The Sun.
London, England, 1819-08-23 00:00:00

MEETING at the CROWN and ANCHOR..

Saturdey a Meeting took place at the Crown
end Anchor, pursuant to public advertisement, to
consider of the steps necessary to he adopted for
expressing the public opinion, on the late occur-
rences at Manchester. The Meeting was fully at-
tended. About one o'clock Mr. Waddington,
Mr. Wooler, Major Cert might, Dr. Watson, and
others, entered die room.
Mr. liTensere addressed the assembly, and ob-
served, the subject on which they now met was
one which would admit of no delay ; its import-
ance
called for immediate attention, and would
not allow time for making such arrangements as
should procure for them a Chairman of great
weight or influence, or, indeed, any of those in-
dividuals whom they had been in the habit of
seeing; in that situation. The advanced age of
the venerable patriot, Major Cartwright, and the
state of his health, rendered him unequal to the
ta•k ; tinder these circumstances, he should pro-
pose that Mr. Waddingtoti, a gentleman well
known to many of them, should be called to the
Chair.—The motion being seconded,
Mr. WADDINGTON took the Chair. He felt
fully conscious how inadequate his powers were
to the discharge of the important duties now cast
upon him ; hut when he had the example of the
gadaur and venerable Major before him, be should
blush tre suffer any personal considerations to in-
terfere with the discharge of his public dot y.
Having been called to that sit nation, lie should
recommend to the Meeting to adopt for its motto,
'' Audi alteram porteme" that they would hear
all sides : and that the language of all, whatever
their feelings might be, should be cool, moderate,
and temperate. He then adverted to the recent
transactions at Manchester, which he described as
awful and terrific. He had himself watched the
progress of four revolutions ; those of America,
France, Belgium, and the Peninsula ; but never
before witnessed such a scene as that exhibited
et Manchester, where the Magistrates of the coun-
try, who ought to have been the preservers of the
trace, were found ceiling vii tee military to
trample on the law, and execute vengentice on
defenceless and tinarmed men, and innocent and
unoffendiog women and infants. Such conduct
,:tilled on the country for an expression of its sen-
timents ; and be hoped these sentiments would
he declared in the language nucl spirit of our
illustrious ancestors, Hampden, Sidney, and
Hessen.
Mr. WOOLER then presented himself to the
Meeting, amidst loud applause. ills opiniou of
the conduct of public incn tool measures was far
from exalted ; but he must confess the transac-
tions to which the attention of the Meeting was
now called, exceeded, in atrocity, all which he
could have imagined. He did trot believe till now
that a set of men, calling themselves Magistrates,
could have been found sitting in conclave, day
alter day, deliberatieg on a plan by which such at-
rocities might he committed under the sanction
of the law. This he would prove, before he sat
down, had been the case at Manchester. This
country had been for years divided into parties.
I.Vhigs arid Tories had met in combat, and, after
abusing and aeiniiing each other alternately, had,
atter the contest was over, adjourned to the ban-
quet together. The people had, in the mean time,
been forgotten, till they et length, tired of this
mimic contest, had determined to institute a new
party to watch their own interests. This, how-
ever, the two old parties were determined to op-
pose, well knowing that such a measure would
lead to inquiry, and inquiry to an overturn of
their influence. They would not allow that the
people could legally argue, although they could
legally delegate a power to Whigs and Tories to
do so ; and this opinion was founded on the ir•
regularity of former popular Meetings, which,
it was said, had led to disorder and an-
archy ; hot of late the people had shewn they
could meet in an orderly manner, and argire
with effect, as their recent resolutions is
London and elsewhere had proved. It, however,
the people were wrong, why did not the great
Wren of the State, who were so well paid, attend
those Meetiogs, and try to convince them of their
error. The pronosit ion of Annual Parliaments
and Univeisel St.thege was obiec!ed to, but •O)
would any mher proposition for Reform. The
transactions of the last six weeks have proved this
fact ; for if, the course of that time we had heard
an English Judge, who, on the Bench at least,
ought to partake the same degree of the attributes
of tire Divinity, and hold himself wholly impar-
tial, supporting the powers that be, and opposing
all Reform, declaring that taxation, which at pre-
sent was grinding its to the bone, was beneficial
to tie people, inasmuch as it increased the amount
of money in coe-elation. This might be because
it circulated only amongst the rich, who, in the
Leagued Judge's opinion, no doubt constituted
the penple.—(Elere there was some contusion at
the bottom of the room, and a paper was handed
up to Mr. 'sVooler, who having read it, resumed.)
He loot now another proof of the feeling of those
in power towards the people ; the poor man who
was placed at the entrance of the Tavern with a
placard announcing the Meeting, had just been
seized by a constable, and taken to Bow-etreet.
They might take as many as they thought proper ;
they might take him and the whole Meeting to
Bow-street, but like all who with weak intellects
attempted great things, if they did, they would he
glad to seed them away again. But be trusted
they would fail in their object, and that none of
these provocations would lead the people to com-
ply with their wishes, namely—to engage in acts
of violence. Every man connected with Reform
was now held up as a seditious person. The laws
against sedition in this country were severe
enoegh ; if any one was guilty, why not deliver
hint over to the law for punishment, and not to a
vindictive soldiery to be murdered ? They had,
indeed, delivered two or three individuals over to
the law, hut it was found not to answer the pur-
pose, for a Jury of the country had acquitted them
when brought to trial. It was said that the
people, under the cry of Reform, wished to com-
mence in this country scenes similar to those
which occurred doting the French Revolution—
scenes of horror and bloodshed, of pillage and
murder. The Magistrates propagated this doc-
trine, the Ministers and their agents seco,itied it,

