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1112 THE LEADER. [Saturday/
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THE STSI.KES. ilEMOHIAt TO LORD PALMERST...
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JOURNAL OL'RAILWAY A00inF-NTH. Wi'J are ...
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Transcript
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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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Iiyiion's Estatk Ak Adminiid,Rat.Ion Uni...
rights of certain persons who claimed against the parties entitled to the residue , and chiefl y as to interest and costs . The interesting feature in the case was a letter , which was in evidence , from the poet Lord Byron , -written to Mr . Leigh Hunt , disclaiming a legacy of 200 G 7 ., . bequeathed to his lordship by Percy JBysshe Shelley . This document had only come to . the knowledge of the executors _ of Lord Byron since the commencement of the proceedings . The letter was dated June 28 , 1823 . The earlier part of it related to private matters , after alluding to which his lordship proceeded as follows : —
" I am-sure .. there is no such intention on my part , nor ever was , in anything -which had passed between us , although there are circumstances so plausible , and scoundrels so ready in every corner of the earth to give a colour of their own to every thing-. The last observation is dictated b y what you told me to-day , to my utter astonishment ; it will for ever teach me to know my company better , or not at all . And now , pray do not apply , ' or misapply , directly or indirectly , to yourself any of these observation ' s . I knew you long before Mr-. S . know either you or me , and you and two more of his friends are the only ones whom I can at all reflect upon as men whose acquaintance was honourable and agreeable . I have one thing more to state , which is , that from this moment I must decline tin ? office of
acting , as his executor m any respect , and also all further connexion with his family in a ny of its branches , now or hereafter . There was something about a legacy of 2000 ? . which he had left me ; . this of course I decline , and the more so that I hear his will is admitted valid , and I stats this distinctly , that in case of anything happening to me my heirs may be instructed not to claim it . —Yours , ever aiid truly , ' N . E . " The question of costs and interest was under argument on Wednesday , when , the Court rose .
1112 The Leader. [Saturday/
1112 THE LEADER . [ Saturday /
The Stsi.Kes. Ilemohiat To Lord Palmerst...
THE STSI . KES . ilEMOHIAt TO LORD PALMERSTOl * . "Preston , Nov . 17 . The annexed memorial , adopted at a general delegate meeting , was to bo forwarded to its destination this day : — "To the Bi / j 7 i 6 Hon . Z , ord Tahncrston , Her Majesty ' s Principal Secretary of State for the Homo Department . "My Lord , —We , the powerloom weavers of Preston & nd its neighbourhood , beg to memorialize your Lordship
find solicit your consideration of the causes which have brought aboii . . tho unhappy dispute between the employers of factory labour and their workpeople in this district . We beg likewise to vr , \ l your attention-to tho mranswc have adopted to avert a general lock-up , ami the different proposals we have inado with a view to an amicable arrangement . ¥ i' presume , my Lord , to address you at this time , because , independent of your well-known sympathies for suffering humanity in whatever part of ihe world it may exist , wo understand tha t your . Lordship is desirous of being made acquainted with anything and everything that may ad ' eel the pence and havm ' onv of these realms .
"We consider that nothing c ; i . n be more detrimental to tho manufacturing and commercial interests of this country than the anxiety , agitation , end confusion which at present ; peryjuuM . he .--i ! districts . They destroy ( hat harmony and equilibrium mo necessary for tho peaceful progress aiid development of Hie skill juid ingenuity for which wo , n-i a people , nro proverbial ; and wo feel , my Lord , that a serious responsibility is ai inched to those who , by a disregnrd of reason and jusl ice , huro brought , about , ' this state of things . " in order that you may fully comprehend our view of this matter- and we assure you that , it . is based upon incontrovertible facts- —we !>(•}>• your careful i : misidorntion of the following digest taken from ( ho public documents of our body : ¦¦••
" Wo presume ihnl labourhns ilsrighiM as well as dntioH and Unit , eapil .-il lins its duties a . n well us ritHits ; nud wo have yet to learn ( . but , it is im ( . agonist ie ( o lh < % e principles peaceably and at a proper time to endeavour to gel , a belter remuneration for ourln hour . " Alv iiOi-il , you will remember I lie depressed stale of ( ho cotton ( rude about , I ho your l . KJ . f . A I , ( Iml , I hue I In ; manufacturem of l . ' re .-. ion and neighbourhood nuulo a ncrioii . s reduction in our wiigw , but , || ,,. y proinim'd that they would re . Mlore it as mion an mi improvement justifie <( it . 4 ' () n tho lnt day of June , 1 ft . ~ ; j , a , meeting of weavem took place , and it wmh ngrced tbal , a ine . morinl be sent , to each master , respectfully nolieiliiig „ ,, / idvnnce of 10 per cent ,, on all I ' abrioM of cloth , The memoriid snid W »
