The Sun.
London, England, 1835-06-02 00:00:00

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willing to appear and give their evidence voluntarily.
Still
if, as my Hon. Friend says, an inquiry of that nature would be,
more likely to afford satisfaction to the public than any other,
can have no hesitation in acceding to his suggestion—(Lou
e
cheers)—and am therefore ready to adopt that course.
Mr. O'CONNELL—Whoever is sent down can be fume'
with the commission of the peace for the county.—( Hear.)
Sir HENRY HARDING E—They had heard some kit '
Members condemn, others defend, the conduct of the militalry !
but it appeared from the representation of the Hon. Mem'
for Warsall (Mr. Forster,) that in the estimation of the my
gistrates, and every individual present, their conduct was be-
yond all praise.--( Hear, hear.) He was of opinion, from
what he had heard of the circumstances, that the commandil
officer and soldiers had discharged their duty properly, an
all probability in a manner which had prevented atrocious
scenes, similar to those which the supineness of the militerY
officer at Bristol had encouraged in that town. He wished to
ask the Noble Lord whether, in any of the official reports ue,
had received upon the subject, the conduct of the militaryhao
been in any respect called in question by the magistrates 1111.
der whose orders they had acted?
Lord JOHN RUSSELL—To the question the Righ.l
Hon. Gentleman has put to me, I have to reply, that both
the statement of the magistrates and of the high constable, Si!„
conduct of the military is spoken of as having been marked:,/
the utmost forbearance.—( Hear, hear.) Undoubtedly,
I did not wish, in contradiction to what was stated on the et;
posite side, to enter into any particular facts, because I tboug
my so doing would lead to a debate on the facts in this HI;
I therefore do not now wish to state anything more rhea So;
authority of the magistrates and of the high constable upon 0
point. I think I may be allowed to say generally, that
have that experience of the conduct of the British Arde.
which should prevent our believing, on occasions of this to
scription, either that they would be inclined to violate the
laws of military discipline, or wantonly and cruelly ease) re,
persons in their power.—( Loud cheers.) All I can say 0.0
ply to the Right Hon. Gentleman with regard to what 0,5 e
really the fact on this particular occasion, is, that I will ca ill
an inquiry to be instituted, in which I trust the the truth
be elicited.—( Cheers.) relit
Mr. SC HOL EFIELD hoped the House would Pe, el,
him to read an extract from a letter which he had recelsto
containing an account of the transaction, on which he e! ,a
place the most implicit reliance, as it came from a gentlOoo.
of unimpeachable and unquestionable veracity. (The that
Member here read the extract.) It stated in substance ti'ot
that there was the strongest possible evidence to prove 100
the town was in a state of perfect tranquillity up to the eto
of the poll ; that a stone was thrown at a window, which d,
considered a breach of the peace ; that the Riot Act Was "first
and that the military soon filled the streets; that they ".he
dos or
the
charged in a body, and then separated and galloped d
the streets in parties of three, and two, and singly, firing used
striking all they met—even old men and women. It recoup
a,
one act of individual outrage committed by a soldier, alto,
eluded by describing the occurrences in front of the Doi
much in the same terms as the extract from the Birusin9ger•
Journal which appeared in the newspapers of Y 3.0.
day.) It had given him great pain to hear the Hon.
her for Walsall (Mr. Forster) speak in disparaging terel;oo.
the population of Wolverhampton. He had been long ;le
netted with that part of the country, and knew the pe10)0
well. He had stood a contested election for the PPul of
town of Birmingham, and although party feeling TP. of
high at the time, no instance came under his observalion,
a stone or the slightest missile being discharged. The cold
Member for Walsall aspersed his neighbours, and be of
only say that his opinion was totally at variance from tb''ret s
the Hon. Gentleman. The electors of the boroughitell.
most estimable body of men, peaceable, intelligent, 110"
conducted. Geode'

Mr. FORSTER begged to interrupt the Hon.
man. He had said nothing about the electors. Dtbal
Mr. SCHOLEFIELD resumed—He was quite accar,";O
gentlemen entertaining the Hon. Member's political oPnlr:od
endeavoured to create a disunion between the electersatej
the people. In his judgment the non-electors were as: beta
as the electors. He was sure the non-electors of Birelleir)
were as excellent a set of men as any in that House.
