The REPORTS from the Committee of Secrecy appointed by the Houfe of Lords, to injpect the Report, Original Papers, Sc. delivered on Monday the 19th of May, by a Meffage from the Commons: With the APPENDIX, containing the important Papers therein referred to, and a Reprefentation of the PIKES, or SPEAR HEADS, found in Preparation at Edinburgh. The two Reports that follow of the House of Lords, contain, in Subflance, the whole of the Reports of the Houfe of Commons, which are more voluminous then the others, on account of the Vouchers of great Length with which they are filled. These are neceffary only in Point of mere Formality: but the Reports of the Lords, with the important Papers in their Appendix, are fufficient to give our Readers a full Idea of this momentous Subject. The FIRST REPORT. Ordered to Report, THAT the committee have met, and, having carefully compared the faid report with the original papers referred to then, have come to an unanimous refolution immediately to report to your lordhips, that they are fatisfied and convinced by the evidence contained in thefe papers, that a traitorous confpiracy hath been formed, and acts done in purfuance thereof, by certain focieties and perfons in different parts of the kingdom, for the fubverfion of the established laws and conftitution, and the introduction of that fyftem of anarchy and confufion which has fatally prevailed in France. The fame evidence contains ftrong indications that meatures have been recently taken, and are fill continuing, for providing arms of the moft pernicious fort to be diftributed among the favourers of this confpiracy, for effectuating, by open force, the purpotes for which they have confpired. The committee have therefore thought it their duty to continue the forther examination of the matters referred to them, and to fubmit to the confideration of the houfe, whether it may not be proper that they fhould be en.powered to fend for perfens and papers, and to receive fuch communications as may be made to them by his majesty's orders, or by the committee of fecrecy appointed by the house of commons; whofe vigilance and activity in providing for the public fafety cannot fail to excite a proportionale zeal and emulation in your lordships for det.&ing this fcene of iniquity, and there by averting the calamities in which the further progres of fuch a confpiracy might have involved the nation. The SECOND REPORT. Ordered to Report, the farther examination of the books and papers referred to them; and, in purtuance of the powers given to them by the houfe, have alfo taken under their confideration the depofitions and examinations of feveral perfons, papers found in the cuftody of those who have been apprehended, and intelligence communicated to them by one of his majesty's fecretaries of itate. After a diligent investigation of all thofe fources of information, the conchi fions they had formerly stated to the house, and the facts and propofitions contained in the report of the fecret committee of the houfe of commons referred to them, appear to be incontrovertibly established. The extent and danger of the extravagant and fatal defigns entertained by a number of difaffected perfons, and the rapid progrefs lately made in the meatures taken to carry fuch defigns into execution, are illuftrated and made manifeft in as fatifactory a manner as circumitantial evi dence can admit. The first object to which the attention of your committee hath been directed, was the preparation of arms, referred to in their firit report, of which they were then only authorifed to fay, that frong indica tions had appeared. The evidence which they have fince examined, as well as fubfequent difcoveries providentially made, have brought that important part of the cafe more fully to light. But in order to place that object in its jul point of view, and to illuftrate its connection with other parts of the general confpiracy for the destruction of the conflitution, it has appeared to your committee that it would be fit to flate, in the first place, the circumftances which preceded that preparation of arms, and thole under which it took place. From authentic and public documents it appears, that, fubfequent to the impri That your committee has proceeded in fonment of the late French king, the abo ition of monarchy, and the establishment of a democratical and revolutionary government, in France, a direct and avowed correfpondence was carried on between the convention in France and certain perfons in his majesty's dominions, for the undifguiled purple of an union of principles and conduct. The addreffes fent to the French convention in the month of November 1792, and the answers returned to them, are matters of public notoriety. The committee, referring to the statement given of them by the report of the fecret committee of the house of commons, have further to obferve upon thefe addrefies, that it now appears that the idea was firft conceived after the malfacres at Paris, in the begin ning of September 1792, was drawn into form after the invafion of the Netherlands, and that it was not the sudden act of a few individuals, or even of one particular fociety, but was long under deliberation, cominunicated to other focieties in differ. ent parts of the kingdom affembled under various names, and the common pretext of parliamentary reform, adopted by many, and finally tranfmitted as a declaration of the fentiments of a majority of the English nation. The committee has bestowed a particular attention to invettigate the proceedings of that fociety which affumed the name of the London Correfponding