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Northern Star (1837-1852), 6th March 1847, Edition 1 of 3, Page unpag, Untitled Article

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    • C&artfeft Entelltpnw*
    • TO THE WORKING CLASSES.
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      Untitled Article

      Mr Triexds , From the day 1 ventured to assume the office of public instructor , I have , upon all occasions , asked mv readere to weigh my writings in the scale of their own unbiassed judgment , adopting what app tared reasonable , rejecting what appeared unreadable , and asking for explanation of all that ijpeared doubtful . In the cowtse of my busy career it has fallen to my lot to have to deal with saucy , insolent , conceited and ignorant antagonists , who relied more upon abase of me , and your credulity , titan upon their own understanding . I have always held , that a virtuous , independent public writer , was . .

      the most valuable of all public functionaries ; and , upon the contrary , that the hired writer was the ir . ost debased and insi gnificant wretch living . The Messrs . Chambers , by a most unaccountable process —to me a riddle—have wormed their way into the confidence of a large portion of the comparatively satisfied of the working classes , and they have very extensively presumed upon the gullibility of that order . In truth , they have published more rank nonsense than any set of scribblers within the same period . It once before fe \ l to my lot to expose their ttrvility and ignorance , and this week it has pleased God to deliver them bound HAND and TONGUE ,

      to roy mercy . As a matter of right to me , and of pride and justice to yourselves , I ask you to read their published opinions—upon a princi ple on which the mind cannot much vary—in 1845 and 1847 , and then ask y ourselves for an explanation of such heartless brutality , and you will find spite for my exposure of their former folly the answer . As yet , you have seen comparatively nothing of their duplicity . They have published thirty-two whole columns in one number of the most extravagant laudation of the three-acre system . You shall see every word of it , and then your indignation will be complete . As bag as I have been a public man , I have not met

      with one instance of similar depravity—that is the only woriT in the English language to characterise their corruption . I implore of you to read roy answer to the article of-W . C , and to come to some resolution upon the conduct of those public instructors , and send your verdicts for publication in the Star ; and let them feel the weight of your anger also . Tell them plainly , that their insolence is an insult to your order ; and that you will not support such depravity . Now , a word—What would you say of me , or what punishment would you consider sufficiently severe for me , if the Star had thus doubly dealt with any subject of like" fixity ? My Land and Chartist friends , —if the Trades wish to be culled , don ' t vou .

      Chambers is your most deadly enemy ; and as 1 have only one means of punishing such a fellow , I resort to that plan . I will aid and encourage a few mil-informed men , of sound , good principle , in bringing out a weekly publication in every way superior to Chambers' trash , for Id . I will write gratuitously for it , and would rejoice in such an auxiliary . This week ' s letter to Chambers is mv greatest

      triumph . No man can meet me in opposition to the Small Parm system and Spade j Husbandry as a means of elevating every class of society , and making thrse countries independent of the world and their people independent of the domestic tyrant and forei gn invader . I hope the Manchester men will get Mr . W . Grocot to read my answer to Chambers , and that all will listen attentively . Ever your consistent instructor , FEABCC 3 O'COHKOK .

      Untitled Article

      THE HIGHER A MONKEY CLIMBS THE MORE HE SHOWS HIS CHAMBERS CONVICTED OF CORRUPT , MALICIOUS , AND WILFUL LYING .

      TO MR . W . C . Sir , —I dare say you are aware that the first large letters which strike the traveller on alighting from a train are W . C . on a certain door , and I assure you lk » same letters appended to your paper entitled , " A WORD ON LAND , " in your Journal of the 20 th of February , very forcibly reminded me of its legitimate use . Now , you must bear patiently with this sort of reasoning upon that article , as I shall presently prove , to ihe satisfaction of the merest dolt , that when you wrote it , you knew you were writing a mean falsehood . No man is disreputable in that situation of ife , to which it has pleased God to call him , so long

      is lie fills it to the best of his ability . A sweep with his ere no a chimney , is not at all a ridiculous object ; while he WOULD be an object of ridicule , if fouiid investigating the planets through Lord Rosse ' s telescope , with the intention of instructing the world in astrology . The BAWD who sells her beauty and fascinations indiscriminately for hire , is an object tf profound respect , when compared with the PROSTITUTE who indiscriminately hires himself as a writer There is no more dangerous instrument than a pen in a corrupt hand ; while a standing army would have but a sorry chance against the battery of a virtuous press . You have mistaken your calling—you were made for the SCISSORS , and not for the PEN .

      As long as you confined your labours to the art of compiling , you were a useful LITERARY COOK , and not ( infrequently gave us savoury hashes from other men ' s brains , but whenever you have stepped from the Harrow and easy path of compilation and selection into the unbounded field of originality , you became lost in the vastness of space , and were unequal to the task of recovering your narrow limits prescribed by nature . So long as you confined your research to bees and ants , moles and frogs , you were

      at home , but THE LAND AND ITS CAPABILITIES is beyond your genius . You have attempted a long and rambling article upon a subject of which you are wholly and lamentably ignorant ; indeed , so muck so , that I venture to assert , if a wag fastened a turnip-top to a " cricket ball , " and drew it from the drill in your presence , you would describe it as the discovery of a new sjtecies of black turni p . You possess some influence with the aristocracy of the Trades , especially with the ATHENAEUM TRIBE of

      that order , and you—not unreasonably—suppose them gullible upon a subject of which they are as ignorant as yourself . The blind leading the blind ! I had reason to hope that my refutation of your Malthusiau Free Trade philosophy would have had the effect of making you more cautious in your future experiments even upon that class of gullible readers ; but I was mistaken . There

      is much more lenity due to an adversary who errs rom ignorance than to him who LIES FOR HIRE ; and I should not deal so harshly with your article tyon the land , if I was not in a situation to prove your meanness from your own li ps . I shall now proceed to comment upon the article in question ; and in wder to show you that I rely upon the poison carrying its own antidote , I have given it at full length in tie second page .

