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RICHARD COBDEN/S BUDGET
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TO THE INDUSTRIOUS CLASSES. •T*T*t-T-T*T...
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THE KIRKDALE CflARFIST PRISONERS,' AND T...
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Free Trade.—Phosfecm fob Stockport.—A ve...
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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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Richard Cobden/S Budget
RICHARD COBDEN / S BUDGET
To The Industrious Classes. •T*T*T-T-T*T...
TO THE INDUSTRIOUS CLASSES . T * T * t-T-T * T » • My Fbiends , —As political feeling—or rather political bias—is generally spiced with a little personal influence , many of you will imag ine , that , omngRichardCobdenmore than a personal grudge or two , that I shall base my commentary upon his Financial Bud get upon the narrowness of personality—but I shall do no such thing .
This is the very course which , for centuries , has led to your prostration . I shall , therefore , take a double view of this Bud get—the one financial , the other political . The marrow is contained in the following figures , and I shall , firstly , analyse the value of its realisation to your ' class , and for that purpose I shall take the several proposed reductions seriatim , and shall then show you the value of that reduction , if made , to eaeh individual , making no distinct tio n of class , but presuming that the pauper in the workhouse consumes as much tea , timber and wood , malt , hops , soap and paper , and pays as much window tax and advertisement duty , as the richest Peer in the realm .
NATIONAL BUDGET . £ Fropwed reduction of expenditure 10 , 000 , 030 Proposed legacy and probate duty upon Teal estate , whether en . - tailed or unentailed .. .. 1 , 500 , 030 Proposed amount of surplus menus .. £ li , 500 , OCO PROPOSED BEDUCriOKS OP DUTIES AND TAXES . cxwresB ncrriB . LostofRettme . Tea—Duty to be reduced to one £ shilling per pound . 2 , 000 , 000 Timber and Wood—Duty abo . o ^?* t " y •• 9 * » °° & Sutter , cheese , and mpwards of on » hundred smaller items of the tariff-Duties abolished .. 515 , 000 Total tost upon Customs *! , 4 « l , fl 0 » XXC 1 BS DOT 1 XS . Haft-Duty abolished .. .. 4 . J 69 . 000 Hops— „ : „ U 6 , cw f ?* P- -- " »« ¦«• - •• 850 . 009 ^ Bts ~ £ _ ' „ .. - .. .. 72 i > , 008 ; -TotsikwwLlli ^ ie ^ , .. .. .. £ { £ 16 , 009 TAXES . ^ dojrTar-AboHshed .. .. 1 , 610 , 080 AuTertttementnuty—Abolished I 6 P . O 80 Total of Taxes .. .. . £ 1 , 770 , 090 TotalIossupoaCustoms , Exd £ e , andTaxes £ 11 . . 000
The population to be affected in its individual capacity by these several reductions , we must estimate at twenty-seven millions ; and then I will show what the proposed saving to each would be . The ftoo miliums on tea , would amount to Is . 6 d . per head ; the nine hundred and forty-five thousand saved on timber and wood , would amount to not quite 8 | d . a head ; on ihefite hundred and sixteen thousand on butter and cheese , and other articles , not quite fourpence halfpenny ; on four millions two hundred and sixty thousand , malt , not quite three shillings and twopence a head ; on four hundred and sixteen thousand , hops , not quite fourpence ; on eight hundred and fifty thousand ,
soap , not qmteeightpence ; on seven hundred and twenty thousand , paper , not quite sixpence halfpenny ; on one million six hundred and ten thousand , window tax , not quite one shilling and threepence . on onehuadred and sixty thousand on advertisement duty , not quite three halfpence ! and thus we make the following sum of the annual saving to each individual by the proposed reduction contained in Mr Cobden ' s budget . The sum which he proposes to realise , that is , the saving which he proposed to make , amounts to eleven millions four hundred and seventy-seven thousand per annum ; and here follows the saving that would accrue therefrom to each individual , for the whole year .
« . d . Proposed reduction of Tea .. .. 16 Ditto on Timber and Wood .. .. o 8 j Ditto on Batter , Cheese , and upwards of a hundred other articles .. .. 0 « DittoonMalt » 8 2 Ditto on Hops SI Ditto on Soap 0 8 . Ditto on Paper 0 6 J Ditto Window Tar . ; 13 Ditto , AdTertisement Duty .. .. 0 1 $ 8 8
Now , that would be the annual saving to each individual , in case the manufacturer , of those several raw materials remitted in the price of the manufactured article , the whole amount of duty paid on the raw material—a boon which the consumer could not expect , as he did not receive it when the duty upon leather , timber , and other raw materials was re . duced . If you multiply twenty-seven millions by eight shillings and eight pence , you will have 11 , 700 , 0001 , or 223 , 000 / . more than Mr Cobden ' s proposed reduction . So that you find eight and eight pence per head , per annum , is the saving to be achieved by each individual ,
allowing that he pays his share of window tax , advertisement duty , and duty on paper ; and presuming that the peer ' s family and the peasant ' s family consume an equal amount of the other articles , and then you will find , if you estimate the working days in the year , ( leaving out Sundays and holidays ) at 300 ; and if , in consequence of the reduction of this eleven millions four hundred and seventy-seven thousand per annum , the capitalist reduces the wages of his labourers by one halfpenny a day , that would amount to 12 s . 6 d . a year , or Ss . lOd . over and above the proposed boon ; but to take the reduction lowly , and very lowly , too , at a shilling a week , he would find a loss of two pounds three shillings and fourpence a
year . I know the question of family will be urged , and I might answer that by at once striking off the major portion of the Budget contained in two items , namely—the malt tax and window tax , neither of which would press upon the infants or children not working of the labouring class . But if I take the family view of it , it would stand thus—suppose each family to consist of five—three workers and two youths —then that family , even allowing them their
share in the malt and window tax , would save two pounds three and four pence a year ; that ; is , if the whole five are included , and if the ! wages of the three workers is reduced by a halfpenny a day each , that alone would amount to one pound seventeen shillings and sixpence a year , or nearly the amount of their share of the proposed reduction . But if you take it at the probable amount , namely—a shilling a week , it would amount to seven pounds sixteen shillings a year .
