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

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENIN G, APRIII 11, 1848

► working classes—if those excitements to crime, of which
they had seen so much, had been successful, and this
o wn had been made the scene of confusion and blood-
shed?—(Hear, hear.) And, what was the state of the
case when, owing to the staid, admirable, and magnani-
mous conduct of the great body of the people—(Cheers)
—when, owing to the respect which the people pay to
the name and authority of the law, to the attachment
and love which they bore their institutions—when,
owing to the respect and confidence which they reposed
in those demonstrations of force which the Government
had at its command, and which thus backed became
more powerful, but which, without the assistance of
the great body of the people could no more keep
the peace of London than it had been pre-
served at Berlin, Vienna, or Milan—the peace of the
metropolis had been maintained?—(Hear, hear.) This
power had been quite successful. And when they
contrasted the situation in which they stood with what
it would have been had the event been otherwise, there
was no man but must put a higher value on the peace
and security of society, on which not only the progress
of institutions but the daily comforts and even the daily
subsistence of the great body of the people mainly de-
pended. He assured the Hon. Member for Finsbury
that he would not be a party to the introduction of this
Bill if he believed that the liberties of this country would
in any way be infringed by it.—(Hear, hear.) He be-
lieved that the power of discussion, whether by the
press or in public meetings, would be enjoyed as fully by
the country, after this Bill passed, as it was now enjoyed.
—(Hear, hear.) But, at the same time, he believed that
some reckless persons would be checked in their career,
and that, while those who rose in arms would be strictly
punished by the law, those who excited others to such
offences would be no longer safe in their impunity.—
(Cheers.) It was for this purpose that he sked them
to agree to the second reading of the Bill. If he was
told that this was a coercion Bill for Ireland, it was the
same as was proposed for England and Scotland, and he
hoped with confidence that a large majority of the House
would consent to the second reading.—(Cheers).
Mr. HORS MAN rose to address the House, but the
cries of " Divide, divide," preventing him from being
heard, he moved that the debate be adjourned.
Mr. HUME seconded the amendment.
Lord J. RUSSELL called upon the House to hear
the Hon. Member.
Mr. HORSMAN then withdrew his amendment, and
said he should vote for the second reading of the Bill,
in the hope that the Noble Lord would omit that part
of the measure which precluded " open and advised
speaking." The precedent for such a course was afforded
by Lord Granville, who withdrew these very words from
the identical Bill—which then passed into an Act it
was now proposed to modify.
Mr. HINDLEY said he should be ready to support
the second reading on the same conditions.
The House divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading 462
Against it 35
Maj on ty
Sir G. GREY moved that the House do go into Com-
mittee on the Bill.
Mr. AGLIONBY objected to the transportation clause
of the Bill.
Mr. J. O'CONNELL said that he hoped Ireland
would be struck out of the Bill.—(A laugh.)
Mr. HUME, believing that the Bill was an attack on
the constitution, by which the Government would be
weakened, and believing also that the Ministers were
urged on by those who only supported in order to betray
them, earnestly begged Ministers to delay the progress
of the Bill, so as to let the country know what it really
was. He proposed that Monday next should be fixed
for the Committee.
Sir GEORGE GREY urged that it would be a mercy
to those who were now being goaded into rebellion to
let the Bill pass as speedily as possible. If the House
would consent to meet to- morrow at twelve o'clock, he
would be content with committing the Bill pro forma,
merely for the purpose of making some verbal amend-
ments.
Mr. HUME had no objection to this course.
Mr. J. O'CONNELL would not yield his precedence
on the following day.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that the Hon. Member
would be able to bring forward his motion at the usual
hour of sitting in the evening, when he would have
precedence.
Mr. GARDNER said, that although he was a young
Member—(oh, oh)—he appealed to the House.—(ob,
oh.) He begged only to be heard.—(Oh, oh.) He
would not detain—(Oh.) The cries of " Oh" at

