Old times : $b A picture of social life at the end of the eighteenth centuryAshton, John
History
Old times : $b A picture of social life at the end of the eighteenth century
Ashton, John
Great Britain -- Social life and customs
"It is some satisfaction that we have heard the Coroner's report
on the investigation of this unpleasant business. A most
respectable jury sat five hours, on Saturday night, to consider
of the verdict: and, after the most minute testimony of several
witnesses, it was proved that the young man, whose name was
_Howe_, and lived at Wandsworth, was a Lunatic, and had been
several times confined by his friends. He had himself offered to
enlist; no blame whatever attaches in this instance, to the
people of the house. We trust that this impartial enquiry will
satisfy the minds of every one, and that there will be no more
mobs."--(_Times, Aug. 18, 1794._)
* * * * *
"In consequence of a mob again assembling at Charing Cross,
yesterday evening, the Horse Guards were again called out, and
paraded the streets till midnight."--(_Times, Aug. 19, 1794._)
* * * * *
"THE RIOTS IN LONDON.
"We had flattered ourselves with the hope, that the very fair,
and public, investigation which took place on the Coroner's
Inquest, which sat on Saturday last on the body of the
unfortunate man, Howe, who threw himself out of a window of a
Recruiting House, would have satisfied every man's mind, that
Howe was a Lunatic, and had been so for many years past: and that
it was in a fit of Lunacy, that he destroyed himself. We hoped
after this investigation, all kinds of mobs would have ceased.
"We are sorry to observe, that the people are instigated to riot
by the false representations daily made in those Jacobin prints,
which are, at all times, so eager to announce, and magnify, every
public misfortune. One of these yesterday asserted, 'that a poor
woman with five children, and herself now pregnant, suspecting
the crimps had decoyed her husband into a house in Whitcomb St.,
watched it, and _by chance saw her husband chained to the
floor_.' An evening paper of yesterday, observes 'that the
guards, both horse and foot, were _as usual_, grossly insulting
inoffensive passengers,' and it concludes with a piece of advice
to these military gentlemen, 'that they are not always with
musquets, and swords, in their hands, and that the people may be
roused to resistance.' Now we know that no gentlemen could have
observed greater caution than the military have done on this
occasion: and the above remarks have no other object than to
excite riot.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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