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•NOTTINGHAM. (From our own Reporter.) OU...
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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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The Following Description O 1? The Meeti...
? _™ _*?? I * used to 8 ° *» way on Saturday with oT _*^* _^* ** ° _-- n Ardi _^ ror payment of wages . ( 1 ( Shoot ? of Sbocking . _' ) Well , when the printer has g gone away withont money , I have taken a bag of 1 money on tbe same day to pay into the bank . t to p & y depr « its on railway shares for John 1 _Arc-jli . ( Groans and shouts of ' _Toobad- _' ) But , my f friends , if you wish for a proof of this man's honesty , 1 Til give it yon , and Mr O'Connor never heard of it 1 before . _AvoWs expenses were always charged to 3 Mr O'Connor when he went to Leeds npon his own 1 business , and I find in one instance this charge : — ' Railwav fare , £ 1 . Cab to the station , 2 s . 10 d .. Now I was the cab —( great laug _ ter ) -and I carried bi 3 luggage to the station , and walked there with
him ; and wheH a man will wrong his employer of shillings , vou may be sure he won't stop at pounds . (* Shame , shame , shame . ' ) Well , Mr O'CoBnor has appealed to me as to the charge of bis falsifying the bonks . I admit that the books are falsified te an amount that no man can tell , but I am also prepared to Bwear noon my oath , that there ia not ono figure or one letter of Mr O'Connor ' s in any book connected with the accounts of the Northern Stab frem its commencement —( vehement cheering and waving of hats}—and I am also here to say , that since Mr O'Connor entrusted the accounts to me not a man connected with the establishment has ever left the office on Saturday night without his wages in full—( _chwrs aud' Bravo ')—and , let me tell you , that ' s no _srrisil advantage to a working man . Well , friends , it was their custom to sack every man that knew
anything of their doings , and when Ardill was turned off he wrote a letter to me , and said , 'Tell O'Connor that you'll leave him if he doesn't rise your wages ( Groans . ) He knows that his nephew can ' t keep the books , and tell'him that you are offered a better situation on the Railway . ' ( Tremendous sensation , ' shame , shame . ' ) Well , I am happy to tell you that I never asked Mr O'Connor for arise in-my wages , a 3 he doesn't wait to be asked when he can afford it , but that he hasrose it twice this year with est being asked . ( Cheers and shouts of ' Bravo . ' Now I have told the truth , the whole truth , and nothing bat the truth , and what I am ready to swear to in a court ofjustice , and I am ready to answer any question tbat may be asked of me . * ( Shouts of * Well done , ' and tremendous cheering . ) A person on the platform rose and ashed why Mr Mr Rider hadn't communicated those circumstances
to Hr O'Connor before ? Mr Rider replied : I'll give yon three reasons . In iho first place , nothing conld shake Mr O'Connor ' s confidence in there men ; in the second placo , he never would listen to any complaint from oue man of another in hia employment ; and the third was , that I was a subordinate , and it might appear as if I was looking for their situation , and I ' m not a man of that kind . ( Loud cheers . ) Mr _Johksos asked Mr O'Connor whether he coald tell when the Land Flan was likely to be enrolled ?
_KrO'CoxKon replied that it would be registered when these cen whe had the greatest interest in having it registered had shaped it . It was a monster deed ; it would have 18 , 000 signatures ; and as soon as the members chose to sign it it wonld be immediately registered . Then the whole of the property wonld pass over from Feargus O'Connor to the trustee ? ; and then , thank God , he should dissolve into the more delightful element of unpaid bailiff , and have nothing to do with the funds . He added , at a further stage oi the meeting , that nearly all the shares of tbe _Ivorthkhn Stab had been paid in full , and tk _ t if any man had a share , he had only to send it in , ia order te receive-payment to the day at the rate of nn per cent .
Air Sunn ashed whether the Land " scheme was the result of experiment or of speculation , —whether it had been tried before , or in any other country , and whether it had been successful ? as if that question was answered satisfactorily , he , ( Mr Smith ) wa 3 de--feraiined to take out a four-acre share . Mr O'GosxfB replied tbat it had been tried , quoad individuals , in every conntry in tbe world ; but it bad never been tried on the co-operative principle , which gave it double or treble power . lie would give bim an illustration . In Belgium , ihe usual tenure is a nine years'lease ; and tbere for one , two , or three acres of ted land , a tenant will pay £ 4 , £ 5 , aud £ 6 an acre , and no house npon it . . Daring these nine years it may be almost considered a practice for the
husbandman to save enongh of money to purchase a part cf hishold ' wg , for which he pays at the rate of £ 200 .- £ 250 , £ 300 , and in many cases as high as £ 500 an acre . In Prussia , ia Switzerland , in France , and in almost every country in Europe , except England , the small farm system is found to be ths best substitute for poor laws , —( loud cheers)—and in England , he would make the system more perfect than in any other country in the world , because he wou'd have the advantage of co-operation , and the occupant would Lave the advantage ofhis house being in the centre ofhis allotment , while many foreign occupants live ata distance of one , two , and threemiles from their labour field .: He went on to contend that tiie land was the most profitable thing to which a man could devote his labour . Any person who staid a year on cue of their allotments would not take £ 400 for it at the end ofthe year . He would undertake that an industrious man , of moderate
strength , would support his wife and live children upon the best of food , and have £ 50 . £ 60 , or £ 70 , over every year , upon four _arresof land , .-. iter some remarks on tho valuo of labour , and some further _observations en the manner in which the mo . ; fj was invested , A _Wchktsg Has in the gallery said , he knew a man near the Lancashire Independent College , who kept himself and wife and seven children , and a servant , on a single Cheshire acre of land . He was now building himself a splendid cottage on it . Ue wss with him en Sunday . That man was formerly a spinner at Ancoats . He used to get 18 a . a week , tat he would cot go back now he is doing so well : in fact , he bad a piece of beef < _-n bistable last Sunday " a d d sight bigger than ever comes en my table . ( Cheers , and great laughter . ) Another mau in the callery here shouted out . ' Here is some money : will yon have it ? *
Mr O'Cosscr said he would have all the money they liked to send him . A third a-ked whether an application had been made for money to be returned , and it was refused ? Mr O'Cossou ? aid that a letter was received from the No . 4 Engineers' branch , by the morning ' s ro 3 t , the money sent the same day , and an acknowledgment _^ of the receipt of it was received the next morning . The _SacaatABT to tho branch , who stood on the platform , and said he wrote the letter applying for the return of the money , confirmed this statement . Jn answer to Mr _Rawlxssox , Mr O'Co . _vjtcb said , a member would be entitled to a vote for the county about six months after the conveyance was made out to him . Mr _Rawltj-sok then rise to move a resolution . He said he had been as admirer of Mr O'Connor for
tho ia 3 t eleven years , and was so still ; tb . it he had been prevented from joining the Chartist ranks formerly , in consequence of seeing some of the leaders intoxicated on the platform , he himself being a teetotaller , and when he did join , being solicited to pay his money in _Manchester , he said' No , he would entrust it to that man for whom he had the greatest respect—that man was Mr O'Connor . ' ( Hear , hear _, and cheers . ) Those drunken _^ characters , too , were _noloager to be seen on their platforms ; the men who best advocated Chartist principles being total abstainers . Mr O'Connor had come forward to advocate and lay down a plan for the working men . whcreby they could emancipate themselves if they would from their present position , and he felt it his duty io
award his ( Mr _RawLinson ' _s ) meed of approbation to him for it . He said he had had a resolution put into his hand- which he would read . It was to the effect , that , in the opiuion of the meeting , Mr _O'Connrr had most triumphantly aud _satisfaciirily met thc charges brought against hini j both as to his public and private character ; the meeting , therefore , rendered him their sincere thanks and most affectionate regard for his constant efforts to improve and ameliorate the position of tha werking classes , and for , at all times and at all seasons , amidst ali difficulties and dancers , having proved himself the true benefactor of his species . ( Great cheering . ) He begged leave to move the resolution , for he did think that Mr O'Connor had honourably met the
charges which had been bronght against him from a gentleman terming himself the 'Whistler at the Plough . ' Mr J . O'Hea seconded the resolution with great pleasure , l « eausa there was a time when the _working men of his own country , on that very platform , -would have shed his Wood if they could for advocating the very principles which their forefathers would have died for . Now , however , not halfa-dozen hand 3 would be held up against him . He . ( Mr O'Hea , ) had seen the time when Mr O'Connor battled with the aristocracy of Cork , and turned his own relatives from friends to the ¦ very worst of enemies against him . They would now however , welcome him te their _bososs _whecm-M- ' he _thouehtnroper to visit Cork again .
