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

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      Untitled Article

      MR . H J . RICHARDSON . Themid-daypost of Thursdayvroek , brtraghtu 3 the following letter , ( cut from the Dundee Chronicle , of January 20 th , ) accompanied by a note from Mr . Stotfc , most earnestly requesting its insertion . Bein « received at that late period of the week , it was impossible then to attend to it . Last week it was displaced by other matter . We now give it : —

      TO THB ZDITOS OF IHE 5 ORTHEE 5 SlAE . Resp-ECTed Sin , —Nothing has a greater tendency to retard the progress of democracy than quarrels amongst those whom the people look npoD as their leaders ; and it is truly grievioos to every lover of oar priccipJes to observe that of late these quarrels hare been exceedingly rife , and carr ied on with a vruoerate sp 'i ' ^ unbecoming m ~ n in the common T > urs \ iH of a r eat and glorious object . _ You , Sir , are well aware that smcethe unjust 1 m-T > r-onwW of cur Chartist brethren this feeling has beenexhibirea in too many instances ; and it is e ? sy for us to discern the cause . When men are cast into dungeons lor imaginary crimes , they are bewildered tv ihe vilianies practised upon them ; and

      be be -efv cf adrice or consolation , eoupied with wjfenaas feelings , engendered by solitary reflection in Chair dunjceons , on the siate or ineir comparativek neglected w ; ves andfaraibcS , business and conjiecz ? i , v ?? i * it to be woaderea at if they ac ^ inoaastentiy with the principles they are suffering for ? I mase these remarks because it has been held up as a crime- for men to plead guilty -where guilt has no existence ; and men who haTe advised such pleadiE £ ? have been denounced as traituTS , But it should not be forgotten tbar in many bases there was as lutle justice to be found as there was gmh , and th&t pleading has , to our country ' s shame be it spoken long since become . mere matt f of form

      , In your paper of November 20 ' , 1841 , was a letter , sigBfcd * 'A Bad : ca ! of the Old SehooV' in which letter imputations wtre cast upon the character oi B J . Itichards-en , in a series cf questions , to which were * appended a note by yourself , written in a very uncbari-able iiyle . The queries were as foi-Inw ^ •* i- \\ j 5 jt irneibsi 3 L-. Richardson went to Liverpool io £ ive evidence against his brother Chartist , Christopher Dean ? ^ " 2 . Is i : true mat ne waited there five or s ; x days fur that purpose , and received £ 6 . 6 * -., for his eiperces from the prosecuting attorney for his attendasce ?

      W Is i : true that he told the Manchester friend ? , in escni-e for the postponement of his lectures , then advertissd for delivery , thai he had to go toj ) ubiin . and that he represented hiwself as being off for that city , a - 'he time he was waiting in Liverpool to give evidence agains : Dean } " 4 , Is it true that the constable who apprehended Dean told him that Richardson had been paid a fovereign for pointing out the house where he ( Dean ) was to be found 1 ' Having pat these queries , or , as the writter in the latter part of his leitc-r calls tliem , " charges , " he asks whether they are true or false , and concl udes by an anathema upon- the man who could be guilty of snch co'idueij-ra course utterly a-t variance with justice , ard to ordinary' readers conveys the idea of

      a K fore £ t-ne conclusion , or as the lawyers ? ay , naKce prepense . Mr . Richard sob was applied to by his friencs to reply to the above charges , but he re " - fosed to do so , saying be should treat them with contempt ; stating also that it was an ungrateful attempt to destroy his name vdfa the public , to serve particular purposes which he did net chuse to name , but which to the world were evident . His friends , not saJi-died with bis silence , seeing thai the above couduct towards him was likely to deprive the public of iis future services to ths cause of democracy , and feeling anxious that he should not be forced into retirement , a ; once resolved to meet the charges , and sift ihem to the bottom . The whole affair having been investigated , I have been instructed to answer tout correspondent's allegations with candour and truths

      To the first query we answer , it is not true ; and the / acts relative to the charge are these . When Dean was at Kirkdale he wrote to Richardson for lis advice , and requested him to see Mr . Hereford , the prosecuting attorney , about his case ; this iir . Richardson did , and received such information from him ihat induced Mr . Richardson to write to Liverpeel , -where Mr . Dean was awaiting his trial , and afterwards , an the Tequesi of the attorney , went to Liverpool , and eomniiinicated with Mr . Dean such information and instruction as was necessary to carry him through his approaching trial .

      The second query has been paitly answered in the above paragraph . A 3 to his having received £ 5 6 s . for five or six days' services , we have made every inquiry , bus have noi been able to trace any such money to Mr . Richardson ' s hands . The probabilities are that he has not received such sum , as we ficd Mr . Richardson , on his return from Dublin to Liverpool , borrowing money from a friend at Liverpool , to enable him to stay in Liverpool after Dean Lad pleaded guilty , to procure bail for Dean . Mr . Stuart , bookseller , of Liverpool , was one to whom Mr . Richardson applied to give bail for him , which Mr . Smart could testify . Indeed , had Mr . Richardson been there as a witness , it is well known that he could not have obtained one guinea a day—a sum only allowed ; o professional men , the ^ faculty , and to merchants .

      To the third query . We have _ ascertained that Mr Richardson aid not give up his lectures in Manchester because he hsd to give evidence against Dean , but in order that he could serve De 3 ii in his difficulties , and at the sanjf time , whilst in Liverpool , he went to Dublin on his lawful business Daring his stay at Liverpool he called upon Dean , and remained with him fer some days , iendering his assistance in every way , for which Dean was , and is io this day truly grateful . The fourth query insinuates , that the constable who apprehended Mr . Dean , told him that Mr . Richardson had been paii a sovereign for showing where Mr . Dean lived . This charge if answered by Mr . Dean himsel ? , who po £ i :: feiy denies the assertion ; and further , we went to the Chief Commis-Boaer of Police—the highest and best authority in Manchester—under whose direction Mr . Dean was

      apprehended , and be unequivocally afirmsdl t to be a lie ; intimating that policemen w--re not , generally spea ^ bg , so patriotic as to give sovereigns for such service ;; and that the arresi of Mr . Dean took place i in ecEstqueiice of a Beech warrant , issued at the time Mr . Ricasrd = on " was indicted , and which he j considered it to be his duty to serve , hearing that ; Mr . Dean wns in town . He stated also , ttat when iSr . I ) ean r-is arrested , Mr . Butterworth and Mr . j liiebardson came and offered bail for him , but being tfersselves under bail , and ihe assize ? taking place i ia a few day ? , he recommended them , Messrs . Bat- ] terworlh and Ricaaxdsox , to let Mr . Dean go to Uverpool . j We hire Impartially invest i gated the whole mat- j t « r , and k is our firm belief that the whole of ihe i

      ¦ nurses sre false , and have had tneir origin m envious "hear-says" and " says-sos" of malignant fugues . In concinnon , we be * to request you to zszn this letter in jasr . ce to Mr . Richardson , and to eonEteraej ihe pernicious tendency of the letter of the "Radical of the Old S-hool , " who , we feel ; boBpd to say , ought to have given his name when he prefers charges of such a serious na : ure against an eameat individual . Mr . Rieflardison has been a grievous suSerer in , the cause of Chartism—sufferings which none can ] Jaow so -n- , \\ a 5 £ j 3 particular friends—sufferings \

      aiccst en paralleled amongst Charusts . Imprison--Bern and pecuniary embaxassntent ? , brought on j throcgh i 5 s zeal and activity in ihe cause of demo- j e ^ ev , have reduced him from affluence to poverty , sud we feel justified in declaring , that at this mo- j ma I R . J . Richardson is more worthy of the sup- ' P&n of every real lover of liberty than of public j opprobrium and censure . His nsefnlness cannot be j fO-tsnoutdj and his services to the cause cannot be i overrated . Why , then , ehould we sacrifice his otiliiy and his strvicei 1 . Let us be just , at all events , i 2 we c * imot be generous , j

