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* ^ /^* QTJESTIONV : ^ " ^/(^ ndenied . £ * m theJ & nriiiy Chronic !* . ) ' - inwnlTION OF THE LABOURER IN CON " : * CORNWALL ; _ jndostrv of Cornwall is , from its position and r tW of a varied character . It cannot be said * eS 0 , K -ess any mannfactnres , in the ordinary acceptatoV ^ t the tenni but from its peculiar maritime 5 ° ii ? es and "froiri / its "being * the extreme and the * rT part of theMetalliferous peninsula which cbn-*^ te the south-west of Eri g land , it sustains , along -Sits ag ricultural , a large fishing and . miniri g in-T"tL Generally speaking , the various pursuits of ^ ihwc j muring , and fishing are carried on sepa-^ S y / ro-n each other ; but they are sometimes Sined in different ways arid degrees—the agricul-^ 5 st being occasionally the fisher , and the miner *~ j 7 _ to some extent , an agriculturist . But it is ^ don , if ever % ' . J » tt'find the two pursuits of I-icnlture and mining combined—the man who is 2 castomed to drive the plough npon the surface
h iving apparently no inclination to descend below it in quest of a hve'ihood . Besides ,. even were he to inehnedt his previous habits would hy no means fit jim for the work . __ The agricultural labourer is not a very adaptable animal . He may do his own work , hut it is with difficulty that you can apply him to anything else . "When he engages in fishing , it is only to do the more ordinary parts of the . work . He works with , but is not of , the tribe of fishermen . Should he descend into - the mine , the chances are flat he "would never emerge from it It is a rare sight to see a miner a fisherman .. "When he is so , it js ^ eneraily in the pilchard season , when there is a sreat demand for hands bath afloat and ashore . In ime cases out of ten in which yon find him thus employed he I S a surface , and not an underground , man . Indeed , the latter entertains for him the greatest contempt , refusing him a place in the frater-Bilv of miners . . .. . .
Cornwall ' s dotted over with , small , rural towns , every one of which contains , more or less , an assemblage of tenements which are unfit to betoken the comp letion of the first stage in civilisation . Some of them are crowded to a degree perilous to morals and disastrous to health . This arises not only from the want of new , but also from the destruction of old , cottages . If the clearing system has not been carried onhTCcrnwsll , the work has been as .. effectually , if not as speedily , done by the natural decay of cottages to save which from destruction , ho -effort has been made . Take , as an example of what is to be found in other portions of Cornwall exclusively agricultural , or nearly so , what has been done in this respect in the parishes of St . Martins and Tallazd . In
areajhoth these parishes are large , and ( with but little exception ) they are " both entirely uuder cultivation . A great deal of labour is annually required for the tillage ol so large an area , and yet but few of the labourers who work in these parishes live in either of them . They have been gradually driven into the towns of East and "West Looe , where they inhabit the most wretched tenements , looking , in most cases , filthy in the extreme , notwithstanding the very gene ral cleansing which cottages , here as elsewhvre , received under apprehensions of the cholera . Some of them have taken refuge in the small fishing town of Polperro , exerting a rather baneful influence upon the morals of the community . They have either been driven out of their cottages in the neighbourhood ,
or induced to leave fr-imthe high rents demanded , and have made their way to Polperro , where there appeared to he some room to spare , and where rents are low . A part of Polperro is in the parish of Talland , but ly ing as it does at cue of the extreme points of the parish , the labourers experience the greatest Inconvenience - in beins obliged dai ' y to walk great distances to their work . The bulk of the labourers , emp loyed in the parishes in question , reside in the two Looes and in Polperro ; so that some of them lave fr > -walk as much ' as fire miles to their work , this involves , in addition to a day ' s work , a walk of ten miles a day—of itself , in the estimation of many , sufficient exertion for one day . This is certainly one of the greatest hardships to which the poor are subjected from the want of cattages .
Some of the smaller tenements in Liskeard are crowded to an extent distressing to witness-many of tlie miners working in the Caradon mines , fully four miles distant , living in the town ; This subjects them , in addition to their work , to a walk of eight miles per day ; but they are obliged to submit to this , as they cannot find quarters nearer the mines . The houses and villages between the town and the mines are absolutely glutted . with people . Orie case , which may be given . in . illustration of the state of things in Liskeard . was that of a man and' bis wife , who had a miner lodging with them , all three occupying the same bedroom at night .. On suggesting to
the woman that this must be a painful situation to her , she observed that it was , but that they con'd not help it . They had but two rooms , and neither of them could occupy the lower room . Their rent was high , and they were thereforei obliged to _ J » eep a lodger , whom they accommodated in the only room at their command , phich could be used as a bedroom . Another case was that of a _ widow , who was in search of a lodger . Her house had but two rooms , ihe upser of which -was her bedroom . I asked her if she intended that her lodger , if she got one , should sleep belo * -. She replied in the negative . I then sugsested that tbe lodger she was in search of was one who wonldinvest himself with a lawful title to
the occupancy of her own chamber . She again replied in the negative , and on my looking somewhat puzzled , Informed me that it was her own intention to sleep below .. The ror-m was so cold and cheerless that she could not offer it to a lodger , yet such ' was the bedroom which she intended for herself- She said that the arrangement would suit her very well , as the miner would go early to bed , and she would have the lower part of the house to herself . 1 asked her when she exirected him to get np , to which she replied that he waslikely to do so at an . early hoar of the morning , as he had to walk four miles to . his work . He would , in short , be up before her hour of rising , which made me . suggest to her that , although she might have tbelowerpart of the house to herself at nfeht , she would not he equailv favoured in themonring , " Oh , sir , '' said she , " you mustn ' t think us so had as we seem ; we ' re drtve often to do what we don ' t like to do , er we wouldn't have a roof at aU to cover us . "
In examining into the state of the labourers cottages , I-di-covered that as much fault was found by the tenants with the Dnehy of Cornwall as with the private proprietors . At many points I was informed that the agents and managers , of the Duchy exhibit the utmost indifference to the comforts of the tenants , suffering cottages to go to ruin , and listening to no remonstrance in favour of repairs . The present average rate of wages paid to the agricultural labonjfcrin ^ Coniwall is 9 s . a week . This , however , be it remembered , is but the money rate , andbv : no means indicates the real extent of the labourer ' s command of the comforts of life . In dealing with the wages of Cornwall , the element of cider Jus not to be considered , as in Somerset and Pevon .
