The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-03 00:00:00

care of his sick wife, and his sick children, and his sick self,
and for having, out of his poor kitchen, sent what was need-
ful to keep them all alive.—( Hear, hear.) When the poor
man had vented his feelings of gratitude, he saw me, and he
asked me how I was? I said, How do you know me ? He
said he was one of my boys ; that he had worked at Hud-
dersfield, and that he had been a long time without work, and
if it had not been for the kindness and humanity of Mr. Ste-
phens in keeping them alive for upwards of a month they
must have all died This is a fact. The very day before
Mr. O'Connell's warrant was issued against poor Stephens
did an Irish pauper in my hearing proclaim his state of misery
and Mr. ilkophens' benevolence. Stephens wrote a note
with the ear ii to a friend of his, a shopkeeper, at Ashton, re-
questing him if he had an old hat or a pair of shoes to give them
to she poor man. The poor fellow said," God bless you," Mr. Ste-
phens, you are the best man that ever lived." I asked Stephens-
when the man was gone if he were one of his congregation ? He
replied, "No ; he is a Roman Catholic." I said, " I think
it would better beseem O'Connell or his priest to do some-
thing for him." " Oh," said Stephens—the atrocious in-
cendiary, who wishes to fire the mills of Manchester—" there
are scores of them in this neighbourhood. I have helped to
keep them alive, for I cannot bear to see them starve." Now,
gentlemen of the press, let England—let the whole empire
know the character of the two groat agitators—Stephens in
England and O'Connell in Ireland. That poor Irishman
would never have gone to Derrinane to get fed. No ;if he
made his appearance there, it would be to present, not the
owner but the occupier with half his coat or half his potatoe,
to enable that artful, infamous monster to proclaim Stephens
a hater of mankind, and himself the most benevolent of the
human race. I was so struck with the circumstance, after
hearing of the apprehension of Stephens at the instance of
O'Connell, that I was determined to stamp the character of
the man, en the first opportunity, with the brand which it me-
rited ; and, if such were possible in this degenerate age, to
rescue the character of Mr. Stephens from the infamy which
the hand of O'Connell has inflicted upon him.—( Hear, and
cheers.) My opinion is, that there does not live a man so
benevolent, so feeling, so kind, so willing at all times to admi-
. _

'lister to the relief of his fellow-creatures, as our dear perse-
cuted friend Mr. Stephens.—( Vehement cheering.) lam
not in that position in society to aid him by my pockets, be-
cause they are empty ; but if they were full, all should be
poured out for his service. lam surrounded by many difficul-
ties—my friend Mr. Cobbett will tell you that I am at war
with a man who has declared that he will spend the
sum of 100,0001. rather than be beaten by me.—(Hear,
hear.) My one sole object at present is to endeavour
to save Stephens—to save him, and in him the working
classes; and if we cannot save him, then, Mr. Chairman, I
am the man to lead the people forward to revenge his fall—
( Bursts of applause)—for by Heavens, if they transport Ste-
phens--( Cries of " Never," " they dare not l")—there shall
be a bloody reckoning.-7-(Enthusiastic cheering. )

MANCHESTER—WEDNESDAY.
Now that a few days have elapsed, and the public have been
allowed to reflect a little upon the nature of the proceedings
instituted against the Rev. Mr. Stephens, a very strong feel-
ing in his favour has been manifesting itself, not alone among
his immediate followers and adherents, but among many of
the middle and mercantile classes whose political opinions are
at direct variance with those of the Rev. Gentleman and his
party. The nature of the evidence brought forward on Friday
last, and the extraordinary proceedings which the Magistrates
adopted on such unsupported and contradictory statements,
have been the theme of general disapproval in many quarters
here. The very enemies of Mr. Stephens declsre that the au-
thorities should have taken care to get up a substantial
case against him, for which they allege abundant materials
could have been readily procured from among his many ad-
dresses to the working classes, instead of having made them-
selves the laughing-stock of the public. In justice to Mr.
