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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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( Continued from our ' nxlh page . J te tbe example by rospendln * the laws themselves ? \ jl it not recollect that ¦ . P 9 you not recollect that I aid -words nearly " to g * t effect ?—I -4 ? not ? epoUecfc it , bat yen ought have » d * t pid 70 a not bear me more than once say— " Hen of jfrwas&s , obey the eonstztational aath « itiea so long p they themselves conform to the law ?¦* . Yon sre l « v « "wb )* U was led-to that meeting—that it -was Uie AritaKif a Sw * newspaper , eontftltring an account of 0 anptovoiked attack whlcb . that paper stated "h »< rbeen gyto by the magistrates of Birmingham—that tbe ggistrates of . Birmingham did not conform to th ' e law -fcf t , they procured a number of men bom , London , , bo broke upon the meeting suddenly ,. without notice , gtd without requiring them to dispere , a&d Committed 1 ijameful outrage upon them ?—I am awa ^ e you _ .. [ € C 7 U ^ - ^ -JZ . ^ ^\ i-
And did I not say that if the magistrates •? Newcastle gted a shniisi part , that it would not fee . their dirty , to titrowlaway tbeir lives upon the police and soldiery , vb « we » bbUged to titte ; . the magistrates , bat that It vooW be their duty to make tbe magistrates thfimaelvee responsible ?—Yoa did . ' . . Did yon not bear me state that as far as that report m fce ^ M was to be depended upon , I considered neither tbe Government nor the police to be in fault , bat aily the local authorises , because they must hare made Alee , reports to Government , by means of widen $ i £ j go \ down that police force , and because , instead til Informing the meeting , they precipitated that fpree gpbn Stem to disperse them in an unconstitutional manner?—I dare say yon did , but I did not take a note of it - The Judge—You say yon dare say be did . Were you there to take a fall and fair report , * r only a particular report for your own paper ?—A report for the
paper . The Judge—Then yon seem te hare left out a great ieal of important matter . Cross-examination by Mr . O'Brien continued—When I recommended the meeting to arm , did I not accompany that recommendation "Witii the advice that on no tsount should they sse-thfir arms but for self-defence , Bid never against the lifes and property of others ?—You aagh * mate use eftbi ^ e wards . v Did you . beat ? « % , >« & 8 n& neetiag , say words-to ' this effect resjejj ^ e ' fflis baMday— " mt unl& the ¦ teie were an ujiirtraal one , it would not be likely to be a peaceable oner—r ' think such an expression watosed . Do yon . feeellect me , laying that it depended upon whether the strike waff an unlTersal one whether I supported it ?—It is likely that Ton might .
Did you not hear me say at that meeting , more than fl&ce . that wir only cbsa * of success warby a rigid adbarence to the law?—I do not recollect it "Did yon not ' hear me state that my policy was to error myself with the mantle of the law , while I was endeavouring to * ig and ro » t up « U that was bad and rotten in the law ?—I think that yon did Bay so . Do ytn remember that I isade an gnTimCT ^ tirm of what I conceived to "be the ecns ^ tatianal sights of Eng-BriniLmi ; and oertain fnndasUEktai laws which I said Parliament itself bad no righVto abrogate , namely , the right « f . freely-assembling in open meeting to state our optnuwi and diacass our gnevineees j the right of petite and of . orcuIjath ^^ uroianiaiB freely ; the right of Baimu Carpmii Trial by Jury , and aboTe an , the right to bays arms for our defence , without which all the other rights would be * nullity !—I do not recollect feat par-< mtiI > t twnrmWTHtif'Tl i ¦ _
Do you not recollect me saying— " Men of Newa « tte . so long as these rights are preserved to us , we lave thfi meanc of working oat our political Tegenera-^ e , without the neoeseity of resorting to physical f « rce ? oldoaot . J 1 Tear report , then , la lamentably defective . Will jo * undertake to swear that I did not make use of fbca language ?—No , I will ntft—itTexyprbbably might be the case . By the Judge—Is your admission that this language was probably used founded upon the meaning and tenor « f Ml . O'Brien . * observations generally T—It is .
. Are you aware . that what I said about New York was that what happened in Birmingham could aot hsTe happened if its government hai been similarly con-¦ tituted to that of 2 fvw York—that is , if the corporatun had been elected by the whole adult population , far then the people would hare bad the Town Hall at their serrks , and there would havs been no occasion for ftSBfflnNing in tbe Boll Ring ?—I havene recollection ef that . '"' - .- " ' ¦ , Ton make me yepreaent the xsiddle dacses here as 700 , 009 conspirator * . Will yoa explain in what manset I qualified that expression?—I iiiiak you did ' qualify it when the disturbance taok place ia tbe upper part of the room , but I did not bear all yoa said . Did I 01 not < £ stingulsB between t&ose two portions of tbe middle class , « ne of which wotdd-oot deny the people tbe rigtat -of roting , and * Mh « « Sber of wkich would?—1 do ieoolleet a man askiag if yon meant that ' be was a conspirator .
Do yon wiaember that I said to hka " If you are a -man that weald deny me the poasea ^ wt < t the same rights is yon yourself enjoy , then 1 riifranj | im a con-. spirator against me?—Yea , I stated aoaieqmlg im the Mport to that efect . V ' ? ' Y « a bxn « tated 4 faat H i « ^ naa ^ or « & ^ axtezs ^ . gire a colouring to their reports ?—Yes , I-admit that a . reporter maj gire a longer at a shorter report , lea-ring out those portions which do not em . hun . . Are yoa ^ ware that while that is traa . « f most or all dasses , that it applies with moeh f ^ fk ** farce to « peechfis-oomingfroui Chartists?—I anjpraware of it Are jou not aware that it 3 s usual , and titat it is considered a jood practical } oJae in WMg office * to put into --a Qiartist-speech a little £ * e and brimstone , to make Mm sppeaE . ridieuloDS ?—{ Laughter . )—I wae not aware cf it If you sad been in the' Canrentiom you would .
Cross-examined by Mz . Ajre—X always report from note * - ; but in writing them « c& I may sometimes insert some tfcaags from memaay—such as incidents which frequently occur . You did state that thg ^ wbo made property had a right to deetsoy it Cross-examined by Masai—I -did not attend public meetings professionally ditztag the Reform excitement I hsTe beard Mr . Fife address thoie meeSangs , also Mr . Larkin and Dr . Headl&m . Tbe Learned Jttdgs said J » e mast really put a stop to that part of the evidence . - in the fiat jjirn . it was rrrfeieTsnl ; and in tbe second , it waa «^| iat to those third jarties who were notiere . ' -- Masec said his reason for g ^ ng into this was to show that he who had no education had not been so culpable u other parties who were well -educated .
The Cqckt—The question is , aot whether you haYe conducted yourself better or worse th *^ Dr . Headlam or Mr . Fife , but whether you coaonitted this offence with which yaaare charged . Wiiness—I hare not been in the habit of commenting on your peaches in the midst of the report I Aid not give my eride&ee voluntarily befareihe Grand Jury . Re-nara ' mfd by Mr . Dr > DJi 5—I hare a distinct recollectJQD of the meaning at asrezal of the filings mentioned fcy Mr . O'Brian , but noW tiie words-This was the case far the prosecstaon . His LofixtsaiP expressed his opinion that the Jarj had not eufficient of the speeches before them to enable them to judge of the teaour of the whole , and expresasd his nrprise at flie result of Mr . O'Briens cross-examini tion . He pact it to the Counsel , therefore , whether they rwould carry the case farther .