      Y « u commence your observations with a kind of apology for a former article on some very meagre experiments made by Lord George Hill , and having committed yourself when commenting upon those eM'enmtntB , vou are compelled to say that " you pronounced no opinion on the question of land allo tments ; " however , you do admit that you saiil LtmS George Hill DESERVED HIGH PRAISE , and therefore we may naturally conclude that he did j 101 < Icierv e censure , the reward which you would " * * i « w on the CLAP-TRAP HUMANITY-MAN * wio-e experiment goes much farther ; perhaps too for for the benefit of vour Free Trade clients .

      1 cheerfull y accept the name of HUMANITY -IAN , and I shall now proceed ( o quote your ob Je « i- » ns to the small farm system for two purposes tu-j tl y , to refute them seriatim ; and , secondly

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      that the w . c . of February , 1847 , maybe confronted with the same W . C . of May , 1845 . On the true Malthusian principle , you commence your objections to the small farm system with a falsehood , supported by a vague assumption as to the probability of a REDUNDANT POPULATION being the result . In speculating upon the chances of wretchedness and poverty caused by an overpopulation , you say : — . ^

      Such must inevitably be the consequence of every scheme for allotting patches of land to poor agriculturists , unless at the same time provision be made for employing or carrying off to new fields of enterprise the redundancy of the population . Alter the long experience of the wretchedness produced by patch-farming in every part of the empire , Ireland in particular , it strikes us as something very remarkable that men should be seen advocating the institution of the practice on a wide scale , as jl means of national prosperity . Fascinated by the seeming humanity of bestowing allotments upon paupers , and gratified by the first appearances of prosperity which probably eusue , they altogether forget what is to come next —over-crowded cottages , new pauperism , and a poor-rate which may pr » Uy nearly absorb the whole rental of the parish .

      Now , I was the first person to distinguish between what you call " patches of land" and a sufficiency to employ a man and his family every day in the year . The one I described as perfect freedom , the other as GILDED SLAVERY , which tied a man to the caprice of his TYRANT LAIRD , while , as to the effect of the system in Ireland , you appear to be wholly ignorant on the subject . The cause of Irish poverty has been the breaking up of the 403 . freeholders , and the throwing hundreds of small farms into one large one . The curse of Ireland is not the small farm system , but the WANT OF

      TENURE PRINCIPLE . You base your guess upon the presumption . thatthc HUMANITY-MAN proposes to give the occupants small allotments ; and from these false premises you arrive at the forced conclusion , that crowded cottages and pauperism must be the inevitable result . Foolish , ignorant man ! If we live for 500 years I will talk with you upon that subject . But have you ever thought , that a shilling a week paid by a father from the time two children arrive at the age of fourteen , till they are

      eighteen , will entitle each to four acres of GOOD land , a cottage , OUT-BUILDINGS , and THIRTY POUNDS CAPITAL , to make a home for himself of some spot which the griping band of trade has depopulated and made barren ? And , don't you think a boy ' s labour , from fourteen to eighteen , is worth sixpence a week , or one penny a day , to his father ? And , don't you think , when the boy arrives at the age of twenty or twenty-one , he will take unto himself a wife from the family of some neighbourfreeman , and go cheerfully to that location which

      LOT shall assign asIIIS OWN—HIS FUTURE , HIS HAPPY HOME ? And , don ' t you think he will be abetlcr man , and she a better wife , than if both were bred up in an immoral manufacturing town ? You next come to the cream of yourjopposition . — Silly man ! How could you be so foolish as to throw yourself thus into my power ! What has given me so much strength as the ignorance of malicious fools , whose folly requires but the repetition to insure its refutation ? You sav : —

      At this moment a scheme is on fuot in England and Scotland for buying and giving an acre of laud to every working man who it a member of a csrtain association . In other words , a section of industrious and well-disposed operatives have , through the agency of some chp-trap humanity-man , been deluded into the fancy that eacb ot them would be happy if he became the owner of a morsel of land—land situated , perhaps , hundreds of miles from the place of his ordinary occupation . We have no hesi . Utionin denouncing this project as one of the greatest follies ever conwired . While Nature ' s laws work as tbej are doing , there cannot be a doubt that it will terminate in the loisand discomfiture of all concerned .

      lou commence here again with a falsehood . There is no such scheme now on foot in England at that of giving AN ACRE to every working man and then you come to Nature . YOU SAY , , WHILE

      NATURE'S LAWS WORK AS THEY ARE now doing . Foolish man !—what has Nature to do with leases and their harsh conditions ? with cotton lords and their tyrant oppressions ? with scribblers and their foll y ? The very thing the HUMANITY-MAN is endeavouring to do is , to bring man to a more natural state , by taking his artificial shackles off him . You follow the passage I have quoted , with one of the OLD SYMPATHETIC Free-Trade appeals to the working classes ,

      "BY EARNESTLY INVITING the members of the association to ponder well over those things ;" and then you are obli ged to meet the selfrespect and pride with which the possession of a house and land of his own inspires the workingman . Ay , ay , Mr . INHUMANITY-MAN . That is just the fulcrum by which I hope to raise him beyond the reach of your debasing folly , by which you would reconcile him to the poor pittance doled out by his tyrant master .

