The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-03-23
ANoYEL AFFAIR.

We had supposed that such sects as Barn
burners, Guerillas, &C., were confined to this
Continent, but it seems not.
The following article, from the London
Ne,cs, of March Z, shows that in Old Eng
land, even, the people occasionally take the
law into their own hands:
Soon after midnight, on Monday, special
train left Euston station upon strangely ex-
ceptional Grand. More than hundred skilled
workmen and laborers, marshalled by gan
gers, contractors and agents, took their seat in
it, in orderly fashion, but with mysterious
and determined air, as if some more than
usually weghty business were on hand. One
carriage was devoted to stout tools and imple-
ments, and the train, thus freighted, reached
Tring 100 yesterday morning. A procession
vas formed at the station-each man shoulder
ing crowbar or other implement-and a
compact phalanx, one hundred and twenty
strong, marched out, two and two, into the
moonlight. A walk of three miles brought
them to the side of Berkhampstead Common,
nearest to .Ashridge park, the seat Of Earl
Brownlow; and the objects of the expedition
were then first made known to the rank and
file. ..
plying a space of some two miles in length, and
from three quarters Of mile to mile and a
half broad was enclosed fortnight ago by Earl
Brownlow, and we learn that Mr.. Augustus
Smith, of the Sicily Islands, as the owner of
an estate near, and therefore as commoner
acting in concert with his neighbors had de-
termined to test his lordships right to this
course in very practical way. The sup
,,xlt 20 Ex,1 fort hi,,h mia al
bands at close intervals between each, were to
be thrown down before daylight, Mr.. Smith
and the commoners taking all responsibility
ehartering the train and engaging the men
These last were told off in detachments dozen
strong; the substantial joints of the railings
were first loosed by hammers and chisels, and
the crowbars did tie rest Before six o'clock
yesterday morning the whole of the enclosure
was leveled to the ground each stout upright
having the metal bands, its tributaries, first
neatly folded round it, and then laid upon thu
| turf it had recently served to close in.
1t was seven o'clock before the alarm wa
given; and by the time Mr.. Paxton, the lat.
! Sir Joseph Paxton's brother, and Earl Brown.
| lows steward appeared upon the scene, Berk-
| hampstead Common was inclosed no longer
| 1t was too late to do more than protest agains
|
| ly done. Meanwhile the news spread, ant
the inhabitants of the adjacent village ant
district aocked upon the scene. In carriages
gigs, dog carts and on foot, gently, shopkeep
ers, husbandmen, women and children, a
ON sc attested the reality of what they saw by
stroling over and squatting on the Common
and cutting and taking away morsels of gorse
to prove, as they said, "the place was thei
| own aoain " Tho cost of tba thrpa pnilpo n
irJn railing removed is said to have been NOR
than thousand pounds, and that of its re
| moval must have been considerable What
ever may be the result of this daring return
to what is called FOLD constitutional form,
and however it may be viewed by the lega
authorities before whom it will speedily
brought, it must be regarded as one Of tn
most decided and vigorous protests agains
alleged usurpation which have occurred i
our prosaic, peaceful and orderloving times.