man? perfectly agree with Mr. Whitbread upon "ing five guineas bounty and fleen shilthis subject, and am fully persuaded, that "lings per week to all that would be the proposed Bill, if it pass into a law, will" twisted in (the term for swearing in). only tend to produce still greater evils than" Many of the delegates are going round those already complained of; I am con- "the country on the same service.-QUERE, vinced, that it will not prevent the taking" where does the money come from. and tendering of oaths; that it will not lead This Quere is very pertinent indeed; but, 10 the detection of those who are engaged in why did the relater of the story not answer the riots; but, that it will tend to make it? Now, mind, it is here stated, in plain them more desperate, more secret, and and positive terms, that a man has been ofmore vindictive. These are my reasons fering a bounty of five guineas a man, and for disliking this Bill, which, I hope, will pay of 15s. a week, to recruits; and that never become a law.As to the fact of many delegates are going round the country any combination or conspiracy being in ex- on the same service. What! all this istence, I must confess, that I greatly doubt going on, and no proof to be produced? it. Mr. STEPHEN talked of 120,000 ac- Many Delegates" and these going "round tually sworn into the combination; but, is" the country" enlisting men, and nobody it not wonderful, that there has been no able to bring us any particle of proof of proof produced of the swearing in of any such open rebellion! And, as the relater one of these 120,000 men; and that the of the story asks so pertinently and sagaonly proof of any oath having been taken is ciously, "Where does the money come the copy of an oath, or, an oath in writing," from?" The very same question that having been found in the pocket of a dead my youngest son most pertinaciously pressed If the man had been alive, indeed, with regard to his youngest sister when she and had had the fact proved upon him, and was born. The nurse told him, from the had been unable to give any satisfactory parsley-bed: "Aye," said he, "but account of the paper in question, the case where did she come from?" laying great would have been very different; but, as it stress upon the closing words; and meanis, it is just possible, that some one may ing, that though he believed, of course, have written the paper and put it into the that she came last out of the parsley-bed, dead man's pocket; for, as we all know, he wanted to know how she got into it. So, dead men tell no tales and make no com- with regard to the recruiting officers of the plaints.Another story, still less proba- Luddites, though the money, of course, now ble, is, that the Luddites have actually be- comes out of their pockets, how did it get gun to enlist men, in a very regular way. into their pockets? The old custom must The story is pretended to come from Man- have been revived of men's selling their chester, and is related as follows in the souls to the devil; or, if not, the whole of -Morning Chronicle of the 4th of May: this story must be a lie, and that, too, for "MANCHESTER, April 30, 1812. the diabolical purpose of exciting alarm in "We are all quiet here at present, but are the country, and of reconciling men's still anxious to see what may happen the minds to acts of great severity, at a time "next two or three days, as the general when patriotism and humanity loudly call "meeting of the Luddites is said to be for every means of conciliation that can be "fixed for to-morrow, but the place we thought of.Mr. Perceval observed in 4 have yet to learn. Be that as it may, the early part of his speech above quoted, we we fully prepared, and so far I do that a Special Commission was about to be "conceive there is not the least danger. dispatched to try the persons apprehended The Bolton Rioters' Committee, or rather in the disturbed counties. With regard to "the Delegates, had planned a secret meet- the propriety, or impropriety, of this meaing, at which some important matters sure, I shall not pretend to decide. were to be discussed. The fact became opinion leans against it; because, I think, "known to the officers and police, and it that if the trials were to take place at the 66 was deemed prudent not to prevent it assizes, in the usual course, there would be from taking place. The consequence more time for the minds of men to cool; 66 was, that last night the whole assem- passion would be less likely to prevail; and "blage, consisting of twenty-five men, justice, of course, more likely to be admi"were taken by surprise, together with all nistered in mercy, agreeably to the King's their correspondence. A man has also coronation oath. My opinion may, how"been apprehended at Eccles, in attempt-ever, in this particular, be wrong; but, of **ing to seduce the Local Militia, by offer- one thing I will not hesitate to speak posi 66 66 My 66 necessary to mention the effect of this spirit on every thing which relates to the commerce of the country."- -So, this man thinks it wrong, that a poor journeyman should have any one to furnish the means of getting him an attorney or counsel! And, if put into prison for wanting more wages for his labour (though the master rises his prices as often as he pleases) he is doubly criminal because his brethren assist in keeping him alive!