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THE MASOXS ON STRIKE , TO THE EDITOB OF THE KOBTHEBN STAB . SrK , —By the last circular issued by the Masons ' Committee , I perceive they only require the aum of £ 150 in order to terminate the strike successfully , that is , -without yielding to the brutal insolence of Allen , aad the Imperious decrees of Grissel and Peto . As a mesas of rising apart of this sum -will you allow tae to Buegest , through your columns , that every Chartist Association throughout the country should deTote the profits of one evening's lecture , concert , or ball , TtrnieheTer might be most convenient , or most likely to ix productiTe to the Masons' Funds . I have so means of calculating how much this would yield , but whether much or little , it would be a fitting testimony , on the part of the working classes , to the gallant conduct of one of the most worthy sections of their body .
I cannot allow myself to believe for a moment that each a testimony will be withheld . I am , Sir , Bespectfolly yours ,
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^ p WATKINS'S LEGACY TO THE CHARTISTS . LECTURE II . COSTisrED . Before I proceed to show who they are that do unto others as they would be done by , and who they are who de not , I win relate one instance in which we commonly do unto others as we would be done by , and another in wbJch . we ought not to do s-x . And first , Trhen we envy another , we do as we would be done by , bat we do bo involuntarily , and therefore our doing it is without merit Sometimes , too , when we . praise another , we do as we would be done by , but we do so interestedly , and therefore thtre is no mtrit in oui doing it . Alas ! how seldom is there any merit in ¦ w hat we do .
But , 2 Bdly , there are cases in which we ought not to do as we would be done by , but to act according to the circumstances of the case . Punishment is only proper in incorrigible cases , and then not a vindictive punishmei . t , but a punishment in the spirit of pity . Punish- " ment onght never to exceed the offence , and should be made to operate on the mind rather tbaa on the body ; all other punishment partakes of the nature of vfcn- ge&nce rather than of correction , and is more likely to j harden than to soften . If we seek to punish the person I instead of to correct the offence , we our-elves become ' offenders ; aye , and commit a greater offence wita less excuse than did the original offender . I would not ; make what is called an example of a criminal ; for , what good lesson can hanging a man teach us ? Let ' the murderer be put not out of life but out of society , and ;
the traitor out of future trust . This wculd be doing not , perhaps , as we would be done by , but as we ought to be dene by . There are many cases in which , were we to do unto others as we would be done by , we should do far more for them than is dene ; as , for instance , some services are of a nature so laborious or dangerous that we either could not or would not perform them ourselves , and yet , what is our consideration for those Trho do perform them . Sailors , miners , engineers , masons , carpenters , nor shall we omit the poor sweep , are all worse paid and worse used than any otier class of men ; the . most useful are generally held the most cheap ; the effeminate are best rewarded . Pimps , parasites , prime ministers , and others have more wages , the more filthy , frivolous , or flagitious is the
nature of their employment Now , ought not those to be beat paid whose iabeur is the hardest , most Bkilful , and most hazardous , —who expose their Iimb 3 or their lives every moment that they are at work , —who necessarily abridge theii lives , and voluntarily encounter privation , danger , and discomfort ? Would they not be best paid if we did unta others as we would be done by ? But owners and masters living in luxury and ease combine to reduce the wages , the means , the strength of working men , so as absolutely to unfit them for work at last ; combine to get rid of men , and employ boys to do men ' s work , but not at men ' i wages . Boys are goaded on by fear and pain to work at tasks beyond their strength ; girls at tasks tmsuiting their sex , till both mind and body fail , and they become blighted aEd blasted even in their early years
Alas . ' the ordinary evils of life ; tae accidents , the diseases , to which we are subject ; the lapse of time , the loss of friends ; these sre enough , without the additional , the superinduced evils which tyranny inflicts upon us ; aggravating all and making all more unendurable . And now let us see who they are that do not unto others as they would be dene by—and who they are that do do so . The Queen does not do unto others a 3 she would be done by , nor as she is done by . There is us one for whom so much is done—no one who does so little in retnrn- But she , poor thing , is but a puppet in the Sands of ministers who tell her that she can do no wrong , because she only does wbit they bid herthe infsHIbles ! If they spoke the truth , they would say
to hsr , so far from going no wrong you cannot do ngnt , for indeed it is wrong to be a queen , it is wrong to sit clothed in purple and fine linen and faring sumptuously every day , while many hundreds , many thousands , msjny millions , are without a cot , a cost , or a crastdoomed to work , want and woe , that yon may lire idly , luxuriously , and happily . The devil-Dake breaks our rule "wiiea up to the ears in blood and treasure , lie says to those who are steeped in poverty to the very Iip 3 , " Go to ! ye are idle I Ye might earn riches if ye were not idle I" So they might , please year Grace ' . if they -were not employed ifl working for such as yon . Yes , the reason why a working man cannot get bread for his family , is because he lias the families of six drones to support ia splendour . Our present prime minister
broke this rule when he proposed the time cf redress , ( a time that he never intended to come ) , hoping that the intervening winter would rid him of the poor complainants , and knowing full well that whatever the people might suffer from cold and famine , he had nothing to do but to make a merry Christmas and a happy new year ! Lords who live like ladies and ladies who live like lords—those thingB which flutter about like butterflies , while the working bee , dispossess ^ of ita honey and of its hive , mutt crawl on the ground in despair , too , break the rule , and so too do the bishops—the bishops who shew us plainly hew they wou 2 d be done by—they wonld have palaces and parks , carriages and livery-servanfcs , 4 c . &c They have all these , but do they wish us to have them ? Ko : they do
ail jn their power to prevent us from enjoying any of the comforts which they eDjoy—they strive to increase their own splendour , by increasing the sins and miseries of others . Parsons , too , do they comply with this divine precept ? they who profess and call themselves Cliristians , ala 3 ! they are the least chrktian amongst ua . Kot only do they themselves not do unto others as they wc ^ nld be done by , but they psivert all under their inSnEsce who might otherwise be so inclined , ar . d those members of religions societies Trho are iam . Lt to consiic-r their pride and vanity as religion , and that gratifying those or ministering to the cupidity of ministers , is serving God—whose very charity cannot appear except in a bull , cainict contribute except to a bazaar , and must be booked fc-r what it is worth in a printed
