28] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1S18. 



remained untainted, even during 

 the periods of tiie greatest internal 

 difficulty and distress. 



The arrests and trials which 

 have taken place, and the deve- 

 lopement of the designs of the 

 leaders of the disaffected, together 

 with the continued activity and 

 vigilance of the magistrates and 

 of the government, must have 

 had the salutary effect of checking 

 the progress of disaffection, where 

 it existed; and the improved state 

 of the country, and the increased 

 employment now afforded to the 

 labouring classes, have contri- 

 buted to render those who were 

 most open to seduction, less dis- 

 posed to embrace the desperate 

 measures which the pressure of 

 distress might have led them to 

 hazard. 



Some of the persons engaged 

 in these projects, particularly in 

 London, are still active, and 

 appear determined to persevere, 

 though with decreasing numbers 

 and resources. It appears, there- 

 fore, to the committee, that the 

 continued vigilance of govern- 

 ment, and of the magistrates in 

 the several districts M-hich have 

 been most disturbed, will be 

 necessary. 



Having thus taken a view of 

 the state of the country in the 

 disturbed districts, from the period 

 described in the report made to 

 the House towards the close of 

 the last session of parliament, the 

 committee have proceeded to 

 examine such of the papers re- 

 ferred to them, as relate to the 

 arrests of several persons under 

 warrants issued by one of his 

 majesty's princip.il secretaries of 

 state, and the detention of several 

 of the persons so arrested under 



the authority of two acts passed 

 in the last session of parliament, 

 to empower his majesty to secure 

 and detain such persons as his 

 majesty shall suspect are con- 

 spiring against his person and 

 government. 



With respect to those against 

 whom bills of indictment were 

 found by different grand juries, 

 and those who have been brought 

 to trial or have fled from justice, 

 the committee conceive that it is 

 unnecessary for them to make 

 any particular statement. War- 

 rants were issued by the secretary 

 of state against ten persons, who 

 have not been taken. Forty-four 

 persons appear to have been ar- 

 rested under warrants of the 

 secretary of state, on suspicion 

 of high treason, who have not 

 been brought to trial : of these, 

 seven were discharged on exami- 

 nation, without any subsequent 

 warrant of detention. Against 

 thirty-seven, warrants of deten- 

 tion, on suspicion of high treason, 

 were issued by the secretary of 

 state : but one, who was finally 

 committed, was soon after re- 

 leased : another was soon dis- 

 charged on account of illness ; 

 and a third died in prison. The 

 grounds upon which those war- 

 rants were issued, have been 

 severally examined by the com- 

 mittee ; on that examination it 

 has appeared to the committee, 

 that all these arrests and deten- 

 tions have been fully justified by 

 the various circumstances under 

 which they have taken place ; 

 and in no case does any warrant 

 of detention appear to have been 

 issued, except in consequence of 

 information upon oath. 



It appears to the committee, 



that 



