Star.
London, England, 1819-08-31 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER MEETING.

The Electors of the City of Westminster who
signed a Requisition to the High Bailiff, the object
of which was to call a General Meeting on the sub-
ject of the late disturbances at Manchester, met at
the Crown and Anchor Tavern lait .night, to consi-
der of the most propel• steps to be taken in conse-
quence of his refusal to comply with it. Mr. PROUT
was called to the Chair, and stated the purpose for
which they were assembled ; after which he read a
written motion, the effect of which was to resol4e,
that a Public Meeting be convened by resident Louse-1
holders. The proposition was unanimously agreed
to ; but a discussion of some length took place with
regard to the Jay which might be most conveniently
or judiciously selected for holding the Meeting. It
was contended, on the one hand, that no time ought
to be lost in the bold expression of the sentiments
with which they viewed those transactions that had
taken place at Manchester, or in presenting an ex-
ample which, on such an occasion, it must be pre-
sumed the country would be eager to imitate. Un•
der an impression, therefore, of the necessity of as
early a declaration of their feelings and opinions on
a matter interesting to the whole body of the people
as could be obtained, it was strongly recommended
that Wednesday should be the day appointed. To
this it was objected, that the interval between that
time and Wednesday would not afford the means of
circulating sufficient notice; and it was suggested
that Thursday was preferable. To this one Gentle-
man added, that he had good reason to believe the
Marquis of TAVISTOCK, Mr. BEN NETT, and several
other distinguished persons, had signified a wish to
be present. As the Marquis, however, was now at
Oakley, he could not receive intelligence by the post,
of the day Sled upon, at a period earlier than would
enable him to be in town on Thursday. The presence
of such characters mast confer importance on their
'deliberations, and make the result of them more for-
midable to their enemies. Another Elector expressed
-a wish that the Meeting should be deferred till Mon-
day, in order to give an opportunity to men of al;
.parties to come forward. Mr. LAMB, the colleague
of Sir F, BURDETT, would be at Lancaster, attend-
ing the Assizes, till Saturday, when it was his inten-
tion to proceed immediately to London. There was
no ground for apprehending that the City of London
would get the start of them, as the LORD MAYOR had
refused to hold a Common Hall.

The motion for further delay beyond Thursday
was vigorously opposed, and on a shew of hands, the
question for appointing that day was carried by a
large majority.
Mr. Hoanoust, who had entered the room during
this conversation, and been received with load testi-
monies of applause, then addressed them. Although
not an Elector of Westminster, nor connected with
them in any other manner than by the insignificant
share which he had taken in political affairs, he felt
that he stood in no need of an excuse to his own con
science. or to their minds, for stepping forward on
this occasion. When he had last the honour of ad-
dressing them, he had given them an assurance, that
whenever the cause of independence was at stake,
they should not find him far behind in his exertions.
They had kindly supported him from the flattering
opinion that he might be of service in a wider sphere,
but it would be his pride, as well as duty, to labour
in the defence of freedom in every situation in which
he might be placed. But although these considerations
might furnish a sufficient apology for his intrusion,
he was not sure that he should have come amongst
them, had he not received an intimation from several
respectable quarters, dust his presence would not be
unacceptable—(Great applause). • He congratulated
them sincerely on the unanimity of sentiment which
had been hitherto evinced with regard to the mo-
mentous subject that would shortly engage their con-
sideration. There seemed, indeed, to be bat one feel-
ing, as to the atrocious outrage which had been com-
mitted on their fellow subjects at Manchester ; there
seemed to be but one opinion as to the conduct of
what was called our Government, but which did not
govern, but misrule us, and which this last atrocity
had covered with universal contumely and disgrace.
The blood, indeed, which had been shed—the blood
of their innocent countrymen, would not sink into
the ground ; it would rise in vengeance on the
heads of the immediate perpetrators of the crime.--
When he spoke of vengeance, he meant not the law•
less vengeance exercised by their oppressors, not the
vengeance of the sword, but of those laws to which
an appeal would certainly be made—(Applause). It
would 'appear as if those who possessed the iron that
was dug out of the bowels of the earth, thought they
could also command, for any purpose, the brave arms
by which it had been wielded. The effort they had
now made, unhallowed as it was, was, however, a
timely one ; it was made befote the people were quite
ready for military domination. Their enemies were
prepared to affix, before they were equally prepared
to- receive, the last seal of despotisnl—(Applause).
All disguise was now removed, and the whole coun-
try must see its dangers in their true light. It must
be disposed, he should conceive, to rise as one man,
and deprive of their abused power, those Ministers of
the Crown, who had at length forfeited sill claims to
respect, and even that small portion of esteem which
they had previously possessed in the minds of some
honest though deluded persons—(Applause). He
.trnsted no unnece:snry delay would take place in

