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IHE NORTHERN STAR. SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1841.
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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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GREAT MEETING AT EDINBURGH . SIGNAL VICXOKT ACHIEVED BY THE CriAETISTS OVER THE COMBINED FORCES OP THE CORN LAW REPEATERS AXD FINALITY ¦ WHIGS , AND BASE COSDCCT OF THE LATTER , The Edinburgh Clique , as is -well-known , is the polar star of the party throughout Scotland , No sooner do the gentry m Downing-street hoist a flag of distress , than their faithful followers in Edinburgh endeavour to beat np the steam ; and , if they succeed , the minor cliques follow the example . Hitherto the party bare , fccen in part divided—the great body of the Repealers standing » * oof from the tribe of lawyers and jobbers , whose only end notoriously was—place . But , on thi 3 occasion , a bond of union was formed between them , and a proj ct was concocted to get up a meeting which would at once act a 3 a repeal meeting , and A " keep-in-1 he- Whigs" one . How the worthies sped we shall now narrate .
The first notice of . their more was had on Sunday Bjornmg , ( the 9 : h . ) when placards appeared , announcing " a public meeting of the "inhabitants , " to pass a Tote of confidence in the Government , and approval of measures for " a total abolition of the Corn Laws . " This meeting was fixed for Monday , the 10 th , ( the next day !} and at one o'clock in the forenoon ! ! Tsess facts speak for themselves . By keeping their bills concealed till the Sabbath , and calling the meeting for the Tery next day , they expected 10 steal a march upon the workies , an 4 the ruse of the hour is too stale to need comment . In
addition to this , a meeting of the Guildry was called at elevea , that the worthies might thence' walk to ihe scene of action . The meeting was called for one , but the infamous scamps sent some 400 or 500 circulars , privately , to iheir friends , nrging them to come at twelve ! * So much for the Whig Jtactics . The ChartL-ts , on the other hand , did their best to bring up their hands , and published a bill on the Monday mcming , detailing the nefarious projects of the Whigs , and urging the fustian jackets forward .
The even : ful morning came ; the ciqno looked unutterable thin ** . They had not the shadow of a doubt but all was to " go off" as they wished it . A posse of ** blue coats" were stationed * at the As-enibly Rooms , where the meeting was to be held , to * we the " mob . " It so happens that tbers is a private entrance to the place of meeting ; the Whigs availed thcm .-el fes cf this to admit the Guildry and the ** circular" friends , who came at twelve , while ihe " workies'' who came at that hour ( for the secrst of the circular ooz ? d out ) were kept at bay by the ** bluebottles ! " Meanwhile , the Whigs were pa . king the meeting by the private entrance i At one the doors were opened , the '" jackets" rushed in , and now commenced ihe tug of war .
Mr . Adam Black ( late aspirant to municipal honours , and a notorious Whig jobber ) took the chair with the greatest complacency , and w& 3 proceeding to do the duties thereof amidst the greatest uproar , when Mr . Boylen rose , and moved ( after detailing the rascally conduct of the callers of the meetiug ) that Mr . Join Watson , a working man , and Secretary to the Chariist Association , do take the chair . The cheering and waving of hats tha : followed this absolutely astounded the Whigs , who saw a * a glance that all their vile tricks had failed . At ' endeavounrg to gel the Chartists to agree to their
" man , " they became so exceedingly gracious as to throw poor Adam overboard , and to letthem pick and choose from a : rio of brother Whigs . The Chartists were noi ts be done in that way ; they insisted for Mr . W 3 ts : s . The show of hands was takes , James Ay ton , E .-q ., advocate , taking it for the Whigs , and Mr . Boykn fur the Chariists . The latter hsd so decided a majority that Adam and hii satellites npon the hustings , with a few exception ? , bo ; ied , after a vain auempi to keep Mr . Watson i ' roin the chair by physical : orce . A nnmber of the hustings ' "Whigs " remained , as did ail those in the body of rhe Hall . Tn ^ re would not be less than two thousand
persons present . The confusion that prevailed was great . Upon Mr . Watson tak ng the chair , amidst cheering from his party , they calmed down , and forsome time nothing was to be heard but the howiinss , growiings , and execrations of the disappointed Whi {; s . At this stage of the j , rocecdinj ; s , Mr . Ruben Lowery ( who had been sen : for by the Chartist Association ori purpose ) made his way to the hustings , to propose the fir-t resolution . The Whigs were determined to put him down by clamour cf ail sons—from the aristocratic whistle of the buck , to " d—a him , ~ put him down !' of the less ' respectable" cliqueur . Bu : Lowery was too oid fur taese raw sentry . He stood very patiently smiling in their faces for sometime most
complacently , £ Jid then commenced addressing the reporters . Seeing this , the ** respectables '" thought it best to hold their peace , and Mr . Lowery proceeded to deliver one or ' ihe nus ; . eloqnenr and eartaiiiiy * . he mo =: effective addresses vce hav « ever hoard at a merlins o ; that son . lie took them up upon t < vo g rounds . He shewed the absurdity of believing the Whigs sine-are in their prui ' essions lor a repeal vi' the Corn Li > v , a . ivi th :- futility on thi other hand vi' repeating th = C- > rn Laws , whh- 'mi other conconiua : ; alteritiODs . that nothing bat the Cnarur wouia secure . He .- ¦ hovr ? d th ? foily of working men allowing thes-eivci : o be made : he mere tools of the other fa--tiv > as , and ihe necesshy of concentrating their exertions apa ^ ihe sing's ooject of their own
