Seditious Meetings Act and Treasonable Practices Act

Historical Context Note

Litencyc Editors (Independent Scholar - Europe)
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(36 Geo. III. C. 8 and c. 7) This pair of Acts form the so-called “gagging acts” by which Pitt’s government tried to prevent the expression of radical ideas and contain social unrest at a time of famine and rising prices. The specific cause was the mass meeting held by the London Corresponding Society at Copenhagen House, Islington, on 26th October, and the pelting of the king’s coach on October 29th as he went to open the parliamentary session. The earlier food riots in Nottingham also weighed on the government. The Seditious Meetings Act empowered magistrates to order the dispersal of any meeting of more than 50 people. The Treasonable Practices Act made it a crime punishable by seven years transportation to write or speak against the monarch, government or constitution. Despite…

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Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Seditious Meetings Act and Treasonable Practices Act". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 January 2006 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=998, accessed 19 March 2024.]

998 Seditious Meetings Act and Treasonable Practices Act 2 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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