Star. — London, England, 1819-10-25 00:00:00

, to receive them, because the ;rated tielsee %%hither Tribunal ;—. vitnesses •said they had further eel then still refused to hear them, and is said that some - cases would: be hem, which had never been before t h e Magistrates still refused them, " of the same nature"—(Hear,' led Ahem that the information was could procure, but still - it was not of to justify them in, deciding on the Again; it. Was said, that the tte ent had taken measures, and that lied ou. This.confidence in the Ese ent,'in questions affecting _popular hich he could not 'ackafirileggh e old practice of the Constitnnon, [ant jealousy against the Minion* of I the courtly phrase of unbounded d have been spurnedat . as - unworthy --(Applause). But it they were di:- confidence in the Executive, the Mi a care it should not be so. hey had [le of the Prince Regent to an 'entire approval of the proceedings at Man use). They, who accused others of q uestion. hail themselves prejudged told by the same description Of per dangerous to call together the Peo nt sate of public feeling. These per ught it danger:As to call together the were ready, however, to call them Addresses on Royal Births or Royal d applause), and it was right that they interest in the events which affected [ their Sovereign ; but was it not also, y should also take some interest in their own happiness and liberty ? ost important rights secured to them ns, was the right of Petitioning, and g too, if a course fatal to their in tnevered in —(11e81. In thii right s had given them a powerful yet a ) interfere between the People and the ✓ the protection of both--(Applause). tumult now arose around the gates :casioned by the struggles, of people o gain admission ; the noise for some i the speaker. Dr. Fenwick at length u this light he had always viewed the using, and he never found himself in assembly of British Freeholders with t he beheld a powerful pledge of the Constitution. But, it was said that me to strengthen the hands of Govern the limits of the laws he was willing vernment all powerful ;' but what was wernment which the times required, s suitable to the Constitution? Not st wrong in the suspension Of our rights, which the law denied—not a.Govern i the means of corruption, or in an ex ng army in the time of peace; but a wrong in well defined powers—strong if public happiness, and therefore rooted as of the People. He trusted the pre would shew how safe it was at all times t:ople—to explain their rights, and to t peaceably to assert them. It was as nest of the lowest as well as of the hers of society to preserve the Constitu- Pioud as the merits of our ancestors tulest laurels which encircled their brows which the creation - and defence of this entitled them. 'Might we ever preserve Fe..ing neither the palsy of despottsni to p, nor the fury of tbe populace towrencir Applatue). It was in a strict adherence it safety was to be found; and if men in well as the People theinselves, would re to it, they would find its salutary prin. :tit to maintain the public order, to avert :races of casual mischances. There was DO which he would detain them for a few seer—he meant the conduct of those men he leaders of what was called Radical le was unwilling to prejudge any indioi. . 1 1e lowest to the highest ; but when he n'4 . tigable activity with which they tra :oantry, those districts especially where an of wages bad created distress,—when n marshalling people from one distant amnion centre—.— me tae tumult, which had from time to ward sierra without the doors of the Hall, der. The persons without, who were un it- the proceedings, cried loudly far ad to tl.e Green, in front of the Hall. As s not complied with, they seemed deter -I,tevent, by the noise they made, those e!ijoying any advantage over them. .!:!1i called on the Constables to do their oPping the tumult. He declared that the .sal been appointed to be held in that Hall, c should not adjourn it. He pointed out is who were seen through the main door of crcating much of the noise, and observed were no Freeholders, and should be pie .:n disturbing the Court. from within the Hell said, that reeholder, and having with great difficulty I.ltnis..ion, he could speak from his own ,e, that there were many Freeholders on the 1.0 could not get within hearing. said, that tht Meeting was one for n , riint.nre acquiesced in the propriety of !emu k. but said it was to be lamented ) 1 ke could not hold all those who had a ' owLl.l r said the clamopr was in the way of .ir.d that the persons around the dour " 11 ..,.; trio cause which they were desirous of rrsl rose amidst a burst of applause, t::,, overwhelmed the noise of those who ti for admission. He implored those •r ;' . 