The Tolpuddle Martyrs PAMPHLET SUPPLEMENT
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I rPHIS WEEK will see ihc publica of masking his lack of victory in ing politician's capacity for survival. As long us we place power and in messy deals with China, probably tion of Harold Wilson’s memoirs. Vietnam. There is no regard by Unfortunately for him, or fortunately confidence in die hands of tfic.sc ai ihc expense of Russia. That I ho Last week saw the publication of either politician for principles of for us, he lacked i fie .qualities—for power-seekers, so long shall we be Common Market is a political Lord Butler’s memoirs entitled The social justice or peace. It is just finding the right backside at the victims of their tortuous confidence gamble of a decayed imperialism Art of the Possible. He is referring convenient and possible to pul over right time?—to mak$.|J -successful tricks. and a desperate capitalism is no of course to •politics’. It is untrue the ideas and gain political advan politician or even a fa .Statesman, The Pentagon papers revealed dial reason for so-called ‘Socialists' to that Harold Wilson’s memoirs will tage. However, he did pari tc in the the Vietnam war was a carvc-up. swivel about on it. They should be called the ‘Possibility of Artful Harold Wilson was quite solid on vulture's feast at Muo (he still That il was bungled, loo. is Nixon’s have been against it from the start. ness’, but it will be recalled that a the idea of the Common Market defends appeasement^ the only cue lo pull out—not lo get involved J ack R o b in s o n . saddened politician said one day. when he was in power. Has the tiling ‘possible') and h around ‘I’ve a shrewd suspicion I’ve been Market changed, then, from being to bless Sue;*. crawling up the wrong backsides all a capitalist-technologist super-power We cannot blame lUcians for these years.* Last week saw two idea? Not a bit. All that has hap trying to survive an irking out exhibitions of arschole crawling un pened is that Harold is no longer in all the possibilities, lean only paralleled in the history of spele command—not even completely in blame ourselves for ig for it. ology. Mr. Harold Wilson retreated command of the Labour Party. To seek for ideals in lies is like from his stand on the Common Richard Nixon was a devoted looking for a Mack (which isn't Market and Mr. Richard Nixon member of the anti-China lobby there) "in a darkened (ex Red-baiter alongside McCarthy) both when in and out of office. Has The only comfort in extract decided to visit ’Red’ China. Mao’s China ceased to be a Com from these mnnocuv that they Politics arc indeed the art of the munist police-state? Not a bit. All do know what we wan do look possible. Mr. Wilson saw the possi that has happened is that ‘Tricky from time to time a$ '.they were bility of dishing the Conservatives— Dicky’ has found a new trick—and satisfying us. ’Hvpoc ‘is Ihc trib- and incidentally silencing his party the elections arc looming up. utc that vice pays t firtuc.’ said rivals; and Mr. Nixon saw a wav Lord Butler, loo. has this astonish Aldous Huxlcv. The Tolpuddle Martyrs SIX MEN OF DO TPVERY YEAR, the National Union field's house into a room upstairs. 1 Loveless and his five companions walked of Agricultural and Allied Workers saw James Loveless and George Loveless with the constable seven miles into Dor hold a demonstration, in the sill age go along the passage. One of the men chester, where they were immediately of Tolpuddlc. to honour the memory asked if we were ready. We said. yes. arrested, and put into prison. All their of ‘the six men of Dorset’ or the Tolpuddlc One of them said. "Then bind your eyes”, clothes were removed, and their heads Martyrs as they arc generally called. and we took out handkerchiefs and bound shorn. The attorney who was supposed • • • over our eyes. They then led us into an to defend them, inquired if they would During the summer of 1833. agricul other room on the same floor. Someone promise the magistrate that they would tural labourers’ wages in Tolpuddlc had then read a paper, but 1 don’t know what have no more to do with the union, that been reduced to seven shillings a week, the meaning of it was. After that we were they would give him all the information and shortly after the farmers told their asked to kneel down, which we did. they had about the union and stale who employees that they would have to lower Then there was some more reading. else belonged to it They s-rid that they them to six shillings. The workers were It seemed to be out of some part of the would rather undergo. punishment than half-starved. 