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J IQ 'erity and a unanimity that was tru...
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Mr Keogh's motion on the subject of the ...
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Several other important topics have been...
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Among the bills which have heen introduc...
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7S~ Press oi matter has ccatelled u. to ...
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TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LANE rrn *TLTn> ti...
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THE CHARTIST TRIALS. YORK ASSIZES . J. J...
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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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Parliamentary Review. The Whig Policy To...
a c erity and a unanimity that was truly edi-£ v ; n r . Such spectacles are historical . "We _^ _ulii not help feeling that we were present at the commencement of proceedings , the end of . v . ch it was difficult to foretel or forsee . Th _. Te was , however , to y much reason to fear _tk 3 t we were _sowisg the wind and must expect to r . ap the whirl -rind . i •_ -. _-.-. _d o _iinpn _' mifi- _fl _. _^ f , r--c » -. _»! .. .-j :
J Iq 'Erity And A Unanimity That Was Tru...
J _*™ __^ I 8 | Q ___ THE NORTHERN _STAfi , 5 _i X . . ~ " _+- _*— = _. _ . ' ' r " _* _'"** ' ' _* r ~ ¦« _-i _»« -i _» _m ___*__ - » ,... , —
Mr Keogh's Motion On The Subject Of The ...
Mr Keogh's motion on the subject of the recent trials in Ireland , and the manner in which the Jury was packed in order to procure the conviction of Mr Mitchel , led to a characteristic scene . Parliamentary " rows'' are quite common affairs with a Whi g Cabinet . It would almost seem that , conscious of their in ability to say or do anything in a proper and statesmanlike manner , their only resourse is to
fly into a passion with any one who touches them on the sore place , or who even so much as p oints his finger thereto . In this instance Mr Keogh raised a legitimate question , and treated it in a manner thoroughly in accordance with the forms of Parliament . He kept to his subject strictly ( a great merit now-adays ) and in the course of his really able , eloquent , and spirit-stirring speech , did not _ tt _ an irrelevant sentence . He contrasted
—as he had a right to do—the conduct of every man of the present Government on _former occasions , when they were in opposition , and their professions , as well as the avowed principles of their party , with reference to the administration of justice , and the composition of juTies in political ca _ s , with their own conduct , now that they have the power of _ordering all these matters . He leviewed most truthfully , and , therefore , most disagreeably to Whig ears , the _nollcv of the Ministry towards Ireland ; and , in return for _discharging this necessary duty , Sir G . Grey jumped
• up and made a personal attack on the hon . Member , which was moat discreditable to any man pretending to be a gentleman , and certainly most disgraceful as coming from a high Minister of the Crown , who more _thanf any other Member of Parliament is bound to observe the conventional courtesies of society . He began by charging Mr Keogh with having had a good opinion of Repeal , of O'Connell , and Lord Melbourne ' s Go \ _ rnmeat , which he called a " paternal" one , some ei _^ ht years ago . Poor fellow I he was onlv in his teens when he committed these
_mistakes , and may be pardoned the sins of youth and inexperience . With respect to the two latter—namely , O'Connell and Melbourne and Whigs generally—he may fairly say thathis eyes have heen opened to their characters in the years that have since elapsed ; one must live to learn . But this wasnot the most discreditable part of Sir G . Grey ' s attack . He insinuated that Mr Keogh had given the Government reason to suppose tbat he would tea supporter of it , while he had an election petition hanging over his head , but that since that was withdrawn , he had gone over to the Conservative side , because no place was given him . Mr Keogh ' s instant and indignant repudiation of this charge may settle tke matter so far as he
_ concerued , hut what does Sir G . Grey mean by the insinuation as to the Election Committee ? Are we to understand distinctly what is so often whispered out of doors by other parties , that Government have it in their power 50 to form the _ Committees , as to render tbe throwing out cf an inconvenient _' _opponent , and the seating of an obsequious supporter , a matter of certainty ? If so , we can congratulate Sir G . Grey as little upon his discretion as his temper . Such things , he may depend upon it , are better left in the shade , as far as the " Government " are concerned . The _peojde ' s interest in the matter is another thins . "With respect to the subject of the debate , the Home Secretary ' s own statement fullv be _ s out the allegations of Mr Mitchel at the trial . It was carefully
and basely packed , for the express purpose of procuring a verdict against him , and there is an end ofthe matter . All the official conventionalisms and phrases coined in the Mint of the Treasury and law offices , cannot disguise that fact .
Several Other Important Topics Have Been...
Several other important topics have been s ' Kcussed during the week , to which we can , at present , merely advert , reserving comment until a future opportunity . The _incumbered Estates ( Ireland ) Bill has passed the third _reading in the Commons , but so emasculated that , Fike the Irish Poor-law , it is valuable merely for the princip le it affirms . Practically , " it is to be feared that it will be almost nugatory as a remedy for the evils it is intended to meet . An important change in the law of marriage in Scotland has passed the Lords . In future no marriages will he considered legal , should this bill pass into a law , except where parties have resided in the parish fourteen days and given that notice . At present , no notice or preliminary * formalities are required , thus offering facilities for clandestine marriages , which the far-famed
G . _-etna Green , and other less celebrated piaces prove , are extensively taken advantage of . Mr C Buller , the new President ofthe Poor-law Board , has broug ht in a batch of bills to amend th- administrative operation of the Poor-law . The first of these has reference to the mode of ? . s _ Si = ing certain charges , which he is of opinion ought to be borne equally hy the whole * _ nion—by an equitable rate on the property of each rate-paver . At present , they fail most unequally on certain parishes and classes The charges which he thus proposes to * make general , are the coit of tne Medical
Tnion Officers , the Clerk , ; the men , the Master of the "Workhouse , and generally what are termed establishment charges . Secondly , the support of vagrants ; and , thirdly , " the maintenance of what are called the irremovable poor . In the course of his speech , the Right Hon . Gentleman dealt out some blows at The former administration ofthe Poor Law , which must , we imagine , have been rather unpalatable to Mr Cornewall Lew-is , who _ t near him on the Treasury Bench . On V , ' ednesdav , the O'Connell farce of a motion on Eepeal ' was played out by the discharge of
the motion . Justice was done to the moral courage and determination evinced by Mr O'Connor m bringing the question forward at an early period of the Session , and the way in which he fairly tested the feeling of the House upon it , was praised by Sir B . Hall , as _affording an honourable contrast to the sneaking p . icy of the Young " Liberator ! " The management of our Colonial empire formed the subject of an admirable speech by Sir "W . Molesworth _, which , together with the lame reply of Mr Hawes , will furnish ample matter for a future article .
