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Northern Star (1837-1852), 6th November 1847, Edition 2 of 3, Page 4

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      The Following Description 0* The Meeting...

      kkrxkrx Star used to go away on Saturday with » TJs > TJs from John Ardill for payment of wages , bhoufaouts of * Shocking . ') Well , when the printer has nne aie away without money , I have taken a hag of aanepney on the same day to pay into the bank , pi pay deposits on railway shares for John rdilrdill . ( Groans and shouts of « Too bad- ' ) But , my uiendends , if you wish for a proof of this man's honesty , Ull gil give it you , and Mr O'Connor never heard of it ifcfowfore . Ardill ' s expenses were always charged to fctr Or O'Connor when he went to Leeds upon his own aasimsinesa , and I find in one instance this charge : — IRaRailway fare , £ l . Cab to the station , 2 s . l 0 d .. ' liowfow I was the cab- ( great laugater ) -aHd I earned lib ih lugeage to the station , and walked there with

      iiiimiim ; and whea a man will wrong his employer of Ihillhillings , you may be sure he won't stop at pounds . " SI' Shame , shame , shame . ' ) Well , Mr O'Connor has utpptppealed to me as to the charge of his falsifying the Hoabocfks . I admit that the books are falsified loan itmomount that no man can tell , but I am also prepared iio sio swear upon my oath , that there is not one figure or » ne > ne letter of Mr O'Connor ' s in any book connected fwitwith the accounts of the Nobihebs Stab from its CDoncomtaencement—( vehement cheering and waving of fiaataats)—and I am also here to say , that amce Mr If / flyConnor entrusted the accounts to me not a man coomoncected with the establishment has ever left the lofnoffice on Saturday night without his wages in full—([ cUcheers and' Bravo * J—and , let me tell you , that ' s no [ Hnsmali advantage to a working man . Well , friends , iit it was their custom to sack every man that knew any-Ithithing of their doings , and when Ardill was turned off

      Ihehe wrote a letter to me , and said , « Tell O'Connor Iriuthat you'll leave him if he doesn't rise your wages . |( G ( Groans . ) He knows that his nephew can't keep the I bobooks , and tell him that you are offered a better situlatiation on the Railway / ( Tremendous sensation , " sf shame , shame . ' ) Well , I am happy to tell you Iththat I never asked Mr O'Connor for arise in my 'wnrages , ashe doesn't wait to be asked when he can ; afiafford it , bnt that he has rose it twice this year with eneut being asked . ( Cheers and shoots of' Bravo . ' NNow I have told the truth , the whole truth , and nt nothing but the truth , and what I am ready to swear tc to in a court of justice , and I am ready to answer aiany question that may be asked ot me . ( Shouts of ''' Well done , ' and tremendous cheering . ) A person on the platform rose and asked why Mr H Mr llider hadn't communicated those circumstances it to Mr O'Connor before ?

      Mr Rider replied : 111 give you three reasons . In t the first place , nothing could shake Mr O'Connor ' s c confidence in these men ; in the second place , he z never would listen to any complaint from one man of a another in his employment ; and the third was . that 11 was a subordinate , and it might appear as if I was I looking for their situation , and I ' m not a man of t that kind . ( Loud cheers . ) Mr Johnson asked Mr O'Connor whether he coald t tell when the Land Plan was likely to be enrolled * Mr O'Coxsob replied that it would be registered \ when those men who had the greatest interest in

      1 having it registered had signed it . It was a monster c deed ; it would have 18 , 000 signatures ; and _ as soon a as the members chose to sign it it would be immedii ately registered . Then the whole of the property \ would pass over from Feargus O'Connor to the trus-1 tees : and then , thank God , he should dissolve into 1 the more delightful element of unpaid bailiff , and 1 have nothing to do with the funds . He addei ' , at a i further stage ol the meeting , that nearly all the shares ofthe Northern Stab had been paid in full , i and that if any man had a share , he had only to send it i in , in order to receive payment to the day at the rate 4 of ten per cent .

      Mr Surra" asked whether the Land Scheme was 1 the result of experiment or of speculation , —whether : it had been tried before , or in any other country , and whether it had been successful ? as if that question was answered satisfactorily , he , ( Mr Smith ) was determined to take out a four-acre share . Mr O'Consob replied that it bad been tried , quoad individuals , in every country in the world ; bat it had never been tried on the co-operative principle , which gave it double or treble power . He would give him an illustration . In Belgium , the usual tenure is a nine years' lease ; and there for one , two , or three acres of bad land , a tenant will pay £ 4 , £ 5 , and £ 6 an acre , and no house upon It-T Daring these nine years it may be almost considered a practice for the

      husbandman to save enough of money to purchase a part of his holding ' , for which he pays at the rate of £ 200 , £ 250 , £ 300 , and in many cases as high as £ 500 an acre . In Prussia , in Switzerland , in France , and in almost every country in Europe , except England , the small farm system is found to be the best -substitute for poor laws , —( loud cheers)—and in England , he would make the system more perfect thac in any other country in the world , because he vrould have theadvantage of co-operation , and the occupant would have the advantage of his bouse being in the centre of his allotment , while many foreign occupants live at a distance of one , two , and three miles from their labour field . * He went on to contend that the land was the most profitable thing to which a aian could devote his labour . Any person who staid a yesv on one of their allotments would not take X 403 for it at the end of the year . He would undertake that an industrious man . of moderate

      strength , would support his wife and fi «» children upon the best of food : and have £ 50 . £ 60 , or £ 70 , over every year , upon four acres of laud . A f tor some remarks on the value of labour , and some further observations on the manner in which the money was invested , A Wobkisg Mas in the gallery said , he knew a man near the Lancashire Independent College , v > ho kept himself and wife and seven children , and a servant , nn a single Cheshire acre of land . He was sow i'uilding himself a splendid cottage on it . He was * ith him on Sunday . That man was formerly . a spinner at Ancoats . He used to get 18 s . a week , but he would not go back now he is doimrsowell : in fart , he had a piece of beef m his table last Sunday " : t d d sight bigger than ever comes en my tabic . ( Cheer ? , and great laughter . ) Another man iu the gallery here shouted out , 'Here is somemoney : will you have it ?'

      Mr O'Coshob said he would have all the money they liked to send him . A third as-ked whether an application had been made for money to be returned , and it was refused ? Mr O'Coksor said that a letter was received from the No . 4 Engineers' branch , by the morning ' s post , the aioney sent the same day , and an acknowledgment ^ ? the receipt of it was received the next morning . The Skcbetakt to the branch , who stood on the platform , and said he wrote tbe letter applying for the return of the money , confirmed this statement . In answer to Mr Rawlissos , Mr O'Connor said , a member would be entitled to a-vote for the county about six mouths after the conveyance was made out -fie him .

