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Northern Star (1837-1852), 10th December 1842, Edition 5 of 5, Page 7, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      MISS MARY ANN WALKER ON THE PEOPLE'S CHARTER , A crowded and mosi respectably composed meeting , oonvened by public advertisement , was held last Monday evening , in the spacious sad elegant hall of tb . 9 National or Complete Suffrage Association , High Holbora , for the purpose of hearing Miss jj&ryAnn Walker delayer a lecture on the social ev 2 s which affiiot the State , and on the People ' s Charter , as the remedy , and the only remedy , for the removal of those evils , and restoration of the happiness and independence of Great Britain and htr dependencies . ' : The meeting was conrened for eight o ' clock , and soon after that hoax the nail began to fill rapidly in all parts . The meeting at this time began to manifest impatience to near Miss Walker , by loudly stamping on the fleor , as a signal to hare the chair til "" Among the mass of persons present , was a Urge proportion of very elegantly dressed ladies , many of whom , were of the superior classes of

      society . At ab&ni ten minutes past eight o ' clock , a Bimulianeous burst of applause from all parts of the mating , announced the presence in the hall ol Miss Walker . She was attended by numerous friends , amongst whom we were glad to see the encouraging and supporting presence of many ladies ; and as she advanced up the body towards the platform , the applause consisting of cheering , clapping of hands , waving of handkerchiefs , mingled with the loud * Huzza , " and other demonstrations cf welcome , became marked and enthusiastic , almost beyond description . There were a few bad spirits in that part of the gallery to the right of the plioform ; bat their disscnzieut Ttrices or rather , acd the more to their disgrace—hisses?—were overwhelmed in the reverberating din of aeclcmation . On reaching the platform , Miss Walker was again and again loudly

      cheered , a compliment which she acknowledged by inclining repeatedly to the audience . She was dressed in mourning , a habit which it is her calamity to wear for the death of her father , of wbom she has not been very many months bereaved . Tue body of her dress was partially and becomingly low , dis - playing a very graceful bust , and tending to set off to greater interest a figure and form of interesting proportions . She appeared more than usually wan in countenance , the effect , doubtless , of her anxiety to do justice to her subject , and convey instruction and satisfaction to her audience . She were a light Bortof crape scarf , or negliges ; attached gracefully to , and hanging drapery-like from , her arms , the effect leading to set off her costame , enlivening and contrasting with the black material . A jet nekl&ce , suspending a " Cross , " :

      "Which Jews might kiss , and Infidels adore . " . adorned her bosom , giving a finish to her contour . The anxiety and excitement of the audience was sow wound up to the highest pitch to have ihe proceedings commence ; and , on the motion of Mr . Overtoil , seconded by Mr . Cuffay , Mr . Balls was unanimously called to the chair . Be am ] d sot , he observed , but f ed honoured &t having been called upon to take the chair on this interesting occasion ; interesting , because they were assembled that night to hear ihe great , the fundamental principles of The People ' s Charter" denned and advocated bj one of the softer and better sex { Applause- } He considered , as * The People's Charier" was to remove the misery which afflicted

      and bore down the people of this country , that the female class oaght to be hailed in the cause as the best of propagators . " ( Much laughter . ) He considered , also , that great praise was due to Miss Walker and Miss Inge , for having come forward in the cause of their country , and of humanity . ( Hear , bear , and applause . ) Miss Walker had seen the misery , and it was creditable to her to come forward in aid of its alleviation , and to show that it was solely the effects of corrupt " Class Legislation . " ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) She had come forward to assist the People in advancing " The People ' s Charier" ( Cheers . ) He therefore claimed their indulgence in her favour . ( Hear , hear . ) It- was her first time—he might almost say her first—of

      addressing ; a great public assembly , and be , therefore , hoped they would hear her withont interruption . At tbe conclusion of the address , Miss Walker would answer any questions which might be put to her . He would not longer detain them than to express the very great pleasure which he felt in introducing to their noi : ce , Miss Mary Ann Walker , ( Load and long continued cheers ) , amidst which Miss Wauleb . rose and said , she deeply felt the difficulty of her situation on that evening , bat feeling , at tbe same feue , most deeply on the subject of her great and lovely country ' s wrong ? , and of her fellow-conntrymen ' s and women ' s sufferings , she had no apology to make for presenting herself before the meeting that evening . It was a bold thing , she admitted ,

      for wois&n to step ont of her retirement ; and of course there would be always feund persons who would put foul constructions on her motives in order iodeteraadihrowherbaek . ( Hear , Lear . ) And if there were any in that assembly who aiked why she { Miss Walker ) came ont , to him she answered , " She came there at ber country ' s call . " If the human misery which afflicted the people of this great country was beyond the power of man to control—if it was the ordination of Providence , then would it be man ' s duty to sobait ; bat when such was not the case , ii was tame , she would say , that man aroused himself , and ought to resist its eause . ( Hear , hear , and loud cheers . ) Therenever was a time when England possessed such abundance as at present . ( Hear . )

      How was it , then , she would ask , that two-thirds cf tbe population were , in the face of such a fact , without food ! ( Hear , hear , hear . ) How was it that they could not take np a paper , but they were shocked and startled to read some frightful and afcfcring smaide 1 ( Hear , bear . ) How was it that out a few days * go , a young girl , of about fourteen yean of age , committed suicide T And , be it remembered , she was of a respectable family , but had disobliged her father—how , bnt because she could not get employment . How was it that the women of England were rednced to make shirts for one penny each , and had to find thread ont of that ! ( Indignant cries of " Shame I" from all parts of the hall . ) How was is that Mr . Comyn , a surgeon , for whose

      character she ( Miss Walker ) entertained the highest respect , had recently called * a meeting on behalf of those poor shirt makers 1 How came he to know of their circumstances and most deplorable condition ! Alas 2 through having been called in to one of them , who to pot an end to her miseries , h&d taken "vitriol . ( Deep sensation . ) That poor creature had worked for sixteen hours a day for sirpenee ! ( Horror , accompanied by cries of " Shame , Sbame . ' " pervaded and ran through the meeting . ) This had led to that ^ entiexnan sayicfi , those poor shirtmakers , would be satisfied with one penny more . " In that , she ( MiSB Wa'ker ) did not agree with him . Those poor creatures should have a fair remuneiaiive price for their labour . ( Hear , hear , and

      applause . ) She inquired at a shop-keeper ' s , an employer in this way , on the subject of the "penny a shin " remuneration , and was informed by him thai the taxes obliged Mm to give thus little , and she then Eet herself to work to learn who gained by those taxes . ** The Black Lisi" winch Ehe held in her hand , would answer . ( Hear , hear . ) And she would advfce every poor , every working-man to possess himself of that list . Erst , then , let them take the income of £ 470 , 000 ayear , or £ 1287 12 a . a day . Then there was the 2 > uie of Cumberland , now King of Hanover , with EewPaJace . ( Groans . ) She ( Miss Walker ) would ask , why should they keep him , and trive him one and twenty thousand a-year , or £ 57 103 per day .

