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Northern Star (1837-1852), 5th February 1842, Edition 5 of 5, Page 6

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      Untitled Article

      TO THE WORKING MEN OF YORKSHIRE GENERALLY AND OF LEEDS IN PARTICULAR , ' Fellow-Cottxtbtmen , —The brazen attemps now Triads , by those who ought to act differently , to injure us in year est-mation , and to retard the measure they as "Well u ourselves have bo long demanded , compel us to n sort to this means of e-efenee . The present "Ten Hours' Agitation" commenced in the latter part of the year 1830 . From its first

      commencement up to the present hour , Bome of the members of tee Leeds Short Time Committee have been unceasingly engaged in it . From that period Tip to the present , Leeds has never been -without a regular -organised bhort Time Committee ; ar-d yonr the 'Working men , have , many times and oft . in public meeting assembled , accorded your confidence to that Committee , thanked them for their exertions , and bid them go on "With their praiseworthy efforts to secure tiia passing ot s measure founded on the principle that labour ought to be protected .

      Ever since the establishment of the Leeds Times newspaper up to -within the last twenty-months , that paper has c > een th 9 known , the accredited organ of the Short Thna advocates . Its columns have always been attheir Bervice . Scores of times has its E iitor eloquently and triumphantly pleaded the causa of the poor oppressed factcry children . Sc ^ es of times has 4 t met and confuted the steel-hearted and Mammon-prompted objections of the enemy . Scores of times has it lashed the Mercwy for its known subserviency to the owners of machine ; y SBd capital ; and scores of time * has it asserted that the measure of protection sought for was necessary to snatch the infant factory -worker from a state of slavery more gaiiivg , more de-. noralisirig , more debasing , and more injnrieus in its constq ; icnces , than any other system of slavery the WvTld ever kue-vr ! Brides this , the Leeds Timeshzs had scores of peunds sf the money subscribed oy you and your friends to advance the Ten Hours cause . His articles have been

      Tepnnted from its columns , because deemed worthy of it ; his Ti-pitrts of meetings have also been ext nsively circulated tvhen reprinted ; long advertisemeists have fe-: en inserted in his paper and pa : d for ; and every means taken hy the friends of Sbojt Time to extend his circulation , and establish his paper as an organ of the "Working classes , as far as this question , at leasi , was corcfcrned . Xoic , however , the scale is iiirned I Xow , the Leeds Times violently opBOSts the u . ea ? ure lie btfore so gillaniii * defended . ' Xoxc he treats tfca agitation of tae Ten Hours Bill as a / rand ; and though it was € ammen-ed twelve years ago , he says it is but just started t '~ -r ice purpose of superseding the anti-Corn Law agitation 1 Now he is more violent in his denunciations nicr * base in his insinuations , End more shameless in his lyir . 2 . respecting us who have maintained our integrity .. tLis the Leeds Mercury himself . '

      Eaw is this ? Wkat is it , that can have caused such a eb-angs ? G - ! d I mlllowners' G :-ld 11 Free Traders' Gold ! !! Tb = naan has been purchased by the enemy ! He must do iii-j tnemy ' s work : ! Is this true ? It is . Here is the proof . About twenty months ago , the conductors of * . he Leeds Times had b'onfe almost 23 fsj -with it as thty could . It dirt no ; j ay its expoices . It "was ofivre-l for sale . It was In t : e market . A bargain was made for it . and a pries agreed on , "by foths parties connected "with thr ¦ working classes . Had it eome into their hands , it woul-1 have become rcore I > emoera £ e , and more Ten He ur-oerctie , lif the latter were possible ) than it had e"ver bten before .

      But here tbs an opportunity for the enemy not t « miss . To get hold of an " orran of th ? . working classes" and turn it to their own s&lfish purposes , nrigfet possibly end in turning the "way cf thinking amongst the "working classes thfmsdv&s ; or it might , at least , produce division in their ratks . At all ' events , the thing was worth the trial . The necessary steps were tskea . It was forthwith announced that I > r . Smiles had bssn admitted a partner in the proprietorship of the paoer . Sjw , where did Dr . Smiles get his money to " put " into the concern / ' to enable him to become *• half proprietor ? " He is not known to nave had any of his own . ? ? * * * TTb * re did be get the mon ^ y from ? Ay ! thereby hascs the tale .

      Two FicioT-Iords of Leeds fou = d the money . ' They exacted certain conditions before they did so , as to tl > = line of policy the p 3 per should purtus : bnt th ? y f' . und its mosey . ' They insisted that Dr Smiles should be admitted mrrtier , as a cuarantee that those conditions wcuid bc ' krptr and he was admitted . Twas the money wrung lrom your irwest and bon ? s , that kejt the Times in its present hands , to betray you and your cau-se ! Th . conditions which wtre exacted by the mousyfinu * rs were , that Corn law Repeal Eheuld be worked so as to make it take the precedency of all other mwsnres amongst the working classes , 3 nd that the manufactures should be defends ^ from the complaints of those ¦ who grosE . and smart bentaththe " monstrous tyranny " of the Factory system ! Hire is the cause of the change ! Here is the key to theiiresent conduet of the Leeds Times .

      From the Utrcury we do not expect fair-dealing . By him we have always been most bitterly and unscrupulously cppoEad . But his conduct now , bitter and uncompromising an enemy as he is , is mildness ar . d FAi 2 i > 'ESS itself , when compared with that of the Times . ' . ' The labours of the deputation -we recently sent to Ministers to press upon their attention the measure we art : organised to watch over and promote , have strangely excited the ire of this purchased gentleman . He finds himself hampered up . Unable to meet their statements and arguments , he is compelled to resort to the next feest mode of warfare , imputing bad motives , and heaping upon the deputation lots of abuse . Amongst other things , he charges them with " artfully beslavering " the Ministers ihey -waited npon , to serve the paity pur--posea of the Tories . ¦

      . What are the facts of the ca * e ? The deputation have reported the conversations as they took plase , S 3 arenritesy as ihey could . "We have reason to believe tiiey Jiave only told ' the truth , as to the manner in which they "sere received , and aa to "what passed at the several interviews . To have to'd other than what thty have , ¦ would have been to LIE : and because , the deputation ¦ would not do this ; because they would not sacrifice honour , conscience , and duty to the vile purposes of an iiifamous party , they are abused by the Leeds Times maa and his compeers as beslaverers of Toryism ; and the old cackoo cry " Tory trick" is raised ]

      It is iio doubt galling to these men that Tory Mipisters should have admitted working men to a friendly conference , -when they remember the conduct , of the Whig Lc ? il Melbourne , who ^ as principal Secretary of S&te , refund to see a deputation of woiOrg men , though sent by a Yorkshire West Riding meeting 1 Tbe recollections of these thii > p may be painfm : but the Whigs should not Tequire the deputation io lie to get thom out of tbe mess . Well , but then , we are told , the deputation did not press noon tbe Ministers the adoption of the People ' s Charter ! And who eoiaplains of this ? The Leeds Times man , who has done hi 8 little best to swamp the Charter agitation . ' Tbe man who has omUted no opportunity of doing his uttermost to sow division in the

