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I LETTERS FOR WORKING MJS*. French or En...
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LETTERS FOR WORKING MJS*. No. X1L—The Ro...
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THE. FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE. A few comnlete sets of the Fbiesd of the Peopix of !*>-,
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<&• All communications for tbe Editor mu...
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THE STAR OF FEEEDOM SATVKDAY. JUJLY 3, 1853.
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DECLINE OF CONSTITUTIONALISM. CANDIDATES...
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BATTLES OF THE CHUECHES. In boyhood we h...
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THE GENEEAL ELECTION. TH,* tj t P00R LAW...
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THE ASSOCIATION FOR PROMOTING TnE REPEil...
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' ii m ."".'.'. " * — THE O'CONNOR FUND....
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A Ship on Fire.—Southampton, June 30.—A ...
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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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I Letters For Working Mjs*. French Or En...
4 THE STAR OF FREEDOM . I ... ml ITTT _^ F _*\ \ m \ t ! { exteufc J 1
Letters For Working Mjs*. No. X1l—The Ro...
LETTERS FOR WORKING MJS _* . No . X 1 L—The Road io TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR OF FREEDOM . Sm , —When the Roman General ( I omit his name , that I may not be thought personal . It is well to be particular after the acquittal of Dr . Achilli . He waa a rascally swindler tco ) , was made Emperor by his guards , he was good enough to require an approving vote from the Roman citizens . They voted under cover of the ballot ( overlooked ) hy the legions , and I know not how many millions confirmed , his theft of the Empire . Tho number does not matter : ' _^ _TZ _^ tZi _^ Z _w »> _TtrnryciMG MEN !
there was , any way , so great a majority , that history speaks of his election a 3 the choice of the nation . Speaks rightly too : for this Roman was not destiny . Nor did ho work without tools . Those tools were first those who actively helped him , whether by their counsels , their _Bwords , or their votes , and next those who passively helped him , —whose apathy or cowardice ' preferred a sleeping partnership in villanyto say , martyrdom . ' After a while he sat comfortably , tolerably secure . The people , the lower orders , the artizans , & c ., found themselves none the worse , and at last hecame contented -with his rule . This is all matter of incontrovertible history . Well , what have
we to do with the conduct of these Romans ? I will tell yon . These Romans became slaves hecause they were withont heroism , without faith , without common honesty ; because they cared for any personal gain or comfort , rather thau for hononr ; because they thought mere principles were just grand ' sounding words / not by any means bo much worth toiling , and perhaps suffering for , as the material advantages of good wages and increase of victuals . They were indifferent to virtue , and so hecame the beastliest slaves of all recorded time . I speak of this because I see the same indifferentism eating out hearts here in England . I speak of this because that same indifferentism which led them to ignominy is reading us——where else but to ignominy ?
If -we haver no Louis Napoleon Jiere ( there must be a lowest deep ; somewhere ) we have a Prince President ' s private friend— intimate personal friend '—to conduct our foreign affairs , with a Prince President approver { Liberal Lord Palmerston ) hy way of antithesis , if Malmesbury should go ont ; and the friends of Malmesbury and Palmerston to conduct our horns affairs , with the murderer of the Bandieras as future leader of Her Majesty's Opposition . The last phrase is quite Constitutional . I have the utmost respect for what General Tom Thumb calls ' Gracious Majesty ; ' specially when her palace guest is a Prince of Naples , and her hononr so condescendingly brought down to the level of that butcher Rosas . It is true onr Government does not confiscate the domains of
Princes ; hut is that a reason why one hundred thousands persons daily in London should have no means of living , except beggary or crime : —is that a reason for heing content with the daily confiscation of the honest earnings of labour by our law-protected Free Traders , landlords , lawyers , and the like ? It is true we are not dragooned to the polling-booth to vote for a detestable government , or else to risk our lives , our fortunes , and our families in opposition to its decrees ; but are we not—six out of seven of us—dragooned away from the polling-booth , forbidden even the pretence of opinion as to what our government shall be ? However despicable its nature , however tyrannical its
acts—that is only a question of degree . Six out of seven of us are as completely under the thumb as ever France can be . We too are kept down by a garrison ; and when eur Liberals talk of enlarging the garrison , extending tbe franchise ; that is to say—the freedoms they will be able to take with the unenfranchised , it , i « only the English Constitutional form of doing the game thing which the French President does , —viz ., disposing of the people against their wills , and without caring a rash whether they have any wills at all Louis Napoleon would be as glad as Mr . Cobden to increase ! his ' garrison , ' for the safety of present institutions . *
