Current:

Northern Star (1837-1852), 20th November 1841, Edition 2 of 4, Page 4, Untitled Article

Page 4
Page 4
4 of 8

On this page

  • Departments (2)
    • THE NORTHERN STAR. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1841. '
    • 3To l&iaBettf antt Corci0$OttlYent&
  • Text (12)
  • Transcript

    • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

      Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

      Untitled Article

      MAHCHEST / EB . SOUTH LANCASHIRE DEJJBGATB MEETING . The above meeting took > la © ewi Sunday last , in fl » Chartist room , Brown- street , East Manchester . Delegates present—Mr .. James Cartledge , for Wamngton ; Mr . Henry . Nuttall , Titotoel , Manehester ; Mr . JohuCrow tke ^ Waterhead-Malls ; Mr . "Wm Groweott . Bro ra-street , Manchester ; Mr . bright Swift , Stalj aridge ? Mr . Jwph . Lomas . Strand-street , Mane " ' jester ; Mr . Rjctrard Haalem ,

      Oldham ; Mr . Rich * A Littler , Salrerd ; Mr . J « siah Collier , Failswortb . and Bollingwood ; Mr . Henry Stansfield , tailors * j * d shoemakers , Manchester ; Mr . David Morrison , . fteles ; Mr . Charles Cennor , Miles jlsttiiyr , Mancb eakw ; Mr . Jonah Sehofield , Droyls-< jen and Opensh **; Mr . John Deotson , Boden-lane ; Mr . Joshua Br « s , Pilkinirton ; Mr . Robert Ward , Middleton ; M x . Wittwto Mitehell , Sbavr ; Mr . Edward Bradley , Moesky ; Mr . £ « ba Bynra , Newton-Heath . ' ' Mr . Jobs Cfeftwrasa was mlled to the ehair .

      The bosi ocsb was opened by a discussion upon the droumsta-jee-of there being two delegate meetings held in ? oath . Lancashire * fc the same time , one it Oldham a » d the other at Manchester . Several 4 elegaW b rase aad -said they had been-asked whelker there b * d been a flplit in the Charts ranks in tb&t county . Mr ^ HjsLSB f « se and said , that so far as there being « y split , fee thought it would be at once disco ve . ipd that there could be no such intention os the part -of the Qb&am Chartists , because they had sent a delegate to represent them at that meeting which ha -conceived looked sothine like a split . Some ohservatieas were made by oilier Delegates , and the

      subject dropped . Mr . IattLbm . remarked thai there was an-urgent necessity for a lecturer , because the good which had been accomplished fcy Mr . Leach ought "be done eeually so by a lecturer . possessing ihe same abilities . He likewise complained of the neglect of ¦ any of the lecturers in imk attending to their appointments ; he had been compelled to officiate eight or nine tines . Meetings had been ealkd which had beea nameroaely attended , and no person to address them , wfekk was calculated , when often repeated , to injure the cause . Mr . Loius thought the best way to -Avoid such £ sappoiBunentfi was to allow no name to be put upon the plan bus who weald either pledge himself to attend , cr preride a saitakle person u > offieiate for

      Mr . Littles , moved that each delegate oome prepared to state the names of those to be pat upon the plan , likewise the propriety of electing a county lecturer , and who he sbeoM be . The motion was then seconded , pat * and earned unanimously . A long discussion then coauaenoed upon the drawing np of the plan , in order to so arrange it as to Bait the time and convenience of the various lecturers , and about the ill-effects of one man being teo « ftea gent to the same plaee . Mr . Caktledgk , secretary , perfectly agreed with that , inasmuch as he had been placed in the situation of the re * " and his ass , who tried to please everybody and lost his ass into the bargain , Mr . Lokas said they had at first very large meetings , but in consequence of lecturers not coming according to appointments , the meetings had of late fallen off . Five lecturers hadbeenplanned for Strandstreet , and out of that number only one < Mr . Griffin )

      had attended . Mr . Morbisox and other delegates made the same complaints . At Eccles they would neither plaee confidence in notices verbally or by bills , having several times been disappointed . It certainly was very disheartening , after placarding , to have nobody . His constituents wonld believe no one until he actually die wed his face-Mr . Jem * Leech , of Hyde , said they could have very large meetings at that town , but when they assembled to the number of two thousand , they had to £ 0 away again as they came . Mr . James Leach noticed through the Star , that he would lecture at StaJybridge and Hyde . He went to the former , but at Hyde , though there was a meeting of three thousand people , no one came . Such proceedings had dose them great injury . Mr . Nth-tall brought forward the following resolution , which was earned unanimously : —

      ** That there be a committee appointed , consisting f persons from each ward in Manchester , to assist the secretary in drawing up the plan for the next three months , and that each district in South Lancashire requiring lecturers , do distinctly inform the secretary , how often they want lectures , the sights on which they must attend , also the names and residents of all persons in their various localities who are willing to be put upon the plan as lecturers , ; ike nights apon which they can attend , and the distance to which they can conveniently go ; and that the above , and every other information be sent to j the secreiary , Mr . James Cartledge , 34 , Lomas- ! street , twenty-one days previous to the expiration of the present plan . "

      It was also agreed that in order to prevent any disappointment for the fnture , the secretary be furnished with the names and residence of all lecturers as early as possible , so that as soon as those on the plan find out that they cannot attend according to the time mentioned , he may be able to supply their places , in order to carry out which , he must have a list of persons likely to fill up in case of emergency . A discussion ensued upon the forthcoming Convention , and it was stated that the sum required for Lancashire was £ 45 103 . , Mr . SiAXEriELD said before they proceeded to nominate a person as delegate , they must know j where they were to get the wages and means 1 from . ¦ Mr . Haslex wondered what so much money was

      for , if they only had to sit bo short a time . Were i they to receive ' £ 5 per week ! If so , according to ; the state of the people who had to pay them their ' wages would be too high . Mr . Littler argued that so far as raising the money was concerned , he for his part saw no very great difficulty , and be lieved that if every delegate did his duty , it would be raised . Several delegates thought it was an impropriety in the Executive for calling such a Convention . Mr . Cartridge—The Executive was elected by the whole of the members , and , if they must have an Executive , so far as they acted consistently and for the general prosperity of the cause , both they and their measures must be supported .

