Star. — London, England, 1819-08-19 00:00:00

y t , I i • I ) , Ip • rl'7 I . . It •.1 ,-1I Vi . ' ' - Mks 1 .±! t .. 4 t , i . . 1 . '. 4 1 • , 1•) P ,') r ~ . . i 0 :, i i , • . .. , .. , . , . 4 . • t A i l ' , I 1 ' party is charged with violating the laws of England, the opposite party may be able to prove that they have respected them." From Tztz MORNING CHRONICLE.—" This dreadful tragedy on Monday last, must fill all who have the peace and character of the country at h eart with the most profound grief. It has hitherto been the pecu liar boast of this country that its inhabitants were distinguished above those of every other by the hor ror in which they held the effusion of human blood. The transactions of Manchester constitute a new fea ture in our history. All the accounts which we have yet seen concur in stating the conduct of the im mense multitude assembled together to have been marked by no outrage whatever. We are quite at a loss then to conceive on what grounds cavalry could I be ordered to charge people conducting themselves in a peaceful manner. We are unwilling to prejudge the cause of any class of men, and till we hear the statement which the Magistrates will put forth, we shall abstain from any positive opinion. We must, To the ample details which we yesterday laid be- however, observe in the mean time, that if any re fore our Readers , respect in g the Manchester Tragedy, liance is to be placed in the acc ounts hitherto re we this day add some further particulars, from letters ceived, there does appear to us , in this business, a received by this day's Mail from that scene of mourn- singular indifference on the part of the Magistrates of ing, and from Provincial Newspapers published Manchester to the safety of the people placed under in the neighbouring d istricts. From the accounts their charge. Good Heavens ! To order regiments now before us it will be seen that the first state- of cavalry to charge an unarmed and peaceable mul titude, to hew down and trample on all wh o stood :tents which we yester da y communicated were to w ey exaggerated. On the c ontrar y , it a pp ears that before them ! Can this be possible ? 'The whole coun the wounded who were carried to the Manchester In- try must be filled with honor at the very idea. The firmary bear but a small proportion to the numbers Magistrates of Manchester have indeed a serious ac who, in spite of their hurts and bruises, attempted to count to render to their countrymen. tie wait with cripple their way home t o their habitations in the impatience for their defence." country ; many of whom have been unable to effect From THE PCBLIC Lity;;.-..n" We trust the autlso the journey, and have been laid up by the way. rities will be found to have acted with prudence, and We yesterday stated our opinion, so far as we were without straining to the utmost 'point, the powers enabled by the facts that had reached us, respecting vested in them by law. If not, their responsibility is the conduct of the Magistrates and the Yeomanry ; fearful—it is awful—they will have to account for that we could not but feel a kind of conviction that it, not only to their country, hut to their GOD ! We they had displayed more zeal than prudence on this admire (we had almost said we adore) the laws of our lamentable occasion. No new facts have reached country as much as any who have experienced their us that induce us to alter the opinion we had formed. general wisdom and efficacy in protecting all (from It is no slight responsibility that men incur, when, the highest to the lowest the best of livell human th eir beneath thir in guarding over th e p ublic p eace they have recourse guardian infl i rence ; but to measures which endanger the lives of their fellow- may be stretched, without absolutely exceeding creatures. It is self-evident, and the spirit of our their utmost limits, to a point which temperance whole municipal laws maintains that recourse must and becoming firmness might render unnecessary. never be had to the military and to violence and Let it not be thought that we are by these reflec blood, till after the Civil Power shall have, in vain, tions casting any unnecessary odium on the con. employed all its force, increased, if necessary, by duct of the Magistracy in this fatal affray—they special constables, and, in a word, by the aid of every arise from that, which we have no doubt that Body man-who may be called upon, in the King's name to possesses as strongly as ourselves- , -a horror at the lend his aid, in suppressing actual riot. Nor has the idea of dipping our bands in the blood of our tel- Magistrate, by law, any right to conclude that the low-countrymen ! It will be seen that the mili force at his disposal is not sufficient for the occasion, tary principally employed to disperse the :Nlee;ing, till tho:e whom he may have so called upon shall were the Yeomanry and other Local Corps of the hive refused to submit to the mandate. neighbourhood. The Magistrates may have sup- It is high time, when men can be found in the posed that they would .act with more mildness to country so miserably ignorant of the laws, as to wards those who were in a manner their fellow. cause such scenes to be transacted, that the Public townsmen—and that might be one reason why they Press should instruct them ; and we know that it were called into action in preference to the King's will. Every man who loves his country and its con- troops. We dislike