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Northern Star (1837-1852), 20th July 1850, Edition 3 of 3, Page 7

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    • •ittii ,: Ui >r ¥-» »* f *• t • ; ' ¦ - -i»»
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      Forbion Sympathy Fob; Irish Ldisimss.—Ac...

      f fortyforty-three . - On the 4 th inst ., a _' _cohditional order iwiu was _msiein the case of the estates of " the Right _JHotuBori : Richard _EarVof GiengaH . ?' Itis stated that < o __ KKmpositidn will , be made' on the part ofthe noble < earL « tfL when fte pettUoriing creditor _appliesforaoab _«» _ratebrate order for sale _^ ' :. '""" , _-. ' -. . _. i U -Ai Air _InsHMhxwMnai- _^^ jappeappeara in the Freeman ' * _Joturtal . The lady who lli _^ _lKade the large _^^^ th _- _? , _% _^ _W ia vaa vast fortune d _^^ _^ X _^ _J _^ Jc _^^ ¦ _i tha tha late Mr F Kelly , of the county of _GalMy , _^ i _^ _ich _^ _ifto _' inuoh lit & tidn , has heen established VRS 5 _ _ SS _^ _Sffi- > f The tonic Pf the week _intinSe money market has been the advance by Mrs . Eel SeU y , whose name has been so _frequents before ¦ _ito" _* 4 _tow _^ ia ' « _to _«^^^ .. " _?^ ' _^ _S _W « on « onvofX 135 ( K » 0 to the Midland Great Western

      , Bai _Baawjos-Company , to enable the latter to discharge the tho bafiuioe of the purchase money due to' the B 03 _Boyal Ganal Compny , being about that amount JIr Mrs . Kehy receives a transfer of the canal direct fro-from the'Canal Company , and becomes the first enc encumbrancer on it , the total cost having been apt apwards of £ 400 , 000 . She has , of course , the seeureurity of the Railway Company ia addition , and as as far as Mrs . Kelly is concerned , the security may be i be considered undoubted . The transaction is , boweve ever an advantageous one for the company , as they iai lave agreed to pay Mrs . Kelly five per cent ., while the they have paid six per cent , to the Canal Company .

      Th There is , therefore , a diminution of £ 1 , 350 per ani annum in the interest paid by the company . " 1 Depasture ov _tns _LoBD-LntUTESAHT . —On Mon-• da _; -day morning his Excellency , accompanied by his _pri private secretary ( Mr . Connellan ) came down by _3 _W _3 peciaI train to _Kingslown . and proceeded on board thi the admiralty steamer Banshee , which sailed for H < Holyhead . Hia Excellency goes direct to London , -to -to join Lady Clarendon and their children . Their _« _batay in England will extend to three weeks . Ths Irish Linen Trade . —The Linen and yarn -far-trade of TJhter , in general is decidedly improving . A An advance of yarns is anticipated , from tbe In-• _CT -crease Ol foreign demand .

      Fkal _Ciosiso or ConcimatiosHaUi . _" — At the * w "weekly meeting on Monday , Mr . John _O'Connell m moved that the association should adjourn sine die , a- ' -as they were in debt , and had lost-all control over tl the hall . He took this course as a last experiment t < to rouse the country .- and if the present-appeal s ! should bo responded to , the committee would have tl the power of once more convening a public meeting © of the association . The repeal rent for the week a amounted only to ££ l 0 s . ' to which minimum , the c chairman observed , it had descended from a weekly s sum of £ 3 , 500 . The motion wan carried in solemn _s _eilenc _^ and the few persons in the hall quietly vwalkedoff . _.- ¦ _"¦ -. _«¦ * '

      Chahqe _AQAEfsr a Maqistrate . —The ClareJour-* Hal states ; that " the investigation into the charge * against "Mr . Smytb , of _Castlefergns , was resumed < on Saturday last at Tulla , when the magistrates de-< cided on admitting Mr . Smyth to bail , to take Ms i trial at next assizes . " Mato Eraciiojr . —This election is fixed for the 1 2 ath instant , and the issue is now fairly knit , there 1 being only one candidate at each side . Colonel ..- Knox Gore has withdrawn , leaving Mr . Butt , Q . C . , - -ag the Protectionist candidate . The Independent -Club of Mayo have _selected Mr . _Ousely Higgins as • their candidate , backed hy the Roman Catholic "Clergy ; and Mr . Joseph _Myles Macdoriald has re-: 'fired . - -The prisoners , who were arrested for an assault - -on the police at Belfast , on the morning ofthe 12 th . - " inst , when -two of the Orangemen were wounded , have been admitted to hail to take their trial at the

      assizes . . The H _ kvbs _ — Every account from the _country describes _thepotato , as well as the cereal and green -crops , as progressing most satisfactorily , and there is aa earnest tone of anticipation as to the effect of the-harvest , in restoring confidence , and laying ' the -foundation of future improvement , after general prostration and sufferings unparalleled amongst the poor people of this country . Some of the provincial papers state , that it would require personal observation to estimate the exuberant delight of the peasantry in the rural districts , arid the labouring population in the towns , at beholding' the large supply of " their . old friend , " the potato , apparently recovered from the Wight that has caused so much misery , and sold at prices not much higher than used to prevail at this period of the season before the famine . Watehfobd . Satcrdat „—Several persons were

      convicted : of having belonged to the party who -attacked the policebarrach at Coppoquin , in September last , and were sentenced to various terms of transportation , from seven to fourteen years . _Dowkpateics . —Judge Ball opened the commission here on Monday . The Newry Telegraph says : — " The intention ofthe Crown to prosecute at these assises not only the Ribbon ' rebels , ' bnt also the loyal Protestants , engaged in the memorable affair of Magheramayo ,-has attached a more than ordinary degree of interest to the criminal proeedines . " Death or ths _Sscbbtabt of thb Rkpeai _AssodAno-r . —The secretary ofthe Repeal Association , whose name was Hagarty , died suddenly on Monday nig ht . Bis official labours terminated on the day ofthe adjournment of the association , and his earthly career closed the same night . He died oi disease of the heart

      T _ e Late _Obasoe Riot . —The Belfast Whig of Tuesday says : — - Oa Saturday morning , the two young men , Walker and Anderson , charged with being portion of an illegal assembly , on Thursday night , on the _Malone-road , were brought up for examination . It appeared , on the evidence of Constable Bind , that the lad Walker was engaged in beating a drum , with a number of men and boys , who went up that road on the evening in question , and that he was taken into custody . A large crowd afterwards assembled , with a view of effecting a rescue , the ponce barrack was regularly stormed , and several windows broken in it . Tbe constables

      charged the crowd , when the latter retreated , and it was in the course of the retreat that Anderson was captured . They were both bound over to take trial at the assizes , bail being accepted for "W alker , himself in £ 10 , and two sureties in £ 5 each . For Anderson , himself in £ 20 , and two sureties in £ 10 each . Walker is a very young lad , and his father , who was present , appealed to the Bench , hoping their worships would punish him if he * were a xebeL' On bang questioned as to his meaning , he replied that he trusted his son wonld be punished if ' he were untrue to the cause for which Walker fell a _bundred-and-sixty years ago . *" . '

      Ai__|>_Wimw^M^Wsmwswmw» *Mwimwp^A_A_Mhbi...

      _£ _ai- _^^ i 8 _^ - , _-.:,, _" , _^ ''''' y [ _MM _woRfiiMliiii _- ;;; :.. ;; :: _^ XM _' _X'ZZ'Xi

      The Type Founders' Strike. To The Trades...

