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THE NOUTHEEN STAB, SATURDAY, MARCH 2», 1843.
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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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10 THB CHABTISTS OF LEEDS A ND ITSj Y 1 C 1 N 1 TY . Wx Yxiskvb , —The trials fioTe terminated and I « a acqiutUa . This is not the lot of all , » d in conseenence a solean duty devolves npon us . The faming rf Borne , who have been on « ome paltry pretence found « ulty , will mffer much unless proper funds be at once |* ov > ded . Thank God , I seed not t ° b ^ &r myseH lol can So so tUemore boldly . I shall deem » my duty , ana I Gnni it the duty of all who have been acquitted , to aid the defence fond as much « P <* f J * On Saturday weekl shall be in Leeds , find shall be most happy to deliver one or two lectures at any place -within ire mfles . The whole proceeds of such lectnrea to ro to the defence fund , providing that the application to me be made throngb the sub-Secretaries during tke first t-weeks of April
wo , __ - _ Lei us bp and 1 ) 9 doing J The canse must not suffer , ana Ihe enemies of right must not boast that the people baTe left their Mend * to suffer and their families to starre . I am , yours , In the good cause , T . B . Smith . ¦ London , March 21 , 1 SJ 3 .
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^^ - ^ ~~—EXTBAORDINARY CASE . Bsightos , Mas . 17—An inquest -was held this morning , before Sir . Gall , coroner for Esst Sussex , at the Sussex County Hospital , on the body of- Hannah Dale a servant at the synagegue in Devonshire-place , whose death took place by poison yssterday momiEg . The first -witness called "was Sarah Rental , wife of ileyer Rental , v ? ho lives in London . She deposed , that she lives with hex son , Moses Bentel , reader of the » ynagojrue , and the deceased was their Bervant On " Wednesday evening the * ieee 3 sed talked about a -weed that grew in the hedges and was known locally by the name of " lords and ladies , " -which was poison . She ¦ went to bed at half-past nine o'clock , taking the cat as usual , vrith her . She slept down stairs in the kitchen .
In the Eiorning , her son came to her room and told her the fire was not lighted , and that the -deceased was not no . He then Trent into tbe synagogue and she got np and called geeessed ; and , obtaining no answer , she Eiade the fire herself and prepared eafitja ^ On he * . eon returning from tbe synagogue and finding that the servant "was atSl 3 n bed , he vrsnt to the door and called , and receiving no answer forced thft door open , and then ran for a doctor . Witness , her son , and the girl were the only persons living at tie synagogue . There was 20 poison in the house , nor any medicine which could have poisoned her . She went out to see "her parents on Tnssdsy evening , and < JM not return till half-past
nine o ' clock . She had never stayed out bo late before . 3 ioses Benfcel , the reader , deposed" to calling tbe girl vitbent getting an answer both before and after he irent inte the synagogue , and to forcing the kitchen door open . Ha then 8 aw the ^ irl in beQ , with her face ¦ very red , and her mouth discoloured . "He ran to Edward-street and fetched Mr . Candle , a surgeon , who returned with him , ¦• nil said the girl appeared to have taken poison . He then saw the cat lying dead on the fiswr . A short time altersrarfia Mr . Whitehonse came in , and by bis advice the girl was at once taken to the hospital . He iiad no particular animosity against the cat , and had so poison abont the house .
Mr . B O . W . Wbitehouse , surgeon , deposed to finding Ehe girl at the Bynagague with the pupils of the eye very much dilated , Xb . % countenance and the eyes suffused , and respiration and circulation hurried . Around the month was a -white mark , which arose from some ebalk and watsr administered as an antidote by Mr . Candle . After ta removal to the hospital be examined the room thoroughly . He first saw a dead cat , which had vomited . There Trere alao ttihtVh of vomiting on the girl ' s pillow . He examined her clothes , and found nothing except a Email piece of ueist cake in her pocket He could see no paper , or bottle , or anything else indicating the presence of poison . Tbe boiler was open , and be ordered some of the water to be taken
out for examination . He made a post ifwrltm' txamin-&tion of th « eat , " bat discovered jio Biorbid appearance in the stomach , nor any inflammation 'which could lead to a supposition that poison *""^ been taken—at least my mineral poison . He had since had a portion of the content ! of the Btomach , brought np by the stomachpump , seat to him from the hospital ; asd he produced the contents of the stomach from * past mortem examination which he had just made . He had analysed five different substar ces—the contents of the stomach of the cat , the vomiting on tbe girl's pillow , the contents ot he ? stomach hrooght up by the pomp , the contents ot the stomach post mortem , and the water in the- boiler , and could find no trace of any corrosive or mineral poison , All tbe results were negative .
Coroner —?» ow , let us go to the post mortem exnmfnntaoB of the body . Witness—We first yTymiwpa the brain , the vessels « f which were congested , the blood being more fluid th 3 u usual , and a small quantity of serum infused be * tv ° *»> the in unbraces . The anuses were also gorged ¦ with blood . Tbe esophagus and zWmach presented no -unusual feature . The contents of the stomach are here . There is a considerable quantity of dirty whitish sediment in them , which would require farther . analysis kef are he could give an opinion upon it . The condition of the brain indicated that tbere hid been * narcotic poison , if there bad been poison at alL Coroner—Hire you formed as opinion as to the cause « f death ?
Witness—No-, I have not even satisfied myBelf that poison has been taken , although the circumstances lead that way . I bare applied tests for all the mineral poison * . 32 »» -vegwioUe poison * jlt » < UffleoH to detect . The Jury agreed to adjourn , in order to allow time for a further analysis to take place , and Mr . Whitehouse said he should like to call in the assistance of Jtev Schweitzsr , -of the German Spa , who had devoted sanek attention to vegetable snaJyaea . Ml . George Lovdell , honse-surgeon to the boepiial , deposed to the deceased having died in an hour and a half after her admission to tbe hospital , and to bis concurrence in the evidence of Mr . Whitehouse as to the result of the vosi vtorieix examination .
