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RADICAL DEMONSTRATION ~ AT HULL . OnJrioaj afternoon , a public meeting , called by toTm ?? ° f tbC Woikiu * ' Nation * was held toadopt theNational Petition and People ' s Charter , and also to elect a delegate to theNational tonvennon in London . At one o ' clock a procession was formed from the Royal Oak , Blackfriargate , wnicn , with music , banners , and emblems , proceeded to&e Gmldhal L Ve observed several ap ^ opriafe mottos on the flags ; there was also borne a bundle 15 S " 5 * v ? of liber * - Arrived «*• tSJwLi ^ ° Jacks ° ^^ ed that Mr . Thos . Wilde , a working man , should take the chair , which was unanimousl y carried . ' SADZGilXi DEMONSTSATION 4 m mTrT
fhe \« /?? *** moved a vote of * w *» to fte Mayorand Council of the Borough , for their S ? " ^ ^ ** of the Guildhall , in S ? A ^ - ^ their meetiD S' This was carried with three times three . - Mr . . -W . Kobls congratulated the meeting that spacious as that , hall was , it was not sufficiently « rge to contain the great number of Kadicab who ^ tbatday raUied round the banner ' of Universal ™ fage , and assembled to assert their prinriples as nad to move an adjournment to the Dock Green , ¦ wh ere the business of the meeting would he entered upon andwhereinafew minutes thev would be joined b > their , patriotic friend Colonel Thompson . ( Loud The morion for adjournment was then put and earned . ,..-.., t » ^ J > roc ? ss ; on proceeded along the streets to the iioek Green where hustings had been erected . The
meeting throughout was conducted with the best spirit , and order—int errupted only by the secretary t . Conservative Association and " General Jarvis , " wno did their best to make a disturbanceand for which they merited a lodging in the station-J - ^ -t ^ ol . Thompson arrived by the mail shortly 'u i meetin 8 commenced , and was greeted with the most enthusiastic cheers . The numbers present at one time may be stated at about four thousand , but the circumstance of the pleasure fair oeing held near caused many persons to keep coming and going . The Chairman addressed the people in an appropriate speech . After the first resolution was moved and seconded Colonel Thompson came forwardand was re !
, ceived with great cheering and waving of hate He said-Townsmen-You well knew lrom the connection which has been between us , that I could not hesitate topresent myself at the caU of anyjSJfiS Shere fr - ^ 1 T &Ware ^ lYshould SK 2 * T b v essessed of what the worid StftSS ^ * ^ ndeur > *»* possessing those IhTne ^ S ^ f ° ^^ 'ymen to boast that whenever they teke a question seriously in hand , it always ends in their success . ( Cheers . ) Look back upon yourhistory , see what there is that has not nwiT by re ^ lud 0 I » aid perseverance . 1 ™ " ^ came not here to flatter you-I came not to bnoyyou up with false hones-bnt to tell vm , ioi tt sf
S ^ T L ? S fr aild «^ flynpon the demand of that which justice would give you , you can-™ tj ? " ^ y fert . [ C h , e rs . ] ^ ou win be disappointed if you think to gam Uch has % , perhaps t » y any saagleadvanceyou could describe or calculate upon ; but everything has a beginning-everv march * be-unstep by step ; yours is ° the first step ler ^ the second will follow ; you will stand one by another-yon will gain the France of the better part of the other classe-Kcheen-O-and see if the tone does not come when we look back upon this day with gratitude to Him who gives us resolution to per eevereunto the end . ( Cheers . ) And what are youliere for ? You are here to ask the right of having , not ev erybody ' s share , bnt your share in making the laws yon are to obey . FCheers . l Is it
witt you would legislate for all ? It isa lonlcalamny . * ou demand only to have the fair effect of your mflnence , after it has been strainedupwards through that of all the other gradations in society-you alk that your poor man ' s vote shaU go as far as a poor mans vote may finally be worth . Because you are ™ * an ? encal . g orily , does it follow that thmg ike all now ? Is there any feaf that you will J » too powerful ? Do not yon see daily and hourly jour influence directed by your masters—hy those witowhom you are connected in vOur trade and business r—they have influence over yon : has anytodysaid they ought not ? You only demand , then , that youshall haveahonestshare in the composition , wiuch makes the difference between free and iuviiil
men * - —— — '" wfcjjj ..-w ^ u JJ . CC UXCiX £ U 1 U Slaves . ( Loud cheers . ) It is hardly necessary for metopomtonttiieways in which you suffer from the want of all legislative power . You have laws : £ n u * beneht of one overbearing class , restrict the industry of you all , which stop your ships , lay an embargo onyourport , limit the number of your seamen , and confine the prosperity of all wifon an arbitrary rale . Well , thei , yon have detenmned on a certain course . And when thathas Deen tried , what is your intention , next ? Perhaps I may be charged with anticipating , bnt you certainly will not be long before you find that question force rtself upon you . I will tell you what you must do . Ion must do as your fathers did-you must torn politicians at large—you must not say we will have tin and
s thing that thing-but you must fight the hatfle wherever it is to be fought . Who is there 7 > T u at re 5 ^ baffin e *™ 4 into Gibraltar Bay ? Yon went before the wmd when it was iavourable , and when it was not , you did the fiest you could to hold your own ; if you could not gain on one lack , yon tried another , and so went on til by Gods blessing you got into port . ( Cheers . ) Just so must you do here-gain all you can , and abme all things make a stout resistance to any dmunution of the privileges you have already , wnat hope you may have from the present Government it is not in my power to point out . I never jnsn to set class against -.-lass ; there will always be in a country like this , a variety of shades of political
opinions—we must encourage no titter feeling against men who go less lengths in politics than ourselves . I speak of those classes-not the ministers-who go by the name of Whigs . [ Mr . O Connor here arrived , and was greeted with hearty f ^ Tf ^ J 11 ?^ ! ^ resumed . Muchmightbe said by the timid about the great difficultiel they iadtocontend with ; but perhaps there were no S * A ° S . % *** greater reason to te afcud than those Sham Radicals who professed to aid the people s cause , and who were yet hinder-^ I 1 tby , £ . demeans in their power . ( Cheers . ) After advertmg to the conduct bf Mr . Hume in reference to tha Marylehone election , he said this ? asa specimen of the WhigRadicals . Hehadsaidit mpruit , bad he would sav so there , h * wmiW nnt
