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Northern Star (1837-1852), 15th December 1849, Edition 2 of 3, Page 1, DfiATH OF Two Children ox board a Steame...

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    • gg* THE TJNLOCATED MEMBEBS OF] | § | v THE LAM> COMPAOT.
    • -««^ Miami ll.iim mmpmy.
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      Gg* The Tjnlocated Membebs Of] | § | V The Lam≫ Compaot.

      gg * THE TJNLOCATED MEMBEBS OF ] | § | v THE LAM > COMPAOT .

      §§||||My Fbiesds, Llllp When The Manager...

      §§|||| My Fbiesds , llllp When the Managers of Hallways , of ^^ Voods and Forests , and Ecclesiastical pio-^^ Irty , arc one and all charged , not with irre-| | ag jalarily in their accounts , hoi with downright | | | and barefaced plunder , it is not wonderful that "fefee suspicion-of all should be raised against ^ the tru stee of any property . The difference || " £ l > ettteen'tb . e position of those gentlemen and pf jnine , ^ however , is this : that not only have : their ini quities been permitted to continue with § si the knOWledfmnf fho ftmrammAnl and nartfoc | gji tne knowled of the Government and parties

      ge gg whose duty it was to make close raspecUoo , fc | g but the plunderers have been encouraged in || k their frand ; even the Press has not'till re ^ | p ; oently exposed them , and then in ? ery mild | ki . terms . pj Now observe my position ; gh £ Firstly . —The plan was reviled by all who 1 ^ . dre aded the elevation of the working man . jijfij ? Secondly . —Many Members of Parliament ^ | ? £ being jugglers themselves in several of those fe frauds , acted upon the

      principle—| y Set a thief to catch a thief ; | ; . and presuming that the several reports in the p ; several newspapers were based upon sustainable facts , the ministers proposed to submit the t accounts to a Select Committee—not so much with the hope of destroying the Land Company , as with the hope of destroying my political influence . Working men , let me ask yon if any

      indi-Yidnal , in any age , in any country , in any project that has been uMertaken , has had to contend against the same amount of slander , persecution , felsehood , and ingratitude that I have ? No matter , whether social ! br political . ? - And again , let me ask yon , wheiteranyother | - > : man-r-mited np ' airjPIij ^ BP-been ufc-every | ^ tar « oaMat ^ f ^ Pfe ^ ment and their lickspittles—has so successfully ti- defied the slander of all ?

      s- ; You working men , who know me , are con-1- Tmced that to me character is dearer than life ; 3 > and you are also aware , after many years ' ££ . " experience , that the value—the only value V & —that I attach to money , is the service that | H it enables me to render to your order . pi- Do you think that thelaw' s treachery would f 4 | fcavebeen enforced against any Other Company , g £ : as it has been against the Land Company 1

      ; * Sv Do you think that Her Majesty ' s Attomey-^ : General would have dared to arrest the law's ' J- progress , if tho funds of rich men were at ^ stake ? While he has thrown every ob-LjfcStacle in the way of the registration of a r »; Company established for your benefit . Is it \ e not clear , that if he had solid ground to stand ; >?* upon , that he . would have pressed for the final g decision of the Queen ' s Bench as regards * h registration % *? - So much of mv address merely refers to

      ; i . genererahties ; and now to particulars more * affecting myself , and also aflecting you . It •^ appears that the located members , look upon themselves as proprietors , and not as tenants f . ' located by your hard savings . They do not ri-. wish to have me as a landlord , or the Direcptors ; they wish to have no landlord at all . = ? : Butlet me ask you , if they had the selection A of one , whether they would have recewtd so ^ fmuch in dulgence at his hands ? or whether itffcyou would have so tamely tolerated the indul-¦ M gence that I have shown them , was it not for

      yj the kindliness of your disposition , and the fresv . quent representations I had made as to the ^ cruelty of pressing them ? My desire was that .: they should receive such indulgence at my f" own espense , as would put it out of the power of our enemies to base their opposition ¦ to the Land Plan upon the poverty , or even v dissatisfaction of the located members , and , ;'¦ therefore , they have not till now been called '' . ' upon to pay One single fraction ; while you

      remember the grateful addresses presented to me for my foolish indulgence . Every newspaper in the kingdom is now at their command , to publish what they consider their grievances and my injustice ; and as only one paper is open to me , you will consider it no easy task for an individual to contendnot against the Press of England only , but against the Press of Ireland and Seoriand as well . However , I will do it , and successfully , by a short bnt irrefutable narrative of the money transactions connected with the Land Company .

      When operations were going on faster than funds came in I borrowed from one gentleman nearly £ 2 , 000 Tet unpaid . From another ... GW Yet unpaid . From another ... 900 Part unpaid .

      Total £ 3 , 500 Every fraction of that—together with the whole of the profits of the Northern Star for four years—has gone into the Land Company . Mr . Rider , my clerk , payingasmuchas 370 / . some weeks , to enable me to meet the demands upon the Company , while I was giving bills at an enormous interest for paper and stamps . In 1846 , ' 47 , and ' 48 , it frequently cost me over 201 . a week in visiting estates to be sold in Devonshire , Cumberland , and many distant

      counties in England , and in attending auctions to bid for them . I have taken Mr . Doyle , 3 £ r . Wheeler , and Mr . Clark at my own expense , to assist in examining some of those estates I have not , from the day the Land Company was established , to the present moment , expended 10 / ., or 5 / .. or 1 / ., except upon the most simple necessaries of life . The Land Company has been in connexion with the Land Bank—the money belonging to

      the Bank has been deposited in my name in the London Joint Stock Bank , and 1 refer my numerous enemies and spies to the manager of that bank whether I have drawn a cheque for one shilling . Whentheapp ointraent of the Parliamentary Committee had shaken—and naturally—the confidence of unpaid members , 2 , 000 ? . was transferred from the National Land and Labour Bank to the credit of the Company , as every tradesman pressed me for of that

      payment of bills . 1 , 806 / . sum I repaid to the Land and Labour Bank out of mv own money ; I have been the largest depositor in that bank , but never took a farthhiff of interest for my money ; and while I have been paying over 10 ? . per cent . for money on my own account , I refer my enemies to the manager of the National Lard and Labour Bank , to ask him if I have ever drawn one fraction from that Bank ?