      ChaiCst caniD I > ho has maligned the motives , aspersed the characters , and lyingly misrepresented the conduct of the Chartist leasers ! tbe man who put words into the mouth of Mr . G J- Harney , at the last election for the purpose of bounding on the Whig physicals to trounce his bones—put words into his mouth which ¦ were never -uttered , and i eprasented him aa uttering them in Leeds , when he never saw Leeds on the day named ¦ a man vfto has systematically traduced tbe character of J . B . O'Brien , and of Mr . F . O'Connor ! a man who has culled from every source all that he possibly could by his hands on , which -would at all serve his purpose of exciting jealousy and disunion amongBt the Chartist

      isrksJ a man who is secretary to the-Fox and Goose Club , — a society formed for the express and avowed purpose of swamping the Charier agitation . , This is the man to complain that the deputation did not do that which they were not s * -nt to do . ' Thia is the . man to Bend his to&lB , two geest ; two members of his / Fox and Goose Society , to move at the Leeds Music Hall meeting , that the deputation he censured for . not pressing upon Ministers the People ' s Charter ! This is the TTi ^ n to act thus , when he aad his tools have schemed in every possible way to overreach and put down the Charter agitation ! The men who moved tie amendment at the Music Hall , are both members of the Fox and Goose club ; and the

      «• amendment , " so artlessly dictated by the modest mover on the platform , was concocted , arranged , by the Foxes , before the mover of it came near the meeting at alL And these , forsooth , aTe the men to complain that the deputation omitted that which formed no portion of their duty ! Ah ! "Working men , you will need no spectacles to enable jad to ase through all this ! You will need no aid to enable you to divine the cause of this new-bom leal for the Charter , and lore of the Chartist agitation < Notlony ago , the party of which the Leeds Times is sow the - J »« J tool , themselves sent a deputation to

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      the Tory Ministers Of course Dr . Smiles and his coworkers took care ' to instruct their deputation to name the People ' s Charter to the Ministers , as a measure of relief ; oj course they too * care that the Ministers had that subject brought under their notice . Not they , indeed I They sent their deputation to press for Corn Law Repeal alone ! and the deputation never mentioned the Charter ! Of course Dr . Smiles censured them for this omiasion . Not a word of it . It would not have served his purpose . Apropos . Who Bent that deputation ? Whom did they represent ? The Leeds Anti-Cam L * w League . And who censtUutes the Anti-Com Law League t How were they chosen ? Have they had the sanction of s public meeting ? and are they a duly recognized public body ? . Answer these questions , pray , Dr . Smiles .

      That deputation returned . Instead of all agreeing upon a regular Report of their mission , as the Ten Hours * deputation did , different members began to circulate different statements as to what the Minister bad said , upon whom they had waited . Some of these statements , made to serTe , not the Tories , but the Whigs at the expence of truth and faii-dealing , were so outrageously and shamtfully false , that other members of the deputation felt themselves bound publicly to contradict the statements , and deny that the language impnted had ever been uttered .

      The deputation represented that the working people had had no hand or part in the bringing on of the evils they complain of ; they represented that their position is such , as to leave them entirely at the mercy of the Capitalist , who does with them whatever he thinks proper ; they represented that the accumulation of evils from this cause had now become so great that they could be no longer borne ; they boldly stated that the time had come , when something must he done for the working people aa a class ; and that that something must be a measure calculated to protect them in Bwne degiec frcm the tyranny and power of the other " classes" who have hitherto preyed upon them ! They showed that the evils complained of arose from the fact that , all consideration had hitherto been htvd to protect Capital , and leave LABOUH entirely at its mercy ! Thus showing that it is to classlegislation alone to which we are to ascribe the evils the labourer has to endure !

      Then look at the recommendations of the deputation . They did not prescribe the Ten Hours' Bill as a " final measure J" but distinctly named ic as a beginning ! That measure involves tho principle , p rotection to labour ; andttwisthe secret of the great opposition and loud cry of tbe Lads Times man and his fellows . They know that if this principle bu sanctioned , away goes the power of the manufacturing " class" to press you into the riust . That principle sanctioned and legislated on , you are no longer without tho pale of the law ! you are no longer at the merey of the ' » classes " who have reduced you to your present deplorable

      condition-It was expressly stated to the ministers ty the deputation that the Ten Hours' measure theyrecommenn . d to be passed , would not do anything like tbe sood it would have done if passed tea years ago . And wby ? Because the excessive competition produced b ? our present system , and the immense aH given to needy speculator , by the joiot-stcck banfes , bad increased our machinery fifty per cent during that t ^ n years ; and that our machinery , if -worked n * more than ten hours per day , was more ttan equal to the glutting of ail tlie markets -n the world . The ministers wtre , tlietefbie , duty warned that the a loption of the Tea Hours' measure would not be auy thing lika a remedy for our many evils ; but that it iroa / e * ieginning ; that it would be on earnest that the working eiass , as a class was at last cared for ; that it would be received in that spirit ; bat received only as a beginning of a serif 8 of measures of justice and protection which the condition nf the operative community loudly calls for .

      They also pressed for the immediate Repeal of the Stw Poor Law , iu the same spirit , and lor the same object That Iw is a-rowed ) y founded on tbe principle that the poor man has-no right to lire in the land of his birth ; titat nature has doomed him and his progeny to starve ; that she has provided for Mm no place at her table The old original Poor Law of Eiizaetto was / oun . ied en the principle ihai tbe poor man had a right to the first lake from the soil . No landlord could get a fjrthing of rtr : t , mdil the occupier hadjirtt paid up his Tuits ! and the ratea could ha laid to any amount , even to the ent . ' re swallowing of the entire produce , if the necessities of the poor required it . Under that law . too , every man reduced to poverty could force a maintwKiEce ; not a starvation-point exlstment—but a

      living maintenance . TJn-. ler that law , Poor Houses were uwl-7 i « r »; there nev « r were any such degrading things thought cf . The poor man was to be relieved at home wbts Itf : neeoed it- No "tstf * of poverty then ! nosubmittic ^ to conditions then , which bespeak the absence of all independence and manly feeling ; no requiring that a wan must prave that his spirit is completely bowed down ; that he is utterlycovred ; that he is no longer a man , btfure they would grant him relief . He could force a good maintenance when sickness , or accident , "r infirmity , or want of work , brought him to poverty . Tbat was tbe principle of the Old Poor Law of England- The principle of the New one is a compk-te negation . He cacnot / orcs a maintenance ; he has no rlghs to be in the lacd ; if relievfcd at all , he must submit to degradation the most complete . Against such a system every good feeling and every principle oi justice -wages eternal war ; and it was in that spirit ,

      xnd for the purpose of removing one of the mostodiuus evideceea of class-legislati" n ,- —odioua in principle , ediona and harah in its operation—producing misery arid degradation unheard of and unparalleled before ; it was for the purposd of establishing tbe right of the -working man to live in the iaad of his birth , and to stoD the career of desolation and death throughout the land , —for who of spirit but would welcome ^? s . th in a thousand shapea before submission to the indignities and degradations applied as the "test" of poverty ; it -was to establish the right to be in the land , : ani to arrtst the monster ' s lash by which the naked bsek « f hoDt-jt poverty is scourged ; it was to do these things that the d « -i > utation pressed for the immediate ; epc-al ef the New Poor Law , along with the passing of the T « -n Honr 3 ' Bill , as an evidence that , at last , the poor should be cared for ; that their interests should be in somewise attended to ; that their wants and requirements should be iu some measure satisfied .