CHARTIST DEMONSTRATION.
KENNINGTON COMMON.
A portion of the following appeared in our Fourth and
Fifth Editions of last night:—
A.I-Jout half-past two o'clock the waggons which had
Previously contained the petition and the members of
the Convention were drawn off the common and for-
warded to a livery stable in the neighbourhood.
lVte
else
es t
ed elections
have been
boroughvariouso
f Lambethoccasions
and
con
thatwhere, and we are most decidedly of opinion the number of persons present on the
common did not at any time exceed that which we have
seen upon other occasions. It is a matter of congra-
tulation that the demonstration has ended so peaceably.
Too great praise cannot be bestowed upon the autho-
rities for the manner in which they have carried out
their arrangements. There was not a single person
connected with the police or military force present
upon the occasion to offer the slightest disturbance or in-
duce the least provocation. A person on horseback, how-
ever, rode several times round the common, and informed
the people in the most courteous manner, that immediately
upon the meeting breaking up the persons present
would be expected to disperse quietly and peaceably.
We believe
that not a single accident worthy of note
took place throughout the whole proceedings.
At the conclusion of the meeting on the common it
was announced by Mr. E. Jones, from the waggon, that
a meeting would be held to night at the South-London
Chartist Hall, in the Blackfriars-road.
It is satisfactory to state, up to the time of our going
to press with this Edition, that no disturbance of the
public peace has taken place. The demonstration has
passed off as peaceably as we stated we believed it
would, in writing our reports for the earlier
editions of The Sun. Up to this hour it would
seem that the apprehensions of an outbreak have not yet
left the minds of the public, as the shops which were
closed in the morning remain so now, with very few ex-
ceptions. It may be said with truth that business has been
almost suspended In the leading thoroughfares of the
metropolis during the whole of. the day. The special
constables remain, with very few exceptions, at their posts,
and many will not be relieved of their duties until nine
o'clock, or even later, should any outbreak be intended.
The conduct of the demonstration in not going in pro
cession is spoken harshly of by many unthinking per-
sons, who no doubt would have been gratified had it
been our painful duty to have announced loss of life as the
result of what, considering the determination of the
Government, would have been foolhardiness in the
extreme. The proceedings in the Convention to-
morrow, after the " split" of to-day, will be more than
usually interesting.

