The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-11-24 00:00:00

f.ct,rs. tear to pieces alt authority. and destroy
even the means of their emu security. If. how.
rver, the people were sera to net it, soy respect like
this. most it not have proceeded from the operation
of greet distress and severe etifi,ringe ? Ought
not a great distinction be lakes. betwirew them
who emleavtiorell to luirleart. and ohm- who were
misled, arid while the former merited the sit.
most severity of offruded justice. were not the
latter fit object* for our solicitude and aux'
care. and ought they not ba taught to feel dist they
possessed rights under the Mahal Constitution,
and that they should find iw Parliament a party
arid certain protector to ii.rieetthose nglos and re.
dress their grievances ? Was It wise. sod safe, arid
humane for a Government airways to hew itself
with a revere front, ready to puribib,aorl slim to
redress ? lo such Goveromerst We people eussht
not repair coolish-wee, esperieirce has shawn
that froth :loch w modern on advaistage could result.
With regard to the existing evils, the
was, that they hail originated in the isijoidiciorts
measures of the Gower 1111 l reit itself. lie would
cull upon the Home to look hick to the measures
which had been porsued for the lint two years. and
then they might determine with wh.t propriety lie
had urged tilts presumption. When about two
years moire the House were considerireg the circum-
stances of the country. resembling is. many pontos
its present coroisti ttttt a Noble Friend of his (the
Marquis Wellesley), whose words elwais noide a
deep impre.siosi upon his mind, commented for.
eddy upon the causes of popular discontent, and
traced them to great poverty end great hurtle-ors.
Sileakiiig in the kindred spirit of Lord Bacon, his
Noble Frieird urged the necessity of reducing the
matter of discontent by diminishing the mimosa of
tribute, and reducing the extent of the military ewe-
blisliment. Was this recommendation attended to ?

—has Parliainent endeavoured to 6' take away the
matter of sedit ?"—has it lent a willing mid in.
dulgent ear in the complaints of the people ?—liss it
endeavoured to alleviate their sufferings ? —has it ex-
ercised retrenchment, and wilts a severe hand cut
away every useless expense: Hay it not rather in-
creased the burdens of the people, and at a moment
when (lioness had reached its highest point, did it
not suspend the great bulwark of the liberty of the
country ?—(Hear.)—Such has in effect been the
fatal course pursued, and never in a rummer snore
rilarked thou in the last Session of Parliament. Tnat
lkiralisiliattscommenced under bright auspices. and
opes were entertained by those who thought that
flarlisinent as at present constituted did really re.
present the nation ; that in thelast Session measurer
would have been adopted calculated to restore con-
fidence and tranquillity to the nation. But those
hopes were unhappily aorta doweled. and charges
were added to the burdens of the people. which tie
pretence of public necessity could justify. Those
measures lie had opposed, and the result fulfilled
his gloomiest apprehensions; for they had injured
the character of the Government, of Parliamerit,and
even of the Royal Family itself. The demil of
justice which the people tifeYr "iiiiterienced. fur he
could call it by no milder Yirlti, was followed by
other measures which addid- iniult to injury. and
the Session closed with nodding three millions of
additional taxes to the burdens of the people.—
(Heim, hear.)—Whea the House looked back to
these measures, was it surprising that the country
should assume a formidable appearance ? In the
Speech from the Throne, it was said that the menu-
facturers of the country lehoured under a partial
',minion, but did the condition of Glasgow, of Man-
chester, and of the West Riding of Yorkshire,- war.
rant so gentle au expression ? Partial ! They had in
those places a starving population, which during
the summer were unfortunately in a temper of
mind to receive favourably the lessons of intem-
perance. During the summer several meetings
were held. in one instance for the illegal and Marine
purpiree of electing what they culled a " Legislato.
riot Attorney" to represent them in the Commons
Holm of Parliament; but the general object was
to petition fur a radical reform in the mode of elect-
log Representatives. Now though he thought that
some reform was absolutely required in the House
of Common!, he should regard this radical reform
in no other light than as a radical revolution : the
object of these meetings, therefore. he could never
sanction. but at the same time he felt that the peo-
ple
had a right to assemble for the purpose of ex-
pressing. their sentiments even upon this suhjeCt.
Che meetings were held, and wherever the Megis- j
trates refrained from interrupting the, peopleiu the
exercise of their rights, no disturtnifice ensued. lit
one instance, the Magistrates deviated from this
prudent course, and the consequences were most
calamitous. He was surprised that in the Speech
from the Throne the subject should be wholly omit-
I. ted. No allusion was made to those most odor-
termite evente, which were not only productive of
much immediate evil, but were pregrient with the
worst cunsequences.—( Hear, hear, hear.)—A
meeting, it seems. was to be held at Manchester,
for the same illegal end mad purpose, us lie had
already noticed. but this design was abandoned.—
A meeting was then held for the purpose—unwise
indeed. but certainly not illegal—of framing a pe-
tition in favour of radical reform. The meeting
had assembled, and a scene ensiled which no man,
of whatever party‘ could contemplate without feel-
ings of pain and sorrow.--(Hear, hear.)—He
would not enter into the details of that melancholy
day, the 16,h of August. became they must be
made the subject of separate inquiry, here was,
however, prima fade, a strong presumption against
the Magistrates, which it would require very dif-
ferent reasoning, arid very different facts, from any
he hail hitherto heard, to. remove. When the -day
of that inquiry arrived, it would be necessary, fur
the justification Of the Magistrates of Manchester.
to prove that the meeting was illegal. Upon this
point he should not now give an opinion; but however
he may disapprove of the object contemplated, and
of the manner in which the meeting was formed—
however he might condemn the practice of march.
log large bodies of ones in something like military