march through Coventry with such a party ghe erg , andlaughter . ) jrfis adrfce to themffi £ ? - » *? I" ?*?* ^ eWhig Radicals . " ( Hear , hear . ) Such of them as were honest would go with them upon aU occasions . It might possibly be SttA" ^ n ecan 8 ?> Ilere wereoirty two or 4 re £ ¦ SS ^ a ^ ov ff ? * Commons ^ o supported flieir ra ^ therecould be , no greater proof of their present weakness ; but if they held to their point- the God of providence would increase their strength . I ^ rH ^ ? ^ P resen t ininistry donf ? ££ ^ A ^ l 6 adere ° ( &e House of Commons declared thatitwasnotthe intention of the minisssmsffla ^ ^ j i ^ SJfe >>« S » «? SSTir ^ adrithen up on thk wa ^^ t they
^ subject shodd & * ° ^ V P ^ anwnt upon this very ground flat the late Parliamen t was elected nun false ? Sfl ! fA ( H aild dleera- ) Itw as a well known feet that the mimstry had kept secret all theirinteatong jandmen whentheyhadgotthemselces securely seated ia power for a term equal to the chance of many of our lives , they left the people toredxess flieir own grievances m the besH £ j &e J Sd dense . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) Sow one peat pomt towards ftesuccess ofthe people ' s cause would £ ? ^?\ ^ scheme , andgetSnew Parliament mwhicu the Radicals should have fairplayandnot «! - m % F ? £ ' 2 o *** decatof interested parties as they had hitherto been . ( Hear , hear . ) In every tprough . where two or more memhers weresen \ to Parfiament the Radicals might force the election of one member ; and in this was their reat chance
, g ^ success , & the last tinTe ^ they hid been completely decelvea . ( Hear , hear . ) Bui ggpgsESss SSS ^^^ rasiy IlSS ^ 'P- ^ -
¦ S ^ mmst ^ cSySS ^^ - ( Hear ' ^ layW ^ agtt ' S- l , v 'y \* xf .. .
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uons were received . No sooner were they read than they were put under the table , to be for ever forgotten , and by and bye to be hoisted into a garret as rubbish . ( Hear , hear . ) The people could do that for themselves at home , without being at the trouble of sending them all the way to London . ( Hear , and cheers . ) They had passed a rule that there should beuo speaking upon petitions , and if there wasto be no speaking upon them , how could their propriety or impropriety be discussed ? Was it not plain by this that the right of petition was a mere nominal thing , and in point of fact as worthless as a straw ? ( Hear , and very loud cheering . ) But the people had lost another right , that of stopping the supplies , a right which our fathers had obtained for us , and which was given the people as their last resort . They had dared to take it away in Canada , merely tions were re ceived . No sooner were they read than they were put under the table , to he for ever forgot-
because some had resorted to arms to obtain those rights which , government had refused to grant the people ; and there could he no doubt that they thought the people of England would quietly see that last right of theirs , that last check upon injustice and fraud , taken away without thinking it worth contending for . ( Hear , hear . ) Not only had the / done this to die people of Canada , but they had turned out the troops upon them . ( Hear . ) The vigilance of the people then was demanded more and more . $ Mr . Wood had said that the unfortunate people of Canada had unsheathed the sword . Now it was his business to watch such things , and he knew who unsheathed the sword first . On that point he would take leave to nay it was the government that did it first . ( Cheers . ) Their first
operation was to put down the press and the magistracy , the troops being in reserve behind . After this they seized on all the leaders of the people , and thus began the attack . ( Hear , hearj Now before ever they could make geace or a truce with , the party who had done this , they must have certain men amongst them given up as just reprisals ; and if there should be a struggle between them and any portion of the community , he hoped their victory would be used as mildly and generously as by the French in their last success ! , when they wheeled then- enemies out of France in a coach and six . ( Loud cheers . ) However , where blood had been shed there must be an eye lor au eye , a tooth for a tooth . ) ( Very loud cheering . ) There must be a limit somewhere to the tyranny ofaprondaristocracy Because they wereborninahigherstaliouthanothers
was no reason why there should not be some limits to the impunity . [ Hear , hear . ] They at least could not have the plea ot ignorance for any of their misdoings * , and whenever tne time came for retribu tion , they would have harder justice arid closer law executed upon those who had oppressed our brethren in the colonies . [ Tremendous cheering . ] There was not a horror , military or civil , with which they had not disgraced us . How senseless and imprudent was all this ! How did they know how long it might be before they themselves were at the mercy of the people ? Could they not join with him in calling from heaven for one long and loud curse upon the men who had thus disgraced us ? ( Loud cheers . J Let them then so endeavour to establish the unity of their party that they might be able to act in that way which would be the only way for them to act .
( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) The gallant Colonel then directed the attention of the meeting to the importance of the five Radical principles , as a means of amending the condition of the working classes . There was sufficient , he said , for the enjoyment of all , if the working classes could only be got into such a position in which they would have some power to resist the evils imposed upon them . For this object he recommended them to go on steadily , carefully , and uniformly . There had-been great mistakes abroad upon what was called the question of moral force . What was moral force ? He always meant the presence of another force behind it , [ loud cheers ) of a different land . ( Hear , hear . ) What was the reason that the criminal went quietly to the gallows ? They say it is by moral force . Moral force , however , meant nothing ; he ( tlie criminal ) knew there was a substantial force of another kind that would compel him to go [ hear , hear nnd cheers ] , and therefore
went quietly . This was the sum of the moral force that was talked about now . ( Cheers . ) Let them , therefore , have no hair-splitting about moral and physical force . ( Cheers . ) Moral force was used where physical force was not necessary ; and no cause should make them appeal to physical force , except snch an outbreak as was experienced in Canada . ( Hear , hear . ) They must not , however , talk of physical force in gaining their object . They had enough before them . Let them reserve till the last that to which their fathers in time of need had resort ; and he hoped their sons would be equally able to exert it . ( Tremendous cheering . ) But they had other means of gaining their end ; and if they went on peaceably , but determinedl y , they were sure of success . ( Loud and long continued cheering . ) Mr . Stubbs moved , and Mr . Horxby seconded the next resolution , which was supported by Mr . Yiscest , who was received with very loud cheers .
