The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-08 00:00:00

CHARTIST MEETIN GS.

(From the Leicestershire Mercury.)
On Monday morning a deputation from Leicester, con.
sisting of Messrs. Swain, Simmons, and others, proceeded
from Leicester to Earl Shilton. On their arrival the
village presented a most beautiful appearance ; other de-
putations front Hinckley and Nuneaton marched in with
their streamers ; and almost the whole population had
gathered together, with banners and music, to welcome
them. The people were briefly addressed by the Leices-
tershire Delegates to the Convention, Messrs. Smart and
Skevington, who were on their way to Birmingham.
A large number of the persons assembled then proceeded
to Hinckley, where the principal meeting had been ap-
pointed to be held.
Mr. Walter Upton, of Thurmaston, was called to the
chair, and in order to preserve the peace, requested the
constable to take into custody any person who might act in
a disorderly manner.
The people were addressed by Messrs. Smart and Skev-
ington ; Mr. Shaw, of Nuneaton, who delivered, we are
informed, a very able speech; and Messrs. Swain and
Simmons, of Leicester.
The Poor-law was strongly denounced. Mr. Swain
reminded the people of Hinckley, and its vicinity of the
false evidence on the subject given before the Committee
of the House of Commons, by Mr. Assistant Commis-
sioner Hall, who stated that the individual who paid
the non-resident poor belonged to the adjacent vil-
lage of Burbage, did so at a public house, the paupers
seldom left till they had spent what they received, and he
had his drink free of expense. He (Mr. Swain)
knew the individual, who was then in the meeting
before him—and he knew that he was a respectable
man—a true Christian—and thin man had declared
that the assertion respecting the paupers spending
their money was false, and that he had paid the paupers
for 17 years, but never had a half-pint of ale at their ex.
pense. When he (Mr. Swain) gave evidence before the
Committee, he denied Mr. Hall's statements, and, in being
confronted with him, asked him upon what authority he
obtained his statement, He said he had beard it. When ?
In 1835, he could not say exactly when. Where ? At
a meeting of the parish officers. On being asked if he
could name any one who was present, he could not. He
(Mr. Swain) then charged him, before the Committee, with
wilful falsehood, or gross negligence; nor did the Com-
mittee call him to order for so doing. Yet this man had
received no reprimand ; and had lately been appointed to
a higher office, that of Commissioner for Ireland.
The principles of the Charter were fully explained, and
listened to with great attention. The language used was
moderate, and no allusions were made to physical force.
The meeting altogether was very orderly and respectable.
Our Hinckley correspondent says—." The speeches on the
whole were well delivered, much better than I have heard
many times on the hustings."
The numbers present have been variously estimated.
Our correspondent—an impartial eye-witnesss,—thinks
there were 1,500 present. Others say several thousands.
No interference from the civil authorities was expe-
rienced, nor were the military called out, as on the former
occasion. The pensioners who had been assembled, re-
ceived some ale, and were quietly dismissed.
At the close of the meeting the deputations from Lei-
cester and Shilton returned to the latter place, where an-
other meeting was held. The quiet and orderly manner in
which the business was conducted surprised some of the
respectable inhabitants, who said that they had been com-
pletely deceived with respect to the character and conduct
of the Chartists. One gentleman told one of the depute..
tion from Leicester that they had been represented to him
as a violent and bloodthirsty sc t of people ; but now he
found that he had been imposed upon. He had not known
before what the Charter was ; but, having beard it, he ap
proved of it. He said the working man ought to have a
fair day's wages for a fair day's work," but that was not
the case; and recommended them to persevere in their
agitation, which could be the only means of obtaining wha-
they wanted.

