The Sun.
London, England, 1821-05-16 00:00:00

assemblies, had been beaten almost to death. To
the meeting of the 16th, a meeting at Which all
the disaffected had prepared to assemble, when
rebellion seemed ready to burst into open flame,
it had behoved the Magistrates to look with re-
doubled caution. He then read the deposition
of a person named Butterworth, which stated the
assemblage of the people at White Moss on the
15th, and alsp to their proceeding to the meeting
on the 16th of August.
Lord MILTON wished to know whether the de-
positions had been taken before Magistrates or a
Court of Justice, where, the deponents had been
strictly examined ?
Mr. B. 81;.‘,BRAIIAM.-They are not certainly
of the latter description ; they are the deposi,
tions of persons of respectability, who volunta-
rily offered to make them, and with a perfect
conviction that they spoke the truth. The lion.
Member then proceeded to read the depositions
of Edward Billing, James Richmond, and a great
many others, in which the fullest evidence was
contained of the previous assemblage of persons,
who were drilled and exercised in military
movements ; that threats of the most revolu-
tionary nature had been held out ; that the
meeting at Manchester, on the 16th, was consi-
dered as the day of settling ; that in anticipation
of radical ascendancy, persons had refused to
pay their rents ; that they said it was well that
the soldiers had risen that day (the 15th), per-
haps they would not after the morrow ; that
they would pay off the constables on that day ;
' that day would settle all things. The affidavit
of Captain Whitworth, of the 15th Hussars, was
quite confirmatory of many of the before-stated
particulars ; and that in the houses of some well-
known characters, muskets and ammunition were
found ; and others had asserted, that_in a few
days a pound note would not be worth twopence.
The Hon. Gentleman shortly adverted to the
meeting of the 16th, and remarked, that 'as the
Magistrates had taken every precaution for pre-
serving tranquillity, by stationing 300 consta-
bles to form a line from the house where they
were sitting to the hustings, the hustings were
r..nnoved further off to prevent that communica-
tion, and that it was surrounded by men linked
together sixteen deep. He also stated that the
conduct of the various bodies, as they proceeded
to the meeting, was accompanied with cheers,
hisses, and groans, as they approached different
places where persons were assembled who they
supposed agreed with or opposed their measures.
He had heard that the Riot Act was read from
a window by Mr. Eddlestone, and that' some of
the Magistrates, conceiving that it might not be
sufficient, Mr. Silvester, another magistrate, went
into the street, when be had no sooner commenced
the proclamation than he was tripped up by the
heels. Upon the arrival of Mr. Hunt and his
party the warrant for his apprehension was signed.
The Boroughreeve expressed his conviction that
the civil power eould not execute it with safety ;
the military therefore were called upon to protec t
them. He then read numerous depositions to show
that as they approached the hustings the military
were attacked with stones and brick-bats; and that
they did not, strike a blow. till they reached
the hustings. These affidavits were bonafide made
by persons of known respectability ;. others were ,
ready to prove"that Mr. Hulme had been knocked
off his horse, and seriously wounded. Should it be
asked why this evidence was not given during,
the trial at York, lie would answer, because the
Learned Judge had narrowed the inquiry into
the simple question of the legality or illegality of
the meeting. The professional Gentleman who
conducted the prosecutions, addressed himself
to a respectable inhabitant of the town; the Ma-
gistrates knew nothing of the trial at York be-
yond that of being subpoenaed to give their evi-
aence. If, therefore, there was any irregularity,
it could not be iraputed to them. One Magis-
trate only was examined at York ; and why ?
because the Jury were so satisfied of the nature
of the proceedings, that they were prepared upon
his evidence to decide upon a verdict of guilty
against the defendants. The difference betwee
the statements he had read, and those of tin