      < Hear , hear , groans for M 3 " Hanoverian" ilajesiy , and cheers for M ps Walker . ) Then , thero was another King pensioned on them , Leopold of Suxe Cobonig , ( now Sing of the Belgians . ) with CLarenoai Palace ; why was he receiving £ 50 , 000 a vear from this oppressed country . ( Hear , hear . ) Why , she would further ask , were the people of this country ground down as they were , taxed to keep a Queen Dowager—Queen Adelaide ? who , besides the Koyal Manor and Palace of Hainp ^ on Co nrt , the park and domains of Bushy , also Marlb ^ rcragh House , in Pall Mall , two parks , and tfcjee Royal Palaces , drew from tbe taxes of England £ 100 000 a-year , or £ 274 per day . ( Shame , shame . ) Wfcy was tbat ! And she ( Miss Waliei ) would jtk how

      " an old lady" could spend it . ( Hear , and cheers . ) — £ A voice—She gives it in charity ! ( Core motion ) She tMi » Walker ) -rerr much quertsoned that . How , then- she would atk , conld that " old lady" speed £ 274 a fay , trom tbe time she gets up till tbe time sl > e foes to bed ! ( Laughter in the meeting , and much toamotion among a section of Tcries in the gallery on She right ) She ( M its Walker ) did not qnaml with the Queen T > . wager for wbat she got ; bnt she thought that a yearly salary to keep her comfortable would be rrJBtifctit . acd that { before tfcis such -was given ber , tie Women of Er gland ought to be paid better for their labour . { Hear , htar , and < fceers ) But the gentleman hi the gallery had raid tbat the QuetnDj wager had given svet her inccire in charity ( Laughter . ) It was

      ( fearaeterolieof Englishmen to be generous ; but then they wished , nevertfcelfcss , to Ete the mosey they give «* particular purposes earned . ( Hear , bear . ) She Oboes Waiter ) came there to explain national abusta tod Local grievances , and ehe was resolved to explain * 2 fl expose them , in public and private , and on all © Mar iocs . ( Criescf "Bravo ! Miss Walker ! " " Hear , " toflebevu . ) Mis "Walter then referred the attention <* tiie mttting to the abuses in the New Poor Law JeUm , axd narrated , es an instance of its inhumanity fi » case of a poos -woman whom she saw reduced to go » tbe parish . She { Miss Waiter ) taew her . She hsd

      8 n « chydren , from whom she was separated . [ Mccii wwroption 10 tbe proceedings from - ' * a lacerated kcot rt Tories- in tfce gallery , which caused tLe djairman to ° D to Order J * and threaten to turn any one ont who fc&lit disturb Use proceedings ; and Mr . Cuff *? to ° k * * e that a belter w » y would be for the p ^ ty t j come i , rwird at the < cd of the leetnre-3 Miss Walker ^ eesiEed- The ^ niti emeB "wfco thus jnterrDptfcd her » ere u £ Egli » LE :. r ! - — iztznie , etsme )— a ^ d if th-y ¦^ wd in eiccmjLiirg st ch ! : wf es wc-rln jpve thfir Wlow etm-try « Tmcl ; iie ^^ ce for fevriee * hours a day » a peivy 2 thirty Bai i e Qit * n Adelaivt cot c = e huEww tfctusand pounds a-jta , they -how uy s vrortny her

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      ( Miss Walker ' s } notice—( Hear , hear , and load cheers . ) The poor woman to whom she bad referred , was dragged and separated from her children , sent to Norwood , and not allowed to be present to dose the eye * of one ef them at its dying hour . She ( Miss Walker ) hesitated not to say that a law , under which cruelty was practised , was a most inhuman , a most bar barous law—( Oft-repeated cries of hear . ) Bat let them look at tbe provisions of the Tile law , and the expencea of working it—( Hear , hear . ) £ . id To Three Commissioners at £ 2 , 000 per fL-nnnm each ... ... ... 6 , 000 0 0 ( "Shame J" ) To Secretory ... ... ... 1 , 200 0 0 To Assistant Secretaries , one at £ 700 , and so forth ... ... ... 1 , 550 0 0 To Assistant Commissioners , eighteen

      « t £ 700 each ... ... ... 12 , 600 0 0 Travelling expenses those eighteen Commissioners , and salaries to their Clerks ... ... ... 15 , 318 1 1 Contrast , she would say , this and other profligate expenditure of this oppressive law , with the workhouse dietary for "tbe able-bodied pauper , " and take as an example his Sunday fare : — Breakfast Dinner . Bread 7 cz . Gruel 1 i ft Bacon S £ cz , potatoes lib .

      And as to 6 Upper , it jnst amounted to a few ounces of bread and om ounce 0 / cheese . There , she repeated , was "Sunday fare '' for an " able-bodied pauper . ' Bat in this shameful way was it that the poor of England were treated , while the commissioners of tbe law drew their thousands , and from thousands to millions—( laughter;—from the rates levied on the people for " . relief of tha poor . " Oh ! it was too bad ! In this way they went on , while the poor infirm persons , and those above seventy years of age , were to be allowed one ovjitx of tea , with milk , seven ennces of sugar , SEd three ounces and a half of batter , instead of grnel , weekly . ( Shame . ) There ' s for you , continued MUs Walker , a man of seventy yean of age , should be in very good condition to live on that—( hear , hear .

      and laughter . ) Dmae , for instance , the one ounce of tea into fourteen parts , and see how far that ¦ would go —( hear , hear , aDd laughter . ) But afur all that , the Commissioners , perhaps , in the tXarcisa of their economy , carefully crtlect " the leaves , " and sand them back again to their grocers , to be dried and reissued—Cloud and long continued laughter ) . Yet , with all the inhumanity of these workhouse regulations , such as their tearing husband from wife , and parents from children , those Commissioners called them " Unions . " —( great laughter ) . Now , a greater misnomer was never heard of—( hear , hear , cheers , and laughter ) . Turning back again to the Bsyal palaces , and contrasting these doings to the poor , with those within the Royal menace , they found tbe expeDces of the Lord Steward for ons

      year , for the item cf trine alone , £ 4850 ; for liquors , £ 1843 ; and for ale and beer , £ 2811 . Now that was pretty well for one year ' s work— < laughter ) . When she iMiss Walker ) read those things , she was not at ail surprised at the royal nurse being discovered in a state of " intoxication "—tgreat and continued laughter ) . Bat she would ask , how it was that these things wera permitted ? How it was that this system was carried on i —{ hear , bear ) . She found that it all arose from " cl-iss legislation , " and that of all the persons sent to the House of Commons , not one was seat to represent tbe " working-men "—{ bear , hear , and cries of " shame 1 " ) Monopoly of all kinds had ita protection in that House —Shear ) . *• The Army" had its protection . " the Navy , " "the landed interest , " "the Capitalist , " atd

      not forgetting "the Church "—( laughter)—all had their protection , except labour ; and the House itstlt in fact , was "the very 'key-atone' of monopoly "—( hear , hear , hear , cheers , and much bughter ) . It was because she felt that tbe People ' s Charter would remedy those and all other social evils , that she stood before that great meetiag tD endeavour to explain it in all its points . Hiss Walker then -went over tbe six points of the Charter , in consecutive order , commerjeiog -with Universal Suffrage , then proceeding onward to Tote by Ballot , Bribery at Elections , Annnal Parliaments , No Property Qualification , and Equal Electoral Districts , each of which she elucidated in a Very able and comprehensive manner , infinitely to her own credit , and greatly to the edification of her audience . Were

      that document the law of the land , she said , soldiers and sailors would have s vote as -well as other men , ia the representation of the country , and for hex ( Miss Walker ' s ) part , Ehe did not see why those two classes of men , tbe dsfenders of their country , the fighters of the battles of their country , should not have a rote—{ hear , * hear , and applause , ) She felt tbat they ought to have ; and she hoped they would never rest content BDtil they compel the Suffrage to be extended to them— - 'Eathnsitatic cheering . } If the country , she repeated , bad the Charter , it would no lomger he disgraced hj the use of " bludgeon" and bayonet" law at elections , drinking , treating , fcc , for th « ballot would cure all that ; bribery , under it , with Universal Suflrage would be

