M 



ANNUAL HEGISTER, 1817. [April. 



Qur meetings will still be open to 

 your visitation, the license revok- 

 j^ble at discietion, and ourselves 

 personally liable for any breach of 

 order, morality, or propriety in 

 our debate. 



Alderman Smith. — I think such 

 a license would be highly objec- 

 tionable. 



Lord Mayor. — I seenoobjt^ction. 



Alderman Smith. — I do. If a 

 license be granted, what is the 

 use of the act ? 



Lord ]Mayor. — The society has 

 complied with its provisions, and 

 satisfied its object, by furnishing 

 notice of its place of meeting, the 

 names of its members, and its 

 rules and regulations. Before 

 this application, we might be, and 

 perhaps were, ignorant of its ex- 

 istence altogether ; but now it is 

 brought inmiediately under the 

 eye and control of the magistracy, 

 which is all that the act intended. 



Alderman Smith. — But this will 

 5\llow debates upon the politics of 

 the day. 



Lord Mayor. — And why not ? 

 To refuse a license to these gentle- 

 men would be depriving them of 

 a privilege enjoyed by every tavern 

 meeting or public dinner. It can- 

 Hot be that the legislature means 

 to prevent all political discussion, 

 b'jjt merely to place it under re- 

 gulation. 



Sir John Fcrring. — Undot^btod- 

 ly, it never was intended to put 

 (l()\vn all political discussion. I 

 thinii. the accicty entitled to a li- 

 cense, and am ready to sign. 



Alderman Smith. — 1 object most 

 stipngly ; the purpose of the act 

 is to put down all poliiical debate 

 v*hatever. 



S.ir William Pomvills concurred 

 in thi.-! sentiment. 



Lord Mayor. — Impossible! This 

 is a very serious question, and we 

 must act deliberately in the face of 

 the country. I think it my duty 

 as a magistrate to sign this license, 

 and should be ashamed of myself 

 if I refused it. I am ready to sign. 



Alderman Smith.— 1 am not 

 ashaujed. I will never sign such 

 a license. Will the gentlemen 

 consent to strike out the word 

 political ? 



Petitioners. — We cannot con- 

 sent to that. 



Alderman Smith. — Will you 

 take a license on condition to fur- 

 nish the magistrates beforehand 

 with the questions for debate, sub- 

 ject to their approval ? I have no 

 objection to grant a license on 

 those conditions. 



Petitioners. — We cannot take a 

 license on such terms. The so- 

 ciety is open to your visitation 

 and control ; if the magistrates 

 doubt our discretion, conduct, or 

 principles, they may come in per- 

 son, or send an inspector. We 

 shall refuse a license so shackled. 



Alderman bmith. — That is quite 

 enough for me. Do you hf ar that ? 



Lord Mayor. — -I think we have 

 no right to impose such conditions, 

 and see no occasion for them. 



Alderman Smith.— The flippant 

 answer of this gentleman satisfies 

 uie. 



Petitioner.— Sir, I am sorry you 

 so much mistake my meaning. 

 We come as oflicers of the society, 

 and ha^e no authority to compro- 

 n)ise its rules, or to bijid it to 

 such terms as you have offered. 

 I repeat again, we are not autho- 

 rized, and mvist refuse such a li- 

 cense. 



Loid Ma} or .— Certainly, you 

 are not authorljed. I cofitcive it 



ray 



