The Sun.
London, England, 1839-08-22 00:00:00

RIOTS AT NOTTINGHAM.

TO THE RIGHT HON. LORD J. RUSSELL,&c.
My Lcrd,—Your Lordship will pardon the liberty I
now take in addressing myself to your Lordship respect.
ing the meetings of the. Reformers, or Chartists of this
town, which, from my own personal observations, have been
invariably conducted in the most orderly and peaceable
manner ; indeed, there never was the least tendency or
disposition on the part of the cruelly oppressed and
suffering people of this part to act otherwise than as
men seeking by every legal means an amelioration of
their manifold grievances, of which your Lordship can-
not but be fully aware.
My Lord, respecting public meetings of the people,
to hear the newspapers read and to discuss peaceably
their wrongs : I have had the pleasure of attend:ng them,
and at none of them have I ever heard or witnessed one
improper act tending to a breach of the laws. On my
return from a walk to Carrington, near Nottingham,
there was a meeting of from five to six thousand persons
on Monday last on the Forest, where no damage was
done, no stay to business, no insulting language, no
riot ; in fact, my Lord, it was a meeting of peace and the
greatest decorum. And, my Lord, how were the peop'e
treated ? In the midst of the meeting they were shame-
fully annoyed by one of the county Magistrates (Nixon)
making his (totally uncalled for) appearance. The
people had just finished a hymn and the Lord's prayer,
when he made an attempt to ride into the meet-
ing, which the people very properly resisted as an
insult; he then retired to the outside, and took from
his pocket, I suppose the Riot Act, upon which some
lads began to hoot and huzza, and at last to pelt him
with stones. He then retired, unhurt, from the Forest
to the Barracks, and sent a detachment of Horse and
Rifles to break up the meeting, but the people had
quietly dispersed, or stood looking on with disgust
at being so shamefully treated ; and most of these men
were the very men who had assisted, and manfully so,
to rout the Tories from office, and place in their stead
the present Administration. It was no crime, my Lord,
then to meet and read the newspapers ; but now it has
become a most heinous offence for persecution by the
Government. My Lord, in consequence of Monday's
transactions on the part of the County Magistrates,
Nottingham has been in a state of ferment ; but I am
truly happy to say, no damage done—no person hurt
—no property injured—all now is peace again ; but, I
deeply regret to say, that one man, Mr. Woodhouse,
has been sent to gaol, merely because of his temperate
and manly addresses to the people, beseeching them, at
all times, to keep the peace—to obey the laws, &c.—
and this man, my Lord, is in prison ! he was taken
or rather dragged there, in the most degrading manner
possible, manacled to a constable, guarded by Rifles
and hired constables, &c. Had he been a murderer
or a felon his degradation could not have been greater.
It, my Lord, was disgraceful to witness a young man
so shamefully treated ; and I pray your Lordship to be
pleased forthwith to order his dismissal from prison,
which will be hailed by the people of Nottingham as an
set of justice.—l remain, my Lord,
Your Lordship's most obedient servant,
JOHN CLAYTON.

Nottingham, Aug, 16, 1839.

SCOTLAND.

REVIVALS.—MR. DOUGLAS OF CAVERS.--The vil-
lage of Spittal has this week been the scene of a series
of religious meetings of a somewhat unusual nature.
Mr. Douglas, of Cavers, is at present residing there, and
has been holding meetings and delivering addresses on
the subject of " revivals," assisted by several clergymen
of the neighbourhood. On Sunday the children attend-
ing Spittal Sabbath School were assembled in Mr.
Whitehouse's chapel (Church of Scotland), when an
appropriate sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Dick,
from Cavers (Baptist). After the sermon, Mr. Douglas
went into the desk, and delivered an address on prayer
and revivals, distinguished for its clear style and fervent
spirit. The church was crowded throughout with a most
attentive audience. On Monday, according to intimation,
a revival meeting was held in the school house, which was
quite filled. Mr. Dick delivered an impressive address
from the parable of the importunate widow. The
Rev. Mr. Kirkwood, of Berwick (Baptist) offered up
a prayer, after which Mr. Douglas gave a short ad-
dress on the duty of prayer, which was listened to with
intense interest. The Rev. Mr. Whitehouse of Spittal
again prayed, and the meeting separated. It had been
agreed that there should be a meeting in the same place
on the following evening, but owing to the crowds who
could not gain admittance, it was adjourned to Mr.
Whitehouse's church. After a sermon by Mr. Dick on
revivals,llslr. Douglas read an interesting letter from
Kilsyth, giving an account of the revival in religion which
had just taken place in that neighbourhood, dating from
the delivery of a sacramental discourse some weeks ago.
Neither in the demeanour of the audiences, nor in the
language and sentiments of the speakers has there been
anything to offend the most fastidious taste. The ad-
dresses of Mr. Douglas, in particular, besides being en-
hanced by an elegant and pleasing style of composition,
the faculty of which he possesses in so eminent a degree,
were remarkable for their display of a mind zealous with-
out fanaticism, and enthusiastically pious without one
drop of cant or Pharisaical assumption.—.Berwick Ad-
vertiser.

