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Northern Star (1837-1852), 10th February 1838, Edition 2 of 2, Page 7

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    • ANTI-POOR LAW PROCEEDINGS ,. AT ^MANCHESTER.
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      Tjei obwhifeHlf fl » HoS-I ^« ber ; **« uH have an opayjasaB ^ M ^ gMP " * " *^^^^ * , ^ 3 *»* « 5 Ing *« h amsmoiaents asTie ^ might think need-Mr » BAINES asked whetherihe ? Garenuaent had firected its attention , tq the alteration of . the French tariff on-nnena » nd * linen jams ? . Mr . P . THOMPSON stated , that as soon as the Government heardof the rumour of the intention to alterthe dutiwt-tS ^ niens aiid Hnen yaruSj no time had beenlosVin . making ' representations at Paris against the proposed change ; hat from the com-Hmidcaiions made to himne was not ied to ; hope that the decision- which the French GoternmenC vonld come to . on that point would he satisfactory toMmself or to the Hon . Member ( Mr . Barnes . ) 3 fa . FIEtDEN , after adverting to the inclemency of the nresent season , asked what measures had

      heen "taken" by fhe commissioners of inquiry -with respect to the STifferiDg hand loom -wfiavers ? Lord J . RUSSELL'S-nnswer was not distinctly heard- We understood the Noble Lord to say , that he was nnable to give thelion . Member the information he desired . At the ' same tone , "he took the opportonity of asking the H 6 n . Member -whether he had ghen any persons authority to collect mobs to cppoBeihe ¦ introdHcrion of the New Poor Law system in hisnraghbonrhood ? " . - ¦ - ¦ Mr . FIELDEN said he thought it is duty to instruct two persons to inquire into the operation of the New PoorLaw , and he had reason to heliere that ihev had done' nothing to promote disturbance . If they nad , thev had gone beyond their instructions and no one would . regret the' circumstance more than himself . ( Hear , hear . )

      sew \ tr ... . . Mr . E . STANLEY moved for a new -writ for the Hgm districtof burghs , in the room of Sir A . L . Hav , who has accepted the Governorship of Bermuda .

      OTXAKXET STEAMER . Lord EBRDsGTON wished to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the attention of the Government had heen directed to the recent loss of tV KiHamey steamer , and whether Ministers had any legislative measure in contemplation for the purpose of securing passengers against the risks to which they-are constantly exposed on board steamboats as atpresent conducted r Mr . P . THOMPSON said , the unfortunate accident to which the Noble Lord had aflnded had occurred s > recently , that the Government had not had tme'to mrestieate the circumstances attending the loss of the KUIarney steamer . Jt was , however , a subject well worthy of consideration , and

      itwas unquestionably of the greatest importance to ascertdn whether in regard to steam-boats generally some restrictions could not he made as to the quantify of lire stock shipped on board those vessels , similar to those restrictions which existed in regard to other passage-boats . Mr . O . GORE wished to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce any declaratory bill in conseqtance of a decision which liad heen recently come to in fee Court of Exchequer . Mr . RICE said , that before the Hon . MembeT had enta « d the house he ( Mr . Rice ) had given notice af a motion Telative to the subject to which the Hon . Gentlt ? man alluded .

      Xord ASHLEY wished to a ^ t the Noble Lord the Secretary for the HemeDepartment , whether an authentic copv of th « evidence relating to the Glasffovr ( as we understood ) Cotton Spinners could be laidT > eiore the House ? Lord J . RUSSELL had received a copy , hut he did not think himself warranted in ordering its public ? tion . Mr . S . O'BHIEN wished to ask the Hon . Baronet the Member for Warwickshire , whether anything had been done , as the consequence of his morion of last year , to obtain greater accommodation for the Members of the House of Commons in . the House of Lords . Sir E . WILMOT said he had understood that the Government liad had some comBmnicarion witli thpir LdrdshiDS on the subject ; bzit he was cot aware that anything had been done for the attainment of the obYecthe had in view .

      3 Ir . PARROTT . as we understood , gave notice , that earlv in March he would call the attention of the House to th « causes which had prevented the efficient operation of the act for the commutation of tithes in England and TTales . with the view -of providinff a remedy . After a sleepy discussion , the Irish Poor Law Bill was read a second cane , and ordered to be committed on Fridav next . A discussion " then took place on the Pakuamextaht Electors , and Feediex ' s Bill . " On the motion of Mr . R , HINDE : that it "be an instruction ro-the Committee to divide the Bill into two Bills . On a division there appeared * For Mr . Hinde ' s motion 63

      Against it ... . . . . . . loo Majoritv against the dividing of . * - ¦ ¦ the bill ...... 90 The House having resolved itself into committee , Mr . T . DtTNCOMBErose to introduce an amendment .-irhich , as he thought , would be agreat benefit . He proposed to leave out the last' two lines in the ¦ first elsose , except such as shall have become payable from him previously to the 11 th day of October in the preceding year . " * The effect , if the omission which he suggested were adopted by the House would be to enact that , after the passing of that set , no person should "be required , in order to have his name retained in the list of voters for anv citv , town .

      or borough , in England , for any year , to have paid anv poor-rates or assessed taxes . —[ Hear , hear . ] "This was a simple and summary mode of repealing the rate-payin ? clauses of the Reform Act . —[ Cheers and lauehter from the opposition benches- ! It was for the House to say whether the clause should be repealed , or whether the remedy which he proposed was not preferable to the hqmceopatheric provisions ¦ iff the MIL —{ Hear . ] Morions to the same effect tad already been broceht forward in the House , which for a considerable rime had been generally rejected , but at the same rime they were gradually -more favourably received , and at length one which he had introduced to the House in the year 1837 was

      carried by e , majority of eleven . Some observations had fallen from an Honourable Member opposite that the more respectable classes of society were those by whom the rates were more generally paid , but he was prepared to say that this was not the case , for in the parish of St George , Hanover-square , ¦ which was-weir known as the most aristocratic parish in London , containing the most of the fashionable streets and squares , there were 5 , 144 persons rated , aad who would be entitled to rote , out of whom twenty-two only had paid their ^ rates . This at least showed that it was not always the disreputable portion of the community who " were negligent in this respect . The clause completely reversed the order

      of things , for it not only required many to be taxed , tut it also required that they should pay the tax before they could Vote . He did not see why itshoold apply to £ 10 householders , and not to those who rented houses -at the yearly value of £ 50 ; and he knew that £ 50 householders had expressed their wish that the disability should apply to them , because they could then' disfranchise " themselves if they chose , and relieve themselves from the unpleasant situations in which they were frequently placed ( hear !) . It was thrown out also by an honourable member opposite that the bill would not be -sell Teceived elsewhere . He believed it would not ; but if the House adopted his amendment , it would

      have the eSect of showing to the public the opinion of the House ; and he was persuaded that if the noble lord would adopt his amendment he would have the pubHc feeling very much in his favour in consequence . Therefore be sincerely hoped that he would perceive this point ; a point he was convinced which would give Tinfversal satisfaction to true Reformers , and he would then he able to send the bill to the other House with the greatest satisfaction , and with the greatest confidence in the effect which it would produce in tie public mind ( hear , hear J ) . Lord JOHN RtTSSELL raid that the proposition of the hon . member for Finsbury would make a very much wider alteration in the effect of the law

      than he contemplated ; and at the same time that he Introduced his ( Lord John Russell ' s ) proposition he must say that it was not one which had originated with himself , bnt which had been suggested to him by the lononrable and gallant member for Westminister . It -seas placing the elective franchise on a ground which he thought a just one , the punctual payment of rates . It very often happened , it ^ asirue , that persons might feu to pay exact attention to the rates , so as to enable them to be placed on the register ; but the proposition of the honourable member for linsbnry would extend the franchise to those to whom it was never intended to be

      riven by the Reform BflL The Reform Bill was framed on the constitutional principle as regarded « ot and lot voters , which as to the point of rates » onld be necessary to sire a title to rote . It was rased by the honourabtemembw that the payment ° f rates was no means -of judging of the sofoenfcy of flie parties , and that no such tests of the solrencT . of persons should be required ; but if this principle * ere admitted it would be impossible not to see that ^ e whole principle of the Reform Bfll would be de-< = ared to be altogether wrong . . After a smart discussion , the committee divided , ¦* ien the numbers were- ^ - - - -- . For the original clause ..-...... — .. 206

