1841 Newport Rising Debate

The Newport Rising is one of the most notable episodes in the history of Chartism. On 4 November 1839, Chartist protestors, stormed the town of Newport and planned on liberating fellow Chartists who had been taken prisoner. Several Chartist were killed by troops who opened fire and shot them. The Chartist leaders were convicted of treason and sentenced to death. This was reduced to transportation after a national outcry at the initial sentence. This Hansard report details members of the House of Lords discussing the aftermath and describing the Chartist protesters as wanting to “put down established institutions and introduce in their stead a new order. … to destroy all security of property and life and do their utmost to involve a whole nation in anarchy and ruin.” While the Chartist may have argued that they were campaigning for political reform, the Peers concluded, “invasion of a foreign foe would in all probability have been less destructive to property and life”, than the events of Newport Rising.