The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-13 00:00:00

liiVENtyr,

TO THE WORKING-MEN OF 1 fiE
COUNTIES OF GLAMORGAN, MONMOUTH,
AND BRECON.

London, Sept. 12, 1839.
with
by you
wlth a commission of an important nature, I have
executed the trust to the best of my ability, and I
now lay the result before you. I-have published
the correspondence between the Secretaries of State
and myself. You will see that the Marquis of Nor-
Manby refused to apply to her Majesty to discharge
Messrs.. Vincent, Edwards, Dickenson, and Towns-
end from gaol. You will see that no attention has been
paid to the applications to soften the merciless regu-
lations by which your friends are • so cruelly. treated.
These men are now suffering on your account ;
their object was to improve your condition, to pre-
serve for your own use the fruits of your labour.
For this—for telling the truth—they are ".fed with
the e bread of affliction." It will be for you to con-
sider what other means you will take, either to ob-
!am their discharge, or to get some alteration made
in these inhuman regulations.
Faithfully your obedient servant,
JOHN FROST.

10, Northumberland Court, Strand,
August 26, 1839.
MY LORD,—On the 12th of August, and at
(me of the largest meetings ever held in Wales, a
resolution was passed respecting Messrs. Vincent,
Dickinson, Edwards, and Townsend, now prisoners
Monmouth Jail, for attending an illegal meeting.
I Was directed by the meeting to request an inter-
view with your Lordship, for the purpose of laying
the same before the Secretary of State. Will your
Lordship be pleased to inform me whether I shall
be seen on this business ; if, so your Lordship will
be good enough to name time and place.

I remain,
Your Lordship's obedient Servant,
JOHN FROST.
To Lord J.hn Russell.

Whitehall, Aug. 28, 1839.
am directed by Lord John Russell to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th
instant, and to inform vou that his Lordship is not
able to fix any time for seeing you ; but if you will
forward the petition to Lord John Russell, and it
is properly worded, his Lordship will present it to
her Majesty.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
S. ti. PHILLIPPS.
Mr. John Frost, 10, Northumberland-court, Strand.

10, Northumberlabd.court, Strand,
Sept. 2, 1839.
MY I.OllD,—At one of the largest meetings ever
Assembled in Wales, held on the 12th of August,
a ,rescilution was entered into respecting Messrs.
Vincent, Dickinson, Edwards, and Townsend, now
confined in Monmouth Jail for attending an illegal
meeting. I was directed by the meeting to lay
the resolution before Lord John Russell, the Home
Secretary. I applied to his Lordship, and I was
directed to transmit the resolution or address to the
Home-office, and, if properly worded, it should be
presented to her Majesty. As your Lordship now
fills the office of Secretary of State for the Home
Department, permit me to lay the resolution before
your Lordship, and to make a few observations in
Support of it.

