The Sun.
London, England, 1819-09-24 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK MEETING.

In consequence of a Requisition sent to the
High Bailiff, a Meeting was yesterday convened
at the Town Hall, in the Borough, for the our-
s tioee of taking into consideration the late pro-
ceedings at Manchester.
ter one o'clock the High Bailiff entered the Hall.
accompanied by Sir ROBERT WILSON, and several
other Gentlemen who had been active in calling
the Meeting.
.The answer of the High Bailiff to the Requisi-
tion having been re, ;
The HIGH BAILIFF said, the RecrisitiOn under
which the present Meeting was convened, having
been most respectably signed, was complied with,
in the confident hope !hag the Electors of South-
k would art in a manner worthy of the isiba-
-` titants of teat populous appendage to the Metro-
polis of the British Empire. -He trusted that they
'would take no step which was calculated to injure
it good cause, or countenance a bad one; that
their whole proceedings would be such-as wool''
show their inviolable attachment to the establish-
tti laws and institfttions of the country, and their
4letermination to preserve and support them, and
uphold the constituted Authorities.
The Requisition was then, pro forma, read,
and
Mr. WETHERSTONE moved that the Meeting
shoeld adjourn to the open air. He did so on the
ground that the Town Hall was too small to af-
ford sufficient accommodation on the present oc-
casion. He hoped that the Gentlemen connected
kith the Press would have every accommodation
afforded to them for the discharge of their melte,.
"us 'tray, that there should be no pretence for
tuisrepresenting the- proceedings of the day. He
bY no means meant to apply any invidioos alin-
sion to the Reporters, who were, he believed,
roost zealous and faithful to the discharge of their
ditties. He, indeed, principally applied his allu-
sion to the Government Prints, and to one in par-
ticular, which was so pre-eminent in misrepre-
sentation, that be believed iu no instance, not
"ell by accident, bad it let fail one word of truth,
'wiser) touching upon the feelings and proceedings
of the pe-ople throughout the country.
Pi The HIGH Baum. said he had previously given
elirections to provide for the accommodation of the
c
fentlemen connected with the Newspapers, and
announced himself to be ready to proceed to the
hustings.
naA.
, stoonroment then took place, and the High
tar and the other Gentlemen left the Town
, end passed into a waggon, which, with
ar-Wrayr waggon and two carts, had been ranged
j
front of the Hall to serve as hustings.
_ The HIGH Baieter, who was loudly greeted
several' minutes atter he took the Chair on the
luslings: opened the buiiness of the day by read-
ing the Requisition, and by entreating silence and
i Tpartialify from the ithmense assemblage present.
t
.begged -permission to wear his hat, owing to
the debility he laboured under from long indispo-
"oll, a permission which Was granted, with the
tvident expression of regret for the cause, from
ell who were-present, and who observed the im-
l)4rtiality and independence of this upright public
officer.

Nr., HALL opened the business of the day. He
Ht sorne length enforced the-necessity of demand-
g the restoration of those rights which all Eng-
lishmen cmght to possesi. They were not now
E4sembleit to discuss the merits of any particular
Plan of Reform, but they were called upon to
Indre in defence of their liberties against a Go-
leroment who had long sought to subject the peo.
of this country to a military despotism. Re-
ruing to the late proceedings, which be regarded
as tending to deny the right of the people to
4).'ett for the purpose of discussing political ques-
tr",s. he inquired, it such restriction were the in-
fot the past which they bud so uften been

4. That the blood shed upon this occasion de-
mands that justice which trial by Jury•aflords;
and those who oppose such justice being granted,
render their elves confederates of the original
guilty parties.
5. That this meeting sees with indignation the
advisers of the Crown have, without investiga-
tion, approved these criminal proceedings, and
that they have tuortor insidiously opposed im-
pediments to the prosecution of the offenders, by
a refusal to grant "an immediate and effectual
enquiry into the outrages that have been commit-
ted, and to cause the guilty perpetrators thereof
to he brought to signal and condign punish-
ment;" and that they have thereby afforded ano-
ther proof of their disposition to establish a mili-
tary despotism.

