The National Register.
London, England, 1816-12-09 00:00:00

TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER.

MiniNtees would not care to say that they were the acts of a
rabble.
'llicßesolutions were then carried with clamour.
Mr. Hunt then woved a Petitiou to Parliament for a gene-
ral Reform.
Mr. Waddington then' came forward to second it, having
been announced by Mr. Hunt as a man persecuted by Go-
vernment for opposing the war. He said, this Meeting was
a proof of the enlightened age in which ac lived. If a few
boys picked a few pockets, was it to be laid on them? He
contended that the 'sufferings of indintry might be relie%ed,
if a plan he had transmitted to Government were adopted,
of establishing a new commercial COMpelti* to trade in the
Pacific Ocean. That plan would clear the warehouses In six
months. -

The'Petition was then carried.
Mr. Hunt then moved, that their fellow-countryman in.per-
secntion, Lord Cochrane, should be desired to present the
Petition to the House of Commons.
Mr. Green proposed, that Sir F. Burdett, who had always
been the Blend of the people,
_ shonid, iu conjunction with
Lord Cochrane, carry up the Petition.
Mr. Waddington opposed that, unless some grave reasons
were given why Sir F. Burdett did not come from Brighton
to attend that Meeting. It was no time to attend his son, who
had fallen out of a gig.
Mr. Green persisted in his amendment.
Mr. Hunt said, he was sorry any one had come to Interrupt
the harmony of the Meeting. He had wrote to Sir F. Bur-
dett : and finding he wia not likely to be soon in town, he had
presented their Petition himself. Was that satisfactory
( yes.)—Then no one should force him to any farther ex-
planation.
After a great deal of tnniult, the Amendment was carried ;
and, on the motion of Mr. Hunt, the Meeting adjourned until
the second Monday after the assembling of Parliament.
There was no symptom of a rioting disposition manifested
by the people in tipaBeltla, and Mr. Hunt rode off amidst their
sbouts and applause.
FURTHER PARTICULARS.

[The following account of the origin of these proceedings has been
published. It should be observed that the speeches in the Spotsehis
took place previous to Mr Hunt's arrival
As early as ten o'clock a considerable number of Penons
arrived In front of the Merlin's Care public-house In Spa-
fields, many of whom had come frost Old Bailey, where,
as we have already noticed, the execution of four unhappy
offenders against the laws of their country had attracted a
vast number of spectators.—While those in front were pa-
tiently waiting the arrival of Mr. Hunt, the gardens In the
rear were filled with idle and dissolute characters) who
amused themselves in playing at bowls aed driaFing intoxi-
cating liquors. There were several active constables In the
house, and the landlord had been advised to Prevent Mr.
Hunt and his party from occupying his rooms, it he could do
so by persuasion, but dot otherwise. Mr. Tenon, of Hatton-
garden Police-office, and several other active magistrates,
were in a house immediately adjoining, to whom reports
were made almost every five minutes of the state of the mul-
titude. M Wile, opposite, and in the vicinity of the House
of Correction, there was a strong muster of constables from
all the police-offices, and from the different county parishes
within the bills of mortality these latter chiefly under the
direction of Mr. Stafford, chief clerk of Bow-street ; by
whom, and by the magistrates in their variouw districts,
hourly reports were sent to the office of the Secretary of
State for the Home Department. In fact, nothing could he
more praiseworthy than the arrangement for the preservation
of the peace. Shortly before twelve o'clock, the room from
which the orators bad delivered their speeches at the pre-
vious meeting became crowded by the friends of Mr. Hunt.
Among others present was Mr. Opal!, the chairman, whose
name 'was subscribed to the infamous hand-hills that have
been circulated and posted in various parts of the town. At
twelve, a backney-coach drove up, in which were fuer per-
sons of decent appearance, who seemed to be attracted ra-
ther by curiosity than business: their good clothes, however,
formed no sinall'object for vanity among the inoboiracq, who
hailed them with great gratification. Shortly after twelve,
the shouts of the multitude anootinced the wival of more
company ; and on looking from the window of Merlin's Cave,
a crowd was seen entering the fields, surrounding two tri-co-
loured flags and a banner ; the largest of the two first men-
tioned was that which was so triumphantly waved in the pre-
sence of Mr. Minket) the former occasion. The latter was
new and much swolleo. The banner contained the inscrip-
tion alluded to: " The brave soldiers are our brothers; treat
them kindly." Part of the crowd in front of the public-.
house were attracted, with others who bad been straggling
about the fields, towards the Sap, whist* because stationary ;
and in a short time not less than four' or five thousand per-
sons were congregated within about thirty yards of the cor-
ner-of the field next the Cold-bath-field's prison. Here a
waggon was placed very opportunely; a fellow dressed in
sailor's attire, bearing the larger flag, mounted amidst loud
Minas, and asked if the people wanted a leader? He received
en answer in the affirmative, and suddenly Dr. Wanton, his
son, and a Mr. Hooper? all distinguished with in-et:domed
cockades in their hats, jumped into the waggon to his sup-
port ; and being recoguized as having been present at the
former meeting were bailed with loud cheers. Dr. Watson
now took off his hat, and waving his hand in all directions,
craved silence while be ltd.:reseed the meeting.
Dr. Watson spoke as follows:
" Friends and Fellow-countrymen—We are convened this
day in consequence of the resolution past at the last meeting,
to bear the answer to the petition which we agreed to present
to the Prince Regent. I cannot refrain from expressing tile
pleasure I feel at aedressing so many of those who were pre-
sent when we last met, because they will be best able to ap-
preciate the manner in which our prayers have been treated.
You will recollect that Mr. Hunt was deputed to present our
petition to the Regent, In the hope that he would give an an-
swer to the cries of starving thousands. L have to inform you,
however, that the Prince Regent has resolved to give nu an-
swer : it Is useless, therefore, for us to pursue that course.
We are now culled ou, then, to sec whether the people of
Fslglaud will suffer themselves thus to he treated with con-
tempt. We are called, utin, because four millions of our
countrymen are in distress; because as many wore are in
fear of distress and imprisonment, whist half a million only
are enjoying spleedid histiry. Only half a 'minion of the
number stated In this placard (pointing to the bill %Oki, bad
bees so geuer..lly circulated about the metropolis) are fr. e
from tliceppieht'lliS nos of pores ty or de:it:i- I ask son, tut-
' der these circumstances, friends and count. ymeri, if musters
have dour their duty in advasiii,,,, tlk Prince itegeirt not to
hear our cries? E.rolgosiniou of Nu, so !—Hag the Prince
Regeut himself douse his duty?- Na, uo I—Was there ever a
morc-calamitous time in this country than at this moment?—

