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Iffi. O'CONNOR TO MB. JAMES B. O'BRIEN. T.kri »u n»
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CftarttjBft jtnteUigtence
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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.
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Iffi. O'Connor To Mb. James B. O'Brien. T.Kri »U N»
Iffi . O'CONNOR TO MB . JAMES B . O'BRIEN . T . kri » u n »
[ In out seventh pajft we hare given a letter from jl / . O'Connor to Mr . O'Brien , in answer to the ^ OHBBu nicati ons from Mr . O'B . inserted in our last . In the following letter Mr . O'Connor continues the < liscussion of the questions there mooted . ] Mr dxxr OTBkteh , —I now nsame the considera tion of the question upon which we axe at issue , and . pb&i I take to be Hut : — " How ii the balanee of
power to be preferred in the hand * of the tmrepre-^ ented dawes , or transferred to the House of Commons , ff made yet more perfect by forcing their representation into the House witboet prejudice to the pressure ^ iihout r Now , that I take to be the queati&n ; while { he object &i both is the means of arriving at a sound ( ourlasioo . Hating said so much , let me now plica " 'before yoo the two most prominent passages upon the gttbjeet , to be " found in yonr letter . In a postscript to your letter to Bowman , you write thas : —
•• If we Tote for either Whig or Tory , we at once recognise the usurpations of the party we rote for , asd 4 isquslify ouraelvet morally , for future resistance to jbeir domination . We Tote for them , WiUi a full and distinct knowledge of their acts and character , and therefore lose all right , morally , of afterwards calling them to account for the same before the tribunal of public opinion . It is only , as I said before , when one < ir the other parties agrees to split their votes in favour
of our candidate , that we can conscientiously or honourably . Tote for their candidate . We can do so , then partly because , while ostensibly Toting for them , we tie in reality voting for our own man , and our own principles , —but chiefly , because the simple fact of -either faction so recognising our claims , as to agree to split theii votes with us , is pro iasdo , an abandonjuent of the usurpation we charge them with , and does therefore , entitle them to oar approbation and support in return .
" But bo vote J—no ttpportl—to either batch of the usurpers , —till they first recognise our political . claims I i I " In another -of your letters you say that you " cannot find words sufficiently strong to express your contempt" for what I did not icriit , and yon say I must be mad . Now , I shall not use one single offensive term towards you , because I will -not of end fov ; and yon shall not use one towards me , because I ¦ WILL SOT BE OFFENDED . I have the fear of Hunt
and CobbeU before vty eyes ! However , while I make no retort , you will allow me the privilege of taking a liberty with myself ; and I do most solemnly assure youj that I have not brains to comprehend the meaning of tie first and the last sentence in tbe aboTe passages , w&ea . they are taken conjunctively . As they say in Yorkshire , "I could do with one , but both caps me . " In the first you Tery properly express a jealousy about leading public opinion astray . You say , thit " if we Tote for Whig or Tory , we recognise their usurpation , and disqualify ourselves , morally , for future resistance to their domination . " Now , that I could understand ; but when taken in connexion with the following sentence , I am puzzled , ¦ and I assure yon , when I am puzzled , three in every ten of the working people , ¦ who have not so much time to analyse it as I hare , Till be pnzz ! ed also .
You say , " But chiefly , because tbe siniple fact of either faction so recognising our claims , as to agree to split their Totes with us , is , pro tcmto , an abandonment of the usurpation we charge them with , and does , therefore , entitle them to our approbation and support in retarn . " Now , here you use the word " support" in its legitimate mercantile sense to denote trame upon terms of mutual convenience , and in which I agre *; But the ward " approbation" is what is called « cheating the deTiL" But I shall reason npon thsi © TH 7 important passages . Now , which do 70 a imagine to be the easiest task , to eocrinee the unrepresented that the Tories were used as mere tools to beat the
Whigs without the slightest recognition of their principles or approT&l of their usurpation or domination , or to pzescade tie people that twenty Whigs or twenty Tories baring , for expediency , sacrificed their lip hatred of Chartism for the mere purpose of acquiring the means of perpetuating their usurpation and dtminstion , were entitled to ourapprobation and to onr belief ; ihat , " pro ianio , ' they hid either abandoned their usurpation , 01 recognized our title to representation ? Let me tell you , while you could not convince one in a
xiilhon that the Chartists supported Whig or Tory from approTal of their usurpation , 07 a desire to perpetuate their domination ; you could not , upon the other hand , by all the logic in the world , persuade one in a million that the Whig or Tory who receiTes Chartist support upon condition of splitting Totes had thereby sacrificed one single particle of hostility to the principles cf Chartism , or was entitled to our " approbation , " . however self-interest , prndenoe , and policy may entitle them , pro taxlo . to our " support "
Cu you hope to make Whig , Tory , or Chartist understand the sentence in any other sense than this ? Tn # Chartist who coalesces with a Whig or a Tory does , by splitting his rote , " tanio , " entitles himself to their " support and approbation , " for the abandanmenj of his principles and recognition of tbe claims—" usurpationand dominion "—of those forwhom , by Toting , he testifies his approval . You cannot bare a Whig reading , a Tory reading , and a Chartist reading , for the same sentence ; and I assure you I bare given to it tiie general acceptation , as also the proper reading , " untlatis mutandis . "
If a Tory , by coalescing with s Chartist , thereby recognizes the Chartist ' s title , and renounces his own " usurpation and dominion , " can any ons plain thing , upon this plain earth , be more plain , than that the Chartist who coalesces with a Tory does thereby recognise Tory principles , and renounce his own " dominion ? " I cannot otherwise comprehend it ; and I assure jon that one of my priccipal reasons for not offering myself as a candidate , was from the Tery fact which the above sentence fully establishes , namely , that ten thousand versions may be given of a single act
I take it to be an utter impossibility in the present state of the franchise t « transfer the balance of power from the exterior to the interior of St . Stephens , and for this reason : —The Whigs , while they hope to do without them , would rather haTe ten Tories returned , than one Chartist , and vice versa . Let me show you how the last House was situated . Por three years , seven men hare constituted the balance ef power : Hume , Grote , Warburton , Leader , Molesworth , Duncombs , ana Wakley ; but they used it treacherously ; that is , they acquired a kind of Dersenal popularity
101 gmtT'l'T'g at Whig measures ; but , whwn the question of in or oul came to be decided , they invariably , one and all , voted for the Tery men whose measures they professed to abher . Why was their small party inoperative ? Simply , because there was no back to mpport them in their assauit * against corruption ; because Whig death was Tory life , —Whig delinquency was Tory triumph . Now , if the Whigs were in opposition we should not require such a stiff as this ; for the Tery fact of being in opposition would push all forwards .