      Now as to the accounts : A balance-sheet w as annually rendered . Not one fraction of the money has ever come into my hands since I was treasurer ; every farthing has gone t hrough the Directors to the Bank—that is , to the several banks nearest totheEstates , where operations were going on-and every one of those hankers' books were produced to the Government auditor , an dtotheParhamentary ° ThTa 1 Snmt accounted for in the balancesheet , befoiethe auditor exammedthe accounte Lt ^ Parliamen tary Con ^ ttee ^ was ^ OOO ? . odd T IhXonotion tiiatany otherinvest . gatiqn Satbalancesheetwomdtake place s howevex-, fSZate enough to have preserved the

      receipts and documents ; andmnumueiy mv-^^^^ grs ^ iS auditor discovered a mistake PfJES ' , ihwii vou how the monies were JnsSed from localtreasurers to Directors , ^ S rtioWectors to the several Banks . an from thc ^ T" unlikeother managers , \ londra ^ d Joint Stock Bank , or the * " M Labour Bank , airinow I will show Land and 2 es were disbursed ; and pery 0 U how the momesw ^^ ^ j S tC irnoto ^ e hne or one figure of mme yiany siagle oo qt ^ jjxgilui sat at JSES * - — ' « - *

      §§||||My Fbiesds, Llllp When The Manager...

      money on Saturday nights , and he entered name and amount in ' the book . At Lowbands , Mr . Cullingham kept the Tradesmen ' s book , and Mr , Erect the Labourer ' s book . " : At Minster Lovel , Mr . Doyib , \ and Mr . Gvlusgbax , and Mr . King kept " the books . At Snig ' s End , Mr . CULL 1 KGIIAM and Mr . Kikg kept the books . At Bromsgrove , Mr . Culuxgham and Mr . Doyle kept the books , and not a "line ,, or

      figure of mine is in one of them ; and from those books the accounts were made out . And now let me ask you , if I might not , without the power of detection , have juggled the company out of thousands had I been so inclined ? Butlet me no w show you my disregard of money when character is concerned , and how I preferred serving the poor occupants who could not get securities for loans out of my own pocket , in preference to drawing upon the Company ' s funds ' : —

      To One Occupant I gave ... ... 14 To Two 107 . each ... ... ... 20 TqAnother ... " ^ . ^ ~ .. ... - 7 Premium to the O'Connorville Occupants ... 15

      To Howarth , Manchester , 35 ? . Profit made upon a Four Acre Allotment that I had purchased from him , and which he w ^ s astonished at receiving 35 Present of an Allotment of Two Acres and House to a devoted Chartist , and one of the most charitable , benevolent , and kind-hearted men I ever met 200 Sacrifice of Interest on Money in the Bank , about ... 30

      Total , £ 330 And to show you the different value that I attach to the money of the poor man and my own , one of the allottees at Lowbands was agent for the Star , he owes me 61 . or 11 ., but I never pressed him for that , and he has paid no rent . Now , bear in mind that the Auditor Keported to the Parliamentary Committee that the Company owed me 3 , 400 That the last Financial Committee reported , after seeing receipts for everything , and after being previously submitted to the Government Auditor an extra * . 1 , 200

      Making ... £ 4 , C 0 C And , also bear in mind , that the Committee urged the necessity of a prompt and immediate balance-sheet being furnished ; that Iwaa nearly night and day , for three weeks , furnishing those voluminous documents , while any other man would have been granted at least six months , and in this case , also Mr . Cullixgham , Mr . Doyle , Mr . M'Grath , Mr . Wheeler , and Mr . King—and their books and receipts , were searchingly and critically examined by the Auditor , who , as he admitted from report , had entertained the strongest prejudice against me .

      Since that audit I have discovered receipts for large amounts that I did not then get credit for , or claim credit for , not having the receipts then by me ; and in the account furnished to the Financial Committee last July , I made a mistake against myself of 136 ? . ~ Now , working men , consider my case , and the case of the Rochdale Savings Bank , of the Woods and Forests , the Ecclesiastical Revenue , and Hallway Managers , and ask yourselves whether in my case such a continuous scene of plunder would have been tolerated for years ; and , above all , bear in mind , that my expenses in connexion with this Company have been much over 2 , 000 / . —that , up to the present time , as a paid Director , I would have

      been entitled to 47 */ . ; and further , bear in mind , that I made a profit of 1 , 350 / . of a Small Farm that I purchased and sold next day , and to which , as Mr , Roberts stated , at a public meeting at 'Manchester , I was fully entitled , and which no other man , in a similar position , would have handed over to the Company ; and , in addition , bear in mind , that I have paid large interest upon bills due upon my own account , while I have never given a bill on account of the Land Company , but on the contrary , I have invested my own funds to save tiie Company f rom legal expenses ; and although I have been offered presents by tradesmen with whom I dealt largely , I have invariably declined them .

      Then as to Mathou Estate , I might have patched up accounts by drawing upon that ; while , as regards that fund , my bankers book is open to inspection , and not a fraction of it has been touched . Now , working men , further observe that I have paid 500 / . deposit upon Mathon out of my own pocket , aud that every depositor —if I eannot complete the purchase ^— . will

      receive 20 s . in the pound , and I will lose that . Thus I . show you that I have borrowed 3 , 500 / ., and given the whole of the profits of the "Northern < Ster , " and the whole of my time for four years and nine months to the promotion of this Land Plan , while now I am most brutally and unscrupously assailed by those who have been located with your money .

