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KEY. J. B. STEPHENS.
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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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In a part of our impression of last week the following announcement appeared : — ABBEST OF MB . STEPHEN'S , Northern Star Ojpce , Friday Sight , December 2 Sv'A , 1 S 3 S . "We stop the press to inform our friends that tbt Wood-hounds have laid hold of Stephen * . "We received a letter informing us of the fact of his apprehension just as we were going to prcs , bat not knowing the writer , and having received false announcements of a like character before , we ceL-lineri Botieing it , till confirmed by other evidence . This night ' s post hag brought us a great number of letter * irom friends at A * hton and the neighbourhood o . "irhich we give the following : — Manchester , December 27 , 1 S 3 S .
Gi ^ n-LEKrx ^—The is come . STEPHENS IS ARRESTED upon some charge by the authority of a warrant from the Magistrates of Leigh . He wa « brought from Ashton by two officers in a chaise ; they stopped at the Royal Hotel . Manchester , for refreshment ; and afterwards went off to Leigh or Worsley . I shall be there to-morrow , and . most likely , I shall come post haste to Leeds wi ; u a report for your Slur on Saturday . " - R . J . RICHARDSON . Staly-Bridge , Thursday Evening .
Gextleme ?; , —I write to inform you that Mr . St ephens hag been , apprehended this afternoon . He ? as going to Manchester , and when he go : 10 ' the bottom of Stamford-street , two peace-officers tut > k him . into custody , He requested permi > si < ju togu home , but tbsy wonld not ailo w hiui ; he then > e ut a note to his wife , apprising her ofhisap ^ reheusi > i . The charge against him is his Leigh t-prVch ; a . ud 1 understand they have conveyed him to tnat town . " Youh truly ,
JOHN DEEGAN . This is a boM stroke of the tyrants—a deep fetch —and we beseech the people not to mate it a successful one , Never was that better half of valourdiscretion—more necessary than now . The object of the enemy is clearly enough to be perceived . Tai > is no move of the dull solons of Leigh;—theyu . ci , beyond all doubt , as the puppet 3 ~ of director-, by whom the strings are pulled . Toe oh ; evt is tn draw the people into a premature , auc ill-concerted , display of physical violence , which inay afford the hell-hounds the oynortuaity of enacting . a
Eculand tie counterpart of the tragedy which tre : r blood } satellites have already played in Canada . Let 'be people mind this . Beware of the rrap . ' The-time TOR FIGHTING HAS XOT TET COME . And , for the love of Heaven , and of Freedom , we entreat them not to wasre th-ir strength , and ruin tLeir prosperity , and destroy Stephexs ' s " chance ol escape from the blood-hound . * , by anvpalcy , part j , outbreaks of popnlar violence , either a ^ ai u ' ^ t i . ersoa * er property . Stand still , and look oa cooiiy for a little while . Do nothing hastily—that we mav iave less reason to recent .
We finnhr believe this to be no other than a rascally ruse , for the purpo-e of de-trosing the Universal Suffrage strangle , by decoying the i > eqp'e into an outbreak , which may afford " prerext : or raother stspknsios of the Habeas Corpus , Le : the people laugh the wrerches peaeefullv ro scorn xnd they will not dare to hurt a hair of his head . Let us , at all events , wait and see .
Subsequently we were enabled to communicate the following : — ¦; SaTCEQAT AFTERNOON . Mr . Stephens was cocSned duricz the night of Thursday , in a room at the I ^ e * - Bailey prison , Manchester ; and was , on Friday , brongbt up th-foie th « Bench , of Magistrates for ' examinatiaa . The proceedings were opened by the reading of a warrant © a the authority of which Mr . Stephens had been apprehended . It stated ' Taat on the 13 th of November , the prisoner did cause to assemble , at the Market Piaee , in Leigh , a great number of evil J&sposed persons , who conducted themselves in a riutoui and tumultuous mannerand by loud shouts
, and wises , did alarm the people of the n > ighbourh > od , and further , that tke said Joseph " jRayner Stephens did address the persons so assemiUi , and did excite them to commit violence against the person * nnd property of her Majesty s liege subkcLs . " Two persons , one named James Johnson , a linen draper , at Pennington , near Leigh , and tte other Wm . Cowabd , a constable of " Leigh , were ex amined by Mr . Decs , a barrister , in * nppori of tbt proceedings adopted by the Magistrates who had eamsed Mr . Stephens to be apprehended .
They deposed , of course , to the " violent language" u » ed by Mr . Stephens at the Leigh Meeting ; one of them static * that he haj recommended the people " to till a " Mr . Jones , then to tar and feather him , and then to sesd him -. o fee Poor Law Commissioners . " ' The witnesses ¦ underwent a most rigid and searching crass-exami-Eation at the hands " of Mr . Stephens , in tee eourse- of which they flatly contracicu-d them .-elv ^ . "We hope to be able to give the examination at full ID our next
At the dose of the examination , Mr . Dcck pressed for a committal of the Pri .-wner to the * s » 72 e *; as this did not * ee ; n to be aito ^ eth-j Telistsed by ihe Bench , Mr . Duck next applied to nave Mr . Stephens remanded for furtccr examination . After much di « cn * s : on it wa . ' agreed to accept Bail for Mr . StEPHENS ' s appearance , himself in £ 500 , and two curedes in £ -250 each . Bail was immediately tendered , and the snfneiencv of the parties testified to by respectable persons in Court . The Magistrates , however , requiring time to mate enquiries as to the solvency of the proffered bail , Mr . Stephens was detained in pr ison again for the night , it beine stated that he would be « et ahb * rty this day , if the bail proved satisfactory
Mr . Oastler was present in Coart during the sxaniinatian , and applied to see Mr . Stephenbat bis request was refused . Iadeed , no one * as permitted to confer with him , except ilr . Liw hisolicitor—and he only after special application to p . Mairijitrate . The excitement among the labouring part of ilpeople of Lancashire is great in the extreme . Meeting * have already been held in several plac- - which we shall notice more at length next wesk . ' "We are happy to state that , as yer , the " bloodftoaaos" have been disappointed of their " object " in this movement . The Peofle hate kept the Peace . Let them coxtixcb to do this—and all will be right .