Stephens, however, it must be said that most of the reports
of his speeches which have appeared in print have been gar-
bled and unsatisfactory outlines, furnished by parties who were
not immediately connected with that department of the public
press ; and no one will deny the importance—nay, the neces-
sity—of having a correct version of every word that falls from
the lips of a speaker, when legal proceedings and penal en-
actments are about to be enforced against him.
On the other hand, the friends of Mr. Stephens assert that
if an opportunity had been afforded them of consulting with
him, and making proper arrangements for his defence, he
would have been at once discharged from custody. All com-
munication with the prisoner having been denied to his friends,
no steps could be taken for that purpose, and all parties were
left in a state of uncertainty as to the course to be pursued,
until the proceedings had actually commenced.
As I mentioned in my letter last night, at a meeting of his
friends it was agreed that Mr. Charles Phillips should be
sent for, and a special messenger started by the evening train
for London for that purpose. During the deliberations which
preceded that determination Mr. Stephens himself was pre-
sent, and appeared quite unconcerned. He left the matter
entirely in the hands of his friends, and consented to be guided
by them in all things with reference to the coming investiga-
tion. He appears to me to be quite indifferent as to the result.
A meeting took place to-day at Eccles, at which there were
nearly 1,000 persons present, with a band of music, flags,
banners, &c. ; one of the flags represented a Dragoon with a
bloody sabre cutting down the women and children.
Several speeches were made, and strong resolutions
adopted ; among the speakers were the celebrated Dr.
Fletcher, of Bury, Mr. Richardson, &c.
I have just been informed that at a Petty Sessions, held this
day at the King's Head, Chowbent, five warrants were issued
for the apprehension of some others of the leaders of the Radi-
cal party. Mr. Richardson, Mr. Oastler, and Mr. F'eargus
O'Connor are among the persons mentioned as being named
in the warrants. It is further stated that additional evidence,
for the purpose of substantiating the charge against the Rev.
Mr. Stephens, has been obtained, and will be tendered to-
morrow before the Magistrates.

MANC HEsTER.
BY EXPRESS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
GREAT RADICAL MEETING.
A meeting of the Radicals of Manchester took place
yesterday evening in the Carpenters'-hall, which was
attended by large numbers of persons from the sur-
rounding districts. The meeting was convened for the
purpose of expressing the confidence of the Radical party
in Mr. Stephens, and to get up a subscription, and
take such other steps as might be deemed advisable
for his defence. At eight o'clock, the hour appointed
for the commencement of the proceedings, the galleries
and hall were crowded in every part, and I understand at
least three thousand persons who could not obtain admit-
tance were obliged to go away. The hall, which has been
recently erected, is calculated to contain from six to seven
thousand persons. On the platform were Mr. Feargus
O'Connor, Mr. Richard Oastler, Mr. Richardson, Mr.
Willis, Mr. Wheeler, and all the Members of the Council
of the Manchester Political Union.

At eight o'clock precisely,
Mr. J. RICHARDSON was called to the Chair amidst
loud and general cheering. He observed that it was un-
neci.s.ssaryfor him to tell them what was known all over
the empii-e, that Mr. Stephens had been arrested, and all
parts of the country, north, south, east, and west, were in
a state of excitement when the announcement had reached
them. The London Sun of last night had treated the sub-
ject as it ought to be treated. It attached a great deal
of importance to the arrest, and, he would repeat, that
it was of the highest importance. It stated that
it was a blow struck at the cause of liberty.—(Loud
cheers.) The Whig Journals on the contrary—those,
he meant, more immediately connected with the Govern-
ment—had observed a cautious silence on the subject ; and
why ? Because they wished to see what turn the affair
would take before they committed themselves, and be
laughed at for their pains. If Mr. Stephens was commit-
ted, they would be sure to crow louder than ever. In the
London Sun it was stated that the whole of Lancashire
WAS in a state of excitement. Their Correspondent in
in Manchester, whoever he was, had stated that all the
towns And villages in the adjoining district had become
alarmed when they heard of the arrest of Mr. Stephens.
