Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/147

 i82o.] Close of the War to the Death of George IIL 133 days later, resolved that as soon as an eligible person could be found an election should take place. The Ministry quickly replied. On the I Qth of July Sir Charles Wolseley, the elected representative of Birmingham, was arrested at his residence, Wolseley Park, Staffordshire, carried to Knutsford, and com- pelled to give bail for his appearance to answer for seditious words spoken by him at a public meeting at Stockport. A great meeting, under the presidency of Hunt, was held in Smithfield, London, on the 2ist, which occasioned great alarm to the authorities, but it went off with peacefulness and order. At this meeting a man named Harrison was arrested for words used at the same Stockport meeting where Wolseley had spoken. The officer who had arrested both Wolseley and Harrison was attacked by a mob when he reached Stockport, and was wounded by a pistol-shot. Other arrests were made, and circular letters and proclamations were issued by the Government, prohibiting seditious meetings, and warning lords-lieutenant and magistrates to take prompt and effective measures for the preservation of public tranquillity ; and, as a measure of precaution, directions were to be given to the yeomanry of the counties to hold themselves in readiness. The opposing forces the excitement of the people and the determined repression of the Government were sure to come into collision. The catastrophe occurred at Manchester, at- tended by circumstances which have made it memorable in English political history. A meeting was announced to be held in St. Peter's Field, on the i6th of August, for the purpose of electing a representative, and of adopting Major Cartwright's plan of Parliamentary reform. Hunt was to take the chair, and it was supposed that he would be chosen as the repre- sentative. The whole neighbourhood was excited, and an enormously large attendance was expected. The authorities acted in a manner which made a violent scene inevitable. A committee of county magistrates had been sitting for some days, deliberating on the steps to be taken, and they resolved at last not to prevent the meeting, but, when it was assembled, to direct the arrest of the leaders and prevent the transaction