      Working men , let me now show you my legal difficulties for two years . £ / . I have paid to Mr . Cleave and legal expenses , nearly 700 Mr . Hohson ' s verdict , 78 / ., a quarter's salary with costs 500 Mr . Ardill , mv clerk , for libel ... 150 Mr . Fowler , for libel JO Mr . Macnamara ... ... - * - '

      Oakum picking , about 100 My own Solicitors ' costs 387 Total £ 2 , 139 Not counting various sums that I have given away . Now , do not you think that I am a finished juggler ? while , had I devoted my time and intellect to money-grubbing , 1 might have been wallowing in wealth , instead of as now living in the most simple , frugal , and economical manner . I fear that you will consider this letter long and tedious , while you must

      bear in mind that it comes from an individual who has no other channel through which he can defend himself , while the whole battery of the Tress , provincial and metropolitan , are opened upon him . jfow , unlocated members , let mc ask you to read the following letter of Mr . Oedy—a three acre occunant at O'Connorville—to the Bradford members , and also the genuine , the straig htforward , and unanswerable letter of Dc ^ cax Shereixgxox , one of the most uprig ht and steadfast Chartist iu the Kingdom , to the occupants at Snig's End , and read the secretary ' s letter accompanying Mr . Oddy ' s , and my reply to Mr . Odoy . Here is Mr . Oddy ' s letter : — O'Connorrille , Dec . atli , 1819 , Mx Dear Fbiesd , —You may think it very strange of me not writing to vou according to promise , but the truth is

      §§||||My Fbiesds, Llllp When The Manager...

      I hare beefl here bow nearly three years and could get no seetiBty <> fn » y aUotment , only promises of them , all broken bnt ^ -nouung but juggling and fraud ; and if I was to write to yon / aud ; to tell you the truth , I know the screw would be puton me , and that tightly t * o ; and since I could not send you a true statement I thought it more honest not to write at all Therefore , dear friend , be so good as to lay this Statement before my brother members , and tell them I want their advice how I must act , fori will not stand O'Connor's nor the Director ' s shuffling , nor their falsehood any longer . The statements underneath are correct , which 1 nra willing to prove before any magistrate , to all your satisfaction ; Mr . Dixon , one of the Directors , has been down here these three weeks demanding their rentsand

      , with force too . Some paid some part , and some cannot pay ; they demand ftr two acres £ S 10 b ., three acres £ 11 , four acres £ 1310 s . > , with such rents , and Ievyingratos and tithes , we cannot pay live ; I and my wife wrought with vigour , from morning dawn till dark at night , and often with empty bellies ; for , I assure you , many a day n' « both eat no better than dry bread and cold water , with a spoonful of sugar in the cold water to make it palatable , and yet I could not keep out of debt , for I stand in my book thus : — £ d . d . Twq ; andalialf jears ' rent .. .. 2710 o . .. loan from the Company 15 0 0 Doe to prorision shop for pigs meat and ourselves .. .. .. .. 810 0

      £ 51 0 0 Xow , my old friend , I paid Dixon £ 2 , and the rest must be paid at Christmas ; now , how to meet the balance , God only , knows , fori do not ; for after all our toU , labour , starvation , c * ld and hardships , I positively declare to you , that the {& nd Scheme is nothing more than An humbug , a delujifloHHoaokerv , and a snare . For I assert , without feat gg & ftt ^ rioay'ifr ^^ benefited by Ibis bubble scheme ; he promised to put bonus niS & bsrs on when a vacancy would occur ; and here , on this estate , he has put people on that paid the ready money down , although , the bonus members were paid in , and higher in amount than this man , and yet they take this man ' s money and let the bonus members stand

      over . But , old friend , if the country or tho public knew only half their carrying on , they would be hurled out of office , and O'Connor scouted from society—which he richly deserves—and .-ill such swindlers . You may think I speak harsh , but I do not draw the picture near the real likeness , nor could I teU half the truth . Now , my friends and brothers , wy business is nearly brought to a close , and I beg of you to send me your advice , and make what use you like qf this letter , for I defy contradiction . My live stock is as follows : — £ s . d . One in-pig sow 2 10 0 Onehog : 110 0 Nine stove pigs at 9 s 4 10

      Crops , & c ., & c , ft Nine bushels of wheat , at 5 s . ,. ,, 2 5 0 Sight ditto barley , at 3 s 14 0 Thirty ditto potatoes , at 2 s 8 0 0 Onedonkey 0 15 0 Six fowls , at 2 s ; 0 12 0 £ 15 17 0

      It is intimated to us that if we ( tKfc balloted members J wish to leave we may do so , and take our crops with us ; but I will not until I hear from you how I am to act . Till then farewell , for I cannot express half my feelings to you by letter , but when I see you all I will then relate what will surprise you , concerning our glorious Land Plan . I remain , with respect , < fcc ., Wolum Oddet . Here follows the accompanying letter from the Branch Secretary : — Bradford , Yorkshire , Dec , 9 .

      Dub Sib . —I am directed by the members of the Land Company that held a meeting this day ( Sunday , ) at our room , to send you a letter that came into my hands from > rascal that is at O'Connorville , and we hope that you will put the screw on' him , a « l send him back to Bradford again . This fellow has often stated , when he was here , that he could not earn above six shillings a week , on an average , and he has got , from the Society twenty-two pounds Aid money ; fifteen pounds Loan money ; awl two pounds from us to send him oif . ¦ "• I remain your humble scrrant , James Conneu ,, Secretary of this Branch .

