66 not cited to us any law by which we are compelled to rise and pull off our hats at the playing of it. He may like it, and so may the Officers at Nottingham, though the language is a rare specimen of stupid "the most violent opposition on the part | this right exists in no case, it surely cannot "of those who are any thing but loyal. exist when, as appears to have been the "Instead of complying with the request, case here, the party, taking upon them to "the Oppositionists answer it with a cry give the command is the least numerous. “of “ Millions be free!" and rising with Well might the theatre be shut up, if the "their hats on, place themselves in the manager would suffer the few amongst his "most menacing attitude of defiance. This audience to hector over the many.- -This "act of INDECENCY has frequently led writer calls the tune of God save the King 86 to blows, and individuals in the boxes" the NATIONAL air." But, he has "have been obliged to seek their personal "safety by leaping into the pit, while "those in the pit have placed themselves "in array against the boxes, and a general contest or tumult has been the result. "In several instances tickets have been dis-verbosity and tautology; though some of *tributed, gratis, to the amount of several the sentiments, as far as they can be called "pounds, with a view to beat down the sentiments, are at once malignant, abject, "loyal party by main force, in consequence and impious; and though the whole, when of which several OFFICERS have been considered with reference to the unfortu"insulted, and mal-treated, particularly nate personage whose name is the chief on Wednesday evening last, when a burden of the song, amounts to a species "number of those desperadoes surrounded of burlesque the most disgusting that can Brigade-Major HUMPHRYS, on coming be conceived, still it may accord with the "out of the Theatre, hooted him along taste of the military officers quartered at the streets to his quarters, and threw a Nottingham, and they may, if they choose, "bottle in his face which cut him severely. consider the air as national and have it "Brigade-Major HUMPHRYS is a most gen- played accordingly at their mess-rooms. CL tlemanly character, who had never taken But, if we leave them to their taste, we any part whatever in the disturbances, shall not agree to subject the people of but that he was a military officer was Nottingham thereto; we shall not agree 66 quite sufficient. On another occasion, a that they have a right to cram their party way-laid an officer of the 2d So- sentiments down the throats of the peo"merset Militia who had been forward in ple of that town, or any other town or displaying his zeal and loyalty to his county. Observe, reader, that it is "King at the Theatre, in the Park, late not the people who begin the quarrel. "in the evening, and beat him in a most The others call for the tune; it is played; ** inhuman manner. Several have been no interruption is given by the people. compelled to enter into recognizances for But, this is not enough. The people must "their good behaviour, and two or three not only sit and hear that which they disare bound over to appear at the Quarter approve of; but, they must, at the word "Sessions, for the assault committed on of command, pull off their hats, as a mark "the officer in the Park. This evening of approbation of that which they are known was fixed for the benefit of Mr. Robert- to disapprove of, and that, too, at the son, one of our highly respected Ma-order of a comparatively small part of the nagers, who calculated upon a net re- audience. Can subservience; can slavery, ceipt of at least £100.; but by the ab-go lower than this? And, if the people "rupt closing of the Theatre, his benefit of Nottingham were compelled to submit is necessarily postponed until after the to this, what impudence would it be in 66 races, which it is supposed will be a them to affect to revile any other people as "great loss to him."Now, reader, if slaves!To this last stage of servility you examine this matter, you will find, the people of Nottingham were not, it that, even upon their own showing, the seems, disposed to submit; but, in anGod-save-the-King party have been the swer to the word of command, they rose aggressors.- -What right, I should like and exclaimed, "MILLIONS BE FREE; to know, has one part of an audience at a "placing themselves, at the same time, public theatre to compel the other part," in a most menacing attitude of DEFIhowever small that other part may be, to "ANCE." of defiance, mind. Not of stand up, or to pull off their hats, upon aggression. And, what could be more the playing of a tune or the singing of a proper? Yet this hireling calls it an song, called for the former? And, if" of indecency!" Slave, dost thou, then, 66 66 66 "act HE ly commanded to pull off their hats, refuse to comply, and exclaim that they are free. This being the sort of persons from whom the story comes, we ought to distrust, and, indeed, to disbelieve every word of it that makes against the people of Nottingham. pears to me to have tacitly taken part with insolent commanders. I am not, therefore, at all sorry for his loss; and, I hope, that, unless he makes atonement by restoring freedom to his theatre, he will be left to exhibit his scenes to his exclusively "loyal" customers and to them only.