      Iremain , yours in the cause of freedem , Benjamin Stott , Manchester . Copy of . Mr . Dean ' s letter to Mr . Richardson : — Kirkdale , 25 tc March , 1841 . Sis , —I am advised by parties here to employ Ccee - !?! on c : y trial . I have not the mesjos to do Ki . 1 ¦ srish your advice , and the advice of my friends c ^ this subject , whether you think it nccei ^^ ary to wieiurrhir sups in my case . Write by xeturn of Post , and Itt me have all information posaibie ; and > ko , if you have seen the prosecntiug as attorney , ^ iwhat he thinks of the matter .

      lours , respectfully , Chbistopher Deax . On tH 3 we have one or two words to tay . The writer chooses to make it appear that the " charges " against Mr . Richardson we- e originally preferred by the " Raaii-al of the old School . ' "' whereas he must have known that they were preferred by a number ofChartis : sin Manchester , who placed their names at the bottom of them ; and that , after they had been uncontradicUd for along period , the "Radical " mereij wrote to ask ii they were true or false ; avering that if ibey were true , Jslr . Richardson was politically damned . We meniion this , to prevent the possibility of itsbeingtbougbtposabletnat weshould Have given currency to charges eo black on anonymous amiiority : for this ia the inference to be drawn from Mr . Stoifs letter , as he has put it . It is with persons urko gave their names that Mr . Richardson , or his kn : gt ; t , Mr . Slot :, has to do j and cot with the '• RadicaL "

      Who this Mr . S . ott is , or who are bis friends , that thus volunteer a defence for Mr . Richardson , when he deems one useless or nun-cessary himself , we know not . At all events , we think Mr . Richardson ais cause- to be thatkiul u > them ; for they certainly have , is this matter , shown a , much greater regard . ™ . ^ ^¦ me tBan ^ ^^ evince d himself . The public , however , have , at last , some sort of an * &swer to the charges that were preferred against St . R . some sis mt » n ; n 5 ago , by psa-ies Manches-

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      ter , well known , and who gave their names . Mr . Stott says " the whole matter has been impartially isvestigated ; " but he does not inform us whether Messrs . Joseph Linney , James Wood , Paul Fairclough , Samuel Chamberlain , Henry Nuttall , James Wheeler . James Harrison , James Leech , Thomas Davies , George Mitchell , and Robert Gray were parties to this investigation or not ; or whether they even knew of its being entered upon ; and we opm e that they ought to have known ofl ( the investigation , " and been parlies to it too , for they preferred the charges , under their own hands , in the Northern Slar , of the 14 th of August last . We fancy tbesa parties should have been informed of tbe intention oF Mr . Stott

      and his friends to institute this " investigation f or they oughVto have been waited on , and asked on what authority they preferred the " charges , " and what evidence they had to offer in support of them . It does not appear from Mr . Stott ' 3 letter that this nas been done . The " investigators" seem rather more disposed to fix the preferment of the " charges " npon the "Radical of the Old School , " and to'fiaht with him , than with these persons , who live at Mr . Stott ' s own door . What the gentlemen above-named will say to Mr . Stott we know cot ; but , unless they have be ^ n pi-r'ies to this " investigation , " we suppose they will have something to say , either in umson or in rectinc&iion .

      ( Jae word niur ^ . Mr . Stott says , that the note we appended to the letter of the " Radical" was vrriuen in an " unchm itable Myle . " It it it were ' ' "uncharitable" to call upon Mr . Richardson to izeei charges so strongly put , and so openly made , wo were " uncharitable . " But , , at all event ? , we were uo more so than Mr . Stott We saw the necessity of these charges being answered and rebutted , could they be rebutted ; and % ve said so . Mr . Stott saw tue same , and 1101 only said as we did , but generously attempted the tssk which Mr . Richardson should have performed for himself long ago . ]—Ed .

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      TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND . FXLLOw-CorNTRTMEN , —In iny letter of the 5 th iust ., you will remember that I proposed a question for year co :: sidtrrat ; un , nanieiy , " are we jui-t . fieii in points of law and ¦ re ) i £ ion in opposing our present rulers ?" Yon haTe therein seen my opinions on the justness of such a course . ar . fl we will now , if you pK ase , consider the litter , hut perhaps not Ies 3 formidable part cf the qnest on , : ind exsrains whether reiigion binds us to otsy thc > se -who iujnre n ? . Brforo -we proceed , it may not be improper to Tern -rfc . that nature endowed a'l beiDgs with instinctive powers for tbe powers of self-defence , and tXns , man , arnontst the rest , possesses the principles of seUjpreserratiotu He is , therefore , so far , < s nature is cencerne 1 , justified ia opposing all measures which are at variance with liis interests or happiness .

      The principles of seU-preservation is , however not equal in rll ; for whilst , many persons possess scarcely sp ' iit sufficient to carry them through the ordinary difficulties of life , and who tremhle at the shadow of opposition , by far the greater number possess it in the extreme ; it is this superfluity of principle ¦ which creates the bad p \; s > tott 3 of the henrt ; and thus man beconK-a sn ag ^ . essiTe animal . We find the superfluity of this pilnciple eTiccing itse . f in tbe conduct of the firstboiii of the human race—his bad passions are excitsd agoinst hns brother , and are only extinguished in h > s blood . Man has , therefore , from the commencement distingrisbed fuiiself for acts of cruelty to his race , and has borne , and Very justly , the character of an Bggressivemranl .

      When tbe great First Ciu 3 e brought man into existence , be foresaw that such ¦ would b * the consequence , and wisely ' imposed injunctions upon him that he should obey his commands , and testified his dispUasure at the condnct of Cain for murdering his brother , for the Scriptures say— " His bteod cried to Heaven for vengeance / " and that the "Xord set a mark upon him . " It would be folly to attempt within the small c « mpass of a letter to state all the facts which bear npon this poiiit . r that tend to prove that Heaven from the commencement disapproved of violence and oppression ; suffice to say , that religion was founded'by the " Redeemer" for the purpsss of restraining the violence of men ' s passions * nd to unite theih in bi > nds of fraternal charity . How far this object has been attained , 1 leaTe

      to the sanctified hypocrite of a State Cnurch to determine , but how far the present system of Cburch E-t-iblishmant in the = e countries accords with the intention of the Divine Founder of religion , remains to be shown . We shall now take a rapid glance of the leading features of the two systems ; and I sincerely hope the contrast ¦ will le-d you to perceive that you are justified in point of religion in opposing your present rulers . All parties professing Christianity , no matter what their sect , agree that charity is t ~ ie basis of true religion ; and this is further prove * , "by the life and dtstK of the Redeemer , who offered himself as a sacrifice for the benefit i > f man . Here , then , Tre may ask , -what i 3 the charity evinced r > y tbe apostles of our State Church , or what " Mother Cnurch" herself can show to prove that her principles

      are based npon Chnatian charity ? Answer me , thou bloated hyp-Jeritical old woman . Have you one solitary feeling of sympathy in your adamantine bosom for tbe sorrows , the miseries , the wretchedness , and almost hopeless condition < f the Buffering poor ? Shew me . if yon can , that your principles are based uren Christian charity , whilst you live in open hostility with the class ¦ whom the Kedeeraer recommended to your especial care , snd with whum he resided upon earth . Had your Drvine Master a palace , servants , hor ? fes , coaches , and all the paraphanalia of elegance and luxury to -wait upon him ? or ' dcst thon never reflect , lliat although you sleep beneath a gilded canopy , with coverings of purple and § old , that He , in whose footsteps you profess to tread , " had not a place to lay his bea ' . i . " Tell me ,

