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VOL. 71.-No. 1.]

1315013

Bancroft Library

LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 1ST, 1831.

HANGING OF ENGLISH LABOURERS. I SHALL, under this head, put upon record the hangings that are now going on. I shall not, except in the way of explanation, make any remark, or state any fact, from myself, and shall not venture on the insertion of any private, or written communication; but shall put on record merely what I find in the public papers. The trials are taking place by SPECIAL COMMISSIONS; and a Proclamation was issued before the trials began, offering a reward of a hundred pounds to any one who should cause any one to be convicted of some of the acts of violence; and FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS in the case of SETTING FIRE. But the best way is to insert the Proclamation itself.

[Price 1s.

fires), in case the person making such discovery shall be liable to be prosecuted for the same.

And the Lords Commissioners of our Treasury are hereby required to make payment accordingly of the said re wards.

Given at our Court at St. James's, this twenty-third day of November, one thousand eight hundred and thirty, in the first year of our reign. God save the King..

Here, in the case of the setting fire, is a freehold estate worth twenty-five pounds a year; or, an annuity for life of about fortyfive pounds a-year, though the informer be be from forty to fifty years of age, here is only twenty-one years of age; and, if he the worth of an annuity of a hundred pounds Chelmsford, in Essex. a year for life. The hanging began at

ESSEX.

AT CHELMSFORD, FRIDAY, CHRISTMAS EVE. JAMES EWEN, a young man, having a wife and two small children.

On Friday James Ewen, convicted of arson, and Thos. Bateman, for highway robbery, accompanied with circumstances of savage barbarity, underwent the extreme penalty of the law in front of Springfield Gaol. Ewen, it will be recollected, had been found guilty of setting fire to the barn and stack of Mr. Sach, farmer, at Rayleigh. The circumstantial evidence to connect him with the fact was very slight, but the principal witness, a man named Richardson, who had been imprisoned as an accessary to the crime, swore that the prisoner had, unsolicited, told him, after the fire, that he was the perpetrator, and urged him at the same time to join him in firing another stack belonging to Mr. Blewett, the next evening. Richardson WILLIAM R-Whereas great multitudes of lawless and stances subsequently transpiring to cast suspicion upon was known to be a notoriously bad character, and circumdisorderly persons have, for some time past, assembled his evidence, the most strenuous exertions were made, by themselves together in a riotous and tumultuous manner, a number of the most respectable_inhabitants, to save in the Counties of Wilts, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hants, Ewen's life, but without success. Ewen protested his inand Berks; and for the purposes of compelling their em-nocence, in the most earnest manner, up to the last moployers to comply with certain regulations prescribed by ment, though he freely confessed that in his life he had themselves, with respect to wages, have had recourse to been guilty of many offences. His wife and two children measures of force and violence, and have actually com- took their farewell of the unfortunate man a few days mitted various acts of outrage in different parts of the previous, and his brother was admitted to him on the counties above-mentioned, whereby the property of many morning of his execution. No commiseration was excited of our good subjects has, in several instances, been wholly for Bateman, who had robbed and cruelly ill-used an destroyed, and their lives and properties are still greatly old man, upwards of 70, by stamping his head into a ditch, endangered: and crushing his ear off which was found buried six We, therefore, being duly sensible of the mischievous inches in the mud. About nine o'clock, after leaving the consequences which must inevitably ensue, as well to the chapel, the culprits ascended the platform, Ewen with peace of the kingdom as to the lives and properties of our great firmness, and Bateman discovering much agitation. subjects from such wicked and illegal practices, if they go Upon placing the rope round Ewen's neck, it was found anished; and being firmly resolved to cause the laws to to be too short, upon which he observed, "It's rather a be put into execution for the punishment of such offend- tight fit." The halter was obliged to be spliced, and ers, have thought it by the advice of our Privy Council, while this was accomplishing, Ewen remarked to a perto issue this Proclamation, hereby strictly commanding all son who stood near, "It's rather cold standing up here." Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs, Under-Sheriffs, and all The ropes being adjusted, the bolts were withdrawn, and other Civil Officers whatsoever, within the said counties the prisoners were launched into eternity. They strugof Wilts, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hants, and Berks, that gled very much.-The general impression amongst the they do use their utmost endeavours to discover, appre-Magistrates was, that Ewen was innocent.-London hend, and bring to justice, the persons concerned in the Morning Advertiser of 27th Dec. riotous proceedings above-mentioned.

