On this page
- Departments (1)
-
Text (9)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.
-
Untitled Article
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.
-
-
Transcript
-
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.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
£ L 2 tDfe ^ £% EE TiNG AT SUITOEKLASTD . OsT Friday , ihe 6 th , a meeting _ was held in the ^ greitjAja » de , " 'which "was crowded , for the purpose of _ ieaiTrigMf .--Feaign 8 O'Connor upon the Radical principles . Upon entering the room Mr . O'C . was Taptaroudy- cheered and Mr . Williams of the firm of W ? 1 KnTT ^» an ^ Ripng-wjui -unanimously called to the chair , ikoopening the business he congratulated ike -working man upon their powerful muster ; this , ~ was < their . second meeting , and there was but one -doad aaapng oref ihem , the want of their belo ? ed BearHBont , whose "body was cold and his lips sealed , but whiespispjni ; st 31 novered over and cheered them on .. ^ Cheers . ) " O'Connor , he said , was no stranger to any . portion of ths community , he was a tt »* t > ^ l «» e ^ Br ^^ woiMiear . thestrictestinTeatigation , and , merelarej he wonld best serve his own purpose a&d the object of hia Mends , by introducing > nm to tier notice . ( Loud cheers . )
Mk OXJojtkob then , came forward and wasrel « 3 tedly ;« fceered . Hehadnotproceeded-farinhb » ddxe » mhssL % few -sexy venomous hisses came from a knot of particularly fet and well-dressed persons , * rhereup « t Mr . O'Connor turned to them and direct-Ing file attention of all to the spot , said , je ^ yni , I wag just coming to jou , when I was describing "fee materials ef which our spurious Aristocracy is composed . You *^ wiflfflne » belong- to tfe bigielhed , fittie-brainecL numskull Aristocracy - ( Immense cheers ana laughter . ) How . dare you 2 nas me jou contemptible set of platter-faced , iapMbions politicians . Thfse , said he , are the Tory « dpowners—( cheers)—but he had not naif done with them yet—he would first pluck the geese , and then
make them fly out of the room without their borrowed feathers . ( Cheers . ) Now , said Mr . O'Connor , was it not indecent of you ? was it not foolish of yoa ? was it not ignorant of you to hiss me , just after I had challenged your whole town and " order " to- » dbcussioB ^ but , said be , yon are right , your own ignorance induces you to love ignorance , as the igmaace of the people has been your patrimony . If yoamterrupt me again IT 1 bundle you out of the room . ( Uproarious applause and no Mss . ) Kow , said Mr . O'Connor , there is what the Irishman would call'the least taste ' of physical force for thos&gentlemen . ( Cheers and laughter . ) " The meeting , he said , had gained by this , for he was put upon ton metSe . He then bron ? ht down the acts of the
several governments for a length of time , and showed low , under each , some little had been done to rob tfce people of a right , and the last and greatest privilege of the non-electors being thf right of petition , it was left for the Reformed P .-riament , to desiroT that which was an appeal from , the non- electors against measures which might be projected by the representatives of ilie constituent body . He merely mentioned the ^ e things to saow the mannerin ¦ which the people were subdued by degrees without any exertion .. upon their part to meet the assault . Any right abridged , said Mr . O'Connor ^ is a section " of the national force disbanded . ( Cheers . ) Thus the sight of petition . Our complaints Vere lieard through our petitions . Petitions produced an nnion
of sentiment among all classes . Petitions taught &e community how sections thought -upon different subjects and set all thinking alike . ( Cheers . ) This ralbing point alarmed the enemy , who of all thing * , ¦ dread co-operation ; so they assailed the fortress , < orprised onr sentinel and " scattered aci defeated our forces ; but said be , if 1 ^ tood alone , 1 would rally them . _ ( Repeated cheers . ) He assumed a different-position and toot a different course fr-- > m any aeitaior who ever went before him . He did not ^ peak of principles when all was a mass of disorder . He did not 'endeavour to enlist the prejudice of a section bv opposing any particular measure , hostile to their interests or repugnant to their notions . ( . Cheers . ) To nave duoes . you must unite your
fol--owers upon * ome novel religious dogma , and then Too become a favourite , and the disciples become blind followers and 2 afilots . and give to thrir leader , a irrtd of spiritaa " : pre-eminence , a more distin-- gnlslied paduon and p > pularitT than : the man can require who u < es but social means , without the assistance of religious prejudice to unite Ids followers / Repeated cheers . ) : > ueha man will be obligtni to grapple with every worldly abuse , while" the-exposure of one offensive religious dogma wonld raise to Mm an host of admirers , bound together by the strongest ties of suffering and devotion . ( Great cheering . )
He mentioned these facts , because both Whigs and Tories and the press , endeavoured to direct public attention from the consideration of temporal abuses , to the contemplation of matters , / which , the more we thought rightl y upon , was the more sure to conruse our Tulers , inasmuch as the various roads to salrarion , which had fceen recently opened hiS taken mBch of the traffic off the government toD-road—( great cheering)—and the people were beginning to think that the nomination of the- cure of souk , could be but imperfectly attended to , when the selection wasmade without othtr than those political inspirations which animated the tenants of
Downmg-street -with devotion to their "breeches pockets . ( Immense cheering . ) ~ The several religious sects Sgfating , not about their own , but about the salvation of those whom they oppress in fhis world—( loud cheers and hear , hear)—reminded Mm of the bull-dog at the mess , who , when gorged himself snarls at the hungry tribe as they approach the rroBgh . _ ( Cheers . ) . But still ( said Mr . O'Connor ) there is toleration nuw among - political reformers , just such toleration as was formerly among religious reformers , —that is , they court conformity with _ flattery and _ prayer , but mey visit- non-confermity with reviling and persecution . ( Great
cheering . ) So it was in the burning days of Cranaier , Luther , Calvin , and Knos , and so" it is in the < aoodag and transporting days of ilelbonme , Ru * . sdl , and the Whigs . ( Renewed cheers . - ) " Think with them , or think as you please , but act with them , and you are reformers , but differ from them , aud you are punished as nonconformists . ( Cheers . ) Yon -poor men ass asked to stacdTip in support of what is called flie glorious reformation in church and state . A goodly example , truly , did your religious ancestors set you in yeneraridirfor antiquity . At iLe time of die reformatioii , there * were nearly iU-COO ecclesiastics , and ont of tliat number onlv fourteen bisaops , _ twelve archdeacons , fifry canons , ind eighty of the inferior clergy , —that is , about one
m sixty preferred the old faith to the new pottage , — they put off the form of the spirit as they would reject a tixeadbare coat , and dressed themselves in ie sanctity of the Thirty-nine Articles , wMch Elizabeth thought preferable to the articles of Edward . ( Great cheering . ) Did the Radicals ever , ai their most extravagant days , seek novelty so zieat , or change so alarming —( ciietrs)—as that t-banee which closed the old and opened a new road - n HeaTen ? ( Great cheeriiig . ) Hiey . talk of reb ' giou ( said Mr . OTonnor ) wbUe their state ministers 3 r > j paid ty you for preaching pe .-ice and fomenting < tr ^ Se aud ¦ wa rfare . They coioplain of dissent TrMle the ir . usket Supports of religion are tej- the smallest ^• ciion , and are only held together \> jthe pelf wMch , i honour of God
:: , they so unequally share , but which all so devoutly support , in the hope of one d ; - y b-mg more generously endowed with JDowning--treet grace . ( Great cheering . ) Let them have oae flaited and recognised interpretation of the ¦ vord of God , with actions based upon the true conf * . rnction , and the strict following of the precepts , ¦ s-culd"be as snre to mate parsons either honest or unless , as would a wholesome state of society to . ecder banisters aud attornies altogether unnecesmry ( Great cheering and laughter . ) - Mr . O'Connor tnen vrent at great length , into the question of laLour and capital , —Free Trade , —Corn Law « , _ the Poor Law Act , —the Police , —and several other que < aons . Acy alterations in one or all of wMch
ne ( ilr . UL . ) said would not be worth a . pin , unless the majority had the political power to tnm the change to general purposes . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) it was , thereiore , in order to direct tiieir attention to &is one point , namely , the absolute necessity ef a vote for a representative —( long continued ' applacse } - ^ ih order to protect their own rights , that he had forborne to place any one crotchet before them or the people . He was now ready to try the Birmingham plan , as a last resource —( cneers)—but let him not be misunderstood , because he "feared ¦ hat as comfort was a Mnd of comparative thing , == riih men who never were as comfortable as they Aould . be , he feared that those who could now take a pot of ale , or an extra pipe of tobacco , ^ would look the
upon appeal of the most destitute , the hand loom ^ reavers , for instance —( hear , hear)—and they would fbrget their own degradation in worse condition of the greater slave , and see no reason for abridging waat they thought necessary for -the chance wMch others had of being benefitted thereby . ( Cheers . ) x nis , he feared , was something like the inducement wiuch a poor Catholic people could bold out to the . airrd -parson to ^ beeome a voluntary paid priest . { Lheers and laughter . ) Such , he Sea , wi"Sfe damning aa of the people , and such , an -would Tem ^ h ? fJ aaam ^ ^ CQme Psnpeis-which would BOtbe long- ^ nd then ^ H wei&g of sec tional mtereat must give way to eenerai ioS ( f ^ i . ftv ^^^^ S-SEiSSi of what had taken place at the great meetimTat Newcastle , and said that he was read yinow Ibrthat , if pushed to it , but he woold try all other means first !