Among The Bills Which Have Heen Introduc...
Among the bills which have heen introduced and read a first time , we may notice one for preventing night work by journeymen bakers in the metropolis . The bill p rohibits any m _*_ ter baker to employ his men in the manufacture of any kind ' of bread between the hours of six " in the evening and four in the morning , under a penalty for the first offence of not more than forty shillings , or impiisonfor not more than a month , and for every subsequent offence a penalty of not less than five pounds , or imprisonment for not more than three months . The second reading of the bill stands for next Wednesday , when we trust that the manifest evils of the practice which it is intended to prevent , will secure sufficient support to ensure its passing into law . It is "wholly unnecessary for the accommodation of the public , is not required by the respectable masters , and is only perpetuated by a minority of poor and selfish employers , who care not what evil they inflict on society at large , so that they can grow speedily rich .
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7s~ Press Oi Matter Has Ccatelled U. To ...
7 S _~ Press oi matter has ccatelled u . to withhold the Defence Fund list this week . We are soiry to state that the _ m received by Mr Rider , since our Im , _amount- only to £ 14 and a few _ hillin „ . J- _^ xaet , Aberdeen . —Press of matter compels tfce post . iimement of yoar letter , It shall appear in our next ,
To The Members Of The Lane Rrn *Tltn> Ti...
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LANE rrn * TLTn _> ti tt ? _ti _*» T 7 > tic r \ ici _nuiii t hum
COMPANY . My Friends , I dare say that it will not require much eloquence to convince you of the state of excitement that I was in for some time previous to the loth of April , till Chartism , upon that day , proclaimed its triumph over despotism ; aud yet , great as that excitement naturally was , when a single incautious step upon my part might have led to the sacrifice of thousands of lives , and jeopardised the cause of Chartism ; nevertheless , I assure you , that that excitement was as nothing compared with the state of madness I have been in since the Committee was appointed to inquire into the affairs of the National Land Company .
" o have jeopardised a political movement b y rashness or folly might be set down to enthusiasm , or want of judgment ; but to rob the poor—or the bare suspicion of it—would be a crime , nay , a sin , which repentance could never obliterate . You are aware of the ferocious manner that I have been attacked b y every newspaper in England , with the exception of the " Times , " the " Post / ' the " Herald , " and the " Wakefield Journal ; '' and you are aware how those uncontradicted slanders must have militated against my character as a gentleman , and one elected to represent your order in Parliament .
I was aware that these representations had no great wei g ht with those who have long known me , and faithfully confided in me ; but you are aware that thousands who read the accusation never saw the defence ; and this is the Press mode of destroying a gentleman ' s character . When that Committee was appointed , the Judge Advocate of England ,. with a salary of 2 , 000 / . a year , was elected as the Chairman ; and I now unhesitatingly declare , that Judge Jefferies never evinced a more reckless or disgraceful partiality than that gentleman has
evinced as Chairman of the Land Committee . He appeared to hold a brief , in which the evidence of every witness was detailed , and he would onl y allow such witnesses to be examined as he presumed would damage the Company . And , as I told you before , although I brought an Occupant from O'Connorville , and three Occupants from Gloucestershire , at my own expense , considering them the best witnesses , as being longest located , yet they went as they came ; the Chairman would not allow them to be examined , although one would naturally presume that they were the very witnesses who ought to he examined .
The first question gone into was the application of the funds ; the hope and the object being at once to damn the _Tlan hy damning the man ; and with this view , the whole accounts of the Bank and of the Land Company were submitted to an accountant , appointed by the Chairman , who , I presume , following his instructions , conducted the investigation , not as if I was an insolvent , but as if I was a fraudulent insolvent . This gentleman , as a matter of course , entered upon his duty with suspicion , as he . like the Committee , from report , entertained serious doubts as to the integrity of the management . For more than three weeks this investigation lasted , and you can well imagine the difficult position in which I was placed .
I think I hear some hanker s clerk , who has nothing to do but to attend to his books , saying — " From whence could arise your difficulty if you had kept proper accounts ? " My answer is— " That , multifarious as the work is , it would be impossible to keep more honest accounts , although they may be somewhat puzzling to a regular accountant , who is only accustomed to a certain description of accounts ; and still more difficult , _whe-n I inform you that theie is not one word of mine written in any book connected with the Company—and this fact will prove as creditable to those employed under me as to myself . "
The accountant has now made his report , and you may judge of its magnitude when I tell you that he went over the accounts from the first day the operations were commenced at O'Connorville , down to Saturday , the 15 th of J uly . And , as a set of hired scribblers have attempted to arraign my balance sheets as fraudulent , it may be some satisfaction to the Members to know , that the accountant comp ared the balance sheets with the original documents and receipts from which they were taken , and that there was not a difference of
two shillings . And while I am prepared to admit that the accounts have not heen what a merchant would term strictly kept , yet my only wonder is , that , having furnished those balance sheets after the strictest investigation by seven auditors for each , that I had retained receip ts for sums as low as 2 s . 6 d . I was satisfied , and you were satisfied , with a faithful expenditure of your monies ; but if I had not been able equall y to satisfy Parliament and the country , I feel thoroughly convinced that the Land Company would have been my death .
