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MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS; OR, The Christian's Survey of the Political World.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Monthly Retrospect Of Public Affairs; Or, The Christian's Survey Of The Political World.
MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS ; OR , The Christian ' s Survey of the Political World .
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The voice of thy brother ' s blood crieth to me from the ground , was the solemn sounaTuttered before the flood—immediately after that dreadful calamity , the law was given , that the blood of him who sheddeth man ' s blood should be shed by man . In the Mosaicai code stands the commandment , Thou shalt not commit murder , ' and in the
institutions is the mode to be observed in every neighbourhood , by which the investigation of bloodshed shall be pursued , ami the district be preserved from the avenger of blood . These laws have been copied by most nations professing jtjie Christian religion ; and in our country
we have a . coroner ' s jury to examine into the causes of any violent death , , or of any death in which Auspicious circumstances have arisen . Twelve men , promiscuously taken in the district , make the inquiry upon oath , and a very high degree of responsibility rests with the coroner , that the jury should be properly taken , and every circumstance folly
investigated . The whole is founded upon just views of humanity , and a due submission to > the divine command ; for the life of man is a precious gift from the Creator of the universe , and they who violate his image are bound to produce indisputable reasons for their conduct , or lie under the charge of the foulest crime that can be committed .
Some very melancholy circumstances give rise to these reflections . Since our last , two inquests have beeipAaken by the coroner , and they have pronounced the guilt of murder upon some soldiers , at present unknown , in the life-guards . It was of public notoriety , that these soldiers had used their swords and pistols against an unarmed multitude , both in
Westminster and the city , and a considerable number of persons have been killed or wounded . A reward of five hundred guineas Tia 3 been offered for the discovery of a person who fired on a mihtary oflicer , so that it should appear «* at fire-arms have been used against , ttrilitary . In « ither case , we must deplore the situation of tbc <; puptry , in
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which such disasters take place : both sides are our countrymen , and the military can derive no honour in such a conflict . The causes that led to these unhappy events , were little foreseen by the person who gave rise . to the unpleasant discussions , that have been so remarkable a feature in the history of last month .
The expedition to Walcheren excited very great dissatisfaction in almost every class , and an inquiry being moved in the House , into the causes of its failure , the public was naturally anxious to hear the debates on so interesting a subject . This curiosity , by no means an improper one , was balked by Mr . Yorke , the then member ; for Cambridgeshire , who put in force an order of the House , and thus excluded all strangers from the gallery * This action gave rise to a question in a disputing society , in which the inforcement of this order was considered as ah
outrage upon A the public feelings , and the placard of the question was as usual posted on the walls , with Mr . Yorke ' s name in large capitals . One of these ) placard * came into the hands of ' Mr . Yorke , which he brought down to the House , complaining of it as a breach of privilege ; and to the great surprise of
all , he desired the clause " of the Bill of Rights to be read , which states that die freedom of speech and debates , or pro * ceedings in parliament , ought not to be impeached or questioned , in any court or place out of parliament . This clause was evidently made to preserve the members from suits of law or imprisonment
for what they uttered in the house ; and if construed in Mr . Yorke ' s sense of these words , would indeed make the Bifl . of Rights a bill of wrongs , as it would stop all petitions on every bill , as the moment any thing was discussed in parliament no question could be raised upon it out of doors .
The false construction of Mr . Yorke , has not , we believe , mec with any person to vindicate it ; but on his motion , the House decreed the placard to be a libel , and committed its author , Mr . Gale
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V « I ,. V . 2 X
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1810, page 209, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2403/page/49/
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