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. UUUO VL IViljT HUU AIMTM^t BHO1TTERRE O'BRIEN. PUBLIC MEETING AT WHITECHAPEL, LONDON
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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-r _~ . - CHELTENHAM . PUBLIC MEETIKQ . FOR TH £ ADOPTION OF THE NATIONAL PETITION . a public meeting was anBouacecl ty ptacardto take puco on tbe evening of Jftmday iast , to tt » large rwan of the Mechanics ' Institution . .-The place or meeting »« tooBged , » a ^ gK * te ^™ 1 « li ' vJP «^ Mr . Hollis wascalled to the chair . VHe observed fiat he felt much plewwe to ff ^ J ?^ * ! W *« ? whom assembled on sacb an Interesting and impo * - £ ? ££ ST The padod at ^ wm ^ pesi oh tbe » IorfKr 7 Mooeof the most important , aod the dement **»* * ° * fetrodmeed . as . one of the most nss'feA records and eonvlBCttg elafm * ever set forth , of mail debasement , and the justice of his right The Rational Petition d ^ ef iafintu etedit to the parties who drew it up ; but , to make ltr character of importance , in a practical point of view , requires the , e *
er' fioss of the whole mass of productive industry , combised , concentrated , vigorous , firm ' , sodfully determined -i word aud ictton . The ^ sestion cfebe-right of TJrrf » er&il Beprasentatian . 4 * becoming genera ] , and Iim happy to see the mtn of Cheltenham bo much alive to its importance . I feel ranch pleasure In acceding to ; 7 cur request , tat It would haTe given me Touch greater deliebt to bare seen one cf . tbe unwashBd—one more the serf « f * b * pretest systes than myself ,- one of the prsptrty-productBg slaves / deaied the right" to iay yea < a uay la the making of the laws by which he is go-Terred , presiding upon the present © ccasien . The time has passed away when the pivot tamed merely to toe point of wealth as & guide , or for intelligence . The ¦ Working rlnsnrtn have tripped np tke heels of their
selfdnbbed superiors , and are now / ally eapaWe of mnrmg . ing their own afiairs . We are met to determine on a petition , praying that tbe whole male adult population . with few exceptions , may be brought within the pale Of the constitution . Only a minute portion , no comparLoa with the wheie , hold the privilege , as it is tensed by the privileged orders , to tbe franchise , and the « t few far from being the most intelligent I contend chat it is no privilege , bat a right , which comes Whh the individual into the world—his person being tbe title-deed—signed , sealed , asd delivered by the hard of Omnipotence . I am one of the so-called prileged Toters , and haTe been since the passing of the IMcnn BiH , sad , therefore , aceordlBg to electioneering ¦ Ass . ? . 1 am ace of th » " free and independent electors . "
Xooi &t me , ycm toil-worn vassals , dsB&d the privilege trf free citizenship ! In 183 S , and previous to that time , I ¦ ktu held in ciTil , orraAer oncivil , bondage . I was a sler *—a slave , mind , like yourselves . I pay you no eorspHment I tell you freely and truly what yoo are —j oor , mean , vaaslUated , crawling slaves ! too abject afcoet to command the least resprct—toopnattlanimoHs , spir-r + ntly , to resist the yoke of your oppressors . Hide , O bide your heads , and Wash for yonr insigniflcir . ee ! Arouse , I say , arouse , and throw off yonr corroding manacles I For myself , at the time of an election , at any rate , I am in a situation to command respectyon -without this privilege are considered as serfs—you ve serfs—you are looked upon and treated as the j « fW of society . Still , in a national point of Tiew , I
• onsider It of little avail , that I and others are thas tarenmstaneed ; for tbe roiee of indepen < 3 * Boe is eren-¦ fc * fjly rwamped bj peraons inlerested , « infiaeE « ed In ttie sepport of bad Gkmsr&ment Still haTing a will of my o * tl , I am a freeman , and yoa are slaTea . Are jou cot ashamed of carrying aboat yon this badge of yocr n foot to their chariot wheels ; for whilst they « rt Baited , both Whigs asd TConaa , in Beenring you as tb :-lr &ia . Te-pn > perty , yoo . are , to a considerable extent , pathettei you we di-nded amang yoursdves , aad thereby become their easj prey . You haTe not as yet if
^ iilen yoar enamdpatlon : yoa had , tyranny woald hi , i ^ ek abashed , the weapons with whico yon an M& £ i > cd woBld at once become powerless . Hide your bei ^ . s forahaHie , yon discomflted , yet d ' ajointftd . pas-« Te , meagre siaTe * Yoar forefathers would blush far you , coald they witness yonr fallen , yet dastardly eondiuoa . You doserre to be BlaTes , I Eay , so long as yon b& ^ e not tie moril courage to throw gST yow sbzcMea . Tt- ? doctrine of nniTereal repre » fentaUoa i « ne new ertr-i to nie ; it is what I have adrocated , and done my btst to proHiulff » t « for tbe last thirty years . I conttnd for it stall , but net on the shallow ground of the imm-: ia-e necessity of the times—tiie depression of trade , an 3 the destitute condition of the working classes . 1 taki my stand on more lofty , and more ennobling
Tifcws . I contend for it , ob ths same principles that K-. ir j emancipation was demanded by tiw tens ei thi , i ; :-nds of dissentera and other phlLanthro > ist « soi _ r years back . ( HcaTj hfai . ) It was twaddleit ^ u scooted as a nuisance by those tender hetr-. cd and far-sighted Christians , when they were tc-Jd by t > : r 8 lare owners thst their living-engines were well elo - ' vdand well-fed . They acknowledged as much , it bfcu . £ consiateat that tha property of the sliTe-owner sh < Kud be kept in repair lest it shouli too sooa wear ¦ out -They contended , and * o do 1 in . this ca * e , that XBaa should be n « to tare a will of hi * owo ; * nd not tiv ' iig Vhat will , he is a being , thongh bora free , by ¦ ttSTirped authority transformed into a beast of burden » dj a degraded siare . I contend for tbe emancipation of the white Blares of my own country—the Tafcstis of Christendom—the place where Christianity rear * its msjfeStic head , denouncing injustice , decrying human sUTerr ; but where its professors , to &
considerable rxtent , forge the fetters to manacle its industrious artisans in ciril bondage . The emancipators of thr black slaves had no direct interest in their cap-Im ' y they hive in yours , both parsons aud laymen , Sid therefore their Christianity teaches tkem not to 11 Iut * ess another "—to " De just aad fear not , " but to hold f * st that which is good" —for themselYes alone . I m * i ?* a elaim for the producer , as well as the coMumer of wealth , — or the maa whe drags from the bowels of tke earth nature ' s choicest treasur-s : for the mechanic , whose ingenuity enables him to Kjike that fast store of nature more Taioable through hi * iaboar and industry ; for the sLitc who entwises the citastely threaded vast to adorn the person of inajtsiy . who reppa ^ s the acquisitions to mak e nsb ility ap- car noble , and who gires to female beauty all that art c * n tccoiEplish ; for the toil-worn operatiTe who er « .-u the stately mansion to shelter the pompous aristocrat as well as the holder of wea ! th , deprived
of his right through barbarous conTentionahties;—in j lict , I claim for indnstry its rights , that it may re- j oeiTr- its due reward . 1 ask for property eTcrything , aad nothing more * hren what laboar might possess ; "but j I think it truly ridiculous sad unjust that one descrip- ' tioa at property should render a man a slare , aad ¦ eoiifcr through aaother the freedom of election . I demand for the public Tirtue , talent , aad manly super io-ity , honesty and integrity , exertion in behalf of the public weal , aad the anxiety to relieTe human snfferinc , a fall bensat of the honoars and rewards , eqi&lly and indiTidually , both to rieh and poor . LjL ) k st mo aad ^ vm ™ me well , you hitherto thouahUess and passiTe sl&Tes ; examine between yourself and other indiridaals composing society . Cia you tell where the distinction lies between me and Tourstlf , th&t I shouJd hold a
priYilege wbiab yon are aliens to ?—that I should hare a Ycncs in the election of law makers , aad that jcra shoald ha ^ e nous ? "DnraTel the mystery il you can . You laay tell me that 1 am more wealthy , and , that its possession confers the privilege ; but it is no such thing , for siiiier the absurd system of representation which disgrace * this country , a man may be eTer m > wealthy , but Hot holding the necessary requisite itself , he is a sl&Te in the midst of it You may tell me that I am more taleuted or more intelligent ; but t&leit nor intelligence are no test to the qualification , and far from ihe qualification itself . Yoa may tell me that I am better attired , that I haTB a better coat on my back ; but that is not the distinguishing point ; nor , allow me tell you , does a fine coat make & wise head , or a suit of fine clothesmakea real gentleman . You may observe that I am in an extensive way of business , and more among wh&t the world calls respectable men , but this does not essay the difference . Tb » t I am a Poor Law Guardian , and
