1st Edition

Chartist Movement in its Social and Economic Aspects

By Frank F. Rosenblatt Copyright 1916
    256 Pages
    by Routledge

    256 Pages
    by Routledge

    Professor Rosenblatt’s The Chartist Movement was the first serious study of Chartism, using the techniques of modern scholarship, to appear in English. The book comprises a detailed account of the history of the movement, dealing mainly with the period from 1837 until the Chartist riots at Newport, South Wales, in November 1839.

    As well as describing the political, industrial and social conditions that gave birth to the Chartist movement, this work contains extremely useful statistical tables of the 543 persons who were convicted for offences committed in the furtherance of Chartism between January 1839 and June 1840.

    "This is a particularly satisfactory piece of work as regards sketches of the leaders of the movement and of the spirit in which they preached the gospel of revolt."

                                                        - American Historical Review, 1916.

    Preface … 7–9

    CHAPTER I

    Prototypes of Chartism

    Chartism and the "six points"… 21

    Distinct labor movement… 21

    Expression of class consciousness… 21

    The Levellers and Cromwell… 22

    Society of the Supporters of the Bill of Rights… 22

    Pitt, the Earl of Chatham… 22

    Reform bills introduced by William Pitt… 22

    Stanhope and Major Cartwright… 23

    The Whigs and aristocratic clubs… 23

    Reform bills introduced by the Duke of Richmond and Fox… 23–4

    Society for Constitutional Information… 24

    Government coalition in 1783… 24

    Metamorphosis caused by the French Revolution… 24

    The Duke of Richmond’s letter on equality… 25

    Burke’s Reflections on the French Revolution… 25

    Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man… 26

    The London Corresponding Society… 26

    Government policy of oppression… 27

    Suspension of Habeas Corpus act… 27

    Radicalism revived after the Napoleonic war… 27

    The Corn Laws of 1815… 27

    William Cobbett and the Hampden Clubs… 28–30

    Society of Spencean Philanthropists… 31

    Riots and new suspension of Habeas Corpus act… 31

    Benefit Societies and Botanical Meetings… 32

    The Manchester Massacre… 32

    The struggle for freedom… 33

    The Reform Bill and the National Political Union… 33

    CHAPTER II

    The Whig Rule

    Hopes inspired by the Reform Bill of 1832… 34

    Ricardo’s theory of rent… 34

    Burden of taxes… 34–5

    Selfish motives of manufacturers… 34

    Reform Bill condemned by "Orator" Hunt and others… 35

    Lord John Russell, the hero of the Reform Bill… 36

    Thomas Attwood and the Birmingham Political Union… 36–7

    Political corruption and inactivity… 37–9

    Notorious Bedchamber Plot… 40

    Old Poor Laws… 40

    Competition between workingmen and paupers… 41–2

    New Poor Law of 1834… 41–2

    The "workhouse test"… 42

    Poor Law Bastiles… 42

    Opposition to the New Poor Law… 43–5

    Bill passed under protest… 45

    Stringency of administration… 45–6

    CHAPTER III.

    The New Poor Law

    Philosophy of the new law… 47

    Negligence of children on the part of officers… 48 Cruelties perpetrated in workhouses… 49

