The Sun.
London, England, 1821-12-28 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL JOURNAIS.

Though we have not, for some time, been able
to resume our attention to the opinions and rea-
sonings of Provincial Jouwnalists, yet we have
not lost sight of thetr4 but mean to transfer their
sentiments to our columns as freely, if not so re-
gularly,- as we do those of the London Editors.
The following ob;ervations on the Ministerial
changes which have been announced in the Lon-
don Journals, are taken from The Leeds Intel&
gencer of Monday last, a paper that has long been
distinguished for its political sagacity, and the
manly independence of its principles, which have
justly raised it to a pre-eminent rank in the large
and important county through which it maintains
an extensive circulation :

Some further changes have taken place in the Ministry ; and
the report that the accession of the Grenville party. was to
strengthen the hands of administration is confirmed. Mr.'
Charles Wynn, we learn, succeeds Mr. B. Bathurst as Pre-
sident of the Board of Controul, and Mr. Freemantle succeeds
Mr. S. Bourne as a Commissioner at the Board. Mr H. Wynn
is to have a diplomatic mission on the Continent, and Dr. Phil-
limore goes to the Admiralty. The Marquis of Buckingham,
we also learn, is to be created a Duke.—No mention whatever
is made of Lord Grenville himself in these arrangements ; in-
deed we do not see how his Lordship, who has committed him-
self far more than any of his adherents have done, could, with
any regard to his character, accept of office. We respect his
Lordship's talents ; we admire him for the manly support
which he gave to Ministers in a late crisis of terror and alarm ;
but we cannot forget his desertion of Mr. Pitt, and his union
with Earl Grey—two men so opposite--and the latter of whom
was .left at such an immeasurable distance by -the former,
in every quality which dignifies the man, or adorns the po-
litic

We confesS we are not disposed to be very sanguine in our
expectations of any good arising from this new coalition. We
are averse to all coalitions which must involve a sacrifice of
principle ; and we certainly think that such a sacrifice is involy--
ed by this union of parties. The Grenyilles were a party of that
Ministry, which in 1300 cut such a conspicuous figure in Bri-
tish history ; and the reason of their dismissal from office is
well known—it was because they refused to refrain from liar-
rassing the conscience of our " Good old King" on a constitu-
tional question, which he was determined—and in our opinion
was laudably- determined—never to concede. Have they now
accepted-office in defiance of their repeated pledges, that Catho-
lic Emancipation should bo conceded, if they ever returned to
power? Or have Lords Eldon and Liverpool—the Duke of
• Wellington and Mr. Peel—consented to abandon the Protestant
ascendancy, and to sacrifice the British constitution at the shrine
of expediency ?.
- Time will enable us to anawer these questions. We have
heard that Mr. Charles Wynn is to be at liberty to introduce
what measure he pleases or. Catholic emancipation, and to give
to it all the support of the office over which he pre les ; but
we cannot answer for the correctness of the report. In the
mean while, however, we may congratulate our readers and the
country on the mortification of the Whigs, who, in all these
arrangements, find themselves unnoticed and unregardcd. In-
deed it was to be expected that such would be the case. What
King of England wor!,l ver think of calling to his councils
men who have shewn so little regard either for his personal
feelings, or for the 'vapour and dignity of the crown ? 'What
high-spirited Englishman would act with the subscribers to
Hie, the allies of Hunt—the abettors of Carlile—and, in
short, the apologists of all the traitors, and all the infidels—
and the slanderers of all that is great, and good, and venerable,
in our country ? The papers of the faction evince great wrath at
the recent appointments, and are in high dudgeon at the neglect
of their patrons; but, as we .are convinced a greater curse never
can befal this country than that of having a Whig Adminis-
tration, we hail with joy the circumstance Which has given fresh
fuel to the fire of their discontents. The voice of the country
too is on our side ; every loyal man despises the Whigs for
their coquetting. with the RucheAds ; and, even the Radicals
themselves are ashamed of their quondam friends, and whilst
they avail themselves of their aid to . promote their own ends,
they vent upon them the most unsparing abuse. Is a party so
degraded and so humbled fit to have the destinies of a great
and mighty Nation committed to its keeping ?

