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TO THE SeRTH OF ENGLASD MINERS. TO CIIAB...
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Capmakixo aud Starvation.—On Monday an i...
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The j Immigration of Irish Paupehs has o...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Crate' 'Jftobemritts
Crate' 'jftobemritts
To The Serth Of Englasd Miners. To Ciiab...
TO THE SeRTH OF ENGLASD MINERS . TO CIIABLES CARE , ESQ , SEGU 1 LL . Sir , —It appears that the government commissioners lave published a report on the strike of the miners of Konhumbsrland and Durham , in 1 SU , the whole of the evidence being taken from the masters of the above named districts , amongst whom figures yourself . He pretends to prove that the leaders of the Union and Mr . Roberts were tlie sain cause of the strike . x « w , aDy unprejudiced person will easily form an idea ol tie veracity of evidence cominx from such a quarter , tlierefbre , 1 will say nothing of it in general , but confine myself to a portion Of that given by yourvelf , as I happen to he able to refute some of it as yon shall spetdily see .
You state— " There is a library of COO or 700 volumes at Se ^ Iriil , adjoining the School ; we established it in 1 S 37 , it has . however , now no subscribers , and is entirely neglected . The strike knocked it all up . When it was first set oa foot a considerable numb er of : he pitmen read the bouts or got them read to them . Tlie use of the library fell off at least twelve months before the strike of 3 S 14 , when the men ' s minds got filled with what they were told by their readers . They then read nothing but 'iliner's Journal , ' 'Miner ' s Advocate . * Hnd . the Chartist papers , such as the 'Northern Star . ' The library remains stiil but is little used now . Ha ! f the men in the employ are new hands since the strike . " Sow , sir , you say , "the library fell off , at least , twelve months Tjrfore the strike . " Sow tlie moan did nut exist much mure than that time before the strike , and it was nut uniil May , 1843 . that it was anything like general at Sejliill , thanks to the state of the weather , and your Islndacss in preventias the publicans allowing us a ylace
to meet id . But you played a wrong card at that time in an act of tyranny that you have probably not forgotten , and which never will , nhich caused a partial strike and , therefore , brought the men together in a manner delightful to behold . Instead of the evidence given as to the cause of the strike , if you had given something like the following you would have been nearer the point . " Under the Band made by us , and- for us , we had the power to take every farthing of the earnings of the men , as they were nit able to keep the coals free of the quantity ef tbe nfuse specified in the band , but we could not take anything more ; therefore , it was necessary to have the power to take what they earned anoTa little more , so that they might be in debt to us after their day ' s work , 60 we framed our monthly Bond accordingly , not that we wonld absolutely enforce it , but t > i have the power was a great thing . We also could filch the desired amount by additional fines , while the number of forfeited corves could be reduced which would look rather better
in the eyes of the public . " Now , sir , jou might have said that aud a great deal more . The commissioner says , that , previous to your coming to Seghill , the men were paid in lots of twenty or thirty , and had to go to the bublic houf ei for cash , but you put a stop to that by paying them separatel y , and in rash . Son this i ? false , for as lateas 1 S 13 we gave notice that we wonld have our money paid separately , or rather , that as two men worked together that two be paid together , however , when the usual pay day arrived the men were refused their money , except iu cheques as be fore , and it was not till I went into the office and demanded my mouey in cash that your officers would give way . They even had the policeman in the office , because I said , I would not go without my wages . I was told
that I was the worst man that ever had been on the calling , bat there was a time coming , & c . It did come , and I got the "sack . " Shortly after that I was one of a deputation , of four , that were sent to you to ask you to pay us up tbe "lying week's" wages that you kept every pay , you refused , and I told you that I believed we could compel you , when you said , "you believed we could , but you were determined to briogit to a trial before yen would submit , but you would pay me mine if I would leave the colliery , " I told yon that I was not prepared to come to such terms , but I would publish the fact to the world , that jou wonld pay me my wages full up if I wou'd le-vt tbe work , but if not , not ; now with the permission of the proprietor of " such Chartist papers as fbe'Xorfbern Star '" I fulfillmvpromise .
In conclusion I might tell yoa , that although for along ; time after the strike I had to go about the country with hut little in my pocket , yet I have so much work no ir that I have to write this on the Suuday . I trust that yon will use the half of your men that are " new hands *' better than you did those that have left . I trust also , that although I had not the kenefit of your library , and am consequently very " ignorant , " that I have written souring but truth , and I tri-h some of my wealthy -acquaintances would stick to the same rule . I remain , One of your many victims , ROBEBT TCBNBULI . "November SOi . 1816 .
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF UNITED TRADES . GnEEXOCK . —Monday—A public meeting of the trades of this town was held at the Buck Head , jUull , to hear a lecture from Mr . Jacobs , the Association conimlsionary- The Hall yras filled with a most orderly and attentive audience . A master nailer was called to the chair , who introduced the lecturer with a sensible and feeling speech on the numerous reductions that had taken place within his time . The missionary commenced by noticeing the grievances of the working class generally , lie contend ^ d that they had produced all tha wealth of Brittain . and had a claim thereon were entitled to a better reward , after dwelling upon the nature and failure
of former remedies . He « efc forth the new plans of the association , which he sard had alread y been tested h y the businesses the bard of directors bad started , be then showed , from several estimates that the trades could accumulate vast wealth , bv their subscription to the general fund , and taking shares in the Employment Fund and the profits that would accrue by its use in mines , manufacture , and agriculture . The meeung se med to testify their approval of the instructive lecture by their " cheers At the conclusion several questions were asked and readily answered , a vote approving the association was carried , and a committee of one from each trade elected to organise the Trades on the Association . A vote of thanks was passed to the lecturer and the meeting separated .
Glasgow . —Tuesday—Mr . Jacobs lectured to the brushmafcers . in Nelson-street Chapel , who immediately joined the association . Wednesday—Mr . Jacobs delivered a lecture to the handlonm weavers in Suffo ' . k-street Ghapel , who also joined the association . Thnrsday—Mr . Jacobs lectured to the Dyers of P . ilsely in Methodist Chapel , who have since agreed toj -in the association and take shares in the Emp loyment Fund . Glasgow . —Friday—The missionary lectured to the uplwldstercrs in Leieh Kirk Session-house , rvlin agreed to decide on joining , and the purchase of share at their general meeting on Monday next . ^ N . B . —The Strike at Camelou ended the third day , the whole of the employers gave the ri * e .
THE OPERATIVE BASKET MAKERS . The Manchester union of the above trade now on strike made application to their metropolitan breihrea tor support , and at a spec'nl meeting of their trade , held at the White Hart , Gillspur-street , on "ondr . y evening last . £ 20 was voted with a view to the " selt employment . " of the insn on strike . We understand that " Hires" will be forthwith opened at Birimn « han . Wolverhampton , Nottingham , Leicester , and other towns , for tbe sale of the goads manufactured .
