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TO MR . O'BRIEN . - Verily , Sir , you hare moBt ingeniously attempted to L * ilit many small fires around your " Old Chartist " pile , in order that you may escape in the smoke ; but you wiil please to remember that it was I , not you , ¦ whom you and the "Old Chartis ; " would tie to the --uke , while you , the offender , would now turn npoTi your intended Tietim , and cry out " Murder , murder S save me , save mo ! " That J have not been prorated by an over-anxious desire to recriminate , even y -u must admit : at least , the country will . In my o ' . ru justification I did noi display that irrascibil ; v -. " ich you , as my accuser , hare manifested . I m-rely confined mysaif to facts , while my toral disregard of your insolent leader of the following ¦ we-i and my determination not to notice it , evinces no ^ r . a * de ?'' re to continue a dispute in whiehrjou ¦ were ?• e offender and I the offended . However , in the ' i i number of the Statesman you not only invite bu * : ; ¦ me 10 the contest . ; ¦
;• - . Sir , bear in mind , 'that I sought you not . IV grappled with my honour ; if , in the conflict , yoir -. vrn should suffer " damage , blame your rashness , no : tt-t : merity . The prospectus of your anticipated lab u--: in th-3 ChariL ; cause I pass over ; they cover th ? : > v . , fir .-t paragraphs . I sincerely wish you had on : • i : he taird , acd allowed poor Cooper , in h s du :: :-. « : < , the benefit of whatever little jury-class syr _; -a . ' : ; y the Morning Chronicle has lefi him . But ho : -5 i-, be appears to be your personal enemy , and Ye ; , -ice La ? triumphed over justice . F v-ag thus bri-.-fly noticed these three paragraphs , I s . tj .: usw select your sixth , which runs thus , as my test : —
*• ¦ a now that I have confessed tbe dsbt , and thereby \ r ., fisd Mr . Hill ' s statement in the Star , will that rev- a personiSe , or his great master , act an honourab = - r- ^ -t " for oscs in t-htir lives , by acknowledging on th ? ir L' 2 rt thjit , though I « sve O'Connor the debt , I owe hi :. 23 gratitude for it ; but , on the contrary , hatred ana ciiutm ^ t . Will they sta te to the public all the efovi ^ -irmces which preceded : md followed th 9 incurrinj . ¦ 'f ihd obligation i Not a bit of it ! It is not in the . i nature to do justice to atjy man , unless the doing so .-luald happen to suit their own private views . Th ^ y thI make a great noise about tbe pound a-wetk , trr . : ' : _ -v will not inform the Chauist public—•• : ¦ -. That the pound a week frfoi 0 Connor pre-Yerr . > i and was intended to prevent , my family from get : ! . j twice that amount , or more , from tbe pnblic
£ . I . ii it was purposely remitted in such a way as to \ 7 ,-. ics that efisctj the party selected for psjing it bei ?^ p . person whom O'Connor well knew to be no frltri' ; : uriae—a person with whom I was not even on apt : ; . ' ? terms for long before . A real benefactor " ¦« ' v ' o rood by steaith , acd Wash to find it fame ;" bn - . .- - : ir ^ ^ 3 th ' s ' rom being th-.- sryle of 0 Conor ' s ber . r "< .--ac-, that almost every booy acquainted with thr- - ~ . Mkr . ew of the pound a week bs-f .-re it camo to ray kr -Viods ? , As ray letters were subject to tsarina :. . > - r-y the Governor and Chaplain of the Gj . o ! before tfc .- - -r-ra heeded to ma , my wife was naturally very file * ..:-. ! o . rlicate in communicating the circumstance I ¦ Pi * :. ? cao-t ihe last person to hear of it ; so much so . int .-. i th ' .: s ^ ne cf mj fn ' ow-prlsoners actually knaw of > V anor ' s bcucty before I kcew of it , myself . . . -: "here was no ocasioa whatever fer O Connor ' s
be' t . : ; r . : h . _ - occsaslon . He could have got twice or th - ^ -Iruts tbe amonst raised for me , wiihont pntring hL \ ± : i iato his own pocket A sinrls paragraph in tic v-t .-, with kis nsme attached to it , and s ^ tin ^ kow m \ f .- ui'ly were dttsted , -woald have done ths basLness , or vF .- . n-. ut r > paragraph at aU . he bad but to call a inw tr .- \< together to form a committee for the purpese . In -nl , at the time he niide the arrang £ meat with Mrs . O'Uri-u . there was a committee being formed in London , tht p : ncipil members of which kirnity undertook to rai ^ r _ poucd a week . Bat as soon as they Itemed whit O ' i" i" jr bad done , they oeased to act , as did also many othrr - ctiTc friends in tbe conntry . In short , it soon
beet -jo ag-nerally r . nrterstood thing , both in town and cov ; "_ - ;• -. t-at " O'Brien needed no subscription , as his fri- .. I 0 CoxKor had liberally provided for him ; ' and it its ¦ i . onunon phras-3 at th « time , tfhen speaking of . the Tie i-.:. ;—" Dont mind 0 Brim , O'Comtor lets him wemt fo ? :, riling . He s&ids him money regularly through his oq < :. * > . I kr&ze one through whom he sends him a pound a ir ( k re-ju a . tyC 4 c , ic There are scores of persona in ¦ ¦ ..-u ind cons try to bear -witness to the truth , of thi- - --t-rTOt-at , In fcet , had O'Cccnor left me tojnj cs : in-nds , so far from neeeding his assistance , my fai-Kl- vou'd hava fared much bstter than they did , nn ^ I > honld have escaped some sixteen months of such mt * . 3 torture and luistry , as I would not again eciure for -i ! the mocey in England . "
/ -. ix : ou 3 as I was fo steer clear of all private mc .: rr ? , and grieved and annoyed as I was to sea aaj i- * = r ^ nce made 10 thorn in the Siar , ytrnr cballei ; e ' -. a the above paragraph compels me to '" : t"te ali ; i .-- cirenas : ar ! K 3 whish PKECEDED AM > FOLLOWED the incurring of the obligation . " Vo charge mo with rendering you a service for th :- .. j-pose of subsequentiy turning il to your dka-i-Ta ' i . jkv . Th ^ t chsTije I must meet by plaacing precetl- ^ ic circuDis' -ancfc of a like c ^ araei-r , to which
euc " : - uotiv-i couid iiO » be assisiifi- Hjw I served yo .: * t . in o- _ e insvanee , and tnai had been usc-d - » -ven ca-- " . ^ ily 10 y our disad vas t age , ( yourself making it cuuira-ly tne pre : cst ) a ^ ood chain oi Wuil-iabrica : r ¦> rircaiflsiantial events might iiave made a case prci . ? - " - ) .. ? and pia . us . ble out of it . If 1 can show , hc- ^ evar , tha » irom my fir = t acquaintanc-o with yon dov-n to the clcsa of the BirminsGam Confereuce . I ha-. i oeea laying the SAME SNaKES FOR YOU , wL " . ; Diuet the world think of Uie construction you m--i . q put upon my kindness '
in 1 S 37 I e = tibl . shed the Northern &ar , " and Ter ;> ^ a jrily aft ^ r rs appearance I eugiged you as a e-viiT . butor , by which you earned from two guineas to 'Lre ^ guineas p ; r tveek ; or rather you got it , for very slovenly and EastDy-wnitrn istcers of very littii ? uiterest ; however , you got it . \ on ware poor , as car ? good win is ; a ^ d vo' jt par was nearly a } - wav ia cdvance . Yoar leit ~ rs were low-spirited and po nU eg . Every one saw rhejViIiJig off in jonr "homili i . " At the same time you were engaged to write a lif of Rjbcsp-. cre . for Mr . Watson ; wi . n this I have no u ie to do than mereb to use it as introductory to au j . ct of kihuu ^ -s . wnich > va 5 of coursa " inteiiaed to to
to d ' iiu . i you . > ir . » v ^ vton -j ms fay that the > : u : s o ; jo r . r mi :. a had complexly subdued your ene-. ii ; ; and ii : at li I would lend you £ 40 , no dou ' o : it wouio re ^ rore \ ou to hope . I immeaiatp ] y "Wta : io Lonion : o-sd : hough I d \ i uot lend yon £ 40 , I tell -on -svaat I d ; j do . I took you to a i ' riona ' s hou ^ - and borrowed £ 30 . ( 77 hich I wovjid not hava dor .- f-. T myftir , ) aaa I made you a prrseiU of il ; aJtioUsja a : the tim ^ you wa . b inai rear £ 16 ; tbusT > reseni . ngyoa with £ 3 J a ^ a gift , ar . d iwiving £ 16 to be Tvorted out . I : nought you would have gone mad wiih -ratiiudel ! Aad how did you repay th ; s act oi kiiiCJcSi ! Wtv . dt iansediat « iv cz&sive- ill cc . r-KZ . H-Z . ic-Si i > rhydj lzameniaiviy Ciash'gail
