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THE NORTHERN STAR. SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1842.
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MR. O'BRIEN AND HIS " VINDICATION."
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Co 33ca&n-£ anU Corretfpouticnts*
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I&teal an& <S?emral $ntelU&tM
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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.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
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SPLENDID AND COSTLY PRESENT TO THE READERS OF THE " NORTHERN STAR . " Determined to commemorate every great national event eonneeted with the present ** movement , " Mr . O'Connor has entered into arrangements for presenting the Subscribers to the Slar with a large and splendid Engraving of the Presentation of
THE GREAT NATIONAL PETITION to the Honse of Commons . This Plate will be as much superior to the Engravings already given with the Star , as they were to any ever given with any other newspaper . It will he divided , as it were , into three main compartments . The" first will represent the Dele-GATEsin Convention asseiiblbd , previous tostarting with the Petition to the House of Commons , The centre and largest compartment will represent the Peocession "ccompanying the Petition to the Honse , the Petition itself , the Bearers of it , and the People , when passing Whitehall , and approaching Palace Yard . The third
compartment will represent the Petition . IN THE HOUSE , when laid on the table ; " being a general view of the Interior of the House of Commons , the Bar and the Speaker ' s Chair being promiaent features , In addition to thesa main compartments the ripper and lower edges of the plate will be divided inte sixteen other smaller compartments , each one of which will contain an accurate representation of some great Publis Building passed in the route from the Convention Rooms to the Parliament Honse . Views will thus be given of Temple Bar , St . Clement Dane ' s Churoh , Somerset House , Exeter Hall , St .
llaxy-le-Strand , Trafalgar Square , Northumberland House , Whitehall . Richmond Terrace , The Admiralty , The Horse Guards , Westminster "Bridge , The Treasury , "Westminster Abbey and St . Margaret's Church , Westminster Hall , and the Exterior of the House of Common . There will thus bs given , upon one very large sheet . NiNKTf ex Splendid Pictures , all harmoniously combined to make ^ ie whole an effective and worthy representation of the most important movement ever made by the English people in favour of liberty . The terms upon which the Plats will b 9 issued-are as follow : — ETery Subscriber to the Star for Four Months , from the date of entering his name with his
newsagent , will "be entitled to a Plate . We do not promise to havo it ready at any particular time , for the work will be one of such a character , and will need such careful attention on the part of the Engraver , as to defy any one to fix an exact time . This , he ^ ever , we * do promise . Every subscriber is at liberty to cease his subscription at the end of four months , holding his ticket , and receiving his plate and paper from the Agent he has subscribed with , the day it is presented , just as if he had continued to subscribe . " The Price of the Paper the week the Plate is presented will be One Shilling . We will try to make such arrangements as will make this the only charge the Subscribers will have to
pay . Agents , therefore , will please to open subscription lists , and in all cases furnish the subscriber with a ticket , which ticket will entitle him to the Plate whenever it is given for subscribing for the Slar for four months . As soon as possible , specimens shall be placed in the hands of the Agents .
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[ We have seen the pamphlet to which this letter refers and lament its publication , because we fear that to some extent thft people ' s cause "will Buffer by it . We are also sorry for Mr . O'Brien , ¦ w ho has by this most imprudent step made himself justly liable to black and deep suspicions , -which he will probably find it much , more easy to excite thanto a \ lay . One thing is perfectly clear ; that the pamphlet is " entirely harmless as far as we are concerned . The only parties who can sufier from it are its author and the Chir&si bady . There are only two classes of persons "who can read the pamphlet : honest men and knaves . These will asjain consist of sush as have read the Northern Star and such as have not read it Those of the honest men who , like Mr . Allen , have
read the Star , know perfectly , that of all men living Mr . O'Brien ought te regard ths Editor of that paper with gratitude instead of mrdice . They know that Bering the whole term of its existence the Noiihern Star has permitted no opportunity of enhancing Mr . O'Brien ' s interests Mid of asseitisg his merits to pass unimproved ; they know that for the means of publishing this very pamphlet—all shameless as it isilr . CBrienis indebted to the exertions of the Northern Starj in gratuitously advertising , for wee&s and months together , and continually calling attention to , and enforcing upon the notice of its readers , the subscription lists through which he has become provided with these means ; they know perfectly that -whenever on public matters , the Editor has disagreed with Mr .
