The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-02-03 00:00:00

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their parts could be accounted for was, that the
'inisterial crusade was so violently directed against
the People, that these individuals would never have
!wen so tressed, had ,it not been intended that their
waves should pritent them from ever telling the
tale of their atistsletiones.—(Shoute of applause.)—,
'lt was indeed natural, that men who thus'ezeiciseel
their power, should tesiet every attempt at Refont4l
that they should contemplate Reform as gba moo
deadly weapon which could be direct4l against*
their political eaistence ; and therefto.s4; it wris IV
natural to espect that they would nave directed all
their force against the voice et the People. Such
was the line of conduct whirl they had resolved to
adopt during the campaie;,, of last year ; but that
was a year of signal disgra'A to them; for they had been
defeated in almost 911,111 e attacks they had planned
against the liberties W:t the People. But as it was
not possible for thr.l People, successful as they now
were, to calcu'Ate on the fresh effort despotism
would again witke, they must not lose the command-
ing situation which they then stood, or let slip
the fair otyortunity they had of insisting on their
sights. 'kite Government seised innocent men on
charges of High Treason, and threw them into
ptisotas. Did they believe these men to be traitors?
lf l'oey did, why not produce the evidence they had
against them, and bring them to. trial ? He believed
there were traitors; but they were not to be found
among the persons thus apprehended end thrown into
prison, but among their persecutors; for if the Mi-
nisters had no charge to make against those persons,
and did not bring them to trial, they were theetse-lves
the traitors.--( Loud upplaures.)—The 5/Insisters
knew very well theadvanteges they had in case they
hrought'these men to trial; they knew they had the
Judges on their sides, and that their accusations
would be heard with a favourable ear in the Courts of
Law; and therefore they knew that if any Wee, like
Treason petaled, they had every possible chance of
obtaining a conviction. V. by then were not the par-
ties brought to trial i Because they knew they could
not succeed; because all the charges had been
supported by credence so unfounded, that it would
have been rejected by any Night• Constable in Los-
(Applauses.)— They did, however, with
grave faces, pretend to give evidence to that which
they knew to be false, and that 1,4094 Was now
apparent to the whsle world. In one instance, how-
ever, which all persons must lament, the Govern-
ment had succeeded in their projects. The trials
sit Derby', and the result of those trials, must give
pain to every body. Convictions were obtained
there, and those were dwelt on as important evi-
dence of the existence of treason in the country.—
lie was cot.fident that if all the circumstances attend-
tu:r these trial; were sifted to the bottom, it would be
View! that Ministers had acted with gross duplicity
in the whole of their proceedings as connected with.
them.—(ipplause )—lt had been recently asserted
by some of the Ministers, that the agents of Govern.
merit had no share in provoking the acts of treason
for which the unfortunate men at Derby suffered. In
/Incept to this he would assert, that one of the indi-
si;tuls, who was the companion and associate of
(Nicer, wits now in London, and would be ready to
esplaits this business. The individual to whom he al.
leded, although co-operating with Oliver, had been
take') op and thrown into confinement on a charge of
treason, although the Government knew that he was
acting only stair agent. This was a species of quib-
bling unworthy of any Government, and was sufficient
to point out the real character of the Administration.
Some days after the Lew Officers of the Crown had
eaters..lb i! in convicting their victims et Derby, they
nuns ..estt!ted not to step there; they came to town
P:P4Pr to t poew their attack against others, and
he publishers of what were called seditious and
blasphemous libels, were next singled •out for
prosecution and punishment ; although it was well
understood that the prosecutions instituted against
Mr. Hone would have beets dropped, they were the",
renewed with enrreased fury, and Mr. llone was pnt
upon his trial. He, however, obtained a complete
triumph over his prosecutors; but had not that tri-
umph been obtained, and had Mr. Hone and Mr.
Cathie been convicted, could any one suppose that
Ministers would have liberated the State Prisoners ?
No ! they would hive been kept in their sluts-
gee's., and new grounds would have been laid fur
continuing the Suspension of the Ilebeas Corpus Act.