In plain English , whatever difference there may be in the degree of slavery here and in France , it is only difference of degree ; and the cause in both countries is precisely tiie same—the atheistical , unprincipled , cowardly indifierence of the mas 3 of the people to any question from which they cannot reckon on an immediate gain . Bo not tell me of some occasional exceptions , such as the enthusiasm in 1839 for the People ' s Charter . I know of more admirable exceptions , too , in France . But they do not in either country alter the fact , that at this present moment the masses are kept down , not so much hy the power of aristocracy or despotism , as by their own
miserable inertness and indifference to principle . There is not a hard word ( and not the hardest nnjnst ) that I have here thrown at Frenchmen hut what I wish through them to reach at English hearts . Step by step we are descending to an ignominy deep as that of France . We need not pride ourselves against her . Actually within the last few months the only lessons of morality which have heen uttered by our public teachers have been some odd expressions of the tyrannous old Tories , and an occasional good word from the ruffianly * Times . ' Our liberals teach as anarchy and cowardice , setting ns examples of dishonesty ; duty is altogether a word ' that passeth all understanding' of either priest or politician . Manchester has its high school of unadulterated
Atheism—the only unadnlteration it can boast of . Even an eminent constitutionalist , a man of rare personal integrity like Professor Newman , will tell us only that ' we ought not to be too timid '; that ' at least we should speak truth '; and if compelled to war for truth 'becareful not to attack neutrals , '' nor volunteer to extend the war beyond its most inevitable geographical limits . ' Everywhere is the same cowardly donbt of Right , which always walks—no , crawls—between , what Milton calls , * a precipice of mischief on either side ; and starting at every false alarm , we do not known wbich way to set a foot forward with manly confidence and christian resolution , through the confused ringing in our ears of panic scruples and amazements . ' And among the people —the classes who toil and suffer—the slave
classes—( there are none worse under Louis Bonaparte)—the teaching is the same . Even anguish and resentment . fail to rouse them . Eat , drink , grumble , dispute about words , ( political or theological ) as a sort of poor and cheap amusement , doubt each other , despair of justice or progress , disbelieve in God , dip deeper , if it be possible , in the ' Slough of Despond , ' and then die in your misery : this is tbe philosophy ofthe hour—its rascally , disastrous doctrines , against which it behoves every true man to set his face , bis hand , his firmest life . Now , what else but _cowardliest , beastliest apathy can prevent tbe working classes of this conntry from protesting ( as I have proposed , or
in some such manner—I do not stickle for my own plan , if any one else will produce a better ) against the misrule to which they are subject ? What great difficulty , what great trouble , what great self-denial , what great cost , to poll in every locality , not for this or that little known , or too well-known candidate , bat against such and such candidates , one and all , as refuse to recognise and help the vindication of oar principle of the right of every man to political freedom ? What should hinder so easy a protest 1 Where are the two millions who signed their names before ? Let them hold up their hands again , where they can be seen and tested , in their own townsat their own doors .
, Is that little extra work too much for our English patriots ? For shame ' s Bake , then , let ns cease to reproach the slaves on the other side of the water . At worst , we are not quite tongue-tied ; we can meet openly , and say as openly to this and the other ruler : you rule by force , not in virtue of our choice . Here shall our public protest be as the first stone east against you : the solemn condemnation of your pretence at representing us , the sentence which our bands shall make good . One such condemnation of a General Election would reinforce that old , long-blunted weapon—the people ' s right of petition ; shake , like a thunder-burst , unjust privilege from its seat ; frighten fhe expediency-mongers and the tricksters into the
straight path of right ( whether they would like it or not ); sod bring together , as with a trumpet _Bnmmons _, the real strength of England to lay the broad foundations of a people's freedom—the freedom of the whole people—the nation so rendered capable of health , of just and noble life , of honour and of strength for ages ; Are we capable of this ? Or has the plague of indifferentism so eaten into our hearts that nothing can rouse us to . recovers *? Nothing ? Oar folly shall not escape so easily . Who will not work cheerinUy shall be scourged to work . The tasks of life are not tobe _>^ _glected with impunity . If we will not ransom ourselves * am Btoth , if _* e refuse patriotism when ; patriotism is so t _« lw . ii lniaot _** k destinies will whip us into action ; and taMX y 9 t fin * a shop to match the plague of Franoe
Letters For Working Mjs*. No. X1l—The Ro...
