The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-11 00:00:00

CHARTIST MEETINGS.

MANCHESTEIL—A meeting of the Chartists of this city
took place in Smithfield Market, at two o'clock yesterday
afternoon. The meeting was convened by placard, ex-
tensively distributed, for the purpose of giving expres
4ion to the full and undivided confidence of the Chartists
in the " National Convention " now sitting in London,
and to express their determination to stand by the body.
At the time appointed for the meeting the entire square
was completely filled. The numbers present were va-
riously estimated from 20,000 to 60,000. Without ven-
turing to be exact in the matter, we have no hesitation in
saying that it was decidedly the largest meeting held in
Manchester for the last thirty years, excepting only,
perhaps, the single exception of the memorable meeting
of Peterloo, in 1819.
_ _ .

The chair was occupied by a working man., named
WILLIAM GROCOTE, who briefly addressed the meeting,
and enjoined order and attention to the several speakers.
JA➢IES MITTAL, a working man, moved the first reso-

ution, expressive of confidence in the Convention, and
pledging the meeting to stand by them at all hazards,
and under every emergency. He declared, and he should
always cry for, " Up with the people, and down with
tyrants." After adverting to the recent events on the
Continent, he reminded them that they were assembled
there that day to contend for the same principles for
which Arthur O'Connor had been banished from his
native land fifty-six years ago, and for which poor
Henry Hunt had died broken-hearted.
The speakers who had already addressed the meeting,
and some others, then got on to another cart at some
inm_Gn eE,
speakingotßhoeuspAe
distance from the hustings, and addressed the crowd,
which was quite as dense, from both places at the same
Rat
enk
Hetrph
those furthest
andise lobe back upon the Chairman,
a read the resolution. come from the north, where he
delegate
He
e. from
ssaid
dt hhee Irishh ad Con-
federation,just
unanimity amrtgwthheitefiiiiends hadnrthweltncehsaserdtetrheamudtmtohset
Irishmen
ERnegpeliaslhemrse.n.
anadveanhe had addressed 1,500
ituowceianseE
n their2;is n
dexertionsand e
there
until
asthaetcrhmenepn, who vowed never
People's Charter was a
Thanks were then voted to tnhaetioenhal
a flamg a fno, r rnedl a
tnhde.
a
meeting
meeting quietly dispersed.
LIVERPOOL, MONDAY EVENING.—_A Chartistis called for this evening, at half-past Six O'clock. The
authorities are prepared for any outbreak, and the
fsepaercioafl
constables are all on the alert, but we have no
any disorder.
BIRMINGHAM, MONDAY.—A meeting of the Chartists
of this town, for the purpose of asserting " the right of
the people to public meeting," was held this day in she
People's Hall, Loveday- street. It was, in comparison
with meetings of former days, very thinly attended.
Mr. Baldwin, a member of the Towusualn
character,pre
sided. The speeches were of the
combined with strong attacks upon the Government
for the course which Sir George Grey and his col-
leagues were said to have adopted with regard to the
proposed meeting on Kennington-common. A resolution
expressive of the confidence which the Birmingham
Chartists repose in the delegates they have sent to the
National Convention, and to the effect that if they should
be arrested by the Government, they would elect
efficient successors, was unanimously adopted. All
went off peaceably, and the assemblage broke up about
half-past three o'clock. Another meeting is to be held
this evening. The civil and military authorities are
fully prepared to protect the public peace. Additional
troops and two pieces of ordnance have arrrived in Bir-
mingham, and the magistrates were engaged this morn-
ing in swearing in special constables. There is no ap-
prehension of tumult entertained by the inhabitants, but
still laudable caution has been evinced by the Mayor and
other authorities.

