Radical Reformers 1790-1819 Flashcards
Two common aims of early radical reformers
- universal suffrage
- annual elections
London Corresponding Society
- 1792-92
- Thomas Hardy
- modelled on French Revolution Clubs
- annual elections, universal MALE sufferage
- artisans and tradesmen - 3000 members
- 1793 = 6000 signed petition in support of society views
- others formed in other towns, discussion, pamphlets, newspaper articles
Spa Fields Meetings 1816
1816
- Henry Hunt spoke
- aim to gain support for Prince Regent petition for reform
- universal MALE suffrage/annual elections/secret ballots
- 10,000 at the first
- second meeting after rejection, devolved into march to ToL
- troops sent to break up a meeting, John Castle (agent provocateur) ratted, 4 leaders tried for treason
- convinced teh govt. revolution was possible
Pentridge Rising
1817
- armed march Pentridge -> Nottingham -> London
- 300 WC men, quarriers, pikes and guns
- range of reforms including removing national debt
- spy ratted - William Oliver, crushed by soldiers
- not a serious threat (unorganised and low number)
- govt made example: 45 tried for treason, 30 sentenced to transportation, 3 leaders HUNG
Peterloo massacre
- 1918
- 50-60000 gathered @ St Peter’s Field (Manchester) PEACEFUL!
- Henry Hunt spoke
- Magistrates get spooked, call upon Local Yeoman Millitia - 1500 soldiers
- Yeomanry arresting hunt scares protesters which is interpreted as a riot so hussars attacked
- 18 killed, 700 injured = peterloo massacre
Response to Raidcals: suspending Habeus Corpus
- habeus corpus = prevents arrests without trials
- suspended twice in 1974 to quell threats of popular protests (same time as LCS)
- following the Pentridge Rising (as part of the Gagging acts 1817)
Response to Radicals: Treason act and Seditious meetings acts:
1795:
- TA: assaults against the king = HIGH treason, and written/spoken threats as well
- TA inspired when rubbish thrown at George III
- TA means Thomas Paines works restricted and so was distribution of pamphlets
- SMA banned meetings over 50
- illegal to rent a hall for debate without magistrates listened
- Justices of the Peace can disperse any crowd
Response to Radicals: Trials of LCS leaders
- 1794
- LCS reforming ideas too radical for parliament
- 30 radicals tried, 13 members for high treason
- ALL AQUITTED
- by 1797 LCS loses its influence then outlawed in 1799 by the Combination act
Response to Radicals: Combination Act
1799 - made the existence of ANY trade union or political societies illegal
Response to Radicals: Controlling the Media
1797: the Stamp Tax, taxed printed media, in order to make newspapers more expensive
- plus Newspaper Regulation act passed to enforce registering of newspapers, stop printing critical articles
Response to Radicals: the Gagging Acts
- 1817
- turned the Seditious Meetings Act and Treason act of 1795 into permanent laws (they were intended to be just temporary till GIII died)
- inspired by Spa Field Meetings and Pentridge uprising
- added more restrictions: meeting w/in a mile of parliament, banned during parliamentary session
- suspended habeas corpus
Response to Radicals: the Six Acts
- following Peterloo Massacre 1819
- Training prevention act (can’t learn to use weapons)
- Seizure of Arms act (magistrates can take weapons)
- Seditious Meetings act extended (public meetings need to bee made aware to the magistrate)
- Blasphemous and Seditious Libels Act (any defamatory libel written = 17 years transportation)
- Misdemeanours act (sped up process of getting a trial)
- NPs and Stamp duties act
Response to Radicals: agents provocateurs
- undercover spies in reformist groups
- used in Spa Fields and Pentridge
Failures of the reform movement by 1918
- didn’t achieve objectives
- couldn’t overcome govt opposition
- lack of movement coordination
Failures: objectives not achieved
- aims of universal/male suffrage, annual elections or secret ballots by 1819 not achieved
- representation remained badly distributed, majority of seats decided on by south
- rotten boroughs still prevalent, whereas north underrepresented