On this page
-
Text (3)
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
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.
-
-
Transcript
-
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.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Untitled Article
i GEEAT ANTI-POOB LAW MEETING IT EE ^ DFQpf . ^ Gn Tuesday last , a very munerons meeting was asoavenedat toe Hall Ings , Bradford , ' i ) y the friends - * f fceedejn in that town and its neighborhood , jbr v ^ j £ mrpose of fixing on some plan by which the . ^ people nught offer an effectual resistance to the -gelations of the Sew Poor Law . Ac two o ' clock , " -4 bs 4 Hfie-at which the meeting was convened , there -ataa assembled a « st concourse of several thousands -jg-fxkfpie ; who listened to file speeches ^ with the -c ^ eatert sflence , and 'the most perfect ' Tood order . 21 iey frequently testified their enthusiasm on the Igaaiaoa-by- -loud -cheering of-tie speakers , - anur Tfce - ^ aiaiBinUy with -which the resolutions were passed . ¦ % *• Clabxsojj , solicitor , was unanimously called < = « nR < Jiair . He read the notice calling the " meet-^^ "and observedthat he did nqtthink there would , ae any necessity for calling in the police , as they ¦ L Jt = rt « a % - met for the jmrpese of determining what ^ ¦ sseald be rdoneto resist the New Poor law . They
yeteanstfora definite purpose , —that of remonstrat--asg-with Parliament . It might be objectionable to "the . mind 3 . of Bome to remonstrate , but when the per " £ aoas-of-the people were not attended to , it was "ties : 3 uty to remonstrate . { Hear , hear , and cheers . ) " ^ ijs meeting had been talked of by the Government , intit appeared they considered them a peaceable ^ peeple , 3 $ r they nad not sent them any red coats . tBl « n , JhoTcever , they did come , if that should « ver JSe , ihey would make them their brothers , lor they , ? ^ wr * ere merry , and had hearts to feel for the auaeries ef ethers . After a slight allusion to the ^ s&e-riot , Mi . Glarkson read letters from the followis * g gentlemen , regretting their inability to attend -tAcmpeting : —E . C . Lister , Esq ., Mr . R . Oastler , - CDr-cFletoher , of Bury , Mr . Thomas Murphy , of l « ndon , Mr . Bronteire O'Brien , of London , the Sarchester convicts , D . W . Harvey , Esq ., M . P ., - aaiThomas Fielden , Esq , M . P .
Mr . Michael Scholefield moved the first reso--l ^ en . They were met for the purpose of exer-¦ srisng a great constitutional right—to point out to aiieir rulers that they were trampling upon them -Tisfi-commission of enquiry which preceded the -passing of the Poor Law Bill had reported that in iarksnire and Lancashire the affairs of the poor had ^ hssiL well administered , and yet after that the - ¦ Government sought to take the management out of r 3 iS hands of the rate-payers , and give the control sioiiree-conxmissdoners sitting in London who knew ^^ isifeing a bout the localities over which they ruled 1 £ 2 « sroeld not take , up fr-vir time but at-once move 5 ifcS lesolrition .
Six . Joseph BsooKwas glad to see so" many of rSxaf iace « present , for he was sure if their own cause ^ csaU nor interest them nothigg ^ could :- ( Hear , j Sseaiju ' . Tjbej- had heard the wajSeUori read , and th&j all knew ^ itti bemg ( Jomp ^ IlfKt to pay their ra 2 es wasadirect -fo&bsry , -uiilea-lhey conld exercise jsane eo | LfcroI in its distribution ; they Jiad , it « s _* ttae , the ^ " power to elect Gfiardians ^ but -they hM no power to control the money which - >? as undeHhe direction of fhe three "'' infernal Devil ' Slags . \ Lord Melbourne said the people were nn--. 32 £ S 5 eni _ and idle , and" whatever bafeS the : n they -should -lay by for a rainy day . l ^ os-, they all i-ssF what chance they h ' sd of laying by for a rainy ilay i " w « LdoLid ); tixej could scarcely obtain neces ssnegjjgsd how ' they were -to lay . by-for a rainy Af ^ whSst taey were introducing tEeir infernal -aaciunery , he could not ttlL " ( Hear , hear . ) How - ^ ael&Aeylike to be shin no in a Basriie Vnen oH and
- ¦^ y became cuuld not maintain thom-^ ssesr ( At this moment a man canitr prising ^ Jsengh the crowd , savin ? he h » 4 experienced -sse-zie of'the"hard treatment of fae Biisd ;^ mid Le madd not keep doim , bat must monnt and t » jl « iat he _ hiid experienced , for Lis blcod boiled ^ sidan hnn . Ke yeas al lowed to mount the \ rviz-^¦ sa , end the bnsneis proceeded , tUe itrangur -ix > 2 ng _ told that he should inrj _ aa op _ peri-. inity ~ oi -speakiiig . ) i | r . Brook , in condauatiou . rererred u > s . leuer wriiten by Mr . Oastler , and in comvsrnsbnj Tiem ^ rked up ^ n vriii te slavery in Er . t-land '¦ idug more oppre . -dre Hies black * kverv iu the In
' "test Indies ^ conclusion , ha said ' without nicaay xhe Soldiers could uot liglir , and hi > " advice ¦ ts the person * present was to ballon up their ^• jeh&s pockets ; he shocld like to sc ? & them se&ae to pay anymore rates , and if tkev adopted thas plan , the question would be brought to a •^ jL-edy issnv . ( Cries of "We'll iry . :: ) ~ Jf thev s ^ g ^ ld , lie . wonld set the example , bet lie should iiie to J > e supnoned by others , or it would be of -itda sse . ( Hear , hecx . ) By this -means the ¦ £ nesuon mkht be settled without being ? . t the trenfcis of asking . Parliament to repeal this infernal ¦ ^ 4 the people had the power aav day to stop it . Us ; would also advise tLem to follow Huddersfield , ^ . Bd * i ^ ct Guar di uiis oppose-i to the lie ^ r law . — ¦\ iiear , hear . )
2 he resolution \ ras put and carried -onanimonsly . -iir- Joseph Stassfxeld y . roposed the spcond ^ esoladon . He opposed tkeKew Poor Law tbroush « st , -inaa-much as its very Jbandanon was laid in % isimy and oppresaon ( cheers ) , it was a just ob-^ iradon tha t a tree was knovm bv iis fruits , and if -as Poor Law Amendment Act broneht f ;> rih srood irck it ought to be established ( heir , hear ); " but J ier as Englishmen onsrht to be satisfied that the 2-cit was good before they consented to establish it -ydseers ) . They had got a reform ' and tLis it was ¦ ¦ asigmed wojald have rectified all evils , but alas it " - ?" a § in vain . It was rrne thax ; the msior part of i ^ gp ie at the head of aiiair . s vere . Wkig £ aud not ixKies /
^ it jrt ^ the only difference which existed bers-een -ih ^ in-sas , which party should hold the island parse . ( "That ' goo " d . ' ) Be abhorred =. . ^ ch a . daw 'Us -die Poor Law Amendment" Actf- JPe ^ all do ">—he abhorred the very foandation o £ ¦ 3 Z& tiie very supporter ofxliatlaw . He was glad to - ^^ nch a number collected lo ^ efher to oppose this -5 £ ^ , andhe could most certain ' iv tea them thtCt the nxe ^ rae already laid at the root ; of tyranny and * ppre « aou , TEaditaacuidconie down ( cheers ) . Let them prozeci themselves by keeping their nioney in . their T > -. skets , and if uiey only ~ Cid this their obj ' ect would ^« a be accomplished , " and he hoped the period \ ras 3 ist far distant when the dovmfal . of the bastile . « ys--ssa wotud ctimiiience .
