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Northern Star (1837-1852), 20th November 1847, Edition 1 of 3, Page unpag

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    • JOSHUA HOBSON.
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      as this fellow ' s gullet is , I pro-^ Vm a bolus this week , which even his ^ - g swallow could not gulp . This man <*? ntaie < i upon aBumber of assertions , ^ Ifwbich I shall analyse , and as to all of « A Iffillleavethereadertodtawhisowncon $ ? fj , ere are some unintentional admis-*^ tb «* regaxi to himself and "THE ^ kY BOY , " so truly characteristic of I -then and now positions , that I wiUleave & * « written , merely wishing to impre ss # * fflOre forcibly upon the memory . As to &P .: __ Joshua Hobson--1 have learned . I

      f m y visit to Manchester , that William ** f was perfectly correct when he asserted ^ jjg in ost humble man in that mee ting * m feel himself disgraced b y associating * mJ the sad Joshna Hobson . "like case , SiTulei "* 53 v ° y S 004 legal maxim , and ?! fi * is trying to p lay the same part as ^ Js ine , since his dismissal from my ser-Sbat he p layed to his old associates—the gjists-when they dismissed him as printer f * e Keu > Moral World , for his MODEJjlE CHARGES . This fellow mistakes ^ jng for ability , and reiteration of false-{^[ for confirmation . However , not to waste with himI shall to the i I

      Jg , proceed work of Stion at once , while , meantime , I could * j afford to admit every one of his assertions % uth . merely meeting them with the Emitted , position of himself and •« The Lucky r > and whose interesting narrative I shall A at foot , as the biograph y of Mr John ya , written by the biographer who was the j ^ ect of the two letters published in the jjrof the 30 th October , 1847 , containing John ' s repudiation of community when "the yjments are all on one side—as in the case of Chance , gas , and coals—or partially so—I do hope that every man , every woman , gjj every little child will preserve this intejestfng biography of "The Lncky Boy , " and

      jsud it down to posterity as a proof of the value efthe re-productive principle . For myself , I can $ say , that such is its value , that , but for ^ p leasure of giving it a more extensive cir-, slabon than it could possibly have through & columns of the expiring Manehester Bxapter , I should not have condescended to jotke the ridiculous rubbish mixed up with ^ interesting narrative ; but it would be a ¦ jty that the world should lose such an

      inter ring sketch of so interesting a youth , so cfcreff d a calculator , so temperate a mechanic , jsd so stalwart a worker . Oh , that he had fired in the days of Ossian 1 and that poet of « ets would have characterised him as "Shane ^ 4 the strong arm , with a cool head and caljdating brain " who ever attached himself to flgmising speculations and undertakings , and jjfays abandoned them when they foretold ^ solution . John ' s association with Josh . tgy forcibly reminds me of the quaint old

      eng 2— Wherefore jou been all the iaj , Ifj boj Johnnj ! A seraping « f toy weekly pay , HjgoeaJotty . Wiiitfcrauorwaaitgold , Myboy Johnnj ! It was brass and it m gold , Bat the sum it can ' t be told , MjROoaJouT .

      Now , really , the character that Josh , gires iJJohn , of his relatives , his dependents , his abstinence , perseverance and strength ; his powers of calculation , his perception and divitation—which enabled him to select the most fairing clubs and speculations , wherein to ret his funds , and not to be seduced by the ied-lierring scent of failure , but by the evident marks of dissolution , to abandon those

      speculations , one and all , when his association with them , or his knowledge of their instability , cried out" Ware-hawk , "—would render him , it the present moment , ' the most fit and' proper person to take the command of our Cmonetay afiairs , asjhis abdication would at least bave the effect of wholesome warning . But to m purpose .- Here are Joshua Hobson ' s treaty-four assertions : —

      I—I hate not watched the game that Ba » hwn pl . jed ftr&tiro mi cue fnntfmmt and rrgiitrition without a { opose . and I now tell those concerned , that if ' com . jfoe registration' £ not Oiitiou completed , I will my . idf institute proceedings to compel it . S —There were net tone columns of hit' unmitigated raWsn in the first fond Flan . * I . —I hare called at the office of the Company ta sts fat correipondence , bat * could not because Hr O'Connor Wit , ' and he had it became he conducted the ccrrecoadence .

      4 . —In the Norther * Star , of June 13 , IMS , there sp . pin in a letter from Xr O'Connor himself the following cttnuent . It is made in reference to this same Land Em question , and tin letter contains a statement of nil MUities * and' assets , ' which I shall often bice to refer itntlitditatsiioHbe dated . All I need at the present is fit following : —• la October Iwt , I wai vtrj hard presni for money ; &deed I hare always been so ; and on £ } return from the Continent I was served with a writ fcr £ » . li . 6 d . ; tietetyjtrtttwit tvm ever tenet tcitfc kngVfe . '

      I . —While in York Castle , he was served with a writ Bthe rait of Hr Lloyd , printmjMDScbine maker , Screth . wii , for the cost of a four-cjlindered machine he efered , and engaged to pay for partly before it was «» 3 y , and the remainder when ready . He eonld do raitr : and the party with the writ was admitted into & roam at the castle to * make service , ' as is well baira to the officials of the prison . ( . —He was alst , after his release frosa York Castle , Bred with a writ at the suit ef Tajlor , the medaUist , tf Birmingham , for payment for the medal struck in ( CauBemoratlon of that incarceration . " . —Mr Dempsey , the reporter , of London , caused him •» be cerred with a summons for a balance of account ta ; &nd I had the ' pleasure' of settling the affair by Win * for O'Connor both debt and costs .