      Mr RAWiKsoKthen rose to move a resolution . He said he had been an admirer of Mr O'Connor for the last eleven years , and was so still ; that he had been prevented from joining the Chartist ranks formerly , in consequence of seeing some of the leaders intoxicated on the platform , he himself being a teetotaller , and when be did join , be ms solicited to pay his money in Manchester , he said' No , he would entrust it to that man for whom he had the greatest resptct—that man was Mr O'Connor . ' ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) Those drunken characters , too , were no logger to be seen on their platforms ; the men who best advocated Chartist principles being total abstainers . Mr O'Connor had come forward to advocate and lay down apian for the working meo . whereby

      they could emancipate themselves if they would from their present position , and he felt it his duty to award his ( Mr Rawlinson ' s ) meed of approbation to him for it . He said he had had a resolution put into his hands which he would read . It was to the effect , that , in the opinion of the meeting , Mr O'Connor had most triumphantl y and satisfactorily met the charges brought against him , both as to his public and private character ; the meeting , therefore , rendered him their sincere thanks and most affectionate regard for his constant efforts to improve and ameliorate the position of the working classes , and for , at all times and at all seasons , amidst alt difficulties and dangers , having proved himself the true benefactor of his species . ( Great cheering . ) He begged leave to move the resolution , for he did think that Mr O'Connor had honourably met the -charges which had been brought against him from

      -a gentleman terming himself the ' Whistler at the Plough . ' Mr J . O'Hka seconded the resolution with great -pleasure , because there was a time when the working men of his own country , on that very platform , would have shed his blood if they could for advocating the very principles which their forefathers would have died for . Now , however , not halfa-dozen hands would be held up against him . He . ( Mr O'Hea . ) had seen the time when Mr O'Connor battled with the aristocracy of Cork , and turned his own _ relatives from friends to the very worst of enemies against him . They would now , however , welcome him te their bosoms wherever he thought proper to visit Cork agun . The Chaibman then put the resolution , in favour of which every person in the hall appeared to hold up his hand ; then ' the contrary , ' bat not a sineje hand was raised . The result of the vote was hailed with much cheering .

      Mr Rahkus said he had to propose a resolution , which he did with great pleasure , and , in reference to tbe fitness of those who had audited the accounts of Mr O'Connor , said they could look over a balance sheet as well as any editor or proprietor of any newspaper . He moved his resolution because he considered that Mr O'Connor , in all the legal actions he entered against any newspaper , ought to Ibe brought out of them scot free . The resolution pledged the meeting to support Mr O'Connor in tbe action now pending against the Manchester Exa * ainer .

      lit OauEsusB , sub-secretary totheNational Clar-. tee Association , seconded the motion , and said he ] felt sure that the Chartists of Manchester would tot ' . allow the opportunity to pass of giving Mr O'Connor ! their su p port ;

      The Following Description 0* The Meeting...

      Mr O'Hea wished to add the words ' and all other' papers to the resolution . The Chairman said that some one had anticipated him in the matterof the subscription , for a few working men had subscribed £ 1 . 2 s 6 d . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) The motion was then put and carried unanimously . Mr O'Connor returned thanks , not , he ' said , for the honour the meeting had conferred upon him , but for the able , discriminating , and impartial manner with which they had discharged their own duties . He had twice been returned to represent his native county , when opposed by membereof the aristocracy , but there never was a finger ' s length of slander passed upon him . No man unon the platform bad

      ever seen him drunk . The character he had earned in Ireland he brought to England with him , and he now was assailed by tbe greatest ruffians who ever lived—fellows that would rob him and suck his blood . After passing some further strictures upon the conduct of Messrs Hobson and Ardill , and speaking of the Northern Star and its undeviating consistency , he said that should th * Land Plan go to-morrow , the Star should survive to make the Land Plan prosper once more . As long as he lived ih & Star should be what it ought to be , and so long as it had the confidence of those he saw before him , he defied the Manchester Examiner . Tbe fool who bad been writing in that paper had greatly injured it , for he pledged himself , how the row was over , that no working man ef Manchester would henceforth read

      it . And , ( said Mr O'Connor , ) in conclusion , I have only to observe , that if the shareholders of Manchesterwishfor theinspection of ray accounts , every account connected with the monies of the Company , they need not wait for the formality of a balance sheet , they mav , upon any day in any week , select the three best and most competent book-keepers and accountants in Manchester , send them down to Minster Lovel to hira , ( Mr O'Connor , ) without notice , he would pay the whole expence of auditing , and be orepared to submit every document connected with the funds of the Company , and to show how every fraction was expended , and that the surplus

      funds were invested in Exchequer Bills . ( Loud cheers , and cries cf ' Nay , but we don't want any other book-keeper or accountant , but our own bailiff . ' ) He thanked them again for the confidence they had reposed in him , for he would never fo feit the confidence of the working classes . ( Cheers . ) He was prepared then , he said , to receive any amount of money they were prepared to eive him . Previous to resuming his seat , Mr O'Connor read the following letter from Mr Townley referred to in his speech : — 317 , Regent-street , Loudon , 23 rd October , 1847 . Deab Sib . —

      Hy brother wishes me to let you know the particulars of Somerville ' s conduct to me . He came to me recommended , as he said , by Mr Gee . Rogers , of St Giles ' . I felt great sympathy for him . I believe I gave him two half-crowns that day , and he seldom came without my assisting him to a certain extent , in fact , I generally gave him half-a-crown , and my table was always at his service ; his object seemed to be to get up meetings for the aboli tion of flogging . I was very ready to aid him in anything in that way . therefore went about with him to many places for that purpose . I took Mm to Mr Hunt , and had along interview , whe agreed to become chairman if an open air meeting could be got up , though he th < ught it wonld not he well-timed . That part of Somerville ' s conduct which I consider will not bear scrutinising is the fnllowing : —I had been with him one evening , accompanied

      by a friend , Mr Asbam , booksel ' er , of Chancery-lane , to Mr Savage , ofthe New Road , to endeavour to get up a meeting in Circus-street ; it was a very foggy night and we returned late , and Somerville was locked out of his lodgings in Oxford-street , and it was arranged , as neither of us could pre him a bed , that he should sit up in an arm chair , before a good fire ia Asham ' s parlour ; or , if he preferred reading , there were plenty of hooks in the shop ; ? that he seemed to prefer , being very fond of books . It ' s an old saying , aodfrequently true , that the looser is the greatest sinner , and I hope my friend Asham was in the same position , as he always declared , when speaking ofthe circumstance , that he lost several hooks that night , but whether it was that or the fact of bavin ;; borrowed a book of me which he did not return , I don't know , hut I never saw him more until I met Irm ,

      by chance , in Holbern . I charged him with having sold the book , anihelooked very confused . I did not hesitate to charge him with ingratitude for having sold the book , ( which he did not deny , ) telling him that it was an act of folly as well as wrong , as if he had come to me , I would have given him more than he could possibly make of tbe book . It may be asked why we did not make a stir about itat the time ; we had two reasons for not doing so . The first was , its being so trifling an amount ; the next was . it might have injured the cause of Radicalism to think that we associated with such a scamp . I remain , dear sir , yours very truly , BlCHABI ) TOWNLEV . P . S . —Another reason for having noticed Somerville ' s conduct Is theindmtry beseems to have bestowed upon your words , " robbing man , " & c . It often occurs that tbe most guilty parry is the first to cry " stop thief , "

      It was then stated by the chairman that some persons ( we could not learn who , in consequence of tbe confusion which then prevailed through persons preparing to go away ) had subscribed a certain sum towards tbe prosecution against ' the proprietors ot the Monehnltr Examiner . A vote of thanks was then given to the chairman , who returned thanks and declared the meeting dissolved .

      ' J Uch Admuch About The Fundsthe , - - ...

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      Nottingham. (Front Our Own Reporter.) Ou...