      impossible ; for to buy a vote in that ease , would ba like " buying a pig in a poke , "—( much . laughter)—and scchmenas Mr . Feargus O'Connor would be in Pariiament as representatives of the people . That gentleman , Who had done much servic 9 in the cause of tbe csuntry , and who was so faithful to the people , had been elected , but was declared disqualified to sit , because it waa alleged he had not &ufficieut "Property Qualification . " Could anything , the would ask , be more absurd than that ? ( He ^ r , bear ) An 4 wbat relation there was between the standard of " gold" and "intelligence" she was quite at a loss to know . In other ward * , was gold to be made the standard of intfilligenee ? { Cheers . ) She would illustrate tha absurdity of this property qualification still further , by a

      reference to the election of Mr . Hall , of Hsrylebone That gentleman ' s qualification was derived from hu wife . He was elected in the morning , aha died in tbe courae-of tbe day , and be was net a member of tbe "Honourable House" in the evening . She then referred tbe attention of the meeting to Lord Abingtr ' s conduct at tbe late Special Commissions . She was Eure , she said , if the Charter wsu adopted , they would not have snch a judge a > that—such •'» modern Jtfries '—on the judicial bench . ( Hmr , hear , hear , great hissing at lie mention of his Lordship ' s name , and cries of "' 4 tiVis it him , Miss Walker ! " j No , such conduct as he was jrnilty of would not , were that document the law ¦ ef the land , be allowed to pass with impunity—( hear ,

      bear)—and tbe Bench would be thoroughly pnrifiud from such characters . And the Magistrates , would they be allowed , under that document , to play such pranks as they hid latterly boen indulging in ?—( Hear , hear , and cries of bravo . ' ) On this snbject , she alluded to the extraordinary and culpable decision cf the magistrate some few days back , in the case of tbe girl " Morgan , " who was , she said , so shamefully and unjustly committed some days back , by a country justice , for having . been guilty of the office of objecting to pass thrcngh the men ' s bod-room while they were in their beds . This allusion produced great groaning against the magirtrate in question , which was followed up on ilia Walkfrr ' s very just criticisms on the committal of the poor cirl to prison , and the reallj demcrakz ' . ng as

      weII as . miaous effect on her prospects in life , which snch incarceration , connected with the poverty it might lead to , might be productive of . She then referred to the church , and to tkose holy passages in the Bible which pronounce destruction to tbe suicide , and commented on that species of conduct of clergymen of the Established Church , and magistrates , which brings poor creatures down to poverty , and thus leads them to self destruction , tbe guilt of whieh , and the peril of the : r " soul ' s salvation , " she charged on tbe beads cf those magistrates and parsens . She next alluded to the crusade of the Rsv . Mr .

      I Robinson , cf Holbora , against his parishioners , ssme of I whom be has thrown in Chancery , and exposed to I heavy expence ir that most expensive court , in pursuit ; of hia tithes She handled the Rev . Gentleman very I severely . She dwelt on the oath he had taken at his ; ordination , on the Holy Brongalists , to the effect , I 'That it was not you or yeurs be sought , but you j only , " and nrged that he oaght to be prosecuted far : perjury j for violation of that most solemn oath , as in ' the case of throwing his parishioners into Chancery i ( The recommendation W £ B loudly cheered . ) Then , with i rfssrd to the great expengrrtness of that Court of ' ChaEctry , * he narrattd the result of an interview which she h&d h&d with the Lord Chancellor on the

      snrgect of arresting a bill of sale in the case of an aged fri : nd cf hers , named Jacobs , who had been most op-! prtesivfcly dealt with by a Mr . John Dent , of Crawford-| rtreet , gad said that his Lordship ' s advice to ber was to : fila a bill , tbe first step in which would cost £ 20 . Her aged friend was a poor widow , and had lived for I many- years in Montague-square . Tbe brutal treat-: meet which she had received was almost beyond be-• litf . iHear , bear . ) For three dajs she had been I kept a close prisoner inner house , almost in a staVe ! of starvation , m ; i tben dragged therfcfrom by a police-I man , and all under the sanction of dau made law . She ; recommended these considerations to the notice of the I Times , xf the reporter from that paper were present . r The narration of the cruelty practised in tbe above ease , ' . the minute puiictilais of which press of other matter j non obliges us to omit , excited mingled feelings of sympathy and disgust in the meeting . Referring to the I boast made by a gentleman in the gallery of the "Queen

      , j Dowager ' s Charity , " Miss Walker put it to the gentle-I man -whether she ( tbe Queen Dowager ) wcnld visit that ; poor widow with her charity . She alluded , in a very I lndicrons vein , to those " gosling" officers of tbe army , I v , bo put s handsome uniform , with gold epaulets , on ; themselves , strut into drawing rooms , and through the : Parks ; and said she would not nave any objection to ; their becoming Field Marshals , provided they * ' fought I their way np to them , " oa the principle cf " win your ; liiurels and wear thtm , " but ticBS green creatures , who ; jraicfcase their way np over the heads cf " bmve mea , " : cz . < l -who never tmelJed powder , the &ad no patience I -with , S * eh a system jrss another of tbo bad effecto of ' . " Cl »« s Legislation . " ( Lend cheers and much laughter ! followed Uiii graphic skttc ' n cf the present state cf cur arms- ) She txyiiiEtd tfcai ttbtn tbe was first dravrn out in tLis ag t :-. iion , she bud cot thought of putticg . h-. ifclf tefcre iho jublio ; but she had en that tveniig

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      been reading of the conduct of Lord Abinger in hia judicial capacity on the Special Commissions , ( Groans and being in the ChartiBt Hail when the subject of tbe Cha rter was discussed , her excited state of mind and sympathy with her suffering fellow creafcaraa Jn that commission , the " Political Victims , " led her to speak on the subject . The Times , on that occasion made her the subject of its leading articles , covering her with Its scofia and gibes ; bnt where it meant to do harm , she was glad to eay it had done much good . iQreat ; cheering . ) Miss Walker then stated that she was' receiving letters from all ports « f tne

      world , encouraging bat to goon , and at that moment held one in her hand , which emanated from a public meating in Parth , signed .. « John Shannon , secretary , " and highly complimentary to her . She concluded by assuring the meeting that if she were satisfied that her coming out had the effect , of alleviating the trouble of even one poor fellow creature , she would feel herself for life repaid , and would g » on in that virtuous course , let the obloquy and the consequences t&at WOQltl attach to her be what they might . ( Loud and enthusiastic cheers , amidst which Miss Walker resumed her seat )

      Miss Emma Miles then move * , and Mrs . Watts seconded , that tbe thanks of the meeting be given to Miss Walker , which were accorded with great acclamation . A young gentleman named Foster , here put two questions to Mias Walker , namely , whether in her attacks on Lord Abinger , she meant to include the whole judicial bench ? aud whether in her strictures on the Bev . Mr . Robinson , she meant to attack the whole of the clergy of tha Church of England ? ( Great canfosion , and cries of " OrderF orderj" "SpokeJ spoke ! " The Meeting is over / ' 4 o ., followed Mr . Foster ' s questions . )

      Miss Walker , however , came forward , and having assured tbe meeting tbat she had no thought or intention of making a sweeping charge , observed , with regard to Lerd Abinger , that inasmuch as one diseased sheep , spoils a whole fljck , and as one diseased limb will contaminate the whole body , to prevent which the fkilfnl surgeon -would at once amputate such limb , BO , for the honour and purity of the Judicial Bench , and of the clergy of tbe Established Church , she would have Lord Abinger out off , by removal from the one body , and the Kev . Mr . Robinson from the other—( great and long-continued cheering , amidst which Captain Acherley proclaimed that Miss Walker had nobly done her duty , and protested against any more questions bring put to her . ) Mr . Foster said that ha was satisfied-with Miss Walker ' s answers , though he had nothing else to thank her for —( laughter )

      Thanks were then voted to the Chairman , and the Sleeting separated , highly delighted , and much edified with the proceedings . —Evening Star .

