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Northern Star (1837-1852), 2nd January 1847, Edition 3 of 3, Page 6, MEETING A.T EDINBURGH. A public meeting ...

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      « The Northern Star. _________ January 2...

      _« THE NORTHERN STAR . _________ January 2 , 1847 . " HI --- _^ _m- — - ; . 1 . 1 . ¦ - I ' ' _¦ ' ¦ " ¦ ¦ ' ¦ ' , 111 - _, />

      &Iaucs' Ftloiiemriud

      & iaUcs' _ftloiiemriud

      DISTRESSED CONDITIO " - *; OF TnE BRADFORD _WOOLCOMBSRS . Last week a pubi ' c meeting ofthe _distressed and destitute woolcombers of this town was held in the Temp- rai . ee Hall , B-nja _' _. r . in Abbott , B woo ' evmber , iu the chair . Mr . Geokge _trriiTE mavij the lirst resolution , in a Jp _? _ec-li < ftotisiil < i'jtlc length , in v . hich he _stroiiciy animadverted on the promises ot the Free-trailers as compared with their p . if irmancis . He said tbat ti . e r < suit .-f buying in the- _crieaju-st and sclline in tha _de-.. r . st niaikct . a _fuvo ' . _'r ' t- _; _tiriiit * : _; i ! _t * . < -i tin * Frrc- ' _r-ii-. i * , had brought the _woo ' _e-ov . _iOe-rs to tli . ir t-r _.-sei . t _j > i . sl : imi of wretchedness and m ' -ery . lie s .-, t _e ' o . u : hj * imviiu " 'tun' . the conditio !! el' the _ew « i "* . Mjiibers « _-f il'isto « n is truly lamentable , and it is absolutely mc . s « ary that an : i ; p -a ! should be made to the wealthier c ' _asse s ou their behalf , a _lar-c number ot 'hem htins _completely destitute . " The resolution was seconded by George Ridley , a wool com ' _-er . and _carried _unanimously .

      _J-. _iftrn lie-pesos , a _wo'dei . _uilier , _stated tb .: t he _hadt-p _. _i-Hed to the parish _forreliet , ' - >• in . * eiitiiel . v witlsou- work nt ' . is own trade , and the _rclk-vir-r _ofHe-e r leu ! sent him to 1 Teak _stor . es <> n tlie road , f _.-r which be r- ee ' vrd Is . 3 , 1 . per day for two A vs . lie had _b-. en to the relieving officer ontli . it day ( Tuesday ) , when the offic-r had Riven him ls . Cd ., aud told him he should want htm _nom-re . He said _th-. r _.- wer _. * eight ef them ta keep out of what he had g .. t for _stoue-breakin-r . but now he had notiing . _R-jbebt Smith , an -ther w-iilcorr . br , stated that he bid bad no " 'ring to 1 at in his house t ' _.-r two days , his wife _cinfmed and one c' .: i ! d in a fe ; tr . There were fix ir . the i " .: iiii ' r altogether . He had applied for _rdi-f last Saturday , and riceived 2 s . Gd . for tbe whole ef ihem .

      Jons Jek & y Etated that he had not had any work for the last three weeks , that his wife _wasconiined on Jlond iy last , and all that he had to give htr was a little _sneo pru-1 _, which a neighbouring woman had brought in for her , just before lis _cwue to that meeting . Hi said he had not taste" six ounce * of food since 3 unday last . Geoege Fletcher , a woolcomber , said that he had four children _l-efides himself and wife * , which made six _altogether . He had been relieved with ' 2 ' . 61 ., and went before the Board of Guardians on Friday last , and was ordered to go to work at what is called a test hill , at Idle , where he was relieved with 4 s . Cd . for bis whole family , Iind Wiltll lie told _UlS _fdievltig _.. ffieer that be _taJ no shoes t o walk a distance of eight miles every day to and from his work , the officer told hira tbat he might buy shoes out of thc 4 s . C 1 . relief he had given hiin . However , at last ,

      he wa- * furoishedwith a pair of clogs . He then went f 0 work at the test bill , at Idle , but his feet began to swell so , in wearing his clogs iu frosty weather aad out of door employment , always being used to workiDg by the side of a warm comb pot , _ihat he was obliged to bathe fciE feetin a morning before he started to lais work . Having tohobblc along in the bsst manner he could , he sometimes got there rather late , when the superintendent ot tbe test full begun to curse and swear at him , and threatened to send him to Wakefield . At last he was thrown into a fever , and he believed he kadgot a complaint on " him , through working at the test hill , that would Carry hira to his grave . He said he knew _parties "ork ' _ngat that hill w ! _io hid , to walk GO or 70 miles each week , to and from the _j-lace , and that some of the men were working there for 24 hours together , without tasting food of any description .

      » M . Mcir . ES moved the second _resolu ton , which was , " That five persons be appointed a committee , to receive evidence of the existing distress erao : i £ St the woolcomber .-. " " _n-couded by a woolcomber of tbe name of Gat—carried 'iitanimouf ly . Ths meeting then adjourr . e * to a _fiture day , to give time to the woolcombers to send in to tne committee th- ir _statements ot the distress and destitution they are now labouring under .

      Wnite Slavery. Labour In New Tokk. 116 C...

      WniTE SLAVERY . LABOUR IN NEW TOKK . 116 _CIBCOH'TiSCES . C 0 ND 1 TI 0 _SS , 4 KD REWiMS . ( from the . Vno York Tiibtif . e _. ) NO . III . —THE BOOK-FOLDERS . The girls employed iu _Boi-U-buvieries work indiscriminately « _folding and stitching—s-metimes being _employe 1 one week in folding and the next in stitch ' ng . Tney earn about the s » me _traces at either occupation , r . nJ work always by the piece . Not more ; _hen half of them who have regular _situatiuns are steady , sober workersthe want of « du : _ation aud the out-. ! oor _temptations _whi-. li b- ! ong to the fortunts of so many oi thtm _exerting apinerful influence to destroy their ambition and _self-resect , and to beget habits of levity aud idleness .

      T : _ier j-re from 2 . 530 to 3 , 0 ' 0 girls er . _gaireii in the _res-{•« t ; iblr *" : _ii-ieries inthe city , and their wages arc very various—depending _entirely on the skill , _i xperience and _inc ' _u-r . ry of the girls , as we ! l as , _sometimei , _>; n the favourittsui of foremen and those who give out the work . 51 > ny do not earn more than 1 dollar 50 cents or 2 dol . Idrs per « rek ; others make o dollars an-i 3 dollars DO Cents ; _» vbile there is a few whose b : ll « , week after wetk run as high as "> dollars ando do ' . _bir * . These are _oU an-1 highly valued _naads _, and some of them kave held their _siruationt lor years .

      The prices _p-ii-l ia tiiclarg * _estabUshmen _*? for folding are , fjr single Svo . sheets , 2 cents per hundred ; fur douUe do . ( 1 _* J pjges ) , 3 * : cents per handred . Daubl--12-no . is paid . *} cents . Au average hand working 10 hours a day can f _.. _l-l 10 f > r 1200 of the double _12-nos Fe * do as muvh as that , however . The cutting of thc signatures is included in _tln-se prices . Thu stitchers receive a great variety of prices according to the size of the sheet , tiie _numt-cr of pa _^ es in a si _.-tiature , & c . An average price of c . tnmon work may hi stated at _Sj cents , per hundred sheets . At these raw .-they mike about the same as at folding . In both folding

      cud stitching th . re is so wid .- a range of work _titat tht only praeticaW- way of _estimating fhe earnings of t '; es * girls , as a _clas » . it to take account of tlieir _we-kly wages . In the b-st ehtaM _' _sinueuts these range from 2 dollars 50 cents to ' { _dollars 5 ( 1 cents' —leaving -ut of ; he q-iestioti t ' . iose who are extranr . Uaarily expert or industrious . In many other _establisumeiits , however , the work is dribbled out by piecemeal , so that the girls 0 : 1 ' the average do not work tnor _^ than half the time . Some _concerns , mo , we ire cj * ii | ielied usay , are iu the regular habit of _pajin- * e « s even than the above prices , aud employ girls at th . - _eryh'Kvit r * trs tbey c « n compel them to accept .

