Star.
London, England, 1819-10-02 00:00:00

If

2'. 4

place yesterday, at the King's Head Tavern, Pout-
try, pursuant to a Requisition, addressed by several
of them to Mr. Rothwell, Sheriff and Alderman.
Business commenced at about half past two, when
Mr. Alderman ltoritweu., having read the Re-
quisition, observed, that he had called this Meeting
as speedily after receiving it as possible. lie now
appeared before them in a new character. As Al-
derman, he had simply to state, that whatever his
political opinions might be, they were entirely out of
the question, and put aside, when it became his duty
to convene together anAssemblj of Gentlemen, freely
to declare and express their sentiments on any public
occasion. In so doing, he should endeavour to be
swayed by neither party, to turn neither to the right
nor to the left side. He was anxious to declare, that
on an occasion like this, he should preserve a strict
neutrality throughout the whole of his life ; and this
war a sentiment which he had felt eager to deliver
on a recent occasion from the hustings; but all who I
were then present might be enabled to vouch, that he
might as well have attempted to stem the current
below London-b. idge, as to have made himself heard.
In the new character of one of the Sheriffs of Lon-
don, he felt himself bound to act with equal impar-
tiality; and, therefore, entreated for every Gentle-
man a fair and candia hearing. He bad forgotten
to obserte, that from his numerous engagements it
was impossible for him to meet them at an earlier
opportunity ; and that, there being no Vestry in the
Parish large enough to contain so full a Meeting as
the present, he had been cr,nstrained to choose the
prwmt place for their meeting.
Mr. Grusin had great pleasure in bearing testi-
mony to the handsome manner in which the worthy
Alderman had attended to the Requisition put into
his hands: under the circumstances of the case, he
believed it was not in that Gentleman's power to have
named an earlier day than the present. It now be-
came his (Mr. Gibson's) dot,as having taken an
active share in calling together the present Ward-
mote, to explain the views which he had entertained
•on this important occasion. Mr. Gibson then pro-
ceeded to disclaim ail exaggerated statements of the
calamitous event of the 16th of August at Man-
chester, and all party or prejudiced views founded
thereon. He would endeavour to restrain his own
feelings, and not to excite those which, as men and
as Christians, he was very sure they already enter-
tained. He then proceeded to observe upon the an-
tiquity and legality of the right of meeting publicly,
for the purpose of discussing grievances, and peti•
tioning for redress. As to the nature of a recent
Meeting, it had been said to be illegal, that no Magis-
trate presided at it. Why, they could not call this
Meeting a Wardmote, if they had not the presence
of their highest officer, who now presided ; but it
would not be in his absence an illegal one on that
account ; neither could his presence render it a legal
one in another ease: He begged them for a moment
just to look at the state and history of the late Meet-
ing at Manchester. Now, there was one called, just
one week before that in question was held. Use
former of these was declared by the Magistracy
to be illegal ; and they declared they would exert
their utmost to put it down, if it should attempt
to assemble. What was the consequence? It
did not take place at all.—(Loud app'au,se.)—
Notice was then given of the Meeting of the 16th of
August. Did the Magistrates of Manchester take
any steps as they had done before? Did they give
any such warning as they had issued on that occa-
sion? !le put this plain question to the Gentlemen
present. If the Magistrates, on the fit st occasion,
gave notice to the parties that the proposed Meeting
was an illegal one, and were totally silent in regard
to the second, had not those who were to act in that
second Meeting, fair reason to presume that its ob-
jects were legal, and that the 'Magistracy considered
them so? Why, they did so at the outset of the bu-
siness. In the first place, the people had a right to
hold the Meeting, and the subject was one they had
a right to discuss. Mr, Gibson then proceeded to
review the objections which had been urged to in-
quiries like the present. It had been contended, that
they went to prejudge the question on information
which was not official nor efficient for the legal pur-
posei of inquiry. He went, however, upon information
given upon oath, before a Coroner on an Inquest.
preceding case amounted to this—that an assem-
bly of the people was held, under the ostensible pro-
tection of the Magistrates : for, if they gave no warn-
ing nor admonition to the contrary, they were bound
(as well as justified) to assume that they were so pro-
tected. The Yeomanry of Manchester, enrolled to
preserve the peace, were called in by these Magis-
trates they were brought into the midst of the peo-
ple, who were crammed together, so that they could
not get away ; no obstacle was opposed to this force.
but that which a congregated multitude must na-
turally present, and this multitude was cut down,
hacked, mangled, and pursued, as if those who com•
posed it had been the bitterest enemies of their coun-
try. Ile appealed to Gentlemen present whether this
was an exaggerated statement of the case? This
force cut its way through them to the hustings. It
had been said that that unhappy Meeting was as
sembled for the most abominable purposes : that the
people had said, that after that day, they were to
change places with their masters : that those who had
lived upon the pay of their employers were to give
it ; that every thing sacred, every valuable Itistitu-
tior:, our Laws, our Religion, were to be overthrown.l
I iow could Gentlemen imagine that in any one dis-
th there were to be found 90,000 or 40,000 despe-
radoes of this kind ?—( Cheering.) These men had
been called ‘• Radicals," why not call them Rus-
sians ?--(A laugh.) But let the accusation be admit-
ted in its fullest extent; let it be supposed that
30,000 or 40,000 men' were thus met to overturn every
thing that was venerable in the country, or dear to,
its inhabitants, yct what were those Magistrates, who
could not wait till they got within the but cc:-
taiii reach of justice, but spread their nets to catch
them ?—(Applause sled disapprobation.) Why were
tie Yeomanry Cavalry so greedy of blood, so anxious
fur slaughter, that they could not wait ? Oue of.
twat things was certain—either that the Meeting was
not illegal, or-that its intentions were not of the kind
imputed to it—(llcur). But the Magistrates pleaded,'
that they wanted to execuie a warraut, and could not
get to the hustings to arrest the object of it. Would

