ページの画像
PDF
ePub
[ocr errors]

"The contest was long, and the confequences dreadful. To defcribe the fray would "be impoflible, as each party contend---it was in the caufe of Liberty. The peace"officers took the liberty of attempting to apprehend fome musicians, who are admirable "in performing on marrow-bones and cleavers; and the muficians, on the other hand, "took the liberty of applying their inftruments to the heads of the peace-officers. This "produced a difagreeable difcord, which, however, terminated in the filencing of feve"ral, but the Guards being called in, the muficians were overpowered.

"The fire kept up by the guards was aftonifhing---an old woman received a bullet "in the rear, which has not yet been extracted, though a confultation of the faculty "fat upon the wound four hours.

"A mufket ball penetrated the head of a magiftrate four inches, but it not having "reached the brain, his Worship is in a fair way of recovery.

"A noble Lord received a violent blow from a broad-fword, on the temple; but meet"ing oppofition from a horn under his Lordship's hat, it glanced atide, and cut off "the falle nofe of an Honourable Baronet.

Among the Ladies, two loft their tetes. One had a cork rump shot off, and fe "veral were deprived of their eye-brows."

Gentlemen,

Maffacre and Military Government !

Were ye witneffes to the proceedings of yefterday? It was the fatal 10th of May, the anniversary of the murder of young Allen, in Saint George's Fields, by the Third Regiment of Guards. Did you not fee the fame regiment furrounding the Huftings at Covent Garden, in open violation of the freedom of Election, and at night committing outrages, which, if we tamely fubmit to, we are as we deferve to be

SLAVE S.

Shakespeare Tavern, Wednesday Night, May 12, 1784.

GENERAL COMMITTE E.

The Select Committee, appointed to enquire into the cause of the late riot, have reported many circumftances, fubftantiated by the most incontrovertible evidence, by which it now indifputably appears, that the late tumult, and the unfortunate confequences which followed, are to be attributed folely to the attrocious conduct of the Magiftrate who brought to the Huftings of Covent Garden, under pretence of affisting the peace officers on Monday laft, a defperate banditti, against the opinion and remonftrances of all the other Magiftrates who met at Guildhall, Weftminster, on that morning. A warrant is obtained against one of the ringleaders in the execution of this daring. plan. Enquiries are making after others, and proper methods purfuing to bring the offending Magiftrate to juftice.

Refolved,

"That the Select Committee be defired to perfevere in their enquiries in this bufi• nefs, and that a ftate of the iniquitous tranfactions already brought to light be im"mediately prepared for publication."

By order of the Committee,

J. R. COCKER, Sec.

GENERAL

GENERAL

COMMITTEE.

Shakespeare Tavern, May 14.

Authentic information being received, that the measure of bringing a body of near two hundred armed ruffians, under pretence of affifting the Weftminfter peace officers on Monday laft, and lodging them in the Committee Room of Lord Hood and Sir Cecil Wray, in King-Street, from whence they iffued to the place of poll, and at the close of it commenced the fatal outrages which enfued, was in no refpect authorised by, or concerted with, the Magiftrates affembled that morning by the Lord Lieutenant, but was, on the contrary, the fole act of Justice Wilmot, against the advice and remonstrances of all the faid Magiftrates.

The Committee for conducting Mr. Fox's Election, think it incumbent on them immediately to retract any reflection which may appear to be contained in their former advertisement on this fubject against the Magiftrates in general who formed the aforefaid meeting.

And the Committee further pledge themfelves, to profecute to the utmost, the Magiftrate who planned this moft iniquitous bufinefs, as well as the ringleaders, who were fo audaciously active in the execution of it.

It is unneceffary for this Committee to requeft the public to fufpend their opinion on this affair, till the authentic particulars are laid before them to-morrow. The falfehoods and fcurrilities iffued from Wood's Hotel are fo bafe and contemptible, that they can have produced no other effect, but a general fufpicion of the guilt of the party they are meant to exculpate.

[blocks in formation]

Whereas a desperate banditti, hired against the will and remonftrances of all the Weftminster Magiftrates, and armed, with bludgeons, ftaves, and piftols, under pretence of affifting the Weftminster Peace Officers, did, on Monday laft, iffue forth from Hood and Wray's Committee Room, in King-fireet, to the place of poll in Covent Garden, and at the close thereof did violently and inhumanly affault fundry peaceable perfons, and did thereby raise an affray, in which Nicholas Gaffon loft his life:

This is to give notice, that a reward of one hundred guineas will be paid by the Secretary to the Committee for conducting Mr. Fox's Election, to any perfon or perfons who fhall discover and apprehend, (fo that they may be profecuted to conviction,) atty of the faid daring offenders, or the party who hired, paid, or undertook to pay them.