--Pray, Sir, what laws would you pass, if you were our sole legislator? It really seems to me, that nothing would satisfy you short of making journeymen the downright slaves of their masters; the real bona fide slaves, driven with a whip, and fed as are the beasts of the field. Do not the prices of goods of all sorts continually rise? Have not your advertisements and paid-for paragraphs tripled in price within twenty years? Do you not now get a pound note for that space which you formerly sold for a crown? Can you deny this? Is it not as notorious as the rise in the price of other well-known articles at the west end of the town? Is it not "as notorious as the sun 66 at noon day?" If this be true, then, upon what ground do you deny to the journeymen the right of demanding an in tively, and that is, the manner in which แ 66 ་་ ર્ડ σε ແ 66 crease of wages;" upon what ground do you abuse them for so doing? You would have laws passed to disqualify them for. making such demand; you would have laws passed, the effect of which should be to cause them to perish in jail for making such demand; but, mark the contrast; you propose no law to prevent yourself and other masters from raising their prices at their pleasure. I shall return to this subject, and cut you a little deeper before I have done with you; in the meanwhile, whatever your heart may be made of, whether of steel or stone, let me advise you to keep your thoughts to yourself, and not emit them in expressions so manifestly calculated to add fuel to the flame of discontent.This same writer, in the former part of his article, blames the government for not having been sufficiently prompt and vigorous. This is a sort of blame for the bestowing of which he does not fear that he shall be prosecuted as a libeller. He seeins free to bestow as much of this sort of blame as he likes. Thus it is to enjoy the "Liberty "of the Press." But, what did he want the government to do? He has not told us that. He has not told us to what an extent he would have carried promptitude and vigour, Really, if our fathers were to rise from the grave, they could not believe they "the most effectual means for the defence were in England! This man, who has" of your Depot, in case any such attempt seen the soldiers employed in all the places" should be made, and to point out to you where there have been any stir even of wo- "the propriety of having the permanent men and children about flour or potatoes; "Staff of your Regiment, under the com who has seen the country filled with sol "mand of the Adjutant, in such a state of diers; who has seen horse, foot, and artil- "constant efficiency, as to be immediately lery marched thither to the amount of "available for its defence.I am at the 20,000 or 30,000 men; who has seen "same time to observe to you, that the many persons killed by the soldiers and Lieutenancy of the County are by law many more wounded; who has seen one "obliged to furnish a fit and proper place law passed, making that crime punishable" for the Depot; and in case the building with death which was before punished with "now appropriated to that purpose should transportation; and who now sees another" not appear to afford, in its present state, law passing for a purpose somewhat simi-" adequate means of resistance, Mr. Ryder lar: this man, who has seen all this," has to desire that you will either make blames the government for having shewn a" immediate application to the Lieutenancy lingering and undecided spirit; and calls" for providing some place of grealer aloud for more prompt and vigorous mea- "strength, or will adopt some practical sures! Never does he say a word of con- "mode of guarding your present Depot, ciliation; never does he suffer to escape "and of diminishing the possibility of its from him a sigh of compassion for the poor "forcible entry, in order that those who creatures who have been urged into illegal" may be lodged in it, may be enabled to acts by their distresses and a misconception" repel any sudden attack, until effectual of the true causes thereof; he uniformly" military assistance (which means have treats them as creatures scarcely human," been taken to provide at the shortest and seems to think no more of their destruc. nolice) can be brought to their relief.” tion than if they were so many wolves or -This document speaks volumes. Whole bears. He, like too many others, seems volumes it speaks. It proclaims our situto listen to nothing but his anger against ation to the whole world. Well, now, the rioters; seems deaf to every thing but this is at the end of twenty years' war his vindictiveness; punish! punish! pu- against "jacobin principles!" What! nish punish! This you find to be conti- Are there, then, attempts expected to nually his cry; as, indeed, it always is of seize the arms of the local militia; and is all men who have not the wisdom to go- it necessary to provide for the defence of vern by any thing but fear.