^ ow , labouring men , notwithstanding the odium cast upon the advocates of labour , in consequence of their association with the principles of Chartism , and in sp ite of the class and party odium—nay , of persecution—heaped upon oe . merely in consequence of my unswervingadberence to the cause ot Labour , I caution you in the face of this about to be resuscitated capitalists' agitation , and I tell you that Government is not centralised , sectionalised or localised , hut is individualised ; and
that every employer , whether in or out o Parliament — whether in or out of the Cabinet —is a member , and a powerful aember , of that government ; and . that the individual power of those individual rulers is sectionalised in their locality , and centralised in the House of Commons , and there constitutes the worst and most hideous description of tyranny ; and this I wish you to bear in ^ ind when I come to consider the question lader its second head , ; namely—its political bearing . but e S d 1- n " n a t
Mr Cebden , in his very elaborate , yet , * ell condensed letter , shows a great deal of tact He acts upon the old principle , that every stratagem is fair in war , and he very "Wi sel y and veryprudently p lays the "Chronicle against the "Times , " and -Wellington and 1835 , against Russell and 1819 ; this is not onl y justifiable but just , both las regards finance and politics—what he states ot the Wellington Cabinet is true , and as long as representation and legislation depend upon partv , the politician , like the chent , must « taiu tie ablest advocate ; and Cobden knows , f n it v i d Is > e ib n st r
r .-ii .. . . — foU well , that WeUington is the most powertal advocate in the House of Lords , and he knows that , although questions of finance belong to the Commons , that Wellington and his party can influence . their party in the Lower House . I even go farther , as I rejoice to think that I stand in that position which enables me to speak of men as they deserve , without fear or control , and i ; assert , without fear of
contime were scratched , as they say in Lancashire "Wellington cared not a fig for patronage for his party ; name did for-him what patronage does for the Whigs . 1 now come to the political consideration of the question , and upon this'I base my approval of the propositions contained in the
tradiction , that the Duke of Wellington made the most sweeping financial reforms of any minister known to British history , and not only that , but he reduced the staff of clerks and officials to the requirements of office . It was his constant custom to attend at the several offices just at the hour when the clerks and officials should arrive , and without ceremony or favour , those who were behind
COBDEN BUDGET . The great principle upon which the Whigs have ever held office has been patronage ; and although the proposed , reduction in Cobden ' s Budget . of upwards of eleven minions a year ; would give but asficetoeachlabodrer , even allowing that it was not soured by more than a corresponding reduction in wages , yet when distributed in the shape of patronage by a Whig government , it affects each labourer to an enormous extent , so enormous that it is impossible to
calculate it . This amount taken from the Wlugs they will be compelled to reduce the idle staff , and the quills of their subservient supporters in the Commons will bristle like porcupines when their votes can be no longer paidfor . As regards the useless squadrons afloat on foreign stations , and every item repudiated in Mr Cobden ' s budget ,, no working man , no honest man , can gainsay the justice of the proposed reductions . Of what jpossible avail are they except for the . purpose of feeding a set of pampered idlers , and making them supporters of a reckless government ?
The " Times , " it is true , takes Mr Cobden sorely to task f or his sins of omission , but does not disturb a single one of his arguments . The" 2 & ses" says— "Do not the landlords pay tithes , and Poor-rates , and ' pro bono publico rates , ' and numerous other local rates and taxes ? " No doubt they do , and they got"their estates chargeable with those taxes ; but , still further , the whole of the tithes and a very largejortion of the Poor-rates still belong to the family dish , and constitute the incomes of the younger sons of the proprietors of those
lands , and they are the trustees and the distributors of this stock fund , which is a lien upon the land , and the first charge up on the land ; an <| the : great majority of English estatesnay , nearly all—having changed hands since these burthens were imposed upon the land , the present owners have purchased subject to those charges , and still preserve the right of distributing them , amongst the younger branches of their families . For instance , 256 of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal have the presentation to 2 , 927 Church livings , and does not the " Times'suppose , that the
pre' sentation to those livings neutralises the tithe burthen imposed upon the land ? Here follows the analysis of the House of Lords , and from it yotr will learn , that the adoption of Mr Cobden ' s Budget is not to be simply viewed as the means of conferring 8 s . 8 d . ayear upon every labourer , but is to betaken as the future standard of governmental capacity , the effect of which would be to drive the Whigs from office , and place them in antagonism to the present system of monopoly and centralisation . ~ Here follows the analysis of the House of Lords : —
HOUSE OF LOBD 3 . Officers in the Army .. .. 8 S . Navy .. .. 10 Militi * . .. 55
Officials including officer * of State , and persons ia the Household . & c .. 48 Peers possessed of Clerical influence , inciudingEnglish aid Irish Bishops Patrons Livings Patrons Livings Patrens Livings 49 of 1 2 of 17 3 of 47 85 .. 8 1 .. 18 1 .. 56 27 .. 8 1 .. 19 1 .. 89 20 .. 4 1 .. S ) 1 .. 62 13 .. 5 . 3 .. - _ 2 » 1 .. 63 19 .. 6 I .. « 1 .. 68 14 .. 7 1 .. 28 1 .. 76 10 .. 8 I .. 27 1 .. 79 7 .. 9 1 .. 29 1 .. 89 f .. 10 1 .. SO 1 .. 9 a