Their correspondent was right.—(Loud cheers.) The
Political Couneil,had acquainted the people with itiin three
lines, and his (Mr. Richardson's) house had been literally
besieged by the postmen with letters, and by delegates in
person from all parts of the country, inquiring what steps
ought to be taken. He would read to them an extract
from a letter in the same paper (The Sun) which
accurately described the state of the people's minds upon the
subject :—" Sir—We have received your letter, announc-
ing the arrest of Mr. Stephens, and a meeting was held
in consequence last night. There is only one feeling—one
opinion—one determination—one spirit, which animates
zls. We are determined to support Air. Stephens, be-
cauo he is the able advocate of the Chartists—with our
money, with our bones, with our sinews—aye, with our
sinews, if necessary. We will not be sacrificed by
either Whigs o; Tories, nor by both united. Unite,
unite, we say to alt ,zood Radicals. Persevere ! per-
severe! persevere ! Be n; m' and of good courage !"
Many persons when they heard Mr. Stephens was in
the New Bailey, had come to him, and amongthem were
a great number of delegates, who had said, tnat if it was
requisite, they would go and take him out.—(Vehement
cheering.) He had advised the delegates not to bring
their forces into the field yet to support their friend
Stephens ; but he did tell the men of Bradford, on Monday
night, that on Thursday next if they did not liberate Mr.
Stephens, they would answer for it seriously.—(Hear,
2nd cheers.) He had told them that 100,000 men
wou“d march into Manchester with Magna Charts
in their hands, and they would have him given up to them
under any circumsances.—(Loud and vehement applause.)
He could not see what charge they had against Mr. Ste-
phens. The Morning Herald, a Tory paper, had said that
the Government had made a bungling job of the affair, that
the said Government had let Mr. O'Connell scot free who
had organised and advocated physical force, while they ar-
rested Mr. Stephens, who, they said, bad advised it. [Mr.
Richardson read the article from the Herald ofjMonday last.]
One contemptible fellow 114 d asserted that from circum-
sttaatinoenes he had no hesi-
tation had instigated his fol-
inwt:atcyiiinhif
atelh;otsi.o his knowledge,

lowers to set fire to Jowett's mill.—(Cries of " Taylor
and much groaning and hissing.) That man, like the
pelican, was thirsting for the blood of Mr. Stephens, and
seeing the turn matters were likely to take, had of late beer
silent. On Saturday his paper had stated that it would
refer to the subject again next week ; but Wednesday had
passed over, and nothing had appeared. He was almost
inclined to think that even that dirty creature was ashamed
of the affair. Mr. Richardson concluded by calling on the
meeting to give a patient hearing to the gentlemen wh(
should address them.
Mr. FEARGUS O'CoNNoR was called upon to move the
first resolution, and was received with the most astounding
cheers and waving of hats, which interrupted the meeting
for some time. He said—Mr. Chairman and working men,
I have always said that you were a people worth living for
and worth dying for.—(Cheers.) Your attendance, your
thousands here to-night, prove that I did not make s
wrong estimate. My business, according to ordinary
routine, would be to propose a resolution, but your pre-
sence here affirms it—it is a vote of confidence in
Stephens. You are the moral and physical force:of the
country—(Cheers)—and the presence of so many thou-
sands and your lusty cheers have carried the resolution before
it is put.—(Cheers.) Men of Manchester, as I am a bar-
rister, and accustomed to the mystification of the law, it is
my duty to tell you how to protect your captive friend.—
(Cheers.) Fully partaking of your excitement, it is my
duty to curb my own ; I look to my duty to the captive,
and that only.—(Cheers.) This is called aWbig prosecution,
I don't care whether it is or not. If a Whig prosecution,
it shows their malice and malignity ; if a Magistrates' pro-
secution, backed by the Whigs, it shows their subser-
viency—(Cheers)—but in the excitement of the moment
it is my duty to take care that Stephens is not made a
Tory tool of—(Cheers)—and that that portion of the
Tory Press which would support him now and gain
power to crush us, shall not receive support from us. If
the Whigs have done it, the Tories are jealous that they had
not the power to do it.—(Cries of " Well done Feargus.")
