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iUL STEPHENS LAST SERMON , j "We this week present our readers with the sermon I f the Be * . J . R . Stephens wkich was omitted last j ¦ eek « n account of &a extrayrdinary icflax of moTe npertant matter . 1 Ifc . STEPH EXS « 5 _ 4—1 hare mcch to ray to yon las » flernoon 5 mores I asa a raid , thin the weather , par ps-tiecc ^ s a ^ d ^ J Of * n strength will allow "me ©« iy . j _ , thL-reTore , lay words be few , 1 hope yon ¦ ___ fir » d them to be well chosen , to be the outward md wabls body of the inw » rd aind spiritual mind , to survey lo ytjur understai-ding , and to carry down sto yotir hearts the meaning of those things which t acm , for ihe las : time aaaongstyoa , have H in my EBsd to communicate at alL 1 corns hrte to bid UR . SIEPHESSS LAST SERMON . . . - . ...
raauu- ' trveil—to takemy l _* ve of you—cot , I hope , fbrercr . ( No , do ; we ho ' pe not . ) Not perhaps for t «_ j—( Dot above a week , God grant it } - —bat still , vhe&er for long or for short , I ' eem ft right to set ory farrow—a . ad you are my building , which 1 have boiidftd —( Aye , and hear , hear)—I deem it right to Bet nry own hou _ e in order , whethw I may hate to 6 re «» ongst you , a * yon and I have fondly hoped , er wkfl&er your lot is to be cast -where it has hitherto J > ee . n , whilst my lot still rtsts in the purpoj __ jj B&d counsels of Heavea . I Irish , before I say any ik _ i _ K further t ii afternoon , to sec right that whic '; M _ Stt have mad © to hi Tmdflrsrood wrongly imon ^ st JWU ( Hear , hear . ) It has been represented in this town that , last Sandar , I had taken ijiiial farewell * sf yea . If any understood it so , I did not say it s _ . f 5 &w 1 * 0 . 1 AH that I rtid at that time waa , and all
ttal I _ « t 21 gay is , that if it be the will of God that Injustice and oppression , and grievous wrong shanld tar rule in our coura of law , as tiu-y bear role in mrkirii comt of Parliament , and if through that injustice , and oppresaon , s __ . d wrong , I be carried from "tbe dock to the dungeon , my mind and my bodv are }>• & j / r-pM-ed for -what in that case shall await me , aerea tias career of goffering would not take me at « naw » e « . I told myAshtpn friend . * , last Sanday , ___ t&t it might so happ-n , as it s ^ ms to be the order f tbe day , jnst now to hang men first , and to try mam afterwards—it may bo happen th « 1 may hare keen d _ o _ n .-. < i by a powerful , for the present moment sa « Hanipoteat . government , as for us earth and hell ham lent . ' "em their united powers—that eov « rnsaeTit m-iv be strode fnon * h to doom m ? body to yean c * imprisonment &nd bondage . ( Loud cries « m -. Nc- uo . ) It 33 1 bid tou far ^ w eD . and wd sha . ll
sot in thru case- s ^ _ -& . ch other ' s faces perhaps for a losg season . If however justice is to be had in the Jttlyof holi ? f of her own sanctuary—if , however , aight and truth , and eocenes ? , and fair dealing , and -K-eah&sded la - are to be awarded betweea un in-44 d-Gofmjment and a persecuted poor person—1 « j-Bothirg of mer . y—I want it sot from my fellow - ___ u _ . —I ask it . I seek it alone of God before whom w * are ail alike gT-ilry —( a . ye , that is mercy , ;—b _ t if Tight is to bs had . then zs I told tiem last Sunday . o I tell you it will be needful for me a * yoh hear fbe Bosnd , the weak tone of a once powerful voice . * - » oice that could shakj tlie earih , and make the iesvens rir-g , bnt which cow : aa oiilv be . heard a : few T ^ rds on , but ^ ssk 2 . * it is it can rnak ? hell to iieiBbie sal . —i ; -wki op net-an : l for me thon lor the sacp of Eiy health , wh ' . cb in tV ^ respect Lj yerr ¦ smeb brokeu—to leave you for a while , p ^ rhaa . " >\ * s twehe
iag as months—but I did not g ay . nor did 1 a ^ -an -wben I told tb . 2 m on Sunday last , taat it « dght tike at least twelvemonths to get my strength iack again—that 1 should never , duripg ' th ^ ttim " etnae or r and see yon , coma among « t you to talk wiA you and to talk ta tou . My purpose , a . i you "well know , always has been to abide and remain ~» itii * Bd amongst you . « o long as it should , to my miadaad to jotrre , appear to be the will of God xbxt we should hare our connexion together . My ¦ parjKMe , therefore , remains what it always bus seen , aad I Inpe that some means may be provided t » eoable me at one and the same time , if it be JPBTgXKJ pl ' -asare , rs i : is . in that case , my wish to costtuine to officiate amprgstyon occa-ncnnllT . and * or * g « in mj heal ' . b . which you * . re aware hasbe ^ n TwrymHch weaV-nei—almost destroyed—and then if G « d * tion ] d see fit to gire ise back that strength "winch I have lost . I hooe not onlv to remain
^ atrirstycru , but to come more fo ' . ly and more fcoaily forward than ever amorg . n th ^ ' people , ani Mrry to its end—to its gre . t and God-like termination , that cau-e what our Heavenly Father has « aaiael me to berln . ( E ? ar , hear , bear . ) I look woe it that the work which God has for the people « England to do , is hwdly yet begun—can scarcely Ce * aid as yet to nsve t . ken ' aay deanite and t-infible _ shape—any risible and pp ' rcepdbls form . Up to ibu hour all , more or le « i » . ha * be « n prrpiratorv work , prepariig tie way of the Lord—making » m » ' ** ? P _ ta * sn-vlght . ' Yon and I and our fellowl « oaatrymen wqo are going over a thousand hill * , in * &oasand yallies in ev ^ ry cointy , almost of tbe &n * kingdoms of Eaj ? land , ' Sco-ianiand Ireland
, , « rf-liow conntrymen up to this hour have be » n trjmgbjthe help of tbe Lord to make the crooked J « bs * : raight—to make tbe r-.-.-ogh places smootap pall do * n the l : f : y hill top » cd Vitnbie h down ******> ¥ **? si-2 s iDt ? the dep'Jis baaeath . that &e Tjlfif « might be filled n ? , aad that the * a highway « ^ tratbandrighteon ? n ? s * , and love might be mide XT the Lord our God—for tha leader of men ,-for ± e y-ai ^ of men . for the helppr of men , for thfde-In&er of men , for tbe saviour of jnen—for the Im-JaaoHei , God with t >« , who ^ e word is a gospel rf ^ iid tidinz * of great joy . - which stall be to -mD people . ( Hear , iear . Sear . } AH the nadons < rf tfce eartk it jiys in ose place , and all ¦ faaabes of the earth , it says in another place , shall
3 » bleaaed by the woman ' s wad—by Abrahaa ' s son , by t / e babe of Bethlriem , by * God male se » h coming aHJong men teenfold animatekno > n ^ ewili of tne Father , and to set up an everla-tbg fcafdom—a kingdom of ryrhteoo « ne 8 » of which taeresaailbe no end , and in the midst of whiia ttew shall be nothing that makethalie . If you " ¦ 31 reai some of rho lasz -paess ^ xs in the four Evaa-^ eii sts ia which our Lord is foretellin g- the coroinjr doom that was tobefiiand orc-nake the Jetn& T » opie , ani throngh which , as divines tell you , he Jikfiwi-e foreshadowed and wiAed to draw out to year eye the day of final retribution and judgm ? r » r . jon-riiiiaeet wi * i thii , atthe prr sent rmmenUbi ^ iilv mportaat and charicterL-ric future which ocr Lord
*» d w * s to be one of the tokens of these rimes to « oa ? , and which 1 take to be 8 standing token , an-« icBaaeing and unchangeable sign of every fimilar ¦ fame of petribcticn and of judgment which is fr- ^ n tt » pres ? D& ; of the Lord . I ^ i ? h to correct n mj « - take into < hich divines irriring and preicfeinir « n ^ M &objec t hav e almost , without pxception . fallep . They teii you that our Lord na ? a . ct ike desu-ucu > n xf Jenuajein , aad the dispersion of the Jew *; ap .-i thatlie hke ^ . ss issant to prefigure the day of ju fe-XEeat , when ail shall hive to appear before the ptg-»« t-8 eat of God , and receive according to th-ir aeedS whether tk ^ y be good or whether tley fre ¦ eriL I wish to impress upon your mieds anotfer meamiig ^ which these pa ?/ ages not only will b- > ar . Cat which they are iatecded to convey—ameaiiiaK ¦ wiai I hold \ -i be the r ^ cst important , because * beinost pracneal , meaaitg that can be attached to them . Oar L : rd , tber , meacs that it will again be Ihe case in after age ?; and we are one oi the after
afes—we lire in one oi the eras or periods of dme in ^ wrhksh the great pnrpo *? s of Heaven are in the process of evolution , coming out of the dark cload ia which they are wrapped , into tb . 9 blaz 3 and the fUH £ of open day , making known tha intentions of Pnmdtiice tons . Christ in these passages wish- ?* to shew -as that as Jerusalem was destrayed , so Paris » aa ! i be destroyed—so Madrid shall be destroyed—¦ 0 London shall be der . royed—S 3 Edinburgh , and "Glasgow , and Manchester , and Stalybridge , and Aahlon sha ; l be destroyed , if aad when Ashton , aad i . ^ cT ge ' an ! i ^ "Chester , and Glasgow , and -EdiBinirgk , and London , and Paris , and Madrid eZtaU 1 * 11 into ths jaae sjh % , and do the same d-eds Trfet ^ the people of Jadea comniitted . ( Hear . Mami . ) Jesus Cirist means to thew us that in other * " *»* , la all ag . ^ s , ani to tie end of time , that thesame sins are s ? en in the grune light by the all" eerageyeof Gad ; th « what « -er wemav think of
«^ j or however we m- ^ y ] o-- >\ trpan then ) , he judges n ^ teecas judgment , and inflicts th « which is just panislimeiH up ^ n evil doers . I b-litve that God i * ^^ sa ^ dirg , by hii Prividmce , and ia ten th > uf aaa tok .-ns of tks limes , preci . ^ ely in the attitada as «? t » niug acd exhibidng exactly tha character , TOafta Jesus Christ susuined and manifested , when Ae stood before the congregated myriads of Judea , ?^> . t ^ tbern , from th- brow of yonder hi ! :. UJiJenisa , ein : Jerns > . iem ! [ hoa that kiileds ^ the propaets , aad ? : onest them ti . it s . re sent unto thee . t ?
