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$BlJfiO£0 BOMJi destroyedand Notismbeii ...
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$BlJfiO£0SED^CE^mT.:BOMJi^ ioth» mitob o...
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DSPARTOBX Ot MBS. LiCET HID FiMILT rOH A...
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^•^/i ^^ -^ia'M Lta».i£An adjourned 233B...
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' - r : ^^^MEETING OJ.SHAIfflHbliDERS. -...
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. TO THE MEMBERS OP THE NATIONAL LAND CO...
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~^-^xtCNl*HsD. i:TB]U)BS;:^7.s^ T. S.f "...
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'At the last meetingof the Council, Mr. ...
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"Temple-street, Wolverhampton, November ...
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NATIONAL CHARTER LEAGUE. On Sunday eveni...
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¦ Weavers'Turn-Out. —On Wednesday, the 3...
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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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Notismbeii 23 , 1850 . THE NORTHERN STAR . * I ... I rl _^ T _^ gg _^»««^—¦———» ¦ ¦ _ < ¦
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_$ BlJfiO £ 0 SED _^ _CE _^ mT .: BOMJi _^ ioth » _mitob orrHi . xoarHifi- _' vArAB . . gn _\—Ai ths Conference . _qhestioh'has now been _w week * before tbi ' C & attiil memteM . imdM no deeiaiva steps have yet"b _« n _^ en to als cirtain the opinion ofthe ' jaidjoaty : ibpa"tbt _"< subject ,., amid- also _8 S _iMW-leadifW s _^ . _^ pp _^^^^ . Conference at JJAnohBiter , _wiulftotherstr _^ theproposition with indifference , " I . trust you will find room ' for the fob * lowhyrohservationi _:- _^ _- " . * * 7 7 " 7 " " " "' . ''"¦ __«« _-aononavn _mriUTta ? _nmamw-TiF . V .
I . am gmved to witness the apathy of a portion of _Uie . _CrlM _^ t ' . body . _to a _' _question of such vital im- portauoe _tbtha _ democratic movement . ' Chartism u _bnt-ibetJuidpV . pf its former self—its _progressive policy . is ' standing _stftt-r-ApfhnonIss in its united ranis , and the nnwige attempt to sink the Charter in the _. extremea . of SpcMim and _"Oepublicanisiia " _¦ b _^ iMled , accept in ¦ •• causing . > : ' greater division amopgst Cfcartists 7 Under such circumstances no cae as jet 'denied _tite ;» ieessjty- ' of _a-Coherence being beld ; . ihe . only . difference of opinion is as to _dlMe
* B _»^ "p . ; . ;;; _: _;;/" gmcelfr _. 0 Cufcnor _/ s pnaositiori : in the Star ' _ot _thfrStbof Octoher seven _im-jlitanttowns haTe decided in favour " of a Conference in Manchester oh Jew Tew " * _lfcj ' _^ raaraely , - ' Maucheiter _, " _Sheffieldi Hall ,: Boehdale , ; Stockport , 7 Tddm 6 rden / and , a _ibraaich afiJdttin'jhani : ' ' ~ - " ' ""' ' " : """" _Aigainsfc it , and m favour of a Conference in London _^ May _risst _, wehave-4 he Executive , the Wert _fiidag delegates , the Chartists of Stalybridge _, "the Ship ton _lorahtv , Birmingham , the Emmett Brigade _,, the' _Washington * " , " and "Whittington' and" Cat ( London ) loeaUties . " 7 ; On the 2 nd inst . the memhers of the Finshnry Io-OalitT . pawed a resolution in favour of the
Manchester Conference , and pledged themselves to pay £ l-towards the expenses , but in last Saturday ' s Star I see they approve of the London Conference . "" New Radford is for the London Conference , if an vsaoapfltixc democratic todies le . effected ; out if not , _tluti ike Executive u _reguuted to cM a Conference at soon ' as possible . ' _"Newcastle-upon-Tyne * is for a Con ference at the earliest possible period , ' bnt does not say where itistobe-field . Hamilton is for fcoldingfa Conferente : ' whet , the people are- properly ¦ ere / canted . Paisley and one . or two other towns are . opposed . to any Conference' being held , jwt _eoLUdhfihelxitutiet . ,-
Thus ; as the question stands at present , there can be no doubt , bnt a large majority is in , favour " of i * he Conference being held in Manchester . Th « only _objection raised against the Manchester Confereneehy tbe Executive Committee— " The recognised head of the _Charts * Association—the only ¦¦ party duly authorised to convene such delegation "u ihat they " disapprove of the same , because ,- inthe _present ttatt of the _eowitry , it is impossible to . assemble a truly national Conference . " We are . not informed-when a Conference is to-be held , or whether there is to be one at alL I confess I . do not understand what is meant by " * tiie present state Of the country . " "Will the country be in a- better State for holding a Chartist Conference when
'' AQ the world to London is come , : And London is oat of town !" I think the " recognised head" of the movement should have given some plain and sensible reasons for its disapproval , which' has not yet been done . But several Chartist branches dispute the title , and set aside the authority of the Executive Committee , doubting the _legality ef - the election ; and this appears- tp be one of the shief causes bf the present _disorganisation ofthe Chartist party . But the principal objections to the Manchester ConlerencQ are raised by . Mr . Ernest -Jones in bis letter , dated October 23 rd . And here it is necessary to state that that gentleman sent a similar letter on Sunday , the 20 th , to the West Biding delegates _, assembled at Bradford , which , no doubt , influenced them to adopt a resolution against the
Manchester Conference ; which resolution received the approval-ef the Executive , -and" was recommended to the Chartists throughout the country . _Is-it surprising thatafter such : teaching the Conference question has not _beentakenup with greater zeal and alacrity ? fNowIam of opinion that a Conference is imperativelynecessary _^ and should be speedily held , to entirely re-organise the movement—to settle the dispute as to the legality of the Executive to hold office , or otherwise to give such satisfactory reasons as should induce those branches , which now stand-aloof , to join _^ the Association—to . consider -the state of other political parties—to discuss , and , if thought advisable , to draw up a plan for the _amalgamation of all shades of reformers—and to adopt the best line of policy for obtaining the speedy -enactment of the People ' s Charter .
