HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



1^3 



v^'isdom as well as too great a spirit, 

 to submit to the interference of 

 other powers in the settlement of 

 their domcr.tic concerns. The be- 

 haviour of Austria and Prussia in 

 the business of Poland, had taught 

 the world what to think of them. 

 This unhappy war, said Mr. Fox, 

 too fatally resembled that ruinous 

 one which lost us America : the 

 same nrgirmcnts were brought to 

 justiiy it in parliament, and the 

 same conduct and success attended 

 it in the ijeld, — nor had we the 



least prospect of a more auspicioui 

 termination. As to the repugnance 

 to treat with the present rulers of 

 France, had not the minister him- 

 self treated with Chauvelin,— -and 

 Lord Auckland with Dumouriez ? 

 Ought charges of Jacobinism to stand 

 in the way of nations ? or should 

 studied obstacles prevent the recon- 

 ciliation of states ? 



This long and obstinate discus- 

 sion concluded with 2©8 votes for 

 the previous question, and only 53 

 against it. 



CHAP. XIV. 



Jiht'ions in loth Houses of Parliament for revising the Trials of Messrs'' 

 Muir and Palmer. Arrests and Trials for Sedition and Treason. 

 Constitutional and Corresponding Societies. The Pullications of Mr, 

 Burke and Mr, Paine, the grand Signals for Political Controversy. 

 Committee of Secrecy for the enquiring into treasonable and seditious 

 Practices. Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act. Popular Societies in 

 all the three Kingdoms. Their leading Principles and Practices. Mo- 

 tions in both Houses of Parliament for Addresses of Thanks to his Mo' 

 jestyfar his Conununications respecting Seditious Practicei 



THE progress of what were 

 called the principles of the 

 French, scarcely less alarming than 

 that of their arms, produced in 

 Britain arrests, trials,and discussions 

 both in parlianient and courts pf 

 justice, conceruingthe spirit and iiTir 

 port of certain laws relating to se» 

 dition and treasoa, 



By sentences of the court of jiw- 

 ticiary at Edinburgh, and of the 

 circuit-court at Perth, in August 

 and September 1793, Mr. Miyr 

 and Mr. Palmer, for the crime of 

 leasing making *, were adjudged to 

 transportation J and Botany Bay was 

 understood at the tinae the senten- 

 ces were passed, to be the place to 



which they would be transported. 

 These were the first instances in 

 which transportation was imposed 

 by the court of justiciary in Scot- 

 land for an offence of that nature. 

 In the last session of parliament, 

 within a few days after, the House 

 of Lords had finally decided,- that 

 no appeal was competent from the 

 Caur^ of justiciary in matters of 

 l^w. 



Mr. Adara gave notice of his 

 intention to propose early in this 

 session, some alterations in the cri- 

 minal law of Scotland, particularly 

 on appeals from the court of justi- 

 ciary in matters, of law. Accord- 

 ingly on the 27th of January 1794, 



•A tfrm in the Scotii»h law importing the speaking of words tending to ezsil* 

 4if^or4 bcltvccn the Kin^ and hitpco}>le, 



S 4- five 