And as a further inducement to discover the said offenders, we do hereby promise and declare that any person or persons who shall discover and apprehend, or canse to be discovered and apprehended, the authors, abettors, or perpetrators of any of the outrages above-mentioned, so that they, or any of them, may be duly convicted thereof, shall be entitled to the sum of Fifty Pounds for each and every person who shall be convicted, and shall also receive our most gracious pardon for the said offence, in case the person making such discovery as aforesaid shall be liable to be prosecuted for the same.

And whereas certain wicked incendiaries have secretly by are, in many parts of the said counties, destroyed the corn, hay, buildings, and other property of our subjects, we do hereby promise and declare, that any person or persons who shall discover and apprehend, or cause to be discovered and apprehended, the authors of the said fires, so that they or any one of them may be duly convicted thereof, shall be entitled to the sum of Five Hundred Pounds for each and every person who shall be pardon (except the actual perpetrator of any of the said

so convicted, and shall also receive our most gracious

KENT.

AT MAIDSTONE, ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
JOHN DYKE,

WM. PACKMAN,
HENRY PACKMAN,

Brothers.

EXECUTION OF THREE INCENDIARIES AT MAIDSTONE.John Dyke, otherwise Field, and William and Henry Packman, brothers, were executed on Penenden Heath, on Friday. The first had protested his innocence of being concerned in the fires; but the two latter, who are quite boys, eonfessed their guilt. A troop of Scotch Greys attended, for fear that any disturbance should take place. Henry Packman addressed the crowd, and accused Bishop, who gave evidence against him, of having instigated him to burn the ricks, &c. NJ disturbance took place.-London Morning Chronicle of 28th Dec.

I shall, by and by, collect all these trials together, with as full an account as I can get of all the circumstances relating to WM. COBBETT, each.

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TREATMENT OF THE ENGLISH from my petition to the two Houses of

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LABOURERS.

CHELMSFORD PETTY SESSIONS,

FRIDAY, DEC. 24.

LABOURERS' WAGES.-The Surveyor and Overseer of Great Waltham appeared upon a summons to answer the complaint of three labourers, named Tilly, Smith, and Gentry, in the gravel-pits to procure them the comfor not paying them sufficient for their labour mon necessaries of life. The case has been several times before the Bench. On the first occasion a summons was issued against the them, went to Mr. Tufnell, and upon their defendants, who, on its being served upon promising to comply with his directions and reasonably increase the wages, the summons was dismissed without a hearing. The SurMr. Tufnell's order, thinking that as the sumveyor, however, instead of complying with mons was dismissed he should not be called

Parliament, dated 4th December. The "THAT it has been proved before com- following I take from the Morning mittees of the House of Commons, Chronicle of 29th Dec., and it will show "that the allowance for the subsistence that a change has now taken place in "of a labouring man,including his earn- the treatment of the labourers. Pray, "ings, has been, as fixed by the magis-reader, attend to the whole of it; mark "trates in Wiltshire, no more than one it well; and then I leave you to make "pound and a quarter of bread and one your own remarks. "half-penny in money per day for food "and clothes, with nothing for drink, "fuel, or bedding; that it has been proved before the said committees, "that formerly the labourers all brewed "their own beer, and that now they never do it; that formerly they ate "meat, cheese, butter, and bread, and they now live almost wholly on pota"toes, which they carry cold to the fields when at work there; that it has "been proved before the said committees, that the honest, hard-working "labourer is not allowed more than "about half as much food as is allowed "the convicted felons in the jails and "hulks; that it has been proved "be-on to answer for his conduct, refused to give "fore the said committees, that the "labourers commit crimes in order to get fed and clothed as well as the "convicts are fed and clothed; that the Magistrates of Warwickshire have "declared in resolutions at their Quarter "Sessions, that the labourers commit "crimes in order to get into jail, the "jail being a more happy place than "their own homes; that it has been "proved before the said committees, Chairman: How could you manage to keep "that the young women are, now-a-alive-did you live upon sticks and stones? days, almost all pregnant before mar- The Surveyor, in his defence, said he asked riage, owing to fathers and them-the complainants how much they had from "selves being too poor to pay the ex-day, and he gave them that sum. the Surveyor last year; they told him 9d. apenses of the wedding; that it has "been proved before the said committees, that the labourers, having an "assistant overseer for a driver, are "compelled to draw carts and wagons "like beasts of burden; and that it has "long been a general practice to put "them up at auction, and to sell them "for certain lengths of time, as is the custom with regard to the negroes in "the slave colonies: that all these things have been proved to commit"tees of the House of Commons."

