The National Register.
London, England, 1817-02-17 00:00:00

me. HUNT IN A NEW CHARACTER.

The following story is in circulation :—On Sunday
e.:ening, the 9th inst. Mr Hunt arrived in town for the
purpose, as is known to every body, of being present
next day at the Spa-fields meeting. He nut up at the
. British Hotel, in Cockspur-street, and slept there that
• night. As soon as Mr. Atkinson Morley, the keeper
of the hotel, was made acquainted with the name of his
guest, he desired his waiter to tell him, next morning,
,'tat he must quit his room, as it was engaged. Mr.
Hunt went out early in the ramming, and returned at
, eleven o'clock ; he went up stairs, and finding that his
trunks had been removed from the room in which he
had slept, he pulled the bell in a violent manner. The
waiter came up, and was asked why his baggage had
been renewed. He immediately after pot the same
question to Mr. M. who followed the waiter up stairs.
The latter answered, that the room was engaged to an
officer, and that Mr. H. could not occupy it any longer.
On this Mr. H. seemed very much enraged, blusterel a
goad deal, called Mr. Morley a vagabond, together with
other opprobrious names. and pushed him with some
violence. Mr. M. told him, if he repeated the violence
he would knock him to atoms, observing, at the same
time, that his character flood fitirer in the world than
lat,t of any demagogue like Mr. Hunt, who might go
and preach in Spa-fields, but who should not exercise
any authority in his horse. Mr. Hunt replied, that he
would beat a dozen such witipncessappers (meaning
Mr. Morley), anti there was nothity; he would like bet-
ter than to give him a good threshing. Mr. Morley
'repelled this threat by telling him, he would fight him
at any time and place he chose. After some further
c mversation in the same hostiie strain, Mr. Hunt saki,
that this was an attempt to prevent him from attending
toe Sra-fields meeting, and propmed that they should
meet at Jackson's pugilistic rooms in Bond-street ; and,
as he had to attend meetings, which would occults., his
time for the three following days, he fixed on Friday
morning as the time when the contest should take place. •
To this Mr. Morley agreed. During the course of the
altercation that took place at this time, there was a
short interval of tranquillity, in which Mr. Float, at
his own request, AV aS permitted to stop in the apartment
until he dressed himself. When he was going away,
Mr. Morley followed him to the inn yard, where his
tandem was waitino; for him, and asked if it was not
clearly understood that they were to meet on Friday
morning at Jackson's rooms. To this Mr. Hunt (lid not
directly signify his assent ; but he said to the groom,
• " this whippersnapper wants to fight me." The alter-
cation bet'.veen the parties had by this time collected to
the .spot several gentleman of rank, frequenters of the
hotel, among whom were General Sir Neal Campbell.
General Buchan, Generals Sir Archibald and Sir Alex-
ander Campbell, General Ramsey, Admiral Sir Edmund
Nagel, Captain Mitchell, Captain Berkeley, &c. After
some further conversation of an angry description, Mr.
Hunt drove off to Spa-fields.
Friday being the day fixed for the boxing match,
Mr. Morley, who possesses some knowledge of the pu-
gilistic art, proceeded to Jackson's Rooms, and took
Oliver, the prize fighter, a'ong with hint. He arrived
soon after eleven o'clor'', and waited upwards of an
hour before his ante: mist male his appearance. The
• zoom was nearly half filled with gentlemen of rank and
fashion, some of them having been present at, and
others having 1 eard of the affair of Monday lase.
About a quarter after twelve o'clock, Mr. Hunt emce-
ed the room, accompanied by his friend, Mr. Cobbett
The former, who appeared rather confused, immedi-
ately addressed himself to Mr. Jackson, and after tell-
ing him who he was, said he came there to meet the
fellow who kept the British hotel; that he had for three
years been the habit of putting up at that house,
where he had always experienced the greatest civility
anal attention, until Monday last, when his luggage was
thrown out of his room, and he himself treated in a
most ungentleman like ntanner, by that fellow standing
then (piinting to Mr. Morley.)
Mr. 7.torik y. taming to the company, observed, that in
.point of site tkinu, he had very little chance in contetoling
With two such got at orator', te• Mr. limit and Mr. Cobbec,
hot he would, in answer to the charge made Hcainst him.
tel etc '• n idaht ttevarnisle•d tale." llr 16rn mentioned the
• farts of the rase a, they li,cl actually occurred, arid sa'd lie
would be ready to veril'y (loin ou Cla ih. Mr. Hunt did not
. directly contradict Ilk slat. mint ; but hr asserted, that his
trunks It a I not only been the.ovit oat of his room, butt they
had been (toned. Mr. lurk), tills with indignation at
hearittz a riairt!rt so ill joirions to the eh,' racier of his house,
hitmeattvly 1911 Mr. Hoot he was a ti —d liar.

Mr. Coll./wit 1111'11 made Some remarks to the following
eflect:---"-Oh! 1 see how the matter L : I can easily ,tticoont
fur the Toodurt of this 111411: lit II IS been hired by :he ought-
'rates to provole toy friend to commit an assault apou
In ordr r that he might be detained, and by that means pre-
vented from Wending. the Spa dields Moc,ing 4)3 Mui141,4))
Leo." Mr. llorley indignantly repelled this assertion, which
he said was at once false awl absurd; and declared, that he
had tno iiidepetident it mind to be hired bs magistrates, or he
biassed 1w any one. Mr.Cohliett. 'Lei) turning to his ft iend,
r.iinarked to him, thlti h.• wool)! be WIIOIIV uutit to stli!aill
teat Wel pstitieat character which he had acquired, if he
ll...vended so low ft. to ciwatte in a emit ist. Nlr.
l'.l•Arlcy 4.441. lie soppii,ed Mr. Coltbett meant to publish all
lii, in his swop, lilly ltegi•ic.r. NIL.. C. replied, that he would
not. " Aye (r,..osiacil Mr limit) that is what the fellow
aOtt : he lei.ates to giiie pultlicity to the atfoir." Mr. Cob.
belt :are ltiti rempany to understand, that his reason for
emninc then. ass to vrt Vent am tight trout tal:rg place. Mr.

THE NATIONAL

;GIS'

Hunt endeavoured to make it appenr that Mr. Morley was the
challenger; but thi, was positively denied by the latter, who
said lie ealllC there iu consequence of a clear engagement, and
he had no idea that the other would afterwards decline a
conduit which he had himudf provoked. After some further
conver,alion, !tit-. Hunt left the rrinin along with his fiiend,
and 'jr. !‘lorley cried out in his lienring—" There goes a
white frather.'"fluts en•led the intended battle.
Mr. Morley then begged permission to address the company
on the subject of. Mr. Hunt's c plaint against him. lie said
his only object in ;let ine as he did was to preserve the reputa-
tion of hi, ionise, which could not 1w done if it was frequent.
ed by dein.ignuous, a his should have mobs following them to
his door. If stwti a thing happened, persons of respeetability
:lad rank world decline frequenting his house. He there.
fore begged to know Why had conducted himself in a manner
to toot the uppr,diati !!!! of the emormy. All the gentlemen
present gave it as their upiLion that his conduct was highly
proper and col rect.