IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 ^^ ta 12.0 I.I ■u ■■■■ u I 1^ Hi& -^ Photographic Sciences Ckirporation n WIST MAIN ITRHT Wmim.N.Y. I4SM (71*) •73-4503 CIHM/ICMH Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Inttitut* for Historical Microraproduetiona / Inttitut Canadian da microraproductions hiatoriquaa ■'^o^m^pf T«ehnical and Bibliographic Notsa/Notaa tachniquaa at bibliographiquaa Tha Inatituta haa anamptad to obtain tha baat original copy avaiiabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographicaily uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may aignlficantly changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. L'Inatitut a microfilm* la maillaur axamplaira qu'il lui a *tA poaaibia da aa procurer. Laa details da cat axamplaira qui aont paut-Atra uniquaa du point da vua bibliographiqua. qui pauvant modif iar una imaga raproduita, ou qui pauvant axigar una modification dana la mithoda normala da filmaga aont indiquAa ci-daaaoua. □ Colourad covara/ Couvarturo da eoulaur □ Covara damagad/ Couvartura andommag^a □ Covara raatorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura raataur^a at/ou pailiculAa I — I Covar titia miaaing/ n Colourad pagaa/ Pagoa da eoulaur D D D n La titra da couvartura manqua Colourad mapa/ Cartaa gtegraphiquaa tt eoulaur □ Colourad inic (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da eoulaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) rn Colourad plataa and/or illuatrationa/ Planchaa at/ou illuatrationa wn eoulaur Bound with othar material/ Rail* avac d'autrea doeumanta Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or diatortion along interior margin/ Laroliura aerrie peut cauaar da I'ombre ou de la diatoraion le long de la marge intirieure Blank laavaa aHdad during reatoration may appear within tha text. Whenever poaaible, theae have been omitted from filming/ II ae peut que certainea pagaa bianehea ajoutiaa lore d'une reatauration apparaiaaent dana le texte. meia, loraqua cela Atait poaaible. cea pagaa n'ont pea «t* filmAaa. D D D D D D Pagaa damaged/ Pagaa endommag4ea Pagea raatorad and/or laminated/ Pagaa reatauriaa at/ou pailicuiiea Pagrn diacolourad, atainad or foxed/ Pagea dAcoloriea, tachatiea ou piquiea Pagea detached/ Pagea d^tachtea Showthrough/ Tranaparence Quality of print variea/ Quality inAgala de I'impreaaion includaa aupplementary materiel/ Comprend du matArial auppUmentaire Only edition available/ Saule Mition diaponible Pagea wholly or partially obacurad by errata alipa. tiaauea, etc.. have been refiimed to enaure the beat poaaible image/ Lea pagea totalament ou pertiellement obacureiea par un feuillet d'arrata, una pelura, etc.. ont *tA fiimiea i nouveau da fapon i obtenir le meilleure image poaaible. Q Additional eommanta:/ Commentairea •upplAmantairaa: TitIa pig* it • photor«pro&m^pf- Th« copy filmed h«r« hat b««n r«produc«cl thanks to tha ganarosity of: Saminary of QimImc Library Tha imagaa appaaring hara ara tha bast quality possibia considaring tha condition and laglbility of tha original copy and in Icaaping with tha filming contract spaciflcationa. Original copies in printad papar covers ara filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printad or illustrated impres- sion, or the becit cover when eppropriata. All other original copies ara filmed beginning on the first page with a printad or illustrated Imprea- sion, and ending on the last page with a printad or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain tha symbol — »> (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol ▼ (meaning "END"), whichever applies. IMaps. plates, charts, etc.. may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one expoaura ara filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, aa many frames aa required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaira film« fut reproduit grice L la giniroslt* da: Mmimirt d« QuMmc BibliotltAqus iM images suivantes Ont Ati reproduites avac