LIFE AND CHARACTER OF HENRY HETHERINGTON. thinking Christians'-a body of religionists at one time much talked of in London, and numbering among its professors several names of considerable talent. It was in relation to this society that Hetherington produced the pamphlet, which, so far as I know, was his first essay in print. Its date is 1828: just twenty-one years ago; and it is entitled 'Principles and Practice contrasted; or a Peep into "the only true church of God upon earth," commonly called Freethinking Christians.' He was one of the earliest and most energetic of working men engaged in the foundation of the Mechanics' Institute. His intelligence and zeal procured him the friendship of the excellent Birkbeck. The doctor frequently called upon Henry Hetherington at his shop in the Strand, even in his sorest times of persecution. The pamphlet mentioned as published in 1828, was issued from his shop at 13, Kingsgate Street, Holborn. Here, also, he commenced his warfare against the false Whigs, by issuing the first number of the Poor Man's Guardian. This was in 1831. At the close of 1830, he was appointed by the radical working men of London, to draw up a circular for the formation of Trades' Unions. That document was sanctioned by a meeting of delegates, and formed the basis of the National Union of the Working Classes'-which eventually led to Chartism. William Carpenter, another distinguished name in the history of working men's politics, had issued his Political Letter' in 1830, and been prosecuted for it; and now government pounced upon Henry Hetherington. Three convictions were obtained against him for publishing the Poor Man's Guardian. He was ordered to be taken into custody, but the Bow Street magistrates could not enforce their order for some time. Henry Hetherington, with all that deliciously provoking coolness for which he was characterised, actually sent a note to the magistrates to tell them that he was going out of town!' Then, he printed the note in his Guardian, and commenced a tour through the country. At Manchester, he narrowly escaped being taken by Stevens, the Bow Street 'runner;' but he might have continued at large for some time longer, had he not resolved to hasten up to London, in order to have a last look at his dying mother. He reached the door of his house, on a night in September-knocked hard, but was not answered-the Bow Street spies came upon him before his second knock had been heard— he clung to the knocker, but was dragged away; and none of his family knew till he was lodged in Clerkenwell gaol. Here he remained six months. The Guardian, however, was still carried on. At the end of 1832, when he had not been many months at liberty, he was again convicted, and again imprisoned for six months in the same gaol; and now it was that his friend Watson became his fellow-prisoner also for the same 'high crime and misdemeanour' of selling, in 'Free' England, a penny paper without a taxed stamp! Their treatment during these six months was most cruel. An opening, called 'a window,' but which was without a pane of glass, let in the snow upon their food, as they ate it; cold and damp filled their bodies with pain; and the 'Liberal' Government seemed intent on trying by these means whether they could not break their spirits. John Cleave and his wife were seized, as they were proceeding to Purkiss's, the news-agent in Compton Street, in a cab, with their papers. LIFE AND CHARACTER OF HENRY HETHERINGTON. Heywood of Manchester, Guest of Birmingham, Hobson and Mrs. Mann of Leeds-with about 500 others in town and country, were imprisoned as vendors of the Unstamped.' The spirit displayed by the vendors is worthy of remembrance. They carried the Unstamped' in their hats, in their pockets: they left them in sure places to be called for;' and when, for a few weeks, government actually empowered officers to seize parcels, open them in the streets, and take out any unstamped publications -Henry Hetherington (while at large) made up dummy' parcels, directed them, sent off a lad with them one way, with instructions to make a noise, attract a crowd, and delay the officers, if they seized him meanwhile, the real parcel for the country agent was sent off another way! After the verdict of the 'Justifiable Homicide' upon the policeman slain at the Calthorpe Street meeting, a letter appeared in the Poor Man's Guardian-signed Palafox junior, but really written by Julian Hibbert-containing something more than inuendo, in an advice to the people attending such meetings in future to take bread and cheese with them, and a good long, sharp-pointed, and strong-backed knife with which to cut it. In 1833 Hetherington removed from 13, Kingsgate Street, to his wellknown shop 126, Strand. The Destructive which he issued here, ironically styled the Conservative, was also unstamped. The London Dispatch, which followed, reached at one time 25000 weekly. In 1834 he defended himself on a trial for publishing the Guardian, and obtained an acquittal, but was condemned for the Conservative. Not having grown fond of prison from his experiences of it, he took a snug little box at Pinner, and by going out of his house in the Strand at the back, by an outlet into the Savoy, and by entering it the same way-and in the disguise of a Quaker!