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Northern Star (1837-1852), 6th November 1841, Edition 2 of 5, Page 4, "ROYAL," «L OYAL" LIBERALITYA LESSON FOR...

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    • THE NORTHERN STAR SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 6, ...
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      Ar00409

      Birmingham Important Delegate Meeti-Ng. ...

      BIRMINGHAM IMPORTANT DELEGATE _MEETI-NG . A meeting of delegates from _ranons towns in Birmingham district , was held in the _Cfcartisi room , _Treeman-Btreet , on Monday hut , when the following places were represented by _delegates and Birmingham , Freeman-street , Mr . _Richard _HwSonTSteettonse-lan * , Mr . _IfeP « 3 _Wednestrary _, Mr . George _Browningr Walsaa _, Mj . _JaSes Se _& _eJdiStoutbridge , _^ _- _^^ _g _*}**' _^ d Mr . Joan _Chacoe ; _BOstoa , Str . JoJa _Cigey ; C _^ _entrr , Sy lettcrj BromsgnMre _^ ditto , Warwick , _Jitio Tbe delegates assembled about « ne _Velock , when Mr . John Chance , of _Stoarbric \ ge » was called _«» _flte _okair , and Mr . _George White was requested i ©» _rf as secretary . -

      ... ... _theCHAUuus _immediataly « omme » eed business , and said that the present meeting was of the highest importance . He was surprised to find that some of the towns in the district , fead neglected to send -a _delegate , when matters of _swh deep Import were -to _Iw _^ _isonss ed . It was cot an easy cutter for a few « iea to > transact the business of the whole district . He nevertheless hoped that what they transacted 4 hai day would meet with the sanction and support of those places who had not sent representstives ,

      and that such tilings would be altered in future . _Tiey had now to _cooader the business for which they had assembled , which , according to the notice . given in the 5 fer , was to make arrangements for procuring Eignatares to the National Petition for 1842 , to nominate a candidate to represent the the counties of Warwick and Worcester in the forthcoming Convention , xad also to manage _ths _trasmess connected with the lecturer for the _distnet . He then called on the secretary to read the _correspondence .

      Mr . George Waits -then proceeded to read the letter * which be had received , all approving of the meeting , and signifying their ¦ willingness to abide _l-y the decision of the meeting . The letter from Warwick was signed H . A . Donaldson , and gave a cheering aeeeunt of their prospect * in that town-, that from Bremsgrove was signed Samuel William Cooper ; and from Coventry , signed David H & ines . Mr . _Browxikg _theught -the meeting had best commence "with the business connected with the lecturer . Mr . Cablet would prefer going into the other part of the business first , and take the opinions of the delegates present as to the state of their localities .

      Mr . J . Mason , having obtained leave from the _chairtnan , addressed the meeting . He thought that they lad better fiat see the amount of population in each place , and afterwards make a calculation of the amount ¦ ct petition * beeu required , when a motion might be _xade on tire subject . Tbfi CHi . _iBLM » . M wished to know bow many _signafares they contemplated getting in Birmingham . Mr . Davis stated they had got 21 , 000 signatures to fits petition for Feargcs O'Connor , but he thought that the necessary steps were not taken with , it , or it would iave been more numerously signed . He thought it Would be difficult to come to a definite number .

      Mr . Richard Thompson said that the petition ¦ mtoich was presented by Mr . Attwood had received SO , 000 signatures from Birmingham and its _neighbourhood ; he thought they might safely calculate on 40 or £ 0 , 000 . Mr . Fohbes thought they wonM get 4 , 000 for _Sfcourbridge , and by the _cooperation of the neighbouring -villages , would _probably get six or seven thousand mgmtvrea . Mr . Browsing said that they expected to get three thousand signatures at Wednesbury .

      ill . Cadlbt thought they could get 10 , 000 signatures in Bilston and its neighbourhood . They had Already made arrangements for that purpose , and had _Jittle doubt of procuring that amount Mr . e . Scholefield said that they had not yet _dis--caaed thai question at Walsall , he could therefore give -no positive opinion in tie matter . The feeling of the 'working men was favourable to the Charter , and he thought that 6060 signatures could be procured . A long consultation then took place , in which various -members of the association took part The population « f each place in the district was considered , and after long and calm deliberation , it was agreed that Binningham should be considered the central point for the procuring of petition sheets , and that each place should Kmit their money as _seon as possible for whatever _Jtoeets they required .

      Mr . Forbes moved " That 600 sheets and 200 head _bgt be Bent for to Mr . _Hobsoa , Leeds , and that Birmingham be the central place to which they should be teansmitted . " Mr . _Browjusg seconded the motion . Mr . Thompson _theught an amendment necessary . It 'would appear from the motion of Mr . Forbes , that Smaingham w & s to pay for the whole of the sheets ; be thought that each place ought to send for their own . Mr . Davis thought the amendment unnecessary , as ihey could send for as many _Eheeta as they had money remitted them for . It should be made known to the akb-secret & ries generally , that they should forward money for the sheets they required as soon as possible , ¦ winch would save the expence of carriage , as they could . get them ep together from Leeds , for a « tti » h amount The Chaibmab then put the motion , which was dried unanimously .

      Mr . Davis moved "that Mr . White as secretary to the _delegate meeting , "be requested to give notice _through the Star , that each place requrlng petition sheets should immediately forward their money to Mr . White , 39 , _UraMgrove-street " Mr . Cablet seconded tke motion , which was _xmaniza « _o * ly agreed to . A convemiion then took place on the method of _getting copies of the petition circulated through the « ountry . Mr . Davis informed fee meeting that at a club to which be'belonged , they made it a practice to collect JBB _& I 1 suns on their meeting nights , which were appropriated to the purchase of Chartist publications for « S * 2 _» ntion . ( Htar . ) Mr . _Sbowmxq hoped the delegates would agree to aebd for one tttou & md copies ef the petition . He was fejtoneted to vole for such & motion .