( Cheers . ) He then explained the unequal ^^ manner inwMch burdens were bome hy _ the elec tors and the non-electors , and told them nis wish by repeating the prayer of the sailor , who was found at the battle of the Nile praying raider a gun . "What are yon doing there ? said the lieutenant . ~ " Praying , Sir , " Baid Jack . « What the d—1 are jon praying for , Sir ? ' "Why , I am a pranng fhat 2 ie shot may be distributed to-day as the p"riae moa ^ r al ways is , -and that the officers may have their share . " ( Great laughter . ) "Oh , thank you , " said the lieutenant , vfcoinstantl yfell , when Jack started . nt ^ iUHJkr ocif erated « : I ' m blowed but it ia all right : & Adiairal has heard my prayer . " ( ReneWlapehier . ) Now ,, isu prayer waa , that all bnrdens shouM be equally borne Bj . aD , and laid on by all , and then they ^ ouldi n » measured by actual necessity , and not by oUkardacalwlunu (^ reat cheering . ) Mr . O'Coimorlbea infanneo the meeting of the kindly feelings which existed iMftirccn the jngn of Northumberland j uid
Untitled Article
Lancaabire ^ and Yorkshire , and tben challenged any present to combat or refute a single position , or principle he had laid down . But no , said , he , none win dare ; for from the first hiss , I hare hit the enemy harder than I intended . I merely wished te to provoke , but I have silenced opposition . He then concluded a speech which seemed to give general satisfaction , and sat down loudly cheered . The Chairhan then repeated Mr . O'Connor ' s challenge , but none accepting it , Mr . Lowbt , of South Shields , came forward , and was heartily received , and loudly cheered . He said , that after the able and powerful appeal which they had just . heard , 3 ittle remained for him to offer . However , after some experience and close attention , since the passing of the Reform Bill , he must join
with the immortal Hunt , and say , that a Ten Pound constituency was the worst standard which could be established of national opinion ; and especially warped and influenced as it was by the owners id fee of the enfranchised house , but disfranchised conscieuce of the occupier . ( Cheers and laughter . ) Let do man blame the Commons ; it waa an ^ exact and critical representation of the present constituent body —it was a true miniature copied from the great Reform portrait , the work of our modern artists . ( Cheers . ) Not a feature in the miniature which was aot to be found in the original . ( Cheers . ) Aad then as to the Lords ; why blame them ; men who are not satisfied with an hereditary right to legislate , would confer a post mortem power upon the holder of a dead
man ' s proxy . ( Laughter . ) It was a fact , and one wellkn « wn , that Lord Plymouth ' s proxy was given on the Local Courts Bill , two hours after he was dead . ( Shame , shame , and great cheers . ) Is it then wonderfnl that the law should be a dead letter as regards the people , enquired Lowry ( great laughter ) . The conditional bond by which artificial society had been bound , was broken by those in possession of power ; and then our enemies of all classes railed nt the sufferers from the violation , when they complained of broken faith . ( Cheers . ) How melancholy to beh . oldthjB beardless constitutional superannuated pauper , of twenty four thausands a year , while grey heirs and tottering limbs , wMcb for forty years had been devoted to fie state ' s service , were told to look
to himself for relief , or tempt the horrors and the dangers of a bloodybastile . ( Gnatcheering . ) Here then , said he , is the error . In the one instance , the Chancellor of the Exchequer is the paymaster of the young superannuated cub , but with your monies ; while you are told that in youth you must stint yourselves , in order to relieve the state from your support whenreallysnperannuated . ( Greatcheering . ) Now if we had Universal Suffrage , burdens and comforts would be equal , and the aged who toiled would be a consideration with the representatives of the hardworking , before the idler who consumed but toiled not . ( Repeated cheering . ) Mr . Lowry sat down amid loud and hearty cheering and clapping of bands .