list of nibscilber = —whose faith is but the hope of the salvation cf tbcniselvfc 3 and of ihe damnation cf others ; do these keep the rule ? No ; Is ' cirher the aristocracy nor those who vulgarly imitate them , the Ehopccracy , co unto o : I : ei 3 as they would be done by , neither Whigs nor Tories , nor mere Corn Liw Repealers , nor upper cor middle classes . Who then are they that go fulfil this divine precept , that do follow thia golden rule ? One class and * ne alone , only the Chartists , its poor , persecuted and despised Chartists , they and none else do unto others as they wculd be done by , for they ask for nothing for themselves that they are not willing to accord to others—they want nothing that they are camming others should Ehare—their wish is the greatest . happiness of the greatest number ; and ,
therefore , it is tiiat the powers that be ( but which ought never to have been ) have decreed their opinions seditions—their acts treasonable—rtherefore it is that they have been arrested , imprisoned , banished—therefore it is that those who will not do us they would be done by consider it a crime in those who do so , ami punish them accordingly . Who but the Chartists plead the cause of suffering humanity—of the . poor oppressed against the rich oppressor—aye , thcugh opposed even by these whose freedom , whose , happiness , along with their own , they are striving to obtain ? We had a striking instance of thia lately in the case of the poor ejected Spitalfields weavers . There were none of your humanity-mongers , your knoirledgeffiOBgers , your profit-mongers , there—no M . P . ' s , tfccnsh
several were invited—and there wa 3 but one parson , and hs came to frustrate the objee ' 3 of the meetingto oppose its charitable intent Ah , the Chartists are the only hosest friends cf the poor ; and I would call on them not only to do unto others generally a 3 they would be done by , but more particularly to do so unto tach cthet Chartists have " the fir * t claim on the sympathies of Chartirts , and the fact that they have the antipathy of all other classes—that all others oppose them—points them out as the worthiest and " most B&edful of the sympathy and Bnpport cf each other . I believe that the reasen why Chartists have hitherto been backward in carrying cut that system of exclosive dealing in favour ol one another ; and to reduce the aiddle classes to onr ranks , is that they are jealous cf the motives of those who seek , or who ask , or who
need support of this deseriptien . Some eonrulfc their j own convenience—some would rather keep a brother ; down . Bnt surely a dubious friend , or a friend in part , is better than an avowed or thorough enemy—and by : befriending Each a one , we make " him our friend wholly . * Who onght to be more united than fellow- j workmen ? who ought to cling more closely together > than ffcHow-sanerera ? We ehould net stand by , and ; see those sacrificed who have sacrificed interest to principle for us . Let ail honest Chartiita be honoured ; and . the false , may they be made to appear in their true cabers ; ako all those who follow , not for the sake of us , bnt for the sake of our loaves and fishes— ' who , like carrion-crows , fly in the tract of an army , ; not caring for the cause , not caring which sid 9 gains j the victory , tut earing only for the spoil , for the bag .
( To he concluded in our next . ) * On the subject of exclusive dealing , I shall shortly forward an essay to ihe 2 \ orfhn ~ n Star . J . W .
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CHARTISM , JOHN COMPANY , AND CAEOOL ! The" advancing army and the Sikhs ! . ' The " Quibi ' a Dncks , "_ And Muljigatawrey Boys" II ! " Xerxes" and " Dariew ' — " Alexander" and "Xencphon" ! !!! We have now come to the end cf our lucubrations on Afghanistan—we have done our best to enlighten the British public on the true stata of affairs in our Indian Empire—we have warned the Government of what will ba the undoubted result—we will nve them our
best advice , and suegest such remedies for their consideration as will prevent them from going headlong to distinction and save the lives of our gallant , though mistaken soldiery . We cannot however blame them , and though they suffer themselves to be made the tools by which the wily and ambitious , though cowardly vagabonds who direct their movements work , yet , have they but a choice of evils ,- and they must either fight like tigers , or submit their guUetfi to the butcher and bi slaughtered like sheep .
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We have little doubt but that the Sikhs are enjoying our present dilemma ; the accounts from the various camps state that the Sikh soldiers are terrifying oar men with stories of the utter impossibility of getting through the pass without half of them getting killed , with a few other tales , and an order had been issued to prevent Sikh soldiers on entering eur camp to converse with our men . "We may well exclaim , " Save us from our friends I" When the 16 th Lancers went with Lord Wm . Bentinck as an escort to have an interview with Runjeet Singh , the Sikh horsemen splendidly armed , and caparisoned , and clad in chain armour , sho wend on oar men every abusive epithet their language afforded , and exhausted ita vocabulary in termB ol contempt and hatred towards the Feringhees . Two of our own special comrades were standing near a group of
Sikh horsemen , when one who appeared to be a leader , exclaimed , " Look at these Soow rs . these Burrawahs of Ferngbee 8 , were they in my power I would chop them up , make curry ' s of them , and give them to the Pariah dogs . " The rest seemed to be of the same opinion , as they clenched their hands , gnashed , their teeth , and scowled fearfully beneath their helmets . Our comrades , thinking that discretion was the better part of valour , having learnt a great political lesson , rejoined their troop , and warned their comrades of what they might expect from their Sikh friends . One of these was a Waterloo man , and any one at all acquainted with the 16 th will know the person alluded to ; H . H ., of the E . or Radical troop , out own respected comrade , who we trust will survive all disasters , and return to his native land .
The Sikhs and Affghans may have their ' quarrels , their jealousies , and border feuds , their disputes about the great Imperial Diamond which had been so rife a subject of warfare between them , but let the Feringhees step in among them as a third party , the common detestation in which they are held by both will have the effect of diminishing their animosities , and of regarding with the utmost complacency and smothered derision every loss and disaster of the European lords of Hindostaa by our own dear friends and allies , the Sikhs of the Punjaub . On no account will the Sikhs allow us to quarrel ; they will not have the warfare transferred from Affghanistan to the Punjaub ; they will not give ws a pretence to fall bock on Lahore , and satisfy the brigand desires and cravings , and wishful longings whieh for so long a period of years have acted like a charm or talisman on our troops , whether native or European- —the plunder of Lahere .
In these few words is comprised all of massacre , of brutality , of violation , of robbery , and of every deadly vice of which human nature is capable , when the hellhounds of war are slipped , and when paid and hired murdere . 'S roam abroad free and unshackled . It is easier to be masters of Lahore than to regain Cabool ,- and , thero is no doubt , our allies , tha Sikh , will afford us some little assistance in endeavouring to penetrate the mountainous wilda and passes of AffghanUtan , and shake themselves free from such a
d&ngerouB neighbourhood of marauders , while praying to every Baint , deity , or holy man in th « " Sikh " calendar , that we may be speedily " check-mated" ! Then will the " Sikhs" have an opportunity to show their love , revenge , or hatred , then will they follow out to the very letter the viewa and policy of R \ r . sjeeh Singh , and then will the " broken , flying , exhausted , dispirited , and dying Feringbees" become an easy prey to the proud Sikhs , who would chop them up , make currys of them , and give them to ba devoured by Pariah dogs !!!