Standing Armies as much as any stitution, must feel alarmed %%hen he sees the peace of our Contemporaries; but we have not the least of the or:e, and the permanence of the other, eadan- hesitation in saying, that in cases of public tumult, gered by acts of violence, calculated only to inflame, where military force is necessary, we should rather to irritate, and render discontented all who look to see a well disciplined and orderly corps employed the gutvdianship of the laws for their safety and pro- than bodies unaccustomed to military subord;nation, tection. But we will not enlarge with any farther —The expression in The Manchester Meicury about remarks of our own. It will be seen from the sub- the ' necessary ardour of the troops,' as air apparent joined observations, extracted from the labours of palliation of the scene which followed, we do not our brother Journalists, that we are not singular in well comprehend ; but if it be meant, as we under the opinions which we feel ourselves called upon to stand it, it isa doctrine too horrible and too unconsti promulgate at the present moment. It is a duty tutional for us to subscribe to. This ardour, accord which our free press owes to our common country— ing to one narrative, was such, that had it not been a duty which every honest mind connected with that for the interference of Mr. NADIN, ' HUNT would Press will, we doubt not, faithfully discharge, what- not now have been alive, for the military were deter ever sycophants may attempt to counteract them. mined to cut him to pieces 1' h It made appe l a ittle distinction between friends and foes, for the Special Constables not absolutely affirm that they cannot be defended, stationed about the Hustings, were charged through but we are still to seek their justification, not indeed as well as the Reformers ; and one of them, Mr. in the newsp a p er descri p tions of certain mottos in. scribed on nags , (howe v e r foolish and inflamma. .Asitwonrit, was rode over and mortally wounded. It will, no doubt, be one of the subjects of future. loves tory)—nor in the display of a Cap of Liberty, the mo tigation, whether this iadiscriminating ardour was del of which is borne before the Sovereign of Great . really necessary to the execution of the orders of the Britain, when he meets his Parliament—No, the ad vo cate of the measure s resorted to at Manchester, by Civil Power.' the assembled Magistrates and the armed force, From the BRITISH PRESS—" The employment of must rest their defence on some legal principle ; for Military Force in this country to suppress even ale. if the justification should fail in law, we suppose is gal Meetings, is not sanctioned by our Constitution; will not be attempted or. grounds of good feeling or except in cases of very serious difficulty, when the" humanity. The Riot Act, and. the Act against sedi • Civil Power has been exerted and proved unequal to flocs Meetings, both limit the Magistrate's right of the task. It is an extraordinary remedy, and ought interference, to 6 unlawful assemblies,' and no other. not to be used but in extreme cases. On this princi- Was that at Manchester an , unlawful assembly ?' ple acted the Magistrates of London, when the des- Was the notice of it unlawful? We believe not. Was perate experiment was made of arresting HARRISON the subject proposed for discussion (a Reform in the in the midst of the mob in Smithfield ; on this princi- House of Commons) an unlawful subject? Assuredly ple also acted the Magistrates at Leigh, when CLURE not. Was any thing done at this Meeting before the was seized upon the hustings. Why then, we would cavalry rode in upon it, either contrary to law or in ask, was not the Civil Power tried in the first in breach of the peace ? No such circumstance is re- stance at Manchester, if it were thought necessary corded is any of the statements which have yet , to seize upon HUNT and his colleagues ? 1 Whaeap reached our hands. Havin g said thus much as to prehension could the Magistrates entertain that the the legality of the cause of interfering, let us pro- Civil Power would have been insufficient? The ex ceed to the legality of the mode. The Riot Act, some, a mple of Smithfield and Leigh might confirm their say, was read ; some sa y otherwise—but all are ' hopes, and they had the assurance of HUNT that 'lie agreed, that before an hour had elapsed from the I would, on any occasion, willingly submit himself to the soldiers attacked, and the people , the authority of the laws, represented in the person reading of it, were cut down. Yet we pronounce not a final opi- :of even the meanest constable. He had surrendered nion upOn this momentous proceeding. We have himself to them on the Saturday preceding, which begged for information rather than uttered a deci- shewed no disposition to resist their mandates. A sion,; and happy shll we be to find, that while one : communicat ion was maintained between the Council it THE EVENING STAR. LONDON. THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 1819. THE FUNDS. Taws Or STOCKS THIS DAT AT Ott O'CLOCK 5 periCent. Reduced - 72M 8 r. Cent. Collinls 71th 3i per Cent: . 