emancipation . The -rnihings of the v \ h-g-, -who Winced dreadfully uc Jer his exposure of their aisoeeds , was equalled only by the cheering of the Caanists , who were delighted ; o hear their own sentiments Jone justice to in such a masterly manner . Mr ' . Lowery concluded by pr-jposin ^ the following resolu :: un : — ** That from the past conduct of the Whig ministry —cockle ; which has hctn nzvormlj characterised by nothing but falsehood , imbecility , and tyranny—we are convinced th . 3 t any professions they -msy dow find it for their interest to make , are simply to rai ^ c public syinpaihy in their behalf , for th-- purpus ^ of aiding , them ; n a Treas . nes 5 to which their o » vii condu ; i has reduced them : and that we hereby declare our utter vrant of confidence in them as ie fe'i =-litors /'
Th ; r . Tc- ^ ation w . is seconded William Glc-ver , Esq , M . D . and F . R . C . 3 , who shevred the present move of the Whigs to be simply a base eiecnoiiteriUi ; trick . The l ) - > cc * r having concluded , Jame 3 Cranfurd , Esq ., Advocate Depute ( i . e ., Barris : er-at-Law and Q . C . ) rose to muve an amtnument to the following effect : — " That this meeting approve of a repeal of the Corn Laws , and have full confidence in her Majesty's Government , " or worths to that tffjet . In support of this he dwelt at j ; reat length upon the usual topics with men t-f his kidney —namely , the horrors of Toryism , and int . b--jiitii : 5 of WhiiTgery ! " Ke-sp out the 'Tenea' ami keep ia the Wn-lg ? , wa ? the first , last , and great commandment—the Alpha aad Omega of his creed . He wa ~ succeeded bv another brother big-wig ,
James iioncrieff , Esq , Advocate Depute , who went on in a similar itram , adding some touches a- ~ to the advantage of " cheap bread . " lie was .-ati > - fi-jd " cheap bread" wa 3 a good thing , ar . d so he jnighr , fcr the fees are no ; to be reduced , ana ihtre is not to be " cheap" ia ^ . v . He lauded her M-j ; iy " s Government in uo measured terms ; and couda-eu by Ss . -co :. ding Mr . Criuiuru ' s amendment . T- . v 1 jv-2 which these two Learned Gen : ! er : er ! b- " -ar to her Majesty ' s Government—a love which ! ¦¦ i them
to ddzaebu themselves so far as to acdre-s a pla : L working miu as " Mr . Chairciaa , "' is c-u-iy accounted for , when we inform the Ei'gHih reader that the office ? they at present hold are the fir .-: of a Beries of regular gradations pa .-sed through b \ favoured inilividnals , who iilthnatt-Jy la ^ id <>; i ihe beech . They are in the pay el the Government already , and hope , ere lou ,, to be siili funh-r therein . 2 so wonder they should seei the matt * r ut ' ** Keep in the Whigs" in a more iavourable light . ban did the majoritv of their h arers .
Mr . Lowery replied brieSy . His reply was truly a clincher . The vote was ikken , and a large majority declared for the reso . ucion . The poor big wig ; « luak away wonderfully crest-fallen , wh ; le the Chartists proceeded to give the usual cheers for the Charter , and peaceably dispersed . This victory is the more important than it may at first fight seem . Hitherto , as we hjve already remarked , there was a mifuncerstaudinjj among he Whig party themselves . We defeated the rtp- _ i ; ers , and we defeated the * " Saality'' or " keep in the Whiirs" men , separately ; but io-d 3 y we hive beaten them both united . We have crashed ihe " fiuaiiivrepeai" agitition in the bud ; a- ^ d that most < if / ctnaiiy . Zs ' ever d-d we iab--ar -under such disadvantages—never were we taken at so much unaware ,
and so unfairly treated ; and yet we conqm ivd i Not only so , bu : her Majesty ' s paid servants , those , who hitherto scorned to reco ^ m-e us furtner thin a ; j so maay wild animals , who uniformly 1 < -It the ruo : u i when our chairman look bis seat ; these loroiy -ti-, lows now cendesceud to acknowledge our chairman , to address him as such , and to ab ) de by his decision ! j Let our example be followed by other plai-ei , aii-J j ere long these Whigs * hall see , in reality , what it is ; to want the people . Their defeat must be ail the ; more mortifying that they cannot tai £ of " obnrue- ' tion , '' &c They were heard iairly and fully ; they j thcajseires acknowledged as much ; they had their ablest fpeakers too , and yet they lost ! This wasj their "last k . ck , " and , in attempting it , they have , j to all appearance , broken the limb . j
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TO MB . HETHERINGTON . j DSA . K Sia , —My attention has been directed , by an j acquaintance of mine , to a letter of yours that appeared I is a London newspaper , the Sun , evening edition . ; Much angry feeling is directed towards the ten seeders , i the ReT . W . Hill , and Feargus O'Connor . Wiih ; respect to the latter two gentlemen I leave them to i mtle thtir own acconnt ; but as I am one of the so-1 ceders , I shall taie the liberty of a * klng you , presently , ; fox yoor proof of cut imbecility and cowardice . Before I proceed farther , allow me to say I never attended ! a& out-door Chartist meeting but or . ee / and that was : tt » only time 1 iad tn oppoitonity of being acqu ^ nted : wiih , and then vitkbut one , popular Chartist agitator i -r * B *•«* . I-Jtsow tut yerj f # w Chartists at all , being j
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a poor , blistered-handed , country bumpkin . All men I view as beings equal in the sight of . God ; equal at birth ; and , however vain mortals may claim distinctions through life , death—in defiance of hereditary bubbles and funeral pomp—reduces all , rich and poor , to one common level ; therefore , I worship not man , though I admire some men ' s principles ; adore not riches , though I admit their utility ; nor do I fear any impnfeation which may be hurled at me , either through pitiable ignorance or malignant design . Though conscions of my liability to err in judgment , I have this consolation in reflection : my motives are to search after truth , and endeavour to establish universal jostles for the benefit of the -whole of the human race . You , Sir , I have been led to belieTe , from a few who were personally acquainted with you , are a good , sound politiciin .
