persons would from here attend the meeting
at Huddersfield yesterday, but it was thought
sufficient to close the alehouses at eight
o'clock. It does not seem to me, however,
that a most outrageous breach of the peace
was effected last night here. In truth, all
we can expect is, that on the next occasion,
absolute plunder and destruction of property,
and perhaps of life, will be the consequence.
This is the natural and obvious march of the
spirit that pervades this part of the country.
I inclose for lord Sidmouth's information,
copies of the examinations I have taken. It
is my intention to apprehend the parties, and
if the complaint be proved, to commit them,
or hold them to bail to answer at the next
THOMAS HORTON.

No. 75.-Two Examinations inclosed therein.
West Riding

John Brierly, Deputy Conof Yorkshire, stables of Halifax, came before me this 9th of November 1819; and on oath saith,

ing inscriptions calculated to convey alarm into the minds of the well affected, and inpire those of different dispositions with confidence in an impending revolution.-There were also at this last meeting, two important features which had not been witnessed in those by which it was preceded-the junction of bands of females as part of the exhibition, and the display of arms. The ostensible arms were chiefly bludgeons, but it is well known that many were prepared both with pistols and other weapons. Both in proceeding to the place of meeting, and in returning from it, there was a striking exhibition of movements executed in the streets of the town by several thousand persons, with military precision, silence and order. The pretence al-assizes. leged for arming was self-defence, and this precautionary measure was said to have reference to the late events at Manchester, and to the exertions of the special constables and military in quelling the riots which commenced at Paisley on the 11th of September. -While these public meetings, thus held with a display of banners and arms, serve to in- That near eight o'clock last evening, spire the disaffected with confidence in their he met many hundreds of persons near to numbers, they overawe and intimidate many Barum Top in Halifax, coming, as he believes who would otherwise have disclaimed seditious from the meeting at Huddersfield; that they principles, and have gladly arrayed themselves marched in ranks about eight or ten abreast, in aid of the civil authority.-Even the spe- with music, and six or seven flags, and lighted cial constables who have been enrolled, and candles; many of them had sticks, some large provided with batons for the preservation of ones on their shoulders; that at Barum Top public tranquillity, feel reluctant to act with they shouted, and fired many pistols in the that vigour which is necessary.-There is not, air; as they went on, he thought they became at present, in this county, any corps of yeo- more riotous, repeating their fire quicker, and manry cavalry, nor armed association of any he thought it his duty, though quite alone, description whatever, to counteract these to attempt to preserve the peace of the town: menacing preparations, nor any suitable ac- that with this view he went to the man who commodation for the reception of regular had the great drum, and rapping on it with troops, so that they can be kept united when his constable's staff, charged him to cease called on by the civil magistrate, or saved playing or beating, saying, the town_must from that contamination of principle, which not be disturbed in that way: that the drumis also an avowed object among the reformers. mer did cease to beat, as also the band in ge -On the whole I think it my duty explicitly neral, in a great degree; marching down the to state to your lordship, that while the re- street, the firing went on again, also the muformers of this district call out "Order" at sic. Near the White Lion-inn, deponent retheir meetings, and can systematically pre-ceived on his right leg a very severe kick, serve it too when it suits their policy or humour, their public harangues are of the most audacious and revolutionary description: the expectation of a subversion of the government is so deeply rooted in their minds, that when ever a leader shall arise, or a favourable moment occur, I fear a considerable portion of the population could not be depended on.-I have been induced to enter more fully into the situation of this county, as I believe the above will not be found an inaccurate representation of the management and proceedings of the reformers in some other disturbed districts of the west of Scotland. I have, &c.

GLASGOW. No. 74.-EXTRACT of a Letter from Colonel Horton to Mr. Hobhouse; dated Halifax, November 9, 1819.

Sir;-It was expected that great numbers of

which nearly took his legs from under him; he is certain that Joseph Baines, of Halifax, is the man who so assaulted him, and ran away directly, threading backwards and forwards through the ranks, and that he must have known deponent; Baines was close to him, and deponent following him, till he was perfectly certain who it was; deponent then went down the street with the crowd, the band playing all the way, and pistols being fired, and loud shouting made: deponent says, the street down which the crowd marched, is the most public one in the town, and they must have marched about half a mile through it, reckoning from Barum Top the front door of the Talbot, he ran round to to the Talbot; that seeing the crowd halt at the back door, and went in to get the front

door fastened: that a few of the mob had already entered the house.