French or English , indifferentism bears tbe same fruit ; the selfish denial of duty is a enrse , and all curses , as the proverb hath it , ' ever return home to roost . ' Let us scare tbis one away from England ! _Spartaccs . _Frsnc-h _w _Vnov , _^ . in m . _™» i ™ _hMrs tha same fruit ; the
The. Friend Of The People. A Few Comnlete Sets Of The Fbiesd Of The Peopix Of !*≫-,
THE . FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE . A few comnlete sets of the Fbiesd of the _Peopix of !*> _-,
Ad00412
stitched In a wrapper , are on sale . Trice One snuung auu _at-v _*»~~ each set . Odd numbers to complete sets to be had of the publisher . THE RED REPUBLICAN ASD „ FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE . _N / First Scries } I A very few seta of the Red _REroitacAK and Fbie *) of the PeopTX , 1 S 51 , neatly bound in cloth , one vol ., price 6 s . Gd ., may oe haa or the publisher . * „ . „„ . _ London : James Watson , 3 , Queen ' s Head-passage , Paternoster . raw
Ad00413
GOLD ! GO ! D ! GOO *' _R ATIONAL GIFT SOCIETY ll FOR EMIGRATION TO AUSTRALIA , Office , 13 , Tottenham-court ( thirteen doors from Tottenham-court _, road } , New-road , St . Pancras , LondOD . The late gold discoTeries in AustraliaT « tia the great want o » labour experienced iu both the _asricultural and commercial districts consequent on that fact , calling loudly for an extension ot the means of emigration to that country , it is proposed that a number of working men should associate together , and by the guts ot ONE SHILLIXG _EA-CH , A cei tain number should be enabled without expense to themselves
Ad00414
The Cheapest and Best Excursion of the Season * T 1 TEEARY INSTITUTION , JOHN STREET , Jj FITZROY SQUARE . In consequence of the great satisfaction given on the _l-. _st occasion , and also that large numbers of friends were unable to obtain Tickets , the Committee have decided upon a Second
Ad00415
TO THE ELECTORS OF WESTMINSTER . Gentlemen , HAVING been assured that you are not prepared to allow your political rights to 1 e disposed ol , " as by private contrac * , I pledge myself thatyou shall have an opportunity of recording your votes in favour of aa independent _candidate . As time is precious , I proceed at once to lay before you a brief statement of my political opinions . A Radical Reformer on the broad principles of religious , civil , and commercial freedom , I contend that the people is the only legitimate source of power , and tbat , as all wealth is the produce of labour , the workman _shouldjmrtake of the fruit of his o » n _industry . ¦ In Parliament I shall vote for Manhood Suffrage , the Ballot , Annual Elections , Equal Electoral Listricts , and the Abolition of Absurd Property Qualifications . A Free Trader in the fullest acceptation of the term , I hope to see a truly liberal policy adopted in our relations wiih foreign countries : for in the close and intimate alliance of the peoples will be found the surest bond of universal peace . I am , gentlemen , your obedient servant , Reform Club . June 22 . Wigwam Cosingbak .
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TO THE INDEPENDENT ELECTORS OF THE BOROUGH OF NOTTINGHAM . riENTLEMEN , —In soliciting the honour of your VX Totes at the next Election , I am bound to give an explicit declaration of my political opinions ; and , in so doing- I shall endeavour to avoid that disgraceful quibbling and vague generalities so frequently resorted to in Election Addresses . Such , for example , * As I am for a liberal extension , & e ., ' without saying how liberal or how far ; 'lam for tbe gradual reform of abuses in Church and State , * without saying how gradual ; or where the abuses are ; 'A friend to a sound and religious Education , ' meaning nothing and applying whatever you please to imagine . But with regard to myself , I frankly , and _undfrgutaedly declare that I am fer Manhood Suffrage , considering the man even as a mere animal more worthy to be represented than even the Ten-pound House or the Forty-shilling Freehold . I am for the Ballot , as an expedient to preserve Electors from thc intimidation or undue influence of Landlords , Cotton-lords , and
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TO THE INDEPENDENT ELECTORS OF THE BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK . nENTLEMEN , —As a Reformer and one of vl yourselves , sympathising with the interest and progress of the Industrial _Classes , actively engaged in Manufactures and Com . merce , and for many years resident in the Borough of Southwark , I beg respectfully to acquaint you that , incompliance with a numerously signed Requisition , I am induced to solicit the honour of your suffrage at the ensuing General Election . FREE TRADE-CHEAP BREAD . Extension of the Suffrage . Equitable Arrangement of Electoral Districts . The transfer of tbe right of returning Members of Parliament from decayed or corrupt boroughs to populous constituencies . The Ballot and Short Parliaments . No Property Qualification . Freedom of the Press , Cheap Law , and Speedy Justice . Probate and Legacy Duty to be charged upon Landed as well as other Property . Income Tax tobe discontinued , or revised , charging an equivalent in Amiuity | value , according to tbe number of years purchase , of Profession , Trade , or fixed income . _ftnafama Reform .
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<&• All Communications For Tbe Editor Mu...