When I aaw your name attached to the Lovett , Collins , ice address , I concluded yon , in connection with the rest , desired to effect , through your social kindness and sound reasoning , an amicable adjustment of all differences with all parties who strive to obtain the People ' s Charter , for the general benefit of our coun £ rymen , and to demonstrate the absurdity of indulging in passionate invective , bitter sarcasm , and every angry feeling . You Bhould have had my feeble assistance in your co-operation if such h % d been your intentions . Answer me : Is it so ? Yon commit yeurself in your letter to the Sun in the follewing extract I think Tery little of the social or charitable feeling yon display : —
" Mr . O'Connor is welcome to the few imbecile creatures who signed the address , and then withdrew their names , —do they not require instruction ? When a lime of persecution arrives , who would trust the ten poltroons irho withdrew their names from the admirable address of Lovett , Collins , and others , at the dictation of Feargus O'Connor ? Who could expect victory in any cause with an army of ten thousand such men ? nay , if Mr . O'Connors association outnumbered the army of Xerxes , four or five hundred firm and honest men would defeat the mighty host , if it were composed of such men as the ten seceders . "
I ask , where is the imbecility in suspecting any plan having the marked sanction of the apostate O'Connell ? Are all his movements characterised by strict honesty ? Are not enticing baits laid to entrap the unwary ? Is it an act of imbecility to suspect men ' s honesty—men ¦ whom you know not ? Are all men professing honesty Bincere ? If your motives were g&od , why not submit ysur plan for public inspection—the merits and demerits of which to stand the test of friend and foe , instead of making it a breach of honour to give it to the public and to return the address by return of post ,
lest you drink too deep of its virtues , and become too good and too wise , notwithstanding your consummate wisdom in arranging your plan , and your infallibilty as a social regenerator in condemning persons , some of whom yon know not , as . poltroons , imbeciles , &c , for thinking for themselves , not " bowing to a despot , " as you would have it You , in your letter , let out some honest or true expressions for the public gaze , for what intention I know not Your -wild cant , I think , is to secur * those who have not seceded , and your passionate invective seemes to breathe revenge .
I feel sorry you and I cannot harmonise in our vievrs You are in prison ; I trust your mind has not been poisoned by false statements , and that ere long all honest men will find oat one common road to obtain their rights . If you Buffer bodily for the purpose of raising the sympathies of the people for ptrsonal gain , I h&te the principle , and pity the man ; but if you suffer for principle , or good intentions , and are in any movement actuated from right or mis-directed zeal , I admire your good intentions , and should feel much more acutely for yeur sufferings . In the same light I view all other men—tven O'Connor himself ; therefore , I hope you will see your error in suspecting that I , as one of the ten , bow to a despot , or act upon the dictation of any man , without judging for myself . Your well-wisher , A well-wisher to all mankind , And a primitive Chartist in the cause of human redemption , W . J . OSBOK > E . Abbey-street , Xuneaton .
Ihe Northern Star. Saturday, May 15, 1841.
IHE NORTHERN STAR . SATURDAY , MAY 15 , 1841 .
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MR . JUSTICE PATTESON AND THE PUBLIC . " Xulli vendemus , nulli negalimus , aut differemus , uslitiam vel rectum . We have headed this article " Mr . Justice Pattesos and the public , " because now , that sentence has been passed upon the offenders , we consider the case as regards them ended , the legal maxim being " execution is the end of the law : * ' but not so with the judge . He is a public servant , paid by the public , and for the purpose of doing public justice .
We use the motto of tho Constitution as though we had one : or although every fragment of our Constitution may have been tattered , and though judges , for the present , may commit high offences with impunity , yet it is right Jaud proper that Englishmen should understand what the Constitution professes to guarantee , and in how far the udges are bound to obey it , and how far they do obey it .
Leaving the noble offender and his distinguished associate then wholly out of the question , we speak of Mr . Justico PATr £ S 0 N , a man paraded as a second Justinian , and revered as a saintly judge . We commence by asserting that it wo had a constitution , and if judges were amenable to it , or even io the maxims of law , or rules of common decency , Mr . Justice Patiesos should be impeached for the highest offence that man can commit .
L ^ t us , m addition to the able article in the Weekly Dispatch , upon the subject , begin where our contemporary left off . The Earl and the Captain , mark , the Captain—the commissioned officer whom we pay to fight for us , but not against us , commit a mo 3 t violent , wanton , and outrageous assault upon a policeman in the execution of his duty . The polictman ' s life wa 3 long in danger , and his health , n is said , he will never regain . The culprits plead liuilty . Lord D ^ kman coquets . The press and the public take him to task . The Examiner leaves him not a foot of gTound to stand upon , and literally
proves him guilty of gross prevarication before his brother Peer ? . Public opinion so far triumphs , that law is no : to be sold for money , but Lord Desman is not to be sold by his Peers . The parties are called up for judgment . Lord Denhan , who knew most about the case ia absent , or is silent . Mr . Justice Patteson thinks that too severe a senteLce would be a reflection upon the Chief Justice , who , no doubt , sanctioned a compromise , and therefore Mr . Justice Paiteso . n is satisfied to aliow the matter to remain in as much obscurity a * possible , in order to screen Lord Desman , and throw dust in the eyes of the public .
Now , what does he do 1 The prisoners ( we beg their pardon , the Noble Earl and his friend , ) put in affidavits in extenuation , and in which they state that they were drunk . Noble defence ! Mr . Justice Patteson say 3 this is an aggravation of the offence in a poor man . and of course must be looked upon a . 3 such in a rich man . Will the learned Judge , then , say what the sentence would have been , if not aggravated by this additional offence against law and morality * " But he makes a sad blunder . He says one of vour companions , who was sober , ( a remxrkablo fact ) and who could hare corroborated your testimony , has not made an affidavit .
