The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-21 00:00:00

THE CORPORATION INQUIRY.

WEDNESDAY.—John Fussell, of 139, Livery-street,
newspaper agent, examined—The meetings in the Bull-
ring commenced at the latter end of January last. I
attended them regularly from the latter end of February,
and took part in the proceedings. The meetings from
February to April were attended, upon an average, by
from 400 to 500 persons. From the 29th of April to
the 14th of May, I superintended the meetings entirely
myself. Generally speaking, the persons attending were
men of from 30 to 40 years of age, and of the working
class. The meetings usually commenced at from five
to fifteen minutes past eight in the evening. From
the 7th to the 14th of May, additional meetings were
held in the same place, between the hours of one and
two in the day. These latter meetings, as well as
those in the evenings of those days, had increased in
numbers to from four to five thousand. The reason
of this increase was, that on the 6th of May it was ge-
nerally anticipated that the National Petition would
have been presented. There was also about this time a
Royal proclamation against meetings, and those two cir-
cumstances produced great excitement, and induced
larger numbers to attend. The business usually transacted
at these meetings was, first, the reading of the daily and
other newspapers, and exhortations to the people to use
all moral means that would lead to the liccomplishmcnt
of the objects of the National Petition. I have occa-
sionally heard recommendations to the people assembled
to arm, as a constitutional right. Tnis was generally
received by the meeting with applause. The people
were recommended to arm, in order to be prepared to
repel any unconstitutional attack which the Govern-
ment might make upon them. In order to test how far
this recommendation was acted upon, I, on one occa-
sion, about the last week in April, said to the people
then assembled, " Those of you who are armed hold up
your right hands." Out of :an assembly of from 2,000
to 3,000, not more than fifty persons held up their
hands. Generally, the more violent the sentiments ex-
pressed by the speakers, the more they were ap-
plauded by the meeting. The people were exhort-
ed to use all moral and constitutional means within
their power, and, as a last resource, to have re-
course to physical force, if the Government refused
to listen to their petitions. I do not think
the speeches on those occasions, generally, con-
templated the probability of a resort to physical force.
Even those considered the most violent speakers,
always expressed a conviction that the people had suffi-
cient moral power to accomplish what they wished, and
constantly invited those who repudiated physical force
to join them, and thus afford the means of more speedily
obtaining their objects. The speakers, nevertheless,
exhorted the working classes not to form any union with
the middle classes, except the latter would agree to all
the points contained in the Na•ionai Petition. The
persons attending these meetings always behaved in the
most orderly and decorous manner. lam now speak-
ing of all the meetings up to the 14th of May. I did
not attend them afterwards, except on the 4th of July.
There was no obstruction to the thoroughfares. The
coaches from the Swan to the Nelson always passed
down without the least obstruction. NVbenever a ve-
hicle had to pass, the people immediately opened to
make way, if the assembly was so numerous as to require
it. The people were recommended by the speakers to
offer no obstruction, and men were app4inted to see
this regulation observed, and generally to keep order.
There was no flag or banner at the meetings up to the
time of which I speak. The meetings were held every
evening, except Sunday, and dispersed generally at
nine o'clock, with the exception of Saturday, when they
remained until a little before ten, in consequence of
their assembling later on that evening. The meetings

:erminated with three cheers for the Convention, anal

the people quietly dispersed in various directions, and
did not form processions. No fire.arms or weapons of
any description were ever exhibited at the meetings, nor,
as far as my knowledge goes, were brought thither Up
to about the 7th of May, the meetings were not inter-
fered with, or forbidden by the authorities ; about this
time a warning appeared, siped by the Magistrate's
Clerks. This was the first intimation we had that the
Magistrates would not allow the meetings to be held.
Directly on this appearing, I put a friend in communi-
cation with the Mayor, pledging myself to take the first
opportunity of removing the meetings froth the centre
of the town, as that was made the chief complaint ; at
the same time expressing a determination on my part,
if the meetings were interfered with, and the offer I
made rejected, that I would hold three meetings in the
place of two.. I received for reply from the Mayor, that
the meetings would not be interfered with, provided I
took the first opportunity of removing them. This re-
ply was on the Friday after the warning appeared.
The meetings were held as usual on the Thurs-
day, when the warning first appeared, and on
the. following day, both at noon and night. On the
Thursday I read the warning to the meeting from the
Advertiser newspaper, and denounced it as not being
iar; ; at the same time impressing upon the people as-

sembled, not to obstruct the pathways, and thus render
the meetings illegal. 161 not take any steps on the
Thursday or Friday to remove the meetings, because
public feeling was at such a height, that it would have
been of no avail to have made such a proposal. On the
Friday night the meeting was adjourned till the Satur-
day dinner time, for the purpose of adopting an Address
to the Queen, upon the necessity of the people forming
themselves into armed associations, for the protection of
their constitutional rights. Notice of this was given to
the people. The meeting accordingly assembled on Sa-
turday, at one o'clock, and continued till two. There
were between '2,000 and 3,000 present. I was elected
chairman, and an Address to the Queen was proposed
and seconded by two inhabitants of the town, but they
were unknown to me. It, was passed unanimously, and

ordered to be transmitted with a similar address to Lord

John Russell, which was intended to have been adopted
in the evening. The meeting was quiet throughout, and
dispersed quietly. There were no banners, and nothing
was done but what I have stated. Nothing was said
about the proclamation of the Magistrates against the
meetings, which had appeared in the Journal that morn-
ing, and had also been placarded, and which is as follows :
" Victoria IL
" Whereas certain evil-disposed persons have, of late,
held meetings during the evening in the Bull-ring, and
then and there, by seditious harangues, have endea-
voured to excite the people to violence and illegal pro-
ceedings : And whereas such seditious speeches have,
on several occasions, caused a great concourse of people,
to the great alarm of her Majesty's subjects, we the un-
dersigned Magistrates, deem it our duty to command ail
persons to refrain from attending such meetings, as beingtr
ofyeterm‘
he
cboonrouagrhy, toanlaw an it d,,,
,efdurd dangerous to etotrbaenqouuirllitci
afteri
ntlhiatso
rnyotispceee,
csihleagll
nation to prosecute all those who,
hold such meetings, or who, by in am
shall attempt to excite the people to any disturbance or
breach of the peace.
" Public Office, May 10,1839.
" William Scholefield, Mayor.
W. C. Alston " P. H. Muntz
S. Beale C. C. Scholefield
T. Bolton C. Shaw
W. Chance Joseph Webster
J. B. Davies Joseph Walker."
J. T. Lawrence
The meeting was adjourned from two o'clock until eight
in the evening, when it again assembled in about the
same numbers. I was present, but no chairman was
appointed. The address to Lord John Russell was
proposed by me, and seconded by some person in the
crowd. It was put by myself to the meeting, and car-
ried unanimously, and I was requested to forward both
addresses at the earliest convenience. At the same
meeting extracts were read from The Sun newspaper,
on the subject of armed associations. The proclama-