Elliott introduces the People’s Charter to Sheffield

 

 

                        The Corn Law Rhymer played a very important role in the early days of the Chartists. At the great radical meeting in Westminster Palace Yard on September 17^th 1838, Elliott was actually on the platform and made a speech. This was praised in glowing phrases by the Sheffield Iris newspaper:-
 

                                    “We have seldom read a composition of more beautiful and impassioned eloquence, breathing throughout a spirit of genuine frank philanthropy, and couched in language worthy of the head as the sentiments are of the heart, of the excellent author.”

 

                        The editor of The Iris was obviously well disposed to the poet. The comments from his newspaper contrast with remarks made by the Sheffield Mercury as we shall see shortly.

 

                        After the London meeting, the Charter was introduced to the general populace at rallies all over the country. This article looks at the one in Sheffield, but first looks briefly at the Manchester meeting in order to give a context to the Sheffield rally.

 

                        Of the Lancashire meeting, James Russell Lowell, an American poet, critic & anti-slavery campaigner, wrote to his friend, G. B. Loring:-
 

                                    “By the very last accounts from England, immense meetings have been held in all parts of England to petition Parliament for an equal representation. At Manchester, Ebenezer Elliott, of whom you must have heard, a man of true genius, “the poor man’s poet,” was chairman of a meeting where three hundred thousand were said to be present!”

 

                        A significant point drawn from this statement is that Elliott appeared to be as well known in the States as in England.

 

                  The meeting mentioned by Lowell took place at Kersal Moor, Manchester, on Monday September 25^th 1838, the day before Sheffield’s. The Manchester rally was actually chaired by John Fielden, MP, and not by Ebenezer Elliott who did not attend – though representatives from Sheffield were present, since we know Sheffield’s own rally was delayed by the delegates’ late return from Manchester.

 

                        Manchester’s event was a huge success with an attendance of 300,000, although the local press estimated 250,000. One paper even guessed at 50,000! Processions started at 9am from Oldham & Ashton as well as Manchester taking three hours to reach Kersal Moor. The long procession was an impressive sight with 60 bands playing & with around 300 banners proclaiming among other things: “Every man has a right to one vote,” “Universal suffrage, short parliaments,” and chillingly “Remember the foul deeds of Peterloo.”

 

 

The Chartist Meeting in Sheffield on Sept 26^th 1838

 

 

                    After the Master Cutler refused to call a meeting for the Chartists, notices were posted all over Sheffield (and Rotherham, too) announcing a radical demonstration on Tuesday September 26^th. [Click here to see the notice] The assembly point would be Barker’s Pool; from here the demonstrators would march to Regent Street on the road towards Glossop & here they would await the arrival of delegates from Birmingham & Manchester. The procession would then troop along West St & Church St to Roscoe Field, a large field near St Philips Church at Shalesmoor. Here the assembled throng would hear about the Charter proposals. The Iris newspaper pleaded for calm & made the following points to the demonstrators:-

 

                                    “It is scarcely necessary for us to remind them that a very powerful argument in favour of their cause, will be the order and unanimity with which the proceedings are conducted; and if any of their enemies should endeavour to throw the torch of discord among them, let it be hurled with tenfold vengeance on the heads of its projectors by treating their puny efforts with marked contempt. Let good order, unanimity, peace, concord, and harmony characterize the whole of the important proceedings of the day.”

 

                        Dr John Bowring, the celebrated writer, critic & MP, happened to be in Sheffield at the time & gladly accepted an invitation to appear at the rally. He even wrote back praising “such union and firmness in the working classes in seeking their right.” Although the doctor had met Elliott & was instrumental in the discovery of the “Corn Law Rhymes,” he let the poet down, changing his mind about speaking to the meeting at the last minute. No reason for this emerged. Conspiracy enthusiasts might well fear that the doctor was nobbled!

 

                        There was a disappointing turn out at 11am in Barker’s Pool for the start of the rally. It had rained all Monday night with heavy rain earlier on Tuesday morning. Only 700 people were present at the most: in fact the attendance quoted in some reports was as low as 300. The Sheffield Mercury newspaper commented:-

 

                                    “The day was dull and inauspicious, and the entire proceedings were of similar character … but whether the people were indifferent to ‘The Charter’ held out, or disgusted with the aspirants for notoriety, or convinced of the charlatism of those who lay claim to such an excess of patriotism, we know not.”