SPITALFIELDS WEAVER ? . Effects of Fiiee Trade . —On Saturday ni ght , p . t the meeting of tlw Broad-silk -Ilandloom Weavers ' Union of S » italficld $ , held at the Crown and Anchor , Waterloo-town , Bethnal- ; reen , the subject of the jircs-eutdfcion of a memorial to the Board of Trade , in ref-rence to the depressed state of the silk trade , ariqne from the repeal of the protective duties , was taken into consideration . Mr . G . Ferdinando . in the chair . Mr . Sberrard said , that he had been instructed to draw up a statement to be presorted to the Board of Trade , in which he was to show the state of the trade from its earliest establishment in that neighbourhood , how it had prospered under protection , and what bad been the offset of the
relaxation of the Prohibition Laws . He had pn-pared numerous details from official documents , which would show that the trade had flourished when it was protected by the Legislature , and that in the loss of that protection , was the consequent depression of the trade and the impoverishment of the weaver . ( Hear . ) He now wished to know wh ^ t curse tinunion was willing to adopt in reference to the memorial . It was evident that their trade was in need of protection . Prohibition he thought they need never ex-ect . But , while that might not be con-Ceded , if they had local boards of trade , it was hi ? opinion that , with a duty ol £ 30 per cent , the * might have sufficient protection for their labour .
-when be was in the country districts , he found thai the trade was in favour of a good duty . ( Hear . ) They were also desirous to have local boards of trade . Those subjects he thought they ought to suggest to the Board of Trade , when , if they showed the inconsistencies % 'd coutradictions in the books upon political economy of porter , M'Culloch , Baines , & c , he had little doubt but that they would be successful . ( Hear . ) After speeches from Air . Berry and Mr . Perdinondo , shoving the injurious results of Free Trade , the-latter speaker concluded by moving" That the subject of the memorial to the Board of Trada be taken iato consideration that day three weeks . " Mr . Gurnall seconded the motion which was agreed to and the meeting broke up .
THE KEIGHLEY TURN-OUT . Tdesdit , Nov . 17 . —Tho contest betwixt flip manufacturers and woolcombcrs still ' continues without any material change from last week ' s report . The men continue firm and the masters obstinate , and i £ now remains to be seen whether the bellies of the men or the purses of the manufacturers can hold longest out . Thirteen weeks have now elapsed since they were turned from their work , and although they lave sui &; red the extremes or ' want , not one has either ijone in or talked of goin-r . Lund ' s weavers and mill hands remain out oa-l ^ haif ' jf the cumbers ,. Wdthey appear , equally as frm . The niauufac-
To The Serth Of Englasd Miners. To Ciiab...
Hirers have shown some signs of giving way , by requesting an interview with tho men last week , but theouly satisfactory result was the appointment of another interview to-day ( Tuesday ) to endeavour to eome to some explanation . Nearly all the factories arc running only " daylisht , " and , as one of the combers observed in his sjiteeh , that " if the struggle has done no other good , it has at least made the manufacturers act upon that part of Christianity , which says , " work while it is day . for when the night cometh no man can work . " Another great result is the establishmr-nt-of a sanatory committee to ' examine into the condition of the dwellings of the poor . The necessity of this measure lias been long felt , more especially aiFoncst the cambers ; tho manufacturers having Gradually taken away their workshops to save expenses , and thus driven them to the necessitv of
working at their own homes . The effects of this upon the health and comforts of the poor fellows and their families is terrible . Let any one picture to himself the b ? d-room of a family , with a large combpot in the middle , and the heat arising from the pot . ind the slates over-head in summer time , ranging fr « m eighty to one hundred degrees , with scarcely any ventilation . The conseqmncc is , that during the day tbe inmates are nearly baked , and at night nearly snffocated and worried with vermin , which are nourished and kept alive during winter with the heat ot the pot . Tlie only person who could torm anything like a correct opinion of the dwellings of many of the combers , would be one who had resided in some of ihe swamps of the West Indies , worried with niusquitofis and vervini , and even he could hardly do it justice , if he took the land and sea breezes of that country into consideration . Yet this is the condition of hundreds of men who ara now
submitting to almost total starvation to procure from their employers the miserable pittance often shillings and nine pence per week , a sum they almost deserve for enduring the sufferings of one summer . We must not forget to mention an act of benevolence performed to these men last night by the power loom weavers . This body had accumulated ah ml . € 40 , raised by one penny per week each , as a fund for th'i protection of their wages , and last night , at a public meeting , they voted thirty pounds of it as Ja gift to the combers . They are now about entering the United Trades , and being in no pressing or immediate want of the money , thought it could not be Letter applied .
Wkdnesdat—The manufacturers having intimated that if a deputation of the combers waited upon them something might be done towards a settlement , two of them were appointed Yesterday to attend upon them , at one of their weekly meetings . The deputation carried the following propositions to their employers . First , —If they resumed their work would the manufacturers give the advance required , of a farthing per pound ; if not , would they give it for ten weeks , that bein » the time three have alread y sriven it ; and if they would not do that * would they give it till the firet day of January next , reserving to themselves the power of then pulling it off aeain , providing tliey could then make it appear that the state of the markets would not enable them to give it any longer ? The deputation was informed by one
of the manufacturers that they misht resume their work at the wages they had when they were turned off , but that they were determined to give no advance . The deputation then wanted to know if the manufacturers would allow one or twoof the combers committee to meet them in argument on the subject . This was also refused in a peremptory manner ; the manufacturers remarking , that all " further interviews on the subject would be useless . The arrogance of the manufacturers appeared t » proceed from a belief that , because the combers waited upon them they were begging for employment . They were however quite deceived in this , as the combers had no such intention , and only did it to give them a chance of settling the dispute , if they were so disposed .
LEICESTER STOCKING MAKERS . A portion of the hands working under Mr . Hop . kins , ot Albion-street , having been offered a reduction of 3 d . a dozen on mens' stocking legs , and 2 d . on womens ' , a public meeting was held in the market place , on Tuesday , to solicit the opinion of the trade , whether they were agreeable to submit to the ssme , when the following resolutions were unaniraonsly adopted : — That this meeting is of opinion the reductions offered bv Mr . Hopkins is contrary to the recognized principles of the trade , therefore we do hereby agree to pay 3 d . each per week for the support of the men out on strike against the said Mr . Hopkins ; and , that the game be transmitted to the Barkby Arms , Upper George-street , between 5 and 10 o'clock on Saturday next .
That it is the opinion of this meeting it would be advis . able , and for the benefit of all , to join the National Association for the Protection of Labour ; and that the committee be empowered to enrol them . Further that 8 s . he the average of the Straight-down Hose and Straight Shirt branches . Thecommitteetrust , that as the manufacturers show signs of lowering the price of labour , the men will assist those on strike , nnd enrol themselves " m the association . For further particulars inquire » f i he secretary . A general meeting of the branches will be hf-ld at tlie Barkby Arms , on Monday next , at 8 o ' clock in the evening , when all are requested to attend . Signed , on behalf of the branches , John Squire , John Sarsons , Edward Muggleton , John Wcsron , John Brown , committee—Daniel Lucas , -ecretaiy . Committee Room , Barkby Arms , Leicester , Nove nber 17 sh .