But I think I may now boastfully * assert , that I can lay such a balance sheet before the world , as neither individual or corporation has ever before submitted ; for , you must bear the fact in mind , that , with scarcely an exception , directors , managers , committeemen , and lawyers , eke a livelihood out of their confiding but gullable dupes ; but because they are not tinged with the odium of Chartism , but belong to some recognised faction , they pas s un scathed , and are considered devilish clever fellows .
With so much of a preface , I shall now proceed to lay before you the evidence of the accountant , as submitted to the Committee , and then it will be for you to judge whether or not I have established this Land Plan for your benefit or my own . Here follows the evidence of the accountant : — Mr William Hesrt Gset called up and examined : — Yoa say it was _impO-siDle for you to examine all tha vouchers and receipts ?—Yes . Wa 3 I prepared with a sofa full ?—Yes . I believe you went into the accounts very critically , more so than I then thought necessary , or tban I now think was necessary , _however , you went back to O'Connorville from the very beginning ?—I did .
I believe I _. howed yeu vonohera , as far as we went , for suras like 2 . 01 , 6 s ., and 7 s ., and eo forth ? --There were very many small vouchers ; _f-ome I did not think it _necessary to notice . I think I explained the impossibility in all cases of separating the particular items as to tbe _individa . ! cD _. b ,- as . for instance , t _*_ _f e might be fifty or sixty horses sometimes working half a day at the houses , and sometimes half a day plonghing ?—So I understood from yon ; I did not attempt to go into that . Did I not tell you that you should have every facility in my power to enable you to make an abstract account of the several estates ?—Yea . And JOU have done that particularly and critically ? — As far as it wbb possible in tbe time , acd with the materials .
You have been over all the balance-sheets ; you have been over my balance Bheet , and yeu compared the sums charged in my balance sheet with the eun __ - _stated to have been paid in the labour-book kept by the overseer , who has that Jabeur-book ?—Yes . Did you find any difference between the amount that was taken from that Btatement end my balancesheet ?—None . Did yon go over the Lowbands balance sheet , that i- the large balance ?—Ye _ . Did you take the _labour-book and compare it ?—_ LCS _» Was tbere _aiiy difference between the gums stated to be paid in the overseer ' s book by him , and that which appeared in my balance sheet ?—None . far
From the examination of the vouchers , as as we went _through tbem . you have eubjected them to the most critical examination , you having been _fifteen and sixteen hours a day at work upon then ? , and jou having come to a rough estimate , leaving to a ( subsequent period a more minate _distinction to be _ » de of the different estates ; have you any doubt upon vour _m-nd that the company is in debt to me ? —None whatever ; that balance sheet is a _preof cf D _ 1 give yon my bank books ?—Yes . Did 1 show the balance I took credit for in the London Joint Stock Bank , as stated in my last balance sheet ?—Yes . What was the difference between the balance 1 took credit for aad the real Bum ?—I . w ,
To The Members Of The Lane Rrn *Tltn> Ti...
I think there was a _. liftht difference between a balance of £ 21 , 320 , and aba'ance of _ 21 , 310?—That was explained by two £ b rank notes . Did you see the balance 1 took credit for as in . e _Gloucester Bank in my balance sheet of £ 6000 odd ? —xes . Had I a _BUrplus balance in the Gloucester Ba _^ k when I gave that ? _-Yes . Were the accounts produced to _ytu down to last Saturday ?—Yes . All tbat had been received on behalf of the company ?—Yes , all that was announced in the NoR _. _nkbs Stab . I believe I gave you all my cheque bosks , showing what the money wa 3 for ?—Yes _-, ., . ...
And you and I went over the cheque books , and all that wa 3 down for fly hire and so oa , and nothing was charged except . hat tbere was a receipt for ; there was nothing charged as _was-es ?—Nothing was charged except wbat waB charged in the bank book . There may have been aorae entries for which there is no receipt ; I did notgo ao closely into it as _. that . You found receipt , lor cows bought at fairs ?—Yes . Have yon had the receipt of their sale afterwards by auction ?—Yes , some caws were Bold afterward ' . I believe yon had the auctioneer that sold themi Mr Weaver ?—Yes . And the amount he says I received is that which I gave credit for in the Gloucester account to a farthing ?—Yes .
And an amount that I had no receipt for , for a crop purchased , £ 437 8 s . Id ., that yeu found to be _. Or . eet to a farthing ?—Yes . As to everything that I took eredit for in my balance sheet at Lowbands and at O'Connorville . I believe I satisfied you as far 88 it was in the power of man to do so ? - _ es . Did my balance . beets _aeree with the accounts of what hsd been expended ?—I analysed both those balance sheets , and I have no doubt of the _correctnesi of both of thera . Did I submit every man to you , carpenter , overseers , and all _f-r the most rigid examination ?—Yes .
Did you go over their books five times , if you found that you cou ! d not balance them to a farthing . Was there an account of £ 2 12 s . to Mr Lord ?—Ye .. Did you find that out ?—Yes , £ 2 12 ' . paid him in addition to the cheque . Wherever I found there was a difference of that sort I searched it out . Supposing you bad been going to make up an account for myself , do you think tbat any person ceuld bave been more anxious , or could have given you more _infe-rmation that you required tban I did?—No ; you seemed very anxious to give me every inform ;_ _b n , and every facility was given me . Now the difficulty you have , is in taking out the sums applicable to each estate?—Yes ; yeuasshfed me there . I could not have dona it without asaistanr . fi .
Even to dividing one sum info two ? -Yes ; you went through the bankers' bsoks . which I have in my _pofket ; the book which belonged to each estate . ( The Witness produced ihe several bankers ' boohs . ) 1 produced the timber merchant , who received £ 9 , 043 edd | —Yes he brought me his accounts , which were very nicely drawn up ; I jaever saw accounts kept better . This is a question that I am tender apon . Putting on one side the question of legality , I ask you , after that very close and critical examination of the accounts , both upon my part and upon your part , what is the real result that you have arrived at ? Have yeu any doubt that a large 6 um of money iadue to me ?—None whatever , or I should cot have put a balance sheet forward showing that to be so . I b . lieve I waa more _aDxinus in the matter , if possible , than you were ?—You were very anxious ; it was a very laborious task .
