1st July 1815: The Mayor of Leicester expresses concern about recent developments in the Town

Leicester,
July 1. 1815.

My Lord,

Mr. Burbridge, our Town Clerk, having received a letter on Thursday evening last from a confidential friend at Nottingham, who wishes name to be kept secret; but upon whose discretion and Judgement your Lordship may entirely rely, I beg to inclose a copy of that Letter, marked "A." On the day to which the writer alludes (26th June) a Meeting was held at Leicester, and an open pasture ground, upon the subject of Parliamentary Reform. It was called by an Anonymous Advertisement, & attended by about two or three hundreds only of the rabble of the Town. There were some Strangers amongst them who took the lead.

Yesterday evening I received a letter from an anonymous correspondent of which I inclose a copy marked "B." I am sorry to add that some other little facts which had previously come to my knowledge lead me to believe that, to a certain extent at least, the information thus communicated is true. In any event it is clear that secret Societies are forming in Leicester & that the members of them are sworn. With the view to detect these practices my Brother Magistrates and myself have taken such precautions as appeared to us to be necessary. Amongst other things we have thought it expedient to request that two confidential and discreet officers from Bow Street may be sent to as to reside at Leicester, in disguise, for some months, if necessary, & to associate with some of the members of these Societies, &, if possible, to get admitted themselves. No other plan appears to us to promise so speedy a development of the objects in view; nor could any persons known in this Town or neighbourhood be so likely to accomplish it.—With respect to the Militia arms we would mention that we have requested Adjutant of the Militia to place a Guard night and day over those which are deposited in the building called the Magazine which we consider to be tolerably secure;—but the Local militia arms are in another building in a different part of the Town, & we do not consider them safe. For this reason we have requested the Officer of the Local Militia to order the Locks & Bayonets of his pieces to be taken off & deposited in the Magazine, & they will thus be rendered harmless if an attack should be made. The party of regular Militia resident at Leicester does not, we believe, exceed 20 or 30 men, & we have no other military here but recruiting parties.—

Your Lordship is aware that it is only the arms of the Leicester Regiment of Local Militia which are deposited at Leicester, the others being kept, I can not say whether securely or not, in other Towns in the County. Your Lordship will consider whether it might not be well worth the expenditure to have some capacious & secure building erected which should hold all the Militia arms of the County, & be at all times under a sufficient military Guard. I feel persuaded that your Lordship will pardon the liberty of this suggestion, & I need scarcely add that in any point upon which your Lordship will favor us with directions we shall be very happy to obey them.

I have [etc]

M Miles Mayor

[To] The Right Honble
Lord Visct. Sidmouth
&c &c &c

26th May 1814: The Reverend Becher reports a meeting with Leicestershire magistrates to the Home Office

Southwell
26 May 1814.

Dear Sir,

I have been prevented from communicating with the Rev. Mr. Storey by the absence of his Son from this County. Yesterday however Mr. John Story who acts as a Magistrate both for Nottinghamshire & Leicestershire & Mr. Philip [Storer] who act for the latter County, waited upon me.—As Mr. Philip Story was present when his father took the depositions transmitted to Lord Sidmouth and had examined very minutely the premises at Donnington when the outrage was committed, we [informed] very fully upon the subject. They had very much over-ated the pecuniary resources of the Union Society; and were of opinion that much might have been effected towards discovering the Offenders by sending down some intelligent Magistrate or some Bow Street Officer—as to the funds of the Society I convinced them that their amount had been much exaggerated; and on stating the result of the visit made by Mr. Conant & Mr. Baker to Nottingham & the Bow Street Officers who I knew had been identified by the Delegates for the express purpose of avoiding them,—I think I convinced them that our own personal exertions must constitute the chief instrument towards the preservation of the peace & the punishment of offenders.—At the same time I mentioned that I had been expressly desired by you take the earliest opportunity of assuring Mr. Story, that Lord Sidmouth entertained an earnest disposition to afford the Magistracy in the disturbed Counties every countenance & support that could be consistently granted for protecting the civil authorities in their endeavours to bring the perpetrators of the prevailing outrages to justice—This appeared quite satisfactory—[The] Mrs Storys lamented the terror pervading the Manufacturers as well as the workmen who may have incurred the displeasure of the Society; but I could not discover that they had devised or collected any suggestions that were likely to conclude towards the detection of the principals or the suppression of the mischief.—

Unless you instruct me to the contrary I shall prosecute my enquiries with unabating vigilance & assiduity but will not trouble you unless when some occurrence of importance authorises me to address you

I have [etc]
John T. Becher.

