The National Register.
London, England, 1819-10-03 00:00:00

p . 1

No. 214—VoL. XII.]

Volitirat lArtroiSpect.

IT is a painful, though necessary, duty which the
aTect and eireumaances of the times impose, that
we have week after week to pursue the same melan-
choly details of violated Late, of persecuted Justice,
of Individual Suffering, and of spreading discontent.
The theme of the Manchester Magistrates, and
their doings from the memorable I 6th of August
dowuwards seems to be inexhaustible and eternal.
We cannot quit it because it involves the dearest
interests of our country, because no man is safe if
limit proceedings arc suffered to puss 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 atom unties 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 press to enlighten
the public mind, and to set before it the character
of the events to which we allude may be mainly at-
tributed the march of sound patriotic feeling which
is now making in every part of the kingdom.—
Meetings, rising both in the number of their attend-
ants, the rank and weight of Ouse 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
now to add that of Liverpool, a place peculiarly im-
portant 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 stun of these
extraordinary transactions. On the other hand the
Magistrates of Manchester seem determined to pro-
ceed in their own extraordinary career of unsubdued
passion and undisciplined intolerance. Alike re-
gardless both of the letter and spirit of English law,
they appear to think that their own authority is
alone supreme, and that the kiugdoin of Great 13ri.
tain is only made fir these Lords of Judgment to
think and act and move in. What should we think
in other parts where too we have Magistrates
sufficiently stupid, and sufficiently disposed to an
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
an individual brought before hint under the charge,
of having assaulted a constable, in the thllowing
words, and this too b,-(iire the guilt or criminality
of the accused had been ut all proved—" I believe
that you are a downright blackguard Retinmer.—
:ome of you Reformers ought to be hanged ; and
soma of you arc sure to be hanged—the rope is
already round 'out necks ; the law hes been a great
deal too lenient with you. I will have no bail for
this ruffianly crew, unless they have some money."
What may be the deservings of those who arc wret-
ched and therefore complain, who sec rottenness
and corruption overspread the land, and therefore
prevumero think that some remedy is wanted, and
to :play that it may speedily be applied, we do not
fed',. It necessary to determine, but we seriously and
gravely believe that to hang up one or two of that
august but worthless Body who have been the cause
and origin of so much mischief, would boa cheap and
wholesome sacrifice to the manes of the murdered,
and their bones a very fit appendage to Sir C. Wage-