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LEEDS AND WEST.R1DING NEWS
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TO OUR READERS
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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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On Saturday , August 1 lth , every LANCASHIRE Purchaser of the 'NORTHERN STAR will be presented with a SPLENDID PORTRAIT ( FROM A STEEL PLATE , ) SIR W . MOLESWORTH BART ., M . p . FOR LEEDS . Every YORKSHIRE Purchaser will receive a '¦ like present on Saturday , the 18 th August , and our SCOTCH and other NORTHERN FRIENDS on Saturday , the 25 th August .
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THE FACTORY QUESTION . AoilH" has -fins * R important subject been * agitated" in tlie Hoesewhich , tbough , by courtesy , * tyletl the Commons House of Parliament , seems to-as to wear very much the coBplexion of u Souse *> f-Thieves . The sneaking creatures evaaed the Sxedgazeof hcmest men , -ofi a former eveiung , by She contemptible manoeuvre of " counting the THP . ¦ RAnTfVR . Y QUESTION .
Mouse "—just "as a pickpocket evades the o " bserva-* km of one whom he has robbed , by dodging nnder 3 as arms—Irat Xord Assley -very properly determined tost they shonll not thus get off . He watched the double , and met then again "at the ¦ turning ; driving them into a comer , whence they « onl& cot readily- escsj * . Tbxispent , they weieimdeT "&B necessity of submitting to flagellation with the Wtt appearance of grace they cornd-assume .
Tie speech-of lord Ashley was open , straighti » rward , and mariy . He shoired , byeridence of ^^ haractPr which , even there , was not to be dis-^ puted , that the Factory Act , as to the most valuable -ad important < of its provisions—the -provisions on -which ite authors afiect most highly to esteem it—Trai a mere farce ; that it had been constantly and -tyr teaatically violated during the whole period of dtj operation . ; that the Government knew of this
-rioladoa- ; and that the Magistrates connived at it , iby bo "" managing" their discretionary powers of punishment—when compelled to punish—that , under any eirenmstances , it should be more profitable to outrage the law than tok&ep it . HelaidbaTe a tissue of -collusions between Mill-owners and Magistratesbetween convicted culprits and the executioners of . the law . He spoke of Magistrates sitting in judgment on offences which had been perpetrated by
• ther Magistrates , their fathers and brothers , in -order that punishment for child-murder might be traded—of a man sitting as Judge to pass sentence on convicted miscreants in the persons of his own » ons—tenants , in the mill of which , he , the Magistrate , propr ietor . He gave instances of Millowner-Magisrrates , in their official capacity , countersigning the legal certificates for their own Factories . He traced this elaborately organized system of complicated fraud and villany clearly to its source , and shewed that it must have originated
in the deliberate intention of the coneocters of the * ' Humbug Bill . " He proved , from the official reports of the inspectors , that the Government had been , time after time , apprised of the absolute impossibility of enforcing the law , by reason of the Tague and indefinite expression of its provisions , and of the many difficulties needlessly thrown in the -way of detecting and punishing offences ; while the Government , professing the most anxious desire for the enforcement of the law , had yet taken no step for the amendment of those defects , which their own officials declared to render it inoperative . He shewed , hy the reports of the Inspectors , that the power of
mitigating penalties , vested in a dL = honestMagi ? tracv , Tenders it " far more profitable to disobey than to observe the act" He shewed , by Teferencce to facts , that " a merciless griping ruffian would g ^ in more than 500 times the amount of the penaltv during the hours he overworked these unfortunate children . " He prov < sl that thongh all this had been demonstrated to them over and over again , Government had yet taken no step towards the redressal of this atrocious -wrong—and that , consequentl y , " the only inference which could be drawn was that thev were parties to all the fraud , and violence , and murder , which results from the constant violation of this law .
There was no escaping from the strict enclosure which the 3 \ oble Lord threw round the subject . " A law had been introduced and passed by the present Government , and what he wished to know was , whether the Government would give him a full and final answer with respect to that law . If it were a good law , would they keep it up if it were defective , would they amend it ; and if Lad , would they repeal it ? " Here was a plain question , to which the plain answer must be '"' yea" or " nay . *'
Fox Macxe and litde Lord John pleaded the imbecility of Government as an excuse for their misconduct . They had done , and were st ill willing to do , < " their best , " but they feared to offend the Millowners , and they were unable to cause the law to he observed . ~ 5 ovr we are very willing to give lie Government credit for as much imbecility as ever fell to the lot of legislators . "We are willing to concede that they are utterly incapable either of conceiving or executing any single great or honest piece of legislation . "We grant that their power ?
are of the most limited caste ; that their habits are slovenly and slippery , and that their education has heen acquired in the worst of schools , asd we are not so unreasonable as to expect anything valuable from them , but -we do think that the consciousness of their own inability should - induce them -to stand out of the way , and , at least , allow others to do that which they acknowledge to be beyond their capability , though they are anxious that it should be done . On this subject , the Government are now fairly hemmed in by the horns
of a xlDemma . They have admitted—nay , insisted that the observance of the present Factory Act i 3 necessary to preserve the health morals , and lives of the Faetory Children , amounting to nearly Four Hundred Thousand in number , and they admit that the Act is not observed ; either , therefore , they are unable to enforce obedience to the law , and thereby to-preserve the health , merals , and lives of this immense number of persons—and in that case , they ought instantly to resign the matter into abler hands ; affording all the assixlanee
in their power to their successors— or thev regard the health , morals , and lives of all these as a matter of small moment , which they are willing to sacrifice , for the upholding of the interests of the Moneymongers ; and , in that case , the people . ought instantlj to Met the rascals , not only out of office hut out of the Country . We defy the wrigglings of Mr . MiTJLE , or the writhings of Mr . Philips , or the impudent laugh of ILord . John BtrssELL , to relieve them from this alternative ; and we can tell them , that they will yet be compelled to accept one or other of it 3 provisions .