Sir B . Hall ] You stated that you went over some balance sheets . Will you tell me what those balance sheets were , whether they were the original balance sheets , which had been audited by persons stated to have been auditors of the Company or not ?—They were net ; I have not seen any of thos . balance sheets . When I make use of the word balance sheet . I mean the balance sheets of Mr O'Connor's accounts , as well as the balance sheets of the National L-nd Gompany . Do you mean to . ay that you have not seen any ofthe original balance _ b . _eets of Mr O'Connor , or ofthe Natioral Land Company , whieh are stated to have been audited and signed by Mr Cuffay and Mr Knight ?—I have not seen any of them .
At your last examination you said that the observation you had made with reference to the destruction of those accounts , applied t 9 the accounts of Mr O'Connor ?—It applied to ono Bingle account of Mr O'Connor ' s . I asked for the originals of the two preceding accounts to the one that was placed iH my hands as the final account . Those two preceding accounts were published in the' Northbrn Stab ; ' cf one , I believe , the date is the 19 th December , and of the other in August , 1847 . I wished to see the _originals of thesa , in order to form a connecting link from the commencement ofthe affairs of the Company up to the point at which I was to complete them . I was told by Mr _Hewitt , the clerk to Mr O'Connor , those others bad been destroyed . Mr M'Grath stood bv and doubted the truth of that assertion , and ihey both _asreed tbat they did not know where tbey were , and I have never had them .
Will you look tothe evidence which was given by yourself , at questions 424 S and 42-19 , which contain the observation made by Mr FeargUB O'Connor , and will you read that observation ?— ' And which accounts I tell you you can have . ' Have you had those accounts ?—I have sot . Mr F . O'Connor . ] Did you take your account from the originals from which those balance sheets were made , and from the labour book , acd the receipts I showed you ?—Yes . Did they agree to a penny ?—Yea . That was tbe original from which the manuscript was taken ?—Yes . You took it from the original ?—From the original books . The original books kept by the overseer ?—Yes .
SirB . Hall ] Have you ever had the account promised to you by Mr Feargus O'Connor in amiwer to that question , which account was _atated to ba destroyed by the auditor of the company ?—No . I asked again for it , and have not obtained it . Hava you read the evidence wbicb wr .. given by Mr M'Grath ?—I have not . It was stated in evidence given by him in an-wer to question 707 . and _subsequently , that Mr O'Connor has regularly produced bis balance sheets , and hey were audited by persons appointed by the Conference , and that those accounts had been produced , and were kept in the possession of Mr O'Connor himself . Am I to understand that those accounts have not been produced ?—They bave not been produced tome .
Mr F . O'Connob . ] Be critical in this . Were the books from wbich the only written balance sheet waB taken produced . Did you go over the original documents from which those * two printed _balancesheets were taken * . —I can hardly answer that . Did they correspond ?—The books corresponded with the printed copies placed in my hands . Sir B . Haix . ] Had you any balance sheets which had been audited by the auditors of the company and signed by them ?—None whatever . Mr M'Grath further Bays in answer to question 746 . that he can produce the original account from which the balance sheet is made up , and that they were signed by the auditors , Messrs Cuffay and Knight . Have you seen those original accounts se signed ?—No , I have not .
He further states m answer to question 1761 , that Mr Cuffay was a most precise and particular man ; that the last balance Bheet took htm three days to audit ; that thera were about 29 , 000 items ; and tbat he compared every one of them , and tbat vouchers were produced in the office for every farthing of expenditure except what he booked for postage , and that until the vouchers were produced Mr Cuffay would not have put hi . name to the balance sheet . Have you seen anything like vouchers to that extent for the one balance sheet to which he alludes ?—Not to the extent of 29 , 000 ; I have seen a large bundle of vouchers applying to the balance sheet which 1 imagine is meant there .
In answer to queation 1670 , it is stated that at the Lowbands Conference , held in December , the balance sheets were produced by Mr O'Connor , as treasurer ofthe L _. nd Company , and that John Shaw and others were appointed auditors ; have you seen the balance sheet which was so signed by John Shaw and others ? —No . Mr F . _O'Cokxor . 1 You held both the printed bar lance sheets in your hand ?—Yes . And you went over the books from which they were taken ?—YeB . And the vouchers ?—Yes .
Thea it waB from them that the written one was printed ; the written one goes to the printer , and is cut up into fragments ?—Sir B . Hall . ] How do you know that they were so taken ' . —I just now begged to say that 1 could not tell that it was so . but the items in tho books correspond with those printed in those copies . Have yeu , or have you not , ever seen any of the balance . beets which have been signed by Messrs Cuffay and Knight , thB auditors of the Company , of that balance sheet which was handed in by Mr O'Connor at the Low bands Conference , stated to have been signed by John Shaw and others ?—No , I have B _ t You stated , at your last examination , that a better arrangement of accounts has been adopted at the Land Office ; will you _atate when that new arrangement was first adopted ?—In July , 1847 . Mr O'Connob . 1 Is it perfect now ?—No .
