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ARTHUE O'CONNOR . ( COSTVi'CtD FRQJI OUR LAST . ) Com . —If you did * not organize for the purpose of effecting a revolution , what other object had " yon ^ Yl T 16 W ^ - ' ' *"" O'Cossob- —^ e Bair with serrow . the cruelties px ^^ s ^ ly the Irish'Goverranenthad raised aftread-M sp iritorrevenge in the hearts of the people ; / we saw inth horror that to answer their immediate * riews , th « Irish Government had renewed the old religions feuds ; we were mast anxious to have such authorities as the organization ready constituted to prevent the dreadful transports of popular fury . We hoped that by having Committees for each b 3 rony , County Committee * , and ProviBcisl Committees ; by holding ont the -benefits of the revolution lo those whosuppprtedir , andbyjwi ! hholdingitsbenefits from those who shonld ofegriceit by popular excesses , we should have been &bf « to restrain the people . But AUTmTRlO'CONNbll .
those who had monopolized the whole political power of the Constitution , finding , . that they jtood in need of some part of the population , and that from their monopoly being so vUrectiy opposite to the interest of all classes of the Irish nation , they could not hope for the support of any ( be their irhpon what it may ) on the score of politics , except those in the pay of Government . Finding how necessary it "was to have some part of the population en thtSr side , they had recourse to the old religious fends , and set on loot an organization ef Protestants , whose fanaticism , would not permit them to see sixer were enlisted under the banners of religion , to fisht for political usurpation &ej abhorred . No doubt , by these means you have gamed a temporary ad . hut by destroying the organization of the' Union , and exasperating the great ^ body of the people , you * ill one day pay dearly for the aid yon liave derived fenn this ttinporarr slaft .
CflM . —Government had nothing to do -with tie Oraase System , nor their oath of extermination . O'Coxsoa . —You , my Lord [ Casilerearh ] from the jianouyou fill , nicst be sensible that the Exi'cntire of aav wrcntry has it in its power to collect a v .-isi jna » 5 of mlbrmarion , and you must know from the secret nature , and the zeal of the Union , that its Executive must have ths most minute inf rmation afeft * ry act of the Irish Government . As oua of the Executive , it canm to my knowledge , that' conaderable snins of money were expended thruuguua : lie nation , in endeavouring to extend the Grange Syswm , and that the Orange oath of extermination ¦ sra . * administered ; when these facts are conpled , not enlr with seneral iiapnnitv , whicli has b ? en
uniformly extended towards all the acts of this infernal association , bat the marked encouragement its mfiCiLtss have received from Government , I find ~ i ; impossible to exculpate the ( iorerameiit from being tie parent and protector of these swern extirpators . Gm . Were not someof the Union very mon-archieal O'Coxxob . —My first political a-rquaintm-re with t £ e body of my Catholic countrymen , to whom I sappose you allude , was in 1791 , wLflst 1 was High Sheriff in the comity of Cork , when I defended thd " Csthoiks frora an iitrack which ' was ms . de upon thnn byt £ e monopolists of opi reoressnration inthr . t part cf Ireland . At that time the Catholics ui Ir ^ rsnu -reiv jas ; beginning to feel the . iiiilrerioft oi ili ^ Pr « 3 » "h revolution , and to be s ? nsii < le of the
degrading 5 i- -jJe to wmeh centunes of oppression had redueei them ; they were , however , strongly addicted to ilsxjarchy , a ~ ad made their first auva-uc < rs in pnrndlof ireedom in a . very huinble manner ; but the Kfiusnpt and insult witli which their first petition vis scouted from eke House of Commons , reused them to n . sense of their rights as men . In 1792 . t-ey s ? ain petitioned , but in terms of boldness proyortoiied to liie-lusult wi ^ i which their former petition iad neeri treated . They were joined by tliu Pivstyxeriaiis , and the caati ? ii » plnons nianner ' w ^ th which both pexitiuns were refused , created an union of jeutimeiit , whereby the Catholics were led to examine wliat title to power those had who tuns insukinglv ¦ deni ed the joint desire of the great mass o : tae
Irish nation . Tiiey passed from auv explanation . \* iib lai ? liisli Paruan ; ei 3 t . ; u » u iiei-ocintc * . i vriiii rbe Briiish Mivsiitry . vrLcdi tii ; -v found coaironle ! t-v -ry i actot the Govenanent una Legislature of ireiiLua . I TTfaiie the Cslholies were tmrceediiig wlia the ; I 3 n- " ti « h - > iinistry in England , the Borv ^ agh Moii ^ --r 5 of Ireland wt-re mast ticrive amongst the Grand Juries - in iLe semmer of 1792 . in pledging lives and fortunes , never u > sraii ^ ilie ciairos of their Catholic ppuatrynifD . When the ? arli ; aaent met in 1793 , the riaiidaie came from tiie British Ministry » o acteie tu a pa . Tdal emaiicipatioii of lue Uaihoiips . TMs w ^ s not all : in the kessiun tiie llou ? e oi Commons resolved that the National Representation siood in uead of Reionn : thev missd the Loues of
ibe insh-brifc to blast them afterwards . Th + s most papoliric conduct brought the Irish Govemui ^ iit into tbe-atmost disrepate , and was followed Ly a declaration on tiie part of the Catholics in 1 / B 3 , to nani or fall vixh . their ciiuuuyiaen on the great quesrion of oL : aii > ing a Katiuual Representatioij from this tiaie the IriiL Gc-verniueut serraeuto " -abandon all itlea of conciliating the Cataolics , and t otfciiik oiuy of pniiisliag them forwliatthey i :, onght ineraTitade . " In porsaance of this plan , ail idea oi Cathouc Eiuauci ^ itiun and Parlisinentary Relonn was scooted ; Bridsli trvx ) ps were ponre-i into Ireland , and prosecutions coinme-ced against-s . TUie oi fiie Catholic and Prerl-Tlerian leaders in i 794 . ou
Fucq enueure as cln ^ riv cemonstrated ijikv were \ Uidertakca from viuaivriive motives of resentmeiit . These meusuTei were calciilatel to eradicate the inveterate pre-: lelicdon for Monarchy from the hearts of "die Irisii Catioiics . In ljiw . theBrliisli 2 > IiEi * try appeared se-usible of the consequences which had iesahed ironi the measures whicli had been pursued Mdierto iu Ireland ; and an attempt was entered on . . u it- £ 2 in tlic Cathufics , by sendiiig Lord Pitzwiliiam , * ith pi > -s- ers to ca : > ose his own Conncils . The ~ h > pes I oi the natioiisi unnd were raised , particnlariy of the I CathoUttj-but the recall of Lord Fitzwuham , the I abandonment of the projected political changes , the raiewril of tbe ralgn of terror aad coercion ^ totally I iienated the minds of the Catholics from their
enctonea propensity to jlcnarchy . ^ So doub ; tae Fie ^ ch Revolution had a great and powerful effect ia Pxcitiiig the Catholics of Ireland to attain their laag last Liberty ; but it was the measures of the Bacsa Ministry , and the Irish Government , which serried ih&n hitn their present lioleut detestation of llonarchy . and their present ardent love , of Repre-Hptauve DpsBocracy , wiich was confirmed hi the satdsof the very lowest order .-, by being familiarized * ii tiie organization of the Union , and by observing . ' its eood eOects . 6 > 2 j- —Why , what opinion have the lower classes *• ^ pe ^ le ' ofpoiitical subjects r OCbsxoR . —The lowest societies of the Union
fsjverfced freely of the -corruption , the usurpation , osi tiie veiia £ ty of PariiameHt . ^ Vhile 1 was a liemi-er of the House of Commons , yon inow the frequent conversation amongst tbe Members ' was—« j "« rn : nL-h Las such an oue given for his sea ;? From * iom cidie pucaase ? Has not such an one sol-i Ksboroush ? Has not such a Lord bought ? Has * 9 * » uch a Peer so many Members in tuis House ? ^^> Dt > t . uc h a ilember with the Lord Lieutenant ' s * cr « aiy , to iosi > t on souie greater place orpsn-^ a ' : Lid not the Secretary Tefhse it Has be not l ° 2 e in ; o the Opposition ? These , and such like Set * , arv as well Jciiuyn to the lowest classes of the ¦ I Man as to yourselves . -
t Member of the Com . —Mr . O'Connor is per-* n ! j right ; I have heard tiie low » t classes of the i ^ - ' e UOk in tbat style . u C ' oNxor ^—The p ' eople are consdoTis yon are self . -Go&Ciinted , and not their delegates ; m ' -n wlu > have *'_ oiner oLjs . ct in view but to advance their own in-£ ~ . Cua ! interests . A ^ Member or the Com . —^ Thatwe are a parcel *? placenien aad pensioners r U ' Cos ^ er .. —Exactly so . Com . —Wbat is tiie object the people have in view Jtpr » - ^ ent ? U'Coxsob . —I believe they have laid by for the astant all idea of speculative ' politics , and thiiiV on ! y tow they shall annihilate the insupportable tisurplion and cruelty of the British and Irish . Goveriiffie ^ t , and how they sliali best avenge the blood which tc » been shed , and the tortures which have beea in-^ cted , to support a Government they detest .
