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

230

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ing .4, the Great LianalerCial Iti.oin over the Ex,:nange,
on the Wednesday following, 4 To prepare a dutiful and
loyal Address to his Royal Highness the PIIINCE RroEo
his
RoYAL HIGHNESS'S person, and our ardent zeal for the
support of his Government.'
" This advertisement was signed by about 150 loyal
subjects. Theconsequence was, that an opposition t,prung
up in order to defeat the object of the meeting, by pro-
posing and carrying a counter address. The better to
ensure success, the opposition caused hand-bills to be dis-
tributed, and placards to be posted throughout the town
and the country for ten miles round. These being, in ge-
neral, of an inflammatory tendency, calculated to rouse
the passions of the people, it is impossible to conceive
the great and sudden effect they produced en the public
mind ; nor was it ever dreamed of by even the indiscreet
friends of the l'itiNce REGENT themselves, until they ob-
served on the day previous to the meeting, the people
crowding to town in every direction from the country ;
and then they were fully aware of the impudence of
their conduct. Alarmed at the threatening aspect. of af-
fairs, they held a consultation unrongst themselves ; and
i ,
after employing a' surveyor to inspect the building n
which it was intended, the meeting should take place., the
Committee of the Manchester Exchange communicated
officially to the public, that there was something so rotlea
in the stale, or rather in the stair case of the building, that
it wcmld he dangerous and unsafe to permit a crowd to
assemble in any part of the building.
46 This notification was not attended ith the desired
,
effect. The people assembled in thousandii iy ten o'clock
in the morning ; and by el.,sven the rabb tad complete
possession of the Commercial Rooms both above and be-
low stairs. They did not act as a deliberative bo.,:i ; for
-without much consideration they commenced breaking
the windows of the upper room, out LI which they threw
the benches, chairs, tables, and, in short, demolished
maps, Limps, and every moveable in the loom. It was
proposed by some of the m'st desperate to set fire
to the furniture, but they did not proceed to this ex-
tremity. By this time (twelve o'cleck.Wsome thousands
of the mob had taken possession of.'fit: Ann's-square.—
One of the town demagogus mounted a temporary ros-
trum in the middle of the square,- and read aloud the Re-
solutions agreed to at the last Common Ball ; every one
of which were unanimously re-passed amidst the le dent
acclamations. Matters were thus proceeding, when
suddenly arrived from the 1).1-ra,:'ks the rep,inleht of
scotch Greys, and the Cur-obi:Third regiment of Militia.
To Riot Act was immediate!y read, and tnie allowed itr
the mob, to diiperl;e : and in titicen minutcs aiterwards
nr,t ten persons could be i f...nr:d together in this quarter of
the town. Never did se.idiers pe:-Jo;:m thcir dtny with
more_propriety. They v.-,. -re ircque:Ay provoked to acts
of violence, hut conducted thcm,.elve,,, notwithstanding,
with great ntot,levAtic:n and lo:l;eartncc towards the rab-
ble. No lives were lost tl!.:;. I I:tve heard (..f, but several
ve:e wounded by the s-dlre. rr:l-.1 twrive. o'clt)cl: in the
day ail the shops and warehons, wcre shut up."
~ E.:6trr O'CLOCK AT 1•::01ri..----I '!t 1.C3111 that several
of the rioters havr berm 1,,:::.i,:i in.';,::..y BAiiev pison.—
The Conqal,les and tniJ..ll2:- are ivtradintr the streets.—
The mob, i:i srenili boll ie:i, el re stiil a;sernbled at distant
parts of the town, an.; appear to be ref' actory ."
0 Nr.lr &CU/M.—The right is dark, and it is apprehend-
ed some mischief may cccur before morning : the inha.

ANOTHER LETTER FROM MANCHESTER) DATED APRIL 9.
The afternoon previous to the meeting, the BOROUCII-
REEVE and CONSTABLES received a notice from the Corn-
mittee of the Royal Exchange, stating, that an architect
had examined the situation of the leading stairs to the
dining-room, where the meeting was to be held, and from
the excessive pressure there was likely to ensue, the t` ids
would be -very unsafe : on these grounds sue,
the
w
refused. Another large room was immediately sought
for, but was iefnsed. The BOROICGIIREEVE and CONSTA-
BLES being reduced to this extremity, thought it best to
apprise the town by a circulation of hand-bills, that on the
above grounds such meeting ,s could not be held."
44 In the morning, however, considerable numbers of
the lower classes bent their course to the Royal Exchange,
and by half-past nine, got possession of the room. lt must
here be understood that the room to which I allude wee
not that wherein the meeting had been appointed to be
held, but where there is a distribution of the London
and country Pap'=s s for the inspection of the subscribers.
Immediately after they got possession of the room where
the meeting bad been appointed to have been held, f con
the windows of which they threw cut the cot ms, met
commltted every excess of riot ; but their conduct in tlie
Gentleman's Exchange was detestable :—They wantonly
deosolished every chair, table, lamp, window, and about
haf a dozen handsome chandeliers, set fire to a collection'of
maps, and the retnnant Of broken chairs and tabvalu.tles, able
nd
destructively ran their clubs through a very
painting.
While Cis revolt was carrying on, about 3000 a,l-
journed to St. Ann's-square, where they passed iroopi-
monslg the Resolutions which were presented at the Com-
mon Hall by Mr. WAITIIMAN. Immediately after, the
Riot Act was read, when the Magistrate, the Boroughia
-
reeve, Constables, &c. aided by the Cumberland Milit
and Scotch Greys, dispersed the Reformists. But their
system of destruction followed their steps : they broke
numerous lamps in the outskirts of the town. The Bo-
roughreeve and Constables issued a notice to
the Public,
to avoid loiteting in the streets in the evening ;as es-
diery would he on patrole, and take those into custody
who refused to obey the order. About five of these ami-
able ringleaders and window-breaking reformists were
lodged in the' New Bailey, where they shortly will have to
answer for their riotous proceedings.
g, I am happy to say the town appears quiet th;s mere-
ing, and I must do the lower classes of it the justice to
say, that most, if not all the destruction was committt
by the misguided from the country around. It is ireper-
sible to describe the agitation the town was
wthrown hint'
but I hope, foe the honour of Manchester, e shall ve
no more such public meetings."
EXI'ItACT OE ANOTHER LETTER.
14 One of the sown demagogues mounted a teenrcTarY
rostrum in the middle of the square, and read aloud tlie
Resolutiens agreed to at the last Common Hall, every
one of which were unanimously repassed amidst the ac-
clamations. Matters were thus preceeding when suddenly
arrived. from the barracks the. re g iment of Scotch Greys,
and the Cumberland iegirisent of Militia. The Riot Act
vat read, and time allowed the mob to disperseia
minutes afterwards not ten persons could be found t-
gutter in this quarter of the town. Never did srliiori