4nt the reach of his voice to be silent, 0..1t to the Constables and Under-Sheriff ;•,), on a balustrade without the Court, ‘loirc in keeping up the spise which had their elders. 1 , 1. : 'e . 111: degree of silence was then procured. " t: then proceeded to say, that be was distinctly heard on tke . subject, on at that moment addressing tho Meeting', and on svhich much inisuriderstiliding had prevailed. When he saw (he said) the leaders of the Radical Reformers travershig the Kingdom in .ei . ery direction, especially in those places where the reduc lion of wages made the people dissatisfied with their condition—when he found the m vilifyi ng, grossest misrepresentations, whatever was honour able among public characters—when he found them . ' falsifying the history of thei r sitions which had no foundation country to assert pro ndation in t ruth, he hardly anew tow to express his alarm. But if this was ataming, was the danger to be met by publit men ,separating themselves from the great body of the people, by signing loyal Addresses in Chambers or hidden places?—(Applause)—Was it not rather to be 'met by calling the people together, by appea l ing to their reason, to their good principles, to their loyalty to The Government, and their duty to Goo ? The Radical Reformers, he was convinced, were con tending for what was not known to the Constitution, nor practised under it, not one contended for by those who had wisely formed our present frame of Govern. 'ment—for such a change, in short,, as would leave nothing of the Constitution hut the frame remaining. Ile had'now explained the views of the Gentlemen , who signed the Requisition, who were desirous of preventing a dangerous precedent from being formed, who would adhere to the Constitution in all its parts, anxious for the safety of the prerogative of the Crown, as well as the Liberties of the People, and fur the. maintenance of the authority of the law, as well as 'of their own rights. In accordance of the principles 'cif those who had signed the Requisition, a series of Resolutions had been framed, which embodied the substance of them. These Resolutions would be read audibly to them for their adoption or rejection. [The conclusion of this speech was received with three cheers, and with much applause]. The following Resolutions were then read : ", L. That it is contrary to the principles of the Constitution, and a dangerous invasi en of one of its most impo.tant privileges, forcibly to interrupt and disperse any Meeting of the People, legally assembled, and peaceably held for the consideration of any matter affecting the public welfare. " 2. That the dispersion of the Meeting held at Manchester, on the 16th of August last, by a Military Force, whereby many of his Majesty's Subjects were grievously wounded, and some actually killed, has filled us with anxiety and alarm, and that we have seen with astonishment and regret, the approbation which his Royal Highness the Prince Regent has, without any sufficient opportunity for inquiry, been advised to give to those persons concerned in the direction and execution oc that measure. " 3. That although nothing has appeared which justifies the conduct of the Magistrates and Yeomanry on that occasion, we are unwilling to pronounce a positive censure upon it, without hearing all that can be alleged in their defence ; but that we fed it to be our duty to demand a strict and solemn investigatiotrof occurrences, which have proved so calamitous to-many df our fellow-subjects, and which tend to the establishment of a pre cedent of the utmost danger to the Liberties of the Country. " 4. That while we thus express our opinion, we disclaim any approbation of the political principles of those by whom the Meeting at Manchester was convened, and declare our unal terable attachment to the Constitution, and firm determination to support the authority of the Laws against whoever may vio late them. " 5. 