      Mr . SCHOLEFIELD , although not authorised , would lake fee responsiBility of supporting such a proposition ,, as he saw its utility . " Mr . Fosbes consented to the motion , which w & s put _sud carried unanimously . The Chaibkah then wished them to consider whe- ; ther they would nominate a person to represent the ; district in the forthcoming Convention . He thought ' that one of the main objects for which they had 3 && t ! Mr . Richard _Thompson then arose and said that ; he considered it necessary that they should 1 ave a bold [ sad manly advocate of their cause to fill the important : office of a member of the Convention . He begged ' leave to propose that ilr . George "White be nominated ; as a proper person to represent this district in the forth- < coining ConTfcBtioa .

      Mr . Pobbes entirely agreed with the _statements of "Mr . Thompson , but doubted whether Mr . White could ; l > e spared , as he considered him the main centre of the ' _movement in this district He therefore thought that Mr . Mason should be _nominated . Mr . _Beowxisg agreed with the proposition of Mr . Thompson . He thought that Mr . White or _Doctorli'Douail should be selected . He did not mind -which , as he thought them both capable of representing the ' _district ' ! Mr . Masos declined being put in nomination for Birmingham district . He thought that no man had the I same claim is that respect as _' ilr . White , who bad to j bear all the odium of their opponents of the _National Charter Association by the course ha adopted oa his arrival in Birmingham , and without whose exertions he : questioned _whether & delegate meeting would then _ba ] assembled ; besides , were he not put in nomination it would be trumpeted forth that he had not the confidence { sf the people .

      Mr . Davis highly approved of Mr . White , and thought him every way qualified to represent them in the Convention . He bore testimony to his _perseYer & nee n forwarding ths cause _. His . only objection was , th & t lie tnecgnt he could not be spared as they _fr _* _rt still a great deal to contend with . The otuet delegates present agreed in the nomination cl Mr . White . The Chairman ( after a few complimentary remarks cd Mr . White ) then put the motion , which was _carried xna & _imooslj .

      Mr . _BnowxixG stated , that & s several of the delegates present represented towas in Staffordshire , he thought it weald not be out of place if they came to a decision as to the most proper person to be placed in nomination for the counties of Stafford and Salop . ' Se then passed a wen merited eulogium on the conduct of Mr . Mason , and proposed him as a proper person to represent the Chartists of Staffordshire and Salop in the forthcoming _Convention . Mr . Scholefield seconded the proposition , and _coincided with Mr . Browning as to the fitness of Mr . Mason to fill the Important office . Mr . CiDLET supported the proposition and said it ¦ was the intention of the people of Bilston to support the election ef Mr . Mason . The Chat & kaM , in putting the motion , ccmplinented Mr . Mason on the high , standing which he held _Jn the esteem of the whole district The motion was _SBscimoosly _sxrd & d t _^ -

      The Delegates then agreed to adjourn the meeting to foot o ' clock , in order to allow time for refreshment .

      MEETING RESUMED . At four o ' clock the delegates again assembled . A Sarg * number of members were present to witness the _pirc _' fBrtiPf i The _Chairjcas stated that they had disposed of the | _» _-ftifT connected with the proposed Convention and the National Petition . The only remaining business was that which referred to the Lecturer . He should Bke to hear the opinions of the Delegates on the Mr . Cidlst stated _thnt the members of the Assoeiatian at Bilston , thought that the Lecturer did sot attend often enough , at his route was too attentive . 2 hev wished to have an additional Lecturer , and had agreed to increase their weekly payments . Their memtan wan increasing very , fast , and they wished to Jure * torture _ofteoer , if it could be arranged .

      Birmingham Important Delegate Meeti-Ng. ...

      Mr . SCHOtEFiE ld bad no doubt that if they tad the lecturer oftem a at Walsall they could increase their numbers very niTicb . Mr . ¦ Cablet lien gave a description of the coarse they tad-adopted at Bilston to extend their principles . A _fjtfw . pflrsever " ing individuals had surmounted all _diAcjltiae . He would _advia _* those delegates from places wher e 1 bej might be struggling up-hill to adopt their plan , _Mz . that each member _shoold take a ¦ ubscription card Vnd endeavour to get the ¦¦ _ittaiww of all who were favourable to their canse . Vs . Fokbks agreed to the plan bid down by the prevfe & s speaker . He bad witnessed its good effect The plan of subscription cards -would be found _highly _beneficial , as each person who gave a penny , should tee that a pin was pricked through the eard , and the parson would be expected to produce a penny for each ptn-hole .

      Mr . B & owkihg said that his constituent ! would give u much as they possibly could to the lecturer ' s fond , and wished to have him oftener . Mr . White explained the manner in which the money had been forwarded to the Lecturer ' s Pond , and explained bis ideas of what should be done in future . He impressed oa the delegates the necessity of being punctual in their payments to the fund , as irregularity caused embarrassments . Mr . Richard Thompson stated tint Birmingham had not only paid their allotted share to the fund , but had paid three weeks in advance , and would pay still more if necessary .

      Mr . Browning again addressed the meeting on the position of his locality , when it was agreed to establish a good Lecturer ' s Fund . A scrutiny then took place into the amount of money forwarded by each plaee , and , on an inspection of the treasurer "! book , it wu found that several places were in anear . After a long discussion , in whleh Mr . White , and others who were present , took part , \ h * following resolution was proposed by M * . Cadley , and seconded by Mr . Browning : — " That each place in the district be requested to pay their arrears as soon as possible , reckoning ten weeks from the commencement of Mr . Mason _' s services , that is , allowing two weeks contributions for coach-fare We also determine that the present system of contribution continue in force until a future delegate meeting shall decide otherwise , and that each sub-secretary be requested to be punctual in forwarding the required amount " The resolution was carried unanimously .

      Mr . Forbes moved—** That the present committee , consisting of Messrs . Corbett , Creaswell , Wilkinson , Hopkins , and White , be requested to act on behalf of the district , and that Mr . White be empowered to manage the business connected with the Petition sheets , fee ., to . whom all applications are to be made , directed S 9 , Bro « iBgraTe-stre © t . *" The motion was nB & almoasly agreed to . Mr . R . Thompson moved , and Mr . Fobbes seconded tke following resolution : — "That this meeting be adjourned for one month , and be again held on Sunday , the 28 th day of November , when every town In the district will be expected to send a delegate . " Carried unanimously .