The CHArnHAsthen put the resolution , in favour of which every person in the ball appeared to hold tip his hand ; then * the contrary / but not a single hand was raised . The result of the _yote was hailed with much cheering . Mr R _ kk __ said he bad to propose a resolution , -which he did with great pleasure , snd , in reference to the fitness of those who had audited tiie accounts of Hr O'Connor , said they could look over a balance -beet as well as any editor or proprietor of any < 3 wspaper . He moved his resolution because he isidered that Mr O'Connor , in ail the legal actions entered against any newspaper , ought to "be --fat ont of them feet bit .. Tha resolution Nd the meeting to support Mr O'Connor in tbe sow pending against the Manchester
_Eta-* _sstffiB , sub-secretary totheNational Char' ition , _recended the motion , and said he \ t the Chartists of Manchester would not _vr tunity lo pass of giving Mr O'Connor
The Following Description O 1? The Meeti...
Mr O ' Hea wished to add the _wewh ? ' and alother'papers to the resolution . The Chaibhan said that some onehadantici t _* a _* ed him in the matter of the subscription , for a / ew working men had subscribed £ 1 . 2 s fid . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) The motion was tben put and carried unanimously . Mr 0 "Co * _" 50 B returned thanks , not , he said , forthe honour the meeting had conferred upon him , but for the able , discriminating , and impartial manner witb which they had discharged their own duties . He had twice been returned to represent his native county , when opposed by members of tbe aristocracy , bnt there never was a finger ' s length of slander passed upon him . No man npon the platform had
ever seen him dronk . The character he had earned in Ireland he brought to England with him , and he now was assailed by the greatest ruffians who ever lived—fellows that wonld rob him and suck his blood . After passing some further strictures upon the conduct of Messrs Hobson and Ardill , and speaking of the Nobtobr _* - Stab and its _underrating consistency , he said that should the Land Plan go to-morrow , the Stab shonld survive to make the Land Plan prosper once more . As long as he lived the _ Stab should be what it ought to be , and so long as it had the confidence of those he saw before him , he defied the Manchester Examiner . The fool who bad been writing ia that paper had greatly injured it . for he pledged himself , now the row was over , tbat no working man ef Manchester would henceforth read
it . And , ( said Mr O'Connor , ) in conclusion . I have only to observe , that if the shareholders of _Manchester wish far the inspection of my accounts , every account connected with the monies ofthe Company , they need not wait for the formality of a balance sheet , they may , upon any day in any week _. select the three best and most competent book-keepers and accountants in Manchester , send them down to Minster Lovel to him , ( Mr O'Connor , ) without notice , he would pay the whole expence of auditing , and be _orcnared to submit every document connected with the funds of the Company , and to show how every fraction was expended , and that the surplus funds were invested in Exchequer Bills . ( Loud cheers , and cries cf ' Nay , but we don't want any other book-keeper or accountant , but our own
bailiff . ' ) He thanked them again for the confidence they had reposed in him , for he would sever fo felt the confidence of the werking classes . ( Cheers . ) He was prepared then , he said , to receive any amount of money they were prepared to cive him . Previous to _resuming his seat , Mr O'Connor read the following l < tter from Mr Townley _referrs d to in his speech : — 317 , _Eegent-street , London , 2 Srd October , 1847 . Deab Sib . — My brother wishes me to let you Know the particulars of Somerville ' * conduct to me . He came to me recommended , as ha said , by Mr Gee . Rogers , of St Giles ' . I felt great sympathy for him . I believe I cave him two half-crowns that day , and he seldom came without my
assisting him to a certain extent , in fact , I generally gave him _half-a-crown , and my table was always at his service : his object seemed to he to get up meetings for the aboli tion of flogging . I was very ready to aid him in anything in that way . therefore went about with him to many places for that purpose . I took him to Mr Hunt , and had along interne--, whe apreed to become chairman if an open air meeting conld be got up , though he thought it would not be well-timed . That part of Somerville ' s conduct which I consider will not bear scrutinising is the following : —I had been with him one evening , accompanied by a friend , Mr Asham , bookseller , of Chancery-lane , to Mr Savage , ofthe New Road , to endeavour to get up a meeting in _Cireus-street : it was a very , foggy night and we returned late , and _Somerrille was locked out ofhis lodgings in Oxford-street , and it was arranged , as neither of us could give him a bed , that be should sit up in an arm chair , before a good fire in _Asham ' s parlour ; or , if he preferred reading , there were plenty of books in
the shop ; that he seemed to prefer , being very fond of books . It ' s an old saying , aad frequently true , that the looser is ths greatest s'nner , and I hope my friend Asham was in tiie same position , as he always declared _, _"henspeikingof the circumstance , that he _lostseveral hooks that night , bnt whether it was that or the fact of having borrowed a book of me which he did not return , I don't know , but I never saw him more until I met h ' m _, by chance , in Holborn . I charged him with having sold the book , and hs looked very confused . I did not hesitate to charge hira with _ingratitude for having sold the book , ( whichhe did not deny , ] tellin ? him that it was an act of folly as well as wrong , as if he had come to me , I would have given him more than he could possibly make ofthe book . It may be asked why wedid not make a stirabout it at the time ; we had two reasons for not doing so . The first was , its being so trifling an amount ; tlie next was . it might have injured the cause of Radicalism to think that we associated with such a scamp . I remain , dear sir , yours yery truly , _KlCHABD _ToWNtET .
P . S . —Another reason for having noticed Somerville ' s conduct is the industry he seems to have bestowed upon your words , " robbing man , " & c . It often occurs that the » ost guilty party is the first to cry " stop thief , *' It was then stated by the chairman that some persons ( we could not learn who , in consequence of tbe confusion which then prevailed through persons preparing to go away } had subscribed a certain sum towards the prosecution against the proprietors ot the Manchester Examiner . A vote of thanks was then given to thc chairman , who returned thanks and declared the meeting _dissolved .
Of In Aneb Admuch About The Fnd^ The Mar...
November 6 , 1847 i A THE _tfORTHEJRN STAR . _..: — —— — — - —— - ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ . ; . — . "" _ _. ¦¦ _—i . - - " _^^ _» _-- _* ——— _~**~****~~ | M ~""" _* _~^ '
•Nottingham. (From Our Own Reporter.) Ou...