therefore know a great deal more than tbe poor taem-• elTes ; bat I must tell yo » , you are stall a long way eff the mark , and also that it it sot always the wisest &nd best men who get into office . It is not in myself that I bold this right or privilege , either as an elector , or Poor Law Guardian , bat according to the ralue of the bricks aad mortar of which my premises are composed , -with the influence of wealth , in the election of the latter ;—so tb&t bricks and mortar are the qualified sub-Bt&noes is the election of members of Parliament . The qualification literally i » in the purse , and not in the man ¦ aad tbe right of tbe mass of clay and lime is left in abeyance as well as myself , under circumstance , and I am rendered incapable , or , in fact , a slaTe , antil the occupation of fresh premises , for a limited time ,
inTest me with fresh powers . The premises oi £ 9 19 s . llf < i contains a slave—a farthing more entitles the occupier to ths ptiTitege of » freeman . The hoide : of rirrtninrtt within the tanth part of aa Inch of the boundary of the town has a Tote , and the occupant ot a ten pound rental , within the same distance on tb « opposite side of tbe line of £ * 9 19 » liji i" cut ofl from the franchise altogether . The forty-shilling freeholder , with a ten pound oecupadon , not his own property , holds the priTiiege , in many instances , of Toting for four Members of Parliament , and an occupier oi premises at three , or fire hundred pounds per annum , may be retained ai a alare through tbe non-payment oi a shilling , or on account of some informality in the entry of his name on tba list of roters , a wilful or inadTertent act not of his own , bat that of some hired tool of party Thus yoa we from these brief and hasty statement !
what trifles interfere , and under what ooniingenctes tfc right of Toting exists . I contend that we are in wone situation now , than we were pre-riomi to ti passing of the Reform BUI , both as respects the cond Maa of the people , and the system of repreawtaUoi Under the old borough-mongering system , numerot Whig notlemen sect indiTidaals of talent and integrit iato Pasliiinant , who in fcho * s d » y » preached the cree Of 'ft »< Vif » . ' »« m On tbe introdnction ot the new systen the direct power of dictation was taken from the men bers of the TJpp-ir House , and placed under the inflt ence of the aristocracy generally in the counties and tt boroughs ; and is therefore not a representative of tt people , but of tbe aristocracy , the peers in Parliam&i being the principal movers io tbe farce ; you mast the perceirefroa tie little I have said , that we are cotpn grening , bat on the rstrcgade , aad it U a fact whic
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becomes more apparent day by day , that good goTernment can only be produced through nniTersal represen tation , the right of Tetiug being secured and protected by the other essentials at laid down in the People's Charter . I contend still further tbat good gOTeroment e&BIlOt exist , for * n y l <> wgtHonn / I period of time is the abeenee of r setrehing intelligent people . Bat as a natural remit « f tbe people at large bariog tbe power to depute a Parliament , tbat Parliament , as kb / Mh ^ e tbe daty of all Parliament * , would , in tbe first totaWe , and in its general enquiries consider tbe condition of the
gnat mass of tbe people , and as a eonseqnenee , * practical system of edneatioa would sucoeed , or be contempo raneous with measures to . give an impetou to Indttstryto feed and . clothe the industrious poor . Until such plans ' aad imj > wi > TemeBt * be introduced , it beboTea the working man as far as means wfU allow , to improTe fctoseJf , and prepare for the oomlng change , far tfome it mast , and tbat » t no fery great distant period . Until then , my frieads , earneetly , unitedly , and determlaedly , the Joare yoa exert yourselTes the sooner will come the period of your deliTeranoe . .
- Mr . Muflik ssM it was with feelings of great pleasure he came forward to more , tbe first resolution He was actuated by no other motive than that of lending his humble aid is' th « greet work of political regeneration . ( Cheers . ) He trusted that all parties would be wise , and see tbat the time was approaching when the distress of the couatry must be remedied . It was a question that concerned tbe Corn Lav repealer , the Chartist , tbe Sectarian , tbe Tory , and the Whig . The working classes were becoming semabJe . ai the state of degradation in which they were placed , and which thtry never ought to hare known . ( Cheers . They tell tbe working classes 1 said Mr . M . ) that they are Ignorant , and not St to possess political power . I deny it . Bat if they are ignorant , whose fault is it ? - Does
not the responsibility rest with the very parties who make tbe charge ? ( Hear , and cheers . ) Plans haTe been proposed to educate tbe people ; bai would the Gforemment » id in carrying them oat ? Mr . Syraons pat forth his plan , measuring ' man ' s intelligence by bis own standard . ( Laughter . ) If tbe criminal infringes the laws of those members over whom be has not the slightest eontroul , he must pay the penalty , when , perhaps , -those rery laws canasd bis crime . ( Rear . ) The people ought to have a voice in making the Laws . The present existing distress is the & 11-engroasing topic . It is an eril which presses heavily on the rights of industry » and which , if the people use tfieir moral power , must ere long be remedied . I am clad to see so many working men present : it proved
that a spirit of inquiry had arisen among them ; it showed that they were bo longer the willing slaves of faction or tbe passive dupes of the aristocracy . . He hoped they bad assembled that night to express their opinions fairly asd candidly on tbe aspect of politcal affairs . They had often been told tbat it was no use to petition tbe House of Commons for a redress qt grievances ; bat be was of opinion that a petition signed by throe or four millions of persons would produce a powerful effect even on ( he present Parliameat . If it did not , however , it woald show to the rulers that there existed a discontent which nothing but concession coald aLlay . In the National Petition was embodied the great principles of Chartism . It claimed that tbe vorking man , Uie middle maa , aad tbe wealthy man should alike be represented in tbe legislative temple of the nation . Many there were who ridiculed the idea of ( Juiversai Suffrage ; bat be begged to state to tho » e individuals tbat tbe greater pact of tbe distress in
this country owes it origin to class legislation ; the working men baring discovered tbat they have resolved to remove it ; but how is it to be removed ? why , by tbe unceasing effort * of tbe people—by the spread of intelligence—by tbe determination of every individual to work it , as if success depended on his txertions alone . The last four years of agitation bave worked a great amount of good—it bad caused tbe minds of the humbler classes to understand those principles wbich before were monopolised by a few . He caUtd upon them to rally round those who had courage enough to denounce the oppression to proclaim the superiority of democracy over aristocracy , and to try all their power to convince their oppoaents by reason and not by denanciationB . If they adopted tho former C 00 TS 6 , they would easmre for themfielTefl the approbation ot all good men and success for their hallowed cause . After a lengthy and energetic address which was received with great cheering , he proposed the following resolution : —
" Toat we view with regret and dismay , the daily increasing evils arising oat of the present cormpt system of representation . Having witnessed the complete failure of the Whig Reform Bill as a means of improving the character of tbat Honse , nicVirs . ii . ed the Commons" House of Parliament;—holding that assembly to be iqmily corrupt with the properly called boreQ ^ hmengerin ? Parliament of former day ?; considering all patchwork expedients as unwise and dangerous ; wishing to see peace and social orUer prevail ; anxious for tbe welfare and prosperity of all classes of the people ; acknowledging the right to tbe franchise as being inherent , and indeliMy written on tbe person of man by hU creator , and that to delay , or annul that right is a serious offecce against humanity , we do adopt & petition ta Parliament setting forth our grievances , tnt pointing sat what we consider as the effectual reaiedy . "
Mr . Wiggins , In seconding the resolution , impressed on the meeting , the necessity of becoming sober and temperate , as the grand means by which they couki make themselves sufficiently intelligent to obtain their just rights , which the aristocratic Government had so long withheld . The manufacturer could make afortnne ont of the labour of the workiDg man , wbica was the only property unprotected . They were told of their ignor-inca , and yet ^ 30 , 000 was all they wonld give to edncate the whole people , while tke Universities , founded for tbe education of ta * poor , were prostituted to teach the sons of the aristocracy how to put their hands into the people ' s pockets , with the greatest advantage . ( Laughter . ) They had been told that Chartism was dead ; but be trusted that they would show that the day of resurrection—( cheers )—and power was at hand . Toe resolution was passed unanimously .