Coju—Was there not a disunion in the Exe-^ SilTe ? O'Coxxob . —FroHi tha time I was elected one f the Executive , I never experienced any dis-^ eernent r . _ , - Cosi . — YTere there not men who could not " sSneace the people to disobey the orders of the Executive ? O'Coxxor . —On the contrary , they were always * wyed with the most zealons alacrirr . ^ No doubt «* secret manner in which we were obliged to con-?« t the business of the Union , gave great scope to aaigue j vet i ibxmcL that -wherever Teligious prejuf * s were placed in the way of political -liberty , the J « ple invariably diaregarced tiie former , and ad-**« to the latter . - f « 3 i . ~ Did not the Executive form a plan of a •^ astiintionfor Ireland ' s rotare Government r .. 0 'COSXOEm ;—fjjg Executive never thought itself
- ^^ ted * ith power to meddle -with the fnture Coa-^ Uon of Ireland , that could have been the work S £ * k ose "whom the people of Ireland might ^? jjbr that express purpose . We were elected ^^ to devise means of wresting power out of •* aauds of men "who had Tiolated every part of j ' jQafUtation and Eberfies of Ireland , and out-5 r KeT ^ feeling and right of man , by the TPffl " * | 7 ^ ployed to retain theii ; usurpation . '¦^—What do yon think would tranquillize ihe ¦^ v ° f Ireland , and induce them to give up their 5 ^ ° ° R- —That ; is a question which -would re-^ Uie best nead to answer , and the "best heart ^^^ te V 1 am not so ignorant of human nature toteS ??^ t ^ Ult tnose men ¦* r ^ ° nSTe "O I 011 ? en " I * Z ^™ eenormonsemolumeiitJofill , aiid unjustly ^^ 4 power , will ever restore them to the people , ^^^ ttani&ist It must appear to an - ^ prejudiced ijj .. ? ™^ ^ most dreadful rnin a-waits the pre-. * : • Kutiess effort which is made to retain them .
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J&BMT BADIaJAL MEETING : " ¦ ; - . ¦ ¦ - ¦ AT EOGHDALE . On Thursday night week , a meeting was convened at the rhearre ^ Rochdale , at which there were present Mr . Fen ton , M . P ., for the borough , and several other .. gentlemen -of influence . The object of the meeting was to p ;* tit 3 on Parliament for Universal Suffrage , Annual Parliaments , Vote by Ballot , and No Property Qualification . At the appointed hour the Theatre was crowded to wxcess . The pit , gallery , boxes , and _ stage , were literally crammed , and hundreds were obliged to go away who could not gain admission . fi-I > ir : A-T PAmur TUt ^
TTMnMr . -T-ATtoR -was called to the chair , He stated the object of the meeting , and remarked on the changes-which society had undergone during the last thirty years . In the town of ] Rochdale he could only find three people wli ;> inhabited the same residences which they wcaj-ied tLnt lime njro ; dnd ihishe thought must be an argument why the commercial policy which was subject to such changes must be bad and ought to be altered . He thought too that the same remarkable fact furnished a sufficient reason why we ought to consider ourselves as liable to the 83 me changes , and doubtless the same misfortnnes , which had thus removed others andspread them
over every quarter of the globe ; and that we pnght therefore to ff el a deeper interest in the improvement of that policy which rendered ns liable to such extreme inconveniences . He adverted to the necessity of Universal Suffrage , as furnishing the only remedy for , this evil . The Reform Bill had been passed for some time ; it had given the franchise to thousands who formerly were destitute of any elective power ,- and ( ironically ) no one could donbt of the excsBency of that measure which had produced so gjeiLt a jfloml chiuige amongst theiniddle classes of society . Such indexed had been the change thathe was more and more convinced of the necessity and
importance of universal Snfiraga ; for if the middle civ sss-s had been so much improved by it , it conld not be doubled that the working classes possavin ? the fnmchise would also improve in the same rr . rio ( Lnnshier . ) Mr . Taylor , however , in real earnest inesnt to say th ; it this Reionn Bill instead of doing good to the working clasps had done them a great deal of harm , " that where they were &ble to comuiaiid the " energies and co-nperatum of tao . < e' who forraefly souuht the fr-ndiise , they hn \ ins obtained it , left tht ; lebonriug part of the community to light their own'battle , to conquer by their own Vtrength , or to fell l . r their own indifTerence . The middle elates hn 1 obt ^ . ine-l their wisb . es . an 1 they now fe \ t hiiiinvreur about tl-. ose of tli-j labouring class in fact it whs perfectly evl'deat that they iiiteuded to atdch thenisr-ives , if possible , t-. » tlj ! s aristocracy , snd thus t . i unite tlieir ener .-ies wiib those of the ar
istorraoy lncaiieavouniig t . » crn . < h the people . He would re .-.- ) : utn end theiu-to v-i-r ^ cere iii th « ol-l ce-trrs ^ to be uetenuiiied-to h-ive their sricVEnc-es re : ! rew- ? J . and he * ioaLted not ihnt w : ih tLe f ;; --rcL « e rf erer ^ y r . ud disrfedon tl : ey wnuniiilrini-telv triumph . ( CliJers . ) j ! t . . 'oFrni Toft was then called upon to move the first Tt-s-. dutirn . lie v . viit hsr \ to the p-rir > d when the ped .. is of littgiKvihnn Universal Snlirajrv . Its adYant :: s e < . even in tho-. e dark a ^ es . were known and apt re-fa u-i ; for then tbe pt-ople of this country i' -. iijrt '; s-nue : ! . ii : g more li ^ e t . mty and chriitiaii affectiira tfcny v . as olurrv : ; b ; e in the present day . They were r . t peac-, % and loved each ether . B- ' it w ' j on " th ? n ^ itrary , Uvhiz deprived of tl-. e SnfJ ' ror ^ were obliged tokeet * up n militarr and naval -force .
to t .: e rji : ocut cf -J 5 vt . V >? 0 men , eiTertive an- ^ :: oueifecrive . Ap-1 that for thi < f .--rre we w . ? re obliged U > pny auncslly fifteen nii lk-i >< of ir . ouey . ar . djf «> r no »> ther pnrjH \ -- ? s tbanthnt tLis ir . i ; itary force riisht W iuiv ? . nracss : ^> r . iT ? r . > el :. isf 4 pny tbp tit ' u ^ . in ca ^< » we-rcfuseJ . ( Cheers . ) Another iwsu ? t " of iLe depnvation of the Suffrage , was ; he detesraLle Com Laws ,-by ' which' the bri » ad of the . labourer was nd > ea to ^ uc ¦ h a pr ice that he could not pos ib ' . y live . ( Hear , bear . ) He needed nr-t to say anything in reference to the Poor Law Amendment Act . Its operp . docs w < re too well Icnown to be inuch admireJ .