la plus grand scin. compta tenu de la condition at da la nattet* de rexemplaira film*, et en conformity avac las conditions du contrat da fiimaga. Lm exempiairas originaux dont la couverture en papier est ImprimAe sont filmAs en commen9ant par la premier plat et en terminant soit par la derniAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impreasion ou d'illustration, soit par la second plat, salon le cas. Tous lea autres exempiairas originaux sont fllmte en commen^ant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impreasion ou d'illustration et en terminant par la darniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un dee svmboles suivants apparaltra sur la darnlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE". le symbols ▼ signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tabieeux. etc.. peuvent Atre f llmAa i das taux da rMuction di?f*renu. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atra reproduit en un «?ui ciich*. il est filmA i partir da I'angia supdi:.to ■; <» •0 *i.-' .. !■ "■«.•<. i'- •■.' .* i;.; r * *j ^ H :;■ ■fir SOLICITCTR GfiNERAL, iircjt^. te- ^^ '■ - ' !,f':'-f '■ '"ivif Jr■*''ll■''■-*^l^^&fef•■ , -;.,; ■■'■ -mM^ V!';*': pi'^i^s/i'sij ' A fk^AfiiiAttt htittfe of the procecfding^ iti fny case being the utijustifiable, and^ I htimbJy cbnceive, iltegal, si^izure^ eximmsltion and detenr tion of all my private pajyers of i^viefy description,^ I bi^ leave to sofictt yottr impartial peiitsal and considetatidn of the ibUowihg Letter, liddressed t6the iSecretarieis of StMe, ivhtch>a^ published iii Vt^t 6n the Occasion of the seizure of Mr. Wilkes*^ papers. You acib aware that on the 30th of April, 1763, Mr. Wilkes's house was forcibly entered under a warrant from the Secretaries of Biate i his dooi-s and locks broken open, hislipilt secret and confi- dential papers thrown into a sack, put into the hands or conitnbn messengers, without a schedule or any security for the recovery of them, and cari- ried to the Secretary of State's office : and that in the following year, when he brought his action against the under Secretary of State, Mr. Wood, very heavy damages were given, and it was declar- ed from the Bench that the seizure qf pojpers, ex* cepting m cases qfhigh treason, is illegal. "LETTER TO THE SEGRETARIE3 OF STATE, ON THE SEIZ0HE OF PAPERS." 9! ♦ , 1 |5' s «« My Lords,'? •« Ifeiy writers li^esilfcttiittfed to the pablic very important reflections on the prmkge of P0'Uameni BX^A conmd but that great article of 5mia?^ ^jiers has not, so far as I have observed* been taken into consideration by any of the correspondents of the public." "Bail will deliver every man from impiison- ment, before conviction, for any offence not capit- al/' An illegal commitment may be corrected by the summary interposition of the King^s Courts, ^nd even personal restraint, at the worst, can on- ly, to any great degree, affect the single person whosufi^rgit. But I b^ve not yet heard of a Habeas Corpus to redeem papers from captivity. C^oipmisifons of gaol-delivery do hot Extend to them, nor can they petition fctr trial, in, order to force their liberty. It is not he only, wbose ps^ pers are seized, who is distressed by it, but every person in the least connected with him, and sbm^ may, by the most accidental circumstanc^in^a^- abk, be involved in the consequences. ' Thes^^ go to the friend, |o the friend's friend, and iii shor^ i|: is impossiiie %> say whjfit may be the ex- tent of their influence.'* " I doubt hot but there is some legal method of recovering papers, as well &s any other goods which are unlawfully detained from the right own- er ; but I am sure the remedy must, from the nature of the thing, be very ineffectual, if it was less tedious and troublesome than, I dare say, it is, as well as all other proceedings at law; and the mischief and damages occasioned by the seiz- % ■ iw'J'Y^S'^'vfr'W'^f 5 i« ^ i^erets i^ tr^/th^fliilo^ber 1b^ disedi»iii#iii^ Meiieei€t of m drcubi»tliA)f^8^^the ttam&iWm0 fairs* Many bliv^ tbeir wBl% selU^^ dis{)OSi^dlE^%f ^ttiieir e^tes sealed tip ki siliitlee» aoito Wlb»N)^v6rty ma^y, fmim thevi^^ on]y upp^tt the tinseasonabl^ disco* very of whii^ may ia^lte iifttn inj umtti&fMe ruifl^ Ou^ honour ^a&dfs^ey^oui-l^ts^i|i^i#Qr amusements^ our enjoyments, our friends^^H^ and -eveti ^ or c^oi^epjj^i^io^eii^ piiiise/Ojify. j»^ iktom^fitf I ^nd: pcHMder If JtuBifii^rfpiild cli0oie bn^ielQflet ]?aiti9ad^4 hit a^oistm p08i|0ries^nflMi hisi^prs c^med iiQ.