Mr . Vincent was loudl y cheered on presenting himself to support the resolution . He said it gave him the greatest possible pleasure to be with the citizens of Hull on that day , because they were assembled for the purpose of speaking common and plain truths to the'Government ; to tell them that they were slaves until they possessed equal political power , and to declare that they would have that power , in spite of any and every effort that might be made against them . ( Cheers . ) They had formerly amused themselves with talking about political changes—the period was now arrived when the working classes of England and the honest portion of the middle classes must say to the Government , that exclusive privileges must be surrendered , and they must give to the only sovereign power , the power of die people , the means of ruling and euidins the
energies of this country . ( Cheers . ) The principles for which they were contending , were not to take away from any one , but to give to every man thatjust share in the Government to which he was entitled ; to protect the whole population through the medium of the honest representation of all classes of the people . The grand fundamental principle for which they contended , was Universal Suffrage ; and who opposed them in this ? There was now opposite him a comical looking gentleman , who , from his expression oftountenanceseemedtobeiongtoflieprivilegedorder —those who had got all the brains , all the virtue , all the religion , aye , and all the power , to themselves ; bufalthough such as he mignt say the people were not fit for political privileges , they were told by that religion he professed to believe—but which he had just shown he did not believe—that God made all
men free and equal . He neither made king nor priest , nor peer nor peasant ; he made man and woman and gave them the earth for their maintenance . ( Cheers . ) They were there that day to proclaim the natural equality of man—to tell the Aristocracy , and all the world , that they knew they were created equal—that the great Eternal Being who spread around them that stupendous arch , when he created man ^ -endowed him with capacities for the enjoyment of happiness—that it was not the intention of that Being that man should be kept in slavery and misery ; they knew the craft of the avaricious few , and they were now determined the few should have power no longer . ( Cheers . ) In answer to the statement that the people were not fit to be trusted with political power , he asked , how do those who oppose them know that the peonle were
not so to be trusted when they had never tried them . The people had , however , tried the others , and by flieir fruits let them be known . The knowledge these people had got was that of taking care of their own selves ; they had the same useful principle , they wanted to take care of themselves , to protect themselves from the gripe of an avaricious and grinding Aristocracy . They could not be worse off under Universal Suffrage than they were now , for they would then include-the intellectual portion of the community ; they would give" to every man the privilege of protecting his own interest , and that was what they must do ere justice could be , done to every _ class . The men of Hull had upon various oecasions been called together for the purpose of advocating some party measure , or some speculative plan of reform , and upon these occasions they had
been graced with the presence of the great men of their borough—but when they ' were met for the purpose of advancing their own interests , they saw very few such men with them—they wanted a change , and , by God ' s help , they would have a change . ( Cheers . ) The time was now come when they must define what they wanted—in a word they wanted good and cheap government—this they could not have whilst they were excluded from their share in making the laws . They demanded Universal Suffrage . They told the House of Commons that they would not have a mongrel constitution—( hear)—if they were to have a King to check the Lords , and Lords to check the King , they would hayea House of Commons to check both and protect the interests of all the people . In addition to Universal Sufirage , they advocated Annual Parliaments , in order that they might have efficient and perfect control over their representatives . They wanted to abolish the Property Qualification-it was enough to make humanity sicken to be told that intoHi *™™
was to be saenhced to properly . They sought equal representation-to divide the country into equal electoral districts—to have an equal amount of voters in each district , so that a small one containing 200 Sf ^ uf ^ not """ rteract the votes of 20 . 0 U 0 or ^ u , ww ; without this there would be no security for liberty , for the smaller constituency would be e ' asily corrupted . More than this they wanted—that Members of Parliament should be paid their wages ; he need not enlarge upon this in HuU with the bright example of Andrew Maryel before them . They must have their Memhers of Parliament to be their servants , and not their masters ; and this they never could have unless they paid them wages for performing their work . They , wahtedalsb the protection of the Ballot—that when all had the suffrage all should be protected from tmdue influence in the exercise of it . ( Cheers . ) He found by the . newspapers that that most immaculate ol au statesmen , little Lord John Russell , had "been at Liverpool , ' where he had beea making a speech which put him ( Mr , Vincent )
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very much in mind of an old adage . He says that he won't put down public meetings . They ought to be very thankful to his Lordship , and go on their kneea to tell him so for that . But it put him in mind of the saving , " First catch your hare , and then cook it . " He would say , " Firstlearnhow to put us down , Master Russell , and then put us down . " ( Cheers and laug hter . ) These demonstrations had gone too far—the intelligence of the people was too wide spread for them to he put down either by Russell or Peel , and though they denounced physical force or violence , yet if Russell , or Peel , or Wellington , took it into their heads to break the law , and commit violence , every little village in the country would find its Wat Tyler . ( Loud cheers . ) The time was now arrived when the people must make up their minds to obtain their privileges ; they must devise a united p lan of action , and swear upon the altar of their country that come trial or war , life or death , they would obtain freedom . ( Cheers . ) Mr . Vinvery much in mind of an old adage . He says that he won't put down puhlic meetings . They ought
