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1 TO THE IMPERIAL CHARTISTS, I
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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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*• Onward ui we cosquer , ~ J lackwsrd » nd we fill ! I THE FSOPLS'S CHASTER , AND HO STJ __~ JDBR 1 ° 1 Mt Friends , I These are the times to try men's souk . 11 have evaded the pursuit of the cunning and 1 malicious enemy , aided by their staff of spies , I detectives , informers , and seducers : and . when I
the , reign of terror commenced , I told you I that one man at liberty was wort !* a thousand in the dungeon ; and now , to prove to ' you that I I have not preserved my liberty in Win , or merely from a regard to personal safety , but that it may be devoted to your service , it is my pride to inform you that , at }» reat personal inconvenience to myself , it is my intention once more to rally the scattered forces of Chartism , as I swore , when you accepted me as a present from Mr O'Connell , that I would prove myself "worth your acceptance . \
In 1839 , when the middle class had shaken the Chartist movement , and when Scotland furnishedits share of traitors , I told the Scotch people ia Dundee , that if they were routed oa the hill top , I would muster them , on the hill side ; that if they were scattered on the hill side , I would rally them in the valley ; and if they were dispersed in the valley , I wo \ rttl rally them in the river . I told them that if they lent themselves to deluders . who
¦ were then amongst them establishing secret Societies , a reliance upon physical force , and instructing the people in the mode of communicating sedition and conspiracy with invisible ink , that the confiding would become victims to these treacherous rascals—that they would be the first to desert them , and the first to betray them ; and that I did ' not form wrong estimates of their intentions , was proved by the fact that the man who disgusted the Glasgow Convention , and wh » was the founder of
this secret conspiracy and correspondence , and ¦ who had drawn largely on my private purse , was one of the first to * desert , betray , and sell the Chartist cause to middle-class demagogues . And , my friends , always bear the fact in mind , that the more desperate and damned is the character of an influential person belonging t « the low party , as it is called—the more valuable is he to their opponents , and the more certain is he of employment in their service . The Scotch people must recollect the tour made by Attwood , Muntz , Dou l _ s , Salt , and Collins , in the same year , and they must recollect their words , their acts , and their object ; they must recollect that the
Glasgow committee proposed to invite me , but that the middle-class bagmen objected ; they must recollect Collins ' s words , spoken at a large meeting in Birmingham , before he started on his tour—namely , "That the course for the people was forcibly to arrest the magistrates , the officials , and the aristocracy in every neighbourhood , and retain them in custody until the Charter was carried ; " they must recollect that Munts and Douglas travelled with a sample of cheap rifles , and openly boasted of havingjestablished rifle clubs throughout Scotland . They must recollect that Attwood ' s object was to secure support for his one-pound note principle ; that Muntz ' s object was to recommend himself to his
townsmen upon the strength of popularity ; that Douglas ' s object was to make profit of the " Birming ham Journal ? and that Collins ' s object was just what he achieved , the establishment of himself in a bacon and butter shop , upon a loan from his new associates , and with a prospect of their custom , and that the ge neral object was to destroy Feargus O'Connor and the " Northern Star " Now , that was the first time thatthe Chartists ¦ were ever betrayed into any expression in favour of physical force . It was discussed in the
first National Convention , and the proceedings of that body are still upon record ; -and , at haxard of my popularity , when it was mooted in the most bombastic manner , in the most exciting times , and by the most enthusiastic speakers , I invariably set my face against it , and of all the delegates who advocated ph ysical force in 1839 , William Rider , Richard Marsden , and Harney , are the only three who hare remained firm to the cause of Chartism ; and who , I believe , have long since discovered the foll y « f measuring questions bv ether men ' s
enthusiasm . Then came the torch light meetings , and "ARE YOU READY TO GO AT IT , LADS ? if you are , tuck up your sleeves like me . " This I heard a gentleman say at a torch-light meeting at Oldham , who now denies it . Then came the recommendation of drilling and training at " the Halifax Theatre , showing the people how to * walk in rank and file , without jostling Lord John Russell if they met him ia the streets , and which I violently dennnn / wL
Then came the proposition of the London Delegates , to refuse the payment of rent , rates , and taxes . Then came Dr Taylor ' s chemical process for blowing England up with water . Then camelParson Stepheas ' s sermons ; and , mind you , I am only repeating what has been p rinted aad published , aad discussed at public meetings . Then came Peter Buzzy and his two-pence a head charge for hearing his letter read to the Convention in his beer house ; and then came the transportation of Frost , Williams , and Jones—Peter Buzzy having assured Frost that he had a hundred thousand armed men ready to take the field at a moment ' s notice .
Then came the sacred holiday ; then came the secret delegate meetings in Yorkshire ; then came the reasonable { enthusiasm of the men of Dewsbury ; thenicame persecution , prosecution , imprisonment , destitution , and death . I am now taking our [ movement chronologically , and we will see what has been the result ; who have been the sufferers , and who have been the gainers ; what the effect has been , and what ray course was in each transaction .
Every man of the Birmingham party who represented their townsmen in the Convention , has become the bitterest enemy of Chartism , as sGBegades always do . Every man of the Cobbett party who was elected to the Conven tion has deserted us , except George Rogers . Every aan of the 'London party who represented London in the Convention has deserted us , except Henry Hetheriogton . Every man who advocated physical force in that Convention hasdeeerted us , except Rider , Harney , and Marsden . And , without an exception , the deserters have one and all feathered their nests , and have become our greatest enemies . Now , who can deny this ? And now for the charges brought against me , and for the manner in which I met them .
