The Sun.
London, England, 1831-11-22 00:00:00

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BRISTOL.
SIC MEETING TO INQUIRE INTO
THE CAUSE OF THE LATE RIOTS.

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

ker:blic meeting of the merchants, bankers, and house-
°l Bristol, was held yesterday at the Assembly-
of obtain a full and impartial inquiry into the
late riots.
I "tatiotos, Esq., b.ing called to the chair, said,
ir ehoi Y forcibly the honour done him, but regretted'i
had not fallen upon a more able person, as he
himl.He Incompetent to the task.—(Cries of "N. 0,
Itch% would not take up their time in making
linet,t4t bat Proceed at once to read the requisition calling
wi.lll' (The Chairman here read the requisition,
.ed to sighed by thirty gentlemen.) It having been
tow biro that he possibly might be submitted to
ieh 11;ite a, Chairman, he had made a few remarks,
reel t Would now read :—" Gentlemen, Lord Mel-
'altattPlY to your request is, that his Majesty's Go_
spa trdl be most anxious to receive every informa-
it t the subject of the late riots, end that they would
this Most earnest attention." It is in consequence
th, ePn'Y that we are met together ; for it is admitted
.114 trvernment that it is necessary such an inquiry
'Zhu ha Place. In this I am happy to say that the
tekt:..ta not prejudged any person, condemning no
tat,;"4(l. It was his earnest desire to do what all
!Itn°llld have in view, namely—that the right
Atgit4,ll he done in the right manner, adopting the
talt :1%, of English justice—that every man was in-
tutntd found guilty. He concluded by thanking
hethe attention they had paid him, and trusted they
T. J. :r with patience every speaker.
416kliCHEE, Esq., said that having so frequently
thl t 0 his fellow-citizens lately, he knew they would
6 I,l'l their indulgence, in opening the business of the
Pre,...41a should not have approved of this meeting in
1,71 State of excitement, but he was sure he might
tiot the good order of his fellow-citizens, and that
""ld ensue. The necessity of the meeting was
be „Even now we were in the vicinity of the ruins
°; the finest squares in England ; the cause of
'attlyded aloud for investigation. The object of the
lilt, "whether a committee should not be appointed
ilia lull inquiry into the causes of those ruins. He
k_Pursuing this inquiry every thing of party feeling
;avoided. Since the meeting at the Commercial-
th: Portant documents had been submitted to
''aYor's statement of justification and Major
di,er '"'s narratise. It was impossible not to notice
I ehPatleY of those accounts ; the one entirely blamed
ase.rreittait°o) the other exculpated him.—(Great
tots oaajor Mackworth tells us that when he first
ayi Mansion• house the civil force was completely
I'46' He begged here to observe that in making
ss en na upon the Mayor he did it not individually,
individual, they had it that he mani-
c we:a personal courage ; but he was con-
If "th twelve others. He that possessed of
t edt."tagc, ought he not to have had twelve
Ws tee.l'ers ? Let us read the Mayor's statement,
hitt to through it an evident shrinking from giving an
tPt %e' If ever there was a time when such an
at 5
V 4 to have been g iven it was on the Saturday
'Itr::I have it in the Ma or's account that every
,111 to Colonel Brereton was obeyed. They cleared
but the Mayor would not give the order to
I'4 did no,.
I;lttit., Or. CARPENTER begged to interrupt Mr.
11,111..0r one
notet we were come here to appoint
'ht oolittee, and to decide, be therefore thought we
11,413`et: enter into the investigation now—but calmly
Bgeon,,,ttlY Ina Committee. He thought the only
sold to do should be to show the necessity of in-
-18 "ald be done in five words—as our meet-
'"„e of censure, but of inquiry, he would sub-
the
chair, but be thought Mr. Manchee's
•emature.

