Unlawful Societies Act 1799
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
(39 Geo. 3) C A P. LXXIX.
[12th July 1799]
'WHEREAS a traitorous Conspiracy has long been carried on, in conjunction with the Persons from Time to Time exercising the Powers of Government inFrance , to overturn the Laws, Constitution, and Government, and every existing Establishment, Civil and Ecclesiastical, both in Great Britain and Ireland , and to dissolve the Connection between the two Kingdoms, so necessary to the Security and Prosperity of both: And whereas, in pursuance of such Design, and in order to carry the same into Effect, divers Societies have been of late Years instituted in this Kingdom, and in the Kingdom of Ireland , of a new and dangerous Nature, inconsistent with Publick Tranquillity, and with the Existence of regular Government, particularly certain Societies calling themselves Societies of United Englishmen, United Scotsmen, United Britons, United Irishmen , and The London Corresponding Society: And whereas the Members of many such Societies have taken unlawful Oaths and Engagements of Fidelity and Secrecy, and used secret Signs, and appointed Committees, Secretaries, and other Officers, in a secret Manner; and many of such Societies are composed of different Divisions, Branches, or Parts, which communicate with each other by Secretaries, Delegates, or otherwise, and by means thereof maintain an Influence over large Bodies of Men, and delude many ignorant and unwary Persons into the Commission of Acts highly criminal: And whereas it is expedient and necessary that all such Societies as aforesaid, and all Societies of the like Nature, should be utterly suppressed and prohibited, as unlawful Combinations and Confederacies, highly dangerous to the Peace and Tranquillity of these Kingdoms and to the Constitution of the Government thereof, as by Law established:' Be it enacted by the King's most excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That, from and after the passing of this Act, all the said SocietiesofUnited Englishmen, United Scotsmen, United Irishmen , and United Britons , and the said Society commonly called The London Corresponding Society , and all other Societies called Corresponding Societies , of any other City, Town, or Place, shall be, and the same are hereby utterly suppressed and prohibited, as being unlawful Combinations and Confederacies against the Government of our Sovereign Lord the King, and against the Peace and Security of his Majesty's liege Subjects.
II All Societies shall be deemed unlawful, the Members whereof shall be required to take any Oath unlawful under 37 Geo. 3. c. 123. or any Oath, Test, &c. not authorized by Law; or which shall have any Members, Committees, &c. not known to the Society at large; or the Names of all the Members whereof shall not be entered in regular Books; or which shall act in separate or distinct Branches; and Members thereof, and Persons corresponding with or supporting them, guilty of an unlawful Combination.
II. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That, from and after the passing of this Act, all and every the said Societies, and also every other Society now established, or hereafter to be established, the Members whereof shall, according to the Rules thereof, or to any Provision or Agreement for that Purpose, be required or admitted to take any Oath or Engagement, which shall be an unlawful Oath or Engagement within the Intent and Meaning of an Act, passed in the thirty-seventh Year of his Majesty's Reign, intituled,An Act for more effectually preventing the administering or taking of unlawful Oaths , or to take any Oath not required or authorized by Law; and every Society, the Members whereof, or any of them, shall take, or in any Manner bind themselves by any such Oath or Engagement, on becoming or in consequence of being Members of such Society; and every Society, the Members whereof shall take, subscribe, or assent, to any Test or Declaration not required by Law, or not authorized in Manner herein-after mentioned; and every Society, of which the Names of the Members, or of any of them, shall be kept secret from the Society at large, or which shall have any Committee or select Body so chosen or appointed, that the Members constituting the same shall not be known by the Society at large to be Members of such Committee or select Body, or which shall have any President, Treasurer, Secretary, Delegate, or other Officer so chosen or appointed, that the Election or Appointment of such Persons to such Offices shall not be known to the Society at large, or of which the Names of all the Members, and of all Committees or select Bodies of Members, and of all Presidents, Treasurers, Secretaries, Delegates, and other Officers, shall not be entered in a Book or Books to be kept for that Purpose, and to be open to the Inspection of all the Members of such Society; and every Society which shall be composed of different Divisions or Branches, or of different Parts, acting in any Manner separately or distinct from each other, or of which any Part shall have any separate or distinct President, Secretary, Treasurer, Delegate, or other Officer, elected or appointed by or for such Part, or to act as an Officer for such Part; shall be deemed and taken to be unlawful Combinations and Confederacies; and every Person who, from and after the passing of this Act, shall become a Member of any such Society, or who, being a Member of any such Society at the passing of this Act, shall afterwards act as a Member thereof; and every Person who, after the passing of this Act, shall directly or indirectly maintain Correspondence or Intercourse with any such Society, or with any Division, Branch, Committee, or other select Body, President, Treasurer, Secretary, Delegate, or other Officer, or Member thereof as such, or who shall, by Contribution of Money or otherwise, aid, abet, or support such Society, or any Members or Officers thereof as such; shall be deemed guilty of an unlawful Combination and Confederacy.
III Act shall not extend to Declarations approved by two Justices, and registered with the Clerk of the Peace; provided such Approbation be confirmed at the next General Quarter Session.
III. Provided always nevertheless, and be it enacted, That nothing herein contained shall extend to any Declaration to be taken, subscribed, or assented to by the Members of any Society, in case the Form of such Declaration shall have been first approved and subscribed by two or more of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County, Stewartry, Riding, Division, or Place, where such Society shall ordinarily assemble, and shall have been registered with the Clerk of the Peace, or his Deputy, for such County, Stewartry, Riding, Division, or Place, for which there shall be paid a Fee of one Shilling and no more; but that such Approbation of the Justices as aforesaid shall remain valid and effectual no longer than until the next General Session for such County, Stewartry, Riding, Division, or Place, unless the same shall, on Application made by the Parties concerned, be confirmed by the major Part of the Justices present at such General Session; and if the same shall not be then and there so confirmed, the Provisions of this Act shall from thenceforth extend to such Declaration, and to all Societies or Persons subscribing the same, in so far as may relate to all Acts which may be done by them, or any of them, subsequent to the holding of such General Session.
IV Former Members not acting after passing this Act, not liable to Penalty.
IV. Provided also, and be it enacted, That no Person who, at or before the passing of this Act, shall be, or shall have been a Member of any such Society, shall be liable to any Pain or Penalty for having been a Member of such Society at or before the passing of this Act, in case such Person shall not in any Manner act as a Member of such Society at any Time after the passing of this Act.
V Not to extend to regular Lodges of Free Masons held before passing this Act;
V. 'And whereas certain Societies have been long accustomed to be holden in this Kingdom under the Denomination ofLodges of Free Masons , the Meetings whereof have been in great Measure directed to charitable Purposes;' be it therefore enacted, That nothing in this Act shall extend to the Meetings of any such Society or Lodge which shall, before the passing of this Act, have been usually holden under the said Denomination and in conformity to the Rules prevailing among the said Societies of Free Masons.
VI but...
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