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Northern Star (1837-1852), 19th August 1843, Edition 1 of 4, Page 6, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      TBXZi . OF THE * VT 1 MES" FoB , LIBEL ON 3 IB . < roaNH 0 R . - UBBt *— O » COIWW& JAWSOV , 3 ^ cs 8 ^ 'wW ^ Mna an acti on tyiit Paqpu 4 > 13 ol nor a ^ ciiiit" this journal for libel , came on for trial at CrojdtT ) oil Fifilsy , before lord iGhief Mortice Ttodal and ; ' * Special Jbtv . _ The Court Tras "very much aovtUkL " _ " i ^ T' i Tiie -foHo'rtnfj genflfimsn "were emp&nneled as t 2 is Jury . ^ Tlsomas Acock * . E 3 q j-Bdwia Bryant , 3 &q . ; Jaxnsi Crocker , Esq . ; John Fairfax Chlnnery , ^ EsQ . J Jamfcs 3 s 3 ib Oomyn , J 3 sq-V ; Themas _{ fcihbert , Esq-j Wiffiiaa EJgai , : &g . j Edward " IHIcfcs Ench , E ^ q . j QaSss Hood , 33 * 5 , 3 John ThemaS-Booper , E ^ q . ; WUBam SoBsni ; Sag , ; indSamnel Jackson , Esq . Ths-Jniy twfiaglweajriraii ^ , ... , "

      Jlr . Jahes opened iZie pleadings He aid in this ease F ^ agus OtJsnnor _« £ tha _ plaintiff , and . John JoseM Lswran the fiefaodant ; Tlie declaration stated that ^ iefcre the publication of the libel on account of ^ rt ^ k tc a _ action--5 PM ^ on ^ ns ^ oed there lad . been an ele ^ ea ffr . the borough ol Nottingham , at wMeh Jwep Snrrge ; and Jsbn 'Walter -was candidates , and test ttie plaintiff assisted at that election on kebil ? .-. f thfi iaad Joseph Stage . The declaration inrgjer set forth that , after the beforemenUoned election , It became necessary to hare anothareJeeibn for tti borough of NottaBgham , at " which John Walter , Jnn ., c £ J Mr . Gisbome were candidates , and that the presett plaintiff asa « tsd at that election on behalf-of ill . GUfe ^ me . Jt then aei fertii jninuteJy tfcfi libel "wbicli fcjaed ihs surged of the present action . Ji tinrd cor ^ t set forth that the Hfcel minted what , in legal tersrji , was tailedthe inducement The defendant ludj ^ -Iedr'vHbi goaty . *\ : ^ '

      Ms . Owjsant Shee then said , —May it please your Xoras ^ Ip—^ Sesienrf / tkaFLjurj , I lave the hononr to atSdriss yon aa connael for ^ dr . O'Connor , the plain tiff in tins action , yrho lias felfc compelled , in justice to htaFeH , and to all Vho are interested In his good Twvmp . j to coaoa here into const = u > « omptoin of an nnfonnde ^ sEiack onljim irtiidi appfated in . the columns « f the Tizas * nesrspsper .: ^ enaemen , It is now ten or twelst ^ -crs ago aineB Mr . ( KGonneifirst becameJmovni S 3 a paSk man to the . peojilejoiEngland . He-was antop& ^ 3 to i ^ in tlat ciiaracter a « thff representa tire of 02 = of themort impoi ^ Bt . constitnencies in the afotef ccnntrji a ppa | dn Mu ^ ir would entite aay man ^ fco £ 5 * 33 It to s . very luge absre ^ f cpnsidersiion and Aspect ! a the eRHmsSoa of a " Kenarons nation .

      Gentlemen , itjsppeaa a » tw |» ea all hops of juafice from her more pt ^ eifnl ^ e ^ aoar 3 S » a Jnot begun to sicken in Irelasd , ^ r-t > XJoimor feiire 8 ^ ifcdias native county-of Cork In £± s Hoosa . of Ctomrapna- ' . As member' fox tin * eGDJsfj Hs conduct on all occasions -was jnanly , coasirteflt , pamofie * aarfl ' indiep ^ iaE ^ , snd though iis -opiiiioss vai qQestions of pEhliej > olicy trexe not » n # h as to niceiTs conntoianre from inWin that ssssmbi / , his dspcrtnient was admitted on bB liacds to l > e entirely ampT ^ f > rrf 5 ftTnt ^ fi , Be DeTer V » ptf "' 7 y ffimrpd a pang in the fcre-si of a political oppouentj iis conduct -was finee &om tiie least ticctore of personal o ^ sction ; he made jio enemke , and helost no Mends . Gentlemen , on iis retirement from larliamait . 2 &x . O'Connor did

      sot cteesi it ^ necessary ahjnrs all interest in public 3 ffi | fTf l rvr aTwIjuii -fty-m ^ TlA -i tiy 1111 i | nm nf TtnfKHft O"tUB 9 » Sons . Ee tnonght , « adin my mind rightly , that if a nail iave ttie lioart , ihe spirit , and the eourags to « Brrehi ^ country , Jhe jnsy do so as well-r ^ iay , 3 s some conjunctures pahaps ^ fitter , Trithoui than within the ¦ walls of Pai ^ ament . J know that there is a sort of sickly , £ irnt-hearted -f ^ Tng' in the minds of some men ,- —man "who are unworthy of the blessings they enjDj , — "wMth induces them to condemn In others , . and eschew for themselves , the esercfsr ct those Tights which are secured to them by fits constiuifian—the right of meeting in public " »™ - Kiesf-f ibeir fellow c 5 ti 2 Ens for diEcnsiion ; or , as-it somedises is on oiher occasicms , to awaken that

      fooi-• wiuci aismten in oar historyDeen the beginning © f wisdtiii in our rulers , and of content among the people . She cvoree , gentlemen , wcieh 3 It O'Connor pursued on Hist 6 c » -5 ion-was that"rfliich waspBrened by Burke , by lox , by SuerSdan , by Grey , by Burieft , by Broagham , snd tLs rsst of that long list of men wfcose ' nxmes win ie remssnibered with honour in this country when ibote ¦ wto tiTs prostituted their talents in refiling them haTe 2 ) tts 6 - ivea like weeds along * -Tm » « tT »»« -m of-Hmsu In pnrsiiing that conwe , Mr . O'Connor obtained the confi dence of a Teay large portion of ^ bls fellow-countrymen Bis peblic conduct and pnblic opinions are , of course , a j &sir and Irgitimate sn ^ eel of public gnHptrn . In "the course he has thought proper to « halk out for frinia . ty , te ^ idirox expect immaui ^ from the strictures -of so

      important ss organ cf public « pinlan as The Times newspaper . GsEUBmen , 1 am sure yon will agree with sue that neversinee the inTenHonof printing , and of oooe never before , has a ; po ^ er over men ' s minds , jfcen ' s kippineas , men ' m fortnnea , « o atbselnte , aolrre msfible , by priest or ' orator , Iry prince or statesman , ieen winded as that irMch is held iy the directors of &at JMrraaL p ^ oiSy Ibj ' ffie prodigal empleyment of EnbouEded lesonrces in ilia collection from all parts of the world vl in&mhttion on » nlgsets" of public ioterest , parSj tp thB coiainand , ^ My cost , of a * 'iJxbest order ef Jiterary "~ ability , Tbs Tima newspaper Tax * attained a cireulation , and therefore a command of pewEr , /» ks posseaobn « f Triieli may ie . to thecondnctors ct is a sotrrce of pTond ' TtS&rtioit , bat which ¦

