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

THE'. STATESMAN.

COVENT G.IRDEN THEATRE.

The stfatagemt to which the Proprietors and
their Agents successively resort, have hitherto
been as unsuccessful, as their efforts to thump the
people of this Metropolis into sidroission. It is
nut long since we had the brilliant, 'impartial,
and profound charge of Justice illaintearing, to
the Grand Jury of the County of Middlesex,
distributed at the doors of the TheAtre, that the
insubordinate people 5.3: the fate that await-
ed them if they per.kteri in their mutinous
opposition to the 64 mimetic" despots ; but that
Jury, some hey or other, proved as muttisonsly
insubordinate to the opinions of the worthy Jus-
tice, as the 0. P.'s themselves. That project
failed. A new levy of ruffians from the Founders
was then brought into the Gehl: Mr. Caseley
was almost killed by these fellows ; and Mr.
Cowlam, after having, on a preceding even.
ing, been severely o oundtxl in the arm with
a sharp instrument, %, as carried nut of the
Theatre in a state of insensibility. Coercion,
for the second time, totally failed. An liver-
fed, and we believe incurred, statement of the
recent charge of a Learned Judge to the West-
minster Jury was then brought forward, together
with the observations of the Learned Chief of the
Common Pleas, on Mr. Serjeant Shepherd's ap-
plication to the Court for leave to plead several
matters in Mr. Clifford's action against the Pro-
fessor, which were wilfully misrepresented, with
the view of persuading the public of the illegality
of their insubordination. Those futile efforts
were also fruitless; the opposition continued to
rage. At last the Managers " cry havoc—and
let loose"—Out " the dogs of war," but his Ma-
jesty's Attoroey-Goneral—of whose :notion for
a rule to sicsr cause why a criminal information
should not issue against ti re pci an, for a con-
spiracy) a full account will b found in another
part of Tax STATII,SMAN.

" To give mere dread to this mo•t dreaded i:our"—

The people of Eng'and arc this day most affec-
tionately warned of their danger by The Press,
in a composition which will, we presume, this
evening grace the columns of that lively Print
The Globs—the most siosp:e—aviongst the simple
—hired servants of the Theatre, ozzesot;fig always
the brilliant Press, from a hick the follouilig is
ai extract :

" When it was known that the Grand Joey of Westmin-
ster bad found the fifteen of the Coveot Garden
Rioters, the distur:mnee w hich disgraced that Th.utre
diately subsided. We noticed, -it the 'hoe, this fact, so coo-
Lenin' with the good sense of hnglishmen, than whom there
ire no people whit more sin. rely love tint laws. The happy
Mange.how-tier. only cot.' tamed 'inf.! some very acute and
karst. t-oderi ci the pea end instigators at the riots,
contrive.' to per an& their followers Mat there were (*r-
oll', species or riot, and bre:irises ••f the peace, perfectly
innocent, and in which they might indulge with safely.
Its support of this doetr• • , the bills thrown out by. time
Grant Jury were adduced ev:dence, and the actors
were ear-await .4 to repot: the „me parts. This, with
the other srlifices for the nurpc-e, we regret to state,
proved hut too successful ; hence the repetition of those
scenes which hate so loo;; -.:1-graced the metropolis. We
trust, however, t:•at the proceedings in the Court of King's
Bench, yesterday, will completely open the eye, of those
thoughtlew held ignrm ot 'some crecollity has been
abased Le a few &Mtnl nod sulachi -nor intri-,uers. If they
regard their tires or their fortunes, tom personal liberty or
their purse, their children or then:-else, hey will leant,
from tie tunny judicial warnings which they have receiv •d,
to deso.!ort the,aselves according to the I rats. Toe appear-
ance of rite heus2, lase: algal. we are happy to find, jultifier
this expectation. AltkosiAh the proceetitags of the morning,
iu the Court of Kitties lien: h, could not nave b vat 'solver-
sally known in the evening, the spirit of disorder And trsaili
subsided."

