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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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THE FREEHOLD LAND MOVEMENT . A public meeting was hold last Tuesday at the Angel . Islington , for the purpose of explaining the
principles of the Finsbury Freehold Land Society . Mr . D . Harris , the chairman , after stating that the object of this combination was to secure votes , by the laying aside of Is . weekly , proceeded to urge the importance of the franchise to working men . The principal rules of the society were read by the secretary , Mr . Scott , who stated that , in case of failure by the bankers , an act of Parliament secured 20 s . in the pound to each member , before any of the other creditors could obtain a dividend . Mr . Beale observed
that as a moral and political engine the society was now fairly started , and , besides its important object of extending the franchise , offered a most profitable field for investment of capital ; the advantages being far superior to those presented by savings * banks . The moral elevation , too , arising from the possession of a freehold , acquired by a practice of self-denial , was no despisable consideration . The man who had so achieved his independence would not be likely to accept a bribe . In conclusion , he proposed a resolution declaratory of confidence in the society . Mr . Kinsilla next addressed the meeting , and said that political abuses were generally attributable to the
non-possession of power by the people . The House of Commons was for the most part made up of peers ' relations , naval and military officers , patrons of livings , and such persons who could not have much sympathy with the community at large . The practical remedy for this state of things was to join that society , -which sought first to bring power down to its members , and then to distribute the same power to the masses who were unjustly deprived of it . He concluded by seconding the resolution , "which was carried unanimously ; and a vote of thanks having been passed to the chairman , the meeting separated .
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IRISH TENANT LEAGUE . The principles and rules of the Irish Tenant League are now made public , together with the opinions of counsel on their safety and legality . Mr . Fitzgibbon , Q . C ., Mr . T . O'Hagan , Q . C ., and Sir Colman O'Loughlin were the gentlemen consulted . Mr . Fitzgibbon was of opinion that the society , acting on the statement of principles it had laid before him , would be pursuing a perfectly legal course , and might safely proceed with the plan described . Mr . O'Hagan stated that , having already expressed his opinion on documents substantially submitted to him
the same as the rules then on behalf of the Irish Tenant League , he would only repeat that those rules appeared to him unobjectionable in point of law , and that the members might pursue the object stated legally and safely ; bearing in mind , however , the risk incident to extensive political associations from the principle of the law of conspiracy , affecting one man , under certain circumstances , with responsibility for the acts of another , if done in furtherance of a design to which both are parties . No change in the rules of ^ the society would avoid the peril , which is incident to all extensive associations of the kind ,
although legal in their origin and object . In these opinions Sir C . O'Loughlin concurred , adding that in his judgment there was nothing objectionable ^ in point of law in the rules , as they then stood , which had been passed for district tenant societies . The purported object of the Tenant League is to obtain from Legislature an improvement in the laws which affect the relation of landlord and tenant . The rules of the League are of a merely formal character , relating chiefly to the holding of periodical meetings , the navment of a subscription by the members , the
subjects to be discussed , and other forms of their proceedings . One of the resolutions which it is intended to propose is , that Irish Members of Parliament shall be applied to and requested to give their countenance and support to , and cooperation with the Tenant League ; and that , in case of their refusal , they be requested , with all possible respect , to resign their seats , in order that the electors may have an opportunity of declaring their sentiments on this important subject before the coming session .
