The National Register.
London, England, 1820-03-27 00:00:00

YORK ASSIZES.

TRIAL. OF MR. HUNT AND OTHE:
vouterit DAY.
The Court was not so much crowded this morning as it
was on the preceding days, the Attention of the inhabi-
tants of York having been called to the election of the
county members. Tale number of ladies who graced the
Court a ith their presence was, however, much greater
thau on any pi evioas question. No less than tour were
on the bench with the Judge.
John Walker, John Willie, and several other witnesses
weir examined for the prosecution, and cruss-examined
by the defendants, bat no new fact of importance was es-
tablished by them.
The case for the prosecution having ended,
111r.11.% Know, who is retained for aloorhomise and John-
ail, then proceeded to address the Court: He submitted
to his lordship whether the evidence which had been ad-
duced, as it Affected his clients, was sufficient to implicate
them in such a way as to render it necessary for their case
to he sent before the Joey, ur whether his Lordship would
a
not direct the Jury to acquit them i iiiiii ediately. 'I he
charge in the iudictinent did not seem at all sustained by
any part of the evidence. The evidence, as it affected
his two clients, applied to the 4th and alli counts ; the
former charging them with assembling malicionsly on
the lath of August, with 60,000 oilier persons unknown,
for the purpose of moving the subjects of the King to
batre I and contempt of his persou and government ; the
latter with maliciously assembling in a for • table man-
ner, with inflammatory banners, ate. against the peace of
the King, his crown and dignity. The second count
charged them with riot, and with inspiring terror and
alarm. It was now the duty of the Jury to apply the
evidence which had been brought forward in support of
those charges to the case of his clients, and to deter iii i iii
whether upon any of them his clients were implicated.
i
if the assembly was declared to be what it was stated n
the indictmeat, let the leaders sulfa what the laws of their
country awarded; but what was the evdience that implicated
Mr. Aloorhoure as a leader ? when was he introduced into
the conspiracy? where was he introduced? and how had
be conducted himself on the 16th of August? The first
connexion of Moorbouse with the case under trial was by
his taking a ride out to Bullock's Smithy on the Bth of
August, to meet Mr. Hunt, who was coming to preside at a
meeting to be held at Manchester on the Bth. He did not
there see Mr. Hunt, but he met him at Stockport, where he
asked him to his house. Mr. Hunt accepted the invitation.
On the 9th Mr. Hunt proceeded to Manchester, and Moor-
house accompanied him in one of his own carriages.. The
meeting had been pot off, owing to the objection which the
The magistrates stated to the objects for which it was culled
It did not consequently take place on that day. But if Ilia
abject of Mr. Moorhouse had been to attend an unlawful
and riotous assembly, why was it postponed, and why did
be afterwards proceed to another, accompanied by his wife?
Mr. Moorhouse had long been a married man; he had 11
children,and his wife was six-months pregnant with another.
Now, could it he believed fur a moment that he would pro-
ceed to an anticipated scene of riot and contagion, accom-
panied by his wife in this condition ? (ismer these
circumstances, the Jury would consider it as almost fanciful
to implicate the defendants Moorhouse and Johnson. He
would read a narrative from Mr. Moorhouse himself, which
would show his knowledge of law and powers of composition.
The Learned Counsel here read a paper of Moorhouse's, in
which he denied it knowledge of most of the defendants, and
stated the peaceable conduct of the people on the 16th,
giving an account of his own conduct newly as it appears
iu the learned Counsel's speech. Such being the case with
his two clients, he would leave it with .confidence to the
Jury.
