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THE NORTHERN STAR. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 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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A I GREAT PUBLIC MEETING AT " THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION HALL , HOL- j BORN . A great public meeting was h&ld at the National ' Association Hall . Hoibont , oa Monday evening » charge for admission , 14 . At eight o'clock , about 1 , 500 persons were present ; and in accordance uiih the anncmticrment on the placards , Joseph Stoge "was unanimously elected to preside , and toot the chair amid great applause . Mr . StCRtiE commenced by statisg that he was sensible of the kind feeling t&ey had expressed towards him . seeing that bo had no reseaSy become a fellow--srciter with tkein in tbe grevt- causa of political redemption . It might fee aske > i -why be was there at
all as tn « president of a ruoskcoom association , while There were -others who ha . il defoted many years of their life t-j the advocacy ^ f the -principles of the Charter Tatfre wtre many itfoo -were -more able , and many who had a better claim ; but , the advice of the friends wuh whoci be had commuiicated be had takte his present responsibility , and wonld endeavour to contend with the difficulties which presented themselves , and create s nim uraoc b ^ weenth * middle and wer £ ing cla sses , by which means alone fcey would be enaV . ed rightly to ¦ ¦ se ttle the question . Sc migtt ba asked why he did " not juin the Chartists at oz . ee ? He was one of those who cured little for the urines of political associations acy Tcure than for those of religious deconiiaaiiojis . He bbd'foaiid amongst taany of his o ^ n ciis 3 a prejudice
¦ aga inst the Charter ^ they were alarmed at tha mention of it , and would net listen to reaso . -. Bus if he conld -get them to admit one point , he thought be could gTzvccaiiy bring " faem to the consideration of tee other nvf . Tte retrospect of the past showed that he had not laboured in Tain . Mr . Stnrge then went fate details of the elections at Nottingham , Southampton , and Ipswich , and stated that if the Reading election bid been pro-¦ c « ded with he had no doubt they would have polled a ¦ Enj rity of the votes . Mr . S . tsec alluded to the recent s ' . r ke in the 'North- Ha was satisfied , that it ha 4 not tiKsn it ? rise in political motives , but had be « n brought
< . ti by the dtititutien of tbe people . The people had , in his ypi ion , conducted themselves well amidst the txekment existing , and from what he knew ot his own district , he was convinced they would meet quietly and peaceably , if not interfered with ; but if the polioe and military were sent amongst them to exasperate them , the consequences might be dreadful . Mr . Storge then tit-alt cut some hard hits at tbe state church , and condnied by itatirg that he wiibed to see the military power 3 shield and protection to the wttk , and njt an instrument of tyranny in the hands of the powerful —icreat cheering ) . Mr . Elt moved the following resolution : —
" That the proceedings of the House of Commons dcrirg the p 3 st Session inpontestJbJy prove that tfiat Hu > u 3 a ha ? no srnjpalhy with , an-J does not in any manner represent , tbe f ^ linss of the people of this ¦ country ; for , in spite of the decay ef trade , and tbe wide-spread destitution of the operative class ^ B , which "were made manifest to the House by the meat authentic and fearful evidence , its Members have nevertheless letired to thtir amusements and country sports without tiki :. *; one decided Etep to alleviate the misery , tbe existence of which they have bees compelled to
acknowledge . and dwe't wuh . much energy upon tbe incapacity of the ¦ Drest-st Gjverr . ment to do aught for the benefit of . the ptf pV . and also of their resor ; to the miserable expedient . i a Queen ' s begging letter . Mr . P hilp seconded tie resolution . James Pkikce Eali > G , ef the Inner Temple , in an eloquent manner supported the resolution which was carried unanimously , Mr . John Duncan moTed the next resolution : " Toat the facts afinaad in the fowgoin ? resolution , added to a long experience of similar injustice , are Eumcient to convince the people that the great vice of our institutions is class legislation , or the legislation of the few for tie few ; and , in the opinion oi this meeting , the only effective remedy for class legislation is to give to every man a direct control over the making of thc-se laws which affect bis social happiness and moral ¦ Weil-bei ns- "
Mr . D . entered into a long and arle exposa of the fun ^ icir system , and cf the various encroachments which the rnlers of this country had made upen the natural and unallocable rights of the people-Mr . ChaHLES Westeb / ton , in his usual eloquent manner txposed the hideous deformity of the monster , cla :-s legislation , and stated hi 3 fervent hope and belief , tea * , if they woul-. l but throw aside their sectional differences , the day was cos far distant when , amidst the triumphant ccclamniations of the country , the Carter woa'd be proclaimed tie liw of the land— scd freedom , prosperity , and happiness , smile upon tbe couatry . i Great cLeering . ) The resolution was carried nxisiiccuriy . yir . J . H . PaUET moved the third
resolution" Ti ^ it -while iliis meeting , therefore , views with high S 3 * i = fuj : ion the rrfalls of tie contests entered into by Hi . S : urgc at X .-ttingham , and Mr . Vincent at Ipswich , en ths prin ; ii-lss of Complete Suffrage , they earnestly < sul upca aU traa Reformers to promote the cordial ttaioj ai tbe micdie and working classes , without which it is impossible effectually to contend against our powerful , seiS . z'b . end sordid aristocracy , but with which the giant evil cf class legislation would be speedily acniailated . " The speaker , in a very effective and telling address , declared his determination to stand by the document called the Caarttr , and to be content with nothing less than the wfcole Charier ; but , at the same time , he was willing to co-operate with any body of his fellowmen , who were engaged in any struggle having for ita object the amelioration of the condition of the human race . He was a member of the National Charter