«^ o ,: sn-now o . n would I have gathered thy xfcldrea together , as a hen gather = th her brood jewoaidnot ; and , therefore . Wacld aowyourhoTi < e ^ Juaea rtpod 3 ^ OO ye , rs r . go . L = adon is to-dar ! ^ d erery ciry , and to * n , aai hamlet oi our « oantrV fe ^ i' T - F- ^ = i w 1 , 60-3 years ago- ^ a tod 1 of abosaaahoa ; cities , towns , hou ««; aad b « d 4 that are full of blood . What w ' itfofmhgh vfe ^ r * dwtroyed , and that one 8 Wne VM not s ^ y s ^ sk ^^ igra gp ^ SSlSS » tber dispersed and dMiroyed : and I a « k whvT mi
vv * i it was because th * priest ,, and Ae pria-« i . &e elder * of the people , the shepherds-of tbe So ^ , 1 a the . lead of teaching them riAt told them TO tM « taai of leading tham ^ i the right , lead en in tie wroag , and cut of tbe r ight way . < H « i , araf . j They k ^ pr die key of knowledge ; towould neither go in theaselrejl , nor would tSef Jet t 2 w Mopb go in that wanted to go in . Chri / t mjQ famwlf of them : and you will say so cf your < idsB of Ecgland to-clay . ( Hear , hear . ) They STJa 2 ^\ 1 3 p Ae ke * 5 & *? **« * nn 3 d tfce kej in the lock ; they have bolted aad Oarf # d the door ; feey laTe ' set the
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Janwaanea to keep gaard at the door ; blnflgeon * wiui blo . d , and jrpears with red stand on e * ch m « ie and id . front of the door of the hoc « e of knowledge . the aonse of wisdom , the house of troth , the honse of lighteonsnes * , the boti » of God ' * law , aad fair play and evenhanded dealing—tha house of do-Bie ^ tic ^ happiness , of Bociai comfort—thej neither g o ia . lifimaelvett , nor will tbey suffer others to go in tk * t hare a mind to go in ( hear hear , &ad "true" ); and ag God destroyed the Jewg , so will he degtrey the English , unless we repent and do works meet for repentance . The Jewg were scattered , and their capital was destroyed , because oppression prevailed through the land . So striking wa <* this the case , that whea Christ came to speak of the day of jad ^ - I ment , and so to represent it to tbe neoDle as to ^ ' ^ ea at ^ e door ; blnflgeon . with bio a and ireears with red stand on each m 4 e
enable them to understand the principles that would guide the deliberations of thai day , he told them that , when all should stand before that bar—when the Judge should preside and the books should be opened , that every one would be judged according to these princi p les^—what principles ?—in theology ? in dirimty ? in ecclesiastic science ? ia political economy ? Yes , political ecoEoaay , ecclesiastical science , divinity aad theology . Bat wherein do all these consist ? of what is their true natnre made np ? in what wiy do they make themselves known to men in ruch wise as to be approTed of God ? Why in £ b i * way—in this wise only;—Jesus Christ uayg that Goi , after he had sundered the sheep from the goats—patting the sheep , that is the good men , on the right haad , and the goats , that is the bad men , on the left hand—he will say to those on the right hand , come ia ; some up higher and higher , nearer and nearrr to the footstool of the throne of God ;"
and when they ask " what hare we done that the honours of thy kingdom should be conferred upon us ? " Christ will gay unto them , "whsn I waa hungry ye gs ?» me meat ; when I was thirsty ye gave me drink ; wkea 1 was sick ye Tisitftd me ; when I was naked and without coveriag ye clothed m « $ when I was a stranger , lonesome , wandering , aa < i heart-broken , ye took me in , made me a * brother , cheered my heart , and liftrd up my droopirf head , ' and when I was ia prison , cast off , cond emned , suffering an unjust , or eren , perhaps , a just sentence—wben 1 was in prison ye broke every bar of opinion and prejudice , and cast away , yea leaped over every stone that fashion and the w * ys of man had thrown in th * way—yon borrt the burg of my duDeeon , thus morally , and _ came and visited me in prison , aad comforted me in prison—come ye ble ^ ed of my father ; take the kingdom ; it is yours ; it is prepared for you from before the foandation of tbe world . " And when these men shall aik
• ' Lard , when did we do all this ? " it shall be asswered " inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these little ones "—what little ones ? Open your eje ? , and see the gho > ts , the ppirits of babes drowned in your canal *—of broken-hearted women . » ho « e lovers have been untrue , whose husbands have dW and left them with a load too heavy to carry—these ruing up those spirits of thos- * babes and those mother ? : open your eyes and see those bastile door * fly open at the sound of the tramp of God . London Police ! make war ! yob cannot stand bafore that sound : it is one will mike yourievilts ^ i st tremble . ( " Ho will , he wilL- " j Oat of yonder house of blood—oh , how the earth cracks and op ? ns wide her mouth—yonder grave yards of Poor Law Union housrs^—for they die no thick , they
die S 3 fast , and they die so broken up before tht * y are dead , that th * -y dare not allow their friends to leck at them—they dare not allow their neighbours to look at them—thpy dare not allow the ieypayers to look at the coffins of many that are six feet in height , and that only need to be about one half of the breadvh of yosrs—they dare not allow it , they dare not suffer tUem to be buried ia t \ e church yard for few of breeding a plague and a pestilence throa . 'hout the land—yonder grave yards crack and open wide their mcutb * . and the spirits of the slauehtered poor , and the spirits ot the murdered fatherless nnd widows , ai , d the helpless ones and the needy , rise and win ? their way to heaven and stand at God ' s ritht hand . ( Aye , aye . ) And when the good man a » ks his Saviour m what way he >
erer fed and elothed , tud visited and defended tha Lord of earth and * kie ? , Jesua poicts to yonder once unhappy , Wt no * - redeemed , children of mea , and he tax * "inasmuch as ye have done in unto one of the least of th ^ se my servants , tae members of my family , the sabjects of my government , the objects of my especial prorid-nce , yon have done it unto me ; come up ye blessed of ' my father , iaherit thkingdom prepared fur you . " 1 need not run through the par&lkl on the other side ; it is enough that religioD , christianiry , the faith and prRCtico of the go « pel consists in visiting the widow and the fatherless , and in kee ^ icg ourselves usspctted from the world . 1 f , therefore , there be any truth , any worth , any powsr in these reprdsentations of religion , it is evident , my friend ? , that when Jesus Christ , in the » e 1 ¦ i 1 ; ; > i 1 1 ;
