The National Register.
London, England, 1812-04-12 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

probably fancy he a. yof their triumph is at h nd, tney
bloc:- up the fire of civii dibcord, r:rt themselves to
kindle a destructive blaze through the la. (
d. The diffi-
culties a:d dangers of the times, those 0 ;stint topics
of the I- desponding anticiptions su,.ply them
with g•ound of private exultation ; because they afford
them opportunities of trying their power, and assist in
pre-disposing the pr..' ple to listen more attentively to their
ceaseless outcry. Conscious that tear is credulous, they
avail themselves of every circumAance which may be
turned by art into a cause of al and then call• upon
the ignorance of the lower classes, Ly a system of con-
duct which they point out, to obtain a remedy for exist-
ing evils. Well acquainted with the multitude, they
know how to deceive and misle id them, and whilst they
remain personally sate behind the curtain, to hurry them
into lawless excesses bordering on insurrection and dis-
graceful to the British name.

The present scarcity of grain, a scarcity attended with
no famine, since no apprehension is entertained that bread
should totally f ill, and there is a superabundance of substi-
tutes, and of .J 1 ()Ater articles of food .in the country, has
ben used as a clo.tk to conceal the real cause of the I.!te
ts. But no man can be blind enough not to perceive
that they sprung from a different source. That the bur-
den of the rnOtty contest in which we are engaged, to
maintain our national existence, our ancient freedom, and
our blessed Constitution, should weigh heavy upon us, is
only whi,t we have to expect, and what we could not void,
but by a surrender of the great and momentous objects f
which we fight. But that the perils of the times should
be increased by the blind miscondu:t of mobs, is an ad-
vantage 4,( r which we are indebted to the patriotism of
those, s.vh, inflammatory handbills, calculated chiefly to
promote the views of party, lately filled Manchester with
ria and c nfusion.

A requisitson bad been signed in that town by one bun•
dred and fifty-four very respectable inhabitants, addressed
to the Boroughrceve, to call a Meeting of the towns of
Manchester, Salford, and the neighbourhood, to prepare a
dutiful Address to the PAINCE REciLsT. The following is
a copy of the regnisition

" We whose names are hereunto :iubscrihed, request you will convene
a Pubic Meeting of the town of Manchester, Saltord, and the neigh-
bourhood, to prepare a dutiful J‘Aldrcss to his Royal Highness the
PHINCE Ru GENT, expressive of the strongest Lssttrances of our attach-
ment to his Royal Person, and of our ardent %cal for the swort of hi.,
Government."

In consequence of this requisition, a meeting was call d
for the Bth instant, but the occasion gave rise to a clashing
of party feelings and political heat, which produced agi-
tation in the public mind, and premised that the meeting,
if it should take place, would be turbulent and tumultuous.
Placards were consequently posted by both parties, and
all the usual means resorted to for intiorning the popular
mind, and stimulating the passions of, the multitude cn
both sides. From amongst the many copies of the placards
exhibited on the occasion, we submit three specimens, as
produced by the parties on either side. One party posted—

" NOW or NEVER!-Those Inhabitants who do not wish for an
Increase of Taxes and Poor Rates—an Advance in the Price of Provi-
sions--a Scarcity of Work—and a Kt:dm:donut Wages—will not fad to
go to the Meeting on Wednesday morning next, at the Exchange, and
JeI2.)SE THE 154 PERSONS who have called you together; and you will
den do right to express your detestation of the conduct ut thuse :Vlen
who. nave Drought tins Country to its present distressed State, and :tre
entmling Misery on Thousands of our industrious Mechanics. SPEAK
TO"R NIINDS Now, before it is too late; let not the Prince and the Pe,..
Ile be icceived as to your real Sentiments. Speak and act bold:). and
111.11"Ys but above all, be PEACZABL.L."

229

" TO 'll-I.k. INHAIATAN t ;.-; OF AIAis.....rIESTER AiND
SALFORD.

FF.1.1.0W TOWNSMEN.—A Public Meeting is convened for the
purpose of expressing the strongest assurances of attachment to his
Royal Highness the PitiNcx. REUY.NT, and the most ardent zeal in :Alp-
port ()film Government.

