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THE NORTHERN STAR.
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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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DTL M'DOTJALL , THE HLLL COTJNOILLOBS , FEASGTJS O'CONNOR , A ND THE KOBTHERN STAB . We lave received from Mr . O'Connor for publication the followinj ? letter ; a copy of which had been previously received here , addressed "To the ditor of the Northern Siar . '
TO TKAB-GtS O'COSSOR , ESQ . Sib , —1 mb directed to inlom you that at a council meeting held aiaevenirs , a member of the council . ud ito-ni a isember of the late conned , *** ° 4 ™ f the letter of ft * late « snx&lo « to you ? «*?«"*» M'BoMllandtlie ExecatiTe , ""hen tbB following reso lution "sras adopted : — "That -we Mgb ] y ^> pTeve the letter of our brethren ttetoSxraeOto to F . O Connor , Esq ., «>» !«{ - Sat we fein * the said letter ought to ¦**« » «; tfortter * Star , and that a copy of it ** ™ " »** thereto to the Editor and Proprietor , with a revest ^ insertion ; ^ that if it cannot appear on other -terms , "we pay for it as an advertiBemeat-I am , Sir , very respectfnily yours , 3 . AifLAX , Secretary .
TO FSAStSTJS < 3 TG 02 fNOR , ESQ , © BAU Sib , —In your letter "To the "Working -Classes" pnblidied in the NoriJiemSiar of Ssfcarday last , ¦^ re h ave B&ea -with ? rea £ suiprisa & statemeat , purporting to be an extract from a letter to yourseK , as Editor -of the Evening Star , by MeDooaH ; the tendency of -which is to place ns before tb . B people in tbs most unfair and dishonest light , of denouncing , public and through the press , that in -which we had privst «) y expressed our acquiescence . The statement to -which "we refer is contained in fee following words : —
"Heays , inspeaking of the 10 a . a -week , « -whatwas my duty , if the aos . -was otjecttd to ? To resign it Well ^ an otgection came from Hull -A correspondence befween Campbell and the Hull Councillors ; the end of ¦ which was , as far as I "was concerned , the transmission by-SraBby , the Secretary , ol a -written resolution , purporting to be the de iberate vote of the Hull CouBcUlors , in » hich -they declare their perfect satisfaction-with'Qie 10 a . additional any "week to me . " If tnr , Sk , you must , at once , nee that , -when taken in connection -with the position -we have all along held in reference to the acts of the Executive iaBd particularly this act of theirs ) , and the resolutions -we haTe recently -pabKshed upon the subject , this statement places
our character for consistency and honesty , in a light of contemplation that must mate it odious to every goad mind , and -which , therefore , not merely gives as the right , but absolutely compels us to demand , to be beard in contradiction . We beg to inform yoa , Sir , that ire -were in office as councillors at the time -when this resolution , " purporting to be the deliberate rota of the HnH-cennjillors , " is alleged to bare been transmitted by Mr . < 5 rasby . the Secretary . Jfo sneh resolution-waB sTer adopted by the Hull eoBpefllora , No such resolution -was ever discussed by the Hull Coundllers . Ke snch resolution -was ever proposed to the Hull councillors ; nor , so far as we know , hinted at , nor even contemplated by any ef them . Mr .
Gasbj could aot , therefore , haTe had their authority . lor any such resoluti on , purporting to be their deliberate vote . The Hull Councillors , Sir , iaTeheld always one opinion upon the sutject to which this resolution is sffirmecl to haTe h »< l reference . They hold that opinion Etm which they held then , and -which they expressed in . their letters , both to the Executive generally , through their secretary , and to H ' Douall personally , in strong terms . That opinion ¦ was unanimously concurred in j there was net among them a dissenting Toice ; and no man sustained the
opinion of his fellow Councillors more stroagly and ¦ warmly thwn Mi . Grasfey . For this xeason , as -well a » from our long knowledge of him , ¦ we do not belieTe that Sir . Grasby -would , or that he ever did , transmit to H'Donall any such resolution . Mr . Grasby is not now in Hull , and , therefore , -we haTe not the opportunity of asking Mm directly -whether he did , or did not , transmit to 31 'DonaQ this impudent fabrication ; but -we do not belieTe him capable of doing so , nor -will we belieTe that he has done so , until we haTe » een ifcprored . . *
Your geod sense -will shew yon , sir , that by publishing in the lionhem Star this statement , thus infamously aspersing us , 'while , at the same time , yon close its columns against aiy -word of reply or explanation , yon haTe tione us , whether -wittingly or not , a great iDJustice . "We haTe no quarrel "with your affection for H'Donsil , nor-with your anxiety to relieTe him from the odinm under 'which he labours—we think deserredlybut -we do think that you ought not thus to doit at the expense of-wanton id jury to men who certainly haTe sot deserred it from yon , and "whose character for consistency and honesty has merer been impeached .
We reqnest , therefore , that as an act of bare justice , you -will , in your next letter to the people , through the columns of the northern Star , place our unqualified -contradiction ts this statement as prominently and as forcibly before the public as the statement which made ii . Decenary . We are , Bear air , Xotcts of fairplay , A-n ft your Trw-flVnyftiTig brother democrats , &EO £ & £ Bxekeb .
Geosgb Baxsett . HOGEB , PntDEBWM . CHXESKAS . SIaTTHE'W MBDD . ROBT . J-iCKSOS . ' SiHUEr PrxroxD , J . Jacksbx . Wh . Hiix . HuH , Feb . 8 th , 1343 . The signature " Wm . Bill" has been appended here : Mr . BIQ not iaving been present when the letter -was adopted , but cordially concurring in every ¦ word of its contents .
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TO THE EDITOB . OP THB BORTHEBJi SIABSm , Mr . James Williams complains loudly in yoor paper cf last -week , of the injustice 1 haTe done him in my leport of his discuesion -with Mr . Kidd . He seems to r'hVnV , thai he has got all manner of fair play in the League prints of the Xocality ; in this iespect he and I are a onei he has not only got fair play , but a great deal more . The Sunderlcaid Herald and Gatesbead Observer , report his speeches almost at full length , ¦ while they do not giTe Kidd more than two or three IT this c « Mr . Williams' * view of fairplay , 1 can assure him it is uol mine . My report is not one ^ sided ; 3 haTe always repudiated such a mode of suppor ting Chartism , beSeTin ? as I do , that its intrinsic merits are . such as not to stand in need of false colouring .