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      first of all , to say a few words with regard to the late trials . His services in 'defending the prisoners in the north hod showed him many painful scenes ; bnt even In the midat of these h » had cause to be happy , for he nad tneraby become acquainted and had opportunities of conversing ; with many good and honest Chartists , whom be ehonld probably have never seen . Mr . R . related a conversation which took place between himself and Mr . Cooper upon toe subject of the sectional differences which so unhappily divided the Chaicist body , wherein he portrayed the foUy of divisipn , and the great necessity of union amongst the working cuuaes With regard to the sentiment before them , he ( Mr . n . ) most heattily agreed with it He was not what might be termed well acquainted with Mrv

      Dancombe ; but he could say this of him , —that he was -no section man , but a real ChaitiBt ; and was , in fact , wherever Chartism was to be found ; and as long as Chartism was the subject of discourse , lie believed he cared not whether it waa from the lips of Mr . ^ Sturse , or from those of Mr . O Connor , Mr . Qeo white ,-or any other man . He seemed equally delighted from whatever quarter it came ; and , though Mr . Duncombe was one of the atUtocracy , yet it was not surprising to fiad the name of Thomas Duncombe , Esq ., In jiny proceeding of Chartism . Mr . Roberts then gave a vivid description of the Crowa and Anchor meeting , and gave a very Interesting account of the late trials , in which he explained the reasons for being so axious

      for separate trial * for the prtsonera Mr . Roberts thought the subject of defence ought to be taken up more warmly . A great battle was to be fought , and a large portion of that battle -was to be toa * ht with money ; The mere Uaveraaa would amount to . £ 1 , 500 . Ha hoped thofle Who were out of prison would make larger sacrifices than heretofore , for what , he would ask , was a few shillings , when compared with two years' imprisonment ? and they wore all Btriving for one cause , and were as much implicated as those who were undergoing terms of imprisonment and transportation . For himself he should be happy in passing his whole life in defending his poor and oppressed tollow-Caartista . Mr . Roberts sat down amidst great aud unanimous applause .

      A vote uf thanks to W . P . Roberts , Esq ., for his conduct in defending the prisoners at the late trials was tben agreed to by acclamation . After which a recitation upon the desolating effects of war was given by a little boy , and responded to in some very suitable retuarks by the grandfather .:. . ; Mr . Chapkl said , ene of the purposes for Which they hod met that evening , was to commemorate tnt establishment of the Northern Star newspaper . He felt well persuaded of the great benefits to be derived frem tbe press , and truy grateful for the assistance which had been afforded to the cause of Chartism by that Excellent ; democratic . ' , paper the Northern Star . They had now another paper , which bid fair to bacoiu * a powerful organ to their cause , and harbinger of good things—he alluded to the Evening Star * ( Great cheering . ) He would , however , read th ? following resolution , and leave its support to those more able than himself : It was as follows ;— ' ¦¦¦¦ .- ' -. \

      " That in commemorating the establishment of the Northern Star / this meeting hails with satisfaction the general character and tone of that able advocate of tho people ' s rights , and hope that it may long continue the pilot of the people ' s cause , aided by its contemporary t ' ae Evening Star , " Mr . Twite , in responding to the above , said he had at the commencement hailed the appearance of the Northern Star with the utmost gratification he had observed its progress during the five years of its establishment , and he could 110 w Kiy that it had always been the unflinching advocate ef the . Charter and the people ' s rights , and the protector of the oppressed : from the strosg hand of the oppressor . It had been th » only true and lasting defender of those noblo » atriota who

      were now suifering for their advocacy of the cause ..-of the people ; and f ^ r this it deserved the warmest co nsiderations of the working classes . He wished he could see the young men of this country come for ward more generally and unite with their tldeTs in endeavouring to obtain those tights which the Star had continued so ably to advocate . It was a disgrace to them tbat they did not do so . . It was the ' young men and tha young women -who would have to auffer inoBt from the present state of things , and if th < . y did not come fOTwatd now to assist those ¦ who had been sacriSced in advocating their rights , they would deserve their sufferings , let them come as heavy as they may . He longed to soa tha day when the bright lisjht of liberty would find its way into every corntr of the globo , and tyranny should be

      heard vf no more . Their intentions had been faLsified , and calumny after caluuiny heaped upon theiu by their opposers , but they had found a noble defender in tbo Northern Star . 'Mr .-. . Twite then related an instance of a poor man—a CUartist , at Duv { Z 53- ^ who had been insulted , and even whipped by one farmer , for the ' sole reason that he was a Chartist ; and who had had a small tenement which he had built entirely destroyed , and th « materiaia scattered over different parts of the common by those very persons who have been pleased to stigmatise the Chartists aa «• destructivee . " The man had placed the matter in the hands of an attorney , and waa likely to make these persecutors ( who had expressed a desire to compromise the affair ) repent their diabolical outrage . ,. ¦ - ¦ ' ¦ - ¦ / .. ¦ . ¦ ¦; ' : ' : :. ,. \ -: " -::,.-: . ' :: ' ; . ; ¦' ; ,. ' ¦ .,

      Mr . W . J . England , in rising t © support the motion before them , said , that " the freedom of the : press " was at the present time but a byword In jthla kingdom ; for it conld scarcely be eaid such a thing as freedom of the press existed . Though the press Ld this country waa not so immediately shackled by the Government as in some countiies , yet it bore bonds more stout , and which made It more injurious to the Interest of the people . The great triRJoritv of the press of Great Britain , instead of being the advocates of tho freedom of the many , were the base and pandering slaves to party spirit of the nioit rancorous description , and the nphpld « lP 8 of-. tyranh ' jr and ' .-oppression in its worst stape , against the oppressed and itfused working clacBes . Many portions of the

      press , too , were to b » found - ' -pandering to the sinister motives of individuals in direct opposition to the public good . This was a deplorable atate of things , a .: d it grieved ; him to the heatt that tbat wliich was of so much importance to tbe prosperity of any country ~ -the independetce of the preesshould be found in so low and grovelling a state , as was at present the case in Great Britain . It seemed so inconsistent too , that tboso of the press who -were continually making such loud outcries of their devotion to their country and its government , should be such deadly emmies to any and every thing , the object of which is to raise the ciicumstances of tbe working population , who are the source of all the 'weRHu tvnd all the power of the country , nnd that they should

      centinually seek to de 9 trt » y thoae without whom their boasted consiitutioii . -: could not exist Had it noi been for the falsified statements of the press at the time of the trials of Frost , Williams , and Jones , those noble spirits would never Have been banished frow the shores of their native country . And did the press possess but a slight share of tru& patriotism ; the present Government would nevtr hive dared to exhibit their persecutiug spirit in the late UDJust proceedihgB at the trials in the north . ' " . The press , wliich ^ v ? ben conducttd rightly must ba the harbinger of the greatest beneflt to tbe people , and the mighty protector of their liberty from the tyranny of their governors , must also , when basely applying its influence , be the de&tructiou of every social tie , and of every

      political right , and : the most certain instrument in making a f . ce nation a nation of elaves . But though the great majority of the press of thia country may be « aid to be Opposed to the rightB of the people , yetthbie were a few , would to Qod there were mote , exceptions to this , and foremost iu these exceptions stood that paper which the motion be had the honour to support roferred to—the Northern Star . When Chartism firafc dawned in this country it was a dark time ; black clouds filled the moraland political atmobphere $ but a slight breaking took place , ana discovered to the sight , a eruall portlou of clear blue sky , and this was Chartism- In the midst of this bright spot sppeared the Northern Star , which had realised in its servJces the truth of its name , for it had indeed been

      the polar star of Cnartism ; it bad nobly defended the -working men from the malignantly asserted falsehoods of thair enemies ; it had pilgted them through the storm ; and bad been the means of saving . "Chartism from spitting upon the ^ cicksands of the many internal divisions amongst themselves Yes , had it not been for the "watchful eye of the Northern Star , which baa cautioned the working men ; of the Ppphistries of their enemies , he believed Ctiartisfs weuld have no ^ r become f xticct as n body , aud been divi

      obtaining the Charter , as according to their professions they were , why not have joined the Associations already formed for that purpose , instead of : forming a separate one for the same object ?—( hear , hear . ) Th ^ y bad now , he Was happy to say , also a most valuable acquisition to their cause in the Evening Star , which , likk 1 its contemporary in the North , bad for its sols object , the people ' s rights , aud if properly supported by the working millions , would be a means of farther enlightening the public mind , and of firmly establishing rehe truth of their cause in the public estimation j and eventually mnkipg the cause of the people to be proclaimed victorious . Mr . E . then impressed nponthtm the importance oii&UyitigTOund tbesp standards of the Ctaiter , and eat down amidst great cheering .

