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    ft dave , a villain , and a murderer of his own family , that did sot provide for himself a weapon cf sefrdefence . [ Loudcheers . ] Now let me say , said he , to error man among the hundreds of thousands of this assembly , tet erery man swear Irj hi » lore of kii country , by the ashes of bis forefathers , which now were intermingled with , their native earth—by iheir wive * , by their children , and by their own right arm , that tyranny from thia day should virtually « xwt no longer . ( Loud cheers . ) Every man that was determined to be a free man , or die in the attainment of it , let him now hold up his right arm ( Loud cheers , and every arm in the ^ T ^ r me assembly was held up . ) Mr . OCoKsoa was then introduced to the meet a ^ ve , a villain , Mid a murderer-erf his own family , thxtdid not provide for hjmself a weapon of self- defimce . rLoudcheers . 1 Kowletmes&T . utirl ) io-tn

    ing to support the resolution , and was received with loud and long-continued cheering . He addressed Him as brother Radicals , and said—If there were a ¦ cale by which the progress of moral power could be measured—if there were a course in moral philosophy —if there were a discipline for mental exercise , then bad they graduated in each and every one of the equired rudiments of the several arts . They had Cone from the humble petition of sycophants to the Sold demand of freemen . They had gone from a supplicating appeal to man ' n charity , to an assault upon man ' s fears . They had read in Nature ' s Tohun * that book which was newly writ in every day , and whose every page presented to them a startling difference between the presumptuous ordi .

    . tihticw of man and the mild decrees of God —( hear , hear ); and in obedience to the wise injunction ! of the latter , they were there assembled as the political covenanters of the nineteenth century , to declare before God and man that either in the calmrepese of death , or in the full establishment of liberty should terminate this their sacred , their holy , their Tirtnoiis , their last and necessary straggle for free dom . ( Lond cheers . ) Yes , liberty they must have . { Cheera . ) He did not mean liberty in that sense of the word in which it sometimes suited their opponents to construe it ; he meant liberty , tempered with reason and discretion , and not ¦ &at liberty which would be likely to degenerate into licentiousness . { Hear , hear , and cheers . ) A timely submission to fins rational demand for justice , or an eternal gag upon the nation ' s mocth , must follow , as the * nostanre of this their noondav shadow . ( Cheers . ) Laws were enly moral links when thev

    convinced men ' s judgements and captivated men's minds , as well as bound men ' s bodies . ( Hear , hear . ) The power to make laws mifhtrestupon " usurpation , while the power to enforce them must depend upon the spirit which they breathe . ( Great cheering . ) A law might stand upon the statute book , but if at variance with common sense and justice , it was no snore than the finger post which remained after the road to which it directed had been stopped up ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) They had stopped up the constitutional road , but the people hid the landmarks , they had the finger posts which pointed to that way , which they , had blocked up and impeded with jails for the innocent , with bastiles for the indnstnons and unwilling idler , with court houses for the dissemination of prejudice and caprice , with prison dresses and other galling badges of inferiority for virtuous and unerring poverty , with copious rewards for profligate and erring vice , with statutes of

    blood

    With fragments of things that should pass away , . With remnants of laws made by creatures of clay . - ( Cheers . ) Such were the foul barriers with which they , had stopped up the constitutional road , by an unnated presentment ; while at the end of the passage to which their finger-post directed , was the mirthful cottage , the happy homestead , the dress of freedom , the mind ' s repose , the body ' s sentinel , the leveller of unjust distinctions , the poor man ' s friend the neb . man ' s only hope , the People ' s Charter ( Enthusiastic applause . ) Wherein , fellowmen , said he , did they recognise the power of union , as contrasted with statute law in this their glorious agitutionr Was it not an estoppel of ail bad law < ~ Where now was the power of that devil ' s act which

    they last met there to subdne ? That act which , in its clemency , declared its intention to throw the industrious poor -upon their own resources , and , in return for which , they were now going to throw the wealthy , idle , and the r ich , upon their own resources , and , mutual justice being done , they would sooh prove that poor laws were only necessary when virtuous pauperism was created b ' y profligate wealth and vicious idleness . ( Very loud cheers . ) WTiere now was the devil and his firebrand legion ? And that force with which the de vil ' slegionwas to be sustained to fight the battle through ? ( Cheers . ) Where wasit , Tieasked ? —lnUe » i into that chaosinto- which the united voice of freemea had precipitated injustice and iell dominion ( Repeated cheering . ) He stood before them

    characterised by the press as composed of materials out of which they might mould a wise man or a fool a patriot or a traitor , a braxe Tn « n or a coward—an ionest man or a knave . - ( Hear , hear . ) They might take their choice . His aim throngh life had been to make them equally independent of one and all , to take them out of the leading strings of all , making leadership only valuable when it was virtuous , and making it cease without mischief when it became vicious . ( Loud cheers . ) Time , circumstance , chance , and opportunity , were oft-times aaoalders of human character" [ Hear , hear . ] Brutus slew Caesar , lest Caesar shonld become a tyrant ; and Brutus lived as the enviable model upon which patriots would mould themselves . ( Hear .

    hear , hear , hear . ) Brutus was a patriot , because he was a patrician , and lived in bygone ages , whose acts furnish , but food for imagination , and not examples which were intended to be followed . Alihatid would have slain Lenis Phillippe , because he is a tyrant , and AHbaud was designated by the foul uame of traitor— - { hear , hear)—because he was a plebian , and lived in the reign of many iiagjs , to whom lae example might have been faiaL ( Hear , hear , hear , and loud cheers . ) But when ages shonld have passed away , and when envy lived no more ; when France shonld be a republic , and when the name " ofPhillDDe shonld only be remem

    bered to present a lesson in the page of history ; then would the French historian take the rust of b ' arbarous ages off the memory of those whose treason consisted in failure , and whom success would have crowned with the imperishable laurel of patriotism . ( Tremendous cheering . ) These things he ment ioned , not in approval of assassination , ~ butin order to -show the diflerent estimation in which men hold the acis of rich and poor , of dead and living patriots . ( Cheers . ) The short time allowed him to address them was scarcely sufficient for contemplation and rejoicing . Their numbers , their union and their enthusiasm were the fulfilment of their work to the

    present hour , and , therefore , he would not waste time in idle calculations as to the means by which they had thus far progressed , farther than in passing , to observe that he had done one man ' s share —( Hear , bear ,- hear , cheers , and you have . " ) Aye , and when success should have crowned his exertions ; when the moan of sadness , the only note now heard in this sea-bound dungeon , should be changed into the song of gladness ; when the factory discipline should snrrender some hours from slavery to domestic enjoyment and social comfort ; when the bloody bashle should dose , and for ever , its jarring gates against the captive , "wlio should fly to the hearth ' s revelling , and the cottage w& «« el ; when the children of freemen . shonld graduate from the mother ' s breast