[To] John Beckett Esq
&c &c &c

12th July 1812: John Baines warns the spies McDonald & Gossling about undercover Bow Street officers

On Sunday 12th July 1812, the two police spies from Manchester, Gossling and McDonald, were wandering about Halifax when they again met John Baines the elder, the republican hatter who had 'twisted-in' McDonald 4 nights before.

Baines looked worried and asked Mcdonald how he was - he then came closer and told the two men in a quiet voice that they must take care, as he had been informed that two Bow Street police officers were in the town.

The spies must have smiled inwardly at the irony of the  real truth of what the unwitting Baines had said.

30th March 1812: The seven Nottinghamshire Luddites sentenced to transportation leave the town forever

The seven men sentenced to transportation at the Nottingham Lent Assizes - William Carnell, George Green, Benjamin Hancock, Gervas Marshall, Joseph Maples & Robert Poley - had been waiting for several days for their removal to the South of England. Amongst the authorities, there were concerns that a rescue may be attempted.

Special arrangements had been made for their journey. Two Bow Street officers - Pearkes and Adkins - had arrived in Nottingham on Saturday 28th March 1812 to facilitate their removal from the Town Gaol with the least possible fuss. The Bow Street men had arranged with the proprietor of the stage-coach to hire the whole vehicle for all of the journey and an escort of Hussars were to ride with the transport removing them at some distance from Nottingham.

On Monday 30th March, the stage-coach was brought to the prison at 5.00 a.m. All seven men were handcuffed prior to leaving the prison and moved to the coach as quickly as possible, with a simultaneous signal being given to the cavalry to mount up and surround the coach. Pearkes and Adkins were to ride with the coach themselves, with one of them inside and one on the outside at all times.

The crowds the authorities had expected did not materialise in significant number, not doubt due to the early hour. As it was up to 40 people turned up, but the speed of the operation and the numbers involved meant nothing material occurred.

The coach and escorts stopped at Leicester to breakfast, and apparently drew some crowds out of curiosity. On their way again, the cavalry escort left the stage-coach a few miles out of Leicester, to be replaced by another escort of the Blues.

The seven Luddites arrived at Newgate prison in London the following day. By Thursday, they had been delivered to the prison hulks at Woolwich, their home for several weeks. Although a petition signed by four thousand Framework-knitters had been sent to the Prince Regent asking for mitigation, the men would begin their forced journey of several thousands miles and several months to Van Dieman's Land in June, never to return.

16th February 1812: Robert Baker and Nathaniel Conant to Home Office

Nottingham
Feb. 16 1812
8 a.m.

Sir,

Saturday night having always been looked to as a time of disturbance we have delayed till this hour to report to you the state of quiet here, for the opportunity of giving you the latest Information — And we have the pleasure to say that no disturbances have occurred since our last in any part of the town or country so far as we are able to learn.

We inclose the Advertisement of a Meeting to be holden tomorrow — of a kind in our apprehension not very desirable, but from which some of the best disposed and best judging persons here seem to augur nothing very alarming. We shall hope to inform you on Monday Evening of the result, so far as it transpires, of this meeting.

We are Sir [etc.]

Bob Baker
N. Conant

13th February 1812: Robert Baker to Home Office

Nottingham
Feby. 13 1812
11 p.m.

Sir,

We have received yours of yesterday’s date with the inclosures. One or two of the persons in your list we have before understood to be favourers of the present framebreakers, particularly Thomas Heath of Sutton, tho’ not perhaps personally assisting the outrages. Should it happen that similar discontent break out at Leicester, Hinkley or any of the places at which the persons who prosecuted the Action in the Common Pleas reside this memorandum of their former association may be a clue perhaps for future detection.

We have not seen the Town Clauses for the Watch & Ward bill, but certainly it would be highly expedient that the Mayor should be empowered to act upon any sudden emergency in the parts immediately adjoining the Town altho’ locally a little beyond the Town jurisdiction; and the Town would probably expect that the expenses should be paid by the Co-Rate of the County at large. But as the County Justices would not like to let their Rate be at the command of the Town Magistrates -- it is perhaps worth consideration whether the order for payment should not be expressed to be made on application to the County Sessions.

The total cessation of framebreaking for some days past still happily continues.

