The last thing that came to my notice from concerning the Rebecca Riots that was in the English-language press in Wales was this article concerning a plaque presented to William Chambers, one of the Welsh magistrates who tried to suppress the Rebaccaite movement:
Testimonial to William Chambers,
Jun.,
Esq.
The subscribers to this testimonial, in order to evince the sense they
entertain of the valuable services rendered by Mr. Chambers during the period
of the Rebecca riots, have lately presented to him a massive and superb Silver
Epergne and Candelabrum, weighing 210 ounces, prepared under the direction and
management of William Webb,
Esq., the Chairman of the
Committee. We subjoin copies of the inscription on the Plate, and of the
correspondence which has taken place on the subject:–
Presented,
By Public Subscription, To
William Chambers, Junior, Esquire,
As a
Testimonial of the admiration inspired by his upright and intrepid conduct
throughout the whole of the Rebecca Riots; during which
fearful crisis he never relaxed, on the one hand, as a friend of the
people, his efforts for the constitutional redress of grievances, nor,
on the other, forgot, as a magistrate, what was due to the
dignity of Justice and the authority of Law, resisting to the last, with
unshrinking firmness, all criminal combinations against
Social Order and Private Property
Carmarthen,
My dear Sir,– I have the honour of being deputed
by the gentlemen who subscribed to the Chambers’ Testimonial, to present to
you an Epergne, as a token of their approbation of the zeal and intrepidity
displayed by you during the tumultuous proceedings which, unhappily, prevailed
in this county in the course of the last year. They fully appreciate your
meritorious exertions, in quelling disturbances, in maintaining the authority
of the law, and in affording protection and security to life and property.
Unawed by threats of personal violence, and the destruction of your property,
you fearlessly performed your public duty; and while you aided in bringing the
misguided violators of the law to punishment, you evinced a readiness to
assist in redressing grievances, thereby affording encouragement to the
peaceable, and inspiring with confidence the wavering and the timid. Although
your efforts to restore tranquility and order were accompanied by personal and
pecuniary sacrifices, yet, you have the consolation of knowing, that they have
been gratefully and universally acknowledged.
I beg to assure you, that it is to me a source of sincere gratification to
have been selected to make this communication to you.
I remain, my dear Sir,
Yours very sincerely
D. Morris.
To Wm. Chambers,
jun.,
Esq., Llanelly House.
Llanelly House, .
My dear Sir,– I beg to acknowledge the receipt
of your letter, accompanying the very handsome testimonial from the gentlemen
who have been pleased to notice my conduct in so flattering a manner. I shall
ever be proud of this mark of approbation, coming from my neighbours and
friends; nor am I the less grateful to those with whom I have not the honour
of so intimate an acquaintance.
This token more than compensates for all the personal inconvenience which I
was put to, and the pecuniary losses which I sustained, from the performance
of what I merely consider my duty; in the first instance, to my adopted
fellow-countrymen, and latterly as a Magistrate, to assist in upholding the
supremacy of the law. With painful feelings I look back to the occurrences of
last year, which have given rise to this kind expression of sentiment towards
me. Although no excuse can properly be advanced for those infractions of law
and order, which almost nightly disgraced this county, one cannot overlook the
circumstance, that no disturbances would have taken place, had no grievances
existed, or had these admitted grievances been remedied as soon as they were
complained of. The people themselves now feel that the cure they attempted was
of too violent a character, and feel, also, that they lost the sympathy and
support of the right thinking, who were disposed to assist them so long as
they employed constitutional means of redressing their grievances, but rightly
opposed them when they violated the law, and sanctioned the connection of real
grievance with personal animosity. God grant we may never live to see such
another year; I think we never shall, as the country has learnt a lesson it
will not easily forget.
Accept my warmest thanks for the great honour you and the other gentlemen
have bestowed upon me; the recollection will ever inspire me with feelings of
gratitude, to devote, whenever deemed worthy of being called upon, my best
exertions for the protection of the rights of the people, never overlooking,
at the same time, my obedience to, and support of, the laws. Permit me to
subscribe myself, with feelings of respect and gratitude, to yourself, and
the gentlemen who have deputed you to write to me,
Yours and theirs, very sincerely,
Wm. Chambers
Jun.
To D. Morris, Esq.,
M.P.,
Carmarthen.