Now , we ask Mr . Justice Patteson , if the maxim is not that the best evidence capable of being adduced should be brought forward , and we ask if such evidence as that of a sober accomplice would not h-ve been the best which the nature of the case would admit of , and we ask if the sup * presbion or non-production , of such evidence was uot a further ags , Tavatbn of the offence , and an implied acqnie cence of the sober man in the truth of the several allegations with which hi 3 drunken friends stood charged 1
In addition te the cases cited by the Weekly Dispatch of heavy sentences passed upon poor men , for very mitigated offences of the same class , ( assault upon the police . ) let us add one from our own locality . At the last assize ? , at York , three men , Nicholson , Addiman , and Handley , were indicted for an a > sa . ult upon Child , a Leeds policeman , a man that fakes more oaths at each assize and session than all
the rest of the fraternity put together , a man universally despised and hated , but , however , perhaps , undeservedly so ; vre but state facts . Now , what was the case ? Child entered a public-house where Nicholson , Addiman and Handley were drinking ; hecollared Nicholson , without saying a word , and a scuffle ensued . Child being a very powerful man , and too many for his antagonist , Nicholso . n cried out to his companio — " Will you stand by and see me
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murdered , " whereupon a general scuffle took place , and Child got a blow on the arm , which he said wa 3 broke ; but from which he has suffered no bad effect whatever . The three were tried for the assault , ( which i 3 literallystated above , ) were found guilty , and sentenced to pipteen tears transportation . Now , does this require comment , and is there , or is there Dot , the mild spirit of the law for the rich , and ihe black vengeance for the poor !
But , suppose those prisoners had pleaded guilty , would Mr . Baron Rolfb have allowed himself to be blinded by a faulty or defective indictment , provided it was in every way legal , and sufficiently comprehensive to justify the prisoners being put upon trial ? or would the law officers , in the case of the poor men , have left the Judge ia doubt by a defective indictment ? No . But if the indictment had been meagre and scanty , and if the
poor men pleaded guilty , what would have been his Lordship's course ? " Let me see the imfokmation , and I wish to examine the policeman as to the amount of injury he received , and the circumstances under which it was inflicted , as nothing is more necessary than that l the police shall be protected in the execution of their duty ;'" and then his Lordship would have thought it his duty to make an example of the poor men , to deter others from doing likewise .
Now , did Mr . Justico Patteson call for the information ? Did he osk for one word of information , or did counsel for the Crown , as in ordinary cases , assure the court that he thought it his duty , under all the circumstances of the case , and after reading the information , topressfor the very heaviest sentence that the law warranted , as examples must bo made , if the people are expected to obey the laws ? No , not a bit of it . Pooh , pooh , pooh ; its all a thimble-rig from beginning to end . It is not a mere local affection , but a tainted vein running through the whole system . The people have found it out and will soon put an end to it .
That we are not begging the question , let us just show , by contrasting the conduct of Mr . Justice Patteson upon the noble case , with that of Mr . Baron Rolfe upon the poor man ' s case . Upon the same day that the Leeds men were sentenced , Foden , the Chartist , was also sentenced . He pleaded guilty , in the hope of a mitigation of punishment . What did Mr . Baron Rolfb feel himself " compelled by duty to do V Why , to call for the informations and to give him twenty-one months at hard labour .
Let the Chartists take the case of Hoey , Cra btree and Ashton , two years at Wakefield House of Correction , without the slightest riot , outrage , or injury done , and having received the very best of characters , and contrast it with the sentence upon the noble physical force gentlemen , ( no , Nobleman and Captain , we beg pardon , ) six months retirement from the bustle of town . Let our readers understand that the Queen ' s Bench Prison is a miniature town , where there are shops , hotels , public-houses and all sorts of amusement . No restraint whatever . A prisoner can get
splendid apartments for one shilling per week ; he may have his family and friends to Jive with htm ; he may livo as ho pleases , according to his means ; he has apost-oflko in the town , and the only restriction is , that visitors are ordered out , or obliged to remain in if they do not go out , at nine out of term time and ten in term . Prisoners may remain out in town , or in a tavern , all night and every night—may do just as they please in e ? ery respect . Now , compare six months in such a place for a Peer ,
with fifteen years transportation for a poor man , who is obliged to leave his family and hishomc , and , surely , if there is any justification , it is in such cases as we have cited , of resistance to a wellknown ruffian seizing one of three companions , while all must have been excited and ignorant of the provocation ; and , even if death had ensued , provided the valuable life of a bludgeon-man had not been the sacrifice , a verdict of manslaughter and six months' imprisonment would have been the most severe sentence .
L-jt U 3 just look to the affidavits put in by the much-injured nobleman and his' Gallant Friend , in mitigation of punishment . The Noble Lord says ( swears ) as follows : — " That he is informed , and verily believes , that said defendant , William Duff , about this time , and before any violence was done to said Charles John Wkeutley , went away with one other person of said party , and left the place , and proceeded back to Strawberry Hill ; and deponent positively saith , that he did not see him , said William Duff , again , until he overtook him afterwards on the road between Hampton Wick and Strawberry Hill . " Captain Duff swears as follows : —
" That thereupon he heard the said police Serjeant Churchill call out to the said Charles John Wheutley , 1 Take them into custody , ' or words to that effect , and thereupon the said Charles John Wheatley seized the said defendant , Earl Wa ' . degrave , by the collar , and , after a short scuffle , threw him , the taid Earl Waldegrave , down upon the ground . Saith that immediately thereupon , he , deponent , assisted in neltina the said
defendant , Earl Waldegrave , out of ihe hands of the said Charles John Whmlley , and then immediately went away towards Strawberry Hill , on foot , together with another person of the party , and left the place entirely ; and that he , deponent , saw no more of the said Earl Waldegrave , or of the said otber persons who were with him , until they overtook him , deponent , on the road soon afterwards , about a mile on the read between Hampton Wick and Strawberry Hill . "
Now , we ask if yes and no , ( not a lady ' s yes and ne , ) can differ more widely than the oaths of the Noble Peer and his gallant friend » But where was the sober man ? Ah J " there's the rub . " Well , but let us just ask a question . Did Mr . Justice Patteson ask for the informations of the policeman ( and did he read them ? If ho did , ho should be sent for two years to the treadmill , and if he did not , ho should be sent off the Bench . However , as he has failed in the performance of his duty , let us supply the deficiency . Here then , we give the depositions of the
policeman : — " Sergeant Churchill ordered this deponent to look at the fly aad see if there was any name or number on . it . And this deponent went towards the fly with his light for that purpose , when the four persons who had been etaniling by Sergeant Churchill left him and came towards this deponent , and one of thtm gave this deponent a violent shove which almost pushed him to the ground ; that the sergeant then directed this deponent to take that person into custody , and fho deponent did so , and laid hold of him by the collar of the coat , whereupon the other three tried to rescue the prisoner
from this deponent ; and this deponent saith that , in the scuffle , he , ( this deponent . ) and the prisoner fqll to the ground ; and this deponent called out to the sergeant for help , but he was not there Upon this one of the party commenced beating this deponent with a stick over the back part of the head j that the stii k was a sort of walking-stick—a thickish stick ; that when they so beset him this deponent was lying on the ground , still holding the prisoner ; aud this deponent , whilst in that condition , was kicked on the head , and struck repeatedly on the head , and at last the prisoner got away from thiB deponent , leaving one of his boots in this deponent ' s hands . "
Now , we ask but one more question . How would a Chartist have got over scch a deposition ? Answer—By going over soas for his natural life , if he had interest to escape the gallows . This is a shocking affair , and must not be allowed to drop here . No , no , we have suffered already too much from the flagrant partisanship of the Bench , to lose an opportunity of exposing their impartiality and equal administration of the laws .
