SiTA TE: PUAIP.E R S. 
rent right of Englishmen. Yet 
this bili ere€ts into a high misde- 
meanor the exercise of this most va- 
luable privilege, and inflicts, in cer- 
tain cases, the pains and penalties 
ef transportation for the offences 
which it creates, a punishment in 
the case of misdemeanors, thus ge- 
nerally constituted, as unprecedent- 
ed in the history of our laws, as it 
is unnecessary and unconstitutional. 
3dly, Because the extension of 
the treason laws, and the creating 
new misdemeanors, is an alarming 
encroachment on the security of 
the subject, and affords no addi. 
tional prote@tion to his majesty’s 
person and government; for the 
state of every king, ruler, and go- 
vernor of any realm, dominion, or 
commonalty, standeth and consist- 
eth more assured by the love and 
favour of the subjects towards their 
sovereign, ruler, and governor, 
than in the dread and fear of those 
laws with rigorous pains and ex- 
treme punishments, which have at 
all times disgraced our code, His- 
tory, however, shews us, that by 
succeeding legislatures, our sfatute 
book has, with every mark of ge- 
nerous indignation, been uniformly 
cleared of these temporary and un- 
constitutional excrescences, a cir- 
eumstance which we now regard 
as a solemn warning against cre- 
ating new and unheard of misde- 
meanors, or altering the treason 
laws of our country. 
Beprorp, Dexsy, LAUDERDALE, 
Protest against the Sedition Bill, 
BECAUSE, to present petitions 
to the throne and the two houses 
of parliament, has at all times been 
the undoubted right of the subjects 
153 
of this realm; the free and ‘unli- 
mited enjoyment of which was ° 
one of the many blessings restored 
by the revolution, and invariably 
continued in its fullest extent, as 
well during time of internal com- 
moticn as of external danger; we 
therefore cannot consent to a bill 
which thus fetters the rights of 
the people, and imposes restrzints 
on that freedom of speech, te the 
existence of which the preserva- 
tion of all our liberties may be 
ascribed, and from the full, free 
and continued exercise of which 
is derived the manly charaéter 
that distinguishes a free people. 
Norrouix, E. M. Ponsonsy, 
Dersy, Lanspowne, 
LaupERDALE, ALBEMARLE, 
SUFFOLK, BEDFORD. 
CHEDWORTH, 
_ 1st, Because, though we cor. 
dially agree in the above ground 
of protest, yet we think it tarther 
necessary to state that, although 
the bill industriously displays the 
acknowledged right of English. 
men, a right essential toa free cone 
stitution, of deliberating on griev- 
ances, in church or state, and of 
preferring to the king and each 
house of parliament, petitions, come 
plaints, remonstrances, and decla. 
rations thereapon, yet it proceeds 
to lay the whole exercise of that 
important and sacred privilege 
under a restraint and discoynte- 
nance, which direétly and abso- 
lutely annihilates the right. 
The very proposition of any 
matter which shal! tend to incite 
or stir ap the people to hatred or 
contempt of the government and 
constitution of this realm, as by 
law established, makes the assembly 
liable to be dispersed by any one 
justice of peace, under the pain of 
felony, 
