The Sun.
London, England, 1819-09-10 00:00:00

COMMON COUNCIL.

A Court of Common Council was yesterday
held at Guildhall, in pursuance of 't Requisition,
si-_:ned by several Members of the Color, for the
purpose of taking into consideration mhe Conduct
of the Magistrates end Yeomanry Cavalry of
Manchester. At half-past &even o'clock, the
avenues. to the Council Chamber were completely
filled by individuals noxious to hear the debate.
A few minetes before twelve o'clock the doors
were thrown open, but there was not space suf-
ficient to contain more than half of the-candidates
for admittance.
The Loan MAYOR took the Chair precisely at
twelve o'clock, and some routine business having
been dispatched, his Lordship rose and said—
" Gentlemen, i hold this Court to-day in con-
Sequence Of a lietplisition I have received, signed
by selveral Members of the Court. I bold it,
Gentlemen, with great reluctance—because, I
think ,wheneVercrimes have been committed, or are
alleged to have been committed, in any part -of
the country, they ought to be referred to the pro-
per tribunal, before whom the necessary evidence
shall be laid, in order to come to a correcr judg-
ment, instead of discOssing then here or else-
where. • This is my own opinion, and it lots el-
ways been thought highly improper to take a
course which would seem to prejudge question
on which another tribunal was to decide. I, how-
ever, how to the wishes of those who signed the
Requisition, and I now leave the Question in the
bands of the Court. They will dispose of it as
they Shall see fit."
The Requisition having been read,
Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN opened the debate,
by regretting that the task of bringing it forward
had fallen on him. He then proceeded in sub-
stance as follows :—My Lord Mayor, there are
some difficulties thrown in the way of discussion
on this occasion, which appear to me to be very
unusual. Wcause I ever understood it to be the
characteristic of a Chairman to act merely in an
official capacity—to summon public meetings,
when so reqmiested--but to take no part whatever
in the discussion which may ensue ; and this is
the first time since 1 had a seat in this Court (a
period of three or tour-and-twenty years) that I
have heard the Chief Magistrate state opinions
from the Chair, in order to influence the decision
of the Court in its proceedings. But I do con-
fidently feel that this Court will act on its own
unbiassed opinion and impression—that it will
maiatain i:s own character and its own dignity—
and not allow its decision to be warped or influ-
enced from one quarter or another. The present
discussion has sprung from a wound ieflieted on
the Constitution of the Country—on that Consti-
tution in the preservation of which every indivi-
dual is interested ; and it is the duty of those Who
are so interested, without reference to any set of
men, strongly to express their opinions, without
endeavouring to prejudge or prejudice any case
hereafter to be decided. It is tor all public bo-
dies to make a solerne appeal to the feelings of the
country, and to call for a toll inquiry into those
atmocities, which are unequalled in the History
of Bog laud. My Lord, it appear's from every
account that has reached the' public ear—even
froth the Ministerial Organs themselves—that
the Meeting at Manchester was legally assem-
bled, that their proceedings bad been peace-
ably conducted, that they,hati been dispersed by a
military force, and that defenceless and unoffend-
ing individuals were trampled to death, while
others were cut down by the .sabl'e, in cold blood.
It appeared that men, 'women, and children, tot-
able to escape flout the assailants, were destroyed,
though ionocent of any offence. If ally Gentle-
man can shoW me a precedent for such pro-
ceeding in the history of ILOgland, Ushould he
anxious to examine it; for I confess that, at pre-
sent,. I know of none. Here.] must say, that it
is not necessary for me to give any opinion on
the necessity of calling those meetings together,
or enter into a discussion of the -objects they have
in view. My sentiments on this stibject are well
known. But it is not necessary for us to go into
this. It is evident that, when we are inpieed,
we have a right to judge for ourselves as to the
means of redress; that, if we thiok ourselves ag-
grieved, we are authorized, under the Constitu-
tion of our common'country, to meet and discuss
time nature of those grievances, and to devise the
best means of remedying them. This privilege
we enjoy, not under the Bill of Rights (which
only confirms our privilege to discuss our griev-
ances), but under the common lave of the land.
It is not for any Magistrate,standing however
high, to dictate to time people how and where
they are to meet. It is sufficient for him to ac-
quaint himself with the fact, that the people pos-
sess the might, and are at full liberty to exercise
it. If the 'Manchester Meeting had been diffe-
rent from what I have described it----if it had been
convened—if it had- been tomultuously
conducted—if siolence and disorder had been -ex-
hibited at it—l say, even in that case, the con-
duct of the Magistrates and soldiers was impro-
per and unconstitutional. My Lord Mayor, there
is a very severe Act on this subject—l meats the
Riot Act—which affixes tile penalty of death to
individual a who meet together illegally, riotously,
or ternultuouslve and who, on due police being
given, do
_not comply with tire provisions of that
Act, anti disperse to their respective houses.
After a certain notice lots been given, they are,
1 say, liable to the penalty of death, if they
do not separate. But no set of men have a right
to intertere with, much less to disperse, those in-
dividuals, until the forms of tile law have been
strictly attended to. We ought, my Loud Mayor,
to recollect a little, the circumstances under which
the Riot Act•was passed in 1715—at the time, or
immediately after, a rebellino which had raged in
the country was put doeen. Thai Rebellion was
aot excited for the purpose., of recovering lost
rights, but was occasioned by an endeavour to
Enlace another Sovereigii on tie throne, in the
room of him who had been recognized in the
great body of time people. Then, when there was
a rebellion in the country—when there was a
Pretender to the throne—the Riot Act was passed,
for the edditional protection of the existing Go-
veretnent, That Act has, however, been consi-
dered by some of time best men in this country as
a great Welch oI AutlivriT, as an audit': asbualp-