The Sun.
London, England, 1833-05-14 00:00:00

NATIONAL CONVENTION-MURDER.

During the last week bills have been issued, stating that
a meeting would he held in Coldhath-fields yesterday, in
order to adopt the preliminary measures necessary for the
calling together• of a National Convention. In conse-
quence of that bill, on Friday a proclamatio❑ was issued
by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, de •
Glaring that such a meeting would be illegal and dangerous
to the public peace, and warning all persons to keep away,
as the authorities had received orders to maintain the
peace at all hazards.
Accordingly, yesterday morning, the police began to
arrive in Gray's Inn-lane before twelve o'clock, in great
numbers; they were disposed of in stable-yards in the
neighbourhood of the intended place of meeting.
Before one o'clock, Lord Melbourne and the two Com-
missioners of Police, Colonel Rowan and Mr. Mayne,
with about a dozen magistrates, had assembled at the
White Hart, Gray's Inn-lane.
By about one o'clock there were from 600 to '7OO per-
sons assembled in the fields, which number had increased
to upwards of 1,000 by two o'clock, the hour named for
the Chairman to open the meeting. In the mean time
those assembled were amused by two professed infidels,
who promulgated their doctrines.
We understood the committee were sitting in the
Union public-house, but they did not make their appear-
ance till three o'clock, when a young man (Mr. Lee, or
Leigh), mounted a van that was placed in front of the
palings at the top of Calthorpe-street ; he was followed by
three or four other persons. The carman, however, was
aft a;d of his van, anti drove off as soon as they had got in.
Ai they could not persuade him to stop, they were under
the necessity of getting out, and then the tieforementicued
young man, who, to appearance, has not yet arrived at
the years of discretion in law, certainly not in fact, got
upon the paling, and proposed that Mr. Mee should act
as Chairman, which proposition was seconded and carried.
Mr. 111EE then also got upon the paling, and, after
thanking the meeting for the honour they had con-
ferred on them, said, he was glad to see before him
so many noble men. It was not the coronet or the flashing
equipage that made a nob!e man, though in the eyes of the
world they math:. noblemen,but he gave that name to
those he s:kw around him, because they were the
producing power—the real wealth of the country.—
(Cheers.) He was thankful to the Whig Ministry, who
had given an importance to the meeting which it otherwise
would have wanted—(Cheers and hisses)--but the clue*-
tion nosy for them to consider was whether, es they had met
under such disadvantages, they should go on—(Cries of
" Go on, on" )_or whether they should adjourn till an-
other and more convenient opportunity ?—(Cries of " No,
no," "Go on, on." He was but a working man with a
family, therefore if they were not prepared to give to his
family one-tenth of their earnings, they ahculd nct cry
" Ge on."

The speaker was here interrupted by the cry of "Police,"
who had arrived at the end of Calthorpe-street, and
formed light across it, when they advanced in double
quick time upon the meeting. Another party came up by c,
side street, and also attacked those assembled.
The Chairman made some few further remarks, and
called out to the meeting to " stand firm ;" but with these
words in his mouth, he jumped down from his position,
and an opening being made fur him, be escaped by the back
of the House of Correction. The police came on, and
used their staffs pretty freely, their object evidently Eking
to catch the Chairman, and those connected with him in
the meeting.

The meeting was dispersed in two or three minutes,
running in all directions. Many heads were broken, and
we are sorry, for the character of Engli,hmen, to say that
one policeman, named Robert Cully, letter C 95, was
stabbed through the heart, and died in less than ten mt •
Auks after. Other two men of the same division were