Society; becaufe, from the character, habits, and condition, of those who compofe it, compared with the ftyle and language, as well as the method and contrivance difcovered in their proceedings, it is moft probable that it must have been guided by perfons of a fuperior education, and more cultivated talents, than appear among the members of this fociety. For the direct and avowed connection which took place in the beginning of April laft between this fociety and the fociety for conftitutional information, and the plan of co-operation then eftablished between them, the committee again refer to the report of the fecret committee of the houfe of commons now before the house. The London Correfponding Society, in the first formation; which was about January 1792, appears to have been planned and directed by leading members of the fociety for conftitutional information, and in the courfe of its subsequent proceedings, the meatures they puifued were in many instances privately concerted with perfons of the fame defcription. The number of perions first aflembled did not exceed two hundred. In the courfe of a few months, their communications with fimilar focieties in various places became very frequent, and they began to affume a form and method of proceeding by fubdivifions and delegations, which have to them an appearance of confequence, and of increating numbers. They were the oftenfible promoters of the addrefs to the French convention, prefented in November 1792, and the inftruments to carry on the correfpondence upon it in the country; from whence they have taken every occafion to extend their communication with thefe other focieties which they have induftriously drawn to a clofe, intimate, and dependant connection. The war, commenced against his majefty by the perfons exercifing the powers of government in France, fuppreffed the open communication with the French cor. vention; but neither that circumftance, nor the repeated declaration of parliament, had any effect to reftrain the avowal of thofe doctrines which had led that convention to all thofe exceffes which have proved fo deftructive in France to the principles of focial order, of religion, and of morality. In the courfe of the year 1793, a plan appears to have been conceived, and in fome degree brought into a regular shape, for uniting the different meetings, formed by the artful diffemination of feditious publications, inviting men to follow the example of France, into fuch a body as might be brought to act to one given object, and be fubject to one general direction. The most marked effect of this plan was, the affembling of a body under the name of a convention, which made its first public, appearance at Edinburgh on the 29th of October 1793. The defign of this meeting had been known and concerted for fome time with focieties in England, particularly with the Society for Confiiturional Information, and the London Correfponding Society. Two delegates to this mecting were chofen, and fent from the London Corresponding Society; a regular allowance for their journey and expences, at a rate very confiderable in refpect to the apparent funds of that fociety, was voted for their fup. port, and actually paid: thefe delegates were Margarot and Gerrald. They appeared, by the fequel, to have been, in effect, not only delegates but conductors of the affairs of the intended meeting; and deriving a confiderable confequence from from the fuppofed reprefentation of the fociety which fent them, and other focieties in England, from which they afterward produced commiffions. Two delegates were alfo chofen from the fociety for conftitutional information-Sinclair, and a person known under the name of Yorke. After fitting four days in expectation of the English delegates, the meeting, which had confifted of about 350 perfons from different parts of Scotland, ieparated, becante the English delegates had not arrived. In two days afterward they came; a dekgate from Sheffield alfo arrived; and Sinclair, one of the delegates from the fociety tor conftitutional information: Mr. Hamiton Rowan and Mr. Simon Butler, ftating themiclves to come on the part of a fociety called the United Irithmen, but having no commiflion, made their appear ance likewife, and were all introduced to a general committee of the convention, and received as delegates. A meeting of the convention, which had feparated before the appearance of thefe gerfons, was immediately fummoned by Skirving the fecretary, and by public advertitement, for the 19th of November, on which day it was held, and confifted of about 160 perfons. The firth four days of their meeting were employed in fetting forms, and in an examination of the commifiions of the delegates fuppofed to be given by meetings et the inhabitants of the places from which they were dated, but which meetings were in very few places known to have exifted, or to have been called for any fuch purpofe. All these commiffions were of courte allowed to be valid. On the 22d day of November, this meeting voted itfelf to be the British Convention, and affumed that style in their minutes and other proceedings, which were dated in the first year of the British convention, and in fome inttances, * in the first year of the British convention one and indivifible. The mucting thus formed, proceeded to act in exact imitati of the French convention, adopting all its forms, plurales, and modes of proceeding, forming committees of organization, of instruction, of finance, of kerecy, decreeing honours of the fitting, honourable mention of fervices, and what may merit more ferious attention tha