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THE IRISH AMELIORATION SOCIETY . A model station for carrying into effect the benevolent objects of the Irish Amelioration Society , has been opened at Derrymullen , in the county of Kildare . The spot selected affords excellent facility for the manufacture of peat fuel and charcoal , being a portion of the bog of Alien , and situated moreover on the banks of the Grand Canal , within twenty-five miles of Dublin . The raw material is abundant , while the means of exportation are easily accessible . The station consists of three wooden houses , no
weightier structures on so loose a sou being considered practicable . One house is fitted up with furnaces for making the charcoal , and a machine for grinding it ; the other buildings are not yet completed . The operation of cutting peat is carried on at the rear of the station by a large number of men , women , and boys , and is performed with great exactness . The material is made into small square blocks , which are removed , when sufficiently dry , by tramway to the mouth of a triangular retort . This retort is about twenty-eight foot in length ; but others much smaller , and of pyramidal shape , are
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ing very much in society . Its extent must be known when we found Sir R . Peel , only a short time before his death , declaring that he was ready to discuss the question . We saw the Times t which professed to be the reflex of opinion , publishing the result of our competitivesystem . He didnot wish them to pledgethemselves by their silence to those opinions . A communist was easily distinguished ; but when opinions of this class were gaining ground , if beneath the surface only , it indicated some new subject in which we have to deal . law
( Hear , hear . ) The great requisite of the poor-, to which a signal expression had been given here , was that the poor should find a subsistence out of the land . This , however , slipped the notice of the commissioners in 1833 . It pointed out the necessity for a further development of the poor-law , and also the direction of the opinion to which he had already alluded . If he were to endeavour to define those different sorts of opinion he should say that they consisted in an idea that man by nature had a right to obtain subsistence out of the land on which he was
born , and that industry which was carried on in unison was likely to be more successful than when the interest conflicted . ( Hear hear . ) In carrying out the present scheme—in reforming the poor-law —it could only be done concordant with the state of the poor-law , and it was a disadvantage which should be borne in mind . There could be no doubt that when Mr . Charles Buller was on the poor-law commission , he intended to make a considerable improvement in the classification of paupers . "Without being acquainted with the plan , he believed the direction was to make some more
association some of the best men in the country had given in their adhesion to it . ( Hear , hear . ) All were agreed as to the object , but there might be different modes of carrying it out . They agreed that it was best to create a productive labour test . In conclusion , he proposed the health of Mr . James Hole and the poor-law reform association . Mr . Hole responded . He said that at Leeds they lately had an enquiry to ascertain what was the cause of their excessive poor-rates . A committee was formed , of which he was a member , and a deputation visited the Sheffield farm . They reported so
favourably of the scheme that the committee unanimously recommended its consideration to the guardians . The great objection seemed to be that it would involve too much trouble , especially to the officials . Consequently the scheme would not be set on foot at Leeds till there was a greater pressure from without . ( Hear , hear . ) Mr . Hole spoke at some length in favour of the scheme , concurring with the views expressed by Mr . Hunt . Leeds was looking up to Sheffield for the result of this experiment , and he wished they had a clerk as active and enterprising as Mr . Watkinson . He should have great pleasure in proposing liis health before he sat down .
Mr . WATKiNSox ( union clerk ) gave an interesting explanation of what had been done on the farm . The object for which it had been established was to furnish employment at productive labour for persons unable to find work in their own trades . Through the failure of trade , many were under the necessity of becoming applicants for relief , but no man should be reduced below the level of his own estimation . Upwards of 500 heads of families had been employed at the parish farm , of whom twenty-six still remain . Besides the 500 heads of families , there had been supported 250 of their wives , and about 2000 children .
effective separation between what may be called the honest poor and the deliberate vagrant . At present there was a great difficulty of this kind . "When they were dealing with the vagrant by malice prepense , they felt they could not deal sufficiently stringent with him . In times of distress they were obliged to relieve the unfortunate honest man , through a penal law . If this difficulty could be surmounted , a great object would be achieved . In expressing this conviction on his part , he did not ask for their concurrence . We now heard a great deal of the organization of labour , and men talked of industrial armies . His opinion , however , was , such changes in society were not taken by jumps . The change must be not lannin but by endeavour
The first calculation was that the applicants for relief must have the means of existence , whether they work or remain idle in the workhouse . The breaking of stones and oakum picking however , had interfered with legitimate labour , and entailed a loss to the public beyond the amount given for subsistence . Added to this was the degradation most men undergo by being reduced to such employment . The object was first to render the labour of able-bodied men profitable ; and though the farm in the first instance entailed a loss of £ 43 4 s . 4 d ., there was a certainty of the second year showing abalance in favour of the farm
effected , by p g systems , - ing to find out the actual laws of industry . If Adam Smith had been yet alive , he would have given us a fine chapter to add to our political economy . In any case of this kind the poor-law itself afforded us a practical opportunity of trying what was to be done by uniting industry in its most simple form . The poor-law enabled them to carry on this experiment ; and , if successful , the Industrial Farm would be an example to all similar institutions . In conclusion , he expressed his regret that he felt so indisposed to address them that day . If , like him , any of them held a ball of fire in each hand , a cloud of mist enveloping the head , he would then feel the difficulty under which he at the present time was labouring .