Let it be remembered also , that Mr . Justice Patteson is perhaps the most upright Judge upon the Bench ; what , then , must the rest be I Ye g « ds ! how is there a poor man alive , beyond the asses , whom the masters require to work their " mules" !
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Now , we would recommend our friend to assemble the Cabinet and read the Northern Star , the Scottish Patriot , tho Dundee Chronicle , and the Bath Chronicle to their high mightinesses for , in thoao journals they will see the popular will fairly and truly reflected ; and if they are in doubt about their position in Ireland , we beg their very best attention to the subjoined article from the Dublin World ; and if we are a&ked why we keep eternally quoting the World upon Irish affairs , our answer is , Because the language of the World soon will be the language of Ireland—of all Ireland , in a very short time ; while we merely value the juggling of the Pilot , tho Evening Post , tho Freeman , and the provincial scribes as the rattles in the dying man ' s throat .
Corruption m Ireland is in a consumption , and the World speaks the language which , ere long , will be considered as far too mild , while the resuscitated old quacks will try to " kick the World before them . " But we trust , as our friend has got the lead , he will keep it , for assuredly his day will soon come , when the apostates will hide their heads for very shame , and when poor Barbatt will add another inch to his shirt collar ( at the expence of his back ) to hide his blushes . The World says : —
" With anxious solicitude d » we watch the growing nnpopularity of the Downing-street tricksters ; and much does it comfort us to perceive that here , where their fraud has been too long practised with , success , their deception ia now beginning to be detected , and greeted with well-merited disgust It was necessary that this opinion should become general before any change for the better could be hoped for , and we spared no pains to bring home conviction . For many a day were we . viewed with an eye of suspicion , aB not
being the sort of hack journal required , which would play fast and loose—be boisterous or dumb just as it suited the convenience of a few individuals—so we were accordingly set down in private as dangerous and impracticable . This never had any effect upon us , and we proceeded to expose error and chronicle truth , until day by day disciples were nocking to us acknowledging with penitent tears , their blindness and obstinacy . Rejoiced are we to-day to permit a stray sheep , the Tipperary Free Press , thus to renounce ita allegiance to Whiggery .
The Free Press says : — " But we must not forget that the avowal , and the principles so loosely thrown aside , had reference only to Ireland . That makes a serious difference ; and hence , we believe the calculation on impunity . The Government must have felt that having betrayed the Irish , and having commanded , notwithstanding , their support , the rest of the world would be indifferent about a matter which simply concerned a race so insensible to their own honour or shame . They
were right—at least our more recent history but too slavishly justifies their daring hope . The feeling is by no means new . It is not a misshapen abortion—the offspring © f the defeat , and disgrao of those later times . It was avowed and acted upon in the palmiest days of WhiggiBru . Who does not reiuomoe ? Mr . Macaulay ' a famous apology for the Coercion Bill ? And who does not shudder to remember also that it is to him , and such as he , the Irish people have been unreservedly trusting since ?
" What think yon of that , llast « r Pigot—and coming from my backer , too ? But worse remains behind , ' and we must let you have another taste : — " At present there ia among ua a nondescript , ' neither fish , nor flesh , nor red herring , ' whose love of place , or vain glory , has absorbed the national character . Ask them what is to be done now—they still answer , keep in the Ministers . To bo sure keep in the Ministers , and keep out principle . Batray yourself lest a Tory juilge would pocket £ 5 , 000 a-year , and now and
again bewray his own nest These people have innumerablo ' wise saws' and very apposite apothegms . Take care , they say , lest you pluck a rod to scourge yourselves . Excellent philosophy ! and we must ensure a self-inflicted fligollation every day in the year , for fear of some imaginary scourging from our enemies T ^ ius it is , like cowards who die daily to avoid what must come at last , and what the brave but once feel , we suffer the torture which we shrink from ; pooh I the scourge they dread is the pang of baffled ambition .
