66 66 66 66 66 66 66 Own 66 66 morning, extracted accounts of the situ- "have hitherto been burnings and assassi"ation of several districts, where, we re66 nation. Are these crimes to be palligret to state, the practice of stealing "ated or excused, and are we to charac 66 arms, administering treasonable oaths, "terize the perpetrators of them merely as "and assembling in large numbers night- poor deluded mistaken men? They are 66 ly, is carried on with increasing violence. "neither deluded nor mistaken; their ha"More vigorous measures have therefore" tred is against the whole form of our "become necessary. That the Govern- "Government, and their object is to destroy "ment have hitherto endeavoured to put "it. The SUSPENSION OF THE HA"down these outrages without demanding "BEAS CORPUS, and the PROCLAmore extensive powers; that they hoped "MATION OF MARTIAL LAW may "the laws as they stood would be suffi- "be and are measures to be deplored, but "cient; that they trusted the trials and "the question is, whether a lesser evil punishment of some prominent offenders" shall be incurred to avoid a greater; "would operate as a salutary example and "whether disaffection shall be put down warning, is now adduced against them" and punished, or suffered to pursue its as a crime; and falsely imputing these "march with impunity."- -The object outrages to the Orders in Council, the of this article clearly is to prepare a justiOpposition ask whether it is not alarm-fication of a suspension of the Habeas Cor→ ing that measures of such extent should pus, or PERSONAL LIBERTY ACT, "be brought into discussion at this season and also of the subjecting of the people of "of the year;' when it is added, almost England to MARTIAL LAW.--Reader, "all the independent Representatives of English reader! Reader, of whatever coun"the people are on their return to the try you may be, do think a little of the t country?' What! are measures neces- nature of the measures here unequivo sary to the public peace and safety not to cally pointed out for adoption. As to "be discussed because independent Repre- the first, it would expose us, it would sentatives do not choose to attend their expose any of us, it would expose every duty in Parliament? If they prefer their man in England, TO BE PUT IN PRIbusiness or pleasure to the public SON, INTO ANY PRISON, AND KEPT "business, are Ministers to blame? The THERE, DURING THE PLEASURE “evil which it is wished to remedy has OF THE MINISTRY, WITHOUT ANY grown to an alarming height only within SPECIFIC CHARGE AGAINST US, 46 a short time, how then was it possible to AND WITHOUT EVER BEING bring it into discussion earlier? And BROUGHT TO TRIAL. This would be "with respect to the Orders in Council, is the effect of the suspension of the Habeas “there the least shadow of proof that the Corpus Act, which, by all our great lawoutrages were occasioned by them?yers, is described as the safeguard of our Nay, is there not abundant evidence to "shew that they had nothing to do with "them? Did the Orders in Council pro"duce the destruction of the stocking frames "in Nottinghamshire? Did they lead to "the burning of the mills in Yorkshire? "Did they cause the horrible assassinations "in Lancashire? Have they produced the "Luddite Associations and the oaths of treason which have been the consequence "of them? Are arms seized and large numbers of persons drilled and disci"6 plined nightly because of the Orders in "Council? It is absurd, if not worse, to 86 endeavour so to mislead the public mind. "But the Orders in Council have been repealed! It is known in every part of "the disturbed counties that they have been repealed, and yet these outrages, so far "from having abated in violence, are on "the increase. TREASON is the object "of these associations, and their weapons 63 66 66 66 66 liberties and our lives.The other measure, the proclaiming of martial law, would SUBJECT US ALL TO BE TRIED BY COURTS-MARTIAL, AND TO BE IMPRISONED, FLOGGED, HANGED, OR SHOT, AS SUCH COURTS-MARTIAL MIGHT ADJUDGE.