The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-09-24 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK MEETING.

At one o'clock yesterday (Thursday) the Sliiihis
wark Meeting took place, in front of the Town ,
Hall, in the Borough. At that bout the (bolt
Bailiff, accompanied by his Deputy, and he Sir
Robert Nilson, and a number of independent Elec-
tors of the Borough, entered the Town Hall.
The DEPUTY-RAMPS' then addressed the gen,;-
tleMets ',mesa, and said, that the High- Bailiff had
convened the Meeting in pursuance of the Requi-
sition which lied been presented to hins, and had,
in other respects, conformed to the wishes of the
gentlemen who had applied to hint, from his colon.
deration of their numbers, rank, and respectability.
He, therefore, relied upon their sense of propriety
iu conducting the business or the day in such
a manner al would gratify the coxfideiice which the
High llailiff had plated in them—and preserve the
character of so respectable and populous a pert, els
Southwark Formed, of this great metropolis. He
confidently relied upon their character For aim wilier-
esice to every thing that was orderly uod I,gal—
that they would take no step which was CalCil!.ite ti
to injure a good cause, or couuteininier a bad (it
that their whole proceedings would be such as non i.t
1 spew their inviolable attachment to the rstakilibliel
i laws and institutions or the country, amid thin. de-
I termination to preserie and support them.
' -

The Requisition war theil, pro Alma, read, and
Mr. WETIIERsToNs moved that the Mtciiiig
should bdjuurn to the open air—he did so, oo the
ground that the Town-hall was too small to afford
accoininotlati 1111 l on the present occasion, to the;
number of Electors prerent. lie also
that the Gentlemen roonected with the Pliers rhi nul
have every acconintodation afforded to them out-
side fur the discharge of their arduous defy.
and also that ifiete should he ins pretence fur
mirrepresenting the proceedings of the day. Ile
by Ito means meant, to apply any invidious odusook
to the Reporters, who were, he believed, fowl s•a.
lous and faithful in the discharge of their dudes.
He, indeed, prioespolly applied hob ullurion to the
Government Prints, said to one ill particulir (the
Courier). *hick was el)
Wool, that he believed in nu lost:suer, tint sten
1 by occident, had it had Oise Inek•to hi tall our wont
of truth, when touching Opus. the ferlis:ge anon
ceedings of the prupie throughout the
The ntution broil; carried, an ai jou unit at
took place to a hustings exerted io runt, o' the
Town-hall, on the spot where the 1111 l Elcc-
, lions are conducted. This alteration i•sig.i iy
; took place at the suggestion of the
who sighed the Requisition to she High
I sod oas complied Oltfi in the p ot, at
I handsomest trimmer fly that intleorkiari:t
yourate, who luis'eliews, throughout bus late c
suussications with she Itrquimilos.ipts. the trii:o4
I desire to piu ttttt le their wishes, awl wake the Lace
lof meeting lit for ruch an avortriblege as it this
contained, consproing all she iudepesoluot des t•ra
of the liorou...h. For rutin sake. it
that Mr. iVethersitour should
I Meat after the business of the

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sake. it w** ttetrs,4.y
lid 1131 We lilt N.J10101.-
11C altetilig bad betu
i1t00'"166"4.'
u.