      Mr . Cadlei wished to impress on their minds before they separated the necessity of each delegate exerting himself when he got back ; and if they found any of their committee men dead they should put living men in _their places , as a good committee was everything . A vote of thanks was then given to the Chairman and Secretary , after which the meeting separated on the most cordial terms . Previous to leaving the room , Mr . Browning said tuat the article in the _Norlhern Star , disclaiming the use of violent language , had given great satisfaction at Wednesbary .

      The Northern Star Saturday. November 6, ...

      THE NORTHERN STAR SATURDAY . NOVEMBER 6 , 1841 .

      The U Daily Bread" Plague. In Accordance...

      THE u DAILY BREAD" PLAGUE . In accordance with our promise , we this week give the " reply" of Mr . " Daily Bread" Hill to our remarks upon his anti-bread tax army of " empty bag ' bearers . Our readers will find it elsewhere , and will probably think it a very good answer to itself . There are , however , a few points in it upon which it may be worth while to say a word .

      It iB an old saying , * that the first blow is the best I half of the battle" ; and this Daily Bread" man seems to be & devout believer in the " saw . " He : knows the characteristic love of Englishmen for ** fair ' play , " and their hatred of misrepresentation or j falsehood ; and hence he opens his tirade with a _; smart volley about a censuring , " and " abusing , " and " misrepresenting , " and ultimately be charges us in the following paragraph with » direct

      falsehood :-i " It is utterly false that the words ' People's Charter * _i were inserted in larger characters than the words j ' Food Taxes , ' as you have set it forth . One of the ¦ placards in question is lying at the office of the Leeds , Times , and one at Mr . Heywood's , Manchester , that : those who choose to satisfy themselves by the evidence 1 of their own sight that the writer of the Northern Star ! has been guilty of a gross falsehood , may have the _op-> _portonity of doing so . " j Now , it may be all very fine for Mr . " Daily ; Bread" Hill to try to raise a 4 nst ; but we do not

      j \ ! ' ! intend that the cover of it shall avail him for escape ; ; er that he _pfoull blind with it the eyes of our : readers . Supposing our statement to have been in' correct or false , as he says it is , on this trifling ' matter of detail , that would by no meanB have 1 affected the main body of the argument ; it would 1 neither have made the Society more legal , nor the plan more feasible , nor the object which _| the plan was to obtain more desirable , nor the ¦ means of _obtaining that object less objsotionable . ; We might grant him all the bluster about M gross

      falsehood" in describing the kind of type in which the words " People ' s Charter , " were printed on the bills , and he would still be no nearer to the only useful object of bis letter—the disproving of our arguments against the character and tendency of his society—bat we shall not give him even that advantage . We retort upon him that the " gross falsehood" is with him and not with ns . We did not "set it forth" that the words " People ' s Charter " were inserted in larger characters than the words " food taxes . " We stated only that tke words " Public meeting , " " People ' s Charter , " and " by Mr . Hill , " are printed in the largest type that could

      possibly be got into the breadth of the sheet ; which statement Mr . " Daily Bread" Hill _knows to be true . It will not serve men propounding grave and serious measures for the acceptance of the public , to meet objections by this kind of shirking . The public are too wide awake . They see through every such artifice at first sight , and seldom fail to give the author of it his own name . Nor will the paltry badinage about the *• bulletin , " the form of which is so facetiously given , be thought more satisfactory . It is much more easy to cut joke 3 than to answer arguments . Mr . Hill seems to know this , but seems to forget that other people know it too .

      Like every other imp of faction , the "Daily Bread" man must have hifi fling at _O'Connor . He addresses his epistle to the ** proprietor" and conductors of the Northern Star . This he had no right to do . He had the means of knowing that the " proprietor" of the Northern Slar had no share in the remarks which we thought necessary for guarding the people against the "Daily Bread " trap . Why , then , this insolent and gratuitous dragging of " the great O'CoNnos , " and " the proprietor of the Northern Star" into the _bnsiness 1 It was not O'Connob , but the Northern Star that

      was to be replied to . The Norlhern Star had warned the people against an infamous conspiracy called the " Daily Bread Society "; it had assigned its reasons for its warning ; it had proved the character of the " Daily Bread Society" from the writings of its founder and advocate . Does the " Daily Bread" man show that _die warning was nnnec _«* _sary ? Does ha rebnt the reasoning ? Does he ward off the proofs ! Does he show that the extracts we gave from his own writings have any other meaning than that which we say they have 1 Not a bit of all this does he do—for the best reason in the world . But failing that , he does the next best

      thing for his own purpose . He tries to make Bach a splash and a splutter , and to raise such a dust and a smoke as shall enable him to " get away . " Hence the mighty bluster about the sort of type in which the words "People ' s Charter" and "food taxes" were printed on his bills ; and hence , too this cunning whipping-in of •* the great O'Connob _, '' for the purpose of leading off attention from the subject in dispute by- a stupid effort to be witty on the subject of _O'Coswob ' s proposal to the landlords of Ireland to improve their own estates , and the people ' s condition at the same time , by the small farm system . He says : —

      The U Daily Bread" Plague. In Accordance...

      " Perhaps _whilst on this subject , without being so _uncoorteousw to ask Mr . O'Connor how they are to obtain the _iand , adding , Don't you wish you may get it , " I might be allowed to inquire whether , if the land is divided into five acre pieces , and each _individeal has five children , it is calculated this will sub-divide into five acres more for each , or if they have discovered that _therawould _. then be only one acre for each ; moreover , if eaoh of these proprietors of one acre subdivides , it again amongst his five children , ! * the sins of the fathers will he visited upon the _ehiMren even to the third and fourth generation , ' in _» way that win leave very little land for eachV' ¦ • ¦ ; — - ; " '" ; - - ' _' - ¦ ¦ - No doubt the" Daily Bread : man thought this an adroit method of escaping from the question . We shall not permit him to do bo . The question is not as to the merits of Mr * _O'Conitob ' _s five acres farm

      system ; were it so , we should have little difficulty in meeting and exposing the M Daily Bread" man ' s puerile and malignant fallaoy ; but the question is of the merits of the " Daily Bread Society , " described by it own advocates as " an organised plan to break the law . " In respect to this description of his society , the " Daily Bread" man says : — "I never gave it that description . What says the title page of the book , ' Daily Bread , or Taxation without Representation Resisted , being a Plan for

      the Abolition of the Bread Tax ; ' tbat is what I called it , neither more nor _les _» , and probably this is what the Editor of the Leed * Times might intend , that is to destroy , to break up a bad law . * ° With regard to this opinion of the Leeds Times , it so happened that I addressed a letter to the Editor of that paper , to correct his description of the society , after I saw his phraseology was taken up by the Sheffield Iris ; but my letter was received too late for insertion the week it was sent , therefore I said it might be withheld as rather out of date . "

