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Northern Star (1837-1852), 12th March 1842, Edition 4 of 5, Page 1, Untitled Article

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  • Departments (2)
    • BLOODT AND FEROCIOUS ATTACK
    • FEARGUS O'CONNOR, ESQ., AT MANCHESTER.
  • Text (11)
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      Untitled Article

      OF A SAKD OF ASSASSINS , HIRED BY THE LEAGUE , UPON FEABGTTS O'CONNOR AND THE CHARTISTS OF MANCHESTER ; IN WHICH O'CONNOR AND THE REV . MR- SCHOLEFIELD ( THE CHAIRMAN ) WERE SERIOUSLY , AND MANY OF THE CHARTISTS DANGEROUSLY WOUNDED .

      TO THE IMPERIAL CHARTISTS . 2 ! r Beloved Frikkps , —What the Birmingham jnfiaas failed to accomplish , was nearly effected by » hired band of the same faction at Manchester , ob Tuesday last . Yon are aware , that for a length of time , I had been engaged to delayer three lectures at iianchester . I had an ohject in Tiew by these lectures : that of expounding my notions as to the necessity of establishing a system of small farms , and also my notions upon the Repeal of the Union , and upon the principles of general leg ' iBlation .

      On Monday , I addressed one of the largest , most orderly , and enthusiastic meetings ever held in Manchester . My subject was the Land . My second object was to enable our Chartist friends , by my services , to pay off a heavy arrear of debt incurred in keeping up the Chartist agitation . The Rev . Mr . Scholefield was unanimously appointed Chairman for the course of lectures ; and yon will best jndge of our numbers on Monday night , when I inform you that at one penny admission , tho sum of £ 15 10 s . Id . -was receded at the door .

      During Tuesday , I learned that the League had hired a large body of blndgeonmen to attend the ** Repeal * lecture . A publication , bearing the name of Edward Watiins , extracted from the Manchester Times , and paid for by the Leagse , was extensively circulated among the Irish , setting forth various fabrications as to ihe attacks by the Northern Star and myself upon Daniel O'Connell , and professing aa anxious desire for an honourable union of the good of all glasses , for the purpose of acquiring a repeal of the Corn Laws , Universal Suffrage , and the Ballot . This inflammatory document was louo . in denunciation of Feargu 3 O'Connor . I also received a letter , of which the following is a copy : —

      Sib , —Circumstances prevent me from seeing or bearJBg you 'while in Manchester ; but , believe me , I o " o not flitter "when I say my spirit and best wishes are "with yon . O . Sir , beinre of the Dznibes , Bladgeoaites , Cdbdenites , and the bloody Whig League , -srho -will , if they can . perform the last act of tie Birmingham jttempted tragedy , and rid us of ova Fesrgus . Taat he TFho hath preserred me for sixty-six years , may protect you , and crown your labeuis -with success , i * the constant prayer of your Humble Servant , . Patbick W . Bcchasas . P . S . Tha bearer is my son ; Please to excuse the imperfeetiona of the other side as they are

      owing—To want of light and time to think , Better paper , pen , and ink-Daring the day I learned that officers had been Belected for the purpose of marshalling a large body of Irishmen , who , under the command of Warren , Darby , Finigan , aad Dairy , were to receive wages and money for admission . At sftven o'clock , Hargraves , who had contracted for tie Hall of Science , came to my hotel in great excitement , and informed me that a body of about 300 men , with blndgeons , pokers , hatchets , and

      other weapons , had forced their way into the Hall , and that many of their leaders had taken possession of the platform . He asked me if he should send for the police J I answered "Decidedly not . " Shortly afterwards the Rav . Mr . Scholefield arrived at the hotel , and taring learned what was going on , he asked me if he should send for the police ! My answer was , a No ; I never will attend a public meeting under the protection of a police fores , neither will I ever be instrumental in procuring their attendance . "

      Well , precisely at eight o ' clock , Scholefield , Lsaen , Campbell , Har ^ reavea , Bailey , and myself Started Ia a coach for the Hall of Science . When we entered , the cheering from all parts was deafening . When the cheering ceased , a partial howl was set up on the platform just behind me , and which was responded to by a band in the centre of the Hall , and immediately under the platform . Bnfiy then proceeded to move that a person named Dojle , ( not the Chartist , ; should take the chair .

      Thiswis seconded amid loud cries of " Scholefield , fsfcoleSsld . " DaiFy then procaeded to t 3 ke a show sfh&adsfor Dojle , when about six hnndred hands of three hnndred persons , each holding up kth , were displayed for Doyle , and for Scholeidd the whole of the remainder of the meeting Md up both hands , giving Scholsfield a majority of aila& 3 t ten to one in the estimation of many disinterested persons . When-the show was taken for Dojle , a person behind me said , " You see , tee have a majority . " " Wait a bit ' said I : "if you have

      Dojle shall have the chair : it matters , not to me wio the Chairman is , " ^ f hen the show was so manifestly decided in &Toar of Scholefield , Daffy turned round and said , B Gstflemen , Mr . Doyle wiU now proceed to take the t&air , " Mr . Scholefield at this time occupying it . Fpoa the instant , Scholefield , chair and all , * & 3 lifted from the platform , by a set of ruffians , wao collared him . and tore hi 3 clothes to tattere .

      . The signal -was then given by a fugleman on the Piitform , when instruments of all sorts were branded in the air . I and others seized Scholefield and ihsehiir , telling the Chartists to defend their chair-Jss 3 ' In Ies 3 than half a minute , the mahogany &Mes , chairs , gas pipes , and every available article wasia -pieces , soms of the chairs and fragments of iiKes being thro ^ ra down by the mfiian 3 on the platform to the ruffians in the body . These missiles were immediately flung at the platform , some of the * sasns having jumped off and several more being

      tnockei off in the general scuffle . I saw one ^ al ai mbg ablowaiSeholefield's head with the leg tfa : able . Scholeneld avoided the blow and it came with tremeadons force upon ihe head of some young Eaa- I am informed that he is seriously injured . I f ^ iek that man in the mouth with my left hand , and raosked Mm down . At this time , Leach , Campbell , fctf another Campbell , a fiae fellow , se- ' zed fast hold tf SeaoleSeld , keeping him in froat of the meeting , * aile aaoiaer party -was endeavo&ring to drag him away .