Mr . MTtsoK « aid the age of ignoranoe , fasauC'Sin , priestcraft , ami stale-craft was fast fading iiwsy , aDd in its stead he hepert to live to see the day when tbe toilworn mechanic might rece-ive a fair remuneration for b ? 8 labour , and , unemployed , might find means to live iu abundance , and in the midst of every comfort . Tradesmen and mechaaics were alike complaining ; misery and destitution c veied the land . The manufacturer was becoming bankrupt , andour gaols were being filled with criminals . P . aad bad been devised by Corn Law repealers and Emigration Committees , but the time foT palliatives was pas * ; the only remedy for the enormous evils preying upon society was in the adoption of tho principles contained in the People's Charter . He would not say that of itself tha Charter would do all this ,
and tliat on Its passing into a law all grnmbllng would cease , all the empty bellies would be filled , and all the backs clothed ; but the Charter must be the basement to sapp » rt the edifice in which all th ^ se good things would be fuund . Ha had been out lecturing in an agricultural district for some weeks past on Sundays , and he was astonished to find the fetling which prevailed in favour of democratic principles . He -was at "Wincbcomb on Sunday last , and not less than from four to five hundred persona wtre assembled , all eager to get political knowledge . His office as a lecturer was no sinecure : he travelled and preached politics at his own txpence ; yet , on Sunday last , the parson of the parish accosted the a&aenibled multitude , and recommended them to take care of their pockets . He could
not have wi&hed to convey an idea that he had a design on their pockets , he shculU suppose ; bat of a certainty he was the only ose present who obtained a good salary out of the pockets of the parishioners . The parscn was accosted not rerj courteously , and rode off apparently rather chagrined . Parson Close , of this parish , once told him that working men had nothing to do with the Constitution . It may suit those "who wished to deprive the working man of tbe benefits of the Constitution to incolc&te such a doctrine ; but the people were becoming teo wide awake to swallow it , and if the people exerted themselves , they had the
moral po-wer to wreit their rigfcU from tbose who bad so long -withheld them . ( Cheers . ) Mr . Milsoni then at great length dilated upon the principles of the Peopte ' B Charter , asd concluded by expressing his opinion tbat the Repeal of the Union between England and Ireland would be beneficial to both countries . He asked them should Eogl&nd and Scotland possess privileges which Ireland should not enjoy ? He hoped they woald be determined to obtain equal rights and equal laws , and then tyranny would fall , never Again to rear its head . ( Loud cheers- ) Mr . ililsom having read the petition , Mr . Glehisteb seconded It
The Chairman pat it to the meeting , and it waj carried unanimously . Mr . J . F . Bbrimgtos said , with tbe Chairman' ! permission he had a resolution to propose , which h < was cure would meet with the approbation of a \ present ; it trat » -rote of thanks to Mr . DaUCOmtK M . P . ( Loud cheers . ) He was a glorious excepti # n t tbe majority of these composing that den of corruption miscalled the House of Commons . He was one wh > had never treated the petitions ef tbe people with scor or eonlen > pfc ; and when they considered his aristc cratic connections , and situation in life—that be wa the nephew of a Tory Peer—that all his family wer
Tories , and that , being tbe younger son of a youngei brother , be wai deprived , by tbe accused law of primo geniture , of tbat which naturally and morally sfaouk be his—when they considered tbat be bad so fa ; descended from bis high position ( as tbe aristocrat would say ) , as to preside tbat very night at a tea-part ; in the metropolis , for tbe benefit of Carrier , the vie tim of Whiggery , whose release from the Whig dangeoi he had been mainly instrumental in procuring , the ; must admit that to him , and men like him , more grati tude was owing than to one of their own class , wh < merely intended taking the burden from others to re move its ipeicbt from himself . ( Cheers . )
Tbe following resolution was then proposed , am seconded by Mr . Wiggi . ns , and was passed nnani monsly : — " That the thanks of this meeting are due to all thos patriots ot the present day who have advocated tb eaas of tha working dasses ; and more especially , a Member of Parliament , to Thomas Dancombe , Esq . for the consistent conduct ht has nianife&ted oa so niair occasions , and to assure him of their having tbe fuller confidence in bis political honesty . "
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Thanks were voted to the Cfiainnan , and the meeting separated , apparently highly elated at the evening ' s proceedings . A number of voters , and- persons of tbe middle class , were present j still not dissentient » ppftMw * tbrtmghnot thn whftla pm ^ mqtftfryi ,,.- . '
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- ~ SBSFi&'XliU ) , . ; DEFE& . T OF THIS "x » LAi € rtrtt ^ t } LORlOUa
" TRIUMPH OF THE CHARTISTS . On Saturday last ! large Waiggish looking placards announced the . " very important" fact tbat Mr . Tfm . TJuffey , of the London Free Trade Association , (?) would deliver two lectures in the Town Ball , on the evenings « f Monday and Tuesday , fcovemW 8 th atad&th , on the subject of Free Trade—these plaeaardf were headed , " Tbe Schoolmaster at Home , in tbe Town Halt , " and announced that the charge of admission would be twopence t Oar old friend the Independent was not backward in trumpeting the approach of the ohamplon of humbug , as tbe followiif paragraph will show : — "Free Trad > , —We nndexatandrtoat , two Jectojrea will be delivered In tbe Town Hall , on Monday and Tuesday , in defence of the principles of Free Trade , by Mr . Win . Duffey , of Manchester . The lecture * is well known in Liverpool , Manchester , Bradford , sod other towns , for
his services in , the cause , . and for the ability with which he encounters its opponents . We need only bespeak for him a good audience and fair play . " . . Well , the Chartists found Mr . Dofifey a " good audience , " aijd gave him , " fair play "—what he did for hla " cause" the sequel will , show . On Tuesday the Council considered whether the Chartists Bhould offer any opposition , and the decision ultimately come to , was , that tbe whole thing looking / very / much , like a job to replenish Mr . Duffey's pocket at the expense of the working men , the Chartists should be Instructed not tp attend tbe first evening ' s lecture , but to attend us usual at the Association-room , and then appoint a deputation to wait on Mr . DuSVy , for tbe purpose of requesting him to throw open the doors of the Hall on Tuesday evening for tbe free admission of tbe public , a few friends of tbe Charter volunteering to bear half tbe expense of the HalL
Monday evening , tbe . Chartist body assembled In Fig Tree-lane , deputed Messrs . Harney , Marsh , and Gill , to wait on Mr . Duffey with tbe above offer . On reaching tbe halt , a miserable array of empty benches met the view ; we counted the numbers present , and found there was jost jelghty-toee , \ one Judf of whom were Chartists ; while poor Dufloy stood " alone in his glory , " with not a single friend beside him , to cheer him in his desponding situation . Shortly after nine o ' clock , the lecturer concluded , he bad spoken in so low a tone , tbat during the time we were present , we heard not a sentence distinctly . -.