We do not pretend to the gift of prophecy ; we leave that to the priests ; but we call on all and every one at all acquainted with the circumstances to say , if we do not rather understate tkan overstate the fearful picture ! We have served with Beugal troops , Bombay troops , and Madras troops—commonly colled in India , " Qui-hi ' a Ducks , " and " 2 tfulligatawney Boys" — we know what they can do , and what they cannot do ; we are aware ef their gal antry , prowess , and physical capabilities for a " spurt , " and their hardy endurance with unshaken neives , of all the dangers , fatigues , ami annoyances cf a Hindostanee campaign , attended , aa it invariably is , by an immense ' and even luxurious commissariat , with all agreemens and appurtenances to boot , and when , in less than an hour after the troops
have arrived on the ground allotted to them , after a day's march—the Bazars are all up in lines , and open ; the men and officers are in their tents at breakfast , or under the shade of some mango , or tamarind trees , eating , drinking , or smoking their pipes , cigars , or hookahs , or preparing for a sleep , and the whole encampment looks much more like " Portsdown fair , " than any approximation to what we , in our ignorance , deem of modern warfare . A campaign in India is considered but as a tour of pleasure , with a prospect of being amply repaid by double batta plunder and priza money ; and although
we have some hard flghticg and some revers . s occasionally , thay have been but for s , few days , and were but as shadows , and the reality of our position was never shaken until now . We Lava neither the physical or moral forca to possess oarseives of Afghanistan , or to retain it if we did so . You mus . t depend entirely on your European troops ; the native soldiery is not fit to encounter with the brave and hardy mountaineers of the Affghan hills , noi with the population of their cities , toTOs , and valleys . Whenever we have taken tnem os service out Of Hindustan , -we ha-ro found ttiera nerveless and dispirited , and wo must find them with every comfort to mv . ke them of any use at all .
We gamed a 'loss * in the result of the Burmese war , and had it not been for the gallantry of our European men and officers , tlio Burman StockadeB might have stood to the present time . We suffered severely there , and three field officers , whom v / e had previously served un < Ier , were shot there—Colonels Pepper and Corny , and Major Walker , all of the Light Infantry . The Bombay troops had worse luck at Ilas-el-kyma and BtJii-Boo-Ali , in the Persian Guif , and the Arabs broke in upon them and surprised them in them their teutB , cutting the Bombay European regimen , almost to piece ? . Neither Europeans or
natives could withstand the sharp , naked sabre of the enthusiastic Moslem ; and those who w % re wounded , but escaped , told us that the rush was like the simoon ; nothing could withstand the shock ; and flight was the sole chance for life left . ' We never did much in the Nepaul hills and Ka ' unga ; and the death of General Giiiespie told us in plain terns that we had better leave the 3 S " epau 3 ese alone . With all these warnings before and examples before us , we are going to rush headlong to ruin , aurt like babies whe hav < 3 broken their rattle , or been deprived of some favourite plaything , -without lookicg behind , \ re must press forward at whatever cosh
Let us imagine all the troops , European and native , 03 full of ardour , enthusiasm , and revenge aa the leaders —let U 3 imagine cur women appealing to the passions of the men for retribution on tha " murderers" of thtir hu 3 bar . d 3—let us imagine them fighting knee-deep in"Affjjhan blood , and taking possession of Cabool , stiil Cabool is not Afghanistan . The longer they stop in Cabool , the less powerful will they be : coutiDtirJ attacks and fekinnishts Trill diminish our troops ( for depend en it the Afghans "will give you no rest ) , and jour munitions f < jr vsr "wijl be expended , and your reinforcements , both of money , muterie ' , and men , will have to reach you ( which would be more than doubtful ) through some fctir . dredmile 3 of an enemy ' s country , and to pass previoiu ' . y through that of a vei'jr lukewarm friend .
You will have to draui Htndostan cf tb- ; floorer of her troops , European and native ; and depsnd on it , the u-quitt spirit of the Hindoos and Mabumotana there ¦ vriH borst forth in every direction , the more fiercely by having been bo long smothered . The greatest portion of your Afghanistan force will consist of the relatives and friends of those who will raise the various standards of rebellion whea you : iro far away across the Sutledgsor Indus , and you will have no power to put them down . Our " Sipahe € s" are merely clinging to ns till they can do better : they do not love Us , and at a signal given they would cut the throats of their Europtan officers ¦ without hesitation or remorse , as they did before at " Veilore , and think they would bs rendering both Brama and Allah a service .
The present " advancing" army will have sis numerous a train of followers as in tne days of Darius ; but it is much to be feared there trill be found no Alexander to lead them on : neither are we liardy experienced Greeks , flashed with victory , or theAff / uaas luxurious , enervated Persians . We look for no conquest , we wish to get out of this dcspeiato war with something like honour ; "we would rather hail the appearance of a Xenophon , securing the retreat of ten or twenty thousand , than that of a modern ^ Iacedoiiiau conqueror , leading on to victory . We may be singular in our opinions , but should the present atrocious , anti-Christian , and demon-like orders oftheH- > rsa Guards , and of the Indian , authorities be
persisted in , cur Indian povrer Trill shortly be as a thing that was ; our friends and relatives will be slaughtered like sheep , or will have to fight like tigers , and we expect to sc-e a second Bout as complete as that of Xerxes or Darius . ' . ' On tii ^ ir heads be the blame—we have done our duty , and if they will take our advice we will Eubmit a few observations next week for their consideration and adoption . If tha ministers and aristocracy are c&sa-liardeued and wilfully blind to what ia passing around them at home , let them elevate their vision till it embrace the affairs of tho Oriental Empire , and let them do something to palliate the atrocities of the West ; but we have little hopo ; as Feargus O'Connor says , " faction will die hard . " As a well wisher to the human race , and as a devoted friend to my country , the sooner that time arrives the better will it be fer all . A Woolwich Cadet .
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will not touch with their little fingers ; and , from the manner of some of them in declaring that any man ^ ? f ? a « i liberty to do the utmost good he could , and in bis own way , I contend that these words—ftis oww , ^ y-setteth forth aa nnbounded Uberty that *™^ t » l to the best interest of any union of indiridoals , aooial , political , « operative . Therefore , in all societies , are all the members bound by rules , which are the will of the majority , and therefore law to every individual member . The Chartist body have also a eoie of rales , which are ther constitution of the society framed by their Convention , elected for such purpose , in which code down
» «« a the principle of action , whereby to obtain the Charter * for if we are to allow our members , espedally our leading ones ,-to be running m ^ t of our enemies' camp , without being deputed by the body duly convened—if they are to JGin with any party who say , we are of the people , we are for your cause , we are going to join this , orthat ""help mi" it they are to be at liberty to follow their own whims , and run after every Lo here , and Lo there , how are we to know the sheep from the goats ? how K-i ^ f W frienid froiil foe ? where would ' H o ; nr stability ? How could we be recognised as a party ^ when ^ we were thus dandling and mixing with every
Seeing that this self-willed , this own way individual ana sectional movement , is contrary to the bond of union , to the democratic principle of the social compact which we imitate In our Association , and seeing that there are those in union with us who do not seem to understand the principles of union , whereby all are bound to act in unison with the majority , and not only be houeat , but appear so , by avoiding any cause for suspicion , and therefore of warning and denunciation ; seeing these things , I propose to you , brother ^ that at the next delegate meeting that shall be convened ttf extend , alter , or amend the constitution of our Association , that the following clause be added thereto . —
" Tuat as there cannot be in any nation but one National A&sociution for any similar object , and but one national movement for such object , to be effective , that this Association being the first constituted for these objects ( which are declared just and necessary ) , being open to all persona / without distinction Who may please to join it , this society cannot but view with distrust tho attempts of any persons to form another society . upon tha same basis , except they declare themselves part of this national union and act according to the rules thereof ; btcuuha their efiorts must only tend to prevent or delay the accomplishment of the objects they would profess to seek , and therefore no member of this society is at liberty to aid in any way the formation or forwarding of such other society , en pain of being excluded our ranks . " . ¦ Hoping , Mr . Editor , that these remarks and recommendations of mine will be placed to my account , and not set down to the&far , 1 remain , Yours , in bonds , J . ¦ ..., - , Bristol .