      ^ The missiles now bf gan to fly in all directions at '" Ose oa the platform , when I went in front , took <* ffiyhat , and cheered the Chartists on . While I * a * ia the act of ckserin ? , four or five of the Charfcst s—young Campbell being the only one 1 ksevf—^ ed to the front , and * eiz : ng me by tse collar jtod body , attempted to drag ms back , saying , ieargos , they'll murder yoa , that ' s what they have « aae here for . " As they " were in the act of pulling C « back , I recdved a blow of a large stone on the &t shin , that knocked me down on a bench . I got B and n&w sto 2 ef 3 from a pound to three pound height , pieca of j ron aai n ^ j ^ g Of -m discripfcoas begaD to fly roaud me . Whittaker and two

      <* three ° fters se : z ? d me by the collar , and while T ^ g ^ g me back , I received a blow of a stone on «» breast and one in the neck . I then turned P ® A to those who held me , and said , " for God ' s r * let me loose , I must jump down . " Just u I turned round I received a blow of g ^ e sharp instrument behind , which cut my hat P ^ ngh , and as I fronted the meeting again , 1 Ff ^ d a tremendous blow from a large stone just pOTe the right eye * which knocked me down , the r ** d giuhing out copiously . Higginbottom , |* wtaker and two or three lifted me up and l ^ ged me off the platform . Higginbottom and ¦ J ^^ er took mo into a public house , where I lathed the blood off and then we proceeded to my

      Shortly * fter , Mr . Scholefield arrived with his face ^ pered in a znostshocking manner . He received ' ereaifnl blow from a stone in the moulh leaving J ^ » ut and . loosening his teeth , and a ** king TrouBd , —two indeed—one on the nose , £ t&e other one jo 3 t in the corner of the eye . * ty others rebseqaently arrived ,, all mote or less

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      injured . Doyle with bo many wounds , that on leaving the hotel he fell , and was obliged to be taken home in a coach : he is horribly crushed , beaten and trampled and jumped upon . Campbell got a violent blow on the head ; and Bailey ' s face i& wholly disfigured . Bui this is only a list of the comparatively slightly wounded . Abont eleven o'clock , Dr . Hulli , who had been on the platform , arrived , and informed us that he had beea engaged for mere than twohburs in dressing the wounds of the Chartists , two of whom , he said , were likely to lose their intellect and become idiots for life , while many others were dangerously injured . Oae man fainted while he was dressing his head . Besides these whom I have seen

      and those dressed by Dr . Hulli , there are dlhers here much more dangerously wounded . Poor old Swires , a veteran of sixty-seven , is nearly killed . . Murray , an Irishman , and also a veteran president of the Redfern-street Association , is shockingly mangled ; while poor Raiton has had one of his arms broken in two places , and has been otherwise seriously injured , his head fractured in several places .

      Fresh accounts are hourly dropping in of parties who have been brutally treated , and as those in the body of the hall were leaving they were knocked down on passing through ten or a dozen ruffians in the streets with huge bludgeons in their hands . Young Mr , Lerercshe , reporter for the Man ' Chester and Salford Advertiser , was knocked down by those ruffians , and had his head and other parts dreadfully wounded . He is now confined to his bed ; on getting home he discovered that his waistcoat pockets were full of clotted blood .

      About eleven o'clock , Sir Charles Shaw , accompanied by Captain Sleigh , waited upon me , and in the presence of James Leach , the following conversation occurred : — Sir Chas . Shaw—Mr . O'Connor , I have called in consequenee of what has happened , to apprize you , that if any riot or injury to person or property Bhould occur during your stay in the district , I shall hold you responsible , and I am determined when such occurrence does take place , to remove the cause by arresting you .

      Mr . O'Conxos—Sir , you have given your determination ; now hear mine . Should any violence be done to me , or to my party , or to the property of my friends during my stay in this district , I shall hold yon responsible for every such act of violence . If yon are an inspector of police , I am a barrister ; and as you are neither the law or the constitution , take care how you act . Last night , when no distnrbance was apprehended , your police were at the

      meeting ; when yon might have anticipated , from the current rumours , that a disturbance would take place , you had no force near at band . On Wbitsun-TQesday , yon allowed Messrs . Cobden , Potter , Walker , and others to create a disturbance , and a gross violation of the peace , and you never interfered ; and you knew that the offenders of that day were to be marshalled for the same purpose , and similarly instigated for this night ' s proceedings .

      Sir . Chables Shaw—Mr . 0 Connor , I have nothing to do tcilh the magistrates , and I could not , consistently with my duty , weaken the necessary force at other points for t ^ te purpose of sending men to the meeting . A man has been lodged in the lock-up to-night for having struck you , and I shall require your attendance to swear against him to-morrow morning . Mr . O'Cossoh—I cannot swear to any man , and will not appear . Sir Charles Shaw—If I send a message by a policeman , requiring your attendance , Will yon come ! Mr . O ^ Co ^ OB—No , because I have no evidence

      give . . Sir Chables Shaw—Well , I thought that more courteous than summoning you ; but 1 must send you a summons . Mr . O'Co . xjfOB—Thsn , of course , I shall obey the summons . SirCHAHLES Shaw—Mr . O'Connor , I hope if I should FIND IT NECESSARY to send a policeman to apprehend you , that -yon will make no resistance .

      Mr . O'Cossob—Sir Charles Shaw , I usdebstand yod now ; this is but PRELIMINARY toAKOTHKB stop ! however I know my duty too well , and have too much respect for the laws to violate them by disobeying authority ; if you send a policeman for me , I shall go quietly with him : but take care what you are about , for , most assuredly , after what has transpired at this interview , I shall feel myself bouad to apply to the Secretary of State for the Home Department as to your jurisdiction . . You appear to have wholly mistaken your power .

