The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-02-20 00:00:00

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the Attorney and Solicitor Generals on the 23i1 of
Muth, but on that occasion he did not utter one
word of complaint. Was there then upon this or
any ether of the Petitions such a presumption of
misconduct as called for enquiry ? His Majesty's
Government disclaimed any Bill or provision for the
purpose of protecting them or those who acted under
thens against actions for the cruel and rigorous treat-
ment of prisoners. The only ground upon which
!bey reported to the general measure of Indemnity,
its to justify; the extraordinary step they had
taken in a case of extreme necessity. If the laws
were violated by rigorous and cruel conduct, the
Iles were still open to appeal. If such cases had
occurred, he hoped the appeal would be made,
and there could be no doubt bit redress' would fol-
low. He should not enter more into the details of all
the Petitions, but he could state from his own know.
ledge, that they contained many gross and monstrous
perversions. The Magistrates of Berkshire went
never denied admittance to Mr. Knight, 'in Radio;
jail ; in that and in all the other counties they woos
uniformly admitted. He should make bitt ono
servetion snore on the Petitions, and that was wits
respect to the charge against Oliver. Mitchitil,will
paid to have been arrested through his means. Mt
fact was not so. Mitchell was, arrested before Olivet
was even known to the Government. He was arrested,
not upon his (Lord Sidmouth's) warrant, though he
had issued one for his apprehension, but on the
warrant of a Magistrate, who knew his mal-practices,
and took him up on his own responsibility.—[llear,
hear!]—The Noble Lord had said much *boat spies
and informers, bet his Majesty's Government were
prepared to stand the brunt of any enquiry upon that
subject ; end he owed it to the injured individual (he
would so call Mr. Oliver) to state, that he was'never
concerned in the insurrection at any period ..of its
progress. The features of the conspiracy were to be
found in the two Reports, end it was impossible for
any man who enquired into the transactions at Man-
chester, not to be satisfied that they had taken place
before Oliver was known to the Government. Upon
the whole, he was of opinion that there was no
ground to support the present motion, and he, for
MOP, should declare himself decidedly against it.—
[Hear, hear!)
Earl GROSVENOR. said, that if he spoke of the
measures now in a manner suited to the view in
which he was led to regard them, he feared he should
not he considered as cool enough for such a discus.
sion ; if, on the contrary, he spoke with apathy and
indifference, he felt he should not be acting up to his
own ideas of his duty, or in a manner agreable to his
feelings. He expressed his own conviction that there
was an universal failure of proof to support the
iteports upon which the extraordinary powers eta-
trusted to Ministers were grounded. Notwithstand-
ing this universal failure of proof of disaffection and
treasorr, excepting in the case of Derby alone, he was
still willing to admit that there was none mere fit to
be entrusted with the execution of such a disagreeable
duty as the Noble Viscount (Lord 4idmouth), whose
character was suit as would impel him, wherever it
was possible, to act in the manner most likely to
consult the feelings of the individuals concerned.
As to the Petitions in question, he contended, that
supposing there was not a word of truth in the va-
rious allegations they contained, yet that still they
were called upon to allow these Petitions to be re-
fetred to the Committee, although it was not cons.
posed as he could wish. The Noble Viscount had
either misunderstood or misrepresented a Noble Lord
who had already spoken, and who was supposed to
maintain tha• Petitions of all kinds should be re-
ferred to the Committee. The Noble Lord had pro.
posed to send only Petitions essentially connected
with the appointment of the Committee. But the
Noble Viscount denied that any such Petitions should
be admitted. According to this language, nothing
was to he received by the Committee but what the
Noble Viscount deemed fit to submit to them. But
hi contended that, according to the'Noble Viscount's
own showing, the Petition in question should he re.
ferret]. Thete was no part of it which, prima facie,
might not be true. Acctotding *to the Petitioner's
( Drommond).sletement, he was seized while address-
ing a large and numerous concourse of persons, who
wr,re met for the wpm of petitioning Parliameut
against the Suspension of the Habees Corpus t but the
Noble Viscount would have it that he (the Peti-
tioner, spoke with a degree of vehemence which
was• dangerous. The Noble Viscount could not
deny that they had' a right' to petition against
the Suspension Of the Habeas Comas,: but he did
not like it. The object of such Vineeting could
not be regarded as treasonable; for, if trea-
sonable. why were'they not proseciled and brought
to trial? The Petition states, that *iiire the meeting
were se etnployed,they were suddenly sorroundedby
a large party of military. He could not say whether
it could he denied that they were so surrounded ; but
he bad certainly heard a great deal of the dexterity of
fhb military makeuvres practised upon that occasion.
The -Petitioner was taken before Mr. Sylvester ; and,
upon representing the hardships be had suffered., with
regard to the quality of the food which had'been al-
lowed'him, this Gentleman ordered that he should
hare better food. He was afterwards committed to
the charge of Nadia, who chained him, and harried
him away to another place: With respect to this Na-
din, he understood there wire serious charges brought
against him in another piaci, as having given coun-
tenance and Itnoooripment to the horrible system
of blood.menty'; ant thire..ippeared no reason to
doubt that by this site thelPlttitiOtlOr was very cruelly
treated. It was alleged that 'these people meant
treason ; but if so, why were they not brought to
trial ? It was said that these people (theblankiteers)
intended to proceed to London, to petition the Prince
lthgetit r such a project was absetd enough, he would
; but not treasonable. If it was alleged that their
object was treason, let all the circumstances be brought
to proof before the Committee, that the Committee
might know who were right and who were wrong.
It was not right that any part of the country should
rest under such a heavy charge, without lutestiga:
Lion. God knew, said the Noble Lord,' how 'Heal
at variance with such a charge was the befit dfloy.
alty which was manifestrid %vitt a 'tete inetrinfiil
tfpa loyalty which attaellid Malt nit to thel“idy
trappings of royalty, butt to 'hi lilltivied 'irides of
a Princess wed Ohs the gloVy'ofbil
our Constitution, and thellifis
The Petiticiter (DruTzroond) was oppressed with

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