Sir . Johx ^ GH- \ ii seconded the motion , which ^ . ar also -earned unanimously . -: 5 ir . Perm Bcssey next came forward to move the ^ aopaan of the petition aud remonstrance . He -TiO&te as follows . Let me tell vou what I think of -. ^ e su gabon d lads . ( Cheers and a laugh . ) Mr . -iisines , of Leeds , says I am the chief instigator of ~ ss meeiing . I pleaded gnilry . ( Hear , " hear . ) . ^ -aa told yoc . Saturday before lasu that tbis meeting pas illegally called . Koiv that is false . (•* J t is . ") iti £ a strange thing and I cannot tell vriiat'to think £ -f Mr . Baines , for we Iladicals" of ^ Bradford cannot ssie the least bit of a stir but he must put in a T * sr < l scd sneer at us . 1 c ^ unot but think that this ad-. es from an old grudge . Ton know he wanted to he
pst-do ^ tTrades' Unions hj force—not of arms —iutbT sophistry , and ve would not let him ; and ^ . j -oa trill help me ,- « -e -noli convince Mr . Bainestliat ^ e is ¦ vrrong , and that this , meeting is- not onlv ^ 5 =- Iy caiied , but that * he Poor Law Amendment -ffi&t is illegal . ( Cheers . ) If you axe of iev mind you = ^ dl take care that neitl jerMr . Bain es nor all the - ^ Jz . Baiueses in the coDntry shall ever get a farthing-^^ joar money . Sonie people contend that -we ^ i ise » ot a constituiion , and others - that we -Zzzse -onS , and tVeyTelerusto that constitution which -3 &VS no man shallbe taxed without his consent . ~ Tias * e ? mg paradoxical . The Whigs and the Tories « yere have a Constitution . 2 s ow , jf we have , it is - 3 Js £ na XAorid , granted to the country bv King
- ^ ehn , which says thatno-man shall be taxed withont : sBs- « 8 ns ^ nt-- { hear , hear ;>—end , therefore , if we take . tis Whig and Tory version of tue Constitutib we :-sa Irajton up onr breeches pockets , and if they -d « Ep 3 ain , we can reply , " We refer-you to the Con--ditetioiji wearedetennined taactconsUtnjDonallv , -xaid we are determined not to pay any more taxes to itppoct you . bhMeu vagabonds and your villainous jsqfects , which hare a tenidtney , when we will not ^ aaiErate , to . starve-ns to death in the land of our ' i zphf' "( Hear , hear . ) But the repeal of this Con'SjitataoB . was « nnmfinee 3 . shordy . after its enactment , / Scriae . Whigs and Tories have gone on nibbling atit iike a mouse at a flour-sack , for these two last cen-^ iss . ( Laughter . ) The truth is , we have no Confesfeitioa
^ , and it is . Myh time the people set about 3 R 2 £ ing a Constitution for themselves . ( Cheers . ) I ¦^¦ fil-jost Aew you how fhe Whig aad Tory rascalsaajre done it . After the poor of this country had ^? Ilie ?? Ted of - tlieirle S itimate rightai * he Act of aiiz ^ eth was introduced , which provided that a ¦ -solasa amount of taxes should be imposed rnpn the rpsqpe fertile support of theindig ^ nt . This went on " - ^ ar «^ tune , Trfatat flft Whig 8 lad Tories began to = - ^ saarel one widianother as to which should hale the -jUEgest-duK ! of the money , bota wanting themost : sW * ere thus led-to form some sciente wherebr z&ej imght ^ get . ^ rer nsr and each pocket a decent am . Por tins purpose they first enacted Sturges -Sooins ' s- Act , wbich-Jemored -us so" far from tiie A ^ dwiples « £ josdee . thai it ^ ave six votes- to mm « f
. iyoperty , -vhSs *; . A only gave a poor man « ne' ; Ifciatne . ) This "was not a nibble ; it was a regular - £ iHUch of ther rascela . ( Laughter ^ and tiheers . ) ¦ * In ^ ranjuspartsofthis country , especiall y in the agricnl . - ^ ral districts , the poor had , -from"time 4 mmemonal , -the right of pasturages on the common lands ; and < &ey could th ' us feed , a cow , keep a jSgj and dig the ?* &bj £ to make their fees at iiig 6 t ;> . Bat the rascals - ^ - ^^ fi x ^ F J - ^ S ^ this ^ . and said /^ We > will have . " ^^ fiaj ^ wiatdo they do ? They brin ? in * Bill , and ssaB % ^* n 4 tled "The : Commons' lnilosure A " ct " - Tj ^^^^^ l ° ? ty * i ^ gular . snaich , but it- had fia - ^^ sSfest ^ t ^ iacing the manacles upon the poor of tTiin ¦ ' * 4 ^«» a ^^ i lT , ^ Y * ¦*« next ? There was ainSpst ^ -r-. ^ a ^^ lrngg le in the country about resmiegtien
£ , ' ¦ -.-SajjiiMbot sleep in their beds ; tfiey lwere all frightened - ^^ 2 tSafeath-aboat # ie matter , and they said "We most ' ^^»^ aid « ocie means to rid ourselves of this horrible sys-^ p ^ za , ' ix ^ f&esjaie -as op after we are dead—what a fe' ^ yghS ^ gif Is j Well , what did they do ? They got
Untitled Article
WarbtiTton to bring in his Dead-Body ' Sflli which provided that all the bodies of the poor not claimed by the relatives should be given to the surgeons foe dissection / : ( Shame , shame . ) . This is their treatment of . ybu ; if yon are poor they imprison , you , * hen starve-you to death , and after you are dead they butcher you . ( Hear , hear . ) . Will you stand it ? ( No , no !) You are slaves if you do , and ought all to be dissected . ( Cheers andlau § hter . ) A young doctor vrho was walking-the hospitals m . London , whose name is Jackson vand who corAfis from Westmoreland , tsld me some ¦ 6 me ago iir London ; a very important fact . I asked how h ^ n how they got on with " regard to subjects now ? He replied , fliey bring us so many from the workhonses that we don't
know what to do with , them ; so many , die in the workhouse that they bring us hundreds more than we want . ( Shame , shame . ) . This is what you may all expect who "die in a bastile ! The nest project was the New Poor Law (' hey , ladj ) . Oh ! yon ought to revere the name of Brougham as long as yon live for this law ; you sent him from the County of York ; You raised the vagabond to Mb present position , and the first thing he did for you waa to seek for himself £ 1000 a year mare for Laving held the office of Chancellor three years and a half , than Lord Eldon had after holding it twenty-three years . He has , . since his retirement , been sacking £ 6000 a year out of your pockets .. ( Hear , hear . ) He was aware of theiieavy taxation of the conntry , and he must do . something to . pecure his salary , and
thereibrehe proposed this Poor Law Amendment Act—a coarser sort of food bill . Let the _ people live upon less , he said , and then they will be enabled to pay their taxes , out of which I draw my pension . ( Hear , hear . ) To show you he did not intend to benefit the poor , 1 will read you his very words on introducing this Poor Law Bill . He said , ' It is entirely a question whether yoiir Lordships will preserve your estates or not . ' It . was not a question whether the poor should be better provided for or not ; it was not a question whether the labourers should be more independent or not , but it was it was a . question whether their vagabond Lordships should preserve their estates or not . Here you see the lull compassion , the philanthropy of this
rascally Brougham . Why they did better than this to ns under the old'Tory ' government , yet they did abuse us sadly . 1 don ' t hke them . When they did pass such acts as Stnrges Bourne's , they did always leave it to the people to say whether they would have it or not . If the Whigs had done so with the New Poor Law , would y _ ou have consented to its being brought into operation ? ( No , no . ) Then , let me tellyou , we will never have it as it is . ( Cheers . ) 1 find in the Reports of tlie Poor Law Commissioners , that Mr . Chadwick , in delineating the character of a Relieving Officer , says the men he shonld recomxaend vroald be men of great firmness , and unwilling to give relief even in cases of destitution I ( Shame , sbame . ) This is Mr . Chad wick , as
Assistant Poor Law Commissioner ( hang him 1 gibbet him !) Another recommends an old soldier ; he thinks a soldier has not the feeling of other men , but I would have him know that soldiers haye more reeling fhah they suppose , and they know -vhen they have grown old in the service they will be turned late tEe bastile ; therefore soldiersiave an interest in making 1 the bastile an asylum for the destitute , instead of a pr isnn . ( Hear , * hear . ) But thej-have some ulterior object ia this , and in my opinion it is to recuce you to that state that you will submit to any thing , and then they will pass a law to refuse relie ' t altogether , either to the destitute or the independent labourer . A question arises here which I bt-g of yon . to notice . 1 bey aro erecting bastile urisons
m different parts of the kingdom , and after they have destroyed or repealed the law affording relief , what is to be done with all these lafge buikungs : 1 will tell you : Taey are to be converted into barracks to place soldiers in , and when you cannot get bread they will pnt bayonets into yonr stomachs . ( Hear , hear . ) Will you subnm to" this ' : ( No . no . ) No ! sooner than do so , overturn the entire fabric , and let it rest upon its own foundation . Many of the friends of lh « New Poor Law contend that there is no clause in the-Poor Law Act for the separation of man and wife . _ Tiiesa gentlemen take very great p : dns to make it appear something it really is not . J tall you there is not , in so many words n separation clause , bnt there is in siomanv words , a classification