81i4-4. per Cent. 91ii 5 pez Cent. Navy 104 ii Bank Long Annuities 19 3.16 India Stock '2191 218 219} - India Bonds 16 pre. Exchequer Bills (21) 2 pit. par Omnium 411 pre. Cons. for Acct. 71 ti. MANCHESTER MEETING: Chamber of the Magistrates and the hustings, so that if the Civil Power were resisted, the Military Force might instantly be applied to support it. We do not believe that this necessity would have occurred, and we should now be spared the melancholy and heart sickening task of detailing a scene of carnage and horror, which is a disgrace to our country. We think, too, that the Magistrates, had they acted with more sense and temper, might have retired . to their pillows on Monday night with consciences as quiet, with hearts as much at ease, and minds as happily composed, as if they bad not obtained the triumph of being enabled to count the numbers of their killed, wounded, and prisoners 1" From BILIPIGE 7 S LIVERPOOL ADVERTISER.-" The above melancholy transactions will be read with the deepest interest, not only in this town and county, but by the whole body of the British people; as in-1 volving a question of the utmost importance to the preservation of their liberties, and the security of their lives. The circumstances which occurred, and which demand universal attention, are briefly these :—a large number of persons meet together openly, as by our Constitution they are entitled to do ; they con duct themselves in an orderly manner, and profess an earnest desire to avoid any breach of the laws ; a person addresses them without a seditious or exciting word; and—the civil Magistrate orders a body of cavalry to disperse them without a minute's warn ing ; in which act some persons are killed, and large numbers desperately wounded, by the swords and trampling of the military. Where is the Act in the British Statete book to justify this interference ? If we were to speak the language, not of our feelings, but of our judgment and reason, on this occasion, to its full extent, we should be forced to use stronger terms than at this time might be expedient. We will, thererore, endeavour, with coolness, to con•. sider, what circumstances there were in the transac tion to render the conduct pursued necessary, justifi able, or excusable. Was the person of Mr. l-linlx only sought to be secured ? Why then these armed thousands 7—why this very time ?—why the measures pursued previous and subsequent to the effecting of this purpose? It surely was not the course humanity or sense would have dictated, that, to secure the per son of one man,' multitudes should have their lives taken or endangered. This could rot be the cause.— Was it that there was a probability of the meeting terminating in riot? When every tongue and hand were still, or only employed in recommending and producing order, who will say that riot was probable? But admitting that the temper of the meeting had been the reverse of what it actually was, surely the presence of the Police with their numerous assistants, or at the worst the display of so strong a military force, would have most effectually secured order in a much larger meeting, composed of unarmed and unembodied individuals. Nay, if even these had been' . ' insnflicient, does not the law of the land declare that the Riot Act must be read before military force is used ? We have exhausted our attempts at pallia tion, and have only confirmed ourselves more deci df..dly in our first belief." PRIVATE LETTERS. " 241ANCIIESTER, TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, " I wrote you last night in great haste, and gave you as full an account as I then could of the pro ceedings of yesterday ; indeed, I am not now able to add much to my account of them. However, after my letter of yesterday was dosed, the windows of a grocer named TATE, at whose shop one of the flags captured from the Reformers had been waved over their heads as they returned from the Meeting, were broken, and the Riot Act was read. It is said also, that a Cheshire yeomanry man was killed by the people in the evening, and that a publican, who was yesterday active as a Special Constable, has been killed this s►orning at Miles Platting, on the Oldham road. Whether these circumstances are true, I know not; however, they ate as good as true, because they were believed. , 4 But now, after the Tragedy comes the Farce. About half-past ten o'clock this forenoon, a report was circulated that the Reformers were coming by thousands, armed with pikes, from Oldham, Royton, &c. This obtained no credit. However, about eleven, Mr. JOHN MOORE, jun. one of the Constables, made his appearance on the Exchange, in the utmost agi tation, and addressed the astonished Merchants as sembled there to the following effect Gentlemen, I am sorry to inform you that circumstances have occurred which render it necessary that this building should be instantly closed. All who are members of the Military Corps or of the Civil Power must in stantly repair to their respective rendezvous ; and other Gentlemen are requested to close their ware houses, and look to the protection of their own pro perty, as tue are now obliged to declare the town in a state of OPEN R EBELLION !!!'