Association of tha body to whom the Hall in which they met belonged , and likewise of the Complete Suffrage Union . The o'j-ct of the Compltta Suffrage party was t > conciliate and gain the co-cperaiion o £ the middle class : thiy did not wish to destroy or injure the Charter Associati * n . The working men had never deserted their principles , even in the most dangerous times ; and he "ffas convinced they would not uessrt them now , -wher . the h' ur of tbeii Eucctss was at hand , but w ; uld parses tbiir object with increased persevernLes and energy . The man who was continually denouncing tae middle class was a traitor to the cause of ctriuccracy . G > i forbid that ho should attempt to divi-.-is the t ^ o classes ; it was only by a union of them thit a bloodless revolution could be tffect-ed . iir . Parry then referred to tho social war ( for so it might be ttiined ; ixiitii-g in the ^ North and Midland counties , litny timid friends cf peace , law , and order—many venerable old ladies and v&nsrable men were afraid that
this , to their views , awful insurrection , would injure the cao ? e of peaceful reform . He was well assured that £ ucli i . movement would- nevtr injure their ho '; y cause . JieTtr in the anaais of British hi > tory had there Lesn a maTcmtut more calculated to do honour to the "Wuiking -classes ; there had be = n no draik-enneKs , no violence , . save on the par- of tbe Government . They had con- ' ucte'l taesiselvea as iutn who felt they were ¦ detply iajured . and who Trara determined to elevate then . sri 7 fcs ii-to their proper posiuon in society ; they 2 n : ; h : iict have taken the best means to achieve this ¦ object , but roaded on as they were by misery and
dis"fcrt £ 3 . tbev had taken a noble position and have dared to maintain i ; . Even those papers which pandered to -every CMTUptv-u in Church and State , with every ¦ desire to hound on the middle agaicst the working classes , bad failed in giving any cokuring to the concuct cf those encaged in the tuns-out which did not rtfi . ct credit upon them . Mr . P . then went on to -Ehow that it was only t * y appealing to the fears of the upper classes tkat any messnre cf justice could be obtained . In conclusion he called upon them to unite ¦ and blot from tke page of history the name of both tyrant tnd slave—( great cheering . )
itlr . Lotett secjnded the resolution ; and stated that his cefiiitio : i of Complete Suffrage was to be found in ¦ the People ' s Ciaarter . Much { irtjadice La-. ' , been exhibn . dagiinit the lait Confa . ' enc- ' because they h-id not adopted the niEii of the Charter . M ' ir . y of the deie-^ st £ 3 sen ; io that assembly were elected only to ccn-^ idcr the point of t he Suffrage ; ethers wore prejudiced . acsiiist ntn name of the Charter oa account of the Vi . t& ' . coBduct of sos ; e of its advocates ; and others—-ktr ^ gc as it n : i . 4 bt appear—ha > l not tvta read tbat -d-CL ' . urnt . Tee dimcuities in -which some of the dele-^ ates wtr = placed preciu : fer , their having seffisient time Xo enter into nil the det&Ls of the surject ; and they
¦ separate- } wilii a deterainiation to call another conference : and be had no doubt that any conference fairly chosen whieh oicht now bs called would adopt the whole of the ck-taiis of the Charter . Taey had met mnch of opposition ; but notwithstanding this they had s-uccii-ded beyond iheir expectations . The Whigs acid ihe Torit-s might-fcr a time , by the aid of the military and police , succeed in embarrassing the present inoTexntnt , but cltimatdf they roust succeed ; and tbe bnUyjug ef the Times , or the braying of the Herald , would bo sswe Retard thea than tbe attempt of Mother Partington to st p the pscgress of the ocean with her mop . ILlZghtET . )
Mr . FiKCfiFI supported the resolution in a long and ¦ eleqnent address , wbicb waa greeted throughout with the aost enthusiastic applause . During hia address he stated ^ &t -the fresb object of the Complete Snffrage Uai © a tszs to prepare for electoral battles in isveur « f the -people ' s < laim . Jf the machinery ¦ was p ^ opezly cxpiniatd , they at the very next eled . \ os scold bave « ach & band of sturdy « bs £ nicti ? es is . tie Boose ef Commons as would defy any baetotas to be teanaacted until the peoples jost rights w ^ rfi granted . He troaied they would not allow the ceeorrencas is the Borib ta intimidate them . He hoped they iroaid ocfc Aaad tc in apathy , because a few peKOOS , S 3 UMOttzattJ 3 g iheir motives , had
dencmctd them . In his heart ' s deepest core he venerated ths came of the People ' s Ckzrter ; he bad not a drop of blood is bis Tftlna which did not boil with Aiieur in tbe cause of democoey—( tremer : douj eieering . ) He trusted that meeting would be- an eircert of a better feeling tbat tber £ hould have toughed the strirg to arouse London from its slumbers , catf ihfit it would stand forth in its pow « r and intel-Ject , sad never cease to battle with conaptioa until the jjaysieal , moral , and iEtellectnal ri ^ bta of the people wars granted them by a wise and a good government The raolntlon was then passed ; and after a rote of thaska bad been moved by Mr . Parry , and seconded by Mr . Campbell , to the iTudrmtn , the meeting dis-• oived—it beisf & « u twwyew ' civck
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TO THE EDITOE OF THE NOETHE'ajj STAR . Dear Sir , —I hvre received th . p purport of this communication from a collier , from Clay Cross , and they wish it te appear in the Northern Star . Belper , August 30 , 1842 .
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TO THE EDITOR OF THE NORTHERN STAR . Sis , —Will you allow me a corner in your columns to acknowledge the receipt cf 5 s , from Mr . Jones , of Newport , Salop , for Mason ' s and his fellow-prisoners ' Defence Fund , and to inform the Committee for the management of the above fund that I divided it amongst the three that emerged from the dungeon's gloom on Satnrday last , whose term of imprisonment had expired , and who left the gael without food or any money , and had to travel twenty-two miles to reach home ? By doing which , you will oblige , Teurs , respectfully , WILLTAM PEPLOW . Friar-street , Stafford , Aug . 29 th , 1842 .
P . S . I hope the country will not forget Mr . Mason . From the want of a regular supply of funds to purchase food for him , he was about to be thrown on the gaol diet last week ; it was served out to him , but hia stomach teas so vreak that he oculd not touch it . One of the Mr . Caswell' 8 , who left prison last week , Btated it as his opinion that if Mason was put on g&ol diet , he could not live his time out . Shall such a man as Mason be lost ? Chartists , answer . ' W . P .
