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Northern Star (1837-1852), 29th January 1842, Edition 2 of 4, Page 4, Untitled Article

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    • THE KOBTHERff STAR. SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1842.
    • STo Wi8sm& anu Covy^wnem^
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      Untitled Article

      NEWCASTLE . GREAT CHABTIST MEETING IN THE GJJILD HAIL , THE MAYOB IN THE CHAlFi . On Tuesday last , a public meeting , conven'dd by the Mayor of Newcastle , in compliance with a requisition bearing the signatures of 605 of the inhabitants was bfildmthe Guild Hail , to take into consideration tie propriety of petitioning Parliament for "Universal Soffe ^ e , Yote by Ballot , Animal Parliaments , -Equal Toting Districts , No Property Qualification , and the Payment of Members of Parliament—on which oc casion the spacious Hall 'was crowded in every corner At frwelTe o ' clock ,

      James Hobgsoh , Esq ., the Mayor , took the chair , and opened the meeting by the requisition being read fcy the Town Clerk , End the Mayor hoped and trusted that every gentleman ¦ who rose to address them on the subjects set forth for discussion would receive a fair sad impartial hearing , and he would sow be happy to listen to any eae who was desirous of expressing his sentiments . Mr . Wh . Bybjje rose to move the first resolution , and at great length explained the principles of ITni-?*» rea 2 Sufirage , which was briefly seconded by Mr . Thoaas Gray , and carried nnanimously . The resolution ran as follows : — " That this " meeting believes it to be the inalienable and constitutional rieht of every man unconvicted of crime and of sound mlad , to-exercise the franchise in the election of mem-** £ » of Parliament ; that to give the elector the free me of his franchise , the vote should he taken by ballot ; feat to render the representative duly responsible to his

      constituent * , Parliaments should be chosen annually ; -that as wealth conferred neither intelligence nor ability , fee rwopeaty qualification in members of Parliament afeooid be abolished ; that as want of wealth excluded many men of talent from the services of the people , members should be paid a limited amount of salary ; and , that th 9 country she-aid be divided into equal electoral districts . " Mr . Byrne then moved the adoption of a petition founded on the resolution , and that it be transmitted , after signature , toThomas Duncombe , Esq ., M . P ., for presentation to the House of Commons ; which was seconded by Mr . Wilkie ; whereupon Mr . Sinclair moved as an amendment , that a pettkm , the eepy of which he held in his hand , land which with fee permission of the Chairman , he would read , ) be adopted by this meeting ; Mr . Wsx . Atkins seconded Mr . S . 'a amendment Then Mr . S . read aloud the Kational Petition , and-was loudly cheered by the meeting .

      Mr . Btb . se , seeing this , said he was not aware of fee intention of moving the petition juit read by Mt S ., or he wonld gladly have given place , and he now begged leave to withdraw the resolution whichJae had placed in the bands of the Mayor . Here Messrs . O'Brien and Binns entered the Hall , and were hailed with most deafening cheers . The Mayor put Mr . S . ' s amendment aa a substantive motion , and it was carried unanimously . Mr . Sixclatb . then moved" That iio Petition now adopted , after procuring as many signatures as possible , be transmitted to the Con-Tention—the Parliament of the working classes—for presentatioB to the House of Commons . " Tbe motion was seconded by Mr . G . Bisss , and car--jied unanimously . Mr . B . O'Bejen then rose amidst , enthusiastic

      cheering . He said he had bean told that his assistance might be necessary to get the National Petition passed on th 6 present occasion . He was glad to see that the people of Newcastle could pass it themselves . They might depend upon it , that if ever they were to get ths Charter , it must be by their own exertions ; and this seemed to be their own opinion , for of themselves they passed it , and passed it unanimously . He could assure them that if ever be were a member of the . National Convention , he would not only give his best attention to the due presentation of the petition , bnt be would also tail the people generally , that if they desired to possess their political rights , they must imitate tha conduct of the men of Newcastle . He

      would now propose a vete of thanki to a gentleman who had done himself great honour in calling this meeting , and presiding over its deliberatiens . The Mayor of Newcastle , disregarding all party considerations , had felt it to be his duty to comply with the wishes of a large number of his fellow-townsmen , and to give them the opportunity of exercising a great constitutional privilege , under the sanction of their Chief Magistrate . Such conduct was highly honourable to the worthy Chairman , and he ( Mr . O'B . } rejoiced to think that a better feeling was springing up in a htrge c ! ass of ths community , that had previously looked with suspicion and distrust on the advocates of the Charter . The meetiBg would observe that a new feature had been added to the National Petiti-n . It

      . now prayed for a repeal of the Legislative Union of Great Britain and Ireland—not for tha dismemberment of the empire—not for the severance of Ireland from the British crown . The Bepeal of the Union simply meant that the privilege of internal government be restored to Ireland . They were all aware that the American Republic was composed of several States , each of which possessed the privilege of local government , whilst there was also a general government far fee whole of the United States , And it was this for Trtiich the Irish had been bo long agitating . Well , then , let the Chartists of Great Britain assist them in fee struggle , and the Irish Repealers would join in fee demand for the Charter . Mr . O'B . felt great pleasure in saying , that the two towns he admired mos :

      fci the kingdom were the first that had adopted the National Petition , in public meeting duly convened by fee constituted authorities . Newcastle adopted it—it bad al « o been adopted in Brighton . Mr . O'B . showed how the interests of fee several classes of the comma--airy were sot identical under the present order of things , and the necessity of the Charter to place them all on the same level , fee , and after , in strong terms , denouncing the accursed New Poer Law Bill , he said feat a certain local organ , which Mr . O'Connor would « all the Coif ' s Head Observer , had compared him ( Mr . O'B . ) with Shakspear ' a Jack Cade , who promised his followers that there should be , in England , seven halfpenny loaves for a penny , that the three hooped pot should have ten hoops , and that he would make it felony

      to drink * T "' v" beer . Now in his ( Mr . O'B- ' si intercourse with the ptople ha had never promised anything more than the fruits of their own labour . He left such delusions to the Whi ? s and emigration agents ; lie had Here ? spoker , as the Newcastle Courant asserted , of taking fee land from the present possessors and giving it to fee people ; but if he had done so he would only have been following the doctrine of Moses , who was friendly to the cancelling of all debts once in every seren years , and a redivision of the land every h ^ if century . Were such a plan to be adopted now , why they , the people of England , would all bs whitewashed to-aight , and as busy as be « dividing the land to-morrow morning . Mr . &B . went on giving the factions , with which -we have to contend , their own with interest for about an hour , and tf » s loudly cheered at the end of every sentence .