clause , and they can , ttud * . -r that , s ^ nd j-ou men to North Bierley , and you women to Idle , and your children to Bradford . I sayif you women don ' t take this up , you deserve all you will get ; I know yon can light the battle better than yonr busbands ; 1 want you to come forward " , I wns going to say hke " men ( loud laughter . ) but like women . ( Hear , hear . ) As we have myt more with respect to the twenty townships comprising the Bradford Union , I will tell you whar Power , the Assistant Coiamissioner , says respecting us . lie says , the rates were lower m Yorkshire and Lancashire under the old law tbau in auy other county , and yet his little Lordship ( llusvell ) says he is determined to enforce the New Poor Law in the manufacturing districts iu the north . Then I for one am determined he shall not enforce it hereand
, rather than allow him to do that , we will have a Lancashire stir with him—np and down . ( Laughter and applause . ) In order to prove that we have no need whatever for the New Poor Law , in this township especially , which is a very extensive one , I ¦ vdll jast give you the amount distributed by the overseers according to their printed reports . It has always been said by these rascally fellows , that there has been a considerable saving in the rates under the New Poor Law . Now , in this townshsip , in 1 S 34 . the regular poor received £ 2 , ( i 3 i . Js ., the casual poor , £ 54 . ISs . 6 id ., making a total of £ 2 . t > S 9 . 5 s . 6 jd . ; and how much do you think was collected in-that year tis poor-rate ? No less than £ S £ 13 . 15 s . lid ., so that £ Gg 24 .. was paid for other purposes . In 183 j , the sum paid to our regular poor , was £ 2 , 069 . 2 s . Sd ., ana to our casual poor ,
± . M 34 , 7 s . 3 d ., making a total of £ 2 , 204 . ' 9 s . lid . The total sum collected in the s : nne year was £ 7 i ~ 2-L 0 . 17 s . 3 | 'L . of which tavre was applied to other purposes than the relief of tae poor , £ 5 , 046 . 7 s . 4 Jd . Now mark you what we saved whea we began to manage our own business between 1834 aud 18 & 3 . The Whigs and the Tories have managed it before , and what I am now going to state -will show you the value of Radicalism , and what , we have saved . In that ye ^ r we saved £ -580 . 15 " s . 7 d . ( Hear , hear . ) In * 1836 the sum ; paid to the regular poor ivas £ 1 , 707 . 10 s . 1 Id ., to the casual poor , £ 115 . 5 > s . 9 d ., making . £ " 1817 . 0 s . 8 d . ; the total collected that year was £ 6 , 424 . fa . . / id ., so that in that year there was applied to other
purposes £ 4 . 007 . bs . llid . ( A crjof " \\ Tiat purposes ? ' ) Why , for county rates , constable rates , and other things ; you gave your money , but the poor never received it . lii that year there was a saving to the town of £ 3 &" . Ss . 3 d . Iu Ifc 3 " , there was paid to the regular poor i'J , G 05 . 3 s . aud to the casual poor , £ ! 4 ( J . Ijs . 3 d , total received by . the poor , £ 1 , 751 . ISs . 3 d . ; " total collected that year , £ 6 , 346 . 10 ? . 4 d . Tiiir eS ' ected a saring , but as the new-Poor La . w had come into operation we were not able to effect so great a saving : is under the old law ; it was only £ & > 6 =. 5 d ., whilst under the old law we " had saved X 2 G 0 and £ 300 . The New Poor Law put a stop to ibis saving , and I will show you how . In 1834 , 1 S 35 , and I 83 ( i , the expenses of removals
from this to oihv » r towns . nps was £ 130 13 s . lid . ; in 1837 ? when we got this accursed Ne > v Poor Latv it amounted to £ 102 9 s . lid ., which was as much , within £ 28 4 s . as for the throe previous years . ( Hear , hear . ) Can we expect any other result from a . law which takes the entire " control from the rate-payers , and places it in the hands of the three Commissioners in London who know nothing of our affairs ? ( No no . ) Can we expect any thing else from a law under the direction of-three Commissioners , and twenty-one Assistant Commissioners , at an annual cost in salaries of £ 37 , 500 ? A word to the women . I am coming to the bastardy clauses . You have even more sagacity than fhe men ,-but sometimes they deceive you
, and these rascally Commissioners say , if a woman have a child by a man who doe . ^ not marry her , she or her relatives shall be compelled to support it . 1 have often considered this subject over , and I have always come to this conclusion , —there is a set of young boobies brought up in this country , who are connected with the aristocracy , and who are regular plunderers of the people ; they seek your blood , they we .-. ken your sinews , and they would destroy jour lives ; but you are useful in labouring for them . This brood are on the increase , and _ they are in the habit of seducing the daughters of poor men , and I have formed an opinion that the bastardy clauses have been introduced into
this act , in oraer to shelter , to protect , and screen the despicable aristocrat in alibis wickedintrignes - ^{ hear . hear)—and even to murder the offspring of thope who are tlie . qbjeets of their seducing snares . The Tesultkas certainly been the increase of infanticide to a great extent , and , as a dernier resort , the mother murders her own child . But who is such murders to be charged nprin ? , * U pon Lord John Ru& « il . Brougham , and the authors of die Poor Law Amendment Act ; the murder of thousands are chargeable upon those who passed this actj and if theyr do not repeal it , they "will be chargeable with -thousands ' more . " ( HearO ^^ ow ? there is another recommendation made by these rascals
They say there are too many working men in this country- How they make it out I am at a less to imagine . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) All working men produce wealth , and to say , we have , too many of those men who produce more > . wealth than they _ consome and thus leave a surplus for other people , i « logic I- cannot understand . I believe , ifyon kept a ] l you : produee ,. there would -soon be too many idleia m jhis country ; ur if yon followed the cample ofjhebees ^; who drive outall rdrones ,-yon S ^ Tiil Jt better situation thanypurare . { Cheers . ) iint toese vnianous Commissioners recoinraend that ydjir ^ or chaldfen of nine andten years of age , shall betaken out of the workhonse , and transported to Soarhern Australia , where they sead men for every description of enme . ( Shame . ) Yes , they recommend to Parliament that these children shall be sold to the formers in South Australia , and they in effect
Untitled Article
say they can get sopetmng . by them , beyoud ttie cost of their passage . ( Shame . ) Will any of you women submit when ytnt are reduced to poverty , as you may be to-morrow *^ for yonr children thus toi be dragged from you and sent to South Australift ? Will any of you fathers Bubmit to this ? ( Never ) Well then , if they are determined to enforce the law against your will , be determined to resist it , even if itibe at theperil of your lives . ( Cheera . ) Brit , sa . y the Commissioners , it has done admirably in the southern districts . It has , for according to the reports in last week ' a ^ newspapers , I find there ha * been no less than nine incendiary fireg . There is anotherEttleproject , connected with theUewPoor Lawnow before "Parliament . Tney . have ^ already
, ^ taken power froth yotj—I had forgot' they say you shall rote for Guardians , bnt atlhe same time the law says , the man you shall vote for shall pay .. so ' mnch rate , or he shall not be a Guardian . ( Hear . ) But ( aa I was going to observe , they have another law before Parliament ; they may pass it if they like , but at your peril you allow them to enforce it ; It is to provide that all rates shall in fiitura be laid upon the owners of property , nnd not upon the occupiers . Thepaymentof these rates have hitherto given you the privilege of attending vestry meetings ' , of voting for parish officers , and of voting the distribution Of their own monies ; the New Poor Law had taken away this right , in part , and the bill before- PnrHamenfwill take it away altogether . And you will bein
no better position , lor no man will take a burden upon him unless lie be forced to do so , and if the landlord pays the rates , he will make his tenants pay good interest for it , as John Bull has always to pay for all . ( Hear , hear , and a laugh . ) Now I am here to-day to demand of every mau among yon—and if the men will not do it , every woman amongst you must compel her husband , and if he-will not ' be compelled , drive him out with the poker—to refuse to pay any more rates . ( Cheers , and we wilh ) There is . aiip-i ther thing , if they do pass the-law .. alluded to , and remove the rates from the occupier to the owner , we will not pay them a single larthing of rent ( hear , hear ); and if they come to distress , let us ask theui if they don't know we have a fire in Uie house : you need not tell them yon will not set fire to the house . ( A laugh . ) Now then , in order to show you that the
