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COPY

OF

THOMAS SPENCE's

COMMITMENT

FOR

HIGH TREASON!!!

THESE are in His Majesty's name, to authorize and require you to receive into your custody, the body of THOMAS SPENCE, herewith sent you on suspicion of High Treason; and you are to keep him safe and close, until he shall be delivered by due Course of Law — and for so doing, this shall be your sufficient Warrant: from the Council Chamber at Whitehall, this 29th. day of May, 1794 —

To the Keeper of His Majesty's Gaol, Newgate




A true copy, Edw. Kirby, Clerk of the Papers

  • Dorset
  • Montrose
  • Salisbury
  • Camden
  • Fred. Campbell
  • Ipsley
  • Amherst
  • Auckland
  • C.F. Grenville
  • W. Pitt
  • Henry Dundas
  • Thomas Onle.

Notwithstanding they thought proper to commit T. Spence, they placed the following label on his Papers, viz. "SPENCE'S Papers of little Consequence."

SUBSTANCE OF THE EXAMINATION

OF

T. SPENCE

BEFORE THE

PRIVY COUNCIL

On FRIDAY, May 23, 1794

QUESTION. WHAT is your name?

A. Thomas Spence.

Q. What Business?

A. A Bookseller.

Q. Where do you live?

A. No. 8, Little Turnstile.

Q. Do you know the person that just went out (meaning Mr. Francklow?)

A. I have frequently seen him in my shop as a customer as I have many others, as well as that gentleman AT THE HEAD OF THE TABLE there, (meaning Mr. Reeves).

MR. REEVES. I have seen you too.

Q. Have you heard anything of the Lambeth Association?

A. Yes, I have heard something of it, but not anything that made me conceive it illegal.

Q. Did they ever exercise in — ?

A. I never saw them.

Q. Nay, but did you not know of their exercising there?

A. I see your drift, you mean to pick up a little from everyone you examine with a view to make up something like a plot, for the purpose of alarming the nation.

Dundas. You are exactly right.

( 3 ) A. Then as I do not belong to Administration, I do not think myself bound to give them intelligence, they have too many employed already for that purpose; besides, it is not every administration that I would act with. However, you may sufficiently gather from the intelligence you have already received, that the nation is very much discontented, and you would do well to pay attention to its wish. Is not the voice of the generality of the nation similar to that of the people of Israel, when they said to Solomon's son* Make the yoke which thy father set upon us lighter, and we will serve thee? Take warning therefore by his fate, and listen to the people before it be too late.

As to plots, I know of but what MR. PITT, the DUKE OF RICHMOND, and other eminent gentlemen set on foot more than twelve years ago, shewing the necessity and legality of universal suffrage and annual parliaments, and that plot WILL undoubtedly go on while taxes and the national debt increase.

Council. Do you say so?

A. Yes, I say so. And it looks very ill, that after such eminent persons had deluded the nation into the pleasing hopes of such ample and satisfactory enjoyment of their rights, they should, as it were, turn KING'S EVIDENCE against those they should have been so active in leading into the business. Therefore it would much better become ministry to hearken to the voice of the nation, and to redress their grievances, than proceed in their present methods of harassment and oppression. And this is my advice if you want it.

Council. But what answer do you mean shall be put down to the last question.

A. None at all. I will answer no more questions: I have nothing of importance to inform you of; but whether or no I do not chuse to set up a bad ( 4 ) precedent by answering, or by giving you any information at all. As to learning the Manual Exercise, if I were personally qualified, I would not hesitate about learning it, nor think it wrong.

Council. But you would not be suffered.

The council would nevertheless persist in asking many frivolous questions, to which no answer was desired to be put.

Moreover, Mr. Spence lamented that people should be surprised into a discovery of every innocent connection and transaction, and all secrets laid open; that it was a new mode of procedure in England; and was what he would never countenance, by turning Informer; and he was fully determined to call BLACK black and WHITE white, to the end of his life, as he had always done, in spite of all opposition, and in spite of Mr. Reeves's administration.

FINIS

*Kings, Chap. 12


PIG'S MEAT, that best political instructor, is now completed in two Volumes, Price sewed four Shillings; and may be had either bound or in loose Numbers, at a Penny each, as before. Sold by T. Spence, No. 8 Little Turnstile, High Holborn.