The whole of the wages is paid in money , subject , though , perhaps , in different degrees , to some deductions common to other counties . I have already alluded to the comparatively high rent paid hy the Cornish labourers , as being , j > ro tanto , a virtual redaction of his wages . But tiiis is _ not general , the highes : rents being charged only in those districts where , from the vicinity of mines there is a greater demand for , than a supply of , houses . This again , as already explained , only occurs where mines have recently been established , so that it is far from being general . Still , however , in the neighbourhood of all mines , whether long or recently established , rents are somewhat higher than in the purely agricultural portions of the county . As mining operations are so
generally diffused over Cornwall , it therefore happens that there are but few localities in the county that do not feel the effect of tlieir vicinity , in adding something to the rents . In the agricultural parishes most distant from them , the rents of cottages are on a level with those in the adjoining counties . Ton there , as in Devon , - Somerset , or Wilts , meet with cottages with two or three rooms , raited at from 40 s to 50 s . a year . In these cases the cottagers enjoy their wages independently of any reduction on this account . In alt other cases , whether the rent he £ 3 . £ 3 10 s ., £ 4 , or £ 4 10 s ., the abatement which must be made from the nominal rate of wages is about the same . Indeed , in many cases where the rents are highest , there is the least deduction to he
Mads , as they are always hi ghest nearest the minesthe cottagers having thus a chance of making the difference wholly or partly up , and sometimes of addin " to their means . But a little , hack from the mines , where the influence of high , rents near them " is felt , without giving the cottagers ihe same opportunity , the whole Of the differerce between the rents which they pay and" the ordinary rent of a cottage , may frequently be legatded-as so much to he deducted from ibeir nominal amount of wages . But the most serious dedoction is that which must he made for thehig h price which they are now paying for their corn . Jhave ' already alluded to . the arrangement which baa elsewhere , asm Wiltshire , been prevalent—established for the benefit ' of the labonrer- ^ oi letting hiin have com for his own consumption at ant ed price , without any reference to fluctuations
in the market value of grain . So long as the price of Spin , notwithstanding its fluctuations , was generally high , * the arrangement was advantageous to him : to now that there is but little prospect of it ever ? S ? in reaching the price at which it is sold to him , * is obvious that the labourer must be iejuredbyits ^ finuanee . It falls at present with peculiar ferity on the Cornish labourer . The arrangement r ^ has been , for some time past to let the labourer * freihis grain for 16 s . arid 8 s- that is to say , I 6 s * K * bushel of wheat , and 8 s . per bushel of barley . *•* Cornish busheh is : douhle the size of the , Win-5 ~^ r . so that , reduced to the measurement ap-S ^ ahfehy a Londoner , the arrang « n * ntis to . give n * forn at 8 s , and As . But , to adhere to the 5 ?** ka measure , tha present price of the best wheat M * ° rt 10 s , 6 d . a bushel , and it is not the best ** that the labourer get * here or elsewhere . The
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mSwSS-U- * *«&^ ffl $ * Pf gram ' giveri : to tomwouMbe , about , 9 s . ; . Yet it is for thh thatS pays . loV . The manner in which-the arrariSrit ?^^ » i ; Uife } k ' . \ lB ' : Cfi ^ itt ;^ ^ 5 ! 'Sj SKW'S ^*;**^^ the fortnight , othersbj the' month ;; Taking gias jOTlf » te of wages , a mahiwohld be entitled i & Bi " fcttrw . 1 ek ?> . * - Supposing him to have afamily , he would , during thattime , consume about three pecks of wheat , and half a bushel of barley to mix with the wheat . On ; being paid , at the . end of the month , the value of . these would be deducted from his wages . At-the rate which he is obliged to pay . the wheat would come to 12 s :, and the barley tods ., inall 16 s . He would , thereforehavebut 20 s .
, to receive as money wages at the end of- the month . The hardship . to ; him is this : ' Supposing ' that he was paid his full amount of money . wages ' , and bought his wheat-and barley . at their real market value , how much of his wages would he , havein hand , after he had purchased the necessary quantity for his family ' s consumption ? . The wheat , supposing him to purchase the same quantity as he receives , would come to 6 s . 9 d . Making a deduction , of but ls . Gd . from the price of a bushel of barley , he would Set his half bushel for . 'Sst 3 d . ' ; in- other words , he * ould getfor 10 s . that for which hehas now to pay 16 s . The difference , of 6 s . spread over . the four weeks-makes , a difference of Is . Gd . between his real
and his nominal rate of wages for the week . This is but a small . sum in the estimation of many , but it is nearly seventeen per cent , of the wages of the Cornish labourer , taking them at tlieir nominal amount . To show that it is no trifle to him , be could pay his rent and send three of his children to school by means of the difference which he would gain , but for the . arrangement in , question . It is obvious , therefore , that when , this deduction is made from the nominal rate of wages . in Cornwall , the real rate of wages will not be found to range much higher , than in Devonshire , where the analogous arrangement is not so hard upon the labourer , and a deduction must be made on account of cider . .
Tet , notwithstanding the near approximation ' of his real rate of wages to the average rate in the adjoining counties , the condition of the labourer in Cornwall is , on the whole , better than that of his class in these comities . This istobe accounted for by the cheapness at which he can supply himself with fish . The most common and the most popular fish in Cornwall is the pilchard . The failure of the potato itself is not more disastrous to the poor of the county than is a failure in the take of pilchards . The " average price of them is from Is . to Is . 6 d . a hundred . This year they have , so far , been very abundant , and have sold as low as lOd . a hundred . After being salted , they are retailed at the rate of seven for 2 d : Such as can afford to lay in a stock for the year , will salt and lay by from 1 , 000 i ) 1 , 500 pilchards , for the use of a family of five or six . - Others , . who cannot afford to do this , buy them in greateror less quantities , as they can afford to do so , sometimes paying more for them , and sometimes less ..
The traveller in Cornwall' whether in the highways or byways , is scarcely ever out of reach of the smell of pilchards undergoing tlie-process of cooking . The whole atmosphere of ihe county seems odoriferous with'pilchards . As I now write , in . the principal hotel in Bedruth , the « hole house is pervaded with the odour of this favourite fish . They may not be as strengthening as " animal food , but they form a nutritious itemin the Cornish labourer ' s diet , wliich is almost entirely wanting in that of the poor of the neiahbonring counties . The potato / when abundant ; is the favourite vegetable taken . with the pilchard . In the absence of the potato it is eaten with ; bread ; "When used wjih-the former , - the pilchard- arid tlie potato are boiled together . Sometimes the potatoes are mashed and baked before the fire ; with the pilchards on the top ' of them , which , diffuse their oil
through them , and give them a strong flavour . It is seldem that the pilchard constitutes an ingredient of the " pasty , " so commonly met with as entering into the labourer ' s diet in Cornwall ; The mackerel frequently does , ' which . can aUo he procured very eh-aply during certain seasons of the year . : Generally speaking , the " pasties" consist of potatoes and hits of meat , more frequently salt pork , covered with a rather tough crust made of flour , arid sometimes of flour and barley-meal mixed together . In the absence of the potato , ' the turnip cbristitates'bnc of the internal ingredients of the _ pasty . Sometimes it is merely a mass of dough , lightened and sweetened a little by a few raisins or currants . It'is few that can afford to have them frequently with meat . They are generally made for the labourer hiraf elf , his family contenting themselves with lighter and more fmgal fare .
One man , with a large family , describing his food told me that for the last week they had but a pound and a half of animal food for the eight of them . I asked him what it was , to which -he replied that it was some fat mutton , . with which they flavoured their potatoes . "Have you agood supply of potatoes ? " Iasked hbn . ' . .. . ' . ' .. _' - " "W * e have to buy all we eat , " he answered , " We could not live on turnips and barley alone . " " Why did you not p lant some ? " I inquired . " Because I gave up the little ground I had , " said he . " And why did you give it up ?" "Because the potatoes have failed so . "
"But they have not faileo so . badly this year . If you had held your land , and planted some , you might now have had a good winter ' s suppl y for your family . " ¦• ' That ' s all very well , " he replied ; " but when a poor man comes to pay a shilling a yard ( twelve feet square ) for ground , and gets nothing from it for two or three years , he ' s very likely to lose heart , and throw it up . I did , and so have many more . '' You have fish occasionally ?" " Yes ; but we can ' t often afford it . " " Then what is your chief diet ?" " Bread" ( frequently-barley , ) potatoes , and turnips . There ' s my dinner to-day , sir , " he continued , breaking a pasty in two , which he took from ; his pocket . The tough , black crust enclosed a quantity of watery-looking turnips . "Andean you do a day ' s work on that ? " I asked him .
' " Such as it is , sir , I can , " he observed ; "but it isn't such a day ' s work as a man could do on meat .
