Thisdone，theyscrambledoverthebenches，gotupshamfightsinthepit，ordancedthefamousO。P。dance。Thelattermayaswellbedescribedhere:halfadozen，oradozenfellowsformedinaring，andstampedalternatelywiththerightandleftfoot，callingoutatregularintervals，O。P-O。P。withadrawlingandmonotonoussound。
Thisuniformlylastedtillthelightswereputout，whentherioterswithdrew，generallyingangsoftenortwenty，todefendthemselvesfromsuddenattacksonthepartoftheconstables。
Anideaseemedaboutthistimetobreakinuponthem，thatnotwithstandingtheannoyancetheycausedthemanager，theywereaidingtofillhiscoffers。Thiswashintedatinsomeofthenewspapers，andtheconsequencewas，thatmanystayedawaytopunishhim，ifpossible，underthesilentsystem。Butthisdidnotlastlong。
Theloveofmischiefwasasgreatanincentivetomanyofthemasenmitytothenewprices。Accidentalcircumstancesalsocontributedtodisturbthetemporarycalm。AttheWestminsterquarter-sessions，onthe27thofOctober，billsofindictmentwerepreferredagainstforty-onepersonsforcreatingadisturbanceandinterruptingtheperformancesofthetheatre。Thegrandjuryignoredtwenty-sevenofthebills，lefttwoundecided，andfoundtruebillsagainsttwelve。
Thelatterexercisedtheirrightoftraversetilltheensuingsessions。Theprefermentofthesebillshadtheeffectofre-awakeningthesubsidingexcitement。Anothercircumstanceaboutthesametimegaveastillgreaterimpetustoit，andfurnishedtherioterswithachief，roundwhomtheywereeagertorally。Mr。Clifford，abarrister，appearedinthepitonthenightofthe31stofOctober，withthelettersO。P。onhishat。Beingamanofsomenote，hewaspounceduponbytheconstables，andledofftoBowStreetpoliceoffice，whereBrandon，thebox-keeper，chargedhimwithriotousanddisorderlyconduct。ThiswasexactlywhatCliffordwanted。Hetoldthepresidingmagistrate，aMr。Read，thathehadpurposelydisplayedthelettersonhishat，inorderthatthequestionofrightmightbedeterminedbeforeacompetenttribunal。Hedeniedthathehadcommittedanyoffence，andseemedtomanifestsointimateanacquaintancewiththelawuponthesubject，thatthemagistrate，convincedbyhisreasoning，orderedhisimmediatedismissal，andstatedthathehadbeentakenintocustodywithouttheslightestgrounds。Theresultwasmadeknowninthetheatreafewminutesafterwards，whereMr。Clifford，onhisappearancevictorious，wasreceivedwithreiteratedhuzzas。Onhisleavingthehouse，hewasgreetedbyamoboffiveorsixhundredpersons，whohadcongregatedoutsidetodohimhonourashepassed。
Fromthatnighttheriotsmaybesaidtohaverecommenced，and“CliffordandO。P。“becametherallyingcryoftheparty。Theofficiousbox-keeperbecameatthesametimetheobjectofthepopulardislike，andthecontemptwithwhichthegeniusandfinequalitiesofMr。Kemblewouldnotpermitthemtoregardhim，wasfasteneduponhisunderling。Somuchill-feelingwasdirectedtowardsthelatter，thatatthistimeareturntotheoldprices，unaccompaniedbyhisdismissal，wouldnothavemadethemanager’speacewiththepitites。
Inthecourseofthefewsucceedingweeks，duringwhichtheriotscontinuedwithundiminishedfury，O。P。medalswerestruck，andworningreatnumbersinthetheatre。Afewoftheultra-zealousevenworetheminthestreets。Anewfashionalsocameintofavourforhats，waistcoats，andhandkerchiefs，onwhichthemark，insteadoftheseparatelettersOandP，wasalargeO，withasmallPinthemiddleofit:thus，Themanagers，seeingthatMr。Cliffordwassoidentifiedwiththerioters，determinedtomakehimresponsible。AnactionwasaccordinglybroughtagainsthimandotherdefendantsintheCourtofKing’sBench。
Onthe20thofNovember，theAttorney-generalmoved，beforeLordEllenborough，foraruletoshowcausewhyacriminalinformationshouldnotbefiledagainstCliffordforunlawfullyconspiringwithcertainotherstointimidatetheproprietorsofCovent-GardenTheatre，andforcethem，totheirlossanddetriment，tolowertheirpricesofadmission。Therulewasgranted，andanearlydayfixedforthetrial。
Inthemeantime，theseproceedingskeptuptheacerbityoftheO。