workhouse system works well , I will cite you a case upon the authority of the yillanous Comrnissioners . At one place , 400 paupers were offered the workhouse , or nothing , and there was only seven out of the 400 who would go into the workhouse ( cheers ); tljey were acquainted with the horrible , the demoniacal treatment paupers received within the bastile , aud they determined to starve , together with their families , rather than submit to be . separated in the workhouse . If I had beea in their situation , and there had been a fat sheep within twenty miles . I would have taken it . Every man an d woman who holds np _ hands for the resolution 1 do move , or pledgeshiinself or herself not to pay any rites until the Commissioners scratch ' Bradford Poor Law Union'from their book . Mr . Bnssey then moved the adoption of the petition , &c ., amidst loud cheers
The Rev . Mr . Stephens was then introduced to the meeting , and was received with several rounds of enthusiastic cheering . He begged they would hear him say a few words . Since he had come iiito-BrndV ford that morning he had been warned against coming to thai meeting by more tliau one on whom he could place reliance ; ber 3 ause the eye oi the Government was fixed with intense interest upon the character , the proceedings , und the results pi" that meeting . He had been further ' informed that in addition to the inhabitants of Bradford and its surrounding townships which he then saw before him , part of his audience consisted of spies and London uolicemen sent down by the orders of the Secretary of btate for the Hoine Department ; and lit ; had been
further cautioned by his friends to beware of whathe said , inasmuch as these men had been directed to keep u strict eye and lend an especial : ear to every thing he should say to them t ; -day . He could inform them , however , that he hud never heard anything which gave him more pleasure-, tluui tliut . He was delighted to know that there were such men before him , because they would have an opportunity of witnessing the peaceful , patient , rclli-ctiv ' c , and truly loyal character of the people of England generally , of which the present meeting would constitute a tolerable sample . He had been ut a gre ;« . t variety of meeting ? on many subjects ; he had bet-u at meetings- by torch light , and in the night-si'n ? on when emergencies required it ; but at no meeting , eithm :
under the vault of heaven or uuder a roof of man's building , upon the exciteable subject of-the * factory question . or that still mom inHamuiableand incendiary oue of the Nhw Poor Law—at no oiie . iniit'ting thr . t ever he was at did a siu ^ lo , solitary breach of the peace take place . ( Loud cheers . ) He wished to give Lord John Russell another proof to day , if proof be wanting to him ' yet , that the people of England , while they have intelligence enough to understand their .. wrong * , and independence * enough to assert their rights and a heartl ^ lt , bold and combined determination enough to persevere until their
grievances be redressed , b ^ -anise they nre intelli gent and ind « penileut , aud patriotic , bc ^ jise , t ) ie y arc fearers of their G-od and lovers uftheir country . they do presen'e the peace , and adorn that humble but meritorious situation iu which it had pleased God to place them . ( Hear , hear . ) He had but one wish to make to them—one favour to beg . It 'vtis , that should arj'thing happen in the crowd—should there be the least whisper or murmur of disapprobation from any mouth , should there be the Wast jostlo on any one portion of that v ; i < t assembly , he begged of them to remember what he had said , and that they wonld stand stock still und hs fixed as
trees in a wood . ( Hear , hear . ) lie wondered much that Lord John Russell should take the trouble and put the country to the expense of sending down men to look after him . He knew were lie lived , and be knew he was a loyal subject of the Queen . He knew that he was do iiincher , that he never called back a word he ever said on any subject ; that lie never said one thing to the masses ? , as they chose to call the people , and another to the myriuidous of power . ( Cheers . ) That lie had never said one thing at his fireside arid another at the hustings , or one thing in the couimiitee room and another iu the pulpit ; but whether he stood as a messenger of mercy from God to man , iu his own proper vocation , or , as a preacher to thousands , as on the present
occasion , he had done only as he ever would continue to do , in the self-same words andin the seL-same way . I f , therefore . Lord John Russell wanted to know what he thought , he told him at once that he wm determined to preach tothe people so long as he had lips to utter a sound . If Lord John Rnssell wished to know his thoughts , be had only to let him know that he wanted him i / p yonder , and he was his man . ( Loud cheers . ) lie was ready to go to the board of the committee now sitting , or to the Commons , or the Lords , or both . He was ready To go , as thousands of their Mlow-couutrj-njc-n had demanded thuthe should go , and appear at the bar of tluir honourable House —( laughter)—in the mvme and cu behalf oi the unrepresented , the misrepresented , tie
maligned , calumniated , oppressed , cruelly entreated , and aifiicted people of England . ( Cheers . ) Ue was ready to stand at that bar , and . there hurl a nation ' s defiance , to pour forth in thunders , hot his own , but the people ' s , nay not the people's , but the thunders of heaven , —of God himself— -and to throw the h ' ghtning ' s ilash of his vengeance and indignation around him , upon all those whoni he has denounced as oppressors of the poor—as' the' -evil eutreaters of the widows and the fatherless , the nt-e-ly , and the stranger in our land . ( Loud cheers . ) He was read y to go not only to the "'bar .--of tlie two Houses of Parliament , there to answer for every thing he might have said , bnt even to the bur of Kewgateitself , or any other of her Majesty ' s jails in the
country . ( Loudcheeis . ) He was ready to stand before any jury , or before the twelve judges of the Ixui vrli ' p understood the constitution and who' were sworn impartially between the Queen and the . meauest of her subjects : be was ' ready before ' ¦ any Jury and Judges—nay , before an assembled country , to whom he would appeal , whether he had done or said any thing " worthy of bonds ' or of death . " "They were no breakers of the peace .. In thought , » orcl r and deed , he and his friends , so far as he knqw them and they him , we ' re men of peace—men whose education aiiri early habits , and whose early prej ndicesj aud subsequ . aiit career , had associated their feelings and affections closely with the old law , and the venerable institutions of our country . He was not a political
agitator . There lived not a man . who ever : heard him propound any theory of politics or any systemof political economy . He left all those questions to others ; he had never taken any of them up ; but he came forward _ as a man—as a British subject , and as a Christian minister , to declare that the labourer and the husbandman shall first of all in the community be partakers of the fruits ofthe soil . ( Loud cheers . ) He had come foxwardto declare put of the Word of God , not only that the labourer should have his share , buv that he should also ba > -e a reasonable and a competent share .. ( Cheers . ) : Heheld ; diatthe rights ofthe labourer to food , clothing , shelter ,, and all the rest which was needful to fitthe : body for future toil , or the mind for future thought * and evetyfliing which was necessary to . enable . an intellectual being to rise until he reaches that standard . of perfectiontor which God designed him , —he held , he said , that the neht
of the labourer to every one Of those things , is the great right , the eternal and inalienable rightofeverV . free-born son of a free ^ a Christian , and a happy country . ( Loud cheers , ) If , then , there , were " metf who have taken those rights away , or who are keeping themtrom those who ought to enjoy them , these were the law-breakersr-jthe peace-breakCTsithey had broken the first law of God , which was , that a man should be provided with plenty ; and they were peace-breaker ^ because- they , had broken God ' s second law—that . men ; should love oiie another ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) If-there were mentwho had robbed the ; poot " -of the . .-blessing ' s of lifevthose jueh were traitors ^ against their common nature—( hear , hear)—traitors . agaihst . humanity ^ -traitors against . their country , traitors , againet both natural and revealed rehgion , and traitors against the sovereign of the wuveise , tlie great Maker and Father of us all , ( Continue ^ cheers . ) If , therefore , Liorc
Untitled Article
Jphn Russell , was so exceedingly sensatjve at the mere whiagering of tite ^ Bradfo rd meeting , that he coHld not at 8 tiUinI ) 6 wning-street , without sending here spies arttl pblicemen , — -jf lie felt so exceedingly sensitive at the gabblings of tlie peorJe , he ( Mr Ste . ihehs ) would tell him that the beat way for him to do worild be t 6 withdrayr and sink into a sea of fdrgetfdlness all those laws which Btrike at the .: rpots of God s justice ; tod pull down the trnnk and branchesi of man ' s independence and felici ty . What m the name of law . and Government i » it that the people want ? for what are they , continual }* ' and so earnestly pleading ? , Why , all that ever he had heard t ^ em asktor was a fair day > wpgea for a foil day ' s Work . ( Loud cheers . ) Was that too much to a * k ?