THE SILK WEAVERS OF MACCLESFIELD . Macclesfield is situated amongst the Cheshire hills . The population of the township was , by the last census , 56 , 035 , and it has since increased , but by no means rapid l y . The manufacturer of silk may be said to be the only one in Macclesfield . There is but a single cotton-mill in the town . Silk has been the staple of the place for more than half a century . Before that time Macclesfield was but a paltry , village . "We took the trade , " said a manufacturer to me , "from Spitalsfield , and now the country p laces about are taking it from us ; - and with every successive stage of the expansion of the " manufacture the wages secrri to comedown / ' About one-half of the labouring
population of Macclesfield work at home , and the other half in the mills . Jhe home-labourers aire exclusively weavers , and include a large proportion ofmen ; the mill-labourers are principally engaged in throwing , doubling , and other processes , analogous , in a certain oefrree , to the drawing and spinning of cotton-mills-r-in preparing the threads which are intertwisted hy the loom . By far the largest proportion of the mill population is female , the weavers who work looms in the mills being inconsiderable in number , compared with those who work at home . I may add , that the amount of silk thread spun in Macclesfield is much greater . than the amount woven there , the warp and tho shute , being prepared for the loom , are sent' out all over
the silk-weaving districts' of Lancashire ; . ' and Cheshire , " for the process-to be completed . ' The wages earned in and out of the mills in Macclesfield do ° not . materially vary . The throwsters and spinners in the mills have the most regular work . The weavers can earn hig her wages when in employment , but their looms stand idle upon the average fully three months in the year . A weaver may , one season with another , make from 10 s . to 12 s . a week ; a female ; throwster or doubler in the mill from 8 s . to 9 s .- The rate of wages , hours of-work , species of employment , and other particulars will , however , be best understood from the following details of the different branches of the silk trade , gathered from personal observation of every
department and of every process , and from the personaliycollected testimony of the workpeople . I premise by stating that I . took , great pains , ' iri traversing the silk districts / to- ascertain' whether accounts of the distress in Spitalfields seemed 'to have reached or to have affected the country weavers . ! In general , I found the people knew very little and cared very little about the matter . It was only the state of their own district , in which they appeared to take any interest . There did riot seem to be any general ideas prevalent upon the causes of the distress of the metropolitan silkweavers . : My details upon the subject were listened to . with an apathetic 'f Aye , indeed—well , they do seem very poorly off , to be sure . " I frequently put the question as to what my listeners thought could be the reason why a trade which was comnara .
tively good -in . one part of England should be so bad in another ; but heads were mvariably , shaken , arid a stolid "WeU , I dunna know , indeed , sir , " formed the most frequent response . One man , indeed , iaid he supposed government intended " to root out the Sp italfields weavers altogether ; and J another was of opinion that much of the Spitalfields distress was caused by there being no throwing mills in London , - and the weavers being thus rendered dependent for their supplies of thread ; upon Italy and France . Such answers . were ,. however ; £ he exceptions ¦ to the rule . Nine-tenths of the peppla-lmew . nothing and cared , nothing-about Spitalfields , of their brethren there—the apathy in that respect being very different from the mutual rinderstanding and - the constant mutual correspondence hepl-up between the 'unions and operative
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associations . of the varidUs "" towns ., The Ten Hours BiH appHes fo / 'Mlk *^ cations as / to- infant labbur- ^ child being thcre accounted y \ a ' yourig . ' persbn " . fat eleven years of age ; instead of tbarteen—a concession madebythe Legislature / ' on ^' accourit ; bf ' the healthier ' arid , cleaner species of employ / merit carried on iri '» the ' silk-mills . ; - The ' winding ia ' cffected ^ ' of couf sej ' by steam ^ power , the bobbins and wheels being arranged upbnlong - frames , attended by women ' and girls ; Each women'has the charge of four and a half of theSeframevand'she . h ' as ' an assistant ' girlunder her . ' The work / cohsists : principally in' shifting the ' wheels and bobbins- when they respectively , get ' empty and fullj arid'iri' re-uniting the fibres which
may chance to break . The duhter , as the principal operative is termed , gets . " abd " ut 7 s . ' 6 d . per-week ; and thehttle girl , her assistant , frbrii 5 s . 6 d < to 6 s . ¦ In the process of-cleaning there , is a similar systemi of frames and . feniale' attendants , the latter being , however , almost entirely g irls ; * The silk is wound from orie bobbin to another , passing through an implement very like ' an aU . ' but closed pair of scissors , which clears away all sorts of extraneous dirt and filarncrits . The labour of the girls is purely of a superior tending species , their charge being to renew the broken threads ,, and to keep up a due supply of bobbins . -The wages earned are from 6 s . to 0 s . 3 d . per week . It will be seen that the ' work exacted from both these classes of females is exceedingly , lig ht , and simple . Still , as in the cotton processes , they require to be continually upon their
legs . The thread is next carried to the doublers ' The term-explains the nature of the operation ; which is in a certain degree analogous , to the drawing process in . cOtton manufacture . The superintendents of the frames are still young woman ; and their work requiring more attention and more skill than those demanded by the inferior operations , their wages average 7 s . Cd . The thread is now ready for being spun , or ; to speak more correctly , ; twisted—an operation generally known as throwing ; .-Theapparatus used . for this process differs materiall y from the cotton mule , ' having no backward or forward motiori . Each machine is a compact series of sp indles ; bobbins , arid wheels , ranged one above the other , so as to necessitate the
spinner or throwster availing himself of a triangularbuilt ladder , placed upon small wheels , in order to enable him to superifitend the working of thehigher ranges bf spindles . The motion of these is excessively quick , making , in many instances , not less than 3 , 000 revolutions in a minute . ' The spwner , in attending to the lower tiers , has a good deal of unpleasant stooping work to perform ^ and the atmosphere of the room has , generally speaking , a sickly oily odour . Each sp inner is attended by a boy , who pieces . as in the cotton mills . The men earn about 12 s . a week—some little more , some a little less—and the boys ' about 6 s . Cd . All these estimates of wages , I oughT . to mention , are to be lindfirstond as nnnlvinff to ten hours ' daily work .
Thb thread , having ' been spun , is now taken to the dyersj'whcre it is tinted with any hue desired . _ On its being brought back , aperies of reeling arid winding operations , very similar to those already described ,: is gone through . These are , ns formerly , conducted by young women and girls , but their wages range hi g her than those of their predecessors —averaging from 7 s : 6 d . to 8 s " per week . A number of . purely technical processes—depending upon the sortof pattern which is tb be woven—are gone through before the silk is finally ready for the loom , Xo description of these would be at ' all intelligible ; but I may add that one of them , called "bear-warping , " is the highest species of labour performed by
women in silk mills , and brings them not less than 12 s . per week ; " Another operation ^ called " coupling and knitting / ' also connected with the arrangement of the silk for the- pattern-weaving looms , is conducted . , by women and little girls . The work here is light ; arid little skilled , consisting principally of passing threads through the constellationof holes in the passing cards , masses of which are to be seen hanging from the top of Jacquiird - looms . The young women earn only 5 s . , and the little girls ; riot above 3 s . A superintendent , who also works , has 10 s . per week . '••• ¦ •' . "We now pass to the weaving department . Yery little silk—and that onl y of the coarsest kind—is woven by power ; ' A smnll quantity of baridannhs are thus turned but in Macclesfield ; but in the production of the hig her class of silk fabrics , and in all fancy goods , the delicacy arid intelligence ofhuman labour is requisite , and the Jacquard is never
beholden for-its motion to the steam engine . A Jacquard weaver iri full work , at a superior piece of goods , can still earn as . much as 35 s . a week ; but fcikirigthe year rourid , including his seasons of enforced idleness , his wages , at least so far as Macclesfield goes , may bo stated as averaging 10 s . to lis . In this' estimation masters and meri very generally agree . r" - ' - ¦ ¦ ¦ From the mills I proceeded to inspect the habitations and workplaces of some of the domestic weavers . A street of medium appearance having been pointed out to mo as being solely occupied b silk harid-loom weavers , -1 visited five of the houses , taking them at random . * * - ** - In the apartriients there stood , I think , five tfcddle looms and a . Jacquard , and a young man arid' two girls were at work . "' The male weaver informed me " that he was making silk for-handkerchiefs .- - He was a journeyman , andhc paid 5 s . a week rent for the Jacquard at which he ' was seated . He paid the rent to the undertaker . The undertaker was the ' man
