The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-05 00:00:00

THE CHARTISTS.

MERTHYR.— On Friday last a meeting took place in the
Market-square, which was called a " meeting of the inha-
bitants of Merthyr," but was really a meeting of Chartists,
for the purpose of agreeing to an address to the Queen,
and a petition to Parliament, praying for the restoration
of Frost, Williams, and Jones, from banishment. As no
application had' been made to the Magistrates for permis-
sion to meet, the assembly was clearly illegal, and could
have been dispersed by the civil power; but the Magis-
trates having consulted together, thought the best plan
they could adopt would be to let the business go on, taking
care to be in readiness to act in case of emergency. The
chair was to be taken at one o'clock, but it was nearly
two before business was began. The weather was intensely
cold. When the business was opened there might have
been 200, which number soon doubled; however, before
the close of the proceedings, we find there was about 1,000
to 1,200, although some of the actors in the scene thought
there were 5,000 present ; many came and stopped a very
short time. Mr. Andrew Thomas was called to the chair.
lie introduced a Mr. Black to the assembly, at whose
desire they sang some verses to the tune of " God save
the Queen," praying for God to save Frost, and send him
back. The Chairman then explained the business of the
meeting, and exhorted them to be orderly and quiet in
their
.behaviour. He then read communicetions to the
clergy, inviting their presence, to which there were no
answers. An application had been made at half-past
nine on Thursday night to Mr. J. Hooper Davies, the
High
.Constable, requesting him to preside, which be
briefly declined. Mr. John, a dissenting minister in
Merthyr, addressed the meeting in the Welsh lan-
guage, and moved the fullewing resolution :—" That
this meeting is of opinion that the sentence of death,
commuted into transportation for life, passed upon
John Frost, Zephaniah Williams, and William
Jones, was not justified .by the law of this kingdom."
A Mr. Gould, one of the workmen, who spoke with a
power and eloquence:that produced a considerable effect on
the assembly, seconded the motion, which was carried by
acclamation. Mr. David John, jun., in Welsh, proposed
the second resolution, as follows : —" That this mectries is
of opinion that the judgment of two out of the three"
Judges being in favour of the prisoners, upon a point of
law, was sufficient ground for their full acquittal." Tee
three preceding speakers confined their observations and
arguments pretty closely to the question before the meet-
ing, with here and there a comment on some political to-
pic. They d welt much on the circumstance of the Judges
being divided in opinion as to the legality of the proceed.
legs on the trial of the prisoners, and then on the differ..
enema of opinion among the Lfteen Judges, arguing that
the Government from hence ought to have leaned to the
side of mercy. Mr. Bartlett seconded the resolution; and
in doing so cut a very poor figure as an orator, when com-
pared to the warm and impassioned speakers who addressed
the assembly in Welsh. Another resolution was moved
by one Richard Jones, a man with an apron on, who
seemed to have stopped on his way with a parcel, to
harangue the meeting. The resolution was to the effect
that it was the bounden duty of the Ministers to cause the
restoration of the accused to their native country. His
discourse was not without humour, but it went so far be-
yond the subject, and was of so inflammatory a nature,
that he received hints from the Chairman and others to
discontinue his speech. Mr. Black again spoke. He
seconded the resolution, which was agreed to In the
course of his speech he said he would never rest until he
had procured the restoration of Frost, Williams, and Jones
to the land of their birth. They should use all constitu-
tional and peaceable means to obtain this end : but they
must obtain it. This observation was very loudly cheered
Mr. David John then read the address to the Queen. Mr.
Morgan Williams proposed and read a respectful petition
to Parliament, which was agreed to unanimously. Cheers
were given for several individuals, and the meeting quietly
separated a little after three. Frost's sort was present, as
was also a son of Williams. The former thanked them
on behalf of his mother. Sir John Guest, Bart., M. P.,
and Anthony Hill, Esq., two of her Majesty's Justices of
the Peace, were in attendance at the Castle Hotel, in case
of their presence being required.— Welchrnan.