We are Sir

Your most obedient Servants

Bob Baker

11th February 1812: Nathaniel Conant and Robert Baker to Home Office

NottinghamFeby 11 1812

Sir,

We have received the favour of your Letter of the 10th Feby. and are happy to find that what we said to the Lord Lieutenant respecting the expenses of temporary accommodation of military parties in the Villages where no quarters could be had, has met with Mr. Ryder’s approbation; and if his Grace does us the honour to confer with us upon the subject of any further expences, we will use our best discretion on the Subject and in any doubt we will take occasion to refer ourselves to you. Nothing is known here of any framebreaking this week in any part of the County, nor of any other disturbance, respecting which both ourselves and officers have been particularly vigilant today — as Shrove tuesday has by long custom been a day in which the common people have collected themselves together in great numbers and indulged in violent and boisterous sports, especially about the Forest. But nothing unruly of that sort has occurred today.

We have heard frequently of Col. Eyre’s bill - of which a Country Magistrate gave us a sight for a short time this morning ~ and so well as we could judge in a cursory view of it — we cannot help remarking,

That five Justices to be got together to judge that the measure is desirable; The subsequent convening of the whole body by the Clerk of the Peace; The summons of persons to attend on a future day; and afterwards hearing Appeals, would be attended with a delay which in most instances will be very detrimental to the Object, and in some would render it useless.

Perhaps these objections (if founded) would in some degree be avoided, if it were enacted that the Justices of the Division upon any Appearance of disturbance should forthwith assemble and if they judged it expedient, put the provisions of the Act into immediate execution — And if it were judged that this is too great a power to be vested in the hands of a partial Sessions — these proceedings might be subject to a revision of a General Session to be convened within fourteen days by the Clerk of the Peace.

We take the liberty of saying this as it respects the Arrangements of the proposed bill. Whether this mode of Watch and Ward is the best calculated to answer the end in view, in a Country and town circumstanced as this is we should have been very doubtful, had it not received the concurrence of a body of Gentlemen much better able to judge of the subject than we are.

We are [etc.]

N. Conant
Rob Baker

P.S. Wedny. 8 o’clock. This being market day if anything had occurred in the Country last night it would have been known here. We have the satisfaction to say still that all parts are quiet.

As you desired for our statement a distinct acct. of the silk frames – we must still correct ourselves in that respect. The frames actually in use for silk stockings have been never an object of the framebreakers malice and those broken may be supposed to have been by mistake.

What were called Silk frames in our statement were constructed as such but actually in use for fine cotton at the time.

9th February 1812: Nathaniel Conant and Robert Baker to Home Office

Nottingham
Feby. 9 1812

Sir,

Our men with 3 or 4 Soldiers were concealed throughout the last night in the two manufactories that were expected to be entered by the frame breakers but no attempts were made at either place.

Mr. Coldham went this morning to town — and just as he set off he sent us word that not being able to finish the material for the statement till the moment the post was going, he had to save time directed it by the post to you.

By this means after so much delay we are not able to judge whether it contains all that was requisite; but if you yet find any deficiency in the information you wished we will supply it the moment we hear.

We heard first of a letter rec’d yesterday from Mr. Smith the member to one of the Corporation in which he says — ‘he thinks the attack upon Government in the instance of the Nottm. Riots very unfair as he does not see in what respect Government could have done more on their part than what they have done‘. One frame was broken on Saturday night at Attenborough near the Derby Road 7 miles off. We have received your favour of the 8th Feby. and annex to this Letter the general heads of the Mischiefs done which added to Coldham’s account we hope may be satisfactory.

We are [etc.]

N. Conant
Bob Baker

Monday mg —

No account of any outrages last night have reached Nottingham — This town itself is in Perfect tranquillity. The Bucks Militia are going this morning to Country Stations in small divisions.

---

Nottingham Framebreaking — 1811 - 1812

The Framebreaking first began in Feby 1811

Continued till the End of April & then ceased during the whole Summer

In the Month of November broke out again & have continued till the end of January since which time only one or two frames have been broken & those with no circumstances terror.

No damage has been done in the Town of Nottingham to some weeks past. Many of the most respectable inhabitants having formed themselves int been sworn in Special Constables, and the Town being divided into districts one of them with 3 or 4 Soldiers patrol the district & are relieved at proper times throughout the night

The whole number of frames broken does not exceed 1000 – about 100 of them silk frames — Lace frames, very few indeed.

The damage has been said to be 10,000£ but that estimate is generally understood to be too high; perhaps 6000£ is the juster estimate. A common frame new cost somewhat less than 20£, but most of those broken are old. The general price of second hand frames is from 5£ to 12£ One fifth of the frames have been lately out of work in the Cotton work, which also much lessing the value, many of those frames out of work being upon sale no purchasers.