passages to which 1 have directed your attention , as showirg to von the priccipl * s on which tbe govern ment ol God Is conducted upon the earth , ho intends t >* to understand that , if we likewise sirs , we shal likewise be slain , and 1 believe , as 1 said to yon before , that we are now arrived at the period when God is saying to us for the last time , " How oftenhor of ; en would I have gathered you as a nation tikea yen under my especial protection , as a hra gatbe-s her brood under her wings , but ye would not ! " GoJ , in my judgment , is now giving to England ier last opportunity —( bear , hear ); we are now at the eleventh hour of the dav of oar salvation —( hear , hear );—^ e are now favoured with an opportunity of lighting our lamps , offollowicg the bnifgrooiB , of enteriDg in to the marriage supper . B ^ t yet a li ttle while , and if we will neither hear his word nor forbear our own wkkednes 5 , it will be Baid of us a * it was said of the foolish virgins ** The door was gfcut ; " aad eur door of merer from God , and
the heps of salvation will likewise be shut ; and we sa 2 . ll be le ' t as a people in outward and in utter darkness . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) My brethren , pray God to allow his gpirit to linger , and to strive yet » little while losger arncngst n * . There is a very leiuarkable token given ta us by Jesus Christ to which it would be well that we should take heed . He says that wh-never the Son of Man is about to comeand by the coming of the son of man I understand any and every great chaiige which the providence of Gr > d according to the purpeses of his divine wisdom is about to make to happen in the world—that whenever any scch change is about to takeplace , then it may be said that the son of man is abontto appear , and Chriit s = iys that when these changes are about to come ; when they are near at the door and at our very feet—that one of the siges of his coming , of the comr-ig of these changes will be that many false Chrisu will arise . ( Aye . ) Think a . moment what the word Of Christ means , and who the man Christ Jegu » waj . ' His name * hall be called Jexus bf « -
canse he shall save his people from their sins . " That it the meaning of the word ' Jeans '; that is the character of the mission to which he was appointed—to save kis people from their sins ; in other words to heal as a physiciau does ; to bind up every wound ; to Leal every sickness and disease to which oar hearts and onr earth , the social state ia which we h > e may , for the time being happen to bo subject . Now Christ gay ? , that , whenever he is about thus to come to heal the wounded , that many false Chriits will arise . Oae will say , " Lo ! here is Christ ; " in other words , one will say . " Do this and aU will be well . " Others will say , "Lo ! here it Christ ; " thati * , " Adopt thiB plan , and all will be right . " Others will ar . ss again , aad make promises of a different desolation : and by this means the
minds of the people will be distracted , the attention of the people will be drawn off , and the end of God will appear to be frustrated , Vy the want , among the people , of that unity of thought and siiaultaneonsnests of action , without which it would seera God , through any people , coold not act That i = precisely the case jast now . AU men are agreed in bili * vu 2 g that we are en the eve of a change , aud a very great change , a very awfal chuge , and perhaps a very sudden change . No two men are agreed as to the way in which we ought to be ready to abide that change , and meet that change , and to encounter all th » se thing * which that change mar send
amoBgst us as forerunners of its eommg . Yon may tell m ? that yon are well aw ire of this state of the public mind , aad that you are equally well a ware of tois character of the public couaseln— -if that may be ca ^ Ld counsel in which there is no unanimity of though :, no unity of purpose , no unanimity of action . You may ask me whether amongst all these schemers , I do not inclsde my * . 4 f , and whether , amongst all those plans I have not another to add to the number ? I tell you , without fear of b- ing challenged as one who does not speak the truth , that 1 &m no schemer , and I tell you farther , as one who heed * not whether he be called a fool lor
it or not , » I have ao scheme for you;—I am not a false Christ ; I have never * et myself up , nor raised my veice , crying to the people , " Lo ' . here i » Christ ; or . Lo ! there i * Chri * t . " If I have , tell ms where . ( "Aye , aye . !)) If I have , tell me whereiB . If I have , tell me in what way , I kaow theie are whiaperf-m who whiz it out , and buz it amongst you that Stephens is changed —( hear , hear , hear , )—that he said a ; reat deal last Sunday that was very unlike anything ha ever said bakwe . Will those small friends of yours , but right down good friends ef zaiae—for they give me aaother chance of talking —will those email friends of yours B&y openly ani at once ¦ whe rein is Stephens changed t In what has Stephen * ever said one word that upset any word that
one he ever said before ? ( Hear , hear . ) U 1 : any news to tha people at Stalybridge to hear Stephens tell them ha is no Radical ? ( " No . " ) Is that news ? I * there one man in Ashtoa or bulybndge , or Lancashire , or Eaglxnd , that ever Heard Stephens say he was a Raiical ? I * there one man in -talybrWgf , or Ashton , or Hyde , or Lancashire , or England , that has ever heard Stepheas talk , waea he came at all to speak on that subject , thsthas not heard Stephens sayTagain aad a * ain th % t he mni a Radical , aad by the help ofGod never would be a Radical , I aever quarrelkd with you for being Radicals , did I ? Nor did I ctsr try to put you out of conceit with yoor Radicalism , did I ? NordidIeTertrytowinor « fo » iiianfromth «
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ranks ol Radicalism ? 1 always to . d you that 1 believed , if tkere were iu the ranks of any party more honest meo , good brothers—sound and true to God aad their neighbour , than in the ranks of any other party , it was in the Ridical ranks . I always told you that . The majority of tbe people of England are R&dic&lB by their own profession ; and fey my own expierence I had found the majority of the people of England to be honest men , and disposed to be true-hearted brothers . But I was not going to be a Radical en that account . Ib it any news to anybody kereaway to be told that Stephens never was a stirkler ^—much less that Stephens ever meant to be afiihter about the fire points ? Why , when your brethren at Ashton chose me to be their representative in the Convention of the industrious classes , ranks oli Radicalism ? 1 alwave to . d you that 1 be- lieved . if tkere were in thi . Tanks nf »«» nn »_» morn
did not I tell you then , again and again , that I did not care two sfavs about the five points ; that if-I went to London , I would not present a petition which I had not signed , and which I would rather my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth than I would « ay a word to induce anybody to sign . ( Great Sustonisbment . ) I never asked you to sign it : never . I told you to please yourselves about signing ; and to do what you thought to be right . As for m « , 1 would rather walk to London oh my bare knees , on * harp _ flint stones , to attend an Anti-Poor Law naeetipg , than be earned to London in a coach and six , pillowed with down , to present that petitionthe " National Petition "—to the House of Commons . ( Hear , hear . ) Stephens changed ! ( Laughter . ) No ; not yet . And what if he had changed ?