    Lord Brougham’s frankness… 50

    Cobbett’s opinion of the new law… 50

    Bronterre’s tribute to the "Money-monsters"… 50–1

    Feargus O’Connor on excessive use of machinery… 51

    Brougham’s hatred of charity … 52–3

    "Stepping stone" to total abolition of relief… 53

    Carlyle’s comments… 54-5

    Effects disguised for some time… 55

    The Irish famine… 55

    Distress in the Highlands and Islands… 55

    Emigration to industrial centres… 56

    Dwelling conditions in cities… 57–8

    CHAPTER IV

    The Universal Distress

    General unemployment… 59–60

    Weavers first victims… 60

    Birmingham deputation… 61

    Laissez faire policy… 61

    Condition in agricultural districts… 61–2

    "Not the time" plea against repeal of Corn Laws… 63

    Rise of prices of wheat… 63

    Distress among the workingmen… 64

    Scourge of industrial cities… 65

    Variation of mortality… 65

    Progress of crime… 66–7

    Proportion of commitments to population… 67

    Persons in receipt of outdoor relief… 68

    Workhouse inmates… 68

    Petitions for repeal disregarded… 69

    CHAPTER V

    Labor Legislation and Trade Unionism

    Whigs hostile towards labor legislation… 70

    Campaign against evils of factory system led by ultra-Tories… 70–1

    Freedom of contract and laissez faire doctrine… 71

    Ten Hour Movement … 71

    Nassau Senior’s "last hour" argument… 72

    Government reports… 72

    Ashley and his followers … 73

    Employment of women and children . . . 73–4

    Attempts at trade unionism in the beginning of factory system… 75

    The Six Acts of 1819… 75

    Francis Place and his victory… 76–7

    New stratagem of labor leaders… 77

    Influence of Ricardian socialists… 77

    Owenism and Trade Unionism… 78

    The manufacturers and the Government… 79

    Nassau Senior’s view on combinations and strikes… 79

    Grand National Consolidated Trades’ Union crushed… 80

    New fight for freedom… 81

    Apotheosis of political power … 81

    Bronterre’s call for a grand national movement… 82

    CHAPTER VI

    The People’s Charter

    The London Working Men’s Association and its objects… 84–5

    Exclusiveness of the Association… 86

    Source of social evil… 87

    "The Rotten House of Commons"… 88–9

    Missionaries on tour… 89

    The "Six Points"… 90

    Crown and Anchor meeting… 90

    Roebuck and other radical members of Parliament… 90-1

    Committee of twelve… 91

    Prorogation of Parliament… 91

    Birmingham Political Union enters campaign… 92

    Correspondence between William Lovett and Lord John Russell… 92

    Address to Queen Victoria… 93

    Address to American workingmen… 94

    Preparation of bill by Lovett and Roebuck… 95

    Publication of "People’s Charter"… 95

    Address on principles of Charter… 95–7

    CHAPTER VII

    The Leaders

    Most auspicious period… 98

    Two parties in Chartist ranks… 98

    Policy of moral force… 99

    Advocates of physical force welcomed… 100

    Class legislation condemned… 100

    Discord suppressed for a time… 101

    William Lovett and his early career… 102

    First London Cooperative Trading Association… 102

    Follower of Robert Owen… 103

    Metropolitan Political Union… 103

    National Union of the working classes… 103–4

    Founder of London Working Men’s Association… 104

    Personal characteristics… 104–5

    Feargus O’Connor’s early career… 105

    Quarrel with Daniel O’Connell… 106

    Personal characteristics… 107–8

    Opposed to Communism… 109

    Machinery the source of all evil… 110

    Inclined towards revolutionary policy… 110

    Founder of London Democratic Association… 110–111

    Repudiated terrorists… 111

    Bronterre’s early career… 112

    His account of himself… 112–13

    Literary activities … 113

    Admirer of Robespierre and Babeuf… 113

    Personal characteristics… 114

    Appointed borough magistrate… 137

    Poor Law Guardian… 137

    Member of Newport Workingmen’s Association… 137

    Chartist leader… 137

    His relations with people… 137

    CHAPTER IX

    The People

    State of ominous excitement… 138

    Underground societies… 138

    "Foreign Affairs Committee" at Birmingham… 138

    Demonstration at Glasgow… 139

    Thomas Attwood… 139

    Suggestion of a "sacred strike"… 139

    Provincial Scotch merchants and manufacturers… 139

    Newcastle manifestation… 140

    Defiant speeches… 140

    Feargus O’Connor… 14

    Reference to Brougham… 141

    Appearance of troops causes indignation… 141

    Meetings at Sunderland and Northampton … 142

    Addresses by Vincent and others Birmingham demonstration… 142

    O’Connor and Attwood… 142

    Physical force notions introduced… 142

    Resolutions for National Petition and General Convention… 143

    Anxiety among leaders of the London Working Men’s Association… 143

    Palace Yard demonstration in London… 143

    Allusions to physical forcce… 144

    Birmingham call endorsed… 145

    Address of the London Working Men’s Association to the Irish people… 145

    Manchester demonstration… 146

    Threats of vengeance… 146

    O’Connor, Stephens and Fielden… 146–7

    Peep Green demonstration… 147

    Henry Vincent in the West… 147

    His supremacy in Welsh territory… 147

    Torch-light processions… 148

    O’Connor, Stephens and Harney chief speakers… 148

    People making arms… 149

    Stephens at the Hyde meeting… 149