SuBscairnoxs Collecteo at Bdbslei , in Behalf of the Keighlet TuRSf . ocTS . —By Messrs . Crockbon and Tatttrsall . From the shoe makers , 15 s . Gd . ; from the weavers , 5 s . ; from the public-house , lis . Cd . ; per Ruben Bland , 13 s , 7 d . ; ditto from the Painters and plasterers . Is . 2 d . ; per James Crockbon , Us . 41 d . ; per John Ward , 4 s . 43 d . ; per John Gray , jun ., 8 s . ; per Geo . Hudson , Ss . 4 d .: per John Gray , s -u ., Is . Gd . ; per Parker Parker , 10 d . ; per Robert Holgate , la . fid . ; per Thomas Tatttrsall , at Clithcroe , 2 s . 9 d . —Total , £ 4 2 s . 7 . The Tankers of Edinburgh appeal to their English brethren to aid them in getting a fair day ' s wage for a fair day ' s work . Tne Edinburgh tanners have enrolled themselves in union , and the tanners of Haddington and Wusselburgh are about to join them . All communications to be addressed to James Gossert , 8 , Lanston-street , Edinburgh ,
jsational Traue ' s Uxiok Associatios . —Theusual weekly meeting ot the Central Committee of this b ? dy was held on Monday , at the office of the Association , Hyde-street , Bloomsbury . 'f . S . Duncombe , Esq ., M . P ., in the chair . A great number of letters were read , from various parts of the country , with reference to the business of the Association , and among others a letter containing the intelligence of the fcrmal accession of the Clhheroe Power-loom "Weaver . * , Kimberley Miners , Barrhead Block-Printers , Manchester Power-loom Weavers , Oldham Cord-Gridders ^ and Strippers , and Leeds Tailors . The contributions for the week amounted to a considerable sura , and included two items of £ 104 from the Maidstone Papermakers , and jESO
from the Needle-stampers of Redd itch . In consesequence of some misunderstanding between the metropolitan acting members of the Central Committee and the Manchester District Committee as to the construction to be put on a vote of the Conference held in May last , by which a levy was made to assist the building trades then on stri * k « , it wasresoWcd to convene a meeting of all members of the Central Committee , including its provincial members , for Tuesday fortnight . At the same meeting , the prouriety of the Association petitioning Parliament in favour of the Ten Hours' Bill will betaken into consideration , and several other important matters discussed . A report from the directors of the twin Association for the employment of labour , gave the
iuformaiion , that in addition to the boot , and shoe 'hop established by the Association in London , the business of which i « rapidly increasing , the Association have now at work horse-nail-makers , at Lye , Woicatershire , and silk glove-makers , at Duffield , near Derby , being parties who have struck , and who , in the failure of mediation between them and tiieir employers , have been put to reproductive employment , instead of being " supported in idleness from the funds of the Association , as is the case in ordinary strikes . The directors of this Association have also purchased frames for the purpose of setsing a portion of the framework-knitters of Nottingham , now on strike , to work in the same wav . The week ' s receipt of this " Monster Association" could not be less than £ 300 .
Capmakixo Aud Starvation.—On Monday An I...
Capmakixo aud Starvation . —On Monday an inquest was held on the body of Marv Ann Rvar ., aged ¦ crty-three . _ The body lay at a rao ' st miserable place down the middle of which runs a ditch about two feet wide . The room was so small the Jury could mly enter it three at a time . Elizabeth Simmons , who looked like a raucitated corpse , said that she iccupied the room in which the body lay , for which she paid Is . 6 d . per Week rent . She got her living by capmaking when she could get is to do . In February last she fell down and hurt one of her legs , causing a bad wound , from which she suffered most severely . She did not apply to the parish surgeon for assistance , out got a pennyworth of salve when
she had the means . The deceased had no bed to lie upon , bat used to sit on a bundle of raws and lay her head on a box when she went to sleep , ' She had not had any work to do for four or five days before her death , and had lived very bauly . The Cor-mer—Why do you not go into the house ? Witness—They won't take me in , Sir ; I applied two years a ;; o , but thev would not admit me , 1 don ' t know why . ' About hall past two oa Monday morning I awoke , and as 1 could not get an answer when I spoke to the deceased I got a light , and found her dead and co ^ d . Some discussion then took place among the Jury , and a verdict of " Found dead , caused by starvation , " was returned .
Wrecking . —More than twenty persons have been committed to Bodmin gaol at ' hard labour , from three to five months , for plundering from tile brig Samaritan and her c- 'go washed in by the sea , dui ? ins the lategalis .
Capmakixo Aud Starvation.—On Monday An I...
THE WHIGS EXPOSED BY THE LATE HENRY HUNT , M . P ., FOR PRESTON . We have been requested by > 0 Term of our Barnsley readers to republish the celebrated lecture on " The Conduct of the Whigs to the working ckuues , delivered bv the late Ilenry Hunt , M . P ., at Lavvrcnce-strcet chapel , Birmingham , on the 81 st of October , 1832 . We cheerfully comply with the request , omitting only such portions of the proceedings of the meeting at which the lecture was delivered as are no longer of interest to present readers ;—Gentlemen : —I huve requested your attendance this evening , because I had not an opportunity of addressing you at length at the great Meeting of Monday last . It is well known to most of you , that within the last fifteen months , my name hits been made use of in Birmingham ,
with no common share of opprobrium attached to it , because , it was said , 1 had opposed the Reform Bill . Now I will briefly state to you what my conduct has been with regard to that measure ; first observine , however , that I feel no ill will towards you for having taken the p » rt you have against me , because I know it is the public press that has misled you . ( Hear , hear . ) Ever since I was capable of thinking and reflecting , I have contended for a full Radical Reform in the Commons House of l ' arliament ;—such a Reform as should include in the suffrage every male inhabitant in the community , of full age , and unstained with crime , ( Cheers , ) Ob the night after tbe Reform Bill was first introduced into the House by hord John Russell , I addressed tlie House at length , and stated my great surprize at so lsrge a measure having
been brought forward by the Whigs , lor nev » r did I anticipate that they would have consented to lop off so many rotten boroughs . With regard , however , to the Ten Pound Franchise , I said it would exclude seven out of eight of the male adults in the Ui « gdom , and that the people would not , and ought not to be content with such a measure . ( Cheers . ) I voted for the disfranchisement of all the rotten boroughs , for the enfranchisement of all the large town , and I was anxious to vote even for more , but I could not justify myself in voting for a measure which I felt convinced would make all England a rotten borough . ( Hear . ) Now you all know that soon after this Bill was introduced , a cry was raised throughout the kingdom , of " the Bill , the whole Bill , and nothing but the Bill , " and the man who would not join
in thatcry was deemed an enemy to Reform .. I will now remind you of one of the provisions of the First Bill which I opposed . One of the clauses made it imperative on the elector to pay up his rent , iaeit and rates , to tbe 24 th of June in each year , before he could be registered in July . Thousands haie been disfranchised by the present Bill , which does not require the payment of rent , and gives a much longer time between the payment of taxes and rates , and the registration ; but how many would have been enfranchised if the First Bill had become law ! ( Hear , hear . ) For opposing this clause I was denounced by the whole press of England , with the exception of only two newspapers , the Leeds Patriot and tho Poor Man ' s Guardian , tho editor of which ( Mr . Hetherington ) sits here at my right hand ; he never
failed , amid the whole clamour , to speak of me correctly and justly . ( Loud applause . ) About this time I was pausing through this town , and by invitation went to Darlaston ; at that place , I and the gentlemen who were with me , gave a description of this Bill , and of the clause I have b « een speaking of , in particular ; after which I put the question honestly and fairly to them , whether they thought the Bill would do the working classes any good , or was ever Intended to do them any ? which was decided unhesitating in tho negative ; and the same was done at Manchester , Bolton , Blackburn , and Preston . When , therefore , I got back to the House , I said , that since the working classes had understood more correctly what the Bill was , they were determined not to receive it as a final measure . Was it right or wrong ? ( A . universal shout , " right . "
