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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, November 19, 1867

Bread Riots in Europe.—From various parts of Europe we have intelligence that the working population have risen in bodies and demand “bread or blood.” This is an old cry, and one which has made many a tyrant tremble, but never did it have so much significance as now. The curious spectacle of English working-men developing themselves into something like responsible agents and free men has somewhat startled the aristocracy from time to time; but they have put off believing until the increase of co-operative societies, the reform meetings, and the hopeless yet daring Fenian insurrections have convinced them that they must not tread too heavily upon the necks of those below them.

A bread riot in England to-day means more than ever before; it does not mean simply, “Give us bread for the moment or we die,” but it comes more and more to mean, “Give us the power that shall put us above the necessity of going without bread. Distribute wealth more equally.” This is ominous to the high and mighty in England. In France, we hear the peasant population are rioting in some of the provinces; but it is only because Napoleon happens to be the least bit unpopular at home just now that they put in their claims. If it were a riot in Paris, it would look more reasonable, but in the country, circumstances are better. Bread-riots in either country have certain “political significance” which grows and ripens with every fresh demonstration.

A dispatch from Exeter, England, dated Monday, midnight, gives this account of the bread riots: Serious riots were commenced in this city to-night. The tumult has been produced by the high price of food, and a pretty general want of employment, the once great iron interest of the place having been greatly depressed of late. Almost every baker’s and butcher’s shop in town has been broken open and completely gutted and plundered. The movement has extended to Axminster, situated twenty-four miles east of Exeter, where the premises of the corn dealers have been burned. Axminster contains the well-known carpet factories, with buildings for the manufacture of woolen cloths and gloves, and has a very determined population of working-men. The local militia has been called out and placed under arms in Exeter, and re-inforcements of the regular troops have arrived in the city from the naval station at Plymouth. Several arrests have been made. Special constables have been sworn in, both in Exeter and Axminster. The mayor of Exeter has made a speech to the people, but the mob is still in force, and great excitement prevails in the streets, even at this hour.