      Mr . Gbiffi 3 said that each delegate would receive two pounds per week , their expencea there and back , and 10 sit four weeks only . Mi . NrrtAij , —The -wages -were not at all what should be taken into consideration . The members of the Convention , when assembled , intended to m&ke as great a display as possible , to rouse the working men of the metropolis ; and , if they would allow turn the phrase , to make the very stones of the street rise and support the petition—and likewise to infase & determined spirit through the United Kingdom . This , of course , would be attended with great expence ; the money must be raised ; and , for his pars , he would do what he could—they ought not to Bcruple for a moment , but go immediately to work . Messrs . Lither , Staxsfieuj , Gbawcott , and "Wood pledged themselves that their portion of the expences should be forthcoming at the appointed time .

      Mr . Wood said that bis district sent betwixt thirty and forty pounds to the first Convention . They had not been so well organised since the 12 th of August , but he would do all he could . Sir . Chahlzs Consor said the Chartists of North Lancashire considered themselves a district of themselres ; they were very poor ; they would select a member who would be satisfied to represent them in the Convention for just what they could afford to give him . Mr . 2 s tnrrAix rose to bring forward a motion that a levy of one halfpenny per week should be made upon the members for the next five weeks , which was te be understood as the Convention halfpenny .

      Mr . Haslem said they had a Church parson who prevented them from collecting money at their rooms . If they had a lecture and charged for admission , be cr some of bis spies were present ; and if they got np a tea party , he did all he could to entrap them . It was ultimately agreed that a delegate meeting should be held on the 18 : h of December , when every delegate would be expected to bring twopence per member , which would be half what each member would have to pay , with an understanding that the other half would be forthcoming when wanted . Mr . James Leach was put in nomination for the South Lancashire District . Mr . Nuni . LL moved a vote of thanks to Mr , Cartledge for his exertions as secretary .

      Messrs . Stansfield , Cartledge , and Griffin were appointed to draw up an address to the Chartists and working men of South Lancashire . Mr . Cabxledob moved u that every delegate do what he could towards assisting Mr . Dawsoq , of Oldham . "

      Carried . It was likewise resolved , " That every lecturer adopt the plan of Feargus O'Connor in waiting to enroll names to the association , and receive signatures to the petition . " A vote of thanks was Riven to the Chairman , and the delegates dispersed after six boar ' s kitting .

      Untitled Article

      SHEFFIELD . ( From our own Correspondent . ) Chastists Prepare !—The anti-Corn Law humbngs held , last Monday , a hoJe-and-eor-ntr meeting is . the Cutlers' Hall , to which , only the favoured few were admitted by circular . We understand that his Lordship , the autocrat of "Went worth , was present , together with a number of the Plutocracy of Sheffield and its neighbourhood . A new humbug was started , namely , " A Society for the promotion of free trade . " Want of -Bpace prevents us taking farther notice of this empty bag ot moonshine upon the present occasion . In the meantime , we say , Char tists be watchful—prepare , and

      Untitled Article

      should the knaves dare to show themselves ' . n public , drab them again , as you ' ve drubbed them , before . Sunday Evemho Lsct 0 * b .-tMt . G \ ll lectured on Sunday evening ; subject— "Usary , » jidits effects on society . " The room was crowded b ] a respectable and attentive audience . The lecturer entered at great length into the subject of hia disooarse ; concluding his address bj noticing and . Tefutuift certain mifstatement of the Sheffield Irdependmt . The thanks of the meeting were awarded t » Mr . Gill for Ms instructive address . It was annomnced that Mr . Otley would lecture on next Sunday evening .

      Public Meeting . —A public meeting catted far the adoption of the National Petition was held on Monday evening last , in the Town Hall . Owing to s * me mismanagement , the placards calling the meeting were not pested until twelve o ' clock-en the day cf meeting , and fcenoe but a comparatively small number of the Chartists knew of the meeting ; notwithstanding this "untoward event , abootr eight hundred persona w *» assembled , who iestiiUd by tbeir hearty enthusiasm the lively interest they took in the proceedings . Mr . March was called to the chair . Mr . Gill wad the petition , and moved its adoption . Mr . Harrison aeconded the adoption of the petition , which was unanimonsly adopted . Mr . J . Harney proposed the following resolution : — That this

      meeting 'having adopted the National Petition , pledge themselves to exert their every energy to make that document a really national demand for the restoration of the people ' s tight . And this meeting spproring of the instructions of the Executive Council , pledge their support to the Convention ot 1842 . " Mr . M'Kettrick seoonded themotion , whicb was carried with but one dissentient . Mr . West . the West-Riding lecturer , then addressed the meeting at great length , and was loudly cheered . He challenged discussion ; bat no one opposed him . Mr . ( Barney , at the conelusien , moved the following resolution : — "That this meeting having heard with

      pleasure the noble , eloquent , and energetic address of Mr . West , of Macolesfield , return him their hearty thanks ; and being of opinion that that gentleman would do honour to the Convention , do hereby requeet him to become one of the candidates for the representation of the county of York . " Mr . M'Kettrick seconded Mr . Harney ' s resolution . The resolution was adopted unanimously . Oh the motion of Mr . Harrison , the thanks- of the meeting were voted to the Town Trustees for the use of the Hall . Thanks having been voted to the Chairman , and three cheers given for feargus O'Connor , three for Mr . West , three for the the Welsh martyrs , and three for the Charter , the meeting dissolved .

      The Northern Star. Saturday, November 20, 1841. '

      THE NORTHERN STAR . SATURDAY , NOVEMBER 20 , 1841 . '

      Untitled Article

      THE EFFECT OF w EARLY , " " IMPRUDENT , " AND "IMPROVIDENT MARRIAGES . " The past week has been one of rejoicing and congratulation . The " birth of a man child" has threatened , for a time , to allay even the heat of faction . Whigs and Tories have thrown np their caps together , and their organs have vied with each ether in the work of fulsome adulation , and of for * getting th « addition which this " auspicious" circumstance will , in all certainty , make to the already overpowering burdens of the back-broken people .

