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Northern Star (1837-1852), 16th September 1848, Edition 2 of 3, Page 1

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    • TO THE IMPERIAL CHARTISTS.
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      To The Imperial Chartists.

      TO THE IMPERIAL CHARTISTS .

      " Onward Tod We Covqoer , Backward And W...

      " Onward tod we covqoer , Backward and we fall * THE PEOPLE ' S CH & BTBR . AHDHO SBRBEHDER !"

      Mt Friends , These are the times to try men ' s souls . I tare evaded the pursuit of the cunning and malicious enemy , aided by their staff of spies , detectives , informers , and seducers ; and- when the reign of terror eommenced , I told you that one man at liberty was worth a thousand in the dungeon , and now , to prove to . you that 1 have not

      preserved my liberty in vain , or merely from a regard to personal safety , but that it may be devoted to your service , it is my pride to inforn you that , at great personal inconvenience to mvself , it is my intention once more to rally the scattered forces of Chartism , as I swore , when you accepted me as a present from Mr O'Connell , that I would prove myself worth your acceptance .

      Zn 1839 , when the middle class had shaken the Chartist movement , and when Scotland furnishedits share of traitors , I told the Scotch people in Dundee , that if they were routed on the hill top , I would muster them en the hill side ; that if they were scattered on the hill side , I would rally them in the valley ; -and if they were dispersed in the valley , " I would rally them in the river . I told them that if they lent themselves to deluders , who were then amongst them establishing secret societies , a reliance upon physical force , and instructing the people in the mode of

      communicating sedition and conspiracy with invisible ink , that the confiding would become victims to these treacherous rascals—that they would he the first to desert them , and the first to betray them ; and that I did not form wrong estimates of their intentions , was proved by the fact that the man who disgusted the Glasgow Convention , and whe was the founder of this secret conspiracy and correspondence , and who had drawn largely on my private purse , was one of the first to desert , betray , and sell the Chartist cause to middle-class demagogues And , my friends , always bear the fact in mind ,

      that the more desperate and damned is the character of an influential person belonging to the low party , as it is called—the more valuable is he to their opponents , and the more certain is be of employment in their service . 5 The Scotch people " must recollect the tour made by Attwood , Muntz , Douglas , Salt , and Collins , in the same year , and they must recollect their words , their acts , " and their -object ; they must recollect that the Glasgow committee proposed to invite me , but that the middle-class bagmen objected ; they must recollect Collins ' s words , spoken at a

      large meeting in Birmingham , before he started on his tour—namely , " That the course for the people was forcibly to arrest the magistrates , the officials , and the aristocracy in every neighbourhood , and retain them in custody until the Charter was carried ; " they must recollect that Muntz and Douglas travelled with a sample of cheap rifles , and openly boasted of having established rifle clubs throughout Scotland . They must recollect that Attwood ' s object was to secure support

      for his one-pound note principle ; that Muntz's object was to recommend himself to his townsmen upon the strength of popularity ; that Douglas's object was to make profit of the ts Birming ham Journal , " and that Collins ' s object was just what he achieved , the establishment of himself in a bacon and butter shop , upon a loan from his new associates , and with a prospect of their custom , and that the general object was to destroy Feargus O'Connor and the " Northern Star . "

      Now , that was the first timethattbe Chartists were ever betrayed into any expression in favour of physical force . It was discussed in the first National Convention , and the proceedings ef that body are still upon record ; and , at hazard of my popularity , when it was mooted in the most bombastic manner , in the most exciting times , and by the most enthusiastic speakers , I invariably set my face against it , and of all the delegates who advocated physical force in 1839 , William Eider , Richard Marsden , and Harney , are the only three who hare remained firm to the cause of Chartism ; and who , I believe , have long since discovered the folly of measuring questions by other men ' s

      enthu-. Then came the torch light meetings , and

      "ARE YOU READY TO GO AT IT , LADS ? if you are , tuck up your sleeves like me . " This I heard a gentleman say at a torch-light meeting at Oldham , who now denies it . Then came the recommendation of drilling and training at the Halifax Theatre , showing the people how to walk in rank and file , without jostling Lord John Russell if they met him in the streets , and which I violently denounced .

      Then came the proposition of the London Delegates , to refuse the payment of rent , rates , and taxes . Then came Dr Taylor ' s chemical process for blowing England up with water Then came Parson Stephens ' s sermons ; and , mind you , 1 am only repeating what has been printed and published , and discussed at public meetings . Then came Peter Buzzy and his two-pence a head charge for hearing his letter read to the Convention in his beer house ; and then came the transportation of Frost , Williams , and Jones—Peter Buzzy having assured Frost that he had a hundred thousand armed men ready to take the field at a moment ' s notice .

      Then came the sacred holiday ; then came the secret delegate meetings in Yorkshire ; then came the reasonable { enthusiasm of the men of Dewsbury ; thenjeame persecution , prosecution , imprisonment , destitution , and death . I am now taking our movement chronologically , and we will see what has been the result ; who have been the sufferers , and who have been the gainers ; what the effect has been , and what iqv course was in each transaction .

      Every man of the Birmingham party who represented their townsmen in the Convention , has become the bitterest enemy of Chartism , as renegades always do . Every man of the Cobbett party who was elected to the Conven tion has deserted us , except George Rogers . Every man of the London party who represented London in the Convention has deserted us , except Henry Hetherington . Every man who advocated physical force in that Convention has deserted us , except Rider , Harney , and Marsden . And , without an exception , the deserters have one and all feathered their nests , and have become our greatest enemies . Now , who can deny this ? And now for the charges brought against me , and for the manner in which I met them .

