The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1817-05-07


Attorney Genrrsl Where are the laws
Why not prose- cute the authors! They speak
in il Of cons piracy to surprise Ihc Soldiers,
TO seize the Tower, and 10 cut down tfc
Bridges. Who are the consp s,ors Six
men mounted IL a chariot, Carrying in a statk
ing their munitions Of war They set forth
a manufac,ory oil pike. and perso has OF.
tered to prove that these pretended pixies
wee intended To iorm a railing roend gar
den. Ihey speak oi funds which ATE IT the
disposal oil the TRAITORS, and they find sum
Of ten pounds and il 10 alter allegations so
contemplate, that they propose such d bill
If u similar power was demanded in favor OF
people who had never soIled their hands with
the blood OF their fellow citizens, would
never consent TO grant II TO them; bul /, Is
asked for those who have already ucted cIIm-
iDally in making use Of the same power.
Lo,d Castlcresh.--I beg the hon. INC IL Der
TO narno the minister of his majesty, whom
he accuses Of having acted cIiminaIly and TO
Justify this accusation
M. Beupctt--Thc noble lord would have
comprc hended me, If he had suffered me 10
finish my remark. My accusation respects
those members Of the administration who
were in office at the time when the same
powers wero confided To them, and the proof
that they acted criminaliy, lies in their hay
ing accepted al act Of indemnify.
Lord Castlercagh-I ask permission 10
observe TO tho hon. member that have new
CT acted criminally, that have never dipped
my hands in the blood Of my ceun,ymen,
and that If lie asserts that, he asserts what Is
absolutely false.
Lord Milton-Thc hon. member lMr.
Buuneu) has not asserted that the noble lord
has dipped his hands in the booIof his coun.
trymen: but that he had acted criminaly in
the eyes of the law, and that he had obtained
bill Of indemnify, TO place himself out OF
the reach Of the consequences OF this crime.
These two propositions are very distinct
Lord Cas,lereagh--I have under stood
that thero was Imputed TO me, kind oil
criminaliiy, on accOuDt OF which | might
have been prosecuted, If il had been To- an
act Of indemnity. say, that If such GRIM
in.,;ty is imputed 10 me, II is u salsehood,
and If il Is said, that as memb.r OF the Sc
cret committee, have acted otherwise, thaD
] as va. authorized by the circumstances, II IS
equally false hood
Mr.. YoIk-ll The hon. ucubeT (Mr. Ben
| net) persists in accusing the Doblc lord ot
crimnality, The bouse ough, 10 oo'ige h!m 10
name day, not far of, to support his accu-
sation, and TO establish II il he con, ii he sim
ply intended TO soy, that the noble lo'd had
| acted, So illegally as To make on act OF IN
| demn,iy Necessary, this allegation might
| have been passed by, US having escaped him
| in the heat Of deba.e.
The Speaker--I conceive ,ha, the poin,
| OF order depends on this question Did the
| hon. me cmber intend TO accuse the govern
| uent Of his moj"sy, collectively, of criminal
acts, or a member oi this house individually: !:
| The two accusations aie--lst That one or
more persons have dipped ,hcir hands i'll the
blood Of their countrymcn--and -, That
they have abused powers cophded 10 them.
Now according TO the idea which | have OF
the rules Of this house, the iniputa,ion OF as
| act OF criminsli,y 10 the government III gen
cral, is not an inraction ot the rules but 1t
il i, advanced against an individual, /, IS di-
rect breach OF those rules. The hon. nTc m =
Der will declare to the house in which sense
he made use Of the expressions which are
compialned OF.
NJ. Scnne,--I should be the last ,nan to
rc,ract what had intended 10 utter, but do
not hesitate to declare, as man oi honor,
that intended to speak generally. did no,
d, siyose any mens Der OF this house, but
Spoke OF the persons who formed part oi the
adn,in,s,r alton, under the deplo'aelc reign OF
which there took place in Ireland, scenes
which shall never cease 10 dcplore, spoke
of those who, during the continuance oi a
similar &C, to the one in question, committed
illegal acts. am sorry that did not use
the word illegal, instead Of that Of eriminol.
Lord C.-This explanation is suihcien,
I, ,h,wcver, ask permission to say, although
I have the right to complain, personally, OF
| an accusation advanced against the admins
rs,ion In general, il it was accused Of cruelty,
as a me mber Of this administration, will
contradict this charge as positively as The
hon. member has eontradicted the report Of
the Secret Com mittce.
Mr.. Benneu--I have never heard any
cruclties spoken OF, but those omfoltIed IN