J. NORRIS.

That in going down the street he saw Joseph | twenty-six miles, on Monday last, both large Wood, the son of James Wood, of Halifax, meetings. I have, &c. mason, and Jolin Ingham, jun. of Halifax, plasterer, marching in the ranks of the mob; that he cannot say who it was that fired any of the pistols; that he left the mob at the Talbot door shouting and firing pistols, and went himself to have the alehouses near it shut up.

JOHN BRIERLY.

Sworn before me, Thomas Horton. West Riding Mr. David Mallinson, of Haof Yorkshire.lifax, clerk, came before me this 9th day of November, 1819; and on his oath says,

That near eight o'clock last evening, he saw a large crowd of persons go down' the main street of Halifax with lighted candles, a band of music and flags, shouting very much and firing pistols; that he followed them to the front of the Talbot-inn, where the crowd halted, the door being fast; that they marched in regular order: that he observed Joseph Roberts, of Halifax, nail-maker, on the Talbot steps, speaking to the crowd, beginning by calling them brothers or countrymen, or some such term; that he does not know exactly what he said, but thinks the object of his speech was, to call on the crowd to thank the band for their attendance, also saying something about radical reform; that he saw Roberts that morning going towards Huddersfield with a stick in his hand, not a yard long, like a cudgel, but does not know whether he had it at night.

D. MALLINSON.

Sworn before me, Thomas Horton.
No. 76.-EXTRACT of a Letter from Mr.
Norris to Lord Sidmouth; dated Man-
chester, Nov. 10, 1819.

No. 77.-EXTRACT of a Letter from Dr. Whitaker to Lord Sidmouth; dated Blackburn, Nov. 10, 1819.

My Lord; I have thought it expedient to transmit to your lordship, drawings of different pikes, which have been seized in this neighbourhood, for the purpose of removing the incredulity which even yet seems to prevail in some minds as to their existence. I must now request your lordship's attention to another subject of immediate and urgent importance. It is the general opinion, that the spirit of the reformers, as they entitle themselves, is on the decline; an opinion grounded solely on their present quiet and silence. ferently. For, in the first place, pikes conI have strong reasons for thinking very diftinue to be made and circulated daily, in different parts of the country, and with perfect impunity, as, in consequence of former seizures, the makers will sell to none but known friends, and will enter into no conversation with strangers (excepting in a single instance) on the subject. I have, &c.

T. D. WHITAKER.

No. 78.-EXTRACT of a Letter from the Earl of Balcarres to Lord Sidmouth; dated Haigh-hall, Wigan, Nov. 11, 1819.

the nature of which I need not describe, was My Lord;-One of the seditious meetings, held on a common, distant about two miles from Wigan, on Monday the 8th instant. Its object was evidently to feel for the disposition of the inhabitants of Wigan and its bled round the temporary stage, and probably vicinity. About six thousand persons assemabout four thousand persons more were present, but they remained at such a distance as My lord; The state of this town and showed that curiosity alone had led them to neighbourhood remains much the same as that spot. The meeting was held at the rewhen I last wrote to your lordship. On Sun- quisition of some low persons of Wigan, but day last between six and eight o'clock, a they were joined on the common by the danpistol loaded with ball was fired into the lodg-gerous rabble of Bolton, who were all armed ings or sitting room of a Mr. Mutrie, who with bludgeons, and rumour says, with arms, gave evidence before the coroner on the in- chiefly loaded pistols, which was manifested quest of John Lees, as to the attack of the by the explosion of them towards the close of mob on the Manchester yeomanry. On Mon- the day. Harrison addressed them from the day night, about eleven o'clock, a pistol, stage or platform. The mob carried eighteen loaded with slugs, was fired into one of the flags, with the usual symbols of sedition: bed-rooms of Mr. Thomas Hardman's house, they had selected the day of the quarter sesin Quay-street; but fortunately, without in- sions being held at Liverpool, for their meetjury; and two or three other instances of the ing; but the magistrates of Wigan and its firing of pistols, with malicious intent, have vicinity were aware of that trick, and remainalso occurred. I mean ultimately to collected at their post. The magistrates were seven the instances, on oath, for your lordship's information. I much fear they will increase before the meeting of parliament, and most likely in a degree to call on the legislature to interfere. Meetings still continue to be held, though not in this immediate neighbourhood; one was held at Wigan, about twenty miles distant, and another at Huddersfield, distant

