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THE JN T OHTHEEN STAB,. SATURDAY. MAY 15, 1841.
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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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GREAT MEETING AT EDINBURGH . SIGNAL VICTOUT ACHIEV . ED BT THE CHAET 15 TS OVEB THE COKBIXED FOECES OF THE COES LAW B £ - PKALBSS ASD FINALITY 'WHIGS , AKD BASK CO . V DtCT OP THE LATTEB . The Edinburgh Ciique , a 3 is well known , is the polar s ^ r of the pany throughout Scotland . No sooner d » the gentry in Downing-street hoist » flag of distress , than their faithful" followers in Edinburgh endeavour to beat up the steam ; and , if they succeed , the minor cliques follow the example , Hitherto the party hare been m part divided-the great body of the Repealers standing a ^ oDf from the tribe of lawyers and jobbers , whose only end notoriously was—place . But , on this occasion , a bond of union was formed between them , and a proj-ci was concocted to get up a meeting which would at once act as a repeal meeting , and a " keep-in the- Whigs" one . How the worthies sped we shall now narraw .
The first notica of their more was bad on . Sunday morning , ( the 9-h , ) when placards appeared , announcing ** a public meeting of the inhabitants , " to pass a rote of confidence in the Government , and approval of measures for " a total abolition of the Corn Laws / ' This meeting was fixed for Monday , tae 10 th , ( the next day !) and at one o ' clock , in the forenoon !! Tfeese facts gpeak for themselves . By keeping their bilis concealed till the Sabbath , and ciliing the meeting for the very next day , they expected to stead , a m « ch upon ihe workies , ani the
ruse of tbe hour is too stale to need comment . In addition to this , a meeting of the Guildry . was called at eleven , that the worthies might thence walk to the scene of action . The meeting was called for one , but the infamous scamps sent some 400 or 500 circulars , prirately , to their friends , urging them to come at twelve ! So much for the "Whig tactics . The Chartists , on the other hand , did their best to bring up their hands , and published a bill on the Monday morning , detailing the nefarious projects of the Whigs , and urging the fustian-jacket
forward . The even : ful morning came ; the clique looked unutterable things . They had not the shadow of a doubt but all was to " go off" as they wished it . A posse o : " * blue coats" were stationed at the Assembly Rooms , where the meeting was to be held , to awe ths "mob . " It so happens that there is a private entrance to the place of meeting ; the Whigs availed themsfIves of this to admit the Guildry and the " circular" friends , who came at twelve , while the " workies" who came at that hour ((' or the secret of the circnlar ooz ; d our ) were kept at bay by the "bluebottles I" Meanwhile , the Whigs vrere picking the meeting by the private entrance-i At one the doors wtre opened , the "jackets" rushed in , and now commenced vhe tug of war .
Mr . Adam Black ( iate aspirant to municipal honours , and a notorious Whig jobbtr ) took the chair wiih the greatest complacency , and was proceeding to do the duties thereof amidst the greatest -uproar , when . Mr . Boylen rose , and moved ( after detailing the rascally conduct of the callers of the meeting ) that Mr . John Watson , a working man , and Secretary to the Chartist Association , do take the chair . The cheering and waving of hats that followed this absolutely astounded the Whigs , who saw at a glance that all their vile tricks had failed . After endeavouring to get the Chartists to agree to their
" man , " they became so exceedingly gracious as to throw poor Adam overboard , and to let them pick and choose from a mo of brother Whigs . The Chartists were not l « be done in that way ; they insisted for Mr . Watson . The show of hands was taken , James Ayton , Esq ., advocate , taking it for the Whigs , and ilr . Boylen for the Chartists . The latter had ro decided a majority that Adam and bij sattlikes upon the hustings , wiih a few exceptions , boited , , after a vain attempt to keep Mr . Watson from the : chair by physical : orce . A number of the Hustings' j "Whigs remained , a 3 did ail those in the body of the j Hall . Tiiere would not b-3 less than two thousand ,
persons present . The confusion that prevailed was gre&tr Upon j Mr . Watson taking the chair , amidst cheering from ! his party , they calmeddown , and forsome timenoihing j was to bo heard but the howling 3 , grawlings , and j execratkas of the disappointed Whigs . At thisstage i of the proceedings , Mr . Robert Lowery ( who had j been sent for by the Chartist Association on purpose ) ¦ made hi 3 way to the hustings , to propose the first j resolution . The Whi ^ s were determined to put him ; down by clamour of ail sorts—from the aristocratic ; whistle of the back , to " d—a him , put him down T i of the 1 &S 3 * ' respectable" cliqueur . Bat Lowery i was too old for these raw gentry . - He stood very j
patiently smiang in their faces for sometime most complacently , and then commenced addressing the reporters . Seeing this , the ** respectables" thought it best to hold their peace , and Mr . Lowery proceeded to deliver one of the most eloquent and certain ! j the most effective addresses we havs ever heard at a reeeiuue of that sort . He took them up upon two grounds . He shewed the absurdity of believing the Whigs sincere m iheir professions for a repeal uf ihe Cora Liw , s . ^ d the futility on the other ha-nd of repealiEg the Cjrn Lavrs , withon ; other concomita : ; : alteration ? , that nothing but the darter would Eecure . Hs .-ao-red the folly of working men" allowing themselves : o be m&de the mere tools of the other fa : iiun . s , and the necessity of concentrating their exertions npoa the single object of their own
emancipation . The writhings of the Wh'g > , who vvinc-rd dreadfully under his exposure of their misdeed * , was equalled only by the cheering of the Caanists , who were delighted to hear their own s ^ mimeuis done justice to in such a masterly manner . 3 lr . Lowery concluded by proposing tbe following resolution : — " That from the past conduct of ihe Whig miuktry —conduct which has been uniformly characterised by nothing but falsehood , imbecility , aadtyranny—we are convinced that any professions they may now find it for their interest to make , are simply to rais « public sympathy in their behalf , for ihe purposs of aiding them in a weakness to which their own conduct has reduced them ; and th . it ws hereby declare our utter waat of confidence in them as legislators . "