they, however, with to see exalted to the M agistracy.l
a man indifferent to the lives or property or safety of '
his fellow-citizens ? Would they not rather return a
man possessing some humanity for his townsmen and
fellow,citizens? This was no question of party; but
an application which came home to the breast of
every good man. It ought to be remembered, that
a few days before the fatal Meeting, Mr. Hunt, un-
derstmding some such intention existed about him,
presented himself voluntarily before the Magistrates
of Manchester, and demanded, whether they had
issued any warrant against him ; as in that case he
.wished, by a timely surrender of himself, to avoid
any mischief that might ensue by reason of the adop-
tion of any public measures against him. The Ma-
gistrates ar tes replied, " No, Sir, we have not:' lf, in-
deed,this were the case of a man, who, having ab-
sconded from the operation of his country's laws, had
had the audacity to show his face (after being no
where to be found) in a Public Assembly, and before
the Magistrates, he (Mr. Gibson) should have joined
heat t in hand with them—(Applause).—This Gentle-
man concluded by moving the following Resolutions:
" Resolved, It is the indisputable and constitutional privilege
of Englishmen, to assemble and deliberate In public upon Ail
matters connected with the administration of the national affair;,
and for O.- redress of public grievances. It is the duty of the
Magistrates to protect the People when they are assembled, and
conduct themselves orderly and peaceably, from liolcnce and
outrage. •
• " The conduct of the Magistrates and Yeomanry of Manches-
ter on the 16th August, when the inhabitants of that town and
neighbourhood were legally and peaceably assembled, set at de-
fiance this most valuable and well-orablishNl privilege, inasmuch
as the Yeomanry broke into the assembly of the people, when no
timely notice bad been given of the intended attack ; cruelly
wounded and destroyed the unarmed and defenceless multitude,
spared neither age nor sex, nor confined their fatal violence to
the spot where the Public Meeting was held, but extended it to
the neighbouring streets, whither the affrighted people had fled
for shelter from the scene of blood and slaughter ; while the
Magistrates, if they did not authorize and direct this abominable
attack of the Yeomanry, did not interpose to restrain their vin-
dictive rage, nor adopt any measure, to detect and punish the
authors of this calamitous outrage.