—If nothing those arms! The defence of arms! What else could teach this writer, and other per- an idea! But, why be in trouble about sons like him, how wrong it is to hold lan- a place of strength for these arms? A guage such as he and they have held, one place of strength! Why, would not the would think, that experience, the experi- arms be best defended by the Local militia. ence even now before their eyes, might themselves? This really does astound one. have had that effect. The state into which The Commanders of this militia are rethe country has been thrown by these out-quested to put the arms into a place of rageous insults on the people, is such as strength, so that any sudden attack may be can no longer be disguised; and which is, repelled, "until effectual military aid can in my opinion, more clearly characterized in "be brought to their relief." And we the following official document, than in are told, that means have been taken “ any other act of the government:" The" provide such aid at the shortest notice." 66 following circular has been addressed to How strange does all this seem to me! "the Commanding Officers of the Local Calling in military aid to defend the arms "Militia :- (CIRCULAR.)--"While of the Local Militia, who are, of course, "hall, 17th April.-Sir-There being residing at no very great distance from the 46 reason to apprehend, from the various spot! And, is it really true, that this disturbances which have taken place in militia cannot defend their own arms?"some of our manufacturing districts, that It is useless to comment. There is no man attempts may be made by evil disposed with brains sufficient to enable him to dispersons to seize or destroy the arms be- tinguish daylight from darkness who will "longing to the Local Militia, I am di- not clearly understand the meaning of this "rected by Mr. Secretary Ryder to im- document.The following two articles, 66 press upon you the necessity of adopting which I take from the Courier of the 11th 66 to of May, will show what is going on with respect of arms in Yorkshire. "LEEDS, MAY 9.- OUTRAGE.-Last "night the family of Colonel Campbell, "the Commanding Officer of the Leeds dis"trict, was thrown into very serious "alarm: between 10 and 11 o'clock, two "men, whose voices were distinctly heard, "placed themselves in a plantation in the "rear of the Gol.'s house, at Woodhouse, "about a mile from Leeds, and discharged "two muskets in the direction of the Guard"Room, just at the moment when two "Hussars were entering the court, but the "trees intercepting the shots, neither of "them took effect. The sentinels imme"diately went in pursuit of the offenders, but "they escaped under the cover of night. In "the absence of the guard, and just at the "moment when the Colonel's son, accompanied by a soldier, was turning the south❝ east corner of the house, four or five men "were observed to collect in front, and one "of them discharged another musket, but "like the former the shot passed without "doing any mischief. Soon after the firing, the Colonel, who had been from "home on his military duties, drove into "the court, and having taken the neces"sary precaution to strengthen the guard, "the night passed without further molesta 66 In reader, are these scenes to excite exultation in the breasts of Englishmen? This is neither more nor less than a disarming of the people, if the account be true; and, what does that act proclaim to the world? Answer me this question, you venal men, before you again give way to your exultations.Since the commencement of the war against the republicans of France, MAJOR CARTWRIGHT wrote and published a book, called "ENGLAND'S ECIS." Every cabinet minister who has been in place for the last 10 years, and every member of the Royal Family, has, I believe, had a copy of this book from the hands of the venerable and patriotic author. that work is laid down the principles of national defence, internal as well as external. This work will, perhaps, at last be attended to; for, I think, it will not require much more experience to convince any rational man, that the safety of the country does now absolutely demand something other than what we now see. If the plan of Major Cartwright, or, rather, the plan of the English Constitution, for he only proposes to do what was actually done by our ancestors in this respect; if this plan were put in execution, we should never hear of a riot again of any consequence; for, I maintain, that such a riot would be impossible. If that plan "HUDDERSFIELD, MR. were once adopted, we should hear no "EDITOR, I am sorry to inform you the more of the necessity of guarding the arms "Luddites have been very active in collect of the Local Militia; nor should we hear ing arms this last week, and have been any more of those acts of violence, which loo successful. They proceeded to have, of late, created such serious alarm. people's houses, in the townships of Al- It is now manifest, that unless the people "mondbury, Wooldale, Farnley, Nether- are armed for their own defence, agreeably "thong, Meltham, Honley, and Mars- to the ancient laws and customs of the "den, aud many other places in this country, there will soon be no safety for "neighbourhood; they entered the houses any man; for, after all, what is an army "by about 20 or 30 in a gang, and de- as the means of internal defence? I read, "manded all the arms in the house, on that, in one of the disturbed counties, many "pain of instant death. By this means persons have been called out under the old "they have obtained possession of upwards law of Walch and Ward. To be sure! of 100 stand of arms since my last letter This is the right way of going to work; it "to you, and not