      Nov , hear my reply to Mr . OddY . What were the promises broken except those of the occupants who have paid no rent ; and mark his present vigour and that of his wife , now that they are able to toil from morning till night , as compared with their condition when they were located . More than once , both Oddy and his wife have told me , that when she was at Bradford , she was reduced to such a state of weakness , that for weeks together she was not able to work , and was obliged to lie in bed , and could not eat a bit , and that it took all she could earn to pav for medicine ; but now , she

      said , " Look at me , I could eat one of them big loaves there , and can work all day and never felt so well in my life , and so does Oddy . Eh ? but I do like it , G od Almighty bless thee . '' But to fig ures : this man has received 22 / . 10 s . Aid Money , 15 ? . Loan Money , that is %% 10 s . ; and has one of the most splendid allotments upon the estate , he has had a house rent free for two years aud a quarter , he has now 15 / . 17 s . worth of produce , making 53 / . 7 s ., and has paid 21 . rent , reducing it to 51 / . fa , and if I remember right he had two cows , however , he is now reduced to a donkey .

      Now divide the 51 / . 7 s . into weekly wages for two years and a quarter , and y ou will find that apart from consumption of meat , which he says he has eaten , o f bread , sugar , and water , no doubt some vegetables , and rent o f house , and you will find that this poor juggled man , without being unemployed for a single day , not excepting holidays , has received 8 s . and a fraction per week . Now , does this require comment , and will those who have been supporting him and his fortunate companions longer tolerate such an iniquity ? Here 1 take a feeble man and unhealthy wife from an unhealthy factory town , place them in a magnificent cottage , upon three acres of excellent land , they are now healthy and vigorous , had 6 s . a week to live upon , and pay for medicine , when they took possession of their allotment , and now have lived rent free and received 8 s . a week , besides supporting themselves .

      Now , I ask you whether this fellow has been the victim of " a mockery , a delusion , aud a snare 1 " and I ask you if there is anything more easy than to make a poor mouth and draw up a most piteous appeal , while the duped appellant is living upon the very sweat and blood of many who would he but too happy to receive 6 s . or os . a week . Here follows Mr . SherbinGtTOS ' s letter , which , with that ingenuousness of character for which he is distinguished and honoured , he requests may be published . Here it is : — 48 , Rumford-sU'eet , Bridgetow , Glasgow , December 8 th , 184 'J .

      Sib . —I received a communication from you this week in name of the aUottees of Snig ' s End Estate , complaining , in very unmeasured terms , of Mr . O'Connor and the rest of the Directors of the Land Company , for the measures they have taken to follow out the instructions of the Unlocated Members , iafact , 1 do not see what other course could have been adopted by them under the circumstances iit which they were placed . When I see a number of men setting themselves up in opposition to the regular constituted Officers of the Company , and declaringtheirdeterininatioii not to comply \ ritli the rules that have been adopted by both the Located imd Unlocated Members , Iwouldask you what other course they could adopt ? or do you think that they would be justified in allowing the Company to be completely nullified , and those who have possession to keep ? 2

      possession in opposition to every former arrangement » o , sir , such is not my opinion of justice between man and man . All those who are now on the different estates must have known the conditions on which they held their allotments , and also that althoughit was got up principally by Chartists , tnat they could not allow injustice to be practised on those that have as just claims on the Company as those that are located have , without having recourse to law for the purpose of compelling them to fulfil their agreements , and must have been mistaken in what constituted the real duty of those of whom they complain so very bitterly , and , in my opinion , unjustly . So far as jour statements regarding the wasteful expenditure of the Directors goes I eannot agree with you , but 1 have no doubt but it will pass current with many who know no better , and those who have not had the same opportunity of satisfying themselves as I have on this most important subject . 1 having been appointed one ef an

      Auditing Committee by the Conference to examine and report upon the accounts , this has perfectly satisfied my mind upon that portion of your complaints . And for your other grievances you may have seme cause to complain ; but I do think , that whatever your condition maybe , that the course adop ted by the allottees is either just or politic , as 1 blame them for king the great cause of confidence being destroyed , and the operauons of the Company suspended . From the first day that a location took place up till the present day , the smallest obstacle was construed into an insurmountable barrier to the progress of the Located Members , and , consequently , the Tress , who is neither the friends of the one party or the other , were always glad to receive the complaints of the dissatisfied , and to make the worst of them , so Quit the good feeling that did exist for a time might be destroyed , and their ends accomplished . I am , Sir , youra , 4 c , D . SlIEEMNTiN .

      T . S . —As this is no new formed opinion of mme it will take more evidence than has yet been given to convince me , and for what I here state I refer you to Alex , CIcland for the truth of it , as it has often been a subject between him and me . —D . S . TO TOE DmtCIOBS . Geoxbme >" , —I enclose you a letter which I have received

      §§||||My Fbiesds, Llllp When The Manager...

      from Saig ' s Enapstate , and one which I think I would not bo domg my dutjif I did not put you in possession of ; also a copy of nreply ^ whichl'seut them ,, which you ore at perfect hberty to u $ as you l % tliirik proper . I a ^ Gentlemeno'ours as ever , _ ' ~ * V Duncan Sherrington . ine above is ^ lrected to Hobopt Jarv is , Snig ' s End . The only observation that I fee ] it necessary tomakoupog-jfr . Sheruington ' S letter is , that could Hivest myself of that excitement which the ingratitude' of the most fortunate has raised , Rtijitght have been able to condense my observations within the same space , as I defy mortal mm to give a more graphic , a more true , ojc . a more understandable picture ofthewholeyMair , than Mr . Sherrington has , in his-e & ncise and able letter .