^ e now proceed to lay before oar readers all the additional information we have been able to procure xelaove to this movement on the part of tire l : authorities , " as well as of the several examination ? of the Rev . Mr . ' Stephens before the Bench of Magistrates , at the New Bailey , Manchester . Manchester , Saturday , Dec . 22 , 1 S 2 S It must appear evident to all attentive ob * erverj , ^ meDK of the people , that the excitement produced by the various publb meetings in the pro-¦ nnces , has thrown the enemies of the people into a state of trepidation and alarm ; and , that they mav still fo on oppressing the labouring classes , th ° y " have earnestly solicited the interference of the Government to put down the leaders o : the Deool * in t h ™
Jra . tsiSWjj ? tart ^ 9 * J = 2 Rfs « : ^ iSSw » ome weeks thev have been in the nV ^ h ™^™ , ? f USA , » * mall town , twelvers fiSS SSchSft o on the \ rl ean road : whsrs the oe ^ A ^ k ' ^ er- provid ing themselves Sb . ^ oAlSoS f ^ P 00118 : ° ne magistrate , Mr . SandemS , o ' Chowbent , hasbeen most active in forwSK ' the ' J « n » of the Govemment ,. in procur ng wiSe , « nd pronoing endence . It appears that t £ nfot ias been hatching for the last ax weeks , an da » ir Sev ^' / B W ° S n f ™^*^ i } ¦ astiev , ana l . a , Yt . banderson , was forwarHa ^ tn London , to the Home ^ ffi ^ On m £ t
7 n" ^ ecemoer , Mesas . Goddard and Shickefl of Bow-street ^ were entrusted with the warrant and rat down to Manchester to execnte it . Rri 7 m ? at Manchester they received f ^ nher in » tr-c W " » d hading that Dnkenfie-ld . the p ' ac ^ w ^ - « MV Stephen , reside * , was in the counrv of t ^ L ^ , 'L " $ £ fZ ° wai made to Ja ^« JowetU iT m ^^^ vM © f Ashton , i n search of Mr . s £ ph-n < - a-d ? t . fcBowing him from one place to another £ * * i W ^ " ? ^ h 0 Q 5 e of J ^ es Dake ? tS ^ BuZ i $ ^ z ^^ - « tO
cS Sr ^ COme ^ ng ther ^ d , p " -t ^ L . tmm
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GoJdard said he would show it him inside , and he look him by the arm into the house , and then handed to him the warrant , which Mr . Stt-phensread iind examined , and merely observed , as he returned u , "Weil , it ' s a legal instrument . 1 have been expecting it for some time , but now it is come—it is c <> me rather too soon , for 1 am not exactly prepared tor iL You would perhaps have no objection to go with me to my hou > e , that I may see my * ifr , who i * in a very deiirki * > tate of health . " Mr . Godlard then imrceiiare ' v replied , taat " they conld not . coasi .-tent ' . y wit . i th-ir duty , allow it ; but ne ( Mr . M ' -pneus ) lni ^ bt wnu > a letrer to ner , and thry would wait until she ran e . " Accordingly , he wr-jtrt a iu > te . and a me .- > t-iii ; er was sent off with it
; mme . ii : ue ! y . who returned wi ; h an answer . Dnriug the interim , the officers procured a post-chaise , and iT . 'Ujjht the revt-reua gentleuieu off to thi * town immedlhtt'ly . They proceeded to the York lintel , wnrre Mr . St-piiens p-irtook nf lunch , and t ' '; eu taey went in anober po-t-chai « e , H .-compinied by . Mr * . Owen , to Wursiev , wl . t-n * the magistrates oi the Leigh division are in tl . e iiu . iit of trausactiui ; th--ir magisterial business . Thvy ieit ihis town about four o ' clock , and at five they raided the ( irapes Iuu . Worsley , where a Jortuiyhtiy p -lit sessions is keld iy tae magistrates ol tu ^ t ' ; i > t"ict . Here GoJ < iurd lelt him in tne custody ut iunckell and ( J "< ven , wkikhe proceeded in a p isi-ohaise to Leigh , to . see the magisiriies ' clerk , ana to iinik * arrangements , il i « ece »>» ry . for the examination of the prisoner , bplore tiie majii--crates . Mvau ^ hi le tlit unusual proceedings attrarted cousideral . le uttention iu tht
quiet village ol Wor-ley . Col . U ' emyss , the assi .-tant anjaiaut-generai in the Northern district , was in the house , aneuueJ by an orderly serneanc . Lor * i F . EgerUin , who is raiding at Worsley Ha . ll , soon aKer-vards arri ^ etl at the inn . We understand that , although hi * lonisiiip's ujue is iu the commission ol tae pence for tuis COU :: tV , he has never qua iried—or , at lea ^ -t . he h ; i » not taken the oaths reiid-rred liecessary uu tbe accession of her Majesty tae t ^ . ieeu . About a quarter before seven o ' clock , > o : ue of Mr . Siep : ; eaj ' s friends arrived , including . Mr . J . W . Hojgeus , Mr . E-jward Nighiin ^ aie . mi . l Mr . R . J . R . chard > on , of ihi * town nnd Salford , * ho naa ; ui interview with Mr . Stepheus , in the ( j risence of S / ncKe . I ami Oirs / t ; and that their uDject , beyond that of tendering counsel , ad » ice , nud a > sbtinct ! to the pri > . uer , was to oft ' er bail lor him , iu case of a hearing and committal , or remanding bv the ma ^ is rules .
About twenty-rive liaiu'iu .- before eight o ' clock , a tio << j > o ' . ' the 2 iiU Dragoons , or Queen s 13 ay .- " , consi-ting of ueariy thirty me > . unoerthe co : ziniuii'i i > f i leuu-nuui . itrrive % l . 1 tiiv nni , anj , utt ^ r an iut--rview between that t . ilic-r aid Colonei Ueniw-s ih » -ir hor- ^ es » vere s-nL to £ h - > tabies iu die villaiT " , tind a few ot * the Oieu *"> -re stationed in the limise . Atter all tae parLi-s coucerued . iucludiiii ; a t' . r mi 1 ib ' e phalanx o" rep > rU-rs , had waited lor seve : ; u hoar . Ni Li . > d , arj reiururd rom Leigh , about a qiinrti-r ueiore el > en , ncc <> : npan ed by the msi ; ii « tiaie >' Cier ^; aud , webeli . \ e . tj ' -y n-. ni an interview wua Luri F . Et'ertoii an i w . m Co ; onel Wemy > s . \\ e ' j ijuer > : aud that the ciU > es oi the delay " were ih-.-fjiiuwing : —When GoiuarJ arrived at Leith , he iuuad that Mr . S ; uit ., tie clerk to the ma '' iscrat .- > .
a as irotn h ^ me , bin »¦ ;;* exuet-ied back shortly . He d ; j i : ot ruturn , however , tor ^ ci > n >; derable time . an . t at length , wiieu Le did a : me , and accompmieii ( . iudd . vru to the ret-ideiice oi M r . Sanderson ol Cimwben ! , it was too Lite to give an opportunity for getting together ihe witne i es , anii proceedin >; to the examiLanon , that t-ve-niiig , at Worsley . Air . aau-• iersjn . UirreUT .-, d ; rect-ii that the . fbVer * » h"ui . l convey stepiieaa back u > Mauche > v » -r , uud iot : i ; e lain ; n iue Ne * B ^ ijey . for exitiniuat ^ ou heu . rL- tue mag . itratei the next diiy ( Fnd . iv ) .
' 1 he cavalry were again a . v « e : nb 3 ed and mouu'e 1 ; and Stephen- , having be-n placed in a po-t-1-hm . -. e ' art ^ een Gcda < -rd anoTSh ^ ckell . they set out lor .. lanc . irster , preceded by their rashtMrv escort , K-av .,, ^ Wors ; ey about midnight . On rf Aching tLe N . a Bailey , about halr-past one o ' clock , tiie ofi ' ucr > pUced their prisoner in the care of Mr . Ci .. tiles \ Vn . iker . the gate-kreper and turnkey , w ,, o lo . k ,-. him up for the night , we believe , in tue bu . 'ri-u-r ' = room .
Bfio-e twelve o ' clock on Friday the ei . trance to the New Baii-y was surroauded by a great uuinNer of persans , drawn ih . ther by their cunosity Ui he . tr and see thd proceedings , in the absence " oi . sir . Maude , the stiD .-udiarr mag 7 stnite , throuuli uinsposition . J . F . poster , Esq ., " chairman ol t . ; e S ; i :.. r ., Sessions , was in attendance . There wt-re sr \ eri-. ; other magistrate ? upon the bench , amongst v . hom we noticed T . Potter . E * q ., mayor o ! M-mi- ' n-.-iv ; .-: Major Walkins , of Boiu > n ; T . W . B . >; in er-.,... Es ^ ., of Chowbt < nt ; Jonn Krnworihy . t >^ .. ,. | Lt-igh ( ihe last two gentieuaen the m-. i ^ is r :-. < wim eraured the warrant tor the a ^ preiiesrii . 'n t . Stephens ) There were also on the beucu T ' . ^> ni . i » Enits . Esq .. boroughreev- of . Manche . « > r ; ( " !¦¦; , ei U eiuyss . assistaut-a-sjut-int-general of t .. e lmrt ¦ rn Jistnct ; R . P . Willock . Esq ., P . s ; m : i . < ter ; ' I ^ ,. 111 ^ - Iownend , Esq . ; and Mr . George Wood , u » e o t -e con ^ uiblei o ' . Manchester .
