The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1845-06-06
THE ENGLISH CHARTIsTs.

At this TINE, When IeXas, OreSoni ana our ter-
-itoral rights generally; have excited such intense
interest, heightened as it has been by the recent
menacing tone of the British Parliament, perhaps
slight sketch of the Chartists may not be out OF
place. They class little taken into account
in the speculations in relation to English or Euro
pean affairs, and their humble, their abjett posi-
ton at first view does not render this strange
their numbers (2,5OOOOO) nearly one-fourth of the
male adult population of England, their designs
and opinions. promise them to be the workers of
social and political changes more radical and revo-
lutionary than any yet known or proposed
Since the time of the conquest large proper
ton of the English people have been serfs either
in law rim fact. At present the physical condi-
tion Of the aborng poor of that country is beneath
that of any system Of acknowledged slavery on
the globe. Men, heads of families, pass lives OF
such extreme destitution and misery that death
they feel and say would at any time be blessing
This is not caused by the idleness of the people
but by the monopoly of lands and Of manufactures
The rich have been protected" in their riches
till that protection hasresulted in the corn laws"
shutting out bread from famshing p5oI!c-and
manufa ctures forcing from the fields their laborers
to be employed at the smallest pittance which can
support life short of starvation. The evils of the
system have been but lately acknowledged, when
all see that they have reached point beyond
which they cannot go without revolution, which as
vet the sufferers can not force and the arsocracy
will never concede.
The great mass of the more intelligent suffering
poor are Chartists as we'll as many whose condi-
ton ia far above want. They demand changes
which would do away with aristocracy in govern
ment. The 10000 who are benefited by the pre-
sent system should, they think, give way to the
20,000000 of as good blood, as far as nature is
concerned, as those who trace their lineage back
to the N rmans; and who are wealthy and oppres-
sors, because their rancestorswere so before them
The Charter'' which they propose, anu from
which they derive their name demands:
|. Universal Suffrage.
2. An Elective Peerage.
3. Vote by ballot.
a. Abolition of property qualifications for men,
bers of Parliament, and the payment of members.
s. Annual Parliaments,
G. A division of the kingdom into Just electoral
districts with more regard to population in the dvi-
sion.
AS now, not more tn an one man in ninety has a
vote, the Charst asks universal suffrage. To an
American Republican this may seem right which
might be granted with safety and yet it is not So
The head of family who has for his whole life
been compelled to labor on farm for six shiings
- ri ,nd
support family upon this sum, will be ill prepar-
ed for exercising the right OF voting, except q
concealed but deadly hatred of all above him in
wealth or intelligence, could be considered as Q
preparation for this duty. Yet he is infinitely less
dangerous than those in the manufacturing dis
tricts. They have perhaps triae more of wages
but huddled together, whole families in damp ant
loathesome cellars, without any converse with
their superiors put what takes place in reproof Of
injury, they are stolid, immoral, and debased by
want to the lowest point to which the Angle
Saxon race can be reduced cherishing, like the
farm aborer, a most undying hatred to theil
wealthy and naughty opprcssors..
We have conversed with several tolerably well
informed Chartsts-men who were raised con-
siderably above the degradation the masses,
and we found that they contemplated changes in
the social and political system which seemed to us
of the most wild and visionary character. They
were perfectly conscious that chartism for years
would be unable to accomplish any thing, but they
satisfied us that if ever it found voice it would
speak language new and startling to both old
ul
problems in government which are scarcely
thought of here where equality really exists. He
is Ignorant to sober rules, and if unloosed
will be much more likely for time to act like q
destroying wild beast than rational reformer
But for this his opppressors are to blame not he
A few years ago the English bench of bishops
who quietly voted $500, 0,0o0to increase the Queens
stud went in solemn deputaton to her Ma jssty tc
implore her not to consent to grant of $1,000
to educate the poor throughout the kingdom. Nc
wonder the cry of the people in relation to these
purseproud preates is "aoe rant more bread ana
less priests" cry significant of the coming fate
of state church in England. The Church has
been the willing ally of the government in op
pressing the people but its determined enemy
when it soughtto relieve them, and the shorter its
career of wrong and indifference to its holy miss
ion the better for genuine religion. The true
Chartist will sweep away ranks and privileged
orders, lords spiritual and temporal, marquisses
and dukcs,-he will sweep away the present cor
ruptland system of entails, primogeniture, game
laws; corn-laws &c. which he has felt grinding
him to powder He will put little trust in mono
poles special Legislation for the few, and SO far
he is right. But what he will seek to substitute
we cannot tell; we do not think he knows HIM
self. Nor can say that he is arepublican-he has
tits true radical notious of government, but what
form these will take time we believe can only in
terpret. All we can say is, the present system
cannot continue-n change must come to ENGLAND