The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-24 00:00:00

DUNCOMBE TESTIMONIAL.

ADDRESS OF THE METROPOLITAN DUNCOMBE TESTIMO-
NIAL COMMITTEE TO THE WORKING CLASSES OF GREAT

BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

Fellow Working Men,—The Metropolitan Trades
Demonstration Committee was called into existence some
few weeks since, for the purpose of arousing the men of
London into active and determined opposition to the in-
famous Masters and Servants Bill, alias Labour's Degra-
dation Bill. A petition against the Bill was adopted at
its first meeting, and a resolution, carried unanimously,
that, should the prayer of that petition be refused, and
the Ministry press the Bill, the whole of the trades of
London should be invited to assemble in their thousands
on Kennington-common, and demonstrate to Govern-
ment the folly of trifling with a nation's will. From the
enthusiastic manner in which our proposition was re-
ceived, and the universal feeling of indignation which
was entertained against the measure, we have every
reason to believe that it would have been one of the most
splendid demonstrations of public opinion that has ever
taken place in this or any other country. But the ne-
cessity for such a meeting. happily, no longer exists.
The "strong Government" has been defeated. The Bill
has been crushed. Labour hes, for this time; triumphed
over capital. Mark, we say for this time ; for as sure as
this attempt has been made, so sure will further attempts
be made to prostrate labour at the feet of capital, to
make the labourer a serf—a slave.
Feilow-Men—To what do we owe this triumph ?
Partly to the loud and unanimous expression of public
opinion against the Bill, but chiefly to the untiring and
disinterested exertions of labour's champion, the noble,
the patriotic Duncombe! Yes, working men but for himyou would now have been bound hand and foot, and de-
livered over to the tender mercies of grasping capital.
But for him the trades' unions of this country would, by
this time, have received their deathblow. One of the
proposers of the Bill admitted in the course of the de-
bate, that it was brought in, in consequence of the recent
decisions in the Court of Queen's Bench in favour of the
Union Coal Miners in the North ;- thus virtually con-
fessing that the real object of the Bill was to crush all
combinations of working men which had for their ob-
ject the attainment of a " fair day's wages for a fair day's
work." Surely, then, we owe to him a lasting debt of
gratitude. Surely it is our bounden duty to show to the
world that we know how to appreciate the services of
such a man—who, soaring above the vulgar prejudices
of class or creed, and, despite the sneers of lordly ty-
rants, or plebeian money-grubbers, fights the battles of
labour's sons, almost unaided and alone—encouraged
only by the cheers of what class legislators have deno-
minated " the swinish multitude," rewarded only by the
love and confidence of the toiling millioni. Fellow-
Working-Men, the Trades of London have resolved upon
raising a sufficient fund to purchase an estate for him as
an imperishable testimonial of their thanks and gra',
tude for his uniform and unswerving support of their
rights, and especially for his successful opposition to the
Masters and Servants Bill.
For this purpose the Metropollitan Trades Demon-
stration Committee has resolved itself into a Duncombe
Testimonial Committee, and we now call upon you, our
fellow working-men, throughout the country, to assist
and co-operate with us in this good work. What man
amongst you will refuse to subscribe his mite for such
an object ? What class of men is there in the United
Kingdom which has not been benefited by his services?
Englishmen! subscribe to the Buncombe Testimonial, for
Duncombe is England's brightest patriot. Irishmen!
subscribe to the Testimonial, for Duncombe is the advo-
cate of Justice to Ireland. Welchmen I Scotchmen! sub-
scribe to the Testimonial, for Duncombe advocates the
Rights and Liberties of all. Trades Unionists! sub-
scribe, for Duncombe is the champion of the Rights of
Labour. Factory slaves of England! subscribe, for Dun-
combe is the advocate of the 7'en Hours' Bill. Women of
England! subscribe, for Duncombe would deliver you
from the horrors of the mine and the drudgery of the
mill, and elevate you to your proper position in society,
as the friend and companion, but not the slave, of man.
Duncombe is the friend also of the factory child; he
would replace infant by adult labour, and deny to capi-
talists the right of accumulating millions from the sweat
and blood of infant children.
Up, then, and be doing, Mon of the United Kingdom.
Let us have a Testimonial worthy of the man—let us
have no isolated efforts—let it be indeed a .National Tes-
timonial. Form your Committees in every city, town,
and village. Collect from door to door, from shop to
ahop; and send your contributions to the Central Com-
mittee. Show yourselves to be worthy of such a man
as Thomas Slingsby Duncombe : show the tyrants that
he has your confidence, and they will fear him the more;
show him, that, though his present defence of the peo-
ile's cause will not ensure him the smile of Royalty, nor
which faction can bestow,
let that he will live and reign triumphantly in the
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KELSEY,
Secretaries.

LAMENTABLE ACCIDENT AT LARGS.—We regret
to state that one of the young midshipman described as
lost off Largs on Friday afternoon last, the 17th instant,
was Mr, Charles Digby Cayley, in his eighteenth year,
son 0 E. 4. Paylpy, N 1., Metpbpf for thp North
Wiling of Yorkshire, whO, with his family, is by
this awful eyent thrown into the deepest and most
poignu,nt state of distress, Thp "clecfaned find
Elisfinguished himself in the lintiney, ph the coast of
Syria, and had, with others, been awarded a medal for
the victories at Acre and other places on that coast. Tho
sailing-boat in which he and his companion (Jewel) were
1 ost
,Oenr to Iwo pop elfilyn spqdeply in n, squall,' head
oFeinat; taking these two Onnusing•youths;iderted tohe service of theii counqy, down withit, never to rise
4gfiln." Mr: Caylers son,
.if the reinam, 'be f6tuidt will
be imoieato'Brolnpton,'M Vorkshiric'tho burial. plaae
of the family.--Glasgow Eerald.
TAE ATTORNEY-GENERAL.—We are exceedingly
ly.ppy in stating, that Sir NY. Follett is improving in
Prilltti.-- The Ikupe.4 ounsBl vas alk, ye,4cratty to
resume his tirotefisiorial duties in the iftiuSe of lords
' On ThgidAy night last Ox miiPli cows, 419 Piv-
p.9ly of Mr. pittri& tiallinan, of plin, in the pOuptx of
Limerick, Were kiffe'd in the nio§t brutal manner. The
savage ruffians accomplished their fell purpose by cutting
the throats and beating the brains out of the unoffending
aninaplc. The cause of this entrap was, that Mr. nalli-
Wan hita talieh AOinn lancls'lioili Olen itofractory tenants
had been dispossessed.—Kerry Evening Post,
The sum of NO/. has been raised in Manchester
for the relief of the parties injured by the fire at the
i 4,;l4entre in that town,

" 'Air RICAN
Dort's treat?- The treat? of the United
St4t,4fpr the annek.atioiior Texas, ternamates charae-
terislioally enough with the wprds • "IfJORe at Washiner-
ton." It is to be presumed that the Texians are die
parties who have in the present instance been " done" at
W ctshington!"--P4nclf.