personally assisting in the accomplishment of that object, perceived that the avenue leading from one of the corners of the field, was interrupted by a party of the military who had surrounded a considerable body of the people. Knowing that it was the dispersion of the Meeting that was desired, and not their destruction, a sense of duty as well as humanity, led me to interpose, and I shall ever rejoice in having done so, notwithstanding the misrepresentations and unmerited reflections to which I have in consequence been exposed." What will the vile boroughmongers say to this letter, coming from a gentleman who was personally engaged in the dispersion of the Meeting, and who actually was Major in the 15th Hussars, upon that melancholy occasion. But what can they say besides that it is not their desire to believe it, notwithstanding the internal conviction which proof clear as the noon-day sun, must carry to their guilty breasts. If justice were their aim, why not suffer the Inquest at Oldham to proceed to an issue; but apropos, we are happy to find that the opinion of the Jury, which, with the people of England must be tantamount to their verdict, will in a short time be given to the world, as our readers will perceive by the following paragraph copied from the Manchester Observer, of the 25th of the month: OLDHAM INQUEST. The Jury who were impanneled on the celebrated Inquest on John Lees of Oldham, being very properly desirous of having the business determined according to the law, on Wednesday transmitted by two of their body a request to the Coroner to afford them an opportunity of delivering their verdict. In this they state that the original writ is still in ` force, and that, therefore the duty of the Coroner will not be completed until he resume and conclude the Inquest. The letter was signed by seven, the other five, being publicans have refused from motives of personal interest, although they have expressed a wish to be enabled to give their opinion in the formal manner of the law. Should the Coroner refuse compliance with their wishes, we understand that they intend to publish their opinion from the evidence they have already heard. The only good likely to result from their publication of their opinion is, that it will stand upon record as the most satisfactory refutal of all hat the noble Lord (Castlereagh) has with brazen insolence asserted in the House of Commons. By this sentence our readers will perceive that we anticipate what that opinion must be, from the weight of evidence which was brought before the Inquest by Messrs. Harmer, Pearson, and Dennison. We cannot conjecture exactly what sort of an answer Mr. Coroner Ferrand will return, but we suppose it will be the counterpart of that which on a similar occasion, he transmitted to Mr. Harmer. TRUTH WILL PREVAIL! NEITHER the folly of fools, nor the artillery of the whisk ered slaves of sovereigns, can arrest the progress of the human mind; for the sun will move on its course, though a hundred Galileos should be tortured by the Inquisition! We are called upon, as Englishmen, as Freemen, as men who prefer death to slavery-to rouse the people to a full sense of their danger. He who knows the value of Liberty, would fearlessly defend it-aye, we repeat it, would defend it even at the cannon's mouth. England's renown is paramount to every other consideration, but to stand by in silence whilst chains are forging for her darling sons, would be treason to both king and people. Events like these wrung from the noble Brutus this expression, "I'd rather be a dog and bay the moon, "Than such a Roman;" and events like these have roused the noble indignation of Englishmen from one extremity of the kingdom to the other. Let, then, the Regent hear from the lips of Truth the complaints of the People-let not one honest Englishman stand with folded arms, and leave to his neighbour what his country calls upon himself to perform-let every man take into account that ones make millions, and that the People have only to remonstrate firmly, collectively, and individually, and with all the impediments that Ministers have endeavoured to throw in their way, they need not despair-victory is yet their own. Liberty, to be gained, must be struggled for--whilst slavery is the pioneer of Despotism. Let, then, the People not neglect their Rights-their Duties; if they do, when they are roused from their sloth, they will find themselves in bondage!!! To hide viliainy and screen delinquency the silliest stories are hourly propagated. Wrong has been covered by falsehoods of a thousand dyes-hosts of armed men have been depicted as springing up, where not one man could be found; insurrection as rearing its horrible head where all was quiet; 'the most absurd alarms have been spread to terrify the timid, and the corrupt have been taught to give currency to dreadful narrations, mere creatures of fancy; and wonderful to say, these monstrous tales have produced in some instances their intended effect. But the veil must speedily be torn asunder and falsehood exposed in all its horrible deformity. If Justice does not sleep, if it be not hoodwinked, the impostors must be brought to punishment for a crime which shakes the foundation of the throne, and makes the sceptre tremble. The cringing creatures of power, not content with maintaining tyranny and supporting oppression, absolutely, in the anonymous trash they are disseminating gratis throughout the Country, have the effrontery to hold up slavery as an example, and despotism as a pattern! We hesitate not to pronounce that man an enemy both to his King and his Country, who would throw open the sluices of power. Our statute book is too bloody and penal. He who would support the Government at the expence of the liberties of the people, should be placed beyond the