Charlotte Fielder , a girl eleven years of age , deposed , that on Monday last she saw the deceased , who cried to her , and said " they bad just bad & dreadful row , soi that the sob ( the reader ) had knocked her ' about " She said he had knocked her down on tbe stairs , when she caught hold of the rails to save herself , and he Baid she deserved to be poisoned . She had heard deceased complain several times before of being ill-treated by her master and mistress . Witness did not mention anything about the tbrest to poison deceased till she heard she vu dsad . The mother of deceased , two of hez sisters ' , a companion , sad some neighbours , all deposed to having beard the deceased frequently complain that her master ^¦ nfl mistresaiad either Hl-ossd her in various -ways or -threatened to do so . One of them swore that deceased JiaA told hpr ?*»»<• ¦ ier T"n * f «" had threatened , to " do " for her , lor studding Has cat in . question £ ron » Ms illusage .
The jury deliberated with , closed doors for about half an hour , when an adjournment took place to Sunday ; and the coroner issued his warrant for the apprehension of Closes Bentel , the . reader , and his mother , to -wait the result of the inquest They are now in custody .
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ADDRESS TO THE WORKING MEN OF ENGLAND , AND MOKE PARTICITLABLT THE MANUFACTURING OPERATIVES . Mt Distressed Bb . exhb . en , —To relieve the depression on trade effectually , you must become farmpw and producers of food for yourselves : Ton must unite In co-operative communities and be located on hitherto uncultivated , unreclaimed , and unappropiated , or on tbe uselessly eecupied and unprodnctively appropriated soils of the land .
They who now monopolize tbe soil must be compelled Jjj law , not to disgorge their anhalloTred illgotten prey , but to let to you a part of their immensa domains at reasonable rent charges , to be under the guidance , management , and direction of efficient committees , treasurers and secretaries , selected from amongst yourselves and your more wealthy friends , according to a plan to be proposed and approved . Heed not the professions or arguments of tbe huruv nitJ-mongeriBg over-g&rged capitalists and the other tafiiekera and traders , and unholy sppropriators of the fruits of your tofl and genius , tie Free Trade tribe . If their favourite nostrum , the further extension of commerce , mean * the farther extension of the accursed , the horrible , depraving and emaciating factory slave system , I entreat yon to spurn it .
The working of machinery lor the x « jdai benefit OP ALL WOXIID DO "WSlLj bat the * y » tem as it is in reality ,-working only for tbe benefit of a mere crafty monopolizing section of the community , prodncing tbem princely fortunes ; enabling them to erect superb aausions and maintain costly establishments ; and all at tbe price of jour liberty , your morals , your health , 3 say f V * oniT « y existence—it is bad . " Trust no more to this system for your daily bread but endeavour to -work for yourselves in convenient bodies
. You may , indeed , us * machinery ( if necessary ) SZ v ^ £ T ^ *«*»« «™ Ttat tSSua ? ttzs ^ tt £ 5 B andniment 1 you will then , toIfhiT bSSe beaUto aaa athlebc , andia time , iadepandent , and noS tiane as you are , poor , Wanted fa ^^ inSv Half-fed , half-dad , honsebss , homaJ ^ 'JZZ *' t ^ ted beings , toe mere a ^ eTS" Jg * 3
^^ to / Bto ^ nB system , murt of aeeess ^ y be destroyed . The reasons are obvious , and by acting on Ha principles of -this address , yon will aiost eflodaiallyMpeal'tba Com Law « , as you "Wfll Heed no corn of foreign growth . The further extension of our present foreign commerce means the farther ihere&sa ot profit to the profit-mongers ; not the further increase of the comforts of the trorkies , or even relief from their present der . ituHon and wretchedness , J > uring the last thirty years , or Store , our foreign commerce , or exports have been
SBcreaeins , - whilst the wages of tie opeiatiYai hava been gj&doaHy decreasing ; and , at present , improveajeata ia machinery me prograsiisg at railway speed ,
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on the Belf-actlng principle , bo that , shortly , eb regards manufacturing operations and processes , and even those of the mechanics , manual labonr will be in a great measure annihilated aud snperceeded ; therefore , you see , yenr case ia without a remedy , except from the land , the land . Tout true friend , A REFORMER GROWING GREY IN THB CAUSE . Kendal , Feb . 601 , 1843 .
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TO THE CHARTISTS OF BOLTON AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD . Bbotheb Chartists , —Owing to the depressed state of trade in this town , together -with the low rate of wagea received by \ he operatives , thB funds of the Association have been materially injured . The Council have therefore determined to commence selling the Northern Star , and other Chartist publications , the profits upon which will be solely appropriated to the spreading of Chartism . They therefore respectfully call upon their brother Chartists to assist them in an undertaking which , while it -trill incur no additional expenditure , will be the means of considerably augmenting tbe income .
There are , we believe , about five hundred copies of the northern Star circulated in the neighbourhood , the profits upon which , if devoted exclusively to the purpurposes of the Association , would enable ns to push the agitation into tbe surrounding villages , as well as defraying tbe incidental txpenees conntcted with the room we now occupy as a place of meeting ; but if two hundred copies were taken from the Association , the proceeds arising from them wonld enable us to push the movement in this town without being necessitated to appeal to the starving hand-loom weavers and factory operatives to contribute out of the scanty pittance which they receive , in the shape of wages , to cany on a movement which can alone elevate their moral , social , and political condition ,
We hope , therefore , that those Chartists who do take in the Star will favour Mr . J . Sullivan , boot and shoe-maker , Moot-street , Great Bolton , with their orders , that gentleman having kindly undertaken the trouble connected with tkeir delivery free of expence , and will most religiously appropriate tbe profits to tbe purposes before mentioned . Bt Order ow the Council .