ccr-, re ? p -naetice vrhu ih- ¦ > in' -, without any oiher notice thiii ; ae non-arrival or your weekay inner I I and b ; accepting the e-iitf'r'hip of the Operative witiiout auy nor < l of nciiice . You thus got £ 46 o ; iuy money ; and : h ; s was the return you made me for it ! Tnis wa ? iu 1337 . N ' 'W how did I - urn that act of kindness to ycur di-.-tructioii ? Ht-ar . sir . In Mareo , 1839 , you had pret . y Ee * riy wriftsn Lhe Operative down ; when a depu ii-: on , coiri tin < of Dr . T ^ yior and others , wa : trd \ iZ'i > n m ? , u , r ihe purpose oi indacir . g me to take tc- » i £ 1 .-tare . ? , to keep " " poor O'Brien's paper on iis Jegs . " I rcrused to take ten ihare 3 , but . presenteJ ihe comiiii ' . i ^ e with £ 10 as a gifs . Doubtless
this iiso was * ' done to damn you . " > Vx : : in May , 1 HZ 9 , the Rev . Mr . Hill began to find T he labi-uvs c : Ejitorship and tbe duties vrhiuh his fl ^ ck reqjired at his hasds more than his health co-iId well bear , especially as a ; tnut time the journey io Hull by coach wjls tedious , tiresome , and i- ^ ptasive . H .-s flock desirea to have more of hi » time ; an-J , with msre gratitude and Lotour thi . ii > ou have evinced , he gave w « notice xbut circuit : £ ni * : s miahi ooiapal him roluctant . ' ab- "aii : ; i ih- o-l :: ^ r hip of the Star , b : ; j " tha :, whatever . a-- result ir : Kht be , he wou . d not ce = = n hi ? pc .-r u :-- .. ; I 73 ^ 55 ppli"d with a ? ub - -n ' : ut =, ' a " . d HE Jf . iMLD YOU . lie did not know you then . He al j tCi - cr .- " ... " -t h > ibouihi he might b- rquil ' y Eervicc :-abls to th- ciu' 3 r . ; - Hnll , ss he shoul-i prubably g ; t
co ^ nt •; : _ . - in a paper in which he would advocate tbs r r ^ c : jif-5 Le bad ttaiD'aiaed in the Siar . J » o L : ; . £ ; would h-ve gnevpd me pore thaa pining w ' . A Mr . Kill ; i mentioned tbe vrhole circum-Etince to vou , and tv ! d you that , contingently upos Mr . Hill being couPiiLED to leave the Star , ycu should bare the off .-r ; upon whiCii you replied tJuit Mrs . O'Brien w ^ ula not live at Leeds if I gave you the Siar . but that you wcn \ d edite it ix London . I told y-ju that litre w ^ re other du ies besides wxi t in c from Loi'dor , ; and that I had xaisp that before . This w : us iic proof of a desire to injure you ; ana I merely mentien ii h ^ re for the purpose of exposing a dsep coa :-piiacy of which Mr . lull was to have been the viciiia , and which was hatched by your friends at Hndder .-Seld for bis destruction , and of which this 13 tha Urst intimation he n . i 3 had from me .
and of which j our cnorges while in JLancaster Castle were to furm , ana aid iorm , the ^ . oundffork . Weil . Sir , in spUe even of all the propping up of the Star you very quickly despatched the Operative , and in January , 1840 . you started the Southern Star . I : s appearance wu announced for many successive weeks , aad puffed c 2 by the * ' blackguard Parson . ' But io ! you had po friend to give the necessary seiurity to the Sump Office , and were compelled to ipply to the - corcard , " the traitor" " and the &icnd who but serves to damn ! " You applied to me . I . tendered iay ; elf and was refused . That refusal would have satisfied you as far as I was concerned , but it did not satisfy me . I "wished to t&xt tou ; iHd in ^ ood truth the way to trap you is to give you a nawspapar . However , I was not satisfied ; and I made mj solicitors threaten the , Commissioners tcllh an action if they persisted in refusing me ; and after a hard battle I compelled them to accept me .
^ ow , Sir , how the Northern Star puffed off , and copied froia _ ; he Southern Star , all must recollect ; while few will hwe ;' orgottcn the hot water in which that paper embroiled all connected with it , and its gub&'qient de&zh . Bat of eourso that . was no fault of yours J Oh ho ; every misfonuno ; has befals yon
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is a conspiracy ! no indiscretion of your own has ever had any share in the departure of the many papers of which you have been " in at the death ! My next act of kindness done with a view to entrap yon , was that " UNSOLICITED ONE , " which so nnnerved yon , and added to the horror of your confinement , well knowing that it would be used for your destruction ! That act of which you knew nothing till long after it was performed . But let us have your own words : — " Let me at once and for ever confess the report 1 b true' that O'Connor did , unsolicited by me , advance a pound a week to my family during sixteen or seventeen months of my imprisonment in Lancaster Castle ; and a bitter d ; . y it was for me—the day the arrangement was made ! I was not a consenting party to it : I knew nothing abeut it when it was made . I was locked up at the time , and the moment I heard of it I
felt as if I were paraiizad . I knew full well tbe use that would be made of it I foresaw all that has since happened ; and I apprised several friends of tbe same . Th = rs ar& at least a score of persons new in the country who cin bear witness that I communicated the circumstance to them as the greatest calamity in my life . I saw at ODce that his object was to make a slave of me , and that , having previously failed , with all his emming , to destroy my credit with the radical public , he would now , Eojne ? or later , succeed in overwbelmiug me with the contrast between bis own ' generosity' and my 'ingratitude . ' In short , I told my friends that it was & schema of 0 Connor ' s to pat a gug in my month ; fer , that tbe moment I refused to be a patty to his ulterior projects , th 3 t moment he would g * t me denounced as an ' ungrateful wretch , ' &c-, having previously taken go d care to get feis generosity whispered about all over the country . "
Now . Sir , read that ! and confess yourself the ve-iest , hypocrite and greatest , liar that ever stood before the country ! The first announcement that I had of 50-ir condition in Lancaster WAS FROM YOURSELF , in a letter wliich made meshed tears \ and in TH A . T LET TER you assured mo that your Eniferinjjs would be much alleviated if 1 would see Mrs . O'Bries and make such arrangements aswou ' ld render her comfortable !!! Yousaid that you had some friends in London who would probably form a committee for the purpose ; and * ' 0 how you would repay me . " 1 did not know where Mrs . O'Brien lived till I got your letter . I received it at Hammersmith at four o ' clock , and I was at the far end of the Borough at her house b&fore six . She was
no ; at home when I called ; and as her apartments were locked , I walked up and down the street till she returned . I handed her your let ' . er , and learning from her that she had little to expect from CommirtEes , I left her au order for £ 2 upon Mr . Cleave , aiid told her that I would allow her £ 2 per week during your incarceration . I called upon Ivlr . Cleave upon my return , mentioned the arrangement io him , and requested that he would not allow it to escape his Iip 3 to mortal man . I read your letter to Cleave to show what a weight it would take off your mind , and we parted . In a f . 'W days I understood
that a cemmii tee was abous being arranged to supply £ \ s week , and I wrote to C : eave to that effect ; and in a day or two afterwards I received a note from Mrs . O'Brien , in which she requested me to make arrangements fer her to receive her money weekly at Lancaster , and iu which wore these words : — " You arc a kind good creature not Io hive forqoticn me in the midst of your ou-n trouble . ' ' Shortly after I vr&s consigned to tLe Queen's Bcuch , w ' uen N- ^ som , with Eome others , called upon me for the purpose of arranging a subscription fund for yoar family , and a = ked my aid . I had no course left bu : to state what I had already done-.