      While I was upon my trial in July , 1839 , the Convention wentmad . Theexchequerwasnearly empty , and all wishing to take advantage of the enthusiasm , in order to make a stock in trade of it , propounded the most ridiculous , the most atrocious , and the most deceitful resolutions ; and a long string of them were adopted nearly unanimously . Upon my return , I saw the object of those ' resolutions . I was met by all but the country party with a scowl and a frown ; and amongst the deceivers there was but one feeling , and that was one of disappointment —and that was , that being found guilty at York , judgment was not instantly passed , I found Air Caroenter . the editor of "Lloyd's , ' ' with

      sword and blunderbuss , as the arms of Chartism , sitting in the chair , and I sat mute till I heard what all had to say . I heard the resolutions read , and I thought it the roost prudent course to take another nig ht to consider , i did so , and upon the next morning I proposed the appointment of a committee to reconsider those resolutions ; I proposed counter-resolutions ; and finding that an emp tv exchequer had produced a full bag of wind , I also proposed the prorogation of the Convention , and , after a stormy discussion , the resolutions were rescinded—mine were adopted—and the Convention was dissolved ; a committee being ! appointed to eat up the fragments , ' call the ^ Convention together

      " Onward Tod We Covqoer , Backward And W...

      again after the sacred holiday , and the resolutions which I submitted to that provisional committee , and my opposition to the sacred holiday , and the cause of my opposition , are still upon record . Those gentlemen upon the committee received six guineas a week , and as soon as the whole corps was disbanded , every man who had been unused to work , and had become disgusted with labour by receiving six guineas a week for seven months , became my bitterest enemy ,

      In Scotland I was denounced , and I went to Scotland . In Carlisle I was not only denounced but threatened , if I dared to go there , I was there in twenty-four hours after , was gloriously hissed and hooted when I made my appearance on the stage—the streets , the entrance to the Theatre , were all crammed to receive the traitor ; one man upon the stage attempted to stop me , but a little physical force brought him to his senses . I positively stood alone in that vast assembly . I made

      proclamation for my accuser , and summoned him into court , but he had absconded . I spoke over two hours , and concluded amid enthusiastic applause . I received a general apology , and the generous people exultingly accompanied me to my hotel . I then came to London , and Major Benowiski , as the representative of a very large meeting—held , I think , at Lambeth—sent a delegate to me demanding 5001 . to carry on his movement , and my answer was "to go to the devil . "

      When the Convention was broken up through its exhausted exchequer , every delegate who was arrested demanded the moneythe remnant of the sack—to defend himself , and pay for his witnesses ; many got large sums but employed no counsel . I should state that in the midst of the enthusiasm in Birmingham , when the Convention adjourned there , and when we heard that in the north all was terror and conflagration , 1 postponed my visit to Blackburn , and left Rochdale in the dead of the night , after a public meeting , to be in Birmingham , well knowing that my absence ,

      although pledged to be at Blackburn , would be made a charge of cowardice . I attended the Convention the following day—I went bail for Dr Taylor—1 drove to Warwick for him , through the Warwickshire Yeomanry Cavalry —the Parson-Magistrate refused to take bail for him at that hour , because he was in bed ; 1 sent for Mr Collins , the member , secured his release , left Warwick at eleven o ' clock at night , amid the jeers and hootings of a set of shop boys and middle-class ruffians ; 1 arrived at Birmingham at one o ' clock in the morning , not a soul would give me a bed , and I was

      obliged to start by the mail-train for London . Well , when the torch-light meetings came I attended every one of them . The meetings at Bury and at Wakefield were to take place on the same night . I learned that the Cobbetts , Stephenses , Richardsons , and the whole clique were to meet at D . Fletcher ' s house , and , building upon my absence , were to denounce me . I got out of a sick bed , went to Bury , to their great mortification , was the first to mount their platform and was the first to address the

      people , and was the most loudly applauded by the people . Shortly after I went to Manchester and was about to return to London , when two deserters called upon me at my hotel , and told me that the men of the north were ready to come out , but would have no other leader but me . 1 told them that whenever I intended to take the field I would take care to be in the Cabinet to be a party to the arrangements—that I would be one of the " Senatus Consultum" —that I was aware of

      the delegate meetings , got up by Peter Buzzy , and that his injunction to all was that I ; should know nothing of the transactions , and that , therefore , they should go to General Buzzy , as Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief . They replied , that " if that was my resolution it would be dangerous for me to return to Yorkshire , as the Dewsbury men were determined . " " Then . " said I , " I'll return to Yorkshire to day and meet the Dewsbury men . " i did return to Yorkshire . A large deputation of the Dewsbury men called upon me ; they denounced the traitors that had deceived them ; they informed me of the whole plot—that Buzzy shammed Abraham , went to bed and pretended to have the rheumatism ; that a stout fellow went up to him with a case

      of pistols , when ] Buzzy replied , "Gs- for Feargus O'Connor now . " * 'No , ' said the man , " You villain , it was you that brought us out , and you told us that he was to know nothing about it . " He jumped out of bed , forgetting the rheumatism , and ran behind a sack of flour , and when the affair was communicated to his dupes , the Dewsbury men met , and then resolved that they never again would embark in any scheme of which Feargus O'Connor was not cognisant , and , thanks be to God ,-the men of Dewsbury , as good Chartists as there are in England , have never since been entrapped , arid I went to Dewsbury after and was joyously and heartily received by those who were taught to believe that I bad betrayed or deceived them .

      Well , the epidemic was general , it ran throughout the country , and I was actually dared to come to Preston , all upon the question of physical force ; I went to Preston , however , and triumphed there as I had elsewhere . And now we come to the result . I was the first that was tried in York in July , 1839 , upon the following charge—for having published the following extract , from a Wiltshire paper , in the Northern Star : — " WARMiKaras BisxiLE . —A little boy , last week , for some small offence , was confined in one of the cells belonging to the above workhouse , and was literally starred to death . The poor little f » 12 ow daring his confinement , actually eat , in consequence of hanger , two of his fingers and the flesh ( cam his arm . "