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THE LEAGUE PLOT . WHO IS THE COWARD ! It is now well understood by the whole country , who it is that nave the rare merit of having planned and originated the late " risings" and " riots . " Ask the question where you may , and the same answer is returned . Indeed it could not be otherwise . The evidence we have brought to bear on the point has settled the question . " There is no possibility of shaking it . Wriggle as the League may under the exposure , they cannot wriggle out
of it ! There it is , fixed upon them , beyond the possibility of mistake ! ?< ever forget that their ewn organ , the Sunday Times , openly avowed that " the plan of shutting up all the mills in one day originated with him ; axd that the Lraoue con-SIDEEED THE QUESTION AGAIS A > 'D AGAIN" ! and never forget that their crack man , their hired creature , declared that " the object ot the League ' s Conference meeting in London was to consider the propriety of stopping all the mills in one day ; a . nd they would do it ° ! Never forget these things ; and never cease to call for justice upon the inciters to rebellion ; the concoctors of " risings" and ' riots : " the getters-up of the * plot , the carrying
out of which has cost life ; has caused the people to be shot down like mad-dogs ; to be ridden over , and sabred ; to be bludgeoned and brutally maltreated by ferocious and blood-heated police and " specials ; " to be " committed to take their trials' ' by thousands ; and to be sentenced to long periods of imprisonment and transportation ! Never cease to call for justice upon the au ; hors of all this mischief and evil . Never cease to demand that the poor " rioters" shall noi be the only persons prosecuted , and * made to bear the whole burden of punishment . Demand that the League-men have their fair share . Demand justice for them ; and never cease that demand till justice be fnUy satisfied !
Were there any link deficient in the chain of evidence to connect the League with the concoction and origin of the " risings" and the " riots , " it is h appiiy supplied by one of themselves . It happens that there is no Euch deficiency . The chain of evidence is whole and perfect . Therefore whatever is now let out of the bag can only come as corroboration of that which is already established . In this light do we view the public testimony borne to the fact of the League-origin of the " riots" by one of their own hired advocates . We give it here only as testimony bearing out the conclusive evidence we have before adduced . In the Ttmex of Monday we find the following aceount of a meeting held in the Carpenter's Hall on Saturday last . It is headed : —
" CAUSE OP THE RECEMI DISTURBANCES . " This evening , at six clock , the doors cf the Carpenters' Hall were opened for a public meeting to be held within its walls , at which it was announced a lecture would be delivered by a Lite member of the anti-Corn Law League , on the origin , cause , and progress of the late insurrection ; and it would be proved that tbe League were the cause of it " When the door was opened only about twenty people entered the room , and it was some time before that number was increased at alL About half an hour after the time announced the lecturer ascended the platform , and then probably about 100 persons were present Towards the close of the lecture , however , that number had increased considerably , by the arrival of several members of the anti-Corn L 3 W League , and amongst them , as we understood , the Secretary of that
body . " The lecturer proposed that Mr . Smith , a ¦ working msn , abonld take tha chair . " The Chairman said , as he knew nothing of the meeting , he should merely call on Mr . Doffey to deliver bis lecture . " Duffey then presented himself to the meeting , and spoke fer upwards of an hour , daring which time he was beard with great attention . His speech was principally connned to abuse of tbe manufacturers and millowners and the Anti-Cora Law League . The farmer he accused of having reduced the wage * of the workmen fall 40 per cent , and the latter with being the cause of
the present ontbreak , in consequence of compelling their men to leave their work , having previously counselled them to adopt that course . The working classes had been tossed about between ths two parties , and each in their torn bad bid for their support ; but now the League had thrown them overboard sod declared they would carry the repeal of the com laws by agitation among the middle classes only . The Morning Chronicle and other Liberal papers had been lately reporting the daily meeting ! of the Anti-Corn Law Conference , and what was the result of these meetings ?
Why , what they predicted had come to pass , because they had the power to bring it aboat They said they would redoes the wages of their hands until they had not enough to live on , and then they would cry out foi a repeal of the com laws ; and Mr . Sharp , of the firm of Sharp , Roberta , it Co ,, had said that they would rednce the wages of their men twenty per cent . Mr . Chappell had also said if the Corn Laws were not repealed , they the ( League ) would stop all their mills and leave the men to their own resources . He said he know an instance where one large manufacturer , had , dating ma iui « is mvu&s , reduced bis basis to ttis
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extent ef 10 s . pet wtek ; and when asked the reason why he did bo , said , R was because the Corn Laws wave not repealed , and because Parliament would not listen to tbe demands of the Corn Law Conference . He asked whether there were any present who had been compellfjd to become members of the Anti-Corn Law League , and who had bad Id . per week deducted from their wages to pay far their card of admission ? ( A number of voices called out " Yes , yes . " ) He next condemned the conduct of those magistrates who were members of the Anti-Corn Law League who had taken part in suppressing tbe meeting of delegates held in that Hall—a meeting which he contended was as legally constituted as the Corn Law Conference in London . No longer ago
than the 16 th of July , Mr . J . Brookes , one of tbe magistrates who had signed the proclamation against the Trades - Delegates Meeting , bad * -eetlng of the Com Law League proposed the followiug resolution : —« That , believing this country to be on the eve of a revolution , and being utterly without hope that the Legislature will accord justice to the starving millions , a requisition be forthwith prepared , signed , and forwarded to the Members for this Borough , calling npon them , in conjunction with other Liberal Members , to offer every possible opposition to the taxing of a prostrate people , for the purpose of a bread-taxing aristocracy , by argument and other constitutional impediments , that THE WHEELS OF QOYERXilEST MAY BE ARRESTED , through the rejection or prevention of all votes of supply . " This he contended was advising a Revolution ; and whilst the supporters of that Revolution were
allowed to escape , it was unjust to punish the poor men who were now in custody . Further , Mr . Cobden had said , as there was no chance of stopping the supplies by a vote of the House of Commons , there was a way of doing it , and that was by suspending labour , The working classes were only carrying out that recommendation , and now the members of the League turned round on them and prosecuted them . The speaker then entered at length into a declamation against the Anti-Com Law League for having forced the people to turn out from their work , and then deserting them in tbe hour of danger , and concluded by calling on the working classes to subscribe , if even one farthing each , for the prosecution of those magistrates who had broken in upon and dispersed a meeting which was as legally constituted as the meeting of the Anti-Corn Law Association held ob Thursday last
" A person named Michael Donahoe then stood forward and accused Duffey of being in the service ot tbe Tories . He had Bold or offered himself to all parties . He cautioned the Chartists against him , lest they should be deceived and misled by him . He had himself presided at a teetotal meeting , where Duffey bad publicly signed the pledge , and a guinea was collected for him to deliver a lecture on drunkenness ; but next day he had gone and spent the guinea in getting intoxicated and violating his pledge . He had also offered himself to the League as a lecturer , and had been paid 10 s . 6 d . to give a lecture against the Com Laws in Stockport The speaker entered into a long list of charges against the lecturer , and concluded by calling on the latter to disprove them .