No . It vras purely justice ; and if the Governmeni ; refused the people , 86 far frp * v desisting to ask , would continue first to petition ' , then toremonstrate then would come the . passive obedfence , and be knew full well , and so , did Lord John Russell , ~ - ( Hear ) —^ that passive ^ obedience ' was always the . forerunner to actual resistance ; ( load cheers ) and of this he had warned the Government again and again . God forbid that he should ever ( tee the day when the hand of out man in that meeting sb » : uld be tinged with his brother's bipod , or when pile brow should be crimsoned with ; the blood of its ' possessor . He was ni ? blood shedder ;¦ ¦ ¦ he was no blood thirsty man . He felt as if his own life was butias the dust of the balance , or as a feather in the scalfis , if his life
only could save the lives of his fellow countrymeri . ( Loud cheers . ) . But as Mr . Oastler had said in a letter * ' were there iiot points beyond which patience and endurance instead of being a virtue , would become a vice and a crime ? " There were such points . The Constitution defined them in words something like these : — ' * Protection on the part of a . Governmenti and alleigahce on the part of a subject are reflective , reactive , and reciprocal ; and where a Governmeht protects , ; and the law shelters , man should sit and be thankful under its shadow . But When the tree was plucked up by the roots , or its branches cut away , and there was no shelter , man Was driven away Irom the spot where he was protected by the law , and he must thereforewith his
, fellow men , make anpther and a . , better law instead of it . Where a government ceased to protect a peo ple there was no necessity that that government should be obeyed . ( Loud cheers . ) But , on the contrary , the constitution requires and commands and presses it upon the subject to resist , not against laws which are good , but against things that may be called law , but which in reality are destructive of the law whose name it takes in vain . Such was the Poor Law Amendment Act . He held that laW as uo law at all . He wished that to be impressed upon their mind , so that they might nevwrforget it whether among friends or foes . ( Loud cheers . ) The Poor Law Amendment Act was not the law of Great Britain and Ireland . He told them to-day , arid he
would abide by every word of whathe said , that the Parliament -who' passed that act had no right to do Kb ; but in enacting it they committed a breach of the constitution , and so Placed themselves in the position of active and revolutionary treason against the Commonwealth of England . ' ( Loud cheers . ) TUat wns a point never to be forgotten ; and when they spoke of ways and means of opposing this act , they ought to remember that they were not oppasingthe lu-w . It was not . and is notalaw . Lord iildon himself declared that both houses of Parliament had no legal right topass thatmeasure ; and that such a measure ! eould not be passed and beccme law in this country until there had first been called together a national convention of the
representatives ol the entire people . Lord Bacon , too , had most learnedly argued this point ; audit was : not a little remarkable that in spunking of such like commissions , as the Poor Law Commission , he employed not only tlie samei line of argnmeiit , but nearly the ttinie words which he , and Air . Gnstler , and IVlr . Bull had uinplpyed in . designating that commission . He , Lord . Baconj lidd ,-declared that the King of England had no cpnstitutional right to appoiitt coiuuiissiouiTs or any other body of men having the . power to make lnws , for the government of the subject . He distinctly defines and makes plain to tlie commonest understanding the difference betwuen the people aud the monarch . Neither Ilouaes of Parliament , nor both of them could pass
laws . They must both agree iu any bill they desire to bi-coino law ; and not only so , but even after having both agreed , till- bill having passed through both Houses must be signed hy the monarch , or it is still no law . Now , in the Poor Law Amendment Act , xhere were only two things ; the first , that the people should live on a coarser sort of food- —and the second , that' -the three Commissioners are to make all '' the laws in order to effect-this ,. at' sucli times nnd in such ways as i ) u * y may think fit , and as the . Government . .. oi" the day may assist them in putting into operatipn . The New Poor Law , therefore , is a law to starve , imprison , degrade , demoralize , and to destroy the domestic -happiness ,-and tlieindtpendeuce , nudpvoperty : of tbt > people of this country . Inasmutih tbeu as such is the charactpr
of that law , —inasmuch as such was tho practice ol the Coii ^ ni ^ f'ioiiers , lie held that that Act could not be a "taw , out was as a dead letter on the statute book , and whoever attempted to force that law upon tin : people , though he hid no hand in ori - j / ifmlly passing it , —inasmiich ns it was treasonable iii its origin , lie is an accomplice , and becomes a traitor , and he ( Air . Stephens ) was prepared to tell them what was their'duty in reference to every such act of treason upon them . ( Hear , and cheers . ) The wonpons then with which they were to enter this struggle was not physical force , though in common with Seldon and Blackstone , he held it to be lawful that the yepple should at all times be in possession of weapons of defence . ( Loud cheers . ) That was
their right , and he wished Lord J . Ilussell to undersUvnd that thousands of the people of the ' Ashton district Wera in the peaceful and loyal possession of weapons of defence . ( Tremendous cheering . ) They were not buideu in ttmx houses ; they made no stcret ofliu ' ving them in their possession , but they hung them over the mantle piece or near the door for every Poor Law guardian , commissioner , constable , or ' imifiistratetolook at as they passed by their houses . ( Loud cheers , and several voices " Will have f ern too . " ) They will not br-iik the law , neither will they sufl ' er it to be broken in their own persons . They covet no- -man's-house , neither will they allow their own houses to be invaded . They desire to livo with tkeir own wives and children , and
he would shed oceans of blood , if his body would held them , and would give ten thousand bodies Ui be burned rather than see the holy institution of niurringe desecrated as it is by the N « w P \> or Law . He loved his country—he loved its institutions , nnd he revered the highest authority in the , realm under God \ but in his mind , and according to his education and prejudices , he would rather see Queen , Church , Government , Lonlsj Couiraows , nay the whole empire itself submerged beuoatb the proudest vvaves of the immeasurable sea , than wituess the establishment of a law which ue ' stroys the' origin of inarriage—which uprootsiiiitMfalaiVectidn , and which lays violent and impious hands upon the holiest feelings of our nature . ( Tremendous cheers . ) Tlie ministry ofthe
country had biasphemedGod and committed treason agniusc the people . He repeated it—he charged bail Fitzwilliam and Lord Melbourne with blasphemy against God . Earl Fitzwilliam had told the Queen not long ago that God designed labour and poverty to be the common lot of man . If it Were so it could only be found in Earl Fitzwilliam ' s bible ; and that one should be called " The Word of God kmeadmeiit Bill . " ( Cheers and laughter . ) The Word ot ' 'God spoke of labour but never of povertyas being the lot of man . Nor did it speak . of labour as being the lot of one class of men more thau of another —( ctieersj-r-but : of all men . If such were God ' s decree , he " asked whether it was tp || e endured that we should have a Prime Minister and others