_<&• All communications for tbe Editor must be addressed to Ho . 4 , _Brunswick-row , Queen _' _s-equare _, Bloomsbury , Louden . _ ¦ _& _T Orders , applications for placards , & o ., & c ., must be addressed to John Bezer , ' Star of Freedom' Office , 183 , _^ _et-street , London . All money orders to be made payable to Jobn Bezer , at the Money Order Office , Strand . .. _ . „ , . t „ . „ News-agents and friends desirous of _exhibiting Bills of Contents will have them sent post-free on forwarding their address to the pub-Usher . t \ W We are compelled to postpone a number of notices to correspondents until next week- .. , . . _, _ . . Monies Received iob the Befdmes , and which have been handed to the Committee :-W . Blackwell _, Is . ; A _Fneni near Bland _, ford . Dorset , 2 s . ; Edinburgh , per Mr . M'Kechme , £ 1 ; Newcastle-on Tyne , per Angus _Si'Leod , £ 1 Us . 2 d . ( Nanus next _TVpglr \ J , Coxpan , Halifax _.-Press of matter compels the postponement of your letter .
The Star Of Feeedom Satvkday. Jujly 3, 1853.
THE STAR OF FEEEDOM SATVKDAY . JUJLY 3 , 1853 .
Decline Of Constitutionalism. Candidates...
DECLINE OF CONSTITUTIONALISM . CANDIDATES FOR THE SEW PARLIAMENT . Our respected contemporary , the ' Leader , ' of last Saturday , contains some rather doleful lamentations , in its _leading 'Editorial , ' on the Decline of Constitutionalism . It urges that , ' Those who are anxious for the maintenance of Constitutionalism in Europe —who are anxious for its bare existence—should exert themselves to maintain it while there is yet time . ' Now , considering that to Constitutionalism , at least to its regal representative , William III ., of
' pious , glorious , and immortal memory , who saved us frem Popery , brass farthings , and wooden shoes , ' considering , we say , that we owe to this champion of Constitutionalism the National Debt and the Funding System , not to speak of kindred blessings conferred by his and successive Constitutional Governments , we by no means share the anxiety of the ' Leader , for the preservation of . this preciouB ism ' s bare , existence . We believe Constitutionalism to be an arrant humbug , and shall exult over its extinction . With the ' Leader , ' we do not believe that despotism can permanently sustain itself . We look for the not distant triumph of the opposite extreme . Be . that as it may , we think with our contemporary there is already
assured to some _Blacksiojje , De Lolme , or Gibbon , the materials for a History of the Decline and Fall of Mixed Governments and Constitutional Monarchy , One of the * signs of the times' that seem to indicate the rottenness of Constitutionalism , even in this , the land of its native growth , is the character of the administrations that have recently held the reins of power . Notwithstanding the intellectual superiority of' Sir' E . Peel ' s Government , it was essentially a Government of expediency , and not of principle , 'Lord'John Eussell's was the mere shadow and pale imitation of its predecessor . As to the present Administration , it is without parallel as a government of compromise , tricky evasion , and embodied fn . lsp . bond .
But , as remarked in another article , Ministers are but the reflex of Parliament . The feebleness of the late , combined with the falsehood of tho present Administration , very faithfully represented the leading characteristics of that House of Commons which has just been extinguished . Will the next Parliament be any improvement ? We doubt it . We are rather inclined _^ to think tbat , should some half dozen candidates be rejected , the new Parliament will exhibit tbe very dotage of Constitutionalism . What then ? What must follow ? Death . Perhaps , as ' Lord' Maidstone predicts , ' the Deluge . " A few words as to a very few of the Candidates worth notice . First , the long tried friend ofthe People ,
T . S . DUNCOMBE , FOR FINSBUEY . A man who has never faltered in his devotion to the popular cause , and whose only needs have been health and adequate popular support . Comparatively silent during two or three sessions ; the cause thereof was bodily incapacity , not want of will . Happily his health is now much amended , and if the people desire to move , they will find in Duncombe no unwilling leader . During the last fifteen years his name haa been linked , and usually his voice associated , with every measure tending to promote popular welfare . His bold avowal of Chartist principles in the House ,
in answer to the taunts of the people ' s enemies , his untiring advocacy of national Parliamentry Eeforni , his philanthropic pleadings for the miners , the factory workers , the frame-work knitters , tho victims of the truck system , and other sections of suffering humanity ; and , last not least , his unmasking of the traitor Graham , and vindication of the honour of England from the damning stigma of Post-Office espionage , and the murder of the Bandiera , cla m for him not merely the votes of Finsbury , but the suffrages of the country at large . Men of Finsbury , it is your duty to elect _Dvmombv : b y Universal Suffrage at the hustings , and in the subsequent contest it will be your duty to place him at the head of the poll .
We much regret the retirement of Mr . Wakley but we will speak of that gentleman ' s services when we know his successor .