' would beg to impress upon you i'hat a , few years a » -o , when trade was in a drj > iv ;; , sed at ale , we . submit led lo a . scrimiM reduction in our wages , in the con / ident , hope ( lint , when it , revived , it , would honourabl y be put . on again . We bnvc patiently waited lo . see our e \| i''ctnl ion . s reufizoil . We find that trade is in n most , lloiiriiiliint >; condition , that Ihe demand lor iiinuiifn . eliired guilds in on the inriviiHo , and wn . submit , for your connidenit i < mi whelher wo arc nol , jiiMlilied in wishing lo participate in j . ; nod trade . If u e nro to receive none of the bcnolils of a tlourinhing ( rude , but , are U ) have our wages continually reduced when every depression lukot ) place , our ponil . ion ' will ultimately lie deplorable ' When lho hands wailed their
, upon employers fora roplv Homo treated Ibeni with courtesy and respect , lml , a ' -rent majority with inmilt and conleuipt ; and many who'YhuM waited iij ) on them wc : vv discharged mid cant ' upon ( ho world i » m niiivlun ! men and women . 1 My Lord / up ( o thin iimfj wo had no thought , of combination or imiun ; || , ,, boon ( railed into existence by l / ie natural nyini > alhy Unit , ulwnyH linn and wilM'xi . sl , among mon if they believe ( heir follow-eren . l urea niiMering in a ri / flilooiiM cause . VVo havo had no rwifioiw yy l nhown flint , our demando were unroiwonalblo ; tJioroforo , thin hn .-i eau . sod xm U > throw around Our uuu ' orhig krotlu-ou tho uhield of protection , imd to act
in union and concert against future acts of despotism . This is the real cause of our organization which at present exists- —not formed to dictate , but to assist by pecuniary aid those who havo been thrown out of employment for soliciting their just claims , and we now appeal to and fall back upon public opinion for protection . "But , my Lord , we may be asked what grounds we had to suppose that our . masters ; were in a position to redeem their promises . So strongly did we feelaipon the subject —so desirous were wo not to act unjustly by being deceived by appearances , that o manifesto was agreed to at a large public meeting of our body on the 14 th of July , 1853 , in which we made the following proposals : —¦
" ' If , on the other hand , we look around us at the present time , and at the state of trade- for the last five years , tro find the current prices for goods far superior to what they were at the former period . We find hands scarce , and mills and workshops springing up , mushroom-like , on every hand . We see evidence of accumulated wealth in every form and shapes , testifying to the prosperity which exists . The press sings its praises , and your orators make it the theme of every discourse . It lias formed a paragraph in every Royal speech , and both Houses of Parliament , by their divisions , havo attested to its truth . Yet the great body of masters , with a few honourable exceptions , declare that they are unable to let us taste of this peneral prosperity by an honourable adherence to their word . '" And again— :
"' We have no desire to be parties to keep up the present antagonism and excitement without good cause . Our labour is our only wealth , and the miserable wages we receive for it our only reward . But we here publicly and solemnly declare that if we were not convinced that our masters arc able to give the required advance we would be the last to request it . If we are labouring under a misconception , we wish to have our minds disabused ; if we are in error , let it be proved by plain facts . We wish to see peace and concord reign tlu'oughout the empire
among all classes of tho community , consistently with our own rights and duties , and , to accomplish this object , ire propose , for the consideration of the masters of Preston—Pirsfc , that if- ' they will prove that the same necessity which caused them to reduce our wages still exists , and prevents them raising our wages at the present time , and that it is incompatible with the . state of trade to give las an advance ; or , secondly , if they will rather prove before a jury of disinterested gontlemcn , of respectability and experience , that they are in as bad a position now as when tho reduction took place in 1847 , we . will abandon our claims to a
more favourable time . " My Lord , in these proposals you will percoivo that we had placed ourselves entirely at tho disposal of . our ' employers , ii' they were really unable to give an advance ; but we were treated with nothing but silence and contempt . In tho meantime two of the manufacturers had given the advance ; and , about the middlo of August , advances had been made of full 10 per ceiit . at Stockport , Blackburn , and other places throughout the manufacturing districts . " Preston has been proverbial for paying a low rate of wages , much loss thnn other towns in . Lancashire ; but , it appears , our masters were stimulated by the example of other places , and they simultaneously offered an advance , with a few exceptions —sonic less than 10 per cent ., some