He oenies the statement in my introductory remarks , that the ChartiBt deputation "which he calls tiro lad ) offered to pay the half of the expenses , if he -would allow the public free admission . Mow , Sir , the lads to ¦ whom he alludes , and -who by-the-bje , haTe each as much hair on them , and beards as strong as Mr . Williams , and are quite old « nough to befathers , did certainly offer to pay half the expenses . There had been two seta of bills posted , the first by Mr . Williams , in which he endeaToured to arouse the rtspedabla against Mr . O'Connor , and -which "were copied into these local papers he now seems so much enamoured of ; the second by the -whole hog Chartists , calling on the working men to attend and defend O'Cennor from sucha base attack . Each party paid for then- own
bills , and the effer on the part of the Chartists to pay half the rent of the hall -was quite just and fair . Mr . Williams pleads porerty eb an excuse for his penny charge of admission , and this eridecUy with a Tiew to gull the country into the belief that he -was doing all -without the aid of the middle class gentry . For this , and his assertion that there -were none of his respectable friends at the meeting , -we haTe only his own word , -which I am ambitious enough to look upon as Dotting better than mine ; and , besides , I haTe the opinions of hundreds equally as respectable as 2 £ r . Williams and Job brother shopkeepers , although perhaps not - « o -wealthy , that they nerer before had seen such a nmster of the broad cloths . I am quite con-Tinced that I-sa-w scores -who -were not -working men ,
some of -whom -wore mustacheos , an ornament Mr . Williams-will surely admit is not in eommen use among the hog Chartists . He finds fault -with the heading of the report It is « asy to do so ; denial is said to be the best-point of la-w . No man in the land brawls more londly for freedom of opinion . Does he -wish to haTe it all on his owe side ? or -will he ha-re the kindness to allow me the same prmlege of thought and expression ? If so , I grre it as my unqualified opinion , that ¦ we , thrt ensuing , had to contend -with all the robber factions of Sunderiand . It is a -weli known fact throughout the country , that -when O'Connor ' s character is attacked , supposing it-were by " anld Clooty *" himself , aereunot a dandified tailor-made Leaguer , SiwrJ ^ ' ^ l' Tory > from Jolm 0 Gnat ' s ? S ™ X vVv * »« ° the srf vive . jjt Wil-H 3 ma ?? J ^^ *" > lo 8 only 500 , and it being full rLSfc * ^ - ? " ?* ™ -ore Sdng
~ ^ fT * ° ^ Ia Z ae 8 e ij ^^» Till b ! the a » th of u Why tte most ignorant . palpeen in the kingdom -would not for a single moment qnesioa tte truth of tha statement , but he forgot to tell us tte manner in which the hall to rffled ; he forgot S Tis-there -were two doors by -which the people -were aaaoitted , one in reserre for his new frienas , the Ijeaguers , and the other for his former patrons , the mobocrat abble ; by the grand door , or front entrance the gentry-were admitted and posted as a body guard on ana arouud the platform , -where they ' continued hiBsing and bellowing at Eidd the greater part ^ f the eTening , and one them , a Mt Taylor , actually -went on bo far as to attempt physical Tiolence -when he found there -was lack of argument . It -was by this front door 2 tried to fain admittance , but -was repulsed and ordered to the rear . The reader -will doubtless ask
-what -was meant by this distinction ; 3 shall endeaTonr to liDSwer Mm . A raass j > f people * were assembled round the back entrance , caltfly wortits , and seeing this , it -was not considered safe to place all dependence on that door / henoe the separation of the fops from the unwashed , lest their gingerbread sides might suffer isjury ia me heattBdouj crash to get in . -
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I am accused by Me . Williams -with hftTing strengt ) - ened Kidd ' s positi on , by the inrertiou of matter that was ; : ever spoken la the discussion , and strange to say , Mr . Kidd also ar jenae e me with not baring done him full jusBce . Here , Sir , j / ou -will obserre , I am crucified between the two talented disputants , and without any desire on my * jart to act dishonourably to either . He says from the . ' fifth to the twentieth line in Kidd ' s third speech -was aflTer spoken . Now , this I flatly deny ; not that 3 ^ feuld by any means accuse Mr . Williams of misrep' / esentation , but taking into account the agitated sta' of his mind , especially towards the close of the dis- jussion , it was morally impossible he could jadge i / npartially as to what was really spoken and what ¦» ras not ; he must , therefore , haTe written under a false , impression , or on the authority of some of hia
Men Js , whose prejudices eTerrnled their better judgmesi , I am quite willing to admit that the exact wo / ds spoken are not those in many places given in the re port ; and Mr . Williams himself must also admit that it is utterly impossible to condense the report of a discussion , which occupied two hours and a htlf , in as many columns of & newspaper using none other than the words spoken . Besides , had I given a longer report , which J could very easily have done , from my notes covering thirteeen pages of post paper , it could not po&sibly be inserted in a journal like the Siar , having such a press t f matter from all parts of the United Kingdom . 1 dare say Mr . Williams would like very well that I had drawn it out to such a length as to preclude its insertion . He gets credit for being a very wily gentleman iH this matter , but , to use a Cockney phrase , I may tell him he has Yorkey to deal with when he falls in with me .