iiivl h-tyl the people Lip . . ; ti : i-: r ] 'oht : cal ns- 'iit * . ^ uch a measrre woula' never h . ive disgraced " the statute bouk ot till * ^ British . Leg slatr . re . ^ l > Tnft ]; -cr > ple praisfd it as one of the heft bills thr . t bad ever been yasspd , because tLey . saiu when the va ^ ple w--reto be relived , they should not b-j j-lur-jj in sucli com '>> r : ab ! e circnm 5 t ; inces * £ 3 -when tliev were in full eniploynifr . t . and able to maintain then ? selves .-lest thpy * h « Ti \ d bec . vias-iiile , and burdf-u those who laboured for tlieir fajniliej . as well a * f . » r : i : e maintcnancfef thepunr . such rea > i « sirL r . l :-. > we-. »* r . was periertiv riiiicuious . Tiie people ;> r . ^! : t vi !> e ix ^ tter paid for their labou r- an . . i . etVr | v ; , «;; -i t ; , ; . -and flirin the
Po ^ r Law ^ iri-i-uini-iit ^ .-t wouiil not bv necessary . ( Cheers . ) _ Slice tLe peb ] ' ! e h ? . i K-en deprivt'd of the franchise , they iiai hceu rr . ord aud more taxed ; andoreferer . ee to liis ' . nry wimlil ] innv tliat witb pvery destrar ^ on of the peoples * rights , xhm was a correspondent . BggrnntiizenieEt on behalf of tile wealthy cla-ses , wkiie-tiie producers of ail wealth were lessezfed ' . iu tiie srrue o { snciery . and w «» re -ven nowin the ] ovreststateofj ; oi ; tiral Jecr .-aation . If they turned to the hisi-ory of past ages , mid more especially to that of tliegTiiicf-fiither oi ihe pres .-ut Queeu . it would bi-found what was the state of tliinirs in tho . ^ e tiiries . and how Sir the sysreru of representation then existing , exceeded that v . iuch wa-. at present in use . At tlint tme , nnTuely , at ; h { - co" :: nenci . * mei ] t of the reign of Gvcrge iU / i ^ e interest of the national Cebt ciduotaiQorint to more thr . n ei"ht milliniis : now
it asic « riit ?< i to .-omewt-re about filty milii ;) n < . And sucb , hs » was siire was tne cousei-jnence of the waut of the Suffmne . He ther .- ' or ? recommenced them stronj ; Iy to be united in rh- 'ir determiiiati-. m to obtain tlieir- " r ights , and he had no douit diey would ulriina : e 3 v suc : ved . ( L- > ud Cheers . ) . Ue moved tae i ; r = t Resolution , viz : " That in the freedom and happiness of the great bodv of the penpie consist ? the liignity and security of " the > t ; : te;—tha-Tsneh frt-ellom P-iid happiness can be obt : ? int > d or prv ^ erved only by the people being fairly and fully represented in Parliament ' : —that theref . ' rc it is tuh opinion of tliis ^ learing , thnttbe Realm be diridei into electoral distr icts , each being so boun-Jed as to contain , as ner . r as possible , the- sanie iiUT :: ber of inhabitants " - ; and ,. that eae-i district be ' entitled-to send one representative—and that all male persons ( infants , insanes , and criminals , exct-ptetl ) be entitled to vote in the Election of a representaii-. e . "
Mr . Robert Holt berg-jil co s .-cond th-. ' motion , in which he-he ^ rtily concurred . Mr . Hoi- ^ kth rose to move the next re solution , which related to the Ballot , iluch had been said on the necessity ani UiL-ful :. ess of the extension of the Sr . fTrag ^ . He roraiallyc ^ Tfed with ' all tlsat hai been repealed ; but it vrus tu be rt " . ! aenibt > red tliat while i : i « y sought tLe extension of the Suiirace , they sought al o ' ihe adoption of the Ballot ; Lerauss without Jthe la - . ter it might he perfectly practicable for a landlord or a manufacturer to drive his dependents to the pfll-booth just in the same v , v . y as farmers dr ive tbej cattle to the market . Sncli was the spirit of the Aristocrac _ v , that they woul-1 not even allow a worlds e man io think fur uiinjeh " , bnt
they forsooth must think end determine for ; . im , ;\ n < l if tlieir thorguts uid not accord with hi <\ Le nin ? t give way and allow tae Aristocracy both to think and aci for inm . —( Hear . ) llewoi ' dd exhort tliem to bfwarsof his beiug carried away by those . slain liadicals who advocated the Bv . llot * -without tiie Sufirage . Radicals should cut rerneralx-r that the Ballot instead -of relievinsr them in their present condition worrld only nrore fcir . ly rivet tlieir claims . Thrst it-. ronld al once ha >> i oserall political power to tiie middle classes of society , who being protected by tLe Ballot , would be inv .-= p > 'nsible to anv part of the community , and that tWpeople therefore would not have the ^ tightest con troul over tiiose who held the franchise for the good of tLe community at would extort th therefore
large . He- em .- , that if at any future-meeting any one would dare to propose the Ballot without an extension of the Suffrage iu connexion with it . they should invariably move as z-a amendment that the " Suffrage be first applied for . — ( Hear , hear .. ) All that they were strngghns for was that the working " classes shouid be lairly paid for thair labour . Befure- ' however , this cr . uld be effected it was pretty evident that they should be represented in tlic Briush Senate . There the Capitalist was represented ,, but the labourer was forgotten ; aijd while the former was living in splendour and luxury the latter was obliged to live upon twopeuce-hiill ' - penny per bead per day . —( Shame , shame . ) It bad been said that the poor in t ' , e bastiles should live upon less than a working man could earn ; and if
snen was . tiie amount ol a working xaai- * s wages , how could ttostlive wlio were to be ^ stlpported upon a less amount ? They were met on tLai occasion to send to Parliament a petition ; would to God it was to send a demand- for redress . —{ Cheers . ) He- was tired of petitioning for by it little good seemed to be effected . They had petitioned , and petitioned , and petitioned , but all to no purpose ; they could not obtain redress . —( Shame . ) Judge Blackstone , one of the ablest lawyers of bis time , had told them that if the people felt themselves aggrieved they were to petition ; and if ' that petition . was not regarded thev were to petition again ; and if their solicitations weresnir unheeded they were to petition aeain ; and if after that they conl <] obtain no redress the people were then justified in appealing to the muslcet
or the sword . —( Tremendous cheers . ) The grievances of the people did not need thereto be repeated : " they were well known and too severely felt . — ( Hear , hear . ) . If- they looted to the manufacturing districts they would find that those who were engaged in producing articles of clothing were those who-were almost naked , ( hear , hear ;) and if they looked to the agricultural districts they would also find that those who- vere engaged in producing the means of subsistence were those who were almost starred to death . ^ - ( Hear , hear . ) Jn the town of . Rochdale he ^ inew many families who were compelled to live upon one shilling and tenpence-halfpenny per head per week , and yet these men were called druuiards , and idlers , and jragabonds , and rabble . —( Shame . ) Was such iniquity to be tolerated ? For his-own part he was utterly at a losi
Untitled Article
.-. - .-I-J ¦ - ;';" . .,-. ^ T . U * I i . ¦ . 1 -.. ... . ' ; i--.. now to express his . . m >^^ atip 9 ^ t jffBchingolence and oppressitm . — - ( Hear . ) JHe " would ttot < let » in tht meeting longer ; he bc ? i * dto ap 6 ! ogi « r- for detaining them * 6 long ; put wSyTras it thathe was dbKged to :- ' ocitfe- ' '&yward :-ci 8 ^ the " advo $ atfe ' p ] F the people ' s nght 3 Trh « n there were others who had had all the advanta ge * of education to enable them to ajjpearin such a cnparily . 'Sot one sixpence had ever been spent in - Iri *' ¦ -education ; nttd yet poor and ignorant as he wa * he was dragged " before the public to declare what were the wrongs of the people and what means were necessary to be adopted to obtain satisfactory redreKs . —( Cheers . ) He would therefore movetbe second Resolution , viz : — " That the people being put into possession of the Suffrage , every person possessing this right ought to be able to exercise it in a free and unprejudiced manner , unswayed bV interest or fear . That therefore the ho w ' toKxurEssliisiH ^
voter ought to be protected by the Ballo ? . " Mr . Johs Btjckley seconded the resolution . Mr . Robert Holt proposed the third resoludon , — '' lliat the charactef of the Representative should be independent and uncorruptible by the Crown , the CouTt , or the Ministry , lliat therefore he ought to be brought frequently before his constituents , and , that for this purpose the Election of Representatives ought to take place every year . " He would not detain the meeting by any remarks on the subject as there were other speakers present . He could not however sit down without telling that assembly of the glorious and enthusiastic meeting at Leeds , which had been held _ on Monday night last , at which he was present ; and though they had not at the present meeting such a concentration of talent as was assembled at Leeds , he trusted they had the same spirit , and the same determination to have tlieir political rights . ( Hear , hear . ) Mr . BuTTERwoaTH seconded the resolution .