      THE TYPE _FOUNDERS' STRIKE . TO THE TRADES OF _LONDON . _F __ ow-Wobj _ _ss , —The Type Founders , late in the employ o Messrs . Caslon and Co ., Cbiawell street , have turned out on strike . A series of at * tempts to reduce their sow already small wages have led to this result . The last twelve months bave been to ns a continual fight to uphold the rate of remuneration we received . In one branch the attempted reduction was thirty per cent ., hi another twenty-five , in another twenty : several privileges

      taken off ; and , the week previous to suspending work , a notice ofa reduction o twenty per cent , on another branch—all this , and much that none bnt those acquainted witb the details ofthe trade could _understand , has led us to resolve to discontinue work until this last notice is withdraws , and sufficient guarantees are given that further attempts in the same direction will be discontinued . Every man in the firm is out , numbering ninetysix . Tbe trade is bnt small , and unable to render all the assistance such a huge body of men require , althoug h tha several shops have munificently sub-Bcribea according to their means . '

      We therefore take ; the liberty pf presenting our case to your kind consideration ; trusting you will see sufficient cause to render us such assistance as the urgent necessities of our case require . A deputation from us will wait and render every other explanation and information that may be xeoaired . Type Founders' Committee Room , George Inn , _Foster * s-bnildings , _Whitecross-street , St . Luke ' s .

      Psoroazu Saw Bohopbics.—-Ft Is Atated; I...

      _Psoroazu Saw _Bohopbics . — -ft is atated ; in the event of the motion being successful of which Mr . W . E . Gladstone has g iven notice , namely , for . the addition of a clause to the present Church Commission Fill , giving the commissioners power to submit to the Queen in council a , proposal for tho promotion of a . new . bishopric in every place where , by local contributions , there may be raised towards its endowment the sum of £ 30 , 000 , ( the income to be _asjigned tp such bishop not to exceed £ 1 , 500 ; and suoh bishop not to have a seat in the House of lords ); immediate . steps will be taken to erect Westminster and . Southwark into distinct episcopal _jee-. tbe _abbay _formmg the cathedral of the first , _andthechurch of St . baviour , by Ixmdon Bridge , _wfcufcuc

      _the acMmplishmeni oi « j _onjects sufficient fi _ _toa _ te raised without delay , persons of wealth _SeSeredtoJ _>™ _*}? _JF _^^ erportion S _eSowinent when _^ Uedupon to do so . The « . 1 . _iT « n « ft of Westminster Will embrace the _S _^ rfSf city , Sding the parishes _of-SL SS _& ret _1 _& _Sohu _, St .. _JWr _•**• _dement . 8 t ; _„**? _£ * _sudecree , Haiwver-square , St . Ann , ¥ ?* ' c » _k _^& t-garden ? and all parishes _westwarf , nowj _^ _ninr _^ . _wiU comprise the _Ihe new diocese of _* g"L The plan has . the Whole ofthe county * _gjjgr London and _fWinftUsanction of _t !» B » _W PS oi _^ j _, _^ _.-, _^ _, _to , wl „ at pi _« _ert hf ° V * « JW _jerrision of those dw _^ cW . _^ _0 the _iful-Tm _Cohvict _Pak _^ _JBJJJaft been _subfeakPriaoB . We learn _thatfjjfie has neither W hia hair cropped , nor tove ng _^ cell , hanged ; and instead _othv _teugV _* belonging _^ hasbe _ ipermittedto « g 9 _JJjS » _fe _ttofficer ofthe prison , _Wjatflia *

      Ai__|>_Wimw^M^Wsmwswmw» *Mwimwp^A_A_Mhbi...

      _ai ___|>_ _WiMW _^ _M _^ _WSMWSWMW » _* _MWIMWP _^ _a _ _a _ _MhBiM __^_ _iMMB _ _HWS _» _Mtf _;¦ ¦ ¦ . • ¦ ¦ - ; _, MiD __ ESEx ; _sEssioNs . _.-: ' . " . : The July Adjourned Quarter ' Sessions of the Peace for Middlesex commenced nn Tuesday mom ing , at _thpSessions Bouse , Clerkenwell , There were fifty-nine prisoners charged . with ; felony , and six with misdemeanour ; for trial _ ROBHKBT ON KB _GbJSAT ,. _WlSTHRH _RAIIWiV . _^ James Treleving , 16 , and . ThomaaMoultbn , i 7 > were indicted for stealing at ithe parish of Paddingtoh , _- eight iron bolts , value 4 _s „ the property- of the Great Western Railway Company .-rMr . O'Brien was forthe prosecution ; Hr . -6 ' _ifford- . appeared for the prisoners . — -The prinoipal witness in the case was the brother of the prisoner Moulton , a : boy about ten years of age . from whose evidence it

      aupeared- that he and the prisoners were . loitering about the fields near to the railway at Paddingtori , when one of them suggested that they should take some bolts whieh were being used by the workmen iri ' _repairing the . rails . They took eight arid threw thern over a hedge , and then . went and laid under a tree , where tbey were apprehended ,: their conduct haying been . nnderthe eye of O . _'Hara , one of the company ' s constables . —The defence , was , tbat it was but a piece of mischief on the part ofthe boys , and thatthey bad no intention to Steal the bolts . Tho learned counsel called evidence to the character of Treleving , and apologised that the witnesses to the character ofthe other were not then present . —The learned Judge , with some warmth , said this was extremely improper on the part of the attorney who instructed Mr .. Gifford to make that statement , when he must have known what \ rould have been the result had suoh witnesses been called . The

      court knew sufficient to satisfy it that ; suoh witnesses were never intended to be examined at all ; —The attorney said he could assure his lordshi p that he had heen instructed that an employer ofthe boy _! s would be present to speak to his character . — The learned judge summed up , and the jury found the prisoners "Not Guilty . " Bobmhi from ibb Person . —George Hay ward , a desperate-looking fellow , was convicted ofa robbery from the person . —The learned Judge said the prisoner had been convicted so often that it was impossible for him to pass any sentence save that of transportation . —Transported for . ten years . _; _Obtaisiho Mousy bt Fraud . —George- Turner , 46 , was indicted for having , by false and fraudulent pretences , obtained from Peter M'Carthy , the sum of 12 s ., with intent to cheat and defraud bim thereof _. The prisoner . was further indicted for two other similar offences . —The prisoner pleaded guilty to all the indictments . —Mr . Clarkson and Mr .

      rPrendergast appeared for the prosecution , and the former , addressing the court , said this was a prosecution instituted hy direction of the Metropolitan Commission of Sewers , in whose name . the prisoner , arid other parties no doubt connected with him , had carried on frauds upon the public to a vast extent . The parties defrauded were mostly poor people , arid the mode in which the frauds were effected was this . He went to parties the drains upon , and the sewers adjoining , whose premwes were under the control of the commissioners , as authorised by the 11 & 12 Vict ., the act establishing the commission , and represented that he was connected with the commission , that certain alterations and improvements had been ordered to be made in the- drains of-their

      houses , but in each case , he stated , that before operations were commenced , he must be supplied with money to procure the . requisite materials from one of the commission depots , and having got the money he . went away-and of course Was not' again heard of . Now .. there was no doubt but that this had been done in a great number of instances , many of which bad come to the knowledge ofthe commissioners , who thought they wer © bound to protect , the public _fromfsuch abominable impositions by prosecuting the offender . They , however , had selected biit three cases for investigation , thinking those . three sufficient to Bhew the court what the real nature of the fraud was _] but there were at least twenty cases which could

      be substantiated against the _prisdner . —TIie learned Judge asked how long this system had been car 4 riei ont--Mr . Clarkson said the commissioners knew of it last year , but . the prisoner had escaped detection . The first offence the prisoner was charged with was committed in December . —The prisoner said he had been employed to act as he had done by other parlies , who received the money , and whose dupe he had been throughout . —Ihe learned Judge said this was a very serious ease , and one which could not be passed over sli ghtly . Even supposing that tbe prisoner had been made a dupe of at first , it was impossible to suppose that he was not fully aware subsequently of his being engaged in an extensive system of fraud upon the public . The

      sentence upon him , in respect of the first indictment _, was six months' hard labour , on the second indictment three months' and on tiie third indictment six weeks ' hard labour . Robbebt is a Public-house . —George Grant , a well-dressed men , who described himself as a wine and spirit merchant , was indicted for stealing 30 s ., under the following circumstances : —Last Monday week , he went to the Nas ' s Head public honse , in St . John-street , and producing two sample bottles , one of brandy , and the other of rum , asked if Mr . Willis , the landlord , w as in want of any loreign spirits . Mrs . Willis replied in the negative , and shortly after a man joined the prisoner in front of the bar , and they had something to drink , in

      payment for which ~ the prisoner tendered a gilt com resembling a sovereign , which Mrs . Willis declined to take . The parlour bell ringing at tbat moment Mrs . Willis went to see what was required , and , on her return to the bar , she found the prisoner deliberately leaning over the counter emptying the till of its contents . He decamped with the man who had joined him , hut was captured by a young man who . was in the tap-room at the time , and who , on hearing the cry ; of stop thief , followed in pursuit . —Verdict " Guilty . "—The prisoner said he was of respectable character , and was in business with a partner iu selling bonded sprits .