-he contrived to enact the real Simon Pure so well, that he evaded the keen eyes which were on the look out for him. But the government revenged themselves by making a seizure for £220, in the name of the Commissioners of Stamps, on the false pretext that he was not a registered printer. They swept his premises. But undaunted, our heroic friend resumed his work-rising out of the midst of ruin. Julian Hibbert, from the moment that he learned Hetherington was in danger of another imprisonment in consequence of the publication of the 'Palafox' letter, set him down in his Will for 450 guineas; nor did he cancel the gift when the proceedings were abandoned. Henry Hetherington then purchased another printing machine-for no printer would undertake his work-and continued to publish the Unstamped, until the government consented to reduce the newspaper stamp to one penny, when he issued (stamped) the Twopenny Dispatch, of which Mr. James Bron terre O'Brien was the talented editor. He incurred some embarrassments by the publication of part of an Encyclopædia, at the suggestion of his friend, Dr. Birkbeck. The OddFellow, another penny periodical, was more successful. The comparatively narrow circumstances of our friend in after years are to be attributed to his tenderness. He could not have the heart to sue his debtors at law, though others sued him. He wrote his Cheap Salvation' in consequence of conversations with LIFE AND CHARACTER OF HENRY HETHERINGTON. the chaplain of Clerkenwell gaol. In 1841, he was tried on a charge of publishing a blasphemous' work-Haslam's Letters to the Clergy of all Denominations and sentenced to four months' imprisonment in the Queen's Bench prison. He represented London and Stockport, in the great Convention of 1839, of which the beloved exile Frost was a member. His latter years were devoted to Socialism and Chartism. In this institution we have all witnessed his rare enthusiasm and fervour, and his clear judgment, so often mingled with the humour that always rendered him a welcome speaker. The quality I marked in him, the very first time I saw him-which was at the second Sturge Conference, at Christmas, 1842-he always displayed when I shared in our common friendship for him, in this institution: the faculty of reconciling misunderstandings and preventing ill-feeling arising from differences. With regret, it must be stated that there is too strong reason to conclude that our friend's decease was hastened by a want of proper care. His strict temperance-for he had been almost an absolute teetotaler, for many years warranted him in believing that he was not very likely to fall a victim to the prevailing epidemic. When he was seized with it, he refused-from what we must call a prejudice-to call in medical relief. Our friend Holyoake prevailed with him to have a physician called, after having himself stayed the cramp he suffered from. It was too late, however, for medicines to relieve his case-although several medical friends were successively brought to his bed-side. His natural frankness and humour were exhibited even in his last hours. 'Why did you not cali for help sooner?' said one medical friend to him. Why, you know,' he replied with a smile, 'I don't like you physic-folks; and besides, I have had Doctor Holyoake attending me; and he has done all that could be done.' Happily the gloomy bigot can forge no tales of death-bed horrors in this instance: he can derive no lessons from it to frighten children. We say this with satisfaction-for although the mind of man may sometimes wander in his last hours, and the true philosopher will not resort to the account of them for the test of a man's opinions,-yet it is well for the sake of others that the death of a Freethinker can be shown by unquestionable testimony to be without the horrors in which the superstitious delight to clothe it. I care not whether all of us agree in every item of our deceased friend's convictions: I, for one, do not. But we are the foes of priestcraft and superstition, and therefore we make common cause in his opposition to those twin-plagues of the human race; and we honour his memory for the courage with which his free thought was proclaimed in life, and fortitude with which the confession of it was signed in death. I add my humble testimony to his many excellences, from our friendship of the last four years; and entreat