While I was upon my trial in July , 1839 , the Convention wentmad . Theexcheauerwasnearl y empty , and all wishing to take advantage of the enthusiasm , in order to make a stock in trade of it , propounded the most ridiculous , the most atrocious , and the most deceitful resolutions ; and a long string of them were adopted nearly unanimously . Upon my return , I saw the object of those resolutions . I was met by all bat the country party with a scowl and a frown ; and amongst the deceiverethere was but one feel lag , and that was one of disappointment —and that was , that being found guilty at York , judgment was not instantly passed . I found Air Carpenter , the editor of " LloyiTs , ' with
sword and blunderbuss , as the arms of Chartism , fitting in the chair , and I sat mute till I heard what all had to say . I heard the resolutions xead , and I thought it the most ({ prudent Jcourse to take another night to consider . 2 did so , and upon the next morning I propost ^ ««« appointment of a committee to reconsider those resolutions ; I proposed counter-resolut' 5 oni ; and finding that an empty exchequer had / trodueed a full bag of wind , I also proposed the prorogation of the Convention , and , after astora / ^ euesion , the resolutions were rescinded—lyp * we e adopted—and the Convention was fcyolvea ; a committee being appointed to eat i ^ P *" fragments , call the Convention togc ^
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again after the sacred holiday , and the resolutions which I submitted to that provisional committee , and my opposition to the sacred holiday , and the cause of my opposition , are still upon record . Those gentlemen upon the committee received six guineas a week , and as soon as the whole corps was disbanded , every man who had been unused to work , and had become disgusted with labour by receiving six guineas a week for seven months , became my bitterest enemy ,
In Scotland I was denounced , and I went to Scotland . In Carlisle I was not only denounced but threatened , if I dared to go there , I was there in twenty-four hours after , was gloriously hissed and hooted when I made my appearance on the ^ tage— . the streets , the entrance to the Theatre , were all crammed to receive the traitor ; one man upon the stage attempted to stop me , but a little physical force brought him to his senses . 1 positively stood alone in that vast assembly . I made proclamation for my accuser , and summoned him into court , but he had absconded . I spoke over two hours , and concluded amid enthusiastic applause . I received a general apology , and the generous people exultingly accompanied me to my hotel .
I then came to London , and Major Benowiski , as the representative of a verv large meeting— -held , I think , at lambeth- ^ -sent a delegate to me demanding 500 / . to carry on his movement , and my answer was " to go to the devil . " When the Convention was broken up through its exhausted exchequer , every delegate who was arrested demanded the moneythe remnant of the sack—to defend himself , and pay for his witnesses ; many got large sums but employed no counsel . I should state that in the midst of the enthusiasm in Birmingham , when the Convention adjourned there , and when we heard that in the north all was terror and conflagration , 1 postponed my visit to
Blackburn , and left Rochdale in the dead of the night , after a public meeting , to be in Birmingham , well knewing tlat my absence , although pledged to be at Blackburn , would be made a charge of cowardice . I attended the Convention the following day—I went bail for Dr Taylor—I drove to Warwick for him , through the Warwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry —the Parson-Magistrate refused to take bail for him at that hour , because he was in bed ; I sent for Mr Collins , the member , secured his release , left Warwick atj eleven o ' clock at night , amid the jeers and hootings of a set of shop boys and middle-class ruffians ; 1 arrived at Birmingham at one o ' clock in the morning , not a soul would give me a bed , and I was obliged to start by the mail . train for London .
Well , when the torch-light meetings came I attended every one of them . The meetings at Bury and at Wakefield were to take place on the same night . I learned that the Cobbetts , Stephenses , Richardsons , and the whole clique were to meet at D . Fletcher ' s house , and , building upon my absence , were to denounce me . I got out of a sick bed , went to Bury , to their great mortification , was the first to mount their platform and was the first to address the people , and was the most loudly applauded by the people . Shortly after I went to Manchester and was about to returnjto London
when two deserters called upon me at my hotel , and told me that the men of the north were ready to come out , but would have no other leader but me . I told them that whenever Iiintended ; to ; take the field I ; would take care to be in the Cabinet to bt a party to the arrangements—that 1 would be one of the " Saudus Conssftsm "—that I was aware of the delegate meetings , got up by Peter Buzzy , and that his injunction to all was that I ? should know nothing of the transactions , and that , therefore , they should goto General Buzzy , as Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief .
They replied , that" if that was my resolution it would be dangerous for me to return to Yorkshire , as the Dewsbury men were determined . " " Then , " said I , "I'll return to Yorkshire to day and meet the Dewsbury men . " I did return to Yorkshire . A large deputation of the Dewsbury men called upon me ; they denounced the traitors that had deceived them ; they informed me of the whole plot—that Buzzy shammed Abraham , went to bed and pretended to have the rheumatism ; that a ' stout fellow went up to him with a case of pistols , whea ; Buzzy replied , "Gs for
Feargus O'Connor now . " "No , " said the man " You villain , it was you that brought us out , and you told us that he was to know nothing about ; it . " He jumped out of bed , forgetting the rheumatism , and ran behind a sack of flour , and when the affair was communicated te his dupes , the Dewsbury men met , and then resolved that they never again would embark in any scheme of which Feargus O'Connor was not cognisant , and , thanks be to God , the rasa of Dewsbury , as good Chartists as there are in England , have never since been entrapped , and I went to | Dewsbury after and was joyously and heartily received by those who were taught to believe that I had betray « d or deceived them .
