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Samuel Bamford (1788-1872) |
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WITH the restoration of the Habeas Corpus Act, the agitation for reform
was renewed. A public meeting on the subject was held at Westminster,
on the 28th of March and in June [ 18191 Sir Francis Burdett's motion
for reform was negatived in the House of Commons. Numerous meetings followed in various parts of the country; and Lancashire,
and the Stockport borders of Cheshire, were not the last to be concerned
in public demonstrations for reform. At one of these meetings, which took
place at Lydgate, in Saddleworth, and at which Bagguley, Drummond, Fitton,
Haigh, and others were the principal speakers, I, in the course of' an
address, insisted on the right, and the propriety also, of females who
were present at such assemblages voting by a show of hand for or against
the resolutions. This was a new idea; and the women, who attended numerously
on that bleak ridge, were mightily pleased with it. The men being nothing
dissentient, when the resolution was Put the women held up their hands
amid much laughter; and ever from that time females voted with the men
at the Radical meetings. I was not then aware that the new impulse thus
given to political movement would in a short time be applied to charitable
and religious purposes. But it was so; our females voted at every subsequent
meeting; it became the practice, female political unions were formed,
with their chairwoman, committees, and other officials; and from us the
practice was soon borrowed, very judiciously no doubt, and applied in
a greater or less degree to the promotion of religious and charitable
institutions. Amongst the meetings for reform held in the early part of the summer
of 1819 were the one which took place on Spa Fields, London, at which
Mr. Hunt was chairman, and another held at Birmingham, at which Major
Cartwright and Sir Charles Wolseley were elected to act as legislatorial
attornies for that town in Parliament. It would seem that these movements in the country induced our friends
at Manchester to adopt a course similar to that at Birmingham, and it
was accordingly arranged that a meeting for that purpose should be held
on St. Peter's Field on the 9th of August. But the object of that meeting
having been declared illegal by the authorities, it was countermanded,
and another was appointed to be held on the 16th of the same month.... By eight o'clock on the morning of Monday, the 16th of August, 1819,
the whole town of Middleton might be said to be on the alert: some to
go to the meeting, and others to see the procession, the like of which,
for such a purpose, had never before taken place in that neighbourhood. First were selected twelve of the most comely and decent-looking youths,
who were placed in two rows of six each, with each a branch of laurel
held presented in his hand, as a token of amity and peace; then followed
the men of several districts in fives; then the band of music, an excellent
one; then the colours: a blue one of silk, with inscriptions in golden
letters, "Unity and Strength," "Liberty and Fraternity";
a green one of silk, with golden letters, "Parliaments Annual,"
"Suffrage Universal"; and betwixt them, on a staff, a handsome
cap of crimson velvet with a tuft of laurel, and the cap tastefully braided,
with the word "Libertas" in front. Next were placed the
remainder of the men of the districts in fives. Every hundred men had a leader, who was distinguished by a sprig of laurel
in his hat; others similarly distinguished were appointed over these,
and the whole were to obey the directions of a principal conductor, who
took his place at the head of the column, with a bugleman to sound his
orders. Such were our dispositions on the ground at Barrowfields. At the
sound of the bugle not less than three thousand men formed a hollow square,
with probably as many people around them, and, an impressive silence having
been obtained, I reminded them that they were going to attend the most
important meeting that had ever been held for Parliamentary Reform, and
I hoped their conduct would be marked by a steadiness and seriousness
befitting the occasion, and such as would cast shame upon their enemies,
who had always represented the reformers as a mob-like rabble; ... I requested
they would not leave their ranks, nor show carelessness, nor inattention
to the order of their leaders; but that they would walk comfortably and
agreeably together. Not to offer any insult or provocation by word or
deed; nor to notice any persons who might do the same by them, but to
keep such persons as quiet as possible; for if they began to retaliate,
the least disturbance might serve as a pretext for dispersing the meeting.
If the peace officers should come to arrest myself or any other person,
they were not to offer any resistance, but suffer them to execute their
office peaceably.... ... I also said that, in conformity with a rule of the committee, no
sticks, nor weapons of any description, would be allowed to be carried
in the ranks; and those who had such were requested to put them aside,
or leave them with some friend until their return. In consequence of this
order many sticks were left behind; and a few only of the oldest and most
infirm amongst us were allowed to carry their walking staves. I may say
with truth that we presented a most respectable assemblage of labouring
men; all were decently, though humbly attired; and I noticed not even
one who did not exhibit a white Sunday's shirt, a neck-cloth, and other
apparel in the same clean, though homely condition.... From all that I had heard of the disposition of the authorities, I had
scarcely expected that we should be allowed to enter Manchester in a body.
I had thought it not improbable that they, or some of them, would meet
us with a civil and military escort; would read the Riot Act, if they
thought proper, and warn us from proceeding, and that we should then have
nothing to do but turn back and hold a meeting in our town. I had even
fancied that they would most likely stop us at the then toll-gate, where
the roads forked towards Collyhurst and Newtown; but when I saw both those
roads open, with only a horseman or two prancing before us, I began to
think that I had over-estimated the forethought of the authorities, and
I felt somewhat assured that we should be allowed to enter the town quietly,
when, of course, all probability of interruption would be at an end.... Having squeezed ourselves through the gully of a road below St. Michael's
Church, we traversed Blackley Street and Miller's Lane, and went along
Swan Street and Oldham Street, frequently hailed in our progress by the
cheers of the townspeople. We learned that other parties were on the field
before us, and that the Lees and Saddleworth Union had been led by Doctor
Healey, walking before a pitch-black flag, with staring white letters,
forming the words, "Equal Representation or Death," "Love"-two
handsjoined and a heart; ... ... The meeting was indeed a tremendous one.... Mr. Hunt, stepping towards
the front of the stage, took off his white hat, and addressed the people. Whilst he was doing so, I proposed to an acquaintance that, as the speeches
and resolutions were not likely to contain anything new to us, and as
we could see them in the papers, we should retire awhile and get some
refreshment, of which I stood much in need, being not in very robust health.
He assented, and we had got to nearly the outside of the crowd, when a
noise and strange murmur arose towards the church. Some persons said it
was the Blackburn people coming, and I stood on tip-toe and looked in
the direction whence the noise proceeded, and saw a party of cavalry in
blue and white uniform come trotting, sword in hand, round the corner
of a garden-wall, and to the front of a row of new houses, where they
reined up in a line. "The soldiers are here," I said; "we must go back and
see what this means." "Oh," some one made reply, "they
are only come to be ready if there should be any disturbance in the meeting."
"well, let us go back," I said, and we forced our way towards
the colours. On the cavalry drawing up they were received with a shout of goodwill,
as I understood it. They shouted again, waving their sabres over their
heads; and then, slackening rein, and striking spur into their steeds,
they dashed forward and began cutting the people.... On the breaking of the crowd the yeomanry wheeled, and, dashing whenever
there was an opening, they followed, pressing and wounding. Many females
appeared as the crowd opened; and striplings or mere youths also were
found. Their cries were piteous and heart-rending, and would, one might
have supposed, have disarmed any human resentment: but here their appeals
were in vain. Women, white-vested maids, and tender youths, were indiscriminately
sabred or trampled; and we have reason for believing that few were the
instances in which that forbearance was vouchsafed which they so earnestly
implored. In ten minutes from the commencement of the havoc the field was an open
and almost deserted space. Source From Henry Duncklev, Bamford's Passages in the Life of a Radical and Early Days (London: Unwin, 1893), Vol. 2, pp. 141-142, 149-153, 155-156. |