The Sun.
London, England, 1848-04-10 00:00:00

, it t
t

S OFFICE, Quarter• past 7 litee o' Clock

CHARTIST
DEMONSTRATION.
(THIS DAY.)

THE MEETING ON KENNINGTO-

COMMON.

ABANDONMENT OF THE PROCESSION.
We were informed that the nature of the communica-
tion given to Mr. O'Connor was to the effect that the
!,ridges had be en taken possession of by the troops and
peliee, and that if the procession proceeded to one o'
them, that a collision with the authorities would be ine
vitable. They represented that this message might be
made known to the meeting. Mr. O'Connor promised to
do so.
Mr. O'CoNNOR then mounted the waggon and stated
that the Government were determined to prevent them
from proceeding across the bridges, and that he wool
suggest, in accsrdance with the decision of the Cur ven
tion this morning, " that the proceedings should ter-
minate with the meeting, and that the petition should
be token to the House, in an ordinary manner, fur
presentation this evening to the House of Commons."
He put it to the meeting whether it would not be ad
visable to adopt this course, and to avoid an inevitable
collision with the authorities.. He thought it would be
well not to violate the law, but to trust to the moral
influence they possessed.
The crowd immediately expressed its concurrence
by cheers.
Mr. F. O'Coltreon then addressed the meeting. He
said that he hoped they would be peaceable, and not
bring him into any trouble. He was sure that they
could but ill afford to dispense with his services at pre-
sent. There was nothing sweet in lite for him but to
witness the promotion of the interests of the people. He
trusted, therefore, that all who were actuated by a
wish that the voice of 5,100,736 people should be heard,
for that was the number who signed the petition, and
that the petition should be taken by the Executive to
the House, and presented by him in the usual man-
ner, would hold up their hands.—(Here an im-
mense forest of hands were held up.) He called
upon the meeting then quietly to disperse, and not
form into any procession, even the horses who drew their
ear would not go over the bridges, but go quietly
to Greenwich. He again called upon the meet-
ing to take off their hats, and vow in the
face of heaven that they would not violate the law.
A vast portion of the mass here uncovered and vocife-
rously huzzaed. It ever he deserted the people might
his God desert him.—(Loud Cheers.) He was d. ter-
mined to go on from conquering to conquer in
he glorious cause of the people.—(Loud cheers.)
At the conclusion of his speech, the lion. Gentleman ap-
peared to be much affected by the effect of his exertion
And complained very much of a pain in his chest.
Mr. E. Josses said that he was a physical force Chartist,
but deprecated any attempt at collision with the authori-
ties when they were so unprepared for it. He was
one of those who had recommended that the procession
should not be formed on this side of the water, nor
allow the bridges to be between them and the
House of Commons. If they had met on the other
siiie of the water the police would never
have attempted to stop the procession. But as
it was they were caught in the trap set for them by the
police. It their petition was not granted, they would,
however, meet in larger numbers upon the other side of
the water, and earry their remonstrance to the foot of
the Throne.— (Cheers.) If they dispersed peaceably
upon this occasion they would, they might depend upon
it, be able to meet in larger numbers upon another occa-
sion, joined by, thousands of the middle classes.
Mr. F. O'Cosmon then asked leave to go as their
ambassador to Sir George Grey, and inform him that
they did not intend to come into collision wtih the au-
thorities, which was given to him by an immense number
who held up their hands in approval of the proposition.
Mr. F. O'Connor then left the waggon, stating that he
was going in the office of plenipotentiary. and that his
chest and his head were literally breaking.
Mr. CLARK, in a violent speech, then moved the adop-
tion of a petition to the House of Commons against the
" Gagging Bill" of the Government. The speaker was
frequently interrupted by persons in the crowd, who
cried out, " Don't let the petition go down to Parliament
tonight—take it back again, and wait till we can go
with you.
Mr. SPUR, a person in the crowd, deprecated the
dispersion of the meeting, and a smart discussion was
kept up between him and Mr. Donovan, one of the Con-
vention, on the propriety of dispersing. Mr. Spur said
that he should recommend the procession going with
the petition until they met the military, and then if they
should attempt to stop them, why then it would be time
to consider the propriety of dispersing.
Mr. Cum's, one of the delegates, was also of opinion
that it would be time enough to be afraid of the military
when they were met with them face to f aca.
Mr. KIDD, a delegate from Oldham, said that if the