      LharitaoVe Old Larty ! what you think of the Son of Ginl satisfying bis hunger by " plucking ears of corn on the sabbatli . " and of the stirring and famishing millions of his crtEtnres who surround yonr palace whilst your tables are groaning beneath a load of luxnrHs procured from their blood and garnished by their tears ? Answer me , Old Lady , was the Church of Christ a political chnrch or did your Divine Master employ bayonets and halters , or did he use fire and sword to erf ^ rce his doctrine , cr compel these who difiVr with him to contribnfe to his suppoit ? B ' A he raise the widow ' s son , or , like yon , stafn h * r threshold with the blood of her orphan children ? Oh , no ! he shed no biood * ave hi .- - own ; nr-r ' hss he shown yon , either by prect . pt or example , that reiigion should be established by force ar Ev . pported by % h > - Hfc-Wood cf innocence .

      Of wLat benefivto religion or to society is tbe connection of the Chnrch with the State ? or does it make men more holy or exemplary by being compelled to pay for prayers which are offered contrary to their notions of worship ? Is it just that nine-tenths of the ptople of Grtat Britain should be compelled to support a pampered hierarchy , whilst miilion 3 of the people are siarvin ? ana ajirsg for want of the common nects-iriss of life ? What . ' shall a bum little short of ten miiliors sterling be annually given to those locusts , whilst thousands of the families of the poor have to live upon ll ^ d . pt-r her . 'i pi-r m-ek , and whilst famine sn-J miserj use ravaging the land , and the voice of the oppreij-td ,- ) nd the poor arc crying to heaven for vengeance ? Tremble , you mighty hyp ^ ciite , vengeance ¦ will assuredly come , for He who will-net let a Epjrrow fall to the ground wili ere long stretch out his hand and avenge tbe wrongs of the poor .

      We ere -told that the people of these countries possess liberty of conscience ! bnt can it be so when they axe compelled to support a clergy wbom they do not recognise , and raise churches which they never enier ? If "we are to have liberty of conscience , let us have it as we ongLt to have it—let every Church support it ? own ministers ; and I cannot see why the saints of a State Church cannot liv-j as the ministers of other Churches do , and walk to church on a Sunaay , us many a more zealous " advocate cf Christianity dees , instead of riding in a gilded coach at the expence of the people . - Nor can I see "why , if they are truly thi .-disciples of their sanctified Mastc-r , they should not , like him , be content to follow his example .

      Ha had no coach to ride in ; and yet he travelled to' the mountain , and not only preached , but fed the multitude who followed him . Do the bishops of our " State Church ' do so ? Are they to be . found in the " highways" and " byways " inviting the people to the marr age feoit ; or do we find them blessing the loaves and fiehts , and ilistributin , them amongst their famishing flocks ? 0 . no ! It would be quite unfashionable to do so—tbe Redeemer waa a little-minded beingwhen compared to bis modern disciplts cf a Stste Church—they find it mere oomfoit-1 aMe , more genteel , to lounge in " a chapel t-f ease , " ana dose away the time cf sei v ice in a crinison cushioned j pew , to the edification of their wealthy and fashionable ueiehbours . And as to loaves and fishes , they are all

      to fcs found in my lord " s pantry . They are almost out , ff fashion wiih the multitude ; for it is now three < hundred 5 ears tlnce the state church begun to angle for j herself , and so expert has she been that she has scarcely left a sprat for the poor . Only let a score or two of [ the miserable victims of hEDger and oppression present j themselves at the door of a Right Bfcverend Father inj God ' s palace , " and you will have an opportunity of wit- ) ntssing the unbounded Christian charity be possesses ; for his suff-jing fellow creatures ; bis heart "will be ! filled not with , compassion , but pride . And it is not j improbable that , instead ot sending his servants with j fo £ > d to nourish their fainting bodies , he will hand them ! over to t ' He tender mercies of the " police , " and have i them dragged to prison for intruding themselves into [ his presence , or daring to put their unhallowed feet j npon his consecrated door step . O , no ! The loaves \

      and fishes of the poor have too long found their way to ; the table of - the bishop ; and when they cry out that j they are starving they are told in a spirit of Christian j charity to " go to the Union . " Yes , poor souls ! they i are driven from the door oi one shaik into the jaws t > f j another . And which ever way they turn there is some j monster ready to prey upon them . Yes ! this state ! church is , of all other churches which we are blessed j with , tbe orAj one which scorns to follow the example ; of t ' ae meek and humble Saviour . She alone must have j tonours and dignities . She alone requires millions of j the people ' s money to prop up her Christian charity , j although the people themselves have not bread to eat . No , the working elapses have been , and are , the J viciicis of the LAaricvous graspisgs of the mest hypo-1 eri ' . ical system- of Christian charity which ever curstd ! a n-avion . My fell -countrymen , have net you been \

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      also visited by the locusts ? Have you not suffered at their hands , the moat unheard-of persecutions for your religious opinions , and been compslled to contribute your Bnpport to your persecutors . Yes J you have seen a State Chnrch rearing its head in districts where the parson , bis clerk , and one or two families comprised the congregation , and you have also , although you never entered it , had to pay your tithe for its Bupport . And that , too , when perhaps your children and your wives were famishing with , want and misery . I ask you , Irishmen , Catholics and Dissenters—nay , I ask the honest Protestants of Great Britain and Ireland , is it justice , or is it consistent with Christian charity , that sach an unholy alliance should exist between Church and the State ? The Church of Christ was not a political church—nor were the Apostles " lords" and " lawmakers . " No , but the Apostles of the State Chnrch are both , and whilst they enjoy their dignity at the expense of tbe poor , they assist in mating laws to grind and coerce ihem .

      This , my fellow-countrymen , ia one of the evils ¦ which the Charter will remove ; and if it does no other good than to purge the nation of this monstrous incunibrance , it wonld be worth straggling for .. You bave seen , that justice is denied you , and that you are the victims of a . host of tyrants , whose interest it is to enslave you ; they know that the moment you obtain political , power , you will get rid of them , and therefore they oppose you with all their might ; th « y have ever made it their study to keep you beneath their feet , and for that purpose the saints e > E a State Church have "kept the people in ignorance ; for they well know that were they educated , they woul 1 . become politically wise , and that having knowledge they would soon obtain power , and that the exerciso of that power would

      quickly produce tho political prostration of the State Church ; they know this , and it is to prevent such results that they thus labour against you—but their eff . « ts are vain , the people will no longer be imposed on . Their tyrants bave ruled them long enough —the naughty Tory has trampled on your liberty , and crushed you beneath the iron hoof of despotism , until your spirit cannot bear it longer with submission . The treacherous and contemptible Whigs have sacrificed you to their ambition , and laughed at your credulity , until tha Chartists , your friends , have swept them with indignation from the theatre of their villanies . The Church—aye , that overgrawn nurse of bigotry and hypocrisy—has too long revelled in luxuries at your expence , and fattened on the miseries of the people . But the people are awakening to a sense of their political degradation , and are determined never to cease to assert their power and dignity until they obtain

      that liberty and happiness to which the laws of nature and of man entitle them . Irishmen ! you are a great poition of the people ; you have been plundered of your birthright , and the damning irfluence of class legislation has prostrated your country and yourselves tj tne brink of ruin . Arise ! no longer crouch beneath the footstool of your tyrants , but in your moral strength unite with your friends , tie Chartists , In raising yourselves to your proper position in society . Remember , all power originated from the people , snd that as there can be bo Government , without a people , so shonld they also be the source of nil poorer . Snake off your fetters ; be free as your fathers , and cease not t « agitate until you obtain that political power which will enable you to legislate for yourselves . Get rid of your Slats Church , and present system of " Christian charity , " and establish in reality civil and religious libeity . I have the honour to be , Fdllow Countrymen , Your most obedient servant , W . H . CLIFTON .