      You next tell us a story about a laird , who preferred 4 s . a week at home to 14 s . in Edinburgh ; and I honour him for it . Were you sober when you , the advocate of the working classes , wrote the following beastly passage?—The heritable possession of dwelling houses , or scraps of land , we repeat , may in many instances be injurious to working men . It indisposes thim for rtmoval ; fixes them to a 6 pot ; whereas , in order to make the most of their labour , which is their capital , they ought to hold themselves ready at the shortest notice to remove to places where the highest wages are to be obtained .

      What , then , your object is to make men mere transportable machines , allowing them no local attachments , no home , no neighbourhood , no associations beyond those imposed by dire necessity I How the following passage , so entirely in keeping with the HUMANITY-MAN'S project , and so at variance with your little attempt at reasoning , happened to creep into the WATER CLOSET , I cannot understand : —

      With respect to land , it is , in the greater number of cases , also advisable to leave it in the ownership of persons who lease it to others as a means of livelihood . Thus , for example , if the annual rent of an acre of land be £ 4 , it will be greatly preferable for an agriculturist to pay £ 400 for the use of a hundred acres , than to expend the sum of £ 12 , 000 in buying the property . And wliy ! Because in the one case he is bindin g up a great deal of capital , which might be of service in hisown proper business of husbandry—berides putting an embargo upon his persona ! freedom ; while , in the other , he would not only keep his capital to farm the land properly , but be so far at hi 6 ease , that at the end of a term of j ears he could remove to a larger farm , or , without loss , altogether relinquish the trade of an agriculturist .

      Why , Mr . \ V . C , that is just the marrow , the essence , the whole of my plan . I quite agree with you ; and , for that reason , I propose giving every man capital at the rate of £ 7 10 s . for each acre to enable him to get on in the commen « ement . You proceed then , after a little rubbish—A tradesman , laying out £ 100 in a speculation in Ja - nuary , may have a fiual return of £ 200 More the tnd of Uewnber . The landowner has no such chance In England , a freehold property in land may realise " four per c * i » t . per annum on the outlay ; and in Scotland , it rartly returns above two and a half per cent . What a miserable affair is this !

      At this critical juncture the above announcement was dangerous to the cause of your clients , because every working man will very naturally ask himself whether the cent , per cent ., or the £ ioo profit , on the £ 100 spent , was made b y fair speculation or STOLEN FROM WAGES . You should ' b cautious how you damn your clients' cause in vou

      Untitled Article

      attempt to damn the HUMANITY-MAN . Theu you go on : — By no process can an agriculturist take more than one crop pe annum ; and so neither can a landownergetmore than a year ' s rent for a year ' s use of his property . While the manufacturer and merchant are daily planning extensions of their business , sometimes losing , but more frequently making large sums , in reward of their ingenuity and enterprise , the poor landed proprietor is left to pine on his meagre rental , or draw consolation only from the prescriptive fancy that he is the salt of the earth .

      How can you inxert such unmitigated nonsense—BY NO PROCESS CAN OUR AGR 1 CUL . TURISTS TAKE MORE THAN ONE CROP PER ANNUM ! Now , what do you think of a crop of rape sown upon a wheaten stubble in August , eaten off by ewes and lambs and cut for cows in spring , a crop of early potatoes , planted in March , cleared off from middle of July to end of August , and turnips sown and transplanted as the potatoes are cleared ? Now , there are three of the

      mostprofitable crops for you in one year . What do you say to four crops of clover or four of grass ? Go to a Sunday school , booby , and don't make yourself a laughing-stock for the Lothian farmers . Yes , yes , your friends , the manufacturers , do MORE FREQUENTLY MAKE LARGE SUMS , but not by their ENTERPRISE AND INGENUITY , but by the PLUNDER OF THEIR HANDS . Again , I ask how , in your endeavour to pull down , you could have so propped up my system as by the following commendation of fee-simple property : — .

      This entail system is more rigorous in Scotland than in England , and has greatly damaged the general and individual interest in land . Reducing the proprietor to ihe position of a life-renter , he is indifferent to improvements ; and , if otherwise disposed , be has not the means to execute any beneficial alterations on his property . I quite agree with you , and the very same argument applies to fanners , who cultivate other men ' s lands on bad titles , or no titles at all , and it is just one of the main abuses which I seek to remedy . You

      proceed—Each child has now twenty acres , and the same lu w again operates to subdivide . Suppose each to have five children , then each of these get four acres . There are now twenty five proprietors instead of one . But thesubdivision does not stop ; on it goes , generation after generation , till at length the whole land is cut up into paltry sections not the size of a cabbage garden . Man alive ! why stop at this simple progression ? why not proceed geometrically , and suppose these 25 had each 25 children . and these G 25 had each 625 more ? Now the only observation that I shall conde . scend to make on this portion of your folly is this :

      —As I was going to St . Ives I met nine men and their nine wives ; each wife had nine sacks , each sack had nine cats , each cat had nine kits , each kit had nine tails , awl how many tails , kits , cats , sacks , men , and their wives , did I meet going to St . Ives ? None , as . they were all coming from St Ives . Now , so exactl y with redundant population ] they would be all going to another estate . Of the French system you know nothing ; however . you have the grace only to predict the consequent evil , and at a very distant pe ; iod ; so remote , that , as the judges say , " WHEN THE CASE ARISES WE'LL

      KNOW how to deal with it . " However , you are compelled to admit that " even in this abject and precarious state , they enjoy greater tran quillity and independence than their forefathers prior to the revolution . " Ay , and you might have added , that while your well-paid mi grating operatives with HIGH WAGES are starving , those PAUPERS are safe from famine . I seek but to deal with the errors of my time ; if the condition of the French people has been bettered by the revolution , you justify the revolution ; I hope to gain a better result without violence , revolution , or bloodshed , or even

      spoliation of any kind . Now , Mr . W . C . before 1 proceed to kill you , or rather to make you commit suicide by drawing YOUR OWN PEN ACROSS YOUR 0 WN 1 THROAT , I have merely to observe , that all I desire is a field day with the COMBINED PRESS , from the"THTJXDEREU" to a little thing that calls itself the " LONDON PIONEER , " and that would not know a cucumber from a hand-saw ; and I promise , single-handed , and without the aid of mortal man , to demolish you all upon the question of the Land , and the principle that the adoption of the Small Farm System is the only hope of the country ' s redemption and the labourer ' s escape .

