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
The people on this side of the area of St. Peter's field were not so
numerous?--There were more stragglers, and no crowd.
You saw colours and caps of liberty on the ground?--I did.
What number of either the one or the other? Perhaps you do not distinctly
recollect?--I cannot say.
You heard Mr. Hunt speak?--No, I could just hear his voice, but I was not
able to distinguish what he said.
How long had that taken place before you saw the cavalry advance towards
the hustings?--From their halt, I should think three minutes.
From the time you heard Mr. Hunt?--Not from the time I heard Mr. Hunt; he
was speaking before I arrived.
Then from the time of the halt?--Two or three minutes.
When you saw them advance towards the hustings, with what speed did they
go?--They were formed in an irregular mass. Those on the left advanced in
some sort of order. They went on at first, for a few paces, at no very
quick pace; but they soon increased their speed, till it became a sort of
rush or race amongst them all towards the hustings.
Did you observe the effect that this had upon the people, whether it
caused them to disperse or not?--They could not disperse instantly.
But on the outside of them?--On the right, in front of the hustings, they
immediately began to melt away, as it were, as far as they could at the
extreme.
The outward edge of the meeting?--The outward edge, in front of the
hustings.
Did you observe the cavalry when they got first among the thick part of
the meeting?--Their speed was diminished as soon as they came in contact
with the dense mob.
Well?--But they worked their way to the hustings still, as fast, under
existing circumstances, as they could.
From the place in which you were, I believe you had a very commanding view
of the hustings?--I looked down upon it like a map.
I understood you, you had also been in a room below that, and looked
through there?--I had.
Which, in your opinion, was the better place for a correct observation of
what passed after the meeting?--Decidedly, the highest room.
Did you watch the advance of the cavalry from their place up to the
hustings?--I did.
Did you see either sticks, or stones, or anything of the kind used against
the cavalry in their advance up to the hustings?--Certainly not.
Did you see any resistance whatever to the cavalry, except the thickness
of the meeting?--None.
Do I understand you to say you saw them surround the hustings, or
not?--Surround I could not say, for the other side of the hustings, of
course, was partially eclipsed by the people upon it.
But you saw them encircle part?--Encircle part.
Did you see what was done when they got there?--Yes.
Will you tell us what it was that you saw done?--I saw the swords up and
down, the orators tumbled or thrown over, and the mob dispersed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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