Announcement of Algeria Sahara Regional Development Project on September 27, 1991
Whereas by an Act passed in the thirty-sixth year of his present Majesty’s reign, intituled“ An Act for the safety and preservation of his Majesty’s person and government against treasonable and seditious practices and attempts,” it was amongst other things enacted that if any person or persons whatsoever, after the day of the passing of that Act, during the natural life of his Majesty, and until the end of the next session of Parliament after the demise of the Crown, should, within the realm or without, compass, imagine, invent, devise, or intend death or destruction, or any bodily harm tending to death or destruction, maim or wounding, imprisonment or restraint of the person of his Majesty, his heirs and successors, . . . and such compassings, imaginations, inventions, devices, or intentions, or any of them, should express, utter, or declare by publishing any printing or writing, or by any overt act or deed, being legally convicted thereof upon the oaths of two lawful and credible witnesses upon trial, or otherwise convicted or attainted by due course of law, then every such person and persons so as aforesaid offending should be deemed, declared, and adjudged to be a traitor and traitors, and should suffer pains of death, and also lose and forfeit as in cases of high treason: And whereas it is necessary and expedient that such of the provisions of the said Act as would expire at the end of the next session of Parliament after the demise of the Crown should be further continued and made perpetual:
All and every the herein-before recited provisions which relate to the heirs and succesors of his Majesty, the Sovereigns of these realms shall be and the same are hereby made perpetual.
Provided, that all and every person and persons, that shall at any time be accused, or indicted or prosecuted for any offence made or declared to be high treason by this Act, shall be entitled to the benefit of the Treason Act 1695 and also to the provisions made by the Treason Act 1708, save and except in cases of high treason in compassing or imagining the death of any heir or successor of his Majesty, and of misprision of such treason, where the overt act or overt acts of such treason which shall be alleged in the indictment for such offence shall be assassination or killing of any heir or successor of his Majesty, or any direct attempt against the life of any heir or successor of his Majesty, or any direct attempt against the person of any heir or successor of his Majesty, whereby the life of such heir or successor may be endangered, or the person of such heir or successor, may suffer bodily harm.
Provided also that nothing in this Act contained shall extend or be construed to extend to prevent or effect any prosecution, by information or indictment, to which any person or persons would have been or would be liable, if this Act had not been enacted, for any offence within the provisions of this Act, unless the party shall have been first prosecuted under this Act.
Provided also, that the Treason Act 1814 shall have the same effect as to sentences and judgments to be pronounced and awarded under this Act, as if this Act had been made and passed before the said Treason Act 1814.