When you speak of getting fifty Chartist members into the H » use pledged to tbe support of the Charter , yon make my lips water ; and for this simple reason , thirty icovld & ihe trick . ' . ' . ' Thirty would oblige the Government to keep more than would be willing to remain of a working midnight majority from the bed , the brothel , the gaming-house and the finish . I hare , of myself , by perseverance stopped many measures after midnight I am now arguing to show the impossibility of transferring the balanee ef power to the interior , in the present state of the suffrage ; and when I arrire once at that conclusion , my second consideration naturally is , bow ikea arc toe to make the balance of power motl tfedh * in the hanii of the unrepresented classes ?
> ow . I shall put this Tery plainly . The party upon whom pressure from without is to operate is the party in power . The parties who are to aid in the opeza&on are the people , by their Toiee at public meetings , a&d by the exjpressioB of their opinions through their Petitions , supported by an opposition . Well , theB , om business is simply to diseorer upon which party , as a Government , our petitions and the public Toice are Kkely to have the greatest effect , and who as as
oppo-¦ tion we likely to giro them that effect Thafs the Question ; for as to talking now of "helping tbe weaker against the stronger , " and " men instead of measures , " it ' s all moonshine . ' We want tools to work with , and tools fitting for our purpose . Observe , then ; firstly , with regard to the right of petition , the Whigs have J »» de a mockery of it ; while , as regards tie effect produced upon them , as a Government , by petition , let «* c 3 i auceeeding year of their usurpation speak . Bo we not find , as I have more than" once explained ,
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that tbe -rotes annually taken upon the same question , instance tbe Toot Law Amendment Bill , have been in an exact inverse ratio to the number of signatures , as if to show their contempt for all non-represented interference with their " Honourable House ? " Can I give you a stronger illustration of the fact , than that presented by the recent debate upon the great National Petition ? Now , suppose the Tories in power , and the the Whigs in © pposition , what would have been the result produced by the presentation of such a petition and for such a purpose , the release of political offenders f I willtell you . If there were 358 Tories and
30 » Whigs in the House , instead of the man of the neuter gender outweighing 2 , 000 , 000 of the working classes after a shabby palaver for an honr or so , we should have had a ten nights debate , appeal after appeal made to the INURED people and neglected unrepresented to send ' another and another ; no ; not to send , but to BRING IT in all their might and strength ; and then we should have the prayer granted to avoid a great organic efaangs . Such would be the result if we had had an opposition ; but the Whigs , assured of back from the Tory tyrants , treated that as they have treated every other petition—whh contempt ; and but for the
ispobtaSCE of tbe time when it was pr « sented , we should have heard that it was not constitutionally worded . Henee , I giro it as » y opinion , that , in the present state of the franchise , we cannot tranfer the balance of power from the exterior to the interior ; and also , that we cannot hold the balance of power at all , without a popular opposition , and that the Tory party neTer will constitute that pepular opposition . How , then , you may ask , is the balance of power to be used ? I answer , in the same way that it was used in 1 S 30 , wien the people beat the King , the Lords , the Commons , and Ihe factions ; but used for a different purpose , now . ' I contend for it that the Whigs did not want Reform then , but were willing to ride it to power . I contend for it that
although they do not now want the Charter , they will mount it , iu the hope of riding it also to Downingstreet , and there stabling it ; and I contend for it that in that attempt , which will be in less than six months , if they are now in a minority , that we can upon perfectly honourable terms , accord them both eur support and approbation . I contend for it that the hungry Whi g * out of office in 1841 , will do as the hungry Whigs out of office have ever done before ; while the people in 1841 , will take precious good care that the result shall not be the same ; as we will then Make THE RETURN of Has foe man , a ' sine qua Konj" and let no man on earth persuade you that the Whigs , as a body , would refuse such a compromise , though a few of the " consiiitttiOTial" old fogies would pair off and file off .
Never lose sight of the fact that there are two packs of Bonn da and only one trough and one mess . The patronage and disposal pill , of army , navy , ehardi , st » U , royal , cItU , colonial , foreign and domestic pickings will be swallowed with an immense proportion of Chartist powder in it ; and the Whigs will swallow it Indeed the squeamish Baronet , so averse to strong political drugs , was preparing his mouth to take the Russell purge in 1 S 35 ; and his high bid for popularity , by promising to go much further in redncing
Irish tithes than the Whigs had done , was the very thing that alarmed the Whigs , and bo unceremcusly sent him to the right about They said " this will never do ; this fellow is outbidding us . " But since then the Tories have mustered corruption and constitutionality , behind Whig delinquency ; and now they are too strong to court power-by any other than ccmtlUuticmal meats Let me get them before me , with the Whigs at my back , and give me one slap at that thing called " constitutional prerogative , " which , though ridiculed by the WhigB , forms , nevertheless , the precedent for their every act
Before I take leaTe of the legitimatists , just let me assure you that we shall have no small difficulty this time in getting in Col . Thompson , Mr . Sharman Crawford , and that noble fellow Gully ; and here , apart from . the Poor Lav , I must , in a political sense , add lioebnck . I served with him , and , apart from that measure ,-I unhesitatingly declare him to be the most efficient democrat upon democratic principle * , that I have known to hold a seat in the House of Commons since the Reform Bill . I wish he weuld bind himself to a Scottish farmer for six months to learn the capability of the soil Yon may say , "bad is the best ; " but
recollect that he , Thompson , Crawford , Faithfull , and myself , were all too democratic for the present constituencies ; and" naw just mark how the villanouB , rascally , prostitute Leeds Mrreury , but , nevertheless , the organ of the factions , speaks of Thompson and Gully , and is silent about Crawford . We are led to infer that a Tory is to go in for Hull with Clay , and that Guliy only " wants a clear slagt and nofavwr . " Men in glass houses should not throw stones . Gully does not live in one ; and perhaps some of his most insolent , upstart revilers would not long since have rejoiced upon arriving
at Leeds , to be able to boast of a clear cinscience and a dean shirt . Now then let such viilany open your ejes to the merits of the " weaker rascals" whom you would rather assist against the stronger ; "while I , in truth , would beat down both at once by pummelling the one with the other . In six months , Thompson , Crawford , and Gully , must go a step further , to suit the united Whig and Chartist standard ; while instead of a choice of evils at Newcastle , you -will be appealed to , on bended knee , to unite with the Whigs . No man can donbt this who is not m » d .
