The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-11-21 00:00:00

be heard.i'll&Th.attletne tumults were not so peat,
our the Pirties. engaged in them so c mspicuous,
iii the lieginping of the play, and (sten hardly
canutienced, until the time fur admission at hal
price; but, from that time, stole %tee the tn.
mutt and the uproar, that hardly any thing could
be heard that was uttered on the stage; on these
occasions a party always attended, and emplo)ed
rattles, trumpets, bells, horns, &c. the party al_
ways wearing the initials 0. P. in their hats, and
on their breasts. Frequently in the pit they made
sham fights. They formed themselves into bodies
in the upper part of the pit, and ran down to the
lower part of it, trampling upon these who did
not get out of the way. That when it was nee
cessary to call in ollicers of the peace, constables,
&c. they were resisted and turned out. That this
party, in going out of the Theatre, took the
0. P. out of their hats, and from their breasts, so
that they could not be iecognized ; or else they
wilt in a body of such force that they could not
be apprehended by the peace officers. Such was
the suiistance of the affidavit of Mr. Glassington,
the prompter; it added, that the deponent verily
believed, that all these tumultuous proceedings
were with a view, and for the purpose, of coin.
pelting the Proprietors of this Theatre to continue
opening it at the old prices. These tunsulis were
I continued every night down to the present time :
that not a night past in which this uproar did 'not
take place, at least at half-price; that several in-
'dividuals, costumed in the tumult, were appre.
headed, indicted, and bills found against Ilion ;
'notwithstanding which, these disorderly proceed-
ings still continued ; that an advertisement eas
daily inserted in the newspapers, recommending
subscriptions to support the defence of those whom
they pretended to say, were unjustly prosecuted
by Ore Proprietors and Managers of this Theatre ;
that this advertisement was accompanied by re.
Ilections un the character of Mr. John Philip
Kemble ; ho also swore, in his affidavit, that
he believe: .v conspiracy is formed by certain per.
suns (and that the wearing of the letters 0. P. Is
their signal to know each other), to take these
measures for the purpose compelling the Proprie-
tors of this Theatre to return to the Old Prices of
admission.
The twat affidavit upon which this motion was
grounded, was that ol Mr. James Brandon, the
Box. keeper of the Theatre. That affidavit stated,
that from time to time, a great number of persons
assembled, distinguished from others in the Thea.
tre, by wearing the letters 0. P. in their hats, and
they exhilaited various placards, such as " Keep
your noisy stations," " A long pull, a strong
pull, and a pull altogether." " Comities or die,"
&c. &c. The affidavit then went on to state, that
a curtain number of persons had entered into an
agreement for the purpose of compelliag the Pro.
prietors to restore the old prices ; and, to make
themselves known to each other, they adopted
the letters of 0. P. Some of the affidavit pacti-
cularized the persons who constantly weal to this
Theatre, fur this purpose, and assembled in the
manner alrraily stated. That as to tile 31st Alf
October last, the 4th, 7th, Bth, and lath of No.
vember instant, the affidavits were specific con-
cerning certaiu individuals, and among them was
one whose name lie must mention with re4ret. lie
should have felt great satisfaction in omitting his
name, if he could ; he felt pain in inen:iuning it ;
but he must do his dutyss-atiere was no avoiding it,
although he was a member of the learued proles..
sion to which lie had the honour to belong. And
here he could nut help observing that it was impor.
Cant to make the gentleman to whom he was allud-
ing, a defeudant hi the prosecutiou which he was
now asking of the Court leave to institute ; fur
many people might be misled Tutu fatal errors,
when they saw a gentleman of legal habits engaged
in theie tumultuous proceedings. It was difficult
to conceive, impossible to express, the ellect whiclt
an example set by such a person might have upon
a giddy multitude. IVhen they saw such a man
engaged in these scenes of tumult, they might
imagine that the proceedings were legal. The ue-
cessity of bringing forward such a person, there.
fore, was apparent. Such a gentleman, if such a
gentleman there was in the profession, rendered it
lincumbent on those who had the care of forward-
ing this motion, to make such a person a defendant
lilt it, not only on account of the proprietors, who
had sustained such serious damages by these riot-
ous proceedings, but also on account of thelearned
profession itself. If, possessinz the advantages s
+Mica lie did, of a legal education, he who had
i mixed in these tumults was nut brought forward,
and made responsible, and others, who did not
possess such advantages, were brought forward,
the public iv (mid think that lee was screened be.
cause he was a liwyer, since he del nut share the
common fate of all those who have been implicated
in these tumults.

It would appear from the affidavits, that on the
31st of October last, a number of persons, hay.
ing this badge of " 0. P." and possessing certain
placards, collected together as usual, when great
diword, cuesfusiun, and riot, toot place. It was
not until the commencement of half price this gen-
tleman, with tie !eters " 0. P." 10 his hat, ap.
;seared is esu Pit. lie was joined by others. He
could not say he could fix on that gentleman at)
Specific act of riot, or tumult, but hp certainly 4 s
Rave countenance to the riotous pr . . -a' gate
It was considered that'he bad connteuan ,41111se
tumultuous proceedings, and he cdotineed eo to
do; for, on the 4th of November, he attended
the Theatre again, with the same insignia, which
was the very emblem riot. That gentleman
was recognizA its the e as'the leader of MO
tumultuous t arty, I ' en he cause into the
HOUSO, the cry of " lilTord for ever," was set
up, and wag remarkably int Talent. The party
thets prope.esl that they AGO i give him three
elleer4, which tomtit in the affirmative ; and it
was (lone accisillingly,after which the uproar coo.
tittued fur thc.reinaintler 4 the evening. The A.
ject of his apisvar once was u ell endersluis .. and
the effect wh:;:n it prJ.ltireil was appa e it. by i:is
baring thew Circe cheers. riot only did they
tecy,4isise him, bit they cheered hail as Ahem
I...itler, and ht haransp.,..s !limn, te.:ieg that),
" that if they elm's; ...I Vicir eaertionat Oct
entail) in time, be tuns a t; imiug uric objet."