The Principality

;1t:R. OWEN'S REPLY TO THE REMARKS OF THE EDITOR OP THE PRINCIPALITY" ON THE ABER- DARE STRIKE AND THE TRUCK SYSTEM. TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRINCIPALITY. SIR,—In pursuance of the promise I made to you, I proceed to answer the remarks contained in your paper of the 19th ult., wherein you state that your readers, whatever they may think of you, cannot charge you with pandering to the passions- of the working men, as you deem the capitalist to be the most successful and most industrious labourer;" and that whatever -was opposed to the interest of the capitalist was also opposed to the interest of the workmen, who, depend on him for labour. And you then state that you had not been sparing in your cen- -sures of the Aberdare strike, which, whiltit crippled commerce l ,mid injured trade, did in no degree benefit the men themselves. Now, sir, I take it that these remarks unexplained are calcu. lated to injure the Aberdare colliers in the opinion of the pub- lie, as it would lead (uncontradicted) right-minded men to be- lieve that the Aberdare colliers were the authors of that strike but as it is well known that it was the masters who struck for r a reduction of wages, and not the colliers for a rise, it is but just that those who caused the strike should take the censure. I have, therefore,, considered it my duty as the friend and advo- cate of the Aberdare colliers, which I shall always be as long as they are quiet and peaceable, to set the matter right with the public; and as I am sure you will not like it to be believed that you would pander to th, masters more than to the men, .you .will not think me wrong ih giving a short history, through your paper, of the facts, which are as follows. It appears that about Christmas last the masters of the Aberdare colliers simul- > taneously gave them a month's notice to leave their service, with an understanding that they would be reduced twopence a g ton at the end of it, and required to sign an agreement for • twelve months. Let it be remembered that the notice was given • just after the cholera had been making its ravages through the district, and at that time all was difficulty and distress. The -colliers, as was their duty, worked out their month's notice quietly and peaceably, and took in their tools at the end of it, but refused to work at the reduction of twopence in the ton, and also refused to sign the agreement for twelve months, there being greater objections to the agroment than there were to the Teduetion, and the head and tail of their offending was sticking 1.0 their refusal for four months, when they were ultimately forced to give in, in consequence of strange colliers from the Forest of Dean being induced, as I am instructed, by the in- fluence of strong beer and four shillings a day's wages, to come into the work. And unless it is to be upheld that the collier has no right to put a price upon his own labour, which is his only capital, and ought to be by law and justice as much pro- tected as the master's coal, which every county rate-payer well knows is sufficiently protected, for if a poor man's child touches a pound of such coal, although it may be taken from a rubbish tip, he is taken up, prosecuted, convicted, and punished as a thief at an expense to the county of some JE14 or Z15. Now surely if there is so much punishment attached to stealing a bit of the master's coal, there ought to be some protection thrown around the workman's labour, who, from the inflammable nature of the air in which he works, has not one moment's cer- tainty of life from the time he enters the pit in the morning until he leaves it in the evening for he has not only to depend on his own caution, but he has also to depend on the care of his fellow workmen, as we have too often seen that one incau- tious spark from the lamp of one workman has dealt death to fifty or one hundred at the same time. I say that labour such as this, on which we all depend for so much comfort, ought to have the most special protection, and any master who would use unfair means to reduce such wages beyond its fair level, ought, in order to understand how to appreciate the full value of a day of such labour, to be compelled to cut his own coal for twelve months and whilst I admit that masters should be masters, I leave it to the public to judge whether going into a strange land and bringing over a lot of strangers, stuffing them with beer, and paying them for a time more than the colliers of the district required, merely for the purpose of putting the screw on their own colliers, and starving them into compliance, was a fair mode of reducing such wages. It appears to me to be an advantage taken of the helpless position of the workmen, and something like a conspiracy to obtain the workmen's labour at the master's own price-a position from which I fear the workmen of this county will never be relieved until they begin to think more and drink less, for it will be quite impossible for any one to serve them unless they begin in being honest them- selves. I have felt it my duty on their behalf to give this ex- planation, but at the same time I wish it to be understood that I am no encourager of strikes, and I should like to see a little more give-and-take principle-a little more extenuation and less coercion between master and man—for I am quite sure that if difficulties came on the trade the men would fairly meet them if they were properly explained. With regard to the truck system, there can be but one opi- nion—that it operates very unfairly against the interest of the working men, but as there is no truck at Aberdare it may not be fair to observe on it in this letter. I will therefore give you my observations in your next on that system. I am, Sir, your Qbedient servant, J. G. H. OWEN. Pontypool, May, 1850.