Mr. Holt said he had to address them on the part of the
defendant Saxton. A case of conspiracy was seldom proved
in its origin, and the acts given iii aid of proof should be of
a broad and palpable character, which nut only proved the
criminal design, but which should establish the fact itself.—
He meant to say that it was not a mere casual or incidental
act which could prove a conspiracy; it must he proved
by stroag evidence. He (Mr. Holt) would notisay how many
might meet, and whether all the people of England had
a right to meet altogether in one place, for every right de-
pend al on the reasonableness of it. It should be recol-
lecte I, that when these public meetings began, in 1611,
they were not considered as illegal. Immense assemblies
were held in Spafields and other places, and coutinned
without interruption until the Parliament, in its tear for
the metropolis, passed an act—afor what? To pat down
all such meetings? No : but to prevent their assembling
within one mile of W estmoisterdiall during the sitting of
Parliament and the Courts of Justice, SO that the right to
meet was only restricted to a particular spot, the general
right being left as before. It was the right of the people
to meet and discuss proper subjects, and in the county to
which he belonged (Nuriolk), lie had no doubt, that if a
question not of repealing, but increasing, the ditty on the
importation of COrti was proposed for discuwitin, there
would be thousands attending at the meeting for such di,.
emission. It was said, that stone of those were for waver-
sal suffrage and auonal parliaments. He himself con-
demned those doctrines as much as any nice, as lie thought
that if they were bliecesitid they would prove most de-
@tractive to the couslitution. But this was a point on
which the opinions of souse great men had been dittee coil.
It might be remembered, that at the ilial. of Rattly and
Horne Tooke, a letter Irons the Duke of Itielinsuild was
read, in ms Inch that: doctrine was publicy avowed. Now
as to the evidence against Sastoti. The witnesses aga lost
bins could not positively say that wasoil the hustings
before Hoot came. It aas said by a 'messes, that Saxton
appeared to address the people, taut he could not heap
Suppose lie was in the eau: atilt Mr. Hunt, that
aid not constitiiti: guilt. It would be pi overt that SAVltti
WA, a Repro tel for a Paper iii alonciiester, and attended
to take 110 i es or a !i:tt passed. Mr. Horton was present
as a pm r, 44:1 lie was nut considered as having meted
ly ; ke was even lucked with why's. If SAXiilli
ass looly skims the mere co cirtnstaiset of his being on
the hustings, aby then Mr. I,l'2lllo'i, k was guilty, fur lie
was on the lute tiugs at Smithfield, and inithe cart next to
Mont himself ; but Mr. Fitzpati ick was there as a reporter
tor the 41 Times, :4uil would, ilu doubt. he far front j• -
lug ism any iinprol.er conduct; ll), then, should it lee ',aid
that Saxton Was culpable, who was a rrpu.li i !lir a paper
• ou astreient p F' It the Jar) should be sinl.tiVil Inut
:las lint had had uu utile e coolie xion tort till Mil lisig than
ire his cainlcity as a reporter to a 1,i1111.1., I ley a mini, he
lead no duabl, give him the benefit or ii.
llainfoill ilex' addi rased the July, aml io a speech of
stn rucousiderable Weill, demoted himself against the

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[AL REGISTER.
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charges which we. c made against him. He was followed I
by Swill. Healy, Amt Johnson, whose speeches occupied
the C 6141: fur some time.
At lia:1 past r o clock the coma strporned till 10 to-
w, at tt.e request of Mr. Hont, who said lie would
require till that time, in order to look oier the very vela-
'Moons `tapers to which he had to refer.
Mr. Hone was followed to his lodgings by a considerable
number of h s friends, who cheered him on his entrance.
It is considered here, that the ease will la.; till Thurs-
day evening at least; and we mideistand that Mr. Justice
11A v Lev has despatched an express to Lancaster, for the
purpose of informing the parties concerned, that the
cases which he is to try will not come on before Monday
the 27th.

FIFTH DAY.
According to the adjournment of the preceding evening,
to accommodate Mr. out,
the court did not sit this
morning till 10 o'clock, at which hour precisely sit
this
Bayley entered the court, and Mr. Hunt commenced his
defence. lie said he had entreated the hour's postponement,
that lie might be the better enabled to arrange Isis defence,
but that he had liven so mods indisposed as to be enj tt tt ed
therefore it medical attendant to indill;e. in relaxation, he had
to solicit the excu,e ~t this jury for any
omissis h might make, which he had no doubt
wouldon be entirely supplied hy the kindness of the
learned Judge, to whom he repeatedly se
e‘presd
his thanks for his patient impartiality. Mr. Hunt then
went into a very long and able, though unconnected re-
' view of the circumstances preceding and tine:ming the
meeting of the kith August, and commented with aspe-
rity and great ingenuity upon the evidence. lie cow
eluded by expressing his regret at the imperfect man-
ner in which he hed been able to defend It i ttt self. lie
was sure he should have a verdict of acquittal. Ile
would produce evidence that could not he resisted.