Mr- Dc 5 idas thought there waieTidgnce upon whiA to go to a Jury , and thought he would swt be justified ia abandoning the prosecution . Eia Lordshi p said there was certainly evidence to go to a Jury ; but he thought there was not sufficient to enable them to jadge of the tendency of the speeches . It was , howeYer , far the Counsel for the prosecntion to decide . Mr . Dr > DAS , after consulting with bis Learned Priftnd , Mr . ISGBajl , still persisted in going on with the case .
Mr . Cobbett then addressed tine jury at considerable length on behalf of Thosnaean re-urging the arguments be had used in the ease of Bell , and reminding them that if then was a difficulty in deciding that case there was much greater caution needed in this , where the evidence against the prisoner wai not a printed document , but notes taken by a person who heard the speakers under circumstances , die exact degree of opportunity for hearing and recording , which they could not determine with any certainty . He dwelt also on the Terr great degree » f ambiguity which attached to words , and said it was often Yery diffieult to determine tbe intent of them at best , but when the slightest error in reporting might so materially alter tbe meaning of an
erpresskm , he thought it behoved the jury to pause before they pronounced his client guilty upon evidence Eke this . Tbe Learned Counsel went on to call attention to the obvious inaccuracy of tbe report in question , which filled only a column and a half of a newspaper , while if reported with anything like accuracy , from &e fene occupied by Uie meeting the proceedings ought to baTe filled six or seren columns . This observation he aid particularly applied to Thomason , who , according to tiie witness , spoke ten minutes , while his speech only made about four Hae * . He held teat it was very improbable that Bueh A report as would give a fair specimen of the whole or illustrate its exact tendency , and on this ground he called for the acquittal of his
Mr . O'Brien then Jose , and said—When he informed fee Jury that until he had heard the indictment read Sua day he waa totally ignorant of the charge against him , and of the language that was to be imputed _ to him , they might readily conceive he came very little Prepared to enter upon his defence . At the same time , . baring come to Newcastle , and heard that the charge ¦ gainst him was founded « n language lie had made use ' j ^ ke * ' be had mads it his business to refer to the newscT *^ iw reports of Ips speeches , in order to refresh his _ > ** n memory as t » what he had really said at these t - " * -: aeetings , and the result of that reference was , that he jjjond the report of the meeting : of the 7 th July in the ^ jwe M ercu ry was- substantially false . He said this because he knew that his . jraetice in speaking had si' ££ * SV betn to keep rigidly within the law . His duty * Sffi consfitPJesta compeitea him to Tiaesfrtmolraifrnflfe . $ frL ** 1116 same ' time & felt that be owed a duty to the ^ i ? Is {) »^) icb . woe his master ,, and this duty com-• IL ™ P ^ ed him to take eare ~ that he committed no offence hw ?* 4 tiie ^ ' independent of the feeling that he owed ^ » Wlh to hi « own attererts and to those of his consti-
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taenti not to aaiend against the Jaw . Betides , he "had longknewnttiat ^ oTernment wisked *• hatfr ash a plea for hying bold of Mm , and b > Wdralways felt that by giTing Hiem such an opportaitftr ka ^ ould give spr detirable ,- He wtoW- Wefly itate * oTm Jary i&o tarcumstancas under which he » 4 * &a « fld ibs attesting at which he was alleged torhave mled -tta ») aqn » ce given in eritfenee . TJp to' within : im . 4 umr at the " tiHie of attending that meeting he had nointentioa of being present iJjere ' j * alL About an htmibefore he went there be bM ^ art arrived in Newcastle from Snnderl and , and hrRtd ' no s * oner gone to his hotel th « n he was waited upon by a gentleman , who showed him a copy of the Sun newspaper , In which was tn account SSkn ^ &a ^ v ^ Sen ^^ d S ^ ^ f
of a mo * nnpwtoked and wanton attack of the police onthip&pleofBiradBgham , and tiiat gentleman reqtt 88 t * itt » t he woifla aecompeny him to the Music Hafl , ana there deKverhis sentimeutg upon the occasion aato . wb ^ yarmoBtadvisableto be don&' pjr . o-Brien here read tlie "report t > bm ttajSun to whfch he had allnded . ] The Jury , would , see , therefore , that thatmeetinir was the result ef tfo - conspiracr , btit «» caafld « iejelyon the spurrof tie moment ; und » feeling of grtat « xeite > ment , Jn . consequence of thatwport . ;' H « said , tmder feelings , of" great excitement , becSitfe they had a right to belfeve , under the cir ^ nimBtane *; tiiat the magistrates were Lathe w * ong . 3 * e * Sa * '' wasnota Charttst TttwipapeT , but a newspaper inthelamt t ) f snpportbw Government ^ and the account given in . ft ina more the
corroborated . by | , private letter trhlHti ^ SkieI " to hand by the same post from Mi . Richardson , who described the disgraceful and cruel outrage committed on Dr . Taylor He - said the ^/ went . to the meetings of great excitement and they had reason to be excited , because , knowing the feelings . ^ ith which they were regarded , they had reason for great alarm , and he confessed that he him-Belf made use of language which he should not otherwise have . used , or felt justified in using . At the same time he begged to say that he did not recemmand resistance to the authorities , bnt , on tbe contrary , he recommended them to an obedience to the laws and to the magistracy , so long as the magistrates themselves acted under the law . But at the same time having heard himself denounced as a man who ^ ras a bloodthirsty
monster—far he had heard it actually discussed on a coach ; in bis own presence , for two hours , whether Brenterre O'Brien or Feargtts ( yConnor was moft deserting of . being hanged—and he bad "beard the same question discussed both in coffee houses and elsewhere , and Government openly censured for not putting them away—and more than that , he had had three treasonable letters sent to him—( wkether by Government agents or false friends he could not say , but had any warrant been out against him upon which he had been apprehended , no doubt that these letters would have been evidence against him )—andknowmg not but that there was an intention to crush him—considering all these circumstances he begged to say , and taking them in connexion with the affair at Birmincbam , he felt that he
had some grounds for being alarmed . Not thai he blamed those who had so discussed tds conduct , because he believed they were so utterly in the dark as to his real principles , that they were not much to blame . He believed that they went to that meeting with a feeling that a crisis was coming upon them of a fearful character . Mr . Richardson ' s letter alarmed him very much—for surely if , as alleged in this indictment , it was seditious to alarm her Majesty ' s subjects , surely staves and blowB were much more calculated to do it When he was charged with having alarmed her Majesty ' s peaceable subjects , therefore , he begged to say that he had much more reason to be alarmed himself at the language made use of towards him by her Majesty ' s peaceable subjecto in the discussions to which he had
