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THE TRUCK SYSTEM AND THE " DFVIL'S DUST . " MR . FERRAND * S SPEECH IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS , OX WEDNESDAY IN LAST
WEEK . 2 &r . FEBBA 2 CD rose , pursuant to notice , to move for a select committee , to inquire into the existence of frauds in the varion 3 manufactures of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ; also to inqnire into the existence of frauds and oppressions , either directly or irdireeUv . committed by certain manuficturers of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , upon the persons emplojed by them ; and also by the workers of mines , colleries , and railways , upon the labourers in their employment The Hon . Member also moved the following resolutions : — " That this House considers as highly criminal the condnct of any person or persons who may attempt to induce oihers to give false evidence before a committee of th is House , and will inflict condign punishment on aUI such persona , and will also direct them to be prosecuted . "
" That this House will protect and bear harmless everj working man who gives true evidence before any cenimittee which may be appointed to inqnire into the fran-: s committed by manufacturers and others , to the injury of the trade of this country , and of the labouring classes . " He said tbat in rising to perform the duty which he nad undertaken , he ftlt he bad placed himself under a heavy weight of responsibility . Every class of manufacturers in Grtat Britain and Ireland had their eyes on linn . It was felt by the whole community that we ¦ were not in that position to whieh our skill , capital , and industry entitled us ; and it con ; d not but at the same time be felt that the motions which he had submitted to the House ouglit to " have proceeded from
certain Hon . 31 emoers at the other side . But though , perhaps , it might be thought that tte motion ought to have proceeded from others rather than from him , he ytt trusWd to the kind attention of the House to grant him a favourable hearing . When he first brought forward the charges which were involved m his motion , he was induced to do so in s * lf-dfcffcuce—he was driven into it by the accusations brought against the landed interest ; throughout the whole country iuen ¦ were hired for the purpose t > f using the most violent laDtruagfc—placards cf the most inflammatory nature were posted in every town ana village . The working classes were told that the evils which they bid to endure wtre not impnttble to any accidental occurrences—were not in any respect impotable to their employers , but
were solely owing to the conductor the landed interest ; it was the landed interest , they were told , which depriYeQ titm of food—it was the landed interest , they were told , which dried the mother ' s breast , and tXtittd the out-cries of the famished infant , and no one was found to urge the trutti upon the attention of the working classes . He and those who generally coincided in opinion With him did not subscribe to those assertions-Tfcey repudiated the assertion that tbe landed interest wtre the parties to blame , and on the contrary affirmed that the manufacturers themselves were the causes of that distress under which the working people suffered . The motion of which he had given notice comprehended two resolutions , one of which undertook to deal with a matter which had already been made the subject of a
standing order of that House . It was important , he conceived , to let the people know that they would be protected fr « m the tfiVcts of any false evidence which tte manufacturers roiaht gfct up against them . It was also important to let the people know that the House of Commons would protect them from the consequences ef freely and faithfully giving evidence before a committee cl tbat House . They should be assured of erjoying absolute and perfect security for tuch o' the Working claw" ** as might be examined before a select committee . Tie fact was , that the working daises ¦ would not venture to come btfore a committee of that Hiuseif they did not receive such an assurance , for otherwise the prevailing © pinion amongst thsm was , that their utter ruin must ensue . It was well known that the late lit Sadler had done much with a -Tiew to improve the condition of the working classes , and they had hiB testimony to show that those who were called
upen to five evidence had been severe sufferers from the consequences of their temerity in so offending those from whom thty derived their means of employment They obeyed the summons of the Speaker , and for doicg bo they lost tee means of subsistence ; and if they refused to obey tie Speaker ' s summons , they were condemned to priFon and to misery , and their families to distress . Two petitions had been presented to the House by Mr . Sadler , stating all the facts which he had now stated . And what dost was the language or the working classes ? Why , finding that ^ 20 . , 000 ef money had been voted by that House to put down slavery and oppression among the blacks , and ^ 17 000 had been granted for the purpose of feHuabling the Hon . and . Learned Member for Bolton to go to tlie continent i jr ihe purpose of extending trade , commerce , and manufactures , they could not for one moment b ^ Heve that the House would refuse