      Several songs , < kc were afterwards sung , and three cheers for Frost , Williams , aud Jones , and the test of the suffering Chartists ; a&d three cheers for Feargus O Connor and tbe Novtiieru and Evening Stars having been given , a vote of thanks w&s returned to the Chaiim : in , the meeting separated at a lato hour , highly gn . * tined with , the evening ' s entertainment . , .. ¦ ¦ » j ^ ^^^ u > A » > i-ijT-i- » - fLii 1 . ' -. M ^^ fcfc— -i t .- * . ' .- ^ .-N-n- ^ -rfVrfV ^^ r" ' ' " ¦ ' . ; ¦

      Untitled Article

      ORGANIZATION OF THE NATIONAL CHAR . TER ASSOCIATION . PUOPOSED AMENDED PLAN OF ORGANIZA . TIaS ; IOa THE NATIONAI , CHARTEE . A 980 CIATIOH , BT M » , COOPEtt , SRCKEXAIIY . O ? THE SHAKSPEAKIAN ASSOCIATION OF XErCESXEB

      CHAE-¦ - - ... USTS . •' . ¦; -. . - - . . ' , ; . ' . - ' . ¦ : . ; - , " .: . ' . "¦ ; : ' TO THB EDITOR OF THE NORTHEHN STAB . SlR—A few bJbits given by yon In the Northern Star of to-day , and a letter of a correspondent on the subject of our organizition—impel me to lay before the general body an outline of an amended plan of organisation which I have already broached ^ in substance to Dr . M'DouiU ( during our brief companionship at the Sturge contest for Nottingbaml , to yourself ( during my first interview with you at Leeds ) , to Mr . O'Connor ( in several conversations ) , my beloved friends . BairstOW , Jnlian Harney , George White , and Skevington , and to my own brigade , on various occasions . The fact of the outline having been approved , in whole or for the greater part , by every one to whom I have described it , inclines me still more to offer it to the consideration of my brethren at a time when so important a subject eeams likely to claim their serious attention .

      1 . The government of the general body to be vested in an Annual Convention , to be assembled in London , Birmingham , and Manchester alternately , In the first week of April , In each year , and to close its sittings at the end of the third week in each year , or earlier , if convenient " .. ' . " :.: ¦' ' .. ¦ ¦ .. ¦' . ' .- ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦' '¦ ¦' . .. ' -: ' !• -: . . \ - ' - ; :. ¦ '• " ¦ ¦' 2 . The said Annual Convention to 69 composed of delegates from Caartists districts ' , thQ disiricli to be arranged by tbe first annual convention ; and rearranged ; as need may be , in succeeding conventions . * 3 . The first business of the said Annual Convention to be the election of a president , secretary , and treasurer ; and its last business to be the appointment of an-Executive Committee to be cjaipoehd of th « president of Conventloui the secretary of Convention , the ^^ treasurer ot Con- » eution , and two otuer members of CooveuUon then and there choaen . ; , ¦ ; ... . ' .

      4 . The said Executive Committee of ' ilte Atniual Convention to assemble together in London for one week during the month of July , —in Birmingham for ono week tluiring the month qt October—an J in Manchester for one week during the month of January . 5 . Th-3 Secretary of Convention to be the only annusJ . officer occupying his whoio time with the general business Of the Association , and receiving from its funds a fixed weekly salary ; other members of the Executive CommiUee to occupy themselves with the general business of the Association , and to receive from its funds an allowance only for the three weeks of meeting mentioned in article 4 , v . ith travelling expencea to and from , &o .

      6 . The said Secretary to furnish eitcb Chartist locality In England and Waies , with a yearly class- hook and rnonthly class-papers—niinnged on an uniform plan , from time to tune , by the Annual Conventions , or the Executive Committees , at their sittings , aud also with cards of membership of the National Charter Association , and the said Secretary to receive a monthly account of the number of members in his locality , from the Sub-Secretary in each locality , and to publish the same for the iuforoiation of the general body . 7 . The General Funi of the National Chatter

      Association , from > rhicb the expenoBs of the Annual Con-? Bnlume and ot the Execut ' v « o Committees , as ¦ well as the salary of the Secretary , tbe cost of cards of membership , uniform class-books , &c . shall be defrayedto be raised by the collection of one penny , on the first Monday of each calendar month , from each member of the Association who can afford the saine , by the charge of one penny for each card of membership , and by the payment on the part of the localities , of such , a sum for the ' . class-bqoka ' a * shall be agreed upon by the Annual Coiiveution . or Executive Committees .

      8 . Tha local funds of the Association to be raised by the collection of one penny on the remaining Mondays in each calendar montb , from each member of the Association who can afi ' oid the same , —and by sucb other means as the members of the Geneiul Council resident in each Chartist locality inay devise . Without going into the details of election of genera ! councillors , sub-socretarieB , &c . < 5 co , the fore-going may sufficei Mr . Editor , to show the drift of my proposed amendmauU—if my brethren think my hints deserve that name . . : : ' .

      But what would be the advantages of the proposed alteratioiis over usages which now prevail ? I answer : First , the assembling of an Annual Representative Body would give an established and imposing character to our agitation ; in the public eye , arid would train the unenfranchised class in the important practice of legislation . The government ; of the Acaociation by snch a body wpuld , alsot be essentially a government by representative democracy , while the government by a directory of five may , in its very nature , be termed au oligarchy . : ¦'¦ ' . ¦ - . ' ... ¦ ¦ '' . " .. . " . '' :: : " . ' : . ¦; . ¦ . . '¦ . "¦ ; . •

      Secondly , the election of an Esecotive Committee by the great representative body , cbdld not fail to issue iu tho appointment " , of five men of manifest fitness for office :- ^ the men of real business , © f energy , of prudence , would bo sure to ' . * stand out on the canvass ' - ' of each picture of the Convention ; they would be marked by tbeit fellow delegates . Tbu 3 , the mockery of selecting five men , in the dark , according to , present custom , would be avoided . I say in Ihedai k , for it U nothing better to circulate lists of a eoore of names ambw ? the : monibers » and to request them to ; mark five fit

      men , whereas niany of tbe members have not Been or heard five men , of any kind , bat of the score . So much for the mode : of electing the Executive : anf then the office of tlie £ stcutive " would be freed , at once , of much of its present irksome character to themselves ; and also of all ita present apparent irresponsibilities , inasmuch as the Executive would be merely the Committee of the Annual Convention , instead of a GovernBient appoiki . ted ' : by the , people , ; aud would have restricted , powers , leaving all weighty qussr tious that could conveuiently be so left , for the decision of the ensuing annual Conventiori .