Punishment, my Lord, never did, never will
produce any good effect' on the community unless
the members of it are convinced that a wrong has
been done, that an injury has been sustained.
What was the offence for which these prisoners are
now suffering punishment so severe ?—attending
what a highly prejudiced jury was pleased to con-
siier an illegal meeting. That meeting was peace-
able, orderly ; the language, though warm, was mo-
derate. My Lord, can it be an offence for English-
men to assemble together to complain of injuries,
anti to point out a peaceable, a constitutional
remedy ? The speakers witness, in their different
localities, poverty in every possible shape and de-
gree ; they trace this evil to a cause, they point out
a remedy. Let me respectfully ask your Lordship,
should they be:punished for this ?
Never were men placed before a jury influenced
by stronger feelings against the accused party. Per-
Mit me lay before your Lordship the deposition of
one witness as to this fact. I could furnish your
Lordship with many such. t, I, A. 8., reside at
I know C. D . I saw him in the latter
end of July. He spoke to me about the Chartists.
lie said, What will you now do about Vincent ;
We have him safe enough, and we vvi:l keep him. I
would give ninepence to buy a halter to hang him ;
I would hang him without Judge or Jury.' This
deponent saith, I was at Monmouth Assizes.
On the 2d of Angust I saw C. D. sitting in the
jury-box, impannelled, and sworn to try the said
-Henry Vincent ; I was in Court when the Jury
broueht in a verdict of guilty.'" I could furnish
Your Lordship with some curious facts as to other
matters connected with these trims.
We took to Monmouth six married women as
witnesses in favour of the prisoners ; the Counsel
thought it prudent to call no witnesses. Had they
been called they would have proved the good effect
produced on their husbands by the addresses of
ailr- Vincent. I will lay before your Lordship the
evidence of one of them. " .My husband, P. Q.,
is a tradesman of Newport ; I have a very large
ftnlily.. My husband attended the meetings at
which Mr. Vincent spoke ; previously he was much
addicted to drinking, he is now a sober man. I
attribute the change to the speeches of Mr. Vin-
cent. I now receive the whole of what my hus-
band gets, which enables me to supply my chil-
dren with the comforts of life in a much greater
degree than formerly t. I could, my Lord, get
scores, if not hundreds of married women in our
Populous districts to bear testimony of a similar kind,
that in consequence of the addresses of Mr. Vincent
their
husbands are better men—better faLhev. Per-
mit me respectfully to ask your Lordship, should a
man who has produced effects of this description be
treated as a felon ? Should he, my Lord. be thus
twre,ated in a Christian country—ill a country in
ich Christianity is part and parcel of the law of
the land ?
Should a man for acts of this descrip-
ti.on be fed on bread and potatoes ? I trust that
Your Lordship will accede to the request of the
working men of the Welch hills ; that your Lord-
ship will be pleased to apply to her Majesty to dis-
charge Messrs. Vincent, Dickenson, Edwards, and
Townsend, from Monmertth Jail.

I remain your Lordship's obedient servant,
JOHN FROST.

Resolution entered into at the meeting at Duke's

That
Town, 12th of August, 1839 :
That it is the opinion of this meeting that when
'0 Ppression exists—that when one class of society
38 unjustly treated by another, it is the duty of
every honest member of the community to endea-
vour to remove the evils, and, if possible, by peace-
aLble means. This meeting is of the opinion that
burdened
working classes are unjustly treated by being
7.)urtiened by taxes, imposed by those not elected
by the great bulk of the working men, and Over
Whom they have no control. This meeting is of
the opinion that Messrs. Vincent, Edward,,, Dick-
enson, and Townsend, in exposing at public meet-
ings the abuses of the present system, did no more
thvin their duty to their industrious countrymen. It
hag beard with great indignation that for this per-
forn,ance of their duty they were prosecuted by the
.Ministry, and the expense or the prosecution paid
sout of the taxes. It has heard with astonishment
the conviction and the sentence, and the cruel
'treatment to which these patriots are subjected.
Resolved—That Mr. John Frost be directed to
Wait on Lord John Russell, and to express to. him
the opinion of the working men of the Bills on this
"natter, and to request that his Lordship wilt iin_.
tlediately apply to her Majesty to discharge
kTessrs. Vincent, Edwards, Dickinson, and Town-
estml, from Monmouth Jail.
Resolved—That Mr. Frost be directed to in-
form
,the different Associations of Glamorganshire,
I\lonrricuthshire, and Breconshire the result of this
upplicatit.'n•

Whitehall, Sept., 3, 1839.
811t,--1 am ilireeted by the 'Marquis of Nor-f
40k1 instant, fa
the
to acknowledge the receipt of your letter o
•,ne 0,1 •
Agreed to at a meeiin`7 at Duke's Town, Brecon-
e, Yweding a cop of a resolution
meetlng
e, on the 12th ult.; and I am to inform you,
L.,
.resolution of a mt'eting
that a
) ',ft: before the Queen. And If
.an add
address
1 fon
cannot.
,stothe
Queen adopting the language of the resolution,
had transmitted for presentati:tpt 6'1.1 before
tr___l!!_ . anby must have declined layi,:'s il
or majesty.
I Frost, , I am, Sir, your obedient servant.
S. M. PHILLIPPS.
Asq.,lo, Northumberland.court, Strand.

