warmth of feeling; he knew not how to repress or disguise the workings of his heart; he was frank and sincere; zealous and persevering, and had acquired several accomplishments. He was tolerably read, had some knowledge of French, and was studying Greek and Latin. The medical profession he had, in part, acquired under his father's tuition. He was generous and humane. At the recital of a distressing story he could not repress his tears, and the distresses of his country drove him to madness!"

Such is the person and character of Young Watson, written by the late Mr. Holl, the eminent engraver, who, wholly unconnected with politics, an entire stranger both to his family and person, and solely prompted by a feeling of humanity, gave him shelter and protection for the space of nearly three months, at a time when thousands were set upon his head, as well as a heavy reward offered for the discovery of his concealer, and death for his punishment!

The surprising escapes of this young man, that he should have fallen into the hands of strangers, and been befriended by them at the risk of their own lives, through every trial and temptation, and his final escape from the kingdom, under circumstances the most trying and extraordinary, are no less a subject of wonder than rejoicing, since, in his, other lives were involved; for it is not to be doubted, that had Young Watson been taken, the utmost penalty of the law would not only have been enforced on him, but on others involved in like jeopardy, and who only escaped in consequence of his non-apprehension.

It is not our wish to champion the motives that induced Young Watson to resort to violent measures. The folly of the outbreak, and the unhappy results that attended it, are too well known to require comment.

Having placed before our readers a brief outline of affairs illustrative of the period, we now proceed to a statement of such events as more immediately preceded the riots of the 2nd of December.

The high price of bread had caused insurrections in different parts of the country. At Bridport a disturbance broke out, and, armed with various weapons, the people threatened to march to London. At Norwich, and at Brandon, similar outbreaks took place, and a quartern loaf was borne through the streets on a pole-the avowed object of the rioters being a reduction in the price of bread and meat.'

66

The payment of taxes, without the right of voting-the impri

sonment of men at the will of a Secretary of State, or upon information of hired spies-these and many other sources of public discontent led to the formation of Societies, and the assembling of meetings, at which popular men held forth upon the many grievances under which the country suffered. At a meeting held at Westminster (September 11th), it was proposed by Mr. Hunt, "that a petition be presented to the Prince Regent, to call the Parliament together, once more to receive the Petition of Right, and listen to the prayer of the people, and determine whether they would give them justice, or wait till they took it;" and further, "that the people should call upon Lord Castlereagh (then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs), to caution the Prince how he refused to listen to the voice of the people, though Lord Castlereagh's courage and impudence were equal to anything, and to advise his Royal master to remember the fate of the Stuarts, or of Charles the First, on the scaffold at Whitehall."

66

"The real cause of the people's suffering," said Sir Francis Burdett, was a corrupt House of Commons, whose corruption had been openly avowed, and that Lord Castlereagh had been exposed trafficking in the seats of the House, for which (to use his own words in the House, March 10th, 1815), the noble lord ought to lose his head ;" and that "the Prince Regent ought to be petitioned to take into consideration the condition of the suffering and patient people."

A meeting was held at Spa-fields about a fortnight preceding our present date, assembled chiefly at the instigation of Mr. Henry Hunt, for the purpose of presenting a petition to the Prince Regent, "from the distressed manufacturers and mechanics." By means of hand-bills dispersed over London, the people were invited to attend at the same place on Monday, December 2nd, in order to hear the answer to their petition.

A considerable crowd assembled on the day appointed about the "Merlin's Cave" public-house at Spa-fields, anxiously awaiting the appearance of Mr. Hunt. About twelve o'clock another crowd, with tri-coloured flags and a banner, entered a different part of the field, in the midst of which a waggon, covered with boards, drew up. The banner bore on one side the following inscription :

"Nature-to feed the hungry ;
Truth-to protect the oppressed;
Justice to punish crime;"

and on the other was inscribed

"The brave soldiers are our brothers-treat them kindly." The waggon was ascended by several persons, among whom were Doctor Watson and his son. The Doctor harangued the multitude, enlarging upon their wrongs and sufferings. His son, Young Watson, succeeded him-or, to use the words of the "Chronicle," of December 12th-" a young man, whose name is stated to be Watson, genteelly dressed, with a tri-coloured cockade in his hat, mounted a waggon covered with banners, and addressed the mob in a long speech. At the conclusion of his address, in which he lamented" the ill success of the petition," he asked the crowd, among whom were about two hundred sailors, "if they would protect him?" The shouted reply was, "As long as we have life!" Upon this Young Watson, who had a flag in his hand, cried out, "All who love liberty, follow me!" and leaped from the waggon. Limbrick, the Hatton-garden officer, drew his cutlass and seized him; but the people soon rescued him, and, followed by a numerous crowd, left the field, passed through Clerkenwell, and so on to Smithfield.