" Duffey said so many charges bad been made against him , that be hardly knew where to begin , and be must be brief , as the room must be at liberty for another purpose by eight o ' clock ; but , on Monday evening , he would b 6 prepared to prove the charges be bad made against the League , and disprove those against himself . As to the one about his signing the teetotal pledge , that ; was a lie- ' ( Cheers and uproar . ) It had also been said that he had been paid to go to Stockport to lecture—that was a lie . " Here the meeting became so uproarious , by the clamour of tbe friends of the two speakers , that tbe Chairman deemed it right to dissolve the meeting , and it was with some difficulty the contending parties were prevented from settling their dispute by a recourse to personal violence . " The same journal , the Times , of Wednosday , has the following report of the adjourned meeting : —
" Last night ( Monday ) a meeting waa held at Carpenters ' -hall , by adjournment from Saturday , to hear the defence of Duffey , the lecturer against tbe anti-Corn Law League , to certain charges made against him by a person named Donahoe , who spoke to the meeting at tbe conclusion of tbe lesture . Some misapprehension occurred respecting the hoar ot meeting ; in consequence of which a number of people who assembled about tbe doors of the Hall at six o ' clock , were compelled to wait until eight At that hour the doors were opened , and a large crowd rushed into the room , many ef them passing the door-keepers , without paying the usual admbsion fee . During the meeting probably 400 or 500 persons were in the room , mostly working men ; and as some apprehensions were entertained that the public peace might be interrupted , it was deemed necessary to have a body of the police force in the neighbourhood , to act , should their services be required .
" When Daffey appeared on the platform , it appeared evident that a majotity of the meeting were unfriendly to him , and his reception was by no means nattering . He said tbat was an adjourned meeting from Saturday evening ; and as tbe person who occupied the chair on that occasion could not conveniently attend , he begged to propose that Mr . John M'Clellan should fill hia place . " The Chairman said , he hoped the lecture of Mr . Duffey would be listened to without interruption , and be pledged himself , at the conclusion , any questions which might be asked the lecturer should be answered , or any one who wished should be allowed to address the meeting on subjects relevant to the lecture . ( Cheers and hooting . )
" Duffey then proceeded to address the meeting , and after some preliminary observations , he said , he had been cautioned not to appear that night , for if he did his life would be endangered . ( Hooting . ) This threat was held out in order to prevent his appearing to prove his charges against the Anti-Corn Law League . ( Uproar . ) But like a true Irishman , who never turned his back on either friend or foe , he was there at his post . ' " [ The meeting here became so disorderly that the speaker conld not be heard for some time , and it was only by the entreaty of Donahoe that order was in some measure restored ]
" Duffey then , with difficulty , was heard for about half an hour , during which time ha reiterated bis charges against tbe Anti-Corn Law League of being the authors of the present movement , in consequence of having forced their workpeople to turn out , in pursuance of a threat made by the millowners at the Cora Law Conference in London ; and for doing that he was threatened with personal violence . But , although they might assassinate , they should never intimidate him . So long ago as the 5 th of May he said the Bame thing . He then stated that the miliownere would compel the working men to a general turn-out , and on that occasion
Mr . John Broeks , one of the magistrates , stood behind him , applauded what he said , and called it a very clever speech . But the moment tbe suggestions ef the League were carried out , the members of the League placed themselves at the head of the military force , put down the legally constituted meetings of tbe people , and attempted , by a parade of their power to intimidate tha working people , and to prevent their meetings . He was cot there to quarrel with Mr . Dormboe ; hiB charge was against the League . He was prepared to meet them , and prove the charge he had made : but they were reduced to the necessity of sending their paid agent , ' Big Mick' to defend them—( confusion . )
" Michael Donahoe said , he was not a paid agent of the League , he was not even a member of It He was connected with the Anti-Corn Law Association as their collector , a station his opponent was not thought fit to fill . ( Cheera ) " Some further confusion and disorder here took place , it having been arranged that each party should address the meeting for half an hour , in consequence of the Chairman deciding that Duffey had a right then to speak for half an hour . The meeting refused to hear Duffey , and overruled the decision of the chair . After some discussion ,
" Dohahoe proceeded to address the meeting , and continued his speech for half an hour , making several charges against Duffey , refecting on his character , stating that he was now the paid agent of the Toriesthat tbe placards calling the meeting were printed at the Chronicle-office , and that he was no longer in tbe Repeal Association , nor fit to be trusted by the Chartists ; tbe latter body tbe speaker cautioned against being deluded by Duffey , who had already betrayed thfem . " The rest of the evening was Bpent in crimination and recrimination between the two parties and their supporters on each Bide , and the meeting ended in a scene of most admired uproar , and at near midnight « A large body of police were in attendance to prevent outrage , but their services were not required . "
Now this Dufpey we believe to be as great a rascal as ever drew breath . Indeed , had he not been such , he never would have sold himself , as he did , to the service of the League-men . None but a scamp would take their blood-stained coin , to do his uttermost to persuade the working men te quietly allow the steam giants to fetter labour ' s hands and take away eaboob's last crust . But Dotbey is no greater a scamp than the rest of hiB late comrogues . He is as good as the rest . He and they may have quarrelled , —possibl y about the division of the spoil . He and they may have fallen oat : but what of that ? It will not do for those who are as bad as Dumey to denounce him as a bad maa . He is aa good as
Warren , or Aclajtd . His services have been deemed worth the purchase . He has had the League ' s money for doing the League's work . He knows what was the work they Bet him to do ! He and John Brooks—{ the busy magistrate in putting down the " risings" and " riots ")—seem to have well understood each other ! He is in for tbe secret . He blabs it . He openly disoloses it . He proclaims in open day what was tbe object of himself and hia confederated compeers . He tells us that that object was to cause the " Turn-out . " He tella us tbe modus operandi was the lowering of wages ! He charges upon his late associates , whose secrets he knows ; whose meetings he has attended ; whose plans he u in possession of : whose objects he has
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endeavoured to accomplish : he tells these , his associates , that they alone are guilty of causing xall the " risings" and the " riots ; " and alone aught to be answerable for the consequences resulting J ! We believe him . It is , we know , the evidence of a scoundrel ; but the proof does not rest with him . The facts he deposeB to are established by other and less impeachablo testimony . He is only a witness in corroboration . As such he is valuable . Let us wait and see what answer the League can give to him !