      3 s > * r ibs ^ saniB tnnei" * attenaed Tntli an awful lesposaKH ^ i Safii ^ tfiff ^^ ower ~ of that journal that fcr ^ ditor nay " on any morning that , he pleases , ly Hie flash Of ?» t «' joiy ^ f » tr «^ Ofq ^ eihimkMmr ^ ttia prospecfii j and fliB ^ edlt'lfif s polifcfcal oppoaant . 1 It wonia be ucjoit to ray of thati « urnartbii it is a 1 S % 1 ler ]> y isiii or profasaion . I « oi gentlenien , it » fijjurticB , when its nujastj les ^ T « me ~ of itT tone ana "Hgour 37 * « sci « i and maHdcusindnlg ^ ioe . When it strikes , S stifaa tp destroy / or , ' -if it failr to destroy , it is » a ^ ^ rbei met byiia ^ opptKient a » i 6 ls" : ^ re me t by 3 £ t O'Connor tii&" day ^ \ Kow / it b > app « ned QatMr . O'Cansi . < r ! s -views of public aflklrs differed essenaally from tb = & 3 thai hsfTB , oeen ol late years enbertained by fiis eSza-3 and proprietors of 2 % « Times se ^ rspspez .

      ffa txpenence in PajSiamenV iad > roduoifl in his mind ss impreaSon ttat in the ^ cont « rt between the two g ^ ssi parties who are straggling for plsce and power , xnd whose straggles distract and agitate the empire , the first object of the legislation—the wellbaissEd happiness ^ ffliegrerf-Dody of tl > e people bis 3 * s £ s forgoteen—4 hai while we might jaas -with "sroBoer on tie prodigious monuments of the wealth and proappity of the . country—results of the cnparalled eomS ^ nation cf indnstry , sdence , ana art , the moral « nd pBjaca ^ conditioii of the jnasset& as niiparalleled MCTca tfcase TroEdera of prosperity themselTBS are nnpsralleled—ihafc while wealth has accumulated , ™* -n has celtriorated , and that those who -see life only through " ^ hat onemay eafl tte Tose-tinte of a drairmg-TDom triit ^ ow are not th » ptaaons who are moat fit to prescabe Icr the disease of the stote . Thrae were the liews « i at O'Connor , and hi » « oaree ttbs in acoord ance ^ H-fcit . We are not hereto decide whether those

      tiews t » sr * sht paper . 2 to J . Bturge , who is , 3 believe , of Sirsnc ^ am , w&a also a candiSate , a geutlBman enieriaini 2 £ what I liope , without offence , I may call extrs&s liberal opinions . These two gentlemen were at that tiHie candidatea for the representation ' of the town of Nottingham . On the occasion cf a former election 3 Jt . TF ^ ej tiaA aooceeded , and at that time lie bad STaSsd i-. im « e > f of tile assistance of Mr . O'Connor in the

      pursuit of thB objBCt of iiB ambition . JBut when Mr . "Walter srood against Mr . Smrge , with whose opinicngoD almost all public guestianB those of Mr . O"Conuor-were is entire unison , that gentleman gsvt his support -to Mr Starge , is oppos ^ os to Mr . "Walter , l ^ r . Walter , gentkmfic , haTing been retnniedj was sftcrwards unseated on petition j and then tOa son , HSx . John Walter , jnn ., became a * g"fli / frfo for the "racant seat , in opposition to the present member -for Nottingham , 20 k Gisborae . Me . Gisbame xeesrred on that occasion from Mr O'Connor andiiB friends : a disihterested and perJfectJy eonsjsuail support . 2 fow , gentlemen , with The condnci of Mr . O ^ Conaor on fte oceadon of that election , iriai bis ^ enaral pnbBe conaBet , the editor of The zTsma newspaper had a perfect right to concern himBelf of

      3 do not for < h » moment question the xi ^ lt 27 i « XMsraiffiWspspertddJscosBaiB errors pfbis « ondurt or ttetenaeney ^ the conduct , or to » present it , if he ibongbt proper , to . a » people and to the GoTOnmentof Bnglsnd , inamnmer the most injurious tothe political abaracter of 3 It O'Connor . I dotft for a u deny kis Tight to Go aoj ; fi » r my own part , 1 think Bat 3 te . O'Connor , a he ^ atertakTttose ^ S Sflons consdenUoualy , -sras perleeay xUht in aroeathjj ; aem . On the other M 5 othsra flank fijSferBnBy , they hare a perfect light to express th « r opinions , ^ hose peaana may belona to *

      class w 2 x > lhink that in this country so man has a jaghtr to tiie pait in'public aflairs , fill he has crawled on his hands and knees into the House of Commons , Bad -then , Torersmg the schoolboy ' s maxim , waited ¦ Wife bis mouUi shut and-his eyas open , seeing what ^ od mjjEbtJsenahlm . - to mj part , I thfaV « hflprgiaw trom tasaa persor * I think that * maniasi right to « omB forfftrd in npublio assembly , and , while obaerT Jng the laws , lay before his feU » w-country-iaen his ^ riews in public policy . I beUere the T »» m » newspaper la of tbe same opinion , butUat it disapprsTta cf ^ ha political eoD ^ neS of 3 ir . OXJonnor ; sad tbmkmg as it bas a ikbt to itold-him ' vp to public execraaon if it

      thinks proper . iTrould mbmlt tayouthat the public daracter of a man and the personal honour and in-^ a gnty of a man are two Tsry «« y » nw > t subjects for eonmientj- ^ iijfleea , X wonM submitto you— -I wonld jmbmit to the editor of the ^ w ^ jbiinself , if we could taTe tlia here ia ha capacity of priyate gBDtlEmBn flat if ' 4 iepoweraof hlapenor of bis press haTe been perTferted to ihe injury of the personal honour and ebari < 4 er of an ocvocent , he ought to make repsration . AchargBon theVharacter of apabEcman of baseness snd eipbonenty in menay inaftera cannot be dlssegaided It isamougthe b " esfc features of file state of the society Jnvhle hw * fiT ^ th&t no man , liowever amiable his

      Untitled Article

      . 2 .-i- " :. - |^ '^ : ; j ¦ - -5 - personal qualities may appsaii o ^ te * eTer commanding hU talents may bB- ^ SS ^ yet bsW-able ^ -ia ^ pnbMeilif * , to wraU ^ vl&ataint cm hU meral character of pecuniary tnrpltnde . iwmstowyontbJrttheeaitOTofthe Times m ? wspaper ; lM 4 ^ eairo *» d to fix that damning blot on tfee ebant&er ^ rf ; i » fcP ^ niK »^ : be . tai endea-Tonred tooonnect Ms name / whererertiie English Iangnage shall be read , with the foal reproach of fraud and pwolation . I ask you , fenUemen , if 1 ahow you that such bas been thease , Iask you if Mr / O'Connoiis not cnti * ted either to lepsration from . the editor of the Times cew » par > er , or to redresa from you . [ QenUemea , I will show yon that the 2 Vmo newspaper has been guilty of this injustice toiMt ^ OrConnor . - In the paper of the I 6 ti of May , 1843 , an article adTerting to the

      election to which I hare already called your attention appeared . I ? wa » headed Secret * of tbo late CharOBt ^ ErecnfiYe . 11 Now , I say openly , what Iajm sure you must approve of , that in this publio court of justice , of Chartists we know , and we ocght to know , nothing . As far asmy little knowledge of political matters goes , of the different parties in tbe country , whether Whigs , = « Tories , or Radicals , or Chartate , it would be Tery hard to say which lias been the most Tiolent when it suited their purpose ; but in a court of justice we don't know one from the other , their private character is as sacred before a judge and jury—and I haTe the highest authority for saying this—as thei private characteris of any person sot engaged in politiaal afiairs , and that they on rht to receive on all occasions the same measure