Mr . John Law was employed to attend , 1- atturuey f-ir the prisoner , and a number of Mr . My ! .- - friends werepre-enr , including Mr . R . J . Ku 1 t-u-. n . secretary to the Anti-Poor Xaw Assida ^ . m ; M ; . Wm . WjIHs , bookseller , of this town ; Mr . fc , ij , , Dixon : Mr . Xightiucale ; Mr . Matthew Fi-.-tu . ie-, 0 ! Bury ; Mr . James Duke , of the Bash , A-., oi ,, iV .-. About twenty minutes after one u " ci , ok , Mr . Richard pastier " entered the Court , and w , i- m rio > e cominnuicarion with Fletcher , Nightingale , \ Vi ]; i . * , Dnke . 0 ! A .-hton , and others .
At twenty-hve minntes past two o ' clock , Mr . Keaworthy came on the bench again , and lo-ik ihe chair , stating that the case vould come ou shortly and immediately after , Mr . Duck , the r'a , rist . ' -r . ' took his .-eat at the table , appearing for the .. n .. *«• - cotion . Mr . Smith , the clerk to the Worsley magistrates , took his seat at the desk below the" benc . i ; and tr , e prisoner St . phenM was placed ot tlie bur , dt ) ' » ut twenty-five minutes before three o ' clock . AJtrr a shwit pau * e , Mr . Kenworthy ( who wits t ! ie only magi > traie on the bench at this time , besides Miij . Ir Watkin- ) said that the court would now adjourn to hal ' -p is : three o ' clock . « 3 . 1 c Richard Oastler : Wonld yon pardon me if I ask for an order to see Mr . Stephens in the meantime .
Mr . Law : Will yon allow me , Mr . Oanler . for one rninaent , to take precedence of you : [ Mr . Oastler sat down . ] This morning , no : knowing who were the committing Hmgi > trates , 1 luaue « n application to Mr . Foster to be allowed u > see Mr . S ' . ephens , and he g . ve no opinion on the une > ide or on the other ; but said when the cunniittiiij : magistrates came he wouid consult with the : n . He applied to - NJr . Potter and Major Watkius , ami thej reierred him again to the committing ma : ri > tr u < -s , and he . taereiore . now applied to Mr . Ki-nwunhv . Yit . Kenworthy ncced' -d to Mr . Law ' s npjiiicirioii Mr . Oastlcr repeated his application ui Mr . K ^ ih worthy ? bnt thp magistnues said he h ; : d airt-adv eiven free acce-s to t ^ ie pri .-oner ' s so . ir-. r . jr , and he thought that no oner person was conjp- / t » -nt to see him . The conrt t ; . en adjortrned . ¦
1 he iiparing of the c * se took pl . ice aMer the usual bu-dne . »\ s of the day . t ie magi .-irate * on tie bench being John Keuworthy , Esq ., in tiie ci ; iir , and J . A . Smith , Esq . .-. moug > t other ^ pert itorx , w « noticed , in addition to t -ose before named , Mr . John Cobbett , the barrister , and Mr . Samuel Fielden . Mr . Duck said he appeared before tlie bench to . < upport a charge again .-t the p r isoner at ihe baT , the natnre of whica woul « l probably be best stiied from the warrant . It was therein charged tyat he d d , 011 the 13 th . Novemberlnst , at the marketplace of Leigh , in th . s & > unty , wit i a great number >> f evil-di . * po . « ed and disorderly persons , assemble together , in a tumultuous manner , with banners , flagsand ensitrns
, and that then and there , bv bud shouts and by the dLscharge of fire-arms , they U-rrihVd the inhabitants of Le : sih ; » nd that he did , by violent and inflammatory language , endeavour to excite the persona so assembled to violence against the persons and property of certain of her Majesty ' s liege subjects in Leigh and the neighbourhood . He ( Mr , Dnck ) had had an opportunity of looking over the depositions , which appeared to him to substantiate the charge a * alleged , and he proposed to call two or three witnesses to show that the prisoner was guilty of the offence charged , and then it would be his ( Mr . Duck ' s ) duty to apply to the bench to have ihe prisoner committed or held to bail . The learned gentleman called
Jameg Johnson , linen-draper , of Leigh , who , being sworn , stated that he was present at a meeting held at Leigh on the 13 th Nov . last . He was at the window in the third story of the Fox publichoase- He should suppose there were from two to three thousand people at the meetinf . They commenced assembling about nine o ' clock in ths morning , and continued to do so till the arrival of Mr . Stephens , whicb . was about twelve , when a person was called to the chair . There was a cart for hustings , and Mr . Stephens spoke from it for two hour 3 and thirty-five minutes , when witness went away . v > itne . < w was between 40 and 60 yardj off , and could hear what be said , except . sometimes when he turned to address the people on the other side . For the QTit half-hour , witness thought he never heard a
gendeman address an assembly better than Mr Stephens did ; bnt , after then , he began talking about tie Poor Law and the factories , and mentioned the . names of witness ' s neighbours , who were millovrners or GnarJians . He " mentioned the name of Mr ; Posna . ll and Mr . Jackion . Mr . Pownall i » chairman of the Board of Guardians , and - vir . J * ck * on is another Guardian . Witness could nut say exactly what he ( Mr . Stephen *) said in reereuce to t . iese gentlemen ; but he quoted souw part of Scripture , and said , to destroy a Po' . r Law t . paraian was uomg God .-erviee ; an 1 ' this langui . ae ™ m ? ° - 1 MOoa to app : j to tae gentlemen lie had named . Wui ^ aL , o Le r ., . liai me : itiori t ., e names of Mr . lopping , t-. e vic ; , r , and Mr , Jackson . tne curate . He s . uj . \ r . Vo ^ m \ wife had P ersuaaej him no : to b . a Guar ^ i fu ; Mr . Toppiu / aot -being one cuen , but Uavm- 1 e ,-u one preuously .
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He . also mentioned the name of Mr . Joiies , a cottouxpinner , who has a factory iu the neighbourhood . Mr . Joues is not a Guardian . When he introduced M r . Jones ' s name , he was speaking of the factories , and the deplorable state which the people , were in . He condemned the practice * in the factories , and advised the people to arm themselves : he told them to Ke _ t th-ir gun « or pikes , an > i have them over their chimney-piece ? . They were to hava them ready , and he would come over , and they were to appoint him their leader . When he came over , he would tell them what they were to do . He then alluded to a lad in Mr . Jones ' s mill , whom he staid Mr . Joues had smirk or beaten . When the grand attack was to be made , they were to go to the factories ,
with a dagger in one hand and a torch in the other . He also t . tlked about tarring and feathering' Mr . Jones , and sending him as 11 present to the Commissioners . While he was addressing the people , pistols were frequently let oft " , ; uid pikes held np . Witness saw a pike himself , which had a loaf and a herrinu' srnck on it . The pistols were fired so frequently that Stephens iute « 'ered , and said there , was too much cracking ; he had not done cracking himself yet , and they might crack bv ; iud bye . Witness saw about twenty pUtol . s himself , and parties were up aud down the * street firing them oil ' . This meeting excited a great deal of aliinn among the peace-; ible inhabitant : ; . Witness lelt alarm then , and felt ul . irm iu the court now . Witness did not feel
iilarm so much during the meeting as subseqaently . Mr . Law here apologised for having before applied to tiie court , which might now seem to be needless . Mr . Stephen's Iriends had spoken to him to defend him ; but , on speaking to Mr . Stephens , lie said he wished to conduct hi » defence himself . 1 he witness was then cross-examined at great length by Mr . Stephens , and , iu answer to questions lrom him , sa d the meeiing wag convened by placards on the wnlls . He c- 'uM not tell how many < iHVs the placards were posted before the meeting took place , but he knew it was placarded . He was not aware that it was forbidden by the magistrates , but it certainly was not foibidden by placard .