Is it in good fcrm , and are those books cc-ntaining the _nameB of tbe several shareholders ?—I have not counted th 6 m ; but there are four largo volumes , . in which I should think there were about that number cf names . Sir B . Hall . ] Ia answer to question 2400 , put on the 2 nd of June last , Mr O'Connor stated , ' That from £ 40 , 000 to £ 50 , 000 had been invested in J-- * - cheqner bills . Mr Allsop sent ia an account of £ 29300 , and 1 think the _manager has £ 10 , 000 . making . sear _-fl _ W . as ? cj _ _ e _, _andihayAawae
To The Members Of The Lane Rrn *Tltn> Ti...
oefore that , that have been _exchanged ; from the beginning to the end perha . £ 60 , 000 / Hew much was there invest _ in Exchequer bills on the 27 'h of Juna , 1848 ? -The sum invested was £ 6 000 . I took this free , the account of Mr Allsop . whicb shows that _oet . en * ebruary 1847 , and June 1848 , . £ 37 . 000 bad b _ n b & ugU and £ 31 000 eoM , leaving _* 0 , 000 in , „ ' _*** ascertained to-daya & Mr _Allsop ' s that those £ 0 , 000 remain in his hands . I did no !; see ihem , becausB Mr Allsop was out of town . The clerk showed me the accounts , in which it _appeared that £ 6 , 000 remained in Mr _Allaop _' s handa belonging to Mr O'ConEor . Mr F . _O'CosNoa 1 Did you see Mr Price ' s Exchequer bills _belonging to the Bank ?—Yes .
Mr __ Mossell . ] Supposing money to be wanted for carrying on tho affairs of the oompany , I oould quite understand that Mr O'Connor , from the great intc . rest he fakes in the matter , roij > ht advance money with tbe intention of repaying himself . But as it appears from your statement of accounts that there is a balance m i _. _ivour of the company greater than tbe amount due by the company to Mr O'Connor , what object could he have had io makb . advances to the company ?_( Mr F . O'Connor . ) The object 1 had in making tbe advances was this : my own money
comes m quarterly ; there were hervy demands upon the company , and I waa determined not to sell any of tbe Bank money until I saw how the House of CominonB dealt with it . I was determined to keep all the bank money in Exchequer bills , and advanso my own money as it came in quarterly . —( To the Witness ) It those laccoucts hadbeen accurately kept , in whose favour do you think , speaking after your examination of them , the great strictness , the balance would have been 1—1 think yeu have been a sufferer frem inaccurc . cy with which the accounts bad been kept ,
And from _ t having made charges which I might have made ?—If you had so charged , it would have increased the sum in your favour . te th < To one _ainglefraction of acharge for any expense I have been at from the beginning ?—No , nothing whatever . Norforpreciiums to allottees ?—No ; that account allows _everything . Now , my friends , I have submitted to you the evidence , not of the interested Feargus O'Connor , hut of the disinterested accountant , with whom I have never had ten words of
conversation , except in connexion with those accounts ; and it is but justice to him to state , notwithstanding the annoyance to which he has put me , timt I think he was born with a ready reckoner in his hand , and a pen behind his ear . I thought I was pretty quick at accounts , but he beats me hollow . I shall now make an observation or two , not upon the evidence , but upon the facts . Firstly , —Mr M'Grath did produce the ori _ginal balance sheets , signed by Cuffay and Knight , to the Chairman . Secondly ,- —No auditors ever signed my balance sheets ; they signed the resolutions . Inch the auditors submitted to the Conferences : and
Thirdly , — -The accountant has _charged me with very nearly 1 , 600 / . as interest and profit upon Exchequer Bills . Now , this was the item about which the drunken prostitute of the " Dispatch , " who panders to the worst passions of man ' s nature was inquiring about . You will observe from the questions , that Sir Benjamin has been very critical , although he sickens one , and reminds me of along pump with the sucker out of order , his eloquence , hke the water , comes out in such _drihhles . The result of the accountant ' s inquiry is given in these words and in these figures , '' Balance , overpaid by Mr O'Connor , £ 3 298 5 s . 3 _id .
Now , you who honour me by calling- yourselves my children , what do you say to that ? I know what your answer will be , but what will you say to this ? Until you are all located I never will ask for a farthing of that back , but I will go on adding to it ; and if I had ten millions to morrow , and if I never expected one single farthing of it to be returned , I declare to you , " upon the true faith of a Chi ist an . that I would expend every farthing of it in locating the poor in theiro wn sentry boxes , upon their own Labour field , And I tell you now , despise it as you may , that I am not for blood , nor for diminishing the human family by a unit , but that I proposed my plan and IT SHALL SUCCEED , to make the rich richer
and the poor rich , to destroy that revolting misery which an evil system has created , and that my motto is " to live honestl y and usefully and die a pauper . '' I live upon one meal a day ; I am a frugal man , and a sober man ; and I now tell you that I weuld not have bestowed my time upon any plan , that was not congenial to my feelings as I have bestowed my time upon this Land Plan , for twenty thousand pounds . Nay , my time is never to he measured by money ; and much as I have suffered from slander and villany , I am more than repaid by the fact that it has not disturbed your confidence . In my own expenses alone this plan has cost me over £ 3 , 000 , and there is sheet _siieei
no such charge in my balance . no such cnarge in my oaian _. e . My friends , let me not he thought vain when I meet unfounded charges by facts . In my own country I have conducted more contested elections than , I believe , any man in that country ; as a barrister , and from my influence , I was entitled to large fees for each , but I never accepted even my travelling expenses . During the time of your apathy , I have supported the whole cause and the victims out of my own purse . I never allowed a man to go to trial for a political offence ,
without the best advocate that the English bar could furnish , and yet there are idiots who call me an interested demagogue . If I am an interested demagogue , my every aspiration , and my every thought , is directed towards the amelioration of the condition ef the working classes ; and the reason I am hated is because I will not allow the traffickers in human blood , and in infant gristle , to preserve an idle competitive reserve , in order that they may fall back upon them , and make their profits out of a reduction of wages , and the destitution of
tne poor . Now , my friends , I give you the evidence of Mr Sullivan , Member for Kilkenny , and also a member of the Committee , in answer to the snivelling curs , who have been writing from Snig ' s End to Manchester , aa to the performance of the work . And let me tell you , that there is not a more critical or better judge of agriculture and buildings in England , than the hon . member , for Kilkenny . Here is his evidence .- — Michael Sullivan , Esq , a Member of the Committee , examined . Mr F . O'CcJinoB . ] You bave _viaited the estates of Snig ' s End and Lowbands ?—I was there on Saturday last .
