Current:

Northern Star (1837-1852), 8th April 1843, Edition 2 of 4, Page unpag

Page unpag
Page 1
1 of 8

On this page

  • Departments (2)
    • MB. DTESCOiEBE^ MOTION.
    • Sheffield. — Mr. Edwin Gill addressed the Char-
  • Text (9)
  • 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

      Oa this snbject the Times of Thursday thus ! remarks : — ! " We are Dot % cnerally disposed to regard -with over- 1 flne favour the tandnct of the Democratic section in the j House of Commons ; and , as onr readers know , ire have thought it a matter of bo slight felicitation to all-i who valne either the dignity or the time of our Lagi * - j laiora , that this class has of late yean become smaller in its numbers and humbler in its tone . j After this rather unnecessary preface , -we may be \ flowed to txpreas our thanks to Mr . Duneombe—who j is now the * 2 > n ! ce decus columergue rernsi' -with the : faithful expectants of a Chartist Millennium—for hatlug hronght " btfore the notice of tbe Homse the pefiiaoE cf seTcral persona charged with participation in" the disturbances of last autumn , and their treatment by the magistrates who examined them .

      The petitions presented by the Hon Member for Knsbmy -werefrom twenty-two men , principally natives of the northern and -western counties , and most of them , we Defieve , connected "Wilh . the Chartist Association . -Onr readers irill best learn the nature of the grievances of which they complain from the following extracts : — The peStion of George White , news-agent , of Bir-Tnfngyia-gi ^ states that he"was arrested on She 26 th day of August last , and wm bronght before Messrs . Spoones , Beale , Moorsom , and other magistrates , and was commilted to Warwick County Gaol f * * that he ' thereupon applied for leave to put in bail , -which "was agreed to by the magistrates , -who demanded six sureties in £ 100 each , laid himself in £ 600 , with forty-eight hours * notice ;

      that he had good and sufficient bail then prasent in court , who -were well known to l > e such by tbe magistrates ; and B . Speoner , Esq , one of her , Jfc » jeaty " s justices of the peace , informed him 'the petitioner ) , in opes court , that he should sot accept any person holding similar political ^ irinciple to those of the petitioner , as bail on his behalf . " The petitioner then goes on to relate , that , "Upwards of fourteen respectable tradesmen and shopkeepers tendered ibematlves as tail on beiia 2 f of the petitioner , acd were refused ; * " * that he -was , in consequence , confined in cold and solitude for the space eleven weeks ; and * * that he was ultimately obliged to sske application to the -Court of Queen ' s Bench , BBd that , his bail vas at lasi accepicd oy an order from . Mr . Justice CresswdL ''

      "ThB petition of another , John West by name , a hind-loom weaver , of Derby , shows thai tfee petitioner -was arrested on the 29 ib day of September last npon s charge of sedition , and was brought before Sir J . R . Cave , a magistrate for the county of Derby ; that he was required to find bail to the amount of £ 400 , which eoEsderlnj the station in life of your petitioner , is , in the opinion of your petitioner , excessive and unconatitaSonal ; and iiat , loi tbe want of such bail , he was committed to tbe Cancij Gaol of 3 > erby , where he was placed in solitary confinement . *" " The petition of Kobert Brook , % schoolmaster , of Todmorden , contains amongst other declarations the following : — that he was arrested at his own bonse upon a charge of sedition , conspiracy , and riot , and was brought before John CrosEley , Esq ., and James Taylor , Esq , when the former addressed him in such terms as

      *• " * 1 have got yea at last , and I am glad of it , and 3 "BUI take care to punish you . Ton bave given me a deal of trouble with writing to that rascally Northern Star - that he-was required t © find bail , himself in the sum of £ 200 and two sureties in £ 100 eaeh ; and when two persons of good " > fl ¦ Bnblemishtd character , both men of property , both , fotaa of the "West Riding of Yorkshire , offered as bail , the said magistrates told them , ' He would not take their bail , l * cause they were CfeartMs ; and he would not take a Chartist as a bondsman , for he wss determined , to put down the Chartists

      vs Tedmorden ; Finally these bondsmen were accepted ; » - - the petitioner was again arrested and brought ief ere certain magistrates at Hand" ester , and requested to . find -other baa , himself to the amount of £ 400 , and two sureties of £ 200 e&ch ; but not being able to do to , he was sent away to Kiiicale , and eTentnally brought up at Liverpool before Lord Abinger ; - , - that he was iept in piison on account of such extensive tail being legnired , -nuts the trials came on at Xrrerpoe ] . ithen Lord Abbigir reduced Ms bail as follow —fnm himself £ 600 and sureiiesio theamoiait of £ 609 , iohimsdf £ 2 # o , and sureties £ 100

      -To these we will add but one case mare , that of a a potter , isfcar Stoke-upon-Trent , who complains that -hs - » aa committed by a magistrate ' of Jfewcastle-under-I ^> e ea a charge of felony ; that the magistrate , ¦ when ailed what bail wculd be sufficient , replied that •* - « had made up his mit .-d -not ioaVow bail" . . . . oteerrirg that -he" rtte petitioner ) wonld be ta'kit-« i » is ; " that the peUtioEer was ltt > t in gaol for eight ' *«« . tried at Sfc-fbrd by SperiafCommiEsion . . - ™ « 5 ^ tt £ d , beesase lie Jury couid not t « lieTe the " ¦^ J ^ a on Ms r » tK

      wepwposely abstain from referriEg to the other —*•** eontaa ed in these petitions ; aad when we loot £ jr \ ec K E'ated inaccuracies with which they teem , fr * *** icmnoniens spirit which they brtatbe towards ** ° ere concemtd in pnttis ^ down tie riots , -we = ™« ft bnt ngret a ^ the motion of Mr . Dancombe waa bo . limited to an inquiry into ih $ ote main and « # >! ^ f ™^ which was so seTcrely felt by many of ^ petiacaei s-- 'we mean tbe unwarrantable rtfnsa ° *^ » y the magistrates in some eases , and tbeir ^^ J ^ nwarrsntable demand of escessiTe bail in Sad to

      y ~^* - th 6 jjetitSous been confined this "un-« wctea , UDdenied , acd most Bncon £ tis . iitioisal stretch « aathority , Borne cood might ha" ? e come of them . For ¦« KBg n -tre ^ re j aj ^ p ^ j to 8 ee < $ } B magistrates of n arwicifiir ^ Staffordshire , or Lar cashire crnclfied " ^¦ aceasnre of theBonse—and in the present constitn-™ nof the Bouse such a horrible catastrcpte is not ^ 7 probable—yet do we beliers that tbe exposure of "Jl * -glaring atnse TForfld fca-re been at the same time its ? " « t loiieijt jxuushment , and the best prgrentiTe of ^ recnn-Enee .