    Lord John Russell’s letter declaring torch-light meetings illegal… 149

    His address at Liverpool… 149

    Royal proclamation trampled under foot… 150

    Chasm between workingmen and middle class… 150

    Vincent and female organizations… 150

    People invoked to prepare arms… 151

    Military instructions… 151

    "Science of killing" extolled… 151

    Agitation among soldiers… 152

    CHAPTER X

    The Petition, The Convention and the Government

    Proposals emanated from the moral force group… 153

    Equal representation omitted… 153

    Petition lacking in vigor of expression and definiteness… 153

    Influence of Thomas Attwood… 153

    Generous response of men and women… 154

    Opening of Convention 154 Objects of Convention 154–5

    Presentation of National Petition postponed… 155

    Variety of problems discussed… 156

    Addresses on the general distress distributed broadcast… 156

    First collision between opposing factions… 156

    Lovett elected secretary… 156

    Missionaries of the Convention… 157

    The London Democratic Association and Harney… 157

    Resolutions submitted to Convention… 157

    "Crown and Anchor" meeting cause of hostile criticism… 158

    Resignation of three Birmingham delegates… 158–9

    The "million of men" idea… 160

    Vincent’s exhortations to be prepared… 160

    Resolution of Convention on the right to use arms… 161

    Government spies Lord Russell and John Frost… 162

    Frost’s defiant letter… 162–4

    Open hostility between the Government and the Chartists… 164

    Frost’s name struck from the roll of magistrates… 165

    Indictment of Stephens… 165

    Convention declared an illegal body… 165

    Arrest of Vincent… 165

    National Petition and Attwood Convention adjourned to Birmingham… 166

    Lord Russell’s letter to magistrates… 166

    The Manifesto of the Convention… 166–8

    Simultaneous meetings and "ulterior measures"… 168–9

    Advocacy of terror and insurrection… 170

    London police in Birmingham… 171

    Recommendations of the Convention to the simultaneous meetings… 172

    Success of the simultaneous meetings… 172

    Reasons for the removal of the Convention to London… 173

    Resolutions on the sacred month and other measures adopted… 173–4

    CHAPTER XI

    The Wrestling Forces

    The Bull Ring attack in Birmingham… 175

    The spirit of vengeance and terror… 176

    The resolutions of the General Convention… 177

    The arrest of Lovett and Collins… 177

    Prisoners subjected to indignities… 178

    Proclamation of martial law and wholesale arrests… 178

    The daily meetings at Holloway Head and other places… 178

    The Bull Ring riot… 178

    Public meetings and resolutions… 179

    The National Petition in Parliament… 179

    Attwood’s speech… 180

    Lord Russell’s reply… 180–2

    Disraeli’s interpretation of the Chartist movement… 182

    The division on Attwood’s motion… 183

    The effect of the defeat on the Convention… 183

    The sacred month resolution passed and rescinded… 183

    Bronterre’s resolution on the sacred month … 184

    The recommendation of the committee of five… 185

    The national holiday a complete failure… 186

    The dissolution of the Convention… 186

    Arrests and trials for sedition… 186

    The theory of the Attorney-General… 186

    The trial of Lovett and Collins… 186

    The resolution of the Birmingham Town Council… 186

    The jury 187 Sergeant Goulburn’s "opportunity" 187

    Lovett’s address to the jury… 187

    Comments of the Morning Chronicle on the defence… 188

    Conviction of Lovett and Collins… 188

    Convictions of Stephens and other Chartists… 189

    Public meetings and demonstrations… 189

    Lovett and Collins subjected to rigorous discipline … 189

    Petitions in their favor… 189

    Henry Vincent and his imprisonment… 190

    The jury… 190

    Remonstrances and protests by Welsh Chartists… 190

    The Newport Riot… 190

    CHAPTER XII

    The Newport Riot

    The role of Frost… 191

    The plot to release Vincent by force… 191

    The plan of a rising in Yorkshire and Lancashire… 191

    O’Connor’s late warning… 192

    Frost’s last public letter… 192–4

    The plan of the Welsh Chartists Frost, Williams and Jones the chief commanders… 195–6

    Steps taken by the mayor… 197

    The progress of the rebels impeded by bad weather… 197

    The fight at the Westgate Hotel… 197–8

    George Shell’s letter to his parents… 199

    The arrests of the rebel leaders… 199

    The mayor and constables rewarded… 200

    The Chartist Convention in London and the defence committees… 200

    The Special Commission… 200

    The trials of Frost, Williams, Jones and others… 201

    The sentence 201 The decision of the Court of Exchequer… 202

    The anguish of the Attorney General… 203

    Death sentence commuted to transportation for life… 204

    Decoration of the graves of the Westgate victims… 204

    Imprisonment of Bronterre, O’Connor, and others… 205

    The distribution of Chartist prisoners… 205–6

    The government victory 206

    The new recruits… 207

    Appendix A

    Petition agreed to at the "Crown and Anchor" meeting, February 28, 1837… 208

    Appendix B

    The People’s Charter… 213

    Appendix C

    The National Petition… 234

    Appendix D

    Dialogue on war, between a moral force Whig and a Chartist, by Bronterre… 239

    Index… 245

    Biography

    Frank F. Rosenblatt