—So much for the accounts from Nottingham. Let us now hear those from other places. I shall insert them one after another without any interruption. "HUDDERSFIELD (Yorkshire), June 25. "Last Monday, about midnight, a great "number of armed men, with their faces "disfigured by broad black marks down "each cheek and over the forehead, as"sembled near the dwelling-house of Mr. "fused. think an act of indecency in Englishmen to answer an arbitrary and insolent command by an exclamation expressive of their love of freedom? Dost thou, then, slave as thou art, think this an act of indecency and hast thou the impudence to give utterance and publicity to thy thought? -If the people of Nottingham were to submit to this command to pull their hats off in the play-house, why not in the street? And, if to pull off their hats, why not to go down upon their knees, or to turn out their pockets? Loss of property and loss of liberty are never far asunder.--As to the assaults, committed on the bodies of the two military officers, if they were unprovoked, the parties ought to be punished; but, it will be observed, that we here have" Fisher, a shopkeeper of Briestwistle, in but one side of the story, and that every "this neighbourhood, and after firing two story has two sides. The story comes, too, "guns or pistols, demanded admittance from a man (if one ought to call him such)," into Mr. Fisher's house, which he reThey then broke open the door, who looks upon it as an act of indecency for Englishmen, when arbitrarily and insolent-" and two of them rushing into the house, "seized Mr. Fisher, who had just got out "of bed; they each presented a pistol to "his breast, and threatened him with in"stant death if he stirred a foot. Not in"timidated by this threat, Mr. Fisher rush"ed from them towards the door, when he -One of these officers had, we are told, "was seized by other six men, who placing "a sheet over his head, face, and arms, "been forward in displaying his zeal and "kept him in that situation while their "loyalty to his King at the theatre." That is to say, he had been (according to this comrades ransacked the house, and took "from his pocket-book bills to the amount writer's previous account) forward in commanding the men of Nottingham to pull off" of 1161. besides 20. in notes and some their hats. The gentleman, whoever he is (and he is not named), might have found a better way than this of displaying his zeal and loyalty. There is very little loyalty in the bawling out of a stupid song; but, that would have been a good in endeavouring to conciliate the people, amongst whom he was quartered.- -In short, it is clear, that these rows at the theatre at Nottingham have been provoked by the un"SHEFFIELD (Yorkshire), June 27.bearable insolence of a few of those persons, "We are sorry to learn, from the resoluwho assume to themselves the exclusive merit of loyalty. Nothing can be clearer "tions of the meeting of Lieutenancy and "Magistrates, that the nightly depreda than this, even from the statement of this "tions, and other most violent breaches of hireling himself; and, therefore, it appears to me, that the conduct of the manager of the peace, in a great part of the manu"facturing districts of this Riding, still the theatre has been unjustifiable. It was The most effective measures for him to express his disapprobation of the" continue. "are immediately to be taken to stop the conduct of those, who were taking upon them to give commands to the audience," career of the lawless offenders." "STAFFORD (Staffordshire), June 27.and turn a place of recreation, where every "In the beginning of the last week, a man had equal rights, into a scene of polistrong body of those deluded men, calltical triumph of the few over the thoughts "ing themselves Luddites, surrounded the and wishes of the many; and, in not hav ing expressed this disapprobation, he ap-house of a lady, the widow of an of "cash; they also took a quantity of notes "and cash out of a drawer, but to what "amount Mr. Fisher does not exactly "know. When the depredation was com"pleted, the leader cried out to the guard "placed over Mr. Fisher, 'Let him go; "don't hurt him; we have got what we "wanted, and we will bring it back in "three months,' and immediately made "" off." "ficer, residing in Edgeley, near Stockport, and, with horrid threats, demand"ed entrance, to search for arms. The inhabitants, under an impression of "dreadful consequences resulting from a "refusal, opened the door, when a num"ber of armed men rushed into the house, "and after minutely searching all parts, "took away with them eight swords, "leaving the affrighted inmates in a state "of extreme consternation. The party "consisted of from eighty to one hundred, "variously