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THE NORTHERN STAR SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1842.
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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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PUBLIC MEETING AT BATH , IN REFERENCE TO THE CONFERENCE . Elsewhere we hare given an account of what transpired at the Conference held oa Monday after * noon list , at Bath , by some Chartists , and a majority of those who cannot be called such , In regard to the declaration of Mr . Stnrge , in favoar of complete suffrage , but not the Charter . In the evening , such was the anxiety felt in this matter by the Chartists generally , and others , that the room of the National Charter Association was crowded to suffocation fcy persons expecting to bear something abont the result of the Conference , and the course pursued on that occasion by the Chartist leaders .
Mr . Bolwkxl was called to the chair , and opened the business of the meeting in a short speech . He statid-Bome of the particulars of what took place at the Conference , and said no man could be opposed to , or refuse signing , the declaration of Mr . Sturge , though he ( Mr . B . ) would not advise any person to jjive ap one principle of the Charter . Mr . BAETtETr was called upon to address the meetag . He said he never had feh more warmly than % e did that night on the subject which they had met to discuss . There was no man more devoted , or more sincerely attached to the People's Charter than be was ; and he had proved that devotion and sincerity by having goffered for advocating the principles which that document sets forth—( hear , hear ) .
He tad said that times were at band , which wo « ld try men's souls ; that the time had come for the Chartists calmly and delibera tely to consider what is the proper course they now shnuld pursue . He wanted to see a reconciliation take place between the middle class and the Chartists ; he wanted to see a powerful movement made in favour of principles—-some defined objects . And he would say the experience of the past—the state of English parties for many years , and the conduct of the middle classes warnea us against turning from the strai ghtforward path of right and justice—( cheers ) . The destiny of ages , the welfare of our species depended upon the issue of the present struggles ; revolutions were going on in the worJd ; they have saccessfully
been made in Spain and Portugal ; and in Yucatan the glorious principles of democratic Government had been established—( cheers . ) Why ! Because the people there stood honestly by their principles ; they fought the battle of justice , they crouched to no party , they were not misled by class interests ; they stood firmly to their principles —Cimmense cheering . ) And if the leaders of the Chartists act in this way ; if they be honest to their principles , and endeavour by calm and rational discussion to make converts to them , a no less important revolution will speedily take place in this country—{ cheers . ) We had arrived at an important crisis , a crisis that he had foretold , a crisis he had endeavoured to bring about—( hear .
hear)—a crisis , the nature of which must impress the Chartists with a conviction of standing firm as a rock . They had no doubt read the speeches made lately by Mr . Ferrand , speeches which contained much truth in regard to the motives which actuated the Corn Law Repealers ; but these speeches it must be understood , did not advance any argument against the justice of Corn Law Repeal ; they did not prove that the country was in no distress , nor that class legislation was no evil— ( hear , hear . ) These were evils ; and the declaration of Mr . Sturge did not set forth by what means these evils were to be got lid of . It denounced class legislation , and recognised "Universal Suffrage to be a right , as least the instructions did , -which those who
carry the memorial round the city to get it signed ware requested to read to those who signed it . Why not give sneh instructions in the memorial ? ' Why so vaguely word the memorial as to need instructions to explain what that memorial means \ It is a coybird designed to delude the unwary—( cheers , and cries of " We won ^ t hare it . ") But it was raid that if we agreed to the principle of Complete Suffrage , a conference would meet in Birmingham for the purpose of agreeing to details necessary to carry that principle into effect . Now , there were certain points in the Charter—one was a right , the others were matters of expediency , founded upon the opinion of their being necessary to give effect , permanency , and consistency to the principle of
Universal Suffrage—( hear , hear , hear . ) The details were in fact as important as the principle , the one wasiindispensably necessary to the other . ( Hear , hear , and loud cheers . ) fie had said that the middle classes would be driven by necessity into , the Chartist ranks ; and he now cautioned the working classes against being misled—he advised them to ? ursue the same honest course now as they have one all along . We were asked whether we would join the middle classes ! and his reply wai , no , unless it be upon honourable terms . It would bo wrong in us to sink down to the standard of those classes , because they entertain certain prejudices towards us , and certain absurd opinions in reference to our Charter . Would it not be better to endeavour , by
argument , by discussion , to bring up , or wait unti circumstances had forced them to come up to our standard\— (" hear , hear , " and cheers . ) He was not opposed to any class of people—be considered all mm to be his brothers ; but , permit him to say , that it was their duty—a duty they owed themselves and their country—to be upon the watch , to trust none bat themselves , and to unite with none but such as are willing to make common cause with us in the struggle for the Charter—( cheers . ) Let no . party have the power of altering the details of the Charter—( cheers . ) If a conference be appointed , let the delegates represent you—( hear , hear)—let them go according to your instructions , and not <* «¦ ¦ " > n the principles , by laying down their
own details . Mr . B . spoke for some time on this subject ; he went on to point out what is meant by constiiutioiial justice ; and next observed , that the issue of . tha pending revolution depended entirely upon the steps the people took at this crisis . He advised them to be jealous and watchful of the middle classes ; and take care , that they ( the Chartists ) be not defeated in their object . ( . Cheers . ) He wanted to see both classes united , but wanted also die union to be one of principle , and for nothing else . Let us keep that in view , and justice must ultimately prevail . ( Cheers . ) Mr . B . ' s speech was listened to with marked and solemn attention , and it appeared to have produced a powerful
impression . The above is but an outline . Mr . R . K . Philp made a long speech in the usual strain , and proposed the following resolution : — ¦ " That this meeting hails , with satisfaction , the declaration of Mr . Sturge ; bnt , at the same time , it win not cease agitating for the whole of the People's Charter . " Mr . Clabke , in seconding the motion , followed in the strain of the preceding speaker . He said that he coald not agree with Mr . Bartlett that Mr . Sturge ' s declaration set forth nothing definite : it did ; it recognised an important principle . Mr . Babtlett exclaimed that he had stated tHat the ** instructions" recognised an important right ; but that Mr . Storge was indefinite as to the details necessary to give ftat right effect .