Honourable Baronet, showed how impossible it
would be to come to any satisfactory conclusion ;
for if the Honourable Baronet's motion should
be agreed to, and a very considerable number
of witnesses should be called on that side, he
would venture to say that 100 at least would be
summoned on the other ; there would be no end
to it, and, after all, the question would remain to
be decided by various views and prejudices. The
first objection against the Magistrates would be
answered by the fact that if the Meeting of the
oth was illegal, that of the lGth was illegal also.
It was called for a professedly legal object, but
the manner in which it was conducted, and the
characters of the leaders, rendered it at least sus- '
picious. Its dispersion was not for a riot, but
because it was an illegal assembly. The next
objection which had been taken to the conduct
of the Magistrates, was for not waiting longer

than they did. In his mind he was satisfied that
the Magistrates had best done their duty by
waitity, only so Jong as to suffer the leaders to
identify themselves, and then proceeding to lake
them into custody, without waiting for any overt
act that might have brought the lives of other
parties into jeopardy. After the trial at York,
it would not be contended at this day that the
meeting was a quiet or a peaceable meeting,
or else why had that numerous mob armed
themselves with sticks and stones ? In fact this
mob had acted, no doubt, in the full convic-
tion that the day was their own ; in fact,
some of their leaders had said they were satisfied
nothing could oppose them. The Honourable
Member here alluded to the meeting called
the Planket-meeting, which a Gallant Ge-
neral, well known for his attachment to the
popular opinions, had been called on to quell.
Sir John Byng on that occasion had been com-
pelled to place in the rear of each peace officer a
horse soldier to support them in dispersing the
crowds collected. As to the terror which the
proposed meeting of the 16th had created in the
minds of the loyal and peaceable persons in the
neighbourhood of Manchester, it would be best
attested by the numerous representation,i and
letters sent to the Magistrates, stating their ap-
prehensions for their property and persons, should

. ,
the town be suffered to remain thronged with these
persons until night came on. - In justification
of, the Yeomanry; he, could not suffer this op•
portunity to escape without mentioning that
they arrived at the hustings-simultaneously, with
the milittik-y, and that it was agreed on. all
hands that had they not come up to aid the civil
power they,never would have succeeded in dis.
persinri. the crowd. In fact, as it was, the appearance
of both the yeomanry and the military did not
prevent the mob bating- recourse to violence. The
15th Hussars suffered severely, having 2 officers
and 21 non-commissioned 'Officers and privates
wounded or beaten with stones. The Man-
chester Yeomanry had 1 officer and 40 privates
wounded or hurt with stones, and 1 private stab-
bed dangerously, and an officer's horse stabbed
in the belly and another in the neck. The num-
ber of horses injured or, wounded by stones. or
otherwise, amounted to 20. Here he
,should
observe, that the mischief or injury done to the
people had not been done alone by the Yeo
wanry of Manchester, but was equally the result
of the operations of the Cheshire Yeomanry and
the Hussars.—Here the Hon. Member reviewed
the return of persons reported by the Co.
rimers or the county, from which it ap-
peared that Hannah Parkinson had been crushed
to death before ever the Yeomanry appeared ; that
the infant said to have been killed died through
fright which occasioned convulsions ; that Joseph
Whitmore was shot near the New-cross after-
wards on the evening of that day ; and that Ed-
ward Dawson alone was killed by a Sa,bre wound.
One William Dawson, who had been said to be
skill, was pronounced by the Coroner's Jury to
have been choked in consequence of a piece of
mutton sticking in his throat.—(A
the infirmary the amount of in-patients, from
wounds received, were 22, out-patients 35. One
person who, it had been said, had been most in-
hilmauly treated by being turned out of his bed
in the hospital, had been found to have received
only- a cut in the scalp, without injury to the
cranium ; and after being shaved and his wound
dressed, he was told it was not necessary he
should remain a within-door patient. Of another
person, a boy, whose father had deposed to hay-
ing
found the clothes of this young man con-
cealed behind a door in the Infirmary, and thence
cein-eiuded his death was certain, in consequence
of military •violelice at Peterloo, it, was most ex-
traordinary, he held .a deposition in his hand,
signed by the boy himself, and stating that
he never had been at Peterloo or in the In-
firmary in his life.—(Laughing.)—John Rus-
sel, stated, to have been killed in this affair, with
many humane comments on the loss sustained
to society, and particularly to his wife and four
children, was however discovered in the body of
the New Bailey, on a charge of stealing 8 pounds
of tobacco from the Turk's Head Public-house.—
(Laughing.)—He felt he was justified in alluding
to those cases, when he considered the persons
he had to deal with, who, regardless of the truth
of the statements made or their consequences,
took as it was termed the chance of the assertion
on all occasions.—(Hear !)—Many came and en-
rolled themselves as sufferers, who never saw the
field of Peterloo, in hopes of getting some of the
reward out of the pockets of those who humanely
subscribed for the Manchester sufferers. An in-
dividual, it had been proved, obtained 4/. 16s. as
a sufferer, and boasted afterwards that the only
hurt he bad received was from a nail sticking in
his foot at Bolton,. some miles distant,—(Latigh-
ing.)—He trusted the House, if it were not per-
fectly satisfied with thedefence that ke had made
for the Magistracy and. Yeomanry of Manchester,
Would believe it was rather owing to the deficiency
of their Advocate than to the' want of exculpatory
facts. The House would recollect too the diffe-
rent situation in which the House was placed by
the intervention of one year and a half, which
must naturally tend to throw much light on the'
subject of the alarm which then pervaded all
persons of property in that part of the country.
To elucidate their opinion of theseinsurrectionary
and tumultuous proceedings, he should only here
refer to. an address signed by eight thousand per-
sons of the highest :respectability in that part of
the country, which expressed their deepest ack-
nowledgements to the vigilance and activity of
the Magistracy at that period. Notwithstanding
all the complaints made by the lion. Baronet
opposite, no prosecutions had taken place, al-
though several had been threatened by Mr. Hunt
and others, and notwithstanding the agents in
this business,were not destitute of funds to carry
them on with effect., He.concluded by quoting,
as peculiarly applicable to the subject,'the cau-
tion given by Lord Grenville (on occasion of a
similar motion by the Marquis of Lansdowne)
to their Lordships, not to sanction a.motion like.
the present, which must tend to render sus-
pected the 'conduct of those charged with the,
important and delicate duties of the Magistracy.
Lord MILTON coMinenced by complimenting
the ability, temper, and integrity of the Hon..
Advocate of the cause of the Manchester Magis-
tracy. He proceeded to examine the evidence
in justification of-the conduct of the Magistracy.
One of those witnesses, John Barlow, had stated
on his deposition before the Magistrates, that
there were not more than -10 persons present on
the Exchange on that day, and deposed to throw-
ing stones, yet on the trial at York he . had said
nothing in relation to these. most important
facts. What was the reason he had ,so ab-
stained from stating that on oath at York
which he had deposed to at Manchester ? Most
probably because ,he was afraid of the test of
cross-examination. •He felt with the Honoura-
ble Baronet
,that this was a question of too
grave, serious, and wide a nature to be 'de-
termined
to the satisfaction of the Public inn
any lesser Court than the tribunal of Parliament.
He trusted the House would separate the ques-
tion now before theM from any question relative
to the conduct of Mr. Huntovho had, by a peti
tion presented this evening-, attempted to vilify
ail the' most respected and Venerated authorities
in the land. The question was now between the
Magistracy of Manchester and the people of Eng-
land. When it was proved that 57 persons were
added to the hospital inmates in consequence of
the proceedings of that day, he Would contend it
was the duty of the great inquest of the natif n

