HISTORY OF EUROPE, 
people at. large had, he observed, 
been lately charged with a sedi- 
tious disposition; but the fact was, 
that they were discontented at the 
measures of administration, and apt 
to express their sentiments of per- 
eons in power, without disguise. 
‘The only method of preventing the 
complaints of the public would be, 
to alter the ruinous system hitherto 
pursued, Mr. Sheridan, then re- 
‘suming the, subje&t of the late 
trials, asserted, that the persons 
tried were not certainly more cul- 
pable than those well-known mem- 
bers of the societies, in 1780, that 
had aéted precisely on the same 
principles, and that ought strictly 
to be considered as having get them 
the example. If their imitators 
were guilty of treasonable prac- 
tices, they had also incurred np 
less criminality, and merited equal 
punishment. Look to France, he 
noticed, was now the cry, when. 
ever the reform of abuses, de- 
manded by those societies, was 
Ansisted on, as necessary to remove 
the complaints of the people. But, 
were he to look to France, he 
would look to the causes of its 
present calamities; the pride and 
oppression which the French had 
so long endured; the miscries of 
a despotic government, deaf to the 
repeated remonstrances of a fuf. 
fering people ; and spurning at all 
entreaties, for an alleviation of 
their burdens, These. were the ob- 
jets that would claim his atten- 
tion, as they doubtless would that 
‘of every man in England who re.- 
flef&ted, that, in order to avert, 
from this country, those evils that 
now affli¢ted France, the causes that 
shad produced them must be re- 
“moved, 
? 
a 
[159 
Mr. Winiham. replied, with 
great warmth, to Mr. Sheridan, 
He imputed the favourable verditt 
of the jury, in the late trials of the 
persons accused of conspiracy, totig- 
norance and incapacity to discern 
the true state of the case before 
them. He asserted, that the real 
object of the societies was to over- 
turn the constitution, and that 
the principles imported from France 
would produce the worst effects, 
unless they were opposed with the 
strictest vigilance. He took this 
occasion to deny his having uttered 
such an expression as ‘* perish the 
commerce of England,’’ which he 
attributed to another member, 
Mr. Hardinge, who did not dis- 
avow it. 
The propriety of continuing the 
suspension of the habeas cor- 
pus was discussed, in a long and 
elaborate speech, by Mr. Erskine, 
who concluded, from what had 
passed on the trials, which he ac- 
curately recapitulated, that a con- 
spiracy had been explicitly dis. 
proved. ‘This being the basis on 
which the suspension rested, no 
pretence could remain for its 
continuance; which would be ito 
suspend the liberty of the whole 
nation, on the mere suspicion of 
some individuals, 
If the determination of a jury, it 
was replied by Mr. Adair, were 
never to be called in question, upon 
what feeble ground the subject’s 1i- 
berty wouldstand! Parliament was 
clearly entitled to investigate the 
conduct of juries; otherwise there 
would be no redress against the 
corruptioi: of juries or of judges, 
nor against ministerial oppression. 
On this maxim he justified the dis. 
cussions on the late trials, the issue 
‘* 
of 
