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dtber materials . "WeTigdhardtytaken m > tnuposition , ^ then a ' visftiras pifii tb * by- a small , party of aigge * s , requesting tana , powifer , -and itelL ' This request on the next day became , a demand ; and those -who had . given -wfflin ^ jr had to give tinwfllingly . Bodies of armed men , from fifty to a hmidred . strong , were ; constantly passfog ; -so * rie watching the camp , others watch-; the roads , to cat off reinforcements , and to prevent 'the prisoners taken by the officials being carried to Melbourne . The date of our arrival here I think was the -29 th November . The-immediate cause of the premature outbreak of the diggers was an ostentations attempt to search for unlicensed diggers at a time when the commissioners knew the-population to be in a terrible 3 tate
of excitement . You will have already received the news of the burning of-Bentley ' s Hotel—a sort of Lynch law justice upon Bentley , after a magistrate had dismissed the charge against him . S ' nce the burning of his hotel , he has been tried and found guilty of manslaughter , and sentenced to three yeqflB on the roads . Some men , supposed ringleaders at the burning of Bentley ' s Hotel , ¦ were captured a day or so after . These men were in prison at Melbourne . The diggers sent a deputation to the Lieutenant-Govemor , demanding the release of the prisoners . Sir C . Hotham replied , that the demand prevented him from entertaining the matter at all . This was an approximate cause of the arming and marshalling -of the diggers ; but the raid of Mr . Commissioner Rede
was the immediate and exasperating cause . On the troopers coming out , the diggers faced them with arms in their hands . Shots were exchanged , and a digger or two was wounded , and , I believe , a trooper shot . One or two prisoners were taken by the troopers , who then retired to the camp . From this moment the diggers began to arm . It was on a Wednesday the collision took place that led to the arming . On the Thursday , Henry and I went to Bakery-hill ( near the camp ) , where we saw a tall , intelligent-looking man standing on a stump with a rifle in his hand , arranging them into different . brigades , and furnishing them with arms . The men chose their captain , who then drilled them after his own fashion . This sort of thing went on
all Thursday ,. Friday ,- and Saturday . On Friday , it became necessary for us to appear to join , the movement , or to give up our arms . We therefore determined to attend a meeting called for Friday evening on the Eureka-hill . This visit gave xis no confidence in the movement . The fighting-men were there , but the head was not . _ -On attending on Saturday evening , we found the number of menless , and indecision at head-quarters , whilst troops of the 40 th and 1 . 2 th Regiments of the Line had arrived to strengthen the forces at the camp . The diggers had formed a palisade round their camp . JSTo one who entered was allowed to pass out unless he could give the countersign . Having ascertained this , as early as convenient we left the camp at the Eureka . Many
of the men who were there were well armed , especially the Rifle Brigade and the Rangers , as they were called . Most of these men went home , being told nothing would be done that night . The men grumbled very much . They had not , they said , come out to play at soldiers ' , but to ~ fight , " and if it was to be done ,- it had -better-be done at once . "Very few effective men could have been left on the Eureka . No one seemed to imagine the likelihood of an attack by the Government forces . It appears that about four o ' clock on the Sunday morning an attack was made which proved successful , having taken the diggers quite by surprise . The particulars you will receive from the papers . The troopers acted like infuriated demons , cutting down those they met , whether inside or outside
the palisade , and women ,, and unarmed men , and men ¦ who surrendered within it . They burnt down all the tents within the pnlisudo , and would not allow the owners to save their property . Martial law was proclaimed ; but a notice from Sir C . Hotham annulled it by twelve o ' clock on the following Saturday . The au'thorities seem desirous to make it appear that foreigners ¦ were the principal movers in this armed attempt to redress great grievances and insults . There wore a few foreigner *) , no doubt , and many more would have joined had they been called upon to act . The Irish clement , I believe , predominated , though the English numbered nearly tho same . Anything like success would have made tho movement universal at tho diggings , and popular in tho . towns . Aa it is , tho men shot are regarded as misguided martyrs in a good cause , and a strong constitutional agitation will bo tho result . Hurdlj' any one
makes any other objection to tho arming than this—that it was mistimed , that all constitutional and moral means ought to have first been tried . Tho diggers havo grumbled , but they have not organised or brought tho moral force of organised public opinion to boar upon tho . Government . Tho people of Melbourne , who , until lately , wore as ignorant of tho true state of tho diggers' grievances as tho peoplo of London , now sympathise fully with thodiggeve . l ' ublic opinion was so strongly expressed there , that the Lieutenant-Governor hns sent a Commission to inquire into tho political grievances of tho diggors , tho management of tho ffolfWlelds , nnd tho causes of tho Into armed resistance to the authorities . Henry and 1 have boon appointed by tho diggers aa mombora of a Diggers ' Committee , to select evidence to putboforo tho Conunlselonera . Throe of . tho committee sit with tho Commission , to watch the evidence . Tho Commiasiouorloft hero