      NOTTINGHAM . ( Front our own Reporter . ) OUR MEMBER AND HIS ACCUSER . Last Wednesday night was a sad night for poor Tom Bailey , and no doubt many a time when he heard ( he derisive cheers ringing through the Market Place , at his expense , he wished he had never dipped his goose qnill into gall . Tom has met more than his match , —he used to pique himself on being the biggest blackguard amongst blackguards , as George the Fourth prided himself upon being the first gentleman and the greatest blackguard of the age—nevertheless , ' poor Tom is a cold , ' as of all the blackguardings , and fair blackguardings too , that ever a blackguard got , poor Tom got it on Wednesday night . Our townsmen no doubt remember the Reform enthusiasm of Nottingham in 1832 , and the Chartist enthusiasm in 1839 , but both were tameuess itself compared ta the mad enthusiasm

      with which Mr O'Connor ' s constituents greeted him on that evening . Long before the hour of meeting , dense crowds were marching into Nottingham from all directions , and , for some hours before the appointed time of meeting , tbe Exchange Hall was actually beset with anxious thousands claiming admission , and in a few minutes after the doors were opened the spacious building was crowded to suffocation , so much so , that , upon Mr O'Connor ' s arrival at seven o ' clock , he found it difficult to make his way through the Market Place to tbe entrance of the Exchange , and there he and his friends had to make a third attempt before they could force their way through the wedged mass to the platform , and upon reaching which Mr O'Connor was greeted with one rapturous shout of acclamation that made tbe building shake .

      The Following Is The Description Of The ...

      The following is the description of the meeting and its enthusiasm , given by the Nottingham Mer curtf . — The following handbill was issued on Friday last : — Notice ;—The public are respectfully informed that Feargus O'Connor , Esq ., M . P ., will meet his accusers , Mr Thomas Bailey , of the Nottingham Mercury , and Mr Job Bradshaw , of the Nottingham Journal , who are requested to attend in the Exchange Boom , on Wednesday evening next , Octofcer 27 th , at seven o ' clock precisely . The doors will be opened at half-past six . —Admissum Free . ' On Saturday , the following reply was distributed :-

      ' The Puess ! the Phess!— « The Press is the Palladium of the Liberties of Englishmen : it can command an audience where every honest man in the kingdom is excluded . ' —To the Press , then , I appeal as the proper medium for discussing the question atpresent in controversy between Mr O'Connor and myself , in reference to the National Land Company , and not to a packed and exeited public meeting . —Thohas Baiiev , Mtrcwy Office , October 23 , 1817 . ' ( In Monday evening Mr Dorman delivered a preliminary lecture in defence of the Land Plan , a report of which { with the rituperatian cast upon the Editor ofthis paper ) wiU be found iu another place .

      THE WESTING . On Wednesday evening , at six o ' clock , a considerable number of persons had assembled round the Exchange doors , waiting for admission ; and from that time the crowd increased , until , at half-past six , the doors were opened , and there was an eager rush , until , in a very few minutes , the Hall , from which all the seats had been removed , was one dense mass ef persons standing closely together , and extending through the large doors to the opposite side of the ante-room , while numbers could not obtain admission . It was nearly half-past set en when Ur O'Connor , amidst immense cheering , entered the room , and ascended the platferm . Mr Sweet was called to the chair .

      The Following Is Tbe Description Giving ...

      The following is tbe description giving by the Nottingham Review : — A public meeting was assembled in the Exchange Hall , on Wednesday evening to hear Feargus O'Connor , Esq , defend his Land Plan and Bank against the attacks of the editor of the Nottingham Mercury and others . At half-past sis the doors were opened , and in a very few moments the room was filled with a tide of human beings which immediately rolled in . After some delay , at twenty-five minutes past seven , Mr O'Connor made his appearance , and shouldering his way through the crowd , took bis position on tbe platform , amid the loudest vociferation and applause .

      Mr Jambs Sweet , having been voted into the chair , opened the proceedings with the following ; address-Fellow Townsmen , —I feel the responsibility of tbe situation —( 'Sodol / said Mr O'Connor)—in which you have placed me this evening , Mr O'Connor is come here to face his inducers . Mr O'Connor neverfeareo to meet his enemy in a public meeting of his fellow countrymen . Mr O'Connor is here to-xight to meet these gentlemen , if any of them are present upon the present upon this occasion . I haveinvited thosegentlemen privately , and publicly by handbill . Issk if Mr Bailey is here this evening to substantiate those charges whieh he haslaid against Mr O'Connor ? ( A voice . « He ' s at Basford . ') I ask also if Mr Job Brad-

      The Following Is Tbe Description Giving ...

      sbaw is present upon this occasion ? Because , as we have nothing to lose , we have nothing to fear in meeting these gentlemen in public discussion . ( Hear , hear . ) I promise on my part , as the chairman of this meeting , to give every gentlrman a fair opportunity of addressing it . ( Hear , and cries of' We . will . ) I think , my friends , I may pledge the same on your part , that yen will patiently hear the charges which these gentlemen may have to make . ( App lause . ) We'll hear the charges , if any , and then we'll proceed to the defence . ( Hear . ) If there is no person here on behalf of those gentlemen , of course we shall proceed todefend ourselves from their attacks . We charge the press' the base , the brutal p ress , —a great portion of the ' press of Nottingham—we charge

      these gentlemen with tergiversation , misrepresentation , and vile calumny . ( Loud applause . ) We tell these gentlemen that we have now arrived at this pitch , that if they cannot speak the truth , we will have them up to the bar of public opinion , and we will burn their papers in the Market-place —( Hear , hear ) —and we tell them that we will drive their papers out of every place of our resort . ( Loud applause . ) I will not trespass en your time ; I know you are impatient to hear Mr O'Connor . Mr O'Connor last night spoke for three hours and a half ; and I thank God that he ' s got the stamina about hira and will lash the thieves for three hours and a half tonight . ( Laughter and applause . ) My friends , I am thankful to tell you that the response was nearly £ 1 , 100 .

      last night ; and I myself have received enough to buy one good horse , and something towards a cart to attach to it , —( hear , hear , and loud laughter )—and if they will only hammer at us a few weeks longer , we win shew them what metal we are made of . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) I shall now have the great pleasure of introducing to your notice your highly re * spected representative , for he'll never deceive you . ( 'No . ' aBdapplause . J'Thefostianjackets , the blistered hands , and the unshorn chins' will have bis best attention . I can declare , after watching Mr O'Connor ' s progress for eleven years , that he never deceived me , that he never will deceive you , because I believe your good opinion is above all price to h m . If Mr O'Connor could be bought , the scoundrel press

      would raise thirty , forty , or fifty thousand pounds , subscriptions in the course of a week to get shot of him out of the country . ( Loud plaudits . ) The scamps tried to hire murderers last night to murder him . ( Cries of ' Shame I Shame ! ' ) We tell the . Whigs , and we tell the Tories , and we -te 11 . evei * jr other faction , that the time is come that the people " wiilhold them responsible for their acts ; and that if they dare to injure the head of Mr O'Connor , we'll hold no life toe sacred , no property sacred . ( Loudapplause , i lam not a physical force roan ; that is not physical force ; that is merely standing on the defensive . ( Laughter . ) . Physical force is the order ofthe day with onr enemies —( hear)—but the knowledge which through the glorious luminary

