The Sun.
London, England, 1831-11-03 00:00:00

THE RECENT RIOTS AT BRISTOL.

(From the Times Correspondent )
BRISTOL, NOV. 2, ONE O'CLOCK A. M.
On leaving London yesterday morning I passed
Ft company of the Foot Guards beyond Kensington,
in marching order, whose destination, I understood,
was for this city. Within a short distance of Reading
I also passed a detachment of the Horse Artillery
from Woolwich, proceeding in the same directioa.
They escorted a six and a twenty-four pounder,
with ammunition waggons, and travelled ;mit:ly,
having called in the aid of post horses, six of winch
were harnessed to every carriage Groups of the
country people were collected to witness the unusual
cavalcade.
Nothing farther indicative of commotion appeared
until I reached Bristol. A slight tendency to dis-
turbance manifested in Bath bad, I was informed,
been easily and promptly suppressed, after the break-
ing of some panes of glass in the wiedows of the
White Hart Inn.
As I entered Bristol, the vigilance of alarm began
to be manifested. Special constables, with white
bands around their hats or arms, to enable the mili-
tate, to distinguish them, threw a glance of inspec-
tion at the contents of our vehicle. As we advanced,
troopers, mounted owl dismounted, infantry sen-
tinels, and knots of constables, were almost the only
persons to be seen in the streets. At the place
where lelighted I read a placard, warning, in the
name csi.the local authorities, the citizens to remain
rtteir dwellings. I had learned en the road that
every thing was quiet, and I now found that the an-
nouncement was true, With the exception of the
movements of the protectors of the peace, there
was scarcely " a mouse stirring." This was at ten
o'clock pan.
Daring the intervening time I have conversed
with malty persons well acquainted with the parti-
culars of the riots; some civil, some military, and
nearly all more or less devoted to Tory principle,.
The last fact is important, from the eh/neuter of the
information they have communicated on the subject
of my inquiries. The leading pants of that in-
formation I shall endeavour to convey as faithfully
as possible. They are singularly corroborative 01
the view of the case laid down in at; article in the
Tbnes of yesterday, and while they are calculated to
excite astonishment and abhoitence, they cannot fail
to afford gratification to every honest Reformer.
It was distinctly and unequivocally admitted by
every person I addressed, that neither Reform nor
its advocates were in the most remote degree cor-
m-teed with the unparalleled outrage and barbarities
by which this city has been so signally injured and
disgraced.
It was likewise stated, to the credit of the Bristol
Political Union, that its members had done all that
could be expected from active citizens and honest
men, to maintain public order, and secure the rights
of property.
Though there is nothing in the exculpation and
acknowledgment but what the rational part of the
community would naturally anticipate, still, at a
period when the engines of party malevolence are
so busily at work, they deserve to be considered as
a gratifying tribute to the unsullied purity of the na-
tional cause.
The Bristol riots ere, I thials, at an end; but
their memory will not readily be forgotten. They
have been marked by such rare atrocities, that one
would almost conclude that England was returning
to the barbarism of the middle ages.
The rioters, from the beginning to the close of
their operations, were stimu!ated solely by the hope
of plunder. Their ranks were recruit d from the
scum of the quays and the collieries. The unneces-
sary parade of force on the entrance of the Re-
corder, gave a mischievous importance to the pro-
ceedings of a group of youthful vagabonds. A
elope thrown at a civic pie, cooling in the area of the
Mansion-house, led to the indignant interference of
a constable. A mob collected,—the dining-room
and cellars were stormed,—their assailer-its became
doubly-brutified by drunkenness, and numbers joined
them with a view to participate in the surfeit and
the pillage. To create the confusion favourable to
rapine, they fired the houses.
I have heard the Mayor and Corporation vehe-
mently censured for not adopting measures of orde
nary energy. Fifty resolute men, it is asserted,
might at once have arrested the ruffians in the begin-
ning of their career. At present, however, it would
be unfair to pronounce a judgment upon the conduct
of the muncipal authorities. Yet, it is certainly un-
accountable how the 14th Dragoons, who terminated
the disturbances on Monday merning,should be al-
lowed to retire to their quarters on Sunday, leaving
the city entirely at the met cy of wretches frenzied
with intoxication.
It was fortunate for Bristol that the rioters were
spurred by the love of plunder, and not by political
fury. Had they thought of any thing but gorging
and thieving, they would have fired the city in
twenty places, as they might have done on Sunday
night, and reduced it to ashes, instead of confinnig
their ravages almost entirely to Queen-square.
That unfortunate locality presented sights most ex-
asperating to the citizens, and most revolting to
human nature. Men stretched in drunkrn stupor
beside puncheons of rum ; women in loathsome
shapes, bearing the outward marks of the sex,
in the same state of beastly degradation ; wine
held up for sale, by sated robb rs, at 2d. a bottle ;
and while the flames burst from the burning build-
ings, so as to be visible at a distance of seventeen
miles, a crew of miscreants, so intent upon rapine,
that not a few them were buried beneath the tumb-
ling roofs, which their own hands had fired. At the
Custom-house, while one- frantic gar* applied the
torch to the upper part of the pile, anothtr, unwit-
tingly, cut off the retreat of scme of the more tardy
of these desperadoes, by setting fire to the lower
division. In this manner, three men (I ft el as if I
profaned the word) were entombed in the glowing
mass. Two leaped from the roof, and were dashed
to pieces ; and two boys, who attempted a similar
mode of escape, were, I was assured, actually seem:
frying in the molten lead that streamed upon the
pavement. But enough of details to which I have
unwillingly granted belief.
The plunderers were in possession of the city
from Sunday afternoon until about seven o'clock on
Monday morning. Charged by the 14th Dragoons
in Queen's-square, they were rapidly dispersed.
The number of the killed and wounded cannot as
yet be computed. •Sixty--hree are said to have
been taken to the infirmary, and it is supposed, that
in addition to those who have fallen by the hands
of the
.military, many have -become victims to the
confligration, and their own devilish cupidity. Four
men were token prisoners when about to set fire to
a house of the Duchess of Beaufort, in the vicinity
of Bristol; and, but for energetic interference,
would have had summary execution done upon them
by their captors, the dragoons of the 14th Regiment.
Thus does lawlessness generate lawlessness.
I have given these statements from the represeu-
tai ions of eye-witnesses apparently worthy of trust.
I shall be heartily glad to find that they have been
over-coloured. •
1 repeat my own and the general opinion, that
there exists no further cause of apprehension. At
all events, there is now a superabundance of troops
for any contingency. The constables are employed
in bringing in stolen property, and the rioters who
secreted i•. I understand there arc already 300 in
custody.