      Mr . Gbat seconded the vote of thanks to the 3 f ayor , and being one of the deputation "who waited upon his worship with the requisition ; he could speak * to the nrbanity with which they had been received , and the readiness with which their -wishes had been granted ( Loud cheers . ) Mr . O'Bries put the motion to the meeting , audit was carried with acclamation , after -which three times three enthusiastic cheers were given for the Mayor . The MaTos thanked the meeting for the honour which had been conferred upon him so warmly , " and also for the good order and good feeling which kad characterised the proceedings . The business being now ended the Mayor left the

      Several voices called on Mr . Bisks to address the meeting , which he did , and regretted that so few gents of the middle classes had attended the meeting . The present meetiag , be was sure , -would do much to ad-Tancs the cause of the people . It would tend to do a-vrsy -with tha distrust of the middle classes , and when once the antipathies of the two classes were aboliihed , the success cf the popular cause would be the natural eonsfqupxes . Mr . B . concluded by an exhortation to nnien , and the people dispersed . PCBLTC SUPPEB TO MB- BE 05 TEBBE O BBIEs ' ik the Chartists' Hall , Goat iss , Cloth Mab-X . ET , Newcastle . —AbDut seventy « t do-am to a very substantial , supper . After the doth was drawn , Mr . Sinclair was unanimously railed to the chair , who

      epened the proceedings of the evening in an appropriate address , which he concluded by proposing and responding to the first sentiment—" Ths people , the only source of legitimate power . " The next was—" The health * f Mr . OBrien , and may all his efforts for the good of the people be sooa crowned with success . " iir . "Wilkie handled this toast ia a very hnmonroua and masterly style . Mr . O'Brien responded at great leagth in his usual prepossessing strain . , and was cheered throughon * . " The People ' s Charter ; and may it soon become the latr of the land , " was proposed from the chair , and was very ably responded to by Mr . Cockbnrn , in which he gave some very broad hints to the " new move" gentry , and proved their imbecility to frustrate the growth of genuine

      libertynotwithstand-, ing their mxny treacheroa * attempts . " The Democratic Press , and may Hi inflmence speedily overthrow tyranny all over the world . " This aentimeBt "was ably responded to by Mr . Crothers . "The healths of Messrs - Frost , Williams , and Jones , and their speedy return fc > their families and homes . " Mr . Kempiter Rstoon ws ? onded in a very eloquent and appropriate style . Th « speedy liberation at all political prisoners , and * ay they soon find » reward for their sufferings ia the toumph of their principle * , " Mr . CockburnTeeponded m an ao . e manner bat briefly , in consequence of the 1 * m » £ SS of the hour . Prior to the health of Frost , Williams , aad Jones , Hr . OBrien expressed a desire of

      lefanngtirest , having been greatly mistimed of late , and before ho w nt , he would propose his constituents , " the non-electors and honert electors of Newcastle , and may their conduct in the last general election be imitated in every borough in the United Kingdom . " Mr . O'B . showed what be would advise tfeem to do at the atact election , and concluded amidst great applause by wishing them all good night The illustrious dead , whose efforts in the causa of liberty have rendered their saaes immortal . " Mr . FaiEclough rtrspwidedvery briefly in consequence of the late hour . " The health , of Mt Hall , the laadlord of the Goat Inn , and tie thanks of the association * tat hit liberality iu giving them tie

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      use of the Hall , and his unceasing efforts to further the cause of universal liberty , " which was responded to by three unanimous cheers . " Mr . K . Robaon proposed fee health of the Chairman , and the meeting separated , highly gratified with the evening ' s entertainment M » g «>»^ y — m — w ^* — t \ M \* yiiiw -w i ^ irf i » w >**»» v « wm~^~~— ¦ — — -

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      SOUTHAMPTON . TRIUMPH OF THE DEMOCRACY OVER THE CORN-LAW REPEALERS . A very interesting and spirited meeting took place here according to announcement on Tuesday evening , Jan . 18 th , to adopt the National Petition , to pass a memorial to the Qeeen for the return of Frost , Williams , and Jones , and also to nominate a delegate to the General Convention of the industrious classes . As the " shades of evening" closed there were manifest an nnusnal spirit of activity and

      excitement amongst the working men . As they repaired to the place of meeting , they could be heard in earnest conversation as to its success , which fortunately for their good jadgment and their love of the just principles of the Charter , proved to be one of the best lessons ! taught to the Corn Law repealers , we ever had the pleasure to record . The Chartists were unaware that any opposition would be offered to their proceediogsj bnt , however , they -were prepared for any emergency , and concluded the meeting in a glorious manner .