^pws nnj^ wheFQ^ ftodleiqposejd to h^ know* not whoiii* > |^t hteHkidiR^iiiiect thfU in (his ipatte^ evfry ja^n^ i#^dep^adlffil upon smother in a unguUf ^ j^t pna^' voidable siann^i to an unspieakable' and viklQ^trit cable: def^ee y and that every > perfoQ ; ]i)^« iq 9( great measure* or to an -equal effect^ r^u&r, the same inoenvieniences toin the n^isfortunevhappen*^ ing to his frknd, as if it had befallen hhnself ; so thati in pioportion to the extent of a man's con- nections^and Gorresponden^Sy is he e^cposed to this* hardships and to all the Qiischievou9 €onsequeii«> cesof it/' -, ** What cian be more excruciating llian to havo' the lowest of mankind enter suddenly into oBe'9 house, and forcibly carry away scrtitoires with all one's papers of every kind, uoder a pretence of law ? in the hurry too of such a business, notes, bonds, deeds, and evidence of the utmost conse^r' quence to private property may be divulj^ed, torm lost, or destroyed, to the irreparable ii^ury not only of one, but of mmy ; friends, rdatioiiSi or- phans, to whom he may be a trustee, those who have no other father^ friend, or protector, may have their little property put in jeopardy, or an^ nihilated, by the seizure of any man's papers.'* ** The Parliament, to make private correspond- siEicred, has enacted that a single letter ence shall not, under the highest penalties, be opened at the post-office, without an express warrant in <. » MMt MilVtV^^ .,,^,^ » I XiiBEiii;T4Si> a>.' ndf;4 tii)E^? .'iOiie ocan nbt^^orel^ .read it m'lilici^^diiitl<< tution ; and if it is inithid Stattite bdolli^ ot<: iit^tb^ 'Beoordiof aiiy C!oiirt in ^ihe Kingd#b0di|^e, eveiiiit^bre' tl<^re ,is;i]0/|r«edpm." . • ■.. ;j;±»/ .'i\ : ■-. : , V^< I^slc.f)ardon:for liot doing adnliinistmtio^ the justteewto pame the righteous cause their own ad- vocate assigns for this es^o^se of power ; unce it was m^de use of, (these atre his woiJs) *.;j ii»| Mii(ivi ^f^«' ^| »i;■^jtp fl fl w y w »Wg^j |'' » ' ,^'!w g f-'. ( i •/♦ 1 A v6i^ limdable :]ntehtff)|tt:tnd aiiiiin'9 liouM for itheirptiqpo^e of fc»ii)gingHhim t» pi^i^luBcn^ groiia$l{-9f^dif/Sno0i! / j^ ipii^lidng ttetfom^iv tb^ t^,9pt^^t»m is!eatu|^it<;if{rhe lafte^oiiAlgeraQii %aiieyi tb« ^* daring anb^ read at thie tiriahu r Li; ^^'.Sb#iwhat was the>i pretence of this lateviobM ttoQx^ rigblfi so sacredt in their jsature y < this.inva* sion of property in a critical point, whichf «omt<, preheikls^^'i^ry valuable interest a man cap have? A peraoft is suspected of , bei;pg the author of 4 printed (papier^ which^ in^the^ judgment of the Se»>. cretarie^ of) ISitate^ I wasl at seditious libel, iind the. proof of thi&rfact. is to be sided put of hiis ofobn pa* pers : for your Lordships have said in. yiour Jetter whid* is pubHsflied, that such qf the papers seised as tend to fmtke out t/te guilt 0/ the oxmer, ate to be kept and usedjor that purpose.-' ^ .^ i*^ . **! If therb is a circumstance that can affgftivate the injuryv whicli is in. itself tpo great almost to' be conceived, it is this * use that is to be made of the papers ; and notluug.can so much add to the :-j) ii^«^ ti|hic|> ^pridkipe of stwiiig puffiii mtuH f^^^fii^fjEi#^ia^p^7>^ J^fe- $0Pi» f3^ «m un- ftil^g^iyA»0ua^:^:iR^ ixpfm w^b b0fi^lir/jflfil**w»ni9di 1^ *« i?«t off that v^ Kf'Tbft^radc ititif is bijr^ly ^inioi^ il)]|i|||}i|9 m^^^ fiQsamii^hfk or ipmih'o l^yrfmnic^ne^b^of pfoirf. Bothlir9 ^QwJlj! igwnst tb« fira^ tfiws oi mtnt^^ mi m^m^^ ^ ^^^^ unjike ^ be* 9ign i#i^t of ow iP^Asti^^ '•^ Itt ,cMos 9f faPWWn ii«!per,s must be the crime of fnanjf. It implies plptsand eoliSpitacies which are carrying on by corr^spond- B ■■»■ 6l ii f ^ii h ii ': K \ iL.