      We were admiring the versatility of human nature , and wondering at the praises bestowed upon her Majesty ' s anososl fecundity by the Malthusian theorists;—we were considering what the effect upon so evidently ardent a constitution must have been , if subjected to Poor Law regulations—we were lamenting over the awful details given in another column of our paper from the Times , and in another part of our paper from Mr . Habkkv ; —we were comparing mentally the condition of useful , patient , toiling industry , and of its virtuous mate in nature ' s hour of agony , with that of the gilded

      head of faction;—we were reflecting upon the neverto-be-forgotten speech of Lord Beocgham ;—and we were seeking within the mind for a principle of resignation to the inscrutable decrees of Providence by which such anomalies exist , when our cogitations were interrupted by the following singular evidence that jaundice has not stained all the spectacles of Englishmen ; thai there are yet some prophets in the land who bow not the knee to Baal , and in whose estimation , as in that of an authority much higher , " the rich and the poor do meet together . " This was to us so refreshing a draught after the

      nauseous repetitions we had been imbibing the whole week , that we cannot choose but give it to oar readers even as we got it . Besides which we hold ourselves bound to do so , by the old maxim , audi aiteram partem . It is unfair that amidst the general hubbub ef real and affected " loyalty" consistency should have no voice . We love consistency so mach , that we can admire it even in a " Malthnsun Bachelor , " and we think the following one of the best proofs of it that we have seen for some time : or if not so , it is a hit much too good for us to trass Here , then , it is : —

      Mr . Editor , —I am sick at heart ! grieved beyond the power of expression . The nation has gone mad—absolutely stark staring mad ! The Ministers are mad , the cour tiers are mad , the conductors of the public press are mad , the whole people are mad I Another Royal Infant has been born into an already too-over-populated world , and every one , forsooth , throws up his cap , and cri « s hurrah ! Now , Sir , I Bay this is madness—absolute insanity . If the people had not been demented , they would have seen , in the event which has called forth all this manifestation of joy , and in the marriage which

      has led to that event , nils of the greatest magnitude ¦ ' They would have seen in them plain , palpable , condem . na . ble -violations of the first rules of population philosophy . They would hare Been that the Queen has set an example to the nation which ought not to be followed ; and they would have taken care that bu « had been told that she had acted imprudently and impbovidently . Yes , Sir , if the nation had not been blinded by madness , they would have seen all this , and the conduct of the people would have been just the reverse of that which it has been .

      Has not Malthus demonstrated that the tendency of population is to press hardly upon the means of subsistence ! Has he not demonstrated , that while food increases only ia an arithmetical ratio , population increases in a geometrical ratio ? Has he not demonstrated that we are how cursed with a surplus population ? Has he not shown that we press hardly upon the means of subsistence ! Has he not proved that there are already too many of us ! Has he not shown the absolute necessity for moral restraint \ Has he not depicted the manifold evils arising from early and improvident marriages ?

      Has he not shown the wickedness and sinfulness of crowding beings into an already overstocked world ? Has he not proved that we have no right to do this 1 Has he not shown that if we thus sin against philosophy , we war against society , and that society is justified in warring against us ! HaB he not demonstrated that for the beings thus thrust upon us , nature has provided no seat at her table ? Has he not shown that we are , in self-defence , justified in leaving them to starve ? Has he not shown that it would be a waste of means to pat a crust of bread into the mouth of a starring man ? Has he not

      Bhown that no young woman has a right to think of being married till she arrive at the age of thirtyfive , and men at forty ! Have not other persons who have followed in Malthds ' s wake , Bhown the necessity of married people using moral checks to prevent their having offspring ! And have they not pointed out the means 1 In fine , have not Malthus and his co-workers shown the absolute necessity of checking the breeding of children ; of restrictions , and of prudential considerations \ Have

      they not developed the whole science of population , and established a new school of philosophy t Yea , in sooth have they . ' And th « ir philosophy has taken deep root . No sooner was \ i propounded , than it commended itself to the conviction of the brightest and best minds of the age . Their propositions commanded assent . There was no resisting the conclusions so naturally drawn from the premises laid down . The philosophy might run counter to men ' s feelings , but it spoke to their judgments , and it obtained almost universal assent .

      Have we not had a Ministry openly declared adherents of Malthcs 1 Have we not Been them introduce a measure into Parliament professedly founded on the principles enunciated by him ! Was

      Untitled Article

      not the avowed object of that measure ( to foree the people U live on a coarser * ort ; of food-1 in other words , to eke cat tn * stender Bnpply of feed for a redwrfant population , so as , to ^ lwure to each his fair Aare of the little -we had . to divide I Did not the measure also provide for the proper punishment of the young and thoughtless girl who was iipaprtiient enough to beat & bafctird child , by consigning her and her intruding young one to Want and starva

      tion ! And did not the Parliament pass that measure , founded on these principles , and for . these avowed , objects ! Most assuredly it did . Could they nave done otherwise with the fact staring them in the face , that we are so numerous on the soil that we are ready to eat . one another up ! . Would they have , been Statesmen or Legislators if they had not taken some steps to alleviate . the erilB arising from redundant population , and to put somo little check to the enormous over-breeding t

      Statesmen fand Legislatora , then , have given in fteiradhesion toMiLTHus . His principles have been deemed sound and perfect . Legislation has been founded and proceeded upon them . Another Institution has been added to our other ones in Church and State , purposely to carry out those great principles of population philosophy . The Science has been regularly acknowledged , and acted on . Its truth has been established beyond the possibility of doubt .