The Whigs are the devils, but the Tories are the devils
in hell.—(Loud cheers.) The name of the Manchester
Guardian has been mentioned, and before 1 enter upon the
law of the case, I will dispatch that trash and its triages,
John Edward Taylor. (Cheers.) [Mr. Feargus
O'Connor here made a very coarse personal at-
tack on Mr. Taylor, which we exclude.—En. Susi.]
It was true that Stephens had been arrested—true he had
been half tried, but he had not yet been convicted.—( Hear.)
In my letter to the men of Wigan and Leith I told them
that Stephens' defence was in their muscles, and not
in the elements of the law—(Cheers)—was I not right ?
—(Aye.) Now for the law. One witness minuted
Stephens. He took out his watch, and said that for the
first half-hour he spoke Scripture truth—(Hear, hear)—
but much of the rest he lost. This informer said he
spoke two hours and thirty-five minutes. Now, he must
have had a motive in this exactness—(Cheers)—and yet he
takes not a single note. He speaks of excitement
being produced by Stephens' harangue, and yet he says
that all the materials were possessed before ; for he says
that guns or pistols were fired, and that Stephens stopped
the " cracking."—(Cheers.) Stephens then subdued the
excitement, and since then the excitement has not been
increased.—(Cheers.) The witness had taken no precau-
tion to defend himself, because none was necesary—(Loud
cheers)—though afraid of fire, no single pound had increased
his insurance—(Loud cheers)—though alarmed for life,
not an extra bar to the house—(Cheers)—but he was a
constable, physical-force man, and was consequently believed
—aye, and if we had arms we should be believed also.—
(Loud cheers.) The other man, another constable, only
heard part, and went off ; he was one of Stephens' former
sect, but Stephens banished them all from him.—
(Roars of laughter)—and this fellow comes to the
charge with all the fervency of a renegade.—(Cheers.)
Well this fellow knows nothing, and although it is a
maxim in law that a whole speech or a whole letter shall be
read in evidence, yet these hired villains just hear enough to
suit the big villains, the middle-class and the money-monger-
ing Magistrates and their sapient clerk—(Cheers)---and
now I believe they would open the door and gladly let the
cat walk out of the trap.—(Cheers.) Out of three
thousand they can only bring two to swear. Against such
testimony Stephens could not defend himself like a practised
barrister, and evidence was let in which was not admissible,
and upon it they might as well convict him of cow-stealing
as of sedition.—(Cheers.) It had no more to do with it
than the Canadian war had to do with them—no, not half
as much, as they would have to pay all the taxes.—(Cheers
and laughter.) Who were the Magistrates? An old worn-
out Whig, and a namby-pamby, half-fledged Justice. What
a mockery (:(f. justice ! If you had Universal Suffrage—
(Long continued cheers)—aye, you like that, but all
those Reporters, with the exception of The Sun, will burke
every word I say that is not seviceable to the Tory blood-
hounds. The Sun is the only paper which has supported
Stephens from principle, reserving to itself the right and
poiverto deal with his defenders asitthinks proper; no truck-
ling of editorial principle, no pandering to individuals, but
a straightforward, argumentative course—warning the
Government of the consequences of rashness and folly.—
( Cheers for The Sun, and cries of " We will all support it.")
Aye, do so. The Times, upon the other hand—the
ruffian Times—comes here as a spy—(Hisses)— and if
you were all slaughtered, the Times would laughs at your
survivors, and only value you as a means of getting honour
for its friends.—(Cheers.) Now, my friends, no Tory triumph
shall be made of this; my duty is to watch the question ; your's
is to watch me.—(Cheers.) A warrant, I am told, has been
issued against me.—(Uproar and groans.) Oh, wait, it
hasn't been executed. I have two faults, like the Con-
naught-man's horse—it's devilish hard to catch me, and
when they catch me, the devil a good is in me—(Great
laughter)—they could make nothing of me, not even the
Globe, that antediluvian paper ; I wish it would call itself
the " Old World," for it knows nothing of what is going
on here—(Cheers)—it considers news of three days' old
as a great god-send, and comes out fresh when short
memories have forgotten it—(Roars of laughter)—this
dirty sheet, the dearest thing you ever saw for 5d., puts in
his prate as if he bad a voice, and there it is, twenty
columns of soft and dirty paper] of the most rabid trash
you ever saw. This Downing-street dessert, is read in the
kitchen of the palace, while the cook is cracking her nuts, and
then is sent second-hand with the shells to the scullery,
—(Loud and long-continued laughter.) Never mind, there
are only as many copies printed at night as are ordered in
the morning.--(Renewed laughter.) Well, that thing is
against us, but we will beat that too. Now Oastler last
night said something about Stephens being transported.