Tae resolution was seconded by William Giorer , Esq , M . D . and F . R . C . S ., who shewed the pre .-em move of the Whigs to be simply a base electioneering trick . The Dieter having concluded , James Craufurd , Esq ., Advocate Depute fi . e ., Barrister-at-Law and Q . C . ) rose to moTe an aniLiijment to the following effect : — " That this m ? et ; r . ti approve of a repeal of the Corn Laws , and have full confidence in her Majesty ' s Government , " or ' wcr-is to that effect . Iii support of this he dwelt at great length upon the usual topics with men cf his kidney —namely , the horrors of Toryism , aud the beauties of Whiggery ! " Keep out the Tones" and keep in the Whigs , wa ; the first , last , and great commandment—the Alpha and Omega of his creed . He wai succeeded bv another brother big wig ,
James Moncrieff , Esq ., Advocate Depute , wbo ¦ went on in a similar stra ' -n , adding some touches a ; to the advantage of " cheap bread . " He was satisfied ' * cheap bread" wa 3 a good thing , and so he might , for the fees are not to be reduced , and thtre is not to be " cheap" law . He lauded her Mjj ^ ij ' s Government in no mc 3 ? ured terms ; and conduced by seconding Mr . Craufura ' s amendment . Taw love -which these two Learned Gentlemen bear to her Majesty ' s Government—a love which lebiheiu to demean them ? e ! ves so far as to address a plain working man s . s *• Mr . Chairman , ' "' is ea ^ i-j accounted for , wlienvre inform the English reader ihai
the offices they a : present hold are the first of a series of regular gradations passed taro <; gh by favoured individails , who ultimately -laud on ihe bench . They are in the pay of the GuTerumen ; already , and hope , ere long , to be still fur . h . r therein . No wonder they should see the nuiier of " Keep in the Whi ^ s" in a more favourable light tbau did the majority of their hearers-3 ir . Lowery replied briefly . His reply was truly a clincher . The vote was taken , and a . large majority declared for the resolution . The . poor big wigs slunk away wonderfully crest-fallen , while the Chartists proceeded to give the usual cheers for the-Charter , and peaceabjy dispersed .
This victory is the more important than i £ may at firs : fight seem . Hitherto , as we have alrc-ati } remarked , there was a misunderstanding among 'he Whig party themselves . We defeated the rtpeaders , * nd we' defeated the " finality" or " k ^ ep in the Whigs" men , separa ' ely ; but to-day wo h ^ ye buaten them both united . We have crushed the ^ finaJiivrepeal" agitation in the bad ; and that mc ? t f-iFc ' ctuiliy . Never did we . labour under such disaurnEtages—never were we taken at so much unawares , and so unfairly treated ; and yet we conquered Not only bo , but her Majesty ' s paid servants , tho ? e who hitherto scorned to recognise us furtner thsa a ;
bo masy wild animals , who uniformly left the room when out chairman took his seat ; these lordly idlows now condescend to acknowledge oar chairman , to address him as such , and to abide byiiis decision ! Let our example be followed by other places , aud ere long these Whigs * haH see , in reality , what- it is to want the people . Their defeat must be ail the more mortifying that they cannot talk of " ob :-truetion , '' 4 c . They were heard fairly and - fully ; they themselves acknowledged as mnch ; they had the ; r ablest speakers too , and yet they lost ! This was their "lait kick , " and , in attempting it , thsj have , to all appearance , broken the limb .
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a poor , blistered-handcd , country bunipkin . Al ! men I view as beings equal in the sight of God ; equal at birth ; and , howeTer vain mortals may claim distinctions through life , death—in defiance of hereditary bubbles and funeral pomp—reduces all , rich and poor , to one common level ; therefore , I worship not man , though I admire some men ' s principles ; adore not riches , though I admit their utility ; nor do I fear any imputation which may be hurled at me , either through pitiable ignorance or malignant desiga . Though conscious of my liability to err in judgment , I have this consolation in reflection : my motives are to search after truth , and endeavour to establish universal jostic « for tbe benefit of the -whole of the human race . You , Sir , I hare been led to believe , from a few who -were personally acquainted with you , are a good , sound politician .
When . I saw your name attached to tbe Lovett , Collins , &c address , I concluded you , in connection with the rest , desired to effect , through your social kindness and sound reasoning , an amicable adjustment of all differences with all parties -who strivo to obtain the People ' s Charter , for the general benefit of our countrymen , and to demonstrate tbe absurdity of indulging in passionate invective , bitter sarcasm , and every angry feeling . You should have had my feeble assistance in your co-operation if such hvi been your intentions . Ansirer me : Is it so ? You commit yourself in your letter to the Sitn in tbe following extract I think very little of the social or charitable feeling you display : —
' Mr . O'Connor is welcome to the few imbecile creatures who signed the address , and then withdrew their names , —do they not require instruction ? When a time of persecution arrives , -who would trust the ten poltroons -who withdrew their names from the admirafcle address of Lorett , Collins , and others , at the dictation of Feargus O'Connor ? Who could expect victory in any cause with an army of ten thousand such men ? nay , if Mr . O'Connors association outnumbered the army of Xerxes , four or five hundred firm and honest men would defeat the mighty host , if it were composed of such men as the ten Beceders . "
I ask , -where is the imbecility in suspecting any plan having the marked sanction of the apostate O'Connell ? Are all his movements characterised by strict honesty ? Are not enticing baits laid to entrap the unwary ? la it an act of imbecility to suspect men ' s honesty—men ¦ whom you know not ? Are all men professing honesty sincere ? If your motives -were geod , why not submit ywur plan for public inspection—the merits and demerit * of which to stand the test of friend and foe , instead of making it a breach of honour to give it to the public and to return the address by return of post ,
lest you dnnk too deep of ita virtues , and become too good and too -wise , notwithstanding your consummate wisdom in arranging your plan , and your infallibilty as a social regenerator in condemning persons , some of whom you know not , as poltroons , imbeciles , &c , for thinking for themselves , not "bowing to a despot , " as you would have it You , in your letter , let out some honest or true expressions for the public gaze , for what intention I know not Your -wild cant , I think , is to secure those -who have not seceded , and your passionate invective seemes to breathe revenge .