      The bills he had . in his pocket-book ; which the police took- from him , would show that since January last he had paid more than £ 500 for goods . His ; name was Cran , not Grant . — The Teamed judge inspected the pocket book , and said that its contents rather disproved' than made out the fact of his having been engaged in business to that extent ; for aide by side with the bills in question—which no doubt were fiotitious onesthere were pawnbrokers ' , duplicates—one for a pair Of boots , Is .: & waistcoat ,. Is . Gd . ; arid many others ofthe same character . Sentenced to six months' hard labour .

      Robbebt and Attempted Rescue . — W . Pryor , 21 , and W . Thomas , 16 , were indicted for a robbery from the person . The offence was committed in a crowd of persons who had assembled , in Whitechapel to witness the return of the "boats" from Fairlop Fair . _TryoT ' waa " covering" Thomas , who committed the ' theft ; and , on the officer taking the latter , Pryor attempted to rescue him , ana threw at him a large piece of granite , which struck him on the hat , nearly cutting it through . The prisoners were convicted ; and Pryor , being a known offender , was . sentenced to ' seven years ' transportation ; Thomas , to nine months' . hard labour .

      Srhakoebs S* Ibb Honsb Op Couupxs.—As Fa...

      SrHAKOEBS s * _ibb HonsB op Couupxs . _—As far as my observation extends ,, le ., the last thirty-one years , ho alteration has taken place in the practice of the House of Commons with respect-to the admission of strangers . In 1844 the house adopted the usual sessional order regarding strangers ; which I transcribe , inserting within brackets the only-material words added by Mr . Christie in 1845 : — " That the _Sergeant-at _^ Arnis . attending this honse do , from time to time ,, take into his custody any stranger or _strangor ' _s that heshali , see or be informed of to be in the house br . gallery . [ appropriated to the members ' , of this house , and also any stranger who , having been admitted into any other part ofthe house © t s & Uwy , _ana \\ misconduct

      himself , or Shall not withdraw when , strangers are directed to withdraw ] while the . house or any committee ofthe whole house is sitting , arid that no person io taken into custody be discharged out of custody without the special order of the , house . " . That " no member of tho house do presume to bring any stranger or strangers into the house ,. or the gallery thereof , while the house is sitting . *' This order appears to have been framed at a time when there was no separate gallery exclusively appropriated to strangers , and when they , were introduced by members into thegalleryof what is called the "body _' of th # _house . " This state of things had passed ; away : and' for , ' a long series of . years

      strangers had been adhiittod . to a eallery , in the House bf Commons , in the face , of the ;& essional order , bjr which your correspondent C . H . imagines their presence was *« absolutely _^ prohjbited . " When I speak of _sfaangeraf being admitted , it must not be supposed that this was done by order of the house . hV everything relating . to , _: the admissi _on of strangers to , " and ' their accommodation in _^ the House bf Commons , is effected by some mysterious agency for which no ' ohe is directly responsible . Mr . Barry has huilt galieriesf for . strangers in the new house ; but if the matter were made a subject of -inquiryV it _probablylwould puzzle him to state under what authority , he has noted , — Mtt euad . Queries . '

      A _CArrcHi wo Pbkb . — ¦ Captain tho Hon , G . P . Hastings , of the Cyclops , has . been recently cast in £ 5 , 000 damages by the Slave . Commissioners , ; on the coast of Africa , for illegal _detentioaof a Portuguese shi p , ' . _"¦" ' [ ' '" .., ' . '" " .. . ' '¦ •¦ .. _Hcaiowtt _' _s- _* ftau , - _ Sr __ o « _Rmnr . fob . to ) , cocohvCotm , _ u > _AiiriiaticAt CBmuiirra . —It _iseonfirmed «_ _hr by p «« oMwhohaveb « en ' _BreatBufferera , that _S _? J ! «*« f * u _^ lU are an _effectual cure for oM coughs , _SSiS : _Il « _^ _' ° ? * h » ch est , _shortnessuf . _teeaft , and _SfSfwAnT _^^ _- ' _^ _™ *»¦ _tttrwrtinarj _iadtbJ _ wh 0 _^^ W . etieiof . uueaiesfof th . _ctets _-vT _«« SL _! _2 ! 2 .-- _^•«** e _«" aiaict 6 d for'jean . _asa ' fiMina _SwtoSl ' _mZ _? 5 _?? » oent «*•¦ They w « alto as _g _^ re eoj fer _bowieneii , ana complaiats to the

      •Ittii ,: Ui &Gt;R ¥-» »* F *• T • ; ' ¦ - -I»»

      • _ittii _,: Ui ¥ - » »* *• t ' ¦ - -i _»»

      ....,. . .. ... "' . ' ..Ilpttzcjuw 15: ...

      _....,. . .. ... " ' . ' _.. _ilpttZCJuw 15 : ::. f '¦ HOUSif ! OP : _ ORi ) S . —The ¦ Royal < Assent was given by Commission to a great number of bills . ; > The new _liord Chancellor , tooki his seat arid the _oathBas Baron Thpbo . : > _- _!; :. ; ¦ _-,, Lord 'BROuoriAK brought-up the report ' of the Select Committee on tho _.-C 6 _uNxv _Coonxs _Bxiassioi * _Hiiii , . The noble lordi « _xpres * sedfhi 8 _rintefition ; of ' visiiing ' America ; in the spring / when' he Hoped ito have the pleasure of taking ¦ _wtftfliim a'loopy •' -of the bill ,, as a satisfactory proof ofthe progress which this country is making in the law of debtor ' and creditor - ¦ ¦¦ _:.. ¦ ¦¦¦¦ ¦'¦ - - ¦ ¦ " ' - • ¦ 'Li :

      . .. ,. ' , The report , of the Belect committee was ttiph brought up , and ordered to be taken into _coi . sideraT tion on Thursday . . _- . ;¦ ¦ . f . ¦ „ "' :: _ _¦ 'FicioBiBSBiu .-rPetitions : pray ing for an em ? cient Ten Jours Bill were ; presented by the " - Bishop of Salisbury , from Ashton-under-Lyiie , and- nunier rous other plaoa *; by the Bishop of Oxford ; - from Halifax , and other places ; by _; Lord Beaumont , from Halifax ; by the Bishop of Manchester , from factory workers of Manchester ; : by . Lo rd Wharncliffe , from several places in the _tye » l _.-Riuin _; -andby ' _Loi-d Dufferin , and the Earl _ofjarhorough ; fromvanous places .. -. ¦ . ... ¦ ' ¦ . _: ¦¦; < ¦ ' ' ¦ _- < :

      _, The Duke of Richmond also _presented a number _, of petitions from factory operatives to-the-same effect . He was not able to state eitherthe number of petitions , or of the signatures attached ; to them . In another place he had understood the number of petitions presented on the subject had been , 1 , 209 , which had been , signed by . _& 8 , 747 persons . -He mentioned thia . fact , m order that their lordships might see thatthe factory worker ' s were eager and _anxious to have the full benefit ofthe act accorded to them which was passed m 1847 . ( Hear , hear . ) :,