      of justice at the hands of a jury . Gentlemen , this is the libel complained of by the plaintiff : — | " SECRETS OP THB LATE C&ABTIST BXECUT 1 YB . " It was stated last week that Campbell' the Secretary of the CharttBt Executive , had decamped to America , taking -with Wm the books of the National Charter Association . Since then it has been intimated to the Executive that Campbell had , previously to his flight , pledged those books , with a large fnnmber of cards of membership , foe the sum of £ 1815 s . S ^ d ., and liit they will be delivered np by a iaz . Arthur O'Neil as soon as the lien npon them is paid off . | The defection of Campbell , O'lfell , snd other firebrands from the ChartMs , has destroyed all the , confldenc 8 ! which they had formerly in each other . Even Mr . O'Connor himself , -who boast * bo much of his ' dislntereatea services

      and sacrifices in the cause of ChartiBm , is charged with being a renal and timeserving pnWie character . The fblloTPlng charges are made against him : —That he accepted £ 28 for lecturing and ! assisting fat Mr . J . Btargo ' 8 contest with 3 Ix . J . Walter , sen . ; that he demanded £ 13 from Mr . Rogers for his services at the late contest betwren Mr . Gisborae and | Mr . John Walter , jun ; and , though last , not least , fjQiat be received from Mr . Sturge's committee the sum of £ 5 for an active agent , to whom he only paid £ 3 ^ pnttiog th remaining £ 2 in his pocket . Mr . O'Connor , as a matter of course , denies those charges , but his aocuten allege that fjey can prove Stem . Seine other circumstances in the * Hon of the North's * character have come to light , which argue aught but disinterestedness or saeriflce , and which have lowered him tery xttoch in the eyes of his late admirers . " f

      This is the libeL Having read it to yon I think I need hardly detain you with many comments on its tendency to * "fli ^ nf > fipTt « injury on Mr . O'Connor . It commences -srittj a aentmciataon of the grossest profligacy on his part , and of misconduct in money matters—in matters of trust , as one of the agents of the Chartist body . It then proceeds to impute to Mr . O'Connor a meanness utterly inconsistent with bis own repeated assertions on public occasions , asd his own character for dlsinteresteaness , and finally it goes on in much circumstantial detail , accompanied by an assertion that those facts can beprovedi to charge Mr . O'Connor wittra piece of direct pecuniary dishonesty—that he pocketed money that was given him to be handed to another that he meanly , in the most paltry asd dirty way , having

      received £ 5 to pay to an active agent , put £ i of it into his own pocket Gentlemen , that is the charge which Ths Tima makes against Mr . O'Connor . Mr . O'Connor met it in the manner in which I am sure yon will agree anc& a charge ought to be met by a man -of spirit and honour . He instructed his attorney to issue a writ against The Times newspaper , that The Times newspaper , wMch , as we have seen proved in this Tery court on a former occasion , would ransack the whole of Europe for evidence in support of a plea of justification , might have the opportunity of proving those state ments which , in the libel complained of , . the editor declared his ability to prove . He brought bis action . The Times pleaded some demurrable pleas , but they Ham not ventured to take np the challenge which Mr .

      O'Connor gxve them when be afforded them the opportunity of proving the truth of their statement as their justification for the libeL According to the record , The Times does not pretend to say that that statement is true ; yet up to tills moment ! sot one shadow of reparation have we received from a manwho writes everyday , and publishes to ; all worid OTery flay whit he has to say . Now , 1 * onle * s I am sot a little at a loss to coDJeeture , and I . am very impatient to hear , in what way my Learned Friend will meek tbiscase . I do not altogether despair that be may have been Instructed by bis ^ clients to take that course which Is open to every nun whose opinion is werth a thought—a course which ' would be most graceful , most becoming in every respect , most

      Worthy of the reputation of bis clients . I do not despair that he -may have been instructed frankly to admit that they have been misled , and were in atcr , and to say that before the dawn of another day they wonlS compose , tor the Tery ear into which the venom of the article had been infused , the antidote which they alone possess for its correction . I ny frankly , on the part of Mr . O'Connor , that b » prefers , » - ' thousand times before any damages that a Jury can'give , that description of honourable reparation which will enable him to leave this Court without a stain on his personal honour and integrity ; and let me add , wi th a feeling of personal esteem for a political opponent . Gentlemen , I am satisfied that this would be the right * course for the Tiwta newspaper to pursue on the present occa

      sion . The ungenerous and the mean may grudge the acknowledgment of an error , but the right-minded will repair the wrongs of those whom they have injured . Ho man of real courage shrinks from the noble duty of redress . I shall be glad if my Learned Friend feels himself at liberty to take that course . Indeed , until hear the contrary from the . relsctant lips of my Learned Friend , or from bis ezpresssive silence , I never can believe that the editor of the Tines newspaper , whD two short years ago stood in this Court with such a halo of honour round hi * name , will be content to leave it to-day with the brand on him of premeditated slanderer , f I cannot believe It till I hear it from the lips of my Learned friend ; but if my Learned Friend , or those who instructed him , akould prefer the mistaken choice ef persisting in their injustice , then I appeal from them to yon , and through yon to the country . I say that Mr .

      O'Connor is a public man , and in the same rank and walk of literary occupation as the editor of ] 2 % e Times himself , for Mr . O'Connor is the editor of a paper of tery large provincial circulation ; he is a man' of character , of birth , and cf honour , -whose reputation is dear to him and to a numerous circle of personal and political friends . He has received a deep Injury from the editor of the The Time * which entitles him to redress . I ask you to test by your verdict that Mr . O'Connor leaves this court without a blemish or stain oh rnnTHtmB . —I ask yon to prove by yonr -verdict tbat no suspicion even of misconduct on his part has been justified by the proceedings of to-day ; but , above all , 1 ask you to prove to aU the world that if any man in England be injured by the excesses of that press , thej liberty of which we all jasMand value as much as any institution of the country , that man is sure t « have redress if be frankly , fairly , honeaily , and at once lays his case before a jury of his country . \

      - Formal proof was then given of the defendant being the registered printer of The Time * . ' \ Mt Serjeant Shee obscived , that by the 6 th and 7 th of William IT . it was not necessary to prove the purchase of a paper , it was sufficient to show the defendant was the printer ; and the libel was afterwards put in and read . : This he&Dg the case tar the plaintiff ; Mr . Thxsioeb then rose and said—My ; Lord , and Gentlemen of the Jury , the course which my Learned Friend has adopted in laying this case before you , is the most extraordinary and unprecedented ? I ever recollect , to have witnessed . My Learned Friend has thought fit to make a Tery long and powerful speech

      to yon , in the course of whlob be has made a variety of statements ; and after that speech of my Learned Friend , I think you must be surprised at his stopping short with the bare proof of ownership of ; the Times newspaper . My Learned Friend has spoken a good deal about the plaintiff , bat after all , I | ask you . do yon know anything of Mr . Fe * rgus O'Connor ? What bas been proved , or set before youfTespecting him , or his character , by which yon could form any Uea of the amount of injury done , or alleged to be done to his character by the publication of this libel 7 Is there anything by which you can award the amount ef damages to which he should be entitled ? Do you know any tiling whatsoever upon thesubject t As far as you know there is no information of who or what this