Mr. Hunt concluded his speech, which lie began at ten
o'clock in the morning at a quarter before three in the
afternoon. He appeared to be quite exhausted in nody,
bust at the same time as collected in his • das at the
commencement. As he sat down, there was great ap-
-1 please among the audience, which indecency the Judge
repressed in a dignified manner. it immediately ceased.
II The jury retired for a little, at the suggestion of Mr.
Justice Bayley. On their return, and that of his Lo.d.
ship, the evidence for the defence commenced.
Edmund Grundy was the first witness called.—He was
examined by Mr. Hoist. The witness said, I ant not in
business ; I have retired from business. I reside near
Bury, in Lancashire. 1 was a calico-printer. I have
made no deposition. I was at Smedley, cottage ou the
16th of August last—it was on Tuesday previous to the
Manchester meeting. I saw Mr. Hunt there. I recol-
lect a conversation relative to the Manche-tee meet-
ing, and Mr. Hoist expressed his intention of return•
ing home immediately. I endeavoured to prevail upon
Mr. Hunt to stay till the meeting. My advice had
no intluence at that time. 1 think I left Mr. Hunt
undetermined. I heard first of Mr. Hunt's determi-
I nation to stay on the day following. I saw that determis
nation in a printed circular. 1 saw Mr. Hunt again on the
Saturday, August 11, at Smedley cottage. 1 remember a
convention then, abont a warrant to apprehend Mr. Hunt
I recollected seeing Mr. Hunt go to Manchester to the
magistrates on that day. Il myself waited upon Mr. Norris,
the rangistrates, with Johnson the defendant 2 we told him
the report in circulation, that Mr. Hunt was gone to the
New Bailey to surrender himself, and I °tiered to put in
bail for his appearance at any time the magistrate might
appoint. Mr. Norris said there wain° warrant, information,
or intention to issue one. I was not in Manchester on the
16th of August. 1 saw some persons going to the meeting,
but no arms our bludgeons. 1 have property in that neigh-
bourhood, and uothiug that occurred ou that day, or pre-
vious, gave site any fears for it.
Cross-exanimed by Mr. Scarlett—l am just cosine into
Court. 1 knew Mr. Hunt before the 10th August. I dined
at the Spread Eagle with hint in January preceding. There
was at Smedley nobody on the 10th but Mr. Hunt, Mr.
Wullock, and myself. I found nobody with Mr. Hunt. 1
went to pay llunt a visit. 1 bad beard he was there. 1
learned this front general report. I saw a letter posted
about the town, aligned by Mr. Hunt, on Wednesday. 1 was
Mr. Hunt's bail afterwards.
James Dyson was next called,and examined by Bamford.
I reside at Middleton. lum a weaver, I was on the Barrow
fields on the 16th of August, between nine and ten o'clock.
There were 600 or 700 people there. They consisted of
men, women, and children. 1 saw some sticks, but none
except in the hands of those who usually had sticks—old
men and others. 1 had thoughts of taking a stick myself
fur expeilitiou, having experienced fatigue before. 1 took
my stick with me on the top of Barrow-fields, and heist it to
one John Barrel, who was infirm, and who was g • g to
the meeting. They had not gone more than a quarter of a
mile before this John Barren returned my stick. Here
sum drody cried out, "No sticks shall go with us." The
procession said, that they had agreed that no sticks should
go. I said, one stick cannot make much dillerence, and
they said I was as able to gum o nitwit it as they, and that
must leave my stick. So luta it home by my father-in-law.
left my stick, and went with the procession to Manchester,
and saw nothing but peace and good linter We calked
four abreast. We had nu disagreement by the way. 1 saw
no insult offered, nor any interruption given to any person
on the road.; except, perhaps, a jeering word. These
words were used to people oho stood 10 see the pauses-inn.