HALF-PAST SEVEN O'CLOCK A. 31.
With the dawning of day, I have visited places
that will lorg be registered in the records of crime.
There is now no doubt of the appalling fidelity of the
:atemetits I have reported.

The half of Queen-square, comprising the Cu:-
tom-house, and the habitations of persons in the
I middle rank of life, is a total ruin. Hoe and there
hurts of flame are still issuing from amidst heaps of
bricks and mortar.
I drew near t• some persons who were bending
over a heap of straw in a carn,r of the square. Be-
neath the straw, was laid a black and shapeless mass
abtut three feet in length. One of the spectators,
as I advanced, observed that it was the body of a

child. " No," sail another, "it is the remains of
as big a man as any among us." I looked, and re-
cognized the cinder of a human form.
One house escaped the flames through the cou-
rage of its owner's wife. She told me- the stow v.
Her husband i, lame, and she was left to protect her
dwelling aga'nst the rioters. They shattered the
windows, but she kept tht.., doors closed against
them. At last softie drunken boys and prostitutes
gained admission by a window, and flung her into
the' street. Her account confirms the charge of cul-
pable supineness on the part of the magistracy. A
te,v determined men in each house, she deciarec4
would have prevented the accomplishment of this
devastation. All the evidence I can gather goes to
establish the fart that the ringleaders in these hor-
rible vilhanies were the most contemptible as well as
the vilest ruffians which the receptacles of human
abasement could vomit forth. Terrified by the
yells, and threats, and outreges of the mob, many
persons, such tts maid-servants and children, re-
mained, and perished in their hiding-places in the
burning houses. Their relations look for them in
ain.

BRISTOL MAGISTRATES.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sift,—l herewith send you a list of the Bristol Magis-
trates, the whole of whom are Tories, or Anti. Re Ormers,
with the exception of the Mayor and one of the Sheriffs.
Your readers may judge from this what confidence the
inhabitant+ can have in such a junto. They are a self_
elected body. Confidence will never be placed in such
Magistracy : net more than one of them (Barrow), with
the Mayor, resides in the city. The inhabitants are de-
termined, as soon as peace is restored, to petition the Par-
liament fur a new charter, and thereby get the whole of
them, if possible, removed.

MAYoa—Charles Pinney.
ALDERMEN.
Sir Charles Wetherell !:: John Barrow
Thomas Daniell Thomas Camplin
John Haythorne Gabriel Goldney
James Fowler George Hilhouse
Wm. Tripp A. Hilhouse
James George John Savage.

