The Express.
London, England, 1863-03-23 00:00:00

[Stamped, Id. Additional.]

THE RIOTS AT STALYBRIDOE.

(mod OUR trims. oonasroxixoff.)
KANOILESTKR, IlAscu 21.

I greatly regret to be obliged to report, for the I
first time in the history of the present distress, a
breach of the public peace. For some hours yes-
terday Btalybridge was in the hands of an excited
mob, which smashed the windows of the polio,
station, as well as of several mills and private
residences; broke open the stores of the relief
committee, and at least one shop, helping itself
to the contents ; rescued prisoners from the hands
of the police ; and was at last only dispersed by the
reading of the Riot Act, and the energetic action of
• troop of Hu/sera. By this time special constables
have been sworn in, and • concentration of the
county police upon the spot has taken place—facts
which with the dose proximity of the Asidoas bar-
racks, will in all likelihood prevent any [melee
outbreak. Batupwards of 60 persons are already in
custody, and the search which the police &remelting
for the clothing stolen from the relief stores will
probably result in further apprehensions.
The particulars of this lamentable event will soon
jos made more fully and accurately known to your
readers through the ordinary channel, drillforont-
tion ; and I allude to it only for the purpose of
stating, in the most emphatic way possible, that
from the first, the region of which Ashton-under-
Lyne is the centre has stood in a peouliar position
to the relief movement, and must not be taken as a
sampleof the wholediatressed district I have before
called attention to the long-standing political and re-
ligions animosities prevalent in that town, which
showed themselves (after • controversy into the
merits of which it is not now necessary to
enter) in the establishment of two rival
relief boards. The Manchester Central Committee,
following its invariable rule, selected, after due
examination into the facts, one of these se the
recipient of its grants ; the Mansion-house Com-
mittee for • considerable time subeidised both, but
has latterly confined its aid to that from which the
Manchester committee withholds its confidence.
The partial exclusion of clergymen and ministers
of religion from the Ashton board, their total
exclusion at Stalybridge, has driven them to appeal
to the general public for subscriptions, and the
piteous appeals made from Ashton, at a time when
sympathy for Lancashire distress was at its height,
resulted in • continuous influx of money from
public and private sources into that favoured
town. The result—for now it is time to speak
plainly—was an absolute bidding of the
two committees one against another for
adult and sewing-class scholars. The geoeral com-
mittee must bear the blame of having—for reasons
which may not have been as purely benevolent as
they seemed to be--fixed the rate of remuneration
for attendance at the schools at a height which the
general practice of the country condemns as exces-
sive ; while in the attempt to hold it on, against an
exasperating rivalry, the Borough Committee has
been forced into an expenditure which some of its
own members may nut heartily approve. This
state of things has of course reacted upon the neigh-
bouring towns—Stalybridge, the line of separation
between which and Ashton is almost imperceptible,
being the chief sufferer. But all through that part
of Lancashire and Cheshire Ashton has been for
months past a standing difficulty with relief
committees. The rate of expenditure in that
town has been accepted by the working classes
as reasonable and right ; and it has been difficult
to induce them to be satisfied with a more careful
administration of the public bounty. Let your
readers judge what the task has been of keeping
together—in an orderly and efficient state—a sewing
class, the girls of which were paid at the rate of
2.5. 6d. a week, when three or four miles off the
same kind and amount of work was rewarded with
3s. 4d.