Gentlemen , I will now proceed to the more immediate object of the meeting this evening , which is to give you a brief history of the Wilier Ministry . The press ought to have done this , but has not , and therefore I will attempt to supply the deficiency , ( Bravo . ) I purpose to begin with a very short narration of what they did when last they were iu power in the year J 1800-7 . When 1 was a young man , I wa * ft great admirer of Fox , Sheridan , and the Whig leaders of the day , who were always denouncing and properly so too , the measures of Pitt , as calculated to ruin the country . For fifteen years they had been fortelling the poverty aud distress which would come upon the nation by the acts of the Pitt Ministry , and in particular had they opposed that most infamous of Pitt ' s measures , the income tax , which was a tax of 5 per cent .,
afterwards increased to 10 per cent , on every man ' s income that amounted to £ 50 and upwards . I myself heard Tlerney in this place in th « House of Commons , declare that " this tax was so inquisitorial aud unjust that the people would be justified in taking up arms to resist it . " ( Hear , hear . ) Well , at length the Whigs came into office in 1806 , and now observe their censistency and political honesty . The first thing they did was to pass a high eulogium on the character of Pitt , and put us to the expense of a grand national monument . Not satisfied with this , they proposed that Pitt's debts , amounting to £ 40 , 000 , should be paid out of ihe taxes , for being so clever and honest a man . ( Laughter and cheers . ; Tlicy then brought in and pasted a bill , nhich cost the country £ S 4 , to enable Lord Crenvllle to hold
two offices in the Government at the same time , viz . First Lord of the Treasury at £ 0 , 000 a year , and an Auditor of the Exchequer , at £ 4 , 008 a year . ( Hear , hear . ) Then came the consideration of the income tax about which they had complained so often . Pitt had raised this tax from five to six and a quarter par cent ., but the Whigs had not been in office many weeks , ere they rose it to ten per cent , taking caro to insert a clause in the Act , exempting the King ' s private property , which then amounted to about two millions , from the operation of the tax , although it was levied upon the wid'iw or orphan ' s £ 50 per annum . ( Shame , shame . ) Tbe next thing they did was to bring in a bill to raise the annual grants to all the Princes of the blood from twelve to eighteen thousand a year , and those of the Princesses from six to ten
thousand a year . All the salaries of all the officers of the State were raised one-third , upon the plea of the high pr ice of provisions , and the necessaries of life , in consequence of which they were not able to maintain their dignities forsooth . ( Laughter . ) There was at that time no man in the House of Commons . bold enough to ask whether those increased salaries were not to come out ot the pockets of a people who had themselves to pay the same high price of provisions ; aud it also happened that no reduction had ever b « en made ia their salaries , although provision had come down one-half . ( Loud cries of Hear , hear . ) At this time there was a general cry for an equalization of the malt , hop , and beer duties , for the poor man was paying 10 s . ;' pcr barrel more for his beer than the rich man . Every gentleman , farmer , or
tradesman who could afford to buy malt and hops and brew himself , escaped a tax of 10 s . per barrel which was imposed on malt liquor when browed for sale to the poor man . ( Shame . ) Itwas contemplated to put this duty on malt , so that every one should , pay alike . At this time I was introduced to Mr . Fox , being then a very considerable farmer , and explained to him a plan by which the difficulties complained of might be got rid of . Mr . Fox expressed himself so well pleased with it , that he said he would cany it into execution . In a short time afterwards , however , to my great surprise , they brought in a bill on this subject , by which the exciseman was authorised to enter every private house in the kingdom . But this was too bad even for the House of Commons , and knowing that such a measure would affect
themselves , they refused to entertain it , and kicked it out . ( Loud cries of hear , and laughter . ) Anotherthing about which the Whigs used to be very indignant when out of office was Hanover . The connection of this country with Hanover , they said , they must be got rid of ; it was always injuring us in our wars . No sooner , however , did they get into power , when Fox declared that Hanover ought to be as dear to us as Hampshire . ( Laughter . ) During their administration they sent out three military and naval expeditious , all of which failed , One was sent to Constantinople , was defeated through bad management , and returncl loaded with disgrace . A second expedition consisting of 8 . 000 men , was sent out to conquer Egypt , after Napoleon Buonaparte had made nn unsuccessful attempt with 30 , 000 men . Four thousand out of the
eight thousand were killed , undfour thousand came back . The third expedition was that of General Whltelock , to South America , ami you all remember what a disgraceful affair that turned out . ( Loud cries of hear , hear . ' ) So much for their naval and military fame . I will now go to another matter about which the Whigs always mnde a great stir , I mean Catholic Emancipation . They certiinly didbringin a bill to relieve his Majesty's Catholic subjects , at which , however . old Georgethe Third was very much displeased , and declared that sooner than he would sanction eueh a measure , ha would dismiss them from office . Now this was the unkindest cut of all ( laughter )—they promised the King that if he would forgive them , and retain them in office , they would never mention the subject again aa long as they lived . But
the King had got tired of them , and kicked them out , amid the universal execrations of the people . ( Laughter nnd cheers . ) They , however , left a sort of nest egg behini them , in tbe shape of a Bill , which was found by their successors in Mr . Qrattan ' s office , making it an offence transportable for seven years , for any Irishman to be found out of his own house between sun set and sun rise . ( Shame . ) I , who was such an admirer of these Whigs before they came into office , was , you may be sure , very much disappointed and cut up by the'r short and inglorious career , and from that time to the present moment , I have always maintained that , so far us the people go , there is no essential difference between Whijc and Tory . ( Loud cheers . ) The Whigs were so unpopular with the people after they left office , that they were nbKged to remain almost inactive , and thus their successors were allowed to go on for a number of years
to almost any length , in oppression and tyranizing over the people , , At length , however tho Whigs rallied again , and again the people placed confidence in them , They exposed this abuse , aud the other abuse , and created such an opposition to the Tories , that tho people began to think them good fellows after nil . ( Laughter . ) They constantly kept railing against the enormous amount of the Civil Lift , the Pension List , and other profligate waste of the public money . In lfSO , Sir James Graham , nbiv first Lord of the Admiralty , brought up a statement to the House , showing the £ 600 . 000 u year of the taxes was distributed among the Privy Councillors . This exposure resounded throughout the country , and every one was crying , " What excellent fellows these are ; " "These are tl ; c men we want , " & e .,. ( Laughter . ) Well , at length , George the Fourth' died , and tlie present Kiiigoanie to the throne , Sow , when the King dies , the civU litt aud ptciioa lis : urn at aa tad ; and . IsnuwinA
Capmakixo Aud Starvation.—On Monday An I...
this , now thought we , this is the tinw to set things right , particularly as they tell us we have got a modern Alfrea come to the throne . ( Laughter and cheers . ) we found , however , that the Wellington Ministry proposed that the same civil list should be granted to William the Fourth , as to the late King ; but still there were our friends , the Whigs , like watch dogs on the alert , i hey loudly declaimed against such extravagance—declared that it was infamous to take so much money from tne pockets of the people for the service of a King , and that sometbimg like half the sum would be quite sufficient .