N. B. As warrants are obtained against two of the ringleaders, person's prefent at the actual commencement of the affray are requested inftantly to communicate any material information relative to their accomplices, or their employers, to Mr. Fox's Commmittee at the Shakespeare.

By Crder of the Committee,

d

J. R. COCKER, Sec.

[blocks in formation]

For the Benefit of Slavery.

At the Prerogative Theatre, Weftminster, is performing a new Tragedy, called
THE BACK STAIRS CONSPIRACY!

Prompter, by Lord Boots.

Dark Lanthorn, by Lord Backstairs.
Cat's paw, by Billy Plumb.
Combustible, by Viscount Hone..
Dirty Work, by Jack Renegado.
Corruption, by Duke of Badcaitle.
ift Jack Ketch, by Lord Pompey.
2d Jack Ketch, by Lord Gaul.
Doodle, by Lord Sapwood, and
Ingratitude, by Judas Iscariot.

Attendant Bullies, by Badcaftle's Bone-picker; the Clare-market Dippite; the Scrub Committee; Parfon Swindle; Affa-Foetida, the Parliament-ftreet Glifterer; and a numerous train of young Gentlemen, from Mr. Campbell's Thames Academy, who have been let loofe on the occafion.

End of Act I. the celebrated Trio, "How merrily we live who Turn-coats be," by Signors Wilkini, Dundaffini, and Jack Renegado.

End of Act II. A Difcourfe on Virginity, by Billy Plumb..

End of Act III. a Duetto on the Salt Box, by Hurlo Thrumbo and Malagrida. End of Act IV. a Chorus in praife of the Vegetation of Mushrooms, by fome Lords, lately created; being their first appearance.

And at the end of the Tragedy, will be performed a grand Ballet d'Action, entitled THE A POSTATES.

In which will be introduced a pas de deux by Signors Wilkini and Whelpinetto, to the tune of Young Allen. To conclude with a minuet by Meffrs. Balf and M'Quirk..

GENERAL

Refolved,

COMMITTEE.

"Shakespeare Tavern, May 15, 1784..

"That it was highly praife-worthy in the infpectors for Mr. Fox to propose the ad"journment of the poll at two o'clock yesterday, upon pofitive information being re"ceived, that an iniquitous plan had been adopted, and was then executing to bring "the body of the unfortunate man who loft his life in the affray caufed on Monday laft. " by Juftice Wilmot's banditti, for burial, at three o'clock, to Covent Garden church, "attended by a tumultuous cavalcade, with flags, and incendiary hand-bills, calculated "to provoke the most outrageous disorders..

Refolved,

"That the thanks of this Committee be given to the Parish Officers of Covent Gar"den, for their laudable endeavours to prevent this moft indecent and deteftable device, "to difturb again the peace of Election, and renew the fatal violences of Monday

laft.

Refolved,

"That this wicked and malevolent proceeding is an additional and decifive proof, that "the prefent object of Mr. Fox's opponents, is to endeavour to render the place of "Election

203

"Election a scene of riot and bloodfhed, in order to damp the public demonftrations of "triumph, which are naturally to be expected on the overthrow of a corrupt cause, "fupported by the bafeft exertions of minifterial influence.

Refolved,

"That it be moft earnestly recommended to all well wifhers to Mr. Fox, to defeat. "thofe iniquitous machinations, by the moft peaceable conduct both at the poll and on "chairing their defervedly popular Candidate, and to meet the provocations of their "adverfaries, with the contempt due to the pitiful and unmanly rage of a worthless "and difappointed faction."

By order of the Committee,

J. R. COCKER, Sec.

The Speech of Earl Mansfield, (then Mr. Murray) as Counsel for the City and Liberty of Westminster, complaining of an undue Election for the faid City, on Account of the Introduction of the Military during the Poll; delivered before the Houfe of Commons on Tuesday, December 15, 1741.*

"There is, Sir, a very material fact, concerning the late Election for Westminster,--a phænomenon, which, I believe, never appeared in England before that time; that is, a body of troops, armed and accoutred, coming to the Election; and, as it is a "matter which may perhaps deferve the full confideration of this House, I will beg "only to throw out a propofition for your confideration: first a general, and next a particular one. The general is, that a body of regular armed troops, under military "difcipline, and military command, ought to be prefent at the place of Election on no "pretence whatfoever: and the next is, that in the prefent cafe the body of troops came with a view to influence, and in fact did influence, the Election and Return. « Sir, I am aware of the latitude in which the first propofition is fubmitted to you "that I have faid, on no pretence whatsoever, and I mean to argue it (with deference "to your future opinion) as largely as it is a conftitutional propofition; one of the "corner-ftones (if I may fo fay) of our happy Conftitution, is this maxim, that all "Elections ought to be free, for much of the rights and liberties of the subject depend upon this House, and the well-being of this Houfe depends on the freedom of Elec❝tions. Sir, the Commons, fo long ago as the 3d of King Edward the Firft, would "not reft this valuable right on the bare maxim of the common law, but thought fit "to have a parliamentary declaration of it; and (to make use of my Lord Coke's obfer"vation) was very wifely penned, in fuch words as to bind the King himself. Can a "body of troops armed, with their pieces loaded, be prefent at an Election, and carry 66 no terror or menace along with them? Regular troops were unknown to the "mon law; and by the Bill of Rights, after the Revolution, it is declared, they are "all contrary to law, unless declared by Act of Parliament; and their prefence at an "Election have been thought fo incompatible, that conftantly the troops have with❝ drawn out of any town where the Election was to be, and have staid till the Election was over; and this was the opinion of every body.