On reaching Skinner-street, Snow-hill, the mob halted opposite the house of Mr. Beckwith, the gun-maker, and, a cry for "arms" being raised, they attacked the shop. Young Watson, being somewhat in advance, entered with a cocked pistol in his hand, and demanded arms! Mr. Platt, a relative of Mr. Beckwith, was in the shop at the time, and at the moment Watson entered, sprang upon him, and attempted to seize the pistol. A struggle ensued, and Mr. Platt, being a tall, powerful man, nearly succeeded in taking it from him.

Mr. Platt had caught the wrist of his right arm, and Young Watson, to prevent accident or harm either to himself or Mr. Platt, as likewise to a boy who was in the shop, attempted to discharge the pistol at the walls or ceiling. Mr. Platt now made a desperate attempt to wrest the weapon from him; in the struggle the pistol was discharged, and Mr. Platt was unfortunately wounded in the abdomen.

This is Young Watson's own account of the transaction, and made under the most solemn protestations.

That the injury inflicted was the result of accident is most probable, as a man intending to kill another-and the report was, that he had walked into the shop and deliberately fired at Mr. Platt-would aim at the head or breast, certainly not at the abdomen! And again, the probability is, the pistol was only

charged with wadding, since, had it contained a ball, the wound most likely would have proved mortal-at all events, no ball was ever found. It is certain he had no intention of injuring Mr. Platt, by the fact of his offering his professional aid immediately after the accident, when, expressing his sorrow, he exclaimed, "I am a surgeon, sir; allow me to dress your wound."

His assistance was, however, refused by Mr. Platt, and several persons entering the shop, a constable was sent for (Worrel), into whose charge Young Watson was given, who, after emptying his pockets of their contents" a pound, and some silver, two lancets, &c.-conducted him up stairs to a back room on the second floor, by way of concealment and security.

Young Watson was now, to all appearance, in safe custody, and his life forfeited!

The mob, previously gathered about the house, had moved forward, under the impression that their leader had gone on; and, but for the generous devotion of the ill-fated Cashman, a sailor who had joined the crowd, Young Watson's fate had doubtless been sealed. The generosity of Cashman saved the life of Watson, but sacrificed his own.

Having ascertained that the "young man (such was the name Watson was recognised by through that eventful day) was a prisoner in the house, and although a total stranger to him—for it was stated he had only left Deptford that morning-Cashman hurried after those who had gone before, with a man named Hooper at their head, when, to use his expression, Cashman "nearly pulled the skirts off his coat," in his anxiety to bring him and the mob back to the rescue of the "young man.

Urged by the solicitations of poor Cashman, the crowd returned shouting to the house of Mr. Beckwith.

Young Watson, hearing the disturbance in the streets, made a sudden spring at the constable, drove him on one side, and rushed from the apartment where he was concealed, to the window of the second floor front room, at which he presented himself. At the sight of him the mob became outrageous, and commenced a violent attack upon the house.

The constable, who had followed him, terrified by the shouts of the mob, ran down stairs, and escaped out of the window, and so over some buildings at the back of the house, and Young Watson, without opposition, descended to the first floor, where he saw several ladies in great alarm and consternation. He endeavoured

to quiet their fears, by assuring them "that no injury should happen to them, and that he would protect their persons and property with his life."

On re-entering the shop, he was greeted by his deliverers with shouts and acclamations. He here loaded his pistols, and, seeing some attempts made to force open a desk in the counting-house, he declared he would blow out the brains of any man who should attempt to violate private property." This threat had the desired effect, and Mr. Beckwith's house, save of the arms, was left untouched. The mob having now supplied themselves with guns, pistols, powder, and ball, left the house with Young Watson at their head.

The news of the attack on Mr. Beckwith's spread rapidly, and shops were closed in every direction; business was suspended, and the greatest alarm was felt throughout the City. The rioters proceeded down Newgate-street, towards the Bank. Passing a silversmith's shop in Cheapside, some of the mob evinced a desire to rifle it of its shining contents. The repeated threat of Watson "to shoot any man who touched private property," however, prevented the attempt, and the mob, huzzaing, proceeded in marching order towards the Royal Exchange. They were met by the Lord Mayor and a party of police. Here Hooper and Cashman were taken, having strayed into Swithin's Alley.

The main body of rioters, ignorant that any of their party were taken, proceeded towards the Minories. Such is Young Watson's account, although the press of the time states, "that the rioters, finding the gates of the Exchange closed against them, fired over the top and under the bottom of the gates, at the Lord Mayor and his party, but without injuring any one.

Arrived at the Minories, the mob broke open the gunsmiths' shops, and possessed themselves, not only of arms, but two small field-pieces, and held possession of that part of the town for some considerable time. They next proceeded to attack the soldiers in Aldgate High-street, but were beaten back, and retreated towards the Tower, when, finding themselves incapable of securing that, or any other important place, the mob began to disperse in detached bodies; for, though Young Watson had displayed the greatest promptitude and presence of mind throughout the day, he could not produce anything like subordination among his followers, except, indeed, among some fifty sailors, whom he formed in tolerable order in the Minories. Soon after three o'clock tran