Now , Sir , that" blocd money" you received during your who . ' e period of incarceration , and neither my clerk , publisher , nor editor knew anything whatever of the matter till Mr . Cleave sent in the charge at the end of a quarter or half year ; and when I was questioned as to its correctness , I requested that rw mention should bo made of u lest , it should make the country indifferen : as to your circutEitancts . Besides , Sir , at lhat time I waa paying to moro worthy individuals than yourself £ 6 per week ;
while I was borrowing money myself every week from Mr . A . Hey wood to keep the Star on its legs ; every ? oul to whom it owed a penny pouncing upon me at once , in ccasequonce of the determination of Government to put it down by persecution ; and I defy you to produce one man in England who ever heard thefactfrommethatyou had that "liood-money " other than those I have named , until you showed your ingratitude ; and not even then except in reply ts the question , " Is it possible that you supported O'Hriea ' s family while he was in Lancaster ! ' '
You complain also of the mode of receiving the pound a week . Mr . Cleave was the onljagent I had in London through whom it could be paid !!! You say I knew you were not on speaking terms with him , and that ho was no friend of yours . I did net know that you were not on speaking t-: nu 3 ; but I soon , foas . d out that you had not o ^ e frieud in London , although I bad no reason to suppose lhat Mr . Cleave was year enemy . But , after ali , my ^ . Tct rrime appears to consist in oth r peop ! - not keepi- g ; he rhing secret ; so that your tetlipijs were not hurt by my act of kindnes ? , bat by the knowledge that others had of it : while the fact i ? , I don ' t think a dozen men in England knew anything of the matter , while all would have rejaictd at it , had you proved deserving .
Now , Sir , what have you to say to my " c . \~ olicixtD id cf kindness" ? What was the next I When the Convention of 1841 was sitting , I road among o'her cf their proceeding ? , that you were in a dangerous stale of health ; an'i what did I do ? I instantly eit down and wrote to Mrs . O'B . desiring her to procure what advice she pleased , to furnish you with anything that you would pc ^ sibiy wan t or desire , at a to cend the bill to me—of course to ruin you !! What was the next ? You kaew that my expences
were tremendous and my calls many , and you wrote to me to Y-. > rk asking mo if I would continue my ALL 0 WA > 'Cii of £ l a week , and that you would write for the Siar . What was my answer ! Write as much as you please , but without rtf ^ rence to the £ 1 ; you . eha ] l have a guinea a column , for all you send ; that is . I observed , it you send one column , you shall hav .. £ 2 . 1-. and if two columns £ 3 2 s . always adding the £ \ io your allowance . Aud yet you were stung to the soul by ibid blow aimed ior your destruction !!
lou have a b 3 d memory . You ought to have a good or . c . You have altogether misquoted my leuer written to you from York Castle , r-iid published in the Northern Star . The letter appeared in the Star , has been before the public , and your sensitiveness upon it has been universally condemned , as there wa 3 not one single syllable in it c-ikiiiaotd to injure y ^ u , to hurt your feelings , or to le ? j >* -n tou in public estimation . But why was your answor io ir , not published ] Because it was the mo 5 t ri e caily , vicious , brutal , beastly , and insidious attack , : hat ever was made upon the Star and the Euiror , and especially upon tno Editor ; and at the saxe time you wrote to n > 6 a very polite note , saying that Mr . Hill had now made the " amende , " by the
publication of one of y > ur letters for which there was uc : room in the previous number . Upon reading yoar viperous epistle , I sent Mr . Hobson off to Lancaster , with what you call the " nsmarde , " to ? jt : . sfy you that I bad to intention of offending you . You appeared to him perfectly batisfied with the explanation ; and now for the turn which the fruits of inzi mission gave to the whole question of *• correspondence , " bad you even written as a correspondent , wHch you never did ; not one single line . Mr . Hubsoii having occasion to go to Chester to sec- tae Kovcrend Mr . Stephen ? , on business , had put into his hands—what think you ? Why , a letter from Jame 3 Brouterre O'Bntn , espressinj ; an anxiety to I c once more at liberty fr . r the purpose of destroying the popularity of D > : M'Douall . xMr . HuOion r-c-urneri to YcrK , and tuJi cl apprehension said
" Sir , you must be cautious of O'Brieu , or ho will rain the movement , " and he then communicated i-. e fa . c . Nv . w , Sir , take that cjmmuiikatbn in connection w'th ike foilowine extract lrun your letter : o _ Mr . Warden , written immediately Biter Al'Douah ' s reiei = e , aud of which you demand the publication ; and then ask yourself whether any sane man can corns Vj any otfatr conclusion , than that curing the period of your imprisonment yGu were concocting schemes for tbe destruction of every leader , and fur the breaking up of the movement ? You knew that Warden and Cardo were denounced by the Star and the country as t % foreign policy" men , who desired to raia Charnsai for a more profitable trade . You kn ^ w that you had wicten privately to . the Editor thanking him for his exposure of these parries ; and yet , y ., u write thus to the said Warden on the 8 ; h of Stpi . 1840 , just after -M'Douall ' s release : —
" My opinions coincide exactly with your own in rbspszi of the processions , dinners , is . in honour of Coiiin 3 and il Djuall ; and as to the movement , I co ::-bider it to be virtually extinct for all useful purposes . I have no confidence whatever in tae present race of agitators , with one or two exceptions [ no doubt Warden | Oid Cardo ] . They have neither the knowledge nor the integrity , neitoer the capacity nor the courage requisite for such a MISSION . The majority of them are actuaUsd solely by psrsonal motives , either the immediate one of profit , or the more remote but not less unworthy one of ambition . Not a few of them are also , I fear , confirmed spies and ^ mbkyo traitors . I could say more on this bead Una I choose to commit to print , bat etinisient for the day is the evil thereof . "
Now , bit , eren these two circumstances were Hot the cause of your productions not appearing in the Star . . There were others ; firstly , tou did not send ant , as you said that Captain Williams had prevented your writing ! ' You wroto to the Reverend Wm . Hill , it is tine ; but such letters as would have fully justified him in kicking you out of bis office the moment yon made your appearance there . They were low , base , Bcurrilous , false and nngentleman-Jike j and while he was receiving those I was receiving communications from differemt places assuring me that nothing would so much please the readers of the Star as the substitution of Mr . O'Brien for Mr . Hill , upon his , ( Mr . O'Brien ' s , ) release from prison I My next malicious act of kindness waa after the S : urge Conference broke up . Then I promised you as much type as would start you in yoar sew under-
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taking . Upon that occasion I paid you £ 42 , as treasurer to a portion of your press fund , and you wero of course so anxious to cancel all" obligations , " that you repaid it mo as p art payment of the advanced "blood-money" \ At least , from your great desire to repay it , one would suppose so . But not so ! nor did I ask it ; nor would I have accepted it , had you been just enough to hare " made the offer . Before I leave Birmingham , I shall dispose of the Conference . And firstly , as to what took you there . When you were at Stroud , upon a mission to damn O'Connor and the Star , through Vincent and the
Vindicator , you , with a few others , left the fustian jackets , and repaired to aprivato room , when a gentleman said to you , " O'Brien , if you were elected to the Sturge Conference' would you go V " Yes , " was your reply . " I am delighted to hear it , " said the gentleman , " it would give you gTeat moral influence ; and one man and one papeb havb had ALL THKIB OWN WAY LONG ENOUGH . " NOW , Sir , I never hint at things . I give lay authority . The sub-Secretary to the Chartist Association at Cheltenham , is my informant : and it was told as a sarcasm upon praise which I was bestowing upon you .
