The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-02-27 00:00:00

PETITIONS

OMPLAINING OF THE OPERATION OF THE
ACT FOR THE SUSPENSION OF THE HABEAS
CORPUS.

[Promoted to the Homo of Comeusesse, February 13, 1818.]

WILLIAM OGDEN.

A Petition of William Ogden, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, printer, was presented and read; set-
ting forth, that the Petitioner is an old man, 74 years of age,
with a large family dependant on him for support, and
during his absence his wife solicited the Overseers of Man-
ielsester for relief, but was rudely refused any, es be the said
Petitioner vru an advocate fur Parliamentary Reform, al-
though be has paid the pour rate in Manchester for 36 years,
and by his two wives had 17 children; he was seized, by • war-
rant from Lurd Sidmouth,on Sunday morning the 911. March.
1817, while is bed, the day before the meeting of the 10th ;
his house was rummaged, his property carried away, and all
his papers,and though nothing was found but what was per-
fectly legal, he was committed to prison in solitary modem-
natal, nor bad he any meat allowed tom from Sunday morn-
ing till Tuesday at three o'clock in the the afternoon, when,
on complaint to Colonel Sylvester, the Magistrate. he was
ordered a three-penny pye, which was all the meat allowed
• kim at that prison; be also informed the said Magistrate
that his shoes ware broke, and not fit for such &journey,
on which the illhigistrate said, "Get him a pair, Nadia
get him • pair;" bat the eatchpole replied, " Why did you
not send fur another pair ?" M Which the Petitioner replied,
" 1 have not always Iwo pair, and did not know of marching
orders;" but Nadia replied. " lee too late now, and over.
ruled the Colonel, as none were given the Petitilnier; hew/.
then loaded with • manacle not lees than thirty pounds
weight, and treated iu the most brutal manner by the con.
stable, and Nadia hits depnty, whom the Petitioner has
every reason to conclude was the informant against him ; as
be had for six weeks before declared to the Petitioner person-
ally, that if be did not discontinue his attendance at the
public meetings be would apprehend him; enintions of the
rectitude of his conduct, the Petitioner disregarded his rude
threat ; but before the meeting of the 10th of March com-
menced, be was apprehended by the said Nadia, and there-
fore did not attend ; on application to face say informant,
the Petitioner was treated indignantly by the ferocious
Nadi'', and immediately posted off; the ponderous irons the
Petitioner was loaded with broke his belly, end caused an
hernia to ensue about eight o'clock in the evening, when
going to bed, and it was impossible to alarm the puler;
the Petitioner remained in that dreadful state for more
than sixteen boars is the most exeruciatiug torture; on
the turnkey appearing in the morning, two surgeons were
cent for, who, after using sash means as seemed to them
necessary, fond nothing would do but the knife, and appre-
hended, from the Petitioner's age (seventy-four), he should
die under the severe operation; the pain be endured was so
great, that he insisted on that means being resorted to;
they unwillingly commenced She operation, which coati-
nued fur one hour and forty Illiatalre and, praised be God,
and the skill of the surgeons, the Petitioner survived it,
contrary to the surgeons' expectation, hut much debili-
tated in his constitution, and he is fearful he shall never
be able to follow his employ as a printer; Mr. Dixon, the
servo's. and bits partner performed the operation in
Horsens ouger Gaol, and can witness to the truth of this
statement; the wound in the groin of the Petitioner was
above seven inches in 'tomtit, and Mr. Dixon had his entrails
unt of his belly in Ids Augers, like a link of sausages; Mr.
Walters the Governor was also there, and can speak so the
fact here recorded ; this. has an old man been turn from his
family, and ruined in his business, by the base municipa-
lity of Alatichester alone, who alone were the rioters, sae of
whom was a clergyman, the Reverend Mr, C. Ethelatoo ; fur
the Petitioner declares before God, who is both connipeteut,
omnipresent, and omniscient, he had done no wrong,
though he has suffered all this, and been near nine months
in solitary confinement, through the machinations of mean
unworthy men, who have disgraced the very SOU re• that
created them; the Petitioner, therefore, humbly hopes that
the Moose will nut pa.s any Act of Indemnity so as to pre-
clude him from seeking that redress his bard case merino,
andtbat remuneration t.slich be Is in justice entitled to.
JOHN STEWART.
A Petition of John Stewart, weaver, in Glasgow, was pre-
sented and read ; setting forth, that the Petitioner was ap-
prehended by the Sheriff of Lanarkshire on the 21i1 of
February last year, and put. is prison, where he remained
seven weeks nod three days, when lie was liberated on bail,
without having been charged with any specific crime; that
from the 2til till the 76th of the said month he coutinned
in gaol without Are, candle, provisions, or even a bed to rest
upon, in that cold and inclement season of the year ; that
his privies allowance was only (one shillings and eight-pence
per week, two and sixpence of which was expended im the
articles of coal+, candle, and other necessary things. leaving
only two shillings nod two-pence to find him in weekly sub..
aistenettt that the Petitioner km a wife and three children who
stiffered severely from the vault of his labour and company,
while the loss of work, she expruse of a bail hood, and other
eh-urges connected with his confinement nod liberation, have
reihiced his circumstaiires and require redeem. May it
therefore please the House to take the above into serious con.
*literalism, and ;rant such redress as to them may seem
uteri.