Had we no better guide for our surmises , we might learn something respecting which of ¦ these alternatives aecerds best with their character , from the assertion of their wretched tool , the Morning Chronicle , - that " The time of the House of Commons was perhaps never more completely wasted" than in this discussion . The cold-blooded ef&ontery of this heartless sentence , and ihe " laugh" of " little John" when Lord ASHI . -2 ? was speaking of the " monstrous violations " of this law , contain a very accurate portrait of the faction which each of them represents .
"We hare not occupied the columns of oca- paper with any lengthened report of the speeches in this debate , for none of them contain anything that would he new to any of ocr readers . A Mr . G . "V 7 . "Wood who figured most disreputably as aMagiptrate in adjudicating on some Factory offences in Lancashire , in 1 S 36 , made a wretched-attempt at recriminatioa by aceusiag Lord ASHLEY of refusing to accept las proffered guidance to some of the mills in Manchester ana introduction to Mr , Hobxeb , the Factory Injector . The poor creature was dumbfounded and astonished by the noble reply of Ashl-ey : — - "
" Dia the Hon . ilesiber mean to sav that lie ( hnrl A * h ? ev \ dianotso mth Kb to Mr . BurlevVml ^ it he M 1 r ! o ttemjuvhimnrni& town ; « mia fce / 5 iLt , J& m om angle plag > in wiueh inspection was declined ? Bow fetjte m \» J the ESQ . llositer know of K , rk « to M » oehc * i 2 ?
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* hen the fact was that he ( Lord Ashley ) vmited every null in the town ? *« jt that he would appeal to the Hon . Member for Salford , trho accompanied him . Did the Hon . Member know how fee spenthis nights while in Manchester ? He went to the giarets and the cellars of the operative * to make inquiries from the fathers and the mother * , and to ascertain the stale of the children with his owa eyes . And vrashe now to ~ be teld , when he brought the result of these inquiries and labour before the assembled Commons of England , that he had resisted all investigation , and had declined the Hon . Member ' s valuable assistance ? { Hear , hear . ) One invitation of -the Hon . Member ( Mr . G . Wo » d ) he had indeed declined , namely , to accept of his hospitality , and meet Mr . Homer at dinner . Thiahe declined to do , lor tht sole reason that he thought he would not be equally free to censure the evils of the system , or perhaps to make use of Mr . Horner ' a name , if he had met him at the table of a thirdpeno * . " T ^ ****** ' rtts . *** ** < H # A « hlej ) vi , ited every millin
Mr . GuiiON also again tried to make people believe that the counting out of the House on the previous evening was not a preconcerted trick 'Tis useless however ; the seal sticks so closely to the bond that , theugh Mr , Gillon should offend his lungi by bawling , he cannot nil it off .
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CANADA . Ovr readers will find in Mr . OastiM * letter , on our sixth page , gome authentic intimation of the real state of matters in Canada , from a highly respectable inhabitant of that province . It is only from such quarters that information can be relied on .
Truly , « ur state physician * are miserable quack * . The disease in Canada was a concentration of the power of legislation in the hands of a few individuals , to the universal disgust and injury of the people , who , having exercised much patience in endeavonring to procure constitutional redress , at last took the matter into their own hands . Our wise Ministry , by way of healing the breach , and conciliating the outraged feelings of the Canadian people , concentrate the whole power of legislation in that province into one hand , and send them a Dictator
in the person of Lord Durham . "We guess his Dictatorship has by this time discovered that he has undertaken a tough job . "We wish him luck of it . The spirit of the Canadian people has heen too thoroughly roused , to be allayed by any thing less than justice . Accounts have been recently received from the American newspapers , of sundry movements of the Patriots , which , thongh not important , show that they are again upon their feet : and , though they seem to have effected little , they will prove a
bitter harrassment to poor Lord Durham , and will be able , we hope , in the long run , by forcible arguments , to convince both him and the Government at home , that the only way to escape defeat and disgrace in our present , as in our former , American Colonies , is to break up the mock Legislative Council of Lord Dcbham , call together a House of real Representatives of the whole people , and do justice honestly among them . "Will they do this ? Yes—when they are compelled ; but never till then .