at six a . m . for Gnsswk& '» Creek . "Hiey dMnot « eem to desire to haveraany of the- atrocities of the troopers put upon record . Men werecot down and bayoneted after surrendering . Others , 800 and 900 yards -from the insurgents ' stockade , were shot-down ; and , amid oaths and language . the most bea 3 tl £ and brutal that can be conceived , their bodies were slash ed with the troopers ' sabres . Some were taken prisoners , stripped of their clothes and such property a 3 they had about them , detained in a- beastly place " infested with vermin , and then let out . On inquiring of the . captain in command for
their ciothes and property , they were told to go to the turnkey . Thi 3 official told one that if he did not be oft , he " would shove a bayonet into him ; another was told that it was the-fortune of war . A few yards from the insurgent stockade a boy of fourteen was shot and sabred in attempting to leave his . mother ' s tent for a safer abode . A Scotch girl , after the affray , entered the stockade to . help a woman and save some property from her burning -tent . A trooper thrust at her -with his sword , and she was only saved , from butchery through -the interference of two other troopers , who carried off
their comrade and a bottle of brandy to pacify him . These things are facts , not hearsay 3 . They are selected from evidence taken down by me at Bath ' s Hotel , on Tuesday the 26 th , for the Commissioners . " Believe me , ever yours truly , " C . F . X . "
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STATE OF TRADE , XABOTTR , AUTO THE POOE . Speaking generally , a decided improvement is discernible in the condition of trade and manufactures ; but , side by side with this , we behold in some districts a reduction of wages , and the melancholy accompaniments of strikes and riots . Manchester reports a continuance in the advance of prices recently obtained for cotton yarns : the clothmarket also is firm . At Liverpool there is a rise in the price of cotton , owing to advices from the-United States to the effect that there will probably be some delay in the arrival of supplies , as the American rivers are at present too low for traffic . The print-market is tolerably active , and other manufactured stuffs meet with an accelerated sale . From Birmingham we hear that the home trade is improving , but that the American trade is- dull . The coal trade is at the present time in a state of great commotion . The thick coal colliers have received notice of a reduction of Is . per day , and other coal * and stone getters 6 d . per day . Engineers and labourers are to be reduced 10 per cent ,,, and coal will be reduced Is . per ton . The late embarrassments of one or two large houses in the iron trade have acted as a check upon
business ; but the panic has now nearly subsided . At Kidderminster the state of the carpet weavers is extremely distressing . Great numbers of men , women , and children are out of employ , and have petitioned the corporation of the borough to supply a portion of them with the means of emigrating . Lord Ward has already generously given them assistance for this purpose , and a . public meeting _ pf . the inhabitants has been held for promoting-the same object . The operatives " attfibufe their distress to the introduction of steam-power in
weaving . The fancy-lace trade of Nottingham is improving ; but in hosiery there is a slight falling off . The cheapness of the latter is now surprising : the hose which previous to 1850 could not bo sold for less than 6 s . 6 d . a dozen are now sold for 8 s . a dozen . The worsted and woollen goods of Leicester have not been recently in demand : the yarn-market continues depressed , and some of the mills are working short hours ; but for some descriptions of wool there is an advance . Tho leather trade of Bristol is tolerably active . Tho woollen cloth trade of Leeds is more alort ; and the same mny be said of the worsted trade of Bradford . Tho demand for linen and flax in tho markets of the North of Ireland is improving .
There havo been some riots among tho colliers in Staffordshire , owing to reduced wages . At Bilston , five hundred of the colliers who refused to accede to a reduction of their wages from 8 s . 6 d . to 8 s . a day , assembled in Cald Lower early on the morning of Friday week , and marched thence in procession through Portobello , Willonhall , Darlaston , and Morloy , visiting tho various pita in tho neighbourhood , and compelling those who wero at work in them to como up and join the strike . On re-entering the town at 11 o ' clock by Oxford-street , fromMoxley , their numbers had reached near 8000 , most of thorn armed with tho handles of their pikes , and some with largo hedge stakes . They had been followed
throughout unmolested by about 80 of the county constabulary , armed with cutlasses , whom they surrounded in Oxford-street , and the police had to make use of the back of their weapons to escape—ono of their number having been knocked senseless to tho ground by a blow from a stone . Some shops were rifled , tradesmen were ill used , nnd n policeman was forced to fly for his life . Five of tho rioters wore ultimately taken into custody , and committed for trial . The yeomanry were culled out , the Stafford militia Bent for , and special constables sworn in ; but nothing serious occurred . At Walsall , and in tho neighbourhood of Wolvorhampton , similar scenes have taken place . Shop windows , were . broken
and provisions abstracted ; but , after a sharp contesfrwith the police , several of ! therioteiB ( who ' were ' cbieflv ' ' Irish"i wore taken , into « cistody . The mob . uptm -. arriving at pits where : the workmen -manifest « 'flisiticlHiation- to join them ; dthertum -water into the pits ot disable 'the machinery , and force the workpeople , dd and yoonomale . and female , to join their company , under pain of a ducking in the waste -waterpools . = As a whole , the colliers of -TVolverhampton , Bilston , "sad 'Walsall , while they think that the proposed reduction ds too heaw . have a decided objection to the course which some- of their -fellow-workmen from other parts of the district are pursuing . They add that if the proposed redaction had been confined to 3 d . a day , the terms would have -been-accepted throughout the whole of the districts .