What trouble had it not cost us to inculcate such sound political doctrines * Havo we not been employed lashing these " nondescripts , " and exposing the folly of the selfish advice which recommended tho keeping out tho Tori , a , that place-hunting barristers might be converted into judges . We will now step from the south to the west , and hear what the Custlebar Te ' eiiruph has to say . Bitterly anti-Ministerial is our Liberal Connaught contemporary , as this sample will prove : — Frum the Castlcbar Telegraph— " The ministers are
highly culpable for the inconsistent , timid , and shuf-Uiug part which they played throughout this farce , a ; id ( ieaervo no longer to receive at tbe hands of the Irish people that cordial support which has been over renilereid them . It has been urged that their apparent truckling conduct ia solely attributable to their over anxiety to effect a settlement of the franchiso question . This is the sheerest nonsense , and we promiso the ministerial prints that it will prove rather nauseous for the people uf the western province to swallow . We now use in vivitl colours what chance we have of equal justice and equal rights . "
Wo leavo Conway . of tho Evening Post , to try conclusions with tho Casllebur Telegraph , and penetrate into Ulster . From the Newry Examiner , — " Hitherto we derived the weight of our argunu nt « for Repeal of tbe Union from tho strength of Tory hostility to Irish rights in the Imperial Parliament . But we regret to say , we are now furnished with nn additional argument in the bungling imbecility of a Whig Ministry , to which Ireland has hitherto looked for friendship and ussislance . " Do wo need any additional evidence of Ministerial unpopularity?—World .
The World , in conclusion , asks : — " Do we need any additional evidence of Ministerial unpopularity V We answer , "No . " We do not , neither does the World ; bui yet , must not the World , though self-satisfied , relax in its efforts to inculcate the wholesome truth . Let any person now take our paper of last week , and read from i t our opinion as to the effect likely to be produced in Irelaud by the " New Move , " compare it with the sentiments expressed in the most li bcral Dublin pa pa r , and the three provincial journals , heretofore most blind in Whig worship . The Free Press , Castlebar Telegraph , and Newry Examiner , are the most out and out thorough-going Catholic papers ia Ireland . Pigot is Member for Cionmul in the county of Tipperary , a Catholic , and Attorney General to the Whigs , and was the pet of the Free Press . Is this not conversion then with a
vengeaucj ? As Ireland must bo our battle ground , should the Tories come in and dare to oppress the Irish , it is indispensible that a good understanding should exist between the two countries ; aud , in order to effect so desirable an object , it is all-important that the English people should court a close alliance with their Irish brethren . This can only be effected by the press . Let every association , then , at once make arrangements for pushing the World . It has the most extensive provincial news of any Irish paper—it is the only one upon which the English and the Irish in England can depend . Let it be made tho medium of communication between us . We must have Irelaud . We will have Ireland
We half have Ireland already , and , when our Union is complete , then hurrah for the Charter , and no mistake !
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" THE DEVIL TO PAY . " Since our last tho £ amo has been kept up in the national hell with gnat spirit ; since Little John set his heavy stakes on Fi-kay down to the fatal declaration— " the caster is out . " The Chronicle calls Lord John ' s speech a most " statesman like tpeuoh . " If so , what do wo deserve , who predicted every topic in the said statesmanlike speech ? In our last , we explained to our John Bull readers the whys and the wherefores of the new Ministerial move . In doing fo , we charged them especially , with sudden conversion , forced by self interest , aud not by conviction . Let us see how the apologists of the Noble Premier upon his part , and Lord John upon his ovrn part , meet and combat this grave charge .
The Examiner , and others of Lord Melbourne ' s apologists , thinking but little of the business habits , attention to circumstances or knowledge of facts , would defend the Pieniier ' s right to be inconsistent at the expenco of the Premier ' s judgment . In fact , the Examiner is quite content to write his Noble Client down for a-fool , in order to justify his right to change according to emergency . The Examiner says that Lord Melbourne knew absolutely nothing of what was passing ; was wholly ignorant of the effeot of his policy upon the general interest of the nation , until a sudden flash dissolved his ignorance , aad , » t oace , and ns ir bj ma ^ ic , opened hia eyes ,
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not only to the only resource , but even ; to the only one which he had denounced . Thus has the client been saoriiiced to the malicious ingennity of his counsel ; his folly made palpable in order to place his inconsistency in relief . But what say 3 Simon Pure ( Bajung ) upon the subject , which , as it formed the basis of bis new commercial edifice , and which , as it was to be , not a mere sporting lodge , but a permanent residence ,
should have occupied his every moment of time What says he about the maturity of the plan 1 Mum —nothing ; only that it was problematical , and he takes £ 900 , 000 for £ 700 , 000 , and £ 750 , 000 for £ 600 , 000 ; and the Corn Law , at a venture , he estimates at £ 400 , 000 . But all is problematical , and Exchequer Bills are to be the last resource—the Whig reserve . Baring doesn ' t say a word about his progressive conversion to this his own plan ; not a word .
But what says the real Simon Pure ! ( Lord John . ) Why , he says , " I deny that we have brought our measure forward either hastily or from sudden conversion . No , we informed the country of it as early as March last , and if you don ' t believe me , you may write to his Excellency , the Governor General of Canada ; but , indeed , I have all his answers to my announcements , and highly approving of our project call you that secre&y ! Call you that withholding the facts from the public f" ( Loud cheers . ) Now , let us see if there ia one word of certainty in the letter referred to by the Noble Lord , and which he considers as ample notice to the English public , a copy of which Lord Sidenham , the Governor General , has kindly transmitted to our office , - and which runs thus : —
" Dear Siody , —I merely add a word personal to the long public communication herewith sent . We are in a pretty considerable tarnation kind of a pucker on this side of the water . How goes on the honeymoney" between your two new wed provinces ? Do they begin to scratch yet ? " We have tried everything this Session , and will , I fear , ultimately be driven to the necessity of adopting a bit of commercial liberality . D ^ n ' a tail is worn to the ., " We got up a very good round between Peel and Stanley , but the precarious state of Lord Derby's health deprived the plan of its chief merit—it caused no split
" W e are very short ef cash , and should we appear to sacrifice your subjects in our new project , not yet jnatured , you must convince them of its beneficial effects , and that it is merely preparatory to a grand commercial stroke , consequent upon your recommendation , and to terminate in their complete freedom . " Pal has come off with flying colours , but the shot has to be paid , and Baring knows not where to get the needful ' " Morpeth has baited the trap for Ireland , and we mean to bait it for England , so don't be astonished if the very air should resound with our liberality .