Now I come to the second branch of my subject , — the Caartist electors . I fear you and I use the term in different senses . I use them to denote partiei , who , by the exercise of popular power , would be induced from conscience or compelled from interest to Tote for our man : hence mj recommendation to resert to exclusive dealing . I fear you use the term in the confined Bense of qualified persons , -who would from preference , ' vote for s Chartist candidate . Believe me , that psurpation , tyranny , neglect of registering officers , and disgust from hopelessness of being able to tSect inything , has reduced that body to a mere fraction , and
that our principal force would be recruited from the extreme liberal section , who , when pressed , would appear to comply from choice , rather than proper direction in the disposal of their trust , but who would be most happy to be released from the trammels of popular will And observe , they would gladly seize upon that portion of your letter , and would , under the name of the body of Chartist electors , embrace the opportunity of damning , and for ever , the cause which they profess to love , but secretly and heartily detest , and the more so ,. in consequence of its proper exercise of authority .
Before I quit this branch of my subject , allow me to say a word about your advice to Chartist electors , to remain neuter in case we cannot use them : you might just as well ask a Coghlan or a Howrahane to remain with Ms hands in his breeches pockets while their parties were fighting . You dont appear to me to comprehend the great change which the public mind undergoes suddenly during a general contested . election ; nor in fact can any man who has not mixed in the turmoil and witnessed the working . Now , as I h » Te conducted , and taken part in , more violently contested elections fh * T \ any man living , allow me to assure you ,
that nothing but the Tery most powerful excitement can keep one in a thousand from voting . Those who enter into the mm ! solemn resolution in the morning , are operated rpo >* as the battle rages ; and indeed it is not wonderful . Now then , my policy was to get controul over that party ; while yours would leave the controul in . other hands ! and probably to be used against us without reference to any . defined or general plan of operation . I did sot tell them not to T » te , because I know they will Tote ; and knowing that I hoped to turn them , as a body , to the best account , for rendering the unrepresented balamee of power more efficient hereafter .
Now , as" to any coalition , I do , thank Qod , stand free from all charges of personal motiTea . I have narrowly watched the " course of events , and the working of men's minds , produced without their knowledge , upon
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the eve of a great political struggle like the present A General Election has its martyrs . Toot Hunt fell a sacrifice to popular folly in 1832 ; Cobbett fell a sacri fice to disappointment from the General Election o * 1834 ; O'Connell fella sacrifice , but had not the grace or feeling to die , to the General Election of 1837 , and 1811 will finish him . It must finish him , when it is discovered that it has furnished tbe Irish means of strangling Repeal . Now , I have resolved that the present contest should not kill me ; and for that reason , I have refused to stand for numberless places to which I have been invited . The first was from Leicester , when the following question was put to me : — " Will you coalesce
with a Tory , to insure your election ? " Answeru No , decidedly net . " That was my answer , adding ; "but use me as a tool to bring a less hideous devil in , if yon can , and they will gladly take a Chartist to get rid of the great devil . " My excellent friends at Halifax also invited me , and offered to pay all expencea , but my answer was No , still No . Why did I do this ? Because I was reolred upon recommending my party to strain every nerve to get a few into tbe House ; and if I had allowed , my&elf to be put in nomination upon the plan , it would have given to tbe principle the complexion of motive , and you know how easy it is to give motive a bad name , — " mad dog , mad dog . " So now , come what will , here am I
ready to follow your plan , or any other good plan , to secure in the people ' s hands the balance of power , and readj to do a man ' s part in directing that power . I have now nearly concluded , and you force from me the following explanation : — In the first place , I hold & Whig opposition to be indispensible to our cause ; and , therefore , Bhould I have used all my influence to place them in a minority , and , again , when I found M'Douall , Vincent , Sankey , and , I hope , my dear friend Moir , and Abraham
Duncan , m Scotland , likely to be in the field , I thought how I could best insure so desirable an object as their return , and I came to the conclusion , after many nights of reflection , of placing the Whigs upon the horns of a dilemma , I gave them the choice of evils , either a Tory House , or such a God-send as five or six " out and outers , " and I threw them out the bait to stimulate the hungry devils ; and to give them the first bid , I offered them six , seven , ten , and twenty for one , in order that we might have the rallying point inside .