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— w TO THE CHARTISTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM . Brother Chartists , — -Having had the honour in tho late Convention , to propose the resolution recommending the registration of all holding Chartist opinions throughout the kingdom , which was seconded by Mr . Feargus O'Connor , and raefc with the unanimoua support of the Convention , I beg to submit the following as a safe and practicable means of carrying it into effect There is scarcely at the present time an artisan or mechanic , but pays at least four shillings per vppek in all large towns or cities , for any inconvenient room , without the accommodation er outlet of any kind , or with out the privilege of exercising their rigkts as a citizen . They have nothing to do except to pay in either parochial or Parliamentary affairs .
Now , supposing six Chartists united together took a house of £ 60 per annum , they would have all the advantages , conveniences , &e . such a house affords , ¦ witheufc extra expejiee , and they , at the same time would confer on themselves the rights of citizenship , thus gaining six votes in parochial matters , six votes in Parliamentary matters , and be acting strictly in ; iccprt 5 ance with law , as see the Aot , 2 Wm . IV- c , 45 , s . J , commonly called the Reform Act . Thesamo will also apply to Scotland , as see the 2 d and 3 d Wm . IV ., c . 05 , s , 12 , commonly called the Scotch Rt-f «> mi Act : of course ,
it will be necessary that each person see that their names be placed on the electoral registry—let this be attended to and we shall not have to bear the insults of a Babington Macriulay , or the injustice anil oppression heaped on us by the persons calling themselves the representatives of the people , but who appear by the decisions of the late committees to represent their breeches pockets only . Faithfully , youra , Edmund Staliwood , 6 , Little Vale-place , Hammersmith-road .
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THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO THE MEM BEKS OF THE NATIONAL CHARTER ASSO CIATION .
BHETiiKEN , —The duties wnicli devolved upon us , as members of the National Convention , are terminated . Tha period is now approaching when it becomes us , in accordance with , the principles of tho People ' s Charter , to resign into your bands that ii-ust which you have reposed in us , and which we have striven to the best of our ability to exercise to the satisfaction of pur constituents and the benefit of tho common cause . We therefora direct your attention to the proper measures to be adopted for tho election of a new Executive Committee .
THE PRINCIPLE ON WHICH WE HAVE RETAINED OFFICE . We have not , as many have very urjustly supposed and taken great pains to circulate to our prejudice , held office longer than tho period specified by the Charter . We assembled for the first time as an Executive in the beginning of July , 1841 , and therefore cannot have been in existence as a Committee twelve months until the flrat of July , 1842 . The rules of the Association specify that the election should have taken place on the first of March . It is needless to recapitulate the reason why it was impossible to observd that date . It will surely satisfy every honest mind when we . ' state , that although wo have been compelled from necessity , and by the Peoplo a permission , to alter dates , we shall be the laet to alter or violate principle . The only differecca which cau ensue will be to insert June instead of February , and July instead of March , religiously adhering to the principles of annual elections .
NOMINATIONS . The nomination of canilidates for the Executive Council shall bo made in the following . manner . Each sub-secretary shall ba at liberty to nominate one candidate from this date up to Monday , May the 23 rd , which is' the latent period at which they can bt received . Each sub-secretary will forward his nomination ( according to the form prescribed in tho rules and regulations ) dirested to the General Secretary , and shall likewise certify that the person uouiinut . Mj , if duly elected , is prepared to serve on Uia Executive Committee , and'is a member of thuGoueral Council . On Tuesday , May the 24 th , this General Secretary will tranbinit a list of all tiio nominations to the Mib-aeevetarieB , which list shall be printed , er written , on earns , preparatory to being distributed amangat the members of the Association tor
IHE BALLOT . Which shall take place throughout the nation In the week beginning-with Tuesday , the 7 th day of June , and ending on Tuesday , tlio 14 th day of June . Let it be particularly observed that each locality ivill choose for itself one day only for the ballot , out of the seven , so as to convenience all localities . .
MODE OF BALLOTING . The fifth rale of oar Associat i on states , " That any person shall be admitted a mmnber of this Association on takiug a card cf unembiTship . " Therefore no person will be eligible to vote for the officers of the Association unless they can produce a card of membership . The sub-secretary shali grant to each person , producing a card ef membership ot the loeaUty to "wrrxh lis belongs , a voting card , oa which is written or printed the names of all the candidates ; . The el yet or shall then , at his
own convenience , draw a pen through all the uamea except the five for wii . cm he votes , ami the five names left standing on the card sbaii bw consicitrc-l as the persons whomiie thinks eligible to serve oil the Executive . The aub-aecretaries siiall also be ' hnpowomJ to grant to absent , sick , or liistant members their voting carda , and receive their votes in return , sealed up , through the post office , or by other means , which sealed votes are to be opened by . the ' General Council , - ' and deposited in a box provided for the purpose , and to be called the ballot-box .
O . i the day of ballot each sub-Secretary shall act as registrar , and the General CouuciJ . as ecrutinisers of the votes . The sub-Secretaries , attended by the General Council , shall on the day or evening appointed for the ballot by the majority , stand Ground tho ballot-box , and proceed to call over the roll , ( each voter advancing when his name is called , and dropping his ballotting card into the ballot-box . On the conclusion of the ballot , the General Council will proceed to the scrutiny . They shall first count the car ds to see that the number corresponds with that on . the roll . They shall , secondly , cast up each card in succession , and the sub-Sscretary shall put a mark opposite the name of each of the candidates reparted a' y having been voted for . Finally , they shall declare the result te the voters , and by the first post transro ' , t tho result . to the General Secretary reserving a copy fop themsolvea .
On Tuesday , tho 21 . 3 b of June , or earlier if possible , the names ol the new Executiva will ba announced ; and on Friday ; the 1 st of July , the new Executive will supersede tho old . Brethren , we trust these directions will ba strictly adhered fco , and that all of you will vie with each other in exhibiting the proper spirit of Cbartifiin during such an important practical application . of our principle . All those places in arrears for cards are particularly requested to discharge the same , and thereby enable the present Executive to leave office without entailing any debts eF » the books of their successors .
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Having full reliance in you , our constituents , supporting ub in the course we have advised , regarding tiie election , We remain , your faithfnl And devoted representatives , James Leach , P . M . MTOUALX . Morgan Williams ; B . K . P hilp , John Campbell .