      For the amendment ........ ~ . ~ ........ 107 Majority ........................ ¦ _ OS ) vn oar reborn to tie gallery we foand ^ r . BAINES stating that he had an amendment ^ b propose , the object of which -nas to render it * Efiaent for the elector to hkve paid one gear ' s **» before his name was entered on lie r ^ eisterv ^ &ont any inquiry whether he had paid any former ^ es or taxes . This , he coneeivedy wanld answer 5 vthe purpose * of the -Reform Jtct , and would TBI ider Tmneceesary- all thai delay in searching j ^ essnent hooks fir years past ; -which at present so Ifwessly retarded the proceedings in the Hevmng iSa rrjsters' Courts , If Us proposition met with the

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      approbation of the Noble Lord , and of tHeJHouse , he-wonld presaa iis ^ snia ^ neht j if not , ne ^ wotfla not ^ trouble the HjOBBe 4 ftdivide iipou it-, ' * - - Lord JOHNJlC ^ SELIi tho ^ it that ihe . question could * be better ^ isctissed when the Registration BUI was before ihem ^ HwT ^ raShip agproved of the suggestion , ¦ and expressed his sorprwe at the division which Sad . Tg ^ dpred : the inquiries into retrospective payments necessary . - .-Mr / BAINES then withdrew his amendment ; - - On the question mat the clause , as amended , stand part of the bill , Mt / MACLEAN' said he would divide the House ^ against the clause . The House divided accordingly . The numbers were— "

      For the clause ................ ; .......... 214 Against it ............ .................... * . IIS Majorityinfavourof the clause ... ——96 Mr . JERVIS proposed a clause for the purpose of abolishing all payments of money which are now exacted for the purposes of registration . ' The CHAIRMAN Q / ii . Berhal ) said roch aclouse could not 3 > e inserted in the bill -under it « present title . . " „ ¦ ¦ . . "" ... .. ¦" . Mr . -JERVIS withdrew .. his amendment ; and gave notice ol his intention to move , when the bill again came before the'Honse , lhat it be re-committed ,

      and he would then move , that it be an instruction to the committee to insertsnch a clause . . Mr . GOULBURN begged to inquire when it was proposed that the House should go into a committee ofsnpply ? " ¦¦ - ¦ The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER : On Friday next The Court of Session ( Scotland ) Salaries of Officers Bill went through a committee , and was reported without amendment . Mr . BERNAL brought up the reports of the Committees on the Sheriff ' s Court ( Scotland ) Bill and the Court of Session ( Scotland ^ Bill .

      - QlULIFrCATION OF MEMBEHS BILK -After a few observations from Mr . PRAED , who maintained that , if it were intended to remove all qualification , the bill did not go far enough , and that there should be either a sound qualification or none at all , the Qualification of Members' Bill was read a second time , and ordered to he committed on Thiarsday . "Adjourned at a quarter before twelve o ' clock .

      HOUSE OF LORDS . MONDAY , Feb . 5 . Mr . ROEBUCK appeared at the Bar of their Lordships' House to defend the proceedings of the House of Assembly of Lower Canada , occupying several hours in an eloquent speech , very similar in detail to the one reported some weeks ago as having -been delirered in the House of Commons on the same subject . After which the Canada Bill went throngh " committee and was ordered to be read a third time on Thursday next .

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      Monday last was a day that was looked to by the people of Lancashire . Cheshire , and the West Riding of \ orkshire , with great and anxious expectation as to the demonstrations of feeling that would be manifested at the great delegate meeting agaiust the New Poor Law . Nor could they be disappoiuted : the expression of feeling then given was not only most decided , bnt it manifested such a degree ofabhor-* mce to the law , and such a determination to oppose it , as nnist haw convinced everv rational mail that , vrerv the law in its ultimate effeers ertr so guod , it would be unwL » e and unsafe , as well as despotic and tyrannical , to force it upon the people while it is so uni ^ quivocally dett-sted . Nor was that expression of abhorrence confined to one township , one parish , or one county : but all the delegates gave the most positive assurance of the entire and unanimous disapproval of tlie law in the townships which they represented . The-meeting was advertised for ten o ' clock , but , owip < r to the laie arrival of some of the delegates , bnsiness was not commenced till nearlv eleven .

      Mr .-G . W . Setd was uuanimou ^ y called to the chair . He read several letters from jrentlemen who had been inrired w artend the meeting , all of whom expressed their hearty concurrence in the objt-ctthey had in view—the repeal of the New Poor Lktt . Amongst tho letters read , th-re vras one frmn Earl Stanhope , Mr . King . Rev . G . S . Bull , Mr . Blakey , Mayor of Morpeth , General Jolmson , Messrs . John and * James Cobbett . and a lonir and iiiterestinglrtter which contained a variety of important facts and arguments from Mr . John Walter , late Member for JBerkshirfe . The advertisement calling the meetin ? . was then read by the chairman , and petitions were received from the following places : —Statley-Bbiihje , No . of signatures , 5 , 420 . Blackeurx .-JOOO . Bcky . 3 ^ 00 , presented by Mr . Siuedley .

      Macclesftelp . ^ 2000 . Scttox . 1 , 039 . Hertsfield . 315 . LoTrEKWrTHiXGTd > , 157 . Adlixgtox , 250 . Ketti-e-Lvme . 143 . R- «* xo , 4-13 . and Etox , 79 , besides a number of other townships in MACcLEsriELn , in which petitions were being prepared , and would be sent to the committee in a few days . Olpham . tf , 590 ,. Mr . Mill * . Chjddebtox , ' 1 , 051 , Mr ] George Booth . Crojiptom , 1 , 442 , Mr . James Shaw . Middletox . . 1 , 600 , Rev . Mr . Hart . Brr-JEP . W 0 BTH , 1 , 303 , Mr . Edward Qeg . Pkestwick , . 1 , 753 , Mr . Charles Grirnsliaw . Glossoi ^ . 3 , 120 , Dr . Thorne . Thorxham , 40 D , Mr . JoHa King . MosEfey , 812 , Mr . Samuel Taylor . Bot . linutox , 1000 , Messrs . Lucas and Hermit . Rochdale , the borough petition . 30 Q 0 : and in six neighbouring

      villages , about 3 , 800 . Mr . Taylor . Lees , 1 , 035 , besides a petition risued by 254 females . On the mention of this last petition , a question arose as to whether females were allowed to Mgn petitions : all the delegates were of opinion that iiad theyliad their petitions signed by females the signatures would have been increased four-fold . One gentleman stated that in the Macclesfield union they had two females as guardians (] oud cheers ) . It was then unanimously decided that it wonld be batter to get up a nnmber of petitions signed excluavelv by females . —Ashton , 5 £ SS , and two female petitions 2 , 080 . 31 r . Clarlc , the delegate , said , had there been time to have toe female petitions properly attended to , there would have been 30 , 000 signatures to them . Mr . Stephens

      said there was another petition from a public meeting signed by 5 . 000 ; and another from the Reform Ai .-cciation- " agned bv 4 , 000 . —Leek , 1 , 800 . " The delegate from this place , whose name we did not learn , said ^ ihat they nad had considerable difficulty in getting np their petition , having been opposed by the authorities of the place , in connexion with the masters who had threatened to turn away all their workmen who signed the petition . The agriculturalists , too , ia that district were very much opposed to the law , but" drea < ied the influence of the landlords . It had been onite a new thing to petition in Leek ; ' there never was known to be a petition from that place before , and had it not been for the accursed Poor Law Amendment Act , as it was called ,

      there would have been no occasion to petition now . ( Hear , hear . ) A gentleman from Glossop then stated , that he believed there was now in that place only-one individual that was friendly to the bill—a Methodist local preacher . When they first began to sound the people ' s minds on the subject , there were 4 wo or three ef them who had to do it alone . Mr . Ellison , a steward for the Duke of Norfolk was so inveterate against them , that he pulled _ down the bills from the walls , and opposed them in every possible way . Ultimately , however , he became friendly , to their project , and used his best endeavours to forward it . —( Hear , hear . )—Colxe , 1000 . Great and Little Marsden , 600 . Barrowford Booth . 500 . Forest of _ Froden , 400 .