      of the Star has been spread abroad in the minds of my countrymen , has armed them double for the fight —( rapturous applause ) -has armed them morally to Mibdue their foes ; has armed them socially to redeem themselves and friends . ( Hear , hear . ) Politically speakimr , we are determined to be free . ( Loud plaudits . ) We will never rest satisfied until our rights are conceded ^ to us —( hear )—and if they begin to use coercion again , they must take the consequences . ( ' Bravo ! ' ) I have great pleasure in introducingour tried friend , MrO'Cennor . ( Loud cheering . ) F . O'Connor , Esq ., on rising , was greeted with the most enthusiastic plaudits . He commenced his speech as follows : —Mr Chairman and my friends ; this night's assembly is a legal paradox . For the

      first time in the history of this country , or in tho practice of tbe law , the defendant charged with heinous crimes , stands up and calls for his accuser and his evidence ; and the usual practice of the law is , that none appearing , the charge shall be dismissed—( applause)—but as I have always reversed tie order of things , as far as you are concerned , I stand here , not a whimpering , puling culprit , but a proud and manly accuser . I suppose , my friends , that in the history of the newspaper press there never has been the same amount of slander , of vituperation , of calumny , and misrepresentation heaped upon the head of any one man , that has been attempted to be heaped upon my head —( hear )—and in proportion as your enemies assail me , in the same proportion will you

      esteem and honour me . ( Prolonged applause . ) Mr Sweet has told you that he gave due notice and a summons , that , all otberjbusiness being laid aside , Mr Thomas Bailey should appear to substantiate his charges here to-night ; and there was one remarkable passage in Mr Sweet ' s speech , which was this : —That as he does not come , we shall proceed to defend ourselves : —that is , that if I am charged with being guilty of fraud , you are chargeable with folly for having confided in a rogue : —you are included in this indictment , as well as me ; and my friends , whether electors or non-electors of Nottingham , I thank God that I think I add dignity to the senator , by standing here before you upon this occasion . I am Hot one of those representatives of money , of

      capital , of prostitution and venality , who thinks hois exalted for having received the prostituted votes of a corrupt constituency . ( Hear . ) I have always told the working classes that my honour was secure , because they should . be the tribunal to whose judgment I would appeal . Upon many occasions I have been tried by the law , before packed juries , and 1 have always ' been convicted , thank God !—( laughter)—but this is a jury too large to be packed , too virtuous to be bribed . ( Hear , hear . ) Last night ten thousand men were disappointed , who hoped to get into a place capable of holding only five thousand , and when I was addressing a hall full of people inside , Dr M'Douall was addressing ten thousand people

      outside . ( Cheers . ) Mr Sweet has told you that my assailants at Manchester tried to suborn and bribe some navvies there to destroy me —( 'Shame , shame' ) —bnt the man who is afraid of assassination will always be the first to fall by the assassin ' s blow ; while he who faces him proudly , will frown him out of countenance and stay his arm . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) I am sorry Mr Bailey ia not here : but as he is not here , I shall first proceed to meet every one of his charges , and then , according to the old Irish practice , as soon as I have purged myself ot these charges , I will walk into him in a way be is little prepared for . ( Cheers . ) This sentimental Mr Bailey has issued a kind of apology for not being here to night , and now , my friends , mark the

      Englishthe education of one of the public instructors , who is not able to pnt the commonest sentences into the plainest English . ( Laughter . ) Mark , now , if I had no other evidence to convict this man of folly , of falsehood , and of ignorance , this would be enough . ( Hear , hear . ) He says ' The Press , the Press ; the Press is the palladium ef the liberty of Englishmen . It can command an audience when every honest man is excluded . ' What do you think ot that ? ( Roars of laughter . ) In other words—I , Tom Bailey , Esq ., wish for an audience of rogues and fools , for me to plead my cause before , because the press has the power of excluding anything that is honest in its audience . ( Hear , hear . ) Then he goes on to say , ' To the press , then , I appeal , as the proper medium

      for discussing the question at present in controversy between Mr O'Connor and myself . ' No question whatever between us ! If I wanted a controversialist , I would look for a man who might whet my appetite for controversy : but if I am to have a controversy with a man who cannot write English , that cannot speak common sense , it would be no honour for me to have a controversy with him . ( Laughter and cheers . ) Then he talks about ' a packed and excited public meeting . ' He calls you a packed and excited public meeting ! Well now , my friends , I agree that the press ought to be the palladium of public liberty , and when I revile the press for dereliction of duty , I contend thereby not against the whole . 1 believe there is a rabble of all classes , —

      ofthe Lords , Commons . Church , aristocracy , middle classes , and ofthe people ; but it is that the rabble may learn virtue from those who are the virtuous of their class that I seek to support what is virtuous in the press , against what is not , ( Hear . ) But what d » you think of a press that charges a man with everything that ia corrupt and specious j-aad then reviles the only means that the law resorts to as a fair means of proving the guilt or innocence of a party ? ( Loud outcry . ) This poor creaturesays' 1 will meet him in discussion with my quill' —the most proper arms for a goose ! ( Laughter . ) But be says , » I will not meet him in discussion . ' Now what does the law say ? It says that every man ' s accuser shall appear before the face of the accused , —that thejudge and jury may be

      allowed to judge trom the manner and appearance of the witness whether his evidence is true . ( Hear . ) I place myself here , not more to purge myself from his weak charges , than to answer any question that may be put to me . I stand here , not because I think Thomas Bailey is game worth flying at;—I am only sorry , as I have come here , that I have not come on a better errand . I wish my accuser was a man of some metal , some weight , some power , some substantiality . ( Hear . ) Therefore he is only the instrument that brought me here ; you are the cause of my visit . ( Loud applause . ) I went to Manchester last night upon the same errand , and the vote of censure I brought away from Manchester was 1 , W 0 sovereigns . ( Rapturous applause . ) And yet this poor little drivelling thing , who only sold 287 Nottingham Mercuries lastweek- ( laughter ) -not satisfied with wallowing in its own mire , and stirring up its own little

      stagnant pool with its little pot-stick—{ loud laughter)—talks of the impression it is making upon the nation at large ! ( Cheers and laughter . ) Only imagine the impression that the Nottingham Mercury is making on the world at large ! ( Roars of laughter . ) My friends , we have an old song about the unfortunate Miss Bailey , that hung herself in her garters ; and I have no doubt , when I have done with this unfortunate quondam beer seller , he will bang himself some morning in his papers . ( Shouts of applause . ) I honour a man in his lawful calling ; but when he steps out of his way , and cannot support himself in his new pt allien , he becomes conttrnptible . The higher a monkey climbs , the more he shows his noee —{] oud laughter)—and as long as Mr Bailey confined himself to selling beer and sweetening gin , he may have been amost respectable tap-boy ; but the moment he became a public instructor , Good Lord deliver us ! ( Laughter . ) This man , presuming upon the shield of his own

      The Following Is Tbe Description Giving ...

