The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-07 00:00:00

THE PITMEN'S STRIKE.

On Wednesday a public meeting, which seemed to excite
much interest among the great body of working men, was
held at eaville House, Leicester-square, for the purpose of
taking into consideration the grievances under which the pit-
men labour, and the causes of their strike, with a view to
adoptiug the best means to assist and alleviate their dis-
tresses. The large room, capable of holding many hun-
dreds of persons, was completely crowded. At half-past
eight o'clock the chair was taken by Thomas Slingsby
Duncombe, Esq., M.P., amid immense applause. On his
left was Mr. Feargus O'Connor, and he was supported by
sntriumkbe.
The CHAIRMAN, after stating the pleasure he at allers of gentlemen who take an interest in the pitmen's
times felt in assisting the working classes, said they had met
on a subject of the most vital importance to that body.
It
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effects of the misunderstanding between the colliers and
their employers had already began to be felt by all classes ;
how much more it was felt by those whom he now saw
before him, and many of whom he represented, he need
only mention to prove the great effect the misunderstanding
must have on these least able to bear it. But he would not
put it on a pecuniary consideration ; he would put it on the
footing whether labour ought not to reap its reward, and
whether the honest man should not be able to live by the
sweat of his brow. He had heard that the strike was to force
the masters to pay the men 4s. per day wages, and thatpoint
had been advanced in the House of Commons; but, so far
from this, he would state that they had worked for 245. per
fortnight, and were willing, if the public would state it was
fair, to go back again at the same rate of wages, provided the
grievances they laboured under were removed. The men had
offered to leave the subject to arbitration, but the masters
had refused ; and, under these circumstances, he could not
but deem that the men were in the right, and he would ren-
der his assistance to gain for them what every man was en-
titled to, namely, " a fair day's wages for a fair day's work."
He was quite certain that 30,000 men would not leave their
work and distress their families, if they had not fair and just
cause of complaint. He had seen the men on their native
hills discussing their grievances, and their conduct had been
most proper and praiseworthy.
A number of speakers then, addressed the meeting, detail-
ing the grievances under which the colliers laboured, in the
shape of short wages, deductions unjustly made by the
masters, and impositions in the shape of charges for various
items. The speakers were from pits in Durham, Stafford-
shire, and other counties, and they detailed, with great credit
to themselves, as working men, the species of injustice they
laboured under. The fines put upon the men for getting any-
thing short of their quantity were loudly complained of, and
the system of always keeping a week's payment out of the
hands of the workman for the purpose of amassing interest
for the master, was explained. The weighing measure of the
collieries, which was by steelyard, was objected to, a beam
and scales being required.
A string of resolutions were carried unanimously, advocat-
ing the cause of the pitmen, and declaring that I'arliament
should take measures to remedy their causes of distress. A
strong vote of thanks was likewise passed to Mr. Duncombe
for his bold advocacy of the interests of the working classes
in the House of Commons.

THREATENED ATTACK ON THE
DUKE OF WELLINGTON AND SIR R. PEEL.
• On the afternoon of Mondaylast, information was received
at the station-house of the T division, on Brook-green, Ham-
mersmith, that a man named Bernard Fitzpatrick, an Irish-
man, had that day called at the residences of Dr. Conolly,
superintendent and physician or the Hanwell County Lunatic
Asylum, and of the Rev. J. A. Emmerton, and Rev. Mr.
Burt, in the village of Hanwell, Middlesex, and had there
uttered threats of his intention to shoot both the Duke of
Wellington and Sir R. Peel, Bart.; and that from the known
violent and determined character of Fitzpatrick, great fears
were entertained that he would carry his threats into execu-
tion. Immediately on the receipt of the information, Mr.
Superintendent Williamson dispatched a mounted messenger
with intelligence to the Commissioner of Police, at their
office in Great Scotland-yard, who promptly issued orders
that every exertion should be made to apprehend Fitzpatrick.
Constables were accordingly dispatched in all directions ; and
it being known that his wife kept a lodging-house in the
town of Brentford, a sharp look out was kept for him in that
neighbourhood, and about nine o'clock the same night his
capture was effected in a publiC-house in Brentford. At the
station-house the charge wrs entered on the police-sheet by
Inspector Marquard, as charged with threatening to shoot
the Duke. of Wellington.and Sir R. Peel, Bart."
Bernard Fitzpatrick. is of strong frame, about fifty years
of age, six feet hien, and of violent and most determined
character, havin&on one occasion nearly killed a man for a
very trifling offence. He was years ago a soldier, it is be-
lieved, in th.e 47th Regiment, and was for some time sta-
tioned in 'che West Indies, where he suffered greatly from
yellow fever, from the effects of which it is supposed his
mind is at times affected.- He has been twice an inmate of
the Hanwell County Pauper Lunatic Asylum, and has been
twice discharged as coavale,scent. The ground of_his hos-
tility to the Duke of Wellington is stated to be a delusion
that his Grace, while in power, prevented him from obtain-
ing a pension for which he applied, and his antipathy to Sir
Robert Peel has only showed itself since the incarceration of
Mr. O'Connell. On Tuesday morning he was conveyed from
the station-house of the T division, in Old Brentford, safely
secured in a cart, to the residence of Mr. G. Baillie, of
After some evidence had been taken,
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Dr. Haffendon, of Hanwell, was called in to examine the
prisoner, and immediately certified as to the man's insanity.
An order was then signed by the magistrates for his re-
admission into the Hanwell Asylum, where, after much per-
suasion by Mr. Baillie, he consented to go, and promised to
be quiet on the way, on condition that Mr. Baillie would do
justice to his wife while he was in the asylum:
Mr. Baillie gave the required pledge, and he then got into
the cart, accompanied by his wife and several policemen, and,
was conveyed to the asylum.