“The Blues are bound in adamantine chains But freedom round each ‘Yellow’ mansion reigns!” Before the parliamentary dissolution of 1796, the country was in an agitated state, for distress was prevalent among the poorer classes, the expenses of the continental wars were impoverishing the country, and there was a general outcry for peace; bread riots were common at the time, and the price of provisions in general was exceptionally high; political agitators were taking advantage of these circumstances to fulminate against the king and his ministers; while the various societies, called “seditious” by the Tories in office, received encouragement from the Whig party, whose prospects of succeeding to power were not encouraging. A meeting of an enthusiastic nature, largely attended, had been held in St. George’s Fields, the scene of the former riots, to petition for annual parliaments, and for universal suffrage, theories which at that time were regarded hopefully, and which would, it was anticipated, redress existing grievances. In the autumn of 1795, meetings were held at Copenhagen Fields, where an immense multitude assembled to sign addresses and remonstrances on the state of the nation. The immediate consequences of the inflammatory orations pronounced to the people on this occasion was that, on the opening of the final session of the parliament which had assembled in 1790, the king, on his way to the Peers to open the House in state, was assailed by vociferous cries of “Give us peace and bread!” “No war!” “No king!” “Down with him! down with George!” Before the House of Peers was reached, an attack was made on the royal carriage, stones were thrown, and one passed through the window. The riot on this occasion was made the pretext for the ministry to bring forward new bills for the defence of the king’s person, and to attempt further infringements on the liberty of the subject by interfering with the right of public meetings. [Illustration: PACIFIC ENTRANCE OF EARL WOLF (LORD LONSDALE) INTO BLACKHAVEN. 1792. BY JAMES GILLRAY. [_Page 296._ “E’en by the elements his power confessed, Of mines and boroughs Lonsdale stands possessed; And one sad servitude alike denotes The slaves that labour and the slave that votes.” (_Rolliad._)]