Memoirs of Henry Hunt, Esq, vol 1 | Page 5

their manly support, this measure would
have been lost, and the reformers throughout the kingdom would then
have been recommended to abandon the high ground they had taken; to

give up petitions, already signed by half a million of men for _universal
suffrage_; and in its stead to petition for suffrage to the extent of
householders, or to the payers of direct taxes ONLY.--Having
established this position, for the correctness of which I appeal to all the
delegates who were present, I shall leave it for the present, although
there are very important matters, and some very curious circumstances
connected with the events of that period, which have never yet
appeared before the public, which must come out, and which will form
a very material part of my history. The government, or rather the
ministers, had their eye upon this meeting of delegates, and they well
knew ALL that passed there; and I should not be surprised if six
months of my imprisonment may be fairly placed to the account of
what the editor of the Macclesfield Courier called, "my most
uncompromising perseverance."--The editor of an obscure Sunday
London Newspaper, in observing upon my sentence, says most
exultingly, "_The game its now up_--with this man we have done, to
the people we now turn:" and what do you think he means to do, how
does he propose to relieve their distresses? In speaking of your
prospects of relief he says "_Suffer they must for a time, it would be
vain to deny this, it would be dishonest to hold out any other hope_. IT
REMAINS WITH THEMSELVES WHETHER THEIR SUFFERINGS
BE LONG OR SHORT." So this gentleman tells you first that the game
is up, and then he consoles you by telling you that the game is in your
own hands. Was there ever such paltering, ever such base and stupid
attempts to delude rational beings? The Morning Post of the 23d of
May, a few days after my sentence, gives vent to his malignant joy in
the following words.
"The political matters of fact of the last month will descend to posterity
as the proudest mementos of the age in which we live; never at any
period since Trial by Jury has been the stipulation of our allegiance,
never has that grand perfection of Justice been more sacredly guarded.
The trial of Mr. HUNT at York is a precedent of almost unattainable
impartiality in judicial proceedings. Pending that trial the reports of its
progress gave radicalism a confidence it undisguisedly evinced, that the
result would be favourable to its heart's worst wishes. The _Io Pæns_ of
Faction were in full rehearsal, when the bringers of evil tidings
announced the triumph of Truth. The conviction of a burlesque on

baronetcy was expected in sulky helplessness--but the overthrow of the
CHAMPION of LIBERTY, the ORATOR whose eloquence was to
have been the passing dirge of Justice--his overthrow was the
overthrow of thousands. With his, hearts sunk, and menaces grew silent;
the monster at his whetstone dropped the half-sharpened dagger at the
conviction of _Henry Hunt_; and the tool of his excitement unscrewed
the pike-head and threw away the musquet. I have no hesitation in
declaring, that all the numerous verdicts for the Crown, that of late
have asserted the majesty of Law, including the convictions of high
treason, have not done HALF so much for the real interest of social
quiet, as the radically never-dreamt-of conviction of 'the Lord of the
Manor of Glastonbury.'"
This you see, my friends of Yorkshire, is meant to quiet the conscience
of Mr. SEPTIMUS BROMLEY and his brother TALESMAN. The
SPECIAL Gentlemen being above any thing of the sort. I wish some
friend who lives near the said Septimus would give me a line, and tell
me who and what he is, and what he says for himself. I hope some
radical in his neighbourhood will send me a good and particular
account of this gentleman. But I see by the Newspapers that the game is
not quite up, or if it is, a new game is begun. If the Honourable House
have got rid of one set of petitioners, a new set is sprung up, not of
radicals to be sure, but a set of agriculturists, merchants, manufacturers,
and shipowners, who all appear to be petitioning against each other, or
at least each of them is petitioning for that which would add to the
distress and ruin of the other. The Honourable House is placed in a very
ticklish and delicate situation. It does not dare to serve the petitions of
these new applicants as they did our petitions, my friends for
reform--kick them out of the House; but having for the present got rid
of the radicals, they have now plenty of leisure to attend