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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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5210 State of Public Affairs .
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Jo nes , to Newgate , though he expressed Ms , contrition in a very humble manner for having fallen under the displeasure of the House . In this case the House acted as prosecutor , judge , jury , and executioner in its own cause ; and one of its members not present at the time of the commitment , called in question the right of proceeding in apparently so arbitrary a manner , and moved that Mr- Gale Jones should be released . He met , however , with little success , having only fourteen on his side , and a hundred and fifty-three against him . His opinions were not shaken by this number , hut in a letter to his constituents , he stated the whole argument in a znost forcible and convincing manner , mixing certain expressions , which , from their allusion to the present state © f the representation , could not but be offensive to those persons who came xnto their £ Ciats by means , as he called it , at present needless to describe .
The letter appeared in Cobbett s Weekly Register , which is published on a Saturday , and on the Monday follow ^ iugjt was tak ' en up in the House of ^ orkmons by Mr . JLethbridge , the member for Somersetshire , who nroved that it was a libel , and the author was guilty of a breach of privilege . That 3 ay being dedicated to the Walcheren debate , the question on the denounced pamphlet was adjourned for a week , ^ yh en the resolutions of Mr . JLethbridge were taken up , and produced a debate .. which lasted from about five in the after riodn till seven next morning . This implies a severe struggle ; but on the question being pioposed that Sir Francis liurdett should be committed to the Tpwer , two hundred and seventy-one voted for the commitment , and only eighty against it . The Speaker signed fche warrant , and the news was cjuickly spread through the metropolis , exciting , 3 S might naturally be expected , no small / degree of alarm and curiosity , to see in ^ vhat manner so extraordinary a proceeding would terminate .
Sir Francis was at his country seat * at Wimbledon , when the Speaker signed the warrantj and rode to town at his usual hour * Here he found the sergeant ' s letter , intimating the duty he liad to perform , and soon after the sergeant himself called and had an . interview with Sir Francis , who plainly told Urn that the Warrant was illegal , and j tfrafc jje would not obey it . The ser-
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jeant left him and informed the Speaker * who was displeased at the warrant not having been executed , but seemed very much at a loss what should be done . We should have observed that about the door of Sir Francis a considerable multitude was assembled , . and the : serjeant was not prepared at that time with
any considerable means oi : violence At night several outrages were committee ! on the houses of persons of distinction , and the next morning , the Guards placed themselves before the house of Sir Francis , blocking up almost the "way , and Sir Francis wrote to the sheriff to come to his protection . During this day the Serjeant was full of embarrassment how to act ; a cabinet council was called ; he had an interview with the prime minister , conversation with magistrates , and , at last , an opinion from , the attorneygeneral , which perplexed the subject more than ever . Nothing , however , was done against Sir Francis this day , but orders were sent for the immediate UiSfchin ^ of troops with artillery from various districts .
The Sunday passed without tumult . The walks of most people being directed towards cne house of Sir Francis , from which , by the orders of the sheriff , the soldiers had withdrawn themselves , and paraded at some distance each way from it , a great multitude was before the house , and in the Gieen Park a body of foot-guards . The marching in of troops and artillery from all quaiters excited strong sensations , a nd great guns were placed in several squares . It was
evident from the appearance of things , that some strong measures would be taken , but no attack was made on the house this night . On the next morning the number of troops in and about London was very great , and about ten o ' clock the whole space of Picgadillys for a considerable distance , was completely filled with soldiers . A number of people got into the area of Sir Francis ' s house , and with hammers and instruments broke open the lower doors and windows , rushed into the house , opened the hall door , and « n a very short time the lower part of the house and the stairs to Sir Francis ' s apartments were filled with the military .
! Sir Francis was sitting in his apartments with his lady and family , with the utmost composure , and when the . Serjeant , with a large retinae , rushed in-• to the room , calmly asked , by what < w
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1810, page 210, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2403/page/50/
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