THE CHRONICLE. 
Gerard Noel Edwards, Esq. 
‘ M. P. in the Chair, 
Unanimously Resolved, 
__ 1. That the liberty of the press 
is a right inseparable from the prin- 
ciples of a free government, and 
essential to the security of the Bri- 
tish constitution, 
2. That this liberty consists in 
the free discussion and examination 
of the principles of civil govern- 
ment, and of all matters of public 
Opinion. 
3. That no writing ought to be 
considered as a public libel, and 
made the subject of criminal pro- 
secution, unless such writing shall 
appear to be published with a de- 
sign to excite the people to resist 
the civil magistrate, or obstruct the 
execution of the existing laws. 
4, That such publications may 
become proper objects of prosecu- 
tion; and that the executive go- 
vernment is entrusted with powers 
amply sufficient for that purpose. 
5. That we have therefore seen, 
with uneasiness and alarm, the for- 
mation of certain societies, which, 
under the pretence of supporting 
om executive magistrate, and de- 
ending the government against se- 
dition, have held out general terrors 
against the circulation of writings, 
which, without describing them, 
they term seditious, and entered 
into subscriptions for the mainte- 
nance of prosecutions against them: 
—a proceeding doubtful as to its 
legality, unconstitutional in its prin- 
ciple, oppressive in its operation, 
and destructive to the liberty of the 
press. 
_ 6. Thatsuch associationshave ap- 
ag to us the more exception- 
able from an attentive observation 
f their proceedings ;—whilst mu- 
Sh 
gl 
tually binding and engaging them- 
selves to enforce the execution of 
the laws against seditious libels, 
they have themselves produced and 
circulated publications containing 
doctrines long since exploded, and 
which, if admitted, would prove the 
Revolution to have been an act of 
rebellion, and the title of the reign- 
ing family to the throne of these 
kingdoms, to be founded in usur- 
pation and injustice. 
7. That a system of jealousy and 
arbitrary coercion of the people 
has been at all times dangerous to 
the stability of the English govern- 
ment. 
8. That, anxious to preserve the 
public peace as connected with 
public liberty, this meeting consi- 
ders it as an indispensable duty to 
warn their fellow-subjects againstall 
proceedings which appear to be 
inconsistent with either, on what- 
ever pretext they may be grounded; 
we are therefore determined to op- 
pose, to the utmost of our power, 
every attempt to prejudice any 
part of the constitution, to maintain 
that which appears to be its best 
security, the freedom of the press ; 
and to use our endeavours to coun- 
teract the effect of measures which 
seem calculated to suppress that li- 
beral sentiment and manly freedom 
of discussion, which form the life 
and soul of the British constitution. 
9. That the thanks of this meet- 
ing are particularly due to the 
Honourable Thomas Erskine, for 
his constitutional defence of the 
freedom of opinion and the liberty 
of the press, in a late trial; a de- 
fence in which he displayed ability, 
independence, zeal, and eloquence 
never surpassed on any former oc- 
casion at the English bar, though 
that defence was made under cir- 
cumstances 