6. That it appears to this Meeting the Ministers
have by such conduct proved themselves unwor-
thy of the coutidence of the Regent ; and that the
continuance in office- of the professed supporters
of a system of military government, cruelty, and
injustice, is fatal to the liberties of the country
and safety of the people.
7. That is the opinion ,of this Meeting, since
the Ministers of the Crown have identified them-
selves. with the transactions on the fatal 16ih
of August, at Manchester, by 80vising the
Prince Regent to approve the conduct pursued
on that occasion by"the Magistrates and Yen,
manly. and since they have moreover advised his
Royal Highness, in answer to the Common Coun-
cil of the City of London, to refuse their prayer
for an immediate and effectual inquiry ; that un-
der such circumstances it would be useless and in-
expedient again to petition the Executive Autho-
rity w hilst his Councils are directed by the pre-
sent Official Advisers.

8. That being reduced to this situation, this
Meeting does recommend to all counties, cities,
boroughs, and parishes, throughout the United
Kingdom, to assemble forthwith, anti call aloud
for the trial and punishment of thOse•who shall be
proved to have inhumanly violated the laws ; to
raise at the same time their united voices in favour
of an immediate Reform in the Representative
system ; and to sustain "Trial by Jury," as the
only security left for their lives and properties.
9. That it appears to this Meeting that an
union amongst ail the friends of British Liberty,
and of a ju,t and mild Government, is more than
ever necessary ; anti that it is the duty of every
man who is actuated by these peinciples and feel-
ings to promote such concert.
10. That 'a subscription be opened, and that
George Wetherstone, Esq., be Treasurer; and
that when the same is closed, the amount be paid
over to Sir Robert Wilson, who is requested to
attend to the proper distribution thereof, in con-
junction with the Westminster Cdmmittee; and
:hat Sir Robert Wilson, Messrs. Wetherstone,
Davies, Lee, Cooper, Black, Gillies, and Ault, be
a Committee to carry this Resolution into effect,
and that they have power w add to their numbers.
Mr. WE'roansToNa, in seconding the Resolu-
tions, gave it' as his opinion, that a crisis was
near at hand which would be more important in
its consequences than any event that had taken
place since the Revolution ; for he thought it
impossible for a Government to stand that had
identified itself with proceedings like those of the
Magistrates and Yeomanry of Manchester.—(Ap-
plause.)—Before they approved of what had been
done, Ministers ought at least to have waited to
learn the result of the Coroner's Inquest then
sitting. He censured their conduct in strong
terms, and remarked it had beeta common to stig-
matize Retormeri .as adventurers who wished for
a Revolution, in the hope of bettering their own
fortunes. This charge was most _unjust. He,
for his own part, had, not calculated what
he might gain by a Revolution, but he knew.
what he should lose. He should lose the fruits
of twenty-two years of labour and induStry, which
was no small object in times like these ; and
knowing this, however anxious for Reform, he
had nos wish for a Revolution.

Sir R. WILSON said, if it were possible for
them to think of the proceedings which were the
subject of the present Meeting without being ex-
cited in an uncommon degree, it would be clear
that they b►ad no English blood in their veins.
The subjects of an ancient State would, on