allndedr ( Laughter . } Tbe Learned Counsel on the other side had denned sedition to be language calculated to alarm her Majesty ' s peaceable subjects , and also language calculated to provoke to a breach of the peace , riots , tumults , aad so forth . Now allow him ( Mr . O'Brien ) to say , that though he had during the last eight or ten months addressed two millions of people , hi no instance had a breach of the peace resulted-from any act or speech or his . And of this be was very certain , that those whom , he had addressed were not alarmed ; for they all applauded him most vociferously . iLaughter . ) How ridiculous then to say that his ' speeches were calculated to alarm her Majesty ' s subjects . It was clear those who went to hear him were not alarmed , and if so what right had they
who would not go to hear Mm to make pretended alarm at' what they knew nothing about , but from hearsay . If we were to study the idle fears of such persons as these , it would be well to have » ur mouths gagged at once . Wby talk of alarm ? . . The Times never wrote a leading article but it alarmed some one , and he believed in the same way he never made a speech but . it alarmed some old woman . But what of that ? The same old ladies made speeches calculated to alarm him , and if it was seditious to alarm them , it was surely seditious in them to use language to alarm him . ILaughter . ) Indeed , with just-as much reason he might turn round and charge the Learned Counsel for the prosecution with having made a very seditious speech , ( renewed laughter , ) for it was a speech much
calculated to alarm him . He had never been before any of her Majesty ' s Justices till the present 'occasion-, in &ct , he owed to the peeple of Newcastle the high honour of being presented at Coort . ( Great laughter . ) And hi found too , that if he compared the language * rbieb-he-bad used ,- with thai latefrjrttttered « $ - * •¦ public meeting in London , where a high Parliamentary party were preparing to come to fisty- « ufis , be did think that be had reason to complain of it ae a hardship , that he should be brought down here by the corporationof this city . If tkey wanted to make an example of some one , they had abundance of more fit subjects than he was , without leaving their « wn city —iiay , be had been told that they need not Btep beryond the limits of the corporation itself . . { Boars of
laughter , wMchthe officers of the Court had difficulty in suppressing . ) But why was he brought here to answer for attending that meeting ? If seditious language was used at that meeting , surely it was a seditious meeting ; and if a meeting was illegal , who , of all others , was it the duty of the magistrates to put their hands upon ? Who ought to be responsible ? He aid , the Chairman . He said if language waa made use of at a meeting whieh was calculated to excite alarm « a breach of the peace , who was a more fit person to be made responsible than the Chairman , because it was always in his p * wer to stop seditions language from being used . Therefore , when he fooDd that the party who was Chairman ot the meeting referred to , bo far from being proceeded against , was actually
subpeened on the prosecution , he must say thnj such a mode ef proceeding was alike opposed to common sense and justice . When he ( Mr . O'Brien ) was Chairman of-a meeting , if improper language was used , he said— " - >* ow , gentlemen , I'll leave the chair if yoa pursue this course of conduct That course ought to have been taken here . It was the duty of the Cbsinnaa to vacate the chair if seditious language was used , and why was not that done in this ease ? Why , simply because the Chairman ( one of the most amiable men in Newcastle , ) felt that there was no tedluon . But he denied tbe language imputed to him , and he had witnesses to prove—but the Learned Counsel on the other side had warned him that if he called witnesses he should have the right of reply , and be did not exactly
like to leave to those gentlemen the chance of having the last word , because he knew their power and influence , or else he co « ld have proved that so far from speaking in favour of the holiday , he had been denounced throughout the country for opposing that strike . He bad felt that unless the strike were universal it would not have the effect of shewing to the richer classes the value of the labourer , and there bein ^ no evidence to shew that it would be universal , but , on the contrary , he had opposed it from a feeling of the danger which might result from it under such circumstances ; and it waa rtally too bad that a man who had risked his popularity to prevent the holiday , should now be brought before a court of justice charged with having attempted to
promote it He would tell the Jury candidly , that if he had used language like that which tbe reporter had attributed to him , it would be their duty to find him guilty . ; Mr . O'Brien proceeded to read a number of violent articles froia the leaders of the Moruinff Herald , Sawiderf * Netes Letter , &c and observed , that bad he used language such as that , he couldhave understood why the Corporation of Newcastle had prosecuted him . Language such as that was unjustifiable . But to talk of . bringing the House of Commons into contempt when such men as O'Connell got ap in the House of Commons itself , and offered to prove that the Committees of the House of Commons were guilty of perjury , - and repeated it out of the House , backed by nearly half the members of U » House . ; Why here was fair game for a prosecution , and he would have understood the
Newcastle Corporation if they had sent up for Daniel O'ConnelL iLaughter . ) Mr . O'Brien then proceeded at some length to show the errors which were abroad as to what really were lie principles of Chartists , and the absurdity of the fears which were entertained that they were opposed to the higher classes , and disposed to destroy property . He was charged with exciting to opposition the people against the Queen , her crown , and dignity . He told them that it was impossible , for he had been writing against the Queen being bo dependent as she really was , through the House of -Commons having robbed her of some of her privileges . He concluded by saying be left his ease to the Jury with confidence , because he felt that the evidence was of no value , and he believed thej w » nld be of that opinion too .
Mr . Atbe next addressed the Jury in his defence , at very great length , gaing over nearly the same grounds , as Mr . O'Brien , and pointing out the ¦ warthleasness of the evidence . He begged the Jnry to dismiss from their minds all prejudice against him , because he was of a different class of society to them , and was supposed , on account of his politics , to be opposed to their interests . He assured them that this supposition was unfounded that the principles of Chartist * did not lead them to desire the destruction of property ; but he knew that on this aeconnt great prejudice did exist against them in the minds of the middle class ; and he complained of the injustice that , while the Bill of Rights gave Englishmen the right to be tried by their peers , he was under trial by a jury of the middle class , and not of his peers . .
