E N G L. A N D; 
though evidently growing more and more ferious, was not 
yet fufficiently matured for an aCtual rupture. 
Very early intelligence of the war with France having 
been lent by exprels over land to India, the city of Pon¬ 
dicherry was inverted by the troops of the company and 
of the government, in the autumn of 1779; and, after a 
gallant refiftance by M. de Bellecombe, the governor, it 
furrendered to the arms of his Britannic majefty. On the 
other hand, the fettlement of Senegal, and the Britifh 
forts on the river Gambia, were captured by a French 
fquadron under M. de Lauzun. 
On the 6th of December, a refolution of cenfure on the 
minifters was moved in the houfe of commons by the earl 
of Upper Oflory, relative to the affairs of Ireland. His 
lordfhip obferved, “ rhat the minifters feemed totally to 
have abandoned the government of that country to 
chance. They neither felt for its diftreftes, nor provided 
againft its refentments : the prefent ftate of Ireland, (his 
lord fit ip faid,) was truly alarming, and feemed to portend 
a fudden diffolution of the conftitutional connection which 
had fo long fubfifted between the two countries. To the 
fhameful inattention of the miniftry, who might in the 
early ftages of the miferies of that kingdom have granted 
the Irifti nation fubftantial relief, was the prefent fpirit of 
refiftance wholly imputable.” The motion was power¬ 
fully fupported by Mr. Fox, Mr Burke, and Mr. Dun¬ 
ning; and oppofed in an elaborate fpeech by lord North, 
who pledged himfelf, on a given day, to move certain 
propofitions favourable to Ireland. On the day previ- 
oufty fixed, lord North accordingly brought forward his 
propofitions refpeCtijig Ireland, which opened her com¬ 
merce, and allowed the free exportation of her woollens. 
Thefe privileges were received in Ireland, not only with 
fatisfadtion, but with exultation and joy, from the flutter¬ 
ing expectation of deriving from them an gfteCtual relief 
to her diftrefles. 
An aCt of parliament had parted in the courfe of the 
fertion of 177S, relieving the Roman catholics from fome 
of the heavier penalties infliCted upon them in the feven- 
teenth century. This aCt feemed to be well approved in 
England ; but the fanatical fpirit, unextinguirtied fince 
the days of Knox, and which ftilt difcovered itfelf by 
unequivocal fymptoms in Scotland, prevented the exten- 
fion of this defective toleration to that kingdom. Yet 
on the bare fufpicion of fuch an indulgence, great tu¬ 
mults took place at Edinburgh and Glafgow, the popirti 
chapel in the metropolis was deftroyed, and the houfes 
of the principal catholics attacked and plundered ; on 
which the lord provoft ptiblirtied a fingnlar proclama¬ 
tion, afcribing the riots to the “ apprehenlions, fears, and 
diftrefled minds, of well-meaning people, and a {Turing 
them no repeal of the penal ftatutes would take place.” 
Incited by this encouraging declaration, the fanatics 
formed themfelves into a fociety, ftyled the “ Proteftant 
Artociation,” to oppofe any remiflion of the perfecuting 
laws againft the papifts ; and of this artociation lord 
George Gordon was chofen p'refident, a man in the high- 
eft degree wild, eccentric, and enthufiaftical. This t\ffo- 
ciation was gradually extended to England, and much 
pains were taken by inflammatory harangues and pam¬ 
phlets to prejudice the minds of the vulgar againft the 
late falutary relaxation of the penal code. It was at 
length determined to prepare a petition for a repeal of 
the law in queftion, which is affirmed to have obtained 
one hundred and twenty thoufand fignatures, or marks, of 
men of the loweft orders of fociety, whofe excefs of zeal 
could be equalled only by the grofl'nefs of their ignorance ; 
a combination of qualities at once ridiculous and terrible. 
Lord George Gordon, who was himfelf a member of the 
houfe of commons, declined to prefent this petition, un- 
lefs lie were accompanied to the houfe by at leaft twenty 
thoufand men. 