Mr . Clabke continued—0 ! he did not understand that : yet he did think -we should not be jealous of the middle classes ; we shonld receive the overtures they h > d made us ., as being a great advance to the Charter . He was not for persons forcing their opinions upon others ; bnt he agreed with Mr . Bartlett when he said that all revolutions had been effected by independence of action . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) Mr . Roberts supportad the resolution in a speech of great length , but he advanced not a tittle of an argument in favour of the position he and his party had taken up . He here applauded Mr . Bartlett ' s
speech made at the Conference , which he said was excellent , and delivered in a manner that produced a powerful impression upon all present . He ( Mr . R . ) said , we ought to be jealous—to be watchful of the middle classes ; but he was not to be led by Feargus O'Consor nor the Star ; he was not to be tyrannised over by a dictator , and he was afraid that too many would be led away by the Star . ( The sarcastic manner in which this was nttered was evidently not approved of by the meeting . ) He thought that the Conference about to meet in Birmingham could be made to do anything , if the people were true to themselves .
Mr . Hopkixs , a sterling Chartist , asked whether the Conference was not designed to injure and defeat the objects of the National Convention ! And whether Sturge had not put forth his memorial with ' a view . of injuring the National Petition ! That Conference would want support . Mr . Roberts said Mr . Sturge , he had no doubt , would pay the delegates to the Conference . Mr . Bartlbtt said he thought that was an improper step , the people should pay their own servants and not Mr . Starge—( hear , hear . ) Mr . Roberts explained—he had made a mistake . The Chairman was requested by Mr . Bartlett to read the resolution again ; when he had done so , Mr . Bartlett suggested that the words' with much pleasure' should be introduced into the ' motion instead of * with satisfaction , ' as ke was sure no Chartists could be satisfied with Sturge ' s declaration .
, The suggestion haying been attended to , the motion in the amended form was put and carried Mr . Phillips made some few observations . Mr . Babtlbit now proposed the former motion he made at the Conference . It was seconded in a neat speech by Mr . Twite . Mr . ViscEXT rose to support it , notwithstanding Mb opposition to it at the Conference , and that too after he had called the motion a capital one . He went on in the same strain as did Mr . Roberts , and
with much warmth ; in a rage of passion he contended for the right of thinking for himself ; he would act as he thought proper , no man should controul him ; he would not be controlled ( so it appeared } even by public opinion . When he went to the Conference he would take care that the details of the Charter should not be set aside . ( Mr . Vincent refused to act on the National Convention—how is this ?) Mr . Vincent went on for son . e time , but advanced nothing more than what lad been before said .
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The motion was put and carried unanimously amid much cheering . Mr . Alderman Cris p thought certain parties were going too fast ; all they had been saying abeut the middle classes coming over to the Chartists was mere moonshine . He did think that there were many at the conference who were more in favour of Corn Law Repeal than any thing else—( cheers . ) The working classes should be on their guard—but they should sign forge ' s memorial This speech does not place Mr . Crisp a colleagues in a very plausible light , it makes their whole conduet appear strange , passiag strange . . The < 3 * * trv * w after making a few remarks dissolved the meeting . The Chartists of Bath are not to be humbugged , they know their duty , and they will perform it , whatever their leaders may do .
The Northern Star Saturday, March 12, 1842.
THE NORTHERN STAR SATURDAY , MARCH 12 , 1842 .
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THE "PASTE" DAUBERS AND THE " DEVIL'S DUST" MANUFACTURERS . Last week we inserted as full a report as we could procure of Mr . Busfzbld Febrand ' s second speech expository of the tricks and frauds resorted to and committed by the " great" manufacturers , both in the cotton and woollen districts . We did so , because we wish the readers ef the Northern Star to be in possession of the revealments made by the member for Snaresbro' as to the practices which are ruining the character of the nation in the
estimation of the foreigner to whom we offer our trashy goods for sale . We have heard a great deal said about " foreign competition , " and about the necessity of so " cheapening production" as to enable us to maintain our "foreign trade ; " we have beard a great deal more in the way of complaint , that , spite of all oar efforts so to " cheapen production , " our M foragn trade" is leaving us ; that we are being beaten out of the continental markets ; that we are being followed into distant neitral markets ; and that even , in some cases , we have been successfully competed with in our own home markets . We have heard a great deal said on this head ; and the world is now made acquainted with one of the
causes why " our present productions , " " cheap " though they be , are rejected by those who have once tried them . Is it likely that either the foreigner or the home dealer will take from us our " pasted calicos" or our" devil's dust" woollens , if they can either make better for themselves or purchase from others good and substantial productions ! Is it likely that they will consume our calicos , made up with " stiffening" and " paste ; " or 'our woollens made up with " mun-go" and flour , after they have once put the one into the wash-tub , or had the other in a shower of rain ! Are these the sort of productions that are to ensure to us the markets of the world \
That our readers may be able to know Iha full extent and nature of the revealments made by Mr . Ferband , as to these and similar practices on the part of our H great" manufacturers , we have given all that has been said in " the House" relative to them , both by Mr . Febband himself , and those of the organs of the " great" manufacturers who have tried ' to rebut his statements . Our present sheet contains a report of a rather curious " debate" or " talk" about Mr . Ferband ' s charges ; a "talk " led-off by Cobdkn , the Stevenson ' s-square
bludgeonman . This "talk" we have given , as well as the reply by Mr . Ferrand , on Monday evening , to Mr . Cobdsn , and to the averments ot the document read to " the House" from " the Plague" manufacturers by Mr . Villters . To the report of these proceedings , we beg to call the especial attention of our readers . In that report , they will find much to amuse—much to instruct ; and much of which to be ashamed . They cannot but be amused at the adroitness of Cobden ' s manufacturing a chargo of crublty ; and indignantly rebutting that , while he left the real charge untouched ! They cannot fail to be further amused at the barefaced attempt of the Manchester
" Plague" Manufacturers to rid themselves of the whole of Mr . Ferrand ' s charges , " PASTE" and all , by simply denying that they practice the truck system ! These adroit attempts cannot but amuse , while they also instruct as to the tactics of the * ' Plague" men , and the meannesses they will descend to to serve themselves , or gain a point . But while these things thus amuse and instruct , the revelations m » ie to the whole world , a 3 to the means of deception and fraud practised by the English trader for the u t&king-in" of the stranger and imposing upon the unwary , must make the ears of every Englishman who values his own character and that of his country to burn with shame !