41E said it would have given him great plea-
Tpenter had undertaken the task he had, but
to the best of his ability, which was very
thought he ought not to bp stopped from
necessity of the resolution he held in his
ing was different now to the last meeting,
ing published his justification, but Colonel
published nothing in his defence. He
therefore, they could not be wrong in hearing
j'e question.
11')'AN said he was much obliged to Dr. Car-
remarks, as he must say he felt that Mr.
'unients were not relevant, although he must
'old have spoken in a more calm and dignified
loped, therefore, Mr. Manchee would confine
forming a Committee.
;NTEtt said that the Government had said
investigate the affair, but the city must;
for that purpose only, and he trusted they
•heiniselves to the mode of best pointing out
,'vent the way in which this investigation
lusted. He thought they should not ani-
'e Mayor's or Major Mackworth's statements.
t consider that the inquiry was a most so-
41"e, they ought therefore to keep them-
,nto the court of inquiry, as they would into
iiiees competent witnesses, which they could
'Y stated their opinion here, because they
. A/A • to have prejudged the matter.
r old l'elitE then rose amidst immense applause.
ngl itte,),,t',ut help thinking that the proceedings were
!sito Sr,n‘th so long speak-
ry ordernever heard any one
,111,* He was indeed certain that an in-
ricz necessary, but he did not know that they
he rite en? Were' equally certain, and how could
Which that Without making the statements to
ttii".e•kr he had intended. The Mayor had published
„tuttitir statement. The Magistrates had said what
14,11,U0t rheiaB°o for not giving the under to fire, and he
oicr,+ 44 not
Vine them for being extremely reluctant when
h,cwilifer Sodium of
.the aftairs at Manche,ter and New-
the, Pre4`top f "etore their eyes, nor could he blame Colonel
tiv°lll‘ t'a °Nei!! being equally reluctant, unless under an
rits' t,t4l, due, but he would ask where were the Maps-
,fotitY ieh 'rig that eventful time the citizens were running
Ze_t!, seek them, and they were n. o where to be
tit; CUm 43 it not notorious that one of them came into
14:ttle liter ial-rooms, and stated that the city was in the
%II they 444, that they could do nothing for them ?
i')te Rome of them, fly into the country, and
th,‘ known where? Was this right—ought they
1.1" tt4e 4 deserted the citizens on suchan occasion ?
tttihe here called Mr. M. to order. He felt
th. 04311
,Placed in a very difficult situation, but he
tetrlt A/Alignt that we ought not to accuse. any parties.
lint
continued—if the Chairman had not
"t+ to "nu he would have shewn that he did not
loptivat,, tick
, any individual, for they werey al estimable
41aine:t enaracters, but it was the system which he
,the of,
IoiSeZAItc,TAN said, if Mr. M. would not hear him,
hit,itht the would appoint some other Chairman, he
'e 414411 ten'nly thing to do was to promote a calm and
'tilli.l°4l(lll4irY ; if we considered any set of men hs re
tido'eui y the evidence we might offer, the Ms
y d not listen to it, because they would say thi
°ffered by partial men, which would be proved
itrt.delie,ehe' of- this meeting if such a course was
51 441;
le very
~ctttE Was very unfortunately situated, and
Pop 444. "aficult task to perform but he would bow to
ter the
hitl?; of the Chair, and say not another word
"4;, Bth leet of the Magistrates—this he would how-
Ia N. the •
Mitt t/1 e Magistrates he had beard were willing
,wl!;lltratese citizens in the appointment of stipendiary
Ira, duel 'II and in the reduction of the Mayor's dues,
aving anefficient police, and all those re-
"r+tt '°l •I • Ma-
-144 a ssf, so much desired, and when we la
41,toefid" Were elected by the people every one would
tejer iltite pehneeeethen would this c.ity flourish and
eret,, nix from her ashes and invite every one to
tlr,,,4Way frlread of being as a flaming beacon to drive
110,24 e her walls. Mr. Manchee sat down amid
atu7,at It,„,,ePlanse, after reading the first resolution as
it i h
Ititi'reerfe:tt awful
eonntdnion of this meeting that with a view to
t,4,t°01Z,?,t awful and rolitgouts eevceinitzsecna,ii be allowed to
;011.1ceif ''!1) Without acastarimct investigation of all the causes
ht ;4 9f the etticacy of
.the means adopted to sup-
thQ_ taken',,JB._ of the. utmost unportncetbat measures
qtrosfacts collecting all Tr%
e who".,aesare
.yeteso informationypressed' on the
tho '‘'THILL witnessedthe hit ccurgrence..
itt ought
t, rose to atcond the resolution, and
.said
thicti,e,l'at Dr. Carpenter's interruption was entirely
t u, it conceived them to be judges which we
e were only individuals who anxiously sought
r
td Its Tee. rose to reply, amid considerable in.
had ',and. said that when the statement lie had
it of in'ee.o impugned, he must reply that by being a
41the eulAu'rY they were judges.
me his acilt.,4ltAll, before putting the resolution, must
ai°`like n;°wledgments to Mr. Manchee for the gen-
anter in which, he had bowed to his deci-
r litaticie,i_eg but for his situation there far inferior to
The resolution was then put and passed

