The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-06 00:00:00

/

one and all declared, that the golden opportunity now
within our grasp shall not pass away fruitless ; that•
the chance of centuries, afforded to us by a wise and-
all-seeing God, shall not be lost; but that we do no-,v
universally resolve never to resume labour until iss-
hour's grievances are destroyed, and protection secured
for ourselves, our suffering wives, and helpless chile
dren, by the enactment of ahe People's Charter."
Here was a resolution, as they said, upon oath, that
the whole commerce of the country should he sus-
pended ; that thousands of -workpeople should be
thrown into misery, distress, and want, till the laws of
the land should be overturned, and. a new law esta-
blished upon the dictation of parties like these. he
placard then continued—
" Englishmen! The blood of your brothers reddens
the streets of Preston and Blackburn, and the mur-
derers thirst for more." •
They could not be ignorant of what this alluded to: ..
The civil authorities in Preston having been scoffed
at, abused, and resisted, called on the military to act
and no doubt the military did their duty uncler the
direction of the authorities of the town. They die-
charged their fire-arms, by which one or more lives
These~ti as s°
mgerneat'wearnedelthdlaedt mmourerdelrievrses.
were lost ; and the wonder is, that their forbearance
were
ele
not lost.
continued—
.
"Be firm, be courageous, be men. Peace, law,
and order, have prevailed on our side; let thewbe
revered- until your brethren in Scotland, Wales, and
Ireland, are informed of your resolution : and when
a universal holiday prevails, which will 'be the case
iii eight days, then of what use will be bayonets
against public opinion ? What tyrant can then t!ve
aboVe the terrible tide of thought and energy, which IS'.
now flowing fast, under the guidance of man's iutel-
lect, which is now destined by a Creator to elevate his
people above the reach of want, the rancour of des-
potism, and the penalties of bondage ? The trades--
(by which is meant, the union between parties to
carry out their system fur keeping up the rate of
wages)—a noble, patriotic band, have taken the lead
in declaring for the Charter, and drawing their gold
from the keeping of tyrants. Follow their example.
Lend no whip to rulers wherewith to scoarge you.
Intelligence has reached us—(so that they were not
ignorant of the state of the country)—of the wide-
spreading of the strike; and, within fifty miles of
_Manchester, every engine is at rtst, and all is :Ail!,
except the miller's useful wheels, cal friendly sickle in
the fields."
And how had every engine been brought to rest ?
" Our machinery is all arranged, and your cause
will, in three days, be impelled onward by all the 'in-
tellect we can summon to its aid."
Yes "intellect" was the suggestion; the word was
used that it might not be said they were recommend-
ing physical force.
"Therefore, the whilst you are peaceful, be firm ;
whilst you aro orderly, make all be so likewise ; and
whilst-you look to the law, remember that you had no
voice in making it, and are therefore the slaves to the
will, the law, and the price of your masters."
They were particularly to remember that they had
no voice in making the laws.
" All officers of the Association are called upon to
aid and assist in the peaceful extension of the move-
ment, and to forward all moneys for the use of the
delegates • who may be expressed over the country.
Strengthen our hands at this crisis.—(Why should
these men call upon 'the.people' to strengthen their
hands ?) Support your leaders. Rally round our
sacred cause, and leave the decision to the God of
justice and of battle."
If there were any word or expression in that docu-
ment to show• the ultimate meaning of the parties, he
thought that last word would clench it. This placard
was produced at the meeting ; there was no dissent,
ing voice to it; the sentiments of this document*
were therefore those adopted by all present, and
therefore they were all responsible for that which was
conveyed by it. The address, from which he had
read extracts, was proposed ; it appeared that an
amendment was proposed, differing from the resolu-
tion in phraseology, but to the same purpose, viz. :--s
" That the information laid before this Conference •
does not warrant the people in mixing up the Chartist
name and movement with the present strike for wages;
which was originated, as this Conference believes, by
the Anti-Corn-law League."
The Court would find that the meeting approved of
what had been done by the Executive Committee in
preparing this address, and wished it to be carried
forward. After almost every one else had spoken—
(and be believed every one did speak)—it was put to
the vote, and the original motion was. carried by a
very large majority. Therefore, whcever originated
this movement, it was palpable to common sense, as
well as lawn that those who sanctioned it, being a case
of misdemeanor, were equally guilty with its first
promoters, and became, in fact, the promoters of its
Its illegality had been discussed the preceding day. ;
and Mr. 0 Connor mentioned as a proof that his opi-
nion o‘..itsillegality was correct, that, as he said he
had just heard, the printer of the placard had been ap-
prehended ; and so, in fact, he lead been ; therefose
there was proof, from these expressions, that this pla-
card had been the subject of discussion on the pre=
ceding day. It then carne forth for the :approbation
of the other delegates at this conference, where the
illegality of it was again brought- under their notice;
yet after this, the meeting requested that Mr. O'Con-
nor would insert this Address in his next palm.. .Ac.,
cordingiv, in that next paper they had, in the way of
coinincia, the very expressions used in the address
presented by Mr.-O'Connor, and assented to urtanini-
ously by this meeting.