who rented'the whole house , to whom the looms belonged , arid who also found work for the journeymen and apprentices . In short , the undertaker seemed to act as a middleman between the weavers and the ' masters ; The latter gave him out the prei pared silk , on his prqm ' siiij-that it should , bo returned within a certain time , woven—and then he in turn distributed the material to the workers , bargaining for the completibri of the job by the stipulated period , but not interfering with the hours of labour , which , except in the case , of apprentices , are at theoptiori of the weaver . ' The undertaker sonictimes worked , and sometimes contented himself with acting as a sort of aMnt . Very often he had a family who worked for him . If he had riot betook
apprentices , arid let out' his looms to journeymen . The weaver to whom I was speaking said that he could make , when in full work , ^ 23 s . a week , but that was erily for the best pieces of weaving which he had to do . Besides , " he was generally out of work altogether for about three riiqiiths in the year-Striking an average , he thought he could earn about 10 s . a week the year round . For this he generall y worked twelve hours a day ; Although the rent of a Jacijuard was 5 s ., the other looms could be rented for 3 s . 6 d . The second weaver whom I visited was unintelligent , and gave little or no information ; The third was an old man ^ and disposed tb be frankly communicative . He believed that the Macclesfield silk weavers were better off than the
generality in the country places—in Middlefon , for example—because in Macclesfield the better sort' of fabrics were geneiSlyprbdilCted .. He himself was making silk for handkerchiefs '' He considered that the . weaving ^ gf < eigKt dozen' a week was very fair work , and neWs paid 2 s . lid ; per dozen . He was thus earnirig rather less 'than 17 s . per week . For this he toiled sometimes twelve , sometiriies thirteen hours a day . He had work , he thought , for twothirds of the year . Machinery , in his estimation , had greatly irijured the trade ; ' Why else was it that thirty years ago he could earn as much in one week as he could do now in three , ' working very hard , too ? ' He thought , upon the average , that people worked twice as hard now as they did when he was
a boy . The work was more '" drierd " ( more continuously * difficult ) ' than ' it was' in the old time . People were riiore easily satisfied with silks then than new . " At present they yere hard to please . and everything werit so much orit offashjon , and fashions changed ' so fast , that it was diftlcult either for master or man : to suit' the market . The lowest of silk weaving was the manui facfure of greys , for bandanna handkerchiefs . The weavers were paid 5 s . Id . per cut for this sort of silk twenty years ago . Now they couldn ' t earn more than 2 s . Gd ; , ; with harder work , because the " shute" ( thethread carried across'the warp by the shuttle ); was finer and required greater care . The lowest amount of wages , made by' a weaver , he put
down as . about . 7 s . 8 d . to 8 s : ' Working ngureu goons with the Jacquard , they could make a considerable deal of money , 24 s ;/ or 26 s . a week ; . but theJacquards were standing still half the year . Tho man whote'information'I am recording was an undertaker , and his journeymen ; paid . him 3 s ., 3 s . Cd ., and 5 s . for loom rent . ; He went' omtp say , that the frequentl y recurring periods of stagnation in trade kept the weavers poor during the time they had full work ; They were' busy sometimes ,, but they were poor alwavsl Twenty years , ago the people lived better than now ; 'They Had plenty of subr stantial food , but at present , where one got ; it . a dozen missed it . The people in the mills were better off , particularl y the throwsters , than the' peop le out of them ' because the mill hands had more regular
employment . It was the ' sudden changes in the taste ior fancy articles that / made the ; suddenfluctuation in the demand for , goods , and occasioned a great deal ot the poor wearer s poverty . Mayhap the master would give an order for a' certain pattern . * Well , all at once the-taste would pass away , - and the silks would lie upon the shelves . Soem ' mut new was always coming up ; and that made ' the changes from the busy . times to the slack times . The trade was very uncertain -so uricertain , that the masters were afraid tb speculate so much as they would il they could sell their goods steadier , and therefore they gave small orders—great ' ones might be left u their hands . / He : thought that , one with another , the ; weavers in the mill mig ht earn 12 s . or 14 s . aweek ; working at home he would not" put theayeragehigher than 10 s . aweek . ' . ' . ' ' , /! ' / " , s
^ . THEvLOJNDON LODGING HOUSES . { ; 'i tnelod ging ^ house ^ Wbictfl il ^ 'i ^ m ^ S ^ u ^ drabribe makes ' up aV ^ miny $ i / eighty-fbuVburixs , ' or beds , for which 2 d . per night is charged . For this sum the parties ledW thei » for lh « sight are
* ^ I /^* Qtjestionv : ^ " ^/(^Ndenied. ...
; , !^ J *<» . ^ Me of ' the'trtcheh ^ rUtie'ifolw ' ffJnii ; mtii ! w *^ wmm : m ^ m , : at ^ m ^^^• llo / wed / to cook / theh ^ food . // The // ki ' chen l bp , i . iSt 4 xe , o ! clqck iV / thelmbrning / iaridi . cibae ' s . at labo . ut eleven o ' clock . mt / nl ght ^ aiterrVvhichhourvno i fresh , lod ger , is taken in , and . all 'those who slept in ; thehou 8 etthci night ' ihefor ' e ' bhtwho bavenbt'iuljncient money to paj ^ -foHh ' eir ;' bedlatlth'at tim ' e ' are iturned out . Strangers " '• who ' arrive iri the course of : . ?^ - : raust procure . a tin ' ticket / by paying 2 di . ' at Ij & i - ^ M ?! ?&!! $ <* , prievio ^ s / iy to , being allowed i W . Ariter . the i kitchen , . ; , Tlie „ kitchen „ is . about forty , feet long byfifteen feet ; wide .: „ Tbe sleeping-room is about forty-eight feet , deep hy about fortv feet wide . I he bunks rare each about seven feetlong and one
, foot ten inches wide , « attd the grating on which the straw ' mattress is plabed'i 8 abouttwelve iribhes froiri the ground . ; The ; wbo ' deri ' partitions between tlie ' bu ™? * % about /( oiir / f eet hi gh . //¦ The ' cbyeririga ar . - 8-lewber , or a rii g , ^^ but'ieathers Ve generally preferred . . Of these : « bunks ' . there / are „ five tows of about twenty-four deep , I wo rows being placed head to head with a garigway : between ' each of such two rows and the ' Other ; : row < against the wall . The average ^ nurnbar of pei'sv'ris sleeping in this house oi ani g ht i 8 sixty , ;^ f thesethere ^ are generally aboii f iliirty pick pockets , ten / street ^ ^ beg ' gars . a few' / iufirrii old people who subsist occasionall y . ' -hppn / ^ parish . . relief , and oecasibnally / . upon / ch ' arity ' .-i ten ; ior . fiiteen dock labourers ; about the same numberof low , 8 lld
precarious callings- , such t . as . the neighbourhood affords ,-and a- few persons who have been'in good circumstances / but whb , ^^^ have been reduced from a variety Of causes . ' At dne ' titne tHe ' re were as : tiianv ' as nine persons lodging in this / libuse who ! subsisted hxEi . ^» g ; up / . dbgy . d \ irig / ouVbf / . ihe about 53 . for every basket , full ' ., The earnings of one ofthes . e . men were . knoWn . to average . 9 s ., a ; week . pvereaiR . generally , lodging inabehouse a few bone
grubbers / who pick up bones ; rags , iron / & c , Out of the'streets ;' " Their average ; earnings are >/• about'Is . per ; day . There are several mud-larks ,, or youths who go dowh to tlie waterside when the tide is cut , to see whether , any article bf value has . been Itih upon the bank / of the / .. 'ri ver ! , " ' . -the / . person supplying this information to , me > . who was for sometime resident . inthe house , has seen brought home by these persons a drum of figs at one time , and a Dutch cheese at another ^ These were ' sold in small lots or
slices tothe other lod gers . ; ! ' ' ' . i The pickpockets generall y lbd gih g in / the house consist of : ' haridkerchief-steaters ^^ h q ' p ^ eluding those who rob . the ( ill as . ' weif as steal articles from / the , doors ^ ,. p f . shop 8 ; . . .- ' L ! Bgs and breast of miltton , are frequently brought in by this class of purgons . Tliere are ^ seldoriiany housebreakers lodging in such places / becante- they require' a room of their ownj and mostly live wiib p / rostUutcsJ -Besides the pick . pockets , tbey- are-alsb lod ging'iri ' the ' house spe ' eulato rs in stolen goods . These . may ., be / docklab ' eurers ;; or /;' : Biilirisg ^ teip'brt ' ers / ,. '' . having . / a few shillings in the / ir pockets / . / With this they purchase thehooty of the .. . juvenile . thieves ... ;« I have known ' says my informant •' , these speculators wait in the
kitehen , walking about with their hands in their pockets , till a Utile fellow would come in with such a thin > j asi a cap , a pieceof bacon , or a piece of mu ttbni They , would purchase . it , and then , el ther retail it . amongst the , ' / . lodgers , in , . the kitcheri or' / take . it . ts . soine /| feiicp , ' where , they would receive / a ., . profit upon it . ' ;; The general feel- , ing / of the ; kitchen—excepting with- four or five indviduals—is to encourage thefr .: The encouragement to the ' - gonoff' ( a ¦ Hebrew w « rd signifying young thief , probably learnt " - from -the Jew 'fences in therieighbourboodj * ) consisis in laughing at / and a ' pp laudirig liis / dexterltj ; in thieving : and whenever anything is ; brought / in / the , f gonoff / is , greeted for hifgo pd luck , ; and ; a general rush , is made towards him to . see the . produce of his f hie very ., ; .-,.
