The National Register.
London, England, 1819-09-20 00:00:00

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No. 2i3—Vot. XII.]

Vollticat liettogspecr.

THE conduct of the Nlanehester Magistrates, and
their Satellites, continues to be so extrafirdinary and
important, as to render it quite impossible for any
public journal to turn the attention of its readers
for a moment away front such a subject ; Investi-
gation of the masstn:res of the fatal 16th has now
clearly established every fact which we stated in our
col-azons respecting them. The Courier has, indeed,
already retracted the millet-ate statement of tiuntbcrs
killed and woanded, upon wh eh it so confidently
insisted, pnsi we now call upon it to do the same
justice to the public and tosutraelves, respocting the
reading of the R of Act.
It now clelrly appears 1y the case of their own
*hewing, sod by the pros edin;.,rs held upon the con-
duct of the accused, that the utmost limit of time
sharged o.:airist the meeting for havirg been tumul-
tuously assembled, is but one half hour, nor did
these wise and humane Just ieJs of the Peace dare to

offer it in evidence that the Riot Act had been pa/s-
-tet:, or audddy read at all. Tbia is no time fur party
feellrgs, or fur the indulgence of party triumph;
submission to the authority of law, respect fur our
forms of j'istice, all that veneration for our established
institutions, and that confidence in the righteousness
of our judgements, which are the best, and indeed
the only finindations of civil allegiance are now
shook to their very centre. Till the presentaw-
mem we have felt uothing like the alarm which
possesses us. Government cannot be unconcerned
spectators; they cannot, they will not, surely sanc-
tion and approve what has been, and is yet doing,
Air hunt s mob, and all his oratory, and ad 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 be trifled with, too dangerous nut to
La in lira .71e resisted. Upon what possible principle
the bills which were presented against the Man-
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
us, no writer « 2 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 fur difference of opinion what-
ever. Mr. Harmer, as a Solicitor, employed on
behalf of the individuals wounded and mangled on
the memorable day above-mentioned, applied to these
stipendiary administrators of prompt and active jus-
tice, for warrantztagainst those of the Yeomanry in
the first instanee,kebuse bills had been ignored at the
late assizes, and stated, that he did so upon fresh
and clearer cvi,lence tbau had been before pro-
duced. The Chairman, however resolutely de-
termines to hear no evidence, to grant no warrant,
and assigns as his reason that he will not entertain
a question already decided at a superior tribunal.
But adds he with an air of impartiality, which he
little expected would so soon be put to the test," Had
an application been made to us before the bills of
indictments were rejected by the Grand Jury, we
might with propriety have interfered, and I should
not have refused to receive the depositions." Mr.
Harmer does then immediately tender' fresh case,
that had not been before the Grand Jury, and In ! he
is then told that the whole Bench had come to
a determination not to interfere in any inres-