      Now , we care not what letter the " Daily Broad ' man may have sent to the Leeds Times and withdrawn . We infer his approval and adoption of thi description of the society from these facts : he had at his command a journal which he calls the "Bread Eater ' s Advocate and National Daily Bread _Society ' s Journal . " In that paper , the organ of the society , he gives this description from the Leeds Times ; but he give 3 with it no correction . On the contrary , he takes up the idea of "breaking the law , " and labours most sedulously to justify and enforce it . But whether he chooses to give it that description or not , the fact is not altered . The society is , to all intents and purposes , what the Leeds Times has well described it , — " an organised plan for breaking the law . " The *• Bread Eater's Advocate and National

      Daily Bread Society ' s Journal" is ( besides being in the teeth of the Stamp Act , an unstamped newspaper , ) an illegal publication , from the very fact of its being the organ of a " conspiracy to break the law ; " and Mr . " Daily Bread" Hill must meet and explain that fact , otherwise than by lying quibbles about different sizes of type , and about Mr . O'Cojwb ' s five acres farm system , if he intends any sensible man to run the gratuitous hazard of either belonging to his " Daily Bread Society" or buying or selling his " Bread Eater ' s Advocate . "

      We have looked carefully through his whole letter , and cannot find in it one effort at a reply to our _Btricturea , or even at a fair argument of the question of the Corn Laws , to procure the abolition of which he affirms this " Daily Bread Society" to have been intended . His first effort at argument is on the general Corn Law Question , and it is this : — ' " Are we to be prevented from obtaining a supply of food now , because Mr . O'Connor has for somo reason which he knows and which we shrewdly

      suspect we know , put his followers on a false scent , by holding out the hopes of five acres of land for each individual , and because another ' patriot' says that we ought not to ask fer a repeal of the Bread Tax , without embarassing the question with equitable adjustments between _fundholders and landholders I Can the inhabitants of the country eat the land 1 Will the produce which is to be yielded from these sterile soils , when reclaimed in the year 1850 or 1350 , feed the people in 1841 and 2 , or keep them from dying of starvation ! "

      This is the mode adopted by all the enemies of O'Connob . and the people . They hatch monstrous schemes for disorganising all society and then turn round and father them on him . The impudent and villanous assumption contained in the words "holding out the hope of five acres of land for each individual" is the same as that of his brother " Daily-Bread" man of the Leeds Times last week . It is the assumption that O'Connob recommends the forcible taking of the laud from its present proprietors , and dividing it absolutely as to proprietorship , iu lumps of five acres _eash amongst the poor . Now the rascals know that in no single line or speech , written or spoken *

      either by O'Consor or by the _conductor of the Northern Star , has any such doctrine _beon countenanced ; and it is conclusive evidence of the "Daily Bread" men being dead beat , " that they thus conjure up a ghost to combat with : not to say that fi it were even so , the argument is then unfairly stated , and the question begged . It is assumed , without any effort to adduce evidence , first , that the plan of O'Connob is a foolish one ; and next , that a repeal of the Corn Laws , under present circumstances , would benefit the people . Upon neither of these questions does the " Daily Bread" man venture to argue for an instant . He asks : —

      " Is it not recorded in the very paper which contains the attack upon me and the Daily Bread Society , that there are 19 , 930 individuals at this moment in the town of Leeds , whose average incomes are only ll _} d . per head per week ! less _lhan twopence per day ! Yet are there places in a still lower state of destitution even than Leeds . Out of this fcanty income of ll | d . the food tax takes at least 4 _^ d . It is as clear as the sun at noon-day , that not only would the effect of the abolition of the

      Corn Law be to relieve these individuals from the tax of fourpence farthing , but that it would increase the wages of the employed and give employment to the unemployed by creating a market for their labour in exchange for the food to be imported ; yet are several of the leaders of what they have chosen to call the Chartist movement ( though it has much more the characteristic of a Tory movement ) denouncing the repeal of the Corn Laws ; and here is Mr . O'Connor ' s paper censuring me for producing a plan by which they may be abolished . "

      Now , this is a very ready and convenient mode of settling things . There is a vast amount of poverty and distress in the country ; and Mr . " Daily Bread " Hill says , " IT IS AS CLEAR AS NOONDAY " that the repeat of the Corn Laws would remedy it all . True ; Mr . " Daily Bread" Hill is perfectly aware that in the Northern Star this position , which is to him " as clear as noonday , " has been disputed ; tbat arguments have been advanced to prove it untenable ; that it has been represented as a fallaoy which could mislead none but very fools , and would be advanced by none but very knaves . Aud of his conviction that these arguments were based on truth and could not be answered , we have the

      evidence in this paragraph , in which , instead of arguing the question , he assumes it all , and says " it is as cleab as hoosday" 1 J No better proof conld have been desired of Mr . Hill ' s perfect consciousness that Mb whole Bcheme is just what we have desoribed it to be , than this empty vapouring about " as dear as noonday . " To us it is " as clear as noonday " that the heads which can receive this as a reply to all the argument upon this question that has appeared in the Northern Star during the whole anti-Corn Law movement , must be as " empty" as the "bags" with which Mr . Hill proposes to arm his volunteers against the preventive service . In reply to our exposure of the worse than childish , if not infamous and devilish , project of a procession of ten or twenty thousand men . with u

      empty bags" upon their backs , to land corn ia defiance of the authorities , he states that his "Daily Bread" book was written three years ago—that it was published in March last-and that the contemplated mode of operation is now somewhat different , "because what would not have suited in March would in December . " It now appears that the corn is not to be imported by the society , but to be bought in the bonding warehouses , and " a formal demand" made for its _liberatf dn . > He denies tbat he advised , or does advise , any arming to take it ; but he does nottell the people how they are to get it without . They are , _forsodth , to make a formal demand upon the Government for the liberation of their corn ! We guess there is not in England so great an idiot as the man who could hare the slightest