Well , the epidemic was general , it ran throughout the country , and I was actually dared to come to Preston , all upon the question of physical force ; I went to Preston , however , and triumphed there as I hadelsewhere . And now we come to the result . I was the first that was tried in York in July , 1839 , upon the following charge—for having published the following extract , from a Wiltshire paper , in the Norther * Star : — " WiRKwsTEm Basxim . —A little boy , last week , for some small ofienoe , was ooafioed in one of the cells belonging to the above werkhoute , and was literally starved to death . Tie po » r little fellow daring his confinement , actually eat , in consequence of hanger , two of hi ( fingers * ad the flesh frmn his arm . "
Now , that was the whole charge against me , and for that offence I was treated to a special jury , and I was convicted as a matter of course . I was to be called up for judgment in November ; and in such cases , with judgment hanging over a man ' s head , it is the practice to abstain from agitation in the interim ; however I took my seat in the Convention immediately after , and the Birmingham affair subsequently occurred . I was to be sent to prison in November ; in October I went to Ireland , to sell some property to pay my paper-maker a large bill , and to pay other
debtors , who were pressing me in consequence of my conviction , and in order to arrange my affairs . While I was in Ireland , I attended some large public meetings , and expounded the , Chartist principles , and upon my return the Buzzy revolution had burst out in Wales . 1 went to Huddersfield , —I went to Manches ter , —I went to Oldham , —and I cautioned the people that a government spy was abroad with placards to be posted in Lancashire and Yorkshire . That spy did come to Mr Hey wood in the dead hour of the night with his posting
bills , and was very property sent off with a flea in his ear . He did go to Huddersfield , and attempted to entrap Mr Pitkelthly , and this was the ^ very man with a glazed hat , who was the spy of the Newport magistrates ; who had created all the excitement in the hills ; whose name was so often mentioned upon the trial , but who was never forthcoming . For the defence of those men I paid l , 00 QL out of my pocket before a penny was received . I secured the two ablest counsel in England—both members of ^ Parliament , Sir Frederick Pollock and Sir Fitzroy Kelly ; I sat under the dock
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during the whole period of the Commission , until every , man associated with them was tried , and each defended by counsel . Well , that ' s not a course that an accomplice would be likel y to pursue ; and yet these rascals , who betrayed Frost and his associates , have the audacity to attempt to palm their treachery upon my shoulders . Well , in 1840 , 1 was tried again , and £ 1 should observe that , notwithstanding this judgment hanging over me , I went to an out-door meeting at Sheffield , which was proclaimed by the magistrates , the military being in readiness , and enthusiasm at its height . I went to that meeting , and 1 walked through the town with a vast assemblage after I had addressed them ; and I was obliged to start in the middle of the night , S 3 not a host would give me lodgings .
Well , in 1840 , I was tried again , and was treated to another special jury , the Attorney-General of the Whigs , Lord Campbell , attending in person to prosecute me , and mark what I was tried for—for the publication of two speeches—the oneof O'Brien , and the other of Dean Taylor : of course I was convicted . But did I then separate myself from the Chartist cause ? Onthecontrary , aftermytrial atLiverpool was postponed , for I was to be tried there again in April , and without a farthing in the Exchequer , I remained with Mr Clarkson , aiding him , taking care that all should have coun sel , and paying 851 . in one sum for traverse fees .
Well , you remember the informers that appeared then . Harrison against the Bradford prisoners , the very man who had led them on , and a reporter at Liverpool—and , had I hot paid 231 . 8 $ ., and the travelling expenses of some witnesses to Mr ^ Clarkson—a debt incurred by one of the Yorkshire prisoners—he threatened to turn informer , and hang all the Bradford men—and this threat he repeated three times—and , let it be borne in mind , that , at lhat period , those men were to be tried for High Treason . Now , my friends , I wish you to bear these facts strongly in your recollectionas from
, them I am going to deduce two GREAT FACTS . The one is , that the " poor gentlemen , " who are too proud to work , and too poor to live without wages , have ever been the greatest enemies of the working men ' s cause ; and the other is , that your confidence in a leader must ever be based upon his prudence and his courage . With regard to the first fact , I need only state , that every man who did not belong to the order of labour , and who was incarcsrated in 1839 and 1840 , sought to make merchandise of their martyrdom upon their release from prison , and their stock-in-trade was abuse of Feargua O'Connor .
With regard to the second fact , I do not think that your confidence in my prudence wo _ ld have been strengthened , if I had made a fool of myself—nor do I think your confidence in my ceurage would have been increased , if 1 had placed my life or my libertyj in the keeping of misguided enthusiasts or base informers . The best refutation' that I can offer to those who would charge me for having excited the people to physical force for my own sain , is ,
Ftrsttgv ^ h&t , although -well watche * . in the most exciting times , and although the subject of taunt by traitors , the Government , though well disposed to trap me , has never ventured to try me for a word spoken or a word written by myself—and , as to the charge of gain , if I had sought to make merchandise of principle , I might have been one of the most courted of the aristocracy , one of the best renumerated of the middle classes , but not respected by the working classes ; and they have been from the beginning , and shall be . till the close , of my career—be it short or be it long—the especial objects of my solicitude . I have now mapped out for you the history of
Chartism , during its advocacy by the middle classes in 1838 and 1839 , and I think the dispassionate reader will admit that , although the middle classes constitute the jury class , and although there is no law in England for me , that I have not gone out of the way to the extent of injuring my princi ples from the power of the one , or the sycophancy of the other . And , I dare say , my Oldham friends will remember that Mr Peddie , one of those convicted at York in 1840 , openly avowed upon the platform , that he was offered 300 / , a year and a good situation by a Government official , if he would put the rope round Feargus O'Connor s neek .
I have now shown you what traitors , spies deserters , and informers , effected for the Chartist cause in 1839 and 1840 , and I will now come to the next move—the outbreak in the North of England in 1842 . That outbreak was created by the Corn-Law League turning out their hands . The times were not only threatening , but dangerous . I need not have gone to Manchester , because if I chose to avail myself of the excuse , I was editing a daily
newsdaper , enlisted in your cause , gratuitousl y . But I did go ; and I was the last of the Convention to leave , and my acts there are before you ; and what again was the result ? JWhy , that I waB tried , with fifty-nine others , for eight days at Lancaster , and the three informers—the one a reporter of my own , the other a Secretary to a Branch and a Delegate te the Conference , and the other a working man , who was taken out of the workhouse to lead-the people on—were the witnesses
against us . Then I come to the last emeufe . But , in passing—as these things cannot be too often repeated—let me also remind you , that just before the trials at Monmouth , and when spies were abroad in London , two men , professing Chartism , called upon me at Hammersmith , at nine o'elock at night , and told me that it was determined that I should be at such a place at
twelve o ' elock that night , to aid a fire brigade that was to set fire to that locality . I thought it odd that if the message was genuine it should be borne by strangers . So I replied , " I shall certainly be at my post , " and rung the bell , and when the servant came in , I said , "Robert , go and fetch me two policemen "and my two FRIENDS scampered off as if the old gentleman was at . their heels .