      insignificance , ' says ' the Land Plan , as fbunded . by jjr O'Connor , is insecure ; and we have warned the neople not to place theirmoney at Mr O'Connor ' s disposal . We have told them of the fragile grounds upon which his scheme is based . ' And in last week ' s Star I go analysed the mud in this fellow ' s brain , that if he has any decency about him , he will not handle a pen for the next six months . His last paper is tbe most rabid , the most incomprehensible one of all . I will analyse all these before I have done ; and then , if I leave old Bailey anything more than a scarecrow to frighten the crows from the corn fields , 1 shtll say I have not done my duty . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) To hear this creature arguing ! you would suppose that men who made lace , lived

      upon lace ; that men who made railways , lived upon rails ; but that men who grew corn should be able to live upon bread , was out ofthe nature of things . And then Mr Bailey has such a tender feeling , —looks so to the dignity of the working classes , and their elevation ; and yet will not relieve the labouring classes by giving them the land . ( Loud applause . ) Bnt stop , this quack bas attempted a little book , as well as a newspaper , entitled , ' Ricmis or Labour , ' and when we are trying to discharge ourselves of £ 7 . 000 , 000 . a year , paid in the share of poor rates , wha t do you think this political economist proposes as a remedy ? why , seventeen millions four hundred thousand a year . ( Roars of laughter . , and derision . ) But wait till von hear the means to an end ;

      £ 13 , 400 , 000 . ef a legacy duty—( laughter)—there ' san actuary fer you ! Wh y this incomprehensible thing presumes that after tbe three first years one half of the aristocracy would die every year . Oh , but stop a bit , you haven't heard how the other £ 4 , 000 , 000 . a year is proposed to be raised by this Republican , Chartist . Radical , Whig , Tory , everything , anything , nothing , politician—by this sentimental tapster—this scientific editor—this accurate actuary—this nondescript calculator—this 'unfortunate Tom Bailey . ' ( Roars of laughter and cheers . ) Now just listen how this philanthropist is going to relieve the working oasses of seven millions a year paid by the upper and middle classes , —why , actually by making them pay it themselves , ( ' Oh , oh , '

      and' Well done , Tom . ' ) This other four millions , he proposes to raise by a tax of a pound a head upon all who choose to buy the Suffrage . ( Tremendous laughter . ) Now what do you think of that ? and yet this is what Tom Bailey is pleased to dignify by the name of COMPLETE SUFFRAGE . Now , then , was I much wrong when I designated that mysterious thing as COMPLETE HUMBUG ? Why , the middle classes very reluctantly pay their rates to get their votes , while the poorer classes are to farm it out at an annual rental in lieu of poor rates . Well , but there ' s worse than that . Tom says that tbe peer and the peasant should equally pay £ 1 ., and why , do you think ? what reason do you suppose this man of progress gives ? why , no other than that ,

      it it were not so the peer would have a RIGHT to a plurality of votes . ( Great laughter . ) Now , then , what do you think ofthe stagnation to be produced by the progress of Tom Bailey ? £ 17 , 400 , 000 . a year as a substitute for seven millions a year , and the poorest ofthe poor to pay four millions a year of the tax now levied upon the rich ; and this , too , while we are trying to relieve the present electors from the burden of the rate-paying clauses . How much more justice , then , must the rich expect from the government ef the poor than the poor have experienced from the government . ofthe rich ? ( Tremendous cheering . ) Is not this , then , an unintentional commendation of the People ' s Charter by Tom Bailey ? ( Cheers . ) Now there ' s law for you ! there's science

      for you ! there ' s religion for you ! there ' s philosophy for you ! there ' s erudition for you ! ( Loud cheers . ) This is the mode by which Tom Bailey would elevate the working classes ; he . would make them like young bears—live upon sucking their own paws . ( Laughter . ) Mr Bailey tells you how much horses cost ; that a horse eats ; that carpenters get wages ; that builders get wages ; that ironmongers wont sell stoves without money-slaughter)—and says , ' why , good God 1 how horrible ! how monstrous I here is money paid to carpenters and builders for building cottages for the people 1 * ( Loud laughter . ) Is it not shocking ? ( Laughter . ) ' Why , my eye 'Timkins says to Tomkins , —• ' * bnt the poor folk have no brains , or they would see that all these

      houses cost money , and are not to bo built for nout !' He thinks potatoes are to be bought , and houses built , by magic!—but then we ought to excuse this man , and if he had been here to night , instead of skulking , I should not have dealt so hardly with him . I would have treated him like a child ; like a babe ; like an idiot ; I would have patted him on the back ; I would have chucked him under the chin , and wonld have said , ' Take courage ! ' ( Excessive amusement . ) But when a man writes about' a science , a man ought te be understood to know something of it . But now mark his knowledge of agriculture ! He went to Carrington last summer , and he saw a dwarf apple tree , and he says , 'Well , what fine 'tatoesl' 'Why , bless 4

      you , ' says a man , ' they're apples I Why , ' says he , 'I never thought apples grew on such little trees ' . ' And now this is the man who undertakes to write a treatise on agriculture ! ( Cries of ' Hear , hear , ' and laughter . ) This is the man who tells yon , that a ton of muck will make your land stink , instead of making it produce ! _ ( Laughter . ) And in my next balance sheet he will see entered a ton of Eau de Cologne , to perfume the land . ( Laughter . ) And then he says , ' Tomkius , we would not have your bailiff at any price . Think of giving a pound for a letter . bag , when I can get a sack' for ten shillings ! ' ( Laughter . ) Why , I have got a sack for six shillings ; and see , my friends , here ' s the letterbag !—( showing it )—there ' s the letter-bag ! (

      Laughter . ) But Tom Bailey did not tell you , though he objects to a pound for this , with a patent lock , —he did not tell you that your bailiff paid £ 16 a year for a postboy to carry it backwards and forwards ; he did not tell you that so particular was your own bailiff , that , as he sometimes had his own private letters in that bag . he paid the boy for carrying it out of his own pocket ! . ( Loud applause . ) And then , there ' s the awful item of cows , and there is the awful item of a churn that cost a pound ! I used to churn cream in a bottle , and I presume that Bailey has churned it in his boots ;—( ioud laughter)—but the idea of having cows , and giving a pound for a churn 1 Hame came tbe gude man , And haioe came he ,

      And hame came the gude man Without the & weof me . And be saw a pair of boots Where the boots should not be , —

      < What brought these boots herel What ?'—quoth he ; ' What brought these boots here , Without the taw of me ?' * Boots V quoth she ; Ay boots , * quoth he ; * Why—don ' t yoa see , — It ' s a churn , my mamma Sent to me ! ' ( houd laughter . ) ' Well , far have I travelled , And farther have I been , But spurs upon churns , I ne ' er before have seen . ' ( Great laughter . )