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THE GOVERNMENT FACTORY BILL . Evbbt general principle of misrnle produces in operation , particular effects , which press heavily od those against whose interests the rule operates , Tbi 3 pressure induces frequently an effort , by the superficial , to deal with tbe effects , and cure them , as if they were the malady of which they are but the symptoms . The experienced and skilful physician does not thus waste his energies . He directs hie efforts to the extirpation of the cause -trhioh gives birth to them ; while at the same time he omits no necessary attention to such measures of amelioration as may alleviate the present snfferings of his patient while the cure is going on . So , the
experienced , skilful , and deep thinking politician who finds the whole system of Society so out of all natural course and order that its several parts groan with agony , stops not to battle seriously with each particular grievance , but applies his active powers , in all ways which can render them effective , to tbe removal of the grand-producing caase . But though his age be laid to the root only of the foul tree of corruption , he yet seiiefl every opportunity which may present itself , during the process , of removing excrescences from the surface , or of alleviating the injurious operations of the system in any given and particular direction—provided that such alleviation of symptoms do not tend to the actual increase of the malady .
Upon this principle we have through our entire career pointed the people to the fact that to grapple , as a substantive grievance and ground of agitation , with the resp « ctive evils of tbe system as exhibited in Factory Labour , in Poor Law BaEtilea , in Prison Discipline , in Currency Frauds , or in any othe * of its many forms , was idle , while the grand principlethe cause of all these mischiefs—class legislation , was sull in operation . Hence , that united spirit of resistance to all crotchet agitations which the people now exhibit , knd in which is our hope of their political redemption . But while we would carefully
foster this looking to first principles ; for tbe Radical cure of our evils we would by all means lay hold of every help thereto in the shape of the smallest alleviation of present suffering which do « a not in operation strengthen the bonds of evil Hence our advocacy of temperance ; by which tbe little that is left to the labourer may be so husbanded as to afford him as much of comfort as can be extracted from it . Hence our advocacy of extended education and intellectual culture ; by which the working man comes to know something of the framework of society , and to understand what are his
rights , as a first step towards the assertion of them , and from which he also gathers , eren in his poverty , many hoars of precious enjoyment which the oppressor cannot take from him . These are alleviations of present Buffering which , while they in some degree obviate suffering , give no increased power to tyranny . And for the same reason that we rejoice in these , we rejoice also in tbe enactments which pnblic opinion has wrung from the Legislature on the subject of infant labour in factories . Erery step taken for the abatement of this horrid nuisance is a step in the right direction—a step towards regaining
the natural position of society , in which men , not women and caildren s should be its labourers . We care not , if even the result threatened by our neighbour Mercury should follow ; that protection to the infant Blaves induce the masters to discard them altogether and substitute thorn by machinery . That in the end will be a good : for it will give an additional and mighty impetus to that power , bv tbe exercise of which machinery will be yet made what it ought to be , a general blessing , because working for the general benefit , not as now for individual aggrandizement . Eagerly , therefore , and
thankfully uo we receive from whatever quarter any extension of the protection ef the law to factory workers ; and that not lees upon political than moral and humane considerations . The present Factory Act—though conceived in fraud and brought forth by villany—though intended to be a failure , and to sicken the people of factory legislationthough riddled through and through with loopholes for the escape of delinquents—and though purposely made as vexatious as possible in its operation—has yet been a great good . It has relieved much suffering and prevented much cruelty
to the helpless ones over whom its authors were compelled , unwillingly , to stretch it as a shield . The Goi eminent Bill now before the Houbo of Common 3 is , in many respects , an improvement on it . We say nothing of the motives which may have induced the bringing out of this BUI just now . We think we have a shrewd gness at them ; but let them pass ; there are good points in the Bill and we hope the enemies of labour may not be abb either to defeat or cripple it . The have taken the alarm ; their trusty watchman ** Neddy" has sounded the war-cry . HiB " pal" of the
Noncon-& formist whi ch we have just received , echoes it in a most piously mendacious strain of fustian , appeals franticly to all the worst feelings of raving fanaticism , and declares that" the operation of this Bill , " Trill , withia one generation , " " extinguish civil and religions liberty ; Great Britain will be ridden over from end to end , by Nobles , 'Squires and Priests ; and darkness , worse than Egyptian , will avpeT ' vene" ! Tbe creatures of dissenting and millocrat yower and piety in the H Hon . se" will ot conrse follow in the train . Some signs tff opposition have been already manifested ; and it m » j be expeoted that the Bill will be contested .