      Here the conversation ended . One of the parties who was foremost in the fight was apprehended on Tuesday evening , and handed over to the police He was brought up for trial this morning , and , having been convicted , was bound over to keep the peace . I was called on as evidence against him , bat knew nothing whatever about the man . Well , to my snrprise . I learned that Daffy , the ringleader of the Plague , had applied for a warrant against me for striking him , and knocking him off the platform into the body of the Hall ; and , after a very long and patient trial before Mr . Maude , the

      very best local Judge I ever saw , the case was dismissed , the Chairman stating that he much preferred a blow of-a fist to the cowardly practice of throwing stones in a' crowd . I should , in justice to the Chairman , state , however , that one of Duffy ' s witnesses plumply contradicted Daffy ' s evidence , by stating that he did not see me strike Duffy , nor did he think that I could have done so unnoticed by witness . It is now over : and I mo . -t solemnly declare thas I

      did not touch Duffy any more than the man in the moon . The whole of the furniture of the splendid Hall was smashed to atoms ; some of the form 3 were cut up with HATCHETS brought for the purpose , and my only surprise is , that some hundreds were not murdered . KesoIreJ not to be intimidated , we have issued placards that 1 will this ( Wednesday ) night debver my lecture upon the Repeal of the Union . And not satisfied with last night ' s work of destruetioD , the town is posted with large posters to the fallowing effect : —

      "Irishmen Repjjalers of the Union , assemble TO-. YIGHT AT THE HaLL OF SciEVCE I . V TOCB THOUSANDS , TO M 1 ET THE ENEMIES OF DaXIEL 0 'COS . NEI . L , WE HAVE GAINED A VJCrOBT—ATTEXD TO-MGHT iMJ'WE WJLL COMPLETE OUB VJCTORT . " Now , there are forces immediately ai the disposal of the moral-force Corn Law Repealers of Manchester , and to their use has a poriion of the £ 10 , 000 made at the Bsziar , been appropriated , and these forsooth are the parties with whom the Chartists are asked to unite . Chartists , this is the second

      attack made * upon me and other Leaders , as an earnest of the good intention of those who cry out union . I have the heanfeh pleasure to inform you that the trades of Manchester hold a meeting thii evening , to be attended by delegates from every shop , and th » prevailing opinion is that , in a body , all will come out for the Charter , but only on condition that it is not to be mixed up with any other question . Is thiB , then , the time tob surbendeb 1 No , my friends , oxwabd and wjs conqueb , baCKWABD AXD Wfi PALL . THE CHABTBB ASD NO

      SUBBESBKB . The Second Edition will contain a report of this night ' s proceedings , with any further circumstances which Xasy transpire in connection with the bloody attempt of the League . Mind : I bls ^ ae not the Irish half so much * s those moral-fore t > cowards who find pay and money to defray all t > je expences of physical-force aggression and printing . Who

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      now are the " moral" and who the physical-force " parties ! Not one Chartist at the meeting had even a rod in his hand ; and were brutally set upon as I have stated . Unite and be firm . Ever your faithful friend , Feabgcs O'Connob . Manchester , Wednesday . P . S . I have just seen Leach , and he informs me that £ 5 were offered to any man who would throw me off the platform into the body of the Hall , and , moreover , that many of the Irishmen of the repeal party , are thoroughly disgusted with the brutal affair ; and it will shortly be proved that each man

      who attended was paid one Bhilhng for his services , and a penny for his admission . The League has paid for the reprint of Watkia's inflammatory pablication , and also for the bills now generally posted , calling on the Irishmen to complete their triumph to-night . Men of all parties and politics , with the exception of the League , are disgusted beyond expression , with this last kick of the expiring faction . One Chartist jumped from the gallery , a great height ; he is secretary to the Miles Platting Association . I regret to say that the poor fellow is Beriously injured . Th © greatest excitement prevails as to this sight ' s meeting . Yours , F . O'C .

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      During the last week , this town has been placarded , announcing tbat the above gentleman would deliver three lectures . The following is a copy of the placard : — " Men of Manchester , —Feargus O'Connor , Esq . will deliver three lectures , in the Hall of Science , Campfield , on Monday , Tuesday , and Wednesday , the 7 ih , 8 th , and 9 th of March next , 1842 . The lecture on Mondav evening will be on the land and

      its capabilities . That on Tuesday evening , the 8 th , will be on the Repeal of the Legislative Union between England and Ireland . And that on Wednesday evening , the 9 th , on Class Legislation and Government . Admission to the body of the Hall one penny ; Gallery twopence ? and Platform sixpence . The proceeds , after paying necessary expenses , will go towards the payment of the outstanding debts of the National Charter Association . Doors open at six o ' clock . Chair to be taken at eight . " Signed by order of the Committee ,

      " John Mcbba y , Secretary . " Mr . O'Connor having promised , when be first entered Manchester after his liberation , to deliver a course of lectures at the first opportunity , great anxiety was manifested as to when that would be . The notice having appeared upon the walk last week has led to very great excitement , both in Manchester and surrounding district . The Committee , in arranging for the doors to be opened at six o ' clock , took a very creditable , because wise and jadioious step , inasmuch as it prevented the rush which would have been the consequence had they been closed till a later hour . Two hoars before the time of meeting , groups ( in order to secure a place , anticipating that the

      capacious room would be crowded ) were seen wending their way to the place of meeting . When we entered about seven o ' clock , the room , which i ' s capable of holding upwards of three thousand , was three parts filled , and was filling at the time very rapidly , in order the better to pass the time , the Salford Chartist brass band , who had volunteered their services to the good of the cause , played a few lively tunes . The hall was briliantly lighted up with gas . A large number of middle class men were in the gallery , and a good sprinkling of females . The platform was crammed with respectables to excess , and the body of the hall was completely wedged

      with Mr . O'Connor ' s real genuine "blistered hands , " fustian jacket ? , and unshorn chins . So anxions were the people to get a glance of the expected lecturer , that as gentlemen entered the platform they , expecting it was the great chief , commenced cheering and continued until they discovered their mistake . By eight o ' clock there was one dense mas 3 of closely packed human beings . About ten minutes after 8 , Mr . O'Connor entered the platform by a side door , and the effect produced on his appearance was truly electrifying , and beggared all attempts at description . There was one feeling of enthusiam through the whole meeting .