He next denies that Kidd ' s amendment was earned , and to bear him out , again appeals ts the League news * papers ; the saying , that drowning men catch at strawB . ¦ was never more truly verified than in this case . Go to a League paper , forsooth , to find a true statement of facts connected -with Chartism ! You might as easily cet wool off a goat's back , or holy water in an Orange Lodge . Ip the face of above 300 men , he denies what apptared to ea « h of them as clear as rock water , and calls to his aid the ¦ Munchaustn scribbler of the veracious Svnderland Herald . Mr . Williams must know , from his former experience , when a Chartist , tbat what the faction ' s press give for truth as regards our movement , may safely be taken , in almost every instance , for falsehood , and vice versa . But let us take another glance at this part of the subject . Mr . Williams will not surely deny the fact of the Chartists carrying their
friend Mr . Chalk to the chair , and that , too , by an oTerwbeliHing majority ; he will not surely deny that he himself admitted Kidd ' s amendment carried on the first division , and was giving up the contest when his peaceable friends raised the uproar , and the meeting became one tumultuous mass . He will not deny that ¦ when I challenged him to a Becond discussion on other hard matters connected with the agitation in Snnderlacd , be first accepted , and then slunk from it , on the ground tbat if Jhe again appeared before a public meeting his life was in danger . This he told me in the house of one of his friends , and also in the presence of six individuals ; and yet he maintains , on the authority of an Anti-Corn Law paper , a party to whom he has now all'ed himself , and by whom he is employed to print their lying tracts , that he still holds the confidence of the working people of that town '
Now , Sir , in conclusion , as one of the tellers of the meeting , I am prepared to give oath , to the best of my judgment , and keeping within the mark , ( for it was impossible to count them , owing to the coi . fusion that preTailed , j that there were at the Tery least from eighty to one hundred of a majority for Kidd ' s amendment Permit me also to state , that had it not been at the request of the braTe men of Sunderiand , who are justly entitled to the thanks of their brethren throughout the country , and that lie trhose character was attempted to be slandered , was none other than our brave and purely disinterested Ghampion of Democracy , I would noi have thought it worth my notice ( with all the i gnorance for which I get credit ) to use one pen full of ink in recording the whole discussion in the columns of the People ' s paper .
J remain , Sir , Your sincere f rienfl , _ Con MUSUT Glasgow , Feb . 33 th , 1843 . *'" f We hare also receiTed upen this su ^ ect a long letter from Mr . George Esplin , fully corroborating all Mr . Murray ' s statements , and affirming the truth of the report . We baTealso a like letter from Mr . Kidd . These parties will see that the publication of Mr . Murray ' s letter renders theirs unnecessary . We give , bowever , from Mr . Kidd ' s letter the following challenge , with which it concludes : — " I challenge James Williams of Sunderiand , to meet me publicly , on equal terms , to discuss the fallowing propositions , in Sunderiand or any other town in England or Scotland , containing 10 , 000 inhabitants , or upwards—he to take the negatiTe , I the affirmative
—1 st—That every word written by Feargus O'Connor , Esq ., on the conduct of Mr . Williams st the late Birmingham Conference , as printed in the Evening Star of the 3 rd of January , is strictly in accordance with troth . 2 nd . —That the Complete Suffrage movement is either dishonest or impolitic . 3 rd . —That the Cbartei , as amended by the Confer , ence , is superior to the BUI of Bights . ilk . —That a repeal of the Com laws , without accompanying measures , will not benefit the workins olassbs ol this country . ¦ It is but justice to remark that Mr . Williams has publicly txpressed his willingness to meet apy man in England to prove the negative of these propositions , and should he sot accept this challenge I shall conclude he has changed his opinions on these subjects , and if so , I call on him to publicly announce such a change ; if not I assert he is a moral coward . I am , SXHUKL KlDD . Newcastle , No . 7 , Villa-place , Feb . 13 , 1843-3
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SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 18 , 1843 . THE * ' LEAGUE "; THE OUTBREAKS ; AND THE INCITEMENTS TO ASSASSINATION . Sixcb the opening of Parliament statements have been made within its walls , that tend to show the true nature of this confederated band of Freebooters ; and some little light thrown on the means employed by them to accomplish the complete subjugation of th 9 labourers .
By a reference to oar Report of the Parliamentary Proceedings , it will be seen that Lord Howicr ' s motion , ** That this House do resolve into a Committee of the whole House , to consider so much of her Maje 3 tj's speech as refers to that depression of the manufacturing interest of the country which has bo long prevailed , and which her Majesty has so deeply lamented , " was met , by Mr . Fbrhakd , with an amendment , which , while it includes Lord Howick ' s motion , CHALLENGES INQUIRY
INTO THE ORIGIN OF THE OUTBREAKS in Angnst last ; the Hon . Member averring that " he was prepared with evidence to pbove that they originated with the Anti-Corn Law . League" In stating this part of his case Mr . Febband plainly told the Leagne , that if they were not fearful of inquiry they wonld themselves conrt it : and it is a little curious that daring the entire debate on the second evening , sot a single allusion was made to this demand for inquiry into the origin of the outbbeak by any of the speakers , although ho less than three free traders took part in it ; G . H . Wabd , of the Weekly Chronicle * ( the man who played the Mk- ^ ^^^ Hl t ^ m ^ ^ H ^ M SHM ^ M ^ B ^ M . . ^^ h . ^ h
^^ ^^^^ SWING dodge , which we exposed In Angost last , ) among the ¦ nnmber ! This demand they each and all shirked . ' not one of them dare face it ! Mr . Fesju ^ d avers , in open Parliament , that be is prepared with evidence to prove that the late outbreaks ORIGINATED WITH THE LEAGUE . Dare Parliament , in the teeth of such avowal by one of its own body , refuse the demanded inquiry ? Dare Parliament , in the face of the British people
refuse to obtain the " evidence" thus offered it , which is to prove who were the authors of an " Insurrectionary Movement" ! Dare the Leaguers in the House of Commons vote against the " inquiry " when they axe openly accused before all the people of being the attthobs of that insurrection , " which cost many lives , and sent some scores into banishment , some dozens to the Penal Settlements and the Hulks , and some hundreds to prison !