array. and from great dislaticea—he yet could not
ray that !Uri. proceedings were Mega. Tiny were
indeed 01i0...* of the right of petitiposing. sod such
lobow as they would must deprecate who swat vs-
lord that light.—(Hear. hear.)
But even though the meets.% were illegal. the
Alsgotratee could not be justified in the toe of
violence, unless some Case of Inmost socanty
existed. What the due of -
must therefore not only lie sl
Eras illegal, but alm that the
perm% it were not
(could apnsal with confidence
tie Woolsack, that mahiog short
cteory could justify the Msgistri
measurer, and not until after ott
resorted to, sort_found deficient.
apparent. the Magistrates of
before God and stag; , Juan
be not clearly established. the blood stied on that
otilia•,py OCC•Liote must rest upon their galley heads.
Parliament would be a partaker in their crimes
if it did nut institute • severe 'equity into •;1 the
circumstances of that melancholy day, and thereby
wipe so foul it stain from the history of the country.
—( Heur, hear.)—With these general remarks, lie
would Wye this question fur future inquiry, but
there were certain circumstances connected with it
to which Ile felt it necessary to refer. The most
prominent of these was the letter addressed by the
Noble Secretary of State to the Magitarates of Mon.
chaster in commendation of their conduct. Much
loot been said al t forejudging the unhappy pus.
crating' of the 16th of August, but nothing had
surprised him more than to hear such an objectioo
from those who had advised the sending of that letter.
The Nable Lord was very indignant that the affair
should be prejii,fged; hut what did the Noble Lord
himself hut prejudge the question. when he wrote
• letter to the Magistrates, expressing his satiVac-
elan? Good God ! his satisfaction ! Wba • word
to use on such an occasion !—( Load cries of "hear,
hear.")—But did not the Noble Lord prejudge the
nuts ion, whets without a moment's reflection, he re-
pressed his satisfaction at the " prompt, vigorous,
awl efficient measures adopted by the Magistrates ?
Next came the petulant slid undignified answer
which the Noble Lord advised his Royal Master to
return to the Address of the City of London. This
rebuke was founded upon two points : one, that
the Citizens were ignorant of the transactions
the other, that if any public. or private injury
had been suffered, the Courts of Law were
open for redress. and that any inquiry would be
extrajudicial. Both these points required consi-
deration. If the Citizens of London were ignorant,
what information had his Mjestv's Ministers ? The
occurrence took place on the 16th of August, the
letter of satisfaction was written on the glit.
Allowing then for the time necessary ta transmit
from Manchester to London the accosts'. of the
-transaction; and again from LOlOOll to have them
laid before the Prince Re4etit, litho at that time
was at a considereble distance from the seat of
government. there would scarcely remelts • ma
anent for deliberation upon • point which certainly
deserved some attention.— (Hear. heur.)There
was no time allowed even for a pause. The Prince
Regent's Ministers, however, thought fit to rebuke
others for demanding inquiry, on the ground of
ignorance. To inquire with them is to prejudge,
but to decide, and to approve, upon no other
information than what was given by an inter-
ested pat), the Magistrates themselves. was per-
fectly consistent with propriety ! !—(1-fearoftear.)
The conduct of the Noble Lord must, in this respect,
be exposed to censure. To express satisfaction
upon such an occasion, where sorrow was more ap-
propriate. was revolting to every generous mind.
What stronger language could be used if a victory
had been gained over a foreign enemy ?—(Hear.)—
In the good times of the Republic of Rome. when
a victory was purchased by the loos of toasty lives,
the people humbled themselves before the gods,
and refused to the conquerors the honours of a
triumph, thinking that such a victory, obtained at
such a price, was more worthy of tears than joy.
The same reserve and delicacy should have beer.
observed on this occasion, yet the deClaration of
the Noble Lord's satisfaction at this signal achieve-
ment was unoccompsuird by one expression of
sympathy or sorrow.—/Cries of Hear, hear.)—
The other point of the Noble Lord's rebuke to the
Citizens of London was, that they sought an ez-
tra-judicial inquiry. It does not appear what kind
of inquiry in particular the Citizens of London
desired ; whether by the Privy Council, or by any
other tribunal. Yet was it not the constant ',me-
net of the Council to inquire into all cases air ct-
jug the safety of the State, whether seditioui or
treasonable practices. to examine witnesses respect-
ing them, and to order procerditigs at law to be lie.
satiated ? Was it not even the duty of the Privy
Council, as the guardians of the public peace, when-
ever it was violated, either by mobs or Magistrates,
to institute similar proceedings ? An equal dots
was imposed on them, in the present instance, end
the Answer returned to the Address of the Citizens
of London, was consonant neither with right nor
justice. it could not be denied, that the con-
duct of the Magistrates might have been highly
censurable, and yet at the same time they might
not have been amenable to any criminal tribunal.
They might base been invested by law with a di.-
cretiosary power, and not be punishable for the ex-
ercise of that discretion. And could it be said that
in such a case the Council ought not to institute au
inquiry into their conduct ? If this were tenable
with respect to the Council, much more so was it
with respect to Parliament. but more particularly
with respect to the House of Commas*. Suppose
a case, in which Ministers, relying spots their is'.
fluence in Parliament, thought proper to rms a
commission for levying a tat, WO, for iostatycei ws
ship-mduey—that the Magittristes throsighoot the
country were devoted to their istmerne; and mete
so bate so to insist warrants of diatom its aid of
the Ministerial Commission; its tab rr ease the
Courts of Law night lades* be wpm he Puffs,