WILLIAM NEWTON FOR THE TOWEE HAMLETS is unmistakeably the people ' s choice . With a large number , we trust a majority , of the electors pledged to vote for him , he has that which no other candidate in the borough can boast of , the unanimous support of the Non-Electors . The return of William Newton will be in this election the noblest triumph for the working classes , and therefore should every working man in the Hamlets , not heart and soul a slave , labour in this cause until the close of the struggle — labour unweariedly day
and night—to obtain by every legitimate meaus the votes of the electors for labour ' s candidate . To the electors we would say the people ' s choice , if he requires your votes , will be the pledge of reconciliation between you and tho unrepresented . The disunion of the middle and working class has often been deplored by middle class reformers . You have it in your power to show that you desire union , by giving one vote to Newton , voting for whoever else _vaLroav please . As regards the other _candidates _^ _The rejection of Clay the Whig , and Butler the choice of ' publicans and sinners , ' is earnestly to be desired . Of the remaining two , George Thompson would be the best selection ; but whoever may be No . 2 , let every nerve be strained to carry Newton triumphantly into the House of Commons .
CONINGHAM FOR WESTMINSTER should be tbe ory of every elector , who desires to restore the ancient city of the Minster ' s reputation for patriotism ; and of every non-elector who desires his emancipation from politioal and social thraldom . Coningham is no half-and-half man , babbling about ' extension , ' and ' wide extension , ' of the Franchise , He will vote for Manhood Suffrageand nothing less .
, What is at least as important he will vote for , and advocate Eocial justice for the wealth producers . Coningham is at once a true Reformer and a Con Bervative of the best kind , for he would give the peoplo real Reform , and thereb y conserve society from convulsion and dissolution . Let every true friend to progress exert himself to rally the electors of Westminster to the support of the people ' s candidate and and substitute for sham and shoy-hoy _, Coninykam as the Radical member for Westminster .
We have not space to notice the other metropolitan candidates , except to observe that the City will prove its unchangeable rottenness _andjworship of the golden calf . The late _repreaent _^ tivejior Marylebone will be again elected without _opjpoBSwB |* In Lambeth the ' resident candidate ( dear , delightful bosk I ) having withdrawn from the contest Mr . W . Williams—a useful man and D'Eyncourt—an irreclaimable Whi g will be re-elected . In Southwark Apsley Pellatt promises to take the place and improve upon Alderman Humphrey . Ofthe country candidates we can only say that we hope Sturgeon will be returned for Nottingham . It is true we know not much of him , nothing beyond his _declaration of principles , but they appear to be
_wmrABOioai . Of the other candidate _^ Walter , Gibborne , and Strum we know too much , and vb . icb . eTer may be elected Nottingham will be _miare-
Decline Of Constitutionalism. Candidates...
presented at least to the extent of oae vote in the now PArliftmfint . K _!!^ L *' l 6 ast t 0 _the of oae _Toteinthenow
GODERIOH FOR HULL ! Is the enthusiastic cry of tbe Badical _Ifefonners of that great Seaport . His fello w-candidate ; Mr . Clay will be , as he has been , an able representative of the existing constituency . But 'Viscount' _Goberich will represent the uon-electors as well as the electors . Our ultra-Democratic convictions lead us naturally to doubt mere professors of patriotism and' aristocratic » adventurers , who occasionally masquarade in tho
character of loud-talking demagogues ; and , therefore , we have been slow to welcome this future member of the * Upper House . ' Bat his generous support of the engineers , and his chivalrous readiness to engage in every struggle calculated to advance the welfare ofthe people at large , have satisfied us that no better patriot is , at this moment , in presence of the British people . Young , enthusiastic , and ardent in the pursuit of truth , he is precisely the man to face and fight the supporters of injustice and the enemies of right . But for bribery , tho Tory candidates would not have the shadow of a shade of chance . Watch
tbe corruptionists , men of Hull , and vanquish them with the weapons of honesty and truth . England will hail with joy your victory , if you carry Goderich to the seat of Andrew Marvel ,
Battles Of The Chueches. In Boyhood We H...
BATTLES OF THE CHUECHES . In boyhood we have often pondered over the recital of tho bloody feuds of past ages , and have grieved that the most cruel and relentless of these sanguinary struggles should have had their origin in the disputes of rival Churches and jealous sects . It is , indeed , painful to contemplate tliese 'holy' wars , to see men ' s passions so inflamed that they were ready to butcher their brethren for some difference in theological opinion ; too often but in consequence of a puerile and _absurdjquarrel about a mere name , or the
significance of a word . We deplored the ignorance and brutal ferocity of those times of the past , and joyed that we lived in a time when higher and holier sentiments had taken possession of the minds of men—when the spread of knowledge , and the growth of intellect had effectually , aud for ever , ended those irrational combats , aud taught men to recognise the right of all tbeir fellow creatures to worship their creator in conformity with the dictates of their conscience ; not to accord them thiB in tolerance , but from a respect for the opinions of others , how different soever they might be from their own .
