Harney was one of 59 Chartists tried at Lancaster in 1843 for taking part in the ‘Plug Riots’ at Manchester, during August and September of 1842. Although he was kept in the Warwick Gaol (jail), his conviction was reversed on appeal. The riots were so called because the strikers removed the boiler plugs, making the mills unworkable. In "Trial of Fergus O’Connor, Esquire, and 58 other Chartists, on a Charge of Sedit[ion]", published in London, 1843, Mr. O’Connor claims the strike was largely a spontaneous, unpolitical, and often violent reaction to wage reductions, and he claimed the Chartists became involved in an attempt to direct and discipline the outburst. The Chartist view, which was widely publicized in the Northern Star newspaper and in numerous pamphlets at the time, was that the strikes had been deliberately fostered by the manufacturers in an attempt to disarm the campaign and also to pressure the government to repeal the unpopular Corn Laws.

Sub-editor, and sometimes editor, of the Northern Star paper, the chief Chartist organ, in 1843, Harney purchased the paper in 1853, and renamed it The Star of Freedom. Prior to this he started the Democratic Review of British and foreign politics, history and literature, editing all 15 issues between June 1849 and Sept 1850. He started the Red Republican, editing all the issues from June through November 1850, and started the Friend of the People, a journal of social science, editing it from December 1850 through July 1851, later merging this paper with the Northern Star. Other papers he started include Friend of the People (Dec 1850-Apr 1852); Star of Freedom (Apr 1852-Dec 1852); and The Vanguard (Jan 1853-Mar 1853). Interested in the international struggle for universal suffrage, Harney also founded a society called The Fraternal Democrats in 1845, and this London Democratic Association attracted thousands of workers. It was through these organizations that he met Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Harney was a member of Brussels Communist Correspondence Committee and an influential English workers' leader, known as a left wing Chartist.

Harney lived for a time in Jersey, in the Channel Islands, and while there he edited the Jersey Independent from 1855-62.

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Even after the collapse of the Chartist movement, Harney remained a militant activist. He was one of the earliest English converts to Marxism, and was the first to publish the 'Communist Manifesto' in English. While most Chartists sought peaceful change, Harney seemed committed to a revolutionary overthrow of the traditional system and establishment. He supported the Union in America's Civil War which led him to move there in 1863.

Background
George Julian Harney was born in England, the son of a sailor (or seaman), George Harney (1784-1850) and Sarah (Southcott) Harney. He attended the Royal Naval School in Greenwich. English parish records show his brothers were, Rupert, John (who died in a swimming accident in America), and William. Rupert and William remained in England, and died there in 1887 and 1888 respectively. Their sisters were Elizabeth and Sarah Ann Alice Harney, born at Bermondsey. In a poem, called "St. Peter's Holiday", Harney mentions he is Irish and discusses religion as follows:
"...My Sisters were Protestants, after my Mother;
But Dad, being Cath'lic bred I so and Brother..."

George Julian Harney was married twice, first to Mary Cameron, on 14 September 1840, at Mauchline, Ayr, Scotland. She died about 1853. He married a second time to Marie (LeSuer) Metivier, the widow of James Metivier, and they lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts. As mentioned above, George Julian Harney was in America between 1863 and 1888, returning to Richmond, Surrey, England at that time. He died there on 9 December 1897, at 80 years of age. His health had been poor for years, probably a result of his time spent in English prisons for his political activities.

GUN CONTROL IN THE 1830s

George Julian Harney, who was considered a better writer than speaker, gave the following speech at Derby, 28^th January 1839.

HISTORIC FORT LARAMIE

As America expanded westward, this outpost in the Wyoming wilderness played a crucial role in the transformation of the West, first as a fur-trading center, then as a military garrison. For over five decades, it was a landmark and way station for the cavalcade of trappers, traders, missionaries, emigrants, pony express riders, and miners going west. It was also an important staging point for the U.S. Army in its dealings with the plains tribes displaced by migration and settlement.

A trading post was built at the site of the Laramie River near its confluence with the Platte River, in 1834, by the fur trader William Sublette. He immediately sent word to the Sioux and Cheyenne chiefs that he wanted to buy their buffalo hides. The American Fur Company bought the post in 1836, making it a major trade center.