John Lax (Tor; )

IFTS.

Bengough Clio party inan

BRISTOL, Nov. 2.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sur,—Under the head of the Bristol Riots, given in
your Paper of yesterday, a statement is made, no doubt
inadvertently, that Sir Charles Wetherell, in his escape
fram the Mansion-Loose, had procured a hat and colt from
the landlord of the lble-in-the-Wall Tavern in this city:
and as this statement, if allowed to go uncontradieted,
would matetillly injure an honest and deserving man, I
beg to say, from my own knowledge, that such was not the
case—as the individual through whom his escape was
fffeeted is in a very different situation in life. I trust that
you will insert this contradiction in your earliest publica-
tion, as at the present time there is a strong feeling in
13ristol on the subject.
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
A DAILY READER OF THE SUN.

BRISTOL, Nov. 2.

(EXTRACT OF A LETUER FROM A RESPECTABLE CORRE-
SPONDENT.)

" We are net settled down to business yet; the city is
tranquil up to this hour (five Wel. ck). They hare dug
out several bodies of the rioters -from the ruins in Queen-
square this morning. One man crawled out i❑ a torpid
state like one aroused from a lethargy, with his arm
burnt. Several of the ringleaders have been taken ; a
man from Klnsham, five miles f, em Bristol, who set
time to the new gaol; another named Willirms, a cabinet-
m :ker, is identified as the man who fired the Mansions
house ; three boys, not more than twelve years of age,
and a man, are committed for assisting in forcing the side
door of the Mansion-house, and destroying the furniture.
A paper is in course of signature to Lord Melbourne, calling
!Cr an inquiry to be made into the unprecedented supine-
ness and total want of decision of the Magistrates. From
the activity now displayed, large quantities of the plunder
are continually being brought in, as having been recovered
either out of the river into which they had been thrown,
or from houses in the country where they had been secreted.
Fresh troops are arriving, hut they are not now, I am
happy to say, wanted, far all is as tranquil as ever. The
embers occasionally re-kindle, but the firemen are en the
spot. Much wine, oil, and valu Ible property have be, n
removed from the cellars this morning.

P.S. The Anti-Reformers attribute all the destruction
to Reform; I say it is owing to Anti-Reform.

BRISTOL, Nov. 2.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Business has been resumed to-day, that is, the shops
hare been opened, but beyond this li•tle in the resmopticn of
I business can be said. The streets are greatly thronged
1 with people, and the arrival of bodies of miftary, which
has occurred frequently during the day, adds very much
to the interest and anxiety generally felt. The extent of
the destruction is almost beyond belief. I have heard that
the loss of property is estimated to amount to not less than
a million and a half of money ! In some places the engines
are continuing to play, and generally the ruins give evi-
l(fence of the tire being still existing by the smoke which
they continue to send forth. The members of the Politi-
cal Union and the special constables are continuing actively
in search of stolen property, and of the individuals con-
! 'serried in the abominable outrages. The Exchange, by
the cruder of the Magistrates, is allotted to the reception of
props rty, and it is h.mrly arriving in loads of every des-
cription. I apprehend that of the furniture little of it will
I be of much vain so rough is the handling it has received.
At every tura you meet with speci ,I constables, who are
distinznished by bandages of white on their bats end
arms at particular places, or the corners of streets,
the people are not suffered to assemble toaether. During
I the day the firemen have been busy in Queen square,
searching in the runt for the individuals who have been
honied ill their, and for the property that may have been
left by the plunderers. A nuttile,r of bodies, four or five I
believe, have been already duz out, and they present a most
appalling spectacle. Burned in many parts almost to a
cinder, portions of the limbs broken off, and otherwise EX-
hibiting maths of the dreadful violence they have been sub-
jected to in the fire, and in the falling of portions of the
building. One woman was. among the number, she was
found in a sitting posture, and had something like arrow-
, root wrapped up. There is no doubt entertained of many
more bodies being still in the ruins, and every expedition is
used too them extricated. A singu;ar Occurrence took place
in examining the ruins of the Mansion-house. Part of
a human figure made its appearance, and speedily releas-
ing it, a man was found to be still living, with his arm
I burned off near the shoulder, and, to the surprise of the
by-standers, he was able to rise up and walk away. I
saw seine of the bodies deposited in the middle of the
square, merely covered with a little straw, while a guard
of the 3d Dragoons kept moving round them. The men
seemed not to relish the employou nt, and as they
pass' d the bodies, they placed their hands on their
mouths and noses, apparently affected with the stench
that proceeded from them. I herd some complaints of
the impropriety of keeping the bodies in that exposed place,
and I saw some very tour'' affected with the disagreeable,
I should say horrible, appearance the bodies presented.
I have just been making a visit to the several places
which the mob signalled out fur their venaeance, and
which continue to attract great numbers of 'spectators.
Next to Queen's-square the Bishop's Palace was an object
of much curiosity. The gentleman who bad charge of the
remains of the Bishop's rt.,,idence, informed Inc that he
endeavoured to repel the attack made on it, but, of comae,
all the opposition he could make with the aid he had was
unavailing. lie told me also that the assailants all ap-
peared to be men from the country, anti had their faces
partially discoloured or blackened. The Palace is a com-
plete wreck. The Cathedral, which is adjoining, escaped
very narrowly, hut my informant told me what scented an
td,i feature in the transaction, that the wreckers said they
would not learnt the Cathedral, and if so, they kept their
word. But I have reason to believe that its safety was a
matter of chance, not design. I was strewn the marks of
their attempts to break open the doors, but either they of-
fered too ninth resistance, or the mob had not time to ac-
complish its destruction. While I was at the Palace tuins,
I saw books and papers, which bad been saved flouts the
library, brought into the chapter, but I undetatand that
deeds of great value, which had been deposited in the
library, have been wholly destroyed. Every article of
furniture in the Bishop's residence was also completely de-
stroyed. The arrests to-day are very numerous, I saw
several patties of prisoners in the custody of the constables,
and apparently great vigilance is now exercised, when as
one of the citizens remarked to me "tire horse has escaped."
The most indignant feeling is expressed against the Ma•
gistrates ; their conduct is certainly most t xtraordinary, and
cannot be accounted for by any ordinary at indard. They
seem to have been completely panic-struck, as it cannot be
denied so were the great mass of the inhabitents. I have