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——^ TO THE EDITORS OF THE NORTHERN STAR . London , July 25 th , 1838 . My Dear Sirs , — "Your two last papers eontain some golden truths , which ought to make a deep impression on your readers . Let me repeat a few of them , for they will bear repetition . In a leading article yon say— " Without Universal Suffrage there is no security for any kind of property to the industrious classes—but still , even cow , we think land a much better security than the nominal interest and promise-to-pay of the
state gambler ; and though the land of the ichole country lelongs to the tchole people of the country , and ii holden as individual property only by fictitious claims , fonnded on violence , we yet think the people would act more wisely in purchasing back , with their sayings , a portion of their own land , of which they could not be again despoiled , otherwise than by a general act of violence , which must involve equally the lands of
the Aristocracy , than in permitting those savings to be continually devoured by the titled cormorant * who swell the pension list . " In the same leading article , you observe— " there is enou gh of money now deposited by the labouring classes of this country , in the Saving ' s Banks , to enable them , if it was drawn out , to purchase , even at the present exorbitant price of land , as much land in their own country , as would , under the
Cooperative arrangements recommended by Mr . Owen , enable all the poor in England to subsist in comfort and independence , iciih less than a quarter of their present amount of daily toil . " Again , in a notice to correspondents , you say " The fact is , as we have told the working men of Lancashire and Yorkshire hundreds of times , that so long as they will hire themselves to the dis . trilutors of wealth , instead of producing for themselves , it will be ever thus , fyc , " that is to say , unless they adopt what you recommend , they
( the working classes , ) will ever be liable to be tyrannized over by employers .- These are a few of the many golden truths I might cite from your two last papers , but I content myself with the the above quotations , because they include , or lead to , all the rest . To regain the proprietorship of the soil , and to become masters of their own produce , are the two grand essentials to be constantly kept in view by the industrious classes : they are the sine-qua-nons , without which the sons of labour can never knew real
independence , nor , consequentl y , real happiness . Under present arrangements , the proprietors of land , mone y , and credit , possess an alm 08 t houndless power of murder and robbery over the rest of the population . Full twenty millions out of five and twenty , composing the population of the United Kingdom , are perfect slaves to the proprietors of land , 7 noney , and credit . I inc-lude credit , because there is probably a greater number of knaves and idlers subsisting on credit , than on either of the other two . One of your correspondents , Mr .
Finch , has quoted the authority of Mr . Colquhoun , a London magistrate , who wrote in 1812 , to show that the proprietors of land and money , absorb twelve shillings in the pound of all the annual produce of the country , whilst the Government and Church ( both apanages of the same classes ) absorb 3 s . 6 d . more ; thus leaving to the producers of the whole only 4 s . 6 d ., or little more than a fifth part to gubsist themselves and families . I remember having quoted the same authority some seven years ago ( in the Midland Representative newspaper ) with similar views to those of Mr . Finch , and my
conclusions , I remember , were then pretty much the same as his are now . We both agree that , under the existing arrangements of society , the productive classes obtain little moie than a fifth part of their earnings . Nay , their condition is probably much worse than this , for things have greatly deteriorated since 1812 . At that time theaverage price of wheat was about 14 s . a bushel : it is now , with difficulty maintained at 7 s . The fundholder , therefore , gets two bushels now for the one he got in 1812 , whilst , at the same time , the market price of his stock has increased full 50 per cent ., —thus giving him nearly three bushels now for the one he could have obtained
then with the same amount of stock . Combine this reduction in the price of food with the notorious reductions that have tafcen place in all manufactured goods , since 1812 , and we shall find a vast increase to what is called " the property of the country . In Birmingham , prices have fallen to less than one half , in many articles , to le « s than a third of the old prices . In the manufactures of the North , of Coventry , Spitalfields , &c ., the reduction is probably still greater . Now , every body knows that the advantage of aU these reductions goe 3 to the man of fixed Income , — that it goes to swell " property"
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the" expense ef the producers . I think I may , therefore , safely conolude , that , if the producer received only 4 s . 6 d . in the pound of his earnings in 1812 , his present share is rather under than over 4 s . The only argument against such conclusion would be to show that rents have fallen in proportion as the value of funded property has risen , and that profits have declined in the same proportion as wages , but no such argument can be sustained by facts . Landed proprietors have , doubtless , abated their rents in many places , but in nothing like the game proportion that stock has advanced , and taking lands and houses conjointly , it is probable theexpenseef the producers ; I think I may . there-
the aggregate rental is much greater now than in 1812 , especially if we allow for the -vast increase of building . And though profits have also much declined since 1812 , no experienced person will pretend that , on the whole , they have sunk in the same proportion as wages , which have , in many branches , fallen t * less than a third of what they used to he ; I therefore repeat my conclusion , that the actually employed do not get 4 s . in the pound , or a fifth pare of their earnings , and , taking the employed conjointly with the unemployed an , d destitute poor , I am certain their , aggregate income does not exceed a seventh part of what it ought to be , 3 nd would be , under a just order of things .