      BarnoMswick , in the Skipton Union , 460 . Foulbridge , 500 . Rough Lee Booth , 160 , Mr . Joshua W-ntson . —He coold not describe the feelings that existed against this law in Ms neighbourhood . He believed it was intended shortly to bring it into operation there ; its effect * were but very partially known , but he was sure were they more fully known , it would be difficult to keep the peace . The people there regarded the law as an invading enemy close at their doors ; 'they thoughtof it only with the greatest dread and abhorrence . Leigh , 5 , 58 a . Thedelegate from this place , Mr . James Fenney , said that the body of the people were much opposed to the law ; they regardedit as written in characters of blood as a measure intended to smite down lie a

      thunderbolt the laws of : nature , and the authority of joatnre ' s God . —( Hear , hear . ) They , were determined to leave no means untried to get rid of this abominable measure . —( Hear , hear . }—Heywood , 1 , 356 4 delegate , Mr . John Hanson;—The people of Heywood were determined to resist the law , even unto death . —( Hear , hear , and cheers . )—Roystoxe , 1 , 320 ; delegate , Mr . John Kay . In Roystone there were only tw 6 individuals known to be favourable to the new bill , and they were two thorough-going Whigs .- ( Hear , hear , and laughter , ) They had saidihat at the next election they would nominate Guardians , and vote them in themselves !—( Hear , hear . ) " Burxlet , —Mt . Benjamin Chaffer said he had afejr names from Burnley , but it -was a new thing in that 4 own , and therefore not much

      understood . He had applied to several clergymen , who all said it was a very good bill—would do great things for thepoor , and they woiild therefore sign no " petitions against it . He had , however , obtained the signature of one clergyman —( hear , hear , )—in the township . He begged to be allowed to inform the meeting that , he had- been summoned by a clergyman fta : Easter dnes ^ and he believed that a sale would then be going on at his old house for the amount for which he was summoned . —( Shame , shame . ) This "; was done , no doubt , to keep him . away from the delegate meeting ,. but itwas no use . The people of BnrSeyrw ; ere doing iheir duty ; he liad a ^ tition rigned by 4 ^ 72 jJersons . —( Cheers . ) BERETON-tira-SMiTHWlCK , 64 . Mr . Josh .. Pdttssaid thatoutof the whole of the lona fide rate-payers of fliis township , there were only . three individuals against them—three Whig fanners . They had

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      only allowed rate-payers to > fflsntbisnetition : had . m ^ m ^ Bk ^ k ^ m ^ mffim number would nave beenj imynensf ?' ' / X ^ ey had had a " meeting _ a fef evJn ^ s ^ tef ^ rp ^ the subject of the petition ; ana ^ e woi ^ say _ &at ~ jn alt his life he never was engageoTiifSny cause in which hand and heart seemed soxompletely joiued as' ih this . So far as they had gone , the petition . was but small , but the ' circninstknee of cohnjiing their petition exclusively to rate-payers , would ftirqish asufiicient explanation . Brit'though their numbers were -not great , they were wifli inem with , all their , hearts . ( Hear , hear . ) . CbNatBros , 1815 ^ Smaxiwood , 107 , principally fanner * . ¦ - Swithenham , 172 . SummerfobdOBooth , 62 , all fernwrs . BcatAWTOx , 385 ,

      fanners andmannfectarers : delegate , Mr . Wilcock . He said the opinion of the , manufacturing interests in Congleton and its adjacent townships was for a partial repeal of the bill ; amongst the agricnltnral interests a total repeal . —< Hear , hear . ) There wure tMrry-one townships in Congleton ^ in all " of which petitions were being prepared . At Congleton many at first refiised to sign : but the fact was that afterwards many of them had begged to be allowed to sign a petition haring learned the nature of the bill . Even the Mayor ol the place had signed their petition and offered them the use of the Town-Hall tor an Anti-Poor Law Meeting . There was one fact which Mr . Wilcock could not allow to pass unnoticed . Since the establishment of the regulations

      under the New Poor Law at Congleton , the rates had been more than doubled !—( Hearj , hear . ) He h&d canvassed all the townships in Cosolctox , and helad beeen told by all the Guardians : that they entirely concurred with himin his opposition to the act . In one township £ 300 had been collected for one ' quarter ; a sum much greater than had ever been known to have been collected before for poor rates ; and out of ^ that sum £ 150 had been distributed amongst the poor and nobody could give any account of what had become of the remainder . —JShame , shame . ) Taking the whole of the townships in the neighbourhood of Congletox he thought he might say with perfect truth that they had determined either to have u total repeal of the

      bill or nothing . —( Hear , hear , and loud cheer ? . ) Clitheuoe . —Mr . Chaffeh was h a PP 7 t ° . ' . inform the meeting that at Clitheroe things were going oa very prosperously in reference to this business . Seven clergymen and two Dissenting Ministers had signed thepetition —( hear , hear;)—a great number bt the principal men had also come forward and given their support , and in the town and neighbourhood they haa already mustered 5 , 000 signatures , and they would obtain a great many more . —( Hear , hear , hear . ) They had called upon Mr . Fort , M . P . for Clitheroe , to solicit him to present and support their petition . This he had refused to do ; althoiigh when he contested the last election he promised to vote for its total repeal . This too was the man who

      had voted for every clause of that im-asure while it was passing through the House of Commons . But he was a Whig , and what could they expect . ( Hear . ) Oiojskirk , J JOO . A female petition was also in course of signature from the same town , and the names to be appended to it were likely to be very numerous . In that district the principles of the New Poor Law were well understood . The whole bill was literally HATER , ut »<] from the feelings of the inhabitants in general , he was sure that _ any attempts to enforce the uien .-ure \ rould be resL * ted to the death . —( Loud cheers . ) The Rev . J . R . Stephens thought it right to state a fnct which ought to be known both by the Guaruiaus and the Government . He would { herefore state that fact

      then . At a meeting which he attended the otuoy day at Stockport , an agricnltnral labourer came to him and showed him a clasp-knife , which lie had bought while in the agricultural districts , and with which he had determined to takp the life , of iiuy Guardian or any other man who should ever attempt to separate himfrom Iris - . vife and children . —( Henr , hear . ) This man hadbois-ht this knife while in an ngricnltural district in which he had Iward none of those incemliarios , as tht-y were denominated by tlie press , and he could not therefore be inHueiiced by any other notions than those" which had arisen from a-secret dread of the rae . isure . of which , us yet ho had only heard a few country people express their opinions . He thought i : necessary to mention that

      fact as an illu * tration of-what must be the inevitable result of the general in treiucHon of that Law . . The Commissioners were completely nonplussed-. witli regard to the Ashton Union . Power had never met theni in public , and-he-had now ceased to pny them any p rivate visits . His practice now was to write to Mr . Robinson . Chairman of the Board of Guardians ; to meet him ( Power ) in Manchester . Robinson , who wax " a tsvnt advocate « 'f the law , a thorough going Whiff , and the author of a phmphlatin favour of the Law , h ? A at last done his duty , by telling Power and the-Commissioners , that any attempt to introduce thi- - jnoasun * into that district might be fatal to many of them . ( Hear , hear . ) The Commissioners had iatt-Iy = * 'm them a communication , recommending xhhn to yroceed cautiouslv

      and to take some steps to remove all hindrances out of the way before th ? y heeau to enforce the law . Throughout that district -kn ' owledee was progresriug , there was every . peaceable disposition ; " l .-ut they held th-. nr personal rights and liberty as Englishmen to walk free , and oe free wherever they were—they held that freedom dearer tlian life , mid only with their lives would the people ofthe Ashton- Union , submit to . tlris infernal nwisdre . —Mr . J ) ke « ax from Staleybridge , said that , tmv- oftheir GriardianiJ , Mr . Edward Hall , had subscribed very libi-rally towards defraying the exepnses of their * petition " ' :, and . his only lBoUS-e for remaiuiatr on the board was that he might give aur information resarding any moans that uiight be made use of by the Couimi ; - siouerji for enforcing tht > l . iw . " ( Hear , hpnr . )

