date

1820 Oct. 11 Spanish liberticide measures
1820 Oct. 11 Spanish liberticide measures 1 Meeting licensing Speeches 1.

Gorelli 2. Torreno English liberticide Acts

But are not the sort of societies in question

But as to all permanent societies /these same Societies/ in general are not they

at this moment under the yoke of a license? O yes: and so they have been for

more than | | years past the Government has kept them under this yoke

Sir acts of the same spirit /laws all with the same intent/ /six liberticide

Acts/ were in the year 1819 /no longer ago than the last year/ passed all in the

same /in a/ breath. Now mark the fruit of these laws and if it suit your

purpose, sow and reap the like. Under the name of the Six Acts The laws stand

consigned to infamy: they form a match for the law of Henry the eighth called

the law of the six Articles: they class George the fourth with Henry the eighth.

they are to us what the Inquisition is to you. The authors are objects of

abhorrence – of abhorrence to every body, except /with the exception/ those to

whom Your Constitution with the system of representation which is the great

glory of it, is an object of abhorrence.
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  • Title: [1820 Oct. 10 Spanish liberticide measures]
    Description: 1820 Oct. 10 Spanish liberticide measures 2. Torreno King irresponsible

    Well then, and so in the opinion of Count Torreno by societies without

    responsibility the nation might be led to its ruin. Well then if by societies

    without responsibility how is it in regard to individuals without

    responsibility. In a bad as in a good course The action of an individual is it

    not somewhat more prompt and steady than that of a society composed of one set

    of members one day and a different set the next. A Society without

    responsibility is the creature of his imagination: but an individual without

    responsibility is the creature of his voice. One individual without

    responsibility: and through that one individual others at all times in any

    numbers. The King by his irresponsibility is authorized to committ in every

    imaginable shape, to every imaginable extent […?] […?] those acts which on the

    part of an individual not so endowed would be crimes. The King by his power of

    pardoning communicates that same omnipotence in wrong to as many individuals as

    he pleases.
  • Title: [1820 Oct. 11 Spanish liberticide measures]
    Description: 1820 Oct. 11 Spanish liberticide measures 2 1. Gorelli 2. Torreno English

    liberticide Acts

    Unlimited /Boundless/ fine and imprisonment for the first offence, unlimited

    /boundless/ banishment for the second offence, is under one of them the lot of

    every person convicted of composing, printing or publishing …. any seditious

    libel, tending to bring into hatred or contempt the person of his Majesty .… or

    the Government and Constitution of the United Kingdom as by law established, or

    either House of Parliament … Have you then Gentlemen, any such desire as that of

    rendering the Cortes the Council of State, the Ministers the Council of State,

    the Cortes – not to speak of Your Monarch and yourselves objects of universal

    hatred and contempt apply to Marquis Wellesley, get from him the six Acts and in

    particular this Act, and copy them into the book of your laws. Do this or any

    thing like it, and be sure you will not miss your ruin. Ask him whether at this

    moment there /if man/ exists man, woman and child that thinks to whom /there

    exists/ at this moment those sacred objects are not in the lump so many objects

    of contempt. Not to speak of so many prædatory and otherwise oppressive laws and

    institutions all made for the express purpose of sacrificing the interest of the

    subject many to those of the ruling few – (for with the exception of such

    governments as those of the Anglo-American United States, that by the necessary

    and unchangeable Constitution of human nature has been the prime object of all

    governments) – consider whether it be possible that if any the slightest

    imperfection in any law or act of any public functionary any indication

    /intimation/ can be given, in such sort that it shall not be in the power of any

    Judge without the smallest danger of punishment to himself, and under the

    fullest assurance of high reward, to ascribe to the work a tendency, and to

    convict and punish as for the design to bring into hatred and contempt all those

    consecrated objects, the all persons having any part in composing, printing or

    publishing the obnoxious work.
  • Title: [1820 Oct. 10 Spanish liberticide measures]
    Description: 1820 Oct. 10 Spanish liberticide measures Letter 2. Public discussion 2.

    Torreno

    I want words to express my astonishment and grief.

    My best hopes were turned to /stood/ /founded in/ Lord Torreno: if these laws

    stand long all my hopes are gone.

    After other speeches of which I see no account comes Count Torreno’s: by which

    the Debate is closed. He too is blind of Mr Goreli’s blindness: for nothing less

    could serve. In his eyes there is no difference between liberty and power

    between impunity for speaking ill of Ministers /censuring the conduct of public

    functionaries/, and impunity for murdering them: to him to the difference

    between the abuse of the tongue and the abuse of the hand /arm/ is unknown. So

    pressed is he for argument he scruples not to insinuate, that by those by whom

    the right of assembling for the purpose of speaking, well or ill, as their

    judgment dictates of the conduct of the members of government, along with that

    right is assumed the right which is given to the King – the right of committing

    crimes of all sorts without being punishable without being responsible for it.

    Take this assumption from him he has no argument. Whoever proposed that /Where

    is the madman that ever proposed/ that these or any other societies should have

    place /existence/ without responsibility on the part of its members! The abuse

    that might arise from such societies without responsibility! He puts a case that

    has never happened, that never could happen, and on no better ground than this

    he divests the people of all security for their rights and himself and those

    with whom he acts of all effectual responsibility for every abuse they may make

    of those powers of which they profess to hold from the people.

    The abuses that might arise! By the same argument by which he justifies /thinks

    to justify/ the stopping men’s tongues from saying any thing of him and his

    Colleagues, any thing that they would wish should not be heard, he might give

    himself an equally good justification for cutting them out.