op.nrd in the titeblished manner erithin the torrn

Hall.
The High-Bailiff, at a quarter-past one o'clock,
quitted the Hall, and ascended the hustings amid
the acclamations of an immense multitude-, whith
filled the open space in front of the 11.11. 11e
was accompanied by the principal Gentlemen of
this ancient etid iAePendent kris-ring
them we obnerited Messrs. Cooper, Lee, Putley,
!lack, Ault, Spring, and many other
public-4)4'sta Gentlemen.
Sir Robert Wiliam arrived a few minutes before
one o'clock, accompanied by the Geriilemen that
conducted his election, and wa, received with the
warmest acclamations by his constituents, aim thus
testified the high sense they entertained of a manly
and independent representative.
The HIGH BAILIFF, who was loudly greeted
for several 000 ioo utes after he took the Chair ou the
hustings, opened the business of the day by reading
the Requisition. and by rittreatitig silence and im-
partiality from the immense assemblage present.
He begged permission to Wellr his hat, owing to the
debility lie laboured under front long iiidisposititei,
a permission which was granted, a itli the (-villein
expression of regret for the cause, f all who
were present, and who observed the impartiality
ar.tl independence of this upright public officer.
Mr. HALL came forward, and said, that he had
been honoured with the task of explaining the ob-
ject of the meeting, and proposing the Resolutions
tirat had been framed by the Gentlemen who hail
promoted it. The object of the meeting was set
forth in their Requisition, end lad been read to
them by their revered and much-respected Chair-
man. Their object was not to claim any new po-
laical right, hut to as-eat a very ancient and un-
doubted one, lung established by their ancestors,
ai.d the existence of which, even the hireling part
of the Press, under the immediate control of Go-
vernier:to, did not dare to deny—lie meant the
right of the people to meet and discuss their
grievances. A meeting for that purpose, and such
a meeting was this, was both legal and constitia-
tioual—(Appluese)—the moment it ceased to be
so, there was an end to English freedom—English-
Weil must then become slaves and not freemen.—
dpplonse, sand cries of " We never will.")—
Ti,ey were not assembled this day to discuss •b-
-street topics respecting the particular improve-
meta' which time might have, in the opinion of
many. rendered Deere:try it, the form and struc-
ture of the laws. They were not met to promote
or discuss the plan of annual parliament:: and uni-
versal suffrage, nor was he himself our of those
men who would adopt it plan of besieging Govern-
ment, for the purpose of comprllitig it to adopt
imperatively one system to the exclusion of all others
—he was not, he repeated. one of those persons
oho would insist upon the unqualified adoption of
their own plan, and the undeviating rejection of
every other—but he freely avowed himself to be
one of those who insisted upon the necessity of
some reform in the representation of the people in
Parliament, to the extent at least of a recurrence
to triennial parliaments, and to an extension of the
elective franchise. at least to houseliolders.—(Ap.
plause.)-11e hoped and trusted the necessity of
stone reform to this rxteat, would be felt in the
proper quarter. Ile also hoped that the people
would !sever cease to press it upon the attention of
Gt.vernment, until they succeeded in their attempt.
Ile sincerely trusted that the progress of public
opinion would lead to a favourable result, and en-
sure for the people some attention to their griev-
ant e.. Late event* had, in the eyes of every man,
accelerated rather than retarded the cause of reform.
1 t res thought that such measures as those pur-
sued at Manchester, and the conduct of such agents,
were calculated to put down the constitutional ex-
pression of popular feeling, the result would remove
such an impression from their minds. The people
were not to be put down in the assertion of their
rightr.--(App/ause.)-1 le hoped they would shew
this feeling, by deinatithug a ith energy the rights
*Lich had been transmitted to them by their lances-
tors, for which their ancestors hail fought and bled,
blood which, indeed, would have been uselessly
spilt, if no raJae were to accrue to their posterity,
from their noble and independent sacrifices.—(4p-
plmuse)--Where was the boasted pre-eminence
which the Constitution of England conferred above
tit others, if the right of petition, and the ne-
cessery right of meeting to consider of grievauces,
were tom from the people ? Ministers had long
trenched upon dial right--they had been fur
come time employed i:k feeling the pulse of the
'People, how far they could restrict it, mod how far
he sense of English liberty could be made to bend
to military despotism.—(Applause, oud a cry
among the crowd, cf " /lye, Algerine despotism,
where we went, as 3iimitters said, tt, set the people
free !" )—When the people of this country were
called to make every exertion against the Govern-
ment of France, in the revolutionary war, were
they hot told by Ministers that their exertions were
necessary for the preservation of their own liberties?
—acre they not ut that time told that revolutionary
'France tnenaced all the regular Governments of
Europe?—wise they not told of the daring strides
of a religion, blasphemy, end anarchy.?—were they
riot told that to preserve their own liberties and
happy Constitution they had no alternative but to
wage war against France? The great majority of
the country it, that day favoured the war, and ad.
nutted its necessity tsar the p rrr ttell .1 their
own liberties awl property. He would now ask in
what stale hod the war left the litsyrty and property of
the country ? In what state hod they beet, Ileft alter
the immense sacrifices of blood arid treasure enrolled
upon them by a war of twenty-fire years ? They
knew too well the state in which that war had left
tnem, amid felt too sensietAy its effects to render any
commentary their necetwary from him—(Cries of
s. We do, we do!"/ —Soheavy were the effects of that
war, that in all proloihility half s century of the
'cry purest rod hest admististration or Goveriament
would be hardly adequate to recover the tone of the
country. What theu was to be the reward of the
people for such au age of suffering ?_Was it to be
the entailment upon theinselves of that despotism
against which they 'had been told they were so long
contending ; or were Ministers prepared ssublusit-
Ingly to avers that they had deceived the people as
to the real object of the war, amid that. they were
nu louger to depend on the institutions of their
ancestors fur the preservation of their rights and
haerties--that they were no loupe to look upon
themselves as iu the eiljoyineut of the right to as