      Howerer , instead of presenting a decent and moderate f ^^ ttpro one definite and intelligible ground , the £ » aa wbrae prayer was preferred by Mr . Dancombe Jas aimdsy drrerged into a -fsgne and rambling state-™ y *[ 'Tongs , real snd imaginary ; -nnEupported ftnd ^ aaajctfcdi . jjj ^ eT £ D ^ jjgjg confinne ^ by testimony , ~ T « fgeaiei nxjusBfied by the peculiar circumstances w ^ &Eg the outbreak . What , therefore , was the wBSE ^ uace , the n&tnal consequence , of such am iml » Jnr « mtte ? Why , that the ieal snA of tbe eom-*^ te war lost o ^ it of , and the attention of the honBe ^^ fi a way in disciuslDg tte ciminalitj of parHcoI * r if * ™* «» d the good intentioni of p » ac « l * r magiB-^«* The nuin pomi—the real griefince , namely , * g * certainjmen were brought before certain magistrates , 5 r * S <^ "with felony and misdemeanours , for which the Kawte BBjoinj the admission ot ban , * nd thai the ^^ Stttmes of Uislr own aeeord refused proper bail—« ai was rufered to tEde out of Tiew altogether .

      Sow , we hare -so wish to justify the language used «? the Chartist orators : it was Tiolent , illegal , and TmccDRitntjonaL But we say that the acts ot the Itaiiitri . te 8 were eqnally -violent , -eo ^ aally illfcs 35 , eqnaUy toTOEsiinrtjonal , Tee Chartists fcafi bo right to assem" * together , to stop mffls , impefle-wori , and to make

      Untitled Article

      inflammatory speeches . This was riot , sedition , nay , according to the AUomey General , it was treasoa But be it remembered , none of the prisoners were charged with treason ; they were charged with riot and sedition ; and for these the law allows men to be bailed ; and to have refused bail under such circumstance * con-Ticts tbe magistrates either of tbe most monstrous ignorance on points upon which the commonest textboots might feaTe illumed them , or of the moat flagrant and culpable indifference to the duties of tbeir station . It is no excuse to say they meant well in what they did ; we believe they did mean well j but they ought to have known the taw better , and to have administered it more temperately .

      Only conceive for a moment any men of such education and intelligence as it is only fair to snppose the generality of country magistrates possesses , —only conceive these men , with the acts 60 th George III ., c i ., sect 2 , » nd ? tb George IT ., c 64 , staring them in the face , refusing to accept as bail men who were of the same political opinions as the prisoner ! Or fancy a man in the commission of the peace declaring that he " would not tafee a Chartist as a bondsman , for he was determined to pnt dows tbe Chartists . " It was not without rtasen that 2 Ai . Baron Rolfe , in his admirable eharga at Lancaster , reminded the Jury that it was not the object of the commission to put down Chartism , but to punish those who supported it in an illegal way . But , however ignorant we might have presupposed a justice of the peace to be on every point of -constitutional law—and we certainly were not disposed

      to stint our anticipations on this head—yet we were not prepared to find any men BO deluded as to expect—and not only to expect , but to publish abro&d their expectations—that they sheuld be able to put down any political party , or cruab any pelitical opinion , by dealing harshly with those who supported it . And this in England , too , where , under all circumstances , and in every fortune , men axe ready and glad to appreciate fair play in their opponents , and where there 1 b a Sxed popular reverence for the idea of Xsw—that here men , acting in a judicial capacity , should avail themselves of its facilities for injuring an obnoxious class , should pervert justice into . hostility , and judgment into oppression!—why , it ib a thing only one degree less wicked than it is silly , and 1 b only saved from being laughable for its absurdity by being pitiable fot the infatuation which it betrays .

      " Bnt ws trust thai the magistrates will profit by this publicity . Lord Denman has pronounced bis opinion upon them ; the people will form theirs ; the House of Commons baa not censured them , thanks to the supeifinous matter of the petitions . We would onJy express a parting wish that they will , with decent and modest diligence , resume the perusal of tbeir forgotten fiarases and Blaekstones , and set about learning what they profess to dictate—the laws o ( England . "

      Untitled Article

      Cotton , a lawyer , who wrote on the subject of enclosing , said— " In the carriage of this busineKs there must be much caution to prevent commotion , " snd he reeommended , " that plots shall be devised to the inhabitants at and under easy values . " Lord Chancellor Bacon strenuously urged tbe enclosure of waste lands , with this condition , " so that the poor commoners may ha * e no injury by such enclosures . " A report ( drawn np by Sir J . Sinclair ) of a select committee ot the House of Commons appointed for the purpose Of considering the subject , was in these words— " If a general bill were to be passed , every possible attention to the rights of the commoners wonld necessarily be paid . The poor would then evidently stand a better chance ot having their fall share undiwlniabed . '' But was any

      Hon . Member of that House prepared to deny that the public bad a right to these waste lands ? Why what meant the standing order on the table of tbe house ? " That in every bill for enclosing lands , provision be made for leaving an open space in the most appropriate situation , suficieut for purposes of exercise and recreation of the neighbouring population ; and that the committee on tbe bill have before them the number of acres proposed to be enclosed , as also ot the population in tbe parishes or places in which tbe land to be enclosed is situate ; and also do see that provision is made for the ifficient fencing of the allotment , for the investment of the same in the churchwardens and overseers of the parish in which such open apace is

      reserved , and for the efficient making and permanent maintenance of the fences by such parish ; and that in any case where the information hereby required is not given , and the required provisons are not made in the bill , the committee on tbe same do report specially to the House the reasons tor not complying with SUCb . order . " The poor man had a right to call on the House to recognize this principle . In many parts of England tbe poor for centuries bad cut turf and peat for tbeir consumption during winter ; but ae regretted to say in many parts of England the landed proprietors bad taken advantage of the poor ceasing to practice their tights for a certain number of years , and had then prohibited them from doing so for ever . It was said in as old

      distitcb" Great is the crime in man or woman To steal a goose from off a common ; But surely he's without excuse Who steals the common from the goose . " In many parts of the country tbe ¦ working classes , more particularly tbe poorer portion of them—and he spoke positively with regard to many of the bandloom ¦ weavers in his own neighbourhood—bad been enabled to live comfortably through the ecj&jmeDt of these rights , which pf late years bad thus been taken away from them . It every Bon . Member in that House would declare his conscientious conviction , after a due consideration of this subject , be would certainly avow himself to be in favour of the allotment system , Htknew that some Hon . Members , even during the

      present system , had declared that the system had not worked well where it had been put in practice ; but he was prepared to prove quite tbe reverse , and tbat it proved tbe greatest blessing wherever it had been adopted . He was sure that he should convince tbe House thai if tbe allotment system of waste lands were adopted , it would prove , to a great extent , the salvation of ike country ; for it must be clear to all , that if something were not done lot the working classes , snd that speedily , the consequences would be most serious . ( Hear , hear . ) The Government were sitting on tbe verge of a volcano at tbe present moment , which might burst forth with mischievous effect , unless precautionary measures were taken . Thousands were in want and suffering , and had borne theix distieBB and

