The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-06-12

OF THE GENERAL CoNyEN-
TION OF THE INDUSTRIOUS CLASSES

;. Ffomhs London Sun of Msy is.
MANIFESTO OF THE GENERAL CoNyEN-
TIoN OF THE INDUSTRIOUS CLASSES.
Coumnymsn and Ftiior- Bsadsmea The nat Of
privileged oppr.ssors has gone iorhlhat the mil
lions must be kept IN subjrction!
The mask Of Constitutional liberty is thrown forever
aside and the form Of dsspoiism stands hdsousy be-
fore for let IL be longer DISCUS ed nc gOserH
ment 81 England is dsspoiism, aud her indastions
millions a,s stapss Her constitutional rights are spe
suberiuges Tor legal plumber aud class domination her
right Of the subject" is slavery, without tho slaves
privilege her RICH. Of pc i.ioning farce her religious
freedom cheat.
FELLOW counirymen, our s,sl~sr ancestors boosted
Of rights which the simplcr, Of their laws made clear
and their bravery protected but we, their degenerate
children, have patiently yielded 10 one infringement after
another. I'LL the last yeslgs Of g has been lost IN the
mysticism Of legislation, and the armed iofce oil the
country transferred 10 soldiers and policemen but
there be yet within you latent spark oi that qusiy
which was wont 10 distinguish EnglIshmen throughout
the gobe-of that manly courage with which our foss-
fathers sacredIy guarded island and arrested wnh
their iron grasp foreign Toe or domestic spoileryos
will start from your political siubefs, and resolve, BY
all that renders life desirable. TO make your homes
happy your laws just and your altars Free peril I
In The attempt.
We will not, however, point out path in which Ne
ale not pre,sred head neither will peril pS
l.ical right on any -advised proposal, which woun
luy
are prepared and trust that you, constituents,
are also 10 peril that life which God has bestowed fss
no hoier purpose than to rghieously edeayor TO msas
our country Tree aud our brethren happy Aud IN thns
expressing our DISCRIMINATION. we appeal to Aimighy
wisdom with reverence, and 70 impartial pos,eriy WIN
confdencelhat have right aud justice on our sdf
believing that our political burih.rs and social gres
the result Of exclusive law making. We hsss
provided for that evil what conceive TO be remedF
the Peoples Chsr,er-and public opinion has besn
concentrated IN favor Of that remedy TO extent 1-
precfdeu,ed in the annals Of country We hsss
embodied its principles in petition 10 Pariiamenk-
Those who dared TO brave the inenaces Of employees
the Of faction, aud the power Of wealth, hss
appended their signatures that petition, and mio~S
who dared not brave starvation and misery 10 DO sss
have responded ia silence 10 It's prayer
The answer, fellow-counfymen, 10 your "constfh-
iona and peaceful applications may be now anticipated
We we're prepared the presen ation OF the petition,
for the subtle sophisiy, aud fraudulent assertions OIL
Whiggery but may non be prepared for The toors.
for clearly perceive the despotlc determination OF
both Wings aud Tories to maintain their power and
premacy at any risk.
We see victim after victim daily selected, and
silently witness one constitutional right alter another
perceive the renegade Wing and
shutting professor ~ Liberalism uniting their Infu-
ence 10 bind down the millions, and II possible 10
s6e their prayers and petitions Tor justice.
Men and women of Britain, will you iamely sub
nit to the INSULT Will you submit to incessant toll
Of every Twelve hours labor, the proceeds Of nine
hours to support your idle and insolen oppressorsl
Will you much longer sublniI 70 see the greatest
blessings 81 mech meal arr converted into the great
est Of social life Ito see children forced 10
compete with their parents, wives with their hus-
b lnds, and the whole Of society morally and physi-
cay degraded 10 support the afiStocracies oil wealth
and lilhe2 Will you thus allow your wives and
daughters to be degraded your children to be nursed
in misery slulliftd by toni and become the victims
OF the vice our institutions have engenderedl
Will your permit the stroke ol affection, Inc mistor-
tunes oil poverty, or the inhrmIties OF age TO be
branded aud punished as crimes, and give our selfish
oppressors AN excuse for rending .sunder man
and wife, parent aud child and cun.inne passive OBJ
servers iii you and yours become the vicimsl
Perish the cowardly feeling and Infamous be the
passive being who can witness his country's degia-
daiion wilhou astrugge 10 prevent, or deiermina-
ton 10 remove il. Rather like Samson would we
cling to The pillars which sustain social fabric,
aud failing TO base upon principles Of justice, ia
victims beneath It's ruins!
Shall il be said, fellow countrymen, that four mil
lions Of men capable Of bearing arms, and defending
their country against foreign assailant, allowed
fen domestic Oppressors To enslave and degrade themt
That they suffered The constitutional rght o possess
ing arms TO defend the constitutional privileges their
ancestors bequeathed to them be disIegardeu for
gotten ill after another they have been robbed
OF their rights, and have subm ted to be- awed iuto
silence by The bludgeons OF policemen Hence our
modern Legislators, fearing that knowledge has
vered soldiers int patriots are preparing 10 spense
with their services in England aud 10 substitute
legion OF police to mar The peace every village in
the empire.
Men OF England, Scotland, and Wales, we have
sworn with your aid 10 achieve our Liberties or die
and in this resolve seek save our country from
a fate We do not desire 10 witness. II you longer
continue passive slaves, tie Jate ~ unhappy Leiand
rtH soon be yours, and that OF ireland more degraded
still. For, be assured, the joyful hope OF freedom,
which nov spires The mliiions, II not speedily
realized, will tun into wild revenge. The sicken-
ing thought oil unrequiied toil-their cherries
hones-their stuned starving ofspring-the pallid
partners OF their Wretchedness-lbeir aged parents
pnng apart in work-house--the site OF Trade
presenting 10 their imagnations no brighter pros
peci--these, together wnh the petty tyranny that
daily torment, them, will exaspefate them 10 destroy
what they denied the enjoyment Of The once
boasted manufactures oi England will perish by an
agent soldiers cannot cope wnh nor policemen avert
error will soon give wings 10 British capital, and
IL will fly 10 other climes where security can be
found. The middle class population Ut our country
The distributors and exchaugers OF wealn-wiilb be
broken down BY bankruptcy and insolvency. Our
famed commerce, which al present IS sustained BY
breath, will be destroyed. The wrongs which land
lords, farmers and manufacturers, have conspired
10 heap upon The working millions, will burst INTO
flame; and the property OF our cities no ways ven
geance proof, will be the more In peru by being the
basis OF legislative injustice.
This, iellow-country men, Is a state OF things
anxious to and however the paid belers Of the
day may mpue to other motives, we believe that
Radical Keiomers the only restraining potrer that
prevents the execution OF an outraged peoples ven
geance We would, therefore. urge all the friends Of
peace and ORDER TO declare at In favor Of justice,
aud unite with TO obtain that snare OF political power,
for the uneniranchlsed people, which cannot much
longer be safely withheld. How, we would ask, can
those oil the middle classes, who yet standing apart
from u.s. reconcile their conduct with their conscience,
when they we're parties 10 conpsct with to
tend for the Reform Bill, aud promised in return they
would make j, stepping stone 10 our political rights,
while they still ungralelully neglect US
Why will they presumptuously risk the consequences
Of such selfish conduct What fruits do they hope TO
gain by their excusyeness They are sowing tho
seeds Of disappointment; we would implore them
h. nf ~.