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the complainants any more for their labour, Bench, a second summons was issued; a letand they again coming to complain to the ter was also written by the Chairman to Mr. Tufnell, informing him of the reprehensible conduct of the Surveyor. The complainants now stated that they were employed to work fused to pay them more than 4s. 6d. a-week in the gravel-pit by the Surveyor, who reeach. They were all single men, and had to pay Is. each for lodging and 6d. for washing, after which they had only 3s. left for seven days' subsistence.

Chairman: And so you really and seriously thought that sufficient for a poor man to live upon, did you?

office before, and did not understand it.
The Surveyor said that he never served the

Chairman: That is no defence at all; you knew a man could not live upon 3s. a week.

Mr. Tufnell said he felt satisfied that so far as the overseer was concerned, no blame

attached to him. He had always fulfilled the duties of his office to the perfect satisfaction of the parishioners; at the same time he did full justice to the poor.

would give them 1s. a-day for their work, The complainants said, if the Surveyor they should be well satisfied.

The Bench said that was the lowest sum

which they ought to have. In fact, they did not see how a man could subsist upon less.

The Surveyor was reprimanded for his conduct, and ordered to pay the men in future 1s. a-day, and also for the time they had lost in coming to make the complaint.-Essex Herald.

BLOODY-MINDED.

THE following letter was publishes in the Morning Chronicle on Christma Day :

"Sir,-In The Times [the Bloody "Old Times] newspaper of this morn

-COBBETT'S LECTURES.

• The unfortunate young man, Thomas

Bravo! good, Mr. Tufnell! What a pity it was that the men did not complaining, I read the following paragraph, LAST YEAR! Ah! ...... But "which I beg you to insert, along with "the comment that I have subjoined let us proceed. Now, it was proved by "to it :their published scale, that the magistrates of Dorsetshire allowed 2s. 7d. a' CONFESSION OF THOMAS GOODMAN week for a working man when bread was 10d. the quartern loaf (as it is now); it was Goodman, who was convicted of setting fire proved before a Committee of the House to the barn of Mr. Alderton, at Battle, and of Commons, on the evidence of BENETT sentenced to death, has made a full confession (now a member for the county), that the of his guilt, and attributes his untimely end magistrates of Wiltshire allowed a gal- to that notorious demagogue, William Cobbett, lon loaf and three-pence a week to each lecture at Battle some time ago, in which he who, you may remember, delivered a public member of a labourer's family for food told his auditors that unless the farmers would and clothing ; that is, at this time, 2s. Id. consent to pay better wages to their labourers, for each, and nothing for drink, washing the fires which were then going on in Kent or lodging, or fuel or bedding. If, then, might also take place in this county, and that the boundary between the counties was but 4s. 6d. a week to these Essex men was imaginary. It is a singular fact that in less cruelty, what was the treatment of the than a fortnight after the delivery of this lec labourers of Dorsetshire and Wiltshire!ture, the first fire-namely, that which broke If 6s a week is the "lowest sum that a place in the parish of Battle; and it is still out on the night of the 3d of November, took single man ought to have," what was the more singular, that the property destroyed on treatment of the men in these Western that occasion belonged to Mr. Charles Emery, counties? If it was cruelly to give them landlord of the George Inn, at Battle, who a farthing less than 6s. a week, what had refused Cobbett the use of his principal room for the purpose of delivering his lecture. was it to give a working man 28. 7d. The unfortunate young man, who is only 18 when bread was at the same price? It years of age, confesses that he was so stirred is said that William Packman, who, as up by the words of Cobbett, that his brain wus we have seen, was hanged on PENENDEN nearly turned; and that he was under the impressiou that nothing but the destruction of HEATH, on Christmas Eve, said to one property by fire at night would effect that of his old companions, who was crying: species of revolution, the necessity of which "Never mind, Dick, you'll have your was so strongly enforced by the arch lecturer. belly full now." Though mere boys, parish of Battle, within Of the eight fires which took place in the these Packmans are said to have died unfortunate convict has confessed that five of one month, the with the greatest composure. This them were occasioned by his own hand. The Essex justice is to be applauded for his following are the words of the culprit with conduct, and I hope his example will be reference to Cobbett, as taken down this followed all over the country; for that John Rush, Curate of Crowhurst, Sussex: morning, in the presence of the Rev. Henry is the effectual way of putting an end to 1, Thomas Goodman, never should af these horrible scenes, the like of which thought of douing aney sutch thing if Mr. Cob have not been beheld for ages, and, bett Cobet had never given aney lactures i believe that their never would bean any fires or trust, never will be beheld again. Imob in Battle nor maney others places if he trust that all men are now convinced, never had given aney lactures at all.'" with this worthy magistrate of Essex, that 6s. a week is the very lowest that a single man ought to have to live upon and if all the magistrates act on the same rule, there will once more be peace.