" The British Constitution has provided and promulgated laws
for the government and direction of Magistrates and People on
all important public occasions, whose authority it is the duty of
all good citizens to maintain. These laws have been defied by
an enraged armed force and local Magistracy, whose conduct
may hereafter be used as a precedent, to prevent or itterrort a
Meeting of the People assembled under the protection of the
Bill of Bights,' and thereby restore the detestable tyranny
exercised by the lions: Gf Stuart, unless an impartial, and com-
plete, and public investigation be quickly undertaken.

- -
" We regret and disapprove of the hasty interference of the
Ministers of the Prince Regent, presenting, in his name, their
thanks to the agitators of the public peace, and the violators of
the liritish Constitution, before an opportunity could be afforded
them to become sufficiently acquainted with the transacdons of
that unfortunate day, and which interference must tend to bias
I the public mind, in its search after the best means to repair the
effects of this violent outrage. We so highly esteem the privia;
legts we possess, of living under the best form of government
hitherto practically enjoyed by any nation, however far it may
yet be from ultimate perfection, that we will never fail to repro-
bate, and endeavour to put down, all attempts made at any time,
by any party, to re-establish regal or military tyranny, or to in-
troduce anarchy and confusion."

Mr. WOTIIERSPOON, in animated language, se-
conded the Resolutions. He defended the conduct
and views of the Meeting at Manchester, contended
that it was strictly legal, especially as its principle
was expressly recognized by the Bill of Rights, and
considered the present question as resolving itself into
the simple inquiry, whether their rihts had been in-
vaded or not? The atrocities of Manchester he con-
sidered as strongly allied in their character with the
massacre of Glencoe, in the time of William HI. and.
he was apprehensive that if those dreadful proceed-
, ings were not thoroughly investigated into, the days
of that insupportable tyranny might be revived,
when, under the despotic tyrant, Charles If. and the
degraded tyrant, James 11. the military were em-
powered to administer questions to the people of Scot-
land, framed according to the wishes of a ruling fac-
tion, and which, if not answered to the satisfaction of

those cruel spoilers, furnished the pretext and the
authority for inflicting death upon the victims of
their lawless authority (Hear, hear.) The same con- '
duct might ensue, he feared, without the adoption of
active, vigilant, and severe scrutiny, in the present
instance, on the part of the military, 'the police, and
those newly-created animals called " spies."
Mr. BROOK (of the Common Council) expressed a,
wish to know whether the last speaker had any
grounds for his assertion than mere Newspaper re-
ports. It was very easy to make assertions, but the,
great question was, whether such assertions ought to
be made, unless they could be borne out by facts?
lie thought the Mover of the Resolutions was there-
fore called on to state his authority.

Mr. JAMES rose to move a series of Resolutions as
an amendment. He was perwaded his worthy friend
(Mr. Gibson) believed every thing he had stated to
be true ; but then he had just as much authority to
contradict as Mr. Gibson had to assert. He there-
fore must say, that he firmly believeik,the statements
which had appeared were totally garbled. He should
like to know for what purpose that immense assem-

'blage had been at all called ? lie was told on re-
spectable evidence that the people in that district had
for a series of weeks been preparing—that they came
armed with sticks to the place. it was said that they
met, however, under the protection of the Magis-
trates. This he denied, for no plan of their opera-
tions had been laid before any Magistrate for him to
approve or disapprove of it. The purposes for which
they met, he believed, were of the most profligate
and abandoned nature. That the Riot Act was read,
not in a corner, but as near the assembly- as possible,
he firmly believed; bet he would admit that an hour
had not elapsed when the Yeomanry advanced. An
erroneous idea seemed to be entettained relative to
the right of A soldier to act in any public capacity
without firdc,rs. In the case of Sir Francis Burdett
v. the Serjeant at Arms, which was argued before
the Twelve Judges, on a wilt of error, in the Ex-
chequer
Chamber, their Lordships held, that a per..!
son did not lase the privileges of a citizen by becom-
ing a soldier; but, on the contrary, was bound as
much as ever to do his duty as a citizen in a case of
riot or felony. That some excesses had been com-
witted, lie would not deny ; but he could not think
they were marked by any spirit of inhumanity on the
part of the soldiers, neither did he believe there was
an Eneslinian capable of acting as those persons'
\vele said to have done. lie concluded by moving a
series of Resolutions directly opposed to those of
Mr. Gibson.—Mr. Deputy 140XL/LV seconded them.
Mr. BLATSON denied that the Meeting was illegal,
and though the inhuman conduct of the military wits
disputed, he could state that a correspondent of his,