      So that the next balance sheet will have in it a pair of spurs for the churn . ( Loud laughter . ) I gave a pound of your money for a churn : but he did not tell you that I gave ten pounda a year for a woman to chum it . ( Cheers . ) There ' s an awful item of £ 3 . for a mastiff . If I was in the neighbouroood of Bailey , I would have a mastiff in every corner of the place . There is not an outlet , walk , or avenue , where I would not have a mastiff to guard it . In last week ' s Star I not only convicted him of folly , but of wilful and corrupt perjury . ( Applause . ) He puts down what the horses cost for maintenance ; and he put down , ' Moore and Co .. for straw , £ 36 . Is . 9 d , There ' s a balance sheet 2 ' Whereas it stands , in the balance sheet , ' Moore and Co ., for cattle and straw £ 36 . Is . 0 d . ' £ 30 . « f that was for cattle and other things . ( Loud applause . ) He reminds me of a foolish mayor of Cork , before whom a man

      came and swore an information against a person for stealing twenty heifers . The man , after he had sworn the information , came back and said , ' One of the heifers was a bull , yer worship . ' « 0 bedad , bedad ! ' said his worship ; ' Til make it right ; I'll put knotty banev to it ; ' N . B . Oneof the above heifers is a bull ? ' ( Loud laughter . ) Now , Mr Bailey ought to have put a nouy Janey .- 'JN . B . £ 30 . of the above straw were cows and oxen . ' ( Loud laughter . ) Then he says there was £ 84 . 16 s . 0 d . paid to the auctioneer for ? fe In ^ h % \ rubbM 8 t Lowbands . 'think of the £ 84 . 16 s . to a surveyor ! ' Oh hut Tomkins , that £ 84 . 16 s . was paid J MeW Bentley and Saunders tor a waggon , three carls , harness E ! 5 ^ wfeM »* naohine , bar tZ . and three ploughs . Then , he says , £ 18 , 000 . has been spent on the estate of Lowbands alone . I wifl a " ? fe tt ftt for you . He says . oririS rnirShS '

      * ff . I said it cost £ 8 , 100 ; so here the man is knocking his brains against something , he & S 5 " ? ! £ at ; ' ^ Penfcd for wages fr om January the 2 nd to August the 16 th , so much ; & o . ;' to be v . educted from that , for I was allowed for it . lfte ler 8 lri : ' f i > " - ' -no ' « " > W of it chargeable to the allottees ; it was all chargeable to the company , and the allottees only pay tor wear and tear while they have the use of it . n i T' ¦•? " ¦ 5 ' ~ if jt * » Put in the cottages » He s showing you what the cottages oost :-as if we put guano in them to make them crow '—( Lnnd l ighter . ) This shows you what an eyThe has for business . ( Much amusement . ) Plumbers' work so much . ' I wish this man wonld tell mehowrm o get these things for nothing ! Ishould liK Land agents and surveyor , £ 71 . 17 s . : ' -ol ^ Vo ""

      ^ r ^ tr & s ^ B m ^^ Bm

      The Following Is Tbe Description Giving ...

      Total of sums entereo : fan « cqnnt , « o ^ uch , advancedtoallottees , £ 900 . * . So . . th * ittuae .-allottees who get their aid money , that goes to . ^"' f . . ± tages and purchasing the land . ' -and then there s directors ' wages , M , £ 1 , 500 . jI ' -whnA is paid by the Company ; -as if the allottees paid all the expenses which are paid by tiie- Company . ( Loud cheers . ) I have convieted this fellow of error to the extent of £ 5 . 500 , in £ 18 , 000 . ( Cheers . ) He does not know what he ' s about . He » ays to himself , I ' ve a declining property , a newspaper that can t stand ; and if I only expose the hon . member for Nottingham , and get his new constituents to read what I say , then I trust I may have a property that may prosper , a property that would sell . ' ( Cheers . ) Whvmv friends this fellow and 'One who has m ^^ mm ^ ^^^^^^^^ ' ' ¦ t . - « # !_

      . , whistled at the plough' tell you that the Company is now liable to fines for having violated the law , and the'Whistler' told you that to-morrow every man whom I bought the estate from , may take it frsm me . ( Laughter . ) Now , my friends , I meet folly with folly . They say it ' s the part of a wise man to be a fool with fools , and a wise roan with wise men . But I meet knobstick-law with statute-law . ( Hear , hear . ) Now then , after all tbe wit that has been expendedupon it , and the fines tbey say this Company is liable to for non-compliance with provisions of the statute ; I have told you the law of Bailey—the Old Bailey law —( laughter)—and now 1 am going to read for you the law ofthe Lords and Commons . I come to you because you are interested ,

      and because I have no right to ask you to enter into visionary speculations . Ton have a perfect right to demand explanation from me , of everything you wish to know relative to it . If this land were to build workhouses upon ; if it were to aid the moneymongers in subduing labour , and trampling on the neck of independence , then this Land Plan would be lauded to the skies as a most philanthropic plan . ( Hear . bear . ) Butitis for you - ( hear , hear , ) -and hence their hatred . ( Loud applause . ) They cannot bear to see Tawes taken from the workhouse , and placed in his cottage , his castle , in the centre of his free labour field , with four hogs in his sty , and his family round him . It ' s gall and wormwood to them , ( Hear , hear . ) And then poor

      Tawes—poor fellow—he has a grievance surpassing strange!—in sixteen weeks , the Nottingham pauper , taken out of the workhouse , has received £ 15 . in money . But then it was at three payments— £ 6 ., £ 0 ,, and £ 3 ., —don't you wish you had his complaint ? ( Loud laughter . ) Now just think of a pauper taken from Nottingham , being harassed and oppressed by receiving a pound a week for fifteen weeks , and not receiving it all in a lump ! Poor fellow ! Don't you pity him ? ( Loud laughter . ) Well then , the ' Rambler' went to his house , and gave him an apple . It was'the apple of discord . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) He left the apple upon the chimney piece , — it was a small apple , and he took half a oVzen potatoes in return ! that was the way this Mollycoddle

      —what ' s his name ?—conducted himself . This fellow not having a bit to eat , went to Mrs Tawes , and eat her potatoes , and she said , she did not like to have him in the house , he was so covered with vermin . Now there ' s a prefay correspondent for Mr Bailey . ( Roars of laughter . ) Now I hope he will insert this man ' s communications under the head , ' Our Lousy Correspondent , ' ( Immense laughter . ) The law anticipates roguery , and in its sentiment is protective , though in its practice it is coercive , The law being apprehensive thafc _ a good scheme would be subjected to the villainy of spies and informers , steps in and protects them against these . Mark the law . This is the law of the last session of Parliament s—for this

      poor blunderer has been knocking his head against the statute of Nebuchadnazzar—studying the law of Jerusalem —( hear , hear , and laughter}—he got hold of an old volume of the statutes at large , and he thinks what was law in 1530 must be law in 1847 . [ Mr O' 0 . then read the preamble of the act entitled , ' An act for the registration , incorporation , and regulation of joint-stock companies , ' & o ., and the clause by which so much of the eld act as was therein recited is repealed . ] Now , what do you say ? They say we are liable to fines , if we don't furnish copies of all these things ; while the fact is , it is unnecessary to do anything of the kind . And then we are told it is impossible ; and Mr Bailey tells you that it will take £ 550 . to locate one single individual : Bnt I made a

      calculation , wherein I showed , him that , as far as they have gone , it has only cost £ 253 , and £ 30 . for capital—that would make £ 283 . ( Cheers . ) The fact is , he was taught in a school where they say , 'if once naught is nothing , twice naught must be something . ' Then he says , . 'Put down £ 30 . for Coalman , £ 40 . for Tripp , ' and so on . Now , you know the story of the woman who looked for her daughter in the oven . She had been there herself before . ( Laurhter . ) You may rely upon it , that Mr Bailey has been making up his faccounts in that way . It is a thing I should never have thought of ; an honest man would never have thought of it . ( Laughter . ) He says it will take £ 650 . to locate every man , But what did I tell you on tbe