The charge against Bludgeon Cobdkn wa 3 , that he was constantly in the habit of representing himself and the " great" manufacturers whose mouth-piece he was , as being RUINED by the operations of the Corn L » W 3 ; that they were losing money constantly " by carrying on their concerns ; " that they were on the verge of bankruptcy—all but in the Gazette ; and that , while he was making these representations ; while he was describing himself as being RUINED in bis trade , and as sacrificing his " capital" daily by employing "his hands " : the
charge against him was , that , while he was doing this , he found his business of calico printer so profitable , and his love of money-making so great , that he run his works at Chorley both day and night ! and that , spite of the operations of the Corn Laws , immense fortunes had been made by other manufacturers , who were notoriously known to have had nothing when they began business ; that the Messrs . Marshall , of Leeds , had accumulated more than two millions of money ; and that the Manchester League-men
actually boasted that they were able to buy up the aristocracy of England . This was the charge made by Mr . Febband against Cobden . How did Cobden meet it 1 By trumping up a charge of cruelty against his workmen , and rebutting that ! Not a word does he say about his former representations of RUIN ! Not a word does he say about the " large" fortunes ! Not a word does he venture in explanation of the fact , that those who so loudly bawl for a Repeal of the Corn Laws to enable them to stave off RUIN , also publicly boasted that they
were able to buy up the aristocracy of England ! Not % word does he drop about the "two millions" of money said to belong to the Messrs . Mabshall I Not a word on these matters ; but a charge is replied to which was never made—only by himself !! The charges made against the manufacturers as a body , aad against the " Plague" portion of them in particular , were , that they are in the habit of "BATING" the wage 3 of their workmen , { especially combers and weavers ^ when they take their work in to the warehouse ; that overlookers are appointed
for that especial purpose ; that these overlookers have a per-eentage upon the amount they thus rob from the worker ; and that the labouring poor have no alternative but to submit to these robberies , or starve . It was also alleged that the " truck system" is greatly practised ; that the manufacturers do not do this openly ; that they do not , of themselves , pay wages in goods ; that they pay their workmen in money , but that thess same workmen have to depart out of the counting house by a door which leads to the room where the " shopkeeper" is stationed ; and that the workman well knows that if he does not spend his wages with this same " shop-keeper" ( who in most instances
is related to the proprietor of the " works" ) , he would be discharged from his employment . It was also alleged that many of the mill-masters have built cottages near to their mills or works ; that when a workman applies for work , if one of these dwellings is empty , a key is given to him , if the manager decides to " set him on f that the workman well knows that this means he must live in the empty house , and pay the rent demanded , or have no work ; and that that rent is so excessively exorbitant as to amount to ten per cent , upon the outlay 1 It was alse charged against these same manufactures , that they are extensive users of flour for disreputable and fraudulent purposes ; that they
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expose their woven fabrics to a stretching process , and while so stretched fill the interstices with " stiffening , " or flour paste , and dry the whole by passing them between two larga heated rollers , which give to the calicos so operated on , a deceptive finish , & slip , thick , and heavy feel , all of which vanish the moment the fabrio comes into the waah-tub ; and that nothing bat a light , thin , open , flabby inferior calico ia left in the place of what appeared to be a piece of wellmade doth . It was also alleged that the manufacturers of woollens are in the habit of using filth of the worst description to mix . up with the wools oat of which they manufacture their cloths ; that woollen rags of every description are sought up from
all quarters , toro to pieces by a machine appropriately termed a " Devil , " and reduced to stuff something like wool in appearance ; that this " Devil ' 8 dust , ' as it is called , is extensively used in the making of blankets and other woollens ; that it is mixed with the new wool used in manufacturing cloths ; that this disgraceful and infamous practice deteriorates the cloth so produced ; that it involves the national character , making us appear to those we impose it upon as a nation of cheats and rascals ; and that it is to these practices mainly , and not to the operation of the Corn Laws , or to "foreign competition , " that we are to ascribe the loss of our " foreign trade "
Such were the charges made against the "great " manufacturers , and against the " Plague" portion of them especially . How have these charges been met ! By the denial on the part of some hundred of the " large" cotton manufacturers in the " large" towns in the cotton district , that " THEY practice the truck system ; bnt that they pay their wages in money ! " ( And this is trumpeted forth as a complete answer to the " slanders , " as they are called , of the Hon . Member for Knaresboroagh 1 The denial of one of these oharges , ( that relating to