The next subject to which I would draw your attention , is my complete answer to those pettifogging hireling scribes who would starve if there was not pen , in ^ paper , and prostitution to live upon , and who have the insolence and audacity to talk of Feargus O'Connor creating excitement to make profit of his newspaper . Now , pray mark my answer to these minions . Firstly .- —When the "True Sun" advocated your principles , and when its exchequer was empty , I edited that paper gratuitously ; and before railways were generally established , and when travelling was expensive , I made a tour
with Mr Ludd y—at my own expense mind—to get up the circulation of that paper . Jn 1842 I made an arrangement with the proprietors of the " Evening Star to edit that paper gratuitously , if they would advocate the Chartist principles . I edited it for nine months until it turned Tery . Upon one occasion I paid loot out of my own pocket to procure stamps for it . lt furnished what no other evening paper ever yet furnished , three and four columns of reply to the articles in the morning papers of that day . I never made a tour , nor did I ever in my life at a public meeting puff or advertise the " Northern Star , " nor would 1 allow others
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to do it in my presence , but I did make a tour to puff the "Evening Star . ' ' I then devoted my whole time to the " Evening Star , " and neglected the " Northern Star , " thinking that the fresher the news the better for my party . I sent reports of my mission to the "Evening Mar , but not to the "Northern Star , " and I received letters to this effect from Mr Hill , the editor-- ' The' Evening Star'is plaving the very devil with our circulation . " I received similar letters from several agents .
When I commenced to edit the" Evening btar , Jhe circulation of the "Northern StaS ' 3 &s ld . 810 . Now you shall have it in the first month ; of my gratuitoua service , and in the last moil |^ -r you shall have it weekly : ¦ — J « kWeek of 1 st Month .. 13 , 810 2 nd ditto ditto 13300 tth . ditto ditto 12 , 950 istWeek of Last Month ., .. 9 , 410 2 nd ditto ditto .. „ ., 9 , 3 : 10 8 rd ditto ditto .. „ „ 9 , 090 4 th ditto ditto 8 , 860
Then the " Evening Star , " on the 4 th of February , 1843 , came out as a Tory paperwith the Bible , Crown , ] and Sword on a cushion , as the arms of the State—and the fop of an editor , in a leading article , writing these words , " Who dares open his mouth , when Royalty condescends to speak . " Well , then , you shall have the following month ' s circulation of the " Northern Star" after I abandoned the editorship of the "Evening Star . " 1 st Week .. ., 9 , 085 Ind ditto h „ 10 , 608 3 rd ditto .. „ .. „ „ 11 , 200 4 th ditto .. ., „ „ „ 10 , 845
Now , then , can there possibly be a more complete , a more conclusive answer to the scurvy vermin who live upon prostitution , and who , nevertheless , dare , to charge me with editing a newspaper for profit ? And again , let it be borne in mind , that I stated at the commencement of the French Revolution that a friend of mine had offered to place l , O 0 OZ . in my hands far the establishment of a Daily Paper , and that if a sufficient amount was subscribed in shares that I would discharge the duties of editor gratuitousl y ; and I promise you that such a paper as 1 would have made that , would have speedily sent the " Northern Star" out of existence . It would have been the
property of the shareholders , and not my propetty . You would have had the earliest parliamentary news , and other intelligence , and not one single prosecution , if I could have communicated with you and the Government daily , would have taken place . And I now tell you what I offer ; if the working classes and the trades are prepared to establish a Daily Paper , they may manage their own finances , I will be the unpaid editor and manager , and would speedily render the " Northern Star" unnecedsary . My friends , again I tell you that your principal security lies in my being YOUR UNPAID SERVANT . A word as to the repetition of the old system of spying and informing , and I have done .
I have traced it from 1839 , ' 40 , and ' 42 , and now I trace it to its recent exhibition . You have Powell in London , and others whose names will shortly be mentioned . You have the foHBwing from the "Manchester Times , " of Saturday last : —
AF *_ BHKNSION OP THIRTI CHABmTS AT ABHTON- — On Wednesday lau considerable excitement prevailed in Aohton , in cunsequonce of its becoming known that thirty persons connected with tho Chwtist body had been apprehendedI in Ashton and its nei ghbourhood daring the previous mght Early in the morning the market place n front of the Town Hall was crowded by person anxious to hear the evidence wbfoh wouldbe adduced against them on their being brought up . After the usual petty sessions business had been gone through , the whole of the prisoners were . irraiencd , when they gave their names , Thoma * Tasaker , John befton . John Wild , Charles Kel ! sail , Thomas Winterbottom , John Laech , Thomas Leech Moses Leigh , William Moss , John Smith . Richard Shor ! rocks
, Thomas Latimore , James Wririey , William Parker , Richard Sill , Samuel Sugden , John Lee , William Hewitt , William Shepley , Robert Farnworth , James Thomas , Thomas Pollitt , Robert Plant , Thomas Wil . liamson . John Taylor , Thomus Greenwood , Thomas Hunt , Thomas Hurst , William Broadbent , and William Plant . The evidence adduced against sixteen ofthe number was gives by two ofthe prisoners , Wm . Broad , bent and Thomas Williamson , It appeared from the itate ment of Broadbent that he was lieutenant in No . 8 division of the 4 th section of " National Guards" for flukinfield . The prisoners met at his house , and on the night sf the murder at Ashton several of his men came ( according ' to appointment ; those who did not come he went to fetch
out of bed . Several of the misguided men so brought into the scrape were prisoners against whom the witness was swearing . In answer to the questions put , witusss stated that it was agreed that they shouldall rise throuxh . out the country to get the Charter . After they had met they proceeded towards DuMnfield Hall , armed with pikes and other weapons . Witness then left them and went home . Witness ' s wife and Williamson spoke U the fact of the prisoners meeting on the night of the 14 th of Augu * t , identifying the whole of them excepting Polliti and Taylor who were discharged . The whole of tho others were committed to Chester for trial on the charge of riot and unlawfully assembling , < fcc ., John Patimore William Parker , James Wrigley , Thomas Tataker John
, Sefton , Thomas Winterbottom , and Themas Latimore , were then ehurged with ba \ ng accessories to the murder of police-constable Bright . Mr Newton , chief constable , ttated that he was not fully prepared with evidence against the prisoners , aad he asked that they might be remanded for a week . The application was acceded to . ft . Sill was charged with conspiracy . He was remanded till this day ( Satuxd ly . ) Thomas Hunt and William Winter , bottom were committed for conspiracy , bench warrants having been issued against them . The parties co omitted were ordered to give twcnty . four hours' notice of bail . Such was the crowd which Burrounded the Town Hall that it was judged expedient to have the military and special constables in attendance .