      The U Daily Bread" Plague. In Accordance...

      doubt & 3 to _fhat answer would be given to Bucha "demand" . Mr . " Daily Broad" Hill says , that it would be irresistible—that the moral force of such a demand from one or two millions _offstarving people " would be such that a Government could not refuse it , " We have seen the Government of the ; very ; P * _ri * whom Mr . _"DaUy _Bwad _^ ' Hiu , eerves- _^ -the Anti-Corn Latvparty—not only _refusing the " formal demand" of one or two millions of Englishmen for their rights , but treating with absolute contempt all the wealth and influence of the Anti-CkJrnLawLeagu _* , theirbitof aParlianient to boot , and all the formal demands ( made in the « nly

      formal manner , that of petition and memorial , by the thousands upon thousands who have asked for a Repeal of the Corn Laws during their agitation ; and yeVMr . " Daily Bread" Hill would persuade us to believe him so egregious an ass as to think that a Tory Government , a Landowners' Government , a " Monopolist" Government , a Government consisting of and representing persons who ire bound in every way , both by opinion and interest , to uphold the Corn Laws , would concede that to the formal demand of one or two millions of penny subscribers ,

      -which an anti-monopolist , liberal , and reforming Government denied to all the bullying threats and all the coaxing suasion , of the most wealthy and most influential League ever formed in this country , with all their penny retainers , _—•** Daily Bread" men and all—to back them . This may pass with Mr . Hill for argument ; but we venture to assert that few other persons will bo consider it . It was so clear that the question would occur , " what must be done if the Government refuse" ! that the " Daily Brea 4 man could not pass it without notice . To this question he replies ;— ¦ ¦¦ ¦ : .

      " There is one course which perhaps might be right if we were refused , namely , to dissolve the societies , and give the Corn or . fljur in bond to all the destitute and hungry . If they choose to break the law and smuggle it out , I suppose the members of the society would not be responsible after , the society shall have been dissolved . If smuggling out was violating the law , I would certainly give my opinion that it was at least no violation of the law of morality for a starving man to break up the lair of the landowner , which locked up his own food . "

      Was ever so contemptible a subterfuge as this 1 How are the ' hungry and destitute to smuggle the corn out of the bonding warehouses 1 If it be not " as clear as noon day" that in the event of their formal demand being refused , they have nothing for it but to submit quietly or take the corn by force , we never saw a position that was " as clear as noonday . " He denies that his purpose is to advise an armed resistance to the law . And he says : —

      " Now , I have stated at a public meeting , and I repeat it , that I would deem it wrong to advise any other party to a course what I had not the courage to practice myself . I certainly would not advise the people to riot at Newport , nor any other port ; but if I had been so unwise as to stimulate them to such a course of action , I should have judged it proper to be there to assist them , and not have gone to Scotland to keep out of danger . "

      Here again is the assumption that either O'Connor or the Conduotor of the Star did advise the people to riot at Newport . Now why does not Mr . Hill give proof of this ! Why does he not adduce some part of this advice ? Either he read the Northern Slar at the period referred to , or he did not . If he did read it , he knows that the assumption here made is false ; and that so far from advising the people to riot , the Northern Star invariably deprecated , and used all its influence for tho suppression of the riots ; and if he did not read it , he must admit the insinuation to be indeed a truly villanous one . We defy this "Daily Bread" man or any

      other scoundrel in existence to point out one sentence of Editorial writing in the Northern Star calculated to induce a breach of the peace , or advising resistance to the law ; while we retaliate upon him his own charge , and convict him out of his own mouth , of the cowardly and murderous intention to bring tho famishing poor into collision with the armed authorities—to stimulate them to a physical defiance ef the law . — while heaimself skulked out of danger , and left them to be slaughtered . We take our evidence from this very letter , in which he tells his dupes ( If he

      have any ) that the " moral force" of their " demand " would be irresistible to Government—labours so to persuade them that no obstacle will be offered to their progress , as to induce the natural feeling of infuriated disappointment if it should ; and then proposes , in case of their demand being refused , to break up the Society , and give ; the corn to the poor and destitute ; who may break the law , and smuggle it out . Who does not see what all this means ! Who doesnot see that Mr . "Daily Bread" Hill and Mb compeers mean to work up the feelings of their penny dupes to a state of frenzied excitement .

      and then coolly to walk away , and say , " We have done all we can ; you must do the rest yourselves ! They won't give us the corn ; we declare the Society dissolved . We can't break the law , bat you may as soon as wo shall be safe ; and as the corn is safe locked in a stone bonding warehouse , and you are outside and starving , we advise you to go . and smuggle it . To be Bure , there are authorities who have it in charge , and these authorities are well armed , and if you attempt to take it without paying the duty they will shoot you ; but never miud that there is no moral offence in smuggling ; go and smuggle the corn 1 "

      To us it is " as clear as noon day , '' that this is the plain English of all Mr . "Daily-bread" Hill ' s talk about the " moral force" of tha "formal demand "—the breaking up of the society , and giving of the corn to the poor and destitute to smuggle ! But Mr . Hill affirms that he never intended his " Daily Bread" followers to be armed for resistance to the law . And we affirm that he has in this afforded the best evidence ' . that his whole plan is what we'have before described it—a deep devilish plot , to accomplish two things at once : to obtain a large thinning of the ' surplus population , ' by the musket , the halter , and the transport ship ; and at the same time to createa popular demonstration which shall intimidate the Government and oompel them to elevate the commercial upon the ruins of the landed interest .