      The Ten Hours' Bill contains tae principle that Labocb needs Pbotlctios . The old Poor Law of El ^ zibsth contains the principle that TBE P 09 R have A ilGHT TO BE FIRST KEPT BY THE LA 3 D . The establishment of these principles will form a groundwork tor the working men to work upwards to lhat comfortable and plenteous condition which is theirs by ri ^ ht , by reason , and by justice . Bat were these all the recommendations of the deputation ? Did they suggest nothing more 1 Yes ! The immediate appointment of a committee of inquiry , formed of practical men &f all parties , for theputpsae of endeavouring to ascertain , the cause of the poverty , miBery , and discontent now in the land . A committee that should go honestly to work to fathom the

      question ; that should examine into the workings of aU portions of our present system , upon all eiasses : that should examine more particularly into the workings of macbineiy , especially during the last fifty jeats ; that should receivB evidence and take tbe statements of all parties , workman and roaster , labourer and employer churchman and dissentfcr , Whig . Tory , Radical , and Chartist . A committee that should examine into , and report upon , all the measures of relief that are proposed . A committee tbat should endeavour to go to the root of the matter , and devise , from the schemes before them , a plain , simple , but comprehensive measu .-e of relief , adequate to the removal of the evils it lias to supplant , and adt qusts to the establishment and securement of plenty and contentment throughout every workman ' s house in Britain . Such was the

      recommendation cf the deputation : and what more do the owners of machinery and their advocates want ?! Ate they afraid that before a committee so constituted , and for such a purpose , they could not make out their case ? The Chartist will have ne such fsar . He dare rely on the juBtice of his case . He dare submit bis claims against all comers . The advocates for tbe protection of labour dare do the same . Who , then , is afraid ? If the Cam Law repealer is , he will dread the encounter ! If he is conscious tbat he rests his case npon baseless theory and specious fallacies , he will shriek from examination . But not bo the man who feels the confidence arising froifl truthful conviction . He dreads no inquiry . He courts it He knows his claims will be beard . He is convinced that the justice of his cause will stand out fully apparent .

      And is not a solemn inquiry of this kind needed ? Is it not ntcessa-y ? Are we incessantly to be stunned by the babble , and din , and confusion worse confounded , arising from theorii-ts and surface-skimmera d"gmatically contending that they alone know tbe cause of the evil , and alone know how to appiy a remedy ? Is this war of werds to fee endless ? Are we to have endless crimination and recrimination , and abase , and denunciation , and proscription , instead of going to work like aien determined to ascertain the cause of out Tnz nifold evils , and to apply an efficient and comprehensive remedy ?

      It was for the purpose of securing a fair hearing for all parties , that the deputation recommended this eonrse . And it must be taken . ' The facts connected with the subject must be ascertained , before a remedy can be applied . It may turn out that Corn Law Repeal would accomplish all its advocates say it will ; but they must first shew that they know the evils they have to cure , their extent , thfcir depth , and their cause , btfore we can judge as to whether their proposed measure of relief will at all apply , or whether it wonld

      not augment the evils already existing . Calm and dispassionate inquiry msy demonstrate that the Charter alone , or a plan of Home Colonization , or both united , may get us out of our difficulties , and enable Ufa to deal effectually with , that disorganising power which has already worked such revolutions in our habits , customs , condition , and feelings . But tbe inquiry must first be had , before the demonstration can be given . The troth is , we have no facts , aa fir as the tremendous power of machinery is concerned , to accurately guide us . It baa sprang up amongst as , deranging all

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      our former calculations , upsetting all oar former arrangements , introducing new habits , and changing the whole aspect of society ; and yet we know scarcely anything respecting it Its rise is but as of yesterday , and yet it is already almost too powerful a customer for any Government to grappfe with . On one hand stand the advocates for an unlimited extension of it , stoutly contending that it has been an unmixed good to all parties connected with it ; and on the other hand stand the working people , loudly calling out for measures of regulation and restraint ; for it has snatched the blanket from the bed , the beef from the cupboard , the coat from the back , and the child from the home of the

      working man , and doomed the fattier to nnwilling idleness , while it imposes upon the infant toil unceasing , destruction of health , loss of limb , and premature death ! Is no inquiry needed here J Should we not ascertain what really have b « en the workings of this tremend « us power , whether for good or evil , or both ; and to point out the one , and the means of escaping from the other ? And can any plan better adapted for accomplishing this object be hit upon , than that suggested by tbe deputation ? If so , let us hear of it ! Till one is broached , let no one complain ! And none but those who are afraid to submit their nostrums to examination will dare to comDlain .

      Away , then , with the canting cry that tbe deputation did not press fora Repeal of the Corn Laws , or far the adoption of the People ' s Charter ! They proposed a mode by which all parties , Chartists , Free-Traders , or Home Colonizers , could have a fair and dispassionate hearing and judgment Does any one want more ? Does any one want less ? He is conscious be is a quack , and fears the light I Such then , Working Men , were the recommendations of the deputation , and such were their reasons for the course they took . What the Ministers may do in these matters , we know not . But this we know , that if they possess not the virtue and eourase to grapple with these great questions , and grapple with them , too , in such a way as will benefit the distressed working people , they

      will soon have to give way to others who are able and willing to remove the burthens from the backs of a trodden-down people . A very aatrt time will show whether they have this courage or not : and none will more readily join in hurling the Ministers from office should they fail , and in replacing them with better men , than tbe body who now address yon . To the cause of the working people are we wedded . To that cause will we continue to adhere , spite of all political considerations whatever . We have ever professed ourselves willing to receive aid in this cause from all and everyone : we have readily supported all of every party who would support us ; and we have as readily opposed all of every party who have opposed us . To Ibis course of action we are determined to adhere ! No

      charges ef ' Tory tools / or charges of " Whig tools , " shall divert us from it . The man who will support the cause we contend for , Protection FOE Labour , is onr friend . The man who opposes is our enemy . The one shall have our support . The other our opposition . Working Men i we call npon you to be true to yonrselvea and to your cause f It never was in so good a position aa it now is 1 True , the miseries you have to eudnre are appailiDg ! True , the operations of obt present system have brought yoa to absolute starvation ! True , H has inflicted suffering Incalculable upon you : and tbe > ysUm has , at last , reaehed those who have been fatting while you have been gradually coniiag to the presest pass . True , these things are so ! and thnt those who have last come to taste the poverty and care attendant upon onr present system bear it with an ill

      grace , Sounder ateut , and cry out most lustily * forgetting what a deaf ear and indhrBant denial they gave to your cries long since uttered . True , that these things are so ! and that heaneii and earth' are to be moved to procure an " extension" of the system which has already plunged all into difficulty and -want . Truo , that these things ara so ! jet bb fir » J A little time longer , and the groundwork for your redemption will be laid r A little time longer , and the cause you have so earnestly and so perseveringly fought for will be triumphant ! Protection voa ; lab < mjr must be had , or you must be prepared to run still further down the road of conipetitiea and commercial strife , your rute of wages and state of being still and still continually deteriorating , as they have ever done since you set out upon it ! Reflect r what will be the end , if you have not gone half-way yet 1 !! !