cent adverted next to the National Convention , to be appointed to superintend the presentation of the National Petition . ' Themen of HuU must join with their countrymen in the present struggle , so as to convince the Government that the present is not a mere effervescence of the public mind , but it is the result of oppression under which they have laboured , which nowdetermmes them to stand erect upon the earth and become freemen . ( Cheers . ) It was most importantthattheyshouldguard againstdivisionsand dissensions , and also that they should not trust to popular leaders ; those who presume to speak the opinions of all the people , and who think themselves ithe only essence of political freedom . The people must trust in themselves—not in him [ Mr V j or ahyman amongst them , because on their fidelity to themselves depended the success of their cause . [ Cheers . ] So long as the cause needed sacrifice , he was ready to . sacrifice himself to that canse—in prison or at liberty—in health or sickness-in life or death , he belonged to the people . [ Loud cheers . ]
Mr . Jackson moved , and Mr . Noble seconded the next resolution , which was in favour of the National Petition . - Mr . O'Connor was then introduced to the " meeting , and was enthusiasticall y cheered for several minutes . He addressed them as Brother Radicals , and said that he hoped this was the last time ' they would have occasion to assemble themselves together until they returned from the National Convention , with glad tidings that they were all freemen . ( Loud chews . ) He was afraid their cause would grow a little stale for want of opposition ; and , in truth , he was glad to see some little attempt atitin the person of General Jarvis , and his ragamuffin crew , the only forces which their enemies were capable of opposing to the onward flood of knowledge on the part of the
people . ( Cheers . ) He stood befor « them to support the National Petition , but not with the amendment as moved by his friend Jackson . Indeed he would say , that , by that amendment , they would have negatived all that had been done by six hundred thousand that had already signed it . They must know , that , in point of law , they could not alter a will ; it must not be interlined , but made over again . [ Hear . ] And if they put this amendment as a codicil to their last will and testament , the consequence would he , that it would destroy the validity of the petition . ( Cheers . ) If the prayer of the petition , was granted , if they gave them Universal Suffrage , they would soon take equal Representation , Vote by Ballot , and all the rest of it . Let them not come there to split hairsand tell the men of
, Scotland , and Birmingham , and'Newcastle , and Carlisle , and ^ Manchester , and other places , that they had' done wrong by not adding more to the National Petition ; whereas " what tht-y had done had been well done , and he should not wish to give their enemies the least reason to suppose that thev were disunited . ( Cheers . ) That . meeting , he said , was but a kind of review before the great battle day . On Monday next , hundreds of thousands of men , women , and children , would declare at Peep Green , their determination that nothing but death should terminate their struggles ; he had come to tell them that by Universal Suffrage they did not mean the robbery of the rich , or even the restitution of that spoil of which the people had been plundered , but simply that labour might be placed in
that dignified position from which it never should have been displaced . ( Very loud cheers . ) It was not that there was not a sufficiency in the world for all , that therefore there ought to be poverty , but that there had bean a misappropriation of them , by which they had been turned from the natural purposes for which God intended them .. ( Cheers . ) Another reason why he "attended that meeting was , because they wanted MmV The fFee / c £ ff \ Dispatckh&& said that they did not want that red headed Irishman for a leader ; but they should have him until they had learned to work for themselves . [ Very loud cheers . ] All they wanted was to watch over their leaders ; all they wanted was to wort with their leaders so long as they were virtuous men , and when they found that they were not virtuous men
, let them send them about their business , and go from them as from a ' viper . [ Cheers . ] Vincent had exhorted them to put no confidence in any man ; if , however , they were destitute of all confidence' in their leaders , they must naturally feel a sort of contempt for themselves . ' [ Cheers . ] For three years he had stood , and often alone , for those principles of self-defence , the power to live a life of freedom . [ Hear , hear . ] To that question he had stood , and by it he would still either stand or fall . [ Cheers . ] He was sorry that Colonel Thompson should feel himself obliged to defend his conduct at Mary-lebone at that meeting ; bnt , if one act of his life was more deserving of their approbation than another , it was in opposing Brown Bread Josenh . Colonvl
Thompson hud said that they would rather see the . devil in the House of Commons than agood Radical . The Whigs cared not if the Tories sot in for a season , provided they had a chance of getting in again , but they did not want the Radicals to come in , for they were well aware that if they did , the day of their power would be at an end for ever . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) - What , * then j were they determined to do ? Lord John Russell had said that he would grant them the power of meeting , and that he would not put those meetings down . Did he suppose that that great movement which in itself had been sufficient to make Sir Ldward Lytton Bulwer decbre that the Whigs would give up the New Poor Law to silence thecry for Universal Suffrage—did he suppose that the people would be satisfied with the mere nower
to meet ? No : this movement was but the flash ; the sound would come afterwards if the voice of the people was not listened to . [ Loud cheers . ] The people were not going to chaunt moral force , moral force , moral force , forever ? thay were determined to . try it to the last , but they were determined to have Universal Suffiage when done , whatever force was used to obtain it . [ Loud cheers . ] They had long been fighting for others ; it was time now they should begin-to fi ght for themselves . The shopkeepers , the manutacturers , and the landlords all had their interests protected , and their petitions attended to , and the reason was that they were represented . The government of England had usurped to itself that which was the natural right of every man—the sole power of making the laws . The