      Mr . John MuBBr moved , seconded by Mr . G . Habgbaves , that the Rev . Mr . Schofield do take the chair , which was carried by acclamation . Mr . Schofield , on coming forward , was greeted with several rounds of applause . He said he was happy on the present occasion to meet his fellow townsmen again . He and they had come together for the same purpose , viz . to hear their worthy friend give them a lecture upon the land . As the subject would , he had no doubt , to them equally with himself be a new subject , they would feel as much

      interested in it as he was—( hear , hear ) . He then claimed a fair hearing for the lecturer , adding that afcer he had finished he ( Mr . O'Connor ) would answer any questions which might be put to the satisfaction of every individual . He would preside to the best of his ability , and as men of judgment , he could entertain no doubt that their conduct would be creditable to themselves as well as gratifying and satisfactory to their esteemed lecturer—( cheers ) . Having made these few remarks , ho would with great pleasure introduce the worthy lecturer—( cheers ) .

      Mr . O'Connor then rose , amid general cheering , clapping , stamping , and other mark 3 of applause , which lasted a considerable time . On silence being restored , he said that , as . had been observed by their Chairman , he was going that night to propound to them a subjoct which was somewhat new . He did not think there could be a more appropriate time to advance his opinions upon this subject than the prestnt —( hear , hear . ) He did not come there as a hired lecturer , to support principles to which his heart was not attached . He came there to advocate principles to which he had been long wedded—the develupement of which would , he trusted , be highly beneficial—as a thorough knowledge of them was requisite for the future stability and progress of the cause wh ; ch he and his Iriends had

      espoused—( cheers . ) His lecture that evening would be divested of personalities , abuse , slander , aad declamation ; and , as such , he believed it would command their attention . They were called upon , afcer ten years' administration of the Whigs , which was to have been a cure for all evil 3 ; and seven or eight months' of administration of the Tories , to look for a medicine for a disease of the body politic which would become chronic , if it was not destroyed by some-skilful hand . ( Hear , hear , and loud cheers . ) And sorry should he be , for the purpose of popularity , to propound to them a principle , which was not practicable . It would be for him that eveniug to make a breach upon prejudice , and thus make converts to their principle . There wa 3 no good to be obtained from a medicine , however efficacious so long as the bottle was kept corked . There was no use in propounding a remedy , without the ability and

      power to apply it—( cheers ) . There was no use in propounding any thing so long as equal , fair , and unrestricted legislation was denied ; until the people were fairly represented . his scheme couldnot be of any avail . For ten years the system had been in a state of political chaoa . It was known that the remedy of the Whigs and Tories was quackery , as a nostrum for the present evils of society . The land gave parties the votes and votes gave the power in the Government . In 1832 , the Government was elected under a perfctt understanding amongst the people that it would for ever destroy and prevent a boroughmongering Parliament ; yet , after ten years influence of such Parliament , they saw Bobby again , in office , supported by a majority of 123 boroujrhmongers in the House of Commons . Then they would ask themselves who they were tbat had placed the present party in the ascendancy ! So long as one man's property constituted ant ther Baa ' s title

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      to vote , aided by other influences which at present exi 8 ted , ' Bo long would the power be monopolised for ciass > interest 9 j and they , the ^ people * would be placed in the condition they then were . Mr . O'Cdjanor then Showed how the tek pound vote with lts ' q ^ ilificatidnB # as nearly the same as £ 20 for a hoawfefere the vote was ^ secured ; and that the land jg » V 6 " the votes , and the rotes gave poli * tioal powerr He then # ent . into the systMa © f wholesale letting the land instead of retail , and thus being applied for the ' fjos ' tenauoe-pf the people . The distress of the country waa admitted on ail hands ; and the man who could produce a remedy , with the least possible disorder and with the least confusion , would prove moat beiieficial—Ihear .

      hear . ) The land produced wheat , and wheat , bread . Mr . O'Connor then went into the system of rentals ; and argued that- undtr a proper regulation , there would be no necessity for the people to be dependant upoa Poland , Russia , or Prussia ; for a breakfast . He then showed how the land had seoured the farmer's vote ; corroborating his statement by the fact of he himself being a barrister-at-law , and a praotioal agnculturist which had given him every opportuiwty of having a proper knowledge of the subject . He next showed the relative position of the artiziris under the emoke-ocraoy , and the labourers tinder the sod-ocracy in doing which he elicited loud cheers . As they could not , with any degree of . propriety , either tax , restrict , or stop the

      iinptovewmtHn maohmery ; ihe question came next , how , / they could so regulate ii as to prove man ' s holiday instead of , as now , Ilia curse—( great cheering . ) M r . O'Connor then made a supposition of a man placed upon land a distance from Manchester , and a man in the manufacturing town ; and argued , ( having given his statistics as to what the man upon the land could produce ^) that as soon as the manufacturing operative was thrown into the streets by iho introduction of machinery , he would go out to the man upon the land , and ask how he lived , and the answer would be , that he worked so many hour 8 to the day , and 280 days to the year , and his family , seven in number , eat plenty of good bread , garden vegetable ^ and thus lived as

      God and nature designed—( cheera)—and have at the end of the year 440 to spend in the market—besides the quantity of wool and flax which he would be enabled to obtain—( hear , hear . ) He then showed up , in a clear and logical manner , the artificial system , which forced man to fill the pawn warehouses with gooda , -while he was himself going naked . Mr . O'Connor here challenged refutation respecting his calculations . Parties who scarcely knew wheth « r they dug potatoes but of the ground raw , © t that they &tow ready buttered , may attempt to contradict his statement in their newspapers , but never to confute them by fair argument . Indeed , instead of confutation , it waa botheration- — ( cheers . ) In the artificial system of life , there was

      manhood , middle age , and infancy , rising , eating , and sleeping all at once . Mr . 0 'C , argued then upon the efficacy of the Charter in putting an end not otly to this state of things , but to prevent crime , and drunkenness , and elevate character . He then shewed , by fair calculation , that instead of not being capable of matntarng 27 , 000 , 000 , it would provide sufficient for 80 , 000 , 000 to live in comfort , peace , and happiness : and contended that the universal- ¦ ¦ cry should be , restore , restore , restore—( cheers . ) The railway travelling had been the same to the horse * , as machinery had to them ; In proportion as railway travelling advanced , the horses were reduced in value and deprived of their corn . They were reduced in their feeds until they were sold to the