Mr . HABNEY , addressing the lecturer , said be had tbu honor to appear there aa one of a deputation appointed by tbe Chartist body , to challenge Mr . Duffey to a public discussion of the Free Trade question , and he was instructed to a » k Mr . Duffey whether he woald agree to throw o ^ n tbe do n of tbe Hall tot tbe free admission of tbe public , he ( Mr . H . ) and bis friends volunteering to beat half the txpence ? ' Mr . Duffey inquired , who would be hi * opponents ? Mr . HAUKKy . replied himself >» d Mr . Gill . After some consideration Mr . Duffey agreed . Some squabbling took place afterwards in consequence of the interference of Mr Watdle aad others of the 11 Plagne , " Mr . Warrtle sticking to the ticket system of admission , and tbe Chartist Deputation insisting upon
the public admission of all who choose to come . The Deputation finally left the Hafl , some of the Corn Law Repealers declaring , tbat notwithstanding Mr . Duffey ' s agreement with Mr . Harney , they would charge twopence for admission the next night , as they had done that However , this they deemed it prudent not to attempt , for the next morning handbills were in circulation throughout the mills and workshops of the town , calling on the " Free Traders to attend beforeihe time and prevent tbe packing of the Hall I" This , as Mr . Duflvy would say . was an Irish way of getting the " Free Traders" to pack the Hall . But a darker job remains to be told . The " Free Traders , " anxious to emulate their " prepare-to-meetycur-Goi ! " comrades of Manchester , sent three or four times to the leaders of tbe Irish Repealers resident in
Sheffield , urging their attendance , for what atrocious puTpc&ts need not be told . But , honour to the Irish exiles , they indignantly spurned the appeal of the " Bloodies , " and they may be assured that their mnnly condnct will not be unappreciated by their suffering English brethren . Mr- Wardle denied to Mr . Harney tbat bis party bad solicited tbe attendance of tbe Repealers , but we have since heard tbat such was tbe case from an undoubted authority . The Chartist * issued no bills , nor took any particular measures to summon their friends . Nor was this needed , for tbe news of tbe intended discussion went through tbe town like wild-fire , and so early as half-past six o ' clock * ora 9 hundreds ef people were congregated in front of the Hall . The doors , however , were not opened until half-past Beven , when a rush for seats took
plaee-Mr . OTLET was appointed Chairman on the motion of Mr . Duffey , seconded by Mr . Harcey , tbe free traders offering no opposition , seeing as they did , from the onset , that their case was hopeless . Mr . Wabdie read the regulations of the discussion agreed to between himself < on behalf of Mr . Duffey ) and Mr . Hariiey . It -was agreed that Mr . Duffey should opsn tbe discussion , to Bpeak half an hour ; afterwards to be limited to a quarter of an hour in his reply to Messrs . Harney and Gill , wbo -were to speak each thrice , for the same period ; Mr . Duffey to conclude tbe discussion . Two referees w < -ra appointed to time the speakers , Mr . Harney naming Mr . Marsh , and Mr . Duffey naming Mr . Beatson .
The Chaiuman made some remarks upon tbe subject of discussion , and declaring that be would as be had ever done , act impartially in the office they had done him the honour to elect him to , and calling on both parties to preserve order , and show that fair play which should ever characterise an English assembly ; he sat duwn , calling upon Mr . Daffey to proceed . Mr . Duffey , who was received with slight applause by bis friends , commenced by remarking that it was a great mistake to suppose that the principles of the free-traders were opposed to their own . He had proposed a Chartist fur Chairman , and he demanded of the Chartists that they should show him fair play . He contended fur free trade as dtfintd by tbe Chairman . Was it not necessary that something should be ill
done to relievo the wretchedness at present in the land ? Toe people were perishing , iaxta and poor-rates increasing—and why ? Because trade and commerce , crippled by fiscal restrictions , wera fast leaving onr shores . He contended that it was not just that man's industry should be limited , that there shoald be any limit to the free exchange between man and man of the produce of bis labour . ( Partial cheering . ) Mr . O'Brien , whom be knew as a public man and an acquaintance—( oh , chi . —yes , an acquaintance , had said that the object of tbe free-traders was tbe further degeneration of tbe people of this country—their intent was to reduce the working classes of this country to the level of the Continental labourers—( cries of " true" )—this be denied The object of the free-traders was to give increased employroent and cheap provisions to the people of this country . ( Cheers . ) Double tbe quantity of bread
could be purchased in New York , tbat for the same money could be porchased atCicnrael in Ireland , while the wages of a labourer in Clocmel were but sevenpence per day , and in New York four shillings ; yet , Ireland was a cenntry protected by a Corn Law , while in New York there was no Corn Law at alL His wish was that all should unite to put an end to the monopolising spirit of oar legislation . ( Cries of " the Charter . ") It was said that masters and profit-mongers would reap toe whole benefit of a repeal of the Corn Liwa ; tots be denied * It was not the interest of the master to redace the workmen's wages . ( Yes , yes . ) He was told it was necessary to get legislative power to obtain a repeal of these laws . He did not see tbat—( oh , oh )—the voice of public opinion was omnipotent , and il the people wxiied tbe repeal of these laws , the aristocracy must succumb . Time being up , Mr . Duffey sa . i down .
Mr . M . Keiierick complained tbat while there was yet room in tue hall , a great number of people were excluded from admission , the doors being closed against them . ( Cries of " shame , " and confusion . ) Mr . Di'FFtT said , if any portion of the public was excinded , it was no fault of his ; be wished for full and free admission . ( Cheers . ) The Chairman said , the closing of the doors was most disgraceful on tbe part of the officer having charge of the hall ; as Chairman of the meeting , he demanded tbat the public shoald be admitted . ( Great cheering . ) After some little delay , the doors were opened , another rush took place , and the ball became completely crammed . Afi « r the confusion had subsided , the Chairman Said ha bad now much pleasure in introducing to the meet ' ing Mr . Julian Harney .