      We refer to his " Daily Bread" pamphlet in which ho says : — " NOW THE WAY THE AME IUCANS OBTAINED THE SUFFRAGE , and exemption from heavy taxation , furnishes ns with AH EXAMPLE WORTHY OF IMITATION . The English landlords said to the Americans , * We impose a tax on your tea . ' ' No , ' said the Americans , 'we shall not be imposed upon _j we are not represented , and we deny your right to tax us . ' A cargo of tea was sent to one of their sea-ports ( Boston ) , and an exciseman was sent to collect the tax ;

      THE EXCISEMAN WAS TARRED AND FE 1-THERED by the Americans , and the tea emptied into the ocean , rather than they weuld submit to pay a tax upon it Here , then , toe see a practical way of abolishing the Corn Laws , and obtaining the suffrage . When the ship arrives at the destined port—or _» few days before—let meetings of the society be held in every town and city in the kingdom , and let her Majesty be memorialised to give an order in council for the abolition of the Bread Tax ; —perhaps she may hear and regard the cries of a famishing people , wanting food . The fruit of their own labour has been sent to purchase it , and who shall stand between a famishing people and their food ? If her Majesty shall yield the just rights of the

      peoplewell : but , if she should be ill-advised , and refuse it , a large number of members of society—aay tea or twenty thousand—should go down to the ship—marching orderly , ea & with an empty bag calculated to hold about two pecks or half a bushel—to procure samples of corn which belong ! to tile members of the society . It may perhaps , not be necessary , or judicious , to fellow the example of the Americans , by tarring and feathering the _Gojtom-Hottte efflcera ; stationed on board the vessel ; they wilt probably offer no impediment to the people _Obtaining _sMnples of their own corn ; but if impedimenta are thrown ; fai the Way' of this , and if those impediments are of a nature , which it if judged better not to remove , t & en the course is to refuse to pay the tax , and toempty the corn into the aea . "

      We _refei-toh \ i Bredi Eater ' sAdvocate _? pnb _^ _lished , not in March but ; in September * and we give again his answer to the objection , * That if the people took the ] corn out of the ship , or out of th , e bonding warehouse , by force , there might be loss of life /

      The U Daily Bread" Plague. In Accordance...

      " That the Corn Law could not be imposed without bloodshed , nor continued without bloodshed , Was not admitted as a reason why it should not exist ; for be it recollected there was Corn Law blood shed in Westminster in 1815 , and Corn Law blood shed at Peterloo in 1819 ; so that even if , it were certain that it conld not be repealed without bloodshed , it by no means follows that it should be suffered to exist . England Imw some ' noble 'Romans' who would willingly lay down their lives in such a holy _eausev- f : \ ' " ' ¦ - ¦ : ' ' : '¦ : ' -. - : ' . '

      Oh ! die baa sons that never , never , Will stoop tobe the landlord ' s slave * While _hfikvea has light Or earth has graves . ' * " When Barbarous sent a message to Marseilles that they _wertr to send him * six hundred men who knew how to die , the call was qntckly responded to ; nor wonM euch a call to Manchester be long unresponded to , though , ifc is hoped , it may not be necessaryil v _^ T' : ' . . ' : - We refer to ta < _iBe ; and to every other part both of the " _Dailj _^ Bread ? pamphlet , the Bread Eater ' s Advooaiet uD & Mr . Hill ' s letter in our columns of to-day , for proof that hi 9 object in the establishing of

      this society is to bring the people into collision with the law . We believe the society , even were it legal , to be useless and mischievous in principle , calculated only to produce an amount of destitution and misery—a perfection of social slavery , and of the rampancy of capital—even greater than now exists . We have proved over and over again , tbat this would be the effect of the Repeal of the Corn Laws uuder existing circumstances . We have proved , again and again , that the Repeal could benefit only the commercial capitalists . And Mr . Daily Bread" Hill has proved that he knows this ; for he has not attempted one argument in its favour . Shufflo and prevarication , falsehood and bounce , are the materiel of his letter . He asserts that the

      teachings of the Northern Star have filled the prisons with law breakers . He _knowa this to be a lie ; and were it tree , it would be no argument for his illegal [ conspiracy . He asserts that the conductor of the \ Northern Star wishes to see the people thinned by famine . He knows this to be a lie ; and were it true , it would be no justification of his advising them to march by tan or twenty thousand to defy the military , and to imitate the Americans , by tarring and feathering custom-house officers . [ By the bye , he forgets to eay that when the Americans went to Boston to tar and feather the exciseman , and to fling the tea into the ocean , they did not go armed with " empty bags " . ' ] He asserts by inference , tbat Fbabgos O'Connor advised

      the people to riot at Newport , and then went into Scotland out of the way of danger . He knows this to be a lie ; and , were it true , it would not justify his project for persuading a half-famished people first to believe , that a repeal of the Corn Laws would remedy all their grievances , and then to enrol themselves m the "Dail y Bread Sooiety , " and club their pence to buy corn in bond , in the confident hope that Government would let them have it duty free , or repeal the Corn Laws at their "formal demand , " and then coolly ; breaking up the society , while the fever of rage and disappointment was at its full height , and walking smirking away , with his hands in his pocketB , telling the poor dupes that as the Queen would not let them have the corn they might now smuggle it through the stone wall of the bonding warehouse . :.

      The more fully we examine all the evidences afforded to us by the founder and advocate of this society , the more fully are we satisfied that the whole thing is a deep , devilish scheme , to _servethe interests , and perfect the dominanoy of the " capital" men by entrapping the Chartists from an attention to their own affairs , by making more elbow-room for machinery in a large '' clearing off" of the people by the musket , the halter , and the transport ship ; and by raising each a disturbance and hubbub in the country , as , whileit compels the Government to immolate the landlords upon the cotton altar shall at the same time induce it to bind the mass of " rabble" more helplessly than they are even

      now bound . We see all that Mr . Hill says about his anxiety for the division of the land among the whole people—about his wish for Universal Suffrage , and his dissatisfaction with the "People ' s Charter , " because of its making no provision for the right of female voting ; but we have , in this letter , and in his other writings , such proof of his unscrupulousness in the assertion of anything that may serve his purpose , that we regard it only as the necessary gilding of the pill , which we again advise the people to spit out at once . Let the Charter , and the Charter only , be oar present watchword ; and leave the _^ Plague" men to fill their "empty bags with " their sunken hopes and frustrated projects .

      "Royal," «L Oyal" Liberalitya Lesson For...