you to follow his example wherein he was worthy of your imitation-in his earnestness; his readiness to labour at all times and seasons for the common good of man and for the advancement of public liberty; in his perseverance; in his spirit of self-sacrifice; in the fidelity of his friendships; and in his spirit of kindfiness and good-humour. Let each man among us display the courage, perseverance, and unsubduable energy of Henry Hetherington, and England, Europe, the World, will soon be free and happy, and the Universal Brotherhood be speedily realised. LIFE AND CHARACTER OF HENRY HETHERINGTON HIS DEATH. EARLY on Tuesday morning, August 21, I was apprised that Hetherington was ili. Knowing his anti-medicinal views I took medicine with me, and gave him some instantly. I found that he had een suffering a fortnight from premonitory symptoms of cholerine. It is attributable to his temperate habits that he had had so long a warning. After receiving some relief, he wanted to rise and finish the arrangement of his books, as he seemed to think his malady might terminate fatally. His rising I positively forbade, and had by gentle force to prevent it. (On the preceding day he left my daily paper at my door himself.) While this was occuring, his favourite physician, Dr. Richard Quain, was sent for. He was unfortunately out of town. Next, Dr. Epps was summoned, who promptly sent medicine. But as he was unable to come, Dr. Jones was called upon, when, as fatality would have it, he was out. I immediately put on my hat and fetched Mr. Pearse, Surgeon of Argyle Square. The next morning Mr. Kenny took a note from me to Dr. Ashburner, of Grosvenor Street, who generously attended and saw him twice, though at great inconvenience to himself. Mr. George Bird, Surgeon, of Osnaburg Street, Regent's Park, paid friendly visits, and rendered his usual able, and unwearied assistance. Mrs. Martin, whose courageous nursing and intelligent resources might have saved our patient at an earlier period, also attended till a late hour on Wednesday night. Most of this day he was unconscious. On Thursday morning, August 24, 1849, about 4 o'clock, he expired. His age was 57. He left the following document, which speaks for itself. LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT. As life is uncertain, it behoves every one to make preparations for death; I deem it therefore a duty incumbent on me, ere I quit this life, to express in writing, for the satisfaction and guidance of esteemed friends, my feelings and opinions in reference to our common principles. I adopt this course that no mistake or misapprehension may arise through the false reports of those who officiously and obtrusively obtain access to the death-beds of avowed Infidels to priestcraft and superstition; and who, by their annoying importunities, labour to extort 'rom an opponent, whose intellect is already worn out and subdued by protracted physical suffering, some trifling admission, that they may blazon it forth to the world as a Death-bed Confession, and a triumph of Christianity over Infidelity. In the first place, then-I calmly and deliberately declare that I do not believe in the popular notion of the existence of an Almighty, All-wise, and Benevolent GOD-possessing intelligence, and conscious of his own operations; because these attributes involve such a mass of absurdities and contradictions, so much cruelty and injustice on His part to the poor and destitute portion of His creatures-that, in my opinion, no rational reflecting mind can, after disinterested investigation, give credence to the existence of such a Being. 2nd. I believe death to be an eternal sleep-that I shall never live again in this world, or another, with a consciousness that I am the same identical person that once lived, performed the duties, and exercised the functions of a human being, 3rd. I consider priestcraft and superstition the greatest obstacle to human improvement and happiness. During my life I have, to the best of my ability, sincerely and strenuously exposed and opposed them, and die with a firm conviction that Truth, Justice, and Liberty will never e permanently established on earth till every vestige of priestcraft and superstition shall be utterly destroyed. 4th. I have ever considered that the only religion useful to man consists exclusively of the practice of morality, and in the mutual interchange of kind actions. In such a religion there is no room for priests-and when I see* them interfering at our births, marriages, and deaths, pretending to conduct us safely through this state of being to another and happier world, any disinterested person of the least shrewdness and discernment must perceive that their sole aim is to stultify the minds of the people by their incomprehensible This phrase, 'when I see,' should be when they are seen, as it does not follow that 'any disinterested person,' &c. must perceive the stultifying aim of the priests in the way the remainder of the sentence states, because Hetherington saw it. It was this non sequitur to which allusion is made farther on within brackets. LIFE AND CHARACTER OF HENRY HETHERINGTON. doctrines, that they may the more effectually fleece the poor deluded sheep who listen to their empty babblings and mystifications. 