We gave a detail of the leading provisions of this Bill in onr paper of the 4 tb insta . ut . The best part of ihe Bill is the strictness , . amounting almost to stringency , with which it provides for the practical enforcement of its several clauses . The hours of labour for children under thirteen are reduced to six hours and a-half daily , with three hours foi schooling ; to be taken between eight in the morning and one at noon , or between that and seven in the evening . All work for children and
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young persons to ceaBe on Saturday , at half-past four t . vl . One hour and a-half to be had for meal times , of which an hour tnubt be before three , p . m . Eight half day holiday ? , to be had in every year , besides Christmas-day and Good Friday . No machinery to be cleansed wbi ' xe in motion . All machinery to be properly fenced off . The surgeon ' s certificate of age , &o ., to be given upon personal inspection only at ihe factory . The penalties provided for the violation of these several matters , are as follow : —against the master—for employing children under the legal age ; or for employing
children more than six and a half hours in any one day ; or for employing children after one o ' clock p . m ., who may have been employed in that or any factory before twelve of the same day ; or for employing children or young persons after half-past four on Saturday afternoon ; or for employing young persons more than twelve hours ; or for employing children , or young persons , without the proper Certificates from surgeon and schoolmaster , or with a false doctor ' s certificate , knowing it to be so ; or for not allowing proper times for meals , or proper holidays : for each and every one
of these offences the penalty is to be not less than twenty shillings , nor more than three pounds for each child , or young person , so treated . For employing any child or young person during mealtime , or for allowing any child or young person to remain in any room , during meal-time , ia whioh any machinery is in motion , or any kind of work carried on , not less than Ten Shillings , and not more than Ten Pounds , for each child and young person so employed or allowed to remain in any room . And for each of these offenoea the parent of the child is also liable to a penalty of not less than ten
shillings , nor more than twenty shillings , if privy or a consenting party to the effvoce . Parents who neglect to make their children attend school without come valid excuse , admitted by the act , become liable to pay not lesa than one shilling nor more than ten shillings for every day so neglected . The master is also liable to penalties of not less than twenty shillings , nor more than fire pounds for neglecting to pay the Bohool master's or surgeon ' s fees . For not cleansing or lime washing his factory within the proper period prescribed by
the act , not less than three poounds nor more than ten ; with an additional penalty of not less than two pounds for every month that it baa been so neglected . For allowing machinery to be cldaned while going ; or for allowing any child or young person to work between the fixed and traversing partB of a self-acting machine , not less than ten shillings , nor more than five pounds . For not pro perly fencing off machinery or for not gWin « notice to the certifying surgeon of an accident in the factory , not less than five pounds , nor more
than twenty pounds . If an accident occur m consequence of unguarded machinery , of which the owner may have received notice from the inspector , he becomes liable to a fine of not less than ten , or more than one hundred pounds ; a part or the whole of whioh may , under the direction of tbe Secretary of State , be appropriated for the benefit of the injured person . For divers other offences various penalties are apportioned , ranging from two to twenty pounds ; the magistrates to have power to compel the attendance of
witnesses before them , on pain of one month ' s imprisonment ; also to compel the production of registers , accounts , or other papers , necessary for evidence ; and no appeal from the deoision of the justices to any higher authority . The one hundred and seventh clause is important ; we give it in full : — H And be it enacted , That every person who shall be convicted Twice within Twelve Months for an offence of the same kind against this Act , shall pay for his second offence any sum not less than Onehalf ot the highest penalty for that ofiVnce ; and if convicted Three time 9 within Twelve Months for an offence of the same kind , he shall pay not less than Two-thirds of the highest penalty ; and if convicted more lhau Three times for an offence of the same
kind , he shall pay the highest penalty ; but a repetition of the same kind of offence shall not be considered as tbe second or subsequent 0 fitiUC 68 referred to in this enactment , unless Buoh second or subsequent offences have been committed after notice has been given of the inteution to prefer a complaint for the previous offences ; and in any case in which a person shall be convicted at any time for offences against this Act , so that the penalties amount in tho whole to more than One Hundred Ponnds , the sum of One Hundred Pounds , together with all the reasonable costs and charges of such proceedings and convictions , may be paid instead of the penalties for all the offcaces committed by him before the day on which the last summons was taken out against him . "
These are the really valuable parts of the Bill . They are felt to be so by the mill-owners . The efficiency of the protection wbioh they afford , is unbearable ; and every effort will be made to thwart and frustrate the Bill . The knaves , however , go cunningly to work . They do not openly and honestly rebel against the mantle of protection thrown over labouring infancy . They have already handled this weapon till it has wouuded them . Galled human feeling , chafed into indignation , wrested it from their hands , and boxed their lues
with it . They will not try it again . They go upon another tack now . They seiz" ? upon the education clauses , which provide that under certain circumstances religious education , aeoording to the dogmas of the Church of England , shall be given in the factory schools to those children whose parents do not object to it . Tuey Beiza upon this handle , and calling in the aid of their ready tools , the sleek-haired Dissenting Parsons , they raise a mighty cry about Priestcraft , Church domination , Jesuitry , and other balderdash of that sort . According to tbe
Nonconformist" Noiselessly , deliberately , certainly , and with the approval of the three political parties , aristocracy ia abont to throw the noose over the neck of a betrayed aud deserted people . The mandate of our modem Pharoah is on the eve of going forth—and , after the date of its issue , every masculine mini born in this kingdom ia to be destroyed . " •• Tbe superscription of this measure might juBtly be ' Tyranny unto tyranny . ' It Ib a real scorpion—compietely formed , although , as yet , only in tbe egg . There are claws to it—venom—a sting , aye ! a sting . "
" There is the barbed and poisoned weapon with which British liberty is to be thrust through . Tbe poor children , doomed to pay out of tbe scanty wages which legalised monopoiy leaves to tbem the possibility of earning , no less a sum than threepence a > week to tbe schoolmaster appointed to cram tbem with maxims of slavish morality , extracted from priestly superstition—forced to observe the saint-days of tbe church , and to submit to tbe educational management of a clergy , saturated with frivolous tractions of popery—released from the toil of earning wages only to undergo the toil prescribed by men who seem to have got up this measure as a plausible pretence for sharing those earnings with tbem . "
•• Within one generation , unless , indeed , government is made to rest npon tbe broadest principles of demo * cracy—civil and religious liberty wiJl , under the operations of this act . be extinct . Great Britain will be ridden over , from end to end , by nobleB , Bluires , and priests ; and darkness , worse than Egyptian , will supervene . ' t J / There , read « r I look at that \ Must not this bill for educatiBg the poor factory workers be a monstrosity i 1 Was ever anything half bo horrible since the day of racks , thumbscrews , fires , and
each other devilment ?! Is it wonderful that piety turns up its eyes aghast , and that the children of Dissent gather in their conventicles to oppose the progress of this awful pageant !! This they are doing , and in right earnest , too . Even while writing this , we have beea interrupted by the first ^ tep in the pious dance . The conventielera of Leeds issued this Thursday morning , small circulars , addressed perssonally to the " brethren , " of whioh one happening to fall into our hands we give it here : " Leeds , Mar «' i . 22 ? . d , 1843 .