You went to the conference : and you have denied what I published with regard to your conduct while there . Now there are three living witnessss to the material facts , ell of which you deny : Mr . Jame 3 Leach , with reference to your conduct upon all occasions when you joined the people ' s delegates , and Mr . and Mrs . Porter respecting the most material points ; my invitation to you and your accop'ance of it to write your own version of your proceedings in the Conference to the Star , in preference to your proposition that I should do it ; and also your promise to meet me on the following Monday , at the head of the Birmingham procession , to join thoso from Bilston and Wolverhampton ; and in fact as respects the entire transaction .
Let any of your friends read my letter in the Star of April last , over to Mr . and Mrs . Porter and to Leach ; and if any one of them will say that there is an inaccuracy , the public may consider the whole as being false and maliciou 3 . And with respect to the charge that you now make against the Editor of the Star and myself of having changed our opinions as to tb . eS . rst Birmingham Conference : you are wholly in error , inasmuch as we still hold to the opinions we at first expressed , and merely approve another'Conference Hpon the understanding that it shall be a national representation , instead of a packed junto . As to my praise of Sturge ; I always said that he was much too good for his followers . But , as to auy junction with that party upon any othor term 9 than those contained in the resolution which I published , and which I would have movod had the Conference met , it is idle for them to hope for it . As to the
resolution which I supported at Birmingnatn , I will give you a stronger case . It was I who recommended it . Bu : wiia : goc 3 it do ! It thanks the Conference as a distinct and separate body from the ChartiFta , for going so far before their order ; and wherever you think propsr to move the same , I will support it . The Confcrunco endod , the Convention shortly afterwards assembled in London . Wo sat for thr > 3 whole week ? , and never did so much kindiy good feeling and union prevail among the people ' s representatives ; when , Io ! upon the last week you made your appearance , and harmony , aa if by magio , was turned into discord . Nothing but fi g hting and squabbling , rowing , accusations aud recriminations . Ther <» , too , I was ready to Bmo : her the pasr , and to so unitedly for the future . But , no ; that would not suit your book ; you thought that in a storm alone you could live . Well , we passed the two following resolutions : —
" That this Convention deem it absolutely essential to tbe success of the Chartist movement , and to the ; safety of all who rate a prominent part in it , that no public men connected with our cause should be de- ] noaneed in any assembly of tbe ptople , or in any news- > paper supposed to be in the interests of tha people , I until after the party against whom tbe denunciations may ba levelled , has been f illy heard in his own j defence in the presence of the oasembly , or through the columns of the newspaper which would denounce ' him ; and furthermore this Convention recerds its i solemn determination , collectively and individually , to treat a' . l denunciations as calumnies and misrepresentstions against the parties who may be the objects of j them , unless the denunciators shall have previously invnttf or brought the denounced parties in presence of i the public , so that a fair hearing of both sides may i take place—the public as jurymen—before any public cenpure is awarded . " '
" That we respectfully invite our brother Chartists ) throughout the empire to closa their tars against all j private Blanker levelled against the charactar of tbe people ' s friends and advocates , and at onco to silence all J such attempts to recognise in sach a pernicious system : the destruction of union so necessary , aad tbe frittering . away of character so essentially necessary to the saceesa of our common c : ai 8 Q . Wt > also recommend that the system of private letter writing for tbe purpose of crealing an ill-feeling , which is generally followed by the ' : formatka of sectional parties , who invariably direct ' tLtir attention to tha support of individuals instead of the furtherance of the c ' . use , be discountenanced . "
The first you moved , and I seconded it ; the last 11 moved and you seconded it . I promised that your j k > blackguard letter" to Mr . Hill should be returned ; aud it was returned . I pleJged myself that any communication you Bent to the Siar , \ in explanation of your conduct , or in contradic- ; tion of my letter should be inserted ; or any other . coicmuTiication that was not personal . Did youj take advautago of this opportunity winch now and j at all times you have expressed such a desire to ; have afforded to you 1 Did you ever try the experiment in order " to strengthen your catalogue of grievances if refused !! No such thing !! You never wrote a word to tho Star , because you had nothiDg to complain of . Now , surely to a man really deserve ing union , here was a wiping out of the" bye gones , and a fair prospect for a better understanding in future . Did you embrace it ? No , you vile man ! The ink iu which the abeve resolutions were written , waa
scarce upon the paper before you had dispatched your secret nrssives all over the country , breathing fresh denunciations of O'Connor . Oae of those you wrote to jour friend , Gray , of Manchester . He n . ad a portion of it to a number of Chartists ; when th- very anx'ous to hear ail , took the letter from him by force , and read your foul , uijust , ungenerous and false dfnunoiatons . You had the columns of the Star at your service ; you accepted my offer of type to bring out a pamphlet in numbers to introduce your paper ; and what did the first number contain | Why , a united attack upon me by yourself , Vincent , and others , which of itself was sufficient to damn you as a public man . Now , S r , state what act of mine , or of the Editor oi the Star , between the passing of those resolutions and the offering your communications publicity , and the appearance of your pamphlet , could have justified you in such a course ?
Another attnaipt to entrap you had nearly escaped my memory . 1 ihti ' nded to establish a daily paper ; and what was my offer to ycu ! It wns to join me in a tour of England , Scotland , and Walos , for tho purpose of announcing it , at my expence ; and the further off ; r to you , without a farthing ' s subscription towards it , to ^ coaie joint proprietor with me , or to name your own terms as Editor , without risk . Having now disposed of that portion of the subject which you challenged me to explain , I come to your senseless , foolish , aud self-answering allegations as to y"our trial at Liverpool . Firstly , you were never tried for any ono of tho-e "fabricated speeches" of yours which appeared in the Star . I was tried for publishing them in the Star ; rvhile you w . is tritd
and convicted upon the Manchester Guardian reporter's version of one of thoso said 3 pt . eeh < -p . An . i , curious to say , I was convicted at York , before the Judge wlio tried you at Newcastle , ai d w . ia convicted for tho publication of the speech for uttering which you were acqul'ted' ! You forget that the Star reports were never uffered in evidence except against me . You also forget that you was acquitted at Newcastle in corsequenc ^ of the imperfect n collection of the reporter ; whereas you was convicted at Liverpool upon tho testimony of a reporter WuO swore that he had taken down every wo ; d you spoke , and who read his notes as glibly as though they wore printed . You also forget tha 6 if the Star report had been moro strong against you , that that report would have been preferred to any other from any source whatever .