,

aAg.llg.o.'•

ternble lo consider of grievances, and the right of end
petition—Orders 'ressserted sod spin , wined. of
for them by the Bill of Rights. withoist exposing.
ihemselvev to the intereent. of military ostrsge,
bud to the violence of being trampled upon lsy
yeomanry cavalry ?—(Loud cheering.)—He would
ask Ministers, whether this was to be the fate of
the people or• this country sifter they were told they.-
hail secured the liberties of Europe? Was thie
w the ind sty for the plot and security for the
ruttier," which was ta have " crowned all their •
energies? Wss this the return they were to meet
from the Ministers of the Crown for the patient'
endurance of such unexampled burdens ?--
(Cries of " It is—see Icon': bear it.")—lt,
gave him, and he was sure it would give thetas
pleasure, to be this day favoured with the presence
of one of their distinguished Representativev.-..
They had Sir Robert Wilson among ,hem.—(Load
cheering, and a cry of " Where is Calvert 9")—.
It was to him (Nlr. Hall) a subject of regret, in
common with them all, that Nlr. Calvert was not
this day among them. Had he been present, per-
haps. some person would have felt it his duty to
have asked Mr. Calvert the cause of his absence
from the House of Commons on the night when
the question of Reform Lad been brought under
the discussion of that hotly. He hoped that their
:Member would have been furnished with a uroper
answer to such a question. The worthy Gentle-
man then alluded in complimentary terms to the
powerful aid which the cause of the people hail re-
ceived from the independent port of the public
Press, and which ass on ample consolation for
theni amid the shuse au:) calumny that had been
heaped upon the people by the Government hire-
lings. lie should like to ask the Editors who lent
themselves to Nlinisters, what had the people done
to deserve the outrages that had been committed
upon them ? Ile should also like to know from
them whether the real cause of all those esils was
' not in the present stale of the representation of the
people in the Commons House of Parliament, which
fanned an adequate constitutional check upon the
Executive Government? By law. the Xing had
vested in him the power of making war and peace.
the ahuse of which power was however guarded
against by the Representatives of the people,
being solely intrusted with the care of the
purse through which the King was to derive
the means of supporting the war lie hail under-
taken. But, unhappily, such was the present
state of the representation of the people, that the
Commons had ceased to furnish the check which
the Constitution intended it should, otherwise how
could the last Parliament have adopted the plan of
imposing fresh taxes upon all exhausted people ;
or
how could an Administration lie kept iii its place,
which could, against the voice of the country,
have countenanced the recent outrages at Manches-
ter ? The Magistrates there were only meting under
the orders of their prototype, Lord liiilinouth,
whom Mr. Hunt justly called the general gaoler of
the kingdom, and who, to use a common phrase.
was " its deep in the mud as they were in the mire."
These Magistrates would never have dared to com-
mit the outrage they had committed upon defence-
less men, women. and children, were they not as-
sured of the countenance and support of Ministers,
and of a House of Commons that would indemnify
them fur their conduct. The worthy Gentlemaii
concluded by proposing the following Resolutions,
which he read seriatim to the Meeting:-
1. That it is the impreseriptible right of freemen to meet
sail discuss their grievances, and that it is their dety to
maintain these rights, to avoid becoming slaves, and has
render themselves unworthy of the privileges derived from
their ancestors.

