History of the Peace Being a History of England from 1816 to 1854 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1865. Excerpt: ... Chap. IX. EIOTS. 425 CHAPTER IX. The history of 1825 and 1826 has shown us the state of English capitalists; the rapacity and ignorance of some, and the consequent sufferings of all. How was it with the laborers, among whom it is natural to look for a worse cupidity, a deeper ignorance, and a fiercer suffering? From the time when the false prosperity of the country began to decline, there was much rioting. The first impulse _.. n no it f I RlOtS J or sufferers too ignorant to know the causes of their suffering, is to rebel against the order of things under which their misery takes place. The first serious rioting was at Sunderland, in August, 1825, just after the tide of pros-at sunderperity was seen to have turned. The association of land; seamen, who were not on good-terms with the ship-owners, saw a collier quietly leaving the port, manned by strangers, and went out to attack the vessel. The principal ship-owners, who had been sworn in as special constables, put off after them, but could make little resistance against overwhelming numbers; the rioters being at least four hundred. The ship-owners, and all the obnoxious crew, except the master and the mate, were thrown into the sea, whence they were picked up in no condition for further fight. A party of dragoons was brought up; the Riot Act was read; but on the opposite side of the river from that where the proceedings of the rioters had collected a mob of men, women, and children. Some stones were thrown from the midst of this mob, who had not heard the reading of the Riot Act. The soldiers fired, and five persons were killed; one of whom was a carpenter, at work on his stage, and another a laborer, returning from the field. The funeral of the victims was solemn, with banners and flags, and a band of...