them profcectien whenever they were summoned to appear and give evidence before any of its committees . He thonght the House wonld agree with him in thinking that Bothmg was more requisite for the extension of trade and commerce than that tbemerebsnts and manufacturers Ehoald be of unsullied character and upright honour , and that in all their trading transactions , in different quarters of the globe , they should act justly with those who traded with them , whether at home or abroad . He found that their ancestors were of this opinion . The Legislature of former times were jealous of the honour and character of the nation , and stringent laws were pnt in force to prevent fraud being practised either a :- 'home or abrovl . The Act 13 th Kichard II .. c . 2 . was intended to apply to this , and
the 5 th and 6 th Eiward XI . was passed for the purpose of enforcing the true making of woollen cloth . The 43 rd Elizabeth was also passed to prevent frauds in the mat-frig of cloths by starching them with flaur ; and the 10 th Anne , c . 16 , was passed for the better payment of the poor employed in the making of cloth . All those "were Acts passed by their ancestors for the protection of the people ; tnt it happened tbat about fifty years ago a new and enlightened principle burst forth , and the laws which protected the working classes were put down . What had been the consequences ? Prauas of the most gross description had been practised by some manufacturers in . different trades in this country , to tlie grtat injury cf the merchant both at home and abroad , and to the utter ruin of those
manufacturers in this country , many of whom he believed wtre anxious to be honest , upright , and honourable men —( h « ar , feeari—and who wished to eanry to the market an article the sale of which would give them a jnst reward for their capital , and liberal wages to the workmen . But an enlightened principle had acts then burst forth , and which , making rapid strides , had opened up a new arena f- > r the manufacturer to walk in—( a Inngb-j It -srss the new principle of many of those men to try who could undersell his neighbour , who conJd compete with his brother manufacturer at borne and abroad , and who could produce the greatest quantity of goods at the lowest cost , both in price and labour . He had been
told by hon . members of that honse , that the cm laws were tse ^ rag-chain of the commercial and manufacturing interests ot this country ; and he had been informed both in the ionse and out of it , that tie agricultural and landed interests were the causes of tfee distress which prevailed in the country , and that if free trade in corn were permitted , the commerce and manufactures of JEogland would Bpread into every clime ; that , in fact , there would be no measurement—if he might use that expression—to the extent of British commerce and manufactures . Why , he found that the merchants and iuax . u : acturersof this country were in possession of the Bf-uth American market from the year 1 S 09 to 1822 or 2 S 23- At that time Mr . Canning came down to the Loose and declared that we had called a new world into
existence ; and many of the manufacturers and merchants thought it wonld be a boundless sphere for the trade ana commerce of this country . But what was the consequence of the frauds which had been committed by the manolactureis cf this country ? They themselves were the £ rst cause to a great extent of our Iosb of the South American market . ( Hear . ) He had beard it stated by some Hod . Members on the opposite Bide of the House that the use of floor was indispensably necessary in making calico ; but ha believed that the use of it was formerly unknown , and that it was never made use of until introduced by the manufacturers f jr the purpose of cheating and defrauding their customers—ihear , hear ) . He would no longer make ustJ of those expressions npon his own authority-, but
be would tell Hon . Members who denied hia statements and said they we . e not true that they ought to call a comnuUae , and prove them untrue if they could before tat committee—( hear , hear ) . He was asking for a committee for the very purpose of proving that his sta-. ement 5 were true . He wonld produce the evidence of persons of great experience and influence even amocg Hon . Gentlemen -opposite , and other evidence of manufacturers of ths Mahert respectability , men of fifty years standing in business , and also of working people , who would come before the committee , if pro-P-T protection were afforded them , and prove the truth of every word he had uttered . He felt so strongly in hi * own rnJTiri conviction of the rectitude of the position be now held , that he fearlessly asserted , if any rule cf the " House would prevent his second resolution being granted , be would ask for s committee without it , and be would prove his case by the evidence of merchants ,