PRESERVATION OF THE PEACE
OF THE METROPOLIS.
From the commencement of the day the authorities of
the Home. office were in constant communication with
the Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police, the
Horse Guards, the Electric Telegraph, Mansion-house,
and other public offices and authorities in the city of
London and Westminster for the preservation of the
public peace, and preventing riot and tumult on pre-
senting the Chartist petition. The extraordinarynuz-
ber of special constables who came forward on t
occasion fell very little short of 250,000 persons of the
most respectable class of society. The Lord Mayor was
at the Mansion-house for the purpose of receiving com-
munications and acting as circumstances might require.
The Royal Exchange was closed to the public, but
formed a rendezvous to about 1,000 special constables and
police. The Hall of Commerce was another resort for
the police and constables under the direction of Captain
Back and Mr. Bannister, the celebrated butcher to her
Majesty. The South Sea House, Haberdashers,
Drapers, Merchant Tailors, Grocers' Goldsmiths',
and other City Companies, were supplied with a large
number of police and constables ready to act. The
plan adopted for the protection of the City wards was
admirable, and the instructions given:to the City Com-
missioner, as to the respective positions to be taken by
the officers under his control, who were distributed in
different divisions under this superintendence, proved
extremely convenient for communicating with the Lord
Mayor. The gentlemen of the Stock Exchange, with
their white ribbons round their arms and staves,:marched
through the City as far as Blackfriars-bridge, and
remained there until the information arrived of the
breaking up of the meeting. It is most gratifying to
know that the most complete preparations were made at
all points for the protection of property and life. The
police at all parts of the town were arranged in the most
judicious and effective manner. The special constables,
as a body, acted with perseverance; the_ appearance of
the civil power is peculiarly English, and forms a re-
markable difference with all foreign proceedings' com-
posed as they are from the peer of the House of Lords
to the hard working coal whipper on the Thames, each
defending his own liberty, property, and fireside. If it
is possible to judge from the conduct of the citizens of
London, nothing can be more certain than that rioters
would very soon find out that they had miscalculated
their chances of success in London. The health of the
Queen and the royal family was drunk at all the public
places by the special constables, arid the utmost loyalty
appeared to reign throughout every ramification of the
different departments.
In addition to the above precaution, at an early hour
four detachments of the PensiOners arrived by steam-
boats at Blackfriars-bridge. Two detachments imme-
diately occupied the end houses of Chatham-place, over-
looking the river and commanding the bridges; and the
other two occupied the Royal Hotel and the Equitable
Assurance Office. Bridewell was also occupied by a
detachment of the Grenadier Guards. The demeanor
of the troops and pensioners was admirable. They all
evinced the most perfect steadiness and good temper.
They seemed to feel that they were performing an im-
portant duty, and kept themselves ought of sight in the
most unobtrusive way possible.
We have reason to believe that the Lord Mayor and
the Commissioner of the City Police had an interview on
Sunday at the Home-office, with Sir George Grey and
the Commissioners of the Metropolitan Police, when
final regulations were made as to the course to be
adopted, and placed in the hands of the autho-
rities, and throughout the whole of Sunday night,
the principal officers of the City force were occu-
pied at the several stations in preparation to carry the
instructions into effect: Apart from the innumerable
special constables, who assembled at the various
wards under the Aldermen, and the greater part of
whom was provided with staves and armlets ; upwards
of 2,000 of the younger and more active " specials "
were selected by the Aldermen, and placed in direct com-
munication with the City police under the Commissioner.
This latter body had received instructions to take up
positions at the Cross Keys in Gracechurch-street, the
Royal Exchange, which was placed at the complete dis-
posal of Mr. Harvey, and Bridewell Hospital ; and as
they mustered at the several places of appointment they
were immediately marshalled into bodies of 100 each,
and again subdivided into twenties, and placed under the
command of captains and sergeants of their own selec-
tion with inspectors of the City police force controlling
the whole. At eleven o'clock the police and special
constables marched in large bodies to the three bridges,
and took up their station there, in immediate communi-
cation with the metropolitan constables, who attended
at each in great numbers. As from previous com-
munications it was inferred that the Chartists would
proceed with the petition from Kennington common to
the House of Commons over Blackfriars-bridge, that
station was the point at which the most formidable
resistance was contemplated. It was generally believed
in the City that the Government had determined at the
latest council to offer no obstacle whatever to the assem-
bling of the people at Kennington-common, or to their
progress from thenee with the petition to whichever
bridge their movements might indicate their intentioirto
pass over ; but that it was resolved that every resist-
ance should be offered to any greater number than ten
of the petitioning body going over any bridge ; such
resistance to be left, in the first instance, to the manage-
ment of the civil force, the military to be called upon in
the event of the inadequacy of that power, for which
purpose most formidable bodies of cavalry and infantry
were stationed in the neighbourhood of the bridges, but
out of the sight of the people, under the special com-
mand of General Brotherton.
The wish amongst numbers of the special constables,
who were thus crowded together in enormous masses,
was, that those who caused so much annoyance to them,
and such serious injury to the trade of the metropolis,
might be " pitched into," and there were certainly not
a few who expressed an anxiety to be engaged in inflict-
ing summary punishment. Most assuredly the arrange-
ments made by the city authorities were such as to
justify a larger or nobler object, for it is scarcely pos-
sible to exaggerate the exertions and sacrifices which
have been made by all classes in the city. The conduct
of the police and the special constables will, we under-
stand, be the subject of a commendatory resolution in
the next Court of Aldermen. It was a source of
much gratification to the citizens to witness the
cordial co-operation, and the absence of all jealousy,
between the Metropolitan and City forces. The Com-
missioners of the Metropolitan police and the Commis-
sioner of the City police were observed in frequent com-
munication on Blackfriars- bridge during the early part
of the day.
MARYLESONE.—Yesterday the greater part of the day
was taken up by the swearing in of special constables,
and from ten till five no fewer than from 400 to 500
persons, the majority of them being of the highest re-
spectability, received their appointments from the sit-
ting magistrate.
THE PARISH Or ST. MARTIN'S-IN• THE-FIELDS.—
Yesterday morning, between seven and eight o'clock,
the special constables of this parish assembled in the
vestry-room, the Earl of Arundel and Surrey being the
commanding officer. There were about 2,000 sworn in.
They were arranged in ten divisions, under the com-
mand of captains and lieutenants, and patrolled the
various streets throughout the parish, being relieved
every two hours.
THE PARISH or ST. JAMES, WES MINSTER.--The
special constables of this parish met in the vestry-room
adjoining the church. The Earl de Grey was chosen as
their command officer, and the Earl of Eglinton was tho
second in command. There were about 1,500 sworn in,
the greater majority of whom remained in the church-
yard. About two o'clock, Mr. Osborne, the Member for
Middlesex, arrived; and stated that the proceedings at
Kennington common were at an end.
Sr.GEORGE, Hanovna-SQUARE.--There were about
4,000 special constables sworn in for this parish. About
eight o'clock, the Earl of Strafford, the general, and the
Earl Delawarr, the leader, arrived at the board-room of
the workhouse, Mount-street, Hanover-square;
atwhich
pr sent.
time a large body of the special constables w
They were formed in eight divisions, under theer
of the Duke of Leeds, the Earl of Luaan,C. em
Earlmeni a nd
the
of
Harrowby, Viscount Cantilupe, Colonel Griffiths, Mr
Stokes, Mr. T. Dowbiggin, and Mr. Arber. The con-
stables were arranged in sections, and patrolled the
various streets of the parish.
WANDSWOBTIG—On Sunday Mr. Bedton attended to