      The chair waB taken by Mr . Gale , who read a letter from the Lady of General Napier , assigning illness as the causa of the General's absence from the meeting ; he read letters also , from Salisbury , Portsmouth and from Bath , apologising for their not sending delegates to the same . Mr . Palmer proposed the first resolution . He addressed the meeting as fellow slaves ; he considered it necessary to apply this term to them , because no man who had only his labour to depend on

      and was not represented , was otherwise than a Blave . The Chartists had been accused of being levellers , and of wishing to destroy the property of the rich . What a ridiculous idea it was to suppose that they wanted to destroy thai which it had cost them so many years of labour to create . They were not so ignorant as not to know that if they destroyed property they wonld bring ruin on themselves ; what they wanted was equal political power , and then would follow a more equal distribution of the wealth which their own labour should henceforth create . It

      was said that the Government was not to blame for the distress that now existed—that it arose from the improvidence of the working classeB themselves ; he tl : < -ew back with contempt the foul assertion . Those who assumed to themselves to become their ralers set the example of improvidence , vice , and profligacy . Some say the people are too ignorant to exercise the suffrage , and they , on the other hand , have not proposed any efficient means to ascertain the precise qualification of the electors , without including the most ignorant portion of society , to the exclusion of the most intelligent . The Charter appeared to him the only means to establish an honest and upright Government—a Government that will secure to all the most permanent happiness , peace , and prosperity . ( Cheers . ) Mr . Hill briefly seconded the following resolution : —

      " That this meeting is of opinion that the withholding of all political rights from the working class has caused a spirit of discontent to spread amongst them , which can only be allayed by allowing the noble and worthy principles contained in the People ' s Charter to become the law of the land . " It was put from the chair , and passed unanimously amidst the acclamation of the meeting . Mr . Philip Bkaxsox , from the Isle of Wight , then proposed the adoption of the National Petition . He went miantely into the whole of the Bections of the petition , and explained and enforced the principles of the Charter in a powerfol and eloqHent manner , much to the satisfaction of the meeting . Hespoke at considerablelength , andwasmuchcheered throughout his Epeech . Mr . Goodkah , ia a bold and energetic manner , briefly seconded the resolution .

      Mr . Hood then came forward , av . d mounted the platform for the purpose of moving the following amendment : — " That this meeting regards the five fundamental points of the Charter as successive steps in the great march of perfection of the English nation , and the progression of popular influence ; but that it likewise regards the great question of the repeal of the Corn Laws , as the prime legislative means of the happiness of the people , and pledges itself to farther all other means of securing moral and national improvement . "

      A good deal of uproar and confusion took place when Mr . Hood commenced , but by the exertions of the Chairman a hearing was at length obtained and he was suffered to proceed . And after delivering one of the most declamatory and contradictory speeches , in which he alternately Abused and approved of the Charter and the Chartists , he sat down amidst groans and hisses . The amendment was seconded by Mr . Natlor . Mr . Bartlett rose and was received with great cheering . He contended that if they got the repeal of the Corn Laws by the united exertions of the working classes and the middle classes , some equally injurious law would be likely to be passed in the following session of Parliament , and then they would

      have all the work to do over again . He did not believe all the advantages contemplated from the repeal ot the Corn Laws would be realized . In 1835 bread was one-third cheaper tban now , with the same Com Laws in existence . The increased demand fo * our manufactures would tend more to give employment for machinery than for manual labour . For how could the working classes work for the Bame wages , when , on the other hand , they have to pay three times more taxes than any other nation in the world . Wh y were the working classes called on to assist in obtaining a repeal of the Corn Law 3 ? They were out of the pale of the constitution . If , however , the people had political power , they wonld Eoon alter the Corn Laws . Let the

      middle elasses , then , join with them to get thet Charter , and they would easily beat the landed aristocracy . Such a union had taken place at Bath and other places , and wonld soon follow throaghoue the land . There was now . in the tenth year of thn Reform Bill , nearly a hundred majority of TorieB it the House of Commons . The Whig 3 could not swallow that dose , —( cheers)— and within twelve months they would see the timid Whig quietly moving over to the Conservatives , and the Whig Radical joinicg the ChartistE . The meeting had already passed a resolution affirming that the Charter was the only remedy for the evils at present existing , and if they carried the amendment it would give the lie to what they had previously done .

      An arrangement was then made , by which Mr . Hood , the mover of the amendment , and Mr . Brannon , the mover of the original resolution , each agreed to speak a quarter of an hour on their respective sides of the question . This was done , and the opinion of the meeting was then taken , wken the original motion was carried by a large majority . The meeting then gave three tremendous cheers . Mr . Bastlett then read the memorial , and moved its adoption . ¦ Mr . Taegei seconded it , and it was put to the meeting , and was adopted . Mr . Palmbb moved that Mr . Bartlett be the delegate to represent the Chartists of the Southwestern district in the General Convention . This was seconded by'Mr . Lnglefield , and carried unanimously .

      Thanks werevoted to the Chairman . Cheers were given for Frost , Williams , and Jones ; for the Charter , and for the people ; and the meeting broke np much delighted with its proceeding .

      The Kobtherff Star. Saturday, January 29, 1842.

      THE KOBTHERff STAR . SATURDAY , JANUARY 29 , 1842 .

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      - PROGRESS OF OUR PRINCIPLES . Scakck a vfeek passes that does net afford some marked and decisive evidence that the policy recommended by us , and acted on by the people , of shewing the Whigs the outside of Downing-strcet , has been attended with most admirable results . We last week noted , in commenting on Mr . Biggs ' " Midland Counties' Charter , " the insolent assumption by that person , that the people are utterly powerless without the Whig middle classes , while he yet raves and fumes like a maniac because these same people have driven the pets

      of these Bame Whig middle classes from their roosting place , and replaced them by the Tories Such are the stupid writhinga of jolterheads , who , like Mr . Biggs , hold on by their folly till the last moment , and come over to the Chartists , vfttn then are farted , grumbling and making wry faces all the tine ; like an unwilling monkey , who doe 3 what he is bid , bnt grins in your face . Thank God , however , the middle classes are not all Bicgsbs . There are many among them well principled , high minded ,

      and sincere lovers of true liberty , who , in their simplicity , have been deluded by the fair speeches of the Whigs in former times , and have accorded them their confidence frost a belief that they were honest in their professions of a desire for good and cheap government . These have time now to think . Their attention ia not kept always on the rack to devise means by which to save fiom going down a government which though far from being what they wished was yet M a Reforming ( y » vera »

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      ment . " These , very naturally , now want to make the dislodging of the Tories the means of installing parties who will do justice and not again disappoint the people's hopes . These , while thej sought by every means to uphold a Whig Government in power in preference to a Tor ; one , yet now look bat for the safe ground on which , to replace the Tory Government , which they perceive to have been forced on them by the treachery of their former protogees . They look round , carefully because honestly , and the ; find their only hope of success to be in the People ' s Charter ; and hence they become Chartists from conviction and principle , who would have remained Whigs had the Whigs remained in power .

