The National Intelligencer And Washington Advertiser

LONDON. April 18.
FIRST REPORT FROM THE COMMITTEE OF SECRECY.

The committee of secrecy, to whom the several papers, which were presented (sealed up) to the house, by Mr. chancellor of the exchequer, upon the 1st and 2d of this instant April, by his majesty's command, were referred; and who were directed to examine the matters thereof, and report the same, as they shall appear to them, to the house

Have proceeded, with the utmost diligence, to the consideration of the matters referred to them ; but from the extent and variety of the information, respecting different parts of the United Kingdom, which has been laid before them; they are under the necessity of requesting the indulgence of the house for a short time before they can submit the result to their investigation on all the points to which it has extended.

Your committee, however, think it incumbent upon them to state, without delay, that they have received the fullest proofs that the dangerous and treasonable conspiracy for the subversion of the constitution and government, which in the year
It has, in concert with a foreign enemy, produced the horrid and sanguinary rebellion in Ireland, and the progress and extent of which, in Great Britain, is detailed in the report of the committee of secrecy in the year 1799, has never been abandoned. The hopes and activity of the disaffected were checked, and their intentions frustrated by the vigilance of government, and by the effect of the laws which were adopted: but the principles and designs remained unchanged, and they have for some time, and more especially of late, been endeavouring to take advantage of the distress occasioned by the high price of provisions, for carrying these wicked designs into effect;—It has particularly appeared to your committee, that the instigators of these proceedings, have on repeated occasions, secretly expressed their wish, for the aggravation of those evils, which they every where endeavour to use as a pretext and engine for exciting popular discontent:—they appear to have derived their principal encouragement from the pressure arising from the scarcity; from the hopes of assistance from a foreign enemy upon the invasion of Great Britain or Ireland; and from the expiration of the laws before referred to, which from the concurrent testimony from different parts of the kingdom, they acknowledge and declare to have been the principal obstacle to their measures.

Within a few weeks past, and to the latest period to which the information received by your committee can apply, their activity has been great and increasing in the metropolis and in other parts of the kingdom; every effort is employed that can tend to disturb the public tranquility; and recent intelligence has been received from the different quarters, which justifies your committee in believing, that, at this moment, the immediate object of the disaffected, is to endeavour, by a sudden explosion, to avail themselves of the interval which may still take place before those laws can be renewed. The dangerous system of a secret confederacy, under the obligation of an unlawful oath, which prevailed in Ireland, and afterwards extended itself to Great Britain, has been revived, with additional precautions, for the purpose of ensuring concert, secrecy and dispatch. And it appears to be in agitation, suddenly, by these means, to call numerous meetings, in different parts of the country, at the same day and hour, to an extent which, if not prevented must materially endanger the public peace; and that among the persons most forward in instigating these criminal proceedings, are some of those who had been detained under the suspension of the Habeas Corpus act, and who have been released from confinement.

These considerations your committee have felt themselves bound to submit, in the first instance, to the wisdom of the house, believing that any delay in adopting would be attended with material danger to the country; and for the same reason, they feel it duty incumbent on them, to take the first moment of stating to the House their strong unanimous opinion, grounded on the information which they have received, that no time ought to be lost in renewing those measures of precaution, which the wisdom of the legislature has been before adopted; particularly the act of suspension of the provisions of the Habeas Corpus act, and the act to prevent Seditious Meetings; which while they remained in force, were attended with the happiest effects in preserving the public tranquility, and which your committee have the most confident hope would have the same salutary operation, under the present circumstances.