more ; but lour firms reiuscd nltogether , and tho consequence was that disputes and strikes arose between them and their workpeople . Strikes took place at two firms where the masters had offered tin advance , but not cuual to what the hards anticipated ; and , as much stress is laid upon these two disputes , as the enuso of tho masters closing their nulls , we beg to state that , if an inquiry wan . properly made , il , would bo found that it was not tho fractional dispute it lias been represented , hut it was the way in which that ; advance was given which caused that irritation and ill-feeling which induced the haiuls to resent what they considered to be studied imposition . At thoso mills where ( , he advance ; was given everything was settling down satisfactorily and harmoniously , but it , was an understood thing that if all tho masters did not ; givo an advance tho ottiers would be obliged , to take it off again ; and wo were
naturally led to appeal ( , o the public lo support those on strike in order to retain the general advance . But on tho loth of September a bill appeared on the wnll , signed by . ' ! f > linns , giving notice to clone their mills in onei month , unless tbo'ie now on strike nve prepared to resume their work , and a . bolter understanding in established between the employer and employed . ' In order that no justitiablo grounds for indicting such a calamity as now threntonod should ( wist , deputations of l , hooperatives of three of thoso mills where disputon existed , Availed upon their respective employers , and u-ere prepared , if possible , to have ; brought tilings to an arrangement . Wow , mark you , at , ' RjIpHarH . Uirley Brothers , ( hey were l . old I hut , it , could only bo nettled by the committee . At IMesiiri . Taylors , they wore driven I mm the work ; and at , Met-wn . Swninson Umthei-H , they pretended not , to know I hem , and would not hear Uieiii niieidc .
" Wo presume , my Lord , Mint , it would liiko a , wine people < o fathom the myKlerioiiN proceedings of thoso g-ojitlomen ; but , when every channel appeared cut of I" whereby ( , 1 k ; opernlivon on i , t , ril ; e might , rosiiine work find prevent , I he innocent , from mdlering , ! heeoiomiltee then undertook , on he . hu I (' of ( bn whole body of weavers , to uddpwi a letter to Mr . T . ft ] i || ,. .,,,, 1 Mi ' . W . Ainnwortli , bolli JiiMticci of Ihe Peace , and acting / is president , iu # l secretary to tho AfiKocialcd . \ lillo \ vneni , in which ^ m proposed ( , ho
following : bit . Mint , n , deputation of employern moot , a deputation ol their workpeople , for thw purpose of diueiwsing and arranging Ihe dilforencoM ; or , if thin be objectionable , wo projioNo , Hocondly , Unit , ( be matter in < IinpuiV ) bo referred to arbitration , omh party to appoint , an ( ffpnil number of experienced men , unconnected with ! , ho strike , ami thru , Mr . K . T . Parker , M . P ., he || ,, umpire . If thin docs not ; meet , your viewH , wo ninpoctfully reqiuml , you ( o nniko a proposal , if you doHire to como to an honourublo nmingomonl ; , and if . bawd , on equity we pUnlgo ounMvoo to ucc-opt it . ' To
these proposals the answer we received was , 'The Masfo Association could not receive those \ vho sent them ' » , " We - ?! f' ™ y Xord ' t 0 i ^ 1 ™ yw that -though ifc has been said that the combination of workpeople had fr ™^ the masters into combination for mutual protection lmT before a meeting took place , in this town the employer ? had an association , and : that weekly meetings of their TWlv had taken place , and appeared in the public journals " Biif other parties of great respectability and influence have e ^ ( icavoured to approach our masters for the purpose of arranging the dispute , and they received the following answer : — ' At a meeting of the Committee of the Masters ' Association , held on Wednesday , the loth October atfC Winckley Club , Preston , Mr . Thomas Miller in the cLair it was resolved— ^ u ,
' ' lhat acting on the principle that lias hitherto cuided the associated masters , this committee , with a due ap-p-e ciation of the benevolent motives by Avliich the gentlemen named as a deputation are influenced , is ¦' unanimously of opinion that any such interview as that suggested by the St . Paul ' s School Committeo ' is , in the present temper of tho operatives , undesirable . "' Thomas Mill ?^ , Chairman ' "' William Ainswokth , Son . Sec '
" My Lord , we appeal to you whether the temper we have displayed in this unfortunate dispute has not been such as became men and women desiring . to-effect a mutual arrangement . We have never been publicly informed what reason our employers have to uursue the course they are pursuing . The present . Masters * Association lias borne testimony that we are the best workpeople in Lancashire ; and , further , nearly one-fourth of the firms in the town are working their mills quietly—a noble protest against the injustice of the number of firms now closed
borne thousands or the hands have had no dispute with their masters—have not given a shadow of cause to be treated with the cruelty they arc treated . As one instance , there is a mill where not one hand has contribtited a farthing to the support of the strikes . They dared not do it . It would have cost them their daily bread . They have never had ono wbrd-of ill-feeling with their employers , and they too have been turned , into the streets . There are other cases as bad as this , and the only conclusion we can reasonably come to is , that they are determined to reduce us to the lowest depths of misery and starvation , if possible . And for what purpose ? * If they open their mills to-morrow morning , we are- prepared to recommence worlc , as we ceased on the 15 th of October ; and if they keep them closed for twelve months , it can only be the same , unless they have some ulterior object in view which they care not for shame to mention .