Mr . Ellice next moved—** That the possession of property by a . Representative being no proof of his ability to serve his constituents , nor any guarantee agaiisst his corruptibility ; that property be not considered a . rc . quisite qualification for a Representative , and that each Representative be paid for his attendance in Parliament . " Mr . Robinson begged to second it . Dr . John Taylor was then called upon by the Chairman to address the meeting . He said he was glad to have another opportunity of meeting an Euglish audience . It was now fifteen years since he began his political career , and from the commencemunt he had raisi d a standard wliicli some indeed had dared to designate a standard of rebellion , but
T . hich he was happy to say , so far .. as his experience had yet taught him , was generally considered by the vrorkiug . p " eople of England as the standard of reason and justice . ( Hear , hear . ) It was with pleasure he had heard the reading of the resolutions ^ for they were of that character of which hi- entirely approved . Universal Snnrnge wi » s the undoubted right of the people , and to talk of giving it merely to ten pound Householders was too absurd to be retuted ; Indeed all property qiiulitications for voting , whatever .: moniit they inigut be , were utterley useless , because t » a ? y ten-led to no result worth any thing in a political p . dm ofviv-w . If ibreiaiuple the irauchise was fixed at ~ K » , thi person-who took ahousr : at xi ) . liis . ll | d . -. vos-ld be depr ived of a vote , so taat the whole
difference in t . ns respect would 'lie a . mere . farthing , ( laughter , ) accor . i : ng . to " 'the . line of demarcation ¦ johited out by ihe Whigs . They never '¦ qu estioned the amount of lutelligonoe . or what were the interests of ttie voter , but lmd urliitrarilyfi ^ ed . upon . this-ten pound qualification , as if it were the wand of fome magician to cure all evils , and as that by which idea ' s wisdom was to be measured . ( H « . -ar , hear . ) Thus LorU John llussell could tell the erteut ot n-i-n ' s capaciaes to tiie liicety of a fartbing ( Laughter . ) He was > are if capacities were to be measured , r ^ he pr-post-d measuriDg them , tbnt Lord . / ohii-and the wLole of Ins crew could not produce one fartbiug / s wor . li of real intulligenre . ( Cheers a : ; d laughter . ) He objected to a five pound
constituency on t : e sain .- grounds , and even to Household !> t . flrage . _ :-He spoke' of the-Reform ' Bill which he cjinracteriseu as a fire brand turown into societ \ - for t ! : e purpose oi prouuciB ^ discord , aud of rousinj ; wen-proud ana angry feeling - between tliofe who l . a-J lormerly been on terms ' of the greatest friendship . Morally speaking lie held it to be a piece- of blasphemy for any man t <> refuse the-SuUciige to " another . Vi heu God made all men equal it was not intended that one man . should" dare'to trample upon another , p . nd still less Tvas it intended that the earth should I e mouopolisi > d by an idle few who would not work unless in guilt and iniquity , and leave those who wiTts the real inhabitants of the country to starve . ( Hear . ) They bad spoken about the Ballot . He
{ L > r . Taylor ) was a friend to the Ballot , while at tiie > anie time be l . ked to fee v . man come boldly and liKk'penJently ' up to the poll . ( Hear , hear . ) ' He had often , however , wirnessird the ronsL-quences of iniiftpepdenre . He bad seen the tanner leave his In-me in the morning full of cheerfulness going to ' vote for his favourite candidate , and whou he returned home in the evening found his house stripped of every thing by some capricious landlord who might have a uirll-rt-nt poLutical opinion . ( Shame , shame . ) He had seen men ijoing from their faim . with their wives and families at their backs without knowing where to go to , or on what resource to depend , save that Omnipotent Beiug who h » d eivt-n ' them existence . ( Hear , hear . ) And ~ whfn t these
snen hings as wer * practised , it was time the Ballot was adopted . He begged , however , to remind the working men that their own interest ? dictated that they should lint acci-pt the liattot without the Suffrage . Mr . Taylor then adverted to the claptrnp' cry of the Church being in danger . He sairi . tiie ( iovernmeut were hah so solicit < " > tis of religion , sis they were of the Cburci :, it would be much better ix ) tli lor the cause ' of religion and the honour of Goverument . ( Hear . ) lie had been called an infidel : and if it vras because he believed the bislioi ) s were of no use , he was ready to be called an infidel Ly any who might choose to stigmatise him with tbnt appellation . He tLeu spoke of tiie great difference between the Constitution of the English and
scotch Churches , and thought if the latter could do wlthoutbishops and clergy , paid by the State * ' and yet maintsi-. n their character lor a moral and religious people , the English might as well do without ' them too . He next adverted to the New Poor ' -Law ,- and informed the meeting what were the general " sentime ts of Scotch men regarding that measured He assured the meeting that though no such law existed in Scotland , the people of that country deeply sympathised-with -them ; and he was sure thev would never kave ~ submitted to » ncii a measure without a desperate itrnegle .. ( Cheers . ) Tliey had said , that if Lord John Russell , or the Poor Law Commissioners , br . cked by . the' whole ; -nnyo ; ' England , should dare to attempt to separate a man from his wife , or
to te&r the aiiecrions of a child from its parents , or the parents " troni-the child , they had sworn by the God that ruled the universe , by the earth on which they stood , by the heaven tor which , they hoped , and by _ that hell Irum which ' - they-would escape ,-arid which seemed to have been only made for the AY hies , that they would sooner see the country in one wide and uiiextin ^ uishable bl aze of tlame . ( Loud cheers . ) Dr . Taylor , in conclusion , pegged to thank the men of England for the noble assistance they had rendered to tie - Glasgow Cotton . Spuiicrs . 'i hey had done ijobiy , and had manifested ill deepest sympathy in their cause . He tbanied tlieni , however , inoru for their Jove of principle of which they had given such redoubtable proof . These were injured men : and it should not
be iorgotten , that by their fate , the Government intended to strike a blow at the liberties of the Engh ' sh people . ( Ilenr , hear . ) Every attempt had been made to make out a case against theiD , but without effect . He could not retrain from relating to them what occurred at the Court on Friday last- A witness was called who gave in a variety of statements which tended to make thes «* men appear guilty ; and so minutely had he learned his lesson that the very minuteness of his statements tended to discredit his testimony .. Being cross-examined , he- first grew pale—then faultered , then snneked , and fell to the ground : and notwithstanding the repeated questions that were asked him , the only answer that he gave to the Court was , "He ' s corning—he ' s coming ! '" Government had offered
a reward pf £ oOO lor the apprehension and ' conviction of the o&enders : the cottou masters had offered an addition of £ 600 to that sum ; and thus were ignorant and unprincipled mea tempted to interfere with justice and to barter it for gold , ( shnme , ) or an estate m Canada , if the parties could not live peaceably at home .- But they had come . to the determination that these men should not go out of the countryand if it should so happen that they were to be transported , a blaze should be kindled in the country that would light thein " to their destination i > r . laylor concluded his address by statin * that his friend , Mr . Templeton , had arrived from Leeds to state more particularly the reason of Mr . OConuor a absence . Mr . Taylor sat down amidst lond cheers .
The Chairman then introduced Mr . TfiMPLETox , who svid . that he had just come tromLeedstoinfomtiie meeting of the reason of Mr . U Connorsi absence . He did not doubt thnt tuey would feel deeply disappointed in their expectations relative to the speakers who had been expected ^ address them ; but he was sure , so far as Mr . O Connor w-as concerned , they could not have any cause of offence . Mr . OTonnor for the last ten days had ^ scarcely had any rest ; he had travelled night and day m attending public meetings , and tne consequence was that his health was coinuletely broken . He was then very ill , and could not possibly have attended that meeting without subjecting mmself to considerable danger . They knew , however , hisheartwas with them , and he ( Mr . Templeton ) wu sure Mr . O'Connor would rejoice to hear of their numerous and enthusiastic meeting . It was unnecessary for him to say any thing in reference to i \ lr . U Connor s exertions ; they were too well known aud too _ widely appreciated to need anr
recommenaanon . from him . ( Cheers . ) One thing , however , this disappointment ought to teach them ^ and that was , that while they valued to the full amount the willmg and effectual services of such gentlemen as
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' ^ % 9 ' ^ V * - ^' ^ - *** WwH ^ M * o ^^ i ^ ^^ : ^ . ? i > ' . ^ wtho > np * m # . tf ^ a . t - ; W >« ght their Vrt ^ cipter * by . whoever they iniglit b * J advocaStet , 'V ^ hii . tiOe ^' Nttffiqient' xeaion for theirrejoicing « t anchap assembly pa snch an occasion . ( Hear , hear , ) Gooa niid e ^ cierit asn ' sfc . ance was certainly Tahiable ; but thev should no * forget that their work shotild benir-thW rhost part performed by tbeir ownlis ^ ids , ( cheers ) aiid tlieh they would have the w % fe of the praise . He congratulated them oh the ntnnber and respectability of the meeting ^ ah . d assured them that solar a # he was concerned , a fair representation of it should be laid > efore the world ( cheers ) , and Mr . O'Connor , ' though he was not there , would hot be : less - 'deliehted with tneir M ^ : ^^ : ; nv-:- ' u ..-- . ... ,, -.