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      TO HAMER STANSFELD , ESQ . " Taxes are fi ^ ed monetary pajinents and do no / lower v . ith the / 'ill 0 / prices of produce . "—James Pen / 13 / . " All classes "will prey npon all other classes just os much as they can and dare . "—Hamer Stan . / eld . Sir , —Tt ia a favourite maxim with the politicians of your school ttuit , if the Corn L-iws were repealedif we bad a complete " froe trade in corn , " it would increase our commerce in an unlimitsd degree , and give us , according to your own st . itewier . t , " prosperity for agi . \ 3 . " Ltt us dt-vote a few moments to tho patient consideration of this question , and endeavour to come Vo just conclusions as to the bearings of the measure npon our commerce .

      Bi-for < j I proceed , it mrvy , perhaps , be necessary shortly to inquire in -what coniinerce conaUt * . What , then , is commerce ? What are its elements ? It is simply the " bartering" of the surplus produce of an individual , or a collection of individuals , for the surplus produce of another individual , or collection of individuals . Mystify tbe thing ii 3 vre mny , " to this complexion it will com « at last . " And , ¦ when no third party steps in to distort ? the balance of " reciprocity , " it is one of the moit simple operations in the world . No-w then , Sir , let us take things as they are at present ; snd that I may not be accused of misrepresentation , I will take the description of our state given by men of yerr own party . Lord John Russell said , " Our

      merchants and mauufacturerd were in the gulf of bankruptcy , and that onr labourers had eaten their beds " And Mr . Holdfnrtb stated , > u last week ' s Times , that he had personally visited a part of Leeds , and he found ¦ ' many of the families not having a morsel of nnythins eatable in the house . Amongst the whole number , one family alone bad . a loaf of bread , one twenty potatoes , and another five . One family had EXIS 1 ED for bvo or three days so ' ely on frosted , on rotten potatoes , found on the trhnrf , near a vessel from which potatoes utre unloading '' ! I 1 ¦ will quote no further . This i > tate of things is too horrible to be borr-e , and nm * t—yea , must—be changed either by one means or another .

      Well , then , hero we are in tbe state above described an-1 , in order to carry out the theories of your class of politicians , let us suppose , in genuine quack phr . ise , that ihe " universal medicine , " tbe repeal-of-th « Corn Laws , wkich is to cure us of all the ills that flesh is heir ta , is applied to-morrow . Let us suppose this ; how is that measure to cause you , or any one else , to manufacture one single yaTd of cloth more than they do at present ? Don't be in too much hast < : in answering ; take time to deliberate befo e you make up your mind .

      Again , Sir , I ask , how is it to cause one single yard of cfoth more to be nfanufactured than is at present ? You will reply , after taking time to think , that if we could take the corn of the Polamler , he would take our n ; anuf , 'ctures , give our labourers " cheap bread , " and cause us to have " prosperity for ages " ! Let ua try that—ltt us take you into the market where wilave been so often before , and see how your scheme wi 1 tend to increase the quantity of our manufactures . Suppose then , S'r , you take your nine yar . is of cloth into Leftits market to " batter" for nine loa < is of wheat ; ami by w :. y of increasing our commerce you hatter it with the Pol ; ui' ! er instead of the Englishman . Xow , Sir , you h : \ ve ' - barterai" with tbe Polaudcr ; you have increased ( nr foreign commerce ; but how hrtveyon increased . . the gross amount of cur Hii'iiufuctures ? If the Polandtr has gut your nine yards of cloth has not the English farmer to go without ?

      But , you wi : i gay , if the Corn Laws had been repealed the Polander world have given me eighteen loads o wheat for my nine yards of cloth ; and then we should have heaTd no more of " families living solely un frost * d or rotten potatoes . " Yes , it does appear , at the present , as if you cuuld get a grer . ter number of loads of wheat of the Polander for your nine yards of cloth than you can of the Englisman ; but , if the Corn Laws were repealed , prices would at once be equalised . and therefore ymi could get no more of the Polauder thin you couM of the Englishman .

      But , you are here rtady to exclaim in triumph , am I cot bettered , then ? do you not yourself acknowledge that I i-hould get eighteen loads of wheat for my nii » e yards of cktu , instead of the nine loads which I noi | F get ? And would tfeis be no advantige to those wliti are living en " rotten potatoes ? ' Do not chuckle too soon , Sir- I do not intend to accuse you of the gross ignorance , the monstrous folly af those who say tliat wag ; s would not fall in consequi nee of the fall , or tqualisation of prices . You know better- You know that the farmer c < uld not continue to pay the same rents , nor the same prices to his collar maker and his blacksmith , nor the same wages to his labourer , with corn at the nominal value of ten shillings per load , that he could -when lie g-t twenty shillings per load . The thing is too cross to is entertained for a moment by any one

      but a " . Political Economist" ! And yon know also that corn , being the gieat standard of actual value , all other things ultimately find their relative proportion in price ; and that consequently wool would find itc relative value . That is , a load of xcheat would be worth as many pounds of wool or yards of cloth , after the repeal of the Corn Laws , as it is at the present In shoit , you know , that if the load jf wheat which is now wortb twenty shillings , were to come to be worth only ten shillings as a regular thing , the yard of cloth which is now worth twenty shillings would come to be worth only ten shillings Likewise . Do not think that I bave forgot " the fixed monetary payments " . But I had a fancy to argue the baing with you just as if Ifeere had been no such thing in existence .

      Now then , Sir , with your cloth reduced in its nominal alue in proportion to the price of wheat , take yourself gain Into the market with yonr nine yards of cloth to cchange or " barter" for wheat and then you will find aafc the Polander can give you no more than the Inglishman , and that neither of them will give you any lore than nine loads of wheat for your cloth . You saw le high relative value of the Englishman ' s wheat , as Dmpared with the foreigner ' s ; and your mouth r atered at the ideaj of getting eighteen loads oi low imiTial valued wheat , for your nine yards of high

      imiiial valued cloth ; forgetting that the same causes hich had made the farmer's wheat of a high nominal ilue , had also caused your cloth to bo of high nominal iiue , too . Now , then , Sir , let us go back to the place from hence we started , and ask yon how a K ^ peal of the orn Laws is to cause one single yard ef cloth more to 3 manufactured ? Ltt ub suppose , tfeen , teat the corn iquisite for the consumption of England takes the ; oduce of five millions of acres , and that there is emloved upon , thes millions of acres one million of