      * . —0 a May 19 th , IBM , Mr O'Connor wrote to a friend rfmine to pay £ 85 . to bis lawyers ,- Messrs Yates and Iwaer , of Westminster , to save him from beiog "" tftf in execrtibn'ttat terj day ; for he had given a li re ' s order for the same , which was due . I have ted jeeenthat letter , and Mr Turner's receipt for the * 5 ; and Mr O'Connor has seen them also . * . —On April 8 th , 1 S 44 , Mr O'Connor again wrote to *« same friend , imploring him to pay £ 55 . to the same "fetors , to save Um from another arratin execution * ab letter and the receipt for the money I hare also ^ j seen ; and so has Mr O'Connor . lt -In addition te all this , be was lerred with a writ b tte streets of Manchester , for a debt arising out of a ^ transaction with the Messrs Hilton , formerly of Dar-* paper mills .

      U—In April , 1815 , Mr O ' Connor's present Land Plan •** asreed to . In the May or June cf that year , Mr 0 . * . Firming and myself were appointed by the provisional ^ amittee of the National Association of United Trades WrTfctmasDoncambe , M . P ., chairman ) , to draw np * jbn of general organisation fer thatsociety , and alto & ! ! tr the allocation aad employment of its members •* tte Land . In the prosecution of our duties , I had to Wat ont to Mr Fleming thetottxife point * of Mr O'CoBnort " * ane ; and a reference to the plan that resulted will j ^ U'at t hose weak points were not embodied in our j ™ ane . That plan , slightly modified , was agreed to by " * traaes' delegates in the latter end of July . 1818 .

      *• —That act did and dcet impose heavy penalties on Bkow acting in contravention of it , or trying « o evade ^ Pioiuions ; every oneo / tc&ieA peuaUkt Mr O'Connor ^ 'tofoedbo'llimidfaBdaouiattd * of others liable to . l *~ The lull extent of ¦ reliet' ii set forth above ; and ^ « ry nnal l relie f indeed ! All the oth er penalties Jjjjtf a . as thgy did , with someother new and additional 1 *—There it not one word of truth in the represen-. "OH , ^ . t (] ,. !<«„—n ,. c ... _ i > . M > n <» nt mmt be had be

      r ^ e proceedings can taken under the Joint Stock ^ Panics' A « s of 1814 « jkU 847 . From the beginning J ^ dof both acts , there is not a d « we , a line , or a BrJ t that so provides , directs , or enacts . On the cos"? the suing for the penalties is left fls open as it by ^ flitjcouldbe . * —In 1839 , there was a balance dne to him from r * * « 20 . in July of that year , he ( Mr O'Connor ) « » ied a : Tork ; in May , l « 0 , fie was sent to » he ^; . and fa September , 1841 , this man . who had a r" ! of fioo a year , alleged that there was a balance 6

      j j- —He Ufurmed me that he had spoken efitto ^ hd inends in the different towns , who had warmly l ^ fcd the scheme ; and several cf them bad recom-» vd to Mm as suit litely to aid in the under . Vkn t ^' ~ Whath 8 there saw and learned , as to Mr O'Con-* circumstances , induced him to advise that the ?* 9 'lould btpaiidovmiTe the machine left the pre-Z ** - Ttu facu had irom Mr Co upland himself ; a uSo iMe ! li * ent man , now in business for himself in * --The machine was set up , the « ype 'laid , ' men ,,. PW ; and at the latest mconant { when sureties at

      o MatSi P office had bttn found by a friend o f mrae , *« £ " * h 8 ri ° K him « tf any that the authorities W . » . pt ) ' with 3 . ° 00 itamPs b «» B »" t o * *« Thar *" - ^ * r O'Connor himself on the coach , the Northern

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      ^ mzzzsss ""• lUsfs SI *» tt « per and cashier for the Star . ^ szsss . 3 oha " ¦ entMwi * » - Star fir . t taw 11 . L mm bw&aUie » cii ) e « « tiw »« nm ^ .-. .. ^ T . nd balr-

      B ^" "l MtJ < l ' O' 00 ^* 1 »« « en « o York Castle . ^ nthe 7 o ^ Bgh ^ fflrJatoMt - 'h 9 "MtM « 4 to an the Yorkshire and Lucashire sgeaU , aad scoured aem oat ; of money . AU that he could p « vail upon to *«• «« •«• He got £ 4 » . from oneagent SaS Ta » ce , and good thumping sums from others ! —iirC * ? . * ?™ ° h 0 Me in Manchester ( which you wellkn 8 w ) had a debt owing tothem ofdE « OH ' . for paper supplied in 18 I 8 J > , « , d 40 ; the means which hoaldhaTegona to pay for it having allbeen abstracted tw f * d f aw V with by Mr O'Connor . Tfaareinlt wai that' we had most awful times « f it . ' » - —I do not mean that the Star was itself bank , r opt ; on the contrary , it from tha first was a property ; out fron the first its auauitMre abtlractod oteay ; and that , too . before they were realised . It was in constant

      jeopardy from the first hour of my connection with it to the last . . „ ... 28 . —And while wa knew that O'Connor or / mgU tw mfety , we also knew that he took plenty away .. What fcse'ldwitbitisoftfy-knewn to hhnsalt Our surmise —bo It correct or incorrect—was , that ha was deeply JnTolred from his cleotion contests ; and that be was paying off as tutu be eould . y ^ - " .. 34 . —I cannot sioacluds , though aven for the preient , without saying that for OH the slanders and libels he and William Rider heaped on the head cf John Ardill at this Hall of Science meetinr , O'Connor has , in the month of December last , aj » foji « e < J / or and BEnacrED—to save hUuelf from a protection ! The letters of apology and retractation , ( a his own handwriting , are on my table whilst I write .

