The Sun.
London, England, 1831-09-15 00:00:00

PUBLIC FEELING AT GLASGOW.

GLASGOTV, SEPT. 9.
(From a Correspondent of the Times.)
Lest it please Sir William Rae to say any more
about physical force, I think it right to let you
know that the Glasgow procession of yesterday was
the most beautiful and gratifying sight I ever beheld.
I was there about eleven o'clock. The whole neigh-
bourhood for some miles was in obvious motion. I
went and looked from the Court-house to the Green,
in the centre of which there was a large wooden
stage, which was the hustings in the forenoon, and
the place for a display of tire-works by the mass in
the evening. All around it was one wide sea of
heads and flags. I then went with my wife and
daughter to the Provost's house. The people in
the Green began about twelve o'clock to file off, by
trades, villages, workshops, and went down the
Gallowgate, up the High-street, along George-
street, up St. Vincent-street, down to Argyll-
street East, along the Tron- gate, back to the
Green, and there dispersed. They took St.
Vincent-street in order to pass the Provost's
house whom they cheered as they passed. They were
led by the head of the police on a charger and with a
truncheon. Then followed the carters on horseback,
to the amount of from 300 to 500, arranged accord-
ing to the colour of their horses, and all loaded with
ribands or bonnets, tails, and manes. The greys
went first, expressly in honour of the head of the Ad-
ministration. They were succeeded by a countless
host, which, walking always three abreast, took
above two hours to pass; all waving with flags, em-
blems, and devices of all kinds, and every body bear-
ing beautiful models of their work. Among these
last were many exquisite steam engines, looms, print-
ing-presses, piano-fortes, coaches, and steam-boats,
all going. Nothing surprised me so much as the
endless bands of music—on an average consisting of
15 players—and good players. Their flags, &c.
were all full of loyalty and Reform. The Provost,
the Sheriffs, &c. and others were on the watch, and
we could not detect one single allusion to Hunt ;
and of thousands, only two tri-coloured flags, and
these, from their accompaniments, plainly not meant
to be French in their principle. Every thing was
Lord Grey," " Lord Brougham," " The King,"
(t Reform," " Economy," and " No Boroughmon-
gers I only observed about a dozen sol-
diers, and not three dozen in all of po-
lice, all either assisting or enjoying the sight;
yet I never saw a crowd where a lady or a child was
more safe, they were all in such perfect good hu-
mour. In point of fact, I walked with my wife and
daughter from tine Tontine, where we hail first gone,
to the Provost's in St. Vincent-street, with perfect
ease. Old D—, the banker, and Clelland, the
statist, astounded me by computing the show to have
cost at the least 100,0004, but this assumed every
workman, male and female, inn and round Glasgow,

to have been idle three days. Their devices, mostly
of silkeend their bands, must have been very dear.
They were all, even the spectators, in their best
clothes, arid all with Reform aprons or ribands. I
did not stay to see their fire-works in the evening,'
which was a very judicious measure by the authori-
ties, for it kept them off the streets, and enabled
them to get easily away. They had no illumination.
King Crispin was really as glorious, to the eye, as
George the Fourth, when he entered Edinburgh.
He had not only a Lord Chancellor, Pages,
Duke, &c., but a presiding Judge, dressed in
the full and exact costume of the Lord Presi-
dent. Many of the portions which had brought
petitions to the King or Parliament, or got them
signed on the green, bore them aloft in the pro-
cession. O'Connell's glory was only blazoned on
one flag, on which he and Joseph were crowning
the King. But ji speaking of the banners, some
allowance must b for our not seeing precisely
what they contained, as it was a calm day, and
they were not always legibly displayed.
There was no approach to any thing resembling
intoxication, quarrelling, or confusion. All the
authorities seemed quite easy, or rather merry;
and if, as I hope, the evening passed like the day,
it was a very honourable day for the people. No
eye, but the jaundiced eye of a timid Tory, could
avoid being gratified by the sight of a population
organized so as to be fearful if outraged, but a source
of great, easy, and certain solidity to society, if de-
cently managed. There were probably not much
above 5,000 in the actual procession, but the whole
population in and round Glasgow was in the Green,
the streets, and the houses. The precession closed
by the butchers, who had, in their van, a bullock,
rode by a boy,and adorned as if for a Greek sacrifice.