About the 4th or 5th of November, Meffrs. Hamilton Rowan and Butler, Members of the Society of United Irishmen of Dublin, arrived at Edinburgh from Ireland, though with no immediate commiffion on this bufinefs; but during the week they remained in that place, they, with the English Delegates, attended the meeting of the General Committee of the Convention, in which it was agreed to receive these two Gentlemen as Delegates from the Society of United Irifhmen. Mr. Hamilton Rowan appears to have acknowledged, by voluntary declaration before the Sheriff of Edinburgh, that he had been folicited by letter from Scotland on the fubject of fending Delegates from the Society of United Irishmen to attend the Scotch Convention; but he declined mentioning the names of the perfon or perfons who had fo correfponded with him.

This Convention accordingly met on the 19th of November, to the number of about 160, and rather a greater proportion of Country Delegates, than before. Rowan and Butler were by this time returned to Ireland. But the English Delegates remained, and regularly attended the Convention as long as it continued to meet.

During the three first days, the Convention appears, from its Minutes, to have chiefly employed itfelf on matters of form; but having, on the 22d of November, 1793, changed its title to that of "The British Convention of Delegates of the People, affociated to obtain Univerfal Suffrage and Annual Parliaments," they, in almost every particular, affumed the ftile and mode of proceeding adopted by the National Convention of France. They divided themselves into Sections, Committees of Organization, Inftructions, Finance, and Secrecy; denominated their Meetings Sittings; granted Honours of Sittings; made honourable Mention in their Minutes of patriotic Donations; entered their Minutes, as made in the First Year of the British Convention; inftituted Primary Societies, Provincial Affemblies, and Departments; received from their Sections a variety of Motions and Reports-fome of which have the words "Vive la Convention" prefixed to them, and end with "ca ira"-and fome dated "First Year of the British Convention, One and Indivisible."

Having at laft, on the 28th of November, with peculiar folemnity, palled a Refolation, which neceffarily attracted the attention of the Law Officers of the Crown, the ring-leaders, with all their papers, were feized, early on the morning of December 5th, and carried before the proper Magiftrate for examination. The Refolution alluded to, and which appears from the Minutes (extracts from which are stated in the Appendix) to have been the subject of frequent and deliberate confideration, was deemed by the Convention as not expedient to be inferted immediately in its proper place. The infertion of it appears to have been poftponed till the clofe of the Convention, and a blank was left for that purpofe in the Minutes. The Motion, with the refolutions founded thereon, was difcovered amongst the papers of the Delegate from the Society for Conftitutional Information in London, and is of the following tenor:

"Refolved, That the following Declarations and Refolutions be inferted at the end of our Minutes, &c.

"That this Convention, confidering the calamitous confequences of any Act of the Legislature which may tend to deprive the whole or any part of the people of their undoubted right to meet, either by themfelves or by delegation, to difcufs any matter relative to their common intereft, whether of a public or private nature, and holding the fame to be totally inconfiftent with the first principles and fafety of Society, and alfo fubverfive of our known and acknowledged conftitutional liberties, do hereby declare, before God and the world, that we fhall follow the wholefome

whole fome example of former times, by paying no regard to any Act which thall militate against the Conftitution of our Country; and shall continue to affemble and confider of the beft means by which we can accomplish a real reprefentation of the people, and annual election, until compelled to defift by fuperior force.

"And we do refolve, That the firft notice given for the introduction of a Convention Bill, or any Bili of a fimilar tendency to that paffed in Ireland in the laft Seffion of their Parliament;

"Or any Bill for the Sufpenfion of the Habeas Corpus Act, or the Act for preventing wrongous Imprifonment, and againft undue delays in Trial in North Britain;

"Or in cafe of an invafion, or the admiffion of any foreign troops whatfoever into Great Britain or Ireland;

"All or any one of thefe calamitous circumftances fhall be a signal to the feveral Delegates to repair to fuch place as the Secret Committee of this Convention fhall appoint; and the first feven Members shall have power to declare the fittings permanent, fhall conftitute a Convention, and twenty-one proceed to business.

"The Convention doth therefore refolve, that each Delegate immediately on his return home, do convene his Conftituents, and explain to them the neceffity of electing a Delegate or Delegates, and of establishing a fund, without delay, against any of thefe emergencies, for his or their expence; and that they do inftruct the faid Delegate or Delegates to hold themfelves ready to depart at one hour's warning."

Thefe Refolutions appear, from the Minutes, to have been immediately followed up by the appointment of a Secret Committee, whofe powers and mode of proceeding are precifely and diftin&tly marked out in the Minutes of the Convention. It is proper farther to ftate, that, on the 4th of December, the day preceding the arrest of the ringleaders, when they probably had either received information, or had fufpected, from their own conduct, that measures were to be taken against them, the Convention, on the motion of Margarot, unanimoufly refolved,

"That the moment of any illegal difperfion of the British Convention fhall be confidered as a fummons to the Delegates to repair to the place of meeting appointed for the Convention of Emergency by the Secret Committee; and that the Secret Committee be inftructed, without delay, to proceed to fix the place of meeting."

