The Sun.
London, England, 1831-11-16 00:00:00

BRISTOL RIOTS.

(From the Bristol Mercury of Tuesday.)
CO UN Cu -BO 0 USE,
zaltroL, YOV. 14, 1031.
MR. Earrozi—A ferhsighe .has now passed since the
distressing scenes took place is the city of Bristol, which
will long mark Sunday, the 30th October, in the me-
mory of those who witnessed them. During the interval
which has elapsed, the Magistrates and their officers
have been occupied almost without intermission in satis-
fying the numerous claims upon their attention, which
the apprehension of persons charged with offences, the re-
covery and preservation of abstracted property, and other
matters of continual and pressing occurrence presented.
It is hoped that the candour of by far the greatest
part of their fellow-citizens has, in the mean time,
spared them from the censure and reproach which
others, in ignorance of the facts, and without materials
for judgment, have thrown upon them ; their complete
vindication must be left to that full and fair inquiry by
which, whether it he called down upon them by adverse
application, or may take place under any other circum-
stances, they feel that justice will eventually be done to.
all, and by the result of which they are contented to
abide. In the mean time the inclosed copies of two
letters sent by the Magistrates on the 4th Nov., one of
them with the Apperviix to his Majesty's Secretary of
State for the Home Department, and the other to the
Comnaander-in-Chief of his Majesty's Forces (a copy of
which last letter was also sent to dslonel Brereton), will
serve to convey an outline of the pi incipal circumstances
as they occurred, and which, it being ten days since the
documents were transmitted to the respective offices, the
Magistrates think they may now, without impropriety,
lay before the public ; reserving the full detail of parti-
culars for the proper time and occasion, and wishing to
refrain altogether from comment. The IkLigtstrates,
nevertheless. consider it necessary to notice a letter. from
Captain Codrington to the Secretary of State. which
l'as been very generally published in the newspapers.
Tee fact. appear to be these :—Ciptain Collin ton's
trout, arrived soon atter the firing of the Bishop's Palace.
there some of the Magistrates had gone from the
Council-house, as stated in their letter to the S..cretaty
of State, rind had in the result been separated by the rush
of the mob.
The approach of the troops, on entering the city, was
communicated by the tressenger who had been dispatched
for them to one of the Magtstrates at the Council-house,
who immediately went to make arrangements far gelting
t ieir billets. When the offic• r c lied at tt a Counc:l-
- he was directed to the Comma, ding Offo e,-(5 sta.
t ,n, in the College-green, to report htinselr. Shortly
afterwards, an officer called :tt the C uncil house, from
C tlonel Brereton, to ask tor a Magistrate. and was t Id
the Colonel should hear from the Couheil-house in fi,e
minutes; wttliin that time, a call was made at the Co-
lonel's office, in Coll.ge-green ; he was not at home,
and no directions couhi be o.,tained where to find him.
In about half an hour from this time, tire letter in the
Appendix, N•t. 5, and ~100 billets for the troop, where
left at ilre Colonel's offiee ; the troop hail, in the mean
time, gone from Colleg-e-green to the livery stsb'es, in.
College-street, where the 14th Light Dragoons bad been
tati Ont-d, and o here, in tl.e presence of C,lnnel Brereton,
the same 'imam-I-iodation was offered to this tr.,od which
the 146 Light Dravons bad received there ; wllist
the lights were being pl iced in the stables, they went away
and left the city.
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
CHARLES PINNEY, Meyer.

COUNCIL- HOUSE,
BRISTOL, NOY. 4., 1831.
MY Lonn,—The gaol delivery having been fixed for
Saturday, the 29th October, it soon hecatoe evident to
the Alagistt ates, us toad from reports circulated in the
city and plac•nds upon the walk as also from paragraphs
in the newspapers, expressing the disappi,bition of the
friends of Reform with respect to Sit Cfiarles Wetherel's
conduct in Parliament, t,at a f trong Dublin
would be excited a.,:ainst him, and that tllis nii2ht
he
expected to manifest itsrlf on his ai,ival and during
his stay in the city. The Magistrates, therefore, took
into their consideration the propriety of making a com-
munication to Sir Charles on the subject, and of sub-
mitting to him whether, under the circumstances, it
would he advisable to postpone the gaol delivery. A

. . ...._._ _
deputation accordingly waited upon him iu London, to
make this representation and ascertain his decisian; and

in case it should be determined to hold the gaol delivery,
to make a communication to the Secretary of State, anti
request that a military force might be sent to assist and
support the civil authorities in protecting the city and pre-
serving the public peace. It having been decided upon
that the gaol delivery ought to be held as usual, the pro-