with whom he was in the habit of doing business,
had a cut from a sabre when he was in a different
street. He' had heard With astonishment that the
persons present had sticks'ivith lead in them. If that
was the case, they must have been a set of cowards,
when so well armed, to allow themselves to be beat
by a handful of Yeomanry—!Laughter.) There was
no disturbance till the arrival of Mr. Hutt ; and
while that individual was addressing them from the
Chair, and earnestly pressing the necessity of their
strictly observing tranquillity, then the inhuman
transaction began, and the Chairman and his friends
were draggeJ from the Chair in an illegal manner.
The Meeting was held for Parliamentary Reforni ;
and he considered the poorest mechanic in the coun-
try had as much a right to petition her Parliamen-
tary Reform as the highest Peer in the country had.
He strongly condemned the conduct of that person
who had made the oath before the Magistrates, and
which led to the unfortunate business of that day, and
whether he was a Gentleman, or merely a tool of the
Magistrates, his behaviour could not be too strongly
reprobated. Ile contended, that sufficient publicity'.
had not been given to the reading of the P.iot Act,
and lamented that any of the Ministers of Religion
should .have so far degraded their character as to act
as one of them did on that day. He conceived that
the Ward was therefore bound to come forward on
the occasion ; and while he reprobated the doctrine
of Universal Suffitage, Annual Parliaments, and Vote
by Ballot, as likely to destroy the Constitution, he
still thought a Reform was necessary in the House
of Commons. He should support the original Re-'
solutions.

Mr. Lvcaa supported the original Resolutions.
Mr. SHARP, of Queen•street, said that he could
prove that the first attack was given by the mob ;
that directions were given them to put down and
keep down any person who opposed them. When
the Yeomanry were at the Hustings, which was not
till the Riot Act had been twice read, they were as-
sailed with a shower of brick-bats, stones, &c. and
then they were obliged to act in self-defence, which
they did not do till one of their body was knocked ,
down. A large proportion of what took place, was
occasioned by the 15th Hussars. It was, however,
intended that all the blame should attach to the Yeo-
manry, because the rioters thereby believed that they
would make the Hussars their friends. The Meeting
was composed of thousands from every part of the
surrounding country, who came there by previous
concert, in regular military order, with flags, and it
was known that many of the inhabitants never ex-
pected to enjoy their houses again, as the persons had
boasted they would go home laden with plunder.
Mr. SPENCLR said he had been down in the dis-
trict of Manchester for the last six weeks, and he
could state some evidence he had heard on very good
authority. In the evening of the fatal day, he saw
the military and the mob attacking each other in a
manner he never hoped to witness again. Ile had
not seen the commencement, and such was the fervour
of both parties, that it was nearly two weeks be-
fore he could get any satisfactory account of what
happened. The order in which the different bodies
marched, the regularity with which they went through
' the military movements, was not inferior to any re-
giment in the kingdom. The clergyman who read
the Riot Act, did it from the window of a Mr. Bux-
ton's house, and it was afterwards read below by a
Mr. Silvester, who was obliged to escape for his life
from the fury of the mob. The constables, he be-
lieved, were not able to break through, as a body
was formed ten deep with their arms joined, and
orders were given by Mr. Hunt for them to stand
firm. The Yeomanry did not charge in going to the
platform, but advanced by files, and they were then
attacked by the mob, many of whom were armed
with bayonets, pistols, &c. Then, and not till then,
did the Yeomanry act in self-defence, and then the
Cheshire Yeomanry and the 15th Hussars were or-
dered to advance. The 15th I lussars unquestionably
did tremendous work that day. Much had been said
about oaths, and he must lament, that very little
attention was pail there to oaths, as had been lately
witnessed, in an attempt to prove that Birch had
never been shot. He deplored the state of morals,
produced by the publication of blasphemous cheap
publications, and concluded by giviug his support to
the Amendment.
The Question being loudly called Itr, Mr. GIBSON
replied. When the numbers were:—
Fur tke Original Resolutions - - - 36
Amended ditto . - - 47