We pi oreecde.l in this ttttt er to tit. Peter's-field. Bamford
then went upon the hustings. It.isas before Mr. fluid',
arrival. I SaW Mr. Hunt arrive. Bamford then was standing
near use, about 40 yards ft um the hustings. This was at the
tiiiielof Mr. limit's arrival. I never saw Mr. Bamford out
tile Is wire efterwaids. 1 went nearer the hustings after
sir. Hunt's as rival, but diit nut see Baitifind on them, our
‘,O that eay.
Mr. Dant wished to ask the witness a question.
Mr. Justice BA> ley said wily unr should c‘4loloe, to save
(101 c, bill Mr. Bunt might call the witness afterwards.
Cro.,.cxannincd by Mr. Sergeant k.—T hes e strigl,t
be 111110 poi& that joined in the p races:solo
Fr lltst to last. here were islet' who called .6 keep
order." We never had been mustered before August Ili.—
One Sunday morning hefts. e the meeting 0 party of young
men smut lied through the town, l went to bee them as they
proceeded nsitvu the lane. 'fi.ey bind Ilie, inet at the
Bill. They came 1.1001 all pai as. Sic el.:tinted together
about ma hour sill Iniiille Mill. We is allsed together, and
drilled, as it WWI ranted. 1 11tier di died w niy rte, but
I iliarchell sill time lush s., :11 they d.d. Bamford was rod
there. 11 e 110,1 600,0! ou th .t day. We unused at St.
Peter's atra without much hating. There were 0.30 y diVi-
itis when sic arm ived. Orr h.oluers were take.' up to the

hustings, but Bamford ordered them back again. We were
not round the hustings. but altogether, every man stanitiog
where he thought proper. I never heard Mr. hunt speak
before that day. 1 was not at the January meeting.
Examined by the Court,-1 ant married My wile did
not go with me. There were many women. 'They went
all the way to St. Peter's Field. I saw many of them in
alatichestcr, who came from Middleton. The women kept
along with its the whole of the way. There were boys and
children, hut let en tell the untidier. 1 did not see the
Middleton womeu on the field. The women who marched
with the procession were the wives and daughters of the
men who formed ti. It is customary to have banners and
musical the wakes. The decorated cars at a :ekes go in
procession. There are sometimes several cars iu procreation
with rushes and decorated.
Seven other wane/nes were then examined for the defence.
The trial continued during the sixth and seventh
day's, without any occurrence of importance, except the
examinations of Mr. JOllll Tyas, a most respectable
reporter for Ttik TIMSO, and Mr:Edward Baines, the
proprietor of THE Leans M eitCUitY, both of whom
were upon the hustings. The two examinations ap-
plied muleviatingly to the same points, the perfectly
peaceable demeanor of the multitude.—We git e that of
tile latiet gentleillan because we think it the fuller of
tile two.
L itvard Baines, examined by Mr. Hunt.—l hive mot
giveit any deposition of my evidence. lam coimeeted with
the Leeds Mercury. I have not read the account ut this trial
in the London or other papers. I wits at the meeting at
Manchestera um she Hith of August. I artist din Manchester
at half-past eleven, aid was at St. Peter's-field its oalf-past
twelve. 1 saw parties arrive On tho ground. flies advanced
in rank, arm in aim, mid Ilit their tunval they we e received
with three times three. They look up their stai IWO not in
any regular manlier, but as near the hustings as tile) could
get. They came in bodies, nut stiagAttng; some of them
were atts tided a ith music and banners. 111,1 p.ayed many
tunes, but Ido not recollect any of them. 1 toots particular
notice of the sticks. My attention was draw ato tills, Irma
previous information. I saw nothing in the hands of any
one person but common walking sticks A considerable
number had sticks, but every man had not. I could not say
proportion;the I think they had not more sticks than on
common occasions; 1 saw nothing resembling staves four and
a half feet long, shouldered as soldiers do their muskets. I
looked at all the parties as they came oil the field, and did
not see it. If such a circumstance had occurred, 1 think it
would have excited my attention. II advanced to the hus-
tangs, or.rather to the cart, which was in the situation where
the hustings were afterwards placed, at half-past twelve. I
remained in that situation till about one, when another cart,
with the boards that formed the hustings, arrived. About a
quarter of au hour was occupied us framing the hustings,
and when they (were formed, I mounted then). There was
no removal of the hustings. I saw the several parties as
they arrived. The meeting received accessions of strengths
continually. One or two young men frequently recom-
mended order, during that time; mid the order was ob-
served as perfectly as under sods circumstances it could be.