—I do not say, mind, that Lord Castlereagh has these measures in his budget for us. No, no; I do not say that; but, it is very clear, that the vile Editor of the COURIER news-paper is prepared to justify the proposing and the adopting of these measures, which he calls "a lesser evil" than that of suffering "disaffection to go unpunished;" and this he says, too, while he is calling upon us to fight for our liberties. -However, having seen his measures, let us now see what are the grounds upon which he would justify them. He says, that "treason is "the object of the rioters; that they are nei"ther deluded nor mistaken; but that their 66 distress, and that a treasonable intention, a hatred to the whole form of the govern"ment and a desire to destroy it," are the sole causes.This pampered hireling does not know what hunger is. It is charity to suppose that he is incapable of forming an idea of the sufferings of a human being under the craving of an appetite which there are not the means to satisfy, Let him read a passage in the history of Trenck, who, having travelled for two or three days without eating, and being in a house where he saw some victuals without having money to purchase any, says, he rushed out of the door lest he should commit murder in order to obtain the food, which he felt himself violently tempted to do. Let the hard-hearted hireling read this passage; let him put himself, for a moment, in the place of a father who sees a starving family. around him; and, then, I should hope, that he, even he, will feel and express some compassion for the suffering manufacturers.-Far be it from me to attempt to justify people in the commission of unlawful acts. I do not wish to justify the woman who, according to the newspapers,, committed highway robbery in taking some potatoes out of a cart at Manchester, and who, according to the news-papers, was HANGed for it. I do not pretend to justify her conduct. But, there is, I hope, no harm in my expressing my compassion for her; and, I further hope, that "hatred is against the whole form of our government, and that their object is to "destroy it."-This must be news indeed to the Emperor of France, who will, doubtless, be anxious to hear to how many counties of England this hatred extends itself. He will, I dare say, be amused with the reflection that a twenty years' war to keep down republicans and levellers has brought us to this; and, really, we cannot be much offended even if he should laugh at us, when he recollects that our news-papers have been expressing so anxious a desire to have to record the events of disturbances and insurrections in France.--But, where is the proof of the truth of this assertion of the Courier? Upon the strength of what evidence is it, that he sends forth these tidings so pleasing to the Emperor of France and to all the enemies of England? Where are his proofs of that treason and of that hatred of the whole form of the government, of which he talks? If he has the proofs, why does he not give them? And, if he has them not, how dares he make such an assertion? How dares he thus blacken the character of the people of the most populous and most valuable part of the kingdom?-He denies, that the Orders in Council have had any thing to do in the producing of the disturbances, though the evidence of a crowd of most respectable witnesses, given before both Houses of Parliament, prove that the Orders in Council have been one cause, at least, of the dis-my readers would think me a most inhuman tresses which exist in the troubled counties; brute, if I were to endeavour to deprive ' and also prove, that the distresses have been, her and her unhappy fellow-sufferers of the or, at least, originally were, the cause of the compassion of the public; by asserting that disturbances. Yet does this unfeeling man she was actuated by a treasonable motive, endeavour to make the world believe, that and that she hated the whole form of our distress has had nothing at all to do with government and wished to destroy it. No, the matter. It has been proved, in the reader, I will not lend my aid to this. I clearest possible manner, that, in the trou- allow her to have been guilty of highway bled counties, the people have suffered and robbery in forcibly taking some potatoes out are suffering, in a most cruel manner; that of a cart at Manchester; I allow this; and the food of many of them is of the worst I allow that the law has made highway robsort and not half sufficient in quantity; that bery a crime punishable with death, if the hundreds and thousands of poor mothers judges think proper; but, I cannot and I and their children are wholly destitute of will not allow, that her forcibly taking of bread, and that even potatoes are too dear some potatoes out of a cart at Manchester, for them to get at; that the food of these was any proof of a treasonable design and of unfortunate creatures is oatmeal and water, hatred against the whole form of our goand that they have not a sufficiency of that.vernment.-Upon some future occasion I It has been proved, that many have died, will give a picture of the mode of living of actually expired for want of food. And, ita poor man and his family in England, and has been proved, that this want has, in part, at least, arisen from the existence of the Orders in Council.