      Mr . F . O'Connor is , and yet you are called upon to award damages . You are merdy called npon in a ? Tery pow . ***«» i s peech to award flamagefci Why ia It that there is no proof offered in rapport of the allegations which the plaintiff has thought fit to set forth in the declaration ; and why , I ask , is it Oat you are merely calka npon to give damages , without being informed ^ an yaang respecting him ? How are jou to form a judgment of the amoantef injury done to ' any man ' s eharacter , unless u be by knowing what tie character wally bwene by the individBali ? Letjns suppose ™ " *« a o * a meKkant carrying -oa business ' Z rimSLJ ^ EJZ Z ***** * * 8 » to * whomia libel is T ^ ea charginghba with fraud ; would it Mt be decenary to prove that his character waiuntaimted andwoaW not ^ lkrt ot bis ^ avmg ^ irbjSb ^ K l i i ^ i i S i i noei had been publuihed Was then lvin « r 4 » «« wu

      wp ^ m 2 SKSBS sa-as * sdlH

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      blank sheet , on which . ha could write -whatever he pleased . Bul ^ X } mUfimen , when : my . Learned Friend wyfypB Imew notting of Chattista , does be think you are children % Dow he think that you know nothing it th «» , xni 5 gtp *> a . people ;; : who are ' excited bbihat pnbllc meetings and by fnflftrnmntory writings ' in the pnbUcpresiit i > oe « bethink it po ^ bloUiat you could be ignonHJt of those r ^ ple , and of tb ^ consequ « ncee of their a « U ?; I agree with , my Learned Friend thai wbaterei te ) the p ^ tical opinions of persons , they haTei ^ nS ^ it rlso ^ fexprara them both publicly and pri"vately , provided that in so doing they do not inflame

      the minds of toe ignorant , I am not one ef those whom my I Learned Friend described—( who- my Learaed Frfen'd means , ' I know not )—who think that , as he saya , men shonld crawl upon their hands and knees into the House of CommonB , in order to obtain the privilege of expressing their opinibos . I really do not know what my Learned Friend means by that aUusion . I wish my Learned Friend had spared that observation , and many others also which he thought fit to make use of , fbecaase by such remarks as he made this day , my Laarned Friend may be supposed to entertain opinions ' pith regard to mattera pawing around , such as I am confident are not entertained by him .

      ( Mr . Sergeant Shee shook his head , apparently in dissent ) ) Mr . THESIGER continued—And which , if he entertains , would make it appear that be is a very different character from that which bis friends have hitherto taken him for . But who is Mr . Feargus O'Con nor ? Is he a person whe has been shedding his ink that others may shed their blood ? la ha a person who has been convicted of sedition 7 Is be one who bas been lately convicted , and only escaped punishment through a technical informality 1 It this be the character of Mr . Feargus O'Connor , I ask is he a person to come here and demand heavy damages at your handa ? The law compels you , in a case where libel is proved , togive damages tothe most worthies *—technical

      damages I may call them ; but observe , that in this case the charge is such that no plea of jostifioatlon could fee put in . Gentlemen , } Mr . O'Connor , my Learned Friend has informed yon , has applied to thelaw for redress , j wish he would follow the same conrse oftner . I wish he wenld apply much oftner to the law—( langhter ) . But , Gentlemen , my Learned Mend , after dilating eloquently upon his subject , seemed to entertain some misgiving of his cause—he suddenly lowered his tone . He says Mr . Feargus O'Connor cornea here merely for the vindication p f his character , and that he merely deaands damages in order to clear his character . Bat my Learned Friend seemed to recollect that after his speech had been concluded there must : be another story to be told , and so he throws out a sort of opportunity for the Times to

      say it retracts , and heaffms to believe it ha * been misled , and he gives it an opportunity to say that it has been misled . Bnt , Gentlemeu , Jet Mr . O'Conaftr have his bond—let him have just what the law allows him if the Times was wrong , but let there be no compromise with such a character . Let us see who Mr . Feargus O'Connor is . My Learned Friend , in his opening apeech , told you something of his having ' entered into public life at a time of great political excitement , and then he went on with a quantity of matter about Justice to Ireland , and a good deal to that effect , which I shall pass over without any ] comment , as It is not Tery relevant to the present question . My Learned Friend then went

      on to say that Mr . Feargus O'Connor first entered Parliament as Member for his native county of Cork , and that his conduct whilst in Parliament was of that kind and conciliatory nature as to obtain the respect of all parties with whom be came in contact . But , Gentlemen , he entered Parliament under a fictitious qualification , which he must have signed his name to knowing it to be fictitious , ' and he was turned out on a petition —{ laughter throughout the Court ) . Mr . Serjeant SHEE—No , no . No such thing ; he sat for four years . ' Mr . Thesickb—N *> , only four months—( laughter ) . Mr . Serjeant Shee—Not at all ; you are quite wrong .

      Mr . Thesiger—Yes . I was counsel for the petitioners against Hri ; Feargus O'Connor on this occasion , and I bad the happioef'B to turn him out—( great laughter ) . The Learned Gentlemen went on—But , Guntlemen , my Learned Friend ^ in speaking of the power possessed by the Times , said , " Where the Times strikes it destroys . " Doea it ? lafeargns O Connor destroyed T I wish he was—( laughter )—and wish my Learned Friend could say he was destroyed ? —Mr . Serjeant Sheb—It is not likely . Mr . THEaiOEB—1 wish some more powerful antagonist than the Time * may destroy him . But , Gentlemen , he Is not destroyed . And now let us sae the animus of tbialibfcL ; What was the object ? The Times sought to show that the Chartist leaders were not those

      disinterested persons that they wished to be thought by their misguided followers . Now let us see this libel—( the Learned Counsel zead the part of the libel which alleged that Campbell had run away with the Chartist books , and went on ) . Is this true , I wonder ?—( laughter ) . Campbell has brought no action . " Confidence in the leaders is destroyed . " I hope that ' s true —( Jaughier > Mr . Thesiger then read on and said—The charge against O'Connor is—what ? An aUatk upon his publio character ? The charge against him in , first , tbat he got £ 29 for lecturing ! at an election . Is this any charge against Mb private character ? Why it is only a charge that he was paid for lecturing . That is not an attack upon his private chai actor . My Learned Friend said that the plaintiff gave his help gratuitously to Mr .

      GUborne and Mr . } 8 turge , but do people aever get paid for their services at elections ? I rather think they do . The last and greater charge against him is , that he ceceiTed £ 5 from an active agent , and out j | S of it in his pocket . Wow what aces that amount to ? Just that he , in the rapacity of an agent , received the money to hsud to an active agent , and that bis own wants were so pressing , that he applied a portion of it at the time tohia owntae , Now what was there in this charge ? What injury can } a person who has been living In a storm receive from this puff of wind 1 The assertion is only that be " was charged" with it—not tbat he did it . We could not plead a justification to this charge . We could not justify , because it would be no answer to prove that be really was charged with it . The libel only said that he was charged with doing it—I dare say hedidit—ilaughter ) . But what is the object ? I

      acknowledge it is tolower the character of Mr . O'Connor , in order that his misguided followers may see what he is , and avoid being led to destroy the peace of society by following the aid vice of a man who is leading them to destruetioo . Bat' again I say , who Im Mr . Feargus O'Connor ? Where are his friends ? Why are they not produced © n this ^ occasion ? unless my Learned Friend was afraid that on the cross-examination of those friends we might ascertain what his character really is . No ; but yon are called npon to give your verdict of the shilling , or whatever else it may be , and you are to know nothing further of him than that he is a Chartist leader , like the oUier ChartUt leaders , inciting persons to sedition all through the country ; and then he comes here to demand damages at your hands for the destruc tion of his character . Such is the state , the real state of the case , and I leave it entirely , Gentlemen , in your hands with the utmost confidence .