I feel Bony you and I cannot harmonise in our vie ^ re . You are in prison ; I trust your mind has not been poisoned by false statements , and that ere long all honest men will fiad out one common road to obtain thiiir rights . If you suffer bodily for the purpose of raising the sympathies of the people for personal gain , I hate the principle , and pity the man ; hut if you suffer for principle , or good intentions , and are in any movement actuated from right or mis-directed zsal , I admire your good intentions , and should feel much more acutely for yeur sufferings . In the same light I view all other men—tven O'Connor himself ; therefore , I hope you-will see your error in suspecting that I , as one of the ten , bow to a despot , or act upon the dictation of any man , without judging for myself . Your well-wisher , A well-wisher to all mankind , And a primitive Chartist in the cause of human redemption , W . J . Osbohse . Abbey-street , Nuueatou .
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MR . JUSTICE PATTESON AND THE PUBLIC . " N ' ulli vendemus , nulli negabimus , aut differemus , ustitiam vel rectum . We have headed this article Mr . Jnstice Pattesos and the public , " because now , that sentence has been passed upon the offenders , we consider the case as regards them ended , the legal maxim being " execution is the end of tbe law : " but not so with the judge . He is a public servant , paid by the public , and for the purpose of doing public justice .
We use the motto of the Constitution as though we had one : or although every fragment of our Constitution may have been tattered , and though judges , for the present , may commit high offences with impunity , yet it is right jaud proper that Euglishmen should understand what the Constitution professes to guarantee , and in how far the udgeB are bound to obey it , and how far they do obey it . Leaving the noble offender and his distinguished associate then wholly out of the question , we speak of Mr . Justice PATTESON , a man paraded as a second Justinian , and revered as a saintly judge .
We commence by asserting that H we had a constitution , and if judges were amenable to it , or even to the maxims of law , or rules of common decency , Mr . Justice Pattesos should be impeached for the highest offence that man can commit . Let us , in addition to the able article in the Weekly Dispatch , upon the subject , begin where our contemporary left off . The Earl and the Captain , mark , the Captain—the commissioned officer whom we pay to fight for us , but not against us , commit a most violent , wanton , aud outrageous assault upon a policeman in the execution of his duty . The policeman ' s life was long in danger , and his health ,
it i 3 said , he will never regain . The culprits p ] ead # uihy . Lord Desman coquets . The press and the public take him to task . The Examiner leaves him not a foot of ground to stand upon , and literally proves him guilty of gros 3 prevarication before his brother Peers . Public opinion so far triumphs , that law is not to be sold for money , but Lord Denman is not to be sold by his Piers . The parties aie called up for judgment . Lord Denman , who knevr most about the case is absent , or is silent . Mr . Justice Patteson thinks that too severe a sentence would be a reflection upon the Cnie ' f Justice , who , no doubt , sanctioned a compromise , and therefore Mr . Justice Pattesqn ia satisfied to
allow the matter to remain in as much obscurity as possible , in order to screen Lord Dexma ^ v , and throw dust in the eyes of the public . Now , what doe 3 he do ? The prisoners ( we beg their pardon , tho Noble Earl and his friend , ) put in affidavits in extenuation , and in which they state that they were drunk . Noble defence ! Mr . Justice Pattesos says this is an aggravation of
the offence in a poor man . and of course must be looked upon as such in a rich man . Will the learned Judge , then , say what the sentence would have been , if not aggravated by this additional offence against law and morality ! But he makes a sad blunder . He says one of your companions , who was sober , ( a remarkable fact ) and who could ha-re corroborated your testimony , has not made an affidavit .
Now , we ask Mr . Justice Patteson , if the maxim is not that the best evidence capable of beiug adduced should be brought forward , and we aek if i-uch evidence as that of a sober accomplice would not h _ ve been the best which the nature of the case would admit of , and we ask if the suppression or non-production , of such evidence was not a further aggravation of the offence , and an implied acquiescence of the sober man in the truth of the several allegations with which his drunken friends stood charged !
In addition te the cases cited by the Weekly Dispatch of heavy sentences passed upon poor men , for very mitigated offences of the same class , ( assault upon the police , ) let us add one from our own locality . At the last assixes , at York , three men , Niehol-K ) n , Addiman , and Handley , were indicted for an assault upon Child , a Leeds policeman , a man that rakes more oaths at each assise and session than aU
the rest of the fraternity put together , a man universally despised and hated , but , however , perhaps , undeservedly so ; we but state facts . Now , what was the case ! Child entered a public-house where Nicholson , Addi mah and Hasdley were drinking ; he collared NjcholswN , without saying & word , and a scams ensued . Child being & very powerful man , and too many for his antagonist , Nicholson cried out to his companio — " Will you stand by and see me
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murdered , " whereupon a general scuffle took place , and Child got a blow on the arm , which he said was broke ; but from which he has suffered no bad effect whatever . The three were tried for the assault , ( which is literallystated above , ) were found guilty , and sentenced to fiptekk tears transportation . Now , does this require comment , and is there , or is there not , the mild spirit of the law for the rich , and the black vengeance for tbe poor ? But , suppose those prisoners bad pleaded guilty , would Mr . Bwron Roue have allowed himself to be blinded by a faulty or defective indictment , provided it was in every way legal , and sufficiently comprehensive to justify the prisoners being put
upon trial \ or would the law offiisers , in the case of the poor men , have left the Judge in doubt by a defective indictment \ No . But if the indictment had been meagre and scanty , and if the poor men pleaded guilty , what -would have been his Lordship ' s course I " Let me see thb information , and I wish to examine the policeman as to the amount of injury he received , and the circumstances under which it was inflicted , as nothing is more necessary than that 'the police shall be protected in the execution of their duty ;'" and then his Lordship would have thought it his duty to make an example of ihe poor men , to deter others from doing likewise .
