The Sun.
London, England, 1834-04-22 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS,

The procession of the trades' unions yesterday passed off,
thank God, without the slightest approach to disturbance.
For this result the metropolis is, no doubt, indebted, partly
to the seasonable and earnest warnings of the daily press—
partly to the known, skilful, and formidable arrangements
which were made by the public authorities—and in no small
degree to that circumstance to which we have already
borne a willing testimony, and attached its full impor-
tance—viz., the peaceable and loyal disposition of the
great majority of the working classes themselves, and their
repugnance to be moved by evil counsellors to mischief.
It was published in the Times of yesterday, that any peti-
tion presented by delegates, who collectively formed a
mere offshoot from an assembled multitude then in mo-
tion, and in the immediate neighbourhood of Whitehall,
would not be received by his Majesty's Government,
as it would have been an act of manifest com-
pulsion. The prediction was verified; the peti-
tion was refused ; and we refer for details to
a narrative elsewhere given. But while no reasonable
man can impugn the propriety, indeed the obvious neces-
sity, of the rejection transmitted to the petitioners by Lord
Melbourne, we desire to be understood as by no means
condemning the object of the petition itself. Yesterday,
with the experiment of intimidation still undecided, it would
have been a piece of truckling cowardice to say anything
that could encourage the stimulators of disturbance, or
shake the honest resolution of the ministers, to rebuke and
Put down their audacity. Now, the case is different. The
reprimand has been inflicted ; the scheme of humbling the
royal authority has miserably failed ; the pert projectors of
the exhibition have been sent back by the King's govern-
ment chop-fallen and mortified, to the crowds of poor
fellows whom they had ensnared into the loss of their good
day's wages, and the folly will not, we hope and trust, be
repeated. We are therefore released from the difficulty which
had before deterred us from declaring, in common with
the trades' unions, our sympathy on behalf of three at least
of the unfortunate men who have been banished by the
sentence passed upon them at Dorchester. For the plea
of general ignorance of the nature and tendency of their
own conduct, we admit that it can scarcely be alleged in
favour of the two itinerant preachers, and that the felon
who had passed four months in gaol may not be the fittest
object for mercy; but even as it affects these men the
punishment is grave enough ; and for the other and less
knowing delinquents, it is a harsh and bitter sentence.
With regard to the three latter individuals, therefore, we
join the trades' unions in praying a relaxation of the punish-
ment of seven years' exile ; but if the men have really
been tried for one offence and punished for another—if they
bare been tried for administering unlawful oaths, and had
their sentence aggravated for making such oaths subser-
vient to the purposes of dangerous or offensive combinations
—there is, we apprehend, a case made out for listening to
the prayer of the trades' union ( intended)petition, and of that
which we would concur with the " trades" in prefering to
his Majesty's government. Now, to return to yesterday's
proceedings. On comparing the best authenticated ac-
counts of the multitude which marched through Regent-
street and Cockspur-street to Whitehall, and verifying the
calculations by a variety of checks proposed on the part of
military gentlemen well used to judge of numbers when
put in motion, we can venture to state the muster of
unionists at something between 27,000 and 30,000 men ;-
230 passed by every minute, 12,000 within the hour, and
the movement lasted for two hours and a half, subject
however to occasional stops of perhaps a minute's duration.
We cannot be far out, therefore, in calling it an assemblage
of 29,000 men. Nothing, we must say, could be more
conspicuous than the peaceful and steady behaviour of the
whole procession, nor anything more well tempered or
accommodating than the readiness of the files to admit the
passage where required, not only of persons on foot, but
of horsemen and carriages. So far there was everything
to approve of. Something there was to remark, likewise,
in the downcast looks, and harassed visages of many
successive divisions. We have reason to know, from the
best authority, that thousands of the marchers were but ill
acquainted with the avowed object of the day's adventure ;
and that, by the time they reached the Surrey side of the
water, the wish was general to return to their several
homes. To a close observer many topics of curious re-
flection offered themselves. The general nature of each
trade, as well as its actual state of prosperity or suffering,
seemed stamped in various characters upon the figures of
those who followed it. One striking difference was that
of stature and original robustness of frame ; another was
that of carriage, posture, and complexion ; a third again
in quality and value f apparel. There were visible
all degrees of decency and penury in dress—all shades
of manliness and meanness in deportment—perfect in-
offensiveness in all. Vast numbers volunteered to be sworn
in as special constables from among the shopkeepers and
master tradesmen, the suspension of whose business during
the procession, and throughout the greater portion of the
west end of the town, was extremely lamentable, but will,
by the recollection of it, rouse them, we trust, to greater
energy in their general conduct, and more active union
esmong themselves, as a sound defensive principle. Calcu-
lating, again, on the other side, the gross number of jour-
neymen who struck work for the day at 30,000, and of
poor spectators, who, being idled by reason of the lack of
business everywhere, formed an exterior mob, and lined
the streets, of which the centre was filled by the proces-
sion, at as many more, we cannot estimate the loss of
yvork to the former at less than 7,5001., being an
average of ss. for each workman ; nor that of the latter
glass (2s. each) at lessthan 3,000/. Then their expenditure
epuld scarcely be less than Is. each, making about 3,0001.
more, Thus, about 12,000/. was wasted for one day's
foolery. How will their stupid and hard-hearted chiefs
indemnify the industrious for this cruel reduction of their
comforts? Once more,—we have been called enemies of
the working classes ; but by whom ? By miscreants who
cheat and prey upon them. We are too upright to be
flatterers of the wealthy, and what honest man will dare
charge us with having ever abandoned or betrayed the
poor'? Who has pleaded more strenuously than we have
done for that reform which has put power in the hands of
so many of the working classes? Who has pressed so
vigorously against the landlords the wickedness of their
tax upon the poor man's bread ? Who raised and directed
the public spirit of England against the vile massacre of
the marrafßcturing poor at Peterloo in 1819, when every
man that dared to open his mouth against the Castlereagh
and Sidmouth despotism must have set the Six Acts at
defiance ? Who would now open the poor man's eyes to
pie snares and treacheries which his mock friends are prac-
tising against him, who but this Times journal?—the object
pNvvry villain's vengeance, and of every slanderer's abuse.
On such creatures we disdain to waste words—we despise
mid defy them: As fur the attacks on us by the Tory
journals and the Tory clubs (the frequenters of White's
will know what we mean), their splenetic effusions have
aF.Tised us ; indeed, we forgive their rage, which, it must
be exifessed, is natural. They expected that there would
)De a riot yesterday, which might embarrass the govern-
ment, and the quiet and orderly result owing, as they no
doubt think, in a great measure to our remonstrances and
warnings, has baffled their hopes and covered them with
disappointment and confusion. Hence their explosion of
resentment against the Times. We cannot choose but
laugh it such anger thus occasioned.— Times.