Tianefore, all that :Ministers could now do, was to
have recourse to a Bill of Indemnity to protecrthem.
selves from the consequence of their misconduct, and
shut out their victims( against the possibility of seeking
legal redress for the sufferings they had undergone.
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From •Mlnisters, then, they could not expect to
obtain any satisfectiou for their wrongs; tut still
they were ant destitute, they were still its the hands
of their countrymen, to *Less liberality they looked
up with confidence for'resiteds for the wrongs they
had suffered in supporting their rights. Ts their
countrymen then, 'these suffererslooked up for sup-
port, atid.through their countrymen they hoped to
be Festered again to society . He hoped that Meet.
ing would return to Ministers the bitter chalice of
*heir censure end eritidemnation, and put it ur to the
lip of those who had beers so little sparing of it to-
wards other'.—(Laud and reiterated applause.)
Sir F. Bvanerr stated, that his friend, Major
Cartwright, hgcl not beets able to attend there that
slay, but that he had sent his mite to promote the
*tint of the Meeting, accompanied by a letter, which
!e hogged to be read.—(Applauses )
Mr. Ctemly received the letter from the Hon.
Esrt. end, sta ttt iing nit the table, read it to the com-
pany. The writer began by maintaining that Perlis-
Ine:tt had not the power to suspend, at any time, or
4.seter Any circumstances, the liberties of Englishmen.
This assertion he did not make on the fact of the
'louse of Commons not being the fair Representation
of the 1. m
00p4'. but on much broader grounds ; for
although the Parliament might have been ever so
well constituted, and although the House of Coin-
Natl.; were the true Representatives of the People,
still they could have no authority to suspend their
liberties for a single moment, because the People
were a power greater than their Delegates. A set of
inferior hiae-tratec might as well attempt to sus-
reed the power o( Z Court Qf King's Bench, and
Gott Court, in its turn, might as well try to suspend
ti.• authority of the Parliament. As 4 power then
could suspend a higher power, so that of Parliament
not suspend the rights of the People. The
.4 ly 411.1ellea :tar •oi oz, this was beterily,tlhilh

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was al way" the tyfastOs Rlea—i-a • necessity -aatleh -110ee Lord Caebrasie,kad thr other frypds of Elie eauntrY'bwltia;
im thetlouseof Cimmons.for t.:.;!,,,q4.„0d it,: Attowy-'
none' of the mewin pBwer thought fii ti eaplaii.— General to do hiswdrez„tsy &sail-ging the reengolicance *lto-,
The letter, which would not have been Imam& abriatbat
of other war very long, contained a variety ember, an recast
fat gompulsi( Load
r..-tgoments to the sits' effect ; and fiefire k pplause)otever plight be t hamil.
sequence of the line of conduct he ( Mr. Johnstoney should OW."
Was siSettely read through, the company became im- sue, be was determined to support with his last breath ;he cause
tlasfitsfit, and desired that the letter might be panted. tbat bad brought hho to Ms dungeon.. He rehdd'ltißwethe pa
"Phis was assented 40, and Mr. Cleary tat &wee, Jail. '&4 "664:7,4143w
allioasporMit tion
binvore than enough to shield hiss
whom be bad been so ty rail.
r mating to the company that their shish should be coin- nically visited.—(Loud Applattses.)
plied with. Mr. Joatte Baguesar (a young man of reapectehle
Sir F. BURDETT now announced the wish of Mr. appearance) then stood upon the table. Ile inform-
Johnstone, who was one of the sufferers owlet the ell the Meeting that he too was one of the sufferers-
Suspension of the ['thee. Corpus Act, to address the of -Manchester. lie would not have intruded upon
Meeting.—(Cheer's.) - 'the time of those around him, hut for the request of
Mr. JOHNSToNE then stepped on the table, and the lion. Chairman and other Gentlemen, who sog.