      My friends , all that I have written in the above has reference to my connexion with the Land Company , financially ; and now to the base and-f slanderous accusation preferred against me ^ y the vile Migrates of Snig ' s End , and pubYistfe din numerous papers , They say , that in theKaiidited account there is 1 , 4007 . charged fori ^ diMoney , which is 400 ? . or 500 / . more thaa ;^ # 'paid ; and they also stat e that the C 6 m ^ anp | ives , nie nothing . Now ? mark my . r ep ^ p ^ irer ^ ayA ^ Aof . & e XiOOI 1

      was paw- MrT ^ raSft ^ wh ^ tn ^^ l ^^^ ilJua ^ 1848 , received a cheque for 500 / ., to pay'Aid Money there "; ~ oh the 11 th of Jul y the Government Auditor made up his accounts ; I gave him . the amount that I had paid : Mr . Clark was not present at Bromsgrove when the accounts were audited ; Mr . Cullingham , Mr . M'GtRath , Mr . Doyle , Mr . Bull—who had for a short time paid the labourers—were present , and it so happened that Mr . Clahke had paid but a portion of the 500 ? ., and , subsequently returned the balance to the Bank .

      But it you were to take things in their entirety , hear what I have to state : the occupants of Snig ' s End are slated , in the Government Auditors' account , to have received 1 , 400 ? . Mr . Clark returned 101 / . 10 s ., which would make their receipts something under 1 , 300 / . In the same Heporfc , the occupants at Minster Lovel are stated to have received 1 , 538 / ., while they received 1 , 7102 . —leaving a balance of nearly 2002 . in my favour ; which deduct from the 1 , 3002 . received by the Snig ' s End occupants , after deducting the 1011 . 10 s .

      returned by Mr . Clark , from the 1 , 409 / . stated to be paid , and you will find that it reduces the amount of 1 , 400 / ., fbr which I got credit , to 1 , 100 / . And let me further state the foundation of the inaccuracy upon which the Minster Lovel Aid Money was based . The Government Keporter only returned sixty-nine houses as the number built upon that Estate ,. whereas there are eighty ; and the Aid Money was paid by Mr . Doyle ; and to some , who received it before departing for the Estate , by the Directors , at the office of the Company . Now , am I not a juggler ?

      Now , working men , as regards this Land Company , Parliament will meet in about six weeks , when it is my intention—if it is not previously registered , and it is now set down for hearing next term , which commences upon January the tlth—according to the unanimous recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee—to apply * to the House of Commons , for an Act of Parliament to wind up the affairs of the Company . The accounts will be again audited , and if the Company does not owe me several thousand pounds I will surrender my . whole claim ; and I will take care that the legal expenses shall be trifling . And now , to prove my attachment to this

      Company , 1 undertake to surrender every fraction due to me , if the unprincipled men located with your money will surrender the property , which may be turned to much better account . Now let me ask you , if there is another instance upon record o f such a Company never being put to any legal expense except for registration—if ever there was a trustee discharged his trust more f aithfully—if ever there was a treasurer could give so honest an account of the funds placed in his hands ? I think I have a good set off against 400 / . or 500 / ., or 4 , 000 / . or 5 , 000 / . ; and I believe every man who knows mc feels confident that I would

      rather go to bed without my supper than sup upon- the poor man ' s funds . And , further observe that when this Company is either completely registered or wound up , as the case may be , the whole of its accounts from the commencement , will be again submitted to commissioners and auditors appointed by the Government ; and then , my friends at Snig's End will find , whether I have a good set-off against 400 ? ., 4 , 0001 ., or 7 , 0001 . ; and there is

      not an nnlocated member who is not fully aware that is was not my intention to press them for the repayment of my services . Bear in mind , that the answer of Mr . Sheruikgtois is to Mr . Jarvis , whose letter is published in the Manchester Examiner , and several other papers ; and bear in mind , that not one o f those papers will publish my reply . In conclusion , let me give you a former instance of the manner in which I was treated .

      When I was in my dungeon-, in York Castle , it was rumoured that I had a large balance of ¦ Chartist money in my hands . I was not present ' to defend myself ; the whole accounts were submitted to a shrewd and searching committee ; and I now give you the result of their inquiry , when I was persecuted and slandered by many whom 1 had saved from starvation . Here are the resolutions—which follow a full balance sheet of receipts and disbursements , occupying nearly three columns of the Northern Star .

      In Mr . Clarkson ' s account , his charge for professional service amounts to £ 150 ; the difference was paid by Mr . O'Connor , through Mr . Clarkson , for traverse fees , court fees , and counsel fees , at Liverpool . The traverse feet alone amounted to move than one hundred pounds . Mr , Clarkson ' s charge is for his own and his head clerk ' s attendance during the whole of the Yorkshire and Lancashire assizes , and his attendance subsequently at Chester ; for his services in White and Wilson ' s case , and numerous attendance at the magistrates courts , and having defended more than one hundred prisoners , separate brieis being required for a great number .

      £ s . a , Amount due to Mr . O'Connor , for Frost ' s defence 36 19 2 Amount due to Mr . O'Connor , for National defence 273 13 7 . Amount due to Mr . O'Connor , by Northern Union ,. id 0 0 306 IS 9 k The two amounts paid by Hey wood are £ 1 " and £ i ~ odd , but the exact items are not yet known w .. .. 71 0 0

      Which leaves due to Mr . O'Connor .. .. 23 ' . ' IS S Memoiukdum . —A speeial meeting of the Manchester Executive Council , and of-the committee , appointed by the delegate meeting in Manchester to distribute the fund subscribed for the relief of the tvives and families of the imprisoned Chartists , having been called , for the purpose of examining the balance sheets of the receipts and disbursements of the * Frost Defence Fund , ' and the' National Uefeiice Fund , ' in consequence of certain reportshaving been raised and circulated to the prejudice of Mr . I'cargns O'Connor , the holder and disburscr of those funds , such meeting was held this Monday evening , October 5 th , 1810 , when , after hearing the several documents read , and the balance sheets having been examined , it was resolved unanimousl y : —