Upon the evening of the 5th of December the Convention met, notwithstanding the arreft of their Leading Members on the morning of that day, and proceeded inftantly to declare themselves permanent, and to meet in fpite of the Magiftrates; but were prevented from proceeding further by the unexpected appearance of the Magiftrates, to whofe authority they refused to fubmit, until the Provoft of the City feized the Sheffield Delegate, their Prefident, and compelled him to leave the Chair. They again met on the evening of the 6th of December, in a houfe in the Suburbs of the City, and were proceeding with the fame violence as on the preceding evening, when the Sheriff of the County interrupted and difperfed them.-Since this period no public meeting has been held; but they have continued to meet privately, and in different Societies, and appear still to carry on a fecret correspondence with various parts of England and Scotland. An Abstract of the Minutes of this Convention, and of the moft material motions and proceedings held amongst these perfons, and Three Letters to the Secretary of the Correfponding Society, are fubjoined in the Appendix to this Report. Subfequent to the difperfion of the Scotch Convention, the plan for calling another Convention in England became the immediate object of

the two Societies in London. An account of their proceedings for this purpofe has already been laid before the Houfe in the former Report; but in order to give a more connected view of the whole fubject, your Committee have inferted, in order of time, in the Appendix, the fame proceedings to which they have already referred. Your Committee having obferved, that the variation between the entry on the books of the Society for Conftitutional Information, of the 11th of April 1794, and the entry of the Report received the fame day, from the Joint Committee of the two Societies, is likely to be relied on, as tending to fhew that the Society for Conftitutional Information did not concur with their Committee in the defign of affembling a pretended General Convention of the People, have inferted at full length in the Appendix all that appears in the books of the Conftitutional Society on that fubject. They have alfo thought it right to infert the account given of this transaction, in the examination of Mr. Thompson, a Member of this House, to which they refer.

In purfuance of the plan which they have adopted, the Committee have next inferted fuch correfpondence and proceedings of the Societies in the country, as have paffed fince the difpertion of the Convention at Edinburgh, with relation to the measures to be taken in confequence of that event, and to their concurrence in the defign, formed in London, for affembling another Convention in England.

At a General Meeting of Delegates, held at Norwich, it was unanimoufly refolved, that one or more Delegates fhall be fent to the next General Convention, as foon as called for by their London Correspond

ents.

In a letter to the Secretary of the London Correfponding Society, from the Norwich Societies, they defire to know whether the Friends of the People confent to a Convention, and whether they will take an active part. Many of our friends are fully convinced of the neceffity, legality, and rationality of a Convention; but quere whether the time be expedient?"

Some perfons, who describe themselves as friends to a radical reform, write from Newcastle upon Tyne, to the Secretary of the Corresponding Society, that they dare affert the natural and unalienable Rights of Man, and have formed themselves into Societies, which meet weekly, admitting none but known friends, and have assumed no name but that of Newfpaper Companies.-They were in great fpirits while the British Convention continued to act; but after their fuppreffion, a damp was caft on the whole.-Subfcriptions were ready to be fent off the very night they were fuppreffed.-They wish to copy the example of the London Correfponding Society, and to know their views and intentions as foon as convenient; and defiring to be favoured with the correspondence of that Society-they conclude, by expreffing a hope, "that the Hydra of Tyranny and Impofition may foon fall under the Guillotine of Truth and Reafon." The Correfponding Society return an answer, in which they exhort the Society at Newcastle to be affured, that the glorious reign of Liberty and Equality will, ere long, be established, and modern Governments, with every appendage of wickedness and corruption, will flee from their genial influence.-They complain of the rapid advances of Defpotifm in Great Britain, and exprefs their readiness cordially to unite with every Society in the three kingdoms, who have for their object a full and effectual Representation of the People; they therefore have deputed fix of their Members to meet fix Members of the Society for Conftitutional Information, to form a Committee of Correfpondence and Co-operation." This Committee meets regularly twice a week, and any Member delegated by your Society will meet

with every information required. We inclofe you a few of our Refolutions, entered into at our General Meeting on the 14th of April, which will be fufficiently explanatory of our fentiments and views. We heartily concur with you in withing that the Hydra of Tyranny and Impolition may foon fall under the Guillotine of Truth and Reafon."

A letter to the Secretary of the London Correfponding Society, from the Secretary of the Conftitutional Society at Sheffield, gives an account of a Meeting at Halifax. The Friends of Peace and Reform at Halifax held a general public Meeting in the open air, on April 21ft, 1794, at which were many friends from Leeds, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Bradford, and the adjacent neighbourhood.-The Friends of Freedom, after the Meeting, agreed to hold a General Meeting of Delegates, in order to confider of the measures to be adopted by them preparatory to a General Convention. The people of Halifax were advised by the Society at Sheffield to defer the Meeting of Delegates until further information from the London Correfponding Society on that fubject; and for that reafon application was made to the Secretary of the London Correfponding Society, requesting as early intelligence as poflible on that important business.

