Star.
London, England, 1819-08-30 00:00:00

The Citainnan—Mr. Bouchier has been sent here by
the Crown.

Hunt.--Is he the prosecutor? I thought I heard
him apply to discharge Mrs. Gaunt, and prosecute
the rest of the prisoners for a conspiracy. I wish to
know some responsible person to whom I may apply
for redress, is case this prosecution against me should
appear to have originated in unworthy intentions.
Chairman.--I understand that the several witnesses
who have deposed against you are responsible for the
different facts for which they have deposed. The
King's name is rightly and ordinarily used in such
prosecutions.

Hunt.—l always thought that there must be some
utor, although the vrosecution tuns in the
Eivrceis: name.
Chairman.—The Crown prosecutes. If there
be any particular prosecutor, it must be the Attorney
General.

Then addressing the prisoners, he asked them whe-
ther the had any thing to say in their defence?
Mr. Hunt, addressing the Bench, spoke to
the following t
et :—I know that I am now ad-
dressing the same Magistrates who took the first de-
positions, and issued the warrants against me ; but
after that evidence, and the amended evidence has
been readr it is for *EN sitting in'the situation which
they now occupy, to edminliier justice. ' I hope, and
do net doubt, they will dismiss from their minds all
prejudice, and act upon the evidence. They have
heard the various depositions which had been read,
and.the answers of the witnesses who had been sub-
jected to examination in open Court. It would be
observed, that they all agreed in certain points, but
differed very materially in others ; and that when ex-
amined regarding the import of words, their mean-
ing was far from being precise or clear. Some wit-
ne.ses say that those bodies which came from the

country Came in military array ; they could not ex-
plain what they meant by military array ; they could
not state whether they marched in slow or quick
time, or whether they possessed the characteristic of
a military march. Some say they came with sticks.
One says they were so far in military array as to have
clubs at their left breasts, similar to muskets ; ano-
ther witness has positively denied his observation'of
the circumstance ; but all agree that none of them
did any act to intimidate or offend. Can the Magi-
strates say we should be committed on such evidence
for a misdemeanour, after eleven days solitary con-
finement ? Is not this a sufficient punishment for
any offence that we may have committed? They
should consider, that the eyes of all England are
fixed upon this matter, and wait with anxiety its
termination. It has gone far enough, and ought here
to end : I ask nothing for my past sufferings—l de-
mand no redress for the treatment I have endured—
I stand here to ask, whether you will allow agitation
in the public mind still to go on, or allay it, by
removing the cause ? With the most perfect con-
viction that I have acted rightly, I am yet doubtful
of others entertaining that conviction : the country is
doubtlessin an agitated state, and will be so till this
i question s settled. Are you, on such evidence, pre-
pared to send us back to solitary confinement ? (The
Chairman said, No.) Oae of you now on the Bench
accused me of murder ; another of the Magistrates,
whom I do not now see, told me that the guilt of all
the blood which .was shed would lie at my door :
after thus being held up as a murderer and a traitor;
after being remanded on a charge of High Treason,
without a shadow or pretence of evidence to support
it, I appeal to you to lay aside all private feeling ; to
forget, as far as you can, the scenes in which you have
acted, and say whether we are guilty of any offence,
or, if we are, whether we have not suffered enough ?
In uttering this last sentence Mr. Hunt evinced a
considerable ardency of manner, which called forth
great,applause from the crowd behind. The Chair-
man indignantly commanded silence, and declared
that if any tumult took place, he should be obliged
to clear the Court, and to commit the parties.
Mr. Hour declared, that on his part there was no
attempt to excite tumult ; then turning round to the
crowd said, " The man who makes any noise or dis-
turbance in this Coprt4 with the belief that he is ho-
nouring me, I shall consider as my personal enemy !
(Hear, hear, from the Chairman.)—I cannot forget
that I have been remanded on a charge of High
Treason ; I cannot forget that 1 expected to have
stood here to-day on that most serious charge :it has,
however, been abandoned, and I submit to you,
whether there be any tittle of evidence to support the
charge of conspiracy ? Many of these prisoners, who
are accused of having joined with me, I never saw till
I saw them in this box. I admit that many of them,
as well as myself, attended the Meeting for the pur-
pose of taking part in its proceedings. I admit that
I attended it to conduct those proceedings, believing
they were legal. I considered myself as performing
a necessary, but painful duty. I had carried ap-
plications made at similar Meetings to the Secretary
of State, for the purpose of being laid before his
Royal Highness. To some of these applications I
had an answer from the Prince Regent himself
through the medium of his Ministers, and to none of
them was it objected that the Meeting was illegal at
which it was voted, One of these applications was
the very paper which was to have been submitted to
the Meeting of the 16th. I did not attempt to fol-
low, nor was it the opinion of those who took part in
the proceedings of the Meeting, that we ought to at,
tempt to follow the example set by Birmingham in
the election of a Representative. I had written to Mr.
Johnson to this effect long before the intended Meet-•
ing was prohibited in Manchester.: the Royal Pro-
clathation had declared it illegal, and though I did
not think it illegal, I thought it a foolish and absurd
scheme. It was my opinion, that to follow such an
eaawsple at such a time would have been unjust to the
people of M.inc.bester--that an election should nothave
been proceeded in till its inhtitsmts had three montlii
notice. I have declared that would have put such,
a quistion as Chairman long &fore the first Meeting
was prohibited. I could Wing testimony in support
of this assertion of as respectable men .as: are to' be'
found in 51anchester r private letters. .switkpostmarks
which could not be falsified, can,be.procistced *s evil.
deuce of the p.me fact 4 the Resolutious which were
intended' *to 'be voted at the Meeting of the Mb_
would have removed all doubt on this stsbiject
indeed, I have been told, have beenlostan the cow.'
fusion which ensued; but the most •seskaectel4e per-
-4
; persons can be brought forward, who,vrill prove_that
it was inten4ed firtt to pass a strong vote of cepsuire
• Par reCusiiii to present the Petitions of INfanclkster