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THE CASE OF LORD CXANRICARDE . We find the ^ subjoined letter in the Times of Monday in answer-to certain statements made by Lord Glan .-ricarde in his affidavit : — " A short time 7 before Mr . Handbook ' s death , while residing in / famished lodgings at Islington , finding himself seriously ill he sent for -me , and , on my arrival , I found'him -in . bed , and very dejected . He entered at once on-the subject of his affairs , and entreated of m eto allow him to appoint me his executor , while he named hi * wife gwardian . of : hi 3 daughters . I at first declined the responsibility , shut after consulting some of my friends , I accepted * it . "I wrote to- his wife , then- in '¦ Paris , to inform her and her daughters of his-danger . lna few days afterwards she arrived with her eldest daughter in London , and took lodgings in St . James ' s-street , 4 ind there-1 frequently met -Lord Clanricarde and other gentlemen .
" On the recommendation of Lord Glanncarde I called on-Dr . Paris , and requested of-him to call and see Mr . Handcock at Islington . On the doctor ' s suggestion he was removed -to Brompton . At Lord Clanricarde ' s request . I accompanied him in a cab toOBrompton , where I with great difficulty induced Mr . -Handcock to see him for a short time . " On calling to see Mr . iHandcock the day before his death , Dr . Paris informed , me-that he found him very much better—so-much so thathe had great hopes of his recovery . Poor Mr . sHandcock seemed in very good spirits ; but on the following day , when I chanced to call again , I was greatly surprised to- find Lord
Clanr icarde , Mrs . Handcock , and Miss Handcock . with Dr . Paris , in the sick man ' s apartments . Dr .. Paris was hastily writing a paper , with which he went into the bedroom ; in a few minutes he called'Lord Glanricarde , who , on going in , dosed the door . As soon as I could gain access Mr . Handcock reproached me for not calling earlier in the day , and complained bitterly of LordGlanr icarde ' s intrusion . In about a quarter of an hour afterwards the poor man died . The widow refused to bury him unless the will was given up to her . This I did not do ; but at a considerable expense , I had it proved , and established its validity . I also defrayed the funeral expenses , and of those disbursements I -have not received more than one-tenth .
'¦ - " Of the " existericeof Mrs .- * Handcoek ' s reputed-sou , Mr . Handcock ¦ was not in any measure aware ; and , had I been cognisant of it , I should not have written to her , nor should I have allowed either her or the marquis to approach that injured death-bed . " Poor Mr . Handcock had scarcely breathed his last when the widow carried off his-watch from under the pillow , ' and the ring from off his finger ! " In conclusion , I have to express my regret that compassion for a hapless gentleman , who placed implicit confidence in me , has mixed up my name with transactions in which figure the most noble marquis and the late Mrs . Handcock . "I have the honour to be , Sir , your obedient servant , "F . Langan . "
With reference to Mr . JJangnn ' s statement about Dr . Paris writing a paper in Mr . Handcock ' s bedroom , Dr . Paris writes as follows to the Times : — " After the lapse of so many years , is it extraordinary that I should not retain tho slightest recollection of any such written paper ? It might have been a prescri ption , or , more probably , a summons to call tho Rev . Mr . Irons , tho Rector of Brompton , as Mr . Handcock had oxpressed a wish to see a clergyman ; but , whatever it might have been , I do most solemnly declare it had no reference to any testamentary arrangement , or to Anything regarding his worldly affairs . "
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OUR CIVJLISATIQN . A Strangk Case . —Philip Herring , a " rcflpcctnblo " man , was charged at tho Marylobono Police-court , lnst Saturday , with having wounded a woman named Mitchell , with whom ho cohabited , by cutting hor throat with a razor . Tho prisoner ' s throat was also wounded , and bound up . It appeared that a policeman had been called to the house , and had found tho woman lying on tho second-floor landing , having her throat droflsei . Tho prisonor was present , , and the two necliaed cacn other of uaing the razor with intent to murder , mey wero both taken < to the . station-house , where a largo quantity of gold was found on the man , which tho * ° " man eagwly desired to . obtain , saying It was hers . W
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Leader (1850-1860), March 31, 1855, page 298, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2084/page/10/
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