      onset ? Did I not tell you that it is a plan wholly dependant upon confidence and co-operation ? ( Cheers . ) Did I ever suppose for a moment that £ 2 . . 12 s . would boy two acres of land , build a house , and give a man £ 15 . into the bargain ? ( Laughter . ) Bnt I will tell you what 1 supposed . I supposed that members of a joint-stock bank could make fortunes on a paid-up capital of £ 50 , 000 . If they do that , if railways , canals , and other theoretical schemes succeed , it would be strange if the only practical one should fail . I think it the oddest thing in the world , that the land , which gives the value to everything in the world—the land , the most desirable possession for a man to have , should be the very thing that would not

      pay . ( Loud cheers , ) They tell you that Ireland has become pauperized by tbe small farm system . My friends , hinc Was lachrymce , —hence their tears . The press has guided public opinion . But I have taught you a new science . I have made & new literature . It has distanced the press , —left it behind public opinion , instead of it leading public opinion—( cheers)—and I will go blindfolded into the room there , and set my hand at random on the shoulder of a shareholder , and he shall meet Thomas Bailey , and beat him in argument , and mangle him as the kite mangles tbe lark . ( Loud laughter . ) They tell you that Ireland is an instance of the failure of the p lan . There never was a principle ofthe kind tried in Ireland . ( Cheers . ) Never . So long as we bad

      40 s- freeholders there , there was comparatively no pauperism in Ireland . They had their acre and two acres of land each , and they preferred to be halfstarved upon it , to begging and leaving it . All these small farms were knocked into large farms , and then Ireland was beggared . But tbe press does not understand that the principle which destroys Ireland is the system of tenants at will upon a fragile tenure . ( Hear , hear . ) For instance , I hold twenty acres of land under Junes Sweet at £ 1 per acre . I won't improve it , because if I do , Mr Sweet will turn me out , set it up by auction , and charge £ 1 . 5 s . an acre for my improvements . ( Hear . ) The Irish people are called idle , unthrifty , lazy . But they traverse the Atlantic in guest of honourable

      employment to preserve a miserable existence . They come to your cities , they pave your streets , they row your boats , while they are unable to live upon their own toil in their own country . ( Applause . ) There » a paradox for you ! ( Hear , hear . ) The finest climate in the world , - the most genial and most fertile - .-the most moral and industrious people -and yet in the greatest poverty that ever was seen . Who is the indictment chargeable against » It is the government that governs you ! ( Hear , hear , hear . ) if , ' fP lainwhatImean , but I will strip first . | Mr 0 Connor here took off his coat , amidst loud & f » - ^ , •* *« fe ] He then said , a friend of mine in Ireland had a tenant of tho name of who

      Barry , occupied twenty acres of land at £ 1 . an awe . The tenant paid very little attention to the cultivation of his land , and less to improving it I vihnfc' ^ V ^^ y ^^ " * - ™ f ? , r ? ore Productive and to improve it ? ' He T , '* i , ? y ? thlDk l win " » W own throat ; if Imaketheland worth more his honour will raise XtlS {" ^ ^ orermy head , and turn me out of the house . ' Therefore , as a matter of selfpreservation , the IrUh do nothing mora than occupy thew land for a bare subsistence . I proposed that Barry should have only ten acres of this land , and if the landlord would grant him a lease for ever he should pay £ 2 . an acre . The lease was eranted . and

      " » seven years Barry could have bought tbe land . While he was tenant at will he did not bestow labour upon his land , but as soon as it became his own be threw all his labour and skill into it ; he worked hard and fast ; his days were too short ; his efforts were unceasing ; and he soon felt . the beneficial resuit of his exertions . According as men are limited by the government and the laws in the exercise of their rights , just so will they limit their exertions , as in the instance I have mentioned ; this man could not live at one time on twenty acres of land , because he was limited in his rights KMSmT m I wa ^ Uably dealt with ' , he could hve on half the quantity of land at teftSw Pr w- "k a theories 1 & confines S to the best solution of unproveaole dogmas it ean " * ft # H » "taWonin the litewv Cd . ffi

      « 7 « * ¦ note A tbe best medium of currenov or £ 5 . notes , or gold , or silver , or Xr metals those mmhrL wty ° - , poht , cal nostrums and movements , however varied writers may be in their no a h * I Iwe taught a new science , upon hene ^ tSW nence , tne nesdish , hellish ons aught on the oro-Fara d re r ; 4 , « , r J n e ' «^« | 8 ? tB eS W n ?" & , and 0 , ' »«* * wit is the X , JLJ- ' th » ? en wtwn labour for their yrn ^ ° 0 rdl 5 lg , to th e . rfltio oftheir Payment . A poor mai * capital is his labour ; it is his onlv

      renot hkely te return 8 i . worthofwork ; if he does , he ™» fi ? * ??* . ! i ¥ , lfc ' ( Hear - hea p - > I will shew you that the land is the only possible resource to redeem the country from bankjuptoy . You hear

      The Following Is Tbe Description Giving ...

      much about the funds , the money market s tures , trade , and commerce ; bat you nei ^\ word about labour . No one will tell y L K en this subject , but I will ' show you th « H labour . We will take the working classes T * ty numbers at four millions , and the l * S £ 50 , 000 , 000 ; we will take the idlers atfiftS sand ; that is , those who live upen the taxe * H as tbe four millions pay each £ 12 . 10 s . n \ if there should be one-half abort of wortr hJ " * millions must pay £ 25 . each per annum , L :, h taxes cannot be paid . And outofwWh , ^! £ 25 . be raised ? Why , out ofthe labour ol t ^ man ; and the two millions out of employ i ?!* supported out of tbe labour of the other two 3 ! who arecompelled to work at reduced wages rS hear . ) Hence , you have this anomaly , that j r wMis / tYi oli / int kVto . fnvtAa 4 n 0 fMAnAw — - _ ¦ " ~ ' ^'•• WN .

      same proportion in wnicn tnenumoer who g 7 * the idlers , have the burden increased upon thtf the same proportion is their ability to pay redn * because their wa ges are diminished by the com ? tive reserve of idlers—while labour , which SS only producing thing , has the further burden ; posed upon it of supporting the Mtra two rf paupers . Now , here ' s the figure—in one cage M million men , at full work and free labour T * £ 50 , 000 , 000 . a year , or £ 12 . 10 s . a man ; ' 3 other case , two million , at slave labour , « $ £ 50 , 000 , 000 . a year , or £ 25 . a man-and , in each slave carries a pauper upon his back , ^ St upon bis labour . ( Loud and long continued ^ ing . l Will anyone deny this ? The Ja ! x ) Drg alone supplies tbe demand , and out of « labour of the poor , the idlers support ai houses , their hunters , their dogs , whieh animals j ? duce very little , except my mastiff , ™ be kicks , up a devil of a row . jj

      ^ the fact , and instead of the fifty thousand M upon the labour of the four millions , suppose theW millions to be idle , and to have to live upon then duction ofthe fifty thousand , how would it be tfe Then yeu must at once perceivethat every man t is thrown out of employment is an additional b upon the men at work , and that it is out of ii labour alone that the unemployed can look for i , port . Well , they won't employ you now ; and * h Because they can't make a profit of your labour . ' this a reason why a man born with the impress ed Maker , should be under a system of tyranny 1 j , show the Government , while they are hunting ; ever the world for the produce of labour , the great .