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      labourers , who * of course , are consuming manufactured articles in proportion to their ability . Now , then , suppose the Corn Laws repealed , and , to make the case complete , suppose that . . we purchase ^ he whola of pur wheat of the Polwider , instead of the Englishman , how would that increase the consumption of cloth to yon as a manufacturer ? It i 8 true yon wpnld have increased your foreign trade , but would not the home trade have diminished in exact proportion ? Then , how do you increase your trade ? To put the , ttuBg ia another Bhape—to make it clearer , if possible—let us suppose that it took . twenty millions of yards of cloth to " barter' for the whole of

      the corn consumed in England ; and let us suppose that you haye beeri in the habit of bartering with the English farmer for -Sbe amouut wanted— and let ua suppose that the Corn Laws are repealed , and , further , suppose that you take a faney , byway of " increasing your foreign trade , " to " barter" your twenty millions of yards of cloth with the Pole , how will yon have increased your ma-ufactures ? True , yon will haya mcreised your " foreign trade ; " true , you will have benefitted the Pole to the amount of the cloth he has received , but will not the Englishman , be injured in exact ratio ? Will not the Englishman have ceaaed-to consume iu the same ratio that the Pole has begun to

      consume ? But , even allowing that it will increase our foreVRn trade ; arid even th . it it would increasa it in proportion to the whole of our consumption of wheat ; suppose this monstrosity ; how would it increase the general trade or employment of the country ? Would there uot be the whole of the farmors who are thrown out of employment by out purchasing wheat of the ' . foreigner ready to enter into the manufacturing of cloth to make up for the extra demand ? Then , how , even in this case , do you . in the least increase the quantity of labour , or benefit the labourer ?

      I know that M / Culloch has told us that our purchasing our articles of the foreigner makes no manner of difference in th ? long run : ; " that it or ; ly changes the species without diminishing tbe quantity . " The man must have been grossly ignorant , or have possessed most sstoniabing powers of face , before he could bring himself to make such a statement as this ! But , howevtr , taking it as a truth ; allowing that it would'not " diminish the quantity although it changed the species ; " stili , wise M'Cullochdoes not pretend thai ifc would increase the quantity . And without-it increase the capacity of either the foreigner or the Englishman to purchase , how could i ' u increase our manufactures ?¦

      Then , Sir , hoV -will the repeal of the English Corn Laws have increased the power of the foreigner to purchase our manufactured articles ? What would he have to give in exchange then , which he has no ? now . Come , tell as , what more he would have to exchange ? The repeal of our Corn Laws could not have increased his ' means' of exchange . He would still have only his corn , und why should we go to Poland to purchase it if we could get it as cheap at home ? And , as the repeal would equalise prices , we undoubtedly could purchases " chfap " at homr . Then why purchase of the foreigner ? And if our purchasing of the foreigner enables him i > consume our manufactures , does not our not purchasing of the English farmer disable him from purchasing in exact ratio ? Besides , should we not have the home farmers thrown idle by our ceasing to purchase of them , competing with us us manufacturers ? Ah oir , things are ' not quite so smooth as you seem to dream ?

      In considering the question m this light I have purposely kvipt out of sight , " the fixed monetary payments . " I have . argued as if the public engagements of both Polander and Englishman wee equal- You know they are not ! And you also know tbe injustice that the monstrous inequality existing between them would inflict upon the British farmer , under your " Free TraUe plan . " But I will return to this subject again . James Penny . Mill Bridge , February 2 , 1842 .

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      THE STONE MASONS ON STRIKE , FROM THE MEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT , AND NELSONS MONUMENT , lO . N'DON , AND THE W 00 LW / CH DOCKYARD ,., To the Public and ihe Trades of Great Britain and Ireland . " Through the existing system of ' unequal exchanges ' the working classes are plundered on all sides . They form , like their parent earth , a common pasture-ground , by the impoverishment of which all crawling and creeeping things feed-. ' and fatten , " Brethren , —Changes bave tnken place in our position since we last addressed you , calculated to cheer us on in the ¦? ' good fight" in which , wo are now engaged . The vitality of the " league" recently instituted in Cornwall to " starve our members into submission , " has already departed . With one exception a virtue has been nVaclo of necessity , Qrissell and Poto ' s orders abandoned , and near thirty of our members Uava tedumed . th . eit usual employment

      At Woolwich , a complete mutiny has liken place . Qrissell and Peto finding that even at the pittance unt « which they had reduced those who have attempted to fill the places of our members , they were by frr too unprofitable a bargain , or ,, as we have before stated , to get rid of ihe «) , on Saturday last had all their jabs valued , with a view to the general introduction of pieca work . A rebellion was the immediate constquer . ee ; ' * routs , riots , and tumultuous meetings , disturbing the peice of their taskmaster , '" foilo ^ ed in quick ; succession , and , so far as our knowledge now extends ,.. resulted in above fifty of them making their exit , loudly denouncing the treachery and " inhumanity" of Grissell and Peto towards them ; and amidst tho execrations of a duped populace , with whom it appears they had some-¦ what extensively contracted debts .

      At the Houses of . " Parliament they have been several nights seen engaged taking down work which the architect had condemned . Littie or no progress is perceivable in the building ; and we hesitate not to predict , tliat proceedings , simiiar to those which have transpired at Woolwich , will immediately follow at tliese works , preliminary to the entire disbanding of the incottgTUouB mass of rubbish they have taken so much pains to collect . On the evening of Tuesday the 25 th ult . a" feed" in commemoration of the " Royal farce , " which came off at Windsor that day , was given to those . employed-at the Houses of Parlianicnti G-rissell attended " , and harangued them at considerable length " , during which he

      . stated , ths . t " Often had he aud his partner congratulated themselves on the efficient , steady , and industrious set of masons they liitd in then employ ; tliat they were a jewel to any employers ; that he regretted their withdrawal from bis employment , and sympathised much for them , knowing that t ^ oy m . iist . Iiav ^ endured many privations ; he gave them credit for- the determined manner in which thsy had Opposed him : they had not left a stone unturned likely to afifect hi . s interest or facilitate in their favour tfie termination of the strike . He was , however , suro that it had all beeti thd work of a few disaffected and iles > ignhig mon , whom , he thought , would soon gtt into other employment ,- and then the rest vrould return aud work comfortably with them . "

      In juxta position 'with GtisseU ' s statement relatf vet-j ( ha turnout being the work of a few , we place the conduct of the whole for the very long period of twenty weeks ; the great number that turned out , and the few that have turned traitors , notwithstanding its taking place and continuing through that season of tho year in which they were least likely to be supported . The Times newspaper of . Wednesday 'la * t ; in i \ feeler . as to our intentions , declared the period was " very remote" at which ( G . anel P . would dismiss Allen . We can BBsurethe Times , Q . and P ., and Alion . too , that the time is indeed " remote" when we shall be found , working " comfortably" with his imbecile sycophantic slaveB .

      At the Jlonument it would n « ed more perception than modern philosophy ican supply , to discover what upwards 1 of fifty masons (?) have been doing for the great length of time which lias transpired since our members left ; and , thanks to the men of . Devonshire and Cornwall , they are not likely presently to do any

      more . At Dartmoor and Plymouth the turnouts are going on bravtly ; The bribe of drink bas Keen attempted by the Granite Company ' s minions , with an intention of making them arunk , and then inducing them to agree to resume tkeir work . It bas been indignantly re-, jected , and will be as oftsn as it may be offered . As an evidence of the incapability of those they have got in their places , and which are farmer ' s riien , navigators , &c ., two of these have ' cut , " after working a fortnight , one earning ninepence , and the other , Who was considered their -best man nine shillings . The work , it must be understood , is by the piece—they are not paid for what they spoil . Meeting with but little success ,: G . and P . have discontinued advertising for . Granite Masons , &c-, about Aberdeen . : i

      The entire number now on the funds are about three hundred , and as circumstances are now daily tending to our advantage , if the sons and daughters—aye , and daughters of honest labour—aiding the patriotic , of their sex now struggling with adversity , rather than suffer the partners ' of their life to submit to Insult and contumely , will come fairly to the battle , the powers of the enemy shall be subdued and annihilated—the great moral fight in which we are engaged terminate in spotless victory—and , we hope , prove the harbinger of that unity , that mutual and reciprocal good feeling among the -working classes , essential to the attaining—and then maintaining that position in the great family of mankind , which , the Author of theii existence intended they should occupy . . . .