bat 'mild as Parliament he go*, of • Karst
ielle6oll Of il•posloliC ditty weer N wo Amain. (rein:
say (novelist idru of deiiree!, floe' ingots:long • so.
Itswins inquiry nolo wen transsetionis
ileir.)—Bst were. such smpiseir* onnropl !I 1144
Committees Otter htr• spormoned Ly PotitottoPtst to
investigate nay aulijres which was open fnr jnotirint
ingtriryr wren •t • 1110•1114.1 lawn Wit Only wrre
of ige,l
dis.it.C-
-IC•1411•K 1,41
told
hem—
: them
lieu dr-
Tll.O
, Com.
tiros t*gi

mind *I
dmsetrr, - nut( derply the inte-
rval' of people uhu ',err umirr heal for capital
offrocrs; but whenever thoor who h•d •u• lute- for
their sufferings exerted them-elirre to uht•iu •a

alleviation of their distreaves. they were to he told
that the Conroe were open fnr redress. which per-
Imps they had no means of ohisi eeeee g, sod to which
the doors might he for ever chard, either hr the
refusal of Grand Juries to find hill., or of Magis-
trates to receive inforinaiiinia. - (Hear, hear )
In such • ease. if Parliament refused to hear their

complaints. could it he • matter of surprise that
discontent should prevail among the people t The
Noble Lord then alluded to what he called the

next step in the proceedings or the Ministers. the
►emoval of Lord Fitzwilliain front the Lieutesiaucy
of the West Riding of Yorkshire. The only
offence committed by that Noble Lord, was her
having promoted a meeting at York, to petition
the Prince Regent that Parliament might I,c con-
vened. and that an inquiry might be instituted
into the affair of Manchester. Could a more con-

stitational application have been made,of a mature

better suited to the circumstances of the country.
or one more calculated to allay the angry feelings
of the country ? The meeting took place. 110113 Cf.
ous and respectable. Were the proceedings tu-
multuous or calculated to give counterminer to the
factious designs of ally intriguing or seditious
men ? The facts were notoriously the reverse. and
he would appeal to ell those who had any means of
judging of the influence of that meeting. whether it
did not contribute more towards allaying the fer-
ment in the minds of the•penple in the West Rid-
ing, than could have been effected ley any increase
in the military force. however esteusive.—( Hear.)-.