Mr . Habnet , who was received with tbe most enthusiastic and prolonged cheering , said be felt himself placed in an awkward situation , called upon to reply to Mr . Duffey , and having nothing to reply to—( cheers ) really he was disappointed at Mr . Duffey ' s speech . It appeared to him that Mr . Duffey had never entered into the question , but had left it for him ( Mr . H . 1 to open the discussion . Well , he would dp so ; be presumed he was doing no injustice to tbe free-traders when he said that Corn Law Repeal was their principal object—well , then , upon this question be joined issue with them . Ho did not believe that merely a repoal of tbe Corn Laws would confer the benefits asserted by the free-traders . The people had not forgotten what were the promises made tbem in the Reform Bill question
and how miserably they were duped—( hisses and cheers ) —they bad got tbe Bill , bat what bad been its fruits ? Like the apples of Sodom , fair to tbe eye , bat within dust and ashes . He reiterated the opinoa that cheap bread meant cheaper labour . ( Cheers . ) For-what did bis opponents desire Corn Law Repeal t Why to enable them to compete with the foreign manufacturer in the markets ef the Continent ; but woald a single repeal of the Corn La wa enable them te do that f No . If tbose la-ws -were repealed bread might be cheaper , but unless labour was alse cheapened , the manufacturers of this country could not successfully compete with tbose of the Continent ; he would let them know what were the wages , and what were tbe boors of labour on tbe Continent ( Mr . Harney here rtud a statement of con-
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r J v- * f >¦¦ i t'i '« . j X tinental wages , which we have not room to insert ) But it was said Corn Law Repeat woald increase trade , that increase , of trade woald swallew up thr preterit surplus labour In the market , ana the Woxfelng < jl » IS ouuld then dictate ifaelr wBg * a . t Suppose Cora * Lair Repeal would bring an inorease 61 trade , and tfiattbat increase of trade would employ the present surpins baads in the towns . . Had they forgotten the oointiyf Ihey knew that for every quarter of wheat Imported , a quarter of wheat woald cease to be grown In this country ; what was to become of ( be men heretofore employed in growing the quarter of wheat ? WooULthejrte content
to lie dowa on the road side to die of f * mwe ? . Woald they be content to enter the accursed bastile there to be goaded to death ? No , they would flock to the manufacturing districts , and wonld there compete with'tbe people of thetowns at the loom , in the factory , and workshop ; . the result woald be that ' the masters would dictate to them , not they to Weir masters , what wages tbej l should work for . ( Great © tearing . ) Mr . Haraey concluded by showing 5 , on the authority of Mr . Fielden , that as trade bad Increased , the returns for our exports bad decreased , and the condition of- the working people bad deteriorated ; ' He resumed his seat amidst general applause . '¦ ¦ ' ¦¦ ¦ ¦' ¦ \ .: : ¦ : ¦¦'' ¦ ¦ " .. ¦'; "¦ ' . ' •"' 1
Mr . Dupfet rose , and ^ was agate received with applause by bis friend * He said , ' Mr . Harney tolls you he is no friend to monopoly , but the whole tenottr of bis remarks bave been the support of monopoly . ( Cheers , hisses , and confusion . ) While he has denounced the principle of monopoly , he has endeayoarefd to show you that its removal wuld do no grfod . He complains that class legislation is ah evil , and nobody denies it . ( Laughter ) He ( Mr . D . ) had asked for the Suffrage , and It bad been denied him-, they denied Win the Suffrage on the ground ot ignorance bat he would
tell tbe legislature that if they thought him too Ignorant to bare a vote , be knew he was not " too igaorant to eat . ( Cbeew . ) Mr . Harney had talked about the wages On tbe continent He ( Mr . D . ) would ask did the present system keep up -wages in England ? ' It was not tbe price of bread tbat regulated wages—it was supply and demand . He was told , he must wMt for the Charter . If they had the power to get the Charter , let them get it . He went before the legislature demanding justice ; he bad no wish to benefit the employer at the expense of the employed , his wish was to see harmony between the two classes .
Mr . GitL , who was received with cheering , how rose . He expressed bis pleasure at having the honour to address them , but at the same time his regret tbat owing to a severe cold , be could not address them as he coald nave wished . He was surprised at Mr . Duffey'a speech ; be bad not replied in a single Instance to the arguments of his friend , Mr . Harney . ( Cheers , ) The question was whether they were to assist in extending ana strengthening the power of the moneyooracy of tbe country ; for bis part , ho would oppose to the utmost any enlargement of their power . ( Cheers . ) Mr . Gill here entered into some interesting statements , showing 1
the workings of the banking system , and provingthat every hundred millions of wealth exported from this country , was taxed to the amount of twenty millions by tbe rag money thieves . Mr . ' GUI ' s speech' was chiefly statistical ; our limits wilt not permit us to give the figure * and statements quoted in support of bis post-Uon . Mr . G 1 U concluded by maintaining that it was machinery tbat mainly caused the present misery of the people , because it was in the hands of the few , and used by tbem for their aggrandisement , and the degradation of the many . He resumed bis seat amidst great cheerio * . :
Mr . Duffey said he was now called upon to reply to a speech replete with argument in support of his own position , ( Oh , oh , and great laughter . ) Mr . GUI bad thought proper to denounce a worthy and a viituoUB class of the community , the traders and manufacturers . ( No , no . ) He stood there to defend the character of tbe commercial community . In all ages commerce and trade bad always been opposed to feudalism and despotism , and it was to trade and manufactures teat England was principally indebted for her glory as a nation . In this strain Mr . Duffey proceeded , concluding bis speech , by asking if the Chartists meant to wait for Sir Kobert Feel making tbe Charter ) aw ? . ' i
Mr . HaKNEY again rose . He remarked , that Mr , Duffey bad complained that his cpooneots had not shewn wherein they differed from him . He ( Mr . H . ) would leave him no bucIi cause of complaint First , then , tbe GhsrtUts believed that a mere increase of trade , unaccompanied by sound legislative changes , would bring . no lasting benefit to tbe people ; second , they believed that , supposing a repeal of the Corn Laws would confer all the benefits stated by Mr . Duffeythey believed the free-traders would never get that repeal . ( Cheers . ) In 1088 the whole foreign trade of this country amounted to but £ 7 , 000 , 000 exports and imports together : since then our export trade bad increased twenty-fold , until we are now trading with from fifty to sixty states , and sending out of the country from sixty to seventy millions' worth of real value every year ; and whom bad this enormous increase of our trade benefitted ? Mr Harney went on to say tb&t
the aristocracy bad declared , in a manner not to be mistaken or misunderstood , that they would never consent to a repeat of the Corn Laws . How , tben , would tbe free-traders get that repeal t They might say they would compel tbe aristocracy to yield , but that was an idle boast , unless they were backed by the people . Now , standing there , he solemnly called upon the people to have nothing to 4 o with the free traders —( great cheering!—but to bide by their Charter , and swear never to desert tbat Charter until they bad made It law . ( Enthusiastic cheera ) They could only hope to repeal tbe Cern Laws by bringing the country to the verge of a revolution , and an equal power would carry tbe Charter . Let them not waste their energies in lopping off one branch of corruption ' s tree . No , lay the axe to the roots , and bring down the rotten old system altogether . ( Great cheering . ) Mr . Duffey now declined to speak , and
Mr . G again came forward ; he made an excellent speech and was enthusiastically cheered . Mr . Duffey rose for the last time , but it was quite clear from bis agitated appearance , that be felt himself beaten ; be told his old tale that all that his opponents had advanced enly went to support his position ; he was not opposed to the apread of the democratic principle , on the contrary , be believed that as tbe people progressed in intelligence , the democratic principle would progress and triumph , at the same time he denounced what be was pleased to call the tyranny of tbe Chartists in forcing every man to be a Chartist , or eise opposing all he did for the public good . The discussion having closed , Mr . Harney moved the adoption of the following resolution : —
" That this meeting is of opinion that a repeal of the Corn Laws , accompanied by other just and necessary measures , is unattainable but by and through a Radical Reform of tbe House of Commons , and tbis meeting pledges itself not to assist in the agitation of any political question save that of the universal enfranchisement < f the people , and will never cease their efforts in the cause of right until the People's Charter shall become the iaw of tbe land . " Mr . Gill seconded the resolution . Mr . Wardle proposed an amendment , which waa seconded by Mr . Bateson , to tbe effect that a repeal of the Com Lzwa would be of great benefit to the people ; that Free Trade wjulrt give to tbe people increased power to obtain their political tights ; and . deprecating all opposition to tbe question as tyranny on tbe part of tbe Chartists .