'That an humble Address be therefore presented to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent,.conformable to the tenour of the above, Resolutions." GEORGE BAKER, Esq. seconded the Resolutions. Mr:Laiatiroa said, that they would perhaps ex pect from him, as their Representative, a few words on that occasion, though it was unnecessary to add any thing to the. clear detail by which the Resolu tions had been introduced. He had .not anticipated that it would be his misfortune to belsold the county of Durham assembled on so melancholy all occasion, to vindicate the principles asserted by their ancestors in the Bill of Rights—of fully and freely declaring their grievances by petition. lie had not anticipated, that if this right had been disputed, that any men claiming the name of Englishmen could have been found to pursue their traitorous object (for treason it was against the Constitution), &rough the bodies of their fellow-sibjects; or that they would have raised against the liberties of their country, hands reeking with the blood of helpless and unoffending women and children—(Applause.) Such were the occur rences of the day which had given occasion to the present Meeting. The laws had been violated by those who had been sworn to obey them, and by those who were leagued originally to defend their fellow-countrymen against their common foe, not to raise their fratricide swords against Englishmen. — The fact was not to be disguised, English blood had been shed, and not one drop should be unaccounted for. They had been accused of prejudging the ques tion. The Malichester Magistrates might have rea sons for arresting Mr Bunt ; of that he knew nothing : but there were no reasons which could justify the Yeomanry in their acts on the 16th of August. Not to go into the details of the business, (and he should i,e happy if he could turn from this page of our his tory for ever,) they had facts before them as to the legality of the Meeting. The Meeting called for the 9th of August was declared illegal; it was aban doned. Another Meeting was declared for the 16th. Did the Magistrates declare that illegal? Did they (as Dr. Fenwick had well observed), when Mr. Hunt applied to them on the Saturday previous to the Meeting, take him into custody, or inform him that there was any charge against him or the Meeting? Nay more (as one of the Ministerial Papers of the time observed), " they stared at the' fellow's impu dence!" Yet, on the Monday or.ly, on the, deposition of that Owen (against whom the bill for perjury had been found), that the town was in danger, they issued their warrant to apprehend him! The Magistrates might have concealed reasons for this: it might be wise, and salutary, and just, to suffer the Meeting to assemble, in order to disperse it by an armed.forcet it was possible also that they might have their rea sons- for telling Mr. Hunt a falsehood on the Saturday, and taking Owen's deposition on the Monday ; but nothing could justify the attack on the Meeting si multaneously with the arrest of Mr. Hunt, when the warrants might have been executed without the least disturbance. No symptom of riot had appeared; and it was not till the swords of the Yeomanry had drunk deeply of the blood of the People, that it was pretended that any violence was offered in return. This statement did not rest on solitary witnesses or doubtful facts, but on testimony before the whole world. The previous Meeting had been declared il legal, the Meeting of the 16th had not ; at the Meet ing, no breach of the peace had been committed , — The warrant was issued against Mr. Hunt, still there was no breach of the peace. The Riot Act was read in a corner; and then , as if on that unhappy day every', formality of the law was only brought forward to , be mocked at, the• Cavalry charged before the hour allowed in the Act had elapsed--(Hear, hear !)-- These facts he hope) they niould relate to tbeir ren and their children's children : they would he writ+ ten in the annals of our country in letters of blood. Some slave had brought forward the words oh the banners of the Meeting that day, " Liberty or death!" as a proof of the traitorous nature of the Meeting. When the time came that the coupling of these words should be deemed the harbinger cf rebellion, he should be glad to disown the country that had given him b;rth—(Loud applause.) Who had heard un• moved the song of Scottish independauce burst upon his ear? Who would be a traitor knave? Who.would fill a coward's grave? Who so base as be a slave? Let him turn and dee! Who for Scotladd's King and Law, Freedom's sword would bravely draw, Freeman stand or freeman fa', Let him on with me! (-4pplause.) He, for one, would not consent in silence to hear such sentiments branded as seditious. It was the cry of Liberty, in similar terms, which expelled the Stuarts, and made the way for the Brunswick Family to the •throne of these realms. Conscious as he was that it was the reverence