O ' Brien , that disagreement of opinion has been by him expressed in the most respectful and gentlemanly terms ; they know that the Editor of the Northern Star has occupied many columns in defending Mt . O'Brien against the attacks of other parties ; they know all this ; though they do not know half So much as ilr . O'Brien himself knows of the trouble that has been fofcft" and the inconvenience that has been sustained by the Editor of the Northern Star , to uphold Mr . O'Brien ' s interests ; those honest men , therefore , who have read the Northern Star , and -who know the ¦ whole history of the whole matter , / will see Mr . O'Brien ' s pamphlet in its true light , in the light in Which Mr . Allen sees it . They know that its abuse and ribaldry is Tvifo" * due nor applicable to us ; they know that its recklessness of assertion is made up of outrageous misrepresentations and wilful , deliberate falsehoods , and we « h » il , therefore , not Buffer in their
estimation because of the extraordinary pranks of Mr . James O'Brien . Honest men who have not read the Star will ses at once that the ribald trash of this pamphlet must of necessity exclude it from every decent newspaper . They will perceive that Mr . CBiIen cauld not either have expected or intended that the blackguard letter ¦ which is its chief feature should appear in the paper to which he had the insolence to address it ; and therefore , without , entering at all into the question of whether Mr . OBrfen might or might not have Borne cause of effence , they will see enough from the pamphlet to satisfy them that the only disgrace it reflects is upon its author ; in aid of whose testimony they will require better evidence than this elegant morcea * . In the judgment and estimation of all honest men , therefore , whether they nay ever have seen the Star or sot , tie only sufferer from thispam-
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phlet will be Mr . O'Brien himself ; while knaves of all grades will lay gladly hold of it as a means of injuring the people's cause . Pretended Chartists , and traitors in our own camp , if there be any , will use it as & means of exciting and fomenting ill feeling and division ; open enemies will point exnltingly to it as a specimen of the style and spirit ef the elite of Chartism . They will ask , with some degree of plausibility , whether the fact that popularity is accorded by the working men to such parties as Mr . O'Brien describes the Editor ef the Northern Star to be , and by his own pamphlet proves himself to be , is not sufficient to justify them in their opposition to the Charter , on the ground that to grant it would be to place the interests and destinies
of the whole people in the hands of a few reckless and unprincipled men— -alike destitute of the virtues and the decencies of ordinary society ? This is the only effect which Mr . O'Brien's pamphlet is calculated to produce ; this is the only effect it ¦ will produce . Mr . O'Brien knew that before he published it ; he could not help knowing it ; and hence the honest and truth-loving Chartiats begin , like Mr . Allen , "to suspect that aU is not right . " We regret that these suspicions should get abroad ; because we think the matter may be accounted for on different principles from that to which some parties seem disposed to refer it . We do not think that Mr . O'Brien has been bought or bribed by the enemy
to do Mb little best for the destruction of the ChartiBt movement ; though if he bad been so , he could scarcely have served his employers better . We believe his present vagaries to be merely the result of morbid excitement , arising chiefly from that contemptible littleness of mind , the compound of vanity and disappointment , which has been happily termed " thinskinnedness . " It is lamentable that a man who has formerly done service te the good cause Bhould be capable of making such an exhibition of himself ; but "we can enly lament the fact ; we cannot help it We grieve to see Mr . O'Brien in the position he has chosen to take ; but , inasmuch as he has chosen it , we have no alternative but to leave him in it]—Ed . N . S .
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MR . ROEBUCK AND THE NATIONAL PETITION . Why was Mr . Rofbcck , of all other men in the world , selected by the factions to damn the National Petition when it was presented to "the House" by Mr . Dpncombe ? 13 a qaery that presents itself to the mind of every labouring man who calls to mind the flowing professions of ultra democracy which Mr . Roebuck has unceasingly made ; and the question is not very easy of solution , unless one looka some little below the surface , and examines in detail " the wheels within wheels" of Parliamentary machinery .
Ever since the existence of the two fa ; tions whose baneful power has produced such woe and want in this once happy land , there has also existed a SHAM OPPOSITION to them and their doinga . The object of these " Oppositionists" has always been , by loud and extensive professions , to gain the confidence of the oppressed people ; and then to treacherously sell and barter the confidence so obtained to the Minister of the day ! In later timo 3
from Fox downwards , the House of Commons has been the continued scene of operations like these Not a single Parliament has there been holden , that has not had , as one of its componont parts , a SHAM OPPOSITION . As one man has been sopped off , another has taken his place ! The game has been kept up . The displacement of one SHOYHOY , as Cobbett appropriately named them , has been followed by the substitution of another .
These SHOY-HOYS are a portion , and a main portion too , of the eystem . To have attempted to carry the measures that have been carried ; and to have imposed the burthens that have been imposed , without "AN OPPOSITION , " would have been certain ruin to any minister that should have so attempted . The " OPPOSITIONIST" amuses the people , while the Minister picks the pocket and fastens the padlock ! The " OPPOSITIONIST "
also serves another useful purpose : he serves as a safety-valve for the murmurs and complaints of the choused and cheated ; and he lets down , gently , but effectually , any and every attempt that the people may make to recover lost ground , or to better their former position . The Parliamentary S HOY- HOY is a 3 much interested in the continuance of the system as the placeman or sinecurist himself ; and he labours as bard , in his way , as either , to preserve it inviolate and complete .
Fox ; " the great immortal English patriot , " Fox , i 3 the first SHOY HOY , in order of time , that we shall here notice . We single him out , because it was during his " opposition" that that war , which added so much to the Debt , and which entailed upon this cheated people the enormous " dead weight" they now have to bear ; it was during the " opposition" of Fox that that " just and necessary war" wa 3 undertaken and carried on . Fox was a party in reality , though not in appearance , to the commencement and continuance of that war . The
object of the aristocracy in commencing it was to prevent the carrying of Parliamentary Reform . This object was equally dear to both portions of the aristocracy ; the Whig and the Tory . Put was the mouthpiece of the latter party ; and Fox was the champion of the Whig ? . Pitt was the son of a Whig pensioner , and began his career , not only as a Whig , but as a Parliamentary Reformer ; and Fox was not only bred a Tory , and began his career as a Tory , but he had , and held to the day of his death , tiro sinecure offices ! . ' . ' These men were the two men of the whole collection who could faik the londesi , longest , and most fluently ; and who were therefore picked out by their respective parties to lead in carrying on those " Debates , " as thay are
called , which have been one of the great meaas of amusing , and deluding , and enslaving the nation ! Every effjrt was made by the respective parties to exalt their champions in public estimation . They were represented as the two most wonderful men that the world bad ever seen ! The people , carried away by such jugglery , ranked themselves under one or the other of these paragons , and took their respective names as marks of honourable distinction : and thus , for thirty long years , were the industrious and sincere and public-spirited people of this country divided into Pittites and Foxites ; thus wore- they for those thirty years the sport of the aristocracy who employed these political impostors ; while every year of the thirty saw an addition to their burdens and a diminution of their liberties ] . ' /
In this state stood the factions in 1793 , when came the question of tear against the Republic of France . Pitt was , personally , decidedly opposed to war . He had become Tory Minister . A 9 such , he had established a Sinking Fund , and had adopted other measures for the reduction of the Debt , then amounting to two hundred millions . War was incompatible with Pitt ' s schemes of reduction . He waa wholly opposed to it . But that portion of the aristocracy that supported him were for tear ; for in
the continuance and success of the French Republio they saw Parliamentary Reform ! and as end of their blessed system of rule 1 . ! The Foxite portion of the aristocracy , too , Baw the common danger , and were as eager for war aa the Tories . Understanding the grounds of Pitt ' s opposition to war , they went over , and joined the Pittite parly ; forcing , absolutely forcing Pitt into war ; while they left Fox with a small party about him to carry on that " constitutional opposition" neoessary to amuse and deceive the people ' .