      I now proceed to answer those twenty-five threats , guesses ^ and assertions , seriatim . 1 . —I wish Mr Hobson joy . He signed tl e deed the week before last in Manchester , and has , thereby , made himself particeps mnw nw , " a participator in the crime attachable by law'to the registered shareholders , and , therefore , when Mr Hobson proceeds , he must proceed against hhnself , as I would make iim a co-defendant in any suit or action brought against the Company . So that Mr Hobson has rendered himself liable for all the legal penalties . How the wicked are sometimes caught in their own trap !

      2 . — -There were about sixteen columns of his li unmitigated rubbish , " but the Conference cut it short to about six and a half columns , leaving out all the absurdities about births , deaths , marriages ; burials . , and so forth ; and I was the person who gave it the most vigorous opposition in its original form , and was on the committee that dipt it of its original huge proportions . 3 . —The directors would be quite right in not allowing such a fellow to enter the office .

      4 . —This investigator will never give you a more true picture of my pecuniary resources , as long as I was devoured by my reproducing staff , than I have given you myself , and all of which will go to show you how an honourable man , surrounded by villains , can straggle against adversity , without committing one dishonourable , dishonest , or mean act . The writ with which I was served , was for a bill of 20 / ., which I accepted for . James Leach ,. to start him in a printing concern , and which , he-assured met I should never hear of more—that fie would be prepared to take it up . The 21 . 4 s . 6 d . was

      for interest and costs , and all of which I paid , receiving principal and interest in slander and abuse ; and so chary was I of the Land money , that I borrowed a portion of that amount from Mr Wheeler , and gave him an order upon one of the London agents of the Star to repay it , although I had several hundreds of pounds of the Land money in my iron chest . 5 . —When Mr Lloyd made my second printingmachine—a doubte-cylindered one—itbroke down the first night it was put to work , and Mr Coupland , the overseer of Mr Lloyd , told Mr Hobson that he had cautioned his ' . master , and assured him that the under carriage would not stand , and that Hr Lloyd ' s answer was ,

      'That it was ' good enough for the money . ' Previously to this , I had ordered a four-cylindered machine , to cost 7002 . Mr Hobson mentioned what Coupland told him , and I instantly wrote , in 1839 , to countermand the four-cylindered machine . It cost me from 702 . to 901 . to repair the new machine before it printed a paper , and when Mr Lloyd found , in July or August , in 1810 , that I was fair game when in York Castle , he proceeded against me for 700 / ., for a machine which , I believe , has not yet been commenced ; and , knowing my chance against the law , I paid Mr Lloyd 300 / . to be let off the bargain , the law and the machine . Was not this a dishonourable act ?

      6 . —When I was in York Castle , Mr Taylor applied to me for the money , and Mr Ardill assured me that it had been paid , and , while caged , I could know nothing about my affairs . However , I presume Mr Taylor was paid . 7 . —This was some arrangement with Mr Dempsey , made , I believe , by Mr Cleave or Mr Hobson , and if my very pliant editor paid it , there is little doubt but he repaid himself , as he brought me in a bill of two , three , and four years' standing , when 1 dismissed him , ( and of which I had never heard a word before , ) for about 147 Z ., and for which I have the gentleman ' s receipt ; and , whether the money was due or not to Mr Detnpsey , I would have paid the amount rather than appear in such a

      case . 8 . —This 852 . was part of the costs due by me for the libel published on the Rev . Mr Anstey , of Rugby , by Messrs Hill and Hobson , and wh . ch I never saw till I was sued . The letter was to Mr John Cleave , to pay the same to Messrs Yates and Turner—Mr Cleave THEN , AS NOW , owing me , according to his own confession , made before the delegates assembled in London , in April , 1845 , a large sum of money . __ _ _ „ „ , Cleave

      9 —This other application was to Mr , and this was the way that I was compelled to require the payment of monies due to me , and these were the legal purposes to which my monies were applied . tf . aMr , TO This proceeding was taken by the solicitor Of the Manchester Bank , which stopped payment , havingabill ofminei made ^ payable to Messrs Hilton , p apermakers ,, for between 400 / . and 500 / . I sent over 200 / . m cash to Mr Ardill , and Mr Ardill sent the balance in little bills and notes that he had discounted for other parties , and which were not due , and they are entered in my cash book as t-A&H PAID on my account . Now , what does the reader think of that dishonourable transaction ,

      especially when 1 have a letter accompanying accounts forwarded by Mr Ardill , showing that the bankrupts' estate was indebted to me to the amount of 230 / . odd . 11 . —Mr Hobson tells you that his plan > as modified by the Trades—it was rejected by the Trades ; and a very pretty model for a Land Plan would have been Mr Hobson ' s proposition to the Trades , which , fortunately for : the

      Trades , George White exposed and had rejected , and for which the fair-play loving Hobson threatened George with exposure in the Star and now observe the consummate insolence of this brazen-faced fellow . When tlie Trades' Conference was about to meet , in Julv 1845 , Mr Hobson was at Huddersfield , and ' had the matchless effrontery to send a long leader to the Star , recommending the p ostponing the ^ Conference just about to be