There was sufficient time , from the oth of October ib the 1 st of January , "( nearly three months , ) to Save awakened the Chartist mind , and to have raised the necessary funds to meet the expenses at ? tending a really national Conference , hadtbat time been rightly spent in aiding , instead of opposing It . The 1 st of January is the best time , _being a few weeks before the opening of parliament , and , being a holiday , the working class delegates could afford their time , withoutincurring a loss ofwages , Mr . 'Jones says that _"AfaDy of tbe localities that _ilourishedm 1848 have now _^ ne p olitical existence _-whatever—neither council , committee , nor . mem- _, 'bets ; of those remaining in the field , - many are _rsearcely ahle to meet'their local expenditure ;
organisation lies prostrate , and , with it / the _ma--chinery for electing and supporting the _^ members of a Conference . " Chartism , according to this , is ina pitiable condition . Again . he says : — "We do not _wantit _^ - { the Conference)—to forma plan of organisation : vre have one sufficient for all present purposes . ' We do not want it to lay down rules for ¦ anassoeiation : -ire have onewhich , I trust , we shall never dissolve till we have carried the Charter . " Then why do we not cany the Charter ? If we lave plans , rules , lectures , cheap democratic litera-. ture , and every auxiliary necessary for carrying -en the agitation , as Mr Jones avers , how comes it
that organisation is prostrate , and t > at manylo ? _-eallties have no political existence ? This does not-» y much for the application of the machinery in hand / and is the best reason why the three months _-should have been spent in resuscitating the _movement and also for holding a Conference as early _aiposBible . -Another objection urged by Mr . Jones ; is , _**« that trade is yet too brisk . When trade . is bad , and wages are lowest , then money is always more plentiful for the purposes of agitation . " Thia is too true ; but is it probable that , all at once , -trade -will be bad in May when the Exhibition mania is at its height ? I think if we wait until then for the Conference , that we had better
"Wat a little longer . " Until the forced trade caused by the Exhibition « hall ( as it no doubt will ) have caused short time -aiulieduction ; hut it appears rather absurd to state that such will be the case in May . May _Q-f June , ine middle of summer , is just the very time , when it _yrbnld be most difficult to induce ' working men to _# ive up their work . At that time the pnblic mind _Tvill'be folly occupied with the rivalry of onr manufactures with those of all nations . The Press will devote their columns almost exclusively to this _subject and the proceedings of parliament , and even if the doings cf the Conference were noticed itwonld be in a few words , instead of giving , as has been done , a tolerahlv fair notice of its transactions .
. Lodgings will be scarce and dear , aind _ I question much if a decent room could be obtained for the Conference to sit in . So much do I think public attention will be occupied , that the arrest of every member of the Conference would excite hut little . general interest , and less sympathy . In fact , all the propositions yet made for a _. Conference in London , are the best objections to urge _against it ; " while the ujecfions to the Manchester Conference would soon cease to . exist , if the intervening time was rightly spent , " and the powers _/ said to he at our disposal , judiciously , but energetically exercised . I am sorry to find that- some branches in expressine their o pposition to this question haveadopted the tone of the Executive , which , . to say the least , than
_isuncourteous . Mr : O'Connor did no more Any other Chartist had a perfect nghtto do , in sug--gestinethata Conference shonld he held lnMaucheste _? . and inviting attention to his _rogf _*^™ * but if he is the founder of the movement , il he fias worked hard for years to establish it , if be hassa--crificed his time and money for its advancement , it , for years , he hasbeen the acknowledged leader of the Chartists of this country / his suggestion was -worthy ofa feu- consideration , and should hate been _Teplmd to in a becoming spirit . As the Executive _disapproved of a Conference , it was the duty of that body to have issued an address on the 12 th of October , stating its reasons for so doing ; the Chartist members would then have had both sides of 'the
question before them , and having discussed , would -either have accepted or rejected Mr . O'Connor ' s suggestion , and the matter wonldhave been settled . But if the majority was for a Conference , then it vronld havebeen the duty of the Executive , although opposed to it , to have obeyed the will of the majority and to have called one . In conclusion , let me entreat my brother Chartists to waste "" no more time in wordy warfare on this subject , but to weigh well what has been advanced , and then decide and set to work . If Chartism is asleep it is time to arouse it , and if a Conference is necessary , the sooner it is held the better . Jaonaryisnot too soon—May or June is ioo late * or not late enough . ' Tours respectfully , ' - A _Chabiist .
Dspartobx Ot Mbs. Licet Hid Fimilt Roh A...
_DSPARTOBX Ot MBS . LiCET HID FiMILT rOH _AcsiHUJA . —Mrs . Lacey . and family , left London per steamer , on Saturday morning last , for Plymouth , the government ship , the Garland , lying in thai port , bound to Sydney , whichis to convey her to ber husband . It waa expected that the 'Garland would sail on-Wednesday or Thursday last . 7 . With a view to the defence of any legal proceedings that may be adopted , Cardinal Wis *» an has , wo hear , retained _JfcPeaebca , tbij « _aini * ti _tjaefn _' a Cowse _^ Ife _twmfomiftZ - _« . . . _ _-.-= ;
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^•^/I ^^ -^Ia'm Lta».I£An Adjourned 233b...
_^•^/ i _^^ _- _^ _ia'M Lta » . i _£ An adjourned _233 B _$# _^ ? » _*»» held oh Sunday aftembon ; M _^ _Mboya i ft Jhe . ohalr : -The _defatati _& appointed to -wait oitMr ,- O'Cdhnof gave in their rejlort ; - They nadbeeii most _oomteousry receifed ; andthatgen-Uemsn concurred _inths steps Ihey had taken to csll a meeting of . the . sharehblders , and would ' endeaifow * to ; return : frbmifManchester to ; * be ""' presehi ; ' at the " meeting , and iff that fwas mipraeticable would / Write tothemdeUflinghisvievfs ; heVouldalsoaBsist ' thi » m in calling a Conferehee prior to' the _meeting ef ' parluunent .. The depuUtion also detailed other infor mation reeeived _^ rjrCMr . _O'Cobnor ' _raipeCtlnE' the ppsitipnofthef ' _Coinpiiny ... The _^ received ,- _resolutions yi _^ n _prepared' ltd be _Adopted at the . public meeting , and ' other . _dst _^ _ls of ihe _busings arranged . " . ¦¦ " . " : ' - {; " ''¦' , ' Z ' ' _*" " * '
' - R : ^^^Meeting Oj.Shaifflhbliders. -...
' - r : _^^^ MEETING _OJ . SHAIfflHbliDERS . - A pnblic meeting of the London shareholders was held at the City _Ctiartist' Hall , Golden-lane , on Mondayevening ; but the attendance ' was not extremel y large , owing to the state ' of * th * weather and the ' 1 doubt ;' as ; to _^ Mrj O'COnhbrt presence . Long'befOrd the chair wastaken ,- "however , _* - 'Mr . O'Connor "arrived . MeB 8 Ts . "M Orath ' _-: and * -Dixon ; Messrs . * 'Gathard , Beattie , ' and * Harrison , 'from Minster Lovel ; Mr . Kinross and _andsher delegate , from Snig's End , Were also preieht . ' ¦ ' ¦ ¦¦ " 'Mr . ' _iLxisawoBiH * was called to the chairjand briefly _opened'the-bhsineas ofthe meeting , ' after which '¦ ' - *' ;; " '" ¦ r-V : - • ' : - " -: .: • - -. _-y-y - _.-. ,
[ * Mr . _Dowmmc ' moved the following resolution : — ' * That the Land Company was established for the _jnirpose of _placing "theartificially-made surplus population on the idle" lands-of this _* _* , cb"t fntry , "bnt the _ignoriht seffish ' hess bf the . governmehti . 1 aided bya baise , - _hireling " ' press ; having rendered '' their plans abortive , it is expedient to Wind hp'the _affisira of the Company as _speedUy as possible . » He believed they would all agree with _Tiim , ' that'it the ' gbyeramenthad allowed them tocarry out th ' _eir' _^ _ansas they _' originaUy intended' that the Company would now have beeni in prosperity 7 ' _""A great philosopher had asserted that the system of government , which did not provide good education and profitable employment for all Ha subjects , was a libel upon the
name of government . ' If the _legislatare had not openly _opposed them . it bad-done it covertly and insiduously . "'A / Minister " of _RelieiOn , * too , had exerted his- influence to' induce * the allottees not to pay a just rent . ' The landlords of this country had better be careful how they sanction snch proceedings , or the system might come home to them : - Since he had entered tha room he understood * that £ 5 , 000 was due , on the various estates ; for rent . Some of the allottees had said they had no objection to pay interest for the money expended , but they would not be tenantsia _^ will to Mr , O'Connor . These allottees had no objection * id accept other men as tenants-at-will nnder them at a' greatly increased rental . ¦ ' He was anxious to assist Mr : O'Connor in preserving " * the ' property of- the shareholders from their grasp .-Mr . Cdmmevgs seconded the " resolution , which
was unanimously adopted . ' 'Mr . Tiijsoys _* moved 7 & e _- -second _resolutioa : — "That it is expedient to call a Conference " , to which the bill for winding-up should be submitted previous to its introduction into parliament . " So much had been said about winding up the Company , and'it had been so long promised , that he thought it tone' they looked ' after their" owri -business . •¦ •; The misdirection on the part of the directors had spoilt a glorious plan ; Mr . O'Connor had _stated in the Committee-room , that * he paid the directors their salaries ; why , then , did' they not' pay rent ? why was " the Land-office kept" open ? and why" did they have' _no-balahee-sheetsissued ? -He had been told that his name was not even on the books ofthe Company ; the directors " time of office had expired , and he thought a Conference ' was' necessary to examine into those things .