"truck , " ) is held by the organs of the "great " manufacturers as a denial of ALL ! Not a word do these same virtaous cotton-lords say about the " paste" ! Not a word about the " batements" I Not a word about the " deviVs dust" J And not a single syllable about the cottages and the ten per cent ! And yet they have successfully rebutted the " slanderous" charges made against them by the foulmouthed Mr . Febband ! ! At least , so say the Whig papers , from the Chronicle downwards . The people of England , however , will think otherwise J
It will be seen that Mr . Villiers , when bringing the denial of the cotton lords respecting the truck system before "the House , " endeavoured to fix upon Mr . Febrand the charging of this particular charge , the " truck" system , upon all the manufacturers who are members of the Anti-Corn Law League , This is also attempted by the Whig press ; and the Chronicle quotes , most dishonestly , a portion from Mr . Ferkand ' s speech in support of this position . The fact is , that the portion quoted was spoken after ALL the charges bad been made ! and of course included them all . What is true of one man may not be true of another man . A manufacturer who " bates" according to the system
exposed by Mr . Fereand ( and it is a system , we well know ) , may not adopt and practice the "truck " system . Another who " tracks , " may not exact ten per cent , in rent for his cottages . Another who uses the " stiffening" process in his calico making , may not , and most likely does not , use the " devil ' s dust , " because he does not make woollens . And yet it would be just as honest and as near the truth to affirm , that every one of these practices were charged upon every single manufacturer , whether in the cotton or woollen district , as it is to say that the truck system was so charged !! Ah ! Mr . Villieks , and Messrs . the cotton lords , the people of England will see through and appreciate your artful dodge !
We have said that the "BATE MENT" system described by Mr Febband is a system . We repeat it . We know it to be so . Thousands of pounds of the hard-earned money-of the labouring people have been robbed , filched from them by its means 1 The " cottage" system is truly described too . We know of many instances where it ia in full operation . Let the " great" manufacturers get a Committee of Inquiry appointed , if they dare I and some strange evidence will be adduced as to their practices on this head . Let them get the Committee by all means !
All that has been charged upon the cotton-lords respecting the PASTE is true , and a great deal more . There is scarcely a piece of calico manufactured now-a-days without " stiffening" being used upon it . It is a roguish fraudulent practice . It is cheating in its worst form . By its means the cotton-lords are able to impose upon their customers what appears to be a well-made and really good article of manufactured produce , which in the wear turns out to be the veriest trash . A remarkable instance of this practice , and the way in which parties may be deceived , and are deceived by it , came to our knowledge
this very day ( Wednesday ) . Calicos are finished by the Paste and Callender process , so as to imitate Irish Linens . It will take a judge of fabrics to distinguish the one from the other ; or rather , he must be a good judge who is able to say that the piepared calico is not linen when it is placed in his hands alone . It is thoroughly deceptive in appearance . It is made up into rolls in the manner and © f the lengths of Irish cloths . In the instance we speak of , a piece of this description was offered for sale by a " hawker" tj a person in Leeds , a warehouseman in a woollen establishment . It was
represented to be " IriEh Lin ., " and the sum of 2 s . 2 d . per yard was asked for it ; and after some haggling , Is . per yard was bidden for it , and taken ! The purchaser took his cloth home to his wife , congratulating her on the bargain he had made . Enough for a shirt was cut off . As is usual with all good sempstresses , it must first be subjected to the wash-tub process ; for " it will sew much better when the stiffening is taken out . " To the wash-tub it went : and , sure enough ! the "stiffening" did come out ! Nothing remained of the " Irish Lin ., '» when it left the trash-tub , but a piece of calico
that would be dear at sixpence a-yard ! ! For this fact we can vouch . Lying before us at this moment on our table are samples of this very cloth , both before washing and after . We know the man who bought it ; and we know there is not a man in Leeds , gentle or simple , whose word would be sooner believed either by hi 3 employer ( who is in an extensive way of business , ) or by others who know him . The man who sold the cloth we do not know , or we would soon try to have him laid by the heels
as a cheating vagabond ! We advise all into whose hands this Northern Star may fall , to beware of this practice ; and if any person , either hawker or anything else , offers for sale such stuff as that we have been describing , and represents it to be "Irish Lin ., " we advise them to give him into custody at once , and appear against him with a charge of obtaining money under false pretences . We are sure such a charge , under such circumstances , would hold good , or justice has departed out of the laud along with national trading honour .