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      ^ fw filJ 66 , " ^ P ™ d , upon the plea that the mind of the Trades was not sufficiently matured and informed upon the subjects to be discussed . This was sent to ae from the oflSce in print , and I put it behind the fire . The machinery at Harmony having failed , this canning boy' worked heaven and earth to impose the Socialist leaders as managers of the National Trades ' affair . " . ' •• . 12 77 ? the thousands of others , of course , A ^ A w means a 11 who have signed the deed , and-which-assertion is answered in my reply to proposition No . 1 . 13- —This is the funniest relief ever offered held to an inifofimfa ««_;« j ¦¦ ¦¦ ii , ..

      to parties looking for relief . " It reminds me of the Peruvian Inca , who was mercifull y told that if he turned to the true faith , he should not be strangled , he should only be hung . " The Act of 1847 , which repeals the onerous clauses in the Act of 1844 , sets forth , that the concoctors and founders of Joint-Stock Companies are relieved from all those penalties , and the amount of relief which Josh , tells you the act grants is the perpetuation of the penalties it repeals , with the addition of others and more

      stringent ones . If it wasn ' t for the fun of giving yoiLa laugh at this fellow ' s knobstick law , I would content myself with referring ' you to the clause itself , and to the able treatise of a barrister , printed in the "Labourer" fer November , and in the Star of last week ; but as it is well to keep things clearly in view , here is the clause again : — IT . And whereas by the said recited Act the promoters of any company formed for any purpose within the meaning of the said Act , are , amongst other things , required to return to the Office for the Registration of

      Jomt-Stock companies a copy of erery prospectus , handbill , or circular , or advertisement , or other such document , at any time addressed to the publio . or to the subscribers or others , relative to the formation or modi fication of such company : And whereas the registration of such prospeetuses and advertisemeats has been found to he wry burdensome to the promoters of such companies , and it is desirable to relieve sach promoters froai the necessity thereof , and in lieu thereof to substitute the proTisioos herein-alter contained j be it , therefora enacted , that s « much of the tali Aet as Is lattlj herein-before recited shall be and the same is hereb y repealed .

      14 . —My friends , it is really past patience to have the task of commenting upon this fellow ' s ignorance , imposed upon one whose time is precious . Read the 77 th clause of the Act—and here itis to refresh your memory;—LXXVII . And he it enacted , That it shall not be lawfal for any person to commence or prosecute anj Action , Bill , Plaint , Information , or Prosecution in any of her Hajt sty ' s Superior Courts , for the

      Recovery of any Penalty or Forfeiture incurred by reason of any Offence committed against this Act , unless the same be commenced or prosecuted in the Name and with the Consent of her Majesty ' s Attorney General ; and that if any Action , Bill , Plaint , Information , or Prosecation , or any Proceeding before any Justices as aforesaid , shall be commenced or prosecuted in the Name of any other person than is in that behalf before mentioned , the same shall ba and are hereby declared to be nnll and void .

      Now , then , what do you think of this blunderbuss i 15 . —Now , nothing could be more foolish than this fellow ' s meddling with the Star accounts , and for this very reason , because it only induces me to look more minutely into them ; and now I pray your best attention to the following fact . Up to June , 1839 , the Star accounts were kept by a practical accountant , and , observe , this was nearly two years of its most trying necessity ; and next week I will publish for you the ba . lances , as they appears in thecash book , from the beginning to that date , showingalarge balance a . t the close of each month due to me , and riot a single figure altered . I will also show you

      the entries of monies acknowledged to be paid by Mr O'Connor to the account of the Star ; and this gentleman , who had been thirty-five years in a most extensive mercantile house in the City , was sent adrift by Messrs Ardill and Hobson , because he kept the accounts too well ; and from the very day that he leaves—when the circulation is largest—every figure in the cash book is altered , and in thireeen months 1 lose my balance , and owe 2 , 3451 ! I " Now , Timkins , figures is figures , but not immovable , I am sorry to say , Timkins ; dates is dates , Timkins , and Facts are chiels that winna ding , An' caana be refuted . ' '

      But it is a curious circumstance that the proprietor of a money-making newspaper should be the only person connected with it that was always in distress , while the paupers who have been transformed into capitalists have been the greatest , indeed , the only gainers . 16 . —Ohl Holy Moses ! I received several letters from Huddersfield , where Josh , was best known , and from Barnsley , where I originally intended starting the Star , cautioning me against having anything to do with Josh . 17 . —The money , without a second application , was paid for the machine , and what could Mr Coupland learn about me ? May not

      even the most trifling affair be wrapped up in mystery by a disappointed splenetic rascal , whose glory and boast is , that he is" AS GOOD A HATER AS COBBETTj" that I have heard him repeat over a thousand times . 18 . —This is not even a lie with a circumstance—it ' s a palpable lie—an unmitigated lie . I took Messrs Ainsworth and Halliday , fwho knew me long and knew me well , and who were on my election committee in 1835 , ) from Oldham to the Stamp-office at Leeds , and , to the best of my opinion , neither of those gentlemen had ever set eyes upon Mr Joshua Hobson-ontil that day . Now , what must this fellow think of himself , or what must the public think of him ?

