410 
impunity, and efpecially if the fuffering 
object was’ a ftranger; for againft him 
it would be faid, the defendant could 
have no malice, when, at the fame time, 
the want of it was fupplied by much worfe 
motives. With refpect to Mr. Fitzge- 
rald, it was faid, he aéted from no bad 
intention :—if fo, then the prefent law 
would indemnify him; but if he had 
a¢ted from other motives than a regard to 
the peace of the country, furely the legi- 
{lature would not fereen fuch a man from 
‘punithment. Though he was{ure that the 
judges who filled the benches at prefent 
were incapable of abufing any power 
which might be given them, he could not 
agree to a claule which gave the judges a 
controul over the verdiéts of juries; for 
we might again fee a Jefferies prefide in 
a court of juftice. General Hutchinfon 
{poke againft the bill ; and contended that 
Mr. Fitzgerald’s condu&t was not fuch 
as-entitled him to the protection or in- 
terference of parliament. ‘The report on 
this bill was received on the 30th of 
April, and feveral arguments of counfel 
were re- produced againfi the claufes, pro- 
viding that juries fhould find the malici- 
cus motives, and that judges might cer- 
tify.againft the quantum ‘of damages. 
GREAT BRITAIN. 
The Chancellor of. the Exchequer, on 
the roth of April, introduced two bills 
into the houfe of commons, which tend 
to put further reftraints upon the prefs, 
and the liberty of aflociation. When the 
houfe- had refolved itfelf into a committee, 
to coniider of the report of the fecret com- 
mittee, to take into confideration the trai- 
terous correfpondence carried on betwee 
this country and Ireland, Mr. Pitt faid 
his firlt object was, agreeably to his ma- 
jeity’s meflage, relating to the removal of 
flate prifoners from Ireland to Scotland, 
to enable the executive government to 
transfer prifoners to any part of the coun- 
try which it might think proper. His 
next object was, by meafures of precau- 
tion, to deitroy thofe fecret focieties which 
were linked together, concerting meaas 
to deftrcy the ettablifhed government, and 
an doing fo, the committee would agree 
with him, that, as it was the characteriftic 
ei jacobinifm to aflume various fhapes, 
according ‘to the circumitances of the 
times, fo fhould new means be adopted to 
meet its machinations. The focieties to 
svhich he alluded were diftinguifhed by 
the names of the London correfponding fo- 
cieties ; the fociety of united Trifhmen; the 
united Scotchmen; and the united Britons, 
State of Public Affairs. 
Thefe a&ted, he faid, in a manner repug- 
nant to all the ancient habits of the Bri- 
tifh conititution ; and to fupprefs thefe, 
the moft energetic meafures fhould be 
adopted, that did not trench on the con- 
ftitutional liberties of the people. 
dition to this, he faid he meant to propofe 
a meafure of amnefty ; and after this mer- 
ciful warning, if any tranferefled, then 
they fhould be fubje& to a fummary pu- 
nifhment—a pecuniary fine to be reco- 
vered by a magiftrate, before whom they 
were brought and conviéted. ‘This, he 
had no doubt, from the defeription of 
perfons concerned in the confpiracy, 
would have a moft falutary effect. 
point of moral guilt, the committee would 
perceive that heavy puni/bment was alone 
commenfurate to the crime; therefore, 
in dealing thus leniently with the general 
herd, it was his intention to apportion the 
punifhment to the crimes of the ring- 
leaders, and making certain offences liable 
to traniportation for feven years, or fuch 
other punifhiment by fine or imprifonment, 
as a court of criminal judicature fhould 
think fit to infliét. He then adverted to the 
punifhment of pudiicans and others, who 
fhould permit political focieties to aflem- 
ble. Refpecting debating focieties, he faid, 
that if fuffered at all, they ought to be 
licenfed, and under the controul of the 
magiftrate. Where fuch meetings were 
held, contrary to the act, the houfe fhould 
be indicted as a diforderly houfe. 
‘The next fubjeét to which he called the 
attention of the houfe, was the prefs. The 
libertv of the prefs, he faid, was eithera 
great blefiing or a great evil to a country. 
In future he withed to make it criminal 
to have any hand-bills publifhed without 
the name of the printer ; and he thought 
it neceflary, that every manufaturer of 
types, and prefies, fhould deliver in an 
account of the perfons to whom they foid 
the fame; and that thofe in whofe pof- 
{cffion private preffes were, fhould, under 
certain penalties, be obliged to deliver in 
an account of the fame to be publicly 
regiftered. To remedy the objeéts in 
view, he propofed tobring in two bills, of 
which, what had been faid was the outline, 
He concluded with moving for leave to 
bring ina bill to explain and continue 
for a time to be limited the bill for fuf- 
pending the habeas corpus a&t, and alfo for 
leave to bring in a bill for the more ef- 
fectually fupprefling political focieties, 
Mr. Tierney in a very forcible {peech, 
combated ail the arguments which the 
Chancellor of the Exchequer had urged 
in favour of throwing further reftraints-on 
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