      privation with patience and humility , that bad been praised by almost every member of her Majesty ' s Government ; but praise would not fill tbeir empty bellies—( hear , bear . ) Those poor people had waited with earnest anxiety to see what would be done for them in the present cession , which was nearly half over—( hear , and no . ) At all events , Hon . Gentlemen were about to enjoy tbe Easter festivities ; but what had they to say to the people ? What had they done ?—( hear , bear . ) There bad been a great deal of talk , bat not ene practical measure which Would give relief to the poor—( hear , hear . ) The workiuR classes laughed at the idea of foreign colonization , they would never sanction it ; fox it bad been tried , and not a ship came borne from the colonies which did

      not bring some disappointed wretches who bad suffered more abroad than ac come , and would rather die of starvation at home than be transported again to a distant colony . But , he would proceed to state some other important facts . In the parish of Long Newton , in the county of Gloucester , the effects of tbe system were these : — " Tbe late Mr . Eatcourt stated , tbat out of 186 persons there were 32 families , consisting of 140 persons , in the depth of extreme poverty . Tbe poorrates imounted to £ 334 13 s . Cd . in 1801 . Tbe result of the allotment sy&sem was an immediate abatement in tbe misery of the poor ; the most gratifying improvement in tbeir character and morals ; and a progressive diminution in the poor-rates down to £ 135 , i n 1829 ( tbe last year reported ) . ( Hear , hear ) . In

      Sfciptonmojne , an adjoining parish , tbe same results vrtre experienced . In the small parish ef Ashley , where the same plan waa pursued by tbe Hos . Member for Oxfurd , the same results followed . In tbe parish of Lyndon , in Rutlandshire , where the cottagers had been allowed these privileges for at least 200 years , an enclosure took place , and an allotment waa reserved for the use of tbe poor , and to be let to tbe cottagers at moderate rents . The happy results of the system weie described in a letter written by the Earl of Winchilsea , on the 4 th of January , 1796 , to Sir John Sinclair , the President » f the Board of Agriculture . " Lord Winchilsea in that letter said he bad made inquiries into the effect of giving small allotments of land , and that be was more and more convinced

      that nothing could , be of greater benefit to the labourers and the landowners . The working people were enabled to better their condition , ana to make their homes comfortable , and to keep a cow or a pie , and thus they became better able to do their woit , -wjre more contented in their station , and acquired a sort of independence and self-respect which prevented them fi om becoming burdensome to others ; the effect was beneficially felt upon the poor-rates . Lord Winchilsea also wished tbat Parliament wouln never mtke an enc . osure without setting aside a portion of land for tbe use of the poor ; and be mentioned the case of one family which enjoyed the privilege during relief from

      200 years , aad nnver did one of them receive the . parish . After quoting other extracts from this letter to the same effect , the Hon . Member said ht > thought be bad read sufficient , he was sure , from thai letter , to show the advantages of the system he was now advocating , proving , as the letter did , that for 208 year * it had worked beneficially to the lower orders . Bat he held in his hand tbe report of a gentleman whose opinion he supposed would bave great influence with the Right Hon . tbe Secretary for the Home Pepartment . Itwas that of Mr . Power , respecting tbe county of Cambridge , as stated in the Poor Law Commissioners * Report for 1834 , page 103 : —

      " Allotment of » m&a portion * of land to labonrews fo * tbepnrpese of employing their leisure hours , giving them a feeling of dependence on their own exertions , and bettering their condition by increased sutenance and comforts , is beginning , much to tbe credit of tbe landowners , to be very generally adopted in tbii county . Of the excellent effects of this pracUoe I am prOTidwl 'Wittl teAtimony from many qmarters . At Wells fifty acres Bre now granted by tne Bishop of Bath and Wells to two hundred and three persons , in quantities ' varying from one-twelfth to half an acre , at & tent of 12 shillings and sixpence tbe quarter of an acre . Of these persons not above ten arenninanied , and many sre widows . The average of each family being taken at five , upwards of 1 , 000 persona are thus benefited . No stipulation is made against the receipt

      Untitled Article

      of parochial relief , but tbe result has been to tbe same < ff <; ct , aa only three of the number receive parochial relief , two of whom are infirm persons who would otherwise be in the workhouse , and the third , also infirm , belongs to Bristol . Twenty-nine names were pointed cut of persons who formerly bad received relief , but bad discontinued it since tfaey bad got land . Many Dissenters have allotments . The following is an account , on an average of six years , of the profits of a quarter of an acre ;— £ . 8 . d . Rent for a quarter of an acre 0 12 6 Digging 0 8 0 , Manure ... ... o 10 o Seed ... 3 0 Planting .,, Q 4 0 Hoeing , &o , 0 8 0 Digging and bawling 0 10 0 Suppose tbe man to hire and pay for everything — 2 15 6 PRODUCE . Twenty sacks of potatoes 4 10 0 Other vegetables 1 0 0 5 10 0 Less labour , tcc , as above ... ,,, ,,, 2 15 6 Clear profit , supposing the man to bire and pay for everything e 2 14 6 If all done by the man 4 4 6 Tbe opinion expressed by tbe agent was , that th « man who works for a farmer fur twelve hours , from six to six , with the help of his wife and family , can manage half an acre , supposing it half potatoes , keep a pig , and support his family , and that a mechanic can do more . The continued increase in tbe demand for allotments is the best proof of tbe advantage derived from them . There is a general improvement in tbe Character of the occupiers , who are represented as becoming

      more industrious and diligent , and as never frequenting those pests , tbe beer-bouses . Frequently they have been known to work by candle-light Not a single instance has occurred in which any one thus holding land has been taken before a magistrates / or any complaint . " —( Hear , bear . ) Was not tbat an instance worthy of tbe consideration of the House ? Was it not ene over which they should rejoice , at a time when the working-classes were so much distressed , which fast net one of any party denied , and when there was so much difficulty in keeping tbe peace of the country , and to prevent tbe scenes of last year being re-enacted ? He knew that any each disturbances could and would be put down by tbe strong arm of the law ; but would It not be more gratifying to be able to say that they bad done

      justice to tbe poor , by restoring to them tbeir rights , and placing them beyond the reach of temptation and want , and making' them once more happy , and contented , and peaceable subjects —( bear ) ? But he found that Mr . Power gave a similar account of tbe working of the system at West Looe . " Tbe effect upon tbe poor-rate has been a diminution from 16 a . in the pound to 3 a ., but the moral effect upon the poor is beyond calculation , the population being principally seafaring men , who in bad weather bad no occupation , and who idled about , a dead weight upon the poor-rate ; but who bave now occupation , and are happy , contented , and laborious . ''—( Hear , hear . ) " I went ovet the l * nd And found it in excellent condition . " No doubt many Hon . Members had heard of the parish of