      Lord Granvilij ! then moved that the house-go into committee on this bill . His lordship stated that if the present bill had be ' ena hew measure , or one whioh introduced entirely hew arrangements as factory labonr , it would ' have , been necessary for him to enter into a discussion of the great ' question of how far it -was possible to ' proriioto the , ' moral and physical advantages of the 'factory operatives by legislative _etiacrmentV tlpon that subject beheld strong opinions , but luckily the present bill did not require either that he should'trespass upon their lordships' time , or still less that he-should put forth his indvidual opinions upon the subject . The object ofthe present bill was to obviate certain inconveniences found to arise in a certain portiori'of the

      previous net , passed upon the _' siibjecfc of regulating the hours of _fafetory labour . '' _ThVmairi-profisions ,: regulating the . labour of young persons and women _infactories , Were to be found- in' ari ' act '' passed in 1833 . Considerable-modifications wero _made-in that act by another passed iwl 84 _i- , - and _it ' wa _s the , twenty-sixth clause of the latter act which _^ had led tothe-introduction of the-present'bill . Iri 1847 , another act was passed , making no difference in the provisions of theprevious act , with the exception of altering the _hoursof labour from twelve _'to-ten , during which the labour of children and y ' ourigper- ' sons should be continued . ; The twenty-sixth clause ofthe act of 1844 , provided that the hoursof workin . for children and voune persons in ever y factory

      should be reckoned from the time when- such' child or young person should _firBt _heginto work" in the morning at any factory .- This clausewasintrbduced in order to prevent _the-systemiof- '"shifts " "and "relays . " It happened , however , that in 1848 , the millowners , upon'looking at this clause , 'imagined that it was not stringent enough to prevent ; ttie _enipioyment of persons either by '" _ahifta " : or " relays . " :: The difference between those two modes of employing the operatives -was , "that' by _^' relays ' - ' fresh sets of > persons were employed in- continual labour , ; while in : the - _' . ' shifts " - _the' _- ' same persons- ; were employed : for a > certain number of hours , then sent out of the factory to loiter -: away a portion of _" their 'time ,

      and then-returned tothefactory ; so that a-person beginning to work at half-past five in the morning might still he found at work till half-past eight in the evening , though not really employed more than ten hours out of the . fifteen . The _factorylhspectors were of opinion tbat the mode of working by relays and shifts was illegal ; and one gentleman , acting : upon the recommendation of the Secretary of State for the Home ' Department , brought the question before the magistrates . The same course was adopted in several -other cases , and many- conflicting judgments were given on the subject . At length it was resolved to have recourse to a superior court of law , in order to obtain a final decision . A ease was accordingly _brought before the Court

      of Exchequer ; , and Baron Parke , in delivering . judgment , Stated that in . the opinion of tho court it probably was the intention or the Legislature to prevent ' relays' and Shifts , but that , the words introduced were not sufficient . tocarry Lout such intention . ' Upon-this decision being made known , the system of relays became more general , and- tbef attention of Lord Ashley was naturally called to the circumstance . In . mentioning the name of that noble lord , he would state that , although he could not _ d _sbi far in some of the opinion * ! - , and was diametrically-opposed to other opinions held by . him , yet he felt it ; impossible to deny that , considering " the labour and toil , and sacrifice of those objects which to public men ; were

      objects of laudable sympathy , that he was entitled to speak with great weight and authority with respect tothe feelings , and wishes of the working classes of this country . ( Loud * cheers . ) Lord Ashley then brought in a . bill explanatory of what was considered to have been tbe intentions ofthe _legislature . He found , however , that the clause which he had introduced into the bill was inefficient for the purpose . A second and a third bill was brought in ; arid , although the . clause in the third one was drawn up by four of the most eminent lawyers , still it was found to be inefficient without the introduction of new matter .--In' this state of things the Secretary of State for the Home I ) enartmeht havin g entered into communication with

      the millowners , came tothe opinion ; that the proposal embodied in the . present bill was one' which ; whilst it fairly met the exigencies of the case , was one which ; while it prevented evasion , would , upon the whole ,-be . ' agreeable to thei majority of the millowners and "of thefactory operatives . - ' Lord Ashley consented to the _proj _> osed change ; believing that it would be beneficial to the ' operatives themselves , and that it would also be a final settlement ef the question , and gave up the bill into'the bands of the government . The _' proposal of the 'government , as-contained in the present bill ; was ; that the labour of young persons and 'women should he restrained to ten hours upon the five first working days , and ¦ to eight hours ; upon the Saturday ; but

      that the limits' during which the work _was'to he performed , viz ., from half-past five-in the morning to half-past eight in the first five days , and from half-past five inthe morning to half-past four in the evening of Saturday , as fixedby the previous aets _, shouldlwreduced from fifteen to twelve hours upon the common working days , and to eight hours upon the Saturday . That was , 'therefore ; ' a ' great concession on the part of the millowners . ' The noble ' duke said that-by those arrangements'they included the dinner hour , but ho ( Lord Granville ) f believed that with the great body of the factory operatives the object was _tohave the whole half holiday' oh Saturday , from two o ' clock , - thus having , time to take their dinner and make their market , and ' erijoy

      intellectual and other recreation ; ( Hear , hear . ) It would be unfair io the masters to put a limit upon themwithoutgiving _tbeni some'corresponding advantage ; therefore _, it ' - 'was' proposed- to ' allow' the work to continue one h & _lf-hour'ionger , '' ' being compensated for by ' one' halfh ' oiir less"pn Saturday ; leavingit sixty hours in the week . 'So that it was essentially a _tenbours bill ; though , " iri'the _workings day _. _ionehalf hour more mightbe given by the operative _, _i ( Hear ;) _Hatinjgf ' made this _' p ' _roposaliit was received by-Lord Ashley ; in ' theinariner heIhad stated , arid was agreed to'bya large majority ' ofthe House of Commons . ' He might'be askedhow it was received by the ' eountry , * and the agitation in "the country ; and the petitions presented with respebt

      to the measure were pointed "to ; ' tof prove that the proposal was distasteful . But they should _consider the organisation of the _systemi of _agitation now _pursuea , and that it was headed by ' one gehtleriiah who' had unbounded experience in such agitation ; and _byiauolber . gentlQman _Whobore'the nameof an individual who was held in great regard by ' the bpe - ratives , and _the-cry Was , that itwas th ' eintention ofthe government to" takefrom'fthe operatives the boon'given' tothem by the act " of' 1847 ; buthe ( Lord GrariviHe ) feltjuStified'in saying ' from what had been ttated'to him , -that that agitation ' waVa failure ; ( Hear . ) - ¦ ' There were _sonie , amendmerits _prdposedto which . the " governmentcouldriot consent ; and _cohsidering-ithatrthe arr ' arigehiehts hrid

      _beenbasedon '& 'prinoiple which was fair to both parties ; " it . would be aoting ' contrary"to all the prihciplesby which a government should be actuated , after making the limitations and ' acceptirig the con cessions that bad-been made , to ask _thernillowriefs to agree that the _; small advantages ' given hf this bill should betaken from'them . If their _lbrdshipB came to such a decision ; it would be ' entirely _impOBBible _forher _Majeaty's' government ' to oafry' out fa bill of that natuTOj and _;> _thougb regret ; -they should abandont _theimeasure . ( Hear ;'' The' noble' duke had endeavoured to preserve' a harmonious feeling between all the classes _encased in' _aCTibultiire- _^ -trie

      landlord , _tenanto _i'and farm labourers ; but let him carry _4 hevprmoiple ' _furthers and wei g h _thVcbnse _quencea that would ensue if they _rejected the bill now before the house , and gave _upalmbit the , first _opporlnhity _presented tothe _^ m by the great _majbntyofthe mill-owners to _coKbperato" with them' in carrying' but the _^ regulations of ' thef ' _' _Faotory ' Act . ( Hear . ) -If they did not follow his ' ttavicoL ' tneJr would increase the agitation ' now going on ; and give rise to interminable disputes , by causing a combination amongBt the millownerB against tbe other classes . They should take care not to array tbe I capitalists again * , _fte _Wntim , _ioihysoaoiss

      ....,. . .. ... "' . ' ..Ilpttzcjuw 15: ...

