“Whereas numbers of persons have been in the habit of assembling and holding meetings on Sundays in Hyde Park, and the other parks in the metropolis, for the purpose of delivering and hearing speeches, and for the public discussion of popular and exciting topics; and, whereas such meetings are inconsistent with the purposes for which the parks are thrown open to, and used by the public; and the excitement occasioned by such discussions at such meetings has frequently led to tumults and disorder, so as to endanger the public peace; and on last Sunday and the Sunday before, large numbers assembled in Hyde Park, for the purposes aforesaid, and, when so assembled, conducted themselves in a disorderly and riotous manner, so as to endanger the public peace; and, by the use of sticks, and throwing stones and other missiles, committed many violent assaults upon persons quietly passing along the Park, and interrupted the thoroughfares; and, whereas it is necessary to prevent such illegal proceedings in future:
“Notice is hereby given, that no such meeting, or assemblage of persons, for any of the purposes aforesaid, will be allowed, hereafter, to take place in any of the parks in the metropolis; and all well-disposed persons are hereby cautioned and requested to abstain from joining, or attending any such meeting or assemblage.
“And notice is further given, that all necessary measures will be adopted to prevent any such meeting, or assemblage, and effectually to preserve the public peace, and to suppress any attempt at the disturbance thereof.
“Richard Mayne,
“The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.
“October 9.”
The appearance of about 800 policemen in the Park, and a pitiless rain in the afternoon of the 12th October, probably prevented a repetition of the scene of the 5th, as a sufficient number of suspicious characters were there, but did not stop long. There was an attempt, in Ireland, to get up a subscription for the injured Irish, but I cannot find that it met with any success.
For three or four years the Park was not troubled with noisy demagogues, until there arose an association called “The Reform League,” of whom a Mr. Edmond Beales, a barrister, was a prime mover. This association gave out publicly that they would hold a meeting in Hyde Park on Monday, July 23rd, 1866, and Sir Richard Mayne, in consequence, issued the following notice on July 17th:—
“Whereas information has been received, and it has been publicly announced in various printed notices, that it is the intention of certain persons to assemble in the open air at several places in various parts of the metropolis on the evening of Monday, July 23rd, and to walk from thence through the streets in procession, with banners, and preceded by bands of music, to Hyde Park, to hold a meeting there for the purposes of political demonstration and discussion:
“And, whereas such a meeting, being inconsistent with the purposes for which the Park is thrown open to, and used by the public, is illegal, and cannot be permitted, and such an assemblage there of large numbers of persons is calculated to lead to riotous and disorderly conduct, and to endanger the public peace:
“And, whereas it is necessary to prevent such proceedings, and to preserve the public peace: notice is hereby given that NO such Meeting, or Assemblage of persons in large numbers will be allowed to TAKE PLACE in Hyde Park, and all well-disposed persons are hereby cautioned and requested to abstain from joining, or attending any such meeting, or assemblage; and notice is further given, that all necessary measures will be adopted to prevent any such meeting, or assemblage, and effectually to preserve the public peace, and to suppress any attempt at the disturbance thereof.”
A copy of this notice was sent by the Commissioner to Mr. Beales, with a request that he would exert his influence to prevent any attempt to hold the meeting. This, in his reply to Sir Richard Mayne, Mr. Beales declined to do, unless he could be shown by what statute, or law, or principle of law, the Commissioner was acting in declaring the meeting illegal: and he went on to say, “The Park is either the property of the nation, as there are strong reasons for contending it is, under the transactions which have taken place between the Crown and the people, through Parliament, respecting it; or it is still Crown property, though kept up and maintained out of the public purse. If the former be the fact, where is your authority for excluding the public from their own property? If the latter be the case, then show me that you are acting under the express authority of the Crown, as claiming to be the exclusive owner of the Park.”