one night has passed is calling upon the people to defend them"without some arms having been so taken. selves. To talk, as Mr. Perceval did in "In order to check this alarming evil, the debate noticed in my last, about send"Major Gordon has obtained possession of ing troops to the protection of the "loyal "200 stand of arms from the inhabitants" subjects of His Majesty" is to discover, "in this neighbourhood; the military are in my opinion, more anger than reflection; "in this manner daily employed in collect- for, what does it amount to but this: that "ing arms, but they have not been fortunate the "loyal subjects" are the least numeenough to discover the depot of the Lud-rous, seeing that they stand in need of "diles." ❝tion." 66 66 966 MAY 7. At this success of the military in taking arms from the people, some of the London prints express great exullation! But, troops to defend them against their neighbours; for, when all is said and done, the rioters are their neighbours.I shall conclude, as I have done in all my articles upon this melancholy subject, by recommending conciliatory measures; but, really, it appears to me, that conciliation is at an end, if these pestiferous news-papers, such as the Times and the Courier, are resolved to persevere in their contemptuous language and their false accusations against the whole class of journeymen and poor manufacturers. These prints are the real incendiaries; these are the stirrers-up of sedition. Their object appears to be to goad the people on to deeds of desperation, so as to cut them off from all hope of retreat to peaceable behaviour. Such prints, pretending to take the side of the master manufacturers, are supposed to speak their sentiments; and thus they mainly contribute towards the feeding of all those hostile passions, which are now spreading ruin and consternation through the most valuable part of our country. officers of the army to see such a vast over proportion of them amongst the killed and wounded. This is a clear proof that there was no skulking on their part, and that they did, as it became them, set an example to their men.- -When this is said, however, all is said in favour of this capture, which will not, in my opinion, at all advance the cause of the allies, while the expense of the capture will have been enormous.That it is the settled purpose of Napoleon to prolong the war in the Pe ninsula; or, at least, to reserve that as the last point whence to eject us, is, I think, now too clear to admit of dispute. If such were not his purpose, it is not possible to reconcile to reason his sending of two or three hundred thousand men, at this time, to the North of Germany, where there is no allack meditated against him. If he wished to drive us out of Portugal, why not send a hundred thousand of those men, who are now marching towards the confines of Russia? It is true, that, without marching his army to the north, he cannot completely enforce the "Continental System;" but, if he had been as anxious as some people suppose him to be about getting our army out of Spain and Portual, he would have spared 50 or 100,000 men for that purpose first, and would have marched to the shores of the Baltic afterwards.Besides, who knows, that he does not mean 60 to offer us, in his terms of peace, to leave 45 Portugal in our hands, for the benefit of 715 the Prince Regent of that country? This is a proposition which would stagger the 820 Ministers. They would not know very well what to do with it. But, it will be time enough to talk of this when the time comes. At present other things press. BADAJOZ.- -The capture of this town of Spain is an event of some importance in the war. The details are stated in the Official Account, which I shall insert in another part of this sheet.The French garrison is stated to have consisted of 5,000 men, about 1,200 of whom are said to have been killed or dangerously wounded. The rest, as will be seen, were taken prisoners. -Our loss appears by the official returns, to have been as follows. Killed Missing Wounded Rank and File. 2564 Sergeants 32 3007 33 3860 AMERICAN STATES.-Three months ago, I told the readers of the Register, that we should hear of a declaration of war, on the part of the United States, by the 15th of May. I was within two days of the precise day; for, we may look upon war as This was the loss in British Troops, to having been almost begun in the seizure of which are to be added about 1,000 of all Amelia Island; at least, so it appears to ranks, in killed and wounded, of Portu me at present. The emburgo that has been guese.- -There is one thing, which, laid is another measure indicative of actual amidst all this dreadful carnage, an Eng- hostilities; for, though the Times newslishman observes with satisfaction, and that paper (a cheater of its dupes of readers to is, to use the words of Sir Francis Burdett the last) says, that the embargo is as much in his proposed address to the Prince Re against France as against us, the obvious gent, our countrymen maintain the charac-object of it is to prevent intelligence from ter of their ancestors." Great bravery appears to have been displayed upon this occasion; and, it is no small honour to the 66 66 escaping hither, and also to prevent ships and cargoes from falling into our hands. The embargo is for 90 days, a time suffi |