Did you visit many of the allotments at Lowbands , and had you conversation with any allottees there t ~ A great number of them , * I sheuld ssy that we visited very nearly half of them . And passed through all ?—Yes , and passed through all . And you saw the crops _?—TVe examined all the crops , and we went into the houses , into the bedroams and kitchens and piggeries , and we saw every appointment that was in oonnexion wiih the house _, for effectually carrying out the management ef the farms . When you say , ' half of them , ' you mean half of the _occupies you spoke to ?—Yes . Did you examine the crops minutely ?— We examined the crops minutely .
nba * _. wa 3 your opinion as to the contrast between the crops of wheat that you saw there , and the crops that you had seen in travelling fr im London to Gloucester , or the crops in the immediate neighbourhood ?—I was particukrly observant of all the crops as I went along from London to GloucSster , as far aa a railroad view would give an opportunity ofjudg _. ing , and I observed the crops of wheat to be particularly light ; then from Gloucester we went abou . seven or eight miles in au open carriage through ihe country , till we arrived at the eatat . of Snig ' s End , and from that we went to Lowbands .
Upon an inspection of the crops of wheat at Lowbands , what comparison would you say they boie to the crops in the neighbourhood , or to the other crops _thatyouhad seen?—The average crops of wheat , particularly in Lowbands , are deoidedly the beat I had seen in journeying from London to that phce . Or in the neigbourhood round about?—Or in the neighbourhood round about . I had seen some few fie ' a . of gome few farmers that camo nearly up to them , 'f hat is , I should say tbere were a few that eame up to the average crops of Lowbands ; but that it was not the case , generally speaking .
_T-ikim ! thenve _. ageof the orop _. of _whett at Lowbands , taking every allotment , would you say it was a middling , or a good , or an indifferent crop ?—I bhould say it was a prime crop aa an average . Uow did the potatoes look ? -The _potataea Igoked
To The Members Of The Lane Rrn *Tltn> Ti...
in many _instan . c _ 7 ? ., " B _* " . in others not quite so good ; tbey viere goi ja mt _« case . in a sUperj 0 - . ner , particularly _ regarded _i .. ° allotment of the cabinet maker , Lee . Inn _ _ , _*¦ i - , hon 8 e ? -Ye * . we did . And _rewwned tbere some time ? - _ „ _&_ . mained there some time . S _ h _» M . W < _? y ° " ? . u wa « _rich _^ c ™ PPed ! and that tho produce would bo large , or would you say thnt it aas indifferentl y and poorly cropped *» -. _ should say , takisg tbe whole estate altogether , that there i _* an enormous amount of produce of every description upon it ; that is , _y poaking of the Low . bands estate .
_« . i _ ? ard t 0 _the h 0 UBe 3 ' of what description did you find them T —The houses were of a very superior _Character , in my opinion ; probably a little too much 80 A -ar y _* re m fact lo ° _ROod for a four acre farm _- Did you seo the gates that had been put up in the several places ?—I _dicf . Did you go into the _sehoolhousea ?—I did . It ) what style was tho work that you examined performed ?_ In the most permanent and complete manner . What was the feeling of the allottees , as far as you could a & certain it , of their present condition , and of their _ _' , ure prospects ?—I waa very curious to ascertain how parlies brougnt from all directions of the country , entirely unacquainted with
_agricultural pursuits , _looatsd in a place like that , could be crntent , and how far they would be able to carry on those _agricultural pursuits , and I must state that in particular I wag S _( ruck with one old man who had been a cotton overseer . Uo appeared to me to be as fully acquainted with _agricultural pursuits , and to nave all hia ( arm in as complete a ay-tem of crop ping as U he had _ er _ there many years . I do not know the names of the parties ,- I merely inquired their trades and occupations , and I found a framework knitttr , I found a tallow chandler , I found a stocking nr . ker . and 1 found every description ot trade almost located there ; I iound a cabinet m _^ ker , 1 found a shoemakor , and I found a cotton spinner ; but I did not find ono aarioultural labourer thero ; every one had been a tradesman .
Mr Langston . ] How many cows did you see upon the estate ?—I saw but one . Mr F . O ' Connor How many pip did you see ?—I observed that the majority were " turning their attention to thc feeding of piys , as being more profitable than that of cowa , I now give you a letter that I have received from the Minster Lovel Estate , and my answer : —
TO TUE EDITOR OS TBE HOMBEEN 6 TAB . _Chartertille , July , 18 th , Sir , —In reply to Mr O'Connor ' s letter , _csntained in the _Nohthern Stab of _fhs 15 th inst ., you will oblige the allottees on this _eotate by inserting the following in your next : —
TO THE MEMBERS OP THE NATIONAL LAND COMPANY . _FALLOW Countrymen , We , the _aUottess of Charterville , beg respectfully to submit to you the following brief observations on a paragraph of Mr O'Connor ' s letter , contained in the _laat _Northebu Star , viz ' - — ' That if there ia any obstacle in the way of carrying this plan , it originates with the located members , becau _. e , if there was a million of money . u & icribed , and a thousand located , t _ fortunate thousand would imagine that they had the beat title to the remainder of the funds , and this has always been my greatest difficulty . ' This paragraph appears to be absolute in its expression . If ,
thereff re , Mr O'Connor intends to include us therein , we beg emphatically to dissent with him tn that _assertion . Becaute we have not yet received an equivalent , to what the allottees en previous _estatts _havereceivtd—neither have we asked it of the directors , Tho only _request which we have made of them is , tbat thej would grant ua the loan within three months instead of driving it off for Bix months . This was in their power , inasmuch as that the last Conference left it in their handa to determine ths time at which the loan should be granted . This wo think they ought to have done—this we think thoy ought to do yet . as early as possible , otherwise th 9 result will be inevitably an entire failure on this estate . For out of our aid money we have had to buy seed , pay for labourers , to prepare the ground for
and bow and plant it—while the allottees on previous heated estates havo had the whole of their aid money paid to them , elf ar of the _expfnsea of putting in a great portion of their feed , which the directors have done for them . Llen-e it is evident that we have not had the same _privileges allowed us which they have had . Nor can wo be justly charged with making auy demand , claim , or request , of or for any assistance which is not in accordance with the rules of the Company , or with the _regulatioua of the Conforenco . If we have d _ e so let Mr O'Connor , as the principal director of the Company , publish all our _correspondence with them in the Northers Star . In the work of human redemption , fellow labourers , On behalf of the Allottee ? , I am , very truly yonr 3 , _Humby _Gmmshaw . Seo .
