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FEARGUS O'CONNOR, ESQ., AT MANCHESTER.
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BLOODy AND FEROCIOUS "¦'""' ATTACK
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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OP A BAND OP ASSASSINS , HIRED BY . THB LEAGUE , UPON FEAEGUS O'COIOfOR tfsV THE CHARTISTS OF MANCHESTER j IN WHICH O'CONNOR AND THE REV . MR . SCHOLEFIELD ( THE CHAIRMAN ) WERE SERIOUSLY , AND MANY OF THE CHARTISTS DANGEROUSLY WOUNDED .
TO THE IMPERIAL CHARTISTS . Mr Beloved Feikkds , —What the Birmingham yggaas failed to accomplish , was nearly effected by * hired band of the same faction at Manchester , on Tuesday last . You are aware , that for & length ef time , I had been engaged to deliver three lectures jj Manchester . I had an object in view by these \ giores : that of expounding my notions as to the jgeessity of establishing a system of small farms , and jjjo ny notions npon the Repeal of the Union , ud upon the principles of general legislation . 02 Monday , I addressed one of the largest *
j 8 £ 6 i orderly , and enthusiastic meetings ever held ja Manchester . My subject was the Land . My jjeocd object was to enable our Chartist friends , ) jtbj services , to pay off a heavy arrear of debt i starred in keeping up the Chartht agitation . " The Her . Mr . Scholefield was unanimously appointed | ( human for the course of lectures ; and you will | feat judge of our numbers on Monday night , when I ] inform you that at one penny admission , th « sum i | f £ 1510 s . Id . was received at the door . During Tuesday , I learned that the League had [ tred a large body of bludgeonmen to attend the
[ Repeal" lecture . A publication , bearing the j june <> f Edward WatMcs , extracted from I ge Manchester Times , . and paid for by I &e League , was extensively circulated among I gg Irish , setting forth YzriouB febrications » s to | &e attacks by the Northern Star and myself I tpon Daniel O'ConnelL , and professing an anxious I fesre for an honourable union of the good of all I ^ sses , for the purpose of acquiring a repeal of the [ am Laws , Universal Suffrage , and tile Ballot . I jjis inflammatory document was loua in denunciaaaof Feargua O'Connor . I also received a letter , rfirhich the following is a copy : —
. got , —Circumstances prevent at from seeing or jgBSBg you -while in Manchester ; but , believe me , I knot flitter when I say my spirit and best wishes Ejiith you . 0 ! Sir , berrare of the Danites , Blndgeonites , fcjbienites , and the bloody Whig league , -who will , j&eycsn , perform the last act of the Birmingham jsspted tragedy , and rid us of our Feargua . Taat jj who lath preserred me for sixty-six years , may p 4 = ct too , and crown jour labours with success , u £ c ? n * ty * prayer of your Humbls Servant , PiTB IC K . W . BC CHA > AN . P . 5 . Tba bearer is wj son ; P 2 easa to exewse the jjBgrfeeticmB of the other side as they sre
owing—To want of light and time to think , Better piper , pen , and ink-Daring the day I learned that officers had been ^ ecied for the purpose » f marshalling a large body i Irishmen , who , under the command of Warren , ' xbj , Finigau , and Duly , were to receive wages si money for admission . At seven o ' clock , Hargraves , who had contracted fcshe Hall of Science , came to my hotel in great ssiezaent , and informed me that a body of about $ men , with Wndgeons , * pokers , hatchets , and
I jasr weapons , had forced their way into the BjB , and that many of their leaders had am possession of the platform . He asked B if he should send for the police 1 I ssrered " Decidedly not . " Shortly afterwards B Bst . Mr . Seholefield arrived at the hotel , and taing learned what was going on , he asked me if is should send for the police 1 My answer was , Jj ; I never will attend a public meeting under a protection of a police force , neither will I ever fcisstinmaital in procuring their attendanc * . "
IFe S , precisely at eight o ' clo ck , Seholefield , keb , Campbell , Hargreaves , Bailey , and myself BSed in a coach for the Hall of Science . When B saered , the cheering from all parts wa 3 deafenii Wfisa iha cheering ceased , a partial howl k ses up on the platform just behind me , and lsaisras responded to by a band in ihe centre i as Hall , and immediately under the platform . Mr then proceeded to move that a person named Ifra , mat tha Chartist , ) should take the chair . 5 s was saeoaded amid loud cries of " Seholefield
SaMeld . " Dofy then proceeded to take a show &nd 5 for Dajle , when about six hundred hands i tsree hundred persons , each holding up fcc , wew displayed for Doyle , and for Schole-Qiis whole of the remainder of the meeting Hspboih hands , giving Sc&clefield a majority of s ^ sst ten to-one in the estimation of many disiufesed persons . When the show was taken for * % A a person behind me said , " You-see , we have » * gnitj » » Wai ; a bit , " said I ; "if you have , % « shall have the chair : it matters not to me
* 23 tas Chairman is . " Thai tha show was so manifestly decided in OTKrof SehoIeSeld , Daffy turned ronnd and said , feukaen , Mr . Doyle wi » l now proceed to take the 5 * ! * Mr . Scholefield at this time occupying it . fy& the * instant , Scholefield , chair and all , * fc Jfced &om the platform , l > y a set of ruffians , ka cailared him , and tore Ms clothes to tatters , ^ s agnal wa 3 then giren by a fugleman on the Jsorn , when instruments of all sorts were bran--2 * 1 a the air . I and others seized Scholefield and * ea » a , tUlmg the Chirtists to defend their ehairw . In lea than half a minute , toe mahogany Ui f' clnir 5 J gas pipes , and every available article
^ api 3 C 33 , soas of the chairs and fragments of JJ being thrown down by the raffian 3 on the 7 a t 0 * 2 nifiaas in the body . These missiles pn ameduiely aung-at the platform , some of the rf ^^ jumpsd off and several more being ¦^¦ ki oSk the genera l scuffle . I saw one pluming a biowa ; 3 caolefield * s head with theleg «»^! e . Sch olensld avoided the blow and it came K 7 ae ; i ! i 91131 " 0 rce upon tie heati ° ^ some yomiif ^¦ i 1 am informed that he is seriously injured . I ^ ^ aaa in the month with my left hand , and ¦ jKsdlia down . At this time , Leach , Campbell , naoiher Campbell , a fine fellow , seized far , hold J » aale 3 dd , keeping him in front of the meeting , . ff * MK > a » pany was endeavouring to drag him