      Heed them not who cry that many of you wonld be glad to get teB hours work now . That ; is-a-very shortsighted view ef the question . Are there not some now working more than ten hours ? Would it not be better for more of you . if thut work was more equalized ? Ten Hours would do that , if it did nothing more ! Besides , the Corn Law Repealers say they are going to repeal the Corn Laws . TWs » they also say , will bring us another " roaring trade . " Will it not be better , then , to have the Ten Hours' Protection beforehand , so that we can be sure that tbe greedy portion of the manufacturers do not again , work our children to death 1 When we hail a " roaring trade" before , they worked infants for eighteen hours continuously , with ODly thirty minutes intermission for reat , meals ,, education , and recreation ! Will it not make our next " roaring trade" kut longer , if we run our mills only ten hours a-day , and not run them day and night , while the push lasts , and then have to stand idle till another push comes ? ¦ ' - ..

      With every determination to meet the toe in whatever shape he may present himself , and with a firm hope that tbe time is not for distant when the measure we have so long asked for , and over and over again proved the necessity for , will be given us ,

      We are , your ' s faithfully , The Leeds Short Tisii Committee .

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      CHELSEA . A publie meeting wm held in the Commercial Rooms , Royal Bath Gardens , King ' s Road , Chelsea , for the adoption of the National Petition , on Wednesday , January 2 Gth . The front of the place of meeting was illuminated by variegated lamps , forming a large P . C , tbe initials of the People ' s Charter . The spacious building was well filled . At half-past seven o ' clock , Mr . S . Ford was unanimously called to the chair , and in a few brief sentences requested a patient bearing foi all who might present tbemselves , and called on Mr . Whitehorn to read and move the adoption of the National Petition . Sir . Whitehohn Eaid it gave him great pleasure to do so , because it contained equal justice for rich and poor . ( Hear , hear . )

      Mr . L . H . Leishs seconded the motion . He said as one of the -working tlafses of this great community , he seconded it with great pleasure , embracing , as it did , tbe six points of the Chait-. r . We certainly had no wealthy or titled aristocrat to preside over our meeting ; it was , nevertheless , a most numerous and respectable meeting . The day had gone by for idle pomp , useless , glitter , and expensive shows . He would be brief , be * cauBe he was sure they were anxieus to hear that great and good man , Feargns O'Connor , who was present ( Loud cheers . ) But he would , nevertheless , explain tbe bearing of the principlts of the Charter ; they would , then , be enabled to give their judgments fairly on the principles brought before them . That Government originated from the people in America , was quite true ; T > ut was it so in England ? How was it here ? Why , it originated from a banditti of petty tyrants , and on this basis was monarchy established . We had now oligarchies of landlords , millocrats , millionaires ,

      who each and all claimed to be the people ; but tbe millions were not the people . He agreed that all ought to be represented . The millions were regarded as respectable bo long as they served the purposes of faction—( hear , hear )—like the ass , bo long as they carried the load . ( Hear , hear . ) We complain that the House ef Commons do not tell us what they will cr will not do ; no , if they did , it would cement the people together . We had been disappointed by all parties , how -was the preEent state of things kept up ? by classlegislation . ( Cheers . ) A large army , and a most expensive rural police was maintained at the public expence ; but when the people become enlightenedwhen in every cottage was to be found an English Chartist Circular , and the Northern Star— ( loud cbeers ) —then would despotism cease . ( R&iterated cheers . ) Mr . L . then eloquently denounced the atrocious Poor Law Bill , and lashed alike most unsparingly Whigs aud Tories , as its supporters , and concluded amid the cheers of the meeting .

      The motion was then put , and unanimously adopted . Feargus O'Connor , Esq ., now rose , amidst the most deafening applause , again and again repeated . He said , Mr . Chairman , Working Men and Women , it gives me great pleasure to meet so numerous a body of my fellow men and women on this my second appearance among you . Whether shall we attach greatest imptrtance to the meeting of yesterday ( the Royal cLristeniDg ) , or to the forthcoming meeting of Parliament 1 he was sure the Windsor meeting was not without ita good effects upon the people . Only think of the prefuse and lavish expenditure , while thousands of tht wealth-producers was perishing ef hunger . ( Hear , hear . ) Now , history , science , literature , and the arts

      had found their way among the people , he was sure these tidings that the Royal tables literally groans with the weight of gold ; and that the streets were carpetted for royalty to walk en , while twelve thousand persons were perishing in PsisJoy alone—would spread like an electric shock—and it would be found the schoolmaster had not been abroad for nothlug . It is so difficult to give a name to a Prince that all this fuss must be made—that a king mnst come so many thousands of miles . But in this christening he read sign ? of the times . There was not that brilliant illumination there was wont to be , dot such a numerous body « f lamp gezers ; the middle classes had begun to find they were paying too dear for their whistle . ( Loud cheers . ) In a few

      weeks the Petition wonld he presented to the House , carrying four millions of signatures on its bosom ;—thear , hear , )—to this House we had been taught to look for a redress of grievances , and let them not disappointus . See the effect of Whig finality in 1832 , a majority was found to oust the boroughmougers ; in 1842 , n majority of 91 was found to uphold those very Tories . ( Hear , hear . ) We had been told that alarge mass of blue and red soldiers -was kept up to keep down the people ; but neither the sabre of the one or the truncheon of the other , would be used unless the money Was found to pay them . ( Loud cheers . ) He had found the police , especially in Ireland , were employed as spies ; they frequently forgot they were eitiasns , and

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      lent themselves to the worst of purposes . ( Hear , hear . ) InhU practice as a barrister , after baffling all other witnesssefl , he had found them with their notes carrying a conviction . He . need not tell them be placed no reliance on the evidence so given . iHear , hear . ) The time was fast approaching when royalty itself would not feel comfortable , ; unless the people ware happy—unless the people were placed in a position to become consumers , the Exoheqrier would always be empty . In 1840 , their Dttttion was presented , signed by two millions ; and the Speaker , who ought to be neutral , threw his weight in the scale , and overbalanced the two millions . They would now double the number , continue their steady course , and beat the Tories as they had beaten tbe Whigs ., ( Cheers . ) The Government was as well aware

      of what they were doing as they did ; it was necessary that we show our strength—then mere " Reformers " would go with us . The Whigs admit their mess yarn spoiled ; believe him the Whigs would rather return to power for an abridgement of the franchise than for its extension ; but let us determine they never shall return to power , unless aa Chartists . ( Loud cheers . ) Mr . O'C . then most eloquently and laughably anatomised the Midland Counties Charter , amid the loudiest applause of the whole meeting , showing : the fallacy of its provisions . He had been to Leicester ,, and asked for Mr . Biggs , who bad denounced him in his absence ; but he was not to be found . I Hear , hear . ) He therehad a meeting of at least 4 , 080 ; he put bo ^ h Charters and the original People ' s Charter was uannlmously carried .