manufacturers , clergymen , tradesmen , artisans , labourers , p-nrt other * . A son of the late Member for Xeeda . Mr . Saines , cad published a "work , A History of ft * ( kiiion Manufacture , which was reviewed in Tait s Magazine for April , 1835 . It was considered a work of great merit , and had been consulted by all persoBs connected with the cotton trade . Ha ( Sir . Ferrand ) hue never hfc&rd of any one attempting to depreciate the work . The reviewer in TaiTs Magazine said : — * ' We shall extract but one sentence upon a practice ¦» ach , we have heard , is baniabing foreigners from our a fcet , and lH" ^ "g them to countries where this disgr - fnl practice is unknown : —• To improve the appe&r&nee of the cloth , it is usually passed through itarch n >» . v of wneaten flour , often mixed with porcelain clay fcfci calcined sulphate of lime , by which the cloth is fc » e suffer , and appears to have greater substance and "itcugth than it proves to have after being washed , — » contrivance originally devised for the purpose of
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Eraud , and which , though now too generally understood to be regarded as fraudulent , it would be creditable to the trade to lay aside . ' How a fraudulent practice ceases to be fraudulent when it becomes general , we do net pretend to understand . In another instance Mr . Baines places , to the advantage of the English manufacturer over the manufacturer of America , that the latter does not , or cannot , use any bat good cotton in his yarn , while the former , * owing to the climate , ' can use some of the waste . This is not suffieiesUy clear . Is the yarn not worsened by ming a proportion of what in the United States is accounted -waste ? " That proved that paste was first adopted for the purpose of fraud . He would now submit other evidence to the House , for be was no : going to make assertions on his own
anthonty merely , but upon * uch authority as he trusted wuuld induce Her Majesty ' s Government and the House to conclude that it was hign time for them to interfere . He would now reai to the House the letter of a gentleman whe had paid great attention to this process . [ The Hon . Gentleman here read a letter which be had received descriptive of the frauds practised in regard to goods intended for the South American market ] In support of this , he referred to a work entitled tJ The History of Paraguay under Dr . Francia , " by Mr . Robinson , a mercbant settled there , from which it appeared tbat his Excellency had always looked with great distrust upon the quality of Irish linens and cotton goods imported into that country ; and that when he found the interstices filied up wish starch , he ordered one end of the piece to be washed , in order to
demonstrate the fraud , and then would only allow the merchant half price for hia article . Why , said he , the Jews are cheats , but Englishmen are downright swindlers—la laugh , ) When he ( Mr . Ferrand ) read the description given by Mr . Robinson his blood boiled to think that Englishmen had so far debased the character of the merchant of this country—ihear , hear . ) •* Bring me , " said Dr . Francia , " goods from henest Germany—the English care for nothing but iucre and gain . " Could they doubt , then , the way in which they had lost their trade ? Why had they lost it ? Because the manufacturers had ceased t-j be honest , and haa become ravenous afu-r filthy lucre , saying to each other that the system suited their purpose—( hear . ) Would tie House know the manner in which these tricks and frauds had been carried «> n in Smrz-rland ?
Be woald refer them to Na 4 , of Chambers' Edinburgh Jourttal . of the 19 th of Fehjuary last , where , m an article entitled " A few Vi etka on the Continent , ' he found the following passage : — "The bulk of the Swiss , it would appear , clotne themselves in materials made by the hand in their own tumble dwellings ; and what they buy must be substantial and worth the money . English printed calicoes are rarely seen , although they are much lower priced tban those of Switzerland , because the people have no confidence in the durability of the col ears . The Swiss goods of this class are cot only beautiful , but stroug and durable in colour— qualities now rarely found in the produce of English factories There are articles called Swiss prints sold in England , but we were informed by a
