A HISTORY OF DORSET 



tion, and within three days James and George Lovelace and four others who 

 had originated the movement were sent to gaol. Their trial began on 

 15 March, 1834, at the Spring Assizes. They were charged with violating 

 the Act of 37 George III (cap. 123) against seditious meetings and the 

 administration of unlawful oaths binding to secrecy. The judge in his 

 charge dwelt at length on the enormity of trifling with oaths, and the 

 cruelty of forcing men out of their scanty earnings to make 



such a large and ample contribution as would not be endured by any class of men 

 to the constituted authorities of the country or the maintenance of the government 

 itself, 



and declared that ' where men were included in societies of this kind the 

 common-right obligation of every man of labouring as he pleased and for 

 whom he pleased was taken away.'"^ 



At the trial the witnesses deposed to having been persuaded to join the 

 society, at an entrance fee of is. and a contribution of id^. a week ; they gave 

 a confused account of the mystery of initiation, during which they had been 

 blindfolded, and had listened to a considerable amount of reading which they 

 had not understood, and had finally taken an oath which they could not 

 remember, on a book which 'looked like a Bible.' The rules of the society, 

 which simply had for its object the maintenance of a fair rate of wages, and 

 which strictly forbade all violence, and all political or religious discussion at 

 its meetings, were read aloud. No charge of coercion or intimidation was 

 brought against the leaders, but the jury found them guilty of 



administering and causing to be administered and aiding and assisting and being present and 

 consenting to administer a certain unlawful oath and engagement purporting to bind the 

 person taking the same not to inform or give evidence against any associate or other person 

 charged with any unlawful combination and not to reveal or discover any such unlawful 

 combination or any illegal act done or to be done and not to discover any illegal oath which 

 might be taken.' -''^ 



■&■■ 



They were accordingly sentenced to seven years' transportation, and on 

 2 1 March the Times wrote : — 



This sentence, as regards the poor ignorant deluded men who are the objects of it, seems to 

 us too severe ; but it may be useful if it spreads alarm among those more acute and 

 powerful disturbers of the town populations throughout England. 



The first part of this sentiment was evidently shared by many throughout 

 the country, and representations from various quarters were made to the 

 government of the day, while a leading article appeared in the Times for 

 I April again urging mercy. Lord Melbourne received a deputation of 

 trade unionists favourably on 29 March, promising that no further steps 

 should be taken until the king's pleasure was known;"' but the agitation had 

 no practical outcome, and on 1 5 April Lord Howick announced in the 

 House of Commons that the ship bearing the convicts had sailed for Botany 

 Bay."" 



The question now became a national issue ; a great demonstration and 

 procession was arranged to assemble in Copenhagen Fields on Monday, 21 



"' Times, l8 March, 1834. •'' Ibid. 20 March, 1834. 



*" Ibid. I April, 1834. '"* Webb, Hist, of Trade Umonim, 131. 



260 