      Now , that was the whole charge against me , and for that offence I was treated to a special jury , and I was convicted as a matter of course . I was to be called up for judgment in November ; and in such cases , with judgment hanging over a man ' s head , it is the practice to abstain from agitation in the interim ; however I took my seat in the Convention immediately after , and the Birmingham affair subsequently occurred . I was to be sent to prison in November ; in October I went to Ireland , to sell some property to pay my paper-maker a large bill , and to pay other

      debtors , who were pressing me in consequence of my conviction , and in order to arrange my affairs . While I was in Ireland , I attended some large public meetings , and expounded the Chartist principles , and upon my return the Buzzy revolution had burst out in Wales . i went to Huddertifield , —I went to Manches ter , —I went to Oldham , —and I cautioned the people that a government spy was abroad with placards to be posted in Lancashire and Yorkshire . That spy did come to Mr Hey wood in the dead hour of the nkht with his posting

      bills , and was very properly sent off with a flea in his ear . He did go to Huddersfield , and attempted to entrap Mr Pitkeithly , and this was the very man with a glazed hat , who was the spy of the Newport magistrates ; who had created all the excitement in the hills ; whose name was so often mentioned upon the trial , but who was never forthcoming . For the defence of those men I paid 1 , 000 / . out of my pocket before a penny was received . I secured the t wo ablest counsel in England—both members of Parliament , Sir Frederick Pollock and Sir Fitzrov Kelly ; I sat under the dock

      " Onward Tod We Covqoer , Backward And W...

      during the whole period of the Commission , until every man associated with them was tried , and each defended by counsel . Well , that ' s not a course that an accomp lice would be likely to pursue ; and yet these rascals , who betrayed Frost and his associates , have the audacity to attempt to palm their treachery upon my shoulders . Well , in 1840 , 1 was tried again , and I should observe that ,

      notwithstanding this judgment hanging over me , I went to an out-door meeting at Sheffield , which was proclaimed by the magistrates , the military being in readiness , and enthusiasm at its height . I went to that meeting , and 1 walked through the town with a vast assemblage after I had addressed them ; and I was obliged to start in the middle of the night , as not a host would give me lodgings .

      Well , in 1840 , I was tried again , and was treated to another special jury , the Attorney-General of the Whigs , Lord Campbell ; attend ing in person to prosecute me , and mark what I was tried for—for the publication of two speeches—the one of O'Brien , and the other of Dean Taylor : of course I was convicted . But did I then separate myself from the Chartist cause ? On the contrary , after my trial at Liverpool was postponed , for 1 was to be tried there again in April , and without a farthing in the Exchequer , I remained with Mr Clarkson , aiding him , taking care that all should have counsel , and paying 85 / . in one sum for traverse fees .

      Well , you remember the informers that appeared then . Harrison against the Bradford prisoners , the very man who had led them on , and a reporter at Liverpool—and , had I not paid 23 ? . 8 s ., and the travelling expenses of some witnesses to Mri Clarkson—a debt incurred by one of the Yorkshire prisoners—he threatened to turn informer , and hang all the Bradford men—and this threat he repeated three times—and , let it be borne in mind , that , at ihat period , those men were to be tried for High Treason .

      Now , my friends , I wish you to bear these facts strongly in your recollection , as from them I am going to deduce two GREAT FACTS . The one is , that the " poor gentlemen / ' who are too proud to work , and too poor to live without wages , have ever been the greatest enemies of the working men ' s cause ; and the other is , that your confidence in a leader must ever be based upon his prudence and his courage . With regard to the first fact , I need only state , that every man who did not belong to the order of labour , and who was incarcerated in 1839 and 1840 , sought to make merchandise of their martyrdom upon their release from prison , and their stock-in-trade was abuse of Feargus O'Connor .

      With regard to the second fact , I do not think that your confidence in my prudence would have been strengthened , if I had made a fool of myself—nor do I think your confidence in my courage would have been increased , if 1 had placed my life or my liberty in the keeping of misguided enthusiasts or base informers . The best refutation that I can offer to those who would charge me for having excited the people to physical force for my own gain , is ,

      Firstly . —That , although well watched in the most exciting times , and although the subject of taunt by traitors , the Government , though well disposed to trap me , has never ventured to try me for a word spoken or a word written by myself—and , as to the charge of gain , if I had sought to make merchandise of principle , I might have been one of the most courted of the aristocracy , one of the best remunerated of the middle classes , but not respected by the working classes ; and they have been from the beginning , and shall be till the close , of my career—be it short or be it long—the especial objects of my solicitude . I have now mapped out for you the history of

      Chartism , during its advocacy by the middle classes in 1838 and 1839 , and I think the dispassionate reader will admit that , although the middle classes constitute the jury class , and although there is no law in England for me , that I have not gone out of the way to the extent of injuring my principles from the power of the one , or the sycophancy of the other . And , I dare say , my Oldham friends will remember that Mr Peddie , one of those convicted at York in 1840 , openly avowed upon the platform , that he was offered 300 / , a ye-ir and a good situation by a Government official if he would put the rope round Feargus O'Connor ' s neck ,

      I have how shown you what traitors , spies , deserters , and informers , effected for the Chartist cause in 1839 and 1840 , and I will now come to the next move—the outbreak in the North of England in 1842 . That outbreak was created by the Corn-Law League turning out their hands . The times were not only threatening , but dangerous . I need not have gone to Manchester , because if I chose to avail myself of the excuse , I was editing a daily newsdaper , enlisted in your cause , gratuitously .

      But I did go ; and 1 was the last of the Convention to leave , and my acts there are before you ; and what again was the result ? Why , that I was tried , with fifty-nine others , fur eight days at Lancaster , and the three informers—the one a reporter of my own , the other a Secretary to a Branch and a Delegate to the Conference , and the other a working man , who was taken out of the workhouse to lead the people on—were the witnesses against us .