Now , did Mr . Justice Patteson call for the information ? Did he astc for one word of information , or did counsel for the Crown , as ia ordinary cases , assure the court that he thought it his duty , under all the circumstances of the case , and after reading the information topressfor the very heaviest sentence that the law warranted , as examples must be made , if the people are expected to obey the laws 1 No , not a bit of it . Pooh , pooh , pooh ; its all a thimble-rig from beginning to end . It is not a mere local affection , but a tainted vein running through the whole system . The people have found it out and will soon put an end to it .
That we are not begging the question , let us just show , by contrasting the conduct of Mr . Justice Patteson upon the noble case , with that of Mr . Baron Holfe upon the poor man ' s case . Upon tbe same day that the Leeds men were sentenced , Foden , the Chartist , was also sentenced . Ho pleaded guilty , in the hope of a mitigation of punishment . What did Mr . Baron Rolfe feel himself " compelled bv duty to do ? " Why , to call for the informations and to give him twenty-ono months at hard labour .
Let the Chartists take the case of Hoey , CiuBrn . EE and Ashtoi * , two years at Wakefield House of Correction , without the slightest riot , outrage , or injury done , and having received the very best of characters , and contrast it with the sentence upon the noble physical forco gentlemen , ( no , Nobleman and Captain , we beg pardon , ) six months retirement from the bustle of town . Let our readers understand that the Queen ' s Bench Prison is a miniature town , where there are shops , hotels , public-houses and all sorts of amusement . No restraint whatever . A prisoner can get splendid apartments for one shilling per woek ; he may havo his family aud friends to live with htm ; he may live as he pleases , according to his means ; he has a post-office in the town , and the only
restriction is , that visitors are ordered out , or obliged to remain in if they do not go out , at nine out of term time and ten in term . Prisoners may remain out in town , or in a tavern , all night and every night—may do just as they please in erery respect . Now , compare six months in such a place for a Peer , with fifteen years' transportation for a poor man , who is obliged to leave his family and his homo , and , surely , if there is any justification , it is in such exses as we have cited , of resistance to a wellknown ruffian seizing one of three companions , while all must have been excited and ignorant of the provocation ; and , even if death had ensued , provided the valuable life of a bludgeon-man had not been the sacrifico , a verdict of manslaughter and six months' imprisonment would have been the most severe sentence .
Lot us just look to the affidavits put in by the much-injured nobleman and his Gallant Friend , in mitigation of punishment . The Noble Lord says ( swears ) as follows : — " That he is informed , and verily believes , that said defendant , William Duff , about this time , and be / ore any violence was done to said Charles John Wheatley , went away with one other person of said party , and left the place , and proceeded back to Strawberry Hill ; and deponent positively saith , that he did not see him , said William Duff , again , until he overtook him afterwards on the road between Hampton Wick and Strawberry Hill . " Captain Duff swears as follows : —
" That thereupon he heard the said police Serjeant Churchill call out to the said Charles John Wheatley , ' Take them into custody , ' or words to that effect , and thereupon the said Charles John Wheatley seizsd the said defendant , Earl Waldegrave , by the collar , and , after a short scufile , threw him , the said Earl Waldegrave , down upon the ground . Saith that immediately thereupon , he , deponent , assisted in gelling the said defendant , Earl Waldegrave , out of the hands of the said Charles John Wheulley , and then immediately went away towards Strawberry Hill , on foot , together -with another person of the party , and left the place entirely ; and th » t he , deponent , saw no more of the said Earl Waldegravfc , or of the said other persons who were with him , until they overtook him , deponent , on the road soou afterwards , about a mile on the road between Hampton Wick and Strawberry Hill . "
Now , we ask if ye 3 and no , ( not a lady ' s yes and ne , ) can differ more widely than the oatli 3 of the Noble Peer and his gallant friend \ But -whclre was the sober man ? Ah ! " there ' s the rub . " Well , but let us just ask a question . Did Mr . Justice Patteson ask for the informations of the policeman and did he read them ? If he did , he should be sent for two years to the treadmill , and if he did not , he should be sent off the Bench . However , as he has failed in the performance of his duty , let us supply the deficiency-Here then , we give the depositions of the policeman : —
" Sergeant Churchill ordered this deponent to look at tbe fly and see if there was any name or number on it . And this deponent went towards the fly with bis light for that purpose , when the four persons who had been standing by Sergeant Churchill left him and came towards this deponent , and one of them gave this deponent a violent shove -which almost pushed him to the ground ; that the sergeant then directed this deponent to take that person into custody , and fhe deponent did bo , and laid hold of him by the collar of the coat , whereupon the other three tried to rescue the prisoner from thiff deponent ; and this deponent saith that , in
the scuffle , he , ( this deponent , ) and the prisoner fell to tbe ground ; and this deponent called out to the sergeant for help , but he -was not there . Upon this one of the party commenced beating this deponent with a stick over the back part of the head ; that the stick was a sort of -walking-stick—a thickish stick ; that when they so beset him this deponent was lying on the ground , still holding the prisoner ; aud this deponent , whilst in that condition , was kicked on the head , and struck repeatedly on tbe head , and at last the prisoner got away from this deponent , leaving one of his boots in this deponent ' s hands . '"
Now , we ask but one more question . How WOULD A CHAllTIST HAVE GOT OVER SUCH A . DEPOSITION ? Answer—By going over seas for his natural life , if he had interest to escape tho gallows . This is a shocking affair , and must not be allowed to drop here . No , no , we have suffered already too much from the flagrant partisanship of the Bench , to lose an opportunity of exposing their impartiality and equal administration of the laws .
