The Sun.
London, England, 1839-07-18 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM RIOTS.

Mr. MAC KI N NO N, on giving notice of his intention
to bring the subject of the late occurrences at Birming-
ham under the consideration of the House, begged to ask
the Noble Lord, the S;!eretary of State for the Home
Department, whether it was the intention of the Go-
vernment to institute any investigation as to the con-
duct pursued by the Mayor and Magistrates of Bir-
mingham with respect to the disturbances that had
taken place in that town, and the apathy that had been
displayed by them ?—( Hear, hear.)

Lord J. RUSSELL said that he had not the least
objection to answer the question that had been put to
him by the Hon. Member, but he was afraid, if he gave
a direct answer to that question he should not convey
an accurate idea to the House of what had taken place.
Before, therefore, he answered the precise question,
he would state some of the occurrences that had taken
place in Birmingham. It would be recollected that,
some days ago, in that House, he had stated that a
representation had been made to him by the Mayor of
Birmingham, and two Magistrates of the town, who
had come to London for the purpose, that there
bad been for some days past meetings of a
tumultuous and disorderly character, which had
alarmed the peaceable inhabitants of the town. That
in consequence, a great number of special consta-
bles had been sworn in, but as they were not
enabled to take efficient measures for the suppression
of those meetings, and as the Corporation had not
yet organised a sufficient police force in accord-
ance with the grant of the Corporation that had
been made to them, but which they were in hopes
of doing in a short time, they trusted that he
(Lord John Russell) would allow a sufficient body of
police to be sent to Birmingham, to be there sworn in,
in order to assist in preserving the peace, and putting an
end to those meetings which had created such an alarm
in the country. He (Lord John Russell) acceded to
that request, conceiving it to be his duty to do all
in his power to preserve the peace of the town.
That step was taken notice of in that House, and it
appeared to him that some degree of censure
had been thrown upon the Government, in con-
sequence of his acceding to the request of the
Mayor. The Mayor and the Magistrates of Birming-
ham, upon the arrival of the police in Birmingham,
without perhaps taking the usual and sufficient caution,
directed the police to arrest certain persons. That
was not effected until several of the police had been
most severely wounded, and an application had
been made to the military force to assist them.
The Mayor and Magistrates thought it necessary, upon
investigation to commit several persons to Warwick
Gaol—one was let out upon bail, others were detained
in prison, and further arrests took place upon different
charges. These measures, which had been adopted by
the Mayor and Magistrates, had had a good effect, and
he had received a letter from the Mayer stating that he
thought the town was then in a state of tranquillity, and
that he did not think it necessary to transmit any fur-
ther accounts to the Home-office. This did not satisfy
him, and lie sent a letter to the authorities of the town,
requiring that information should be transmitted to the
Home-office daily with respect to the state of the town.
He wished the House to recollect that comments were
made on the Magistrates of Birmingham, for having
with great violence and an excess of zeal interfered with
the peaceable meetings of the inhabitants of Birming-
ham. He stated this, because it was impossible that
such comments should b© made without tending a great
deal to shake the disposition which the Magistrate had