Now , you have my motives , both of them . You have my plan for ensuring success ; and , in conclusion , you shall have , firstly , the steadiness with which I have worked out that plan for years , which you now profess to have brought your friends to the approval of ; and , secondly , you shall have the justification of my plan by the approval of it by so high an authority as the World newspaper . Firstly , then , I beg leave to submit for your perusal the following extract from & letter of mine published in the Star in September , 1839 , and reprinted in the Star of the 27 th of February last , for the purpose of keeping np the steam . Here it is : —
"If the Tories beat the Whigs with their own measure , the Whigs , in opposition , will not be less craving after pelf , and in less than two months' probation upon the bleak side of the Treasury , all tbe violence of the persecuted Chartists would fade into utter insignificance , compared with the hungry ho wlinge of the revolutionary crew . Then once again shall we see the black flag—the monarch's drooping head—and the executioner ' s bloody axe , demanding a renewal of the Whig lease of Downing-street ; and then shall we take care that every man of twenty-one years of age shall be a party to the bargain . When you look back , and consider that we have never held our real position
in society till now , but have always been used to grace tbe Whig pageant , one moments reflection will tell you that standing alone , the only party who dares to meet—the only party who dares to speak—the only party who defies persecution—that we are one of the two parties whose power must be acknowledged . Upon the next general election , the Whigs cease to exist as a party ; and upon the consequent following agitation , tbe Tories will degenerate into a faction , and a very few of the most wealthy will remain as a memento upon tbe opposition benches , wbese only business will be to gratify their own ambition , by endeavouring to affright tbe representatives of the people with the bloody ghost of Toryism .
" Men of Sheffield , —Tbe game is now in eur hands ; the ball is at our foot If we but play and kick them as our enemies deserve , the next General Election should furnish from 109 to 500 Radical Members . We must be prepared to stand alone . In Sheffield you will do your duty . You have Cr&btree , Gill , and others , in whom you can repose confidence . Invite them as candidates—return them as members—and , having done so , chair them through your town , exhibit them iu populous places , and proclaim them the
representatives of your will . For one moment imagine what must be the result of this cheap experiment It will cost you but one day ' s attendance at tbe hustings , instead of days of ceaseless agitation . It places you at once in the ascendant It gives you a majority in the representative body ; and if England , Ireland , and Scotland , are nut prepared for BUth a step , then do England , Ireland , and Scotland deserve the chains of eternal slavery , which their task-masters will impose upon them .
" Men of Sheffield , —The press , which has deluded our opponents by laughing at our weakness—by denying our union and our strength—the press , which is the index and tbe horn-book of all the factions—will not be able to blindfold the several candidates , who themselves shall be made witness of their own defeat No act would so far tend to give the enemy ocular demonstration of our power , of their weakness , and newspaper deceit " , my friends , I shall conclude by imploring you to stand alone ; and we then must triumph . I thank you—from my soul I thank you—for the powerful , the orderly , the splendid demonstration of Monday night last It will long be remembered in
Sheffield , which I have now made the key to Yerkshire , and with which I pledge myself to open the locked-up trtasure , for the benefit of the human family . I implore you to -watch ¦ well the manner in ¦ which the Wbig and Tory press ¦ will dispose of that night ' s proceedings ; whilst such an exhibition in favour of either of the factions would have decided the destiny of the nation . Qs on , good men ! onward , and we conquer—backward , and we fall ! Give the watchful and perfidious enemy no handle over you . ' Break no law -, and in a very little time , you will make laws which no man will dare to break with impunity ! I shall be amongst you from time to time ; for I have vo wed , if I stand alone , to accomplish the great principle of Universal Suffrage . "
Now , then , compare that with my recent advice to stand apart with our numerical strength and displays , and with every word I have written , still holding the distinction between the reformed electoral body and the unrepresented classes , and say who has been on the watch tower—who has been the least negligent—who looked for the 400 or 500 representatives , and who recommended the people to chair their Members , and then to leave tbe factions to themselves ? Recollect the letters were written in September , 1839 , and reprinted in 1841 ; while you say , if what is now
recommended by the Star had been done three months ago , we should have been in a very different position . I think I have done too much ; and if I had only done a man ' s share , so much would net be expected from me . I have kept dinning , and dinning , and dinning the same old tune into the popular lug for nearly six years ; and when I had fondly hoped that I had not dinned in rain , lam mortified by discovering that all went in at one ear and out at the other , while my only consolation Is that I hope the whole has made some impression .
I would not have noticed the charge of madness , treason , or folly , but I feel that the charge of neglect and want of judgment would naturally and justly weaken the iniuence of myself , the Convention , and the Star . In conclusion , if I hare erred , I am nappy to bare erred in such good company u the Conrention and the whole peeple who expressed their approval of the principle to a greater extent than laid down by me , and nobly carried ont by the brave Chartists of Nottingham-However , when men differ , they should take counsel . and now , I beg to call to onr aid the opinion of one cf the profouudest political teachers , and most uncompromising patriots of the day , the Editor of the World , who speaks thus in last Saturday's number of that glorious paper , destined to be the regenerator of Ireland . Heaays—
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"The dissolution of the dying Parliament is drawing near , and the rival factions are preparing for the encounter ; but , just as we should have expected , the masses take no interest in the electioneering battle , and display a provoking apathy . The Tories entreat them to come to the rescue of the Constitution , and the Whigs , upon bended knees , beseech them to arouse in their might , and , by one vigorous effort , frighten away their antagonists from their meditated assault upon Downing-street To tbe everlasting disgrace of " tbe swinish multitude , " they will not stir , but remain in a state of motisnless indifference . What has become of tbe men of the Political Union , who used to congregate in thousands and tens of thousands ,
in tbe market places , and upon the broad moors , to the terror of the Newcastles and Winchilseas ? They are far in advance , having left the Tories and Whigs to squabble ia the rear , and will not return to take part with either faction . Instead of the millions , the Whigs and Tories will be respectively backed by tbe moral , educated , and middle class electors cf such places as Cambridge , St Albans , and , might we not add , Dublin , who will vote for the man with the longest purse , utterly regardless what may be the hue of hia principles . In sooth it is a fearful time for candidates , and well may they wriggle and writhe at the prospect of coining to the hustings . The arUftpaatio Whiga were the first to sneer at
political inconsistency—nay , such ornaments of the party as Lords Palmerston and Plunkett have , by their career , shown , how easily principle can be sacrificed to profit ; it is , however , a horrible thing when the unwashed people prove themselves apt scholars . Happily , corrupt electors can only now and then indulge in their evil propensities , while trading politicians way daily have an opportunity of bartering their principles ; but the former , as if made ravenous by long abstinence , contrive to do a great deal of havoc in -a short space , and never , it is said , had they a sharper appetite than at the present moment . Candidates in every quarter appear to feel this , and , therefore , those who have little to expect but senatorial distinction , are skulking
from tbe field to seek the comforts of domestic life ; while others , like West , are endeavouring to get a full-blooded man to aid them in the contest ; or after the manner of Dick Sbeil , preparing to take refuge in some convenient and cheap locality , where its constituency may have a relish for bribes , but dare not insist upon them . Throughout the country we now hoar of nothing but rich men and titled striplings coming forward , resolved by the weight of their purse and ancestral pretensions to obtain the privilege of making laws for us . Is it not rather remarkable , that if the great object were to obtain the honour of assisting iu framing just and equal laws for the whole of the community , such sacrifices should be made , and such
immense sums of money squandered away to purchase a laborious , and , if honestly discharged , an unprofitable duty . Neither under a genuine system of representation are wealthy or titled persons the description of people that ought to be sent to represent the national sentiment in Parliament , who can have but little sympathy or acquaintance with the wants and wishes of the great bulk of society . However , this system , which generates corruption and demoralization is that alone which ensures tbe upholding of class interests at the expense of the prosperity and happiness of the country . When a better state of things arrives , the people will choose honest and able representatives , instead of looking out for the affluent and high-born .