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TO THE CHARTISTS OF LONDOJf AND ITS VICINITY ; We , your representatives in Council , address you at thia important juncture , requesting your earnest attention to the recommendations laid before you by the Iat 9 Convention . We have now arrived at a critical period in the history of Chartism . That the most alarming distress prevails throughout the country is admitted even by those professing to represent our interest in the British Legislature , yet they have taken no ategs to remedy this evil , and have scornfully refused to listen to the remedy which we , in justice to ourselves , have been compelled to propose . After this degrading treatment , it Wculd be mainess to expect a redress of our grievances from a Parliament constituted like the present We must now depend upon Our own resources . We must now achieve that by union and determination which a corrupt and oligarchical Government has denied to us .
We call upon you to brace your energies ! for the struggle , to unite as one man in foJipwing that course which , after mature deliberation , has been adopted by your chosen representatives . We now stand in a high and prominent position ; every eye is directed to our movement . Apathy or division in our ranke , at this juncture , would be in the highest degree criminal ; would be a base desertion of our own and our country ' s cause . Wo have a powerful aud a wily enemy to combat , who on the least sign of vacillation in our ranks , will renew the fiery persecutions we have already undergone ; but present a bold and united front to your oppressors , ami the united power
of both Whig and Tory will not dare to molest you . The political horizon is brightening ; around us ; the whole of the labouring population of the country la With us . We are rapidly procuring adherents among the middle class of society . The so-called libera : press of the country hitherto entirely neglectful of , or bitterly opposed to us , has now unanimously declared itself favourable to our principles , We have a respectablo minority in the House of Commona ; and what is of far more importance , we contain within our own ranks every element calculated to ensure success . This is a cheering prospect , and will , without doubt , spur you to increased exertions to obtain that political power under which all monopoly and misrule shall cease .
We congratulate you upon the peaceable and citizenlike manner in which the proceedings connected with the presentation of the National Petition were conducted , and which has greatly tended to raise us in tho estimation of the press and the public ; such displays of our numbers and our organisation ara calculated to strike more t 3 rror into the hearts of our oppressors than the most violent proceedings or the most bitter denunciations ; they fear not a disorderly mob , Lu $ they dread an organised people . Lat a similar display of determination , prudence , and sobriety ever characterise your coniiucti and your ultimate succesa is certain . Set immediately about carrying into effect the recommendations laid down by the Convention ; call meetings in every district in the metropolis and its vicinity , and adopt the memorial and the remonstrance . Have an eye to the raising of the necessary funds £ > i * carrying these measures into practical effect , and for di 3 b . ar ^ ing the loans advanced by the various localities for the latedemonbtration .
You will shortly have a plan laid before you whereby this may be easily effected , and if carried out with spirit a large surplus will be raised to be devoted to the good cause . That the organisation of London io good , was evinced by your late excellent display ; yet much remains to be dene . The trades of the metropolis affort . 1 a wide field for your exertions . Every prudent step must be taken to arousa them to the importance of obtaining their political freedom ; in the country districts your principles are almost unknown . Steps are now being taken to ensure their co-operation , and wo confidently call upon you to assist in the efforts which will ba made to enrol them in our association .
la conclusion , we again impress upon you the necessity of casting to the winds every atom of jealousy or division which may hava existed in our ranks ; of being firm , yet guarded and sober , iu your behaviour ; cf looking upon every Chartist as a brother ready and willing to assist in the emancipation of your common country ; and cordially uniting with him for the attainment of that nmch-cherised object . Signed on . behalf of the London Delegate Council , Philip Martys . Thomas Wheeler , Sub-Secretary . On behal f of the Surrey Council ,
JOHN MaynaRD , Sub-Secrslaiy . On behalf of the Provisional Committee of Mary lebone . Edward Standgroosi . Nagle .
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HOUSE OF COMMONS , Friday , May 13 . Mr . Roebuck brought forward an amended list of a Committee on the charges of corrupt ; compromise ; framed , he said , on Sir Rolerfc Peel's suggestion , so as to command the confidence ! ol the House and of tbo country . Lord Francis Egerton ha ; - ! declined to serve on the Comuiittee on the ccore of ill health . This is the amended list—Mr . Bramston , Mr . William Miles , Mr . Sobrighfc Lascellea , Sir William Heathcote , Sir William Somerville , Mr . Hawes , Mr . Strntt , Lord Worsloy , and Mr . Roebuck . After some rather random discussion , in wMeh Mr . MoNCKTON Milnes decla ed that the House had permitted the appointment of the Committee through a want of moral courage ; and
Sir John Walsh objected to certain names on the Committee , which fce did not mention , wishicg to sec gentlemen of the highest character for professional aud legal eminence substituted , —the Committee v / as agreed to . Mr . Roekuck having moved that the Committee have power to Eend for persons , papers , and records , Mr . T . Duncombe * believed it would be now proper that he should submit to the House the motion of which he had given notice , and as he-had made a slight alteration in the wording , he would read it to the House . He would move" That each Member appointed to serve on the Select Committee on compromises of election petitions , shall subscribe the following declaration , in the presence of Mr . Soeaker : —
«< I , ., - . , do solemnly declare that I never , directiy or in indirectly , have to niy knowledge been guilty , by myself or agents , of any act of bribery , treating , or other corruption in procuring a seat iu Purlianieut ; that I never paid or promrsed to pay , intend to pay , or sanctioned the payment ef , any s « m or sm « 3 of money , beyond the legal charges of procuring my return at the last or any previous election ; nor have I , at any tiuia , connived at , been privy to , or assisted in , any bribery , tieating , or other corrupt praetice at any election for a WLtiuber or Members to serve in Parliament . " ( Signed ) 11 ^ >»
At the close of the last session he had taken the liberty of asking a question of the Right . Hon . Gantleman > t the head of her Mnj ? sty ' s Government , -wliether it wa 3 his intention to bring in any measure to prevent bribery . He had declared upon that occasion that it was notorious that more bribery , more corruption , and more treating had tafcen place at the last elaction than had ever been known in the most corrupt ago of the jaost corrupt notion—{ loud cbeera . ^ The Right Hon , Gentleman told him , in reply , that the pressure of other measures , aud the state of tba public business , wonld not permit him tp introduce any measure of this sort ; but he trusted that the Noble Lord , the Member for London , would go on with the measure he had introduced in another session of Parliament , acd , at the
same time , the Right Hon . Gentleman said he was sorry to be obliged to confess that at th . e last general election gross bribery , corruption , and intimidation did take place . The Right Hon . Gentleman di < l not say whether it had extended as far as he ( Mr . Duncoiabe ) alleged . The Right Honourable GzMleraan , perhapB supposed that he -was batter acquainted with it —( laughter ) . He then said that if thero was any doubt upon th e point , he would undertake to prove at tb . s bar of the House that a considerable majority of . . that House were returned by bribery , corruption , and intimidation . He was still prepared to prove " tha facts on this great question at the bar of tho House . He did not intend . that so vital a question should be snugly sent to a private committee-room up staira , where personal feelings and
party objects might have full play . He wished for an inquiry at the bar of that Housain the face of open day and before the whole public— ( cheers ) ; and he must say that the opinion of the public with regard to all the recent transactions of that House , and especially in reference to their conduct last week , was that of unmitigated disgust at the hypocrisy and injustice of the House . Tha public knew that they were about to prosecute five or six individuals , when they were aware that there were six hundred—( cheers ) . The public also saidj and he thinked God that there was this sense of fair play in the Bvitisa public , that they did not like six
to see eight or teii individuals hunted down by Lundied equally guilty—( cheers and laughter ) . Three millions and a half of the people came cud told the Housa so in their petition—in that petition which the House did np 5 choose to hear , and would not allow to be proved . What did threa milHons and a halt oS the industrious classes say in their petition ? Tuoy declared— "That the existing state of the representation JS not only extremely nmitad and unjust , ¦ ¦ but unequally divided , and gives preponderating influence rothe lauded and xnonied interests , to tho tttter ruip . of the small trading and labouring classes . " They " said , ar . d said most truly— " That bribery , taUmWativa , wnup .