      "ROYAL , " « L OYAL" LIBERALITYA LESSON FOR THE CHARTISTS . In another part of our paper will be found an admirable specimen of the consistent and manly character of Master Dan , as well as the best proof of the sore " mess" in which he finds himself involved by the spread of Chartism : we allude to a series of resolutions proposed by Daniel : — "At a meeting of the Loyal National Repeal Association , held at the Great Rooms , Corn Exchange , on Monday , the 13 th of September , 1841 , " accompanied by a letter from Mr . Secretary Rat , in which my Dear Rat" says : —

      " It is deemed of importance that you be pleased to communicate the purport of the resolutions as widely as you can among the friends of Ireland ;" We know no reason why the " Liberator" should not choose his own road out of existence ; and as he seems to prefer the common though Bomowhat vulgar mode , of strangulation , we shall not grudge him any length of rope which he may deem necessary for tho due accomplishment of so desirable a

      purpose . The report informs us that it was " Resolved—That Mr . Ray be instructed to write forthwith to the Repealers in Birmingham and other places in England , cautioning them against any species of connection with the Chartists , and begging of them to exclude all known Chartists from their meetings , and stating that otherwise they themselves must be excluded from being members of our Association , as we can have no connection whatsoever with the Chartist body . "

      And then follows a string of eight " reasons for excluding the Chartists from any communication with them , " the fourth of which is : — "That the base tyranny of the Chartists , in forcibly preventing the public expression of any popular opinions differing in any degree from their own , have been the means of securing Tory misrule and tyranny , by stilling the salutary voice of publio opinion . "

      From any man but Daniel O'Connell this would have been accounted a marvellously Irish sentiment . Dan charges the Chartists with preventing the expression of any popular opinion not consistent with their own : and this he designates as " base tyranny . " He describes this " base tyranny" as being aggravated by the support which he avers it to have given to the Tories ; and he forthwith exhibits his patriotic love of fairplay by a mandate to his " royal " "loyals , " on both Bides the channel , which out-Herods Herod , and leaves this same "base tyranny " of the Chartists far in the back ground : for he

      commands them not merely "to prevent all public expression of opinion"by ike Chartists ; but "to exclude all known Chartists from their meetings" , on pain of being themselves excluded from the "RoyaF _^ Loyal" legion— a pitch of " base tyrann y " which wo suppose was never attempted to be reachedby any but "the Liberator " . Why , what an objeot of derision is this _oldflabergasted hypocrite thus practising improvement and extension upon the very principle which be decries in others as "base tyranny "; and this , supposing him not to know his charge against the Chartists to be a base falsehood . But he does know it to be a base

      falsehood j he knowa that the Chartists , so far from "preventing the publio expression of opinion , " have made themselves fearedand hated by Daniel and bis Whig patrons , simply by their assertion of their right to " express publio opinion " , in _tpposition to * anti-Corn Law " , " general suffrage " , and other humbuggers , . who would have substituted for it the opinion of faction—a small fraction of" the jtoblio " . This fhe _ChartiBts thin ) c to be dishonest . They : ttink the " public expression of opinion " should express the opinion of "the public "; and hence the discomfiture of the various knots of mouthing " Leaguers" whom _Danisi describes as ** _Ra-4 ional Reformera " , and who he says have been _^ driven into _ellence" by the Chutists .

      Nothing like a _\^^\ fare ( b _\;; 'for ' ' . ' flie . nie «( ing of a storm . We question if even neighbour Mercury _fs _ablo to pnsh the " entire animal" to a _stiffer market than Dan has done in this instance . The

      "Royal," «L Oyal" Liberalitya Lesson For...

      Chart _' _its prevent the expression of public _opiai _^ Why , the very thing is too ridiculous to be _laughs at ! Aa though their great labour had not _been _f J prevent Dan and the Whigs from _represeatjJ themselves as the public 1 Thank God , _howj _^ their labour has not been m vain . We have in _ju manifesto , the acknowledgment of Daniel tint _^ Chartists have driven the leaguers , pteudo "Ratiow Reformers , " into silence—into disunion—into _apgu that we have " suffocated" their cause and _\^ pletoly" succeeded in putting an end to _aSfU Societies and Associations in England . Thigh least , an acknowledgment of onr power , _tbosgj is probable that the same quarter of an hour _tu

      find the "Liberator" representing these _eame _^ j midable Chartists , who have driven all the Wk and " Rational Reformers" Into silence , and br _^ up all their Societies and Associations in En _&& a 3 too small and contemptible a party to _^ notice ! This is not , however , his present _Utfct sail on . He sees in Chartism a power ag _^ which all the oily fraud of jugglery will be ia _^ exercised . And hence this flagitious effort to _jfj against the Chartists by falsehood and vitupent _^ their Repealing brethren . The worst fears of _bjj men are roused by reminiscences of Tory times , _« _,, they are instructed that to Chartist auspices _gj present rale of Toryism is to be ascribed , _becaoj " Chartists combined with Tories in the ft *

      elections . " We need only , in reply to this foolish _filw refer the Irish Repealers to ... » much better _frfy to them than ever Daniel O'Connell _*«„ the consistent , firm , and gentlemanly , Pin _^ _O'Higoiks , who , at a meeting of the Irish Uai . versa ! Suffrage Association , reported in ow i _^ rose and said that— -.. ¦ - ¦ ¦ " He would answer th 9 questions which werepttb the gentleman , whi > said hewas lfr . O'Connell ' _s & _W and a member of the Xoyal National Repeal Aao 4 tion of ' -Ireland , namely , ' Did the Chartists of Es _^ not show their hatred of the Irish , by-returning t _Xaj

      for Nottingham ? and by returning Tories in _^ place they had power to do at the late eledic * jj And was n _« t Mr . _O'ConneU * s plan of General _SoSoja superior to Universal Suffrage , and all other jlu _, ? Gould not the people go and vote in several pli « , jf Universal Suffrage were adopted ? ' To the first _^ tlon , he ( Mr . _O'Higgins ) would reply , that the _Charts of Nottingham took Mr . O _* C 6 nneIl's advice to the u _^ electors , which was , when they could _aot get a _piedpd Repealer to _< support the next beat The _Chartiiti England abhor the Infamous , atrocious Whig ht Law Amendment Act , an act which treats _ptmtttg