Tbis was the substance of the amendment , your correspondent obtained a copy , but unfortunately has mislaid it Tbe Chairman called for a show of hands for the amendment , -when from sixty to eighty hands were held up . The Chairman then called for the original motion , when one mighty forest of hands were upheld . The number may be estimated when we state that the Hall will hold twelve hundred people , and it was crammed to ovei flowing . Mr . Wardle moved the thanks of the meeting to the Chairman , seconded by Mr . Duffey , and carried by acclamation . Three tremendous cheers were then given for the Chatter , three for O'Connor , three for O'Brien , and three for Frost , Williams , and Jones .
Thus ended this last splendid triumph of principle over humbug , and the cause of right over the machinations of folly and knavery . UUUO VL IViljT HUU AIMTM ^ t
. Uuuo Vl Iviljt Huu Aimtm^T Bho1tterre O'Brien. Public Meeting At Whitechapel, London
. UUUO VL IViljT HUU AIMTM ^ t BHO 1 TTERRE O'BRIEN . PUBLIC MEETING AT WHITECHAPEL , LONDON
A public meeting was held at the Social Hall , Whitechapel , on Friday evening , to welcome Bronterre O'Brien , to the Tower Hamlets . The spacious Hall was weir filled many of the audience appearing to be of the middle class of society . Mr . Robson was called to the chair , and in a brief but pointed manner introduced Mr . O'Brien to tbe meeting , and read an excellent address from the ChartifrtS of the Tower Hamlets , welcoming Mr . O'Brien on his reh-ase from bis Whig dungeon . Mr . O'Brien then came forward and was greeted with great applause . The friend who has Introduced me has styled me honourable . God knows from the manner in wbich this title has been prostituted in Westminster Hall , I have not much reason to be proud
of it , but if being elected a member of the House of Commons constitutes one an honourable , I have a perfect right to it I was elected an M . P . by a free , indepent constituency , with a majority of 1100 to 200 , but tbese receivers of stolen property have usurped my place , bavestolen my seat They never even demanded a poll , but because wy friends were too prudent to spend £ 2 , 060 in law expenses , they have taken advantage of their poverty and their prudence and have sent a man there to make laws for me , instead of my making laws for him , and in virtue of bis laws , I may shortly be sent again to prison for making a good speech ; but I hope the day is not far distant , when these honourable ,
these respectable gents ., who never earned a ahUlls ^ in their lltes , who have lived by the robbery of you , jwlU be compelled to vacate those seats which they keep from honest men . I have been on a tour through Lancashire , Westmoreland , Cheshire , and Yorkshire . In forty-five days , I have attended forty-one great public meetings '; in some parts I have found an excellent spirit evinced , in others a deplorable apathy . Even where a good spirit exists , I have found them at times ignorant as to the means of obtaining their rights , and also in complete darkness as to the seat of the place from whence the evil has sprung . I have everywhere seen tbe greatest distress existing- At Barnsley , the men are only receiv-
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ing 7 s . for -work tbat ten years ago they got 12 s . ; at Stockport , the , spinners are only getting 17 * for work which had used to p > o 4 uca them 40 s . ; at Manchester , tbeyaw receiving from Ik to 2 & for weaving ni * ty yatds ; or « aittbrl « , ^ whereas their' fathers 'obtained T i # * v for doing the same quantity . It is the same in Wigan , Blackburn , Colae * and in fact * : in all the inannfacturing districts ; '' tbousandi of " weaver ' s are only receiving horn 4 s . to 6 s . per nweek . ^ In London , you have not / experienced this redoetkm of wages * but youarr « qttally suffering from dearth of employment They talk to us aoout defending the right * of property . What can bejBore sacNd pfcopertrthain that which a inaa earns by . his labour ? : Tbese men who preach about the rights of property are robbers , are receivers of stolen good *; the / havis-sweptaway the greater part of yoar property
\ n Wigan , hand loom weaver * are only earning 6 s . where their fathers earned 36 s . and 42 a . ; here they bave swept away flre-sixths of your property ; the question then is , who , are tbe robbers and who are the receivers of stolen goods- . Forty years back the same complaints were made - ^ hat now are ; distress then existed , bat not so general as now . I bave read in old histories that tbe same arbitrary acts then existed—that wages ifera then being gradually paced down and capitalists renriflhejd » tthe ' expense of the labouring classes . All then are agreed that distress exists , but before we can ca » e . i ^ , we must find the seat and muse of the evil . I believe I iave done so , and til endeavour to wake all I come in ^ contact with also acquainted with it I suspect I , bave hit « pon . tbe right cause—that I bave hit
tbe right nail upon the head- ^ -or Government would not . bave been to anxious to bave got me out of the way ; when the men of Newcastle ejected me to keep watch and word over the £ ieai thieves , they bad sent .. me to keep watch and ward over the little thieves . Men of the Tower Hamlets , I do net pome here to lecture or address you , I come here to talk to you . I do not come hereto make a fine , speech , to be called an eloquent man . I dbnt like eloquent men ; I generally find them great bumbugs . They are generally either great rogues or great fools . If speech making w ^ uld care our evils , never ought a country to be so Lappyaa distressed Ireland , for never was a country so blessed with speech-makers . We want to know woo robbed thehand-loem weavers *
who robbed the agricultural labourers ? who robbed you ? whp is it that caused the men of Aahton and other places to w .-Uk about the streets like living spectres , to be treated as though they bad not a right to live ? I will tell you who aie the parties . The . robbeis are those who make the laws . ; The receivers of stolen goods axe those who live upon large axed incomes , giving the nation nothing in exchange fpr tbe wealth they receive . It nutters not whether their income * are derived from tithes , rents , funds , or whatever Bource , so long as they give nothing in exchange . Lord John Russell . says , that legislation cannot cure our evils , tbat Parliament can do us no good . Tbe remedy be proposes is keeping down the population ( not getting married , I suppose , he means ) , being temperate , sober , and
above all , emigration . He states tbat he does not like to raise false hopes , dont like to deceive the people , ( is not this very considerate af him ?) but if we could abow him any practical grievance , be would give it bis most respectful consideration . ( Laughter . ) I suppose walking , about tbe streets with nothing to eat , with empty bellies , is not a practical grievance . If Lord John ' s ancestors bad not been lucky in the scramble for stolen property , Lord Joan , might have been walking about with an empty belly , himself . 1 wonder whether he would have considered it a practical grievance . H « tells you , that legislation has nothing to do with your distress , and that tbe Charier would give us the power to destroy the property of all other classes , and finally to bring down destruction upon ourselvus , and these words
Were cheered in the House of Commons , and re-echoed by Sir Robert Peel . Tbe Times said , on the morning after tbe great meeting in Paiace-yar < 3 , that it was idle to talk about Universal Suffrage ; tbat it would do us no good ; that our distress was the natural result of the progress of civilisation . This is monstrous false . If I thought so , I would cease in my efforts for the people . But I will undertake to prove to Lord John , Peel , the Times , and io every man . Seat , that we cure all our distress to Acts of Parliament ; second , that through the Acts tbese bad men have mode , they have enabled themselves to rob and plunder the people ; thirdly , that I will poiut out those acts of which I complain ; fourthly , I will show what acts ought to bo put in tueir place , to give , with a few hour's labour per day ,
plenty to every man in the kingdom that would labour these few hours , and those tbat would not do tins deserve to be in distress . ( Cheers . ) Land , labour , and capital are the three great elements of wealth . The British nation possesses more land than any nation in the world , Russia excepted , and far more good land ban even Russia . We have in Britain seventy-seven millions of acres , which would give three acres to every man , woman , and child ; and we have millions upon millions of acres in our colonies . We have more land than would sustain in comfort a thousand times our present population . We have , then , an abundance of land . Yoa ate well convinced \ re have no deficiency of labour—one-third of oar population are not , at this moment , able to procure work .