And thus the people of that day were amu 3 ed and cheated ! The SHOY-HOY was there , to engage their attention , while "loans" were being made ; taxes laid on ; subsidies employed in purchasing victories ; and the " dead weight" placed upon the nation's back . Fox performed his part ; and performed it well too . He was accounted a
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patriot ; a great statesman ; " the greatest , the most enlightened , and the most disinterested friend of the people that ever existed in this country" 1 and it is common now to speak of him as " the most illustrious statesman "; while "the moat illustrious statesman" never did any thing for the country but take its money from it ! He was , aa was said before , a sinecure placeman all his life and he left a wife and two children pensioned on the country for their lives ! He himself brought in . a bill to enable Lord Grenville , when First Lord of the Treasury , to hold his sinecure office
of £ 4 , 000 a-year , as Auditor of the Exchequer ; thus making him auditor of his own accounts ! ! He was on 8 of those who gave foreigners pensions under the crown , in violation of the Act of Settlement ; one of those who brought German troops , and stationed them all over the country ; one of those who greatly augmented all the salaries and allowances of the royal family ; one of those who made an attempt to get a law passed , which law would have brought the exciseman into private
houses ; one of those , who , when they were driven from place and power , left behind them , as a legacy to the nation , ready drawn up , the first of those Acts by which the people of England were shut up in their houses from sun-set to sun-rise ! and in virtue of which Acts , so many Irishmen were , for being out of thoir houses more than fifteen minutes at a time , transported foe seven teaks ! and that , too , by MARTIAL AUTHORITY , —without Trial by Jury !
Such was the " patriotism" and " illustrious statesmanship" of SHOY-HOY Fox ! Turn we next to contemplate some parts of the conduct of a not less humbug in his day , Henry ( now Lord ) Brougham . We seize upon Brougham as an illustration of the mode in which the SHAM OPPOSITIONIST works , because the part Brougham played , in 1817 , when Lord Cochrane presented petitions from one-and-ahalf millions of people , praying for Universal
Suffrage , Annual Parliaments , and the Ballot , as a means of effecting fiscal , economical , and social reforms , was analagous to that played by Roebuck , when three-and-a-half millions asked for the establishment of the self-same principles for the selfsame object , in 1842 ! Roebuck was selected to be the sneerer at , and damnifier , of the NATIONAL PETITION in May , 1842 , to serve the purposes of faction , and to disappoint the hope 3 of a patient and suffering people ! Brougham performed the like kind of service for the factions in 1817 ! Like
Roebuck , Brougham had pretended to identify himself with the cause of the people . He had avowed himself " a democrat . " He had tickled " the ears of the groundlings ; " he had acquired for himself the character of the people's friend ; and he used the power thus obtained to frustrate their efforts for justice and right ! ] It is not generally known that Brougham , at one time , publicly appeared as the advocate of Universal Sufraoe and Annual Elections . Yet the fact
is so . In the month of June , 1814 , Lord Cochrane wa 3 expected to be expelled from the House of ; Commons . He vraa member for Westminster . His expulsion , of coutso , would cause a vacancy for that then celebrated city . To obtain Coc # rank ' s seat , was a point of ambition with Brougham : but he was distinctly given to understand tbat unless he declared explicitly for Universal Suffrage and Annual Parliaments he would not have a shadow
of a chance . To gain his seat Brougham made the declaration !! He had , some short time previously , in a paper which was printed , declared himself hostile to Annual Parliaments and Universal Suffrage ; but now ; now that the seat for Westminster waa to be bo gained ; now , that power as an " OPPOSITIONIST" was to be acquired ; now , Brougham swallowed his former " hostility" and declared in favour of Annual Elections ; and contended that the Elective Franchise !> iiould be
EXTENDED TO ALL WHO PAID TAXES 1 . ! When this vacancy for Westminster was expected , a meeting was called of the Livery of London , to which Brougham was invited . This meeting was for the purpose of getting Brougham afloat . At that meeting be made a speech ; in which be identified himself with the Radical Reformers and their principles . His dodge was seen through by some of the Radicals who remembered his former sayings . To fix him , if possible , they waited upon him with
a report of his speech , desiring him to correct it , if it needed correction ; as they were anxious his real opinions should be known . Brougham said that it would be as easy to write the speech Jully out . They asked him " would he do ho V He engaged to do it ; and he WROTE IT OUT WITH HIS OWN HAND ! This speech , so written out . in his own hand , was kept by some persons of the WestminBier Committee , as the pledge of Brougham ' s principles . Th ' i 3 speech , so writtten , was in the following
woras : — " Mr . Brougham returned thanks , and said that the last time he had met tha livery , two years ago , he had declined making professions or promises , because he saw them so eften broken ; but had desired , the livery , if it were worth their attention , to mark his conduct , and if he betrayed his declaration , to punish him next time they met , by drinking to the memory of his departed principles : —that time wis now come , and he met them without any consciousness of having forfeited their favour . These two years had been pregnant with important events , and infinitely various as thase were they all agreed in this , thatthey had mightily redounded te the honour of the cause , and the confirmation of our 2 > rinciples . The fundamental inaxiras of liberty had been solemnly recocnized in the face of the world ,
THAT ALL POWER IS FROM THE PEOPLE ; and that they have a RIGHT TO CHOOSE THEIR GOVERNMENT . AND DISMISS THEIR RULERS FOR MISCONDUCT . They had done so in France , and it was a lesson that could not be forgotten in the rest of Europe . The Bayin ? that ' laws are silent in the midst of arms , " had failed for once ,- and this fundamental principle had triumphed over the triumphs of the allied armies . So much for the honour of the cause . But the principles of reform had been assisted also in their progress . Where is now the gag , with which our mouths bad , for five aud twenty years , been stopped , as often as WE have required that PARLIAMENTS SHOULD BE CHOSEN YEARLY , and that the ELECTIVE FRANCHISE SHOULD BEEXTENDED TO ALL WHO PAY TAXES ? We hava bsen
