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Radical Reformers 1790-1819 - Coggle Diagram
Radical Reformers 1790-1819
London Corresponding Society (LCS)
founded in 1792 by a shoemaker, Thomas Hardy, supported skilled craftsmen.
strongly influenced by SCI, so also promoted universal suffrage and annual parliaments
worked to promote the political education of its members by publishing pamphlets. explained their basic aims, made clear methods would be peaceful.
their organization marked a new departure for radical groups as they never limited their membership, charged a very low subscription fee, and kept size of local affiliations small to enable all members to debate and discuss
pitt worried they had potential to become a military body, so welcomed the
association movement
which was largely middle class and viewed radicals as disloyal to the country.
Society for Constitutional Information (SCI)
Formed in 1780 by Major John Cartwright
members were mostly middle class industrialists, interested in discussing political affairs but not prepared to go beyond this into radical activity
ceased to exist after 1795
The Spa Fields Meeting (1816)
The followers of Thomas Spence (spenceans)- wanted the abolition of the monarchy and aristocracy, and wanted universal suffrage. Believed in revolutionary activity.
The radical leader Henry 'Orator' Hunt was due to speak but the Spenceans stirred up sections of the crowd to leave and loot gunsmiths, and attempt to seize the Tower of London.
Trial of the ringleaders exposed use of agent provocateurs- an informant named Castle had encouraged the riot. All defendants were acquitted.
The Pentridge Rising (1817)
agent provocateur joined the ranks of revolutionary activists in Pentridge, Derbyshire. his name was Oliver. he persuaded the activists into illegal and treasonable activities.
Jeremiah Brandreth led 300 men towards Nottingham to seize the city and were intercepted by soldiers. 80 men were arrested.
14 men transported, Brandreth and 2 others hanged and beheaded in public
Peterloo (1819)
Manchester textile workers meant it became a hotspot for radical activity and trade unionism. For example the Blanketeers(1817) where a crowd of 10,000 was intercepted by yeomary.
Meeting held 16th August St Peter's Fields and Henry Hunt was invited to speak.
Attracted some 80,000 men, women, and children.
Magistrates issued a warrant for Hunt's arrest, and ordered yeomanry to ride through the crowd and arrest him. The sheer density of the crowd caused a problem and chaos broke out- yeomanry used sabres to beat through the crowd.
11 dead, 500 injured
Provoked national outcry, entered national folklore as the symbol of savage repression of working class people by an authoritarian government.
Government response
The trial of the leaders of the LCS + suspension of Habeas Corpus (1794)
charged leaders with high treason using information from government network of spies, and government simultaneously suspended Habeas Corpus. allowed the government time to interview accused, prepare a case against them.
government unable to present a convincing case to the courts and all of the defendants were acquitted.
most of the LCS leadership, including Hardy, did not return to radical politics.
Treason Act (1975) made it an offence to kill or even har the king. Treason also defined as any intention to intimidate or overwhelm either Houses.
Seditious Meetings Act (1975) restricted the size of public meetings to 50 people unless approved by Magistrates in advance.
The Gagging Acts (1817)
Made Treason Act a permanent measure.
Habeas Corpus suspended for all those suspected of treasonable activities.
Gave JPs the power to attend any public meeting and disperse it.
The Six Acts (1819)
Unlawful Drilling Act banned unlawful military style drilling, with a harsh penalty of transportation.
Newspapers and Stamp Duties Act extended number of publications that had to pay the stamp and increased the amount to be paid.
Introduced the penalty of transportation for libellous writings.
Individuals
Thomas Paine
wrote 'The Rights of Man' which was accessible to most people. He said all men should be endowed with the same human and political rights, and that any government based on hereditary rule opposed this. He suggested the abolition of the aristocracy, a national education system, a reduction in taxes in the poor. Sold some 200,000 copies. Left Britain for France to avoid arrest.
John Cartwright
formed the Hampden Clubs in 1812. It was an exclusive affair with a high annual subscription and limited membership. He toured the industrial North and Midlands and this spurred his belief that the only remedy to social ills was parliamentary reform.
This encouraged him to create regional Hampden Clubs which was a lower fee and unlimited membership. The clubs worked strictly within the law, but magistrates arrested club leaders to keep them out of circulation and then released them months later. Meant the clubs couldn't operate effectively after 1817.
William Cobbett
wrote The
Political Register
which had a circulation of 4,000. He wrote against the government and politicised the community. Served 2 years in prison for seditious libel. On his return he issued a single sheet for just 2 pence--> 200,000 copies of the first edition.
Henry Hunt
was a radical orator, making powerful speeches. He spoke at Spa Fields, Peterloo. Magistrates fear of Hunt's ability to influence public meetings is what led to Peterloo- he was sentenced to jail for 2 and a half years.