      Then I come to the last emeute . But , in passing—as these things cannot be too often repeated—let me also remind you , that just before the trials at Monmouth , and when spies were abroad in London , two men , professing Chartism , called upon me at Hammersmith , at nine o'clock at night , and told me that it was determined that I should he at such a place at twelve o ' clock that night , to aid a fire brigade that was to set fire to that locality . I thought it odd that if the message was genuine it should be borne by strangers . So I replied , " I shall certainly be at my post , " and rung the

      bell , and when the servant came in , I said . " Robert , go and fetch roe two policemen "and my two FRIENDS scampered off as if the old gentleman was at , their heels . The next subject to which I would draw your attention , is my complete answer to those pettifogging hireling scribes who would starve if there was not pen , ink , paper , and prostitution to live upon , and who have the insolence and audacity to talk of Feargus O'Connor creating excitement to make profit of his newspaper . Now , pray mark my answer to these minions . Firstly . —When the "True Sun" advocated your principles , and when its exchequer was

      empty , I edited that paper gratuitously ; and before railways were generally established , and when travelling was expensive , 1 made a tour with Mr Luddy—at my own expense mind—to get up the circulation of that paper , in 1842 1 made an arrangement with the proprietors of the " Evening Star" to edit that paper gratuitously , if they would advocate the Chartist principles . 1 edited it for nine months until it turned Tory . Upon one occasion I paid 100 / . out of my own pocket to procure stamps for it . lt furnished what no other evening paper ever yet furnished , three and four columns of reply to the articles in the morning papers of that day . I never made a tour , nor did I ever in my life at a public meeting puff or advertise the " Northern Star . " nor would 1 allow others

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      to do it in my ' presence , but I did make a tour to puff the " Evening Star . " I then devoted ray whole time to the " Evening Star , ' ' and neglected the " Northern Star , " thinking that the fresher the news the better for my party . I sent reports of my mission to the "Evening Mar , but not to the "Northern Star , " and I received letters to this effect from Mr Hill , the editor— " fhe « Evening Star'is plaving the very devil with our circulation . " I received similar letters from several agents . When I commenced to edit the " Evening Mar , the circulation of the " Northern Star ' was 13 , 810 . Now you shall have it in the first month of my gratuitous service , ' and in the last month—you shall have it weekly : — 1 st "Week oflst Month' ,. 13 , 810 2 nd ditto oiiio

      ditto is . ann jmu ditto 18 , 300 3 rd ditto ditto ,, „ „ 13 , 'ifiO 4 th ditto ditto .. „ . „ 12 , 950 1 st Week of Last Mouth .... 9 , 400 2 nd ditto ditto .. „ .. 9 , 810 3 rd ditto ditto .. « .. 9 , 090 , > Jth ditto , ditto „ ,. ^ .. . „ 8 , 850 Then the « ' Evening Star , " on the 4 th of February , 1843 , came out as a Tory paperwith the Bible , Crown , ) and Sword on a cushion , as the arms of thfc State—and the fop of an editor , in a let ding article , writing these words , "Who dares open his mouth , when Royalty condescends to speak . " Well , then , you shall have the followingmonth ' s circulation of the " Northern Star" after I abandoned the

      editorship of the "Evening Star . " 1 st Week ., 9 , 085 2 nd ditto I 0 , t 00 3 rd ditto .. „ ., ., „ 11 , 700 4 th ditto .. ., „ „ ., 10 , 315 Now , then , can there possibly be a more complete , a more conclusive answer to the scurvy vermin who live upon prostitution , and who , nevertheless , dare to charge me with editing a newspaper for profit ? And again , let it be borne in mind , that I stated at the commencement of the French Revolution that a friend of mine had offered to place 1 , 000 / . in my hands for the establishment of a Daily Paper , and that if a sufficient amount was subscribed in shares that I would discharge the

      duties of editor gratuitously ; and I promise you that such a paper as I would have made that , would have speedily sent the " Northern Star" out of existeace . It would have been the property of the shareholders , and not my property . You would have had the earliest parliamentary news , and other intelligence , and not one single prosecution , if I could have communicated with you and the Government daily , would have taken place . And I now tell you what I offer ; if the working classes and the trades are prepared to establish a Daily Paper , they may manage their own finances , I will be the unpaid editor and manager , and would speedily render the " Northern Star" unnecessary .

      My friends , again I tell you that your principal security lies in my being YOUlt UNPAID SERVANT . A word as to the repetition of the old system of spying and informing , and I have done . . I have traced it from 1839 , ' 40 , and ' 42 , and now I trace it to its recent exhibition . You have Powell in London , and others whose names will shortly be mentioned . You have the following from the "Manchester Times / ' of Saturday last : —

      AFPBEHE . VSIOX Of THIEir CHABTJSTS AT AsHTOH On Wednesday lav-t consilerable excitement prevailed io Aihton , in consequence of its becoming known that thirty persons connected with the Char tist body had been Apprehended in Asliton and its neighbourhood daring the previous night . Early in the morning the market place in front of the Town Hall was crowded by persons anxious to hear the evidence which would be a ' dduced against thsra on their being brought up . After the usual petty sessions business had been gone through , the whole of the prisoners we : e . rra ' gned , when they gave their names , Thomas Tasaker , John Sefton , John Wild , Charles Kelsall , Thomas Winterbottom , John Leech , Thomas Leech , Moses Leigh , William Moss , John Smith , Richard Shor . rocks , Thomas Latimore , James Wrigley , William

      l ' arker , Richard Sill , Samuel Sugden , John Lee , William Hewitt , William Shepley , Robert Farnworth , James Thomas , Thomas Pollttt , Robert Plant , Thomas Wil . liamson , John Taylor , Thomas Greenwood , Thomas Hunt , Thomas Hurst , William Broadbent , and William Plant . The evMence adduced against sixteen ofthe number was given by two of the prisoners , Wm . Broadbent and Thomas Williamson . It appeared from the statement of Broadbent that he was lieutenant in No . 3 division of the 4 th section of " National Guards" for fJukinfield . The priso ' - ers met at his house , and on ihe night of the murder at Asiiton several of his men came { according to appointment ; those who did sot come he wentto fetch out of bed . Several of the misguided men so brought into the scrape were prisoners against whom the witness

