House of Commons
Wednesday, July 8, 1812.
Nightly Watch Regulation Bill
presented a Petition from the parish of St. Luke, against the Nightly Watch Bill, which was ordered to lie on the table. He then observed, that he hoped this Bill would be postponed till the next session, inasmuch as it was altogether inadequate to its object, and would impose upon the parishes subjected to its operation an additional annual expence of 74,000l.
remarked, that the Bill gave new and extraordinary powers to the police magistrates; and that those who now petitioned against it were the inhabitants for the protection of whose interests the Bill was introduced.
concurred in reprobating all the provisions of the Bill.
declared, that he had left the committee on finding no attention paid to any of his suggestions.
was of opinion that something useful might be found in it, and would therefore move to postpone it for further consideration till Monday next.
said, that all the parishes in the county of Middlesex were unanimous in their opposition to this Bill, which they considered as a direct tax, that would prove perfectly nugatory with respect to its avowed object.
, in the present advanced state of the session, wished the Bill to be deferred till next session.
thought the wisest course would be, to abandon the Bill at once, as it was altogether bad: he objected to legislation on sudden and temporary impulses and passions: he said the Bill went to alter the whole system of police in the metropolis, and to give to the police officers a power of an alarming description. The clause to which he had a particular objection, was that which created a new place for a superintending constable. The present constables were generally respectable housekeepers, who acted gratuitously, and who were entitled, in no small degree, to the protection of government. The present Bill threw a suspicion on this meritorious body of men, whilst the committee did not think it their duty to make the least enquiry into the police Boards of the metropolis, which were eight in number, and which might have given them, in his opinion, subject enough for animadversion. To these Boards the Bill intended to give the appointment of the new officers, as if they had not power and patronage enough already. And of what description of persons was it, he begged the House to consider, that these Boards were composed—of bankrupts, who had turned their backs upon business for a better trade;—of lawyers, who gave up their practice in Westminsterhall;—and of lawyers who did not give up their practice in Westminster-hall because they had none—of poets in particular—yes, poets—not one of them that had not its poet. These Boards were infinitely better stocked with poets than even the treasury, where there was but one epic poet (a laugh). Such was the composition of these Boards, and it was to them that a new power was to be given by the clause to which he alluded. The duty of the new officer would be, to go round every night, and see if the ordinary constables, the householders, were in proper attendance; that is, a power was to be given to the nominee of some "poetical justice" of Marlborough-street, or Bow-street, or Queen-square, which he was to exercise over a number of respectable parishioners. He protested against the grant of any such power, and once more begged the House to pause before they proceeded to legislate on mere impulse, on the rash and busy principle of making laws from particular occasions.
The Petition was then ordered to lie on the table.
Report of the Secret Committee on the Disturbed State of Certain Counties.]
Mr. Leycester reported from the Committee of Secrecy, to whom the copies of the Information which has been received relative to certain violent proceedings which, in defiance of the laws, have taken place, and continue to be carried on, in several counties in England (sealed up), were referred; that they had examined the matters thereof, and had directed him to report the same to the House; and the Report was read, as follows;
REPORT.
The Committee of Secrecy, to whom the copies of the information which has been received, relative to certain violent proceedings which, in defiance of the laws, have taken place, and continued to be carried on, in several counties of England, (sealed up) were referred—have, pursuant to the Order of the House, examined the matters thereof, and have agreed to the following Report:—
"Your Committee having examined the papers and documents referred to them, are concerned to state, that from the several sources of information therein contained, it appears that for some months past serious and alarming disturbances, destructive to property, and highly dangerous to private safety and the public peace, have prevailed in a very extensive populous manufacturing district, comprising certain parts of Lancashire and of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and certain parts of Cheshire bordering upon Lancashire.
"That the outrages in the above district, brought to the notice of your committee, commenced about the end of February last, and continued (though not without occasional variation and temporary abatement) to the latest period (the 23d of June) at which any information has been received. During this period, rioters in large numbers have assembled in the night time; some of them, disguised by blackened faces, some armed with guns and pistols, and others with the implements of their trade, to be used as offensive weapons, have broken into various houses, particularly those of the manufacturers who made use of shearing frames, have destroyed the machinery, sometimes plundered the inhabitants, and burnt their houses and factories, exciting and keeping up perpetual terror in the country, by threatening letters and other means of intimidation, occasionally executing their threats against proprietors and others, not only by the destruction of the property, but by firing into the houses. It appears also, that in some instances attempts have been made on the lives of those who had been actively employed in endeavouring to suppress the tumults; and the atrocious murder of Mr. Horsfall, a very respectable manufacturer in the neighbourhood of Huddersfield, in the month of April, by four men who fired at him with slugs in the public road, in broad day, together with the other acts of violence, caused a great and general consternation over all the district.
"It may be proper to add, that parties of the rioters assembled, have, in several instances, demanded and obtained money from individuals by threats and terror.
"Your committee do not think it necessary to describe the numerous acts of outrage that have been committed, conceiving it sufficient for the purposes of the Report, to inform the House of the general state of the disturbed parts, without any particular detail of specific facts.