These are grave questions , which will shortly be answered bt thb totb op tss Hovsb on Mr . FEfi&iBD's amendment . At the time we write CWednesday ) that Tote has not been come to : but we mari the ominous silence in M the House" on both sides , respecting the demanded inquiry , as very indicative of the manner in which the questkm is a to be got rid of . " Mr . Fz&sxsd says be is prepared with evidence to prove that the League o&igikaxed the Outbreaks
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If ho is not , | he soon may be . It is now known wh e re the whole thin g was concoct ed ! It is n ow known where the first meeting took place with the League Manufacturer , who proposed the Strike " as a means of compelling the Government to do something ! " It i s n o w known at whose house th at meeting took place ; and also who who were present at it . It is now known who drew up the Address to the Working People * which p receded and paved the way fob the stbike ; and it is also known where that address was printed , and who paid for its printing . It is now known that the League
in the latter end of June or the beginning of July * arranged that a reduction of wages of some 25 per cent , should take place between July and Christmas ; and that e&ch master was to take his own time and manner of doing it , to avoid a charge of conspiracy and disarm suspicion ; yet the reductions were to be made within the period above named . It is also now known that attempted reductions of wages were made the pretext to " bring the hands out" ; and it is also known who the parties were that were employed to organize " the strike" ; and also who paid
them for their services ! It is now known that a portion of the instructions given to these hired tools was , that they should give the "Insurrectionary Movement" a Chartist tinge ; and thus bait a trap for the Chartists to fall iato . All these things are now known , aho ca . n be proved , and will be proved , if the House of Commons institute the demanded inquiry ! If Mr . Fehbaxd is not aware of all the facts , he soon can bo ; and he will be , if he is not already , in a position to bring the charge home to the League , of having originated the "insurrection" !
Dire the Parliament st'fle the requisite inquiry ? Dare it vote that no inquiry is needed ? The League press have a very convenient method of attempting to blunt the force of Mr . Fekband ' s blows by affecting to consider him " a madman" ; as " reckless of statement " , and " Bbatneless of detection in falsehood " . This plan , however ^ desperate and self-condemnatory as it is , will not avail them in the case of Lord Brougham , who has " opened-out" upon them in the" Upper House" every whit as terrifically as Mr . Feeband has done ia the 11 Lower" one . Nay , even more so : for while Mr . Fekband offers to prove that the League originated " the strike , " Lord Brougham accuses them of
inciting to assassination ! Now , Brougham is no " madman" ! The League have cried him up as a paragon of perfection . Ho is a free-trader . He is one of themselves ; and yet , so horrible have been the means adopted by the Repealers to force their selfish project from the handa of the Government , that the " learned Lord" has felt it to be his duty to wash his hands of the League , and hold the League up to the scorn and reprobation of all the country ! During the debate on Lord Stanhope ' s motion , on Thursday night last , he took occasion to denounce the Leaguers in round set terms ! He denounced them for exciting to breaches of the peace ; for counselling " breakings-out "; for inciting to assassination ! His words were : —
" I cannot suffer the mention of the anti-C ^ rn Law League and its proceedings for the first time since the last summer ; that I have had the opportunity of saying a word upon it , to be made In this House without expressing my entire and hearty concurrence with tbe disapprobation expressed at many of tbe proceedings of that body by my Noble Friend not now in bis place , who was lately at the head of her Majesty ' s Government , and who from his temporary illness is not here to state it . I am on that account more anxious to state my entire concurrence in his reprobation of Borne of tbe means used , by tbat body . I differ from my tfoble
Fxiend in his opinion ef its object , for I go much further in desiring to Bee the repeal of tbe Corn Laws than my Noble Friend ; but I desire to express my most pointed disapprobation of the means taken by many of the persons connected with that association ; and , my Lords , I am the more anxious to state this because I consider tbat those means are most prejudicial to a good cause .. If anything could retard the progress of their doctrines—if anything could raise obstacles to the course of improvement in the laws respecting pro . visions and the general laws which they most justly oppose , it would be the exaggerated statements and
violence of some of those connected with their bodythe means adopted by them at some of their meetings to excite —? happily they have not much succeeded—to e * cite discontent and breakings out into violent mea-Bures in different parts of tbe country ; and , above all , J cannot discharge my duty to your Lordships , and to my own conscience , if I do not express my utter abhorrence and disgust with which I have noted some men—men clothed with sacred functions —( bear , bear , ) —who have actually , in this very metropolis of a British
and a Christian community , and in . the middle of tbe 10 th century ef the Gospel of grace and peace , net scrupled to utter words to which I will net at present , for obvious reasons , more particularly allude—( hear , hear );—bat which 1 abhor , detest , and scorn , as being calculated to prodnce effects-ij will not say they hate produced them—but calculated to produce the taking away of innocent life—( hear , hear ) . My Lords , your Lordships are aware tbat 1 refer to a trial which is pending , and THEY who Have used these EXPRESSIONS WILL . I HOPE AND TRUST , BE CALLED
ON FOR AN EXPLANATION IN THE COURSE OF ITS PROCEEDINGS— ( bear , hear );—and it is only because'it ia a pending trial that I abstain from more specially referring to those Reverend Gentlemen ' s observations . " Now , how will the Leagne meet this ! Will they say that Lord Brougham is " mad" ? Will they say that he disregards the trnth ! Will they say
that he seeks to cover the injustice of the Corn Laws in a ourarel about the personal transactions of Repeal advocates ? How will they attempt to wriggle out from under the heavy load of censure here heaped upon them ! They cannot treat Lord Bboucuam as they have affected to treat Mr . Fekrakd . Lord Brougham is on < - of their own squad . ' He is their main man ! He knows them well ; and has told wiat he knows ! and that telling , will have
a telling effect 1 There is more about this denunciation of Lord Brougham's than meets the eye . It is but the prelude to other and different denunciations ¦ ' The concluding words of the above extract from the Noble Lord ' s speech have meaning in them . He hopes that those who uttered words" which he " abhors , detests , and scorns , " because " they were calculated to produce the taking-away of innocent life" will " be CALLED-O . N FOR AN EXPLANATION . " Lord BROUGHAM is not in the habit of uttering such " wishes'' as these for nothing . He has many a time paved the way for " ulterior proceedings" ; and if we do not much mistake the character of the cards he plays on this occasion , he is paving the way again !