      _thoy ' wouIddO' _^ groat ' injury ' to "the operatives themselv „ i ' _*( He 8 _rV ) f' ; - ' ; " ¦ ¦ ' . •' . _''' - ' i _^ _The'EaVlof' _HABRbwBv rpie ' 'tdfbrih ' g forward an amendment for _thepurposeof including children in the . provisions ' of _this . ' act _. ' as' well " as females and _young'persb ' nsi He believed the p ' _rovisibhs _^ Of the bUl now _introduced" by the goverrimerit , ' with sonie additions , -would be 1 highlyadvantageo us , aridan _opinionto-that ' effecthid beeriexpressed by _aiheetting . of _Yorkshira ; ' Laneakhire , aud ' Cheshire _delegiitesir but _'at'Vthei'sahie' timo they thought that even if _they failed , in _gettipg , those alterations' introduced , there Shb ' uldb ' e no attempt made to pro . vent _^ _the _passing - ' of _^ _"the-bill ; - ' What he proposed was ; - that in the' _cTiiiinorat / on '[ of parties who should

      uos ueempioyea ntnny nour before six o ' clock inthe morning ; or after'sixo ' clock'in the evening ; children also should _be'iholuded . '< It- ' witrVaid this bill would nottouohthe case bf children _^ _arid therefore it was not neoes 8 ary to introdubeariy provision to protect them . That was _notHitho'fact ; arid he' was afraid if they passed this -bill , making _;|{ " impbssible to employ young persons or females except between the hours specified , they wbuld g lve a fresh stimulant to ¦ make- use " of the existing' law which they had hitherto not been driven to , aridmake use of the children ' s -labour at thei hours before and after- _^ _hosei'fixed ' for the" labour of young persons andffemales . ' ( Hear ; 'hear ' . ) ' ; The consequence would '• ¦ be -that the . " _manufacturers * '

      "desirous to make the most of the opportunities which the law gave theni , ' would ' eriiploy the " ohildten for twoiarid _a-half-hour _* or three hours ) after their _l'e _latives were dismissed from ' the mill , arid " they would have to go home * b y themselves two _Or'three mile 8 inthe country in the depth of wintor . He could not think their lordships would shrink from giving the ¦ chUdrenthe 'benefit of protection , when they thought it right to extend it to females ' and _youtfg persons . ' ! ( Hear , hear . ) : ( One of the inspectors ' ( Mr * _i Saunders ) 'told them' that ' already the practice had begun ; arid tMtih SOine mills the ' _afternoon'class of childrenwere continually eihployed in the mariner descriliedi His noble friend called u pon them ' not' to dopartfrom 1 the ' arra'igement in

      which two parties , were ; engaged ;¦ but ifne recollected rightly one of'the gentlemeri'erigagediri it was mostanxious for the inclusion of children iri _the'bill .-He ( the Earl of Havrdwby ) begged to move as an amendment , that in-th ' e 10 th lini ?; hefore the worda-. " young persons" the - words " no children" should be inserted . Earl 0-unvi „_ opposed the amendment , because he cohsidered _that'by'thfcpassing of this bill children would not be placed in a Worse " condition than they were under the three _actB to which refer ' eriee hads been ' . made , ' -The subieet of the aBiendment might be a proper one for ' consideration * if the government "WeJQ aboutto-bring : i _ a' -new'bill ; but this present measure being a mere , substitute for

      the former Factory Act ; he ' must / decline interfering ariy further withthe ' existing law . * ' ' _- ; Lord Kinnamd did not'think the amendment proposed by the noble . earl interfered- with _. the principle of 'the bill Wall '; ' on' the contrary , it would carry out the arrangement that had been come to by . 'the gbverriihent and many of . the masters and ' manufacturers . ; f - . Z . _^ . Lord SrAMBr would Oppose the amendment , but intended tof support the amendment of which his noble-friend hear him ( thel ) uke Of Richiribrid ) had g iveni notice . IIavirig called _^^^ their 'lordships ' attention tothe evils complained of under tho _Bystem of shifts , he begged to remind them that the shift system was _recocnised by thei acts of 1844 ,-and 1847 .

      Under these a ots the children . who came in the morniag might be w , _otked'trpih | th ' e ; _pperiirjg'bif the mill _UritiFdihrier time , provided' they only worked _forsix'hours and a half , and- were riot ' required to work during the . remainder of tho day j and another set of children worked from dinner hour during the remainder ; of . the day , - but ' were not , required ; to work before the dinner : hbiiK ' - 'So ' , that f phe , _set . " of children had the first half of the day set' _apart'for instruction ; and the _aecoridset had the _Becond'lialf of the ; day . ' appropriated , for the same purpose . ( Hear , hear . } Therefore _. the :. relay , system _^ was carrying out the interitibri of the Legislature . The factwas , thatf . _Without the presence Of ithe , ' young children ; ' or young pers 6 ris , " or wo m ' en , ' the adult

      labour in the factory Could ; not be available ; and the mills must be stopped ; _s and this , amendment would impose , a new restriction ; on , tbo manufacturers , which' had never been ' cp ritemplated to be put upon theiri by the ' act of 1847 ; ' The only case in support bf bis amehdment whioh his . ' noble friend on the cross bench _was'able . to'firid out was this—thatthe children would have to . come away , unattended in the evening by . either , the _romenpr _. young persons ; but surely they would be / accompanied by their fathers " ; _andthelfact of bririgiri ' g forward . such an argument only showed how very weak the ground was on which it was proposed to put a heavy ndditional _' restriotionbri _thepowetof employing labour , now _^ granted to the ' . manufacturer . ; . ( Hear , shear . )

      He would not say the _^ aots fi t _I » 44 anU : 1847 . were wise "riieasiires ; in point of . principle , be ( would say , they wereopen to objection ; ' but practically , up to this period , young persons arid women' worked for ten hours , arid'children for six and a ; half hours consecutively , by a system of _relays . _if . That system which . was intended to be introduced by the aots ; of 1844 ' and 1847 h ' ad : _pvoduced'satisfactibn , the petitions in favour ' of ' it ' , were numerous from clergymen arid rri ' ediealmeri i arid riot bnly _ the factory operatives , but a large portion'of " the millowners desired to ' retain the ' principle of those bills inf its integrity . ( Hear , hear . ) . He ( Lord Stanley ) waB prepared accordingly to support the amendment of his noble friend hehirid him '( the " Duke of

      Richmond ) , but he would not consentto iinposo on the manufacturer a new restriction'that was riot called for by any large portion of the community , and which clearly was not contemplated by tho acts of 1844 arid ' 1847 ; , and therefore he ; did not . think his noble friend ( the Earl Of Harrowby ) was justified fepToposing his amendment ; , ( Hear , 'hear . ) - ; . " ' Lord WiiARsoMri-B supported-the amendment , because " it wq * uW prevent . the . _i children in _factdries from , heiug kept at worktiU eight o ' clock at night , or three hours , later . than women and young-persons , ; who ' would 'leave' _at'half-p ' astffive p . tri . Those who . would _support _^ thbairieridriientof tlie iioble duke ( the Duke of Richmond ) , arid Oppose thefpresent amendment , appeared to him to be straining at

      a gnat and swallowing a camel . Doubtless ,: if this amendment were adopted , . it would in-some measure-interfere With the privilege of the " _emplbycrs ; but be _riejcrtheless 'believed that the _hiillowiiers would accede to'the alteratiori ,-in' the hb ' pVof h ' a ' viri ' g afinal settlemerit : iof : the long agitated question between them and their operatives . ! , ; ' i ¦ ¦ :. ) _. . : ¦' ' The Duke of Richmond , asked ,- if the amendment of the noble loril on thef ' cross bench was so' niuch desired by ' the operativesforthe benefit of ' their children , why was it ' not included in the original bill . which'Lord ? Ashley had introduced' into the other house ? ,.: If the noble lord . ( tho Earl . of Harrowby ) , however ,, brought , forward his principle as a separate question , lie would support him ;; but in tHn _TiroinWf . _Hharift inf' his 'amendment he fchuhl' rint

      voteforit ; _-- _'¦• " ' - '; ¦ - ' ' . '"' ( The Earl of _Habbowbi replied , : and referred to the petitions Jrem Lancashire , Cheshire , and Yorkshire , ; to , sho _^ that , _asimuci _* . stress , had been laid _, iiipon this amendmerit _^ y the , ope ' rativei as on any : Dth ' erWrt' 6 _rthis ; d ' emahd . ~ ' If _tho'hiirpassed ' _withiotifc-this ahiebdment , the effect would be to"drive the manufacturers to employ more children at a _'laterihour ; than _hithertojjiand ' the ; "children woiild be sent away from . ' the mills , without their -natural protectors'to _fcke cave " of . them ., The Bishop " of _Oxfobd wished to _^ draw the _t atteni . tibn . ' oi'tuenbble , _lbru _opposite . ' ( Lord Starilejr ) to one or two" points '; because tho 'noble . lord , ' in , _irisisting on _thO'rie ' _ceSsity ; for the * lSgislat ' ure' keeping faith