the affectation of this style, attempting to inititute primary focieties, provinced affemblies, and departments in the country. On the 28th of November, they came to a refolution of declared oppotton and rentance to the authority of parliament, under a referve that it should not be entered on the minutes till the clofe of their fittings. After this, the fpirit and activity of the magiftrates were exerted to disperse this convention; and on the 5th of December 1793, the ringleaders were apprehended, their papers feized, and some of them have fince been tried and convicted of the crimes laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the just and laudable exertions of the civil authority to fupprefs this enormous diforder, the mifchict intended has been in part effe Яuated, for there has exited a meeting formed on the model of the French convention, affuming the name of the British convention, which, from the 19th of November to the 5th of December 1793, has been exhibited in this kingdom, with an open publication of all its tranfactions, in a newípaper conducted by one of its members, to serve as a pattern of the form and method in which a future convention might proceed to act. It all appears from the fequel that there fill remained a committee of fecrecy and emergency formed in that meeting, which had continued to conduct fubfequent operations in Scotland. The committee have thought it important to call the attention of the houfe to this tranfaction, because it appears, by the evidence produced to them, to have been concerted at least, if not directed, by the dilaffected focieties in England, and to have a moft intimate connection with the fequel of the confpiracy carried on here. From the time of the meeting and difperfion of the convention at Edinburgh, the focieties in England began to at with increafed vigour and activity. Their refolutions exprefled a warm approbation of the proceedings of the convention at Edin. burgh; ftrong declarations were made in behalf of thofe who had been brought to trial and convicted; subscriptions entered into for their encouragement and fupport; and tome projects appear to have been entertained for their relcue. The London Corr.fponding Society had continued to extend its correspondence, and alfo its influence with the other focatic: difperfed in the country, and had, in the month of February lait, adopted a refolution to arrange the members into divijons of thirty, compoled of those who lived nearest to each other, that they might eally be affumbled together upon any emergency. They had allo procured about that time a plan of a conftitution to be formed, which was printed and circulated among the feveral divifions, by fome of which it had been approved, and at the time when the fecretary was apprehended, was about to be referred to the general meeting of delegates for its final fanction. By this plan, befide the fections of thirty, claffed fo as to be ready to come forth at the fame time, there were to be fecondary fections of ten each, under the reprefentation and direction of a tythingman. There was alfo a general committee of correspondence. This committee, in fact, appears to have exifted for a confiderable time, to have confitted of a number not exceeding five, to have tranfacted and directed all the fecret bulinefs of the fociety, and they were authouifed to communicate to the larger meetings only fuch matters as they thought advifeable. It seems almost unneceffary for the committee to point out to the obfervation of the houfe, that a fociety (whatever be the condition of the individuals who compofe it) fo organifed, the phrafe they adopt in their printed plan, and fo connected with other focict es in various parts of the ifland, is capable of giving the immediate effect of an united operation to whatever meafores may be propofed by their leaders, efpecially when the recent example of France affords to ftriking an intance of the deftructive effect of fuch a combination. The committee must at the fame time remaik, that this conftitution (as it is called) in the declaration of principles by which it is introduced, the telts required of the members, and the general frame of the provifions, evidently thew that the model on which it is formed is that which has led to to the annihilation of all regular government in France, and to the defpotiim of a few demagogues through the power and influence of the clubs. Under this ftate of things, and when all this arrangement had been previously formed, the project of procuring arms was brought forward. The precie date when it to k place cannot be afcertained, for it appears to have been conducted in moit places with peculiar fecrecy and cantion. So early as the time of the meeting at Edinburgh, the facility of procuring arms, particularly pikes, the ule and efficacy of them as it had been proved in France, had been difcuffed at fome of the divifion meetings; but no fpecific measure to this effect had been taken till a much later period, About the month of March 1794, pri vate meetings had been held twice a week, The committee has flated the number, fo far as already difcovered, to be inconfiderable; but they must add, that after they fuppofed their inquiry to be closed, a recent difcovery communicated to them has added largely to the number. The ute of pikes formed a ftill more confiderable part of the intended armament. The effect of this weapon has cften been difcuffed at meetings, and a correfpondence had been entered into with perions at Sheffield for providing a fupply of them. The price for the on work was fixed fo low as a shilling; and