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r, ii. v
"call., jun. rose to propose the second reso-

lotion. He could not but regret that that which had
devolved upon hint had not been in the hands of one of
more weight and influence. The reasons which induced
him to act as he had were, that he felt we were placed
in a situation without security, and stigmatised in all
quarters. He felt that unless we united in a general
union to avert this disgrace, we had a weight hanging
over us which would crush us to the earth. He thought
this was the moment for action. Memory could not be
refreshed, and if we did not act now, the consequences
might be most disastrous, and we might too late have to
regret that we were not in a situation to have saved
lives and preserved property.
Now was the time to collet evidence, for if we ne-
glected it, and a heavy rate was imposed upon the city,
it would be too late to complain when the collector came
to the door : we must pay it if it was our last shilling.
With regard to its being said, if we expressed our
opinions we were a party, he would only say we could not
be otherwise—every into must be a party in this affair,
for every one was deeply interested ; and when he ceased
to he a party he ceased to be a citizen.
Mr. HARWOOD seconded the resolution, and would do
all in his power to support it ; he hoped it would have
the effect of establishing a regular system of organization
for the security of persons and property, the following re-
solution was then put and passed, with one hand held up
against it :-
2. That, as it is highly important that such information should
be taken, if possible, by persons not subject to local prejudices.
A further memorial be addressed to the Government, praying
that a Commission of Inquiry be sent down, with a view to
the restoration of public confidence, in the security of persons
and property.
Mr. SAatuEr. WARING rose to read a memorial
founded upon the last resolution, which he thought would
not require anything to be said upon it : he certainly
should have liked to have stated to them what he knew of
the culpability of certain parties, but he was restrained from
doing so, and would therefore at once read the memorial.
The Rev. F. EBSWORTII, in seconding the memorial,
could not refrain from (under due respect for the chair)
observing that his decision had put it out of his power to
state to those persons who had. not seen the necessity of
enquiring the reasons why he thought it necessary, but he
certainly did think it one thing to state events, and
another to call upon a meeting to adopt them, for they
would see by the resolutions that not one individual was
impugned. He, if he had been allowed, should have stated
to them not what he had heard but what he had seen.
In this, which would have been to him a most painful
task, he should have been not only obliged to have stated
facts but names, and he 'would have shown that all these
dreadful events which we had seen might have been pre-
vented. We all saw that our first memorial had not met
the success we had anticipated, and he thought this me-
morial would meet with the same success; if it were so, be
was not daring enough to say what ought to be the ulte-
rior course pursued. He was sure that the bitterest
enemy of the peace of this city could not, if he were pre-
sent, say that any gentleman had excited the people ; if
there were any one present who would dare to do so he
trusted the frown of a public meeting would be fixed
upon him and intimidate him from such a course ; he
should not have said thus much, but misrepresentations had
been occasionally indulged in, he meant the Press ; we
ought therefore to make it their interest to speak truth,
or we should withhold our countenance from them.—
(Cheers.) He hoped that what he had said would
put an end to a sort of literary warfare which had
been pursued in this city, diverting enough in times
of peace, but dreadful in times like these; it was abomi-
nable that any individual who did his little, however little
that may be, towards the preservation of peace, should be
accused by one portion of the Press of sedition.—(Cries
of " Felix Farley's the liar.") He would, therefore, re-
peat his observation, that we ought to make it the interest
of the whole of the Press to tell the truth.—(lmmense
cheers.) He hoped they would pursue every means to
assist this inquiry, that they would be energetic in their
support of the gentlemen who had begun this undertaking
by public meetings to support them—meetings like the
present, respectable beyond all precedent. The Reverend
Gentleman then sat dawn amid loud cheers.
The memorial was then put as follows, and carried
unanimously :
" TO THE RIGHT HON. VISCOUNT MELBOURNE.
We, the merchants, bankers, traders, and other householders
of the city of Bristol, deeply lament that your Lordship was un-
able to return a more favourable answer to the memorial pre-
sented on the 7th inst.
We have no desire to interfere with any legal proceedings
that his Majesty's Government or others may deem it proper to
institute against either the civil or military authorities, on ac-
count of their alleged inefficiency in suppressing the recent dis-
graceful riots in this city, but we are extremely anxious that an
investigation should be set on foot free from all local prejudices,
that may have the effect of giving that security to property and
confidence in personal safety which it is the strong impression
on our minds we do not at present enjoy.
" We are not unwilling to institute that enquiry among our-
selves, but it must be evident that no information so acquired
could have the same force in producing a conviction of the
necessity of ulterior measures, as if collected by parties authorised
by Government, unshackled by local connections, and free from
all party prejudices.
All parties here concur in the propriety of such a course, and
although we feel the weight of the objection urged by your Lord-
ship of the want of precedent—yet those to whom we owe the
earliest precedents on any subject must have been in the same
situation as your Lordship, and acting on their own wisdom
hey created the various precedents that have been the guides to

all subsequent ages.
" The circumstances under which we call upon your Lordship
to act are, fortunately fur the character of the country, them-
selves unprecedented, and a city whose ruins present so awful a
track of incendiarism and such glaring proofs of the incapacity
of those whose duty it was to prole t it with one voice, calls
upon your Lordship to consider whether the inquiry instituted
into the unfortunate transactions at Newtownharry does not
form such a precedent as would warrant the proceedings we de-
sire; and if not, whether these calamitous events are not of suf-
ficient magnitude to authorize the creating a precedent for suc-
ceeding generations.
" We humbly intreat that your Lordship will induce his Ma-
jesty's Government to reconsider this case, and grant such an
enquiry as the only mean, of preserving the city from the deser-
tion and ruin with which it is tin eatened." _

