others dispersed in the field; cutting to right and left to get at them. The people began running in all directions; and from this moment the yeomanry lost all command of temper: numbers were trampled under the feet of men and horses; many, both men and women were cut down by sabres; several, and a peace officer and a female in the number, slain on the spot. The whole number of persons injured amounted to between three and four hundred. The populace threw a few stones and brick bats in their retreat; but in less than ten minutes the ground was entirely cleared of its former occupants, and filled by various bodies of military, both horse and foot. Mr. Hunt was led to prison, not without incurring considerable danger, and some injury on his way from the swords of yeomanry and the bludgeons of police officers; the broken staves of two of his banners were carried in mock procession before him. The magistrates directed him to be locked up in a solitary cell, and the other prisoners were confined with the same precaution.

The town was brought into a tolerably quiet state before night, military patroles being stationed at the end of almost every street, The next day the Manchester magistrates published a placard, denouncing as illegal the practice of military training, which they affirmed to have been carried on by large bodies of men within the hundred of Salford, in connection with seditious and treasonable purposes. The united magistrates of Lancashire and

Cheshire also thought good to return thanks to the commanders, officers, and men of all the corps who had taken part in the actions of the day; particularly expressing their gratification at the extreme forbearance exercised by the yeomanry when insulted and defied by the rioters."

Coroners' inquests were held on the bodies of those who lost their lives by the furious assault of the cavalry; but the verdicts of the juries were such as could lead to no judicial proceedings.Some were, "accidental death;" another, on a child, "died by a fall from his mother's arms;" a third, "died by the pressure of the military, being under the civil power."

The return of a dispatch sent to London, brought to sir John Byng, commander of the district, a letter from viscount Sidmouth, stating that his lordship had laid before the prince regent a letter addressed to himself (lord S.), and that it was with great satisfaction he obeyed the commands of his royal highness by requesting that he would express to lieut. col. L'Estrange, and to the officers, non-commissioned officers, and privates, who served under his command at Manchester, on the 16th of August, his royal highness's high approbation of the exemplary manner in which they assisted and supported the civil power of the county palatine of Lancaster on that day. On August 27th, Hunt and his fellow-prisoners were brought up for final examination, when they were thus addressed by Mr. Norris the chairman:

When you were last called up

into this court, you were remanded on a charge of high treason. On remanding you, you were informed that the whole of the evidence had been sent up to London, to be laid before the law officers of the crown, and in the mean time you were to be detained. It was not until this morning that a communication was made from government, stating that the law officers of the crown had for the present abandoned the higher charge. The communication was not made to me; but there is a gentleman present, Mr. Bouchier, who has come with orders to proceed upon a less charge. The charge of high treason is not yet abandoned, but government proceeds against you for a minor offence."

After this notification, the examination of witnesses began, in presence of a crowded auditory, by whom the most lively interest was taken in the event. We cannot follow the detail of these proceedings, in which however many incidents occurred strikingly indicative of the spirit of party. On its conclusion, the chairman dismissed the prisoners, saying, "You may all have bail." They were afterwards again summoned into court, when he thus again addressed them : "Henry Hunt and you all: we sent for Mr. Bouchier in order that we might again carefully peruse the depositions. It is a most painful duty to me to commit you for a conspiracy. We can, however, lay our hands on our hearts and say, We have done our duty.' As to the charge of conspiracy, though you might not have been all together pre

vious to the meeting, yet in the eye of the law, all those who commit separate acts, tending to one illegal object, are guilty of that crime. Coupling the two meetings together, taking into consideration the manner in which the last was assembled, with such insignia and in such a manner, with the black flag, the bloody dagger, with Equal representation or death, you came in a threatning manner-you came under the banners of death, thereby showing you meant to overturn the government. There could be no free discussion where that flag was unfurled. The charge now is "that of having conspired to alter the law by force and threats." It is an illegal matter, and sufficiently made out, and calls upon us imperatively to commit you for trial by a proper jury. It is now our painful duty to commit you to Lancastercastle. On account of the seriousness of the charge, we shall require you, Henry Hunt and Joseph Johnson, to give bail yourselves in 1,000l. and two sureties in 500l. each; and all the others, themselves in 500l. and two sureties in 250%. each.

The prisoners then left the bar. Hunt, after consulting his solicitor, Mr. Pearson, and saying that he would not give bail, even though no more than a farthing was required, was sent off to Lancaster, the assizes for which were just approaching, at six o'clock in the evening, in a coach, under the guard of a troop of thirty of the 15th of Hussars. Presently after their departure, bail was offered for Hunt and another person, but the magistrates de

*

clined

clined to accept it till twelve o'clock the next day, when they conceded, and a special messenger was dispatched to Lancaster, where he arrived in the same evening, and liberated Hunt and Knight. As they approached Manchester, the procession which attended upon them kept increasing like a rolling snowball, and notwithstanding the wetness of the day, the streets were crowded, and thousands of both sexes accompanied their hero, stunning the ear with their acclamations.

The tragical event of the Manchester meeting, did not put a stop to similar assemblages, of which notice had been given in the neighbourhood of Leeds and other manufacturing towns; where the conduct of the yeomanry and magistrates of Manchester was commented upon in a strain of vehement and fearless invective, and every art was employed to rouse to the highest the pity and indignation of the multitude. The orators appeared in deep mourning; the flags were surmounted with crape; one of them exhibited a yeoman cutting at a woman with his sabre, and the word "Vengeance" was observed on another. At a meeting at Birmingham where sir Charles Wolseley appeared, a kind of funeral procession was exhibited. Not the smallest disposition to tumult however appeared on any of these occasions, and the congregated multitudes dispersed in peace, whilst the magistrates contented themselves with remaining spectators of these extraordinary scenes. A very moderate attempt at interference on the part of the

constituted authorities of Paisley produced opposite and highly disgraceful results.