12 .. 11 2 .. 81 1 .. 91 6 .. 12 1 .. 82 1 .. 99 1 .. IS 1 .. 88 1 .. 118 S .. 1 * 2 .. 86 1 .. 119 3 , .. 15 1 .. 42 1 .. 18 1 .. . 45 Number ef Peers 256 , who a » Patrons of 2 , 927 . Livings Now , I think that will afford you the means of guessing why the Peers , both Temporal and Spiritual , do not look upon tithes as a great burthen , and the amount of patronage arising'from Poor-rates , and other local rates , pro bono publico , and all conferred upon younger children and poor relations , will reconcile you to their toleration of these other burthens . You shall now have the analysis of the House of Commons , and I think you will see a reason in its constitution for the destruction of too much patronage . Here it
MIHOUSE OF COMMONS . Sons of Peers ... 57 - Ditto Military OEeera ... ... 12 Ditto Saval ditto ••• * Ditto Militia ditto ... *<( Ditto Officials ... ¦* -. —06 Brothers , JTepheira , Cousins , and others connectedwith Peers ... ... 88 Ditto Militia Officers ... ••¦ « Ditto MUitrty ditto — — *| DittoX & valditto - •¦• • Ditto Officials ... ••• J .. Members not included in the above but holding offices in the Army ... *» 5 ary ... - - * Militia „ . — *> Officials .- - at »
, , f '» Clerical influences exercised by 87 Members I who have 202 livings t 87 Members having- Hiring * ... 37 25 ditto 2 11 ... 58 > ii . ditto 8 . 1 — 3 * 1 e ditto 4 1 * r . . 4 ditto s n " - ~ 1 s ditto 8 >• . — * ° 2 2 ditto 7 „ ... . ' . ... ' * , 1 a ditto 9 „ ... •¦• ; » . ;
8 7 r 212 6 IrishPeers . Bona of Peer 3 . 3 K > thers , Hephews , Coogins , Son sj - n-law of P « rs » « fcc ., ipcluotoTNavj , Army , andMUltla Officer ,, and Officials . «•; , •¦• IW Members holding Commissions to the inny , Ravy . andMiUa « , notineInded ¦ in tho above ... ... •__ *" w Members who are patrons of Church IAringt .... - . : .. ¦ ¦ ¦ = 347 Number efM « nbers ... ^ W ¦ ¦ « 8 or nearly one half of the Houm of commons , as at present constituted , being directly opposed . !© the . lnterests " oftheworkiBg Classes . The " Times "' is very wrath with Mr Cobden for baiting his trap with a kind of allspice , but ! dare say , that if he had confined his Budget to a reduction of the Paper and Stamp Duties that he would have oeen a living Pitt . The maxirn of the Whigs , that "taxation without representation is tyranny , and should he resisted / ' <* oes not a ' alla PP 1 Q ihm *!** ;
the present system . That maxim held good when taxes were direct and when aids were granted to the monarch , and when those aids and supplies were voted by those who had to pay them , and who had mot the power , as under the present system , to recover them with enormous interest in the shape of reduction of wages . In my opinion , Mr Cobden ' s proposition is over-moderate—he proposes to return to the Budget of 1835 ; but surely with the hope of retrenchment held out by the Reform Bill and retrenchment not being very extensivel
y carried out up to the year 1835 , he might have taken a wider range ; however , that may follow , and I am not disposed to utter a word calculated to place the working classes in antagonism to those who advocate a measure above all others calculated to destroy the horrifying system of governmental patronage . . ! . ' Machinery and the power that it gives to the individual capitalist , and the Reform Act , established a completely new system in this jountry;—a system which the Whigs hoped to convert to party purposes ; and in order to
mate both branches of the legislature harmonise , they created , during their administration from 1831 to 1839 , no fewer than eightytwo mongrel peers—a larger number than was created for a century after the Revolution of 1688 , during which time we had an American war , " and great continental and domestic con * vulsions , circumstances ,. whichalway & lead to honour and promotion ; they created a larger , number within those nine years ^ Ahan were created from 1788 to 1815 , the year of peace , —ajperiod embracing the French Revolution of 1793 , the Irish Rebellion of 1798—the
Union of 1800—and almost a continuous period of naval and military warfare , and from which promotions and honours invariably spring . This has been the invariable' policy of the -Whigs ; they have preached economy—they have indoctrinated the people with the most physical force maxims , and when by those means they have possessed themselves of power , they ^ have become the most oppressive tyrants . " - -Free Trade . isayery ramified principle ) and I look upon this Budget . of Cobden's as ; a .. step well calculated to open the eyes of aU parties to what must be its inevitable resultTnamely ,
the representation of Labour when patronage is destroyed , and , through thaj ; , the highest cultivation of the national , resources under a national Government—the inevitable effect of which must be to make the rich richer arid the poor rich . Under these circumstances , I trust that no working man will measure fiis opinion by the financial standard which I have submitted , but b y the inevitable political results which must follow .. When I see a nYan like Cbbden raising himself to the highest position that industry and talent can achieve , it does
not accord with my principles or your interest that I should measure my opposition by personal feelings . If I did so , I should be justly considered , as one of Rigby Wason ' s " oneeyed men" only capable of seeing throug h my own telescope , while , at the same time—as with the question of Free Trade , so with that of the present Budget—as one of your instructors , it is my duty to analyse it financiall y and politically for you , merging the apparent financial incapacity in the inevitable political result .