      The Load Chief Justice said—Gentlemen of the Jury , this is an action brought by Foargus O'Connor against John Joseph Lawson , for an injury alleged to have been sustained by him in consequence of the publication of a libel in Tie Times newspaper . Now , the libel is one that imputes to Mr . O'Connor , that "he himself , who boasts so maeh of his disinterested services and sacrifices in the cause of Chartism , has been charged with being a venal and time-serving public character , and the following-charges have been made against him ; " and then it proceeds to enumerate three charges—first , that Mr . O'Connor bad received the sum of £ 28 , for lecturing and for assisting Joseph Sturge in his contest with Mr . John Walter ; and Secondly , that be demanded the sum of £ \ 9 for services in the late

      contest between Mr . Gisboroe and Mr . John Walter , Jan . Now if the publication had stopped there , I am not prepared to say tbat it would have contained anything that was strictly of a libeflons nature , because there is nothing eitherdisgraceful or dishonourable in a man seeking compensation for services performed by him . Bnt the article goes on to say , " though last not least , that he received from Mr . Stuige ' a committee the sum of £ b for an active agent , tu whom he only paid £ 3 , putting tBetremainlng £ 2 in his pocket . " Now , gentlemen , I feel-that it would be very difficult to say that this is any other than a chaise against Mr . O Connor amounting to } fraud and dishonesty , for , whatever may be the nature of a man ' s employment , to charge him with receiving money from one man to pay to

      another , and patting some of it in his own pocket , without assigning any reason to explain such conduct , bas a natural and plain tendency to impute to that man an act of dishonesty . It is necessary that you should be satisfied that the libel imputed to Mr . O'Connor that he had fraudulently applied to his own use the sum of £ 2 which was paid to him for the purpose of the payment of an " active agent" If yon believe the meaning of the libel to be that he , acting in bis private capacity , had received a sun of money , of whicM he had reserved £ 2 for his own use , —if yo * believe that iB the . real meaning of the statement in the publication complained of , fihen the party will be entitled to a verdict to the amount of the injury sustained by him through that publication ; bnt it is . said , on

      the other hand , that the statement only appears in the form of an allegation OaA sach and such charges had been made against the plaintiff . It iB true , also , that of such a statement no justification coaid be placed on the record , for it must have gose further an * aaid , that the charges so aUeged to bave been made were true charges . If such a justiflcatlen could have beenpaton the record , and it had been made out , it would have been an answer to the plaintiff ' s action ; but it is no answer to that action to say tbat because the statement represents only that such and such things aw charged against the plaintiff , therefore the party

      i makingtiiaJ statement is unable to avail himself of the defence which a ' justification wonld afford . It seems to rae , therefore , ' ttiat the only question for you is , first , whstiaeryon are satisfied that the meaning of the words la « uch as it ia impnted to be in thia declaration ; and , secondly ,: if so , what you shall think , under all the drcumstanaes , a fair remuneration in damages for the injury which tb a plaintiff has sustained . Now , with regard to that part of the question , I must Bay I felt a great difficulty in stating to you any groundsfrom anything that appears on my notes—that wonld assist your judgment in calculating the damages to be awarded . I have never seen a case that was launched with a greater penury of evidence , for generally there

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      is somebody put in the box to state that the innendoea of the libel do , in their opinion , apply to the party bringing the action , and ' that his allegations founded npon ; them were also trne '{ 1 o ^^ heretho anbject matter is pret ^ well underBtood between the counsel on either ride , farther ' evidence of that kind is sometimes diapensed jwlth . But in thb case the learned counael on either side , whether my brother Shee , who appuits for the plaintiff , or Mr . Tbeslger . whoappearsforthe defence , seem to take very different opinions as to the chanter and situation of Mr . O'Connor— -opinions which I am perfectly unable to reconcile { with each other I have not , gentlemen , on my not « a any attempt to show which of these two biographers ia in the right Therefore , all that I can know judicailly , and also th&t can be known to you—tbat la to ^ ay , all that bas appeared on this , trial—is that which Is stated in the declaration , and wh ) ch is admitted by tiie demurrer , namely , that there was an eleotlon at NetHneham .

      Mr . Thesigee—We Bay in oar demurrer that there was no election . , . . ! The Iobd Chief JosTiCEi-I must take It as on the face of the record , that there was an election at Nottingham , atwhichJoBephgtuige was one candidate and Mr . Walter another , and that the plaintiff was present at that election assisting Joseph Sturge ; that after that came another election , at which Mr . Gisborne was one candidate and Mr . J . Walter , ' jnn ., another , and . that the plaintiff was there on tbat occasion , assisting on beHftlf of Mr . Gisborne . I do not know that the proceedings' before us afford the ( means of getting much farther in the case , because the declaration does not tell oa what the opinions and principles of the parties were , or whether Mr . O'Connor took part as agent gratuitously or not . It appears , ^ however , that on some occasion : afterwards tbe whole matter appeared in the Times , jlf the paper had confined itself to canvassing ,

      however freely , the public character of Mr . O'Connor , whoever he may be , or his conduct on that occasion , which was a public one , no harm would result from it It has been justly said that no man Can be written down—hia own conduct alone can destroy him . Bat if , instead of stopping at tbat { clear and defined line , there is [ any personal and individual charge made , the law calls that libellous , uulessjit can be shewn , either from th& occasion or from its being a true statement , tbat the party has no right to recover . It does not appear that either of these two predicaments are true in the present case , and the consequence is tbat you must give a verdict for the plaintiff for the publication under the clrouinstjJHicea I have already stated to you , and which are so extremely snull as presented to our knowledge that we have hardly any to consider- —you must give some damages- —such damages as you in your own reason and judgment consider the plaintiff deserves .

      The Jury then consulted together . After toe lapse of a'few ; minutes . The Foreman ( addressing the Judge ) said , —We wish to jknow , my Lord , what amount of damages will carry costs ? ! The Lord Chief Justice ; ( smiling )—I cannot give you any answer on tbat point , gentlemen . Tout must judge of it he real damage and injury according to the evidence ) before you . The Jury again consulted for a few moments , bat did not agree . They retired . : After the lapse of about two hours , they returned into Court The Foreman . —We find for the plaintiff—Damages , 20 s . f Mr . Sergeant Shee then applied to the Judge to eertify for the costs . The Lord Chief Justice declined to do so . The effect of this refusal ia , that the plaintiff pays bis own coats .

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      STAFFORD ASSIZES , Friday , Aug . 11 . THE USBN V . O ' NKIL . Mr . Alexander stated the counts of the indictment , which charged tbe defendant with having uttered seditious language , tending to bring the laws and government of the country into contempt , at a meeting at Rowley Regie , on the 26 th of August last . j . ' Mr . Serjeant Talfourd proceeded to open the case on the part of the Crown . In tho course of the month of August most unhappy disputes had subsisted between largo bodies of workmen and their masters , ' with respect to the rate of their wages ; and althoughlthe workmen had a right to combine

      together for , the purpose of obtaining those wages to which they thought they were entitled * yet it could not but be regarded as a great oalaniity to find such a state of things existing as that which induced a lsr ^ e numb er of persons to withdraw from those pureuits | of honest industry , ] by which alone themselves arid families could be sustained . The charge which he made against the defendant , JMr . O'Neil , was , ibdt having other views to serve , and other schemes to put into praotioe than tbat of the disputes between the masters and their men , he had watched the opportunity of ^ aggravating those grievances , by inducing the men to leave their work ; and when the ealamityl had ibeeh Kreaily ! increased—when tho whole of society in that neighbourhood had bnen

      disorganised and broken up—when hundreds or persons were traversing the countrj , cast out of work , and their minds incensed against those , above them , that the'defendant thought that a fitting time , for those who had certain great political schemes to accomplish , to turn a looal diaputa to their own service , and to enlist the passions and sufferings of those who were in such a state of destitution , for the purpose of afterwards producing , not by fair discussion , bat by inflammatory speeches , euoh a movement on behalf of ; the Charter , that would strike dismay into those who did not concur in such a change . Mr . O'Neil , Cwho waa a gentleman , he believed , residing at Birmingham , but was not engaged in any of the trades carried on in that neighbourhood ) attended a