The beggars who : frequent these , houses go about different . markets and streets , '" asking charity of th * peop le that pass by . < They " generally go eut in couples ' ; tbe business ' of one ; of the two being to look out arid give / warning wheri the policehian is approacbingi and of the ' other . to stand' shallow 'that is to . say , p > staridywifh very little . clothing on shivering and shaking ,: . sometimes , with . bandages , round his legs ,, and sometimes ! with his arm in a sling .. Othersbfgs « scran /( broken victuals ) of the servants at ; respectable houses , and bring it home to the lodg ing-house , " where they sell ' it . You maj see I am told , the men who lodge in ^ the place and pbtatri an ' , ; honest ' . living , ' watch fht \ these beggars
coni } ng in , as u they -Tier ' s : the best victuals in tlie city . , i My . informant knew an instance : of a lad wh seemed tobe a . very fine little / ellowyand ; promised to have been possessed of : excellent mental capabilities if properly directed , who came to the lodning-housa , when out of a situation , as an errand b ' oy .: ; Hestayed there a riibnth or six weeks , during which time ' he'was ' tampered' with by ( he others , and ultimately became a conftrmed ' gorioff . ' . Thb conversation , among the lodgers relates , chiefly to thievingland the best ; manner of stealing . By way of practicej ' a y boy will often pick the pocket of one of the lodgers walking about the room , and if detected declarehedid-not meaii it ;
The sanitary state of these houses is very bad ' Not only do the lodgers generally swarra with vermin , but there is little or nb . ventilatibn to the sleeping ; rooms , iri , wliich sixjy / persons , of the foulest habit ; -, usually sleep every nig ht . . There are no proper , washing , utensils , neither towles nor basins , nor wooden bowls . ; There are one or two buckets , but these are not meant for the . rise of the lodgers ,-but for cleaning the rooms . "The lodgers never think of washing : thenisielves . The cleanliest among tbetn . Will do so in the bucket , and then wipe themselves with / their pocket handkerchiefs or the fails of their shirts .
A large sum to be made by . two beggars in one week is one pound , or ten shillings a piece—one for looking out , and ; the onefor . ' standing shallow . ' The average earnings of such persons are certainly below eight shillings p / er week . ' If thereport of the constabulary force comri ' iissioners ,. states that twenty shillings per week is ; the / average . sum earned / . I am told / , . the / stateriient must have . been furnished by parties who had either sorrie object inoverrating . the amount , or else who had no means of obtaining , correct information - on ' the ' subject ; From -all ray' informant has seen as to 'the ' earnings ' of- these who make a trade of picking pbeke ' ts / arid begging ; be is convinced that ihba / ro ' oimt is far below , what is / geri . e ^ rally h ' elieyqd ' . 'tb . be the . : case . Indeed , riothiriglbiit the idle . roving / life / that is connected , wiib the business cpuld / conipensateth . eiihieyes orbeggars for the privations they frequently undergo . : > . ;' ¦ ..
AccordingJto : the report of the constabulary force commissioners , there were iri the metropolis ; in 1839 . 221 ' p f- ' su ch ; houses as ; the one at' present described ; andeath ; 6 f these lipuses harboured daily / upon an aybiage » ' np ; leas . ; tha ' ii eleyen' / of : such . characters as the foregoing , , making in all . afptal of 2 , 431 vagrants audI pickpockets sheltered by-the proprietors of the low : lodging - houses . of . London ,. ¦ ¦ : The ; above t wopenny lodging-house hasi-onan average , from fift y tosixty ' persons sleeping ^ in- it nightly , yielding an income of- nearly ^ 3 i per week ;' The three'beiinv lodgiri ' g-nbuses'in ' the ; ' same rieighbourhobd average frbmfifteen to twenty ; persons per nightjand prodM * . weekly ; totalot ^ qm 20 s . to , 25 s . profit , the rent of the houses at the same time being only from 5 s . to 6 s . per week . ; -, .: i . : . ;; . ; . ¦ . . ¦ :: /
. rThere is : one question worthy of consideration—Does the ; uncertainty of dock labour generate thieves and vagabonds , -or do the thieves ' arid vagabonds crowd round the " docks ' , so ai fb / beableto gairi ' a day / s / work when unable , to . thieve ? 'According to returns ; of the metrbpoUtan policef orce , the value of the / pr / bperty / stolen Jn this ' district in the year 18-18 was ^ 2 > Q 07 , of ; which -only £ 365 were * recovered * The . number , of robberies was 521 , the average amount of each robbery being ' £ 3 . l-7 s *> 0 | d-.- " The amount recovered averaged 14 s . ori each ' fobberyV ;
¦ The / lodgirig-hbuses' jiisifc '; described \ are riot , the lowest ^ of the lo w . There are / ' cribs' in the metropolis where the ' charges the accarairio ' dations .. more meagre , ; and the lodger even . more degraded than ; those . ofi the , two-penny refuges . I , lately . visited , iIn some ; places a penny only is demanded : for Shelter for the . night , arid there congregate' the most wretched ; arid derabra * Used of all characters : The cbmmpriest prbstitutes thieves , / beggars , arid / vagaboricls are taten . 'irilb ; these dens of iniquity , arid alibwed . tb / sleep promiscuously inbnesmall room . There is little , or . > no furniture
in thehouse , bo . thatrno -beds are ; provided for the money . . The lodgers—male : " i : and , female ' -merij women , boysjandgirls-i-all lie huddled together on the floor ; the average ni ghtly muster being about thirty / of the most miserable arid infamous of hutnari beings' —a mass bf ' poverty , ; filth ; vice , and crimean atsethhlaig / e of / a | l ; , tnat l \ i physieilly Ipathsqime and morally ' odious—a " chaos of want , ' intemperance , ignorance , disease , libidipism , rags , dirt , viliany , and shamelessness , " that " can be paralleled in no other part bf ibe globe but'thi'i , 'the " "fira ' t ; 6 ity of the world —the focus oi wealt ^ an ¥ iriteHeot ^ he "p ^ civilisatib / n and charity . .. v- ' - ' - '! The generality of the low lodging-houses—the penny , twopenny , and threepeanjjj « 'W « U—J wa iu-
* ^ I /^* Qtjestionv : ^ " ^/(^Ndenied. ...