      1 . —This committee having heard , with deep regret , of the circulation , by some parties iu London , of rumours and reports prejudicial to Mr . O'Connor ' s character , in relation to the Frost and General Defence Funds , highly approve » f the steps taken by Mr . O'Connor for their relutatiun , iu bavins corresponded with Mrs . Fvost and obtaining from that lady a letter denying the charges said to have been made by her : and in laying the whole documents , with full explanations , before this committee for examination and approval , if satisfactory , preparatory to their publication for general inspection . ' Moved by James Wheeler , seconded by Andhew Melville , 2—The balance sheets of the several funds having been ttentivcly and serutiriisingly examined by tin ' s committee ,

      §§||||My Fbiesds, Llllp When The Manager...

      they beg thus to express their high sense of the admirable manner in which the several accounts have been kept , and the judicious care and management evinced in their disbursement . From such examination they rind that the snmsof £ 27319 s . 7 Jd . on the General Defence Fund ; and £ id on the Northern Union Medal Account , are due to Mr . O'Connor , he having advanced the same ; and they lire of opinion that the entire of the money thus advanced , ought to be immediately subscribed by the country at large and returned to Mr . O'Connor . ' Moved by Peter Suorrockr , seconded by Wm . Musiiton ' . 3 . — ' This committee cannot too earnestly deprecate the

      many attempts made by certain parties in London , to whisper and bahmate away the character of Mr . O'Connor , III the teeth of the evidence of facts wliicli proves that he has done more in the creation and collecting of the several funds whose particulars we have just examined into , than any dther twenty men put together ; and that his purse has everUf en open to , and his talents ever been at the use and command of , the suffering poor . These attempts , they think , spring from any motive but the one supplied by the love of Chartism ; and evince either disappointed vanity or contemptible envy on the part of those who mike them . ' Moved by William Haddocks , seconded by Joim Mu .-Lis

      aroy . 4 . — 'This committee cannot separate without registering their opinion that the gratitude of the nation at large is due to Mr . O'Connor , for the almost super-human efforts made by him in the cases of the Dorchester labourers , the Glasgow cotton spinners , the Welsh martyrs , and the Chartist victims , to secure for them the best defence the Bah could furnish , . or . to procure their liberation titter being sentenced to felon ' s fade ; and they have witnessed with regret , the ungrateful conduct , in return , of those who either have not the soul to appreciate , or th / houesty to acknowledge-them . * Moved by Andrew Mel Alls , seconded by Wm . BOSUTON , . , . .. ' V :, i . Li ^ rli ' ' ^ / -- ' . ' v , ; -, ¦ .. -...... - . ^^ i . > - \^ . ^' : & W ^^ .. j i VfEJCER feuoRTOCTKSTSetSelaVy ^^ Tr 5 " It-was afterwards moved and carried unanimously , that Mr . AbelHeywood , of Manchester , be appointed treasurer for the fund for ' the relief of the imprisoned Chartists ' wives and families , ' in consequence of Mr . O'Connor delining to act as treasurer any longer .

      Now that was my defence , when I was not present to defend myself , relying , as I always do , upon tho integrity of the working classes , by whom alone—as I have always stated—I will consent to be tried . Now read the evidence of Joiin Ardiix , my clerk , at the Lancaster trials ; and the evidence of John Pari ? , my bailiff , that I brought from Ireland , to speak to my character with reference to my treatment of the poor . Here they are : — Jons tfAKK , examined by Mr . O'CosKoa : —I believe 1 have been in the habit of standing in the fields with my workmen , sometimes from 100 to 160 , for nine or ten hours a day for years ? Yes . —What was my conduct to my labourers and the poor in general t You built houses

      for your labourers and gave them tree , and ground with them ? Did I knock down mud cabins , and build stone houses for them ? Yes . I charged no rent ? So . Did you pay the wages every Saturday night ? Yes ; and you raised the wages when the times got hard . John Ardih ,, examined by Mr . O'CoNxon : —Have you overbad any communication with me relative to the impossibility of meeting my drafts upon you for the support of poer people ? Yes , several times . You received a general account from Keywood , Cleave , and other large agents ?—And don't yon know that I have paid , for Chartist purposes ,, upwards of twenty pounds a week ? Yes , I have received such accounts : 1 know we have large sums to pay Mr . Heywood , running on for weeks . Do you not know that , on some occasions I have incurred that expense

      in relieving the families of poor people who were incarcerated ? Yes . And sometimes the prisoners themselves 1 Yes . Now , have you not written to me sometimes saying that , in consequence of such liberality , you were obliged to dishonour my drafts % ¥ es , I have been obliged to dishonour your drafts frequently , and latterly to stop them altogether , as we could not pay for stamps else . During the time you were in York Castle , you did not receive , but paid , money to the Northern Star . Have not distressed operatives wishing to start in business called on mc , and did I not frequently give them a sovereign or two at a time ? Yes , Did you ever know , during the last five years , a man coming to me for money , that my hand was not in my pocket to give it to him ? I never knew a man to call fulsome , without your giving it , or ordering mc to give him

      some . Working men of England , as character is dearer tome than life itself , lot me now remind you that I have been an unpaid delegate at every Conference for ten ybars , that I have given thousands to those who have mos"t reviled me ; to some more than 100 / .: that I have tyavelled For years , hut always at my own expense ; that 1 have never allowed a Chartist prisoner to go undefended ; that I advanced a thousand pounds out o f my own pocket to fee counsel for the defence of Frost and others , before a farthing was subscribed , and that I sat under the dock from the

      commencement to the termination of the trial ; that I have spent in one tour as much as 961 . ^ to pay debts due by the Chartist Executive ; that my purse has ever been open to you ; that when the " Stay" was making 13 , 000 / . a year , every fraction of it was devoted to the Chartist cause , and that now I am reviled by those professing Chartism , whom I have most served . In conclusion , let me give you the report of the select committee of the House of Commons , unanimously adopted . The Select Committee have further considered the matters to them referred , and have agreed to the following resolutions , and report : —

      1 . —That the proposed additional provisions to the ? riendly Societies Acts which are incorporated in the bill , entitled' a Bill to alter and amend an act of ( he 9 th and 10 th years of her present Majesty , for the amendment of the laws relating to Friendly Societies , ' will not include the National Land Company within those acts . 2 . —That the National Land Company is not consistent with the general principles upon which the Friendly Societies are founded . 3 . —That the National Land Company , as at present constituted , is an illegal scheme , and will not fulfil the expectations held out by the Directors to the shareholders .