DECEMBER I.

Nu, not—lt is not only this country that has been thus op.
pressed ; our sister country, Ireland, has shared in our mis-
fortunes; there the climax of misery has been brought to
close; there their sufferings retool 611 extended fin there—
(Murmurs of ilisapprobation, 48 if there was no wish to mix
the came of the twb countries).—Are we to go on from time
to time, from mouth to inoidlt, from year to year, crying to
the fattier of his people (as he is called)lo vein tier redresst—
No, no!—The present, then, is the time for us to do some-
hung I—What! will men with the Wilds and
hearts of continue thus for months and years to
be starved.—Nu, no I—Haw then are we to be revtored to
our rights? Nut by petition, for our petitions are not heard.
—Brace!—lt appears that we have beeu placed in a state of
bondage for years, and this because the civil rights of society
have not been attended to. —Meas.—The calls of the multi-
made from time to time have been neglected. The parlia-
ment, which should be solicitous for the protection of the
people, have been invited to assemble together to take into
consideration the distresses of these calamitous times—to
consider in their wisdom, if they posseu that wisdom, the
best means of affording relief in this distressing state of diingc
—to consider the situation of the dying multitude, but In
vain.—Disapprolatisii.—lt rests with ourselves then to cog.
sidcr how we shall relieve ourselves In these calamitous times.
—Chases.—We have been told very truly, that trade and
commerce have beet. annihilated ; but still the earth was by
nature designed for the support of mankind. The earth is
at all times sufficient to piece man above distress, "ad in a
comfortable situation. If he has bit a spade and a hoe, to
turn up his mother earth, be has the means of averting starvi-
lion. In the situation in which we are placed, how is this to
be accomplished? I will tell you. I bare said Cut the hoed,
of society have been neglected. They psis Majesty's =Wit-
ten) have placed us in a situation of misery; they fame pc.
glectutthe cries of the hungry and starving peoPle—sries tt
They Aare,"—There is not a day in which we pass
the streets of this great metropolis that we du not see
starving to death. Ave they ignorant of Ibis —lf t et
are they ought not to be : but they are no 'They kno*
well that the people are starving in every part of the Mow
dom ; and yet will admit of no measure to relieve them.....
Groans.—Will they nose hear our cries I—No, eo.—Hove they
not been supplicated in the language of men—in the hapairp
of forbearance and patient soffering?—Yes, ges.—Have w♦
not been in a state of bondage longer than the Israelites:
they were in bondage bat 400 years, but we have been
longer. Ever since the Norman conquest kings have bees
admitted by you to do as they liked : they have is
instances converted you to their wicked purposes • bat this
mast not last any longer!—Cries eine, so ! 411111 tea 84•1154.
The orator then stepped aside, and made room for

