Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/114

IOO History of the Radical Party in Parliament. [1807- The worst difficulties were yet to be faced. There were excited crowds in the streets, anxious to rescue their champion. The soldiers, to avoid as far as possible the violence and obstruction of the mob, took a circuitous and unexpected route to the Tower. Other troops, of which an unusually large number had been called to London to meet the emergency, marched to the Tower to secure and protect the approaches. By these means, although the news of the arrest rapidly spread, and the populace in thousands hurried towards the great prison, the captive was got safely into the Tower. But the public excitement increased every moment, the soldiers were mobbed and assaulted, and when a cannon was fired, as usual, to announce the reception of a State prisoner, it was said that the Tower guns were firing on the people. This roused the passion of the crowd to an ungovernable pitch, and the soldiers, who had to fight their way, fired and killed two or three people and wounded many others. The war in the streets was soon over, but the poli- tical contest waged more fiercely than ever. Burdett was now at the height of his popularity, and was as much the hero of the hour as Wilkes had ever been. His name was on every tongue, his portrait in every house, his' praises in every popular print. He made the most of the occasion, and brought actions for false imprisonment against the Speaker, the serjeant-at-arms, and the governor of the Tower. This kept up the excitement both in and out of Parliament ; for, whilst the papers were filled with the addresses to Burdett and his replies, the House of Commons had to decide whether or not any appearance should be entered in the law courts. This did not seem an easy problem to solve; a committee had to be appointed, and many debates took place. Nor was this the only trouble Parliament experienced. Petitions were sent in from the city of London and many other places, praying for the release of Burdett, some of them in terms highly dis- respectful to the House ; those from Westminster, Middlesex, and the city were especially so insolent that they were absolutely rejected.