But , alas , for the ' march of intellect ! ' the events of the past week have shown but too clearl y how far we had erred—how far from the recognition of the justice of freedom of opinion is the mass of the people . The disgraceful conflicts at Stockport are indicative of the deep darkness that rests on the minds of multitudes , and of the brutal and degrading passions that ignorance creates and developes in the minds of men . There is much subject matter for thought iu these
occurrences . Can tho Miuisters of the Christian religion—the priests of every oue of the numerous sects into which Christendom is split , or any one of them—havo done their duty , and really endeavoured to infuse the Christian spirit into their flocks ? If they have endeavoured to do so , they certainly have not succeeded . Those . among them who are most zealous in defence of the dogmas of their various Churches , are also the most intolerant of all others , aud most uusympathising with their non-conforming _KrAtlirfiTi .
There musk be something wrong in the manner of procedure of all the teachers . Undoubtedly many of them are conscientious earnest men ; but it may be they have not gone the right way to work . They have sought faith rather than intelligence—they have sought to inspire respect for -words and symbols and unintelligible formulas , rather than to awaken the reasoning powers of their followers , and to build up knowledge , whereby their doctrines might be applied . They bave thus tried to engraft the dogmas of their Churches upon the sterile minds of the ignorant ; with what result the Stockport riots show .
Principles alone can save the world , dogmas never can . What a great and glorious opportunity the Ministers of religion have had for the moral aud intellectual elevation of the human race—have had and lost 1 Had they had any desire to do so , they have had in their hands the power to really educate the people , to disclose to them all the treasures of the book of knowledge , and by thus developing their mental powers , make them capable of feeling real religious sentiments—sentiments worthy of the religion of Christ .
But the so-called Christian priesthood have never done so . Instead of endeavouring to educate the people , and to raise them from their degradation and ignorance , they have been the most determined opponents of all progress , the unvarying foes of intelligence and freedom , and the aiders of every tyranny . They have long since forgotten or concealed the religion of Jesus of Nazareth , the pure and holy religion of Liberty and Equality , and have raised in its place an unrighteous system of corruption and falsehood , a priestly conspiracy against the mental and physical freedom of humanity . They are not the servants of Christ , for their every word and
deed belies the very principles of Christianity . Are they Christians who . oppress unhappy Eome , and keep down the suffering peoples with the bayonets of the brutalized slaves of their unprincipled allies ? Are they Christians who pour tbeir benedictions upon the blood-stained and perjured bandit who has robbed the French peoplo of their liberties and of their property — numbers of them , of their lives ? Are they Christians who are now making so many exertions to awaken a civil war in the Swiss Confederation , and to destroy the republican liberties of the Swiss people ? Are they
Christians who , in our own country , incessantly pray for the welfare and prosperity of those whose welfare and prosperity is the misery and wretchedness of the toiling millions—who live luxuriously while thousands of their fellow creatures are without a crust of bread ? No ! none of these time-serving priests are priests of Christianity , which is the religion of humanity . It is because they are not so that their teachings have had the effect of raising in the minds of those they addressed only brutal ferocity and intolerance , and not a single aspiration for freedom and happiness for the human family .
True religion should inspire the people with a desire to become nobler and better , and determine them to labour for the liberty and enlightenment of their fellow-men . We believe that no such desire existed in the mind of even one of the actors in the affray at Stockport on Tuesday night . Only the basest and foulest passions bad a place in their bosoms , and , naturally , their actions were base and foul as the sentiments by which they were actuated . Had these wretched Protestant fanatics had education , knowledge , that they might have seen their own slavery and desired freedom , the energies which have been directed in so evil a cause might have been enough to have acquired liberty for themselves and for others .
As it is these , ignorant and degraded men , who have so much zealous hatred towards another class of fanatics like themselves , would not stir a finger to overthrow the tyrannical enemies of the human race , and to ensure the triumph of human freedom . A change must be wrought before Democracy can nnally conquer . Ignorant _faction-fighters and the priests of bigotry and intolerance muBt give place to priests of the reli gion of Humanity , and soldiers of the cause of the people .
The Geneeal Election. Th,* Tj T P00r Law...
THE GENEEAL ELECTION . TH , * tj t P 00 R LAW _REFORM . _« . _B ? _- w An , endment Act , when introduced into . _Parliament by the Government of the day , was resisted by the H ouse of Peers . Lord Broughamthen _Chancellor—upon his knees implored the House J ? P" ? _T e mea sure and in this he was supported by the . Bishop of London , according to whose dictum it was to have been a second Reformation . ' _Eighteen years have passed away , and it is not easy to discover the practical good that has emanated trom the establishment of the Poor Law Commission ; although , during tbat period , the department has cost the country about two millions of money . . ihe real grievance at that date was to be found in Vn < TVi PariBh Settlement—it remains there * X * _kM me tem _i- _& you , " says Mr . Disraeli , that while the ownerB and occu iers of land have
The Geneeal Election. Th,* Tj T P00r Law...
