Star.
London, England, 1819-10-16 00:00:00

the Grand Jury had already thrown out bills in the
same cases ? Were these Magistrates so ignorant as
aot to know that Judges often recommended the re-
jection of bills upon insufficient evidence, in the hope
t_hat.the mysterious -and miraculous derelopement of
future facts in the same cases may lead to the detec-
tion and punishment of the guilty?—(Hear.) . What
thoroefancetess Inquest?whichha Why,dtrin
spired in that extra-
ordinaryb. be
ewe should be the.
.vilest worms that creep, if we did not"raise our loudest
protest against such a barefaced and deliberate sys-
tern of ;Magisterial oppressiou—(Applause.) One of
the principal objections to Our course is, that we are
prejudging the accused. In the name of HEAVEN,
who are we iSrejudging?—Not Mr. Hunt and the
People, for they are already prejudged—(Appterrse.)
They are prejudged by those memorable and irrevo-
cable letters of approbation, which Ministers dis-
patched from town, fresh upon ihe sad event. How
can we be said to prejudge the Magistrates, when
what we ask is, not condemnation, but inquiry ?
Why, then, ought we not to wait for the slow
progress of judicial inquiry? .--I answer, for two
reasons :—first, because it would shew how basely
we had degenerated from the spirit of our fore.
fathers, to wait six months for an inquiry, when
we know that the brightest and most inestimable
of our rights has been most grossly invaded
and secondly, because the trial of Mr. Hunt and the
others, be they ever so guilty, cannot affect this case.
Suppose, for instance, Mr. Hunt had been convicted
of the foulest conspiracy, what defence would that be
for the Magistrates ?—the Meeting Might have still
been innocent and legal. There are two cases and
two defendants at issue. At Lancaster it is the King
versus Hunt—here and elsewhere, it is the People of
England against the Magistracy of Manchester, who,
as Earl Grosvenor well expressed it, with breathless)
haste had violated the laws they were as much bound
to obey as those over whom they were to administer
them'—(Applause). Nothing, in short, but the fullest
conviction that the whole tale is an exaggeration,
practised upon our credulity, and for the delusion of
mankind, a weak invention of the enemy,' can or
ought to shield the perpetrators of this foul act from
the loud censure and just indignation of the Nation
—(Applause). I have heard it said that there is no
foundation for any apprehension that the real rights
of the people will be invaded—that Meetings such as
this, for instance, may always be held with perfect
security. This was idle talk—as well may I be asked,
whether the acorn of to-day will at once swell into
the mighty oak ?—vegetation, like despotism, though
slow, is progressive in its growth ; and this violation
of law, if now passed with Impunity, may soon grow
into a fixed and permanent evil—( Hear, hear). If
we do not now come forward and proclaim this out-
rage, it will, at no distant period, become too strong
to grapple with, and despotism will at length usurp
the seat of freedom. The answer put into the mouth
of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, by his
Ministers, in reply to the Address of the Common
Council, shewed how far they were inclined to
press power. No expression of regret for what had
occurred—no feeling of dissatisfaction at the event.
Was that answer satisfactory ? (Cries of "No r] It said we
knew little about the matter. That was the very etzeogiet rem.
son why there should be an inquiry to let the counter feta the
whole particulars of the.case. This was the more mMearl,
such a step would have the effect of tranquillizing the whole
country. If the public have been irritated without cause *Oise
the Yeomanry and Magistrates, is not that a reason., in jades*
those bodies, that inquiry should not be delayed [Hem, istieffil
Why should they be held up to general execration, upon a
charge that was untenable, and which at once admitted of refu-
tation? Why not wipe off this foul stain from their character?
It did not follow, that bemuse inquiry took place, guilt would
be the result—on the contrary, I believe that if the accusation
were proved to be groundless, there is not a good man in the
country who would not most cordially rejoice to final the Ma-
gistracy really virtuous, and the Yeomanry truly brave—.
(Loud applause). liy the Constitution, the Ministers woo'
the responsible advisers of the King ; and, therefore, the'
Royal replies must be considered as the acts of the King's.
advisers. There was an air of coldness and harshness in
the whole reply to the Address of the Common Council
which I did not expect, even from the present Ministers; and
I cannot help saying, that the reference to the legal tribunals
of the land for the wretched sufferers in this affair, might have
been spared. What means had these poor sufferers to obtain
legal redress, in places, the very expenses of which terrify the
opulent, and shake the pockets of the rich, so as almost
to bar their gates against them? What means had these
poor people to overcome these obstacles? It was harsh
enough to omit even one single word of pity or re-
gret for the blood that bad been shed : remember the
omission to do so was the act of Ministers, not of the
Prince Regent. mho has nothing harsh or cruel in his dlspo.
sitioo.' They (the Ministers) it now seemed had net the words
regret or pity' in their whole vocabulary. They did right,
therefore, in not attempting to insert them in it now, for in
their case to have pitied others would have been to condemn.
themselves (Applause). An Hon. Friend of vitae (Mr. Western),
had expressed his disapprobation of large Public Meetings, on
the ground that they bad a tendency to throw additional power
into the hands of Ministers, and urge them to acts of greater se-
verity. Of greater severity ! What,
141 th August?
severity than was inflicted at Manchester on the
can they be urged to greater
(Cries of " No, no.")— What then was meant by such an allti-
idon by his Honourable Friend ? Are we to be told that we
snot soh
understand that Ministers treat us tenderly, if they do
not sharpen swords to cut us down, when we meet to comider
efgrievances ? If this is to-be the tenure of the right to meet,
ItofwLiasbeigrtdeedy, that sacred sacredlyedifiandclitryedpbrer.i."..if ths,etoirrideldpie
us from the attacks of oppitisioo on the one side, and the
storms of anaray en the other. is no longer to afford the Arm
shelter for which it was ensued. I should rather see it Mumble
Into dust than be converted into Barracks, to exist but as a mo-
nument of our degradation and oppressiom—(Applasse).—l can
have no desire but to live among My felloireoustrymen quietly,
and honestly; but if I live, I must live a freeman. I morn
bondage, and so do you—(Shouts of applause). Whatever si-
tuation lam destined to fill, public or private, civil or sanitary,
I shall ever exhibit an ardent and unshakep attachment to our
Constitution, as composed of King, Lords, and Commons. I
shall always hold, that the great frame of our Government rests
on a compact between the governors and the governed, and that'
no part of that compact can be broken without a su
having his legal remedy, and having some person upon
os
be can call to repair or answer for the violating—(th Gdworestrdy
ap-
plause). It was too much the practice to brand with
finely ex
any man who expressed an abhorrence to arbitrary pow
such an insinuation he would reply in the
of the religious, the moral, the amiable, and the tender
ptsuierv.e
lata
gnat,
Cowper :
We, too, are friends to Royalty. We love
The King who loves the law—who keeps his hounds,
And fine mount within them. Him we love
Freely, and with delight, who leaves us free ;
But recollecting still that he is info,
We trust him not too far. King tho' he be,
And King in England too, he may be salt
And weak enough to be ambitious still
Ma exercise amiss his proper pow'rs,
And covet more than freemen nhonW to V, NM
Beyond that mirk is treason. tie js
1" administer, to guard; t' adore the SW*,
Bet not to warp or change it :we are his, .
To serve him nobly in the common cause. • •
Keen to death—but not to be his 'lamer
(Great applawle).—The King is bound by law toaailW
en
tier with mercy. Our gracious Prince must, to duty, as w