We have been waiting , anxiously , to see what answer they could give to US . We have fixed the originating of the " riots" upon them . We have adduced unmistakeable and conclusive evidence to prove that they " considered the proposition again and again . " We have shewn tbat they acted on the plan laid down . We have shewn that all the efforts of their writers in the Press , ever since the rejection of tbe Whigs from office , has been to cause Confusion and Revolution . We have shewn that the Globe announced that the battle-cry was to be
"bread or blood" ! We have shown that the Morning Chronicle talked of BARRICADES being erected to defeat Sir Robert Peel and his Budget , and to carry the Whig one . We have shown that the Sun talked of 41 THE CARRYING OF LADIES' HEADS ON POLES , or trailing them in the dirt . "II We have shown that the Leagued Daily Bread Men tried to get the people to join in what they themselves openly announced as " AN ORGANISED PLAN TO BREAK THE law" ! We have shown that the Leaguer ' s
Conferonce openly declared they would " pay no taxes" ! We have shown that one of their members suggested " the appointment of a Committee of Public Safety " , ! after he had talked of probable " risings " and " riots . " We have shown that the plan of " striking work for ono month" was openly proposed in that same Conference . We have shown that an Alderman of Manchester , a leading member of tbe League , openly declared that "the only plan
left the manufacturers" whereby they could force their measure , " was to stop their factories /* We have shown all these things , weeks ago : and we have also shown how the Weekly Chronicle tried to incite to incendiarism in the depth of last winter . We have shown these things : and how have we been answered ? By indignant denials of the facts we adduced 1 No M J By silence . ' The Globe has not denied the
" Bread or Blood " charge . The Chronicle has not denied the BARRICADES charge . The Sun has not ventured to deny his atrocious and miscreant-like suggestions respect-11 LADIES HEADS on poles" ! The League have not denied the suggested appointment of " a Com mittee of Public Safety" ! The Weekly Chronicle has not denied his dastardly incitements to incendiarism , through his
' SWING ' placard-dodge ! On the contrary , he acknowledges it !!! and only saya he has not done as much in that way as we have ; a gratuitous and unsupported assertion , which we make him a present of back again ! The Alderman has not denied his suggested stopping of the mills . The League have not denied the assertion of their own organ , " that they considered the proposition again and again" ! The
employment of six delegates by the factory-masters and shopkeepers of Ashton-under-Lino , to go to other towns to get the work-people to join the " strike , " just then and there commenced , has not been denied ! Indeed these things cannot be denied . They are damning facts , which fix the concoction and planning of the plot ( which has sent thousands to prison ) upon the League-men and their adherents , beyond the possibility of being gainsayed !
Again we reiterate our demand for justice upon the authors of the " riots" ! Again we demand that the poor Bhall not be the only ones ** committed to take their trial" !! The League plotted the " riots . " The League plotted the " Strike . " The League determined on the closing of the Mills . The League determined to reduce wages , and to force the men out . The League hired men , Duffey for instance , to prepare the way . He could speak of the " mill-closing business" before John Brooks , the Magistrate ; and be applauded for his clever speech ! The League " did it all ! " and when it was done ; when the people were our ; when they were " rising" ; when they were " rioting" ; when they were doing the
work the League wanted doing ; when the people were doing these things , where were the members of the League ? Where was John Brooks , who had applauded Duffey , and who had proposed that "THE WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE ARRESTED" ? Where was Dickey Cobden who had proposed " a suspension of labour" to stop the supplies ? Where was Aldebman Chappel , who had deolared that " the only plan left was to stop the factories" I Where was Master Weekly Chronicle with his incitements to "SWING" ? Where was the cowardly dastard of the Sun , with his " LADIES' HEADS on poles" ? Where was the Chronicle with his BARRICADES 1 Where were ono and all of these i
At " the head of the movement i Taking part with " the mob" ? Leading them on ! Acting as Generals ? No ! They were engaged in lotting loose the military to shoot and sabre those that bad " risen" ! They were engaged in hounding on the butchers and the brutal bludgeon men ! They were engaged in " committing to take their trials '' those brought before them , as magistrates , charged with having rioted . " They were engaged in getting up and in circulating charges of cowardice \ - — -against whom in God ' s name t Against Fearqus O'Connor !!!! Because Mr .