present struggle , however , was one entirely between elective pover and non-elective influence , and it would ultimately be found that the non-elective power would break down all laws that might oppost ? themselves to its just demands . ( Cheere . ) What was the fact ? Some 40 or 50 years ago had he given utterance to expressions of this kind a dungeon would probably have been his lot , and there was too often but a short distance between the dungeon and the grave . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) . It was folly now to talk of opposing them b y physical force ; their enemies had changed the tea r from one eye to the other . ( Hear , hear . ) They said "if you won't use physical force , we won't ; only petition us a little further , and the Poor . Laws , and Corn iiaws
, and all other bad laws should be repealed . "' They would find that they would be obliged to hutrender either to the tongue or the fist . ( Very loud cheers ;] They were not going to continue to meet andshow theirmoralforce , they were not going to read all the books that had been written upon Moral Philosophy—they were not going to establish reading-rooms , &c , until they got the thing they were to read for . Let them give the people Universal Suf . frage , and in less than a month they would instruct themselves as to the best manner of using it [ Cheers . ] The people knew then what they wanted they knew perfectly well that all those who were represented were properly protected , while all those who were not . represented were , correspondiuelv
piunaerea . ( , 1 / raa cheers . ) He conclnded a lone and eloqnentTpeech by exhorting the people not to mmd the Com Laws , the'Poor Laws , or any other bad laws , till they eot Universal Suffrage , add flE hey might repaal them all in aday . All then , that they werecoutending for was a good ' day ' s wanes featod& ,: « w < Srk ^ Md ««« PC ffi ^ would be man ' s holiday instead of being man ' s curse ; then the fireside would he comfortable , and me dread ofthe bashle would not disturb the peace of the cottage ; then the freemen of England would constitute a National Guard , bound together by the love of the Constitution , and will be the death of the first tyrant that dares to assault their liberties . Mr . O'Connor concluded amidst deafening cheers , after which Mr . Jackson , withdrew his amendment
to the motion . Mr . J . M . Thistmtton moved the next resolution iu a short speech , in which he stated his conviction of the fitness of Mr . Vincent as the delegate for Hull , to the National Convention . Mr . Daniel Melonev seconded the resolution stating , . that he had been a soldier for hire , and ¦ he had no objection to be a soldier for liberty , if circumstances required ] t ,- ( Cheers . ) A resolution was \ then passed , relative to the necessity of a National Rent ; after which , votes of thanks were given to the gentlemen who attended from a distance , and to the chairman . The meeting'then separated in the greatest good order . 6 6 u
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Lepton . —A Silk Banner , presented by the ' Females of Lepton to their Brother-Townsmen , i : ¦¦ - as admirers of the Five Great -. ¦ .: Principles , of Political ,, ' , Justice . . , . , motto : -. ; ¦ , , " Universal Suffrage : the Principle that takes away from no one , but gives to every man ¦ ¦ ' his inherent right .: , y ; , Newsholme Working Men s Association . motto : " Who will be on the Lord's side ?" Lepton . —A Silk Banner , presented by the ' Females of Lepton to their Brother-Townsmen ,
FROM WAKEFIELD . A Splendid _ White Flag . iNSCRIPTION . L " Wakefield Working Men ' s Association Established July 20 , 1837 . " Another White Flag . : inscription . « Unity—The Strength of the People . " An excellent Band of Music . A < Green Flag , inscribed , " Universal Suffrage . " Green Flag .
INSCRIPTION , " The true end of all Good Government—The Greatest Happiness of the Greatest Number . " Tri-Coloured Flag . ' inscription . ! ; •' ¦ ¦ ¦ ' « Female Reformers , Wakefield . " Two other Flags . inscriptions . " United we Stand—Divided we Fall . " " Those who would be free , knock off your Chain ? , "
FROM DAWGREEN DISTRICT . White ' Flag . ' . ' ' . ' Let us Legislate for Ourselves , that our Children m ay bless us hereafter . '' Reverse . " Feargus O'Connor , the Friend of the Poor . " Large Green Silk Banner . Spear—Cap of Liberty—Spear . " Dawgreen Union . At the Risk of . Life , we will . have Liberty : for we had better Die Freemen than Live Slaves . " Reverse . " The People ' s Charter . We know our Rights and we will have them . Shall we go to Ramoth-Gilead to Battle . " . " The Great Northern Liar . "
Reverse . " The Leeds Mercury , on the Besom of - Destruction . " < ,.,. ' There was a large flag from Southowram bearing . the Inscription , "Rise Britons from your Slumber , Be United and Free ; The Cause of our Distress It ' s for Want of Liberty . "
ALMONDBURY . Band and Banner ; the Banner bearing the follow ing Inscription . ¦ ¦ " Universal Suffrage , Vote by Ballot , Annual Par liaments , No Property Qualification , and Payment of Members . " " We will never rest until we obtain' them !"
REVERSE . " He that oppresseth the poor , reproacheth his Maker . " " Remember , Heaven has an avenging rod , ' To smite the poor is treason against God . " CHICKENLEY . A Green Flag . INSCRIPTION , " Chickenley t Radical Association . " Reverse , " Universal Suffrage , and the Ballot . " EARLSHEATON , A Green Silk Flag . Device , " Justice and Unity , and Cap of Liberty . " INSCRIPTIONS , " Labour shall he represented ; who would be free , knock offyour Chains . " : " United we stand : Divided , we Fall . " White Flag , green edges , I NSCRIPTION , " Labour , the source of all Wealth . " ¦¦ . ' :. „ ; DEWSBURY DISTRICT . Large Green Merino Flag Emblematical— " Justice , with the People ' s : Charter in her hand . " Reverse . ... " Dewsbury Radical Association . " Large Silk Flag . Emblem- " Unity . " INSCRIPTION , " Dewsbury Reformers . " OSSETT . Red Flag . Device . —Justice . INSCRIPTION . "Our motto we'll maintain , For tyrauts we disdain . Hail sacred Justice , then our cause defend Until our dire and fell oppressions end . " HECKMONDWIKE . Large Green , Silk Flag . Device— Unity . " INSCRIPTION . " Universal Suffrage—No New Poor Law ; No Bastile Punishment . " BARNSLEY . Large Green Flag , fringed with white .
INSCRIPTION . " Feargus O'Connor , and the Barnsley Northern . Union . " Reverse . ' ¦ . . " Universal Suffrage—Vote b y Ballot—Annual Parliaments—No Property Qualification ; Equal Representation , and Payment of Memhers . "
WORSBRO' COMMON . Green Flag , with white edges . INSCRIPTION .-" Worsbro' Common Northern Union . " Besides these there were a . large Green Banner , inscribed in Gold , " England expects every man to do his duty . " And hundreds of other Flags , Banners , &c , of which and their inscri ptions , it was impossible to obtain any account . About Twelve o'Clock the Trumpet sounded for silence , and Mr . O'Connor rose and said that as this was a meeting for the benefit of working men , he proposed that Robert Wilkinson , leather cutter , should take the chair .