" We shall not propose anything sudden , startling , or outrageous , if we can do without it ; but every effort , you may rely upon it , shall be resorted t » before we commit the best interests of the country to Tory bands —be ready , therefore . Our plan is to place thorns in their road at home ; and as you observe the clouds to thicken , prepare all your combustible elements for a 1 flake up' the moment we are out and you' are gone . " I BtUl ait between Sir John and Little Dick , who sometimes speak across me , and who smell , as usual , strong of the crater .
" Mac has become heavy ; Pal too conceited to work ; Baring ia going to be married ; and only thinks how he can make both enda meet . So that I stand the whole brunt of battle . " Ever , Dear Siddy , ' Yours , "J . Russell . " Now , is there one word of information even in the foregoing letter to Dear Siddy ! Well , since the new project has been propounded , we have heard of nothing but the liberality of the Ministers , who have incurred a debt which the nation is not able to pay . The " liberal press" has put forth its full energy—the Chronicle in town , and our neighbour , the Mercury , in the country ; and let us see what it all comes to .
The Chronicle mouths and mouths away all about nothing ; while the Mercury has actually a rhapsody on sugar—a song to the tune of" O , tia time , 'tis time , 'tis time . " The Mercury enumerates scores of grievances , one and all of which were to have been removed by the Reform Bill , but each of which has been considerably increased since its enactment , and * then the Mereury asks , " Is it not time to do this , and that , and the other thing 1 " Yea , verily , in faith it is ! and Mr . Baines and his associates having failed to do those things which they so lustily promised , it is now high time that they cut their stick , and allow others to perform the work .
But the Mercury , not satisfied with tho dull colouring which his best prose could give to the picture , flies into poetic raptures upon the loveliness of sugar . " Tired nature ' s sweet restorer , balmy sweet . " " O sugar ! thou solace of the toil-worn slave . O sugar ! thou refiner of morals , sweetner of tea , and substitute for fermented liquor . O sugar I thou moral instructor—fchou sober man ' s charm—thou drunkard ' s reclaimer . O sugar ! what is life without thee ? What is life but sugar , and what is sugar but the fullest enjoyment of life V Such are a few of our friends' encomiums upon the sweets of life ; while tho blundering , prosy , old Grunticle tells us flat , at once , that " sugar is the sjveeJuer of life . "
Well , but are not these sudden discoveries so many grave charges against the men who allowed our Hve 3 to be so long soured and our morals destroyed for want of this " nature's sweet restorer ?" Buc lot us see how the matter stands . Our government , our " retrenching , " " reforming" government , did , in tho first place , create so many placemen , commissioners , and other idlers as to put us in debt . The salaries of almost the entire of the governing staff , legislative , judidicial , and administrative , have either been raised , or stand at war price ; while the said staff can purchase , for their fixed salaries , fust
five times as much of the poor man ' s labour as they could formerly ; and what is the new scheme , if successful , to do for them in audition 1 Why , to reduce the price of their nlcessames of life , thereby increasing their incomes still further / while , to pay them , labour must be correspondingly depressed . Yes , timber and sugar are necessaries to the rioh , but mere luxuries to the poor . Nay , timber is a thing not at ail in use with them , and if the whole duty was taken of tomorrow , not an operative in Manchester , or Leeds , or in any other town in the kingdom , not even in Bolton , upon whose sufferings tho Noble Lord is bo pathetic , not one , we say , would pay the fraction of a fraction per year , or per week less for his room , his hovel , or his sty ; while , if the experiment caused a defalcation in the
revenue , which is more than probable , the wealthy would have all the benefit of cheap houses , while the poor would be called upon to supply tho deficiency . The upper and middle classes would save millions annually by a reduction upon sugar , while the poor would not drink a cup of tea cheape , and if a defalcation took place , the poor must make good that , as well as all other deficiencies . The poor , sajs a master , how ! The poor pay no taxes . Yea , but they do , all and every tax ; and , as we have before proved , 400 per cent , for your direct liability Every master whose taxes are increased £ 200 annually , reduces his labourers by £ 1 , 000 annually . To the timber scheme , therefore , we eay "fudge , " to the sugar plum , " bother , " and to the corn scheme , " flummery . "
Now , did the old dabs of 1832 imagine that Britons , deceived upon the question of the Suffrage , could be enlisted with a sugar-plum , and by the old faction , too ? Well , but it would appear , from certain hints , that there was another last resource in the bed chamber , and that Sir Robeet had got a very significant note , headed" Indeed then you shan't come under my dimity . Indeed then you shan't , nor into my room . ' Now , just one word as regards this refuge for the destitute Minister . We would implore him' nut to embark the Queen in his forlorn project . Wet would pray of him to spare her who has , hitherto , been
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a victim to his art , and , in time , admonish him to attempt to sacrifice her to his lust for ^ * " * love of ease , and vanity . Let her , at least , € = Z ?' for although we believe our Premier to be ' the v reverse of the character given to Mueat by ij ? leon , looking npon him as a lion in the CaW but a woman in the field , we do yet trust that if J . have nothing to expect from his honour , we m ? rely upon his want of courage . We tell him that th . people will not stand a second 6 ed- chamber pi , » We tell him that while all allowance would U made for youth , inexperience , and sex , that m mercy will be shewn to hoary vice and systematk delusion .
If the Queen require a jester , let her have one by all means ; but not in the person of her confidentS adviser and the nation's servant . The Queen ' young . So was Mary . The Queen it a woman . , % teas Mary . The Queen is young . So tea * Lady jan Grey . The Queen is a woman . So was Lady j Grey . The Queen is a urife . So was Ha&bt ' i Queen Anne . The nation has stood much , bat will not ataad much more , therefore we say , beware , my Lord how you tempt the enraged people iu so delicate i point as an endeavour to allay national impulse b > artful simulation . It did succeed once , and , triumphed . " But , one snch victory more and you are undone . " Remember Steaffokd and Bcckinq . ham , and many others .