[ocr errors]

com

"Sir, in the first year of the last Parliament, on the question incidentally arifing, "whether it was in the power of the Crown to leave troops quartered in a town where "the Election was? though the Act recites it never had been done, on the bare quef❝tion being started, the Parliament thought fit that doubt should not laft any longer, "but they brought in a Bill to remove the poffibility of a doubt on that head. What

This extract from that celebrated fpeech was printed in the form of a hand-bill, and diftributed from the Huftings at Covent Garden on this very fimilar occafion. Dd 2 Fis

is the preamble to the Bill? why, that all Elections ought to be free; and the conclufion is, that all troops fhall go out of the town, and not to return till after the "day of election. Befides this, Sir, it was the opinion of the legiflature, laft Parliament, that it was a neceffary confequence that all troops fhould withdraw from the "place of Election. I am aware of an objection that will be made by way of excep❝tion; it will be faid, What! cannot the troops come to keep the peace? A fpecious "pretext indeed! I believe there never was, nor ever will be, the cafe of an army "being prefent at an Election, but every foldier has a double vote. We need not go "into many inftances to fhew this has been the cafe. The fame cause will produce "the fame effect. It will be urged, I fuppofe, the civil magiftrate was not ftrong enough; fhall he not then call in their affiftance? I beg leave to fay, the law of "England will not fuffer a fuppofition of that fort to be made; for if a Sheriff, who is "armed (I am aware of the objection) I fay, if a Sheriff, who is armed with the civil "power of his country, or if a Bailiff, who is armed by the law, if he thould return "as an anfwer, for not executing the King's writ, that he was refifted, though the "fact be true, the law confiders it as a fact not to be fuppofed, and an action lies "against him at the fuit of the party; and why, because it is a libel on the Government, to fuppofe the civil magiftrate is not ftrong enough. Sir, I would obferve a "noted diftinction taken in the law-books; if a gaol is broke by a foreign enemy, that " is an excuse; but if a gaol was broke open by rebels, the law will not allow the Sheriff to give that in excufe, though it be ever fo true, because it is a reflection on the "Government. He muft arm himself with the civil power, which is ftrong enough "to fupport itself. Many have been the inftances, where a corporation has been dif"franchifed and fined, because these riots were never quelled, and the law expects they "fhould do it. This is the notion of the common law, and, I beg leave to fay, the "ftatute law too.

Sir, thefe troops are kept up by annual Bills;---not for the affiftance of the civil magiftrate; that would be annual keeping up of troops for a reason that lasts for ever :--"they are never kept up but upon great occafions, fuch as carrying on the war with "Spain;---there is no intimation that the civil Magiftrate wants affiftance. This will "ftill further appear from this (which you will give me leave to fay) that no civil Ma"giftrate can command affiftance from any body of troops; and if the law confidered them "as neceffary to affift him, the law would give the civil Magiftrate fome power to com"mand them there; but when troops do go, they go by virtue of military authority, and "act there under military command. Sir, the authority which the law gives the civil "Magiftrate, I fpeak only of thofe Magiftrates that are applicable to the prefent cafe, "and their defence in the execution of legal commands, is this: they may command "affiftance of every man within their jurifdiction: every man is a conftable for keep"ing the peace; and what is the confequence if they do not obey; they are liable to a "profecution by indictment or information, and they are clearly fo liable. But can any civil Magiftrate fend any warrant to the Guards? Sir, the propofition I have laid. "down, is not with regard to any fingle foldier happening to ftand there, but a body "under military command.

[ocr errors]

"Is there fuch a warrant known to the law? Would any military officer be obliged to "obey it? No, certainly; for, if he did not, there could be no profecution against "him. Wherever they go, they go by virtue of military authority, but not by the "command of the civil Magiftrate, because they are liable to no profecution if they do "not obey. When they are there, they do not act under the civil command; if they "did, the only confequence of misbehaviour would be, that they were liable to profe"cution on indictments or informations: but will it be contended, that if a body of "troops come there, and any one deferts, he is not liable to be fhot to death, accord❝ing to military difcipline? If the Sheriff was to order a foldier to do one thing, and his

"officer

« 前へ次へ »