" GOVERNMENT PLAN OF EDUCATION . "THB " NEW FACTORY BILL . " SiE , —You are earnestly requested to attend a meeting , to be held in tbe large room of the Commercial Buildings , Tomobrow , ( Thursday , ) at Twelve o'Ciock precisely , to consider tbe Government Plan of Education , contained in the New Factory BUI , as it affects the liberties and interests of the country at large , and of Dissenters of all denominations , and especially in its bearing on existing Sunday Schools and Bay Schools ; and to adopt such measures as may appear necessary at this important crisis .
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" As the Second R-adicg of the Biil is fixed for Friday neat , there it no time to ba lost " Punctual attendance is requested . " We are , Sir , " Yours Respectfully , thomas scales . " James Musgravb . " James Ricuardson , Edward Baines , Jan . ' Of these four parties , the first is an Independent Minister ; the seoond is a Methodist Alderman ; the third is a Baptist Attorney ; and , the fourth is , every body knows , " Young Neddy " , of the Mercury . We
happen to know that some time ago , when the Rev . Thomas Scales was requested to affix his signature to a petition on this same subject—Factory Legislation , ( ihe object of the petition being favourable to the children , ) he objected to do so , his objections being purely pious ones . lv It was not for him , a Minister of the Gospel , to interfere with politics ! " We were curious to hear what new light had broken in upon Mr . Scales that he should now be the first of the conveners of a meeting on this sinful snbjcot . For this and other reasons we laid down our pen and went to the ' * exhibition " , and truJy a
pretty exhibition it was . Brother Noncon . had sounded the key note ; and the choir of holy orators kept admirable time and chord , lndopedency , Baptism , Methodism , Unitarian ism , Quakerism , and almost every other form of Mammonism ohaunted their staves respectively ; and through each octave of the long-drawn f-saon-, " churchism , " " prieBtcraft , " " tyranny" and " robbery , " was still theburdeD of the song ! The people were all damned now and everlastingly ! There was no hope for factory workers , if this Bill should pass . England would soon , " poor country , " be
" Afraid to know itself . " All the enlightenment of modern times—all the blaze of soienoe , aud tho glare of gospel—all , the benefits of intellectual culture and the march of mind—all that makes England proudly to be looked to as the land of learning and ot freedom ;—all ; all was to be engulpbed ; all trampled under foot , by thia " hug ^ horrid , ill-favoured monster , " the Education of the factory-workers under the provisions of this Bill J They pray , therefore , most piously , that it may not pass ! and they implore , by their resolutions , that congregational petitions may be forthwith got up by every shepherd of a Dissenting fold , against thi enaction of these provisions for the education of factory workers . True , they profets themselv&jUg be , in the abstract , favourable to the
education or the poor ; but think the absence of such education to be it . finitely better , than its accompaniment < o those children , whose parents do not objett to i / , by religious instruction from a clergyman 1 How very consistent aud how very reasonable are these pious gentlemen I At this very meetiDg it was a favourite topic of enlargement with the Reverend speakers , that the general ignorance and brutalised habits of the lower classes of society was lamentable , and was disgraceful to the ministers of the Establbhed Church , whose duty it was to instruct and teach them ; and yet , with the same breath they declare determined hostility to this measure , simply , and for no other reason , than because it provides that those ministers shall instruct and teach as many of them as do not objeot to it !
We have no doubt that these zealots will appeal to the people in furious harrangues , in the hope of damaging , through a mistaken religious feeling , this really useful measure ;— useful to the poor , and necessary for tbem , though not , perhaps , the most palatable to the " pillars of the churches , " who occupy green pews in tbe chapels . We think it therefore right to lay fairly and simply before them the provisions of this bill in regard to education , that they may be able to estimate the honesty of tbe appeals made to their prejudices .
We presume that none will controvert the opinion that factory workers ought to bo educated ; that means for acquiring at least' the ordinary branches of elementary eduoation ought tO be afforded them ; and that whatever Bystem or circumstances may leave them destitute of these is bad , and ought to be amended . Such is our opinion . Such , we doubt not , is the opinion of all , save those who may be directly interested in the slavery of factory rrorkoro , ( to which ignorance and brutality always conduces ) ; and those who , like the Leeds
conventiclcrs , may be indirectly interested therein by being dependant upon their oppressors . Even these will not demur openly ; and wo presume that none but these will demur covertly to the doctrine that education in itself is a good thing , and that every opportunity of extending it to those who are destitute of it , should be embraced and improved . The experience and observation of the Inspectors appointed under the present Factory Act , has demonstrated that the operative population of factery districts is most lamentably destitute of the means of getting even the commonest rudiments of education . Mr .