I desired to wait , for the enemy was at the gate , and i ready to avail himself of the discords attending our ! political contests , in order to undermine our national j independence . This argument is gone and our adversaries mast now look for another . He had mentioned ¦ ¦ the two RADICAL doctrines of YEARLY ELECj TlONS , and the franchise eDJoyed BY ALL PAYING TAXES ; but it would be superfluous to reason in ' favour of them here , where ALL wcr * agreed upon the 'subject . However , as elsswhere they may speedily be \ discussed , he should take leave to suggest a fact , tor ' the use of such as might have occasion to defend their I principles . . It was one for the truth of which he might
I appeal to his honourable friend , the Member for Middle-\ eex ( Mr . Byng ) who knew as wall as he did , that there ; was a great improvement always observable in the conf duct of the House of Commons , towards the last year of 1 a Parliament : insomuch tbat he had observed that more good teas done in that pear , than in all the other Jive or sijr . Tbe reason for all this he should not presume to ¦ state ; but some persons were of so suspicious a nature , as to insinuate , that it might be ths knowledge of mem-; bers , tbat at the end of that session they must meet ! their constittfents , such of them as had any , and give an j account of their trust . He avowed that this fact had I [ been one of the chief grounds of hia conviction of the expediency of YEARLY ELECTIONS :
and if any one thought this unsafe , he should answer , that such frequent recurrence , and such j extension of the franchise as should accompany it , is j the best check upon public expence . If any other check j was ¦ wanting , it might be provided also . He had : talked of such members aa had constituents , being re ' minded of it by the manner in whick the teast had j been given out by mistake—he hoped not an ominous : one . It had been said , * a full , fair , and free represen-1 tetionin Parliament , * leaving out' the people . ' Now .
; this Is just what is done elsewhere . There iB a full , j fair , and free representation in Parliament / we need ; uot drink to that . There is a full representation of the 1 Aristocracy—a fair representation of the landed interest —a free representation ^—a free ingress of the Coiirt— 'bixt not much of the people—they are left out , as they were j to-day . It must , however , be otherwise soon . While I they BEAR THE BURDENS of the State , they must , \ as of right , share in its government ; and to effect this 1 Reform , all good men must unite , "
j There ! That is pretty good for a SHOY-HOY I See how glibly the " patriot" talks of the ¦ ' WE j have required that Parliaments should be chosen . freely , and that the elective franchise should be ex' tended to all who pay taxes" ! And yet the very
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man ( if he be worthy the name of man ) who put this down in his own handwriting , after having spoken it at ] fche London Tavern—who . put it into the hands of the people of Westminster as bis political creed ; this SHOY-HOY , when he found that he could not get the seat for Westminster , turned short round upon the people ; and , in the year 1817 , about two years and a half after speaking and writing the above speech , he abused all the leaders of the Reformers ; he represented them as wtetohes that deserved chastisement of the severest kind ,
because they were for what he cailed the mad soheme of Annual Parliaments and Universal Suffrage ! When Lord Cochranb offered to present to thd House of Commons petitions signed by a million and a half of Englishmen , praying for a Radical Reform of the people ' s House , Brougham , the SHOY-HOY , almost led the way in having the petitions kicked out of the House I He sneered at the petitioners ; represented Universal Suffrage and Annual Parliaments ( the very principles with which he had identified himself ) as " BIG
NOSTRUMS for LITTLE BLUNDERS" ! He acted a part the most foul towards the Reformers . Ho affected to censure the Power-of-Imprisonment Bill , and the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act ; he spoke against the measures ; he voted against the measures ; but he took care that his " opposition ' should pass for nothing ! for ninetenths of hin speeches were either ridicule or abuse of the Reformers and their Leaders ! His trick consisted iu representing the scheme of Reform prayed
for chimerical ; and to point out the Leaders as being most desperately wicked , and as deserving of any degree of punishment ! The slanderer " opposed " th 9 cruel and tyrannical measures of Gastlereagh and Sipmouth in words ; but he had another parcel of words which tended to encourage the Government to pass and persevere in the measures ; and to induce aU the rich , timid , and selfish part of the nation ; all the base , frivolous , and worthless men and women to applaud the very measures he affeoted to oppose !
Precisoly such a SHOY-HOY is John Arthur Robbuck , as far as ho has the ability ! Precisely such part did he play on the presentation of the National Petition , signed by three-and-a-half millions of people ! " That extremely unwise ;"" that extremely foolish petition" ! " The trashy doctrine contained in the petition . " "Let it not he supposed that BE agreed with ONE HUNDREDTH PART of the doctrines of the petition" ! Such was the mode adopted by this SHOY-HOY ; this SHAM FRIEND , to let down the people and their cause . Surely there was reason why Sir
Robert Peel and the Tories , and Lord J . Russell , and the Whigs , should rej ? cfc the petition , when the naming Radical , the out-and-out Chartist , the ultra ' Demoorat , Mr . Roebuck , could thus speak of it ! If its ciaim 3 were such that he could not agree with a one hundredth part of them , surely they must be foolish and extravagant indeed ! Thus the SHOY-HOY opened the door for Lord J . Russell and Sir Robert Peel to thrust the claims of the people out of the Houso , and throw them slap bang again into the faces of the petitiqners ^ as absurd and unreasonable in the extreme ! and thus Roebuck acted asall SHOY-HOYS have ever dono I
Roebuck is a "national faith" man . Roebuck , maugre all bis " ultra" notions , is for wringing from , the labour of the people £ 60 , 000 , 000 a-year , to pay the Interest of the Debt and the expences consequent on that Interest and Debt . Roebuck knows that the moment Universal Suffrage is established , that , £ 60 , 000 , 000 will cease to be paid . Hecce he is as fearful of Universal Suffrage as any Whig or Tory in the House ! and this is the case with every mother ' s son of the Malthusian Opposition ! They amuse the people by pretending to advocate their cause ; but they , one and all , take care to assist in the enactment of all measures
intended to rivet the chains of Capital round the neck of Labour ; and in prostrating the energies of the people at the feet of " National Faith" ! Universal Suffrage would loose those chains , and set Labour free : hence Universal Suffrage is dreaded by the Malthusians as the greatest calamity that could bafa ! them ! This explains many portions of their conduct , otherwise inexplicable ! The labourer will now see why they traduce , and vilify , and abuse , and DENOUNCE those leaders of the people that will not do SHOY-HOY work ! They cannot do with those who work in earnest ! None but SHAMS find favour in their sight : and these they cherish as the apple of their eye !!