Other people will change before him . Aye , many a one ; and men that made a great deal more to d « about themselves than Stephens has done . Bat never mind it : it ' s no news to yon that I never was a "five-point man . " I tcld you that I only was a one-point man ; and that point wns a good prayer « nd a long spear . 1 told you that the prayer WOHld open . kos . ven ; and 1 told you that the spears' points and musketry wou ' . d keep the gates of hell closed , and the devils at home . That ia th « only point 1 ever was for . That is the only point I have ever bothered you about ; and thank God it has done more good than all the reist put together . ( Hear . ) That is why they say Stephens is changed , because his points break in ; they hit the bull ' s eye ; they strike treason , and despotism , and tyranny , to their
falL Is it any news to you to be told that Stephens doea not recommend a National Holiday ? Is there &uy man alive her ? , cr anywhere else , that ever hoard me recommend a national holiday either at the chimney corner , in the committee-room , at a public meeting , from the pulpit , or throagh the press ? 1 have a great deal of nonsense to answer for but I hav = » not that rubbish oa my hands . That is Attwood ' a humbug , not mine . 1 tell you openly to-day , because it is the last day , perhaps , for some time at least , that I shall stand before you : aud therefore , if I am to be lamed for it , or if I am to have my brains blown out for it , make h ^ ste . I kcow it has beea talked about , ( "it has . " ) Aye , it has ; and it had been langhed at . I know that groat talkers aw very seldom great doerg . ( Hear , h ^ ar . ) Make
haste , then , to that work , if it is to be done . Tha reaaon why 1 spoke of this lag ; Sacday , and why I speak of it to-day i « , because this may be the last time , for a season , at least , that I shall uppear araorg you ; and whether I leave Dakiafi . 'ld in tha midst of solemn silence , o . loud hurras , or of yells of execr * tie > n , or whether 1 fall in my passage by thn bludgeon or the bullet of the assassin , I am resolved to stand between you and the danger that opsns before you , and to tell you what 1 think about it . ( Hoar , near . ) So long as th » National Convention was only talking , it was not my bisiaess to say anything at all about it ; but when tht > Conventioa , or rathtr iv Ruia . ll sectioa of the Convention , purposes to leal you upon the wild goose chase of Ui iversftl Suffrage , by meaas of the delusion of a National Holiday , I have a
rghr , in am willin £ , tohavi'my head broken for it , and I iunwilling , I have aright to eay ittoyou '' think twice before jou start onre upon that race . " Look before you leap , or try to l ^ ap , over that ditch , or it may happen that you will plump into the middle of it , if you don ' t . A National Holiday means universal anarchy and confusion , and the insurrection of oue portion of the nation , the weakest , thi most divi . Ud , against othsr portions of the nation that are as one body , guided and directed by one head . Can you fight against that odds ? If you can , you aro suffer chaps than I thought you were . A National Holiday means a national tuht . Ate you going to figlit ? Have you made up your minds to tkat , " wilta shalta , ' helter skelt . r , against barracks or windmills , just as the casa may b <\ the one as eoon ; is
- , the other ? Have you made np your minds to run your heads into the lirn ' s mouth , before you have drawn his teeth ? You hr . ve made him wag his tail ; and it won ' t ba long before y > . ur head u off if you put it into that mouth ; itiseep as the pit of LeD . 1 have always told you that Universal Suffrage , Annual Paroamento , Vote by Bailor , and all tho ! rest of the rigmarole , was not worth fighting for . . You may please yourselves whether you think it is I worth fighting far or not : in my iniudit is not . But I waetaer it be or not , one thin * I know is , that you 1 can ' t get it by fig ., ting for . I knew you can ' t rQht 1 aud win ; and weTe I therefore n fiv . ' -points man , - which I ara not , ! shiuld gay still as strorgly as 1 , say not being a five-points man , " l , wk betore you 3 Wp . " There ' s all th » difference between the mas-1 tern stopping the mills , and y ^ ur stopping them .
Whea the masters f > top th ^ m , it is done all at ouce , like clockwork . All ara shut out aliko ; th « Methodist , and the infidel , and th- ? O'venit 1 ?—'' all inakri o ' folk . " ( Hear , hear . ) Th ^ y are all out alike— mn . il , woman , and child , and you will then in ^ ke common cause together . Tae Metlodists don ' t damn the icndel 8 to hell in a " Christian spirit ; " infidels don ' t damn" God Al mighty m-n" in a spirit of fbndlike vengeance . There is nothiog of that kind when the masters stop the mills : you are all sailing in one boat , and yen Vnow that if yon fall out you will likely ail niak inonoboat ; and therefore yon try who can pull best . You will not eren have public gympathy in your favour , because , if it were not your o « -n fnub , many of thu shopkeepers would say , "These peopl * are much to bo
pitied ; the misif-rs are wrong ; the men would work day and night , bat th < .-y won ' t let th ? ra work . ' Well , you try to make a " turn ott ; " and whathnppens then ? Some of tbe hand' don ' t want to go out . Some of them are Methodises , aad some ot them are Church people ; aud yon are told thit this woa ' t «! o , snd that that woii ' t do ; they say , "It is an ifcfilel st * p , aad they won ' t " have anything to do with it : they will work . " Or the infidels begin U sa \ , " It is a Methodist trick , and we will resist it on the outset . " " Oh ! but if they won ' t come onr . say you , we will fetch them oat . " Very well . But if that ba your game , stop a bit ; only se-e what sort of game you are going to play , I thought ycu were going to destroy tyranny : why , it seems that you ax « gciug to fiiht with the
working men . ( "No , no . ") Then you won ' t fetch them out ? ( "Yes , yrs . " ) Because if one half are oat , aad the other half are in , you rnust either fetch them ontornot . If not , it is toholiduy . It j . s only a few fools that are not working , at-. d a g < od m « jy wise men that ate working . If yon do fetch them out , or try to fetch them out , you ar <> lighting your own brothers ; you are fighting your own sisters ; yon are fighting your own friends ; you are contending againstyoar own mighbonrs . And if you offer to fetch yoar brother workmen out against their will , do you call that liberty ? Now you know I am not a Radical . ( " Would to God ycu were , " from several voices . ) Not that sort of a Radical . You don ' t call that liberty to make men keep holiday whether they will or not ? Is that the Charter , to
make a man vote as he thicks best ? It is a queer catechism that : a quf er Bible that . My notion of liberty is , that every man uhould be allowed to think tor himself , and to act for himself , so long as his coKdoct is obviously such as not to injure his feliow crpatnres . ( Hear , hear . ) I don ' t like liberty all on one side . Then yon would have the public sympathy against yon . The shO f ikoepers woul I gay , 4 i These men might have work if they woaid . " Yon would have the thopkaepers against you to a man . And do yon think that you have a single friend amongst the shopkeepers ? ( H"ar . hear . ) I know some of them are ; feat ask aay one of them who has got p lenty of stuff behiad his counter , and see whether he will let you go and fetch it . There would not be a shopkeeper who would have more in his
shop than he wanted for himself . Is that the sort of revolution yon want ? _ ( ' Plenty f summut to eat . " ) I know it : and it is because I want you to have enough and to spare that I warn you most affectionately , most solemnly , against throwiag away the very little that ycu have . For seven years 1 have given yon a ^ vicn the very opposite of this . I have always said to you , and gay so still to every grown man and every husband amongst you , that you are to work as men ought to work . Do your duty to yoar masters honestly and conscientiously . 1 have told you evei and over again never to fritter away a moment of your masters' time , nor pilfer away a particle of your masters' property . Give yosr masters your time , and the skill and the strength and the care which yru have covenanted to give them ; and when that is done , get all the wages that your masters can be brought by fairness to give you . That has been my advice for ssven years , and
it is my advice to- < iay . If your masters don ' t work » X dfcyg out of the sevec , be thankful if thuy work no less than foar ; aad if they don ' t work lour day * , bst only three , be thankful that they are not working two ; and if you have no work at all , be thankful that you have here and thera a frioad that will speak kindly , that will look affectionately , and that will act a brother ' s aad a neighbour ' s part by yoa . ( Two or three voices : " That will cot do . " ) Yes , it will do . ( Nay it won ' t do . ) Ye * , it shall do . ( It will not do . ) Stepheng ; It will do ; U shall do . ( A voice : ** I will fight blood np to tiie eye * before that shall do . " ) Stephens : So will 1 fight blood np to the eyes ; but I will not she <* a drop of blood , nor wQi I sea a single- drop of blood shed , Uales 91 know that in shedding my own blood , aad in the shedding of my neighbour ' s blood , I am likely to get that which I want either for myself or f « r my cfegldren that are to eome after me . Let not that good friand fetbind me h # angry . They are