      Xhirdly , the associatloa of the treasurer with the Executive would tend to give tLat officer something like his proper share of opportunity Kir giving advice on the affairs of the general , body , and for beconjujg acquainted with its condition . At present , this . highly important officer seems to be a mete name . ¦'' ¦ ; .., . ¦; , Fourthly , the furnishing of each locality with uniform yearly class-books forfthe U 89 of the Bub-SacretarJesi-f-in other words , wita registers of the membars , describing tbelr names , residences ; trades , agSB t amounV of family , franobiae , &a , ( these books to bo of various dimensions , so aa to be adapted for large or small localities . ) and also with monthly clasa-papera , ruled and prepared for containing a dcEan or niore names to be visited by collectors ; the act of regularity and punctually furnishing each locality with these muterials for sound local organizition could scarcely fail to secure it . I need acarceJy remark that the proposed monthly ftCCottufc from eacij sub-secretary , of . the

      number of members in his locality [ that account to be a classlfiud one , —describing the proportion of members of either sejti of what age , & © ., fcc ., according to » mode fixed by the great Representative body)—would also promote the same desirable object . Fifthly , the coUectioiv of the pTimaty monthly penny , distinctly for the General t and of tue ^ ^ Association , would bring the agitation as a whole constantly before the mind of each individual member , giving it value and importance then , proportioned to its . real coasequence . The grand National bond arising from this perpetual presentation of the moyemonfc in its universality—in its giant might—to the thought ef each individual iuenib ? r would , —or I am a sanguine ; dreamer , —speedily ireyder us politically omnipotent Fearing that I have already treaspassed too largely on your limits , " ' ¦ ¦ " J :: lam , Sir , ' . . : ¦ ¦'¦ - : ¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦[ ¦ ¦ . .. Youis , most respectfully , Thomas Cooper .

      Leicester , Dec 3 , 1842 r * The Chartt * ti del « g » te 8 to the approachAng Sturge Conference to be empowered by the people to make a temporary arrangement of districts for the electiou of deleKBtea to the First Annual Convention .

      Untitled Article

      ESSAY ON THE PRESENT SYSIEM . -: . . . ' . : ;'; " . '¦ - . : ¦"¦ / " PART v " ? . ' ; ' ¦' ¦ ¦ .. '¦'• " ' : " - . ¦ ¦ " ' : ' Feeling that Government oppr « ssed instead of protecting them , and that society bad grown ' most unsocial to them , tbe Working classes were compelled , in self-defence and for self-preservation , ¦ to form , unions such as trade unions , benefit clubs , &d . To support these , they have to tax themselves in addition to the taxes which tiiey pay to support Government , and it ia a question whether tha good done © unbalances the sacrifices of time and money . We shouid be inclined to say not , when we see men who are zealous supporters

      of tlie system , patronise some of these / unions . Witness Colonel Sibthoip , wUp , I believe , is an Odd Fellow . Besides these , partial remedies arising ; from tbe necessity of the case , some / . disinterested , and some self-interested men haVe proposed others of a more speculative character . There is Uobert Owen , bat the best advice whicb be has to offer a Btatving population is to go and bay land I He tells us to enter into community—to ¦ leave-off ' competition .. The great error of Owen ' s scheme , as of most othea schemes is , that it lets etovernment alone ; it does not meddle with

      polities—It shrinks , as Wesley old , from any contaet with the great fountain-head of all our wlseries , and th » a H renders itBe \ f non-effectite , for a watchmaker might as well think of setting iw watch right by re-eon , struoting or remodelling some of tne smaller : wbseis , and leaving the maiispring unregulated—the great fly-wheel tbat Bets all the rest agoing . We migbi as well endeavour to repair a mill dam without first t « rnlng off the stream . Way , as fast aa ,-we' stopped up one hole , the water wpuW ' burst out at another ^ and overwhelm us even at oat work * Community J what avails it to pen the ^ ^ shoep in theiold , if tbe wolf . can ¦ up

      lesp the fence ' r ; If ' thei ;/; hawk ;¦ .. . a ^ : on . the highest perch in the abvecot , , can he not make ; a . priy ' when :: he " pleases : ? / No * ^ •••;« advisaple to do a ^ ajy with cwapetiUon-reply wita . tlie excess of it . Competition M » a principle m humzn nature that tscites ^ to emulativB-to noble cewlfl . There in not a fcoy ^ s ga ^ ve but dtritea ; . iu zeBt from competition . Kixb foifowtUe teaotsllers , vrho go upon Ae nssumptioa t ^ worldis cWustd . W iutopeiatt ^ V .: b » t what , caosija intemperance I Ii ^^;^^ tofay ^ . it . ia ^ esjs ^ iu waicb Urivea niacy a man to tok , ^ a tempra . all

      Untitled Article

      others . Are not gin-shops licensed and built with an alluring front 1 Docs not Oovermnent , deriTe an ImlUjBnse revenue from intoxication , even ' as the Pope does' from prostitution ? Now it Is of no use dealing with effects while the grand eisuso of all is left in ful ^ in free operation . No partial remedy can suffice to cure a general evil Wo must go to the root—it matters not lopping off the branches . Others talk of s repeal of the corn laws , of ttie poor Iaw « t , of regid « tirg > infant labour , of taxing machinery , of emigration , and . I know not what ; but none but the eagie- « yed Coartista can look the real remedy in the face , and that Is the sonlike Charter . First , Universal Suffage ! Have we not a Universal Father ? are not all equal in hi * eyes ? do nob even the bishops tell us that Christ died

      for all ? that all may inherit heaven . How is it then that such distinction should be made on earth 1 God la no respecter of persona—he suffers all—he showers hi » gifts alike on alL Nature \ s a great republic ; nor does it require more than a year for the earth to make its re volution—for the sun to do all the business of all the seasons . It is said that the planet Saturn takes seven years to circle the 1 snn , and that the climate there is ia consequence too cold for life . We find that our senators , who take seven years at a time to do the peopled business ^ grow very cool abonfc is—leave it undone—^ io enly their own—fall Into ;» stupor . If we Lave no property qualification , we mtkst have payment of

      membersv-The gentlemen that at present serve us in Parliament have no other qualification but ft property qualification . One would think they must have a great love for ua , for they profess to serve us for nothing , bat we find that tLey are serving themselves all tbe while , and serving us very seurviiy . No ; let us have a personal , in place of a property quali 3 cation—let us pay our servants—Jet each man have a voice in their elechioo , and choose whom he likes , whether by ballot or not . Thiais the People's Charter—by this tha people would regain the rights which have been filched from them—; with their rights they would regain power to prevent wrong , and to justiiy tfceinselvea . ' . '¦ ( Tohe concluded in onr next . j

      Untitled Article

      -THE EXECUTIVE . Brother CHAaTigTs , —We have gone through many shocks , and survived them all ; bnt this last Bhock upon our credit-wiil be the most difflcalt to re . cover from . I have often observed that the taing whicb , above all others , keeps men from Joining an Association , is their waut of confidence in eaca other , aud their fearthat the funds will be misapplied . I was in hepes that those whom w& appointed to the highest place of trust , and whom we liberally paid .

      would net have deceived us ; and very sorry I am to find that they , even they , have not kept their " tongues from lying , and their fingers from stealing ; " Oh , it is a sore reproach—tbe treason of the " newmovers" was nothing to this . It is enough to destroy all confidence in us , aud to keep all support from us . Aa . far as I can see , the Executive had no excuse for this peculation I wonder at Dr . M'Douall to set such aa example . He must have known that the " receive ' is as bad aa the thief , " and that the ten shillings a-week extra , was stolen out of the funds wanted for bettas

      purposes .- /' " . . . . - , . . . . . - _ " . ... ¦; . ¦ ' . ¦ ¦ ¦'•' The money spent in flyir g is sadly misapplied , but it sppears that money has also been misappropriated in ether ways by the Executive , and the soapicious of embezzlement raised by several items in the balancesheet have been converted to certainty by tbe manner in which the secretary refused to answer inquiries for explanation . This is very bad , and worse when we consider that many -who subscribed to the fun « i pinched themselves to do it . Surely £ 1 10 s . a-week is wage oaoufjh for doing nothing— -it is three times as much

      as the labourers who subscribe to pay it get for , bard days' works ail thu week .. It is now very evident that the Executive are of no use , except as lecturers , aud that thty could be , wifiiout being an Executive : Wft want no sinecures , neither in Government , nor ia , Chartissn . Io seems that , in addition to their pay as an Executive , they were getting as much and more for lecturing at the same time ; and appear to fcave been actuated by the desiro of getting all they could . We don ' t blame them for this , if only they got it honestly , and not by fraud and deception . But they have made us pay dear for their advocacy of the cause .

