The Sun.
London, England, 1864-05-07 00:00:00

The Right of the People to Meet in the Parks,

We are requested to publish the following corre
spondence :

4, Stone-buildings, Lincoln's-inn, April 23,

Sir,—As I was addressing this afternoon on Primiose-
hill a perfectly quiet and orderly meeting on the subject of
General Garibaldi's departure, an inspector of police—whose
name, I was informed, is Stokes—accompanied with several
other policemen, interfered, and insisted upon my desisting
from further addressing the persons assembled. I desisted
immediately, in order to avoid creating a disturbance, how-
ever much I might consider We interference wholly un-
called for and illegal.

As I mast presume this inspector to have acted under
your orders or with your sanction, I write to ask under
what Act of Parliament, or by what construction of law,
this interference, with what seems to me to be a clear con-
stitutional right, is considered to be justified.—l am, sir,
your obedient servant, EDMOND BEALES.
Sir It. Mayne, K.C.B.

P.S.—I should add that I, some short time since, ad.
dressed a much larger meeting on Mackheath with the sane
tion and in the presence of the police in that district,

4, Whitehall-place, April 26.
Sir,—l have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of
the 23d inst., and as Sir George Grey's statement in reply
to a question by Mr. Harvey Lewis in the House of Com-
mons yesterday evening gives an explanation with respect
to the conduct of the police on the occasion, I beg to refer
you to the report in the newspapers of this day, which is,
I believe, quite accurate.—l am, sir, your obedient servant,
RICHARD MAYNE,
Edmond Beales, Esq.

The explanation of Sir GTGrey in the House of
Commons, to which Sir Richard Mayne referred
Mr. Beales, being unsatisfactory on the points re-
ferred to in Mr. Beales's letter, a deputation from
the Garibaldi Committees waited on the Home Se-
cretary on Wednesday, the 27th of April, Sir
Richard Mayne being also present. A fall report
of what then passed has already appeared, and the
result being only a reference of the deputation to
Mr. Cowper, the First Commissioner of her Ma-
jesty's Works, the following correspondence has
taken place with that gentleman.

" 10, Bolt-ceurt, Fleet-street, April 28.
Sir,—l have been instructed by the sub-committee of the
City and Working-men's Garibaldi Committees to inform
you that they intend holding the adjourned public meeting
on the subject of Garibaldi's departure on Saturday evening
the 7th of May, on Primrose• hill, and to ascertain whether
you intend to interfere with such meeting, The sub-com-
mittee, or a deputation therefrom, will wait upon you at 2
o'clock to-morrow (Friday), upon the subject, unless in the
meantime you send a reply by lector.—l am, sir, yours re-
spectfully, ROBERT HARTWELL,
Hon. Sec. Working-men's Garibaldi Committee.
Hon. W. Cowper, M.P.

Office of 'Works, &c., S,W., April 29.
Sir,--In reply to your letter of yesterday's date, stating
that the sub-committee of the City and 'Working-men's
Garibaldi Committees desire to hold a public mewing on
the subject of Garibaldi's departure from England on
Primrose-hill on Saturday, 7th May, lam directed by the
First Commissioner of her Majesty's Works, &c., to say
that the sub-committee have his full permission to hold such
meeting, believing, as he does, that there is no reason for
apprehending that the meeting will lead to any disturbance
of the peace, or to any obstruction or interference with the
purposes of recreation for which Primrose hill has been
appropriated.

I have also to inform you that a notification of this per•
mission has been made to the Commissioners of Police.—]
am, sir, your obedient servant,

ALFRED AUSTIN, Secy.

Mr. R. Hartwell.