      with the ; working : Cla 8 " ses ; said i he ; thought this amendment would be an infringement : of the compact entered into hythe operatives . with their _emplb _^ ersi'Kow . _he'Wped- 'toLb ' e . _ahle toL show , the noble lord' that the ' wnWe objectionf was ' . the C ; thef way . Technically speaking , this amendment was ' a new boon to be given tothe ohildren r but taking a higher view , it was not a , new boon at all ; because the . act they werefabout to , pass , whether they adopted it in its present _-flhapp , or Viththe noble duke ' s . _^ mehdment , ' _, would create a new . evil as regards ; tho ' shiliir ' _ehi A great . deal of miscouception arose from theLu ' se ofthe , terms _. _shifs and relays . Relays had been encouraged ,. arid _wisely , because they enabled , two £ _( et 8 _^^ p _^ _qmldren to work , one in

      the mprriiri g arid the other jrithe evening .- But the shift _systemj-whichjhad been 'f _earried on by contra _^ vehtion of tho law , had thisroslilt , ; ( ha i , the . women andypurig . _persbns _jwbrked : as'long ; as the _ohildren could work under the ' , ' pid , sy . » tem . . But _nowiwe wer' _^ goirig by _^ legi 8 latibn . . _tp _^ for young persons _, and women ,, and . wero distinctly creating _^ new' _^ _conditionith _^ it _^ varied . tho , terms : bf thei pW . agreement , Lto . [ the Jnjhry . olt . the ; children ; , arid , ' therefore ; while they strictly keep , faith by adhering ; to the - _,, _prighi « i-, _iagreement , , the highest -priheiple / of _pbilpfophical _jBtatesmanship _requirsd that they ' _shorild introduce a ooun _ter-balancirig check ; to ' prevent the _ohildreij from < beii ) g ; _jnjured , ' 6 therwi 8 eTwhiie they , would ' . be [ adhering to | the original _compact onithe " onp ban [ d ;] they would be yiolating ' ih pn ' thepther , " He had , bad ; niiniberr less rftrir ' _fiRfintnffnn q _nf tho Adan _in + prflst . which tha

      factory _workersfbojuri this ' amendment . -Thenoble . ' lord said ; the ' children ' would , leave . work with their . fathers vhut , ( h , e ( the _bishop < pi Oxford ) , helieved theywbuldrebeive nb . _^ uoh protection , hecauiie'h _^ knew ' from inquiries " that the ; . children of adult 8 _piriuers' were not the , _clasi ' s of children gonerally _employed _^ , th ' e ohildreh eniployed , were gene ? _, rally tbo relati Y _OS ; " bf ihe _.-jvomen and ; youpg persons ofthefaotory ; arid if the female _phUdren _uid _^ not get home , till two hours and a half after their nato > ral _. proteotbrs ; they would be _exposeiat their time pf Jus " to a danfeet which " it would be . mostdeflirablo to avert . And , ; . agajp , there was another view that had not beentakbtt . _JCnis system would greatly diminish the boon tb the family , because if the children did not leave work till _twnrlww * ftftdi a _BftU after the other sumksa » f tbe _ftnaUy _. it _would b «

      ....,. . .. ... "' . ' ..Ilpttzcjuw 15: ...

      impossible that " , family ; arrangements and famil y ectinoriiy as to meals could continue undisturbed . . . . _,. The . committee then , divided . . -Tho , numbers _WbrbT- _^ " _< " ... ''' ; . " _' , " . , . ' .. . [ .. . ' . : : . rvV . ; _- ' ¦ _.-. ! . ' " 'f " ' : ; = _V : : j ' : *; _Tor the _.-amendment , ...... ...... _* ...... 25 , i _,-Against it ............. . _... . ••••'•• " f 58—33 h The amendmentwas therefore , rejected . , Tlie Duke of Bicbmosd then rose to move the ampndnient of which ne'liad given notice , . - . He said he had heard , with considerable surprise , the statement of the noble earl opposite , that ' if this alteration were adopted , . the _. government . would . have nothing further , tp . _" fdo , with the bill . Let their _lords . _o'P ! M . eyer , not be . alarmed by such an observation , because if his amendment wns carried'be

      , _sbould take charge of the , bill , himself , ' and endeavour to carry it _. andhe . knew he should get Lord J . Manners to assist him with , it hi the other house . He was not actuated ; . by nny party , motives ; On tho present occasion , but he could not but think that a great portion . of our fellow subjects ,, the -factory operatives of England , came forward , not to ask for any , favour or any grace from their lordships , but they appealed to this house as the "highest judicial court in the country , to maintain inviolate the provisions of the act of 1847—to' do that in their public capacity which' he knew in their private , capacity they wpuld not hesitate , a ; moment tb' perform . ( Hear , hear . ); In 1847 , aftor ; a struggle , of many _yeai-s' duration ) the factory operatives . ' obtained a

      ien Hours , Act , whicli they justly considered to be the . great chartei ; of their , liberties , But what had taken . plape T „ Some .- ' few ) millowners in this country —a very small minority of thebody , he was happy to say—discovered a flaw , in theactof 1844 , and ; by ? ' _^? ' . tin _J ? t « ' ihe ' shiirt system—oho of-the most _prejudicwl Systems , he must say , ever invented by the _cupidity . pf . man _. _/ yf ' _elre _/ . very _. properly- fined by the magistrates ; but they went , before the Court of Exchequer bri a miserable legal quirk , and _unfortu-^ _MVty were succes _' sful ' ., 'f ' Kb . w ; bfe would _ssk , if that decision . 'had . been in ; fay our of instead of being against the pperatives ,. if ariy member , either of that houso or the other , would have ventured to propose

      _ine repeal oi . _tnis Jaw , or a dimumtion ofthe hours of , . labour which it , established ? :. Theni he asked tbem , as honest , arid honourable ; men , not to take advantage of their , own lap 8 e . . and their own error in an act of parlia ' merit , nor to say ., that theyhad coriirhunicatcd with " some , millowners , and , wished to effect a compromise . _^ He put ; his demand on the high ground , not of expediency , . but of keeping faith with a great body of riien ,: humble though they might be in 8 totwn , fand ' whp had shown themselves loyaj , honest , ' . ' and , worthy , of , the boon ., thatj had ¦ been given " to them ' . The gbverriment inspectors . reported that tho Ten Hours Act ; , bad . _fwcrked . well ;; the petition ' s , of the clergy showed that the morality of the operatives had been ' much .- improved / the

      evening schools wei : e better attended ,.. the ; . demand for field _allptmentshad'heeu' ; „\ _vttlv , ' _irioTeaseu , arid the operatives ' , . instead of iridiilgirig iri the _^ reivels _. bf the beer-shbp , ' after _. ' a hard day' _awprk , ! were , _^ found workingf _' a ' t'nealthy emplbymeritin their gardens . Theiriedicaf gentleriierif _' of _' the _fdifferent'rdistrictf said the' _health of ' the . opferatives was fm ' uchs im-, proved ) ' arid the operatives , themselves . testified that their wives' were m oref .. cheerful ,, arid , their daughters wero brought up in dohiestic employme ntj so as tb'be _flt'hereafter to hold ' the ! places bf wives andmothers , . Why / then , he asked , when all wh ' s _^ going on : 80 . satisfactory , ' ahouU ' _iadvantago ; be taken of a'techhicaTh _' aw in ' ari ' act of Parliament , to interfere , with . the , whole system by ; which j this beneficial ' change- was . being . brought , abbiit , ? In _moving this amendment , he did not wiBhfih the

      slightest' degree , to attabk the' manufacturers of theLcbur / try . ' He'thought . ho ' was _. _cons ultingtheir triiest arid _bestihterestsj'h the course he was about to adopt ., . Hbbelieved _his . _aiheridu'entwbuld , even in a , pecunihry poiiit of viewi-benefit them , by _diriiiriishing' tho quantity of waste work ; and . it would surround . them with a happy ' , ' . " contented , moral , . religious , _^ and well-educated population , Their , lordships knew _. hdw often _^ they were abused by , interested demagogues in the great cities of the eoUiitry . , Let thern , theri , f ' nowf prove io the : inhabitants of these tp . _'vns _. Larid . to the operative body lit large , that they were 'determined at aU ' _hazards to hold the scale of justice-with an equal and steady hand , alike to the humblest ; . operative and . the wealthiest rriillocrat ; and that no eiU'thJy inducempnt cbuld make them violate a solemn , pledge or break a'decided promise .