been assured th,:t the scene was altogether of the most
(rightful character, won-,en and children screaming, and
farni!ies thinking only of their personil safety, leaving their
property defenceless, as of no moment, while the occ
sional firing of the military, and the savage shouting of the
nth; added to the terror of the scene.

One thing I hive been struck with, and that is, the ju-
venile appearance of many of Vie special constahles, they
seem to be quite boys that I allude to, and evidently quite
untitte4 for performing such an important office at such a
period, and under such circumstances. If the constables
who were sent among Vie mob in the fir 4 instance were
of-the same description, it Is easy to account for the un•
fortunate collision that took pl tee. The several parishes
have met again to-day, and I understand that an idea is
pretty general among them to apply to the King's Bench
for a writ, if that Court can grant it, for suspending the
Mayor and Aldermen from the exerc'se of their magisterial
functions. I have just heard, however, and I am in-
Formed that the fact is beyond doubt, that Government
has issued a Commission supplanting the corporation in
its authority over the city, and of which Commission
a General Officer, who is, I believe, trained Jadison, is
stated to be the head; such is the position of affairs at this
moment. The rioting at Bath has been trifling.

HUNT'S VISIT TO MANCHESTER.

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 2.

According to the announcement on the walls of the in-
tended visit of Hunt to Manchester, and the triumphal
entry purposed to be given him by his partisans, (the people
c riling themselves the Political Union of the Working
Classes,) that body on Tuesday last, about half-past twelve
o'clock, left Manchester on their told to Stockport, to meat
their distinguished orator and patriot, accompanied by the
whole of the tag-rag and bob-tail of the town, the
principal part of the working classes being at their usual
occupations in the factories. The members of this Union
extended a considerable distance, !docking up the road on
Loth sides, by linking their arms together. Two bands
of music attended upon them, and a number of flags and ban-
nets, bearing the following inscriptions, were exhibited :
The Manchester and Salford Political Union of the Working
Classes." A banner, with a portrait of the Man of the People.
with the inscription " See the conquering Hero comes.
—Here is attachment without interest.—The voice of the
People is the voice of God, and must be obeyed." Ano-
ther, " Vigour and determination will do every thing—
No Corn Bill—Annual Parliaments—Vote by ballot, and
Universal suffrage." A quantity of black flags and pie-
totes of the scenes of the 16th of August, 1819, with
flags bearing the numbers of the districts of the Union,
made up the complement of favours, with the exception
of each member wearing the tricolour. In this manner the
procession moved towards Stockport, and less than half-
way met Mr. Hunt in a carriage and four, attended by a
carriage and pair, filled by persons of his own class pos-
sessing similar sentiments. Upon meeting him the c owd
set up a loud yell, or huzza, which continued for some time.
The procession then wheeled about towards Manchester,
and on its arrival upon Ardwick• green Mr. Hunt stopped
the carriage, and addressed his open-mouthed admirers
in the following words :—" My friends, I want to say a
word or two to you. I understand that, from the result
of the late great meeting at Manchester, the people have
began to act for themselves, and have routed the Whig
fiction. I hear, also, that you have had some Whig rows
in the town ; a set of idle disorderly rascals have been
breaking a few windows. It was a Whig mob that did it
I am sure, and I hope this day, as you are all a set of
peaceable radicals, that you will show the difference be-
tween a Whig mob• and what our enemies call a radical
mob, by being perfectly peaceable. Do not even give a
groan, or display any ill feeling before the Peterloo but-
cher Burley's house, if you chance to pass it. There have
been Whig mobs in other places, Nottingham and Bristol,
all which have been encouraged by the Whige, such as
breaking open gaols, firing dwellings, and other acts of vio-
lence, and when the hirelings of the Whigs had finished
their work they were rewarded by the military
being called out to fire upon them, and shed their blood."
Having concluded this harangue, the procession moved on,
passing several extensive cotton-mills in full work, which
Mr. Hunt observing, remarked to the reporters, " Look
there—look there—the owners of these factories are
Whigs—they are keeping their work-people locked up to
prevent their coming to see me." On pa-sing the dwel-
ling of Mr. Houldaworth, the Member for Newton, one of
the mob cried out to Hunt, " Look at the borougbmonger's
house." Upon which Hunt replied, " Don't fill your
Lead with nonsense, my good man, about bnroughmongers.
What's a boroughmonger ? What's a Whig? It is the
Whigs you have to fear." On passing up the respectable
streets, especially Morley-street, he was much hissed by