FREEHOLDS FOR THE PEOPLE. PROSPECTUS OF THE CARDIFF FREEHOLD v: LAND SOCIETY. PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE: Messrs. Lewis Williaiiis, Castle- Messrs. R. Davies. field House. J. E. Ritchie. John Batchelor. I J. B. Hopkins. Sydney Batchelor. E. Kenway. W. T. Edwards., M.B. R.Gory. David Evans. J.T.Barry. J. Coleman. THE grand objeets of this Society are—to improve the social, promote the moral, and exalt the political condition of the unenfranchised millions. In the Prospectus issued by the Birminghom Freehold Land Society, of which this is nearly a fair transcript, it is stated. That the first and second edition was issued with diffidence on account of several valued gentlemen of our body apprehending that the objects could not be achieved for the sum and in the period stated. Time, the impartial arbiter of events, has decided in favour of the pleasing and encouraging statements as at first made by our Secretary, and justifies us in their reiteration. The Committee, therefore, again proclaim the fact—' that a Freehold Qualification for a County Voter can be obtained in five years by the payment of Is. 6d. per Week.' This has been done-One hundred and ninety-five allot- ments of Freehold Building Land, (averaging £ 19 each, or four years and nine months subscriptions,) have been made to our mem- bers their value being established beyond doubt, some having been let off on Building Leases for 99 years, at 50s. per annum-in no case less." Persons residing in the various surrounding villages or towns JÎ)åy become members of this Society-, and will possess all the privi- leges of resident Members. Parties joining this Society are allowed, in time of depression of trade, &c., to suspend their subscriptions without incurring fines, or they may withdraw from the Society altogether. No person can join for more than six Shares, and these he may have altogether in one allotment, if he so pleases, or have only part of them on the same Estate. Each Member is charged only from the time he enters, conse- quently no arrears have to be paid. Membars can pay any amount in advance, the same being equal to any given number of contributions j and when they have re- ceived their allotments, may pay the remainder, and be immedi- ately released from the Society, instead of being obliged to mort- gage to the Trustees. The mode of allotment is as follows :—When an Estate is pur- chased, the Surveyor makes a plan of it, and divides into suitable lots these lots (supposing there are one hundred of them) would then be offered to the members good upon the books, according to seniority of membership, until a sufficient number of Shareholders have signified their wish to take the shares of the land to be then allotted.; each Shareholder's name would then be written on a piece of paper, specifying whether the Member was drawing for one or, more lots of land; the Member answering to the first name drawn out would take No. 1 lot of land, as shown by the plan the second would take No. 2 lot; and should the third name be that of a plural Shareholder (say for two Shares), he would take lots Nos. 3 and 4, and so on. The payments to this Society are not increased after the Member has had his Land allotted to him. The small sum charged as pre- mium for prior advance, is paid by the same rate of contribution after he has paid the amount due foihis allotment; and when this is done the Member has his Deed of Conveyance handed to him, with a receipt endorsed on the Mortgage, free, of charge. Any Member, at any time after the Mortgage has been effected, can pay any sum he pleases towards the redemption of the Deed, and thus by voluntarily increased payments shorten his connexion with the Institution. The Members of this Society are not confined to the