2. That it appears to this meeting, a criminal, creel, and
cowardly outrage has been committed by the Magistrates
and yeomanry cavalry of Alaischester, on the 16th of An.
gust, against an unoffeading similitude, constitutionally
■std legally sisenibleti.
3. That this outrage appears to have been premeditated
by the Magistrates, and by clandestine arrangrineets so con.
ducted, as to prevent the unfortunate victims from avuidimg
the ferociows malice and uensenly cruelty of the yeomanry
cavalry, charged with the execatiou of an unlawful order.
4. That the blood shed upon this MC*/ NM defeatists that
justice which Trial by Jury affords, and those who oppose
arch justice being granted, render themselves confederates
of the original guilty parties.
IS. That this Meeting seam with indignation the advisers
of the Crown have, without isvestigvition. approved these
criminal proceeding., and that they have moreover
insi-
diously opposed impediments N the prosecution of the of.
fenders, by • refusal to rase° as immediate and effectual
inquiry into the outrages 61011 have bees committed, and to
cause the guilty perpetrellogolherienlio be brought to signal
and condign punishment et As& Alit they lave thereby af.
forded another proof of their dlepeeition to establish a mili-
tary despotism.
6. That it appears to this Meeting the Ministers have by
such conduct proved themselves unworthy of the confidence
of the Regent, and that the costinsamce in office of the pro.
teased supporters of a system of military guverniocat,
cru-
elty, and injustice, is fatal to the libecties of the country
and safety of be people.
7. That it is the opinion of this Meeting, since the Minis-
ters of the Crown have iiientilled themselves with she trans.
actions on the fatal 16th of August, at Manchester, by ail.
wising the Prince Regent to approve the residue pursued ow
that menials by the Magistrates and yeomanry, and sines
they have moreover advised his Royal Highness, in
answer in the Common Council of the City of Lou-
don, to refine their prayer fur au immediate soil effectual
inquiry; that under such circumstances it would be
useless and inexpedient again to petition the Executive
Authority whilst hie Councils are directed by the present
official advisers.
6. That helot reduced to this silvans's, this Alerting does
recommend to all counties, cities, boroughs. sail parishes,
throughout the Veiled Kingdom, to•ssemble forthwith, sad
call aloud fur the trial and punishment of those who shall
be proved to have iuhunianly violated the law., to raise at
the same time their exited noises in favour of an immediate
reform in the Representative System, and to sustain " Trial
by Jury," as the uuly security left fur their lives sad pro-
perties.
9. That it appears to this Meeting that an onion amongst
all the friends of British Liberty, sod of a just sail mild
Government, is more them ever necessary ; sail that it is the
duty of every mats who is actuated by these principles and
feelings to promote such concert.
10. That a anheeription be opened, and that Geo►ge We.
liberaliser, Esq. he Treasurer, mud that when the same is
chews!, the &mutest be paid over to Sir Hobert Wilson, who
is ismer-sled to aimed to the proper distributiou thereof, in
cotijmiction with the Westminster Committee, red that Sir
Ruben Wilson, Messrs. Wedisersione, Dallier, Lee, Cooper,
Black, Gillies, and Ault, be a Committee, to carry this Ms.
botulism into effect, and that they have power to add to
their numbers.

Mr. WLTIMISTONIZ role to second the Reseda.
(wits. He &morticed by illgtfiugr in term! of
great severity, to the Woody witsaseoCommitted at
hlastchrater—outrages which begime all descrip-
tion—which tot-litrud Hood. 41111, motive., he'
raid, of die ftrforitt`ers iroaly
because 4cy stunt ieli*tt !COI'