elated himself to be JOhe Johnstone, from Man- potted the necessity of appealing to the Public through
.cheater. He observed, that he should call upon the the sufferers themselves. 'Dia Meeting would then
Meeting to take a pleasant ride through various parts grant him their attention, while, as briefly as he
of the country, and therefore bespoke. their patience. could, he should state the history of hie Street, exa-
He had been, ten months in confinement, without mination, imprisonment, and acquittal. He described
having committed any breach of the law whatever, or the btaisketting expedition (as it was called) as a
having committed any act which could justly call for legal Meeting, assembled for no other purpose than
animadversion. The history of
.his sufferings could thit of petitioning the Prince Resent upon the state'
not be so easily run over as a sqrsib from Mr. 1104 e of glievattres under which the people laboured. But 1
to Lord Elleithorough, and on that account it was, *hat was the consequence? The militery trampled
he•hoped the Gentlemen ht, whom he was surrosodesa open those who were thus met together, and after
would bear with him.---( ffear!)—He wars a married using him with the almost indignity and violence,
matt, and had three a:jetties living ; ha had buried dragged him to the New Bailey, where his pockets
four. lie had let% advocated the cause of Perlin. were picked, and he was treated worse than a brute.
memory Reform, and therefore thought he knew Thirty pound weight of iron was put upon him (cries
somethissit fif the subject. In October, 1816, he had of shame!) and the constable told hirn, when he
attempted to address a Meeting at. Manchester, who asked for his travelling cap, preparatory to his jeer.
were called together to colvi ter ef the distressed ney to London, where he was ordered to he con.
state of the country. What ha said on that occasion 'eyed, that he would perhaps have a black-cap in a
happened to please the people; and he was after. very short time.—(Shathe )—Upon being brought
wards solicited to go to [Ancestor, to Yorkshire, and before the Privy Council, where he expected that all
to Staffordshire, in order to Resist at Meetings which the evidence would be assembled, he saw Lord Sid-
were called for similar purposes. He went, in pile. mouth at the head of the table. sitting with the
suance of the int eations, and be spoke boldly his gravity of a bishop; and was informed by him
seetiments, for be had no secrets at his heart. lie was that he was sorry to commit so young a man,
not afraid of speaking the truth, although perhaps it but he was ob.llged to do ass for no leis' h crime
was not at all times expedient to be thus explicit, titan High Trelson.—( Laughter and critics of shame.)
truth having been, however unjustly, pronounced a And en being asked whet the evidence consisted
lihel.—(hear!)— Ile would now come to the subject of, his Lordship replied, after a pause, " That
which was the immediate object of his rising, merely to is renlidential." (The same expression of dis-
state the manner in which he had been persecuted.' gust and ridicule was here krioeu.)—Nothing more
On Sunday *tight, the 9th of March, in the last year, happened at the Privy Council, but the comfortable
1
he was comfortably in bed asleep, when he was alarmed assurance, that he should have solitary confinement.
by a loud knocking at his door, Ott looking out of From this precious examination he was conveyed to
his window, he perceived 12 men, whose appearance Iforsemenger-lane Jail, and secured fast in the room
end behaviour were equally discreditable. They formerly occupied by Col. Despard. In that abode
could with difficulty he persuaded to wait until his the Governor, who acted with the greatest humanity,
wife had dressed herself, in order to let them in. reluctantly put upon hint the irons, and eapreased
They refused to tell who they were or what their his deep regret that his orders excluded all friends.—
business was, contenting themselves with vociferat- From the 16th of March till the 10th of April, he
itsg " open the door!" Ile was now abbot to make did not pull off his clothes, for the irons rendered
a statement which might be thought singular, but as so neressery a change impossible.—(Crier of shame,
he said before he had no secrets, and would openly 'shame, horrible!)—At this petit! came a person,
tell the troth. Ile had, said he was a married man, accompanied by a Raw-street runner, who told him
and to please his wife, who became alarmed at the he most go to the country. The knits were then
desperadoes by whem,the house was surrounded, he 1 taken off, and he (Mr. Bsgules ) felt as if he was in
attempted to make his escape. .He, however, knew I a balloon ; but in she midst of this delightful tense.
he had no hope' of success, but he was willing to lion, the execrable runner caught him by the *dose
give way to the wishes of one who was naturally and told him the handcuffs must go to work. This'
dear to him. lie got upon a wall, intending to jump was with horror refused by the speaker, who, how.'
into an adjoining 'yard, in which he saw a neighbour ever, was bound by Isis leg to another, and thus sent
of his, who would no doubt have willingly given hint off to Gloucester Jail, •where he was treated in the
lodging, In hold him secure against the next morning. most inhaiman manner by the keeper, and compelled.