      Tt . e sjstem > : i apprenticeship al-o exists ir . this trade and the skilful worker justtl . roug ' i ber _upprentieehood ; s to j often sent adrift to make room for raw bands . In the larger establishments the girls are generally separated . ' roin tiie men who work at Book-binding , and are kepi in tolerable order . In some h mses they are u » t permitted even to speak to each other during working hours . In others ( md _th-at , too , where we should look for the utmost strictness ) the girls laugh and talk fend carry on _balf the time . The folders and stitchers _commence to work -. t 7 in

      the morning and work till 6 in the _evening—taking an hour for dinner . They almost universally bring dinner with them and eat it any way th » t tbey can get at it . Tbe fare , as yoa _miy % vell suppose , is poor enough ; aad yet , as perhaps nine-tenths 0 ! these girls board with their mothers , _i-roibers , _aiarried fitters , or otlur relatives or friends , tbe luu 1 of affection often drops some trilling delicacy iu the _liitli tin pail that holds the poor worker ' s oinner—at which , when she _sjirtad-. " her humble t' 0 : _ird , her eyes giUteu with a tear ef love and the _utttre a _silci . t blrssing .

      Tue ; e _s-irls pay from 1 dollar 7-3 cents to 2 dollar per week for tlieir btard , and _txiru for washing . A great _pi-jiritrof them b . i . ird witk tlieir _relatives or Irtinds . a : i _« i thus are belter fid , lo > 1 gcd and _:-artd lor than those pit ls who have to live at t _" . e chea . j pnblic hoarding _hon-es . Thry arc most o . ' thtm father . e _< * , aud many have neither lather nor mother . Many of ih . m belong to the church and nearly all , we believe , are of good character , in some *>'¦ he less respectablt- _Iiin-j . lies _however , so much circa asp _ction is not employ ti ! . They are _lr j . n all grades a . i ; r . iai . s in life , and the li _' vory of thtmsclvts sn _*! _lumtlies _<* . < , c , ; d . in many instances , be more inleresting than tiie- . _*« _-. «; _artistic romanee . V . _' e _remember 11 sprightly and cl _iicnt _.-. ' _ool . ing girl ub . _isestory was told us by the _] olite pr prut r of the large li uricry where she was employed , _Bltlmugh uotoii . * ot her _louiiiauions knows anUhing ol

      her _strauce fortunes . She is the daughter of n 0111 edistiug _; . i-. _* . ed aud opulent East India merchant , « ho Hved iu she most sumptu . us and aristocratic style , bestowing _u-. o : i his _daughters every accomplishment which could _i-o-Eible be obtained by wealth and taste . H _: died and was discover » _-d to be » hopeless nankiupt . Iiis widow and one grown-up daughter—two < . f the n . oU _dirf- ' iyiie women of fashion iu the city—aud the subject of out story , where reduced to sudden and _al-jrct poverty . Tbe young i _> oman married a respectable hard woiking mechanic , with whom she cow lives in _t-mnterriip-eiJ happmes - ; aud the little girl—tbe pet of the family—went to _folding books . She boards with her sister and is a neat and prosperous worker . After hearing tbis little romance w- turned to gaie with a _dcepir hit-rest upon the gay , girlish face and slight but graceful sonu bend : n _- so _ijuiety over her toil .

      We hav _; . presented this important branch ofthe great _Brtok-makitis business b y no means in its darken colors . The _exc-.- , _* _* « ir , s ( which are manv and distress "!! - ;) u > the _comparativ- comfort which prevails among theui we hav .. left unt . iu-.-l . x-d . ADDREE- _* _* * OF THE CARPET WEAVERS OF GREAT _JliilTAI . V TO THE WORKMEN * ENGAGED I . V TIIE VARIOUS TRADES IN AND AROUND

      _ABERDEEN Fellow-Workmen ,-. We , the Carpet Weavers of Great Britain , be- most respectfull y to lay before you a brief summary of the causes which have led to the unhappy oifference _* : _; ' -.-resent existing between thc Messrs . HaddefiS , in Aberdeen , aud their workmen , viz . — - ' At the r . uuef t of - . be workmen in their eroplov , the uianufactuiers of Ea . _' ! : ind at tbeir annual meeting , held July 2 nd 1 S 4 ' _* , agr . cd _.- > advance their wages teu per cent ., this advance v , < _-..-itinue-j : itil 1 st February , 1 _SI 7 ; and if the _loanufrct-i ! _-. isia Scotland would agree to give a corres . ponding-, * Mi : ceonorb _.-fore that time , said advance to u-m ' _tiu-:- p « r : _iinue ! , t . " I . i c . _m-irjuencc of _tiiis agreement ti . e workmen in the several firini in Scotland , agreed to

      _rju-monahic tlieir cmplnyers for a corresponding advane , u ' ii .- _* t t !» . y ; it _fir-. t refused , priuc ' _pally on account bft ' _-. K ; a _. _vHrs . Had lens , in Ab _^ _r-l .-en _, having been in the _jracti . c uf ; .. ni ! > , ' _ti-n per cent , below all others in the trade fur a c- * n ; _idt-r-ib ] c _leirgtii ef time ! but , on a scconi ' _api-lication , they _agreed 11 - _^ ive ? . heir men a _correspoud-

      Wnite Slavery. Labour In New Tokk. 116 C...

      V' advance , provided that all the manufacturers iu Scotland pay a uniform rate . This all the manufacturers in Scotland honourably _agretd to do , with the _exception of tlte Messrs . Haddeii ? , in Aberdeen , who deeidedly refuged to pay the same rate as the other manufacturers , as they considered themselves placed in a more disadvantageous _position than the other manufacturers in tbe trade . The workmen considering it unjust that they should suffer a reduction on their wages on account of the eupposed dis . advantages of any manufacturer , agreed to send a deputation of their number to Aberdeen , in order to impress upon the Messrs . Hiddens the propriety of acceding to tbe r * te proposed b y the other manufacturers . This the / in the first place decidedly _( Uclined to do , but after repeated interviews with the _deputation thry proposed a settlementofth e question by arbitration . This the

      wiirkmeii , f . T thesiike of praco generally , assented to , although opposed to tbe application of the principle in t !; is e \! Se . The Messrs . Haddens havinc communicated thi- to the oth-r manufacturers , they refused to refer the case , but ottered to meet them in con-erence . This tbe Messrs . _Ha-ldens _positively _refused , still holding by arbitratb . ii , to which some of the manufacturers latterly agreed ; but on account of other _manufacturers being . . . pose . ! to tliis _mo-ie of _sctilenifciit , tbe Port E , 'linton _Sjiinuiiu * _Coiiitmiiy issued _circulars to ail the manufacturers in Scotland , invitin- ; them to a meeting—which _nv-ctingtook ] dace iu Glasgow , oa 25 th September . To this _meeting the Messrs . Haddens were invited , but _dec'iii' _-d to attend . At said meeting the question of arbitration was discussed in all its bearings , and rejected as _inadmissal-lc . But it was agreed tbrt the wages be ¦ _ii-iintaincd until 10 th October , and a deputation was

      appomtsl to confer with any manufacturer not _present at this niei-ting . A special notice was sent to tho Messrs . Maddens , to meet them either in Edinburgh or Dund » e , to endeavour to remove their o _'« jeclions to pay a uniform rate of _waeres . The Messrs . Haddens never having stated what their disadvantages were , and thc meeting considering them not the least favoured manufacturers in the trade—to which notice the Messrs . Haddens paid no _attention—although they bring forward _the'r supposed _disadvantages as n reason why they cannot meet the other manufacturers in the market , and state that they are obliged to pay tlieir workmen a lower rate of wages to enable them to do so . Now , brethren , wc are well aware that they are not only able to meet them in the market , but to a considerable extent , to undersell them .