holding tits Meeting, is ample time had been already
afordei to those desirous of attending,. And had now
to comm mit iti to theut, the agterahle it„teiligence
that Sir F.ancis Burdett had just lathed hi town.
After his it:tial good old Lishoon. he had haiiened to
obey the call tit his rbiiiiiiiients, and to maintain the
rights of his fellosii-CoUntrymen: He hoped Other
Gentlernen of rank and property, would noti. for the
sake of shooting partridges, tamely look oo the 'hoot-
ing of their fellow-subjects; but shalt they timid
evince an equal readiness to testify their sense of this
attack upon the rights, the Hies, and liberties of Eng.
lislimen—(Applattee).. . . .
A Resolution of Thinks was the 'voted to Mr.
Nonni:it:sr, who, in returning his acknowledgments,
observed, that the great question ht Betel m, not in-
deed in its details, but in its substance, was most inti-
mately coo tested with the late enormities ;it; Man-
chTiter, that it ought, therefore., to form d pi eminent
feature in their e!eliberations, and wait **red by what
had recently occurred, to be the only subject now
woithy of public discussion.
Mr. BRYANT informed the Meeting, that he had
applied to Mr. Justice H, Iroyd and Mr. Baiba Gra-
ham for a writ of Habeas Corpus, to bring up the
prisoners from Manchester. 'I he'lestdi of this appli-
cation would be known to-morrow: 'He had applied
on Saturday 'at the house of the Chief Justi( e, but he
was not in town. The Clerk, however, infiirmed
him, that he had a commission to receive applica-
tions, but disappeared before one could be put into a
written form. It appeared to him desirable that the
Meeting should sehd somebody down to assist
Mr. Pearson, aid to move the Judges that the trial
should take place in some other county than Lan-
caster. He concluded by mentioning a variety of
circumstances which have been already made known
to the Public, relative to the hardships and rigorous
confinement sustained by the prisoners.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the
Mecing was dissrtived.—The following is a copy of
the Resolution as finally agreed to:—
" To Alertly& Mounts, Eq. HUI Bailiff of the City and
1. serty of Westaninsvy.
We, the undersigned Electors of Westminster, request you
to call an early Meeting of the Electersof this City and Liberty,
to take into consideration the propriety of addressing the Prince
Regent and the Nation, on the conduct of the Magistrates and
Yeomanly towards the People, at their late Public Meeting, at
Manchester, held fur the purpose • of eoniddeiiag the propriety
of adopting the most legal and effectual means of obtaining a
Refui in in the CAltuonb House of Parliament.' "

Sig ied by nearly SOO Elector.
" The High Bailiff having r. fused to comply with the above
Itxqniiition, the Hectors who signed the Reqnisitiou hereby
give notice, that a Public Mee.ini; of the Inhabitants of West-
minster will be held, for the purpuse above stated, on 'Thursday
next, the 24 of September, at Twelve o'clock at noon, in New
Palace-yard, Sir FRANCIS BURDETT, Ban. in the Chair.
" The Chair will be taken at o.te o'Clxk prvdstly."

NOTTINGHAM FRAMEWORK-KNITTERS.,
The following Answer to the Address of the Frame-
work-knitters has been received trom his Grace the
Duke of NtwcAETLE, Lord Lieutenant of the County
" to umus lIILLICR, SANDS, AND SKINTNALL, CObII4IITEE-110011,
. _ _

NALL, COALTIi•LANE, N 071 ING11•11.