town or country. Non-residence will not disqualify a Voter. Entrance Fee, One Shilling per Share. Temporary Offices, PRINCIPALITY Office, High-street, Car- diff, where Parties desirous of becoming Members may register their names. I BRISTOL GENERAL STEAM- NAVIGATION COM PA BfY, OFFICE, QUAY, BRISTOL. f I ^HE following steam vessels are intended to rrjp<'fe JL sail from Cumberland Basin, Bristol, to and from Dublin, Shamrock; Cork, Juverna Ml 1 and Sabrina; Waterford, Victory aad Rose; Tenby, Osprey (Tuesdays) and Phcenix; Mil- ford, Pater, and Haverfordwest, Osprey; Carmarthen, Phcenix; Swansea, County and Beresford; Newport, Swift and Dart; Cardiff, Star and Prince of Wales, as under- mentioned during MAY, 1850:- FROM BRISTOL _■ rrt 'Q d » ■5 • o. w 1f | I _MAY. js •§ :§&.? g § Cardiff. £ ° « t » s;«w -| I Wed 1 8 am p 8| xn 8| m Thur 2 J.m 9 am S§ in 9 m Fri. 3 9 £ am 9J am lo am 9| m 9-1 m Sat. 4 lOiam lOjam 10 m 10 m -5- Mon6 1 af 12 noo Tues 7. 2 pm 2 pm 2 pm 2 am 2 am 2af 2 af Wed 8 3 pm 3 af 3 af Thur 9 41 am 4 m 4 3J af Fri.l0 4i pm 4J pm 44 am 5 am 4% m 4 £ af 4 af Sat.11 5 pm 6 am 5j m 5 af 5 m 12 Mon 13 6 m 6 af 7 m Taes 14 7 am 71 am 8 am 7t m 61 af 71 m Wed 15 8 am 7i am 7 £ am 8 m 8 m Thur 16 8} pm 9 am 8J m :8 £ m Fri.17 9$tub 9iam 10 am 94 m 9 m Sat IS lOjam 11 am lOino 10 £ m 19 Mon 20 1 at .12 noo Tues 21 2 pm 2pm 2 pm 2 am 2 am 2 at 2 af Wed.22 3 pm 3 ai 3 af Thur 23 4. am 4 m 4 af 3J af Fri 24 4ipm 41 pm am 5 am 41 m 41 af 4 af Sat 25 -5 pni .w. 6 am 51 m 51, af 51 m -26- Mon 27 64 m f af 6i m a"uc»-28- 7 am 7 am 7J am "7 m 6| af ? m Wed 29 am 7J am 7 £ am. 7J m 7$m Thur 30 8} am 8 m 8 m JM.318J am S £ am 8J am 9 am 84 m 84 m FOR BRISTOL FROM I 15 "2 § ei -w MAY' I I I |i I a 1 Cardiff' I p cd Wed 1 64 m 7 m Thur 2 7 pm 10 am li m 7 m Fri 3 tl am 10 am 4 pm 10 am 74 m 71 In Sat. 4 9J am 11 am 84 m 84 m 5 Mon 6 loam lit Tues 7 10 am 34pm 24 pm l'ijaf 124 af Wed 8 4J pm 2 pm 1 af It af Thur 9 5 am 34 m 3 af 24 af Fri. 10 4 pm 5 am 12 pm 54 am 34 m 3 ai 3 Sat 11 64 am 41 am 6, am 4 m 31 af 5 12 Mon 13 5 m af 6 m Tues 14 S am b am 81 am 51 m 54 af 6m Wed 15 7 am 6 m 61m Thur 16 7 pm 9 am 7 m 7 m Fri.17 11 am 10 am 4 am 10 am 74 m 8ui Sat IS 10 am 11 am Srm "9 m' 19 Mon 20. 101im II m Tues21 10 am 3 pm 24 am Iaf 124 af Wed22 44 pm 2 pm 1J af It af Thur23 5 am 3 £ m af 24 af Fri 24 4 pm 5 am 114pm 6 am 34 m 3 af a af Sat 25 6t am 44 am 6 am 4 m 31 af 5 m -26 Mon 27 5 m 5 af 6 m Tues2S 8 am 8 am 11 5, n It af 6 m Wed 29 7 am m 6j m Thur30 7 pm Så am 6 m m Fri.31 9 am lfl am 4 am 91 am 6l m 7 m NOTICE.—From 1st April and during the summer, the Juverna will leave Bristol for Cork on Wednesdays instead of Tuesdays. '$fl¡ The whole of the above vessels are fitted up for the convey- ance of passengers and goods.—Female stewards on board. Carriages and horses shipped with care.—Horses and carriages to be shipped two hours before sailing. All Goods for Shipment must be alongside before 4 o'clook in the afternoon. Particulars may be obtained by applying at the Bristol Steam Navigation Company's Office, Quay; Bristol; where all goods packages, parcels, &c.. should be ad(iressed:For Swansea and Cardiff, to Messrs. W. and H. Hartnell, at their Warehouse, corner of St. Stephen's-avenue, on the Quay, instead of Clare-street-hall and Bull-wharf; and E. T. Turner, V2, Quay-street; an for New port, to J. Jones, Rownham Wharf, Hotwells. AGENTS.—Mr. Joseph Morgan, Tenby; Mr. J. Rees, Haver- fordwest Mr. Palmer, Milford Mr. Bowen, Pater Mr. John N. Smart and Mr. W. Poekett, Swansea? Mr. W. R, Harrey and Mr. C H. Bevan, Cardiff; Mr. Martin, Ilfracombe; Mr. Thomas' Baker, Lynton; Mr. Robert Stacey, Carmarthen; and M/. R. Jones, Newport. Jones, Newport.