armed, and they paid the strict"est obedience to the commands of one "who acted as the leader, and who was of a respectable appearance. We wish we "could, with that degree of justice we owe "to the public's information, here close "this article; but we are sorry to say, the lapse of each day discloses some new "object of alarm-some new act calcu"la ed to impress upon us the most alarm"ing sensations and apprehensions for the general peace and safety of the country. "It has been told us, that assemblies "nightly take place in secluded places, to "the number of some hundreds, that the oath continues to be administered, and "that the names of those who are parties "to the abominable and seditious compact, 66 are called over at the several places of "rendezvous with all the regularity and "appearance of system and discipline." have in my eye two remarkable instances of this: one in the COURIER, who applauded the conduct (or reported conduct) of the people in Holland in flying to arms, and even in pulling the Dutch Judges from the Bench and dragging them along the streets. The other instance was in the TIMES newspaper, which said, not long ago, that it hoped to have to record accounts of insurrections in France. 1, as the public will do me the justice to remember, remonstrated with these good hirelings at the time. I told that there was danger in the promulgating of sentiments of this sort; because, though they themselves were, doubtless, able to discriminate between an insurrection in England and an insurreetion in France, some of their readers might not. I, therefore, advised them to let France alone in this respect, stating my opinion, that they would have to repent having meddled with her.- -As to the remedy for the disturbances, the way to ascertain that, is, first to ascertain the cause; but, of that I must speak in my remarks upon the article of the COURIER of the 29th instant, which, as I above observed, was published for the purpose of feeling the public pulse, and which, before I proceed to my remarks, I shall, agreeably to my usual practice, insert. I shall insert the whole of it, because it will hereafter be to be referred to. We are now, I am convinced, at the dawn of a set of memorable measures and events. It is, therefore, of great consequence to note down, and to fix clearly in our minds, all the preliminary steps. History often becomes wholly useless for want of a knowledge of the little springs which first set the machine in motion.With this preface I hope the reader will enter upon the article, which is not long, with a disposition to attend to its contents.- "The Message of The acts here spoken of, if really committed, are such as call for the exertion of the lawful authorities to put a stop to them. They are unlawful, and that is enough; but, then, have we not laws? Have we not Justices and other magistrates; have we not Constables and other peace officers; have we not Sheriffs, who have power to call out all the people in their several counties to their assistance?- To lament the existence of such disturbances is unavoidable; but, I cannot help thinking, that, if" the Prince Regent to both Houses on SaI were a Lord Lieutenant, or even a She- "turday related to the violent proceedings riff, I would render, as far as my county "which have taken place in several counwent, an application for military force un- "ties of England. Copies of the information necessary.I cannot help observing" which has been received by Government, here, that a great deal of mischief has, in "relative to them will be laid before all probability, been done by those who" Parliament to-day. The intention of have the impudence to assume to them- "Government is to move an address this selves exclusively the appellation of "loyal" afternoon to the Regent, thanking him "men." These men, who, for the most "for his communication, and to refer the part, live, in one way or another, upon the" information to a Secret Committee of Intaxes, have, in the indulgence of their quiry. Of course we do not presume to senseless rage against the Emperor Napo-" state what their report will be; but it is leon, been, in fact, openly inculcating the rumoured that a suspension of the Habeas right, and even the duty, of a people to" Corpus Act will be proposed. We have, rise in arms against their government. I "from the country papers received this 21] 66 66 66 66 66 66 [22 "have hitherto been burnings and assassi- its whether disaffection shall be put down "morning, extracted accounts of the situ"ation of several districts, where, we regret to state, the practice of stealing arms, administering treasonable oaths, "and assembling in large numbers night"ly, is carried on with increasing violence. "More vigorous measures have therefore "become necessary. That the Govern46 ment have hitherto endeavoured to put "down these outrages without demanding 66 more extensive powers; that they hoped "the laws as they stood would be suffi"cient; that they trusted the trials and 66 punishment of some prominent offenders "would operate