The samples of cloth we have spoken of as being in our possession , both in its stiffened" and UNstiffened state , we shall be happy to shew to any one who may feel curiosity enough to wish to see them . They are fully illustrative of the practice of " pasted" calicos , as described by Mr . Febband . Immense quantities of flour are used by the cotton lords in this cheating and roguish process . Now mind : flour has always been used in the
manufacture of Cotton cloths . In fustian and calico weaving , before the warp is ready it must be dressed . In dressing , flour paste ia applied to the stretched warp by means of brushes ; and then a red-hot iron is quickly passed over it , or other speedy means of drying resorted to . This process has always been adopted and in use : and it is not to this that we object . This is necessary to enable the warps to be woven . It is to the practice of using more paste , after the fabrics are woven , that we apply the terms
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cheating and rascality ; and it is against this waste of the best prodact of the soil , wheatenflour , that we enter our , protest . It is a complete and unmitigated waste . Hundredsof thousands of . bags of flour are thus annually thrown away ! and the parties who pursue these practices are continually bawling out for " cheap bread for the labouring poor" ! Ah ! they want / o « rp « A ? CHKAPBB than it nowifl . ' 1 The charge respecting the use of DEVXI / S DUST , " and the detail of the practices resorted to by the manufacturers who use it , as detailed by Mr . Ferrand , fall far short of . actual truthT The
" doings" on this head are absolutely incredible ! There is scarcely a single Blanket , or * lowpriced Carpet , or a * Padding , " or » tow "Petersham , " or a low ?• Pilot cl 6 thj or a kersey , " manufactured throughout the whole West Riding of Yorkshire , in the making of which this horrible filth is not used I And this is n « secret . It is openly boasted of . Go amongst the manufacturers mix with them at their inns on the market days ; enter into conversation with them on these heads ; and yoa will learn from them that the practice
is almost universal ! Fancy goods , too , as they are called ; especially those made for trowsers-wear , are not free from this infamous " raw material . " In the manufacture of the lower qualities of them , it is extensively used . Indeed , there is hardly a piece of woollen cloth manufactured now-a-days , into the composition of which this filthy " policement , " does not , more or less , enter , excepting the fine qualities . And even in the manufacture of some of these , things are used up which in the days when cloth was made to weak and not to sell , was never used at all 1 ? ¦
And what is this "DEVIL'S DUST' '! Filth of the most abominable description . Rags of all S Drts , and after being used for all purposes , are submitted to the action of the "Devil , " which tears them up completely , and produces a sort of stuff , something like light or open flocks . ThiB is mixed with the wool in various proportions ; and the mixing of the two is technicallycalled " ablend . " Go into Dewsbury ; and ask any clothier "what is the proportion of wool for a five-pack blend ! " and he will instantly give for answer an aneodete respecting a manufacturer , who took the wool in his pocket when he went to make a blend of that quantity ; but who forgot to put in the wool , and carried it home again , remarking that the wool would do
for another time , and that he would only hare to use a little more flour to enable his "blend" to do without it . This , no doubt , is an exaggeration ; but the statement bo unblushingly and instantly made in reply to the query above given , proves that the practice is universally known ; and that the proportion of "devil ' s dust" is far greater than the wool in many of the articles manufactured from it . And it is true that flour has to be used in this manufacture . When cloths are made , in which a great portion of this stuff is used , flour is flung into the fulling stocks to enable the piece to hang together , and to mill ! Unless this flour was so used , the filthy stuff , devoid of staple and thoroughly rotten as it is , would fall to pieces in the " stocks , " and wash away with the water 1
Rotten and dirty worn out rags , however , are not the only things used for this purpose . Strange and incredible as it may appear , it is a fact that in the manufacture of blankets , cow-hair is most extensively used ! It is used in the making of all the lower and middling qualities . It ia blended" with the' Devil ' s dust " and the wool . -Let any one make inquiries at Dewsbury and Heckmondwike , the West Riding blanket manufacturing district , and he will fiad that what we have stated is the fact .
" Fud" or the waste from the ordinary processes of making woollens , is also used . This is of different degrees of quality , according to the process by which it is made . The best sort of it is collected by dealers who g » round to the different manufactories , and who , after some slight dressings up , offer it again for sale under the name of "Shoddy . " In Leeds we have a building called the "Shoddy Hall , " where nothing else is offered for sale . It is open on Market days , just the same as the Piece Halls ; and the dealings in the article have become so important , that the business done there is weekly set forth in the newspapers , under the head "Shoddy Hall , " just the same as they give accounts of the business done in the two old established market-places , the two l * eds Cloth Halls 1
By far the greater proportion of the waste made in the manufacture of woollens has been deemed of no value whatever , except latterl y for manure . Hundreds of thousands of cart-loads of it have been suffered to wash down our rivers , not being deemed of sufficient value to incur the expence of removing to place it upon the land . Some little time ago it was found that the great quantity of oil which it imbibes by lying under the machines , and from being used to wipe away the superfluous oil occasionally , rendered it very serviceable as a manure for some purposes . It is much used for
the growing of hops in Kent and the other hopgrowing counties . We presume it is mainly obtained from Wiltshire for those places . Of late years it has . been extensively used in the West-Riding as manure , both for grass , land : and for ; cultivation , when mixed with soil and other materials . And it ia a fact , stran ge as it may sound , that after it has been soused ; afterit has laid upon the land for a whole season ¦; after it has been used to grow a crop of potatoes , or turnips ; afterit has grown a crop of hops ; it . is a fact that AFTER it has served th ^ se purposes , it has been gathered from tub land
AGAIN , TAKEN EVEN FROM KENT TO DBWSBURY , SUBMITTED TO THE ACTION OF THE "DEVIL "AND MADE INTO WOOLLEN CLOTHS ! ! ! Every field iu the neighbourhood of Dewsbury has been raked over and over again ! When this . vpart of the dirty business was first started , parties have been known to go by night into their neighbours ' fields , and rake up all the waste laying on the surface , and to carry it away ! These facts we are in a condition to prove . We shall be glad if the " Plague" manufacturers dare to call for a Committee of Inquiry !! 0 ! yes , let us by all means have the inquiry ! !
We know a person , not long ago an inhabitant of Dewsbury , who went up into the neighbourhood of Sowerby Bridge , and induced the occupiers of the land there to rake up all the woollen waste of this description from their fieldsi They did so , for the price he offered for it was a sufficient inducement . He got as much as loaded three boats . He took the dirt down the canal to Dewsbury , sold it there to the K Ddvil " -men , and pocketed above £ 50 by the transaction !