—( Laughter )e—The man called out, 64 You d—d to dip iii 'a tnh of cold water, from which an iltrtesa•
rascal, if you jump over, VII blow your brains out." proceeded which chid-toed him le the hospital, where
He aid jump over in spite of this threat, and was Ihe was still refused a visit from a haulms being. tle
W
immediately seized by thee persons, one of wbom ! also declared that his sufferings were greatly increased
was the Deputy Constable of Manchester. The 'hy the conduct of Conynghent, who belongs; to that
latter, in order to show his avidity for the ser. jail, and against whom he had drawn up a Petition
vice to which he was destined, behaved in the to the House of C. mrnotte. Dining these dreadful
most ruffianly manner, and exclaimed, 66 Yon 1 inflictions, his mother's life was despaired of.--
tailoring thief, we have got you safe at last." Mr. B. described other sufferings -of a similarkied,
They then reeonducted him to his house, rats. and Was most anxious to do justice to those
sacked his papers, and took every thing which jar ers who acted with humanity,. as well as to
could or could not excite suspicion. Among those who 'so rigorously and inhumanly..,acted
other things they took away was
ins'`Voliz up to the letter of (hair instructions. lie (Mr. B )
Ruins, which happened accidentally to be said, if he eternal iisto this recoguizance, it would.
drawer, and from the circumstance of the book being be an acknowledgment ihat he had done amutting il.
found under lock and key, it was the more likely to legal; but of the two evils he thought he had better
excite the suspicion of the men engaged in this search. i choose the least, and having signed it he thus ter..
He was conveyed to the New Prison, where he was I nsinated seven months' solitary confinement. He
confined all night among 12 men who had been taken i should wish to know under what law he wawarized ?
up for vagrancy •r offences of a criminal nature. It wag in the act of Petitioning for a Reform in the
Neat morning he was removed to another apartment, Representation of the People t:.at he was apprehended
but was not allowed to send borne for either victuals ntel dragged to prison—(appinuse)—and this was
or clothes, though Ilia house was at a Short distance dons' by the Magistracy of Manchester. And he
from the j sit. He had a wooden bedstead to He me could drily say, that if the People of Manchester had
without bedding, and a can of water was placed an Many friends to the cause of Reform as his friends
Reside him, out of which he was told he might drink its Landon had, they would do all in their power to
when he was dry. With regard to food, he was con. drag the Magistracy before a proper tribunal, for a
fitted to the jail allowance of half a small loaf of 'breach both of le w, liberty, and justices—(Ap.
coarse bread, and a bit of cheese which it was I plaese.)—Lord Sidmouth afterwards thought that it
scandalous to offer to any man. On the I would be necessary that he should be brought before
Tuesdas following he was taken from the New Prison, in ord r the Court of King's Bench, stud he (Mr. Baguley)
to be conveyed to London, tires ion. to which attempts were came to town purposely to demand that his recogni-
made to force irons on his legs, on which he wore bouts. such
zances should he nullified. They all (as might have
a were usedis with the worst of felons. This effort, which was
made by the aforesaid Deputy Constable, gave him che greatest been heard of) came to lite Court of King's Bench,
pain, and it was with the miaow reluctance time was allowed and went there day after day without gettiug any
Aim to send to his house for a pair of shoes. At length the shoes
satisfaction until they began to clamour.— (cheers of
were brought. and he wa- cli.iiited to a fellow-sofferer ; he tra-
velled to London. On his arrival be was conducted to Cold applause.)—lie was fearful that * similar clamour
Bath fields prison. where he spent his first night in an iofinattry, . must he resorted to in the !louse of Commons, befogs-
containieg eight beds, seven of which were occupied by pelrsons
labouring ender disea,e or insanity. The Governor of the poi. a redress of those grievances under which the Public
son tieing informed the next morning of the circumstance, gave groaned wodld be obtained. . One Circumstance,
him immediately a good bed and beddiug, and behaved to him ,wt-. .