ardour ana nna ^ umity . ( Hear , hean ) : Mr . T . sat down , when three cheers and one cheer more were given for FeargttfO ! C 6 iinor > , Mr , J ^ iies AX . Cropper moved ¦ « That % e ^ tl ^ oB . fonnded on the foregoing resolutions be ) laced for signature before the inhabitants of this borough and its neighbourlipod : that it be forwarded when ^ signed to' the House of Commons , and that John Fenton , Esq . be requested to presemit . Mr . William Bake seconded it : . : Mr , Fenton , M . P . for Rochdafe . saM he ehonld > e very glad to present their petition . They kn&w his principles already , and that it was , therefore , unnecessary for him to . recapitulate - thera in that place . He must say , however , that he did not entertain the
an sentiments he had that evening heard expressed , but he ddubted not that those who knew ¦^¦¦ y ?^ . 5 ' - ^™ ^" M ™ - - - <^ it ' for ' the - -man aBr . m which he had conaucted himself in Parliament [ hear , iear ] . . aTiey , were awnrt that he professed to U favourable to ^ ousehold Suffrage .:-V ( A voice , " that W ^ ^ l ?" ° ? entertaindd a good opinion of the RBform Bill , but he had isince found reason to change that opinion . ( Hear , hean ) As he Understood it , U was inteuded to grant ajlarge extension of the suffrage ; the only effect of it , however , hhd been to increase the power of the Aristocracy , and to narrow the nifiuence pf the coniniercial classes of tiie commuiiity ; add for' this reason he was of opinion that U was necessary to extend the suffrage . ( Hear
, hear . ) As it regardedShort Parlianients , he had no objections to meet his constituents as often : is they wished [ hear ] ; he thought they had had tolerable experience of Short Parliaments lately , for they had had two elections in the short space of fourmonthsi He did not think Annual Parliaments would ansvrev any good purpose , but he had no objection to their bemg annual . As for the : Ballot he had alwnys voted for it , andlie should vote forit again * . They were well aware , that at the last election they hivd lost several votes for want of the Biillbt . : [ A voice , if rou had the Ballot how many votes would yon gaih ? l Directly the cry was 'N o Ballot without the SufiWii '
As regarded the property qualification , he was of opinion thatvirtually thereWas nosuohthing , formaliyof the gentlemen ( Whowere iti the House of Commons gat therein const ijueilce of the property with which t . iey ought to pay their dtots , and which was not therefore their own . ( Cheers and laughter . ) Jin would not detain : them longer than Wstii ^ ng , il . mt lie should be glad to present' thoir petition . Hear , lii ; n . r . ) - ' . A v ^ ite of thanks was then given to tlipCairnmu . —ThriH'cliefK aud one clieer more were given for . l ' ear ^ us O'Comior ; three for Dr . Tay lor ; three for 'Sliarmnn ¦ Criiwfo ' rd . ; and three for Mr . Feu ton ; after Aviiich the meeting dispersed , all tiie ri'i () hitioi ) s having been carried unairimoHsly .
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THE LEEDS MEfiTIKa . In . consequence" of ' . severalenquiries iw to wliy our reporterVspeech , at the , meeting held in the ¦ ¦ Comluercial Buililiiigs last week , was hot given in our lus . t . number " , we beg to staife to our readers that ' notwitiistanding he was urgently requested to furnish it , he neglected to do so that \ w niiglit gi \ 'e the addres . seB of the othi-r speakers at as great length as onr colinmis would allow . We feel 6 nrselve . yh . 6 wt- 'ver , obliged in justice both to him and the public to report the speech , which / will bi ; found well worthy of perusal . /¦• ' •; '¦ ' < - '¦ ¦ ¦ , '¦ . ' ¦• /¦ : Air . Tjemplkton- saif ] ,-T-Mr . Chairman and men of Leeds " , —when . 'I . consider the distinction and the talent of . the gentlemen wh ' o have already addressed
this meeting , ' 1 am rend v lo think you will ' be inclined to mark rne for a youth of nolittle presiimption in thus daring to press myself upon your notice . But , sir , though there is no one who more au ' niirus . . tuleii ' t , or who more rpspects ; well-merited distinction thau I tip ,- -I claim at this meeting the privilege , of a citizen of England , who has interests to be protected , aud opinions to deliver , as wol j as those brave , patriotic , ansl intelligent . gentlemen whom I now see cong . regated anmnd me / ( Hear , hear . ) No circumstaiicej save one , should ever hayfe iniluced me to trespass upon your time , or to depfirt from- that : deference to age and -superiority' which I have always hitherto observed : I \ o circumst-. uire , save one , should ey « i have induced me to ' adyniice from tliat retirement , or
to violate that modesty which has thus far been the chief distinction ofmy humble , lot ; but , sir , there is oHu .-circuin ' ' uce , which' outweiglis all ' ¦ ¦ others , ' that 1 am able to put in ' tiie " . opposite scale , and ¦ which now compels me , bowewr unwillingly , to stand forward in the rniiks of Briti ; ii freemen , and to proclaim to the men of Leeds , mid not to them only , but to everylove ' r of I ' reedoni and justice -throughbut our famed dominions , that 1 am a . freeman ¦ of-England , having in iiiy breast a heart that bunis with a love of liberty and justice , and that : 'I can nolonger tacitl y submit to tiie insolent dictation and- the oppressive misrule of a Goyeriiinent that acts . only lor it ' s own private emolument , alike regardless of the happiness or misery of -those whom it is ordained to
govern . ( Loud cheers . ) Such ; ,-sir , are . my ;¦ feelings , and such they loiig have beeir , though -never until now ,, at a public meeting , liave 1 vuhtnred ; tu put forth a breath of what were my political sentiineuts . But I cbuli no longer withhold tliern , Plunder and injustice , administered by the haudfT of the Whig Ijovenmipnt , have spread their fell destruction to such an extent over a tame and . industrious people , that they have at Vast forced t ' rom tlic shades ot peaceful retirementttiu huintjile . individual . ' who now addressers you , and , with a determination read y to adopt tin * most desperate resolves , have compelled him to lift his feeble voice jm : th " e loudest execration of tlint policyAyh ' ose end ' . must be . the everlasting rviin . and . disgrace of a worthless und contemptible
faction j and the still further , and las ' ting oppression of anation of frei'inen who are iu reality i » a condition little ' better than that of the weakest and most degraded slaves . ( Henr , hear . ) Oh , sir , that I should be compelled to say thnt Englishmen are slaves , is a circumstance which I cannot , sufficiently deplore , but to deny that we nre in a condition little bettiir than . that of slavery , jjvheri the fact : is so obvious and so universally felt , were not only the mealiest " of folly ,. but the basest pf crinies * ( Cheers ' . ) ' [ Mr . Templeton here read his resolution ' which related to Canada , and which was respondud to with three cheers . ] He continued : —The aftairsi . of Canada as you nre well aware have for a length of time past engrossed a share of the attention of ' Government '