"The object of these lawless proceedings, at the commencement of them, appears to have been the destruction of machinery:—but very early in their progress another object, still more formidable to the public security, has been developed; large bodies of men having assembled in the night, breaking open houses, and demanding arms with threats and violence.—This practice has been actively persevered in; and though in some cases the plunder of property has accompanied both the destruction of machinery and the demanding of arms, yet it is material to observe, that in general these two objects seem exclusively to have been aimed at; and when these had been attained, every other Species of property, though within their reach, has, in most instances, remained untouched. It is stated, that in the neighbourhood of Huddersfield, all the arms have been taken; and that in other parts the seizure of them has been considerable; and there is reason to apprehend, that the rioters have different sorts of arms concealed. It appears evident to your committee, that these outrages have not been committed from any sudden impulse of unconnected individuals, but have been the result of organized systems of unlawful violence; that language of the most mischievous nature has been used among the rioters, and a sort of military training and discipline has been established.
"In making attacks upon houses, they sometimes appear to have been under the controul of leaders, and to have acted upon signals. Rolls have been called over, distinguishing every man, not by his name, but by a number; rockets and blue lights have been seen at night, which are stated, by the persons making the communications, to have been signals made use of by the rioters. It is also represented, that there are establishments of committees, under the name of local committees, secret committees, and executive committees; that they use signs and countersigns, to guard them against the intrusion of informers; and that they carry on their proceedings with the greatest secrecy and caution.
"It appears also that delegates for various places have been appointed, and meetings of those delegates occasionally held; that there is a frequent communication between the several committees and towns, not through the ordinary convey- unce of the post-office, but through the medium of delegates; and that the following Oath has been extensively administered:
"'I A. B. of my own voluntary will, do 'declare and solemnly swear, that I will never reveal to any person or persons, in any place or places under the canopy of heaven, the names of the persons who compose the secret committee, either by word, deed, or sign; their proceedings, meeting place, abode, dress, features, marks, complexion, connections, or any thing else that may lead to the discovery of the same; on the penalty of being put out of the world by the first brother that shall meet me, my name and character blotted out of existence, and never be remembered but with contempt and abhorrence. I further swear, that I will use my best endeavours to punish by death any traitor or traitors, should any rise up amongst us, he or them; and though he should fly to the verge of nature, I will pursue him with unceasing vengeance. So help me God, to keep this Oath inviolable.'
"It appears that they who were sworn in, were to pay the weekly sum of two-pence; and that in the meetings of delegates at Manchester, from the neighbouring towns, discord has occasionally arisen from some of the delegates not bringing from their respective districts the contributions that were due. No evidence or information, that has been laid before your committee, justifies the supposition, that any sums of money have been distributed among the rioters.
"It appears also, that attempts have been made to create a persuasion amongst the persons engaged in these disturbances, that their proceedings are likely to be supported by similar combinations in London and in other parts of Great Britain, as well as in Ireland; and that they are countenanced by individuals of a higher class and description, who are to declare themselves at a future time. But no evidence has been laid before your committee to sanction any such reports.
"It appears to your committee, that even in the cases in which the outrages have been most clearly ascertained, it has been found extremely difficult, and in some instances impossible, to obtain evidence as to the persons by whom they were committed.
"Of the numbers associated in the different parts of the disturbed district, your committee have not any information that can be satisfactorily relied upon; but that it is considerable, the papers laid before them give sufficient ground to think. Neither can they presume to state, what is the ultimate object the persons thus associated, have in view, nor for what precise purpose it is, that these extensive combinations have been formed. But whatever may be the object, or whoever may be the secret movers, whether these combinations are confined to purposes relating exclusively to trade, or whether advantage has been taken of the distresses of the times to draw together, under that pretence, all discontented persons, with views hereafter to be developed; yet the secrecy and method apparent in the whole arrangement, the system of terror so industriously enforced by threats, assassination, and attempts at assassination, the oath administered, the eagerness and activity in procuring arms, and the training, before mentioned, are all circumstances which have not failed to impress upon the minds of your committee, a strong sense of the danger arising from such combinations, to the peace and security of the country."
July 8, 1812.
On the motion that the Report do lie on the table,
wished to know if the right hon. gentleman opposite intended to move that it be printed and taken into consideration?
said, he should move that the Report be printed, and taken into consideration on Friday or Monday, it being his intention to move for leave to bring in a Bill or Bills founded on the facts detailed in the Report.
begged to know what would be the nature of the Bill or Bills the right hon. gentleman purposed introducing?
thought it better to reserve himself on that point, till the Report came to be taken into consideration.
, as one of the members who had attended the Secret Committee, could not but express his surprise that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was not prepared to state what his object was, as the Report was founded entirely on the evidence which had previously been before government, and all other evidence had been excluded. He had been twice in a minority in the committee on this very question of examining witnesses for the purpose of ascertaining what was the actual state of matters down to the latest moment. He himself had, on one occasion, submitted a motion in the committee to this effect, and on another occasion an hon. friend of his had submitted a similar motion, both of which had been negatived. He agreed with the Report in part, and there was part of it from which he disagreed. He could not agree that any measure should be brought forward, founded on the Report; but asserted that the law as it stood, if properly and vigorously exerted, was amply sufficient for every good purpose.
thought that any observations on the subject had better be postponed, till the time when the Report was to be taken into consideration.
again pressed to know what was meant to be the scope of the Bills which it was in contemplation to propose? He could not conceive any objection to this, but thought it was only such information as ought to be afforded for the satisfaction and convenience of the House.—No answer being given,
said, he could put no other construction on the silence of the right hon. gentlemen opposite, but this, that they themselves were at this moment ignorant what they should propose.
said, that this should not provoke them to an answer where they did not think it called for.
thought the country had a right to know what was to be the general outline, at least, of the measures which were in contemplation.
The Report was then ordered to be printed, and taken into consideration on Friday.