REVIVAL AT DUNDEE.—A "revival," similar to the
one at Kilsyth, has taken place in St. Peter's parish. It
succeeded Mr. Burns's return from Kilsyth. Symptoms
of a change of some kind or other were visible in the
course of last week ; but all doubt as to its character
was removed on Sunday night, about twenty-two mi-
nutes to eleven o'clock. It is matter of delicacy to
refer to particulars ; but it is not too much to say, that
the demonstrations were striking and startling. Wor-
ship has been held in the church every night since, and
it is expected to continue so long as human nature can
sustain the impulse.—Dundee Advertiser.

RUN oN THE BANKS.—The sayings and doings of
the Chartists, although matter for merriment to the
generality of people in this quarter, appear to have
some effect upon one or two ill-informed persons, as
the following occurrence shows. On Saturday the
police received intimation that a man in an intoxicated
state, in a public-house in Kilmarnock, was freely dis-
playing a number of sovereigns, which there was a pro-
bability he would lose if he went out to the streets.
Two soldiers, in whose company he was exhibiting his
store, very: properly caused him to be placed in the
safe custody of the police, and assisted in convey-
ing him to his temporary durance. On being searched,
it was found he had on his person one hundred and
twelve sovereigns and a half, besides silver and copper.
This money he declared he had drawn from one of the
banks that day, afraid lest the Chartists should break it,
and that his deposit might be placed in jeopardy on the
commencement of the " Sacred Month." On being
discharged he was advised by the Superintendent to
replace his hard-won earnings in the bank, as being by
far the safest custodier he could adopt.—Kilntarno cA
Journal.

THE COSTLY CAVALRY.--(From a Corre-
spondent.) —An apologist of the military outrage lately
committed on Mr. Brent, boastingly states that " the
cavalry officers find their own horses ;" that is, officers buy
horses for their own special service and pleasure, and make
the country keep them. Sometimes, too, a superabundant
unrecognized number of nags are stabled and quartered
upon the public purse and charged in the estimates. Who
finds food, as well as stabling and grooming, for all the
hunters and hacks kept by almost every officer.? At whose
cost is the corn for them provided? Who but the public
pay for the hay and oats, the straw, oatmeal, bran, beans,
and the thousand other costly articles used in all good
stables. The fact is notorious, that cavalry officers' horses
arc kept at the expense of the public, and in some cases it
has been found that officers, not satisfied with this sub-
stantial privilege, have converted the cavalry stables into a
horse-dealing depot.
JOHN O'GItOAT'S HOUSE.—Every one has
heard of John o'Groat's House—every one has read Burns's
beautiful poem addressed to Captain Grose :
Hear, land o'cakes and brither Scots,
Frac Maiden Kirk to John o'Groats.
But though the phrase "John o'Groats," is in every body's
mouth, scarcely one in every hundred knows any thing of
its history and locality. The following account of it is
in an old gazetteer :—ln the parish of Canisbey, in Caith-
ness, which owes its fame less to the circumstances of its
local situation, at the northern extremity of the island, than
to an event which it may not be improper to relate, as it
inculcates a useful lesson of morality. In the reign of
James IV., three brothers, Malcolm, Gavin, and John de
Groat arrived in Caithness from Holland, with a letter
from that Prince, recommending them to the countenance
and protection of his loving subjects of the county of
Caithness. These brothers purchased , some land near
Duncansbayhead, and in a short time, by the increase
of their families, eight different proprietors, of the
name of Groat, possessed these lands in equal posses-
sions. These eight families having lived peaceably for a
number of years, established a meeting to celebrate the
arrival of their ancestors. In the course of the festivity
on one of these occasions a question arose respecting the
right of taking the door, the head of the table, and such
like points of precedency, (each contending for the seni-
ority and chieftainship) which increased to such a degree
as would probably have proved fatal, had not John de
Groat interfered. He expatiated on the comfort they had
enjoyed owing to the harmony which had subsisted be-
tween them. He assured them, that as soon as they
appeared to quarrel amongst themselves, their neighbours
would fall upon them and expel them from the country.
He, therefore, conjured them, by the ties of blood, and
their mutual safety, to return quietly to their several
homes; and he pledged himself that he would satisfy
them on all points of precedency, and prevent the possi-
bility of such disputes at their future anniversary meet-
ings. They acquiesced, and departed in peace. In due
time, John de Groat, to fulfil his engagement, built a
room, distinct from all other houses, in an octagon figure,
with eight doors, and having placed a table of oak of the
some shape in the middle ; when the next meeting took
place, he desired each of them to enter by his own door,
and to sit at the head of the table, he himself (John) occu-
pying the last. By this ingenious contrivance the harmony
and good humour of the company was restored. The
buildieg was named John o'Groat's House, and though
nothing remains but the foundation of the building, the
pl. ce still retains the name, and deszaves to be remembered
fur the good intentions and good sense which gave it origin.
—Sunderland Herald.