Mr . Maso * addressed the Court afterwards , and denied tb . fr right of the Jury to infer that the language attributed to him was likely to produce a breach of tbe peace , when it was notorious that 5 Ienibcr 3 of tbe Newcastle CorpcMtion , vrL # were in this the orlrinatoK of
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the prosecution , had used mack worse exciting Jangoage without any such effect resulting , from ' it It was im , possible Cor him , he said , to bring tbe Parliament , into contempt—for he understood that to De part " of the offence imputed to him—they "baA already brought themselves into contempt . The Learned Jddge next proceeded to sum up . He observed , that it was a long time since the case for the prosecution closed , And , therefore , he felt it necessary t * call their attention to the charges , and to the evidence by which they were supported ; He said the defendants seemed to have mistaken the ground of prosecution It was not , as seemed to ¦ be . supposed , f or nsirjg gedkt 0 UH words . The first charge wm for seditiously assembling , ^! S ^ °° ' ^^ ^^ 1 ^^ . 4 ?»^
and then by seditious speeches endeavouring to excite the parties to whom they were addressed to hatred and contempt of the Government and . the lawt of the country , and to create riots , routs , and insurrections , and also , to persuade "them to arm themselves for these purpoeea . Now if that ? charge was flupt ported it was an illegal offence . Persons might assemble for any purpose , but then they must not use language calculated W > excite contempt for the lawn of the land .: Xhe . first count charged each defendant separately , and the second and others .. charged the defendants with ! conspiracy to produce the same resulto . In the latter case-it ^ was necessary that two or more persons should have aefced together , and therefore they could not on the charges find one of the parties guilty and acquit all the others . He said this , because he found that the defendants , in their defence , seemed to have each confined themselves to , the words alleged to have been used by them . But perhaps the best way
would be to lo » k at what each did say . The only witness against them was Henderson , . and the law said . that the evidence of But one witness waB not always satisfactory , and besides the witness in this case did not come there under circumstances that would add value to his evidence . The Learned Judge then briefly recapitulated the causes of the meeting , and said it was held on a Sunday . Now if Henderson hud , gone there at the instance of the authorities , having been told to g « there and take notes for the purposes of the prosecution , and had taken notes , although , he had said I am not certain I have given all the words , but I am able to give yon tbe general tenor of the whole , -that provided they could rely upon the judgment of J&j& > witness , would be . satisfactory evidence But b > said he was reporter for a newspaper , and the paper not being favourable to- the Chartists , wa « not likely to give a very favourable representation of what was said . The witness went to make an article for a
newspaper , and acted , no doubt , honestly , but then " he did not expect to be made a witness in such pro . eeedings as these . The distinction was this—they bad not got a man who went to take a full report , and knew that he would have to detail all that passed in a court of justice , but one who went to a meeting merely to take notes of such parts as would do for his purpose . If a person were indicted few a printed libel , he had a right t * insist upon its being all read ; and on the same principle , if it was sought to make a man answerable for what he had said , the whole should be given to the jury , or , at least , so mwfc *» would enable them to judge of the tenor of the whole . The question then was , whether they , had sufficient of the speeches before them , in this instance , to enable them
to judge of the tenor of the whole of them . The witness admitted that he could not make * ut some portions of the speeches , and therefore he omitted those parts altogether . The defendant , O'Brien , had crossexamined the witness , and it turned out that the defendant took part in favour of the Government , but this was not stated in the report ; and the accuracy of the report being a very material question in this ease , it was far the Jury to draw their own conclusion respecting it From what he had beard fron Mr . O'Brien to-day , he thought he would not have used some of the language imputed to him , for he would be likely to talk common sense , which he was not exactly made t * do in that report The language he admitted using was very strong , but the question was not whether he
had used strong and intemperate language—for in this country a man could not be punished f » r that—but whether upon the whole it was calculated to produce the effects charged in the indictment The procuring of fire arms waa not an unlawful act ; the people had a right to have arms ; but the question was , whether they were to get these anna for the purpose of using them against the public peace . The' question was , whether he meant that after what bad taken place at Birmingham , all law was gone—that the 700 , 018 middle classes , whom he mentioned , bid taken up arms against tbe lower classes—that all law and order waa gone , and society reduced to its original elements ; and then if so there could be ' no dottbt that the people had a right to ana in their own defence .
The very first law of nature was Belf defence . But then he must here remark what a dangerous thing it was to incite the people to arm , and to make them the sole judges of whether they had a right to Interfere The defendant admitted that he advised the people to keep the peace as long as the authorities themselves kept the , law , but this , he must observe , was a most dangerous doctrine , because it was a most dangerous thing to make the people judges whether the law had been kept . If the authorities broke the law , K was still the duty of tbe people t » yield obedience . What » dangerous Btate of things would exist , for instance , if , when the authorities were KOi 8 g ,. as < -the people thought , beyond flsriSw , feey ^ werT *© t& *> < mp t on * . against t&mt With regard to treason , We had proposed a resolution
charging the Government with high treason , and though this was y&t y strong and very intemperate language , it was a mere expression of opinion , which every Englishman had a right to make . With regard to the resolution seconded by Thomaaon . too , it was certainly couched in strong language , but as it set forth , that the course pursued by the authorities at Birmingham was illegal , and put it to the meeting for its opinion , even that was not to be considered as seditious . Of Mr . O'Brien ' s second speech only a short account was given , sufficient ,-no doubt , as the reporter , thought , for his paper , but not to enable them to judge of its tendency , and , for any thing that appeared to the contrary , the speaker might have bethought himself of having used rather intemperate language in the
first speech , or to prevent its being misunderstood or to qualify it in the second . At any rate that was the particular danger which he was desirous of guarding them against throughout the whole of the proceeding * . If the account given was correct , and nothing transpired to qualify the observations , they could only conclude that it was the intention of the party to create the effects charged . But it was clear that a great deal of what had been said was omitted from the report It wag . true the witness said that a great part of the . second speech was a repetition of the first , but he ( tbe Learned Judge ) would like to form bis own judgment of that Upon the whole , they were to consider all the circumstances : that a large meeting
took place—that there was great cheering , and other causes to excite the meeting—that . there were strong resolutions passed almost unanimously—and yet that at the conclusion of the . meeting . the- people went away withvnt creating any disturbance , which suggested that something must have taken place to . mitigate what otherwise appeared to hare been vary strong language . Looking at the language as a whole , certainly it would be difficult to say it was innocent , but the strength of the defence was , that the whole was not given , and on the « oss-examination of the witness it appeared that there was so much that had not been given bj . the reporter , and which upon the face ef them appeared to be »• innooent that they were left in considerable doubt upon tbe subject
The Jury then retired , and , after an absencd of about ten minutes , returned with a verdict of " NOT OUILTY . " The Court was crowded to excess during the whole trial , which lasted from nine in the morning till nine at night , and , when the verdict was delivered , the feelings of the people defied all restraint , and the breathless silence of the Court was broken by a load shout of approbation , which was repeated again and again , and which being readily understood by some thoosands of people who were anxiously awaiting the result outside the Hall , was echoed back by them , and the air was rent with exclamations of gratulatlon and joy , till Air . O'Brien and his follower a left the Court
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DU&BABE ASSIZES . The Commission was opened here on Saturday , but no business was proceeded with till Monday , and no cases of any pubb ' c interest were tried on that day . Mr . Justice Coleridge presided in the Crown Court , and Mr . Justice Erskike took the Nisi Prius business .