formed : by onei who has / lived iri > them ' ' arid " amoriir tbem ? fbr : ' matiy montUsr-a / mari'bfisiijieribr / iritel . lig / ende arid ' eduMtibh ' , ' bb'' !^ by / persons / utteriy " deficira whb / either' / wirik / Za ^' orJiincoiirage the / roblieVies whidh are ;/ coritiriually .. cbricocted / under ; their : - rbbf 8 , - Nearly all the proprietors ¦ tacitly ! allow : the produce of their lodgers ' pilferings : to be inti-oduced and shared : in the kitchen , and many of them are known to be receivers -Of- ' stolen goods , pledging ¦ for ' - ' the pickpockels' they narhuui / in their hoii & es . ' Whatever plunder they may "' , - bring . home , and / demanding of them twopence and the duplicate for . so doing . " Indeed ,: so general is , the . latter practice among the lodg iri g houBe-keepers of the £ ast . end of London , that these are . the ? regular terms ' of : the class . But there are dormitories loner and lower still in
the scale of comfort ; cleaiiliness , " arid' civilisation . Such sleeping p laeps are frequented byithosb ; who want even the penny to provide thebj With ; the luxury of riiere walls and roof to shelter . them from the , wind or the rain .- Hence , if it , be possible to conceive a class of beings still more wretched , more vici . us , or more criminal than . ; those " visiting ihe lowestrlodging houses of London , : they are to be found nestling under the arches of-the I 3 lackwaii Railway , tliere may be discovered whole ' families ,
houseless and pe'iiiiless , huddled close together-: children cradled as it were in vice arid crime , cheek bj / 'jpwl With the Vilest prostitutes and / the ' meanest thieyes . Qr else they may be seen ranged lalong ihe wall of a rieighbouriiig . sugar : baker ' s , ; warming themselves upon the pavement heated by the melting-pan beneath . To behold , the " drOWSV , ragged ) destitute crowd gathered there at three o ' clock iri the'morning , / is a sight fb shock the ' most ' callous , arid one / ihat-it is' painful even to imagine v ¦'"" -. " " , -, ' .. ' ;¦ . . :- • : ¦ : ¦ ¦ ¦ ( "To be . Continued . J .. "
Parllimentaey A1s"D Financial :/; " '¦: ...
PARLliMENTAEY A 1 S"D FINANCIAL : /; " '¦ : . ; : itJSFORM . ; ! : ¦ - :: :: -: 1 - ' - ' MR ; G ; THOMPSOffAKD THE 'ELEOTOIIS
;¦ ' OF ; THE TOWER HAMLETS . ,, An aggregate meeting of the electors and ; other inhabitants of the Tower Hamlets \ was held on Monday evening , at Sion ' Chapel , near ; . "Whitechapel Church , to aid in the hiovemcht for promoting a reform in the representation arid . public expenditure bf the country , arid at the same time ; to afford / to Mr . ; George Thpmpsori , one of the ' members for tho borough , the / opportunity of ' . rilaluh g / his " annual stateriient to'his constituents with . reference : to the proceedings of the . House of Corainoris " dui ing tlie hist ' session , ; arid the future . prospects of tliecause of reforrii in this country . The building in which the meeting was held is said to ; contain / the greatest aniourit of available space for a riublic imeetiriff in
the borough ; affording accommodation for about 5 , 000 persons , and was filled in every part . , / ' . " The chair ' was taken ; pro tern , hy Mr ; Fry , Mr Hall ' , who / had been annoririced as the chairim ' ari ) not having amved at- the ' hour riiimcd ' for opening tlie riieetiiig ( se ' yen ; o ' clock ) . '' '¦"" . / / ; . Mr . Hows' rose to move the first resolution as follows : — ' That in . the deliberate judgment of , this meetiri g / a ^ ^ tlibvoiighrenovatibriof the yepresentativ / e system of th / i ' s country is not only justl y demande'd as the // coiistitutiorial ri g ht of the people , / hut as rieces ' saryto the ^ nb . bliti . 6 n ' of . the political , financial , arid ecclesiastical ; abuses so loudl y cbmplairicd of . This / meeting , "' therefore ,, rejoices in / the establishment : of the National' Reform Associatioii , and
tenders to its president , Sir Joshua Walmsley—( cheers ) - / -the assurance that they willdo all iri their power / to : sustain the " body over . which he so ably presides , in their efforts to secure the patriotic Objects to . which ' they are devoted . " ' . Mr . Hall , haying taken the chair , apologised for not having been present at the hour appointed ; arid cxplairied that he had inistaken the place of meeting . Be was glad'to sec that"he ' was " supported by Sir Ji Walmsley' a-cd Mr . Thorn pson ; he regretted ' . that Sir 'William' Clay was not present .. ' -, ( Hisses / arid groans , and a voice—" l ** o , he is one .. of Jthe Whig tail . " } They had , however , a sufBcient ; substitute ; in his old friend , ' Mr . Williains , the ' late . membvr fpf Covcritry , ' and nothing would give ' '' him greater
pleasure than ' to see him reuirried at tho next election for a constituency like that ho was now addressing and again sitting at the right harid of Mr . Hume , arid aiding him in his efforts to econoriiisc the public expenditriro . ' He should eorifinehiinself on . / tlie ' present occasion to dealing / with ! sbnie figures , to show the impossibility of returning , to the : prbtective systcrii .. When ho told the iri . that 12 , 000 , 00 ( ) bf th ' e pcbpW agricultural' ' produce iihpbrted from' foreign counti-ies '' . they would " / agree that / that was a ' fact so 3 tartl \ rig " , *; th ' at riijnfi "but a , tnadmnri would ; think of returning to a system , by . which . that large nujnbe ' r of their fcllbw-cburitrymeri would he . brought to starvatiori , and thousands ' more : be reduced by the
high' price of . provisions which must eiisiie ^ from competence te ' poverty . 'It was fitting that the Times , ' which was ' always opposing itself tb "the popular feeling , ; ' should know that fact ;; ' , and it sheuld ' remcmbcrthat though . the . Times could not do without the people , the people could do ' without the Times , ( Dear , and cheers . ) . Tho inipbrts for eleven' months during the past" year had been bf oxenarid cows , 49 , 80 i ; sheep and lambs , 119 , 763 ; swine , 2 , 454 ; bacon , 375 , 227 cwts . ; butter , 251 , 074 cwts . ; wheat ; 3 , 656 , 910 qrs . —( cheers )—barley , 1 , 270 , 555 qrs . ; oats , 1 , 203 , C 55 qrs . ; / ryo , 2 C 3 , 1 G 7 qi ' si ' s / boarisariiLpeas , 645 , 453 qrs . ; Indian corn , 2 , 129 , 300 cwts . rliiick wheat , 307 cwts . ; oatmeal , Indian , riridbthei' corn me . ils , ° 160 , 184 ' cwts . ; flour ,
3 , 071 , 120 . cwts . ; ; eggs , ' 91 , 733 , 902 — ( a / laugh ) - hams , 11 , S 33 cwts . " ; ' cheese ,, 325 , 256 cwts . ; pork , and other , salted ' and'fresh meats , 464 , 010 lbs ' ; . ; poultry ' ' value ' ' sterling , " . ' £ 330 , 000 . These were all articles of human food . ( Cheers . ) Then take wool , ' and ' the raw articles of . our manufactures . The imports of / wool had been 70 , 284 , 837 lbs . in the sametinie , and of hides 028 , 481 . Now let him ask what would have been the position of thepopiilatiori of this country hut'for these ' imports ? ( Cheers . ) But the rrot ' ectiohists told them that . / they must pay for them all by exporting the precious metals . Now / in tliis respect ^ what was the fact ? There was more gold / in' the / Bank / . at this moment , and more gold spread through the country / thari . was ever
before known : ; Arid' while bur import of raw ' . material ' 'Had . increased ' so Lid bur exports of manufactured aiticles ; in the same proportion , thus showing that this iriipovHtion of food , eqiiril to the consumption of 12 , 000 ; 000 of people was paid for by tlie prbductsbf the energies and the industry bfthc ' working population ;/ ( Cheers . ) Were it not for this , what would have beon the condition Of the manufacturing interest s , of tliis country ? . The artisans would . have been thrown / but ' . of bmplbynient , and the mills ' would have been standing still ; ' For it was'idle : to suppose that the continent of Europe ' couldI pay for our niariufactures except by the pvoduco of tlieir own soil . " - These ' were , facts . which / everybody hut the senseless' agriculturists , whoso skulls are so