pale of society-contamination is in his breath, and his touch is pollution! The true lover of his country-the real admirer of the constitution-the friend of freedom-the friend of Britons, would engrave on his heart the words of the noble Chatham, "It is better for the people to perish in glorious contention for their rights, than to suffer an iota of the constitution to be destroyed." There is no blow which tyrannic Kings or Princes, or despotic Ministers, can strike so fatally against liberty as the subduing their subjects in the name of law. This is the system practised at this time by our Court and Cabinet. If the late Lord Chatham were again alive, he would think our Legislators were all mad, or struck with the mania of law-making. With Chatham's words upon our lips we will strike terror to the hearts of tyrants-and with Chatham's words on our lips we are ready to meet any tribunal upon earth, conscious they are sanctioned by the approving voice of heaven. TO THE READER. ERE we shall have another opportunity of addressing our readers, the infamous penalty of banishment will be in force against us, if we happen to transgress the bounds which the Attorney-General may think proper to prescribe to the play of our pen. We now, however, declare that we shall not pay the smallest attention to the late Acts of Parliament, which have been enacted in direct opposition to the spirit of the Constitution. We mean to say that we shall pay no attention to them, as far as regards the spirit of this publi cation, which will be kept up with the same undeviating adherence to truth as heretofore. The Stamp Duties' Bill will, however, affect all publications in such a manner, that: an alteration must be made in the size, quantity of matter, and also in the price of the CAP OF LIBERTY. To effect this object, with the least possible increase of price to our readers, matters have been arranged so as to unite the MEDUSA with the CAP OF LIBERTY, which when together will form two sheets, for sixpence, that being the lowest sum: for which Lord Castlereagh will allow any thing political to make its appearance without a stamp. To make this work, however, worthy of public patronage and support, shall be our, constant and unwearied endeavour. The CAP OF LIBERTY shall be raised over the expiring banners of Albion's independance, to scare if possible the minions of despotism from the plunder end carnage of a prostrate People. Amidst all the melancholy desolation of our Country's freedom, we can with difficulty refrain from a contemptuous smile at the insignificant nonsense of Lord Ellenborough. This young sprig of Nobility voted against changing the punishment of transportation into that of banishment, because, forsooth, transportation was intended for such low insignificant wretches as printers, publishers, and authors; whereas banishment is for the higher orders. From this we must suppose that his Lordship means to argue that the House of Commons has conferred an honour upon us, by: raising us upon a level with Nobility: as if it could be any consolation to a man who was going to the block, to tell him that a King was beheaded there before him. His Lordship seems to have quite forgotten that his father was at first a lawyer, and consequently not so far removed from the despicable rank of printers, publishers, and authors, as he would wish the world to believe. A man, however, who has a Seat in either House of Parliament, is to be heuce-> forth privileged to talk nonsense by the hour, without any persons having the honesty to tell him of it, or to hold him up to the contempt and execration of the Country for which he would pretend to legislate. We, however, shall not attend to these infamous, these atrocious Acts of Parliament; but taking Truth and Reason for our guides, and argument' for our weapon, we shall proceed in the path of Patriotism, however dangerous to us, as the enemies of all that is villainous in a.Government. Printed and Published by T. DAVISON, 10, Duke Street, Smithfield, Cap of Liberty. A London Weekly Political Publication. No. 16, Vol. 1.] Wednesday, December 22nd, 1819. [PRICE 2d. If Humanity shows to the God of this World, "Tis that of a PEOPLE with banner unfurl'd, LETTER V. C. PHILLIPS. TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE REGENT, RESPECTING THE STATE OF THE NATION, SIR, ONCE more I presume to address you, for the purpose of warning your Royal Highness of the fatal consequences of the measures to which Ministers would have your Royal assent; measures of the deepest atrocity, of the most arbitrary complexionm; easures revolting to every principle of humanity, measures symptomatic of a most vindictive, malignant and persecuting spirit against the shrine at which Britons have been womt to kneel-the pure, unspotted, and resplendene altar of civil and religious liberty. Under the suition of a man so utterly destitute of all good principle as Lord Castlereagh, you Sir, could not have imbibed any portion whatsoever of reverence or respect for the imprescripable riglits and privileges of the people; similarly with his Lordship you perhaps regard them as mere machines-mong automatons who are necessary appendages in the team of Poyalry, and who should have no other will then that of the Cabinet who governs them; no matter how infamously, I now Sir, would, if possible, would, if possible, dispel the mist from before Kour eyes, and place in perspective, the hazardous career through which your Ministers wish to lead you. Trink not, Sir, that I speak merely as I wish, No! you will be, if you proceed, opposed to public opinion ; you will be in arns, to wage a war of Despotism against thre liberties of Freement. It was in such a war this that Charles armed his myr Printed and Published by T. DAVISON, 10, Duke Street, Smithfield. |