      The resolution agreed to at the above meeting having been St-ht to _AbeeJeei ., the Bipubiti . m _appointed by the trade requested an interview with the Messrs . Haddens , which was peremptorily refused ; and alter several ineffectual attempts by tbe workmen in their employ , to obtain a peaceful settlement of the question , and fee'ing that the whole responsibility of maintaining the advanc d rate of wages lay upon tbem—thry baring no _guarantee that tlieir employers would not offer even a lower rate of _wnges than that paid by them for the last eighteen years ; Hnd although all the other Manufacturers were willing to maintain the advanced rate of wages , yet declaring if any Firm in Scotland iras found to pay a lower rate after the lOtii October , they Would feel themselves compelled to conform to that rate whatever it mig " it be . This being

      the position ofthe workmen i" the employ of the Messrs . Haddens , they considered it their duty to withdraw their labour , _having no other alternative left them , they having _ised every prudent and reasonable means in their power to obtain a settlement . And although decidedly opposed to Strikes in general , considering them to be pernicious in their effects both to Employer and Employed , yet , in this peculiar ca _? e , wc feel ourselves bound to support the Aberdeen Workmen in their resolution , having no othei course left us but do this , or submit to repented reductions , as the Messrs . Haddens appear determined to pay below the other Manufacturers let them pay what they may ; which redactions we could ill afford , owing to the

      laborious nature of our calling , and the great variety of style which is continually being introduced , which increases our labour , and consequently reduces our wages ; and considering our inability to educate our families , or supply them with the necessary comforts of life . For tbe above reasons , and others that might be adduced , ( a recital of which would tax your path-rice , ) we do assure you , Brethren , that hia a hard struggle for us to provide for our families with our present wages ; and were we to be reduced to the rates lately p . iid by the Messrs . Haddens , it would entail upon us and our children a great amount of misery and distress—at ti . e thought of which our hearts sicken , and the better feelings of cur nature

      recoils . Now , Brethren , when we consider the reasonableness and justice of the request of the CARPET WEAVERS OF ABERDEEN , thattbey shonld receive the same remuneration for their labour as the other Workmen engaged in the trade ; and , likewise , wben we _reflect that the dearest interests of several thousands of your Fellow Labourers depends upon the issue of this contest , we cam sfly implore that you will not only refrain yourselves , but that you will use every lawful endeavour to keep others from supplanting tbe men in their work , and thus bethe means 0 . ' averting a vast amount of suffering and privation from thousands of your fellow creatures ; for althou _. ' _"* you may in the meantime be flattered and fawned upon by the petty Tyrant , and deceived by false promises and _misrepresentations , wliich in the end will -urn out bitter disappointment to those who are so foelish as to be duped by them .

      Brethren , we have laid before you a plain unvarnished statement of our case , trusting and believing that your tee ! ing < are on the side of Humanity and Justice , and not upon the side of Obstinacy and Oppression , we humbly request that you will give our case your candid considera tion , and oblige , yours respectfully , in name and on behalf ofthe CARPET WEAVERS OF GREAT BRITAIN , Davio M'Cuu . ck , ' Chjei . es Thomson , Robert _Uamsav David TH"M « oh , James Hak . vab , _Jshs Himiousb , - James _Thomson , George M'Kissock , James _Hamdat _* , Jakes Moodie , Acting Committee . Kilmarnock , Oth December , 1846 .

      STEAM-ENGINE AND MACHINE MAKERS . At a meeting of the _Journcymin Steam Enune , Machine Makers , and Millwrights' Friendly Society , held at our Club House , the Old Gray Mare Inn , Bury , on Tbursaay evening , the 24 th of December , it was unanimously agreed , that each member subscribe the sum of ls . per wet-k forthe _de-fenc * ofthe men whoarebeingproseciited by Messrs . Jones and Potu , of Newton , on the charge of conspiracy . After which , it was proposed and seconded , and carried by acclamation , "Thata vote of thanks be given to the Proprietor and Editors of the A * or { Aern Slur , for their straight-forward conduct , as exhibited in their journal iu the advocacy of the _rights of industry . "

      FRAME-WORK KNITTERS . Nottisghak . _—United Trades . —A three counties Delegate Meeting will be held on Monday morning , the 4 th of January , 1847 , at the hour of ten o ' clock precisely , at the Black Horse Tavern , _Stoney-strcet , to consider tiie propriety of causing a Bill to be introduced into the House of Commons , for the amendment of the Ticket Act- also to transact other important _business . Mabc Wollev , Secretary .

      THE WARRINGTON CONSPIRACY CASE . TO THE EDITOB OF TOE N 0 ETIIERN STAR . Sir , —In reading the report of the meeting of the Operative Engineers of London , contained in your paper of Saturday last , I find that Mr . Lancaster , the delegate from Manchester , in the course of his speech , in alluding to my arrest by tha Warrington authorities , is reported to have said— " That I was dragged off to Warrington , my locks broktn , my place ransacked , and my papers taken , without any legal authority whatever ; " evidently in erring that the above acts had been committed by the arresting parties . I feel myself bound to correct a part of the above statements ; it is correct in part , but not as

      a whole . It is true that I was taken to _"Aarringten , without either time to arrange my ohie ial _liustucKS , or to take leave of my family ; it is also true tbat a notice paper was torn dowu from my ollice , and taken away : * ut with regard to the breaking of the lucks , and the ransacking ofthe place , such did not take pltce . I cannot account for Mr . Lancaster ' s statements , fm ther , than he must have been misinformed , or it is a mis-report . Bui be tbat as it may , I have felt in _e ' . uty b . und te » -nnke this correction , for 1 would not have it said that 1 had _knotvingly allowed even my enemies to suffer an _injustice . 1 have not as yet seen Mr . Lancaster , but I have no doubt but thathe will be as anxious as myself to bave any misstatert _. _ents corrected .

      By inserting the above iu your paper of Saturday next vou will greatly oblige , Yours truly , He . nut Selsbv . 64 , Bale-street , Manchester , Dec . 2 a , _lSlti . The _Joinei . s of RocnDALu are on strike , being forced out of _employment thrnu _* . _'h the masters _ixttenipting to impose' upon them a set of new rules which , were nevar known in Rochdale before .

      Mkla.Vciioi.Ttei-Misatio.\' Or A Convivi...

      Mkla . vciioi . _tTei-misatio . \ ' or a Convivial 1 arty . — On Tuesday an inquest wa * -taken before Mr . Baker , at the George , _Mansell-street _, Whitechapel , on view of the _b-idyof Mary Fitzhenry , five months old , > liosc parents were on ' . Monday under an examinat on , before Mr . Yardley , at the Thames Police < V .: rt . accused of being accessary to its death , when ti . e charge _tvaa dismissed . It appeared that the dc-< ase _-d lived at No . !» , Greg ' s-court , with its mother and father , who is a "iin-makcr . Lust Saturday _iiis-hr they had a few friends , among whom was tiie _randnii'tiicr . _llctwetii nine and ten o ' clock the

      mother we t to bed , and shortly after thc child was taker , to her hy its father . About one o ' clock the following morning the mother gut up , when shortly after , upon _coin-r for thc _deceased , she found it _without any signs of life . Her screams brought her husband to " htr , who held the body b fore tbe fnv , to restore thc vita ! functions , in doing which tho .-kin was scorched bit * its back . Tiie _grnit'Iinother then plae _< d it in a warm bath . Mr . Liddle , surgeon , who made a j . _ewl-iiK'rti-iii examination , found the lungs highly _t-tJiigt't-Ud , which was raiised hy . _vufl ' icatinii . 1 lie i'UriiS , however , were _sullieiciit tu destroy

      life . Verdict , " _lA' _-uh by s > 'l :. ieatioii . " _Jack at F . u-lt . —A sailor in 'lie pit of ihe theatre , 011 : o _' , k . i : jr owr h _' n pl _.-ybii ! _, _ciscivcrctl ill it an i : ; - ttivai oi thirty years _cu-curicd between the lirst and sic md acts . iV . I ; ii >« this ha * - a _inatter-i . _t ' -fact , and fi _' . t _:-sa ' . iivifton hisinia ; ii _::- ! t : nn , lie ¦ , s « t c-n his i : ir-;¦ ¦ . _!> . ) ' a : ai _ibetr _.-di-f thc iir .-t . _;¦« ! , / _mI _Il-I ' i . _»! . •<• _, -if _, .-ayiifi . * ' Very few -jf the audienc-- will _prol-:- ! - y live 10 **» : e the end of the iilav . "

      The Shout Time Question. Renewed Agitati...

      THE SHOUT TIME QUESTION . RENEWED AGITATION FOR THE ADOPTION OF TUE TEN HOURS' BILL IN FACTORIES . MEETING AT DUNDEE . ( From the Dundee Advertiser ) A public meet ' _njr was held in Dundee on Friday to receive Mr . Ferrand , M r \ , and Mr . Oastler , the eloquent ami energetic advocates of the Ten Hours' Dill . From some cause or other , not explained , Mr . Ferrand did not arrive in time to atieud the _meeting , hut Mr . Cistler did , and received a most enthusiastic reception . Ho was accompanied by Messrs . Lewis , Miller , Johnston , anil other pr aclurs of thc Gospel belonging to the town . Mr . James _launders was called to the chair .