1 ^ 5 missies now bagan fo fly in all directions at p to ills platform , when I went in front , took Ej nat , and cheered the Chartists on . While I WE * the act of cheering , four or fire of the Char-¦ rJoung Campbell being the only one I kaew—¦ Ft ! f ° ilie fr ° at , and s-eizing me by the collar ff body , attempted to drag me back , saving , H ^ as , they'll murder yon , that ' s what they have W f iisre for . " - ^ Ibej were ^ the ict of pu ] jin ^ H ^ k , I received " a blow of a large stone ' on the H ~ » tila { knocked me down on a bench . I got Igaa nm stone ? , from a pound to three pound Wji pieces of Iron and missies of all discripm began to flj Tonrd me . Whittafcer and two me
^ P seiisd by the collar , and while ¦ P 2 ^ kac ^ J reseiyed a blow of a stone on ¦ feast and one in the neck . I then turned fito those . whoheldme , and said , "for God's ¦* t me loose , I must jump down . " Just H 4 ljr s&d round I received a blow of jiarp instrnment behind , which cut my hat ¦ P ) aflQ as I fronted the meeting again , I ^¦ - ^ a tremendous blo w from a large stone just ^¦ fce ri ^ ht eye , which knocked me down , the goibing oni copiously . Higginbottom , ^ ^^ S £ r , and t » vo or three lifted me up and ^^ me off the platform . Higginbottom and ¦? fcer took m » into a public house , where I ¦ ? the blood off and then we proceeded to my
¦ ^ ift ej , Mr . Schokiield arrived with his face ¦ Cp aostBhockJng manner . He received B ^ Wow from a Btone in the mouth leaving " B ^ *< & and loosening his teeth ^ and a H ^ - "found , —two indeed—one on ihe nose , ^ ^ ^ ^^ E ^ Wher one just in the corner T > f tbe eye ' v " * ^ ea robseotienily srriTed , all mere ox leaa
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injured . Doyle with so many wounds , that on leaving the hotel he fell , and was obliged to be taken home in a coach : he is horribly crushed , beaten and trampled and jumped npon . Campbell got a violent blow on the head ; and Bailey ' s face is wholly disfigured . But this is only a list of the comparatively Blightly wounded . About eleven o'clock , Dr . Hulli , who had been on the platform , arrived , and infoimtd us that he had been engaged for more than two hours in dressing the wounds " of the Chartit-ts , two of whom ,- he said , were likely to lose their intellect and become idiots for life , while many others were dangerously injured . Oae man fainted while he was dressing his head . Besides these whom I have seen
aad those dressed by Dr . Hulli , there are others here much more dangerously wounded . Poor old Swires , a veteran of sixty-seven , is nearly killed . "Murray , an Irishman , and also a veteran president of the Redfern-street Association , is shockingly mangled ; while poor Raiton has had one of Mb arms broken in two places , and has been otherwise seriously injured , his head fractured in several place 3 .
Fresh accounts are hourly dropping in of parties who have been brutally treated , and as those in the body of the hall were leaving they were knocked down on passing through ten or a dozen ruffians in the streets with huge bludgeons in their hands . Young Mr . Levercshe , reporter for the Manchester and Salford Advertiser , was knocked down by those ruffians , and had his head and other parts dreadfully wounded . He is now confined to his bed ; on getting home he discovered that his waistcoat pockets were full of clotted blood .
About eleven o ' clock , Sir Charles Shaw , accompanied by Captain Sleigh , waited upon me , and in the presence of ""James Leach , the following oonversation occurred : — Sir Chas . Shaw—Mr . O'Connor , I have called in consequenee of what has happened , to apprize you , that if any riot or injury to person or property should occur during your stay in the district , I shall hold you responsible , and I am determined wheu such occurrence does take place , to remove the cause by arresting you .
Mr . CTConnob—Sir , you have given your determination ; now hear mine . Should any violence be done to me , or to my party , or to the property of my friends daring my stay iu thiB district , I shall hold you responsible for every such act of violence . If you are an inspector of police , I am a barrister ; and as you are neither the law or the constitution , take care how you act . Last night , when no disturbancs was apprehended ,. your police were at the
meeting ; when you might have anticipated , from the current rumours , that a disturbance would take place , you had no force near at hand . Ou Whitsun-Taesday , you allowed Messrs . Cobden , Potter , Walker , and Ovbers to create a disturbance , and a gross violation of the peace , and you never interfered j and you knew that the offenders of that day were fo be marshalled for the same purpose , and similarly instigated for this night ' s proceedings .
Sir Chahi . es Shaw—Mr . 0 Connor , I have nothing to do xrith the magistrates , and I could not , consistently with my duty , weaken the necessary force ai other points for t- * te purpose of sending men to the meeting . A man has been lodged in the lock-up to-night for havinj ; struck you , and I shall require your attendance to swear against him to-morrow morning . Mr . O'Co . v . vob—I cannot swear io any man , and will not apjpear . Sir Chables "Shaw—If I send a message by a policeman , requiring your attendance , will you come ? Mr . O'CojrsoB—No , because I have no evidence to give .
Sir Chabies Shaw—Well , I th&aght that more courteous than summoning you ; but I must send you a summons . Mr . O'Cossob—Than , of course , I shall obey the summons . Sir Chables Sha-w— Mr . O'Connor , I hope if I should FIND IT NECESSARY to send a policeman , to apprehend you , that you will make no resistance .
Mr . O'Co . vnob—Sir Charles Shaw , I cxdebsta-nd tou sow : this is but PRELIMINARY to anotheb stop ! however I know my duty too well , and have too much respect for the laws to violate them by disobeying authority ; if you send a policeman for me , I shall go quietly with him : but take care what you are about , for , most assuredly , after what has transpired at thi 3 interview , I shall feel myself bound to apply to the Secretary of State for the Home Department as to your jurisdiction . You appear to have wholly mistaken your power .
