The Sun.
London, England, 1819-10-30 00:00:00

BRITISH METROPOLIS

riends and Fellow-Countrymen-1r- was my in-
tention to have addressed a ward of advice to you
previous to the Meeting proposed to be held iii
Fittsbory-market, on Monday next, the Ist of
November; even if the infamous and scurrilous
falsehoods of Messrs.. Watson anti Thistlewood
had not been published in all the London News-
papers ; hut now it. becomes a ditty I owe to
myself, as well as to you and the public, to be
somewhat mote explicit than 1 should other-
wise have been, relative to the connexion that
has existed between' myself and -the above wor-
thiesA and I l; now of no way that 1 can per-
form this ditty more to my own satisfaction, and
better for the information of the public, thin by
giving a brief outline of what has transpired be-
tween us since my first introduction to them,
wl.ich was immediately preceding the first spa-
fields meeting, on the 151 ii November, 1816: hot
before I do this, one word as to the charges
tnade against nw, of having misapplied two fivd-
r,,,id owes, one subscribed for Major Cart-
wright's election. and the ()flier for the expences
of the first Smithfield Meeting, as detailed in a
private letter bon,. Blandford to Thistlewood.—
As to the fitst, it is totally without foundation,
as shoe rentaios at this time 201. of that subscrip-
tion unexpended ; and as to the latter, what is
the fact Mr. Pearson, after the meeting, gave
me check for 51. to defray certain expences
which arose out of the meeting, for which public
purpose it has been applied, and not • to pity Noy
part
.of tire expences of calling the meeting, in
whit) !wither Mr. Pearson nor myself were in the
remotest degree consulted or concerned ; but if it
were otherwise, can any one believe for a mo-
ment, that if these persons had been informed
that I had received 51. for them, that they would
have had the slightest hesitation in applying to me
fort the money! lint to proceed. Upon my receiving
an invitation, signed Thomas Preston, to artrod the
first meeting to he held in pafields, I was requested
to call in Greystoke-place, from whence I was
directed to a house where I was introduced to 1)1..
liratson and Mr. Thistlewood, tvho. informed me
that they had prepared a document to be submit-
ted to the meeting, which Ott perusing I (fortu-
nately for their necks) prevailed upon them
.to
abandon, and substitute in its stead the memora—
ble petition, which, on being presented to his
Royal Highness the Prince Regent, produced the
next thy an order for the payment of 4,0001.,
front the (twits of the Admiralty to the Spitalfields
Soup Committee. After the meeting they followed
me to my inn, where they brought young Watson
and the famous Mr. Castles, of whom they spoke in
the highest terms of praise, and recommended him
tomy notice as one of the very best fellows that ever
lived : in the course of the evening, circumstances
occurred which convinced me that their very worthy
friend Castles was no better than he 'should be,
and !begged that I might not in future be honotirvil
with his company; honever, they came to the
again the next morning, and brought their blend
Castles with them, to make the (as they said) an
apology fOr his conduct the evening before : but
I peremptorily refused to see him, and I added,
as they those to keep company with such a per-
son, I should decline to have any communication
Stith them till we met in public at the next meet-
ing, on the 2d of December ; at the same time I
seriously admonished Dr. Watson to bewate of
Caries. However, instead of attending to my
advice, and waiting to join me in Sparields at
one o'clock, the hour the meeting was appointed
to he held, they, together with Mr: Castles, im-
patient of controul, assembled at eleven, to set
up, es they are now doing., for themselves, foul
commeoced one of the most contemptible, ridicu-
loos, and mischievous riots that ever disgraced the
most contemptible of plots, when they marched -
off, in true Quixotic array, to attack and take toe
Tower of London, with a dick-stick and a horse-
pistol. This notable undertaking ended in the
escape of young Watson to America, the hanging
of poor Cahhtudit, and, their vety excellent friend
Castles having turned King's evidence, the ttials
of Messrs, Watson, Thistlewood, and Co. for
high treason. In consequence of their base anti
tteacherous conduct towards me, they expect-
ed, as they have since informed me, that I should
have „appeared against them as a witness on the
part of the Crown ; but what was the faci Not-
withstanding they had by their infamous and con-
temptible proceedings placed me in the most im-
minent danger, I attended as a voluntary witness
for them, and gave evidence of the proceedings
and conduct of Castles, which evidence, as I have
been since told, had great weight with the Jnry
in their re.turning a verdict of- " Nett built y."—
Brit, to verily the old adage, " Save it thief from
the gallows, and he will cut your throat," I saw
but little more of 'kr. Thistlewood, after he called
on Me to express Iris gratitude, till he teas einn-
Matted to I-10i filiam-gaol for challenk;ing Lord Sid-

