§ Sir Francis Burdett presented a Petition from Nottingham, signed by 17,000 persons, praying the House of Commons to interfere to procure the respite of the men left for execution at Nottingham, under the Special Commission. He was, however, afraid that, this petition had arrived too late to effect the purpose proposed.
§ Mr. Huntfeared that the fate of the unfortunate men was already decided; but if it were possible for the Ministers to relent, he would put it to them, whether blood enough had not already been spilt, and whether it was necessary that more lives should be forfeited? The poor deluded creatures mentioned in the petition had been worked to desperation by the atrocious instigation of the public Press; and he would ask, whether such unfortunate men as these ought to be made to expiate their crimes on the gallows, when those who egged them on were suffered to escape with impunity?
Mr. Evelyn Denisonsaid, the manner in which the petition had been presented to the House by the hon. Baronet, made it unnecessary for him to say much on the subject. The hon. Baronet had correctly stated that the petition had come 1050 too late before the House, but he might also have stated that the petition at any time would have assumed an inconvenient shape, for, strictly speaking, it had reference to a question in which that House could not properly interfere; and on this point he lamented that the opinion of the Attorney General, which, no doubt, would have had great weight with his constituents at Nottingham, had not been attended to at the time. It was adviseable that the different parties in the State should keep themselves within their own limits, and that there should be a distinct line drawn between the Crown, as the executive Government, and the legislative authority of the House of Commons. It was not on this point, however, that he wished to engage the time of the House; but as the petition was to be printed, and would, therefore, go forth to the country, he could not help expressing his regret that it contained allegations both untrue and incorrect, so that it was impossible for him (having been made acquainted with its contents through the courtesy of the hon. Baronet) to pass it over without a few observations. The petition alleged, that such short notice had been given of the Special Commission, that it had been impossible for the prisoners to prepare their defence, and that threats and privations had been resorted to by the Magistrates, to extort confessions. He would venture to state, from his knowledge of the Gentlemen who were thus referred to, that these statements were absolutely unfounded and incorrect. He might, however, have had some difficulty in making this assertion if the petition had not contained other allegations, to the effect, that in the court of justice, and in the very presence of the Judges, facilities had been refused to those who acted as intermediates between the prisoners and their legal advisers. The petition containing two such charges as these, he could not but regret that it had ever been presented; as its only effect could be to prevent that returning good will which, he trusted, would take place between the labouring classes and those who were set over them in authority in the country. He begged to state, that in what he had said, he was not merely pronouncing his own opinion; for the learned Gentleman (Mr. Hill) who had acted as counsel to most of the prisoners, had also been impressed with a feeling so different from that expressed in the petition, that at the 1051 close of the trials he had addressed the Court, and said, that in justice to the prisoners, who had been discharged, he begged to say how grateful he felt, on their part, for the leniency of those who had conducted the prosecution on the part of the Crown, and that he trusted that the example would not be lost on them, or on the population of the town of Nottingham, terms which he (Mr. Denison) thought were quite sufficient to contradict the allegations which were put forth in the petition.
Mr. Lambmerely rose on this melancholy occasion to state, what he did not doubt the House would be glad to hear, which was, that the Crown had thought proper to reprieve two of the unfortunate persons who had been ordered for execution at Nottingham—a fact which he trusted the House would receive in proof of the Government having given the fullest investigation to the whole bearings of the case.
§ Sir Ronald Fergusonfelt himself called on to deny that any improper means had been resorted to by the Magistrates, or by those employed under them, either to extort confession, or to prevent the prisoners from preparing for trial. He had heard, however, that the Magistrates had been remiss in their duty, and that if proper steps had been taken, the mischief might have been avoided. He hoped that these occurrences would tend to attract the notice of the public to the severity of the criminal code, and the necessity of inflicting capital punishments on murderers alone.
Mr. Denisonhad not heard these charges before. At all events, if the gallant officer was inclined to attach credit to them, it was his duty to bring them forward, and prove them.
§ Sir Ronald Fergusonhad heard the charges only as reports.
§ Mr. Edmund Peelsaid, he had no doubt that there were such reports abroad—a feeling of that kind, at all events, prevailed in the district.