• NOTTINGHAM . ( From our own Reporter . ) OUR MEMBER AND HIS ACCUSER . Last Wednesday night was a sad nigbt for poor Tom Bailey , and no donbt many a time wben he heard the derisive cbeers ringing through the Market Place , at his expense , he wished he had never dipped his goose quill into gall . Tom has met more than his match , —he used to pique himself on being the biggest blackguard amongst blackguards , as George the Fourth prided himself upon being the first gentleman and the greatest blackguard of the age—nevertheless , poor Tom is a cold , ' as of all the _blackgaardings , and fair blackguardings too , that ever a blackguard got , poor Tom got it on Wednesday night . Our townsmen no doubt remember the Reform enthusiasm of Nottingham in 1832 , and the Chartist enthusiasm in 1839 , but both were tameness itself compared to the mad enthusiasm
with which Mr O Connor ' s constituents greeted him on that evening . Long before the hour of meeting , dense crowds were marching into Nottingham from all directions , and , for some hours before the appointed time of meeting , the Exchange Hall was actually beset with anxious thousands claiming admission , and in a few minutes after the doors were opened the spacious building was crowded to suffocation , so much so , that , upon Mr O'Connor ' s arrival at seven o ' clock , he found it difficult to make his way through the Market Place to the entrance of the Exchange , and there he and his friends had to make a third attempt before they conld force their way through the wedged mass to the platform , and upon reaching which Mr O'Connor was greeted with one rapturous shout of acclamation that made the building shake .
The following is the description of the meeting and its enthusiasm , given by the Nottingham -Mercury ;—Thefollowing handbill was issued on Friday last : — Notice . —The public are respectfully informed that Feargus O'Connor , Esq ., M . P ., will meet his accusers , Mr Thomas Bailey , of the Nottingham Mercury- and Mr Job Bradshaw , of the Nottingham Journal , who are requested to attend in the Exchange Room , on Wednesday evening next . October 27 th . at seven o'clock precisely . Th *
doors will be opened at half-past six . — -dmwston Free . On Saturday , the following reply was distributed --* The Fbxbs ! thb _Passst— "The Press is the Palladium of the liberties of Englishmen : it can command an audience where every honest man in the kingdom is excluded . *—To the Press , then . I appeal as the proper medium for _dis-ussing the question at present in controversy between Mr O'Connor and myself , iu reference to ihe Na . tior . al Land Company , and not to a packed and exeited public meeting . —Thomas Bailey , Mercury Office , October 23 . 1817 . ' .. .
On Monday evening Mr Dorman delivered a preliminary lecture in defence of the Land Plan , a report of which ( with the vituperation cast upon the Editor ofthis paper ) will be found in another place . * THE MEETING . On Wednesday evening , at six o'clock , a considerable number of persons had assembled round the Exchange doors , waiting for admission ; and from that time the crowd increased , until , at half-past six , the doors were opened , and there was an eager rush , until , in a very few minutes , the Hall , from which all the 9 eats had been removed , was ono dense mass ef persons standing _closely together , and extending through the large doors to the opposite side of the aute-room , while numbers could not obtain admission . It was nearly half-past sc « en when Mr O'Connor , amidst immense cheering , entered the room , and ascended the _platform . Mr Sweet was called to the chair .
The following is the description giving by the Nottingham Review : — A public meeting was assembled in the Exchange Hall , on Wednesday evening , to hear Feargus O'Connor , Esq ., defend his Land Plan and Bank against the attacks of the editor of tbe Nottingham Mercury and others . At half-past six ( he doors weie opened , and in a very few moments the rccm was filled with a tide of human beings which immediately rolled in . After some delay , at twenty-five minutes past seven , Mr O'Connor made his appearance , and _shouldering his way through the crowd , took his position on the platform , amid the loudest vociferation and applause .
Mr James Sweet , having been voted into the chair , opened the proceedings with the following address-Fellow Townsmen , —I feel the responsibility of the situalicn —( 'So do 1 / said Mr O'Connor)—in which you havo placed rae this evening , Mr O'Connor is come here lo face his tradueers . Mr O'Connor _aeverfeartd to meet his enemy in a pnblic meeting nf his fellow countrymen . Mr _O'Conntr is here to-tight to meet these gentlemen , if any of them are present upon the present upon this occasion . I have invited _tbosegcntlc-< r . cn privately , and publicly by handbill . I ask if Mr Bailey is here this _evening to substantiate those charges which be has laid against Mr O'Connor ? ( A Toice , ' He ' s at _Basford . ') I ask also if Mr Job Brad-
•Nottingham. (From Our Own Reporter.) Ou...
shaw is present npon this occasion ? Because , as we have nothing to lose , we have nothing to fear in meeting these gentlemen in pnblic discussion . ( Hear , hear . ) I promise on my part , as tho chairman of this meeting , to give every genthman a fair _opportunity of addressing it . ( Hear , and eries of We will . ' ) I t _ mk , my friends , I may _pledge the same on your part , tha- yeu will patiently bear the charges which these gentlemen may have to make . ( Applause . ) We'll heav the charges , if any ; and then we'll proceed tothe defence . ( Hear . ) If there is no person hereon _behal ' i *' of those gentlemen , of course we shall proceed todefent ! ourselves from their attacks . We charge the press * the base , the brutal press , —a ereat portion of the ' pressof Nottingham—we charge
these gentlemen with tergiversation , misrepresentation , and vile calumny . ( Loud applause . ) We tell these gentlemen that we have now arrived at this pitch , that if they cannot speak the truth , we will have them up tothe bar of public opinion , and we will burn their papers in the Marketplace —( Hear , hear ) —and we tell them that we will drive their papers ont of every place of our resort , ( Loud applause ) I will not trespass on your time ; I know you are impatient to hear Mr O'Connor . Mr O'Connor last night spoke for three hours and a half ; and I thank God that he ' s got the stamina abeut him and will lash the thieves for three hours and a half to-night . ( Laughter and applause . ) My friends , I am thankful to tell you tbatthe response was nearly £ 1 , 100 .
