The Sun.
London, England, 1818-07-04 00:00:00

[PRICE SEVENPENCR.

MR. HUNT'S HORSEWHIPPING.

Bow-STRPET.—A singular, although not tin•
expected scene, Will exhibited yes•etday at the
Hustings, Covent-garden. Mr. Hunt, it appears,
who t iiroHglimit the election has rendered him-
self conspi nous by pointing out various persons
ism of the mult•ttitle (in'some cases
filleting insinuations too gross to rein at). thought
proper•, on Thursday evening, to carry this sys-
tem to suds art event as to (Irate spot himself,
yesterd ty, personal chastisement. On Thursday
he stopped before the Office of a Sunday Paper,
where he denounced to tht• vet►geaoce of the molt
a Gentleman employed on that Paper of the name
of Dowling, whom he characterised as " Spectacle
Dowling, the Spy." The person meant was Nlc.
Dowling, who had been emnloyail by Lord Sid-
mouth to take notes of the speeches of the Iwo
WHt%olls. in Spa-fi,lik, and who aftertt•ards gave
his evidence upon the State Trials. This calumny
was repeated more than once. The circumstance
having been communicated to Mr. Dowling, he yes-
terday proceeded to the. Flits ings as early as 10
Welork, provided with a-horsewhip. Soon after 12
Mr. Hunt, acrompaided by his sou, his dumb
brother, Nlr West, of Wyeh-street, and (niters of
his friends, en'ered the south door of the Iltn•t-
ings, "hen instantly Mr Dowling advanced, hod
struck him several blows over the held anti
s•toulders with his whip. In a moment the confu-
sion became general, the crowd closed upon Mr.
Dowling, and Mr. West and others seized him by
the collar, and depriving bins of his whip, prevented
on his part further violence, Dni lug the Prat as
the dumb hrotio.r and the younger Hunt con-.
trivtd to strike him some blows upon :the face,
across the shouldersof those who surrounded him.
'I he civil power had by this time so effectually
interfered, that all further violence Wa3 prevented.
Mr. D. soon afterwards appeared at this Office,
where he preferred a charge of assault against the
dumb brother of Hunt.
Mr. litaNte proceeded to hear the charge,
which was simply that of Mr. Dowling having
heel] struck by the (kleinlaut while it► a situatioit

iii which he was linable to defend himself
answer to this eharce, the defendant, thro,gb tNut
medium of his bra her, who acted as interpreter,
a•sertrd that he had bren firm struck by the coni-
piainant. Mr 131 it Ni E obSerVed, t hnt if there.
Was to he a defence, Mr. • DoeL lilts most enter
mole a' large into his ease.

Several Gentlemen now came forward. and declared upna
their oaths that they had seen Mr. Dimling slrike
Henry Hunt several blow.; across the head and shoulders wits►

his horsewhip, but deoied most positively that he struck the
dcfendmit.

Mr. Henry Hunt said, that be had been informed, one hour
before be Caine to the hustings, that liv was to by horsewhip-
ped, and was advisyl to bring LiY stick to defend himself, In t
that he had determined to come to the hustings unpreparta
with any weapon whatever.

Mr. D“wling, in reply, said be did not mean to deny that
he had come to the hustings for the express purpose of lons,-
whipping MI . Hunt, and admitted that he liaol rift tied I hoc
intention as far ai it was necessary to evince his feelings, and
to chastise a person whose calumny was as malignant as it
'fess false.

Mr. BA tom: said, that sitting as a Magistrate, he had but
one cour,e to pursue, and that wits to bind both parties otcr
to the Sessions, Mr. Dowling. for hp.rse-whippiog Heuiy
Hunt, and the dumb Hunt for assaulting Mr. Dowling.

Mr. H. Hiint here produced a letter, which he said he hail
received about 6ve months since, in which he was intnricril

...
that Mr. Dowling had declared that be would horsewhip hug•
wherever he met him; and that he (Nlr. Hunt) was prevente.t
from appearing at the elution fur Lord May at in the city, iu
conseqUence of that threat.

Mr. Dowling denied most positively that he had ever ex-
pressed such'an intention, and entered into an explanati, lb
of circumstances connected with a former transaction between
him and Mr. Hunt, from which it appeared that it was the
opinion of his friends .• he wool! deerade himself" by taklu•;
any furl her nonce of an individual who had tamely sulimitteN
to the epithets applied to him in a letter published by biter.
Mr. Dowlint,•. in all the newspapers throughout the kink•
dom. This letter was written from Hereford, and was be
:inswer to an attack made upon him by Mr. Hunt at a ',tibia;
dinner, at the Crown-and-Anchor Tavern, when Mr. Hunt
coupled his name with the most infamous of characters. Mr.
Dowling also begged to state, that these attacks aros out of
the circumstances of his having been a witness upon the States
Trials. That lie had the misfortune to be a witness WAS true,
Ina be declared in the most solemn wanner that it was solely

from acc'dent, and that'at the time he went to Spain.lds he
had not the most remote anticipation of what subscquently.
took place.

Mr. BIRNIE now said, that having heard Mr. fowling so
fully, he was now ready to hear Mr. Hunt in explanation
also.

Mr. Hunt first inquired h whom the expressions alleged to
have been used by him in front of the Sunday Newspaper-
office, respecting Mr. Dowling, had been communicated ?
Mr. Do‘..ing replied, that one Gentleman was then pre-
sent, who, together with whets, was prepared to make af-
fidavit of the tact.

A Gentleman then stepped forward, and bore testimony to
the express►ons which had been used by Mt. Hunt.
The latter, after a short hesitation. admitted that he had
used smile such words, and that he had said that Mr. Dowling
was the prrsuu who had given evidence of speeches upon tins
State Trials, which nobody but himself could hear.
Mr. lb ItNIE now said t hat he felt himself hound to call opmx
mi. ling to find sureties to keep ti►r peace towards Mr.
Henry Hunt ; and • at the same time, he wu,t also call upon.
Mr. t'ilhan► hunt to find similar sureties with regard to Mr.
Dowling. •
Mr. Hunt imineliat• 1; said he did not wish that Mr. Dowl-
ing should be held in any sureties. •

Mr. Hi NNI i.,.—What not for lwrsewhippitir you, Mr Hunt
Mr. Huta .—Not it was a m.rc litithtog : to to other re
ceit cd the blows ten times harder than 1 did; and 1 should
not now o'ol be afraid of Mr. Dowling and too such !fist%
bullies

Mr. Dowling now said, that the latter rem,ak of Mr. Hun:
Was not one.which, perhaps, could properl, be re 11 ;.tied .in
the presences of a Magistrate, hue since Mr. Hunt was Si
courteous. he was inclined to be equ.dly so, an Nll4/11, not
insist upon Ali. o ilham (hint being put to the trouble of
mite' ing into recognizant cs, as. if he con,idered it necessary,
he cool., the other steps her' atter.
Mr Bi RNLI: thought both Gentlemen had acted in this re-
spect with great prudence, and pal ticolarly complimented
Mr. forbearance, after the manner Ilb which be
had been. horsewhipped by Mr. Dowling. lie cou et not,
however, dismiss the case without recommending Mr. Haut
to teach his soil, And his brother more particularly who, was
unfortunately deaf and dumb), habits of peace and good
order.
The parties then withdrew, and Mr. Hunt upon his return
to !1,0h.0.30ig., .3luted with ,note very unpkasaut synods
mixed with 14.1glitsr.