'The labouring men.' wrote Diblc. Then we got up and look our betray their companions. George Loveless, their spokesman, in bandages off our eyes. Someone read The six were then sent to the ’high’ 1837, ’consulted together what had to be again, but I don't know what it was. and jail. The chaplain visited them. George done, and they knew it was impossible then we were told to kiss the book, Loveless, commenting on his visit, re to live honestly on such scanty means. I which looked like a little Bible. They marked; . after upbraiding and taunt had seen at different times accounts of told us the rules, that we should pay Is. ing us with being discontented and idle, Menaced again! This cartoon wits first published in ‘Freedom* Trade Societies; 1 told them of this, and then, and Id. a week afterwards, to sup and wishing to rain our masters, he they willingly consented to form a port the men when they were standing proceeded to tell us that we were better regarding Wilson's ‘In Place of Strife*. Friendly Society among labourers, having out from their work. They said we were off than our masters, and that the govern sufficiently Icamt that it would be vain all brothers; that when we were to stop ment had made use of c\cry possible ‘unlawful oalhs’. lion, the Rt. Hon. Harold Wilson, MP. to seek redress oithcr of employers, for wages we should not tell our masters means to make all comfortable.* They Two days later, they were brought to But in spile of Mr. Wilson’s appearance magistrates or parsons. Shortly after, ourselves, but that our masters would were hastily tried. the bar of the Court to receive sentence. at the demonstration, we should remem two delegate* from a Trade Society paid have a note or letter sent to them.* ♦ • ♦ Tho Judge told them that they were to ber what those humble agricultural us a visit, formed a Friendly Society Nothing occurred from that time until The cruel, ambitious, newly-appointed bo sentenced not for anything they had workers of Dorset hoped to achieve, among labourers, and gave us directions February 21, 1834. But Lord Melbourne, Judge, John Williams, ordered them on done, or intended to do. but as an and whnt the State did to them. Wo how to proceed.’ This was about the the Home Secretary in the Whig Govern March 18. to be tried for mutiny and example to others. He considered it his should also keep in mind what the end of October. 1833. The ‘Trade Society' ment, chose to make an example of the conspiracy under an Act passed in 1797 duty to sentence all of them to seven previous (Labour) Government intended mentioned by Loveless, was Robert six labourers of Tolpuddle and their for the suppression of the Norc mutiny years’ transportation to Botany Bay in to do. what the present (Tory) Govern Owen’s rather ambitious Grand National little ’Society'. Placards were posted up amongst mariners and seamen. But Love Australia. ment Is doing and what atl governments, Consolidated Trades Union. in the village by the local magistrates, less and his five companions had not On April 21, tho Grand Consolidated whatever their so-called labels or names, The Tolpuddlc workers did not actually slating that should any man join a union gone on strike, or even planned or ad Trades Union organised a giant demon would like to do to active, militant, become part of the Grand National; they he would be punished by transportation vocated a strike. In the words of George stration of between 50.000 and 100,000 workers and trade unionists in modern formed a Lodge of their own Society or for seven years. And on February 24. Loveless: The Grand Jury appeared to workers in Copenhagen Fields, near Britain. union. John Lock, one of the labourers, the constable of the parish approached ransack heaven and earth to get a clue Kings Cross in London. They then pro P e t e r N e w e l l . recounts his initiation into the Society George Loveless and said: ‘1 have a gainst us. but in vain. .* In the end, ceeded to Westminster to petition the thus: *Wc all went into Thomas Stan warrant for you. from the magistrates.’ they were convicted of administering King. Agitation on behalf of the Dor- chester workers was not at first success ful. Indeed, the Grand Consolidated began to break up owing lo its inability berately refrained. Next year, after to provido adequate support of sections PAMPHLET thinking the matter over I have decided of its membership who went on strike.