" Clumber, Augt.st '25, 1819.
" Mesas. MiLter., SANDs, AND B4ENTNALL-1 have received
your Letter and Address. For the present, I will only assure
.you, that your case shall be attentively examined by mt, and
that. it 44.11 occupy my most serioas cousideration. You have
beers so good as to, look upon nw as a friend. Believe ma, la=
and Nnl be your real friend; and if in this character I caa have
anfinffirence With you, let me exhort you to be patient under
misfortunes•-to be' eaceable, Orderly, and obedient to the laws:
Let me beg of you to bear up manfully, and make the best of
even what you may consiter an indifferent lot. The evil must.
be merely temporary. Let us look forwatd to better times;
and pray remember this, that nothing will fore spec i'v contri-
bute to restore prosperity than contaln • amongst en 11 miss,
ailing from a consciousness of perfect security.
" llclieve me to be y tur we l-wisher a .d true friend.

(S Lard)

" Nli WI: AS/IRS

ALFRETON STOCKING-WEAVERS.

At a Meeting of the Inhabitants of Alfreton,in the
County of Derby, held in the Vestry of the Parish
Church, on Wednesday, August 25, 1819, to take
into consideration the present st tte of that part of
the Population of the Parish en,,aed in the StocVng
Trade, the Rev. Jou NI WOOO, in the Chair, it was,
inter alia, resolved:

" I. hat from the information submitted to the Met en g, it
appears that the greater proportion of the Framework-knitti.rs
resident in this parish are at present out of employment.
" 2. That this Meeting learns with great concern, that the
prices which have been fur some time past paid lot labour in this.
branch of business are, in many casts, to provide tLe
means of niaiutenancc for the families who depei:d upon it for
their support.
" 3. That from a conshlerstion of the causes which regulate
the price of human I ibour, this Meeting would ha. a adopted tlic•
conclusion, that the distress incident to the branch of Trade now
under inquiry arises frcm the number of hands cog ged in it
being greater than the demands of the Trade require; but it his
been reported to this Meting, on the authority of very respect-
able individuals, competent to affard information on the subject,
that a part of the distress alluded to is occasioned by the want
of unanimity amorgst the Hosiers generally, in agreeing upon a
fair remuneration to be paid by them for the labour of the Frame-
work-knitter.

" 4. That so far as the present question involves a disagree-
ment between tbr Alaxte.- and the Workman (it any such east),
this Meeting fields it to be improper to offer any interferenoe—
forth:rt. than that the individuals now assemb.ed do earnestly en,
treat the kloiders: resident In dierrent parts of the Country to
take immediqtretneasures for ascertaining the sentiments of each
otbvr on thiebtiportatit subject, and to adopt such tetre:dies, if
in their pOWST,, as the general interests of the Trade and the
, cases of the itifreiing parties will admit.
" 5. That, acting on the principle of the foregoing Resold-
thins, this Meting euttsiders is to be unwise to encourage a po-
pulation to continu.e its labour in a branch of industry already
overstocked with hands; for, notwithstanding that causes may
exist to counteract and retard the ordinary etficteptoduced by
an adaptation of the supply to the demand, the: e, in the opinion
of this Meeting, never could operate to the extent now corn-
' plained of, if the supply of labour in the case of the Framework-
knitters were not vrry greatly in excess.
"6. That this Meeting, therefore, strongly recommends that
labour should be foand ler such Framework-knitters as belong
to this Parish, and are hi distress; in employments of Husban-
dry, or any other mode out of the line of th:ir occupation, pay-
ing therm a fair remuneration for their work, rather than that
they should confirms to pour an increased produce MI an over-
stocked market, andlhat the Parish should be obliged, as here.
tofore, to make gucd the deficiency which may arise between
the price paid for their labour, and the amount required to
their subsistence.
" 7. That the Inhabitants of the Parish of Alfroton be there.
fore most particularty desired, each trecotilie.:, to his means, to
set apart such work as the applicants ore capable cf executing.'

The patty which attended the last Hunslet Moor •
Meeting from llorsforth, return,- t by Li.: way of
Woodhouse Xkor, where they p uaded about for
some tia,e. They surruuntiej toe house of a person •
who is one of the Yor.,shite ilu,ars, who was very
much alarmed by their thre.4t, but they did not
not commit any acts of outrage. After keeping the
inhabitants of Woodhouse is a state of alarm tcr
sonu• time, they departed thrrugh

1

,I

t
111

'
1.
tr

rr

11
•• t .11i,
1 •
1 t
r.
. ,
1"
i •
•
1 ot.'