^i,f:f^ '' !iW '^9(m^'.-'V'?'ti^n'Pf'*fvtWMW'M^ Of *. I i^hc^, And to be discovered by ^i^enL The safei ty of the State, which is superior to cvety othet consideration^ itiakesi ii nei^^aTy to as^ all pbltoi- ble nAestnsj to lihinask the^xiachiii^tions of ireasbtl^ thdt the dreadful efTcctf hitty be p^eventei Pai pers thcirefbre niliiy be'^!^^ and letters inter- cepted, -iHs arms; immunlfRiii '■ ind' dther warlike stores itlily be secbred^ tMV^ the Mnews df tebeU lion tna^ be ^t. This is t3f«f sole reason attd the erkl <>f 'ifeizihg; papers 1jrt^' st treasonable casei-i**^ Whftt A3fes, htiwet/^i*; hi^tf^lb treason, %ill mt take plab^ iii other cas^s^*' Ifc'^*rs treasoif'tb' Com- pass or imagine ^as it is c^ted^ Or, ih ^dlin £lig^ fish, to contrive or iiitendi the keath of- ttie kiiHgi It is not^howeverj murdfer; lii Jof'o hiiMan^ tt^ intend, Oi'even to ^tteriipt,^ kill any other itlftti; There is^therefore lio eianipfe to be drawn froM what is or may be doneih <»^eE^of treason, to Way other case.'' ♦ '* '^"'^-'O-t :.; c-!:r';ij--j "To the mercy of any gdl^enimeuf ^¥mc^^ victs may have some ctaifn': Ihe 'b6ftf|^it|ft of 6or's< guilt itself can not ftfrfek ItaimLiAmatii mildness in prosecutions and trials cnii be^eni^ or interrupted to none. Suspicion or aceusation do not annul the rights of innocence, nor rob the subject either of the protection or favour of the laws. The lenity of justice is in England its dignity. Fair trials and gentle prosecutions are the peculiar glory of the country; andtio man should be deprived of any bene^t or advantage his own silence, or the secrecy of papers not pub- lished, can afford, to protect him against convic- tion. As he can keep his mouth shut, so his pvi*< vacies ought to be sacred and his repositories seciire." ** But, if the partitions of a man's closet (which n 'fl- ier- is but another Ucfoar) are to Ib^e wantonly brQJki Open on, every i^lght pretence or trivial occasion, an4 what lies ther^ loc^ked up in secrecy, things tbat.the world ncprex saw, and no man hais aright to lopk upon, are ,to be exposed at the humour, or malice or every> perhaps, trading justice of peace, let the most partial determiDe 'w(^at must he the consequences. There is an end pf liberty, ^n end of confidence amongst mankind. A severe restraint is laid upon friendship and correspond-; ^ce, and even upon the freedom of thought.— > In short a fatal blow is given to the most precious and valuable rights of mankind i to the fairest privileges of society," , "Every true friend of liberty will therefore anxiousiv desire to see this question have a fair trial; that he may know exactly how tbe law stands, and be fidly apprised of his danger, so that all may provide against it the best th^ can. If, on every pretence or suspicion, of offence, or of what, not only a Secretary of State, but the low- est magistrate of the peace, may pleaile to deem one, our houses and our friends' houses are to be open at all hours, and under all circumstances, to every prowling officer of the Crown, actuated by curiosity, interest, design, or revenee, he will be the wisest man who corresponds the least with others, and the most prudent, who writes very lit- tle, and keeps as few papers as he can by him. — None but a fool in this case, will have any secrets at all in his possession." <* That ho such badge of slavery does yet exist in this country, is still believed. That it never may exist will naturally be the wish of every Englishman. The expectations of the sound part pf the community are, that if th^ late most extrg- m IS dfiiiiiary, tnd, it i$ thcMight, tmpreeedentect ^4 lil^^i seizure of papers, produces a legdtria^ it wilTbe found to be mftuifet^ly Bgaimtttm, kttd that all the subjects of this kingdom wHl buve the satisfaction to be assured by a judicial detennifia- tion, that, as