    to the father ' s knee , from the cottage to the national school , and from the school to take Ms station in the comm mwealth as ^ part partaker of those fruits of which he had been part producer , and when in old age the national savings bank in which in youth he had freely deposited , should as freely discount for comforts in after life ; then with , equal pride to the Peruvian , he should , if spared to see those halcyon davs , walk abroad and esultinglyproclaim ** this , thfs , has been in part my work . " ( Tremendous and long continued cheering , which , interrupted the roesoBg some time . ) Good God , what a prize to fight foT—a prospect worth living for . and the chance of its accomplishment worth dying for , my political children . ( Great cheering . ) Were tSey

    not Ms political children ? ( Cheers , and " we are . " ) Aye , deny it who coold . His best days of manhood had been spent in their enlightenment , and in devotion to the sacred cause of liberty . ( Cheers . ) He found them weak as the mild breeze , -which but gently moved the mountain ' s heather;—he left them strong as the storm before which the twig but bends , Tant the proud , oak must break in . twain . Might then the temper of our rulers be pliant as the twig , forlet them be assured that resistance would ensure for them the fate of the oak ; ( Tremendous cheering . ) He had said that'their position that day rendered any retrospect unnecessary . Let them therefore consider how best this national agitation could be made to serve the -universal cause of freedom . ( Hear

    hear . ) Here nepansed , fcr , alas , he was a stranger , an alien-is language and in blood . ( Cheers ^ and great sensation . ) Yes , he was . He had been given to th ^ m ; made a . free gif toff by Ireland ' s leader ; but had tie manner of thejdonation or the tacit acquiescence in the gift by / those ^ whom be had sworn to serve ever induced Junk to' forget "that ^ Ireland was his country , though the world was his "republic ? ( H ear , hear . ) Had the voice of complaint , when in a foreign land hehadaghedibr ^ ns&ce forthe land of his birth , ever escaped MiTTips ? Had he not proclaimed her wrongs , and sworn to redress them aB ? ( Hear , hear . ) - Had he not held up her ; people as matchless paragons of -rirtue , ; -iospitality _ and braverr , and yet had not the serpent ' s pQisoTaed

    * nng entered every breast , ( hear , hear ) and turned the kindest feelings of nature into bitterest gall and fcoTresentment ? ( Hear , hear , ' hear , and cheers ^ Yet he told them -that in their progress they could have Ireland-witk them , they must have Ireland with th (^ ihey : should have -Ireland with them ; ( Great Cheering ;) for legislation being now imperial "wrongs ^ were-imperial also ; and as monopoly and corruption would tally * -and take their l&stfoatof rwtmg ground milea * they enlisted Ireland in this imperial-warfare , tyranny banished from * this united laud , would there rally and uphold its ^ uthoritj . ( Caeersjh ^ Freedom for England " , if Ireland [ weise tiot incbrporateoy * wor 3 fl- for ier be ^ increased tyranny . How was this union to be effected ? They

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    as catholics complained of the atrocities of the Law Church , and to amuse them , the leaders picked an odd hole in the steeple instead of uprooting and forever desecrating that system which had been planted like the upaa in the desert , and there destroyed all that came within its pestilential influence . ( Cheers . ) Otter them , then , that magic wand , wMch by its glorious spell , would , with one touch , separate the temporality from the spirituality ; give them the suffrage which would enable them to defend God ' s church against Downmg-street infidelity —( loud and continued cheers : ) give them that weapon of self defence , . and they would soon' learn , that being nature ' s children , there was a place for them at nature ' s table . ( Cheers . ) Tell them that their as catbnli ^ " ^ m , « i . ^ . ^ » r - . —;«;„ ^ f > v , Law Church , and to amuse them , the leaders picked a-nnAAyinlaiTy ** , * ,, ^* . *^ ;*^^* le «*;» , BCjf ..

    battles had been all against themselves , that they had been fighting for others , for mere points , while the people of England had been fighting the great battle of principle . ( Hear , hear . ) Tell them that with apparent religious liberty an inequality of political rights might exist , while with perfect civil equality religions differences would subside into moffensrre and justifiable prejudices . ( Cheers . ) lell them that yon , too , love the name of the greav , the good , the bold , the virtuous , and the nobte flonnanby but tell them tb * t laws would live when viceroys decay . ( Cheera . ) Tell them that a political fiend , as the servant of good laws , was preferable to a political angel as the

    master of bad laws . ( Hear , hear . ) Tell them that the law * should form the character of the viceroy and not the viceroy the character of the laws ( hear ) . i ell them that their agitation had been as a tank of dammed-up artificial waters , spouted up in founts , roffled or stitlled according to the angry workings , subdued spirit , gratified revenge , or satisfied ambition of ( hose who sailed upon the surface . ( Tremendous cheermg . ) Tell them that your own agitationwa » the gathering of multiplied wrongs—of irritated feelings of offended pride—of detention of right —of swelling indignation—of uoor men's » corn—of

    the nch man ' s oppression j and tell them that the soothing balm ofjustice was the only emolient wMch eror could or ever Bhould allay the troubled ocean of yqur discontent . ( Hear , hear , and loud cheering . ) Mr . O'Connor concluded thus : —Now , they may suspend their Habeaus Corpus Act , —they may drag me to the dungeon , and thence to the scaffold , and then shed my . blood —[ exclamations , and no , no , J ^ ver jifliey shan ' t]—but from every drop of the mar tyrs blood will spring ten thousand patriots to avenge the martyr ' s death . [ Confusion , and longcontinued excitement , and applause . ]

    The Chaikmas then put the following resolution to the meeting , which was carried unanimously : — 1 st . That this meeting is of opinion that the cause of all the corruptions and anomalies in legislation , as well as the Stress and difficulties of the commercial ^ manufacturing , trading , and working classes , is , that our representative system is based upon exclusive and unjust privileges ; and we , therefore , believe , that the time has arrived lor establishing that system on a foundation mere in accordance with principles of justice , brotherly love , and with the increased knowledge of the people .

    Mr . William Thorntox , of Halifax , rose to propose the next resolution , wMch was That the principles of representation , as defined by " Thu People ' s Charter , " are just and reasonable , embracing asit does , Universal Suffrage , No Property Qualification , Annual Parliaments , and Vote by Ballot , _ which , in their practical operation would , in the opinion of this meeting , be the means of returning just Representatives to the Commons House of Parliament—persons who , being responsible to and being paid by the people , would be more likely" to promote the just interests of the nation , than those who now constitute that assembly .