      Grumbling supporters it is true they might have been ; but supporters of Whiggery they would Btill have been from the very dread of its exchange for Toryism . The accession to the people ' s cause of mind like these , honest , sincere , and influential is a benefit worth having , and marks , we repeat it most emphatically , the wisdom of the proceeding by which it has besn obtained . We are led to these remarks by the fact that some kind friend has send us a copy of the Kent Herald , the only liberal paper published in the Archiepsocpal city of Canterbury . In that piper we find the National Petition given at full length in the leading columns of the paper ; introduced and followed with the following remarks : —

      "In the midland and northern districts the principles of politics to which it ( the National Petition ) refers , are generally understood , but in Kent a very great part of the population are unacquainted with the precise nature of a petition which has been thus widely and eagerly adopted . We will place it then on record in © ur pages , for whatever differences of opinien may exist as to some portions of it , and nothing can secure universal approval , we feel convinced that it will , in coDJuction with the People ' s Charter , drawn up be it remembered by a committee of well-known members of Parliament , be the basis of all future political movements . The Whig Reform of 1831-2 has been tried , and as a final measure proved an entire and undisputed failure . The People ' s Reform Bill will hereafter be the only antagonaatio power to

      Toryism . * w * Those who want the sanction of great names may take courage by reflecting that the principles above advocated were formally and publioly promulgated by Charles James Fox , as Chairman of the Westminster Committee , in 1780 , of which committee were members the Duke of Portland , Earl of Egremont , Earl Temple , Lord John Cavendish , Lord George Cavendish , the Hon . Thomas Townsend , Mr . R . B . Sheridan , Mr . Sawbridge , Mr . Wilkea , and about ninety other noblemen and gentlemen . The report published by these eminent persons recommended the adoption of Annual Parliaments , "Universal Suffrage , Equal Voting Districts , No Property Qualification , Voting by Ballot , Payment of Members , and Poll to be taken on the Bame day . "

      It is really refreshing to see the cause of honesty and justice thus progressing towards the extinction of Whig liberalism . . Being taken up by some from conviction and principle , by others , as in the case of Mr . Biggs , unwillingly and with an ill-grace—but still taken up as " the only antagonistic power to Toryism . "

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      THE MURDER OUT .-THE SECRET OF THE OPPOSITION TO THE NATIONAL PETITION BY THE PSEUDO CHARTISTS OF

      THE SCOTTISH CONVENTION . So , then I the shadows in the distance flit before us , and their real form 3 appear . We have just received the following extract from the'Dumfries Courier of Monday . We have not seen the paper ; but take the statement on our informant ' s credibility . After stating that there was a delegate meeting of the Corn Law repealerB on Saturday , the Courier says : — : w In the evening a splendid soiree was held in the City Hall , attended by 1 , 500 persons , Mr . Oswald ,

      M . P ., in the chair . The . speakers were Mr . Alex . Graham , ofLancefield , the Rev . Alexander Harvey , Mr . Graham , Capilly , the Rev . Mr . Bbewster , Mr . Lumsden , Mr . Walter Buchanan , Mr . Patteson and Mr . Acland . The only feature of interest in the meeting was the appearance there of Mr . Patteson , who is one of the most intelligent and influential of the Chartut body , and by his appearance and Bpeeeh gave in his adhesion to the anti-Corn Law moveaeat both for himself and many thousands of followers . "

      Here , then , we have a perfect clue to the opposition of those parties to the National Petition , and their hostility to O'Coknor . Thus have these pretended Chartists—these spies from the "League " Camp—been seeking to establish themselves among the unsuspecting Chartists , to sow dissension and division in their ranks—to beget distrust of their old tried and trusted leaders—that the first opportunity might be taken of handing them over , " neck and crop , " to the enemy .

      How very wonderfully Chartism does thrive and multiply under "League" fosterage . When in right earnest for the Charter , we are an insignificant fraction of the population—a party without power ; but no sooner is the transfer and the mock confession made , than the "followers" become "thousaids" ! And the accessioa is boasted as

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      a rare accumulation of strength and power . Good , simple leaguers ! Reckon not your chickens too early . You may succeed in getting over Mr . FiTTHMWf at the tail of Parson Bbkwstbb , but yell get no honest Charti ' st with him . They know you too well— -they would not trust you for a single yard— -and you will by and bye rub your foolish eyes in wonder thai the Chartist oause goes on full beiter forthff loss of Mr . Patteson ; and , that the rejection of your nostrum .. by the ' . ' Chartist body , is just as perfect aud decided now that you have him to help you to cram it down their throats as it was before .

      We congratulate the Scottish Chartists on the secession of / Messrs . Bbewster iand Patteson ; just as we would a coach wheel on the absence of the slipper . We shall not be sorry to record a few more unmasking 8 .

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      TRIUaiPHS OF PRINCIPLE . WshaTe only just room to notice the triumphant displays elsewhere recorded of Newcastle , where the six points of the Charter were all swallowed without aay "hpekenieg , * ' and the National Petition passed by acclamation at a Guildhall-fulli with the Mayor in the chair ; and at Hull , where the brave "lads , " of themselvfis , unaided by a single " gun , " made the whole army of Leaguers glad to beat a parley , and ultimately sound a retreat , leaving the Chartists in possession of , at least , the best portion of the field ; although the meeting was their own , and they had all the elite of . - . the anti-Corn Law camp there . Hurrah ! for Hull . Stick , ladsv by the Charter ! Bewar& of the bait I no compromise no coalition ! no surrender !

