524 
Jones — Chartism. 
Special constables to the number of about 150,000 were 
sworn in. The parapets of the Bank of England were fortified 
with sand bags, and detachments of the regular army were 
placed behind them. 
When the fated tenth arrived the Chartist leaders met at nine 
o’clock in the morning, in the rooms of the Literary and Scien¬ 
tific Institute, Fitzroy Square. Many wore in their hats 
cockades of red, white, and green ribbon, the Chartist colors. 
The crowd that naturally assembled in Fitzroy Square, before 
proceeding to the appointed meeting place, was addressed by 
Chartist speakers. O’Connor, the acknowledged head of the 
movement and the one always depended upon for fire and 
enthusiasm, was loudly called for. On this occasion, to the 
surprise of everybody, he took up much of his time explaining 
that he was really unwell, aud had a doctor’s certificate which 
would entitle him to stay at home. He urged the Chartists 
not to come into conflict with the authorities, who were armed 
to the teeth and who, he said, were thirsting for their blood. 
Finally he asked them to forbear for his sake, as he had received 
many warning letters to the effect, that the authorities would 
first of all fire upon him. 1 Earnest Jones, of more fiery temper, 
followed with a speech in which he expressed much surprise 
that at the last minute they should be counseled to back down. 
The crowd was divided in opinion. Thus, through hesitancy 
and disagreement, what might have ended in a revolution did 
not even produce an effective mob. 
The officers of the organization repaired to the place of 
meeting riding in a highly decorated car. Kennington Common 
is south of the Parliament Houses and across the river from 
them. They crossed the river, probably by the Vauxhall Bridge, 
and carried with them the petition which comprised five huge 
bales or bundles of paper. The hundreds of thousands of people 
who were summoned from all parts of England did not appear. 
Reliable estimates made by army officers placed the number at 
from fifteen to twenty thousand. Upon attempting to form for 
the procession the leaders were stopped by the police and the 
1 He promised to worry the government into accepting the charter by 
constantly asking questions about it in the House of Commons. 