"My Lord , we have entered largely info this unfortunate affair , because with an idle and discontented people—dis > contented because they are deprived unjustly of the means of existence , —it ia not impossible that the peace of the district may be disturbed . Hitherto wo htivc each nnd all used our influence and calmed down our feelings , in order to prevent , scenes such as have occurred in a neighbouring town ; but how long this good feeling inny exist is uncertain . An-accidental spnrk may lead to serious results ; and we submit for your consideration whether your Lordship can adopt any measures calculated to lend to an arrangement . We feel that at present tho responsibility does not real ; with us . If-we have been unfortunate nnd
called meetings and formed organization ? , who pet us the example ? If we havo appealed to public opinion and enlisted its sympathy , who showed us the value of it when it could bo used for their own peculiar purposes ? If we have collected among ourselves some few hundred pounds in a wee k , who used to give their thouriandfi P If wo wero bo foolish as to believe that trade was good , who told us eo ? Or if ws wished to enjoy ita blessings , who told iih that wo were corf . nin to participate in them ? Why , my Lord , tho very men who are now punishing us for following their example , and placing credit in their honour nnd their word .
"My Lord , we bog to assure you , in conclusion , that though wo cannot , bound of the ednon ! ion nnd attainments thai our employers nre posppised of , you will find its always prepared to adopt , any reasonable course enloulaled to promote the peace of tho country , and the happiness and social wollbe . ing of ita inhabitants . " - The momoii ; il was signed i > y tho chairman on bohalf of tho meeting . 'VVo have , litfc'o to record beyond tho above momon ' al . Preston . still holds out ; but the colliera at VVigan havo in the niiiiin given in and gono to work . In the other townn there is : i , disposition t , o re turn to work : i . t tho masters' tcrnm .
Journal Ol'railway A00inf-Nth. Wi'j Are ...
JOURNAL OL ' RAILWAY A 00 inF-NTH . Wi'J are compelled l , o resume I , ! un form of reporting M " recent " aceidoiilrt" which are ngiviu becoming Hullicienlly numerous lo niuke il , convenient . Monday . A rnilwny-tniin , running along Ihe line near I ho I'lymoufh breakwater , i-iuddcnl y wenl , over , into ""' Hon ., drowning ( wo broal . - .-unon . The train ^^ ll (^ laden with Htoue . The driver nnd tttokci' Wi « lh ; itmmu ; p lankii , i / i lulvuiiee , liml given v , ; iv , and they leaped inl , o I he neii , I hii'i h ; i ' . iiiv ; I lieii" liven . Tticti-ht'i . Two nceidenl , H occurred this ( l ,: y . The lirsl . wiim on ( be Al i'lJniKI Iviiilway . A goodn train coming on from Derb y ( . owiinln l-ong Union , envelnpoil in a , fog , < m \ v a . Higrial lo ' nl , op when close upon it . The lireiiku were put on , bnl , in v : iin . The /^ oorls Irain f-masbed win « < ' " ' I ™" The shock limihkm
from Codnoi- Park t , o liiurbv , < rn . winu Ihe lhi > > . from Codnoi- Park t , o IJugby , <¦ rnstt in // the line . 'I'e threw Mie eu / rine ivcrci-v . liio line , rind I he frntlie w ; i , i fMUipended . Ut > ono hurl . . On l ! i < i same
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 19, 1853, page 8, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_19111853/page/8/
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