      Mr . Richard Oastl ;;; :. —He said lie was not aware that he was appoiute . i a delegate , except by report , and he had , therefore , no distinct statement tn make from anr party ; bir as he was well acquainted with the state of fee . ing against the law in Huddersfieid , he would relate to " the meeting the general feelings and opinions of the people . of that town , relative to the miv . snr * . -If-there' was any part of the countn'more opposed to the ¦ : ] rill , howfverit might be attempted to be enforee < i . it was the people of MuddersfL-ld . Thev were always

      unanimous , male and female , rich and poor , dissent * -rs and churchmen , -Whig ? - .. Tories , and Radicals , they " were all unanhnpusly determined that they would not have the La . v , \ The ministry on tlfe other hand determined that th ^ y should " have it . Mr . Oastler then proceedv-d to detail the events ol the 29 th of Jan . the days which the Commissioners iiad fixed upon for the r . T > poiutmer » t of n clerk to the Board . Mr . Oasiler ' saujress-which \ vjjs extenued to a considerable length , vras listened to -with great attention , and responded to with loud applause .

      Mr . Pitkethly next r . dv . ressed the meeting on behalf of the IluDnEusrirLn people . Ht » detailed a variety of circumstances that had occunvd in Hvpder-sfield and its neighbourhood , as exhibiting , tlie feelings of the people f , re ] jera )] y against this ] aw . At thirf moment a bundle of petitions came into the room from Prestox—twenty-one in number , and containing about 7 , 600 sgnatrjres .-: —The Chairman then intimated to the meeting that ' -petitions had been received , containing in all about . sixty-three thousand signatures , aiid that petitions were yet to come in from Topmoudkn , Saddleavohth . U ' igax , Prescott , Obhskirk , STorKPORT , Pariham , Ciiok-LET , Hire , Hasli . vgden and other places .

      Mr . Johx Kxight , of Oldha . v , . then moved that the fVuiales in the different towna from which the petitions had been received , and were yet expected , sliouldbe re ^ ueswd also to setup petitions . Mr . Pitkethley 5 econdeu the motion , -which was carried unanimously . Mr . Alexander Taylor , of Olbha'M , then moved that an address be presented- to Earl Staxhope , for his activity m ) d 7 . eal in defending the poor , by his opposition to this measure . Mr . Middietos secouied the adlre . n-. which was then read , and being put to the meeting was carried unanimously . A vote of tlianks " was also passed to Mr . Walter , late member" . for . xjeskshire , for his disinterested advocacy <>; ' the rights of the poor . A vote of thanks \ va < also given to the Rev . Mr . Bbowx , T'iear of Prcsbtn-ff .

      Mr . Bkoifs replied in au inttfr ? sriii 2 speech , ; in which he considered the Question of expense of the New Law , and the consequences of its ivgulations , relativg to confinement He said that in Macclesfield there were forty townships—four commercial and thirty-six agricultural , p . nd that for the last three years , during the existence of the Old Law , the whole expense of the poor had cost no more than Is . 8 £ d . i ! And yet , the New Poor Law was to effect a considerable saving , in the rates . ( Hear , hear . ) He then touched upon the question of confinement , and drew some interesting and most affecting pictures of real distress , yet mingled with the finest exhibitions of social tenderness and . lore . In his lale he burst into tears , and could not proceed for some tjme ; _ indeed . there vtrs scarcely a person to be seen in > the room who did not weep to hear and see the near . He said he had been minister of the parish for thirty-eisht

      years and had seen every description of distress . He meant not that Aristocratic show of grief which showed itself with a white handkerchief in one hand and a smelling-bottle in the other ; but he had opened the cottage door of a poor man who was illin bed andexceedingly poor ; his wife was sat by the side of his bed weeping in the greatest distn-W : —Hear , hear . ^ She clasped the hand of her husband . She wiped away from his face the sweat and the tears , with her youngest child han ? ing on her bosom and thoother chilcren surrounding her with tears and begging her not to cry for daddy would be better . More than once he " had witnessed such scenes , and was he . to be told that these people hadiio feeling—that they had less regard for their wives and families than tee tiger had for his whelps ? Itwas a gross , and infamous , and infernal falsehood —there was not a word of truth in it . He had seen the contrary , and he would not give up his knowledge to any phSosopher . ^ Hear , heat . ) The Vicar proceeded at considerable length to detail the

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      to the Nev ^ aw ; ; and-the ^ steps that : j&jid beftfllaken to pr eteat the rigbar mt $ i Vhich it might Otherwise have been enforced .- < --- ' . ; . ^*> - ^ - ; - ¦ ¦* -. ; Ajproppsitionyras th ^ h mad ^ by Mr . OAatler as the best means ^ for' opposing : ^| ie , law , which l ^ r . PiTKETHiHr secondedi ^ pi ^ n ttiesuggestioh of Mri Stephens the tpiption was 'to lie over' for'discussion ' on an after part of the da ^ TJkem ^ tih ^ separated ; about half-past three o'clock in the aitenxioofl / : A portion of the delegates were ! to niBet again at halfpast fbnr to ^' sbtt 3 > ' th 0 ' m < rtn > ii ''' 'bf '< : ' Xvf : ' ' OastfeK ; — « That the first duty of , every , ' township is lhe

      to meet , and select , as GnWdian ^ most strennous opponents of the law j ^^ whVare i qualifiedin their several townsbips ; andr ir none ^ are found withm the township , then '' -to seajrch . ' the whole Union ifor fit and proper persons ; ^ o . let . it be wett published , and by this , and other arrangements , make sure that every Guardian will be a staunch opponent of thelaw . " ---bnt it waswithdrawn on the ground that it would be better to avoid , if possible , taking any ; stebs whatever ^ hat might'lead , to the intrdductibn pf tht ? law . At a little before- sev ^ n , the delegatea adjourned to hold a- " r *

      MEETING IN THE CARPENTERS' NEW ¦ : ¦ , : _ ¦; ¦ : ¦ , : ¦;¦ ^ HALL .: ;' . ; ,:-. -- . ¦ . ;; . ; , . ¦ ¦ : > -,: ¦/ This meeting was called for half-past six o ' clock ^ and the chair to be taken at seven . The building in which this meeting vras convened ^ is a spacious hall , calculated to ( hold between five , and six thousand persons ; it was nearly tilled with anxious auditors .- .. .-:-:: ;; - ; . ; .. ; '¦ ' ¦ . . - ¦ .. . ¦ . ¦ - . / ¦ . ¦ : . ;; /' . - ; y . v ~\\ . Mr . Richard R psTEiiN was called to the chniri who stated the object of the meeting , and hoped that those who spoke wonld keep to the point in question . :. .- ; ,. . / . v -: '• . •' . ¦/ _ . ; . ¦ :. / : . . ; : ¦; -:. v .-:-: ';^; : Mr . HoPGEtTs was called -upon to nioye the first resolution . He said that as there , were many gentlemen present who had knowledge to explain 1

      and boldness andenergy to enforce- ths resolution , he would content himself with adverting tb- two points only . ¦ . ' .- 'The first-was to exhort ^ itUem to niaUe m their opposition to this and all ; other measures which they felt as grievances , and the second to remember that all thp proceeiHrigs of the present Whig Government tended to degrade the labouring classes , and to reduce them to as cpmplate a iitate of destitution audmisery as . their poor Inshbrethrenv —( Hear , hear . ) He wished thein to remeinber that point well—to consiider the case of the Oorchester Labourers and the Glasgow 3 pinners , whose only crime was ; combining to keep u ; p wages . r- ( H 6 ar , hear . ) . It was well known that it the present low