manufacturer ai Zurich that he did not believe a single piece ever ¦ was sent to this country , the wbole that wtre passed i ff as Swiss being mere counterfeits , I am unable to say with what degree of truth this allegation was made ; but it is very certain that the growing traebiness of quality of most En ? Hsh tissues is excluding them from the only open market in Europe . " He , wonld now read to the House a letter from a highly respectable shopkeeper in Liverpool , who forwarded him a piece of whit was called the lower surt of white seining . When he received the sample and the letter , he , could scarcely believe tbat the poorer classes were so cheated and plundered by the manufacturers ; and be wrote down to Liverpool to ascertain the character ff this shopkeeper , and was informed that he was a person
of the highest respectability . He says : — " I have this day . had the pleasure of reading the speech delivered by you in the House of Commons on the evening of the 24 th instant . In procf of yonr assertion that a large quantity o ? fl > uj is nsed in' the manufacturing of calicoes , &c , I beg to hand yon a fair sample of the lower sorts of white shirtings , manufactured in this county , and of which you will perceive the poar man ' s food forms the greatest proportion . " One portion of tbat piece cf _ cloth he ( Mr . Ferrand ) Srnt to the Right Han . BaroBtt [ Sir K- Peel ) , and another to the Noble Lord opposite ( Lord J . Russell ) . Although an attempt had been made to fasten upon him the accusation that be had charged the manufacturers generally—nay , universally , with being dishonest , he had only declared that
there were fraudulent m ^ mfacturera , and he was sorry to say that their number was increasing" , and that they were driving the honest manufacturer out of the markets . He wonld trouble the House with an extract from a woik by Mr . Babbage . The Economy of Manufactures . respecting the frauds in the lace manufacture , as brought ¦ UT . der the notice ef tbat House by a Committee appointed to inrestijate the subject : — "The lace trade affords other examples ; and in inquiring id to the complaints made to the Honse of Commons by the framework-knitters , the Committee observe , that , ' It iB singuiar that the grievance most complained of 150 years ago should , in the present improved state of the trade , be the same grievance which is now roost complained of : for it appears , by the evidence eiven before your
Committee , that all the witnesses attribute the decay tf the trade more to the making of fraudulent and bad articles than to the war , or to any other cause . And it is thews by the evidence , that s kind of 1 ice called Bingle-prcss , ' was manufactured , which was only looped once , and which , although good to the eye , became nearly spoiled in washing by the slipping of the threads ; that not one person in a thousand could distinguish the difference between ' single-prtss' and ' doubls-press-lace ; ' and tbat , in another similar article , called ' -warp lace , * such aid was essential . It was also stated by-one witness , that ' the trade had not yet ceased , excepting in those places where the fraud bad been diseov ? red ; and from those pkces no orders are now sent fvr any sort of Nottingham lace , the credit
being totally mined- '" "What said the book en the stocking trade ! " la the stocking trade b ' -miiar frauds have been practised . It appeared in evidence that stockings were marfe of uniform width from theknee down to the ankle , and being wetted and stretched on frames at the calf , they retained their shape wben dry ; tut that the purchaser eould-not discover the fraud until , after the first washiDg , the stockings hung like bags about , his anktef . " He begged pardon of the H >> use for detaining thesi by quoting so much , but as there was no important public business btfore them that nisht , and as the qneition he was urging was so very important , ani as Le was most arxious to discharge his duty , he trusted they would permit him to occupy their time for a ftsw
moments longer . He was anxious to substantiate every word he had uttered in tbat House . They had often heard it asserted that there was much distress in the country , and they had as ofun heard it imputed to the Corn L&ws . He emphatically denied that statement , and would read a paragraph from the Sotlinghdm Journal- of April 15 , to show how trade was rui ed by the . brands of the manufacturers : — " The cotton cut-up bose trade , -which has nofv become an extensive manufacture in this vicinity , has somewhat improved , whilst the syBtem of drop-offs is fast extending in some of the villages south of Nottingham . These drop-offe are stockings made without narro wings at the hee : 8 and toes ; instead of which , the heels are made full width of the usual length , the web that should