      meeting at Wes'bromwioh , in Augvist last , at which several thousand colliers , who were about to strike work , were present . The effects of that meeting were most disastrous , because immediately afterwards large bands of men went , begging through the country—the state of society became didorgiini * ed , and more or less terror ; prevailed . Aviotht-r meeting iwas held at Westbrpmwich on the 20 th of AuKU 8 t , ] at which Mr . O'Neil was not present , but it was announced that he would be at . a meotiug at Rowley Regis on the 26 th . Tbat meeting took place ; it was attended by peveral hundreds of colliers who were out of work . The meeting was announced to take place in the neighbourhood of tie works or the British Iron Company , and tho greatest alarm was

      felt by those who had the management ot the works of thai large body of ironmasters . Mr , Bransfield took notes of the address otlthe principal speaker , Mr . O'Neil , and would , therefore , bo the principal witness against the defendant . Mr . ONeil did not come unprepared to this meeting . When he was sabBequeatly appreheuded at another meeting , there were fifty or sixty printed hand- bills found in his possession , the contents of which would be beyond all doubt evidence for their oonaiderauon as to the object with which the language that he ( Mr . Sergeant Talfourd ) bad referred to was uttered . He sabmittod that the expressions m those band-bills ( which they would find remarkably tallied with those which Mr . O'Neil used in his address oa the 266 b

      of August ) were not the expressions of & sanguine orator , led beyoDd his purpose by the circumstauoes of the time , bat that they were the deliberate dootriues wfiich he had come to teach . Joseph Bran 8 neld—I am an accountant in the employ of ^ he Bri tish : Iron Company . - I attended a meeting at tbe Five Ways on the 26 th of August . Arthur O'Niel , the defendant , was there . I heard what he said . He asked whether tbat was the time for the masters io reduce their wages , when trade was reviving 11 He eaid , I haw any self been a close observer , and I know trade- is improving . I know by inquiries of the carriers ; at vhe railways ; the banks are more free in their discounts ; they are relaxing' the screw . " He aloo said , " I consider the Government as in one largo room , with an air pump . When the pump is first applied the inconvenience is not ceneralJy felt . At last some one near the

      window feels the want of air . ; lie goes to the win * dow , and finds a Duke of Wellington with his great sword , who prevents him from opening it . He gets to another , and finds an Archbishop of Canterbury , who keeps out the air with sv surplice ; to another , and : he < finds a lavfipi whpt BtopB it with his wig . The whole BVBteinlw ^ cbrfttpt . The House of Commons is rotten . " In # e » king of the llpuse of Commons , he aiked , " of what it was composed ItajQf Iwijersfdo they care for the ' people ! Of eut-thi ^ aenriemen , I mean militarylofficertH-do they < mb « for the people I Of fox-hunting gentlemen—do iKey careforitho peopled He stated that " there was once » king who attemptedM lay ; . * poll-tax-v . polltax is a tax paid by every hiBad—ana a countryman of mine , ' one Wat Tyler , resisied the tax , and killed the collector . From that time to the present no Government dared tp impose > a tax upon each individual . " I know nothing Jnorelof the speech . Benjamifl Best said that in July the meu were peaoeable , but in August they were alarmed and bbwiUing to work .

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      A constable named f mitheman , said ho foand upwards of sixty p ^ oaids ia the defendant's possession , declarinj ! that the rights andjibertiea of Englishinen weretrampled nponi Aat Englishmea were enslaved : that tHeirlpoWer bad been forcibly taken from them ; and declaritiK , that the iroline power had * filched the just and coastitutional privileges of the people , and thatj therefore , they refused to pay all taxed I Charles Small said ; that the defendant , in addressing the meeting , told the men that tho income tax tqok 7 d a pound away fwm the master , a nd the master in return hadlfalJen back upon the workman ' s wages ; he said that jiron had risen a pound a ton , and was that a time to tedaoe men's wages I—that the House of Commons was rotten and corrupt , and that Peel wa 3 a pnblio robber . - _ _ ¦'

      The defendant addressed tbe jury . He said he was justified in the language he used ^ on the 26 th of August , when he said the Government was not a good Government . He was now of the same opinion , and that no allegiance was due to them , and , moreover , that neither tribute or taxes ought to be paid to them . The defendant said he felt that be should be convicted , and he I was prepared for the punishment , whatever it might bo ; hut he should not be cowed in spirit , and hw would again fight the enemy . At the elose of the defendant ' s address the trial was postponed till j Saturday , Arc 12 . « ,

      * At cine o'clock the Learned Judge took hw seat upon the bench , and ] the defendant forthwith commenced the examination of his witnesses . The first witness he called apon was a Baptist preacher fromthe neighbourhood of jCradeley , but on tie oath being proposed to him be j declined taking it . The court refused to admit his evidence . The defendant then called a witness who deposed to the peaceful character of the defendant on all occasions , but , when on cross examination by Mr . Sergeant Talfourd , | he aAxaMUid that he heard the very words employed which proved the Bubject of the

      indictment . . . , -. * . . The Rev , Mr . Stokes , of Westbromwich , who had been with the defendant at six different meetiugs , also spoke tothe faoi , tbat tbe addresses of O'Niel wew calculated rather to restrain the people from violence than to induce them to the commisBion of it . Thig being the case for the offence , ... Mr . Sergeant Talfouhd addressed the jury in a speech at great lengih , in which he contended that the prinoipal enormity of the defendant consisted in his having made an enthusiaBtio religious profession the cloak to his political machinations .

      Mr . Justice Williams summed op at considerable length , and the juryjhaving consulted for not more than two minutes , returned a verdict of Guilty . The Learnd Judge . then passed the sentence of twelve months' imprisonment in the county gaol of Stafford . Concerning this trial we have the following from a private friend , who was at Stafford , and heard the trial : —? I Mr . O'Neil waa tripd here yesterday and this morning . His trial is just finished ( balf-post twelve o ' clock ;; and I am sorry to sayj he U found guilty- ^ as you may uppose)—and sentenced to be imprisoned twelve calendar months . He made a moat excellent defence , so far as speaking truths of ai most disagreeable kind to the jury and counsel , and fin particular to S . J . Williams ,

      who tried him , went { He caused his Lordahip much uneasiness , when be mentioned the Dorchester Labourera , and said , " Tboujart the man" who tried them also . ' " He also said , " if Judges could meet together to raise their wageB , he could see no harm in colliers doing so . " Tbe whole of the counsel round the table tittered at this palpable hit ; but bis Lordship looked very grave . The feeling of his Lordship was evinced in not ordering the Court to be lighted up , although Mr . O'Neil bad been addressing them from twe o ' clock till a quarter before ten . There was ] only two small candles in the court , which I think was on purpose to prevent O'Neil from reading extracts from a book he had , or else to prevent the reporters from taking notes .

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      " ¦ " ' - ¦ ¦ " ¦ ¦» ^ " * - * TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND . « JRBLAND FOB THE IHISH . " Fellow-Cqvxtryhen , —Although I hava apon a former occasion , used the above quotation from the lip * o ! blr O * Connell , and I hope ptoved heyonAtiiei pp « - sibility of a doubt that this backneyed sentence ia bat a dap-trap to catch the unwary and invincibly ignorant , I cannot refrain from again returning to the subject . . : ' " . ¦ ¦ " : It will be remembered that I stated , that nnlesallDiveraal Suffrage accompanied a Repeal of the Union , Irishmen woald reap the fruits of bitter disappointment . This opinion IJatill hold ; and anxious to arouse the Irish aind to inquire for itaelf , and open their eye * to the fallacy of their seeking' Repeal without . al » seeking political power which atone can render it beneficial , I would , with your permlrion , point out tbe jneana which now your duty td your country and yourselves imperatively demand you to adopt

