The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-09 00:00:00

RIOTS IN MANCHESTER.

MANCHESTER, MARCH B.—Disturbances have com-
menced here, and would seem to have some con-
nexion with a revival of the anti-poor-law agitation of
past times. Last evening a mob of several hundred men
and women assembled in the front of the workhouse in
Tib-street, and, after much yellieg, demanded that all
the inmates should be discharged ; or, as they termed
it, liberated. Of course this demand was not complied
with ; and a strc,ng body of police being immediately on
the spot, persuasive means were resorted to for the re-
moval of the crowd, and eventually, by physical demon-
stration, the rioters were compelled to retire and disperse.
Meanwhile the mayor and magistrates assembled in the
Town-hall, where they are now deliberating on the
best means for preventing or repelling further outrage.
To-morrow (this morning) there is to be a meetingi of
the unemployed, in order to a procession through the
town.

MANCHESTER, MARCH 9, FOUR A.M.—The disturb-
ances in front of the Tib-street workhouse commenced
as early as three o'clock in the afternoon, and it was
not until after seven that the people were driven from
the neighbourhood.
The entire police force are to assemble at their office
at nine o'clock this morning, and will be prepared to act
with promptitude in the repression of outrage. The
Oldham operatives are said to be on the move.

THE RIOTS IN GLASGOW.
(Extract from a letter dated Glasgow, March 7.)
" The town has been in the hands of a most riotous
mob yesterday and to-day ; the banks and all places of
business are shut—the military and special constables
are parading the streets—the mob, however, is increasing,
and a serious conflict is expected to-night. About an
hour ago the military fired and killed two men, and I
much fear this is only the beginning of bloodshed. It
seems there aro only 646 soldiers, and even this number
is made up by getting all that Edinburgh and Stirling
can supply. It is said the mob has attempted to set fire
to the town in several places, and the rioting has ex-
tended to Airdrie and the mining districts. They are
threatening, and have attempted to set fire to the mills
and other public works, that they might get the workers
to join them. I write this at the bar of the Royal
Exchange, before falling into the ranks. I hope all
will be settled to-night."

GLASGOW, TUESLY AFTERNOON.—This morning the
city wore a very disturbed aspect. Groups of low fel-
lows were gathered hero and there in the suburbs, and
so soon as they were removed from one place they
assembled in another. A number of the shops were
opened in the morning, but by 12 o'clock every shop in
the city was closed, and business entirely suspended.
An attempt was made in Main-street, Gorbals, to
resume the work of plunder, but the crowd was soon
dispersed by a troop of Dragoons.
In the eastern suburb of Calton the disposition for
riot was more manifestly exhibited ; and here, we
regret to say, life has been lost. n the course of
the forenoon, Mr. Smart, the assistant superinten-
dent of police, bad captured a fellow who had been
prominent amongst the rioters, and was conveying
him to the office, escorted by a company of armed pen-
sioners (who had been called oat the previous even-
ing). While the party was moving on, the rabble began
to hoot and hiss, and finally to pelt them with stones,
which rattled on the muskets of the pensioners and
almost struck them from their hands. Many of them
were much hurt by these missiles. Having endured the
annoyance for some time, and the mob showing no
disposition to disperse, but, on the contrary, gathering
confidence flew their impunity, the pensioners were

