The Sun.
London, England, 1840-01-18 00:00:00

THE SHEEFIELD CHARTISTS.

SHEFFIELD. THURSDAY EVENING.
The state of the town is perfectly peaceable. It is said that
the conspiracy was not confined to Stieffield, but extended to
most of the towns in the neighbourhood. Sheffield, however,
was to give the signal of revolt to the other p)aces, to which
delegates from Sheffield had been previously sent. This is
thought to be proved by the fact that on Saturday (the day on
which the plans were to be carried into execution) the coaches,
as they passed through Barnsley, Bradford, and Dewsbuz:y, from
Sheffield, were surrounded by the unemployed operatives , who
were eagerly inquiring if the people of Sheffield were zip in
arms. There had been no communication in these towns with
Sheffield previously, and the plot was only discovered and the
conspirators apprehended on the Saturday, by the fortunate
statement made by the Rotherham delegate.
The inhabitants of Nottingham were thrown into the utmost
state of consternation and alarm in consequence of reports
being prevalent that the Chartists were about to rise there,
and numbers of people were waiting about the coach-office
for the arrival of the London coach (the Brilliant) from
Sheffield. Its arrival did not tend to allay the excitement,
for, when the coach left Sheffield on the Saturday night, the
Chartists were mustering in the streets with spears, pikes,
and other weapons. The guard of the coach, not having
made himself sufficiently well acquainted with the fact, it ap-
pears, drew upon his imagination to satisfy the curiosity of
the eager people of Nottingham, and staied that in Sheffield
a conflict had taken place between the military and the
people, that the town was burning, a number of persons-had
been shot, and that the Chartists intended to march upon
Nottingham. This intelligence alarmed the authorities of the
town to such a degree, that the guard was taken before the
Magistrates, and underwent an examination. It was subse-
quently ascertained that the accounts were grossly exaggerated.
No doubt, however, a simultaneous rising was intended, as the
Magistrates have obtained that information from parties who
are likely to be admitted Queen's evidence. The outrages were
to commence in the dead of night, when the inhabitants of the
various towns had retired to rest. Delegates to organize the
movement had been despatched from Sheffield, but it is
stated tnat in many of the places there was a jealousy
and mistrust among the Chartists, each being fearful of
making a move from fear of being betrayed by spies. A
troop of Yeomanry are stationed at Wentworth, the
-eat of Earl Fitzwilliam, for the purpose of protect-
ing that splendid mansion in the event of its being
attacked. The very private manner in which the Chartists
have conducted their proceedings causes an alarm for the fu-
ture, notwithstanding the assurances of the authorities that
there is nothing now to fear. The excited state of ate ma-
nufacturing districts has had a very serious effect upon gene-
ral trade.
Two other men concerned in the plot have been appre-
hended since I wrote to you:this morning, and the police ate itt
sanguine anticipation of apprehending several more. It is said
that the movement can be traced to the people composing the
late and the present National Convention.
Holberrv, committed for high treason, who, on his appre-
hension and examination, boasted of his intended outrages to
obtain the charter, is a cadaverous-looking man, with long
black hair. He is between 25 and 30 years of age. He was
origioally a sort of porter and clerk to a wine and spirit mer-
chant, and has since served four years in the army. Most of
die situations he has filled have been lost by him through his
violent conduct as a politician.
It will be recollected that when he was apprehended he
wi,lied Mr. Rayner, the superintendent of police, and his as-
sistant, to follow him up stairs, where he would show them the
arms and ammunition he possessed. Fortunately the constable
went up stairs first, for on arriving at the landing a blunderbuss
was found heavily loaded with slugs.