rolling in luxury , put ofthe people ' 3 toils , and grinding the poor the ? while to the dust , and / telling them it is the will of God it should be so ? . Let thein be hpnefct atheists , for atheists they were . Let them be avowed iiilidels , for infidels they were . The people were apt atheists , but Melhourne / and , Fitzwilliam were atheists , if they have given utterance to such a sentiment . . This ; vras » . glorious ^ day in Bradford . He hoped it was aday oh which the m ' rriof Bradford had dug the grave of the New Poor Law , ahda day in which ull , rich ivnd poor , high and low , children , men , and women , clergymen and laity , Cnurehmen and . Dissenters , Protestants , ^ and . Catiiplics , In ^ dels , if any such there were— -he hoped this ^ waaV (; he day in which the united energy , good ; . sense ,. and ,. diHermination 1 < if the pepple Of Bradf 6 r . d would consign the
New Poor L ? tw to-an everlasting pbhyion .. from whence it should never be ; drawn to paint a mbralor . adorn a tale . In conclusion he would sayv as he had said before , that he would never rest till the Poor Law was erased from the Statute . Book , and the ¦ rights . 'of the p _ oor established in rjghteousuess and peace . But if poverty was to be called a crime , and starved , and to suffer separation oi parent from cliild , and hu ^ liand froni \ vile , then , he said , the era of tlie-curse had arrived ; the . time to , bi ? up and doing was fully come ;¦ andI lie wo ^ ld notpnly tell it and teach it and argue it and press it with all his power upon the people , but he would be found either
in the rear , or in the nank , br in the midst , or in the van . /( Tremendous cheers . ) )• ' May God preyent thatlast and most awful and diren ^ cessity , " : said he , ^ by-teaching our senators wisdom , and ourgovernom justice by putting it into their hearts to protect their © wn property- jby protecting . the property of the poor ; Vy-puttuig it into their hearts to reyejterice God jy behstvirig kindly id their iellpw meii » : and then we shall be one people ^ belonging to one CcommPhwealth , then we shall be sheep' of one fiild , andtb ' e ' days of happiness and peace ; will dawn upon trsv ( Loud and continued cheering , which lastedlor some jaineO . - '¦'¦ ¦ ' - '; '¦' ¦ ' '' ¦'¦ ¦ : ';; : ' -. ' . .. ¦ ' """' ¦> ' - ¦ " ' . ' .. ¦¦ ¦ ' '¦'¦ ' . " ¦ .
• Mr . Jolix Burrows then mpved and Mr . Jorijj Rell seconded , that the revaonairtaxce be- sent for presentation ^ to ^ John ^ Fielden , Es < j ., ^^ JEuad that Mr . Wakleybo requested to support it . After this the meeting dispersed . In the evening thefrionds of the xause assembled at the Odd Fellows Hall , and sat down to an excellent dinner , Several excellent
Untitled Article
speeches were afterwards made , but aa we nave a pregs of meeting matter this week , we are not able further to notice what was done .
Untitled Article
DINNER TO MR . FIELPEN ; , ; On Whit Monday , the working men and friendK of freedom in Manchester entertained that honest man nndbestof ^^ patriots , John Fielde ^ , 'Esq ., AI . P . ; for Oldharn , at apublic diDner in By water's Hotel ; oil which occasion more than 600 staunch democrats evinced ^ their attachment to the principles of ; Radicalisin in the most unequivocal responses to the heart-stirring sentiments of the several speakers . Amongst the company presetit we observed John Fielden , Esq . M . P . yl'hOmas Smith , Esq ., - . Hodgetts Esq ., John Cobbett , Eaq ., J . P . Cobbettr Esq ., R . B . B . Cobbett , E < q ., " - —¦ Whittle ,. Esq ^ F . O'Connor , Esq ., T . Fielden , Esq ., S . Fielden , Esq ., Dr . ' Fletcher , the Rev . J . R . Stephens , G . Condy , Esq . of the Manchester mid Salford Advertiser ^ and Mr . William Hill , of-the Xurihern Star . W . Hodgetts , Esq . was called to the chair .
The Chairman congratulated himself and the meeting on the pleasing spectacle of so many hundreds of working , men assembled together to honour themselves by doing honour to the distinr guished Patriot who had consented to become their guest—the pian who had s > strenuously , so bpldly , and so unflinchingly 4 idvocated their rights , both in and out of Parliament . This wa » , no Whig festival . No assemblage of Political Economists , met " . /' . . io consult how they might succeed in degrading honest industry . No clique of raere factious partizans , assembled to concoct the means of propping up a ministry more imbecile and more degraded , than themselves . No horde of Operative Conservatives , w&o , conscious of having lost their Parliamentary
rights , met together to conserve God knew what , for he did not . ( Cheers and laughter . ) In the course of his further remarks , he took occasion to observe , that the people were never ungrateful to their benefactors , and Va&t whoever complained of ingratitude in the people , might be set down , as disr honest . He reconamended to the several speakers to be brief , as many were assembled Who would be anxious to sny sometMng , and the time wbich could be occupied by the whole was comparatively ^^ short . The Chairman haTiiig finished his address proceeded to read letters from several gentlemen who had been invited to attend the dinner but who were
p revented by other engagements . Amongst the letters mentioned was . one addressed toMr . Fearjrus O'Connor by Mr . Shannau Crawford , in which that gentleinan stated that owing to cirenrastances cpnnecied with an estate that liad lately come into his po 3 . sessiou , from which several poor people had had notice to quit , and whom he did not himself at all intend to remove , he was prevented from being present , being desirous that these poor tenants might enjoy the presenttime , whick was the most favourable for setting their potatoes . The announcement was received with the most enthusiastic cheers . The letters being finished the Chairman gave the first toast which was
" THE PEOPLE . " Mr . Condy , Editor of the Manchester and Salford Ai ' oerliser , rose ; to speak to the toast . He said they all knew it to be his opinion that the people were the source of all le ^ itimatepower . ( Cheers . ) Monarchy , us it was called , was positively electiye in its origin , and in-the principle of its administration it isalferative . Within , a few days the Queen would be crowned , and the Archbishop would turn her to the ( our points of the compass , and ask the people if they would have this woman to reign over them . They might think him a little pedantic ; but thes « forms were old ones and had originated ia the choice being elective . This constituted the old description of the rights of the British people . But this people
—the line body upon which a certain class of statesmen were Practising all sorts of galvanism nnd mutilation —( Laughter . )—what was this people ? tills people concerning whom some of the wealthiest of the peerage who are sensualized by indulgences till they had destroyed their intellects , that they ought to live upon a courser sort of food . One of these peers said that to take notice of the wants of the people was robbing the supreme governor of the universe of his attributes . We know of no such thing as this asserted in the Divine Writings . ( Hear . ) Hypocrites they might be ; , and it was a . pleasure to : i great many men that they were able to be successful hypocrites . But here was a nation perlsbiug andyetthe aristocracy tell the people they were