' Mr . Humphreys seconded the resolution . Mr . O'Connor had informed'him that the laying the hill before Conferehee" could not be carried into effect , as the matter was in the hands of the Parliamentary Agent ; still he thought that a , Conference would be productive of considerable good , as great dissatisfaction existed in London , and , he believed , generally throughout the country . The directors had , in his opinion , abused the power entrusted to them ; they had created much distrust among the members of the land Company , and , by their political treachery , had assisted to injure the cause of Democracy by setting them all in opposition , one to another . He wished to know whether Mr . O'Connor coincided with them ? If Mr .
O'Connor agreed with the directors and tbe members of the League , whom he saw present , he would fall with them . -He believed Mr . O'Connor would act right , if left to himself ;' - but if * the calling of a Conference was left to the directors , he did not think the arrangements would give satisfaction . He was for rendering Mr . O'Connor any assistance in winding it up . Mr . O'Cokkoh , on rising , stated that he was sorry thatthe two last , speakers had broached subjects calculated to produce fdisagreement . About £ 100 , 000 had passed through the hands of the directors , and no one' could' charge them with embezzling one farthing , whilst several' of the local treasurers had been guilty of fraud . The reason they bad issued no balance sheet was because their
receipts had been so trifling , ' and they retained the office and the directorship because they must have a place to keep the books in safe custody , and there was much work for the directors to do prior to the meeting of parliament . As long as funds came in , so long was a balance sheet regularly issued . One * speaker had stated , that many attempts had been made to wind it up ; ' he bad never attempted to wind it up until'the Court ' of-Queen ' s Bench had pronounced it to he illegal ; the expense of winding it up would amount , in the first 'instance , to £ 400 , and he could not proceed last session for want of
funds ; hehad lately paid £ 10 f 6 r advertisements out of his Own pocket . 'Both L 6 rd' Campbell and Sir Frederick Pollock had - declared , that according to law , the property was bis own , but he would rather break stones inthe read than defraud the shareholders : As soon as the Company was wound up he would start another on'his own responsibility , and . would never rest Satisfied until he had placed every man , that desired it , upon the Land , under his own vine and _fig-tree . Mr . Atarax inquired what locality Mr . Talboys belonged to , and showed that it was the fault of the local officers and not the directors , if his name was not on the book . "' ' -
Mr . _Stailwood inquired why Mr . O'Connor bad paid £ 10 out of his own pocket , when £ 70 had been subscribed for the winding up of the Company % and why the Exchequer Bills they saw in the balance sheet'were not sold to meet the expenses , of winding up . - Mr . Gathard wished to know what had become of the money received from the sale of a portion of the Dodford estate ,- and from the sale of mar terials _' at the other estates ! Mr . _O'Cossob showed tbat the £ 70 subscribed was spent in preparing theI bill last session , and tbat
the whole , funds of the , Company had been expended in completing'the various estates , besides several thousands which they were indebted to himself . The . Exchequer _Billsalluded . to were the property of the , Bank and not theLand Company . The-sums derived'from the . land and materials were not large , and the receipts had been spent in paying various tradesmen , to ' whom accounts were owing , rent of office , salaries of directors , & c . He trusted they would allow the discontented allottees to make their statements , that , he might " answer them before he left . ... . 7
Mr . Hopkins said , he had above £ 20 in the Land Company ; that , if it were woundup , he would again invest it in Mr . O'Connor's new Company , and that he was willing to give £ 2 or £ 3 towards helping Mr . O'Connor to wind it up . Messrii . BeattK and Gathard , from Minster Lovel , made a long statement of grievances , and also read _atetter from Mr . J . Knight ; the language they used was very Violent and insulting , and it was with difficulty the Chairman conld procure them a hearing . Their statements may be summed up as follows : —That rent had been demanded of them in Mr . O'Connor ' s name , which they refused to pay , because they would not be his tenants-at-law ; that they were willing , when able , to pay it as interest ,
but not as rent ; that they had been served with distraints , bnt had driven off the bailiffs ; thatthey had been unsuccessful in their legal proceedings ; and that during the past week they had been eieeted from their houses , and their goods taken away without any inventory being given ; that they werehow encamped oh ah adjoining piece of ground , and were determined to battle until the last . They also stated that two ' persons , who had paid rent , had been seized upon , because they gave shelter to those who had been turned out ; another complaint was the land was bad , and that Mr . M'Grath and _ifrVconnor gave different statements ofthe cost _oHheir _Sfesfahd thatbuildersiutheneighbourhoJdsaidtbey worid _^^^ _^ and that they : could prove that Mr . O Connor had robbed the Company of ± 5 , uui _* . _ _- _; .
Mr . Habhison , also an allottee at Minster _JLovel , said that all was distress and desolation on that es _4 e , bu ?" hey had brought the curse _"Pon themselves , by following the advice of Beattie and 6 athaVd , - and going to law , instead of p aymg their just debts ; Be then gave a shocking picture ¦ of the state of _Gathard's , Beattio ' s , and other allotments , stating that eharlock , thistles , and docks , were growing to the height of several feet , and tnat the crops were wasted on the ground because they were toolaty to reap them . Mr . Griinshaw , one of the best farmera there ; told him , that instead Of t _^ wmg it into 7 ChanbCTy to avoid paying rents , _wy . _shpiud 7 ¥ e inade to pay compensation te the Company for the manner in which they had deteriorated ihe value ef the property _^ The _hposw aad
' - R : ^^^Meeting Oj.Shaifflhbliders. -...