I

Now, Sir, in the first place, the reporter is A PARSON; and that is quite enough with regard to the truth of the report. In the next place, as to the pretended statement of Goodman, please to observe these facts:-1. That the

fires began in East Kent, where I have way or other, punish them if I can. But not been for years. 2. They had begun now this story of the confession is true, three whole months before I went into or it is a lie; then the poor young man West Kent; and I did not go into East (who is an orphan, and who has no soul Kent at all. 3. That I lectured at who will be permitted to visit him) has Deptford, Rochester, Maidstone, Ton-spoken truth, or has been prevailed on bridge, Battle, Eastbourne, and Lewes. to speak falsehood. If the story be a 4. The fires began in West Kent before lie, or the confession be believed to be I entered it; and there was the great false, then what a shameful thing here fire at Thompson's, near Tonbridge, the is with regard to me! And if the story night before my arrival there. 5. I of the confession be true, and the conevery-where did my best to put a stop fession be believed, will they STILL HANG not only to the fires, but to all violences THIS POOR YOUNG MAN! Let the PARSON whatsoever, by stating that it was not answer that! the fault of the farmer that the wages were low; that the cause was the weight of the taxes and tithes, which disable the farmers from paying due wages; and I exhorted the farmers to call the people together in their several parishes, to explain this matter to them, and to call upon them all to join in a petition to Parliament for a reduction of taxes and tithes; "And then," said I," they will wait with patience; they will see that your cause is their cause; they will look on you as friends; and your property and your persons will be safe; but if false pride, or any other motive, prevent you from doing this, I beseech you to place no reliance on threats, no, nor even on punishments." This was my language every-where: and, at every place, many farmers cordially shook me by the hand, and thanked me for my advice. At three places out of the seven I lodged, by invitation, at private houses; and I never, during my journey, spoke to a working man, otherwise than in public.

Permit me to take this opportunity of complaining of the unfair report published by you, of the debate in the House of Commons, on the Motion of a Mr. Trevor, which debate took place last night. Mr. Bulwer, whom I have not the honour to know, made, I am well assured, a speech of considerable length, and full of just observation, ably stated; yet, in your report, about an inch in length of column is given to Mr. Bulwer, while a full report is given of the speech of this Mr. Trevor. One would have thought, that when the Press was defended, the advocate might have had fair play, though the defence included that of my conduct! But, alas! the delusion is still to be kept up! It will be to the last moment; but that noment is not now far distant. I wish Lord Grey would now read a letter that I addressed to him in 1822. But no! They will still shut their eyes; they will still cling to their deceivers; still say, "Prophesy to us smooth things, prophesy to us lies." And I must say, that, generally speaking, the London Press is amongst the greatest of those deceivers.