l'tiere was a procession , and the people had banners aud flagg . There were twi > pikes , with banners carried on them . The proce » siou cuisisied principally of females . The pikes Hppenred to be for use , and one of them had a loaf auda red herring at the top »> f it . The pike ? were gron ud and sharpened up . A labouring man , named Feiiuell , was called 10 the chair at the meeting , who , when he -ook the chair ; advised the people to be peaceable and orderly . anH lhen called upon Mr . Stephens to address them . When Mr . Stephens xpoke , he tolj them that he had been much misrepresented liy the public press—that ti . ey hud n presented him as a beast , and us a monster with horns .
Mr . Stephens : DiJ I gv on to prove that I was not a monster , and 1 hut i was n man of peace?—U hen you gave over you weienot a mau . of peace . J mean for tuie first hail-h » ur ?—Yes ,-for the first iiiih-hoiir vou did . Did 1 » ny that , by the constitutional laws of Englnn . i , the Poor Law was an illegal act of Parliament ? — ^ ou quoted many old la « s ; but whether they wrrr la *« ornot I 1 ) 0 1101 kn > w . Di-i 1 proceed ro say it « n . s against the Word of ( I . 'd ?—^ es . [ Mr . Stephens then quwted various p is-ii ^ fs ut Sripture . and asked the witu-.-us if he 1 . iu not mention them ; hut the vitue . ^ s replied that he Couid not recollect all , ]
« iriifsi could not say that Mr . Stephens had spoken anything aj ; . inst . Mr . Topping ; but lie . «! ioiil < j tuu construe vi hat * " » s said as int- 'iiih-d to exalt him 111 the eyes ut hi- \) vrishioner * , but otherui > e . ¦ * * 1 he pisi .. Is continued to be fired a : i tlie lime the meenug v . is held . They were more fj'r-v't when Mr . Si .-pr . ci . s reij-. c > i , ' d them to desist . Out still roimiuu-o . tu tire ut . uvervj . li of about ten liiin ; : te . s , when , perhaps , a dozen would go oil' toi : e : ht-r . Mr . Siepuens n . id not been at Leigh belore ur s . nce . - Mr . Edward K-nwuriliv K-iJ . these questions appeared to be int nrauable , mid 1 ! ' . Sir . Stephens w . ihcd to throw a . iuuu : upon ihe evidence , he had teller limit hi . s ouesihii < > to that .
Mr . Stephens sui . l tU . tt aoh his object , but he was ijUite unatqu i lite ^ w , ta the proceedings of a « "urt , and ; e * .. uuiii i , e bhgi-d by tiiuir culling him 10 ir . ier when Jie gut out of it . From the warrant _ wa : i-h had o-.-eu rea 1 . tiiey would . see that he stood iu a danger , us miuhiiihi . He a ^ ded , " J wish tube > . 't ngnt'v . iirii 1 .-. ju wroi . g ; : ind beyond thut 1 have wo tavour to iisic . " T . ie witi . es * had stated that he * . « aiadne , and the inhabitants of Leigh were iti . « niiei ; and the nue .-Ntious he was putting to him " ¦ ere a * to ihe grouuu <> l that alarm . Hethencuuliniied his qiu-gviuus ; uu i , after some others of no iinpirtaiue s . ud , You Uave . vtu . U'd , 1 told the pe . o ,. !•• • wneii t !; e grand atiack cau . e , they were to go » viih a dHggi-r iu one him 1 and a torcti in the other . Wum mauu att . icl ; ? 1 hai » u it-It to von as the
t'ei . er . il . D » d I tell them w hat ihe grtind attack w .-. s - A genera ! ri- " ot the f e . yle , 1 understood 11 to l > e . Y"a did n t say a ueirerai rise , but they were to have notic- ut it ; uut you did not say vviia ' t it was for , nor when it •• 1- to iV . '• • 1 he muiowiiers , and ihe ( iiiiirdi . itis . and the shopkeepers in tue neichb . iurn- 'u . i we ; e alrai ) , but the ^ t > or were nit ; they Wt re 11 ; je .: cyal *! e people—he meant the pnuper * . Anoi . n-r i-Ul-s , belwevii the ptnpers ana siinpKeepert ; , tue litbouriug rhvss , were lu . niy of them not peac ; -: ii . le . femce tiu-c meetirii ; , puhhc meecipKS haa ueeu lu-l-t at the White Hor-e , ivnd a committee app nnte ¦• 1 h >)» e meetmes were sujctioued by the M- ^ i ?; iiiu-, who had sworn in about J 400 ? pecial con » uible > - alumt a fortnight or ti ; ree weeks a ^ o . Then- n 1 1 \ x-vu uoriots in J > eigh , but some wiudows bad bi en broken in tue country
uea . r . Mr . Stephen * : Will you fcivv that sentence to the Cc ^ urt which 1 xaid aboot lairinu and te » itneriiig W . Heury Jours : —You adv .- ^ -. i lin-iu to kill h ; m , and ur him , and feather him , and fend him to the Comuussiuners . U iiliam Coward , a ronstaVile of Leiirh for the lnst seven or eight mouths , staled thvt , tiet ' . v ^ en intervijyuf his employment of iaki .. s > iu work , he went now and then to the met-ting of the 13 th Novemb . r . When he first went , Mr . Stepiens « as addres .-ing the meeting on the condescension of our Lord in the woill ; and he wandered from that point to other subjects-, quoting the passage of scripture , •? Veuicennce is mine ; J will repay , saith the Lord ; " and he : uided , " Wtiat I nie . iu t > say is this , that God
h > ts perhaps raised up you to fin .- down these buildings ( alluding to bouses round about ) , aud perhaps ev .-n that veuerntile chnrca which our forefathers have erected . ' lie advised ihe people to give up their seats in churches and chapels , to take their children from the d . nYrent places ol worship , and to saie tiieir pennies to bijy guns , pikes , and pistols Witness bad not time to ^ tay longer then ; but he went to the night meetiug about eight o ' clock , aim witness heard ^ te ^ kens tor about half au hour addressing the meeting . It was a dark night , and the meeting was held by torch light ; between a dozen and twenty toiebes were lighted . Stephen . spoke about soldiers aud oflicers , aud advised the people not to beuiraid , lor ail was right between the
soUners and him ; theofHcers hud frequently received his letters and papersuuo fieir mess-rooms ; that the soldiers :: ad repeatedly he . ird him preach , and loved to hear him , aud the people had nothing to fear lrom that quarter . He spoke ; if ihe different labours and sufferings that people had to go through in fact' - rie . « , and spoke of women giving suck being c . uifiened inthuse rooms , and - suidthatbe had «« m . er seen orhead of them being -o ; nint that they had to milk themselves and he mi the lioor , aud he then alluded to t ! : e empioyeis , and tire wa * mentioned , whether with respect to mills , or to doing sotneih ng to the employers , w itness could not tell , lie suoke of M ' . Pownall oneol the Pour Law ( Juardians , and sp » ke of his being raise lrom a shoe and a trash
( au old shoe ffouid )* ii ) , tuid now becoming a Poor Law Guardian . He . * p < ke of another Guardiuu , Mr . Jackson , a * b-ing , or prolesMng to be . a Wesleyan Metho iisr , and » ai i tuat if Wesley w . re ahre . he would spurn sucli beings from h : n presence . He then me itioned Mr . Ricuard Y tes . as a local preacher wii . nu the ov rseers of the to * 11 had made into a p . jnr ' s-raie collector for the township of Bediord . He called him the diabolnal Richard Yates , uu < l said he would die on aduiig-iull . He told the meeting that i [ ue lived at Lei ^ li , he would go to the poor-law guardians by half a duzen , a dozen , or two dozen at a time in a body , ami he would bring a guardian out . He would not bur , him , but he would take off his coat , waistcoat , itud