    He said that the resolution he had to move was one embracing the only principles upon wMch depended the happiness and welfare of the country . JCheeiB . j Mr . Barnes had said a great deal about the people ' s charter , and one thing that nettled Mm not a little was , that that charter was drawn up by working men . [ Hear , hear . ] What a tremendous fault was that ! " [ Hear . ] But he had forgot his own origin , and appeared to despise the ranks irom wMch he had sprung . He had taunted the members of the working men ' s association with being breeches makers , now that by Whig trickery they had made Mm a shuffling weathercock politician . [ Loud cheers . ] The resolution he had to move was one of great

    importance inasmuch as it embodied Universal Suffrage , the inalienable right of eyery man of -twenty-one yeara of age —( cneers )—and oi sound mind . But those who would willingly continue to . misgovern us , said the people were too ignorant . True , they were not such great adepts at shuffling a pack of cards as Lord L » e Koos , or so accomplished at dalliance as Lord Melbourne , but they were at least able to discriminate between knavery and honesty , and to exert themselves to put an end to it , ( Cheers . ) Not only did the resolution speak of Universal Suffrage , but also Annual Parliaments . A year was qnite long enough to ascertain the value of a servant , and too long to be tormented

    with a knave . ( Loud cheers . ) if the House ol Commons had been , as they ought to be , responsible to the" people , would they have done as uk'Y had done ? ( " No , no . " ) Would they leave the munagement of the affairs of the nation as they generally do , to sixty or one Mind-. ed individuals ? " If they read the aebates ol the House ol Commons they would generally observe that in the divisions ther ? were not more than Irom 60 to 100 members preheat . ( Hear . ) And where were the other huuareds ol those members ? Why they were to be found in brothels , gambling-houses , theatres , eating and dr inking with ladies and gentlemen , while- the interests of the people were bandied about like - Macgowan's journeymen devils . ( Cheers and

    laughter . ) True there were a few fawning sycophants wno were perhaps looking up for a Recordership tor their sons , a Commissiouership for some ol their uncles , or a peerage lur tlieir nephews and such like things . ( Hear , hear , and caeers . ) These men told us when they came iuto otiice that they would advocate reform and retrenchment ; and now that they had got into utnee they were determined to inflict upon them worse than Egyptian bondage , cursing them with a swarm ol irogs , jumping about the country in the shape of commissioners , as tormenting to the people as the locusts were to the innabitants of Egypt . ( Cheers and laughter . j Had they a parliament of their own , then the members of the legislation would be their servants , and would feel their interest to be in tue interest oi

    the people , and not their own aggrandisement ( Very loud cheering . ) He therefore begged to move the resolution . Mr . G . White , of Leeds , addressed the audience as fellow-men and fellow-slaves . They were not now met to argue the question of universal suB ' rage . It had long since been argued thread-bare , and th « re was nothing left to argue about . ( Hear . ) Englishmen , as-Englishmen , had long shared the ills ol bondage aHd misery , —a few of them might get sufficient to support them in existence , —but he would defy any taau worthy of the name ot man , to feel happy or contented while his fellow-creatures about him were starved and impoverished continually by

    the " operation of the cursed system under which we live . They were continually adding to the -wealth of their country , all of which was produced by the labour of their sinews , in the several hells and rattleboxes of their oppressors . ( Loud cheer ? . ) They must come to the question , then , of whether they were determined to take some decided steps . — He should think , himself a wretch , if upon an occasion like this , he could come a matter of twelve miles from home , merely to hold up his hand , make an effort at a shout , and say we have bad a fine meeting , and then go contentedly back to his drudgery . ( Cheers . ) If they were really earnest , let them "make up their minds to this ; that if the

    government of the country were determined to afford them no , redress by peaceable means , to compel them to do it by force . ( Tremendous cheeriDg ) Ah ! it was a very easy thing to cheery it was no hard matter to hold up their hands—but be would not give a rush for them , ( hear , bear , and cheers , ) unless their determination was equal to his own : and his own determination he would tell them , that , provided they were willing to co-operate with him , if their wrongs were not redTessea and their rights restored , in any given period , say twelve months or six months , he was ready at the end of that time to come again to that Moor , prepared with arguments

    of a more ^ persuasive character than mere talking . ( Loud cheers . ) They had talked and made speeches Jong enough . ( Loud laughter . ) There were "but two sides of a question , right and wrong , f Laughter . j They might talk of Whiggism , or sham-Radicalism , or any other ism they liked ; they might chatter of the repeal of the Corn Laws , or this , that , and the other , —but the plain English -was , that so long as they suffered others to make laws for them , the were slaves . ( Cheers . ) 'Twas a clear practipai question . There needed no twisting , or twining , ' French puzzle-purses about it . ( Laughter . ) God had formed them all mea—he made them in his own

    image—and . he hoped none of them were disposed to turn , such shocking infidels as to undo God ' s handy-work , and transform themselves into beasts of lurden for others . ( Loud cheers . ) The Bev . J . E . Stephens was received with immense cheering , waving of hats , and other demonstrations of applause . He said , Englishmen , "Irishmen , Scotchmen , fellow-country id en all I speak toinen to-day who have shaken off the sleep of ages , and who are now awake to their own and their children ' s rights : ^ men who are come here to-day to do-their work in good serious earnest . There can be , and there shall be no mistake about it , from time henceforth andfor ever . ( Loud cheers . ) You know what-you want ( Cheers , and cries of " "We do that . " ) ' Tou ' know what you ' re about . You understand all about it , and not all t £ e powers of earth ,

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    nor all the powers j > f hell , can much ; longer stand between you and the mark at which you have been K » l ? « i . " ^ " * T * " * " can be , there shall not be , any delusion in England , after this Siw / T ^ been m '^ gaWed , as well as misgoverned ( Loud cries of" Hear , hear . " ; You have been ^ ed y oorgj M ^^ ^^^ m the House of Commons . But in Great Britain toe power of party is broken , and it is out of the power of any man , or party much longer to carry ^^^^^^ ^ ^ ? ° I ^ e powers of hell , can much longer Btand between vnn ami a , * » .... { . _• . _ v ; . i . , ° ,

    uuiuuepenQenuy of the people . ( Cheers } The people themselves are now wide awake . GentiemenVI know , andyour foes are beginning to find out , that the work which you have undertaken to do , has to ; Li ° nej vTT 8 ° me ° ne or ano ^« , in some way or another , by some meauB or another , and we now Si ? £ to ? - { ' ? l the mean 8 bY whi <* iVpST ^ f . Omi > ll 8 hed- We " »¦ 8 eekin 8 nothing new There is-nothing in our bond , in this our »« £ league , that is new-fangled . Our forefathers have set up land maris-land marks of law-land marks of right ; land marks of liberty ; these land marks we are determined to have restored . ( Cheers . ) We stand upon our old rights-we seel no chanee-SLJ i J »! lP- *? 855 * old law « ^ England ^

    nl ®"; £ *«**•) They shall not be changed . ( Cheers . ) The laws of our fore-elders , and what are those laws ? What is that constitution "b y which we seek to _ abide ? - ( Magna Charta ) -A yJ , Magna Charta ! The good old laws of English freedom —iree ^ meetings—freedom of speech—freedom of workshops-freedom of homesteads—free and happy 5 ^ ? ' f , V orN »»* e 8 . < Cheer * . ) . Engli 8 hlaws ifr ? « ° 7 l workh ° «*« . [ Cheers . ] * It . is an SmS ? n ° ^ COMtita * «» » t ° erect any worknouae at aU , either under the new system or the old 3 k m - . . he law of England says , that everv man who is willing to work shall have a free home and a tree hearth , and he as happy in it as the monarch

    on his throne- ( Loud cheer 8 ) -and if he cannot work , or if there be no work for him to do , or if he haveoestrengtbtowork , or if he be maimed , or halt , or bknd ,. or fatherless , or destitute , or desolate , thenjustice-not charity-but justice provides that v 7 ? * les ? ha PP v borne than if he did work . ( Cheers . ) I wish you to keep this land mark always before you . Give no hear to men who teach new-fangled politics—French politics—centralization politics—politico-economical polities—stick to the good old laws , the good nld laws of England , under which all men were brethren and all public