•rdered to charge. They did so, and at the same time .
Poured a volley into the mob. Thice men and a boy
fell, one of them killed on the spot. The latter was shot ,
through the brain. I have seen his body, and he appears
a man about 40 years of age, in the garb of a labourer
or coal porter. Another of the men shot is a respect-
able person, who, the same morning, had called at the
police-office in Calton to suggest the propriety of enrol-
ling all the shopkeepers in Calton as special constables.
lie was wounded in the breast very severely, but not
dangerously, it is hoped. He was amongst the crowd
by accident.
This painful occurrence took place in Main-street,
Bridgeton, and the discharge was the means of making
the mob fly in every direction.
No disposition to riot has been exhibited since. The
city
,is patrolled in every direction by cavalry, the Ist
oyals, the armed pensioners, police, and by special con-
stables. Of the latter there are 6;000 or 7,000. Last
Light the labourers employed by the Gorbals Gravitation
hater Company, forty-two in number, came forward,
headed by their two foremen, and offered their services
to Mr. Sterling, the convener of Vie Police Committee.
They were sworn in lay Bailie Brown and embodied.
TO mention this as showing the spirit of respectable
operatives who have either houses or wages to protect.
The police-offices are filled with plunder, NA hich has
been recovered from the thieves and robbers, including
every description of articles and eatables—hardware,
gold and silver watches, silver plate, tea, butter, scores of
cheeses, &c. These are the plunder of the shops.
In the Gentral District Police-office there are sixty-
six stand of arms, which have been recovered from the
rioters. Many of these were picked off the street as
theY were thrown down by the rioters when they were
charged by the military, and others were recovered in
low houses and lanes. In this office there are upwards
of sixty prisoners, many of whom were captured with
guns and pikes in their hands.
In the Gorbals office there is also a room filled with
recovered plunder, including more than a score of guns,
cutlasses &c. Here there are between twenty and
thirty prisoners. *
also
the Canton and Anderston police-offices there is
luso much recovered plunder, and many prisoners.
The Sheriff-Substitute (Skene) has been sitting dur-
ing the whole day, taking a precognition of the cases of
the prisoners.
Sheriff Alison is sitting with the magistrates in the
Police-buildings, and every precaution is being taken to
Put down this infamous rising of thieves.s
The Sheriff was absent last night during the dis-
tUrbances, but his place was ably filled by Sheriff-Sub-
stitute Bell, who headed the cavalry when they dispersed
the rioters,
Bailie Stewart has just ridden out to the Calton dis-
trict at the head of a troop of Dragoons, but we under-
stand it is more as a measure of precaution than any-
thing else. There has been no more rioting.
The banks are guarded, but are doing their usual
business.
The lower orders have no doubt been inflimed by the
speeches of a parcel of low demagogues; but it is evident
that plunder, not politics, has been the moving spring
to this disgraceful rising.
The following proclamation was issued this morning:—
u
11ROCLAXATION BY THE MAGISTRATES OF GLASGOW
AND SHERIFF OF LANARKSHIRE,
" The Magistrates and Sheriff deeply regret that, not-
withstanding the arrangements which the magistrates
had made, with the assistance of the Relief Commit-
tee,' to provide work and food for the really necessitous
Of the labouring classes, large numbers of lawless per-
setts who have mingled with the unemployed have this
afternoon paraded the principal thoroughfares of the city
a Glasgow in a tumultuous manner, and committed
serious acts of riot and plunder.
" The Riot Act has been read ; many of the inhabi-
tants have come forward and enrolled themselves as
special constables ; and the military, in this and other
districts, have been called to the aid of the civil autho-
rity. Every necessary measure will be taken to repress
outrage ; and the Magistrates and Sheriff, while they
caution the inhabitants in general against assembling in
the streets, or other public places, call upon the well-
disposed of all classes to be aiding to protect property
and maintain the public peace.
" The Magistrates and Sheriff also appeal to the good
sense of the labouring population, to repudiate the
advice and discountenance the proceedings of the evil-
disposed, whose conduct, while it is discreditable to the
city, is calculated to prejudice the interests of the well-
deserving.
"City Chambers, Glasgow, March 6."
We have received a reinforcement of dragoons from
Edinburgh.
Accounts from Glasgow, as late as five o'clock P.M.
Yesterday, announce that the town was then perfectly
tranquil.
GLASGOW, HALF-PAST SIX O'CLOCX. P.M.—The autho-
rities are actively and energetically engaged in prevent-
ing a repetition of last night's disturbance, to which end
a proclamation has been issued this afternoon. All is
quiet at this hour.
GLASGOW, MARCH 8, HALF-PAST SEVEN P.M.—The
rioters seem to be subdued. We have had no additional
disturbance. The special constables are nevertheless
constantly in motion to prevent the gathering of crowds,
or to disperse the knots of disaffected people. The
Military continue at their posts in various parts of the
city. It has been reported during the day, and it is
believed, that the miners of Airdrie and the workmen of
the Calder ironworks there intend coming to the city
this evening, for the purpose of creating a serious dis-
turbance at the Bridgetown mills, at the eastern extra-
laity of Glasgow. A considerable military force is
stationed within the mills so threatened. The banks
have been closed since one, P.M. All business is sus-
pended. The London mail has not arrived.
EDINBURGH, MARCII 8, NINE P.M.--Large crowds
of people have assembled in High-street and its n.•igh-
bourhoocl without any avowed object or manifest pur-
pose ; but we are strong in police and specials. The::
are now out in all directions to disperse the people.
EDINBURG:I, AlAncir 8, ELEVEN P.m.—The crowd
has been dispersed, and the Taliant rioters have disq-
pearedt thanks to a few soaking showers, which have
cleared the streets.