      The schoolmaster was indeed abroad , and the people were not to be caught in any trap , neither Poor Law , Corn Law , or any other hum bug . He supposed Mr . Biggs agreed with the poet , who said th » best time to court a widow was on her return from her husband ' s funeral ; but he thought Mn B . would have no chance of catching the people just after the incarcerating upwards of 400 of their best friends . ( Hear , hear . ) He was to appear to-morrow / for the fifth time , in , the Court of Queen ' s Bench . He had never travelled a mile or eat a meal at the people ' s expence ; and if tbe Lord Chief Justice were to say to him to . morrow , you shall ' -have' the Charter , if you will take it when people shall arrive at twenty-one years and ; three days , or you shall go to York Castle for five years and pay a fine of

      flve thousand pounds , he wouia choose the latter rather than budge an inch from the people ' s rights . ( Thunders of applause . ) Did ever nation present such a spectacle as we did at the present time 7 Here we had on- the one band the rich and powerful oppressors ; united , on the other , a ragged and hungry people beating down all opposition ; and whyf Because they registered their vow rather to die freemen than live slaves . ( Oreat applause . ) We had been t Id we could not gain the Charter witboat the middle classes j bat if they will not no with us , we will try if there is net another most inflnential party learning wit ^ -tbe traftea . ( Loudcheem ) They had tried everything save the Charter , and had failed . They were now coming out for that ( Long continued cheering . ) He had to address the masons

      on Monday ; the shoemakers on Tuesday ; the weavers on Wednesday ; and shortly the . taildi-a , He should then have an opportunity of telling the trades how machinery affected fchem-T-it was art against nature , ( Hear , hear . ) Tfaa people ' s actions relative to the free trade fallacies had amply compensated aim for all his sufferings . There was more money in the couuiry tba » ever , yet the Kijlloevnt * complained of distress , and hundreds of thousands of people wers starving . ( Hear , hear ) Machinery worked against manual labour ; that was the ; cause . ( Hear ; hear ); It was now a gambling affair—a = game '' of chance which bad been gsing on for tbe last twenty-five year * Taxation bad increased , and would continue to- do so . Machintw bad driven ; people from their . biySh place

      to compete with the men of London . It would be-better for those in employ to pay those out than allov / them to act aa a reserve for the masters . Mr . O'C . then passed au hitjh ealogiuni on the masons for their patriotism . He ( Mr . CG ) was we 1 tried , having been man ;? years before them . He left it to them to say had ; he ever been found wanting ? iLbud cries of ' No , no- ; " loud and reiterated cheers . ) Labour would not , or did it re quire to be represented ; without the other classes- were also represented . A drunkard reeled along the road the other day ; a gent said '' there . O'Conriori that ia-one of your men , would you give him the suffrage ? ' He would ; and why , because if a teetotaller wua to be found , for a candidate he would be sure to get his vote j anduo Were you to extend the Franchise to thieves , < &a , tbey -would

      not vote for thieves , knowing : them too well . ( Iwud laughter and sheers . ) The Charter was the sunshine of liberty , it would moraliBe the whole ; it was tha- lever that would raise mau to his proper sphere . He thauked them for the kind and enthusiastic manner iu which they had received the naniia" of Frost , William * , and Jones When read by Mr . Whitehorn ; it was the coavictfoa chat be should live in the meaioty of working men that induced him to make such strenuous exertions . Mr . t > 'C . then showed the glaring iujustice of tils-conviction of . Frost , Wiliams , ;» nd Jones . The . igaorance of the juryman , Christopher Jnhns , who declared he did not find Frost guilty of high treason , but of being in Newport ; however we ahbuWi not get them * feack until we could send out a frigate with the Charter colours

      flying . Respecting thei Do * ehester Labourers , he had told the ministers that they ought to occupy theiio place in their colonies instead of them . ; Hehaa aided in restoring them and the Glasgow Cotton Spinners , and he would bring buck Frost ,. W / iUSanis , and Junes . : ( Great cheering . ) Dont let them mistake ; he did not mean to do it himself ; he must have ¦ tht-ir aid— ( hear , h 8 ar |—the millocrats with their millions complained of poverty , and wanted the repeal of the Corn Laws ; but they would sever go for the Corn Law repeal if thuy were to have the Charter with it ( Hear , hear . ) Hewould put all the League in tkat room , and go blindfolded into a meeting of working men , and pick . out twenty

      men possessing more talent than all the League combined . The League was to have a meeting on the 8 th of February ; ho would meet them , and convince the people , that they { the * League ) were the only monopolists . They were about to have a little parliament of their own—tbe Convention . ( Loud cheers . ) . He had now . performed his duties .. Mr . O'Connor now showed eaids of the Association , and palled on those present ¦ who were not enrolled to enrol themselves forth with . He would take his leave , assuring them thai he would be always found at his po > t ; and should at any time be happy to eome and address the men . of Chelsea . ( Loud and long continued cheering . )

      Mr .. M A TH EH S then read and moved tha address- to the Queen in behalt' of Frost , Williams , and Jones . Mr . QUiHBiiJ , in seconding it , eulogised the character of Mr . Frost , with whom he bad been personally acquainted ; it waspntandI carried unanimously . Mr . R . Ridley moved , and Mr . Wabminstek seconded the motion , V That Feargus O'Connor , Esq ' , present it to her Majesty ; " this was carried unanimously . A vote of thanks was given to the Chairman , and the meeting broke up .

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      A word of explanation may not be misplace 1 here . The origin and nature ef feudal service may not be generally understood . ; At the conquest all tbe land of the kingdom was held to be vested in the Victorians sovoreiga ,-who be came the lord paramount of the soil . He divided it among his edmites , or associates , to whom he granted , however , only the occupancy of it , reserving to the crown the fee-simple , or proprietorship . In return for the right of ocenpancy and usufruct , these ' military associates were pledged to render important service . They defrayed the expences of jurisdiction within their several districts—they maintained order ,: and were bound to furnish forth a certain numbar of men with arms , equipments , and food , in any military expedition commanded by the monarch . They held their estates from him as the proprietor , with an express view to the performance of these duties . We need not run

      through the history of that process by which the estates were first held , for life , then for two generations , and subsequently became hereditary property—nor need we follow all the changes effected in the conditions of tenure . It may suffice to say that the proprietorship of the soil was ultimately wrong from the ' monarch , and that in place of feudal homage and burdensome services aland tax was imposed . That which was once held upon condition of furnishing aid to the king in his military undertakings , and which on that condition alone belonged to the occupiers of the soil , was during the commonwealth , held on condition of the payment of a steady ; and unvarying tax , and ^ -.-. ' from , all further obligations landowners were released . This obligation , upon the restoration of Charles the Second , the ' illegal convention of the landocracy immediately abolishedfreed their own estates from incumbrance , aiid threw the burden , in the sbape of excise taxes , upon tbe people . —¦ Nonconformist

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      MISERIES OF EDITOBS . 1 . A kind visitor , whom you would mate almost any sacrifice to rather than offend—without the least ill intention in the world , but merely moved and instigated by mother Bve ' s fatal vice , curiosity , rnmniryjing your private desk , if it happen tod be commodiously open , examining yoor letters and other correspondence ; resortingtoyow composition drawer , on the ground of intimate acquaintance ; deranging and inspecting manuscripts , when yes had as lief be had IstrndedI into your wife ' s dressiBg-room ; or peeping over the cases , and interrupting compositors , to ate the original articles , which you did not intend to show him , or anybody else , except through the medium of the Bress . '' ' -. ¦ . ¦¦¦ ¦ , - ¦ ¦ . . - . - . ' ¦ . ; ; .. , : ¦ ' ' ' : - -. - .