    , men were patriots , before the spirit of party had split us up , aud divided and disunited us , until we become the miserable mass of incoherent and conflicting interests , which we now present . The other day , at Kersal Moor in talking to that great people of Lancashire , upon universal ri ght , I said it was the right of every working man to have a fair day ' s wage for a fair day's work , a full day's wage for a full days work ( Cheers . ) - From the book of God I told them that the workman was worthy of his hire . 1 told them from that book that they had no right to muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn * That a

    man is better than a sheep—and that if God cared for the oxen , he will care much more for those he has made in hi * own image and likeness . I said out of the book of God , that the labourer must be hrst partaker of the fruits . That the profits of the earth were for all— and the King was served off the field . I said it was a knife-and-fork question ( cheers ); a bread-and-ebcese question ; a question of good hats for good labour ; good coats for good labour ; good dinners good beds , good homes , and happy firesides for good labour ( loud cheering ) . I did hope that no man could have objected to thatthat no one could have opposed that reasonable moderateand scri

    , ptural view of the question But bow has it turned out ? Why from that day to this , the whole of the Whi g Liberal Press has been denouncing that view of the question , and the man who put it forward before the people I have been called the Jack Cade of Englandbecause I said that the working-man should live in comfort from his labour . ( Cheers and groans . ) Why , if that be Jack-Cadeism , 1 am a Jack Cade . If that be Jack-Cadeism , then every patriotic lawyer , every great public political writer , is a Jack Cade . If that be Jack-Cadeism , then every prophet , every apostle , and every evangelist , of the old and new Testament , is a Jack Cade . For it was

    out of that book I learnt , and it was out of that book I taught the doctrine . If that be Jack Cadeism , then , 1 speak it not irreverentl y , but I call on them to prove the solemn contrary , that the Lord Jesus Christ , the Saviour of men , and the Redeemer of the world , was the prince of Jack Cades 1 ( Tremendous cheering . ) You know the gro rad is now strong under your feet : stand still upon that ground . Don ' t give back a single ineh . Go right onward in the line which has been chalked out . Turn

    neither to the right hand nor the left . Both parties are now bidding high for yonr favour . They now find out that you are all well enough , —you mean no harm , —it ' s the leaders . Their aim is to get the people from their leaders , or the leaders from the people . Lord John Russell has made a discovery . He has discovered that the people have a right to meet . Ko » -1 wonder when Lord John Russell made that discovery . I ask Lord John this question , —I ask it on this platform;—who , I ask him , who ordered all the officers of the Manchester Barrack *

    to come home from Doneaster races in time for the Kersal Moor Meeting ? ( Hear , hear . ) I ask Lord John who gave the orders for the military to be drawn up behind the stands on Kersal Moor ? ( Hear , hear . ) Who ordered that they should load with ball-cartridge ?—( Loud cries of " Hear , bear . ) —that they should have their carbines , their sabres , and all the munitions of war ? I ask Lord John Russell that question , —and until that question be answered I will jnot believe that Lord John is of opinion that the people have a right to meet , though he may have found it out , that the people will meet whether he likes it or not . ( Loud cheers and Laughter . ) I now tell Lord John Russell—I tell

    the government , in my own name ; I tell them in jour name , you will lend it me . ( Cheer * , and cries of " yes , " " yes . " ) I tell them , then , in your name ; in the name of the men of Yorkshire ; that the people of England will meet—that they will meet in spite of the government—that they will meet in defiance of the government—that they will meet in opposition to the government , ¦ whensoever , and whereinsoever a factous traitorous government contravene the legitimate exercise of popular privileges . ( Great cheering . ) We will meet uuarmed—( cheers ) —unarmed , unless threatened ; unarmed , until there be fear or danger ; but if there be fear , —no there can't befear , only for our enemies , butif there be

    danger , why then Englishmen know their rights , and are ready to do their duty ( cheers ) . They have made you another offer—they give you a promise of the amendment , or perhaps of the repeal of the New Poor Lavr . Lord John Russell is a day after the fair—We have no NEW POOR LAW ! ! The ground on which we now stand is a holy ground—for it was here we met , and it was here we 3 wore before God and one another , and we repeated the oath at home , upon the flag-stone of our cottages , before our wives and children , that we would never acknowledge that law , nor call on it to be enforced , and I now tell the Government again . ( Loud cheers . ) 1 tell them in my own

    name , I tell them in your name , you'll lend it to me ( cheers , and yes , yes , you shall have it ) , that they may repeal that law if they like ; they may attempt to enforce it if they dare ; they shall enforce it if they can ? ( Loud and enthusiastic cheers ) . After many other eloquent observations , the Rev . Speaker proceeded thus : —As a proof of what might he effected by a timely exhibition of firmness , upon the part of the people , from the time that he told the Government that 5 , 000 men in his district were armed and ready if necessary to sacrifice their lives in resistance to the New Poor Law ; from that day to this , they had heard not one word of the New Poor Law ( great cheering ) . It was virtually

    repealed . They had no more trouble with it ( cheers ) , and thank God they were not likely to have to put their determination in practice ( cheers ) —they would now have them . They were not Radicals . They were not Republicans . They were not Destructionists . They were kill ' em-andeat'em-boys ( laughter and cheers ) . So said the Times , and so said he . He would have them to kill'em-and-eat ' em ; to kill and eat the cattle which God sent for the food of man , and let this be tht object of all their political struggles ¦; whether they got the Suffrage or not , let them always remember that the first object of all laws was to provide for the comfort of industry ( loud and rapturous applause . )

    John Fielden , Esq ., M . P ., then came forward to second the resolution and was received with enthusiastic cheering . He said , gentlemen , in the year 1836 I had the pleasure of meeting you on this ground to support you in your endeavour to secure the petition to Parliament for the repeal of the New Poor Law Bill , an attempt was then made to introduce the question of Universal Suffrage , which I declared at the time to be altogether irrelevant to the occasion , and I was opposed to it ; but I have stated that if ameetingwere called for that specific purpose I would attend , and that I was as mnch a friend to Universal Suffrage as I wag an opponent of the New Poor Law . I attend here to-day in consequence of that pledge . But I attend as a freeholder of Yorkshire , and I should have been glad to have seen a great many freeholders possessed of property to appear among yon to advocate this right-winch you

