The Sun. — 1842-05-02 (London, England)

CHARTIST DEMONSTRATION. (THIS DAY.) This being the day appointed for the presentation of " The National Petition," the Chartists assembled in 'large bodies in different quarters of the town, at an early hour. Soon after nine o'clock the streets leading to Lincoln's Inn-fields were thronged with members of the various Chartist Asssciatior,s of the metropolis and elsewhere, all wending their way towards the principal place of rendezvous, viz., the square in Lincoln's Innfields. The time appointed for the formation of the procession was one o'clock, and by that time the square was densely crowded. The windows of the houses in the vicin,ty were occupied by spectators, principally ladies. The members of the Natioital Convention arrived in the square at one o'clock ; those who were recognised by the assembled multitude were greeted with loud cheering. The Members of the Convention were preceded by the monster petition, borne on the shoulders of sixteen able-bodied men, selected .from the different trades in the metropolis. It Was carried on a kind of portable stage or platform, which had been constructed for the purpose, and was covered with ribbons, and otherwise decorated. On the front was placed a placard, displaying the number of signatures which it contained, and from which it appeared that the number was 3,317,702. The procession was formed soon after one o'clock, the petition being placed in front. After the petition came a large and ample black flag, bearing the inscription -‘ Murder demands .Justice. 16th Aug.. 1819." On the other side the flag was a representation of the Manchester massacre. Next to this flag were several staves, bearing on each a representation of the cap of Li.lperty. Then came several flags, bearit"r each the inscription, United we stand, divided w e fall. " The first band followed these flags. Next to the band was a flag, inscribed, "We require justice before charity=the People's Charter and no surrender !" and on the other side of it were these words— " Every man is born free, and God has given man equal rights and liberties, and may it please God to give man knowledge to assert those rights, and let no tyrannical faction withhold them from the people." Then followed the flags belonging to the Huddersfield and Kettering Association, together with those from the Association at the Tower Hamlets. Following these was another band, in the midst of which was a flag inscribed " O'Connor. the tried Champion of the People ! who can prove him otherwise? " The appearance of this flag was hailed with a loud burst of cheering, from the persons assembled in Lincoln's Inn square to view the procession as it passed. Immediately following this flag was one bearing the quotation, from Exodus, " Whosoever sheddeth man's blood by man shall his blood be shed." Several other flags followed of a similar character, and by two o'clock the procession had left the square. It proceeded up Great Queenstreet, Drury-lane, up Holborn, to Oxford •street, and would arrive at the House of Commons at a quarter past three. Every thing was conducted in the most peaceable and orderly manner. Not. the slightest confision prevailed from the time of the assembling of the multitude in the morning to that of its departure with the procession. The following is