last night ; and I myself have received enongh to buy one good horse , and something towards a cart to attach to it , —( hear , hear , and loud laughter)—andif they will only hammer at us a few weeks longer , we will show them what metal we are made of . ( Bear , hear , hear . ) I shall now have the great pleasure of introducing to your notice your highly respected representative , for he'll never deceive you . ( 'No ' and applause . ) 'The fustian jackets , the blistered hands , and the unshorn chins' will have his best attention . I can declare , after watching Mr O'Connor's progress for eleven years , that he never deceived me , that he never will deceive you , because I believe your good opinion is above all price to him . If Mr O'Connor could be bought , the scoundrel press
would raise thirty , forty , or fifty thousand pounds , subscriptions in the coarse of a week to get shot of him out of the country . ( Loud plaudit ' s . ) The scaups tried to hire murderers _lastnight to , murder him . ( Cries of ' Shame ! Shame !*) We' tell the Whigs , and we tell the Tories , and we tell -every other faction , that the time is come that the people will hold them responsible for their acts ;¦ and that if they dare to injure the head of Mr O'Connor , we'll hold no life toe sacred , no property sacred . ( Loudapplause . ) lam not a physical force . man ; that ia not physical force ; that is merely standing on the defensive . ( Laughter . ) Physical force is the order ofthe day with our enemies—( hear)—but the knowledge which through the glorious luminary
of the Star has been spread abroad in the minds of my countrymen , has armed them double for the fight —( rapturous applause)—has armed them morally to subdue their foes ; has armed tbem socially to redeem themselves and friends . ( Hear , hear . ) Politically _speakin ? , we are determined to be free . ( Loud plaudits . ) We will never rest satisfied until our rights are conceded to us —( hear )—and if they begin to use coercion again , they must take the consequences . ( ' Bravo ! ' ) I have ereat pleasure in introducingour tried friend , MrO'Csnnor . ( Loud cheering . ) F . O'Connor , Esq ., on rising , was greeted with the most enthusiastic plaudits . He commenced his speech as follows : —Mr Chairman and my friends _; i this night's assembly is a legal paradox . For the
first time in the history of this conntry , or in the practice of theiaw , the defendant charged with heinous crimes , stands up and calls for his accuser and his evidence ; and the usual practice of the law is , that none appearing , the charge shall be dismissed—( applause )—but as I have always reversed the order of things , as far as you are concerned , I stand here , not a whimpering , puling culprit , but a proud and manly accuser . I suppose , my friends , that in the history of the newspaper press there never has been the same amount of slander , of vituperation , of calumny , and misrepresentation heaped upunthe head of any one man . that has been attempted to be heaped upon my head—( bear ) -and in proportion as your enemies assail me , in the same proportion will you
esteem and honour me . ( Prolonged applause . ) Mr Sweet has told you that he gave due notice and a summons , that , all _otherjbusiness being laid aside , Mr Thomas Bailey should appear to substantiate his charges here to-night ; and there was one remarkable passage in Mr Sweet ' s speech , which was this : —That as he does net come , we shall proceed to de . fend ourselves : —that is , that if I am charged with being gnilty of fraud , you are chargeable with folly for having confided in a rogue : —you are included in this indictment , as well as me ; and my friends , whether electors or non-electors of Nottingham , I thank God that I think I add dignity to the senator , by standing here before you upon this occasion . I am not one of those representatives of monev , of
capital , of prostitution and venality , who thinks he is exalted for having received the prostituted votes of a corrupt constituency . ( Hear . ) I have always told the working classes tbat my honour was secure , because tbey should be the tribunal to whose judgment I would appeal . Upon many occasions I have been tried by the law , beforo packed juries , and I hare always been convicted , thank God !—( laughter)—but this is a jury too large to bs packed , too virtuous to be bribed . ( Hear , hear . ) Last night ten thousand men were disappointed , wbo hoped to get into a place capable of holding only five thousand , and when I was addressing a hall full of people inside , Hr M'Dauall was addressing ten thousand people
outside . ( Cbeers . ) Mr Sweet has told you that my assailants at Manchester tried to suborn and bribe some navvies there to destroy me —( 'Shame , shame ') —but the man who is afraid of assassination will always be the first to fall bythe assassin ' s blow ; while he who faces him proudly , will frown him out of countenance and stay his arm . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) lam sorry Mr Bailey is not here : but as be is not here , I shall first proceed to meet every one of his charges , and then , according to the old Irish practice , a- soon as I have purged myself ol these charges , I will walk into him in a way he is little prepared for . ( Cheers . ) This sentimental Mr Bailey has issued a kind of apology for not being here to night , and now , my friends , mark the
Englishthe education of one of the public instructors , who is not able to put the commonest sentences into the plainest English . ( Laughter . ) Mark , now , if I had no other evidence to convict this man of folly , of _falsehood , and of ignorance , this would be enough . ( Hear , hear- ) He says ' The PresB , the Press ; the Press is the palladium ef the liberty of _Englishmen . It can command nn audience when every honest man is excluded . ' What do you think ol tbat ? . ( Roars of laughter . ) In other words—I , Tom Bailey , Esq ., wish for an audience of rogues and fools , forme to plead my eanse before , because the press has the power of excluding anything that is honest in its audience . ( Hear , hear . ) Then he ' goes on to say , ' To the press , then , I appeal , as the proper medium
for discussing the question at present in controversy between Mr O'Connor and myself , ' No question whatever between us I If I wanted a controversialist , I would look for a man who migbt whet my appetite for controversy ; but if I am to have a controversy with a man who cannot write English , that cannot speak common sense , it would be no honour for me to have a controversy with him . ( Laughter and cheers . ) Then he talks about ' a packed and excited public meeting / He calls you a packed and excited public meeting ! Well now , my friends , I agree that the press oushtto ba the palladium of public liberty , and when I revile the press for dereliction of duty , I contend thereby not against the whole . 1 believe there is a rabble of all classes
ofthe Lords , Commons , Church , aristocracy , middle classes , and of the per pie ; but itis that the rabble may learn virtue from those who are the virtuous of their class that 1 seek to support what is virtuous hi the press , against what is not . ( Hear . ) But what do you think ofa press that charges a man with everything that is corrupt and specious ; and _thenrevnes the only means that the law resorts to as a fnir means of proving the guilt or innocence of a party ? ( Loud outcry . ) Tbispoorcreaturesays'l willmeot him in discussion with my quill '—tho most proper arms for a goose I ( Laughter . ) But be says , I will not meet him in discussion . ' Now what does the law say ? It says tbat every man ' s accuser shall appear before the face of the accused , —that thejudge and jury may be
allowed to judge from the manner and appearance of the witness whether his evidence is true . ( Hear . ) 1 place myself here , not more to purge myself from his weak charges , than to answer any question that may be put to me . I stand here , not because I think Thomas B < iley is game worth flying at;—I am only sorry , a 31 have corae here , that I have not come on a better errand . 1 wish my accuser was a man of some metal , some weight , some power , some substantiality ( Hfar . ) Therefore ho is only the instrument that brought me here ; you are the cause cf my visit ( Loud applause . ) I went to Manchester Jast night npon the same errand , and the vote of censure I brought away from Manchester was 1 , 070 sovereigns ( Rapturous applause . ) And yet this poor little dri
- velling thing , who only sold 287 Nottingham Mercuries last week- ( laugbter)—aot satisfied with wallowing in its own mire , and stirring up its own little _stagnant pool with it 8 _little . _pot-a ticMloud lZhteSfalksofthe impression it is making upon the _natiro _atlargej ( Cheers and laughter . ) Only imagine he impression that the _Nottingham Me rc _^ S _^ l on the world at large ! ( Roars of laughter ) My friends , we have an old seng about the unfortunate Miss Bailey that hung herse f in her garters " _ard I have no doubt when Have done _wTthisunfortu * rate quondam beer seller , he will hang himself some _^ _rZ _? _n _, _hS _7 _T _^ ( _S hout 8 o- applause , ) I honour a man a his lawful calling ; but when he steps out ot ins way , and cannot support himself in his new
_pimtion , he becomes _conttmptible . The higher a monkey climbs , the more he shows his _nose- ( loud . _aughterj—and _as long aa Mr Bailey confined himself to selling beer and sweetening gin , he may have been amostrespectable tap-boy ; but the moment he became a public instructor , Goed Lord deliver us ! ( Laughter . ) _inis man , presuming upon the shield of his own
•Nottingham. (From Our Own Reporter.) Ou...