      We again take the liberty of calling your attention to the lines with -which we have headed our address . The truths they most convey to every thinking mind are palpable and complete . The neighbourhood of London has , for the last ten days , furnished ocular demonstration that the working classes are " the common pastureground on which all crawling and creeping things feed and fatten . " Honeit poyetty has been mocked by pampered Royalty , Aristocracy , and ill-got capital . The few have been occupied in " riots , routs , "; and Royal farce foolery , while the many that " through the existing system of unequal exchanges' have provided ; the means , have been starving—literally perishing from want This , however , is only an effect What is the cause ? Existing inequality of labour , which has produced inequality of wealth , and given possession to inequality of power , is the cause of thisj aud reason tells us , that tiitre is no cure for an effect while the

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      cause remains untouched . If the working classes would , irupiove theii condition—if they would alter tue ByBtam that , makes one man so undeservedly rich , and another so nnmeritedly poor—they must no longer waste their means in desultory and unequal coflflicta \ fith effects , but decisively grapple with and destroy the cause from which they arise . The vast amount of wealth they create , compared with the small amount they ; enjoy , shoiild stimulate tbem to this—a knowledge that the smallest alleviation to their nnmerited poverty and distress is denied them , except in

      connection with hardship and degradation , Society , as at present constituted , offers neither welcome or shelter to the wife or children of decayed workmen whose strength has been exhausted in unremitting toil in its syryice , they must wander—poor arid penniless mendicants , or , like ctinunals , be confined in pauper bastiles , where the mother ia parted from her children—the children from each other—the chorda which should bind their infantine hearts in brotherly . love snapped asunder —where all are disregarded and ill treated , because the parties which iDflict these cruelties have had the power to make them poor .

      To change a system productive of so much evil to the producing and most useful portion of society , more than the isolated endeavours of . a mere fraction , is in / lisr pensable . All are affected by its existence ~ , it generates vice , hatred , and uncharitableness , through all its rawiiflcationB . Its subversion and the estabiishment of a better and more rational system must therefore be undertaken by ALL . Their efforts and means muat be concentrated— -an unbrokeu confederacy must be organised , not for the purpose of attacking this capitalists as individuals , but " that system winch sivea to irresponsible individuals the power of grinding masses of labour between masses of capital . "

      Should the practicability of these propositions be by any doubted , we offor as evidence in their favour the power of our present unions contrasted with that of our individual and isolated strength— -the power of ten men united is greater than that of twenty ' -divided ; hence the power of the numied few—combined—over the toilingmany- —divided . We repeat , that if the united efforts of the workingclasses , and" the funds ef their innumerable aocieties , " were applied for , . instead of against themselves , the present system of " unequal exchanges , " which now lays them prostrate , " a common pasture-ground , " would be undermined in all directions , and speedily crumble down in ruins .

      Again seriously hoping that , at the termination of our present strike , with a view to prevent a wcurrence , this subject will receive due consideration ; and thanking ALL for the liberal support we have received , We remain gratefully yours , The Masons society , Thomas Suoiitt , Sec . 6 , Agnes-street , Waterloo-roail , Februarys , 1842 .

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      TO THE CHARTISTS OF GREAT BRITAIN . Brother Chartists , —We ask , are you still slumbering , or what are you thinking about ? It id now three months since we appealed to you , to assist in supporting those Whig-made widows of the bravest of Britain's pons . During twelve months before-that , when we . had four times the number , in prison than are how , we could send to each widow ( made so by Whi fe' ^ ery ) three times as often , as we at present can , to those whose husbands are still detained in prison by the Tory Administration , Some to whom we have personally applied , bay , " They thought thai the birth of a Prince of Wales had given liberty to all political prisoners . " Empty thoughts ! No , no , friends ; the balance sheet will shew you other wise ; you will ihern see the names of those who have been relieved and are still in durance vile , and several others whom it has not been in our power to relieve ;

      We how call upon you in . the name of all that is Rood , if you love your country , or have the least spark of sympathy in your breast , and a single drop of liberty ' s blood iiowing iu your veins , to exert yourselves in the cause of suffuring humani y . Imagine yourselves in prison , and your wives aiid familiea starving for waut ; wi : at must , be the . sensation you would feel 1 Are they not suffering in your cause as well as their own ? Arouse , then ,. from your slumbers I awake , exert yourselves , and raise a s , ub 3 criptioh in every asaociation room . Then you will not only be doing that which is your duty , but you will ease the minds of those brave men who arc suffering in a good cause , and also command the sincere thanks of The National Victim Fund Committee . N . B . All communicationH to he forwarded to Mr . A . Hey wood , Oldham-street , or Mr . Peter Shorrocks , beci-etary , 70 , Gun-street , Manchodter .

      BALANCE SHEET OF THE NATIONAL VICTIM FUND COMMITTEE FROM THE 28 TH OF AUGUST , 1841 , TO THE 2 ND OF FEBRUARY , 1842 . & 8 . d . Aug . 28—Cash in Mr . Hey wood ' s hands as treasurer ... ... 10 8 0 « . ' From Carlisle , per Jos . West ... 0 2 G ^ Fro m Newton . Heath , per E . Travis ... 0 4 0 Sept . II . —From Sowerby , per Jno . Ciolly ,

      to Mr . Campbell 0 12 0 From Soyland Alills , do ., do . 0 9 0 From Ediuburgh N . C . A . do . 1 0 0 Ditto , tho readers of the Northern Star , do . ... ... 0 10 0 Sept . 14—From the Tower HamlotsJJ . C . A . per Charles Johns ... 10 0 „ From Haudley and Slieltoa N . C . A ; , > er Honry Sharp 0 10 0 „ After a lecture bv Mr . Leach , per Mr . Ralton ... ... 0 0 10 East Mancliester Joint Stock Company , per Mr . James Carrledge .. 050 Sept . 20—From Wellington , Newcastleupon-Tyne , per Arthur ... 1 0 . 0

      ^ From Nowcastle-upon-Tyne N . C . A ., per Isaac Bruce 0 3 0 Oct . 20—From Brighton N . C . A ., per Wm . flowers 10 0 From Mr . Ruffy Ridley , of London , por Hcywood ... 0 10 0 Dca . 2 C—FromMr . Buck ! ey , ofDoncastor , per Mr . Campbell ... ... 0 5 0 Jan . 22—From the Northern Star , per Mr . Ardill ... ... ... 27 4 4 Total money received by comraifctee ... 4-5 3 o Total money paid by do . 33 Io 0