      Mr . Mm rae said , he had for some time been a factory slave himself , und . therefore , had some slig ht _knunbilge of the working of the . system . To the Uiwg irouta s _^ labour a deal of the evils which now pervaded society _illicit be traced . It has been proved by statists that the lives of those employed in the factories were much shorter than the lives of those employed in agricultural pursuits ; that tbe greatest ignofance and the greatest misery , abounded in the towns where thc fadory system was in its greatest vigour . It had been found _lihcwi-e , tha : as our _trjde had increased , the misery and degradation of the working people had increased in the equal ratio . They had all seen the squalid looks and the zig zag gait of tbe factory operatives , wliich had been

      brought upon them by excessive labour . The manner in which the factory system had hitherto been conducted , had tended to debase thc working people , to destroy their physical energy , corrupt their morals , and be _detremental to tlieir _intellectual capabilities . Sooner than that should take place , he would say , let commerce perish ; and any man who could calmly contemplate such things , he would say , had not the love of God or man emplauted in his breast . Mr . Macrae coucluded by proposing his resolution tc the effect , that the meeting were of opinion that the long hours of labour in factories were detrimental to the health , the morals and the intellect of the people—that machinery should be put under regulations so a « not to prove a curse instead of a blest ing to the working people _.

      Mr . Thomas Smart seconded the resolution , which was put and carried unanimously . Tlit ! _llee-. _JJr . Lewis |> roposed a resolution , tne purport of which was , that in the opinion of the meeting the present hours of factory labour are incapable with the moral aud intellectual improvement of the body of the people engaged in it , aud that were these not slioittr _. ed _, the most disastrous effects would arise to the whole community . The Kev . Mr . _Lesley Miller seconded the motion . Mr , _Oasler , oncoming forward , was received with the most rap ' . urous and enthusiastic cheering . After the noise had subsided , he said , when he appeared at thu first meeting he had been at iu Scotland , a few nights ago , a person high in station , took him by the ham ) ,

      saying , " Oastler , you are a bold man to come to Scot . land upon such a question . " He ( Mr . Oastler ) thought io too . He had heard that the people of Scotland were a practical , calculating sort of people ; and he was afraid that if they should find anj thing wrong , they would be the people to detect aud expose it . Trusting , however , to their characteristic benevolence , and having a mission in the cause of humanity , he had come down among them . lie had been assured before he crossed the Border that he need not come among them , as they were against a Ten Hours' Dili ; but so far from that being the case , he had held three meetings since he came to Scotland , and he could Say that he never had attended three better meetings in his life . If the woiking people of Scotlaud thought that he came among them for the

      purpose of stirring up strife between muster and man they would find themselves greatly mistaken . His object was ta bring the olive branch of peace , and to heal the dissensions which had unhappily too lorg existed between these _elasees . What he wished to see was the good feeling existing between master and servant which existed iie the time of Doaz , when the latter saluted the former iu these words , " The Lord bless thee , " and the former answered , " The Lord be with you . " That was a system then existing between employers and employed , which he wished to witness established iu England and Scotland . The system which he wished to see was on _« established injustice . The principles he advocated were supported by one of the richest manufacturers in the world—Mr . John Fielden . It bad b » en proposed thirty years ago by

      the late Sir Robert Peel , and had all along been supported by the _best-iuformed factory masters . Last night , at his address iu Paisley , the ciiair was taken byone of the most opulent manufacturers there—Mr . _Cavr ; and the cheering of the great number assembled when he took the chair , told , in language not to be _misunderstood , how heartily they were rejoiced at his influential _co-operutiou in the cause , Mr . Dustier then proceeded to describe some of the cruelties which prevailed under the present system . The state to which the children were often reduced by exhaustion might be learned when he mentioned that he had once or twice observed the children _i-f a poor widow in his neighbourhood so exhausted , that they fell asleep with part of their supper in their mouths , and while she was dressing tbeir ulcerated

      feet . Many of these evils had been remedied , but still a deal remained to be done . It was said when the present system was proposed that trade would be ruined , but instead of that it had gone on increasing . He was willing to urgue the question with any one upon the pounds , shillings , and pence of the question . ) Hear , hear . ) Let tbem look atthesums now required for gao . ' s , h _. 'Jewells , and police , and deduct those before they count the profit . In his own place they were trccting agaol aud bridewell , which would cost £ 05 . 000 . Iu his jounger years , the same place which , contained one third of its present inhabitants , l . ad a gaol with six cells , the doors of which were open tix months in the year . They had only one policeman then , now they had one hundred ami seventy . He had ouce been denounced in the House

      of Lords by thc Premier as an incendiary , and iu thc House oi Commons by the Home Secretary , as a character of the same sort ; but he would say that since the present agitation commenced , the greatest change had taken place in the minds of th * Workpeople regarding the preservation o '' property , He remembered several yeirs ago of going into several _public-lmuses in the neighbourhood of Manchester in disguise , in order to ascertain ihe opinions ofthe working people on the subject , when he found that they then breathed nothing but revenge against the properly and persons of their masters . Now so _areata change had taken place iu their opinions , that were any one to speak of such a thing , lie would be immediately hauded over to tbe police . He ha- ! at oue time been charged with bringing forward this question to impede the cause of Negro emancipation , at another to hinder the Reform Dill , and at another to oppose the progress of Free Trade . All these questions had now been settled , and the ground was therefore clear .

      He would advise them against strikes , and if any oue irom England advised tlietn to pursue such a course , avoid bim , Mr , Fielden had desii ed bim to ask every meeting if there were any among them in favour ot an Eleven Hours' Dill . At all the meetings he had attended he had only found three individuals who held up their hands for it . Were they in favour of it ! ( "No , no . " ) Well , from that he would say that tbey were in fervour of a Ten Hours' Bill . _(* ' Yes , yes !") Mr . Oastler , after thanking them for the attention with whieh they had listened to him , sat down amidst enthusiastic and prolonged cheering . The resolution was put , and unanimously agreed to . Mr . Graham moved a petition to both Houses of Parliament iu favour of the Ten Hours' Dill—which was adopted . In the course of his reniaiks in moving , he dealt several severe hits at the Durgh Member , for refusiii _C to preside at the _meeting , and intimated that they would call in question the views in his letter upon the _sulject , should he again present himself at the

      hustings . Dr . Giut , aft > r some re-marks , proposed a vote of thanks to Messrs . Oastler , Lewis , and Miller , for their attendance , and for tlieir admirable spetciits . The proposition was cariied by acclamation . A vote of thanks having been given to the Chairman , tlie mtciing broke up .

      Meeting A.T Edinburgh. A Public Meeting ...

      MEETING A . T EDINBURGH . A public meeting of the inhabitants of Edinburgh was held on _Thursday evening in the large Waterloo room , for the purpose of considering the proprieiy of petitioning Parliament in favour o ; ' a Ten Hours Factory Bill . Sir James Forrest , Baronet , of Comiston , presided , and on thc platform was Mr . Oastler , . Mr . Ferrand , M P ., the Kcv . Messrs . Hegg and Leivis ( Fiee . Clmrch clergymen ) , Mr . Maitland , ( one of the directors of the Edinburgh nud Glasgow _ltailwuy ) , etc . Letters of apology were read from various individuals . One was read from Mr . Fielden , M . l \ , expressive of his regret at not being able to be present . Another was read from Mr , Macaulay , M . _T ., stating that , to a certain extent he agreed nith the _vi-.-ws of Mr . Fielden ' s Bill , but that it would be _ir-possiblc for bim to be in Edinburgh to at

      tenJ t ' ie meeting . ( Cheers and hisses . ) A lciter was alio fad _friiii Mr . _It-ttslilcigli _, M . P ., for- 1 ' ast Cornwall , ex | _'ies * , ive of his wgivt that private business detained him from coming to advocate the views of Mr . Fielden , A letter from the Kev . Br . _Condli-h ( Free Church ) , said , that while he could not be present , from other engagements , lie b _» pged to express his cauded concurrence with the general objects of the ir . ee _tii _' . g , and hi * high estut 111 for those who _wn-. _i so _jrhllauti _r-picully employed , iu endey . v . 'iiiiiig to nineily thc evil ot excessive toil tovthich the woiking classes were subjected . He did not , of course , commit himself to the details ot any particular measure ; but he had no hesitation in saying , that , in his opinion , thc present excessive amount of labour imposed _uikiii the _urticans and mechanics of their country , and

      upon childi en , formed a mr . st serious burner m the way oi' :: 11 tbeir _clioi'ts _Ki promote _religious and social instruction among the in _ifses , and to raise their , moral , social ami intellectual standing . The next letter read , _i _* :: _> o _:. e from Mr . Gibson CraigJ the other member for the city , _v _. ko simply _st-iied , that his engagement at the Treasury put it out of hi *; power to be iu Edinburgh . A _lett r of _tipoi _. _iity hud also been received Irom ti . e "lev . _An-iivw Tii . ' _iiiijKon ( of the- United Secession Cnurcb ) , ' . " . _'pivsii-:- his _ri-grtt at 11 it bring able to be present . A letter w : isal _> o read fr . nn Mi . Shurmaii Crawford , stating that l _. is engagements in Ireland prevented his being able to be- in Edinburgh , but that he hoped to imike up I _' _-ii-it by hi . _i voles and _( . p .-cches in Parliament upon ti . e KUbj-Ct . The e ' HAir . Mi . N said that this meeting coafcireel gira '