-In consequence of this address, the Exchange was instantly deserted— all the , shops and warehouses were shut up—and the most fearful alarm was visible on every countenance. After waiting a while, and finding no pikemen made , their appearance, I proceeded towards the Oldham , road, where I found every thing quiet. I met seve ral country tradesmen from that quarter, whom I knew, and from their information was assured every thing was perfectly quiet, and that there was not the slightest foundation for the alarm which had been created. On my return homewards, I found the.fol• lowing Hand-bill posted up, by order o" the Muni cipal Officers: m AwcHisTi rp,, A..c6T 17,1619: a ilia-past Eleven o'( lock, :1 • 'j " The Boroughreeves and Constables of Manchr,ter atttl SA. for4do hereby caution nil the Inhabitants to close their Itu.:t ti . shops, and warehouses, and to keep themselves and all per.r, ns under their controul within doors, otherwise their • . danger. Carts and all other carriages must be inonel...Lly moved from the streets and other public roach. " C. Wheeler and Sons, Printers." " By the time that the putting up of this c ,, T . menced, the hoax was discovered, and it was the ; o st of every one who read it. The activity of our r; cipal Corps was now displayed in n manner difF:.: to what had before been witnessed, viz. In doWn these placards with the pcatert rapidit y, swift was the work of destruction that very je, copies survive. " hiUNT, I understand, was tc-day brounqu examination, which WAS comprised in the questions " Ma g istrate —Pray, Mr. Hunt, what did you c woe he:e " Mr. Hunt—Pray, Gentlemen, I , bat am 1 brut gla here ft): " Mr. HUNT was remanded. 4 ‘ To-day a Constable ras arresting 3 poor 1.,r 4 vagrant, whom he treated ill. A respectable bleac;:e named WILSON, interfered, by saying Don't use man cruelly ; when the assistance of a Cheslihe tt, dier was called, and instantly WILSON was with exciting a riot. The Yeomanly man's sabre immediately drawn, and WILSON was marched tot; Police Office, from whence he was taken to the N e llaCey Prison, in custody like a felon. There, for nately, he was known to one of the Magistrate>, al after some hesitation was dischargci.—l mention as one of the fantastic tricks which the minions authority are playing." FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT. " MANCHESTER, AUGEST " I was in the Exchange this forenoon, ab half after ten o'clock, when Mr. Moon, one of Constables, came in among the body of the Jlercha in the utmost trepidation, and announced that Magistrates had ordered the Exchange, and all shops and warehouses to be instantly 'shut up, it mation having just been received at the Pol eel/ from a coachman who came all out cf breath, the tidings that from 8,0(10 to 10,000 men, in n lar array, armed with pikes, pistols, &c. were half an hour's march of Manchester, (kremlin , take revenge for the disacters of the previous da Mr. Moog therefore requested that all tlhs tlemen present would immediately repair to the; spective warehouses, factories, workshops, Sm. state to the people in their employment, that Magistrates wished all well disposed persons to out of the way of the soldiery, as they really not be answerable for the consequences of the a) hended conflict. " Every one instantly moved off; the E:c: was shut, and quickly after were also nearly shops and warehouses in town. Numbers of try manufacturers and spinners, who had col town on business, hurried home again as fast a! could. Consternation and dismay was depict every countenance. The streets were deserted, nothing was heard but dreadful notes of preparati " Eleven o'clock—twelve o'clock—one o'cl came—and brought with them no appearance doughty rebels. Although seven hundred lion about as many infantry arc in town, yet, strat tell, not a single scout could be spared to go a ascertain how far the tidings brought were true. Magistrates, Constables, Military —all rernail fixed immoveably to the spot, awaiting the hended attack, like men whose minds were made up for the worst, but who, like the Kni La Mancha, had too just a sense of true cow turn their noses to the wind. Whispers at len; gan to circulate that the alarm was all a boa; so in fact it ultimately proved to be. " There was no such thing as any body advancing to Manchester from any quarter ever; the very contrary, indeed, is the ordet day, every person flying from it as fast as till All the roads leading from this town to . Stockport, Cheadle, Stt afford, Liverpool, It, Oldham, Bury, Bolton, &c. are covered with ed stragglers, who have not yet been able their homes after the events of Monday. ascertained, from pretty accurate inforrna:i there are seventeen wounded persons all Stockport road ; thirteen or fourteen on tin road ; at least twenty are on the Oldham ; eight on the Rochdale; besides several ethers I roads to Liverpool, &c, One woman di night at Eccles, five miles hence, of the wel received. Seven persons in all are said to be " Mr. HULNIE is not dead, as at first He recovered the use of his senses this menv told the surgeons who attended him, that hi wound in his back. It was im mediate:y r and a wound discovered, made appaientl! penknife, but fortunately in a favourable r: " QUARTER PAST SEVEN u " The town still continues perfectly quie; any thing farther occurred particularly notice. The cavalry continue constantly the city." FROM ANOTHER CORRESPONPr: " MANCHESTER, Artil " You will by this time have seen the municated by the two Manchester New spare tra ical scene which has been witucsed ;1 ? me tct 11. e anti ts 17. ,it f the :Ant% it the 11 the 'Nce ,with - rrithil ned to ay. a Cc , . )e ;r re- c. an 1 at the .o k cc? could appre. :Lange orr:e to as they cted in and tratier: ci.acl— e of tbe )rse and ange eat and c teal!! era:tined e. apyre• re nobly night of urage to ngtli ax ; and of r.t.en er whet• et of t.e. they Car. A diva a v.-rurd• to reacb I Lace :ion, t... 3 t !long tie to sh!ra seYoncT crs en 1.1 died lirt ours. • be ef 26 Tcrelf r he Lad enatr cf rer NT. pr,