The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-05-17 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDAIiffr.

THE MEETING OF THE NATIONfa UNION.

Notwithstanding the proclamation issued by the Secretary of
State, warning the public not to assemble in Cold Bath-fields
(in pursuance of a placard, to adopt measures which might ap-
pear most effectual to obtain redress from Parliament,) which
proposed meeting being illegal, a number of persons (about
300) had assembled as early as eleven o'clock, and continued,
increasing in number until the moment at which the proceed-
ings of the day were commenced by an address to the people,
when there were as many thousands. The hour appointed for
meeting was two o'clock, and in the interim, from eleven, the peo-
ple formed groups, and the discussions were such as to inflame
the minds of the auditory. A man, dressed in a new white hat,
was exciting the people by reading portions of The Reformer, and
kept continually urging that people in such an emergency ought
openly to carry arms. Large detachments from the different
'divisions of police were in the neighbourhood at an early hour,
and it was asserted that the military were in the prison. The
principal rendezvous for the police were Dawson's Riding-school
and Busbridge's livery stables. At two o'clock, 20U of the D
division were marched from the west end to Busbridge's, and
were received by the mob with hisses and groans, which they
bore patiently, but as they were entering the gateway several
stones were thrown at them, and then the last section turned
round and rushed into the crowd, and seized several who ap-
peared most active, and took them into the stable-yard. Shotly
after a waggon drove up to the open space in the field, and a
person prepared to address the dense crowd which had now col-
lected; but the driver, perhaps fearful of the consequences of
his rash conduct in embarking in the affair, turned round and
drove oft amidst the groans and hisses of the crowd. A man
then stood on the railings, and addressed the people in a most
revolutionary speech, and said the Government had threatened
them, so that by exciting their feelings they might be brought
to act offensively, and give a pretext for their being led to
slaughter; but he hoped they would be peaceable and orderly.
A most fearful shout burst from the lips of the crowd, and showed
the people had been roused almost to a pitch of madness by the
revolutionary doctrine which had been inculcated in them by
their discussions, and they declared their resolve to meet in spite
of law or force. The speaker (who it was said had suffered im-
prisonment for a political offence at Birmingham) asked them
if they would support his wife and family if he fell a martyr to
the cause—if they would he would fearlessly speak his mind;
he was answered by loud cheers, and an answer in the affirma-
tive. The Union, who had been anxiously expected all the
morning, at that moment made their appearance, and the accla-
mations of the populace was deafeuing; then all was silent,
whilst they formed round the speaker. The Union consisted of
about 150 persons, and the following banners were carried :
"Liberty or Death," with a skull and cross bones on a black
ground and red border, " Holy Alliance of the Working
Classes," " Equal Rights and Equal Justice," "a Tricoloured
Flagr " the Republican Flag of America," and a pole with the
Cap of Liberty. They had, however, scarcely got upon the ground
before a detachment of the A division, (supported by some other
divisions,) led on by Superintendent Murray and inspectors,
marched into Calthorpe-street with the greatest order and preci-
sion. Their promptitude and formidable appearance seemed to
make a momentary impression on the mob, but a person, pointing
to the banner of Liberty or Death," shouted "Men be firm."
This was sufficient to rouse their feelings, and with bitter exe-
crations against the police be called out " Down with them,
Liberty or Death," and appeared determined to resist to the
utmost, and their actions bespoke a deadly struggle. "Go on,
go on," resounded from all sides to the speaker. The division
of police had halted in the middle of the street, and received
renewed orders to act calmly and with forbearance. They
then walked forward, with their staves in their hands, merely
clearing their way through the listless observers, who had been
attracted to the spot, and, pressed forward directly to the man
who still continued to address the mob. The meeting of
the parties was terrific. They were instantly attacked by the
mob, but the conflict was but of a minute's duration, and the
sound of the blows, and the most heart-rending shrieks of the
women who had obtruded themselves into danger, and when a
slight clearance was effected at least twenty men were prostrate
on the ground, with blood streaming from their heads, showed,
a fearful result. Some were completely stunned, and were drag-
ged on one side to the steps of the doors; but the most melan-
choly part of the affair remains to be narrated. The D division
had issued from the back of Busbridge's stables, in Gough-street,
and met the crowd, or the A division would have suffered very
severely. Serjeant Harrison, of the D division, was the first
who seized a banner, but received a violent blow on the arm.
Robert Cully, C 95, and his brother, made up to another, when,
dreadful to relate, Cully received a wound in the abdomen, in-
flicted by a man who carried the banner, who was immediately
taken. The poor fellow fell back and instantly expired; his
brother had a severe cut on the wrist, and Serjeant Brooks was
also wounded, besides several who received tremendous blows,
amongst whom was Serjeant Tierney, A 11, Serjeants Olick
and Sinclair, A 77, who succeeded in taking several banners
and the staves or truncheons alluded to. The people, however,
rallied in the open space by the prison, and made a short vigor-
ous attack on the police, which was instantly and effectually re-
pelled, but not till they had attempted to rescue the banner of
• Liberty or Death" Com Serj cant Tierney. The police were
then formed into lines, extending across the different streets,
for a quarter of a mile round the place, and every party of three
or four was instantly ordered to " move on." In Gray's-inn-
lane, on the N division clearing the place, one man took.a stone
to throw at the policeman who was ordering him off, but his arm
was arrested by another policeman. An united shout of " Heave
it—stone the ——, and an immediate rush of the populace
into the middle of the road, where there were fresh-laid granite
stones, and were on the point of commencing an attack, but a
spirited movement of the whole division, and the capture of the
ringleaders, arrested the further progress of the threatened
danger. s the H division were marching from Coppice-row
towards the fields, they were assailed with groans, and a volley
of stones, one of which struck a policeman on the head, and cut
his hat through. This was supposed to have been thrown from
the top of a house in Margaret-street, the roof being covered
with a number of persons, who indulged in the bitterest invec-
tive against the force. Several persons were arrested in the
street; and had it not been for an expected rising in the fields,
the house would have been entered. At four o'clock all was
comparatively tranquil, but it was feared that, from the disposi-
tion of the people, evening would bring on an organized attack.
The prisoners must be very numerous, as the A and D divi-
sion alone have 25 or 26, amongst whom is the supposed mur-
derer of the unfortunate Cully, and the speaker who first
addressed the meeting, but from the great excitement it was
impossible to obtain positive information. The writer heard
from general report, but cannot vouch for the fact, but is fear-
ful his information is too true, that a little boy was knocked
down and trampled to death; several persons were about the
streets still clinging to their original design, although they were
watched by the police. For the conduct of the police too much
cannot be said; the writer himself had to thank them for their
forbearance, or he should have had many a blow, as lie was
accidently mixed up with the rioters.
EXAMINATION OP THE PRISONERS AT BOW-STREET, ON MONDAY