      LGOK ON THIS PICTURE AND CN THIS , Chambers' Journal , Chambers' Journal , May , 1845 , i \ o . 72 , of February , 1847 , NEW AND IM- No . 164 , PROVED SERIES . NEW SERIES . The only point that All things consiremains to be settled dered , we arrive at is one connected with the following propopolitical economy . It sitions respecting the is alleged b y the lead- tenure and manageing political econo- mentofland . First

      mists of England , that that land , like every cottage farming ( see other commodity , article Cottage Sys- ought to be at the tern in the Encyclo- free disposal of its padia Iiritau-nica , proprietor , to sell it while calculated lo or bequeath it as he promote the growth of thinks proper—suba population of pau- ject , of course , in the pers , is only distract- latter case , to making

      ins manual labour a inasnn ! ihlp nm « ic ; .. n ing manual labour a reasonable provision Irom its proper field for widow and cliilof employment . But dren . Second , that this allegation pro- land should be agricceds on an un- culturally managed proved assumption . If in tliat form which it could be shown that would cause it to every able - bodied yield permanently the man could make five largest amount of proshillings a-day by <] nce at t \ . ti smallest

      working as a weaver , expenditure of means , at a factory , or any if it can bfc shown , other branch of la- therefore , as we conbour the assertion ftdentl y believe it can , would in part be cor- tllat ; argc ( armS ) by rect ; but such is not an exact economical ihe case . There are inanagemeut , will give countries in which re- t 0 the nation food in mnnewlive employ- grealer abundance , merit cannot bo per- auti at iess cost tnim manendy had , and in SH 1 aU favms co ,, such situations—TO propose to do , then

      WHICH SOCIE- LARGE FARMS TY IN ENGLAND ARE j . N EVERY SEEMS ADVAN- RESPECT THE CING—ihe choice is MOST SU 1 TIBLE in a great measure AND ItECOMbetweeu SPADE MEN DABLE ; and ^ F ^ ^ A N D R Y an excessive cutting AND S T A It V A- U p of properties ought . Tl ON , not between t 0 be deprecated , as a spade husbandry and source of general well - paid employ- impoverishment and ment . Besides , the disaster . W . C political economist entirely overlooks the fact , that THE COTTAG K - FARMER DERIVES IMMENSE ADVANTAGES FROM

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      From Chambers' Journal , No . 72 . THE LABOUR OF PULATION ; AND HIS WIFE AND WHO WOULD CHILDREN , not COMPARE THE one of whom , most ORDERLINESS of likely , would be able MANNERS , THE to earn a penny at SOBRIETY AND any kind of labour in THRIFTINESS of towns . It is by call- THE PEOPLE . " I . . . « l

      , ing up these engines AND THE SMALL to assist him that he A M OUNT OF can outdo the large CRIME IN THAT farmer with all bis COUNTRY , WITH capital and machi- THE VICE , INnery-a fact distinctl y T E M P E RANGE , proved , at least as re- AND POVERTY , spects the keepir . g of FOR WHICH ENcows and selling their GLAND and SCOTproduce ; no JOINT- LAND / WITH ALL

      STOCK C O M - TH EIR LARGE PANY OF COW- AND SPLENDID KEEPERSBEING FARMS , ARE -MgiE TO COM- # OW BECOMING PETE WITH THE UNHAPFtLYDISMISCELLANE- TINGUISHED ? OUS AND UN- It might be difficult MARKETABLE to prove that large LABOUR OF A farms have been , in HUMBLE DAIRY- any material degree , MAN AND HIS the cause of the social FAMILY . * As to evils now exciting so the allegation that much attention ; but cottage-farmingwould it is clear that they cause a deterioration have not prevented

      m society , it is also those evils . Without FOUNDED ON going so far as to say NARROW VIEWS , that cottage-farming In some parts of the -would furnish a unicanton of Vaud and versal remedy , we elsewhere in Swiizer- think that , imiependland , where the farms entl y of its use in are all small , and increasin g the pvomostly WROUGHT ductive surface of the BY THEIR PRO- country , it would at PRIETORS , there least afford some re-IS NO PAUPER- lief , and add to that KM WORTHY OF section of the popula-THE NAME , NO tion which is still in OVERPLUS PO- a healthful moral

      • _ ,, , , condition . * Are not the Chambers humbugs ? Now , what do you say for yourself , and how do you feel ? But I have not half done with you yet . I have commented upon your article in No . 164 , but have only taken the concluding paragraph from that of 72 , the whole of which thirty-two columns you devote , exclusively to prove the advantage of small farms and spade husbandry over large farms and the plough , and in which jou adopt Mr . Vavasour ' s plan , and enforce ^ practicability , that upon three acres badly managed , a man can make 42 / . a-year , after payinc rent and for seeds .