      Up 6 n tbe-whole I am of opinion , with tho Editor of the Star , that an unpaid Executive wcraH fee best . We should then see who would serve tbe cause for love of ii , aiid not because : df-the . loaves and fishes . Some- ;¦• . ' thing must be ; donedifferent from what has been done , or Chartism will sick . I don't see any great use for a p ' arinane&t Executive ; if they have nothing to do they , ¦ will do mischief—^ because they think they must do something to earn th&ir Eaiaries . The Fi-ench republic bad an Esucutive Directory : but that was not before .

      but after , the republic was gained , and then they had the ' . Gpverpment ' . ' '' of '' . the . ' eonntry ' to ' adininfater . ' , * - '| nie . ' Secretary and tbe Treasurer should not be one person , because tben there is no check upon fclm . How tne enemy scoff at us for this affajr of , Vba Executive i They say , , ; we do not deserve the Soffrage because we cheose ni ^ a-that ch e at m Any mau may be onoe deceived / They ought to clear their characters or resign , for tha ^< jod of the cause . , : V ; ' ¦' ¦ ' . . ¦' . ' . '¦ ¦; ¦" ' - Yours , ¦¦"¦ :. ' . " ' . ¦ ' : ¦ ' " - '¦' '''¦ ' . ¦ ' : A ^ € aAHTrsT CouKcitt-os , tondoniDea . 7 th , 1842 . ' ; ' ' ' - ¦ ' " ' . : . ' 1 ¦ ' 1 ^ ¦ ¦ ¦ ' - ' ¦ - ¦

      Untitled Article

      TO THE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ^ CHARTER ASSOCIATION , BnoTHKft Chartists , —Mr . Leach , at the Delegate Meeting at Manchester , in his defence of the Executive , having Bpoken of a plot or plots Against that body , in wbicli my name la mentioned , 1 deem , it a duty to myself to state , t&at I have had no connection with , norknowiedgeof , any plot , and it is the first v ? 6 rd I have heard of my name being put forward as a candidate for a new Executive , or of such a body being in c-jntemplatloD . '¦ , ¦ ,. ' . ¦ . ' : ; ; '¦ '¦ ¦ ' . - " ¦ - . ; ¦' - ' ; ¦'¦ ' . ¦ .. ; : It is true , having observed what I considered improper proceedings on the part cf the Executive of 1841 , 1 oined , with ray brother delegates at Leicester , in

      expieeaing my diaapprorjatlon of the same , and consider that it was my duty so to do ; for how could I consistently condemn the conduct of the Government , and . connive at simiUr conduct in the head Of Our OWU body ? but It is not necessary forme to enter into any detail , as the whole subject has been laid before you by tbe Editor of the Northern Star , who , I consider , is entitled to the thanks of the people . Thus much . I may say , that , as one of the delegates when the plan ¦ was reconsidered , that I have a perfect xecnllcctibn v / that Manchester was fixed as the place of its ait- - tiags . ,: ' .. ¦ '¦ ; ¦ : ' ¦ ¦ :. ¦' .. ¦ - ; ' . ' ..:. " : '¦ - [¦ .:

      Had the iBanject been a mere personal affair , I should certainly not have interfered , as I"wonl < I . most willingly bear anything myself , rather than cause Btrife , which I have not done , though I have been connected with the Movement previous to tbe first Convention ; was a member of that body and of th& one . ia 2841 ; haverepresented myown locality in fcurnational delegate meetings , besides local or . ea ; have given them my services as lecture , generally bearing my own expences , in visiting the villages , and doing my best to keep the cause agoinfj , — -and can say I never asked an indiyidaal for a vote , or ever ppught to get myself put forward as candidate for any office , which I k no w has been practised by others , nevertheless , the people here h&ve generally' put nie in nomination , —the . last time 'Without asking my content ; and I believe I ; have their confidence in a greater degree now thaa when first choeeQ to represent them ; Trustibg that those who seek to destroy corruptioa will eschew the former and practice the latter , ' , '¦ - ¦ ' . ¦ ' - ' ' . ' ¦ ¦ ; ¦ ¦¦ . , ¦ ' : . i . amv brathren , _ ¦ .- ' _ -.:: . ' . ¦ . ' ^ . YcuiB . in the cause of right again 8 t might , JOHN BKBVIKGldM . Longhborongb , Dec , 5 , 1843 . P . S . The friends fcere suggest that snch of the delegates at the Birmingham Coafeience that may happen , to hi members of the General Council should have the power to investigate and . decide upon the subject .

      Untitled Article

      Scheduebs have ^ been served on ^ the managers of dissenting congregations , requiring returnB of tha seat-rents of cuapela , wilh a view to impose a property tax ou them . ; - ¦ ¦ ¦ : ; ' . ' . ; : ' : ¦ ¦ . " / ¦ ' -. '¦' . .. . V . " , ¦ . ' ¦ . ; ' . ' Compassiosate Jcdge in Tejcis . —A very learned and compassionate judge in Texas , on passing sentence on one John Jones , who bad been convicted of muroerj con eluded hi& remarks as follows : — "The fact is , Jones , that the Court did not Intend to order you to be executed before next spriag , but the weathtr is very cold—our gaol , unfoitunately , is in a very bad condition ! -much of the glass in the

      wmdowB ia broken—tha chimnies are in such , a dilapidated state tbati no fire can oa made to render your apartments comfoztable ; besides owin& to tho great number of prisoneis , not more than one blanket can beanowedtdcacb * -to sleep soundly aQaoomlonably » therefbTo , v ? ill be out of the qusstion . la conBiderar tion of ihese oircumstances , and wishing to y ® & * your fiufferinjis-as much as possible * the Cpurviri tno exeroiae of -Us humanity and cprnpafisionj do hereby order you to l » e executed to-morrow mdruiEg , as sooa after breakfast asmaybeconvement tpthe Bhenttana agreeableit 6 you . "—Quebee Gazelle .