been advised to employ ' _moTTiT _""—^^ _S _^ . tal , their efforts _aiJ _^ tS _^ ' an < _W _^ the v ol ) j tof w _™ ft tf y _£ o c _od _^ _j - of Labour and Capital Bpfi _. _™ the applim ? ' advice , why do _yoKo _deaU * h _ffi f _^ St ment . For five" years we hav _££ t _^ ' _? 4 employing more labour , when you & _tti , h no code in your Statute Book , wS _mT _«» ci 2 forces us to employ the least effi _^ f _^ «• » 2 _ihis w no figure of speech , for it ' s , „ _iret ! _itSTer of «> e operation of fte p !> _atett and yet the Commission , with its 1 ] 1 „ v ? I * w _Kfr _^ _M _™* "" thing to _S _?? « in _« i : iiQ «/ . _ai _)„„ „<¦ _, i . _Tn . __ t _i _* . _" - » 'iieevil been advised toemnW r , . , "~~ _— == 5 _^
c \ t . . its mild _* 8 t form ; for ? throuri'S , "ag ain » t of this W i „ the rural districts a Str - 1 Plli _^ cised over the labourer ' s wages ; and Zu i * _*« _- pnetors , to keep down rates , and _^ _sust n ?( 1 _^ stroy every cottage upon their estatP " ' _^ workpeople are forced to reside in c 0 veil * H _crowed villages , and in still « w ™ ° _^ _J _?^ and m pestilential places producing nSm _, v »' lera and typhus , at an expe nse _% _, _fitn _% »¦ Southwood Smith of £ _Wi £ m _ST _^ reference to the assistance of the horoita I «! f 1 ( Mlt _twpoU _* . Combined with this Kel , h _}*?*• tional fact that tbis crowding into pestiferous n _??' bourhoods is producing a rapid degradation _S' 8 h " race . s " , luun ot 0 _ut The clearance system , adopted by the kndoWnn „ answers the purpose of the traders and C » _f" ?' rers _, who take advantage of this unhealthy _S " _l jtuuui _njuuutj tne Vl
. u , price of wa _^ _es thronwii * •* _' "•' petition for employment thus br _^ _Tf _&^ when disabled , or no longer useful for the ± 0 * _f . profit , an effort is then made to shuffle tliem 0 ? f ° the landlords to maintain . Out of this arise , Sk tion almost endless , and both adopt the m 0 Sf ! ga ' hensible means to frustrate present , aud Lit future , settlements . t 0 av ° "i The plea of incapacity may , but the plea of i »„ ranee will not , serve the department , for thev K within theso few years had the advantage of _{ cial commission , with Mr . Gilbert _A-Beci-eh _*' principal , to inquire into this particular branch 2 thelaw , and yet no effort has been made to subm ? to parliament a remedy for so momentous an Cvi The plea of incapacity will hardly rescun it from tho difficulty , for they have had submitted n _™ propositions to remedy the disease from per ? whose only object has been to mitigate au eviltW frightful beyond exaggeration . u
_% Among the candidates for parliamentary _diatiuc tion , two appear to have paid some attention to thi " subject , and it forms part of their address On ! seeks the representation of the eastern part ofthe metropolis , and the other is a candidate % ]]\ combe ; of the two , the latter appears to best com ! prehond the mode of treating the matter , for he says ' ' I hold it as a sacred principle , that the poverty 0 f the _^ nation should be relieved by the property ofthe nation without reference to districts , except in tho management . '
Time and circumstances are most favourable for the purpose of demanding a remed y to correct the mis chief that this law propagates , The dissolution ol parliament sends present members to the _liustiims and the constituencies have the opportunity of hi _structing their candidates that their seats will be _' thoas of thorns , until this law is obliterated from the Sta tute Book . —Correspondent .
The Association For Promoting Tne Repeil...
THE ASSOCIATION FOR PROMOTING TnE REPEil OF THE TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE TO THE ELECTORS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM . _Feuow _Countrtmen , —In a few days your suffrages will be asked to renew tho term of your Parliamentary liepres _* entatives . While you demand of yonr candidates p ' _o _^ es for fm Trade and Parliamentary Reform , do not fort-el that the Palladium of Liberty is the Freedom of tho Press , and tba t the stamp is to the newspaper what the bra _* . d is to tlio slave . Remember that despotism _throughout Europe is _syslematio in _loading this safety-valve of nations with penalties , fines , and restrictions .