      knacker for horse flesh for the dogs—( hear , hear ;) He then shewed the savings of the man who lived upon his estates , doing the work by hand instead of horse power , giving facts and figures for every position he took ; shewing that what it would take in food to keep thirty horses would maintain three hundred men , in addition to what be shewed could be saved by his plan of manuring the land and deducing likewise from his foregoing arguments and premise ? , that it would stop the influx of foreign corn , give high wages , cheap bread , and plenty of employment . He looked with lmie confidence and great suspicion upon thoBe who wore for making thorn comfortable all at once . If they were pained at the heart , as he was , to see the gaunt

      misery , wretchedness , and distress , stalking through the land , and to witness the pale countenances , and the emaciated constitutions , aa the result of long confinement , noxious atmosphere , starvation , hunger , and despair , they would assist in the alteration of the system . After touching upon several other topicB , the taleuted lecturer said , that it was bis conviction , that if the Almighty was to send down a shower of gold in Stephenson ' s Square , the authorities would form a line of military round it , backed by a line of rural police , to prevent the people from receiving any benefit from it , so that in due time they might reap the benefit of it themselves . ( Loud and continued cheering . ) He then gave some excellent and well arranged calculations on

      the laud question , and when he had explained this part of his subject in such a manner as to come home to the capacity of all present , ho declared that if the Whigs had performed their promises and had dono their duty to the peoplei and introduced the principles of the People's Charter , they would have destroyed Toryism , aud for ever-- ( . hear , hoar , and loud cheering )! . Mr . O'C . then showed the fallacy of the steam lords who assert that there were more mouths than food to feed them , and illustrated very plainly that they had themJ-elves made food dear to the operatives arid filled their own pockets . If a cotton master having l ^ OOOhands under his employment reduced his hands is , per week ; he took from them more than would supply ttvm wivabread for a

      week , and put £ 400 into his own pocket every year of hia life . The lecturer went on to shew how ; it operated to the ibjury of the shopkeepers , by taking money out of circulation , preventing the people from purchasing necessaries , and ; consequently , prevented it from coming into their tills ^ Oiear , hear , )—and argued that it would ultimately fall upon the smokeocracy themselves , by reducing them to beggary . He next , showed how the large manufacturers had competed against the small ones , and driven them out of the market and to bankruptcy ; and to such a pitch was the system biought , that there was no certainty in the investment of money . A widow , through the inducements which had been held out respecting the large per centage she would

      receive , had invested £ 10 , 000 in a railway or some such undertaking , at the time when she expected to receive the interest due , she was met by the direotorBj who told her they were vety sorry to inform her , that owing to the speculation being a failure , both interest and stock was swallowed tip —( cheers . ) He then adverted to the tract published by the Rev . Baptist Noel , who he said had been made chaplain for writing fallacious ntnsensoj and he ( Mri O'Connor ) had not been made a Bishop for answering it . ( Loud cheering . ) Every man , said Noel , in order to shew the benefits ot' machinery , could produce £ 200 worth of goods by it and steam . What , or how much , was the working man ' s share 1 Mr . O'Connor then compared the relative position of

      the landlords , who had many of them their estates mortgaged , with the cotton lords , who had boasted of being able to purchaso the estates of the landlords . He then handled some statements of Dr . Bowring . This gentleman had stated that a working man eat a quarter of corn per annum , and shewed howmanyi quarters of wheat the money taken from the operatives would purchase , following up this by comparing Jbow much the working man had for his share with what our beautiful Queen received , contending by such rules the Queen either eats or drinks all the oats and barley which are imported into this country , adducing figures according to "Cocker" to bear him out—( cheers ) The lecturer then went through the various hands into

      which the loaf had to fall before the working man could have his bite ; such as £ 10 , 000 , 000 to the Church ; £ 29 , 000 , 000 to pay the interest of the National Debt ; £ " 23 , 000 , 000 to support the Government and Standing Army ; profit class £ 140 , 000 , 000 ; besides the idlers , paupers , and pensioners , who had to be kept out of the poor man ' s earnings ; , and taken / from trie sack—( cheers . ) He wished them to take the clog off , and level the waters which they could only do by giving to every man a vote . Did they want 2 , 000 , 000 of quarters of wheat f Why , then , take £ 4 , 000 , 000 from the church . Did they want 4 , 000 , 000 of quarters , take £ 8 , 000 , 000 from the church , and if more , take £ 10 , 000 , 008 ; which would open to them them the sanctuary of 5 , 000 , 000 of quarters of wheat , for them—( laughter . ) Did they want more , sweep off the Debt , the Army money , the nobler

      Sec . &c—( laughter and applause . ) Then men might have their parks , race coureesi and pleasure grounds . But neither party would do that ; nor would they ask them ( thepeople ) to doit—( hear , bear ) Although the Government of the country was a Tory one , they , the people , were under local authorities ; their lives and properties were { under the coaamand of the local authorities . When masters wished to reduce wages they applied to the local authorities to furnish them with Rural Police to assist them to carry their designs into execution . There was the police to hold them in subjection or .- walk the streets , and the Bastile yawning at thera if they dare kick against oppression ; they knocked them down with the Poor Law and kept them down with the Hural Police . Mr- O'Connor eip ' ained the manner in which thamanufact urers induced thepeople to come from tfte , agriQukaral dVcticta in . the plenitude of

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      their prosperity , aad how whole families were sole like goods ia the markets , and now machinery bad rendered them useless they turned their backs upoa them , which had , in tho first place , taken the labourers from the land , and in the second place had been the means of preventing more corn from being grown than what was , and threw the land into grass land —( hear , hear , and cheers . ) They wished them to turn back again ; the operatives answer no , they would not ; they would rather remain slaves as they were than adopt a step which would shew * t&eir own folly , and how grossly they had been deceive ! i , aud their , the master's , ibgratitude ; The conduct of toe masters i » that respect put him in mind of a gentleman , or rather a Scotch 'carrier , who made a practice of tossing up as to whether

      his horse should haye a feed of corn , or himself a glass of grog ; but it never happened that the horse won ; At length ; be tossed him over a cliff , and killed the animal , which brought him to reflection ; and then he exclaimed , "Would to God he had looked to the animal that supporteAihiBi / ' The manufacturers would ere long turn antf say , thai if they had looked more to the interes ^ of the people , instead of all to themselves , they would have supported them . ( Cheers . ) Lord John Russell would say ; " Wfyiild to God he had depended opoathe people , instead of the aristocracy , " and then be would h * ve been able to deBtroy the sting of T 6 ryism » Muck will sting him to death—{ laagblejri ) The- people would' bare been satisfied had he hot ¦

      cried finality ,. " but progression . Yes , bat some " ot his opponents asked whether , there was not the same misery in Ireland as in England , Mr . O'Connor then alleged that it was the same etrcumstance in both countries which caused the poverty , namely , the labourer being deprived of his vote . The labourer knew that if he laid out £ 2 in lime for the improvement of the soil , he would be doing it for the landlord to receive the benefit instead of himself—( " hear , hear , " from the Irishmen . ) The lecturer : then went through many statistics , proving the capabilities of the land , and showing how it would produce : more wheat , cattle , butter cheese , frnit , ko ., and contended that the industrious portion of the community could get none of it .