      19 . —Was I wrong in christening friend John "The Lucky Boy ? " There was an Irish Jockey who seldom lost a race—he ' d spit in his adversary ' s eye , cross him or jostle him , but could not draw his money out of declining clubs , or watch the turn of the market , nor was he a calculator of figures , or of anything but a horse ' s speed , and they christened him " The Lucky Boy . " Now just read this nineteenth proposition , by which it appears John gave his days to Hobson and his nights to me , and by an arrangement on the "

      community principle , " by which the expense of insurance , coals , gaSi and partl y rent , fell upon me , "The Lucky Boy" was enabled , while receiving 1002 . from me for his whole service , to put by the whole of that , by an arrangement made with his host Josh . 'Fore Gad , but this Josh , has been a very hospitable fellow at my expense ; all I know is , that I put by nothing , and when Cleave ' s case is disposed of I shall have to refresh the host ' s memory with a grateful return he received from his guest .

      20 . —Now , follow me through the inextricable labyrinth into which this incomprehensible ass lias p lunged himself . I was tried at York , I think , on the 17 th of March—that was my second trial—after the trial I left for London , thence I repaired to Liverpool , where I was to be tried again in Ap ril ; after the Liverpool trial I repaired to London , thence to Hastings , where , from rowing without mv coat , I got an inflammation on my lungs , and was on my back for a week or ten days , and , in consequence of which , the judgment passed by the Queen ' s Bench upon me was postponed for ten days or a ; fortnight . From thence I was taken to the Queen ' s Bench , and thence to York Castle . I didn ' t receive 400 J . nor 40 / ., nor , on my soul I believe , a fraction , nor did I try , from any agent connected

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      with tte Mrffern . Star , nor had I time to traverse Lancashire and Yorkshire . Now IS 8 -A Hl of tWs gabeyi He thinks withShendan , « Tfaata lie is as good as the truthas tong as / it lasts ;" 21 . —Nowior a finisher . In October , 1819 there was * -large b | U due to Messrs Wrigley and Co ., for : paperVas the winding up of mv transartron ^ wit&ithat house , and to procure S ^ r ^ ivtS ®^ order th * t the Star SHOULD NOT . Bfe CRIPPLED , I went to Ireland ; ln O ctober , 183 »; thrashed out mv whole harvest , letniy dairies to dairymen at ten per cent , underthe value , upon condi . tion of receiving ready moner : sold corn nn . .. . n . .. « . ., . ., ,

      atoes , hay , andstock ;; came to Manchester he very day the bill was due , paid the money to Messrs Wrigley oi , t of my 6 wb property not . receiving the fraction of a farthing from ' the Star , and this IM because I was ^ to be called- up for jud gment in November , 1839 , for the verdict of « guilt y" f ound ^ gainst m 7 at York in . July , 1839 . And before ! went into York Castle I met a Mr Cartrijtht—i ' thirik tKai was his name—who was the traveller for / HiK ton ' s house , and I arranged my account up . t ^ that period with him ; and yetj by the settlem ' e ' ntfof my accojwtsywhen I caine oufcof York Castle ^ it would appeaf ^ s ift " dWedlver 4 , 000 Z . when I was put in there .

      2 ? . —I have shown , as far - * az the accounts are concerned , or , rather , I shall distinctly show from figures , next week , that during the time that Mr Williams was my clerk , up . to June , 1839 , there was always a large balance in my favour at the end of each month , while there ' s not a single entry in the cash book of one fraction advanced b y Ardill , . or Hobson , or any man living but myself . In very ^ truth it was in constant jeopardy , from the very first

      hour of this gentleman s connection with it , and from the hour that I got rid of my staff to the present hour the Star has been a profitable property , and , I think that this is the fitting place to offer a comment or two upon the general management of the Star from the week that it came to London till the week that Messrs Ardill and Hobson left the establishment , and fr « mthat week to the present .

      The leaders will remember that the delivery was late , four weeks in five j they will remember the same page being printed twice over in the same number ; they will remember the four and five column leaders of rubbish about Odd Fellows , the Grey Family / Tulips , and other subjects—leaders written at the hour when the paper should be at press , Mr Hobson sitting between Cobbet fs Register and the Times newspaper for the week , making a hash of the past and present , and then spicing it to the amount of 4 l . odd in one week charged for editorial corrections , additions , and alterations , and not

      unfrequently . from 3 ? . to 8 t . paid by the printer for late postage of the papers . Such was the management of the Star under those gentlemen , all my servants going weekl y without their wages , receiving I O U ' s from Mr Ardill while , again , in April 1845 , it appeared that I owed this gentleman a further sum of between 700 Z . and 1 , 000 / ., and for 500 / ., of which he preferred my editor ' s security to my own , or rather requested him as joint security , his library being valued at 600 ? . or 700 / . ; and from that hour , till I got rid of him , he received every fraction of the money due by the agents ,

      and I did not receive 50 / . from that day till I got rid of him , which was eight or nine months , and when he left me , as the books show , he had to pay me a balance of 8 / ., after receiving all the money ; and when I was pressed , wrote to Mr , Heywood of Manchester not to advance me a farthing . This , the whole case , I submitted to counsel , along with my books and the agreement , and I read counsel ' s opinion for Mr Ardill , in presence of my nephew and Mr M'Gowan , and which , I believe , induced Mr Ardill to spttle . A copy of that opinion is at the service of the Manchester Examiner , but