      You enforce the fact , that a man earns , by twenty days' labour for himself , on his three acres , 21 / . 2 s . i while , by 285 days' labour given to the farmer , h « only earns 21 / . 7 * . You speak of digging three feet deep , and of reclaiming land to a depth of twentytwo feet of moss , and with great advantage ; and yon show , and you enforce , a preference for the spade over the plough , on Mr , Scott ' s authority , who tried equal portions of the same field , and had fifty-two bushels of wheat from the spade , and fortytwo from the plough ; and how he saved a whole year ' s rent of land , by digging , instead of fallowing ;

      and you give , m a table from X to A , as much as would kill an ordinary man j and this you term having three stories to your land , and show that four acres tlug may be thus made equal to twelve ploughed ; and you speak of the improved morals and laugh at over-population;—and , in short , you have adopted every word ever written in favour of small farms and spade husbandry in opposition to large farms and ploughing ; and you have-wound up No . 72 , as I have shown , and so excellent were those

      compilations that I shall give every line of them in subsequent numbers of the Northern Star . And now Mr . Water-Closet , you may rely upon it that your agents will receive orders in thousands to stoji Chambers' Journal , as the time has really arrived when even clever men can no longer gull theii dupes . Your attempt has been insolent and presumptuoas . You have got out of your depth ; stick to the scissors , and abandon the pen . I remain , Mr , W , C ., Old Robin , THE HUMANITY-MAN .

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      TO THE GIIAKTISTS OF THE EMPIRE , " Whatsoever thy hand fiudeth to do , do it quickly . " ¦ Solomon . Brethren , —The aphorism contained in my text has been once more forcibly impressed upon my mind by the circumstances attendant upon the recent motion in the House of Commons , by our unchangeable and unllinching advocate , Mr . Duncombe , for the repeal of the rate-paying clauses , in what 13 nicknamed "the Reform Bill . " You , as Chartists , cannot be ignorant of the mischievous effects of those clauses . It has been preached in your ears times innumerable since the passing of that infamous measure ; to what an extent it destroyed those rights which it falsely protended to bestow : and how its ¦

      complicated machinery opeued at every point new sluices through which the Btream of corruption , silently , though surely , flowing , left jou completely at the mercy of irresponsible hirelings in the shape of revising barristers , and even the very insertion 01 your names on the lists , at the option of the petty functionaries of the two vile factions , whose interests could be easily compensated for the omission . leaving you no remedy but what was worse than the disease . The frightful disclosures lately published , in which was shown to what extent the system had been carried out in various parishes in London and elaewuere , must have added another proof , if another was necessary , that lit was more than time a strong effort was made to scotch " the snake at least , if we were not fully prepared to destroy it . The poisonous Upas tree which has all but desolated this fair land has been for

      ages extending its accursed branches and increasing its terrible bulk ; its roots hate penetrated to the centre , and its head has reached to the clouds ; to uproot it ia not the work of a day a week , a month , or a year ; but while our united energies are applied to accomplish the destruetion of the towering evil , it is | surely sound and necessary policy on our , part to lop off Buch of the branches as impede the progress ot our labour , and prevent vast numbers ot our fellow workmen from renderine us their assistance to accomplish this mighty work And the qu es tion is , has this been done with the epirit , the zeal , the promptitude , whioh is demanded even to deserve success ? Has that xaam of mind that devotedness of spirit , that oneness of purpose , been exhibited by us as a ; body , been manifested on the occasion of the late motion of Mr . Duncomt * » A general . and timely notie * was eivim of the inten .

      tion of our unflinching advocate to bring the obnoxious clauses under the consideration of the house ; hoping that the enormity of the evil , and the increased liberality of the age , might induce that branch ot the legislature to consent to wiyc * wa > that abomination irom the statute book . Mr . Duncombe | had the encouragement of the time ; it was towardB the conclusion ot the existence of pavliament , and ere long the candidates must stand as petitioners on the hustings before thair constituents . But in pleading for the people ' s rights he expected to be ablt to show that he was expressing the people ' s wishes , and that nunurous petitions would be poured in from all , parts , proclaiming , as with one voice

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      that the evil was universally xecrated . aW Univorsally demanded to be removed . WB thU fin much for your unpaid friend to expect , when it X " for your own interest he was labouring , and not for himself ? Was a public meeting , without loss of time or material expense , to be got up ; Vnur oni nions to be recorded upon a solitary sheet ' of paper " and signed by your chairman , in the name and on the behalf of you all , and sent off for presentation under cover of a penny postage stamp ; was this I say , too preat an exertion to be made in dun time for the cause of god-like Liberty ? Let those who havo bc « n guilty of the neglect answer the question . I know not how far thu apathy has ex tended , but I see by the public papers that a petition has been

      presented , got up at the Crown and Anchor , in town , and one from Leicester ! Yes , brethren , from one of the mo ? t wretched , the most degraded , the most impoverished places bounded by the four seas which encircle Britain , where the few Chnrtists , which traitors and hypocrites have left , would have been staggered to . raise the few pence necessan for the purchase af the few sheets of paper which would wye been necessary if the names of the petitioners 1 ai been appended . It ia no excuse to say now whethermeetinesfor the purpose were in progress .. Shake off , I beseech you , my dear friends this miserable apathy , and ever

      bear in mind , and act up » n my text ; , —what is done cannot bo now remedied , but bo alert for the future Remember that the National Petition has been before Urn public for months for sfenatureii , and we know not how soon it may be wanted , and yet I see that in many places meetings aro only now Jealled for its adoption , though the importance for its numerical strength is | great ; and I trust I shall not be thought egotistical when I lay , that our povert y , stricken friends here have obtained more than tleven housand signatures to that deenment . I am , Brethren . Your faithful servant ,