of those principles which would keep them on the throne to which they had been raised, he was much alarmed at witnessing the ap probation which had been bestowed on the transac tions at Manchester, in the name of the Frince Re gent. But they might be assured, from the natural goodness of the Prince Resent's heart, that the senti ments were those of his Ministers only. Their's, and not their Master's, was the insult upon the People; but as they had identified him with themselves, it was the duty of the People to step forward to express their sentiments to him, and if any looked tamely on, they should not be surprised if the next attempt was made at their own doors, and on their own persons— ( -Applause.) Ile was proud to see, however, that the many Public Meetings throughout the Country had shewed the inutility of the attempts to induce the People to desert their natural leaders. The York County Meeting. would shew whether the assistance of those leaders were disdained ; and would not the same thing happen throughout England,• if the same aid was proffered to the People? Let them look too, as a contrast, at the conspicuous leader of Radical Reform in the West Riding: it turned out at that Meeting, that he was in intimate connexion with Oliver, the Government spy. His name, for he was willing to hold him up to infamy, was Mitchell.— There was one Meeting in their own neighbourhood to which he should allude, and the report of the speeches'at which must have bien drawn up by the persons who uttered them, for never had he seen so many falsehoods crowded in so small a space, all di rected to the purpose of dissolving the connexion be tween the higher and the lower orders. A few asset tibns, on facts which. were notorious, it would be .enough for him to notice. It was there said, that though resistance had been offered to the Income- Tar, which fell upon the rich, yet no opposition had been made when three millions of new taxes were imposed upon the People. He could not imagine ow a person. could be found to venture an assertion so false, when it was known from the sources of 'in formation open to the Public, that on the first mention of those . taxes many Members, and he (Mr. Lambton) happened to be the individual through Whom the declaration was made, declared their in tention to oppose them. There was one Hodgson, among the speakers at Newcastle, who said—" Our superiors do not wish us to meet, for what, say they, have we to do with laws hut to obey them ? or with taxes, but to pay them ?" This was a sentiment which, though Mr. Hodgson attributed to all public men, he (Mr. Lanibton) had never heard fiom any public man of any description. What then was to be inferred from this defamation; but that they *ished to degrade that station . which was occupied by others, and which they coveted for themselves.— He would leave the claims of these men to be settled by reference to history ; as he knew not one occasion, either within his own experience, or from a reference to history, in which the natural leaders of the.people, whom it was the objeet of these men to vilify or dis place, had not stepped forward to fight the battles of their country. There ,was'a document from a dif ferent quarter, which had been put into his hands, and on which was entitled " Declaration," and which had been posted pretty freely on the walls of the City. This document had, he was informed, origi nally issued from a room in the Waterloo Tavern — and certainly a place had been chosen appropritte to the production. The names affixed to it left no doubt that it originated from those who often occupied the place where he then stood (the Magistrates Bench). There were Magistrates, Agents, Attornies, and all the machinery of a Quarter Sessions; and, as Pope said, prompt at the call, " Broad hats, caps, wigs, and gowns, a sable shoal." (A lase ).—lt was said in this Paper, that the per sons who concur in it, trust, " that the legal inves tigatiOn of the whole of th 6 transactions which has al teady been instituted before the proper and competent 1 tribunals of the country will, as speedily as is consistent with the ends of justice, be brought to a close." — Now the only case in which any legal investigation was pending, that he knew of, was in the case of Owen, against whom a true bill for perjury had been found. Now he would leave it to the good sense of the people, whether a trial on such a case as that, was a fit bccasion to take into consideration one of the grossest atteinfits which had ever been made the liberties