in number, myself being their chairman, which has induced me to trouble your lordship with a communication of the events of the day. Sir William Gerard, with thirtynine of his yeomanry cavalry, being the effectives of two troops, attended Wigan at the requisition of the magistrates. As the leaders had selected a large common for their meet

ing, the magistrates thought it advisable not to interfere with them, as, situated there, they could do no mischief; and they thought it quite sufficient to send to the spot a body of special constables to preserve the peace and order; the magistrates, yeomanry cavalry, and the superior class of the inhabitants of Wigan, remained in the burgh, awaiting the result. In this position the magistrates rested, having determined, that as the meeting of parliament was so near, they would pay no attention either to the leaders or their flags, and the day passed away with the greatest order and tranquillity. I have, &c. BALCARRES.

The following is an extract from the speech of Mr. Harrison, on Monday the 8th of November, 1819: "If any man molests you, or oppress you, knock him down-keep him down-and cut him when he is down." It has been inculcated here, and with too much success, that the people have a right to carry concealed arms, for the purpose of self-de fence, against the disturbers of their meetings.

B

No. 79.-LETTER from the Boroughreeve and
Constables of Manchester to Lord Sid-
mouth; dated Police-office, Manchester,
Nov. 12th, 1819.

My Lord;-We have the honour to commence our official correspondence with your lordship on a painful and alarming subjectthe attempted assassination of Mr. Nadin-an event which we understand was communicated to your lordship, by Mr. Norris, the evening it occurred. By the posting bill herewith inclosed, your lordship will be informed of the measures which we have adopted: and we beg leave to submit to your lordship's consideration, the propriety of offering a pardon, on the conditions proposed. Up to the present time, we regret to state, that we have not any further information on the subject, than the description given by Mr. Nadin; but every exertion will be made for the discovery of the offender. We have not hitherto addressed your lordship on the political state of the town and neighbourhood, having been informed that Mr. Norris has regularly communicated the passing events. On this important subject we regret that it is not in our power to report favourably. The system of arming is continued to a great extent, and although it does not appear to be the intention of the reformers to hold a general meeting previous to the assembling of parliament, from the best information we can obtain, we learn that arrangements are making for delegates, or agents, to attend and watch the proceedings of parliament; and in the event of measures being adopted, which they may consider inimical to their views, then a signal to be given for an immediate simultaneous rising. In a few days we hope for further information, which we will immediately communicate to

your lordship, as well as the particulars of other information, which we have obtained periodically, during the present week; and which, we trust, will be acceptable. We beg to assure your lordship, that, during [this eventful period, our utmost attention and exertion shall be devoted to preserve the peace of this town and neighbourhood; to aid which, we rely on the cordial support of his majesty's government. We have, &c.

No.

THOMAS SHARP, Boroughreeve.
JOHN ORFORD, Constables.
RICHARD SMITH,

80.-EXAMINATION transmitted by Col. Hargreaves, a Magistrate of Lancashire. Lancashire? The Examination of ****, taken to wit. upon oath, before Laurence Halsted, esq. one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace in and for the County of Lancaster, the 15th November, 1819. On my arrival in Burnley this morning, I found colonel Hargreaves on horseback, and all the military in readiness. The reformers were coming with their flags, caps of liberty, and bands of music. They had with them large staffs and sticks. I went to the Bull public house, and shortly after the colonel came with one of the staffs in his hand, which he had taken from one of the reformers. It was the shaft of a pike. The man broke from him, and escaped in the crowd. The colonel was desirous not to call the military out to action on this circumstance alone; for he said to me, that if the reformers were quiet, the magistrates would suffer them to meet. I saw the reformers pass by the Sun orderly and quietly, and I followed them to the place where the hustings were erected; and then my friend and I found all those who had staffs and sticks with them, employed cleaning out the hole at the end, to admit the pike, for they were all of them shafts for pikes; they cleaned out the gravel; they had used the sticks and staffs to walk with, and they were full of dirt and gravel, which (they picked out with the shaft end of the pike. They generally had the pikes in the sleeve of the coat, and some had them concealed in their breasts. I saw a great many pikes on the ground. They were not so very cautious in concealing them; a many showed them without fear. The pikemen were nearest to the hustings; and behind them there were a many who had pistols; I saw a great number of pistols on the field. I saw one person who was wounded by one of the pikes being accidentally thrust against his leg. Whilst writing this, a person came into the room, and said, that he had seen a man who was cut in the breast by his own pike. The shafts of the pikes were hooped with iron hoops, like that which the colonel had taken. On the hustings there were about thirty persons, all of them strangers to me except Knight, who wore the red cap of liberty on the hustings, and was chairman, the