Mr . Pitkethly , of Huddersfielc , seconded the motion . The Chairman said , Brother Radicals—I see before me your smiling faces , and heartily congratulate you on your numbers . He felt sorry for the weakness of the instrument they had called to the chair , but he hoped that that weakness' would be made up by the cordial support of that assembly of the individual they had selected . ( Cheere . ) For twenty years he had supported the gloriou 3 cause of Radicalism , —( Loud cheers , )—and the sight of that numerous assembly amply repaid him for his exertions . ( Loud cheers . ) He felt that the situation in which they had placed him was one which called
for bis warmest gratitude , and he must . say that the situation iR which he was placed made him feel himself too humble an individual to fill it . But , nevertheless , when called onto occupy the situationof chairman on such an occasion , he felt it was his duty as an Englishman , as a Radical , and as' a friend to . humanity to do all he could in the glorious cause of emancipating the working-people of England from a thraldom , most degrading , from a situation far more humiliating than a working , honest , industrious . people ever experienced in this world . ( Long-continued cheering . ) He would not
occupy their time by any lengthened speech , but would merely say , that the time ' was now at hand when Englishmen were determined to be freemen or die in the struggle . ( Very loud cheers . ) This was the cause of liberty—the cause of the people was , the cause in which they were all engaged ( Cheers . ) He trusted that as they had calledlim to the chair , their good feelings and good behaviour towards each other ,. would support him in tha arduous duties that had been imposed upon him : MR . Pitkethly , of Huddersfield , then read a letter from the Badicajs of that place , of which the following is a copy ' . — ¦ ,
TO THE CHAIRMANOF THE WEST-RIDING MEETING TO BE HELD ON HARTSHEAD MOOR , ON THE 15 th INSTANT . '' i Huddersh ' eld , 13 th October , 1838 J Sir , —The operatives employed in several factories uearHuddersheld , who have been threatened with dismissal if they attended your glorious demonstration , having suffered much privation and misery , during the last two years , and desirous as we are of meeting every engagement , and as the wintetis approaching , feel ourselves compelled to bow our necks to this yoke of Whig and Tory tyranny . Our committee has appealed for a general holiday Iu vaia have they told our tyrannical opptes-
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WEST EIDINGr MEETIM . From the Northern Star Extraordinary . This has been a hig h'day in the history of Yorkshire . Early in the morning the merry sounds of martial music roused the sleepers . from their beds , throughout the length and breadth of the whole Riding , to look round upon the mighty preparatio ns for the cool and peaceful , but determined and not-tobe-mistaken fiat of a British People , in the strength of their intelligence and virtue , pouring forth their united energies of mind , and making known their will—that will , which when directed toward * the holy fane of freedom , needs but to be known to he .. . obeyed . Many circumstances WflQii TJTVnTTVrf MT ? T ? TT 1 \ rr WJiol Xll . UX . tfur lU .. B . Ei 1 . IU U .
conspired to overrule the people ' s ardeur ; the clouds hung heavily , and seemed big with rain the whole morning , and for some hours before the time of meeting an almost continuous drizzling threatened a fearful drenching to the hardy veterans in the cause of right , who , not in ' thousands only , but in myriads , lined the respective streets of every town , ana filled all the main roads with patient demonstrants of British virtue , ' shewing its capability of sustaining equally'the war of the material elements , and the determined opposition of interested and unri ghteous men . Many instances have come to our knowled ge of individuals who ^ have been personall y threatened
with Iobs of employment ; and of whole shops upon whom the like base intimidation has been practised * and there can be no oubt , that many , many thousands were forced ^ however , unwillingl y , by the press of . circumstances , to make principle succumb , and with heavy hearts repair tothe drudgery of their taskmasters , when their eyes looked liugeringl y and . wistfully after their more happy neighbours who tripped it gaily . through the drizzling rain . Every effort which malice and ingeuity could devise was resorted to to prevent the people front assembling in such numbers , as might adequately import their strength and resolution . 'Twill not be thought
that we colour this too highly , when the letters of the imprisoned slaves of Huddersfield , to the Chairman of the meeting , has been read . The demon of discord and dishonesty has done his worst '; and , with all the unlooked-for aid of bad weather also , has signally failed to effect any perceptible intimidation upon the mass of the brave men of the West Riding . Judging by the Bwarms which lined the whole road , and was being continually augmented as each bye-lane poured out its tributary streams from the adjoining villages , one would have supposed that all Yorkshire was literally on foot . The procession which started from the rallvine
point at Millsbndge , and which was led , by Mr . O'Connor to the Moor , covered , in dense columns , more than a mile and a half of the main road . We never behelda more enliveningscene than the arrival of this great body of freemen upon the place cf meeting ; one shout loud and Jong seemed to rend the air , as the new comers mingled with their fellows , who had previously arrived . Of the whole scene it is impossible to give any thing like a description . Any sight so cheering and so invigorating , we never before beheld . Of numbers we feel it difficult to make even a guess . So much nonsense has beea lately talked about the numbers of large , meetings , that we shall not pretend to estimate this . Suffice it to say , it waa
the largest meeting Yorkshire ever saw . The last meeting on Peep Green against the Poor Law Amendment Act was estimated at 300 , 000 ; and all who have seen both , acknowledge that it dwindles into nothingness , when compared with the meeting of to-day . The meeting closed at four o'clock , and will dwell in the memory of all who witnessed it as long as memory may last . The scene , was rendered not less inspiriting by the many excellent bands of music . There were so many , and from so many places , that we have not room to enumerate them . The following is the best account which in so hasty a manner can be given of the numerous flags and banners which , together with the mnsic , served to enhance the imposing array .
LEEDS . "Peterloo Blood-stained Banner , with a representation of the Yeomen cutting down the people with their Sabres . Reverse . . " Murder demands Justice . " EMBLEMATICAL FLAG . INSCRIPTION . "Who devour widow ' s houses , and for pretence make long prayers- "
TOWNSHIP OF GOMERSAL-FLAG . INSCRIPTION . " The earth is the right of mon . He that will not work neither Bhall he eat . " LARGE FLA& . INSCRIPTION . " Birstal Radical Association . " Reverse . Universal Suffrage—Vote b y Ballot—Annual Parliaments—No Property Qualification Equal Representation .