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THE QUEEN SHOOTING . Another opportunity has been , afforded for the exuberant loyalty of the supremely "loyal" to boil over . Gad ! and theyhave laidit onthick ! A young man , from some motive or other , draws a pistol from his pocket , and points at the Queen ; but whether be fires it or no , is rather problematical ; and whether , if he did fire , the weapon was loaded with more than powder and wadding , none can as yet tell ; yety forthwith , a " complete sensation" is produced ! aiid the minds of the members of "the two Houses" are so affected at the atrocity , that they cannot even pass that Tariff which is "to lower the price of provisions for the people ; " but they forthwith adjourn to allow themsehes time to cool !! Admirable and delicate sensi *
bility ! " The two Houses" did not adjourn when the middle-class-miscreants rode down , and , with their newly ground sabres , slaughtered scores of women and children on : the field ofTetbrloo . ' Nor did they adjourn when Widow Ryan ' s son was sent "to meet his account" by Archdeacon Rider and his bloody man-butchers ! In these cases , the weapons were more than pointed at the . victims that suffered : yet " the house" in one case thanked the MURDERERS !! I and in the other refused all redress !! But their feelings were so acted upon , because a foolish boy pointed a pistol at the Queen , ( and , as some say , fired it ) they must needs adjourn to recover from the fright !! O what sensibility " loyaKly " can make us affect !' .
The pi « tol , however , has been pointed at the Queen ; and the perpetrator of the act ia committed to Newgate on a charge of High-Treason . We wonder whether the factions will make him out to be a " rascally Chartist , " or not . ' We have watched the " Establishment ' pretty anxiously , to see What tone it took as to this point . So far , it has not attempted to connect the foolish youth , with any political party . His lodgings and his boxes have been searched ; but no papers or documents of a political character have , as yet , been found no , not even the Northern Star ! This is
consolatory ! Now-a-days it is the fashion to refer all the political mischief that is done throughout the country to the " inflammatory and ihoendiary Northern Star' V and we were not quite sure , when We first heard of the foolish act of this very foolish boy , that some portion of the blame would not-have been attempted to be laid at our door ; and , through us , at the door of the Chartists generally ! A charge of treason is no joke ! For pointing a pistol at the Queen , this young haram-scarum has got himself in for it pretty considerably . He is
committed for high treason ; and if found guilty , will be adjudged to be hanged by the neck till he be dead ; then to be beheaded ; and his body cut in four quarters , and disposed of , as the Queen shall direct ! It would have been a serious matter for us to have had to join him in his tribulation , had he turned out to have been a reader ^ of ^ he Norther n Star ! By all that is sacred , we implore of all who read the Star never to think of pointing a pistol at the Queen ; or indeed at any one else , except in case of self-defence !
Seriously , however ; what is the meaning of these attempted shootings ! Are we to have one a-year ? Is the ball to be kept going , both in France and England ? If there be many more of them , they will lose their effect . People will begin to think that shooters at Kings and Queens are bad marksmen ; or that Royal personages live a charmed life One or two failures might do ; but for so manypeople will begin to think— it's all a hum !! Should that feeling possess folks , their " loyalty" Will be damped ! We would strongly advise all concerned both in France in England , to have no more of these royal-personage shootings .
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Brief Rules for the Government of all . whs write for this Paper : — Write leg i bly . Make as few erasures and interlineations as possible . In writing names of persons and places be more particular than usual to make every letter distinct and clear—also in using words not English . 2 . Write only on one side of the paper . 3 . Employ no abbreviations whatever , but write out every word in full . 4 . Address communications not to any particular person but to " The Editor . " .- . . 5 . When you ait down to write , don't be in a hurry Consider that hurried writing makes slow printing . 6 . Remember that we go to press on Thursday ; that one side of the paper goes to press on Wednesday ; that we are obliged to go ou filling up the paper the whole week , and that , therefore , when a load of matter comes by tke last one or two posts , it unavoidably
happens that much of it is omitted : ; and that it is therefore necessary to be prompt in your communications . All matters of news , reports of meetings , < kc ., &c . referring to occurrences on Friday , Saturday , or Sunday , should reaching by Monday ' s post ; auch as refer to Monday ' s occurrences by Tuesday evening ' s post ; Wednesday ' s occurrences by Thursday ' s post ; and Thursday ' s news by Friday morning ' s post , for second edition . Any deviation from this order of supply will necessarily subject the matters ao received to the almost certainty of rejection or serieus curtailment , and we take no blame for it . :: - ¦¦ , - . ' . - " . - . v : , ' ¦ ¦ . "¦¦ All personal correspondence , poetry , literary communications , and articles of comment to be here by Tuesday , or their chance of insertion for that week will be very small indeed ; if not here by Wednesday we don't hold ourselves bound even to notice them .