As to yoar version of my conduct upon your trial , tbera is not a child of seven years of ago who hoard of it , but irust laugh heartily at it . "WHAT DID YOU USE THAT LANGUAGE , O'BRIEN ? " Madman ! who in court but yourself heard it , or ever heard of such a thing ?! Three barristers sat between you and me , Mr . Ciarkson , the solicitor , was at my elbow , and the Rev . Mr . Jackson , and ether Chaitiste , wero close by me : did thoy hear it ? No . faith ! and for the very best of all possible reasons : because I never opened my lips from the
time the trial began till it closed , exoept for the purpose ot instructing counsel as totheoross-examination of Clarksor . tho reporter . Why , foolish man , [ did ' nt even condemn your language upon my own trial , when it might have been servicabie to me !! But for a barristsr to get up in court while counsel vraa speaking to evidence , and especially a Chartist barrister upon the trial of a Chartist , for the purpose of reproving his conduct , is too ridiculous ! ! bat more ridioulons still to suppose that the great political sieve should have so long kept bis mouth shut upon saoh a plum !
As to the oharge of jour witnesses not being in attendance , both Mrs . Lerercsheand Mr . Templeton were there m court subpaned , and what were they to swear to ? Just this ; that there were better reporters than Ciarkson ; but not to contradict one word he said . Now bear in mind that others were tried and convicted upon his evidence aa well as you ; and when I mentioned the nature of the evidence we had to adduce , which was precisely the same as in your case , to the Hon . Mr , Wortley , counsel for tho prisoners , he said , ' Let Mr . O'Brien examine them if he pleases , but I won't ; aa it is impossible to shake that reporter ' s testimony by other evidence . There are his noteB : they cannot swear that they are not substantially correct . They may damage us ;
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but cannot eerte us . " In this view Mr . Ciarkson the 8 « licitor , acquiesced ; and npon those grounds the witnesses were not examin'd for any one . But / apropos of witnesses . What right have you , of all men living , to pbjeot to the non-production of witnesses for your defence t You , who would have me to stand so naked before the law , as to term the affidavits of honourable men " lying affidavits . Surely affidavits are evidence as well as ** viva voce " testimony ; and why censure that course when pursued by me , when you objsat to the same means not being resorted to for you ? Those persons , many hundreds , must be under an obligation to you ! As to your notion of the Chief Justice stopping me in my speech , you are wrong ; and though it is not worth while to set you right , yet I wish to sot the country right . He did not stop me in my speech . When I applied the firss day to have
iudtrmeut postponed on account of ill health ; before I had spoken ten words , hei said— " Mr . O'Connor you are now answering your own application . " But when I spoke in mitigation of punishment in a fortnight afterwards , the court did not interrupt me—but tho people did , by their repeated cheer *) , not for my " cowardly , " but for my bold and uncompromising tone ; and the Chief Justice , more than onoe , threatened to clear the court . The same occurred upon each of the three occasions when I was tried ; and I never asked to be transported , nor did i blubber lika a great school boy , but I told the court and tho jury that I would break oppression ' s kea , f ' , or oppression fihould break my heart ; and that I would como out ol prison a better Chartist than I want in . But you , brave man ! appear so far to honour the law aa to court
its vengeance . Yon speak against the employment of counsel . Allow me to ask what would Frost , Williams , and Jones nave done without them \ and what tliti you do assist in raising the funds to pay them ? or what one service have you ever rendered to the cauBO in your whole life , save and except tho honour that you have conferred upon it by ivmg out of it ? As to my " feigned illness , " I was in my bed fourteen days , was blis . ered , cupped , leeched , blooded , and physicked almost to death , "iet I rose on tho second Monday and would have gone into oourt had it not been for the injunction of both of my pbysiciaus , much too honourable men and too high in practice to be bribed by the first man in tho land to bo guilty of making " lying affidavits . "
Now , as to the recommendation to plead guilty . It proves what a thankiess office that of acting for j other 3 is . It was not I who rccommonded you to i plead guilty ; it was counsellors Watson , Murphy , j Wiikins , and Wortley , —all of whom had been en- j gaged in tho Chartist casss at York , ard who had witnessed the different sentences passed npon those j who went to trial , and those who pleaded guiuy . They witn . ssyd tho case of Hocy , Ashton , and Crabtree , who got two years and hard labour ; and some of the Sheffield , ov some other , men who pleaded guilty , and got very slight sentences . I communicated tho opinion of counsel , which strongly recommended some to plead guilty ; and all who did were allowed to remain out upon their recognizances , iusttad of swelling the demaud upon the Support Fund .
To all these matters Mr . Ciarkson can boar unbia'Ped testimony . He can also bear me out in s-ayiu £ , that not a single step was taken without the opinion of counsel , who lost their fees in each where their advice was followed . But , base and perfidious wretch ! you even charge me with the expenditure of moro than £ 300 of my own money in defence of prisoners , a 3 a or . me . Snpposo I bad not employed counsel and the prisoners had got heavy sentences : what then would have been your charge , and whero would it havo ended ? Ycu forget that you lost all self-possess : on ,
aud actually insulted Mr . Ciarkson in open Court . As to the postponement of my own trial , it was just , what all tho travorsers , Ric'iavdson , Jackson , and others had dono at the previous assiz- ; s , ai : d for whicn I paid £ 126 . Perhaps that was also to entrap you all ! With reBpect to the lenity that my coaduct gained me from the Attorney General , and Mr . Wightman , now a judge , you appear to have forgotten that both one and tho other opposed my application for postponement , and that I battled the point , myself , the judge who was to pas-i sentence upon mo in a fetv weeks well knowing that eighteen months was in store for me . .
But pray what has conferred upon you the right f interference and dictation in all matters not only concerning yourself , but in those in which you can have no possible conooru ! Or are you not satisfied with having assisted in banishing M'Douall , and withholding up Cooper as an object of jury class hatred \ Do you want more viotims out of your way t Just see how you correct yourself , you say : — " Instead of your stiflwring for me on account of tha St . ctport speech , it was I that suffered through your Stars infamous misreporfc of it . Its embodiment as a count in your indictment at York , caused it to be circulated through all the papurs in the kingdom , and that , amongst other similar circumstances , caused no small sharo of the ferocious pv . juiiice which the Liverpool jury were known to entertain towards me ia cotnj : arison with my fullovr prisoners . "
Now , Sir , with this perfect knowledge a ° to the cfLct of creating prejudice in the minds of the jury class , fresh in your memory ; how csn you reconcile the publication of the " O'dChartist , " &ndyour recent attack upon poor Cooper ?! It is a most astonishing circumstance that the man who has least to complain of as to tho trials in 1839 , 40 , should be the only one toconaplain . There must be some reason for it , and the public will guess aright no doubt . You follow up your exordium with a most extraordinary admission . You say that you havo received scores of letters from O'Conuorites , but you dont wish to publish such things ; while , in order , no doubt , to allow the publio
to come to an unbiassed conclusion , you publish no fewer than six scurrilous letters from as many red-hot O'Brieuites , Lovettites , and Vinceutites—all anti-O'Contiorites . What a very extraordinary notion of justice you must , have ! and how very fortunate to have received every one of tho aforesaid epistles , some from unknown and others from too wcll-knovvu persons , just i « the nick of time ! To begin also with poor Mason , and to finish with poor Burns ! You must be badly off for a case when you are coinprlled to fly to such sources . However , taking their every assertion for fact , let us test the logic of one of those '" praise-God barebones" Chartist Christian Churchmen—M'Ewen ; a kind of rural Dan ,
who won ; d charge mo with falsehood because I asserted that fifty places , widen I had visited , supported tho National Petition , while he supports his denial of it thus : — 'There were , " says ho , " eighty-four delegates ; and a majority of thoso were opposed to the National Petition . " Why , tho great horse-god-mother-of-a-devil , did ' nt he know very- very weir that the delegates did not represent tho same places that I had visited ? Was he not aware that a sot of them represented lanes streets , and alleys , in Glasgow ? But to comment upon the imcomprehensible stuff contained in all this " nick-of-timo" evidence would be an insult ; and I have ever courted the hatred of-such fellows , lint why not publish one , even one letter from one honest O'Connorite 1
Sir , you wvuld ' addle upon me every act dono by every Chartist iu the kingdom if it was displeasing to you . What have I to do with the acts of other men ; but yet I do thank the brave fellows who appear to be so numerous that you cannot select a line from all , and ao watchful that your perfidy cannot escape any . However , with reference to "Correspondence , " yon ask a plain question . You eay , " Let them publish the letter ; let them publish all they cau : I will stand b ' y all that is my own , whether public or private . Would they—could they—daro they , do the same ?"