      Meeting A.T Edinburgh. A Public Meeting ...

      honour upon tlie working classes of Edinburgh . They had undertaken tbe whole charge and management of it , : md tbey had been the means of bringing Mr . Oastler and Mr . Ferrand to Edinburgh . After gome other remarks to show the importance of the working classes having leisure moments , in order tbat they might acquaint themselves with those branches of knowledge which « rere _essential to their well-being and to their usefulness as mem . _bcrs of society ; he concluded by stating that he did not come here to speak but to bear the statements that would lie made by Mr . Oastler and Mr . Ferrand on the evils of tbe factory system .

      Mr . Oastleb then came forward , nnd was greeted with _Kiud applause . Ho said that he had come to Edinburgh at the bidding of the working men of the town ; he bad _b-. en invited from bis country by the working men of the different towns of Scotland , and be had been delighted to find that hitherto his mission in belmlf of the most industrious and the most oppressed inhabitants of Great Britain , had received the favour ofthe inhabitants ' of Scotia-no . _( _Chei-rn . ) Mr . _Oasiler then rei _' mco ' 0 tbe Kreat pleasure which he felt in the fact , that in Scotland and in England , thc higher and the middle _classes wire following together in sympathy for the benefit of ihe producers of tho wealth of their country . Mr . Oastler then proceeded at some length to detail tho evils of the

      factory system before any legislative enactment was mtroduc d , remarking that it was worse than negro slavery . He then dwelt upon what he considered to be the objec . tion _« ble features of tho present system , and said tbat _note-ithstanding the grievances wbich they had alreadybeen the means of redressing , this work of those who were in favour of a limitation of hours was not yet done . There were still children above thirteen years of age , and women were subjected to twelve hours' daily labour ; two hours more than was required from able-bouied mechanics . After adverting to the pernicious influence wliich these long hours must have upou both the bodi- s and minds of the rising generation , Mr . Oastler said that all they asked for was to reduce these hours to ten hours .

      Mb . Febrand , M . P ., next addressed the meeting , amid great applause , at some length , and asked tbe evidence of manufacturers , and others in proof of the injurious effects of the . factory system , ' and referred to tbe numerous cases of accidents which occurred from children falling in among the machinery from over exhaustion . He called upon the workmen of Edinburgh to co-operate in th ' is movement with their brethren in _England , and said that he _n- _* s sure that a seed bud been sown here wbich would produce good fruit . The resolutions were deferred to another meeting intended to be holden on Monday , in the largest hall in Edinburgh . Thanks to Mr . Oastler , Mr , Ferrand , and thc Chairman , concluded the proceedings at the above meeting .

      —^—Great Meeting Of Tne Short Time De. L...

      _—^—GREAT MEETING OF TnE SHORT TIME DE . LEGATES , MANcnE 5 TEB , Mondat , Dec 28 — Yestcrdny ( Sunday ) a numerous meeting ef delegates from the manufacturing districts of Lancashire , Yorkshire , Cheshire , an Derbyshire , was held in a _school . room , Great Ancoatsstreet , in this town , nnd by adjournment at the Woodman ' s'Hut Inn , for the purpose of consideting what stcp « were to be taken to promote the measure this session , There wero delegates present from the following places , in the whole fifty-six in number : —Lancashire , C . S . T . C , Bolton Spinners Central , Manchester , No . 1 ; Ditto , No . 2 ; Bolton , S . T . C , Bolton Spinners , Rochdale S .

      T . C . Oldham S . T . C , Ditto Spinners , Ashton spinners , Preston S . T . C , efce . ; Chorley S . T . C , Bury , S . T . C , Heywood S , T . C , Todmorden S . T . ft , Lees Spinners , Waterhead Mdl Spinners , Macclesfield S . T . ft , Littleborough S . T . ft , Hindley Spinners , _Padiham , Lowerhouse _, Openshaw _, Newton _Moer , Shaw Chapel , Stockport Sp in _, ncrs , _Dukinfield , Oldham P . L . Weavers , Manchester S . and G ., Hooley Bridge , Stalybridge , Burnley , Bradford , Huddersfield , Leeds , Lindley , Paddock , Golker _, Raistrick _, Fixby , Halifax , South Crossland , iie , _Holmfirth , Dews _, bury and Keighley by letter .

      The proceedings commenced at ten o ' clock , and the meeting so numerous , it was deemed desirable that there should be a chairman and deputy-chairman . It was unanimously rrsolved , that the chairman of the Lancashire Central Short Time Committee should preside , and that the vice-chair should be filled by the chairman of the Yorkshire Central Short Time Committee . The Chaibman , In opening the proceedings , said they had once more met on the important question of the Ten Hours' Bill . He hoped that th _» delegates would be cool iu their deliberation , but resolved in their actions . The time had come when the people of the manufacturing districts should bestir themselves , and make a final and " successful effort to carry tbeir cause . He regretted that they were compelled to meet on tbe Sunday , but such was the nature of their occupation that it was quite out of tlieir power to assemble on any other day . He then read a letter from _Charlss Hindley , Esq ., M . P .

      The Delegate from tbe Lancashire Central Short Time Committee moved the first resolution . He said that the resolution which he had to propose was one which was usually adopted at such meetings , and as far as he was concerned , he would never relax ia his exertions until tlie o'ject was obtained . He then moved the following resolution : — _"Th-itthis meeting of delegates from the manufacturing districts of Lancaster , York , Chester , and Derby , assembled for the purpose of promoting the Ten Hours ' , Bill , again express our de-termination never to relax in our exertions until a bill to limit the hours of factory lubour to ten hours a day for five days in the week , nnd eight on tbe Saturday , be ob . taine'd from the legislature , believing that we are justly entitled to protection to those limits . " Mr . John LEEcn , of Huddersfield , bri * fly seconded The resolution , which was unanimously carried .

      The Delegate from _Littleboroutth , moved the _secoi d resolution : — "The experience of the last tliirty . five years , in promoting this measure , warrants this i :.. aiiig of _delegates from the manufacturing districts of Lancaster , York , Chester , and Derby , in believing . hut the rejection of the measure last session , and the means adopted by the government , by which our friends in Parliament were defeated , has stimulated tbe operatives throughout the country to still further exertions than they have ever before made , and this meeting are convine _, d that the cause which has assembled them together is in _accordance with ¦ very prir . _ciplejof justice , humanity and religion . The _Delesate , from Oldham seconded the resolution .