STATE OF THE PROVINCES.
THREATENED DISTURBANCES.
In addition to the very effective and successful ar-
rangements made by the authorities for the preservation
of the peace of the metropolis, the Government, we are
happy to say, took the wise precaution of preventing
the diffusion of groundless and exaggerated reports and
the creation of unnecessary alarm throughout the vari,
ous parts of the country, by taking possession of the
telegraphs, and prohibiting their being worked by pri-
vate individuals, by which, from mistake or watonnes,,
the most mischievous results might have been produced.
We are happy to be enabled to say that the information
received from some of the most important provincial
towns was of such a character as to dispel any appre-
hension of a disturbance of order.
The following communications by electric telegraph
were received by Sir George Grey down to half-past
seven o'clock yesterday evening :
From Liverpool to Sir George Grey:—
" There is no truth in the statement about the rails
having been interrupted or pulled up here.
" St. Matthew's Church has been burnt down to-day
by accident—overheating the flues. I send this informa-
tion to prevent misrepresentation. The town is quiet.
A Chartist meeting is to be held in Queen-square this
evening, at six o'clock."
From Manchester to Sir George Grey :
" All is quiet here at present. We see no grounds
for:apprehension. Four P.M."
The Secretary of the Midland Railway Company to
Sir George Grey :
" The meetint, at Nottingham has just broken up
peaceably, and has adjourned until two o'clock on Wed-
nesday next."
From the Mayor of Manchester:—
" No meeting of any importance has been held here
to-day. We have no excitement here, and have been
quiet and peaceable throughout the day. There is no
apparent ground for apprehension."
From the Mayor and magistrates of Leeds:—
" Monday, Six P.m.
" Tranquillity prevails here, and the peace is not
threatened. A meeting of about 6,800 people has just
broken up peaceably. Similar communications have just
been received from Bradford."
From the Mayor of Liverpool:—
" The meeting, consisting at the utmost of 300 per-
sons, has just peaceably dispersed, and the special con-
stables, consisting of the most respectable inhabitants,
have been dismissed amidst the most enthusiastic and
long-continued cheering for the Queen."

THE LAW OF RIOTS AND UN-
LAWFUL ASSEMBLIES.
(Abridged from the. Legal Observer.)
At a time when the peace of the metropolis and of
other great towns in the kingdom has been threatened
or disturbed by riotous and unlawful assemblies, which
have attracted the attention of both Houses of Parlia-
ment, it may not be considered inoppertune to advert to
the state of the law upon this subject.
All the text writers endeavour to establish a distinc-
tion between a riot and unlawful assembly ; but, when
their definitions are scrutinised, and their correctness
tested by their application to adjudged cases, it must be
admitted that the boundary line between an unlawful
assembly and a riot is not very satisfactorily defined.
Without adopting precisely the definition to be found in
any of the books, we may, perhaps, venture to suggest, that
a riot is a premeditated assembly of three persons or more,
accompanied or followed by some circumstances of a
violent or turbulent nature or character, tending to
create apprehension or terror; and that an unlawful
assembly is a meeting of several persons, under
such circumstances as seem calculated to en-
danger the public peace. To constitute either of-
fence, it is not necessary that there should be actual
personal violence committed ; and an assembly (may be
unlawful, although not accompanied or followed by any
circumstance of a violent character, if it be a meeting
for a purpose which, if executed, would render the
parties rioters. A meeting may be riotous, whether
the purpose for which it assembled be lawful or
unlawful. In the case of the Queen v. Vincent, Mr.
Baron Alderson is reported to have said : Any
meeting assembled under such circumstances as, accord-
ing to the opinion of rational and firm men, are likely
to produce danger to the tranquillity and peace
of of the neighbourhood, is an unlawful assembly,tos d
their
viewing this question the jury should take
into
held,
consideration the way in which the meetings
the hour at which they met, and the languagw:deudsreedssbeyd
the persons assembled, and by those
wacind rational
them, and then consider whether
men, having their families and propertyfir
there,
a breach of the peace,
have reasonable ground to fear
such would
as would
as the alarm must not be merely
frighten any foolish or timid persaobnle, b
firmnessu t must beansducchoaus
would alarm persons of reason-
rage." All persons joiningassembly
of this kind, or
to it in any way, are
who give supportcountenanceora n
of a breach of the law.
liable to indictment and guiltyAt various period, when the public tranquillity has
been menaced or disturbed by meetings of a turbulent
or seditious character, the Legislature has passed Acts
to meet the supposed exigencies of the time by the
suppression of such assemblies. We propose briefly to
enumerate the principal statutes now in force bearing
upon the subject. Ono of the earliest Acts in point ,
of date, and certainly not the least important in its
practical application, to which we deem it neces-
sary to allude, is the 13 Car. .11., e. 5, which, after
rt citing the mischiefs of tumultuous petitioning, enacts,
that no person shall solicit the getting of hands or
other consent of any persons above the number of
twenty, to any petitien, &c., to the King or the Houses of
Parliament, for alteration of matters established by law in
Church and State ; unless the matter thereof shall have
been first consented unto and ordered by three justices, or
by the major part of the grand jury, or in London by the
Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council; and thatno
person shall repair to his Majesty or the Ilouses of Parlia-
ment, upon pretence of presenting or delivering any peti-
t on, accompanied at any one time with above the num-
.