Here the conversation ended . One of the parties who was foremost in the fight was apprehended on Tuesday evening , and handed over to the police . He was brought up for trial thi 3 morning , and , having been convicted , was bouad over to keep the peace . I was called on as evidence against him , but knew nothing whatever about the man . Well , to my surprise , I learned that Duffy , the ringleader of the Plague , had applied for a warrant against me for . striking him , and knocking him off
the platform into the body of the Hall ; and , after a very long and patient trial before Mr . Maude , the very best local Judge I ever saw , the case was dismissed , the Chairman stating that he much preferred a blow of a fist to the cowardly practice of throwing stones in a crowd . I should , in justice to the Chairman , state ^ however , that one of Duffy ' s witnesses - plamply contradicted Duffy ' s evidence , by stating that he did not see me strike Daffy , nor did he think that I
could have done so unnoticed by witness . It is now over ; and I mo . -t solemnly declare that I did not touch Duffy aay more than the man in the moon . The whole of the furniture of the splendid Hall was smashed to atoms } some of the forms were cut up with HATCHETS brought for the purpose , and my only surprise is , that some hundreds were not murdered . Resolved not to be intimidated , we have issued placards taat 1 will this ( . Wednesday ) night deliver nay lecture upon , tha Repeal of tho Union . - And not satisfied with last night ' s work of destruction , the town is posted with large posters to the following effect : —
" Ibishmes Repealers of the Union , assemble TO-SJGHT AT THE HaLI OF SdESCE 1 > " TODB XHOTJS-OfDS , TO 5 IEET THE ENEMIES OF DaMEL O'CO . VXELL , WE HAVE GAIXEP A VICTORY—ATTEND TO -MGHT AM > "WE WILL COMPLETE ODB VICTORY . " Now , there are forces immediately at the disposal of the moral-force Corn Law Repealers of Manches * ter , and to their use has a portion of the £ 10 , 000 made at the Bazaar , been appropriated , and these forsooth are - the parties with whom the Chartists are asked to unite . Chartists , this is the second
attack made upon me and other Leaders , as an earneit of the good intention of thoss who cry out -union . I have the heartfelt pleasure to inform you that the trades of Manchester ho ! d a meeting thii evening , to be attended by delegates from every shop , and tb « prevailing opinion is that , in a body , all will come out for the Charter , but only on condition that it -is not tb be mixed up with any other question . Is this , then , the time fob subbesdeb 1 No , my friends , oxwabd axp wj coxqueb , back-WABB AMD W& * ALI- TlIE CHABTKB AND NO
SUBBBJfDXB , ' , . T he Second Edition will contain a report of thia night ' s proceedings , with any further circumstances whioh aay transpire in connection with the bloody attempt of the League . Mind : I blame not th . e Irbh naif so much as those moral-force cowards who find p » y and money to defray all the ex 4 > ences of physical-foroe aggression and jeintiog . . Who
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now are the " moral" and who the " physical-fore ?' parties V Not one Chartist at the meeting bad even a rod in his hand ^ and were brutally set upon as I bave stated . Units and be Fiaii . " Ever your faithful friend , — Feabgus O'Conhob . ? Manchester , Wednesday . P . S . I have just seen Leacb , and he informs ms that £ 5 were offered to any man who would throw me off the platform into , the body of the Hall , and , Moreover , that many of the Irishmen of the repeal party , are thoroughly disgusted with the brutal affair ; and it will shortly be proved that each man
who attended was paid one shilling for his services , and a penny for his admission . The League has ¦ paidfor the reprint of Watkin ' s inflammatory publication , and also for the bills now generally posted , calling on the Irishmen to complete their triumph to-night ; Men of all parties and politics , with the exception of the League , are disgusted beyend expression , with this last kick of the expiring faction . One Chartist jumped from the gallery , a great height ; he is secretary to the Miles Platting Association . I regret to say that the poor fellow is seriously injured . The greatest excitement prevails as to this night ' s meeting . Yours , F . O'C .
Thursdat Afternoon . —The Manchester Mail has just brought us an account of the Wednesday evening ' s lecture , which went off as peaceably as if no one but the lecturer had been in the room , though the Hall was wedged until not another human being could be squeezed into it . Ruffians are ever cowards , and so the " League's" bludgeon-men , when they saw the working men ready to receive them , were as quiet as mice . The night before they had it all their own way , few working men being present , it having been agreed that they should attend the first and third lecture , and leave the second to the Irish O'Connellite Repealers , with whom it appears that Mr . O'Connor ' s arguments are far less powerful than the " League ' s" blood-money .
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During the last week , Hub town has been placarded , announcing that the above gentleman would deliver three lectures . The following is a copy of the placard : — " Men of Manchester , —Feargns O'Connor , E 9 q . will deliver three lectures , in the Hall of Science , CamDfield , on Monday , Tuesday , and Wednesday , the 7 th , 8 th , and 9 th of March next , 1842 . The lecture on Monday evening will be on the land and its capabilities . That on Tuesday evening , the 8 th ,
will be on the Repeal of the Legislative Union between England and Ireland . And that on Wednesday evening , the 9 th , . on Class Legislation and Govern men t . Admission to the body of the Hall one penny ; Gallery twopence ; and Platform sixpence . The proceeds , after paying necessary expenses , will go towards the payment of the outstanding debts of the National Charter Association . Doors open at six o'clock . Chair to be taken at eight . " Signed by order of the Committee ,
" John Murray , Secretary . " Mr . O'Connor having promised , when he first entered Manchester after his liberation , to deliver a course of lectures at the first opportunity , great anxiety was manifested as to when that would be . The notice having appeared upon the walls last week has led to very great excitement , both in Manchester and surrounding district . The Committee , in arranging for the doors to be opened at six o ' clock , took a very creditable , because wise and judicious step , icasmuch as it prevented the rush which would have been the consequence had they been closed till a later hour .
