e to house with two books, and to say that those persons
who subscribed should be registered in one book, while those who did not
subscribe were entered in another. Those who put down their names paid
a small contribution, and received in return a ticket, which was to be
their security in a time of danger: non-subscribers were warned that a
time would come when their refusal would be remembered. Another practice
of these rash demagogues was to go in procession to the churches some
time before divine service commenced, and to take possession of the body
of the edifice; some smoking their pipes, and others wearing their hats.
These Chartist combinations were very prevalent throughout the country,
and in the early part of this year, these combinations in the different
cities of the United Kingdom proceeded to the election of deputies,
in order to form a national convention, which was to have moveable
sittings, and to be entrusted with the ultimate direction of their
proceedings. Out of this arrangement arose the "National Petition,"
mentioned in the previous article, and which was presented by Mr.
Attwood on the 14th of June. Having discharged this duty imposed on
them, the deputies proceeded to hold a national convention in the
city of Birmingham. By this step great activity was contributed to the
motions of the Chartists. It was their practice to assemble in great
numbers every evening, on the open place called the Bull-ring. They met
as usual on the 5th of July; but by this time the borough magistrates
had communicated with the home-office, and it was resolved to send down
sixty policemen from the metropolis to disperse them. The railway train
delivered them at Birmingham that evening, and they proceeded to
the scene of confusion, and directed the people to disperse. This
injunction, however, was unheeded, and then the police filed off four
abreast, and made for the monument of Lord Nelson, which stood in the
centre of the Bull-ring, and which was decorated with the flags of the
convention. The flags were captured by them; but the mob, when they
saw them in the hands of the police, recovered them by force, broke
the poles up into short sticks, and after a fierce struggle overpowered
their antagonists: several of the policemen were seriously hurt, and
more than one of them stabbed. At that juncture the 4th dragoons arrived
on the spot; riding by concert up every avenue which led to the place,
the Bullring was completely en