PLACARD ISSUED AT MANCHESTER. (Hansard, 3 June 1842)

§ Mr. Ferrand
wished to put a question to the right hon. Baronet. He understood that the Anti-Corn-law League had issued a placard of a most inflammatory nature, and employed a number of men at Manchester, at 1s. 6d. a day, to carry it about the streets of Manchester. Others had also been employed to circulate it. This placard charged the right hon. Baronet at the head of her Majesty's Government and his Colleagues with being guilty of murder. He wished to ask the right hon. the Secretary for the Home Department whether he intended to take steps to put down a placard of such an inflammatory nature.

§ Sir J. Graham
had seen the placard alluded to, which was certainly couched in terms of great violence. It appeared that there was no name of a printer to this paper, and he could not tell by whom it was circulated. As for any steps that were contemplated by the Government, he had great pleasure in saying that, notwithstanding the great distress which prevailed in the manufacturing districts, the people had endured it with so much patience, that there had been no breach of the peace whatever. He, therefore, could state that the Government did not intend to take any notice of the placard.

§ Mr. Hume
wished to know on what authority the hon. Member asserted that this placard had been issued by the Anti-Corn-law League?

§ Mr. Ferrand
said, that he had stated so on the authority of a highly respectable gentleman of the neighbourhood of Manchester, and that person informed him that the Anti-Corn-law League paid the men their wages for carrying about their placards affixed to boards.

§ Mr. Hume
had received a copy of the placard alluded to, which had been sent to him by a member of the Anti-Corn-law League, who expressed his deep regret that any persons should have issued such a document. He thought that the hon. Gentleman, in common justice, was bound to give up the name of the person who had thus so grossly libelled the Anti-Corn-law League.

§ Mr. Ferrand
did not think that he should be justified in naming the individual. Did the person who corresponded with the hon. Member for Montrose deny that the Anti-Corn-law League issued this bill.

§ Mr. Hume
stated that his correspondent distinctly denied it. This was not, however, an answer to the question which he had put to the hon. Member. If the hon. Gentleman did not give the name of his informant the charge would be said to have originated with the hon. Member himself.