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nou » toe woisemeu that are ail pine * : 1 wish mete were more of that pluck . If evtry man were ready as that man says , * to fight blood ap to the ey * s , " yoa would not bw in the situation you are at present , and you would be out of it before to-morre w morning . I am well awato that I can look m friend b « hin 4 me in the face , ana » sk Mm whether there a a man in England hs « done more to bring up thi courage of the people of England thanl hftvcdenu ? ( Hew , and " it ' s tnw . ") Bat past services you do not want ; you want them now . And if auch navnfceen niy Baat services , my pr . sent » h » n be in shedding my Wood , if it i * wanted , in keeping my own best frienfo , my own dearest bretkren , from running into any nnne-. eg » ary danger . I sac roll well there's % aark « c'oud coming over England than tho one that ia now going to break over our bead « , lotting down a few drops of enriching rain which ia to make the earth yield harvest * by and by . But you talk about a National Holiday ! Well . then , are all thos * harvests to ba nou » the worsemeu that are ail pine * : 1 wi . ti mete w ^ r morn « f . > , « . » ^ i «^ it _ ..,. ' .. _ . w _ .. _ . .- _ j ,
elt to rot » p » n the ground ? If you aro to strike work , tbe husbandman in the country must strike work . Why » hcm ! d yoa step out of the mills to leave tho harvest which is already waiting tobegathwea in ? In the harvest U the husbandman 8 way or working , and tho factory ia yonr place of working .. 11 you are to st « p working , the shopkeepers must stop working . Are they jjoiug to do it ? No . 1 eught to stop working aad am I going to do it ? No , 1 am not . Will the men thSt recommend * National Holiday live spen half a loaf , or upon brown bread , u you will be ebli ged to do ? Will they live on tato piUlM , or boiled sea-weed and grass , as you will have to do T Not a bit of it , not a man ef them ; it is all a delusion from beginuina to end , from the first to the last . Let thusn men fall into th » l snare that choose to fall into that snaro ! but after 1 have left you , whether it be for a dungeon or for a temporary retirement , t shall have the wtisiactioa of recollecting that I gave you th « best counsel I had to giv * yeu , — I wasted say hands ef vour hlooa . and I « IV it nu . „„ .,, n « n
heads , and upon the heads of your d « -ar ehildrea , whom I am " v "_ ?• w ? 2 ' y ° J length . That man talks about -haddinjr blood . I have shed wore blood than here and thsre one already . I have shed , as you can see , a dou . n years of my blood ;; but in d « ing that I have sought for nctbing but to save the shedding of the Wood of your innocent children , and orysur wives , and » l those very men that have been talking in the factories this week about blowing my brains out before I go to Liverpool . I want to save you , and I will try to save you if leas .. I want to save yoar niajiterfl ; and , if nothing can mvc you , 1 shall at least have ths satisfaction of having dune on . man ' s share by giving warning-one man ' s share by cmnff . out " holloa , th . thiei is coining '" Ani these uood men bobmd will think hotter of it before they sleep ; I know they will . I h . ve had a good many on Ihe very tip-too ot opposition with me about this ; but 1 never talked five minutes wilh one of tht-m , ev <> n the hottest , before he was far more ol a coward than myself . ( Hear , hear . * But it Unni „„„ .. >;» ,,
of covi-ardice . There is another thing . I don ' t want and I don ' t tstean thp . brave men of the 20 th ever to be ordered « o We ! their pieces at your head * , or to run thair bay « n . _ . _ into your breasts . I don ' t mean you ever to ruM Bgsiliat th _ incu of the 20 th . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) I know that 1 have been blamed ; 1 kmw tbat I have had aU manaer of * vil spoken against me for trying to make frien . g between ¦ ' the -uj s in fustian" and "tho boys in rei . " But they shall b «« fmnds j they shall be friends yet . They shall b . i Mor . Jfl , iu spite of all national leaden . I know tUe richt of a British soldier ; and they have brought another bill iato tho House ol Commons—the Soldiers' Pension bill ; they are bribing the soldiers now—they are bidding very high for them . Tl : e soldiers knew alread y that st ' Ur thirty years' service , nmil the nnowa ol Njva Scotia , or the burning sands of Africa , that after thirty years' service , if they come to need 6 J ., or il always over and above their penaipn , they munt go into a bastilo , and have their pi > n _ iun taken from them by the Poor
Lan Commissioners . The soldiers know that already ; and that is one n > ason wliy they hovo no great lov « for tho Poor Law . But uow tho Uov « rament is trying to bribe them , for tb ^ y bav * . brought iu a " SoWien' Perihhn Bill . " and there is -. clau _ * init to th « eflect tbat not only if a soidior wants any relief ho is to have his pension taken from him , but thatit ' auy cluid bolouging to a noliner , if any chiM , or oiher prrvn , tliu . * belonging to a soldi , r , wants parish reli . f , the Pi . or Ltiw Cau-Tdi - ns are to find out the regimont that lm father nerves in , or her father , if it be a young woman , whom one of the G »> irdianB fcim . solf may have seduced , and who needs sustenance lor herself am ) her child , the iaw leaps over the head f the _ e . ucer , an . falls down upon the head wi the pour ssldier ; and by that act of Parliament , if it pass into an act , the BoMier is to be robbed of his pension , to support even a child of bin d . _ Hghter ' 0 , or hit wt'e ' s seducer , it that chilt ! wants parochial relief . Will the soldier fi ^ ht for that ? Oh no . Well , then , is there a man—breathes there a man with
mind bo dull , « r with heart so black , that would wibh to runko the soldier and the civilian vncmius one against the other ? No ; I hopo tliew doe . m > t bn >_ the such a mnn . If there be , I a : u not that man ; nor will 1 be a pr-rty to any f lan , nor will I b « a party t » any scheme that nhail spen the barrack gates , and let out the troops of the line , squadrons al horse , or parks of artillery , upon a defenceless , a dectmd , a betrayed , and y . > u will perhaps lind out thtin , » fornakeH ami an ab . indon » d people . They talk about being rcadv to lead you on ; ah , my g . i » J frimids , I wi « h 1 cmld bow tell you all I know ab _ nt leading on . 1 can only tell you one thiiitf , thit I do know one man Uiat has talked a very gr . at deaf »_ ., ut that National Holiday , Wb . 0 ha » gaid that m a vert short time he means to be in tho back wood _* of America . I know ii ( Cries oi " Name , " and ' Woo is h « ? " ) 1 will not tell yon t _ -duy ; I wiil ti-li yi'U b . lbre you » ml I Uavj lin illy dene wilh each oiher . ( Hear , hoar . ) 1 will ; I aru n ,, t ( , h » rtofkwn _ me . He is a m » B yen have 8 « i : n ; a man v .-u have heard ; let that
Do enough lor to-day . ( A voice , "Quite enough . " ) Is it Hot strange , my 1 ' ri-uds , that when jou Ktd 1 come to ju . ei ogeiher , aa we may say , far the ! u » t time , that so many of you _ h « ju ! - Uui-ch ligktning at mu from year eye , and g ^ ash upnu me wit- your teeth ; but this dof _ not take me at uuan-ares . You may go from ihiii gr . und to-day ; job muy say that the Goviemuent has bought me ; you may n _ y that 1 havn gotten thousanda and ten * of thousands , and hundreds of thuusands lor what 1 am telling jou to-iloy ; you may n ; -y whatever ) ou tike , you icay think whatever you ' like ; 1 have told yon uf . en and * jjai . a , ari , ; once more for lh . last time- it may be , that whether J am elevated , lifted" ap upoit ( he louJ hosannas of the people , who cry " Hurrah ? Stephens , our champion , for ever ! ' or whether I am hosted and pelted at , aud biungc _ nej , » y « eren destroyed upon the spot , it is not the fir » t time I have faced an anttry multitude . ( A vuice " Not so angry . " j Tbauk God , I um not anoakiag to an ungry muHilHde t .-day ; bnt were I speaking to a niultitude
ever so ar > gry , it wonUl not be the first time . Recollect 1 havo had to face all the Irish in this district , who have been told that Stephens was an agent from the Duke of Cumberland , and who believed it , too , and that I wanted to pall tho cross from Vakir . liuld Chapel . I have had to face them , and I ill- f _ ce th ' .-m . 1 hare told them to go to yonjer hill , tnd carry m » away , and nut a policeman within gun-shot , un ? me by mys . lr , and 1 told them 1 would aiect thrm there ; ami u they could prove any om ; of thosii assertions , they ohoulrt take their aailelftha , lay my head upon a stone on ihe top oi yonder hill , and beat my brains out upon ( he spot ; Bn _ 1 sav tho B » iae to any misguided Englishmen . Tell all tho National Holiday" men , all tho men that am going to furl . t Wood up to the eyes for the five p ^ iktu , to have a mo ting at fcleugb . Hill , and I-will do my best to keep every frii'nd of mine away , and I will go alon- ; I will mt > et them ih ^ rn it thsy t * Uh it ; and it tt . ey cau show that they are ripht and that I am wrong , then 1 will come and be the a _ o » tl _ of th «
. National Holiday ; nnj if they cau skow that what I am now saying does uot spring from the kindest , the warmest gushing out of love and oevoud _ eas to yonr cause , ttu-y should servt ^ me m 1 told iho lrulimua lo serve m « , il tU ..-y rind oat ihat I wm .-u rncmy to them . My I ' rien-Js , never put yoar trust iu , aud never follow n . ! . er , m « n who pretend to be able to mauuf ^ tture a revolution . A revolution , a rolling away uf the whole from evil to go . J , from wrong to right , from injustice and opprosioit to right _ ounn « ss and erjnal rnle , never yet was manufactured , and never will be manufactured , lied , who teaches yon what jour rights are , what the blessings He has endowed you withal are , will , in His own good tune , if that time should coma—Uod will teach y- > ur hands to war , and yeur lingers to lij ; ht . If any body asks me whether I have not talked about fighting , I annwer , > Yes , 1 have , vary of ; en ; and I hop ,, to livi- to talk much olten . r about lighting than ever I have dono . I mean to talk a good deal about fighting in the dock at Liverpool , if Lord John