Now the Public very well know that the
assertions in this denunciation are nut es.
icily consistent with truth—to which, indeed,
then lively Prints invariably display a marvellous
aversion. Thus stand the facts— ‘V hen it was
known that the Grand Jury of Westminster had
rejected, without exception, all the Bills presented
against the individuals held to bail, for hissing,
hooting, whistling, barking, bell-ringing, rattle.
springing, and placurd-hoisting—that out of 42
bills, only 13 were found; and those onlyfur assaults
SLOW'S! to (not proved)-1 hat against Maryilustin,
the innocent young woman who was committed to
a common jail, fur springing a penny rattle, no
charge was preferred ; that Richard Draper, who
had been committed, upon oath, to Cie same prison,
was discharged, by due course of law, after a con.
anement of several days, no charge having been
preferred against him ; and that tweaty.three
other bills, that had been prepared, were sup.,
pressed—when all these facts were known, the',
diteirbance, or insubordination (as it has been
termed in the same papers) of the Public, so far
from subsiding, iwee,•diatcy increased, has since
continued to increase, and is now increasing. Nor
do we hesitate to predict, that this ingenious in-
dictment for a conspiracy, 4 five persons, some of
hinn were absolutely unknown to each other,
at the time the acts arc charged to have
been committed-4nd others of whom are* at this
moment, igauraat—of- even tltlt persons of their
bristlier conspirators, will terminate u it hos be.
gun, in vapour.

Tins "c oftspiresey" will afford the public more
ensusemen4 than any cause that has been heard is
our lime.

Ify „horn it may have been advised, it is not
our province to invire ; but that a Gen-
tlearyi of the acktiot, ;edged talents and re.
s‘ai h of his Majesty's Attorney - General,
has been the adviser of the measure, no per-
son whh knows his ehai'acter can possibly
believe. Here are five Gentlemen accused of a
conspiracy—which by Johnson is defined to
be, in an ordinary sense, " A private agree_
c" anent. among several persens"—and, iu
law, " an agreement of men to do any thing."--
Upon what species of evidence these Gentlemen,
no three of whom were ever in company toge-
ther, or have spoken to each other, are to be con-
victed of falsely and maliciously conspiring to.
other, we are as much at a loss to conjecture as
will he our Readers. support of this " con-
spiracy," a considerable number of affidavit men
have stepped forth—Alr. Kemble leading the van,
supported, agreeably to the laws of the drama,
by his Prompter, Mr. Glassington, and flanked
by the Professor and his host, amcsugat whom,
however, we did not hear the names of l)an.
Mendoza, the Hittite, or Dutch Sam, " Bruiser
Batavian."

Mr. J. P. Kemble swears, that the old Theatre
was burnt, and a new Theatre built, exactly on
the spot where the old one stood ; that the build-
ing of this splendid edifice cost money ; and that
' the prices of admission have been advanced—
faets which we apprehend any link-boy in the
Garden could have sworn to. This is the seb.
stance of the affidavit of J. P. Kemble, Esq.
The Prompter swears, that the Theatre was
opened on the 18th of September [We were there,
and can corroborate this statenient] : That the
prices were advanced [This, we know, to our
cost, having uniformly paid for our admission, ex-
cept in one instance, whet) we were admitted to the
Pit, en presenting an order, signed Harry Harris,
and received from, and countersigned by, Daniel
Mendoza, the Hittite] : That the Newspapers had
previously excited the People to resist the New
Prices [Tux STATESMAN did not open on this sub-
ject, until the day after the opening of the The-
atre] : That, upon the opening of the doors, a
great number of persons forced their way into the
Theatre, in a disorderly manner [Determined to
reach the Pit, we waited from three till six, in
Bow-street, and when admission was obtained,
found the House occupied by groat num'iers who
had been introduced by private doors.] That
some of the doors were pulled off the bingo.
[Boxes which had been taken for weeks, were
tilled with " friends of the house," gratuitously
admitted, and lawful claimants, in vain, demanded
admission.] That the linings were cut, " Off,
off, off," exclaimed, and also " Old Prices for
ever." That there was shouting, hissing, bark-
ing, mewing, and hallooing. That trumpets,
horns, bells, whistles, &c. &e. were used and
placards hoisted ; that the " initials huteful"
of 0. P. were worn ; that the %eaters of such
0. P.'s performed divers dances ; that there have
been muck fights ; that persons have been pushed
not of the Theatre, and constables beaten ; that
the persons wearing 0. P. subsequently took them
out of (heir hats ; that rioters have been appre.
bends(, and have hen eidieled ; that advertise-
! ments have appeared in the newslnspers, encourag-
ling the rioters ; that the house was shut ;
limit the accounts were referred to a Com-
evince, and that the hulls:: nns opened
the greater part of which fact, se t ouid, in
common with thousands, corroborate ; some
of thetn, we can expressly contradict ; and in
particular, that any Newspaper in London en.
couraged a•riot in the Theatre.---Directly the rn.
verse is the fact. Who prompted the Prompter
we know not ; such is the substance of his affi.
'davit. The charge of conspiracy, by taking out
• the 0. P.'s (ruin the hats of the rioters, is abun-
dantly amusing. It is just as if a number of
persons were to be inflicted for agreeing to refrain
I from committing an assault.
The Professor's affidavit goes over the same
ground, only rather more strongly, and with
some emendations, such as that " a certein num-
" bcr of persons had entered into an agreement
" for compelling the Propriaton to lower their
" prices," Ibe.--some of which persons, who
constantly attended for thist purpose, the
Professor points out. Its these affidavits, the
conduct of Mr. Clifford at various times in
the Theatre, is minutely partieularbted. That
Gentleman is accused of having appeared in the
Pit at half price; and although no specific
ladt of riot for taisult could be fixed on
him, he certainly gave countenance to the riot-
ous proceedings—and had combated so to do.
The company had :ken him three cheers. The
object of his appearance was well understood—
they cheered him as their heeler— (risuns teneatis).
lie had said, if they continued their exertions they
would be sure to gain their object—and had
afterwards added " that's right, go on, perse.
were, and when you leave the House disperse."—
From this it seems, that recommending the
O. P.'s to take those initials out of their hats, and
I quietly to disperse, are proofs of conspiracy and
' giving countenance to riot—doctrine somewhat
novel, and nut a little curious!] A number of
facts, equally curious, are sworn to lov ilia P: J.
fessor and his worthy coadjutors, e Well it is un-
necessary fur ns te wade through. As to the other
four Gentlemen, their cases exceed in curiosity that
of Mr. Clifford. I