      price of wages was kept up , the preseiit system , of Government cotiW not stand . It had required enormous siinis of money , taken from the toil of the industrious , to feed and support the -idle ' :- —• ( Hear , hear . ) The nnriibers or those who had lived upon the public money had increased every year , in proportion to those who had to labour for it ; and after all had been said that could be said , there were only two " : points to be iaimed atthe revenues of the church-, and the- wages of the working man . The ! Whigs had attacked the revenues of-the church ;; but the parsons were too stiff a ¦ 'corporation for them , —( hear , hearO—thvy had tnen turned upon the people , with tlie . ? Tew Poor Law . This was only one of thwr measures ; but it mieht be spolien of as a fair specimen of the

      rest . —( Hwar , henr . ) 1 he Rural Police Hill , passed at midnisrht , was aiiofher siimple of their , le ^ istaltion ; and for nnv thing . - -they , knew , some of their etnissnries m" !? ht be iii that room-. disguised as working men . -There wa ? a probabiHty also , -that the present session of Parliament would riot pass Over without some measure to put down Trades ' Unions , —( hear , henr , )—for the Whigs had lori < r been working to accomplish this , now that their party ¦ " was in power . —( Hearj hear . ) . . -.. Let them then recollect that with all Vhe # e ' . 'things the . ' -Whigs were crushing the -people- harder and harder , -in .- order that they ntiffht live in luxury n « d jdjeness , froth the ¦ profits , of- their toil . He therefore eo ' rdi ' nlly moved the resolution . —( Cheers . ) ., '¦"" Wm . Ci-EOG Esq ., seconded the resolution , -which was carried , ; unanimously .. .... . ; •' . ' . ¦! .

      Mr . MipnLTrr . ox . in >) v « , I the . next Tesoroti . pii . l lie would he ' like his friend who preceded liiin , ivnd not trouble tlie meeting : ~ with a , long , speech , but he was of ' opinion that the right t'v live pii tlie land which gave him birrh was tlie natural an'd : iiialienablen-ght of every man of every country .. W ( > ri ? this hot tlie ensi any landlord wlio lived nt'ar tlie sea shoro lniglit if he choose drive all the people in liisinnd intt ) the sen . ( H .-ar , hear . ) The New Poor-Lawlio . wever had pone far to deny tlint rijrlit , ? . « d rob the people of their last siii'A . bnly-.-reaonm ? . ' . John Locke had said thn t if a nirtn \ yr \ j not . n Ih wed to live from , the land which gave him birth he was no better than si slave . ( Hear , hear . ) It was said' bv the snpporters of this

      law . that able-bodied -men should be shut up in a workhmine where the scul ^ of diet was . reduced to the . 'lowest possible state ; and all thiswastp prerent a ! ile-l ) ddiea men from doing mischief- ! . Wh ' iit a monstrpnsidea ! ( Henr , hear . ) It had been coniplnined that the rates were high and that tlie poor were eating up the . land . Whut was it that made the rates , so high ? Was it the capitalist , or the : labourer ? ( Henr , henr . ) Was it not in consequence of laws inade to snit the purposes of wicked govevnmeiits ? . ( Hear , hear . ) Was it not by-reason of the n-itionhl

      not ni consequence ot . tlje . operation of the coni-la \ r , that infatapits scheme l > y which the poor labourer was -robbed even of the bread he ouch t to have for tlie subsistence of himsflf and his fiiinily ? ( Hear , henr . ) liy means of tins it was utterly iihpbssibie fur any . labouring man to ket'p Ids wife suul children . as - they ought to ; be kept '; and because he could not do-tliis . be was to be treated worse than if he were a thief . ( S-hiune , shamt ^ . ) There - wenj . maiiy clauses of the bill to which he ' ; had the . strongest < . il > joction ; indeed , lie objected to it as a whole ;" . but-he would mention ono dlau .- ; e in particular which , lie believed was very li ! lle . knn-, vii , particularly amprig : working men . It was well known - - ' . that Svlieii a man wjls

      ballottud . ' to . serve in the jflilitia there was formerly auntllow .-tueeof Ls . ( jtj . to cadi of his :- . " cUiUre ' u per week mn ] 2- ' . for his ' wife- ; i This rlldwimce , hiiwevfr they ought to rerr . em ^ e 1- , was' r . 'periled by the New Poor-Law-. ( Loud cries of- shame , shame . ) ^\ man might be called out on duty to ri . sk his life in defence of his country ; , before he Was sent home his wife iniglit hn . ve occasioiv to np . ply for relief , seeing that tlie alloivauce for miiitia money was discontihufid , and " .-if she had thu ! - ocenrfon to sefk "> issistan ' ce it would be denied her unless she choose to sell all her little stock . of fumiture , and : witli her children , enter tlie workhouse to be treated like all oilier paupers , worse than felons ; herself in one part pt the . workhouse , and

      her omldrenm another , exposed ; to every ' . species of- li « . rd .--liip , separated from ench-utliers ' company , and isll this Arliye the poor liiu-iband wa . ssacrificing his propi-rty , and risking his 'life , to defend the property of other . people . ; fTvemeuduop groans , and . loud continued expressions of indignation . ) But this was not all . The poor man liii ^ ht escape death , and return to his f ; imily . \ What : < hen was thu result ? after he had been figUti . ng forliis employers and the aristocracy , after he liad been separated from all his domestic comforts , to-.. endureshrtrdshib and danger of every kind , he might find that his family had bewi troulilesome to the parish : and he inurt ^ therefore , set ; al > out . paying all , the expense

      they-jirid . incurred dnnng his absence . ( Continued cries of yhnniei ) : How ( did the working itieii like that ? ( Groans . ) ( Butstill ^^ tliis . wfij } . noi-thi 3 end oi it . If themaii refused to nay the money jthdt might have biH ? n given from the . parish to . support his wii ' f < ind : family , th ii -. parish officers ^ 'ould go to his employer and demand a , part of - ' . his . wages to be stopped - 'f or ^ payment ' of tliisdeb ^ and if tlie : einplpyer refuse , to do soj bis own goods . v-ere liable to be seized for payment . : : ( indisc / rbablo ' iivdignation . ) But there were other clauses of the : bill equally n . bad . Th 2 re was in fact iiot a good- clause in it .

      Many people said : remoye » the despotic power of the Coirimissioner ? , and i ' t would be a pretty good tliinir But ; even | taking away ' tlie power of tlVtv Commissioners , there -would stillbe / tnen ) ili | ia money clause and many ; others eqiidllyias 'bad . ;' -It was full of srich Hkedespo . tisin . . Withititmightbetrulysaid ' , that they had no longer liberty to live in ¦ the ' land-oJE their birth ; but . they were in . the : strictest sense of the word tlie '¦ lowest and mbst degnided of slares . With these remarks he moved tlie resolntipn . Mr . G . W . Seep ,-seconded the resolution—enrriej unnnimously ;; ; . ¦ '¦ '• . ' , : ¦ ' . " ''

      Mr . Mter ' scrof ' t tjien addressed the racetiiig ; He said , the resolution that bad been read declared the right of a man-t' 6 : . ' liye in his native land , This right had not till lately-been , attempted to be . denied . But tlie New Poor " Law , - althoMgu . it did not directly deny the right itdid : sp indirectly : by making relief so difficult of attr . irinient as . to amonnt in eiJect to a denialof the nght . —^( Hear , heari ) It had established a . centralizing system by which ihe country was divided into such a Variety ,: of : new sections , that the knd-mnrk « f our neighbour was completel y removed ; nud thus instead : of relief being administered as befoye , the fact was-that iio person conld ; be believed - "when he stated liis case , uiilesshe . caine to this ceritre which ; might often be . -aclistantiei of fourteen or filteen miles , ; and . thuh ixe was hrer , ely to

      get an answer as to whether he , was to hiaye any thingor iiot ,- ^( Hcar , ¦ li eaj i )^; ' 0-ften / tb 9 ' h ; adit ' . h 4 ppened . that when parties came . Mefi ' sLdistance , they were driven ab . Putfro ' ni ^^ glace ^ to pii ^ Gfe / bSfore- ' they coald obtain any assistance , audfiequently they . had . alltheir trouble' and painsj and anxielyj for . notliirig . —( Shame . ) : Yet the people were ; . , told that relief was to be made difficult of ^ dttaitimont . iii Order thai the people might be ; dHye ' ttupou '' : iKew ' o \ Fp ' i « sbTiix ; es ; ' ! —fHears hear , ) ,: Their own rcsoufcefil sWhy to talk of the resources of a man midisir ^ , ' wholiad notinng to depena , 77 pq 4 and ^ W : hbse . ifi ^ reduced to the lowest possible value , w ? isi to instilt common sense—to ranked . inbqk ? pt $ brrpw , and to deny the dfiarest . rights : of humai \; na . ture . TtKHear and cneers . ) . But t ; h 5 s , was the coiisequeijce ofihavmg three men in Loijdbn to giyp taw * andform a