Mr . Geo . Bixss next rose to perform a duty which must not only be gratifying to Mroself , but also to this large assembly , lie meant a vots of thanks to Feargus O'Connor , Esq . ( Tremendous applause . ) He proposed it because of his generous feelings , — of his noble daring , —of his disinterested patriotism , —spurning the gioveiling gambols of lordly ambition , he seems to have imbibed the manly writings of Ms exiled relative , and made Ms country ' s happiness the foundation of bis own . ( Hear , hear . ) The sunsnine of a court , or the emoluments of office seem to have lost their charms to him , when earned by the sacrifice of principles dear to freedom and to man . His matchless energies ever devoted to the welfare of the poor and oppressed , both through the medium of the press , and . the rostrum , proclaim
him not onlv a patriot , but the political saviour of Britain . ( Loud cheering . ) He therefore , without any further intrusion on their time at this late hour o ? the evening —( Loud cries of ? ' Go on ! " >—As it is the wish of the meeting tr . at he ^ liould proceed , he should do so , ever Teady as he was in a cause so holy and > o great . ( Hear , hear . ) " I love , " says Paine , the man that can smile in troabV , gather strength by distress , and grow brave by reflection ; " and if ever there was a movement which required this glorious sentiment to be blended with its onward progress , it is Uiis ; ( cheers ) for tne buoyancy of healthful feelings and aspirations seem superseded by languid hopelessness and corroding care—so chill and withering is the power of
despotism . But , rise brothers , rise to dignity and freedom . Let the consciousness of well-doingnerve us with vigor , and inspire ns with devotion . And we have a good cause to plead—a thraldom too grinding to endure—and a goal too bright and gleaming to be abandoned without a mighty effort on a well fought field . ( Hear , hear . ) Imagine to yourselves , that England is the great arena on which the struggle for libirty is to be made , —that around us is one vast amphitheatre of the great and good of ear : h and heaven , —wafting on each passing breeze the tribute of akindred wish—a freeman ' s prayer . Oh , . glorious thought 1 what arm could be nerveless—what tongue could be still—what heart could falter in its throbbings , whilst from , yon
crystal batrlements above , the God who made us , sees and smiles . ( Hear , hear . ) What are the principles we now seek to establish ? What ^ ground do we occnpy ? "ffe stand upon Christian ground , upon legal ground , upon just and true ground . ( Loud cheers . J He demanded the rights that constitute the charter of man ' s emancipation , but which had been wrongfully , sacrilegiously , and inhumanly monopolized by the insolence and bloodthirstyness of a domineering and hydra-headed aristocracy . ( Loud cheers . ) And wh y should man , with " Bated breath , and wMspenng humbleness of speech , "—as rode though tilled bandits arrogantly frown , relax his pnergics , and shrink into a dwarf ? What is a titled bandit
an usurping monarch , or a purse-proud lord , that man , the lord of creation—the real nobility of earth —the equal , if not superior , by nature , to the peer , why should man descend to idolize , say to throw bis prostrate form beneath the wheels of this Jng-° ?* niaut of modem civilization . ( Immense applause . ) Good heaven why ' : What is the English aristocracy but tue reiict of Judean oppressors and hypocrites , — the scribes and pharisees ? ( Hear . ) Look at the nature of the crimes for wMch they were denounced , and tell me -whether the crimes of our aristocracy does not furnish a parallel case ? It does . They bind heavy burthens grievous to be born , and lay them on men ' s shoulders , when they tax the poor man more than the rich , and use the " taxes for
wanton extravagance and dissipation . ( Hear , bear . ) They will not move them with one of their fingers , for when we ask them to doit , they call us Revolutionists and firebrands . ( Cheers . ) They love the uppermost rooms at feasts , and the chief seats in the synagogue ; for wMlst they can scarcel y be content with a palace , ever so splendid , a Poor Law Bastile is good euough for a labouring man , and tvater gruel an excellent diet . They like to be called of men , master , master : for they lord it over us with a vengeance , when they are better than us , becanse we are poor ! They shut up the kingdom of heaven againstmea , when the fat dignitary is to live upon £ 20 , 000 or £ 30 , 000 a year , wrung from beggared artizans , before salvation can be preached to
man-S > ' - ( Hear ^ ear- ) Asis r . ocracyisther ?/// j # cw «? of . Britain—a living lie and libel before man andbeaven . They usurp all controulin the government of the country , because , they say , we are ignorant : whilst it is not intelligence , but money , that is the tfst of political power . They taunt us with our ignorance , —whilst they , and they alone , impose taxes on knowledge . ( Hear , hear . ) They degrade and insult us because we are poor , whilst it is their own iniquitous system of laws that makes us so poor They are introducing a harsh and scanty dietarysystem , to gnaw away the vital * of humanity , because , they say , we are idle and unwilling to work ¦ w hilst the riches and unhallowed grandeur of their " ? , r er is the produce of our slavish indnstrv and
wni ( l ^ nd cheenng . ) But the day of promise draws tugh ! The faultless father , rictimized on the stone of mammon ! Tyranny , with his care-worn brow , Ms tattered garb , his trembling limbs , tells me of ite coming . _ The tender feeling * of amother trampled on—denied a-home of peace , and hope , and joy , and plenty , —tell me of its coming . The sullenmurmurof the chain-bound muHons rumbling through the mighty solitude of their agitated breasts , tell me of its coming . ( Tremendous cheering . ) XL *" ? , ? * tH ^ ' tfle <*™ t greVs louder on the green hill side , where patriots gather , and where martyrs bleed . ( Hear . )^ Birmingha ^ wi& her experience , leads us on , with Universal Suffrage for our charter . Join in with them aU ye rnrf ° ! S' T 8 elTe V coanlr y > and your God , and teach the proud oppressors " of youi country inw
, inongn yon are poor , and stigmatized , and plundered , yetnowyou wiUbe united , andunited , canbe brave . ( Cheers . ) These are not thetX forbeataboa or delay . The period has nowarrS whenwemusteithersnapthecliaiaatonc&ordoom oursekes to protracted slavery . . Age , andthe spirit of the millions will not quail ' at the fiery ordeal ( Hear , hear . ) The age of martyrdom is again at hand . Oh ! let the people ' s voice , the people ' s power , baye vent ; or the nation ' s wrath- ^ oo ^» - con / inedjvixh . an elastic heave that moves the globe itself , —will rush resistless on with one tremendous lightning flash , and thunder peal , to liberty or death . ( Universal bursts of applause . ) . Mr . O'Cosiioa returned thanks , and eulogised the splendid and eloquent speeches which he had heard
m > m the veteran Lowry , and the two admirably well drilled recruits Williams and Bums , and was greeted with unanimous approbation .
Untitled Article
Sex P ^ bsons Killed . —Six persons were killed at Cory ton , a village near Tavistock , by the bursting AdSe * * UnD 8 ihe Jcdebrat 5 on rf tne coronation So ^ Sf ^ has ^ gtufiedher wish £ ^» E ^ -j £ 2 ! : 1 £
Untitled Article
Serious Affray at BdrjOHiiisfiiaBEEi * Pair . —A very serious disturbance ! took pface at the great fair atBoughtpn-green , Northampton , between a number of the London thimble-rig ' gentry and some countrymen , and some of the latter were so severely injured that they were at first not expected to recover . It appears that the magistrates of the district came to the determination not to allow \ any of the thimble-men to carry on their operations in the fair , and Mate and Shackell , two London policeomcers , were sent down to aid the local police force in carrying the wishes of the magistrates into effect . Accordingly * all thimble-men were ordered off tie course , but they determined not to be so easily
prevented from following their occupation , betook themselves in different directions to the lanes leading-to the fair , where they attracted the attention of tbe yokel * , and succeeded in fleecing a great many of them of all their loose cash . 'When the day ' s-business was over , the Londoners went to a tent used by them , and where they generally assembled at the close of each day ' s play . They had not been long there before a number of the countrymen who had lost their money , and who appeared to be excited by drink , entered the booth , armed with bludgeons , and evidently bent upon mischief . They tried to pick a quarrel , and challenged the thimble-men to fight . The latter , however , did not wish to have any
disturbance , and merely desired to depart qmetly with their booty ; and they told the eountrymen that they would not fight , and wished them to leave the booth . They refused , and commenced pulling down the canvas of the booth , and then began a furious attack upon the thimble-men with their bludgeons . The latter , thus pressed , armed themselves with the legs of the tables and the rafters of the booth , and . a desperate fight then ensued . The " YawmufiV' were no match for their opponents , however , and several of them were dreadfully disfigured before Mace and Shactell and some other officers came to the spot . The thimble-men immediately desisted , and claimdft
the protection of the officers , stating that they had merely acted in self-defence . The officers requested them to lay down the weapons they had , which they consented to do if the officers would protect them off the green . This the officers promised to do , and the thimble-men then laid down their bludgeons and they were escorted by the constables to Northampton . Several of the country people were at this time lying upon the ground , bleeding and dreadfully beaten , "but none of the thirable-men received any serious injury . It was reported that one of the countrymen had since died , but this , upon inquiry , turns out to be incorrect .
