Henry Hunt, an English politician, born at Upavon, Wiltshire, Nov. 6, 1773, died at Al-resford, Hants, Feb. 13, 1835. He was a wealthy farmer, and in early life was noted for extreme loyalty, having in 1801, during the alarm at the projected French invasion, offered to place his personal property, valued at £20,-000, at the disposal of government. He subsequently retired in disgust from the Everly troop of yeomanry on account of their refusal to volunteer their services out of the county, and joined the Marlborough troop. Having challenged his commander, Lord Bruce, he was tried and sentenced to pay a fine of £100, and to be imprisoned for six weeks in the king's bench. During his confinement he was visited by several prominent reformers, under whose influence he became a champion of the most radical section of the party, and the political associate of Sir Francis Burdett, Home Tooke, and William Cobbett. For many years he attempted without success to secure a seat in parliament, addressing popular meetings in the large manufacturing towns and in other parts of the kingdom.

In August, 1819, he presided over the reform meeting in Manchester, which for alleged illegality was dispersed by the military, after 11 persons had been killed and upward of 600 wounded; and an indictment for conspiracy was found against him. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 years' confinement in Ilchester jail, and after his release made a public entry into London on Nov. 4, 1822. In 1830 and 1831 he was returned to the house of commons from Preston; but failing of an election to the next parliament, he made the tour of England in a handsome equipage, speaking in the principal towns, and offering for sale, under the name of "radical coffee,1' roasted grains of wheat, as a substitute for the heavily taxed coffee of the West and East Indies. Subsequently he made his appearance in London in a coach drawn by white horses, from which he sold a new kind of blacking invented by himself. He died of a stroke of paralysis while on a tour.