POLICE' INT ELLIG E` CE.

DREADFUL RIOT IN CATO-STREET.-INTERFE-
. RENCE OF TILE MILITARY. •

ManYLEDONE OFFlCE.—Yepterday the avenues leading to
the above Office were completely thronged in consequence of the
apprehension of 24 persons (Irishmen), who were apprehended
by the Of leers for being concerned in'a desperate riot on Wed-
nesday evening last, in which the
,afficers and ninny other per,
sons were dreattiftilly injured.
- It appears that on Christmas Day a most desperate fight took
place in the neighbourhood of Peter-street, Golden-square, be-
tween two low Irishmen, and one of them, named Welch, was
' vanquished. The following evening, being in the Apollo
public house, Paddington-street, the subject of the fight was
mentioned, and some remarks not suitable to the taste of Welch
made, on which he quitted the place threatening to "scree
out the parties who made theM in a short time," and his con-
duct convinced the landlord that he intended some mischief.
Information was immediately forwarded to this Office, when
Staples and Stowell, active officers, were dispatched to the
Apollo, where they concealed themselves, in order to apprehend
any one who might disturb the peace. They had not been there
10 minutes, when a most formidable body of men, apparently
Irishmen, amounting to aboUt do, arrived opposite the house,
armed with tremendous bludgeons, Ste. and they commenced a
most shameful attack upon the house; some went inside, while
others remained out, and in a short time the whole of the per-
sons in the house.were beaten dreae.fully, and the windows and
front of the house destroyed. Staples and Stowell contrived to
make their escape out of a window, and saved their lives. On
witnessing the most brutal, conduct on the part of the despera-
does, who knocked down indiSeriminately every body they met
with their sticks, man, woman, or child, being without their
cutlasses, or other arms, they instantly went back to the office for •
extra assistance, and returned with Buckeridge, Day, &c.
armed with pistols and cutlasses. During this time the ruffians
were exercising their ferocity on ever body they came to, and
even had the audacity to enter some houses, and they
laid on some hackney coachmen near their stand without the
least provoeation, and beat them until they were senseless and
dreadfully wounded. One of them was so ill-treated, that he
is placed in a precarious situation. On the return of the
officers, they found that the party had increased in numbers to
the amount of between 1 and 2061, all brandishing their sticks,
and kidding defiance to the police, who were almost afraid to ilia
terfere. However, the officers rushed in and seized Welch, who
was the most active in the affair, and while taking him, to some
place of safety, they were followed by the mob, and very much
ill-used by them. Stowell gave one of them a severe blow with
his cutlass, and the fellow immediately retreated, bleeding
profusely. After securing Welch, the officers; who had
endeavoured to quell the riot, found it absolutely impossi-
ble without the aid of the military, and the inhabitants en-
treated the officers to seta to the Barracks. Information was
accordingly forwarded by Buckeridge, the officer, and shortly.
afterivards 3 detachment of the Foot Guards, under the com-
mand of Captain Itena'nck, arrived ,on the spot.. Staples, on
the arrival of the soldiers, was standing near the spot, watch-
ing the most active of the gang, when a rush was made
tilt= a Cato-street, and :a desperate attack was made on 'Pay
igh
and Stowell, the officers, who were at the onpOsite oia of
the street; and who ware much beaten. . Stowell received a
bad wound on his hand, and a number of persons were carried
away fitr assistance, in consequence of the injuries they received.
Staples seized on a man who ,was also active, and he was sur-
rounded and belaboured over the arms with sticks, until, he was
necessitated to lgave go his hold : he ran into a baker's shop
for safety : they followed him, and the owner of the shop was
threatened for harbouring him in his house. The soldiers in a
short time after the riot had been quelled, repaired to Cato-
street, where they' ere informed. some of the persons were that
headed the mob, and at one house they were refused admission.
The officers, however, forced their way through the windows,
followed by the military. In the apartment there were about
twenty Irishmen sitting down together drinking tea with their
faces and heads cat; 10 of them were reepgnised as being of the
party, aid were handcuffed and brought to the Office. 'he ofaie
cers afterwards returned.and apprehended 13 more of the offen-
ders. The whole of the prisoners were dreadfully injured, but
eSpeciallyone of the name of 13radley, who was covered with
wounds and bruises. • _