Now , this is a plain question , and hear my plain an 3 iver . Aye ; and I will givo you full and entire punai . ' -. sion to publish any letter ever written to any one by me in all my life , * and I will give any man £ 10 who will send yoa onecontaining a sentence , line , or syllable , reflecting injuriously or , having the slightest tendency to injury one single—even tho most insignificant Chartist ; and I will give tho samo to any man who can swear that he has ever heard me say ono single word calculated to injure you , or even to offand you , until you deserted tho cause of the people . Now , that ' s a plain answer to your plain question . Make all you can of it . I shall now take a rapid review of your conduct since you left Lancaster Castle . ^
You dined with me on the 4 th of October , after the Manchester , Lncds , and Sheffield demonstrations had taken place . What awkward things those dates are ! Never did heart seem to beat warmer than did yours to me on th at occasion ! You were about star ting upon your lecturing tonr , and the last act that I performed was that of giving you a check for whatever monies had been collected for you at tha Star office during your incarceration . I reminded you that it would be impossible to send a reporter everywhere after you ; but that the Star shouldbe open to your communications . You thanked tne : and it did announce your movements , and published every word that was furnished complimentary to you , but no portion of your lectures ; and why 1 because trow asked the reporters not to
furnish them , or rather it ; aa the leoture that yon delivered at Lancaster upon the day of your release was the same identical one , without alteration of emendation , that you delivered in every town tbroagh which you passed . Mark ! I don 4 object to that course . On the contrary , I think it wise and prudent to set public opinion by the same dial ; but I do object to its being matter of accusation against the Star by you and your friends as it has been , that yonr lecture was not reported , when such non-reporting was at your own request ! Now , let me follow you through your tour . You eet what pence yo * could , and small blame to you . You did more to cause Btrife , confusion , and dia-8 « ntion , than all the mischief-makers that ever went before yoa . You preached abstract notioDS tpom
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subjects tkat you do not understand . You denounced every one but J . Bronterre O'Brien . You did not make a single Chartist , but on the contrary , weakened the faith of many . You abused the organii pation , and yoa told your hearers that you thought I just as much of O'Connor and tho Star as of old Walter and the Times ; and , to such a pitch did you carry your villany at Halifax , that the whole committee left you in tho room by yourself , and told you if you published a paper not to send any to Halifax . You intrigued and defamed with private letters , and made secret charges against every man whom you think to stand in your way . You returned after disgusting the best part of your audiences . You then went to Bath to form a coalition with Vincent and the Vindicator . You gave him a glorious character ; and presently the Vindicator begins to fire at O'Con-! nor andtheiS' / ar . and down it went . You next went
to Birmingham , and tried the dodge of intrigue there ; but they found you out . You then sat in tho Conference preparatory to establishing a place in the 11 new move ; " but , like the Devil and the Bottle Imp , they won ' t have you at any price . You then got hold of the Statesman : your devils having pushed it for the last week of the Convention against the Star . Youthen turn " new move" man , and invite the League to join the Complete Suffrage Association . You would then , if pressed , sink Annual Parliaments . Then you would stand up as championfor the Executive against the Star . Then the Executive are " cowarcs and traitors . " Thon
O'Connor is a " bra ^ e and gallant fellow . ' Tken he is a coward and a traitor , and always was . " And then , Sir , to crown your villaiiy , what do you do ? You are a professed lover of justice ; you hate the law bocau&e it dceth not justice . You charge a gentleman with being a " coward and a traitor , " upon the evidence of an anonymous writer ; and how do you prove your love of justice 1 Tho law that you profess to despise allows the " traitor" to have a copy of the indictment on which he is charged , of tho jury by whom he is to be tried , and of tho list of witnesses who are to appear against hia . The law does that . What does Jas . B . O'Brkn ? He publishes the charge , and strengthens it by adoption ; and then says that he will givo
the name of tha only witness in support of it to any man except , to the only one to whom it may beserviceible . andwhoaloneHentitled to it ! " Yea , a Daniel , a very Dauiel came to judgment . " Ah . ' you perfidious , wretched , disappointed , self-destroyer ! think you that the keen and all-piercing eye of public opinion will fail to see through the thin veil of patriotism with which you have attempted to cover your dark and hellish plot for the removal of tbe Star a : ; d Feargus O'Connor from out your way ? Kead your hat of charges against a man whose every act for the last ten years is known t © every one ; and behold how they ave shivered against that coat of mail with which honour is ever covered against the assassin ' s dart . Why , you miserable self-tormentor ! do you suppose there is a child , in England who does not know that you slaAi ^ htered
the London Dispatch , tha London Mercury , tho Operative , and tho Southern Star , aud . that your assassins-hand is now armed to strike down tho Bri'ish Statesman ? You have neither constitution , head , or stomach , for the position to which you would vainly aspire . You have neither knowledge , brains , nor temper to retain the position if fate had assigned it to you ; and so from y > ur masked battery you would aim your missiles attho ? e whoso knowledge , courage , aud prudenco but serve as a contrast to your lack of all thoso attribuiewhioh ' distinguish , a ' good-. and-honest man . Yoii would bo a pensioner upon any man ' a bounty , rather than lead a life of industry ; thinking that tim ; : s run hard when you arc compelled to do moro than ' opon your mouth , and shut your eye 3 , and see what God will s < :-nd vou . "
Now , Sir , I have replied to your guesses , your slauders and insinuations ; ' and the only apology that I can mako to the readers of tho Star , for that spaoe ~ which your gambols hare recently occupied , is the assurance , that , with my consent , your name shall never again appear in its . columns . You now stand uncovered anti uvmasked before the public . I h ^ vo never assumed oihur character than that which I havo ani cvor shall maintain , thit of a honest , uncompromising , and rc . jolute advocate of the people's rguts . My whole conduct is before tho public ; to the people I refer the question ; by
th ' . ir veraict I wiil be judged . If I have been ajiggler , I have bot ; n tho most fascinating , and worst paid , that ever appeared upon the stage ; while 1 am bold-enough-, to assert 'hat you have lived well upon the performance of those tricks with which your audience have become disgusted . You have well supported your position . You have succeeded iu i ' one . iting and perpetuating discord from the moment you entered upon publ ic life . I trust that , in that retirement to which sound public opinion has now coiisigntd you , you will havo time for reflection and reumtance .
I am , tko " Coward aad Traitor , Feakgus O'Connor ;
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-Deyonpokt , Saturday .-The Archtfoke Fre *** of Austria landed bere to-day at two o ' clock , . fiio n * arrived in command of the A ^ -sti v . a frigate uei" »» - at an ea . Jy hour of tbe day ..