5th. As I have lived so I die, a determined opponent to their nefarious and plundering system. I wish my friends, therefore, to deposit my remains in unconsecrated ground, and trust they will allow no priest, or clergyman of any denomination, to interfere in any way whatever at my funeral. My earnest desire is, that no relation or friend shall wear black or any kind of mourning, as I consider it contrary to our rational principles to indicate respect for a departed friend by complying with a hypocritical custom. 6th. I wish those who respect me, and who have laboured in our common cause, to attend my remains to their last resting place, not so much in consideration of the individual, as to do honour to our just, benevolent, and rational principles. I hope all true Rationalists will leave pompous displays to the tools of priestcraft and superstition. If I could have my desire, the occasion of my death and burial should be turned to the advantage of the living. I would have my kind and good friend, WATSON, who knew me intimately for many years-or any other friend well acquainted with my character-to address to those assembled such observations as he may deem pertinent and useful; holding up the good points of my character as an example worthy of imitation, and pointing out my defects with equal fidelity, that none may avow just and rational principles without endeavouring to purge themselves of those errors that result from bad habits previously contracted, and which tarnish the lustre of their benign and glorious principles. These are my views and feelings in quitting an existence that has been chequered with the plagues and pleasures of a competitive, scrambling, selfish system; a system by which the moral and social aspirations of the noblest human being are nullified by incessant toil and physical deprivations; by which, indeed, all men are trained to be either slaves, hypocrites, or criminals. Hence my ardent attachment to the principles of that great and good man- -ROBERT OWEN. I quit this world with a firm conviction that his system is the only true road to human emancipation: that it is, indeed, the only just system for regulating the affairs of honest, intelligent human beings-the only one yet made known to the world, that is based on truth, justice, and equality. While the land, machines, tools, implements of production, and the produce of man's toil, are exclusively in possession of the do-nothings; and labour is the sole possession of the wealth producers—a marketable commodity, bought up and directed by wealthy idlers— never-ending misery must be their inevitable lot. ROBERT OWEN'S system, if rightly understood and faithfully carried out, rectifies all these anomalies. It makes man the proprietor of his own labour and of the elements of production -it places him in a condition to enjoy the entire fruits of his labour, and surrounds him with circumstances that will make him intelligent, rational, and happy. Grateful to Mr. OWEN for the happiness I have experienced in contemplating the superiority of his system, I could not die happy without recommending my fellow-countrymen to study its principles and earnestly strive to establish them in practice. Though I ardently desired to acquire that benign spirit, and to attain that self-control, which was so conspicuous in the character of the founder of the Rational System, I am aware I fell immeasurably short of my brigh exemplar; but as I never in thought, word, or deed, wilfully injured any human being, I hope that I shall be forgiven by those whom I may have inadvertently or unconsciously jostled in this world's scramble. I have indefatigably, sincerely, and disinterestedly laboured improve the condition of humanity-believing it to be the duty of every man to leave the world better than he found it; and if I have not pursued this object with that wisdom and discretion that should mark at all times the conduct of a rational man, I have zealously maintained what appeared to me to be right, and paid the penalty of what my opponents may term my indiscretions in many cruel persecutions. I freely forgive all who have injured me in the struggle; and die in the hope and consolation that a time is approaching when the spirit of antagonism will give place to fraternal affection and universal co-operation to promote the happiness of mankind. (Signed) HENRY HETHERINGTON August 21, 1849. |