The " words" which the Noble Lord has thus holden upHo scorn , abhorence , and detestation , were uttered by a Reverend ruffian , before the assembled Conferenc-ft of Anti-Corn Law deputies , ia London , during last session of Parliament , about the time that Taunton of Coventry , talked in the same assembly of " risings and riots . " They were in the form of a story about a man who was ready to draw lots amongst his fellows , as to who should shoot Sir Robert Peel ; and it was told and hearkened to without one single word or sign of reprobation eith er from the speaker or assembly !
Verily the League will have work enough on its hands in a short time . The charges of Mr . Ferrand MUST BE MET . The inquiry must be had ; or the people must speak out ! The originators of the late outbreak ought to be punished , if they can be discovered ; or the hundreds who have been torn from their homes ought to be instantly restored ; and all the compensation that can possibly be made afforded to the widowed and fatherless survivors Of the slain ! Before all the people are the Leaguers denounced as the Originators of the move , ment , which led to these deplorable results , by a man who avers that he is in possession of evidence to bring the charge home . The people mast see to it , that a proper opportunity for a thorough and searching investigation is afforded .
The charges of Lord Brougham will , most likely , have to be met before a differently constituted tribunal than a Committee ef the House of Commons ; and the League will mayhap find it rather difficult to answer them . At all events they are of a serious character . Incitements to assassination are no common crime ! The £ 50 , 000 will be needed before the League have done with these things . It will behove them to husband it well : for it is the > kst they will be able to set !
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$ & On Thursday evening , just before going to press , we received the London morning papers , containing the continuation of the ' * Debate" on Lord Howick ' s Motion . Still no notice of Mr . Ferrand ' s charge of being able to prove that the League originated the last outbreak ! Dr . Bowring opened the adjourned debate ; and though he alluded to the attack of Mr . Ferrand on himself he shirked the serious charge against the League . Mr . Wallacb , and Mr . C . Wood also spoke ; but no allusion to the outbreak , or ( be League ' s connection with it ! Sir James Graham spoke for
three close columns of the Times ; but not a word about Mr . Ferrand ' s amendment ! It might never have been made ; , for ail the information that is afforded to the world in the speeches of the several Members who have spoken since Mr . Ferrand . THEY DARE NOT TACKLE THE QUESTION he has raised ! The League dare not deny his charge , for they know it to be true ; and the Government are -evidently disinclined to trust Parliament with the facts they are in possession of ! We wait anxiously to see Mr . Doncombe's speech on the occasion .
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THE HORRIBLE REVEL AT IOiNS RESPECTING THE NEW POOR LAW . , DEATHS FROM STARVATION ! In another part of this sheet will be found the particulars of two cases of death , arising from sheer starvation . We have taken them from tfee York Herald , a Whig paper : therefore , not likely to colour the statement for the purpose of throwing odium upon the Whig Poor Law , or its administrators . To that statement we invite the serious attention of every reader . A woman and her child have been starved to death ! She applied for relief to the fund which the law authorises to be
raised to prevent euch occurrences ; and that relief was doled out so scantily , and the poor suffering woman so unfeelingly kicked about from pillar to post , that at last , from sheer exhaustion , she became incapable of attending to her own proper wants , and died a sacrifice to the inhumanity with which she had been treated ! Let our readers note the fact , that when hbe was admitted to the Workhouse , she was put to bed WITHOUT MEAT OR DRINK , OR ANY MEDICAL ATTENDANCE , although accompanied to that pest-house by Hodgson , the relieving officer , who had seen her in the cell at the Station-house , in the condition described by Mr . Briggs ; totally incapable of personal attention : sitting on the floor without cap or shawl ; and in the dirt and wet , just as nature had relieved herself !
In relation to this horrible case the York Herald haa the following remarks : — 11 In our fourth page will be seen the particulars relative to the deaths of a poor woman and her infant child , in this city , through starvation , or in other words , through the want of proper attention , and the common necessaries of lifts . " The very idea of euch a circumstance , in a Christian country , ia horrible ia the extreme ; and the natural iDqairy will be , how it could possibly happen , and who were tbe parties to blame .
"That the woman and the child did die of want and shameful neglect , there cannot be any doubt ; but as to the fact of who are the guilty parties , it is not our province to make assertion , nor onr duty to investigate . We however would refer our readers to tbe . inquiry before the Poor Law Guardians , on Thursday ; and we do so with the most painful feelings , as the statement of Mr . Briggs , ( a respectable citizan . ) brings the fact at once home to the cruel and criminal party . We must also allude further to the subject , because it is one closely connected with an odious law , and deeply involving the moat
interesting associations of the cause of Humanity and of Christian benevolence . In the solemn silence of tbe tomb , tbe poor woman and her innocent child now rest ; and , therefore , to them our remarks can be of no avail ; but , though they are gone , the same law exists , and the wide-spread poverty which prevails , and is still extending , may briug many others into the Bame melancholy situation of distress and wretchedness . We would , therefore , embrace this opportunity to urge upon the Guardians of the Poor , and upon all the minor nfficialB under the existing Law , the duty of exercising the legal power in Vho tender spirit of Christian kindness and forbearance .