It is not a transportable offence ; but if it was, and if they
convicted him, they should only take his fettered limbs
over my lifeless body to the hulks.—(Great cheering.)
Until the exhibitions in London, Dublin, Edinburgh,
and Birmingham took place Stephens remained un-
touched.—(Hear.) He was aware that there were
Tory-Radicals among them, but if the real Radicals were
united, they would beat all their enemies. Mr. O'Con-
nor then proceeded to remark upon the manner in which
Mr. Stephens had been arrested, and contended that
if the Government had not directed, they had sanc-
tioned it. If the Tories had been in power,
they would have shot Stephens first and tried him
afterwards. If Mr. Stephens was committed, he would
advise a simultaneous meeting of all the people in
England, Ireland, and Scotland, and call upon them to
pass resolutions to draw all their money from the Savings
Bank—(Cheers)—then to obtain gold from all the hanks
in the country—and then to observe a sullen silence
towards their masters, and their master's men.
So much for moral, now for physical. If their master
struck them, let them knock him down—(Loud cheers)—
aye, and kick him for falling.—(Renewed cheers.) If an
overseer or an understrapper struck them, knock him down ;
and if a policeman struck them in the execution of his duty
knock him down.—(Loud cheers and laughter.) Univer-
sal Suffrage was his motto. Others may contend
for points, but that he would have.—(Loud cheering.)
If the Tories had the power they would make another Pe-
terloo massacre. He was about to make a tour through the
Scoteh districts, if they did not previously arrest him, but
if they did, his (Mr. O'Connor's) trial would be a short
one, and he would be able to go the next week. He
could assure them that in the progress of his tour Ste-
phens's name would not be forgotten.—(Loud cheers.)
Their presence there to-night was a proof that they
had no confidence in the law--(Hear. hear, hear)—
They had no confidence in the House of Commons, but
they would rely upon their own moral strength. If Mr.
Stephens had given ground for his arrest, they would have
had reason to be ashamed of him. When the Whigs were
seeking office they burned Bristol—Nottingham, and New-
castle, and other places were on the eve of it. While
they exhibited the figure of the King, in one town,
(skit his head drooping from his shoulders, and a bloody
axe suspended over him. If he (Mr. O'Connor) spoke
Abut their Queen in that way, he would be said to have
been guilty of treason. That which in the case of the
Whigs was called " moral force," in the case of the
Radicals would be called " physical force." After again
denouncing the Manchester Guardian and its Miter, Mr.
O'Connor proceeded to observe upon the display of mili-
tary which had taken place within the last week
in Manchester. If the people did not now stand by their
leaders, they would be cut off in detail, and then the peoph
themselves would become an easy prey to their tyrants.
Let
never be able to put them down. After
epn, and Scotchmen unite, and Go-
eople to call for and insist upoi
againUnivmeesneat°l Englishmen,mlvSouff iuffelrdri adgielnr,glhstehhme proceeded to point out the differences
of opinion that existed among the Radicals and demonstrated
the folly and absurdity of division at so important a cr;sis.
No man had been maligned so much as their friend, Mr.
Stephens, for he had never recononendea physical force.
Oastler was the first to recommend that the people should

be armed, but he told them by all means not to use their
arms, but to keep them as family pictures, and Lord John
Russell would bow to these pictures when he would turn
leis heel upon the individual himself.—(Cheers.) It was
not until the people had been successful that they would
he applauded by the men who were now opposing them.