In the 1840s it became a stopping point for emigrants traveling the Oregon Trail, and its trade shifted from buying furs from the local tribes, to supplying the pioneer emigrants for their trek west.

While early relations between the Indians and the white settlers were peaceful, as immigration increased, conflicts increased. In 1849 the army bought Fort Laramie and made it a military outpost for two companies of mounted riflemen and one of infantry. As conflicts escalated in the 1850s and 1860s, the fort's main purpose shifted to protecting emigrants and hosting major treaty councils. The Oregon Trail became the primary overland route west when the Civil War eliminated the southern route, and Fort Laramie was considered a major link across the continent. The pony express had a stop here until the completion of the transcontinental telegraph, which also had a station at the fort. It was later an important stop for travelers on the Cheyenne-Deadwood stage road to the gold fields of the Black Hills.

General William Selby Harney was called upon, at the insistence of the tribes, for the treaty council held in 1868. The Sioux called him "Man-Who-Always-Keeps-His-Word". Running Antelope, a Hunkpapa Sioux, commented "I never met a [white] man of sense since, except Father DeSmet, and I listen to him." Harney was called out of retirement to establish the reservation system for the Blackfoot, Crow and Sioux. He is shown in the photo below as an old man with white hair and a full beard. The Indian leaders, also old men by this time, told Harney of the broken treaties and of supplies that were promised but not provided. Harney felt the Government had betrayed the tribes when he discovered

General Harney (right center, with full white beard) at the treaty council held at Fort Laramie, 1866.  Newberry Library photo.

the Bureau of Indian Affairs had under-counted the population on the reservations to keep expenses down. The few supplies received included rotten blankets, half empty sugar barrels, and useless items. The tribes were also upset because the army had built additional forts along the Boseman Trail which went through their traditional hunting grounds. More and more wagons rolled through this area on their way to the gold and silver fields of Montana. White men were slaughtering the buffalo for sport and leaving the meat to rot on the plains. The Indians responded by attacking the wagons and small detachments of soldiers. At the treaty council, the Sioux were further dismayed to learn that their hunting grounds were outside the area drawn up as a reservation. A compromise was reached, that allowed the tribes to hunt outside the reservation, in their traditional areas. Harney returned to Washington D.C. and reported that "he never met an honest Indian agent, except maybe one" and he recommended the War Department (Army), not the Bureau of Indian Affairs run the reservation system. Harney's words of complaint were lost in the committee chambers of Congress. Secretary of War Belnap, controlled who received the trade concessions on the reservations, and he was tempted by bribery, embezzlement, and deal-making. He was eventually impeached but escaped punishment by resigning before the trial. The greed of people like Belnap undid the promising work of peace with the Plains Indians started by men on the treaty council, like General Harney.

In spite of Harney's efforts, it wasn't long before the terms of the Laramie Treaty (also called the "Harney Treaty") were broken. Gold was discovered in 1874 in the Black Hills, a sacred area well inside the lands guaranteed to the Sioux by the treaty. Prospectors and miners flooded the region despite efforts by the army to keep them out. Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull and their followers decided to fight, and the Great Sioux Campaign of 1876, found Fort Laramie again serving as a major staging and logistical center.

Fort Laramie Today

For additional information visit the web site at:
www.nps.gov/fola on the Internet, or write to the National Park Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fort Laramie, WY 82212. - Most of this article taken from a brochure obtained at the fort (GPO 1997-417-648/60039).

She has indicated she wants "captains" in every state working on this cause to save a piece of American history. If you have a few dollars to donate, or if you can serve as a "captain" in your state, please contact Stephanie Light at: Friends of General Harney House, Inc., P.O. Box 398, Sullivan, MO 63080.
- From an email letter, dated 7 Jan 2000, from Stephanie Light, Secretary, Friends of General Harney House, Inc.
Note:  Retraction - It will not be possible to have "captains", per Stephanie, 4/22/00.  But donations are very much appreciated.

General Harney's House, Sullivan, MO

ANNOUNCEMENTS

SPECIAL THANKS!

Thanks to the following Harney descendants for contributing to the cost of copying and mailing this newsletter. Your interest and contributions is what keeps this newsletter going.