no,„ Pr, he thought it necessary to advert to before
with all possible kindness and humanity. He had great pleasure
in saying, that that Gentleman had conducted himself in a man- he got downi which was a letter which bad been sent
tier highly honourable to himself during the whole period of his to his father by Lord Sidmouth since his enlarge-
confinement in that prison. On the 15 hof March he was car-
meet b
tical to the Secretary of state's Othce to be examined, and Lord , egginghiti to tree his parental and correctional
sidmoutn 'hen told him. that io consequence bf iafonsation he influence over his sont.—(Lattarider and applause.)—
had received, he bad felt it his duty to issue a warrant for his
.Be had the letter-in his pocket—(crier of read;
apprehension, and that iti consequence of further information
(but be never said what dint information was) he thought it his read !)—hot it was toodisgosting.—(Cries of no, no,
duty to detain him on a suspicion of High Treason.—(hear !) read, read!)—Mr. Baguley pulled it from his pocket.
Ile (Mr. Johnstone) then requested, that if he were to be coo- , i
k Loud a) louse and laughler.)—Mr. Baguley heat
fined it should be es the. city of London, as he had several rela-
tions there. Lord Sidinnuth faithfully promised that be should proceeded to state, that after his (ether had written
be confined in London as he wished. But how did his Lordship to Lord Sidmouth, praying that he (Mr. Begoley)
keep his word ? To shoe- how much his Lordship was to be be-•
lieved, however, he had only to that oo the 10th of April might b*permitted to see his mother, who was on the
he was again handcuffed to a brother sufferer, and carried to poisst of death, Lord Sitimoutlecamted the following
Dorchester, from whence, on the `kith of the same month, be was
answer to be sent :—. • - - •
carried in like manner to Exeter Castle —(Shame, shame 1) ..
item it oas butjustice to say that Mr. Brown, the jailer of that si Sm.-- lam directed by Lard Sidmouth to acknowledge the
place. behaved towards him with the utmost humanity. lament- receipt of your lever respecting soar son; and tam further tail
ing only that be had not the means of making hi
m more comfort. ;scallion( you, alai his Lordship lead . previously determined 0.,
able. He had only to add, when be left the jail, Mr. Brown )(Mr SOll'S releasa, and had ordEred a tEntrant for his liberatiisa I
gave him 111. to hear his expences home. lt was not imposeible accordingly. nbicbhas.been transmitted to, the jail. Lord Sid-1
that this jaiier-woum be the next person closeted.—(One of the noun; i "Pay. t 9 serve."r !hal r tiensihte (` this: said
aiaesulry cried out, He will be discharged from his °trace. He was peke, • ts'a lie. ent,e aerie Krone fladheen expressed;)
the first who had been appreliewled, and with the exception of the of your son' error ; 'amid luilielidhat yourseltand your wife will
I use yuttr parental authority to,p,r,tiatlq,hins tra Isis Notre con-
t.:valises and M r. lienbow.he was the last w ho bad been d ischarged.
He regretted that he had nat, like the Evanses and Benhow, duct to behave a* a guod, as a lota'. and a quiet subject,
refused to bind himself to snake his appearance. He Men brietly a' i ;on Ac. , •
.1 IL HOEHOUSE"
stated the manner in which he was treated is the Court of King's .
Bench, and informed the company, that finding there appeared Thus, after nine months' incarceration. Lord Sirlatouth emi-
t() be so further business for lora, helical,' letter to the Attorney. sensed to Isis discharge. prociided his father would stop up his
arurril the day after his liberation, directing that worthy Gcn- month. —(Lairgh!er ;mil stpptatisr.)—.l int so would his Mn jetty's
Hainan to eke Swan with Two Neelis, Lad taste, if he should Ministers stop the mouths of the People if they could t and
hate any occasion for the presence of the ail-waled Johnstone, should these means he Poona insatticiem, they would then resort
or those who were his companions in stiffering.--(laeghter.) , to the Green 113,;:nfot mai imi.--( (oer, sod Isoeliter.)— Ile coo.
He nuts begird tcate to :hawk the Iltth Chatrinaa, Lard tolke- cl.al-t! by ob.aisit.g. then 'a it: I rz..- dta E. a,a, t,:i 11aj•-13-1