      The question with them was how they could get it 1 It was not by putting a large loaf and a small one upon the top of the pole which would satisfy them , because it was equally as easy to put a large oiie as a small one- —( hear ^ hear ) - Cheap and dear were relative terms , and it would make , the : poor man ' s hf art burn to seo the large loaf , if he had not , at the same time , the means of purchasing it —( hear , hear ) . Mr . O'C then shewed that a reduction in taxation , unless the people were properly represented would be of no benefit to the many , and instanced the tax taken off leather , and many other things , had not made shoes , &c , any cheaper to the working man . He likewise liamed several places where born could be grown cheaper ; but under the present syetem

      th < se who stood betwixt the corn and the working man would monopolise all the benefits to themselves . He would put a question to the females present , who would be able to give him a correct answer . Had they not gone to the baker ' s shop for a stone of flour , for which they might pay , for the sake of argument , 2 » . 6 d ., and in a short time after , perhaps only the next day , they have applied again , and there had been in the meantime a storm , and without the least interfereriee of Parliament , it has risen to 3- ! . a stone . ( Females- " That ' s true / ' ) One night ' s storm would raise the flour ; but it would take three months' sunshine to bring it down again : the bakers' thermometer was regulated by the sun —( cheers . ) Mr . O'Connor then related an anecdote

      concerning himself and his butcher , the substance of which is the following : —Ho jwanted a shoulder of mutton . The butcher broughthim the whole quarter to look at . He ( Mr . O'C . ) told him to cut off the shoulder : the quarter itself Was only 2 s . " 6 'd .. ; but when the shoulder was cut off , he asked him the price , and the butcher told him it was 2 s . lOj—( laughter . ) Mr . O'Connor asked him the reason , and the reply was , "that cutting off the shoulder had spoiled the ribs "—( laughter . ) j ^ ow , it would be of no servico for him to go through the country if the people were well clothed , well fed , and well sheltered . He wanted to so arrange matters as to let every man be a consumer as well as a producer , instead of the present system , which caused them to live

      front hand to mouth .: The masters took every opportunity t 6 make inroads upon the rights of labour , and when resisted and remonstrated with about it , they conceived they had accomplished a victory , when they had beaten their poor workpeople . They , when questioned upon such improper conduct , would reply , "Do you think that we are going to succumb to the licentiousness of a domineering , ignorant , impertinent- multitude 1 " The lecturer gave this in a satirical tone , which nearly convulsed the audience with laughter . He next mentioned a case of reduction of Morley and Boden , at Derby , and gave a true description as to how it woujd operate against the shopkeepers by taking to the tune of £ 300 per week from their tills . He mentioned this at the meeting

      whilst he was there , and the Bhopkeera wished him to repeat it again . He did so ; and then they could see itjftud began to scratch their heads—( laugh tor . ) TDhese genUemen , too , wore Corn Law Repealers—( hear , htar . ) It was more politic , more prudent , more wise , more . statesmanlike , more philosphical to look to the land of their own country than to look to the land of Poland . If they were to have a repeal of the Corn Laws , without accompanying measures , it would bring about bloody revolutions , and nothing could prtvent it but the Six i ' oints of the Charter —( loud cheers . ) Th « yvfanted cheap food and cheap labour , in order to meet the foreigner ; but , in order to do that successfully , they would have to adopt a system of

      cheaper freightage , and other things , before they could undersell the foreigner , if the present taxation was retained . Besides , the inventions and improvements , and bringing ia new machinery , would be a barrier against the working man receiving any benefit , wa 9 there to be an extension of trade by a repeal of the Corn Laws—( cheers . ) The cotton masters had jumped out of fustian into broad cloth , but would they jump back again ? Whilst the Whigs were in office , the people were called destructives , who called put for a change ; but no sooner are they on the other side of the Treasury Bench , and 123 of a majority against them , than they are so enraged that they catinbt carry on their agitation without setting fire to straw men—( cheers . ) One of the ministers of the gospel had engaged to

      do the work of the fell destroyer . He would bring 100 , 000 starving operatives from Manchester to groan at the Tory Members , and shout for a Repeal of the Corn Laws . Mr . O'Connpr said he would chance that . He would take the command of them , andxsee that they did not starve ; and , if they brought them up Repealers , he would bring them back Chartists . He then went into a variety of subjects— -spoke for two ^ hours—during which time he proved himself a good general , a sound politician , a statesman , a clever reasoner , a patriot , and a Christian . He was listened to by the audience with marked attention , only interrupted with cheers ; and , when he concluded , the cheerinja ; was really deafening . Three cheers were given for the Charter , O'Connor , Frost , Williams , and Jones , and the Northern Star . A vote of thanks was then given to the Chairman , and the meeting dispersedi highly delighted .

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      M That this meeting la of opinion that the Cora and Provision LawB . Tby' wrtneting trade , reduciug wages , and iopreasing the price of food , are injurioua ; . to . « ll cI ^^ -Oi th «^ plei an 4 -p ^ ht ; to . i ^ . M | iie » lea . ; . and this meeting further fee ' s called upon to declare that the 8 lidihg 6 cate ofthe duty oja ^ Corny proposed by Sir Robert Peel , i ? ati insult to a ttdfying people } and that it ought to receive the reprobation of every lover of his county . "

      Mr . Hiswjsxtseconded it > # It was put and parried unanimously * , . Mr . W . P . Roberts ; of BatbV now came forward tojptopose the second , resolution .. He ; was received with cheers . Hesaidhe waspleasfd in witnessing sxCqh a great number present . Ia the Jast inotion they were in error . When he came there , he did think ^ hemeetingvrould be » mongrelone ; and he was sorxlY the manufacturers had failed to attend it . He dwelt 4 > n the change that had taken place since the keV Wa . ^ " turned nDOn him in Saliahni-v ami .