      Trmg , where : this allotment system was first carried into effect a few years ago , when the whole parish bad become insolvent , the poor-rates bad broken down uuder the demands upon them , and rates in aid were received from neighbouring parishes , and things were still growing worse and worse . A society in London took tbe matter up . A quantity of land waa bought at Cboltsbury , and tbe rector of the parish , who bad acted in a most praiseworthy manner , bad in a letter dated ( November 3 , 1842 , tbua reported the result to the Labourers ' s Friend Society .- — " 1 . Tbe land Is still divided into allotments , varying in sixa from two to five , and in one instance twelve acres . 2 . The hind is still occupied by tbe original tenants , with few « xceptions . 3 . Tbe population of tbe parish has

      slightly decreased . 4 . The estate has passed Into private banda ( AboutlSO acres . ) 5 . Tbe tenants are maintaining themselves and their families exclusively by their allotments , and by tbe casual employment they obtain elsewhere . 6 . The tenants pay tbeir rent punctually—viz . 22 s . per acre ( inclusive of tithes ) . This is the fnll average rent of land in the neighbourhood . 7 . With respect to tbe question , * What was tbe rent of the land per acre previous to the Agricultural Employment Institution purchasing it ?'—you probably bave forgotten tbat , with the exception of about 16 acres , the whole of tbe land in the parish at that period was abandoned on account of tbe excessive rates upon it . The last tenant of the estate , before it passed into tbe hands of the institution , was R . D . The result of his

      agreement with his landlady is curious , and shows bow valueless land in the parish then was . He rented 85 acres for £ 23 , and stipulated to pay all rates up to a certain amount , wbilet all above , it waaagreed , were to be deducted from the rent . When settling-day came the balance was against the landlady ; her shares of the rates having absorbed tbe whole of tbe rent , and extracting from her pocket some few shillings besides . TbetenaDt had paid rates to tbe amount of £ 46 7 a . The contrast ; with the state of tbe parish then , with what it is low , resulting , as it does , entirely from the allotment system . In 1832 , just before tbe Agricultural Employment Institution took the parish In band , it was almost exclusively a parish of paupers ; since tbat period it has not bad an able-bodied pauper

      belonging to it . In 1832 the land was worse than valueless , for it was a source of anxiety and loss to tbe proprietors . it is now largely bought up when offered for sale , and equals , if it does not exceed , in value aojucent land in the surrounding parishes . Iu 1832 the poor consumed the profits of all the land in the pariBh : thty now maintain themselves and tbeir families most comfortably on oniy a portion of tbat land . In 1832 the weekly expend itura of the poor , at this period of tbe year , averaged £ 5 ; it now scarcely exceeds as many -hillings , if the maintainance of a lunatic in an asylum be excepted . In 1832 , the poor were supported by rates in and levied on other parishes ; they are now themselves contributors to the rates , to the amount of about one-eighth of the whala parochial expenditure

      Lastly , for these eight years , no person resident in the parisU has been convicted of any offence against the laws of the country . To this contrast of the past and present ttato ef the parish , I beg to add another of the past and present condition of one of the allotment men . I select purposely tbe moat remarkable case , the more fully to show what the capabilities of the allotment system are to better the condition of the agricultural poor . In 1832 , G . S . was almost tbe only labouring man belonging to tho parish wbo waa not a pauper . He vas , however , ail but redaoed to the state of one , whilst , as to the actual amount of privation , he was a greater sufferer than most ot those receiving parochial relief . Having a wife and four children dependent upon toim , the institution allotted

      him four acres . He is now tbe occupier of eighteen acres ; ha is tbe owner of a cow , a pig , three horse * and a colt , a waggon , two carts , 11 plough , barrows , ice . He ploughs tbe land , for tbe other tenants , and is paid either in kind or momej , aa best suits the patties . He finds at all times profitable employment for bis team in taking up bay and straw to tbe London markets , and bringing bask soot and other manures for the neighbouring farmers . This last spring be purebastd £ 20 worth of wood and turned H to good account by carting it to the neighbouring towns , and disposing of it there . Of tbe married m-sn who received allotments , only one , an old marine , bad sot sufficient energy to make his land answer . He has since left tbe pariBb , The reasons be assigned for bis want of aaocess

      Untitled Article

      were tbat 'he possessed the worst land and tbe worst wife of any man in the pariah . '" ( Laughter . ) The same reverend gentleman had addressed a letter to bim that morning , in which he confirmed all tbat be bad stated in tbat just read , bat added what be { Mr . Ferrand ) wished to call the attention of tbe Right Hon . the Home Secretary to : — " I j bave at this time tbe charge of an adjoining parish , the population of which exceeds 600 , three-fourths of whom are paupers . Tbe parish has for years inglorlously earned the epithet of ' Wicked Wigginton . ' The poor-rates are rapidly on the increase . There is a large unenclosed common in the parish of about 200 acres . I would guarantee that in three years , if I were put into possession of this common , with tha means of bringing it into

      cultivation , and of allotting it to the poor , there should not be half a dozen able-bodied paupers in the parish . This may appear to be a presumptuous boast ; but after what I have witnessed in ' Cbolesbury , I feel tbat I am speaking guardedly in making the assertion—( hear , hear ) . I cannot conclude without informing you that tbe conduct of the men generally , since they bave held their allotments , has been such as to give me very great Batiefaction—( bear , hear ) . They are very punctual in tbeir attendance at church , and we have been obliged to build a gallery in it for the accommodation of their children . All tbe allotment men , with their wives , and every child old enough to attend the Sunday school , are members of a clothing and fuel dab ; and as much as from £ 30 to £ 40

      has annually been intrusted to my care , the fraits of their weekly savings . ' * Now , was it not the duty of the Government to take ! this subject into their most serious consideration—( hear ) . Here was an example of tbe beneficial effects of the system ; in tbe course of eight years we see a community of persons restored to industry , comfort , and morality , and from being distressed and discontented made loyal and peaceful subjects , not one of them daring tha ^ period ever having infringed the laws of the country . That was the character given to them by j their pastor , who declared , tbat although there were in "Wicked Wigginton " six hundred paupers , if he could bave tbe 200 or 300 acres of waste land , be would soon reduce tbe pauperism and raise that wretched place to the same happy

      state as Tring— ( hear ) , There was another point to which be begged the attention of the House—the state of the cottages of tbe poor , which , in fact did not deserve tbe name of cottages . They were wretched hovels , in which fevers were generated , and where that MOUrge of the human j race—the cholera—which snatched away in an instant tbe highest as well as the lowest , played alarming 1 havoc Medical men bad declared that it was as much the interest as the duty of tbe rich to remove from the poor the causes of these diseases , which were increasing in malignancy every year —( bear ) . Mr . Higgins , chairman of tbe Bedford Union , bad thus described the advantages which had arisen from an improved description of cottages in his vicinity , in bia report to tbe Poor Law