LARGE BANNER . INSCRIPTION . " We consulted with ourselves and rebuked the nobles and the rulers and said unto them , " Ye exact usury every one of his brother : and set a great assembly against you . " EAST BIERLEY . " They that would be free themselves must strike the blow . " LARGE GREEN SILK FLAG ; WHITE EDGES . INSCRIPTION " Universal Liberty and Peace , "
LARGE FLA . G : CAP OF LIBERTY . INSCRIPTION . " Taxation without Representation is Tyranny . " : Reverse . " No Corn Laws to cramp onr Industry : a full and fair Representation in every County . " Reverse . "Canons are the arguments of Despots . "
A SILK UNION JACK Embellished with a Northern Star , and with Coloured Rosettes . Device- Manchester Massacre—Cap of Liberty . . INSCRIPTION . " Tyrant ' s Chains can only sting when Slaves submit to wear them . " « The People are . determined to he Free "
DAW GREEN . The Leeds Mercury , Trimmed with Black , carried on a Banner Inscription on a . placard attached "The Great Liar op the North . " FROM THE HUDDERSFIELD DISTRICT . Huddersfield . —A Large Green Silk Banner . motto : " Taxation without Representation is Tyranny , and shall be Resisted . " Reverse '; " Universal Suffrage is our Birthright , and we will have it . " A Green Silk Flag .
motto : ¦ "Each for all , all for each . " With the Union of Hands in the centre . Reverse : " Universal Suffrage , and Vote by Ballot . " A Cap of Liberty painted . Honley . —A White Flag . motto : "May Briton ' s Sons he Firm and United . " ¦ . Reverse ; " For a Nation to be free it is sufficient that she wills it . "
Linfit . —A Banner . motto : "If we are too ignorant to make Laws , we are too ignorant to obey them . " Yew Green . —A Splendid Green Silk Banner A Figure , in oil colours , of Justice , with the Balance in one hand , and in the other , ¦¦'¦ ¦ " ¦¦ the People ' s Charter . ' ' -. ' . Reverse : ' ' ^ 0 tino draws ni gh- ' tis just at hand : : WhenBntonsshall . with courage stand : ^ host , united , shall decrei-: 'We llhave our rights-we shall be free . ' ¦ fe , W ^ e Tyrants yet oppose , Withhelhsh hearts , our noble cause , { ! , ^ swerve , ktsteadfast b ? . Well die , or have our liberty . "
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sors ( for nothing less can we cail suchmenij . "iSat as plenty of goodB are in the . , market ,.-that by , grant * wg this boon they could sustain no pecuniary Ibis ' , they have told them "Ithat ^ he ' black slaves have lately been emancipated , and , that surely , in . this land of freedom one day ' s cessation from labour , will not be denied to those who / labour much longer hours than did the West Indians in their state of bondage , &c , but we are sorry to'iaythat bur committee appealed m vain : and-inthis country f ! wi $ > ° * ur f ^ n , ? nations and admiration of theworld " -in ttaiji land of freedom-it is a paradox , but-we are bondsmen and bondwomen , we are slaves to the circumstances which surround us . The bond of esteem and regard . which formerly existed between us and our employers is destroyed . The old . feeling of harmony is fled , oppression- stolira sors ( fornothingless ' ca ' n ' wecailsuch f men ;; . "'lSat asplenty of goods arein the market-.-thatbv , grant *
across the land , and here we are under coercion , in ' fact , imprisoned . Thousands of us in fretful agony , robbed ofthe pleasure of accompanying our brethren , to the field of action—of joining with our fellow men in the great and glorious demonstration on Peep Green , next Monday . . Thus , oppression has turned ajoyous day into aday of- " , sadness and . sorrow . " Instead of spending the proudest ' . day . of our lives at the meeting—we areas if the cold hand of death had swept from us our nearest and dearest friends : We are very poor , bufour Ia 5 t . p , enny willher paid in » upport ofthe expense , and pur only consolation is that we can ,: in defiance of Whig or i Toryj ' Malthusian , Jew , orbasaler , attach our names ; to theiNatienal i Petition . When the' Yellows , : the Whig reptile * , i went to Wakefield to ' enter the : wedof reform )
, , ge . they . stopped their factories . without / asking u *» t Mockery they will support , ; but reality is to them a » , gall and wormwood .. . ¦ ' . ¦ ¦ ¦ —* « We are styled levellers , &c \ , but while we state * why we do not swell , the number , let it not be for- ' gotten tkat when the Whi gs struggled for power they told us that they only considered the Reform Bill as ' a step ; that they would if obtained go on with us for more . They are opposed to our preparing to use physical force , but we have not forgotten that their master O'Connell taught us a lesson by his commonsong that he had seven millions at his back , nor have we forgotten that Brougham talked much about kings' heads being rolled in the dust for the people ' to use as foot balls . That Lord Fiztwilliam , backed by another Brouffham . advised thfl Rtnnnn < ro nt
payment of taxes if the Bill did not pass . That Messre . Preston-Compositor-Baines and Co . of Leeds , marshalled under flags and banners repre- ' senting the queen in breeches ( vad the king in pet- " ticoats , with the crownfalling from his head , and an executioner with his face covered with black crape " and carrying a bloody axe , thus shewing that if their power was equal to their intention a revolution , would have been effected , at all hazards . They effected their purpose and betrayed us . We are now fighting for our own rights . " God helps them that helps themselves , " and we are ready and resolved to stand by pur "Order , " by our Brother Radicals . If onr bodies are constrained , our very uouls are in the cause and we bid you God speed . , , Signed for and on behalf ofthe Prisoners ,
JOHN POWLETT , Secretary . Mr . Abraham Hanson , of Elland , said—We shall surely not . hear of this meeting ' s ' b ^ ing a ' failure , they were met on an important snbject , ' one which involved their own rights and those of posterity ( Hear . ) They had too long been negligent of , those rights , but the hand of despotism had now aroused them from their slumber , and compelled them , spite of themselves ! , to become politicians . ( Cheers . ) Now then , that they were roused ,. let Universal Suffrage be their rall ying point : let them neither turn to the right hand nor to the left , but go straight on ; for until this point was obtained , they were the serfs and slaves of those who , possessing the power of law making , had always with it the power of extracting the fnuts of their industry 'for the promotion of their
own seinsn purposes . ( Loud cheers . ) Let them rely on their own exertions only . ( Hear , hear ;) 1 hey had the wealth of the country against them , but , though the opposition was mighty , united , they were able to withstand it ; disunited , they were but a rope of sand . ( Cheers . ) Let them then show their adversaries that they were in earnest . Their destinies were in their own hands . If they would enrol themselves under the standard of liberty , they must love her for her own sake—they must come prepared to hazard , if necessary , both " property arid lite" in her defence . 'Twas said that labourers could do nothing ; and yet they were continually doing everything . ( Cheers . ) They were accomplishing or their oppressors , the means of luxury and ease . They were hazardine their lives in ripfenr * nf . a
country , which scarcely gave them , in return a something on which to vegetate . They were everything to the higher trJers of society—let them now try and be something to themselves . Their labour was the source of all property—they performed that labour by the physical power of their bodies—they derived that power from none but God , and therefore , they were the unlimited proprietors of their own industry , and no one had a right to tax that industry without their consent , or that of their deputies . Having no deputies therefore , all the taxation they paid was so much robbery . The people were accused of being ignorant—if they were so , who was to blame ? The public instructors , who are well naid for tennhin ?