In this way they blustered through five or six hours debate , when at last they came to a division , and actually beat the Ministers . We all know what was the consequence , tho WcllitiRton Administration went out and the Whigs came in . They directly proposed , that the civil list should be referred to a Committee of their own nomination , who should report the sum which might be sared to the country . This Committee sat for some time , with Lord Althorp as its Chairman , and at length they reported to thefhouse , that a saving of £ 12 , 000 . per annum , out of the million , might be effected . ( loud
laughter . ) When , however , Lord Althorp came to propose the civil list for the sanction of tho House , he said , that renlly this sum was so very trifling and unimportant , that he was Convinced no man would desire to curtail the King of it ; and he therefore proposed that the amount of the civil list should be the same as before . No one except myself rose in that house to protest against so flagrant a measure . I said I certainly concurred with the noble lord that the sum of £ 12 , 000 was insignificant , when compared with the million , but still it was an import . nnt sum to be taken from the pockets of the starving people of England , and was , moreover , more than double the sum given to the President of the United States , for performing his very arduous and onerous duties . ( Hear , hear . ) I therefore proposed that the civil list should be reduced by the amount which the
committee had reported might be saved , and on this question I divided the House , determined that it should be put upon record . ( Loud cheers . ) Only four or fire members voted with me , and the consequence is , that the civil list of William 1 Y . is upon the same scale as the most profligate monarch that ev . r sat on the British Throne , and that , tto , by the retrenching Whigs . The same night , the Pension List came under consideration . Now , thought we , we shall , at any rate , have a little practical reform . The Whigs have said so much and so often about the enormity of paying pensions to people who never rendered one iota of service to the country , that we shall certainly lop off a considerable part of this £ 175 , 000 . ( Laughter . ) Several of the members objected to the subject being gone into that night , and were for
having a committee appointed to inquire into how many cases were really deserving of pensions . But no , this would not do ; it was not the Ministers' will that any reduction should be made ; and Lotd Althorp said he thought it very hard to take away the pensions from these poor people , many ef whom were getting very old , the Diilte of Wellington ' s mother , for instance , ( Laughter ) His lordship wound up his speech by moving that the Pension List should remain as before , though he had so often railed against it . ( Shame . ) I divided the House on the question , but was left as usual in a paltry minority , so that the country has the honour to maintain the favourites and mistresses of George the Fourth , besides a niee little bit whicli . may have been added siHce . ( Hear , hear . ) Aftur this had been disposed of , I took an
opportunity of drawing the attention of Sir James Graham to another little matter about which he had made so much st . r a short time previously ; I mean the £ 600 , 000 a-year among the Privy Councillors ; but oh , no , they would hear nothing about it . ( Laughter . ) And although I have mentioned the subject several times since , 1 declare I can never persuade Sir James to look me in the face ; he always looked askance , like a cow at a bastard calf . ( Loud laughter . ) Every one knows how the Whigs used to rave away at the standing army , yet no sooner had they stepped into office than they increased it by an addition ot' 10 , 000 men , ( Hear , hear . ) Then came the Queen ' s business , it was , of course , necessary that we should make some provision for this beloved German Princess , in case her husband died first . ( Laughter . ) It was
proposed to settle upon her £ 100 , 000 a-year , and as the King is an old man , and the Queen is comparatively young , it is not at all probable but they may have the pleasure of paying this immense sum of money for thirty or forty years . ( Hear , hear . ) I am really , gentlemen , somewhat concerned at being obliged to intrude my conduct upon your notice so frequently ; but I find it necessary , in order that you may be informed correctly of what has been done . ( Hear . ) There was not a man in the House of Commons except myself who opposed this grant . ( A voice , " they ' re a bad lot , " ) I argutd that Queen Caroline was allowed only £ 50 , 000 , in paper money , and that £ 100 , 000 , in gold was at least equal to £ 150 , 000 ta paper , ( Loud cries of hear , hear . ) Itwas all ef no use , however for the grant was voted . Well , then came the Princess Victoria ; this little damsel bad
already been allowed £ 6 , 000 a year , but she was now about thirteen years of age , and it was necessary that our future Queen should learn to dance and sing , & c . Lord Althorp , therefore , came forward and proposed an addition to her former grant of £ 10 . 000 a year , mrking a total of £ lG , O 0 Oa year : more then treble the sum received by the President of tbe United States of America . ( Hear , hear . ) I exclaimed against this as monstrous , and in order to try the character of the house , I moved that the grant be only £ 5 , 000 in addition . Sir Francis fiurdctt got up , on that occasion , and declared that he believed the member for Preston was the only mania or out of the house that would object to tho grant ;—( cries of oh ! oh!)—which was followed up by the entreaties of several of the lion , members around me " not to take up time by dividing the house . " "'twas a pity I should push it to a division , " and so forth . ( Laughter . )
I , however , was determined as a matter of principle to persist , and a division accordingly took place , when there appeared 340 against me , and not a single man of them who voted with me . ( Loud cries of hear , and cheers . ) Thus then whilst the Princess Charlotte , who was the King's daughter , was allowed £ 15 , 000 a year iu > . iper money , this little damsel has got £ 16 , 000 in gold . Who , after this will say , that the Whigs are better than the Tories ? Put I think I hear some one of the Council of the Birmingham Union say , Oh ! but this Hunt is hired , and paid by the Tories , to come here and state these things . So that if a man takes the trouble to point out the hypocrisy and villany of the Whigs , or does his bes , t to SU've the cause of tbe working classes , he is at once to be denounced as an enemy to the people , and
a friend to the fc . i'ies . ( Hear , hear . ) Now I think no honctt reflecting man will accuse me of having any liking for tlie Tories , I say they are like a set of highwaymen ; but I also say on the other hand , the Whigs are like dexterous pick-pockets . ( Hear , hear . ) The conduct of tlie Tories I know has been most infamous , they have brought the country in such a state , that no man knows , for a week together , what may happen . They are now , however , out of office , and let us now occupy our time in railing at those out , whilst wc overlook the . treacherous conduct of those who are In , and who pretend to be reformers of abuses . ( Loud cheers . ) Only let the Tories again come into place , and attempt to continue the same system of misrule , and I will be one of tbe loudest in my opposition to them ; but let any set of men , whether
Whig or Tory , bring forward measures for the benefit of the working classes , and they shall have my warmest support . ( Applause . ) But I have yet to notice two or three other matters , relative to the conduct of these Whigs , since they have been in office . You will remember that in Castle'eash's time , there was a grant from Parliament of £ 800 , 000 to repair the beautiful Windier Castle , which it was said had got delapidated , and that the King wished to reside there . It was objected to at the time , but upon a distinct and specific pledge being given , that the iu n should include all contingences , and that not a shilling more would be required , it was allowed . Notwithstanding this solemn pledge , however , various grants have been made year after year , until the sum is swelled from £ 300 , 000 to £ 700 , 000 . ( Loud cries
of "hear , hear , " " shame , shnme , " & i \) On every occasion of these grants being made by the house , tho Whigs , as usual , protested loudly againdt the extravagance , " what a shame it is , " ( said they , ) "to spend such enormous sums in the repair of a King ' s residence . " ( Hear . ) Of course , then say you , they have stopped the supplies to Windsor Castle . ' Oh ! no ; on the contrary , they had not been in office long , ere the annual grant for Windsor Castle was made , and what think you was the amount ? So less 1 assure you than £ 81 , 000 to go on with the repairs . On the motion ' being proposed , Mr , Hume and myself called for the papers , by which wo found there had been £ 750 , 000 granted already , for the repairs only ; and £ 250 . 000 more for furniture . The house was divided on the question of this