10, Northumberland C'mrt, Strand,
September 2d 1839,

MY LORD,—The treatment experienced in the
different jails, by persons confined for political
offences, is such, that they will not be able to
survive the term of their imprisonment. In 1823
I was confined in the House of Correction at Cold
Bath Fields for a libel, and then I saw the effects
of scanty diet; the allowance was bread and gruel.
The deaths .were so numerous that the Magistrates
were obliged to add soup and meat to the allowance.
The far greater part, if not the whole, of the pri-
soners are allowed gruel, bread, and potatoes, and
in some instances no potatoes. This my Lord, is
slow starvation. Surely, my Lord, the offence of
attendin,?, public meetings is not of so heinous a
nature, that death should follow, and that of the
most horrid kind. Will your Lordship be good
enough to see a deputation from the country on
the subject of the treatment of the prisoners in dif-
ferent Jails for political offences.
I remain,
Your Lordship's obedient servant,
JOHN FROST.
To the Marquis of Normanby.

Whitehall, Srpt. 3, 1839.

- • -
am directed by the Marquis of Nor-
manby to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of
the 2d instant, and to request that the statement or
information, which a Deputation is desirous of
communicating, as to the treatment of prisoners
confined in gaols for political offences, may be in
writing, and transmitted to the Marquis of Nor-
manby, by whom it will be carefully considered.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
S M. PHILLIPPS.
J, Frost, Esq., 10, Norlhumhprland csurt, Strand.

10, Northumberland-court, Strai.d,
S,.pt. 5 1839.

MY LORD,-The prisoners od in jails for
political offences are, in general, prevented from
seeing their relations and friends. In some cases,
when this permission is granted, yet it is under
such restrictions that they amount nearly to a pro-
hibition. They are prohibited the free use of pen,
ink, paper, books, and newspapers. Tile food al-
lowed is scarcely sufficient to sustain life, lrei►:g
about a pound and a half of bread daily, gruel, and,
in some prisons, potatoes. I respectfully, in be-
half of these prisoners solicit, that your Lordship
will permit them to see their relatives and friends
at all seasonable hours ; that they shall not be shut
up in their cells until nine in the winter and ten in
the summer months ; that they have fire and can
dies in the evenings ; that they have the unre-
stricted use of pen, ink, paper, books, and news-
papers ; that they be permitted to receive, or pur-
chase, whatever articles of food they may think
proper. This is absolutely necessary, unless it be
the intention to deprive them of life ; for should
they be kept on the prison allowance, some of
them will not survive the term of their imprison-
ment. I respectfully submit to your Lordship that
the law requires no more than the safe custody of
their persons, and this was distinctly stated at Mon-
mouth by Baron Alderson. It is cruel, my Lord,
in the extreme, to subject these prisoners to priva-
tions which will either deprive them of existence
or destroy their constitutions.
I remain, your Lordship's obedient servant,
JOHN FROST.
To the Marquis of Normanby.

Whitehall, 6th Sept., 1839.

am directed by the Marquis of Nor-
tnanhy to inform you, in reply to your letter of yes-
terday's date, that several communications have
passed through this department in reference to the
prisoners alluded to in your application; and that they
have been allowed such indulgences as are consistent
with the ends of justice, and the regulations of the
prisons in which they are confined.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
F. MAtJLE.
Mr. John Frost, 10, Northumberland-court.

10, Nerthumbcriand-court, Sept. 10, 1839.