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      Sf 8 *? " 1 rt&tyvnunent ft * eve ^ r partof the cbonfenr ; tor * n them was invested a power which no authority whatever could take out of their hands ^—( Hear , liew . ) . It appeared too , as another corisequeQce of this measure , ^ in the late afftdrs at 'Hnddersfield ; thatmajonttesno ^^ lohgerrole , tndit was n 6 tltnowii what the exteniof this precedent ndgiitb ^ -rfiieait , hear . ) He wati therefore a . decided enemy to every portion i the bastardy clauses . Many Members for Lancashire ha ^ stated that the cases ef bastardy had decreased igeventeen and a half T ^ A ^* - ' d ^ A ^ i ~ . 1—1 A '¦ TiMtn m - ~ v « s \ niftH . ^ M ¦ ^ T « ~* ' xlk-Ah «> . . ' « , . - t . vcin luuiiu

      ^ ^ , r -... ijic ; iiumcyci j vuttl lucre V " US no data whatever on which to make any statement that couM be relied apon ; on the contrary he found that in some townships the . number of cases of bastardy had increased to such an extent as to be t ^ lmost doubled . _ In one township there had been iriore cases iri'six months under the New PoorLaw than ever'there were" known in twelve mbnths during the operation of the Old Law . And so far from saving expence it had cost another , township as much in one year as it had done for the . twenty years that preceded . — : ( Shame . ); He would : not detain the meeting by-say further remarks and felt happy in supporting the resolution : ^

      Mxi : Richardson , secretary to the Lancashire Anti-Popr ^ Law Association , moved the next resolution . As there vrere . -.- many gentlemen present whom they were ahxipus to heRr , and as they had often heard him , and would perhaps often hear him agaiiij he ^ would leave the field to . those gentlemen . Jt was evident , however , as was stated in the resolution . , ( Mr . G'Gotinbr here entered the room , and was cheered for a considerable time . ) -- — -Mr . : Richrardson proceeded saying , it ¦ : was evident that the 43 rd of Elizabeth was intended tb pf otect the poor man ' s labour and his right to live from the land , as a reward for the labour he had bestowed upon it . < Hear , hear . ) He attributed all the evils that afflict society , and which called forth the doctrines and

      theories of political economists , not to the operation of the 43 rd of Elizabeth , but to the operation of subsequent acts-racts which haveinot onl y robbed the poor of all the rights of comnjon , and otlier prinlegei grunted to them by the constitution , but which in proportion as the taxes and debt and pensions have increased , and in proportion as the common rights of the people have been taken away , ; have swelled the poor rates to the enormous amount of £ 7 , 500 , 000 , and whichhad been the principal plea in the passing of this . law * .- ( Hear , hear . ) That he thought was a sufficient justification of the 43 rd of Elizabeth , and he would nov ? give w'uy that ^ others Tnight be heard . He moved the resolution , which wa seconded by Mr . John Brpdie , and carried unanimpusly .

      Mr . O'CoNNbn then addressed the meeting at greatleugth , in which he entered into an exposition Df the nature of the J ? ew Poor Law , and showed , its want of adaptation t 6 the circumstances and rights of the poor , He took up a variety of arguments which have been adduced in its favour , showed their fallacy , and completely nullified their force . He thpnglit there were many things objectionable in the 43 rd of Elizabeth , and ? aw no reason why mankind ought not to advauce in their comforts and enjoyments a , s they advanced in general science . His speech , which occupied nearly an hour , was receiveci with the most hearty approbation .

      Mr . Prxorf , the well known Mfinchester Radical , then addressed the ; assembly . He would never , submit to the New Poor Law . Ever since he had been able to think for himself , he could iieyer find out that any person had a right to starve him to death except the God that gave him . existence . Mr ; Dixon deprecated the law in the strpn ^ est tenns . He also entered into a lengthened investigation of the general policy of the Whigs , and pronounced -. this- as a fair sample oftheir measures . He adverted pariicu-] arly to the bill at present passing through the Ilouseof Commons , to arrange that the landlords should T > ny nil rates on property rated under £ 20 . a

      year . Why was the distinction made ? It was to take away wherever this New Poor Law was to be enforced tlie > emblancft of a poor man's right by not allowing him to pay the rates . He would tell them that their highest interest was to pay their , rates themselves , aiid never to imagine that they would be ljcnehtted by allowing others to pay them . Wasit to be expected that other men would piay their rates without obtaining : something by them ? they might rest assured th : it . to say the least of the matter * the landlord , by this , bill" would pocket a considerahle per ' cehtnge on the rates , which they , ( the people ) themselves ought to pay . He moved the next resolution .

      ' .-Mr .. T ! -Ai ; u . s seconded the resolution which was carried ^ unanimously . Mfi Oastleh was then loudl y called upon . He delivered a . long address , in which he informed tlie meeting of the general feelings against the measure at Htidderrtfiplii , aiid . tlie various wnys iii wiiich that feeling had been manifested . He entered into the history of the New Poor Law , unfolded the reasons on which it was pretended to be based , and showed their entire futility , when applied to the wants of the peoplei He condemned Lord Brougham in the srrongest language , and did not spare those snpporters . of the bill , who , during its progress through the Flouse of Commons said it was not intended to ba universal in it- * application , but was only to be enforced in certain districts . His address was listened tovrith the greatest attention . He was followed by tho " ¦¦¦ - ' ¦ ¦' ' ¦ : ¦ ' ¦ " ¦ " . ' ¦ '" ' ¦ . " ¦ ¦ ¦ : '

      Revi J . It . Stephkxs , who addressed tlie meeting for about an hour and a half . . lie s-ud he was proud to stand before tlie men of Mauchoster who had now come forward as they oughi to'kave done long ago . He was proud to see the ri . cii ' --and the . poor mingled togetlipr ; for . tlie purpose of recording their opposition to this measure , and of carrying " to . ' -the throne their ' . determinate .. remOn " - sfrmicc ngainst the introduction of the New Poor Law . The dins had gone by -with . -him when his breath and his ppwt > r , much or little ' -as' they might hiive bfcii worth , should be employtd iii telung the poor any thing more about the New Poor Law , or in "wachi ' ng the . poof anything farther-as to what they

      have it in their-power , to do in order to oppose its introduction . ( Hear , hear . ) IleiiceforWard let this quehtion remain in the hands of the rich to do as they plea . - * regarding it .. ¦ Ifit . was the will . of the men of wealth who then heard him ; if it was the will of the authorities of Manchester ; if it was the will of tlie Home SecH ^ aTy ,, rind the Poor Law Commissioners in Loudon ; if it AVas their will that . this New Poor p , nr sliould be introduced , he w <) uld say so be it : if we . were to haw it , let us have it at once , and the sooner we have it the better . ( liear ,: liear . ) - He liad done what little he could do , and othevs had done inuch more , to show to-the . working men of England wlmt the New Poor Law really was . At first the