further grant , when only Mr . Hume , myself , and about six others voted against it . ( Hfrar , hear . ) The very same night another grant was proposed of £ 6 , 000 for furniture , for one of the rooms in the same castle , although £ 250 , 000 had been already expended in furniture . ( "Shame , " and a voice "Is it finished now . " ) Finished , no ! nor likely to be j the job will last just as long as the contractor can induce the Ministers to get grants of money from Parliament , ( Hear , bear . ) I will now mention another littleaffuir;—There is a Society forpropogating the Gospel in the Colonies , with one or two of the Bishops at the head . The society itself subscribes a very few thousands a year , and induces the government to give them a subscri ption of £ 16 , 000 a year . ( Loud laughter . ) The Whigs were always very indignant at this grant , and in 1829 , Lord Althorp moved , and Lord Howick , who is the son of Earl Grey , seconded a motion , that the sUltl should be only £ 8 , 000 that year , and that the next year it should cease altogether . No sooner ,
however , did they come into power , than these very men proposed , that the grant should be £ 16 , 000 as usual ;—( Hear , hear . ) Whilst a conversation was taking place on the subject , I went to tho library , and fetched the report of the proceedings which took place on the occasion when Lord Althorp moved the reduction of the grant , I returned , and made exactly tho same motion made by his lordship in 1820 , and yet not a single Whig voted with me . ( Hear , hear . ) Again;—the Lord Chancellor ' s salary is £ 11 , 000 per annum , and the retir . ing pension of Lords Erskiuo , Eldon , and Lindhurst , was £ 4 , 000 pir annum , which-the retrenching Whigs have raised for my Lord Brougham , to £ 5 , 000 , although every body knows that £ 3 , 000 in gold now , is equal to much more than tho £ 4 , 000 in paper , received by the former Chancellors . ( Hear , hear . ) ' Had this been done try the Tories , we need not have been surprised ; but for men who eit' . ne into olliee expressly pledged-to retrenchment , it is most atrocious . ( Loud clicer , and c . ies ol " away with them . " ) ( Tg H wmh'M in cur nexi , )
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THE SHOttT TIME ^ UESTIOlN . RENEWED AGITATIONFOR A DIMINUTION OF THE HOURS OF LABOUR IN FACTORIES .
GREAT MEETING AT HALIFAX . On Thursday evening a meeting was held In . the Odd Fellows' Hall , which will probably hold 2 , 000 persons , and which , on this occasion , was thronged to excess . A considerable numb » r went away , unable to obtain admission . The meeting was of the more interest from the circumstance of the principal mill-owner here , ' Mr . Akroyd , chairman of the Mill-owners' Association , having recently issued a document , stating th . \» , after several ; meetings , the masters had resolved that they
would reduce the hours of labour from 12 to 11 , with -a proportionate reduction of wages , unless two-thirds ot their hands would sign a declaration of their desire to continue to work 12 hours with the present rate of wages ; those above ID years old were required to answer for themselycs , and the parents for those who were between 13 and 15 . The Short-Time Committee had is « ued an answer , claiming a law to protect their children from 13 to 21 being worked more than 10 hours a-day , and proposing to leave the price of labour to be regulated b , j supply and demand . About 8 o ' clock the choir was taken by
BENJAMIN Koshton , a band-loom weaver , who briefly opined the business ef the evening , remarking that ten hours were enough—he believed eight were—for the labour of either man or beast . Robert Sctcliffe , a working man , moved the first resolution : — " That the advocacy of the shortening of the hours of labour has been incalculably a benefit to society at large , has produced a better understanding between masters and men , and taupbt the operatives that it is useless to war against machinery , but rather to struggle for the regulation of the hours of labour , as a means of comfort and happiness to themselves and families . "
Joseph Kersiuw , a comber , in seconding the motion , here testimony to the benefits which had flowed to the working classes from the interference of the Legislature . Mr . Fielde ' h , M . P ., being called upon to support the resolution , was received with loud cheers and hurrahs . He said , I have attended here at the special request of the supporters of the Ten Hours' Bill m Yorkshire , and I havejeome to ascertain whether your opinions are unchanged , and whether you are as strenuous as ever in your advocacy of a Ten Hours' Bill . ( " We are . " ) Do you want a Ten Hours' Bill , or do you wont an Eleven Hours' Bill ? ( "A Ttn—a Ten . " ) If there are any Eleven Hours' Bill men in this meeting , I should be very glad if one of them would step forward and assign a reason for the preference of eleven to ten , [ The Chair , man— "Come forward to the platform , Eleven Hour . ^'
men . " ] ( Laughter and cheers . ) I ara old enough to know that factory labnur was much longer before the agitation for a Ten Hours' Bill commenced than It has been since . I remember the time when it was the prevailing practice in the factories in most parts of Laneashire and Yorkshire , to work 12 , 13 , some 14 , some a ? much as 19 hours in the day ; and therefore 1 bear my testimony to ( the fact stated in the resolution , that the agitation for the Ten Honrs' Bill has been productive of great good . ( Hear , hear . ) Gentlemen , it was 31 years last June since Sir R . Peel , the father of the late Premier , introduced into the House of Commons a bill , which passed through committee , and was reported by Mr . Brcgden , but r ? as afterwards shelved in some way or other—a bill to fix 12 J hours a day for labour , meals , andeducation—one hour and a half for meals , half an
hour for education , and 10 J for actual work ; and it embraced the mills engaged in working up cotten , flax , woollen , and silk . Now , if you have been struggling 31 years , and have not yet accomplished your object , there must be some formidable obstacle in the way somewhere , for it is admitted on all hands that what you ask is reasonable , that you ought not to be called upon to work more than 10 hours a day , that children between 13 and 18 ( or rather I would say between IS and 21 ) , ought not to be required to work more than 10 hours , a period , indeed , which becomes 12 | with tbe time for meals and going to and fro ; and , besides , why should those who work in factories be called upon to work longer than they do in other trades , and not leave off as is the custom in almost all other trades when 10 hours labour has been performed ! ( Hear , hear . ) Yet Sir R . Peel could not
succeed , nor have all the advocates that followed him . But still I come here to give you encouragement and hope , and to exhort you to persevere . Let every individual in the manufacturing districts make it an especial object to do all that he can to promote the passing of the Ten Hours' Bill in tlie next session . ( Hear , h « ar . ) I have already given notice , that early in the nest session I will introduce the bill , and I come here to obtain your support . ( "You shall Jiave it . ' ') I want every man , woman , and child above 13 , to petition the Legislature not to delay the passing of the Ten Hours' Bill next session . It has been said that you hr . ve' a giant ' * strength , ' aud 1 want you to exercise it . I do not want you to do as has been suggested , I am sorry to say , by the Chancellor , of the exchequer , who now represents you , or ouvht to do so ; I do not want you to have recourse to
"turn-outs , " The question was asked , both by him and Mr . M . Philips , "Why don't they turn out for short time 1 They can turn out for an advance of wages ; why don ' t they turn out for short time ? If they do they will obtain it . " Nothing can be mora false ; aud for a legislature to hold out to thousands of men an induce , merit to do that which might lead to anarchy and confusion in the country is a thing almost unparalelled . Do not you take such advice . ( Hear , hear . ) I caution you against being led by any man that advises you to have recourse to violence in any way ; if you do that , you willloseyour object ; but if you will be peaceable and persevere , the bill cannot be withheld from you , I believe , many months . ( Cheers . ) At the same time it must be admitted that you cannot go from twelve hours at once to ten , without creating s > me little disturbance