O'Connor did not prove himself a silly ass , and fall into the trap they had so nicely laid for him , they charged him with cowardice ! The men who had concocted the plot , and who ought to . have conducted their own work in its execution , charged O'Connor with cowardice because he would not do it for them while they waited with the law in their hands to lay him by the heels if he should have done bo !! The whole Whig press has rung with the charge . They have harped upon it again and again . Old Bloody , too , baa joined in it . The ball has been
kept going amongst them for the whole of the last fortnight . Every one who ought to have been" at the head of the movement" seems to have thought it sufficient to screen himself from a charge of cowardice , if he preferred one against O'Connor True , none of them shewed why O'Connor ought to have taken the lead . " True , none of them even attempted to do this . But they , one and all , seem to have taken it for granted that wherever there is a mess , no matter by whomsoever cooked , O'Connor ought to jump slap up to the neck into it ; and that if he " looks before he leaps" he is a cewardl "
This from the Whig and Tory press , was to be expected . It was no more than we had a right to look for . It is ever the practice of faction to take advantage of popular excitement to throw suspicion upon the people's leaden , if the people ' s leaders evince commonf prudence , and will not throw themselves , neck and crop , into the anna of their enemies . It has ever been so . When Hunt attended the Petebloo MAsaACRE-meeting . and when his life was compassed , and the plot only defeated by his own presence of mind and great physical energy , he was accused of cowardice because he had not advised the
people to come armed , and meet force by force . He was accused of cowardice , because he would not co unsel and commit an overt act of treason , so that hia accusers might have had the high gratification of seeing his head roll from the scaffold , anil the pnre purple life-stream spurt from his headier trunk ! He was accused of cowardice because' he defeated the helliBh machinations of the
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compassers of his own li fe , and saved himself to rally his party , and direct their energies in the cause of right and justioe for a long period , and to a successful issue , in the legislative acknowledgement o f the necessity ot Re f orm in the passing of the reform bill ! So with O'Connor . When Frost was betrayed by spies into the Newport business , and when he was committed as a traitor , O'Connor was denounced as a " coward'' because he did not turn-out , and "head tbe people" in a mad crusade against life and property , to ensure the hanging and beheading of Frost , as well as the
ensuring of himself being " cut up in four quarters to be disposed of as the Queen should , most graciously , please to direot ! Nay , even when the trial of Frost was proceding ; when the City of Monmouth was in possession of a strong military force ; when almost every second man in it was a soldier ; even when this was the case , O'Connor was denounced as a " coward , " becausThe was not fool enough to go upon the Welch Hills , organise the hardy mountaineers , and "head them" in an attack
upon the Judges and the city ! and because he applied all his powers in aid of Frost's defence to the charge against him , and succeeded in enabling him to escape from tbe fangs of the bloody cut-throat Executioner !! And thus it has ever been . Faction has always seized the opportunity to spread distrust and sow the seeds of disunion between the people and their friends . It is its vocation to do so . It would be a traitor to itself did it miss the opportunity . \
While , however , such a course must be expected and calculated on from the conductors of the factious Press , we have no right to expect that that course shall be joined in by those who wish to be considered as ' devoted to the service of the people . " We have no right to be called upon to defend ourselves from attacks from within ; while we have a right to expect , and to be prepared for , attacks from without .
la the foolish and senseless cry that has been raised by the Manchester Guardian , and joined in by the Morning Chronicle , the Globe , the Sun , Old Bloody , the Weekly Chronicle , and by every Whig and Whigling paper in the kingdom , against O'Connor because he did not take Cobden's place in the " suspension of labour" business ; or John Brooks'place in the " arresting of the wheels of Government" business ; or Ald . Chappel's place in ' the " closing of the mills" business ; or Dr . Black's place , in erecting " barricades "; or Murdo Youno ' s
place in putting " LADIES' HEADS on poles ;" or George Henry Ward ' s place in instigating the people to "SWING : " in the senseless and foolish ,-but desperately wicked , cry of " cowardice , " raised and kept up by the enemy against O'Connor , because he did not do these things , has a professed Chartist Journal , and a professed Chartist Editor , taken part ! In this matter he has ranged himself with the enemy ! In this matter , he ranks with the deadliest foes of the people 1 In this matter , he but echoes the slander and calumnies that faction has long sinoe uttered !
What strange fantasies personal malevolence will make us play before high heaven ! What strange bed fellows personal malignity and ungovernable vindictiveness will make ua acquainted with ! Who could have expected " THE Statesman , " would put up horses with John Edward Taylor , with Old Bloody , with Dr . Black , with Murdo Young , and with the man at the Greenacre shop : who could haveexpeoted that "THE Statesman" would have been found in suoh preoious company , flinging their dirt al second hand ! joining in their war-whoop and savage yells against one who has made the Chartist party what it is , —the only party whose power is conrted or dreaded ! Who could have expected thisV Yet so it is ! ! !
The letter that appeared in the Statesman of last Saturday , signed " Aa Old Chartist , " will be found in another portion of this sheet . That letter the Editor has made his own , by his approving commentary . Were we disposed to find out the author of it , we are convinced little difficulty would present itself . He may be ferreted out of the " Old Chartist" Warren in Manchester , in which he has taken refuge . But this is not of moment to us . With the Editor we have to deal ; not with his nameless , brainless , " cowardly" scribe .
O'Connor is " a coward . " So says " THE Statesman . " The fact of his " cowardice" we have given above . He neglected to take the place which ought to have been occupied by some member of the League ; and , therefore , he is a " coward "! He minded his own business , and left others to mind theirs j and , therefore , he is a " coward" ! He is invited to visit Manchester , to take part in certain public proceedings . He consents to go . He is elected a member of the ChartiBt Conference . He consents to go . Before he does go , he is apprized , through Sir Charles Shaw and the Rev . Mr . Scholefield , that if he ventures to shew
his face in Manchester , he will be instantly apprehended on a warrant grantsd for the purpose . " The coward" does not avail himself of the opportunity thus given him to decline his visit . He goes at his own cost ! He publicly enters the town . He goes to the house of the man who had been informed by Sir C . Shaw of the intention of the " authorities" to place him under arrest . He attends the meetings of the Conference . He stays till the last ; and , when his business in Manchester is fully ended ; when he has done all that had been arranged for him to do ; he openly departs for London , where he had other business to do . In this consists his " cowardice" !!