      1—That it appearing to this committee by the evidence of several witnesses , that the books of proceedings of the National Land Company , as well as the accounts of the Company , have been most imperfectly kept , and that the original balance sheets signed by the auditors of the Company have been destroyed , and only three of those balance sheets for the quarter ending the auth of September , and the' 25 th of December , 1847 , and the 25 th of March , 1848 respectively , have been produced ; but Mr . Feargus O'Connor having expressed an opinion that an impression had gone abroad that the monies subscribed by the National Land Company had been applied to his own benefit , this

      committee are clearly of opinion that although the accounts have not been kept with strict regularity , yet that irregularity has been against Mr . O'Connor ' s interest , instead of in his favour ; and that it appears by Mr . Grey's account there is due to Mr . Feargus O'Connor the sum of jtfa . iys 5 s . 3 . } d ., and by Mr . Fiulayson ' s account tiie sum of £ 3 , 400 . 5 . —That considering the great number of persons interested in the scheme , and the 60110 fides with which it appears to have been carried on , it is the opinion of this Committee that powers might he granted to the parties concerned , if they shall so desire , to wind up the undertaking and to relieve them from the penalties to which they may have incautiously subjected themselves .

      Iu submitting these resolutions to the consideration of the House , it is the opinion of your committee that it should be left entirely open to the parties concerned , to propose to Parliament any new measure of carrying out the expectations and objects of the promoters of the Company . Now there is the Committee ' s report , and I quite agree with the Committee , that although tho accounts were not kept with that strict regularity observed by bankers and merchants , " that that irregularity has been against Mr . Feargus O'Connor ' s interest instead of in his favour . "

      Working men , I am the reviled of all revilers , so will every man he who attempts to serve your order , but as the censure of slaves is adulation , I court it ; I repose confidence in your integrity and on your verdict , I will ever depend , fbr the preservation of my name , my honour , and my character . And now to show you the difference between my position and that o f Railway jugglers , I def y Banker , Tradesman , Director , Bailiff , Overseer , or any man employed by mc , to charge mo with one single dishonest or ungentlemanlike act in connexion with this Land Company . Will any newspaper that has published the slauder of your enemies publish my refutation ?

      NOT ONE . Your Faithful and Uncompromising Friend , Feargus O'Connor . We , the Directors of the National Land Company , three of whom have filled that office since its establishment , have heard the above letter , written by Mr . O'Connor , read , and we are prepared to vouch our word and our oath , if necessary , for its accuracy . We have had ample opportunity of criticising the actions of Mr . O'CONNOR ill connexion with this Company , and we have no hesitation iu stating , that no man ever more honestly and energetically devoted his services to the success of any Company ; but , as this Company

      §§||||My Fbiesds, Llllp When The Manager...

      has been exclusively established for the benefit of our own order , it has been maligned and spat upon , and by none more ungenerously than by those whom it has most served . Philip M'Gkatii , Chkistopiiku Doyle . Thomas Clark , William Dixon .

      [ As an appendix to my letter , let me call your attention to tho following leading article , extracted from the Jurist of the 1 st of December , 1849 ; a paper edited by tho ablest lawyers in the kingdom , and who , you will naturally understand , would not damage their own character , or that of their organ , by any misrepresentation e f the law ; and f rom it yon will unequivocally understand , that but for the power , the malignity , and tho malice of the ^ .

      Registrar , inspired by the hatred of the Government to the Land Plan , he would not have dared to refuse the complete registration of the Company ; hut you will understand the old maxim , that " there is one law for the rich and another law for tho poor " that there is more danger for the peasant who shoots the Squire ' s hare , than to tho Squire who shoots tho peasant's head ; and that " one man may steal a horse , while another dare not look over the wall . "—F . O'C ]

      An important question lias lately been raised in tho Court of Common Pleas relating to the office of tho Registrar of Joint-stock Companies . It arose in a case of The Barmen Iron Company v . Baraett . The declaration was for instalments due on shares . The defendant pleaded that the company was within the stat 7 & 8 Vict . c . 110 ; but that , although it had boon completely registered , its deed of settlement did not contain the particulars required by that statute .

      The above was a case in which the complaint was , that a company had been completely registered which ought not to have been ' set Another case is pending in the Court of Queen's Bench , in which the complaint . is , thakthe c ^ tjficate has been refused ¦ srfeens-flrpughfc-to lwve , befln ; -gK-tipte ] I ; ,. Wp allude to " Reg ., on the Prosecution ofMe ~ Naihmal 7 l / tnd Company , ( provisionallyt rcijietered , ) v . The Reyktrarof Joint-stock Companies ? ' There , a mandamus , setting forth the deed of settlement of the company , has gone to the Registrar , commanding him to renew the certificate of provisional registration , and grant a certificate of complete registration . He

      has returned three grounds for non-compliancpfirst , that tho company is not established for profit , Ac , within the stat . 7 & S Vict . c . 110 ; secondly , that , by the deed , the directors are empowered to sell lands , & c . by lot , contrary to tho lottery acts ; and , thirdly , that tho company is also a tanking company , contrary to the banking acts . To this return the prosecutors have demurred generally , because they contend that tho Registrar has no right to travel out of the deed , which shows the

      company to be within the Joint-stock Companies Act , and does not shew that the lottery or banking statutes have been contravened . t Now here , wo presume , a question , whiph ^ ac incidentally raised in The Barwcn Iron Company v . Barnett , will recur , namely , whether the Registrar is a ministerial or judicial officer ; and if the latter , whether , at all events , his discretion is not limited by the deed of settlement , and by a compliance on the part of the company with the express provisions contained in the 7 & 8 Viet . c . 110 . as amended by tho 10 & 11 Vict . c . 78 .