insignificance , fays ' the Land Plan , as founded , by Mr O'Connor , is insecure ; and we have warned the _neo ple not to place their money at Mr O'Connor ' s disposal . We have told them of the fragile grounds upon which his scheme is based . ' And in last week s Stab I go analysed the mud in this fellow ' s brain , that if he has any decency about him . be will not handle a pen for the next six months . His last paper is the most rabid , the most incomprehensible ono of all . I will analyse all theso before I have done : and then , if I leave old Bailey anything more than a scarecrow to frighten the crows irom the corn fields , 1 sh "» H say I have not done my duty . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) To hear this creature arguing , you would suppose that men who made lace , Jived
upon lace ; that men who made railways , lived upon rails ; but that men who grew corn shonld be able to li ve upon bread , was out of the nature of thing "" . And then Mr Bailey has such a tender feeling , —looks so to the dignity of the working classes , and their elevation ; and vet will not relieve the labouring classes by giving them the land . ( Loud applause . ) But stop , this quack has attempted a little book , as well as a newspaper , entitled , ' Rights or Labour , ' and when we are trying to discharge ourselves of £ 7 000 , 0 * 0 . a year , paid in the share of poor rates , what do you think this political economist proposes as a remedy ? why , seventeen millions four hundred thousand a year . ( Roars of laughter and derision . ) But wait till you hear the means to an end ;
£ 13 , 400 , 000 . ef a legacy duty —( _laughterj-there ' _s an actuary far you ! Why this incomprehensible thing presumes that after the three first years one _halfsf the aristocracy would die every year . Oh , but stop a bit , you haven't heard how the other £ 4 , 000 , 000 . a year is proposed to be raised by this Republican , Chartist , Radical , Whig , Tory , everything , anything , nothing , politician—by this sentimental tapster—this scientific editor—tbis accurate actuary—this nondescript calculator—this ' unfortunate Tom _Bniley . ' ( Roars of laughter and cheers . ) Now just listen how this philanthropist is going to relieve the working c ' _asses of seven millions a year paid bythe upper and middle classes , —why , actually by making them pay it themselves . ( ' Oh _. oh , '
and « Well done , Tom . ' ) This other four millions , he proposes to raise by a tax of a pound a head upon all who choose to- buy the Suffrage . ( Tremendous laughter . ) Now what do you think of that ? and y et this is what Tom Bailev is pleased to dignify by the name of COMPLETE SUFFRAGE . Now , then , was I much wroner when I designated that _mysteries thing as COMPLETE HUMBUG ? Wby , the middle classes very reluctantly pay their rates to get their votes , while the poorer classes are to farm it out at an annual rental in lieu of poor rates . Well , but there ' s worse than that . Tom says that the peer and tbe peasant should equally pay £ 1 ., and why , do you think ? what reason do you suppose this man of progress gives ? why , no other than that ,
if it were not so the peer would have a'RIGHTto a plurality of votes . ( Great laughter . ) Now , then , what do you think ofthe stagnation to be produced by tho progress of Tom Bailev ? £ 17 , 400 , 000 . a year as a substitute for seven millions a year , and the poorest ofthe poor to pay four millions a year of the tax now levied upon the rich ; and this , too , while we are trying to relieve the present electors from the burden of the rate-paying clauses . How much more justice , then , must the rich expect from the government of the poor than the poor have experienced from the government of the rich ? ( Tremendous eheerine . ) Ia not this , then , an unintentional commendation of the People ' s Charter by Tom Bailey 1 ( Cheers . ) Now there ' s law for you ! there's science p .,- _„„ ., t n ,,. „»„ _w « i : „ : _„„ <•„ .. „„ .. t n , „ . „> „ -. ! ,: i _„„„ ., i . _ hi i l
' -uu _uititj o _eugiuii 'ui jou . _wwen _yuuvaupuy for you ! there ' s erudition for you ! ( Loud cheers . ) This is the mode by which Tom Bailey would elevate the working classes ; he would make them like young bears—live upon sucking their own paws . ( Laughter . ) Mr Bailey tells you hew much horses cost ; that a horse eats ; that carpenters get wages ; that builders get wages ; that ironmongers wont sell Btoves without money—( laughter)—and says , ' why , good God ! how horrible ! how monstrous ! here is money paid to carpenters and builders for building cottages for the peeple ! ' ( Loud laughter . ) Is it not shocking ? - ( Laughter . ) ' Why , my eye 'Timkins says to Tomkins , — ' but the poor folk have no brains , or they would see tbat all these houses cost money , and are not to bo built for nout !'
He thinks potatoes are to be bought , and houses built , by magic . '—but then we ought to excuse this man , and if he had been here to night , instead of skulking , I should not have dealt so hardly with him . I would have treated him Hfte a child ; like a babe ; like an idiot ; I would bave patted him on the back ; I would have chucked him under tbe chin , and would have said , ' Take courage ! ' ( Excessive amusement . ) But when a man writes about a science , a man ought to be understood to know something of it . But now mark his knowledge of agriculture ! He went to Carrington last summer , and he saw a dwarf apple tree , and ho says , 'Well , what fine 'tatoes ! ' 'Why , bless you , ' says a man , ' they ' re appleB ! ' ' Why , ' says
he , ' I never thought apples grew on such little trees ! ' And now this is the man who undertakes to write a treatise on agriculture ! ( Cries of ' Hear , hear , ' and laughter . ) This is the man who tells you , that a ton of muck will make your land stink , instead of making it produce ! ( Laughter . ) And in my next balance sheet he will Bee entered a ton of Eau de Cologne , to perfume the land . ( Laughter . ) And then he says , ' Tomkins , we would not have your bailiff at any price . Think of giving a pound fer a letter-bag , when I can get a sack for ten shillings ! ' ( Laughter . ) Why J havo got a sack for six shillings ; and see , my friends , here ' s the letterbag !—( showing it )—there ' s the letter-bag ! ( Laughter . ) But Tom Bailey did not tell you , though he
objects to a pound for this , with a patent lock , —he did not tell you that your bailiff paid £ 16 a year for a postboy to carry it backwards and forwards ; he did not tell you that bo __ particular was your own bailiff , that , as he sometimes had his own private letters in that bag , he paid the hny for carrying it out of his own pocket ! ( Loud applause . ) And tben , there ' s the awful item of cows , and there is the awful item of a churn that cost a pound I I used to churn cream in a bottle , and I presume that Bailey haa churned it in his boots ;—( loud laughter )—but the idea of having cows , and giving a pound for a churn ! Hame came the gude man , And hame came he ,
And hame came the gude man Without the lave of me . And he saw a pair of boots Where the boots should not bo . —
' What brought these boots here " What ?'—quoth he j What brought these boots here , Without the lave oi me V Boots V quoth she ; Ay boots / quoth he ; ' Why—don ' t you see , — It ' s a churn , my mamma Sent to mo . r ( Loud laughter . ) ' Well , far have I travelled , And farther have I been , But spurs upon churns , I ne ' er before have teen . ' ( Great laughter . )
So that the next balance sheet will have in it a pair oi spurs for the churn . ( Loud laughter . ) I gave a pound of your money for a churn : but he did not tell you that I gave ten pounds a year for a woman to churn it . ( Cheera . ) There ' s an awful item of £ 3 . for a mastiff . If I waB in the neighbouroood of Bailey , I would have a mastiff in every corner ofthe place . There is not an outkt , walk , or avenue , where I would not have a mastiff to guard it . In last week ' s Star I not only convicted him of folly , but of wilful and corrupt perjury . ( Applause . ) He puts down wbat the horses cost for maintenance ; and he put down , ' Moore and Co ., for straw , £ 36 . ls . 9 d .