A public meeting of the artociation was, in confequence, 
convened in St. George’s Fields, London, June 2, 1-780, 
whence it was fuppofed that not lefs than fifty thoufand 
75 S 
perfons proceeded in regular divifions, with lord George 
Gordon at their head, to the houfe of commons, where 
their petition was prefented by their prefident. Towards 
evening this multitude began to grow tumultuous, and 
grofsly infulted various members of both houfes, compell¬ 
ing them in parting to and from the houfe to cry, “ No 
popery!” and to wear blue cockades. During the de¬ 
bate on the petition, lord George Gordon frequently ad- 
drefled the mob without, in terms calculated to inflame 
their paflions, and exprefsly ftating to them, “ that the 
people of Scotland had no redrefs till they pulled down 
the popifti chapels.” After the adjournment of the 
houfe, the mob, on this fuggeftion, immediately pro¬ 
ceeded to the demolition of the chapels of the Sardinian 
and Bavarian ambafladors. The military being ordered 
out could not prevent the mifchief, but apprehended fe- 
veral of the ring-leaders. 
The next day, Saturday, parted quietly; but on Sun¬ 
day the rioters re-aflembled in vaft numbers, and deftroy¬ 
ed the chapels and private dwellings belonging to the 
principal catholics in the vicinity of Moorfields. On 
Monday they extended their devaftations to other parts 
of the town ; and fir George Saville’s houfe, in Leicefter- 
fqttare was totally demolithed by thefe blind and barba¬ 
rous bigots; that diftinguifhed fenator and patriot hav¬ 
ing had the honour to be the firft mover of the bill. On 
Tuefday, the day appointed for taking the petition into 
confideration, the mob again furrounded the parliament 
houfe, and renewed their outrages and infults. The 
houfe, after parting fome refolutions adapted to the occa- 
fion, and exprertive of their juft indignation, immediately 
adjourned. In the evening the populace, now grown 
more bold, attacked the prifon of Newgate, where feveral 
of their comrades were confined ; and, letting the build¬ 
ing in flames, liberated more than three hundred felons 
and debtors refident within its walls. Encouraged by 
the impunity with which they had hitherto been fuffered 
to go on, they next proceeded to lord Mansfield’s houfe 
in Bloomfbury fquare, which they totally demolished, 
his-lordffiip efcaping with great difficulty. Tire prifons 
of Clerkenwell were alfo forced, many private houfes 
plundered or deftroyed, and fcarcely did the night afford 
any celfation of the riots. 
On Wednefday the mob, hardened by-the mifchiefs 
and villanies they had already perpetrated, attacked 
with incredible fury the houfes of various individuals, 
chiefly catholics, which they had previoufly marked for 
deftruCtion. In the evening the King’s-bench, the Fleet 
prifon, and the new compter, were fet on fire, and, with 
a prodigious number of private dwellings in different parts 
of the town burning at the fame time, formed a tremend¬ 
ous lcene of conflagration, to which London, fince the 
great fire of 1666, had feen nothing parallel or fimilar» 
The fame day attempts were made by the rioters on the 
bank and pay-office; but thefe, being ftrongly guarded, 
happily efcaped that deftruCtion which muft have involv¬ 
ed the whole nation in irreparable diftrefs and ruin. 
What.appeared moll to excite the public indignation was 
the criminal fupinenefs of the magiftracy of London dur¬ 
ing thefe horrible commotions, apparently threatening to 
lay the metropolis of the empire level with the ground, 
and which actually prefented in many parts the image of 
of a city (formed and facked. At length the king himfelf 
declared, with laudable refolution, in council, “that, 
although the magiftrates had not done their duty, he 
would not be deficient in his,” and general orders were 
immediately tranfmitted to the military to fire upon the 
rioters, without waiting for directions from the civil ma- 
girtrate, in confequence of which the {laughter was terri¬ 
ble ; but in a fhort time the commotions were effectually 
fuppreffed, and by Tlnirfday noon order and tranquillity 
were perfectly reftored. 
On that day lord George Gordon was taken into cufto- 
dy, and, after a ftriCt examination before the privy coun¬ 
cil, committed clofe prifoner to the Tower on a charge 
1 of 