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    ^ Ms& $ &&ss £ 7 bVuetition ^~ iT ° f \ ^ ^ en endeavoHring tc- obtain th ^ nS r"tf tothedestitutehand-loomw . v . * , SHI » — are *» P distresfc , whic ; . -not of ^ he Refor £ T ?? , * ( He « , hear . ) Since the pairing obtain K ^ you haVe been endeavourine to deSedlLtW ?^^ 3111 ? bot they lave fwSiS' 0 U f ls acknowledged on all hands £ 1 ^!^ ^ worse off thin even the West ' *^ ' --- ^ - ^ - ^^ » ay J ™ ™ A to ohtnin n ^ r ... _ n . " „ - - . ' - ' p « fc » , dui w .. P iain ' oelorethe passing of the

    theRefor ** hi lUew » near " > Since the passing of von ^ &- ' , measure striking at tfie roote of J ° ^ b ^ es _ and righk , has been passed-the w ^ k ! ~ ew P . Law Act- ( hear , hear )^ and you toobtdn ^ ?^ P ^ W «' ^ ^ dS £ w ? h £ ^ \ % * unrighteous and obnoaous ¦^ r ^^ at ^ fl ^ sacl ^ tsss ^ The ftS ^^^ ^ ^* ^ ( Hear / W ) asWdsSr a- bat W ™* » complete failure , ? ££ n «? i f xttmd i ? g ? bat protection to which you ^ etth ^ Sff ^ ^ ^ * ^ 6611 ' You want to Vnnw t ge ' . ^ . *** J ou m&y do what you £ aawithout the Suffrage . Property

    S ^^ ^ alway * secured , and' yoif w ^ i ^™ tecuon 4 o which you are entitled . Therefore you are justified m backmg the petition for the People ' s ChSn U ^ vei-S ^^ - ^ ch is U ^ ersal Suffrage ; Universal Suffrage is to be lound in Magna Charta the great charter of Englishmen . It ^ confirmed Ya ^ T " ' V *** > & * & beinggranted ^ oSeat Yarmouth in fee absolute . If the people of Yarmouth _ have a . right to the Suffrage , the people of Yorkshire have a right to it- ( cheers )^ and If you persevere peaceably-if you keep United , nor live occasion for any complamts-if you hold tog ether as Christian fellow-citizens , as one man , and wellwishers of your country , vou mav rest- **** *** tW

    you will get Universal Suffrage . ( Loud cheering . ) lhen comes ^ the next point , — -Annual Parliaments . Why , there is not a man -who has read the history of his country but knows that annual parliaments was the law of the land for hundreds of years—that p ' arliament inet and did its business , was then dissolved , and another was summoned by the King , and so parliament never lasted more than one year , and many years have passed without a ^ parliament sitting;—but there was ho such thing as a parliament sitting session after session , as at this time , and I believeif parliament was not held longer than for one session , it would put a stop to that corruption which prevails , and tnen not

    being able to oppress , they would cease to make bad laws in representing us . I will not transgress the rule laid down , ( criea of " goon , " ) butif you will allow me I will explain a question of fact upon which I have been taken to task since I had the honour of attending the Kersal Moor meetin » It was with regard to , the increase of taxation to four millions during the six sessions of the Reform Parliament . If I made a mistake I was not the nrst to do so , for 1 read it in BlaekwooiTs Magazine which stated that the expenditure of the present year was nlty three millions , whereas in 1835 it was iortymne millions . Afterhaving read this before 1 made the statement on Kersal Moor , I went to the best source of information as to the f » YnpniHtn > ., «?

    the present year , and what did I fiud ? In the appropriation act for 1838 passed last session , it will be lound that in the tenth section of the act the amount for this year is nfty-four millions , in the succeeding sections of the act , you will find it given in detail , item b y item , to the extent of upwards of fifty-three millions . That is an authentic document and shows what the expenses of the year are supposed to be . Then if you refer to the document brought forward in the papers to which I allude , you will find that in the year 1833 the expenditure was less than forty-nine millions : so that it is lully made out that there has been an increased charge arising from some cause or other

    , which must lead to increase of taxes to the amount of four millions . This is the question which I thought it my duty to take this opportunity of answering through that press which has thrown out the calumny ; and it being a question of fact , it shows that 1 am not mistaken in what I have stated . Let any one shew from the expenditure of 1835 ; , coinpared with 1837 , that there does not appear an increase ot two millions and a half . These are given in the returns moved for by Mr . Gillon , and it is a question as to degree and amount . To meet this increased expenditure , the Whigs must increase the taxes or resort to borrowing . Of this fact there cannot be two opinions , because the Appropriation Act

    and the returns to the House of Commons confirm the fact . I wish to say that there is one w . ord used byMr . Bussey relative to the right you have to the buflrage , which has been dwelt on in one of the Leeds papers of last Saturday . It is statedin ic that neither the rich nor the poor have a right to the Suffrage . 1 should like to know how the rich have become possessed of the Suffrage if they have not a right to it . [ Hear , heari ] J t is then an usurpation , and you will not be guilty of any greater usurpation if you try to get hold of it . [ Cheers . ] But anything more absurd than this I never read in the columns of any newspaper , and I am glad to see that the people at this meeting view it in the same light . 1

    recommended you to be united—keep to one object for you will be called on to make great sacrifices . The question how to gain this measure is a most important question . You have often been appealed to—be on your guard—make this the subject of your evening meditations , and the subject of your conversations during the day , how to possess the Suffrage . This meeting is calculated to strike terror , into the hearts of tho . « e who are opposed to you But you must persevere—you must not allow yourselves to be the dupes of aiiy man who would persuade you to go faster than you can . but you . must pursue , a constitutional cause , by petitioning , by abstinerice , if you

    please—never forget the national debt , for it is your best ally—if you will attack the Excise , and break down the Chancellor of the Exchequer ' s coffers , by abstaining from all exciseable articles , you may rest assured that in two years you will do all . [ Cheers . ] Let no one persuade you to take a course which would be latal to your wives , and children , but persevere in a quiet , peaceable , and steady course , bent upon pursuing that object for which you set out , and you shall have all the assistance whick I can gi ' e you . [ Loud cheers . ] Some one in the meeting called for three cheers for Mr . Fielden , which were accordingly given with the greatest enthusiasm . Mr . GEO . BARKEii , of I-luddersfield ; then rose to move the next resolution , which was

    "That the Birmingham petition be the petition of this meeting . " : He must state that lie never attended any of the Reform meetings in the year 1832 , for he was then fully convinced that no measure could possibly be fraught with greater : mischiefs to the working classes than the Reform Bill . ( Hear , hear . ) He perfectly agreed with Mn Mabaulay when he said that the Reform Bill was a measure evidently intended to unite the middle with the higher classes ! , in order to oppress the working classes , ( Cheers . ) They were full y aware of the truth of that remark . As for petitions he had long given up the idea of petitioning , for he was convincd the whole thing was a mere

    farce , their petitions were rejected , and they were laughed at and treated with scorn . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) They were told top that they were disunited , and did not know what they Ranted . The sun of freedom however had arisen upon them , and upon themselves depended whether that sun should go down at noon or not . He agreed with the petition in every point . Was not Universal Suflrage the right of every Englishman . Had they had Universal Suffrage , at the time of the peace ^ would they have had a Corn Bill to make dear bread , or Peel ' s Bill to make labour cheap ? Would they have needed to meet in such thousands as they had now assembled in ? ( No , no . ) As for Annual Parliar

