The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-05-16 00:00:00

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execution against any of the persecuted
who could 'now ettly gad a secure nom in
reentry—he somentAlrose unfortunate individuals
who weer: persecuted by the King of Frotibe,
his being st second time placed on the Tinto*
Fancy by the Allied troops. Bet it was the object
of the Noble Lord to prevent those unfortunate in-
dividuals from availing themselves of that protection
in this country, which was due to all individuals who
conducted themselves peaceably in it, thee rendering
the Government of this country the accomplice of
measures which history would describe as most ty.
rannicsl and gnirst. Whew the valour of tree troops
a second time placed the fugitive en • the Throne of
France, it was the wish of all that that Ruler should
mot, by the esercise of arbitrary power, endanger the
tranquillity of Europe. Nevertheless, a fortnight
after the Restoration, an Edict came out against a
ember of individoile, who were thus made the
victims of a most cruel proscription. By that Edict,'
the Xing not only violated the premise which he
tad 'solemnly given in the face of Europe, but he
trampled by it the provisions of the Charter under
foot. The French Government unable, after all
their attempts, to substantiate any thing against
those individuals, which by the laws of their country
would subject them to punishment, pretended that
the publicity of a trial would endanger the public
tranquillity ; and they demanded from the Parliament
of Fray'so a measure of proscription against them,
without allowing them to be baud in their defence.
Even those men who were about to revive the Feudal
Institutions, which happily for Prance weredestroy.
ed with the Revolution, sad who looked on any at-
tempt to oppose the will of their Sovereign u little
better than sedition ; even these Ultra-Royalists
viewed this proscription with horror; and the Go.
vernment obtained the power wished for, on a pro.
mise of bassishing those only who were most &aggr-
ess. The Government obtained that power, bet hew
did it use it ? All the individuals bad been banish.
ed, end in three years not one had been allowed to
return. That all of them deserved this severity be
denied—many of them were in no other respect,
guilty than in having fought ler their country in the
!held of battle; and taken a part in the affairs of
France during the last 15 years: and ender the exist•
ing system of the Continent, which the Noble Lord
wished to. extend to this country, they found all
hospitality cut off from them. Against these unfor.
tonate men all Europe were leagued ;—if one of them
happened to be living io any corner of Switzerland,
the Netherlands, the Banks of the Rhine, or in any
of the small States of Germany, he was seised
and handed over with every barbarity to the
place allotted him ;—if one word of complains
escaped him, he was answered by the Treaty
of Paris and the Holy Alliance, and he wu
banded over to the town allotted to him in Austria au
Prussia, to be watched by spies. Such being the
system of Continental Police, was it hosearable and
advantageous to England to contribute to support it
He implored the House to pause before they armed
Government with ,this power, which could eel, be
exercised against those who had incurred the um.
geence of foreign Powers. He knew not whether
the condition of the Freucli Governmeet woaldjestify
one or the artier supposition • bet this IN might with.
out hazard .assert, that if We majority of the People
of France, or any considerable put of them, were
friends of the Government now established there, it
was ridiculous to suppose that a small number of
milks, could endanger it. But if the People of that
Country univergilly thought that their Governmeet
was impeded on them by foreign areas,—if they bo.
held it as a monument erected by the pride of their
victorious sonnies on thole degradation—if, in short,
that Gueransent wee despised sad detested, wu it
it to protect it by such a law as this ? Was it not
time to cease this ezpensive straggle, in which we bad
already sacrificed 500 millions, and for which they
were then celled on to sacrifice their rights, their
Constitution, and their honour ? Under a despotic
Government the Monarch alone answered for the
demerits and dishonour of its acts, but in this Coun-
try the People deservedly here their share of the
disgrace, and, ns their Representatives, they were
bound to reject any measure which was derogatory to
the character of the nation. As such a measure, he
called on them to reject this, and he should move as
an Amendment, That the Bill be read a second time
this day six months.
Mr. PROTHEROE supported the Bill, on the
ground that it was necessary to prevent the invidious
machinations of foreigners, and because there bad not
been any well-founded complaints against the exer-
cise of it.
After a puma a division being called for,
Mr. LYTT.E.'LTON said, he was rather surprised
at the indifference with which such a question was
viewed by the House of Commons, nor should be
deem so highly of his own powers as to 'oppose he
could force it upon them ; but be could state an in.
stance of the effects of this measere upon its onlosppy
victims, respecting which, if he had not other in,
formation to communicate than what had been de•
rived from the individual himself, it was the fault of
the Noble Lord, who refused any information on
the 'object. The case was that of a Frenchman
named Befort, who had invested a large sum of me-
ney in this country, and who was a person, as Ith I*.•
lieved, of unimpeachable character. He was, in
1813, ordered out of the country, on three or four
days' notice, without time to arrange his pecuniary
affairs, which involved property, ire tie represented,
to the amount of 30 or 40,0001. When, in 1814, he
retained, on the faith of the peace, to make some
arrangements respecting his property, be was dis-
patched out of the country in twenty-four boors,
notwithstanding his earnest retnOnstrantes to the
proper authority, that it was very Important
to him to be permitted to stay a short time ter
settle his affairs. It wet well known that there Irsa
• shop in St. James's-street for the vele el the asall-1
chic for the gout, called lEau Medidrtets. For the
sale of this medicine M. Befort was aka frig, which
gave a probability to his account of the extent of Iris
dealings. Now unless it could be averted that there
'was a serious danger to the " high and palmy state"
of England from the 'ender of gont.water, it wasdlf.i
kelt to find an excuse for this barshdess. M. Befort
stated, that on the 6th of Ang. 1819, be received vs
order to leave the country on the 10th. He wrist to
Portsmouth to embark, accompluied PYA.4o‘m*
nhom he should 'not nanie ; all Isis luggage was there