Let it be remembered also , that Mr . Justice Pattison is perhaps the most upright Judge upon the Bench ; what , then , must the rest be ? Ye gods ! how is there a poor man alive , beyond the asses , whom the masters require to work their " mules" !
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Now , we would recommend our friend to assemble the Cabinet and read the Northern Star , the Scottish Patriot , the Dundee Chroniolet and the Bath Chronicle to their high mightinesses ; for , in those journals they will see the popular will fairly and truly reflected ; and if they are in doubt about their position in Ireland , we beg their very best attention to the subjoined article from the Dublin World ; and if we are asked why we keep eterua ll y quoting the World upon Irish affairs , our answer is , Because the language of the World soon will be the language of Ireland—of all Ireland , in a very short time ; while we merely value the juggling of the Pilot , the Evening Post , the Freeman , and the provincial Bcribes as tbe rattles in the dying man ' s throat .
Corruption in Ireland is in a consumption , and the World speaks the language which , ere long , will be considered as far too mild , while the resusoitated old quacks will try to "kick the World before them . " But we trust , as our friend has got the lead , he will keep it , for assuredly his day will soon come , when the apostates will hide their heads for very shame , and when poor Bareatt will add another inch to his shirt collar ( at the expence of his back ) to hide his blushes . The World says : —
" With anxious solicitude d » we watch the growing unpopularity of the Downing-street tricksters ; and much does it comfort us to perceive that here , where their fraud has been too long practised with success , their doception is now beginning to be detected , and greeted with well-merited disgust . It was necessary that this opinion should become general before any change for the better could be hoped for , and we spared no pains to bring home conviction . For many a day were we viewed with an eye of suspicion , as not
being the sort of hack journal required , which would play fast and loose—be boisterous or dumb just as it suited the convenience of & few individuals—so we were accordingly set down iu private as dangerous and impracticable . This never had any effect upon us , and we proceeded to expose error and chronicle truth , until day by day disciples were flocking to us acknowledging with penitent tears , their blindness and obstinacy . Rejoiced are we to-d / iy to permit a stray sheep , the Tipperarp Free Press , thus to renounce its allegiance to Whiggery . ... ....
The Free Press says : — " But we must not forget that the avowal , and the principles so loosely thrown aside , had reference only to Ireland . That makes a serious difference ; and hence , we believe tbe calculation on impunity . The Government must have felt that having betrayed the Irish , and having commanded , notwithstanding , their support , the rest of the world would be indifferent about a matter which simply concerned a race so insensible to their own honour or shame . They
were right—at leas | our more recent history but too slavishly justifies their daring hope . The feeling is by no means new . It is not a misshapen abortion—the offspring of the defeat , and disgrace of those later times . It wa 9 avowed and acted upon in the palmiest days of Whiggism . Who does not rememot-r Mr . Macaulay's famous apology for the Coercion Bill ? And who does not shudder to remember also that it is to him , and such as he , the Irish people have been unreservedly trusting since ?
" What think you of that , MasterPigot—and coming from uiy backer , too ? But worse remains behind , ' and we must let you have another taste : — " At present there is among us a nondescript , ' neither fish , nor flesh , nor red herring , ' whose love of place , or vain glory , has absorbed the national character . Ask them what is to bo done now—they still answer , keep in the Ministers . To be sure keep in the Ministers , and keep out principle . B 3 tray yourself lest a Tory judge would pocket £ 5 , 000 a-year , and now and again bewray his own nest These people have innumerable « wise aaws' and very apposite apothegms . Take care , they say , lest you pluck a rod to scourgo yourselves . Excellent philosophy ! and we must
euiJure a self-inflicted flagellation every day in the year , for fear of some imaginary scourging from our enemies Thus it is , like cowards who die daily to avoid what must come at last , aud what the brave but once feel , we suffer ILe torture which we shrink from ; pooh ! the scsurgti they dread is the pang of baffled ambition . What trouble had it ndt cost us to inculcate such sound political doctrines- Havo wo not been employed lashing these " nondescripts , " and exposing the folly of tho selfish advice which recommended tho keeping out the Torits , tbat place-hunting barristers might be converted into judges . We will now step from the south to the west , and hear what the Castlebar Telegraph has to say . Bitterly anti-Ministerial is our Liberal Connaught contemporary , as this sample will
prove : — From the Casllebar Telegraph— " The ministers are highly culpable for the inconsistent , timid , and shuffling part which they played throughout this farce , and- deserve no longer to receive at the hands of the Irish people that cordial support which has been over rendered them . It has been urged that their apparent truckling conduct is solely attributable to their over anxiety to effect a settlement of the franchise question . This is the sheerest nonsense , aud we promise the ministerial , prints that it will prove rather nauseous for the people of the western province to swallow . We now use in vivid colours what chance we have of equal justice and equal rights . " We leave Con way , of the Evening Post , to try conclusions with the Casllebur Telegraph , and penetrate into Ulster .
From the Newry Examiner . — " Hitherto we derived the ¦ weight of our argumt-nts for Repeal of the Union from the strength of Tory hostility to Irish rights in the Imperial Parliament But we regrot to say , we are now furnished with an additional argument in the bungling imbecility of a Whig Ministry , to which Ireland has hitherto looked for friendship and assistance . " Do we need any additional evidenoo of Ministerial unpopularity ?— World . The World , in conclusion , asks : — " Do we need any additional evidence of Ministerial unpopufarity ? " We answer , " No . " We do not , neither does the World ; but yet , must not the World , though self-satisfied , relax in itB efforts to iuculcate tho wholesome truth .