I will now show yduhow taxes put on , and how taxes taken off , affect the consumer in each case . When the stamp upon newspapers was fourpence , the price of the paper was sevenpence—now the stamp is a penny , and the price of daily papers is fivepence , and the price of a majority of the weekly papers is sixpence —thus the proprietor has had a remission of threepence in the article' for which he must pay ready money , and he makes to the purchaser a reduction of a penny . But I will show you , upon a general principle oftaxa-\ L \ ' - j , the pressure of indirect taxation upon the consumer . Suppose a manufactured article to consist of one , two , three , or four raw
materials , upon which no duty is paid , and suppose a shilling ' s worth of that or those raw materials , when manufactured by Labour , to sell for two shillings . Call it a yard of anything , Suppose , then , that a tax of threepence is imposed upon that or those raw materials , the price in such case of the manufactured article —in order to repay the manufacturer—would be 2 s . 3 d . ; whereas , we may estimate it lowly at an increase to 2 s . 6 d . a-yard—thus giving the manufacturer a profit of one hundred per cent , upon the conversion of the raw material into manufactured fabric—that is , a profit of a hundred per cent , not per annum , but per conversion—and if he is enabled to convert the raw material into a manufactured article in a
fortnight—which he can , and less—and as there are twenty-six fortnights in a year , he makes a profit of one hundred per cent , in a fortnight , or two thousand six hundred per cent , per annum . If , then , as I have explained to you scores of times—that if taxes were direct instead of indirect—fair competition would destroy this system of making profit upon taxation ,, the taxpayer would be the legislator and the tax-assessor—and , I promise you , that he would then look more narrowly even into the expense of tax collecting . This system of indirect taxation is a kind of
hobgoblin , a thief in the dark ; it takes the money slily and covertly out of your pipe , out of your mouth , out of your nose , out of your eyes , and out of your breeches pocket ; it is a kind of a will-o'the-wisp , and if you bought everthing tax and duty free , and if the taxgatherer called upon you on quarter day for an equivalent in hard cash for what the system thus cunningly takes from you at every meal , you could kick him out of the house ; and you may rely upon it that there is not a branch of expenditure into which the greatest supporter of our present system would not
narrowly and jealously look , if he had to put his hand into his own pocket , instead of putting both hands into your pockets . Thus I have shown you a thousand times the effect of indirect taxation upon labour , anil I will repeat it , and no operative in 'England or Scotland will gainsay it . When the Income Tax was laid on , nearly every employer reduced the wages of his hands—some ten , some fifteen , and some twenty per cent , but I will take it lowly at a penny per day , or sixpence
per week , and I will assume , for illustration , a master employing a thousand hands and re turning an income of £ 5 fi 0 ( fa year -upon that income he should pay & 150 tax , and by the reduction of even sixpence a week he . would make a profit , after paying the tax * of £ 1159 a year . But suppose he only reduced his wages by a farthing a day , he would -still- realise $ profit of £ 175 , and if he reduced wages by half-a-farthing a day , or three farthings a week he would actually make a profit of £ 25 after paying the tax . :
Now observe , half-a-farthing a day is only three farthings a week , ' and what I have always endeavoured to . draw your undivided attention to is this , that if the £ 1300 taken from you in the shape of tax was paid to you in wages and distributed by you amongst the shopkeepers , it would be better for that class than if accumulated by the capitalist ,., and applied to the purchase of land or to some speculation . This is the great evil of the system . It is framed , not to represent solid keepable property which has no active , mind to look to its interests , but to represent the flying , fleeting , fluttering genius- of floating
capita ^ - ; wKc ^ . -ig .-able , to muster round its standard the ktto ^ k enthusiastic feelings upon the most Utopian schemes , tyhen you ' understand those \ hfogs , you will understand the principle of ; representation as applicable to Labour , and y 6 u \ will understand tiie Labour Question as applicable . to the most profitable cultivation of our national resources , ^ tf jioh ' the'MUtipffd me , the peace ,, ' the prosperity , and happiness oJ ^ Britain depends ; , and when you think less of pikes and folly , arid more of the Labour Question and
the cuUivatioa : . 6 f the national resources , then fo | y will no longer be urged as your disqualification for the sun ^ age / but on the contrary , if ^ knowled ge became ; taxable , the Chancellor Q . ^^^ ' ^^ aBpoibt '' 8 Twh ^ BS 8 t of brain-guagers , ¦ : wfiosfe business it would be to tak «^ tocg of , eyery , man ' 8 intellect , and if J * f ? i ^^ S ^ ' . WI ^ M & NOW urged as his disqualification ; THEN pleaded ignorance , idiotcy or ' insanity ,-the official would set him down as a Newton , and place him in schedule
A ; amongst the first-class tax-payers . " LJ & u S iver yon a ve > 7 apt illustration of the standard by ^ hich'the wages of aggregated serfs is measured . After Father ISathew ' s Visit to 'L « e ; ds ; ;^ eetotafi 8 m & r . ^ trme , became Very general , and 8 ; Wge , employer ,, with becoming Christian spirit ; wasbne of its-principal a'av p ^ U &^ . ajfd'frhe ^ ajwbstitute for gin and beer , he told his hands that they'j ' c ^ uMy soin ^ of wages , as thei ^ nts tvere fewer ; and ' their means comparatively greater ;
vThe " Morn » n / GAr 6 nic ? e ' . of this week has a very lachrymose article upon the present condition and future prospects of the Farmers , but you wuT recollect how- since 1834—but especially in 1843 , 1 BU , and 1845 ,. when the "Times"kn & « Chronicle" were laughing at the fears and anticipations of the Farmers , how I predicted the very events which have occurred , and which both are now deploring . On Saturday week I publlshedalistorAmerican exportationa of food to this country , within a very short period . I showed ' you that the Statician ip the patent office in America proved