W wle' however , we are , ready to admit the truth of this assertion , it is necessary that it should be qualified by the addition of an expletive sentence namely;—that though the affairs of Canada have engrossed a considerable share of the attention of Government , it has been with just the same amount of attention that all other measures of impbrtahce have ; tlnitis , just as much » . $ would protect the in . tt-rt-sts ol a few Capitalists , and oppress the millions of linrd working moil who llavc nothing to depund upon but their labour , and no other sources of enjoyment , s : vveVthose which they are able to rnike for themselves >> y their arduous and unceasing toil . ( Cheers . ) And now , sir , after all the attention which'Government in its kindness and wisdom has bestowed the
on question of " . Canadian grievances what is the result to wliich it has ttfriyed ? ¦ Wliy ' sir , it is neither more nor less than that ; th «) se very men , our friends and relations , who have been : So long subjected to the most galling opprtfi-sion , sHpuld now be- coerced into subjection , by the hired sons of England , for thus daring to maintain those right . s which have ' alrcady-beeu granted them by the British Legislature . ( Shame , shame . ) Yes , sir , lor thus presuming to exercise their constitutional . ' privileges they are to be murdered by wholesale—their houses are to be burnt—their estates are to be confiscated , and those abodes of peace and contentment' which have witnessed tho sweetest enjoyments of social intercourse are to be levelled ill the dust , or handed to the ossession
over j ) « f Boine grnspirig maTnmonist , who . has ' evinced' his loyalty by tHirsting forthe blood of the unoflendiiig and iudustrioua artwaris of the country . ( Loud cheers , miiifled with groans for the Wings . ) In the language of the resolution , then , we deeply regret this war . W ^ hate war in aiiy shape , and in any country . Peace is pin- motto ' . ; but we can only love that peace which is founded in justice , and into which commercial prosperity and domestic quietude and ha i-piness must enter as the necessary and most essential ingredients . ( Cheers : ) Of all the miseries that afflict the human race , war is at all times the most terrible . ( Hear . ) Look at the scene " of blood ; and when you have beheld the mangled corses of the slain , and listened to the wailiugs of those who have been , deprived of their best and dearest friends , tell me if war ia " : & thing to be desired
.- —( No , no . )—tell me if you are willitig to toil and sweat to pracare the nieans , riot only of mnrdpringyour fellow-subjectflybut I , iiayalsosay , your fathers and moth » rs , and bfethren and sisteiyi and children —( hear , hear ) - ^ -who hare committed ho crnne , save the crime of asserting their own rights , and who have done nothing to merit such a treineB- * doas calamity , save joining with you in desecrating the lawless deeds of an unprincipled faction . ^ aivd in uniting their voices with yours iu your , deniands for umversal freedom ? ( Loud cheers . ) 1 ) 6 tqu then rejoice at tins calamity ? ( No , no , ) I 8 ita matter oi delight , or ev « u of nidifferericetei you that your trans-atlaiitic brethrenivre \ mth % in tlieir gore ' and groaning m the agonies of deatK , adminwtered by the hand of the Whig Gbverament , who hivve made such la \ ish promises of reform , and given such loud and reiterated assurances of their love of constitu-
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yertial 8 h pwe * ef j , pi ^ Sc \»^ SSS ^ Jj ¦ . Si des ^ etiv ^ stoi ^^ viBtJ ^ S ^ ra f ^ OKestfruitepf ^ tumnniirfstertfce deSest uS « tlie . Parth verge from h « r ; iorbit Vaud ^ tKI ashamed to beholl ; # edeeds of i ^ WSiS / S fej ^ rfng ^ esi . ( C ^ nnedeh S g ^ Sfj /' f ?\ shmen rejoice at ; the murdler of thlir bre « h > r Engljshmen . ' -for , such ar « the Canadi ^ bhdJEnghshmen rejoice at the ; daughter ofC who ^ have descended from the san « j-: ancestors , who fP ?? , * ame language-, nhd in yrhose hearts Will be foo » d the same ; sympathies ! No- soooer shall pur hearts be nven from oxir . breasts , and < rar arms he severed and powerles * in the dast . ( Cheers . ) We do « nen regret this war ; * ud we reffretitbecanse ^
were we ever so : wiljj ng that it should be- puos *» cuted wekcowrvery wellthutas » nation vr « A hav < j riot the means , ( Hear . ) Have we not think yoa a burdenof taxation sufficiently . heavy to bear / witnputmcreasingitby hiring men to / cut tlte throats , or Wow out the braitisof our bsethern in eanada ? ( VVe have . ) Areyouvmen of Leeds in snch prospprous and comfortable drcumst&nces , that iou are winuig topay ^ 2 or £ 3 per year : for extra fetioii lor this' wi . terual and iniquitous purpose ? ( N ^ - ' no-: ) Are . you ^ yilhug to sanction by your aid this wild and , impracticable scheme ? ( No we neveir will . ) fii y «? i 5 ' •* eft x ho P and pray that the next st « p the ^ Whig ^ ovornment will take , may . be to send two or three thousand soldiers to force you every bne tocrossthe . ; Atlantic , and there amid the honurW pithe bloody contest , and the ffreaterhorrnrj « f kr .
inhospitable climate , Compel you to ii ^ ht for ttw honour and glory of the Whigs ^ and the eternal disgrace of your country . ( Hear , hear . ) Stranger us 1 jim amougstjrou , I hope better things of the men of . Leeds . But , sir , we also regret this war because wd have iio moral riirlit ; to coerce th > Canatlians . Tha right of conquest is only a physical right , and is founded upod the very irnne principle as that law would be which would allow any of yon to knock down a fellow citizen , and rifle his pockets . . ( Hear , hearO -Tlie ' ru is in reality no manner of difference , so far as the abstract principle is concerned , between one nation conquering another untibii . and one man overcoming another man His the inere law pf force-. without tiny moral consideration ; and if the Whig government ¦ ''¦' ¦ appeals ' to the law of force , the Canadians have a right to appeal to the same Uiw . ( Hear , tear . ) And you !
men ot Leeds , men of Yorkshire , men of England , have equally as good a right to force the Wliigs to grant you justice as they have to force you to submit to their government . ( Cheers . ) Uut dp we talk of the morality of the Whigs ? May heaven fonnve tis '¦ for . ' such a prostitution of the term morality . ( Loud laughter . ) And may : heaven -. grant that you may . - . never imitate their exa 7 nple , ( we never will , ) for they ar « in actiou the meanest cowards , and iu : ojlice the basest , and most crawling shiver ( Loud cheerts . ) .. Uut , sir , we . regret this v ar stalliiiortj ,. because if it were a tiring to l ; e desire ! even if we had n moral right to coerce the Cmitrijiins v we have not the power , if they rhdwu to : ia determinedl y ; a . nfl « ve ' n su ]> posin £ f we had the power lt . wynld . be productive to . us of " no real -advantawp .