      a crime of greater magnitude than murder , _robia and rape , because a man guilty of the latter _shoekty _, revolting crimes , would be deemed innocent ma found guilty by a jury of his country , _whereu , oa tb . 9 other band , the moment that misfortunes dzh an honest , sober , good man , to seek en a temporary asylum in a onion _workhaoag , & head is shaved , and a felon ' s dress ia put en Mi If he has a wife and children , they are aU _sepuited , never to meet again , unless some good fortune _rIom them from the workhouse ; and in the event of data , which frequently and unaccountably happens in tbat

      dens of buman miser ? and suffering , thabodies Meg ™ np for dissection to some neighbouring hospital , t » young _snrgeons to practice upon . Now , the _EajM Chartists always looked apon this Act of _Parliamentu one of the greatest grievances of modern invention ; ud the electors of Nottingham knew right well that Mt Walter , of the Times , the Tory candidate , _vai to consistent opponent of this flagitious Act . Hi * _adnr _> sary , the Whig , was the advocate of that bill , ud tto Chartists ef Nottingham supported Mr . Walter , vt because he was a Tory , bat because he was _tiws * _siatent opponent of the Poor Laws Amendment At

      And even now , when the Tories are in power , la opposed to them , and will continue to oppoK _taj expose them , unless they repeal that Act _Wfl regard to the second question . The Chartists did not return Teries , as such , bat they did return Urn a some places on the same grounds , and for the nn reasons , tbat they returned Mr . Walter . Besides liny were so foolish as to return their own friends , who ever they could do so , in opposition to both Whig ml Tory . The plan they adopted was a very judicieu me , and one which we should fellow at our election ! . Hkj made the first offer to the Whig candidate to « p 8 their votes with him , provided his friends would _sjfi with the Chartist candidate . 'Begone , ye _toteh-oi dagger men , you midnight assassins , ' said the Wbj

      Well , they made a similar offer to the Tory , who Hid , I do not like your principles , but you have a rightto be heard , and to send as many members as yon eu t > represent your views , wants , and feelings , in the Eon of Commons , and I will split with you . ' Tb & m & i this wise and sensible policy on the part of tho _ChirWa ia , that they have upwards of forty friends _udadro _cates in the present House of Commons , whereas they had bat three ia the _last one ,- and what is still _betiar these forty English members are pledged to extol the same rights , privileges , and immunities to Ireland , which they hope to obtain for England ; in tact , to treat Ireland , in every respect , as if it were sn English county . Does this look like hatred of Ii _& _ri ! ( No , no ) . "

      We cannot too strongly recommend to Ik Repealers generally , and especially those of MM this mild , rational , and conclusive reply to Sis raving of O'Connell , about Chartist support of Tories . Nor can the Irish RepealerB fail to _percarf , if they but let their judgments hate fair play , -that he must be a masked enemy to their « wse , wlio , under the guise of an anxiety for its defence , would bring its advocates into direct collision with a party so powerful and so well organised as he here represents the Chartists , when the snpport of that _puty might be had for it . Dan says the Chartists bin

      been strong enough to beat all the Whigs in England i that they have completely succeeded in puttiBgu end to all their societies and associations in En ? land , andin causing the Tories everywhere to _triumph over them ; he represents them as having done tii » in the teeth of the virulent persecuting _Wifc Government , while the gaols were crammed wiih their leaders and the transport ships were loaded with the victims of treachery and perjury ; be acknowledges that this powerful body are willing _wJ anxious to lend their aid to the people of Ireland in

      securing Repeal ; he knows that they have _ohiralrously wedded themselves to the cause of theirfeflo * sufferers in Ireland—have nailed their Repeal H upon their own mast , and made it part and parcel " their own colours ; and yet he— "the great . l « w in the Repeal movement , exhorte his followers i _» seek a quarrel with this formidable body—to s ? _tbeirproffered aid with insult ; _andinsolentlyttoeifc that as many of them as will not join him ia _^ base effort to betray their own cause shall , for _W adherence to principle and consistency , be braB _#

      as traitors , and excluded from his association ! It ib ever the forte of villany to be in _consisiert and is alwayB more or less allied to insanity . <* this , this same O'Cohnell document affords _eride _** more strong than we have often met mtb . _*" _' _* first seven of his eight reasons why all known 0 *" tists should be excluded from all Repeal _meetW he paints the Chartists : —• « __ Black as night : Fierce as the furies ; terrible as Hell .

      Every form of vituperation and abuse is J * _tM expended on them . They are affirmed to bo T ° worst enemies of Ireland—* the best friends 0 _^ Tory principle of _absoltitisni' _*— " making » P _* of being Reformers , but in reality being the « r active opponents of Reform . " And his ei / _jhA _f _»* is that the Repealers themselves are _aUGwrt" * This is the capping of the climax ! This is "ho * *•* cold with the same breath" with a _vengetf _^ . ; any other man it would hare been thoug ht _strat i bat from _Damibl noaght surprises up . _HeM ' _*"' does in this manifesto say that the _Repeafeni _»« _J . nil m _vo _& Hv * a vrnrh- nnk thf , Hftme _Driocipl _^" win _¦» W _» »• _¦*¦—¦ ¦ - _t hM

      * W _* V _+ _W _*** J _»^ _r _w _*»»« w _«« w -.- a , ; , _f Reform with the _ChartUts _^ _SThiwn ne _BrenoW described as enemies to . _JkUiEefonD _. attl : « JJ worst enemies of _Ireland-aipersoas _wftliwlcB _^ " peaceable , imjH _^ mm _i 0 }< _yMW _^ of Ireland can have no _connection . " _^ _w _^ , wide meet seldom but in Daw j y ** ¥ _* are in full exhibition , a !» dth « _^^* _^ 'J read this document and hot see fiom . _fom _* is just the thing of which Das _feaaitt _^*^ plishment , must be much duller than * _j _$ f ¦ find Irishmen to be . ' ¦ "' ¦' ¦ ' A ** We wish for no better or more _« Beerfil 2 _jTj that Dan ' s "day is come , " and that he K _»^ than is afforded by this document . ; It * _^ _"J _^ _Jif floundering of a stranded _whale-the _togfat the political curfew Which shall pot out Wr _^ Dah ' s greatness , and leave his _vm _^^^ of all grateful recollection as hfclifefr _^ _'p ud his character of principle .

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Nov. 6, 1841, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_06111841/page/4/