Not long ago a person whom we know was in one of the Market Inns at Bradford . Amoagst the company present , in the " Commercial Room / ' was an aged man from Ossetfc , a village in the neighbourhood of Dewsbury . He was a clothier ; and had beside a small bit of land . The conversation happening to turn upon this infamous cheater ? , the Ossett clothier detailed , in . open company , many of their practices . He bore / testimony to the truth of the flour being necessary to " make their pieces mill . " He also bore testimony to the use of rags and waste of every abominable description . ' He also told that he had himself sold woollen waste to be "devilled" , after he had used it to
grow a crop of potatoes on his land ! ! And , amongst other things , he said , that they had a « ew plan now for the very coarse " paddings ; " •* Paddings / ' at best hand , are a very coarse description of manufacture . ' They are used , amongst other things , for the inside stiffening for coat-collars . AW they are made almost entirely of " Devil ' s Dust ; " and instead ot the flour , or sometimes in addition to it , the parties making them use animal sine , GLUE , to make them hang together and feel stiff !! They boil the gluten out of horses and cowa' feet , and apply the size so obtained to the cloth . It is put on by means of a common watering can , and allowed to set . Of course , it " stiffens" the fabric much ; for , animal gluten is much stronger than the staroh con-
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tained in , wheaten flour . But , as the Ossett clothier naively said , with vlthowinjj &&r ? ito w » must tak care that the stiff dua not wioken [ quicken ] and creep aht oth kbit kollor ? : ! ! The old man said truly . The wearer must take this care . ITie animal size applied to the dirty woollen stuff used as before detailed , will quicken ; will breed maggots ; and , as the Ossett man said , will creep down the back of the coat ! 11 , :
Now , we ayer that these practices are almost general ! We aver that the Cotton Pasting is to be found in all parts of the cotton district ; and this "Devil ' s" muck manufacture in all parts of the Yorkshire clothing district . We aver that the practieesare common to men of all parties ; while we are also free to say , that the Anti-Corn Repealing portion of the manufacturers have led the way in them . ; Indeed , their principles inevitably lead to such practises . They eschew protection . They will neither let their workman nor their customer be protected from them and their doings . They are for free trade . They { are also much in love with cheap productions . To produce
cheaper thaflr others , is , with them , the first virtue . The race in cheapness soon fiads a level when the wages can be no more reduced , and profits cannot be made . Other means must now be resorted to . Inferior raw material must be used . And thus the system goe 3 on , until the entire character of our manufacture is ohangei . This system of cheating spreads over all other crafts and occupations . What article of commerce or trade ia there how in England , at all capable of adulteration , that is not adulterated ? What article of manufacture have we , that is not inferior to what it used to be , before the "no protection" principles were so much in VOgUe 1 ¦ ' . ' " ¦"' ¦ :.,: -y ¦¦ : ¦ ' . " : . ' . ¦ ¦' :. ; . ;¦' :
Our forefathers did not so conduct themselves . They were " far more jealous and anxious for the honour of England , than we , their degenerate offspring . Practices such as we have detailed in this article would , on their attempted introduction , have called forth the interference of the legislature . The parties pursuing them would have been subjected to heavy pains and penalties . The purchasers of manufactured produce would have been protected against the cheats . . ' . ;
That we are not speaking at random on this head we here give from the Statute Book & whole Act of Parliament , interfering , ( aye interfering J ] with the manufacturers of woollens , in the year 1389 ; and prohibiting certain mal-practices , of which some of them were then guilty . Let the free-trader ^ ponder over it well . Let him look at the reasons assigned by the Act itself for the interftrence . Let him com . pare the practices there prohibited with those which he every day pursues 11 Let him do this , and then let him say which is bbtteb fob the PEOPLE , hU pbi sb trade and "devil's dust , " or the system of protection ! Here is the Act entire : —
Copyof ' ActParliament . 1389 . Richard II . Chapter XL " Item . —Forasmaoh as divers plain cloths , that be wrought in the couutiee of Somerset , Dorset , Bristol ! and Gloucester , be tacked and folded toge ther * and set to sale , of the which cloths a great part be broken , broused , and not agreeing in the colour , neither be according in breadth , nor in no manner to the part of the same cloths shewed outwards , but be falsely wrought with divers wools , to the great deceit , loss , and damage of the people ; insomuch that the merchantsi that buy the ssme cloths , and
carry them out of the realm to sell to strangers , be many times in danger to be slain , aad sometimes imprisoned , and put to fine and ransome , by the same strangers , and their said cloths burnt or forfeit , because of the great deceit and falshood that is found ia the game cloths when they be untacked and opened , tothe great slmnderofthe Realm of England . '¦'¦ :, . ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦¦ ¦ . " . ¦ ¦ ¦ . ' : ¦ :. ¦ : '¦ ' " .:: ' . . ; . '¦ : ' : ¦ ¦; /' . ¦ " 2 nd . It is ordained and assented , that no plain cloth , tacked nor folded , shall be set to sale within
the said counties , but that they be opened , upon pain to forfeit them , so that the buyers may see them , and know them , as it is used in the county of Essex . ¦ ¦ ¦¦ : ¦¦ . ¦ ; ¦ ¦ ¦ - / . ' . :, ¦ ¦¦ ¦ . ¦ '¦ ¦¦ . . >¦ - ' ; ' ¦ : :. ;¦ ¦ . - " 3 rd . And that the workers , weavers , and fullers shall put their seals to every cloth that they may work , upon a certain pain to . be limited by the Justices of the Peace , and that this ordinance begin to hold place at the Feast of St . John the Baptist next following . -. .. ¦
" 4 th . Provided always , that after the merchants have bought the same cloths to carry , and do carry them , out of the realm , they may tack them and fold them at their pleasure , for the more easy carriage of themV' ; ... , ¦;¦ :: ¦ , ¦ : ;' ; . ¦ . ; . ;;; ¦ ; ¦ ; - ;•; . - v ; .. - ; There ! that was the way our ignorant and deladed forefathers went to work in the DARK AGES , to protect the people from , the cheating of the free-traders ! That was the tray they did itl Dare the " great" manufacturers call for a Committee of Inquiry as to their practices now-a-days ? Dare they challenge the Parliament to do by them , as the Annual Univebsal Sotfbagb Parliament did by theirbrethreh in the year 13891
Or one thing we are certain , that unless the practices that now obtain amongst our manufacturers are speedily put a stop to , either by an Act of Parliament or something else , we shall very soon have to give up mauufacturing ; and if the practices are to continue , the sooner the better 1 ! We shall have a turn or two amongst some other ' Old Acts" of our ignorant ancestors , resjpecting protection to labour . We must contrast their doings in the " DARK AGES" with onr doings in these " enliffhtened" times ! We mast know which of the
two systems is the best , free-trade or protection . These short old pithy Acts of Parliament , are very instructive ; and we have one or two of them which will be worth reprinting . From them we shall see whether our ancestors or WE in our day and generation are the fools !!