      This being the case then , is there any cause for rejoicing in the fact of a young woman marrying almost before she is twenty-one , and giving birth to two children in about twenty months ? Are we to turn up the whites of our eyes , and thank God for this ! Are we to throw up our caps for this ! Ought we not rather to mourn over the sin committed—the suffering occasioned ! Is philosophy to be thus set at nought ! Are its monitions to be thus thoughtlessly disregarded t No , Sir ! a thousand times no ! and when the faintest gleam of common sense comes over the now-demented people , they will not be slow in telling the Queen what they think of such glaring violations of the precepts of the population philosopher , Malthcb . They will speak

      plainly to her , and of her . They will suffer no old musty , antiquated notions of loyalty to step in between them and duty . Loyalty is all very well for operating on the minds of the vulgar . It may be all very well , too , to affect to be loyal , to speak of the Queen ' s sacred person , and treat her as if Bhewas more than mortal , and therefore privileged to do what others would not be allowed to do , in ordinary and common place matters . But philosophy knows nothing of this . The rules ot philosophy are general , infinite , and eternal , not particular and mutable . A violation of them is a violation , no matter by whom committed . Philosophy is no respecter of personsknows no caste—attends to no petty personal distinctions . The word loyalty is not once to be found in her whole vocabulary .

      Whenever , therefore , the people come to their senses , they will tell the Queen what they think of an imprudent giddy young girl contracting an early and improvident marriage ; they will ask why she did not exercise her moral restraint ! Why she did not wait till she was thirty-five , before she thought of marrying ! Why she did not look to it , to have a house of her own , and means to support a family , before she placed herself in a position likely to lead to the bringing of young ones into an eaten-up

      world ! Why she did look to it , that her husband was not penniless , and shirtless , and breechesless , and unable to support either himself , or his wife , or the brats he might beget ! Why she did not see to it , that when this early , and improvident , and con . demnable marriage was made , they did not use the moral check to prevent their having children until they were able to keep them ! They will ask respecting these things , and many more , aa soon as they see the question in its true light .

      Good God . ' Sir what an example has the Queen set to her people 1 Suppose every young woman in the country was to act as imprudently as she has done , —marry early , have two children in about twenty months after marriage , —why , where the Devil should we get to ! 1 ! Whatever would become of us ! Are we not already so overstocked , that , in Liverpool alone , we have to cram 38 , 000 persons , into cellars , and 86 , 400 others into close courts alleys , and ginnels , amidst filth and disease of every kind ! Is not the population so redundant , that we

      are obliged to pack four families in one room ten feet square ! Are there not so many of us , that we are obliged to herd together on the floor on dirty straw , man and woman , girl and boy , young and old , indiscriminately , together ! Is not breeding , too , going on so fast , that as many as five births take place in one room at the same time , and three of them in one bed , all together ! Has not population pressed so hardly upon the means of subsistence , that there are in your own town 20 , 000 persons living on almost nothing , solely because there is not food enough for them !

      Are not these things so ! And will early marriages with pauper bastards , and two squallers in twenty months , mend this state of things ! Common sense says , No ! Every humane heart says No ! Prudence says No J Ministers of State say No . Legislators say No ; and Philosophy , trumpettongued , thunders No ! ! O , Sir i instead of being Bach fools as we have been , and rejoicing at the evils that have oome

      upon us , ought we not rather to have wished that Mabcus bad been present with his gas ? Calling upon you in the name of insulted Malthcs ; in the name of outraged Philosophy , to try to bring the people to their senses , I am , Sir , A heart-sickened Malthusian Bachelor . Halton , near Leeds , Nov . 16 th , 1841 .

      Untitled Article

      RESULT OF CLASS-LEGISLATION . A heavy pressure on our space compelled us last week to reserve , as matter that would keep , the following awful disclosure of facts , taken from The Times , and but too well sustained in our present paper by the corroborative testimony of Mr . Harney ' s letter , and of the poor fellows in the Harborough Union : —

      POOR LAW ATROCITIES . "It is oux disagreeable , but necessary task , to call the marked attention of her Majesty ' s Ministers , and of the public , to the working of the New Poor Law in the SeveaoakB Union . Revolting as the statements are which were made at the Sundridge meeting on Friday last , Earl Stanhope and the other gentlemen who made them discharge a plain duty , and deserve the thanks of their conntrymen for so doing . That such things should be , is disgraceful to the nation which suffers , and to its rulers who maintain them ; but being as they are , and being neither accidents nor abuse , but direct and legitimate results of the system under which they arise , no true Englishman can wish to throw a vail OTei their deformity .

      " The caae of Jjuy Welch , which ww investigate * at the meeting in question , illustrates with peculiar force the cruelty of the arrangements under which medical relief is dealt out / or rather denied , to the poor . Lucy Welch , a poor girl of sixteen , the child of honest parents , was taken seriously ill on Monday , the 18 th ult , when on the point of going out to serviee . Her mother applied to the assistant of Mr . Adams , a medical officer of the Union , living at Sevenoaks , who gave her some pills , bnt declined calling to see her , because she was not a parishoner , and it was out of his way . ' The mother then sent another of her children to Mr . Waring , the relieving-officer of the Union , for a medical order , bat this was re / used Mr . Wsaren saying that 'the girl mrut come into the

      urn ***** . " A few day * afterwards the mother applied again to another of tte medteal officers to attend her , but h »« id ' be was so bur fee could not . ' On Tuesday , the S 6 th ult , the girl herself expressed a wish to see Mr . Creasy , a third msdlcal offienr , and her mother accordingly took her in a donky-cart to the raddenMofthatgeattemsnatBnstaad . ' WhenI got than , ' Bald the mother , she wu worse , and I took her out with some difficulty , and put her in a chair in the surgery . In about ten minutes Mr . Creasy came and asked if I had an order ? I told him no . He mid thai he could not attend to her without an order . That made the third application for medical assistance without efecL He said afterwards he would give me two powders , and I must try aad get an order . '

      " Pausing here , let us ask our readers whether it is possible to conceive a system more inhnnjim than this ? Even if there were no sequel to the story , the facts which we have stated , ought to move any man ' s indig-

      Untitled Article

      nation . But in this case there is a sequel , for the result of this treatment was rjKATH . In the agony of neglected disease and disappointed hope , this poor child , immediately . on . being turned ' away from the . medical officer ' s door , fell down in a fit . Assistance and kindness . were then , offered , nut toe late . She was pled twice , but died within an hour upon the spot . Mr . Croat ? himself was , present , and made a state mei ) t at . the-meeting . He attributed . the death of lucy Welch to axoptwe , of a vessel upon the brain | but admitted that * 'JiaoV she obtained earlier attention , he thought the . Result would have been doubtful ; ' and that 'had she been bled some time before , it might have altered , the ease . ' Comment on these circumstances is altogether needless .