passive obedience , and non-resistance . " If the people were ignorant , it was these who made them so . But what amount of knowledge did it require , according to the Whig standard , to qualify a man to vote ? as much knowledge as would enable him to pay £ 10 or £ 50 rent . [ Cheers and laughter . ] lne Whig qualification wasm the rent—and not in the man . [ Laughter . ] As poverty increased , knowledge evaporated—for the moment a voter became unable to pay his ten or his fifty pound rent , that moment he lost his knowled ge . [ Cheers' and laughter . ] It was not the ignorance , but the hoiiesty of the people that they feared . [ Cheers . ] - They knew that having the Suffrage , the people would speedily undo all their corrupt doings—that legislation would no longer regard party , but universal interests
, mat Having to labour for the expense , they would sweep away the unmerited pensiousrthey would examine into that thing called National Debt , and abolish the taxes which press upon the necessaries of life . These things the factions desired not . to have done , and therefore they laboured to keep the franchise from the people . But the time was now oome when the force of the people was irresistible—not their brute force . It was time for men calling themselves civilized and Christians , to lay . the argument of brute force ' aside , and call into full exercise that moral power which , when directed by a united people to the accomplishment of just purposes , never failed to command success , [ Loud cheers . ] ¦ . . Mn . PETEitBussEy , of Bradford , then came forward to second the motion , and was received with .
loud and long-continued cheering . He said—Mr . Chairman and working men of the West Riding of the county of York—1 am glad to meet you this day . It matters not what a Whig press or a Tory press may say of our meeting together . I tell you that you have made a display of moraland physical power that neither faction can beat . [ Hear , hear and loud cheers . ] In reading history , we find a time when the men of Yorkshire and Lancashire deluged the . plains of our united lands with their blood , and for what purpose ? Why , to know which should be the general puppet of the nation , and to live in splendour upon our toil and produce . I Hear , hear , and loud cheers . ] We are not met for such purposes to-day . Lincolnshire has had its meeting— -to-day , Yorkshire has met to form a boly
and indissoluble union against tyrants , and to gain freedom , or to die in our present condition . ( Hear , and cheers J Mr . Baines , ( loud cries of " Neddy , " ) the proprietor of the Leeds poison , —I would wish his reporter to take every word down —in his last Saturday ' s paper , finds out two very important secrets . The one is—that Universal Suffrage would destroy the Monarchy—mnrk that , " reporter . ( Cheers . ) The other secret is—that neither the poor man , nor the rich man , have any natural ri ght to the Elective Franchise . ( Cries of " Shabby . " ) Now , my friends , let me tell you , that if there , is no such thing _ as natural right to the elecitve franchise , that right must have been conceded to the party moving in power , or they have obtained it by fraud , deceit , cunning , sophistry , ' and bv a diiinua .
ble trick they must have cheated you out of it ,-because , let me tell you , that Baines cannot produce a man born with a superfine coat on his back , nnd let me tell you that you have all a right to liberty and an equality of rights . [ Cheers . ] He said a few weeks ago , ^? aen , speaking of the meeting rat Bradford , that . if Brook O'Connor , and Bussey , luted a hnger in revolt , their lives should pay the forfeit . .. ( Groans . ) Let me tell you that this villain has been engaged for eight years in a revolution against the working men of . England . ( Hear , and groans . ) He has been a leader of that revolution , and now because he thinks they are determined to have Universal Suffrage , he says our lives shall pay the forfeit . We should like to see him in that line . . > ( Loud cheers . ) The principles of legislation are simple-the princip les of goodGovernmentare simple , and easy to be understood by any man , I d ' rart care how great a fool he maybe . I warrant
you if we were to draw up the scene , and expose . the varied multiplicity of humbug that is . practised by tbes « sapient legislators , you would laugh as much as ever you did at an exhibition of Punch and Judy . We want a united , a determined people , to gain the elective franchise for the people of England , and I am fully persuaded that you men of the West-Riding of the county of York , will do your duy . ( Loud cheers , and " we will . " ) : Let me tell you a secret : Mr . Baines told . you two last week , ' and I will tell you one to day ; What was it that gained the independence of America ? It was c ommoa sense , and , American 1 rifles—Loud cheewHa "' « ever the people of England intended to obtain tljeir independence , if ever they calculated upon upswung the tyranny which now . pressed their indu stry , tUey would have to provide themselves with nfles too . [ Cheersj and "we will . " ] ' ' This , was the inalienable right of every man in the nation j - and that man was ' ( Concluded in our Seventh PS <>) | ,
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6 ' . THE NORTHERN STAR . October 20 , 1838 . ' .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Oct. 20, 1838, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1028/page/6/
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