Whatever party may triumph during tbe approaching straggle will have very little influence upon , the great social changes which must soon take placa . Should Ministers be able to maintain their ground , they will , in all probability , have learned that their stand still policy can ao longer be persevered in ; and should the Tories succeed them , and Sir Robert Peel assume the reins of power with a majority of sixty , affairs will receive a still greater impetus , as tbe powerful minority , sustained by the " pressure from without , " will soon tend to convince him that he may as well think to restrain the ocean wave as the onward inarch of events , which are influenced by a power and intelligence far beyond his control . "
Now , in the above article you have a full outline of my policy , and I recognise the principles of my countryman , whom I glory in , although I am ignorant of his name . I beg of you to read again and again from the words " should Ministers be enabled to maintain their ground ; " and bear in mind that we must look to the opinions of all ; while , nevertheless , there is no one whose opinions will go farther in guiding mine , when nearly balanced , than those of James Bronterre O'Brien . Having now concluded all that I mean to say upon this subject , I again subscribe myself , Your faithful associate , And sincere friend , Fkargus O'Connor .
P . S . Surely I may indulge in the news which has just reached me , and which proves that the men of Yorkshire did not wait for the ball to be kicked to them . Twelve candidates are at this raoiyentassembled in the LeeJs Cloth Hall yard—four Whigs , four Tories , and four Chartists—all upon equal terms—two Chartists for West Riding , and two for the Borough of Leeds . Let that ball rebound , as it is the rebound from the Star ' s four years' exertion—a candidate for each year . Your ' s . &c , F . O'C .
PLAN FOR CHARTIST OPERATIONS AT AN ELECTION . [ The following letter was originally published in the Star of September 21 st , 1839 . ; and again re-printed in the Star of March 6 th , 1841 . Mr . O'Connor , in his first letter to Mr . O'Briem inserted in our seventh page , refers to it , as the reader will perceive , and here it is again . ] Brother Radicals , —For the same reason that a serj 1 . ant ' s guard of disciplined and armed troops will beat and put to flight a squadron of raw and unarmed recruits , have we been beaten by factions disciplined in the arts of treachery and deceit . We must discipline and remedy this evil . We must meet them on their own ground , and with their own weapons . We must organise , and show the front of freemen . In order to
effect it , then , I submit the following suggestions tor your consideration : — Peel says " Register , register , register !"—O'Connell says " Register , register , register ! "—the Whig press and the Tory press say " Register , register , register !" and , therefore , there must be some magic in the word " Register . " You cannot register , but you can " Unite , unite , unite ! " and Russell says it is your right to exercise influence over the elector ; while O'Connell says that it is your right to use gentle coercion towards the elector . Let us , then , place ourselves in a position to be prepared whenever the struggle may come ; and , believe me , it is at band , else would not our enemies be loading their pieces . Let a committee be established in every town and Tillage throughout England , Seotland , and Wales , according to the following form , and for the performance of the following duties : —
THE FOBM . Let the electors and non-electors instantly form county , city , and borough-election Abbs . Where the clubs consist of several hundreds , let them be divided imto hundreds . Let each hundred appoint a chairman . The hundreds shall then be divided into teas , and each ten should appoint a chairman . The chairmen of the hundreds should constitute the General Election Committee . The chairmen of every eleven tens should , according to convenient locality , constitute the district
or ward committees . The committee of tens should report on every Monday night , to the General Committeee , the state of the public mind in their several districts ; after which , a compendious report should be submitted by placard , handbill , or through the medium of the press . The terms to constitute membership to be one penny per week . The funds to be appropriated as a Finance Committee , appointed by a show of hands at a general meeting , shall direct . *
THE DUTIES . The duty of the Election Club will be to saloot a fit and proper candidate , who shall be vigorous and active in laying before his constituents the principles npon which he claims their support—to read at public meetings , as often aa opportunity affords , the reports and resolutions from tbe several committees . Every candidate should be pledged to support Universal Suffrage and a repeal of the Legislative Union between Great Britain and Ireland , to take oil seat if returned by a majority in the bouse called the House of
Commons—and to restore his trust whenever required to do so by a majority of a committee to be called " The committoa of review of public men ' s conduct , " which step must be sanctioned by a public meeting of his constituents . Tbe committee should also appoint collectors of contributions , who should leave the following printed form of application at the house of every voter in their district : — " We , the committee appointed to superintend the management of the election of —— , do respectfully solicit your Eupport and interest , and also fcuch contribution as you can conveniently give , to promote the aforesaid object . " A book should be kept
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containing the names of all the electors in the several districts , to be called " The canvass and contribution book . " When the whole machinery is completed , public meetings of the electors and nou-electota should be convened , to take into consideration tbe propriety of appointing a National Election Convention of twentyone , whose duty it shall be to sit in London for the purpose of receiving , and disseminating throughout the ^ country , digested reports frem the several Election Committees . I think , at a single glance , you will see that the adoption of the foregoing plan will at once raise a safe and constitutional standard round which the friends of Radicalism may rally . We shall then stand npon an equality , in the field of agitation , with both Whigs and Tories ; and , according as we are treated , so shall we