war.

to take up the question and determine it impar-
tially and deliberately. He doubted much whe:
ther in these transactions the Magistrates were
the partieS most to blanie lie doubted Whether
the military had waited for the order of the Ma.-
gistraCy to advance. Why was it not proved on
the trial at York that the Riot Act 1114
been read ? What. trouble would this. have
saved? And how, under such circumstances, would
the five who were indicted for being present and
contriving this illegal meeting by possibility.have
been acquitted ? He had a decided opinion that
the meeing was feasible, and that opinion he drew
from the evidence brought against Mr. Hunt.--
The circumstance of coining with their wives and
daughterS was enough to chew that they .had: not
the possibility of contest in contemplation. It
was said the peaceable inhabitants were alarmed.
He knew that was stated on one side, but the di-
rect contrary was stated by evidence equally re-
spectable on the other. The Judge stated over
and over again that the conduct of the meeting
Was to be examined into. Mr. Justice Bayley, in
reference to the obstruction to the execution of the
Warrant, said that there was no evidence of it from
Nadia. Why was he not called ?—(Bear !)—He
wa's: at York. So was Mr. Hay and Mr.Eccleston.
Why were they not called ? Why was not .Nadia
called to proKe that he could not execute the warr
rant ? Mr. Hutton only spoke from report, and
was interrupted by the Judge, who said that he
must speak only. to what he had :seen. Mr.
Stanley was present at. the Meeting. He saw what
was going on.; he was a Clergyman, and a most
respectable character, He said, that when the
military began to force their way to the hustings,
swords were up and swords were down. This
was as good evidence of violence as any given
on the other side. As long as the suspicion of
such violence remained, it was incumbent on the
House to institute some inquiry. If they, wished
to preserve the Constitution, to preserve the
higher classes in their respectability,. and the
lower classes in their duty, it was incumbent on
them to shew that the humblest had an interest
in the laws and Constitution. This could not be
done without instituting an' inquiry before that