and endeavoured to excite a feeling against the
advocates of Reform. This they had a right to
do : let them slander anti calumniate, let them
threaten, and if possible alarm, but, for God's
sake ! let them refrain from shedding blond. They
must- forgive him ; hot were these Magistrates
aware that had example was soonest followed,
and that they themselves bad been the first to set
that example. If the Meeting at Manchester was
a legal Meeting, and no one had attempted to say
it was not, then the people were legally there,.
and those only were guilty of a breach of the law,
and subject to punishment, who interrupted them,
and no Circular of Lord Sidmouth's, no Proclama-
tioo of the Prince Regetst's, or any declaration
of a Judge on the Bench, could make it other-
wise. If the Meeting was illegal, it was the duty
of the Magistrates to have prevented it ; but they
gave no intimation of any such intention, and
even when Mr. Hunt went, on hearing a rumour
that some opposition was to be made, to the Ma-
gistrates, they refused to give him any satisfactory
answer ; it was plain, therefore, they were deter-
mined not to prevent, but to disperse the Meeting,
as they had afterwards done, or they might then
have taken Mr. Hunt. It appeared, however, as
if they wished to congregate all the Reformers in
one spot, that they might make an example of
some in the way of military exeention.—(Here
there was a cry at the bottom of the room, of
blood for blood ! which excited some symptoms
of disapprobation.)—Mr. Wooler resumed :
He was not surprised at this expression' of feel-
ing, but let them recollect they still were bound
together by the dearest tics of society, and should
look to the laws for redress. The Editor of The
Courier had stated that some of the soldiers had
declared they would cut M. Lima to pieces ; if
such a declaration had been made, the Editor
ought to state as notch at the bar of a Court of
Juatice ; for the soldier going to the place of
meeting with such seutimezos was guilty of malice
aforethought. Mr. Wooler proceeded to com-
ment at considerable length on the proceedings
at Manchester, and declared he should not rest
satisfied till a Special Commission, as in the ease
of Brandreth, was sent down fully to investigate
these transactions ; if he were an inhabitaot of
Manchester, he would collect the names and cir-
cumstances of all who had suffered on this occa-
sion, with which he would once a month, at least,
placard the walls of the town till justice was done
them for the injuries they had received—injuries,
which none but fiends could have planned or devils
have executed. Mr. Wooler.concloded by moving
a string of resolutions expressive of the opinion
of the Meeting as to the conduct of the Manchester
Magistrates and Yeomanry Cavalry, and of thanks
to Messrs. Hunt, Saxton, Johnson, and the other
persons at present in confinement, for their con-
duct at the Manchester Meeting.
Mr. G. JONES, in seconding these resolutions,
said this was not the cause of Mr. Hunt or of the
Manchester Magistrates, but it was that of the
People, who were now to determine whether they
should have their rights restored to them, or their
liberties trampled under loot. They must, on
this occasion, not only express their opinions, hut
they must act. At present they were wholly ig-
norant of the state in which the individusls con-
fined in Manchester were. He was surprised the
roods to that town had not, ere this, been thronged
by thousands, going to inquire by what authority
the Magistrates bad dared thus to act. He should
nor call on the present Meeting, and on all simi-
lar ones, to pledge themselves to assist, as far as
possible, by pecuniary aid, those pet sons in
oh-
taining redress and justice, by enabling them to
employ counsel, &c. He should not now speak
all tee felt on the subieco ; it he were to do so, he
had no difficulty in foreseeing whets he should
soon be. He then adverted to the Manchester
Meeting, and strongly reprobated the employ-
ment of the Yeomanry Cavalry, most of whom
were the sons of the master manulacturers. The
`transactions of Monday last had sown tends in
Manchester which years would not eradicate. He
condemned the introduction of the military as
illegal ; and contended that, had Mr. Hunt shot
the officer dead who flourished his sword over him
on the hustings, he would have been justified.—
The mischief- which had occurred was principally
to be imputed to the Proclamation which his
Royal Highness the Prince Regent had been ad-
vised to issue. The Magistrates had acted upon,
and even gone beyond it. They had acted with a
vigour beyond the law, and for which he trusted
they would be called to ant wer to the law.
The Resolutions were then agreed to.

Mr. G. JONES then proposed his Resoltitions
for entering into a Subscription to defray the ex-
pences of Counsel, and for employing Messrs.
Harmer and Pearson as solicitors, which were
agreed to.
Dr. WArsoN proposed a vote of thanks to Mr.
Hunt, for the cool, deliberate, and manly conduct
he had evinced on various occasions when in im-
minent danger.
This Resolution was carried by acclamation.
Mr. GALE JONES proposed a vote of thanks to
Major Cartwright.
The Gallant Major then returned thanks ; there
was an indictment DOW pending against him,
which he would be prepared to meet ; and he
hoped and trusted he' should, on this occasion,
be able to confer a greater obligation on 'the bo-
rouglirnongers than any they had a►er yet received
at his hands.

Mr. EDWARD LAtLSON proposed a Resolution,
stating, that the flouse of Commons, as at pre-
:Ent constituted, was more a grievance than a be-
nefit to the public ; and further recommending
that, in future, the people, for their own defence
against violence, should attend the Meetings
called for Radical Reform armed.
This Resolution was received with considerable
expressions of disapprobation, and strongly op-
posed by Major Cartwright, Mr. Wooler, and
Mr. Jones, and ultimately, though reluctantly,
Mr. Lawson withdrew it.

Thanks were voted to Mr. Wooler, Find to the
Chairman, after which'the Meeting adjourned.

In the Gazelle of Saturday a reward of 2001.
is offered for the discovery of the person or per-
Fun's k,llO, on the 17th instant, set fiie to Slid.-
field Coppice, in the county of Worcester. A free
psrdon is promised to any accomplice utal►i such
discovery.