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      WAGES OF LABOUR , AND "EXTENSIONS " OF COMMERCE . ' . 'I ' ' . ' : ¦¦¦¦ ¦ The great bugbear that tho advocates of " Extension" of pur present commerce hold up to our noses to frighten us out of our common sense when all argument has failed , is " Foreign Trade " and the danger to be apprehended from " Foreign Competition . " It is really amusing for a by-stander to observe the dexterity with Which this bug-a-loo is handled and exhibited , as a never-failing Jiltncer to all complainers , by the "free-traders" in human misery and poverty .

      Does the workman cry out , and complain that his cottage has been stripped ; that the " meal kist" has been dragged ou £ ; that his shelves have been emptied ; that his back has been unclothed ; and does he murmur at the system which has used him thus ill , —the fantastically-dressed " boggart' * is shewn te him , and h , 0 is warned that if he does not be quiet " Foreign Competition " will take him !

      Does the wife complain that she has'been dragged from her home , and forced to take her husband's place in the faotory—to labour there in artificially hoated atmospheres , to earn an existence for her family , and chained so to the wheel , by their poor circumstances , that she dare not leave her work until the labour-pangs physically incapacitate her for performing the hard task ; and does she lament that the home comforts she onca enjoyed are all departed—kug-a-boo is shewn again , and sheJs asked , "How is it possible to be otherwise , when we have the foreigner to meet in the foreign market" 1

      Doq 3 the child complain ; th&t it has been forced from the mother ' s hearth into the din , and noise , and stench , and heat of a manufactory , and compelled to take the place of an adult in attending upon the dangerous revolving machinery—compelled , in many instances , by that attendance , to travel daily over a space equal to forty miles in length ; that it is debarred from all chance ot schooling , except such as unfits it for thetduties of life ; that it

      is maimed , and diseased , and deformed , and decrepit , and in too many instancos exposed to a violent and horrible mode of death ; and does it ask for a modicum of protection ; does it beg of men and fathers not to work it to death ; does it implore for " leave to toil" but ten hours a day , —the boggart is again exhibited , and the cry of the in / an / ia drowned in tho strange jabber respecting "foreign trade" which is immediately set up .

      Does the philanthropist direct his attention to the condition of the workers engaged in our manufac torieB ! Do « s he mildly set forth that misery and destitution and disease is their lot ? Does he show that cellar-dwellings , absence of drainage , want of proper food , indiscriminate huddling together , and the absence of all moral tutelage , produces a race of beings ««/?/ to be the progenitors of another generation ! Does he prove that the species are becoming physically deteriorated , and that morality has neither name nor being amongst us ? Does he ask why theso things are so , when we have in our possession the means of producing wealth

      illimitable ? And does he earnestly plead for a slight alteration in - the regulation of our national and economical affairs , so as to ensure plenty , comfort , and well-being to all concerned , either in the production or distribution of wealth ? And does he point out the simple means by which this may be easily effected , —the boggle is again stuck up , and he is met by pertinacious repetitions of the question , " What is to become of our foreign trade ? " " Youjwould not in jure our foreign trade I ' "How are wo to maintain pur foreign trade ?" "What shall we do , if we lose our foreign trade !"

      And thus the " free trade' party expect us to be put off ! By such means as these they think to frighten us from an examination of the evils attendant upon and engendered by our commercial system . By these meana they expect to be able to resist all attempts to regulate machinery and protect the workman , and induce us to aid them in procuring another " extension" of their powerj and another and further prostration of the workman ' s condition . By means like these , they hope to compel us to lay aside reason , inquiry , comparison , and judgment , and to deliver ourselves up into their hands , bound hand and foot together .

      To this mode of procedure we demur . We require something more satisfactory . We have no notion of being frightened at this time of day , with " boggles" arid "pad-fooits . " The monster shown us may be hideous and frightful enough , dressed up and painted as he is by the men who exhibit him : but we feel inclined to ask , are the clothes his own 1 Are the features shown us , his real ones ! Is he as formidable as you make him appear to be 3

      And we shall not be oontsmt : merely with asking these questions . We shall endeavour to answer them . We shall endeavour to examine into this matter , iu a plain common sense manner , denuding the subject of the mysterious jargon with which the " oracles" have invested it . We shall endeavour to make our examination . homely and telling ; not " scientific" and hard-wordish . What , then , is the amount of our Foreign Trade ? i . e . what is it worth to us in Pounds , Shillings and Pence !

      What is the amount of produce wo have to give , noui , for the amount of money or goods we receive in return , compared with the amounts we gave and received forty or fifty years ago .. !" t .. e . how much does the labour of the present period bring us in , compared with the amounts brought in by labour , say in 1798 ! The " real value of •' . the produce and manufactures of the United Kingdom / exported during the year ending ^^ Jan . 5 th , 1841 , " was £ 51 , 406 , 430 . That is to say , the value in money or goods , which we received for the whole of our foreign trade ; as far as our pwn produce and manufactures is concerned for the last year of which wp have any return ( the returns for the year ending Jan . 5 th , 1842 , not being ! yet published ) was £ 5 X , 406 , 430 ;

      The amount raised from the people in general taxes , over and above their local taxes and charges , was £ 53 , 122 , 651 . ; ' ' ' . ' ; V :- > ^ , C .. - . ' " : ' . / . ? . The real value of British produce and manufactures exported during the year 1798 was £ 33 , 000 , 000 .