( Hear , hear . ) We have not tin- power to coerce the Canadians . They are a Lardy people , who have been accustomed to every species-of . toil and privation , _ aud who being weli * acquainted with every fas tness in the country must have an 'iufiiuite advantage over . British soldiers . They nre , moreover , well ¦ accustomed to the use of the rifle , and can mark their . victims-withdeudly aim . They willbe assisted too , by thousands from the States ^ who will re adily join them in the contest for fniedo ' in- ; i ; nd thousands uiore will furnish them witli money and every kind of ammunition they raayreqnire . ( Hear , hear . " ) On the other hand our own troops are mostly raw and inexperienced ypung men , who , however brave or however . - well disciplined they may be , are yet initried in the field of buttle , and will be ill able to withstand the fire of Canadian
riile-Tiiej ) , and still less able to endure the inclemency of a Canadian winter . . ( IIear , hear . ) And shall wo-then send the brave sous of England to ^ p iU tlieir blood and sacrifice tliwir lives to atone for the tp-iinnj' nnd inisrule of the Wliigs ? ( Cheers and cries of N 6 , no . ) Shall w .- add millions of money to that debt of disgrace which . already burdens us and for no other purpose than merely to show to the world how far Knglishrnen will taniely allow tiie Whigs to disgrace themselves , and impoverish the country ? ( Cheers . ) Of all the silly and absurd propositions that ever were put iprtis , there never \ y . is one so r idiculously absurd and so fiendishly inischieyousr as this . ( iJ ear , Lear . ) Men of . Leedir , I cnll upon you as you love your couutry- ^ I call
upon you ass you love your homes and your lives—I call ujiPu you as yon love those liberties for which you have struggled so nobly and so-lone , to lift up your voices in united execration of thu base , cowardly , and inexpressibly unprincipled conduct of that Government which , regardless oi every principle of honour—regardless of every feeiing ot humanity andof every sense of right nnd j"i 5 tice--regardles 6 of thosi * miseries which you now kuHer , and oi ' thbse which you aw still likely to suiVer in consequence oi this base attenipt to tyrannise over a free people- ^ l call upon you by every principle of : action thatcan inspiroyou with . emulation in ppposhig this matchless tyranny—I call . -upon you to execrate the uaine of that government wliich thus seeks to snoport itstlfnot onlindire
' y ; ct opposition to every wish of thepf'oplej but also in destroying the liberties and in wading through the blood' of those whom by every principle of honour andljustice niicl ' . humanity tlioyjire bound forever to protect . ( Tremendous cbet'ii which were continued for a length of time . ) Air . Chairman , my resolution contains two other particulars on ¦/ which it was my intention to speak , but I foar I havw already trespassed too long upon yourpa-tienco . ( No , no , and cries of go on . ) Sir , you , will ¦ perhaps ' , .-further- allow ine to repeat the terms of' ¦ ttie -resolution , " That we rejoice at the noble , heroic , and' independent spirit which , the Canrtdiah * have inainfested in " their opposition ¦ ti ' the nnconstitutiousl inteiferehce of the British ( rovernment f and that we hereby plerlge ourselves to oppose any uieasure that mny be proposed by any Ministry for coercing the Canadians until their real
g-nevjihces are satisfactorily redressed . " ( Cheers . ) Yes , sir , we rejoice at their noble spirit ; and we pi-ay that to whatever hardBbips they may still be subjected , tliat spirit maybe still-as noble , still as heroic , still as iridependeut . ( Cheers . ) Arid we will support tliem—( Clteerii )—and let the Whigs , if they like , indict us for ' ¦ '•' treason , still we will suppovt tliem . ( Cpntinned cheers . ) Have not many of us in that country those who are dearer to us than life ? Have we not there our triends and relations , with whom we have enjoyed the sweetest interchanges of social affection , and in the delights of whose society we have . esperienced the highest earthly joy ? ( Hear , hear . ) Have we not there our fathers and mothers ^ and brethren and sister *? Aud how do we know that uome of thein . are not now dying tinder the tyranny of the Whigs ? ( Hear , hear . ) There , sir * are my father , and my mother —( hear , heal)—there
are »« y brethren arid my sisters , for in iingland I am an orphan aud a , stranger . ; ( Hear , hear . ) There , sir , I have father whose heart burns as ardently with the love of liberty as did the heart of a Wallace or or a Briice . ( Hear bear . ) There I have a mother who : taught her lisping oftspring to Bing the praises of heroic virtue , aiid to execrate the tyravt ' s deeds . ( Hear , hear . ) There I have ; brethren ' and sis whonvl } iin bound by th « closest ties of paternal affectioii ; and shall they die by the hands of the Whigs ; while I look . tamely on the scerie r ( No , no . ) Shall their groans reach ; tiie ear of . Heaven , andmy voice and my : arni not be lifted up in their defence ' ? Shall they be parted from each other ^ and severed from the world , while I , like a base coward , heave
upt a sigh for their sorrows , nor echo the triumphs of their Weeding glory ? ( Loud cheers . ) Oh , ye W'higs ! --take me and imprison ine—take me and torture me on the wheel or on the rack-r-take me andmurJer me , as your minions murdered theinnocerit" and defenceless inhabitants of St . Denis-T-stilL shall your name be hated while the Canadians are loved—still shall the surviving sons bfireedom raise tlieir voices and their arms , against you—still shall th * darkness of your deeds hunt , like blood hounds , your guilty conscienccs-naudstiu shall Englishmen hail , With tho loudest triumphs of joy , the dawn of that morn tliat shall proclaimahe independence of
the people of Canada , atid the everlasting ruin And disgrace of the base arid despicable Whigs . ( Tremendous and deafening cheers . ) Yes ! And when our tongues are silent , arid the sounds of our voices are heard no more ,- ^ hen our bodies aw stretched ? e coldness ; - . of death , ^ and our arms lie powerless in the silence of tiie graye , —posterity , ha > irig learned pur principles arid imbibed our spirit , shall liveiif only to hafetherh , and seek revenge for the blood of their fathers . JMr . Templeton , after proposing three , cheers for the freemen of Cauada , retired , anudst the loud arid ¦ ¦ ' continued approbation of the meeting . ] / ' . "¦ ' . '' - ' ,- " ¦ . ""' . ''¦'' / ¦ ' -
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/ ' " lE ^ 'Bpl-yw , f i . \[ TQ EARL STANHOPE . My Lbrdj-rthe Diike of Sussex on the 27 th of Npyember , 1837 , said in the House of Lords , the New / Poor Law Bill ¦ was a great boon to the poor of this country . How dukes are deludedy and . good labbarer ^ old . spldierB arid sailors , and their fariiilies , are treated where the New Poor Lawis said to work ¦ well , the following facts ^ ( which cau ihe proved on oath ) iwfllshoWi / : ¦ . : ¦ ., -- - , ;/¦ .-.- . , ' / .. /¦ : . / /• : ; ¦ : V ; JPirstrfr-rA good labourer , iwhp has been a sbldier , with 8 . wife arid three children / under nine years of age , yrnp could not ^^ get employment appKed to the Board ,, of G uardians , who asked him if he could Tiot get ' credit , < fec ; and after by- ' . the parish q flifcers he was ^ forcedtb take his ^ wife and eldest ' -sirl , ^ eight years old , ^ and pick stonesI off the land . With great exertion ? , all weathers , three just earned bread erionph
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^ l ^* ^« iv ^ them from starving , witu ^ fettitt ^ creditftv a Kttleinore than they ceuld ^ eafe ^ fo ?^ w ^ eks . ^ fterjhi ^ je goiter ^ worif ^ oeing wtot by tae acre / HiBwrfe and himself w « wlc « d early arid : late , and in £ ye weeks earned 40 s . lldif that isi 8 st f - ^ P wee * with -vrhich they maiB ) feined-ft » family , and paid the few shillings they got credit hT A " ef ^ s ne had no work nor wages * andi wfieit hlhE ^^^^^^ Board . theyasiedhun ^ Ko 5 nW ? V - ^ the mo ne ; r he J had / earned ; for S ? bS L }* j ? T $ h ktld » gk they had aike * g -
- Thi » ihan served ; his comitry 14 year <^ ««« , f '* , ' i # ipj ^ fessi the Dike ; of We 3 luigton , : Wa » at the stormingtf Ska Sebaatia ^ . cfe cy and was ab road most part " rfiS " jmej -in ^ cVhe served his c « uritry mW qJarS ^ J the gleb ^ Europe , Asia , Africa , and ^^ AmericS always maintaining a good ^^ character , an # S ^ he cannot get employment ^ he has an offer to be sent into the prison workhouse , with : all the hofrorsoT impnsonBafint and halt-starvation ,, or stay out an * starve ^ as ofle . of the independent labourers ro ^ much boasted of by Lords Brougham , J . RusseU , and
Secsmd - ^ A good laboiirer , and- an old marine wjtu a wife-and five children , lost Ms employment because his master had no more thea abont onemonths work for hirn after the / harvest of 1836-wjilked ^ many , milw , but could npfr get ariy otherrelief than an order to go into the prisan workhouse Alter being ; without work , wages , or- relief for six weeks , he wag forced to go in , where they were separatedand half starved , and his wife foaiid and sawhow badly the poor women were treated when they W : , ; ., * f : ° 9 d disagreed with her and h <» r }) oor children , and , together with the crael aridirksome traatmentthey received , they could riot endure
it more ttian eight days . T'his poor woman Wa 3 nut to bed . about one month ; after , and the Board then allowed . them about Jib . of flour each day , and about a halfpenny each per day in money , for thrwr weeks , and lip moreJ and theu for five weeks no allowance whntevef r By making a fewmats with rushes , &c , and ^ seAhng them , this poor man got enough to buy 281 b . of iVour , which was all these seven persons had , to live upon for twenty-one days , up to the 24 th of February , 1837 , three ounces eact per day , . anjj at . the ekid of that time the Woman had uo milk for her ' child , which xyas then wasting and dying for the want of it : in shorL th * wiioi * . < -am ; r ^
wenfallbutstorvedtp . death . : r J Some time after this , being teased arid worried to go to Lancusliir .-i , Yorkihire , or America , he choosa to go to Aiiiertca ; and this , was called a voluntary consent : when the man splemnly declared he wa * driven to do this-by the hatred of the Bastile and the horrors of .. starvation , and the fear-that he might br desiiair and desperaciorl be . driven to commit some hprnblc or ( ireadTul crime , as his mind was tortured \ fitk thu idea of hinmOf . hiy wife , and children * bejng so cvv-iflly treated , tifter serving bis country aT : i- ¦ nianiic ! on fniard a iuaR-of- \ var nine years with honour find credit , and obtained a pension , whicli he had tl ; e miriforfurie . to lose . Is tlus treatment likely to produce moral good ? What a moclery V ¦ M : ; rl-, under the Old Poor Law , this man would have been employed at eielit shillings per Week , at lesist , dtinhg the ; twenty weeks he was so crn ^ llr
treated , with which tiie -family could have had plentr ot bread , where they bad tlieir house and home , and were happy-. nuVJ consent in their native land ! Aow mark ! -Under the New Poor Law , which , work ' . * so well , tlus boon of elevated independeuce , so --Tnifcrously granted by the plniosophers , who say , 'It t . ns poor but honest ina : i could not find worklie 1 ; ec-w : ie a .. d-eb : isv . a ' . an . d degraded pauper , "' wliea he / had ftluwfulctaiute'liuai to / about the eight shiBliigs per week , . by tendering all thu labour lie and his finhily could -perlorm .. In fact , ' he had ariaht to hve / iii :-th « laiid of iiis birtli , till this infenuil lawtook it away , - . - -auA drove hi jn from his cotfas ^ e of cmt + nt and happiness in Ids nativ « land , to " seek that prutectiun in ; a ioreign coimtry . that was now dehiud him h ' eru !