if the cot exceeded that amount, (which it appears it mult have done) the overplus was to be paid by a perfon at Sheffield, who was to be reimbursed by the fociety. In purfuance of this plan, letters, dated the 24th of April, were fent from Sheffield to the correfpondent fociety, and, under their cover, to another fociety of Norwich, advertizing them that the pikes were in a forward state of preparation, and fixing the terms on which they were to be delivered. The committee think it proper to fubjoin a hand bill, printed in April for the London Correfponding Society, and diftributed at a meeting: "Countrymen, you are told by those who are in office that you are in danger of a French invafion; you are told by thote who are out of office that you are in danger of a Helian or Hanoverian invalion : in in either cafe arms will be of use to you. Agree among your felves. Get armis, and learn the use of them." At Sheffield, the measure of arming with pikes, after the example of the French, was more openly purfued: it had been recommended in April laft, in public harangues, by a perion whofe name often Occurs in the courfe of this confpiracy, but who has not yet been apprehended, to great numbers of people, as well as by hand bills diftributed, exciting them to arm. The pikes were made under the orders of that perfon, who particularly directed the form and fize of them. Several perfons were employed in the manufacture, which was making a confiderable progrefs, before the alarm given by the apprehenfion of the fecretaries of the two focieties in London. Befides the pikes, another fort of instrument was produced at Sheffield, the ufe of which was (as explained) to be thrown about in the night on the road, for laming the men and the horses who might be employed to quell any commotions. In the progrefs of the examinations into this confpiracy, an accidental difcovery was made in Scotland, which has more fully explained the extent of the danger, and the ample range of the whole defign. respect to the other parts of the cafe, which was to ftate the general result, and not the particular circumitances. On the most deliberate confideration of all the evidence before them, it appears to the committee, that there are the moit convincing proofs, not only of a plan formed in theory, to procure, by legal means, fome partial change of the laws by which th's kingdom has been happily governed, but of a formed confpiracy to affemble, under the name of a convention, a number of perfons affuming to be the reprefentatives of the nation, for the ex. prefs purpote of making their refolutions to be law, and of fubverting, by their authority, the whole frame of the govern ment, and the conftitution of this realm, its monarchy, its parliament, and its fundamental laws. That, to effectuate the purpose of this confpiracy, measures had been actually ta ken for an arrangement and distribution of the perfons feduced to engage in it, a concert and communication ettablished be tween different bodies of men in different parts of the country, to affemble at fome certain time and place, by fome fecret concert and direction, confultations held of the acts to be done for the furtherance of this confpiracy of the most traiterous import, and anns prepared and preparing for fupporting, by force, the fudden execution of thefe daring and defperate defigus, the fuccefs of which, if they could have fuc ceeded, must have produced the total fubverfion of the conftitution, with the ce ftruction of his majelty's perfɔn, family and government, ard the annihilation of our laws and liberties, and the mere attempt of which, though we may juttig conclude, that by the loyalty of the kingdom it mutt have been defeated, would have involved this country in all the horrors of infurrection, from the calamities of which we have now, by the divine providence, been happily exempted. From the nature of the proceedings carried on in Scotland, in confequence of that difcovery, it was impoffible for the committee to examine particularly into the evidence of it; they have therefore tranfmitted to the house the information communicated to them on this head, in the form in which they have received it, and added it an appendix to the report. All the obfervations they are authorited to make upon it is, that the evidence which they have examined, clearly proves, ift. A decided purpose of forming another British convention in fuch central place as thould be afterward communicated. zd. Meafures concerted, and in part actually taken, for affembling that convention. 3d. A The committee muft farther obferve, preparation of arms to oppofe and with- that there is also as ftrong a degree of evitand any attempt to difperte fuch a meet-dence as the nature of the cafe will admit, ing. 4th. A continued connection and correfpondence between thofe focieties in England, by whofe co-operation thete meafures were to be executed, and the leading members of the former British convention, which actually held its meeeting at Edinburgh in November 1793. Upon the fubject of the preparation of arms, the committee have been forced to enter into more detail than was confiftent with the general plan of their report in that the aim of the leaders in this confpiracy extended to as complete a revoiation in this country, as that which has taken place in France fince the month of August 1792. Their adoption of the principles and opinions of the French convention; their inceffant exertions to propagate the fame doctrines here; their attachment to the interells of the French revolutionary government; their perfuafion that there was an |