that this year America could export twentyeight million quarters of corn , and that America every ye a ^ could produce enough to feed the world . I gave you the long catalogue of bread stufU and other stuffs grown in America , and to compete with John Bull in his own highly taxed / country . I have since taken the trouble , to stun , up the amount of Land—of English Land—that would be required to produce the ainouilt . Of produce sent to us , and I find that , averaging the produce of wheat at twenty-fouirjbushels to the acre , they have within that short timeexported to this country
in corn ajone the produce of over six hundred thousand acres ; while in oil cake , lard , butter , cheese , baked bread , ( think of that !'—beef , Eork , and otfier articles ' the produce of the ¦ and , they have exported as much as could be produced b y about four hundred thousand acres more . That is the produce of a million Jicres of first-class English Land . " And at the foot of this letter you will find another list of importations , and if we add to it whathas . come from other countries , you will discover , that to the middle of December , about three months after harvest , and while Free Trade is yet in
its infancy , that we have received the produce of over two millions of British acres ; while M'Culloch estimates the amount of Land in cultivation at twelve million acres . Thus , alread y , with a duty of six shillings , America —taking the standard of English produce at a very high rate—has exported into this country one-sixth of what her own Land could produce . - ; I dare say you recollect that in ' 1845 the "Times" assured us , that America for many years could not send us 500 , 000 quarters of
corn , and I hope you will bear in mind that when I was carrying on a brisk fire against all the Free Trade journals and Free Trade party , that I stated that when the rich maw of the world was opened to the produce of the world , glut in our own market would be the only standard that would measure the price of highly taxed produced ; and I ventured to assert that from the banks of the Seine , French corn would be shipped for the English market , and could be delivered there at a lower rate of freight than it could be delivered from the inland
counties of England , or than from any Irish county . Well , every body laughed at this , and all said , " What a fool he must be , when France is an importing country . " I replied , " Yes ; France kept down her produce to thestandard of restriction ; but when you destroy protection for home produce , a portion of the cotton lands of America , and of the vineyards'and grass lands of France will be turned into corn growing land for the rich market . Well , as the Lord sometimes does deliver my enemies into mine hands , read the following from last week ' s Gloucester market , note—mind , Gloucester alone , and that the corn must have been shipped at Havre , which is at the mouth of the Seine . Now here ' s the answer , and read it : —
FrbeTkadein Corn . —About twenty French vessels laden with com arrived at Gloucester during the past week . Before the Repeal of the Com Laws the average arrival there of French vessels was not more than twenty-five in the course of the year ; but xoithin the last two months alone the arrivals have exceeded fifty . Well , then , the reason why I objected to Cobden ' s Free Trade Budget was , because such reforms as he now proposes , and many others , should have preceded Free Trade ; however , there is an old saying , " Never show your
work half-finished to a FOOL or a WOMAN , " and perhaps Cobden has evinced good policy in snaking the foundation before he pulled down the whole building . He now discovers that he has " tried up" the brains and prejudices of the old aristocracy , and out of these new materials he may erect a more secure house . But as my crying sin has been the dealing with the whole question of Labour , and not treating it piece-meal , I now tell you that the Russell system of Free Trade has so shaken the base and superstructure of society , that all proposed financial reforms are mere
MOONSHINE . I assert it for the hundredth time , that the landlords of this country and of Ireland are irrevocably bankrupts j that their every debt and their every engagement was . : based upon Protection ; that the rents by which they were enabled to meet those engagements were measured by Protection , and that that Protection now gone , and with farmers—as the " Chroinicfe " admits-r-paying rents out of their capital-sunder these circumstances , I say there is no hope for any'interest in this country , as all materially depend upon the condition of our farmers , but a thorough settlement of old accounts UffDER THE NEW SYSTEM .
England will never feel the entire effects of Free Trade until there is a thorough failure ol our own harvest , with an abundant harvest in other countries ; or , to show you that she must hang upon one or other of . the ) horns of the dilemma , she will be in as , l > ad a condition when there is an abundant harvest at home , and also an abundant harvest in other countries , and when her farmers meet Jonathan ' s untaxed produce in the competing market . ' ' By taxed English corn , and untaxed American corn , I vwish you to-bear in mind , hat
Free . Trade has in nowise ' relieved , English corn from the innumerable burthens to which it was and still is subjected . Even your National Debt is based upon Protection , and that Protection ibeing take-off , it now remains a greater burthen upon produce reduced in value . ' ""' '' ;•& £ ,-J .. Always keep the condition of your farmers , with their' multitude of . labpurers , and the agricultural towns arid villages dependent upon them , in view . They are your best customers , * they , are at your door . The transit of your produce costs you little or nothing . They pay you in produce or in cash , and that class is now upon the inevitable " road to ruin . "