      , Earl _GRAsyiuiK obserred that Lord Ashley , after repeated trials' had failed to frame ariy clause which would secure to the factory operative what he _. coneei ve'd to have _. beeri the object , of _! the act of 1844 ; arid , therefore , he ; ( Earl Gran _. viHe ) might be . excused for declining , ' ori tho part bf the government ; to recede from the compromise ; which had : been agreed upon ., . ' .. . / . . . . _, ' .- . The Bishop of _HiPotf said that the benefits whioh had been anticipatedfrbm , the working of the Ten-Hours Act had exceeded the most sanguine expectations of all its friends . This ., was proved by the testimony of . the factory , inspectors themselves . It had cbridueed iri ' an . emiri ' ent degree to promote the physical , niuiil , social , and religious condition of all the operatives in , tho factory . districts ... It ,. was

      said that . in the pansh . of . Leeds alone as many as a hundred night . ' schools bad been established since the p ' assirig _. of ' the Ten Hours Act , ( Hear , hear . ) A compromise had been talked . of , but , as far as he kiicw , the great mass of the , operatives were no pafties to it , arid had riot , even been consulted on the subject . In every manufacturing , district Of his diocese public meetings had been held , at which resolutions had been passed insisting , on a bona fide Ten Hours Act , and not one voice had been raised in opposition to it ,. It ; was . said that the . bill offered benefits to the factory operatives in return for the restrictions whioh it imposed , but he greatly feared that the additional strain , crused by half an hour ' s ektraj work ; . on the constitution of young

      persons , would produce , the worst ettects , and- w particular aggravate that tendency to consumption whioh , as their lo _^ ships ; knew _^ _was a disease very rife . ' ih the manufacturing -districts . . As ; to this hill ' being a , final settlement of the . question , ; he could not believe that such , would be the ease . The calm which _prevailed in the manufacturing districts _Lwas only , an . indication of the depth and ( Strength of the feelingbn ' the subject ., ,, He ; did not like to . use strong language , but he believed that the :, feeling among ' . 'the operatives was one of / indignation—( hear , hear , ) -ran'df , he ; could ; not say how far the peace of tho country might , be endangered . if : their just and reasonable expectations Were disappointed . Come , however , what might ,, he had , the

      satisfaction of , raising his voice in the support of what he believed to be a righteous , cause , and he entreated their lordships to pau . Be beioro they rejected the prayer . of these ; workinginen . :. ,.,.. ¦ ., liovd WOMJHOnsB said that if the noble duke pressed his amendment to , a : division , he should-vote in opposition to it , because he thought that the bill ofher Majesty ' s government afforded a very fair hope of a permanent and satisfactory settlement of the question , and because it . gave . the operative a considerable boon in exohange for the additional _half-hour ' a labour . _.,- , The _restnetionsfwhich the bill would impose onthe hours of labour would , he believed , he beneficial . to ; the Operative ; but he warned

      the house that they might go too far-in that direction ,, and , byimpoaing additional restrictions / dry up the sources ot our commercial prosperity .. Lord Pevbbsham denied that the bill would be a satisfactory . arrangement ofthe question at issue , ari ' d he : rea d . extracts from petitions from the manufacturing districts to show , that : the operatives regarded ! the biliibefore their lordships : with . the greatest discontent . Half , an hour ' s OXtra work every day was a _very . serious thing , and the Legis _; lature of Pennsylvania , * who , in : 1849 , J passed a ten hours , act ,: declared that ten - hours' labour was enough for the health . and strength ofany ; hutaan being . For these ' _reasons be was decidedly in favour of a ten hours bill in its full integrity . ¦•

      'Earl OriBY _' _said the noble'lord opposite 'appeared ' to him to be'labouring ' urider a mistake in treating the question ; arid he therefore _^ wahtbd ' to explain the ground upon whichhe woiild vote against . the' motion submitted to the'house' by the noble duke . The noble lord was mistaken in thinking that he had been a supporter of tho Ten Hours Act from the time when this question was first agitated . It was _notuntiVloli ' . that he had _consenteuthat some restriction should be , p laced on the . hours during which females and young persons were to work ' ; and even then he had some ! doubts as to the policy of the measure , and when the bill of 1847 was brought forward , he supported , it . < He did not' regret the vote which _heigave . on that occasion . However

      contrary , that . bul was to bis own opinions ; still there waft something ; so ; , peouliar in the : e & _se as to justify the interference of parliament with respect to ,. those persons who could not protect themselves , He still entertained objections to the principle , of interfering between master nnd workman ; but he agreed with the rioble . lord opposite in supporting the i present proposition as a nnal and pormanent settlement of a question ; which bas 'been long agitated . In accenting . the _measurebefore the house , the owners _ofuctories . made a very'large' concession , beoause they : eensented ; that the * hours of labour should be reduced from fifteen . to . twelyo _^ and , _iuicase any _. _'accident Bhonld'happen-to the iriaobinevyi . they would- be deprived of the 'means of _makingunanv . _loss whiohtiiey _mightBustairi ; arid

      theyjhadal 80 . to ? bear . up . against the loss ' whioh ' they might have entailed upon tbem _inqorisoquerip e of ehorteningthb hours ' of labour on -the Saturday , He thought . the balance of advantage was in fa vour of the _fworkersjiand not in _hfbw of the masters . It appeared to him that if they adopted the amendment they would _^ n ' 1 aU _pxcbability _> be ¦ defeating legislation on : the subject 'altogether * during the present _seisibn . I The real question which they had to decide was , ; whether , by v -passing the ' measure ; _theyriwould get rid ! of- tho system' of shifts , " whioh was attended with great inconvenience to the workers , and which , if left unsettled during the next few months , would give rise to great _disousfiton between the employers and the employed . _TlwaobleMvaapwpMDg h _» _BmenOmect _, _iaid

      ....,. . .. ... "' . ' ..Ilpttzcjuw 15: ...

      ° _w ?? on 1 the' Fa „ ory ; 'Reports ; but , upon _Jr- An ' ' and ' after' periising those " reports ; ha tiara _Urey ) was of opinidiithat'lt . ' wascorisidered by the operatives _themselves _' that the _measufeSvaa tavourablo tothem _; and he woiild therefore give his voto m favour of it ; whioh'he thought would beper _. _fectly consistent with _= the ' voUrfffiicti Do _Jfave in loil , _•••• ' . ' -. i _-,--. _^ i . y , -.. ¦ - ¦¦" .. ¦ _< _XStS _^ _lW _^ f" _«& _ltwb questions which their lordships had to' o _% ilder ' _jTho first was , whether by adopting _thMmeri ' dment ; they _T _¦!•? ? ' . _^ _ai'doningncgislatiori : on the subject y and next , whether , by ; adopting the ' bilL they were effecting a compromise which . was satisfactory to the parties chiefly interested ? ' "With

      respect to the first question ; he begged to ball their _lorflships ' atteritiori to a ' resolution ' which was passed on the 4 th of May , in the present year , ' by a large portion of the operatives of Laricashire _^ whieh Was to the ' effect that tho Houso of Commons should throw-out the ' b'ill , and that that course would bo more satisfactory to them than any infringement ou the bill of I 847 j and the amendment of his niihle friend was ; therefore in accordance with the spirit of that resblutiori ; But'they ' had another meeting in _Lancashire for a- Te _^ arid-a-half Hours Bill , where-it was said , _iind'onahimously agreed to ; that a ten hours act would meet with their unqualified approbation . He might read half a dozen similar resolutions '' passed at _nublie _meetings' if it were

