The Sun.
London, England, 1842-08-25 00:00:00

THE DISTURBANCES IN THE

MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS.
OLD I I AM, Wednesday Evening.
In consequence of another outbreak at Oldham an
express arrived in Manchester, requesting the Major-
General to send troops into that town, in order to
put an end to the disturbances which were perpe-
trated. It appears that since the outrage of this
day week matters had been gradually assuming a
more settled character, and yesterday were so far
peaceable and quiet, that the Magistrates deemed it
unnecessary to keep up so strong a force of special
constables, and consequently a number were dispensed
with. Meetings, however, had been held during the
week every morning by a body of Chartists, at some
of which language of an inflammatory nature had
been used ; but as no riot followed such meetings
they were not put down by the authorities. This
morning, about seven o'clock, a large body of persons
assembled in a field behind the Albion Hotel, and
some speeches were made, but no intimation was
given by the speakers of any intended attack on
those mills which had commenced working. About
eight o'clock most of those composing the meet-
ing had left the field, and, as it was thought,
had dispersed, in consequence of which a portion
of the special constables on duty had gone to their
homes to take breakfast. In a very short time it was
found that a large and threatening mob had assembled
near the cotton factory of Mr. Hartley, with the
avowed determination of turning out his hands.
Many of the persons so assembled were strangers, and
a majority in front of the mob consisted of women
and children. Some of the persons were from Man-
chester, and others from Saddleworth, in Yorkshire,
many f whom, after the riot and the arrival of the
military, were seen on their way towards Mosley.
When the mob attempted to enter Mr. Hartley's
factory, he stood in the door-way and resisted the
attempt, on which stones were thrown and some of the
windows broken. In the scuffle Mr. Hartley was
struck in the face with a stone by a boy, but not much
injured, and was enabled to give the bov a good
whack on the side of the head with a stick iie had in
his hand. The mob, however, gained an entrance
into the factory by breaking open the door, which
they did by main force, and threw the staple of the
door in the face of the proprietor of the mill. The
constables were speedily on the spot, and the Riot Act
I was read by the Magistrates. A regular fight took place
between the mob and the civil force, which ended in a
partial defeat of the latter, who were obliged to take up
their position in a more advantageous spot ; but it
being rumcured amongst the mob that a reinforce-
ment of special constables were coming up, they left
the place. In the attack two of the police were
wounded, one of whom had a large cut on his head,
and the other had one of his ribs broken. From Mr.
Hartley's factory the mob proceeded to the factory of
Mr. James Lees, at Green Bank, and attempted to
turn out the hands there ; but many of the latter
being armed with pick handles, beat the mob away;
and a body of special constables arriving, the molt
were dispersed from that place. Great bodies, how,
ever, continued to assemble in various places in the
town; alarm filled the minds of the peaceably dis-
posed inhabitants, and all the shops were closed. The
authorities immediately sent despatches to Manches-
ter and Ashton to request a military force, and from
the latter place Colonel Martin arrived in the town
about a quarter before ten o'clock, with a troop of
Royal Dragoon Guards, a company of infantry under
the command of Captain Barnes, and one piece of
artillery. At this time the mob appeared to have
complete possession of the town, and from the aspect
which affairs then assumed, it became necessary to
clear the streets, which was speedily done.
The Magistrates deemed it necessary to issue the
following notices :

" PUBLIC NOTICE-TO THE INHABITANTS OF OLDHAM.

" We, the undersigned, being two of her Majesty's
Justices of the Peace, acting in and for that part of
the division of Middleton, in the county of Lancaster,
called Oldham sub-division, do hereby, in conse-
quence of a tumult and riot having taken place within
the township of Oldham, in the said division and
county, order and direct, that every person licensed
under the provisions of the Licensed Victualler's Act
(9 George IV., cap. 51), and also every person
licensed under the provisions of the Ale-house or
Beer-shop Acts, on pain of being convicted under the
provisions *of the same Acts, within the township of
Oldham aforesaid, forthwith to close their houses, and
to keep the same closed during the whole of this day.
(Signed) " E. HERBERT,
"J. MALLOR."
This was dated eight o'clock. The following is a
copy of the other notice

" NOTICE AND CAUTION.

" The Riot Act has this morning been read, and
all persons are required to disperse immediately under
pain of being apprehended and punished under the
provisions of the Riot Act, namely, by transportation
for life, or not less than fifteen years, or by imprison-
ment, with hard labour, for three years.
" The constables have orders to clear the streets
immediately, and to apprehend all riotous and dis-
orderly persons. "By order of the Magistrates.
" 8 o'clock Wednesday morning, Aug. 24, 1842."
After the clearing of the streets, Colonel Hogg,
protected by Colonel Mantin, of the Royal Dragoon
Guards, and Captain Barnes, proceeded to the house
of a Chartist, named Yardley, and apprehended him
on a charge of inciting the people to illegal acts. A
quantity of papers were found at his residence, but
we have not been able to ascertain their contents. He
is to be removed under escort to the New Bailey this
evening. The civil force are also on the look out for
two other leading Chartists, one of whom, a person
named Williams, at a meeting held last night, said—
" I no longer exhort you to preserve peace and order.
We must now try something else." The town is still
in an excited state, the police and constables again
cleared the streets this afternoon, but at four o'clock all
was quiet.
MANCHESTER, Wednesday Evening.
All is quiet here. Several more mills are at work,
and it is expected more will be so in a few days.
ASHTON, Wednesday Evening.
A mob assembled at Mr. Wanklyn's mill this morn-
ing, shortly after the military left for Oldham, and
attempted to turn out the hands, but they were dis-
persed by a troop of dragoons.
LANCASTER, Tuesday Evening.
The town has been quiet all day, but the hands in
the mills, with two exceptions, still remain out; there
appears to be no attempt to resume work. All is un-
certainty.
THE AGITATION IN THE MIDLAND