Kus-ell dure take ma lh « re . I am afraid ho will funk alter all . ( Laughter . ) Ho has onl y sent me notice of two trials ; and evon in th _ two for which 1 have notice , there ' s a screw or two loose . 1 can't gut them to do tha thing right w , d straight , an ^ fair , and slap-up to the mark like men ; and they are already beginning to find out that " would-be wi-. e meo may look v > -ry foolish when they coins to have to face their great God , and a great nation , in a solemn and . acreA court of justice . I aow and then h-ar littl- bits of whi le's from London , as well as other p-ople . and without much secret-service money . Now I have heard from London , that HIP CoinuiLsaionera of the Home Secretary find themselves to be in a funk ;—( laughter )~ the . y are inamesj , ami they don ttnovrhow to g . t out of it . It is true they can g / t Bdardman and Ri plev to swear anything . It is tr » e they can get Manbv an _ liibber t , and Coward , and Dean , and Johustone , and such Uk « men to sweir what they will whatsoever , for they receivo full " value received f » r their
awearing : it is true they may obtain at the hands of a special | ary a verdict upon the evidenca of such men so foresworn but Lori ! J . RusaeU aid the commissioners according to my intelligence from the Home-oflice , have at last , afief all this put off , all this Uonrish of trumpets through the mouths ol three indictments for riot and misdemeanour , —they have at last loond out that whether they get a verdict or not at the hpsof Coward , Johnstone , Dean , and all thnrest of them that it won t do (' or tho country ; that the country will Bever stand it ( no , no ) : nerer stand by and She a man s » nt to gaol Ur one , two , or three years , or any length » f time for having , as thos . witnesses say , said such and such , thing ,, three or four random unconnected words out of a speech of two hours and a half length , that never was taken d » mi by any reper-< er . Lord J . Russell has found that out ; aad by ik-: . rmnti jn 1 have received some ti > ao ago—I don ' t always tell the moment I get it ; there s a time to keep in and a time to let out , and I hope my friends behind will find that out . ( LaualitAr . i
But Lord John and the Commissioners have ascertained that ttussart of wotk won't 4 a ; an _ now instead of sending Shackel and Goddard up and down the country to sp . o whether they can t fa-ton the burning of Higginbottom's mill against Stephens , they are snnding roe _ 3 « i . gers up and d _ wn the country , and offering I know not what , for any man that «\ n come forward and give th » m anything like a full , and a trueish , and a rather more particular account of my Bpeechea than Johnstone , and Coward , and Ma » by , anil the rent . They liad out that they have mistaken their man ; that the man who all these years has been openly proclaiming himself no Radical any more than a Whi g er a Tory , and who had opposed some of the five po ints , and who only holds the p ^ int of Universal Suffrage in a certain sense , and with cartarn hiaitations—that the man who has always done what he could to keep th » people out of the roach of theoretic deceivers and lead them up to practical improvements—that , that man who has always done what he could to teach the ceople to
revere an _ honour and respect all that are in authority , from the Queen upon the threne dowa to the petty constabll-that that man is hardly tho man that it trill do to charge upon the oath of Boardman and Ri pley with having said that k « intends to antabliah a republic ; and therefore Lord John and the Commissioners ure sending np and down the country—the Qiiepn ' s arms at the head of it I snppose—whether virtue is to bn its own reward or not I have not b . en told from the Home-effice—but this in the mission Lord John Russsll has sent his runners upon » nd I hope thay may only get the right man . Whether he may lind tho right man or not , 1 can only tullhim that he willfiri _ a man at the trial . Therein a man that knows every wor . l ho er . r said ia hi * lif _ as toits general import , and , in most instances as to its special signification and application ; and before I am convinced thffjury must have a long speech—and it was tw _ hour * aud a kalf in the n't . moon and the night speech w __ about two hours ; aud they must have the A&hion-aador-Lyne sermon , and that was two or three hours zuore , and the Hydea . eech , in which I
contrived to create a riot and misdeiiieanonrin op . ahing not five minutes ; thoy must huve these speeches , and they shall have these-peeehes , and b » will I b judged , and so will jou be judged before God and our c _ _ . ntry . [ Hear , hear 1 Andnow my frien'ls it is time we broke off for the afternoon . I hope to meet you here again to-night ; and if I have any wish to make it w that tho&e friends—lor yau aro not the lens friends —net tho less mr friends becausj acme of you think differently from what I do—f I have any wish to make it is that those of my friends thaUhink differently with me , and that think otherwise . than I do on these subjects will _ o all thov can to bring as many with them in the evenings aa they cau of ( how whoareof the same way of thinking as th . m »_ lv ,. _ . wuhto have all m Stalybndgo that thing otherwise thai . I do if I could get them , and than lot us compare notes together . I intend thiieveninff to ran over one or two of the points and tc » illastoite one or two of the principles that Lave guidadwd dil'petrf my public eareer emongut jou for the Jast *« rea / eonr , « "pe _ aj _ Ij- fortho five yeare l » st put ; and at
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iiiy vio _ Oi tue u > iur _ lEos evening , 1 saail strive tv ascert ain , and lead you likewise to ascertain whether thoaa prin-« i \ ie » are as strong , aa mighty , ss powerfnl to night as they were icven years ago ; whether those principles are not drawn Cro'n the word of the Lird , to that woid of which it ia said that although all flethbeaB ( rrias , and all the glory of th-in •_ th ^ fl . wor of the field which withered ana fadeth away , yet the . word of the Lord shall never , never , never » h' £ . c » ° » olt »» -fon . ndean Pu »» rwk , and th » t ig th « word Which by the gospel ia preached unto jtm . TheDoxologywas then sung , and after the usaal Wesaing had b . en pronounced the assemblage separated . It may be worthy or remark that among the audi . nce our rcDorter recognued aev . ral soldiers who paid the greatest attention to the address of the preacher . " w . _ . Le » m _ . . ta . . vemnu , i . aau . tnv ' eu . « -cer- t . in . and !_» , ! vn ., i : ___•;_» , . o- , * I ;_ T , k"Il . i
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BURGLARY BY THE MANCHESTER FOLICE . FORCIBT . E ENTRANCE INTO THE HOUSE OF JOHN LIVSEY , BY BREAKING OPfN THE DOOR , AND SKIZUKB OF HIS FKOFKttTY . Bes'icV , th » i head constable of Manchester , bavi ^ jf received information thit a man named John Livsey , living in a cellar uni . r the honse No 43 , Hanover-street , Shnde-hil ! , had commenced tho sale of ( funs , pis . »! . ¦« , ri _;< K" ' "s , nnd araTinni'ion to the C'httrtjstfl oi" this town und uaigkbourhood , he applied oq Th _ r _ day last , to the boiongh magistrate : ) , lor a warrant-, aud the same evening , accompanied by Davies and several of the borough police , proceeded to the place . Liv _» y was not in at the
time ; but the ofiic . 'M fouad and took away with them two fowling-pieces , one apparently new , and bearing on the lock , ns tbe name of the maker , " Th . » mp % on ; " the other a very old piece , and of very little value ; two steel bows , strong with cafgnt ; and a lonu and ponderous two-handed battl .-axe , evidently an ancient weapan ; it is moro tban a yard in lengib , the handle covered with faded crimaon velvet , and etuddrtd with brass nails , so as to give increasd power of gra « p ; the head having a semicircular blade , . omewbat like » large ch . ese-cutter , ani also a straight sharp poiatod and two-edged blade , for thiu . Jting . Thin instrum . nt of warfare was suspended by a string ov ^ r the chimnej ' -piect ' . and there
were also displayed in th-i same place , an old straight two-edged and pcinted sword ; with the ancient cro _ s-guard , and a pommel of carved bone or ivory j nnd a matchcle , or mavfietn ; ( a sort of loog dagger with n cross-goard and withonthilt ) and an ordinary mtiBket-bayonet . In other parts of tho cellar were found a ram-rod for a gun , six ballet-raoulds , ( for gans ) a box of patent ' Anri-corrosivo percussion capg , No . 4 , " and a tin flask fn ! l of fine gunpowder . These articles they took with them to tho Police Office , and B . wick deemed it advisable * to reqr . ire the attendance there of Livs . y ' s wife . Shortly after th * seizure , and while hi _ wife was nt tha ' Police
Ofhce , Liv ? ey himself went to the office of the Indoor Superintendent , and gave information to Davies that a robbery had been comaiited on his premises . Beswick detained him ; and a . ' t . r putting c . rtniQ question , to him , which Liveey answered , he was placed in the Lock-up , and his wife was allowed to depart . On Friday morning , John Livsey , who is a young man of sallow complexion , dressed as a mechanic , wa . brought up at tV Borough Court , before the sitting Magistrates , Thomas Potter , Mayor , ( who presided ) Ja _ ne _ Ke ^ haw , and Daniel Lee . The various -articles found in the prisoner ' s cellar were placed on the table of the Umrt , and appeared to excite consMerublo curiosity .