In the debate on the Taxes on Knowledge , the Tory government dared not defend tlie stamp by argument ; the Whig Attorney-General voted for its repeal ; Lord John Rusaell and Sir James Graham stayed away ; and no wc tropolitan member voted for ita retention , while elevca voted for its abolition . The division on the newspaper stamp gives ( including pairs ) , _*—
FOR THE REPEAL AQAISSI . Votes 106 202 . AVe most earnestly urge all friends of freedom , order , and progress , to vote for no candidate who will not pledge himself to the immediate abolition ofthe newspaper stamp , and of the advertisement duty . Signed , by order of the Committee , and on iheir hfihalf
Francis Place , Treasurer , Temple Lodge , Hammersmith . J . Alfred Novello , Sub-Treasurer , GO , Beanstreet , Soho . Richard Moore , Chairman , 25 , Hart-street , Bloomsbury . C . Dobson Collet , Secretary , 20 , Great June 10 . Coram-street , Brunswick-square .
' Ii M ."".'.'. " * — The O'Connor Fund....
' ii m . "" . ' . ' _. " * — THE O'CONNOR FUND . A Welchman ( Newbridge , G / atnorganshiro ) 2 s , 6 f .
A Ship On Fire.—Southampton, June 30.—A ...
A Ship on Fire . —Southampton , June 30 . —A singular circumstance bas recently taken place at this port . The bark Pollux , Captain Everson , having arrived last week from Buenos Ayres , consigned to Messrs . Twynbam and Co ., went up to Redbridge to _discharge her freight , which consisted of equal portions of calcined bones and animal guano , the former composing the lower tier of the cargo . On Thursday last the hatches were opened , and it was tit em ascertained that tbe ship and cargo were on fire , spontaneous combustion having taken place jus ' about the centre of tbe vessel . " How long the fire had been in progress it was impossible to ascertain . Application was at once made to Mr . Stebhinff _, th
agent for Phillip ' s lire annihilator _, who proceeded to experiment upon the burning mass . After repeated applications of this invention , the hre was en « tirely extinguished by Monday , but not before considerable damage was done to the vessel , the beams athwart ship being destroyed , & c . Not mote tlm ten to fifteeen tons of the cargo have bam dam' _- _'g _^ . and the expense of the _aunihilators used fo subduing the conflagration , or rather the smouldering of tne cargo , is estimated at not more thau f 12 > ' ~ : The neighbourhood of lledbridge was much _aumf- by the highly offensive and noxious effluvia u"f = from the burning of the animal substances _coutautM in the vessel . It may not be generally known taw large importations of calcined bones and animal gu _»
from Buenos Ayre * are taking place in _Southamrj for sale as manure . The guano is mado in tllCP 1 ? an of Buenos Ayres from the carcases of cattle o' , kinds , which , after skinning , are burnt , the bop , the animals being used as fuel , both the _caiw bones and burnt carcases being afterwards slupPeQ considerable quantities to Europe as manure . A Ship Sunk at Sea by a Whale . — A _JJfjj pondent furnishes us with the following n & nra _«¦ _« a very extraordinary occurrence : — " On j ae g ( the English brig Crusader arrived at Coves fro " Jago do Cuba , and landed the captain and cie _^ the French brig Pauline , Le Chevalier m _» steI' appears from tbe statement of the captain that ° l > 7 _th _nflaot _mnntk ... _UMot- _„„ _tliaS .. naBB . 'UH _*! _ffOllU .,,
Rico , in longitude 40 . 10 W . of Paris , and _latitat _^ 30 N ., with a cargo of sugar , bound to H _» _| '' _^ eleven o ' clock a . m ., whilst under easy sail , the - a new ship of 400 tons , well built aud fouuoi _^ struck by a monstrous whale on the bow , a »» damage was so great that the ship filled als 0 " _^ _a diately . Finding that nothing could bo done w » - _^ her , the captain and crew , consisting of ten mc _^ a passenger , hoisted out a boat , in which , alter _^ ing away a bag of biscuit and a little water , _^ embarked , and in about fifteen minutes atto vessel was struck she sunk . For three ¦ and nights they were tossing about , _not _^ able to reach any ship , but on the _^ day they were providentially seen by l "J * tiofl . sader , and rescued from their perilous 8 « u . _. The captain speaks in the highest term s ot tne , _«„„ ...... im . _ ,., ... ... i . _!_ u n , „„ u'prfi trc » 11- J _^ _ou muwi
u _ouu _nuciuuiijf Willi ¦""; -y . .. OSCU _1- " all on board tbe Crusader . None of thoso * of have preserved anything , and so they are . _oesu _^ necessaries . The French consul , W . Stuart u * y > . „ has shown his usual kindness and _prompt providing for their necessities . „ « aof _« bBir _ _ExcubsIon io Erase _PoBMi . -The great _w _^ J _^ b » first excursion to Epping Forest , on Sunday , J » Jgtntl 0 n _, - induced the committee of the John-street Ing _, _*> $ _tve another on Sunday next , July Um a _» " in our advertising columns .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), July 3, 1852, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns4_03071852/page/4/
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