7 . Finally , remember that we have only forty-eight columns weekly for all England , Scotland , Wales , and Ireland ; that we have no interest in preferring one town or place to another , because ours is not a local but a national paper ; that we are bound , therefore , in dealing with the masses of matter whick come to us , to hold the scales of Justice evenly—our first object being the promotion and enhancement , according to our own best judgmeiU , of the success of the great aud good cause ; and our second , the distribution of our time and space so as to give least cause of complaint ; that we are alike bound to this course of ac . ion by inclination , interest , and duty ; and that , therefore , it is uaeiesa and senseless for individuals to fume and fret , and think themselves ill used because their communications may not always be inserted , or for societies to trouble their ' -beads and wastetheir time in passing votes of censure upon
us for devoting too much space to this , or too little to that , or for inserting this thing which they think should have been omitted , or for omitting the other tbing which they think should have appeared : AH these are matters for oar consideration , and for the exercise of our discretion and judgment , which , we assore all parties , shall be always used , so far as we are able to perceive , honestly fo * the public , without fear or favour to any one , and without being allowed to be turned for one instant from ita course by ill-natured snarls or bickerings . Chartist Addresses . —The General Secretary—^ r . John Campbell , 18 , Adderiey-street , Shaw ' s Brow , Manchester . Chartist Blacking ilanufactu , ^^ Mr . Roger Pinder , Edward's-square , Edwar < l ' splace , Pottery , Hull . Secretary to the Frost , Williams , and Jones Restoration Committee—J . Wilkinson , 5 , Cregoe Terrace , Bell ' s Earn Road , Birmingham . — J . T . Smith , Chartist Blacking Maker , Tavistock-street , Plymouth .
Irish Universal Suffrage Association . —We are requested by the President of thia Association to state that E . F . Deffipsey is not Secretary to the Irish Universal Suffrage Association , nor was he evei elected in the ioom of Mr . P . M . Brophy . Air W . H . Dyott , printer , bookseller , and stationer , No . 26 , North King-streefc , Dublin , is the Secretary to the Irish Universal Suffrage Association , to whom all Papers ;¦ and Communications should be addressed ,- •'¦ . ' .- . - ¦ . "' ¦ ' . - ¦' . ' ;' . ' ¦ ;¦ ; ¦ -. // ; . ' . - .. . ' : ¦ -.- ' . ' ¦ Money Orders to this Office . —Onr Caphier b frequently made to endure an amount of inconvenience , ntterly inconceivable by those who have not multifarious transactions li ke his to attend to , by the negligence of parties not attending to the plain instructionsi so often given , to make all money orders sent here payable to Mr . John Ardiit .
Some orders ate made payable to Mr . O'Oonnor ^ - somei ; to Mr . Hobsoi—some to Mr . Hill—some to S / ar-office : all these require the signature ef the person in whose favour they are drawn before the money can be obtained . This causes an attendance at the post-office of , sometimes , several hoars , when a few minutes might Bnfflce if all were rightly given—not to mention the most Texatious delays of payment sometimes caused by it Several old Agents—who certainly ought to know better—have often thus needlessly incovenienced us ; we therefore beg that all parties having money to send to the ^ ter-office for Papers , by order , will make their orders payable to Mr . John Ardill . If they neglect this , we shall hot hold ourselves bound to attend to them : if , therefore , they find theirneglect to produce inconvenience to ^ themselves let them not blame us .
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Derby . —The friends of this neighbourhood bayving communications for the Star , or otherwise affecting tke Chartist movement , are requested to send te m « to Mr . Thomas Briggs , care of Mr . John Moss , shoemaker , Piumtxee-square , Darley-lane , Derby . Correspondents op the Northern Star . — Xoncfon—T . M . Wheeler , 7 , Mills Buildings , Knightsbridge . Birmingham— George White , 129 , Brom 8 grove-street Newcastle— Mr . J . Sinclair , Gateahead . Sunderland—Mt . J . Williams , Messrs Williams and Binns , booksellera , Sheffield—Mr ¦ G .-J . Haroey , news agent , 33 , Campo-lane . Bath —Mr . G . M . Bartlett , 19 , 'Glouceater Road Buildings , Swanswick , Batk . ¦; .
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Wm . Russell ( late of Nottingham ) . —We have received his letter ; and , so far as we at present know of the matter , certainly coincide with him in the opinion that his friend has been ill used : we think ; however , that its publication would do more harm than good , especially as the ; public resolulioniof last week will do much to neulralie , the poison of private slander . These , of course Mr . Russell did not know of when he wrote Will Mr . Russell give ushisprecise address ? J . W . —A householder whose landlord ; pays the rates may claim to be entered oh the rate book , as though he paid the rates himself . He will then be entitled to his vote ; but any composition on the part of the landlord for less than the full
amount of rate would disfranchise him . Thomas Briggs .- — fTe never received any letter containing an announcement , of the Derby tea meeting and O'Connor ' s lecture . To his " remonstrance" we caii only answer ^ that in these cases we must remember that we have all England , Scotland , Wales , and Ireland to deal with and ¦ for . . ' ' ¦ :- ; ' ' ' " ' ¦ ¦ - . ' ¦ .. ' - ' ¦ :: ¦¦"¦ .. "' . ' -. H . Bi ' . Marley— On reading the" remonstrance" to which he refers , we find it would occupy more space than we can spare : it is besides unnecessary , as the National Remonstrance adopted and recommended by the late Convention —has ap ~ peared in the Northern Star . Johx Skuvwgtok , of Loughborough , writes : —
"Allow me to correct an error that appeared in the balance-sheet of the Convention . It is there stated that 5 s . 8 d . was sent from Loughborongb . I Bent it , and at the same time stated that 33 . of it was from Mountsorrel , 2 s . 6 d . from Eastlake , and 6 d . from a friend , which , deducting 4 d . for order and postage , left Ss . 8 d . I wish this to appear for the satisfaction of those who have paid tbe money , and for my justification ; as it desirable that every man that has to do with public money should stand clear witb those he has to do with . " We must really request that those who have the preparing of balance-sheets- to send htre will be careful to have them correct , and mt let it be necessary for our space to be thus occupiedfWeek after week , with corrections of public docU ' menls . . .- . --: " John Skevington writes . --
