The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-04-14 00:00:00

•NOTHEU. LETTER.

S• GILLR/1001. APRIL g.

" On account of the crowded state of Paisley
gaol, in consequence of the numerous appreheu-
slops occasioned by the recent disturbances there,
it was considered proper to send door five of the
ifrisosiers to Greenock, and yesterday afternoon
they arrived here escorted by the Port Giese*
volunteers, and were safely lodged in prison, im-
mediately after which the escort prepared to re.
turn homeward.. A considerable crowd had col.
Ircted to witness the arrival of the prisoners, but
110 disposition was 'hewn to awnoy the military in
the execution of their duty till they were about
to return, when some stones were wantonly
thrown among them ; this annoyence rather
increased as the volunteers repassed through the
town, and after turning the corner of Cathcart.
street, the latter fired some of their pieces, in
order to intimidate the assailants, whets too piere
sons were wounded. It appears, that instead
of diminishing, the attacks of the crowd were there-
by increased, till at length a sort of running fight
ensued, which unfortunately continued until the
volunteers were almost clear of the suburbs of the
town. In the encounter three persons were killed
on the spot, and upward. of 18 badly wounded,
of whom six have since died in the infirmary, win.
ther nearly the whole of the wounded h.►d been
carried, tinder the directions of the medical gen-
limn' of the town, who came most promptly t•
the spot, and were unremittingly active in render-
ing their professional assistance. Many of the vo.
lunteers, it is understood, were materially hurt in
the affray.
" Later its the evening a crowd again collected
at the square, and there being no military stationed
here to restrain them, urged on by a number of
fellows who were at renger. to the towm commenced
an attack on the outer gate of the gaol, which they
broke open in spite of the earumt l'inonstrancea
of five Magistrates, and many of the most respects
able inhabitants, to desist from. their unlawful en-
terprise. They then proceeded to force the limit
door of the gaol. in wltiCh they were equally sues
Cetera% Mid libeinted the five men brought dorsi
from l'aii,iey; who immediately escaped., NI
other prisoners were suffered to Truman. After
►his the tumult gradually subsided, and at
ten o'clock hurl totally ceased ; nor hey tbit'
tranquillity of the town been since interrupted:
Early this morning detachments of troops arrived
from Paisley and Clasen.
" It may not be superfluous to mention, that the
crowd, in assailing the military, were most probably
excited by the ratoloin impulses of the moment.
Nothing of the kind was anticipated preetuas to
the arrival of the latter."

" Lord Elgin's troop of Mid-Lothian cavalry, ac-
companied by Sir John Hope, the Commandant of
the corps, marched in here on Saturday in the high-
est style of tltninnent, and we observed none more
loud in their praise than the gentlemen of our own
troop of light horse."

" M LTO N, APKIL S.
" This town has been placed in a state of alarm
and anxiety during the whole of this week, in con.
sequence of the arrival of different corps of yeo-
manry cavalry, and the constant patroles which
traversed the streets daring the nights, and this
anxiety wan more strongly excited in consequence
of there being no avowed or evident cause fur
such precautionary measures. other than what
arose from a placard which had been posted in se-
veral p.irts of the town last Sunday morning. On
Friday our streets exhibited a scene of adorns,
anxiety, and confusion, which stand* without a pa.
rallel in its entails: detachments of littnars•mid yeo-
manry succeeded each other with rapidity through the
unreels, accompanied by infantry; 611 the Atom*
leading to the town were soon completely blockaded,
so as to present the possibility of either ingress or
egress. A search then commenced fur anus in the
mast suspicious depertmeuts, when. to the infinite
credit of the inhabitants, not a -weapon of a dan-
gerous nature was discovered, except such as
are to be hound generally throughout the country
in the most peaceable times. We rejoice to say tine
utmost tranquillity prevails, and that the operatives
of every kind have resumed their former wise and
industrious habits. Yesterday, 11 prisoners were
brought here from Strathaven under a military es-
cort ; they still remain iu custody at the Barnacles,
used reported they will be sent off far libbis.
burgh Castle this day."

" GLASGOW, APRIL 10.
" There has been no 'tidiest dentomtratroo Uwe.
since our last that deserves notice, and the-birsiiiem
appears to be over for the present. and we trust I
over for ever, None of the public works, as Tar is we
can learn, are yet going, the proprietors authoring
steadily to the determination of taking back none
of the workers till a thorough investigation lie 'dude,
end the pilules of the leadet s given tip. (t;Alsgow
Herald.)
" artist. 10.
SstUrdsy afternoon, about it'elwelt; the
following -fifteen priamiers. cluergetl with the crimes
of high treason mid rebellion against the King,
were lodged in tint tulbooth 01 this city, 'is.—
John Baird, Thomas tomen•ch, Andlitiv !birdie,
John Barr, Willistu Smith, Betijausiu Ma,
lea Polerchy, Alesr. Litimei, Ale's'. loblollies,

THE BRITISH PRESS.

• LONDON,
FRIDAY. Aiui I 4 tete.