The Society at Bristol applaud the refolution of the London Correfponding Society for forming another General Convention; and state, that their increasing numbers give them every reasonable hope of foon being able more effectually to co-operate with that Society-They defire a ketch of the plan refpecting the General Convention. In the answer of the London Correfponding Society, it is stated, that a printed circular letter from them has been determined upon, of which the Society at Briftol may expect a copy in a few days.-This refers to the circular letter for calling a Convention, inferted by your Committee in their former Report.

Your Committee have thought it right in this place to call the attention of the Houfe to the proceedings of a Meeting held at Sheffield on the 7th of April, 1794, which form a very material part of thefe tranfactions; although it does not appear that, at that Meeting, any Refolution was paffed expreffing an intention to fend Delegates to the intended Convention.

Thefe proceedings confift of an Addrefs to the King; an Addrefs to the Nation; certain refolutions; and fpeeches, printed together with them, and delivered on the fame day by a perfon calling himfelf Henry Yorke. The title is as follows:

"Proceedings of the Public Meeting held at Sheffield, in the open air, on the 7th of April, 1794; and alfo, an Addrefs to the British Nation, being an expofition of the motives which have determined the people of Sheffield to petition the Houfe of Commons no more on the fubject of Parliamentary Reform."

In the course of thefe proceedings it was moved, "That a Petition be prefented to the Houfe of Commons, for a Reform in the Repre fentation of the People in Parliament:" But fo marked was the disapprobation given by the whole Meeting to this measure, that not one fingle perfon feconded the motion, but a most profound filence, interrupted only by a few murmurs, was observed.

An account is afterwards given of one of Yorke's fpeeches, in which, after speaking of General Hiftory, there is the following paffage :

"It must be granted that this experience is important, because it teaches the fuffering nations of the prefent day in what manner to prepare their combuftible ingredients, and humanists in what manner to enkindle them, fo as to produce with effect that grand political explosion, which at the fame time that it buries defpotifm, already convulfive and agonizing in ruins,

may

may raise up the people to the dignity and fublime grandeur of freedom.

"When fuch a revolution of fentiment fhall have difperfed the mifts of prejudice; when, by the inceffant thunderings from the prefs, the meanest cottager of our country fhall be enlightened, and the fun of reafon fhall thine in its fulleft meridian over us, then the commanding voice of the whole people fhall recommend the five hundred and fiftyeight Gentlemen in St. Stephen's Chapel to go about their business.” The refolutions adopted at the Meeting were:

ft. That the People, being the true and only fource of Government, the freedom of fpeaking and writing upon any fubject cannot be denied to the Members of a Free Government, without offering the groffeft infult to the Majefty of the People.

"2d. That therefore the condemnation of Citizens Muir, Palmer, Skirving, Margarot, and Gerald, to tranfportation, for expofing the corruptions of the British Government, was an act better fuited to the maxims of a defpotic than a free Government.

"3d. That the Addrefs which has now been read be presented to the King, in behalf of the above perfecuted Patriots.

4th. That in every country where the People have no share in their Government, Taxation is Tyranny.

5th. That there'ore a Government is tyrannical or free, in proportion as the People are equally or unequally reprefented.

6th. Convinced of this truth, it is the opinion of this Meeting, that the People ought to demand as a right, and not petition as a favour, for Univerfal Representation.

"7th. That therefore we will petition the Houfe of Commons no more on this fubje&t.”

And, laftly, (after agreeing to a Petition to the King refpecting Negro Slavery, and pathing feveral refolutions on that fubject), "That the Committee of the Sheffield Conftitutional Society be defired to fee that the above Refolutions be carried into effect; and that they prepare an Addrefs to the British Nation, explanatory of the motives which have induced this Meeting to adopt the Refolution of no more petitioning the Houfe of Commons on the fubject of Reform."

The following paffages are extracted from this Address:

"Friends and Countrymen,

"We have this day decided, with the exception of only one diffentient voice, that the Houfe of Commons fhall never again be petitioned by us on the fubject of Parliamentary Reform."

The Addrefs then recites the words of the Petition of the 8th of April, 1793, [" That the House of Commons is not, in the just sense of the words, what your Petitioners are from form obliged to term it, viz. the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament affembled;"] and then proceeds, in different paffages, as follows:

"Our Petition was received with the utmost indignation by the Houfe of Commons, which was no more than we expected.

"And although our Petition was difdainfully rejected, because not couched in language fufficiently polite and refpectful for the five hundred and fifty-eight Gentlemen who fit at the Houfe of Commons; yet believe us, Fellow Citizens, we are ftill of opinion, that the matter it contained was not only juft and proper, but we think that even the language which gave fo much offence to the Honourable Gentlemen, was much too polite and too moderate for us. For if the Houfe of Commons were the real Reprefentatives of the People, we certainly had a right to dictate, and not to petition, because they could be condered in no other light than as the organs of the public will; and if

they