Yet for a proceeding of this nature his Niside
Friend MU dismissed from the Lieutenancy. He
should never forget the surprise with which the first
intelligence of .thiaevritZwes receiied throughout
'the country, 4lisif! 'll. bon filar and ritzwillmus„
an didismewisited. for Iris high esidiwateuts sod the
oarseeit zeal with which he had ever devoled himself
to the welfare of his country! . He would not speak
of his high rank, his extensive influence. or his
princely possessiois, but newer was man more ht -
loved, newer was there a inan.so happily placed be-
tween the Monarch and the people. that while.
as it was observed iu the •Henolutions poised at
• Wakefield, he was entitled by his rank to ihe con-
fidence of his Sovereign, so he also possessed the
confidence of the people, by his well-known st-
tachment to their liberties. He who, its was then
well remarked by a man eminent
.for rank and tax
lents, might he considered a mediator ai.d
of peace, who was so pure in his conduct. so de-
voted to his country. that duty was ever his first
object ; who iii the discharge of what he erouceived
to be his duty to his country, had separated front
his hest friends—could it be surprising that
Na dismissal of such a man should exc►te so' pin.-
if not hear.)—He was aware
that the aspponittnent and remota, of Ltewterrartt,
was one of the undoubted prerogatives of the
CroWn. but there was no point of the prerogittir4
which iu its exercise might not be made the subject
of representation and remonstrance in this or the

other House. The Noble Earl remarked that the
Ministers must have some further objects iiithos
holding up such a man as Lord Fitzwilliain to Vie
public as not deserving
.the confidence of II s
Sovereign. merely for having besought WI
itr-
quity into an affair that deeply interissed the
peoples He then observed that in reviewing the
proceedings of the Ministers, they had, first, a bn.ly
of Magistrates in strict and close cOrreliondei.et
with the Ministers, dispersing a meeting of the
people, oa this the Ministers expressed their sari.-
f.ction; they then rebuked the Calories of
for preying an inquiry. and would have punished,
and as for as iu them lies did punish Earl Fi•zwif-
liam. for presuming to feel pity for the siieriii,t.
people. From all these eircurristanceo, whist cont.i
be collected. hut that it was the intentiou of Gave"-
agent 146 keep down the people by unqu.slitvol .
verity sod coercion The next step in.triiir pre -
ceedings. was to make a large addition to the stand •
ing army of the country, which already Cif rltCrittir
any peace establishment ever before known in thi.
cobetry. He doubted the legality of tin. proceed-
ing, but would not urge hie objectiolis, knowing silt)
what little attention such observations were likely
to be received in that House, but the ronsuleratien
could not be passed over that such a isessure
unleaded by an increase in the public hiordeno to
the Itelioarit of from 800.0001. to 3004001.. the
Noble Earl then allotted to the unawares of severity
.adopted in the year 1817. mid eudottledleel.,oti the
motility of their adoption, especially whew it
was understood that they had been prinelortly
calmed by the machinations of spies.
rash measures much of the present csktaid',4
of the country must be attriboteski gad yet; t"...-
experieoca or the past did vet sees to d. tee
Miprs-
ten from now pueseiwit of the MM. course. Sec!‘
was the natant esastsiassee orsitstolvsaz viakenAr.
fsr so gm exercise d' fare* generated daleonteort.
tlindilleyantent woo used as ors excuse ti,/ I.ifttite
wgla " wens the "With0 r see conime,i etit
it as tutee impassible to 44449 issue .t. Tar

4 dipeabiles“ arrived, st al proceeding+ Ise.iding. but the liver of
*hewn that the webs% were in jetspirdy.?--ilitter, hart{--The die
the steps taken far di.- liens drawls is .thirde cases were reirottin
ak
( liter, hem.) —ref m I COIIII6OO Itltale: ' ..
~ Ihr ',envie In h.
:!.. to the Noble Lord on I that alterrester ri. -..4
iihore prevailed among thl
short of the strongest sees whenever any pet .s't'rop to niiairad
gi.if,,tes 5,5 wing strong le VialeWet, VIA ll> grading 111 1110'4 11111 P•
other means had beets •Wwctiewe no (61.8 he. iblitiwedt '
eat. If this witer.ey hg, assessiudisial Mairlsid be i died, I
Manchester will-lusressi ees mkt* he Reports rl
hut if this jus.ific.thig op and published, inflaming the pubise mind
the blood shed 041 that the chew of d.itsger, and rsdeciing deeply the