the persons who line.l each side of tie road, who
appeared to have planted themselves there for the
express purpose. A group of respectably dressed
individuals, who stood near the Royal Hotel, were
very marked and loud in expressing their disapprobation,
which Hunt, in his usual gentlemanly style noticed,
by placing his fingers to his nose, in the manner the flash
men of London do when they have dune a flat, or in
noticing their pals, which is elegantly termed " Taking
a sight."
_ _ _

Ijisin arriving at the place appointed for the meeting,
the arrangements which had been made on the spot did
r.ot appear to please Mr. Hunt, and previous to hid ad-
dressing the assembly he loaded with abuse several carters
who had placed their vehicles in the way so as to pre-
vent access for the carriage to proceed to an eligible spot.
The carts were fi led with men, women, and children,
end Mr. Hunt very humanely advised the ;nob either
to turn them out, of turn them over, if they
did not 1110VC out of the way. Silence being ob-
tained, and Mr. Hunt having commanded all to
sit down excepting himself, he commenced his address
by :loping they would not call silence, for those persons
who did mule the greatest noise. He said that he should
commence by proposing three cheers, not for the King,
not for the Queen, not for the Tories, not for the Whigs,
not fir the Bishops, not for the devil—but for the people..
—(Great applause.) Three lend cheers having been
given for the people, Mr. Hunt proceeded. He was sure
it was impossible that he could be I;crrd by half of the
people present, unle s they gave him exclusive attention.
• fie was delighted to find, from what he had heard of the
hat meeting in Manchester, that the people had begun
to know their rights, anchto exercise them ; they had re-
solved to be no longer the tools of the Whigs, the Tories,
or the devil—(A laugh)—those factions being alike hos-
tile to the liberties of the people, though the Tories
had never shown themselves half so badly disposed
to the rights of the people as the Whigs.—(Hear,
hear.) Since last he had the pleasure of meeting
the radicals on those plains, the naughty Lords had thrown
out the Whig Reform Bill, and yet for all that, he did
not see any of them crying for its sad fate.—(Mr. Hunt
here instituted a parahel between the fate of the Reform
Bill, in a story about a brick, a child, and the moon, which
teas so extremely applicable and sprightly, to say nothing
of its humour, that even his own particular partisans looked
more than usually grave.) lie had been studying ever
since Ire had left Manchester what degree the Whig Re-
tOrm Bill would be of service to the working classes,
in case of its passing into a law, and had not been able to
discover ths,t any benefit could arise to them from it. He
was sent to the Mouse of Commons by the working classes
of Preston, because they thought that he would advocate
their interests in that Burnie as faithfully as he had in-
variably done out of it, and that he had done alone, and
would continue to do, in spite of all the falsehoods issued
against him by the public Press, which was paid
by the Whigs out of the secret service money
to libel him.—(Loud cheers.) Notwithstanding all
these attacks he was now in Manchester, surrounded
by 20,000 of his fellow suhjects, and did he look any
Iworse in health or appearance than when he was ad-
dressing them before.—(Cries of " no.") No ! lies break no
bones certainly. But lie would ask those now before him
jf ever he had done anything contrary to the interests of
the working classes.—(Cries of " no, no, and yes, yes.")
He was on his way to his constituents at Preston, there to
deliver, as all good Members of Parliament ought to do,
an account of his stewardship, which he should do as soon
as they were assembled together ; and should there be one
out of ten of the electors of Preston who disapproved
of his conduct, or who would say he had ever neglected
their interests, aye, if the rotten Whig, Dickey Potter,
were to say so, after he hal canvassed the opinions of the
electors, be would i.e willing to vacate his seat to sonic more
worthy person. Then, why he would ask was he continually
attacked by the public Press ; it was no doubt because he
advocated the cause of the working classes. In a great
town like Manchester, they had no doubt some
hard-hearted, un'orgiving parson or migistrate, who had
no commisseration for the poor. Did the Press ever attack
such characters as those ? No, the vagabonds merely
pitched upon him for the reason of his being the friend of
the working classes. He acted honestly, Ire acted from
principle ; and it he were wrong, let his assailants prove
him so, and not continually indulge in invectives against
him. Mr. Heywood, the Lancashire Member, had as
much r'ght to indulge in his own opinion as himself; but
if the meeting recollected when he (Mr. Hunt) addressed
them before, he told them that Mr. Heywood would be
equally as bad as the late Member, Mr. Patten. Did nut
Mr. Heywood say that he would support you in your n ishes,
and vote against the Corn Laws—(Cries of " He did")