thick it is almost ; impossible to drive sense into them , cannot fail to understand . ( Hear ,, hear ;) ' Dr . Oxley briery sccbrided , and Mr . T . Dick supported ,. tho resolution . . " ; ' "rho / xcsoHiUon Was / then put arid ' carried / unani mousl y- "' ' ; . ; ; . " '""'; .. ; . ; ' / ' .,.. ' . - . J t , "' - ' ' . . . . / Sir J .. Walm ' slet , ; M . P ., ' . who ' , ' on ; . corning to / the front of thb / platfpi'in ,. was lbudly / chcered , . next spoke .: / He siiid—I now appear / before ! yoil as $ he President . ' . of ,- ! tho Psirli ' ariientary .. ' and . ' Fiharicial liefprm Associatioii , / arid I , ' eho uld bo . alike urijitst to tlie : association , and to iny bv ^ n / cha ' Vactoiv if ; I heard ' ; rit ' any meeting , at which , T ; ' inay , "be preserit seritiment ' s iittbred which I thought unjust or incbrrect ^' an d did ri qfV / when I had the opportunity , ' state riiy . owii bpinionVin regai-jil to them . ' . ' I stand riot
here at the _ present moment to advocatehianhobu * suffrage , but to ' support to the . best " ofmy . ability those principles , which have been put ' forth by able arid ' good men ; and by the virtuous pf l airages , ! hi favour of the r ' ig iits '' of , tho people ^ arid to restore tliprfe rights ' w ^ ich the coristitutiori confers upon all meri ; . / b'iit ' Whiclr liayb . b ' ceii violate'd"by tho present arid preceding gpveriimbnts ' . t ' o th ^; greatest / pbssibie extent . '• ( Cheers . ) "An bbs ' ervatiori lias been ' made which I niust , standing hero . as the president of , the ftS ' sooiattbi » , ^ sa ' y / tliat ,, I tip . not ' eoncur in / , // My friend , the chairman , 'has a ' perfect ri ght , " as-a-residerit among , ybu /' iind as " an electbrbf the Tower llariilets , tb ; say what ' he pleases , oh / the . siibject ; butI
disclaim ;" - as tho president of the ' association , any ¦ . ittempt on thepart'of that association , t ' odic tnte . to tKo / electorspf the Tower Hamlets , or to say 'to you who shall be yori ' r representative , and who shall not . I ' must /' go s / tiill further arid say ' , that I cbrisi ' der such observation ^ in tlio . abseiice of Sir W . " Clay arc . riot jU 3 tifie'd iis . is ' suiiig frbni the oliair of a meeting like th p / ' prcseiit ; . ( A Voice , [ ' ^ Y fhyy is he / riot , here , then' ?' . ' ¦) . / 'Aj'e'j that is the , questibri ' . / ' . / 'Has he been , riskdd ? ; ' ( Cho ' cvV ,, and . some cbnfusion . y I hni . ribt here to throw tlie apple of discord / amorigst . ' you ,, but to dp justice as far' as I can lb / all .. ( Hear , hear . ) -And I say it is the questioriVhas Sir Avilliain Clay be ' eri asked . to appear liere ' this e . veriirig , arid if hbt , ; I , say . such ' . observations frbrii , tho chair are .
uncalled for ; ( Cheers ;) ' Itls the priyilbgo ' -r-ifc'is the right of Englishmen , to . give . a fair / Jieariri g tb all . ( Hear , 'hear . ) There is yet another observation I feel it my , duty ' to refer to—I must reprobate . such remarks iri speakiri g / bf . the agricultural . classes . as " s ' eriseie ' sS masses . - '' ( Hear / hear . ) Thby / arp . nqt so . They are men as able , as industrious , and as indefatigable , as yourselves . 'It is true they . have been , misled b y interested partios' 4-but have you neverbeenimisled ?> ( Hoaiybealr . ) ; . Howlon « is it since ypu have come'to jfour seriaesl ^ Hear ^ hear . ) How : longi'is it > since -lyouf-wbfe'on -tte one me ' . ' Teds ^ - - andioniithe' otrier- ' blues " ' and ytexe cajoled b y ^ 08 © " % ^ , when their purpose was served , had no better name for you than a " senseless rabble ? " ( Hear , hear . ) I believe the agricultural class are awakening rapidly to a true sense of
Parllimentaey A1s"D Financial :/; " '¦: ...
ttieir cbri'dition ; ' ; and will / soon be found seekiii g , the ; friendshi p ! ' ' office other , classes . . They want ] more , than yb ' u dp assistance tb . rescue them ] frbiri"thes ' erfdbm /' under / which they have , been , sb / lbrig labouriDg ,-( Hoar , hear . ) ' Iletusshbwkiridries ' sto : themi gpbdf will / and'bfotherl y feelin ^ rah ' d ri'bt . 'insult , them ; , l ' yj calling them a senseless mass . ;; ( liou'd cKeers . ) / Wflf iil e met here , ' gentlemen , for a two-fold pufpose submit ib / you . the principles . / of a Parliamentary . Keform Associatibri / and'tb'do libriburi bi ' ratheivta hear and examimVwb ' at Mr . 'Thompson lias / tb . say / to nw constiWbntfe ' . \ am ' proud t 0 ' oear my testimony ; not only in the Tower Hamlets ' , but ' throughout ' all England ; and . ' . Scotland , "to . the hoiibuhtble ririd tho
patriotic conduct which niy honourable ' fribri'd ' lb / as P ^^ to constitutional , principles whicb'ho / hue enunciated , not hero onl y , hut thron > hbut » great portion of ; the . kingdom , ; when stariduiir for , ' ward to , demand the ; ) ust ri g ' jts of the people amongst the nobles . of the land , and wholly iircs- / pectivo of what hiight be the . consequences to himself . , But this was what was to bo expected of hinC . Look at his ; antecedents — at his ind ' efatigable exertions in striking off the . shackles of the ' slave , exertions which never ceased until his object was attained .-. Such were his antecedents ; arid ' now he cbriies / forward tb ; travel , without fee or / reward / arid tb give his timearid his , talents , from one end of the country to another , ' to abolish the Slavery ; which still exists ' ariiong , the white ' men—for the
millions in this country arc still little better " than serfs in the laands of the oligarchy . . ( Loud cheers ;) The few moments I shall occupy , on / this platform shall be expended in ' endeavouring to iridiiee union airibrigst you that you / may concentrate , your energies on one / single point / and , throwing aside yohr minor differences , endeavour to do justice to yourselves and your fcllow-raen ., To the mWdle classes Twould yentiire to say , " What do you bffe to the industrial classes ? " ; ' You owe everything to , them . You owe to them yonr ships ,, your cbin 4 mo " rce ,, j-pu ' r railway ' s ; youi-buildings , yourluxurie ' s ^ ybur comfcrts , riiid even " ^ our necessaries of life . ( Cheers . ) : ' , You , ;& we 'to . tlio working . men of-tbe country eyerything you possess . ; . ( Cheers . ) And shall these workihsr men be lonsrei- delavcd their
just rights ? . Shall those who have so long knocked at the door 'iof , the " constitution- still be denied ad » mission ? ( Cheers . ) Away with such a thought . ' ( Cheers . ) , But ypu will bo . denied until you / airbenf abldd to cbriyinceyour riilcrs and ybur governor ;' that you are determined to have them . ( Cheers . ) It has been . intimated—it is -the . on eft's , of the dayrrthat we / arp to havo some extensive rcfoi-m ; jn short ,. ' that , the / wind is to be taken put of bur sails ,, so that we shall have no further occa ^ ibri to ag itate , j hope it is so . But we will cease to agitate only when the just rights of tlie jpeople are granted . . ( Cheers . ) I would especially caution you not tobeled aA'fty by any sham reform , such as . yre have had before / ( Hear , hear . ) ,, Should they grant you an extension of the suffrage , vote by ballot , trit
ennial parJiamentu and the abolition 01 the property qulincation . bcar . in . mirid that / is not the test . ; The test is such f in apportionment of the members to tjbf population ^ as shall make it no longer , possible that the ' votes of the representatives , of such places as Thetfordor "Harwichj with a corrupt constituency bt two nr three hundred , shall bo equal in the results tp / th ' psb of the borough of the Tower Hariilets , with its 15 , 000 electors . This is the question to -which . I . would draw attention , that . in all ypur / endeavoura to obtain reform , do riot forget this is the pinching point among , the . oligarchy , who have hitherto divided amongst themselves the spoils of the . people . ( Cheers . ) One , ¦ word more .... I have received a . letter to-day , without any , signaturcr-and lam not fpnd of annnvmous corresponderice—in reference to
