The National Register.
London, England, 1819-10-04 00:00:00

Dr 4/

No. ‘2I6—VoL. XII.]

Voliticat Uettoopca:

It is a painful, though necessary, duty which the
trpect and circumstances of the times impose, that
we have week after week to pursue the same melan-
choly details of violated Law, of persecuted Justice,
of Individual Suffering, and of 'spreading discontent.
The theme of the Mtochester Magistrates, anti
their doingr from the memorable 16th of August
downwards seems to be inexhaustible and eternal.
NVe cannot quit it because it involves the dearest
interests of our country, because no man is safe if
such proceedingsare suffered to pass away unnoticed,
and because it is through the medium of a free and
unfettered discussion in the public Journals that we
must especially hope to have the enormities which
have been committed properly understood, and the
paramount necessity of resisting the establishment
of such precedents generally felt and duly valued.
To the strenuous effects of the .preas to enlighten
the public mind, and to set 'before it the character
of the events tc which we allude may be mainly at-
tribute-el the march of sound patriotic feeling v. hick
is now making in every part of the kingdom.—
Meetings, rising both in the number of their attend-
ants, the rank and weight of those who preside
over them, and in the firmness and constitutional
tone of their- deliberations are becoming almost uni-
versal. In addition to those of London, Southwark,
York, Leeds, Birmingham, and Norwich, we have
new to add that of Liverpool, a place peculiarly im- I
purtant because immediately connected with the
memorable scene of action, and of course fully able
to judge with unquestionable accuracy of what has
been the nature and stamp of the whole sum of these
extraordinary transactions. On the other hand the
Dlagistmtes of Manchester seem determined to pro-
ceed in their own extraordinary career of unsubdued
passion and undisciplined intolerance. Alike re-
gardless lanh of the letter and spirit of English law,
they appear to think that their own authority is
alone supreme, anti that the kingdom of Great Mi.
tint is only made for these Lords of Judgment to
think and act and move in. ‘Vhat 'Tumid we think
in other parts where too we have Magistrates
sufficiently stupid, and sufficiently disposed to un
arbitrary exercise of power; but what I say should
we think of a Magistrate who should be gravely
sitting to dispense impartial justice thus addressing
en individual brought bethre him under theTharge
of having assaulted a constable, in the following
words, anti this teo bethre the guilt •or criminality
of the accused had been at all proved—" 'I believe.
that you are a downright 'blackguard aeliumer.—
Some of you Reformers ought to be hanged; and
soma of you are sure to be hanged—the rope is
already round )ota necks.; the law Las been a great •
deal too lenient with you. 4 will have no hail for
this ruffianly crew, 'unless they have some money."
What may be thedeservings of those who are wret-
ched and therefore complain, who see rottenness
and corruption.overspretul the land, and therefore
presume to think 'that some remedy is wanted, and
to pray akat it may speedily he applied, we do not
feel it necessary to determine. but we seriously and
gravely believe that to hung up one or two of that
august but worthless Hedy who have been the cause
and origin of so much mischief, would bea cheap and
wholesome sacrifice to the manes of the murdered,
and their bones a very•tit appendage to Sir C. Wolse-.