      Commissioners : — " fhe man j sees hia wife and family more comfortable than formerly . He has a better cottage and garden . He is stimulated to industry , and as be rises in respectability of station he becomes aware tbat be has a character to lose . Thus an important point is gained . Having acquired certain advantages , he is anxious to retain and improve them : he strives more to preserve bis Independence , and becomes a member of benefit , medical , and clothing societies ; and frequently besides this , lays up a certain sum , quarterly or half-yearly , in the savings-bank . Almost always attendant npon these advantages , we find tbe roan sending bis children to be regularly instructed on a Sunday , and , where possible , in a day-school , and himself and family more constaat in their attendance

      at some place of worship on tbe Lord's day . A man wbo comes borne to a poor , ; comfortless hovel after bis day ' s labour , and sees all miserable around him , has his spirits more often depressed than excited by it . He feels that , to do his best be shall be miserable still , and is too apt to fly for a temporary refuge to tbe alehouse or beersbop ; but give bim the means of making himself comfortable by his own industry , and I am convinced , by experience , that in many cases he will avail himself of it . " But it was not only the poor who Would be benefited by such an arrangement aa be proposed ; the freeholders , be felt convinced , would speedily find all the advantages resulting from it Why , let them take the : case of flax . Between £ 25 . , 00 t and £ 30 , 000 ^ 000 a-year was paid to foreigners for fl » x , oil-cake , linseed , &c Societies , however , were now rapidly forming both in England

      and in Ireland for tbe prosecution Of the flax cultivation . There was one of those societies at North Walsham , in Norfolk , and another at Belfast The latter had succeeded beyond their most sanguine expectatioD . Mr . S . R . Mu ! holland , at the society ' s meeting in Belfast in November last , stated tbat tbe firm with which be was connected bad sent no less than £ 40 . 000 of ready cash annually out of the com , try for the purchase of fl . ix , but that in the present year tbey had not spent as many pence , and he called upon tht > meeting " to take advantage of what God and nature bad done for our soil . " He bad also been told , that " Mr . Beard , of Killalea , lately sold a parcel of ihx in which there were three different qualities ; tne highest reached £ 140 , tho second , £ 133 , and the third , Jl 26 per ton ; and few finer samples bad ever been imported into this country . ? ' But be bad still better evidence . There was no member in the Hourse who

      was not acquainted with tbe name and reputation of the firm of Messrs . Marshall ; at Leeds , indubitably tbe largest tax purchasers in the kingdom . W bat did they say of our capabilities of producing flax 1 In a letter which he beld in his hand ] tbey wrote as follows : — " As we import a considerable quantity of flax yearly from Belgium and Holland for our establishment here , we are , of course , much interested in the success of any plan for increasing tbe quantity grown iu England . We believe both the soil and climate are suitable for the plant . At one time { the flax grown in the enat of Yorkshire was of aa good & quality as tbat grown in Belgium . " But he would now proceed to state bow be promised to allot the waste lands . According ! to his calculation , there

      were in tbe throe kingdoma mo less than 75 , 000 , 000 of cultivatable acres of land ; in state of waste . There were also about 46 , 000 , 000 of those lands in cultivation , and 30 . 000 000 uncultivated . Now , he should propose that tbe land at present unappropriated should be allotted to those who bad a claim upon the different parishes . Where the lands j were already allotted be did not intend that bis measure should apply . He should propose that out of every hundred acres in every parish one-t - entieth , or five acres out of every hundred , should be allotted to the use of th 3 poor . He considered , tbat to give ! them that quantity was not to give them too much , whilst it would be a downright robbery to give them iesa . He should propose tbat this land should be for ever reserved to the use

      of the poor ; and that , with that object , it should be held by trustees for their benefit , tbe said trustees being tbe rector of tbe parish , the' lord of tbe manor , the churchwardens , and the overseers . By this arrangement be should , be thought , prevent tbe slightest chance of jobbing ; but , in order to preclude all suspicion of it , be should also propose to enact tbat tbe trustees should be bound to make an annual report to the magistrates—( hear bear . ) He should also propose that five acres ! of these laada should in every parisb be laid out as a drying ground . ( A laugh . ) Hon . Members might laugh , for they probably did not know tbe miseries of wet and tattered clothing ; but be could tell ! them tbat medical men were almost unanimous in declaring their ODinion that

      nothing was more detrimental to the health of the poor than their habit ef drying their clothes in their own Confined dwellings . In bis own part of the country it was not uncommon for a poor man to carry his wet linen three-quarters i of a mile , to a hedge , and having hung it out , to remain for tbe purpose of watching it until it was dried . Another proposal he should make would be to allot a portion—say five acres of land—for tbe purposes of recreation . By fe his arrangement be hoped our old national and healthful sports might ba revived , to tbe benefit as well as the enjoyment of tbe inhabitants of every vicinity . Tbe remainder of the land be should propose to a lot to the use of tbe poor , to be divided into lots of such eizs and extent as shall be deemed most useful , no man being

      apportioned less than a quarter of a rood . The 6 Xpeaces attending this allotment be should propose to be paid out of tbe poor-rates , bat tbe extent of the enclosures , and consequently the outlay , in any one year , be sbould propose to leave for the decision of tbe ratepayers in public vestry assembled , and convened by public notice . He Bbould also propose tbat tbe trustees should bave the power of exchanging allotments of equal or greater value previous to their having been broken up , also of purchasing waste lands , with the consent of tbe ratepayers , if tbe extent ot the original allotments to tbe poor shoald hereafter be found inadequate . With the Same sanction he should also propose tbat tbe trustees migh * expend out ot the poor-iatea a ram . of money not exceeding , he should

      say , 3 d . in the pound in any jone year , in the erection of cottages on tbe allotments . ; They should also have tbe power of leasing allotments for any term not exceeding twenty-one years , ther rent of tbe cottage * to be » , t tbe fair annual rate ot cottage rents Within the parish . The waste lands be should propose to be let rest free for the first year , at half the value for tbe second year , and at a fair annual value for tbe third and every succeeding year . jWitb respect to tiie products , he sbould propose , that first of all , the rents should goto remunerate the parishes for the expense Of building cottages and enclosing allotments , and tbat after tbat the suiplvus should be annually -paid into the poor ' e-rate fund—an arrangement under which he felt quit * confident tbat in & very few years not only