4

month, when, on his release, 1 procured a friend
to oiler bail for him. Dr. Watson 1 considered a re-
claimed "man, and he had access to my lodgings
whenever he called, and he always expressed the
greatest gratitude for my exertions to assist him
in escaping 60111 the fangs of his persecutors. He
called the meeting held in Palace•yard in Septem-
ber, ISIS, and in conjunctiva with Mr. Thistle-
wood called the meetings in Smithfield, without
any other consultation with me than merely in-
viting me to attend after they bad called them,
which meetings all ended peaceably, and without
anY disorder. The meeting to be held in Fins-
bury-mat ket is called under the same auspices ;
and as they have not invited me to attend it, I
should not have intruded myself so much on your
notice, if it had not been for the extraordinary
appeal of Mr.Thistlewood to the nnited liritons and
Irishmen, which, as it looks very much like another
, of hissanad Faiths, I shonl.l be unworthy your eons
fideoce, if I were not to caution you against the
evil consequences likely to result front any thing of
the sort which he takes in hand. In the first place,
do not, my friends, be deceived by his or rather
Dr. kVatson's boasting language. They possess
neither power, influence, talent, nor courage, to
carry any of their mad projects into execution.
Recollect, my friends, that the whole army of
these heroes, Generals Watson, Thistlewood, and
Preston, Lieutenants and all, when they last sum-
moned the Tower of London, fled in dismay at
the flist approach of the military ; nay, oa the
appearance of the fits' soldier, the mighty Gene-
rals scampered off in all directions, in the greatest
disorder, having previoudy surrendered their tri-
coloured standard to Sir James Shaw, an un-
armed individual. These pet-sons now profess
to be very angry with me, because I have celled
Mr. Tiiistlewood a spy, and Dr, Watson a
buss, fellow. But let tt• examine the truth.
I certainly said at the Crown and Anchor, that
the person who had used Si; Chatles Wolseley's
panic as Chairman, without first gaining his con-
sent, acted very improperly, and that who pro-
posed another as Chairman. without Consniting
any one, was o loos/ fellow this unfortunately
Happened to be the Doctor, and as I atu always
uneasy. it 1 unioteniionally or hastily hurt the
feelings of any oir., I commissioned a notionl
friend to say so to the Doctor ; as for Mr. Thistle-
wood, 1 never even hinted that he was a spy, I
never thought him such, although ,many of those
who profess themselves now his friends have said as
notch. I entreat you, my friends, to read
again attentively toy Letter to the Reformers of
the North, and you will see that I accuse him of
110 such thing, even by implication ; I only entitle
to the possibility of his being the unsuspect-
ing instrument in the hands of some hireling of
the Government ; and as I have known that he and
Dr. Watson have been the veriest tools in the
hands of the Government spy, Castles, I think it
very probable, as I also know them both to he
very weak men, that they are now again the no-
swiveling tools of another Castles. My object
in writiog to the North was t 4::• prevent, it pos-
sible,a [meeting at Manchester before the assembly
of Parliament ; that object has been obtained,
1 have received the thanks of the very best friends
of liberty in that country, for frustrating the hopes
of the Government to obtain some pretence for
passing dungeon and gagging bills. They have now
no real or substantial grounds for proceeding to
any such unconstitutional measures. Give them no
such pretence, my ftleods. Then let them pyo-
ceed to pass such laws, without any cause, if they
please ; let us be peaceable, and at least have the
law on our sides,as wehave done at Manchester. Go
to the Meeting if you please, but go determined
to put down any one who attempts to commit
any riot or breactoof the peace : let him be who-
ever he may, seize him and hand him over to the
civil power. We have now got three-fourths of
the people in our favour ; but suffer a few mis-
creants to cause a riot, even it it should be as
wanton, childish, and ridiculous as that on the 2d
December, and we shall immediately have the
balance turned against us. The press and the
Boroughmongers will join in recommending and
passing all sorts of tyrannical laws apinst out
lives and our liberties. By cool and temperate con-
duct, the people of Manchester have gained the
great victory over their enemies : do not you,
therefore, suffer any act of violence to destroy
the progress of that victory.
I am your sincere friend,
Middleton Cottage, Oct. 28. H. HUNT.

The following Letter was yesterday addressed
to Dr. Watson by the Radical Cumuli' tee :
The Committee of Management appointed to carry the in-
tended Meeting on Monday next into effect, have authorised
me to trans►nit to you a respectful and urgent invitation to
take the Chair at the said Meeting.
The Cou►urittee have,been disappointed in the expectation
of the attendance of a Gentleman front Warwickshire, of
known abilities and integrity; and from your long-tried,
faithful, and zealous services, in the cause of au oppressed
and suffering people, the Committee are anxious that you
should do thee► the favour to accept the►r invitation: Your
co►npliauce will oblige, dear Sir,
Your esteemed Friend and Fellow•-Sufferer,
T. BALDWIN,
Chairman of the Committee.
Committee Room, Wych-street, t let. 19, 1819.

The Doctor has returned (he following answer

G LNITLENI EN—I cannot but regret that yo❑ have been disap-
pointed in the Gentleman you had invited to preside at the
important 'Meeting to be held in the Market-place, Finsbut,y-
square, on Monday next. At the same time, 1 beg leare to
assure you, that 1 am deeply impressed with the distinguished
honour you have done me in believing any exertions of
mine in the cause of suffering humanity awl liberty merits so
favourable an opinion as to incline you to consider me worthy
to supply the deficiency.
For particular reasons at this moment, I certainly 6110Uid
have wished that you had made choice of some other person
of greater weight and talent to take that post of honour;
nevertheless, although I find my health considerably impair-
ed, I wave every personal consideration, and shall not fail to
present myself before my friends on that occasion, when, if no
other person will take the post of honciur, and the assembly
accord in opinion that I should take the chair, I will clothe best
its my power to perform my duty in that cause, which every
lione'st man must have so near at heart. Fully convinced,
from my experience of the steadiness and discretion of the
people, they will nut suffer themselves to be irritated into a
breach of the peace, or any PitEln AT CI AL nErEscx, even in
the event of an attack upon their persons, which I cannot
suppose will be made, from the full persuasion that the ene-
mies of the people will always receive a revulsion in the me-
tropolis, which would overwhelm them in the confusion.
1 am, Sir, with the greatest esteem,
Your fellow-sufferer, 3:IIMES WATSON.
Three King's-court, Fleet-street, Oct. 1819.