Leonard Hornkb , in his last reports , draws tbe following picture of the condition , as to tbe means of education , of the extensive factory districts of Aahton-under-Lyue and Oldham : — " The population of the three adjoining towns of Ashtpn , Dukinfield , and Stalybridge , included within an area of a mile and a half radius from the most central part of the district , is considered to be not less than 55 , 000 ; and the proportion of the working population , that is , those below the rank of shopkeepers , has been estimated at 80 per cent , in Ashton , 90 in Stalybridge , and 94 ia Dukinfield . From this estimate it is evident , that there must be
several thousand children whose parents cannot afford to pay more than a very small sum for their education ; and there are probably very many who would find it difficult to pay any fees , however small . How little the moral and religious improvement of this large number of the humbler classes has been hitherto an objeot of solicitude , the following facts will show . " In the borough of Ashton , with a population of 25 , 000 , there is no National School , no School of the British and Foreign School Society , nor any other public day-school for the children of the working classes . The same is the case in Stalybridge and in Dukiafieid , with the slight exceptions I shall now
state . " I mentioned in my April report that a National School had been recently built at Stalybridge ; but I regret to say that it is not yet in operation . The Rev . W * W . Hoare , the incumbent of the new Church of St . Paul , with which the Bohool is connected , and to whose activity the establishment of it 13 mainly to be ascribed , on the 28 th of September wrote to me as follows ;—"' I am very Eorry to inform you that we still continue in difficulties , and are not yet opened as a National School . We are still ia need of funds to complete t ' je school , and require an expenditure of ax * least £ 150 before we can . be fit to commence as we ought . '
h " 1 visited the school last weeek , and saw with regret so excellent a building untenanted , with the exception of a small number of children taught by a private master , who has been allowed to occupy the unfinished room for the present , when a moderate sum would make it fit for the reception of 630 scholars . " I also mentioned in my report of the 6 th of April last , that a National School had been begun at Dukinfield ; but , at present , it is no more than this ; that by means of a grant from the National Sooioty , about 100 boys are taught in a hired room : there are no girls in this school .
" A school-room is attached to the Roman Catholic Chapels at Stalybridge and Dukinfield : the former is open as a day-school , which is attended by about 100 children ; and as an evening school , at which the average attendance is about 200 : at the latter place , there is only an evening Bohool , attended by about 100 children . At Ashton , a room is rented for an evening school for the Catholic population , at wbioh the average attendance is about 200 . rt With these exceptions , how inadequate to the wants of the district I need not say , no other publio day school exists ; and thus the eduoation whioh the children of the working classes receive , must be in a great degree confined to the Sunday-schools , and enall those where the cannot
tirely so in cases parents afford to pay the fees of private schools , which are never , I believe , lower than three-pence a-week for the most elementary branch . " Unless the case of ibis neglected district be taken up by the Government , and a large sum be expended in the establishment and support of schools , it must continue to be , what it is at present in this respect , a reproach , to tne nation . The working people themselves Cannot supply the means ; it cannot be reasonably expeoted that they will be raised by voluntary subscriptions among those who are above the working classes ; nor could aa adequate sum be assessed iu the district with any
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justice , seeing that the proportion of those in easy circumstances is so email . " The foregoing iB from the Factory Inspector ' s Report of October last . In the Report for January of the present year he returns to the subject , and says : — \ " The adjoining town of Oldham is quite as destitute of dayschools as the Ashton district was represented to be , ia my April and October Reports of last year . This town , including , withia a circle of a mile and a-half radius from the centre ( which comprises all the pooulous portion of the township ) , a population of 45 , 000 , and considered so important
as to h » ve had siuco 1831 , two representatives m Parliament , is at this moment without , one public day-school , for the children of the working classes ; for the Grammar-school and Bluecoatscliool cannot be considered practically as available to the labouring population ; the former has an endowment of ; £ 30 a-year , is a building of one story , eighteen yardsfby six , without any play-grouud , and teaching seventy scholars , principally the eons of tbe shopkeepers ' ; tbe latter is an endowed school for boarding , educating , &c , boys from the parishes of
Oldham , Manchester , Ecoks , Ashton , Middleton , Rochdale and Saddleworth , and there are at present 100 scholars . 1 There is also an infant school connected with the St . Peter ' s district Church , attended usually by about 100 . But these three are the only public schools within the township : hitherto thero has been neither a National School , nor a school of the British a ' nd Foreign School Society ; but a National School , to which the Eduoation Committee of the 1 Privy Council have made a grant of £ 700 , and the National Society one of £ 300 , in connexion with the parish church , is now building ,
" Taking the population of the Ashton district :, within a circlejof a mile and a half radius from the centre of Aohton district , at 55 , 000 , together with the above population of Oldham , aud allowing 5000 for the population of the space between the two districts , we have an area cf about eight miles by four , containing a population of 105 , 000 , of which , according to the most correct estimate I have been-able to obtain , at least 90 , 000 earn their aubaisteaoe by weekly wages , and in which , at the date of my last Quarterly Report , there did not exist one public d&y-scbool for ! the children of the humbler ranks ; and in whioh there is not , at this moment , one medical charity , for in this respect Oldham is a 9
destitute aa Ashton . There may be equally deplorable cases in other parts of Great Britain , —I hope there are not ; but ia so far as schools are concerned , as education has ibeen so much an object of attention for a . long period ia Ireland , it ia uftt probable such a one could be found ia that country : and I question very much whether , in any part of the civilized world , out of Great Britain , a parallel case could be met with to that which I have now described . I cannot help wishing that while vast sums have been of late years sent out of the country to convert the heathen in distant lands , more consideration had been given to tbe conversion of the heathen in this portion of our own land . - '
" It is hopeless to expect that funds can be raised in the district itself , to establish and maintain an adequate number of efficient schools for this population , among ; ¦ whom tbe number of persons in easy circumstances ( is comparatively so small . Uul » 3 s extraneous aid be afforded , it will remain in its present state of barbarism . " To meet this proven and palpable want of the necessary means of Education , the Bill provides that there shall be schools in every factory district ; that to these schools shall be efficient masters and