"That cases of imposition may arise , we readily grant ; but , it is hard , indeed , when tbe hapless unfortunate are punished with cruel neglect , for the crimes of the wicked and the worthless . A wise discrimination is always requisite ; but , we envy not tbat man ' s feelings who , under any consideration whatever , can treat the wretched with contumely or studied neglect and insult , or who can add to the misery of a broken spirit by withholding relief whea due , or contributing the paltry pittance of public charity in the ungracious demeanour of a proud and haughty agent of a law , which sanctions the tearing of the dearest ties asunder , and which may bo exercised by unfeeling police officers , and other cruel parties , as an instrument of torture to the most miserable victims of wretched poverty , and unmerited misfortune . '
We cannot pass by the blasphemous Verdict of the Coroner's Jury ia the case of the starved-to-doath woman , without heaping upon it all possible reprobation ! " Died by the visitation of God . " How horrible-to contemplate ! God visiting the creature of his hands with starvation ! God visiting the earth , to starve a poor woman and her child to death ! God hardening the heart of the " Guardians " of the poor , and the relieving-officers , and the policemen and workhouse-keepers , to induce them to deny the pining woman and her infant son the relief
her condition required , in order to visit them with death by means of starvation ! How awfully blasphemous ! " Visitation of God , " forsooth ! Has God withheld the fructifying shower , or the genial warmth of the sun ? Has God refused to bless the earth with plenty , wherever man has taken the trouble to till ? Have we been " visited " with ) famine t Were there not the means of relief to these poor victims to man ' s injustice immediately at hand ! Was there not food and raiment in the landt Did it not abound on every side ? Was it not in the midst of
plenty that they were suffered to starve to death ! And who has blessed us with the plenty so abundantly abounding ? Who has " visited" us with it ! And shall we dare to ascribe to that beneficent power the murdering of these two martyrs to class-made laws ? Shall we blasphemously and impiously ascribe to mu that which we have ourselves caused \ Shall we dare to assign to his " visitation" the result of our own inhumanity ! Of all tha stupid cant and impious nonsense pompously put forth , these same Verdicts of " died by the visitation of God , " are , in nine cases out of ten , the most stupid and most impious ! And of all the cases of that nature that ever fell beneath our attention , this York one is the most horribly atrocious !
Leaving , for the present , this case of murder committed by the oppressors of the poor under the New Poor Law , we will just glance at the horrible revealment made by Mr . Walter , the Member for Nottingham , in the House of Commons , of the intentions and fdbpos £ s of the concocters and framers of that law . Those revealments show but too conclusively , that the York officials , in permitting the starving to death of Mary Cleoo and her infant son , have only been faithfully executing their " m i ss i on " !
On the bringing up of the Address voted by the Commons in answer to the Queen ' s Speech , at the commencement of tbe Session , Mr . Walter took occasion to speak on several topics of immediate interest . He avowed himself an advocate of a fixed duty on the importation of Corn , in preference either to total Repeal , or a variable duty . This led him to speak of the" League '" and while he denounced their professions of sympathy
for the labouring people as hollow and insincere , he administered a no less measure of castigation to their twin-brothers of evil , the agricultural advocates of the infernal New Poor Law system : and speaking of " League * led him on to the uncovering of a Governmental " League" of a most cold-blooded and atrocious character ; having for its end and aim , the starvation of the labourers of England . Here are Mr . Walter ' s
words : — <¦ With respect to all tbat had been Incessantly beaten into their ears on the one side , of tbe hardship of throw-Ing the poor agricultural labourer out of employment by throwing poor lands out . of cultivation j and oathe other ,
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of the sufferings of the star ring artisans by the continuance of the present system * f class legislation , he thought there was a great deal of' aollownesa ia the professions of both parties , and that , each would be greatly perplexed by depriving it of this argument , or pretence , of sympathy for the unhap py sufferers on either side . He should therefore leave V je rural advocates of the present workhouse system and prison dietaries , and tbe Dissenting ministers with b' ieeding hearts forming the Manchester Conference , w bo alike agreed in tbe detestable principles of theirj N ew Poor Law , to settle their Corn Law d'ffdreuces j b etween themselves —( hear , hear ) But reference had been made to a certain association , called the Anti-Cora Law League . Now , he had a great
abhorrence of all associations ; they always professed some beneficial object ; but the intention of the chief actors in them he believed to be as universally aelflih , anti-social and mischievous . Buthe did not decry the present Anti-Corn Law League on account of its principle in the abstract but rea'ly on accoun of the parties who were the bustlers in it , and who he believed were quite as much disposed to grind the poor , whose sufferings they professed to make the objects of their stir , as any other class in Her Majesty ' s dominions . But whi ! e we decried this League , let us not forget that we had had agricultural leagues also . He believed such associations deserved the epithets he had just bestowed on them ; but he alluded particularly to one £ > rand agricultural association which
afforded a mischievous precedent to others , and assembled some years ago within 100 yards of that House . The present noblu President of the Board of Trade denounced it as a Parliament sitting in the face of the regular Parliament , and dispersing its . proclamations all over the kingdom . These , however , had all been open societies . But might there not be Leaguers of , a much more da- gerous character , of whose intentions ami acts the public might bavn but slight information ? The atrocious Poor Law itself really emanated from the proceedings of such a League . Ha alluded to the original commission , nowialniost forgotten , and not to the body commonly called- the Triumvirate . Gentlemen who
knew a great many of the sun-eta of that commission had told us of tha extreme sufferings ef the poor , and of tbe discontent that would bj felt by the masses if nothing were done for them . They had been told also of the wonders that were to be effected by education oven in workhouses ; but was it an essential preparative to such education that the objects of it should be subjected to something little short of starvation before they commenced their studies ? He would read to the house two of the secret recommendations of this mind-improving , body-starving commission from which our New Poor Law has emanated . The first of tbese recommendations ' was , that" the Commissioners shall have power to reduce allowances , but not to enlarge them . After some further suggestions , they proceeded
thus , —and to this passage he called especial attention .- — ' After this has been accomplished , orders may be sent forth , directing that after such a date all out-door relief should be given partly in kind ; after another period , it should be wholly in kind j after such another period it should be gradually diminished in quantity , until tbat mode of relief was exhausted . From the first the relief should be altered in quality , coarse brown bread being substituted for fine white ; and currently with these measures as to the outdoor poor , a gradual reduction should be ma'le in the diet of the indoor poor , and strict regulations enforced . He should not comment on language like this new . Indeed , it was already practically commented upon by tbe e eve re sufferings | &nd deep-rooted discontent of the labouring population . "
What a revealment ! What a measure of wickedness is here uncovered ! And the fact respecting these SECRET RECOMMENDATIONS'cannot be denied ! Mr . Walter haa brought the ] matter home ! He has forced Sir James Graham to admit before the people of England , that his allegations respecting this starvation enforcing League are correct ! Oa Tuesday night ,
Feb . 7 th : — " Mr . Walter begged te ask the Right Hon . Baronet the Secretary for ! the Home Department whether he had any objection'to lay before the House a document , printed about the [ end of 1833 or beginning of 1834 , entitled ' Measures submitted by the Poor Law Commissioners to His Majesty ' s Ministers ? ' It was further entitled , * Notes of heads of a bill altered and amended , ' and contained the : recommendation of a comae of treatment and of a dietary , gradually diminishing in quantity and deteriorating in quality .
