HL Deb 25 March 1817 vol 35 c1270

The following Protest was entered on the Journals:

"Dissentient,

"Because it apppears to us that this statute, in inflicting the penalty of death, is unjustly severe; that it gives to magistrates a formidable and unnecessary power, improperly controlling the general expression of opinion, and interfering both with the public and private meetings of the people, in times of which we consider the danger to be much exaggerated, and which we think call for measures of conciliation and relief, and not for coercion.