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Apgust 27, 1853.] THE LEADER. 8§£
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AN UNSTAMPED PRESS. (To the Editor of th...
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ION'S REVIEW OF WENDELL PHILLIPS'S SPEEC...
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NOTIGKS TO COKBKSPONDKNTR. J. T). D. — T...
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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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Sunday In Glasgow. (To The Ml I Tor Of't...
nuvrdw like most large cities , contains some nar-, « Vilthy streets , here called wynds . Sandy ' s fl ' v wvnds and curled butter are brought forward -e him a bit of a sloven and a Sabbath breaker . ^" ' labours hard to find a hole in Sandy ' s coat . Whilst dwelling upon that very important subject Ml mii-led butter )/ " Ion" lias omitted to mention [ other circumstances , which are , at least , equally f •¦ , i . (; # ' When he said that the working classes " f Sa ^ ow are debarred from breathing the air of Dunoon ' or Gourock on Sundays , he ought to have fold that there are twelve trains daily from Glasgow Jo Greenock , by which one can get to Greenock for vnpnee or a return ticket for ninepence . Thus , a
ncrson can leave Glasgow at eight o'clock Saturday Lrlifc and be back about seven o ' clock on Monday morning after enjoying the fresh air all day Sunday , and that without depriving his brethren , the crew of any steamer , of their Sunday . Return tickets to Pnnoon on Saturday , and back on Monday , for fourteen pence , including pier money . If one chooses to go by steamers all the way from Glasgow to Dunoon , & c ., they come yet cheaper than l ) y rail—fares from Glasgow to Rothesay , in Bute , are only threepence . When he said that " all classes of people , of all
reliqious persuasions , " approve of the Emperor sailing on Sunday , he ought to have mentioned that there has been a public meeting , in the City Hall , to consider this matter—that though parties favourable to the ' Emperor published p lacards , urging the people not to attend , yet the hall was crowded . That after several working men moved resolutions condemning the running of the boat on Sundays , those who approved of the running of the boat were heard in reply . A person named M'Guire , well known as a leading infidel , was particularly violent and unreasonable ; one Dodds first spoke in favour of the boat running on
Sunday—said it would improve the morals of the people —said the people of France were more moral than those of this country—referred to Dr . Outline and the Vicar of Aberdare in support of his views—Dodds concluded about ten minutes past eleven , having spoken about forty minutes . M'Guire proposed another amendment , similar to Dockk It being now twenty minutes after eleven the meeting granted him only fivo minutes to speak—he had previously declared that he would have unlimited
tune to speak in spite of either the chairman or the meeting ; the audience would not submit to this , but hooted and hissed him ; he , however , maintained his ground , and effectually succeeded in gagging the opposite speakers , who were eager to speak to show the fallacy of Dodd ' s argument— -to show that the people oi Franco are more frivolous and trifling in their dispositions , and are inferior to the Scotch both mentally and physically .
Yet , although those who moved the resolution , condemning the running of tho Emperor on Sunday , had no opportunity of exposing the fallacy of Dodd's arguments , or of showing M'Guire ' s unreasonableness , yet , when the motion und amendment were put to the meot" >}?» tho resolution which declared , among other things , that the sailing of the steamboat on Sunday was injurious to the working-classes , and would lead to «?
' ¦< general corruption of morals , alike hostile to the peace and prosperity of the entire community ; therelore , the meeting agreed to protest against such a pro-J * - 'f , and pledge themselves not to patronize Sunday ti-nacra ting steamers when they have occasion to travel Mronc / hoit t the week" — this * resolution was carried " T , . » imoii 8 ly , whilst tho amendment — viz ., that it was uie ( iu { ;) oj th - s mee f lnf / to support the J ' -yeror steamer , " was rejected . ho
J City Hall , which will contain about 6000 , was w » wa wl to overflowing , and there the people of Glas-K ° w piisfuu l a resolution condemning tho running of 10 Ktuainw on . Sunday , both on tlio grounds of religion " »« l "' Utility . « lon > » in his | j 0 fct 0 I % Cllroftllly Hnp . l- « w « H tluwo fact , * , and coolly assorts that " classes j , V ™ P "> ° f all religious persuasions , " approve of tho aii lnin K ° f tho steamer—this is certainly oxtraordi-JOll Slimi ^ n y » i » < v . l . « ^ .. 1 . ^ i 4 ~ V _ _ 1 « i « 'u to bo out of teinporbo tho
apponrs ; charges < " - ( han Witl , acting " infamously , " and , because hoiuo sons yollod , or lnoroly hi ^ cd , lie at once , asserts that vv » wuro " Ollfc 1 > y Kirk illflnnuco - « HV T , " " Ha - tlmfc tho < - 'l » ' «« tijinitv of Scotland m not t ! , '" ' qi " to nt lilK "' '' . V to do ho—perhaps ho i « tlio 1 ( » UlvUlk >( 1 t ° j" <» g «; Imfc whon ho charged anno * IV * wiUl Reml " " ff 1 >«««>«» to hoot , and to o ,. . / P" « seng « i \ s of tho Emperor , doen it never nulU , !"'" tIlttt II 0 ou B t () K ' lvo HOIno l » "o «> f <»" ""• onl y , „ ,,, ) Ort ()( - thm , ci , lir { r p | , - P U ' r Kh ( IWH hiln < ° 1 )() from < fi ( »« fch Hido of i wcoil . band y ' s good bm » kfunt olicitu u
oompliment to Sandy's clear head , illustrating Cobbett's famous saying respecting the way to an Englishman's brains—some parts of his letter indicate him to be a cockney . With that pardonable . vanity peculiar to cockneys , he gives us to understand that the working classes of England will interfere in the matter . If " Ion" ever reads history , he ought to know that the English have , on several occasions , attempted to interfere with Scottish affairs , but that almost all their attempts failed . From the days of Edward I . to those of Laud , the Scotch never felt any gratitude for the alliance offered them by Edward , or for the Siahops and Liturgy proffered by Land . In religious matters particularly the Scots have been extremely jealous of interference by any other party whatsoever .