TO CORRESPONDENTS. The letter from Ltandowror would render us liable to an action for libel. ARTHUR."—We can answer neither of your questions. A WELL-WISHER TO THE ATRENÆ:UM. Yur letter is needless —the parties referred to have been, sufficiently censured. AN INHABITANT OF CARDIFF."—Your letter will appear if pos- sible next week.

v TOWN LETTERS—Xo, 54 PARLIAMENT has been holiday-making, and the Cockneys have followed the good example. The weather has been glorious, and we trust all classes of her Majesty's subjects- not forgetting even the ruined farmer—have for once managed to throw dull care away, and enjoy themselves as they did before the Corn-laws were abolished, and England was undone. We British have the credit of being a hard- working people—and so we are; but now and then John Bull does relax, and pursues pleasure as furiously for the time as he does money. On Whit-Monday, which was the great day of Greenwich Fair, 51,000 persons were conveyed thither by the rail from London Bridge without a single ac- cident. Nor was holiday-making confined to London alone. All over the country-in towns the most old-fashioned—in villages the most obscure—fairs, or tea-parties, or teetotal processions, or rustic sports, did more or less strive to answer the demand that exists at this time for excitement and change, and fun of some kind. It is easy to sneer at such proceedings; the wise man, however, will not do so-he will, at the least, chronicle them as signs of the times—as indications of the progress of intelligence and morality, or the reverse. We hear much of the ruin effected by Free-trade. It is well now and then to look at the other side of the question. The Sheffield Independent says-" A strong proof of the prosperity of the country is seen in the general diminution of the number of offenders for trial at the various spring ses- sions. At the Sheffield sessions yesterday the number of prisoners for trial was 14, and the number of barristers in attendance 20. Of these, 20 no less than 14 were briefless. It was remarked by Wilson Overend, Esq., the chairman, that there had been fewer offences committed in this dis- trict since the commencement of the present year than within the same period for a long time past." Nor is this the only illustration—we can give another. Twelve years ago some benevolent individualsm Manchester founded a night asylum for the houseless poo* common to large cities. .In the first year, 17,406 persons were admitted, out of whom "the strangers were no less than 15,811. It is singular to observe, from the year 1838 to that of 1849, how the index I of wretchedness rises and falls with the price of provisions. In 1839, the number l'oseto, 20,335; in 1841, to 24,454; in | 1642, to 2?,106 j in 1845, a year of cheap food and abundant employment, it fell to 17,672; whilst in 1847 it had reached to 48,694, decreasing to 20,416 during the last year of plenty, 1849. Is not such a note-book as this," says the Manches- ter Examiner, "worthy the perusal of men who talk of upholding the landlords in their rentals, if the landlords will only permit them in return to put their hands into the meal-sack of the labourer P" The Daily News has an article on the subject of the munificence of the Archbishops and Bishops. It was called forth by the laudation which Mr. Goulburn bestowed upon the right rev. heads of the church, for their charity, in reply to Mr. Hprsman's remarks during the debate on the Eccle- siastical Commission Bill. In Mr. Goulburn's speech, he says" The largest subscriptions to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, the Church Missionary Associ- ation, and similar societies, were contributions from the bishops. The bishops were the leading contributors to the Christian Knowledge Society, the Prayer-book and the Homily Society, and others. Wherever a bishop resided, a portion of the