the conduct of a highly talented , individual who (» present . . The letter / was to this effect : —Sir , —Per ? naps you will have no objection to ask Mr . Thomjh son , the professed opponent of monopoly , to explain why he took charge in the Douse of Commons ofn bill for continuing the Commercial-road turnpike monopoly , si g ried " A Member , of the National "Parliamentary Reform Association ?" , All he could say was that if Mr . Thompson could riot answer this question satisfactorily to his constituents 1 ) 0 . wa 8 unworthy to represent , them ; but in that case it would , be the / first time he ever heard of Mr , Thompson ' s being connected with a job . ( The hon . gentleman retired from the front of the platform amidst long ' and protracted cheering ) ' . GisonoE Thompson then camo forward , arid after
the enthusiastic , cheering with which he was greeted had subsided , spoke as follows - . — "With regard to the matter - to : which that letter refers , I certainly allowed my iiarhe to be placed at the back of the bill brought into the House of Commons to obtain for tho trustees of certain , roads in this neighbour- ' hobd a renewal of their lease - , but when I saw the solicitor for the bill I stated that if I allowed myname to be used ministerially as one of the members for the Tower Hamlets , I was not to be considered as any way pledged to the bill , but should reserve to myself the right " of oppostrig it altogether , or so alter it by abridging tho power of the trustees , as might appear to be strictl y just as between themand the people of this great district . It -was on that understanding alone that my name was placed
on the back of the bill in connexion with that of the other member for the Tower Hamlets . In the meantime—that was before the measure came before the House—I had sevei-al interviews -with . ' those who thought themselves aggrieved by the ' heavy tolls charged , I made myself master of the whole question , and in the committee devoted iriy ' time to such an adjustment of the matters pending * between tho inhabitants and trustees as strict equity and j us tice demanded , f Hear , hear . ) - I sa * in a judicial capacity ; both parties were witnesses of my conduct , and fearlessly I appeal to every spectator of that conduct to say if I did not , as sv just and honourable man , hold the balance fairl y between the one party and the other . ( loud cheers . ) Irejoice that this meeting affords me the opportunity of
presenting myself before so riiany of those whom I have tho honour to represent in the House of Commons ; ( Cheers . Having given no vote in that House contrary either to the professions which I made when 1 sought to enter it , or to the dictates of my conscience , having to the host of my ability endeavoured to discharge my duty faithfully and independentl y , and having no'desire to continue iri that House when I cease to enjoy the confidence of those who sent me there . ^ I am not afraid of coming before ybu . * ( Renewed cheers . ) I cannot say that it has been my happiness and privilege to assist in carrying through Parliament any great measure of legislative justice to the people ,- either for the enlargement of their rightful political power , or the diminution of their heavy and intolerable burdens . In the late session
of Parliament tliegovernment . -and a largo majority of the House , have resisted all attempts to reduce the public expenditure , and all measures in favour of parliamentary reform . ( Cries of " Shame . " ^ As far as aiiy result in the House of Commons 3 s concerned , all the motions on these subjects , however ably brought forward and discussed ' , have been in vain . One fact ; I think , must havo been long apparent to those whom I address—that legislation ; in all but its last stages , - and as " , a ' matter of form , has to bo done out of doors . ( Hear , hear . ) I mean that legislation which tends iri any degree to advance the social oi * political welfare of the people : ( Cheers . ) The House of Commoris may be left to vote money , and they willdo it—to sanction any abuse , and they will do it—to-support any * job
winch will increase tlie patronage of tho minister , and they will do it ; but that house must not be looked to for any hicasure of real reform until the people have settled th ' equeslioh out of doors —( hear ; hear)—nor then , until they show a determination not to rest satisfied until their demands are granted ; ( Cheers . ) Why is this f // Because in the vast majority of eases , the members of tho House of Commons ,, aivailing themselves of the present imperfect , corrupt , and unconstitutional systerii of elections , have virtually returned themselves by money , by family influence , or by other equally exceptionable riicans—and , having done so , sit iri the legislature / not to promote the wishes or the welfare of the people / but to support those abuses by Which they and their iriunediato connexions profit , and
through which large nuiribers of them derive their sole support . Hence the absolute necessity' of a thorough renovation of the / representative system ; - ( Hear . ) But-it ; is some cbnsp ! atibn toknowr that if little that is good beyond the repeal of the navigationlaws has been done within the walls of parliament , - much / that will eventually determine the character of our future legislation has been done out of doors ! ' ( Much cheering . ) Never , perhaps , in the history of the country were the people , better informed on the questions thatrribst affebt their m ^ tei'ost br which ' relate to the administvation of pubhe affairs . Nor is this remark ' app licable merely to the British isles . The inhabitants of . bur colonial de ^ - peridericies are besrinnirig to think and to act for themselves—( hearThcar)—and to , follow . the
example otHheh fellow subjects in the parent . oounh y , b ^ - demandirig' the . right ' of managing their own ; . iffairs —( hear , hear)—and of regulating the expenses which have- to be defrayed but of their , own pockets . Tliese agitations at ; home and , abroad have liofc been . with ' oiit their effect upon tho minds of . hw . MjijcBty ^ advisers . ( Hoar . ) The shadows which coming even tsjiaypcast before , have beenobserved , arid we now hVarrun * iorivs of rninisteriaV intentions and measures during tho session , which wAl / onea . bn Thursday next , ( tfre / ers . ) / In ; three , day s ^ hs curtain will be drawn up , the . pracle . will spe . ak , and w » - ahnll havo the OUnovtnnft ^ Masliini »' ' lV ' i >' sfjii » n-
manager what new piece . 8 he intends tobrhigout , ( Laughter and cheers . )'" Whiltf it riiay . be . intercsting to- speculate upbh the intentions bfth , g 6 ve'fnm , ehtl it is of ;^ much greater iriipprtaric / e that we " should be : ' greed ' iri reference to / what ' we , ought to do , and what -we . ineari / to ; do ' / ourselves . ; - ( Hear , ;/ hear ^ Wriilethe present Hbiis ' e ' of COrambns cbntiriues , ' « B mrist taKo what w $ n " get ; arid'be' a ' s // t ^ n ) ifuiHf we ciiri ; '" . ^ Gheers ^ arid 'a " vbice ' :: ' "TMt , ' will'lb ^ tharik ' ybu''for ^ nothirig ; " ) Theq hestioh ' ofp / uestiwiB is , what measures should the people themselves 1 to termine to prosecute , irrespective of thb views the cabinet , and regardless altogether , w m P *
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), Feb. 2, 1850, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns2_02021850/page/7/
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