 

                        In contrast to the Manchester affair, Sheffield’s procession had merely two bands & two banners (the Sheffield Working Men’s Association & the Sheffield Political Union provided the banners). On route, more people joined in the march, and two more flags appeared. The Sheffield Mercury again mocked the demonstration drawing attention to: “an air of burlesque over the whole affair” and added sourly: “no man who has not previously made himself ridiculous would have any thing to do with the Demonstration.”

 

                        In estimating the attendances at meetings, there were always huge differences. This was true of Manchester, of the Palace Yard meeting in London and was most certainly true of Sheffield. Obviously, organisers were prone to overestimate their success, while critics preferred downsizing! The Roscoe Field attendance in Sheffield was claimed by the platform to be 40,000; The Iris newspaper reckoned on 20,000, various folk guessed at from 10,000 to 12,000; The Mercury figured 5,000, while the careful calculation of the Sheffield & Rotherham Independent newspaper indicated a maximum of 4,000.

 

                        “The mad poet” (as Elliott sometimes called himself) was nominated to be chair of the meeting, but before the speeches commenced, there was even a little drama: the platform collapsed! The expectant crowd was greatly stirred, as you might expect, but fortunately none of the worthy speakers were injured.

  

                        As chair of the meeting, Elliott made the first speech beginning with a reminder that the assembled throng should behave in a peaceful manner. To help set the tone of the meeting, the multitude sang some verses specially written for the occasion by the venerable bard. The first line was “God of the Poor! shall labour eat” (the full poem appears at the end of the book) and the Lord was called upon continually to support their cause. In addition, the verses were sung to the tune of the 100^th Psalm. The Mercury newspaper railed against this saying: “Surely the good man must have taken leave of his senses?” However, it was a shrewd tactic to quell boisterous elements in the crowd with a solemn & fervent start to the meeting.

 

                        The major part of Elliott’s speech dealt with the Westminster Palace Yard meeting which had taken place nine days earlier. Travelling to London, sharing a platform with national figures & speaking to a large crowd was a major event in the poet’s life, so it was hardly surprising that he wanted to talk about this impressive occasion, both to bring news of it to his fellow Sheffielders & to set the record straight. The meeting in London was a very big event, he said, one of the largest ever to have happened there. The London Times had stated that the crowd was fewer than 5,000, but the poet insisted that at least 20,000 were present. He then attacked the editor of the paper for misrepresenting what he (Elliott) had said in his speech & he also criticised the London Morning Herald for its hostile attitude to the Chartists:-

 

                                    “They wished the supporters of the Morning Herald to know that they did not want the franchise as a toy to play with, or as a show to be mocked with; but as a tool to work with for useful purposes. They thought there were nobler objects for the contemplation of Englishmen than workhouses to die in, after a life of toil. The people wished to have good houses of their own, and the steady means of earning enough and to spare, so as to do without workhouses, except for the gentlemen who support the Morning Herald.”

 

                        After dealing with the London meeting, Elliott went on to complain about the lack of support from “the respectables” of Sheffield who had failed to turn up. They cared for the plight of the poor in India & of African slaves, but failed to see the suffering of poor working people at home in Sheffield. They laughed at his efforts, yet what had they ever done? They had benefited by commerce without contributing anything to its progress and their policies had cost the country millions! The Chartists had to stop the aristocracy from making bad laws & needed to get the power of making laws themselves. If they failed, trade would slump, wages would fall & the price of bread would soar.

 

                        The Corn Law Rhymer ended his speech suddenly. He realised he had spoken for too long & needed to move the meeting along. During the course of the afternoon, Elliott as chair presented three resolutions which were spoken to by Mr Salt & Mr Pierce, both of Birmingham, Mr Richardson of Manchester and by several “of our local smallfry agitators” as The Mercury called them. These included William Gill, Michael Beal & Isaac Ironside – the latter known as “Sheffield’s leading Socialist.” He was also a very great friend of Elliott. Another speaker was Mr Willoughby Wood of Campsall near Doncaster. The Mercury made a peevish remark about Wood declaring that he was a fellow “whose friends must all be dead, or they would surely keep him out of such company; but the whole affair was a sorry demonstration of stupidity, weakness, and rancour.”