Horrible Affaik . —A Limerick paper has the following : — "Attempt by a wife to murder her husband and father-in-law , and alleged murder of another husband by his wife—The following being the particulars of those horrible occurrences , hare been communicated to us by a correspondent who gives bis name : —Two meu , father and son , of ' the name of Ruin , residing at Ennistimon , in the county of Clare , having come from a bog , where . they had
been at work , to dinner on Thursday last , the son asked his wife for some milk to drink . She replied that she had not got any in the house , but that she had prepared some coffee for them which she would procure . She immediately gave them a bowl of Jit , which between them they drank off , In some short time after , they both found themselves . -petting . ill * , and their suspicions being excited , medical assistance was procured , when it was discovered that arsenic had been administered in the coffee . The woman
has been fully committed to prison ; and upon the evidence ot the servant girl , whom she sent to purchase tbe arsenic at an-apothecary's shop in Bnuiistimon , and whose face . « he coloured , that she mig ht , not be afterwards known , it is supposed the case will , be fully established against her . In consequence of this desperate attempt at murder being brought to light , an inquest was held a day or two subsequent , before Mr . Greene , coroner , on the body of a man named Patrick Guthrie who had been buried four months . This Guthrie was married to a sister of
the woman who gave the poison to Ruin ; and be having died in an extremely sudden manner , it was supposed that he had been poisoned . Upon the testimony of Drs . Cullinan , of Ennis , and Finucane of Ennistimon , who found three or four grains of arsenic in his stomach , and other strong corroborative evidence , the jury found , . " that the deceased came by his death from poison administered unto him by his . wife . "—She has been fully committed , and lodged in Ennis jail , to abide her trial at the approaching assizes of that county .
Untitled Article
17 ie Editors of " Tfw Northern Star" teish to be distinct y understood that in affnrding \ a vehicle for the discussion u ) preal Public Questions , they ure not to be identified irit / i Ilie ' sxstuimenlt % r the Language of their several Correspondents .
Untitled Article
TO THE EDITORS OK THE NORTHERN STAR . Gentlemen , —I am not sorry that I am obliged to delay my " Letter to the People of England" another week . It will be all right in the end . Let the men read over again all those most important authorities which are contained in my letter to the Earl of HADniNGTOX , and the dreadful list of CovEN-rav Mlrhers in my last letter to you ; I want them to learn all these things by heart ; remembering , at the same time , the insolence of that upstart' statesman (?) Lord Howick , who sneered and laughed at the petitions o { more thrtn a million of Englishmen $ " iscause they would neither "itfr / i nor kilt ? - they must not forget also to ruminate about Cantf . rriirv
and ISewcastle-opon-Tyne ; yonr readers will know what I mean . I would have them also to learn by heart , the fourteen first verses of the fifth chapter of "Nehemuh , remembering always , that the " mob " which be headed was armed , as is evident from the fonrth chapter . Let the men cogitate all these matters in their minds , with their eyes fixed on their . u-ives and daughters , and they will then be prepared to receive the advice which I hope to give them in yoHr next week ' s paper . " ¦ > . ' Let the aristocrats also look about them ; they will soon find that thuy are in the same boat with the people . Oh thatGod Almighty , wouldopeu their eyes . That dandy Howick , who dared to insult the people a . few w « eks ago , has since theu tried , hishand with
nobility ; and has actually , most deliberately , offered a premeditated personal insult , in the House of Commons , and in the name of the ministry , to two of the highest bred nobles in the land—the Marquis of Chan dos and the Earl of Lincoln ; in this he has been backed by a majority of the New-Poor-Lawloring-House-of-Commons . This is as I said it would be . Yes , Gentlemen , when once the scoundruLs who insult tlie people , think that they are strong enough—they will pounce upon the aristocracy ; the selfeame spirit which leads them to trample on the KIUHT 8 of the poor , will drive them to attempt the overthrow of everything which is great , noble , and good in tbe land . Would to God , that the really English-hearted nobles , would now open their eyes ,
ana perceive , mat , wniist tuey are assisting the philosophers to enslave the people , they are , in trut / u removing the only prop on which thet / can safely lean , in the day of their trial . I am right glad that Howick has thuti , in good time , endeavoured to trample upon thehouses of Buckixoha . u and Newcastle . This is one of the signs of the times . Surely now the ancient nobility will see , that the upstart H owick , is onl y rhe mouthpiece of th at power , which has resolved to sink the ancient peerage , along with an insulted people . Surel y now the aristocracy and tne people will shake hands , audproveto tliettleWiaa squad « f nobles (?) Howick , Brough am W Co : that the birthrights of Englishmen shall not be invaded with impunity .
I am indeed rejoiced that the same tongue has been selected by her Majesty ' s ministers " to ' ¦ intuit both the peers and the people . 1 rejoice to find . Gentlemen , that in high quarters my views are making their way ; last Saturday evening I received a letter from a Baronet , who is a county M . P . , I do not know whether he is a Tory , Whlg or Radical ; I believe that he is honestl and that he is a sincere Christian , and that ib enough forme . I think that he calls himself a T ° hf £ ^ - ^ "P' 0 \ er tQiDgs * he says , lae working classes seem almost as muclioverl looked , » n our national Legislature , as if ft were no part _ of _ our duty to remedy tJwir urievnnnL
or enquire into their condition . " Mark well what thi « r Gentleman says , working classee . —Respecting thttNftvr Poor Law , he writes , " J have had no persbhal opportunity to watch its movements , or estimate h effects . But that some of its provisions must Kb repealed or moditied , and that the apathy of PitrliU ment respecting them is rapidly estranging from oiir institutions , and from the opulent , the minds of Ma labouri ngpaptUalifMtlyercewe with minded senti menu of sorrow and alarm . " Our great men . w ^ I do weuto note his words . I hope alf yoor SS wiU remember the followingj-itis excVfedingSim gortant , it is a secret which Is well wo | th kffiS . w beW" says this countyM . P .. wh . i « « " « £££
« theMgae 3 thonour , audre - pectaliiUty , Ml " bST Jat , ilthepeopUcan onlybekept quiet , our grertmS will carebuthtae , whether they are compeuK work eighteen hours . » day , or eight . " ^" w ^ ° . * V thepeople canonlt , > bekeptquiet !! n Are thom « the ruk- " if the good man of ^ house hS known what time the thief would come , ff ^ oSd have watched andnfothave suSered his houw t 6 ha ? e been broken through . " Aye , there is ftTrnK and Co ., don ' t want the people "to watch"S ^ ^ ftat theyxnay . u break througftlSrhonsel hence , all tins noue m the Houses ^ f LvtJgScQvi
Untitled Article
» d iSlS" * Ujr w »** «» P »» 4 > riihIa » C 0 M »
Untitled Article
moni about O'Coknor , S * ephen 8 aiid j Qastlebj afld the- twelve agitators , " Be ; Vqniet , JEi > gushmen---Go to sleep -J and when you awake r youlnay whistle for y our RitittTS and liberties ! > Iy friend adds , ** Btit it is not enough to satisfy ^ jpluldsophjc or phflanthro-Wc mind , to make but , howeyer dearly , that the labourer earns enough to enable hini icy exist , if his toil Veto excessive in amount or duration , ' m-io-we ' elude him frm all : enjoyntenty-- % ^ because he is born to work , //? ts to live / or no biherpurpose , and to command oo leisure for innocentrecreation and domestic happiness , ^ Icawotsee on what principle he tan be expected to remain ^ JViEf . " Neither cau I , gentle ^ men , excepting upon the opposition that the working dasM ? are fools andimbeciles , nnd that a «
Visaom an ^ oK power are locked up in the middle and upper classes . I wish every man , womanf and child to read what my friend next adds-i . Nobles , read it and ponder -. Labourers , read ty and look At your cmidren , and ibactthem to repeatit after you . He says-- " And if flus system becomes geueral , the overthrow oftheinttitutions , tinder which the wealthy prosper , and the industrious are justly dusatisfied , becomes a mere question of time , opportunity , and Prospect of success ^ There , Gentleraen ^ there you nave the opinion of one of the mostrespectable , best mforme ^ d , cooleist thinkertfin the House ofCommons . Keep that m yonr mind , « the overthrow of the institutions ,, under wbich the wealthy prosper , an < i the mdustnous are JUSTLy dissatisfie ' d ^ becomesa mere
, Wsti < mvttmeiopj ^ iwuty , andfr I anvglad to informyou that this is the opinion of a C / hnstian Legislator—never forget the words " time , ' " opportunity , " and " pnosPECT of success He concludes , "lam very glad to find , thatyoii base your views so much upon Scripture principles . 'Other foundation can no man lay ' either for . guidance here : or happiness in eternity . Mayhewhois the wisdom , as well an the righteousness of hw chosen on * s , shew us what he wonld have u * to do , and Aow he would hate it to be done . " Amen ! ntid Amen , ' . : v . : r - Do you know gentlemen , that I heirin tn .-it « - « ft
hopes for my cohntry , when I find a man of rank feSeat , end true piety , not ashamed of avowing sentinients which sprin / f from the heart of a Chmtian apdapatnot . Wlienltell ypu top , that this M P icus a sapporter of . the New Poor Law that he was a political economist of the new school ; that he once thought that the best remed y for the evils of society was emigration , I fancy , genUemenv that you wfil then agree with me , thatf " although riotmanymighty , notmany noble arechosen , " yet i thatGpdisnotabout to leave himself without witness , even »« the Legislature ^ of this country . This is cheering , to say the least of it . :
On Sunday night . I received a letter from Earl Radnor , iu answer to the one I wrote him on the 28 th" ult , ( which was inserted in your last Northern Star . ) The answer is not very satisfactory , but it is gratifying to find that his Lordship is willing to interest himself m tins affair . As I have no doubt that your reader * are anxious for every information concerning the Coventry Murders , I will copy the Earl ' s letter for your insertion . It is as follow ^ : — ' . ¦ . '¦ ¦¦ " GToovenoT-street , June 30 , 1838 . . " SIR , —I have no local knowled ge of Coventry , and therBfore cannot sp . > ak with certainty ; but I believe , as I have been mfornved , thut . the dietary of the Coventry Workhouse was altered By the Guardians ; who are certainly not elected under theproTisipnaof the Poor Law Amendnient Act , ( that place not beuigm Union , ) but , I beheve , under a local act ; and entirely without the intervention of , or suKgestion made bv anv Assistant Poor Law Commissioner . Thu average number of imuatt'H , at aBy time , I do not know .