      was swearing . In answer to the questions put , wituens stated that it was agreed thit they should all rise through * out the country to get the Charter . After they had met they proceeded toward } Dukinfield Hall , armed with pikes and other weapons . Witness then left them and went home . Witness ' s wife and Williamson spoke to the fact ot the prisoners moating on the night of the 14 th ol Autjust , ideut-fying the whole of them excepting Pollitt and Taylor who were discharged . The whole of the oth-. rs were committed to Chester for trial on the charge ofriot and unlawfully assembling , 4 c , John Patimore , William Parker , James ffrigley , Thomas Ta « aker , John Sefton , Thomas Winterbottom , and Thomas Latimore ,

      were then charged with being accessories to the murder oi ' pollce . constable Brhjht . Mr Newton , chief constable , stated that he was not fully prepared with evidence against the prisoners , and be asked that they might be remanded for a week . The application was acceded to R . Sill was charged with cuns [; iracy . Ho was remanded till this day ( Saturd ty . ) Thomas Hunt and William Winter , bottom were committed for conspiracy , bench warrants having been issued against them . The parties committed were ordered to give twenty . four hoars' notice of bail . Such was the crowd which surrounded the Town Hall , that it was judged expedient to have the military and special constables in attendance .

      And you have the following fact from a most respectable man , and an inhabitant of Oldham , who communicated it tome at Bromsgrove , on Monday last : — "Before the meeting of the Manchester , Oldham , and Ashton men , which was to take place at Manchester , a man of the name of — : — , from ileyton , attended a large preliminary out-door meeting with the butt of a large horse-pistol peeping above his coat , and to which he exultingly pointed . He

      denounced the coward serf who would not be prepared to establish his liberty with his life , if necessary . He commanded all who were dissatisfied to procure pikes and other arms , and that he would lead them on , and denounced all as cowards who held back . " To use the language of my informant , His speech was most horrid / ' ' « Was there no one , " said I , ? ' to muzzle him . " " God bless you , * ' he replied , " his language was so fiery that it drove the people mad , and it would be dangerous for any man to oppose him . "

      Now , you have not yet heard the finish of this system of s pying and turning approver , either in England or Ireland , but the facts will be soon developed , and then , as in 1839 , 1840 , 1841 , and 1842 , you , mv friends , will ex claim , "HOW THE DEVIL DID THE RED CAT ESCAPE THE TRAP ! " and then I shall be overpowered with votes of thanks and confidence , for J . am resolved , however disheartening the times , that while 1 live Chartism shah never die . I am resolved to fight persecution b y open and avowed speaking and publishing . I am resolved not to allow the folly of others to lead my judgment captive , or the treachery oS others to jeopardise my principles by threatening me with danger , —nay . with assassination , if I do not subscribe to their madness and folly .

      If my injunctions had been followed , not a Chartist would now be in prison , not a farthing wnuldbe required to spend upon lawyers , nor in the support of victims—the cause would have been stronger than ever ; but seeing the events that took place in Europe , and making allowance for excitement and enthusiasm , and being sincerely wedded to my principles which may be summed up in the " Emancipation of Labour '—I will not desert my order in its hour of weakness , nor shall i urge the folly of others as a justification for abandoning ajr . iuse in the hour of danger .

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      I Next week I shall publish my tour , commeneing at Aberdeen , as I wish to kiss the hallowed spot where majesty left its footmark , and I shall afro state the conditions upon which I shall attend any and every meeting : —A committee of good men and true , consisting of seven veterans interested in the cause , shall draw np the programme ; and no man shall be permitted to turn any of our meetings into an illegal meeting ; and , strength ened bylegaUty , and standing within the narrow limits of the narrowed constitution , I will neither comndt you , your cause , nor myself . Your faithful friend and representative , Feargus O'Connor .

      -^^/Czia^K ^ Jf& ^Rt^T? V' J V/I^ Zc, F ...

      - ^^/ CZiA ^ K ^ jf & ^ rt ^ t ? V' j v / i ^ Zc , f // ik J ^^^ M < A , c ^ y ^^ JO ^ ^ d ^ ^

      Es' \ And National Trad Journal. Vol-Xi....

      ES' \ AND NATIONAL TRAD JOURNAL . VOL-XI . No 569- LONDON , SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 16 , 1848 . v * . *^™^™™^*

      National Land Company. We Give The Follo...

      NATIONAL LAND COMPANY . We give the following very able , critical , and searching article from the " Manchester Times" of Saturday last , as illustrative of the manner in which the accounts of other Companies as well as the National Land Company , have been systematically kept ; and we merely ask what the x judgment upon Mr Feargus O'Connor would have been if the Select Committee had made such a report of the management of the Company ' s finances ? We would also call the attention of the members to the letter of James Orange , taken from the " Nottingham Braeto" of Saturday last , as an illustration of other Land Companies—the high anticipations held out in their prospectuses , and the slight condemnation—or rather no condemnation at all—that they receive at the protecting hands of the "Birmingham Journal" and the confederated Press of the empire , while the National Land Company , that held out no such prospects , has become the stock in-trade of prostitute hirelings : —

      GROSS MISMANAGEMENT OF THE PUBLIC TAXES . The report ofthe Select Committee on ihe miscellaneous expenditure is very voluminous , but it contains a vast body of information relative to the mismanagement of our financial affairs , and shews the necessity for a thorough and searching investigation into the fiscal departments of the state and how imperative is the demand for financial reform . The utter neglgence with which every department is superintended—the absence of all adequate check or control over the disbarsements—the loose manner in which the public funds are dealt with in all directions , would be positively incredible if it were not authenticated by the most palpable evidence and the direct admissions of the public officers themselves . Of course nobody is responsible lor this wholesale system of mismanagement . We

      find the audit office so far in arrears with the public ac counts that when the Commissioners of Woods and Forests are called upon to give an account of their books and their doings the v are necessarily obliged to admit that they cannot , because their accounts havb not been audited fob the last ten ieabs ! What have been the consequences of such gross mismanigement ? Why , that an organised system of plunder lias been carrying on for years in tha royal Forests — that timber has been regular ' y sold off the Forests for private benefit—that fat deer have been abstracted from the royal property anil sold in the markets by those to whom they were entrusted , for their own particular benefit , whilst it has been shown that her Majesty has been regularly charged for the deer used at the royal table ! For these frauds several persons are now in gaol—hut they are subordinate *! The great malefictors have been aliened to resign their