      people didiiot understand . tlwm ; they did not think it-v [ a ' ssiblQ-- that mi net like : this could jeverhave been conceived by , the most infernal human being that ever breathed -the-. breath ;' of life ; they could not credit that any Government of the day , and much les . s a ; Reform Goyeniment to whom they had given their sulfrages ; niid ; eoiUidence , and i ? i svhom were concarttro . t-id ttve ivopes and expecUitions ; 6 f half the country ; they did not think , it ; possible that tl : < j Government , so full of promise to the eye ^ could thus treaclierously have broken that : ' - ' . word ¦ ¦ of promise to the Jieiirt . ( Hear , i ' ihd . cheering . ) And

      therefore it was that he and others spoke for a long time as those that were beating the air .: But they hudiiow . been compelled to believe it ; for : county after county ,-city after city , town altar town , and liiinilet after hamlet ,, had seen tlie enemy : . coming 5 aiid standing , as it were , at the door of tue . p « opk ; they had seen' that euem ^' .: breaking through every harrier of social feeling ,. political right , and Christian faith , and they \ yere now , compelled to , admit tub- -fact , which : foiir years ago . tliey could ; . not believe , beca-use they had been -. doomed-to suffer the ferocious , cruelties which that act lind imposed iipori tlieip . —( Hear , . hear . ) BujJ . - the same people who . neither xinderstood nor believed in the existence

      pt an act of this descnptioiij now know all about it ;¦ they understood it thoroughly , and they bated it heartily , and had * sworn , ; without union , ; without comljiiifition , without organization of any kind—) hey had , each man for himself , each woman for . 'lfevsttlf ^ uid each . childfor , itself— -had sworn by God ^ by their ' ' ' wiyep . and children , and fathers and iBothers , iind brutlirdii and : sisters-7-tlieyhad . ' sworn , that ra , tli « r than be separated , rather than be imprisoned , rather than be starved by ' Apt ' , ; of Parliament ^ rather than be deprived of liberty— tbiit rather than submit to all thisj or one thousandth part , of this indignity , without ' even a charge ¦ of ; criin 8— - they had determined to : die a- thousaiid deaths

      .-r-j ( Loud cheers . ) He had no need to talk to the masses of hpads , and toappeal to the brave hearts wluch were then before him ; but he weiild say a word or two to the gentry-o . f- jyiarichestsr ^ whom he rejoiced to see yonder in the gallery . He thanked God that they Were there at last ; he thanked Cod that-they had cQine , even if it were at the eleventh hour ; and their presence 011 that occasion among&'t the ^' . operative ' s : pi ' Manchester , led him to hope that upon all subjects , affecting their mutual interests , the rich uiid the pooT vrould in future meet together and together acknowledge io God as the niaker of ¦ them- all , that they were brethren and frietids ; in common . nrfe . ar , hear . ) : ; He w-ould bea of the rich

      before him to look a little further into this law . Be knew , that the rich were much in the rear in reference . to a knpwledge . of the operations of thisineas : ur «' ; bittihis \ ras no disparagement tp the geutry of that district and to , the / country at large , for the reason : why the'bulk of the unsopliist-icated' -portion of the wealthy p epple 'are iii ^ fawur of the act is , because , they do not . understand the . tendency of thfi operationsof that act . They thififcit to bebnethihgj yoii 'fciotp lit to be aiipthevi . ( Hear , lieaf ;) : "' . Bjit the t imei w » A come , at / least he'thoughtlt . wasVhehope'd it rr&f the timf Avas cpine . when they wuld read , mdrky l ^ atrii , -and , inwardly digest , and ; then he did kiipw , i | ecriuse there yras <^ God in . heayeii . ^ because tney'had ' a , ; heart to feelj audanunderstaudiiqg totell

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      them-T-he did know whatwoaid be th f remit tcrthm cause , what would be the consequence totKeir order what would be the ejFects bi tbi * ' measure ( tnfteit propeVty and . persons , fo ; sayj lSotttiiDg ofiwhat they would be to the propjrtyjwia ^ ersous of those called thehumbler ranks of socie ^ T ( Heat , hear . ) , ^ hen God had enlightened their inradarv when ' the- truth had ^^ purged the iilinjroi » the intellefctoal ey 0 , and the power of the Uying G 0 d---the good , kind * iallr merciful , apd vahrjighty father-r ^ he ^ ., thafe TOifer should - hay © tbuchej Jlieir , hearts ^* fiien wo ' nla fhej know howtoi carry into effect ttepwcefiil precept of the ; Redeemery u po unto others a ^ ye would that Oiey should do : . unto , yott ?' " ( && hear . ) The doctrine which he was about to propajrat&iwasa ' and

      novel doctrine , ^ would , doubtless , ' sound ' strange in the ears of many ' . df thdse whoin Mft O ^ Gbimoif had designated as " brother : Radicals ^ Theynbad been tan ght to look to themMveS- ^ -to work Jar thim » selveis ^ -they had been tanght that they were the natural guardians of their own rights and privileges He acknowled that it was a true doctrine in the oresent unfortunate and anti-christian state of sooely . but in an opposite state of . society . the ppppsito ; : doctrine was the true one . The poor were , nbfc ihe proper guardrails of their ^ bwn ' privileges . Th ? mhi the yvealthy , the great , the powerral of &e fya < & haye this . diity entailed npon -tfiein as the condition on which they hold their ^ eaUh ^ r-as the tennre ; by which they call . their estates' their own—as the terms of thebond ^ and as a part of the covenapt between , them . And the other Dortion of society that thev

      should protect the poor ni the possession and in the enjoyment- —jn the pedceftil possession and in the rich awrf 7 iaepi « enjoyment of their prwileges , without requiring of the poor , in addition to : other bui > dens , that they should come forward and , Vtake tipon themselves the 1 more important . office pfdeii ending those rights which the rich haye hi ^ ierito monopolised for exercising that / power with which they have been entrusted m opposition to the Kap ^ piness of the millions . —[ LojidcheeTS . l Toruse the similie of the Word of God he would say to theto , " , If ye ^ being- ' . evii know ^ howr to givei good gifts unto your children ^ how much more shall your heavenly Father give unto them them that ask himi" But Yfhen the father became a tyrant , and the / mother t the

      orgot child of herwOmb , then their children werer compelled in self-defence to throw off tfteii : allegiance , to refu se to obey wicked and croel fathers and to do the bestthey could for themselves .- —[ Hear * hear . ] SubH . wai tlie case of the rich in the present day . The 43 d of Elizabeth had acknowledgea &e right of the poor to h ' ve in their native lani ! . With that enactment in force ^ the people had not theh ' tq meet as they have toi , meet now for the protecdOri of their last ' resource . It was enough under that law that a man waspcor . This being known he had a right to claim relief . —[ Hear , hear . ] This , however , was all gone by . The rich had monopolised the property of the ChurchT- [ heaE , hear , ] which ; was : iSVirriTiir * 1 lir 4 "r » ji T ^^ y ^^^ iij'i'T'i-if ¦/¦ Tir \ '~ t \ s \ siw * . *¦»» - » .-J " iTi « i-i . J % u t ~ a 'Jt

      -* " « - * i »*** t * j . * j nn .. j ^ ivi ^ i ^ i uj yi iUC jivjwi . j auu vUUo ) 1 ) 9 ^( Hi of fulfilling their own part 9 I the bond in the coyeiiant , they ] iad led the way to all the" present unhappy ^ feeling that how existed : and this at on * furnished the reason why-thousands and ; tens ' of thousands of the poor were nieetinig together and endeavouriiig to do that work for themseKes which the rich onght always to have performed , and thereby have preserved a feeling of mutual kindness , mutnal respect , and mutual security . He called upon ; the rich to come forward and j resume theit * ' office—tostep up and resume their duty . He : warned the rich that unless they would come ; forward and resume that work iii good earnest the time would . spon come when it would ; be too late . He wished for rib

      disturbance : all he sought was peace . He wished only to E reserve property in the hands ' . of ' its la-wful owners : e wished ^ to see the institutions of his country purged from evj > ry existingabuse , but at the same time preserved in all their pristine bea , uty and in all their majesty and glory .: He had sought for no change . Kp » one could ever charge liim with attemptingto impose any hew theory upon the public mind . Wheiiever . .-he ; haii stood before them it had been simply to call their minds back again to the law of God— -to the testimony of experience , to the charter —the old charier of their liberties—to / that constitution wiiich , was once the- pride of thw own country , " th'e-. envyy ' of surrounding nations and the admiration , of the worldj" and by the help of