And you have the following fact from a most respectable man , and an inhabitant of Oldham , who communicated it to me at Bromsgrove , on Monday last : — "Before the meeting of the Manchester , Oldham , and Ashton men , which was to take place at Manchester , a man of the name of —^ , from Reyton , attended a large preliminary out-door meeting with the butt ef a large horse-pistol peeping above his coat , and to which he exultingly pointed . He denounced the coward serf who would not be prepared to establish his liberty with his life if necessary . He commanded all who were dissatisfied to procure pikes and other arms and that he would lead them on , and denounced all as cowards who held back . "
To use the language of my informant , « His speech was most horrid . " "Was there no one , said I , « to muzzle him . " " God bless you , ' he replied , "his language was so fiery that it drove the people mad , and it would be dangerous for any man to oppose him . " Now , you have not yet heard the finish of this system of spying and turning approver either , „ England or Ireland , but the facts 7 i o i « T , Vel 0 l ) ed ' ^ * in ? ] ?* > " * » « £ !* 1842 , you , my friends , will «?
claim , "Huw THE DEVIL DID THP RED CAT ESCAPE THE TRAP !" ™ then I shall be overpowered with votes of thanks and confidence , for I am resolved , 'SrS ^ STK ? " * time 8 that whil hve Chartism shall never die . I am resolved n . £ l T Kr u . ° P and « vow 3 speaking and . publishing . I am resolved not to allow the foll y of others to lead my judgment captive , or the treachery of other / to jeopardise my principles b y threatening me with danger -nay , with assassination , if I do not subscribe to their madness and folly If my injunctions had been followed , not a Chartist would now be in prison , notafavthing wouldbe required to spend upon lawyers , nor in the support of YiotinM-the cause would have been stronger than ever ; but seeinc the event «
that wok place in Europe , and making allow , ance for excitement and enthusiasm , and being sincerely wedded to m y ; P rinci ples which may be summedI up in the "Emancipation of Labft - ~ l will not desert my order in its hour of weakness , nor shall I urge the folly of others as a justification for abandoning a cause in the hour of danger . *
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Next week I shall publish my tour , commencing at Aberdeen , as I wish to kiss the hallowed spot where majesty left its footmark , and I shall al ? o state the conditions upon which I shall attend any and every meeting : —A committee of good men and true , consisting of seven veterans interested in the cause , shall draw up the programme ; and no man shall be permitted to turn any of our meetings into an illegal meeting ; and , strength ened by legality , and standing within the narrow limits of the narrowed constitution , I will neither commit you , your cause , nor myself . Your faithful friend and representative , Feargus O'Connor .
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1 w / T ^ -fS ? ¦¦ ¦ NATIONAL LAND COMPANY . We give the following very able , critical , and searching article from the " Manchester Times" of Saturday last , as illustrative of the manner in which the accounts of other Companies as well as the National Land Company , have been systematicall y kept ; and we mereiy ask what the judgment upon Mr Feargus O'Connor would have been if the Select Committee had made such a report of the management of the Company ' s finances ? We would also call the attention of the members to the letter of JamesOrange , taken from the " Nottingham Review" of Saturday last , as an illustration of other Land Companies—the high anticipations held out in their prospectuses , and the slight condemnation—or rather no condemnation at all—that they receive at the protecting hands of the " Birmingham Journal" and the confederated Press of the empire , while the National Land Company , that held out no such prospects , has become the stock in-trade of prostitute hirelings : —
GRO 38 MISMANAGEMENT OP THE PUBLIC TAXE 3 . The report ofthe Select Committee on tho mUcel . laneous expenditure is very voluminous , hut it contains a vast body of information relative to the mismanagement 9 f our financial affairs , and shews the necessity for a thorough and searching investi gation into the fiscal de . partments ofthe state and how imperative is the demand for financial reform . The uttarnegigence with which every department is superintended—the absence of all adequate check or control over the disbursements—the loose manner in which the public funds are dealt with in all directions , would be positively incredible if it were not authenticated by the Most palpable evidence and the direct admissions of the public officers themselves . Of course nobody is respond , ble for this wholesale system of mismanagement . We find the audit office so far in arrears with the public ac
cDuntB that when the Commissioners of Woods and Forests are called upon to give an account of their book ' s and their doings thev are necessarily obliged to admit that tbey carmot , because treib accsost * have m * t bben audited for the last ten teabs ! What have been the consequences of such gross mismanagemen t ! Why , that an organised system of plunder has been carrying on for years in the royal Forests — that timber has been regu « lar ' y sold off the Forests for private benefit—that fat deer have been abstracted from the royal property and sold in the market * by those to whom they were entrusted , for their own particular benefit , whilst it has been shown that her Majesty has been regularly charged for the deer used » t the royal table ! For these frauds several persons are now in gaol-but tkey are subordinates ! The great malefactors have been allowed to resign their places and qu'etly to retire from the searching inaui sition . *
The nhole system of bookkeeping , bookkeepers , trea . surers , auditors and comptrollers , is really disgraceful , and demands a radical reform throughout . To begin with the very heads of these departments — the Lords Commhsoners of the Treasury . We have a first Lord of tho Treasury with a salary of ^ 6 , 000 per year , four Junior Lords fone of whom has reiigned . J at £ i , 200 ench . the Chaucellor of the Exchequer * % 0 m ) , and two Secretaries ut ^ 2 , 500 each , which , with the clerks of the establishment , cost us , out of the taxes , jtfS 2 , lno , exclusive of ottier items . Yet we are told by C . B . Trevelyan . in the report of the Select Committee on misce'laneous expenditure , 'that there are many things , such as the periodical revision of the Revenue Establishments ; the revi sion of the system of incr me and expenditure in diff-rent office « , such as the ] Board of Works andthe Commissioners of Education in Ireland ; the Board of Woods and
