Three Accounts of Peterloo by Eyewitnesses: Bishop Stanley, Lord Hylton, John Benjamin Smith; with Bishop Stanley's Evidence at the TrialStanley, Edward
History
Three Accounts of Peterloo by Eyewitnesses: Bishop Stanley, Lord Hylton, John Benjamin Smith; with Bishop Stanley's Evidence at the Trial
Stanley, Edward
Manchester (England) -- History; Peterloo Massacre, Manchester, England, 1819
As soon, however, as I had quitted Mr. Buxton's house at the conclusion of
the business, I found them in a very different state of feeling. I heard
repeated vows of revenge. "You took us unprepared, we were unarmed to-day,
and it is your day; but when we meet again the day shall be ours." How far
this declaration of being unarmed men may be relied upon, I cannot pretend
to say; I certainly saw nothing like arms either at or before the meeting;
their sticks were, as far as came under my observation, common
walking-sticks; that some, however, were armed I can have no doubt, as a
constable, when I was leaving Mr. Buxton's house, showed me a couple of
short skewers or daggers fixed in wooden handles, which he had taken in
the fray.
I have heard from the most respectable authority that the cavalry were
assailed by stones during the short time they halted previous to their
charge. I do not wish to contradict positive assertions. What a person
_sees_ must be true. My evidence on that point can only be negative. I
certainly saw nothing of the sort, and yet my eyes were fixed most
steadily upon them, and I think that I must have seen any stone larger
than a pebble at the short distance at which I stood (from thirty to fifty
yards) and the commanding view I had. I indeed saw no missile weapons used
throughout the whole transaction, but as I have before stated, the dust
at the hustings soon partially obscured everything that took place near
that particular spot; but no doubt the people defended themselves to the
best of their power, as it was absolutely impossible for them to get away
and give the cavalry a clear passage till the outer part of the mob had
fallen back. No blame can be fairly attributed to the soldiers for
wounding the constables as well as the radicals, since the chief
distinguishing mark (the former being covered and the latter uncovered)
soon ceased to exist; every man for obvious reasons covering himself in
haste the moment the dispersion commenced.
Such are the leading features of this event, to which I can speak
positively; comments and opinions I have avoided as much as possible, my
object being to give a clear and impartial account of facts, which whether
for or against the adopted conclusions of either party must speak for
themselves.
The Evidence of The Rev. Edward Stanley
in the Trial of an action for assault, brought by Thomas Redford against
Hugh Hornby Birley and others, members of the Manchester Yeomanry, before
Mr. Justice Holroyd and a Special Jury, at Lancaster on the 4th, 5th, 6th,
7th, 8th, and 9th of April, 1822.
_Second day of the Trial._
The Rev. EDWARD STANLEY examined by Mr. SERJEANT BLACKBURNE (_Counsel for
the Plaintiff_).
You, I believe, are the Rector of Alderley, in Cheshire?--I am.
Brother to Sir Thomas Stanley?--Brother to Sir John Stanley.
On the 16th of August, 1819, had you any business with Mr. Buxton?--I had.
How far do you live from Manchester?--Between fifteen and sixteen miles.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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