. if any thingtonlil more strongly convince him
the necessity of a total Change in the system, he
would refer to the'esamination of Mr.. Hunt before
the Magistrates, and also to the proceedings on the
Cormier's Inquest on the body of Lees. Never
was there a more flagrant violation of law, and jou.
rice, and decency—(Appiasse)--ih.n was call'.
hired iq the proceeding. to which he alluded.—
The I;eformers were deruoitinated traitors. He
denied that they Mere so; they only sought for h.
bertt• ; they would pursue their course. and would
d.sinse those vile hirelings. The Courier and !Vero
Times, who, instead of soothing the people. wanted
to gond them to acts of madness, that they might he
gratifi-il with the slaughter of their fellow.conntry•
mess. For his own part, he never heard of a revolution
iu any country that was not brought shout by the
wickedoets of the Goveroment ; and if a revolution
should occur in England (which God forbid !) be
hsd no doubt but it would he brought shout by
the same means. He twat alluded to the letter of
Mr. Pearsim to his constituents. the Bishops:vale
Ward—he recommended the people to read it.

...... . .
Never were such outrages committed in the memory
of matt as it details.

Sir ROBERT WIL9ON rose next to address the
meeting. He was received with the boldest awl
the most enthusiastic expresrimes of applause; the
cheers of the people were Co great as In inertia hint
for a coosiderable time from proceeditig. When
silence was somewhat restored, he siiid, that were it
possible that they could think iif the circumstances
which occasioned the asrembly without having; their
feelings excited, they would not he deserving of the
name of Englishmen, and Britirlt blood would not
have flowed in their veins. Under similar CM:111110
stances of national calamity, the people of either
countries would have appeared ile mounting. but
&ogle.lonen carried mourning in their hearts
which parseth all show ; but whilst they felt, as
they ought to feel on the prevent soil occasion, they
yet respected too highly the principles of justice
to wish that he al lel wide-say them in the lan-
guage of passion ; they could only wish to iitform
their judgments, and to come to such a decision
as its their calmer moments, and to the last hours
of their lives, they would epprove. They were a
branch of the national tribunal—they did not
assemble to pas+ judgment, loot to inquire—to
demand justice on the guilty, at the same tune
leaving it to the laws to reelrees the politic
wrongs. He wool,' to God that the Ministers of the
Prince Regent had pursued the same course ! limit
they haul taken a different line, awl they pre-bred
forward to use or to abuse the name of the Regent,
hoping that that name would give weight and
authority to their nw,i proceedings, steel that it
would stifle or influence the voice of justice.
The very same men who granted Special Coins
missions on the slightest occasions, would slow
confine the frightful scene of Winchester to the
Coroner's Inquest, which did not respect law, mud
to the Lancashire Joy, who refused to lint' hills of
indictment poem evidence against the cavalry. Ali-
nisterii now v dirret the remonstrating pasty to apply
for redress to the ordinary tribunal* of the country,
and they disclaim as unjust on the part of the pen-
ple what they are pleased to call an extra judicial
inquiry. It was greatly to Ise Fomented that the
Prince Regent could wit consistelitly exercise his
own judgment on the late alarming proceedings ;
his character mid lass principles t indeed have
uoilergone a fees ful change if lie could come to any
decision which would throw reason, eqitity, and
humanity abide, nod which could depart from good
feeling and good taste. At all eyeing, the people
had a great duty to perform—they were bound by
what they owed to their oo.ti rights—to the wrongs
of the sufferers—to the memory of their uncertutt,
and to the belies of their childreti, to persevere. 74,
they relaxed in their efforts. they would betray
their country.—(Cries of " Never! never !"/—To
advance and to recede would only afford a triumph
to their enemies, and expose them to the scorn and
contempt of the world. British blood had stained
the soil ; the question was, did it flow by a sad acid
inevitable necessity, or was it wantonly and ille-
gully shed by the orders and authority of Magi.-
trates, and executed by their agents with malignant
cruelty ? The question wee, was ass effence coin-
witted on the (tort of the sufferers, which could
justify the visitation of so awful a chastisement—or
were the people engaged in a roustitutioual nod
rightful act, when thy suffered this inhuman out-
rage ? and whether this outrage war committedlby
the comment& or the Magistrates, or by the orders
of the Government, the crime of the merciless
agents was not the less detestable. This, he was
going to say, was a Government of law--and every
law, even martial law itself, eiijoilee obedience only
to lawful orders. This was a principle out OM..
lintel to this free country alone—at wee a principle
which was acted on even in etirlaved coolitriee,
where the will of a despot is the law of the land,
but where that will is subject to reason and to hu-
manity. A Icing of France (Clcules IX.) when he
gave orders fur the murder of all his Protestant
subjects, received this memorable +mower from the
Governor of one of his cities :—" Sire, I commit-
snorted your orders to the giirri 1111 l and to the in-
habitant.; I rattail only loyal citizens mid brave
peddlers, and not one executioner or one assassin
amongst them."—(App/asite.)-1 wish, said he,
that all cities, in the year 1619, could make the
same boast ; indeed, as fur as the military were
concerned, he might say, and he could say it with
peculiar pride, that the regular military did nut
sully the 'angels they had genteel over foreign furs
by bathing them in the blood of their countrymen.
He was proud to be able to say tine, because lie
was, he might soy, educated m that corps which
was stationed at Manchester. and which, think
God ! did nut Polly its own Inmost or the honour
of the peoftwtion of a soldier, but left the work of
carnage and cowardice to oilier hands. lie was
glad to think that the British army deserved the
esteem and gratitude which the ieeeple were willing
to bestow.—((:rigs of •' They are, they are; they
will apt blacker as like the yeomen; !" p-W hat was
the Wester. might he ask. snick the people. at
Manchester committed ? It was said that they did
lint turet with the approbation of the Magistrates.
I Now he would not hesitate to say, tlipt if the I lig6
flailiff had refused to call the present Mertiug he
(Sir Robert), as the Representetige of the (*utile,
sod is art Englislsemen, stook! haste performed his
ditty ; sod he accordingly wrote to this ceettlitry,
-mottos. dint in the event of she High Bailiff *kis.
iiis to ell! theMeetios frhieli frost the hoots' emio