" In reference to the election of the Executive , while I would wish not to give offence te any one , yet I thick tho election should have taken place at the time fixed in the plan of organisation ; or else a meeting of delegates called to alter the time . For , aa ene of the delegates present at tbe remodelling of the plan , I was aware , when the time was fixed , that the first Executive would not have to siti for a ¦ whole year ; and I think if we cannot keep our ownrules , we are not qualified to legislate for the country . "
We think Mr . Skevington perfectly right . London Delegate Council . —We cannot publish their address without the Christian names of all the delegates in full . We hate returned it to our correspondent to have that deficiency supplied . Robert GxBBVtr . —We have no room * : : JaSies Scruton , York . —His communication is an advertisement . Thomas Kekslake . —We cannot interfere . SuiTON-iN AsHFiELD . — We have received noti&es of public meetings of the Chartists and the female Chartists of this place , to be holden at sometime , of which the name is not given . John ' Hope . —Because he assented to the bill for ¦¦
their disfrdncMsementi ''¦ ...- .. John Watkins , intending to take a tour forJhe benefit of his health , and wishful , at the same time , to do what service he can to , the cause , requests that those localities ^ which may desire a visit from him will write to him immediately , that he may \ make arrangements accordingly . Address , Batter sea , Surrey . John Cockcroft . —Poor Law Guardians are elected by the ratepayers . The qualification to vote for the other town ' s officers mentioned in Ms ( note varies in different places : generally the elective power is ip , the ratepayers . A householder whose rates are paid by the landlord would be eligible if he claimed to have his name on the rate-book
—not else . If a composition on the rate be paid it disqualifies him . - _ :.-Saddleworth ;— We have several letters asking our opinion of the best steps to be taken in reference to a petty blackguard of a constable here , who tears the Chartist lecture bills from thu walk . We know no better way than to summon him before the magistrates , taking care to have good proof . If the magistrates refuse , in the face of clear evidencef to convict , indict him at the Quarter Sessions , if the means to do so can be raised i if not , set the women to watch him and let them catch him , and they will doubtless hit upon some mode of summery justice that may be useful .
Mr . Enoch Ramsbottom , at Mr . Findlows , Wesl Orchard , Coventry , will be glad to receive from Messrs . Crow and Tyrrell their terms of agency . ' John Jones will be thankful to any person who can inform him whether the memoirs of Henry Hunt , Esq ., were ever finished publishing ; and t ifso , where he must apply to complete his set . Mr . O'Connor desiresus to say , that he cannot on any account leave Nottingham at present : those ¦; places , therefore , which might have been expecting him will wait their turns . Jonathan Barber . — We fear that by inserting his letter we should injure the party whom he wishes to serve . . - .. ¦ T . W ., Sheffield , suggests . —
" First : That the Executive be requested to draw np a new petition , simply stating the humble but sincere and earnest wiBh of the petitioners to have the whole Charter made forthwith the law of the land . Second : That each and every Chartist be advised to increase twofold his energies and exertions , and so place on the sheets that shall be presented In the next Sessions of Parliament double the number of signatures that were appended . Third-. That duplicates be kept ef each and every signature ; and that the Chartists everywhere threaten the shopkeepers with the loss of their custom it they refuse to subscribe their pence or shillings towards the expence of the extra quantity of paper . "
E . M . Old-street , St . Lukes . —Transfer the 3 s . for Mis . Roberts , to Mr . Guest , bookseller , of Birmingham , who will forward it to its destination . Convention Funds . —The Tayislock Chartists write thus— " Having seen a mis-statement in the Star concerning our money that was sent to our dele gate , we wish you to correct it We have sent £ 2 to him , and there is only £ 1 aeknowledgedt £ \ was sent to Mr . Cleave nnd the other was sent to Mr . Powell ; we think Mr . Powell ought to have reported it to the Convention . " Mr . Candy , the Lecturer .- ^ -, / . Leech of Huddersfield , desires ns to note ' in this manner , that the time fixed by Candy is fully expired ; and that he expects to hear from him without delay . T . P . Green . —We object to it altogether . The man isdead ; let him alone . John Richauds , Hanky Potteries . —We do not see what we can do in the matter * The men icere clearly wrong tobe in the fray at all .
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DUNDEE . —Tke nnemployedhavebeenstrengthened in numbers , but weakened in means during tho past week . One mill stopped on Thursday ; thfl hands of another are on a minute ' s warning , . and a third is to stop on Friday . The flax-dressers are already discharged from the two latter works ; the number cannot be less than forty . The male and female mill workers , who will thus be thrown idle during the present week , will number eeversl hundreds . If our trade continues to decline for but a short time longer , at the rate it has done for this some months past , the sufferings of our fellow-townsmen will cast the miseries of the Paisley operatives in the shade . '"' :
LONDON . —A . public ^ meeting of the Twopenny Postmen took place oh Tuesday evening at the How in the Wall , Chancery-lane , Holborn . Several excellent speeches were made by Messrs . Thurung , Webb , Smith , Puddieomb , Sherman and others , and a motion was carried by acclamation to petition the Lords of the Treasury for an advance oi wages in consequence of the increase of labout pro * duced by the Penny Postage .
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Mr . O'CoNNon will address the people of Bulwell , neah nottingham , on tuesdat next , the Seventh i : \ stakt , at Six o ' clock in the evening . Tbe Chair must be taken precisely AT THAT HOUR , AS MR . O'CONNOR IS ENGAGED TO ADDRESS THE PEOPLE OF NOTTINGHAM , AT BANKERS-HILL , AT ElGHT O ' CLOCK , ON THE SAME EVENING .
The Northern Star. Saturday, June 4, 1842.
THE NORTHERN STAR . SATURDAY , JUNE 4 , 1842 .
Mr. O'Brien And His " Vindication."