      2 . Receiving a manuBenpt . of which it seema doubtfol whether the write * iHtended to represent European , Chaidaic , or Chinese ehaiactera ; and , after patient attenipts to decypher the hieroglyphica , resorting to the author , and hearing bis unfeigned expression of ftatonishuient that you Uid- not find all as plain and : egible as a new tin pau . & Just as yon are in the busiest part of your dutty duties , in preparing your paper , having an obiiging call , with a very verbose commuuication of a private nature , which you are required not only to receive , but to hear read , antid the din- ' of other calls— " Proof ia ready 1 "— " Waiting for proof , Sir !"—and the prospect of » late papt > r , and subacquent cum plaint ba anticipation grinding on your feeling * . 4 . Inquiries— " Who wrote tliat articleV when you fctweno fair right -to- . ir'fonn , when it Eetuis unkindi to refuso , and incredulous to say you do nut know . ¦¦' . ¦ - "

      5 . lna > basy moment receiving a personal lampoon , which you are resolved not to publish , yet wish to give your reasona , without time to explain them . N . BThe writer , fail of thft justice ftf his Ciiuse , and perfectly incredulous t / iat there are tw » - sides- of a qutction . 6 . A' modest request from a good fri « nd , just as your paper ought to bt > at press , that you would prepares special article for his particular yiew . 7 . AmVlastly , for the prcaeut , a quiek succession of complaints , issch as— "Why was- oar advertisement omitted "ir ~ That communication will be too late next wt ^ k . — 'Bhe other papers have that news more in d 6 tU £ —I wonden you ; should publish eo many light articU b , and leave-out conanercial ones— -Thia is aa importaiit time , and politics ouyht to be your principal object—Literary articJes ought to claim a part of your attention ; " till , with forlorn gaza , you measure -with your eye the easenfc ef the columns of' your paper , and wistfully

      exclaim" Ye GK > ds ! annihilate both time and space , And iuaka us priuters happyv " PosTCitiBT—Another dreadful mieeiy . —While you are collecling news from a dpa > . n or twenty difF ^ rent papers , when you have to keep in your mind ' s eye the leading fe £ iture » of all , to have your papers misplaced , and your arrangements ail broken : in upon by 1 ' n . e busy ' interference of half-a-dozen gootinatured , friendly loungers . who site ; haviug agonised your feelings into a high fever , retire , one after another , humming a tune , " What ' s- this dull town to me V orgiving some other indication of their idle propensity or negligerdaire , —; New York-New Era . -

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      YEOVIL ,. Somerset— -A muetin ? of the inhabitants of this place was held on Tacsday last , to congr . itulato the Queen upon the birth of a son and successor to-the British throne . Many of the respectables and clergy of the town and neighbourhbod atten < led ' , - and also a few of the workiag classts . The Portreve was - '' called to the chair , who brieSy stated the object of the meeting . W White , Esq ., in a short speech , in which ha CHlogised the town . for its gteat loyalty ; proposed nn , arldress of congtatulallon to her Mnjesty , which was seconded by the Rev . W . A . Robiuson . Previoaa . to its . being put frpin the chair , Mr . Bainr bridge wished to offer a few remarks . He rose for the purpose of movini ? . an aiucndiiieu . t , and in doing so ,, he could assure them that it was not out of any

      captious opposition .-to the address it * eif , not out of any ill feeliugtothe gentlemen who drtw it up , not out of any want of loyalty , nor a desire to disturb tho uu » vnimiiy of the meeting , but i ' rom a feeling of duty to the many thousands of * hia sufferfr . g fellow creatures to his country nii'l his Qjieeii . The amentimenv was as f 61 ows : — " That we your Majesty ' s most loyal subjjects beg most respectfully td congratulate your Majesty on tbo auspicious event of the . birth of a son and suceesser to the British throne , but we trust it will uot be considered as detracting fsom the affectionate loyalty with which we offer these our uaited congratulations , if while we rejoice In your joy , we cannot refrain from , exprts ; sing our deep sympathy with those who weep . It 5 a scarcely necessary to state to you , most gracious Sovereign , that poverty , misery , aiid human deiradntiou

      prevails to an alarmiing extent , in every part of this our favoured land , and whkh if not speedily rcmevedi will , in aU probability , lead to results the most fearful to contemplate . Believing that those evils ate caused by class legislation , and being earnestly desirous of securing virtue , happiufcss , and trauquility to jour Majesty ' s subjects ' , '" as .- ¦ well as protection , to your Maj'tty's ciowu and diguity . We humbly beg of yovir Majesty to adopt such measures as shall destroy the monopoly of political power ; ana do ample and equal jiistioe to all classes of the couinvuaity . " IVlr . Wiils briefly seconded the amendment . Q . Harbin , E-q , agreed that great distress prevailed , but thought that it was foreign to the objectof the meetnig to bring it forward at the present tiinei Several otber gentlemen followed in the same strain , when the Rav . H . Soltsy rose and spoke gs follows : —

      The Rev . H . Soley said he had considerable hesitation in putting himself forward on the present occasion , afraid that , from his having been so short a time ; an inhabitant of the town , it might be deemed presumptuous iu him to offer any observations .. -Never- - theless , he could not remain an indifierent ^ ^ spectator under circumstances that appeared to hiin of considerable importance . He could : not hfclp feeling : that it was of no slight value te couple with their addresi of congratulation to iheir Soveraigii an expression of tlftiideep sympathy with the - ' millions , who -were sufl ' diing in every corner . of the laud . It seemed to him tk / jy would not be . deing their duty if , while their hearts were full of pity f « r the unfortunate , as be truly be .-lioved they were , their words were indicative only of

      contentment and joy . They must remember that but oi the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh , and they must beware lest Bilance oh the aubjeet of such sutfering should give rise to the belief that either the suffering or the sympathy did not exist . If they -really deeply deplored the condition of their couatryuien as ' it deserved , they could not help availing : themselves cf such an opportunity of making known their Eentinients in aqu&itdr whence relief might possibly flow . But it was said , the present was not a fitting occasion for the addition , be would not call it an amendraeLt to the address now proposed . In reference to that point , htwculd quote the precedent of the Wilts county meeting lately convoked for a purpose siuiilar to the present , when the Earl of Radnor had moved an

      amendment relating to the existing distress , and alcbou ^ h other places may not in general have adopted such a course , it seemed to him peculiarly natural and right that , while thsy rejoiced with those who rejoiced , they should not forget also to mourn with them -who wept . Why were they to be tied down by prtcedenis , when th ^ sacred emotions of the heart yereihe only subjects involved ? He had very little doubt that his friend would withdraw his resolution in accordance with t ' u « suggestion of Capt , Harbin if such should appear to be the decided wish of the meeting , and the use of the room were granted ¦¦ to them for a . iother public ^ eetipg , but for his own port , as be wished to see every ^ congratulatory addi esa throughout the country coupled with

      jrefere / ces to the national misery , he should sincerely regret if the meeting were indisposed to adopt the amendment . The ftate of the country was indeed frightful ; eTeii in this town where they knew hpthiug of such misery as in the middle and north of England , there was much , very much to deplore . Well he knew the charitable disposition of many of the inhabitants of Yeovil , and baa rejoiced in paying his humble tribute of praise to njany of the gentlemen now present , for their late exertious in the cause of the poor . But there was something better than charity ; something still more needed—tbat was justice—an ounce of justice was worth a ton of charilty . We want to see ear countrymen not in want of charity , but able to afford it to others , and if justice were done them ,

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      could it be believed that in such a country as England iong-famed for its industry , its enterprise , and its yarious natural resources ; hundreds of thousands wonld be in need of elemosynary suoport ? He need refer bit to one item of the wrengs suffered by the working millions , namely , the Corn Laws , to show that that they were cruelly and most unjustly treated , and it was ; because he saw that the working eiasses were not protected by others , and were not allowed to protect themselves , thai lie fel it was of bo much value to call the attention of the Sovereign to tbe duty of a government , to legislate for tbe benefit of the whole , and not for q few . He knew that he had been accused of

      interfering in political matters , bat in tbe face of that meet * ing he must disclaim belonging to , or having any connection with , any political party . ¦ All parties ought to be able to look upon the ministers of the Gospel as their friends , which would not be the ca se if thy were identified with any one of them , but there were great eternal principles of right and wrong , which he trusted he ahould never shrink from advocating ; and certainly not , because good and honest men ( meaning the Chartists ) for doing the same , wore covered with obloquy and made the victims of persecution . The present occasion did seem to hint an opportunity for bearing witness to these principles , for which if they let it pass now , they might be called to account hereafter .

