trustthisiswhatweshallnotbeunderthepainfulnecessityofdemanding。’
WhiletheVestrydeliberatedthelabourersremainedquietlyintheyard
ofthepoorhouse。Oneofthem，aveteranfromthePeninsularWarwhohad
lostalimb，contrastedhissituationon9d。adaywiththatoftheDuke
ofWellingtonwhose’skinwaswhole’andwhosepensionwas£；60，000a
year。Aftertheyhadwaitedsometime，theywereinformedthattheirdemands
weregranted，andtheydispersedtotheirhomeswithhuzzasandtearsof
joy，andasasignofthenewandauspiciouseratheybrokeuptheparish
grindstone，amemoryoftheevilpast。9*
AnimportantfeatureoftheproceedingsinKentandSussexwasthesympathy
ofotherclasseswiththedemandsofthelabourers。Thesuccessofthemovement
inKentandSussex，andespeciallyoftherisingthatbeganatBrede，was
duepartly，nodoubt，tothefactthatsmugglingwasstillacommonpractice
inthosecounties，andthattheagriculturallabourersthusfoundtheirnatural
leadersamongmenwhohadlearntaudacity，resourcefulness，andahabitof
commonactioninthatschoolofdanger。Butthemovementcouldnothavemade
suchheadwaywithoutanyseriousattempttosuppressitiftheotherclasses
hadbeenhostile。Therewasageneralsensethattherisingsweredueto
theneglectoftheGovernment。Mr。Hodges，oneoftheMembersforKent，declared
intheSouseofCommonson10thDecemberthatifthedukeofWellingtonhad
attendedtoapetitionreceivedfromtheentireGrandJuryofKentthere
wouldhavebeennodisturbances。10*
ThesamespiritisdisplayedinaletterwrittenbyamagistrateatBattle，
namedCollingwood。’Ihaveseenthreeorfourofourparochialinsurrections，
andbeenwiththePeopleforhoursaloneanddiscussingtheirmatterswith
themwhichtheydowithatemperandrespectfulbehaviourandanintelligence
whichmustinteresteveryoneintheirfavor。ThepoorintheParishesin
theSouthofEngland，andinSussexandKentgreatly，havebeengroundto
thedustinmanyinstancesbythePoorLaws。Insteadofhappypeasantsthey
aremademiserableandsourtemperedpaupers。EveryParishhasitsownpeculiar
system，directedmorestrictly，andexecutedwithmoreorlessseverityor
harshness。AprincipaltradesmaninSalehurstSussexinonepartofwhich，
Robertsbridge，wehadourrowtheothernight，saidtomethesewords“
Youattendedourmeetingtheotherdayandvotedwithmeagainstthetwo
principalRatepayersinthisparish，twoMillers，payingthepeopleintwo
gallonsofbadflourinsteadofmoney。Youheardhowsaucytheyweretotheir
betters，canyouwonderiftheyaremoreviolenttotheirinferiors？They
nevercallamanTom，Dicketc。butyoud——drascaletc。，ateveryword，
andforcethemtotaketheirflour。Shouldyouwonderthattheyaredissatisfied？
“ThesewordsheusedtomeaweekbeforeourRobertsbridgeRow。Each
oftheseParochialRowsdiffersincharacterasthemanwhomtheyselect
asleaderdiffersinimpudenceorcourageoraudacityorwhateveryoumay
callit。Iftheyareopposedatthemoment，theirresistanceshowsitself
inmoreorlessviolentoutrages；personallyIwitnessedbutone，thatof
RobertsbridgeputtingMr。Johnsonintothecart，andthatwashalfanaccident。
Iwasastrangertothem，wentamongthemandwastoldbyhundredsafter
thatmostunjustifiableassaultthatIwassafeamongthemasinmybed，
andIneverthoughtotherwise。Oneortwodesperatecharacters，andsuch
thereare，mayatanymomentmakethecontestofParishAdifferfromthat
ofParishB，buttheirspirit，asfarasregardsloyaltyandloveforthe
KingandLaws，is，Ibelieve，onmyconscience，sound。Ifeelconvincedthat
allthecavalryintheworld，ifsentintoSussex，andallthespiritedacts
ofSirGodfreyWebster，who，however，isinvaluableherewillnot？stop
thisspiritfromrunningthroughHampshire，Wiltshire，Somersetshire，where
Mr。Hobhouse，yourpredecessor，toldmetheotherdaythattheyhavegot
thewagesforsinglemendownto6s。perweekonwhichtheycannotlive
throughmanyothercounties。InaweekyouwillhaveDemandsforcavalry
fromHampshireunderthesamefeelingofalarmasIandallhereentertained：
thenextweekfromWiltshire，Dorsetshire，andallthecountiesinwhich
thepoorRateshavebeenraisedforthepaymentofthepooruptoEssexand
theveryneighbourhoodofLondon，whereMr。Geo。Palmer，amagistrate，told
melatelythatthepoorsinglemanisgotdownto6s。Ishallbeoverto-morrow
probablyatBenendenwheretheyareresolvednottoleteitherMr。Hodges’s