      I did not act upon it , and I also transmitted a copy of the case and opinion to Mr Ardill . Now , since those gentlemen left , the Star has been a different paper—the delivery has rarely been late , the servants have never left the office on Saturday without their full wages , nor has there been a dispute or an angry word spoken at the office . But , while upon this branch of the subject , let me turn it to the more material , the more glorious purpose , —to the purpose of convincing the world how , in the midst of these trying circumstances , with thousands of the Land money in my possession from April , 1845 , to Christmas , of the same year , I was giving this man security , and borrowing money rather than touch a fraction

      of that which had been committed to my trust . Is that an answer for you , ruffian ? Or , have you a swallow large enough to gul p that ? 23 . —I was ousted by an election committee in July , 1835 , and let the ruffian write to Messrs Yates and Turner , who were my solicitors then , and have been ever since , and ask them whether ever ousted member paid the whole costs so promptly as I did ; or if I owed them a fraction in 1836 , much more in 1837 , ' 38 , or ' 39 . And now , as to the tailors' and shoemakers' bills that came to the office from Ireland and London : —the day I started the Star , I didn't owe 100 / . in the world , nor half the money . But , if this fellow doesn't know what became of the money , I do .

      24 . —I did write an apology to John Ardill at that date , and offered to pay for its insertion in the Leeds Mercury and in the Star ' . j and I received a letter in answer from John Ardill , saying that the apology was more insulting than the libel , and one from his solicitor , stating Mr Ardill ' s readiness to submit the accounts to arbitration . 1 then wrote another apology , again offering to pay for its insertion , but it never was ' published ; and I wrote that apology upon the grounds that , for the first time , 1 understood Mr'Ardill was willing to submit the accounts to arbitration , and to go

      fairly into them , thus leaving the field clear of prejudice for all parties . I then pat the affair into Mr Roberts's hands , when Mr Ardill appointed Joshua Hobson , of Leeds , ACCOUNTANT , ( bless the mark !) as arbitrator upon his part , and I appointed a gentleman upon my part , objecting to Mr Hobson , under any circumstances , as well from incompetency as malevolence . Itwas then proposed to submit the accounts to Mr Richard Oastler , and to this I acquiesced ; but I am now resolved , as soon as Cleave ' s case is over , to submit them to a court of justice .

      As to William Rider ' s slander and libel—as it is called—there was much of it I never heard before , and he stated his willingness to take his oath as to the correctness of his every assertion . I have now answered those several propositions , and I'll make a flying commentary upon matters that are mixed up with the " Lucky Boy ' s" interesting biography . With regard to Mr Bower , who supplied the type—I never was sued by him : 1 never saw the man three times

      in my life . I never had an angry word with him or a dispute ; but I'll tell you what happened . Josh , purchased 500 / . worth of printing materials upon my account , and on my return to London , I mentioned the amount—being wholly ignorant of the matter myself—to a person who had been connected with the printing department of the True Sun newspaper , when he opened his eyes and said , " Good God , sir , for a weekly newspaper ?' I replied , " Yes . " "Impossible , sir / he answered . However , I paid it , and very shortly

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      after Josh ., who borrowed 10 / . to bring . him to Leeds , started a splendid printing establishment ; and , curious to say , anlimmense quantity of type called Long Primer , useful to printers , and which was only used for the Star up to the 9 th of March , 1838 , ( four months after its establishment ) vanished from my side of the street to Jdsh . ' s side of the street . In 1840 , 1 think , I made him a present of a printing . press that , as well as I remember , cost me lOOguineas . When I wanted to purchase new type for the Star , I made a contract myself ; and purchased more than enough for 84 / . And this bill of

      Bower ' s does not include CASES , and many other things which Josh , ordered in Bradford ; charging me 12 s . 6 d . for going there ( ten miles from Leeds . ) And here , as a stopper and an extinguisher to-the oft-repeated assertion , that I had written laudatory letters of both Hdbson and ArdilLmy answer is—andit ' safinisher—that I was not aware of their doings' until they left men and until , for the first time , I got hold of ntftowri books * And here , I may observe , that irnfiyer could Jell how I stood , because not n Mumn was added up until shortly before Ardill i letV ty e ,. Andas . to the bother about

      enmy SSS ^! I John' ; Ardill , the fact is this—he came to tWoffice the ^ first-night the Star was printed / without my engaging him at all , and remained there , tillthe close } and I . didnot engage him till some time after the Star was establish ' edhe engaged . himself , and this fact I am able to prove from the variance of one word in a sentence published by Hobson in last Saturday ' s Examiner—that is , the Examiner of the 13 thand from which I undertake to convict him of

      a piece of monstrous villany , such as the greatest fiend would blush at . To conclude my observations upon Hobson ' a letter in the Examiner of the 6 th of November , I must only say , that I wish him extreme joy , if he is still proud of his connexion with Mr ArdULafter reading his two ' community' letters published in the Star of the 6 th inst ., and I shall now proceed to remark upon one single piece of villany practised b y Mr Hobson in the Examiner of last Saturday . He pays : —

      I am obliged to a correspondent in last Tuesday ' s Examiner tor setting raeoa the scent of a pamphlet published by Mr jO'Connor himself , at the latter end of 1843 , entitled « Reply to Mr Hill ' s Scabbard . ' In It I find much tbat will ba useful in the way of corroboration f my statements . For the present I eontent myself with the extracts that correspondent gave . Theyfvily tear me ou «—and expow the mute who could write tte » as he did , knowing the facts to be untrue ; or who could say and write nott as he doee ,. knowing the facts formerly put forth to faa true . It is necessary to remark tbat it is to Mr Hill that O ' Connor is writing in the following extracts : —

