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John Smith Eyewitness Account
- Place: Elsewhere
- Role: Press
- Occupation: Reporter "Liverpool Mercury'
Testifies to seeing unprovoked attack by Yeomanry on people. Notes that only at St Peter’s Field in capacity as a reporter–attends reform meetings but only in hometown.
Account
Download accountJohn Smith sworn: examined by Mr. Evans.
Q. You reported for the Liverpool Mercury, on the 16th. August, 1819?
A. I did.
Q. Where did you stand?
A. About twenty-three, or to twenty-five yards from the left hand corner, towards the hustings.
Q. Do you mean from the left hand as you face the hustings?
A. No; as standing on the hustings.
Q. By the front, you mean the front that looks towards the Quakers' meeting-house?
A. Yes.
Q. Was the meeting peaceable or otherwise?
A. Perfectly peaceable.
Q. Did you see the Manchester Yeomanry that day?
A. I did.
Q. What did you see them do?
A. I saw them, after a pause in front of Mr. Buxton's house, advancing to the crowd, and surround the hustings; after apprehending—they or the officers—after apprehending Mr. Hunt, with
some other persons, on the hustings, they diverged into the crowd, which, from the front of the hustings to the Quakers' meeting-house, was still perfectly peaceable.
Q. What did they do then?
A. They began cutting right and left, and the crowd endeavouring to disperse as rapidly as possible.
Q. Did you see any persons wounded?
Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—I object to that question.
Q. Did the people threw stones at the Cavalry as they were coming up?
A. Certainly not in my sight; I was taller than most of the people round me, and I saw nothing of the sort, though I had my eye direct across.
Q. Did you see any provocation offered to the military by the people?
A. Not the slightest.
Cross-examined by Mr. Littledale.
Q. You went to this meeting, not as a reporter, but in consequence of your name being in the requisition?
A. No, sir.
Q. Was you not invited?
A. I was, but I declined the honour. Though I take a part in the politics of my town, I did not choose to go abroad; I should not have expected to be blamed if I had, but I did not choose to go, it was my taste.
Q. In point of fact, you did attend the meeting?
A. I did, on business connected with our paper.
Q. Though you did not go in consequence of the requisition, you did say something to the people?
A. Not a word, except to those around me.
Q. You have attended meetings at other places?
A. Yes; at Bolton, my native town.
Q. They have a right to your services: this was a debate in a private room?
A. I never attend meetings but in my native town, or in Liverpool where I have long resided; I do not see any thing wrong in it.