_out-houses were aotnaUy _blftlj' destroyed , and _thWgnlh _^ _SHbtteWdehle _^ _drdbmri _^ J _couraged the boys in the work of _deslvUCiiC _? ' _fl _" had ,: -that : day , received a letter , Btating that nisi wifeandfamily would be turned out / the same as many of the * others , but-still he was . compelled to speak the truth ; -the real cause of Beattio's enmity was ,, that he -bad"demanded- 50 s . for . sbme extra ploughing he had donej whra he _Ifirat - went to the estate , which Mr . O'Connor refused to pay . him . ¦ Messrs . Wesiobt * and . Huiipniiii addressed the meeting , /*; and ; "Mr . 7 _MfGBAiri ' 7 explained some items . of rent , / paid ' at , _Stihster , ' jioyel , which Mr , Gathard had stated were not in . the balance sheet . Mr--KIKB 08 B . of Sniff's End . with _ffreat warmth ... ' ; . l ? i'i . _ili .- ' _ij _JZa
and bitterness of speech , complained that the crops were . put . insolate , ; ' , the first ' _season they ' were loeated ,. that . they , could hotget . aliting ' and being thus involved in difficulties ' , were unable to ' pay any rent . ; Mr . ; I ) oyle had Six acre ' s ' , * and'he was no more able . to _^ ay _^ _^ than the rest . ' He _hadsoldthreerquarters of an acreof -potatoes -for 12 s . 6 d' which , cost him- 7 s ; 6 d . digging fup . 7 Another . , reason why they _diduot pay rent _^ asj'Mr . _j _O'Connpr'Had told them that the rent would be ' moderate , as'the 'houses only cost £ 90 ' ; and , in a month after ; whoii rent was demanded , they were told they cost £ 13112 s . 6 d . They did not dispute that this sum . had been expended , . but they had builders ? valuations to prove that . they were not worth above £ 90 . If they alr
lowed Mr . » _. 0 ! Connor his own price for the houses , arid £ 1 an _aora . for . the ploughing , still there was £ 5 , 188 to be . accounted for—and it must and should be accounted for 7 He also charged him with _^ put : ting down more Aid " Moaeyi ' by ! £ 500 , 7 to" Snig ' s End , than they had received , found fault that they Had no security of tenure , _and _^ ended by calling Mr . O'Connor a liar and a monster , which , of course , caused great confusion , and nearly ended m the exptilsion of the . speaker . 7 . Mr . ¦ O _' _CossoBi whohad exerted himself to procure the allottees a hearing , then _^ replied ' : He had been charged with _funjustfyprose ' cutihg . themeh at Minster I _^ rel ; that estate was mortgaged , and he had paid £ 250 a year interest from his own pocket to * prevent " , those men from being seized upon ; but
when he found the men would . not pay rent , and wished to juggle . the Company , then he allowed the interest to remain unpaid , and the" solicitor of the mortgagees had ejected them . Those three men ,- Beattie , Gathard , and Wilkins , had sent a circular round the . country , asking assistance in prosecuting their nefarious schemes . . Those three men owed £ 100 forrent " : they , had ' received £ 90 aid money , and £ 60 spent in cultivating their land , or , more than - the . subscriptions of fifty paid up fouracre shareholders , and yet they , came there and talked as though they werefinjured . " men . Beattie had a house . and four acres of land , for which' be would have to * pay £ 11 rent ; he let three acres of land for £ 13 a year , and never had paid any * rent
himself . He stated that he had been a Chartist all his life , but instead of that he was an old soldier , one of those who would have shouldered a musket to put down Chartism . On his oath he had never told them ,: at Snig ' s End , that the houses _oiily cost £ 90 , the materials alone cost more ; the accounts had been submitted to the closest scrutiny ; the Government Auditors and the Conferences . had repeatedly inspected them , and there was not a line of his writing or a single figure of his in any of the books , and-all the receipts were laid . before the auditors . . "Respecting the aid . money ' at * Snig ' s End , thej would see , inthe minutes of examination before the House of Commons , that he had stated thattheaid money was intermingled between Snic ' s
End and Minster Lovel ; " £ 450 too little was charged to Minster , Lovel , and too muoh to Snig ' s End , Mr . O'Connor explained how this occurred . The men only abused him because he would not pay £ 250 , to allow them to swindle the , shareholders . Kinross had talked about £ 1 an acre for ploughing , the land at Snig ' s End was ploughed four times at 15 s . an -acre , which amounted on the whole to £ 3 _an-acr ' e , instead of £ 1 . The whole of the potatoes were put in before they were located , and if they planted more at too late a period in the season he could not be held responsible for it . Kinross had also told them , tbat some men had expended £ 400 , r £ 100 an acre on the land , and yet could not make o answer ; this was too . absurd to be listened io .
The men at O'Connorville and Dodford had the worst-land , bnt they did not grumble , whilst these men , placed in a paradise , and- surrounded with comforts , refused to pay rents , and complained of poverty . Poor men , how pale .. they , looked . Beattie looked at least * twenty year 3 younger than when he worked as a labourer for him , prior to his having his allotment . But he told these men , that though it was not him that ejected them , yet he did hot apologise for it , for he would have acted exactly as : the mortgagees had done , and he told Kinross that Snig ' s End was also mortgaged , and that they would be served the same way . ( Cheers . ) If they had acted honourable to the Company it would now have heen in prosperity , but they had
painted their faces with health , whilst the subscribers , . whose money they had received , aud whom they , were juggling , were pale with poverty . He cared not for tne censure or abuse of such men' ; they had picked out the most ferocious man from Snig ' s End , and sent him to plead for their * robbery and to abuse him . He hoped-he should always ' meet with such abuse , for the censure of slaves and ; ruffians : was . adulation ; . and yet , these were . the men they sent about the country collecting money in order to . juggle honest men out of their property . Mr . O'Connor then showed , from the example of - Mr . Sillott , and from the President's message in France / the valued and increasing attention bestowed upon the land question , and
concluded by stating , that however much he might be maligned even by those whom he had most befriended and benefitted , yet he should not-relax in his exertions until the present Company was wound up and a new one established . Mr . O'Connor then left the meeting amid much cheering . The Chairman and Mr . Dowling explained , that the committee had no knowledge of any of the allottees coming to the meeting , and that the Conference and not that meeting would be the . proper place to detail ; their grievances . - Mr .. ; Wixsoi ? supported the motion , for a Conference ; he thought that all who had money pass through their hands should be subjected to a close scrutiny . He had a considerable sum invested , in the Company , and was anxious that the property
should be protected . They had been deceived by Mr . 0 _* "Connor and the directors , —( cries ' of " no , no , not by Mr . O ' Connor , " )—more particularly by the directors , —(" no , " )—they should have called a Conference long previous ; Mr . O'Connor had a deep personal interest in seeing it honourably settled , hut he could not agree with the Manchester Petition , that the winding up should he left , to Mr . O'Connor and the directors . ( Mr . Wilson spoke amid considerable interruption and mnch contradiction . ) Mr . _WflEEMB explained relative to the winding up of the Company , and the resolution was carried by a large majority . A vote of confidence In Mr . O'Connor , and thanks for his attendance , was unanimously carried ; also a vote of thanks to the chairman , for his impartial conduct , and the meeting dissolved .
. To The Members Op The National Land Co...
. TO THE MEMBERS OP THE NATIONAL LAND COMPANY . _GiNTEESiriK , —You are aware , from the advertisement in the Northern Star ofthe 16 th inBt ., that a meeting of the members , resident in London , was to take place in the City Hall , Golden-lane ,-bn _TYednesday evening , the 20 th bf November j purpor ting tobe for the express * purpose of aiding the Directors in the winding up of the Company ' s ' affairs , but waB ; in reality , called for thepurposeof vilifying the characters of men , at least , as honest , in everyrespect , as their calumniators .