Mr. Watson jou. who started forward with peculiar ha.
petoosity and violence of gesture, waving his hat, is which
was his tri-colonred cockade. This man spoke as follows:
"The last time we met its this place, I had the honour of
saying a few words to you, my fellow-conntrymen. b was
the person who proposed the Resolution for our meeting
again this day. Some were of opinion that oar Meeting
should be adjourned to the first day of the Meeting of Par.
!Monad; but I said that it was not in our power to tell when
Parhament would meet, or whether they would meet at SOL
Al that time we agreed to present a Petitionia.his Mord -
Highness the Prince Regent. This Petition, we had hoes
told, was presented; but answer there was none, except that
the Prince Regent, nor any of his family ever attended to doe
prayers of the people, mamas through Petitions front the two
Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, or from the Corpora-
tion of the city of London. In a word, he will not attend tO
the prayers of the people—(Greene and hisses.)—This man
calls himself the father of his people.—kies----seith
—ls it not the duty of a father to protect his children?...
(Yes.)—Does he do so?—(1W)---No, he treats your eons.
plaints with indifference, sad tramplus on your rights. There
is no luxury which he spares, because he knows the cape
must come out of your pockets.(Greens.)—Are we to soil.
mit any lotiger to this?—(ll4.) Will Englishmen any longer
antler themselves to be trod upon like the poor African slaves
in the West Indies?—( (o, a., reined have relief!)—But how
is this to be obtained? Have may attempts been made to re.
trove yea? Yes, such a pretence has been made since our
last meeting, in consequence of the resolutions which we
paned, and the firemen displayed by the people calling for
relief. Some persons have come forward to give as ox-cheek
soap and ex-bone broth—(Laughtsr and cheers.)--Those who
have come forward with their two hundreds tsko should have
come forward with their one or two handred thonsouds. .Do
you believe that these people are sincere in their wishes for
your welfare? (No/)—.Du they not cowe forward to rob yea
of all you possess, and then give you a penny to pay huff
turnpike?—(Leughter, sad cries af yes, yes!)--rime Prince
Regent, in his great generosity, ban given you 00801. oat of
fundss which do not touch his own pocket. He robe you of
millions, and then gives you part of the spOil—(ityptiniee.)--
My friend (Mr. Preston, we suppose) hies been described by
the Treasury Journals as a second Wat Tyler—no bad titles
for be it recollected, that Wat Tyler rose fur the purpose of
putting down an oppressive las, and would have succeeded
had he not been basely murdered by William Walworth, then
Lord Mayor of London; but we have no basketwork Lord
Mayors now; and if he was surrounded by thonsands of his
fellow-countrymen as I am, he need fear no Lord Mayor
whatever—(Hterats.)—lt seems the determined resolution of
Ministers to carry things in their own way; or, as they cell
it," Our noverign Lord.tbe King will carry every thing with
firmness." This is to say, they will carry the business In
defiance of the voice of the people. If they will not give us
what we want, shall we not take it—(Yes, yes.)—Are you
willing to take it? (Yes.)—Will you go and take it?—((Yes.)-..
If I jump down among you, will you conic and take it ?
( Yes, rearm a tisinisand eaices.)—W ill you then follow nie ?
—(Yea, yer.)—The speaker then seized the largest of the Mi.
coloured flags, and flourishing his hat, jumped among the
crowd amidst the loudest shouts. Hr. \Watson and Mr.
Hooper followed hint, and these heroes rushed forward, fol-
lowed by souse thousands towards Cierimuwell.
It was singular to mark the diversity of opinion which pre.
vatted among the crowd to whom these inflammatory
speeches were addressed. A vast number accused
to sanction and support all that was said or •
there was still .a larger portion of the andirons vilivielf
them abuse appearance bespoke great distress, who seemed
to hear with (lustros, and indignation the language which w
uttered. Each offered advice in his neighbour; and,
many cases, were heard eutreaties not to follow the iiilsgui
ed crowd. Time leaders laid declared no plan: and all that
:was promised by the people was, blindly to follow the ,teps
..'the orators, by whose Mist Bowls and minstatessients .heir
m'eelings had c ticked: Whether any pretsoneerted si benne
'.ad been arranged was not generally known, amid hundreds
rushed on apparently indifferent to the consequence of their
rashness; souse inflawed by liquor—saute indented by