      ' Mr Ardill , who has been in my employment sines the Nerthrn Star commenced , had tome money of Mi own unemployed , and which he kindly lent to some friends who could make use of it ; you among the number . In process of time Mr Ardill entered into some extentlre speculations of his own . He purchased a plot of ground and some but'dings , and ereoted about fourteen good dwelling houses as well : he took a large farm and stocked it , and furnished his house . He also entered into the cardmaking business , purchasing the requisite machinery . TheBe speculations abiorbed all biB capital , and made it n « ceB 8 ary for him to call in what was in the hands of hie friends ; years among tbe rest . You knoiv tbat he rare

      you notice to tbat effect ; and you know that yon were unable to meet his demands . What was your case , was also the casa with others . And there was Hr Ardill , ftoi ( A plenty of money ofhitoun , locked up in your bands and in the hands of others , but yet unable to meet his own demands , and tbe demands tbat I had upon him —Seplyte flMlV Scdblara ~ , ' pageU , Now , then , prepare your ears for the exposure of the blackest piece of villany ever practised by mortal man . The portion of my pamphlet written to Mr Hill in 1843 , to which the above paragraph refers , was in consequence of an assertion , made by him that he had been a party to procure a l&an of 300 ? . for me , from the Rev . Mr Scholefield , and that John Ardill had also been a party to the same transaction ;

      and never having heard a sentence of it , as soon as I read Mr Hill ' s pamphlet , I instantly enclosed it to Ardill and Hobson for explanation . And now mark the source from whence this supposed laudation of John Ardill by me came . Here I print from the manuscript of Joshua Hobson himself , attested by a number of creditable witnesses , the very matter which he charges me with having written , and which he thanks a correspondent for having sent ! I give you it unaltered , together with his letter accompanying it , and while it stamps him as a rascal , you may also cull some perfumed words from this sentimental writer , who repudiates the use of vulgar language . Here is the

      letter—Leeds , Monday night , Jany . 12 , 1844 . Dear Sir , —Enclosed you have Ardill ' s answer to Mr Hill ' s attack upon him . The first is as though it was from your pen , we thinking it would be move forcible in that shape ; and the repl y to tbe second edition , is in the first person , from Ardill himself . Of course you can make what other comments , on either head , you please . Here you have the facts—Here is the manuscript from which Hobson's quotation is taken : —

      I now approach your last " fact j" your " one fact more . " And here I must confess my utter want of words to describe your meanness ; your unparalleled baseness , treachery , and infamy . These are far beyond all that I ever conceived of , much more met with in actual life . But we will first have your own words ; and damning and damnable words they are . Here is your " fact . " * * *

      When I read your " fact , " I was amazed . You know that every word of it , every scintilla of it , was perfect news to me you know that of the transaction which you have thus cooked-up for me , T was entirely , utterly , absolutely ignorant . You know that to vie it was a perfect blank ; for you knew that I had been purposely kept ignorant of the little foundation even that you had for your " fine story . "

      It was natural , therefore , that I should inquire , and endeavour to learn what " it was all about . " I have inquired ; and found to my sorrow that the transaction proves you to be the veriest rascal—the most ungrateful and incomprehensible scoundrel on earth . The " facts" are as follow : —That Mr Ardill , who has been in my employ almost ever since the Northern Star commenced , had some money of his own unemployed , and which he kindly lent to some of his friends who could make use of it , you amongst the number . In process of time , Mr . Ardill entered into speculations of his own . He purchased a plot of ground , and some buildings , and he erected some fourteen

      dwellings more . He also entered into the card-making business , purchasing for that purpose the requisite , machinery , These speculations " absorhed " his capital , and made it necessary for him to draw-in what was in the hands of his friends , your amongst the rest . You know thai he gave you notice to that effect ; and you know that you was unable to comply with his demand . What was your case , was the case with others ; and there Mr . Ardill

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      ( locked-up 'in your hands and in the hands of others ) ; but yet unable to meet his own demands , and the demands that I had on him . It therefore became a serious queslion with him what he was to do . He con . stilted mthfoU , '' Md another mutual friend . By all three it was deemed : the most advisable course to open a bankin g account for Mr . Ardill , so that money could be procured from thence , till Mr . Ardill could get his own out of the hands of his friends . It was at that conference that

      words were used by Mr . Ardill , which you have twisted so horribly to bear against me , Mr Ardill explained that his affairs had come to such a pass , that if he had not hel p from somewhere he must stop . He said " I must either force the payment of the monies due to me , or sell my property , to enable me to meet the engagements / am bound tomeetfii this account with the bank cannot be procured : " and he further

      explained that if such account could be opened , he would not press those who had his money for payment , but allow them to retain it to a more , convenient season—you aJnon ^ yHhe rest . To get this banking account , a security for some three hundred pounds was wanted . It was arranged that you should apply to a friend you named . You went for that purpose . You had to go several times . Before the matter was closed vou were

      discharged irom the Star .. You went once after that ,, telling Mr . Ardill that my conduct towards you had made no difference jn your friendship for him ; and that if you could serve him ( and yourself ) you would . SHU you failed . You did not ^ prevaU ou your friend to give the security asked for . You e ^ ow that that security was procured by another person ; and you know also that that ( act made no difference in Mr . Ard ' uTs conduct towards you . He allowed you to retain money you had in your hands belonging to him .