Mr. O'Connor concluded his address amidst loud and
veneral cheering, by moving the resolution, which was as
follows

" Resolved—That this meeting has the highest con-
fidence in the Rev. Joseph Rayner Stephens, for his
honest, manly, and unflinching defence of the rights of
the labouring population of this country ; and that this
meeting pledges itself to aid the Rev. Gentleman with
money and service, to free him from his enemies."
Mr. OASTLER said he cane forward with much pleasure
to second the resolution. Would any man say, looking at
that vast assemblage, that Mr. Stephens was not appreci-
ated ? What else, upon a notice of six or seven hours,
had brought so many persons together ? When he was
about to come to the meeting, he did not anticipate, upon
such a notice, that the hall would have been one
quarter filled ; but in the course of a few hours
It had been satisfactorily proved to him that the
hearts of the men of Manchester had responded to the sud-
den call by thousands, where he had thought that it was
only possible for hundreds to have learned that the meeting
was to take place. He was right glad to see such an assem-
blage upon such an occasion. Although Mr. Stephens had
been dragged to the dock, and from thence taken and locked
up in a felon's cell, his sleep was more sound upon his iron
'actistead than that of his persecutors, who by the power of
physical force had lodged him there. For what,he would ask?
Let them go to Ireland and the death's-head and cross-
bones O'Connell—(A person on the right hand side of the
platform here cried " Question." The Chairman inter-
fered and said that all the speakers should have a fair
hearing. Mr. Oastler resumed.)—The question was for
what had Mr. Stephens been dragged to the dock ? and
he was about to answer it from Mr. O'Connell's mouth,
because he was a " blood-thirsty villain ;" so said the
death's-head and cross-bones O'Connell.—(Cheers.) But
O'Connell did not know Mr. Stephens. He knew nothing of
him, because villains like O'Connell never came into the
company of honest men. Let them go to Birmingham and
ask the traitors in the Council there why Stephens had
been apprehended, and they, reiterating the cry from their
master's mouth, would tell them because Stephens was a
blood-thirsty devil.—(Repeated groans and hisses.) Let
them ask the pretended friends of the people of Scot-
land, with the Reverend Parson Brewster at their
head, and they would tell them that Stephens was
an incendiary who would fire the factories and cut the
throats of their owners.—(Loud cries of " Never," " It's
False.") He knew that very well. Let them ask the Go-
vernment why, and they would answer " because he bath
troubled us—because he has taken the Bible and the Con-
stitution of the land, and from the Bible and the law books
he has endeavoured to explain to the people their rights
—to raise them up first in their own estimation,
and then make them respected by their tyrants."—(Vehe-
;tient cheering.) Therefore, it was, that O'Connell and
he Birmingham Council, and the Scotch traitors, and the
Whig Government had raised a hue and cry against Ste-
phens, in order that they might then dare to take him.—
( Hear, hear,) Let them ask him (Mr. Oastler), and he
hought he knew him better than any of these parties,
let them ask him why Stephens had been apprehended,
and he would them the truth, that it was because when
Stephens lived, felony died—that where he spoke liberty
raised its head.—(Great applause.) When Stephens be-
held the human beings around him trampled on, and en-
slaved in fetters, and ground down to the earth by the
cruel oppressions and exertions of their masters, he spoke
in the word of God, in His holy name, he denounced the
tyrants, and made them tremble. That was why he
had been arrested.—(Hear, and cheers.) Was he
indeed an incendiary—a monster? Did he thirst for
the blood of any man ? Speak, men of Ashton !—(Loud
Ind vehement cries of " No, no ; never.") If there ever
was an Englishman whose heart was warmed by the pure
blood of benevolence—if there ever was a man who breathed
lie spirit of his Lord and Master, Jesus Christ—if there
was any man living in England who would sacrifice
anything and everything for the poor—it was the
Reverend Joseph Stephens.--(Tremendous applause.)
They perhaps did not know so well as he did, Mr. Stephens
—they loved him for all they knew and heard of him.