---4,
The case of Bristol had been referred to, in which Witt 0.
tary had done too little. Let them remember the case at here
chester, where the yeomanry had done too much--even M all
there was no resistance on the part of the populace. ryas
events he felt quite certain that it would be a most dangecos-
course to allow the military to be lightly called out shte PO,
tested elections, by men whose opinions were not on that
pular side. Let the House and the people remeor:,:oo of
very few men of liberal opinions were in the Coutorntarily
the Peace in this country. If clergymen would O'P-ft, rola
come forward to read the Riot Act, they must expect tlisi
strong feelings excited against their cloth. Why needld„
voluntarily enter into situations which few men vi(); for'
forced into without shuddering? Why need they eellin-idieti
ward to display their Christian charity by ordering thetis.:,, let;
to fire upon an unarmed multitude ?—( Hear, hear.) "- sea
ter confirmed the statement that the soldiers rode 'Woos
down the streets firing at random, although the tono.e.
perfectly peaceable, and he thought under such eircuMacos-
the House could not but be alive to the necessity of an 0
(hate and impartial inquiry. The letters referred to were
follow :
" We have the strongest evidence to prove that the to-before
tranquil up to the arrival of the military, which was justa'the
the poll closed. About seven o'clock a stone was thrown the
Swan window ; this was considered a breach of the peace ;v.nse
eiet
Riot Act was read, and the military were immediately
upon the people. They first charged in a bowiesy th n toot
rated and galloped up and down the streets in pof three, o•
and even singly, firing at and brutally strikino• all they came Pe-pit
with the flat of their sabres, and even using the point.
old men and even women did not escape their fury, but were ;ect-
vagely beaten and cut down by the ferocious soldiery- 11,#'ssa
able persons at their own windows were wantonly fired e" fires
the town was in fact given up to an infuriated soldiery. Ne, shot
were, I believe, lost ; but a great number received sabre fin
"
wounds. Three boys were severely wounded in the leg' the
it was found necessary to amputate one of the boy's leg9eilf'
others lie in a precarious state. I dare not trust luriotsr
say all I saw and heard ; there was, however, one fiositt
stance which I witnessed that I cannot forbear 5555,0:t sir
and which is sufficient to show the brutal spirit t';n4oo
mated the soldiers on this occasion. I was at an upper ”estl);
in Queen-street ; a soldier was savagely beating a person bel:„
the proprietor humanely opened his door and pulled the 0.7.0ek
the soldier aimed a furious blow at him, which fortunateli 't
the shutter. The soldier then called some othersLand;fVfbl
or six drew up on the opposite side of the street. He arthron,
is a nest of damned scoundrels in that house—we will Jae tb,,e-
the door :' they then coolly put up their sword' and took °b-of to"
fire-arms. I called to them, and told them that no bres,,,„ttir,
peace had been committed, and to fire at their peril ;nititl't
sisted and went away. The same soldier came afterwarna
heard him say to another, There's something suspicions 40:
house—l have a d—d good mind to fire through the deer' „var.:
warned him of the consequences, and he rode off. As a w
stance of the peaceable disposition of the populace, I be_tt., Co
one fact. The street fronting the Swan, where Goodrit'titi
mittee sat, had been newly Macadamized, and a great (171 pia,
loose stones lie about ; yet on the morning after the allege :OW'
counted but four panes of glass broken, some say five: ifitht fev(
the people were so riotously disposed, it is surprising t"s"
windows were broken. of
It is worthy of remark that no person (of the Tory Partnpeo.ll
been hurt, and, as I before mentioned, only four or fir,.B ,„reetall
glass were broken, on the first night, at the Swan• firptsi-
the dragoon's horse that was killed, it appears that the se';‘,.cd
riding furiously- up the market-place, and two of the Ile votio;ii
on getting tip. the horses, it was found that one had been.b
with a sharp instrument between the fourth and fifth
_il,;010 ..a`e
penetrated about five inches, and it is supposed that the et., ys+%
upon one of the soldiers' swords • no one was within tweet., 1. it
of the soldiers at the time : no bullet was found in the h°'".',
not true, therefore, that the horse was shot." gist rsl6
Mr. FORSTER, in explanation, said, that the 111-a ger
under whose orders the military were called out wies.bo
tleman of known liberal opinions, who had supportett,' tigq.