    ments , he was decidedly of opinion , that short reckonings made long friends . As for the Ballot , the VV bigs were calling out lustily for that ; and if it were useful now , it would be stillimore so with Universal Suffrage . ^ Hear , hear . ) The Property Qualification he considered the best feature in the Petition ; for history had proved to their satisfaction , that the best and wisest legislators had been men of the poorer classes . ( Cheers . ) If they could prove that men ' s intellects consisted in houses or land , or their brains in gold and silver , then they might have some claim , to govern the people by a monied qualification . ( Loud cheers . ) What , then , was it they wanted ? It was a fair day ' s iwages for a fair

    day ' s work . ( Cheers . ) Our enemies tell us ^ that the people are aiming at a revolution j but if they drove the people to a revolution , the consequences be upon their own heads . ( Veryloud cheers . ) He exhorted them to carty out their determination , and to let their cry be- —Union , Union , Union . Let them reject all mannerof differences , acd sail , with full canvass , for the port of Universal Suffrage , and they might defy all the attacks of their enemies . ( Very loudcheers . ) , , : Mr , Joseph Crabtree . of Barnsley , seconded the motion . He said— -Fellow-countrymen—We are now at" end of the end . " [ Laughter . ] W e are just at the foot of the last bill . We shalr ever have to

    ascend in favour' of Universal Suffrage ; We have had many hard stages , and , you know and feel that we have had to scale many mountains , but the last , aye , the last , stares us in the face . Isee you meet cheerfully , arid that you are determined to attain this height , because there is to be the fruits of your industry—there is to be found all that you have produced for others to revel in—there is to pe found your happiness , your contentment , and the welfare of your families . vVYe have had many hard tugs together , and shall we , npw that xny Lord John Russell has discovered that we have a right ito meet , shall we give it up ? ( "No , never . " ) Kpy % Doys » this is Yorkahire , and you are Yorkshire lads . You

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    k will tell him that you will either have your rights or nn ? TIP *** v * ^?^ ggle . ( Loudcheers . * 1 do not ask you Yorkshiremen to take up arms , but I tin , !!* / nPU c ^ f ? y ° ur ty ™ 1 ** or die in the struggle . . ( Cheers . ) The best method you can adopt to beat the knaveB now preying on your blood and ^ inews is to retire to your firesides and with your famJies feed upon the Uttle you have till it I « done , and then say to your tyrants " we will toil no lonfier ! ^^ Jf proaace rio mbrej ' and much as they have an , fW « w youpossess , depend upon it they will take tright before yon , hecause they will never learn to starve , and you know how that is done . ( Hear , hear ^ hear , and loud laughter . ) Now , my friends ttte Jiirmmgham petition hints at something like what r have asked you to do . But it rna ^ es a demand , and what it demands are about this will tpll him * t . »„„ ., _ . : ^^ - - --i-.. ¦¦ « ,.

    you day to make , a demand of also . The demand is Unirersal . Suffrage , and no matter whether your Inend of the Mercury-office has or has nbtdiscQV-ered that you have a natural or unnatural right , you must never restsatisfied till you possess what he has long had , for he is . much more wealthy than you are , better fed , and drinks many Dottles of wine which you never smell . ( Laughter . ) Now , if the suffrage does good to those who possess it , you have no rea son to doubt of its being good for you , who ought Jong since to have had it . When we get our new W s ^ " b . strenuous as anybody that it be not broken ; and if we have a law , let us endeavour to observe it . We may have to meet again , when I hope the speakers will have a little more time luan

    we have now . Then I will tell you more than ever Lord John Russell dreamt of when sleeping oh nisbe ^ i down . I will then tell you more than he would dare to tell you , though when in the House of Commons he dared to say that the people of England would not work for their bread . Will you bear this ? If so , if you permit the little insignificant fellow who never produced a penny ' s worth of work of any use to society , to say you will not work , why you deserve all he can do for you . —Loud cheers . " Mr . Collins , of Birmingham , was then introduced amid universal applause . He said—Mn Chairman , Fellow-countrymen , and Brothers , you have been very judiciously told by one of the previous speakers , that it would be unnecessary to

    dilate upon the principle contained in the resolution now before the meeting , as they were all well understuod by all present . Such being the case , it would be impolitic in me to occupy your attention in the present unfavourable state of the weather , and also considering the great pressure the dense mass of human beings now before me must be sustaining . I shall therefore content myself -by stating that the present state of the country gives an . earnest of speedy success , and by giving a few words of advice for your future guidance . ( Hear , hear . ) I beg just to mention that my excellent fellow-townsman , Mr . Saltj would have been here to-day , but we have so many calls upoii us at Birmingham , we cannot send numerous deputations to any one place . ( Hear

    hear . ) Mr . Salt is at a meeting to-day in the Potteries , Mr . Douglas , with Mr . Hadley , are at a meeting at Nuneaton , thus the great and glorious cause is going oh well . ( Loud cheers . ) In March last I was deputed by the men of Birmingham to go to Scotland , in order to ascertain the state of public feeling upon the subject now before this * meeting , and to make use of a beautiful figure once used by that truly ^ patriotic friend of the people , Thomas Attwood , Esq ., we made a snowball—we rolled it down one of the Scotck mountains , the good men of Glasgow gave it a push , and a good one . the men of Edinburgh gave it another , Dunfermline helped it on well , so did Perth , Dupdee , and other places ; we rolled it into Englaad , it increased as it rolled

    on ; they turned it over at Kersal Moor the other day , —( loud cheers)—you are giving it an increased impetus to-day . Last week the intelligent men of Montgomeryshire had a meeting , said , by the papers opposed to the object , to be an immense assemblv : they have translated the petition into the Welsh language , and it is now being signed numerously in the principality . In fact , there is no doubt , from the state of the public mind as now developed , of ultimate success . ( Cheers . ) Lord John has told us that there are some who would advise the putting down of the meetings of the people ; but he would not adopt such a course , for he admitted the right of the people to meet . ( Heor , hear . ) Thank you for nothing , my Lord ! the attempt to put down one

    meeting would put up two . ( Loudcheers . ) The time had gone by when the display of public feeling could be put down by force or violence , without great danger to those who ;« o attempted to put theni down . ( Hear , hear . ) Mr . Fielden had told them that they could get all they wanted b y acting legally , but firmly : Inthisremark he ( Mr . C . ) fully and entirely concurred : indeed , by proceeding legally , they would increase their strength , while any illegal conduct would destroy their own power . ( Hear , hear . ) One other subject , and he had done . Much depended upon the selection of delegates , as they mu 3 t yield implicit obedience to them , let their orders be

    issued when they might , as they would no doubt give such advice as would ensure speedy success , if promptly obeyed . ( H ear , hear . ) True , the Weekly Chronicle % aA said that its editor would not obey : they never expected the obedience of those who were not friendly to their cause ; the determinate perseverance of their friends would be sufficient to enable them to give to their Constitution its strongest legthe real Commons , instead of a few rotten £ 10 sticks . ( Laughter and cheers . ) Their chairman had told him his fifteen minutes were gone , and he would conclude by supporting most cordially the resolution . ( Mr . Collins concluded his address amidst loud applause . )