Two hours before the time of meeting , groups ( in order to secure a place , anticipating that the capacions room would be crowded ) were seen wending their way to the place of meeting . When we entered about seven o ' clock , the room , which is capable of holding upwards of three thousand , was three parts filled , and waB filling at the time very rapidly . In order the better to pass the time , the Salford Chartist brass band , who bad volunteered their services to the good of the cause , played a few lively tunes . The hall was briiiantly lighted up with gas . A large nunjber of middle class men were in the gallery , and a good sprinkling of females . The platform was crammed with respectables to excess , and the body of tho hall was completely wedged
with Mr . O'Connor ' sreal genuine "blistered hands , " fustian jackets , and unshorn chins . So anxious were the people to get a glance of the expected lecturer , that as gentlemen entered the platform they , expecting it was the great chief , commenced cheering and continued until they discovered their mistake . By eight o ' clock there was one dense mass ol closely packed human beings . About ten minutes after 8 , Mr . O'Connor entered the platform by a side door , and the effect produced on his appearance was truly electrifying , and beggared all attempts at description . There was one feeling of enthusiam through the whole meeting . Mr . Johs Murry moved , seconded by Mr . G . Hargraves , that the Rev . Mr . Schofield do take the chair , which was carried by acclamation .
Mr . Schofield , on coming forward , was greeted with several rounds of applause . He said he was happy on the present occasion to meet his fellow townsmen again . He and they had come together for the same purpose , viz . to hear their worthy friend give them a lecture upon the land . As the subject would , he had no doubt , to them equally with himself be a new subject , they would feel as much interested in it as he was—( hear , hear ) . He then claimed a fair hearing for the lecturer , adding that after he had finished he ( Mr . O'Connor ) would answer any questions which might be put to the satisfaction of every individual . He would preside to the best of his ability , and as men of judgment , he could entertain no doubt that their conduct would be creditable to themselves as well as gratifying and satisfactory to their esteemed leoturer—( cheer 3 ) . Having made these few remarks , he would with great pleasure introduce the worthy lecturer—( cheers ) .
Mr . O'Co . v . xor then rose , amid general cheering , clapping , stamping , and other marks of applause , which lasted a considerable time , Oa silence being restored , he said that , as had been observed by their Chairman , he was goi&g that night to propound to them a subject which wag somewhat new . He did not think there could be a more appropriate time to advance his opinions upon this subject " than the present —( hear , hear . ) He did not come tnere as a hired lecturer , to snpport principles to which his heart was not attached . He came theTe to advocate
principles to which he had been long wedded—the derelopement of which would , he trusted , be highly beneficial—as a thorough knowledge of them was requisite fur the future stability and progress of the cause which he and his iriends had espoused—( cheers . ) His lecture that evening would be diye-ted of persoi ; a ] ities , abuse , slander , and declamation ; and , as such , he believed it would command thtir attention . They were called upon , after ten years' administration of the Whigs , which was to have been a cure for ail evils ; and seven or eight months' of administration of the Tories , to look for a medicine for a disease of the body politic Which "would become chronic , if it -was not destroyed by some skilful hand . ( Hear , hear , and loud cheersO
And sorry should he be , for the purpose of popularity , to propound to them a principle , which was not practicable . It would be for him that evening to make a breach upon prejudice , and thus make converts to their principle . There was no good to be obtained from a medicine , however efficacious so long as the boule was kept corked . There was no use in propounding a remedy , without the ability and power to apply it— - ( cheers ) . There was no use in propounding any thing so long as equal , fair , and unrestricted legislation was denied ; until the people were fairly repTesented , his scheme could not be of any avail . For ten years the svstem had been in a state
of political chaos * It was known that the remedy of tha Whigs aud Tories was quackery , as a nostrum for the present evils of society . The land gave parties the votes and votes gave the power in the Government . In 1832 , the Government was elected under a perfect understanding amongst the people that it would for ever destroy and prerenta boroughmonRering Parliament ; yet , after ten years iuflueace of such Parliament , they Baw Bobby again , in office , supported by a majority . of-123- boroughmongers in the House of Commons . Then they would ask themselves who they were that had placed the present party in the , ascendancy ! S ^ long as one man ' s property eons&ated another aua ' a title
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to vote , aided by other influences which at present existed , so long would the power be monopolised for ciasB interests , and they , the people , would be placed in the condition they \ thea were . Mr . O'Connor then showed how the ten pound vote with its qualifications was nearly the same as £ 20 for a house before the vote was Beoured ; and that the land gave the votes , and the votes gave political power . He thea Went into the system of wholesale letting the land instead of retailj and thus being applied for the sustenance of the people . The distress of the country was admitted on all hands ; and the man who could produce a remedy , with the least possible disorder and with the least confusion , would prove most beneficial—( hoar ,
hear . ) _ The land produced waeat , and wheat , bread . Mr . O'Connor then went into the system of rentals j and argued that undvr a proper regulation , there would be no necessity for the people to be dependant upoa Poland , Russia , or . 'Ptuissiaj for a breakfast . He then showed how the laud had secured the farmer ' s vote ; corroboratingVhis . statement . by the fact of he himself being a barrister-at-lawi and a practical agriculturist , which had given him every opportunity of having a proper knowledge of the subject . He next showed the relative position of the arlizina under the amoke-ocracy , aud the labourers under the sod-ocracy in doing which he elicited load- - cheers . . As they could not , wUh any degree of propriety , either . tax , restriot , or stop the
improvement m machinery ; iue question came next ; how they could so regulate it as to prove man ' s holiday instead of , aa now , his curse—( great cheering . ) Mr . O'Connor then made a supposition of a man placed upon land a distance from Manchester , and a man in the manufacturing town ; and argued , ( having given his statistics as to what the man upon the land could produce , ) that as soon as the manufacturing operative was thrown into the streets by ihe introduction of machinery , he would go out to the man upon the land , and ask how he lived , and the answer would be , that he worked so many hours to the day , and 280 days to the year , and his family , seven in number , eat plenty of good bread , garden vegetables , and thus lived as