Forests in England j the expenditure of prisons and bulks , and many other matters of that sort , which oucht from time to time to be looked into and revised by the treasury . " His argument is that they have not officers sufficient in the treasury department to do the work . In point of fact the affairs ofthe departments ofthe revenue are so grossly mismanaged , that the Select Committee have been obliged to commence the great work of Finanwal Beform by placing on their minutes the following resolution , moved by Dr Bowring : — That in order topive effeat to a proper system of Financial Reform and Hetremhment . itisnecessari th * various sums not paid into the Exchequer , and which for the year ending 5 th of January , 1847 , amount t « £ 7 , -104 , 438 11 » 7 id » Ao « Wbe paid into the Exchequer and be placed under the direct control of Parliament , accord , ing to the recommendation of the Commisiioners of Public Accounts , in their report of 1831 . '
Here we have a sum of seven millions of money raised in the shape of taxei never accounted for to parliament never revised by the Lords of the Treasury : nor recoir ! nisedby the Chancellor , or controlled by Lord MonteuRle Can it be supposed for a moment that Lords of the Trea ! sury do their duty to the public when they allow the co vernment officials in the Customs , Excise . Stamps , and Taxes , Post-office , and Crown Lands to disburse seven millions of money , with no one to revise their establish , ments or control their accounts ? And yet such is the fact . In the Customs the sum of £ i , « 50 , 290 6 « . fid . was thus abstracted from the gross rece ' pts in 1818-7 in the Excise , that fruitful source of vexatious annoyance the sum of £ 1 , 020 , 083 3 s . ljd . was paid out of the gross recelpts in their passage to the exchequer ; in the Stamp department , £ 161 , 83 ( 1 18 s . 2 d . ; in the Taxes , including property and income taxes £ 364 , 00 * 16 s . ud . ; in the PoBt officeunder the
, reformed rule , £ 1 , 1 QB , G 2 O is . 6 RIn deductions from pensions and salaries , £ 9 ) 16 s . lod ' and in that splendid jobbery the Crown Lands ' £ 132 , 645 2 « . Bid . ! all which several sums are supposed to be expended in coUecting the said several taxes , but in IU 'h a minner tbat the Select Committee are suspiciously inclined to believe Parliament ouj ? ht to be acquaintedwith It , which C . E . Trevelyan , the indefatigable ( according to nia own account ) Secretary to the Treasury , state ? the Lordi of the Treasury don't inquire into for want of time . Yet theBe taxes , seven millions in amount are squandered amongst ofltciaU in the various 4 » partments without any ; control . Hot so with the seven millions raised for the relief of the poor , and con . trolled by IocaI boards . These millions must be controlled by a board of Poor Law officials , with their erratic auditors of Poor Law Unions , coating £ 182 / 00 jer
annum . Again , look at Ireland . We are told also that the Lords of tho Treasury cannot attend to the revision of the system of income and expeidlture in different offices , such as the Board of Works and Commissioners of hteat on . Is it possible that the £ t , 6 M , Hoa votad for the relief of the Irish , to be expended in public works in that country , or the £ 4 , 939 , 000 voted for local works in Ireland , under the act of 9 and 10 Viet ., c . 10 J , « r the £ ^ , 487 votel for public works in Ireland 1847 , £ 5 , 708 for Kingstown HarbOBr , or the £ a 7 , o 28 voted for salaries and expenses of Board of Works in Ireland , or the £ 100 , 800 and £ f other sSSteS ™ * ° education m lre 1 ^" Ireland without the control ofthe Lords ' of the Treasur )* ? Such is the fact , and the consequences are that the taxes bo voted pass uncontrolled through the fineers ot
we 1 various omciais wno Have the disbursement of them and that parliament has no knewledge whatever of them cSSSpI ? 6111111 th 6 lUmP ' MamM 9 f 0 rfflal The Hoard of Works in Ireland .-including that eld standing job the Shannon Navigation Scheme , the Drain ageCommiBoion , and the Fisheries Commission .-is K 0 . verned by five Commissioners with salaries of JSi . oqo d « annum : Col . Johm , ( cha ' rman ) MrMuiYAW , Mr Hadciim , Capt Lthcoh , and a Mr GBifmns .-the latter doing the valuation business for which he receives three guineas a day . Now the labour of these Commissioners is to superintend the spending of one million in the em . ployment of 75 ' , 009 people , representing a population ( see quest . 4 , 939 ) of 3 , 00 ! i , 00 i ) , and let the following evidenco show how they stand : — Q . 4 , 894- 'Is notons ofthe duties imposed upon the Bourd a regular return of their accounts und expenditure for audit !'— 'Yes . ' v
Q . 4 . 8 U 5- ' Are you aware that no accounts have been rendered to this ( audit ) office !' - 'Yea ; the accounts are very much in arrear !' Q . 4 , 897— 'Does not the 46 th Geo . III ., c . 142 , make it imperative upon all public accountants , within three months after the close of the year , that the account ! shall bj rendered ?'— ' It does ; but the Commls . eioners were not aware that such was the fact / Q . 4 , 898- ' Can you state up to what period the accounts of the Board of ft orks at this moment are iu arrear !'' They are very considerable in arrear !' Q . 1 , 902— ' Inasmuch as the Shannon Navigation ac oiuntsaroTEN YEARS IN ARREARS , when was the attention of the Treasury first called to the fact V— 'In the year 18 «! ' ^ Q . 4 , 9 > 3— ' What steps were then taken by the Trea . sury 1 '— 'Injunctions were sent to the Shannon Commissioners to bring up the arrears of their aoconnta . '
Q . 4 . 0 U- 'Have there been considerable frauds on the Shannon Commissioners ? ' — YB 8 ; there was one very large lraud committed by Mr Mason , the acooun . tant . ' Q . 4 , 915 . — ' To what extent did the public suffer by thai fraud ? - 'EIGHT THOUSANIJ POUNDSV Q . 4 , 919 - ' Can you state during whst period this fraud was transacted without observation V — 'For eeverul years . I believe SIX TEARS . ' Q . 4 , 920- ' If ins accounts had . been regularly rendered , according to the requirements of Parliament , and regularly audited , such a fraud could not have been carriid on for so long a period V— ' Certainly not . ' ' Certainly not . Here ws have it recorded , beforoa Select CouuuUtee of th « Houco of Commons , tbat this
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vast expenditure of public taxes ii wholl y uneontw ' . ted , — the accounts unaudited for ten years past , —frauds con . mitted by those who were appointed to watch o > cr tha accounts , and other gross neglect of public d > . Uk > ; and mismanagement , —and yet Parliament in its blim ' . nesc could go on year after year vo ' . ing supplies tocsiry oa this Shannon job , out of English taxes , without -n . . r refer encebeiDg made to tho subject of this gross misinauagemsnt .