But this is not aIL It is easy to see how,
when the task of relieving the poor is divided
between two hostile organisations, unscrupulous
persons may embrace the opportunity of exciting
the passions and prejudices of the poor themselves.
There are in Ashton and Stalybridge—as in many
other manufacturing towns--aahes of contention be-
tween rich and poor, employerand employed—which
may be stirred up only too quickly ; but with which
wise and good men would not come to meddle at any
time, while they would anxiously shrink from
touching at a time like this. But out of the state
of things which I have described has not unnatu-
rally sprung up a social controversy ; at the head
of which stands the Bev. J.B. Stephens, who, years
ago, paid the penalty of unscrupulous political agi-
tation in a term of imprisonment, and who has
since lived, in obscure comfort, on the scene of his
former activity. Such times and places as these are
the troubled waters in which demagogues delight
to fish ; and Mr. Stephens has not been wanting to
the opportunity. At various towns of the dis-
trict he has held meetings, indulging in unmea-
sured abuse of unpopular men, and appealing to
the ignorant passions which so soon start to life under
the stingof privation. But up to the present moment
his agitation has been singularly void of success.
His only triumph has been to have his speeches
quoted in the leading columns of the Times. The
silence of the Manchester papers—of which he
bitterly complains—is the fullest proof of the esti-
mate of himself and his movement made by those
who know him best. People have come to listen,
to cheer, to laugh at sarcasms directed against
neighbours and employers—but that was all. No
practical steps were taken ; I hardly know if any
were proposed. The only result which could come
of such agitation, so conducted—the result which
sagacious men feared—l hope not the result which
its promoters intended—is such a riot as disgraced
Stalybridge and Lancashire yesterday.
The chief complaints urged by the dissatisfied ope-
rative+, in Stalybridge against the relief committee
are the reduction of the allowance to adult scholars
of 4,1. per week ; and an intention to pay relief by
ticket instead of in money, as heretofore. The
first measure will bring the standard of relief at I
Stalybridge somewhat nearer the average than it
now is ; the second is a question of administration,
of which the relief committee may reasonably be
supposed to be the best judges. It is needless to
say that such lawless violence as prevailed iu Scaly-
bridge on Friday cannot be justified by any proved
injustice and oppression ou the part of the relief
committee. Still it is possible to conceive of
wrongs and privations which might induce us to
pity those whom they lashed to temporary mad-
ness, even while we were forced to condemn their
offence against the law. But for the Stalybridge
rioters, and for those who instigated them,
there is no excuse. There can be no doubt that,
with some errors and shortcomings, such as are 1
incident to all human action, the committee were

(nor 001 OWN

(TWOPENCE

doing their beat for their townsfolk. There can
be no doubt that the changes they intended to
introduce were such as fairly lay within thew dis-
cretion, and were prompted by a regard fur the
people's true welfare.
This untoward event will bring into a prominence
which they have not deserved, and would not
otherwise have attained, two letters addressed by a
Mr. Bridges, of Bradford, to the Time,, which,
while " damning" its correspondent " with faint
praise," has yet twice drawn public attention to
his extravagant and inaccurate statements in its
leading columns. I shall not attempt to follow
Mr. Bridges through his various _allegations, the
value of which your readers at least are well
able to estimate. He acknowledges that he
has drawn his information chiefly from Ashton and
its neighbourhood ; and be incidentally admits his
obligations to Mr. Stephens and his congeners ;
what need of further discussion I Against the
administrators of relief be brings twograve charges,
which are themselves sufficient to show his fitness
for the task of criticism which he has undertaken ;
first, that when hundreds of applicants are collected
in one passage or office, many of them belonging to
the lowest reek of elseeenalegepepahnicm, a patios.
man is often stationed to keep ardor ; and secondly,
that the word " lent" is stamped upon the clothes
which are distributed to the disreputable as well
as the respectable, who possess the single qualifica-
tion of nakedness—as a terroe to evildoers and
pawnbrokers. I doubt whether any decent
woman, jammed in a crowd of Irish labourers,
ever thought of the policeman except as a protection.
lam sure that no one ever complained of the
stamp upon the clothes, except those who wanted
to take them to the pawnshop. Bat no part of
Mr. Bridge's letters is so imaginative as his facts.
That he should generalise the results of his own
limited observation, and assume that everything in
the distressed district is exactly like what be
himself thinks he saw, is far less marvellous than
that be should have neglected to inform himself of
the simplest facts of the case. Let two examples
suffice. He says "At Preston the poor law
takes cognisance of all, and the relief committees
simply supplement its allowance"—e plan which, in
entire ignorance of the current of experience and
opinions on this subject, he goes on to qualify " as
probably the best." Now for the fact. In the
town of Preston during the week ending
February 28, 7381. was expended on persons
also aided by the guardians; 9981. on per-
sons not in receipt „i of parochial relief. ",In
Manchester," he goes on to say, "the opposite
course is taken ; there the board utterly ignores
the existence of the relief committee." This asser-
tion is as true as the other. In Manchester proper
1,2021. was expended during the same week on
persons who are pensioners on both parish and
relief committees ; while only 5821. was given to
non-paupers. The same is the case with Salford, and
Churlton and Medlock, the other two unions which
combine to make up the great city. What are we
to say of a writer who undertakes to enlighten the
world on a subject which engages the sympathies
or concerns the interests of millions of his country-
men, yet has not consulted a public document at
once so accessible and so authoritative as the
monthly report of the central committee 1