God and nature designed —( cheers)—and have at the end of the year £ 40 to spend in the market—besides the quantity of wool and flax which he would be enabled to obtain—( hear , hear . ) He then showed up , in a clear and logical manner , the artificial system , which forced man to fill the pawn warehouses with goods , while he was himself going naked . Mr . O'Connor here challenged refutation respecting his calculations . Parties who scarcely knew whether they dug potatoes out of the ground raw , or that they fcrew ready buttered , may attempt to contradict his statement in their news-> apers , but never to confute them by fair argument . Indeed , instead of confutation , it was botheration—( cheers . ) In the artificial system of life , there was
manhood , middle aj ; e and . infancy , rising , eating , aud sleeping all at , once . Mr . O'C , argued then upon the efficacy of tho Charter in putting an end not only to this state of things , but to prevent crime , and drunkenness , and elevate character . He then shewed , by fair calculation , that instead of not being capable of maintains 27 , 000 , 000 , it would provide suffir dent for 80 , 000 , 000 to live in comfort , peace , and happiness : and contended that the universal cry should be , restore , restore , restore—( cheers . ) The railway travelling had been the same to the horsey as machinery had to them . In proportion as railway travelling advanced , the horses were reduced in value and deprived of their corn . They were reduoed in their feeds until they were sold to the
knacker for horse flesh . for the dogs—( hear , hear . ) He then shewed the savings . of the man who lived upon Mb estates , doing the work by hand instead of horse power , giving facts and figures for every position he took ; shewing that what it would take in food te keep thirty horses would maintain three hundred mtn , in addition to what he shewed could be saved by his plan of manuring the land and deducing likewise from his foregoing arguments and premise ? , that it would stop the influx of foreign corn , give high wages , cheap bread , and plenty of employment . He looked with little confidence and great suspicion upon those who were for making them comfortable all at once . If they were pained at the heart , as he was , to see the gaunt
misery , wretchedness , and distress , stalking through the land , and to witness the pale countenance ? , and the emaciated constitutions , as the result of long confinement , noxious atmosphere , starvation , huuger , and despair , they would assist in the alteration of the system . After touching upon several other topics , the talented lecturer said , that it was his conviction , that if the Almighty ; was to send down a shower of gold in Stephenson's Square , the authorities would forma lino of military round it , backed by aline of rural police , to prevent the people { rom receiving any benefit from it , bo that in due time they might reap the benefit of it themselves , ( Loud aud continued cheering . ) He then gave some excellent and well arranged calculations on and be had
the land question ^ when explained this part of his subject in such a manner as to come home to the capacity of all present , he declared that if tho Whigs had performed their promises and had done their duty to the people , and introduced the principles of the People's Charter , they would have destroyed Toryism , and for ever—( hear , hear , and loud cheering ) . Mr . O'C . then tshowed the fallacy of the steam lords who assert that there were more mouths than food to feed them , and illustrated very plainly . tnat they had themselves made food dear to the optratives and filled their own pockets . If a cotton master having l i OOO hands under his employment reduced his hands 4 s . per week , he took from them more tnan would supply them with bread for a
week , and put £ 400 into his own pocket every year of his life . The lecturer went on to shew how it operated to the injury of the shopkeepers , by taking money out of circulation , preventing the people frtfm purchasing necessaries , and , consequently , prevented it from coming into their tills—( hear , hear , )—and argued that it Would ultimately fall upon the Bmokeocraoy themselves , by reducing them to beggary . He next showed how the large manufacturers had competed against the small ones , and driven them out of the market and to bankruptcy ; and to such a pitch was the system brought , that there was no certainty in the investment of money . A widow , through the inducements which had been held out respecting the large per centage she would
receive , had invested £ 10 , 000 in a railway or some such undertaking , at the time when she expected to receive the interest due , she was met by the directors , who told her they were very sorry to inform her , that owing to the speculation being a failure , both interest and Btock was swallowed up-Kcheers . ) He then adverted to the tract published by the Rev . Baptist Noel , who he said had been made chaplain for writing fallacious noiisense , and he ( Mr . O'Connor ) had not been made a Bishop for answering it . ( Loud cheering . ) Every man , said Noel , in order to shew the benefits of machinery , could produce £ 2 G 0 worth of goods by it and steam . What , or how much , was the workingman ' s share 1 Mr . O'Connor then compared tne relative position of
the landlords , who had many of them their estates mortgaged , with the cotton lords , who bad boasted of being able to purchase the estates of the landlords . He then handled some statements of Dr . Bowring . This gentleman had stated that a working man eat a quarter of corn per annum , and shewed how many quarters of wheat the money taken from the operatives would purchase , following up this by comparing howmuch theworking man had for his share with what our beautiful Queen received , contending by such rules the Queen either eats or drinks all the oats and barley which are imported into this country , adducing figures according to "Cocker" to bear him out—( cheera ) The lecturer then went through the various hands into
which , the loaf had to fall before the working man could have his bite ; such as £ 10 , 000 , 000 to the Church ; £ 29 , 000 , 000 to pay the interest of the National Debt ; £ 23 , 000 , 000 to support the Government and Standing Army ; profit class . £ L 40 , OOd , 000 ; besides the idlers , paupers , and pensiqners i who had to be kept out of the poor man's earnings ; , and taken from t ' . e sack— ( cheers . ) He wished them to / take the clog off , aud level the waters which they could only do by giving to every man a vote . Did they want 2 , 000 , 000 of quarters of wheat 1 Why , then , take £ 4 , 000 , 000 from the church . Did they want 4 , 000 , 000 of quarters , take £ 8 , 000 , © 00 from the church , and if more , take £ . 1 , 0 ^ 000 , 000 ; which would open to them them the sanctuary of 5 , 000 , 006 of quarters of wheat , for them —( laughter . ) Did they want more , sweep off the Debt , the Army money , noble
&c . &c— ( laughter and applause . ) Then the - men might have their parks , race courses , aadpleasure grounds . But neither party would do that ; nor would they ask them ( the people ) t » doit—tfjear . hear ) Although the Government of the country wras a Tory one , they , the people ^ were under local authorities j their lives and properties were lnnder the command of the loeal authorities . Wben masters wished to reduce wages they applied to the local authorities to furnish them with Rural Police to assist them to carry tibeir designs into execution . There was the police to hold them in subjeotion or walk the streets , and the Bastile yawning at them if they dare kick against oppression ; they knocked them down with the Poor Law and kept them down with the Rural Police . Mr . O'Connor explained the manner in ' . vhich the manufacturers induced the people to come from tha agricultural distrioU in . ih& vtauftude of
