The Mayor of Stamford and its Magistrates were very happy when a large number of inhabitants of the town pledged to put down this practice, which supposedly began in the reign of King John. However, it seems they were more worried about the cost of the hire of special constables being added to their rates than concerns about the bull or anyone who was injured in the pursuit.
“This day is the anniversary of this illegal and disgusting practice: it is with the greatest pleasure we find that the town is likely to be relieved from the reproach of permitting so silly and dangerous a custom to continue, and that the memorial of nearly 700 inhabitants presented to the Magistrates last week, pledging themselves to use their personal exertions to put it down, will prevent the heavy expense which for three years past has been incurred in the endeavour to vindicate the law. The Mayor received on Sunday the following letter from the Hon. Fox Maule, Under-Secretary of State:-
'Sir, 'Whitehall, 7th Nov., 1840.
'I have laid before the Marquess of Normanby your letter of the 6th inst, forwarding copies of Resolutions agreed to at a Meeting of the Inhabitants of Stamford, in which they pledge themselves to assist personally in suppressing any attempt to revive the practice of Bull-running, and I am to inform you, that, relying on the Faith of these Resolutions, and on the Determination of the Magistrates to suppress this Riotous Proceeding, Lord Normanby will not send any extraordinary Force to Stamford this year; and he trusts that, by proper exertions on the part of the Magistrates, it may never again be necessary to impose on the Inhabitants of Stamford an expense quite foreign to the Secretary of State's wishes.
I am, Sir, your obedient Servant,
'F. Maule.'
'The Mayor of Stamford.' This letter was printed on Monday for general information; and the Mayor and Magistrates communicated at the Town-hall on that day and Tuesday with many of the principal inhabitants of the borough 0 on whose renewed assurance that they and the other subscribers of the memorial will vigilantly watch against any violation of order, and mark for certain punishment all persons who shall attempt to run a bull in the town on Friday or Saturday, or otherwise to disturb the peace, the Magistrates have resolved not to put the inhabitants to any expense for special constables: they rely on the ordinary police force; and implicitly on the voluntary services of the numerous public-spirited individuals who have signified their determination to prevent the nuisance hitherto practised on the 13th of November; and we cannot entertain a doubt that this confidence will be justified by the result; that the town will be relieved at once from the disgrace of a barbarous custom, – from the heavy expense which has attended late endeavours to suppress it, – and from the apprehension that greatly increased charge will in future years attend a violation of the pledge given to the Government and the local authorities for the honest and honourable observance of the law.”
The Stamford Mercury, 13th November, 1840.