My principal object in writing this letter has
been to soothe the agitation in the public mind,
which the news of the Stalybridge riot will un-
doubtedly produce, and to show, if possible, that
the causes which have led to it are of partial and
local operation. I deeply regret that such a blot
should have been cast upon the reputation of the
Lancashire operatives, as a peaceful and law-
abiding people, during a season of bitter trial. One
cannot but feel towards the Stalybridge rioters as
if they had inflicted a personal wrong upon every
patient sufferer under this distress; both by the
diminution of external sympathy which their oon-
duct mast produce, and by the element of unhappy
suspicion which it may possibly introduce between
the recipients and the administrators of relief. But
I do not believe that the infection will spread ; on
the ountrary, I am persuaded that the great mass of
the manufacturing population will be more resolute
than ever to show their gratitude for the help which
has been given to them in their extremity, by the
preservation of public order, and an uncomplaining
submission to inevitable misfortune.

82ALYBRIDOE, ecxDAT.

Yesterday the streets of the town bad been
much thronged throughout the day( is spite of the magis-
terial notices placarded on the walls, that the Riot Act bed
been read, and that coogregatioe in the thoroughfares wee
forbidden. Most of the shops were 'lard. The crewels
were greatest is the vicinity of the polio, wart, wherethey
were restrained by the pregame of the cavalry
with drawn swords and loaded pistols. Some of
the discharged prisoners were cheered, and the wanes
io the crowd were conspicuous for tarbuleoce, otherwise
there was nothing like uproar until the men committed for
trial were takes to the railway station shortly before gee
o'clock, in two large omnibuses, escorted by the police, and
followed by the military. Neer the st►tics the polies were
repeatedly assailed by volleys of stones and other missiles
from erowdsaseernbled on neighbouring emineuces. Sergeant
Shanley was severely cut in the head, and struck senseless.
For some time after the depends.* of the train great excite-
ment was kept up by the charging of the cavalry up and doers
the streets, clearing them of the mob, who took to their
heels when thus encountered, and the town was compeer
tively quiet until darkness had set in. Neither polk• nor
military bad then been visible for some time, wham it was
reported that in answer to a deputation from the "rho.
lees" to the magistrates assembled at the Town-hall, the
mayor had said he would um his influence with the relief
committee to obtain tickets for Mr" 000 CO Monday, but
nothing could be done before thee. On this being made
known there was a rush to about a dozen bakers' and
provision shops in succession. la moat cases the. shutters
were forceddown by the mob, and the inmates thee handed
out all their loaves and cheeses. This went on in different
parte of the taws from 7 o'clock till 10, the appearance of the
cavalry sometimes serving to clear the street., but not being
sufficiently übiquitous to check the proceedings with
effect. More cavalry and infantry had been sent for from
Ma Chester, sad about half-past eleven, the foot soldiers
(about 80 of the 49th Regiment under Captain Hopkins)
marched in from the railway station, with fixed bayonets.
A troop of about 60 cavalry also snivel from Manchester
daring the evening, but there has bees no further occasion
10000 then for the services of the military. The police force
had been augmented to about 100 yesterday by detach.
meals from various places. Today, as yeeterdor, the wee'
thee has bees brilliant; the town is sow ailed with •
pesestal throng of visitor,, sod no further Oisturhauce is
saticipetel, at any rate before to-morrow.

Nearly all the officers and crews of the Golden
We, Olive Jae, ad Palmetto (semen rearetly plunined
mid burst by the Alabama), left Southampton for Lcmdoa
oe Saturday morning. A few of the onion were Spooky&
sod Portuguese, sod about a done men of colons. 'IU, mats
of one of the abostimiumed shim ressaiaed at Southampton.
He was known on board the Al•hame, sad had some money
gives him by the aim of that Alp.