The truth is , the present system is every day promoting what the " Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge" calls "Emigration from the lower , or working classes , into the ranks or classes above them y" that is to say , it is every day adding to the number of drones and distributors , and diminishing , in the same proportion , the , really useful working class . This novel sort of emigration is greatly admired by the society in question , which recommends it as a cure for that periodic disease called " a glut in the labour market" alias " a
dearth or scarcity of employment . " Every working man who passes from the condition of a producer into that of a mere money-spender , or of a profitmonger , is represented by the society as a benefactor to all the producers he has left behind , and it goes so far as even to recommend working men u to go out of the labour market themselves , and turn capitalists , " whenever they may find the field of employment too narrow for the number of competitors . The society forgets to inform us how a man without a shilling in his pocket , or the means of earningit , is to put himself in the condition of employing
others ; and he also forgets that " going out of the labour market' - for want of employment is , general , synonimous with going into the workhouse , or else with going to gaol as a thief , a prostitute , or a poacher . Now , though this latter sort of emigration is not at all recommended by the society , it unfortunately happens that the emigration he does recommend , is closely allied with it ; indeed , so closely , that you cannot possibly promote tht one without promoting the other . Every augmentation made to the numbers of the . upper and
middle nlassps' is invnrialilv fnll .- » Mror 1 V . » r nnr *~ c middle classes , is invariably followed by a corresponding augmentation in the number of paupers , poachers , thieves , and prostitutes . Mr . Hawes one of the present members for Lambeth , made the following statement some time ago in the House of Commons . I copy it exactly as given in the daily papers of the timei— , " Mr . HAWES then read the followin g statement : — " Pauperism increasing in proportion to the Rate : — 1809 Paupers to whole J ' otmlation 1 to 8 1 K » * 1 to 7 ' ¦
. 1 « 7 . 1 to 6 Ivow in several counties 1 to 3 In some parishes 1 to 2 In one , the parish of Ch : urli-stnirT , with the exception of the clergyman and clerk every one in a pauper . ( Laughter . ) 1750 Poor Rates . i 750 , 000 1784—5 2 , iX ) 3 , 000 Y ™ 4 , 000 , 000 . «» 5 ... 6 , 000 , 000 ] & } , 7 , 000 , 000 lbi 7 . 540 , 000 . "
Instead of " pauperism increasing in proportion to the rate , " Mr . Hawes should have headed his statement thus : — " Pauperism and rates increasing in proportion to the increase of rents , profits , tithes , taj : es , and tolls , " &c . Mr . Hawes did not state the increase of thieves , prostitutes , and poachers ; but it is pretty well known that the" emigration " of labourers into these departments of society has been progressing , pari passu , with , their " emigration " into pauperism ; as all four " emigrations " have been progressing , pari passu , with the great
parent" emigration " recommended by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge . In London , here , we have a greater number of rent-eaters , taxeaters , and profit-eaters , in proportion to the population , than in any other town or city in the world . "We have also a greater proportionate number of thieves and prostitutes . We have not poachers , it is true , for there is no game to be captured here , have we so high a per centage of paupers as the parish of Charlesbury ; but , if we are deficient in poachers and paupers , we are compensated by an
overplus of gamblers and menial servants , not to speak of actors and actresses , minstrels , agar-girls , hurdy-gurdy grinders , Scotch pedlars , Bavarian trulls , and long-whiskered refugees from all parts of the world . Of prostitutes alone we are said to have upwards of 100 , 000 !—who walk the streets publicly , and have no other means of subsistence . As to menial servants , gamblers , thieves , and the other description of adventurers , they are almost countless .
Taken in the lump , their name is legion , and there is hardly a limit to the waste and extravagance they cause . Now , the working classes have to support all these downwards , as they have to perform the same office for the rent-eaters , tax-eaters , and profit-eaters , &c , upwards . Indeed , they can no more escape the former than they can the latter , —for , wherever the latter are found , there will also be found the former . They are both of them the
offspring of the same had laws , —both equally pernicious and valueless to society , —both equally destructive of the rights , resources , and happiness of the really useful working classes . Mr . Robert Owek was perfectly right when he told his audience at Leeds , that , after the working class , the next most numerous class was the thieves and prostitutes , &e . There was a time when such was not the case in
England , It was the time when rents were onl y a few millions , when the taxes did not exceed two millions , when there was no standing army , no national debtwhen the Sovereign defrayed all the expenses of his or her Government out of his or her own hereditary estates or crown lands—when the landlords defrayed the principal expenses of war—when there was no millionaire capitalists to swallow up the earnings of a whole district—when usury was a word of
abomination , and Jews the only usurers—when profits were little more than a fair remuneration for the time , skill , and superintending care of the masterand when there were certain annual great fairs in various parts of the country , to which the producer used to take his produce direct , and sell it himself , instead of selling his labour to an employer , who sells it again to the factor or merchant , who sells it again to the Tetailer , and bo on till it reaches the
consumer , with an accumulation of profits upon it far greater than the original cost of the manufactured article . It was the time , in short , when poor rates were either wholly unknown , or only a few thousands a year—when the poor had either a third of the Church property for their use ,, or the law of Elizabeth in compensation—when ten or eleven millions of acres of land , were appropriated to the uses and enjoyments of the common people—and when roast beef and plum-pudding was the ordinary fare , instead of being , as now , the God-send of Coronation ? , or the distinction of gala da ; s , which coine , perhaps , once in twelve months .
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Now , gentlemen , I do not want the people to go hack to the times I speak of . They were , with all their all their faults , very good times in their way but not so good , as they ought to have been ; much less are they so good as the ppople of this age have a right to expect . Iwish and hope for the existing working ; class much ' better / times than their ancestors ' eyer enjoyed , or could possibly have enjoyed in the then imperfect state of the arts and sciences . If our working class ancestors were able / - ' without machinery , Jo enjoy some thirty or forty holidays in the ¦ Now , gentlemen , I do not ^ want the people to eo
year , besid e Sundays , and that whilst they contrived to have good , wholesome cheer and clothing all the time , surely , ; we . of the present age , who have machineryquite enough to glut Europe with our produce , andwho may have as much more as we please surely we , I sayy ought , with the same amount of labour , to have every second day a holiday , and to be wallowing in luxury into th 0 bargain . Andso it would be , gentlemen , if we were the proprietors of the land and of the machines , instead of being mere machines ourselves , to the crafty villains who have gradually usurped both to our exclusion .