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ADDRESS OF THE EXECUTIVE TO THE PEOPLE . Fbliow Coustrtjib !? , —The sittings of Parliament have just cloved , and iho total inadequacy of our present ; representative system , is once more made manifest to tho senses of the most obtuse of our tellow citizens . Comment on the acts of tbe pa ^ t sessioa would be a useless waste of time j the fact that the ministers of the day oan only felicitate themselTeB oa their success in oarrying coercive measuree for Ireland , after a protracted session of ten months , is dearly characterwtio of our political governm ^ at . We would remind them , aowerev , that it ia an easier
matter to conquer than torule ; the prompt and ready eserciie of concentrated military power , may for the time ovorawe a starving people , bub can never conduce t 9 wise and praotioal legislation ; the true end of all political government . Bhou'd be the preservation and prosperity of the members of the state , and not the jcoercion of one portion of the community by a section ofthe residents of the same realms , which , if wisely controlhM , must hare an unity of interest ,, and so near as the gradation ? ia knowledge and circumstances will allow , an unity of feeling and . action .
The people are starring—the middle clasaeg bordering on bankruptcy—the rich trambling from fearwinter , which to the poor meaDB horror and death , ia at our doors , and what ib to b 8 done ? ia the query asked by every thinking man . The Whiga have proved their inability to remedy the accumulated wrongsot the people of theBe Isles ; a falling revenue —an increasing debt—a starving people—growing pauperism—an imbecile ministry—a Bhort-jighted and unmanageable house of representatives—are fit subjects for rettaotion , asd will become a fertile source of deolamation for party politicians of all grades and shades , for the next six months . We look forward to no social amelioration of the ooadition of the people for some time to come . We have long aeen the coming atormand
, have asked the privileged and powarful to take warning , and ohanv ^ e their thoughts on the political and social relations of this land- Wo have done so in vain , and now , when the storm has come , we are prepared to take aur part in the midst of ita tumult and strife ; and aa we have pleaded the saoredDess of your rights ,-. urged your olaims for the franchise , through good report and through evil report—inefficiently it may have been—but on all occasion * sincerely—we call upon yau , the veritable Chartists of Great Britain and Ireland , to buckle on your armour in the cause of humanity and justice ; to stand by the Charter and no Surrender . Tour demands are not extravagant or UDjust , —they are as moderate in their
relations to the spirit of the age as they ara humanirine in their tendency and true in themselves ; and any measure of parliamentary reform skort of the People ' s Charter will be no settlement of thtqueetion of the suffrage , nor at all likely to prove bauefioial to the interests of the majority of the people . Pri . yate benevolence , however liberal . or grants of money trom the legislature , oan do but little to relieve your pressing wants and necessities even for th « present , and nothing for the future ; for until suoh . time as your institutions politically , and youroir < oumstances sooially , are changed and improved , the great majority must continue to remain the starved paupers of to-day , to become in due time the overworked slaves of the propertied few . The atorm that is already gathered and must soon
bunt , may be ot muoh value for you and ths interests of the cause for whioh you have bo long and so nobly struggled . You most , however , te be sacoen . ful , pursue your oourse with caution , discretion . and reason , basing your claimB with society on the justnoBsof your cause .-we say to you , then , be disoreet ,. but ba firm-be cautious , but be true to your Bincle . ness of purpose . Never vote for anj meMure 7 or support any party , who do not at once , and frankly , too , support the prinoiplei of the People ' * Charter . Interested and ignorant men have misrepresented your objects , and wilfully maligned your motives but it you be wigc as you are honest , you willeain even from their insults and contumely -and the injury done will recoil back , aggravated a hundred , fold from a knowledge of its injustice tha
, upon heads of the aggressors , We call then upon the lo . oal leaders of England , Scotland , and Walertoset their hsuses m order , asd prepare for the winter campaign ; let committees bo formed in all the towns and villages where they do not already exist , and those already in existence mmt endeavour to extend their sphere oi aotion , and be efficient and practical m all they do . The growisg opinions in favour ofthe People ' s Charter are destined to gain ground among all classes ; and we must teach a knowl « dge of the Charter , bb fitted for all , and the boat guarantee against anarchy and confusion , want and dagolation , and their aureauoceeBor , " areign of terror . ' We feel it to be our duty to remind you that two of our moat talented and energetic colleagues are confined in gaols , and that their wives
aiid tammes are dependant on you for support—that it is popularly rumoured , that the real cause of their imprisonment was a fear on the part of the preaett minister that their WenU and energies might have had an injurious efoot en the continuation of £ J Whwa m office . The imprisonment of your cho c ! friends and acknowledged leaders should alone S mulatoyoutoreneffed exertions , and make you i STn ? ' ?? - th 0 U 8 htful for thedestiniwof £ movement . Hop 1 D g , therefore , that you will patrioicallyaud mantuliy do your duty , we assure you that we will , on all occasion , do ourf , and remain , aa ever , servants of the people . Signed , on behalf of the Exeoutive Council , t , o , SiMDEL Kids . Lwdon , Sept . 10 th , 1848 .
