1797°] 
STATE 
( 146° 4 
or PUBLIC: AFFAIRS, 
In. Auguft, 1797. 
GREAT-BRITAIN. 
ISTORY will, probably, have to 
record of the prefent times, that in 
proportion as the minifter became abfo- 
Inte in the Houfe of Commons, the 
power of Engiand declined on the conti- 
nent of Europe; and that, in proportion 
as he fquandered her refources, he diffi- 
pated the colleéted glory of ages! That 
the adminiftration was vigorous only in 
domeftic coercion; that while the people 
trembled, our enemies were fafe; and 
that while the executive government 
was all powerful at home, the national 
weight of England was thrown out of 
the balance of Europe! The little ftates 
that were accuftomed ro worfhip the 
meridian fun of Britain, have now aban- 
doned her fetting luftre; and have gone 
to pay their adoration to that new lumi- 
nary “which has now become lord of 
theafcendant.” This has evidently been 
the cafe with the laft of our allies, Portu- 
gal, who_has, fince our laft review of 
public affairs, concluded a peace with 
the French republic ! 
The advocates of parliamentary re- 
form have lately made fome efforts, by 
“public meetings and other means, to 
pcint out what they efteem as errors in 
the'reprefentation of the people of Great 
Britain, and to adopt a proper mode of 
remedying the exifting abufes under that 
head. Previous notice having been given, 
a numerous meeting of the London Cor- 
refponding Society, and their friends, was 
held in the fields near St. Pancras, on the 
3 of July. At two o’clock, two or 
three thoufand people had affembled. 
Three tribunes, as they were termed, 
were erected in different places. The 
firft was occupied by Mr. T. STUCKEY, 
as prefident; Mr. FerGuson, a bar- 
rifter ; and two others. ‘The fecond by 
a Mr. Gattoway, and the third by 
Mr. Rp. HopGson, with fome others. 
Before the firft tribune, Sir WILLIam 
ADDINGTON prefented himfelf on horfe- 
back, attended by a great number of 
conftables; and other magiftrates, fimi- 
larly ‘attended, took their ftation before 
the other tribunes. Precifely at two 
o'clock, the prefident in the firft tribune, 
began to read the advertifement by 
which the meeting was convoked. Mr. 
Wesp faid, that on the meeting being 
declared illegal by the Bow-ftreet ma- 
giftrates, upon its being announced in 
the public papers, he had been deputed 
to wait on them, and to enquire in what 
the illegality confifted j and to fay, thar 
if their proceedings were confidered as 
intrenching in any way ga the late Con- 
‘vention Bill, they wouid endeavour ‘to 
avoid every tranfaétion that might be- 
confidered as obnoxiuus to that a. To 
this Mr. Foro, he faid, replied, that 
he did not confider himfeélf as bound te 
give any explanations of the law; ang 
that if they proceeded, the London — 
Correfponding Society and -the Bow- 
ftreet magiftrates fhould be at iffue. 
‘ When this anfwer, Mr. Wess ‘faid, 
Was communicated to what was’ called 
the executive committee, they did not 
hold it incumbent on them to forbid the 
meeting which they had fummoned. 
The numerous auditors expreffed fome 
applaufe at receiving this” information 
from the tribune ; and the reading ofa 
petition and remonfirance to the king 
then commenced, but was interrupted 
by a cry, that the proclamation for 
diffolving the meeting, as illegal, -had 
been read in another part of the field. 
Mr. Fercuson then afkxed Sir WIL- 
LIAM ADDINGTON whether it was fo? 
and the faét being verified, Mr. FER- 
GUson. conjured the multitude to fepa- 
rate quietly, to fave themfelves from 
being maffacred. He faid the queftion 
was now at iffue, and it remained to be 
feen, whether the magiitrates of Bow- 
fireet were to be regarded as the anter— 
preters of the laws of England’?.-Upon 
his uttering thefe words, Sir WILLIAM 
ADDINGTON immediately gave orders 
that Mr. FeErcuson fhould be taken 
into cuftody. SruckEey, Hopesen, 
GaziLOWwAY, Wess, BINNS, and 
Barrow, fpeaking in other parts: of 
the field, were alfo ordered to be taken 
into cuftody by different magiftrates at- | 
1 
tending. ‘Thefe were all efcorted by a 
party of conftables to Bow-itreet, where 
they were charged before Sir Wm. 
ADDINGTON and the other inagiftrates, 
with having aided and ailifted in certain 
illegal proceedings at the meeting, held 
that day by the London Correfponding 
Society. After a claufe of the late Con- 
vention Bill had been read and ex- 
plained, evidence was called to prove 
the charge; that againft Mr. FERGUSON 
was proved by a Mr, JoHn Smits, 
who depofed, that he heard Mr.-Fer- 
GusON addrefs the people from one of 
the tribunes, in nearly thefe words : 
“* Citizens, 
: 