      As it was doubtful whether the original address would be carried or not Every means was used to get Mr . Bainbridge to withdraw bis amendment , but without efTect After much discussion , those lovers of fairplay determined to put the original address , without noticing the amendment , ; which was eventually done , although Messrs . Bainbridge and Soly protested against such an unfair proceeding , and urged that it was not an address from the inhabitants of yeovil , but of only a few individuals . They carried it by a show of hands . The result ot this meeting has created a great sensation in the toirn , and all cry out against the unfair prooeeding of what are called the " gentlemen" of Yeovil . '¦ ¦ . ; ¦¦ ¦ . -: . - ' : ; ¦ ¦ ' : '¦ - ; ' > . - ¦ . ;¦¦ ¦ : ¦ - ,. ' - : - : " -. ;

      , DARI-I ^ GTON . —The Chartists of Darlington held their weekly meeting in Biggs' long room , when a vote of-thanks was carried uoanimously to llr . Stiran and the Chartists of Bilston , for their heroic conduct in carrying their amendment against the Vicar and churchwardens for attempting to carry a church-rate . KENT . —Progress op ( Dbartism .--A pufelio meeting re furtherence of tbe- cause was held in the ? spacious room of the Compasses Tavern , High-street , Chatham , on Thursday last , the meeting was called for half-past seven ; at that time the room was densely crowded . Mr . Clark was unanitnonsly -voted to the chair . He requested a fair and impartial hearing for all who might present themselves . -Mr . Stallwood , from London , was engaged , and would ; address them . He was sure , in accordance with Chartist usage , if any had an objection to ofler , they would be patiently heard , and fully answered . ( CheeKt ) . Mr . Stallwoo 4 then rose , and was most cordially recoiTed . He

      exhibited to them * ,: in a manner not to-be mistaken , the principles of the People's Charter , siowed the inconsistency and fallacy ot the Midland Counties .. Charter , the absurdity of Sturge ' s declaration ^ and the mischityous tendency of free t ade : under present circumstances—most clearly demonstrated the practicability of the Chartist principles , refe ring to Norway , Switzerland , & 8 ., as indisputable proofs—i-Bhowed- the immense mass of corcuptiou , taaiult , convulsion , and bloodshed caased by the . present . systeHi—and tfiafc the only remedy was to place political power in-the hands of the people—and concJuded an argumentative ap ! d eloquent addiess , aeiid ? the loudest applause of a de-4 i « htsd audience , © pposition was com ted , but none offered . . The Petition was adopted , and received many signatures . The Chairman announced that Mr . Stallwoodwould lecture on the ensuing evening . Jseviral members were added to- the locality , and thtf mtetibg tiissolved . . ; : . ; :

      ©¦» Friday evbihw ^ the room was again filled . Mr . Clark was re-appointed to the chair . Mr . StallJ wood came forward amid ; loud applause , and' showed the misery , ; wretchedness ^ and crime caused ; by the preaent aystem ^ -i th e inefficiency of our own . "' institutions" for the ' present time ;—that there was no- such a place : " as the Commons House , the House so called being a junior Houie of Lords—and the great necessity thst r : d £ t € d for a change . At the conclusion , a vote of thanks was given to the lecturer ^ The Chairinan eloquently Bupported the Views of tha lecturer . A

      Yd *?; of : thanks was passed ; to the Chaixman . A considerable : addition -was a ^ ain made to the petition ^ and several converts entered the National Charter Association . Although this locality has only been in esistence nine weeks , they have had two lecturers down from London ^ -held four large meetings—and obtained six hundred signatures to the National Petition . All that is now required is the preatnee of Faargua O'Connor to maie Chartism fashionable here . Then hurrah for the cause in the Governuient Borough of-Chatham ! .

      KBWCASTLE—The : NewcastleCharti 3 tsheId their ¦ waefcly business meeting on Monday evening , in the Chartista Hall , Goat Ino ^ Cloth Market Mr . Grothers having been unanimonaJjfi called to the chair . Tha aedtetary read the minutes of last meeting , like-wise " some letters which he had'received froin Leeds-, respecting the O'Brien Press fund , and one from Yorh , when thefsollowing resolutions-were agreed to unanimously . M « vedi by Mr . XJockburn ; seconded by Mr . Sinclair , ¦> : Tliatthi 8 association highly approve of the exertioBS oi tke youths ( in connexion with our body ) in their endeavours to get up a reading room and debating soufajty , and we do hereby promise them our hearty support in furtherance of their desirable objects . " aioved by Mr . Cockbura seconded by Mr . Dees , ' That all who may be willing to beeome collectors for the Coavention fund , ' be foraisbed with books for that

      purpose , and that they be se quested to report progress to the Council weekly . " Moved by Mr . Dees , seconded by Mr . Frunkland , lhat ; the secretary be instructed to procure twelve collecting books for the purpose , and that none be considered duly appointed to collect without a mandate , signedt by the secretary , on behalf of the ; Chartist body . " Moved by Mr . Biuna , seconded by Mr . Cdckburn , " -That a deputation cf three be appointed to wait upon the two members of Parliament for this Borough and present them with a . copy of the National Petition ( adopted at the public meeting in the Guildhall , last week , with the mayor in tb » chair , ) and a copy of the Peoples Charter , each respectively , and to , request them to support the prayer of the petition in their places in the House . If they rtould have Mi for London , the secretary was instructed to forward the copies to their addresses in London , with the abova request ¦ ¦' ... "¦ / ' ; " '' ; '¦ . \ : ; . .-. ' •' - , ¦ ¦ . ¦ ¦'¦'¦