have been narrowed two stitches at a time gradually , is then pressed off wholly , a slack course is made in one of the heels in the usual way , and the heels are joined ana turned off , by looping the slack coun ? e in the usual manner . The fraud now commences ; the two flaps of the heels are turned inwards , and are Bomewriat neatly basted down by the stamer , the hee ! s are then seamed ,-or ratb 6 r sewn , in the usual method , and to a casual , inexperienced , or inattentive observer , have all the appearance of being full-wrought hosa Nothing can be more unpleasant to the wer . rer ; the joining of the toes being effected in the same manner , by droD ping off , instead of narrowing—the deception being , tbat the toes and heels are turned off in the usual way , to deceive - the purchaser . By these practices , one
stocs-inger is made to produce three or four times as many hose as when they are made in a proper manner . This his a greater tendency to curtail employment in the hosiery , than steam or any other invention has in other manufactures , with this marked difference , tbat the superseding of human labour in njoit other branches of industry is the result of ingenuity and an extension of the arts ; in hosiery it is quite the reverse , as these frauds are a retrogradation in ingenuity and skill , tending to produce interior woikptopie as well as inferior manufactures . The hosiery villages in the vicinity are fast gettiDg isolated , or rather selected , in their employment Thus , ihe hanos n Bulwell are principally employed in making cotton gloves ; Ruddington , in making drop-ufla and
fancycaps ; Caritbn , in making socXs , principally worn in the United States ; Hucknall , upon cotton fancy . hoiiery ; Arnold , Calverton , and the villages to the east , are most employed in making full-fashioned hose ; whilst StapJeford and Sandincre are engaged principally in making warp lace ; but in most of these villages tfee BtockiDgers are in a most destitute situation , arising from scanty employment and low waees . " It was en behalf of these men that be asked tot the Committee ^—on behalf of those men who could not protect themselves ; ana he trusted that no man who had heard the statement but wouia cheerf uilj assist him in his object . The Hod . Gentlemen opposite , who were engaged in manufactures , had promised that no impediment would be thrown in his way ; he hoped they wonld now perform their promise , graut him the Committee , and be would prove evtry ailrgation be had made . Then , as to watches , the deception
was just as bad ; he bad a letter from a manufacturer , ¦ which , with permission of the House , he trouiQ read : — " Sir , —I speak of the disclosures you have lately been making in Parliament as to frauds in n > anuiactur » -a . It is now a long time since I broached that subject , and suggeB' -ed that the old plan of stamping our cioiba and linens , ' &r ., ahunld be resumed ; Using m aid the argument that nnless this were done , the character of the country would be lost , as each successive swindler would say to himself , ' It will serve my tnri ' . 1 believe theelotfcs sent ont are often only fit for waduing . Tfiat the prints become blanks at first Waabiag , 1 know , but I bad . no suspiciou that even the cli th nselt was equally infamous . I have heard that miijiona of needles have been sent out without eves ; scissors mane of virgin steel , that remained virgins la all points , refusing to be of the slightest use ; that watches from this country go only hptf an hour , and are losing ail
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chaiattei ; that clocks only go once round ; that our muskets were only dangerous to the owners till the Tower proof was restored , and that the American woodsman has found our axes such , that he has found it indispensable to decline to use them . These things are so serious , that I think they should at once be taken up ; it is thus we are losing business , and deserve to lose it , for we are risking the ruin of millions of the honestly industrious , rather than ; epresa the villanies of a parcel of scamps" —( laughter . ) ' They might laugh , bnt it was those frauds that bad ruined the trade of the country , and it was high time for them to Bhow that the Legislature of the present day were as jealous of the character of the country as it was 500 years ago . He had also a letter from a most respectable
manufacturer of Yorkshire , of fifty years ' standing , and be said—" You have not overstated anything as respects this neighbourhood , for 1 do not think there is a manufacturer of flushings , druggets , paddings , or pilet cloths , but who uses less or more of the ground-up rags called generally shoddy , or resurrection wool— . indeed , so much is it in use , that even the carpet manufacturera are now consuming considerable quantities , and the rugs making for Government are not free from it " Some few years ago these rags were imported from Hamburgh and other parts of the Continent . ; then , of course , this country derived some advantage in pulling tfetm up ; latterly they have come pulled up ready for use , they on the Continent having obtained from this neighbourhood tho machines far pulling up tha rags .