length completely drowned the Hon. Member's voice,
who sat down for a moment, and then rose and moved
that the House do now adjourn. [A desultory conver-
sation ensued, during which Sir G. Grey and Lord J.
Russell urged the Hon. Member to withdraw his motion
and speak to the question.] Mr. Gardner withdrew his
motion, and said that ho had taken the course which he
had done merely in order to be able to deliver his sen-
timents on the Bill, as he had not been able to catch the
Speaker's eye. The reasons urged by the Noble Lord
(J. Russell) were all against the Bill. He objected to
the Bill as curtailing that freedom of speech which was
one of the most essential privileges of the British
people. Some violent language of Mr. Mitchell had been
quoted as its justification; but, he asked, would Govern-
ment have cared for such language had it not been ad-
dressed to a people smarting under misery and injustice?
—(Hear, hear.) When the people demanded justice,
every delay was interposed; but when coercion was con-
templated, precipitation was the order of the day.—
(Question, question.) He believed he was giving a vote
in favour of order, and on Conservative principles, in
opposing every constitutional obstacle to the progress of
this measure —(Hear, hear.)
Mr. AGLIONBY hoped that the suggestion he had
offered in the early part of the evening, with reference
to the third clause, would be attended to by Govern-
ment.—(The object of the Honourable Member's sug-
gestion was to make a distinction between spoken and
written treason.)

Mr. F. O'CONNOR wished for postponement, and
grounded his request on the speech of the Hon. and
Learned Solicitor-General. He considered that that
lion. and Learned Gentleman's explanation of the de-
finitions of the Bill was most ambiguous. He (Mr.
O'Connor) should give every opposition in his power to
what he conceived to be a most unconstitutional propo
sition. He conceived that Government had acted most
unconstitutionally in tacking themselves to the Crown
in this BilL Take a case. As soon as this Bill became
law lie should raise the cry from one end of the country
to the other of " Down with the Whigs." Would he
not in doing so make himself obnoxious to its provi-
sions ?—(Hear, hear.) The Bill might check agitation
but only to put in its place secret plots and conspiracy.
There was no man in that House rejoiced more than he
did at the way in which that day had passed off.—(Cries
of " Oh, oh.") But London was not England, and they
did not know how their conduct would be estimated in
the provinces.
Mr. J. O'CONNELL said be had a motion on the
paper for this day, and claimed precedence for it at the
next sitting of the House.