I have thought it right to say this, in print, as speedily as possible, in order, not to defend my conduct, but in order to show to the public the nature of the With regard to the charge of this miserable shifts to which the parsons Mr. Trevor, all the effect that it has had are driven. The story about the room at on me, has been to cause me to publish the inn at Battle having been refused a new edition of The Register of Decem→ ́me, is a sheer falsehood. I never ap-ber 11, and it will be, further, to cause plied for it, or for any other place there; me to republish it in a cheaper form. the place I had was prepared with- Strange, that I should think of exciting out my previous knowledge. In fact, the poor to revolt by making (as I have Sir, the whole story is an invention [done), just at this time, the price of my from the beginning to the end; and I | Register a shilling instead of sevendespise the authors of it from the bottom pence! Why, The Register now costs of my heart; but yet I will, in some nearly as much per week as Mr. Benett's

evidence allowed per week for a la- small tithes arising upon the several bouring man's subsistence !

I am, Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

Dec. 24, 1830.

occupations of Messrs. Samuel Barnes, Gibbs Murrell, R. G. Rudd, John Gent, Robert High, John Newman, sen., John Newman, jun., James Smith, and Thomas Middleton. I was sorry, for the sake of the poor, that some of you met at the Ferry-house in an unlawful manner, and there did hinder the pay

WM. COBBETT. P. S. It is now 29th Dec., and I see, by the papers, that this poor orphan is "left for execution!" And was the pretended confession then believed to be true? And is he to be hanged that con-ment of my tithes; but I have no doubt fession being believed to be true? Will they hang him, if they believe what is said to have been his confession? And if that confession be a fabrication, is there not a bit of rope to be found for the fabricators? Is there no law for villains like these?

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that you were misled into that dangerous conduct, and made tools of by others to serve their own selfish purposes; for I cannot believe any of the poor in Surlingham are my enemies, to whom, whether in sickness or health, I have always tried to be a friend.

"W. COLLETT,

"Rector and Vicar of Surlingham. "Dec. 11, 1830."

I dare say, that the "poor inhabitants of Surlingham" understood all this very well! I dare say that they saw that such a trick was to be despised; that they asked how the parson never came to make such an offer before; but, would they not ask also, why he did not give them some of the calves, lambs, wool, potatoes, turnips and corn, as well as the milk, eggs, pigs and fruit? In short, they would see, because they must see, that this was a work of spite, and not of charity.

I PERCEIVE that there is a PARSON, at a parish in Norfolk, who has been endeavouring to persuade the labourers that he is their friend, and that the farmers are their enemies. He has circulated, in a hand-bill, the following statement. Others of the par- But it is not this pitiful part of the sons have published hand-bills, calling tithes that I want to see taken away upon you to believe that the tithes are from the parsons and bishops: I want good things for you. But let me desire to see the whole taken away: the tithes, you to read the hand-bill of the Nor-the church lands and all other property folk parson. It is in the following held by the clergy in virtue of their words: "To the Poor Inhabitants of clerical functions and offices. I want Surlingham. I have received from to see it all taken away by Law. It some of the farmers in Surlingham, a was given to them by law; it is held by notice to gather my tithes in kind, or law; and it may be taken away by law; else to agree to take in future just what that which the law has given the law they shall please to offer. I cannot may take away, otherwise we should submit to such an unjust demand, and be living in a strange state of things. therefore I am compelled, in self- Such an important measure is, however, defence, to gather my tithe from this not to be adopted without regard to the time; and I hereby make it known to justice and necessity of it. Such a you, that on and after Monday, the measure would take property from a 20th of December, it is my intention great number of persons; it would to distribute as a gift, amongst the poor make many low who are now high; and deserving families, all the eggs, it would compel to labour for their milk, pigs, poultry and fruit, which bread many who now do nothing and yet shall in future belong to me as the live in luxury; it would compel many,

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