FUNERAL OF THE LATE J. BENTLEY,
WHO WAS KILLED
IN THE RIOTS AT OLDHAM, APRIL 15.

This event, as was expected, produced a most extraor-
dinary sensation. The interment took place at six o'clock,
e,nd the procession started from his late home at five. The
procession was evidently composed of the superior class of
pperative. A number of females formed an imposing part
of the mournful spectacle. There were 256 bands, of six
each, in the procession, united by the customary friendly
Igament of small fingers interlocked with small fingers.
There was a band which played admirably the Dead March
II Saul, and which produced a most solemn effect. The
deceased was a member of the Lodge of Independent Odd
Vellows, and that lodge, with their respective insignia,
formed part of the retinue. The distance was about three
quarters of a mile from the house of the deceased to the
ch4iel, and it took half an hour for the procession to pass,
every ;lich of the way being crowded to suffocation;
every elevation that could by_ any possibility give a sight
of the processipn was literally studded over ; yet all was
order, all regularity.
The interment took place at Hope Chapel (Independent)
Rev. Thomas Fox, minister. The service commenced by
the rev. gentleman reading the 10th psalm • and after-
wards the sth chapter of Corinthians. On finishing the
reading of the Scriptures, he proceeded to the grave, and
commenced a most impressive prayer, to which the utmost
attention was paid—every head uncovered. After prayer,
the rev. gentleman addressed the numerous multitude in
a most plain, faithful, and energetic strain, and in the
way remarking, that not one week had elapsed since his
appearance at chapel as a worshipper and his funeral obse-
quie being performed ; thus remarkably showing the un-
certainty of life, and he called upon all to be ready to give
an account of their stewardship—not knowing how soon an
account of that stewardship might be demanded. He
remarked, that as various opinions would be enter-
tained on the course he should pursue on this occa-
sion, he was wishful it should be understood that he was
not anxious to possess the smiles of the great at the
expense of not doing his duty to God. In this sense he
feared not man. He had higher aims—the approbation of
his Maker ; to whom alone he must finally account. He
passed on by saving that this was no fitting occasion for
debating on politics ; notwithstanding which he assured
his hearers that he had his opinions on such subjects. In
conclusion, he made a most affecting appeal to the widow,
impression that
thoermlaoksseeas
v,graesatoitmtrieys
and utib apearedf
waspinnthe e,
41as , lirdkiitrt, and consolation,mercy her
)iity-of owl Sa • iiilesus Christ, who had promised to
'", ' father to theni.tierless, and a husband to the widow."
"..`" i.;A fter the rev. gentlerri4es address, the 49th psalm of
r:Dr Watts's collection- was! sung by the multitude to the
-old 100th psalm tune. ,idk concourse then dispersed.
-. It is worthy of remark tliat not one individual out of this
ranY"
~ .
'vnag mass but was sol,ei and decorous.
lij.iiii-,