Lord J. RUSSELL said that the Hon. Member's mo-
tion for the repeal of the union would come on exactly
at the same hour, whether the House sat at twelve
o'clock or not. _ _

Mr. HUME considered that the Hon. Member for
Limerick had a right to precedence. With these views
he should move as an amendment that the Bill should
be committed that day week.
Mr. WAKLEY seconded the amendment.
The House divided, when there appeared---

For the motion
For the amendment
Majority
A motion was then made that the House do now
adjourn, upon which the House again divided, when
there appeared—
Ayes
Noes
Majority
On our return to the gallery we found
Mr. G. THOMPSON contending that the measure
would not give security to the Crown or the people.—
(Oh, oh.) They were now legislating on liberty of

ihotight-Lon liberty of speech—a right that was not
given by human enactment, and which ought never to
be taken away by human enactment.—(" Oh, oh," and
" Hear, hear.") They were making it felony by this
Bill to deny the divine right of the Sovereign—(Hear,
hear)—or to advocate the separation of any part of the
empire.—(Hear, hear.) They were about to admit
those who denied the divinity of the Saviour—(" Ques-
tion, question")—and they were now to make it felony
to call in question the divine right of the Sovereign.—
(" Oh, oh," and " Question, question.") He defied
Honourable Members to point to one act on the part of
the people that day, or previously, which evinced any
intention or desire to commit an act of violence; and
yet the Government had thought it necessary to make
preparations of the most horrid and unexampled de-
scription for their slaughter.—(Loud cries of " Oh, oh,"
groans, and other interruptions.) He was determined
not to bear any share in the responsibility of the
measure, and he, therefore, moved that the House do
now adjourn.
Mr. WAKLEY said the whole question was, whether
the adjournment should be to " this day" or " to-
morrow."

Sir G. GREY had no objection to say " to-morrow,"
if the lion. Member would guarantee that the Bill
would be allowed to take precedence oa that day. But
Wednesday not being a Government day, without such
pledge he could not consent, and must ask the House to
support him.—(Cheers.)
The House then divided, when there appeared—
For adjournment-- 24
Against it
ait
The Bill was orderMedjor yto be committed to-morrow
(this day) at twelve o'clock.
We were informed that, during our exclusion from the
gallery, Mr. F. O'Connor was discovered fast asleep on
one of the benches of the House when the Members re-
turned into the House from the lobbies. Thin circum-
stance was duly reported by the tellers to the Speaker,
and the lion. Member was thereupon awakened, and
required to say whether he voted with the Ayes or the
Noes ? The Hon. Member voted with the Ayes, which
provoked much merriment, his vote being, as we under-
stood, at variance with that which he had just before

given. -
The House than adjourned, at Half-past One o'clock,
to Twelve o'clock to-morrow (this day).

ABD-EL-ILADEB.—The Provisional Government of
the French Republic has just given orders for the speedy
removal of Abd-el-Kader and his suite to the castle of
Pau. The Commander of the Engineers of that place
has sent to a journal the following as the substance of
the orders which he has received :—" The persons to be
with Abd-el Fader are three oftis brothers, his brother-
in-law, and three or four near relations. Each of these
persons has a family composed of one or two wives end
several children, and each family has one or more ser-
vants. The whole number will be at least 40 persons.'

this court for several hours, and with the assi,tance of
Mr. A. Taylor, the chief clerk, swore in some hundreds
of special constables. Yesterday Mr. Paynter attended
long before the usual time, and was completely besieged
by persons of all classes desirous of acting as special
constables. The whole of the students at the College
of Civil Engineers tendered themselves, and were ac-
cepted as special constables.

LAMBETH.—Yesterday morning, at nine o'clock, Mr.
Elliott, who was magistrate for the day, arrived at the
I court, and shortly after a vast crowd of respectable per-
' persons were i❑ attendance to be sworn in as special
constables. Amongst the gentlemen who attended were
111esrs. Maudslay and Field, the extensive engineers in
the Westminster-road. Mr. Maudslay, addressing Mr.
Elliott, observed he was sorry to see in a morning paper
that it had been asserted by some of the speakers at tht
Convention that it was the intention of his men to join
in the Chartist procession. This he (Mr. Mandalay)
believed to be untrue, and the best proof of this was,
that not more than forty of the men, out of upwards of
700, were absent from their work, and this number on a
Monday wss not at all unusual.
The whole of the parties in the employment of Messrs.
Clowes, printers, in Duke-street, Stamford-street, nearly
300 in number, were also sworn in as specials.