There ' s a balance sheet ' . ' Whereas it stands , in the balance sheet , ' Moore and Co ., for cattle and straw £ 36 . ls . 9 d . ' £ 30 . of that was for cattle and other things . ( Loud applause . ) He reminds me of a foolish mayor , of Cork , before whom a man came and swore an infoimation against a person for stealing twenty heifera . The man , alter he had sworn the information , came back and said , ' One of the heifers was a bull , yer T " ft « . ' \ ° . bedad ' bedad ! ' _<* - < - hh _worifr _' _' _ontl _' th Ti t _RK " *! _* _4 to i ' ui ' _°£ , eot the above heifers is a bull V ( Loud laHghter . ) Now , Mr Bailey _oueht t _* k _«» _ZT
notty bar > ey . _~' N . _B . £ 30 . ef the above straw were cows and oxen . ' ( Loud laughter . ) Then he w _ellSHf * _fr 0 , 1 - paid to _^ aSneer f 0 ? Think rf , _hS & _% > rubbi 8 h at Lowb _a"ds . _ininK of the £ 84-16 s . toa surveyor" Oh hut StdS _' aunl _^ 16 S - _™ _vJtrLsXi _fmthl'i _? h derS f 0 r a _? S - * three CMt 8 » hatnm thr e i \ ZiT _% V awe , 8 hingn > achine , barrows , and _snenton ? f * P . " ' , h ? sa - ' 8 ' _« 8 , 000 . has been _analvLVH _** of L ° wbands _a'ene . I wilt 5 »« w » w 'for _-r you He * _W >' ori <* inal Purchase , A 7 _. _SSJ . Now I said it cost £ 8 , 100 ; so here the man is knocking his brains against somothing , he does not knsw what . 'Expended for wages from January the 2 nd toAncust _thalflth . so mueh Am . •'
• - builders' accounts , . £ 1 , 378 . ; _' -but £ 250 . was to be _deducted frem that , for I was allowed for it . ' Carpenters' work , £ 181 . 4 s . Id . ;*—not a farthing ° _f it chargeable to tho allottees ; it was all chargeable to the company , and the allottees only pay lor wear and tear while they have the use of it . 1 Guino , _c £ i ) 9 . ;" -as if it was put in the cottages ! He ' s showing you what the cottages cost : —as if we put guano in them to make them grow !—( Loud laughter . ) This shows you what an eye he has for business . ( Much amusement . ) ' Plumbers' work so much . ' I wish this man would tell me how _T'm to get these things for nothing ' . I 8 hould like it > - Land agentB and surveyor , £ 71 . 17 s . ;'_ only £ 37 _Kwuen seeo . 8 , £ » . ; more _notalnoa . _J 9 (\ la . >
able to the Company for boms snd _otieTS
•Nottingham. (From Our Own Reporter.) Ou...
l _^ tal of sums entered in account , so taneb _. ad vanoe _*? to allottees , £ 800 . ' So that those allottees who St Iheir aid money , that goes to building co - _teees and purchasing the land ! -and then there ' s F _^ S a _^^ f _^ " pre _aTdeclinin g property , a _newspaper that can't stand - and 81 oily expose the hon . member fer Nottingham and git his new constituents to read what I say , then I trust I may have a property tba _I ; _™ n _* V _anroDertv that would sell . ' ( Cheers . ) > - . ,
Why , my friends , this fellow and'One who has Sled at " he plough' tell you that the Company is now liable to fines for having violated the Jaw , and the' Whistler' told yon that to-morrow every man whom I bought the estate from , may take it from me , ( Laughter . ) Now , my friends , I meet folly with folly . They say it ' s the part of a wise man to be a fool with _iools , and a wise man with wise men . But I meet knobstick-law with sfatnteJaw . ( Hear , hear . ) Now then , after all the wit that has been expended upon if , and the fines they say this Company is liable to for non-compliance with provisions of the statute ; I have told you the law ot Bailey—the Old Bailey law- ( laughter)—and now 1 am going to read for you tho law ofthe Lords and
Commons . I come to you because you are interested , and because I have no right to ask you to enter into visionary speculations . You have a perfect right to demand explanation from me , of everything you wish to know relative to it . If this land were to build workhouses upon ; « it were to aid the moneyroongers in subduing labour , and trampling on the neck of independence , then this Land Plan would be lauded to the shies as a most phiJanthropic . plan . ( Hear , hear . ) Bnt it is foryou - ( hear , hear , ) -and hence their hatred . ( Loud applause . ) They cannot bear to see Tawes taken from the- workhouse , and placed in his cottage , his castle , in the centre of his free labour field , with four hogs in his sty , and his family round him . It ' s gall and
wormwood to them . ( Hear , hear . } And then poor Tawes—poor fellow—he bas a grievance surpassing strange!—in sixteen weeks , the Nottingham pauper , taken out of the workhouse , bas received £ 15 . in money . But then it was at three payments— £ 6 ., £ 6 ., and £ 3 ., —don't you wish you had his complaint ? ( Loud laughter . ) Now just think of a pauper taken from Nottingham , being harassed and oppressed by receiving a pound a week for fifteen weeks , and not receiving it all in a lump ! Poor fellow Don't you pity him ? ( Loud laughter . ) Well then , the ' Rambler' went to his house , and gare him an apple , lt was ' . the apple of discord .. ( Hear , hear _, hear . ) He left the apple upon the chimney piece , — it was a small apple , and he took half a dezen
potatoes in return ! that was the way ; this Mollycoddle —what ' s his name ?—conducted himself . This fellow not having a bit to eat , went to Mrs Tawes , and eat her potatoes , and she said , she did not like to have him in the house , he was so covered with vermin . Now there ' s a pretty correspondent for Mr Bailey . ( Roars of laughter . ) Now I hope he will insert this man's communications under the bead , ' Our Lousy Correspondent . ' ( Immense laughter . ) The law anticipates roguery , and in its sentiment is protective , though in its practice it is coercive . The law . being apprehensive that a good scheme would be subjected te the villainy of spies and informers , steps in and protects them against these . Mark the-law . This is the
law of the last session of Parliament : —for this poor blunderer has been knocking his bead against the statute of Nebuchadnezzar—studying the law of Jerusalem —( hear , hear , and laughter)—he got hold of an old volume of the statutes at large , and he thinks what was law in 1530 must be law in 1847 . [ Mr O'C . then read the preamble of the act entitled , ' An act for the registration , incorporation , and regulation of joint-stock companies , ' Ac , and the clause by which so much of the eld act as was therein recited is repealed . ] Now , what do you say ? They say we are liable to fines , if we don't furnish copies of all the ? e things ; while _thefact is , it is unnecessary to do anything of the kind . And then we are told it is impossible ; and Mr Bailey tells you that it will take
£ 650 . to locate one single individual : But I made a calculation , wherein I showed him that , as far as they have gone , it has only cost £ 253 , and £ 30 . for capital—that would make £ 283 . ( Cheers . ) The fact is , he was taught in a school where tbey say , ' if once naught ia nothing , twice naught must be something . ' Then he say ? , 'Put down £ 30 . for Goatman , £ 40 . for Tripp , ' and so on . Now , you know tbe story of the woman who looked for her daughter in the oven . She had been there herself before . ( _Laughter . ) You may rely upon it , that Mr Bailey has been making up his " accounts in that way . It is a thing- I should never have thought of ; an honest man would never have thought of it . ( Laughter . ) He _savs it will take £ 550 .
