The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1843-10-03 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MARTIAL LAW.---It is now openly reported, and the opinion hourly gains strength, that it is intended to place Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire under martial law. Nothing can exceed the exasperation expressed by all classes of the people as this idea gains ground.—" In mentioning this," adds the correspondent of our contemporary, " I do not say that martial law will be proclaimed, because the consent of the government must first be obtained to such a step ; but I certainly have heard some of the' authorities advocate its necessity, and the mode in which fresh troops are arriving, and the disposal of those already arrived, strengthen the rumour. Some light carriages are also being built here (Swansea) for the speedy conveyance of troops from one point to another."—Times of Friday.—The Swanssa Journal of Wednesday last, expresses a confident belief that there is no foundation for the alleged application of martial law, and nothing was beard of any such rumour before its announcement in the Times, and that there is no necessity whatever for any such extreme and unconstitutional measure. " One murder, under most horrible and savage circumstances, has been committed," says he, " and several insane acts of incendiarism have occurred ; but it is satisfactory to know that those outrages have been committed, not from any general combination among the people for the destruction of life or property, but have proceeded from personal and vindictive feeling towards particular individuals who have, at the eleventh hour, distinguished themselves by their activity in endeavouring to arrest the further progress of those nocturnal riots, which had shamefully been permitted to continue with impunity for such a length of time, that people began to think a sort of prescriptive legality attached to them. Tranquility and order are returning even in Carmarthenshire ; and it is gratifying to know that no further outrages, worth noticing, have been committed in that county during the past week. Hitherto the magistrates have placed their dependance upon military force for the protection of property. Let them, for a time at least, abandon a system which only draws ridicule upon the efforts of the troops, and obloquy upon the authorities. Let the magistrates try the effect of the ordinary laws of the country. Let them in every case of the destruction of a gate or toll-house immediately rebuild it, and as promptly proceed to assess the amount of damage upon the hundred, which amount should imperatively, and by the most summary means be levied upon the parties who are liable to the payment. When farmers are made aware that a proceeding of this nature will, with immediate certainty, be the result of the destruction of property, they will themselves combine for its protection, or become the informers against the perpetrators of midnight outrages of this description. If these means fail, and when the ordinary power of the law, properly administered, (and hitherto that has not been the case,) are found ineffective to restore peace and tranquility, then it will be time enough to consider how far the government of the country will be justified in proclaiming martial law."