As ohebfthe Directors I feel it to be my duty to the shareholders iri the . p fovin ' ces _, as well as a duty which I owe ; to my . own character , to briefly . _give a statement of facts ih reference to the above meeting . ' [ . . ¦" , ' _.. ' In the first place , after a inonth _' _^ strenuous exertion on the part of the concbctorjB , in a town containing between five and six thousand shareholders , they were enabled to get a meeting of fifty-two , including , reporters , three directors , and four from Snig's End and Minster Lovel . But what will the provincial shareholders think , when they are told that ' they are amongst tbe _^ most vituperative of those who are so particularly interested in their welfare ?* one is not a member of t . h ' n _Conroanv . and another nas paid the astounding
amount of eight shillings and tenpence , but not one farthing towards thegeneral expenses of theCouipany ; another of the- principal movers in the affair has paid six shillings ,. but nothing tothe Expense Fund . Thus , it will be seen , that out of the four . de . legates , two have . paid , unitedlyi 1 « . 10 d ., anda third nothing ., : __ Then we had Mr . Beatie , who has done all he could to injure .-the Company , and John Gathard , who wrote to the Manchester manufacturers , to see if they would : advance him . the _. means of throwmg the Minster Estate into Chancery . : We also had a Mr . Kinross / fro ' m Snig ' s End , who . has been injured by being allowed to . live rent free _^ and , in addition , received the Aid money , for being kind enough jto occupy the Company's property . .
_£ "ib . conclusion , I ask the shareholders , generally , can they believe that these ' men are actuated by a desired to benefit tho Company , or . is there not a baser design at the bottom bf their : intrigues I 1 understand thatafter Mr ; O'Connor and the Directors had left they Were dehoiincedin no measured terms . The Directors are , however , conscious , of their own _integrity sai upright conduct towards the Company , and trust to time to set them right with the country . , ,. . ¦'' ,. ' ' . ' [ ' - * : ' - I am . _Gehtiemen , your obedient servant , _-.-Ui , High _miberh . * Wm _^ Dixoic .
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_~^ - _^ _xtCNl _* HsD . i : TB ] U ) BS ; : _^ 7 . s _^ T . S . f _"Ouxtfotfaj * , ' Iii , MiP . _* , Presideat , ; i _mi * i _* _w . _»>^" _* c _^ 1 -A . J _-ji _-. _j * i _-i * "'
~ \ ; : 'Xtia _^ d _tffo _:- ... ' _: ' ' . ]'" '" _" ' , ' _-MA _* j jtrsiiTiA . " - . ' » If it w » _v « _tAs _^ bli Vorr th _^ w _b rH _^ classes / by com . Dining : among _tKsmielvesjto ' _ralsei or keep up the general rate of wa _* je » , it need hardly b _«» _ald tbat this would be . a . t nujg met to be _piinishtd ; biit to be welcomed , and rejoiced ** ' •¦ '" ' - _.-. i : _*> . vi I : •• _*;•* ¦¦ ¦ _¦^• - «•* :- ¦ .. - ; / : * r , _fiTOABT . _lllli . The " Perrys " are driven to _^ desperation ; and are plunging themselves deeper and deeper into folly and disgrace : _; ; . * _-. _,., -j . So signally . and thoroughly beaten in ] _everyidisgraceful movement they , have resorted to , like the gambler staking _hisdast shilling , they seemed prepared to risk the last shred of : character for honour
orcommon sense , whioh their late proceedings had leftto ; theM _; .. 7 , , ,. ., , 77 . , Mr . Edward Perry having voluntarily submitted the whole of his case to the arbitrament of a bench of _magistrates , presided over ; by the , Mayor himself , an eminent . solicitor , and no : doubt assisted in arriving , at a- legal and equitable , judgment by the _* pwn Clerk , and possiblyby the magistrate ' s clerk , j j _^ ' / , the very man * who . drew up these one-? i' i _^ ' jraeefal documents ,.. now turns _^ _rojind ( backed by the opinion of some obscure third-rate chamber barrister , upon a case submitted , in which the main facts are carefully excluded , _andithoae which are introduced , . twisted and distorted to suit the palpable obiect in view—the nerDetration . -bv
sanction , of the law , of his . usurped power to rob his workmen oftheir hire , ) arid ' snaps his fingers at the tribunal of his choice , and refuses to be bound by its award , which he ; with his usual want of courtesy and delicacy , pronounces "invalid and unreasonable , ana contrary to justice and common sense . " An early opportunity willbe afforded Mr . E . Perry of showing cause why . he- should not be compelled to pay to his hired workmen the price which the magistrates have pronounced the standard of-the town ; , and-not'as Perry would wish it , the price once paid by him and his conspirators , and whiph the Tinmen have repudiated ; not the price lately or , now paid b y _* majority of the masters to a
miserable minority ; , of ; the . . Tinmen of Wolverhampton , but the pricp bonAfide paid to , and received b y , ; the S ' eat . bulk _;; of ; . the _Itinmen of the town , by , the _gest . andimost respectable , manufactorers . 7 It iB true that for the last nme years Mr . Perry and his friends hare usurped , the right to set up each his own standard of . wages , and circumstances have enabled them to force the standard down the throats of their workmen . . But ¦ this shall never happen again . We have opened to the Tinmen a chapter of the _Btatute law-. ' of England j and ha vo < . Bhown them , that .: to them appertains the right . _ofdetermjniiig the price ; of their own labour , and whatever price the majority of them fix on , is , and shall , in all future time , be the standard of wages in Wolverhampton .,
We insert Jlr . Perry ' s modest letter to the late Mayor , tbe case submitted to counsel , and that person ' s opinion thereon , and Mr . Robinson ' s answer to Perry ' s impertinent epistle . , . Z . ¦ . ' .: " TO OEORQB nOBINSON , ESQ . _/• Peab _Sirj- _^ I have already apprised you that my solicitor concurred with me in strongly impugning the opinion you expressed , on the part of yourself ( as Mayor ) , and several other magistrates , on' the 24 th ult ., relative to the matter wherein I have been prominently brought under public notice ; andi now beg to call your attention to the accompanying counter opinion of eminent counsel . 7 ; _V . The cohcl _* ' ding fs ' eh tence of yew late opinion strongly disposes me , to agree with Mr . Willes , that
it is probable the views you expressed were governed by a laudable desire to 'terminate these unfortunate , differences , ' by amicable recommendation , ' rather than by ' a judgment , founded on deliberate legal reflection ; and did it not happen that the opinion * _, thus uttered is calculated to aggravate and prolong the existing differences , instead of terminating or lessening them , I should certainly offer no objection to it on this account . That itis so calculated I have already had experience ; for its extensive circulation among the workmen , through the instrumentality of the itinerant Chartist delegates ; whom you lately honoured with a hearing , has given rise to demands which I am bound to resist , as contrary to law and justice as well as to the interests of myself and men .
" . That you should construe a covenant to pay my own scale of prices ( which are readily determined and defined , either by my books or _workrijen _' s evt denceof usage ) as a covenant to pay the prices of other individuals , must appear , even to yourself , on more mature reflection , as invalid as it is unreasonable , I feel convinced . But obviously contrary as this is to justice and common sense , it is far less so than the further' construction , that' I am bound , in thus paying the prices of others rather than my own , to pay ; not the average prices of the various masters , but the prices ofa minority of them—of two only ! It is clear , however , that on this point you pronounced your opinion under error as to a matter of fact ; for you intimated that the majority of the masters—• the other three '— -were ' aotingavowedly in concert' with me ; which _is _^ incorrect , inasmuch
as none ef the four adopt the same nominal prices . In answering , therefore ; the question— 'To whom are we to refer for the market price of the day Vas you have answered it , by saying not to Messrs . B . Perry and Son , not to Mr . Fearncombe , not to . Mr . Thnrstans , not to Mr . Edward Perryj but to Messrs . Walton and Shoolbred alone—the error as to fact , perhaps , accounts for the palpable injustice of the judgment . "I feel it due to myself and the workmen misled , or liable to be misled , by the self-interested demagogues , who have industriously circulated printed copies ofyour opinion , with comments oftheir own , to make publio the counter opinion received from counsel ; to which I shall , in justice , attach a copy ofthe case submitted ; and I trust you will not deem me guilty of discourtesy or disrespect in publishing _thisletter with them .
