The Sun.
London, England, 1842-08-15 00:00:00

ALARMING- STATE OF
THE COUNTRY.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

DISTURBANCES in LANCASHIRE. I
• (Abridged from the Manchester Guardian.)
The wide-spread and extensively-combined syStem.
of outrage and intimidation, the commencement of
which-we announced in our publication &Wednesday,
is proceeding with rapid strides through the manu-
facturing districts ; and When this sheet comes into
the hands of our readers, this district, the great seat
of the cotton.mantifacture of England, instead of pre-
senting its usual aspect of busy industry, will exhibit
the- unusual spectacle of empty-workshops, unproducs
tive machinery, and bodies of workmen roaming
aboitt the- streets in listless idleness ; and tins night
will -Witness some of the hitter consequences of this
state of things to the great mass of - :those, who earn
their subsistence by-the labour of their hands, and
depend upon their weekly wages for a supply of food.
Thousands of mothers must to-night send their child-
ren to bed, without knowing frOm whence the food is
to come which mist Sustain life until Monday morn-
ing. Such is the fiat of a gang of desperate and un-
principled agitators, who care-nothing for the misery
they cause, and who have been enabled to carry their
remorseless plans into effect by practising on the cre-
dulity of their victims.
Those who look upon this outbreak as a mere turn-
out for wages—an attempt to resist a reduction of a
-half-penny per piece in weaving calico ; and who
suppose that it might be brought to a termination by
acceding to the preSent demand, or to any demand
for, an advance of wages—fall into a mistake, which
ie not only great, but exceedingly dangerous. What
is now taking place has not come upon us by surprise.
-We._know that it has been agitated for several months
past ; that it has, formed the subject of discussion at
the-Chartist Sunday meetings which have been held
in many parts of the 'district ; and that it is,. in fact,
the carrying-out of that fiendish scheme developed by
Mr. Feargus O'Connor and other agitators, so Icing
ago as October, 1838, under the name of the "sacred
week," and the " national holiday," Which was twice
or thrice announced in the early part of 1839 ; and
which was finalVattempted to be carried into execution
on the 12th of 'August in that
year-a day Which is
significantly near the date of the present out-
break. Indeed, we know, on very good authority,
that a leading Chartist, one of the-Very few men of
considerable property who belong to that body, said,
about two months ago, to a gentleman with
.whom 'he
was conversing on the state of the country,—" Wait
_
August,
- and you will then see what Will-hap-pen."
What *as then in the mind of the speaker has hap-
: -ened ; the " sacred week," the " national holiday,"
is upon-us. The object of it is to drive all the work-
ins; claSsea out of eniployment, in the hope that, when
reduced to utter 'destitution and misery, they will be
ready for any desperate enterprises to which designing
.men may desire to impel them. Would any advance
of. wages. satisfy these men? Oh ! no. Ir any such
advance was conceded, it would only, be made , the
stepping-stone for' furthers demands. The language
of the agitators to the working classes would then be,
' You see your power ; you have gained this point ;
and you • can accomplish whatever you please. Do
not stop short in your demands."
It is with feelings that we can hardly express, that
we have seen and heard, in Manchester and elsewhere,
attempts to seize upon this melancholy outbreak as an
occasion for manifesting mere party spite. At a time
when the most strenuous and the united exertions of
all men interested in the preservation of order, are
Deeded to meet the pressing exigencies of the time, no
words of scorn can be strong enough duly to charac-
terize the conduct of those (if such there are) who can
seek to sow disunion, and to paralyze exertion,
merely that they may have an opportunity of grafi-
. fying a contemptible feeling of personal and political
rancour. Let us hope that, at all events, such things
may be postponed, until they can be indulged in with-
out serious detriment to the public welfare.
Since the preceding remarks on the real nature of
the present outbreak were written, we have seen the
resolutions passed at the meetings of delegates held at
the Sherwood Inn, and at Carpenters' Hall, yesterday.
To us, who well knew the real objects of the agita-
tators, these resolutions convey no information. But
to parties who have hitherto, either wilfully or igno-
rantly, shut their eyes to the truth, we recommend a
perusal of those resolutions ; and especially the second,
recommending that the present forced cessation of
work shall be continued until what is called " the
Charter" becomes the law of the land. Disguise it as
we may, the-present movement is a rising against
the Government and the law.. Call it by what name
we please, IT IS, REALLY AN INSURRECTION.
• (Abridged from the 111-Inchester Guardian.)
FninAv.---There having been a resumption of work
by a number of mills, &c., in various parts of the town
ihis morning, there were very large assemblages of
people in the streets from an early hour ; and it was
pretty obvious that they were not disposed to allow
those who -were more inclined to work, to do so in
peace. '
,STOPPAGE OF MILLS AND OTHER- -

W7OIiK`S.

Early in the morning, ;groups of factory hands
heman to assemble at the corners of the streets in the
ileightourhood of Oxford-road, Garrett-road, London-
road, .and Great Ancoats-street. About half-past six
o'clock, two or three of these groups joined together
in Ormond:gtreet, Chorlton-upon-Me llock, and pro-
ceeded towards Brook-street, where they made the
workmen turn out of one or two small shops. They
then turned back, and went along Garrett-road to
Mr. David Bellhout.Aa's timber-yard, in front of which
they drew up, and called upon the men to turn out.
few minutes' delay took place, on which the mob
threatened to break open the large doors ; but before
attack was made, the men were turned out,
arnidzt the cheers of the crowd.

About half-past eight o'clock, a large party broke
into the lead mill of Mr. William Occleshaw, Lee-
=l-eet, Piccadilly; and, not satisfied with turning the
hands out, they*forced open several of the doors inside
the mill, and appeared disposed to commit further
damage. However, they were prevented by the
timely arrival of a body of police, under the com-
mand of Inspector Lipsett, together with a party of
mpeeial constables , and, before the rioters could escape,
twelve of them were captured, and conveyed to the
Yew Bailey.
About eleven o'clock, information being received at
the police-office of a considerable assemblage in Lower
Mosley. street, Superintendent Sawley proceeded
thither on horseback, with a body of police and special
constables ; and before they came up with the turn-
outs, a tall stout Scotchman was seen by the police,
apparently heading and directing the mob, waving
end beckoning with his hands • and he was at once
ecognised as an individual who had been very con-
spicuous in two or three riotous affairs in Oxford-road,
ayid accordingly Mr. Sawley and several of the police
kept him in view. Finding the police were near, he
rushed down an entry, and concealed himself in a
privy, but a policeman followed him there; and he
broke away, and ran up Lower Mosley-street and
Mosley-street with great speed. Mr. Sawley gal-
loped after him and turned him, while some of the
police and special constables pursued on foot,- and one
the latter seized him. lie was conveyed-to the
Yew Bailey ; nothing being found in his possession
butt penknife, and other small articles. He calls
himself James Bruton, and says he is, a mechanic.
There is little doubt that he is one of the very few
leaders that have been observed during the week.
During the forenoon, another man was captured by
the police, who calls himself John Varden, and who it
is said has been identified as one of the men who'so
savagely beat Sergeant Dale and Policemen Bagnall
ifid Beattie with a poker.
Several other daring attempts were made in the
course of the day to turn out workmen employed
in shops, and at buildings in the very centre of the.
town.