      places and quietly to retire irom the searching inquisition , i The whole system of bookkeeping , bookkeeper ? , treasurers , auditors and comptrollers , is really disgraceful , and demands a radical reform throughout . To begin with the very heads ot these departments — the Lords Commissoners of tho Treasury . We have a first Lord of the Treasury with a salary of £ 6 , 000 per year , four Junior Lords ( one of whom has rerigoed ,, ) at £ l , 20 ueach , the Chancellor ofthe Exchequer £ \ 0 i \> , and two Secretaries at j tf 2 . 500 each , which , with the clerks of the establish , ment , cost us , out of the taxes , rf-32 , l » o , exclusive of other items . Yet we are told by C . E . Trevelyan . in the report ofthe Stlect Committee on misce'laneous expenditure , 'thatthere are many things , such as the periodical revision of the Revenue Establishments ; the revl . sion of the system of incf me and expenditure in cliff , rent office « , such as the . Board of Works andthe Commissioners

      of Education in . Ireland ; the Board of Woods and Foiests in England ; the expenditure of prinons and hulks , and many other matters of that sort , which ought from time to time to be looked into and revised by the treasury . His argument is that they have not officers sufficient in the treasury department to do the work . In point of fact the affairs ofthe departments ofthe revenue are so grossly mismanaged , that the Select Committee have been obliged to commence the great work of Finan . cial Reform by placing on their minutes the following resolution , moved by Dr Bowring : — ' That in order to give effeet to a proper system of Financial Reform and Retrenchment , itis necessary the various sums not paid into the Exchequer , and which , for the year ending 5 th of January , 18 i 7 , amount to £ 7 , 004 , 438 lis 71 d should be paid into the Exchequer and be placed undtr " the direct control of Parliament , accord , ing to the recommendation of the Commissioners ot Public Accounts , in their report of ( S 3 ! . '

      Here we have a sum of seven milli'ns of money raised in the shape of taxes never accounted for to parliamen t ; never revised by the Lords of the Treasury ; nor recog . nisedby the Chancellor , or controlled by Lord Monteagle . Can it be supposed for a moment that Lords of the Treasury do their duty to the public when they allow the government officials in the Customs , Excise , Stamps , and Taxes , Post-office , and Crown Lands to disburse seven millions of money , with no one to revise their establish , meuts or control their accounts ? And yet such is the fact . In the Customs the sum of £ 1 , 650 , 290 6 s . 5 d . was thus abstracted from the gross rece i pts in 1816-7 ; in the Excise , that fruitful source of vexatious annoyance , the sum of £ l , u 2 l > , 033 3 s . ljd . was paid out of the gross receipts in their passage to the exchequer ; in the Stamp department , £ 161 , 830 18 s . 2 d . ; in the Taxes , including property and income taxes £ 361 , 001 16 s . lid . ; in the

      Post office , under the reformed rule , £ 1 , 193 , 520 is . 6 £ d . j in deductions from pensions and salaries , £ 9 ) 16 s . U'd . ; and in that splendid jobbery the Crown Lands , £ 132 , 615 2 * . 8 £ d , ! all which several sums arc supposed to be expended iu collecting the said several taxes , but in sa .-h a nunnertuat the Select Committee are suspiciously inclined to believe Parliamentoushttobe acquaintedwith it , which C . E . Trevelyan , the indefatigable ( according to his own account ) Secretary to the Treasury , states the Lords of the Treasury don't inquire into { or want o / time . Yet these taxes , seven millions in amount , are squandered amongst officials in the various dvpartments without any ^ control . Not so with the seven millions raised for the relief of the poor , and controlled by local hoards . These millions must be controlled by a board of Poor Law officials , with their erratic auditors of Poor Law Unions , costing £ 182 , C 00 per

      annum . Again , look at Ireland . We are told also that the Lords of the Treasury cannot attend to the revision of the system ot income arid expeiditure in different offices , such as the Board of Works and Commissioners of Education . Is it possible that the £ 1 , 525 , 000 voted for the relief of the Irish , to be expended in public works in that country , or the £ 4 , 9 . , » oo voted for local works in Ireland , under the act of 9 and 10 Vict , c . 107 , er the £ 2 > , 467 vote ! for public works in Ireland 1847 , £ 4 , 706 for Kingstown Harbour , or the £ ' 27 , i 23 voted for salaries and expenses ' of Board of Works in Ireland , or the £ 100 , 8 ; 0 voted to the Lord Lieutenant for education in Ireland , and many other similar sums can really be expended in Ireland without the control ofthe Lords ofthe Treasury ? Such is the fact , and the consequences are that tho

      taxes so voted pass uncontrolled through the fingers of the various officials who have the disbursement of them , and that parliament has u ? knewledge whatever of them beyond voting for them in the lump , as a mere formal committee of supply . The Board of Works in Ireland , —including that eld standing job the Shannon Navigation scheme , the Drainage Commission , and the Fisheries Commission , —is governed by five Commissioners with saltries of £ 1 , 0 JO p-.-r annum : Col . Jottts , ( charmari , ) MrMutViNY , Mr IUdcliffu , Capt . Lyrcoh , and a Mr Griffiths , —tbe latter doing the valuation business for which he receives three guineas a day . Now the labour of these Commissioners is to superintend the spending of one million iu the employment of 75 \ 00 J people , representing a population ( see quest . 4 . SS 9 ) of 3 , O 0 i » , ( lO'J , and let the following evidence show how they stand : —