mistresses , property qualified to instruct the children ; that they shall be properly provided with books and other necessary apparatus of learning ; and that to secure this , the schools shall be severally managed by a committee of seven persons , to consist of one clergyman , two churchwardens , and four other parties nominated by the Magistrates—two of them being , if practicable , factory masters . In these schools the | children are to learn reading , writing , sewing , knitting , and such other branches of i elementary instruction as may
be Buitaole to their age and circumstances . They are alt to learn to read the" Holy Scriptures ; and tha school is to be opened and closed by prayer ; the Lord ' s Prayer being used for that purpose ; that and some select text of Holy Scripture being the only words used . The children are to attend these [ schools three hours every day ; and out of these three hours the clergyman may , if he choose , devote ] any period not exceeding one hour to the religious instruction in the Catechism and Liturgy of the Church , of all those children whose parents do not object to it . But it is expressly
provided' That if the parent of any scholar shall notify to the Master or Trustees that ho desires that such scholar on the ground of religious objection , may not be present at the periods when such Catechism or portions of the Liturgy are taught aa aforesaid , it 6 hall not be lawful for any person to compel such child to be present ; and it shall not be lawful for the Trustess or Master of the said school , or any other per sen , to give or permit to be given in the said school any religious instruction to such scholar , except the reading of the Holy Scriptures as hereinbefore appointed ; and such child shall at such periods be ins t ructed in some other branch of knowledge taught inltheschool "
It is also provided— That the Master shall cause the scholars of every such school to attend under his care the Divine Service of the Church of England as by law established , at least onoe on every Sunday , in the Church Or Chapel of the Parish , or Ecclesiastical District wherein such school is situated , except any scholar in respect of whom the Master is satisfied that he will attend such worship in that or some other Church or Chapel , or that he is prevented from attending by any reasonable impediment , or in respect of whom his parent shall notify to the Master that , on the ground of religious objection , he desires such scholar not to attend the worship of the Church of England . "
The 72 ad , 73 rd , and 74 th clauses provide that wherever there : may be within two miles of any factory a National School , or a school of the British and Foreign School Society , efficiently conducted ; or wherever a factory-master may choose to have a school of his own , efficiently conducted , the children may not attend ; the appointed factory school at all ; a certificate of attendance at ono of these schools being deemed quite sufficient ; and every Roman Catholio child may attend the Roman Catholic school , —the certificate of the Catholic schoolmaster being quite enough . So that the sum of the whole is just this : the Bill provides that there shall be
schools which the children shall attend , and in which they shall be properly instructed . That if a factory-master choose to have a school of his own , it shall be a school , and not a mockery ; that he shall not assemble the children ia the firehole , with the firer-up for the schoolmaster and old scraps of newspapers for books ; and call that educating ! tbem ; that as many parents as shall choose to have their children instructed in the catechism and liturgy of the Church of England , may have them so instructed ; that those who I object to this luve nothing to do but say so , and it will not then be forced on them :
their children will then receive no religious instruction save the mere reading of the Bible , and ~ the repeating of the Lord ' s prayer ; and the time which others spend ia learning the oateohism and liturgy , will bo spent by them in reading or writing , or some ether useful occupation of the school . Those parents I who choose for their children to attend Church may have them taken there ; those who do not may take them to chapel , or where else they please . Now , this is really the whole Bum and substance of the education olauseB of this bill , about whioh the milllords , and their ico-mates , the Dissenting Parsons , are making such a hubbub ! We leave the people to exercise their j own common sense as to whether this be the real or ostensible ground of objection to
the Bill ; we believe the latter . We believe the real grievance with these parties to be , that the bill provides for the further shortening of the children ' s hours ; of labour ; that it makes it imperative upon their masters to see to their being educated ; and that it provides more effectually than the present l&wjfor the punishment of those who violate or tamper with its provisions ; and we trust to the good sense of the people to keep them from rendering any help to the opposition whioh we believe to be thoroughly hypocritical . We are the more strengthened in this belief ] from the fact , that while the brawlers affect to desire universal education , they ! raise a clamorous outcry , not for the modification , but the absolute withdrawal , of this { legal p . rovisiob for a case which
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they dare not contend not to have been satisfactoril y made out as one of paramount necessity . They do not ask that the influence of the clergy should be withdrawn from these schools , and that they should be placed upon the footing of the Irish National Schools ;—they do not ask that the cocatitutioa of the trusteeship may be altered so as to give the ratepayers a control over the schools ;—thia might have borne something like sincerity opbn the face of it . But they ask that the whole thing may ba
withdrawn , and tbe matter of education remain in the disgraceful state in which it now exists , sa shown in Ashton-under-Lyne and Oldham and in the newspaper school- books of the Pudsey raillowners . ' Let it be remembered that the question with these pious gentlemen is not between the Government scheme of education and a better * but between that and none : and that they prefer none at all ! So much for pious dissentin g liberalism ! -
The Short Time Committees , at the instance of Lord Ashley , are getting up petitions praying for a clause to be introduced into the Bill limiting the labour ot all factory workers between thirteea and twenty-one years of age , to ten hours per day for five days in the week , and eight hours on Saturdays . This is a rational proposal ; a step in the right direction ; and the following paragraphs from the petition furnish for it irrefragable arguments : —
" That your petitioners beg most respectfully to remind your honourable House that the most eminent medical practitioners in the kingdom have declared , that twelve hours of aotual labonr per day is more than can be endured , withont serious injury to tbe most healthy and robust adult , and that tea hours of actual labour per day , ia aa much as can be performed , with impunity , by young persons under twenty-one years of age .