Majority - - - 11
Thanks Were then voted to Mr. Alderman ltorx-
WELL, and the Meeting separated.

GUILDHALL—UE[OAX •T THE COMMON HALL,—YETICTdar
Darr, one of the City Officers, was charged by Air. William Birch,
Liveryman, with having assaulted him in a most outrageous
manner. The complainant stated, that on Wednesday last he
was at the Common Hail, before the commencement of the tu-
mult, and was standing by the hustings, when he was accosted
by the defendant, who knew 14m, and seized hint by the
saying, " 13—n you, you are no Liveryman, and shall go out:"
and accompanied his imprecations by dragging hint with the
most brutal and unnecessary violence. Mr. Thompson, a Cleo-
dentin with whom the complainant was standing, interfered,
and assured the defendant that he was a Liverymen. The de-
fendant, however, continued inexorable, until the complainant
appealed to Mr. Samuel Dixon, the orator, who stood by hint.
Mr. Dixon politely desired the officer to desist, until he went
and ascertained whether he was # Liveryman or not, which he
found to be the case, and the prisoner then lot go his hold. The
complainant declared that he did not join in the hooting or bel-
lowing, but was quietly exercising his right as a Citizen and a
Lis eryntan. Mr. Dixon corroborated the account of the cow-
-1 plain' ant, but said he presumed that the officer had acted front
an ercess of zeal, under the impression that the complainant.
was nut a Liveryman, and that it was hi: duty to turn hint out.
lie had, however, used more violence than was uacessary. Mr.
Thompson said that the 'complainant had conducted himself with
propriety throughout. Mr. Davis testified to the general good
conduct of the defendant, who had protected hint from the vio-
lence of the other officers. liis good conduct was highly con-
trasted with that of the other officers, who did not conduct
themselves with the same temperance upon the occasion. D..re,
in his defence, said that the complainant had been particularly
active in his endeavours to eacitu " seditkon and disaffection" h;
the livery, against the Lord and had er.deavotired
in
inflame the indignation rf the rafblr against him, by crying out
" Firs, fire !" and using other altrrning cap essions. lop
impressed with the idea that he was not a liveryman. he had
certainly endeavo..:r!...sl to turn him cut; in doing which, Mr.
Dixon said to him, " Officer, you are duilig nothing but your
duty." Z Mr. Dixon here denied having mid any such thiaig.)
If he had erred, to which Police-officers, as well as other men,
were liable, it was front an excess of zeal, and be hope,' it
would be overlooked.—The Sitting Alderman (J. J. Smnsi, Esq.)
Laid lie could have no doubt, liter the vary respectable testi-
mony of Mr. Dixon, of the outrageous ar.d urjuatiliable beha-
viour of Dare, whom lie ordered to foal bail to sthswur for ale
assault at the near Svsateiis.

It
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....... _ worm-.
they, however, with to see exalted tc
,
. . I WARD OF CIIEAP MEETING. . a man indifferent to the lives or prof
• ------ his fellow-citizens ? Would they no
r ' ' A Meeting of the inhabitants of this Ward took man possessing some humanity for 11
place yesterday, at the King's Head Tavern, Foul• feno,w,citizens? This w„, no questi
try, pursuant to a Requisition, addressed by several
i•; R
of them to Mr. othwell, Sheriff and Alderman. 'an application which came home
every good man. It ought to be r
Business commenced at about half past two, when a few days before the fatal Meeting
. .f... A1.1.........,.4.4 tir-,,,,,,,r r h..,,Aricr read the Re- .1—.........4.1:... en.m. clirli intention ex