.ouse.
Mr. WlrmoT said, the motives which induced
aim to address the House, were both public and
private. With respect to one gentleman_ ;who
was inculpated by
_the /Jon. Baronet (Sir Francis
Burdett) Mr. Hutton, he must say, that from
his knowledge of his character, it was impossible
for him to believe that he acted from any consi-
deration but a feeling of duty. He should be the
last person to follow the example of the Hon.
Baronet (Sir F. Burdett) -in imputing motives,
when he said that these disturbances were fo.
mented by the Government for ulterior-ohjects.
It was matter .of surprise that the Honourable
Baronet could
.so far allOw his political feelings to
blind his common sense. . He could not admit the
necessity of inquiry at that bar. There were
ethermodes of investigation which were most Mys'r
teriously neglected.---(Hear!)—Many meetings
were held previous- to that at.. Manchester- at
which the people were excited to an overthrow
of the, Government, and . told that nothing else
was necessary to better their situation.—(hear!)
—What said Mr. Hunt when the meeting of -the
9th was put off? That that of the 16th would be
only an adjournment of it. On that day there
were 18 *Bags and live ,caps of liberty. Ile could
not allowsuchmeetings to be legal. It was reu
ported to him by, persons whomche, believed, that
the warrant could not be .executed without mir
litary aid. The. Magistrates could not have co.{..
templated the consequences that. followed. The
meeting, as the Noble Lord said, might at first be
feasible.. It might have appeared peaceable, but'
it was the peace of. the thunder-storm, which:
were it not, for. the measures taken, might have'.
burst 'on that town in all the horrors .of civil
The Hon. Baronet reminded them of that.,
.ext in scripture--" whoso sheddeth man's bloodt
by
.man shall his.blood he shed." How could the
Hon. Baronet apply. this to that ,shedding
blood which •justice and public safety required'?
—(Hear! from the .Opposition.)—Though tin-
willing, to follow the example of the Honourable
Baronet,. in imputing motives, be 'could not but
believe him sincere, when he supported :those
very individuals who charged him with having
nothing in contemplation but his own personal
importance, and the gratification of private views
in .the whole of his public conduct.—(Hear!)--,
If it was true that voluntas •etpropoNi tam distin-
guant maleficium ; if the. :Magistrates of Man-
chester were tried on that principle,.he was sure
they must stand acquitted. From intimate know-
ledge of many of them, he felt. Convinced that a
more honourable body of men did not exist. He
thought it would be highly inexpedient to agree
to the motion of the,Hon. Baronet, and call wit-
nesses
to the bar upon this subject; he must
therefore Oppose the motion.'
DENATAN. expressed surprise at the silence
of Ministers. He should regret much if the de-
bate were. adjourned; they saw the effects of •
adjourned dehates. lie would admit, that if this;
was a question of indulgence, much might be
allowed .to the. Magistrates,. considering the fir-
cumstances under which tiny were placed ; but
this, was a question not of blame but of praise.
The Magistrates had his compassion, hat hp
would not hold them up as examples to.be foI
lowed .hy the Gentlemen of England. The cog,
duct of the meeting was, , he would allow, tho
question at issue at York ; but it was the duty
of the Magistrates to come forward, and give evi-
dence as to the nature of that meeting.. Instead -
of this, they heard that night the depositions- of
persons not liable 0 prosecution for perjury, .or
subject to cross-examination. He could eater-
fain oo doubt of the Magistrates having 'acted •
with the concurrence, and in consequence of the
inspocions of Government. There was sufligient.
proof of this, in the praise so prematurely given,
when nothing was known, but that the blood of
his Majesty's subjects had been shed. lie could

not but call the attention of the House to the
answer riven to the Address from the City of Lou-
don by the 'Prince Regent. It was there said.
they could not be acquainted with what occurred.
Why not ? He should wish to know why they
could not be as w(11 acquainted with the circum-
stances .as his Majesty's Ministers ? The tribe-