The people of Glasgow had a similar struggle with a railway company some years ago , and effectually succeeded in stopping railways on Sunday , the consequence is > that hundreds of railway employes can spend their Sabbaths in the bosom of their families , whilst , according to " Ion's" wise plan they would be toiling either as firemen , as cleaners , or -whatever their work might be * Remembering the victory thus gained , the good accomplished thereby , and the many blessings earned for the men thus liberated from this seventh day slavery , can any person be so foolish as to suppose that the men of Glasgow will now abandon their posts or flinch , from doini ? their duty ?
They are exerting themselves to shorten the hours of labour on week days , so that parties desirous of going to the watering places may have still better opportunity of doing so ; I have mentioned the cheap rate at which they can travel , either by rail or steamboat . Such of the inhabitants of Glasgow as _ do not go to watering places , can walk out , enjoy the pure air , and see the country . Kelvin Grove , and other delightful properties in the neighbourhood , have been purchased for the use of the inhabitants of Glasgow .
The people of the city , therefore , consider that they are doing everything in their power to allow the utmost freedom in spending the Sabbatli in an honest and humane way , but they do not consider it either humane or honest , that other people , who toil hard on six days , should be doomed to toil on the seventh likewise ; they consider it would be oppression . " He who allows oppression shares the crime . " Therefore they will do their utmost to prevent it . Considering the Heavenly precept—to do to others as they would wish others to do to them—they would not like to be deprived of the Sabbath day—neither do they see how they could be justified in the sight of God or man if they were to allow their brethren to be deprived of it . Still more guilty would they be if they were to aid or abet in thus dooming their brethren to the
seventh-day slavery . Yours very sincerely , GlasL'OW . « 'NO- MaCGHEGOE
Apgust 27, 1853.] The Leader. 8§£
Apgust 27 , 1853 . ] THE LEADER . 8 § £
An Unstamped Press. (To The Editor Of Th...
AN UNSTAMPED PRESS . ( To the Editor of the Leader . ) Dear Sir , —Knowing your anxiety to obtain for working men an unstamped press , I venture to appenl to you on behalf of tho laic Potteries Free Press , which wan published to discover , first , whether the working classes would support a well-conducted penny newspaper ; and , secondly , whether tho Government , which allows every other class interest to act up a newspaper in defiance of law , would allow the working class to do the same .
Thoso who know how the Government dread tho enlig htenment of the people , will not bo surprised that they have determined to enforce against the working classes ii law which all other clauses are allowed to violate with impunity . Thoso who know the anxiety of tho working classes for information will not bo surprised to hoar t hat tho weekly sale of the Potteries Free Press reached 24 , 00 , and might easily hnvo been moro than doubled in n short time , had its legality lnndo it safe to invest capital in a press which could have printed fast enough .
Owing to the peculiar circumstances which always attend an experiment in opposition to tho authorities , the Potteries Free Press was not ticlf-supporting . Besides the money for its sale , I lmvo received 37 / . ( 5 * . in HuhHcriptiotiK ; and there is still a debt of 27 £ . 13 s ., or two thouHMHl two hundred and twelvo threepences . I venture to suggest that you and othor Editor * equally anxious to obtain a freo press , should endeavour to collect from your renders iv definite number of thrcopenees for tho liquidation of this debt .