the dense crowd which had now collected ; but the driver,
perhaps fearful of the consequences of his rash conduct in
embai king in the affair, turned round and drove off, amidst
the groans and hisses of the crowd. A man the❑ stood on
the railings, and addressed the people in a most revolu-
tionary speech, and said the Government had threatened
them, so that by exciting their feelings they might be
brought to act offensively, and give a pretext for tbeir
being led to slaughter; but he hoped they would be peace•
able and orderly. A most fearful shout burst from the
lips of the crowd, and showed the people had been roused
almost to a pitch of madness by the revolutionary doctrine
which hail been inculcated in them by their discus-
sions, and they declared their resolve to meet in spite
of law or force. The speaker (who it was said had
suffered imprisonment for a political offence at Birming-
ham) asked them if they would support his wife and
family if he fell a martyr to the cawe—if they would he
would fearlessly speak his mind ; lie was answered by
loud cheers, and an answer in the affirmative. The Union,
who had been anxiously expected all the morning, at that
moment made their appearance, and the acclamations of
the populace were deafening ; then all was silent, whilst
they formed round the speaker. The Union consisted of
about 150 persons, and the following banners were car-
ried :—" Liberty or Death," with a skull and cross bones
on a black ground and red t order, " Holy Alliance of the
Working Classes," " Equal Rights and Equal Justice,"
"a Tri-coloured Flag," " the Republican Flag of Ame-
rica," and a pole with the Cap of Liberty. They had,
however, scarcely got upon the ground before a detach-
ment of the A division (supported by some other divi-
sions), led on by superintendent Murray and inspectors,
marched into Caltherpe-street with the greatest order and
precision. Their promptitude and formidable appearance
seemed to make a momentary impression on the mob, but
a person, pointing to the banner of "Liberty or
Death," shouted " Men, be firm." This was sufficient to
rouse their feelings, and with bitter execrations against
the police he called out " Down with them ; Liberty or
Death," and appeared determined to resist to the utmost,
and their actions bespoke a deadly struggle. " Go on, go
on," resounded from all sides to the speaker. The division
of police had halted in the middle of the street, and re-
ceived renewed orders to act calmly and with forbearance.
They then walked forward, with their staves in their
hands, merely clearing their way through the listless ob-
servers, who had been attracted to the spot, and pressed
forward directly to the man who still continued to address
the mob. The meeting of the parties was terrific. They
were instantly attacked by the mob, but the conflict was
but of a minute's duration, and the sound of the blows,
and the most heartrending shrieks of the women who had
obtruded themselves into danger, and when a slight clear-
ance was effected at least twenty men were prostrate on
tie ground, with blood streaming from their heads, showed
a fearful result. Some were completely stunned, and were
dragged on one side to the steps of the doors ; but the
most melancholy part of the affair remains to be narrated.
The D division had issued from the back of Busbridge's
stab'ea, in Gough-street, and met the crowd. The A
division would have suffered very severely. Sergeant
Harrison of the D division, was the first who seized a
banner, but received a violent blow on the arm. Robert
Cully, C 95,'and his brother, made up to another, when,
dreadful to relate, Cully received a wound in the abdomen,
inflicted by a man who carried the banner, who
was immediately taken. The poor fellow fell back and
instantly expired ; his brother had a severe cut on the
wrist, and Sergeant Brooks was also wounded, besides
several who received tremendous blows, amongst whom
were Sergeant Tierney, A 11, Sergeants Olick and Sin-
clair, A 77, who succeeded in take several banners and
the staves or truncheons alluded to. The people, how-
ever, rallied in the open space by the prison, and made a
short vigorous attack-on the police, which was instantly
and effectually repelled, but riot till they had attempted to
rescue the banner of " Liberty or Death" from Sergeant
Tierney. The police were then formed into lines, extend-
ing across the different streets, for a quarter of a mile round
the place, and every party of three or four was instantly
ordered to " move on." In Gray's Inn•lane, o❑ the N
division clearing the place, one man took a stone to fling
at the policeman who was ordering him off, but his arm
was arrested by another policeman. An united shout of

" Heave it—stone the —," and an immediate
rush of the populace into the middle of the road, where
there were fresh-laid granite stones, ar.d were on the
point of commencing an attack, but a spirited move-
ment of the whole division, and the capture of the
ringleaders, arrested the further progress of the
threatened danger. As the II division were marching from
Coppice-row towards the fields, they were assailed with
groins, and a volley of stones, one of which struck a police-
man on the bead, and cut his hat through. This was sup-
posed to have been thrown from the top of a house in
Margaret-street, the roof being covered with a number of
persons, who indulged in the bitterest invective against the
force. Several persons were arrested iu the street, and had
it not been for an expected rising in the fields, the house
would have been entered. At four o'clock all was clorapa-
ratively tranquil, but it was feared that, froto tha disposition
of the people, evening would brio;; on an organized attack.
The prisoners must he very numerous, as the A and D
division elozo have 25 cr 26, amongst whom is the sup-
poad murderer of the unfortunate Cully, and the speaker
who first cildres,ed the meeting, but from ,he great ex

citensent it was impossible to obtain_ ro3 itive information.
The writer heard from general report, but cannot vouch
for the fact, but is fearful his information is too title, that

a little ',ioy was knocked down and trampled to death;
several persons were about the streets still clinging to their

original design, although they were watched by tba police.
For the conduct of the police too much cannot be said ;
the writer himself had to thtol• them for their forbearance,
or he should have ha 4 many a blow, as he was accidentally
mixed, up with the rioters.

The celerity with which fire arms are manu-
factured, and the high prices paid to workmen in periods
of excitement and demand, are strikingly illustrative of the
perfection to which our countrymen have carried this
branch of manufacture. At Birmingham, during the war,
it was understood that they made a musket per minute,
and the contract price at which they were supplied to the
British Government was 365, each. A serious reduction,
ev place when peace came ; so that the prices
hpoaiwdbe to
by the
thok
eFrench,
in
the contract of 1830, and which
were considered liberal, were about 28 francs, or nearly
235. each gun. For gun locks, which towards the begin-
ning of the previous year only Is. 6d. each was paid, the
manufacturers were glad at the end vi 1830 to give
2e. 6d.—.-.Lardner's Cyclopadia.

body, but that they were obliged to have a certificate
f. om an unscientific body, composed of men who had
served their five years anywhere, and almost in any manner.
Lord SUFFIELD asked whether an English dp oma,
would allow a physician to practise in Aberdeen, and whe -
tier the Scotch were not seeking privileges in England
they were not ready to grant in Scotland ?

The Duke of HAMILTON was understood to ear, he
was not prepared to give the Noble Lord a satisfactory

Lnewer,

The subject was then dropped.
Earl FITZWILLIAM presented a great number of
petitions against slavery, and one from Leeds against the
corn laws.
Lord BARHAM presented a petition from Maplehurst,
and the House
forstehe
veraibetterßiil observance
swerei.o of the Sabbath.
rwludeda
stage,
adjourned.