He was educated in their own town, in their own grammar-
School, and was afterwards in the Methodist Society. No
me in that Society could ever impute the smallest error
or crime to him, his conduct had been most exemplary, and
they should mark this, that he was not expelled, he had left
the connexion. No poor man, poor woman or no poor child,
ever entered that man's house without receiving what he
;tame for—relief.—(Hear, hear.) It was astonishing to
chat an extent he gave relief to the indigent around him
out of his little resources. He became a tea-totaller, not
,tronger and greater than other men, because he must feel
from principle, not from believing that it was wrong to drink
-ell its, but to save money for the purpose of advocating
the cause of the poor factory children. He felt himself
that the poor were always lifting up their prayers to God
for him.—(Cheers.) Those who did not know him let
them go to Ashton, and they would see his good works in
the altered condition of the working people there. If there
was a true Christian or a real philanthropist, it was that
man who had been arraigned in the felons' dock, and whose
crime was, teaching the poor to know their rights, and to find
them registered in the word of God.—(Cheers.) If these
Magistrates had wanted Mr. Stephens,they would have known
that by sending a message or note he would have at once
attended them. But that did not suit them. He was
dragged by constables to Manchester, without being
allowed to take leave of his wife and family. Oh,
shame on the ruthless tyrants!—(Strong and general
marks of indignation.) It was intended to have had
a midnight examination, and to have sent him off
at once to Kirkdale Gaol ; but God prevented their
designs being carried into effect. Lord Francis Egerton
was so alarmed, that he did what he (Mr. Oastler) had
been always recommending the people to do, namely, he
armed his servants for his protection.—(Hear, hear.)
The charge against Stephens was, that he advised
the people to arm. He had done so, and so had
ho (Mr. Oastler) and he now advised them again
to arm themselves. Let there be no mistake about that.
The perjured villain who had given evidence against him,
had actually admitted that he had provided himself with
arms before ever he had heard Stephens' advice. After
alluding to the tyranny of demanding 1,0001. bail in a case of
misdemeanour, Mr. Oastler alluded to the refusal of the
bail, and exclaimed, "Oh ! that I were indeed king for a
single day, how I would punish the wretehes."—(Great
cheering and laughter.) Although Mr. Stephens had slept
soundly in his felon's cell, Kenworthy had never slept a
wink since his commital. Saunderson, the other Magis-
trate who had granted the warrant, and who had induced
Kenworthy to back it, while the investigation was going on
was hiding in a public-house in Manchester ; and when
he was asked to assist upon the Bench, he said,
" No, d--n it, I wont go to the New Bailey before a
thousand people ; it should have been done at Worsley."—
( Tremendous cheering.) Such was the position in which
O'Connell had placed the Government of that country.
Although all the disposable force in England, Ireland, and
Scotland was concentrated in the manufacturing districts
around them, they could not spare two troops for
Ashton---(Hear, hear.) The mall-owners were in a
state of syncope, and it was recommended as the last
means of recovering them, to send Col. Wemyss there
to parade the bright helmets and glittering sabres of the
Queen's Bays for a short time.—(Great laughter.) He
believed in his heart that when the troops knew how mat-
ters really stood, they would be found on the side of
the people.—(Cheers.) Let them, however, be pre?
