HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
in this measure ; but the marquis of 
Lansdowne accused the ministers 
of intending to seize this opportu- 
nity to work upon the passions and 
fears of the people, and to lead 
their representatives into conces- 
sions derogatory to the public hi- 
berty, and debasing to their cha- 
racter, in order to confirm their 
Own power at the expence of the 
constitution. 
' A-conference with the commons 
was held accordingly in the course 
of the day, and witnesses were ex- 
amined in relation to the outrages 
committed. Their evidence was 
communicated to the commons, and 
both houses unanimously concurred 
in the addresses proposed. 
On the sixth of November, lord 
Grenville brought forward a bill, 
for better securing the king’s person 
and government. The motive he 
alleged, was the necessity of pre- 
venting abuses similar to those that 
had taken place on the opening of 
the session. He explicitly attributed 
them to the licentious language and 
_ maxims held forth in the audacious 
meetings, which had been so long 
suffered, without due notice on the 
part of the legislature, but which 
_ were now arrived to such a degree 
of insolence, that they required im- 
mediate restriction. He would re- 
cur, On this occasion, he said, to 
precedents framed in approved 
times, the reign of Elizabeth, and 
the commencement of the reign of 
Charles If. He entertained no 
doubt that the house coincided with 
his opinion, that a remedy ought in- 
‘Stantly to be applied to the danger 
that threatened monarchy, in the 
attack so daringly made on the 
king’s person. In order more ef- 
fectually to obviate so great an evil, 
be would move the passing of a bill, 
Vor. XXXVIII. 
[17 
which he produced, and which was 
entitled ‘* an act for the safety and 
preservation of his majesty’s person 
and government against treasonable 
and seditious practices and al- 
tempts.” 
The bill introduced by lord Gren- 
ville was represented, by the earl of 
Lauderdale, as creating new crimes 
and treasons, in addition to those 
already contained in the criminal 
code of this country. It tended 
materially to eularge the laws ree 
specting treason, and would effect 
an alarming alteraion in the very 
nature and spirit of the constitu- 
tion. There was no evidence that 
the insults offered to the king ori- 
ginated in the meetings of the peo- 
ple in the fields near Islington, or 
in any other places. These meet- 
ings had been remarkably peace- 
able, and those who harangued the 
crowds, that resorted to them from 
all quarters of the metropolis, were 
parucularly careful to warn them 
against all riotous proceedings, lest 
ministers should avail themselves of 
that pretext, to put an end to all 
assemblies of the people. So harsh 
a measure as, that proposed had not 
therefore the least foundation in the 
unruly behaviour of those meetings, 
_and were it to pass intoa law, the 
liberty of conferring together, so 
long enjoyed by the English, and 
which they justly considered as their 
indubitable right, would be radi- 
cally destroyed, and with it the 
firmest support of public freedom. 
The intent of ministers, in adopting 
so unprecedented a measure, was 
clearly to silence the complaints of 
the nation against a war that had 
involved it in so many calamities, 
and which they were determined 
.to carry on in defiance to the ge- 
The 
vast 
neral inclination 
[Cc] 
to peace, 