      Untitled Article

      tbe poor-r&tes , bt » t the county and all parochial rates would be paid off . With respect to priority of claim , be should propose that the poor who had obtained settlement in tbe parish by birth or otherwise should bave the first claim on the land originally allotted , as w ; il as on tbat afterwards purchased ; and with regard to these purchases , he should propose tbat the trustees , witb tbe consent of the ratepayers might , if they saw fit , purchase waste lands previously allotted , and erect cottages thereon npon tbe same terms and in the same manner as in the parishes where no allotment bad taken place . Tbe other provisions of hia measure would be of comparatively minor importance . Witb regard , however , to the difficult question of boundary , he should propose to adjust it

      in this manner : that owners of allotments sbould not be compelled to enclose them , but tbat any owner desiring to enclose bis own might call upon the adjoining owner to erect his boundary fence , and if he re fused might build it himself and compel payment befoTejustices of the peace . With respect to tbe machinery for putting the bill into operation , he should propose that for tbe first throe years the Tithe Commissioners should be employed in making the allotments—their expenses during that time to be defrayed by the Government For tbe second three years he sbould propose , tbat tbeir charges sbould be paid half by the Government and half by the owners , the portions of the expense attached to the poor ' s allotments to be defrayed by the poor rate . After tbe completion of these six yerrs the

      expense Bbould fall solely upon the owners . This waa bis seheme , and be felt convinced that if adopted it would give stimulus to the people 'which at present they sadly and woefully required . The following case * occurred in bis own pariah : —A man of tbe age of 8 » applied to the board of guardians for relief . In answer t » his application the board of guardians said , " You have a son who has a cottage in Hertfordshire . He must sell tbat , and with tbe proceeds of the sale ha must relieve you . " The son come to him ( Mr . Ferrand ) He said tbat be bad built the cottage out of his bardearned savings , and before he would comply witb the advice of the Board of Guardians and sell his cottage .

      he would become an alien from the country . He begged the House to listen to bis appeal in behalf of the poor man . Give tbe poor a small allotment of land and a spade to cultivate it , and it would hive the effect of diminishing the nurabtv of inmates in tbe Union Workhouses . ( Cheers . ) Tbe poor man then would not be deprived of the privilege of attending at hia usual place of worship . —( Hear , hear ,. ) Give the peor , before tbey were weighed down to the dust , wbattbey bad a right to demand . He maintained it was tbe right of the poor—a right of which they bad for centuries been plundered . —( Load cheers . ) Tbe motion having been seconded ,

      Colonel Wyndhak wished to see Mr . Ferrand ' a Bill introduced . He was all for it , but In the present depressed state of agriculture , he wanted to see the lands already in cultivation kept in it , instead of grubbing about the beatba . He would stand by the Government so long as they stood by agriculture . The Hon . and Gallant Member excited great laughter by his reference to a letter from a working man , da ' ed from Cheetham , but bearing the postmark of Manchester . He did not know tbe geographical position of the place , but perhaps tbe Members tor Manchester knew the way to cfteai- ' em—a very good motto for the Anti-Cora-law League . The Cheetham working-men expressed a wish that Colonel Wyndhaai should favour the House with more of his speeches . , Lord Worslet was afraid that the proposed bill would be wholly impractible , but he would not be so ungracious as to oppose its introduction . not in the

      Sir Ja ^ ies Graham could see prop . sed scheme any thing else than a project for maintaining the working population a t the publi 0 expense , These waste lands were in general distinguished for their sterility ; and he entertained the greatest doubts of the practicability of a measure for their allotment . While not opposing the introduction of the bill , he wished to guarajhimself from encouraging the expectation of auy beat fit being likely to arise from it . Lord John Manne&s believed that them was a

      growing feeling in the country in favour of some such , measure as tbat proposed by Mr , Ferraild . He adduced the example of the religious brotherhood of Charlewood Forest , who are successfully reclaiming a barren and stony moor ; aad deolared that he would not ; give up the belief that it was possible by careful cultivation , to produce sufficient wheat in this country for the maintenance of its entire population ; aud he thought that in the present entire deadnesa of the public mind to all party political excitement , the scheme might be tried .

      Mr . Hume regarded tha project as one of those schemes of home colonization which absorb capital to an extent quite disproportioned to any chance of profitable return . It was useless to waste money oa culci rating the barren soils of England , wheu we could : more profitably exchange our labour for the corn of other lands . Sir John Hamneb believed , that instead of there being an entire absence of political feeling amongst the people , that there was a growing spirit of discontent , only to be abated by practical measures for their relief , of which he considered tb . e present measure to be one , though not a prominent one . But free trade he was certain we must arrive at ; as to taxing or stopping machinery , we might as well try to stop the satellites of Jupiter .

      . Mr . Brotherton wished to know if these waste lands were proposed to be enclosed for the benefit of the rich or poor . With the Cora-law monopoly , the bill would only serve the purposes of the owners of land , who by enclosure bills have been appropriating every available common . Lord Pollington believed that the bill would benefit the poor , aud therefore he would support it . Mr . Agliondy was desirous of seeing the bill introduced , in order that its provisions might be oarefully considered , though he feared that the project , would not prove practicable or beneficial .

      Mr . Shabman Cbawfokd denied that the waste lands could not be profitably cultivated . They might not return a productive outlay to the capitalist , but in the hands of the workiog man they would yield a sufficiency for maintenance , He supported the bill . Leave was given to bring iu the bill .

      Untitled Article

      tists ot k ig- i ' ree-lane , oa bunday night last , upon the Government , Factory Bill . On Monday evening a very spirited discussion took place on that all-important subject , " the Land , " in whioh several speakers took part . The discussion W& 3 adjourned Upto ( he Monday night following . Mr . Edwin Gill directed the attention of the meeting to the trial of William Jones , at Leicester , by Baron Gurney ; and concluded by moving the following resolution : " That this meeting deeply regrets the

      prostration of justice , as witnessed at the late assize * held in Leicester , in the case of Wat . Jones ; and this meeting calls upon every lover of his country to assist Feargus O'Connor , Esq ., in bis patriotic effort to obtain for the defendant a new trial , to endeavour to remove Baron Gurney from that seat , which b j his abitrary and partial conduct he has disgraced , and to exert themselves for the obtainment of tbe People ' s Charter , that being the only means of securing tbe rights and liberties of the people . " The resolution was carried unanimously .

      Barnsley . —The Chartists of tbia town called a public-meeting , to take into consideration the New Factory Act , and to determine what course should be pursued by the working people in regard to the public meeting called by the Dissenters on the above question . A resolution was adopted , to the effect , that the working people should attend the meeting in the Odd Fellows' Hall , to watch the proceedings , and to give their support to any plan which they may think an improvement to tbe Bill before the House of Commons . A resolution was carried at the council meeting , tbat the Secretary and Treasurer to tbe Defeoce Fund , should audit their books by next Monday night , and that all persons holding monies belonging to the above fund should send iu the same on Monday night , as it is desirable to send it off as soon as possible .