      It will be remembered that Chartiats have been vilified for their opposition to the Whiga , upon the plea that they pkced the enemies of Ireland and Catholic * Jn power ; the Irish people forgetting that the Whigs , upon all evasions , were not only their bitter , but base and treacherous eneanies ; as witness their ten yean * adminiatiration . Forgetful of this , with glaring facts before their eyes , with the reeking Bword and flaming faggot exhibited to their memory , and the eriea an < J tears of widows and of orphans ringing in their eara , they blindly , nay , madly , joined in the denanclatioiur uttered against the TRUE friends of humanity who had the courage to plack the «^ teeth" ftom . the '' woli ; >» who under " sheep's clothing" had feasted and fattened on their industry and their blood . Well , thii poiot has been often and . successfully'defended upon principles of truth an * justice , which always was , ia , and ever will be Invincible 1 If any cirenmstance was required to prove the connection of

      Mr . O'Connell and your leaden With the Whigs , the fact of their wincing bo much under the lash of Chartist public strength and © pinion completely confirms it ; for had they had a sincere desire to truly serve the interests ef the Irish people , or were , aa they pretended , in favour of a '' fdll measure" of reform , they could not have consistently found fault wlththa elevation of the Toriea , knowing , as they must , weeb xhet HoNESX , that it would be easier to battle with one enemy than two . Bat it is n « w a matter of certainty that Whigs ia-ax week at that period , whatever new-fangled character they may have assumed to themselves since ; and here it may not be improper to ask , what class they po BRALLt belong to , or what political or technical name would be most applicable to those canting declaimers against " Tory tyranny' * and •« Ohartist physical force ? " Tories they are not for certain ( at least in name ); although tb 6 y are Tories in point of despotic authority , exercised over the will and reason of their deluded victims .

      Chartists they are not honesc or patriotic enough to be , or they would at once strike at the root of the evil of which they complain , by laying the axe ot Universal SuSrage to the trunk from which that evil has sprung , and from which it continues to draw its baneful strength . Then what are they ? Are they Whigsf En ? What are they ? Can nobody { ell ? What , Whigs ? Impossible ! Monstrous (! They are no such thing ! ! ! O'Connell has cut thsir acquaintance , and bid eternal adieu to the hypocrites f Bravo , Pan 11 " More power to you" ! t ! You did right to kick them out of yourebteem , and I hope , now Ireland has got rid of them , somebody , suppose it was even O'Higgins ' a " gentleman in black" and sky-blue , will take them to govern his unruly subjects , or employ them

      as they may be found useful . I assure you I would , not . as an individual , have any particular objection to where they may chose to emigrate ; for I , and I believe all , are alike sick of ' their company , it appears , tben , that your leaders are neither Tories , Chartist * , or Whigs ! Irishmen , what are they ? Are they Socialists ? No ! That would be against conscience ? Are they Catholics ? Not Fox they lack charity ! Are they anything you can give a name to ? Yes ; they are Repealers—Repealers of the Union ! I don't believe a word of it ! They are no fcuch thing ! O'Connell is NOT a Repealer . I deny it de facto . I challenge him to prove it , or tbat his present mode of seeking Repeal will ever be suooessfui .

      Can you not open your eyes to facts as plain as the noon-day sun ? or will you in the face of heaven stultify and degrade yourselves by refusing to exerdse yeur reason , even for a moment , npon matters of such importance to your interests ! Shame upon you Irishmen , tbat will not inquire what you hurrah and pay your shillingfor , or ask yourselves the question , will our shouting and our shillings procure such blessings ai are needful and which are so lavishly promised ! Will only one section of you , say the carpenters , who are to be covered with their chips , " , when are we to have such lots of " shavings" ? How are they to come ? Ye « . that is the word ! '' ¦ How ? For if you know tha how , the when will surely follow ! Then how is it > Why you say , by the ' ^ next sxeeI" AhPaddyl if the

      next step be what it promises to be , or should it be like your former steps , you will make but a sorry douce of it , although you may boost load enough that yoa have" paid the piper" very handsomely for bis labour oif the drone . You have been well drilled in the art of stepping **—now right , now left—now backwards ; but did your " drill-sergeant '' ever teach yoa to make one proper stride in advance ? Have you ever taken one step in the peopee direction ; or were you not used aa " stepping atones * ' npon which those very leaders walked into power , and when there forget the services yoa had done them ? Who can deny it ? I will fling Chartism to the winds the instant you can prove to the contrary ; but until sach proof be given , I will hold your leaders responsible for every future miser ; which it may be your misfortune to Bun % r t

      Then it is clear , and "he that runs may read , " that you are not to have " Repeal" by the agency of eitbez Toryism , Cnartism , Wbiggism , Socialism , Catholicism , or by any other ISM , save RepeaUsm ; and this is , ai you must be convinced , the least powerfal in its pbs * SENT form of any other ISK in existence . Yon have denounced " physical force "» iSK ; and coHseqasntly " American" -iSM and *? F « nch " -rsif are mere shadows of smoke , which may help to blind , but are soon lost in vapour , and scattered by tbe " wild winds' of Heaven . " All those ISMS are , therefore , nothing more tiian isms ; and all you have to expect , if y « u persist ia your present mode of agitation will be those ISHS with which you have had too long to contend ; they will be " misery" -isn , ^ poveity " -iSM , and eternal * ' slavery" - isk .

      Irishmen , I confess I have not patience to write about such thing as these , when I refleot that Jour apathy and blind indifference to your country and interests gives not only power to your enemies to oppress you , but opportunities for political adventurers to fleece you of the only remnants of your rights by imposing on your credulity . Of all the slaveries to which man is subject from his fellows , tbat of yielding blind obedience to the dictates of others is assuredly the most disgusting ; by doing so you divest yourselves of the noblest prerogative of man and ackaowlege yourselves incompetent to judge betwixt the relative positions of rfgbt and wrong . Why then , I ask , do yoa

      not shake off this disgrace from your shoulders ? Have I . not shewn you that without political power Repeal would be a curse , and can you not see that so far as yoa are ocqiinted -with the spirit of the Repeal movement . Universal Snffrage , which alone is tbe political power you should possess , to render Repeal a blessing , is so far from being recommended by your leader , that it is actually scooted from his political creed ? Are you not worthy to vote for a parliamentary candidate to represent you ia the House of Commons ; if not , why cempel yon to fight and pay for the support of the state ? If you are worthy , why hesitate to demand what is you ? birthright ; and what ia sanctioned by the constitution of these realms ?

      O ' Connell may " blarney" yon as long as you permit him ; but I tell you a day will come when the scales will and must fall from your eyes ' ; and when O'Connell , like other men , will be weighed in the balance of public opinion ; and if in that day his present acts are not found wanting , should I then be alive and you , remember , 1 will give my Ufew a forfeit I ask why 8 hu « aabo n * the suffrage , o * who or what shall have it ; whether stones or mortar or men ; whether married men or single ; whether •' batcheloes" or " vtomen ; " whea ha knows in his heart tbat all are useless , senseless ^ and vicious burkings of the question . Can you not Bee that even in these multifarious named Buflragea he is inconsistent , standing to no one point , bat flying from one post to another , to prop himself against the attacks of

      upcompromiaing justice which will not be hoodwinked ^ and clinging with desperate tenacity to hia old and profitable institutions . Leavei him ; unless he changes hia position !—Leave him ; I warn you in time , but yon may find it too late ; but leave him inoi if he is wise enough to adopt rt Universal Suffrage , * ' as his motto . Remember it is as much your duty to warn aim of danger , and to set him right , aa it Ia his to council you . Place such opinions ar these before your friends , and I nave not the least doubt of the most , beneficial Jesuit ; but above all remember , you can never , after Mr . O'ConneU ' s rejection ot the Wbigs , attempt to give them your suffrage . He has declared them to be bUraad Ireland ' * eaemlef , therefore yon mast haredoa « With them . ,