Andrew & Shirley Harney, Rehoboth, MA; Daniel J. Harney, Costa Mesa, CA; David P Harney, Fayetteville, NC; Edward & Carolyn Harney, Melfa, VA; John D Harney, Salisbury, CT; Thomas C. Harney, Laurel, MT; Marjorie (Harney) Kennedy, Falls Church, VA.

BITS & PIECES

The following note was received by email from Pat Myers, in December, 1999:

HARNEY MEMORIAL PLAQUE
The following photo of a memorial plaque honoring William Wallace Harney was provided by Sandy Southwick, of Port Orange, Florida.(Also see HU48)

To his memory
This plaque is erected by

The Orange County
Historical Commission, 1972"

GROUND-BREAKING CEREMONY AT DRUM



Rev. Fr. Ray Melton, CC, Vice President of the Drum Heritage Group, turning the sod for the new Visitor Center, at Drum, Co. Roscommon, Ireland.  - June 1999.

The Wake House will have a traditional thatched roof.  Inside will be featured a limestone tablet similar to what was used for the coffins in past times. Other replicas of olden days will include three-leg stools, and artifacts, such as the Rush candles and clay pipes that were part of the custom and traditions at wakes in Ireland over the centuries.

Pilgrimage
Despite inclement weather conditions, thousands of people turned out for the annual celebrations at Drum on Sunday, 27^th June 1999. Pilgrim walkers started off from Monksland, Cloonakilla and Thomastown, and followed the ancient Mass paths leading from their villages to Drum. The pilgrimage ended with the celebration of an Open Air Mass. Edward Egan, Hon. Treasurer of the Heritage Group, thanked and complimented the large crowd who turned out, and especially the pilgrim walkers who had come from outside the area of Drum


Young Cormac Harney from Curraghaleen led the Curraghaleen group of walkers on their pilgrimage over ancient Mass paths, on Sunday, 27 June 1999.

One of the Drum Heritage Group's past activities was the restoration of St. Brigids well. It was a dream come true for the Group when, Sally Ann Bohan, a grandchild of the Hon. Secretary, Babs Bohan, was baptized at the well. On researching the history of the well, Mr. Egan determined the last baptism there likely took place prior to the year 1172. It was in this year that a synod of Bishops and Clergy was held at Cashel and decreed that from then on all baptisms were to take place at the churches. It is believed that baptisms were common place at holy wells up to that time.

Upcoming Events

23 June 2000
Mid-summers night Millennium Bonfire at Ardkeenan hill, the ancient resting place for funeral processions on their was to Clonmacnois. Celebration includes music, and a children's pageant.

25 June 2000
The next Open Air Mass celebration is scheduled at Drum.

17 Sept 2000
The Great Millennium Walk. Walkers will assemble at Ardkeenan hill. A rest period is scheduled at Nure, where refreshments will be served, and traditional music and entertainment provided. A further one hour journey will take the walkers to the banks of the Shannon, where they will be ferried to the opposite bank. A video covering the entire walk will be made available on request.

Book Review
Angela's Ashes by Pulitzer Prize winning author, Frank McCourt, is a memoir of his childhood, and a realistic account of what it was like being Irish and poor. Frank was born in America, but circumstances led the family back to Ireland when he was four years old. The book has been made into a motion picture, but I have not seen the movie version, so can only comment on the book. It is very well written and I highly recommend it for those interested in understanding their Irish ancestry.

Translation: May the Angel of Light shine brightly on your door tomorrow. - From The Prints of Cuala Press, Barre, VT.

 
IRISH GLEANINGS - by John D. Bowen

IRELAND TRIPS:
Now is the time to plan that trip that you have been wanting to make to Ireland. With the Internet, things have just gotten easier. Before planning a trip be sure to visit the Irish Tourist Board Web site at www.ireland.travel.ie/home/index.asp You may also ask them for their annual brochure, booklets and maps, but their web site allows you to put in a town name that you would like to visit and then shows you a map of where the town is. Oh, how many hours I would have saved in the past if this had been around in previous trips. You can now map out all the places you would like to visit and it will keep each of your routes stored until you complete your itinerary

Thomas J. Harney, Age 29, 10 Second, Waterford, NY, DOB 21 Oct 1887, Worcester Mass. Chauffeur for John Knickerbocker, Troy NY, Mother is dependent on him. He is single and Caucasian. He does not claim exemption from the draft. He is medium height and slender build with gray eyes and sandy hair.