" Triis is treasure of party, and introduced at a time when you
are suffering r.nder distress into wretchedness, unexampled to its extent
and pressure, 'mid .anticipating its incalculable !ncreloe: ; when every
rank of society, trout the highest order in the State, to the meanest of
the labouring poor, is viewing with agony the impending and convli-
cated dangers which threat, n our very existence as an Indepen:lent na-
tion. Of the motives ei those with whom the Meeting oneinat,i,
is unnecessary to speak; but I address you from the solemn covicti. ,
that by the success of the contemplated measure, nut only your wort. ly
interests, but your moral and intellectual ch: raetcr would Le Lid pr s-
irate—would be delivered, bound for sactilier, Into the hands ut t• e
Minister, ar4 immolated by him at the foot of the Threne—th. t
the smoke o the offering might thicken the vapours of cirlt:6i,r
which', fatally for you, already surround it. This, however, will n• t
be I have r.o such Ini.-13nciudy anticipation. I look forward to t, e
defeat of the attempi: with confidence. My hopes in this arc
for the object of thern is good. Yon feel the dishonour prepared for
you, and will impressively condemn the sophistry and cant with which
it may be recommended.
. . . .

"flow Townsmen !—With a national character nt wisdom and
magnanimity ; with a form of Government calce!,L,.(t for con:fort,
protection, and happiness ; with numbers of public men of untioebted
talents and virtue ; and with many and great resources, you ilehold
your coutt'ry sunk in reputation, citzratkil in rank, and pursuing tit. se
measures which will inevitably• terminate in irremediable deAructi,
and misery. The public mind is no loneer ignorant of tin! cause. The
ranker-worm of State, fn piercing our feeliol;s with agony, has at once
roused us front a general and unaccountaWe indifference, and, form..
n ttcly too, opened a passage for the light. Darkness is now removed
from the face of the deep. The rays which shot through the perf.:ra..
tiuns of corruption, have dissipated the clouds that obscured it. We
now discern the dangers that surround us, and the misconduct that has
produced them. We feel the neces,ity of concentrating our entr2ie-,
to repel the one, and protest against the other. The love and rev. -
rence we hear our country and its laws, demand, on this °cc:is-ion. a
display of that unconquerable perseverance which an exalted set,sc of
duty invpireb anst animates. My Fellow Townsmen, if you are ,t ruble
this duty, oi will attend the Meeting on the Bth of April, and col.-
veil the resolutions that will be su!.mitted to you into a constitutional
call upon the Government, to concede to the general wish and int eres.ts
of the country, by renouncing those fatal principles that have been so.
pregnant with calamity.
" I have confi.lence in your wisdom, honour, and firmness; rand
trust th..t your condut7t, calmly co-operating with the regertrating
s.tnse and spirit of the pee; le, will restore this afflicted nation to its
natural soundness anti vigour.

" A WARNING VOICE.

" Manchester, April 2, 1812."
The other party exhibited.
" ENGLAND IXI'EC VS EVERY MAN TO DO HIS DU'T'Y
" Should von not this day give your support to thi., Par vice Rec e i ,
you may, in a very short time, e%pect a revival of the days of Brown
Ou er :s; Mmtv, when your ancestors were tied to a stake, and I.liint
alive. The' active opposers of the present Govcrninent have pletiged
themselves to sanction the Popish Religion, and ls BooNA PARTE is the
head of that Religion, your univer-al cry should be
" NO POPE 13LTONAPARTE."

These, and such placards, operated diff::rently but pow-
erfully upon the heated imaginations of the populace. The
effect was sen,ible in the bu,y bustle and agitated tell per
of the muhitude. The ferment was so great, aiut ife
prospect s r tremendous, that the Committee of tl,e
change refused to grant the use of their rooms for ti'e
Meeting. An application was then made for the weat
room at the Bull's Head Inn, which was also refuse',
upon this the BoROUGIIREENE and CONSTABLES th(aight
proper to put off the Meeting altogether.
We subjoin the following private letters Nvhich we have
seen on the subject :
MANCHESTER; APRIL B.—As you Nvilit PO doubt,
hear of various reports of riots and tumults in ~. is town,
I think it right to put you in possession of their causes
and erects. Every occurrence I shall relate to you
passed under my own eye : you may, therefore, most in.-
plicitly depend upon the facts.
" On Saturday la.t. an Advertisement • appcgred in the
111andriter Paper:), for the iarrpese of cony;

aping A