-Yet, with this proof all before him, does this unfeeling writer, this inexorable man, deny that any part of the disturbances has arisen from will shew how far his wages will go with the quartern loaf at 20 pence. At present I shall add only one remark to what has been said above, and that is, that though this hired writer could see nothing but treason to arm the government against, 66 -Such, then, is this SECRET Committee. And, what is this Committee to do? Why, it is to examine the SEALED UP papers; and, then it is to make a report to the House of the result of its inquiries, and of the measures which it thinks proper to recommend in consequence. And then the House is to decide without seeing the papers! Or, I suppose, at least, that this is the course, it having been so in other cases of Secret Committees.Having now given this subject an opening, and having brought the history of the Luddite measures down to the appointment of the Committee of Secrecy; I shall, for the present, take my leave of it, with once more requesting my readers to WATCH THE WHIGS, and mark what their conduct will be through the whole of this transaction.- -In neither House have they yet opened their lips upon the subject. LORD SIDMOUTH could. He could see, not "loted for in this manner were uniformly only an insurrection of the head to provide" found to be."-The reader will ask, against, but also an insurrection of the perhaps, how it comes, then, that Mr. belly; for, in the speech by which he in- Whitbread's own name was put on it: but, troduced his motion for thanks to the Re-reader, of what use is his name, if there gent for his Message, he is reported to have be a majority on the side of the minister? said;"They (the government) ought to "be prepared for the worst. If their "hopes should prove to be unfounded; if it "should please Providence to afflict the "country with another BAD HARVEST; "how heavy would be the responsibility of "the Government; how heavy that of their Lordships, if they neglected to take such "precautionary measures as the occasion required?"-Very true, my lord! Really, very true! And, doubtless, as you are so sensible of the heavy responsibility that will fall upon you both as a minister and a lord, if precautionary measures are not taken to meet the affliction of another bad harvest; this being the case you, doubtless, have in view some means either of augmenting the wages or income of the poor, or, of lowering the price of their food. There appear to me to be only these two sets of means; and, as your lordship seems to be so fully sensible of the responsibility, there can be no doubt that one or the other will be employed. The former object might be accomplished, to a great extent, at least, by certain savings which I will hereafter take the liberty to point out to your lordship; and the latter, by adding to the quantity of corn by importation. But, I have not now room to do any thing more than merely open this most interesting of all subjects.We must now, before we take our lea. of this subject for the pre-gives his opinion of the qualities and chasent, return to the House of Commons, where, on Tuesday, the 30th of June, we find the ballot producing the following members for the Secret Committee: -These SUMMARY OF POLITICS. LIBEL CASE.-Messrs. Hunt.Gentlemen, proprietors of the EXAMINER, were, in the term before the last, prosecuted by Ex-Officio Information by the then Attorney General (Gibbs), who is now become a Puisne Judge, for the publishing of a passage, in which the writer racter of the Prince Regent.- -The trial, by SPECIAL Jury, as usual, was to come before the court of King's Bench, at Westminster Hall, on Friday, the 26th of June. But, the Special Gentlemen being called over, and only six answering to their names, the trial was put off, and, of course, it cannot come on till after the next term. It is curious enough, that the last time that these gentlemen were before the same court, only six of the Special Gentlemen appeared, and, of course, six others were called up promiscuously out of the common pannel. Messrs. Hunt were acquitted upon that occasion. -Various conjectures have been hazarded as to the cause of this putting off; but, while I pretend to know nothing of that cause, I do know this, that the parties prosecuted have been put to a certain expense, and that not a light one; that they are now to remain, marked out as criminals, for another four or five months; and that, if acquitted or unprosecuted at last, there is no means of their obtaining compensation for their anxiety and loss. -They have behaved, however, most manfully upon the occasion; they will receive for that conduct, as they merit, the thanks of all the real friends of public liberty; and they will, I trust, live to see the day, when they will receive a more solid reward in beholding the triumph of that cause in which they are labouring with so much diligence, spirit, talent,and effect. BRISTOL ELECTION.