      Unirersal snftv'rJng was driving- the middle classes over to the pepy'le . Those classes could not hope for « uy gov&from fa'e present Parliament , and therefere they ^ should a ^ me forward to put anind to class legislation . r He * a \ v now , that the people must sick to She whole CharteV—that must now be our only objfeeL Bat while he would ga forMhe Charter , fie was willing to me , ? fc the middle ; classes with cordiaiity . The Com L \ ws were an evil-r-buV wo wanted the means of gettii ^ g rid of all each— ( cheers ) . After a few more observation * , he concluded bj moving , ;¦ ¦ . ;¦ ? ' : - .-:. ¦ ¦ ;;¦ ¦ -, - ¦ . . " > -. ' [¦/ " \ ¦ . ¦ . >• ... : -: " . ' /; ¦

      -.. ' . f * Thai this meeting Is of opinjeo that the only - plan ' - of Repealing the Cora L * m » by <* tamfn « f political pewer for the people through the adoption of the principles of the people ' s Charter- " ( Cheera . > Mr . Vincen 9 c , on rifinff to . seepnd vb was Joodly cheered . He had hoped that those whose conditioa lad been depressed by the present commercia ! eo » - mrrassments veould have attended that Meeting . Av time had come when the middle classes must cpae * out for an entire change in the representation of the ?

      country . The shopkeepers , oWing to the general distress , could not realise sesucely any profit on . th » goods tbey gold .-: ' Bradfwfd eomplained of heavy taxes . What wei » those to W attributed to but bad GoTeniment ? The poverty ® f the country was owing to the people being deprived of that power ta wttwh they "werei entUleoVby Christianequity and the constitution . ( Cheere- ) Mr . V . went on for some length of time , and concluded by seconding th * resolution .

      The resolution was put and earned without having a dissentient . ; ¦ [ The manufacturers having not come forward , theaddress to the Queen ( not askiog fer the Charter > was not submitted for the adoption of the meeting . This great meeting passed off without the getters-up ; of it manifesting the least desire ; of co-operating with the Chartists ; Do not such show the necessity of our sticking to our principles aad not tmting any class of selfish men ? J After a vote of thanks to the Chairman , and three cheers for the Charter , the meeting quietly dispersed .

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      CORRECT RETURNS FOR THE LONDON DISTRICT . Returns furnished per Wneeler . Per Maynard . Mr .. M ^ Douall ...... 706 ... 40 Mr . Ridley .. ~« v .. 4 Q 3 ... 9 Mr . Staliwood . 251 ... 32 Mr . Parker ......... 218 ... 13 Mr . Fussell . 165 ... 1 Mr . M'JSrath ...... 145 ... 2 Mr . Watkins 113 ... 9

      MrvKhighi ......... 91 ... M r ^ Benbow ...... ; 68 ... Mr . Roberts ...,...,. 60 ... 5 Mr . Barmby ...... 58 ... 6 Mr . Balls ............ 56 ... 19 Mr . Fox ............ 6 ... 2 Mr . Rainsley ...... 2 ... 1 Mr ; Robsoii ......... 1 ... Mr . MartiD ......... 1 ...

      The London men will perceive that I have this week inserted the last returns from London , and the returns this week are for thd threo same individuals that wero returned last week , viz , M'Douall , Ridley , andStaUwobd .-Mr . Morling has resigned , consequently Mr . Bartlettj of Soft than ) pton , will be the candidate elected in conjunction with . Mr . Woodward , of Brighton , for Hants , Sussex , and the Isle of Wight . / - , ¦ .: ; . ^ . ¦ ;; ; - ? ¦ ' -v" -y , :- ;; V ; Last week the number of votes from Wigan , Boltoii , Chowbent , and Redfevn-street , Manchester , oughvw have appeared . I mislaid them , and did not perceive the error until the Star appeared .

      LANCASHIRE RETURNS . i i . - ¦'¦ . ' " ¦ . . . ¦ i § ^ g . ¦ ¦• ¦ g : J- I- ^ Last week's Star 518 606 1066 165 Wigan ... 33 15 5 47 Chowbent ... — 10 20 33 Bolton ... 44 54 43 15 DERBY , LEICESTER , AND NOTTINGRAM , RETURNS .

      l S . , S : l - ¦; ¦ . a . cS e 2 . . . « Nottingham ... 650 471 345 283 Leicester ... 348 112 158 468 Derby ... 48 47 79 124 Total , 1046 63 a . 582 875 The Derby , Leicester , and Nottingham returns irtived too late for insertion last week . . J .: Campbell , Sec .

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      SUNPERtAND . —On Tuesday evening last , Mr Charles Connor , of Manchester , was expected to lecture at SundeTland ; but in consequence of aome misunder standing , he was also ahnounced to lecture at Newcastle the same evening ; be was , therefore , under the necessity of disappointing Sunderland . At the hone appointed , however * the LongyRoom of the Golden Lion was crowded , and the meeting was ably addressed by Messrs . Binns and Williams .

      iNSOtENT COSDUCX O ? THE WHIG MATO ^ OF SUNDERLAND .--During the last week , a requisition , of which the following Is a copy , waa preafanted to the M « iyor of Sunderland , signed by 180 ratepayer ^ , or rather inhabitants ,-150 of them being electora : — To the WorsMsfulthe 3 Iayoy of Sunderland , [ Sir , —We , the undersigned ratepayers , and other inhabitants of the borough of Sanderiand , do hereby request you to convene a meeting of the inhabitants of this borough , to take into consideration the relation between the existing distress of this country , arid the present stateotthe representation o ! the people ; tuad also to determine the propriety of adopting a petition to Parliament , for a reform in the representation , according to the principles embodied in the document called the People ' s Charter .