shirt , and he would then get a pillow of feathers , him he would feather him , and get a barrel of tar , and > ,. would tar him rigat well over , and when he . ^ 1 . 1 done that he would say to him , " go to rooe-t t ' : ou devil ! " And if he had wings , and were to { l y , they would wonder what kind of a bird he was . U itues , then left the meeting , but the people contiuue . i firing pistols and burning torches . Tnere would be two thousand persons at lea = t prusent . Witness saw people letting pistol ) off by holding torches to the pan . « . Witness saw one or two pikes at the meeting , and he had seen one or two hundred since , iu the town of Leigh and its neighbourhood , and in the houses of the people . The night meeting excited considerable alarm in the town : and though witness was not often afraid , he mmt say he was a little alarmed , and not he alone bnt many of his
neighbours , at so many discharges of lire-arms . The wituess said that , haviug concluded his evidence as to the meeting-:, he must say a word or two as to himself . It w * s with feelings of regret that he stood there , knowing and having seeri Mr . Stephens rep-atedly , hearir . j ; him spuak of his father , who was it Highly respected Wesleyau minister , and that he himselt was brought up in that connection , and witness being t . iins 11 an attendant at rhe places of worship of that bo . iy , he lelt great regret at ' this matter . It *; is uot his intention to do the feast harm to any man in the world . He loved evt ' ry man , ana hvei no nil' -, but he U-ii bound to declare t . ' . a , suice Mr . Stephens t ; ai b .-en t Le . gh , there whs more , irr itation a ; i » itg the people than , ever lie had beiore known , aui lie had lived theie many ye ^ rs , ( thirty-night , - und-rstood h . in to Say . )
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Since Mr . Stephens had been there , more arms had been collected together than he had ever before heard of or known . He knew one or two smithies now where they were actually employed making pikes , and he kad produced one or two to Sir F . Roe and Mr . Manle . They were principally of steel , some of steel and iron , and were fourteen or fifteen inches , long , with a screw at tha one end to screw into a socket , and they were very shnrp at the pointed end . This had been much more actively going on since Mr . Steph « ns « visit to Leigh , and several gentlemen had been threatened either to hrvve a pike or a ball into them ; and he ( witness ) thought , when a man'bought a loaf in ashop , and said to the seller , clapping his hand on a pike in his brea-st , " The
next loaf I fetch I shall fetch it with this pike , " that was enough to alarm any one . That had been said and doire since the meeting , as he was credibly informed . One of the banners at the meeting was inscr ibed , " The murders of Peterloo shall never be forgot . " Mr . Kenworthy : Do you know of any pikes being made before Mr . Stephens attended this meeting ? , — YVitnesa : Oh , yes ; but there have been many more since . A man I know , who lives at Castle-bill , about four miles from Leigh , told ' me he had seen two skips full on sale . Witness add ' . d that he had never seen any pistols till that meeting . There were different
societies in Leigh , the members of which bad drawn out £ l a-piece , for the purpose , as was reported , of purchasing fire-arms , lor instance , he knew that the Druids hml drawn £ 1 a-piece , but he could not say positivel y that it was for that purpose . He was connected with a Society , the sick-box of which was worth £ 1 , 400 or £ 1 . 500 ; and there hid been two meetings iu that club , as a number of the members wanted to dniw £ 200 ont of the savings' bank , as one man said , "to purchase umbrellas ; " but there , was a great majority ' against it , and witness opposed it . He had reason to suppose that they wauted it to purchase arms .
Cross-examined by Mr . Stephens : —Witness had heard the evidence of the lasr wituess , Mr . Johnson , nnd could corroborate parts of it . After stating that one part of the argument , drawn from scripture , was reverently nnd properly conducted by Mr . Stephens , witness represented his evidence as to God firing the hearts of the people of Leigh to fire down buildings , fee . ; but witness said he , heard no conditions stated in reference to this part of the speech . He took no note * in writing , either at or siucn the meeting , ot what Mr . Stephens had said ; but it was very hard impressed upon his mind . Witness heard Mr . Stephens ridiculing a minister named Stuart-bridge , whom he called au infidel , and saying , in reference to him and the Wmfleyan conference , " Wi . ll you
turn me out again , Squarebndge : " Mr . Stephens said something about Mr . Sqnarebridge hiiving tiaid that poverty and charity were inseparable ; but witness had since , in conversation , told Mr . Stephens that he had been wrongfully informed on that point . Witness thought Mr . Stephens did a .-. y that if Mr . Sijuitrebriuge held that doctrine he either did not uudvrslnnu the gospel he professed to be a minister of , or he wtts a practical infidel as regarded that doctrine . Witness ' was examined probably u we .-k or a fortnight niter the meeting . He was sent for by the magistrates , and told them what he had heard to the best of his knowledge . He would not say that he had felt no apprehension all the interval after tho meeting , for
they \ n \<\ threatened to g ve him ( witness ) about four inches of a pike . This was since his his examination . Mr . Stephens did nor , either at tho day or night meeting , say anything about fire and lactorics , or firing factories , or burning factories , that he ( witness ) heard . Witness had seen a hundred pikes at least since the meeting ; he thought there was one in nearly ovory house in the township of Bed ' . T . l , and a good inany in Leigh ; and the grinders might be seen grinding eight or ten or twenty pikes in open day . He had seen a hundred or two , some in the open air , others hanging up over clii : iiney-piec > -s in houses , just hs Mr . Stephens had a iv sed them to do , alt ground , sharpened , and ready for action . The fact ot the two simthios engaged in
inuiiulaf . turinn pikes was known generally to the inhabitants ; but he did not know whether the magistrates knew it . He had not mentioned it either to them it to Sir F . ltoe . Witness did not sny anything to S \ r Frederick at all , but the magistrates sent lor him , and he told them what he knew , and . Sir IV .-d-rick was i pri ^ ent . Witness saw these smithies every ii » y nearly . When the man showed the pike ; -t the . baker's shop it was not tendered in I'avitiriit t ; ir thf » loaf ; lieha ' i been getting it ground . Witness dM not see him , but was most credibly iuforun d so . Witness hml not heard of pistols of auus Wi . ig bought or sold 111 Leigh , either Wore or > iuc t ! . ;> meeting . There-was no riot at the
meetji ^ , mid ther < - had been none in Leigh since , nor any I Teach of the peu . ee ot tuis character . Alarm wa .- felt , however , or they vvould not haw sworn in 300 or 400 special constables . The respectable inhabitants were not purchasing fire-arms ; but the special constables were to be urmed with truncheons . Lxcept the P terloo meeting aud this meeting at Lrighof Mr . Stephens , witness had never been at vuy R . ilical or levulliusf meeting . Witness heard Mr . S'epheus tell the people that he was neither liadicil . Whig , nor Tory . Witness did not recolh-et hearing Mr . Stephens say that , to the best of his beliei , if the Radicals w * re . iu power his ( Mr . Stephens '*) head would be the iirsthead brought to the block .