      T . R . Skirt . 30 , Sanrey Gate . Leicester , 28 th Feb ., 1847 . WIIITECIIAPEL -At a general meeting of the Brsss Founders' Arms Ucality , February 28 tli , it was unanimously resolved : — . "That a vote of thanks is due and hereby given to Mr . T . Clark , for ' his energetic and noble defence of the six points of the Charter in the discussion with Mr Gurnev " TOWER . HAMLETS . -At a public " meeting held on Sunday evening , February 28 th , at the Globe and Friends , Morgan Street , Commercjul Road , the following resolutions were unanimously carried •—" That a petition be sent to T . S . Duncombe , Esq , M . P ., for presentation to the Commons llause of

      Parliament ; , praying for the abolition of the ratepaying clauses in ; the Reform Act . " " That a vote of thanks be given to Thomas Clark for the able and masterly manner in which he' discussed the principles of the People ' s Charter with A , Gnrnev , Esq . " THE CENTRAL REGISTRATION AND ELECTION COMMITTEE met at the Assembly Rooms , 83 , Dean-street , Solm , on Tuesday evening , March the 2 nd . Mr . T . Clark ; was unanimously called to the chair . Mr . Stall wood gave in a report of the recent meeting at the Crown and Anchor Tavern for the repeal of the rate-paying clauses , together with the balance-sheet of receipts and expenditure for-the same , and handed in £ 1 7 s ., beins the balance of receipts over the expenditure . A vote of thanks was unanimousl y awarded to Mr . Stallwood for his zeal and ability in getting up and conducting the late meeting to a successful issue .

      The committee next resolved , in order to show their determination to carry on the struggle for the repeal of those obnoxious clauses , " That a deputation consisting of Messrs . T . Clark and ; J . Milne , be appointed to wait on Messrs . Duncoirbe and Wak . ley , M . P . ' s , and consult with them » s to the next best steps to | be taken , and lay the result of their deliberation before the committee at its next meeting , with a view to the taking of immediate active steps for the accomplishment of the desired end . " " That the Executive Committee be requested to draw up a short address palling the attention of the country to the division list on Mr . Duncombe ' s motion . " " That in future the metropolitan local secretiries of the registration committees are requested to meet the central committee on the first Tuesday in each month , at their office , at eight o ' clock in the evening . " The committee then adjourned to tho 9 th instant .

      SHEFFIELD .-The council of the National Charter Association held its usual weekly meeting on Sunday , February 28 th . Mr . Jackson in the chair . After the financial business of the association wns disposed of , on the motion of Mr . Dyson , a committee of six was appointed to £ ecure siunatures to the National Petition . A goodly number of sheets were disposed of for the country districts . Persona wishing to have sheets in their workshops may have them by applying to Georjje Cavill , 33 , Queen street . We have already obtained several thousands of sisnatures . As far as Sheffield is concerned we arc determined to do our full share towards the required four millions .

      BIRMINGHAM . —At our usual weekly meeting on Sunday last , Mr . P . Campbell in the chair , Mr . O'Connor ' s letter was read from the Star , after which the following resolution was unanimously passed : moved by Mr . Porter , and seconded by Mr . Fim-11 , " That we highly approve of the siiffgestisns of Mr . O'Connor on behalf of Dr . M'Douall , and that we immediately open a subscription for the above purpose , which shall be kept open till Michaelmas next . " A subscription was then entered into , and the sum of 14 s . Gd . collected , after which a vote "f thanks was passed to Thomas Slingsby Duncombe , XI . P ., and those members who vated with him upon his late motion for repealing the rate-pay ing clauses of the Reform Bill .

      THE CITY OF WESTMINSTER LIBRARY , AND DEBATING SOCIETY—A public discussion on " The Evils of the Law of Primogeniture " took place at tha Temperance Hall , Broadway , on Saturday , February 27 th . Mr . Johnson waacalkd to the chair . Mr . Bowlkr ably opened the dtbate , in fnvour of the abolition of the law . Mr . Castlkbar followed on the opposite tide . Mr . Edward Siaixwood , amid loud applause , replied to him . Mr . TnuMBLE ably followed on the name side . Mr . luvisc also ably supported the abolition of th » law . Mr . Gauaousr looked on the law as the great cause of vice , injustice , and immorality .

      V Ml _ . _ ilift ' ^ . > . *• Mr . Thomas supported tho Law of Primogeniture , by sundry deduction !! from " Hol y Writ . " Mr . Nrwsome , a Chelsea pensioner , opposed the Law of Primogeniture , and said the working classes could nut be blamed for the introduction of laws , seaing that they had no voice in making them . Mr . Catley replied to the several speakers opposed to tho Law of Primogeniture , mid concluded by decl « rin 2 . that lie wished , or rather that he did not care , how soon it was abolished!—( Laughter and applause . )

      The discussion on this subject was here concluded , and "The Land and the Charter , " selecteu for Saturday ( thi « evening ) March 6 th . Duri ng tho debate Chambers' philosophy came in for some " very sever * rub « , whilst Mr . O'Connor ' s Small Favm « was hi » hly eulogised . The room set ap » rt for iho discusion was densely crowded . In the library we found many volumes of highly useful books , incltiiling the works of Thomas Paine , William Ctbbult . & 0 . &e Works of every phase of politics , morals , philosophy , and theology , are contained in tins library . TL * cost to the members ia only one pennv per w \! ek PUBLIC MEETING AT HULL—A public meeting was held on Monday night last , for the adoption of the National Petition , in the Hull of the Court of Requests , granted for the occasion by the Mayor . Mr . Peek , Town Councillor was unanimously called to the chair . Mr . Hancock moved , and Mr . Jackson seconded , tho first resolution .