My Friends , —Your comparison is not just , nor are your facts correct . At Lowbands , the occupants were not located till the 23 rd of August , a very great disadvantage . You were located in March , a very great advantage . The expense of the agricultural operations at Lowbands will be added to the purchase money as capital , and rent will he charged for it . Your rent will be comparatively less . At Snig ' s End they were located in June , and received aid money at the rate of o _£ . per acre . You were located in March , and received aid money at the rate of 71 . 10 s . per acre . Your land was ploughed , most of it twice , and no deduction was made from the aid money , whereas the rule of the Conference is that the expense of ALL agricultural operations are to be deducted
fiom the aid money ; and if it was not so , the effect would be that I would perform no agricultural operations . And again , I repeat—ar . d you must remember that "a little leaven Ieaveneth the whole lump "—that those located do think that enough never can be done for them ; while a funny fellow , who signs himself , "Thomas Shartin , of No . 12 , Bagot-street _, Birmingham , " writes a long rigmarole for insertion in the "Northern Star " deprecating thepurchase of horses , and of cows ;! the making of roads and gates ; and proposes thatthe houses should be built by contract at 65 / . a house , and of a mean description ; while my object is to make every man proud of his sentry box . So that you see , like the man in the fable , in endeavouring to please everybody I may please nobody , and lose my ass into the bargain .
Next week I will gi _ you the report as delivered to the Committee by the accountant , and the next number of the " _Labourer" will contain the evidence of the witnesses called by the Chairman , and from it you will learn the animus of that gentleman ; and I especiall y beg to call your attention to the evidence of the RAVEN , the Poor Law Commissioner , and then I think you will understand that the necessary qualificatijn for such an official is ignorance , infatuation , and folly . This poor fellow was obli g ed to drink water all the time he was under examination , but I assure you he looked like anything but a poor-law pauper , he more reminded me of the Fat Boy in Pickwick . However , where there ' s a demand there ' s a supply , and the government invariably evinces great tact in the selection of such officials .
I now give you , the resolution , unanimously passed by the Committee upon the Land Company : — ' ¦ Resolved—That it be an instruction tu the Chairman , in drawing up his Report , to state , that , in consequence of Mr Feargus O'Connor having expressed an opinion that an impression had gone abroad that the monies subscribed by the National Land Company had been applied to his own benefit , this Committee are clearly of opinion that , although the accounts have not been kept with strict regularity , yet that irregularity has been _against Mr Feargus O'Connor , instead of in his favour . "
Now , such is the resolution passed unanimously , after the Report and balance sheet of the Accountant—the gentleman who was appointed by Government to investigate the accounts of the Drainage and Sewerage Company—and I think you will say it is pretty satisfactory i while I must also remind y ou that not a shilling of the money deposited in the Bank , has been touched , and that still I am going on , and will go on , with the operations , as I can either sell or mortgage the estates that I bave purchased , without detriment to the occupants , as every occupant shall have his lease or conveyance before I raise a farthing of money upon them , and then it will he immaterial to them whether they pay the rent to A . or to B . - , their title will he the same , and their _l-pnt will be the same .
Now , my friends , Sir Benjamin Hall stated that much of the funds of the Land Company had been applied to political purposes , and I tell you that not one _fractien of a farthing has beea applied to such purposes , nor to any
To The Members Of The Lane Rrn *Tltn> Ti...
other purposes than that for which it was subscribed . You will also bear in mind that at every Conference it was not onl y proposed but carried unanimously , and insisted upon , that _ should be paid all my expenses— -vnl I toll you the reason wh y 1 mention this fact here—it is to prove to you the ungenerous treatment that honest men may sometimes receive from artful and designing- people . I understand that , emanatim _. from a Committee
sitting in London , an appeal has gone to tho country to ask for an account of the Election Fund raised for the defence of my seat , and those gentlemen in London applied for that I'und to be handed over to them , and forks appropriation to other purposes , and now theyare asking for an account of it , and they sball bave it roughl y here _. and if they wish for it , or whether they do or not , they shall have it in a detailed shape hereafter .
The sum subscribed was between 400 _f . and 500 / . It has been mixed up with the fund for the prosecution of the "Manchester Examiner , " which they also demand an account of , and of which I will treat separately . I believe about half of what was subscribed for the defence of my Seat has been expended , as the Petition was not given up till the last moment ; over 100 Z , went to the Convention and the National Assembly , not speaking of the demonstration at Kennington Common ; and those gentlemen seem to forget that a large balance is still due to me upon the several expense funds .
But there is a great nicety in their arithmetic . When I pay money out of my own pocket it should only be returned by funds strictly subscribed for tbat purpose , but when a fund is subscribed for- another purpose , pnd is not all used for that purpose , then it is fair to apply the residue to any purpose that a few individuals may suggest . However , my security is in the good sense of the public ; and I ask them , whether an individual , who has spent and is spending his all in their cause , is to he continually thwarted with these wranglings and underhand complaints ? Show me one fund that ever has been raised that is not in debt to
me , and point me out one single farthing of any fund—whether Victim Fund , Defence Fund , Travelling Fund , Liberty Fund , Convention Fund , _wr Conference Fund , —that has ever been applied to my use . The fact is , my friends—and you know it—that one of the banes of our cause has been the attempt to clutch every fund the moment it was raised , and then to leave the payment to me-Now for the _"Manchester Examiner . '' That prosecution is not over yet , « nd next week I will publish for you the dilatory pleas that have been put in by the Defendant , in order to postpone the hearing of the case ; while upon my part not a single obstruction has been offered .
