meeting
,and deliberating, which the People eta[ this country
enjoyed, was the great rotates of its. prosperity. ,It
had been said, indeed, that the opinions of the People
could be best obtained by Piblic Meetings. - But he
to know, could public !pinion be obtained
from such Meetings as those held at Manchester, Or
at Smithfield, or at Spa-Aelds ? Let their• Lordship,
look back to the years 1178-9, yhen the-greatest
number of public Meetings took place in a sleep.
time, that was ever known in 4is Country. By
.they attended ? far On mist part by
property, by landholders, and JPAuseholders.
• Meeting whiCh took place at that time otos
ad there, as Sir ci,.. SovQle stated ittliis 14-ce
.araeat, the Deputation which waited -op the.
Lie.uteoagt consisted arab; ht iclts sum, and-
- ---1 of the principal' mete who attended, it
u Was stated by Looll Rockingbain to
Almost all the Difeenags were called by
Sheriffs, and immediately under the Coe-
lutherities,,.,
;the Meeting at W
Which Mr. go melded, coosjsted entirelj of
paid taxes to the Government. But,thek
would, observe,. that there was. nothingio
pi-tricot Nectiogs called by therlaaid
ateitant of the County, or the High 4herilker by
.ve Justices, or tlte tnajority.of a Growl Jury.of al
County, or by. * Mayor of a corporation, de.hy
Alderipan of a Ward. .it had beep, however
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,of
Olacigfs.. 4641.40.1erii1l y. inil
Ipoietottept ',of, the . governmen, aught exer;•l
eir,.4tscretion.very, oftett.:Oty that aide which'
sit favonrable to the Peoplooorlieer) hear)......,
afewer.this, . should refer their.Jordsitipe.
Fixll/41;aucA , -.44 :bit* .Mrailiej9
lat
t had .1046 re ilt4 isii77l4 4nivire-
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lIVS),CIi vwvtiau UV EVIIIUVICUs di. OULU:MW',
The Earl of DOtTOTJGHMORE said, he should look back to
prefer the proposal for afflicting Ilte country for the number of Pi
shortest possible period with tit; 'Bill. NO thou ht time, that et;
the Bill itself to be a tueastire 'Whith treticliecl .ons%e *bons veers ,t
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. great Constitutional rights'of the'People. Supti4ing men of propel
the facts to be proved, that disaffectiod had exititk4 The first Meet
to an alarming eitent in the Nnithern distrkti;Vai at k, and 4
that a reason why the Constitutional' "and peaceable in rharnent,
part of the People shouldbe deprieed of theifights-.4 Lord LieuCeia
He also objected to this Bill on the groUnd 'Of lisiliiid the rental of
't , ' , being included in it, without any probf being- giiiti amounted, as
thatlreland had sinned against the Coiloitsition ; and £BOO,OOO. A
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uric on that country for her peaceable .
• r - ' ' .lailtd, loyal statute& *nth(
conduct—(Deer, hear)..—Again; he Objected-to-this Hall, at which
' - ''l Irilras being a part of a: Whe systent, by Which Mi. those who pail
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niaters tried to invade-.the liberties of the eopistry, Lordship* wet
Fi' :• - '1 iiikd because Ministers brought forward these Mel- the Bill to p
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. I ' S. yes without any etarninition or inquiry; 'and only Lieutenant of:
resting on garbled statements of, 'lei* Oesm—...,(ilear). five Justices, e
,IPlinisters had adopted such evidence as they thought County, or b.;
i . liil4cieut toyyst(fy them in •passingAliese Bill*, and the Aide
gave no opportilillty to Parliament .te,inear,counter. objectell,, tilsa4
4 ' ''. ' ' statements. But be objected tote Bills 49 aootitirr. the Appliol4l
lintind--nargely, that they. woro.broughlyip 4y441i- cise.their‘.4lse
0 0.,
filistes for thiZtettion of themples an,i thoirtiltp: was leastiavq
"racteiito th ' ' flit courier/jab, were, .ey .But to eitilwes
' . col? not sleepe upon tkgr poste.' ut IS24.thowp um to -t , drop
' the'itt • w rat relln•theitisow*gra, ' - ' ht .had j
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