treat the enemy . In this instance the Constitution recognises no superiority ; and if we are not prepared to carry out this principle , ire are not deserving ef Universal Suffrage . If , upon the other band , we are prepared , and if , by our united exertions , we can return a majority of the six hundred and fifty-eight , we shall be justly entitled to goto the House of Commons upon the first day of the nrxt session of Parliament , and there pass a law directing her Majesty to issue new writs for the return of a Parliament upon the principle of Universal Suffrage . This requires no exhibition of physical force , as any opposition offered to the will of a nation thus manifested would be high treason upon tbe part of oar opponents . The effect of oar preparation would be the immediate liberation of our friends from their dungeons ; for , believe me , that our enemies but await our
union . to obey our command . I cannet conceive a more glorious sight than a nation of freemen marching to tho hustings in sections , divisions , and squadrons , there to show their hands , which are ready to support the dictates of their hearts . My mind is always upon the rack , my invention is ever at work , to learn how I can boat serve your cause ; and lazy men , who will not work themselves , call me presumptuous—but how much more pleasing and easy would it be for me to remain idle , if those who abuse me would work ; but the work must be cither left undone , or done by a few . Instead of constantly nibbling and carping at my propositions , let them suggest , and I will follow ; but I cannot and will not remain idle so long as a single grievance remains unredressed . I implore you , then , my fellow men , by your valour , by your patriotism , and by your humanity—by the love which you bear to
your God , your country , your family , and yonr kind , to awake , arise , and let the voice of freedom be heard upon each passing breeze throughout this sea-bound dungeon . ' Let us proclaim the right of the labourer to enjoy tbe f tuita of his labour—of the freeman to enjoy the protestion of his castle—of the community to enjoy social comfort and happiness—of the poor to live upon the land of his birth—and of the nation to be governed by laws made equally for the protection of the rich and the poor . Let union be your watchword—liberty your idol—and Universal Suffrage , and no surrender , your motto . For these things I have lived , and for these things I am ready to risk my life ; and am Your faithful and sincere friend , Feargus O'Connor . Leeds , 20 th , Sept . 1839 .
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WEST RIDING DELEGATE MEETING . The above meeting took placa on Sunday , the 20 th of June , in tbe Chartist Rooms , over tbe Co-operative Stores , Dewsbury , when delegates were present from the following places : — Mr . W . Moaeley Stott , Dewsbury . Mr . Andrew Gardiner , Fish Shambles , Leeds . Mr . W . Hick , for the Teetotal Chartists , Leeds . Mr . Edward Clayton , Hmldersfleld . Mr . Stephen Johnson , Waken eld . Mr . Thomas Bradley Kuowles , Keighley . Mr . John Shaw , Lepton . Mr . John Helliwell , Sowerby . Mr . John Arran , Bradford . Mr . John Helliwell in the chair . The following resolutions were adopted . Moved by Mr . Gardiner , and seeonded by Mr .
KNOWLES"That Mr . George Julian Harney be re-appointed West Riding Lecturer for two months . " Moved by Mr . Gardiner , and seconded by Mr . Stott" That two Chartist Candidates be brought forward for the West Riding of Yorkshire at the next General Election . " Moved by Mr . Knowles , and seconded by Mr . W Hick" lbat Mr . Lawrence Pitkethly and Mr . Georgo Julian Harney be requested to allow themselves to be put in nomination for the West Riding at the next General Election . " Both the above gentlemen being present , tbe question was put to them , when tliey both answered , that they considered it to be their duty to come forward when called upon by such a large portion of the people of tbe West Riding , through their delegates . "
It was then unanimously agreed that Mr . Pitkethly and Mr . Q . J . Harney be put in nomination for the West Riding . It is hoped that the non-electois of the West Riding will show to both factions that they are no longer to be gulled by either , and that they are determined to support no man who will not give to them their undeniable rights .
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MEW XVIXUaS . —( Derbyshire . )—A public meeting of the inhabitants of this place was held last Saturday , Mr . Win . Garrat was called to the chair . Messrs . Doyle and Linney , of Manchester , addressed the meeting upon the principles of the Charter . The out-door meeting was adjourned to the George Inn , whore Mr , Doyle again addressed . them upon the subject of the Corn Liws . Toe capacious room was filled to suffocation ; and at the conclusion , there were three cheers given for Feargus O'Connor , Esq . and the imprisoned Cnartists ; three likewise for Frost , Williams , and Jones , and the People ' s Charter . The vast assembly quietly dispersed , highly delighted with the afternoon ' s proceedings .
StmOERLAND . —Public Discussion on Chartism . —According to announcement in last week ' s 67 ar , Messrs . Williams and Gainsley held a public discussion in the Gulden Lion Room— " On the necessity and importance of a change according to the principles of the Chatter . " The room was crowded . At eight o ' clock , Mr . Towers was proposed and unanimously elected to the chair . The arrangements made by the committee-men were , that each speaker should be allowed twenty minutes at the commencement , and afterwards ten minutes each , speaking alternately . The discussion to close at ten o'ciock . Mr . Williams agreed to allow Mr . Giinsley the first and closing speech . Mr . Gainsley began by explaining what appeared to many as singular , namely , his sudden conversion from Chartism to Socialism aad Socialism only . If we were to give even on outline of the line of argument , if argument it might be called , which Mr . Gainsley adopted , we should be suspected , by persons not
present , of partiality ; the best proof ef the effect of the discussion was the opinion of the meeting expressed at its close—when the following motion was made by Mr . Taylor , seconded by another gentleman , viz . — " That it is the opinion of this meeting that a change , according to the principles of the Charter , is a necessary , important , and would be a beneficial change . " On adi vision , there appeared for the motion almost the entire meeting , and against it , some say there were two or three , but none more than six hands held up . Considering that Sunderland has a branch Social Society , the decision of the meeting may be taken as a conclusive proof that the Socialists of Snnderland do not see the wisdom of being political neutrals , or virtual obstruc tives . We trust that it will be the means of establishing a better understanding between those who are seeking one common end , and who may fairly accompany each ether on the road , as far as they are mutually agreed .