The silk frames are somewhat dearer; they cost new a little more than 20£

The Lace frames are worth from 40 & 5o to 150£ but there are not many in the whole trade & very few have been destroyed —

A great part of the workmen live in small Cottages with one frame in which they hire of the Hosier they work for, in good times at 2s a week, but latterly at 1/6d — 1s.

In some instances one man hires 4 or 5 frames & employs others to work them or apprentices

And in other cases, a man gets two or three frames of his own & takes others at hire from the Hosier — if such man works at under prices all his frames would be broken. But if his hired frames belong to an obnoxious Hosier, & no blame is imputable to the Workman, the Hosiers frames are broken & those that belong to the Workman himself are spared. Which gives much ground for suspicion that they are broken by connivance of the man in possession — indeed there is too much reason to think it is universally so.

If a Hosier intimates a design to remove his frames, they have been often broken in the interim & this too is supposed to be done at the instigation of the Possession, & that it is done by his neighbours by agreement.

6th February 1812: Robert Baker to Home Office

Nottingham
Feb. 6, 1812

Sirs,

We mentioned some frames to be removed today from 10 miles off. They came totally unmolested. The soldiers did not go near the village, and the Constables had no interruption whatever.

We have been concerned to see these instances of removing frames because it must leave some of the country people without the means of work, but it will at the same time open their eyes to the consequence of their own proceedings. For some time before these troubles broke out, in many places a fifth of the frame workers were out of employ, and this naturally induced some Hosiers (not perhaps of the first Reputation) to give them particular kinds of work at reduced prices; and the Hosiers who were giving the higher prices found themselves undersold in certain articles at the London Market. This again brought about new arrangements, which soured the whole body of workmen and the scarcity of corn occurring at the same time, a general discontent prevailed. The first emotion was resentment against the Hosiers who paid the underprice, and the unemployed and ill-disposed went about disguised to break the frames belonging to these particular persons, and also all frames that facilitated the work by being made wider than the old ones. Though in the course of these outrages, instances have occurred for which no motive can be traced. Resentment against those Hoziers who paid the underprice has been the leading feature up to the present day. They have seldom made free with other property, altho’ opportunities at all times have presented themselves, and in one instance lately at Clifton, some cloths, that one of the framebreakers brought away, were carefully sent back again the following day.

Not recollecting that we have before given this view of the case we think it may be proper at this time to do it — though probably Mr. Ryder has seen it already in the same light.

We have never for an hour lost sight of endeavour to discover if these people were abetted in an organized way by persons from a distance and particularly by other manufacturers at Manchester, Birmingham etc., but though such surmises have been constantly upon the minds of all descriptions of persons here, we have never been able to find any fact that gives countenance to it.

Two frames were destroyed in a quiet way last night near Eastwood, ten miles N. West from here, but the general tranquillity continues uninterrupted still.

We are [etc.]

Robt. Baker

5th February 1812: Nathaniel Conant to Home Office

Private

Nottingham
Feby. 5 1812

Sir,

I beg to acknowledge your inclosure received today, alluding to the business named in your letter by the Sunday Coach. The intercourse with Birmingham & Manchester, similar to that named with Birmingham in your inclosure, continually are spoken of here by weak people, but with the utmost gravity and apprehension; but no one ever has any authority for what they surmise, or can give any clue to any quarter in which anything from authority can be had or the report be traced. There is a poor half starved dissolute and profligate fellow here who has been sometimes a hackney writer to the Attorneys, whose hand writing they have sometimes thought might be traced, in disguize, in some of the threatening letters received here, at an early part of the disturbances;

If this man had been well paid, he would certainly have engaged in any mischief — but it is very unlikely that he would ever have been trusted, and I believe some attempts have been made to let him understand that he would be rewarded for laying open any conspiracy he is acquainted with, in a way that would not have failed to have engaged his attention if he had any one to betray. I will know if any letters come here by the cross post from Bm. directed to this man. I believe his movements have been long watched by the Town agents.

With respect to the letter itself from Leicestershire to Birmingham, that the writer may be respectable he may also be credulous — He having overheard this plot looks very like inaccuracy of expression — but if he did so, further enquiry might be made if he knew the persons, and if he did not they might be traced, and all might be done without his appearing the least in the Case. They would more easily have been traced nearer the time it happened and on that account it is a pity the gentleman endured ten sleepless nights before he unbosomed himself. However as there is a possibility that something of the kind has happened every attention will be given on our part to the subject as if the information had been certain.