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      The official value of produce and manufactures exported in the year ending January 5 th , 1841 , was £ 102 , 702 , 372 .: ¦; : ] -V , ¦ J 'V ; ' ' . ' '¦ ¦ : > . / U ;; \ - The officialvalite of the produce and manufactures exported in 1798 , was £ 19 , 000 , 000 . The difference between the two tates of value , official and f eal t is that the former sets forth the quantity exported , and the latter tha value of that quantity , according to the invoice prices of the exporters . " ¦ ¦ ¦; ¦ . - :. ' ¦ ''¦'¦ "'/¦ ¦ ¦¦ ,. ; ¦ ¦ . ¦ ¦¦ ¦ ¦ . ' . y ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ :- \ .:-. ' . ' :

      By keeping this explanation constantly in view we shall be enabled to estimate , pretty accurately , the value of our so-much-vaunted foreign trade ; and we shall also see what has been one of the many astounding effects of our former " extensions Of commerce ^ " .: Official value , then , the reader will bear in mind , relates solely to the quantities exported . By comparing the official value at any one period , with the real / or declared value at the same period , we shall learn how much the exported produce of labour of that period brought in ; and we can compare this with the result of a similar comparison at a later period ; and thus arrive at a correct conclusion aa to the relative value of xaboub at

      any two periods we please to take . This mode of taking the valuations of exported produoe has existed for more than 150 years : consequently w « cannot get wrong . In 1798 , then , we exported , in quantity * £ 19 , 000 , 000 worth of British produce and manufactures ; aud we received for it , in money or goods , £ 33 , 000 ^) 00 . In : 1840 " we exported , in quantity , iZWJOS&Z worth of produce and manufactures ; and we received for it £ 51 . 406 ^ 430 .

      That is to say , in 1840 we exported much more than FIVE TIMES the quantity of raw material and labour , than we exported in 1798 ; and that we only received for this immense increase of foreign trade about £ 18 , 500 , 000 !!! In other words , we have increased our foreign trade to more than five times the quantity we had in 1798 ; while for that five times tha quantity we only receive a little more than one and a half times the price !!!

      In other words still , had we been paid in 1840 for the raw material and labour at the same rate we were paid in 1798 , we ought to have received for the quantity exported more than £ 177 , 000 , 000 while we did only receive £ 51 , 406 , 430 1 !! Hereis a picture of " Extension of Commerce" I I Wo have " extended" our foreign trade more than four times over from 1798 ; and this is the r « sult ! ! We receive about half as much for the whole of the

      increase as we received , in 1798 , for one-fifth of the quantity ! !! We have to give to the foreigner , for Is . 6 d ., more than five times the amount of raw material and labour that we gave in 1798 for one shilling I And " Extensions of Commerce" are desirable ! Without them , we shall go to Tack and ruin ! For want of them , we are all out of employment ! For want of more foreign trade , wages are low ! Another " Extension" will set all right Operatives , what think you ?

      We have not by us , at present , means of reference as to the amount of taxes raised from the people in the year 1798 . We have , however , a return for the year 1789 , nine years previous . By it we learn that the amount raised in 17 S 9 was £ 16 , 000 , 000 . So that the labourer , besides having to give five times the amount of labour in 1840 for one-and-ahalf-times the amount of money he received in 1788 , HAD TO PAY , IN 1840 , MORE THAN THBEE TIUEB THE amount of taxes that he paid in 178 SI !! !|

      Hurrah ! for the blessings of "Extended Commerce" and ' " . Cheap Government" j Hurrah ! for the wisdom with which our rulers have managed national and commercial affairs ! They have only diminished the workman ' s means three and a half fold , and increased his state burdens threefold ! Another diminution of means must be of immense service !!

      But this statement of the relative value of our foreign trade , in the years 1798 and 1840 , plain and volumes-speaking as it is , does not fully shew the real nature of our two trades at the several periods named . In 1798 , £ 16 , 000 , 000 out of the £ 19 , 000 , 000 quantity exported , was from raw material produced by ourselves from our own soil only £ 3 ^ 000 , 000 quantity was from raw material imported from abroad ! W ^ the n grew pur own wool j and nearly the whole of Otir own flax . How is it

      uow ? Why , that inl 840 , more than two-thirds of the manufactures exported was . from raw material which had been imported ! Therefore , all the profit that this portion of our foreign trade left us , was the difference between the cost of raw material when landed on our shores , and the amount received for it when re-landed on the shores of America , China , or Timbuctpo ? And what a difference this will make to the nation at large , between growing its own raw material , and buying it abroad !

      Here , then , is our foreign trade ! What is it worth ? Is it worth having ? Is it . worth following } Dees it give us enough in return , estimating it in the way the Corn Law League always look at these questions , the pouhds-shillings-and-pence way , for the efforts and sacrifices we make to secure it 1 Wo have run ourselves off our feet ; we have reduced the merchant and manufacturer to bankrnpicy and the operative to beggary ; we have abstracted millions upon millions from the tills of the shopkeeping

      class , and for what i to secure a trade which brings us in £ 51 , 000 , 000 yearly for five times the amount of labour and raw materiaVwe gave forty years ago for £ 33 , 000 , 000 ! ! What is it worth I What does it leave T It is a boast that cotton wool comes into the country , at Liverpool , on a Monday morning , and departs again , in the shape of cotton twist , on Saturday evening . This is very quick . There has not been very much labour expended upon it in the meantime . Yet this article , cotton twist , is a very large item in the list of exports . It serves to swell it amazingly .

      But what does it leave ? What does it scatter by the wayt How much is there out of this , tor either master or man ! It is C 9 rtainly very quick work to import the raw material on a Monday , and export the " manufactured article " on a Saturday : but what does it leave t It runs very quickly through the country ; but does it scatter plenty of crumbs by the way ! These are questions which must be answered ; for it may turn out that our foreign trade may be to the nation what physio is to the body : a scourer out . It may turn out that we lose more than we gain by it 1 But , we could not do without our foreign trade ! We should be ruined without our foreign trade . ' What would become of us , if we lost our foreign trade ! Softly , good folks I Remember that the tares in 1840 amounted to £ 53 , 000 , 000 ; that is to eay , to £ 2 , C € 0 , 000 mo * e than the whole we received for our famous foreign trade !!!