"I remain , dear Sir , yours respectfully , "Edwabo Perry "St . Paul ' s Villa , Nov . 14 th . "
CASK SUBMITTED 10 COUNSEI ,, " Mr . Edward Perry is an extensive manufacturer of Japan and Tin goods at Wolverhampton , and emp loys a great many workmen , most of whom are hired by written contracts , similar to the one sent herewith ; "Mr . Perry has hot altered the scale of wages which he has been giving his men for the last eight or nine years ; so that when a man enters his service he can immediately ascertain the uniform price paid to othqr workmen in his employment , either by referenoe to them , or by Mr . Perry ' s paybook—indeed ,- there is no diffloulty whatever on that score ; . The workmen havo lately been instigated by delegates from the Trades' Union , to try
to coerce Mr ; Perry to alter his prices , which are alleged to be lower than two others who have submitted to the men ' s list of prices . The workmen of Mr . Perry were well satisfied with Mr . Perry ' s prices , which are in some respects higher than those contended for ; but most of them have been seduced or frightened from his service , and are being supported by the Trades' Unionists . ' " The magistrates of the borough have in some instances committed men on these contracts for neglect of service . * The mayor of the borough entertains doubts as to the agreement for price amounting to more than a mere quantum meruit , and he proposes * to ascertain the quantum meruit , by reference to the two highest prices and not the four lowest * We presume an average ofthe whole
would be more likely to be the market price undei * the present circumstances ; which average the men have refused , at it would givo them a lower scale of prices than Mr . Perry ' s . " We submit the written agreement does not bear the Mayor ' s construction , and that the price is either to be ascertained by reference to what Mr . Perry ' s other workmen were receiving for similar articles , or it is void for uncertainty . But it may be said , that the present tense " now pays" must refer to the very day , and probably on that day he might pay nothing as he reokons once a week ; but we say the natural construction is the price he was in the habit of paying within a reasonable period up to that date , taking the notorious fact into account , oi his not having varied his prices for eight or nine
years . " The variety of articles in the trade is almost endless , and it might therefore happen , that the workman would be put to a novel job , and it would be impossible , of course , to refer to ascertained prices in the' oase of new articles—in such a case probably the Mayor ' s standard of quantum meruit would be correct , not for his reasons , but because the workmen might be considered as not then working under the agreement . . _. " You will please read the agreement with the Mayor ' s decision published by the workmen , and advise" Mr . Perry—whether the Mayor ' s _interpreta- _* tion of the contract be the correct one ? or , whether the agreement can be enforced by evidence of what other workmen were then , or about that time receiving for similar articles ! and whether the quantum meruit must prevail only whero there is no precedent or other standard , in consequenoe of the novelty ofthe articles ?"
opinion or COUNSEL . ; "lam of opinion that the Mayor ' s interpretation ofthe Contract is not the correct one . ; " indeed I think the Mayor cannot possibly _. have intended . to give it as a legal opinion , upon the construction ! of a contract to pay what Mr . Perry atthe time of the contract paid—that is , WM . _- » n the habit , of . paying other workmen—that , not wh ** . t he paid ; but _yhat other-persons paid is , ( in the very teeth of . the contract ) the amount payable between Mr .. Perry and his workmen , bound by such contract ., 1 think the Mayor could only have . meant . what he _. i . 3 ireported to have said ,-as an amicable _resonaoendation , _; It " requires notbipg , but a . plain _gsanunatioal construction ofthe words ofthe , _agi _^ _snenitr-in _which tbere is no & _lung ftmbigyo _^/ _m _^ i _^ _iuwit , or _*& _mtf , to
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call for any other sort of constrnction—to apply it to those _iwages : vrhichithe _ _other . wOrMeh _. imthe employ of . Mr . Perry at * this time were entitled to receive , ; which must'be ascertained by . what they had receired . The plain object of the contract is , that the workmen coming into Mr ., Perry ' s service should receive , what Mr . Perry had been paying other _^ w orkmen , and evidence of what other workmen-were then , or about that time ; receiving for similar articles , is admissable to settle the amount
to which a workman entering into such a contract is entitled . Where the work is novel , there the _*§^ ? does not apply as to prioe , and the value ot ; the , work done _, 6 a such novel articles ' is , to be Ra _-5 * _A ? - ? 9 _$ _?^ es think the prices actually _paidatthetimo by Mr . , Perry to other , workmen previousl y m his employ , and who had been paid or engaged to . work f at , a : certain price , in such cases form the proper standard . _^• 2 nner _Itoipl _^ _Stfi l _^ , 18 _^ - * _^ _" _^ " '
'At The Last Meetingof The Council, Mr. ...