of the people? Whether it was fit on such a trial as that of Owen, to put at issue a question no less than this—whether we should live free, or under a military despotism—whether, when the people had met to consider political questions, they should be dispersed at the point of - the sword ? (Arkus..) Os the tumult ag.tin arose at the door of the Court, and loud cries were heard.for an ad journment to the Green, Mr. Lambton said, that he regietted as much as any man the insufficiency of arse Hall to contain the numbers assembled, but as '-the Sheriff bad declared his determination not to ad and as no arrangement had been made for a Tooting in the open air, the continued noise of those who were without, could only prevent the majority within from hearing.] He concluded by saying, that 1 the call had been made, and the Freeholders had now `to come forward and vindicate their rights--(applause.) ' Mr. PowLarr said, that as the Resolutions had been seconded, it was unnecessary for him to trouble hat peni open the evo ing- Wa' thin Meeting at any great length. As jlis lath@ V; not affixed to the Requisition he thought it necessary to explain the reason. At the time.whert.the Requi sition was signed, be was absent in Londoni so tln,t had he fully concurred as to the h ecessity of the Meet ing, he should nor. have been able to have signed it. At that time too, he was aware that Paeliatnent Was to be assembled, and he felt confident that an inquiry would be instituted by that body, which tnade him less anxious for a Public: Meting. It wits the un doubted, unalienable right of Englishmen td assem ble to discuss their grievances. But as to the Mee! , ing at Manchester, whether it w;is legal or no, he did not presume td cfl'er an opinion, nor, after all the information he had received, was he able to form one. He saw that the fact was not denied, even in the prints most favottrable to Government, that blood had been shed. But, whether the Riot Act was read, or if read, whether read openly and publicly, re mained doubtful. It was said, indeed, th.t Mr. Hunt, the orator, had been informed.that the Riot Act had been read, and it so, guilty indeed muss that than • be, who, tiin?.er these circumstances„ ad , vised the people to stand Arm ) when the cavalry were advancing towards thereat But all this rd. Mained to be proVed. He deplored that such Meet ingi as those at Manchester were held, as that w.i not the way really to do good ; for be was convinced if the representations of the people were addressed to Parliament in a proper manner, they would al -1 ways be attended to. lie regretted that people Of landed property seemed to entertain ertoneous ideas respecting such Meetings as the present ; they were not Radical Reformers, hut assembled under an anxiety for the preservation of their existing rights. When the Parliament assembled, they would find him at his post, and ready to concur in any measure for the investigation of the subject.—( Soule ap• plauses, and some hisses.) The Resolutions were then put, and no one hand was held up against them. Dr. FENWICK theu,submitted to the Meeting an Address, drawn up conformably to the purport f . of the Resolutions. The following Address was then read by the Un der-Sheriff, and agreed to unanimously : s< We hii Majetty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the No. ditty; Clergy, and freeholders of the County of Durham, ap. preach your Royal Highness, to. express our fidelity to your Royal Highness's illustrious Family, and unalterable attachment 'Yo our invaluable Constitution ; and at the same time respect fully, but earnestly, to represent oar deep regret at the event which took place at Manchester, on the 16th of August lest, when a Meeting, which appers to have keen legally assembled, and peaceably cos:duped, was violently -dispersed by a military force, whereby some of our fellow subjects were killed, and many grievously wounded. Our atom at this nietarieholy occurrence has been much increased by the approbation of thu coedit cf theJlagistrates and Yeomanry on that day, which your Royal Highness's confidential servants have expressed in the name cf your Royal Highness, thus hastily prejudging on ex-pe,:•!c evi dence the measures oethose'engaged in these fatal transactions, and giving the countenance of your Royal Highness's autho- • rity to an apparently gross infraction of a constitutional tight. " These circumstances, and the obstacles which have since been interposed to the bringing of this affair before the malt baited Tribunals, induce