      ( Jod "' . he wo . uld contiixue soto do . ( Loud cheers ^) But he did sincerely ask the rich for a moment to . contemplate it--if they dared to contemplate ithe did ask them to pause that night and ask themselves Avh ' at / would be the cohsequenceV pf the introduction df this law ' j , either in this district or iii any-other , where it niiglit fie introduced ? The Poor-Law Ainendment Act could not coiae into Manchester unless the book of God were taken from thcpulpit aiid tie ; Prayer . ^ oo £ ; 'from the reading desk of every Gliurch and Chapel of Ease in-the Empire . —{ Cheers . ] U they went to the Book of God ttcwould find nothing about testing the poor , investigations , scrutinies , scales ,, weight * , and measures , to ascertaiw , ; how little a man could eat and live .

      lliey would" nnd that in that Book all these thhigs were in the inverse . , In that Bpok charity was not allQwed to be understood in the sense of a boon given by way of indulgence , but it was inculcated upon thericblas a duty . —[ Hear , hear . ] MnStephens tnen proceeded to speak in terms of great abhorrence of the sephration clause . He said he had dfltained . theni longer than lie intended to do , but he thought lie . hnd § ome claim to be heard when he stated that though' he was not . a native of Manchester He had yet spent / the early part of his life in that to ^ vn , aiid-had : received the greater part pf his education at the Free Grammar-. School . He coiil 3 riot , however , "leave the meeting without telling them something more immediatelr connected wiffi

      hinisielf . The last time he addressed a meeting in Maiichesferv ho had been Informed on credible authority , that Lord John RTiS-sell had sent down a reporter purposely from London , to carry a verbatim report of what he said . : That it-had been whispered by the Boroughreeve and Constable of Manchester , that there were otiier gentlemen from the Gorenime ' iit in Mimch . ester ¦' . as -well as the reporter . But what was all , this about ? Why should ihe . ' Manchester (? wai *« 7 a «; tell him . that h * 9 might be arrested much Sooner than . he expected ? Why all this stir ? He complained not of that reporter . Lord John Russell it . lie liked ' might employ his secret service money for that and ' each like purposes ; He thought it perfuctly rieht that Government should know what

      lie said ; and if . Lord John Ratsell wanted tp know what he thought he would tell him plainly . and- he might keep his . reporter at home . As to the Glasgow spinners he -believed they were innocent ; and if they were guilty , he \ yas " sure tlie manufacturers of Glasgow and Manchester were much more . guilty than they could be . ; Had the charge been proved against them-r- ^ iad it been just ; to send them to Bptauy Bay ' , it ' would have been equally . fis : just . to send nine-tefiths of the manufacturers of fhe wliple kingdom . Had they been hanged ; : it would only hove . 'b ' e ' en'just ' . that-nine ^ should have ¦ ¦ dangled alono-side : of them ( cheert ;); , If Lord JohnRussell wanted to ' knowWhat ; he tbought ofthe New Poor Law , he would tell him plainly he

      thought it was tht law / of devils ,: and thatitpitgHt to be resisted to thedeath , . even , if the first main that might : be slaughtered in' opposing it / should be Lord : Joh-n Riissell himself . They ; had at Ashton coihe ta the . determination that wlien next March shbu ^ come , . tliey- ' would / vote no more , for GaurSians . Let tie man who yfould dare to . accept the office , of guardian take the conseqnences upoh his own head ; He told them this , bfi . cause he thought they ought to know ; . If it was . to come , let it come ; it should be an eye for aii eye , a tooth for a tooth , Hmb , for linib , Avifo for wife , ch ' ild ^ ^ for ; child , nianfor man , andblobd for blood —[ L 6 ud cheers]—so help their God and tlieir country . [ Continued clieers . ] Should the best feelings Of human nature tlnis . be torn asunder :

      he . kngw a law that . would be stronger" and mow |> o \ verful than : the . law of : tlie landj- ^ it waSthe law of / nature ; - He knew ; a . force inigBtier andmore resistless than armed policemen , horses feet ,, artillery or troops and dragoons . . . it was tlieforce ofthe ' tear trickling , frpin ^ - '" a daughter ' s ^ eye iV . tlie . sigh bfthe > vife of a vvorkingmau ' s b ' ' pin ^ . Thai force was ; the ; majric power that beamed . in . a woinaii * s-eye / imr ploringv begging , looking , through heir . team ; and darting ; the pointed slisfts pf- ' . natare' ' s : " . e ] bquence , t 0 ; the heart andvanh . of -heir , husbaud . diid excMmiiigr husband , husband ,- wilV you -suffer this ? ' mYi you allow the wife that ci ' m ripcent maiden ) , that caine to share the Joys . and sorrows of vouj' cottage—tlie .. womattthat . hasborne you these ch ' ildren-rtl ) -at hssbimed otheTs ^ thath ^ s wiped the -tear M ¦ sphro ^ frpni : ybxtr : eye yaTiiJ $ e sweat Of ansfiiish-. from" your brovr- ^ -the woman that

      has been true when all thingsi . else . were false- —kind , when allpthers have been uufeeliiig and relentless--tha-t ; has synipatbised with' your- sorrows , forgiven your wanderings--iw'hose / ai'ins 'havie always J > eeh opened to take ypti home , and ^ irsrliose iiinpce 11 *^*** has always , been joiir ; resting , pi ace ?/ . ' •' ' ' " -Ah . i :. si fv ' said ; he , '' can . ; gQvemnitmt ,- can . policemen ^ can armies—all the armies of . fiends —« : aii they stand against a ; . nation ' s . ^ ^ arin and a nation ' s grasp when woman ^ whea p i fr ^ own wives ^ aid danghtqrs lie imploring ' protection arid : ¦ . vengeuiice at our feet ? [ Tremendous plifers , ]; Once more theiij I register before ^ heaven , ' aud ^^ recoi ^ l before" youViriydeterniiuaT tion never in any way , in any shape , or at -any time , to Obpy thatlaw ; .: Tlie moment that law is . declar ^ d to be in opera tioii in Ashton , the moment my ^^ office ^ fts the people ' s . leader anid guide , ; is at an . end . ( Repeated and loiig cpatinucd cueering . ) > - ;¦ i > v \;

      MrV THOjiAt'FtEtflEX / jiipved the . ; next , . rgsolu ^; tion , which « " £ ts secOBded'by , i \ Ir » CffiOG v after ' jwhieB , , Br . JFtETCHER dt ^ vered ; a ; shor ^ addyess . : Tb ^ iie ^' resolution , which ^ ^ relttted' to ^^ the adoption of the . peti- . tion , waamo ^ ea W Jlr / Hodg ^ t ^ and si ^ bn ^ d . ^' Mr . Glje ^ . ' ^ A '; yote of ^ ank sl ^ I then pr ^ Mr . PiTitmkwtytWNti ^ advocacy of the rights / of the pe *> ple ^ vhichWaj ^ i-ei sppnded to ' by ^ ^ thrsie ^ hearty . ;^ liee );^^ tofe : » ftll 8 tnitk ' . ' .-wa ^ -then giVe n to ; the chairmiihi and aftert ^ irii ? g > tliree ' cheew for , Q'Coiriorv ; thTe > fpp . Stephonsj jtbce 0 ; forGa ^ tJer , &M . ti ^^^ ^^ S i ^ njeB ^^ separated ; at yearly tweivev ; o ' cjocki / , ,.: . : ; , ,,- ;'; r v-

      Anti-Poor Law Proceedings ,. At ^Manchester.

      ANTI-POOR LAW PROCEEDINGS ,. AT ^ MANCHESTER .

      Untitled Article

      ' Febrctary 10 , 1838 . :, . .. . .. . ' : - ' .. - --.- / . ; ; . ,..-. ' - THE ? N-QR . fr H E ^^ ^ ^¦ ^'¦ S : \ W ^' ^^

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Feb. 10, 1838, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct340/page/7/