taxes，thetithesortheKing’staxesbepaid。SoIhear，andsoIdaresay
twoorthreecarterboysmayhavesaid。Ishallgoto-morrowandifIsee
occasionwillarrestsomeman，andbreakhisheadwithmystaff。Butdoyou
supposethatthatthoughashowofvigorisnotwithoutavailwillprevent
Somersetshiremenfromcryingout，whenthetrainhasgottothem，wewill
notliveon6s。perweek，forlivingitisnot，butalongstarving，and
wewillhavetithesandtaxes，andIknownotwhatelsedoneawaywith。The
onlywaytostopthemistorunbeforetheevil。LettheHampshireMagistrates
andVestriesraisethewagesbeforetheRowgetstotheirCounty，andyou
willstopthethingfromspreading，otherwiseyouwillnot，Iamsatisfied。
Insayingallthis，IknowthatIdifferwithmanyableandexcellentMagistrates，
andmyopinionmaybewrong，butIstateittoyou。’
Itisnotsurprisingthatmagistratesholdingtheseopinionsactedrather
lessvigorouslythanthecentralGovernmentwished，andthatLordCamden’s
appealstothemnottolettheirpoliticalfeelingsand’fancifulCrotchets’11*
interferewiththeiractivitywereunsuccessful。Butevenhadallthemagistrates
beenunitedandeagertocrushtherisingstheycouldnotactwithoutsupport
fromclassesthatwerereluctanttogiveit。Thefirstthoughtofthebig
landedproprietorswastoreestablishtheyeomanry，buttheyfoundanunexpected
obstacleinthetemperofthefarmers。TheHighSheriff，afterconsultation
withtheHomeSecretary，convenedameetingforthispurposeatCanterbury
on1stNovember，butproceedingstookanunexpectedturn，thefarmersrecommending
asapreferablealternativethatpublicsalariesshouldbereduced，andthe
meetingadjournedwithoutresult。Thereweresimilarsurprisesatothermeetings
summonedwiththisobject，andlandlordswhoexpectedtofindthefarmers
rallyingtotheirsupportweremetwithawkwardresolutionscallingforreductions
inrentandtithes。TheKentHeraldwentsofarastosaythatonly
thedependentsofgreatlandownerswilljointheyeomanry，’thismostunpopular
corps。’Themagistratesfounditequallydifficulttoenlistspecialconstables，
thefarmersandtradesmendefinitelyrefusingtoactinthiscapacityat
Maidstone，atCranbrook，atTonbridge，andatTonbridgeWells，12*aswell
asinthesmallervillages。ThechairmanoftheBattlemagistrateswrote
totheHomeOfficetosaythatheintendedtoreducehisrentsinthehope
thatthefarmerswouldthenconsenttoserve。
EventheCoastBlockadeServicewasnotconsideredtrustworthy。’Itis
thelastforce，’wroteonemagistrate，’Ishouldresortto，onaccountof
thefeelingwhichexistsbetweenthemandthepeoplehereabouts。’13*In
theabsenceoflocalhelp，themagistrateshadtorelyonmilitaryaidto
quellamob，ortoexecuteawarrant。Demandsfortroopsfromdifferentquarters
wereincessant，andsometimesquerulous。’Ifyoucannotsendamilitaryforce，’
wroteoneindignantcountrygentlemanfromHeathfieldon14thNovember，’for
God’ssake，sayso，withoutdelay，inorderthatwemayremoveourfamilies
toaplaceofsafetyfromadistrictwhichwantofsupportrendersustotally
unablelongertodefend。’14*TroopsweredespatchedtoCranbrook，butwhen
theBattlemagistratessentthitherforhelptheyweretoldtotheirgreat
annoyancethatnosoldierscouldbespared。TheGovernmentindeedfoundit
impossibletosupplyenoughtroops。’MydearLordLiverpool，’wroteSirRobert
Peelon15thNovember，’sinceIlastsawyouIhavemadearrangementsfor
sendingeverydisposablecavalrysoldierintoKentandtheeastpartofSussex。
GeneralDalbiacwilltakethecommand。HewillbeatBattelto-daytoconfer
withtheMagistracyandtoattempttoestablishsomeeffectualplanofoperations
againsttherioters。’
The7thDragoonGuardsatCanterburyweretoprovideforEastKent；the
2ndDragoonGuardsatMaidstoneweretoprovideforMid-kent；andthe5th
DragoonGuardsatTunbridgeWellsforthewholeofEastSussex。SirRobert
Peelmeanwhilethoughtthatthemagistratesshouldthemselvesplayamore
activepart，andhecontinuallyexpressedthehopethattheywould’meet
andconcertsomeeffectualmodeofresistingtheillegaldemands。’15*He
deprecatedstronglytheactionofcertainmagistratesinyieldingtothe
mobs。Mr。Collingwood，whohasbeenmentionedalready，receivedasevere
reproofforhisbehaviouratGoudhurst，wherehehadadoptedaconciliatory