      Five millions are more than sufficient for the carrying on of an honest Governmeht . So that if we /<>*/ the entire of our foreign trade , and placed taxation on a just and proper footing , we should only be worse than we now are by £ 3 , 000 , 000 a-yetr ; and we should have all the vast heaps of clothing and cutlery , and other manufactured produce we now export , at home to divide among ut , and wear and enjoy 1 / ¦¦ . . ' . '" . /' . ' . ' ' ' ;¦ " . . : - - ' ; ' .. > : ' .- ' '"

      No , no . Bugbear foreign trade is noi so formidable after all ! He has been mohstrouBJy dressed-up ; but he is hot so very frightful of himself , when we come to lift the veil ! No , no ; we Bhall not sink beneath th

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      per week , if equally divided amongst wsr 27 , 000 , 100 of population !! A terrible thing to make saoh a splatter abbat , certainly . ' ! Why , if we could by any means enable every one of thai same popuiatidn to spend ; Id . per day more than they now do , that would be worth , to the nation at large , infinitklt ^ io » e than , the wftofe of ow . foreign trade ! . ' J -: " Reader , we ' have not yet done with the' ^ foreign trade j qnestion ^ We shall return tait .

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      COMBUNlCAlIONS - NOT KOTICED IN OUR 1 AST . —West ¦ ••' - Bromwich . — -The friends here ^ should copy the memorial from the Star ; i write Mm o plain hand $ get as many signatures to it as they can , and send it prepaid to Mr . J . Wilkinson , Secretary to the Frost % Williams , and Jones ' s Restoration Committee , 5 , Gh-&coe-streett Birmingham ' . For the National Petition , their way is to setideash for as many Petition heads and sheets as they may heed , and go to work—fUl the sheets as fast os possible with bona&de signatures , and send it off to the general secretary , prepaid . —Pancras . wishes the working men of London to establish a paper over which they would have the complete controulto effect which he would have the

      sub-, scribers form themselves into an association , each member paying the price of the paper weekly , and a small sum , quarterly , to defray the ex ? pences of the association , the profits to be appro * priatedlo the following iises . —Tothe publishing of political and other works at a cheap rate ; to the purchasing ; of a library for the use of themembers ; and to the engaging of lecturers . — London : Tailors , Three Doves , Berwick-street , Soho , report that , at their previous weekly meet ' ing , after business had been disposed of , on haritionic meeting took place , for the benefit of the masonsi hot * on strike ; and that the rooms will be open for ihis purpose every evening during the strike — Finsbury . The report of Mr . Watt *

      was only received on Saturday . —Birmingham , A letter received : on Saturday from E . Spink , sub-Secretary , desires us to announce that the meetings at Freeman-street are holden on Sunday evenings , at half past six ;' , Monday evenings , at eight ; the chair taken precisely at the stated time . —Chorley . W . Pii / ie / d 3 sub-Secretary , sends us on Saturday the list of nominations for Council of his locality , with a request that wes" ' willbe pleased to publish it , and to pay ; more attention , to the correspondence from Chorley , " of which he says there are heavy complaints among the members . It is no wonder that the members complain ; We seldom get anything from Chorley at all , and when we do , it is quite likely to b

      neglected if it come after the papers are printed . How often must we tell people that we go to press on Thursday ?—Strathaven . We received from this place , on Saturday , a report of a meeting held on the lith instant , at which , among other things , it was agreed : —That a subscription be ' entered into immediately Jor the rearing of a monument in memory of our miirdered townsman , James Wilison , who fell a victim to the hellish spy system of 1819 and 1820 , and that Messrs . B . Grtffin , provision store , and James Mpir be appointed to receive subscriptions for the same . . Upon this the writer remarks : —

      " This has been long and shamefully neglected ; the grave of Wilison , in Strathaven church-yard is now level with the common earth , and to all , except a few , unknown , undistinguishable , amid the myriad , graves which lye ar * und . While thousands of meaner name and lesser note have had monuments reared to their memory , no simpl $ stone so much as marks the place where sleeps the ashes of themartyr'd Willsbn " -r-Lee&s Unemployed Operative Enumeration Committee . The disclaimer of this body oj all blame on account of the delay in completing the investigation oj the overseers is attended to in our present number . ¦ . .

      Brief Rules for the Government of all wh « write for this Paper . —Write legibly . Make as few erasures and interlineations as possible . In . writing names of persons and places be more particularthan usual to ^^ make every letter distinct and clear— also in using words not English . Writ * onlfon ont sideofihepaper . Employ no abbreviations whatever , but write out every word in full . Address communications not ; to toy parttcol&r person , but to " The Editor . " When you sit down to-write , don't be in a burry . Considet that hurried "writing makes Blow printing . Remember that we go to press on Thursday ; that one side of the paper goes to preBa on Wednesday ; that-we are obliged to go on filling up the paper the -whole

      week , and that , therefore , when a load of matter comes by the last one or two posts , it unavoidably happens that much of it ia omitted ; and that it is therefore necessary to be prompt in your communications . All matters of news , reports of meetings , &c , referring to occurrences on Friday , Saturday , or Sunday , should reach-us by Monday's post ; such as refer to Monday ' s occurrences by Tuesday evening ' s post i Wednesday ' s occurrences by Thun .-day ' s post ; and Thursday ' s news by Friday inorning ' s post , for second edition . APydeviation from this order of supply will necessarily subject the matters 89 received to the almost certainty of rejection or aerisus curtailment , and . u'flfafe . Ho tydmefor it . All personal correspondence , poetry , literary

      communications , and articles of comment to be here by Tuesday , or their chance of insertion for that week will be Very small indeed ; if not here by Wednesday we don't hold ourselves bound « rmi to noticeihem . Finally , ^ remember that we have only foity-ei ^ bt colunms -weekly for all England , Scotland , Wales , and Ireland ; that . we have no interest in preferring one town or placa to another , because ours is not a local but a national paper ; that -we are bound , thetefore , in dealing with the masses of matter whick come to us , to bold the scales of Justice evenly— -ourflrst abject being the promotion and enhancement , according to our oil * best judgment , t » f the success of the great and good cause ; and our second , the distribution of our time and space so a 9 to give least cause of complaint ; that we are alike bound to this course of action fey

      inclination , interest , and duty ; and that , therefore , it is useless and senseless for individuals to fame and fret , and think themselves ill used because their communications may not always be inserted , or for societies to trouble their heads and - waste their time in passing votes of censure upon us for devoting too much space to this , or too little to that , or for inserting this thing which they think should have been omitted , or for omitting the other thing which they think should have appeared . All these are matters for our consideration , and for the exercise of our discretion and judgment , which , we assure all parties , shall be always used , so far as we are able to perceive , honestly for the public , without : fear or favour to any one ; and without being allowed to be turned for one instant from its course by ill-natured snarls or bickerings *