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offering a handle to " Extension" men in the shape of a { resolution for a repeal of the Corn Laws , to be adopted along with a resolution for the Charter . » t all public meetings . With all possible respect for the Executive , we most dissent ; entirely from tills policy , and repeat our conviction , that the only safe method for the people is that which we have before advised , and whioh we here repeat in our own words , as quoted hi an enemj ..: — . ¦ .,-. . -
' ' ¦¦ : 'f : Once more we exhort you to be vigilant . Suffer not a meeting to be ^ held without you ; and suffer not a single resolution , petition , or memorial to pass at any meeting where you are , / br any object BUT THE CHAPTER . " Let the people then beware ! Let them go rig ht on with their own agitation for the Charter , peacefully but determinedly , as they have hitherto done . Let Uiem take care that no other agitation shall be carried on in their name . Let the charter- ^ the whole
charter—rand nothing but the charter , until that be obtained , be their reiterated cry at all public meetings aud in all petitions . " * f ; * " Let them adopt this plan in every tiling ^ Let them quietly , but surely—peacefully , but unmistakeably--chuck overboard everything but the Charter . '' I an " Extension" man in the Ia 3 t week ' s Manchester Times , quotes this portion of our advice and calls it
" an insufferable insult to the intelligenee of the people . " He raves strangely about " outrage upon popular independence , perpetrated under the mask of liberty ! " and asks " what right of opinion or of action the O'Connorites possess which does hot also belong to the people at large T' The Jesuitical knave ! Who contended for any such right ! Wo have surely a right to give the people our opinion and advice ; and we make no effort to deprive Mr Edward Watkin of the sam « right .
W > tell the petple that the "League' * men seek to " use " them for the effecting of their own purposes , and that in those purposes they do not at all contenplate the people ' s benefit . We tell them that till public meetings are holden in their name ; that the opinions expressed at , and the proceedings adopted by those meetings , are
carried to Parliament or wherever they may be wanted , as their opinions and proceedings ; and we repeat therefore , that it is their duty to attend all public meetings , and to see that no resolution or memorial be there passed but such as accord with their jndgment a » 4 convictions . We tell them that in in our opinion THE CHARTER IS THE ONLY
THING TO WHICH THET OUGHT NOW TO LOOK OR LISTEN . They Will , of eturse ; treat that opinion as they please ; but we warn thorn that , if they do n » t thus act , they will have abundant reason for repentance , and abundant ; leisure for repentance , hereafter . : We now refer to Mr . O'Connor ' s letter , and to
the proceedings of the friends and associates of this same "League ^ scribbler- ^ -we refer to the speech of Mr . Busfield F « ieani > , in the House of Commons ^ and to every fact and circumstance of recent times to show the pefple , if they need yet showiHg , how tenderly their interests and weal are cared tor by the" League" men . : '
To conclude : we shall do our duty . We shall reiterate bur warning weekly while the straggle lasts . If the people be sold , they shall sell themselves with their eyes open ; and we , at all events , shall feel neither pity nor sympathy for whatever they may suffer afterwards .