Now , it is very painful for me to be obliged to mix up those private matters with public business . It " was only yesterday , I paid 149 / . 10 s . for a libel , aad last week I had to pay money into court in another libel case of a political nature connected with poor FusseU ; and last week I received a bill of costs , in poor Vernon ' s- case alone , of 16 . . 15 s . Od ., consisting of twentyfive sheets of foolscap paper , with an application to me for a balance of 80 / . ; and yesterday , after having made several fruitless attempts to see the victims in Tothill-fields , I gave orders to pay weekly , out of my own pocket , the sum necessary for releasing them from picking oakum , and which sum has been paid in advance for the ensuing month .
Now , I tell you candidly , and I tell you truly , that , were it not for my fixed determination to brave danger in every shape rather than abandon the Charter and the Land Plan , I would pitch the whole concern to the devil , and with what money I could scrape together of my own , without the interference of the law , or the insolence of complainants , I would , as my own master , and with my own . money , go on buying land , building houses , and locating the poor , but when breakers are a-head , danger threatens , and the hurricane is blowing , 1 will brave insolence rather than
abandon the ship . As soon as the Land Committee has reported , notice of the meeting of Conference will be given , and then , not my accounts , but the accountant ' s accounts , shaiu be submitted to the delegates . And I tell you again—and in conclusion—that so certain was I that my life would have fallen a sacrifice to the fury of the Government on the 10 th of April , that 1 made my will on the Oth , and left every farthing belonging to me to two of the mosthonourablemeninEngland , astrusteesfor faithfully carrying out the objects ofthe Land Company . And I tell you more , that on Friday last , when a proposition was made in the
Committee to wind up the affairs of the National Land Company , it was rejected by a majority of nearly twojto one , the majority declaring that , as the affairs were managed with perfect good faith , it would be unjust to those not located that those located should have the plum . However , my friends , it invariably happens that when & squall comes all expect me to be the trumpet , the artillery , the cavalry , the infantry , and the Exchequer . There is always great danger in being the paid servant of the public , and I will maintain the security of being Your faithful friend and unpaid bailiff , i Feargus O'Connor . •'
The Chartist Trials. York Assizes . J. J...
THE CHARTIST TRIALS . YORK ASSIZES . J . _Johnscn . F . _Vieoiv ( 30 ) , H . Wattin ( 35 ) . W . Smith ( 19 ) , H . _Whitcombe ( 21 ) , J . D _.-. _wns ( 19 ) , I , Heaton ( 22 ) , W . Connor ( 31 ) , W . _Wiaterburn _( 2 f >) and W . Sagar ( 41 ) , wero charged for that they , on the 29 ; h of May last , at Horton . together with divers other evil-disposed persona , did riotously assemble to disturb the peace . —Mr Knowl _. B , . . C , lhe Hon .. Mi Plnpps , and Mr Overend , weie for the prcseoutionthe prisoners vrere defended by Mr Pollock , instructed by Mr Roberts , the miners' at . oruey-yene . al . —Mr _Knowles having made several preliminary _observation !" , stated tbat on the 29 th of May the magistrates entrusted with the _^ ace of Bradford mot together . There had been a charge against a _peraon
named Jefferson , commonly known by the name of ' Wat Tyler '—perhaps from his profeBBion of a _blacl . _smiih-for illegal trainiig ard drilling , and the magistrates ha- thought tit to take necessary measures to procure hia _apprehension ; and accordingly , oa th ? 29 th May , various effioers , _accompanied by a body of special constables , went to _Adehide-street for the purpose of apprehending him . They were not successful . They were _assailed with showers oi brick bats and other _mi-siles , and in the end they retired without effecting their object . The magistrates , having reasoa to believe thero would be an illegal _me-ting , issued a bill calling upon the _welUdiaposed inhabitants not to _ataemble . B . tween three and tour in the afternoon the magistrates went to
Adelaide-street , attended by a _atreng body of police and special constables , and military in the rcar . ready to act . The speoial constables were in advance , and they arrived tirst at tho place , where there waa a great cumber of people assembled . An attempt waa _ttun made to capture Jefferson , the person known by tbe name of Wat Tyler . Stones wereagaia thrown at the police , aud Dewhurst and Brown were very seriously injured , The first special constable asaaulted was Mr _Hailst ne , an attorney , acd ho immediately went forward and seized the prisoner Smith , for the _purpoie of n ; _'preher _ ing him . He was surrounded oa every side , bat _notwithstandisa the violesce of the mob , succeeded in handing over Smith to the _custody of a policeman . Several other of the _defendaats were also tBkon into custody . Smith , Winterburn , Vioory , Heaton , and Connor , threw . tones and briokbata _.
Whitcomb inoited others ; Dowd 3 wa 9 using a hofi soldering iron ai a weapon ; Johnson was inciting by words and violence ; and Sagar pulled a dagger outof his pocket . Several witnesses were then examined , aod proved tbt _. e facts . —Mr Pollock then _a-idressed the Jurv ou behalf of the prisoners . Ha did not know whj this , which was a mere case of common riot , had not been taken to the quarter sessions . He ( Mr Polleck ) was not a fneadof disorder , but he claimed for her Majesty _ssubjeeta the right to meet to discuss politics , lhe learnedgentiemanthen proceeded to di _ . ee . ihe evidence , from which he ar _? ued that there wss not adequate . proof ofthe violence alleged , ar . d a * against tbe Prisoner Walton , he contended that there was not the alightest evidence-Mr Justice Erie Bummed up , and the fnrv Xr an absence of a quarter of an hour , funtd deferred .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), July 29, 1848, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns3_29071848/page/5/
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