BRUTAL OUTRAGE.-The meeting was very peaceable
till within a few minutes before its close, when a Mr.
Walkman—one of those haughty and tyrannical
who abound in the villages of this country—savagely
, rode into the crowd on a spirited horse, which he spurred
through them knocking down a child and a woman, and
completely interrupting their proceedings. This conduct
could have originated in nothing but pure malignity, and
hatred to the rights of the poor. The ground on
which the meeting was held bad been granted for
that purpose by its owner, and we are credibly informed
that there were not more than 20 persons on the turn.
pike road adjoining ; so that this insolent oppressor
might easily have passed without coming into collision
with the crowd. A bystander informed one of the
deputation from Leicester that he was heard to say as
he went out of the ground " He did not care if he had
killed the d---l." He proceeded to a pubic. house, and
the assemblage, whose indignation had been greatly
excited by the outrage, were with difficulty restrained by
the speakers from attacking the house and inflicting on the
savage that summary punishment which he so richly de-
served. We have seen an individual who witnessed the
outrage, and saw the child afterwards. It was about seven
years of age. Three of its teeth were knocked out, its
nose severely cut, and its whole frame violently shaken. A
constable was sought for, but could not be found.
Notwithstanding this wanton attack, the Chartists--
whose violence has been so frequently denounced—quietly
separated.
[Will this gentleman (1) he prosecuted for the outrage?
Alas, no ; the injured parties arc poor, and Whileman is
an influential man.]

CASSEL.-It is stated that Spohr will leave
Germany in August, to attend the Norwich festival in
England.—Foreign Quarterly Review.
TEMPTATION.—The novel which has just ap-
peared under the title of " Temptation ; or a Wife's
Perils," is already exeitieg that eager attention which the
peculiar nature of the work is so strongly calculated to
call forth. This admirable fiction belongs to that class of
tales of which " Delphine" is so striking an example; but
it bas this marked important distinction in its favour_
that, with all the elements of intellectual exeitenient which
belong to that brilliant production, it is wlaolly free from
the (to sa) the least of it) que,tien,Ue tendency in a
moral point of view, which tenders Delphine," by no
means a safe book in the hands of precisely those readers
who are most likely to take it up. " Temptation," on the
contrary, cannot possibly be read without refining as well
as strengthening the moral sense, while to those who read
for amusement merely, the singular skill with which the
plot is worked out, and the elutraeters developed, gives it
peculiar attraction.
FATAL EFFECTS OF INTOXICATION,---Thurs-
day information was forwarded to Mr. Wakley of two cases,
in addition to the great number that have lately come un-
der his notice, where excessive drinking has ended in fatal
consequences. It appears that on Sunday week, about
seven o'clock, William Hallett, a shoemaker, ',siding in
Kensington Gravel-pits, left home in perfect health, but in
about an hour afterwards he returned quite drunk, and in
going along the passage; fell down and injured his side.
He was attended on the following Tuesday cloning by Dr.
Hora, who prescribed some mtdicine for him, and ordered
him to be kept quiet. Contrary, however, to the doctor's
orders, he got drinking, and mortification, which had pre-
viously set in rapidly increased, and Hallett died on Sa-
turday last. In the second case it appears that James
Boyce, of New-street, Kensington, was in excellent health
on Monday, on which day he got drunk, and died on the
next day. Inquests have been appointed to be held on the
bodies, and in all cases similar to the above, it is the come
ner's intention to have the cause of death recorded, so as to
form an easy reference, should it be found necessary to
adduce proof of the necessity of legislative interference to
check intemperance. Two inquests were held yes erday
in which the verdicts were " Natural death, hastened by
excessive drinking."
THE LATE ATROCITIES IN THE REGENT'S
Rum—During the last few years scarcely a month has
passed in each summer without complaints being made
with regard to fellows misconducting themselves towards
young women and children while taking an airing in the
Regent's Park; and within the last month no fewer than
four cases of a similar description have been brought
under the notice of the Magistrates of Marylebone-office,
by whom the offenders have been severely punished. The
metropolitan police have not hitherto been in the habit of
doing duty within the enclosure of the park in question
where these offences usually occur, but it is now under-
stood that the Police Commissioners have given directions
that their constables, in order to put down L'oe evil, shall
lend their aid to the park and gate keepers, the latter of
whom are in the pay of the Commissioners of Woods and
Forests.