JRL English MS 1197. 40. Letter from Mr Hunt to a friend in London, i.e. Mr West, transcribed in Hay’s handwriting. Notes by Hay in italics.
Letter from Mr Hunt to a friend in London, i.e. Mr West. See Observer 4 Sept. 1819.
Swan Inn, Bolton, Lancashire,
Sunday evening.
(i.e. 29 Augt 1819).
I am this morning arrived here on my way back to Manchester. The last dastardly trick of the Judicial Junto in sending us off to Lancaster under the following circumstances will complete their character for anything but justice. We were brought up for a hearing on Friday, about one o’clock; and, after having been told that the charge of High Treason was given up for the present, but not abandoned – that they should go into the charge for a conspiracy & sedition. [One word illeg: Well?] …four or five fellows were examined separately, after having their former depositions read over to them, when, on their examination, they every one contradicted not only each other, but their own depositions, in the most material parts, if there be any material points. However, the worthy magistrate, altho vastly calmed down since I saw him last, after consulting in a private room with Mr Bouchier, the Solicitor of the Crown, the Prosecutor, determined to hold us to bail, for a conspiracy & sedition; and should the same magistrates be the Grand Jury at Lancaster, I should not at all be surprized if they found a true bill against us for sheep-stealing upon the very same evidence: for, really, it will be as applicable to the one offence as to the other. However, Johnson and Moorhouse were bailed out immediately; and good bail was offered for me – but as I was very hot with the exertion of 4 hours in a most crowded Court, I retired to change my linen to attend for that purpose; but before I had done this, I was informed by the Turnkey, that he was very sorry, but there was an order come that I must be ready to go to Lancaster Castle in three minutes. I had not had time to take even a cup of tea, or get clean linen, before I was huried down into the yard, when I met my fellow prisoners, who had not yet been bailed, and who had been handcuffed and ironed, and we were crammed, some in, and others on a Coach, and off we went, escorted by about 30 of the 15th Huzzars, to Bolton, where there was a relay of the Cavalry, who conducted us to Blackburn, from thence to Preston, & on to Lancaster, by some more Huzzars, all with drawn swords, &c. &c.
We entered the prison at ½ past 4 in the morning. At seven at night I was put into a felons’ dungeon, & was just got into my first sleep, on my iron bedstead and straw bed, when a gentleman who had followed me in a chaise and four, came to say that my bail had justified at Manchester. I left the horrid bastile, and slept at the Inn at Lancaster. On arriving at Preston this day about two, the Authorities have witnessed such a scene of enthusiasm, which was continued at every place we passed, and not less than 20,000 persons have conducted us here, having taken the horses out of the Coach. The accounts of the immense numbers collected on the road to Manchester are such, that I deem it prudent, to avoid accidents, to delay my return into that town till tomorrow.
In haste yours,
Henry Hunt.’
Letter from Mr Hunt to a friend in London, i.e. Mr West. See Observer 4 Sept. 1819.
Swan Inn, Bolton, Lancashire,
Sunday evening.
(i.e. 29 Augt 1819).
I am this morning arrived here on my way back to Manchester. The last dastardly trick of the Judicial Junto in sending us off to Lancaster under the following circumstances will complete their character for anything but justice. We were brought up for a hearing on Friday, about one o’clock; and, after having been told that the charge of High Treason was given up for the present, but not abandoned – that they should go into the charge for a conspiracy & sedition. [One word illeg: Well?] …four or five fellows were examined separately, after having their former depositions read over to them, when, on their examination, they every one contradicted not only each other, but their own depositions, in the most material parts, if there be any material points. However, the worthy magistrate, altho vastly calmed down since I saw him last, after consulting in a private room with Mr Bouchier, the Solicitor of the Crown, the Prosecutor, determined to hold us to bail, for a conspiracy & sedition; and should the same magistrates be the Grand Jury at Lancaster, I should not at all be surprized if they found a true bill against us for sheep-stealing upon the very same evidence: for, really, it will be as applicable to the one offence as to the other. However, Johnson and Moorhouse were bailed out immediately; and good bail was offered for me – but as I was very hot with the exertion of 4 hours in a most crowded Court, I retired to change my linen to attend for that purpose; but before I had done this, I was informed by the Turnkey, that he was very sorry, but there was an order come that I must be ready to go to Lancaster Castle in three minutes. I had not had time to take even a cup of tea, or get clean linen, before I was huried down into the yard, when I met my fellow prisoners, who had not yet been bailed, and who had been handcuffed and ironed, and we were crammed, some in, and others on a Coach, and off we went, escorted by about 30 of the 15th Huzzars, to Bolton, where there was a relay of the Cavalry, who conducted us to Blackburn, from thence to Preston, & on to Lancaster, by some more Huzzars, all with drawn swords, &c. &c.
We entered the prison at ½ past 4 in the morning. At seven at night I was put into a felons’ dungeon, & was just got into my first sleep, on my iron bedstead and straw bed, when a gentleman who had followed me in a chaise and four, came to say that my bail had justified at Manchester. I left the horrid bastile, and slept at the Inn at Lancaster. On arriving at Preston this day about two, the Authorities have witnessed such a scene of enthusiasm, which was continued at every place we passed, and not less than 20,000 persons have conducted us here, having taken the horses out of the Coach. The accounts of the immense numbers collected on the road to Manchester are such, that I deem it prudent, to avoid accidents, to delay my return into that town till tomorrow.
In haste yours,
Henry Hunt.’