him.

but how had he redeetned that Wedge. Time same amount
of Civil List which was granted in the reign of George the
Fourth, and which the Whigs declared was infamous when
Out of place, hasl been granted to a shilling now they were
in place, and Mr. Heywood voted for the grant, which
was 170,0001. They might recollect the railing of tl.e
hypocritical Whigs at that time.—(Mr. Hunt here
intimidat- d, that as good Members of Parliament were
scarce, he *hauld put his hat on for fear of cold.) He had
been that morning addressing 15,000 people at Stockport,
and hash enough to do, fox he had to proceed to see his
friends ht nolton, and from thence to Blackhurn, before
he presented himself to his Preston friends. Many of the
spinners, he understood, subscribed money for the expenses
of Mr. Hi yweod's election ; hut when he (Mr. Hent)
brought forward the subjsict of the corn laws in the House,
Heywood voted against the subject being introduced. He
also voted for the 100,000/. being taken out of the peeple's
pockets for the support of the Queen ; the King having
chosen to marry a young German Princess, who was likely
to live forty years longer than himself; and thus wet e the
people cheated out of their money. Then came a provi-
sion for the Princess Victoria of 4:0,000e, for the purpose
of teaching the young lady to dance, &c. When
he (Mr. Hunt) objected to these grants, Burdett, tbeWhig
:limner, said that no reasonable person in the country
could object to the provision but the Member for Preston.
The men who live upon potatoes, and others who contrive
to live upon nothing, of course would not object to it.
The Bill, he did not hesitate to say, gave the people no-
thing. The who'e of schedule B would, in the event of
its passing, become nomination boroughs, and the Govern-
ment would take care to have possession of them. If the
Bill passed, the Aristocrocy would have from two hun-
dred to two hundred and fi ty people in the House of Com-
mons, which would give the Aristocracy a fearful influence
in the affairs of the country which they ought not to pos-
sess. The false newspapers have said that the Tories are the
boroughmongers, and not the Whigs; but the Whigs are
the principal boroughmongers. The dirty grasping Whigs
when they framed this Bill, did it merely to take money
out of the people's pickets. What had they done for the
people? Why they had taken the duty off coals; and
what interest had the Lancashire people in that ? None.
They were also amusing the country by talking of reducing
candles and soap a penny per pound, but had they done so,
—no, no, they are all promises. Many impudent knaves
had got up in the House of Commons, and had had the
audacity to state, that the country to a man were satisfied
with this Bill, he would ask them was that the fact ?
(Cries of " No, no.") The . Ministers were perfectly un-
worthy of confidence, but were they honest, the Whigs
lacked the ability to carry on a Government. The defen-
ders of the Bill would say, would you not r ather have a
g,ass of wine and water than no wine at all ? He would
say no, not if he knew there was poison in ehe wine and
water ; such were the arguments of the venal Press in fa-
vour of the Bill. The Times and tote Morning Chronicle
were both in the pay of the Whig Government. It might
be asked, did the y pay them individually out of their own
pockets? No, they were bribed out of the secret
service money, formerly used for the purpose of
sending spies into political associations, for the purpose
of exciting the people to acts of violence and then
betray them, but those means having failed from exposures,
the Press was now used as an engine in lieu of the other
plan. The late Duke's paper, the Times, should the
Duke again conic into power, would be found one of his
Grace's warmest supporters. The hypocritical rascals of
the Press, having represented that the people had given
up the universal suffrage, the vote by ballot, and
annual Parliament, for the sake of this Bill, the
Whigs began to cut and curtail it, till there was scarcely
anything left of its originality. lie would have the people
unite throughout the country to have universal suffrage,
vote by ballot, and annual Parliaments, for their whole
rights, and he was sure, eventu ally, that even a Tory
Ministry would give them a better Bill than the
Whig Bill. Mr. Hunt here r. quested that all those
in the meeting who thought that the Weig Bill was
likely to be of the least service to the working classes
to hold up their hands. A few hands only were held up, but
on calling for a contrary spew, a forest of hands was im-
mediately held up. Mr. Hunt again indulged in a long