such •an occasion, have appeared in mourning.
Thus to put 'Oa sables was not the custom of
this coentrye but be was convinced that those
he had addressed, if not .ont wordly in mourn-
ing, bad "- that within which passed) show."
He proceeded to criticize the conduct of the
Grand' juriee, who had theoWicotat the Bills pre-
ferred.againse those who had distinguished them-
selves by attacking an unarmed and detenceless
people, and remarked on the language of Mini-
sters, who, knowing justice was thurs refused,
cnndemtred the people for instituting what had
been called an extra-judicial inquiry. He could
not believe, that the answer lately given to the
City Address was dictated by,the Ptince himself.
Had it come really from him, he must be indeed
greatly changed, if, instead of being what it was,
it bad not been distinguished by equity, by good
taste, and by good feeling. British blood had.
stained the soil of England, and it was now for
them toeinquire whether this was the consequence
of a deplorable but inevitable necessity, or whe-
ther the blood spilt had been wantonly shed wit he
oet just provocation. This was, or had been, a
Government of Jews, and not even military disci,
piine could be insisted on, except the. commasurs'
were lawful. Not even the worst tyrannies dared
to do entirely without laws. The military were
justified in refusing obedience to unjust commands
When Charles the IXth of France wished to mur-
der his Protestant subjects, and wrote to his Go-
.vernors accordingly, one of them had not scrupled
to reply, " that lie had searched the city under
his command, but found in it only good citi-
zens, and not a single executioner or assassin."—
He wished that in 1819 the same boast could be
made in &Wan& As far as the military were
concerned, however, the same boast might be
made.. He was proud to. bear testimony to the
good conduct of the corps which had formed the
garrison of Manchester; 'and which was that in
which he had received his military education. The
Meeting at Manchester was convened for a legal
purpose. It assembled to petition for the redress
of grievances, " which I," said he, '' so help me
God, consider as t.I e primary source of all the
is
evils of which we ye to complain." Was this
Revolutionary langit ge ? He thought not. It such
were its real character, how did it happen that it
had been held by the best men that had ever adorn-
ed this country, and but a ,few (lays ago by the
head of the Bedford family—the first Duke in the
kingdom. If a Reform in Parliament were con-
ceded, meetings like the .present, and like that at
Manchester, would not be held ; for with the de-
cisions of a Reformed Parliament all would rest
satisfied. It was said the people at Manchester
had repaired to the place of meeting armed with
sticks, clubs, and other offensive weapons; He
believed it'would be found that these were like the
sticki and staves set forth in every criminal pro-
cess of a particular description. They were like
Macbeth's dagger. They existed but in the minds
of those who fancied they saw them.—(Applause.)
When in France he was with a French Gentleman,
who had been massy years in London. This
Gentleman, after the accounts of the pro-
ceedings at Manchester heir beets received,
observed while sitting with him, that he had
never expected his stick would remind him of
an English 'Magistrate, which it now did. The
stick was one with a hammer fixed in its head,
such as were sold at all the stick shops in France.
Wanting to purchase such a stick, it was ne-
cessary to ask for " an Juge de Paix"—a Justice
of the Peace. This name had been given to them,
the French Gentleman informed him, before the
Revolution in France, when they were so unfor-
tunate as to have in that country Magistrates who
were peace-breakers, instead of peace-makers
After what had taken place at Manchester, his
hammer-headed stick would always put him in
mind of an English Magistrate. He defended
the inscriptions on the flags at Manchester. If
to cry " Liberty or Death" were treason, he (Sir.
R. Wilson) was a traitor. It was said the crowd
made some military movements. Who was the
judge of this ? Was it the Rev. Gentleman who
appeared at the scene of action as the head of the
Church Militant, and who, in reading the Riot
Act, had read the funeral service over the living.
Notwithstanding all that had beets said of the
military array, he was very much inclined to think
that if he bad seen them, he should have consi-
dered them a very awkward squad. He warmly
praised the conduct of Mr. Hunt, and contended,
that the Riot Act, when read, ought to have
been announced to those on the hustings, that
they might warn the populace of their danger ;
and those who had ordered the military to charge
without first taking such a step, had, in his opi-
nion, committed an act of murder. The Yeo-
manry he condemned as having, in the most un-
feeling, cowardly, and ruthless manner, executed
the orders they had received. He censured Mi-
nisters for approving of the conduct of the. Yeo-
manry and Magistrates on ex-parte evidence, and
described it to be their object, after failing in
theif project -for transporting their countrymen to
the barren sands of Aft'ica, to put to the sword
those who remained, and who dared to complain
of their rueasures. He exhorted all Reformers
to unite on this occasion—to forget petty diffee
rences, and to let their standing Watch-word be
" oblivion and union." England was at prtsent•
the most afflicted and degraded country in the.
world.—(No, no, no ! from souse person on' the
hustiegs.) He would maintain that it was the
most afflicted and degraded country its the wurld.
lie then enlarged on the flourishing eve of
France and America, as compared with this coun-
try, and strongly insisted on the necessity of a
change of system.