      « ' We cannot dismiss , this caae without animadverting in the strongest t ^ rma upon the conduct of the Coroner , Mr . Dudlow , who was applied to by the Vestry Clerk of Sundildge ( si the request of the father of the deceased girl , and several other parishioners , ' wh » were desirous that a full investigation should taka plane ) to hold an inquest upon the body . This he refused to do ; alleging that 'it appeared to hjUn evident that tfae girl's death arose from natural causes ; ' and that he should not be justified in putting the county to the expense of an inquest , merely to allay any idle rumours that might be afloat' Verily thia is a Coroner after the Poor Law Commissioners' own heart If all Coroners were Dudlowa , half the , pauper population might be . excluded from relielf without fear of

      consequesces , and those awkward verdict * of ' death from the want of the necessaries of life' could pever meet the public eye . Idle rumours , indeed . I Is it an idle rumour when the child of a British subject is reported , and truly reported , to have died a premature and sudden death ? or want of that medical assistance which the law entitled her to demand , and which the proper officers refused ? Is it the only purpose of coroners' inquests to " alias" such rumours—to glon over the offence and screen the offenders , instead of searching out the truth , and discovering the rightful objects of censure and punishment ? If there is a power In England capable of removing this Mr . Dadlow from the offioe which he so unworthily fills , it ought to be exerted without a minute ' s delay .

      " We now come to another portion of our subject . Let our readers obser re the operation in the Sevenoaks Union of that great " moral" And political instrument of the Poor Law . Commissioners , the workbovfe test , daring the winter and spring of 1841 . Let them observe for what it wan taat the unemployed poor of Sevenoalu and its neighbourhood , deserving as well as undeserving , were told to come into ' the house' during the severity of that inclement season , under the penalty of starvation . Let them observe for what it was that wives were taken from their husbands , and children from their parents , upon entering into this den of abomination—the compulsory guage of their need . The statements which we are about to quote were made by Lord Stanhope , which is ft sufficient pledge for their accuracy .

      First , as to the men aad women : —On the 22 nd of April last , there were 57 men in 31 beds , and 40 women in 20 beds , in the Sevenoaks workhouse . On the 25 th of December last Jive women were confined in two beds , in the same room , and ihbee women were ACTUALLY DELIVERED IN A SINGLE BED AT THE same time . Proper attention was not paid to them , and one woman having died in her accoitchment ( we know not whether upon the same occasion ) , no inquest was held , and no notice was taken of her death . " Then , as to the children : —From the month of May to the month of November in last year , the children were not properly washed , and , in consequence ,

      itch prevailed is the , workhouse to a great extent On the 22 nd of April last there were , in two small rooms { the one sixteen feet by twenty-ono , and the other sixteen by twenty-seven ) , seventy . five boys sleeping IN 8 IXTEBN BEOS , and EIGH 1 Y SIX GIRLS IN NINETEEN BEDS : each bed giving ten inches width on the average to each child . On the 29 th of April , there were in the same Pandemonium seventy-eight boys and ninety-four girls , of whom , ail the bops , and ninety-one girls , were suffering under enlarged glands at the back of the neck , and forty-two boys and sixty-three girls had also swellings in the front and around the neck . Other facto were mentioned at the meeting , but we content ourselves with these .

      " It is said that this loathsome state of things has ceased—that ' the Guardians are now constructing a spacious sleeping-room forthe children , * < kc and that the same evils will not happen again upon the return of winter . Dr . D'Oyley , the Rector of Sundridge , saw no occasion for inquiry , and would fain have prevented any meeting from being held . We blush to think that any clergyman of the Church of England could have taken such a view of such a case . For ourselves , we are comparatively indifferent as to what may or may not occur again at Sevenoaks , or in any other given Union ; we even wave the point ( though as clear as daylight ) , that if the poor were not uuJustly debarred from relief , no attainable amount of workhouse accommodation could prevent the constant recurrence of these evils under the operation of the prohibitory order , especially

      in those vast unions which the Commissioners are so fond of forming . It is enough for us and for the public , to know that such { things have been ; that the workhouse test has been deliberately persevered in under such circumstances , and ia spite of such results . We charge upon the Poor Law Commissioners and their system the entire and unmitigated responsibility for this mass of abomination . Here is a case proved , in which they and their agents have treated large numbers of the English poor worse than swine or cattle , rather than suffer them to receive relief at their homes . Will Sir Robert Peel continue to place confidence in the men who have done this thing ? Shall a pi indple , which those who understand it best carry out to such extremities of oppreision , be persevered in , merely because a Whig Secretary of State thinks his consistency committed to it ?

      The Editor of the Times thinks comment on these atrooious facts " altogether needless . " We dissent from this opinion . We think they furnish much room for comment , and that they are themselves a most emphatic comment on the villanous system of society under which alone they could exist . It is all well for papers like the Times to deplore these blotches on the surface of the body politic ; but we warn the people , as we have done a thousand times , that till the blood is cleansed , the leprosy will never heal . A Tory Government may , at the bidding of its friends , ameliorate , in some degree , this fretting

      ulcer , or it may net : we doubt its power or its will to do so . But if it do , the foul virus which produced it , still operating on the system , will destroy its health , its energy , its life . The Only cleansing medioine is that principle of legislation which regards the rights of all—a principle by which no faction can be actuated—which no faction ever contemplates , and on which no general system ever will be founded till the people "take their own affairs into their own hands , " make their own laws , and so conserve their own interests , and protect their own rights .