      REPEAL OP 5 HB CORN LAWS N . O 3 A POLITTCA 1 SuBJECi . —The Charlista of Blaydon waited soma time ago upon the managers of the Primitive Methodist Chapel to request the use of the . chapel to hod a Chartist meeting in , but received in answer that it was an unalterable law with the society , that the chapel cou . d not t on any account , be used for any political object whatever-but : what was the surprise of the good men and true of Blaydon -when , upon going abroad on last Tuesday morniug , the village and environs Were placarded , ; announcing " that Mr . Liddle , anti-Corn Law lecturer , would deliver a lecture on tbe Corn L . ws in the said chapel , oh Wednesday evening . Wednesday came , and so did Mr . Liddle ; the Chartists were there too . Mr . L . finding himself in a

      cbuntiy village , thought he could make them swallow any Jionsense he might be pleased to eject ; opened but in a regular tirade of such hackneyed abuse as tha League generally resort to , when they think they can do so with iihpuuity ; but the men of Blaydon were too old birds to be caught with chaff ; they offered to discuss the subject with him ; bnt he very wisely declineii . The meeting / which was a bumper , came : to the unanimous conclusion , that all the evils with which society is afflicted is owing to class legislation , and that nothing but a full and f rse representation in the state can ameliorate the present' deplorable condition of tlw industrious cksses . After giving three hearty cheers for tbe People ' s Charter ; three for F . O'Connor ,

      tho friend of the people ; - and three for Mr / O'Bntn > tho meeting separated . This said Mr . Liddle pi * carded the walla of Newcastle , announcing his intentions of delivering a course of lectures against . th ' e Com Laws in the Ranters' School-room , Nelson-street , on Tuesday eveuings ; admission 2 d . each . How many do you think at ' . ended hia first lecture ? , etictly four , ineluding himself and the person appointed to take tha tvopences when they came . Of course there was bo lecture ; and after waiting nearly an hour , and . setiat no more prospect of any twopences , he walked aw » J grumbling that : '" if thej folks would not come as * get cheap bread , they just must go and buy dear . " So much for the prospects of the Plaaae .:

      TONBB . IDGE , < Kenx . )—The cause is progressiBj witU wonderful rapidity in this part of the ConntrJ Many of the middla classes are now coming out for tbfl Charter . A public meeting was held on Tuesd » J evening , in tie large room of the Association , at the Chequers' Inn , for tbe purpose of adopting tne Nation ** Petition . The chair was taken by Mr . Payue , a »<» staunch advocate of the rights of inan , who stated ^ some length the objects of the meeting , and pledged himself , as far as he was able , to ensure every one * iair hearing . Mr . Spring mo red the first resolution . ' --> 'Tbat the distress which at present exists in tn « country ; calls for the interference of eviery generovt mind . " The resolution was seconded by Mr . Hani ? . The second resolution— "That all the evils under which the people labour are caused by class Jeg islation , and that they will never be removed till the people are fully and fuiriy represented in the Commons House of

      Parliament , " was proposed by ^ r . iSnelliDg , and seconded by Mr . Elliott 'Xhe third resolution , adopting the Na ^ onal Petition was moved by Mr . Harris , ; who read the petition , and commented at considerable leng ^ thereon , and was seconded by Mr . Hemsly . Tlie whp ^ were carried in a moat enthusiastic manner , the sent * menta of the speakars eliciting tho most unbounded applause . This meeting was got up as an antidote to another , composed of Whigs and Tories , held on tna same day , to rejoice at tbechrktening of a Prince a Wales . It was the first public meeting held by tn » Chartists , in which all the speakers were members « that body , and we have no doubt it will have a gooo eflfect , and be the means of extending the glorious principles of the Charter . A lecturer would do great good in Kent , as there are inany towns willing and wait " ! to be enrolled . Agricnltural diitricts have been too much neglected .

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      TO XHE EDITOR OF THE > " 0 STHEILS STAR . SjR , —At a special metting of the Leeds Short Time Committee , hoiden on the " evening of Jan . 22 d , 1842 , present , eight of the members , the following resolutions Were unanimously passed : — 1 st . —That the " Address to the working nun of York ? shire , " in reply to the foul and unmanly attack of the Editor of the Leeds Tines ^ ai in jastiflcatfon of the proceedings of the Ten Hours' Deputation , as bow read , be adopted ; and that 2 , 500 of them be printed for immediate circulation in the mills and factories of the town and neighbourhood . Jnd . —That the Editor of the Northern Star be respectfully requested to give the document insertion in the columns of Mb paper ; and that he be kindly thanked for his many former favours . Agreeably to the 2 nd resolution , I beg to hand you a eopy of the address , and in the name of the Committee , Boliiit at your hands , the favour of its insertion . .

      I am , Sir , Yours truly , Jos . Hobson , Secretary Leeds , Jan . 26 th . 1842 .

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      ; . . '¦ RAISING THE WIND . When we are urged to make any sacrifice with a view to get rid of the existing Corn Laws , there ib an implied assumption in the exhortation , that by attaining tbat end we should save the country from impending ruin . Tbe patient , say some , is in danger of instant death , Doubtless , perfect health can oaly be restored by a course of alterativea which shall act upon the constitution ; but there is no time to carry prescriptions of this character into effect . The country is sinking from exhaustion . Let our first efforts be directed to a revival of her trade and commerce , and we may then proceed at leisure to the great work of political reform . To this we have but two objections ; but then they are formidable ones . First , that we cannot muster up a sufficient tlose of stimulant necessary for securing the revival wo need ; and , secondly , if we could , we should proceed so very leisurely to amend the constitution , that ere long the piilient would be as bad

      as- ever . . . ¦¦ - ...- . ¦ . •• . ¦ , ¦ ¦ ¦ - . ., . . ; They iiiay doubt this who look upon class legislation a ' B a thing of recent origin , or who imagine they see in our . present restrictive systein no more than " nature erring from herself . " A slight acquaintance with Parliamentary history will set them right From the first moment of thu installation of what we may call the landed interest in the supremacy of power until tbe present time , our legislators have pursued their selfish ends—have aimed at increasing the value of their owii property , at the expence of those whom they were called to govern , with a systematic pertinacity no lees than instinctive ^ Their conduct , from beginning to end— " from morn to dewy eve , '' lias been

      consistent . With untiring n « al they have kept before them one ipbject-T-self-aggrahdisement . j with unwearied assiduity they have pursued it Bo fled in one instance , they return to the chase with new alacrity—omit no opportunity—spare no vigilance—overleap all the landmarks and hedges of justice—turn this whole country into one vast bunting-ground , in which the people , are the -victirosV laws thV hounds , and pelf the end of the pursuit The stotute-book is simply a record of the transactions designed to transfer property from the ruled to the rulers . Our Corn Laws , our Money Bills , our Stamp Acts , our Exciae Duties , our Enclosure . BUIb and Game Laws * the Church , the niagistracy , the army , the navy , Colonial GovernmentE—all tell one tale , the rule , or rather the misrule , of monopoly .

      Singularly enough , the origin of this power , the power of the greater and lessor lacdowners , was unconstitutional . The Convention of PeerB and country genUejnen , which assembled on the restoration of Charles the Second , and proceeded to aboliuh every enactment of the Commonwealth as illegal , was never summoned by the King's writ / Under pretence of restoring the monarch , they changed the constitutional policy -which had prevailed from the conquest in 10 . 66 , From the feudal services which they owed to the crown , and in virtue of which tkey held their lands , tbey exempted themselves , and the commutation land tax whichbud been established : under the Commonwealth

      In lieu of such services they refused to re-enact , but granted instead an impost on wine , cider , beer , and ale , and afterwards , to make up the deficiency , poll and hearth taxes . This , it must be confessed , was a hopeful beginning , and gave promise of that matured selfishness which they have since produced In such ample profusion . They commute the burdens upon their own estates , burdens far lighter than those which pressed upon them when they held their lands from the > rown ; and having thrown off feudal homage due to the crown for lands apportioned to them by the crown , as well as tbe money tax imposed in lieu of that homage , they call upon the people to pay , and shift their debts , as usual , to the country .

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  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Feb. 5, 1842, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct877/page/6/