In the early part of the week the walls of the town were
posted w:th the following notice :—" A public meeting fur
the purpose of petitioning Parliament for the liberation of
Frost, Williams, and Jones, and the immediate release of
all political prisoners, will be held on Friday, January 1,
1841, at one o'clock in the afternoon, in a field adjoining
the Salutation Inn, Newport- Friends from Bristol, Mer-
thyr Tydvill, Bleckwood, Abercarne, and Tredegar, will
address the meeting. An address in the Welsh language
wi:l also be delivered —F. W. Simeon, printer, Temple-
street, Bristol."— It will be observed that the bill does
not bear the name of eny inhabitant of this town, and
moreover that it was printed in Bristol, from whence it
might be concluded that the movement was altogether got
up by some of those restless and designing strangers who
inflicted so much injury on the country last year, and who
brought down ruin and desolation on many an innocent
family. Although many persons entertained doubts whether
I the Chartists seriously intended again to hold a public
meeting in Newport, yet the Magistrates of the county and
of the borough were at their posts, and took measures for
the purpose of insuring the preservation of the public peace.
On Thursday last the following notice was issued by the
Magistrates, and extensively circulated through the bo-
rough :—" Borough of Newport, County of Monmouth.—
Whereas notices have been circulated to convene a Public
Meeting to be holden in a field adjoining the Salutation
Inn, within the said borough, on Friday, the Ist day of
January, 1841, for the purpose of petitioning Parliament
for the liberation of Frost, Williams, and Jones, and the
immediate release of all political prisoners ; and it is stated
that such meeting will be addressed by Friends from
Bristol, Merthyr Tydvill, Blackwood, Abercarne, and Tre-
deg -r.' Now, we, the undersigned, Justices of the said bo.
rough, perceiving that the notice for convening the meeting
does not bear the signature of any of the inhabitants of the said
borough, and being apprehensive that the said meeting may
occasion or tend to a breach of the peace, do hereby strongly
advise all persons to abstain from attending at the time and
place appointed for the holding thereof, and we give this
public notice that we have ordered and directed the offi-
cers intrusted with the preservation of the peace within the
said borough, to be vigilant and active in the execution
their duty, and to apprehend and bring to justice all per-
sona who may offend against the law. Given under our
hands, within the said borough, this 31st day of December,
1840—Thomas Hughes, Wm. Brewer, Thomas Hawkins,
—At one o'clock, the hour appointed for the meeting,
there were but a few boys in the field, There was, how-
ever, a cart there, from which it appeared that some pre-
paration bad been made. About two o'clock there were
four or five men in the cart, one of whom, a stranger to us,
moved that John Williams, a sailmaker, should take the
chair. This was done, when a third person moved the first re-
solution. In doing so, he alluded to the conviction of Frost,
Williams, and Jones, declared it tube illegal, and exhorted
the meeting resolutely to demand the return of the convicts,
and that their demands should be conceded. A petition
to her Majesty was then read, praying that her Majesty
would grant a free pardon to Frost, Williams, and Jones,
and order the immediate liberation of all political priso-
ners now suffering incarceration. The meeting was ad-
dressed by Messrs. George Black of Llanidloes, Lloyd of
Bristol, and Cronin of Newport. We beard the number
assembled differently e.,tim ited, but from our own observa-
tion, we should say that, when most numerous, it did not
' Williams, and Jones, for
exceed too persons. The meeting separated quietly, after
givingFeirg u several voe r,acl 0 cheersnnor
andfo Frontfr
the Chairman and three
cheers were ulso proposed for Mr. Mullock, ier the use of
the field, but the call was not responded to. We observed
on the field during the day, besides the borough magistrates
—Messrs. Hughes (mayor). Brewer, and Hawkins—Mr.
Blewitt, Deputy-Lieutenant of the county, Mr. Octavius
Morgan, the Rev. James Coles, Colonel Browne, of the
Rifles, and Mr. T. J. Phillips, clerk to the magistrates.—
The Merlin of Newport.