"The Monmouthshire Rebellion"
The Blackburn Standard published an article in their January 1, 1840
issue entitled “The Monmouthshire Rebellion.” The
article raises awareness of the prevalence of discontent among the mining population
of Monmouthshire and warns that the mineworkers are on the verge of rising up. According to Google Maps, Monmouthshire is a little over a 3 hour drive from Blackburn, England, where the newspaper was published. Even though there is substantial distance between these two places, the publication of warnings about the Monmouthshire Rebellion in a Blackburn paper highlights the apprehension Victorians felt towards social change. It does not matter if a social revolution occurs in the North or South of England because eventually, all of British society will be affected by any dramatic changes, such as a mineworker revolution.
The diction throughout this article is very opinionated and it is clear that the author is opposed to any sort of talks of revolution within the mines. This is most explicitly displayed in the statement, “indeed it is evident that the people in the mining districts are far from settled and quiet” (Blackburn Standard). The author wishes for the mining, or working class, population to be silenced. Later on in the article, the author refers to the idea of mineworker revolution as “this turbulent and restless spirit” (Blackburn Standard). Perhaps the author uses the word “turbulent” because a revolution in the mines, resulting in more rights for workers, would greatly disturb the societal norms of the time.
This article also discusses politics and gives an insight into how parties like the Whig party reacted to these talks of revolution. According to the author, the Whig party is completely to blame for any revolutionary ideas originating in the mines. The members of the Whig party did not suppress the miners, but rather gave them incentive to rise up. The author declares, "They called it into life to aid them in their warfare against the institutions of the land—they taught the masses to set order and the law at defiance—they evoked the demon of insubordination" (Blackburn Standard). This last attack, "the demon of insubordination," suggests the revolution is something inherently evil and violent. Rather than acknowledging the poor working conditions of miners, the author labels their ideology as destructive.
The diction throughout this article is very opinionated and it is clear that the author is opposed to any sort of talks of revolution within the mines. This is most explicitly displayed in the statement, “indeed it is evident that the people in the mining districts are far from settled and quiet” (Blackburn Standard). The author wishes for the mining, or working class, population to be silenced. Later on in the article, the author refers to the idea of mineworker revolution as “this turbulent and restless spirit” (Blackburn Standard). Perhaps the author uses the word “turbulent” because a revolution in the mines, resulting in more rights for workers, would greatly disturb the societal norms of the time.
This article also discusses politics and gives an insight into how parties like the Whig party reacted to these talks of revolution. According to the author, the Whig party is completely to blame for any revolutionary ideas originating in the mines. The members of the Whig party did not suppress the miners, but rather gave them incentive to rise up. The author declares, "They called it into life to aid them in their warfare against the institutions of the land—they taught the masses to set order and the law at defiance—they evoked the demon of insubordination" (Blackburn Standard). This last attack, "the demon of insubordination," suggests the revolution is something inherently evil and violent. Rather than acknowledging the poor working conditions of miners, the author labels their ideology as destructive.
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