A meeting on Mickleriggsmuir, near Paisley, having been advertised for September 11th, the sheriff of Renfrew and provost and magistrates of Paisley, issued a proclamation declaring against the avowed intention of bands of persons from different parts on going to and from such meeting, to parade the town and suburbs of Paisley "with flags and devices of a political and inflammatory nature;" and warned all who should take part in such "illegal" proceedings, that they should be made responsible for their conduct. This notification was utterly disregarded by the reformers, who, after the meeting, came marching in great force, with music sounding and flags flying through the high street of Paisley. The magistrates caused the colours to be seized, and in consequence a violent disturbance began: lamps and windows were broken, and special constables maltreated. The sheriff, the provost and magistrates, who went among the mob to advise them to disperse, were assaulted with stones; and it was not till a late hour that order was restored by the reading of the riot act, and the apprehension of about twenty of the ring-leaders. Similar outrages were renewed during several following days, in which several houses were gutted, many persons abused, and some robbed, by the plunderers, who took advantage of the occasion. After considerable forbearance, as well as exertion on the part of the civil power, some cavalry were

sent

sent for from Glasgow, by whom the streets were repeatedly cleared. By such means the spirit of outrage was at length subdued, and fortunately without the loss of a single life, though many persons were severely wounded; some by the mob, and some by the soldiers.

A subscription was opened in London and Liverpool for the purpose both of relieving the sufferings of persons wounded and injured at Manchester, and of defraying such expenses as might be incurred in obtaining legal redress for the assaults committed, and proper persons were sent down by the committee to examine into the matters of fact and direct the measures to be pursued. In consequence of these investigations, several bills were presented to the grand jury at Lancaster, against individuals belonging to the Manchester yeomanry, for cutting and maiming with intent to kill in St. Peter's field on the 16th of August. But all such bills were thrown out by the grand jury, and their example was openly pleaded by the magistrates of Manchester for refusing to commit on any of the charges connected with the transactions of that day, which were afterwards submitted to their examination.

True bills were found by the grand jury at Manchester against Messrs. Hunt, Johnson, Moor house, and seven others, for a conspiracy; the persons accused all traversed to the next assizes.

On September 9th, a meeting of the common council of London was holden, pursuant to notice, for the purpose of considering the

late transactions at Manchester, and the steps to be taken in consequence; when, after warm debates, the following resolutions were carried by a majority of 71 to 45:

"Resolved, That under the free principles of the British Constitution, it is the undoubted right of Englishmen to assemble together for the purpose of deliberating upon public grievances, as well as on the legal and constitutional means of obtaining redress.

That, for the exercise of this right, a meeting was held at Manchester on the 16th of August last, and, without entering into the policy or prudence of convening such assembly, it appears to us, from the information which has transpired, that the said meeting was legally assembled; that its proceedings were conducted in an orderly and peaceable manner; and that the people composing it were therefore acting under the sanction of the laws, and entitled to the protection of the magistrates.

"That we have, nevertheless, learnt with grief and astonishment, that while the meeting was so assembled, and when no act of riot or tumult had taken place, the magistrates issued their warrants for the apprehension of certain persons then present, for the execution of which, although no resistance was made on the part of the people, or those against whom the warrants were issued, they immediately resorted to the aid of the military; when, without any previous warning of their intention. the Manchester Yeomanry Cavalry, suddenly rushing forward, opened a passage

through

through the multitude, furiously attacking, by force of arms, peaceable and unoffending citizens, whereby great numbers of men, women, and children, and even peace-officers, were indiscriminately and wantonly rode over, and many inhumanly sabred and killed.

"That we feel ourselves called upon to express our strongest indignation at these unprovoked and intemperate proceedings, which we cannot but view as highly disgraceful to the character of Englishmen, and a daring violation of the British constitution.

"That from the known and declared attachment of his royal highness the Prince Regent to the constitution and the laws, we feel the most decided conviction that his Royal Highness never could have been induced to express his approval of the conduct of the abettors and perpetrators of those atrocities, had not his royal confidence been abused by interested misrepresented statements of these illegal and fatal transactions.

"That at a time when the great body of his majesty's subjects are suffering under the severest privations, however erroneous may be their ideas as to the means of redress, a kind and conciliating attention to their complaints is equally called for by policy and Justice and that depriving them of the means of expressing their grievances, by cruelty and despotism, can only tend to increase the present discontents, destroy public confidence in the pure and equal administration of jus tice, excite disaffection, and lead

to acts of open violence or secret revenge.

"That, in order to avert these calamities-to maintain the authority of the law-and to protect the lives and liberties of the subject-an humble and dutiful Address be presented by this Court to his royal highness the Prince Regent, praying his royal highness will be graciously pleased to institute an immediate and effectual inquiry into the outrages that have been committed, and to cause the guilty perpetrators thereof to be brought to signal and condign punishment."

An address founded on these resolutions was accordingly drawn up and presented to the Prince Regent, to which his royal highness was pleased to return the following answer:

"I receive with feelings of deep regret this address and petition of the lord-mayor, aldermen, and commons of the city of London, in common council assembled.

"At a time when ill-designing and turbulent men are actively engaged in inflaming the minds of their fellow-subjects, and endeavouring by means the most daring and insidious to alienate them from their allegiance to his majesty and the established constitution of the realm, it is on the vigilance and conduct of the magistrates that the preservation of the public tranquillity must in a great degree depend; and a firm, faithful, and active discharge of their duty cannot but give them the strongest claim to the support and approbation of their sovereign and their country.

"With the circumstances which preceded