P。s，andeverynightatthefallofthecurtain，threegroansweregivenforJohnKembleandthreecheersforJohnBull。
ItwasduringthisyearthatthenationalJubileewascelebrated，inhonouroftilefiftiethyearofthereignofGeorgeIII。Whentheriotshadreachedtheirfiftiethnight，theO。P。salsodeterminedtohaveajubilee。Alltheirpreviouseffortsinthewayofroaring，greatastheywere，werethisnightoutdone，andwouldhavecontinuedlongafter“theweeshorthour，“hadnotthemanagerswiselyputtheextinguisheruponthemandthelightsabouteleveno’clock。
Pendingthecriminalprosecutionagainsthimself，Mr。CliffordbroughtanactionforfalseimprisonmentagainstBrandon。ThecausewasfixedfortrialintheCourtofCommonPleas，onthe5thofDecember，beforeLordChief-JusticeMansfield。Fromanearlyhourinthemorningalltheavenuesleadingtothecourtwerethrongedwithaneagermultitude；allLondonwasinanxietyfortheresuit。Sodensewasthecrowd，thatcounselfoundthegreatestdifficultyinmakingtheirwayintocourt。Mr。SergeantBestwasretainedonthepartoftheplaintiff，andMr。SergeantShepherdforthedefence。Thedefendantputtwopleasupontherecord；first，thathewasnotguilty，andsecondly，thathewasjustified。SergeantBest，instatingtheplaintiff’scase，blamedthemanagersforallthedisturbancesthathadtakenplace，andcontendedthathisclient，inaffixingthelettersO。P。tohishat，wasnotguiltyofanyoffence。Evenifhehadjoinedinthenoises，whichhehadnot，hissodoingwouldnotsubjecthimtothepenaltiesforrioting。SeveralwitnesseswerethencalledtoprovethecaptureofMr。Clifford，thehearingofthecasebeforethemagistrateatBowStreet，andhisultimatedismissal。
SergeantShepherdwasheardatgreatlengthontheotherside，andcontendedthathisclientwasperfectlyjustifiedintakingintocustodyamanwhowasincitingotherstocommitabreachofthepeace。
TheLordChief-Justicesummedup，withanevidentbiasinfavourofthedefendant。Hesaidanundueapprehensionoftherightsofanaudiencehadgotabroad。Evensupposingtheobjectoftherioterstobefairandlegal，theywerenotauthorizedtocarryitbyunfairmeans。Inordertoconstituteariot，itwasnotnecessarythatpersonalviolenceshouldbecommitted，anditseemedtohimthatthedefendanthadnotactedinanimpropermanneringivingintocustodyapersonwho，bythedisplayofasymbol，wasencouragingotherstocommitariot。
Thejuryretiredtoconsidertheirverdict。Thecrowdwithoutandwithinthecourtawaitedtheresultinfeverishsuspense。Halfanhourelapsed，whenthejuryreturnedwithaverdictfortheplaintiff——
Damages，fivepounds。Thesatisfactionofthespectatorswasevidentupontheircountenances，thatofthejudgeexpressedthecontraryfeeling。Turningtotheforemanofthejury，hisLordshipaskeduponwhichofthetwopointsreferredtothem，namely，thebroadquestion，whetherariothadbeencommitted，and，ifcommitted，whethertheplaintiffhadparticipatedinit，theyhadfoundtheirverdict？
Theforemanstated，thattheywereallofopiniongenerallythattheplaintiffhadbeenillegallyarrested。ThisvagueanswerdidnotsatisfyhisLordship，andherepeatedhisquestion。Hecouldnot，however，obtainamoresatisfactoryreply。Evidentlyvexedatwhathedeemedtheobtusenessorpartialityofthejury，heturnedtothebar，andsaid，thataspiritofamischievousanddestructivenaturewasabroad，which，ifnotrepressed，threatenedawfulconsequences。Thecountrywouldbelost，hesaid，andthegovernmentoverturned，ifsuchaspiritwereencouraged；itwasimpossibleitcouldendingood。
Time，thedestroyerandfulfillerofpredictions，hasprovedthathisLordshipwasafalseprophet。TheharmlessO。P。warhasbeenproductiveofnosuchdireresults。
Itwastobeexpectedthatafterthistriumph，thewarinthepitwouldragewithredoubledacrimony。Ariotbeginningathalf-pricewouldnotsatisfytheexcitedfeelingsoftheO。P。sonthenightofsuchavictory。Longbeforethecurtaindrewup，thehousewasfilledwiththem，andseveralplacardswereexhibited，whichtheconstablesandfriendsofthemanagersstrove，asusual，totearintoshreds。Oneofthem，whichmetthisfate，wasinscribed，“SuccesstoO。P。！A