CROWN COURT , Tuesday , Mabch 3 . HIGHWAY EOBBEEY . WUliam Tulip , the younger , aged 23 ; stood charged with having , on the 31 st of January last , along with two other . persona , feloniously stolen from the person of James Robinson , in the parish of Winlaton , £ 320 in gold and notes . Sir Gbbqoby Le . win was counsel for . the prosecution , and Mr . Graihgeb for the prisoner . The case excited great interest . " - Sir Gregory Lewin st&ieff the case at great length , and then called witnesses , of whose evidence the following is an outline : —
James Robinson said , I am the overman ef the Garesfield colliery , and am employed to pay the men . The day for paying the men ia Friday , and the men assemble to be paid at Barlow . I go for the money to the Garesfield colliery office , and the distance is about & mile and a quarter . Tbe road between them is about half field path and partly a lane . On Friday , the Gtb of January , I received 182 spvs ., ^ £ 84 jn notes * ait * , £ 13 . is . U ^ d . in copper .. I put tiia geld into if ; 6 ott < & purse and the notes into ¦ & second ' purse , wliichT $ laCOT within that The silver was in a linen purse . I put
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. f Y f 1 — .. 11 ' ¦ ii yt f i r i , n $ f $$ f $ &yti * M » ^ « be . inside left pocket atitty . i ^ * f »^ wln ^ o my tigbt band waiafaSat po * l » £ ; I ^ trW ^^^ * t&w minute * past sir •' clocjfc After" I ^ Pa ^ thwugh the nefej . and got seven 6 kheight **"">; K m ta ™» n . to whom I laid '" kollo > H « f ^^ ll'J ^ " Teify boWjy . I turned iwnid . aid E lo » ked afrhto . and hen passed on . I « w Wb face bo as !* J > f ^ i ^? agalD - Ii *« <> t " nibre « isn ; twbortniea petJronk obn , I passed oh and saw tw ©> men Btandinginth * rwd , who seized me directly I pawed them . 1 b « Ke ftWM them and tun , bnt I tad not gone far -when rieeelved ablo >* on therigbt aide of my head , wblchBtanrieditieaUttte . butl didnotftfl . I timed round tosttfciwitha stick , but before ^ Iliad « nie to turn , they al * three rushed upon me . and I and another
one Went down together . I was not able to recognise tbtfftces of the men . I wai down with one ntanntidw me , and I bit tjha ' t manon the thigh ! The- twtf nieri steading Jben otBited to feeat me Beverelj on the ii&A : The other traa grappling hold of my bogy tto'find the ' money , . T ^ ef beat . ine ; ^ tb a stjckjintf wpuiided'ine ¦ ° » % Jfci a , | " from" " t ^ iich , 'b ^ odd ' ' flowed . They aften ^ at tb ; threw' me on the hedge ; ' an £ tore way part , of my ^ coat' -wltti the 'pock « tjmoney and . all . f , T ^ t w a » . the l # > ld . I ' 8 ucceeded in throwiii g \ $ a silver . aui& >^ pper in the ' bidge . The . three im , ; away and left ine , and X ' wjent back to theeolliery and told ^ : Hb » . It was a week aitejjbejorel . eoutd . leave my bed , When I ' recovered I was taken tq the Moot Bali it Gateshead , and wai
shewn the prisoner : I . recognised him directly and knew him . to . be ^ he man who robbed me , and who I first met I was . afterwards andwn another man whom I did not recognise . ¦ ¦ John Shoot , policeman , stated , that in consequence of information , he received on the Hd Of January , he went with JMr . Gray and Mr . Patt to the lane where the robbery , took' place , and there he found twe places as thongh straggling had taken place there , and on a brier bush in the hedge was a quantity ef blood and the marks of three different men ' s feet He trace * them across thai field and others , consisting of corn fields and stubble , fields , and lost the trace in a plantation about a mile distant' I am a shoemaker , and measured the sites of the «> be marks . There was one
a sixes , * ' anotiera " seveus ^ slze , and a third cWIed eights . " , 11 , took the ; prisoner into custody at Bell ' s C ^ , i ^ Korfiuim » erlaucl , 6 fli , ] 6 bj& ^ th of February . ' He might goth&effrom , Winlaton over Scotswoad Bridge or cross the Tyne . ' 1 took a man named Baty into custody and found bV shoes to be' " eights . " Tulip ' s-shees was a " seVeri *" , I took Veitch into custody and his shoes were " jsjlxes . " . I found i blue coat at Tulip ' s , and one pocket waa filled withefay . The clay I produce I got from the placeof robbery , and it corresponds with tkatonthecoat There were marks on the coat , which seemed to have been sponged . Tulip , before the magistrates , said he remained at home on the 31 st till six , and was never near the spot ' '
John Guthrie , keelman , said he knew the prisoner and Baty , and saw them pass over the Scotswood Bridge , between three und four on Friday afternoon , 3 ist January . They were going to the Durham side . He spoke to them . Ralph Green , keelman , gave similar evidence ; The Tollkeeper also eaid he took toll from them on that day , and Tulip ; had a blue coat . on , ; They did net return by the bridge that day . ' Matthew Aystin , mason , knew a place called Content , about half a mile from Winlaton . He knew Tulip and Edward Baty . He saw them at Content on the afternoon ef the robbery , going in the direction of Mr . Ramsa ^ a
house , about five o ' clock , and I mentioned them by name to 4 person who was with me . To g « to Mr . Ramsay ' s they would , go partly ^ towards Winlaton . Wm . Fairbridge wad atV Mr . Ramsay ' s house , at iJerwent Villa , on the day of the robbery , and saw the prisoner and Baty pass hi the ' evening towards the place of robbery . ¦ " ; John Myers , a pltmAn , knew . Mrs . Nixon's field ; at Cow-lano , near the plaoer of robbery i about , a quarteri post five , on the 31 st of Janaarjr , and saw two men in tbe field « i the opposite side of the road , which is Wood ' s field , and « ne of them had blue clothes on . John Jackson , of Barlow , saw iwo men in the field f Wood , at half . paal five on the 3 irt . '••"¦ ' .
Nicholas Watson , aurgedn , said he saw Rcbinson after the robbery ,, and he had five or six severe contused Wounds on the head , 'from which the blood had flowed . Mr . Grainger then addressed the Jury , contending that the evidence against the prisoner wag bo bare , with the exception of Robinwn ' s w t « identity , that it was of no worth ; « rid with respect to Robinson ' s he intreated them to . receive Mj with caution , for according to his own acknowledgment . he had never seen the P' ^? " *!™!^^ bjavingjonly caught a single glance of hU ^» pla ^ W he passed , it was extremely P ^ bjflJ&J 9 »* might be mistaken . TiMpfrnSd- Judge summed up , and and the Jury
retajWfcw about half an ' kour . Verdict—Guilty . 8 e 5 * Mp I flf death wai recorded against the prisoner j bnj | aHJttd | e gave him U understand that his life wogRj » itSred on condition * f his being transported f * r ! , u * K "The ground of this recommendation , he obfSenS . ' ^* after en ^ ctingAhe robbery they had attenipujato- inflict no further injury upon the prosecutor . ; jtterei could ' be no doubt , kowever , that had nie K « ¦ beea necessary fo ; the -effecting oftheir purpose they would not have netj $ fet 6 d tp ^ deprive him of it , and therefore . , under- snetf ^ ttjeutngaiicea . he Gould never oori » rtjted of such a crime , should be spared , but « m condifloii of bis never returning to the country . ¦ <
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TO THE EDITOR OP THE NORTHERN STAB . Sir , —Having noticed in your Journal a correspondence between Messrs . Rider and Steele , and other communications , respecting the character of Robert Peddie , committed for trial on a charge of High Treason ; and being mynelf in doubt which of the characters imputed to him was most applicable , but considering the truly awful situation in which he is now placed , I determined , with the advice of some friends , to take instructions from the public meeting held in this town on Wednesday last , for the purpose » f organising the general defence ( for which I am engaged ) , whether Ptddie should be included : when , notwithstanding a variety of opinions as to his real character and intentions , the feelings of animosity and resentment nwged into a compassionate and unanimous resolution "that Robert Peddie be included in the intended legal ' defence . "
After your intimation that further communication would not be published at present , I should not have obtruded this explanation ; but I perceive the resolution is not reported in the proceedings of the meeting , which I account for in consequence of the subject being introduced of ter the regular business for which it was called bad been disposed of . Trusting that such decision will be generally approved , I remain , Sir , Yours , respectfully , J . Clabksok . Bradford , March 3 rd , 184 * .
