60 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



and sudden effect they produced on 

 th3 public mind ; nor was it ever 

 d earned of by even the indiscreet 

 friends of the Prince Regent them- 

 selves, until they observed on the 

 day previous to the meeting, the 

 people crowding to town in every 

 direction from the country ; and 

 then they were fully aware of the 

 imprudence of their conduct. 

 Alarmed at the threatening aspect 

 of affairs, they held a consultaiion 

 amongst themselves ; and afterem- 

 ploying a surveyor to inspect the 

 building in which it was intended 

 the meeting should take place, 

 the committee of the Manchester 

 Exchange communicated officially 

 to the public, that there was some- 

 thing so rotten in the state, or 

 rather in the staircase of the build- 

 ing, that it would be dangerous and 

 unsafe to permit a crowd to as- 

 semble in any part of the build- 

 ing. 



" This notification was not at- 

 tended with the desired effect. 

 The people assembled in thou- 

 sands, by ten o'clock in the morn- 

 ing ; and by eleven the rabble had 

 complete possession of the Com- 

 mercial Rooms both above and be- 

 low stairs. They did not act as a 

 deliberative body ; for vvithout 

 much consideration they com- 

 menced breaking the vvindows of 

 the upper room, cut of which they 

 threw the benches, chairs, tables, 

 --and, in short, demolished maps, 

 lamps, and every moveable in the 

 room. It was proposed by some of 

 the most desperate to set fire to the 

 furniture, but they did not proceed 

 to this extremity. By this time 

 (twelve o'clock) some thousands 

 of the mob had taken possession 

 of St. Ann's-square. One of the 

 town demagogues mounted a tem- 



porary rostrum in the middle of 

 the square, and read aloud the re- 

 solutions agreed to at the last 

 Common-hall, every one of which 

 was unanimously re-passed amidst 

 the loudest acclamations. Matters 

 were thus proceeding,when sudden- 

 ly arriyed from the barracks the re- 

 giment of Scotch Greys, and the 

 Cumberland regiment of militia. 

 The Riot act was immediately 

 read, and time allowed for the mob 

 to disperse ; and in fifteen minutes 

 afterwards, not ten persons could 

 be found together in this quar- 

 ter of the town. Never did sol- 

 diers perform their duty with 

 more propriety. They were fre- 

 quently provoked to acts of vio- 

 lence, but conducted themselves, 

 notwithstanding, with great mode- 

 ration and forbearance towards the 

 rabble. No lives were lost that I 

 have heard of, but several were 

 wounded by the sabre. From 

 twelve o'clock in the day all the 

 shops and warehouses were shut 

 up. " 



•' Eight o'clock at night. — I just 

 learn that several of the rioters 

 have been lodged in New Bailey 

 prison. The constables and mili- 

 tary are parading the streets. The 

 mob, in small bodies, are still as- 

 sembled at distant parts of thetown, 

 and appear to be refractory." 



•' Mne o*cloc/c. — The night is 

 dark, and it is apprehended some 

 mischief may occur before niorn- 

 • ing ; the inhabitants are mostly 

 afraid of fire, and many will not go 

 to bed. At present, thank God, all 

 is well, and I hope will continue 

 so. " 



To the above it is pleasing to 

 add, that we have seen a gentle- 

 man, who left Manchester, in the 

 mail, at twelve o'clock on Wed- 

 nesday 