iheir Houses are thekr S/LNcrvABifis,. their Closkts are the Sanctom Sanctorum of that Sanptuqry. I do not pretend to assimilate my case to Mr, Wilkes's, but there ^re so many analogous facts in mine, to which the reasonings and arguments that were adduced on that occasion apply, that I trust you wiU excuse me in briery enumerating a few of them. A warrant was issued by a justice of peace to search for papers in my I|ouse i by virtue of whicBf a number of papers, wholly unconnected with the charges against me, were taiken, and have beeQ detamed tor six months. The police constable who tpok my person, seiz- ed %xi immense mass of miscellaneous papers^ all my writing desks, and private repositories; some were broke open, and the whole were pried into and examined, and disposed of in a way which no enquiries have yet enabled me satisfac- torily to ascertain. No schedule, inventory or return was, or has been, made of them, nor any security given for their restoration, but a verbal promise, which has been falsified, Uutt such as were not wanted should be^ven back. The avowe4 obiect of seizing ' my papers was € die kiCeiition of discovering guih, find of ittf ^ t tkig others- in the charges time Against me. Letterii have heen intercepted at &e potft^cd^ toi^ the same unjttstMahle objects. My papers so far from ^ving been considered as private or sacred* have been bandied abouty scattered indiscriminately on tables and on floctti^ left open to the inspection^ and sulgected to ihe remarks and sneers of constables, batlitib, bailifiii^ followers, clerks and boys ; and passages and cir- cumstances connected with the former part of my life, years anterior to the present period, have been the subject of jest and ribaldry among the lowest of mankind* An^ongst the papers that have been seized and detained I deny that there are proofs (^ guilt;' that there are proofs to dear me from accusation, i aver \ that there are secrets which, though they* neither affect life nor liberty, I would rather have died than have had discovered, I*allow ; that even my vices and failings (and who has not some dar* Sing secret yice or filing) are exhibited in them,' [ admit ^ secrets of thought and of conduct sucl^ as not any man has a right to look upon, and which, being such as up law has a right to take cognizance of, no^ colour of law has a right to ex- pose. Yet these have been industriously raked out, and, though not published in the papers, have been retailed and propagated, commupicated to friends ', and ev^n* in order to resist action^ brought for fhlse imprisonment, put on the fyle^ of the Court of King's Bench. Although none of these papers can, I am con^ fident, be made any use of, in iiupport of the cri- minal allegations against me^ thep^ may be, and 1 '- ' ^n-.y— "^f^ ■ ■;;■-•' -(j ■•/ ■.-■ I «■ Me^mAc0iiimilt|[»d iu the;Course of these pi^oqeedings. -Wtill* settlemente* d^eds,.assigqinent:s^ bonds^ poli0te9 of insurance, accounts, receipts, certifi- cates* ice. private correspondence, literary papers, tininished voricy, poetry, diaries, journals, have jdi been swispt away as if by an undiicriminatjng besom ; and the interests 9^d feelings of others are as deeply injured as my own* I may be per- haps allowed to say too, with a consciouspess of some talent, and ,of considerable mean$ of obser^ vation, that, mv literary gleanings foj upwards of twenty years thus rent from me, and in ";Con£u- %ion worse confounded,'* may in some measure be considered as a loss that affects, not myself alone ; and that a mass of information respecting Cana- 4^ which I had assiduously collected, and had hoped to have embodied in a shape fit to present to the British public, will now be consigned to 1^lprofitable oblivion. jLeaving the further analogies and applications jthat occur in these matters, to your consideratioii, I have the honour to be, 3ir, Your ino9t obedient ser\'ant, S. H. WILCOCKE. I^pnjtrj^^, 19th April, 1821. '^ ■• "'la ->A<; * < »«(t. ss,>.i iO^ *• 'Wv »