      Thc Delegate from the fine spinners of Manchester , was pleased « ith the terms of the resolutions . He could not see that any objection could be made to tbem . If ever there was a time when the Ten Hours 'Bill was n < . cessary it was now . He could well recollect that when he first worked in a mill , in the room In which he worked there were four men and sixteen _pieccre , and he lived to work the whole of the machinery inthe same room him . self by the assistance of eight _pie-cers ; nnd he further added that he , by the increased spied of the machinery , and _conseivueni ' y increai < ed labour , tumid off us much work now as the whole of the four men and sixteen piecers . Such was the tear and near of the human constitution under this oppressing toil that when a man arrived at the ago of forty he could never again obtain work in a cotton mill on account of his age . The resolution was then put and carried unanimously _. The same Delegate , after having explained the princi . pies of the bill of which Mr . Fielden hud given notice , moved the third resolution , which was as follows : —

      * ' That this meeting , having heard the principles of Mr . John Fielden ' s Bill explained , which directs that on and after the passing of the Act all mills shall at once commence working eleven hours , and fixes the time of labour at ten hours iu 1849 , are willing to accept it in the terms proposed . This meeting will , therefore , on behalf of their constituents , use every means in their power to promote its passing during the next session of Parliament . " The Delegate from Heywood seconded the resolution , and said he believed the Bill would give general satisfaction . To such an extent hud tbe feeling in favour of the Bill increased , that he had no doubt but in that small town and the neighbourhood no few-r than 40 , 000 signatures would be attached , to their petitions _. The Delegate from Litileborough supported the resolotion , and denied , t . i accept tho Bill as it was framed , as any departure from the Ten Hours' Bill ; if it were , he would _bs the last man in the world to sniictiou it .

      The Delegate from Bradford , was instiucted to support ten hours , but with a view of avoiding opposition , Iiis constituents consented to accept the Bill in its preseHt shape . This concession was merely to suit the prejudices of those opponents who did not understand the factory question . The resolution was carried _unnnimou-ly , as were also tbe following : — "That it being the constitutional right of En _^ _ltahmen to be heard in tlie councils of their country by petition ; this meeting resolve to urge the factory workers in every mill , in every town , and in every district , to prepaie petitions without delay , and forward them to Piiiliiuiii nt , praying for the passing of the Ten Hours' Bill as proposed by Mr . Fielden . "

      " That with a view of supporting Mr . Felding to carry his Bill , and of laying before the members of Parliament ihe real wants and wishes of the factory workers , thi * met ting think it desirable that each county should up . point and send to London delegates , whose duties shall lie to adrocate the passing of his bill , as the only mea . sure nothing short of wliich will satisfy tho _factory workers . " After adopting votes of thanks to their parliamentary and other fiiends , the meeting separated .

      Aberdeen. To The Editor Op The Northelln...

      ABERDEEN . TO THE EDITOR OP THE NORTHEllN STAB . Dear Sir , —I shall feel greatly _oblit-ed if you can give inseition to the following statement and observations on the subject of Mr . _Oast ' cr ' s tour through Scotland , in support of the principle of shortening tiie hours of labour in factories . The more immediate cause of ibis letter is , that although a great desire existed in this city to hear Mr . 0 . on the Short-time question , _jina although he visited us , and was anxious to address the people of Aberd .-tii on this Ins favourite measure , yet ihat to the great regret of all the partitii concerned , no mietlii _' took place . I am not aware whether Mr . Oastler put _Iiiniselfin _communic'itiou with parties in the other towns of Scot-Ian ¦! , in sulli _' . _'ienl time to get ; ill the anaiigcineuts for 11 goo . ! meeting fully curried out , but _nhattvir ' may have lief . i the ease with _ve'A' . ir-t to the _-ltll-r tutt'iK . tltf _u'liUbioti of this previ . ms uui ' _ici-staiuling with iviraid to _Aber-

      Aberdeen. To The Editor Op The Northelln...

      deen hat been productive of p ; _. i . iful consequences oa the present occasion . Although nware from what was said in the Star , that Hr . Oastler Intended to visit Scotland , yet from the fact of no communications being received by any one bere on thc subject , we supposed either thnt the visit of Mr . Oastler had been put off for some time , or that Aberdeen had been left out of his route . Judge thon ofour surprise , when en Friday the 18 th , wc received a letter from Glasgow , written by Mr . Petkerthly on the 13 th , that Mr , Oastler would visit Aberdeen to hold a public meeting , on Monday , the 2 _lst .

      Mr , O . in the mean time had pissed on from Glasgow to Dundee , und we wero _requested by Mr . Pelkcrthly , to communicate with hira there . We immediately wrote offto Mr . Oastltr , stating tohim that in consequ ° nce of the roads having been partially blocked up by tho snowstorm , we had not received the notice from Glasgow in time to allow us to get up the public meeting on the Monday , but stating tohim that wo would make ' all the preliminary arrangements for tbe meeting , but that ow . ing to the state of the roads , we could not even depend on him being able to reach Aberde n on the Monday , and that under these circumstances , we would not fix the night of meeting until we heard from him again .

      Mr , Oastler did not receive this letter , although it had ample time to reach him , being posted on Friday forenoon , and Mr , O . did not . leave Dundee for Aberdeen until Sunday night . Mr . Oasthr wrote us on the Saturday , that he did not think he could reach Aberdeen in consequence of the roads being impassable with the snow —bur be did , however , manage to come , and arrived in Aberdeen about 8 o ' clock on Monday morning . If wc had known this , we would have strained every nerve to have got up the meeting even with that short notice , hut we did not learn tbat hehad arrived until three o ' clock , when it was beyond our power to have got up a meeting

      for that night . We regretted all these disappointments the more , ns we expected to have got such an expression of public sympathy in favour of the measure , as has not been seen since the visit of Messrs , _Tuncorobe and O'Connor . Mr . _Oastler ' s visit was not , however , altogetber lost , as he was introduced to tbe Rev . Sir William Dunbar—who was to have filled the chair , —and also to Professor Blackie , with whom he spent the evening , and innocubited them with a portion of bis on n fervour and enthusiasm in favour of the cause , —so that ifwcculd pet a visit from Mr . Ferrand _. or some other Lion in ihe cause , there could be no doubt of an overwhelming expression of public opinion in its

      favour , I am , dear St , Your ' s respectfully , James _Macfbersok

      Comspcmheme.

      _ComspcmHeme .

      To Tiie Roman Catholic Hierarchy Of Irel...

      TO TIIE ROMAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY OF IRELAND . _H'CHT Rev . awd Rev , Sirs , In my first letter addressed to you I stated that nothing short of political power for the whole male _population , or the principles of the Charter would ever be successful as a " means to an end" to remove the burthen _o'grievances off the ? sholders of Ireland . The analogy betwixt cause and effect is toe- clear and convincing for even tlte most sceptical or bigotted to deny the ' truth of this assertion , and thus I will rest upon my position as 1 well know there is no power of reasoning or of logic which can defeat it . Sophistry may do its worst ; slander may spit its envenomed malice ; expediency may twaddle

      and 6 iroper ; and " self-interest may" whine and grumble ; it may even snarl and try to bite , but like the " House built upon a Rock ; the rain descended and the floods came and beat upon that house ; IT FELL NOT . " Truth is invulnerable and invincible !——According to Moses , when the great Author of our existence placed man upon the earth be gave him unlimited power over everything it contained , and the Roman Catholic Catechism states that , " The world was created for man ' s use and benefit . " When man transgressed and wns cast out of Paradise , the world was set before him to choose where he wished to fix bis _aVode , and although the curse pronounced upou him for his disobedience amounted to the hard condition of being henceforth subjected to a life of toil , it did not amount to a prohibition

      tn reap the fruits of his labour if he chose to cultivate the earth for his subsistance . If we take a rapid view of the history of mankind we will find , as I stated in my last letter , that society , from the earliest ages , had its willing idlers , and was subject to their ravages and _encroachments ; whenever artificowas likely to ensure their possession of the " needful" they used it , but where force was necessary , _theyjscrupled not to wade to their object thrcigh the blood of their fellow creatures ; from indi . virtual murders _spring wholesale butcheries , and man _fiemil ' _-irised with blood went forth in wantonness to exterminate his sprc ' _os . Villainy became heroism , and rapine , . spoliation , and bloodshed became appendages of

      _Christianity !! .- Wars of aggression were wars in which individuals or _parties coveting thc possessions of others and wishing to reap their _udvantngrrt , endeavoured to wrest thtm from their possessors ; in these wars , _tije parties on the defers ve were justified in opposing the invaders , provided f'ey , themselves , had honestly acquired what they possessed . The great powers ef the world , from the earliest days , seldom f aught on either side for honour ( bb it is called ) or far more love of fighting ; all fought more or less to obtain an extension 0 * terrirory or to preserve their possessions . Alexander weptfor ether worlds to conquer . Napoleon wished to bring the world in subjection to his power .

