The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-08-23 00:00:00

MANCHESTER.

FRIDAY.—This day Manchester was perfectly quiet and
peaceable, and there is every reason to hope that the disturb-
ances are at an end. The streets are still patrolled by spe-
cial constables, in addition to the regular police force, and in
order to prevent any attack upon those establishments in
which the hands have resumed work, there is a general mus-
ter of each division of special constables, at half-past five in
the morning, in the respective districts allotted to them.
The only thing which seems now to render it doubtful that
peace and quietness will be speedily restored, is the possi-
bility of the town being re-visited by mobs from a distance ;
but if such an event should take place, the force now at the
disposal of the authorities will be amply sufficient to prevent
any such acts of aggression as were witnessed in the course
of the preceding week. To-day and yesterday thirty-five
establishments commenced work, and in all probability hands
have " gone in" in other places which have not been re-
ported.
SATURDAY.—A second edition of the Manchester Guar-
dian, published on Saturday evening, says—" Since the
publication of our first edition this morning, the appearances
of a speedy termination of the disturbances in this town have
become hourly more apparent and striking. Indeed, the
general combination of the working classes, for certain spe-
cific objects, is now entirely at an end, in form as well as in
substance; inasmuch as the assemblage of delegates, which
professed to direct the views and the operation of the work-
men, after having dwindled away from 144 to twelve indivi-
duals, has this morning finally broken up. The workmen
are now divided into separate bodies, some of which have
already resumed their employment. Amongst these are the
mechanics, millwrights, and engineers,—a body of men who
have taken a very active part in the recent disturbances, and
whose secession from the general confederacy was calculated
to produce great discouragement amongst the remainder.
To-day, however, a more important occurrence has hap-
pened : the workmen employed in a considerable number of
the most extensive cotton factories in the town have made
application to their employers for permission to resume their
work on Monday morning, which has been agreed to ; and
we believe the mills will be generally opened at that time.
This is, in fact, a complete death-blow to the turn-out; and
we feel little doubt that there will be a general resumption of
work on Monday." The chartist delegates met on Saturday
morning, when only twelve persons were present. Having
received intelligence of the apprehension of their chairman,
Alexander Hutchinson, they dispatched Thomas Melrose
and two other delegates to inquire if the report were correct.
At eleven o'clock the delegates returned and informed the
meeting that the report was quite true. The delegates were
so much alarmed by this information that none of them dared
to take the chair. Since their previous meeting they dis-
missed William Duffy from the office of secretary, in conse-
quence of some suspicions which they entertained of his want
of attachment to their cause. It was reported, that their for-
mer secretary, Chas. Stuart, was also apprehended at Eccles,
on Wednesday morning last ; and, finding themselves
thus deprived of leaders, and deserted by every person pos-
sessing any talent, they mutually agreed to separate, with an
intimation from Lewis, who seemed to be the chief spokes-
man of the party, that due notice would be given as to
when and where they should reassemble. Upwards of 500
colliers assembled on Kersal Moor this morning, and having
appointed a chairman, several speakers addressed the meeting
on the question of wages. Their speeches, we have been
informed, were temperate, and all connexion with politics
was disclaimed. They adopted a resolution to remain out
until they got a " fair day's wages for a day's work." The
proceedings terminated at nine o'clock, when the mob pro-
ceeded in the direction of Clifton and Halshaw Moor. As
alluded to above, between three and four o'clock this (Satur-
day) morning Mr. Beswick, accompanied by Inspector
Lomas and Sergeant Buckley, proceeded to the house, No.
39, Edge-street, near George-street, Hulme, and captured,
in bed, Alexander Hutchinson, for whose apprehension he
held a warrant, issued by the county magistrates. In his
house were found a capital rifle (which, it is said, cost six-
teen guineas), a neat fowlingpiece, a brace of large pistols, a
canister of Curtis and Harvey's fine " diamond grain gun-
powder," three powder or shot flasks, a tin box full of
' best London improved anti-corrosive (percussion) caps,"
two moulds for casting large and small bullets or balls, &c.
There were also found in the house a number of papers,
both printed and MS. Hutchinson presided at the dele-
gates' meetings during the week, and was the chairman
at the Hall of Science, when the meeting there was
ordered by the magistrates to disperse, as an illegal meeting.