Yim will observ . ! that the occasion of the "twit mortaVitv at the-pmoiV to which Hie return I sent you refers , was owing tu Asiatic cholera , wluch broke out there . I am . Your obedient servant , „ "ToROasUevEBO ; , RADNOR . " l ' "ixby Hall , hear Haidersfield . " Well , I felt exceedingl y obliged to his Lordship for his kind attention ; but still , I could not be satisfied J wanted to know all about these Coventry fVarkkoiise Muiinr . ua . It is p lain , that some Seventy human beings have been secretly dispatched in that place . Lam anxious to know by whose orders or suggestions the dietary was altered . If the . Guardians resolved to poison the paupers , without even a hint fvoma Poor Law Assistant Commissioner , -wbv not Ufc" th *
public know ? The Assistant Commissioner has been ptdilich , charged with having told the Guardians , that . it they would not alter the diet and treatment which was customary in the Coventry Workhouse , Coventry would be taken into Union . I read this account in the Leicester Journal . I sent the Editor a copy of my last ; he shallhave one of this also . I have no doubt that he will look after it , and I hope that he will send me a Copy of his remarks 1 hese things cannot be secrets . We mu&t know , (/ the Diefary was altered ? Hoio it was altered ? When it was altered ? nn& at whose suggestion it waai altered . I hope , that my Lord Radnor will get lis all ' this information , and much more , through the order of
the House of Lords . It is quite impossible that this wholesale system of human slaughter , however " well" it may " work , " can be allowed to pass without investigation . The Poor Law Commissioners' Assistant is blarned ; if they and he are innocent , why should proof of it be withheld ? I shall send a copy of this , as ; 1 did of my last , to "the Board of , Guardians at Coventry , '' to their clerk Mr . Abbotts , and to the postmaster of Coventry , so that they may know what I am about . I hoped that from some quarter or other , Ishall come at a knowledge of all the facts ; at all events , I have done my best to obtain the whole truth . I felt quite sure that the Earl of Radnor would usehis infltience to obtarn the necessary information , so I wrote to his Lordship the - following letter : ¦—
"hwby Hall , near Huddersfielili July 1 , 1838 . 1 " TO THE RIGHT HQN . EARL RADNOR . "MY LORD , —I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your LoTdship h pbhte layour of yesterday , for which 1 bea that you will receive iriy most sincere thanks . I am in the same situation with your Lordship . I do not know a single pewon in Coventry . ; 1 have , however , seen the-. Assistant Poor Law Commis-Rionerbf that district Pt'BLicty charged with interferina in the affairs of the Coventry workhou . se , and cauiintf the alteration of the diet ; and I have not ueen that statement contradicted .
, It seems , from your Lordship ' s fav .-ur , that an alteration was made ; it bfcomfis , therefore , tiecessary that ^ the public should know , how or by whom , and under what circumstances , that alteration Wan made ; . seeiug that , according to the " yp . port" t « your Lordship ' s House , ( which you did me the honour to send me , ) many MURDERS were , in consequence , perpetrated in the COVENTRY Workhvuse . I will not disguise from your Lordship my suspicions that , the object and intention of the Poor Law Ooiimi ^ sioners is to drive the poj . rout of their native , land , and , failinK in that to POISON THEM IN THE WQRKHOtJSES f ! ' 1 hnye been told by a physician of great eminence , who has examined the dietary tables , that " no chance could have discovered , an apparent food , which should be so sure and certain a poison ; but that science must have been consulted to table of what
prepare a might APPEAR to be food , but which should »/« reality be CfcRTAIN , though , slow POISON . " The effects produced in different woirkho \ ises seem to prova that what I was told is indeed too true . True enough "Asiatic ( skillyy cWeta btokn out there ;" but theu "the dietary of the Coventry workhouse was altered ! ' There can be no doubt that skUly , & < . produced the cholera . When we know by whose instigatioiAhat " alteration" was made , we shall know who were the MDRDERERs . Turkish bow-strinj ? s would havedon <> the business as surely as" Asiatic qho \ era ; " tnen , boweveiyihere would not have been the semblance of food . ¦ . ,. . ' ¦ . 1 am quite sure that your Lordship must be as wishlul as myself to know the truth , ftlay 1 request that you will have the goodness to move for the lnformai ^ pn alluded to in my last ; ( it is esce « diriglyimporrant , iny Lord ;) and also " for all the coinmjinications , verbal and written , betvVeRn the Poor Law Commissioners , or their assistants , and the Guardians of theCOVKNTRY workhouse , or their officers , with reference
to die manageinehtand dietary of thei paupers in the Coventry workhouse . I beg to apologise , for taking so great u liberty , lfcpl persuaded , Uowever , - .. that yourXioriL-ihin will kindly excukp iiie ; The awful document , which I had the honour to receive froni your Lordship , his served to stienpthen my fears that what the . Doctor told me some months ago . is indeed true . 1 ah . a . 11 be most haMy to find : tbat iny : Buapicions are groundless , —nay , I shall be delighted to bo convinced ( if I anv Yrttmg ) of all my erroTs with regard to that ?« AcTi " whicbiiu my conscience , I believe will , if enforced , deprive / our Lordships of ypUT estates and dignities . I can have no interest in deceiving , or in being deceived . Begging that you willnaTdon the liberty I nave taken , and eicuse the trouble which I have given you , I remain , most respectfully , . , : ; ¦¦ ¦' ¦ ¦ . - ¦ ' My Lord , ¦ -., . .:. - Your Lordship ' s obliged obedient Servant . .. - RICHARD OASTLEB . " ¦ - " P . S . thereisnot a shadow of a doubt that the separation of man and wife is unnatural , unconstitutional , and unchristi » n , and C 0 N 8 EQUENTIA" ILLEGAL . It is perfectly ridiculous to suppose that the" Commissioners' oraer " can legally authorise such a MONSTROSITY . R . () . "
To tbe above , Ibave tbi « evening received from hisi-Lordship ., the following polite ^ thougb still uusa&factorv reply : — .. "' . "' . " Grosvenor-sfteet , Jvd / . S , 1838 . " Si R , —I have been unable to auswet yours of the 1 st sooner . I can ( jive you no further information respecting the Coveatry VYnrkuouae . Idonptlonowitofmy own knowledge , 1 ) ut I have received such information , as I fully credit , that the diet there was changed by the GtVMr 4 ian » without-any inter-Tention ; from , or suggestion by , the Assistant Pgor Law Commissioner ; amiit is certainthat Coventry ia ¦ not in " Union . ' If y ' ouiwaUyseek thief truth , yon Jjrillbe alai to be informed , that ab < nit ChrifttmjW-. laat , Asiatic , cholera broke pat at aS ) toi ^ TMraU . « t . an ] a ; . ; iu neighbourhood , and that in the Woltp ^ wiK gruel forms part of the dietary , there wa * noattifeariUiee ' oiit . ¦' . ¦ •; .- ; . \ . " ¦¦ - ;• '¦¦" . . ¦ ¦' - ¦ . '¦"¦ • ' - ¦ ' ¦ < •¦ :: ¦ . - - . ¦ ; ¦ - ¦ " \ . ' I am , Sir , . - .. ' , . YdiHobeaientaervanV