bound to starve , for it was the will of the Supreme Gover nor of the Universe that they should be so ! How was it that the people were . in this cpndition ? Was there a single man in the aristocracy that contributed Gd . a month to the intelligence and industry , that has made this country richer in all inventions , manufactures , &c ., than any other country on the face of the earth ? ( Chwers . ) The toast was the people : the people that haw lifted this aristocracy up until their hearts , are fat , and their minds bereft of intellect , —they are to be put out of the palfe ! ( Hear , he : ¦ r .. ) A century ago we had no national debt and no poor rates . Now we have nearly a thousand millions of debt , and nearly eight millions of poor rates ; and nearly th * whole of this debt had-been incurred in establishing one race of the Bourbons on the throne of Trance , rather than another . ( Hear , hear . ) As then the people did not go about seeking to destroy the rights of others , it was only fair that should
they see to the preservation of their own . ( Loud cheers . ) Mr . Thomas Smith , of Liverpool , next spoke to the toast . He adverted to the great importance of the people in the scale of society , and nnithadverted on tlie manner ii -which they were calumniated by ahireliug press . He was noprophet ; but he thought the time was come when this heavy concern of ours muSt break down , for he did not see how it was possible lor it to remain as it was , and there was little prospect of its being speedily improved . The strugg les between the Whigs and the Tories had hitherto been for the possession of power ; but they had now combiued to make one party . But it was proverbial th nt dangers unite men ; and it was evident that the craft of both Whigs and Tories was in most imminent danger . ( Loud cheers . ) The greater danger , therefore , ofthe craft , this brighter prcspect we have of obtaining our rights . ( Cheers . ) The toast was then drunk amid loud cheers . The next toast proposed
was . , <¦ - THE QUEEN . " Samuel Fielden , Esq ., was called upon to Fcspond to this toast amidst the most enthusiastic cheers . He said lie was happy to perceive the great loyalty of the gentlemen present , for they certainl y had been very liberal in their applause of our noble Queen . If they had seen her , as ue did , at the . play , the other night , thoy would have given her twice as many cheurs as they had done . ( Htar , hear , and laughter . ) He considered her a very pretty young woman ; and the only thing he found fault with was , that she had no man at Court who was bolter able to do justice to
her than Lord Melbourne . ( Cheers and laughter . ) Sir Robert Peel said in reference to the Queen , a short time ago , that he thought he saw something" in her Majesty that would support the Church but he ( Mr . Fielden ) thought he saw something in her far better than supporting the Church—the protection of the litlle factory children . ( Tremendous cheeirs . ) He said it was no u . se detaining them , since there were some gentlemen behind him that were desirous of speaking ; and if he detained them the consequences might be serious . ( Hear , hear , laughter , and cheers . ) The toast was then drunk with three times three . The next toast was
" JOHN FIELDEN , the friend of the poor , the protector of the factory child , and the securer of the rights of industry / , ( Tremendous cheers . ) The Chairman , inproposing the toast , said a few words in reference to Mr . Fielden ' s excellent chan racter , both public and pri ^ te . He alluded to the circunistance of Mr . Fielden ' s being invited to preside at a dinner given in Salford to Mri Cpbbett , ^ and stated it as his belief that to that circnnistance they owed his ; return for Oldham ";' as . never before" then ' could he be persuaded to take a pubHc part in politics . He then related to the meeting a variety ' 1 Of incidents cohnected with the private ; character of Mr ^ -Fieldea , all teiidinK to prove the excellent
disposition of that great philanthropists . 1 < - Mr . Fielden rose amid ' cheers ; that lasted several minutes ; After thefipplause had subsided , lie said he feltoverpoweredbythefeelings ^ fBducedb ' y-this ^ festatipn . He had not forgot that it was the people of Manchesterthathadnr 8 tcauedMmintopu ^ was as the ; Chairman had said , in 1831 ,. that he first came upon t , he field of political strife , ^ for suchJie denominated the course he had . 40 ^ pursue . ( Heari ) , But notwithstanding all the opposition ' -with which he had to contend , it was gratifying to him to be among the Working men ot Manchester , a ^ d . ip know that his proceedings had given them ' satisfaption . ( Loud cheers . ) It Would have : been more agreeable to his feelings * and more in accordance With his taste , to have remained quietly at home in the bosom of his family . But when he was Borwarmly called upon to support a . great political writer-r-tho greatest political Writer that ever lived in this
country , a man who sought truth with all his heart , and Who published it at any hazard-t-he could hot shrink from the duty to which he ; was ' called . ( Cheers . ) He supported Cobbett | and in all probability , his acceptance of the chair at the dinner g iven to Mr . Cobbett , led to his being called on by his friends at Qldham to accompanyhini-to Parliaments HewouW much rather ^^ have remained at home on that peca-: s | imy but his friends came an 4 solicited him ; and alter some entreafy , he consented to , allow ^ his name to be piut in nomination with Mr . Cobbett , prodded he i ^ ht be allowed to withdraw incase Mr . CpbbetjL was nbt returned . He pledged himself that Mr ; ! Cobbett- s » Vonid never wants seconder tp his motions when hff attempted to assistthe people of his country . But now he had left him , and he was left as it Were single handed ( hear ) in the cause of the people . Mr . Fielden then adverted to the coarse ta bad pursued during his parliamentary career . He took
Untitled Article
int ? . <» i ^ denrtidrih > dase iU l ^ Wo ^ iw * i ^ veM , jtedexp ^« sed hi 8 deepeat ^ pSSSv sufferidg 8 ^ The ^ eaversv Q j ^ p ^^^ ceived a le ^ uta ^ an ^ . 6 d . fbf WBa ^ ri ^^ piece of cloth wmchi , when finishcdi ^ i ^ CT * | latthe ^ ece of dqth happen ^ tS ^ gS ^ ¦ the value , of ^ * heni ^ manufecvured ; ^ tew ^ vfer ^ then received !; lg . 6 d . or Ja « t ^ one-lour&irf ? labour of this , man that hadlpstitswlue . Th * ^ r ~ ment was ; worth y the same ; money io the consnlw ^ w ^ enonlj ^ orfli ^ . a * Ms . Jt would S W same ^ unber of ^ nirts . or > ther articles jand ' -& ' being the feet it showetTat ofBce that there was sbiS thingm operation which had reduced th <* Valn ^ of thispcwr ^ r ^ bo ^ Toj ^ ceat ; while thene ^ v sanes of life , which he had ; to ^ consume * nx Sj c&aae
, had : kept uo- to their ft » value , s o ^ K pomt offact ^ he only received one gallon of wheat or one bushel of potatoes , where fermerlv he m myedthree , ( Bear , hear , hear , ) Tfcatwasantmfair protection to the dealer , and a great neclecttn the weaver—a great fault on the part ol the leeisi £ ture . He had stated this in the house and it led £ the appointment of a Committee to take into coir sideration . the state of manufattures , commerce * shipping , < fec . He next discassed the Factory Ou ^ tion , and said the bill now before Parliament was . the aaost cunous . oue he had ever jseen , haviae no preamble ^ ; appointingthe- ; S ecretary of State a « S fltructor ot horn-books j and entirelyleaving out the education clauses of the present act ; so that S « intention . was to > get the childfen back to wort nW ?