BeBwick having b » ea swore , stated tits charge against the prisoner in the following terms : —I have received information for some time past that the prisoner , who is liviug in a celkr , No . 43 , H . tnoverstree * , Shudehii ] , has bern in tho habit of furni . hing the Chartists of this borough and the surrounding luiglibonrhood * i . h a quantity of arms . In consequeuc ^ . of thi « , I made application yesterday to the Mi * is . rates for a warrant , for the purpose of searching Li . * hin . e , and apprehending him if necessary . I went ye . terda , with Davies and some other officers , to his cellar , hut he was not in . We found in the place the . rticl-a now produced—two fowling piecs , two s : eel bows , a battle-axe , a bayonet , a sword , a ramrod , a dagger , six bullet moulds , a box ot cap * tor gun ., an 4 . a quantity of powd . r . We broiijcht h : s wife and the articles to the Police Office ; and very shortly afterwards , the man h ; m-elf r . ar » i >
to tho Police Office , and gavo informauon to Mr . JJavies of a robbery having been committed upon his premise . I detained him in custody , and I asked bun ii he chose to give any account of the pos _ e . < s-on of those articles . He said he was agent tor Mr . Thompson , the manufacturer of these guns , who resided at Birmingham , und that ho was in the habit of selling them . The guns and bullet-moulds , he said , lie had for sal ©; and the other articles , that weri hanging over the mantel-piece , were articles which , he said , he had for the purpose of prot-cting himself . On searching him I found two receipts of packages from tUe Graud Junction Railtyay Compivny ; aad ho stated tLat he had received a ca ? e of eleven guns and on . fowling-piece , on the 18 th Julv .
and another case oa tho 20 th of July , two days afterwards , containing twelve guns , all of which had been disposed of . I think I shall have some tu'ther evidence in tho case in three or feur days more ; and my application now is , that yoa will be pleased to remand him to Monday . —The Mayor : Pusoner , is there anything yon have got to say why you should not bo remanded to Monday ? Prisoner I havo not heard anything yet . aid against me . —Mr . Beswick repeated the substance of his stat . mei _ c : and when he came to that part of it which contained the prisoner ' s account o' himself , that ho wtw an agent , employed by George Thompson of Birmingham , a manufacturer of guts and other articles , and that some of tho things i ' onnd were for tho
Dlirpose oi protecting himsell , the prisoner exclaimed — " 1 said no suck than ;* - " When Mr . Beswick said he had found upon him the two orders or delivery notes of the Grand Junction Railway Company , the p-isoner said , " I gave those up , in lact , for the purpose of establishing my agency . "—The Mayor : What have yon to say wh y you should not be r « - mand .-. d to Monday?— The Prisoner : No more than this , yotir Worship , that it a very strange way of proceeding . My house is broken into , aud thfso articles are taken away . I have circulated cards , and had a public sign up for a length of time I never sivunned tbe place ; 1 always laid them in the window bottom ; they were there with the window open ; I exposed them to public inspection , to thtvieof that
. w any one might pass and repasg , wnc _ I have established an agency for the sale of them . If it is an unlawful practice , it is vory strange that I should have escaped , and should not have had any notica at all , so that I could have suppn ss . d it . —The Mayor : Well , you will have an opportunity of bringing forward any evidence between and Monday—The prisoner : Of what de . senpnon ? The Mayor : Oh , that i « for you to look after .-The Fnsocrr : To prove that 1 have eX bhshed an agency for the sa ' e of them . Beswick liie Pnwmer . 1 have been in the habit of selling paper for the last eighteen months . The Mayor ^ Si ^ tT' ^ - ^ s ne was desired , if he had anything to sav to come iorward . anil trn . nvn « -v : __ J ^ T ^ 6 lu f __ lo some 7 6 *¦ iuo witness
.: . » . - ,. « " >¦ " Dox . with thm in-Priw / wff C ° ^ ply ; f 0 r ' ^^ ad of him , Se Kow if 7 h can ? eJ « ward , « vnd 8 _ id she wanted TkemJL ^ m IR *** V * ould toke bail for him ? hrSw ^ ? 5 Ye ^ ™*> after con . nlUng his ™^ Lfn lf * , ^ v ^ e amount , the prisoner Wm if hl n ^ T j ^ i and ^ Mayor EBked Se on Mottt % t ™ ^ « iven for ^ P ^ - M « L ? . tS ^ v The P « so"er arid he did .-The Mayor , lben I have con aulted - with my brother M « pt » tes as to the amount ; and ^ e have decided n ^ /« 1 mU 8 t imd « e « in £ 75 , and cuter V ^ n ^ v ow . wcogaizmces injEisO , to appear on S oTlrt glVd . ^ aty-fonr - houw' notide .-Sehl- __ ri « i' « f- braTO f 0 ll ? W 8 b ^ galley hissed on M _ ££ ? h—i" ? ? *' - bail te ^» * d » on which th < t !^« ° ^ that any individual disturbing th . ^ roeMduiBs ehojeid be taken into custody ; and
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APPREHENSION OF MR . WILLIAM BENBOW . A ; few day » ago . Beswick , kaving learned that the magistrates of Colne had issued a warrant for ths apprehension of William Benbow , the author of a ^ - -f *? ^ ° rking ciasses on the subject of ¦ Ia a _ ?? hda had some commnuicatioB with the wathonues , the result of which wae , that apohceofficerwas sent from Colne with the warrant , aadhe amved here yesterday week . Jtannck , havuig procured the counter-signatnr © to the warrant of one or more of the borough-mar ?! 1 " *** ^» the hands of indoor constabi
SS : * . ^ - . Williamson and the officer from Colne , and sent them to a house im Lower Mosky-gtreet , wheie they fonnd and apprehended Mr . Benbow , abont ii »» o clock , and immediatel y conveyed him to the police-office , andlodued him in the lock-up , The btockport borough magistrates had also uroed a warrant for his apprehension on a charge of sedition , < fcc ., on the 13 th July last , in that borough , and oa other days . Under this warrant he waabroueht up for exanunaUon this day week , before uomeaBgiitrate acting for the county of Chester , on this latter charge .
EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BENBOW . Shortly after the opening of the borough Court , the prisoner , fVilliam Benbow , whose apprehension we have above noticed , was brought up ; and Mr . Henry Coppock , town-clerk , of Stockport , said tke prisoner was charged with conspiracy , an overt ac . ot which had been committed in the borough of stockport , in the connty of Chester—for entering , with a great number or other persons , into a conspiracy to supply with arms her Majesty ' s snbjecta of this part of the kingdom . He shonld be able to prove an overt act in tha city of Chaster : and the magistrates were aware that all parties who had conspired , in whatever county they might be
found or resident , would be tried it that county where the offence was committed . He applied that the prisoner should be handed over to the authorities at the New Bailey , for examination before some Cheshire magistrate , and where witnesses would be ready , with evidence , to fix the prisoner , with other parties , in a charge for conspiracy ; the principal conspirator being George Thompson , & gun-makerat Birmin ^ kaiii , who bad already been cemmitted to rake his trial at Chester assizes for tfcat offence , Mr . Maude—How comes the prisoner into the custody of the Manchester borough police ? B -awick explained , that a warrant , .-signed by a magistrate at C jlne , had been backed by Alexander Bannerman , Esq ., a magistrate of ihis borough .
Mr . Maude said , that as there was a warrant against the prisoner , issued by the Stockport authorities , no opposition would bo offered , on the part of the police of this borough , to his being apprehended under the Stockport warrant ; and Beswick woHld lodge his warrant with the Stockport police officers , as a detainer against tho prisoner who wa . taken to tho Now Bailey , Salford .