      Russia covets the Caucasus ; the French Algeira . England covets ! -She coveted Ireland , and each aud every one shed blood to obtain their object )! If God , in the old law , sanctioned wars of defence end restitutio )' , and if , at the present day , both are deemed just by mod-rn christians , and they must be so if the new law is a type of the old , ns is preached ; there cannot be any harm in a people rising up and demanding , iu voices of thunder , restitution ofthe possessions which were wrung from them by force and fraud ; blcodshed md murdei . ' Might will , of course , say No ; but RIGHT and necessity , by wh ' eh I mean poverty and starvation , are compu'soryarcum nits , aud will occasionally force degraded humanity to assume its proper character , and move men to seek happiness from that Eource from which nature intended their wants should be supplied . The object of

      such men aa «• Tell" and " w ashington" was only to ob . tain possession for their people of the earth , tiie land they live in . They sought not for wealth or influence c r power ; all they required was the " right to labour on God ' s earth , " the only •' right divine" which man has a _rii ; ht to acknowledge ! Ireland ought not to be nn exception to the gescral rule , for so long as she bas tbe power of producing food her people ought not to be hungry or indebted to charity for subsistence . But Ireland is an exception , but not in theory , for she has land and that land ought to be the people ' s ; but she is an exception in practice , for 6 hc overlooked tbe main question of _repossession and restitution , and expends her energies 01 an _ipiuw fatwts which the more it glimmers of hope thc more deeply it decoys her from the _proper path , and leads her into political wretchedness and _domeat c misery .

      A true pa riot would labour to repossess himself of the land for his people : it should be his first and his only object to which all others should be secondary . A true patriot would tell his people that labour is the first principle , and that land is the basis of all capital throughout the world ; that without it , MEN ARE EITHER BEGGARS OR SLAVES , and that without cultivatiou land would be valueless ! " Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth , A'c . " It is quite crrlaiu that the Repeal lender knows the truth of this statement ; but 60 far from attempting to wrest the land out of the hands of its present _proprietoit , to restore it to its lanf ' ul owners , he conspires with the land _' ords , and , both by precept and example , aids ihem to retain tlieir monopoly against the people .

      This is a sweeping charge , you may _eiiy , to prefer against a man who professes to seek " li ' eland tor the Irish , " and to be satisfied with nothing 1 , ? ss : but sweep _, ing tin ugh it is , it is nevertheless true , and I challen- 'e any 1- an in Ireland , who understands the question , to _honestly _diH ' cr with it ! "Ireland for the Irish" indeed ! * ' College Green " is uot Ireland ; nor a Parliament sitting there would not be Ireland for the Irish ; it is atl moonshine and nonsense ! There is as much dlf . ferer . ee b'twixt a Parliament in College Green and Ireland fi r the Irish , as there is betwixt daylight and daik . nes « . Of course I mean : n O'Connell parliament , nud a _parl-amcut eiected by universal suffrage . Daniel 0 'Cou . nell knows this well He is a ''MIDDLE MAN " and a

      "RACK RENTER" !!! and if he had a parliament of class interests in Dublin , he would be able to provide fmr the safety of his o « n class ; but if the people had a parliament , he knows that his possession iu Ineragh or _Derryiuine Abbey , .-. ndhia trade at Conciliation ( what a perversion ) Hsill " would be both profitless , and 'ike the Rent af the present day , _hecome— "Small by degrees und beautifully less . " The people would lake his profit rents fo themselves , and could afford to do without poli . lical quacks , who pretend to mend holes in tin constitution of the state , but who would condign nd to mend the roof of an old hit , stuffed in the window places of the miserable huts of his wretched tenants , which admit the wind , but exclude the daylight , lie is a had glazier in his parish , and he is a wise politician for his country .

      Now , Rev . Sirs , can you tell mc wh y a man who has to pay for the support of his country , and who is liable to be c _illcd out to lo « e his life in defence of it , should not also have a voice in making ihe law which compels him to _elo either one or the other ? If you make him paywithout this privilege , yim rob him , and if you make him fulir , to protect class interests , aud he is killed , vou murder him . If he were to pay for _self-govi-rniiicit / _thei case would he different , he would reap bis proper s ' _h-. vof theh-.-m . ftt , an . l if he wore killed iu defence of a tn ihm _' s rights , inste . nl of _umilopolNtS , he would die an honourable death , his last moments would be _glori-jus k had died

      nowing In- for the general good and in 1 h own _dele-nce . It bo havo a voice as a free man , be will tunc an nn . r . st in the state ; if he have none , he will be a . - . lave ; and I deny the right of a slave to bo compelled to tight f .-r the mere privilege of being a slave as his reward . 1 deny his r ght in equity to be taxed to support mm . ces-< urily _expensive institutions , from wliich he derives no benefit , and if I may point to 1111 example , I _woubi name t ' _-c existence ot * a large military force in Ireland , assisting to eat up . the little provisions wbich are iu the country , _twallnvii-ga v ; _nt _poi-iion cl its scanty _wowves , and pro inrii'g nothing iu _reuii-n . But we t ' md Mr . _O'Covm- ll in the height of his : igit , ition _, e . \ pi _' vs > ing a wish tb . it

      To Tiie Roman Catholic Hierarchy Of Irel...

      the Government would send over a large swarm of n ,., "locusts" to " _catapevcryfgreen thing , " on the misers ble plea that they would " expend their _shiillni _ts . " _TlJ ' shillings ! How can men who produce nothing hav ' shillings , unless they take them by force or fraud fro ' those who darn them t Those soldiers eat good beef anj bread , whilst the poor Irish , who are dying of _stmva tion , are kept at bayonet's length fram the common ne ' eessaries of life , ami if they ask for bread they are threatened with bullets , and yet , 0 shame ! the ma-. who _marshal those forces _against his famishing countr y . men are O'Connell ' s best friends , and to their "p _^ TR 0 NAGE " he has sacrificed tlieir hopes of _po'liicnl _rn { demption .

      Mr . O'Connell seems , how . ver , to have had forebo ' . ingsof what must come at last . He knew that sooner or later thc people would perceive that want of _^ ilitical power was thc cause of their debasement , nml tins to show a semblance of doing something towards rend ring Repeal a national benefit , he _pt-opoeuidvel _wjitb his u-vm consistency , his numerous but ridiculous and _unicrai , ing plans for an extension of the Suffrage . Asham-id per . _ha-s ( t ) of his treatment ofthe forty shilling freeho _lders and in compensation for the failure of tiie _h-msebilj ] Suffrage of the Reform Bill , be would give Ireland the advantages of a host of Suffrages , from the tc « t of " Manhood , " down to tbe last , new sample of" com plete " - ism . He would give tbem a " fixity of tenure , " , 1 ll ( j Heaven knows what else _benide;—anything but the nri »

      thing needful and invincible , thc SUFFRAGE OF Tug CHARTER ! If he would give " Manhood Suffrage" to the natien , why did be not grant it to the Associ _.-i tes of the Repeal Association I Why did be establish hkac . cursed system of class privileges in Conciliation Ilall , _qi shut the mouths of the ME . V who paid their _shilling and allow others who pnsicss little trace of huitian _' ty ' save their shape , to vote upon questions , merely be tanse they were his own tools—or because they may hava paid a little more money 1 Surely he will admit there were men amongst thc _Arsociates in Dublin and in England and why excommunicate them from his pale forexerciBiniJ a privilege to which they were intitled , that of expressing their sentiments in a manly _rn'iiiner ! Why all this barofneed " lurking" of man ' s most noble of privileges ? He is as great a tyrant as Nicholas , —and all his _, * 5 uf frages , his firtures , nnd his nostrums , are not worth the

      P'iper it would take to notice them . So instead of troubling you with a recit . l of them , I will _proceed to _shotv you how you may with certainly bsoeflt your country , and place her In sach 11 position , that she will ewe very little who rules , 90 long as she is happy . And why _shou'd the 1 It is _happ'ness she now wants , and which yoq must aid her in truly ohtaining . When the Charter shall have become law , and the Land thc property of thepeo _* pie , then will be an end of tyranny on the one hand , and treachery on thc other . The slave market will _el- _. se for ever in Ireland , and there will be a guarantee thai * every man will partake of a just sharn of the products of his labour , and tbat those who now live upon puMic plunder , will either have to DIG or BEG for subsistence ! . ' ! God grant it were to be so before to morrow That such will be tbe result ETERNAL JUSTICE h »« decreed _.

      I am , Right Rev . and Rev . Sirs , Your most obedient Servant , W . H . _Ctirrox .