The proof of conspiracy against Mr. Ridley is
remarkably clear and convincing, " there is no
proof about him, but that be was at the Theatre
on the evening of the 31st, with an 0. P. in his
hat, made a noise, was dragged to Bow.striet,
confessed wearing 0. P. and said he would do it
again—here was a manifest determination to perse.
vere"—and here dropped this wonderful proof
against Mr. Ridley. " The Proprietors might
" have selected many more...persons, bet these
" were the most active, and they hoped that pro.
" seeding against them will be suMcient to re.
" store order and tranquillity to the Theatre!"
That is, the Proprietors hope by this measure,
which forms the climax of their absurdity, to
frighten the People of England into a submission
to Private Boxes and advanced Prices. Let them
hope—and let them see the result of their hope.

We are really concerned, that Mr. keasble—
the Pronspler—and the Professor, should have
given us so ingenious a selection only of the his.
tory of the proceedings at the Theatre. They
have totally passed over the previous enlistment of
hired supporters, who were so numerously dis.
persed in various parts of the Theatre on the first
night, and before they could, IT possibility, know
what would be the sentiments of the Public.—This
it is impoisible to deny.
They have also omitted to state the various ad.
dresses that have been made to the Jew and
Christian bruisers, and other ruffians, before they
were admitted into the Pa—the instructions they
received to demand silence—to enforce it by club
law—the promised support of the police—the or-
ders distributed by Mendoza►—in short, a multiode
of facts by which a conspiracy could be proved
n conspiracy to dragoon agl beat the public into
submission. But although these trifling facts have
been deemed unworthy the notice of this Junta,
there are certain persons amongst the active per-
formers of the nightly tragedies at Covent-Garden
—who► repentant and ashamed of tiwir conduct,

will supply these omissions in the affidavits of the
Manager, the Prompter, and the Professor.
The fact is simply this...fur Mr. Clifford's ac.
tion against the Prufessur—Harris and Co. have
nu stomach ; and this motion has been made iu
the hope of evitating,or at least delaying,the
lion of a question wltich,in all probability, will tear
off the mask and expose the whole gang...from
the Proprietors to the Foundery men, includio4
all the intermediate gradations of ruffianism, and
hold them up to all indignant public iu their true
colours.

The institution of legal proceedings will hapr:ly
afford the public that opportunity, which tht y
could by no other means have obtained of proving
the mean, disgraceful, contemptihk, insolent,
and ungrateful behaviour of the Proprietors, Ms.
nagers and Agents of this splendid and Memoir,-
sliour edifice of privileged accommodation—of
glare and darkticts—to their Patrons and Master;
the PIOPLF. OF ENGLAND.