There is no country in the world possesses so much capital , either real or fictitious . By real capital I mean bouses , land , machinery , railroads , canals , &c , all that has been created by former labour . I need not tell you what fictitious capital is ; yoa have the National Debt . You surety can never want for capital when you borrowed £ 860 , 000 , 000 for the Christian , humane , and charitable purpose of shooting Frenchmen , and of crashing liberty in other nations . Surely , you would find no difficulty in borrowing a like sum to purchase land to set the unemployed to work . Thereto no want of capital , my friends ; upwards of sixty millions was invested in railroads in leas tbatt two years , and much more could be got if they saw a likelihood of a protitable return . If a Company was got
up to go in search of Noah ' s Ark , with £ 300 , 000 , 000 of capital , I have no doubt it would be immediately advanced , if you only ensured them ten per cent , whether the ark was found or not The Times newspaper told us , at the time Sir Robert Peel was turned out of office by the Ladies of the Bedchamber , that the address of condolence which was presented to him , was signed by between six and seven thousand merchants and others of London , who alone could pay off the whole of the National Debt , and then retain a sufficiency to live in comfort during the rest of their lives ; and theso , you must remember , were only belonging to one party , and that the beaten party . These men , you are aware , were not Spitalfielda weavers ; no , they were those who neither toil nor spin , yet Solomon , in
all his glory , could not boast of capital like this . I wish these gentlemen would just take it into their heads to pay off this debt , or I wish the people would just take It into their heads to make them . ( Cheers . ) We bave , then , the most land , the most capital in the world , and plenty of Skilled labour . How , then , is it we are not the richest people in the world f Simply , because our legislators have robbed us of it by Acts of Parliament Now , then , let me trace tbe stolen goods to the possession of the robbers . At the time of the Revolution the revenue of this country amounted to fourteen millions ; it is now between sixty-three and sixty-four millions , besides about three millions' worth ef aristocratic timber , cut down every year , and about two millions in quarries , mines , flaheries , collieries , &c ,
making it amount to about eighty millions . When the Norman Conqueror divided the land among his followers , it was the surface only ; but they soon found that there were collieries , mines , &c , wbich would prove valuable . How to get at these without a distinct law , which would opsn the eyes of the people , tbey did not hardly know ; but tbey set a cunning fellow , a lawyer , to work , ( for when these fellows want helping out of a difficulty they always send either for a lawyer or a parson ) , so this lawyer coined them a bit of Latin , which the people could not understand , and by that got possession of the whole . Mr . O'Brien then gave the English of the celebrated Latin sentence aa follows : — " Whoover owns the surface te bim belongs all that is under , down to the
bottom , and all that is above up to the heaven "—( laughter );—you may well laugh , to think what they wanted up to heaven ; but tbey were cunning rogues , and they knew there were birds , 4 c flying above the Burface on which tbey oast their greedy eyes ; previous to this there was a maxim of the old common laws , that which was made by the Commons , " wild animals belong to no one . " What I -want is , that the Commons should again make laws ; they would then be for tbe common benefit Mr . O'Brien then went into a long detail of the manner in which the property of tbe landlords had increased , bow rents had been raised ; and stating an instance of a person whose property in Manchester bad within tbis half century increased to forty times ita then value , and the owner living during
tbe whole period in France , and if be bad been asleep it mattered not , his property would have increased in value equally as well ; and inquiring if they were to go asleep , whether tbey woald find their incomes increased ? On © man he knew received £ 2 , 000 annually for tbe rent of a salmon fishery for allowing others to catch that which God sent for all ; and while their property had thus gone on increasing , the value of the labour of the poor bad gone on decreasing , showing tbat every increase in the value of their estates had been effected by the robbery of the working classes by Acts of Parliament ; if Acts of Parliament were founded on juBtioe , they would not allow any one to get rich out of the labour , of the working classes without giving them something in exchange . Not only bad they so largely increased their incomes , bat by depreciating the value of labour , they had enabled one pound to go farther than three pounds did previously ; they could buy three
or four gross of Birmingham goods fer the same money as they could one ; tbey coald buy four , fire , and six days' labour of the band-loom weavers for the same amount as they could then purchase one day ' s . What was this but robbery ! These are fsett 70 s ought to know . I defy any man in London or out of London w contradict it Tbese men , not content with getting possession of the land by roDDery , muftt make laws to increase it * value , must become receivers of stolen goods , stolen from the people ; and to enable thorn to retain it must force aa to support an army of 150 000 armed men . This is how the landowners bave robbed u a . ^ Another description of receivers of stolen goods with whom 1 shall make yon acquainted 5 don't be alarmed , I believe you are all honest men here , but if there should be one bere , I would advise birn to make restitution to-morrow , and to go and steal no more . I am for allowing tbese men to retain all they have stolen according to law . I am not for taking it from
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them . I-shall bold any man to b * nearly mad favv . more , to be very wicked , who should attempt to ^* from them-wbat tbeyhave got so unlawfully jki&SsJa » if All I wait fa , ^ tt « ttl » wwn » m tHeyimve roobefl ihJ be allowed to stand ' on the same pTatforM wrth oZr wives , that alishaU be e ^ ual in the eye of thS These other receiters of stolen gotids areihat class w £ ftvquefeft Tbrtkaii ^ Sef-ttreet , Qum t ^ r whem von ^ thirty- " -millions interest annually for your NatkS Debt Having disposed of tbe landholders , let oi s « m we cannot trace these stolen goods to tbe fnndholdenJ let us trace bow these rogues thrive , while honest ^ 1 go down . If we go back to 1812 , we shall find tS £ 100 of ttueeper cents , only brought £ 60 la £ market ; now it . would ' bring j £ 90 j a olesr gain ef «? per « eiit , awlyoa mast raooUeotr tnaftliU jgioo cS means that you have your name written fa a bookk TbrMdneedhHstreet , which rfvesTou tbe Hfotfcr of £ ?
