Star.
London, England, 1819-09-25 00:00:00

read the Riot Act, they might have had, in some
sort, a plea of igiaatance left to excuse the guilty ac-
cidents of the day ; but they stamped, they indelibly
ascertained the character of their intentions by read-
ing the Riot Act. That Act was, indeed, on certain
occasions, directed by the law to be read: the Man-
chester Magistrates affirmed they did read it—yes,'
in a loud voice, and to themselves—but not to the'
people. Did they, however, mean to assert, among
their other judicial assumptions, that this was the
proper way of reading it? The Boroughre,eve was
in the centre of this immense multitude; surrounded
by about 500 Constables ; and yet he had never had
the humanity to breathe a single warning of the im-
pending storm which was about to burst in thunder
on their heads. He believed, however, the tragedy
was all previously arranged, the measures taken, the
campaign decided on. Circumstances conspired to
prove this: the field 'where this battle was to be
fought—the field where these half-bred soldiers
(A laugh)—were to signalize themselves—was clear-
ed of every obstacle that could impede the full exer-
cise of their valour. Nay, more; the Infirmary plas-
ters were already spread, to dress the wounds they
had previously determined to inflict ; and the sabre
was whetted to the perfection of cutting a straw asun-
der—(flear, hear).—ln fine, the conduct of the
Manchester Magistrates was all in an uniform course;
for never did any men persevere with more laudable
resolution in a system which they were determined
should render them hated and despised by the coun-
try—(Reiterated cheers).—Take, for instance, their
conduct to Mr. Hunt, which had been so exemplary
and so wise, that they had changed places with him;
the Magistrates had proved criminal; the culprit had
shewn them how Magistrates should not act. These
Magistrates were " on the touch" for fear their sub-
tile.wit should evaporate in successless schemes. The
event was already known ; and when would it cease
to be deplored ? To select one case, there was that
of Elizabeth Gaunt—a case altogether without pre-
cedent in our history, or in the annals of any civi-
lized society. This poor creature had been dread-
fully mangled, the day of that Meeting; and she
was, by the humanity and attentions of Mr. Hunt,
conveyed into the carriage where he was: this cir-
cumstance was magnified -into the crime of being
found with Mr. Hunt seditiously. engaged. She was
treated as his accomplice, so to speak; aril in this
wretched condition, tortured in mind and wounded
in body, she was dragged to a prison, and confined
12 days there, her bodily pains being thus aggravated
by horrors of unjust confinement—(t/general burst of
indignation followed this observation).—They cried
shame; and if they, as Englishmen, forgetting the
claims of women, the calls of humanity, and the sacred.
ness of private safety, had not thus denounced sofearful
an atrocity, he should have cried shame on them.—
The, conduct of the Grand Jury of Lancaster was, in
his Mind,. utterly inconsistent with all principles of
English Juries. A Bill of Indictment had been found
by Mr. Hunt against a man named Owen, for per-
jury ; this was presented before another Bill subse-
quently given in against Mr. Hunt ; but they, think-
ing that if they lost their spotless evidence (Owen),
they could not substantiate their own respectability,
chose to entertain the latter Bill before the former.
The Jury refused to perform their duties ; the Coro-
ner would not, or could not, execute his ; they had
refused in some cases to take depositions ; in others,
to make them public when.takea, although the coun-
try was so deeply interested in the knowledge of
them, and had a right to insist upon its communica-
tion. Subsequently it had been attempted to exclude
strangers from the Coroner's Court ; this, too, was
legally an open Court, and one that never could be
closed on Englishmen.—(Here Mr. Edmonds in-
stanced one or two of the cases that might arise out
of the adoption of a contrary practice, and their di-
rect tendency to subvert the intentions of the law.)--
lie had next to advert to a fact which was to be
looked at with peculiar anxiety and concern—he
meant the l'rince Regent's letter of thanks to the
Magistrates of Manchester, for the manner in which
they had approved themselves the guardians, friends,
and protectors of the people (for such they should be)
on the 16th of August. They all well knew the in-
fluence of example ; now, what was to be said oi
such an example as this? He knew that it might be
said, that by the custom of the Constitution the
Prince Regent was not politically responsible to them
for his conduct. It might be said, also, that he acted
by the advice of his Ministers; but let it be remem-
bered, that he had also the power of dismissing them
with his own hands—(lmmense applause). This
energetic speaker then proceeded to declare, that, as
the power of Ministers was in a great measure up-
held from a revenue in part raised from duties upon
spirits, porter, ticc. they should learn to give up the
gratification of these indulgencies, for the nobler
pleasure of doing an action, where self-denial might
claim the gratitude of the friends of freedom and the
applauses of their own conscience. By following his
advice, they would deprive the Ministers of a part of
these resources. After several ingenious observations,
delivered with considerable power, and a very sen-
sible exhortation to good order, this Gentleman

withdrew.
Sir CHARLES WOLSELEY, Bart. then stepped for-
ward, and delivered himself to this effect, as soon as
the immense applause which his appearance created
had subsided—" Gentlemen, I have received so many
marks of your approbation, since I have had the
pleasure of being known to you, that they call forth
my sincere thanks ; and in words which, were they
many, I have not the power of well combining, and
which, being few, I trust and hope you will believe
to be true, I return those thanks. It was the wish
of many of my friends who stand near me, that I
should have taken the Chair to-day ; but I wished
rather to be merely a spectator ; and not being a
townsman, I declined it. We are met to examine
this day, and to enter into a discussion of, an act,
which has never been paralleled in the annals of this
country ; and I am sorry to say, that up to this mo-
ment justice has been denied. The Magistrates have
been applauded, and the bloodthirsty Yeomen have
been approved of for killing their fellow men. What
are we to think of this? }or my own part, I will
not, I dare not, Gentlemen, give vent to my feelings
or my thoughts on this occasion. I have been on the
spot ; I have visited the suffeiers ; I have attended
the Assihes at Lancaster, and have witnessed such
scenes as made my heart sink within me. Certain it
is, that the allegiance of the people, and their conti-
• deuce in the laws, have received such shock as will