      Bailww AcciDEHT ^ Qn Tuesday evening last an attrooieiiB ottempi was made to throw tbaLonaoa mail train off the Birkenhead and Chester Railway * bv olaoiie « large beam ^ of wood , called a sleeper , about Kino feet in lea * th , in B « ch a . posiuon ^ to comein contact with the enftine 5 and it had actually peneirated the engine but not the boiler , or it might have burst . The injury V ? aa not bo extensive as to pwveut the train from passing to its destination . ^ A . man of the name of Morton is in cuMody on too diarge of haviiyf been guilty of this wicked act . R 0 BHE » T OF IHjE GASTLECOMBEB MAIL . ^ -Qa Wednesday morning last , as the post-boy was ^ proceediBg from Castlect'Dier to Balljra « g 6 tt , with tbe Dutww and BaUyraggett ; mailrbaKS , he was stopped by two men , about two railes troin Caitl ^ cowier , ana deprived oi' the bags . The bags Tfere Eubseqaenitly found on a limekiiu near the Bpob . ^ ne bag ^ r ' as mitouchedw& fctoothsx ppeiied , butthajetiiieits i ^ taiaeduo ugiu }' —C ' ar&ic SentiM 9 , . ' ¦ ; ' " - '

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      BATH . TEA . MEETING TO COMMEMORA . TE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE " NORTHERN STAROn Monday week a Tea Meeting was held in the Chartist Rooms , No . 4 , Galloway ' s-buildings , for the purpose of commemorating the establishment of the Northern Star , and it sympathizd with the late political victims . Tbe meeting was one which bore ample testimony to the fact that Chartism is not dead in Bath , for the

      crowded room contained many a true CharUst and tried , and the hereditary genius of democracy showed itself in its proudest and truest bearing , from tbe grandfather to the grandson ; and the smiles of the many ladies , true democrat * , ¦ who wera there , showed that the patriotic spirit still held a high station amougst them , aa well aa in toe breasts of their fathers and their brothers . Tea commenced at &ix o ' clock , and true social conviviality abounded ; and at length , on the removal of tbe ratUing apparatus began in true earnest

      " The feast of reasan and the now of soul . " On the motion of Mr . Hopkins , seconded by Mr . Twite , Mr . Phillips the father of Chartism in Bath , -was appointed President ; Mr Hoptiufl officiated as Vice President . : The PRESIDENT then , in stating the object of tbeir assembling that evening , eaiJ , they were met there as Chartists—as men , and as women who had the interest of their fellow creatures at heart ; , ami who were endeavouring to obtain for all their rightful share of power in that Government whose laws they were called upon to obey . They were met for a double purposeof commemorating the establishment of the Northern Star , that upholder of the people ' s rigbta , which had to ably defended them from their enemies , and piloted

      them through the storm for the last five years ; and also to expre&s their sympathy -with ihese persecuted patriots who bad been made the victims of a tyrannical Government and of a partisan Judge—( cheers ) . It was too true many had been taken from their ranks , had been torn from their domestic circles , and cut into tbe cells of prisons ; yet there was another circumstance which w&s calculated to do more harm to their cause than this ; he meant , if they allowed themselves to be divided ; for as the Government had imprisoned their best men , all they had to do was now to be honest to themselves , and to sympathise with the sufferers for tbeir cause by every means in their power , and they would thereby alleviate in some measure , the sufieiinga

      of those who were undergoing the sentence of their tyrants , and the cause of the people must become victorious . He believed tbe present Government ; bad dor . e much to- forward the Chartist cause by the late prosecutions—( hear , hear ) . Many who before were wavering is their opinions were bow he bciieved , firm Chartists . Their eyea had been opened , and they had become disgusted by those tyrannical proceedings , and led to see that nothing but tbe Charter could bring about a right state of things . He would , therefore , call opon them to nnite for the one purpose of carrying the Charter ; for it was unity alone which could accomplish this , aud every other measure tending to the welfare of their fellow creatures— ( applause . )

      Sang , " Let liberty ' s flag bo spread over _ the werld . " —Mr . Hopkins . Sentiment , " The People—the source of all legitimate power . " Mt . Boi / wel , in responding to the sentiment said ho believed not only that the people were the source of all legitimate powtr , from his merely having heard ao , but be was an observer of men and of things , and from long experience and deep observation he was convincedho ' bad no doubt on tbe matter—be knew tbat they were so , and that the time was not far distant when it would be realised in the truest sense of ( ho word—( he 3 r , hear ) . It was but a question of time . He would not say it would occur during bis life ; but that it would be realised "was certain . It gratified

      him to see so many happy countenances there to-night —so many patriotic spirits met around tbe social board who were striving for their rights ; and not on ! y for their own rights , but for tbe rights vf all . He would spurn the man who sought only for right for himself . They were social beings ; ttey bad shown themselves to be so to-nieht They possessed reasonable faculties , and virtuous afiections peculiar to their cI&pb , which made them so , and which set them infinitely above the rest of creation . A sacred duty devolved on them all , and especially the female portion of the community , to do what they could for tbe advancement of the moral and political dignity of their fellow-creatures . He had said the females especially , because of the moral degradation of bo Isr ^ e a number of their sex .

      Let them look to Bath , and to the manufacturing districts , # ind they could not but be struck with the truth of his assertion ; 1 st them turn their attention to London—tbe city in which the Qaeen resided , in which the aristocracy resided , aye , and in which eo many of the bishops resided , too , who receive so much money for the purpose of promoting morality and religion ; and there , tfcey were told , by calculations 0 . 1 tlie Bubject , were to be found no less than 80 , 609 females living by proetitution . The clerey tell us this is for want of education , bnt why did they not educate the people ? He would observe that it was not the education which taught passive obedience and non-resistance that would remedy this state of thicga ; but they must have that learning which elevated the character and showtd man in the form of bis Maker . He believed there were bouIs present who made it a practice to read , mark , and inwardly digest , and it was the knowledge gained by this means

      which fitted a niaa fer a citizen of the world . Mr . Bolweli then pictured tbe intellectual state of tbe working classes in this coan try previous to tbe Chartist agitation , and showed the progress of intellectual improvement and political intelligence since tbat period , despite the formidable array of power against it Mr . B ^ lwell also exhibited the advantageous state of the Chartist body now to what it was five years ago , and thought , when it was considered what they had to contend with , thtre was no cause to despond that they had not yet obtained the Charter . The Bjfitetfl which the Charter proposed to reform had existed for ages , and was supported by tbe bigotry of custom . It was not , therefore , to be supposed that it was to be altered in a moment . They must be more united before they could txpeet to gain their object , for he was convinced inat nothing but the firm determination of the people to be free , would ever shake the p * esect system to its foundation . Mr . B . nrged thosa present to unite for the Charter , and attend the meetings o ! the Association , and sat down

      amidst great applause . '¦' -,. After a patriotic song by Miss Bolwell , * ' The Departed Patriots , " was given as a sentiment , and acknowledged in deep silence . Mr . Twitb , an old veteran in the cause of Chartism , in responding to this sentiment , spoke with much feeling , and in true democratic spirit , of the worth and good qualities of those patriotic Chartists who bad departed this life since tbe commencement of the agitation , and dwelt upon the loss which the Bath Association more particularly tad experienced in the deaths of Messrs . Meeling and Bartlett . Several patriotic and social songs , duets , and gleea ¦ were sung , and eentimsnts Ei * en and responded to by those preaeut . "Upon "The unfLhicbAv ; Friend of tbe People , T . Diiacombe , Ejq . M . P ., " being given , the Pusident caiiedBp ^ n W . P . RobertsEsq .. to make a rehouse .

      , Mr . Roberts saiu te was nappy to find tb&t though they were \ nfct for a s < : cial subject , yet thty . fc . a-J serious tkoughU , He thought he might , therefore , ba allowed

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      Bobbery at Norwood End . —Oh Th urecfey night , five Bleu with tbeir faces blackened , forced an entrance into the residence-of the book-keeper / of the Cncsteifield Cauar Company , at Norwood End , and with pibtols in their handa demanded the keys of the boxes , desks , &o . Having thus obtained pos-f session of the keysT-.. they ; proceeded , to search for money , and obtained a sum of about £ 200 , yfith vvhieh-vaey £ 01 clear off . the offifers of juittioe afe , we hear , in pursuit of these daring burglars , and we , hope they will 60 Ofl succeed ia capturinglljtffl ..

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      ' THE NORTHERN $ TAIi ; ¦; : ;; ..,-, .. ' U ;^

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Dec. 10, 1842, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct916/page/7/