tirade of abuse against the Press, in which he stated that
when they attempted to write him down, they were at-
tempting is write down the hands of the thousands just
held up. He also alluded in his speech to Earl Grey,
who, he said, had not been in office more than three months
before he placed in situations relations, whose saLrias rea-
lized together 60,000/. per year, exclusive of the Bishopric
of Derry, which had recently been given to Load
Grey's brother-in-law. Lord Althorp had, in
answer to a question from him (Mr. Hunt), as
to- whether it was true that Lord Grey had done
so, answered yes, why not, if they were competent to
fill the situations? Such might be very good reason-
ing, but quite inconsistent with Whig economy.
—Mr. Hunt here observed those present who were of opi-
nion that the Whig Ministry were unworthy of any eon-
fidence from the people would signify the same lay holding
up their hinds. This display of mob feeling was also
carried to Mr. Hunt's satisfaction. Some person here
cried out, "Lord Grey and Co. will use none of your
blacking old Hunt after this." The people of
Manchester, Mr. Hunt continued, are now stigma-
tic d as mobs, when they meet together so express
their opinions. It was only three months ago
that they were complimented as the most enlightened, the
most amiable people on the face of the earths. He was
informed that the Whigs were forming armed Unions for
the purpose of carrying the Whig Bill. If that was the
case, lie thought that the radicals had quite as much
right to arm, eto carry their Bill, as the Whip,
for what was sauce for the goose, was sauce for
the gander. He did not advise the radicals to arm them-
selves, he wished them to carry their measure peaceably;
but if the Whigs conspired together, the radicals must
unite also. He intended to propose to them a plan of
unisn similar to the Northern Union he had planned when
in prison, each person being a member paying a subscrip-
tion of one penny per week, anal let them choose an
officer, and ca I him a sergeant if they thought proper,
and when they became one hundred strong let the
chief officer be termed a Captain or a Centurion. He
hoped they would consider of the plan he had broached,
and firmly unite together', and by-and-bye their fuilest
wishes would be realized, a Bill would pass without
doubt that would give them a cheap loaf, candle, soap,
and tea, duty free. He intended in the first week of the neat
Session to bring before the House of Commons the subject
of taking off the Assessed Taxes, and the duty off malt, and
substituting a proportion ate property tax. He did not
wish to lead the people to believe that they could live with.
out working, but he hoped to see the day when the people
would receive higher wages, anal work but half their pre-
sent hours of labour. He had a right to ask the people
to place their confidence in him, as he bad never deceived
them ; the people had sorely belied him, and I.e had
been much Hued in his trade in consequence. He had
a traveler who went to Bristol and Bath in his
blacking trade, and in consequence of misrepresentations
he could neither collect orders nor money, the shopkeepers
alleging that time people would not buy his blacking because
they said he had been bought by the Tories, and instead
of receiving about 2001. per week, the traveller was only
remitting 50/. Mr. Hunt took out a letter from
his pocket from this traveller and then read it
to the meeting to prove the truth of his assertions. The
meeting appeared to condole nide him, and shouted out—
" Send your blacking here, we'll use it for you." Mr.
Hunt then alluded to Mr. O'Connell, as being one who
had propagated the report of his being bought over, and
indulged in censuring his conduct in accepting the office
of King's Counsel, hut was compelled to desist by the loud
and repeated murmurs that arose horn all parts of the meet-
ing. Mr. Hunt, finding this to be the case, very accommo-
datingly said he did not blame Mr. O'Connell so much for
accepting the appointment, not knowing his motives for
so doing. Perhaps Mr. O'Connell thought he could be-
nefit his country better by it. Mr. Hunt concluded by pro-
posing three cheers for the breve electors of Preston, which
being given, the cavalcade moved off towards Dale-street,
accompani_d by the mob. Scarcely a single person of re-
spectability was upon the
ground, and neither Mr. Pren-
tice, Mr. Whittle, Mr. Doherty, Mr. Wroe, Mr. Oates, or
any of his old, and in some degree respectable supporters
at one time, appeared on the hustings, or at the meeting,
to lend him their countenance. So far as we have been
able to ascertain everything went off peaceably.