      necessary ; all tending to ' _show that any seftlement ot the question which was inconsistent with a ten hours act would be unsatisfactory to the operatives , and would- by themfbo considered as contrary " to the former decision of Parliament . It was , however , ; stated-that a compromise had taken place . Wuo ; he would ask / made that compromise ? "Where was the evidence-that it had been made ? Had any petitions been presented to the house , praying that there mightbe an extension from ten to ten and a halfhours ? There was no such petition . v ? ho then ; were the parties to the compromise ? If there was a compromise , it was the duty of the government to inform them who were the parties to it . As to the millowners , they were all but

      unanimous against the bill . He had some time ago presented-a petition'signed by 271 of that body , of whom thirty alone employed 30 , 000 hands _^ and that petition prayed that tho Ten Hours Act . should ba maintained in its integrity . It was not , therefore , the millowners , nor the operatives who were parties to the compromise , and he thought he had a right to ask who were the parties . The tnedical men and the ministers of religion resident in the manufacturing districts had expressed their opinions of the beneficial'working of the Ten Hours Act , aad that act he thought should remain undisturbed , He had presented several petitions tothat effect , and urging upon thehduse the necessity of supporting the Ten Hours Act ; ' -He ' was glad to see a right reverend

      prelate opposite , who could bear testimony tb "the Unanimous feeling ofthe clergy of the Established Ohuroh in favour of that measure , which in their opinion had produced the most berieficial effects ia a moral arid : _physical point of view . He begged o £ the house not to' disturb tbo settlement .-which had already been come to , and which was satisfactorv alike to the great majority of the millowners arid the operatives . ( Hear . ) . . - ¦ " ¦ "¦ The Bishop of _Manchesibb said he felt called upon to make one or two observations , on _tfo bttl , b „ oie the house . He' was quite willing to allow that a petition iri favour of a ten hours act from a large body of the clergy was entitled' to their lordships * best consideration ; but at the same time » looking

      to the measure before their lordships , and the interests involved ; he was bound to come to a different conclusion from those who signed thatpetitipn , and to differ from the amendment of the _nobjo diike . It was riot the fact that ii largeproportion of the millowners and operatives were . opposed to tlie bill . ' One Ofthe latgest _firroB iia _tancashirebao , through his medium presented , a petition to the house _irifavoiir o ! tho bill . He acknowledged that many petitions had been presented against the bill , but their'lordships well knew how easy it was to get up petition ' s . He was disposed tb support the present bill , not because he believed it would be a final settlement ofthe question , but because he believed tha operatives would come forward . and demand that

      boon '• "from- ' the house which they thought they [ should transmit to their children . He believed with a right reverend prelate , ' who had addressed them that ni ght , that the population of Lancashire had within the last few years greatly advanced in intelligence . When , a few years ago , he had paid his first visit to Lancashire , the population , of that county wns different from what it is now—a great and favourable change had taken place , mainly , as he believed , through the instrumentality of mechanics' _institutionsfand the labour of the church , and he was fully convinced that the shortening the duration of the hours of labour ' would contribute tb iriiprove the beneficjal effects of the change . But what was it that the bill sought to effect ? Only to

      substitute sixty hours for fifty-eight—a difference of two hours only , and sure he was that that difference could riot be productive of any mischief . He did not hesitaie to say that the operatives would ' willingly labour during those two hours , and he was sure they would willingly accept the measure proposed by her Majesty ' s government . Lord _Gaiiowir was in favour ofa ten hours bill , but he was at the same time unwilling to forego the positive and practical benefit which would be se cured by the bill , and he would therefore give it hia support . ' . The Bishop of _OxFonn said that having been allowed to take a part iri the discussion which took place on the . subject'in 1847 , he was anxious , to

      address a few observations to their lordships . Their lordships had , in his opinion , Wandered on the present _oecaaion from the real discussion . The quesr tion was , whether this bill was or was nota virtual breach bf the contract made witb the oper & _tWea for a ten hours bill . He believed the bill before tbem was * breach of that contract , and he , therefore , felt called upon to oppose it . In the course of the speeches of those who supported the bill , they acknowledged that they , were against a ten hours bill . The right reverend prelate who had just addressed them had stated , that only a very slight advantage would be conceded by the bill to the millowners ; but if the advantage was so Blight , he thought it should rather be in favour of thelabour of the

      workman , than the profits ofthe master . If the advantages were so small , that was a strong reason . why they should not commit a . breach of the . contract which Parliament had made with the operatives . They had alio been told by those who supported tbo bill thatthe factory , operative was better off than the agricultural labourer , whofworked a greater number of hours , and for less pay _; but they should remember that they were legislating not for tho manufacturing or the agricultural labourer , but for women and young persons . They were stepping ia b y the desire of the one party , the millowners , but without the consent ofthe other party , the operatives , and he was of opinion that they had no right to do so .. They would make a large portion of the

      operatives believe that they were dealing unjustly with them . He believed there were very few things at the present momeut of more importance than that the operatives should have confidence _, in ; tha , decision of their lordships , and that they should , look to it as a tribunal of ultimate appeal , wbero justice would be rendered to them . Lord Clarendon ; had told them , that when the labouring , classes had ceased to look to their lordships ' , houso as a court where equal-handed justice would be meted , o . ut , tho population would'cease to respect _theinatitutions _^ of the land . In that he cordially concurred ; andi believing that the , present measure was calculatedto weaken the confidence- of the labouring classes / in the proceedings of that house , he would vote for ¦

      the amendment , -f _¦;_; , < •¦ : ••• - ¦ ' : . The Marquis of Lansdowne Baid , that although ho could not add anything to what had fallen from the noble earl behind him , still , from the Speech of the ., right reverend prelate who had just sat down j ha was induced to offer a few observations to the house . The right reverend prelate : had proceeded entirel y on . assumption ; : and if he had attended to what had been said in the course ofthe debate , he would not have fallen into such an error . - He had said that all who . had " supported . the , ibill were opposed to tha principle of a . ten hours bill . • : The Bishop of OxfoBD said what he intended to say was , that they were opposed to , the _principle . of legislative . interference between the labourer and thn _oirinlover _. .: ¦¦ ¦ ¦ >' ¦¦ ' ¦ ¦ ¦ -

      The Marquis of . _LAssnowMB said the ; bill came before them recommended by those who wpr . e op- " posed to legislative , interference ; because the bill clearly defised the extent of that interference . It came before them recommended by Lord Ashley , who for the last seventeen years , > at a great sacri- ficeof time and . everything . ' that might have attracted his attentionto other- subjects , had devoted - hiniself to , . the-subject to- whioh the bill referred , and h ' _e-w _. as exerting his great abilities and influence with , thevop _eratives . to induce them to'accept tha ' measure before them as the best settlement they bould obtain of _- _the-qiiestion _" , ' ; He had come forth and advised then _^ giving his , reasons for such a step , to cbme 'to _fthiafTiappy ,: degree ot . _uriderstahding Which prevailed ' between a very largo number . 01 , thfi _WlHSlpfQ !\ nfl tlio _nmnlnvova Tha _finhk rAVA .

      'rend ' p _^ elate _s ; ai _^ " _. _Wcouljd- not violate a . compaot \ y but ' whaVcompaet ' was madebeybhd _^ _^ ( in an act o | Parliameht , ' whibh . cbuld be , repealed or ' : mbdifledby any bth ' erabt ; arid which , in ease of . ; _riiisunderstanding , it _; _was the duty of the ; _Pariwmehtto ' _seiright .. _. YYith _respect ' totbe obsMv aUon _i thatthe proposed _additional _half-hQur . _wouIdbe aa unimpbrtahttb '' themanufa , bt urer > s _; _^ be _^ _^ cbnsideroatb'tfieoperative , he must m _*»& _£ ' < was surprised to hear , such , a _atatement trow . _^ l >* right _reV * _prelateLHalf ah _liour migh . _^ e _TeryJittto _. fiir the ouerative _' _tolgive , up , but it might be every _, thing for the _Whufacturer . _Four-fifths of tha capital ofthe manufacturer was inverted , not in tba wages paid to tho operatives , but m the machinery wbblh was employed , and infinitely greater m would be sustained by the _roanufaoturera by * lowinit tho _ukohjiiery to standi die for m »

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), July 20, 1850, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns3_20071850/page/7/