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DmroRD .-The Chartists of this locality are re quested to meet every Sunday evening , at 30 , But e tier-row " .
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^ / tpy / / f * 111 ^ 1 ^*^ 7 * I 1
\ sJS vv ^ A \ iV
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FRHEHOLD t AND FOR WORKING MEN . To the Editors ef the Nottingham Review . Gentleman , —In a recent number you refer to the ope . rations * f the Birmingham Land Society , in tUaUown , Worcester , and Coventry will you . permit ms to mak « 11 few brief observations en this dotply interesting subject , that your numerous readers ma > bo the better enabled to form a correct judgment , than sthervrUa they might be able . Communications were exchanged between this office and Mr Scholefield , M . P ., and other gentlemen sf BirmiBgbnm , at the time of ita formation , and it is probubl * that a land savings' b » nk would have been instituted a Birmingham , if the legal privileges and ex *; aption » under which the Nottingham institution was fortunately established , had not by a retent act f 0 and 10 Vic . * . 11 been withdrawn . This unhappiiy being the caw . no ac presonted itself under which the Birmingham gentlemen could establish . thcraseVres but tbe old building ' club act of 8 and 7 William IV ., c » p 32 . They no doubt thought that they ctnld have beon enrolled under the naras acts as the Land Savings'Bank , and Ibslieve actually comraenced , but when the case was submitted to the jovernment official , they found out the mistake , and wero therefore compelled to have recourse team aet , tho provisions of which may be made exceedingly advantageous to Men of capit .. l , who , a « members , amanabkilto obtain c-normo « s profits from mtinbers in Ies 3 fortunate eireamstancts .
I h&v « paid some attention tt the acts passed pr « - feiseily for the encouragement of industry and previdence ; the objects are most excellent , but some of th fr provisions are execrable , being framed by capitalists , who originate both building clubs and monty clubs , twtU of which in principle nra identical . Tbe expenses of most of these bullding ^ l plis * ra enor mous , and this at Birmingham forms no exception . Th charge for secretaryship alone appeavs to \) « one-iwelft of the entire amount of their weekly subscriptions . Tho finable offences are so multiplied that no ono can
caleuuta theloesand ruin that might b »* nflictud upon poor members b y them . I have a copy of thes * rules now lying before m » , and the tlmmb . screwnystem of fine : is ample enough under ordinary clreurtisunceg to yield goldan profits to those members who enter for interest of money only . Tho proportion of fines may be estimated at net lteg than £ 16 per cent , on the de . posits ofthe poorer members , yet everything u said to be sold at prime cost . In these clubs it is legal to charge an usurious interest for lent money , which undtr any other circumstances would be a penal offence . 0 " and 7 William IV . c . 82 . s . 2 .
The expenses , including fines , to the poor man may , in net a few instances , reach thirty per cunt ; and tba ave . rago _ profits that thereby are put into the pockets of the monied speculators , I should put down at fourteen per cent , per annum . As the public-bouse money clubs are now extensively detssted , it is not unlikely that building clubs aad land clubs will be adopted by the same class of usurers , on a scale quite as extensive as the former , as the modus operandi are the same , they may be , and are worked to the same amount of profit , and the loss and ruin entailed by them on poor families , equally extc-nsive and deplorable . The secretary of the Birmingham society boasts of their society purchasing land by the acre ,
ana oaiioting allotments to members at a charge of about £ 19 each , which they are enabled , he informs us to let on lease at annual rents varying from Ms . to 6 ss ' This is doing wonderfully well for the allotment landlords , if true , and buVinaiffereatlyfor the tenants of the ^ e lots , which scarcely average half a quarter of an acre each ; perhaps when the rent-day comes , somo of theBe allotment tenants will be «< m eat inventtu . TUe Birmingham soeiety is said to number 1 , 700 shares taken ; out of these 195 members have been accommodated with their allotments . As the weekly contribution is only is , fid . per share , these 195 fortunate members have only paid £ 114 s . each for a reul property which the secretary affirms they can let oh rent for—say £ 3 per year .
The poor man cannot pay any sum weekly for objects so remote from the requirements of himself and family as the purchase of land or a house . He can scarcely calculate the losses to which he nnconsciously exposes himself by enterlnj oneof these land or building clubs . There is , however , a chance that he may have an early draw , in which event ho thinks he can sell for several pounds that for which he himself kas only paid a few shillings . That U the snare ; and it is sufficient to enlist gamblers . These clubs always open with a full compliment of members , many of who n join for tho mere purpose of being eligible for a f * w of the first fcal . lotings . I am , Gentlemen , yours obediently , James Oaihqe . Land Savings' Bank , Hottineham , Sept . 6 .
1 To The Imperial Chartists, I
1 TO THE IMPERIAL CHARTISTS , I
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AND NATIONAL TRIMS' JOURNAL
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VOL- XL No 569- LONDON , SATURDAY ; SEPTEMBER 16 , 1848 . „ a ™ *» v * pEnck * . _ " !?« Shillings nn « l Sixpence pet Quarter
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Sept. 16, 1848, page unpag, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1488/page/1/
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