The Sun.
London, England, 1819-07-21 00:00:00

LEEDS, JULY 19.

A Meeting was held this day on Hunslet Moor,
according to notice given in the Public Papers,
end by Placards which were posted up in every
p,irt of the town. Notwithstanding, however,
this publicity, and the additional impetus which
was supposed the proceedings at Birmingham,
Barnsley, &c. woniti have given to the Advocates of
Universal Suffrage and Annual Pat liaments, the as-
sembly was far from numerous—there being only
front 4 to 5000 persons present ; and every thing
%veto out off very tamely. The chair was taken about
half-past
,twelve o'clock, hy Mr. .lAstes MANN, of
this town, one of the persons who was arrested
under the Suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act.
Ile said it was the duty of every person to come for-
ward to redress the manifold grievances of their
Country, which Were produced by an Overwhelm-
ing taxation which took from every man the greatest
part of the produce of industry. He exhorted
them to conduct themselves with moderation, and
to observe a peaceable demeanour.
Mr. MASON moved the resolutions, which were
in substance :—There is no such thing as servil
tude, and.all statutes or enactments which have
a tendency to benefit one part of society at the
expense of another, are unjust ;—that as the Le-
gilature have in many instances treated their pe-
titiOnS with the utmos! indifference and contempt,
it W7l. necessary to make -a s.olemn appeal to the
Ftopie to form a National, Union, in order to
procure such an overwhelming ritajority of all the
mare population, as cannot fail to Procure the. tals
ject in view;—that as Universal Suffrage and
Annual Parliaments are the eisential principles
of the English Constitution, they Would consider
their grievances unredressed, antiotheir rights with-
held, till they were possessed of them ;—that the
Saving, Banks scheme was an insult to cOmninn
sense, and right understauding ;.e--that Deputy
Meetings should be appointed, to consist of wise
-and able men ; and to meet at any given place ;
"that front" these Meetings District Meetings
should be formed, to extend ,throughout the
•whole United Kingdom ; and aNational Meetin.g
front the District Meetings, to bring the whole into
one focus ~in order to adopt measures for obtaining ';
a Reform in the Commons HooseOf Parliament, on
-the basis of Universal Suffrage, Annual Parlia-
ments, and Election by Ballot ;—that no redress.,
could be obtained but from themselves ; and it
they failed' to eitert with vigour, the means they
bad in their. hands, they would merit the priva-
tions, they endured, and deserve the execrations of
po,terity ;--that should the usurpers of their
'rights' proceed to acts of violence, and even in- 1
career ate itntividuals, they should still persevere,
and use every. means-in their power, to lighten
the dieing and enliven the dungeons of those who
suffered in the CatisC of the people ;—that it is the
fluty of every member of society to resist, the exe-
cution.'of oppreisiVe and partial laws, which if a
single individual were to do, it would be his ruin,
hut if 'a whole nation did it, they must be success-
ful ;—that a very small number of individuals had I
long guided -the counsels, and plundered the peo-
ple, and to perpetuate their fraud, had hired the ,
offsconrings of society to print and publish News-
papers, which had long succeeded in persuading
those
.who ought to have been the Leaders of the
people, that the measures of Government were
calculated for their benefit ;—that as soon, as an
eliiblc - person zeal be found, who will ac
cept the appointment, to represent the un-
represented inhabitant; of the town of Leeds,
another Meeting shill be called, for the pur•
pose, of .electing him to that situation. The
Resolutions were all carried unanimously
Mr. Fitton, (of Roydon) Mr. Knight, (from
Manchester) Mr. Brayshaw, of Yeadou) Mr.
Willatt, (of Dewsktsry) Mr. Grainger, and Mr.
Uaiuses, (Printer of The Leeds Mercury) severally
ddressed the Meeting on the old topics ; Knight
recommended them to abstain from paying of
taxes, as no man was bound to pay taxes imposed
without his cooseut ; and he could not he said to
give his consent to taxation who had not a vote
for Members of Parliament. Fitton then read the
Appeal to the Nation, which the Committee bad
prepared. (It was not stated, however, who corn-
posed this Committee, how they were appointed,
Dor under what authority they acted.)—l t went over
the same ground as had been embraced by the Re-
solutions, and called upon the People to form a
National Union to obtain their rights.—Tite
thanks of the Meeting were then passed to Majcsw
Cartwright, Wm. Cobbett, Esquire, Henry Hunt,
Clquire, 4lessrs. Woolen, Sherwin, Knight, and
Johnson;'of Manchester, I3aines (the printer),
the Chairman, the men who signed the re-
quisition, and other reforming worthies ;
when the Meeting adjourned. It was con-
ducted very peaceably; and as soon as the Chair-
man announced that the Meeting was dissolved,
the people left the ground, as if eager to- be die- ,