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EXAMINATION OF MR . WM . BEESLEY , AT BURNLEY . Burnlei , Sept . 7 . —Thia day , Mr .. Bee » ley ( who bad been remanded from Monday , inconsequence of the absence of Mr . Philip Grant , reporter for the Manchester Chronicle , and occasionally for the Mormnff Herald , ) waa brought before the magistrates , Mr . P . 33 . lownley , Mr . Charles Xownley , and the : Rev . William Thuaby , charged with uttering a seditious libel on the 12 th day of June laat , at a meeting held on Pendle-hill . Mr . P . Grant being 8 « rorn , stated thaVha resided at Manchester—waa a reporter—attended » meeting on Pendle Hill on the 12 th of June ; wbat the aubjeot of tho meeting was did not transpire in my presenee . 16 was held on the Sabden side of Pendle HilL Arrived there about half-past two o ' clock In the
afternoonthere were about 2000 or 2500 persons present—hust ings was formed of earth and stones about * yard and a quarter high , and appeared to have required considerable labour in the erection . There were from 20 to 30 persons on the hustings—I went on the hustings—there waa not the slightest objection to my going on , ot taking notes . The meeting was quite peaceable , and consisted of worftlng men , women , and boys . I began to take notes immediately when I got on the hustings . Tbe copy I here produce is a verhatim copy of what Mr . Btt sley said , as far as it goes . It is my own
handwriting , transcribed from my note-book on the evening of the meeting . The first sentence I heard was , "I have now given you my view of physical force . I will show you that if you went unarmed , yoa cannot meet the people ' s murderers , and therefore you mast have recourse to other measures ; yoa have the power to do any thiDg yoa please if you think proper to exercise it *' lit waa here arranged that the reporter should read his notes through , and they should then be copied into the 3 e positions by the magistrate ' s clerk , Mr . Bichard Shaw . i ; . . ;¦ ¦ ¦ . .. :-
Mr . Grant went on to reed several pages , stating Mr Beesley ' s opinion of tbe Tories—showing the psople the impossibility of making a successful appeal to physical force ; telling them that the middie classes would be sworn in special constables , and that the farmers would ba yeomanry , and cut down the people to protect the landlords . That the Queen waa receiving an enormous silavy every yoar , while the people were starving ; that she had received £ 8 , 000 to learn to dance , £ 70 , 000 for ne-w stables and learning to ride ; that she could not wash nor own chemise , and was spending her evenings nt balls while the people were starving ; that they should go in hundreds to the overseers and ask for
relief ; they should also go to the parsons and demand of them to fulfil the oath they took on their ordination ; that at th 3 next General Election , they should elect 658 men , by the voice of tha people , and if they were refused admittance into the House , and were bludgeoned away , they ehould make a Commons House for themselves , and maka laws , and let them be obeyed . He was one of those who thought working men might be worsa off . for if they iost an arm or a leg , they would be ¦ worse off ; but if they were determined to resoit to physical force , if they would show him one hundred thousand armed men , then , sooner ttmn they should ba without a leader , he would lead them on to victory and the
Charter . ¦ ' ¦ . ' -. Mr . Beesley dro 3 s- £ xamined the witness , and elicited from tain that he w&s at the police-office in Burnley previous to goi » £ f to the meeting—that he had a reporter from the Times in company with him—that they travelled together in a gig to Sabden , that the London uent , stayed at a public-house in Sabden , while he ( Mr . Grant ) went to the mesting-rthat he left the meeting sit three o ' clock , tha business being concluded—that Baesley sp ? ke a considerable time—and that several
other speakers addressed the meeting during the short half-hour" that he was there—that he furnished the Times reporter with a copy of his notes , and they were given to the superintenJant of police in Burnley—that Mr . Grant was one of those who went from Manchester to Liverpool to a wear against the Chartists in 1839 , and that he had iost £ 100 by going down there oa that business ( Mr . Grant was evidently labouring under severe indisposition , his appearance being such as to justify a supposition that his days or earth are very few ) . .- ' _'
Mr . Beesley read a paragraph from a Manchester paper ( the Guardian ) of the I 5 th or 18-h June , which atates tbat he was opposed to physical force . He also read n paragraph or two from the Manchester and Salford Advertiser , aDtl drew from the witness an avowal that he ban furnished that paper with a report . Mr . B . stated , tbat &o fai from fating opposed to the wit . iess taking notes , he was glad he was there for the purpose , and ^ ave him every facility to do eo . He had been condemned aa a cowud for advising the people at that " me « cing : to rely on their moral power , and shewed the bancli , by readmit a paragraph from a letter from Mr .
O'Connor to the Chartists of North Lancashire , that he had wrote to ccntradict the report given in the Advertiser , of tbe 18 th June , as a gross and base misrepresen tation . Ha li id dona this wh- jn he had not the slightest i <] : a of a prosecution baing pending ; he had done it in order to sat himsulf right with tho public . Ha complainui that the subject should be brought forward at th a time , aftsr having stood over thirteen weeks , and now to ins ' . itute proceedings against him on the written testimony of a repo . ter , who it was evident from the f icts tl ' . eited was a pai-ty to s , conspirary to crush him bv ( ' epriving him of his liberty .
John D . jwhurst ; of Whallay , shoemaker , was the next wisniiss calkd en . ( This witness was examined on Monday last , and his explanation taken down . ) The Clerk having STforu him , proceeded to read from what purported to ba his ' deposition given on Monday , tlia witness eonflrnr . iig what was read to him . Mr . Beesley protested against this mode of proceedin ? , stating that what was thon read was nothing like waat h » had given in his testimony on Monday ; that it appeared to him ( Mr . Baelaey ) to havo been cooked u . s in the offica and mw presented to the witness in a polished form , so that it would answer the end of his prosecutor , by the witness swearing to it . The following sentence will convey an idea how the thing was iutenued to be done : — *
Clerk reads to the witness , yon say that what the defendant said was calculated to excite the people to a breach of the peace ? and the witness was composed of such materials , that if , instead of a breacfi of the peace it bad been read , to keep the peace , or to set fire to the country , he would hi : ve answered , Yes , Sir ? Mr . Btesley appaaled to tbe bench and remarked , that Mr . P . E . Townley had stated on Monday , that if they could produvw no stronger testimony than Dswhurst ' s , he should ba set at liberty . It was then agreed that tbe witness should be again examined , and his deposition taken down . In answer to questions , the witness said he attended a meeting on Pandle-hill on Sunciay , the 12 th of Jane ; cannot tell what the meetinc was for , but ' o rekkun it ] tcur a Chartist
meeting . Heard Beesley Iwgin to talk . There were two or three thousand folks pres-nt . They came over the hill , and in tha direction , of S . ib'den . I saw Beealey tb're for one ; there ware five « r six men on tho hustings . He gave a view of physical force . —I was £ va or s ; x yards from the hustings . He encouraged the people to come forward and unite in one body . He did not urge physical force . —said moral iorce was of no use Ho said sosaethicg about a number of men ( I have forgutteu how many ) going to the Parliament house and demanding admittanca to redress their grievances . If they were defeated by blud ^ eou men , they were t « c . inie bask and make laws somewhere elsa . Said
something about the Q'leea'a salary—could not tell what it wa 3—it was either £ 800 or £ 8000 . could not tell which —what he said was calculated-to excite the people to get tbe Charter—did not givo his opinion in my hearing asout physical force . I have no particular remark about that . —Mr . Bsesley hsre wished tie clerk to puc down what the witness actually stated , namely , thijt he did not recommend physical forea . The cletfc said ha would when tha witness swore it . After some altercation between tha c ! -: rk and Mr . Beesky , the Rev . Mr . Thnvsby put tha question to the witness . Are yofl po ? it ' ve you did no ; hear him recommend pbyaiwl force ? Witness—Yes . The magistrates then ordered the clerk to put it down in the deposition .