MR . O'BRIEN AND HIS " VINDICATION . "
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THE STARVING POOR AND THEIR COMPLAINTS . E / sewhere we give a report of a meeting holden at Clifchero , to which we beg to direot the earnest attention of every one who sees this Paper . That report we give just as we received it . We do so , beoause we think it is important that the authorities and all concerned should have an opportunity of learning the feelings which actuate the minds of the starving labourers at
the manifold oppressions and privations they are compelled to endure . We implore attention to the document agreed upon by these twenty thousand starving operatives ! It is all-important . They speak warmly and bitterly : but a wise statesman will look below that , and seek out for , and remove the cause ! O ! that the earnest pleadings of suffering poverty with dominant wealth might have their desired effect ' . 0 1 that tho ear of natural feeling was not closed by heaps oiqold !
Let us not be mistaken . We do not agree with the whole of the proceedings of this important meeting ; Judging from the report as sent to us , some speeches have been made and someexpressions used that are calculated to damage the cause of those who made and used them . This is to be regretted . We can make all due allowance . We know , to some extent , the sufferings tho poor have to endure . We , do not expect a starving man to measure his every wortl , as if he were spinning silk ; But there is a point which common ordinary prudence
says cannot be passed without inflicting defeat on one ' s own objeot 1 That point we would implore the poor not to pass ! Do not put yourselves iuto the hands of your enemies . You are justified in speaking out loudly and boldly ; but empty threats do no good ! Make thoso who maintain the present system to hear your complain ' s ; but do not run your necks into the
halters they hold ready opened for you ! Prudence is necessary , if patience be scouted . Look at the mischief done to our cause some eighteen months ago , by the empty vapouring and bombastic threats of noisy brawlers , who were found wanting when the time fixed by themselves for action came round I Threatening is no sign of strength or courage . It is rather an evidence of weakness and cowardice . Pym , Hampden , and
Sidney did not threaten ; but they acted . Tell did not threaten ; but he acted . Threatening does no good ; and the man who uses it is generally found in the back ground when his threats should be enforced ! Let us implore of the working people to reflect upon these things . ' We do not prescribe that sort of patience to them which would bid them lay down and die ! But while wei donot prescribethat sort
of patience ; we do recommend prudence ; and more especially prudence in ; talk 1 * ' Selfpreservation is the first law of nature : '' but thai law of nature does nbt « xhbiit itself in unmeaning words . Scout from you the BIG talkers ;! . Drag your suffering and endurings before the world ; compel the attention of the oppressor to your complaints ; use all and every prudent means to get relief and redress ; but do not countenance BIG talk or empty threats !
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, WillJ . Johnston say which Post-office the papers are to be left at , Liverpool or Detroit ; and if he . wants one weekly or all on one week ; George ' - 'Jones Hale— The Post Master General has been written to about the detaining of the neat ' papers . -.. ' . " B . Me Cartney . —Fes . George Lee . —Yes . - FOR C . WOOD OF HONLEY . . ¦ ¦ -: ' ¦; ¦ ¦ - : ¦ -: " : . - ; ' - \ ¦— ' - s . d . From the N . C . A . Mansfield , per J . 0 . Hibbard 2 6 F O R MR . BROOK , NO W IN NORTHaLLERTON . From the N . C . A . Mansfield , per S . Q . Hibbard 2 6 FOR THE EXECUTIVE ; From the N . C . A . Swansea „ . ... 14 0
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TO THE EDIT 8 R OP THE NORTHERS STAR . Dear Sir , —Having lately had tae distinguished honour of proposing that noble advocate of the people ' s rigb . 13 , Feargus O'Connor , Esq ., as a fit and proper person to represent this borough in Parliament ; feeling great attachment to that gentleman for his services as well as to yonrself , the Northern Star , and our organization , 1 do not know when I fel ; more hurt or angry than on reading one of the most uncalled-for , insulting , and villanous attacks Hpon yourself and Air . O'Connor that ever I read ; ia a pamphlet , entitled ' Mr . O'Brien ' s Vindication of hia Conduct at the late Birmingham Conference "; I must say that I think this is one of the most scandalous attacks ; especially after the resolution
passed , and the understanding between all parties in the late Convention I If Mr . O'Brien ' s object be either to cause divisions , or to damn himself in the estimation of the people , he could not more effectually accomplish it by any other means than those he employs . There ig no man feels more sincere regard for Mr . O'Brien than , myself ; but such conduct I must and will protest against and condemn . I have read every article in the Star in reference to the dispute , and while I have seen nothing but what was absolutely necessary for the information of the people , I have seen plenty of cause to dispuve , if not the sincerity at any rate the wisdom , of xhe-policj pursued by O'BrieD . When I find O'Connell , Lovett , and O'Brien , all acting together ; not only in
resj > ect to the Stur ^ e ' s move , bat in opposition to O'Connor , yourself , and our paper ; when I hear O'Connor telling O'Brien to his face before the whole Convention , that he has been slandering him behind his baek , and writing private letters to sry to raise a feeling against him and yourself ; and when I find Mr . O'Brien , after the resolution proposed by himself , now printing this pamphlet of abuse ; I say that when we find men thus striving to raise prejudice against our' best friends and sowing discord in our ranks , there is cause to suspect that all is not quite right . If Mr . O'Brien desires to retain either the respect or confidence of the people , he must act consistently ; he most keep himself above suspicion , I can assure Mm that some of his very best friends in thi 3 town have been exceedingly hurt at his conduct : and hi 3 abuse of O'Connor will not serve
his cause . I believe the situation you fill as editor i 3 attended with great difficulty to please all parties ; and that it is the dnty of every lover of freedom to rally around , and giv 9 every possible support , not only to our glorion 3 Star , but to every man who is Btr iving to free his country from t ' aat awful oppression under which the people suffer . Sincerely hoping you will still persevere in the course you have taken , and that O'Brien will see the folly of his proceedings , and regain the confidence of the people , I remain your ' s , one of the true supporters of the Star , uniil I see cause to condemn , John Allen , 34 . Upper Garden ; street , Brighton ,. Member of the " General Council of the National Charter Association . Brighton . May , 29 , 1841 .
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4 THE NORTHERN STAR . ___ . . " :- . : ... ' . „• . r . __ r ^__ : __ ^ : '¦'¦" _ '
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), June 4, 1842, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct891/page/4/
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