They can measure' their rent' engagements ; and taxes , which are direct , better than you can measure your engagements and taxes , which are indirect ; and . in order that you may have their actual position . vividly before you , here , it is . Wheat gives the standard ' value to gold and precious stones ; and although all lands are not wheat lands , the value of wheat , under Protection , ; establishes the standard value of grass lands , and all other lands . Suppose , then , that , independently of a superabundant harvest , when low prices were compensated by increased produce ,-rent , by Protection ^ ' was fixed at is . a bushel for wheat ; and suppose' the . average , produce—as I have be
taken il ^ totwenty- four bushels ; and suppose wheat to fall' ^ p 5 s . ushel , and ere long you will see it much below that ; but suppose 5 > . - ^ in tfet case , lke farmeiPloses & - a'bush ' el upon twenty-four bushels , or 2 / , ' 8 s . an acre , while his rent is , perhaps , a pound an ' acre ; and , therefore , instead of the pound , he is now paying in rent and loss , 3 Z . 8 s . an acre ; while the landlord , with that instinct of SELF-INTEREST which no human power can eradicate , , will still have to pay his . four or five per cent , on m 6 rtgages 4-the interest upon marriage settlements , or perhaps the . principalprincipal and interest upon simple contract and . bond debts , tithes , LARGER POOR
RATES , PRO BONO PUBLICO RATESall other rates , ' and to keep up his social dignity . V . \ ' :. '' ; .: Now , then , if the mortgage and bond debts are larger than the National Debt , let Mr Cobden ' s attention . next be directed to the fair settlemenfrof the ' landlords' and farmers ' account ; arid let all contracts , based . upon Protection , which was national faith . with the farmer who expended , his capital under its banner , and with the landlord who contracted those debts under the same influence—let
them be revised also , and let us not have the double anomaly of paying their engagements as well as the National Debt , with 30 s . in the pound . And , above all things , let the Financial Reformers take heed , lest they fall into the egregious error of making machinery against land the casus belli , for they may rest assured , if they do , that the well-fed serfs will—when" urged to the last point—rally under their , heretofore feudal lords and masters , and then that agricultural power , so
long sluggish and dormant , will spring into a lively existence , and such an agitation ' as will astonish the weak minds of their opponents . I always told you that Free Trade was carried by the local appliances and engines ,, at the command of its advocates—that they could muster their adherents with a few hours' notice by an advertisement , the bell , or a few posters on the walls , while the sluggish landlords and the confident tenants were scattered
over the face of the earth , and could offer neither resistance nor Opposition ; but . let them rest assured , that there is a vast difference between a powerful interest in a state of torpor , uncertainty , and doubt , and the same interest awakened by experience to its position . It is then , labourers , because I consider the very discussion of this Cobden Budget as calculated to settle those long standing accounts , that I say to you , that I beg of you , implore of you , and beseeech of you , not to allow
the Whig enemy and its Press to play the Chartists against the present movement . Sup port the proposition politically—abandon all thoughts of its financial bearing which I have thought it my duty to submit to you , and let Cobden aud his party understand that MY MYRMIDONS are not to be rallied for Whig purposes , as his proposition will shake them to the very foundation ; let them understand that we are for measures when measures are good , and that , although we are never to be made tools , we know when to become auxiliaries .
This proposition , above all others , will cause a split between the place-hunting Whigs and the ^ veritable Liberals in the } House of Commons ; and in return for their many entombed victims , let us have the consolation of seeing them at ^ the bleak side of the Treasury . No sincere Chartist—no discreet ' working manwill offer any resistance to the COBDEN BUDGET . Your faithful friend and unpaid servant , Feargus O'Connor . P . S . Here follows the farmers' death warrant : —
American Fiovisions . —The following large and nuraorons arrirals of provisions and grain have lately taken place from , the tTnlled States of America , The vessel Arcale has brought 3447 brls . of flonr , 14198 oils of corn , 50 tierces of beef , 1 ' 8 barrels of apples , and 1429 bushels of wheat ; the John Marshall from Alexander , U . S ., 6730 bags and lolo bushels of Indian corn , 5 U bags of wheat , and 510 barrels of flour ; the Stephen Luttnau from Baltimore , 5720 barrels of flour ; the Masconomo from Baltimore , 1400 barrels oiflcur , 10360 bags of Indian corn , and 2772 bags of wheat ; tbe Lisbon from New York , 8877 boxes and 15 casks of cheese , 1491 barrels of flour , 98 tierces and 8 !) barrels of rice , 59 tierces of beef , and 123 casks of oil cake ; the Diadem from New York , 6500
barrels of flour , and 12260 bushels of Indian corn ; the Bertrand from New Orleans , 8290 sacks of Indian corn ; the Margaretta from New Orleans , 3 SS barrels of flour , 518 barrels of pork , 233 barrels of beef , and 149 tons of linseed cake ; the Hendrick Hudson from New York , 7 i 85 boxes and 749 casks of cheese , 284 casks of apples , 213 casks ot pork , 160 of beef , 41 of rice , ' 2086 casks of lard , and 4 S 000 O ) s . weight in bulk , and about 100 casks of oil cake ; theE . Z . from New York , 1878 barrels ef flour , 100 tierces of beef , 1856 bushels of barley , 8703 bushels of wheat , and 14035 bushels of Indian corn ; tbe Constantine from Now Orleans , 1200 bushels of flour and 100 casks of oilcake ; the David Cannon from New York , 8311 barrels of flour , 6591 bags ef corn , 21 casks of cheese ,