    Mr . KicHARDSO ? f , of Manchester , was then ntroduced to the meeting , and was received with loud cheers . He had come to that meeting to convey to them the opinions of the men of Lancashire , assembled a few weeks ago upon Kersal Moor . He assured them that the people of Lancashire were with them heart and soul , in the great cause of Radical Reform . ( Loud cheers . ) They had been the foremost in this great struggle , they always had been the foremost , and they would be the foremost still . _ [ Cheers . ] He would not detain them on this occasion by entering into the merist of Universal Suffrage , for he was fully satisfied that they all were well instructed in the nature of the ' question , and wanted none to teach them the value of that right

    which bad been held from them by the tools of oppression , the right which gave them a participation in the choice of those who were to govern them . ( Cheers . ) They all knew that it was their natural right and their legal right ; they all knew that it was the ri g ht of every man who fought all the battles , and did all tile work , to be represented in the House of Commons . ( Loud cheers . ) He could not avoid bringing to recollection a great meeting that was held on the same spot some time ago , for the repeal of the New Poor Law , he also remembered that on the Thursday night ' s debate which took { lace on that measure in the House of Commons , , ord John Russellhad said , after he had received the shock of the West Riding Meetingj that he thought that the New Poor Law would "bide a little mending . " [ Hear , hear , and loud cheers . ] On that occasion , he , Mr . Richardson , had said that if the

    Government refused to repeal the New Poor Law , the next movement of the People would be for Universal Suffrage , and now that Lord John Russell had seen the results at Birmingham , Newcastle , Kersal Moor , and other places , he said "the people had a right to meet , " and in a little more he would think something else . [ Loud cheers . ] A little longer agitation , and he would ; begin to find but that the peop le had a rightto all they asked for [ very loud cheers . ] They must , they would , they should have Universal Suffrage . [ Cheers . ] He would conclude , then , with offering to them the hearty , congratulations , arid assuring them of the con tinned support of the men of Lancashire , believing as he did that they would stand side by side with them , that they would fight beneath the same banner , for the same cause , arid with the same objects in view , England , home , and liberty [ very loud cheers . ]

    Mr . Jas . Taylor , of Rochdale , was next introduced to support the resolution . He said he also was a Radical of Lancashire , and he had great pleasure in meeting them on that occasion . He was glad to see that the same spirit moved the breasts of Yorkshiremen that moved the breasts of Laricashiremeri , and that they were all uniting together for the accomplishment of one great object . ( Loud cheers . ) By their -union they manifested that their object was great—that union manifested both their wisdom and patriotism . ( Loud cheers . ) He would not now argue the question of Universal Suffrage , for they knew it was their , right and they were determined to have that right . ( Loud cheers . ) It was no longer a question with them whether the

    suffrage was their right or not ; but- " the ' questionwith them now was " how were they to get hold of it ? " How were they to be able to exercise that right ? They knew it was no use arguing with the factions on the question , because they would not hearken to their arguments . They had of late admitted the right , but they denied the expediency of granting ; but Hie people of late had shown that they were determined hot only to exercise this right , but to exercise it immediately , and that they were uniting together for that purpose alone '¦; that they would not be wheedled or drawn aside from this object to the repeal of the Corn Laws or any other object thatmightbe brought beforetheih ; though they acknowledged ^ he proprie ty of those questions , yet , at thft nteafint . thev considered that the attainment

    of Universal Suffrage was the great , the first question with them ; that to this , andthis only , theylooked , that they knew that if they only possessed this , they possessed that political power , which would not pnly work out every right they claimed , but would enable them to annul every bad Act of Parliament and enact good Acts of Parliament , whereas , though they possessed not the Suffrage , though they might anriuYa bad act to-day , they might re-enact it tomorrow , and if they passed a good law torday , they might repeal it to-moiTpw ; ( Very loud cheering . ) If then they possessed thie Suffrage , they would be able to obtain all they wished . ( Cheers . ) He therefore advised them to lay aside all otter matters . The Whigs wefa-telling them that this waa a nice op-

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    portunity for getting the Corn Laws repealed . Bat did they want that law repealed ? Ko , not the ^ They conceived that the people had laid hold of th « nght subject , and that if they kept their eyeupon them all would be up with the Whigs . ( Loud cheers J Hence it was , that they attempted to draw their at ention to other subjects , and ] e * d the pnblic mmd awa y from the important object now before them- [ Cheers . ] But be advised them riot to regard them . [ Cheers , arid " we won ' t . " ) Even now , they were not a pin better than when they enacted the Corn Laws . [ Cheers . ] They were * the same in opmou and iriterest now that they were tnen— lv « rv irinA M . qc . jI »_ j _! .- _ -.. __ ii _ i - ¦ ¦ 4 ad to

    » t . ~ * r-t •»> viaj-r-uu wueuevermey Deean . ^ tfev ^^ " ' ^ ¦ ^ ^ P ° ^ e * as , teM ^ llt' ^ " :-:- [ Cheer . / ind -IauS amonIt Z S * - * ^ toerewas some des ^ amongst them ; they would not come boldly like a Toryinghwayma ^ arid attack them in fronrbut would go shy about them , arid tell them they were very good fellows , thHt they were fixing thStten & ^ amP ° r ^ matters , but they had 7 otanice httle ^ mgy which . they wished them- tO ^ ok at . [ Hear , hear , and laughter . ] He advised them however , not to be deluded with the wSS S hadbeen ledwtray already , their ; attentionnad beek called from the main point , but he hoped they would ^ l ^ fe ? ^ ?^^ !^ ed any 6 ^ er [ H and cheers ] Their

    ^ ^ ' - , ^ r » % ^ . erienuei were justhke flies in a treacle tub that could not move a limb , at least if they moved one , it was onlT to fasten more effectually the other . [ Cheers . ] Keep 1 •^ , T ' h ^? lhey are lads ' said he - [ Poeers , and « we will , J They must see then the importance of the subject for which they had met ; and now he would say to them" be united . "— "We will . "_ Remember that the united opinion of the people was the law of the land-cheers t-and he defied either a Whig or Tory Government , or all the despotisms in Europe f v fV- 0 re 8 Ut 1 tneir will ; and purpose , if thelaos ot \ orkshire would unite with the lads of Lancashire . —Long and loud cheers . —He would say in conclusion without anfurther observations

    y , "You have got the right scent , keep to it ; don't depart fromit innuetod you will b / free-Loud cheers ? ^ Mn Saml . Dickenson , of Almondburv , was then calledupon to move the last resolution—which was . that Delegates should be nommatedfronl thatpTa to attend the N ; itional Convention . HTsaw § uS Conv-ention werfe generally supported it would be effectual m ensuring the objects which they had in view . It had been repeatedly told them that enbueh had been said upon the necessity of Universal Suffrage and the blessings that would be derived from it—Hear , hear . —They already knew that this was their undoubted and legitimate right , and the tens and hundreds of thousands who were then assembled on that moor , were determined never to rest till