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TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN STAR . Sir , —When Mr . Feargus O'Connor was in this place , I think he said that there were in the United Kingdom ) «> millions qfeperaiives '; and that only about one tniUioii of them had signed the National Petition . Now , Sir , I am a Chartist , and as I feel a deep interestin the welfare of the XAtion , and am informed that within the last five or six months , more than eiyhiy millions « f pounds sterling have left our shores to be invested in trade and manufactures iu other nations , and as I know that if such a departure of capital carry 011 for a few months longer , myriads of our operatives must be cost out of employment without the smallest prospect of getting into it again in this land , and , as they have not the means of emigrating to other lands , no hope can remain fur them or their children . It is high time that something immediately , and decidedly , bo done to prevent such a fearful catastrophe . ¦
Allow me therefore , through tho medium' of your excellent and widely circulated Journal , to state to the millwnswbo have signed tho National Petition , that J have a snwIL- favour to o » k of every man amongst them , and it is this , that he use his utmost diligence to gain a new oonvert to the Charier every wtdc for fiw tceela , « o that by the end of that time he con report that his talent has gained five . If every man of the million do this , we shall be able in six weeks to demand that the Charter shall become the law of the land , for by that time we shall have six millions of men determined that it shall be so . '
Surely the task ef making ONE convert every week is by no means au unwieldy one . Take any one man amongst the million , and tell him solemnly and seriously that his life , and the lives of his wife and children , or of his brothers and sisters , depend on his producing five new converts to the Charter by that day five weeka . Do you think that the man would fail in the enterprise ? Give Mr . Feargus O'Connor a fair field , and I make no doubt that in five weeks he will produce five thousand new converts . Now ; whether the working classes will believe it or not , ' it isTin reality a matter of life and death , prosperity and starvation to tens of thousands of their number they must therefore either door diointhiamatter . "TheGoaB helpthose who help themselves . " I trust , therefore , that every man
among the million will do his best during the five ensuing weeks . Letno man wait tosee wbatanotherwill dointhe matter ,, but let every man do his duty , as if the whole depended on him alone . Let every man ask himself waetherlt be not better to make one short , bold , and determined , effort than to drag the chains of Blavery and misery for alifetime . Will he refuse a few hours diligent labour in . order to set himself iand children free for ever . Some will say we would do thething if we thought that others weuld do it—but . this is a deceitful , dangerous way of reasoning . Do you your duty , and never mind what others do , A majority of the nation will get the Charter—without ; a majority in its favour , it cannot be gotHrfix your determination on getting theinajority , and " ¦ ¦¦ •• •¦
I am , && , &e . - ¦ ¦ .. - ¦ ¦ .-.. ' . ' ¦ AuictJS . . A&ehterarder , 18 th February , 1840 . -, P . B .- —If a million of soldiers . were sent to recruit , $ * 9 tb ; the ttSButane&thatif eachpf . them siiouid in five # e * ks- enlist five recruits , he should in that c 4 se receive lCa . ptnreei , in addition to his for " mer pay " ,
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and be allowed to assure every one of those who should enlist , that his former intone < should ,-be doubled , and that tkese bounties snonTd "be "contHiued during life , with erery chance of tac / eas ^ . ' ^^ nr persuaded that the million of soldiers would aceemplisb their task , "if they should have to go to Fiance for recruits . Now an additional Inoome equal to- wltat I have mentioned will be the reward of fcoUi the Chartists who convert , ' and of those who are conyerted to the Charter , if the task be speedily accomplished , i . e ., before the trade and manufacture of this country shall have departed . For if the
reduction of taxes , the reduction of the price of food , the increase of wages , ( arising from an Increased demand effected by the establishment of free trade ) , and the cheapening of law and justice , all of wh ^ cb . would be effected by the Charter . . Jff ' aU , theae . t&ings be taken into account , it will readily appear ! that tha circumstawJeaoL every operativeiin | Britain , ndght be bettered by-lOs * per week , in addition to his present income , and if , with such ^ pirospect , ' before " them , the ! m \ llipn do-nob exert their utmost diligence—foreign nations . will htld them inderiiiod , and laugh at tlieircalamity "when it comes in allits terror ; and their owa offspring Will enrsetheix indolence and cowardice .
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TO' THB EDITOR OK THE NORTHERN STAB . . THE MARQUIS 0 * WATERFORD OIJTpON | :.-T SIR ROEAJpjr ^^ PEEL'S SON IN A SGBAPeJ " Some men ma ; steal & horse with impunity , whilst others may not even look over the hedge . ' Sir , —There is an excellent caricature extant , of a foppish sprig » f aristocracy btfore a magistrate . Ou the bar ii ^ beed a quantity of knockers , which the young geknpinan has been amusing himself , on the previous nlgiit , by abstracting from their proper places . The magistrate is summoned by the usual harpies , who seem highly to enjoy the fun , whilst the worthy and impartial dogberry himself , is leaning forward , with a smiling expression ef countenance , and addressing the delinquent thus : — " My Lord , I am sorry to be obliged to fine you five shillings for disorderly conduct . Show hit Lordship into a private-room ill " ..
. JBj « . di 5 § renitfie-contraat . Scene tbe same ploc «—persons the same , with the exception of a fresh prisoner 4 a poor man ) in room of his Lordahip . The harpies now present a very dignified aspect , and his worship , with a sternness of manner sumdent to annihilate a man of much Btronger nerves than the po « r prisoner , th ^ 8 addresses him : — " How dare you knock at peopled doors , you scoundrel ? Take him away . One month at the House of Correction . * No doubt many may think this picture overdone . To such I would cell attention to the following fact : — Sir Robert Peel ' s son , and some other youths at Harrow School , were indicted in the Queen's Bench the other day , for a three ^ ays' riot , and smashing the windows , &c , of a Jew merchant and chapman .
Kissinggoesby favour , so Sir Robert contrived to get a sight of the briefs of both parties ; and seeing matters in them not very agreeable to himself , he earwigged the " powers that be ; " and Lord Denman caused the affair to be arranged in C » urt without going to a Jury : , ... One ofthe morning papers , alluding tothe afiair , says , Lord Denman , smiled wheu the oaae was brought before him . Aye , so did the . magistrate in the caricature . Let . the culprit be a poor man , is there much doubt that his Lordship would change , as did the magistrate . I imagine there (' was one , though , wblo did- not smile , when he paid £ 150 to quiet the piaintifft . What say you , Sir Robert ? Anxious that the public should know
more of this affair , than appears likely to' be brought to light , I beg to acquaint you that had . the trial come on , the following evidence would have been adduced . Young Bobby goes to the Jew ' s house , and w « rds arose between him and the Hebrew ' s daughter . Bobby declared that she was nothing bxxt a , paitrp Jewess . She replied a paltry Jewess was as good as a paltry cotton spinner ' . 'He then-designated her as a common cheat . She retorted , that he and his father , and the whole * f the family , had elevated themselves , and become what they were , by robbing , plundering , and starving the poor creatures who had laboured for them I think the fair unbeliever had the ¦ better [ of her Christian antaganist . Anether
contrast—In the Bail Court , last week , a motion waa mads for a oertiqrari to remove a cause , on ' the ground « f not being able to have a faif trial through political party feeling . It was a trial for forgery , and Judge Pattisqn granted the ceriiorari . How admirably this tenacity torfair trials comports with Special Commissions !! Judge Pattison observed , "It is a great corse THAI POLITICS ENTER INTO CASES OF THIS KIND . We are in a sad state in tuis country" ?!! This I think speaks volumes . Yours , in the cause of truth and justice , ¦¦ . ' ¦¦ ¦ .. P . w .
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TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN 6 TAR . Sir , —Seeing-in your star of last week , respectinc : the COnductofthebaseVVbigstowardsourincarceratedbrotbex Mr . Vincent , I have the pleasure of informing you that AJjave- received from an sgricnltural district j 6 r " : 5 ! f " 4 d . Where no Liberal" paper have ever appeared excepting ( the Northern Star , and I have to inform you that Chartism is taking deep root amongst those sturdy Wiltshire boys . The following hath been collected , and the samo I hove forwarded to Mr . Owen , Solicitor , Monmouth for Mr . Heniy Vincent : — £ . s . d . Collected at Kingston Diveral , by Thomas Garrett 0 16 2 Collected at Bricatone Diveral ... 0 3 2 Collected at Mongton Diveral , by Stephen Tudgey 0 6 0 15 4 J . Moore . Trowbridge , March 3 . 1840 .