" Sir J . Graham said be hardly knew the particular document to which the Hon . Member referred . The Hon . Member had given him notice of bis intention to pat this question , and in answer he would say , that no Bucb document was to be found in the department over which he presided : He had a faint recollection that a document such as that referred to by the Hon . Member had been eenti as a confidential communication to Earl Grey ' s Government , and as tuoh he was not prepared to consent . to its production . But if the Hon . Member was desirous to have it produced , he had better give notice to that i fiver .
" Mr . Walter said he would not trouble the house by any motion on the ' subject . He did not require the document for his own use , as he was in possession of a copy—( hear , hear , and a laugh i ; but for the general use of the house . He was j perfectly satisfied with the Right Hon Baronet ' s answer . " The fact , then , is established ! The SECRET RECOMMENDATIONS to starve the poor were given . They were given in " a confidential communication to Earl Grey's Government ; " and the fact has been dragged out . The document is in existence . Sir Jaiiks Graham dare not deny the fact > for there Mr . Walter stood with the book in his hand !
O ! bow much ink has been wasted , and how much paper spoiled , in attempts to show that the authors of the New Poor iLaw were the benefactors of the poor ! Taat their only object , in taking the steps they did , was to raise the physical and moral condition of the labourer ! That they wished to encourage his independence ! The revealments thus made by Mr . Walter show what were the nature of the SECRET RECOMMENDATIONS of the Poor Law Commission , upon whose Report the New Poor Law was founded and passed . Those SECRET RECOMMENDATIONS were given , confidentially , to the Government of the day . They amounted to just this ; that the Now Poor Law should be so constructed as to ensure the starving of the poor . We are now going to show that THE
GOVERNMENT ACTED ON THOSE SECRET RECOMMENDATIONS ! When the Report of the Poor Law Commission was laid before the public , and the plot entered into fully ripe , the Government caused a Bill to be drawn up , to be submitted to Parliament , to compass the ends sought to be accomplished . The Barrister who drew up the Bill had , as is usual , a list of instructions given him for hi 3 guidance . In those instructions were oue that stated distinctly , that one of the ends sought to be accomplished by
the Bill was " the bringikg of the People op England to live . upon a coarser sort of foop !"' This fact , too , was proved in the House of . Commons ! Mr . Cobbrtt broadly stated it iu the House , during the passing of the BUI ; and bis statement of it was not denied . In his inestimable work , the Legacy to Labourers , he put the fact on record , that he i had seen the horrible " instructions'' respecting the starviny of the veople , with his own eyes ! And , ; mind , this instruction was from the Cabinet of England ! Mr . Cobbett ' s stating of the facts of the case is as follows : —
" To the Searpher of hearts only can men ' a motives be known , except iby confession , or by collateral or circumstantial evidence . I will , therefore , not attempt to assert what were j the motives of the projectors and puBhere-on of this bill ; or the motives from which it was supported by the Duke of Wellington , by Lord Radnor , by you . [ Peel ] and other great landlords . I should not think it just to impute motives which I cannot substantiate by proof . I will say , therefore , nothing about the motives to the prejecting and pushing on . of this measure ; but I will say plenty about the natural and inevitable tendency of the measure ; firet , however , stating a circumstance to the truth of which there is a whole House of Commons full of witnesses , and which ia as follows : — " . That , daring my opposition to the bill , I
positively asserted , that printed instructions were given to the barrister { who drew the bill ; that the * in > structions told him that it was intended to erect about two hundred workhouses fox the whole -of England mi Wales ; tbat they also told him , that one thing desirable to be accomplished was , to bring the people of England to live upon a coarser sort of diet . " 3 . That 1 moved for the laying of these instructions upon the table of the House ; and that the minister and his majority rejected the motion . " 3 . That neither Lord Altborp , nor any other man in the House , said one single word in contradiction [ to my statement . \ " A change of circumstances now enables me [ to say , that I had SEES the instructions . "
The Government , then , acted oa the SECRET RECOMMENDATIONS of the League to starve the Poor ! They embodied those Recommendations in a Bill . They passed that Bill . They have , ever sinoe , done their uttermOBt to enforce its infamous and infernal provisions ; and the death of Mart Clegg and her infant son at York , from js h ee r starva ti on , is one of its < consequencea
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Mr . Walter seems determined to follow up th * matter . He is not disposed to rest himself contented with the exposure he has so happily made h pily for the cause of the poor ; for this exposurr OP HIS SEALS THE D 0 OH OF THE NEW POOR Uw f Should the Government again dare to introduce it for re-enactment , the House of Commons , after th ' proof of its nature , object , and tendency DARP NOT PASS IT ! If they do , the people will be justified in turning them into the Thames '
The exposure is most opportune f At the verv beginning of the Session , before Government had had time to announce thsir intentions with regard to tha New Poor Law Act . Mr . Walter has seized time by the forelock . He is not allowing the advantage h has gained to be frittered away . He is preparing to follow it up welL Look at the following notice of motion which he has placed on the books : — On Friday last Mr . Walter gave notice tbat he would on Thursday , the 23 d of February , propose the folio * * ing resolutions : — " 1 . Tbat in a document entitled . Measures submitted by the Poor Law Commissioners to His Majesty ^ Ministers , appear the following' passages : —
" ' That at any time after the passing of this , act tha Board of Control shall have pawer , by an order , with su « h exception as shall be thought necessary , to dk . allow the continance of relief to the indi gent , the a « and the impotent , in any other mode than in a fcorfc * house , regulated in such manner as the aforesaid Bo ^ m of Control shall be determined . "' The power of the commissioners would be to reduce allowances , but not to enlarge them .