      Ihaveahenn yon Repeal without the condition of Universal Suffrage would be a curje instead of a blessing ; and further , that your present mode of obtaining it ia certain to be attendant with failure and disappoint ment ; so knowing this I only ask you to put the question to yoa ? bosoms , and If yo « do not admit the tnith of what I assert I shall be much mUtaken , in lay * estf-i mate of the dispositions of men whom as countrymen , I love , and for whom . I wonldmake , anaduty , any Bacriflce to national and domestic happiness . Rally , for Repeal and the Chaster , and let your cry be " No Surrender . " ,.--I am , fellow countrymen , ' Your&ithfoA eexvanV W . H . Ci . w » 0 W

      Untitled Article

      In relation to this trial we have received the following from onr London correspondent , who was present in Court : — You will find in the Timis a report of the case " O'Connor versus Lawson . * This report is pretty correct , with the exception of the feeling manifested in tbe Court This was decidedly in favour of the plaintiff . Daring the delivery of the extreme partizan addreBs of Mr . Thesiger , it was the general opinion that he far outstepped his duty as an advocate , and made hia professional station a cloak for the expression of

      sentiments towards "M « . O'Connor , which in his private capacity te would not have dared . to uEter . His manner , whea speaking of his joy at having been instrumental in ' getting Mr . O'Connor ejected from the House of Commons , and of his hope that he should ultimately see him destroyed , was so bitter and violent that the disapprobation of the Court was audibly expressed . The feelings and prejudices of the Jurors may be gathered from the fact that ; one of them , previous to xetiiing , t ^ tsitaied not to eapress in op « n Court His determination TO BE LOCKED UP A WEEK RATHER

      THAN CONSBKT TO ANY DAMAGES WHICH WOULD &aRT cosis !! Yours , T . M . Wheeler .

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      THE REVEREND WILLIAM HILL AT ABERDEEN . Mr . Hill having given notice of bis intention to come to Aberdeen cm Tuesday evening week , by the steam boat from Leitb , a considerable degree of interest was manifest among the working classes who had it in tbeir power to meet him . Accordingly several hundreds were assembled on the Pier . jaud at half-past four o ' clock the boat hove in eight , and being in low water tide , came to ad anchor in the bay , / wh « n as is usual on such occasions , the goods and ( passengers are landed by small luggage boats which are kept in readiness for that purpose . At five o ' clock , j the anxiously looked-for

      gentleman set his foot upon the soil of Aberdeenshire , and cordially shook hands ! with the deputation appointed to meet , and convey him to his lodgings . A circumstance occurred , jast as Mr . Hill landed , which created a good deal of sport and may not be oat of place , to be here mentioned . A knot of fisher wives were noticed to be bnddled together injearnest conversation . Curiosity led some of one friends close to them in order to ascertain what they migbt ] be talking about , when one of the wives eagerly Inquired , " What had brought so many people down ? " j She was answered , "to see a Chartist who had just landed from tbe steamboat . "

      ¦ ' Christ nae watsU 'oer uaa , '" aria the wife , " is there an it her Cbaitist landed ? " and immediately tmrried away to have a look at him , just as the carriage drove off in which Mr . Hill ] was seated . Same evening , at eighto ' clock , the council who were joinedby severs * of the warmest friends of Mr ! O'Connor , met Mr . Hill in the ball , 38 , George-street ] when he announced that he was no longer editor of theSiar , and went over the causes which led to his ex-editorship . At the sametime he intimated , that he would still continue to work with and for the people , in that paper as a correspondent ; and that bis articles would always carry aria uaiua at the bottom of ithem .

      THE SOIBBE . A soiree in honour jof Mr . Hill ' visit to Aberdeen was held in St . Andrew-street Chapel , on Wednesday evening . The meeting , which was pretty numerous , elected Mr . John Legge to the chair . After the good things which were provided for the occasion had been rendered indiscemable , the Chairman rose , and in a few brief remarks introduced the first sentiment" The People . " This was spoken to in a first-rate style by Mr . M'Pueraon , who dilated at considerable length on the manifold sufferings which bad been inflicted on them in all known ages of the world by the interested few , who , even in our time , like tbeir predecessors , fceap their unholy grasp , in spite of every warning . He concluded by hoping that ja brighter era was ne&i at hand , when men in all countries would unite with one accord , and unshackle themselves of those despotic Jaws with which they are bo disgracefully bound .

      Tqb Chairman then gave the next sentiment , " Union . " This was handled by Mr . Henry in his usual brief , concise , and free stile . He contended for an Organization based upon a simple and easily to be understood scheme , to beforthwith adopted , and which Organizition ought to embrace England , Ireland , and Scotland in one bond of union , |? ltb an executive to ; transact its general business . H » referred to a variety of cases where sectional unions had failed , and concluded a noble speech by calling on tho people to unite with a firm determination toj carry the Charter in spite of all opposition , which he said was only confined to those who sheltered themselves behind the Treasury benches , and were rioting upon the fruits of the people ' s industry , j The Chairman thenjgave " The guest of the evening , " which was received with every mark of respect

      Mr . Hill then rosef and after a few introductory remarks , announced that be bad ceased to have editorial connexion with the Star ; and read a letter which has appeared iu last week ' sj publication of that paper . He dwelt on the causes which gave rise to his separation with Mr . O'Connor , an ! d assured the meeting that no ill-will or malice existed between hint aud that gentleman , Tbat be would ! go hand in hand with Mr . O'Connor , and any man who did not deal sufetilly with the cause of the people' He sat down , with the strongest marks of approbation . The Chairman then introduced Mr . Archibald M'Docald , who spoke [ to the sentiment , "The exiled patriots . " Mr . M Donald , in bis usual forcible manner .

      drew » sad picture of the sufferings of a vast number of patriots who have suffered ia bygone days for the cause of the people , and of tboae virtuous men ia the present day who are immured in loathsome dungeons for having spoken the truth . Little or nothing is heard of them , except a solitary cry here and there for help to their famishing wives and offspring ; and Ibis , said Mr . M'Donald , is not responded , to by the people witb that evenhandod justice , and Christian feeling , as it ought to be . After haying solicited immediate aid in behalf of all those suffering for the cause of the people , he sat down , eviuently- having made a deep impression upon the minds of the audience . The Chairman gayo the last sentiment of the M

      evening— " The Preea-j-to which Mr . Robert Lowery responded . He adverted to the good or evil which the Press could do ; and showed , that among a truly enlightened people , a vile and corrupt press could not long exist ; that the preka in this country generally represented private interests , and is in too many cases solely set agoing for base , venal , and selfish purposes . He contrasted the press of this country with that of other nations ; particularly that of the slave states in America ; clearly . showing the vile and pernicious effects it bad on the mind * of the people there , when it wrought as an under-current against the establishment

      of freedom . J \ . Daring ttie intervals ; tbe band played a variety of ipopularalrs ; among these wu a tune , composed by IMr . Alexander Murray for the occasion , entiUed " The R * v . WiUUm HUl ' s welcome to Aberdeen . ' * TheCHAiBMAN closedsthe baalness of the meeting with a short address , after which three hearty cheers were giten for the Charter , and its true advocates . The married and sedate retired to their beds of rest , while the lightsome hearted and gleeaome of both sexes adjourned to thef ball room , 38 , George-street , ¦ where they joined in the meiry dance , and "crost'd amd c / e £ &i' < " until three b ' cloek , a . ¥ . THjJBSDAt . —Mr . Hill lectured in the Chapel , St . Auarew-street , to a nuraerons And respectable audience .

      Untitled Article

      Subject— " Organfzition , sodium to obtain tbe Charter . " At the close of his lecture , the meeting gave M unanimoBS yote of thanks to bin fo * fiatrftigf > isite * l Aberdeen , and expressed an earnest wish , that he would revisit Uie capital of the North .

      Untitled Article

      { i j THE NOR T H ; B-B'gft 1 ST Aft , [ . . .- .

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Aug. 19, 1843, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1226/page/6/