[Vcrlien Sir Robert was about to conclude, there
'Maki a cry of " Hunt, Hunt !" and immediately
Afterwards Mr. Hunt mat: Hs flppetat)!Ke. He

VIC HIGH BAILIFF objected to the introduc-
tion of extraneous matter. Thanks could not be
given to Mr. Hunt without calling forth a reply,
and this, as he was not en elector, he could not,
with due regard to the regularty of their pro-
ceedings, be allowed to make. Had that Gentle-
man been absent, he should have had less objec.
tion to the vote.

It was suggested that Mr. Hunt would probably
not speak if thanks were voted ; and after lunch
conversation on this point, the High Bailiff con-
sented to put the vote, with an understanding that
Mr. Hunt (not being an elector) should nut ad-
dress the Meeting.

Thanks were then voted to Mr. Hunt.

Thanks, on the motion of Mr. Hunt, were
given to the High Bailiff, who then, after ac-
knowledging; the honour he had received, dissolv-
ed the MeOing.
The High Bailiff, Sir It Wilson, and some of
the Requisitionists, then retired.
Mr. HUNT now addressed the Aleeting. fie
had travelled much, and •endeavoured to gain
.some knowledge of the law of the land, .but to
little purpose as it should seem, since he did not
know that when a,body of Englishmen expressed
their approbation of one of their countrymen,
that it was illegal, for that countryman .to say
"_thank ye." This, as it was not statute law,
nor yet the law of the land, he-supposed must be
borough law. lie, however, on such an .occa.
sion, would never retire in obedience.to the man-
date of a petty officer•.
WETHERSTONE......." I must protest against
such language being used with respeet to out•
Bailiff; he is nol a petty officer. lam very glad
to see Mr. Hnnt, hut 'his language - is improper,
and in this instance I cannot agree with
(Hisses)
Here several persons on the hustings called out
to Mr. Hunt to apologize.

Mr. HUNT said he would do he was a good
deal in the habit of apologizing. He wished the
High Bailiff to receive all the praise that was due
to him, lie had, on this occasion, performed the
office of a cow. In the first instance, he had
'given them a good pail of milk, and than he had
kicked it all down again.—(A laugh.)—He was
told by a very intelligent Gentleman Hear him,
the High Bailiff having retired, the meeting was
now an illegal meeting. This he denied. It was
as legal now as it ever had been, and those who
were of a contrary opinion he suspected were not
aware that. the Act which had declared such
meetings to be illegal, had expired last year. He
proceeded to return thanks, to make. a variety of
remarks, and to avow his entire devotion to the
cause of the people, and his deterMination to per•
severe in his endeavours to obtain for them the re-
-storation of their rights. In speaking of the con-
duct of the Magistrates at Manchester, he exhibited
certain cuts in his bat which had been inflicted
after he was taken into custody. He vindicated
.his conduct in corning there, and hoped, that
notwithstanding the little differences that had oc-
curved, that all were satisfied with what he had
done.—(Applause, and cries of " Ceitainly," its
which Mr. Wetberstone joined)

When i►lr. Hunt finished, he shook hands with
Mr. Wetherstone, expressed approbation at his
conduct, though he differed from him as to the
Merits of the High Bailiff, and then left the

Hustings.
Mr. S. Waddington (the Placard,Exhibiter) felt
bound in duty to come forward to address the
Meeting. He accordingly gave them an account
of his recent acquittal, praised the 'High Bailtif
for coming there with a sword by his side, and
hoped all his countrymen could learn to
,do the
same. For himself,' convinced that such conduct
was perfectly constitutional, he (if be could help
it) -would never go without arms by Lis side.—
He finished by calling for three cheers in honour
of the July who had acquitted him.
Three cheers were accordingly given, which Mr.„
Waddington was desired to convey to Lis Jury,
arid the Meeting diqersed.