1..-r,

t;•`•

of that
.•
rMincalgpilsestraaten,d htlern3didialogtrittYhiqk prOns
arthelPP;::::::::ll)6luellieldwpohuavlde
thaakveenptre fpciehnaiarm ife ti!oppotheinter
sint
would have taken all the responsibility of the
Meeting on liimself.—(Loadapplause.)-41e would
have done so, beciose he felt that he would have
been authorised to do so under the Bill of Rights.
They were told that the people of Manchester, as•
sembled on the 16th cf August, were guilty of the
crime of assembling for the purpose of petitioning
fora Reform of Parliament, for the reform of abuses
jn the representative system. to which the people
aritrglhitha,olectoiwlr
grievances
nipiaino ftilis:
sage t. h,esopehoepi
tae
m
God!" said he, " I do believe in my soul that these
abuses are the primary source and permanent
cause of all the evil* which alli:ct this country."
Was this, he asked, the language of a Revolu•
tionist ? No—it was the language of the most
virtuous and most eminent patriots that England
could boast of—it an, the Isnot .ge recently
held by the head of the illustrious House of
Russell. The Duke of Bedford, in his letter to
the Coiteehiric Society at Liverpool. said that it
had hero his opinion for the last 30 years, that
nothing but a fell, free, and fair Reform in Perlis.
ment could remedy the public grievances, or se.
core the country from danger. But it hied been
also said, that the people who composed the Meet-
log at !Manchester hail a plan of Reform of their
11%111.mm.,1 plats founded on the principle of Universal
Suffrage, Annual Parliantents. and Vote by
lot. This plan, it was true, was against the wishes
of men of property, because they thought it went
too tar, and was leaving property at the discretion
ouitiliers, In his mind, if the plan were less ob-
jectionable than it seemed to be, yet it was urged
ha its advocates with a reprehensible intolerance.
Bit .liet her the plan was wise or impracticable, was
sale or was dangerous, still he asked. might not an
honest men embrace it ? Were those who supported
if guilty of a crime—e crime ton that deserved to
he visited sudden death—s crime that admit-
trot of tin explanation—a crime in be runished with
death to this Iwo, of liberty, without affording to the
siitierer opportuoity of defence—a c r to be so
punished in this land of charity. without affording
the consolations of exercising religions or sone! du-
ties ? If such crime (as it was termed by modern
lawgivers) deserved the punishment of death,
what punishment, he asked, was due to those who
attempted to violate the representative system it.
self, by pollitting the whole stream of its action ?
But, say the Magistrates, the people of Mooches-
ter hail sticks. He believed, if this was more
strictly inquired into, it would turn out that these
sticks were like the sticks, staves, clubs. and so
forth, siiread out in indictstents.—t Laeghter.)—
These sticks soil clubs appeared to the yeomen like
Muebeth's dagger : it was the bloody business that
informed thus to their minds.—(Apploxse.)—
Though the subject was too melancholy to admit
of any thing hut serious remark, he yet could not
help telling an anecdote which lately occurred in
Paris, and which went to shew the sense entertained
of those proceedings by the people of France :
A French Gentleman, who had resided for a consi-
derable time in London, speaking to him (Sir
Robert) on the subject. directed his attention to a
