report from Manchester, 5 Feb. 1817

"I went to Molineux's Printing Office this morning and saw Mitchell and Molineux, who were packing up the [remains ?] of Cobbett's Weekly Registers which were unsold, to send up to London--I saw six or seven parcels made up containing 16 to 17 hundred in each parcel--they are clearing the office of Cobbetts--I saw a rough Draft of the Public Notice which will be printed Tomorrow for a Meeting to be held on Monday next at 12 o'clock near the Quaker's Meeting--It appears that all is bustle and Confusion at present amongst them."

[this note is headed: "Secret Information"]

[notes that it was "received in a letter from the Boroughreeve and Constables of Manchester of the 10th of February 1817"]

Correspondent encloses a counter-reformist political tract; cover letter dated 8 Feb 1817, Manchester.  Interesting note re "style":

"Writings like the enclosed are generally written on the spur of the moment, and will not bear very nice examination.  If however they give the lower orders a juster insight into the aims and plans of the disaffected, and enable them in their own style and language, to understand the nature of our glorious constitution, they will render far greater service to society, than more studied and polished compositions."

signed [W. D. Ulray ?]

unsigned letter, dated (at end) 24 Jan. 1817 

"In the towns of Man^r and Salford, the walls have been placarded, and pamphlets circulated of a dangerous tendency.  To counteract these proceedings, a few (loyal) Gentlemen subscribed a small sum and procured to be printed and published the inclosed Ballads and Dialogue now produced."

[The texts to which the correspondent refers are apparently not included in the HO files]

Fascinating letter (copy) from Evans Jr. to his Mother  (10 Feb 1817)  Describes his arrest along with Keens and Castle.  Brief description of life in Cold Bath Fields Prison.

[One wonders, of course, whether the earlier informants' letters about Spencean meetings resulted in the arrest.]

A | Political Litany | to be | Said or Sung | at | All Fire-Sides | IN | England, WALES, Scotland, | and Ireland | Humbly dedicated to all Archbishops, Bishops, | Deans, Rural Deans, Prebendaries, | Rectors, Vicars, &c. | Coventry: | Printed and Sold by J. Aston, Cross-Cheaping 

     [A small, about 3.5" by 5.5" version of Hone's parody]

from the Town Clerk in Leicester, 5 Feb. 1817

". . . my agent states that in a conversation with Pares, a Jacobin Printer here, Pares stated that he had circulated several tracts amongst of Soldiers here, particularly the dialogue between the privileged class and the People, & that if he could get money enough he would circulate some thousands amongst them."

from George Allen, MP,  Durham, 10 Feb. 1817; encloses pamphlet (below) but misses the author:  

"The author of it I understand to be the librarian of the literary society there, who has been expelled in consequence, highly to the honor of the members who compose it."  

Later, Allen continues, 

"there appears to me such a mass of impious impudent associations in the composition that I am rather willing to intrude on your Lordship . . . .  Whether it is a proper matter for the attorney general's attention your Lordship will be able to judge."

 

The | Political Litany. | Diligently Revised. | To be | said or sung, until the | APPOINTED CHANGE COME, | throughout | The Dominion of | England and Wales, | And the Town of | Berwick Upon Tweed. | BY SPECIAL COMMAND | Printed for one of the Candidates for the Office of Printer to the | King's most excellent Majesty | J. Marshall, Printer, Newcastle, | 1817. | Price Twopence.

[Across the top of the title page:] 

"For the Atorney [sic] Generals consideration.
In Mr. Allen's of
10 Feb 1817"

from the Council House, Bristol, 8 Feb. 1817; signed, John Haythorne, Mayor.

The Mayor of Bristol sends some pamphlets to Sidmouth; pamphlets 

"many of which I fear are now circulating not only in this city but through the whole country; I apprehend the one printed in this city to have been copied from the other which appears to have been printed in London."

Later, Haythorne continues:

"With respect to the person whose Name appears as the printer of the [one ?] [here ?] I have caused an Information to be exhibited against him under the Act of the 39th Geo. 3rd cap 79 Sec. 23 for keeping and using a printing press and Types for printing without giving previous notice to the Clerk of the peace. . . ."

Enclosed with 432, Hone's ed. of the Political Litany: The | Political Litany. | Diligently Revised. | To be | said or sung, until the | APPOINTED CHANGE COME, | throughout | The Dominion of | England and Wales, | And the Town of | Berwick Upon Tweed. | BY SPECIAL COMMAND | Printed for one of the Candidates for the Office of Printer to the | King's most excellent Majesty | and sold by William Hone, 55, Fleet Street, | and 67, Old Bailey, three Doors from Ludgate | Hill.  1817.  Price Two-pence.

from the Mayor of Coventry, 8 Feb 1817

"The inclosed pamphlet tending to bring into ridicule the excellent form of prayer used in our churches and obviously to induce a belief in the people that they are wantonly oppressed by the Measures of Government and no doubt also with a view to excite tumult having been published and sold for a penny by John Aston a printer in this City--Myself and Brother Magistrates feel it an incumbent duty to transmit it to your Lordship that Your Lordship may consider whether any legal measures can or should be taken to suppress the publication and to punish the publisher."

letter headed "Deanery York  Feb^y 8th 1817"

My Lord

a Friend of mine put the inclosed villainous publication into my hands this morning which is calculated to do much mischief.  I think it is proper that your Lordship should see it, though, I do not know what use can be made of it.  The name of the printer is added both in Manchester and in this reprinted copy in York. . . .

[signed George Markham]

from William Jennings, 8 Feb 1817, [Chepstow ?]

My Lord

The enclosed Pamphlet appearing to me libellous on Church and State and of a dangerous tendency, I feel it a duty as a lover of my Country and a servant of the Crown, to address the same for your Inspection.

from C. McDowall, Bristol, 8 Feb 1817

My Lord

The subjects of the inclosed Pamphlets will, I trust, be admitted as a sufficient apology for again addressing you.--To me they appear to be of an inflammatory description and, with the Poor (among whom they are very industriously circulated) likely to have a mischievous tendency.  They were in the possession of one of my Men, who informed me that he had purchased them of a Man in a Public House who secreted them in his Waistcoat the better to escape detection.

A | POLITICAL CATECHISM, | dedicated | (without permission) | To His | Most Serene Highness | Omar, Bashaw, | Dey and Governor, | of the | Warlike City and Kingdom | of | ALGIERS; | The Earl of Liverpool; Lord | Castlereagh, & Co. | By an Englishman | Bristol: | Printed by J. Arnold, Narrow Wine, Street. | Price Two-Pence.

The | Sinecurist's | CREED, | or | Belief; | as the same can or may be Sung or Said | Throughout the Kindgdom. | Quicunque vult. | By Authority | Bristol: | Printed by J. Arnold, Narrow Wine Street. | Price Two-Pence.