iting--Visitors to the Queen--"The Boy Jones."

Probably nearly all my readers have heard of the "Chartists," but it is
equally probable that few know when the agitation commenced, and the
reason for its existence. The "Charter," as it was called, was the
Radical outcome of the Reform Bill of 1832. For a time, after the
passing of that Bill, the land had peace, for all reasonable reforms had
been granted, but the demagogues were not going to be quietly
annihilated, and an agitation for more trenchant reform was got up, and a
mass meeting in its favour was held at Birmingham, on the 6th of August,
and at it were inaugurated the principles of "The People's Charter," as
it was called. It is currently reported that this "Charter" was drawn up
by William Lovett, a carpenter and cabinet maker, who took an active part
in getting rid of the stamp tax upon newspapers; and it is very likely
that it was so, for he drew up most of the petitions and addresses for
the movement, and, in connection with it, he, the following year,
suffered 12 months' imprisonment. He died Aug. 1877. The demands of
this "Charter" were six, and they were familiarly known as the six
points. They were:

Universal Suffrage.
Vote by Ballot.
Annual Parliaments.
Payment of the Members.
Abolition of the Property Qualification.
Equal Electoral Districts.

The meeting was got up by T. Atwood, Esq., M.P., and the site chosen for
it was a large vacant piece of ground, at Birmingham, on the north-west
side of the town, and there drinking booths galore were erected. The
morning began very wet, and the different divisions from the neighbouring
country marched bemired and bedraggled to the rendezous. There they soon
filled the drinking booths, in which they abode; hence, probably, the
very diverse statements as to the numbers present at the meeting, which
vary from 10,000 to 200,000. The ground chosen was a natural
amphitheatre, and, if the weather had been finer, it would have been a
pretty sight, enlivened by the bright banners of the different Trades'
Societies. However, Mr. Atwood read the Petition, which embodied the
above six points, and moved its adoption. Feargus O'Connor, a well-known
firebrand, seconded it in a violent speech, in which occurred the
following balderdash.

"On with your green standard rearing,
Go, flesh every sword to the hilt;
On our side is Virtue and Erin,
On yours is the _parson_