1 ins c osed the . evidence for ihe prosecution , about a quarter before seven o ' clock . Mr . Duck said he believed that this was the whole of the evidence he was then in a condition to offer to the bench ; aud ic becainV his duty now to submit to the court , tint there was abundant ground , on the evidence already before it , to justify them in committing tV prisoner for trial for the offence with which he wn < charged in the warrant . Mr . Kenworthv : 1 think so , too ; itisquite within th tern-of the ' warrant , and WE ARK DETER .
MINED TO COMMIT HIM TO KIRKDALE . 'Mr . Johnson was recalled by Mr . Stephens , who ask ed him on what grounds he was alarmed at the pn-seut moment ? The witness said he was Apprelienvive ui being levelled at l > y the party of which Mr . Sepnenswaii the head and leader ; for although he * i ' . s u-it ii > ljamerl of coining here to tell the truth , he was alarmed when be saw so many short-hand writer-, as his name would be conspicuously before tiie pib ic . and he was afraid bolli of personal violence 11 ml injury to his property . The reports iu the ue *> p < iptTs would get him picked out by the pri-S"iiei p . 0 1 'i . vers . He had already been threatened
that , tu- savMiid ba the first to be fired at when Mr . Stephens tame again with his belt , buckler , and so ou . Till he was desired to attend the magistrates , he had no idea of giving any information ; though he cmisid' -reii ikere -. vjis danger enough , he did not consider that he was bound to give evidence . He thought the people bad not enough protection at Leigh , anil that they ought to have a few soldier * at » tut them . He had told , perhaps , five of bis neighbuurs th . u ue had been examined , and probably twenty of ihem knew of it : he neither wished it to l > e . concert . ed , nor to be made too generally public .
A clerk then read over the depositions of the two witnesses , wiiich , strange to say , did not contain any of the . valence given by the witnesses on crossexamination . It is right to mid , that they were taken bv a clerK of Mr . Smith , the magistrates' clerk at Leith im 1 W orsley . Mr . Stepln u « i said he wished to know whether the iJocmn .-uis ju < t read had been written down fr . in the statements made in court by the witnesses , or fro at their statements previously . They did not strike him as containing the evidence given in court . The clerk s-. uvi the evidence had been taken down from tiie witue . s-es' evidence as given in court , thoutfi not so fully perhap * as Mr . Stepliens might expect : only -what was deemed relevant being taken rtown .
Mr . Stephen- * : I perceive many parts luft out . For instance , one witness is there stated to have said , " Fire wa- mentioned , but I don't know how ;" but iu his < vi lein-e < m cross-examination , and which me court hn * n » i considered relevant , that witness HBHiu and again Mated and reiterated that neither at the morning imr the night meeting was there anytiiiug said about tires and fact 'ries , or firing factories , » r burning fitcuir . es ; and that fire , to the best of his knmvietlii' -, was not mentioned at all . The Clerk : That certainly came out in crossexaminatiuii .
Mr . Stephens : Then it is not the practice of this court t . » ins .-rt in the depositions anything that com .-s out in cross-examination . Then 1 have nothing further ;«> sny to the court on that subject than 1 > have 1 : distinctly stated and satisfactorily in ier « t "ui , ttn ' all those eircurnstances elicited in my uvMiir , proving that witness to be a perjured •\ uuess . wvre Jiot inserted , being considered as not relt-xant to tu * .-ase . And with that protest I close my croas-i-xiimiiiatiou . Mr . J . ij . ninth : You are entitled to have your ( Toss-e . vmihi liiou . taken down as evidence , certainly . Mr . Stephen-: No , Sir ; I am perfectly satisfied * I have not an ther word to say after what I have just heard , and the court will now proceed to take its o *' u conrs- ; .
Mr . J . B . Smith : It is certainly the practice of this court . to take all the material evidence , whether on examination in chief or cross-examination . Alter a paut-e , during which law-books were referred ~ o , Mr . Duck said that if the Bench felt a difficulty as to the evidence of tbe last witness on ir . ) as-examination uofcbeiug taken down , he would submit whether there was not abundant evidence to justify them ui c-aumitting l ' "e prisoner on the statements of the first . vitness ( Johnson ) alone , to which evidence the objection did not apply . He thought there was , in the evid-nee of Johnson , putting that of Coward entirely out of the question , sufficient to show that this was an unlawful and tumultuous assemblage , and that Mr . Stephens was' using iiitliuimsuonf language that wns calculated and likely to lea 1 to a Oreaeh ot ' the peace . This would , in lact , sustain the charge on tho face of the warrant .
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Mr . J . B . Smith : If yon have better or more evidence , had yon not better give it ?—Mr . Duck said the objection would be as strong on Monday or luesday as at present . He would further submit , that finppoaine there to have been an irregularity , about which he offered no opinion , that would not in uselt be a sufficient ground to compel the magisffi ? ? f ab 8 tam v fr ° ™ committal . It might be the it oSt ° i tT ?» ° ««« - ' ^ another ' place , but nDM tt ? - ^ r the raa ^ 8 trates fromcommu tir . g P hA ? th , evidence , as they had heard it ; for the whole of it had been before them . ' ,, ^ n ; f * ? -p- ™ " 11 : II I ? i ^ be efficient to warrant us in remanding to another day , to do awav with the irregularity . Mr . Ken worthy ' s clerk is" not con versant with the practice of tms court M to iSn ^ depositions . = Mr . Dock : If the magistrates don ' t think themselves justifaed in commuting upon the evidence as taken down , f must then apply to have the prisoner remanded to another day , say to Tuesday next
. Mr . J . B . Smith : Tthink thaiVvould be a satisfactory course . Mr . Stephens : My protect , sir , applies cqnally to both witnesses . I contend that both those witnesses have contradicted themselves , and that each of them has contradicted the other ; but not a word of the . cross-examination having found its way into your paper ? , my case is closed . I came here into thu sanctuary of British justice , and I did not consider it necessary to take . down a single word of the crossexamination , aud I took down but a very few words of that in chief , believing myself safe in yeur hands . But after your decision my case is closed . Mr . J . B . Smith : Do you wish to say anything why you should not be remanded ? Mr . Law having stated that though the prisoner had choseto
n conduct his own case , he bad nlso told him that he should be glad to consult him on any point of law ; he ( Mr . Law ) thought it right to saythat the prisoner ' s consent ought to depend upon whether the magistrates would let him out on bail till Tuesday . Mr . Stepheus was not to suffer for the inaccuracy of other parties . He had a wife ami family , and a request fnim bis wife to be admitted to see bim bad been refused . He ( i \ l r . Law ) therefore advised Mr . Stephens not to be a consenting party to any adjournment , unless upon the terms of being allowed to give bail . Mr . Duck said that Mr . Stephens could not expect any other course than that lie would be remanded and if the magistrates were disposed to liberate him on bail , forty-eight hours' notice of the bail would be required .
Mr . Law said that the magistrates might make a reasonable order of adjournment for any length of time to make inquiry ; but if the bail were unexcep - tionable , they ought not in this instance to require one minute ' s notice , as the reason of notice being required was in order that the delinquent might not escape . He denied that forty-eight hours' notice was required ; he bad never hetrd it required in that court , the usual per iod being twenty four hours . He had two gentlemen in court , ready to become sureties , and as one of them was from Ashton , he wits glad Mr . Owen was present to speak to his suHicieucy .