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their prosperity , and how whole families Were sole like goods in the markets , and bow machinery had rendered them useless they turned their backs npon them , which had , in the first place , taken the labourers from : the land , and in the second place had been the means of preventing more corn from being grown than what was , and threw the land into grass landr- ( hear , hear , and eheers . ) They wished them to turn back again ; the operatives answer no , they would not ; they ; would rather remain slaves as they were than adopt a step which would shew their own folly * and how grossly they had been deoeived . and their , the master's , ingratitude . The conduct of the masters in that respect put him in mind of » gentleman , or rather a Scotch carrier ,
who made a practice of tossing up as to whether his horse should have a feed of corn , or himself a glass of grog ; but it never happened ( hat the horse won . At length he tossed him over a cliff , and killed the animal , which brought him to reflection ; ahd then ho exclaimed , "Would to God he had looked to the animal that supported him . " The manufacturers would ere long turn arid- say , that if they had looked more to tho interest of the people , instead of air to themselves , they wonldhave supjorted them . ( Cheers . ) Lord John Rossell would say , "Would to God he bad depended upon the people , instead of the aristocracy , " and then ho would have been able to destroy the sting of Toryism , which will sting him to death—( laughter . )
The people would have been satisfied had he not oried " finality , " but progression . Yes , but some of his opponents asked whether there was not the same misery in Ireland as in England . Mr . O'Connor then alleged that it was the samo cireumstanca ia both countries which caused the poverty , namely , the labourer being deprived of his vote . The labourer knew that if he laid out £ 2 in lime for the improvement of the soil , he would be doing it for tho landlord to receive the benefit instead of himself —{" hear , hear , " from . the Irishmen . ) The lecturer then went through many statistics , Eroving the capabilities of the land , and showing ow iv would produce more wheat , cattle , butter cheese , frnit , Sea ., and contended that the
iudustrious portion of the community could get hone of it . The question with them was how they could get it ? It was not by putting a large loaf and a small , one upon the top of the pole which would satisfy them , because it was equally as easy to put a large one as a small one— - ( hear , hear ) . Cheap and dear were relative terms , and it would make : the poor man ' s heart burn to gee the large loaf , if he had not , at the same time , the means of purchasing it —( hear , hear ) . Mr . O'C then shewed that a reduction in taxation , unless the people were properly represented would beofno benefit to tho many , and instanced the tax taken off leather , and niany other things , had not made shoes , &c ., any cheaper to the working man . He likewise named several places where corn could
be grown , cheaper ; but under the present system ; th < se who stood betwixt the corn and the working man would monopolise all the benefits to themselves . He would put a question to the females present , who would be able to give him a correct answer . Had they not gone to the baker ' s shop for a stone of flour , for which they might pay , for the sake of argument , 2 s . 6 d ., and in a short time afcer , perhaps only the next day , they have applied again , and there had been in the meantime a storm , and without the least interference of Parliament , it has risen to 3 ^ . a stone . ( Females— " That ' s true . ") One night's storm would raise the flour ; but it ^ vould take three : rhonths' sunshine to . bring it down again : the bakers' thermometer was regulated by the sun
—( cheere . ) Mr . O'Connor then related an anecdote concerning himself and his butcher , the substance of which is tho following : —Ho ^ wanted a shoulder of mutton . The butcher brought him the whole quarter to look at . He ( Mr . O'C . ) told him to cut off tha shoulder : the quarter itself was only 2 s . 6 d . ; but when the shoulder was cut off , he asked him the price , aud the butcher told him it was 2 s . 10 J—( laughter . ) Mr . O'Connor asked him the reason , and the reply was , " that cutting off the shoulder had spoiled the ribs "—^( lataghter . ) Now , it would be of no service for him to go through the country if the people were well clothed , well fed , and well sheltered . He wanted to so arrange matters as to let every man be a consumer as well as a producer , instead
of the present systenv which caused them to live from hand to mouth . The masters took every opportunity to make inroads upon toe rights of labour , and when resisted and remonstrated with about it , they conceived they had accomplished a victory , when they had beaten their poor workpeople . They , when questioned upon euch improper conduct , would reply , "Do you think that we are going to succumb to the licentiousness of a domineering , ignorant , impertinent jnaltitude . t" The leoturer gave this in a satirical tone , which nearly convulsed the audience With laughter ^ He iiextmentioned » case of reduction Of Morley and Bdden , at Dorby , andgave a true description as to how it would operate against the shopkeepers by taking to the tune of £ 300 per week
from their tills . He mentioned this at the meeting whilst he was there , and the shopkeers wished him to repeat it again . He did so ; and then they could see it , and began to scratch their heads—( laughter . ) These gentlemen , too , wero Corn Layr Repealers—( hear , hear . ) It was more politic , more prudent , more wise , more statesmanlike , more philosphical to look to the land of their own country than to look to tho land of Poland . If they were to have a repeal of the Corn Laws , without accompanying measures , it would bring about bloody revolutions , and nothing could pvtvent it but the Six Points of the Charter—( loud cheers . ) They wanted cheap food and cheap labour , in order to meet ] the foreigner ; but , in order to dp that
successfully , they would have to adopt a system of cheaper freightage ^ and other things , before they could undersell the foreigner , if the present taxation was retained . Besides , the inventions and iraprovenients , and bringing ia new machinery , would be a barrier against the working man receiving any benefit , was there to bean extension of trade by a repeal of the Corn Laws—( cheers . ) The cotton masters had jumped out of fustian into broad cloth , but would they jump back again . I Whilst the Whigs were in office , the people were called destructives , who called out for a change ; but no sooner are they on the other side of the Treasury Benoh , and 123 of a majority against them , than thev are so enraged that they cSnhot carry on their agitation without setting fire to straw men—( cheers , )
One of the ministers of the gospel had engaged to do the Tvork of the fell destroyer . He would bring 100 , 000 starving operatives from Manchester to Ktoan at the Tory Members , and shout for a Repeal of the Corn Laws . Mrv O'Connor said he would chance that . He would take the command of them , and see that they did not starve ; and , if they brought them up Repealers , he would bring . them back Chartists . He then went into a variety of subjects—spoke for two hours—during which time he proved himself a good general , a sound politician , a statesman ,, a clever reasoner , a patriot , and a Christian . He was listened to by the audience with marked attention , only interrupted with cheers ; arid , when he concluded , the cheering was really deafening . Three cheers were given for the Charter , O'Connor , Frost , Williams , and Jones , and the Northern Star . . - , ¦ ¦ •¦ ; ¦ ,. ¦ ' . ¦ ; . . •¦ ¦'¦ . A vote of thanks was then given to the Chairman , and the meeting dispersed , highly delighted .