      Mr . Stephens moved , and Mr . Currie seconded , the adoption of the National Petition , which w * s supported by Dr . M'Douall in one of the most able speeches th » t has been heard in Hull for same time . Mr Hancock moved , aud Mr . Stephens seci'iined , the memorial for the restoration of Fro . it , Williams ami Jones . Tho resolutions and petition were all carried unanimously . A vote of thanki was given to the Doctor , who in reply moved a vote of thanks to the

      Chairman , winch was carried unanimously . A number ot signatures were attached to tho petition . DERBY . —A requisition by 15 U electors has been presetted to the mayor of Derb y , requesting him to call a public maeting to adopt the Natioiml ' Petition He deelincil , excepting at eleven o ' clock ia the forenoon . It being impossible for the wurkin" men to -it tend a meeting at that hour , wo liaveVsolvc . Un taking the Mechanics Lecture Hal ! , f » , r u incctine to adopt the National Petition , which ' will uk « 2 on Monday CTcung , March 15 that S o ' clock

      , . i wl ' -V'Ti * * M > Dona 11 delivered a lecture in the White Hart room , on Sunday etenin ^ in the rr ° ! - Which lV " - lly ^^ ined the Sin pleo UhKrt "f * ! ^ , . tho Land Scheme and Labour Bunk . He also explained the capabilities ot the BoiI , and concluded a most instructive and argu-T . If a V r ' ? * ointinE out the great neras-Uj ot the Land members ( whil . t seeking to redeem hemaelvcs by locatum on tho land ) struggling to . btam the enactment of the People ' s Charter , as tho

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      best means of both obtaining the land and keeping it when ebtained . After a vote of thanks tu tho Doctor and tho chairman , the meeting , wuicb . was & very good on « , quietly separated , highly gratified . MANCHESTER , Sundai Evbnino . —Tho chairman commenced by introducing Mr . Grocot , who read Mr . O'Cannor ' s letter from the Northern Star , which was listened to with great attention , and vailed forth general applause . Mr . Ernest Jones ' s speech was then read , which gave great satisfaction ; atte wards the editorial article in the Northern- "tar , which , was received with approbarion . About this time Mr . Clarke arrived and was received with applause He commenced his address byshowing the erroneous constructions of old prelacy , in attributing the present calamities to Providence . Cobbett had predicted

      from natural causes the failure of the potato crop yet no attention had been paid to that ; prediction and hence the baneful result , and , forsooth , they laid the bame on Providence , which went to say that Providence was improvident ! The history of the iiunuu family clearly demonstrated the evil ctt ' ecta of man ' s inhumanity to man . Towns had been throw in a state of riot through famine , nations hail reu bttlltd against tho wicked laws of selfish rulers , andkingdoms had been revolutionised , when famine , occasioned by avaricious tyrants , hat ! naturally forbidden further forbearance . Still further lessens were wanting ; all had not yet bceu sufficient to teach , mankind that the great evil in society was too much lovij of self . appropriation . The lecturer then

      contlemncd the political economists of tho present dajr . l-ree-traders . and Protectionists , and Aristocrats , were all conspiring against { labour ; monopolising tuc earth and the fruits thereof . God gave the earta a common heritage to man , but man had perverted tne will of Providence by his selfish craft over his teilow-roan . Moral means combined with universal intelligence would soon emancipate mankind from privation and misery . ' Let the people avail themselves of the land and w » rk for themselves , they would then obtain a remunerative encouragement . Aftercommenting on the utility of science when properly directed , and the evils of the present sjstem o £ distribution , he concluded an interesting discoursa

      amidst loud applause . A few questions were asked the lecturer , which he answered to every one ' s saiafaction , and the meeting terminated . MACCLESFIfcLD . -The members and friends o £ the Mutual , Improvement Claas injconneciion withithej Macclesfield Branch of the National Charter Asso . ciation , met in their room ; on Monday evening last , when Mr . John West delivered an address on tke present prospect ! and position of parties , with a review of the schemes propounded by them , for tho amelioration of the condition of the people . Mr . West will deliver a lecture next Monday night at tha same place , at S o ' clock . Subject— " ' 1 he real cause 0 the present Famine in Ireland . and the real Remedia to prevent its recurrence in future . '

      South London Chartist Hall , 115 , Blackfriarsroad—A special meeting of the membern of tbi 3 district of the National Land Company will be held at hall-past six o ' clock precisely , on business of urgent importance , on Sunday evenins . 1 next . March 7 th , and at eight o ' clock precisely Mr . J * Skeltou will deliver a lecture . Subject , -. " Education versus Theology . " GREENWICH AND DEPTFORD .-A Special meeting of the Chartists of the above locality was held at Mr . Paris ' s , Cold Bath , on Tuesday , March , 2 nd , Mr . John Woodward in the chair . The lollowing resolution was unanimously adopted : — " That the Lxeeutive bn requested to furnish each locality with a list of the divisions on all important questions introduced into the House of Commons since the year 1842 , so thai each locality may know thoso who have voted for and a « ain 9 t the interests of the people . "