Lecture—On Sunday evening , Mr . Binns delivered a spirited lecture in the Golden Lion room . At the close of the lecture a meeting of the members of the Association was held , when it waa resolved to appoint a deputation to wait upon the liberal electors' committee , formed for the purpose of procuring the return of Chartist and Corn Law repeal candidates . Electors Committee . —On Thursday evening , the Committee appointed at the public meeting met in the Arcade roeni , and enrolled several fresh members . It was resolved to invite T . P . E . Thompson , Esq . son of Colonel Thompson , to come forward , and Mr . Robinson was appointed to correspond with him . Arrangements were then made for canvassing the town . SUKDERLAND . —The sum of £ 1 3 s . 9 d . was received last week from Mr . Williams , Sunderland , for various funds—but the paper containing the particulars has been mislaid , we wish him therefore to forward a copy of it .
GLASGOW . —Another great publb meeting has been held ia the Caartist Church , on Monday night , for the purpose of coming to a final decision on the question of what is the best policy which the Chartists of Glasgow should pursue at the approaching election ? As this subject has already excited the most intense interest among not only tbe Chartists of Glasgow , but the Whigs and Tories also , it was considered necessary to bring it to a close : accordingly , the different movers and seconders of motions and amendments met last Friday night , in Mr . Moir ' a back shop , for the purpose of arriving at some proper understanding , and
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^ y ^^ M ^ , ^^ \ J /^ ^ thereby bringing the debaUTto an amicable andfln » decision ; and whieh the result has proved was highly judicious , so that the Chartist cause in Glasgow stands out in bold relief triumphing and triumphant : Mr . Ross was called to the chair , who , before commencing the business of the meeting , gave a description of hi * visit to the family of Mr . Frost in Bristol , which he highly eulogised for their amiable manners and domestic virtues . He described the scene of Mrs . Frost meeting with her son as sufficient to make an impression on the hard and strong hearts of her Majesty ' s Ministers
if they had seen it . Mrs . Frost U in great hopes of soon having the pleasure of seeing her husband , and along with him paying a visit to her numerous friend * in Scotland . ( Great ' cheering . ) Mr . Gillespie then came forward to move a resolution which had been agreed to by the parties who met on Friday night , which was to the following effect : — "That the Chartist of Glasgow agree to bring forward two Chartist candidates to the nomination , and that if they find the / cannot with propriety go to the poll , that the Chartist electors be left to act as they may deem proper according to the best of their own private judgment , for the furtherance of the cause of the people . " He supported the motion with great eloquence , and concluded by
remarking that the Whigs had sank themselves in public estimation ten thousand miles below the . mighty damned . ( Great cheering . ) It was seconded by Mr . James Thompson . Mr . Rodger moved an amendment , that they dispense with the latter clause of Mr . Gillespie ' s motion as they had no eontroul over the Chartist electors , that body having agreed already to act for themselves without consulting the non-electora . Mr . Jack seeonded Mr . Rodger ' s amendment : he made some rather severe remarks against the Chartist electors . He was followed by Mr . Malcolm , who condemned in rather unmeasured terms , those persons who intended to vote , or advocated the propriety of voting for the Tories . He cared not whether they were
O'Connor , or Moir , or who they were . He concluded by reading a letter of Mr . B . O'Brien . Mr . MDonald , one of the fustian jackets , then read Mr . O'Connor ' s letter . Mr . Muirhead . moved that another meeting of electors and non-slectors be called , in order to come to some understanding before the election , which was seconded , but he subsequently withdrew it Mr . Prondfoot rose and administered a severe castigation to some of the young men who had previously spoken , particularly Mr . Malcolm , for endeavouring to saddle the charge of dishonesty upon men for exercising their conscientious opinion and considered such conduct favoured more of Whiggery than Chartism . ( Great cheering . ) This called forth a rather pompous reply
from a young man whom Mr . Ross introduced to the meeting , as the author of " Willie White ' s visit to the infernal regions . " He concluded by moving a wild poetical motion , which fignilied that it was partaking of the plunder of the factions for any Chartist elector to go to the poll at all . Mr . Muirhead seconded , the motion . Mr . Black made a few remarks fruui the gallery amid loud cheers ., . Mr . Currie moved an . amendment that they offer to apliD votes with either Whig or Tory for a Chartist candidate , this was seconded by Mr . Howie . Mr . M'Farlane here made a very eloquent and judicious speech which had a great tendency to allay the fermentation of parties . He sat down amid loud cheering . Mr . Moir made his nppearance
amid loud cheers . He alluded to something which bad been said abeut honesty by Mr . Malcolm . Mr . Malcolm here rose to . explain that he did not mean to apply the offensive terms which he had used to Mr . Moir or any other of the Chartist electors . Mr . Moir replied that he was glad he had been mistaken . He then defended with his usual tact and ability , the necessity of proving to the Whigs , that they , the Chartists , held tbe balance of power . He concluded amid loud cheering . Mr . Cullen in a very effective and excellent speech defended the course which Mr . Moir had recommended . It had , he said , been the general cry among Chartists for the last three years , to cry down with the Whigs ! out with tbe imbecile wretches !
nay , even those persons who were at present advocating what might be culled an opposite course , hod been the loudest and most , active in denouncing them aud getting up petitions to the Queen , at the suggestion of Tory foreign policy men to turn out the Whigs . ( Great cheering . ) But it now appeared that while he and others were realiy in earnest they were only in joke —( laughter )—or doing it for the purpose of frightening the Whigs . Mr . Colquhoun followed and in a speech which showed great reasoning powers , proved the propriety of turning out the Whigs , he was followed by Messrs . Patteson , Gillfillan , Currie , &c . It being now after twelve o ' clock , loud calls were made from all parts of the meeting for the
vote . The Chairman , before putting the vote , remarked that he would not . vote for a Whig , and perhaps he would vote for a Tory ; and if Pattison or any other of the opposite party said he was no Chartist , or a traitor for doing so , he Would let it in at the one ear and out at the other ; he was more than a Caartist ; he was a Republican . ( Great cheering . ) He then put the motion of the author of Willie White's visit down below , which was seconded by Mr . Young ( Mr . Muirhead having previously withdrawn his support of it ) to the meeting , when only , five hands were held up for it . Mr . dime ' s was next put , when about thirty hands were held up . Mr . Rodger ' s waa then put , when there appeared a preetty good proportion of tho meeting .
