APPENDIX TO CHRONICLE. 243 



disturbed districts, from the 

 period described in the report 

 made to the House towards the 

 close of the last session of parlia- 

 ment, the committee have pro- 

 ceeded to examine such of the 

 papers referred to them, as relate 

 to the arrests of several persons 

 under warrants issued by one of 

 his majesty's principal 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 par- 

 liament, to empower his majesty 

 to secure and detain such persons 

 as his majesty shall suspect are 

 conspiring against his person and 

 government. 



With respect to those against 

 whom bills of indictment were 

 found by difierent 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 

 trf 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 all the persons who were so 

 arrested and detained, and who 

 were not prosecuted, have been 

 at different times discharged, as 

 the state of the country, and 

 the circumstances attending the 

 several trials which had taken 

 place, were judged to permit. 



The committee understand 

 that, up to a certain period, ex- 

 pectations were entertained of 

 being able to bring to trial a 

 large proportion of the persons 

 so arrested and detained ; but 

 that these expectations have from 

 time to time been unavoidably 

 relinquished. 



On the whole, therefore, it has 

 appeared to the committee, that 

 the government, in the execution 

 of the powers vested in it, by the 

 two acts before-mentioned, has 

 acted with due discretion and 

 moderation ; and as far as appears 

 to the committee, the magistrates 

 in the several disturbed districts 

 have, by their activity and vigi- 

 lance contributed materially to 

 the preservation of the public 

 peace. 



Report of the Committee of 

 Secrecy of the House of Com- 

 mons, to xuhom the several 

 Papers, 'which were presented 

 (sealed up) to the House, by 

 Lord Viscount Castlereagh, on 



the 