'At the last meetingof the Council , Mr . Robinson , t he ex-Mayor , addressed ; the court as follows : — "Mr . Perry _| has' addressed a printed ; handbill to me ,, impugning the opinion which ( as Mayor ) I expressed , on behalf or . myself and the four other Magistrates who attended at the Public Ofiice on the 24-th of last month , to'hear the disputes between hipi ' . and' his , workmen , f I cannot think this a desirable mode of proceeding , because if ' all parties receivingopinions adverse to their own interests or wishes are to publish remonstrances , there will be almost ah * , end , to the use of civil tribunals . How-{ i . T _« > _{ . professho infallibility ; and during the short time that Ihave had ; to . ' sit as a magistrate . I have
always been most glad . when any opinion I was called upon to give could be the subject of appeal . In this matter Mr . Perry himself sought the interference of the magistrates he addressed a letter t ? Mo _£ s mayor desiring our ; interference , and he himself conveyed ' niy letter _^ ' to his foreman suggesting the ' interview . On receiving it , the workmen met and appointed certain persons , including two members of the Trades * Union , to attend with them . Mr . Perry was ' perfectly aware of these _re-BOiuiions _, and that he should meet these parties when he . came before us . Besides , it was reasonable thathis workmen , unpractised ih speaking , should be assisted , by any persons they thought competent . I 'dismiss , therefore , the . remark [ of Mr . '
I'erry , tnat , " we . honoured itinerant Chartist delegatesi with ta hearing , " as quite , inapplicable to the subject , Neither does it become , me now to say whether the opinion expressed by me oh behalf of myself and the other Magistrates is " likely to aggravate the existing ' differences , instead of terminating or lessening them , " , as Mr . Perry states in the handbill . / I can only say the Magistrates were influenced by the sincerest desire to effect a very different _seault , and , above all ; to do right and administer justice impartially . But , speaking now for myBelf ,. I do not admit the legal error attributed to me . It may be presumptuous in me to _&™ ' _P _* . opinion of mine contrary to that of Mr . _^ " . , _"T ° no of the most learned of men in the more abstruse departments of law of which the ¦ profession can boast—but justice is as much _resfulated by
the business , customs , and feelings of life , as by dry . anddusty pleading , and I do not seethe difference"between us . Mr . Willes appears . to be speaking of one thing and the magistrates ' [ p f another . The facts on which our opinion was given were these .: -It f was stated that Mr . Perry had about fifty , workmen then in his employ under agreements , ahdf ' tbat all the rest of his workmen had left him . Some of the . agrieements were stated to be as much as ten years old , and to vary in their term ' s . We understood that in some of them he engaged to give the wages " he then paid "—( " now pays" being the words );—and that in others of them he engaged to give the wages he paid . " to the other workmen in his manufactory . " I perfectly recollect saying
at tne time that if the agreements all varied , Mr . Perry might have as many different rates of . wages in ; his manufactory as there were contracts ; . ; and that with reference to such of them as did not refer to the wages ofan exact date , but to the wages " paid to other workmen" for the current time —( for all days during the period )—the question became one of quantum meruit : legally referable to the wages of other manufacturers , . when he ceaBed to have any workmen in his manufactory except those under such contracts ; an important fact , not stated in the case laid before Mr . Willes . And I adhere to that opinion , because Mr . Perry would otherwise make himself the'judge of the wages he should pay ; there would be no
independent standard . I adhere also to the opinion I gave , that the workmen had a right to refer to the wages paid by Messrs . Walton and Co ., and Messrs . Shoolbred and Co ., because , it 7 was expressly stated ( without the slightest contradiction at that time by Mr , Perry ) that the other tin-plate manufacturers in the town were acting in concert with him , ' except Messes . Walton and Co ., and Messrs . Shoolbred , and thatthey employed more than half the workmen of that trade in the town . I could hot entertain a doubt as to the conclusion to which any jury un suchevidonco would come , and where a magls _* . trate ia the judge of fact and law , he cannot exclude such a cbnsideration from his mind . Suppose , for instance , a workman , was put to work of an inferior
character to that which he expeoted and began with , and by which alteration he could earn only small wages . There might be a " grammatical " compliance with the agreement on the part of a master _^ but it would be a violation of its spirit , and no ; magistrate would think of committing in such a Case . On the other hand , is there to be no improvement and corresponding advance ? It is a mistake , indeed , altogether , to suppose that a magistrate is bound to commit : he may commit , abate wages , or discharge the servant . And suppose two years ago a man " engaged to work at certain prices , the price of that day ; and suppose Wages rise , and the man ' s fellow workmen get twenty per cent , more than he is entitled to ; and suppose the master still insists on his contract—what magistrate would like to commit in suoh a case ? I do not imply that such
questions as these apply to Mr . Perry : I only put them toshow that the " grammatical" words of an agreement are not every thing , and how difficult it ia to settle such arrangements by anything but the current wages of the day . I have referred to , this matter with great regret . I have no sympathy with Chartists or Trades' Unions , and no idea that wages can be settled by such associations or means . But magistrates cannot be influenced by such references : they can only administer the law to the best of their judgment , and trust to a fair and impartial interpretation of their conduct . It is in justice to the magistrates who so kindly sat with me , on the occasion to which I am referring , that I have noticed Mr . Perry ' s handbill , and I hope that I have not done so in one word more than was necessary . "
, We must leave Mr . E . Perry for this week . His worthy brother has especial claims upon our attention . . Ex-Town Councillor George Henry Perry , the . convicted misdemeanist , the catspaw of the hope and pride ofthe family , has been thrusting his paw among the burning _cheanuts ; he bas been over to France and inveigled ten live Frenchmen to _assist . him in trampling upon the rights of British labour . We venture to prophecy , that the Frenchmen , when they become thoroughly acquainted with
the disreputable position designed for them , will deem it an insult to their national honour , will consign the " beautiful brothers" to the region below , and compoltho " bruiser" either to send them back again , or pay them the standard wage of the town . This infamous proceeding has , as far . as we know , but one parallel—that of Caslon and Co ., the typefounders ; but we are quite sure that , the Tin Plate Workers of England will come forward as one man , and support this committee in defeating the damnable conspiracy . against British labour .
We held our fellow workmen of France guiltless of any dishonourable intentions ; We are sure they have been basely deceived and allured by false promises and false statements . We sincerely and heartily pity these poor fellows ; and if , aa we suspect , a wrong has been done to them , we will see if there is no possibility of making that wrong right . What , now , will the people of Wolverhampton think of their townsman—the rejected of St . Paul ' s and St . John ' s—tbe aspirant to the honourable office of a British alderman—this un-¦
English money-grubber ? How long is the respected ¦ namo of Thrustans to be polluted by a presumed . participation with this despicable faction ? Why , we should think there was enough of the John Bull about Mr . Fearncombe to induce him to repudiate the attempt to bring English labour to the continental standard . He who , when he worked as a journeyman at King ' s , in Cook-lane ,, was bo sturdy a stickler for the rights of labour—the foremost man in all the strikes and turn-outs of his day—who conceived himself an " oppressed individual" if he earned less than £ 8 for a week's labour . * To the members of this Association we are sure that the mere statement , of these disgraceful facts will call forth a stern demand upon this Committee to maintain , with undiminished energy , the struggle
they are engaged in against a couple of the meanest and most dishonourable tyrants that ever disgraced the name of employer . ... Wo have just reoeivedMr . Robinson ' s reply to Mr . Perry ' s letter , and counsel ' s opinion . We invite our members' attention to this important rejoinder . We think they will agree with' us , that the oase of the Tin Plate Workers is in a promising position , and * far beyond the reaoh of further damage fromthe Perrys , the lawyer , or the Frenchman to boot . ; ¦ - ? " _* eBtly bope that no molestation or insult will he offered to these men , but they will be treated with that kindness and forbearance due to . strangers , _Nothing . would' so mnch injure our position in its present favourable _aspeot , as any proceeding s which could be construed into a breaoh ofrthe law . We feel o _^ uite sure that a few days wiU bring us to a _mwnbmt victory *
'At The Last Meetingof The Council, Mr. ...
_BiBSMNOHAir , —We deeply _rdgrfit havin g to report another , shameful ; attempt v to reduce the wages , of one of Ae best and stauhchest bodies—the Thick Wire Drawers of Birmingham . A Mr . -Smith , sole _managei « to Messrs . Brown and Co ., of _Fayeley- _* . street , "Wire Drawers , is trying—by lessening the cost of production by any means , fair or unfairto undersell other hOliseB' in tbo trade ; and of course , the wages of labour presents itself as the item most convenient- upon which to try thecheap _« enmg process . . : ; Tb ? _dftails are too intricate to enable us to fully explain the case this week . It may be sumcient to state , that ihe Central Committee have taken tho most prompt and ehergetio means to repel this unjust aggression upon , the wages of the wire drawer * _.
and they have tne strongest nopes of a speedy and successful _isiue .. We shall enter fully into the question next week . The demand upon the space so kindly awarded us by the editor of tho _iStar , alone precludes us _frooi giving a full report this week . We rely with undiminished confidence upon a continuation by our members of that prompt and generous support which has enabled the Central Committee to maintain this protracted struggle in Wolverhampton . We can assure them it is no ordinary contest we are engaged in . We have taken : up and maiH _« tained a most important princip le—one hitherto little understood by the working classes , and treated with scorn and derision by the Perrys of trade— " the right and power of the working classes by combination , to fix the Value of tbeir labour . " We _haveshownthatthisoan be done constitutionally , and if it is so practicable in behalf of one trade
in ' one town , we cannot see why the trades of Great Britain should not carry out the principle to its utmost possible extent . We prove : the soundness of bur theory by the success of our practice ; and we are confident it will be soon seen , acknowledged , and acted on by the thousands who are now constrained , by want of this legal combination , to accept the miserable dole which the avarice of capital hflgrudgingly awards to its ignorant spiritless slaves . . iWe point the road to a glorious revolution for British industry , not , perhaps , to be achieved ina year , but if determinedly persisted in , inevitable in its results . We may adopt , with a slight variation , the spirit of those beautiful lines •—" _Labourfs . battle once begun , . Bequeathed by bleeding sire to son , . Though always lost , is ever won . " Then courage , lads ! there is hope in the future , there is certain victory for perseverance and bravery . William Pml , Seoretary . 259 , Tottenham-court-road .