stick he held in his hand. " Look at this stick,"
said lie, " I never thought that this stick would re•
mind me of a British !Magistrate." The stick had a
pi.ce of iron somewhat like a hammer at its {wad,
and is sold in all the shops in Paris. "If." said
the French Gentleman, " you wish to purchase one
you must ask for a Juge de la Puir"—(that is a
Justice of the Peace.)—(A laugh.)—ht 1 will tell
volt," said the Frenchman, " why it is so called.
Before the Revolution we had Justices of the Peace,
hat rongly resembling in character and conduct your
Manchester Magistrates, who, instead of giving the
people redress, knocked them down with a blow of
a Jugs de /a Pair, and, instead of being peace.
makers, were really peace-breakers."—(A laugh.)
—Again, said the Her. Gentleman, we are told
that the people came with flags to the Meeting of
the 16th of August. With flags!—why we have seen
Isere at Southwark 150 flags flying together, and we
hope to see them here agaitt.—(4pplanse.)—
hut on the Manchester flags there were written the
word " Liberty or Dead* I" What ! and are trot
the words Liberty or Death the rallying words of
every Englishman--are they not the words, at the
sound of which the air rings with our applause ?
!fit be traitorous to utter these words, then I thank
Goii lam that traitor—and I hope—l am sure I
shall die so.-.lApplarse.)—Tiwy were next told,
that the people came to the Meeting with military
movements. Who, lie asked, was the judge of
that ? Was it the Reverend Representative of the
C'burch Militant, who improved on his ministry,
mid for the benefit of the Coostitution read the
funeral service over the living I He (Sir Robert)
kid no doubt but that his poor countrymen at
Nlancloster appeared rather au awkward squad.—
These paltry and pitiful falsehoods only went to
shew how anxious their enemies were to encroach
on the liberties of the people. Mr. Hunt, a gen.
theme., with whom lie never had ally connexion,
bot whose conduct, ability, presence of mind, and
all the qualities which lie evinced at the meeting
and at the subsequent proceedings. commanded
his syspeet—that gentleman, so closely connected
with those proceedings, after bring arrested, was
liberated ou a charge of high treason. and held to
bail for an offence out punishable with life or limb.
—(Applause.)—Why. tlwri, lie would ask, were
the people to be pot out of the protectiou of civil
and social law ? Why, then, he would ask, were
the people mimed to the sauguinary violence of
merciless cavalry. to lie maltreated, maimed, and
cut down ? But see the conduct of the Magi*•
testes—and suppose, that even they wire justified
in reedit% the Riot Act, which. said the Hoe.
Geutleman, I deny, yet suppose they were justified
in reading the Riot Act. where did they read it.
and how ? If read at all, was it read to be heawd
by any itidividnal in the meeting ? If the inters.
tots of the Magistrates were bossism or honest,
would they not have given notice to the persons on
the hustings that the Riot Act was Mid ? This
would have Vara Mr. Hoot au epporteasity of no.
commeurliii3 the people to disperse, •nisl.to haw
brought the guesting to a legal deadest. Hats
course which wisdopt tend hotpot ily notaltisit ahliem
was far fume alas aqthipjliso or. .
single hint as i1aa11..111111.01111.11.4.1011
the pospla-Abit-s feratiscas blot ql eaveley. mai

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