      Now you well know that of the entire of this transaction I was profoundly ignorant ; and purposely kept so . You know that you , yourself , explained to the gentlemen you asked to give security that I did not know of it ; and you even requested him not to tell me . You know that the account was opened at another and a different bank from tbat with which I dealt . You know that the necessity for it arose as

      abovestated , and that with that necessity I had nothing to do . You know that it was solely to accommodate Mr . Ardill and yourself , that you went all your journies , and took all your pains , ( and which , bythe-by , Mr Ardill paid you for ) ; and now you would repre&ent tbat the necessity was mine ; and that you had endeavoured to do the favour for me . Out upon you ! you Rev . rascal !

      ' The infamy of this affair consists in the attempt to ruin other parties—and parties too who have befriended you—io get at me ! to ruin them by blasting their credit . Your purpose was to alarm the bank Mv Ardill deals with ; to alarm his security ; to get them to close upon him , in the faint hope that their doing that might possibly reach me ! Commend me for gratitude and deoilism to a " Parson , " whether Snob or " legitimate ! "

      Now , my friends , need I say more ? Have I not fully exposed " the knave who would write ihen as he did . , knowing the facts to be untrue , or whs ) could say and write now as he does , knowing the facts formerly put forth to be true ?" Just allow me to ask you , what the most degraded wretch living . must now think of Hobson j he writes a letter for me , in 1844 , of his and Ardill ' s concoction , about an affair of which I was purposely kept ignorant , and in 1847 he quotes the most savage and crushing extract from this , his own letter , as though it

      was written by me ; but read Hobson ' s note of the 14 th January , 1844 , in which the manuscript from which the above is printed was enclosed , and say if a more cunning rascal lives . Also , mark the strong evidence it affords against the possibility of Ardill adranc ing money for rae ; he speaks OF HIS LIABILITIES TO ME , and tells you how his capital was absorbed in speculations ; and always bear in mind that Hobson writes the above as ARDILL'S ANSWER TO HILL Perhaps there never appeared in print a more complete conviction of an accuser ; yet , as

      I am resolved to leave no part of this whole subject unravelled , I promise you a finish ol this affair in next week ' s Star , and with which I close , and in that I will not only anal yse every one of this fellow ' s last assertions , but I wjll convict him , out of his own mouth , of high crimes and misdemeanours , and offences ; and I promise him a revelation for which he is but little prepared . I have received numerous letters about other cunning backers of this fellow at Huddersfield , whose Emigration Scheme I spoilt , and who had much better mind their own affairs . There are a good MANY GOODDIES IN AND FUOM HUDDERSFIELD , who have done their little best , but I wish them joy . I promise you that there shall be no more of this in your paper , as I shall finish all next week , and it has been my pride that , since I dismissed my stuff the " Star , " has ceased to be a receptacle for the abuses ' of disappointed men . You will observe that I have given more of Hobson ' s and Ardill ' reply to Hill than Hobson has published from the

      pamphlet ; and you will also see that its authenticity is vouched b y Mr Harney , HIS sub-editor , Mr Rider , HIS clerk , and Messrs M'Gowan , printer of Hobson ' s articles . I have yet ten folios of the joint production of Ardill and Hobson , the manuscript from whichmy reply to Hill was printed , and if I haven ' t been as good as my word , whon I pvwmised Josh , a bolus that he wouldn't swallow . no pledge has ever been redeemed . I now leave this filthy beast in his filthy mire . I have convicted him out of his own mouth , for

      " MINE ENEMY HATH WRITTEN A BOOK . " I remain , Your faithful and unassailable friend , FeARGUS O'CONNOH . P . S—Now , my friends , you must see the ta * that the exposure of such villany imposes upon both you and me—it monopolises my time , which may be more profitabl y employed for you , and it imposes no small amount of trouble upon me ; and , therefore , having now finished Tom Bailey , the « Whistler , " and Hobson , I shall leave them to your tender mercies after next week , to deal with them as you think they deserve . It is now nearly three o ' clock Monday , and at

      halfpast four I am about to start for Liverpool with Mr Doyle to purchase thirty spanking horses at -a bankrupt ' s sale , to work for weavers , and tailors , and operatives , and then I shan ' t have enough ! What will Tom Bailey say to that ? I sit up all this night travelling to Liverpool . I sit up all to-morrow night , travelling from Liverpool to London ; and oo Thursday . I take my seat in the Senate House of the Nation . F ' ° ' £ - / '< Wo , the undersigned , have compared the-&id ; extract with the MSS . from which it hasHbofft . printed , and being well acquainted with thefiaud ^ writing of Mr Joshua Ilobaeu , we certify tha £ ) he " MSS . was written by him , and that this extraotia . a verbatim copy . G . J . HiBNKY . L' : . W . Ridkk . - - \ D . M'Goww . C ' - ¦ ¦ -

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      - ^^ . ¦ r /^ t /^^ ' 7 m * zpT !— M > NATIONAL tlMMF IoInaJ ,. " ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦

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      d VUli XI MO KOfi — — • _ ' ; , =--1- ' 3 * b- LONDON SATURDAY , NOTJEMBER 20 \ 8 i 7 ~~~~ ~^ ~ ~~ '" ' ' * * f Iw Shilling , sixpence per Quarter xi ' ... . . ¦

      Joshua Hobson.

      JOSHUA HOBSON .

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Nov. 20, 1847, page unpag, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1445/page/1/