      BKRtoONDSEY—At a meeting of the members on lucsday evening , in this locality , the following members were nominated for councillors : —Messrs . Grady , 0 hapm : m Stratton , Law , Barker , Miilwaid , and Thorpe ; Millward sub-treasurer , Thorpe sub * secretary . It was also resolv « d " that a meeting be held in Dockhead Chapel , for the purpose of forwarding the cause ot Chartism , and the Co-operative Land Company . " AlARYLEBONE LOCALITY .-Moved by Mr . Gudwin and seconded by Mr . Hutohinys , " That itia the opinion of the Marylebone locality of the National Charter Association , that a correct list of members ' names on the books up to the 1 st of April , 1847 , should be sent to the General Secretary , so that he may lay the same before the annual Convention , to enable the delegates to form an opinion how they can best advance the movement ; and that we recommend the Executive to issue an address to this efl ' ect . "

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      TO THE CHARTIST BODY . Friends , —At foot you will find an analysis of the division in the House of Commons on Mr . Duncombo ' s motion for the repeal of tho Kate-pay ing Clauses ot the Reform Act . Upon an examination of that division , it will ba seen that of the CS who voted against the motion—22 are Government officials , and 80 belong to the old Tory faction . So that , without the assistance of the Tories , the " Liberals" could not have defeated tho attempt of Mr . Duncombe to abolish those disgraceful clauses which tend bo much to limit aud narrow the elective franchise .

      Hie Executive Committee , along with the " Central Election and Registration Committee , " are now devising means to bring the conduct of those " liberal" gentlemen before their constituents , aud they are not without hope of being able to effect Bwne good . In the meantime , they consider it their duty to call the attention of the country to those men who haVij iigured in this last act of the ' finality" iarce , under the impression th . it stops will be taken by the Chartist body to find persons more willing aud competent to do the work of legislation . On behalf of tho Executive Committee , Christopher Doilb , Secretary .

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      Toribs-29 . Acland , T D Manners , Lord J Bailey , J Jun Mainwaritig , T Bentinck , Lord G Packington , Sir J Boldero , H G Pluroptre , J P Borthwick , P PolliUl , Captain Copeland , A Rich , II Dick . Qiwntin Sandon , Viscount Forbes , William Shaw , F Graham Sir J Spooner , It Greene , Thomas Stewart , J Ilarcourt , G G Tollemache , John Henley , J W Vesoy , Hon T Ilervey , Lord A Vyse , R 11 Lygon , lion Gen Wood , T Johnston , SirJ

      Omciii * MiMMRs—20 . Alison , Hon Col Maule , Hon K Craig , W G Morpeth , Viscount Dimdas , Admiral O'Conor Don Fox , C It Paget , Lord A Gibson , T M Palmerston , Lord Grey , Sir Georgo Parker , John Hawes , B Russell , Lord J llobhouse , Sir J Ruthirford , A Labuucheie , II Somerville , Sir W Macaulay , T B Wjse , Thomas Liberals not is Office—I ) Arundel , Earl of Mangles , R D Baring , F T O'Brien , C Bull . r . PS Stewart , W V Gore , lion Robert Wilmington , Sir T Howard , P II

      MINORITY-Atm 38 . Barnard , E G Molesworth , Sir W Blake , M J Mom ' , Daxid Bowring , Dr Napier , Sir C Bright , John O'Bricn , W S Brotherton , Jos O'Connel ) , Al Christie , W D Pcchell , Captain Collins , William Plumridge , Capt Crawford , W S Ricardo , John L D'Eyncourt , C T Roebuck , J A Duncan , Lord Scott , Robert

      Duucan , George Thornely , Thos Duncannon , Visct Turner , E Eccott , B Villicrs , lion C FieWen . Jolm Wakley . T Gisborne , Thomas AVarburton , II Hall , Sir Benj Williams , William Hume , Joseph Yorke , Henry R . Humphcry , Aid Marsland , U tellies , Mitchell , T A Duncombe , T Moffatt , Georgo Evans , Sir de L

      Mr . Pattison paired in favour of Mr . Duucsm motion for his Registration ot Voters' Bill with be ' s Egerton . Mr

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      Dreadful Accident ox tub Hull and Selbt Railway . —W » regret to say that one of tho most utesult ' ul accidents tbat has ever happened on thislin * occurred on Sunday evening last . The mail train left the Hull station , at six p . m ., for London , being drawn by eight engines , the "Kingston" and " York , " ami having eight passenger carriagesand five waggons laden with fish attached . The train had proceeded to within about a mile mid a half of Hcssle , the first station , where , from nemo unexplained cause the second engine , the " York , " sprang off the rails , and dashed into the passeng er carriages attached to tho " Kingston , " forcing seven of them off tho rail with territic violence , and smashing them

      to atoms . The greater number ot passengers were of course thrown out : one , Mr . James Brown , of Hcsslc , tin-ulato worker , was killed on tho spot ; another , of the name of Waring . 0 Dewsbury , was > o much injured that he died at tho Coburg Hotel , whither ho was taken on the following evening ; and einht others are uow lying at various inns in Hesale , sufferin g from tho fearful lnjunea they have sub . tained On Tuesday last , an inquest on the two bodies was hoklcn at tho Granby Inn , in Hcssle , before Mr . Conyers , one of tho county coroners , tioA a respectable jury , wh « n the evidence vrai fully jow into , but very little light was thrown upon the orlfii of the accident . The jury returned * verdict ft ^" AcciieaUl death , "

      C&Artfeft Entelltpnw*

      C&artfeft Entelltpnw *

      To The Working Classes.

      TO THE WORKING CLASSES .

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      / £ , fyz ~/ n ,,, /»«/ £ AND NATIONAL TRADES' JOURNAL .

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      yOLj ^ NO . 489- " LONDON . SATURDAYT MAJJCH 6 , 1847 . " '' « , JgJVf g ^ II ' . 1 L 1 . _——

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), March 6, 1847, page unpag, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1408/page/1/