      Untitled Article

      Nov , this ia the very bait ; the trap in which they hope to catch the unwary . Let it be made the tert by which to try them . Lot the ineetin ^ of the Associalioa 1 » e in every instance weli * ttended by Chartists , and let the discussion be on the beat means of obtaining the abowtioh op all monopolies He inust be * poor Chartist in ^ dr whocai ^ prjove that the monopoly of law-making include * all other Monopolies , and that to abolish it must therefore provide a broom with which to Bweep away all others . ; :.. ¦ ¦ - ' • v ¦ - ' . : ¦ • ; . ¦•¦ ' : The second rule of the" * Young Men ' s Anti-Monopoly Society" pleases us not less than th « first . Itisthats- ^ : .. . - . ' . ¦ , ¦ - ¦ . ¦ " : ¦ ¦ . . /¦ ¦ > : ¦ : ¦ - . . = ¦¦ ¦ :

      " No pariu political discussions thaXl on any account be a llowed at any meeting of the Assodatton ,. , nor shall any resolution be proposed , or subject , entertained which shall be at variance with the declared object of the AiuociaUon . " ; V ' :.. ' :, '¦ . ' > . , / " ' . ' \ : ' . . .- .. ' Thiaia right . Party politics hare distracted and destroyed tne ^ tintry . It is how time to give them a holiday and attend to principles ; such as respect the whole people , and shall striko at the root of * ix

      monopolies . We like this confining of the discussions ' ofihe . . V ^^ Moiicii ! oly Societies' * to " the declared object of the association . ^ And we must beg- tha ^ all our Chartist friends who attend their meetings will take care not to allow jt to be forgotten that the " declared object of the association" says not one word about the Corn Laws—that " party " questions are expressly forbidden by Hb rules , and that f the declared object of the association" is THE ENTIRE ABOLITION OF ALL MONOPOLIES .

      Untitled Article

      « WAYS AND MEANS . " Every week furnishes new and more convincing evidence of the rapid spread of Chartist Principles throughout the whole land . The people are begin * ning to be everywhere awake to their true interests , and the almost universal outcry for Lecturers and Missionaries , proves at once , the awakening energies of the people , the invaluable character of the services rendered to the cause by those useful functionaries , and the efficiency of our national organisation which wisely conoeatrates the national energies in the Executive as a head .

      The chief difficulty seems to be how the Executive are to meet the various demands upon them for Missionary labour t The employment of Lecturers and Missionaries necessarily requires large funds ; while the condition of the people is such , as to preclude any reasonable hope of extraordinary pecuniary advances being made by them . Direct contributions , however small , take so much from the scanty means which arc in many instances , already too little to support life . We have always been desirous to avoid direct contribution where practicable ; and it is always in the power of the people to render it unnecessary . They need

      but that to which we have so often pointed as indispensible to their success in anything—unity of purpose and operation—to make their own hands the means of ministering to their own wants in this particular , without at all infringing on the means of physical support which tyranny has left them . We have now before us several plans for accomplishing this desirable object—ef providing the Executive with funds sufficient for the effective carrying on of the work without burdening the people . One correspondent proposes that joint stock stores be opened in every town , and that the Executive shall be the trustees of these Btores , and the profits applied under their direction to the spread of Chartism ; instead of going , as they now do , to the upholding of the factions . This sys torn , if universally acted on , would

      be effective , not merely for the support of the Executive , but eventually for the utter prostration of the money monster which . the teats of industry have nourished till it has sucked the very life's blood from its dam . But there are difficulties in the way of its general adoption which we fear are not likely to be immediately surmounted . The simplest and most feasible of all the schemes that we have seen for supporting the Executive efficiently and easily , ia that of Mx . RoaaB . Pinder , propounded in a letter recently published by him in the Star , in which he offers to provide the people with an article of necessary and universal consumption , at a price as low , and of a quality as good , as any they can have elsewhere , and to give to the Executive one-twelfth part of his receipts .

      We have a second letter from this honest and good ChartiBt , which has been lying by us several weeks for insertion , and to wbioh we have great pleasure in now calling the attention of the Chartist public generally . " Mb . Editor , —I must beg permission again to call the attention of my Chartist friends to the letter you published for me last week but one . I have since then made minute enquiries as to the price of the material * in large quantities ; and I find them much cheaper than I expected . I feel now certain that I can supply as good blacking aa can be manufactured , at a price as low as any in the market , and give the Executive one penny out of every shilling of the price , or one clear twelfth of my receipts .

      " can do this because I do it for the purpose of rendering thereby a help to the good cause ; aad not for the mere purpose of making a living . Thank God ! I can make a living by my own labour . But my labour , though better paid than that of many thousand * , will not enable mo to give much money out of its proceeds for any purpose but that of the bare necessaries of life for my family . 41 If this , then , be my condition , what must needs be that of those who have larger families and less wages than even ! have ? It is clear that theymust be still less able to contribute ; and hence the necessity of some mode being had recourse to of supporting our Executive in their

      noble work of national regeneration without increasing the direct burdens of the people ; and this , I apprehend , my plan will do , if I be properly supported . There is no decent family that does not use more or less of blacking . And if we take the average at one halfpenny for a week , and suppose agents to be generally supplied throngh England and Scotland , this very small demand from 60 , 000 families would leave a handsome sum for the Executive . Thirty thousand pence returned to me by the agents , would entitle the Executive to a clear revenue of £ 10 8 s . id . weekly ; a sum nearly sufficient for the remuneration of seven Chartist lecturers at thirty shillings each : while 1 engage to allew all the vendors a profit equal to the average of the trade , and to pay the carriage in all cases to any part of England or Scotland . This being considered , 1 see no reason why

      it should not meet with a demand much greater than that which I have here supposed . By the exertions of good Chartists it might be introduced among general shopkeepers , ( aa I will warrant it a good article and cheap , ) and thus even our enemies , the factions ,, might be made in some degree accessory to the supply of our munitions of moral warfare . Many good Chartists would no doubt be glad to take the trouble of selling it , and give the retail profit to the association in their respective localities , on the same principle as I am willing to give the wholesale profit to the Executive . Altogether , Mr . Editor , I do think it a mode of help to which no objection can be fairly offered ; because to whatever amount I may thus be enabled to help the Executive , it is s < s much clear profit , for which no one suffers anything .