Tho Association for Promoting the Repeal of tho Taxes on Knowledge have undertaken tho legal expenses attonding tho paper , but do not feel justified in making ubo of their funds for the support of a newspaper which must , of couiHO , take a dofinito part in politics , and of
necessity be opposed to the opinions of some members of a body which contains various shades of opinion . Requesting your kind attention to this suggestion , I remain yours respectfully , . : . ¦ •¦ ¦ . C : DOBSON CoiiMBT . , 20 , Great Corain-street , May 31 , 1853 .
Ion's Review Of Wendell Phillips's Speec...
ION'S REVIEW OF WENDELL PHILLIPS'S SPEECH . { To the Editor of the Leader ) Sib , — -I have read very attentively the speech of Wendell Phillips , and tho review of it written by your correspondent loir . As one who takes a deep interest in the subject of American slavery ( having spent several years in the United States ) , perhaps you will kindly permit me to say a few words in reply to your corrc ^ spondent's strictures . His principal objection to the proceedings of the American Abolitionists seems to be produced by the " denunciations" they level at the advocates of slavery . But I really fail to understand how any monstrous evil can be faithfully assailed without the denunciatorysty le of writing and speaking being employed by its opponents . In dealing with a system like American slavery ( teeming as it does with such frightful iniquities ) , an Abolitionist cannot well avoid " abusing it , " But Ion talks of separating the sin from the sinner . There are certainly differences of opinion , and important ones too , which are perfectly allowable , and to which his theory would well apply . But it strikes me that no opinion , or act , which tramples upon selr-evident and universally recognised principles of morality and
justice , should be subject to this charitable rule . If a man who perpetrates a .. burglary is denounced as " a robber , " why should the man who steals another be exempt from the disgraceful but well-merited designation ? Is an opprobrious epithet to be applied to the man who commits the minor offence , while he who is guilty of the infinitely . 'greater "crime is to be spoken of in-mild terms , simply because he belongs to a powerful and " " civilized" nation , which is deeply involved in the same iniquity ? For God ' s sake , let us call things by their right names .
The Leader is the representative of democratic opinions . You have " denounced" in no measured terms " the perjured House of Hapsburgh , " and that Imperial burglar , the Autocrat of the North ; but , according to Ion ' s theory , you were wrong in doing soi . You should rather have attacked despotism , while you spared the despot ! Depend upon it , nothing is lost to humanity by refusing to address the villain as if he were an honest man ; for it is only by speaking the truth faithfully that men ' s consciences aro aroused . Garrison ' s terrible pictures of the guilt of slaveholding have awakened shame and remorse in many a pro-slavery heart , and prepared it for the reception of anti-slavery truth .
Iok takes exception to the following remark made by Wendell Phillips : — " We warn the living that wo have terrible memories , and that their sins are never to be forgotten . We will gibbet tho name of every apostate so black and high , that 7 iis c 7 uldren s children will blush to hear it . We will tench caution to tho living by dealing out relentless justice to the dead . We will insist on explaining tho chance expressions ( whispered in a corner ) for liberty by the tenour of a long and base life . " Your correspondent then make « tho following extraordinary comment : — " You feel so much resentment at this language , that you would rather , us you road it , be a slaveholder than an Abolitionist . " Dons bn not lwlinvn that , this in th « fate that should be
allotted to traitors ? He knows , probably , that Wendell Phillips ' s remarks apply particularly to Webster ; and does not tho man who , after having expressed sympathy with the oppressed betrays their cause , and bocoines their greatest oppressor , from ambitious motives , deserve to bo " gibbeted , " if it were only to serve aa a warning to others ? I would resiHJctfully ask Ion how ho would comment
on tho piratical attempts that are being made to annex , Cuba and Mexico to tho United States for pro-slavery purposes , without denouncing tho individuals who are seeking to perpetrate the robbery ; » iul whether , Hi writing on tlio Rev . Mr . Hooker ' s pniriplilot , which tip teuipts to prove that slavery is ¦ " a missionary institul tion , " ho would employ' any other langiingo than that of " acorn ? " Yours , vciy respectfully , S . W . Cincssou .
Notigks To Cokbkspondkntr. J. T). D. — T...
NOTIGKS TO COKBKSPONDKNTR . J . T ) . D . — Tho lot tor on tlio 'Tuwloy lllock-onttors mul Dock Labourers" noxt wook . JiiiRATVH irr oun i . aht Ni'mukh . —In tho articln on tho " Float uml tho Citnip , " » Hliicht lypotfriiyhical error ( p i \ a IlllllMTfll ) inilluiH UM MJX'Ilk of < » " <> " «! l »«»» y IHWOr CailVllMH lit tho Hpitlu'iwl Jtoviow cia four li "" <>< hftttlonhipH . It hIiouM have boon threa lino of imttloHhipn , —vi / -., tho Vrince liei / rntt , Ixiaring tho Jll » f , ' vf A « lw » r » l j . ' wjoluwo , tup ZqikIqh , nnU tlio , Queen .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 27, 1853, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_27081853/page/15/
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