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** That this meeting ; is of opinion that thfe Cora and Provision Lav ? 8 jT > y ro ? trJeting trade , retinbiag wages , and increasing tne price of food , are injurioua to all classes of the people , and ought to be repealed ; and this meeting further fee's called upon to declare that the sliding Bcale of the duty on Corn , proposea by Sir Robert Pceli is an insuU to a ftirrtng pecjpl ©? and that it oughib to receive the reprobation of eYejry lover of his country . " : , Mr . Haswbi . 1 seconded it ; ¦ ' * i ?* k * pnt and carried unanunouslVi :- + ' ¦ ¦ ¦ :- * ¦¦ - :: ~~~
t Mt - ™ -P « Roberts ; of Bath , noweama forward to prop « 5 e the second resolutioni He was received with cheers ' . He said he was pleased in witnessing snch a gfcat iiamfor present . In the last motion they were ic error . When he came there , he did tbmk the meeting would ty a mongrel one ; and he was sorry the ' HffahotiMJturers had failed to attend it . He dwelt on th # change that had taken plaice pined the key was iuraed upon him in Salisbury gaol . Universal suffering was dri > . « ig the middle classes
over to the people . Those « lak' » e 9 could not hope for any good from the >* esent Parliament , and there fore they should come forward te put an end to class legislation . He saw now , that t ) t e people most sj ick to the whole Charter—that must . now be our only object . But while he would go for the Charter , he waa willing to meefc the mida te classes wiA cordia ) fty . The . Corn Laws were ai » evil—hut we wanted the means of ' gfiitvOg , rid of all a . ach— ( cheers ) . After a few more observations , be . concluded OJ moving , . -. '¦ :. ' ¦ ¦¦ .- r- ¦ •;; - . ¦ - ¦ ¦ . ¦ ¦; '• . ; . ¦ ; ' ' .: ¦ ' / . ¦ ¦¦ ; ¦
' ThaVttife meeting is of opinion tha fc the only plan of Repealing the Corn laws is by obtaining political power rbr the people tbroagh ttte adoption of the principles of the People'a Charter . " / iCheers . ) _ Mr . ViNCENX i eo rising to setond it , was loudly cheered . He ha * £ hoped that thoee whose eon dhion had been depressed .-by the preseat eommereja , } embarrassments wonW haye attended that meeting A time had come when the middle classes iamt a . ? me oat for an entire change in ' ¦ the representation of the
country . The shopkeepers , o # ing to the genev * al distress , could not realise scarcely arty profit ou fe \ e goods they sold .. Bradford complaiaed of bea * T taxes . What were those to be attributed to bot bM I Goyernment ? The poverty of the country waa owing to the people being depriyed of that » ower t * - which they were entitled by Christiane ^ ity and tlte 4--oonstituiion . ( Cheere . ) Mr . "V > went om for bows * length of time , and concluded by 6 ecoodiag th » - resolution . ¦
The resolution was put and carried without haviDg a dissentient . \ [ The manufacturers having not come forward , th » address to the Queen ( not a 3 kitJgfer the Charter ) was hot submitted for theaddption of the meeting . This great meeting passed off without the getters-up of it manifesting the least desire of co-opeiatiDg with the Chartists . Do not such show the necessity of our sticking to our principles and not trading any class of selfish men ?] After a vote of thanks to the Chainaan , antf three cheers for the Charter , the meeting quietly dispersed .
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SUN 0 ERLAND . —On . Tuesday evening last , Mr Charles Connor , of Manchester , was expected to lecture at Stinderlasd ; but in consequence of some raisunder ^ standing , he was also hnnouheed to lecture at New castle the same evening ; be waa , therefore , under the necessity of disappointing Sunderland . At the hour appointed , however , - the Long Room of the Golden Lion was crowded , and the meeting was ably addressed by Messrs . Binna and Williams .
Insolent Conditct of , thk Whig Mat ^ r or Sundebland , —During the last weet . a requisition , of which the following is a copy , was presented to the Mayor of Sunderland , . signed by 180 ratepayer * , or rather inhabitants , ISO of them , being electors : — To Hit Worshipful ihe Mayor of Sutiderland . Sir ,- —We , the undersigned ratepayers , and other inhabitants of the borgugh of Sunderland , do hereby request you to convene a meeting of the inhabitants of this borough , to take into consideration the relation between the existing distress of this country , and the present state of the representation of the people ; and alao to determine the- propriety of adopting a petition to Parliament , for a reform in the representation , according to the principles embodied in the document called the People ' s Charter .
In reply to the . above requisition , the following answer has been returned ;— ¦ Town Clerk ' s Offi <» , Sunderltind , 3 rd March , ¦ ¦ ¦ . ¦; "¦ ¦ ¦ ' ¦; . ; ¦'" " ' . .- . 1842 . ¦ . . : ; .. ¦; . ¦ . ' . . Sir , —I am dfrectcd by the Mayor , Sir Hedworth Wiliiamspn , Bart , to return you the requisition to > convene a meeting of the inhabitants of this borough , to take into consideration the relation between tha existing distress of this country , and the present state of the representation of the people : and also to
determine on the propriety . of adopting a petition to Par-Ifamcnt for a reform in the representation , according to the principles embodied in the document called the People ' s Charter ; and to inform you , that in ^ consequence' of the' Mayor haying ascertained that the signatures of many of the parties to the- requisition , have been obtained under a misappreherisVon aitO the- object of the iueetrng , ke must decline acoeeding to the request . ' . ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ' .- ¦ " . ' :: ' ¦ ¦ ' - ¦ : ¦ '" ' '' - . '¦ . . . ' . '' . . '' ¦¦¦' ¦ ' ¦ I remain , Sir ,
Yeur obedient servant , Thostas BauNTON , T ( n « Clerk . Mr . James Williams . ' . In reply to the above note , we ^ tlie nndeisigBed , whoobtained the whole of the signatures to this requisition , emphat icaUy declare , that if auy signed it Under a misapprehension of its objectSj it was not fironi any attempts on onr part to misrejrasent tho objects of tho meeting , laud it is BcarcelypoBBiblel if aoy , much lew many , should have miauriderstood ttwm , while theaa
objects were distinctly stt forth in tha reqaisition itsel £ . We can , tnoreoyer , assusa . the Mayor , that in tho majority of instances ^ the xequisitioB was most carefully read , and it 3 objec 43 apparently deliberately ap > proved . We can , how * Ter , readily eonconceive that when Btaiiy of the requisitionists were subjected to an inqoisitorial visit , under the authority of the Mayor , they might , while vir tually intimidated , profess to have misapprehended the objects of the meeting , but we do > know instances in which this official impertinence was met in ft more manly and upright manner .