nistead ol allowing them the two hoars at school He hoped there would be more good sense in ^ housethan to allow such a bill ever to bei read a ^ econd time ; at any rate , they might rely oh it , that he , and many others , had prepared themselves tomeet it ; it it did not prove still-bprn , —it certainly should not pass without something being said on the subject . One ofthe nwin causes of bringing himself before them to-day was , he apprehended ^ the part he had taken in an attempt to defeat that worst of all acts that had ever been passed inEngland , the Poor Law Amendment Act . ( Cheers . ) After setting forthhis course in Parliament ' respectingit , the speaker said - ~ I see a tyranny of the worst description " at a distance : and if the people do not rouse
themselvesthey will be placed in greater tyranny than the Poles or Russians . ( Hear . ) It has been announced by a Secretaiyof State , that the time has arrived when we may alter the laws and institutions of England Now , I am so far a Conservative , that I do not wish to see the old English institutions destroyed ;—! am SO far a Conservative that I will exert myself , to the utmost of my power , and I will call upon the people to back me , to prevent the destruction of those institutions which the Radical * never asked to be destroyed , but which is now proved the Whigs do wish t odestrdy IHear . ] I ^ ili e xert myself to pS the loss of those venerable inistitutions which haVe niade ^ England the great conntry it has been . " The Poor Law Amendment Act said to eve r * wr » . V-
man , " Let your wages be never sq small ; let your ? SQpl ?^ eutbe f B ? , fati £ ring ; you may work 18 or 20 hours a-day , and lose your strength iatryW to . procure food and clothing ; but if you fail in doinl that , and you " yourself have no command over your wages , you shall have no relief in this couhtrv but in a prison . " He attributed the difference in the condition of the poor in England and Ireland , and England and Scotland solely to the advantages enjoyed in England under the Poor Law of Elizabeth , which had kept up wages , in spite of eytry thing-and now . under the uewlaw , they would see wages in England reduced as low in rank as they were in Ireland . Be sides , was it not gross injustice to deny relief ? The land was : not given to lords , baronets , and squires . unconditionallybut to thewholeof God
, ' s creatures ; and they had all a right whicli could not be disputed to the produce of the land . The land was only given on condition that the poor should be maintained aud that we must insist upon . ( A voice * "Ay * we'lliusist on that . ' ) He was glad to hear them sny they would insist on that , He had been on the Poor Law Committee ever since December last , and tiie first witness was Gulston , who vvas put forward as the clevertstof all the clever assistant Poor Law Commissioners ; the next wasMr . Hall ; and the nt-xt Mr . Power , who was to convince us down in this . part , that there : would be a far better adininutration of relief to the poor , better accounts kept , and less time occupied in being under the new law , and governed by three commissioners in ^^ London
. than it we governed our own affairs . Was there one present who believed that the ; commissioners in London ^ could do better tor them than they could dp tor themselves ? ( "No , no , " " Then take care ( said the Hon . Member ) that the commissioners don t take them out of your hands . " Last week , he had received from Leicester a petition , making a wholesale denial of Gulstoii ' s evidence in answer to questions , principally put by Mr . Fazaktiriey , and two or three othersin committee . No less than 56 questions followed in succession ; aud the clergy , bankers , merchants , manufacturers , and respectable people of Leicester , declared that this evidence was altogether untrue —( hear , and cheersV—stated that wages in Leicester were nine shillings before the of the bill
passing , and were now reduced to 7 s . and the scarcity of work was such that the earnings did not amount to more than 5 s .: and that they were were prepared to prove , that the direct tendency and operation of this law upon the wages of the working people of Leicester was to ensure an inevitable reducUon . And this they prayed they might 6 e allowed to prove at the bar of the House ofCommons , or before the Poor Law Committee . The committee , must take it up : the petitiouCTS had taken pains _ to go round ( as he had formerly done ) , and ascertained what each man ' s earnings really were . There was another point in the petition , viz . that the selling of the ; goods of the poor , before allowing them relief , was practised in Leicester . Instructions to
this effect were given in the third report of the connnissioners , and iii a circular ; and could any one fora moment question , that the fiends ( tor they were no better ) wQo received these instructions would follow themto the very letter ? If he couldtake any part in the working of this law , he would do so too , because the sooner the effects of ts operation became manifest , and the sooner they would have te repeal it , or they Would have arevoluton -r ¦ er t efore allwno wished to preserve property j . ndlifeought to exert themselves , by all legalandconsututional means , toupsetthis Poor Law Bill . Another change which was now insidiously attempted in our ancient institutions , was in the trial by jury ^ The speaker explained that he referred to the KU
ror me summary conviction of juvenile offenders , and said he hoped that the people of England Were not yet reduced to that state of abject slavery that they would nve up the-birthright for which their foretathere fought and bled . The cause of all these changes iu England wag an-amazingly increased taxation , arising out of animprovident expenditure , m L a-wicked and unrighteous war with France , by which W ) 0 ' millions of debt were added to the 200 millions then Owing , forming a burthen which :. the people ^ conld not bear , without it was accompanied by a depreciated currency . But when the War terminatea , England returned tp a . gold currency , and restored the dealings of those in this country to an exchange in a metallic currency , subject to a debt ntracted
co m paper ; and out of this had arisen all those changes they had seen from that day to this . And we were now on the high fOad to tyranny at a quicker pace than ; we ever were before . The long and ebon of it was , that this deot , contracted in paper , could never be paid in gold . ( CheeH . ) As the people , of Birmingham- had said , either the burthen must be reduced to the means , or tiiemeaus must be raised'to the burthen . ^ He was one who thought it better that the burthed should be reduced to themeans ; but he should like to see either the one , or the other take-place ; and the question wa » how they were to secure one or toe other of these thiBgs . His advice was , to those Who had got votes , to " register , register ^ registeit ? ' and thus return good do of
men to ^ ^ FarUanaent , ^ ho would one these things . ' Those who had not votesshonld do their best to get them .: Hesaw no chance of 8 tpppigg . the progress of tyranny , without . ; workipg njen . obtaining the iran- i etose ; and Uq beHeyea there , was . more intelligence ' nSlv i twK ^ S ^ S ^^ S * shopocracy ^ ( Oheere . ) TKe ^ workin ^ men were as inw h des « rving ; of { voteS-to , those ' wHtrhad a « Serty \ M tM y ^^ the fereatoft pfjll weflad ^ gepSvedit , woqld be found ^ aftferi all , * ffiai * % e < r&ailadicalv , those who ^ ought for Utfi ^ erSal Suflfage / Ami , ' Parliaments , and Votary Ballot ^ wwiia ^ beBit : Conservatives . ot the country ; ^ ( Hea * ant cheers . ) ; Anotiherand mOredesitablemode of attack !' would be to make the Chancellor , of the Exchequetpoor ; m his coffees , by . abstainine frpmthi . ib ^ b oi fex . ' Andif
ciseabie articles ^ mepe ^ ple onlyha ^^ ifijcient nrjuei , and Wbuld-act with ; uhammi % < prndeneer and ) P ^ fT ™ ^// 0 ^ ^ r ^ . refrai ^ fctbe ^ t of all exraseable artiple ^ feeh ^^ apM'ihey waou ; getAnnual ^ PaYlianienirsi ^ Wdiyefsal , Sufljace , and " Yote : J > y BaHot . ^ AudtKef fii # &m '> ( kef $# in ' ofo than ^^ many ^ ^ werefaware of waSfpetilSnitf ^ 'By tnese and every Dossible tneans , let u # try to " persuadedue ' another to join heart aod hand tdtetrtHe ' sufifrage for the people , in order to # * t flfcigrovances , of whifci the people had long compV » ned , 'funyaadeffecrn 8 Hy redressed . ( LOud cheers . ) , ..... . "" ; ¦ , The Chairman saMhewa ^ about to ^ giveai tiwroughlyDestrtctiye toast , mwhfchhfitrnstedsoiDae :
honest ^ ConsiBryativfes he ' saw presentwouldheartify lOJ 31- ' :: ¦¦ ; p » , fP ? edy - destradtuin cf the ^ New ¦ f # x Law , of tha MinistiTtliatcoiBtoijtSdit-erthe coaipaay rose , haltooed . anf'waVed'their llate and handker ^ cbiefejH-and the ftfctieni fbafcrtppprted it . " Two profe « ttonal gemlemeri Would iirtak to this toasti Hr < . John . qobbett , a lawyer , ; aiidDr . ^^ Fletcher , « . uvE * calkenUemaB > . ; >> ' v ; > : V Mf-iJoHN > M . C ^^ ^ d , i tf words « f b * ( feonld destroy the Poor-La ^ and ffie factibna tifc * sapt > orted Ir , te ^ buld ^ o hiB ^ bestj Some of the partres i inatrumental in the bringing forward <«« pasiuigiiat acti if ^^ not destroyed , were at lewt laid on the shelf . The proud NorthumTbnaDt Lord Grey , ceased to be prime iniaMter , if b" 1 the tery night the bill waa brought into we * ( Conducted in our Seventh Page . )
Untitled Article
¦ ¦ ^ v ¦ " - ¦ - ¦ ¦ ..- ¦ -: :.. - . ; .--: ..:. ^ : :,-^^^ M ^
-
-
Citation
-
Northern Star (1837-1852), June 9, 1838, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1009/page/6/
-