The National Register.
London, England, 1819-09-19 00:00:00

bt,

No. 213—VoL. XII.]

Volittcat netrosipect.

THE conduct of the Manchester Magistrates, and
their Satellites, continues to be so extraordinary and
important, as to render it quite impossible for any
public journal to turn the attention of its readers
fur a moment away from such a subject ; Investi-
gation of the massacres of the fatal itith has now
clearly established every, fart which we stated in our
columns respecting them. The Courier has, indeed,
already retracted the moderate xtutement of numbers
killed and wounded, upon wh'eli it so confidently
insisted, and we now call upon it to do the same
j-astice to the public and to ourselves, respecting the
reading of the R W Act.

It now clearly appears by the case of their own
showing, and by the lunge:a-dings held upon the con-
duct of the accused, that the utmost limit of time
c'iarged against the meeting for haviog been tumul-
tuously assembled, is but tune half hoer, our did
these wise and humane Justices of the Peace dare to
(Her it in evidence that the 'Mot Act had been pub-
licly or audibly read at all. This is no time fin party
feelings, or for the indulgence of party triumph ;
submission to the authority of law, respect for our
ams of justice, all flint veneratitm for cur established
institutions,and that confidence in the righteousness
of our judgements, tvhielt are the best, and indeed
the only foundations of civil allegiance are now
shook to their very centre. Till the present mo-
ment we have felt nothing like the alarm which
passesses us. Government cannot be unconcerned
spectators; they cannot, they will not, surely sane-
tn and approve what has been, and is yet doing.
Mr. Hunt's mob, awl all his oratory, and all his
impudence, were objects which excited sensations
of mingled pity, regret, disgust, and ridicule ; but
nut of these has arisen a question too formidable in
its aspect to trilled with, too dangerous not to
be in unaine resisted. Upon what possible principle
the bills which were presented against the Mttn-
chester Yeomanry at Lancaster, were thrown out,
and every legal enquiry thus precluded, is what no
man we have conversed with, has been able to tell
tts, no writer we have perused has ever pretended
to explain. But, however this may be, upon the
proceedings since instituted at the New Bailey,
there can be no room for difference of opinion what-
( ver. Mr. Harmer, as a Solicitor, employed on
behalf of the individuals wounded and mangled on
the memorable day above-mentioned, applied to these
stipendiary athainistratora of prompt and active jus-
Aico, fur warrants ag tinsL those of the Yeomanry in
the first instance, whose hills had been ignored at the
late assizes, and stated, that he did so upon fresh
teal clearer evidence than bad been bethre pro-
duced. The thairman, however resolutely de-
termines to heir no evidence, to grant no warrant,
and assigns as his reason that he will not entertain
a question already de t-iled at a superior tribunal.
13ut adds lie with an air of impartiality, which le
little expected would so soon be put to the test," [lad
an application been made to us before the bills of
indictments were rejected 'by the Grand Jury, we
might wbh propriety have interfered, and I should
not have rcfusct to receive the depositions." Mr.
Harmer does Oleo itnateliately tenth:l-If/nth eases
I.ltal had not brsn before the Grand Jury, and lo ! he
is theta told that the whole Bench had come to
a dekrrn:uatiun not to interfere in any iuvcs-