- -From the Letter, at the head of this sheet, the reader will find a pretty good preface to the history of this Election, which is quite another sort of thing than what the friends of Sir Samuel Romilly appear to have taken an election at Bristol to be.. -The intelligence which I have from that City comes down to Wednesday last, the 1st instant. I may, and, I dare say, I shall, have it to a later date before this Number goes to the Press; but, I shall now give the history down to that day.Sir Samuel Romilly's friends, at their meeting at the Crown and Anchor, talked of Mr. Prothero as an opponent; but, not a word did they say of MR. HUNT. A farmer was, I suppose, thought beneath their notice. We shall, however, see that farmer doing more at Bristol, I imagine, than they and their subscription will ever be able to do.In the Letter, before inserted, I have shown how Mr. Hunt, whose residence is in Sussex, was taken by surprise. He was wholly ignorant of the vacancy, 'till Thursday evening, the 25th of June, when his news-paper of Wednesday informed him that the writ, in the room of Mr. Bragge, had been moved for on Tuesday.- He came to London on Friday, set off that night for Bath, and got into Bristol on Saturday evening, where he was received by the people with a pleasure proportioned to their surprise at seeing him come.— -Hart Davis had made his entry in an earlier part of the day, preceded by the carriages of bankers, excise and custom-house people, and, in short, all that description of persons who are every where found in opposition to the liberties of Englishmen.As it was settled amongst the parties, that Davis was to meet with no opposition from either MR. PROTHERO OF SIR SAMUEL ROMILLY, he expected a chairing on the Monday, amidst the shouts of some score or two of hired voices. How great was his surprise, then, and how great the consternation of his party, when they saw it announced that Mr. Hunt was about to make his appearance! Sunday (the 28th of June) passed, of course, without any business being done, but not without dreadful note of preparation." On Monday morning, the day appointed by the Sheriffs for holding the election, the Guildhall, the place for holding the election, became a scene of great interest: an injured and insulted people resolved to assert their rights against the intrigues and the violences of a set of men who were attempting to rob them of those rights.After the nominations had taken place, the sheriffs adjourned their court till the next day.In the evening great strife and fighting and violences took place; the White Lion Inn, whence the Club who put in Mr. Bragge, and who are now at work for Davis, takes its name; this Inn was assailed by the people's party, and, it is said, pretty nearly demolished. Mr. Davis's house at Clifton is said to have shared the same fate; and, this and similar work, with terrible battles in the streets having continued till Tuesday night (the 30th of June), the SOLDIERS WERE CALLED IN, AND, IT IS SAID, ACTUALLY MARCHED, INTO THE GUILDHALL!-Pause, here, reader. Look at this spectacle.- -But, how came this to be necessary? It is said, that it was necessary, in order to preserve property. But, how came it to be so? Who began the violences? That is the question.And I have no hesitation in stating my firm belief, that they were begun, not by the PEOPLE, but by their enemies.I state, upon the authority of Mr. JOHN ALLEN of Bath, whom I know to be a man of honour, of strict veracity, and (if that be any additional praise) of great property; upon the authority of this gentleman, who requests me to use his name, and who was an eye-witness of what he relates, I state, that, there were about 400 men, who had been made special constables for the purpose, who were planted near the place of election; that these men, who ought to have been for one side as much as for the other, were armed with staves or clubs, painted BLUE, which, the reader will observe, is the colour of the White Lion, or Bragge and Davis, party, and, of course, the PEOPLE, who were for Mr. Hunt, looked upon these 400 men as brought for the purpose of overawing 66 them and preventing them by force from | regarded.