Colonel Anson.—( Hear, hear.) He denied having ntiflot
the character of the population—all he had said 1111; colbe
knew its peculiarity ; it was principally composed 1:"
and persons engaged in iron-works. BUR
OD'
After a few words from Sir CHARLES 13'-'
which were inaudible, Of bin:,
Mr. HUNIE saM, that the Right Hon. Gentletnan noilita%
( Sir H. Hardinge) had spoken of the conduct of there,tit
as if it were free from blame ; of this he was quite
an incr.,
the people expected from the Government that soehLaad been
should take place as would satisfy them that there great
improper conduct.—( Cheers.) He had heard "11r,o'nsider;
gret and astonishment that the Noble Lord did neh-e joqin%;
necessary to send down a special agent to conduct wheliel-to
He must convince the people of this country, t"Et.„rneot,„g
they were unwarrantly attacked they had a Govev-
protect them, and that no injustice would be endure t• coat
he did this, it would be impossible to prevent some g'-ej tee,
vulsion in periods of excitement and irritation. He theh°P
the Noble Lord would give such instructions that „sir
tigation which was to take place should be a perfectlyiel 0001,..°
impartial one, and that all local influence on either 5w..,,d
be avoided. He trusted that the inquiry would be eriteco..stiov
with a deep anxiety to ascertain the truth, and a detere
caltto
on the part of the Government to completely sift th., it 'IA':
It was an unfortunate circumstance, but nevertheie.coor
true, that whether in Ireland, as in the case of Rati, lar_.
or in this case, there never was an instance in willeraliar
chief was done by violence to the people without a c his
p
being concerned in it.—(Cheers.) He hoped that
rio,
C t
jesty's Ministers would take care that no more lc
r• ) be
If
should be appointed to the Magistracy.—( Hear, bee•rt t 0
was the wish of his Majesty's Government to salLP:re,
character of the Church, they ought to remove all Clie
"pier
from the Commission of the Peace.—( Hear, hear.)
c7istactel'
no circumstance which would tend more to raise the
..colovei
of the Church in the eyes of the people than such a ' Cio
In every instance in which the Clergy interfered
erfects
Magistrates, even if their interference was itse" ho
right, it had a bad effect. He would only add that be,noe,ol
that care would be taken by the Government that the
would be perfectly fair and impartial.—( Hear.) )re
An HoN. MEMBER (we understood Mr. Char trin Who
testimony in favour of the Magistrates and frilly-al' tote
conduct he declared to be highly praiseworthy. He r
against the doctrine advanced by the Hon. 11de/fiber led coos
e
verhampton, when he said that he did not see any goo Inuit'
that why the military should ever be eal)ba out in cases of tbsi
Mr. VILLIERS explained. What he said was,
in
should pot fire,
Mr. CH ARLTON could not see what use there
tly fire'
calling in the military at all if they were not allowed.. to
—( Hear.) The military when called upon were oblifnvil
suppress the riots, and in order to do so they inflicted.reoher
that they might prevent a greater evil. The Hon. 761 tbat
then read an extract from a letter, in which it was fits "..9 four
the wound inflicted upon one of the dragoon horses w 7 were
inches and a half deep, while the spurs of the dragooO to
only two inches long, so that it could not be said
is that t 0
MO •
wound was inflicted by the spur,
He would put