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tion , perjury , and riot , prevail at all parliamentary elections , to an extent best understood by the members of your Honourable House "—( hear , hear ) . He asser-ted that ' . ' this ' was exactly the state of feeling as to bribery , arid that there was notking but unmitigated disgust when they vie wed the party proceedings in that House . At all events , if this inquiry was to take place , they ought to take care that those who were , to 0 certain extent , volunteer inquisitors should mount the judgment seat with clean hands . He agread with the Right Honourable Gentleman tiiat public confldenbe ought to follow the appointment of the coxnndti ^ e , and with the Hon . Boroiiet ( Sir John Walsh ) , that , they ought be presided over by one of great legal abilities , ' and that they ought to be presided over
by a person of the greatest calmness of temper and of the utmost moderation of language ^—( hear , and laughter ) . Such a committee so constituted 2 nd bo commenced would enjoy tie putlic confidence , arid there wosld be a chance of t ' jeir decisions being looked np . to with respect .-: He hail heard it stated that if this test were applied to Hon . Members before they served on the committee , the House would in all probability not be able to find enough members to constitute aconlmittee ( hear , hear , hear . ) He trusted thai ; thia was riot true . He trusted that there were at least nine men in that House who were free from such an accusation ( laughter . ) He had only to eay that if he were one of the persons flamed to serve on that committee ( much
cheering , ) he could not take that test ( renewed cheers . ) He could take it , as the representative of the borough of Finsbury ; but , unfortunately for Lim , he had once stood as a candidate for the very pure and immaculate borough cf Pontefract ( grtsat ' lau ^ htar an ^ ciieers , j He had spent £ 4 , 000 in Pontefract , and he hsdno hesitation in saying that thembhoywasspentingrossbribery , treating , and corruption ( chesra ) . Ho wa 3 defeated . The noble lord opposite ( Lord Pollington ) and , the Hon , Gantleman ' s father (? ilr . Mbticktori Miiues ) were the persons who aniseed iuhfe defuat ; and until the Honourable Gentleman got up arid so stated , in hi 3 placo in the House , he couid not believe that any one was . returned for Pontefract without bribery ( cheers ) ¦ ' , . :
Mr . Monckton MiLNES rose amidst couaidsrabl © confusion , to < l < iny ih Mr . T . S . DnscoMBE continued : Uufprtunately , he had also stood fiva contested elections for the borough of HerLfurd ; in three of these he had been successful , twko he had been defeated ; and he must eay . to the House , iis impeaching the . character of the Members gsnenilly . tbat ha left behind him , in Hartford , considerably above £ 30 , 000 . ^ Cheers . y He had . to contest tho place , and to contend against the great aristocratic influences of the neighbourhood . Those connected with these aristocratic influences would , ha believed , admit that their cost was much riiore . He fiaid to cantend against seven day leases , unrler which the poor tenants were turned out if they disobeyed thciir
landlords : ( Cheers . ) One of tho principal cf them was Lord Salisbury the tenants were turned out by his Lorilship , and when they vcere turned out he ( Mr . D . j had to deal with bricks and mortar , aivl to build them houses ^ ( Laughtor . ) He had built sixty-three of these , housea . ( Chcfcrs . J A considerable portion of his mo ? ney here went in treating , and of course a great portion ; went in bribery . ( Laughter . ) After what he had Coiifef-Fsd , he was clearly not one of those who could take this test . He only wished to see the " Simon Pures" who could take it ; they would be the admiration of tho' country : —( cheers ); the-people of this town would flock down to sea them go into the conmittee , and to see them return , ready to report to - the House against those gentlemen who had b& « n guilty of tho practices of wliicli thty Bs . id they were themselves innocent . He thonght , after making these confessions , that lie need
net say ono word more . He hoped there wonld be no objection to the ' te ^ t lie wished to apply . If ai : y Member now appointed upon the committee could r . ct attend another would be appointed , and of course thty would have to take tha test ; and if the House wouid not apply this re 3 t , he would like to iriow what the public would thiuk of it—( cheeraj . If they did notaEfiontte his motion , he would , after the Whitnun recs : fi , move an a ( ldi'rs « to tho Crown , praying that , iu consequence of tba recent exposures , her Majesty would be pleased to dissolve the present Parliament , in order tb : \ t Members being deterred by the discovery of tho system of bribery -which prevailed at the last ekctiaB , might riot repeat tlie otfeiice , End so . that the Hoiiso Tfould be restored to that public confidence and esteem which , ashe contended , was essential to the maiuteEaLce of their legislative authority— ( cheers ) .
Lord Pollingion and Mr . Milxes aveiTed that the charge against Pontefract was uF ; fonhde 3—only Liberal candidates had attempted to bribe the : borough , and they failed . Mr . Hardy , however , admitted that , ho ovice refused to pay £ 500 for votes which would have gained him au election there . 7 Mr . Ward condemned the motion ^ as an attempt to turn a grave proceeding into ridicule . Mr . Hume and Sir Robert P £ el treated it Ma riiere obstruction of all inquiry . Sir Robert considered the Committee now riamea qualified to discharge their duty as honourable men . ^
Mr . ROEBiJCK pronounced the proposal a roundabout , dishonest mode of opposing an hoiiest motion—men who are anxious for purity teach by esvmple aa well as precept . It was tho system , not the ir . cSi-vid'uals , that he attacked : but here wese five or ais cases wh'ch he could prove , and were ft \ ey ts > turn round and say , " The whole state of the reprcsc-ntation ia so foul , the whole thing is so bad , that vre will no !; raaliG any inquiry , we will sit dp . wn . contented' *?; . - V Loid John Russell concuired in the « 6 argu * mentg . ' . ¦ ¦ - . '¦ . ¦ - .- ' - - ¦ ¦' - ' - - ; ' . ; ¦; Mr . Smith O'Bbien . Mr . ¦ VVaklet , Mr . Eeotheetok , and Mr . Vebnon Smith , supportsd . Mr . Doncombe ' s laoticn . It was finally rejected by 160 to 17 .
