The Sun. — 1839-08-22 (London, England)

RIOTS AT NOTTINGHAM.  TO THE RIGHT HON. LORD J. RUSSELL,&c. My Lcrd,—Your Lordship will pardon the liberty I now take in addressing myself to your Lordship respect. ing the meetings of the. Reformers, or Chartists of this town, which, from my own personal observations, have been invariably conducted in the most orderly and peaceable manner ; indeed, there never was the least tendency or disposition on the part of the cruelly oppressed and suffering people of this part to act otherwise than as men seeking by every legal means an amelioration of their manifold grievances, of which your Lordship cannot but be fully aware. My Lord, respecting public meetings of the people, to hear the newspapers read and to discuss peaceably their wrongs : I have had the pleasure of attend:ng them, and at none of them have I ever heard or witnessed one improper act tending to a breach of the laws. On my return from a walk to Carrington, near Nottingham, there was a meeting of from five to six thousand persons on Monday last on the Forest, where no damage was done, no stay to business, no insulting language, no riot ; in fact, my Lord, it was a meeting of peace and the greatest decorum. And, my Lord, how were the peop'e treated ? In the midst of the meeting they were shamefully annoyed by one of the county Magistrates (Nixon) making his (totally uncalled for) appearance. The people had just finished a hymn and the Lord's prayer, when he made an attempt to ride into the meeting, which the people very properly resisted as an insult; he then retired to the outside, and took from his pocket, I suppose the Riot Act, upon which some lads began to hoot and huzza, and at last to pelt him with stones. He then retired, unhurt, from the Forest to the Barracks, and sent a detachment of Horse and Rifles to break up the meeting, but the people had quietly dispersed, or stood looking on with disgust at being so shamefully treated ; and most of these men were the very men who had assisted, and manfully so, to rout the Tories from office, and place in their stead the present Administration. It was no crime, my Lord, then to meet and read the newspapers ; but now it has become a most heinous offence for persecution by the Government. My Lord, in consequence of Monday's transactions on the part of the County Magistrates, Nottingham has been in a state of ferment ; but I am truly happy to say, no damage done—no person hurt —no property injured—all now is peace again ; but, I deeply regret to say, that one man, Mr. Woodhouse, has been sent to gaol, merely because of his temperate and manly addresses to the people, beseeching them, at all times, to keep the peace—to obey the laws, &c.— and this man, my Lord, is in prison ! he was taken or rather dragged there, in the most degrading manner possible, manacled to a constable, guarded by Rifles and hired constables, &c. Had he been a murderer or a felon his degradation could not have been greater. It, my Lord, was disgraceful to witness a young man so shamefully treated ; and I pray your Lordship to be pleased forthwith to order his dismissal from prison, which will be hailed by the people of Nottingham as an set of justice.—l remain, my Lord, Your Lordship's most obedient servant,