us humbly to beseech your Royal High ness to take such measures, with the conanreence of Partlamel t, as shall feat/ to a full investigation of those disastrous proceed ings, and to represent that, sock an investigation. is required to quiet the public mind, And to prevent the, establishment of a precedent fraught with the greatest danger to a most important right of the people. While we thus express cur invincible at tachment to our popular rights, we beg leave to assure your Royal highness of our equally firm determination to support the authority of the laws, being fully convinced that as the freedom of the subject forms the best safeguard of the Throne, so' the maintenance of the Royal prerogative, and of the empire of the laws, forms the only real secarity of our liberties." Mr. WITHAM moved, that the A idriss be signed by the High Sheriff in behalf of the Meeting. Mr. Bzwi6KE seconded the motion. Mr. LAMBTON observed, that it was necessary for the Meeting, as well as for the getifF, to observe, that in doing so, he did not act in his individual,, but in his official capacity. • The motion was agreed to. On the motion of Mr. NI EY NELL, seconded bY Mr. SHIPPERDSON, it - was attreed that the Address be Re sented to the PRINCE ItEGENT by Earl GREY. Mr. Mitnuam, of Stockton, begged leave to con gratulate the Meeting on the probable result of their exertions. The monster corruption had • long been trembling in its den, and it remained for the 'Meet ings of York and Durham to unkennel it—(A laugh). It had been the base practice to brand all the op posers of the present system' as jacobins, levellers, demagogues, and so on. Let the authors of these . - - cat -- • he High Sheriff , of foil; meta served tior to 1 iu at 1 1 —i ,4 . 1' , ....., !I 1 .1 ). , , ,p . ~!.r. 1:, ' ;',. I I •." . I, 4 . ' . I / • • II I % I ' . • I I \ .. t . 1 • •I i . 1 i 1 ' 4 I • . I t i /. 1. ' :IL ' / I i , 4 tI ',;,, ''.• t i '.I : k • ; , s 1!. , i , • il .., ft i A'. • i • • , ' . '•. %I l i 1 1 4 : : :.': • i ' 1 ''' • -'.• it • , t , t 1 • 4 i, !, • t I 1, : ~..,! 4 1 !' = 0 0 - lumnies look. at the Requisitions to the High Sheriffs ; z ' York and Durham, and , they would b l us h at their 1 ; , •• lly and temerity. Mr. Milburn then prisc•rted a . . • , .otion to the High Sheriff, which that Officer ob- ; A • rved was.. not relevant to, the subject of the R iequisi- , 1 on, .under.which the. hleetipg had been appointed; •be held. .Mr..Maburn acquiesced in this decision, , ! i 1 • ad the motion was not .read. . Mr. LAbIBT9N said, ,in allusion to.the cry whit-I ', • ad been made for an adjournment , that if it had dc- . , i, : i • ended on .him, hustings shoul4 have been erected in t , • place where.alt those assembled might have bad 1 1 . n opportunity of bearing ; but as those arrange- -ii, • , , t i :toms had not been made,.an adjournment to the . t , ;• . . !in • . 1 o pen air . would. hate narrowed, and not enlarged, lie circle of t.',4ose who could hear the proceedings, ' • ,, f , I. 1 :ven if the Sheriff had • consented. He had 'now to t ,erform a duty as grateful to himself as to th e M ee t - '' ' i ng—to move their Thanks. to the High Sheriff. If • I ;hat ... ' j Gentleman's conduct, on the present occasion. wa ssan earnest of his politeness and attention in per - 1 forming the duties of :his office, the County would i " . • • 1 . have no reason to repent his appointment. --• ': ! it l Mr. Sm.vta seconded the motion, which wa s i ~ , r unanimously agreed to, with applause. , The SHERIFF, Who had well merited the praise . f ' i r :A • I bestowed on him, by his calm and impartial conduct, i ;, . • returned his thanks to the Meeting , and to his . Hon. , • " k )., > Vriend, Mr. Lambton. , ! / Mr.'HOAR moved, that the Resolutions and Ad- • , , ! i dress be insetted in the Newspapers: and observed, . i . that the Ministers, who bad identified the Executive ~, • Government with the Magistrates at Manchester, hxd 1 • . placed the People in this predicament—they must 11 1 express their • feelings. on the subject, or, by their silence, they must be branded for ever as consenting i h ! to the establishment of a general sy stem, on the . , I' principles of that conduct , of wh ich t he M i t g iltrares 1 had given an example.—The mono was agreed to. 4, :l i •,, i .• The Meeting then broke upc—Drttli thi exception of the tumult without the doors of the Hall for ad. , • i i I . mission, it was conducted witJ the greatest decerun u j 4 .I . f !,• . , • . . , _... . • besto' rc I] I I ~M+~ ~ f ~: { 1(1