The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-04-06 00:00:00

LASCAS I' Ea L R.V I' ASSII ES.

MAL OF IGHT, DZITHVIST, AND OTHERS.
Pa:ci.Nll MT.—NW:DAT. APRIL 3.

The Court met niorainK between nine and ten
o'clock ; and the is: sof the Jurors hating been
called over,
Air. Wit.t.t.oas observed to the Conn, that he feared
he had on Saturday spoken with too •h diflideuce on
the law as to the right of the people to carry arms in
self-defenre. lle now stated brii.i.lly that the peoplediad
the right, and it was only the ill use of them that could
constitute a lle feared that it might be looked
upon as an abandonment of duty, that he had not urged
this matter more str.mgly.
31r. Justice BATLEY.--I cannot consider that persons
have a right to go armed in that way in contemplation
of an attack. _ _ _ _ _

The examination of witnesses for the defence was now
proceeded in.
John Cross enamined by Mr. WtwAsts.—Has known
Fletcher from a child. Saw bins three or fonr weeks
after the Manchester meeting, and he then asked the
witness if be had his pike ready, for it would soon be
wanted. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

Mr. Justice ItaTtEr.-1 do not think this is admissi-
ble, but I will take a note of it, and wish you to state the
nature of the evitleme. _ .

Jr. WILLIAMS.—We propose to show, by this witness,
that Fletcher was in the habit of inciting and soliciting
people to arm themselves ; and therefore those who at-
tended the meeting might have been induced to do so at
his instigation, inorail of that of the defendants, as
charged by the indictment.
After some observations from the prosecutor's Counsel,
John Cross was called again.—Fletcher toll me the
pikes were preparing. I said I slid not believe there
was such a thing. He told its be could tal.e use to
where there were plenty.
James Chadwick was raked, as stated by Mr. Colt-
man, to prove violent repressions used by Fletcher
against the Covert ttttt •nt ; list Mr. Justice Bayley thought
it was not n.!csissible evidence.

Mr. W. Lets, watch-maker, was at the place of meet-
ing before the people arrived ; saw them rinse in with
music and colours, not different front Oraut,e meetings.
Saw no arms. The meeting was conducted with peace
and order. Heard an alarm after Knight arrived, but
it was soon in:terabit% There were no seditious or in-
flammatory .xpressions used by Knight, but he exhorted
them to peace, and rather to accept an insult than to
offer one.
Cross-exantinell by Mr. RAINP%—lie had the Ilasling-
don flag at hi 4 house for three or four days, with the in-
scription, •"l'hou waist covered with anger, sod perse-
cuted us. 'llion bast slain, and bath not pitied us.
Cursed be their anger, fur it was tierce; and their
wrath, for it was cruel."
R. Haworth was at the Burnley meeting; went about
one o'clock, before the large body came in. They came
in civilly. Saw Knight arrive. 'Went within about ten
saris of the hustings; heard alarm of military, once be-
fore Knight came, and once after. Hill not see any
pikes or pistols ,•:i either occasion. Conld hear distinctly
all that was said ; nothing was said shout overthrowing
the tiovernment, or all rising in one day. When the
second alarm wss given, Mr. Knight put out his hand,
and said, lie still ; I can see the danger before you ;
be peaceable, and keep good eider." This was repeatedly
said, and he told them to go home peaceably shortly
before he cause fruits the hustings. Every tiring was
peaceable, except when the report was made of the
soldiers.