The officeri and several other persons gave evidence of the
outrageous and brutal conduct of some of the prisoners, who
'were positively sworn to as being very active in the affray.
The .prisoners denied being concerned in. it, and accounted
fot their wOunds by being near the spot at the time.
The Magistrates- ordered Welch and 'l4 of the prisoners to
find good bail to answer the complaint at the Sessions, but for
the want of sufficient proof, discharged the others from custody,
and eulogised the military and the °facers for their activity.

CONSTITUTIONAL ASSOCIATION.
• . GUILDIMLL.—Yesterdq,. Mr. MURItAY, the Secretary to
this AssocAtion, .apphod to Alderman Tiro ksow, the Sitting
Magistrat:, for' •darrants to apprehend two of CarWe's shop-

, .
men, for selling the " Addresi to the Refarnters of Great
Britain."

r. NE w mAN,
the City Solicitor, attended as the Alderman's
Assessor, and Under his opinion the warrants were granted.
The officers who were sent to =Tote the first warrant that
was granted, soon returned with a ~.iddle-aged man of mean
appearance, Who was placed at the bar.
The first question put to him was—Are you disposed to tell
your name ? To which the prisoner replied, I beg to be exmsed.
The warrant and the affidavit on which it Was granted were
then read. The warrant was directed to the peace officers of the
City of London, and charged them to apprehend a certain per-
son whose name was unknown, but whose person was well
known, who stood charged, on the oath of John Purton, of
Cross-court, Drury-lane, with having sold the said Purton, on
the 26th Dec. inst. at the shop No. 55, Fleet-street, a certain
book or tract, called an " Address to the Reformers of Great
Britain," which book, as deponent believed, contained passages
on which verdicts had been found for blasphemous and sediti-
ous libels ;' particularly a libel concerning the Holy Scriptures,
and another libel against our Lord the King.
John Purton, the deponent, who is a young man of very
decent appearance, deposed that the prisoner was the
_person
from whom he bought the book referred to in his affidavit,
which he identified on being, produced.
The prisoner was again asked whether he would tell his name,
.
or whether he wished to say any thing in his defence, or was
provided with bail
Hp persisted in refusing to tell his name, said he did not wish
to stiy any thing in his defence, and that lie was not provided
with bait

The Magistrate informed him that when he could give bail he
should be liberated ; but he must tell his name before bail could
be taken.

The prisoner bowed, said I thank you, Sir, and left the bar.
The second person apprehended was then put to the bar. He
was a very young man, was more decently dressed than the first
prisoner, and; like his colleague, refused to tell his name.
The warrant, and affidavit on which it was granted, were
read, as in the former case. The affidavit was made by a per-
son named William Smith, and'stated, that he had on that day,
the 27th of December instant, bought. from a person, whose
name was unknown, &c. at the shop, No. 55, Fleet-street, a
book, called au " Address to the Reformers of Great Britain,"
&c. reciting the allegations of the former affidavit.
William Smith, being sworn, stated, that the prisoner was
the person from whom he bought the book referred to in his
affidavit, for which he paid sixpence: He had no particular
conversation with the prisoner at the time of buying the book.
The prisoner being asked whether he was prepared with hail
said he had not time to be . prepared, and inquired what bail
'would be necessary. He was informed, his own recognizance
in 401. and two sureties in 201. each, would be taken for his ap-
pearance. He replied, " Very well; I only want justice. •If
I have justice, I'm right, and have nothing to fear." He then
left the bar. •