more than sufficient to cover the loss of the first year . There was every reason to hope that the profits of the third year ' s production would nearly cover the whole expense connected with the farm-labour test ; and the fourth year , in all probability , would not only cover the whole farm expenditure , but show a small surplus return of the money expended in the relief to labourers who have worked on the farm . At that period the land will be sub-let in three-acre lots , and every succeeding year would enable the guardians to sub-let in proportion to the number of acres brought under cultivation . A revenue would be thus
afforded on an encreasing principle upon every twenty-one years' lease of fifty acres . The lease of the house and two acres of land was for ninety-nine years , and , presuming that in the locality not more than nineteen years will afford waste lands for cultivation , there would remain seventy acres in such a state as to produce a return of £ 24 per annum to the funds of the union , or £ 1840—a sum more than the whole cost of the building and fixtures of that house of shelter . Now it must not be generally understood that if the experiment succeeded that it was to end in the fifty-acre allotment at present under lease .
( Cheers . ) Mr . Isaac Ironside said it was well known that he ( Mr . Ironside ) was a Socialist . To him social reform was of infinitely more importance than political reform . They had gentlemen from the east and from the west who had come to ascertain for themselves the progress of this noble experiment . The scheme was not all that he could wish , but he was willing to act with the majority . The most foolish idea that he had heard expressed was to expect that we could be perfect in the experiment . ( Hear , hear . ) It was a perfectly new and untrodden path , and to suppose that we could be perfect in the first step was Dhvsically impossible . ( Cheers . ) They must act with
According to the present state of the law , the guardians could not hold more than fifty acres atone time , but he believed there was an understanding with the Duke of Norfolk that , as soon as a portion of the farm was sub-let , he would let them have more wasteland . Though we might not enjoy all the benefit of this undertaking , the reward would be reaped by our children . ( Loud cheers . ) The poor labourers were grateful for the change . They were glad to get upon the farm , for to be shut up in the workhouse all their
the ratepayers , who had sufficient sense to appreciate the scheme , and to carry it out in the best manner they could . ( Hear , hear . ) He should have liked the land to be a freehold plot . The monetary view of the question he did not like at all : the moral effects were to him of the greatest importance . He knew of some circumstances which had occurred on that farm poor fellows who had constantly migrated from the workhouse to the house of correction , and from the house of correction to the workhouse . But here was something humanizing and elevatingwholesome food , good air , good lodging , occupation , and regularity , and it had been the making or them . He was glad to see Mr . Hunt and Mr . Larken present . We were told not to be afraid of entertaininc stranirers . for men had entertained angels
unadays was a terrible punishment . Many of them had said that they would rather end their days at the farm than return to the workhouse . ( Hear , hear . ) The Vice-Chairman proposed the health of the Sheffield Board of Guardians . The toast was acknowledged by Mr . Charles Peace , chairman of the board , who said he approved of the principle involved in the experiment , as it gave good employment to the poor , and furnished the best labour test that he knew of , for it would return to some extent the relief which was administered to the labourers .
wares . Well , Mr . Larken was an honour to his profession , for having undertaken that bold step of appearing among them that day . But there was another gentleman present , representing the poorlaw reform association of Leeds . The great struggle between the Protectionist and Free-trader was at an end ; but , after all , the country was beginning to find out that free-trade merely was not enough . ( Hear , hear . ) Something more than that was required . Well , to the honour of Manchester , there the new idea had been born . He did not think it possible that Manchester could have produced such a circular as had been issued by the poor-law reform association . Mr . Ironside read extracts from the circular , and remarked that in connection with this
( Hear , hear . ) He did not approve of the farming principle , however , and he could make statements , and prove by figures , that it was a very costly experiment . He believed that the present board of guardians would , as far as they saw prudent , carry out this effort , and ho trusted that it would be to the advantage of the ratepayers of Sheffield and to the improvement of the poor and unfortunate .
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Sept . 28 , 1850 . ] &fl 0 % t « & **? 627
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 28, 1850, page 627, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1854/page/3/
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