ADDRESS ON THE PRINCE REGENT'S SPEECH AT THE Opening of THE SESSION.] Mr. Somers Cocks brought up the Report of the Address on the Prince Regent's Speech. On the motion that the said report be agreed to, He expressed

Sir Robert Wilson rose.

lies, which I think worthy of mention, not merely to show how indefatigable the authors and leaders of sedition are, in effecting their purpose, but that it may be thought expedient to put the heads of families upon their guard. Six different attempts have come to my knowledge to seduce the soldiers, but without the least effect; some of them are under legal investigation. I have only further to add, that whatever disunion may prevail among the leaders of sedition and radical reform, they still unite in the endeavour (though I hope with less success) to excite irritation and discontent among their followers, and to inti-quences so essentially connected with the midate the loyal and well-affected. With a firm belief in the accuracy of the foregoing statement, I consider it my duty to make this report. I have, &c.

JOHN BYNG, M. General.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

his disinclination to renew a subject which had been for two nights so fully discussed; but it was a question of such national importance, involving principles and conse

public welfare and tranquillity, that he felt it an indispensable duty to state his opinion upon it. In appreciation of the blessings enjoyed under the British constitution, he was as sincere as any man in that House; and to the eulogium passed upon it by the hon. member, who moved the Address, in a speech which evidently was the dictate of his own conviction, and not a mere echo to the communication from the throne, he as warmly subscribed. But it had been said, that Paradise was a place with many gates; and in directing the efforts of men to ar rive there, too frequently had it happened, that fire and sword were used by those to whom religion should have communicated a purer and more congenial spirit. In politics, as well as in religion, he was one of those who never would meet with coercion those who might differ in opinion as to what they considered the privileges and the rights of that constitution. He was no radical; he objected to the vote by ballot, and thought it inconsistent with universal suffrage: he objected no less to universal suffrage, because if it existed, many of the institutions he had been sworn at the table to support could not be maintained. Yet he did not on that account think that radical reformers were to be placed out of the pale of the constitution. His objection, to their system should never lead him to act upon the Tory doctrine of putting down and coercing those from whom he differed. Such, however, was too frequently the spirit of high Tory politics, and was well pourtrayed in The History of Lord Russell's Own Times," by sir R. L'Estrange, where he stated, that a citizen's skull was a pretty thing to try the temper of a solA dier's sword on. With respect to the meeting at Manchester, it was undoubtedly a meeting of Radical Reformers. Much had been said of its legality and illegality by many of the hon. members who had preceded in that discussion; in

Friday, November 26. REFORM IN PARLIAMENT. r.] Lord John Russell recalled to the recollection of the House, the notice which he had given towards the close of the last session, relative to certain Resolutions, which it was his intention to propose, affecting the borough of Grampound. As it was his present intention to give these resolutions a greater comprehension, he rose for the purpose of renewing that notice, and fixing the 14th of next month for the discussion. He had not yet prepared his resolutions in the precise terms, but their purport was, 1. That it is expedient the borough of Grampound should be disfranchised; 2, that it is expedient the two parliamentary seats now attached to that borough should be transferred to one or two of our populous and unrepresented cities; 3, that it is the duty of the House to consider of the best means to prevent corruption in the smaller boroughs; 4, that when the majority of the voters of a small borough should be found corrupt, that borough should be disfranchised; 5, that it is expedient to add to the number of representatives for large and populous cities. In moving these resolutions, he did not mean to propose a regular plan of parliamentary reform. This notice arose solely from the inquiry conducted last year into the state of the borough of Grampound, and might be considered as its result. defect had been found in the national representation, which it was his object to correct, and he trusted the House would treat the subject with all the attention which its importance deserved.