* O'Connor is a * coward . " So asseverates " THE Statesman . " O'Connor once Btood before the Judges . to receive sentence . He heard himself adjudged to be imprisoned for eighteen months . When he heard that , he did not snivel , and cry , and blubber , and roar , like a great boy ! He did not " BEG OF
THE JUDGE TO BANISH HIM FOR LIFE" !! He did not wimper , and weep , and "IMPLORE TO BE ALLOWED TO BANISH HIMSELF" !! He did not do this : nor did any one else , amongst the hundreds of Chartists who were prosecuted in 1839 , excepting one . Who that one ia "THE Statesman" knows ! !! \ - ¦ O ' Connor is a " coward . " So says "THE Statesman . " But O'Connor NEVER DREW A KNIFE !! O'Connor has knocked many a man down ; and been knocked down . But it has been with honest fisting ! HE NEVER DREW A KNIFE , upon any man , muoh less UPON A
FELLOW-PRISONER 3 !! We have heard of a Chartist prisoner who did . To the honour of the working men , he was not one of item . There was but one who so far disgraced Chartism , as to present himself in the attitude of a M coward" assassin , with a kaife in his hand . Perhaps " THE Statesman , " in his next number , will tell us who it was . ' THE Statesman" seems fond of dealing in the history of " cowards . " We may perhaps hereafter gratify him with a few anecdotes . We know some very interesting ones ; such as could not fail to please him , they are so muoh in his own way .
It is characteristic of the starved viper to sting every hand that warms it ; and hence Mr . James O'Brien and hia double , the "Old ChartiBt , " are not more angry with O'Connor than with "the miserable subterfuges of his editor , Mr . Hill , in attempting to run away from the Movement , and throw all the onus or blame upon the Cora Law League . Such articles at BUfjh a cxiBi 8 v ? ex © treason to the people's cause !"
If we had ever reason to congratulate ourselves upon any part by us taken in a public movement , it is upon that we have taken in this movement . We did from the beginning throw the onus upon the League ; we do throw it npon them ; let them get out of it if they can . We from the beginning warned the Chartists to have nothing to do with the Strike . We told them at the first that if they suffered themselves to be mixed up with it they would find much reswn for repentance . In oar
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first article upon it published three weeks ago , speaking of the tools employed by the concoctors of this Strike , these were our words : — ••• Their instruction * are two-fold . They are first to get the work-people out ; and then they are to give the strike a CHARTIST TIIfQB I They are to mix the Chartists up with it ; and thus afford a pretext to the Leaguers and the Governnumt to put Chartism down , when the former bare their ttwa end ¦ erred ! « Chartists , beware ! Be not mhwd « p with these proceedings . Keep CbartUm dtotinet from th& " risings" and the " tiotingf' 1 0 iy # joxu enemies no hold of yon ; and suffer them not to use you , and then coerce you !" Had we been more heeded , and the "
up-to-themark" men more prudent , we should not now have had to lament so many of our best men in the wolf ' s den ! Many a Chartist family that now wants bread would have had it ! and many an amiable wife would have missed the occasion sfte now has of soddening her lone pillow with her tears ! O ! yes , the " np-to-the-mark-men , " the " brave fellows , " who talk about " going to the House of Commons , with a petition in one hand , and a pistol in the other , " and who " dare not belong to the National Charter Association for fear some of
its members should do an illegal act ; " these " brave gentlemen" are terribly incensed that the . Star did not goad on the people to a position which should have more fully gorged their middle-olass freetrading friends with blood . O ! they are " brave men , " these " up-to-the-mark" gentlemen ! and honest as they are " brave" ! ! Hence they think that , " above all , the non-insertion of the Executive address was treachery of the basest description ; and this from the principal oracle of Chartism is too bad !"
Well ! this may be a terrible piece of treason ; if it be , we plead " guilty" to it . We did not publish the address . We never intended to publish it . We regret much that it ever was published . And we fancy that we are not the only parties who now regret it . Mr O'Connor has thought proper to take upon his own shoulders the onus of this omission . We cannot allow him to do so . It was our business to publish or reject it . We chose to rejeot if ; and we are quite ready to " take the responsibility . " It is quite true that Mr .