Mr . CHakles Buller presented a petition from Mr Henry . Warbnrton , iuaking a statement respecting tha compromise for one of the seats for Bridpoit . Mr . Warburton represflnted , that when he first stood "for Bridport , in 1826 , it was theen stem for the successful candi'J £ teto give £ 10- to each voter ; and the sum thus spent amounted to £ 2 000 . He hati jicfed on tb&t understanding at each election . After the Reform Bill , it was resolved in the borough to discontinue the practice , -but a reservation of indulgesco ' was ma ^ e in favour of the poorer electors ; and the payments since that time amounted to £ 1 , 500 or £ 1 , 700 , including £ 100 for dinners and £ 490 for processions . At the . last generni el > ction , bribary did tr . ko place under the direction of 51 r . KitcheH or his agents , -witfeout the
cognizmce cf Mr . V / arbuvtou ; yet , without any interferenceof hisown , he became mixed up in transactions which compromised his seat , his agent havicg paid a sum of money to Mr . Hntebinaori , one cf Mr . Mitcholl ' a ngents . I ' ujusticeMr , Mitchell ought to have resigned ; but Mr . Warburton intimated to Mr . Cochrane , their unsuccessful antagonist , that if Mr . Mitchell did not resign witlijn the fourteen dayanllowf-d for the presentation of the petition against their retuvn .. he v .-onlrf ; and Mr . Jliich ' cll " shewing no such disposition , Mr . Wavburton tictualiy" did . accept tiieChiltern Ilr . nchcds . Mr . Buller moved that the petition be piinted vlth the votes ; and intimated his intention of' dta" ? 'ii ; j : attention to it oa the firBt opportunity after Whitauiititlo . Mr , Cochkase said , tfcal 02 Friday he w n !; l hinka a stattmeiti "which shnuld vindicate himst-lf and reflect
no credit . on M-v Warburton . : And Mr . Mil chell , \ vho entered ihe House just as Mr . Bulier concluded , denied tfce on ; v allegation which ho hiid heard—that Mr . Hutchinionhad actad as his agent in spencing money Dt the election . The ptetition was ordered to be printed , for-the use of Members only . \ The " or <\« r fsr going into Committee on the Customs Dunes vBill baying been read , LordUowick moved his r ^ olut-on r . g r . hist differential dutsesin favour of the Colonies . Such differences ,
he said , would injure the revenue without benefiting the consumer ; wbiJe they woalf * . force C 6 Joifi » l tmdsa into grecaribas exibtrnce . The princip's to be appiied to the CiUonies was Jhat avowed by Sir Robert Pee ! , that " they should bs allowed : ^ buy ciitap ant ! sell dear , with - access to our markets , but with 110 peculiar advantages . The House , should be cautiesis in creating fresh protections and difficulties of tWs kind ; especially in considering tho effqet which tils oxarupla of Great Britain would have ia America aad other foreiga Countries . - ..- > .-.- ' . ; : ¦¦
Mr- GtADSTOKE thought that LotiI Hawick did ncfe nriderBiond the confcetiipiatoa S'l-an ^ tiHeuts . There were one hundred and thirty-one remisVionn i : i favour of differential dutie 3 in the existing tarip , a-in in tach of ninety-eight . cases the Toreign dr . tr has now bten lowered : other duties weia re ^ erv ^ d for fulure negotiations , but that was no reafesn wby i ; i tlio tutan time the duty . on Colonial ' prosiuce should not foa reduced . The Opposition Members had grow . u liiore alive to tha evils of differential datie 3 eirce . ' tfce ' had cbauged sides , for they had estendtd them to East Indian products * But : t'ue reduction or Colonial dui . fc 3 could not be called the creation of diffvjreutial < Jut ? et , sln-3 « it'was rrierely extruding what tiiey had ridne for Iiekjad . half a century aico ,. when tho commercial s * j . < axlitiori of that
country from Great Britain was rtaiov ^ d—it was m fact remqvin £ a restricticn , not creating one ; and , as in the case of the German Customs Union , it was so far giving freedom to trad ^ within . certain bsun-Jaries . While we retain ciifferintial dutiea in favour of our manufacture 3 witliia tha Coldiiea , and restrictions which compel tho eCipioymerit of ouv shipping ; tho name of differential duties muat not mghlsu us from doing justice to taf . Colonies . Lord Howick' ? -view waa suppoited by Mr . F . T . Baring , Lord J-obn Rusiselli and Mr . Charles Viliiere : Mr . Gladstone ' ' ^ vie w by Lord Stanley dud Sir Robert Peel ; wbe ir jsisted that coloniea cooJd cot be treattd as foreign oounlrjea , else why ; retain tb&u ' np'd go to the exneaf . o of defending them ? .
On jv division , the motion was rejected , by 281 to ios . ¦ ; .. . ¦ . . ¦'¦ ¦ ¦ ; ¦ ; ' ¦ ,:: ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ - . - ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦¦ : ' . ¦ ; .:. ; - ' ' - . Tho Hou 33 went into Coniiriltac ; and the Cciumltf / je cdjourriedl to Monday week . /; j ,-. ¦; - . - i * . t a quarter to one o ' clock , the House , a ^ jourried Qv . ei : WLitsuutide , tUl Friday . : .
Drmpertal Parnamfnt.
drmpertal parnamfnt .
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A Report on the Dkkadful Agcicxnt at Paris has bftQn made by two emineut en ^ iiiiers to the Academy of Sciences , in vrhich tbej attTibuta ^ tho fatal event to the faot of four-wheel carriages b ^ ing employed , and also condemn tho regulation by which passengeTB are ipeke d in , - & , nd thus , -in oaso Oi acci « dent , have na moans of escapo .