Episcopal expenditure would be seen to say nothing of the thousand instances of secret charity." The writer in the Daily News, having examined the last reports of the National Society, Additional Curates Society, Pro- pagation Society, Church Missionary Society, Prayer-book and Homily Society, British and Foreign Bible Society, British and Foreign School Society, in order to ascertain the real extent of the charity given, furnishes the following synoptical table, which speaks for itself :— Subscriptions Episcopate. Incomes. and Per i. Donations. Centage. Archbishop of Canterbury.. E15,000,, E455 8 0 jE3 0 8 11 York 10,000 196 10 0 2 0 0 Bishop of London 13,000 1,049 5 0 8 1 0 Durham 15,000 760 1 0 5 0 8 j,, Winchester. 11,000 130 9 0 1 3 7 Llandaff 4,200 219 12 0 5 0 0 Norwich 4,500 24 9 0 0 10 10 Lichfield 4,500 167 1 0 4 0 0 Hereford. 4,200 36 6 0 017 4 Worcester 6,500 108 15 0 1 13 6 Oxford. 5,500 7 6 0 0 2 8 Manchester with allowance for house. 4,800 100 18 0 2 2 0 „ Rochester 4,500 78 7 0 1 15 0 St. David's. 4,500 243 1 0 5 8 0 Bath and Wells.. 5,000 88 2 0 1 15 0 Peterborough. 4,500 82 1 0 1 16 0 Lincoln 4,000 273 1 0 6 16 0 St. Asaph 4,200 233 8 0 5 10 0 Bangor. 4,000 540 9 0 13 10 0 Chester 4,500 86 11 0 1 18 0 Gloucester 4,000 371 0 0 9 5 6 Exeter, with stall in Durham Ca- thedral 4,000 115 15" 0 217 6 „ Ely. 5,500 324 4 0 6 0 0 Ripon 4,500 227 6 0 5 0 0 Salisbury. 7,000 170 15 0 2 8 6 Chichester 4,200 109 10 0 2 12 0 Carlisle. 3,000 9 9 0 0 6 3 „ Sodor and Man 2.000 31 5 0 111 0 _.0. £167,600 IL6,230 6 0 '1 jE3 14 5 France occupies just now more than ordinary attention, though the probability of war with England, we are thank- ful to say, daily becomes less. The Paris correspondent of the Daily News of Wednesday says, if any proof were needed that the quarrel with England has been picked designedly by the Burgrave cabal out of a flimsy diplomatic punctilio, merely to pitch over the English alliance, and to get rid of the inconvenient scruples suggested by constitu- tional traditions, that proof would be furnished by the leading article of to-day's Constitutionnel, a paper which represents more nearly than any other the hidden power which rales this country. In the opinion of this organ parliaments, the press, juries, and all those institutions which it admits are the most solid guarantees of society, becomcr in the present state of France, mere instruments of anarchy. This is the daily language of the moderate papers. The Assemblee Nationale deems the petitions presented against the wholesale disfranchisement contemplated in the go- vernment's electoral bill sufficient motive for imposing the dictatorship implied by a state of siege. The cry eternally kept up about anarchy is one of those lying pretences which bullies raise before they assault. a peaceable victim. The attitude.of the people is, notwithstanding multiplied ag- gressions in every shape, that of the most admirable patience and order. No provocation has been neglected which could goad to rebellion; yet Paris has been unruffled by the least riot. Day after day fanatics like M. Piscatory mount the tribune, in order to urge on the ministers to rasher viola- tions of the law, and walk home unmolested through the crowds, who are obliged to go to bed without reading a paper, thanks to the influence of such then they sit down, and write, with unblushing foreheads, outrageous articles about the reign of anarchy. The" fatherland" is at last to have its desire granted. There is at length a fair prospect of a constitutional and united Germany. Prussia has established the Bund, which comprises herself and all the sovereign princes who do not wear a crown. Ducal Hesse has remained firm. Electoral Hesse, after all its coquetting with Austria and the four kings; has finally abandoned them, and even denounced their scheme. A government has been formed. A common and unanimous resolve has been taken by the parliament and the, assembled princes. They act as one. They are a country. This is well-the triumph of Prussia is the triumph of liberalism. It is a blow to Austrian Emperor and Russian Czar. It is a prelude and a foretaste of yet bewer things in store. WIDE AWAKE,