    they had obtained it . ( Cheers . ) He knew they were not Tories to-day and Radicals to-morroW , or Radicals to-day and Tories to-morrow- they were determined to go straightforward about their b smess , and pull down the strongholds of tyranny ( Cheers . ) Nothiug but disunion could deprive them of attaining the objects they had in view , and many a good cause had been lost in consequence of their leaders not being supported . ( Hear , hear . ) How greatly would Hunt have rejoiced to see such assemblages as these ; but how was it to-be accounted for that he was opposed by the very individuals whose rights he was supporting . ( Hear , hear , hear , and cheers . ) He hoped , however , that such woula jiot be case with the delegates that were sent

    to the National Convention , but that every hand and heart and purse would be strained and exerted on their behalt . He hoped that in every Constitutional order the Convention would be obeyed . ( Heat , hear . ) lhere were many means to have recourse to without physical force ; and when he had tried all the means that could be used without effect , he was wilhug as one to sacrifice , the last drop of his blood m the attainment of liberty . ( Tremendous Cheers . ) He was the representative of the Radical Association of Almondbury , ari association that had never b ^ enled astray either by the one part y or the other and they were determined they would never rest till they bad obtained their full measure of liberty

    ¦( Loud cheers . ) Hi- advice to them then was ^ Go on my lads : we shall prosper ; we shall , we will , we are determined to conquer and nothing in the world shall hincer us . " ( Very loud cheers . ) Mr . Todd , of Dewsbury , seconded the resolution , and was received with vary loud cheers . He said though it was late when he came before them , it was not for any want of zeal in their cause , but merely that they might have the pleasure of hearing those that were-more able to address them , and whom they more rarel y had an opportunity of hearing than himself . H e had been very glad to observe that at last the Operative classes had taken their cause into their own hands ; and they might fee assured that whatever

    good will they might have from others , none but themselves would do their business , none so well knew their wants as themselves . [ Hear , hear . } He was glad to contemplate this meeting as a proof of a union that was extending jar and wide , and he ardentl y hoped that it would be lastmg , that having put their hand to the plough , they would not turn back until they had accomplished their liberty . ( Loud cheers . ) That part of the business of that meeting that had devolved upon him , was to second the proposition of delegates to attend the National Convention . Mr . Feargus O'Connor , Mr . J . P . Cobbett , Mr . W . Ilider , Mr . L . Pnkethl y * and Mr . Peter Bussey , were then elected as delegates to attend the National Conven 3

    on Dr . Fletcher of Bury was then introduced to the meeting to support the resolution . He was received with loud cheers . He said he had -aot come there to teach them anything new , for they were all convinced that there was an absolute necessity that the people should be put in possession of the Suffrage . . ( Cheers . ) He knew that for twenty or thirty years that had been the subject that had beea discussed on every cottage hearth in this country , and he donbted- not it had been the case in others . [ Hear , hear . J There was an immediate necessity for a reform in the House of Commons , such a reform as it ought to be , so that the House of

    Commons might be made what it originally was , the house of the people . They had now given over calling the people the rabble ; they had begun to understand their value , and it was their duty to convince their rulers that they also understood their value . Government would not now even dare to deny the right of the Suffrage , their only plea was that the people were not sufficientl y intelligent . [ Hear , hear ;] He should have been ashamed to mention this , Were it not for the fact that it was a tacit admission that the Suffrage Was their right . [ Hear , hear , near , and cheers . ] Dr . Fletcher theH referred to , the agitation of -the "Whi gs in 1832 , when the people were called intelligent and virtuous , when they nupported the cause of the "Whi gs ; and also to the

    Operative Conservative Associations as a proof of the influence of the people * ( Cheers . ) By this the people were literally made the arbitrators between the two factions : and if they were fit to be the arbitrators between the two factions , they were surely fit to manage their own affairs . ( Hear , hear , and very loud cheering . ) But it was not necessary to convince them of all this ; they must have Universal Suffrage , or the-- nation would be ruined . ( Hear , hear , hear . ) But how was it to be obtained ? . " Some of the preceding speakers had referred to the words of Lord John Russell , when he stated that the people had a right to meet . It would indeed be straijge , indeed , after such- pitiless attempts as the Calthorpe-street business and the Kent inurders , if they attempted to put down the hundreds of thousands of the brave fellows of

    Yorkshire and Lancashire , —( bear , hear , hear , )^ and Birmingham . ' ( Cheers . ) They could not put the people down . And what was the flattering unction which they applied to their souls ? / Wh y ^ that the spirit of the people would vibrate in the shouts of such meetings as that ( hear , hear ) . He hoped then the people of Yorkshire would do their duty ; , he came to tell them that the people of Bury were determined to act as well as talk ( loud cheers ) . "What would be the immediate result of this movemerit 3 their petition would be laid upon the table , and their charter would be laid upon the shelf , and it was not at all improbable that by raking up some obsolete statute their- 'delegates would be laid in prison . So far as he w as concerned

    he cared little about that ( cheers ) . But if fliis were the case what did they intend to do ? (" ¦ W hyj fetch them back ! " ) No , no ^ he did hot wan t that ; they must be content to leave bff drinking gin and rum and smoking tobacco , and their wives must leave off drinking tea— -could they do without these things for a while ? ( Yes , yes . ) If ; they could they would tBen be sure to attain their object , for without a consumption of these things it would be impogiiblei for ' the Government to go bn ^ As to physical force lie hoped it W-onld not . be ;" -necessary , that he ^ w otiid !' -be the ^ ^ last man that "Would shrink from it if it was necessary ( loud and long continued entering ) . Some other speeches ; were addressed to the ineeting , after which the meeting separated highly delighted with the proceedings of the day .

    Untitled Article

    A Drama in ONie Act . — On Thursday , a batch of strolling players erected a large-booth on the May-Day Green , Barnsley , for the-purpose of acting comedies , for the amusement of ^^ the country lads and lasses ; but lo ! in the midstV © £ iheir performances a tremendous gnat :- " of wind blew ihe whole of their crazy fabric down : ution tne- anuience / abbut 150 in number . Shrieks and loudbursta ^ la « gi » fer followed the eyent ^ as ^ the ^ auditorsrofieW'iljoui beneath the . weight of canvass and boa ^ ' 3 | adjea * bonnetSj h > t 8 ^ coats , and gpwris yrer ^ -miM jiaspt less , and a more laughable and laaiCTotu * " picture could scarcely be imagined . —Fortunately no damage of moment was done to life or limb . ' i ; ,

    Untitled Article

    ^ 0 , ^ 20 , 1838 . TBB NORTHERN ^ T . V ?! .. ? gggg .:, ¦ - -. 7 ^ tMM—iMa ^ ^^^^^ - : ¦¦¦¦ T ^ ; - .. ¦ - . ¦ .-: -. ¦¦ . ==== ^^^ 2 ^ S 5 ™^ 5 ^ '

• Citation
  • Northern Star (1837-1852), Oct. 20, 1838, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1028/page/7/