(An account from the ''Annual Register'', 1819).
'A little before noon on the 16th of August, the first body of reformers began to arrive on the scene of action, which was a piece of ground called St. Peter's Field, adjoining a church of thah name in the town of Manchester. These persons bore two banners, surmounted with caps of liberty, and bearing the inscriptions ''No Corn Laws'', ''Annual Parliaments'', ''Universal Suffrage'', ''Vote by Ballot''. Some of these flags, after being paraded round the field, were planted in the cart on which the speakers stood; but others remained in different parts of the crowd, Numerous large bodies of reformers continued to arrive from the towns in the neighbourhood of Manchester till about one o'clock, all preceded by flags, and many of them in regular marching order, five deep. Two clubs of female reformers advanced, one of them numbering more than 150 members, and bearing a white silk banner. One body of reformers turned their steps to the sound of a bugle with much of a disciplined air; another had assumed to itself the motto of the illustrious Wallace. ''God armeth the Patriot''. Aband of special constables assumed a position on the field without resistance. The congregated multitude now ammounted to a number roundly computed at 80,000, and the arrrival of the hero of the day was impatiently expected.
At length Mr. Hunt made his appearance, and after a rapturous greeting, was invited to preside; he signified his assent, and mounting a scaffolding, began to harangue his admirers. He had not proceeded far, when the appearance of the yeo manry cavalry advancing towards the area in the brisk trot, excited a panic in the outskirts of the meeting. They entered the enclosure, and after pausing a moment to recover their disordered ranks and breathe their horses, they drew their swords and brandished them fiercely in the air. The multitude, by the direcction of their leaders, gave three cheers to show that they were undaunted by this intrusion, and the orator had just resumed his speech to assure the people that this was only a trick to disturb the meeting, and to exhort them to stand firm, when the cavalry dashed into the crowd, making for the cart on which the speakers were placed. The multitud offered no resistance, they fell back on all side. The commanding officer then approaching Mr. Hunt, and brandishing his sword, told him that he was his prisoner. Mr. Hunt, after enjoing the people to tranquility, said that he would readily surrender to any civil officer on showing his warrant, and Mr. Nadin, the principal police officer, received him in charge. Another person, named Johnson, was likewise apprehended, and a few of the mob; some others against whom there were warrants escaped in the crowd.
A cry now arose among the military of ''Have at their flags'', and they dashed down not only those in the cart, but the others dispersed in the field, cutting to right and left to get at them. The people began running in all directions, and from this moment the yeomanry lost all command of temper: numbers were trampled under the feet of men and horses; many, both men and women, were cut down by sabres; several, and a police officer and a female in the number, slain on the spot. The whole number of persons injures amounted to between three and four hundred'.
(Source: The March of History by W.H.McHaffie.
Mc Dougall's Educational Co, Ltd.
30 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario