Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/133

1 820.] Close of the War to the Death of George III. 119 Parliamentary reform, to which Hunt especially was largely attracting public attention, and by which he was arousing manifestations, which were sometimes turbulent, of public opinion. The city of London was then, as it had before been, one of the strongholds of reform, the municipality and the populace being alike attached to the cause. Public meetings were there more easily assembled, and with more difficulty inter- fered with, than in other parts of the countiy. The Reform Agitation was clear enough in its action as far as its leaders and organization went. The Reform Clubs and the Hampden Clubs had one main object before them. They were connected with their friends in Parliament, Burdett being chairman of the London Hampden Club. But around them, and some- times working with them, were other associations less innocent in their objects or less wise in their conduct. It was this connection which furnished an excuse to the Government for the suppression of all attempts at public agitation. In November, 1816, a meeting had been held in Spa Fields, London, on behalf of Parliamentary reform, and it was attended not only by Hunt, but by two Watsons, and by other leaders of the Spencean Philanthropists, who advocated social changes of a questionable character, and were prepared to support them by violent and criminal actions. There was, however, no disturbance then, and the meeting was adjourned to the 2nd of December. On that day there was a very large assemblage, so large indeed and so divided in its objects that two separate meetings were held. At one of them the Watsons and their followers made violent harangues, displayed arms, and incited their hearers to violence which was to culminate in an attack upon the Tower. Their eloquence was so far effectual that the crowd followed them in a wild rush" towards the Tower ; one gunsmith's shop was attacked and robbed, its occupier being shot at and wounded ; and a general scene of violence was for a short time exhibited. One of the rioters, afterwards an informer, and then suspected of being a spy, even mounted one of the Tower walls, and excited the mirth of the soldiers by calling upon them to surrender the fortress.