Ebe Actropolis.
The Lord Mayor issued a proclamation on Saturday, forbidding Chartist assemblies in Smithfield; but nevertheless a few persons were collected there. on Monday evening, and one of them commenced a harangue, when the police interfered, and the meeting was adjourned to Finsbury SqUere, where between femur and five hundred men, women, and children got together. Here again the Police interfered, and another move was made to Islington Green, where very few went, and soon dispersed.
On Tuesday, a procession of Chartists went from the Lumber Troop room in Fleet Street, to Mr. Thomas Attwood's apartments in Penton Square, with the " National Petition ;" which is said to weigh five hundred pounds, to be two miles and three-quarters long, and to bear a million and a ]calf of signatures : it was placed on a truck and drawn by two horses. Several Conventionists who formed part of the pro- cession had an interview with Mr. Attwood; who said that the Speaker had given his opinion that there was nothing in the wording of the petition to prevent its reception, and that he might roll it into the House on a wheelbarrow, if he liked. Mr. Attwood thought the Conventionists had better take the petition back again, and keep it till the following Friday. (this was before the adjmumment till Monday had been resolved upon,) when they could bring it to him at the House of Commons. He did- not like the responsibility of ke,Tiug so impor- tant a document, and besides be had not room for it. As for the Charter itself, Mr. Attwood said he believed the labouring people were against it— It would proceed upon a principle of appointing representatives in Parlia- ment in the ratio of the population. So that while Ireland, with its in- creasing population, would have 21H) Members, Englund, with its diminish- ing population, would have hut 400; and by this process all the honours, glory, riches, ;aid power of &galena would come into the hands of the most miserable people La the world. lie was ready to bring in a bill for Universal Suffrage, Vote by Ballot, Final Representation, Annual Parliaments, and no Property Qualification, but lie would not go beyond those five points. There was no chance of carrying the Chrter.
Me. Lovett said, that the people of England, Ireland, and Scotland, were decidedly in fitvour of the Charter.
Mr. Atwood said, "that was all gammon."
After some more converention, and speeches to the crowd from Mr. Attwood's windows, the petition was left at the bottom of the staircase.
The National Convention, on Tuesday, discussed the propriety of paying the stun of 3:3/. ltis. 9d. charged for reporting their speeches and proceedings for one week in the :Sea newepaper ; and it was agreed to pay the money, but to stop the reports after hursday last.
Mr. Vincent harangued an assembly of Chartists in Black Horse Field, Kingland Road, on Tuesday night.
On Wednesday, Mr. Vincent was arrested on a warrant sent by the Magistrates of Newport to Loudon. The accusation is that he attended a riotous meeting in Newport about a Ibrtnight ago. lie was taken to Bow Street, preparatory to his removal to Newport. Mr. Roebuck, Mr. Feargus O'Connor, Mr. Frost, and Mr. Cobbett, applied for, but were refused, pemis:Aun to see him.
In the evening, at a meeting of the Convention, Feargus O'Connor, O'Brien, Donaldson, Duncan, and others, delivered ridiculously violent speeches against time Government; and it was resolved to change their place of assembly to Birmingham ; where O'Connor said they might " ensconce themselves behind a quarter of a million of men ready to defend them."
Last night, thirteen Chartists were arrested by the Police at a house in Ship Yard, Fleet Street. One of them made a lunge at a Policeman with a pike ; but he was immediately secured, and the rest submitted quietly to be taken to Bow Street. They were not of the higher order of mechanics.
The Reverend Joseph S4:,plicus harangued a large assembly at the Crown and Anchor on Saturday night. lie appears to have made but little impression.
There has been considerable activity in the Ordnance Department of the Tower of London during. the last few days. in sending off stores, arms, and annnunition, for the use of the military in what are now con- sidered the disturbed districts, where the Chartiste have assembled -in large numbers. Yesterday and 'Tuesday stores of all descriptions were forwarded by railway and by water conveyance to the Northern and other parts of England from the Tower, and the stay of the troops is expected to be of long durttios.—lforniny Trial
Previous page