But how is this usurpation to be stopped ? Only by adopting the advice you gWb in the passages quoted by me at the beginning of this letter . That advice ia I admit impracticable for the present and will be always impracticable unless the people shall first become their own legislators . That , however , is included in the advice you give , for , you very properly begin by stating that " Without Universal Suffrage there is no secttrity for any kind of property , "—That is
my opinion , it has been the opinion of all the truly great and good men that ever existed ; but until it be the perfect conviction of the working classes generally , no good will be done . Gn the supposition then , that Universal Suffra ge is first to be obtained , I enter , heart in hand , into your other recommendations . But if the people either will not , or cannot get that , the rest will , I am convinced , prove moonshine . It is easy to talk of savings' banks , buying land , forming communities , and all that sort of thing , but who are the
deposi-¦ tors in savings' banks ? Principally gentlemen ' s servants , foremen , and skilful mechanics in a few favoured trades , who are constantly looking forward to the time when they may become partners , masters on their own account , or shopkeepers of some sort . A re they likely to go into community ? Are they
the persons likely to sympathise most with their own oTder ? I think , decidedly not . There may be some few thousand individuals , or even a few large societies having such objects in view , but what are these in comparison with the millions who are actually suffering privation of every sort , who cannot buy a morsel of bread , much less save any part of their earnings ? I should by all means like to
• see one community tried , for the sake of convincing sceptical people by the actual experiment , and thai much I know might easily enough be done . Nay , the working people might for that matter , get up ten or twenty communities , but what would these be in comparison with the number to be relieved ? And if the first experiments should prove so successful as to suggest alarming comparisons between the new system of society and the old , what security
have we that the Government would not put a stop to the whole affair ? or that the present landed-proprietors would not refuse to sell any more land to communities ? With Universal Suffrage , I think your recommendations admirable , but without Universal Suffrage , I cannot help thinking them utterly impracticable , because I cannot help thinking with you that " Without Universal Suffrage there is no security for any kind of property . " Yours , &c BRONTETIRE .
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TO READERS & CORRESPONDENTS . H . T . —It is illegal for a ? iy tnitl-ownsr to work any child "from nine to ten years of age" any more than nine hours in any one day , or forty-eight hours 'I hi any one week . If the Inspectors don't choose to do their duty in looking after the mills the people ? nust do theirs in looking after the Inspectors , ff H . T . will furnish us with authentic information respecting any mills in which children are ivorked
as described in his letter , we will try to teach the rascals more deference for the law . Those who will not" love mercy" must be " made , as far as we can , to "do justice . " E . Churchward , will be answered by post . Anti-Malthusian . —JIis letter shall appear . Honley . —Oiir anonymous correspondent is informed that the Northern Star is no vehicle for petty personalities—^ nol even on Poor Law Guardians .
John Knight . — We have not room at present j and shall probably take up the subject of his letter in an article , ere long . Rule Nisi . — We have received a communication from a gentleman requesting to be set right with the public ; but he has forgotten to attach his name . If he will furnish this necessary information , we shall have great pleasure in setting him right next week .
Leeds And West.R1ding News
LEEDS AND WEST . R 1 DING NEWS
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LEEDS . Blessings of the New Poor Law . —On Tuesday last , five young men , all brothers , named William , George , James , John , and Benjamin Angui > h , were brought before the magistrates , charged with having refused to maintain their old father , thus throwing him upon the parish . The sum demanded of them conjointl y , was 3 s . per week which had not been paid for a long time , so that the arrears amounted to upwards of £ 10 . In answer to the question , why they should not be compelled to pay the , sum demanded , the first replied that he had always been willing to pay his share , and was
willing to pay it yet ; but , as a share , it had been refused , the overseer stating that he could not take the share of any one of them . Two or three of the others observed that they could not pay when they had nothing to pay with , as they had been out of employment for nearly a ; year . Another thought it very hard that while they paid poor-rates , they should thus be additionall y taxed for the support of a man who had never contributed in the least to the comfort of his family , ( as indeed was testified by the whole of the brothers ) . The magistrates , after a little consideration , said that they could not HEAR ANY REASON WHY THEY SHOULD NOT
PAY THE AMOUNT DEMANDED , AS THE ORDER UPON THEM BY THE BOARD WAS IMPERATIVE Neither could they take the share of any of them ; because if one had goods sufficient to pay the whole amount , and tfie others had not , « warrant of distress would be issued against the goods of that onk for the whole sum . They were recommended to apply to the workhouse board . ^ Wesley an Association Home and Foreign Issl 9 ~ On .-Monday evening , a meeting took
, place in the Stone Chapel , St . Peter ' s- ^ quare , Leeds , pursuant to notice , for advocating these missions . Mr . James Sigston presided , and the meeting was well attended , cons ' idtTing the weather , Powerful addresses were delivered by Mr , Drake ' Mr . Smith , of Darlington ; Mr . MallinsoD , Sir ! Bailey , of York ; Mr . Edwards , and Mr . Kaye . Mr . B . Banks , the treasurer , read over the report which was highl y satisfactory to the company assembled .