" Brothers, these are not the times to hesitate-
* We are fortunate in having an accredited exe-
cutive, bearing the confidence of all, at, our head.
They, too, have called upon you; you wiltread their
address ; it breathes a bold and manly spirit.. We
cannot withhold from them our support. * * From
unanimity alone can success be expected:-
Therefore, the acts of the conference and the exe-
cutive, at the very time, were published and approved
by their authorised organ, the Northern Star; this
address was published, which was prepared and re-
ceived by the whole assembly, which approved of
what the executive had done,, and of the "'manly
spirit" in which it was draw#; 4/44, consequently,
they were all clearly participants in the gesilt of origin
flitting, approving, and publishing that placard.
Without further observations, he proposed to call
the witnesses.
Witnesses were accordingly examined at Feat
length to convict the parties charged with e,oncoci-
ing and publishing the placard. They consisted
chiefly of police-officers and a reporter of the
Northern Star, a Mr. Griffen, by whose combined
evidence it was traced to more of the parties impli-
cated. The witnesses were subjected to a cross-
examination by Mt-Cobbett for most of the prisonew,
and by Mr. Bernard M`Cartney for himself.
At the close of the examination Mr. FOSTER, the
Chairman, said—The general nature of the charge
brought against the parties who are here under a
warrant, has been clearly stated in the opening of the
case by the Learned Counsel for the prosecutiet.
'The case laid against you is this, that, after these dis-
turbances had arisen, you met together, and approved,
in the first place, of the strike, and evinced a
desire that that strike should be continued,
and
pledged yourselves further to do the utmost
hind, ytetinrt
power to promote that object; and you re
that that cessation from labour should continue,he 1!
yenple's
that it might enforce what you call
illegal
obJcet,
ject,
Charter. Now, that that object west antie object by
and that any agreement to promote
labour, or by
means ef a general cessationm labour which hid
keeping the cessation t
was
an illegal con-
previously taken place—
that thatt.
There are four
spiracy there can be no dou
h 't
identified by t ewi nesses ; and,
soners who are not
is no evidence before us, nor
as to these four, there
are the '
included "n the decision which the Court is
y
With respect to the elder S cholefield,
about to give.
we find that this meeting f washeld in his house ; that'
he was present during part of the meeting, giving
certain information to that meeting ; and that a pla-
card connected with the object of that meeting was
posted on his premises. It is impossible -to say
that lie is not implicated in the charge.. With re-
spect to his son, the evidence against him does not
directly to show him to be in concertwith go
any
of the parties—the evidence a • • is slighter
against him slighter
than perhaps that against any of th
when one finds him there at the time posting this
placard, and that immediately
that resolution was come t after,- and on this day
than commit him also to o, one cannot do :the; wise
offence. With respecttake his trial for the alle.xed
to Hill, the ground taken
his advocate is, that he opposed the passing of the re-
solution in question,
and so he did, but we have this
reason given wh he
did so ; but we have also that
which is much more material that, though the reso-
lution was • •
carried by a large majority, it was also
resolved that the. minority should be beund by the
acts of the majority; and, after that, several parties
pledged themselves to go to their respective localities,
and carry out the objects of the meeting. Therefore
William Hill is liable for the acts of that party whom
he opposed ; and our judgment is, that the parties
have all, with the exception of the four not identified
by the witnesses, done that which makes it our, duty
to send them for trial.
The following persons were then committed for
trial, but admitted to bail :—James Leach, two sureties
in 2001. each, and himself in 4001.; ;John Camp-
bell, two sureties in 3001. each, and himself: jrt
6001. ; James Scholefield, two sureties in 4001. eae.`k,
'and himself in 800/. ; Christopher Doyle, two sureties'
in 2001. each, and himself in 400/. • Bernard M'Cart-
ney, two sureties in 2001. each, and himself in 400/. ;
Richard Ottley, two • sureties in 2501. each, and him-
self in 5001.; George Julian Harney, two sureties in
2501. each, and himself in 500/. ; John Thornton,
two sureties in 150/. each, and himself in 300/. ; John
Massey, two sureties in 150/. each, and liiineelf in
300/. ; Robert Brook, two sureties in 2004 each, and
himself in 400/. ; William Hill, two sureties in AOW.