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TO THE CHARTISTS OF THE WEST-RIDING , AND THE FRIENDS OF HUMANITY THROUGHOUT THE KINGDOM . Friends and Fellow-countrymen , —it is with feelings of inexpressible sorrow that we make this appeal to your sympathy and kindness on bolialf of our unfortunate and misguided townsmen who or « now lodged in York Castle , awaiting their trials for their late rash attempts at insubordination . Considering all tue circumstances connected with their case , we cannot look upon them in any other light thaa as deluded victims—victims partly to a wild and visionary scheme of bettering the present state of things , as they thought , and partly to the system ef espionage which accelerated their scheme and eventually ensured their present calamity .
Under these impressions we venture to ask your assistance to tha end that these men may be enabled to procure Counsel immediately ; but more especially do we appeal to the humane of all ranks on behalf of those extremely unfortunate men who have been committed both from thin place and from Sheffield for High Treason . Hoping that this appeal will not be made in vain , but that it will be lesponded to in such a way as will enable their friends to procure that legal assist ance which will prevent ' them suffering an ignominious death , or bejng expatriated from their native land , or even incarceration in the dungeon ' s gloom . Fellow Christians , no time must be lost The Assizes are at hand ; therefore , strain every nerve , and send in your subscriptions without delay to the Northern Star Office . Let every man emulate his neighbour in rendering assistance to these once infatuated , but now truly penitent , prisoners .
On behalf of the Defence Committee , Michael Schofield , Chairman . Bradford , Feb . 26 th , 1840 .
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TO FEARGUS O'CONNOR , ESQ . Association Room , 5 , Galloway ' s Buildings , Bath , February 25 th , 1840 . Respected Sir , —The attention of the working millions of this country , in conjunction with the wellmeaning portion of the other classes of society , is directed most particularly to one object , namely , the liberation of Frost , Williams , and Jones , as well as all ofthetof the people ' s friends , who are now incarcerated tgt'iheir patriotic advocacy of the rights and liberties of their distressed countrymen .
The means by which that is to be effected is , therefore , naturally the principal subject of our deliberations . The Bath Female Radical Association has not been merely ^ kerB onin the good work , but have seriously and ittyi uiMy taken the subject i&to their , consideration , and HeM way so likely to be effectual as that proposed a few weeks since in your Northern Star , via ., Mrs . Frost and her daughters , and the wives and families of Williams and Jones , appearing before the Throne , and their pleading before a newly married Queen for their release . We know that a letter has been written to Mrs . Frost on the subject , who replied that she expeoted to see yourself and Mr . Geach , whose advice she would act upon ; and likewise saying , that if it were the wish of the people she . would do so . I think , Sir , we can , say that it is the wish of the people j and
therefore , at eur last meeting , oh Monday evening , we came t » an unanimous resolution that I , as Secretary of the Association , < should write to you , urging the adoption of the aforementioned plan , and to suggest that if you made a call on all the Associations in the Queendom , through the columns of your valuable paper , for a donation of , say 2 s . 6 d . each , both male and female , that that call would be immediately responded to , and by that means a sufficient stun would be instantly raised to pay the whole of their expencea to L « udon and b . ick , where they would go with the prayers of millions of sympathetic hearts for their success . I have to express my acknowledgments for the promptitude with which you have at all times attended to the requests I have peen authorisedto-mftketoyon , < and hoping that tha day-Is not fardfcrtant wh «» thVsua > of ¦ Jibert-r- shall
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bnrst from behind the elond of darkness ^ Which Is «| i present withering our energies ,-raid by H » refulge * beams reanimate the poUtical atmosphere vt war at piesent almost benighted country ; That you * « phere of nsefnbiesi may be extended for many years , and th a * the proposition , ur adopted , may be attended witil success , . . I remain in . Radical Fellowship , 'Yourasinoerely , The Secretart op thb Association 6 , Galloway ^ Buildings , Bath . burst from l » h ^ « , « «** - ^* - ^ i ^^ , „ - * :
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The subscriptions : at MarseiUeS j fbr Bharos in ( tm Meditorraneo-Translantic Steam rfevigation Company now * mount to 4 , 175 , 000 francs .. This company is not to be constituted until ite « apital amonute to 6 , 060 , 000 of fran < js , nor un ^ Govenunent shall ' hava agreed \ & grant it ' ari annual , subsidy of \ 2 , 000 Q 00 » : iQ teturo for the monej paid for all letter * , . deapitohesi $$ „ which would in titat ease be traui- ferred to ihe coffers of the state . ., . . . ; The SpltAtFtBiiiw WKATEBS . ^ LsBt fr ejek , at < rt » - of the most numerous meetings of the silk tra Je of Spitalfieldsthathasbeenheld for i length of tin » , the following resolutiws were unanimousiy z&xpteili -- " 1 . That thia meeting bAvi&e *^ witwftfnat . ;» %
tioa that it ie the intention of ijer . Ayij ^ aty s < aoverft » . ment to propose areduction ^^ j fla ^ iPtiGutiBt ^ on foreign wrought silks , MdTOT ^ f ^ yincctViMBl . i direful experience ihat the ^ preseut cruties ' . ai'o sai : < inefficient protection to the silk trade ofthe country ; ,, ' feel confident that any further redaction of tnfe duties on foreign wrought flilks will have the effect of reducing the price of labour , which , - . in ; inany instances , ie ^ olow a subsisting point ,-and ultimately must annihilate the ailk trade of the couutry . ' . '—^ J » That this meeting views with alarm and horror > £ & £ , appalling distress and misery that exist intbeaUIC : trade of Spitalfields and its visinity , which , iu ooi ' opinion , is the result of the importation of foreiaaC
wrought silk : and this meeting lament the undo * , preference eiveu to the foreigner , while we are capable ef producing manufacture equal in quality awt beauty to auj natioa ^ notwithetauding the many die > -advantages-: : vre , h \ bour"nnder . ^^ * 3 , That a committee of three persona be appointed to ascertain th # " measures about to be adopted by her Majosty ' g Government , and to take such steps as may be deemed expedient for the prevention of any farther reduction . ofthe duty , and that they make a report to the trad on this night fortnight , er Booner if the businejf * recimre . *'
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THE HULL TEMPERANCE PIONEER , AND ; RECHABITE JOURNAL . Edited by Rob * : Firth , Secretary to the Hull Temperaoo » Society . , This little unpretending porodical holds on th * - even tenor of its way ; doing good service to th » cause to which it is devoted . The present number is almost-entirely devoted to a review of a lectuw against the principles of total abstinence , delivered ^ by some Wesleyan priest named Kendall , who fcltf a sorry sort of figure in tho hands of tbe reviewer The only other article ia an original one , from tqf editor , on the Temperance Press , which we g « # below . ¦ , ¦ -r . „