About one o'clock, some of them who came from a distance
appeared to wish for some refreshment, and a subscription
was made to get some ale from a neighbouring public-house.
They however clanged their mind, and would not have ale,
and a can of water was sent for. About half-past one, the
proceuiou in which Mr. Hunt was, advanced at a slow pace.
U was beaded by the carriage ia which Mr. Aura and several
otbenkwere. When Mr. hunt came, he ppred rather
Got of humour at the manner in which the hustings were
placed. He then gut on them, and seventh women were
then lifted on to the hustings. They were dressed in white
and had caps. They were 14, 1 think, in number, but 1 did
not count them. They were on the average, about V 3 years
of age, some younger, nod pane a considerable deal older.—
The object was, 1 believe, to relieve them from the pressure
of the crowd, a hick was very great. Two women had pre-
viously fainted, from the pressure. An attempt was now
made by the people to force themselves from the hustings,
in order to leave a space open round the hustiugs, but it only
succeeded very partially. To the best of my knowledge the
crowd was close up to the hustings all the time. Mr. Hunt
then began his speech. I took notes of that speech in short
hand, and have them here. 1 have also the copy which L
wrote from my notes. It was someti tttttt difficult to take
the notes, owing to the press on the hustings. Witness then
read his account of the speech. It began—" Friends and
fellow countrymen, I must entreat your indulgence for a
short time, and beg that you will preserve perfect silence.—
I hope you will exercise the all powerful right of the people
in an orderly manner—the words " orderly manner" were
nut its my original notes, but I supplied them from memory,
and the stolen( e was left imperfect in the short-band notes.
(The words " orderly masher" were used)—" and any man
that wants to breed a disturbance, let him be put down. For
the honour you have dour me, by electing me a second time
to preside at your meeting, I return you my thanks ;
and all I have to beg of you Is, that you will indulge
us with your patient attention. It is impossible that
with the most patient attention we shah be able to make
ourselves heatd by the whole antis tremendous assembly.
It is useless for me to attempt to relate to yogi the pro-
ceedings of the last week ur ten days in this Loan and
neighbourhood. You well know them, and the cause of
the meeting appointed for last Monday being prevented.
It is therefore useless for me to say one word upon that
subject, only to observe, that those who pot us down, and
prevented us from meeting on Monday last by then malig-
nant exertions, have produced twofold tile number to-day.
It will be perceived, that in consequence of tile calling of
this new meeting, our enemies, who Nattered theinseh es
they had gained a view, y, have sustained a great defeat.
There have been two or three placards posted rip last
week, arch the names of two or duce insignificant Min.
skittish attached to it; tune Tom Long, or Jack Short, a
printer." At that moment (continued the witness) I ob-
served the cavalry come no the gr I; they came at •
rapid pace train the direction of St. Peter's chinch. They
wet e w considerable obsolete,. They had out Iheu come
into the crowil at all. hey halted, and drew tip m
tiuut
of that line of house% at which Mr. Buxton's 11/1111S
*1 lie foremost ut them were in front of Mr. Buxton's house.
have omitted WIC circumstance which occurred beiore
the cavalry came. Mr. Hunt stopped in the middle ot 1113
speech, (tom what (abbe I (10 not know, null directed the
peo!.le to give Mice cheers, ss hie it was dune. Ile them
111E11, d 11,111111 111 thole hear him, and said," There is some
disotileren the ()MA it it is only to rally them, that's
all." The ea valt y approached to r. xtoir's house.
Mr. Hunt said, " Von see they ate in disorder: 1111 s is a
trick." The casaliy, altel halting about three minutes,