      vantages that may be derived from the land , j , that the government ought to be convicted of tr « i if there be a single pauper in the land , ( Appla ^ But the land is not onl y a labour field for tbe work men , but it produces a market for the middle cW I have gone into a poor parish where the poor . ^ were 15 s . in the pound , and where there were on !; , few poor labourers employed , and little busin ess fo at the shops . But now there are eight hundreds ployed every week upon the best wages , and thesk keepers who formerly hated and detested me , \ , find difficulty in providing stores for food , and tin say when tbey meet me , ' God bless you , sir , we * j subscribe to buy another estate for you . ' ( Laujb

      and applause . ) There is not a shopkeeper there Vj is not a paid-up member to the Land Company . Nt , there ' s a picture for that old tapster , that old humtn editor ofthe Mercury . ( Applause . ) Takeany qui ! tity of acres around Nottingham , now in an unptductive state , and locate working men upon th ^ and with one-fourth part ofthe capital usually r , quired , they will be able to produce an abundance ^ their maintenance , and also for their familia ( Hear , hear , and applause . ) I say there are not la acres within three miles of the town , but might !( cultivated with advantage at the rate I have era , j say take 9 , 000 acres in the neighbourhood of Nottiis bam , and put 3 , 000 honest labourers . at three acres ;

      a man , upon them , and you would soon have a differed scene amongst the shopkeepers to what yon v , \ witness . You would have 3 , 000 women , with tfc blush of health upon their faces , and baskets on tliii arms , coming on the market-day , and going into It ; shops for groceries , candles , snuff , bonnets , shoe ; stockings , hats , shirts , and draptry , and every kindtl article useful in a house and for a family , where no * except by odd individuals , not a single article of tli kind can be had once a month . ( Applause . ) Thh scene would be far better than having 3 , 000 in the workhouse , ready in case there should be any chance to compete against the foreigner , under the ha trade system , to reduce labour when it should b

      wanted . I honour the man ; I respect the man ; I pity the man , who is obliged to give his labour for Ibj than it is worth . ( Applause . } It I were a marriei man , and had a wife and children , and under to Eresent coercive system , I would rather toil and h our and sweat for whatever a master might please to give me , rather than go into a workhouse to haveE ; wife torn from my side , and be separated from n ; children . ( Hear , hear , and applause . ) Here is tie damnable evil of the poor law . The poor man has i pride in living in the company of his wife , while out of the workhouse , but the moment he goes inside he ii told he is not capable of Jiving with her there-( hear , hear , hear )—for the legislature , consistuwef

      the licentious lords and dissipated commoners , vh have stronger bonds and links of affection than the poor , bad enacted that such cannot be allowed . ( Hear , hear . ) Why should they be separated ? But why , that bloated beast of an editor has not said , bit perhaps it is because he approves ofthe poor-lav , and would like to sleep on one side of the house himself , while apart of his household should sleep on tie other . Not so with you ; you like to live with you wives , and to be happy together . ( Applause . ) I will draw another picture . A man gets employment ; he eomes home to his happy wife , contented family , and his cheerful fire-side . He is satisfied with Mi little , and though he has no luxury , he is contented ,

      remains at home , and is thankful . Bnt see him , n an opposite position . See him reduced , having no labour , and no employment . He comes home , bit he does not remain , as he is unhappy . He will not discuss cause and effect , but he becomes disheartened ; ho goes to the beer-house , and if he can raise a shilling he spends it ; his wife is deserted , hii children neglected and uneducated , and become i curse instead of a blessing . ( Hear , hear . ) : If I were a man employed and living upoa the land , I would pray for my wife to have ten children in Bins months , as instead of being a curse , as poor men s children are now to them , they would be the greatest blessing that could be bestowed upon them . ( Loal

      laughter and applause . ) If the poor generally wen heated on the soil , you wonld soon see two millioa of the finest children ever born upon the earth , alotj with their parents , in the enjoyment ofthe blessing ! and bounties of Providence . This shows to you vM these contemptible fellows despise , oppose , condemn , and revile the Land Plan . Oh ! but , they sav , how ° * n Mr O'Connor possibly locate so many people ! " hy , I have explained to you that if a man can betin to build & house , he can mortgage and raise monej to build stery after story , till he has got the roof on ; and thus he may go on with adding acre to aw * . ( Hear , hear . ) We have heard of building societies existing for twenty years , and persons paying their

      money , realising large profits , and putting money into the pockets ofthe proprietors . We have heard of theories without end for making money which have been highly approved , bnt because our plan is earned out practically it is abused , and we art calumniated . How are poor men like Tawes to get out ot the workhouse ! how could that man have gd over his difficulties ? he never could , except upon the plan of the Land allotment . ( Applause . ) lhere are benefit societies , and clubs for building houses , and for granting allotments to members , ana yet the characters of the members is never canvassed , as no doubt they are the most honest people m the world , because they are bound to pay money for a certain period , perhaps for ten or

      thirteen years , and to make ft living independently of these monthly payments . But the character of our members mustbescrutinised , although they are noi called upon to undertake to pay anything more than a rent fer their allotment . They need not pay mors than a rental , as , in case of a mortgage , the landlord only becomes chargeable for the interest . ( Loud applause . ) But I will explaincritically for you tbe difference between the obligations imposed by benefit societies and the Land Company upon their member *) and pray pay attention to this , as it is of far mora importance than all Tom Bailey ' s rubbish , and trill ge far to establish the fact that I am the only pcr < son whodoes understand the Land Plan in its several

      details . Now , observe this , one of those much lauded societies . seeingthat Labour is the very beat security . advances a labourer as much money as will buy a oousa-a house , mind , ne land—and this labourer is compelled to pay the purchase-money by monthly instalments , besides living , besides rent , besides totere 4 t-in some cases , ten , twelve , and fifteen per f nt-r-and interminable fines and legal expenses . i > o that here you have the press advocating a system which imposes all these hardships upon a man , from the first day he enters a house , that produces nothing until the day he makes it his own hyps' * ur v while « be Laud Company imposes w w >* obligation as purchasingno finesno enormous in *

      , , terest , and only rent , and the first payment not demanded until the tenant has been in possession for twelve months , and then only six months' rent , and instead of dragging monthlv instalments , fin « enormous interest , and legal expenses , gives to ea «» of its members £ 15 , £ 22 10 * ., and £ 30 . ( Loud w long continued cheering , and That ' s it . ' l J *™ all these societies are got up by lawyers to neew fiepoor , and Tom Bailey has never asked for ° » of their balance sheets . But they say , Mr Ob « »* nor ' sbankis a bubble . You did not hear olW

      Royal Bank at Liverpool being a bubble ; n % Reid , Irving , and Co . ; nor ofthe joinUtockba ^ that have failed , being bubbles : all these «* J supported by honourable men , and have h twjfo mended by the press , but the man who unoe" *? , } to serve you , by carrying out the Land P- \! l the reprobation of the press . ( Hear , hear , an » £ plause . ) I will . show you the security of our o » D » Suppose we bad one hundred thousand poun » week , or ten thousand pounds a week , I eooM m out of the latter sum land worth six or seven . W , sand pounds , and I should have three thou ** pounds for building houses . I should have tot »» , ten thousand pounds m interest / of Sve per t ® '

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Nov. 6, 1847, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_06111847/page/4/