Mr . Kenworthy said the bench would require two sureties in £ 250 each , and the prisoner's own recognizance in £ 500 , to appear on Tuesday next , with twtmty-four hour ' s notice . The bail was then stated to be Mr . A bel Williamson , of Charlestown . Ashton ; and Mr . William Hulls , bookseller , of Ivlanchexter . Mr . Law paid that twenty-tour hours ' notice would have the effect of forty-eiufit hours ; for it could not be given while the court was sitting the following day ( Saturday ) , and it would , therefore , amount to keeping Mr . Stephens in prison till Monday . He ( Mr . Law ) should , therefore , acvise him to decline giving bail , unless it were taken that evening or the " next morning . " The sureties proposed were sworn and justified and
Mr . William Owen , deputy constable of Ashtou ' sanl he knew Mr . Williamson , and there could be no objection to him ; he was worth three thousand or four thousand pounds . Mr . Beamish , one of the beadles of Manchester sWort ! that Mr . Willis was worth £ 250 after payment of all his debts . Mr . Williamson said he was worth four times as much when all his debts were paid . Mr . Kenworthy enquired if there were ' any other persons in Court tlmt knew Mr . Willis , and could speak as to the sufficiency of his bail .
Air . Nightingale said he had known Mr . Willis for suitw years , and , at present , he was holding the important oflice of surveyor of highways for the township of Manchester : he was also a commmissioner of police , both of Manchester and Salford , and well known by his fellow-townsmen . Mr . Ken worthy ' s clerk ( Mr , Smith ) said he was not all satisfied with this bail being taken without time for inquiry ; nnd , alter some conversation and altercation between him aud Mr . Law , it was finally agreed that Beswick , of the police , should ascertain the sullicieucy of the bail by noon this day ( Saturday ) . The proceedings then terminated , about a quarter after eight o ' clock in the evening ; Mr . Stephens , of course , remaining in custody till the result of the inquiries shall be stated to be satisfactory .
The Court , during the examination , which lasted upwards ot five hours , became every hour more crowded , as the report spread abroad that Mr . Stephens was under examination ; and , strange to say , the bench , which , at the first was well filled with magistrates , chiefly of the last new Whig batch , mill-owners " , and capitalists , became every hour more deserted , as the case of Mr . Stephens assumed a different aspect to what they expected . One bj one they dropped off the bench , until only J . B Smith , Esq . and John Kenworthy , Esq . remained . As soon ,. s the former saw that they had failed to make out a case against Mr . Stephens , lie thought it high time to be going ; but , at the earnest entreaty of the latter gentleman , he was prevailed upon to stop , as the case required the presence of two magistrates .
NEW BAILEY , Saturday , Dec . 29 . On Saturday morning delegates from the various Political Unions round Manchester , assembled for the purpose of knowing what they were to do ; and by twelve o ' clock large masses of tbe people from the town and country districts assembled in front of the gates of the New Bailey Prison , for it was currently reported that Mr . Stephens would be liberated that day if the bail was approved of by the magistrates . As soon as the Court wns opened , the crowd congregated outside soon tilled the galleries . William Garnett , Esq . was on the bench , disposing of some police cases . None of the other magistrates who had rendered themselves prominent in this affair , had thought it prudent to appear again . Brandt behalf
Mr . , on of the prosecution , wished the clerk to call u » Mr . Stephens , as an inquiry had been made as to the sufficiency of tbe bail offered yesterday . Mr . Garnett : Ob , if they were about to call tip Mr . Stephens , he would call in the other magistrates . Mr . Brandt said Mr . Garnett need not leave the bench , as it was only a mere matter of form . Mr . Kenworthy here stepped on to the bench , and said , ' Mr . Garnett , you had better take the bail . " Mr . Beswick , who had been ordered by the court to make inquiries into the sufficiency of the bail , stated , that he had been to Ashton that morning , and from inquiry , he deemed the bail tendered by Mr . Abel Williamson to be sufficient : he had also inquired Mr . Willis ' s circuiastanc « s , audfoviUd them sufficient also .
The clerk then called Joseph Rayner Stephens to answer to a bond of Five Hundued Pounds , and Mr . Abel Williamson , and Mr . William Willis , in a like bond of Two Hundred and Fiftt Pounds each , to appear at this court on Tuesday next . Mr . Law stated that Tuesday was New Year ' s day . Mr . Brandt said , he thought it -womd be better to put it off to some other day , as that day was a holiday , and an idle day , and that large masses of country people would be in town : he therefore would suggest that it be removed to Thursday . Mr . Law , on behalf of Mr . Stephens , agreed to Thursday . The Clerk then took
ONE THOUSAND POUNDS BAIL !!! And Mr . Stephens was liberated . The people could scarcely avoid applauding in the conrt when they saw Mr . Stephens at liberty ; but as soon as tbe Rev . Gentleman got outside of tbe gates , he was welcomed by loud shouts and clapping of hands . The crowd was so great that Mr . Stepheus wa » obliged ( to sv . ve his arms from being wrung off , so many being eager to shake him by the band , ) to net into a coach , accompanied by Dr . Fletcher , Mr . Willis , Mr . Williamson , and Mr . Richardson , and then drove off w the Manchester aud Salford Advertiser office , the crowd running alter the coach , and cheering all the way . In about half an hour after this a meeting of delegates took place at the Mitre Tavern , in the . Old Church Yard , to consider what step shonld next be taken to preserve the peace of the neighbourhood . Mr . Stephens and Mr . Oastler attended .
Mr . Oastler said he hoped that the gentlemen present wonld not expect Mr . Stephens to make any speech to them , as he was now in the hands of the law , and anything he might say , however trifling , might prejudice his case : be , therefore , recommended every one to go back to their homes , and endeavour by all means to keep the peace . Mr , Stephens and he would now go to Ashton , and endeavour to put a stop to the intended procession ; as that , too , and snch like meetings , might injure his cause : no good day ; and rather thuu Mr . Stephens should open his lips , good day for him too . Mr . Oastler and Mr . Stephens then left the rooln amidst the cheers of the delegates and the public who had assembled .