BEAUTIES OF THE COURT OF CHARLES
—The brilliant engravings that form the portraits in the
fourth number of this unique collection, are accompanied
with Memoirs of the Countess of CirrstEarrimn, one of
the fair principals in DE GRAMMONT'S celebrated story of
the " Bag Verts,'.'—of Miss BAGOT, who became i❑ sue.
cession the irreproachable wife of two libertine Lords—of
the Countess of Sotrnxsic, whose faults, follies, and
miseries, constitute a tale well fitted to " point a moral"..._
of Mrs. No', fair, sentimental, and Madonna-like--of
the interesting and exemplary Countess of RocirEsTEß--
of Mrs. LAWSON, mild and gentle, yet opposing the forti-
tude of virtue to the perils of a licentious Court—and of
the magnificent Lady BELLASYS, famed for her beauty, wit,
and high spirit, and recorded as the mistr,ss of the Duke
of Yoxx only through her voluntary resignation of the
marriage contract by which she bad become united with

THE ANNUALS.

ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE KEEPSAKE.

These illustrations comprise some of the best
engravings from the paintings of some of the best
artists of the day. Nothing can exceed the exqui-
site grace and delicacy with which the majority of
them are finished. There is none of that harsher's,
of outline which we but too cf en see even in the
works of some of our best engravers; the lights and
shades are blended in the most harmonious • sty le
possible. " Scandal" is an arch, piquant sketch of
two old maids ; one of whom is full-fraught with a
more than usually calumnious anecdote, which the
other, though she discreetly professes to be shocked,
is drinking in, with open mouth, staring eyes,
and pricked-up ears, as if her every organ were re.
freshed by the malignant details. The engraving
is remarkably spirited, though we cannot but think
(with all due deference to Mr. Smirke) that the
countenance of the lis'enn-r is rather too much cari-
catured, especially in the expression of the mouth,
which conveys the idea of the old Tabby having
swallowed a hot cinder. " Mrs. Stanhope" is love•
liness personified. The graceful fall of the ringlets;
the soft, bland expression of the light, full eye; the
snowy whiteness of the symmetrical neck; the deli-
cate Grecian nose; the ruby lip, and eloquently ex-
pressive mouth, might thaw the frozen heart of
an anchorite, and qui ken rite pulses ofan octogenarian,
If St. Anthony, as legends report, ever wrestled
with a being of this perfect beauty, he must, indeed,
have had a desperate struggle. " Lola Bella" is
a sketch of the far-famed fantastical island of that
name, in the largest and most picturesque of the
Italian lakes. It is full of that striking character
in which the landscapes of S anfield always abound.
" The Wedding" is a sseet dos clic little tale,
sweetly and simply told by Miss L. Sharpe, in a
drawing which does infinite credit to the purity of
her invention and taste, and which Mr. C. Rolls has
adequately engraved. The print abounds in figures,
is full of life and motion, and characterised by con-
summate etse. It is altogether a woman's creation,
tender, affecting, and exquisitely delicate and femi-
nine. " Mady" is an engraving by Miller, from one
of Turner's most gorgeous and poetic conceptions.
It is very rich and picturesque, and a difficult per-
spective is managed with great skill. "Da you
remember it," is another of Miss Sharpe's expressive
paintings. The tear in the eye of the young girl,
and the miniature portrait in her hand, at once tell
the whole story, so as to render all fur titer illustra-
tion superfluous. The subject has lost none of its
touching interest in the hands of its masterly engraver,
Mr. Heath. " The Champion." A fair girl is present-
ing her lover with a ring, just as he is setting our
for the tournament. The conception is picturesque
and graceful, with the exception that a dashing pa'r
of antlers are suspended in the hall, just above the
young warrior's head—a rather inauspicious omen.
On the whole, we consider the Illustrations of
" The Keepsake" as equal to any of their prede-
cessors, arid superior, very far superior, to those of
any other Annual, with the exception, perhaps, of
The Picturesque Annual," or " The Literary
Souvenir," both of which, it must be confessed,
are perfect gems in their way.