, RADNOR . " , "Tp Richard Oaatler , E « q . ; ' FixbyHaU . nearHuaaerafield . " < * I am indeed glad to hear that , in spite of the gruelly dietary of that workhouse , the inmates were mercifully sawd from the Asiatic cbplera . . : StiU I " want to know ill about those Coventry MURDER 8 . . When , his' Lordship moves for the returns , I shiiA rejoice '; and when they are printed ^ I hbpe he will do me the favour to send irie a copy . \ . ' ejfxe not whether ^^ the Guardians or the Assistant Gotomisiioner inay be the guilty pirty j the dietaTy teas changed , a . nd about 70 of her . Majesty ' s subjects were thereby poisoned ; that is my case : there can be no doubt that , if the New Foot Law or itn officera nreinnocent , we shall not be long without the required information . y \ - '' ¦ ¦'¦' ¦ . .. ¦ : . - ¦ ' ¦' .-: ' . ' ^ : ; r ' .- ' < l ^ ^ . returaof-thenuniber of inmates and of deatns , At jstated penods of three nooriths , in every Union workhoiw , wcluding bow many were bnned , and
Untitled Article
j ^ ow many were up , since thdir eatablifibiaeiitj Wdtui P : * ve ? 7 psefol document . W 0 shoiild ' thejtt sed the pfPP ' * 1011 of deaths , « fec ^ and thus be abje to etiess how inaliy murders are daily coininitted to keep up Bfi » ts , } * 9 P & ** some noble Peer will obtain such a return * . I am gratified to find , that ttie elergjy in different parts of the country , are beginnitl ^ ia awake on this subject . Tbis morning , I have received ft letter from a rector residiiig in the South of England , in-a jpurely agricultnral district ; to me he is a stranger . ft would seen ! that he has read my first letter to Earl ¦ FiTizwitMAMjaboiitGod ' s original decree , rates , rents , ( fee . which was published in the Northern Ster , pfiBik
ult ., alluding to that letter , he says , " a stranger to you , I shall not be deemed guilty-of ^ flattery , when I say , that it has been an extreme gratification to me ^ to ; : perc 0 ive that , if not ; ' from a child you "have known the Holy Scriptures , ' yet , that you are now intimately acquainted with them . There can be no Soubt that your view is correct ^ and Christianity , if it be '' trae . and from God , as I most surely \ believe , will cause the view you take to prevail ana if necessaryi eveti to the pulling down of strong holds , fycJ , fyc ! " This te » timony , vcoming as At does , " from a retired country clergyman— -an entire stranger—no wayi as far as I know , mixed up in the Anti-Poor Law Agitation— -is , to me , most gratifying ; : —it is encouraeing and cheering beyond what I can ex-¦
press . The same gentleman , further on , adds ; •*' : 1 see Plantation Fires to a great extent are becoining commwi in SunREv ft I . . Lork jiowicK and-fier Majesty ' s Ministers-shbuld be blamed for those fires . . ^ . I wish- my voice could reach those poor * mi 8 guided deluded men , who hope for any rehefj by destroying property . 1 would try to persuade them , that the labourers who destroy property , the cieature of their own skill and industry , are the greatest enemies to " their own order . " I know their provocatiph-f-I know what Lord Howick has " . said .: ; but I know , also ; that no good can come to the working' classes by such means . I will tell them what they are to do , in order to benefit themselves and save their employers , in my next . Meantime , I remain , Gentlemen , yours faithfully , 1 RIGHARP OASTLER . Fixby Hall , near Huddersfield , ' July 6 , 1838 . P . S . I have just received a letter from a friend in NonroLk , that blessed county , which is nmo governed by Doctor Kay ! My friend says , " we are here in a very distressed state ! Unrestricted cruelty U practised in our Bastiles ! " Arid then he tells ine , that he has a letter from a nobleman of very high rank , ( his name I am not authorised to publish , ) who , amongst other things , says , Such is the delusion which pi'evaits , thai it appears to be the FonEnuNNER of Despotism . " And that nobleman is not far wrong , provided the people will : " ¦ keep quiet "—and go to sleep . — -There can ha no doubt that the anger of Lord Howick , Lord John
Russell , Lord Brougham and Co . against " the dozen agitators , " is simply , because we will not let ; the people go to sl ^ ep and " keep quiet , " whilst the y establish the Rural Police and enforce the New Poor Law . If the people will take the advice which I intend to give them iri my next , I will answer for it , —that we shall neither have the New Poor Law , nor Rural Police , nor Despotism . If , however , they are resolved to sleep and "keep quiet , " when they awake , they will be the slaves of the basest set of mortals , who ever domineered over any povtion of the human family . If . my advice is taken , Peace and Plenty will soon be the portion of the people of England ; if it be rejected— "Despotism ' aud Slavery will very soon be the order of the day . - R . O :
Untitled Article
TO TEE EDITORS OF THE NORTHERN STAR . ' Gkvtlemejj , —Whilst we are talking of and praying for what we call Reforms in our political institutions , and even whilst nominal Reforms are professedly made , our system of practical oppression , continues to increase . There was a time in qiir history , when no one received any income , without working for it , except that of rent , and at which time , the whole of the rentof the United Kingdom , was of very trifling amount , not reaching a million ot pounds sterling per annum . Now this rent has been regularly increasing for several hundreds oi years , indeed , from the days of William the Conqueror unto the present time ; and I have no hesitation in saying that the landlords are nowreceivins far ef oduceund
a greater quantity pr , er the name of rent , than ever they received in any former age . The said William the Conquerormade his tenants , i . e . those who held the land immediately of himself conjointly with himself , into the legislators of the nation , the administrators of the law , and' thu Officers of the army , whenever an army was in . existence . I say when there was an army in existence ; for in those days , and long after them , there was no standing army in existence in this country ; bat the King ' s tenants were obliged , in case of need , to raise the . King an army at their own expense , maintain that army for forty days , and be ita officers in person . In process of time , however , they go ; t rid of the military servitude , and threw the expence of maintaining the army upon the people , retaining ,
however , the land , as before ; haw , or in what manner , this change was effected , history scarcely informs us . These landlords , however , have been making rapid encroachments upon the people from-that day to this , until the rental of the country carries nearly an hundred millions of pounds every year , from the pockets of the people , into the pockets of the proprietors of the land and houses of the United Kingdom . Not is this all , the evil which they nave inflicted upon the people , by having the power of legislation iu their hands , to preserve the unjustly acquired property and privileges , they have repeatedly waged the most cruel , unnecessary , and unjust wars , upon any adjacent people , -who have attempted to improve their own political institutions ; and thereby they have incurred a debt to pay the interest of which requires nearly thirty millions of pounds annually .