George BiWNS , - JAMES MOIfAKCHi THO 3 . WAUA& , ROBT . PiTTISOK , JOHN Small , -: . ' ¦¦ - ^¦ " ; . : Wm . Gntfrtus * £ !/ The public me « ting . to take into considenflUBi objects set forth in the if quiaition , -will be beWWW Arcade Room , on Taesaay evening , March SWfcMim to be taken at eight o'clock . A noble meeUAr « LUC dpatedr - ; _ -:--:, ^ : - - ¦ f- ^ ., ^ W mt GOD SAta THS PBOTlBll ^ j »« --y ^ m ¦ . - . ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ *« rss
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LARGE PUBLIC MEETING AT BRADFORD WILTSHIRE . SHAMEFUL CONDUCT OF THE CORN-LAW REPEALERS . This meeting which had been announced by large bills , posted for these eight days past in all parts of Bradford , was held on Tuesday afternoon last , in the Market-place , It was convened by some ^ of the most iniiueBtial liouseholders , and by many of the
manufacturers of the place , for the purpose of protestiiig against the sliding scale of Sir Robert Peel , and of adopting an address to the Queen , ; callinja ; upon her to dismiss her present Ministers , and call to her councils honest men , who will devise the best remedy for tie existing evils of the nation . The Rev . Mr . Spencer and other gentlemen were inyited to attend ; but not one of the ma : ufactuiers were there . Mr . Spencer , thoughin Bradford , could not attend on acconnt of haying a severe cold , aad it being so wet . The number pressiit amounted to not less thin four thousand persens . We never attended any meetina the arrangeiaents of which were more
carelessly attended to * : Seeing that the manuFactHrers had not been faithful to their pledge , the resolution they had drawn up , merely for a fair and entire systea of represention , was set aside ; and Mr . ' Vmcent , who attended to unite parties on his terms , drew up one for the whole Chatter . Mr . Esan was called to the chair . He read the Bill calling the meeting , which Bill he said had been issued by the Corn Law Repealers ; but he was Borry . t » say , tvoaeot ihemweie present , Heeonudered that to propose ihe repeal of the Corn Laws Without the Suffrage would be useless . He contended that ihe Suffrage should be extended so far as that of theCbArterl | Cheers . ) He called upon Mr . Mais to propose the first resolution , which w a- * . '¦ " ¦' - ¦ ' - ' - : ¦ ' . ' ' . ' ¦ , -
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CORRECT RETURNS FOR THE LONDON " DISTRICT . Returns furnished per Wfeeeler . Per Maynard . Mr . M Douall ...... 706 ... 40 ' Mr . Ridley ......... 403 ... 9 Mr . StaHwood .... i . 25 l ... 32 Mr ; Parker ......... 218 .., 13 Mr . Fussell ......... 165 .., 1 Mr . M'Grath ...... 145 ... 2 Mr . Walking ...... 113 ... 9 Mr . Knight ......... 91 ... Mr . Benbpw ...... 68 ... Mr , Roberts ......... 60 ... 5 Mr . Barmby 58 ... 6 Mr . Balls ............ 56 ... 19 Mr . Fox ............ 6 ... 2 Mr . Rainsldy 2 ... 1 Mr . Robsou ......... 1 ... Mr . Martin ......... 1 ...
The London men will perceive that I have this week inserted the last returns from London , and the returns this week are for the three same individuals that were returned last week , viz , M ' . Douall , Ridley , andSiaUwoodi : v Mr . Morling has resigned , consequently Mr . Bartlett , of Southampton , will be the candidate elected in conjunction with Mr . Woodward , of Brighton , for Hants , Sussex , and the Isle of Wight .: ;; ¦ ¦ .. ¦ : ; ' ; ¦ . . ' ¦ ' . -.. - / . ; Last week the number of Totes from Wigan , Bolton , Ghoyfbent , and Redfern-street , Manchester , ought to have appeared . 1 mislaid them , and did not perceive the error until the Star appeared . LANCASHIRE RETURNS . . . - ' . -a " : ¦ ¦¦ ' ¦ ¦ : ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ . ¦ ' 3 a ? ? : ¦¦ ¦ ¦ . ¦ -9 ... $ i ; 'g- ' ¦ S ^ « A- . Last week ' s Star 5 J 8 606 1066 165 Wigan ... 33 io 5 47 Chowbent ... — 10 20 '' Bolton ... U U 43 15 DERBY , LEICESTER , AND NOTTINGHAM , RETURNS .
¦ ' " (¦ ¦ : * i | -S Is . ' a- - ' w pS - n Nottingham ... 650 471 345 283 Leicester ... 348 112 158 468 Derby ,:. . 48 47 79 124 Total , , 1046 630 582 875 The Derby , Leicester , and Nottiugham returns arrived too late for insertion last week . J . Campbell ^ Sec .
Feargus O'Connor, Esq., At Manchester.
FEARGUS O'CONNOR , ESQ ., AT MANCHESTER .
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AND LEEDS GE TO ^
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TOL . Y . ISO . 228 . SATUKDAY , MARCH 12 , 1843 ; ^ . ^^ p ^ S ^'
Bloody And Ferocious "¦'""' Attack
BLOODy AND FEROCIOUS " ¦'""' ATTACK
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), March 12, 1842, page unpag, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct881/page/1/
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