General Thorntonrose, pursuant to notice, to move for leave to bring in a Bill to amend certain parts of the Act commonly called the Riot Act. By that Act, those persons who should not disperse within an hour after the reading of the Act, were to be subject even to the loss of their lives. His object was, not to require so long a period as an hour to elapse, but to provide that upon the reading of the Act, the mob should disperse immediately. 257 He therefore wished to propose, that those who did not immediately disperse, upon the reading of the Riot Act, should be subject to punishment by fine and imprisonment; and for the second offence he should propose transportation. He also should wish to propose, that not only constables, but that every person present might be empowered to arrest persons acting in breach of the law. At present, if serious injuries, such as pulling a house down, were incurred by the violence of the mob, indemnity could be obtained under the provisions of the Riot Act. He should propose, that for lesser injuries, such as the breaking of windows, compensation might also be obtained. There was another practice that he felt very anxious to suppress. He thought illuminations were almost always productive of riot and tumult. He, therefore, never wished to see an illumination, and thought that the practice should be stopped. He should, therefore, propose certain penalties on those who illuminated. The hon. general concluded with moving, "That leave be given to bring in a Bill for more effectually preventing tumults and riotous assemblies, and for the more speedy and effectual punishing the rioters."
The Speaker then, as no member rose to speak on it, proceeded to put the question. On his putting the question in the affirmative, we did not hear a single aye: but on his putting the negative, there was a loud cry of No.
Mr. Yorkerrose at the same time, and said, that perhaps it would have been sufficient for him to join his 'no' to the general negative that the motion seemed likely to experience. He was sure that the principles which the hon. general had stated as the reasons for this Bill would not be supported by the House.
§ The question was again put, and the motion was negatived without a division.