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¦ . ,. mm ~ ¦ ^——Pigeon Stealing . —On Monday last , a young man named Henry "Warfolk was brought before the magistrates on a charge ;" . of stealing pigeons from premises attached to . the New Inn , Vicar Lane . A watchman stated that having met him between three and four o'clock on Sunday morning , with a box containing seven pigeons , on his not giving a satisfactory account of them , he brought him to the police office , where he admitted having stolen theih from the stables of the New Inn . The ostler at the above-mentioned Inn identified the pigeons as his property . The mayor , in committing the prisoner lor trial , observed , that he thought it his duty to take particular notice of this case , not only for the sake of all present , but as well for the sake of those who might otherwise become acquainted with the case . He had received a letter from the coroner Pigeon Stealing . —On Mbndav last , a Vounff
relative to an inquest which had lately been held on the body of Geo . Wilksj who had met with his death in consequence of pigeon shooting . [ He here read the letter , which deprecated the practice of pigeon shooting in public places , and requested the . mayor to take some steps to put a stop to such a dangerous and disreputable practice . ] The mayor continued : it was such persons as the prisoner who tended greatly to encourage this practice , by stealing pigeons to sell for the purpose of shooting matches . ' This was not the only instance in which death had been the result of this practice in the vicinity of Leeds ; for , about two years ago , a young manthe
, only son of his widow and mother , to whose support he mainly contributed , Was shot under similar circumstances . It was not the province of the magistrates , nor was it their desire , to prevent the enjoyment of innocent amusement ; but when the lives of the inhabitants were endangered by this practice , it was their duty to interfere . If practices of that sort , therefore , were persisted in , they would be punished with the utmost severity . Persons going to Woodhouse-moor with fire arms for such purposes , must be aware of the consequences ; and after this notice , persons thus guilty mi ght expect to meet the severest punishment . \
Impudent Street Robbery . —On Monday last , Joel Hobson and Ned Lee ( the latter a notorious character ) were charged by a man named John Britain with having robbed him in the Street of one ahilling and ninepence halfpenny . Britain made a long statement of the various attempts they made upon him , the substance of which was as follows : — It appeared that the prosecutor had met with the prisoners on Saturday afternoon , and Hohson Vecognising Kim as a towtsman of . his , they all went together into a public house called u The Shoulder of Mutton , " where the prosecutor paid for several glasses of spirits each for them , as well as for some women who came into the place at the time . Here
they made one or two attempts to take from Kim a tobacco box containing six orseven shillings in silver . Notwithstanding this they all left the "Shoulder of Mutton" in company , —the prosecutor intimating his intention to go to a house called the "Red Bear , " where if they liked to go with him , he would treat them to a quart or two . They refused to go to the "Red Bear , " and persuaded him to po with them to a beer house in York-street . He refused to stop there however , and on his leaving he was followed by the prisoners , who shortly afterwards stopped him
, and began to feel about his pockets . Prosecutor then got angry , and making a spring , left them . They still pursued , and Hobson overtaking him knocked him down . They made several attempts to take his box from him , but without success , he holding it fast all the while between his two hands . They succeeded however in taking from his pocket one shilling and ninepence halfpenny in copper . His statements were corroborated , in a great measure , by other witnesses , and the prisoners were both committed for trial .
Phrenological Gallery . —On Wednesday we visited the Phrenological Gallery of Mr . Bridges , at the Music Saloon , South Parade . Mr . B ' s . arrangements are not quite completed , though the gallery is now open to public inspection . There is a very large assortment of skulls , busts , and other paraphernalia of this interesting science ; but we felt the inconvenience of not being ; able to know . whom they respectively represented . Mr . B . w preparing to remedy , by the publication of a catalogue , in which all the busts and skulls will be named , and the particular developmentd for which they are remarkable , pointed out . This will be a great improvement , and render the Phrenological Gallery a really instructive place of amusement . .
Refusing to Pay Toll . —On Monday last , Charles . Askam , farmer , of Stanningley , was brought up by summons , at the Court House , charged by the collector at Swinnow Bar , with refusing to pay 4 . } d . toll for a horse and cart , and attempting to break the gate opon by backing the cart against it . He eventually got through the bar , and did not pay the toll . The defendant contended that he lived near the bar , and from his house he did not travel one hundred yards upon their raad , and that he was not liable ; he had lived there ten years , and had never paid the toll . It was proved that he had that day been at Halifax with the horse and cart , and was returning home , and therefore liable to pay the toll . The magistrates convicted him in the penalty of £ 1 , and the expenses .
Northern Union . The members of this society held their weekly meeting on Monday evening , at their room , Standing ' s Temperance Coffee House , Briggate . After the usual business was concluded , a discussion took place on " Education , " which subject will be more fully entered into hereafter . It was also agreed that similar discussions be held on every succeeding Monday evening . The subject to be entered into on Monday evening next is as follows : — " Will Universal Suffrage atone secure to the working classes real and permanent good Government . " Good Example . —We understand that Messrs Oapham , of Woodhouse Carr , worsted spinners , have advanced the wages of their woolcombers .