The nation is out at the elbows , and the people are out of sorts . The Ministers risked a he&n stake and have " thrown out . " They will , of course appeal to the country , rather than quit office that appeal has been treated , as coming frem such j quarter it richly merited , with scorn and contempttheir mercy is looked npon as cowardice—tl ^ justice as caprice . No reply to the Nobto Lori' ,
invitation to meet and back us . Every meeting since held , has been defeated by the Chartists—the only powerful party in the State . With them ti » question now is , not who shall rule us , bat which of the factions shall ve use to destroy ita rivalt and echo has everywhere answered , "Downjdomi down with the base , brutal and bloodiest first , and ' see what effect the example will have upon those who come after . "
As we predicted , the Whigs glory in their villany and in the people ' s ruin . They say , " Wehavemade a job for whoever comes after us . " Th « y have in truth ; but they have prepared the country , at the same time , for the worst . Thus matters stand , while the debate drags ita slow length slowly on , thanks to Daddy Bboihkbton , to whom the Whigs now feel grateful . Yet , verily , they remind us of the infidel , who , upon going to be hung , when asked by the chapliin how long he would wish him to pray , answered , " O , for ever , your Reverence . '" Now , we believe
little John and his backers would talk from quarter day to quarter day , if they could only insure " the thing , you know , " at the end . Well , poor Chronidt is making the most of the short time allotted to him on this side the Treasury . Liverpool is the world , and the good folk of that town met a week since , and appear to have continued their deliberation for seven long days , without even aa adjournment . But , alas , a sea port is no place to muster effective " out pressure , " and Liverpool is
not England . Now if they could hare got Manchester , then indeed ! But Kendal ! They have got Kendal . In the outset , the Grunticle showed us the o at ' s paw , and in his Terj last number he has let the whole cat out of the bag . In fact , his columns have of late becomj anything but prison bars , and all the secrets of the prison houEe have escaped through the open space . Now , wo pray the attention of our readers to the following facts : —
In our last , we gave four bars from the Chronicle ' s first tune , and now we give the following from hii last stanza : — He says , " Once more we say let the national creditor watch the conduct of the Tories at the present crisis as he values his property . " Now , what say our readers ? and let it be borne ia mind , that we are now engaged in a mere comparison of evils . The Chronicle commences his articiabj reminding us that they ( the people ) owe £ 2 , 400 , 000 for the present year , and then asks . call you that nothing ! is that a bagatelle ? says Old Grunticle . Whj , « to apish old ass , it is every thing ; and who but the Whip thought it a bagatelle 1 but who made us owe it and how is it proposed to be paid ?
Now , observe , we long since said that tne consideration of Peel ' s Bill , the adjustment of the fuaded debt , should have been the preliminary question with the " Plague , " had they been Bincere in their professions . Now , what says the Chronicle ! Why , in language as plain as the poor thing is master of ; just this :-FUND LORDS BEWARE IF PEEL COMES IN , HE WILL PAY THE £ 2 400 , 000 BY A TAX ON YOUR PROPERTY ,
Now , if the £ 2400 , 000 must bo paid , by no possibility can it be paid by any of the Whig schemes , otherwise than by a tax upon labour ; and , inasmuch as funded property has been increased almost beyond calculation , at the expence of labour , and inasmuch as it is the only property which can be taxed directly , without the proprietors making labour indirectly answerable , as fundlords employ no operatives , we say for these
reasons let the over-gorged disgorge for "& > £ STATE necesssity , £ 2 , 400 , 000 for ihe present . The foolish Chronicle , supposing that the white dare owners were sure upon an emergency , has thus thrown out a feeler for another class of Whig ¦ supporters , but the feeler will so tickle poor Johnny as to make him burst his side 3 with laughter at the Grunticle ' s folly . Will no one fly fc > the rescue , and save these poor Whigs , from leading journals and Scotch advocates !
We hope to announce that the " Caster hasthrown out"in ournext . Down with the"Woorf ««/'»» dharrafl for the Nottingham Chartists ? In all schemes for making hasty plugs to stop awkward holes ; bear mind that thepenny postage saved a miUioii snnuauj to the merchant ! , traders , and bankers , and that yo are called upon to pay two millions annually m thereaf . We say two millions , because Whigs alw&y measure the people ' s debts by 40 s . in the poona . Hurrah fob Nottingham , and down with
" Bloodies !" Hurrah for Nottingham ! i s now our watchword , and down with the BLOODIES I" fa oar wr ry . Campbell walks out of Edinburgh at all e «* and we have received many , very many . mtima of resolution to pay the Whigs in kind upoa ^ first opportunity . We understand Mr . » » ^ not again offer himself for Leeds , and we £ him he will not ' be again offeeed fob b ? a * Off he goes , and no mistake .
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THE " MORNING CHRONICLE" AND THE " STAR . ' ' For the last week , the face of our old friend has been * covered , nay , nearly obscured , by beauty spots front the country , and even from Ireland . Every sill / word written by " beardless boss" and ignorant brAts , has been paraded as a sort of threat to the -Tories and a balm to the Whigs .
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"NEW MOVE . " We give , in our present nnmber ,. several taW * J and elaborately-written letters by *»? »* * JJ in justification of their signing the M ^ docament . The country will give ^ to jw" weight of consideration as may be " s have received numerous other letters ^ tJ to Fkaboi's 0 'Co » nok and ou rselves , ^^ of the - New Move » , nd of all who £ ** . connexion with it-some of them expr V , h 4 Te , et guage of a warmer charaater than any w ^ inserted . We think the question has now ^ ^ ficiently argued . The opinion of the « T » J of to be mistaken , and the ¦ * *^ > lds Mr . O'Connor , which , in our V *** *™ robJ bly forth the olive branch , will be «*>? **** insufficient to justify our non-inseruon oi r si )] u . vidual communications on the subject . ^^ tions of the people expressed at put md will , of course , always command our atte respect .
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_ 4 THE NORTHERN STAR ,
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), May 15, 1841, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct855/page/4/
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