9th May 1812: 'Detected Conspiracy' in Stockport

The Leeds Mercury of the 9th May 1812 carried this item from the Star newspaper which alluded to some of the information appearing in the reports of magistrates like William Hay in their reports to the Home Office of plans for a General Rising on or around the 1st-4th May.

DETECTED CONSPIRACY.

A plot of a very expensive and dangerous nature has been discovered of Stockport, in Cheshire. We have the first authority for stating, that a regular conspiracy had been formed; and which, but for this timely discovery, was to have been put into execution this week, to throw the whole country into confusion from Stockport to London, and even the capital itself, in the event of their first attempt proving successful.

For the purpose of executing this diabolical work, agents had been distributed to all the intermediate towns, and the whole ramifications of the late riots, and numbers had taken unlawful oaths to aid and assist in the perpetration of the general ruin. The signal was to have been the stopping of certain mail-coaches—the non-arrival of which at their usual hour and place, was to be considered as the command for the general rising.

Sir John Leicester's cavalry, a very meritorious and active corps, was ordered to Stockport about 14 days ago. It is since their arrival at that place that this infernal conspiracy has been discovered by the Magistrates and the Commanding Officer of the corps, which is been on permanent duty for the last ten days.—Star.