EXAMINATION OF JOHN LIVSEY , THE DEALER IN ARMS . At tbe BoTO * gh Court , on Saturday last , the prisoner , John Livsey ( whose former examination wUl be found in another column ) was again brought upand Mr . Henry Coppock , Town Clerk of Stockport , made a similar application to the Conrt to that made by him as to tho prisoner B . nbow , and for a similar charge of conspiracy to Bupply arms . In consequence of a letter which was seized at the shop of Mr . George Thompson , a gun- maker at Birmingham , in reference to the sale and pnrchase of arms , to be . applied to parties in this district , tbe prisoner Livsey had been apprehended here . He ( Air . Coppock ) should be able to prove against Thompson a
number of overt acts of conspiracy , in reference to the s » le of arms in Stockport ; and he should ba able clearly to show , that Livsey was connected in that conspiracy to supply arms , which , he was sorry to say , did appear to sver-ride tke whole of this di . - trict . He should sb * w by Thompson ' s books the orders given for arms by Livsey , aad by Livsey ' g letters , thst these orders were executed by Thompson ; and other parties would bo clearly proved to have acted in concert with these two parties ; and it was a singular circumstance , and one that was necessary to the making out of this cage , that none of these parties had bean gun-sellers or gun-maker * before these recent occurrences— that was , till within the last three months . He could show that a great number of persons in this town and districthad been in communication with Thompson , and had joined in a general conspiracy with him and the leaders of the Chartists to obtain
arm _ , and to place them in the hands of tho people . He applied that Livsey be handed over to the authorities at the Salford New Bailey , in order that he might be charged before a magistrate of both counties ( Cheshire and Lancashire ) with this offence . It appeared that Mr . Coppock had no warrant against Livsey ; and the prisoner was accordingly remanded for half an hour ; and , in the meantime , Mr . Coppock laid an information against tlifc prisoner before J . F . Foster , Esq ., -who is a marirtrate of Cheshire as well as ttia comity ; and , having obtained a watraatfrom that gentleman , returned , and the prisoner Livsey wag delivered into the custody of the Cheshire police ; and the Manchester borough warrant was lodged in their hands as a detainer agair st the prisoner , who was then token to the New liailey , balford . [ Fellow-countrymen , read this , and blush at the name of " British justice . " ]
EXAMINATION AT THE NEW BAILEY . Abouta quarter-past two , Mr . Foster came upon the . Beach ; and Mr . Coppock , addressing the Courtsaid , that seeing Mr . Foster on theBencb , he wished to mention two cases , —one in which a man named Liosey , who had been selling arms in . Manchester , and m communication with Thompson ( who had been already committed ) ; and the other-a taan named Benbow , who had attended a meeting at S > tockporr ,-at which he had excited the people to arm , and bad spoken in very seditious language . He applied to Mr . 1-oster as a Cheshire magistrate , because other parties were committed to Chester . — Mr . Foster said , as the cases arose out of this district , it was not nsual to hear such matters nnlew
some extraordinary reason for doing so could be urged . —Mr . Coppock said , he should have to leave this evening for Chester , and it was necessary that seme documents , which he must take with him , should be given m evidence before the comaiittins ; magistrate . —Mr . Fester said , that if it was important , and on the understanding that it was the request of the Cheshire magistrates , he would take the case in the small Court ( to which the prisoners were accordingly removed ) . * """"" Y "" The Pri-Pner , John Uvsey , was first placed at the bar , and the statements of the witness were reduced to writing at once . 9 w fTrrf- __ n ?^ ' Qi"t W * heStcckportpolice , sworn—On the 3 ] gt of Julv . I w . 1 * .. »_«»_ . _ ... _ .
m <> t , S ™ a I 1 " 3 houee of a man named Mitchell , m Stockport . I uft . rwards , fee same evening , searched the house of a maiT named fti— - ' . the bor ™ gb of Stockport . I found this piece of written paper at his house . He is a speaker and collector ; I Lave heard him speak , and seen him go round collecting money ot different ahopkeepers , for the Chartist cause . I hive seen him act as chairman at many of their meetings . I found the letter ( markedM ) , now produced , in Davies ' s house .
. Josenh Sadler , superintendent of tie Slockport borough police . —On the night of the 30 th July , I made a seizure of artns at the house of James Mitchell , m Stockport . Ttere were three muektits , three bayonets , two pistol ., five guns , two pikes , and twenty pike-staff ? , eight feetlong andaboutoneanda half an inch or nearly two inches inches Li diameter . J received this paper ( marked N ) from Mitchell aa his authority for selling arms ; and it and the other are in the . handwriting of George Tho _ cp «> n , o Birmingham . [ Mr . Coppock read the two letters asfollow .: ! -
[ M . ] " Birmingham , July 23 , 1 . 39 . W I shall be in Liverpool by the Rover coach , to-tucrrow evening . If yon can meet me at the coach I think I can explain matter * to you . Yours respectfully , "GEO . THOMPSON , ' " 3 UWhittal-street , Birmingham . " Mr . Coppock said , there was no direction oa this letter , it hating been torn off . The next wa . was addressed to Mr . Milchell , beerseller , King-street , Stockport , and was dated Birmingham , July 24 , 1839 : —"
IN . ] "Mr . James Mitchell—Sir , I hereby gire yo » authority ta act for mf . a . e gent , at Stockport , for the sale of guns- musket ., pistol ., &c . " There was no post-mark on this letter . On the Gth August , in comequence of these letters , and other iniorraation , I went to Birmingham , having a warrant for the apprehension of George Thompson . I got to Birmingham abent half , past seven in the morning , and met Thompson in Vtbittal Street , Birmingham , ao ° 3 t half-past ten . He was coming toward * his twusa . I seized three book * , which were on a table in W » ( Cintbitted in our seventh foi e- )
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* .. — ttB-g N 6 &THBRN STAR . Apopst 17 , 1839 . tokeep gaard lO 0 ^
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relief from the misery in which , they are invclved . How much , then , must it excite tho astonishment of every rett . ctbg man when , ia addition to the most squalid wretshedness , the worst pa-is ons of human nature , revenge and despair , are trifled with , and unnecessarily excited b y the most tyrannical proceeding ? , which cannot be sanctioned for a moment euhor byjastice or by law , or by the most remote resemblance of either tke oae or the other . Though its 8 t < ps may be tardy , the day of retribution will c « me : the eye of Heaven looks with compassion and sympathy on the sufferings of the opi . ros . ed ; and wo ! wo ! V \ U I to the miserable deluded fools who expect to escape the vengeance of that powor which waits only till the cup of their iniquity is
full . It has been onr lot for the last two or three weeks to record some cf the basest transactions whicb havo eter b--en perpetrated under the sanction ol iaw : that duty again devolved upon us ; and we only pray tha .. our readers , while they read with abhorrence the following tyrannical proceedings , will endeavour to rr . train their aigor , and lo . k .. rward to the end wnich " speedily draweth nigh . "
DESPERATE AND MERCILESS CONDUCT OP THE MANCHESTER WHIG MAGISTRATES . Nothing can b » a greater proof of the evident wish of the Whig _ erpents" of Manchester to drive the people to the commission of acts of violence than the numerous , unprovoked , unnecessary , and unlawful arreste thnt are daily being made in this town . Op . pressed aa the people of this great manufacturing town have long been—half starved , half naked , as themselves and their children are ~ 7 « nduriisg the greatest pos .-ible privations of every kind , it is hardly to be wondered at by any reflecting mind , if they should have recourea to any measures , however wild and visionary , or however impracticable , to obtain
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asked if anv hon . ^^^ Z ^^^^ 351 asK eau any Donestworking man could BUDDOSeiriR . * asked if any honest working man could suppose that an operative had any ris&ttohave Buch things in his house , and for gale . —The prisoner was then removod . The prisoner referred to cards which he gairj fo had circulated . Tbe following it a copy of them "J . Livsey , 43 , Hanover-street , Shudehill , Mail ' . Chester , agent to G . Thompson , gon and pistol ma . nufacturer , Birmingham . " It will be seen elsewhere , that Thompson has been , apprehende d at Birmingham , under a warrant issued by the Stock , port Magistrates ; that ha was examined at Stockport on Thursday week , and was fully committed for trial at tke present Chester assizes .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Aug. 17, 1839, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1070/page/6/
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