closed. Their appearance was the signal
tor the people to disperse, and the routed mob proceeded, with the
cavalry in close pursuit, down Digbeth and up Broomsgrove-street, to
St. Thomas's church. Hero they tore up the palisades, and made a brief
stand; but the tumult was eventually reduced: by midnight quiet was
restored, and the military, planting a guard in the great square,
returned to their barracks. In this encounter several Chartist leaders
were captured; as Dr. Taylor, the Paisley delegate to the convention,
and Messrs. Lovett and Collins. There was still, however, an
under-current of agitation: in fact, the late event was but the
precursor to a more furious storm. While it was taking place, Mr.
Attwood brought forward his motion for taking the National Petition
into consideration. The rejection of' his motion irritated the already
inflamed minds of the Chartists. It was generally expected that Mr.
Attwood would on the 15th of July address them on his old ground at
Holloway-head. Under this apprehension the spot was occupied during the
day by small groups of artisans, who amounted at half-past six to about
two hundred. Several speakers addressed them; but when it was found
that Mr. Attwood would not come, an orator recommended them to form into
line, and parade through the principal streets. He recommended that they
should walk orderly; but instead of that they proceeded tumultuously to
the Bullring. No police were on the spot; and thus favoured, the mob,
having been reinforced from all quarters, proceeded down Moor-street to
the public office. All the windows of this building were broken by them;
and, under the impression that neither the police nor the military were
able to withstand them, the tumultuous concourse poured back into the
square. Weapons were now sought: broken flagstones, heavy bludgeons, and
scythes were brought into use, while some loosened the pavement for the
purpose of arming empty hands with missiles. The work of demolition
soon commenced: the houses of Mr. Bourne, a grocer, and Mr. Leggett, an
upholsterer, were plundered and set on fire. A simultaneous attack was
next made upon the Nelson hotel; and by casting the lighted brands into
other shops, which had been forcibly driven in, the mob were on the
point of kindling a general conflagration. At this point, however, the
police made their appearance; and at ten o'clock they were followed
by some magistrates and the military. The first onset w