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MR . STEPHENS AND MB . OASTLER . pn Christmas Day , aa entertainment was given by five hundred of the working men ( and their families ) of Ashton and its " ntighhourhood , to Mr Stephens and Mr . Oastler . The following speechea were made on the occasion . They will be read with interest * as they clearly show that Mr . Stephens was fully award of the plot entered into to arrest him . Mr . Oa , tleksaid-Have I told yon to kill , bom , destroy ? No , never . I have recommended you and you hav e done it , to petition the Parliament Yon have done so by hundreds and hundreds of thousands over and over again . Those petitions nave been unheeded—nay , on tbe last occasion when they were presented , a member of her Majesty ' s Government , Lord Howick , chock lull of insolence , lKnorauce , and pride , stood on the floor of the House ot Commons and declarprL nnnn tha «*«
, which he had sworn to her Majesty , that those peti-K , ; l *< top » edand rejected ; why think ye ? Because the people had neitheVburned nor killed . J nere was a statesman for ye ! Talk of ince ^ diaries and assassins , indeed ! I have never since then heard the ^ me of Howick without disguTt unutterable . What , then , was I do ? Was I to take this hint , and teach the people of England to-fiS rl ™ T . t * *' indeed - 1 toW you ne ™ 1 r ^ nltrat > l becBuse the Constitution instructed Zp , Si& 5 K 'YiSSVolr / S WfSX . & * &t ^ W Stephens or myself advuSyon to burn , dest r ^ or kill . No , we turned in disgust from man , aud opened , with holy reverence , tl . e Book of God ; n e there found the onlv safetv vaW » n j ; '
letter to the people of England I advised you , £ Nehemiah advised the Jews when they were m similar circumstances to yourselves , to humble yourselves before God ; to confess yoursins to him to last and pray ^ and to implore , in this your time of extremity , deliverance , by his aid , from the hands of your oppressors . . And , oh ! . my friends , if my advice bad then been taken , yonr Hituatioa would not now be as tearful as it is . My enemies were notternhed at that . No ; they have not the fe ; ir ot God betore their eyes ; but it is still my belief , that yon never will obtain your rights untU you thus acknowledge Go ^ l , ahd throw yourselves entirely mto ^ his hands ., » Dp not mistake me , ray friends , God helps those that are , prepared to help ¦ themselves ; and I advised yoa , as Neho mmh advised the Jew 8 under similar circumstances , to provide yourselves with arms . I still dvithe
< -, e same . Arm , arm , my friends , arm in deience of your domestic rights-the only sure foundation ot the rights of kings . For having given this scriptural , this constitutional advice , I have been charged with being a . traitor by those who profess to be your friends . Is there a man amongst you so foolish as to believe that an Englisbmaahas no right to arm- himself ? Let that man , if there be such an one , come , up here , and I will calmly argue the question with him ; aud I will prove to him , out of the book of God , and from the principles" of the constitution of England , that the base wretch who dares to assert that a freeman has not a right to have arms , is either a deceiving scoundrel or himself a slave . Ihe truth is
-, my friends , that no man deserves liberty who u not at all times both willing aud able to delend his liberty to the death . Think not that I would advise you , or that , Stephens would advise you , to turn ' . out and tight the British troops .- No , no , my tneiids , they are as loyal as we are . They are deadly toes to that tyranny and oppression which grind' you down to dust as we are . 1 hey hate the damnable , accursed Poor Law , as mnob as we do ; and well they may , for of all the subjects of Her Majesty they and their relations are the most likely to be oppresse d and punished by it . Whenever you meet the troops shake . ha . nds wiih them , explain the truth to them , and soon you will find that they are friends , ready to right in the same cause—for tbe Queen , and for yourselves , against the tyrants of both . No . no . It is not
the scantil y paid brave troops that you will have to tight against ; but it is the over-paid , cowardlv assassin-hke police , whom O'Connell is now preparing tor the use of the tyrannical Government , to establish their despotic sway in e , very rural and in every manufacturing district . The monster talks of heading them himself . . It is against them you will have to contend . If once they are established , then your chains are rivetted . The Tories will most likely tie ioolsenough to join tbe Whigs and Radicals in . O Couneil s . base , brutal , and bloody attempt thus to deliver England over into the hands of W deadliest euemies . Jj they do , they may take my wosd for it , they will be the first victims . If they don't know what O Connell is after , I do . I have warned them ott , and they have laughed at me ; I now warn them again . You remember , I suppose , that a cotton factory' was burnt down in AAton last Saturday tortuight . I happened to be in Manchester at the 1 there
uvjae . was on Sunday , Monday , and Tuesday . I was in many compaui « s , and the fire at Ashton was talked about by everybody . But during the whole of those threedays I never heard Mr . Stephens's name mentioned , or that of auy of his friends , in connexion- ' with . this tire . Don't misunderstand me Nobody seemed to think it waa aa accidental fire—1 grant that . As I have said before , it was a Godsend to the magistrates , O'Connell , and tbe Government and we all know that an old mill , with old machinery , being well iusured , in tlieserfimes is worth quite as much dead as alive . One thing , however , is certain , that on Sunday , Moniay , and Tue . sdav , in Manchester , nobody suspected that Stephens , or any of his friends , bad any connexion with that fire ; and it is well known that
very the occupier has positively declared . that , in his opinion , it was occasioned by accident ; But now for tbe grand scene in this farce . On \\ ednesday morning , Mr . J . E . Taylor , in a long leading article ( in a . Manchester paper ) , charged your minister with being the author of that rfre His char - go was instantly expressed to London , and the Ministerial press , both Metropolitan and provincial , have since then been ringing the changes on the incendiary Stephens and the blazing cotton factory at Ashton . Bui this is not all . Manchester they say , has . been visited by Phillipps , Under Se-, cretary of Slate for theHome Department , Jtoe , the chief ofheer of the metropolitan police , Maule , the Solicitor to the Treasury , and last , not least . tawiu Chadwicfc
, of Poor Law notoriety . The retinue of these Worthies consists of shoals of spies reporters , runners , and 1 know not what ; and they have at last , they tell me , found out a mare ' s nest . J hey have discovered that a plot had been laid to burn down to the ground every building in the towil of Manchester ! The green bags are all full of depositions , aud 1 am told the principal link in the evidence is that I , Richard Oastler , have recently taken up my abode in the neighbourhood of Manchester ! So you see what trouble Daniel O'Connell has given the Ministry , by making them believe that I am the prince of incendiaries . I was at Huddersheld a few days ago , when a friend of mineshpwed me a letter from a very large millowner in
Manchester , in which 1 was charged with burning Jowett ' s mill .. I desired my friend to write to the raillowner that Iwas too good ajudge either to burn cotton mill or recommend them to he burnt , and that I would not burn his mill down if he would give me £ 5 . 000 that I was . very well aware jost now any cotton-mill ! owner , who was well insured , wonld give 20 per cent to have his mill burnt down ; and I begged him to assure his friend that I was not so fond of cottonmill-owners as thus to enrich them by burning down their mills . I told him , also , that I had no fondness for fires , but that if I ever were to begin , I would begin in r ^ ht good earnest ; apd that , until there
were a hundred burnt down every night , I begged he would not . suspect me of having any hand in it . But I tell you what , my friends , if the millowners do not . wish , to have their mills bnrnt down , they are rery foolish to make so much noise and falk about these matters . Their property , if it be valuable is very precarious ; and , if they value their own property , 1 wduld advise them to talk less about tires , lor nothing is so . easy as to burn one of them down , tor their own sakes , then , let me conjure them to say little about these' matters , unless they do really wish to have their mills burnt down . And even then , I can assure you , Stephens is not the man to apply to . fCheers . ) So much for the
Burning 01 the mill at AshtoB . And now , for a prophecy . If the insurance-offices won ' t pay for the fire—mark well , my friends—it is my opmion the Government will . Oh , it was a lucky star!—a green bag , a Coercion Bill , and a rural police for so small a sum as £ 5 , 000 ! It will be 3 cheap bargain for these traitors . Ah ! ah !—a rural police , did I say ? —let that he once established , a » d your liberties aro gone . Yea , my friends , I tell you seriously , that when once you are subject to a rural police , your public voice will be smothered—the character of Englishmen will be changed—we shall copy the Sicilians—a rich man's life ' will then , be purchased for £ 10 , and a poor man ' s for 5 s . Is there not then reason that ye should arm to defend your liberties ? la it not time that you should awake out of sleep , and prevent the traitors and assassins , who would lord it over you ^ eith a hand of iron , from destroying Constitution and
yonr your national institutions ? Is it not , I say , time that you should awnke out of sleep , and in the attitude and equipment of freemen , declare , with a voice of thunder , " Britons never shall be slaves" ? Myfriends , yon have now listened to me . ^ ith great attention , whilst 1 have deliberately stated _ to you my views on those all-important subjects which are now agitating this mighty empire , and which have absolutely driven our governors mad . at now ask you , have I changed my tone since last you heard me ? Was 1 ever wont , or have I now talked treason in your bjjju-ing ? I am , they say , the dagger and torch-man . * Have I now excited you , or did I ever , on former occasions , excite you to kill or to burn ? No truly , friends ; my object is , as you all well know , to secure life-and property , by restoring to our laws the Christian principle * of truth and justice . I leave it to the " base" Whigs—to the Fitz-( Continued in our seventh page . )
Key. J. B. Stephens.
KEY . J . B . STEPHENS .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Jan. 5, 1839, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1039/page/6/
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