" ' After this had been accomplished , orders m , w be sent forth directing that after such a day , all ouu door relief should be given partly in kiud ; after sno . ther period it should be wholly in kind ; that after such another period it should be graduaUv diminished in quantity , until that mode of refief was extinguishei From the first the relief should be altered in quality coarse brown bread being substituted for fine wfci ' e ' and , concurrently with these measures as to the out door poor , a gradual redaction should be made fe the diet of the indoor poor , and strict regulations enforced . '
2 . That these recommendations , applicable alike to every class of the poor , and enjoining an indiscriminate reduction of their physical comforts to the lawest endurable point , are shown , by the subaeqaent orders at ( J practises of Poor Law Commissioners , to form the real though unavowed basis , of the present system of P oor Law relief . " 3 . That the suffering already caused by their pa * , tial enforcement , and the amount of out-door relief in spite of them still administered , show their proiaiojjj to have been at once cruel and impracticable .
" 4 . That the attempted substitution of punishment for charity has more and more tended to irritate and d 8 heurten tbe poor , to check industry , to increase crime , and to encourage various kinds of tyranny , » fth . out even the proposed compensation of reducing the expenses of the ratepayers . " 5 . That this house thinks it , therefore , expedient to demand sucSi a reconstruction of the existing system as lhall make it conformable to Christianity , sound policy and the ancient constitution of this realm . " ' A vsry judicious and well-arranged step ! How will " tha House" treat his resolutions ? We confess we are a little anxious to see ; and shallwait the debate with some impatience .
THE HIRED SCRIBE . It is not oftea that we condescend to notice tha yelpings of the little snarling curs that dangle at our heels , in our steady march towards the point we aim at , the goal of freedom to the white glare of Britain : did we do so , we should have littfd time to devote to the weightier objects of " oar mission " . Forbearance , however , may be abused . Impunity adds to impudence , until endurance is no longer possible ; and the mastiff is sometimes obliged to turn upon the snarling whelp and lay him sprawling in the mud .
So with us . We can allow the taking of many liberties ; we can afford a good long tether ; we can endure much , without complaint or even notice ; and yet there are times and occasions when wa feel compelled to lay hold of the would-be-tormentor and " turn him up" ! The way to silence a hissing gaping goose is to twist its neck ; and the way to rid yourself of tbe incessant annoyiogs of a wide * mouthed fool is to bonnet his eyes , turn him to the right about , and soundly kick his
In this good town of Leeds we have a thing that answers to this description , whose hide we have often spared when deserving of a good whacking His attempts to sting and wound have been many ; and the return be has met with at our hands lias only caused him to presume more upon good nature ; uuUl at last patience rebels . In the Leeds Snarl of Saturday last , appeared the following : — " * Whole Hog' Policy . —The Evening Star , otter having the benefit of Mr . Feargus O'Connor ' s puffing for three months , at length appears in its true colours , advocating , as Mr . O'Connor , in the
Northern Siar of last week informs us , High Tory principles . ' Any one who has lately read the pai « r , might have seen at a glance that its real object , from the commencement , was , not the spread of Chartism , but the maintenance of the Bread Tax . It seeraB that Dr . Sleigh , the Duke of Buckingham ' s tool , has been the editor , while Feargus O'Connor baa done the puffing department . How this joint-stock concern has flourished , may be inferred from tha fact , as announced by Mr . O'Connor last week , that the paper has lose since the commencement , £ 3 . 500
Mr . O'Connor does not state that he has lost this sum ; and if he had , no doubt he would have hastened to communicate it the ' unshorn chins , ' as an evidence of the ' tremendous sacrifices' he is ready to make in the cause of' the Imperials . ' No , no . The real losers are the real proprietors of the papernamely , those who are now advocating in its columns ' High Tory' principles . We shall begin to believe that the Chartists are certainly the ' Whole Hogs ' that FearguB styles them , if they continue to be duped by sach barefaced coalition and compromise with Toryism as is here indicated . "
This snarl is a tissue of falsehoods from beginning to end ! The only facts contained in it are the two notorious ones that the paper has passed out of the hands of its former proprietors , and out of the handa of Mr . O'Connor as unpaid Editor , into tbe hands of its present proprietors ; and that the former proprietary lost upon it the sum of £ 3 , 500 . All the rest are as far from the truth as statements can be ; and right well the writer knows it . We notice this matter , because the statement here put forth is one destined to " go the round" unless the foot is put upon it ; Tue only means the enemy has of doing damage to the cause with which O'Consob and we are bound up , are misrepresentations and brazened-out falsehoods . Here is a cong lomeration of both , concocted to serve the purpose of the Freebooteri . We will disappoint them , and " spoil the
sport . " First , then , for a full statement of facts concerning the Evening Star , and its connection with tie cause of Chartism . The Evening Star was established by a joang American gentleman named Prat , who had been connected with the Democratic press of America , haviBg had the conducting of one of the most influential Democratic papers of the States . When it bad b 660 some thirteen numbers in existence , a copy of it feu into the hands of Mr . O'Connor , who at once saw tbat , though it exhibited talent , it betrayed a want of knowledge of English politics , and the tone <* feeling pervading English society . He saffi * < " % that in the then peculiar state of " home affairs /' ( the " League insurrection" having enabled ito
Tories to stifle public opinion ) , the possession m such an organ by the Chartists would be « B invaluable aid . After waiting upon , and consultfttg with , Mr . Cleave , respecting the step be-fWt " ^ clined to take , be called at the office of the Evening Star , and there saw the proprietor , Mr . Peat , A » lengthened conversation ensued , as to tbe state and prospects of the new and hazardous undertaking for the establishment of a daily paper w an hawrdou * undertaking ; and it ended iu Mt . O'Co » nob offering his services , as Editor , without pay or reward ia any shape or form , on condition that the controul of its columns should be placed in hia hands . The answer to hia offer , on the part of the Proprietor , was , that he would see his friends and advise with them ; and if Mr . O'Consob would call upon him the next day , he should learn the
determ in atio n come to . Mr . O'Cossoa did call ; and Mr . Pbat told bin that he waa happy to accept his offer , ^ ff *** and oa the spot , did Mr . O'Connor ! dictate b »
The Northern Star.
THE NORTHERN STAR .
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A THE NORTHERN STAR . ^
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Feb. 18, 1843, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1200/page/4/
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