in the arrangements which now exist , and , therefore , perhaps , it might be more wise , besides disarming memhers of the League who object , —and many of whom I have known to say , that when the Corn Laws were repealed they would vote a Ten Hours' Bill , —if I could get eleven hours fixed , for two years from next February , and ten hours afterwards , it might be wise to adopt those terms in order to settle the question . I would rather have ten hours at once ; but this plan might be prudent , if we can thus meet those who are alwajs ready to head the Minister and frighten him almost out of his wits , and if we can compel the members of the League to per . form theirpledge . ( Hear . ) But I would not commence with eleven hours in this way , without jour concurrence ; I come here to consult you and advise with you , and if you tell me you will not be satisfied with that , I will not
be satisfied either , ( Hear , hear . ) With your concurrence , however , that is what I should propose—eleven hours at first , and ten in the spring of 1849 , when the Corn Law repeal cotnes into complete operation ; would that be agreeable to you , gentlemen ! ( "Yes , yes , we will submiit to that . " ) What is it , after all , that is the bugbear that frightens these mill-owners , these lords of the spinuing-jenny and the loom ! They are very easily frightened ; they saem like men that have not good consciences , and are doing wrong ; and they know it is wrong to insist upon children of thirteen or fourteen keeping at work thirteen hours a day . It is contrary to the laws of nature and of God , and I am here to denounce them for it . ( Hear , hear . ) I have a right to do it ; there are not many that employ more than me and my pattner , or work up more raw materials , and I have
as good a rightto judge what is proper to be done as uty manufacturer in Lancashire . ( Hear , hear . ) But what is it that fri s hteos thoin ? Why , there is a gentleman iu this town , Mr , Akreyd—I should have liked to meet him here . ( Hear , hear . ) I wonder why these mill owners cannot meet me when I come to Halifax . I should like to discuss the question . ( Cheers . ) Mr . Akroyd says , in tbe letter he wrote to the Halifax Guardian , that the spinners aud the combers , and all classes of the operatives , will have one-sixth less wages ; but that is by way of frightening you , for all our experience gives the lie to the assertion . ( Hear , hear . ) lie tells you , too , that w « shall lose our foreign trade and our home trade . That is going a step further than any one I ever heard of . I suppose you will want clothing from somewhere , and if vou are not to make it for yourselves in England , whence
is it to come ? If tbe manufacturers in other countries could send you all these things , would they let you have them for nothing ? If they would , the sooner we lose the factory system the better . You hare been the slaves of Germans , the French , the Russians , and the Americans for a long time ; suppose the slavery was transferred to them , and you have the case for the rest of your life . ( Laughter . ) But Mr . Akroyd does not stem to have considered the subject at all ; for if we are to be supplied from other countries with what we now produce among ourselves , we must give something for it , and where can we find property to hand over to them ? Tlie arrangement vanishes into air ; it would apply to the introduction of corn , and they are all for Corn Law Repeal , and letting us depend upon foreigners for the supply of corn , If we are to send out gold to purchase
corn , there would not be any great harm in sending out gold to purchase clothing . ( Hear , hear . ) When they have exhausted the coffers of the Bank of England , you must give them some articles in exchange ; and then , perhaps , instead of being cooped up in factories , you might be spread out over the land , and make it produce double what it does ; and I do not think you would lose much by i \ tat , for I say agriculture should lie the bus- ; in all countries . [ A voice ; "They should be man and wife . "J—manufacture should be its handmaid ; I say th . it as a manufacturer , But , says Mr , Akroyd , they work longer hours and for less wages abroad , and they would drive us out of the market by thtir competition . If Mr . Akroyd had ever studied the subject , likeamiin that wished to arrive at the truth , he would
have found that the competition ho ought most to complain of is the home competition— ( hei < r )_ it is from the manufacturers in Bradford , and Leeds , and Manchester and so oiii trying to gain some advantage over- one another . ( Hear , hear . ) We have always had the cry of foreign competition . Let me tell you what was said in 1833 , before a committee of the House oi Commons bv Mr . W . Greg , who wrote a pamphle t in favour of a Ten Hours' Bill , and tfeen altered his opinion—though I believe he said , not long ago , that if the Com Law were repealed ho would stiH advocate a Ten Hours' Bill . He stated in 1883 that , in Manchester the average rate of . wages was about 10 s . a-week , whereas in France it was 5 s . 81 . ; aud the hours of labour ill Primce seventy-two to eighty-four ; that in Switzerland the wages " were ia . 3 d , the hems , soviivlt-tighl lo cighty . lbur : iu Aus-
Capmakixo Aud Starvation.—On Monday An I...
I tria the wages were 4 s ., the hours sevent y-two to si I . I in the Tyrol the wages Ss . 9 d ., tho hours ei ghty in g ^ ony 3 s . Gd . for seventy-two hours ; ia parts alp J *} 2 s . 6 d . for seventy-two to ninety hours ; and he said n ! ' * ivo could not bear up under . thig competition . Why w Greg himself proved on that occasion that the sumption of cotton had- risen from 163 , 000 , 000 lb « * 1820 . to 230 , 000 , 000 lbs . in 1832 / and it has since reach'S 532 , 000 , 000 lbs . So that wo are not swallowed up D frenchmen and Swiss —( a laugh)—we seem raiher to have got too much werk to do still . If we were to los foreign trade by reducing the hours of work , the Ia « t thirtetn years , ought to have given us some eiperien ( ^ of it . ( Hear , hear . ) But there was another gentleman brought before that committee , an American , who ' wa . to crush the Ten Hours'Bill in a different way ; and ' ha
proved , that the wages in Ameiica , in parts when the cotton manufacture is carried on , are Us . or 15 s . a-weeV the hours of work being seventy-two in the week . Then * if the argument had been good , the French would have been abl « to eclipse ug , though the Americans would not have made much advance upon us . ( Laughter ami cheers . ) Yet we , with onr medium wages and our lowest hours of work , have increased our manufacturers more than either the French or the Americans . ( Hear , bear . ) But wh y should these men thus repeat argiu rnents ten thousand times answered , whenever you be . stir yourselves to obtain a Ten Hours' Bill ! I believe they are more to be pitied than blamed , for it is evident they do not understand what foreign trade is it is only the interchange of one commodity for another , the quan . tity varying according to the quantity 0 f that article in " the market The of
. interchange these commodities regulates itself without fh » interference of man , and the manufacturers hare no control over it except when they make too much , as they have done in Yorkshire now ( Hear , hear . ) Neither is it regulated by wages . Though the French have had such low wages to hel p them we have increased our manufactures in the last thirteen years sixty-four per cent ., while the Americans have only increased theirs forty-eight per cent ., and the French theirs still less . ( Hear . ) The Americans , how , ever , paying 15 s . wage * to our 10 s ., can undersell us often . It is not done by low wages , | but by getting re . turns suitable to the consumption ; and all the talk about our losing our foreign trade , if we worked shorter time or paid higher wages , is a fallacy and a deception . I challenge any millowner to make it out ; I have as deep
an interest in it as they , and I do not want to to ruin myself , or you , but there is no necessity for wages to fall . ( Hear , hear . ) But are the millowners of Halifax quite certain they can continue the wages they now pay , even with twelve hours ? ( Hear , hear . ) I say they cannot unless something is done to correct the evils that prevail ; I do not think they know what that is , but they will find it out by and bye . ( Hear , hear . ) I hear that in Stock , port alone , the diminution in the consumption of cotton within a few weeks amounts to 500 bags a week , through . working feur days a week instead of six . They would not do that if they were not losing ; they would want you all for full time If business paid , I believe it ia the same iu Yorkshire , and that they are not all working full time . Yet there were houses in Yorkshire with hundreds of horsepower and of hands standing still , who sent up to Sir R . Pot !