- . .
posed application was at once made to your Lordship, and
your Lordship having assented to the views of the Ma-
gistrates, but wishing to see the deputation again on the
subject, you were accordingly waited upon by them and
Sir Charles Wetherell on the following day. Your Lord--
ship having then sanctioned the opinion of the Magis-
trates as to the propriety of holding the gaol delivery in

the usual form, sind having directed that troops should ►,e

sent to the vicinity of the city, and placed under the orders
of the .Magistrates, upon the express understanding, how-
ever, that their services should not be required except in
case of actual necessity and the failure of the civil power
to maintain the peace, the Magistrates immediately took
such measures as appeared to be necessary for increasing

the constabulary force.
Upon application to the inhabitants of the several
wards, their returns were insuEcient for the number re-
quired, and such deficiency was immediately supplied by
engaging hired constables fir the purpose ; the whole,
with the Sheriffs' officers, amounted to about three
hundred men. On Thur,day, the 27th, the Magistrates
issued and published the address contained in the Ap-
pendix, No. 1. On the 29th, the Sheriffs met the Re-
' corder at ten in the forenoon, (being much earlier tha❑
the usual hour,) at the distance of about one mile from
•.he Guildhall, and much nearer to it than the usual place

of meeting.
These prreautians, which were adopted in the hope
that they might lessen the difficulties of Sir Charles coming
in, had not altogether the desired effect ; the number of
persons assembled was much larger than upon former occa-
sions, and considerable tumult and pressure took place.
Sir Charles was assailed with violent groans, hisses, and
other strong expressions of disapprobation, and occasion-
ally by stones thrown at him, from the time of his being
first received by the Sheriffs to his arrival at the Guild-
hall, anti again in proceeding front thence to the Mansion-
'MUM', after having completed the usual formality of reads
ieg the Charter and adjourning the Court. In passing from
one place to another, the constables experienced great le ea-
sure and annoyance, and were frequently struck with
.tones, and several of them were etiresiderab'y wounded.
They, however, performed the duty tssigned to th
end Sir Charles reached the Mansion-bows, in perfect
safety, about noon. The crowd assembled in front of the
‘lansion-house continued there for some bows, without
any indication of riot, except by expressing their disappro-
tHtion as they before had door, and by oc,asional skir-
mishes which took place when the constables endeavoured
to apprehend persons in the act of throwing stones, or to
isperse those who showed a disposition to tie more for-
ward than the others. This state of chino having; continued
until nearly dusk, the numbers from time to time varying,
,nd their behaviour being occasion illy more or lest turtiol-
-uous, and it appearing some of thein heti, in the mean
,ime provided themselves with sticks, the :Mayor, accorn-
ii ,n'ed by the Alagistrotes, went out in front of the Man-
ien house anti addressed the people, tetnonstrating xvith
item on the impropriety of their cert. ;frt. poitithie cut to
:hem the danger of pereis:ing in it, e.4rtiest!y entreating
hem to thsperse and go home quietly, snit stating to
bent the necessity of the Alaeistrates using stronger
neasures unless ties recommendation should have the
iesired efteet. Stones were thrown at the Maaistratra while
tie address was being made, one of which solicit the person
sew was standing text to the Mayor, and knocked off his
,at. But the cattiest desire of the Magistrates to abstain
icom using force until the last possible inetnenr, pre-
tented them from having recourse to it until some ,lint,
had elapsed. Abou, five o'clock, however, upon the ap-
,roach of evening, the number of p,ople appearsne to be
considerably inceeased and their cos unmet b,ccelitug greatly
Imre violent, the doors and windows of the Mans,ion...
+muse having been attack.d with stones, and several of
he constables bovieg been brought in severely wounded,
lie Riat Act was read,
and this appearing ,0 have no
fleet, an melte was sent to the tioepe, who bad before
-eel) d,rected to hold themselves in reaeitiess, to come at
'ace to tee scene of action.
In the interval of more than half-an hour which took
does before their arrival, the Mayor, and those who were
.eith hint in the Mansion-house, were in the greatest per-
eine! danger. The people on the outside had driven in the
onstables, tot u p the iron-railing in frollert,,ailfruitifi,euolir,i,uasi,ii
,indows and window frame; and the
.od with atones and 1 rge pieces of timber battered in the
pstr:ce, tati
breach
taliceh
nd were with the gre.r.:est difficulty prevented front forcing
h
t complete entrance by having the windoi,vs and doers
,tarricaded with beds and turniture; they had entered into
ne
rake and sweep the
iestr,rbedining-roomcall w()s)it,tt ,rhd:
est street-dour
30
ecosor
riaaantsttnelintaztsatr.tb:aletenhald,e,:trti
ashri:muLft tatm,tii,.ieot: d
and they had, at