I am [etc.]

N. Conant

28th January 1812: Bow Street Magistrate Robert Baker writes to the Home Office

Nottingham
Jany. 28, 1812

Sir,

We are favoured with your’s of the 27th inst. and have still to speak of reports which have reached here of framebreaking at Selston on the borders of Derbyshire and at Cotgrave 6 miles So-East from Nottm. but we cannot yet learn the extent of the mischief or any circumstances of Aggravation. Our letter of yesterday will shew how much we are impressed with the necessity of leaving no means untried of detecting the delinquents in the fact; in furtherance of which we have pursued every slight information and conjecturing what maybe, from what has been, have tried at hazard every chance of detection.

The inclosed letter will shew the means of security set on foot by Mr. Kirkby the Magistrate at Gotham and we have some satisfaction to think that the readiness we have shewn from the first moment we saw him to give our assistance and encouragement (such as they are) have further’d his Object; and we hope his endeavours will prevent, that most distressing of all measures, the hoziers taking home their frames from that and the neighbouring villages.

The two men brought last night from Budwell by Foy the Constable, as mentioned in our inclosure of yesterday have been examined this morning by a County Justice and committed for re-examination at the adjoumed meeting of the County Justices tomorrow.

We shall take care that the Town Clerk and the Clerk to the County Justices are apprized of the various offences to which their Case may attach, and an old woman and an Apprentice who were probably present when the frames were broken will be brought over in the morning as witnesses. Another man also has been taken into Custody today from Budwell under very singular and important circumstances. A Hosier here who had told a weaver of the name of Barnes at Budwell that he should bring home his frames for fear of their being destroyed. It generally has happened that frames in that case have been visited before removal — To avoid which a constable (not one of our Officers) went on Sunday Evening to Barnes’s house with two soldiers and said he was come to protect the frames ‘till removed and left the soldiers in the house. — Barnes treated the Constable and soldiers with the most abusive language, said he wanted none of their help and went out immediately, and the constable went also away to 4 other soldiers which were at the public house. Presently after Barnes returned and in an instant was followed by six men armed with pistols who ran in upon the Soldiers seized upon their arms presented Pistols at them, threw them on the ground, broke all the frames that belonged to the Hoziers and spared two which were Barnes’s own. Perhaps it may appear that Barnes was not present at the actual breaking as the soldier thinks he might go upstairs as he came in. All this will be before the Justices tomorrow.

Our Officers have brought a man also in Custody from Blidworth whom Mr. Sherbrook thinks may be important and has ordered for examination tomorrow; he was sometime ago in Custody on suspicion of Murder, but had now no pistol or offensive weapon on him or did anything more than run away the moment he was seen on the forest. He was found on the Waste of the Forest by one of the Officers we stationed at Blidworth. The Offr. and Sarjeant of the troop went out about eight at night towards the place where it is said the Mansfield conspirators held their numerous meetings — and where it is supposed their out scouts have sometimes met at night. They found their prisoner near that place alone. He is a man of Nottingham and was taken on the Open Forest 12 miles from home. It is not likely that anything will come of this.

The Result of the Justices meeting tomorrow you of course will hear from us by the first post.

We are [etc.]

Bob Baker

22nd January 1812: London police magistrates & Bow Street officers arrive in Nottingham

On Wednesday 22nd January, 2 Bow Street magistrates - Nathaniel Conant & Robert Baker - arrived in Nottingham with 8 Bow Street police officers. Nottingham was now looking to London and central government for solutions to detect and apprehend Luddites.

Conant had travelled to Nottingham in early December 1811 to give his opinion to Government of the situation there, and had left shortly afterwards having downplayed the disturbances. Indeed, there were press reports of Bow Street officers being present much earlier at the commencement of rioting in Nottinghamshire in early 1811, although not much is known about their involvement beyond the mention in the press.