11 That your Honourable House must be aware that young females above the age of thirteen years are now subjected to twelve hours of actual labour per day , to which including proper time for meals , and going to and from their work , will engross fifteen hoars out of the twenty-four , which must deprive them of alt opportunity of acquiring that domestic knowledge which is so absolutely necessary for young females to possess , before they become wives , and mothers of families .
" That your Petitioners are further of opinion , that no necessity whatever exists for such long hours of labour in factories , and that the continuance thereof ( while they seriously injure those young persons ) , will be unattended by any benefit to their em * ployers , or to onr commercial interests generally but , on the contrary , a limitation of labour to ten hours per day would have the salutary and beneficial effect of equally distributing labour to the artisan , and of adding stability to our manufacture ine interests . "
We are amazed , however , that the Short Time Committees , should overlook the really most objectionable part of the whole Bill ; the part so objectionable aa even to have elicited the praise of" Neddy . " We mean , of course , tbe proposal to admit children into those meral pest-houses , the factories , at eight years of age . This alone will do much to obviate the good which might result from other portions of the Bill . We do think that some effort should be made to prevent this retrograde movement from nine years ofage to eight . With this alteration , we should be very wary of counselling opposition to the Bill . Many of its
clauses are very good . The educational provision is not , certainly , all that might have been desired ; but it is at least a step towards it . It is at all events infinitely preferable to none at all—infinitely preferable to tbe newspaper scraps of the forty gentlemen at Pudsey . We cannot , therefore , join ia the opposition set up by the sleek-faced conventielers , and demand the simple negation of these clauses We doubt not that if the people let them , the clergy of the Establishment will turn this educational provision to their own purposes . But they may be prevented . Tbe Bill itself provides sufficient means for the prevention ; and , as it is the people ' s business , we think the people may be safely left to see to it . Barring this—the eight years of age
claase—without by any mean ? according our entire approbation to this Bill , we do feel inclined to regard it , even hi its present shape , as one of those useful palliatives by which a superficial evil of great magnitude , and most painful character may be , to some extent , alleviated . While we still point the people to the only true remedy—the extinction of class legislation —out of which this foul evil first grew , and by which it is sustained J It would be still more efficient for its purpose if the rate-payers bad the appointment of the trustees ; and if the conventiclers are sincere in tbe line of opposition they have taken , they will turn their attention forthwith to that point , instead of continuing to oppose the measure as a whole .
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COOPER'S AND WEST'S TRIALS . ; Elsewherb we give a full report of the trial of John West . Our readers will peruse it with interest . They will see that Baron Aldkbson , like Baron Rolfb , took a very different view of the matter from the petty Dogberry ' s of the Magisterial bench . The Lotd save us from the wisdom (!) and clemency of the Great Unpaid ! We had purposed writing something on the matter of West ' s trial but are spared the trouble by the following from himself : — " to the editor of the northern star .
" Sir , —Tbe Darby trials have terminated , and Chartism baa received another triumph . Tbe Factions fondly imagined that the strong arm of the Law would be laid heavily on our devoted heads , and that through its leaders ' a beavy blow and great discouragement * wonld be given to our gloriouB cause . Tbe reversa , however , has been the case , Baron Aldersoa declaring from the ' judgment seat' that the Charter was a perfectly legal document , aud that the peopie vere jastiHad in seeking its enactment by peaceable and constitutional means . Many o ! the magistracy , the Village Kings , " aye , and Tyrants too , were taught useful lesaona as to how they should exercise their power In
attempting to suppress publio meetings and tbe discussion of the people ' s grievances . Chartism mast now bise triumphant , but there mnst be no more mistakes —no more strikes — no more risings . No , NO ! We have had enough of them , too much praise cannot be given to Biron Alderson ; he was the uptight , though stern judge , la my ease , in his Bumming op to the Jury , he acted with the greatest impartiality ; and when the verdict of acquittal was pronounced , he said—« Gentlemen , I perfectly agree with your verdict , ' and I
am informed , on good authority , that in private he has given it aa his opinion , that a more unjaat or paltry charge was never brought into a court of justice . Throughout the whole trtol he treated me with this greatest courtesy . The obligations of the Chartist body to Mr . Roberts is greatly increased for his laborious anS untiring exertions ou behalf of the Qlossep prisoners ; any advice that he could give , even to those who were ? ot Chartists , was cheerfully given ; in foot no labour seemed too great for him . I thus publicly thank bin for his assistance to me .
" Tours , respectfully , " John West . " We have not yet seen the result of the trial of Cooper . The evidence of the first day against him is of a very paltry character . Thia ( Thursday ' s ) evening ' s post has brought us the seoond day ' s proceedings ; which are alike unimportant . The trial seems likely to last several days ; and we shall probably be able to give a digest of the whole in our next . Mr . Coofeb was cross-examining each witness at great length . Up the end of the second day the testimony of only eight witnesses had been taken .
The Noutheen Stab, Saturday, March 2», 1843.
THE NOUTHEEN STAB , SATURDAY , MARCH 2 » , 1843 .
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MR . O'CONNOR AND THE RECENT TRIALS . We are happy to be able to point attention to the Advertisement of Mr . O'Comnor , announcing the first number of the State Trials for Monday next . Each number will be given as formerly advertisedi and we therefore have less reason to regret the omission of the speeches of many of the defendants in the Slar , as they will be presented verbatim , that every word spoken for the whole eight days will be faithfully recorded . This valuable work will be completed in about four numbers , which , with a beau tiful portrait of the "Just Judge" Trill constitute a beautiful volume , and commemorate the triumph of right over might . Upon consulting the several agents , Mr . O ' Cos * nor has discovered the necessity of having each number bound in a wrapper , the additional expence of whioh will be one penny , making the price 7 d .
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4 THE NORTHERN STAR . _ .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), March 25, 1843, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct927/page/4/
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