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THE SUFFRAGE . Qua neighbour the Mercury has published two long diatribes on the Suffrage , in which he denies the rt ^ A / of every man tt have it . When his series is concluded , we purpose having a turn with him , and promise a full exposure of his pitiable ignorance *
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Communications not noticed in our last . —Bromsgrove—We did receive « Worcestershire 'Ciirp * niole . John Shepherd—We are always sorry to see professed Chartists attack each * other per * tonally : we canmt % therefore , insert his letter . A Chartist , of Glasgow , writes us a letter which we can by no means understand , about a nevo Paper to be started in Glasgow , by the Corn Law ¦ repealers . He seem to fear that the Chartists maybedeceivedby'it : wedon ' ifear them . If it be a Chartist Paper they will know all about it ; if not , the " Scots * lads" will not easily behoodwinked . Ply Mouth Chartists— We have not room for their letter to the Executive ; nor is its publication at all necessary ; their sending it to
the Secretary is enough , A Chelsea Chartist—We have no room . Charteratus—We must decline his letters , at least for the present : ice have not space for long ' letters . ' . ; . " , A Mansfield Correspondent suggests that , to keep the- new-born Chkriisls of the anti-Corn Law school within something like reasonable bounds at public meet ' ings , aha to defeat their purpose of getting up a row" and saddling the Chartists with it , it might be well , wherever and whenever a League meeting is soing to be held , that a deputation from the Chartist Committee , if in a borough town , wait upon the Mayor ; if not in a borough , upon the . nearest senior county magistrate , and state that incase an infringement upon the law
u apprehended , the Chartists , one and all , are ready to be sworn as special constables , for the purpose of preserving the peace at the meeting George Ash well— We . have no room . Matthew Fletcher—His long rigmarole ^ occupying eleven slips , written oil both sides , would ill repay the trouble of reading , or the space occupied by it . It merely confirms the report it is Intended to deny . W . Kaowles—We have no room . Wm . Cooper , Weldori , Northamptonshire , writes thus : — " Last Tuesday , I was canvassing this place for signatures to . the great National Petition , when a yqung man , named Allen , pretended to be about giving his signature , took the sheet from
me , with about seventy ; names enrolled , and placed it in afire , and thus consumed my labour , and the property of the National Charter Association . The Cftarlisls of this locality request your opinion of the matter . '' Our opinion is that the rascal may be prosecuted for the robbery , and sent to the treadmill . Spectator should have given his name and address . We do not insert stush stories without good authority ,: Christopher Dean—We think his r eply to Mr . Stott ' s letter should have come sooner . We do not purpose , unless an urgent necessity be shown for it ; to occupy any more space about Mr . B . J . Richardson . We think the , people have had enough qf him . J . L . j Markinch—rHis sixpence has been returned to his address , through the post .
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More of the System—A Correspondent from Halifax writes us : ¦— v "An old widow wbman r aged fifty-five ^ yeara , of the name of Elizabeth Dyson , who has been In tne habit of getting a livelihood by wiling a little . fruit in the seasen , was , somewhere about » month since , taken before the magistrates of thil place on a charge of obstructing the public thoroughfare with her fcuitbaskets , and fined-with costs , to the amount of 17 s . The old woman told their reverences that it was not in her power to pay the money at the present , having nothing / or a subsistence but the scanty pittance she could make by her fruit Being in depressed eircum » tan « ef > she was liberated ; bnt the money was to be paid when she was able . Daring this elap » e , £ *
bis frequently been asked for an instalment by tw constables when they met with her , and baa » fr equently to'd them that she could not get money to supply her necessary wants . Tbe old woman * circumstances becoming morei and more emb * rassed , she was , at length , obliged to make ap # cation to the relieving officer for partial ¦ ¦ wm which she did on Wednesday , February 23 rd , b « was denied It on the pretense that she bad not made the application at a propei time . Oil Monday , February 27 th , she had come to purchase » few necessaries ; and to prevent her applying foj relief at the proper time , the constables met her ia the street ; took her into custody , and dragged her off to the police-office , and thence , the same aft ^ - noon , to Wakefleld ^ ouse of Cerrection , without even telling her how long she was to whuhb
James Syme has our thanks . We had a report tf the meeting in type before we received " ** ' . ' favour . : - \ : ¦ ¦ ¦¦ - ¦ ¦ ;; - - . % ¦ : ' - ¦'¦ ¦ : ¦ ¦ - ¦ ¦ ' :. '¦ ' - \ . ' ¦ "¦ ¦ f j . tt . Ms- No >' to both questions .
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THE HUMBUG TRAP . —THE BATH CONFERENCE . —THE POLICY OF THE EXECUTIVE . All the powers of ingenuity and plausibility were nevermore severely tasked than they now are by the despairing corps of Mammon in their effort to again yoke the people to their car . Hence we conceive it to be a duty imperative on us to see that bur cautions be hot less constant and earnest in their iteration than the efforts of the enemy . The people will of course use their own judgment in the matter ; we presume not to dictate ; but our honest opinion and advice they are entitled to and shall have . We tell them , then , as we have again and again told them , that if they abate one jot
of their demand for the whole Charter , they are Bold , and their virtuous straggles through all the years of agitation ' past are thrown away . We tell them again , that they are not less surely lost , if they suffer their agitation to be mixed up in any manner with the Corn Law repealing cry of the "Extension" men . This is not our opinion merely ; we are supported in it by O'Connor and O'Brien , and by all , or nearly all , those whom the people have known as their oldest , best , and most experienced advocates and counsellors . •¦ - : : " . ; ¦ . : . ' .. , ¦ ¦ ¦ •' ¦ . : " ' ¦ . ; v ' ¦ •• ¦ ¦ - ¦ ¦ - ' -.. . : ¦ ¦ '
We refer with great pain to the proceedings of the conference at Bath , between the Sturge Declaration men and some leading Chartists of that city . We respect Vincent for his zeal , his talent , and his suffering in the cause , as highly as we respect any man ; we believe him to be thoroughly honest and well-intentioned , but we cannot bat regret the position he has taken in this business . Still more do we regret to see joined with him Mr . Philp , a member of the
People ' s Executive . Doubtless these gentlemen give the new converts to Complete Suffrage credit for a large amount of honesty and sincerity . We cahnot do so ; aad we fear , if the people should be led into any general countenance of the steps taken by these gentlemen , that the error will not bs found to be less fatal for having been an amiable one . Once more wo tell the people they must keep right on , swerving neither to the right band nor to the left , or they will be ^ usedj" left , and laughed at . ^
Elsewhere our readers will find a document from the Executive ; counselling the people , very ^ properly , to ^ kee p the Charter , whole and entire , as the pole etar pf agitation , but still
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), March 12, 1842, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct421/page/4/
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