Now , in addition to the landlords and fundlords , canal-lords , cotton-lords , railroad-lords , gas and water-works , and other sorts of lords , each class contriving to obtain an income from capital , by substituting capital for some sort of labour ; the introduction of all of which things , have robbed millions of the English people , "first ., ' of a part of the accustomed labour , then of a part of their accustomed wages , and finally thrown them out of employment altogether ; obliging them to find some new employment , and starve until such emplby " -
ment was both lound and learneQ . And the process is still going on j the aggregate income of these lords is rapidly increasing , and the income of the manual labourers decreasing ; and no theoretical reforjn will be of any practical use , which does not lead to a better and more equal distribution of the produce of the country . Rents , tithes , and taxes , do not increase the produce of the country ; but in proportion as they unitedly increase , in the same proportion does the labourers' share of that produce grow less and less . J . KNIGHT .
Untitled Article
TO THE EDITORS OF THE NORTHERN STAR . . RALAHINE . Preston , V 2 th of June , 1838 . G 0 VERNMI 1 NT . The form of goverument adopted at Ralahine combine all the advantages of Toryism , Whiggism , and Radicalism , without any of the defects of eithet . It bad all the strength , uaity of purpose * andunity of action , of Monarchy and Toryism —• all the moderation , expediency , cheeky , juid caution of Wbiggism , and far more than the liberty and equality of Radicalism . The Government was by King , Lords , and Commons . Mr . Vandeleur was King , an . hereditary and almost absolute Monarch . Ralahine estate was
his kingdom— -Ralahme society his people . The secretary , treasurer , and storekeeper were both his ministry , executive power , arid House of Lords , * chosen by .. himself , and removable at his pleasure .-The committee were his counsellors and the standing committee of the House of Commons ; and the House of Commons consisted of the whole people , male and female , above seventeen years of age . King Vandeleur had a power which we wbuldVb y no means entrust to the governor of a community , iior vrould even a Tory entrust it to a Soverei gn ^ namely , the power of banishiiig froni his kingdom any one or more of his subjects , at any time ; without any appeal , and of breaking up the society at any time previous to his having given them a lease of the premises ; this power made him an absolute monarch , but he never used it ; he was governed by
thelaws he had made , and none were expelled bat those who violated them , nor did he intend that this Dower should be permanent . The people he chose , tor remember the people did not choose him , were drunken , idle , vicious , ignorant , prejudiced , destitute , miserable , quite undt eituet to appreciate or enjoy a state of jperfectlibertyj or , fo be iatrusted with 618 acres--of land , and capitajto rb , e aonountof nearly £ 30 Q 0 | butne adopted the best mt £ an » possi ble for enabling them to acquire tfee requisite Knowledge and capital , and engaged thabwnehthpyhad ' acquired these , he would give them a longiease of uienisei ¥ «? ff
me premises , ana allow them to govern . So much for royal prerogative and Toryism . ; Th& House of Lords , ( the secretary , treasurer , tad storekeeper . ) held the public purse , possessed the pnblic treasury , -wera the aalutery check upon King ana pedple , the balance of the constitBtion , the glonoua 1688 j the envy of surronnding nationa , and ^ aamir ^ f . tion of the world . The King was to them the fountain of honour , chosen by him , part of their salanea paid by him , removable at ^ w pleasorev ? On . the Qffier hand , they were of | he people members of , toe , sbaeiyf the ottiei ^ part of their salaries were ^ pN ^ y the ' wKxety , and ; M menibers , they w « e enftOed to a share of it « profit . Thus it was m » de to be tbeir
Untitled Article
tetom tt ?^;« M ^( rf rda ^* r ^^ **! & ? 2 t ^ % & * % && "&P 1 P ^ Nvi T ^ - " : » Pwt Whig ^ iam . Tl » geoer ^«» pxnutt 6 & W f * iavesali composed }^^ iw ^ m ^ M JowT Wgn and the representative * of , theMopJe , and w ^ - chosen from m toembers of the SoMe % , " evew ti * mohths , by Universal Sufeage , malef-and fftoafe . ^ and Vote ny Ballot , in sohte meagnre like the ConH ' man counciFa , nhder that Very be ** kct of the WKm . > . the Municipal Reform Bill , Jnasmucfej as bnlr parl ' of the committee went out at each ielecfion , h leaving a sufneient number of experienced membera in office , to m ^ ke the next committee ? t once effici . : erit , and prevent any jnterrapdon to- ' tbifr busmesB of the society . And this is thekind ofrefbrm wenni » l »* '
to demand in onr national House of Commons , viz , Universal Suffrage , male and ; female * Votevih y ? Bat lot , ofaip-thiRl of t&e membatit to " gti ontj in I ' otation . eyery year , the elections tobegin andend on a certam fixed dayj the Parliament to meiet ! oil a certain fixed day in every year , lodging a power in t&e 8 o verei « i or executive . to isall ParUament together earlier if necessary , but no power to prevent its meeting at the Wne appointed by law . ; By thete . means , the 'Houses of ^ sucliameat , likethe King , wouia ^ iftyer die ; they would always be efficient , no , mterruption& of the publicbusiness wot $ ldiiakeilace » || illa wpuli '"^ . ^ fl nnM ^^ wlKjPjurBa& ^^ iffc ^ due con . i « deration , at the end of a session ^ temtinies more business would be done , and ten tiineii better than . . atjbresiRpfeV ^ :. - , .. ^ ' ^¦¦ , ¦¦! . ¦ " : :: ' .:- ' . - ^ :-. ' -: : ' . < ¦ ' -.- ^ - . The ? House of Lords , Council , and Repregentabves of thft people , at Ralahihe , yoii nerceive . . « S
eyeTy evenmg ; for the transaction of their business i and observe , there Were no secret conricils , state mysteries , orsecret service money ^ ^ among them- thevil ¦< were obbged ^ y law tomter aUthdr p ^ oeedingsii ammute-bookj townte repUes to a % tliesngeeS bqns v requests , complaint , * c ., &c . pf eveix member , m the jSDggesHon-book ; and notonly were these mmute ^ rephes to suggesabns , < fec , and the audited account 8 ] of the treasurer required to beread ? atevery weekl y ^ eeting of their proper Hot « e of Commons , which , as we have said , comprised everv member of the society , male-and female , above 17 years of age ; butall the books and accoonts of the society were open for' the inspection df every mem . ber , and ^ the secretary was required to write out a copy of tixe treasurer ' s accounts , and / a copy of the labour-8 heet , ; every week , and post tuemjn tnepubUc dmmg ^ ooin . these weekly meerWofWltafc . ; riiament
mue ra , with their King and Father at their head , were of the greatest possible nScal ^ i » ¦ ¦ % % W ^** e& * the ^ SteflrS committee , the suggestions of the members : the' fU nances , the appointments to labour , mistakes made brthe committee , or b y any of the members dS . the past week , complaints of members or other Dar ties , and suggested : improvements of every kmd . wereireely discussed , and these meeting * glS JS Yl ¥ '' * Bnd an r other Wends wS happened to be present , the very best opportunitv of givinggood . adviceandusefulinstructions totKSoS society . . By ^ these means , more practical knowledge was obtained of the great object and end of all good government—the happiness of every riiember-i ^ one w ^ eek , than can be learnt in any political association that has hitherto been formed'in any country , hi a Yc&r . ¦ " . ¦ ¦ ¦ '" .- ¦ ¦ . . ¦ . ¦ ; . ¦ . ¦' . - ¦ ¦ .