Mr . Bsdsley cross-cxavained the witness , and elicited fcjoi him that he w ^ s sent to the meeting by Superintendent Me Cabu : be had nothing promised him for tiiejob . Here Me . Cabe stated , that he was a special constable , and iftcr some higgling to keep back tfcfl P * pay system , !¦;« bsqnn to put words into tho mouth of the witness , ilr . B . very po ' . iteiy told He . Cab ^ , that he not bai n , * a solicitor had no right to interfere or speak . T . ' je btineh concurred with Mr . B . Mr . B = esley—When wa . s you sworn in constablo ? Witncis—In June last . Mr . Bo « 8 ley—Btfore or after the meeting ? Witness—Before . ¦ Mr . Bseslsy—How long bs ' ore ? Witi . £ S 3—I cannot say ; it was in the spring . Mr . Thursby—How long wj . s it before the meeting ? V / aj it a month or two months before ?
•'• Witness—Two-mouths , ' sir . Mr . Bsesley—You havo now stated on yonr oath that ou -vn svjra in o-Jastabl-3 la Janei , that the meeting mis in Jane , and that you was sworn in two months before the meeting . Mr . M'Cabe was then sworn , and stated that he , along with two others , took the defendant into custody on Saturday the 3 d of September , at Holland ' s Temperance Hotel , Curzon-street , Burnley . He took possession of a travelling bag—read a list of its contents—an Address from the Complete Suffrage Union , signed Joseph Stnrge , and some * eao ! utions passed at a delegat * meeting , were retained . Several books , two or thrae dczen of Emtnett ' B life and trial—Cobbett i Paper against Gold&cwere returned •• ¦ Y
. ., ;> The Court was then ordered to be cliaied , for the magistrates to tioosnlfc When w * « gain entered tie court , Mr . Beesley was informed fcy th « deik that ne must be bound himself in £ 100 , and two sureties m £ 50 each , to appear at the next Lancaster ( M » wi Ass : z 99 , ta answer an indictment that would be p * ferred against Wm for uttering ^ seditions libel . > B ™ ¦ was immediately tendered , and acceptad ., Mr . Si'C » o » was bound over to prosecute , and the witnesses bonna to appear and give evidence , when Mr . Beeeley WJJ " ct , liberty ,- and . ' retired with his fifends . On & »¦ Beesley making his appearance outside tho Ssssw * room , three hearty cheer * wer . a givsnfor thft ' CnavtWW the multituda assembled .
Untitled Article
TREMENDOUSLY DARING FE-VT . ( From the Northern Times . ) An American seaman , named Michael Smith , age ^ i 23 , proposed to leap from the east side of SunderlanJ-briu ^ e into the river on Wednesday last . His intention wus announced by hand-bills on tbe previous evening , and at the timo'fixed ( four o ' clock ) , hundreds of persons assembled to witness this daring and novel exploit . Smith , learning th ;; t the oUic-jre of police would b 6 on tbe alert to prevent him accomplishing his orj at . changed his dross , to evade detection , and proceeded across in the ferry-boat to th « north side , which caiis :.-d
a little delay . O : i arriving nt ths centre of the oridgfi he instantly mounted the railing , and was preparing to throw himself off when he was soized by the polices , who dragged him to the station-house , to tha great disappointment of tho spectators . On Thursday he ivm brousht before the magistrates on the charge of obstructing tbe thoroughfare . The case was Btated by Sergeant Paxton , nnd Superintendent Brown remarked ' that tho man had b ^ en previously cautioned . Smith , - in defence , said , that he was a shipwrecked mariner , I atid SelGn ^ ed to Nt ; w York . He was au experienced diver , and had no other iuention in performing tho frat i th . m io raise a little money , in ordsr tbat he might be . 1 enabled to fit himself out for sea . The Mayor told him \
that he had no business to obstrnct the footpath j if he wrui'l jump eff the bridge people must go to see him . and that the police had acted perfectly right in taking him into custody . Sorgeant Puxton here stated that Smith told the officers he would do it in spite of them and the magistrates . Smith denied this charge , but in- Unrated to tho bench tbat he would yet leip off the '< bridge , providing he could get their sanction . This , however , was rafuse ^ , and the Mayor told him that , as a foreigrer , the bench were inclined to de 3 l leniently , and discharged him on paying cists ; but that tbe police would keep a strict eya upon him , nnrl if he disobayd their injunctions he would be taken up and bound ov ^ r to keep the peace .
THE ACTUAL LEAP . About six o ' clock in tho eveaiaj of the same day , determined not to b 8 diverted from bis purpuae , S ; mth went privately on tae bikige , ar . d despatched his companions to apprise curtain parties who had bofrienrii'd him of his determination to leap . Several were , however , disappointed , Smith hr . viug before they arrived ? ercbed himself on the summit of the lamp-frame , frOfn whence , waving his cap gallantly , he sprang into x ' rJ river Wear—a height of upwards of 110 fe ^ t . "Oi reaching the water he struck out aud swam " liki p . 8 fea-bird , " to a keel or barge , from whence he salutvd tbo spectators on the bridge . and on thu heights in tUe , style of a true jack tar , which wag immodi&tely returned by a round of hearty -cheers from tLe astonished multitude . It is almost nnntxsrssary to ii . form our dishmt readers ( for tt : sre are few but must havafceavd of tbe far-famed iron bridge afc SunctarSntid ) that it is bo constructed that large vessels of 400 tons sail underneath it without striking th « ir maats .
Smith has done what no man ever did before , ani what , very probably , no othev man will dare to attempt again . Smith is an active , brave , joliy-hearted feilow , short made , and about tweiity-thvee years of age . He has frequently Ictpai froni . tha highest yards and masts of ships iuto the sea ; end , in several instances , ran been instrumental in saving the lives of his fellow-men at great p * vil . Oa reaching the shore , atte ? having achioved little Ie « 3 than a niiraclo , ammbsr of people gathered round him , who cheerfully presented him with trifling sums of money , when the police immediately interfered and dragged him off to the station-house , alleging as a reason th . it he wa 3 " bogging money . "
Untitled Article
The Special Commissions—Wo may now slato wiih-certainty , Bs . y 6 . iue Staffordshire Advertiser , that lior Majesty has directed letters patent nn : . ci the great seal to be issued , appointing special coin missions for . the trials of the persona in custody oc chargesconnected with thedisturbancesin themauufaomriog districts . Tint for Staffordshire will be opened on Saturday , tbo 1 st of October , on Sunday the judgeB will ati ; ud divine service , and on Monday tho trials will commence . Chief Justice Tindsl will preside . Upwards of 200 prisoners are now in custody , committed for various offences relating- to the late destructive riots in the Potteries , and to the disturbances in the south of the county , who will be tried under the speoial commission , besides tho ^ e who arc out on bail on similar charges . The prisonera charged with offences not connected with the riots will not be tried under this commission .. There will be special commissions for Lancashire and Cheshire .
One of the privates belonging to the 2 d dragoon guards , now stationed at Newcastle , and who look an active part in the affray at Bnistem , put an end to his existence , on Friday night week , by discharging a loaded carbine immediately under his chin , having pressed the trigger with lite foot , by which the top of his head was blown to pieces . It appears that the deceased , whoaa name was King , had formed an iatim&cywith a woman at Newcastle , representing himswf as an unmarried man ; but his wife , having been apprised of the connexion , came to Newcastle and frustrated the intentions of the deceased . An inqueat waa held on the body on Satur-iavjand a verdict of felo de ss was returned .
Untitled Article
_ J 5 ? THE NOtTHIlN STAR . __^
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Sept. 17, 1842, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct448/page/6/
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