Charge of Furious Driving—On Wednesday last , James Mountain , the driver of the Express coach , was summoned before the Magistrates to answer the charge of furious driving on Monday morning la « st , between Hunslet-har and Thwaite-bar . Two watchman , who had been sent for the purpose of observing the speed of the Express and Courier coaches , stated that while standing on the causeway they observed the Express coming , and that the four horses ran at full gallop between the two bars above-mentioned , so as to endanger the lives of the passengers on the coach , as well as others who mi ght have been crossing the road . There were , they thought , seven or eight persons on
the coach . It took the lead of the Courier , about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour ; but they could not form an idea of the pace at which they were then travelling . Mr . Bond appeared for the driver , and pleaded that the driving was not such as to endanger either the lives of those on the coach , or others passing by , in proof of which he should call one of the passengers who was on the coach at- the time , Mr . Martin , paper manufacturer , Vicar-lane . That gentleman would tell the bench that , so far as he was concerned , he felt himself ia no personal danger . Indeed when he stated the fact that the coach was forty-five minutes in going to Wakefield , there could be no danger ; and certainly nothing
could be urged as a motive of the coachman for furious driving , because he left Leeds fifteen minutes before the Courier . Mr . Martin , in giving his evidence , stated that he felt no danger for himself , and that one of the horses never broke trot all the way to Wakefield . He had been in the habit of travelling for forty years , and he thought he might say with safety , that he never saw more careful driving . The Mayor , after a short consultation with two other magistrates , observed that there was no evidence to bring the party charged within the
specific terms of the penalty , as there did not appear to be any negligence on the part of the coachman , nor any danger to the safety either of pasengers on the coach or other person ^ arid , therefore , they should not feel justified in inflicting any penalty on the coachman on that occasion . At the same time , after so recent and fatal an accident as that of which they were all aware , it would he the duty of the magistrates to put a stop to the practice , in consequence of which such accidents too frequently occurred , that they might prevent their recurrence in future . As for
any remarks that might be made on the motives of the officers in laying this information , all they coutd say was that the officers had done nothing but what it was their duty to do . It appeared to them that in running between Leeds and Wakefield in fortyfive minutes , they must go at unnecessary speed , especially considering that the mail , which might be supposed to be required to go faster than stage coaches , always took fifty minutes for that distance . Tkough perhaps the difference of five minutes would
not justify the bench in inflicting the penalty ,-it would be much butter if the proprietors of these coaches would instruct their drivers to take at least fifty minutes instead of forty . Had they been travelling at the same speVd in a narrow part of the road , they would have felt it their duty to impose the penalty ; and they hopvtt that attention would f- 't- paid to " these ol .. * ir \ -atioii *\ and thus prevent . the necessity of further complaint *' , The case was dismissed . ¦
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£ . ¥ p *? M * B : " o ? EbLLX . ^ -On Saturaayilast , * r , Benjamin Ros 8 ,: ttanufacturer , of BfanJey , appear ^ r ^ re ^ he magistrates , charging a prostitutef SaS Ann Benard Beirtley , with hayiteg robbed him 2 twe sovereign ,, the i evening before . One oAkl police-officers stated that Mr . Ifoss had given S ! and that he had left other two BOTerei gn * at th . office as a secuntrfor his appearance on the follow . ngda ^ When fioss appmedv hewMso drui ^ sjarcelyr to be ab ^ to ^ tand , and on ttehoofc bttfij offered t-e refused to be sworn . The macistra ^ observing : the state . he was in , said they must fi £ him for being drunk . Ross , holding up his fiT repliedjhat if they fined him , they werVaset of pu £ he robbers , and were unjust men . NotwithstandiM his warm reply , he was fined 5 s . and 7 s . 4 d . cos ? which was deducted from the two govereigns whicrt hehad left as a security for his appearance . Th& woman was immediately dischanrea . - t » J ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ SSI
_ iJRBAD FpL Fire-The Morning Chronicle of Thursday gives an account " of a dreadful fire havin » broken out the previous evening at Deptford , on thi premises ^ a Mr . Gordon , a timDer-merchaht ah * shipbuilder . The fire was stiU raging when the £ reporter left . An immense amount of property had been ^ acrificed , but no lives . The property waa irf Bured to the amount of £ 20 , 006 . The Fatal Coach Accident . —bhTuesdaT an inquest , which lasted from ten in the morhini ¦ till late m the afternoon , was held at the Star Inn * Lofthouse Gate , « the body of Mn . Morallee I lady tfhose death was occasioned by the overturn of the London
ing . Courier coach , on Wednesday ¥ ? $ ' fie is the wife of a contractor on the North Midland Railway , at present residing at Countess thorpe , near Leicester . She had been on a visit to ^§ 1 ™** , 1 > urhain > where , a few d * vs since , she had buried her infant . A number of witaessei were examined , whose evidence merely substantiated the facts detailed in our last week ' s account of this unfortunate transaction . The inquest was adjourned till this day week , to hear further evidence from a man named Mottram , who acted as extra guard , II ~ v ? of a Passenger , supposed to reside in Sheffield . The adjournment took place at half-past four . . r
PoNTY-Poot Working Men ' s Association T » 7 , e have reeeived a letter from the Working Men ' s Association at this place , signed by the official characters , expressing the thanks of the Association to the trades of Manchester for refusing to take part in the Coronation mummeries .
, RICHMOND . Sunday School . —On Sunday last an eloquent and appropriate sermon , was preached in the parish church of Middleton Tyas , near Richmond , by the Rev . F . Parry , B . D . minister of St . Paul ' s , Chester ; a collection was made amounting to £ 10 Oh , 4 | d ; « this with the annual gift of £ 5 from the vicar , and £ 5 from Mr . Hartley , has furnished the sum of £ 20 0 s , 4 £ d ., in aid of the funds of the Sunday School of that place , in which the number of scholars is now 95 . New Chapel . — In' the afternoon of Sunday last , the New Chapel at Moulton , in the parish of Middleton Tyas , which was began bv the late
William Ward , Esq , of Chester , and has been finished by his dau ghter , Miss Parry , was opened for divine service by the Rev . F . Parry , who preached in the afternoon . In the evening , a sermon was preached by the Rev . H . Atkinson , A . B ., of Middleton Tyas ; The chapel , though somewhat small , is ot substantial construction , and the interior is fitted up m a very elegant and superior manner ; the whole or the sittings are free , according to the wish of the founder , and although it is not especially endowed it is hoped one service each Sunday evening may h& continuously established j for the accommodation and edification of the inhabitants of the hamlet , who are at some distance from the parish church . The chapel , on both occasions , was crowded to excess .