      Stock p ort . —Mr . Thomas Clark lectured on Sunday atternoon , to a numerous and attentive audience of youths , in their commodious room , after wuioh a lively and entertaining discussion was entered into ou tbe subject of competition . In tbe large room at six o ' clock in the evening , a respectable congregation assembled and listened to a long and convincing lecture from Mr . Clark , on the land . At the close , a handsome collection was made . Middleton . —On Monday evening , Mr . C . Doyle , of Manchester , ' delivered a lecture , in the Reformers ' Chapel , upon the present alarming distress , the cause of that distress , and the remedy . Mr . James Leach , of Manchester , will lecture in the sama place , on Monday evening next , at eight o ' clock .

      Knaresbobodgh . —Mr . Beesley , of Acorington , lectured here on Friday , upon the capabilities of the Laud . He was well received * and gave general satisfaction . Lewisham , Kent . —Strong resolutions on the rejeatioa . of Mr . Duncombe ' s motiea by the House of Commons have been passed here .. Ashton-under-Lyne . —Mr . Challenger lectured here on Sunday last . Colne . —The lads of this-place , at a public meeting , have passed a etrong lesolntion , condemnatory of any agitation , except in favour of . the People's Charter .

      Clitheroy—An address has been presented from this place to Mr . Thomas Dunoombe , in approbation of . his public oonduo > . StJTTOK-iH-AsHPEBi » . —Mr . John West lectured here on Monday night , in the Market Place , to a very large and attentive audience . Halifax . —Oa Sunday evening last , { Mr * B . Ruehtoa lectured in the room of the Association , Swan Coppice ^ after w&ioh Mr . O'Connor's proposed plan of Organization was taken , iato consideration .

      NriTiiNGHAU . —The Female Chartista of Nottingham have formed themselves into a . n Association . Twenty-one new members qmq enrolled ihej ? names .

      Mb. Dtescoiebe^ Motion.

      MB . DTESCOiEBE ^ MOTION .

      Untitled Article

      VERBATIM REPORT OF THE CHARTIST TRIALS AT LANCASTER . THIS DAY IS PUBLISHED ^ No , 2 , OF A VERBATIM REPORT OF THE BECEfcT TRIALS OP FEARGUS O'CONNOR AND 58 OTHERS , AT LANCASTER , FOR K 1 OT , SEDITION , TUMULT , A ^ D CONS PIRACY . THE above Work will be Published in Weekly Numbers of 64 Pages of Royal Ootavo , Edited by FEARGUS O'CONNOR , Esq .., Barrister-ai-Law , and to which will bo added A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE CAUSES OF THE DISTURBANCES OF AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER LAST , With Notes ujon the Trial ; also a Dedication to Baron ROLFE . A SPLENDID POSTS AIT OF THE JUST JUDGE WHO PRESIDED , WILL BE PRESENTED WITH THE LAST NUMBER ( GRATIS ) To those who have been Subscribers to the Work . The Portrait will be Executed with a view to its being placed aa a Frontispiece , and when completed , which will be in about four Numbers ; the whole will make a valuable work . Price 7 d . a Number , iu a wrapper . The Portrait gratis . Subscribers and Agents are requested to give their Order ? to Cleave , 1 , Shoe Lane , Fleet Street , London ; Hkywood , 60 , Oldham Street , Manchester ; and Hobson , Northern Star Office , Market Street , Leeds .

      Untitled Article

      < 2 ? s y ^' ffife *^ c ^ XSsf <^ f £ l £ if ; 4 *^ L .. & ^ 6

      V ^^ ' ^ O ^^^^^^^^^^^^ r T ^^ B ^ K ^^ m 1 l ^ H ^^ k J ^^ L El ^^ k _ ^^^^^ ^ r jJVV AND LEEDS GENERAL ADVERTISER .

      Untitled Article

      *—— ¦ — __ - ¦ - 1 1 , . . - ¦¦¦ .,, ' ¦ ¦ ¦¦ - .- " ¦ ¦ ¦ . 1 . ' ¦ , 1 ZI ^ lIIl - 282 - SATURDAY , APRIL 8 , T 843 T mi 0 B nT" ^"^ f a T ^ ^

      Untitled Article

      jhe House , —( Laughter . ) There wera very few in the manufacturing districts who did sot feel that inquiry was necessary into ibe . whole of these feansactions . ( Hear , hear . ) With regard to £ be speech of the Learned Attorney General , any one Koald h 3 Te supposed from it that ibe present motion ¦ was one in approbation of ~ the placard "which he jead to the House . It -was & speech which possibly he had already delivered at the Lancaster Assizes ; int tais motion had nothing to do with the prosecufion which there took place . He ( Mr . Dnncombe ) jnsde no complaint of ¦ those prosecHtions , or of the manner in which they had been conducted by the Attorney General and the Government ; and the trial « nd comiPtion of the perso * s so prosecuted had i » o-

      fConcluded from onr eighth page . J its grstitnde on . them if jfc wished , bat the country felt Tery differently . The Eight Hon . Baronet the Ste tetary of State for the Home Department said jiafr-ioEbiBg could be more satisfactory than the gpeefies , not excepting his own which had been made" -against the motion , and soemed Us suppose gjat this qnestioa , that interested Bullions of the working classes , was to be disposed of , and that he < Mr . Dnncombe ) was to be pot down by a bad joke ce the part of tbe Bight Hon . Baronet about mono-Biania . —( A langh . ) He might be guilty of ZBonojaaflia , but if i ? were it was a monomania which ¦ was participated in by almost * verj individnal of

      thing whatever to do "With the case before the House . "Wait be complained of on the part of the people was the misconduct of Magistrates in refasing bail to iodiTidnals on account of their political opinions , or requiring an amount of bail impossible , or so ^ xf-essive , as to amount to a refusal oFbafl . He complained ihai certain parsons bad been arrested , sad put into the lock-np house of Manchester , and other places , and there detained for five or six days previous to being carried before the Magistrates for examination , and afterwards detained for three days before they were liberated , there being no charge against them ; that the Magistrates knew at the time that there was no charge against them , and ihit 2 ir . Bcswick , the superintendent of police , knew that he could not procure the evidence for which he ransacked the town of Manchester . That

      part of bis case had not been answered by the Attorney-General . He had not told ihe honse why those persons had not been -called up for ekamina- i iion . He said that Leaeh wa 3 convicted on an arrest of thirteen days . Those thirteen days were after the first arrest when tbe case went to livetpool . snd-wasi<ogeth {? r abandoned . At the end of September be was again arrested snd kept in prison for « eTen days , and then it was that be was rried » nd con-ricted . But whether he was convicted or not had nothing to do with the legality or illegality of the eondnct of lie Magistrates . It was the wish f the Sight Hon . Baronet , and he had himEelf no donbi , that ibis motion . woald be supported by a rery small minority , but he had the satisfaction or knowing that it wonld meet with tbe approbation of a great majority of the people of the country . The Honse then tifrided , when there appeared , — for Mr . Duncombe ' s motion 32 Against it ~ 19 $ Majority —16-4

      Untitled Article

      HOUSE OF COMMONS—Thursday , Mjlbch 30 . The Honse met at four ©' clock , and after some petitions had bees presented , Mr . HUME moved for , snd obtained , the issue of the writ for Nottingham , in the room of Mr . Waiter , who had been unseated by petition .