1 bird . — -A good labourer , aged 50 , hasbeenasailor , will ) > i . v . ifeau ! Hbur-cliilf ! ren , could lipt get ¦ niore than five WL'eV * wor . k for 15 weeks . beJ »> r . < j ' -tliM 6 th ot June , 1837 , alfliougli the Board / of Guardians rccwninunded bim to go to / the , different " -railways , but riifusea to finilhiinany ruonoy to bear his expenses . He sol'l his . pie ; and borrowed what money he could to en able him to - travel , as lie did , above 200 miles to several railways , but he found more men : at all of them than were wanted , and ciime home a ^ r . m
disapupiiitiid , but could get no work or relief , except an prtier to go in'tp the prison workhouse , and by the irksome and cruel treatment there in two or three WLvks litv was forced out igain , svhen he fell so weak from bad living that be could not do a fair day ' * work for sonic time after . While he was in the workhouse lie saw ; a great deal of irksome cruel treatment practised " , as ' be and others believed , on purpose to drive them out again as fast as they were sent in .
This man liasservedthe country on board diffeir eiit . men-of-war 12 years , 'in the Agincourt ( 64 . ) the Pornpi"yJ 74 , ) Dragon ^ 74 , ) and others ; w ; as at i the taking of Martinique and Guadaloupe , and many othv ; r engagements , and ha ; s biieii always ready and willing to ; work-hard as a labourer , inaintained his good . characturf ., and ' given Katisfaction . But his heart is : now almost broken with such harsh lind cruel , treatment ; V , ¦¦ ¦ . " , , " ^ Under the old ' Poor Law , this poor man -would have had lo weeks work , at bs ., mating . £ 6- but under the practice of the new Poor Law he has had only live weeks' work , at Jfe . — £ 2 J ( K Thus thin boon , founded ^ ( as thi * ¦ philosopherssay ) on " eternal justice , ' lias first robbed this - -man of" £ 3 10 s . in 15
weeks , ttien of the little property he possessed , Which he &pentin search of employment ; and when all \ vas . gone , he beraine . a . wandering vajrabond , begging Ms way hoincv to his native place , and When he armed almost broken : hearted , what was " his boon of comfort- -ami consolation when he applied to tbe tools of the three he . irtless tyrants ? Vyhy , the bastile , ; with all the tortures of separation aud half storvation ; and , worse than all , hiinself , bis wife , and ; innocent children prisoners , without a crime , and by this law robbed of their liberty and protection > Who would not , like this -man , vow vengeance and swear eternal ^ hiitreJ against hii tyrants arid oppressors ? Etenial justice , indeed Was there ever a . greater mockery ?> .
Fourth . —A good . labourer , Wd has been a sailor * getting past hard- labour , with a wife , ( 69 . ) who is sickly and often confined to her bed for a long time , always obliged to get another woman to wash for her and take care of her , IJnder the old Poor Law used to be allowed 2 s .- ficl . each per week— -that is 5 s . per week , and sometimes , wlieii . able , used to get ' a fewdays' work , at 6 d . or 8 d . per day ,: which helped tO : pay his rent and tfrid them clothes .. - Since the NeW Poor Law , has been allowed ono stone pf flour an ^ 2 s ^ in inojiey ; pays ll ) £ d ; per wt-ek rent , and 6 d . per week for wasMng and doing for his wife , leaving fdd . only iu money—that is , 1 lb . of flour and id . each per day . In Mav . i 837 . he obtained
workatBrfnirday ( 4 s . per . week ) when the Board stopped Ms wholeallowance for t ' ne five weeks he was iat work ; and when ' this work w ' ss- done , he ; could riot get : \ vork » wages , pr relief , for the first week ; the railway officer would riot give him an order to apply to the Board ; but the second week he ordered lum to come nirie inilcs and back again , making 18 miles , to the-Board > although near 70 years of age , aud severely afflicted for years past , Butstill could ' work a lit , tliJ some times . Qne of his neighbours lent him a donkey , on which lift rode part ot the ^ way , and another old'rieiglibpur * (/ 4 , ) tin- other part , aa ' d thus they got to theBoard and back ;\ yliicli they could not have done at all without His poor wife lay and cried , day after dav *
lor iear of being sent to the -workhouse ; she says she > yould rather die than go there . All this thepoor old man considers very : cruel and severe , when he reflects on having served his country on board different iien-of-warely \ -enyears , the Ctilloden , 74 , the Bpm-r bay Castle , 74 , vras wrecked going into Lisbon \ the Britannia , Admiral ^ Thompson ; and was iu tliegreat battle off Gape St . Yihcerit , under / Admiral Sir John Jems ; was very ri ^ ar the Audacious , Commodore Nelson , when he took ; the San Joseph and San Kicholas , and camehome : in the Spanish prizej the San .-Nicholas . His clothing is all falling oif in ragfr arid tatters , he not haviug had one penny to buy clothes with since the Js ew Poor Law began to be
put into practice , . and has been nearly starved , as must be supposed from the hefore-mentibried allowance . But he dares not complairi for fear of being forced into the Bastile and treated worse , as au get wbnjd off ; when they . complain . ; If they prevail on any friend to intercede for them , and obtain any little extra indulgence for a time , a w atch is constantly over them . SThey . fire ' inarke'd , . and vengeance couws on them / after aitiriif , like a thiefin the night ; Hence arises the repprt , " The poor are well off ; they are niore obedient and respectful , more satisfied and . content .-. We hear -rio complaints ; the New Poor Law has worked well , aaid done wonders ; worked a great moral good among the pbpr . " Moral good f indeed ! Here is ihbclcery again J All those who kriow the real state of the poor , ' know they are
more eulleri arid subtile , arid reyerigeful feeungs are vmpthered and swellinff in their bosoms , and , driven by iuch barbarous crrielty , by ^ arid by , it ¦ willburst out with savage fury upon , their bfcnd and infatuated grants arid oppressors . " There is no knowing when ot where it is to stop , or how ihany irinbeent may suffer : with the guilty . ' Lord Brougham ^ is pne of ^ the foremost of these infatuated , theoretical philo ^ sophers , with his plans and schemes about useful knowledge , moral good , e ^ mal jnsticeV geifcraV happiness , . ; & c * ¦ ; TO p ^ v 0 ;; th ^" oottditipn "' - of -iai ^ ' "lower orders ^'' as he calls Oiciri ; ' atfd * thi * d&ctririi he is continnally prating /* n& prea ^^ washispracti . ce / Why ^ pmrioting'free trade | an 3 an unlimiied use of macaitiery , : &c . | ! and thouel last , not least , the New P « or Law , all of which * xe promoting a knowled ge of these injuries , moral
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1 l A . ^ .. i ™ / ¦ ¦ . ¦ ¦ ., ¦ . ^^ ^*" UIJJ - ^ : * >"' Wwi iii > irr ii € Hiiii ^ " ' sL ^^ LiiLLL ^^ - -- ^ ¦'¦<¦' - ' — ¦ <¦¦> ' - -
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Jan. 20, 1838, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct989/page/3/
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