 

                        Benjamin Elliott, son of the poet, made a speech at the meeting, as well. “And though the working classes were told that they were too ignorant for the franchise,” he was “an honest, independent, self-supported man” (he worked in his father’s iron & steel business), why didn’t he have the franchise? He, one of the “horny-handed artisans,” one of the “great unwashed,” one of the “swinish multitude,” saw nothing great about their so-called betters who made the laws. He deserved the franchise just as much as they did. When he urged the crowd to forget about using physical force, there was a sudden commotion, & his father had to step in to calm things down; this was something the chair had to do several times during the meeting.

 

                        Three resolutions were put to the meeting and were carried unanimously. The resolutions were as follows:-

 

1/    That the sources of national prosperity are failing – that our legislators, in consequence of their selfishness, their ignorance, and their covert bankruptcies, are unwilling – and, our electors, in consequence of their small numbers and dependent conditions, are unable to help us; therefore it is necessary, that the universal people obtain the power of voting in the elections of members to serve in parliament.

2/     That the ‘People’s Charter,’ containing the principles of Universal Suffrage, Vote by Ballot, Annual Parliaments, no property qualification, equal representation, and paid Members, is a practical measure calculated to secure honest representation; it is therefore solemnly adopted by this meeting.

3/      That the ‘National Petition,’ now read, embodying the principles of the ‘People’s Charter,’ be adopted by this meeting.

  

                        By the end of the afternoon, the crowd was much reduced (it had been a long meeting after all). Elliott called for three cheers for the men from Birmingham & Manchester, while a vote of thanks was also given to the chair for his good work. The meeting broke up quietly.

 

                        In the evening, around 200 people attended a soirée held in the Bath Saloon, and a very pleasant time was had with many speeches of congratulation. In the chair, yet again, was the Corn Law Rhymer.

 

                        Newspaper verdicts on the Sheffield meeting were far from favourable. The Roscoe Field rally “was a wretched exhibition of conceit, ignorance, and bad feeling” according to The Mercury. The Independent commented: “A part of the assembly was composed of idle youths, and persons who had been attracted to the place by mere curiosity, without having the slightest interest in the proceedings.” The reporters pointed out, too, that as the speeches had rambled along, the crowd had grown restless, and sections of it had taken to jostling each other resulting in a few fights. While we have learned to be distrustful of media reports, Ebenezer Elliott himself did not make too much about the meeting; which is perhaps significant.

 

                        The Sheffield rally was certainly a low key event in comparison with the tumultuous Manchester demonstration of working people’s support for the Charter. The reason for Sheffield’s lukewarm reaction was probably owing to a number of factors. Possibly, preparation for the meeting was inadequate or hasty given that the prime mover had been away for the London meeting. It is likely, too, that Elliott’s enthusiasm for the Chartist cause made him misjudge its appeal for his fellow citizens. A more impressive group of speakers would have drawn a better attendance. As it was, “the mad poet” was the star attraction – this would have deterred the “respectables” of Sheffield since many of them saw Elliott as a reckless firebrand.

 

                        In 1839 Elliott left the Chartist Movement. He was disappointed by the lack of interest in Sheffield for the Charter and, as a moderate, he disliked the new leaders with their militant approach. The poet’s iron & steel business needed his attention since it was doing very badly, his health was not very good, & his doctor told him it was vital to lead a quiet life. So with the franchise & the Corn Laws still big issues, Elliott withdrew from public life in order to sort out his own problems & to think about retiring.

This article is taken from the book called PEOPLE, POEMS AND POLITICS OF EBENEZER ELLIOTT, CORN LAW RHYMER by KEITH MORRIS. A privately printed, limited edition published in 2005.

To return to Ebenezer Research Foundry, please strike the anvil