For the authorities, there seemed to be a wish for 'third time lucky', and Conant wasted no time in sending a preliminary report to the Home Office on the evening of their arrival:

We beg to inform you that We arrived at this place to day and have seen Mr. Coldham the Town Clerk from whom we learn that the County Magistrates had a full meeting here on Monday, at which the Lord Lieutenant and Lord Middleton attended, and a large subscription was entered into to promote the detection and prosecution of these delinquents. The two nobleman above named have subscribed 500£ each and some of the magistrates 100£

And you may be assured that no assistance on our part or of the force we have with us shall be wanting in the furtherance of any mode that can be desired to take the Aggressors in the fact.—We propose if it appears desirable to the Magistrates to get our Men sworn in as Special Constables both for this County and Derbyshire that they may be ready to act at any moment opportunity may arise

Every thing has been perfectly quiet in this Town during the last Week

No very formidable outrage as even taken place in the Town, and from the beginning they have not been numerous — every thing has been done with the utmost privacy and there is some reason to think that many instances the sufferers themselves connive at the injury altho’ they are thrown out of their present employ by it

In the short time we have had for enquiry, we do not learn that any thing particular has occurred in the near adjacent Country within a few days — And so far as we could learn in our way here, no material outrages have even occurred to the South of this place

4th December 1811: Nathaniel Conant to Home Office

Nottingham Wednesday night
Decr. 4th 1811

Sir,

I arrived here at noon today — but the County Magistrates had no meeting about the Riots today and Mr. Sherbrook the Chairman lives 13 miles off. I have sent your letter to him and offer’d to go over to him if he is not coming here today. I have seen the Mayor and Town Clerk and also Col. Elliott and Dr. Rector of one of the Parishes who are both very active County Magistrates — they all seem perfectly satisfied that a Commission would not be expedient. I am happy to say that there is no appearance of panic among them — but a well regulated zeal to do whatever arises that is judged expedient. I cannot hear of any new matter they have, beyond the depositions they sent up. They seem much set upon having a Regiment or Party of Foot — I told them I knew the Berkshire Militia were ordered. The fact is that Mr. Sherbrook not having been here since Monday — They are not informed to particulars from your late letters which probably have been sent to the country to Mr. Sherbrook.

So far as I can judge by appearances and the conversations above referred to — There is nothing to be apprehended from disturbances or much Mischief in this Town. The defence is sufficient; and the chance of detection and provisions of the civil power in the Town such as will prevent. The frames are here and there for ten miles round which are all open to the depredators — who take their own time and in five minutes destroy the Frame and disappear. Something, of the sort happened so late they say as this morning 4 miles off. — But the result in my own mind is, that much mischief is not to be apprehended.

The Magistrates that I have seen seem strongly sensible of the assistance the Government affords them.

I beg you to excuse the haste in which I write.

Yours [etc.]

N. Conant

20th April 1811: Report from the Nottingham Journal

Seven days after the previous reported instance of frame-breaking, the Nottingham Journal published a report¹, which we have transcribed below, about the measures being taken by the authorities to quell the disturbances in Nottinghamshire.

What's most interesting about this report is that it admits that Bow Street Runners were active in the area a full ten months prior to the more well-known appearance of the fellow Bow Street magistrates Conant & Baker who were sent to Nottingham amidst the second wave of disturbances. It's certainly the only reference we can find to the presence of the fledgling police force prior to 1812.

The authorities were quite clearly most concerned about the relationship between the proto-Luddites and the crowd, with the latter displaying no intention to intervene in the direct action taking place, and this article serves as a warning, perhaps even hinting at collective punishment for those who "by being spectators, became abettors in the mischief." Given that the uprising had died down following an agreement between the Hosiers and Frame-work Knitters in the previous month, it's also possible to see the vanity of the authorities wishing to attribute the waning of the disturbances to the actions they had taken. There was no question of their admitting that the direct action of the Frame-work Knitters had brought the Hosiers back into line - no chance of admitting that violence and direct action worked.

We congratulate the public upon the vigorous proceedings adopted for putting an end to the shameful system of destroying frames, which has been lately pursued in this neighbourhood. In addition to the liberal rewards offered, some of the most active and intelligent Officers from Bow Street are now employed, and have been in the adjacent villages in the last week. Their known ability gives us every reason to expect, that an effectual stop will be put to the diabolical proceedings of a set of men, who, under the pretence of preventing an evil, have inflicted the most grievous injury upon their most industrious neighbours, by depriving them of the means of obtaining bread for their families, and have brought upon themselves the execration of all good men. The County Magistrates, we learn, have requested the continued services of these vigilant and indefatigable Officers, for an indefinite period. On this subject we cannot refrain from expressing our regret at the cultural apathy exhibited in the late tumultuous proceedings, in cases where the mischief was performed by ten or twelve individuals, in the pretence of, perhaps, two or three hundred, who, by being spectators, became abettors in the mischief, and thus justly rendered themselves liable to punishment. We understand that the County Magistrates have determined to punish with the utmost severity of the law, all persons who may be brought before them, for being present at any riotous and disorderly assemblage, where destruction of property has ensued.