New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-05-15
The Revival of Chartism.


be seen that large and important additions
have been made to the Chartist creed. In
the first place the Convention opposes the
various plans for suffrage reform now
sgitated by the Free Trade politicians on
the ground that while their adoption would
greatly increase the political power of the
middle class, they would leave the working
class substantially in their present con-
dition. They will therefore have nothing
but the Charter in It's entirety. For the
convenience of those Of our readers who
NAV not recall the reforms embraced under
that name, we here enumerate them l.
Universal Suffiage for every man of legal
age and sound mind, except those convicted
of crimes; ,. Annual Parliamerts 3.
Members TO be paid, so that poor men may
be members; 4. Vote by ballot; 5. Equa,
electoral districts; 6. Eligibility Of al
voters without regard to their wealth or
poverty. These points they now modify
by depriviDg all those convicted of crime
of the right to vote only during the term
of their conviction, on the principle that
criminal offense ought not to exclude the
offenders forever firm the general priv
ileges and rights of society.
But what is most worthy of ate ton in
this new manifesto, is that itiucludes a va
riety of propositions to which its authors
did not formerly assent. The chief of these
is that the land is tho inheritance of man
kind and ought not to be made the exclu-
sive and perpetual property of classes or in
dividuals. The Chartists would have the
soil nationalized, that is, held by the State
and leased in suitable quantities to individ-
uals or associations desiring to cultivate it,
on such terms as shall secure the freedom
of the occupant and the safety of the
State. To bring about this change, it is
proposed that the poor, common, church
and crown lands shall at once be restored
to the people, and leased out and settled on
this plan, and that the revenues thence de-
rived shall be devoted to the purchase of
other lands and their settlement in the same
way. The State is to have the right to
buy land in preference to private purchas-
ere; in some cases, legal process will very
properly return the land into It's possession :.
the death of tho present owners, voluntary
Surrender, and other means consistent with
justice. and a liberal regard for existing
rights, will also enable it in due tine to be-
come the sole owner Of the soil.
This being accomplished, the rights of
all to the occupancy of the soil will DO equal
and the duty of the Administration will be
to ensure q Just distribution to the appli-
cants. The improvements made by the
occupants will be their own property, for
which they shall be compensated on leav-
ing their holdings. This feature totally
distinguishes the New Chartism from the
doctrine of the Communists.
The manifesto also proposes the entire
separation of Church and State, and the
freedom of religion from all political over
sight or restrictions. All Church property,
which originated in private grants, is to re-
main in the haEds of the persuasion now
holding it; all ecclesiastical buildings con-
structed by the State to revert to it, bat to
be used by the present occupants on fair
terms. Education to be made gratuitous
and universal, the schools and colleges, in
dustrial and literary, of every grade, be-
ing freely open to all corners; the common
branches of Learning to be taught to all
children without exception. Cooperative
industrial associations to be efficaciously
favored. The Right toLsbor is recognized,
and instead Of parish support for the poor,
they shall BE- supported from the national
revenue. Taxation to be imposed on land
and accumulated property alone. The
National Debt to be Equidated by the mo-
ney now paid as interest, which shall here
after go to extinguiih the deb. itself, no
interest being allowed The currency
shall be reformed and extensive changes
shall be introduced ia the army and navy;
every citizen shall have the right to be
enrolled in the militia, and all taxes and
restrictions en- the press shall DO abolished.
Such are the features Of this programme,
which bears the signature Of thirty dele
gates and which is to serve as the basis of
continuous snd earnest agitation through
out the kingdom.
This is the first public demonstration of
the Cbartists since their memorable col
lspse il April, 1648, and shows that their
minds have not been stapnant in the nesp-