      Mr. O'Higgins And The Young Irelanders T...

      MR . O'HIGGINS AND THE YOUNG IRELANDERS T « TnE EDITOR OF TnE _NORTIISBV STAR . Sir . —For tome time back I had entertained the f nd hope that Irishmen had learned sufflc ent in the school of experience , under the tuition of Mr . O'Connell , that they would shortly be enabled to set up in a _n-spectable and honourable way for themselves , but , I mnst cvnfVt _* , that the origin of the correspondence _r-htive to Mr , O'Higgins in last iveek's Star leaves an impression os mj mind vcrv _different from any thing that I should be inclined to term either rrspectable or honourable , I should not hare expected that a gentleman who but the . other day advocated a " clear stage and no favour , " could so suddenly metamorphose himself into a new character , or , to use a Jaw term , " step fr"m the dock into the witness box "

      No one expected Mr . M'Gee to advocate _Crnrtisni ; but why he should have stepped out nf his way to insult it is another question altogether , I look upon it as an to . warrantable intrusion to insult a great principle by charging a gentleman with being a physical force Char _, tist , because he happens not to be a favoured guest , pe ulinrly invited to a public platform , and who , perhaps , had no inclination to place himself in such a pillory , to ab . jure "before God and the world" the doctrine of physical force ! and by one , too , whose own veracity had just come forth from such an awful ordeal ! If gentlemen ia " committee" have been for the last four years sapping the rotten foundation ofa profligate system , thev should

      not _consider the miners outside , who have worked openly and manfully in a more dangerous shaft as only < 1 _^ 6 efvir . g of insult , —for my own part , I believe that if the fruits ofthe late vietiry at the Rotunda were thrown into a sieve , and well sifted , it would be found that the nww useful and substantial grains were contributed by the indefatigable exertions of Mr . _O'Higginn , I have endeavoured to aid the Young Ireland party for thc same reasen that I offer tbis meed of merit to Mr . _O'llig-dns , because I knew they were misrepresented and belied ; but it would be inconsistent , nay , more treacherous adulation to _aparove of that cmdoct in Mr . M'Gee , whieh has hurled from u high place in a people ' s affections the _naaie of O'Connell !

      Chartism is an heirloom in the human family . Tin title-deed of our unjustly withheld rights , and must nut suffer , at least , uncalled for insult while in tbe _possesion of its votaries . O'Connell has set priest against prieft , and bishop against bishop ; but will Mr . M'Gee _coiapleie this work by setting layman against layman ? On getting rid of the " splendid phantom " we want a national substance , and woe be to those who will blast a second time a people ' s hope . Is the long insulted flag of Ireland's nationality _seain to become the emblem of 11 pany t Is the Wh g device , 'divide and conquer , ' to be substitu | i d for the hallowed watch cry , "Libertyto all . " Is the new _R-peal _bridge to be built merely for the passage of thc select few , if < i _, mayhap It is as well to remind the architects of ' . lie " cnmeatablc materials , " besides those who may be excluded may not always be imbued with sufficient patience to

      " Wait like the rustic till the rivers dried . " I am , Sir , your ' s truly , L . T . Clash London , December 30 : h _, 1 S 46 .

      The " Weekly Dispatch." To Tiie Editor O...

      THE " WEEKLY DISPATCH . " TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE NORTHEBI * STAR . So that emasculated liberal newspaper , thc _Pispittd , has made an attack on democratic principles " for all nations , " by stepping aside and raking up youthful _spetc ' ie ' , warm , ardent , sincere , and impassioned , when remarking on tbe horrible tyranny of the oligarchy to a p : ithnt , industrious , nnd plundered pceple . When reflecting on the increasing poverty ef the people , and their slow murder or imprisonment in a union _tactile—a people willing and anxious to labour—recei _' _isg the worst of food and clothing in r _. * turn f < _-r tlieir health and sinews ; whose blood does not boil ? and , in you _tli , who has such a frigid soul as not to pant for the immediate extinction of such injustice and -crucltv t Did not

      Tell , Massaniello , Washington , » nd others so act ! Cup tt , then , no excuse to be made for the ardour of youth , mere 1 specially when in ripened manhood that individual i " foremost and most incessant to _accomplish the fulfilment of the aspirations of all r ' ght-miiidcd men—liberty ail over the world J Does not ho labour to produce the same results ns the Dtepach pretends to ? Yes , but " w is sincere—the _Pigjxilch hypocritical . Had the / 'if ; ' "" wished to befriend the exiles of liberty ; had itbem as desirous to att . nd the meetings where truth was _spoki'io it would have sought with equal avidity the splendid und largely attended _soivces of-thc Democratic Society , as it does where 11 title presides , and _weslih spouts forth i's doubrful sympathy for the banished and brave Pole * .

      Tbe Dispatch declares it never advuc . _ited I ' ntversal Suffrage , Annual Parliaments , etc . As the Dispatch is no political economist , it would stand by and allot * twothiids of the dinner of every industrious labourer to bs taken from him , and not permit a _rwvuvnstranv * " -i _* _- * _- * the poor man , whose every moment is occupied , Incomes —educated ! Out upon such trifling , such _pattoiiap , such destruction , sueh ty ranny . I only desire one tlii : _* ,, ' to happen tbat I might enjoy the fun . * I should like ti . e erudite editor of the l'i . < p \ tch to cuter the meeting cf a Benefit Society of working men , many of whom e vuM neither _reael not writ ? , and let the learned editor U _^ them they & re too ignorant to vote who shall be ortice'S of their sociely , or how their money should be spent . ' •* persuade him to this experiment . What is , or _uupM to be , a nation but a Ben . lit Society , _wrerj all cnn : i > bute , and where all should have a vi , S _.- < - *

      But the Hi / patch is writhing wiih disnppoiiHineii' a * its oraclum is treated wiih contempt . The _mi-d ' ertune of its former editor and the deaths of its original !'«>" ' cola and Ceusor ' _u * bave placed it as an imbtcile _atnid » t thu army of the press . The Sii ., _elau Times _sias fujp _hwtei its sporting notoriety ; Lfaiid supplies its _iiii- ' _e'dc : _* _. readers at half its price ; . ¦ ind _' tlie . Yortftt'ni Star has ir _* _lis-ed the true patriots _uho once believed the _V'ijrmlr '' ' _faitbiul pioneer of lib rty . Thus , it now _llic-s » i _* h dipped wings , with tainted character , with b _.-foulc-l _fathers , the latter being its stain and venom of tilth , "hireever patriotism and truth arc not contracted to thenarre _* compass of the Di ( _ah-h man ' s intellects . One wno knows rut- DisrATiiiir . B .

      Haui And R-Kaiid. — Tho Anniili**'! Sax....

      Haui and r-KAiiD . — Tho Anniili _** _' ! Sax . ' , "¦• ann . Hull , says that til ! about tlio year" 1130 tlie * > ' •'• • mans of distinction wore lonjj hair , but t-lir . se ' . vl . _** were then in camp with Kiuj- _L-uhar ln * l tbeir i'a ' f sinee . i hy _lightii ' mr . rmi it beciinii . * the _t'lsi in'i afterwards to wear short hair . The . teat 111 r . 11 ' * ' !•>> _per-st-aded his t ' ellow-citiz _.- _'is to shave 'heir lmar .: _- has not been handed down to posterity . It is * * ¦ * i ( _* that the peopb ( _-o _.-iuraUy > _- ! ievct ! that Dante _•' " ¦ ' ' been . hi Hell , as iiis b _.-unl initial the i ;| . [ . « _-rt . ; _ii ; ee i _* : haviui ; _bjcu _siiiieil . Hut Ihnt . ' did 11 . 1 t . ie-. il n- - c _taih'oii _ot " shaving , lor beards ll . _iurislieil io . u ; " i _' .: _- _**' his time . There is _seii-ie ino / iivc :. iei . tv iu the ' . _'*' betico of a beard . ' 1 lie blacks of New Smuh Wale-. _«!¦ ' _¦* . 'In * _ii-. st ( ' _nvii- ' s : ipni * : ; _n-. l anion . tlie'ie ., * _" _'*! t ! much _pin-A'd fur - _^ me ti ' _i _. _w about , ill- sui * . ' - •• Lit . !]; . ; e _:- ;> from _th-ir having uo . ' . 'ear . ' : ) .

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Jan. 2, 1847, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns3_02011847/page/6/