COUNTIES.
BIRMINGHAM, Wednesday, Six P.M.
With the exception of one or two seditious placards
that have been issued- in the course of the day by
Sturge, O'Neill, and the kindred race of demagogues,
nothing has hitherto occurred that requires much notice.
A Bill was issued this morning, by White's party,
announcing the meeting this evening. It was deemed
dangerous by the Magistrates, and they summoned the
printer a man named Taylor, in Smallbrook-street,
and ordered him to enter into sureties, himself in 501.,
and two others in 251. each, for his appearance to an-
swer any charge which may be laid against him in
connection with the publication of the bill. The fol-
lowing is a copy of a placard posted this morning, and
which has caused a sensation : _ _

"Englishmen !—The few remaining liberties which
a tyrannical oligarchy has left to the enslaved people,
have been this day forcibly taken from you in Bir-
mingham by an armed power. In vain does the
British Constitution declare that every subject has the
right to petition the Queen on his grievances. The
Government, through the Magistrates, have denied
that right, and have, in opposition to every prin-
ciple of justice, and the Constitution, prevented a
meeting called far the purpose of peaceably me-
morialising the Queen, having first brought into the
town an armed power to enforce their unjustifiable
and unconstitutional proceedings. We issue out our
solemn protest against such undisguised tyranny, de-
claring that if such an encroachment on the rights of
Englishmen is submitted to, there will be no longer
freedom for any class, tyranny preserving its power
only by abridging the liberties of all. We record it
as our deliberate opinion that the ruling power has
taken away the just and constitutional rights of the
people, and that circumstances have now arisen in
which the Government has no rightful claim to our
allegiance. Passive resistance on our part is not only
a right, but a sacred duty. We resolve not to obey
the Government by serving them in any capacity.
We resolve not to recognise them as our Government.
We, therefore, refuse to pay all taxes. Signed, by
order of the Committee,

"ARTHUR O'NEILL, Sec.
"Christian Chartist Church."

It was expected that after the proceedings of last
night, which terminatedin the severe chastisement of
several of the mob, there would have been no further
effort to hold a; meeting in the neighbourhood. But
the O'Connor Chartists have determined otherwise,
and we may therefore anticipate a repetition of the
proceedings of last night. The hour appointed for the
meeting is six o clock, but up to the present time a
handful of:police have prevented it.
The Magistrates have issued a notice that, after
this time no vagrants will be allowed to ply the
traffic which they have lately carried on with such
extortion and success, and it is satisfactory to an-
nounce that the town is unusually free from such in-
truders at the hour of my writing. In fact, I have
scarcely met a collier in Birmingham during the
whole of the day.
The police have succeeded in arresting George
White, a Chartist leader, who is said to be implicated
in a charge of conspiracy. The particulars have not
transpired.
Inquiries have been made at the hospital, and we
find that, instead of the absurd rumours that have
gained prevalence, only one man was hurt last night.
His name is Charles Spilsbury, and he is now under
treatment for a contused wound a the scalp, inflicted
by a policeman's truncheon.

There are not more than 200 pe.!sons at the place
of meeting.

DUDLEY, Wednesday, Three 'PAL
At present all is quiet; but on Monday evening,
either for malice or amusement, a ridiculous attempt
was made to blow up a portion of the Castle ruins.
This was done by introaucing several pounds of gun-
powder into the hollow part of the foundation of the
guard-room. The explosson displaced a stone or
two, injured the adjacent trejt., 4nd made a deuced
noise. The affair naturally excitsd some alarm in the
neighbourhood until the circumsNnce was explained.
i
WESTBROMWICH AI4V OLDBURY,
Wednesday, Four . P.M.
Several of the pits resumed wo -Yesterday, and
ck.
this morning the example has again foek.'n followed;
but we regret to say that successful effort* have been
used by a large mob from the neighbourhoot: to stop
the works, and in many instances the workmen have
been sadly injured. The Magistrates have reso,, ved
henceforward to support not only men but mastevs
who are willing to commence working ; and the effi-
cient force of troops at Birmingham can- speedily be
brought to bear upon the neighbourhood. A troop
of the Worcestershire Yeomanry, under the command
of Sir -Offley Wakeman and Lieut. Taylor, were on
the spa, but were unable to act in the absence of a
Magistrate. On his arrival the Riot Act was read,
and the mob dispersed.
BILSTON, Wednesday, Four P.M.
Several of the pits resumed work yesterday, but
this morning the men were visited by a mob of ruf-
fians, who either prevented their deSe,ending the shaft,
or in cases where they had actually eonnoenced work,,
the poor fellows were drawn up and either ducked or
beaten.

STAFFORD, Wednesday
The number of prisoners in the county gaol last
night was 693, among whom is Richards, the noto-
rious Chartist leader from Handley. Lord Sandcns
has remained in town for the last two or three days,
assisting the authorities.

We learn from a Correspondent in the neighbour-
hood of Ashby, that the colliers in that locality are all
at work, and have never struck or shown any symp-
tom whatever of discontent; but, on the contrary,
they all voluntarily came forward to be sworn in as
constables, and have behaved all through the business
most nobly.