      Q . 4 , a 94— 'Is not one ofthe duties imposed upon the Board a regular return of their accounts and expenditure for audit 1 ' - 'Yes . ' Q . j , 8 » 5— ' Are you aware that no accounts have been rendered to this ( audit ) office V— ' Yes ; the accounts are very much in arrear !' Q . 1 , 897— 'Does not the 46 th Geo . HI ., c . 142 , make it imperative upon all public accountants , within three months after the close ot the year , that the account ) shall bj rendered ?'— ' It does ; but tbe Cjuiinissioners were not aware that such was tho fact . ' Q 4 S 9 S— ' Can you state up to ivhatpu'iod tho accounts of the Board of Works at this moment are iu arrear ? ' - ' They are rery considerable in arrear !' 0 4 902— ' Inasmuch as the Shannon Navigation aa-0 . iunts ' areTEN YEARS IN ARREAK 3 , when was the attention of the Treasury first called to the factl ' - 'In the year 1812 V n ) 9 , 8 _< What stops were then taken by the Trea-8 ttry $ ' ' _ < Injunctions were sent to the Shannon Commissioners to bring up tho arrearsof their accounts . '

      Q 4 914—' Have there been ccnsiderable frauds on the Shimuon CommissiouerB ? ' — ' YE 4 j there was i ne very large lraud committed by Mr Mason , the acoouu-Q ' 4 , 915— ' To what extent did tho public suffer by that fraud ?' - 'EIGHT THOUSAND POUNDS !" Q . 4 , 919— ' Can you state during whfct period this fraud was transacted without observation V — ' For several soars , I believe SIX YEARS . ' Q . 4 , 920— 'If ihe accounts had been regularly rendered , according to the requirements of Parliament , and regularly audited , such a fraud could not have been carried on for so long a psriort V— ' Ceitalnly not . ' Certainly not . Here w 9 have it recorded , beiorea Select Committee of the House of Commons , that this

      National Land Company. We Give The Follo...

      not expenditure of public taxes is wholly uncontrolled , - * the accounts unaudited for ten years past , —frauds coat mltted by those who were appointed to watch over tto accounts , and other gross neglect of public duties »& 4 mismanagement , —sua yet Parliament in its blindnwa could go on year after year voting supplies to carry oa this Shannon job , out or English taxes , without any refer snee being made to the subject of this gross mismanage m * n * .

      , Ffrbehold Land For Working Men. To The...

      , ffRBEHOLD LAND FOR WORKING MEN . To the Editors of the Nottingham Review . 0 « nthm « n , —In a recent number you refer to theop * rations •? trlie Birmingham Land Society , In that town » Worcester ; aaa Coventry ; will 50 a permit metomake afewbriefofcservations on this deeply interc-tinir sub . ui * ' * * ye * " numerous readers may be the better en * awed t » ibrm > * correct judgment , than etherwlwthejr might be able :- J 6 ' CommunicatioBs were exchanged * between this ealc and Mr Scholefleld , M . P ., and othefgentlemen of B i ramgliam , at the tfcneof its formation ,- and it is probabthat a land savings * bank would have teen iHstituted S Birminghamif the legal privileges and exetaptloa

      , ¦ B I"k ™ 'htcIi the ffoitfngliam institution wasfortunite : established , had no * by a recent act ( 9 and 10 Vic . e . 2 > Wen withdrawn . This unhappily being the case , no ao presented itself under whicli the Birmingham gentlemen cwsld establish tbemssWei but the old builtting club act of 6 and 7 William W „ eap 32 . They no doubt thought thai tneycenld have been enrolled under the « am « acts as vne Land Savings' Ksmfc , and I believe acSaallycomraeaeed , but whea thecase was submitted to the govern , mentoffiml , they found out the mistake , and wert txert & ite compelled to liave recourse to aa acty . the pro . visions of which may be-roade exceedingly advantageous toroeaofcapirj , who , as Members , are enables to ob « tain enormous profit * fcwa member * in less fortunate eirtiDMtances .

      Ihav » paid some attentien to the acts passed pro . fessedly for the encouragement of industry and provi . dence ; the objects are most excellent , but some of the provisions are execrable , being framed by capitalists who originate both building clubs and money elubs .-both of which in principle are identical . The expenses of most of these building clubs are eno mous , and this at Birmingham forms no exception . Hh cJarge fOsecretaryship alone appears to be one-twetft of we entire amount of their weekly subscriptions . The finable- offences are so DioMplied that no one aaa calculate the

      loss and ruin that might beinflictedupoa poor members by them , B have a copy of these rulea now lying before me , and the thumb-screw system of fines Is ample enough under ordinary circumstance * to- yield golden profits to thos » members who enter for intereit of money only . The proportion of fines ma * be estimated at not less than £ 16 per cent , on the de . posits ofthe poorer members , yet everything ia said to be sold at prime cost , In these clubs it is legal to charge aa usurious interest for lent mosey , which under any other circumstances would be a penal offence . 6 and ? William IT . c . 82 . s . 2 .

      Theexpenses , including fines , to the poor man may , in not a few instances , reach thirty per ceat ; and the avc rage profits thalr thereby are put into the pocktts of themonied speculators , I should put down at fourteen per cent , per annum . As the public-houso money clubs are now extensively detested , it is not unlikely that building clubs and land clubs will be adopted by the same class of usurers , on a scale quite as extensive as the former , as the modus operandi are the same , they may be , and are worked to the same amount of profit , and the loss and ruin entailed by them on poor t ' amilits , equally extensive and deplorable . The secretary of the Birmingham society boasts of their society purcbasinir land by the acre ,

      ana balloting allotments to members at a charge o £ about £ 19 each , which they are enabled , he informs us to let on lease at annual rent & varying from 85 s . to 65 s This is doing wonderfully well for the allotment land ' lords , if true , and but'inaifferently for the tenants of the ^ e lots , which scarcely average half a quarter of an acr « each ; perhaps when the rent-day comes , soma of these allotment tenants will be non est inventus . The Birmingham so « iety is said to-number 1 , 7 «< i shares taken ; out of these 195 members have been accommodated with their allotments . As the weekly contribution is only is , 6 $ . per share , these 1 W fortunate members have only paid £ 1 lis . each for a real property which the secretary affirms they can let oh rent lor—say £ 3 per year .