      " All then that is wanted , ia a number of Chartists in different localities , willing to give the matter a trial by becoming agents , and sending me their orders , accompanied by cash , sending at the same time a copy of each order to the general Secretary ; that he may keep a cheek upon me , and be able to know that the Executive do get their pennies . . " Trusting , Sir , that the Chartist public win give the matter its due weight aad consideration , " I am , " Yours in the good cause , " BOGEB PlNDEB " 5 , WeatherfllB Place , " Carr Lane , Hull . "

      We have no hesitation in saying that if Mr . Pimocb be prepared to verify all the pledges of his letters , this matter of consumption is of itself able to support the Executive well and efficiently if properly taken up by the people . The writer ia surely not extravagant in estimating the average consumption at a halfpenny Weekly . Many parties most 000-snme considerably more ; and ws see no reason , as there is to be no cost of carriage to the agent , why a million of purchasers should not be found every week ; and if a million of halfpennies were paid in to Mr . Pimdeb , every week , the Executive would be entitled out of that toagross income of £ 17312 s . 2 d . Enough to supply lecturers , missionaries , and tracts for all England , Scotland , and Wales . How easy a thing is it for united numbers to accomplish great objects ! . *

      Untitled Article

      The National Pbtition . —Our publisher , Mr . Hob son , has printed the National Petition for 1842 , on a neat sheet , for the purpose of being exle * . sively distributed amonpst those from whom signa tares are asked , that they may know for what thq are signing . He is ready to supply them to tht Associations and to individuals at the following charges : —100 copies for 2 s ; 1 , 000 for 15 s . P * tition sheets , of good strong paper , ruled in four columns , and holding two hundred names when filled , mag also . be had , price 2 d . each . Sfr cretaries and persons who need them have onlj to send an order addressed to Mr . H ., enclosing a post-office order , orstampS i to the amount , and

      they may have sent to their address anynumhet they require , on pointing out the best and cheap est route . The Petition and sheets may also it had from Mr . Cleave , London : and Mr . Ht & wood , Manchester . But in all cases the money must be sent in advance—the price being so fat as to preclude ctedit . | V We would call the especial notice of the Lanaand Yorkshire friends to the abote notice . Fnm what appears in another place , they will tee that Mr . O Connor intends to visit them during tit next fortnight ; and it will be well for each torn to be well supplied with sheets for signatures . Wt must have the 4 , 000 , 000 !

      Untitled Article

      Chartist Churches . — . 4 correspondent writes u that the Christian Chartist Church at Greenod is thriving well . We are glad to hear it , but cannot insert his letter : disquisitions on tht nature , character , and duration of hell s tormentt are quite beyond the province of the Northern Star . We think , also , that all matters of merely speculative opinion , however interesting iotas theological enquirer , should be entirely avoidedm Chartist churches . The great practical duties of mankind , persona / , social , civil , and political , should form the Alpha and Omega of Ckartbf preaching . About these there can be no mistake , The object of Chartist churches , if we understand them at all , is twofold : first , toprovidetemplet

      wherein the Chartist may find those prtnciplei of government and society which he believes ( toe the principles of truth and of the Bible achwledged by his priest ; and where , iherefon , Ut understanding shall not be insulted , nor his degradation mocked , in a manner which is but too common amongst both " established" and " dissenting " ministers ; and , secondly , to form a practical exhibition , as far as our means go , of that sytten of " exclusive dealing" which is not less potent when applied to the pews of the parson than when applied to the till of the shopkeeper . All Chartists who are Christians agree that the principles of Chartism are those of Christianity—that they form the practical exhibition and development of thai

      grand law of love on which the Lord has declared the whole law and the prophets to hang . Hence , therefore , on the inculcation of those principles they can alt agree ; but the introduction of speculative matters of doctrine can serve only to split us up into sections of Methodist Chartists , Calvinist Chartists , and so on ad infinitum . Our Greenockfriend does not seem to bear sufficiently in mind the difference between aChartist minister , and a minister who is a Chartist . We should be most happy to hear of all the ministers ofreligm in the country becoming Chartists , nor would any minister of Chartism be a wit the less orthodox because as a Calvinist in religion he preached "election" and " reprobation , " or because as an

      universal restoratiomst he denounced as unscrtftural the doctrine of eternal punishments . On all such matters of speculation Chartists may differ in opinion . On all such matters of speculation a Chartist may agree in opinion with a raving Tory or a rampant Whig , from wbm ht endures the most bitter indignities and persecutions ; but on the practical doctrines of Chrif tianiiy , in their political and social phases , Chartists can agree with nobody but themselves . They hold all other doctrines upon these matters but those of Chartism to be unscriplural and anli-Christian . And hence the necessity for Chartut churches , in which they can worship God without having their feelings outraged . Hence , too , the

      necessity of keeping those churches clear of aU matters of doctrinal discussion which may disturb the "unity of the spirit and the bond of peace , " by which as brethren they should be holden together . It seems clear to us , therefore , that the only " articles of faith" which can um the slightest degree of propriety or consistency be acknowledged as generally binding on the numbers of a Christian Chartist Church should be the divinity of the Lord and of the Holy Scriptures , and the principles of Chartism as taug ht in those Scriptures . On every other matter , every member should be at perfect liberty to hold hisom doctrines and opinions , whether Methodist , € »' vinist , Quaker , Ranter , Jumper , or Roller . "' out

      are aware that even these tests ef faith shut all , however good Chartists they may be , reject religion in toto . But these suffer no wrong thereby ; because the very fact of their rejecting Christianity frees them from the cireumtanees oj annoyance and injustice which make the CMrtut lt church" necessary . The Christian CharM feels it to be his duty to worship God- ** " ? which he neither can nor dare omit ; there a no church in which he can do sowilh eomjv * and without liability to insult , or injustice , of both : hence he requires and needs a ¦ . ( % ?} , church : the infidel Chartist does not affett w worship at all—he therefore neither requires nor feels the need of any church in which to