as a salutary example and 66 warning, is now adduced against them as a crime; and falsely imputing these outrages to the Orders in Council, the 66 Opposition ask whether it is not alarm-fication of a suspension of the Habeas Coring that measures of such extent should "be brought into discussion at this season "of the year;' when it is added, almost "all the independent Representatives of "the people are on their return to the country?' What! are measures necessary to the public peace and safety not to "be discussed because independent Repre"sentatives do not choose to attend their "duty in Parliament? If they prefer their own business or pleasure to the public "business, are Ministers to blame? The “evil which it is wished to remedy has grown to an alarming height only within a short time, how then was it possible to bring it into discussion earlier? And "with respect to the Orders in Council, is "there the least shadow of proof that the outrages were occasioned by them?— Nay, is there not abundant evidence to "shew that they had nothing to do with "them? Did the Orders in Council pro"duce the destruction of the stocking frames "in Nottinghamshire? Did they lead to "the burning of the mills in Yorkshire? "Did they cause the horrible assassinations "in Lancashire? Have they produced the "Luddite Associations and the oaths of "treason which have been the consequence "of them? Are arms seized and large "numbers of persons drilled and disci"plined nightly because of the Orders in 66 66 66 66 66 66 pus, or PERSONAL LIBERTY ACT, Council? It is absurd, if not worse, to "endeavour so to mislead the public mind. "But the Orders in Council have been repealed! It is known in every part of "the disturbed counties that they have been "repealed, and yet these outrages, so far from having abated in violence, are on the increase. TREASON is the object "of these associations, aud their weapons 66 distress, and that a treasonable intention, "hatred is against the whole form of our "government, and that their object is to "destroy it."-This must be news indeed to the Emperor of France, who will, doubtless, be anxious to hear to how many counties of England this hatred extends itself. He will, I dare say, be amused with the reflection that a twenty years' war to keep down republicans and levellers has brought us to this; and, really, we cannot be much offended even if he should laugh at us, when he recollects that our news-papers have been expressing so anxious a desire to have to record the events of disturbances and insurrections in France. But, where is the proof of the truth of this assertion of the Courier? Upon the strength of what evidence is it, that he sends forth these tidings so pleasing to the Emperor of France and to all the enemies of England? Where are his proofs of that treason and of that hatred of the whole form of the government, of which he talks? If he has the proofs, why does he not give them? And, if he has them not, how dares he make such an assertion? How dares he thus blacken the character of the people of the most populous and most valuable part of the kingdom?-He denies, that the Orders in Council have had any thing to do in the producing of the disturbances, though the evidence of a crowd of most respectable witnesses, given before both Houses of Parliament, prove that the Orders in Council have been one cause, at least, of the distresses which exist in the troubled counties; and also prove, that the distresses have been, or, at least, originally were, the cause of the disturbances. Yet does this unfeeling man endeavour to make the world believe, that distress has had nothing at all to do with the matter. It has been proved, in the clearest possible manner, that, in the trou-allow her to have been guilty of highway bled counties, the, people have suffered and are suffering, in a most cruel manner; that the food of many of them is of the worst sort and not half sufficient in quantity; that hundreds and thousands of poor mothers and their children are wholly destitute of bread, and that even potatoes are too dear for them to get at; that the food of these unfortunate creatures is oatmeal and water, and that they have not a sufficiency of that.vernment.-Upon some future occasion I It has been proved, that many have died, actually expired for want of food. And, it has been proved, that this want has, in part, at least, arisen from the existence of the Orders in Council.-Yet, with this proof all before him, does this unfeeling writer, this inexorable man, deny that any part of the disturbances has arisen from robbery in forcibly taking some potatoes out of a cart at Manchester; I allow this; and I allow that the law has made highway robbery a crime punishable with death, if the judges think proper; but, I cannot and I will not allow, that her forcibly taking of some potatoes out of a cart at Manchester, was any proof of a treasonable design and of hatred against the whole form of our go will give a picture of the mode of living of I shall add only one remark to what has |