-Well, but the SOLDIERS exercising their rights. These men com- ARE CALLED IN; and, as I am inmitted, during the 29th, many acts of formed, the Soldiers were, on Wednesday violence against the people. But, at last, morning between five and six o'clock, adthe people, after great numbers of them dressed by Mr. Hunt in nearly the followhad been wounded, armed themselves with ing words: "Gentlemen; Soldiers; fellow Clubs too; attacked the Blues, and drove "citizens and countrymen, I have to ask them into the White Lion.Here the " a favour of you, and that is, that you mischief would have ended; but the Blues," will discover no hostility to each other ascending to the upper rooms and the roof, on account of your being dressed in difhad the baseness to throw down stones, "ferent coloured coats. You are all equalbrick-bats, iles, glass bottles, and other "ly interested in this election. You are things, upon the heads of the people." all Englishmen ; you must all love freeThis produced an attack upon the house, "dom; and, therefore, act towards each which was soon broken in, and, I believe, "other as brother towards brother." It gutted. These facts I state upon the is added by my informant, that Mr. Hunt authority of Mr. Allen; and I state them was greatly applauded by the whole of his with a perfect conviction of their truth.- audience. He expressed his conviction, The reader will observe, that the great that the soldiers would not voluntarily shoot point, is, WHO BEGAN THE FIGHT? at their countrymen; "but," added he, We have heard Mr. Allen; now let us "if military force is to carry the election, hear what the other parties say. In the "the sooner the shooting begins the better; TIMES news-paper of the 2d July, it is " and here am I," said he, laying bare his said by a writer of a letter from Bristol, breast," ready to receive the first ball.”— who abuses Mr. Hunt, that when the no- Let us now see how the factious view this mination was about to take place," Mr. matter.-The COURIER abuses Mr. Hunt in "Davis and his party made their appear- the style to be expected. The Times speaks "ance. The friends of Mr. Davis wore of him in this way: "The poll commenced "blue cockades, and they were accompa"at ten o'clock. In this farce Mr. Hunt "nied by some hundreds of persons bearing "plays many parts: he unites in himself "short BLUE STAVES, who had been "the various characters of Candidate, Coun"sworn in as special constables.". sel, and Committee, as he has not one This is enough. Here is a full acknow-"human being to assist him in either of ledgment of the main circumstance "those capacities."Well, and what stated by Mr. Allen: namely, that hun- then? What does he want more than a dreds of men, sworn in as Constables, were good cause and the support of the people? armed with staves of the colour of one These are all that ought to be necessary to of the candidates, and that they accompa- any candidate. What business have lawnied that candidate to the Hustings.-In the yers with elections? And, ought the peoCOURIER of the 1st July, the same fact, in ple to want any committee to tell them their other words comes out. The writer (of duty? The Morning Chronicle takes a another letter from Bristol), in speaking of more sanctimonious tone. It says on the the precautions intended to be taken, says: 2d of July, (in the form of a letter from "Our Chief Magistrate has summoned Bristol: "It is much to be regretted, that "his brother officers together, and as the "the regularity and peaceable demeanour "constables assembled by Mr. Davis's" with which our Elections were formerly "friends are to be all dismissed at the conducted, are now totally disregarded. "close of the poll, and their colours taken" Notwithstanding the exertions of Mr. Da"out of their hats, there will be no pro- vis's, Mr. Protheroe's, and Sir S. Ro"vocation on his part to Mr. HUNT'S milly's friends, to prevent a recurrence "party."-This, coming from the enemy, "of the outrages which endangered Mr. clearly shews on which side the aggression "Bathurst's life at a late Election, the had commenced. Therefore, for all that" procession on Saturday was assailed by followed, the party of Davis are responsible. "vollies of mud, stones, dead cats, &c. -We shall know, by-and-by, perhaps," Mr. Davis fortunately escaped unhurt, who it was that permitted these hundreds of " except from one stone which struck his Constables to hoist the colours of one of the "arm." Here are two things to be obcandidates, which was, in fact, "a declar- served: first, that Davis, Prothero, and "ation of war against the people," and as Sir Samuel Romilly's friends, the friends such the Letter in the TIMES says it was of all of them are here spoken of as co-ope 66 ་་ |