Let any person now take our paper of last week , and read from it our opinion as to the effect likely to be produced in Ireland by the " New Move , " and compare it with tho sentiments expressed in the most liberal Dublin pap ' er , and the three provincial journals , heretofore most blind in Whig worship . The Free Press , Castlebar Telegraph , and Neuiry Examiner , are the most out and out thorough-going Catholic papers ia Ireland . Pigot is Member for Clonmel in the county of Tipperary , a Catholic , aud Attorney General to tho Whigs , and was the pet of the Free Press . Is this not conversion then with a vengeanca ?
As Ireland must be our battle ground , should the Tories come in and dare to oppress the Irish , it is indispensible that a good understanding should exist between the two countries ; and , in order to effect eo desirable an object , it is all-important that the English people should court a close alliance with their Irish brethren . This can only be effected by tha press . Let every association , then , at once make arrangements for pushing tho World . It has the most extensive provincial news of any Irish paper—it is the only one upon which the English and the Irish in England can depend . Let it be made the medium of communication between us .
We must have Ireland . We will have Ireland We half have Ireland already , and , when our Union is complete , then hurrah for the Charter , and no mistake !
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" THE DEVIL TO PAY . " Since our last the game has been kept up in the national hell with great spirit ; since Little John set his heavy stakes on Friday down to the fatal declaration— " the caster is out . " The Chronicle calls Lord John ' s speech a most " statesman iike speech . " If so , what . do we deserve , who predicted every topic in the said stateBmanlike speech ? In our last , we explained to our John Bull readers the whys and the wherefores of the new Ministerial move . In doing so , we charged them especially , with sudden conversion , forced by self interest , and not by conviction . Let us see how the apologists of the Noble Premier upon his part , and Lord John upon his own part , meet and combat this
grave charge . The Examiner , and others of Lord Melbourne ' s apologists , thinking but little of the business habits , attention to circumstances or knowledge of facts , would defend the Premier ' s right to be inconsistent at the expence of the Premier ' s judgment . In fact , the Examiner ia quite content to write his Noble Client down for a fool , in order to justify his right to change according to emergency . The Examiner says that Lord Melbourne knew absolutely nothing of what was passing J was wholly ignorant of the effect of his policy upon the general interest of the nation , until » sadden flash distolved his ignorance , and , atonce , and as if by magic , opened his eyes ,
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not only to the only resource , but even to the only one which he had denounced . Thus has the client been sacrificed to the malicious ingenuity of hia counsel ; his folly made palpable in order to place his inconsistency in relief . But what says Simon Pure ( Bamng ) upon the subject , which , as it formed the basis of his new commercial edifice , and which , as it was to be , not a mere sporting lodge , but a permanent residence ,
should have occupied his every moment of time What says he about the maturity of the plan ? Mum —nothing ; only that it was problematical , and he takes £ 500 , 000 for £ 700 , 000 , and £ 750 , 000 for £ 600 , 000 ; and the Corn Law , at a venture , he estimates at £ 400 , 000 . But all is problematical , and Exchequer Bills are to be the last resource—the Whig reserve . Baring doesn ' t say a word about his progressive conversion to this his own plan ; not a word .
But what says the real Simon Pure ! ( Lord John . ) Why , he says , " I deny tbat we have brought our measure forward either hastily or from Budden conversion . No , we informed the country of it as early as March last , and if you don ' t believe mo , you may write to his Excellency , the Governor General of Canada ; but , indeed , I have all his answers to my announcements , and highly approving of our project ; call you that secret } ' ! Call you that withholding the facts from the publio ! " ( Loud cheers . ) Now , let us see if there is one word of certainty in the letter referred to by the Noble Lord , and which he considers as ample notice to the Eng lish public , a copy of which Lord Sidenham , the Governor General , has kiudly transmitted to our office , and which runs thus : —
" Deab . SiDDif , —I merely add a word perssnal to the long public communication herewith sent We are in a pretty considerable tarnation kind of a pucker on this side of the water . How goes on the < honeymoney' between your two new wed provinces ? Do they begin to scratch yet ? " We cave tried everything this Session , and will , I fear , ultimately be driven to the necessity of adopting a bit of commercial liberality . Dan ' s tail is worn to the " We got up a very good round between Peel and Stanley , but the precarious state of Lord Derby ' s health deprived the plan of its chief merit—it caused no split
" We are very short ef cosh , and should we appear to sacrifico your subjects in our new project , not yet matured , you must convince them of ita beneficial effects , aud that it is merely preparatory to a grand commercial stroke , consequent upon your recommendation , and to terminate in their complete freedom . " Pal has come off with flying colours , but the shot has to be paid , aud Baring knows not where to get the needful . ' " Moi-peth has baited the trap for Ireland , and we mean to bait it for England , so don't be astonished if the very air should resound with our liberality .
" We shall not propose anything sudden , startling , or outrageous , if we can do without it ; but every effort , you may rely upon it , shall be resorted te before we commit the best interests of the country to Tory bands —be ready , therefore . Our plan is to placa thoraB in their road at home ; and as you observe the clouds to thicken , prepare all your combustible elements for a ' flare up' the moment we are out and you' are gone . "I still sit between Sir John and Little Dick , who sometimes speak across me , and who smell , as usual , strong of the crater .
" Mac has become heavy ; Pal too conceited to work j Baring is going to be married ; and only thinks how he can make both ends meet . So that I stand the whole brunt of battle . "Ever , Dear Siddy , " Yours , " J . Russexl . " Now , is thero onn word of information even in the foregoing letter to Dear Siddt ! Well , since the new project has been propounded , we have heard of nothing but the liberality of the Ministers , who have incurred a debt which the nation is not able to pay . The " liberal press" has put forth its full energy—tho Chronicle in town , and our neighbour , the Mercury , in the country ; and let us see what it all comes to .