CARDIFF. PORTRAIT OF THE MARQUIS OF BUTE.—Mr. Mark's, jun., has lately finished a portraitof the present possessor of the above title, which is considered as an admirable likeness, and does credit to his artistic powers. We were shown it one day this week, and were pleased with it. With a little alteration as to colouring Mr. Marks will attain a respectable rank in his profession. CAKDIFP STEAM NAVIGATION COMPA.Ny.-We refer ou readers to an important announcement in another column respec t ing this company. To-day will be held the first general meeting ox the shareholders for business purposes, and T. W. Booker, Esq. will preside. The attendance doubtless, will be large. ON Monday afternoon last, the annual Whitsuntide custom was adhered to to the very letter,, and all the shops were closed and business suspended at an early hour after dinner. The usual police business was also deferred till the following Thursday (yesterday), and no impediment was placed in the way of the industrious to allow them at least once in the year to enjoy a little holiday. CRICKET.—Owing to the salubrious and delightful weather which has now set in this healthful and manly game has commenced in nearly every part of the country. In Cardiff the members of the club have started with a vigour which argues well for their success during tne season. Not only do they meet twice a week on their admirable ground; situated at the back of the Cardiff Arms hotel, but they (have also engaged a resident bowler-the well-known Selby of the Leamington cricket club. Several first-rate matches will doubtless take place during the summer, and, should the mem- bers of this club continue as they have commenced, it will be our pleasing duty, we are sure, to award, in many instances at least, the victory to "native talent" and praiseworthy industry." AT a county petty sessions held yesterday morning at the Cardiff gaol, before Rev. George Thomas, of Llandaff Court, Wm. Hop- kins, a collier and a young man, was charged, on suspicion, with stealing a box-iron, the property of Job Rees, who kept a bush house during the fair at Llandaff. It was sold in the fair by the prisoner to one Thomas Jenkins, of Great Frederick-street, Cardiff, for one shilling. The iron was identified by the servant of the pro- secutor. The prisoner, on being asked if he could give any account of how he became possessed of the iron, said he could not; that ho never saw it until he took it out of his pocket. Committed for trial. Bail was procured- and accepted. CARDIFF ATHENJEUM LECTUP.F,Mr. Ritchie delivered his lecture on the Progress of the Nation," last night. The chair was taken by the mayor. ACCIDENT.—rOn Monday an accident happened to a horse be- longing to Mr. Waller, of the White Lion, in this town. Mr. Waller, who had a 'bus running to Mandan'fair, had, for the purpose of not distressing his horses, an animal placed at the foot of Penhill, to render assistance in making the ascent. During the time the horse was disengaged, a cart came at a rapid rate down the hill, and startled the horse belonging to Mr. Waller, so much so that it got quite restive in the hands of a boy who was holding it. Whilst it was prancing about the cart was still proceeding, and the driver net being able to pull up his horse in time, the shaft of the vehicler entered the breast of Mr. Waller's horse, and he was obliged to V& instantly killed.