(6) Bronterre O'Brien, London Mercury (March 4, 1837)

Henry Vincent, a young and very ardent republican is, I believe, a great favourite among his brother operatives; at any rate, he is one of the their most effective speakers, and well deserving the applause so frequently and liberally bestowed on him. I had heard him on a few previous occasions, but the meeting on Tuesday called forth the full extent of his powers. He spoke with boldness, fluency and a perfect command of the subject. Paine is evidently a great favourite with him, for not only does he delight in recommending the writer, but he has all the best maxims and arguments at his fingers' ends. Amongst many other good things, he gave a masterly exposition of the "rotten House of Commons".

(7) R G Gammage, History of the Chartist Movement (1894)

The man who, above all the leaders of the Association, was calculated to wield an influence in the provinces was Henry Vincent. His person was extremely graceful, and he appeared on the platform to considerable advantage. With a fine flexible voice, a florid complexion, and, excepting in intervals of passion, a most winning expression he had only to present himself in order to win all hearts over to his side. His attitude was perhaps the most easy and graceful of any popular orator of the time. For fluency of speech he rivalled all his contemporaries, few of him were anxious to stand beside him on the platform. With the fair sex his slight handsome figure, the merry twinkle of his eye, his incomparable mimicry, his passionate bursts of enthusiasm, the rich music of his voice, and, above all, his appeals for the elevation of women, rendered him an universal favourite.

(8) Gareth Elwyn Jones, Modern Wales (1984)

The Chartists... came down to the Westgate Hotel only to be fired on by troops stationed there unbeknown to the demonstrators. The crowd fled, the leaders were arrested, tried and deported.

I gave them a short history of the poor law amendment act; the causes assigned by members of both houses for passing that act; its effects on society, immediate and remote; the treatment of the poor in many of their bastiles. I spoke to a most attentive audience, and I am persuaded that his lordship will have some difficulty in rubbing out the impressions. I talked to them about striking me off the commission; I informed them what the opinion is of the inhabitants of Newport as to my services as a magistrate. I showed them the sort of magistrates who were high in favour with the present government, and the sort of conduct which raised magistrates in the estimation of the authorities.

A number of the electors told me they would vote for me; and I believe there is not a member now sitting in the House of Commons more despised by the electors than is the member for Stroud.