to locate every man . But what did I tell you on the ' onset ? Did I not tell yeu that it is a plan wholly dependant upon confidence and co-operation ? ( Cheera . ) Did I ever suppose for a moment that £ 2 . 12 s . would buy two acres of land , build a house , and give a man £ 15 . into the bargain ? ( Laughter . ) But I will tell you wbat 1 supposed . . I supposed that . members of a joint-stock bank could make fortunes on a paid-up capital of £ 50 , 000- If they do that , if railways , canals , and other theoretical schemes succeed , it would be strange if the only practical one should fail . I think it the oddest thing in the world , that the land , which gives the value to everything in the world—the land , the most desirable possession for a man to
have , should be the very thing that would not pay . ( Liud cheers , ) They tell you that Ireland has become pauperized by the small farm system . My friend . -, hinc illm _laehrymce , —hence tbeir tears . The press has guided publio opinion . But I have taught you a new science . I have made a new literature . It has distanced the press , —left it behind public opinion , instead of it leading public opinion—( cheers)—and I will go blindfolded into the room there , and set my hand at random on the shoulder of a shareholder , and he shall meet Thomas Bailey , and beat him in argument , and mangle him as the kite mangles the lark . ( Loud laugh ter . ) Theytel ! you tbat Ireland is an instance of the failure ofthe plan . There never was a principle ofthe kind tried
in Ireland . ( Cheers . ) Never . So long as wo had 10 s . freeholders there , there was comparatively no _pauperism in Ireland . They had their acre and two acres of land each , and they preferred to be halfstarved upon it , to begging and leaving it . All these small farms were knocked into large farms , and then Ireland was beggared . But tbe press does not understand that the principle which destroys Ireland is the system of tenants at will upon a fragile tenure . ( Hear , hear . ) For instance , I hold twenty acres of land under James Sweet at £ 1 per acre . I won't improve it , _hecauseif I do , Mr Sweet will turn me out , set St np by auction , and charge £ 1 . 5 s . an acre for my improvements . ( Hear , ) The Irish people are called idle , unthrifty , lazy . But they
traverse the Atlantic ir quest of honourable employment to preserve a miserable existence . They come toyour cities , they pave your streets , they row your boats , while they are unable to live upon their own toil in their own country . ( Applause . ) There is a paradox for you ! ( Hear , hear . ) The finest climate m the world ; the most genial and most fertile '—the moat moral and industrious people -and yet in the greatest poverty that ever was seen . Who is the indictment chargeable against ? It is the government that governs you ! ( Hear , hear , hear . ) r _« _te lamw _^ mean - but I will strip first . _I MrO Connor here . took off his coat , amidst loud cheering and clapping of hands . ] He then said , a friend of mine in Ireland
had a tenant of the name of . _^¦ ' _™ ? P ! _* _* y a « es of land at £ 1 . an acre . The tenant paid very little attention to the cultivation of hisland arid less to improving it . I said to Barry , 'Why don ' t you do all you can to make your land more productive and to improve it ? ' He replied Do you think I will cut my own throat ; if 1 make the land worth more his honour will raise tne rent , or let the land over my head , and turn me out of the house . ' Therefore , as a matter of _Belfpreservation , thelri » h do nothing more than occupy their land for a bare subsistence . I proposed that Barry should hare only ten acres ofthis land , and if the landlord would grant him a lease for ever he should pay £ 2 . an acre . The lease was granted , and
in seven years Barry could have bought the land . While he was tenant at will he did not bestow labour upon his land , but as soon as it became his own he threw all his labour and skill into it ; he worked hard and fast ; his days were too short ; his efforts were unceasing ; and he soon felt'the beneficial result of his exertions . According as men are limited by the government and the laws in the exercise of their rights , _juBt uo will they limit their exertions , as in the instance I have mentioned ; this man could not live at one time on twenty acres of land , because he . was limited in his rights _, but as soon as he was equitably dealt with _double" ! IZ ° \ . the ,. _entity of land a Si « S ! ent - _^ ny _-Wenda _, you see that as So & . & X _* a theorios - and 00 nSne 9 it 8 el _* _£ _ldactlfn ° . ! T - . P _^ able do gmas . it can , « . ? K . _^ 8 i at , 0 n m , - > e literary world . If it
Sdi -Sif _L DOte . *! . * _¥ _beakn-ediuw of currency , are _Lnr & _-l ?( J ' _' M BiWw - ot otbet metals , thoS _dilJ _« _S _- hlcb _r no one can di 3 _* , rove - b » - a _» may ad « _L _?/ 8 ten 0 _- _. y n \ . A Bain if _tbePwss should advocate a variety of political nostrums and _raove-Mnn . _oi . _i ffer f 7 l ' vriter 8 way be in their _no-Rl : Wfl aders and di 80 'P les of -hose pecu * wbfc ? r _^ nt I ha Te _^ ehta new science , upon which the whole pre _» _-gans is hopelesBly _igaorant , and i th _« fie * , hellish _onllaughYBie tt _labonr _^ i . _^ I _^ 8 u _»™ . the farmers give their _»*!! . m l' tha P en return -abour for their wages , according to the ratio of their payment . A poor man ' s capital is his labour ; it ia his only _re-! ° . r ? . _x be reoeiTe only _*» . a week wages , he is not likely to return 8 s . worth of work ; if he does , he returns cent , per cent . ( Hear , hear . ) I will shew you that the land is the only possible resource to redeem the country from bankruptcy . You hear
•Nottingham. (From Our Own Reporter.) Ou...
much about the fnD _^ the money market , _manu 7 > tures , trade , and com . " ™" " * ' but yoa never C _™ word about labour . _»*} one will tell you aDj tli _« en this subject , but I will _fhow you the valu ?« labonr . We will take the wcrkt _^ classes in ro UM numbers at four millions , and the taxes at £ 50 , 000 , 000 ; we will take the idlers at fifty tii 0 _? sand ; that is , thoso who lire upon the taxes . Nam as the four millions pay each £ 12 . 10 s . per annrjMif there should be one-half short of work , the t « n millions must pay £ 25 . each per annum , or else th . taxes cannot be paid . And out of what must th ! £ 25 . be raised ? Why , out ofthe labour ol tho po » man ; and the two millions out of employ _mustba supported out ofthe labour of the other two million ™ who _arecompelled to work at reduced wages . ( _Hear ' _^ J , . , .. r -Jo . the mnnp- mo- ! .,,. _ _~*«
hear . ) Hence , you have this anomaly , that in _[ _$ same proportion in which the number who support Jbe idlers , have the burden increased upon them , j-. the same proportion is their ability to pay reduced , because their _wajjes are diminished by the compet _* . tive reserve of idlers—while labour , which is tb _^ only producing thing , has the further burden ir » . posed upon it of supporting tbe extra two _m' _}'' .. paupers . Now , here ' s tho figure—in one case , _fou _* million men , at full work and free labour , p- y £ 60 , 000 , 000 . a year , or £ 12 . 10 a . a man ; in tha other case , two million , at slave labour , pay tha £ 50 , 000 , 000 . a year , or £ 25 . a man—and , in addition , each slave carries a pauper upon his back , who lives upon his labour . ( Loud and long continued cheer .