Government passed this Bill they would make treason
rampant throughout the land.
A DELEGATE wished Mr. Cuffity not to continue to
incite the people to go in procession. •
To this request
Mr. CUFFAY replied that he was only expressing his
opinion, and he would do so in spite of him or hell.
Mr. SPUR, the individual wishing the people to go
in procession, here got up in the waggon, and some very
violent altercation took place between him and the other
members of the Convention, while the terms " traitor,"
" coward," " braggadocio," were most liberally bandied
about.
Mr. BROOKEs then addressed the people, denouncing
Mr. Spur as a traitor, and one who had deserted them
to go to the moral force humbugs at the National Hall.
Mr. DOYLE, the chairman, stepped up to Mr. Spur,
and stated that he would give him into custody it he
attempted to interrupt the proceedings of the meeting.
There was not a greater coward present than Mr. Spur;
he was one of the pro-Lovett party, that had left them at
the National Hall.
Mr. CUFFAY said that ho believed the whole Con-
vention Here a set of cowardly humbugs, and be would
have nothing more to do with them, and proceeded to
the hinder part of the waggon for the purpose of leaving
them.
The motion for the adoption of the petition was
unanimously agreed to, and the Chairman declared the
meeting dissolved.
The wa,gon was then, with its six horses, driven
rapidly through the immense crowd, causing the utmost
confusion. The members of the Convention then ;left
the waggons, and the crowd began to disperse. Im-
mense numbers of persons still continued in different
groups discussing the propriety of forming in procession
towards the bridge.
THE IRISH CONFEDERATES.
Mr. G. W. M. REYNOLDS addressed from a balcony
4,000 or 5,000 of the body who rallied round. the
Irish flag at the side of the common. He said
their peaceable conduct that day—their intention
not to allow the slightest disturbance—would do
their cause incalculable good, as it would show
to the world that they were worthy of the possession of
the rights they sought. He concluded an elaborate ad-
dress by imploreing them not to commit any breach of
the peace, and to wait until the House of Commons
had refused their petition.
Mr. WEST next addressed the throng. He said the
peaceable demeanour of the hundreds of thousands
would show to Lord Jobn Russell and Sir George Grey
that whilst they were treated like men, they would not
violate the law. If bringing up troops by special trains,
if overawing them in every possible way, was to be the
law, the time might come when they would take the law
into their own hands. Let them be assured of this
that the National Convention would not cease to
agitate until the Charter had been obtained.
(Loud cheers.) Ireland should belong to her people,
and not to an absentee aristocracy. It shall be a free
land—it shall no longer be a land of alaves.—(Cheers.)
If the Government thought they could transport the
Chartists, let them take care that they were not
transported themselves—let them take care of their own
lives. The people were the true power, and they were
determined to wield it—determined not to be shot down
for simply advocating their inherent rights. If the
Government refused to grant the prayer of their petition
let them take the responsibility upon themselves. If
they had their spies upon them they had their spies upon
them. He wished to say to Prince Albert, and those
who cried them down, " We can put down revolutionary
movements—if you are disposed to be brave wait a
little and we will show you what we can do. You shall
not attack us unprepared."—(Cheers.)
Mr. J. HARNEY next came forward. He said, if the
Government had been making preparations to meet the
French who were upon their way to the metropolis, they
could not have made greater preparations to put them
down.—(liear.) An Act of Parliament, passed in the
time of the diabolical, the debauched, the scoundrel
Charles IL, had been raked up to punish them; but let
them bear in mind that Lord W. Russell, the ancestor of
Lord J. Russell, wasbeheaded in that reign for advocating
the principles they had met to promote. How would
Lord John Russell like if they raked up an old Act to
Finish him. (A. voice—" Off with his head !"—A
latrgh.) Yes; they intended this to be a peaceable de-
monstration, but if they did not obtain their just rights
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to aid the Irish in their struggles.—(Loud cheers.)
A resolution was passed, which, as a loyal sub-
ject, he would merely mention—(Laughter)—to the
effect that they hoped the time was not far distiant when
a glorious republic would be established in England, and
Prince Albert's wife sent to Germany.—(Laughter.)
He hoped the time was not far distant when the union
between England and Irelandwould be one of affection,
and not merely of Parliament.
The populace having at his request declared their
opinion that it was wise to abandon the procession,