      It would appear that the statute has imposed ( as might have been expected ) a limit upon the power of the Registrar in refusing to incorporate a . company which appears , by its deed , to bo within its meaning and intention . Thus , although . ho may object to the abstract or index of the deed , and to the insufjjeiency of tho deed by reason of omission or incompleteness , or of lfcg . containing provisions inconsistent with or repugnant to the stilt . 7 & 8

      Vict . c . 110 , yet it would seem , that ifheapprore of the abstract or index , and the deed of settlement on the face of it comply with the express requirements of the statute , he has no power to refuse registration gn account of matter dehors tho deed : Such appears to be the reasonable construction of the net ; and wide as the Registrar ' s discretion is under its provisions , it hardly seems advisable to extend it by implication .

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      Notukoium.—At A Public Meeting Of Member...

      NoTUKoiuM . —At a public meeting of members ,, held at the Seven Stars , Barkcr-gate , on Monday evening last , which was numerously attended—Mr . James Sweet in the chair—the following resolution was carrie I unanimously : " That in tho opinion of this meeting tho success of tiie Land Company mainly depends upon the ability of tho allottees to pay the vent due : they cgnsider that sufficient time has been given them for tthat purpose , but they fear they are iiot actuated by a principle of justice towords their brother shareholders , by whose united exertions they were placed upon those allotments , and by whose contributions aid and loan money was advanced to them , They therefore demand of

      the Directors to enforce the payment of the rent immediately , and to eject all suck members , and thereby act justly to the thousands who have paid up their share money , hut remain wdocnted , and who are receiving no interest whatever for the money so invested . If the members already located cannot or will not pay rent , the sooner they arc removed the better , that others more deserving may occupy their places . This meeting is further of opinion , that unless something similar to the above is acted upon by the Directors , that a wyespread dissatisfaction will exist amongst the members , and however reluctant they might feel , it would become , in that case , their duty to call upon the Directors to wind up the affairs of the Company forthwith . " r

      Similar resolutions have been adopted at Hull , Edinburgh , Mottram , Worcester , Liverpool , Georgie Mills , and Newcastle-upon-Tyne .

      Fuxeral Op Tile Qi5een Doyjageit. On Thu...

      FUXERAL OP TILE QI 5 EEN DOYJAGEIt . On Thursday , the mortal remains of < Juccn Adelaide were removed from Bentlcy Prion-, stanmoro , and intered in tho Royal mausoleum in St . George ' s Chapel , Windsor . In accordance with tho last desire ef that illustrious lady , the funeral proceedings rrere conducted in a comparatively private manner , for . with the exception of the presence of a strong detachment of the Life Guards , there was nothing beyond the ordinary display observable at the funeral of a private individual .

      Dfiath Of Two Children Ox Board A Steame...

      DfiATH OF Two Children ox board a Steamer . —On Saturday a very distressing occurrence took place on board the steamer Camilla , while making her passage betwixt Belfast and Glasgow . The night was very stormy , and a majority of the passengers were iu consequence affected by sea sickness . Among them were two women , who , it subsequently appeared , had been deserted by their husbands , and had been induced to believe that they were in Glasgow . They had immediately resolved upon coming hither in search of them . They took a steerage passage for that purpose , and each brought her child along with her . All parties had been extremaly sick , and the mothers were rendered incapable of attending to their charge , Wlieil betwixt Ailsa Craig and the Cumbrae Head , it was discovered that the children were dead . No other cause than severe sickness can be ascribed for this

      lamentable reuslt .- Glasgow Daily Mail . Accident on the Great Northern Railway . —On Monday last the up train from L ' tncloe , due at iloston at 11 . 15 a . m ., had reached the first semaphore from Boston , from which place there is only one hue of rail , until the station-yard at Boston is reached , when n luggage train was seen approaching in the opposite direction , which the fog had before prevented the driver seeing . The brakes were instantly applied to the Linelon train , but owing to the slippery state of tho wheals they had vorv little effect , and in consequence a collision took ' place i"e engine of the down train caujjht the fifth truck , broke the connecting links , und threw the truck off the tine , and four trucks were smashed to pieces the splinters flying about in all directions . Luc ' tilv no lives were lost . Several of the passengers were more or less bruised by the shock of the collision ,

      Salisbury Pbizh Cattle Show , Dec 11 . —A meeting of this newly-established society was held in our market-placo to-day , and attracted a considerable number of visitors . The stock of o . xcc , heifers , cows , sheep , and pigs exhibited for competition was of first-rate character , and , it being the first exhibition of the kind held in Salisbury , raav be considered large as to number It augurs well or the future . Female Emigration . —PLv . uouiir , Dec . 11—^ Thc Glentanncr , Government emigrant ship , which arrived here to-day for the purpose of taking out a largo body of Irish female emigrants to Sydnev , is to bo docked , having touched her bottom on * her way down the River Thames . Immediately on . her arrival she ran up into harbour . A bailiff named Drury was murderod on Thursday week , while makiug a distraint for root on lands near Maoroom belonging to M . Perrier , of Cork .

      Iiie AIaxcjiebieh Athenceum was last week offered for sale . A mortgage debt of £ G , 000 had been secured upon the freehold property , paying foiU , per Bent , interest , tho principle recoverable at a twelvemonths' notice ( which has been given ) . The building is stated to have cost £ 18 , 000 in erection , and is subject to a rent-charge ot £ 810 more than covered by the rent paid by the Bankruptcy It was sold for £ o , ooQ .

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  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Dec. 15, 1849, page 1, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_15121849/page/1/