27th February 1817: The Duke of Newcastle writes to the Home Secretary about the plan to move the Nottinghamshire Assizes to Newark

Clumber
Feby 27, 1817—

My Lord

I have just had the honor of receiving your Lordship’s letter of the 25th informing me that the Assizes will be transferred from Nottingham to Newark.

I must [illegible] I rather reject that it should have been thought proper to adopt this measure, because it will appear that justice is not sufficiently strong, & that the disaffected have carried their point—

I think there could have been no doubt of our being able to afford protection to the execution of justice, if the Assizes has still been held at Nottingham—

I cannot learn that any tumult was apprehended at the period of the Assizes and measures were about to be taken similar to those adopted in 1812, in order to preserve the public peace—

If any disturbance is considered likely to occur your Lordship may rest assured that I will use all means in my power to counteract it—I shall be happy to receive and execute any intentions from your Lordship on this subject or any other connected with it—

I am happy to add that this county is perfectly quiet and that great consternation prevails amongst the Luddites, as they are called: at the apprehension of so many of their comrades—

I have the honor to remain
My Lord
Your Lordships
very obedt
humble Servt

Newcastle

[To] The
Visct. Sidmouth
&c &c &c

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This letter can be found at HO 42/160.