      Derby . —The friends of ihis neighbourhood ' having communications for the ^ t ^ T , or otherwise affecting the Chartist movement , are requested to send them to Air . Thomas iiriggs , care of Mr . Jokn Moss , shoemaker , PlumptTe-square Dariey-lane , Derby . Monet Orders to this Office . ^— Our cashier is frequently made to endure an amount of inconvenience utterly inconceivable by those who have not multifarious transactions ( ike his to attend to , by the negligence of parlies to attend to the plain instructions so often given , tot make all money < orders sent here payable ' toi Mr . Johk Ardill . Some orders are made payable to Mr . O'Connor—sortie to Mr . Hobson—some to Mr . Hill—some to Star Office .. : all these require the

      signatures of the person in whose favour they are drawn before the money can be got . -. This causes an attendance at the post-office of , some ' timeS i several hours , when a few minutes might suffice if all were rightly given—rnot to mention the most vexatious delays of payment sometimes caused by it . Several old agents , who certainly ought to know better , have often thus needlessly inconvenienced us ; We , therefore , beg that all parties having money to send to th e ¦ Siar Office for- papers , by order , will make their orders payable to Mr . John Akdill ; if they neglect this , we shall not hold ourselves bound to attend to them ; if , there forBy ' . they find their neglect to produce inconvenience to themselves , let them not blame us . ; .

      Robert Walker , a factory youth , suggests , as i means of relieving the Executive : —• " That a medalist be engaged by the Executive to mike medali , with the six Points of the Charter on the one side , and the Chartist coat of arms or the - other side , same as on . the cards ; . The Exe « utiv » to fix the price ; and that each person waning » medal give in hia name , together with the noney , to the sub-Secretary of bis locality ; ani then , when the sub-Secretary has got about 10 » name * , or more , send bis order to the general Secrstary , the isame as sending for cards , only 'with tlis exception ; that the money be paid in advance . He thinla that when this plan is carried into efeet , there will be some signs of the plan of tha Woolwich Cadet coming into operation . " '

      Thb Chartists of : CAJiTERBURY will h-happy f receive communications from their father Charlists-in other towns of the county oj / Kent on the ¦ subject of o county lecturer . Tk address of their sub-Secretary will be found eliwhere . Desideratum is referred to the notic&lready given about portraits . / Wh . Peters . —It is impossible for us b insert reports without shortening them . We should else need sis Stars , We must be allowed toixercue our oven judgment on the best mode ofdow this . The ^^ CoWvention— We have alettffromMr . John Maynard withdrawing his nap from the list of ¦ . . candidates . . \ . \ " . ¦ . ¦ ' ' , ' V- , ¦ ' /' ¦ ¦ . \' - ; ' ,.- '

      Sto Wi8sm& Anu Covy^Wnem^

      STo Wi 8 sm& anu Covy ^ wnem ^

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      THE BABY SPRINKLING . " All the London papers have been full for the last few days , and all the provincials will , of course , be full to-day , with the " Christening /' Not an inch of the full measure of the insult mast , ot course , be lost . Rejoicings of all kinds have been rife , and loyal laudations have flowed out ad libitum . We have no doubt that our " gallant" neighbour , THE QTJEEN-GROANER , will croak loyalty with the best feathered of the

      Haven tribe . We had , of course , no mind to be out of fashion , much less disloyal ; and were therefore just sitting down to pea a loyal ditty on the matter , when the post brought us the following excellent commemoration of the " Royal" and ** auspicious " event , from a valued Correspondent at Bath , who writes us , that on the day the baby Prince was sprinkled with u boly water , " the following excellent verses were plentifully distributed , and with excellent effect : —

      A STARVATION ARTHEM TOR THE ROYAL CHRISTENING Bring forth the babe in pomp and lace , While thousands starve and curse the light ! But what of that t on royal face Shame knows no blush , however slight '• Br ing forth the babe ; a nation ' s moans Will ring sweet music in his ear , For well we know a people ' s groans To royal ears were always dear . Bring forth the babe ; down , courtiers , down ! And bow your lacquey knees in dost Before a child's beslobbered gown . ( . Our children cannot find a crust )! When Christ was born , no servile throng Around the Saviour ' s manger met ; No flatterers raised their fulsome song ; But what was Christ to Albert ' s pet 1

      God , who hast heard the widow ' s moan ; God , who hast heard the orphan's cry ; Thou , too , dost sit upon a throne , But none round thine of famine die ! Things like this babe of royal birth , Who boast their princely " right divine , " Are but thy parodies on earth—Their's is oppression , mercy thine ! Bring forth the babe I From foreign lands FreBh kingly vampires flock to greet This new one in its nurse ' s hands ( For royal mothers give no teat ); Bring forth the toy of princely whim , And let your prayers mount night and day , For ought we not to pray for him Who'll prey on us enough some day ?

      Oh ! who would grudge to squander gold On such a glorious babe as this ? What though our babes be starved aud coldi They have no claim on earthly bliss ; Ours are no mongrel German breed , But English born and English bred ; Then let them live and die in deed , While the plump Cobourg thing is fed ! Christen the babe , Archbishop proud , Strange servant of the lowly Christ , Thousands are to your purse allowed—For him the smallest loaf sufficed . Though holy-water's scinty now , My Lord you may dismiss your fears ; Take to baptise the infant ' s brow A starving people ' s bitter tears !

      We recommend Prince Albert to try and fit the above words to a suitable tune , that they may be introduced into the royal nursery for a lullaby to the Young Prince .

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      4- ' - THE NORTH Ell ^ '• ___ - ' ' .. - .. " .: - ;; ' - ______• " ; ' : ' ' ' \ 'pl _ 2 _ 2

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Jan. 29, 1842, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct415/page/4/