Radical Reformers Flashcards
Spa fields
1816 Henry Hunt invites to address meeting 10,000 people gathered Hunt- asked to present petition to Prince Regent Hunt due to speak again > Thomas Spence supporters stir up crowd > crowd loot gun shops and plan to seize tower in 1817 > leaders put on trial > spies proved to have stirred up crowd
London Corresponding society
1792 founded
Thomas Hardy
Promoted: Universal suffrage, Annual parliaments
Methods: informative pamphlets to explain aims, petition parliament
Membership: low fee, small local groups
Pentridge uprising
1817
Revolutionary activists had a meeting in pentridge
May- man called Oliver joined them
Persuaded them that London radicals were preparing an uprising
> lie- Oliver the spy was being paid by the Home Secretary
Led 300 men towards Nottingham intending to seize it
Intercepted by soldiers- 80 arrested
14 transported and 2 executed
Peterloo
1819
60,000 met
Meeting in St. Peter’s field
Banners carried calling for universal suffrage
Hunt asked to speak
Magistrates watching issued a warrant for speakers arrest
Yeomanry go in violently- 11 dead 500 injured
Crowds unarmed and dressed in Sunday best
Govt response to LCS
1794- key leaders arrested and charged of high treason
Habeas corpus suspended you prepare case against them
Govt failed to produce convincing case- tried to claim they planned to assassinate the king
Showed they saw the threat as serious
Treason act
1795
In response to failure of treason trials, strengthened their powers against radicalism
Extended the definition of treason to cover you intimidate or overawe either houses’
Seditious meeting act
1795
Made public meetings of over 50 people illegal unless they were approved in advance
The gagging acts
1817
Reaffirmed the treason act which was about to expire along with the suspension of habeas corpus and the seditious meetings act
Six acts
1819
Response to peterloo
Unlawful drilling act- banned military style training
Seizure of arms act- magistrates could search property for weapons
Misdemeanour act- reduces ability to grant bail
Criminal libel act- increased punishment for producing libellous writing to 14 years transportation
Newspaper and stamp duties act- extended number of publications covered and price
Reinstated seditious meetings act
Thomas Paine
Welcomed French Revolution 1789
His work was accessible and easy to understand- straight forward proposal for govt reform
Wrote book ‘rights of man’
Human rights originate in nature and can’t be offered
Govt purpose is safeguarding
Hereditary rule was unnatural
Tried and convicted of seditious libel against the crown
Major John Cartwright
Established 1780- society for constitutional information
English naval officer, prominent parliamentary reformer
1812 formed hampden clubs- exclusive with Hugh annual subscription limited membership to aristocrats and middle class
Toured industrial districts and saw poverty
1816- encouraged regional hampden clubs- membership opened to those who could pay 1p a week
William Cobbett
1800- returned from US after becoming a journalist
Established Cobbett’s Political Register- leading independent sources of impartial news
1806- became radical- stood for parliament
1816- reduced price of newspaper to 1 shilling- working class came together to buy it
Single sheet produced for 2p so no tax by end of 1817 200,000 copies in circulation
Henry hunt
Radical speaker 1810- made speeches at elections 1812- failed to be elected in Bristol 1815- important figure in radicalism Spoke at spa fields and peterloo Arrested after 2.5 years in prison
Evidence of failure
Lack of progression with objectives
- middle classes didn’t have the vote or greater representation
- rotten boroughs continued to be over-represented
Inability to overcome opposition
- unable to overcome govt
Lack of coordination within movement
- not unified or coordinated
- disagreements and divisions over actions
Evidence of success
Creating awareness of the issue - generated awareness among public and govt about dissatisfaction - made it impossible for govt to ignore Setting scene for future progression - laid foundation for reform crisis