      AL-LOTMEin : OF WASTE LANDS . Hr . Fereand rose , pursuant to notice , "to move for leave to bring in a bill for the allotment ef waste lands . " He said , in the middle of the second session 0 / tbe present Parliament , tbe middle classes , and more especially the -working classes , looked to the First I / ord of the Treasury for measares which would conduce to tbeir comfort and permanent happiness . It was perfectly true that the measures which the Bight Hon . Baronet had brought forward last session had conduced to tbe comforts of the working classes ; but this benefit had been short-lived . The workirg classes bad scarcely tasted the cup of sweetness which the Right Hon . Baronet bad granted them than it W&B duhed from their li ps bjan universal reduction of wages throughout

      the country , far beyond tbe reductions which had taken place in tbe price of food ; and , instead of the working classes having been in the least benefited or relieved by tbe measures of the Right Hon . Baronet , in both tbe manufacturing and agricultural districts , they were suffering misery , want , and privation unparalleled in tn « history ol England . He asked tbe Right Hou . Bart , now -whether he had any remedial measures to bring forward for the purpose of raising this oppressed da ^ s of people out of their distress . In preparing tbe measure which he asked leave to introduce into the House he had been advised and assisted by eozne ot tbe cleverest men of tbe country ; and he WttS convinced that the measure he was about to propose would restore the "working classes of tbe

      country in a great degTee to their former comforts . The distress which had prevailed in the large manufacturing towns was rapidly extending to the smaller towns and into the agricultural districts . With tbe permission of the House , he would give a slight idea of the state of ihe population ot tbe town ot Bicgley . He remembered when it only contained one mill , now it bad ten mills ; formerly it had been almost a purely agricultural district , now it ^ was eqnally acricuJturs ? aad mznafsctnricg . What had been the evidence of the state of Keighley given before the committee which sat on tbe Keigbley Union ? [ Sir C . Napier made some remark which waa inaudible in the gaJlery 3 He hoped the Hon . and Gallant Member for Marylebone would not interrupt him by personal remarks

      addressed to him asross the House . He had been informed by tbe medical officer of that town in cottages of four rooms each as many as twenty-five people were living , sleeping almost altogether in one room in the grossest immorality , whilst typhuB fever raged amongst tb *" In thu town tbia fever annually increased in virulence- He held in bia baud a report made to her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department from tbe Poor Law Commissioners on an inquiry into the Banatory cendition of the ^ labouring population of Great Britain , which was presented to Parliament by the command of Her Majesty in July , 1842 : — " Mr . Chauwick states that tbe annual slaughter in England and Wales , from preventable causes of typkn ^ which attacks

      persons in the vigour of life , appeaiB to be double the amount of wnat was suffered by the allied armies in tbe battle of Waterloo . In Manchester , ameng the labouring classes , more than 57 ont of every lee die before they attain the age of five years He states that when the kelp manufacture lately ceased on the western coast of Scotland , a vast population of the lowest class of people were thrown into extreme want ; they suffered from cold , hunger , and despair ; nfcveribfclesa , from thfeii scattered habitations being surrounded by pure air , cases of fever did net arise ^ m ong them . " Tbe mortality and immorality of the population now crowded in the manufacturing districts was frightful in the extreme- Was there no remedy to rescue this portion of the population from tbeir misery ?

      Weie the functions of Parliament at an end , or were tbey able to redress tbe grievances of the people ? They were told to look to foreign colonization for a remedy . Were tbey to send abroad to die unpitied and unheard-of tbe peaceable and loyal subjects of this country , who bad a right to exist in the country where they were born ? What said Mr . Burn in Ma letters on home colonization : — "If the 46 , 000 , 000 acras now in eultiT * tion are not sufficient to maintain the population , there us millions yet uncultivated that may be increased in valne 5 , 000-fold . It appears that there are 46 , 500 , 000 acres of land in cultivation , and nearly 31 , 000 . 000 uncultivated . 16 , 000 , 000 were reported by the Emiiration Committee to be profitable lands . Nearly tbe whole of tbe waste land in Ireland is

      jedaimaWe , 3 , G 0 O , OOO of which , that are equal to 5 . 000 , 000 of English acres , can be brought to produce » rental of £ 1 per aere , at an outlay not exceeding £ 10 pet aere . Thns , in the cultivation of the land , Sheffield and Birmingham must send their spades , their pickaxes , and their draining tools ; the wheelwright must find p : oughs , harrows , and caits ; the ironfoonder must supply tbe jslougk-coultois m& theutletiees ; tbe saddler must pu \ on thebainKfcS ; Wolvtrhampton must fcupp . y its chains , Walsallits bits and ornaments ; the carpenter must put up the gates with tools from Sheffield , and tang them with the hinges and padlociB ol Stifibrashire ; the hedger and ditcher who encloses the ground , and the ploughman who brings it into cultivation , are clothed by Stroud , Manchester , and Xeeds ;

      their hats come from Newcaatle-under-Line , their halfboots from Northampton or Stafford ; they take their breakfast out of a baBin furaiahed by the Staffordshire Potteries ; Sheffield finds tbe knife , Birmingham the spoon ; tbe merchant traverses the ocean to bring their eeffee and sugar ; th e engineer finds a coffee mill , in wbieh the turner furouhefi a handle , ' &c" What he proposed to art the House to de waa to restore the poor again to their comforts , and he proposed to do this by an allotment te them of the waste lands . He asked for an allotment of tbe waste lands of England to the poor as an act of justice : he asked for it in the name of the law of England—a law acknowledged lij the greatest writers on the lawaadeonstitatioa of Bagland tor c § n «

      turies . He aito asked tot it in furtherance of a principle acknowledged by that Honse . Barrington , in bit work on our " Ancient Statutes , " calculated tbat not many centnrie * « f o half the lands of England were held upon the degrading tenure of villeinage ; and that without being aSollaoee fcy atstute it gradually © eaied \ j foroe of long nsage . If a royal f west "were enclosed , the contigiona proprietors urged tbeir claims on the ground that they had depastured npon it , and those claims -were allowed . Sir A- FjUherDert , the celebrated lawje * and judge , and one of the earliest legal authorities , in bis boot of surreymg , thus laid down tbe law x— - Every ottager sal h&vis his portion assigned bim , and then va not the rych nam overpreae the poore man . " Sir R

      Sheffield. — Mr. Edwin Gill Addressed The Char-

      Sheffield . — Mr . Edwin Gill addressed the Char-

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), April 8, 1843, page unpag, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct476/page/1/