The shw of hands was then taken for Mr . Gftlespie ' s motion , which had a considerable majority ; but as there were some doubters , the Chairman again put Mr . Rodgers'motion , and then Mr . Gillespie's , when the majority in favour of Mr . Gillespie ' s was still more numerous . The Chairman then decided that beyond a doubt Mr . Gillespie ' s motion had a considerable majority . The result was hailed with long and load cheering ; when all the squabbling and corrosive feelings which the last four night's debate had excited seemed at once fargotten . A committee of fifteen , with power to add to their number , was appointed to get up a public meeting , for tbe purpose of nominating Chartist candidaets . A vote of thanks was then given to the chairman , and the meeting dissolved .
ABERGAVENNY . —I have the unfeigned pleasure to inform you that we have at length succeeded iu collecting a few of our Chartists friends together here , for the purpose of forming an association , whioh has not been done without some trouble and perseverence , as this place is a nest for a strong party of oppositionists . Our meeting was held on Tuesday evening , at the Cross Keys Inn , at which there were twenty-one persons enrolled , and I doubt not there would have been many more persons
present had our intention of holding the meeting been more known . There was but little business of any importance transpired , excepting the enrolling of the members , and agreeing that this association shoutd be on the fame footing as the National Charter Association ; but a meeting has been convened to be holden at the same place on Monday evening next , when it is anticipated that there will be a strong party of our friends assembled . —Correspondent .
ST . ANDREW'S . —A meeting of the Chartists of this city was held in Mr . Wilson ' s School Room , South-street , on the evening of Wednesday se ' nuight , at eight o ' clock , Mr . David Black in the chair , when tho following resolutions , in reference to tbe conduct of tho Chartists at the coming election , were earned unanimou ly : —Moved by Mr . Alexander Mackie , weaver , and seconded by Mr . Archibald Bell , weaver— " That , having had ten years' trial of the Whig faction , we now know no difference between them and ihe old enemies of the people , the Tories , and therefore consider them both unworthy of the confidence of the people at the ensuing General Election , and pledge ourselves , individually and collectively , to support no candidate at the said election , unless he pledge himself to advocate and support , to their full extent , the principles of real
aud salutary Reform embodied in the People ' s Charter . " Moved by Mr . Charles Stewart , printer , and seconded by Mr . John Carstairs , mason— " That we approve of the plan of bringing forward Chartist candidates at the forthcoming election , and we pledge ourselves to support such a candidate , and bj every means in our power promote his election , for the St . Andrew ' s District of Burghs ; aud that a letter , embodying these sentiments , and craving the assistance of our brethren ia Fife , be gent to the county meeting of delegates , to be held at Kettle , on Saturday next ; and further , that for the purpose of keeping up the agitation ia St . Andrew ' s , we pledge ourselves to use every means in our power in supporting the Chartist preBS—namely , the Northern Star , Dundee Chronicle , Perth Chronicle , the Chartist Circular , kt . "
CHESTER . —We had a numerous meeting of the Chartists of this city yesterday evening , Mr . Wm . Jones , one of the lecturers , and two others of the Liverpool Chartist Association were over here paying us a visit . The meeting was announced by the bellman , which took place in the Primitive Christian Meeting house . , M > . John Vaugban , a most valuable member of our association , and a dissenting minister , was unanimously called to the chair , who , at some length , and in an animated and lucid manner opened the b usiness of the meeting ; after which Mr . Wm . Jones presented himself to the audience to deliver a lecture on Chartism and its objects . This young man ' s talents are of the first
order . He is an invaluable advocate in the cause of liberty , truth , and justice . He clearly and ably elucidated the various points of the People ' s Charter ; pointed out to the audience the necessity and duty of perseverance in the good and virtuous cause ; energetically contrasted tbe present impoverished , miserable condition of the working classes , the producers of all wealth , with what it ought to be ; he ably dwelt on the atrocities and the anamalies of the accursed and abominable Poor Law Bill , snd expressed himself against the base and brutal Whigs , in terms redolent of contempt , sarcasm , and execration . His lecture frequently elicited the
warmest bursts of applause . The lecture occupied about two hours in the delivery , after which Mr , Thomas Youde , grpcer , was unanimouahr ^ leoted secretary to the association ^ in the stfppHbMturie > || m Speed , who had resigned . Thanks were vA&d ' tQ J * *** the lecturer , who was warmly congratulMMP bv n . retiring from llm iiiimlinii . A niniiliiji | 'f'ftjBBihf ^ ^ . ^ applied to join the association before tS ^ ncMfiiod ^?? . ^ \ of the meeting , mo&t of whom ¦ sw % |» dKrawr ^ . / -4 . \ Q Chartism ia making rapid progress inXqM ^ L ^ G ^ KM'i <^\ . 'isivastign- }
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YOL , IV . ffO . 189 . SATURDAY , JUNE 26 , 1841 . fMc yrSgfpg ^^ T' "
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CTlii # - «^ Avrh' ^ vft ' ¦ il ^ f % f * . •^ tyJlJJv « XdW V ^ W ^ Jv w . d ^> %# l % AND LEEDS GENERAL ADVEETISEE .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), June 26, 1841, page 1, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct712/page/1/
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