      The poor man cannot pay any sum weekly for objects so remote from the requirements of himself and family as the purchase of laud or a house . He can scarcely calculate the losses to which he unconsciously exposes himself by entering one of these land or buiiding clubs . There is , however , a chance that he may have an early draw , in which event he thinks he can sell for several pounds that for which he himself has only paid a few shillings . That is the snare ; and it is sufficient to en . list gamblers . These clubs always open with a full corn , pliment of members , many of whom join for the mere purpose of being eligible for a f « w of the first baV lotings . T am , Gentlemen , yours obediently , James Obanoe . Land Savings' Bank , Nottingham , Sept . 6 .

      Address Of Tije Executive To The People.

      ADDRESS OF TiJE EXECUTIVE TO THE PEOPLE .

      Fellow CousTRVMBN ,--Tbe sittin ; . sof Parliament have just closed , and ike total inadequacy of out present representative system , is once more tmde manifest to lhn senses of the most obtusa of our tellowcitisms . Comment on ihe actsoi the pa't netsio 3 would bo a useless waste of time ; the fact that the ministers of the day can only felicitate themselves oa their success ia catrying coercive measures for Ireland , after a protracted session of ten months , ia clearly characteristic of our political government . We would remind them , however , that it is an easier

      matter to conquer than torule ; the prompt and ready exercise of concentrated military p iwer , may for the time overawe a starving people , but can never conduce to wise and practical legislation ; the true end of all political government , sbou'd be the pra . iervation and prosperity of the members of the state , and not the coercion of one portion of the community bj a section of the residents of the same realms , which , if wisely controlled , must have an unity of interest , and so near as tho gradation ) in knowledge and circumstances will allow , ' an unity of feeling and action .

      The people are starving—the middle classes bordering on bankruptcy—the rich trembling from fearwinter which to the poor means honor and death , is at our doors , and what is to be done ? is the query asVed by every thinking man . The Whigs have proved their inability to remedy the accumulated wtonv , B 0 ! the people of thesa Isles ; a falling revenue —an increasing debt—a starving people—growing pauperism—an imbecile ministry—a short-sighted and unmanageable house ef representatives—are fit subjects for ttflsotion , aad will become a lertila source of declamation for party politicians ot all grades and shades , for the next six months . We look forward to no social amelioration of the condition of the pe > ple for some time to come . Wc have long seen the coming storm , and

      have asked the privileged and powerful to take warning , and change their thoughts oa the political and social relations of this land- We have done so in vain , and noff , when the storm has come , we are prepared to taka nur part in the midst of its tumult and strife ; and a * we have pleaded the saorednesa of your rights , —¦ urged your claims for the franchise , through good report and through evil report—inefficiently it m * f have been—but on all occasion * sincerely—we call upon you , the veritable Chartists ot Great Britain and Ireland , to buckle on your armour in the cause of humanity and justice ; to stand by the Charter and no Surrender . Your demands r . ro not extravagant or unjust , —they ate as moderate in their . rela »

      tions to the spirit of the age as they : " ste humanising in their tendency and true in themselves ; and ? ny measure of parliamentary reform s ^ iort of tho People ' s Charter will be no settlement of thtqiesdm ef the suffrage , nor at all likely to prove bi-neficial f-ir the interests of the majority ot the pjoplr-. Private benevolence , however liberal , or gran t * of money trom the legislature , can do but little to relieva your pressing wants and necessities even for thf present , and nothing for the future ; for until such time as your institutions politically , and jour circumstance j socially , are changed and improved , the great majority must continue to remain the timed paupers of to-day , to become in dne time the overworked slaves of the pro ertied few .

      The storm that is already gathered and must soon burst , may be of much value for you and chi interests of the cause for which you have so long and bo nobly struggled . You must , however , to be iuocesiful , pursue your courie with caution , discretion . aad reason , basing your claims with society on the just * nessof your cause , —we say to you , then , bo discreet , but ba fifm—be cautious , but be true to your sir-g ' eness of purpose . Never vote for an j nxafu-e , or support any p » rty , wha do not at once , acd Imkly , too , support the principles of the Peoplw ' j Churt-r . Interested and ignorant men have misrepresented your objects , and wilfully maligned your motives ; but if you be wise as you are honest , jou will gain even from their insults and contumely— and the injury done will iecMl back , aggravated a hundred .

      told from a knowledge of its injustice , upon the be . da of the aggressors . We call then upon the 1 >• cal leaders of England , Scotland , and Wales , to sec their h & uses in order , & t . & prepare for the winter campaign ; let committees be foraed in all the towns acd villages where they do not already exist , and those already in existence mu t exrifavour to extend their sphere oi action , and be tlticitnt and practical in alt they do . The growing opinions in lav jur ofthe People ' s Charter are destined to gain ground among all classes ; and we must teach a knowledge ol the Charier , as fitted for all , and the beet guarantee against anarchy and contusion , » ant and desolation , and their sure successor , * a reign of terror . ' We feel it tj be our duty to remiid yuu that two of our most talented and energetic

      colleagues are confined in gaols , aud that their wives and families are dependant on yuu for support—that ioispopuhriy rumoured , tost the rcalciiiseof their imprisonment was a fear on thepa > t oi the present minister that their talents and energies might have had au injurious eff ct on the continuation of the Whigs in ollioo , The imprisonment of your chisei friends and acknowledged leaders should alone mi raulate yuu to renewed txertien ? , and make you active , carcfal , and thoughtful for the destinies ol the movement . Hoping , therefore , that yon will pafrio . tically aud manfuly do your duty , wa astura you that we will , on all occasions , do cms , and rtmain , aa ever , servants of the people . Signed , on behalf of iho Executive Council , Smusi kxvi > . Ufldoa , Sept . 10 th , 1848 .

      Darrvoiid.—The Chartists Of This Iccaaty...

      DarrvoiiD . —The Chartists of this Iccaaty frjte-. quested to raaeteYW ; Sunday QTesiiog , at 3 ?< Bt $ caer . rw .

      1 If

      1 if

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Sept. 16, 1848, page 1, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_16091848/page/1/