The hope we expressed yesterday that the ac-
count which we then published of the unhappy
occurrences at Greenock, on Saturday, the Bth
instant, might prove unfounded, or at least much
exaggerated, has not been realised. Nine of the
populace, we lament to say, lost their lives on that
melancholy occasion, sod the wounded, so far es
they have been as yet ascertained, amount to -ten
or twelve. Greenock is said to have hitherto en-
joyed in excellent a reputation for the goad con-
duct of its inhabitant+, and their ready obedience
to the laws, that it has not been thought necessary
to quarter troops in the town, and consequently
the guard of the prison and the tranquillity of the
place have been intrusted exclusively to the civil
power. The expectation of seeing some state
prisoners brought into the town under military
escort, naturally collected a great crowd in the
streets, but no apprehension seemed to have been en-
tertaitsed by the Magistrates that this circumstance
would lead to any unpleajaat consequences. When
the five Radicals entered the town in a cart, under
the escort of it detachment of the Port Glasgow
volunteers, no other feeling appeared to have been
excited among the crowd than curiosity, end in-
deed the strength of the detachment, being about
eighty men, might reasonably be expected to deter
the populace from manifesting any hostile disposi-
tion. This principle of prudence, however, did
not continue to infioence the people, for no sootier
were the prisoners lodged in the gaol than the'
populace pressed round the voluineers, 'lining and
hooting, and ut length began to throw brick-
bats ■nd stones at them; the troops for some time
endured this treatment with exemplary patience,
but the populace continuing to enclose thews, they
felt the necessity of adopting decisive immures,
and a few shots were fired far the purpose of M.
tinshleting their penectriors. The crowd, how•
ever, were not to be thus deterred, and as Ahoy
persevered in their•outrages spinet the troop,: if*
latter were finally compelled to fire with ball air.

bridges upon the •people. The tiring was continued
wail the Manteca evseissted the town. snd• the
consequences were such as we have stated. Tice

~

a

• , -
' town brio' thee leftleibill Military protection.
the popolace. in revenge for their loam. attacked
the civil power, which they defeated, and opening
the prison doors, liberated the fire Radicals who

leery, but, strange to tell ! did not permit the other
prisoners confined in the same gaol to escape.
So far as the accounts hitherto received enable
us to judge of this lair, the conduct of the troops
see►ni to h■re been, if not highly meritorious, at
least lice from the remotest pouibility of censure.
They were assailed in the discharge of no very
pleasing duty by a violent and outrageous mob,
and seem not to bare attempted even to defend
themselves until the moment when further forbear-
ance on their parts must have endangered their own
safety. The numbers of the killed and wounded,
although much to be lamented, must be attributed
solely to the uncommon perseverance and firmness
of the popolice„ who, unlike other crowds in simi-
lar circumstances, were not dispersed by the fire of
a few muskets, but continued, notwithstanding a
running fire kept up by the retreating party, to
press upon the volunteers and assail them with mit*
riles until the detachment had effectually retreated
from the town. Pity it is that so much heroism
had not teen employed in a better cause ; but who
can refuse a word of praise to valour under what-
ever circumstances exerted But to the people of
Greenock some commendation is undoubtedly due
for the temper and forbearance which they display-
ed in the enjoyment of their victory. The Magi*.
trate, and special constables were completely over-
come, yet the populace, enraged though they must
have been by the occurrences ofthe day, and inflam-
ed as they might naturally he supposed to have been
by the attack upon the goal, yet made no other use of
their triumph than to liberate the five Radicals,
and instead of turning to pillage, and indulging
in any other excess, they quickly retired to their
respective homer, and in a very short space of time
the town was restored to its wonted tranquillity.

A Hamburgh Mail has arrived, bringing papers
from various parts of the Continent. The General
Assembly of the States of the Kingdom of Hano-
ver, having completed the business of the Session,
was prorogued on the 4th of April. The plague
hut ceased in Wallachia and Moldavia.
An article from Dresden communicates the atro-
cious marder of " the distinguished painter and
excellent man, Professor KnaaLnau." On the
27th nit. he went out, with the intention of visiting
his vineyard in the neighbourhood of Loschwitz,
and at five the following morning his body was
found by some domestics of the family; stripped
almost to nudity, with many wounds in the head.
Suspicion has fallen upon the workmen employed
at the vineyard, two of whom have been taken into
custody, but nothing had transpired to confirm
the conjecture of their guilt. The Ktxo, whose
particular esteem the deceased enjoyed, has offered
a reward, from his private purse, of 1,000 dollars
for the discovery of the murderers.

Paris Papers of Monday last have arrived. The
King of SPAIN, for the purpose of inopiring the
Constitutionalists with confidence in his sincerity,
and of terminating every partial opposition to the
new order of affairs, has issued a decree, declaring
that all who shall refuse to swear the Constitu-
tion sincerely, and without reservation, shall be
deemed unworthy the name of Spaniards, be
divested of all honours, rights, and privileges,
and be rendered incapable of residing within the
territories of Spain. By another decree, the red
venues of the vacant commanderies, and of
such as shall become vacant, are wisely appro-
priated towards the diminution of the public
debt. Perfect tranquillity reigns in every part
of Spain. The militia regiments that were sup-
posed to be in the interest of the Crown ex-
clusively, have been disbanded, and the marine
forces at Cadiz vie with the regular troops all over
the kingdom in their attachment to the Constitution.

The twentieth conference of the German Mi.
nisters assembled'in Congress at Vienna, has been
held, and in it are said to have been determined
all the points of general interest for which the Con-
gress had been convened. The result of the de.
liberations will be published about the end of
April.
One of the Paris Papers speaks of an important
diplomatic note from Russia., in which that power
is made to declare, that it will consider as an act
hostility towards itself, any violeuce offered by
an armed force to any one of the legitimate Go.
vertitnents which are nsittually gwaratiterd by the
Holy Alliauce. Neither cause, pnrrort, or direc-
tion, of an act of diplomacy so sziritorilinary, mid
apparently so unnecessary, is mentioned. e pre-
sume that the Editor of Me Consiitutionel. dust.