59 barrels of general provisions , find 1146 bags of wheat ; the American from New York and Halifax , 56 u barrels and 70 half barrels of apples , 122 boxes of bacon , and some of biscuit ^ beef , and potatoes ; and John It . Skiddy from New York , 3652 barrels of ' flour , 1534 boxes and 70 casks of cheese , 286 of beei , 252 bags and 3273 bushels of wheat , 19287 . bushels of Indian corn , 861 barrels and 498 pails of lard , 35 boxes of bacon , and 34 of bums ; the Devonshire , from New Orleans , 1 , 699 barrels of flour ; the fielleisle , from Boston , 751 bushels of Indian corn ; the Wataga ; from Baltimore , i . SOObarrels of flour , 4 , 402 bags of wheat , 187 bags and 7 , 445 bushels of Indian corn , 80 bales of lard , 40 barrels of pigs' heads , 250 boxes of cheese . 41 barrels of Indian corn meal , 70 boxes
ofmedlars , ' 56 casks of shoulders of bacon , andSSO tierces of beef ; the Sarah Sands , from New York , 6 J 29 boxes , 431 casks of cheese , 222 boxes of bacon , 875 barrels , 97 naif and 8 quarter carrels of apples , 812 tierces of beef , 20 of pork , 912 ' barrels of flaur , 100 pails , lOo kegs , and 238 barrels of . lard ; the Austria from Philadelphia , 4750 bariels of flour , 500 barrels of corn-meal , 13005 bushel * and 913 bags of Indian corn , 158 tierces oflbeef , and 14 of n ' ork - the Fidelia from New York , 2962 boxes and 92 casks of cheese , 798 barrels of flour , 962 sacks 16 , 035 bushels of wheat , 105 boxes of bacon , 85 of pork , 1-5 barrels lard , 211 of apples , 940 bags oflndianoorn , 116 boxes aud 37 bar . rels of biscuits , some packages of potatoes , and various other articles ; the WelUngton from New York , 278 casks and 1187 boxes of cheese , US barrels of , apples , 207
tierces of beef , 365 barrels of oil cake , 59 of beef , 6 i ol pork , and 200 of lard ; the Medora from Charleston , 788 bags and 93 tierces of rice , and 1002 bags "f Indian corn ; the Martha Ward from New Orleans , 2500 barrels of flour ; the Shannon from New York , 882 boxes and 203 casks . of cheese , 2100 barrels of flour , , 2000 other packages of cheese , and some of b : ef and apples ; the Delia Walker from Sew York , 4575 boxes and 1789 casks Of Cheese , 100 pails of lard , 30 ot general provisions , 38 of pork , and , 2807 barrels of flour ; the flumafrom New York , 344 barrels of cgrn-meal , 16994 bushels of Indian corn , and nearly 200 barrels of apples ; the Monument , from Charleston 185 tierces of rice ; the Suffolk , from New O rleans , ' 1796 barrels of flour .. 185 bags of wheat , and 3041 bag ' s of Indian corn ; the London , from Boston 888 ) bags of Indian corn ; the Wuliam Fenn , from Philadelphia 81 t barrels i dian corn meal ,. 17178
bShrfTof wheat , \ m \ i ^ lmm &^ im iS ! ifk of flour , 18 packagei ' ofbetf , Snd 8 of apples ; the Spartan , from New York fll 94 bsrre » of flour , 10940 bushels of wWt v the Sir Charles Nattier , from New York ^ 8 * bass : bushels of wheat , 1393 lftffmm ^ coraTl 5 esSSmlB of flour , IS packages of beef / Bfid 6 of apples ; the Spartan , from New York 0194 barren of flour , 16940 bushels of wheat ; the Sir Olwlea . ^ afltor i from New York 48 * bagst of corn , 1572 sacks of wheat ^ and . 7088 barrels of flour ; the James Town , from New tYork a 74 barrels of flour , 1125 saoTis of wheat , 175 tierces ofbeef . lS barrels of pork , and 264 barrels and ' 296 tiercel of lard ; the . Columbian ., from New Orleans 6701 sacks and 1851 bags of corn , - ' 101 * barrels of flour , 1 6 * tierces of bacon , and 845 barrels ofi bread ; the Defence , from Charleston 1160 sacks of Indian corn ; the Merchant , from V ^ eniaj O « 0 barrels of flour j the Dumbarton , from New Orleans 8022 barrels of flour , and 1942 baes of Indian corn : the Mary Irvine , from
Philadelphia 828 eb «» hflJ * of Indian corn and 953 barrel * offlour ; the John"R » yedaI , from Charleston 800 ba | io « corn ; tbe Hercules , from New York 1000 barrels of flour and 68 of rice ; the Remittance , front Haw York 6650 ^ barrels of flour and 6297 bushels of wheat ; the Maine , from New York , 4921 barrelsofflour , 6770 bushels of India * corn , 862 bags and 8122 bushels of wbeat , and a quantity of pork , beans , bread , oatmeal , and rice ; the Bristol from New York 1971 barrels offlour and 13 boxes of biscuits—the whole the produce of the United States . The American line of packet ship Margaret Evans ; ' arrived in the docks from New York , has brought 14270 boxes and 683 casks of cheese , the produce of the Unite * States of America , being the largest quantity of cheese which has been brought on one occasion .
„ Now , then , what will our Cheshire and Gloucestershire friends say to the " Margaret Evans" alone , bringing FOURTEEN
THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY BOXES , AND FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THREE CASKS ; ofi Cheese .
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' ^^ JJy . & GPW AND NATIONAL ¦ Tp ^ fe # ^ Afc ¦; ¦¦ . , VOL XII . S 9 m . LONDON , SATURDAY , DEClji § gi ; ^ ¦ ' ' ^^^""* " . mi i i ii i i ii i i i ¦ . < -
The Kirkdale Cflarfist Prisoners,' And T...
THE KIRKDALE CflARFIST PRISONERS , ' AND THE INPA-MOUS MEANS BY WHICH THEY WERE CONVICTED . The following is . a truthful , summary of the in * famous treatment experienced , ^'; the Chartist defendantsat the late Liverpool wi ^ authenticated ! by the victims themselves ; "Read And judge foe yourselves .. "'"' ;~ - ~ ' * The first witness placed in the box was MrBetwick , Chief Superintepdent of the Manchesier police , -who gave general evidenco- ^ a to the disturbed state of Manchester , and swore to the fact of approt bending various parties tor supposed political of * fences . It should be here remarked thatthe whole of the parties apprehended at ^ Manchester is August , were taken without warrant dr . authority ,, save the mere qaprioe of Bes % iok , and themsgistratesj ana
that when-they were called- op , no charge could bQ preferredi ' ¦ The next witness was & member of the deteotlyfil police named Oophsos , who had crevionsly been a 'draper ' s Msistanj ^^^ j ^ bef , H , e gave eridenot as to having attended Vartou ! rW 6 etinR 8 in Manchester , at which West , White , Lracbj Ponoran , Rankin , and others made speeches , and read the extracts which he had tskeh ia each a glib and apparently connected manner , as if it had been one continuous and uninterrupted address ; showing clearly that his nates were carefully compiled by some other persons . The defendants conducted their own case , and the follow * ing cross-examination ensued : — Have yon been in the habit of taking notes pre * vious to joining the police force ?—Yes ; ' .
