ABSTRACT
Although the check which the Luddites received at Cartwright’s mill seemed to depress the members of the fraternity and check the practice of frame breaking for a short time, there was no sign that the movement was put down or that the men were likely to return peaceably to their avocations and accept their defeat quietly. Throughout the country the half-starved populace rose time after time in rebellion and the military were greatly harassed in attempting to control them. A tumult took place at Sheffield on the Tuesday after the attack on Cartwright’s mill. A great advance had taken place in the price of potatoes, and an unreasoning multitude assembled in the Market-place and attacked the potato dealers. In the struggle which ensued bushels of the article were scattered about the streets and large quantities were carried away in carts, &c. Two or three saoks of corn were also purloined, and large quantities of butter and fish speedily disappeared from the stalls. After two hours the magistrates prevailed upon the rioters to disperse, but unfortunately in one division of thean a cry was set up, “To the volunteer depot for arms;” and thousands swarmed in that direction, but luckily the arms were got away; the disappointed rioters in their rage, however, broke the drums, &a, and did much damage before they were dispersed by the hussars. On the 118day following, a riot broke out at Barnsley, caused ohiefly by the high price of provisions, especially potatoes and flour, and the royal volunteers and Wakefield yeoman cavalry had to be sent for to put down the tumult. At Stockport riots also took place, while at Middleton, a few miles from Manchester, four Luddites who were attacking a mill were killed by Mr. E. Burton and a guard of sixteen men, who, encouraged by the example of Cartwright, had determined to defend it.