"Temple-Street, Wolverhampton, November ...
"Temple-street , Wolverhampton , November 19 th . . " Dear _Peei ,, —On my return from Birmingham this morning I found the town in commotion , in consequence of Mr . G . Perry importing a quantity of _Frenehmen to supersede the labour ofthe residents , who desire only to receive the same price as is paid by Messrs . Shoolbred and Walton . ; " These importations show in deeper colours than all their former act ' s , the blackness of their hearts ahd'the wickedness of their intentions . "Themigrations of our own countrymen , through false and delusive promises , to these factories of decebiion , was of itself sufficient to arouse the latent
passions of a great body of the inhabitants to a grand demonstration of denouncement ; but this is a hundred-fold more dangerous in its nature to the welfare , liberty , and independence of the workmen of this town . It is a movement to terrorise , ' as it is to impoverish the poor , and reduce the inhabitants to a state of beggary . He that ia not for us 7 is _against us . He that hires foreign labour to supersede that of his own countrymen is as great an enemy to the nation as the bitterest foe without the dominions . If these men desire to Frenchify their work and their manufactures , let them , in the name of common sense and common justice to our common country , take themselves and their ill-gotten booty to foreign shores . . " This is another blow at the independence of
English labour , by one who bas risen—some few years ago—from the dunghill of nothingness . This wanderer , whebasbeen driven from the shores of America , and who was lately convicted in the full penalty and costs for assault , will not be allowed by Englishmen , whether unionists or not , to do just as he pleases in regulating the happiness or misery of the people of this town at his will . God forbid that ever England should be filled witb foreign labour , or that foreigners should be allowed to govern the prices of English labour . ' ¦ ¦ " I remember ¦ reading of riots , acts of parliament , and other methods being adopted to destroy the influence of a foreign power . 1 also remember _, on a recent occasion , of thousands of our fellowcountrymen being driven from the _shoresof France , because they competed with French labour .
" 1 hope that these men , juBt imported from Republican France , will not be the instruments of English oppression , or that they will allow themselves or their brave countrymen to be made the dupes and willing slaves of those whose only desire is revenge and the impoverishment of the people . "Dear Peel , these acts of tyranny and black oppression deserve the condemnation of all honest hearts , and the determination of all good and trim men to tread the system to dust as they wouiu ii » foulest monster .
"Good Heavens ! what , Frenchmen to be brought to the town of Wolverhampton to destroy all future prospects of Englishmen ! Will not this arouse the unionists of Great Britain to action , nnd beat down for ever tbe actors in this foul and base tragedy ? I cannot trust myself upon this question _, for its atrocity is of so black a character . But I do hope , that you who are far away away froa the scene , will lay before the public this monstrous injustice in all its naked deformity . There is no doubt but that they have been inveigled here by false promises , which , sooner or later , will ha brought to light , and recoil on the head of the deceiver with a tenfold severity . For , " There is a time wben men , oppressed , despised , ill-treated , and unfed , Will all their mighty vengeance hurl on their oppressor's head . " " I am , _dearTeel , yours , _& c „ " Thomas Winiebs
National Charter League. On Sunday Eveni...
NATIONAL CHARTER LEAGUE . On Sunday evening last , a meeting of this body was held at the Talford Coffee House , Farringdon . afreet . —Mr . T . Clark in the chair . Mr . Hunt de * livered an able and eloquent lecture upon that all absorbing question at the present time , namely , the appointment by the Pope of a Roman Catholic Hierarchy in England . At the conclusion of the lecture a spirited discussion ensued , in whicbMessrs . _Clai-k _, Arnold , Allnutt ,. ahd M'Grath took part . It was announced from thechair that Mr . _Beudali would deliver a" lecture on Sunday evening next _. im the " Life and Times of Oliver Cromwell . " ThB friends of free and enlightened discussion are respectfully invited to attend .
Councii . Meeting , Tuesday , November 19 tb , —This council , specially convened to consider the anniversary article of the ' Northern Star ' of Saturday last , the 16 tb inst ., resolveB : — " That with a view to tbe successful advocacy of the _Peopled Charter , it is essential that the press , which is the recognized organ of its doctrines , should be equal in literary power , truthfulness , temper , and political sagacity , to its contemporaries of opposing politics . That having , read tbe anniversary article inthe 'Northern Star' of tbe 16 th inst ., and knowing that journal . to be . the only authorised exponent of the sentiments of the Chartist party throughout tie country , this council has great satisfaction in expressing its entire approval of the sentiments and manner of that article , and in recording its
conviction , that such writing is indispensable to the credit s standing , and success of the cause .- '— " That the council tenders its thanks to the Editor , for the example which he'has thus set of true liberality , far his gentlemanly , temperate , and dignified mode of dealing with those whom he seeks to convert , through their convictions ,. but especially for the exalted tone which such literature must necessarily give to a cause deserving support of the highest intellect , and which it needs but such championship to secure . " -- ! ' That this council offers its _sincere congratulations upon the long-lived existence of the 1 Northern Star , ' and has to express its wishes that the proprietor and editor may both live to witness the triumph of that cause which they have so long struggled to sustain . " ' 7
¦ Weavers'turn-Out. —On Wednesday, The 3...
¦ Weavers ' Turn-Out . —On Wednesday , the 30 th October , upwards of 250 weavers in the employment of Messrs . Jonas Sharp and Son , of Prospect and Albion Mills , Bingley , struck work , in consequence of their employers reducing their wages from fivepence to twopence per piece , and requiring them to attend to two looms in placo of one . Subscriptions for the support ; of tho turn-outs ha _' ve been _Entered into at tho various factories in the neighbourhood , and among the public » t _'n _^ ith _vjsry successful results . A . crowded pub , o mec ' , n _„ upon the subject was held in _ttefl _^ J low" ll » _» on "MnnHiv evenine , _jSovember , Ibth . -Mr . C . Brown _^ n li _ablespeech , explained the object of theSec _£ rules , and _consUtut-onoUhe _. _Nauopal Trades Union ; after _. w _^^ _jfttiflo _^ pled _ging the meetmg to support tl ) Myrn _^ ffl _^ fflS _( _Mj )
_omting the formation of a Dr « _DMpiffl _^ Pr _^ _WWnion _» Lobd Nuobnt , _il'P _*> _JEw _^^ _Wfe _^ _WJ * _u _^ _jJ accounts received ia tow ? _f _^^^ h _^^ be in a tery _^^ _f _^^^^^^ _S _^ _g
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Nov. 23, 1850, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns3_23111850/page/5/
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