      Balance in hand Feb . 2 , 1842 . 11 8 ii 1841 . Aug . 28—Mr . Potts , of Bath ... ... 2 0 0 ~ Mrs . Peddie , of Edinbro' ... 1 0 0 Mrs . Foden , of Sheffield ... 1 0 0 Mrs . Marshall , ditto 1 0 0 Mrs . Ilolfaerry , ditto ... ... 1 0 0 ~ Mrs . Peiithorp , ditto 1 0 0 . Sept . ] 2—Mr . Carrier , of Trowbridge ... 1 0 o * .. '¦ ' Mrs . Jones , of Mouniouthsbir . ' } 1 0 0 ; Sept . 27—Mr . O'Brien , on his liberation from Lancaster 1 0 0 ! Aug . 30—Mrs . O'Brien , ditto ... ... 1 0 0

      Sept . 27- ^ -Mrs . Ash ' tpn , of Barnsley ... 1 0 0 ~ Mrs . Crahtres' , ditto ... ... 1 0 01 Mrs . Walker , of Bradford ... 1 0 0 j Mrs . Brooks ,-ditto 1 0 0 ; ^ Mrs . Roberts , of Bfrmiughaw ~ 1 0 0 | Jany . 25—Mrs . Foden , of Sheffield ... 1 0 0 , ^ Mrs .-Mare -hall , ditto .- : -... " ... 1 0 0 ! Mrs . Holberry , ditto ... ... 1 0 0 : „ Mrs . Walker , of / Bradford ... 1 0 0 , „ Mrs . Brooks , ditto ... ... I 0 0 ' ^ Mrs . Peddie of Edinbro' ... 1 0 0-, Mrs ^ DawsoQ , of Oldham ... 1 0 o ' * .., Mrs . Brooks , of Leigh ... ... 1 0 ui ¦ * , Mrs . Emanuel Evaaf , of Bre- ¦ '

      coashiro ; ... ... ... 10 0 j ~ Mr . James Good win , ditto ... 1 0 0 j ~ Mrs . Morideth , ditto ... ... 1 0 0 Mrs . Pi ice , ditto ... ... 1 0 0 ~ Mrs . Elizabeth Jones , of Mon- 1 mouthshire ... ... ... I 0 Ot Mr . Pentliorp , of Sheffield ... 1 0 Oi . «* Mrs . Ashton , of Barnsley ... 1 0 0 ) Mrs . Crabtree , ditto ... 1 0 0 ! v .: Mra . Roberts , of BirmingTiam ... 1 0 Oj „ Expences of the Committee in Stauips , Rent , &o . ... ... 0 15 0 , £ 33 15 6 . ; Audited and found correct by | Jajies Wheeler , j Andrew Melville , Samuel Chamberlain , [ James Millington , . . j James RusiiTON , . Wm . Maddocks , Petek Shorrocks , ^ Secretary .

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      A Gloucester Paper states that , " a couple from Aableworth were united in wedlock on Wednesday last , ia Sc . Mary ' s Church , Gloucester ; and immediately after the cei ' emony they got blind drunk at a public house . " We have often heard that love was blind , but not till now that ho was blind drunk ! During a dreadful storm on the 26 th Tilt , at Clifdon , iu Galway , no less than tweuty-two fishermea were lost in tueir boats , leaving their wives and children destitute .

      TiiE Herring Fisheries . —We have accounts from the western coast to the 2 nd inst . It is . not correct , as stated in a Galway Contemporary , -th . it 150 lives were lost in the disastrous storm of Wednesday se ' nuight . Unhappily sixteen perious perished in that dreadful gale ; . but the intrepidity of the pooriand industrious firsumermen has not suffered thereby . The number of pf rsoris engaged in these fisherk's is , 18 : 000 , and the boats alone are 3 , 500 . — Limerick Reporter .

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      TO THE WORKING WEN OF SCOTLAND . Fellow Countrymen , —I have addressed toyoa three letters on trie rejection of , the National Petition , and I have observed with pleasure the report of the proceedings ^ n Aberdeen , Lanark , and other places . I have also read , with some degree Of surprise , that Mr . John Dancan , of Dundee , has taken up the p . iunHet , in favour of the objectors to the merita and necessity of the National Petition , and as Mr . Duncan states , that the English readers ' of the Slar , together with myself , areignorant of the objections ; it rjecotues necessary for me to examine this true and authentic account of the real gtqund of differjance on the question at issue . I need not trouble the readers v . ith any remarks as to theeatiniationin'whichl hold Mr . Banean , as yon the working men are fully aware of the high opinion I have ent ° itiihed Of his servieea in the cause .

      I shall , therefore , confine myself to Mr Diincan ' s letter , aud as a conintryruan and a Chartist , I shall answer it without dragging Jn . niy colleagues of the Executive CounciL Mr . Duncan bids us mark tliat the ^ rreat ' principle of the Charter refers solely to the const tution of tie legislature ; thatin t ' ie truth of these principK s lies our strength ; and , thtrtf-re , tb : > t "we shpuld nc > t mix with them any other dpinions . A ! r . Duricau should ; i | so have remarked tUat the British Copstitutiusi is . u ' si'xifs of acts of Parliament , ' whose spirit is-yhoatUe '' to , fI' ^ . adoin , . ¦ who se working is inj ' urip ' us to labour ,, ard \ vhuse « -fi ' - * cts ire vritnessod in the political degradation , soc ; - ! misery , drid general wretchedness of the worJdris ; niili : oD 3 , and , tberefpre , to destroy ¦ pirtial arid oppressive Hmb , we point out grievances , trace them to their source , aed dc ' tuahd a power to amend , abolish , or iti ' ruine the Constitution or Acts cf Parliament -ci > in-oosin ^ it . The union with Irefaud and the English X « w Poor

      j Law areaets of a . legislature irresponsible and having i ( Like' tho English Executive Council !) mcarte blanche I from . our class to over-tax and under-feed the whole j people with or withouttheir consent . . "' ¦ :. I The Chatter ia intended ti cotifer power ujvob all , bat it is not the mere possession , but the useaiulexercise of the majority of the suffrage , which is to bring relief and spread happiness over the latid , theref <; re I widely I differ with Mr . Duncan , when he dasignatfts : ulmitted and terrible grievances as mere opiuious , whicQ opinions are not . to be attained by . a section of the Scottish leaders , even if the Chartists , how .-vc-r numerj ous , were to adopt and proclaim therii I am bound to 1 abide by the vote of the -majotity , ¦ -and I win attend to its decision , even if the Biajoriiy be ttrintd ' alarge section of our body . "

      The grievances produced by class legislation gave rise to the agitaiion for the Charter , the abolition of those grievances is the chief end of -t ! io Charter .- and the possession of power to effect that eud , isthssola desire of tlie working classes . It is idle tp tell me that I ought not or I must no allude to the . Poor Law and the Union with Ireland , because certain persons do hot like it . I Trill , if possible , continually widen our position , and by enuiuorating our grievances , ninltiplj' our claims for redress , and ao far from that honest and open course ' wing based upon expediency the very opposite ia teat ciiionVa-ted to give forco to tbajt charge . Thus , it is not politic to . mention the Po- < r Caw , because we will iose the Malthusians , the Ciiiuch of St . Ann ' s , Glasgow ; because we will be deserted by the parsouai . ' on the Repeal of the Irish Union ; because we will be strengthened fey . the Irish people .

      Away witli such policy-mongering crotchets and if we have a grievance , let jus be bold enough to name ifc , honest enough to point continually at it , and c- > nsisfeenfc enough always to say that a wrong is a wrong and ought to ba abolished . Tile man who feels himself aegricved or insulted by the relation of- a public grievance will never use bis private vote or influence , to remove it , and if the denunciation of the Jfew Poor Law has excited the hostility of the Malthusian Chartists , I iteV saticfied that if they had power , their philosophical tyranny would be mpre . atrocivus and inijumin than t ' te present barbarous and feudal syiUm of Government . I may likewise renuirk that iny efforts are directed to no theories ; but to the effecting of practical Komi for the working men . The Poor L * w is a praeticil evil , the remedy is the suffrage ; and thatl wonldnoc thank you for , unless I believed that the working classos would use it for their especial advantage .