HA WORTH . Church Sunday School .- On Sunday the 22 d instant , two sermons were preached in the . church of Haworth ; in the afternoon , by the Rev . Wm . Morgan , B . D . incumbent of Christ Church , Bradford ; and in the evening by the Rev . Wra ; Hodgson , incumbent of Christ Church , Colne ; after which collections were made to the amount of £ 19 pounds in aid of the school . Ancient Foresters . —On Monday the 23 d instant , the brethren of Court Mount Ararat , No . 86 , of the Ancient Order of Foresters , partook of an excellent dinner at the house of Mr . Enoch Thomas , King's Arms Inn , when about fifty sat down , after which harrnony was kept up to a late hour , when the company separated highly gratified with the proceedings of the day , and congratulating each other on the increasing prosperity of the order .
HALIFAX . Accident . —On Thursday last , as an unfortunate young man , who happens to be both deaf and dumb , was crossing the North Bridge , in this town , about noon , the leading horses of the mail coach , which , was entering the town at a rapid rate , knocked him down , and though run over by the horseaj he fortunately escaped the wheels . The man ' s name is Jonathan Bancroft . The coachman called out loudly for him to get out of the way , but his natural defect prevented him from obeying the summons . It is said he is not so seriously injured as was expected , and is in a fair way of recovery .
Wesley an Sunday Schools . —On Sunday last , the Rev . J . Rattenbury , from Leeds , preached in Broad-street Chapel in this town in the lorehqon , and at South-parade Chapel in the evening , and the Rev . J , C . Leppington , in the former chapel in the evening , and G . B . Brown , Esq . / in the latter in the afternoon , when each delivered discourses on behalf of the above sabbath Institutions . Collections were made after each sermon . Radical Meeting . —This day , a public meeting takes place in an open field opposite the Blucher Inn , Church-lane , in this town , to tale into consideration the following subjects , viz .: —1 st ;
Ihe best method to be adopted in obtaining a repeal of the New Poor Law ; 2 nd ; The causes of the national distress and its cure . 3 rd . The establish * lishing of the Northern Union in this town , and 4 th . to adopt the Birmingham petition , The gentlemen annexed have been invited to take part ia the proceedings : —J ; Fielden , Esq ., M , P ., F . O'Connor , Esq ., R ... pastier , Esq ., Rev , J . R . Stephens , Dr . Fletcher , of Bury , Mr , James Taylor , of Rochdale , and Mr . Crabtree , of Barnsley . The Theatre is engaged for the evening , to give an opportunity for the risitors again to addresi their friends after the meeting .
Druids . —The fourth anniversary dinner of Lodge No . 87 , of the United Ancient Order of Druids , took place at the Wool Pack Inn . Mr . William Hanson , P . A . presided and Mr . T . Windle , P . A . vice-president . At eleven o ' clock ,, a spirited ball commenced which was led off by Mr . and Mrs . Joseph Hanson , and some of thefi ^ rate catch and glee singers in the neighbourhood amused the company with their voeal powers , accompanied with the piano-forte which was played by Mr ^ Mayson . The worthy host , Mr . J . Holt , the landlord of the house did ample justice to the occasionby providing in bountiful style . The company parted : much pleased with the evening ' s entertainment * .
Public Lecture . —Mr . A . J . Dorsey the lecturer on education , from Glasgow , gave * gratuitous lecture to the inhabitants of this towo ^ on Saturday evening last , at eight o'clock , in the Old Assembly Room , Talbot Inc . The gentleman , commenced by addressing his audience on the necessity there were on all occasions to obserrfr punctuality both on the part of the lecturer , and likewise the j-ersons who intended to hear him , hj keeping the time appointed , but more especially those persons who had to do with making the appointments , for they ought to consider that all engagements were binding , and that example always
went before precept ; if the hour was too early , they ought to have appointed an hour later : he himself had attended in the room at eight o ' clock , the time fixed ,, and there was only at that time about ten persons in . He was well aware of the excuses usually set up , but of those he was ; very sceptical generally , and he thought that it manifested most frequently too great an indifference to the object for which they met He instanced a person who was coming to the lecture during the time he had beea waiting and who he observed was coming sauntering along , as though it was a matter of apparent indifference whether he got to the room or not , looking first at one object and then at another : the person , was present in the room , and he knew whether it
was true or not , what he was saying . He observed the remarks did not apply to this : town alone , for there were others that he had visited guilty of the same thing ; but he wished to impress upon them the importance of attending faithfully , at all times , to their appointments , in whatever they might he engaged . After the above well-deserved reprimand had been given , Mr . Dorsey commenced the subject of his lecture on education , by asking , r in the nr 3 t place , what they meant by ..-education , as some peopla understood education to mean the putting of a certain number of wordstogether , or the teaching of children to spe . ll words from one syllable up to three or four syllables , without ever understanding them . ; but he would assure them that he could teach a child t <> pell a word of three . 'syllables ; much sooner tt . M- oe
To Our Readers
TO OUR READERS
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' ' ——— M 4 ¦ ¦ - . ¦ . . ¦ . -- . .- — / . THB . NORW ^ :: Jv ^ m
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Northern Star (1837-1852), July 28, 1838, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1016/page/4/
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