ing . ) Will anyone deny this ? The labour field alone supplies the demand , and ont of tha labour of the poor , the idlers support theit houses , their hunters , their dogs , which animals pro . duce very little , except my mastiff , and he kicks up a devil of a row . Reverse the fact , and instead of tbe fifty thousand _liriog upon tbe labour of the four millions , suppose the _fouroillioDs to be idle , and to have to live upon the production of the fifty thonsand , how would it be then ? Then yeu must at once perceive tbat every man who is thrown out of employment ia an additional tax upon ths men at work , and that it is out of their . labour alone that the unemployed ean look for sup . port . We *} , they won't employ you new ; and why ! Because they can't make a profit of your labour . Ig
this a reason why a man born with the impress of his Maker , should be under a system of tyranny T I will show the Government , while they are bunting all ever the world forthe produce oflabour , the great ad . vantages that may be derived from the land , and that the government * _eught to be convicted of treason if there be a single pauper in the land . ( Applause , ) But the land is not only a labour field for the working men , but it produces a market forthe middle classes I have gone into a poor parish where the poor-rates were 15 s . in the pound , and where tbere were only a few poor labourers employed , and little business dose at the shops . But now there are eight hundred employed every week upon the _bestwages . _and thc shop _, keepers who formerly hated and detested me , now
rind difficulty in providing stores for food , and they say when they meet me , ' God blew you , sir , we will subscribe to buy another estate foryou . ' ( Laughter and applause . ) There is not a shopkeeper there who is not a paid-up member to the Land Company . Now there ' s a picture fer that old tapster , that old humbug editor of the Mercury . ( Applause . ) Takeany quantity of acres around Nottingham , now in an unproductive state , and locate working men npon them , and with one-fourth part of the capital usually required , they will be able to produce an _abundance for their maintenance , and also for their families . ( Hear , hear , and applause . ) I say there are * not ten acres within three miles of the town , but might bs cultivated with advantage at the rate I havo given .. I
say take 9 , 000 acres in the neighbourhood of Nottingham , and put 3 , 000 honest _labourers , at three acres to a man , upon them , and you would soon have a different scene amongst the shopkeepers to what you now witness . Yon would have 3 , 000 women , with tha blush of health upon their faces , and baskets on their arms , coming or tbe maTket-day , and going into tha sbopB for groceries , candles , snuff , bonnets , shoes , stockings , hats , shirts , and _draptry , and every kind of article useful in a house and for a family , where now , except by odd individuals , not a single article of the kind can be had once a month , ( Applause . ) This scene would be far better than having 3 , 000 in tha workhouse , ready in case there should be any chance to compete against tho foreigner , under the free .
trade system , to reduce labour when it should bs wanted . I honour the man ; I respect the man ; I pity the man , who is obliged to give his labour fer less than it is worth . ( Applause . ) It I were a married man , and had a wife and children , and under tha present coercive system , I would rather toil and labour and sweat for whatever a master might please io give me , rather tban go into a workhouse to hare my wife torn from my side , and be separated frem my children . ( Hear , hear , and applause . ) Here is the damnable evil of the poor law . The poor man has a pride in living is the company of his wife , while out of the workhouse , but the moment he goes inside he ia told he is not capable of living with her there—( hear , bear , hear )—for the legislature , consisting of
the licentious lords and dissipated commoners , who have stronger bonds and links of affection tban the poor , had enacted that such cannot be allowed . ( Hear , hear . ) Why should they be separated ? But why , that bloated beast cf an editor has not said , but perhaps it is because he approves ofthe poor-law , and would like to sleep on one side ofthe house himself , while a part of his household should sleep on the other . Not so with you ; jou like to live with your wives , and to be happy together . ( Applause . ) I will draw another picture . A man gets employment ; be comes home to his happy wife , contented family , and his cheerful fire-side . He is satisfied witb hia little , and though he has no luxury , be is contented , remains at home , and is thankful . But see him , in
an opposite position , See him reduced , having no labour , and no employment . He comes home , but he does not remain , as he is unhappy . He will not discuss cause and effect , but he becomes disheartened ; he goes to the beer-house , and if he can raise a shilling he spends it ; his wife is deserted , bis children neglected and uneducated , and become a curee instead ofa blessing . ( Hear , hear . ) If I were a man employed and living upon the land , I would pray for my wife to have ten ohildren in nine months , as instead of being a curse , as poor men ' s children are now to them , they would be the greatest blessing that could be bestowed upon them . ( Loud laughter and applause . ) If the poor generally wera located on the soil , you would soon see two millions
oi tne nnest children ever born upon the earth , along with their parents , in the enjoyment ofthe blessings and bounties of Providence . This shows to you wby these contemptible fellows despise , oppose , condemn , and revile the Land Plan . Oh ! but , they say , how _jw Mr O'Connor possibly locate so many people ? Why , I have explained to you that if a man can begin to build a house , he can mortgage and raise money to build story after story , till he has got the roof on ; and thus he may go on with adding aore to acre . ( Hear , bear , ) We have heard of building societies existing for twenty years , and persons paying their money , realising large profits , and putting money into the pockets of the proprietors . We have heard of theories without end for making money , which have b
een highly approved , but because our plan is earned out practically it is abused , and we are calumniated . How are poor men like Tawes to get outot the workhouse ! how could that man have aot over his difficulties ? he never could , except upon the plan of the Land allotment . ( Applause . ) There are benefit societies , and clubs for building houses , and for granting allotments to members , and yet the characters of the members is never canvassed ,- as no doubt they are the most honest people in the world , because they are bound to pay money for a certain period , perhaps for ten or thirteen years , and to make a living independently of these monthly payments . But the character ofour members must be scrutinisedalthough they are not
, called upon to undertake to pay any thing more than a rent fer their _allotment . They need not pay more than a rental , as , in case of a mortgage , the landlord only becomes chargeable for the interest . ( Loud applause . ) But I will esplaincn ' tically for you the difference between the obligations imposed by benefit societies and the Land Company upon their members , and pray pay attention to this , as it is of far mora importance than all Tom Bailey ' s rubbish , and will go far to establish the fact that I am the only person whodoea understand the Land Plan in its several details . Now , observe this , one of thoso much lauded societies , seeing that Labour is the very best security * advances a labourer as much money as will buy a house—a house , mind , no land—and this labourer is
compelled to pay the purchase-money by monthly instalments , besides living , besides rent , besides in * terect—in some oases , ten , twelve , and fifteen per cent . —and interminable fines and legal expenses . So _thathere you have the press advocating a system which imposes all these hardships upon aman , fromthe first day he enters a house , that produces nothing until the day he makes it his own by purchase , while the Land Company imposes ns sueh obligation as purchasing , no fines , no enoimous interest , and only rent , and the first payment n"t demanded until the tenant has been in possession for twelve months , and then only six months' rent , and instead of dragging monthly instalment ? , fin _* s > enormous interest , and legal expenses , g ives to _eaca of its _membeiH £ 15 , £ 2210 * ., and £ 30 . ( Loud « nfl I long continued cheering , and That ' s it . ') NoWi all these societies are cot nn bv Jawvers to fie * -
the poor , aud Tom Bailey has never asked for * oftheir balance sheets . But they say , Mr O 0 _Mnor _' _sbankis a bubble You did not hear oft »* Royal Bank at Liverpool being a bubble ; nor " * Reid , Irving , and Co . ; nor ofthe join * * to » " * r that have failed , being bubbles : all theso _»«» supported by honourable men , and hava been CPi mended by the press , but the man who undertaB *» to serve you , by carrying out the Land P- * ' , _^ the reprobation of tho press . ( Hear , hear , aiw * t . plause . ) I will show you the security of _" _- _"T , Suppose we had one hundred thousand _poB" ° " week , or ten thousand pounds a week , I c 0 Ul ? _^ . out of tbe latter sum land worth six or sewn _^ sand poundB , and I should have three tW _» g pounds for building houses . I should bave « ° V * _Jf ten thousand pounds an interest of fiT _« P eem
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Nov. 6, 1847, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns3_06111847/page/4/
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