Had the multitude collected by the harangues of the miserable man alluded to possessed individually a grain of sense or reflection, they must have disbelieved his monstrous charge, that the Legislature intended to encourage or introduce the Roman Catholic religion, or, as he termed it,
Popery. The very idea is so ridiculous that I should be ashamed to attempt to disprove it.
Under every disadvantage which might reasonably have been supposed to exist against the probability of raising so extensive a whirlwind of civil commotion, the adventurous chief commenced his operations by legally opposing the projected measures; but, fired by the homage paid to him, Lord George Gordon conceived the vast design of leading the whole community to the doors of Parliament with a Petition in their van unexampled in the number of its signatures. This he accomplished; but, observe the result: the petitioners became dictators ; the friends of toleration were insulted, and barely escaped with their lives from a lawless mob (for to such had the petitioners degenerated); the voice of the leader was drowned in yells of No Popery ; and the deluded Citizen fled to his home, resigning his country to its fate, and trembling with apprehension lest his late friends should involve him in the ruin he contributed to promote.
Let us now turn a hasty glance towards those dreadful harpies who spread through London, compelling the passenger to join in the general exclamation or watch-word of destruction, and to wear blue cockades, or hang badges at their doors, indicative of their detestation of Popery; and see them employed, unmolested, burning
Roman-catholick chapels, the dwellings of members of that faith, and the mansions of some of our most revered Judges and Legislators ! Even the admired and venerated Mansfield, the modern father of British law, lost his house, his valuable papers, and barely escaped with life. Invigorated by these scenes of horror, the ruffian emerged from his den, and filled the place of the appalled petitioner : flames spread on every side, the prisons were stormed and burnt, the convicts freed, and the metropolis was resigned to theft and destruction by the light of the various conflagrations.
After the intoxicated and wicked plunderers had rioted in excess till almost exhausted by exertion and debauchery, the hitherto nerveless arm of Government was raised, troops were poured into London, and the civil power became less terrified; the wretches still employed in works of horrible depravity were fired upon, many were killed and wounded, and numbers were apprehended and committed for trial. Thus London once more tasted the sweets of that repose, which would never have been interrupted, had not Bigotry and Passion triumphed in breasts where more gentle guests ought to have presided. Many vagabonds expiated their crimes with their lives after the subsequent trial; but a far greater number were victims to their own brutal acts, when plundering and drinking, surrounded by fire and falling walls.
It is strange that I should be compelled to record such scenes, without one cheering instance of manly exertion on the side of order, to relieve the odious picture. Why did not every thing in the shape of an honest man , arm in the defence of their families? Why was it that every muscle relaxed, that every nerve trembled, in the hour of danger? This fact cannot be satisfactorily explained.
The Riots of 1780 should close the article of popular tumult; an occurrence so important ought to be the last scene of the Drama: indeed it has not yet been even faintly copied, though much turbulence prevailed in consequence of the trial of Sir Hugh Palliser, the meetings of the Corresponding Society, the trial of Hardy, Tooke, &c. the destruction of Crimping-houses; and, to complete the catalogue, certain inflamed partizans dragged the Monarch from his coach when returning from exercising one of the most important functions of his great office: these and some other lesser acts of violence, are well known to have originated with the frantic votaries of the French revolution, the Republicans of England who have lived to see the great Republick of France governed by an Emperor , and the Empire surrounded by Kings created by that Emperor!
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