I think I have nowproved , taat the form of government adopted at Ralahine was better both in principle and m p ^ ctice , than any that has hitherto been advocated by any political party in the British dominions . ¦ - . - , ; - ' ' AsEnglwhmen , wfrboastbf our glorious Constitution , and of pur political and reh ' gious liberties In sdme measure our boasting is just ; and there never was a period in our history in which we enjoved t » n ranch practical liberty as we do at present . It ia aisoflmte ^ true , that no human being has anyna * tural right to require another human being i 0 do that for lumor her , that he or she ought or would refuse to dofor that individual , —in other words , that all mankind are by nature equal . It is tn >» . \ h « t-
as the working classes ; by their labour , produce a 3 the money and wealth possessed or enjoyed by every class m society as well as the r own , that they havi a better nght , if not the only right , to be represented in that Assembl y that provides them with labour and regulates their wages , or deprives them of employment , den : es them education , and expends their moneyi and yet it is as true , that they are not represented there at all , but that those who produce nothing , have all the representation to themselves It is also true , that this House has taken a certain quantit y of Popery , Protestanism and other ingredients , mixed them up into a patent quack medicine ; called state ^ religion , chosen a great , number of state doctors , and given them laree salarifta tn nVtmir . ^^ .
this medicine to the people ; they certainly are not all impelled to take this medicme , but they must cer-^ fW Ha y for ¦ »*• Jtis also true thattnisHosse has established : raany other odious and unjust mpnopohes , and taxed the people beyond all rhyme and reason , and it is true to the letter , that this Government takes more from the people , and does less for the people , in the way of intellectual , social , and moral improvement , than any other Government m nnSir * Tfe * tfW ^ and ttese things ou ght not to be , and they willadt continue any longer than while ^ the people can help themselves . But uotwithstanding all these pvife and abuses , if is quite true , that we may worship any God we choose , in any way we please , or we may refrain from worahip a ! ^ fe ^^^^ " ^^ yminiber of poUticaL eoimnereiaitraae
, , scienUfic , benevolent , recreative or musicali unions , clubi , associations ,- and if we p lease , anitothem all together ; we canmeetto < rether m any numbers from 2 to 200 , 000 , in or out of doors , vy e can form processions , of any magnitude , carrying flags and banners of every description ; we can spiaf , lecture , discuss ; vre can even write , publish , and circulate our writings with the greatest freedom , provided we do not libel individuals ; we can petition and remonstrate with our governors , and carry these petitions arid remonstrances , accompanied by immense masses of the people , up to the very door of the sovereign vand so long as we keep the peace , arid : allow the same liberty to others that we claun for ouri selves , we can dp all these things with impunity .
pects , is » a free as our own . It is not practical , poli-Ucal , or rehnous Uberty , then that we so much want , and if we did want them , with the present constitution ^ parliament , and the present statatof political p . arties , we have no , chance at present of obtainite them . Wehave a Whig ministry supported by a vew large and powerful party , bothin aridout of the Hous * of Commons , apparently , I thihknot really , Opposed by a large majority of the Bishops and Peers in the Lords , and a party of Tories nearly as numerous as themselves in Ae Commons : ; ajid both these parties have declared themselves against anyfurther political Reform . It is true there is a third party in the Honse of Commons , the Radicals , but they are few in numbernd h
, athougsupported by tbe great body of the working classes , and by many of ' the most liberal an d thinking of every other class , their friends being principally ^ non-electors , there is no chance of the » number ^ bein g much increased , the utmost they call accomplish , and which I trust they will be able to do , will be to hold the balance of power between Whigs and Tories and prevent' a retrograde moTement . The working classes rhftyhbld large meeting * , petition , talk big and bluster ; but they can at present do no mpre . ^ My friends , what the-. working classes now want , i « employment , and -a \ fair reward for their labour , food , clothing , lodgings , and educatiou Annual Parliaments , Universal Suflrage , -and the Vote by Ballbtt , cannot Drocnre anv of v these
for them , or they woujd . have proVHired them for the working men of America , ITie' waut of these is not the great cause of the evik they suffer , ' It is because 7 s . 6 d . in the f onpd of all they earn is spent by those who merely distribute the articles thf y make , 2 s . 6 d in the pound b y the Government , Is . by tieir teachers . 4 s . 6 d . by idlers , leaving only 4 s . 6 d . in the pound for themselves ; and because competition has reduced every man ' s means of . pnrc&asfng , these are the true rieasons why they are unemplpyed , in want ^ and . in poverty . Remove these causes , the effects will cease , andnothingshort of that complete change iri society whi h itlias been my object to develop in these letters , can effect this desirable change . ;¦ ' : We socialists ' are one and all . determined to effect this
change , at least for oarselves , and we beg : to infonn those ^ who " oppose uk , that : we bad at the meeting of the social congress in Manchester on the ^ ioai of May last , delegations" from ; thirty-four ; societies , founded on M r . Owen ^ sprinciples , containirigr Nearly two thovi 3 and adult mal » and female member , nearly seven hundred of whom were subscribers to thp ftmo for forming communities , that in "litfle more than nine months ; theae ha \ eV by small weekly payments subscribed and lodged in Smith , Payne , and ^ nufli ' gi Bank , in the nameVpf ; the . trusteea abont £ 1 J 0 Q » that these members are prepared to ; advance about £ 9000 more , as soon as the preparationa are completed for forming the first community j ithat they are ohefcndaU ^^ determined , faere ^ to ^ cease ^^ eifWpM till they have effected thei ^ object : that th ^' atfe at least sixty more towns / rages , and WU « f e » , « al ! % out for missionaries to assist them iri forniirig
new societies ; that the" membera composing our societies are unifonnlV- the most intelligent , Bobery and moral of onr working population , and of those in the ^ t ckCTUTistances , together with considerable numbers in every other , da pfc apd : ijoi » , totf ti&fr of sober a : d good moT ^ habitearf ^ or , willbe . received among us . , We . do , not . condemn kuman beings for their past " conduct , Itut ' when they join us ' they most become , sober and ,, moral , and must continue to be so ; Onr 3 y ? tei ^; being therefore built on reason , philosophy , facts , human industry , hn ' man nature , morality , charity andlove , ' ¦ we ' are . sure that it will , that it must imcceeti . -. ' / - ' :-- . - .: V / r : ' ¦' . ' ¦¦ - - '' . " . " - . ? ' : " ' , v I have now fdrnished my description of Ralahine , it only remains forjne ' . .. . to fnrnish ^ my readers with ; copie * of official documents " and . b ' th ef ; ioseml iniw " t iteifiorii wbicli $ a *» e receh ^ » pih Mr . Crai ^ to make > a tewpraclipal t ««^^ # d ; t **« wjiqF > 1
VUUUII Tiucil tuiU'WUUlDU ' ( Vu 'WFJ ** "V * . " — . ~" principles to prettice ,- •' ' v - ;/ u ¦^ :: '} . ^ ^ V ^' ' -r K . - f : - - .. -. V- - : --. | am , w ^« otftury , ^ . - fr-i ] -- - JOHNfltiCE
Original Correspondence.
ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE .
Untitled Article
cut
-
-
Citation
-
Northern Star (1837-1852), July 14, 1838, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1014/page/6/
-