The Chronicle mouths and mouths away all about nothing ; while the Mercury has actually a rhapsody on sugar—a song to the tune of" O , tis time , 'tis time , 'tis time . " The Mercury enumerates scores of grievances , one and all of which were to have been removed by the Reform Bill , but each of which has been considerably increased since its enactment , aud then the Mereury asks , "Is it not time to do this , and that , and the other thing V Yea , verily , in faith it is ! and Mr . Baines and his associates haviug failed to do those things which they so lustily promised , it is now high time that they cut their stick , and allow others to perform the work .
But the Mercury , not satisfied with the dull colouring which his best prose could give to the picture , flies into poetic raptures upon th ^ loveliness of sugar . " Tired nature ' s sweet restorer , balmy sweet . " " O sugar ! thou solaco of the toil-worn Blave . O sugar ! thou refiner of morals , sweetner of tea , and substitute for fermented liquor . O sugar ! thou moral instructor—thou sober man ' s charm—thou drunkard ' s reolaimer . O sugar ! what is life without thoe ? What is life but sugar , and what is sugar but the fullest enjoyment of life V Such are a few of our friends' encomiums upon the sweets of life ; while the blundering , prosy , old Grunticle tells U 3 flat , at once , that " sugar is the s > veetner of life . "
Well , but are not these sudden discoveries so many grave charges against the men who allowed our lives to be so long soured and our morals destroyed for want of this " nature ' s sweet restorer V But let us see how the matter stands . Our government , our " retrenching , " " reforming" government , did , in the first place , create so many placemen , commissioners , and other idlers as to put us in debt . The salaries of almost the entire of the governing staff , legislative , judidicial , and administrative , have either been raised , or stand at war price ; while the said staff can purchase , for their fixed salaries , just
five times as much of the poor man ' s labour ad they could formerly ; and what is the new scheme , if successful , to do for them in addition ? Why , to reduce the price of their necessakies of life , thereby increasing their incomes still further , while , to pay them , labour must be correspondingly depressed . Yes , timber and sugar are necessaries to the rich , but more luxuries to tho poor . Nay , timber is a thing not at all in use with them , and if the whole duty waB taken of tomorrow , not an operative in Manchester , or Leeds , or in auy other town in the kingdom , not even in Bolton , upon whose sufferings the Noble Lord is bo pathetic , not one , we say , would pay the fraction of a fraction per year , or per week less for his room , his hovel , or his sty ; while , if the experiment caused a defalcation in the
revenue , which is more than probable , the wealthy would have all the benefit of cheap houses , while the poor would be called upon to supply the deficiency . The upper and middle classes would save millions annually by a reduction upon sugar while the poor would not drink a cup of tea cheapo , and if a defalcation took place , the poor mast make good that , as well as all other deficiencies . The poor , says a master , how ! The poor pay no taxes . Yea , but they do , all and every tax ; and , as we have before proved , 400 per cent , for your direct liability Every master whose taxes are increased £ 200 annually , reduces his labourers by £ 1 , 000 annually . To the timber scheme , therefore , we say "fudge , " to the sugar plum , " bother , " and to the curn scheme , "flummery . "
Now , did the old dabB of 1832 imagine that Britons , deceived upon the question of the Suffrage , could be enlisted with a sugar-plum , and by the old faction , too ! Well but it would appear , from certain hints , that there was another last resource in the bed chamber , and that Sir Robert had got a very significant note , headed" Indeed then you shan't come under my dimity , Indeed then you shan't , nor into my room . ' Now , just one word as regards this refuge for the destitute Minister : We would implore him not t « embark the Queen in his forlorn project . We would pray of him to spare her who ha ? , hitherto , been
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a victim to his art , and , in time , admonish him not to attempt to sacrifice her to his lust for power love of ease , and vanity . Let her , at least , escape ? for although we believe our Premier to be the vert reverse of the character given to Mubat by Napolkon , looking upon him as a -lion- in the Cabin et bnt a woman in the field , we do yet trust that if * n have nothing to expect from his honour , we may rely upon his want of courage . We tell him that th , people will not stand a second bed- chamber plot " We tell him that while all allowance would t * made for youth , inexperience ? and sex , that u < j mercy will be shewn to hoary vice and systematic delusion .
If the Queen require a jester , let her have one by all means ; but not in the person of her confidential adviser and the cation ' s servant . The Queen it young . So was Maty . The Queen it a woman . & teas Mary . The Queen U young . So teat Lady Jan , Grey . The Queen is a woman . So was Lad y Jang Grey . The Queen is a wife . So uas Habkt ' i Queen Anne . The nation has stood much , bnt will not st and much more , therefore we say , beware , my Lord how you tempt the enraged people in so delicate a point as an endeavour to allay national impulse by artful simulation . It did succeed once , and yon triumphed . " Bnt , one such victory more and yon are undone . " Remember Stbaffobd and B ucking * ham , and many others .
