The Earl of Wiltonbegged to call the attention of the noble Secretary for the Home Department, to a transaction of a very disgraceful character, which had recently occurred in St. Stephen's-square, Manchester. He was informed that the mayor of the town having refused—and in so doing exercised, as he thought, a wise discretion— to call an open-air meeting to take into consideration the repeal of the Corn-laws, the repeal of the Union, and various other matters. Three county magistrates headed a tumultuous assemblage of persons who paraded the streets, carrying flags bearing most inflammatory inscriptions. They then formed themselves into a meeting in St. Stephen's-square, and the three county magistrates stood upon the hustings, and witnessed the whole proceedings. A riot of a serious nature occurred, during which eleven individuals were wounded and carried to the infirmary. It appeared also, that although this took place in the presence of a large body of police, they did not interfere in any way to prevent the riot, and not a single individual was taken into custody. At the close of the proceedings, the three magistrates again headed the assemblage, and returned home parading the streets as before, to the great terror of the peaceable inhabitants of Manchester.
The Marquess of Normanbysaid, from what he already knew of the case, he was satisfied that the noble Earl was misinformed upon almost all points. He supposed the noble Earl alluded to a transaction which occurred on Wednesday week. He had received a report upon the subject from Sir C. Shaw, who was in command of the constabulary force at Manchester, and he had reason to think that that officer exercised a sound discretion in not interfering on the occasion until the proper time arrived. The disturbance at one time was likely to have been of a serious character, and it was owing to the prudence and vigilance of Sir C. Shaw, and the admirable conduct of the men under his command that serious damage was not committed The riot, he believed, occurred between two parties who were violently excited against each other, but the result had been 1449 much exaggerated. There were one or two points referred to by the noble Earl upon which he was not informed, and with respect to them he would make further inquires.
The Earl of Wiltonsaid, that the circumstance of eleven persons having been sent to the infirmary was a sufficient proof that the riot was of a serious character; but what he particularly wished to direct the noble Marquess's attention to was, the conduct of the three county magistrates.
The Marquess of Normanbysaid, that he had no information upon that point—it might naturally be supposed that it was not likely to form the subject of any part of Sir C. Shaw's report. He would inquire into the matter. The persons taken to the infirmary were not much hurt; they left it very soon.