      To conclude the question of the merits of the Petition as a whole , I by iieve the Coustitution to consist of a series of unj uat acts of Piirliament—ths t they give rise to theexisun ^ grievances—that the Chafer would strike at the rootof all evils—and that , if we did . not continuously repeat our cornpiaints , iiud poiut out our just claims , we wouldeither be too servile to deserve power , too degraded to uso it , or too ignoraufc / or selfish to < Vo jvistiee ., -when \ ve had 1 the power . The ; Petition does not state all . Therefore , in my opinion , the only reasonable objection to it is that it h ; ts riot enurnerated more grievances . I earc not for tlie groans of faction , or the wiacing of the galled jade of oppression . On tho justice of our principle ; the honeat relation Of wroags , aud the firm advocacy of our rights , consist the glory of tha Charter , and the duty of every Chartist . ¦ ... - '¦"¦ ¦ .

      The man who will nob submit to the vofe of the majority cannot-baa Chartist ; and he who wonlil set up private tiieories against the public good c ; vn lay no claim to principle or patriotism . Mr . Dmi-ian says , that aniti repealers of the Corn Laws , Maithusians , and churchmea may all be Chartists . No doubt they may be mongrels , and c . ;' . l themselves Chartists ; but no honest man can call them friend to tho labourers ; and if the ixLeaiiin / of tha term Ckartiet is bo very vague and accornm-jauURq , it is time we understood it better , and learntd to distinguish a iamb from a wolf . Mr . Duiiean accuses ths framers of the Petition of setting up an tin warrantable staudarc of CLuirtism ; in other words , thai we make oar position so wide , our boundaries so definable , and our objects eo prominent that we either frighten away the wolves from the fold , or muzzle thorn when they mix with the flock .

      The next singular part of Mr : Duncan ' s conduct is marie apparent in the fact , that in one little p ; H-agKipa he denies the , frainers of the petifciosi the i-i ^ ht , of adopting a position thjit cannot be misfciktui , : i : Vd instautly commits the error of erecting a stam ' . ard of his own He says , "As Cha .-tis-ti we hold a ctttain fixed opinion upon tne con .-stiuition of tho k-gisl . tu .-e : but no one particular opinion whatever upon any of the Ut ' . iss that ouiihtiobeposstssedbyit . " ' For auch standard of Chartism , convenient as it may be in the eyes ; of those who socks expediency under piinciple , I cannot subspribe , because 1 not tm ' . y object

      to the powers of the legislature , but likewise to the laws they have frrmed , ard far from enteriihiiag no opinion whatever e-ri one © r two , I have the stronges opinion as to the absolute necessity of curtiuiint ? tha powers of the or . eand widening the equity of Uie other . Which si&hdniji- is the most- " warrantahio and the most it : accordance'witli the principles of the Charier ? _ Mr . Dujean wilfully mistakes the . majority lor it faction—grievances far opinions—aud broad principle for base- expediency— ami , therefore , hfs whole positioa being founded in ' error , his ' arguments , a 3 a mstter of course , fall to the ground .

      I am told , workingmen of Scotia d , tbst by your directions the leaders acted in the Scoilish Convention . If so , I -ask again , if , previous to your rttcision , you heard botli sides of the question ? Your recent j lecisions have proved , that " to commit a f ; vbe-s . tep is bad—to repair the evilJs wisdom . " I cannot believe that' working men in . ais . y country , can deciile in f tyour of oppression being continusd , in ar . otber , unless taey are dupes or slaves . I vri ! I not believe that th 8 Scottish people have bcesi unjasfc enough t : > give - -their voice in favour cf the New Poor Law for England , because their parsons ' fort ' ici ' ir peculiar Ijerjefit have t ujht them t ' iiit to serve . God is to submit to be fobbed , and tien to practice obeaience to tho robbers" . '

      Mr . Duncan shonld read the rules and regulations of the Xaticnal Charter Association , and be will then under .-t . nu tha principles upon which . tht iixecutive are acting . I can inform him of tnta much '; ' . ' ' that no nieniker of the Executive represexits a ' consli . t ' iie . acy .-of tivo or fifty , and tbat they are not elected by tielegates whose qualifications have been repudiated bv the best of all judges—the people . I should be sorry to suppose that BIr . Duncan" baa been duped . I am certiin : he ismhtikea . undl doubt not in time th ? end-wiil be more appareLt , or the period is riot fir distant when leading men will throw the mask from their faces , and be exp . rsed in tLeir intrigue ; then it wiUjte discovered that many good mui : Lave been used as . tools , and . thousands of workiugiucni-y which political traffic could be tffectsd .

      | Fcilow countrymen , iu the petition your grievances are prominently explained . Are we to be reviled a : ; d denounced because we have been firm enout ; h io point the fihgfc-f of scorn to the diabolical Jaws which have as long afiiicted and scourged you ? If it is to be so , then I shall stand , for one , in tho ppaiti «» h . '" . ' I . have Jtoscn , viz . for " the rights of labour . . Let others' catttend for the rights of themiddle class , tLo pardons , or the capitalists . I renounce all expediency , iisd wkilst [ have power , truth , however feebly , slu ' . l be expressed .. ; - .- ¦' . . ' .- ' ¦ ' ,,. / ' .- ¦ ' . '

      1 i ! Sign the National Petition , consulting first your ) own judgment , instead of the advice of men ; appeal I to your own reasorj , sympathy , and nati& 2 ; ai iioiiuui-, and you will have a response alike vrortliy of your j character , and honourable te- your country . j Above all things send delegates to the Convention about to nieet in London , and lest there should be any I error committed , demand an exebange of comuiuniiationa : betweenEbglaud and Scotland . ; ; I shal , whatever may be the result , if elected for the ; Convention , do niy duty to the working classes ; and -I i shall make a point of going down to the House of : Commons with a band of countrymen who veiIV tnew at least , that " auld Scotia . " eluill not be disgraced in the . ' iirtices 8 ion .-. v : " ..- ¦ . . - : . ¦ - . : ¦¦ - ' ¦¦ ¦ ¦ .. .

      Ireland will have her representatives , Errand her trades , Wales wil ! not be behind ; and I shall strive to make cur position not the last cr least in a movement which will thi 8 time be the greatest and I believe the most memorable ..- . : , _ Let us , then , act -with unanimity , and forgetting partial tiifferencej seek " only the public good . ¦ ¦ " I remain , ¦ ' V ' - . . ' . . ] ¦ Fellow Countrymen , ; Faifafuliy yours , in tho cacse , ' -.. ; . . ' .. '¦ - * M M'TJOUATJL

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      - THE NORTHERN STAB . _^___ — — " ' — ¦ * " —~ '" »¦*¦ ¦ - ¦ ¦ — - ' - - ¦ ... ¦ ¦ ¦ —« g—W ¦ — -. ¦¦_ .- - 111 ^ - T — ' ' ' ' 1 ¦ — -- ' - - ' ' ~ ' ----- ¦ ¦ ' - ' ¦ ¦ ¦ , ~ - ~^ ¦ - ¦ ' ¦ ¦ - ¦ ^ ' ¦

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Feb. 12, 1842, page unpag, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct878/page/7/