MY LORD-. 4 have much reason to complain
of the treatment which I have received at the
hands of your Lordship. At a public meeting
held in l3reconshire, on the 12ih of August, a re-
solution was passed ; that resolution was trans-
mitted to your Lordship for presentation to the
Queen. Your Lordship says, " That it is not
usual to lay a resolution of a meeting before the
Queen, and if an address, adopting the
language of the resolution, had been transmitted for
presentation, your Lordship would have declined
laying it before her Majesty." Why, my Lord ?
Is there any thing disrespectful or indecorous in the
language of the resolution ? It begins by laying
down a principle, " that when oppression exists it
is the duty of every honest man to endeavour to re-
move the evils, and,if possible, by peaceable means?"
Is this, my Lord, erroneous ? The resolution says,
the working classes are unjustly treated." Is not
this true, my Lord ? It says that the prisoners in
Monmouth Jail did no more than their duty, in ex-
posing, to their industrious countrymen, the abuses
of the present system. Under the influence of this
belief, the Secretary of State is requested to apply
to her Majesty to discharge the prisoners. Just,
my Lord, as is this request, and moderate as the
language is in which it is conveyed, yet your
Lordship declared " that had the form been
correct it should not have been laid be-
fore her Majesty." Is this a legitimate exercise
of authority ? Shall no petition, or address, from
the people to the Queen be laid before her Ma-
jesty, if the language be displeasing to the Secre-
tary of State ?

Your Lordship is requested to see a deputation,
desirous of laying before the Secretary of State an
account of the treatment experienced by the pri-
soners in different jails. What is your Lordship's
answer ? " That the communication must be in
writing, and that your Lordship will carefully con-
sider it. A statement of the grievances is sent to
your Lordship, and your Lordship is solicited to
remove the sufferings so cruelly inflicted on the
prisoners. Your answer, my Lord, is unworthy
of
communications have passed through this depar-
ment in reference to the prisoners, and that they
have been allowed such indulgences as are consist-
ent with the ends of justice and the regulations of

the prisons ?"
What does your Lordship mean by the ends of
justice ? Does your Lordship say that these pri-
soners deserve punishment ? What is the offence ?
Addressing public meetings ; pointing out to their
oppressed and impoverished countrymen the cause
of the evils under which they suffer. Showing
them that in this country men become pos-
sessed of legislative power by bribery, perjury,
drunkenness !!" Is this true, my Lord ? Does
this system, " the envy and admiration of the
world," admit 'nen to acquire authority by such
means? If this is true, should those who describe
be punished, while those who practice be held in
honour? I know, my Lord, that some of these
things are true. I was Mayor of Newport, Mon-
mouthshire, during the last election, and I have
reason to believe that ten thousand pounds were
spent in bribery at that election. The actors
wire above disguise ; no shuffling—even the Wigs,
fot once, acted openly. What's 'our price ?
What will you give ? These were the questions,
and the answers were flay, eighty. a hundred, a
hundred and fifty pounds. These were the piices
fur votes, and the Whigs got the election because
they bribed the highest. The plisoaers confined in
Monmouth Jail pointed out to the industrious
classes the certain effect to the community from
practices of this description, and for this, my
Lord, they are now punished—yes, my Lord, and
punished, too, through the medium of some who
were the principal actors in the Newport election.
Yet your Lordship says that such punishment is
consistent with the ends of justice.
It is notorious to the whole country that the
Jury who tried the
the deposition of one witness as to the
against the Chartists. I laid before your Lordship
prisoners were highly prejudiced
Lordship's notions of justice to keep
who have been found guilty your
made by one of the Jur Is it consistent with
declaration,,
To make me
b
men better members of society ; to re-
claim the drunkard • io bring
by a Ministry,
offences, and
where formerly it was'
sums of the public money for
unknown,y
,sureligiousac comfort
ri inn
:tee)oonawitleilsildiattit:ellerat Ijotpsidiel;
too, who VOte large
John Russell should be churches.
s
and for building Curious that Lord
ucatiopnu,nwisneiw4hce
reixspinegndgselnaergraetion sums,a
rraeilsiegdi religious anxioused to give the
pof taxes,soiteot
who have made bad members
dshi y good men I
What does your Lot mean by " indul-
gences comistent with ,the regulations of the poi.
.ibi-is ?" The regulations of the prisons ate--
" 'Thatt;?e prisoners shall be depr.„-,tl orb non,
1 papers books, newspapers ; that they shall not see