and Sir J . Graham to frighten them agiinst giving a Ten Hours' Bill ; as if a Ten Hours' Bill could be objected to by men who were working only four days a week ! ( Hear . } But , gentlemen , you have a great many friends in Parliament ; and if Miniittrial influence , in opposition to you , shall eease to be exercised ( aud I believe this will now be an open question ) , you will carry the bill the first time it is brought forward . ( Cheers . ) Besides , here is an election close it hand ; and if the bill is not carried before , I hope you will oppose every candidate that will not vote for it . ( Hear , hear . ) Do that by Lord Morpeth ; he richly deserves it , ( Hear , brar ) I have a great respect for that nobleman , but he ought not to take part against the poor working children . I regret that he made such a mistake , but I hope he will do so no more ; and we should always forgive when people repent . The hon . gentleman retired amidst loud and hearty cheering .
The resolution having been carried unanimously , two working men , Joseph Crossland and Thomas Hawkyard moved and seconded a resolution to the same effect as the third and fourth resolutions passed at the Huddersfield meeting . Mr . R . Oastxeb , on standing forward to support the motion , was received with great applause . He felt that he was looking on a singular sight ; men who had been in their factories before the sun rose that morning were still standing there by hundreds , calm and steady , to listen in that hot and crowded room . In reference to Mr . Akroyd ' sdocumaut , ltr . Oastler said tbe millowners , perhaps , thought the reduction to 11 hours would really reduce wages ; he ( Mr . Oastler ) thought differently . His opinion was that if the hours were reduced , the
wages would be increased in amount , the reason why they were so low being that the men worked too long ; but there being a doubt upon the subject , it was impertinent , cruel , and dishonest , for the masters to requirethe workmen to bind themrelves to the worst side ofthat doubt . If wages would fall the masters wanted no document to compel the men to thelower sum ; the men could not prevent a fall . ( Hear , hear . ) As for saying that if a man now got Is . for 12 hours' wages , he must as » matter of course receive only lOd . if the hours were reduced to 10 , that was disproved by the fact that there had been no such reduction in the case of children who now worked six hours where they used to work 1 C . ( Heaty hear . ) But it was shown by the " philosophers" themselves , in 1832 , in their Penny Magazine , p . 47 , that the fall of wages was produced by supernumerary
handscompeting for employment , and that a diminution of the number of hands ready for employment produced an equal effect in the opposite direction ; and so long as factory labour was n < t made to agree with the number of hands that sought factory employment , it could never be said that a mau received 12 or 10 hours' wages for 15 or 10 hours' work . While they were working 12 hours a day , had they never found that there were supernumerary operatives ? (" ^ Plenty . " ) Then , till the hours of work were reduced so " as to bring those labourers into emploj * ment , the employed men might be sure of not getting full irages for their time ; and if the reduction of hours to 10 should have the iff « ct of bringing in those supernumeraries , wages would not , and could not , be reduced . ( Hear , hear . ) How dare the masters , then , say that a reduction of the hours of labour neeessarilv involved a .
reduction of the wages ? ( Hear , hear . ) But Mr . Akroyd , who was said to be a very good man , and of whom he must try to make a convert , thought we . should loose our foreign trade . No one could make out how that could be if the wages were to be reduced . ( Hear , hear . ) But we had no right to have foreign trade—it was dishonest and unsound—until those at home were supplied . We talked about " our roaring foreign trade ; " yes , we were giving three pieces where we used to give one ; did they near three pieces at home where they used to w ^ ar one f [•' No , nor one where we used to wear three- . " "We have not a blanket upon our beds . "J Then they were robbed . ( Hear , hear , ) The theory of home and foreign trade was the following : —The proper employment of labour was , that one man should produce a commodity for another , and this other man should produce in return a commodity for him ; on this principle a home trade
was established , consisting of general and mutual demand of home produced commodities , and thus the consumption and enjoyment of the necessities aud comforts of life were secured to the labouring population of the country . Foreign trade should be indulged in only for that portion of our products which was not required for the necessary comfort of our own people ; by it a portion of ourexistingenpital was abstracted from home circulation , which could not be safely extracted from the general fund , excepting in the event of all members of the home community being well off , or kept in employment with good wages ; the surplus of the general or national capital might then , and then only , be fairly applied to the purchase and for the enjoyment of foreign productions . ( II « ar , hear . ) Mr . Oastler , having then urged the working men to be united ; and persevere , sat down amidst much applause .
A vote of thanks to Mr . Oastler , Lord Ashley , Mr . Fielden , and other , members of Parliament , was thW passed , The meeting closed at half-past 10 o ' clock .
The J Immigration Of Irish Paupehs Has O...
The Immigration of Irish Paupehs has of lateexcited considerable attention in Lancashire On particular days thei roads leading from Liyerpool to Manchester and other populous parts of the country , are covered with Irish families , consisting of men , women , and children , of ail ages , from the erandsire to the infant in arms . From the greatly increasing numbers m winch these poor creatures are now arriving , there is reason to fear that thev will , before long , prouuee a considerable effect bsth on w & aes and poor-rates in the country . The facilities for getting across to England and Scotland are now so great , that immigrants of this class are likely to conic in constantly-increasing numbers , as the prossure ol distress increases in Ireland . Tho-e who have paid any attention to the nature of tlie extensive emigration which is going on from Ireland , and winch is already sufficiently great to prevent any apparent uicreaseof population in a country , in which it is increasing nioro rapidly than in any other
country in Europe , must be aware that it consists of two kinds ol emigrants—the emigrants of hope and the emigrants of despair , The class which emigrates irom Irclitnd , noc from sheer necessitv , but from tlio hope of improving its condition , consists principally of small farmers possessed of some capital , say from £ 20 to . € 100 each , who go- to seek the means of hnproving tneir condition in Canada and tho States ; whilst the second class , the emigrants of despair , consists of the poorest of the poor , who cannot live at home , or obtain- tlie means pf emigrating to America , but who beg or burrow tlie trifle which is necessary fo bring them over to this country . For the last twenty years this class has been increasing , with every improvement in thv mode Of co ' min , ca '' . * between the two countries , until a populous lrisn quarter has been formed in London , Liverpool , Manchester , Glasgow , Leeds , and most other large towns in En « laiid and fceotknd .
RoiiBBKT . — Aldllo , iVfaivina Florentine o'c S-AUYuerez ; the ym . ing French lady , who was apprehended on an extraordinary charge of Robbing Mr . I ' urkcs , aship-buihicr residing at Fareham , flams , of a cash box ctuifaiiunjr " a large sum of sovereigns : uid a cheque , was hist , week ' examined before Sir . Tiirci-iit'i ' , a magistrate at Fareham , and commit -: d lo Winchester £ » o ! i ' or trial at the Quarter scsoiwiis .
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Nov. 21, 1846, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_21111846/page/6/
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