policyandletofftheriotersontheirownrecognisances。’Wedidnotthink
thecaseaverystrongone，’hewroteon18thNovember，’orseeanyvery
urgentnecessityfortheapprehensionofEaves，norafterCaptainKing’s
statementthathehadnotfeltablow，couldweconsidertheassaultofa
magistrateproved。Thewholeparishunanimouslybeggedthemoff，andsaid
thattheirbeingdischargedontheirownrecognisanceswouldprobablycontribute
tothepeaceoftheparish。’
Thesameweakness，orsympathy，wasdisplayedbymagistratesinthewestern
partofSussex，wheretherisingspreadafterthemiddleofNovember。In
theArundeldistrictthemagistratesanticipateddisturbancesbyholding
ameetingoftheinhabitantstofixthescaleofwages。Thewagesagreed
onwere’2s。adaywetanddryand1s。6d。aweekforeverychildabove
2under4，’duringthewinter：fromLadydaytoMichaelmas14s。aweek，
wetanddry，withthesameallowanceforchildren。Ascalewasalsodrawn
upforladsandyoungmen。Themobsweredemanding14s。aweekalltheyear
round，buttheyseemtohaveacquiescedintheArundelscale，andtohave
givennofurthertrouble。AtHorsham，thelabourersadoptedmoreviolent
measuresandmetwithalmostuniversalsympathy。TherewasastrongRadical
partyinthattown，andonemagistratedescribeditlateras’ahotBedof
Sedition。’Attemptsweremade，withoutsuccess，toshowthattheRadicals
wereatthebottomofthedisturbances。ThedistrictroundHorshamwasin
anagitatedstate。AmongotherswhoreceivedthreateningletterswasSir
TimothyShelleyofFieldPlace。Theletterwascouchedinthegeneralspirit
ofShelley’ssongtothemenofEngland：——
’MenofEngland，whereforeplough，Forthelordswholayyelow，’
whichhisfathermay，ormaynot，haveread。Thewriterurgedhim，’if
youwishtoescapetheimpendingdangerinthisworldandinthatwhichis
tocome，’togoroundtothemiserablebeingsfromwhomheexactedtithes，
’andenquireandhearfromthereownlipswhatdisstrestherein。’Likemany
oftheseletters，itcontainedattheendaroughpictureofaknife，with
’Bewareofthefateldaggar’inscribedonit。
InHorshamitselfthemob，composedoffromsevenhundredtoathousand
persons，summonedavestrymeetinginthechurch。Mr。Sanctuary，theHigh
SheriffforSussex，describedtheepisodeinalettertotheHomeOffice
onthesameday18thNovember。Thelabourers，hesaid，demanded2s。6d。
aday，andtheloweringofrentsandtithes：’allthesecomplaintswereattended
to——thoughtreasonableandcompliedwith，’andthemeetingdispersedquietly。
Anticipating，itmaybe，somecensure，headded，’Ishouldhavefoundit
quiteimpossibletohaveprevaileduponanypersontoserveasspecialconstable——
mostofthetradespeopleandmanyofthefarmersconsideringthedemands
ofthepeoplebutjustandequitable——indeedmanyofthemadvocatedthem
adoctorspokeaboutthetaxes——butnoonebackedhim——thatwasnotthe
objectofthemeeting。’AladylivingatHorshamwroteamorevividaccount
oftheday’swork。Shedescribedhowthemobmadeeverybodycometothechurch。
Mr。Simpson，thevicar，wentwithoutmoreado，butMr。Hurst，senior，owner
ofthegreattithes，heldouttillthemobseizedachariotfromtheKing’s
Armsanddraggedittohisdoor。Whilstthechariotwasbeingbroughthe
slippedout，andenteredthechurchwithhistwosons。Allthegentlemen
stoodupatthealtar，whilethefarmersencouragedthelabourersinthe
bodyofthechurch。’Mr。Hurstheldoutsolongthatitwasfearedblood
wouldbeshed，thedoorswereshuttillthedemandsweregranted，nolights
wereallowed，theIronrailingthatsurroundstheMonumentstornup，and
thesacredboundarybetweenthechancelandAltaroverleaptbeforehewould
yield。’Mr。HursthimselfwrotetotheHomeOfficetosaythatitwasonly
thepromisetoreducerentsandtithesthathadpreventedseriousriots，
buthemetwithlittlesympathyatheadquarters。’Icannotconcur，’wrote
SirRobertPeel，’intheopinionofMr。Hurstthatitwasexpedientornecessary
fortheVestrytoyieldtothedemandsoftheMob。IneverycasethatIhave
seen，inwhichthemobhasbeenfirmlyandtemperatelyresisted，theyhave
givenwaywithoutresortingtopersonalviolence。’Aneighbouringmagistrate，
whosharedSirRobertPeel’sopinionabouttheaffair，wenttoHorshama
dayortwolatertoswearinspecialconstables。Hefoundthatoutofsixty-three
’respectablehouseholders’fouronlywouldtaketheoath。Meanwhilethedifficulties