ting your band into the breeches pocket of other a * and yet durhqf < thl » - period , ia which bis income ^ inoreasbd . fifty per cent , ne might have been asle » for afl the good h » has done ; be never earned * W ing , and with his £ 90 he can boy five or six times ? much as behold with hi » £ 6 « . Men of the Tow . Hamlets , you who are living by your labour- —yon wsa are slaving Drom morning to night at -yoor _ employ » behind your coasters , does tbe tew create any prop 4 b for you without your exertions ? Does it work for yoo benefit whether you work or not t Yoa may work £ > six years and never get asixpence untilyou baveeinM it beforehand , and not get it then until you ha * earned perhaps sixpence for some" one else . This ? what I call foul play—tbis is through their takia
upon themselves the trouble of making the lawsTj acknowledge many of you work too hard ; butlu anxious to give you a little more work . I want yoa tt ease them of this trouble of making the laws , and 1 promise you that if yoa do that—if you get that exta labour , that you shall be relieved of three-fonrtha rf your other'labour , and get better paid into the bargah and mind this , what I have told yoa of the fundholdea applies to all who live upon fixed incomes—to » u t £ Honble ., Right Houble ,, Gallant , and Right Reversal reeelvem of stolen goods ; I want to make themkeck their hands out of your pockets . Perhaps yo * ha * not reflected en these things before . I want you tt know facts , and not to care about fine speeches . Wo * I was in the town of Carlisle , a deputation of the bant
loom weavers waited upon me , and 1 learned fro * tbem , that upwards of a thousand of tbem wereean . ing only 5 s . 2 d . a week . ; out t > f this they bad to pay U » week for rent of loom , and I think 2 d . In the Is . fa winding . How could these men exist if it was not for tbe slavery of their wives and children . These met are robbed without their consent—robbed by their employers , and yet their employers do not reeeve the beni fit , for when wages are lowered , there Is generally « manage tbat profits shall fall nrst ; yet tbese mes , against their own interest , am -such a base set , thst they would rather join with the Bishop who has £ 15 , 004 a year to pray that you may go to heaven , with tat soldier on his black horse who ia paid to murder yoo , or with the landholders who will eventually be tha
ruin of them , than join -with you . if tbey see a Work ing roan endeavouring to get bia rights , they directly say , oh , he is a Chartist—ho wants to take away oa property ; but when they see a landholder or > a funj . bolder , they never say , oh , he wants to rob us . I wijl , however , now show you how by acts tt Parliament yoa have been robbed . What created thj National Debt ? Acts of Parliament What created the interest r Acts of Parliament . If Aets of Parii * ment had not created these , we should have bad nohing to pay to tbe ftindholder . In the year 1684 , the bank waa first established by Act of Parliament If it were not for Acts of Parliament , pledging the security of tbe taxes of tbe nation , a Rothschild or a Goldsmidt would not advance a single ducat We have paid to
Acts of Parliament interest « n portions of -the debt tt tbe enormous amount of four thousand millions , al though the debt is enly seven hundred and aixty-nx millions , and yet though we bave paid off all tbis , we have not wiped off one farthing . of the debt This it the result of our usury laws . For upwards ot one thoasand year * usury wa « held in ; abhorrence in Eng . land . It was a crime under the old common law tt receive usury . In Edv / ard the Fourth ' s time , it wu punished by banishment . The canon law of the Char * punishes those guilty of usury . Our ancestors believe * the Old and New Testaments , and they knew it nu denounced by Moses and the Prophets . The eartr fathers of the Church did not allow a man to receive its rites who had been guilty of usury until he maderestf .
tution . That wife-killing tyrant , Henry the Eighththat disgraceful villain— " was the first who made usnj lawful ; and . to show his villainy , commenced with tea per cent The Parliament had then robbed the chaMo ; and , that they might retain this property , and maka the best of it , they passed this law , but it was abolwoed ia the next reign . Tbe people rose up in arms a ; aia * it ; they weald not have their religion defiled for tbe gain of a set of usurers . It was not re-enacted again during Ed ward ' 8 reign , nor all the reign of Mary—Oiled bloody Mary—but Ellzibelh , taking adrautap of her popularity , again established it , bat reduced it to eight per cent ; and tbe preamble of the Bill tint enacts it commences with •¦ Whereas usury is sinful and detestable in the sight of God , " &c , and then
proceods to enact it ( Loud laughter . ) She was afraid 0 ? the people , so gammoned them by denouncing it , ad then enacted it to please a Parliament who had ton times changed their religion . Queen Anne fixed it at five per cent ; and so you see Acts of Parliament overthrew the common law of the land , and did away with Moses and the Prophete . Am I not right , then , In charging Acts of Parliament with being at ths root of ear evils . If they sever asked our consent to borrow this 800 millions , and even if we had giveait them , we should not have been such fools as to saddle ourselves with the Interest of it If they borrowed it , we should make them pay it Ifyou borrow , you mart pay , but you cannot take a pinch of pepper , a cup 0 ! tea , keep a dog , a horse , or aught else , without mjint
for that which you never borrowed . If you get ia debt , and cannot pay , ( a thing , perhaps , yoa say be pnetically acquainted with)—( laughter )—being poor men , I dare say you have been hauled up to the Court of R qnesta , and made to pay It by instalments ; if you owed 18 s ., and arranged to pay it weekly at the end of nine weeks yon would have paid It , you would not be compelled to pay any usury ; and why ? because you stick by Moses and the Prophets . ( Laughter . ) I , who am called a violent Chartist , I only demand another Act of Parliament , to do away -with that bad one . Sorely if a moiutrous wife-killing tyrant , and a Parliament representing nobody , could do away with the comm » s law , and overthrow Moses and the Prophets , > Parliament elected by the whole people—a Parliament
elected on Chartist principles has a right to abolish usury —( loud cheers )—and yet because we ask for political power we are called ugly names—the many-headed monBter , the unwashed , the swinish multitude . They say you want spoliation and anarchy , because you want to keep their hands off your pockets . We know tbese gents are highly respectable , that is , they have never done any useful act in their lives ; and , being very otaaiderate , we will allow them to keep what they have got , but no more thirty millions of usury . We claim a right to have things called by their proper names—to call a dog a ueg , a pickpocket a pickpocket ; but they have got not only the making of onr laws , but of onr langnage also . When they robbed the people of their common land , they called it waste land , though it *«
the only land that was not waste , seeing tbe people had the benefit of it This puts me in mind of the Quaker who said to his dog , "I will not beat thee , nor hang thee , nor shoot thee , I will only call thee mad dog . " Heal property , which is your goods , the things which you bave created , and which are your own , they bave given the name chattels ; but land , and moiiey , and those articles which God has given for all , they have dignified with the name of real property ; landholders they have called landowners ; the harbours , the dockyards , the palaces , &c , -which are yours , they call tbe Queen ' s , and they allow nothing ( as Cobbott traly says ) to be yours , but the Debt—that they freely I » t you have . When you bear of the Traumry you are apt to think of a heap of money ; but you are sadly out if
you think there is any there . After ten years' WW | economy and retrenchment . Sir Robert Peel , speaking of Baring , saya he was angling ia a bottomless gulf of deficiency . True , you might find lots of Escheqaar Bills there ; bat they were the evidence not of mosey but of debt I want you to have the Charter , a »* means to an end . What that end is Is not for me to tell you ; but I will give you my opinion of whata * " ' liament should do elected by tha principle of FfllTesal Suffrage . I would have them got dominion of ths land aad of the circulating currency . I would not take an inch of land from thepreaent proprietors : this would produce a civil war . I do sot want strict justice—that is impossible— -I only want a change which weuld led to justice being done . I would leave them in undi * t « bed possession of their estates until their deatbi vrben tbey should be purchased by the nation , ano-tts . proceeds divided among their heirs . And yet fot advocating tbis the Government ia strongly inclined to
hang me , and I am as strongly inclined not to be hanged . ( Loud cheers . ) Ton must look out , or one of these mornings you will miss me . Mr . O'Brien then went into a long detail of this subject , showing thst by getting possession of tbe land in this fair and equitable manner a rental of at least £ 120 , 000 , 000 would accrue to the nation ; and that thia was nothing compared with the results which would flow from cultivating the Und in small allotments ; mentioned a farmer on the borders Who farmed 11 , 000 acres of land ; highly tecomended Feargus O'Connor ' s letters on this subject to their notice ; explained the advantages et a national bank With , branches , to our present system . We should not thfen allow men like the Barings te accumulate ( ss themselves acknowledge ) £ 19 , 000 , 000 from their banking transactions ; bat what benefit was derived woula be , to ourselves . Mr . O'Brien concluded an addnsl which ' occupied three hours in Uw delivery , by in * **" ing them to stand by the Ckarter—tu have tbe vo ° » bogbristles and aU . ( Loud cheering . ) ¦
, . Mr . Cabeieb , in a neat speech , moved a vow « thanks to the lecturer , seconded by Mr . WatkinS , and carried with three cheers . Three cheers were given for O'Connor sud the S ( ar > three for Frost , ' Williams , ana Jones , and three for all who in any way assisted in the Chartist movement
Untitled Article
The DiBEcroHsof the Manchester , Ashton-undef-Lyne , aad Sheffield Railway madd insir trip along the new line to Godley , about eight miles from Manohestex . on Thursday week .
Untitled Article
THE NORTHERN STAR ,
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Nov. 20, 1841, page unpag, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1136/page/6/
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