CHARLES BOWLES Fitter, Esq., in moving the fourth
resolution, for the formation of a Committee, said he
thought it would be highly essential to have such a Com-
mittee in effective operation, so that if his Lordship
should not accede to their second memorial, the Committee
would be enabled to take ulterior measures, and also to re-
ceive evidence, although not upon oath, and thus pre-
pare it for the Commission, which it was prayed might
come down to conduct the inquiry. The second part of
the resolution merely went to obtain a subscription, which
all would see the necessity of contributing to, not largely,
but in any sums which might be convenient to them.
4. That a Committee be appointed to forward the memorial,
to proceed forthwith in collecting evidence relating to the late
disturbances, and to take every measure they may deem expe-
dient to prosecute the fullest enquiry. That books be opened at
the bank of Messrs. Haythorne and Wright, and that the fund
be placed at the rtisposal of the Committee. That such Com-
mittee shall have powers to add to their number, and to form
parochial Committees if desirable. And that the following gen-
tlemen do form the Committee :
Joseph Reynolds, Robert Bruce, jun., Samuel Waring, James
'lll(i)coomrea' John Hare, s
eltrlVßlloiwarinesTEril„lpi,'saSmaniiiieTlHisalro,rygoaot,ll,
Edward Goss, Harman Visger, jun., Mr. C. B. Fripp.
Mr. Goss rose, with melancholy satisfaction, to second
the resolution. He trusted that a fair and impartial in-
vestigation would take place, which might call upon
the Government to give us that assistance which we re-
quired. He, for his part, thought that Lord Melbourne
and the Government would give us their attention ; for
he must say, they had stated that they only wanted ma-
terials. He could state nothing here of the conduct of the
Magistrates, but he would say that the inefficiency of a
body in this city was notorious.
Mr. T. SANDERS and Mr. ALLIES regretted tli
they could not act upon the Committee.
The resolution was then put, and passed unanimously.
T. J. MANCHEE, Esq., said, as the Chairman of the
late Committee of the Commercial-rooms was not pre-
sent, and as he had been put in the Chair pro tem., he
thought lie was not incompetent to move a vote of thanks
to our Representatives in Parliament for their excellent
conduct upon the niesent occasion. The deputation
which had been sent 'from the Magistrates to London, for
troops, previous to Sir C. Wetherell coming to the city,
had acted as no deputation bad ever done before—they
had passed the Members' door (accidentally he hoped) ;
but Lord Melbourne had retninied them of their duty, by
refusing to ans.ver their request until he had sent for the
Members. Mr. M. then moved the fifth resolution.
5. That the thanks of this meeting be given to our Repre-
sentatives in Parliament,
James E. Baillie, and E. Prothcroe, jun.
Esqrs., for the zealous support they gave to the late memorial.
Mr. H. VY.:iGER, jun., seconded it, and it passed un-
animously,
Mr. HAM rose and said, that he bsgged to inform them,
that he with several other gentlemen, were deputed from
the Council of the Union, to offer their cordial co-opera-
tion; he would say, they the Union had been maligned ;
if gentlemen, therefore, would not unite with them, they
would unite with others, and the poisoned arrows of their
enemies would drop harmless at their feet.
Dr. CARPENTER rose to move a resolution that all would
agree with, he was not one of the requisitionists, be had
only seen it, and he was assured that it was what it ought
to be, and he felt grateful to see it, he rejoiced in the order
of the meeting, he felt rejoiced that gentlemen had come
forward with the requisition, and would move a vote of
thanks to them in acting so nobly, as he was convinced
they were following the very course pointed out by Go-
vernment. He then moved the sixth resolution :-
6. That the thanks of this meeting be given to the gentlemen
who signed the notice, calling the meeting and prepared the
business for its consideration, regarding them as having dis-
charged a great public duty and acted in accordance with the
course pointed out by Lord Melbourne.
Mr. HAM in seconding it considered we should be com-
pletely emancipated, in consequence of the inquiry which
must take place ; it passed unanimously.
Mr. WAITE moved, that the resolutions be published

under the directions of the Committee.—(Cries of " Not
in the Journal, not in Felix Farley.")
7. That the resolutions of this meeting be printed under the
direction of the Committee.
The CHAIRMAN having vacated the chair, it was taken
by Mr. S. Waring, and a vote of thanks to him for his con-
duct in the chair was carried by acclamation, and the
meeting separated at three o'clock.

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