      In reply to tho above requisition , the tdWo'wmg answer has been rtturped : — Town Clerk ' s Office , Sunfleiland , 3 rd March , ¦ .. ¦ - . ' . "¦ . : ¦ ' - '• ' ¦ . •¦; -i 8 * i : ' ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ - . - ¦ ' , ' ' ¦ : " ¦ ¦ ' ¦ ¦'¦ Sir , —I am directed by the Mayor , Sir Hedworth Williamson , Bart ., to return yoa the requisition to convene a meeting of the inhabitants of this borough , to take into consideration the relation between tha existing distress of this country , and the preseat atato of the representation of the people : and also- to

      determine on the propriety of adopting a petition to Parliament for a reform in the representation , according to the principles embodied in the document called the People ' s Chatter ; and to inform you , that is conse quence of the Mayor having ascertained that the signatures of many of the parties to the requisition have been obtained under a misapprehension as to the object of the meeting , he must decline acceeding to ther re quest , ¦' . ¦ ¦ ¦ ' ¦ - ¦ ' ; ' -.. ¦ ' " ' ¦ . ¦¦ ¦ ¦¦¦ :. '•¦; ¦ ' " ¦ "¦ : ¦ ' Iremain , Sir ,

      Yeur obedient servant , -:. Thomas- BaywiON , Town Clerk . Mr . James Williams . Inreply to the above note , we , theUBdexaigned , who obtained the -whole of the signatures to this requisition , emphatically declare , that if any signed it under a mtespprehensisn of its objects , it was not from any attempts oil our part to misrepresent the objects of the meeting , ( aud it . is scarcely possible if any , much teas many , should have lnisundeistood them , While these

      objects were distinctly stt forth m the requisition itselt We caH , moreover , assure the Mayor , that in the majority of instances , the requisition waa most carefully read , and its objects apparently deliberately approved . We can , howeTer , readily conconceive that ¦ whenmany of the reqaisitionists were subjected to an inquisitorial visit , under the authority of ihe Mayor , they might , ¦ while virtually intimidated , profess to have misapprehended tho objects of the meeting , bat we da know instances in which this official impertinence waa met ma more manly and upright manner .

      ; George binss , James Monabch , Thos ; Wallis , BpBT . PATTISON , "¦ ¦¦ .. - ¦' ; John Smail / ¦" . ' ¦ ¦ ' : . - . '¦ •' ' ¦;¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦ . ' : ' ' ' -- ¦¦ . : ;• ¦ . WM . CHAPPj ^ The public meeting , to take into eoalMttdKC object * set forth in the rcquieitloni wilOiJHM 3 ^ MJj ^ r \ : Arcade Room , on Tuesday evening , Marftf jN ^^ SS ^ fiA to be taken at eight o ' clock . A noble wt ^ k ^ Wh ^ k i dpated . ¦ . S ^ Ps ^ MlW 3 COD SAT 8 THK PMF ^ t ^ ' ^ J ^^ 90 , . : -. ¦ . ; . ' ;;/ ';;¦ . ; ¦ - Vv / ^ . ^/ 5 ^/^ y ^^' : ' - ' - ;'

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      • CfiM ^ ^» J ^ ifirM AND LEEDS - ' ( iEtijis ^^

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      YOL . Y . SO . 22 S . ' SATUEDAY , MARCH 12 , i ! M ^ M ^ M ^ 0 ^^ SS ^ SSS ^^ - — . . , __ ^ - - - ¦ ^ r ¦ ' ¦" - ' ¦ •' . [ ' : . . " -. ¦¦ _ . ' . ' ' - * : ~ . ¦ . ' ¦ ' ¦ "" .. . — .. ' . "s . -. ' . ' : ¦¦ ¦' . ' . . — : — : r— - ¦ : — : —— - — rr-. ~ ; . , . .- ' " ^ . ; ¦

      Bloodt And Ferocious Attack

      BLOODT AND FEROCIOUS ATTACK

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      Thursday Afteknoon . —The Manchester Mail has juat brought us an account of the Wednesday evening ' s lecture , which went oft as peaceably as if no one but the lecturer had been in the room , though the Hall tvas wedged until not another human being could be squeezed into it . Ruffians are ever cowards , and so the ** League's" bludgeon-men , when they saw the working men ready to receive them , were as quiet as mice . The night before they had it all their own way , few working men being present , it having been agreed that they should attend the first and third lecture , and leave thesecond to the Irish O'Connellite Repealers , with whom it appears that Mr . O'Connor ' s arguments are far less powerful than the " League ' s" blood-money .

      Feargus O'Connor, Esq., At Manchester.

      FEARGUS O'CONNOR , ESQ ., AT MANCHESTER .

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      LARGE PUBLIC MEETING AT BRADFORD WILTSHIRE . SHAMEFUL CONDUCT OF THE CORN-LAW REPEALERS . This meeting which had been announced by large billa , posted for these eight days past in all parts of Bradford , was held on Tuesday afternoon last , in the Market-place . It was convened by Bome of the most influential householders , and by many of the manufacturers of the place , ibr . the' purpose of protesting against the sliding scale of Sir Robert Peel , and of adopting an address to the Queen , calling upon her to dismiss her present Ministers , " and call to her councils koriest men , who will devise the best remedy fo * the existing evils-of the nation . The Rev . Mr . Spencer and other geatlemen Were invited to attend ; but not one of the aaaufactuiers were there . Mr . Spencer , though in Bradford , could no > attend oa account of having a E « vere cold , and it being so wet . , The number : present amounted to not less than four thousand persons . We aeyer attended any meeting tneafrangemants of which were more carelessly attended to . Seeing that the manufacturers had not been faithful to their pledge , the resolution they had drawn up , merely for a fair and entire system of representioo , was set aside ; and Mr . Vincentj who attended to unite parties on his termsdrew up one for the whole Charter .

      , Mr . Esan wag called to the chair . He read the Bill calling the meeting , which Bill he said had been issued by the Corn Law Repealers ; but he was Borry t » flay , none of them were present . He eonsidered that to propose ihe repeal of the Corn Laws without the Suffrage would be useless . He contended that the SufErage should be extended so far as that of the Charter " ( Cheers . ) He called upon Mr . MitM to propose the first tesoJution , whicfc ' waa— ' : ¦ - : ' ' ¦ ' ¦ : ¦ ¦ ' ' ¦ ' ¦ . ¦ ¦¦ '¦ ¦'¦ " ¦ . ' ' : ¦ '

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      wMBBmMm ^

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), March 12, 1842, page 1, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct745/page/1/