Do you swear that these notes which you have read are correct ?—I do . Did you report the whole of the speeches , or onlj apart ?—Only a part . By White . —Suppose I were to address a meet ^ ing setting forth Chartism as the fundamental principles of Christianity , and representing the Chartist body as the true conservators of society * would you report that ?—No . . > What are your notes . Are they a verbatim re * port , or merely extracts ?—Merely extracts . How happens it then that they read so con * ' uectedly , and appear like a regular speech ?—Cau'S tell . What are your instructions retarding taking notes of Chartist speeches ? are you not ordered to taka the violent portions without reference to the con * text ?—I aha'nt answer that question . I insist that you shall . —Well , that has been my rule .
Now I intend to read a speech to you in order to ) test your memory . Baron Alderson , —I can't allow it . Were you in court when the Attorney-General opened this case ?—Yes . Well , then , give a description of his addresser the substance of it . —No , I oa ' nti there was too mucbj confusion where I stood . Yon have stated that there was much confusion aS the Chartist meetings , ' and yet you could report several speeches in one day ; How is that ?—Can't tell . White . ~ My lord , I wish to know whether yoa persist in denying me a chance of testing the memory of this witness ? Baron Alderson . —I don't see any need for it , as ig shall not be used by me when summing up .
Cottinz , a police deteotive , was then called to provA a meeting at Bhckstone Edge , which was ] addressedl by White , Leaoh , Donovan , and others . This witness fras crossa-xaminad by White , and admitted being previously discharged from the police for rob * bine an orchard . The next witness was one of the Powell school , ' James Abraham Ball , whose lying evidence hal been already given at length in this journal . Tha report of his cross-examination , as given in last Saturday ' s Stab , was not so full as we have seen id in some of i the local journals ; we therefore reprint a toiler account of the latter part of ( his gentleman ' s self-exposure . The witness was then crass-examined by Mr Atkinson , at great length , with reference to
the speeches which he had delivered at various meet * iogs , and he admitted , with the utmost coolness , that the reports which the witness Cookson had given eS his speeches were substantially correct . After pur * suing this course of cross-examination for some time , Mr Atkinson asked the witness if he could point oat the defendant Grooott . —Ball replied that he could not at the distance at which he stood . — Ha was then told to come round immediately in front of the dock , and was requested to point oat each of tha four defendants , Rankin , M'Donough , Grocott , and Chadwick , who stood there . —After looking at them , he pointed out , and named correctly , Rankin and M'Donough ; but he said that Grocott was Donovan , and that he did not know Chadwick . He was then
told to go close up to the other defendants , Donovan , Cropper . Leach , White- West , and Nixon , who were seated at the table , and all of whom he had spoken to as having been present at the committee meeting of the 11 th April , and to name each of them , if ha could . _ On going up to them , he said , after some hesitation , that he did not know one of them His lordship then asked him to point out Clarke , Cropper , and Ball , after looking carefully at the defendants , said that Chadwick was Cropper . —On being teld of his mistake , he attempted to excuse himself by saying that . having been jn prison had affected his eye * sight . —A burst of hisses and groans followed this miserable attempt to cover his apparent want of any knowledge of the persons of all but two of the defend * ant ? . —His Lordship : I shall dear the court , if that is repeated . We are trying a set of men , I hope fairly ; and wo shall not try them fairly , if the au > dience presume to have anything whatever to do . '
except to sit still , and pay respect to the law- Tiniest that ia done , I will clear the court . Let me haw any man that dares resist the law of England . I know that although I sit here alone , I sit here with all the majesty of England behind me , and let who dare face me . —The Attorney General then again told Ball to look at the defendants and see if he knew them , and if not , say so . —Ball said , after again look * ing at the defendants , that he knew Donovan by sight very well , b . ut that he did not know his name . —White then asked Ball if he had over been a Chartist lecturer ?—Ball said that be had never been ft paid servant of the Chartists , but that he had been connected with that body , and had advocated their principles .- —White indignantly repudiated the idea that the Chartists had ever had anything to do with Ball . — -The Attorney Ganeral asked Ball if he knew White ' s voice , and Ball said that he did not . —HU Lordship then , with an air of disgust , told Ball to get out of the court , and he accordingly went .
As a r roof of this gentleman's veracity . Leaoh , one of the defendants , left Manchester on the first day of April , and did not return until tha 24 tb , <} although this perjurer swore that he waa present at private meetings oa the 11 th and 12 th in Manchester , and started for Ireland on the 13 . h . A similar statement can be made as to West , Donovan , and White—not one of whom were within fifty miles of Manchester at the time . The whale affair was a man of baseness and villany , but the remainier shall be deferred till next week , when the animus of the prosecution and defence shall be laid before , the readers of the Northern Stab .
Free Trade.—Phosfecm Fob Stockport.—A Ve...
Free Trade . —Phosfecm fob Stockport . —A very short time ago—and it is quite certain no improvement has taken place in the trade of the borough since that period—there were 2 , 177 emptyassessments . We are speaking now of the township of Stockport , not of the whole borough ; for ' the empties in the other townships were to be added , they would form a more fearful picture . The empties , at the period we allude to , were as follows ' . —Houses with shops , 92 ; cottage houses , 1 , 222 ; cellar dwellings , 419 ; warehouses , rooms in factories , & c . 444—making a total of empty
assessments in the township o Stockport alone , of . 2 , 177 !!! And jet , in the face of this poverty , sttieken picture , there are those amongst us , callingthemselves Liberals , economists , and Free-traders who would increase our local burdens , by adding fresh ones to them , when 5 , 000 ., persons at least have been absolutely driven out of the township , because they could not afford any longer to pay its . local taxation . Further , let ui just remark , that this amount of emigration has ' alien _ place , within the last twelve years , commencing with 1836—the year when "Stockport , wovfirst blessed with . corporation *
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Dec. 30, 1848, page 1, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_30121848/page/1/
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