      worm-The objection often urged agttinst Chari ^ churches of their sectarian character has no weight whatever ; unless that weight i * « iv ? n * ° "J . by the leaning of the broad practical principwj Christianity , and the introduction of spe ^ matters of opinion . . a , Stabs to Ireland .- W . Jackson , P . O . Ro ^ f Tyrone , will be thankful for a ray or two of ®* ' light . ' , NEWBT .-Wm . Cordeux , of York , begs to state Of the money order for the Demonstration ® wf ™ h was received , and would have been acknowlm ' by letter at the time had the address been know-James Whittel , Pbbth , professes to be anxious W unity amongst the people and their advocates , ^ sends us for insertion a letter written in the vers

      worst spirit of discord and partisanship- w course he did not expect that we should tnsert iu Stabs to Ibelasd . —The Irish Universal Syff ^> . Association return thanks to the friends »» ^ land and Scotland who have , during iff *»* v > eek % sent them fifty one Stars ; and te £ W . H . Tipping , of Bingley , for sixty-one b * ar * which he sent per post . ' ^ Lots of Posts must excuse us—we have no r °° ™ :. DoBKiwe , Sbbbby . —A Chartist lecturer « wantea •» this locality . .. -, » Maksfield . — We do not publish the resolution «™ to us this week .-we see no good that couldr ^ from its publication ; while it might give off * " ** and perhaps justly so , to some . -are art BURTON UPON-fRENT— GENERAL COUNCIL . . — »* .. requested to insert the following correction :- ^" Sudlow * sub-Treasurer ; Mr . Wm- Hall , 6 ^

      moor , sub-Secretary . i ^ nii to H . D . GwmTHS .-iKs letter has been h ^ et » our London correspondent , whom we f . ^^ t be always ready to correct any accidental ^ in his reports .

      Untitled Article

      MORE ARTIFICES OF THE PLAGUE . " The Plague men are most indefatigable in their vocation . Finding their plan of public meetings and pet lecturers to be quite untenable against the talent and good sense of the experienced working men , they now hope to accomplish their purposes of mischief by " palavering" the young and inexperienced . The present " dodge" is ** Young Men ' s Anti-Monopoly Associations , " which are being assiduously established in all large towns . A copy of the rules of one of these societies , and of the address of their " General Council and Executive Committee , " now lie before uh .

      See the homage which , under all circumstances , vice pays to virtue ! The very terms in which to disguise their fraudful projeot are borrowed from the Chartist organisation . Their address , too , is of the most wily and insinuating character . The object is , no doubt , to seduce young men into an attendance upon their packed and exclusive meetings , where their inexperience may be practiced on by the studied sophistries of the " plague" advocates . All vice , however , ! contains within itself the Beeds of dissolution ; and bo does this form of the " plague . " It addresses itself especially to the poor in the following terms : —

      " By the term monopolies , we mean those laws which deny to us the liberty of frequenting the cheapest market for the supply of our wants , and of exercising our industry in the most profitable manner . The reform we struggle for is purely economical—we trench neither on political or religious controversy-. but we offer the hand of fellowship to ali , regardless of sect and party , who will assist us in procuring the immediate abolition of all restrictions upon industry . "

      Here , then , is a fair invitation to the Chartists to attend the meetings of the Young Men ' s Anti-Monopoly Society ; and we advise them by all means to do so . H The abolition of all monopolies" is the very thing we want . And as , the greatest evil should be first removed , the monopoly of legislation , whence all other monopolies spring , will , of course , receive the first attention of the " Young Men ' s Anti-Monopoly Societies . "

      The first rule of the Society states its object to be :-" To assist in obtaining the entire abolition of all Monopolies , by every legal and constitutional means , such as the promotion of similar societies in other towns , the delivery of Lectures , the holding of Discussions- and the distribution of Tracts . "

      Untitled Article

      BKONTERRE O'BRIEN AND THE WORK INGr >! AN S : PBE 3 & r In other rx ^ tioni of oar p > ptr ,,. w ^ , give seyen j cqamiMiioatiwa relathw to . tha extraordinary ad . dress presented last week to Mr . 0 'Banw at tie Cro 4 h and'Anchor meetmg . " W « refer to these . anit especially to the lett « o £ the gentleman who furni sh ^ the report of that nieeting , M evidence that we h&a no bt ^ er . feeling in . the-nwi ^; th an t ^ which Mr . O'Brien ought to respect . In fact , the course pur . sued by Mr . O'BkiEw and hia friends , left us no alternative for the publication of the Address , extraordinary aa was its . character . If Mr . O'Bbiek had chosen to drop a single Ijne to us expressing his disapprobation of the address , or , if we had received from any other quarter the information that the addreu had been repudiated , we should not have published it . ; ., -n _

      We have now one word to say of the matter , and that is all . The Star has been always open to Mr . O'Brien ' s pen , for the advocacy of all his political views and doctrines . We have omitted no opportunity of supporting his views whenever we could agree with them—of defending him when . . ever we knew of his being attacked , and espeojallj while he was in prison ; we have considered it a point of duty to serve his interests in everyway that we possibly could serve them ; and have always done it ; we have since his liberation ' given everj single word that has been furnished to us in reference to bis movements ; though we hare been often obliged by press of other matter seriously to curtail the reports of other meeting , we never suffered anv circumstances to induce tht

      shortening of any report of O'Bbibn . As aj instance , we gave the report complained of , tht address and all , just as we received it ; while th « report of Cabbier ' s meeting held on the same night , furnished by our own reporter , was cut down to almost nothing . We have never knowingly given him ot his friends the least cause of offence : we have no purpose to do so . And now we apprehend that oat readers will think they have quite enough of this M address" matter . We think so too , and shall therefore have done with it ; merely adding that tht Huddersfield address , to which Mrf O'Bbien refers , came to us from the reporter , as part of the report , and the first intimation to us of its having been " repudiated , " is contained in Mr . O'Bbien ' s statement to that effect at Marylebone . :

      3to L&Iabettf Antt Corci0$Ottlyent&

      3 To l&iaBettf antt Corci 0 $ OttlYent&

      Untitled Article

      . JTAT ? >• - Vi iv i ) •;¦ n .. v - ^ , ¦ ; : ? i .. . , .. , _ , 4 ¦ - - - - - -. " ¦ - -THE NORTHERN STAR .

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Nov. 20, 1841, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct405/page/4/