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THE STONE MASONS ON STRIKE , PBOH THE SEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT , AT * D KELSON ' S MOJfUMEXI , LOKDOK , AJJD THE W 00 LTTICH D 0 CK . TAED , To ihe Public and the Trades of Great Britain and Ireland , _ " It ia not for the paltry consideration of a few shillinga that reflecting men undergo snch privations and sufferings as strikes generally occasion ; but to prevent that debasement—that moral degradation—which is the inevitable consequence to ¦ which the contemptuous and haughty capiteliBt would reduce them . « Do not the rich men oppress you ? ' is an interrogation as strictly and truly applicable to-day as it was eighteen hundred years ago . " Buetheek , —The most material alteration in the position of our strike since we last reported is the reduction of the number upon it
- From the Houses of Parliament and the Monument together only ticsnty three remain on the funda . At Woolwich , although we have no official account from them respecting the number , we believe the number of the turnouts do not exceed fourteen . At Plymouth , the turnouts are reduced to four . . At Dartmoor there are fifteen on the funds ; and at Penryn we understand four . The above is briefly an exhibition of the number now receiving aliment on account of the strike , and which
it will be perceived are becoming " beautifully legB , " being reduced from above four hundred down io sutly Thirty-seven of these sixty , -with a laudable anxiety to relieve their supporters from the burden of paying them , and , if possible , honestly to take themselves from this to some other locality , in quest of other employment , have come lo a resolution , with your aid , to do so , as will be seen by the following circular , copies of which were sent to the several trades with the last donation sheets : —
IHPOB . tA'ST SOTICE TO THE TRADES OF LOXPON AXD VICINITY . "In confidence they caJ . mly await the issue . "—Brat . Fellow Men , —A resolution , of which the following is a copy , was agreed to at the meeting of your delegates held at the Craven Head ,- Dxury-lane , on Wednesday evening , the 27 th instant : — Resolved— " That the secretary of this meeting is hereby instructed to communicate with the various trade societies of London and ita vicinity requesting them to send their delegates to an adjourned meeting of delegates , to be holden at the Craven Head , Drurylane , at eight o ' clock , on Wednesday evening , May 11 th , 1842 , when the propriety of dissolving or continuing such delegates' meeting is to be considered , as also to determine what steps shall be taken in the present position of the MaBons' Strike . "
In consideration of the foregoing resolution , and at the instance of the Hasons Strike Committee , a general meeting cf all those in receipt of strike pay located in Woolwich and London has been held to deliberate upon and determine what course under existing circumstances , it would be most expedient for them to adopt The subject of the strike , its present position and prospects , were fairly and fully entered into , and , after coolly and dispassionately reasoning upon the same , it was unanimous l y
^ Resolved— " That we , the Masons on strike , from Weolwich Dock Tard , Houses of Parliament , and Nelson's Monument , against the contumelious language , the tyrannical and intuiting treatment of Gacrge Allen , mason's foreman to Grissell & Peto , although immoveaely determined never to sueenmb—never to toil under the cruel domination of Allen—having considered the embarrassed state of our resources , do hereby agree , if means be provided to pay the amount severally dne to us on account of such strike , with a small advance to enable us to go in quest ef other employment , at once to relinquish all further claims upon the funds respecting it "
To carry out at once the object of this resolution , aad which , taking all ciicumstances into consideration , appears to U 3 the most judicious we could have adopted , aEd which it will be seen has been unanimously come to , it will require no less a sum than one hundred andfifiy pounds . For this sum , either in £ uhscriptions or by loans , we most earnestly appeal to the several tradtB -which have so warmly espoused our cause , and so largely contributed to our aid . It is cur last appeal , and one whicfe , if promptly granted , will enable our rmaism&yed ,
unconquerable , " little army , " nlthough exhibiting evidences " from the crown to the toe , top-fall , " of bitter persecution , cruelty , and privation , to quit the battlefield , after a struggle ef eight months , without tarnishing the honour of trade societies , or sullying their own character as determined and decided men . Without a single breach of the peace—giving the lie direct to those who , in the language of Adam Smith , assert , that " Those who combine hava always recourse t % th 8 loudest clamour—to the most fchocking violence and cutraee . "
Depending , from our past experience ot your readiness to assist us , that this fiaal appeal will not be disregard ed , We subscribs onrs-lves , Tonrs gratif ulJy , The Committee of the Masons on Strike , Thomas Shoett , Sec . Pro . Tem . ADril 29 th . 1 S 42 .
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We Eolicit ^ rith -more than ordinary seriousness the attention of the tradeB throughout the country to the purport of the above circular . It is , as therein stated , " our last appeal" for pecuniary aid , and we therefore anxiously hope , will meet -with a liberal and warm response . Those on striie at Penryn , Dartm 6 or , and Plymouth , have been written to , with a view to induce them to accept the terms set forth in the resolution come to by those on strike in London , &c - ; and although their reply has not yet been received , there is no doubt but they will accept it . Thus we Banguinely anticipate , should you liberally respond to " our last appeal , " that in two weeks from this data every man will be off the funds , without the slightest evidence of disorganization —with the great necessity of union more firmly than ever rooted in their minds ; and despite the luring temptations of the enemy ' s " golden arguments "—the formidatle combination of the government and the capitalist , which from the commencement have been openly arrayed agr . inst them—unmoved in that determination with which they set out To achieve only this , under such circumstances as those unto which they have been Eu ?; jccteJ , must h > e a matter of incalculable importance , and , as we must believe , to the entire of the trades .
That " Uiiion 13 Strength , " is daily , even hourly , manifested , especially ia this metropolis , by the appearance and position in society of those united , contrasted with the appearance and position in society of those not united . The Sovereign , the aristocracy , and the capitalist , however much they may appear to differ with one atother upon other subjects , are perfectly agre-ed cjA united to maintain in common what thsy are pleases to krm thfeir respective " rights and privileges . ''
The " richts and privileges" dnefrom employers or foremen to the "working man is what we feava so Ion ? been contending for . and in rapport cf which yea hare so geccrousiy supported ns ; and seeing that the interests of the trades are at le ^ ft a . s closely identified as that of the Sovereign , tbe aristocracy , and the capitalist , and followic ? their eximpli , you are earnestly solicited now , on the eve of ihe conclusion of tha struggle , once Kore to manifiit , by your support , that you are determined , equally with them , not to allow those- who have stood so long and so true , to be indiscriminately victimized ; but to " maintain in common the rights and privileges" i ?) respectively due to your order .
With many and heartfelt thanks for the unparalleled rapport we have received , and which we hope will have its good results ; as also with a most sincere hope , that if ia ibe aeal of either the trades or their delegates , cf the Mason ' s society , their committee , or their other officers , to promote the interest of tho ^ e concerned , or with a vibw to facilitate the honourable termination of this momentous strike , any misunderstanding has arisen , or little bickerings titen place , that they will be obliviated ; and thnt prior to tue > iiasolution of the existing d- " egate meeting , sttpa will be taken permanently to blend to ^ etber the t .-Itnt , the energy , and the means of all , in corna : o : i defence of tbo rights of eacfe , We beg to sebscribs ourselves , Gratefully yours , The Maso > s 0 : ; Stiuke ,
Thomas Shortt , Sec . 6 , Agnes Street , Waterloo-road , LamHeth , May 11 th , 184-2 . The following is copied from The Charivari , dated April 30 £ b , Iti 2 , a weekly periodical published in London -. — " Nelso >' S Monument . —This national testimony to oar greatest n ^ . - ; d-htro is foriccd of a square enclosure , composed of de : d placlis , prefusely emblazoned with pobtiiig bills . —The interior contains a stone erection , nearly six feet high , and has been used for some time past as a promenade for two respectable journeymen stonemasons and their labourer . It is confidently expected that the next generation will ba enabled to see it without looking over tfce pailings by which it is surrounded . "
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TO THE ED 1 T 9 R OP THE NOBTHERN STAB . Sib , —Allow me , through the medium of your invaluable columns , to say a word to my brother Chartists upon the Convention ' s resolution and debate , against denunciations of public men . With all due deference to the opinions of those whom my fellows deputed to represent them on that important occasion , who , of course , are but fallible men , like ourselves—vfith those impressions , I deem it no liberty to state that I think , in their resolution aud . debate upon decuueiations , they felt more for themselveB than for the people—that it hath the appearance of attempting to bind heavy burdens on the people ' s shoulders , that some of them , the binders ,
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THE NORTHE R K STAR . f
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), May 21, 1842, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct599/page/7/
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