Cross-examined by air. Si•rj.tant Ceoss.—l am a
weaver at Ila;lingtlon. bid not t.t.o with Lees. There
Wight he %hunt 200, otol only one 114. I did not belong
to them. They titialtt meet a: a room to arrange the
meeting. I went acrtoot the country, and got to the
place before the people arrived. Lid not see figures on
t:ie Bags.
James Ormrod Atkinson.—l am a shoe-msker. I got'
to the meeting about one o'clock, and stopped until it
as over; was near the hustings, and could hear every
word the speakers s Lid. I did not hear an expression
abont overthrowing the tiovernment. There was some-
thieg said about their rising in one flay to petition the
Prince Regent about a Lim that was to issue. The
peakers wished the people to he peaceable, and not to
give any offence to any one This was given at the be-
ginning and at the end of the loudness.
t 'rips-examined by Mr. NAI,IIL-1 did not remember
what was on the flag, or whether there was "Ckstvt,
Love, and Unity." " The King and his Throne shall
be estahlished.4 "Fr Sid th's bloody black coats,
and from the Yeomanry Cavalry at Manchester, from all
oppressors of the poor and needy." I will swear I did
not know or believe there was any thing atilt. sort; I
du not know that there was on others " Magna Charts,"
Henry Hunt, F.sq."
To questions from Mr. Justice BATLZT.—I was there
when the alarm of the soldiers was given before Knight
(tame. It did not induce me to move away; I could
area great part of the people, and those who were in
front of the hustings. I dui not see any pikes or pistols,
or stop. I never saw a pike in my life; they had sticks
like walking sticks; I think if any pikes had been pro-
duced near the hustings, I shim's' have seen them, and
none were produced in my sight ; I hearth a single re-
port of a pistol as was going away ;it appeared to be
at a distance from Ibe crowd; I did not see the smoke.
Wm. Montgomery —I was at the meeting before Mr.
Knight arrived, anti stopped until it was over. There
was a run, and I was carried back 9 or It/ yards. When
the speaking was going on, I was near enough to hear
what was said. Notlong said about overthrowing the
tiovernment. The speakers frequently desired them to
he quiet, and to give no offence to any one ; anti just be-
fore the meeting broke up, Mr. Knight desired them to
be peaceable anti quiet, anti in no sense of the word
to give offence. There was no riot ur offence given to
any one.
Cross-examined.—One Patrick Hughes who was
hanged was apprehended at my house; he was working
for we at my loom; he soncealed himself in my cellar.
Remembers " Annual Parliaments, Universal Suffrage,
and Election by %allot." I was charged with embezzle-
ment, but gut rid of it at the Quarter Sessions.
Mr. Justice HATLIST questioned the witness, and lie
said be did not hear any thing about rising or meeting
all in one day.
Robert Howarth.—l am a weaver. I was at the meet-
ing at Hatersham Eaves, and went with the prottessioo,
and stopped till the meeting was over, and was about IS
yards or from that to 30. Heard the speecev and resole-
llama .nothing about overthromiug the tioretameat.
rnot fli'ey wished the people td- be peaceable and
quiet, and in good order, and not to molest aooac in the
least. Ne-disturbance except the slants,.
Cross-examined.—No pike-Handles were found at my
premises, but a shaft belonging to a loom. There was
on a flag, " Open thy mouth and judge righteously, and
plead the cause of the poor anti needy." " Magna Char-
ts, Bill of Rights, Henry limit, Esq:Liberty or Death."
On another, "No Corn Laws." On the first flag was.
" Black Moss Iteforniers." " Thou shalt do no murder."
" Universal Suffrage." " Annual Parliaments." " Vote
he Ballot." I don't know what any of these are. Saw a
figure of a woman holding a child, but whether it was
without a head I cannot tell.

In answer to Mr. Justice BATLIIT.--The flags were
furled up before Knight came. Did not hear any thing
about a rising or meeting all on one day. Saw no sticks,
or pikes, or istols. I was carried oif fire or six yards
by the people on the first alarm.
'James Pollard, weaver, near Cohie.—Went to meeting
with the procession; was at back-side of hustings; after-
wards changed his situation to the front, and was five or
six yards off. Could hear what was said ; no word about
overthrowing the tiovernment. The speakers exhorted
the people to be peaceable, and to beware of spies, who
would endeavour to alarm the people and create dis-
turbance. This was frequently done; and before they
separated they were advised to go home peaceably.
Cross-examened.—Might see the words " Ty-
ranny," and also the name of Hunt.
By Mr. Justice BATLRT..-1 remember that it was said,
if the Habeas Corpus Act was suspended, the people were
all to meet on one day through the kingdom, to send a
petition to the Prince Regent, that the Habeas Corpus
Suspension might not pass into a law.
William Dyson, of Rough Leigh, got to the ground
about one o'clock; went after his children, who bad
cheated him, to send them borne. Heard Mr. Knight
tell the people to keep peace and quietness.
Cross.examined.—linon • Witham.; has been there to
read newspapers. NMI' weal with Wi.halit fur the
Rough Leigh flag.

Here the case for the defeodaots eloped.

Mr. RAINS (in the absence of Mr. Searlett) now rose
to reply. The present rase, be observed, was one of as
grave and serious a nature as he had ever n:et in the
course of his profess I career—one of which, should
the Jury be iniloced, by the specious arguments of Coun-
sel on the other side, to acquit the defendants, they
would soon find the standard, not only of sedition, but
of rel,ei!ion, raise I in et ery part of the kingdom, and
from tier government of the laws we should he rcilneed
to a stare worse than barbarism. The Jury had heard
from the learned Counsel on the other side, an invective
against the immense length of the present indictment,
whielv he had termed unblushing; but that Learned Urn-
tlentan.well knew that such length was unavoidable,
frees the nature of the charge, and must be so in all such
-cases. He•(3l r. Williams) had also rotnrlained, that some
of the prisoners had first been accused of high treason; but
that now tle prosecutors had shifted their g rounds. It had
been so, and certainly its first appeamnce was that of
high treason. In its present shape, it came as near to it
•as possible ; and if some of the words proved to have
been used had been followed by any overt act, the ease
would have assumed the character of high treason.
However, the ease of high treason was properly given up,
and he now stated to the Jury that the prosecutors also
gave up the cliarze of conspiracy, which was in the in-
dictment, thnueh he was certain that abundant evidence
, had been lab:before the bearded Counsel who drew the
indictment to warrant his drawing it as he had done.
The paints to which the Jury would have to direct their
attention, were the illegalitr of the meeting, and the
condoet of the defendants. *lt had been said, on the
part of the defendants, that numbers alone did not
render a meeting illegal. He won't, not take that propo-
sition withost.aome qualification, Inmate wettings, even

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