'" In all the great discoveries of modern iimes , eal ^ - cnlated to extend the boundaries of civilisation , and confer innnmerable blessings , mental , - moral ' , and physical , on man , that of Printing etasds pre-ami * - nent . It is the moat gigantic engine of modem improvement , in everything which can affect either our individual , social ; or national happiness . Without it navigation would be stripped of her telegraph- '} cbmmerco of her expansive energies ; and in the rnida * 6 f all the complicated movements of national intocourse , there would be wanting a spring to keep- in action the machinery of the world . A true knowledge of divinity would rest in the dugty archivesjof religious cloisters ; scienee be shorn of herray « * of glory ; and knowledge , as flowing from the literati
would be stemmed within the embankments of its professor , —presenting the image of one vast ocean , but without inlets and rivers to fertilize the barren wastes of ignorance and error . The cbrruscationi of genius would vanish like those of the setting stm on the absence of their luminary ; the thrilling eloquence and impassioned oratory of the divina and the patriot , survive little beyond the passing moment ; and , for want of the endless stimuli whio £ the press imparts to human energy , man ^ would gradually decline from the apex of intellectual grertness and perfection , to ignorance and barbariatv So important to human happiness and improvement is the Press , that no earthly condition can bs for ** moment'contemplated , which would not receive ' a
ratal stao , were it aeprivea et tno muiupiied agenej and combined uses of the Press . Hence the g ? cateet men of all ages , to ' give efficacy to their view * , hav < resorted 4 either to the r Press , or to its more im perfect substitute , the / bark of Vtree 8 V waxen tablea , ttja skins o * aninita ^ -i * tf style ^^ fthB- ^ uill , Whether for good or for evil , erery institution , eBtablishod toyman , had first fixed on a means of giving publicity to its principles ; hence , how important to duly apply the exhau 8 tle 8 s enemies of the Pr " es » to every institution ! If valuable in a small degree , that valo * becomes proportionately great t * the magnitude-of the cause ; 'The Press , therefore , becomes of infinite advantage , to the Temperance Society ; because this Society ,, in its widest-extent , contemplates in
its grasp the whole circleof the human family . This fact cannot be too deeply engraven on the memory of every teetotaller ; In America , the glorious result * of our principles have been accomplished chiefly by means ofthe Press . Millions of publications hav « teemed f ^ om it upon the land . The oonsequence ip , that several States have prohibited the sale of intoxicating liquors ; religious synods proclaimed alike tha traffic and its support a sin ; and the States ia general are making a grand effort to heave the pises , tuns , hogsheads , barrels , and puncheons into th » Atlantic ^ that Alcohol , the fell destroyer of majl , may be eternally banished from their shores . : " What has been effected in America , ought to bt accomplished in England ; and , therefore ,
lf-taoomes an imperative duty , not only of Temparanea Institutions , but of each individual member , to sopport , to the utmost of his power , every temperanwi publication with which he is connected . For { hjs purpose , every large town ought to have its owm periodical , that temperance periodicals may becoma asgenoral as newapapers . Hence , on national and general grounds , every member ought to assist in the attainment of this great and glorious objeot But not on general grounds alone would we airan this point . ¦ . : ¦ ^^ /¦ ¦•? Every individual member is deeply concerned in improvement of his own mind on the subject . Of a subject in which he is so much interested , he ouch * to be familiarly acquainted with all -the parts for the purpose not onlv of defence anunat attaot Kn (
the instruction of others . To establish his con-riatiens in what is well known , and to acquire a knowledge of every thing new , bis attention should ever be directed to the publicatiens . If * reading makes a knowing man , < 5 onversati » n a ready man , and Btudy a judiciyds man , * it is htehlr lncumbent upon him to ' read , mark ; learn , and inwardly digest' whatever assumes the name of our cause . He thereby becomes the more stronjrly confirmed ; his affections for the cause chastened and he goes forth in ihe strength of that moral dienitr and sincerity whichno opposition oan move ? bat infirm as adamant , because based on truth in lora . this is invariably conhrmed by the : experience of those well versed m the knowled ge o ? lhe nriaci ¦ ° "" ¦ " * ¦ **—¦
-ple . , It is a serious mistake to imagine , because a person may hav& been a teetotaller a number of year * that he therefore . needs no- , temperance periodicaS ! He « hould remember that these aretheftiel whieh ^ Stains . the flame ^ - Temperance meetinga are * £ j excellent mean ? for general purposes , espeoiallr to those who are unable to read ; butlo resieatiaiS herewith , be * rayo ait unwarrantable indifference to one of the best sources of round knowledge , an 4 the ^ mostvaluabte agent in itediffnsion amongothS ! Beaides , every one w nofe qualified bywlu ^ ioa , by habit by patient investwirtion , to range anaideJ overthe whole , field of ^ tEe Temperance Qu ™" o ? t hence , he shoald seize on every means of informal tioa within hispower . The commonrangeof speeches tOO . 18 Over the fijunA . VrminH . hnf . otnA- * % ;_> . „ JZ ^ y ^ Z
liberty by ^ exten ^ uiv ^ gation ^^ ^ ligbion the subject ; the moti difficult Bointa ^ ai * emcidated more clearly j ^ statistics of the caoseaW ettecta of mtemperance embodied ; - and othei thin » which require a patient exerda »^| fm ' undfeislmdw « andmemory . The ; . pa ^ tiw MxmM roaahie begets closer habitaof investigat ^^ tMintell ectiifi powerBbecome d ^ ieloped . juatll the ^ st ^ enr beidn * to discoTer latent 1 taaents ,, for ^ wbida ptevionay he would nor ^ ve . iumseff j credBt . AB ' these tEna tend powerfully to the foifmation of the ¦ chaiaS * and , therefore , the judicious man will give them alt the attention , they . deserve . —
It appear ^ that there , we two nwrtjvea , which ought to mftuence teetotallers to support , va everr possible way , temperance , periodieals : liwt , becausi these are . the most lastiiw and efteetual monitow ^ of our principles , wending their , way into preoinoto too hallowed to the footstep of a li / ing Jv < S 7 * ri , secondly , beeanse , by a careful study of their con * tents , Temperance inembers become the most effec tually estoblifihed . In reasoning with an oppoSl his prejudices , likings , and vanity Of bei »« ffiSfc wise , oppose the admission of troth : but * t « nD « rancepenodicaljellsits own talewiihoat interrnn ^ Ihe understanding is more prepared to liBten fo ^ te awments ; and , wnsequenUy , on tbi im ' ttdsof thoaa S ^^^ g ia 8 Q caicn ^^^ cAS
t We regard th * periodical as onaof thAmost us * ful emanationa flrom the Tonperanoeffrei ^ i W * tie h number of the second volumai ^ We wisbi ©^ ezcrtioaa of itsstraigb ^ orwa ^ ajrf coadttonteEdi tor all manner of success . ^ ^ 3 U ™^ 3 B ^
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The JUDGE asked what was the ether businee ^ oi tbe assize , and was told that there was another indictment against Thomason , Devyr , and Home , for sedition , and against John Wilkinson , Henry Mills , Thomas Daglisb , Andrew Guthrie , Edward Coulson , Thomas Monaghan , Thomas Brown , William Stephenson , and Jobn Tweddle , for riot and ««« vU on the 7 th of July . Tbe Learned Judge said it was impossible they could be tried at the present assize , the time allowed for them having already mere than expired : tbe parties might therefore be set at liberty till the next assizes on entering into their own recognizances . . ^ fc - - ¦
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), March 7, 1840, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/king-y1kbzq92ze2674/page/7/
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