pared to resist all unlawful aggression on their
I.berties, and above all to resist the contemplated intro-
duction of a rural police, and the attempt which was
making by the Somerset House Devil-kings to tear asun-
der the marriage ties. He felt satisfied that the people, iY
true to themselves, would ultimately triumph. lie would
not recommend thorn to come into town to-morrow ; but if
they did, let them keep the peace. If they had arms,
and he hoped all the people had them—(Hear, hear)—
let them leave them at home ; but above all, whatever
they did, let them keep the peace. Mr, Oastler concluded
by seconding the resolution,
Mr. JOHN DEaGAN then addressed the meeting. It was
a great honour to him to speak to a resolution proposed by
an ultra-Radical, and seconded by an ultra-Tory.—
(Cheers.) He conjured all Radicals to unite, and they
rights.eu Mr. Stephens, who had been so infamouslyter a high eulogium upon the benevo-
lence would be certain to succeed. in their legitimate efforts to
b ;a i n theirndvr
tu
t and
persecuted, Mr. Deegan stated that the people of the 'Es-
tricts around Ashton, notwithstanding they had been
listening to the harangues of a man who was termed (‘ a
firebrand," were unequalled by any other on the face of the
earth for their peaceful demeanour and conduct. They
could not wonder when they knew what the character
of Mr. Stephens was, at the thousands who
attended his lectures, and who had come out to meet him
and hail his return from bondage,—(Cheers.) The cir-
cumstance would, he was satisfied, advance the cause of
Radical Reform more than the agitation of a century.—
(Cheers.) Every day that man's house was besieged by
the old, the poverty-stricken, and the oppressed, without
respect of sect or party. Among them might be seen
the beaten and the half-starved slaves of the factories,
with the blood streaming from their emaciated limbs.—
(Cheers.) It mattered not under what Government they
lived--the doctrine nr . Stephens was, that the poor
lue fed.—(Loud cheers) He would not trespass
further on them, as there wera others, he presumed, to ad-
I dress them. He would conclude by stating that they

would be unworthy the tame of men, if they
did not, rather than Mr. Stephens should be dealt
harshly with, lose the last drop of their blood.—(Great
cheering.) Not only the men, but the women, were ready
to come out in support of Mr, Stephens when called upon ;
and no Government ever yet existed in England that could
resist the maidens and matrons of England, when arrayed
against them.—(Laughter and cheering.)
The CHAIRMAN, in putting the resolution, observed that
a meeting would take place to-morrow evening in that
room, whether Mr. Stephens was liberated or not, to re•
port progress. If he was liberated he would be amongst
them.—(Great cheering.) Another meeting of the Na-
tional Convention was also announced for Monday evening,
which would be attended by a great number of delegates
from various parts of the country.
The resolution was then put from the chair, and carried
with acclamation.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman was then passed, and
the meeting broke up.

LAST NIGHT (THURSDAY).

I had merely time to state in my last letter, that five ad-
ditional warrants had been issued by the Magistrates at
Petty Sessions at Chowbent, this day. It is probable,
however, if such has been the case, that they will delay
their execution till the proceedings with respect to Mr. Ste-
phens are terminated. The arrest of five more leaders of the
movement party in the face of the immense assemblage,
which is expected here to-morrow would be rather a
hazardous experiment, and would, 1 apprehend, be
attended with very serious results. It is generally
believed that the Magistrates will commit ; in fact, that
they have made up their minds to hold the Rev. Gentle-
man to bail, whatever the nature of the defenee may be.
Colonel Wemyss has been busily engaged during the even-
ing in arranging the distribution of the military force under
his command for to-morrow. Placards have.been exten-
sively distributed all over the town, announcing a meeting
of the Radicals of Manchester to hear Mr. O'Connor,
Mr. Oastler, and others, on the subject of the proceedings
against Mr. Stephens. There is no appearance of
excitement in the town, but parties are evidently
preparing for the eventful morrow. Mr. Stephens still
remains in town, but has not interfered in any of the " de-
monstration" that have taken place on his behalf. He has
been in conference with his legal adviser, Mr. Law, for
some hours to-day. I have been through several of the
districts immediately around Manchester to-day,and there are
groups of the working classes congregated in little knots
here and there, with determination impressed upon their
countenances. I have heard that in many places no work
has been done by the men for the last two days,
nor is there any expectation that the people will
settle down into tranquillity till the case of Stephens is
finally disposed of. I feel satisfied, whatever numerical
display of the Radicals there may be in Manchester
to morrow, no manifeestation of physical force is contem-
plated or even dreamt of, and I only trust the authorities
bete will not by any injudicious proceeding on their parts,
provoke the people who are already in a high state of excite-
ment. All'proper precautions for the preservation of the public
peace and the safety of the persons and property of the
inlhabitants, it is of course their duty to take, but if

they go beyond this, and become the aggressors—if, as I
have heard, an attempt be made to clear the streets by
troops of dragoons, it is impossible to say what the result
may be, or where the effusion of blood may stop.