Britishjuryforever！“Itwassoonreplacedbyanotherofasimilarpurport。Itisneedlesstodetailtheuproarthatensued；thejumping，thefighting，theroaring，andthehowling。Forninenightsmorethesamesystemwascontinued；buttheendwasathand。
Onthe14thagranddinnerwasgivenattheCrownandAnchortavern，tocelebratethevictoryofMr。Clifford。“Thereprobatorsofmanagerialinsolence，“astheycalledthemselves，attendedinconsiderablenumbers；andMr。Cliffordwasvotedtothechair。Theclothhadbeenremoved，andafewspeechesmade，whenthecompanyweresurprisedbyamessagethattheirarch-enemyhimselfsolicitedthehonourofanaudience。ItwassometimeeretheycouldbelievethatMr。Kemblehadventuredtosuchaplace。Aftersomeparleythemanagerwasadmitted，andaconferencewasheld。Atreatywasultimatelysignedandsealed，whichputanendtothelong-contestedwarsofO。P。，andrestoredpeacetothedrama。
Allthistimethedisturbanceproceededatthetheatrewithitsusualspirit。Itwasnowthesixty-sixthnightofitscontinuance，andtherioterswerestilluntired——stilldeterminedtoresisttothelast。InthemidstofitagentlemanarrivedfromtheCrownandAnchor，andannouncedtothepitthatMr。Kemblehadattendedthedinner，andhadyieldedatlasttothedemandofthepublic。Hestated，thatithadbeenagreeduponbetweenhimandtheCommitteefordefendingthepersonsunderprosecution，thattheboxesshouldremainattheadvancedprice；thatthepitshouldbereducedtothreeshillingsandsixpence；thattheprivateboxesshouldbedoneawaywith；andthatallprosecutions，onbothsides，shouldbeimmediatelystayed。Thisannouncementwasreceivedwithdeafeningcheers。Assoonasthefirstburstofenthusiasmwasover，theO。P。sbecameanxiousforaconfirmationoftheintelligence，andcommencedaloudcallforMr。Kemble。HehadnotthenreturnedfromtheCrownandAnchor；butofthisthepititeswerenotaware，andfornearlyhalfanhourtheykeptupamostexcruciatingdin。Atlengththegreatactormadehisappearance，inhiswalkingdress，withhiscaneinhand，ashehadleftthetavern。Itwasalongtimebeforehecouldobtainsilence。
He。apologizedinthemostrespectfultermsforappearingbeforetheminsuchunbecomingcostume，whichwascausedsolelybyhisignorancethatheshouldhavetoappearbeforethemthatnight。Afterannouncing，aswellasoccasionalinterruptionswouldallow，thetermsthathadbeenagreedupon，headded，“Inorderthatnotraceorrecollectionofthepastdifferences，whichhadunhappilyprevailedsolong，shouldremain，hewasinstructedbytheproprietorstosay，thattheymostsincerelylamentedthecoursethathadbeenpursued，andengagedthat，ontheirparts，alllegalproceedingsshouldforthwithbeputastopto。“Thecheeringwhichgreetedthisspeechwasinterruptedattheclosebyloudcriesfromthepitof“DismissBrandon，“whileoneortwoexclaimed，“Wewantoldpricesgenerally，——sixshillingsfortheboxes。“Afteranineffectualattempttoaddressthemagainuponthispoint，Mr。Kemblemaderespectfulandrepeatedobeisances，andwithdrew。Thenoisesstillcontinued，untilMundenstoodforward，leadingbythehandthehumbledbox-keeper，contritioninhislooks，andinhishandsawrittenapology，whichheendeavouredtoread。Theuproarwasincreasedthreefoldbyhispresence，and，amidcriesof“Wewon’thearhim！““Where’shismaster？“hewasobligedtoretire。Mr。Harris，thesonofKemble’sco-manager，afterwardsendeavouredtopropitiatetheaudienceinhisfavour；butitwasofnoavail；nothinglessthanhisdismissalwouldsatisfytheoffendedmajestyofthepit。Amidthisuproarthecurtainfinallyfell，andtheO。P。dancewasdancedforthelasttimewithinthewallsofCoventGarden。
OnthefollowingnightitwasannouncedthatBrandonhadresignedhissituation。Thisturnedthetideofpopularill-will。Theperformanceswere“TheWheelofFortune，“andanafterpiece。Thehousewascrowdedtoexcess；adesiretobepleasedwasmanifestoneverycountenance，andwhenMr。Kemble，whotookhisfavouritecharacterofPenruddock，appeareduponthestage，hewasgreetedwiththemostvehementapplause。Thenoisesceasedentirely，andthesymbolsofoppositiondisappeared。Theaudience，hushedintoattention，gaveventtonosoundsbutthoseofadmirationforthegeniusoftheactor。