O'Connor did , after hearing of the seizure of poor Turner ' s traps , write a note to the Editor requesting that it might not be published We had heard of the seizure before receiving Mr . O'Connor ' s note ; and had , before receiving that note , determined not to publish it . Perhaps our readers will think the reason which actuated Mr . O'Connor a sufficient one . We should have thought so , if we had had no other reason . But we had other reasons . If Turner ' s types , &c , had never beeu seized at all ; if Turner had never been prosecuted at all : and if we bad no note from Mr . O'Connor
or if Mr . O'Connor had even written desiring us to print that address , we should not have published it . We had reasons of our own for our determination ; reasons arising out of the document itself , and out of the circumstances under which it was put forth . At a proper time we may give those reasons . We will not give them now . It is not the abuse of Mr . James O'Brien , or any of ' his nameless cowards that shall ' force us into statements which might be construed to the prejudice of those who have at present enough to battle with ! We regret exceedingly that that address was ever pnblished
at all . We never did publish it . We never approved it . But if we had chosen to publish it , we would at least have shown less of the coward is our daring than " THE Statesman" didl' . ! Wo would not have characterised it as " THIS MOST EXTRAORDINARY DOCUMENT . " We would not have flown to the " miserable subterfuge" of quoting it from the London papers ! We would not have asserted the cowardly lie , that we " didnot know whether it came from the Executive or no ?* to fence ourselves against the consequences of our daring ! No , no ; we never yet printed anything
in that way ! Had we approved the address , we would have printed it . We would have sailed boldly in the same boat with its authors , and not have skulked behind a dastard screen , which , after all , is no screen at all ! 01 he is a " brave" man , this James O'Brien 1 and the words " coward " and , " traitor" do sound so pretty coming from him , and applied to O'Connor and the Star ! He is a grateful man land make 3 good use of the people ' s pence , for which , week after week , the Star drammed up so lustily , that the " schoolmaster" and " THE Statesman" might have another paper to destroy I
The most curious part of the charge against O'Connor by " THE Statesman" is , that he did not stay in Manchester , father the actB of M'Douali . and Campbell , and allow them to keep out of the way of the police , while he kept in it !! C * n the Chartists understand this i Do they see through it ! O- ! yea ! O'Connor iB to father all ; to stand to all ; to bear all the odium , and all the weight of Government persecution . " THEStatesman" knows that O'Connor has had to stand to other people ' s doings before now ! "THE Statesman" knows that O'Connor has had to endure sixteen months of solitary confine ' ment , in a condemned cell , for——what i For his own act I for his own words ! for his own writings ? ior any comment of the Star ' s \ for
anything of this sort 1 No ! But for a speech made by James Brgnterrk O'Brien !!! O ! yes " , THE S * afesman"knows about Mr . O'Connor having had to father other people ' s acts ; having had to answer for them with loss of personal liberty for IS months together , under restraints such as no other individual in England ever before had to endure ! Yes ! " THE Statesman " knows of this . He knows of"other people keeping out of the way of the police , * and of O'Connor keeping in it , to answer for those " other people's" acts ! " THE Statesman" know 3 of this ; and it cuts him to the heart that he cannot again play the same card ! But " no more Bluestone , good doctor" ! one dose of thai sort is enough ! _ ?
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Sir , —Several false sfetements having appeared in tbe Derbyshire Courier regarding our * sges and the conduct of Mr . Arthur O'Neii , when with us a fortnight ago , we feel it our iuty to underoeive the pobiic by giving the following true statement : — It was stated in the Courier that we , the colliers of CT » y Cross , were fitting 4 s . per day ; whereas , numbering , as w « nearly do , 300 men , we do not average more than 2 a . 6 d . per day , working fourteen hours to the day , and are subject to stoppages out of the 2 s 6 d . for -candies , tools , &c .
The Courwr Eays Mr . O'Neii visited Clay Cross last week , and appeared as a flare-up teetotaller ; but finding total abstinence did not take well among the people , he quietly put it on the shelf , and advised the colliers to demand of their employers two quarts of ale per day . Let the narrators thereof blush , for it is a Halt is customary in Staffordshire for tbe men to have allowed them one or two quarts of ale per day ; and their prices are better Ior their work ; therefore , Mr . G'Ntil advised the men , that if they struck for an advance of -wages , that , instead of having the ale , to have the value thereof in aoney , as , according to hia opinion as a consistent teetotaller , it would do them more eeod .
The Courier also states tbat O'Neii , tbe demagogue , was too good a judge to mention it to Mr . Binns , the agent j bat O'Neii did mention it in his pres ; nee , and confuted every argument that Mr . Binns brought forward . This , like tho others , is false . Yours , is . J . TICKETS . Clay Cross Colliery , ¦ August 29 , 1842 .
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Mason ' s and others Defence Fund . —The following subscriptions have been received by Mr . Samuel Cook , of Dudley . — £ s . d . Aug . 10 Bensinrton-on-Thamea 0 7 0 16 Redditch 0 , 6 0 17 Cheltenham , after sermon ... 100 13 Clitheroe 0 2 1 19 Abergavenny . 086 20 Northampton 0 4 0 22 Grreenock 0 18 0 24 Stockingfield , Nuneaton 0 10 29 Kinzswood , Bristol 0 2 6
The Northern Star. Saturday, September 3, 1842.
THE NORTHERN STAR . SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 3 , 1842 .
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THE VICTIMS TO CLASS PREJUDICE . The prosecutions and persecutions have again commenced ! The doings of 1839 are to be repeated Men are committed to gaol , " to stand their trials' * for being Chartists . Heavy and excessive bail is fixed ( where bail ia admitted of ) , to prevent ita obtainment . The prisons are being crammed . Tho vindictive and revengeful passions of the men dressed in a "little brief authority" again have full swing ; and class prejudice is excited and appealed to bj the corrupt and time-serving press , to secure a "fair" aud "impartial" trial for the victims of malevolence , when placed" before middle-class Jurors ! -
Look at * he reports of the " Examinations" giren in our present and last week's paper ! particularly the examinations of Leach , Hctchinson , and White . Read over the " evidence . " Weigh it well ; see its bearings ; and then judge of some of thoaa magisterial deoisions which send men " to take tbei £ trials at the next Assizes" ! Take White ' s case . Take the report as we find it , and as we give it . We do not know that it it
correct ; but just as it appeared in the Whig Birmingham Journal do we transfer it to our page ? Take it , then , as a report given by the enemy of the proceedings in " Coart . " Take it , and well weigh the evidence" adduced ; and then judge if a man ought to have been " committed" on any such incoherent , bald , disjointed , stark-staring , self-evident , nonsense as the witnesses depose to ! And forget noi the character of those witnesses ! Let not the remembrance of that be absent from the mind when judgioff
of the "depositions . " Look well , too , to the revealmentt made by Wfl"S ia his able and judicious cross-examination ! See him drag the veil from off the infamous and detest able system of espionage resorted to by the " powers that be" to learn a man's private opinions ; and * possibly , to incite him to utter expressions , or commit acts , whioh will enable the inciter to pocket the blood-money . Look again and again at that exposure ! Remember that it is in England that these dastardly and infamous things are done ! Ia England ! that country which has always been famed for its love of uprightness and fair-play , ana it « hatred of deceit and treachery ! Rimeabe * that it is the now English "authorities" who instruct
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_ 4 , THE NORTHERN STAR .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Sept. 3, 1842, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct446/page/4/
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