The nation is out at the elbows , and the people are out of sorts . The Ministers risked a heavy stake and have " thrown out . " They will , of course , appeal to the country , rather than quit office that appeal has been treated , as coming from such a quarter it richly merited , with scorn and contempttheir mercy is looked upon as cowardice—their justice as caprice . No reply to tbe Noblft Lord ' s
invitation to meet and back us . Every meeting since held , has been defeated by the Chartists—the only powerful party in the State . With them the question now is , not who shall rule us , but which of the factions shall ve use to destroy its rival t and echo has every where answered , " Down , down , down with the base , brutal and bloodiest first , and see what effect the example will have upon those who come after . "
A 3 we predicted , the Whigs glory in their villany and in the people ' s ruin . They say , " We have made a job for whoever comes after us . " They bare , ia truth ; but they have prepared the country , at the fame time , for the worst . Thus matters stand , while the debate drags its slow length slowly on , thanks to Daddy Brother ton , to whom the Whigs now feel grateful . Yea , verily , they remind us of the infidel , who , upon going to be hung , when asked by the chaplain how long he would wish him to pray , answered , " O , for ever , your Reverence ! " Now , we believe
little John and his backers would talk from quarter day to quarter day , if they could only insure " the thing , you know" at the end . Well , poor Chroniclt is making the most of the short time allotted to him on this side the Treasury . Liverpool is the world , and the good folk of thai town met a week since , and appear to have continued their deliberation for seven long days , without even &n adjournment . But , alas , a Bea port is no place to muster effective " out pressure , " and Liverpool is
not England . Now if they could have got Manchester , then indeed ! But Kendal ! They have got Kendal . In the outset , the Grontioleshowed us the o at ' s paw , and in his very last number he has let the whole cat out of the bag . In fact , his columns have of late become anything but prison bars , and ail the secrets of the prison house have escaped through the open space . Now , wa pray the attention of our readers to th » following facts : —
In our last , we gave four bars from the Chrenide ' t first tune , and now we give the following from his last stanza : — He says , " Once more we say let the national creditor watch the conduct of the Tories at the present crisis as he values his property . " Now , what say our readers \ and let it be borne in mind , that we are now engaged in a mere comparison of evils . The Chronicle commences his airfield by reminding us that they ( the people ) owe £ 2 , 400 , 000 for the present year , and thenasks , callyouthatnothingt is that a bagatelle i says Old Grunticle . Why , the apish old ass , it is everything ; and who but the Whigs thought it a bagatelle 2 but who made us owe it and how is it proposed to be paid ?
Now , observe , we long since said that the consideration of Peel ' s Bill , the adjustment of the fuuded debt , should have been the preliminary question with the " Plague , " had they been sincere in their professions . Now , what says the Chrenkltt Why , in language as plain as the poor thing is master of ; just this :-FUND LORDS BEWARE ! IF PEEL COMES IN , HE WILL PAY THE £ 2 . 400 , 000 BY A TAX ON YOUR PROPERTY .
Now , if the £ 2400 , 000 must be paid , by no possibility can it be paid by any of the Whig schemes , otherwise than by a tax upon labour ; and , inasmuch as funded property has been increased alm ost beyond calculation , at the expence of labour , » nd inasmuch as it is the only property which can be taxed directly , without the proprietor s making labour indirectly answerable , as fuudlords employ no operatives , we say for these
reasons let the over-gorged disgorge for Whig STATE necesssity , £ 2 , 400 , 000 for Ike present . The foolish Chronicle , supposing that the white slave owners were sure upon an emergency , has thus thrown out a feeler for another class of Whig sup ' porters , but the feeler will so tickle poor Johnny as to make him burst his sides with laughter at the Grunticle ' s folly . Will no one fly to the rescue , and save these poor Whig 3 , from
leading journals and Scotch advocates ! We hope to announce that the " Caster has throw * ouf'in our next . Down with the"W < WiM , " andhnrrah for the Nottingham Chartists ? In all schemes for making hasty plugs to stop awkward holes ; bear in mind that the penny postage saved a million annually to the merchants , traders , and bankers , and that you are called upon to pay two millions annually in lien thereof . We say two millions , because Whigs always measure the people ' s debts by 40 s . in the pound . Hurrah for Nottingham , and dowm with th * " Bloodies !"
Hurrah for Nottingham 1 is now our watchword , and " down with the BLOODIES ! "is our war cry-Campbkll walks out of Edinburgh at all events ; and we have received many , very many , intimations of resolution to pay the Whigs in kind upon the first opportunity . We understand Mr . Baines will not again offer himself for Leeds , and we assure htm he wiil uot be again offered for nr Lbbps . Off he goes , and no mistake .
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"NEW MOVE . " We give , in our present number , several leng thy and elaborately-written letters by different parties , in justification of their signing the " new move document . The country will give to these sucJ > weight of consideration as inay be due . w have received numerous other letters and addressei to Fearous O'Cohnob and ourselves , condemnatory of the "New Move , " and of all who continue the *
connexion with it—some of them expressed ni Ian * guage of a warmer charaa ter than any we h ave ye inserted . We think the question has now been sufficiently argued . The opinion of the country is n to be mistaken , and the well-timed fau f . * Mr . O'Connor , which , in our present number , how forth the olive branch , will be considered probaw sufficient to justify our non-insertion of more wa > vidual communications on the subject . The reso alions of the people expressed at public meeting Will , ol course , always command our attention *» respect .
The Jn T Ohtheen Stab,. Saturday. May 15, 1841.
THE JN OHTHEEN STAB ,. SATURDAY . MAY 15 , 1841 .
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TO MR . HETHERINGTON . Dkar Sra , —My attention has been directed , by an acquaintance of mine , to a letter of yours that appeared in a London newgp&per , the Sun , evening edition . Jiuch angry feeling is directed towards the ten ssceders , the Kev . W . HiQ , and Feargus O'Connor . With respect to the latter two gentlemen I leave tbein to settle thtjiown account ; but ai I am one of the secedeis , IibkU take toeHb ^ rfXof asking you , presently , for toht " prtof of oui in $ »^ lity and cowardice . Before I pro «« d furthw , a *! r ^ &-to say I never attended an outdoor < 3 nttial m&Jj ^ f t * t once , and that was the c » Iy * flirft ^ f V f * jrjj ™ "Tll ^ i % y of btiDg acquainted "witlt , aiuTv ^ a 'wii& ^ biit ' . pni ^ ijopular Chartist agitator —in £ mK , -t |*< nr ^ p ^^^|^ ChartiiU St all , being " ~ 2 iiLi ^^ '' » 4- / ie ^' '
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THE "MORNING CHRONICLE" AND THE M STAR /' Fob the last week , the faee of our old friend has been covered , nay , nearly obscured , by beauty spots from the country , and even from Ireland ^ Every silly word written by " beardless boys" and ignorant brats , has been paraded as a sort of threat to the Tories and a balm to the Whigs .
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4 THE NORTHERN ST AK . . . . — = ~^
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), May 15, 1841, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct379/page/4/
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