You will excuse me , but in my opinion , unless Government imposes some restriction upon the use of such materials , we may cry out for want of trade or business for ever ; it is not the Corn Laws which are the cause of our want of business , but it is our manufacturera and merchants who are the cause , for who will come a second time to our markets to purchase goods which when they get home' are not worth the carriage , I have seen pieces of druggets stiffened with flour and other things , that were you to set a Bixth-fourth piece to stand on the list , it would do so of its « lf ; besides , this is not tue worst evil—for when these goods come to lay some time , they generate a worm or moth , which wiJl very soon consume a whole piece ; in fact , such goods get worn out in
passing from one to another without any making up , ana probably get leturned again to this country in tbe shape of rags , to undergo . a second resurrection , or perhaps a third . " And another fram an old manufacturer in Leeds , who said— "I have a fact connected with the woollen laanufactuie which you are at liberty to nrake any use of you think proper . There is a manufacturer In this town ( who ia at present a member of the Whig-Radical town council ) who has made it a regular practice to buy old stockings , and grind them up , and mix them along with his wool in manufacturing bine cloths . He was thus enabled to undersell his bonett neighbeurs , who used nothing but wool . "Well may our manufacturers lose their character in foreign markets . " But he had still higher authority ,
for the manufacturers of the north bad been committing such disgraceful frauds , that the Government had bten obliged to take the matter up ; they found it necessary , in order to protect themselves , to take measures for preventing the frauds ; they had another duty to perform—they ought to take measures to protect the public . They had found it necessary to issue a circular to protect themselves : he called upon them to extend that protection to the country at large . The circular he alluded to was as follows : — "The whole of the cloth of which the supply is to be made is to be manufactured from new sound wool ; if it is discovered to contain any portion of wool made from woollen rags , known by the terms of ¦ woollen waste , ' or ' shoddy , ' or other than new wool , it shall subject
the whole of the supply to be rejected , and the honourable board will not have any further dealings wit 4 the parties so offending . " These were tbe practices of these rogues—the scoundrels—( loud laughttt ) —the infamous rogues , for be could call them nothing else ; and instead of laughing , Hon . Members ought to blush for shame that their countrymen were capable of committing such infamous frauds . Having laid such shameful coses before the House , they would agree with him that he had proved ail the charges be bad brought against the manufacturers . But if the House had still any doubt upon tbe matter—if they thought the evidence was still deficient—then let them grant the committee . Was it not high time that the GovBTnment should interfere in order to put a stop to
those practices which were ruining the trade of tbe country , and punish tbs guilty ? A poor man committing a trifling fraud was punished heavily , while those who were fraudulent by wholesale escaped . There was , indeed , one law for the rich , and another for the poor , so long as such a system was allowed to go on . He would now say a few words on the infamous truck system . It was now even of more importance that the frauds , because in consequence of that infernal system thousands of the labouring population were dying ; the misery caused by the cruelty of the masters—by their heavy oppression—was incalculable . He had stated before , that a large portion of tbe manufacturers were in the habit of paying in goods , in place of money , and many firms settled with their workmen only once in
three , six , or eight months . On that subject he hail a letter from a highly rtspectabla gentleman , who saidr" Sir , —In consequence of the spirited part you have taken ou a recent occasion , and far which , with every friend of humanity , J feel indebted to you , I beg leave to ; ay before you tLe fallowing statement;—On Monday last , Match 21 st , application was made by a poor weaver , named Irwm , to the Board of Guardians at Cockermouth for relief . Ho is in the employ of the firm of , Carlisle , gingham manufacturers . It was stated as a reason why relief should be afforded him , tbat tbe material recently given out by tbat firm to their operatives was bo wretchedly bad , that it took six weeks to weave what , if the mate ial was good , they could readily do in three . Two of the Guardians
conversant in such mavters were deputed to examine into this statement , and report to the Board . Their report fnlly confirmed the poor man ' s statement , and they proauced a specimen of the warp fully corroburating this . Yet such is the thraldom in which these unfortunate creatures are held , that the wife most earx : estly entreated that no steps might be taken under the act of Parliament , lest htr husband and a crippled son should be thrown in consequence out of bread , as they coula uo nothing but weave . I have since visited the weaving place , and have obtained from this man's loom a specimen of the material , taken at random , which I enclose . Much of it appeared greatly worse than what i seri'i , but it was dyed , and the effects of the colour might ( as 1 supposed ) have further injured
ttb texture . " He bad told the House that these poor men were paid in goods in place of money . He bad a blank form which was used in many factories , in which there were charges , for rent , fuel , cash stopped , and cash overpaid—that would happen very sddom , he thought ; but then followed fines , the most iniquitous of all things ; for the masters hnng np a set of rules , wbich the poor labouring man could not understand , if he aid nothing else from Monday to Saturday , nor could he by any possibility help infringing some of them , by which money was stopped from Dim On the truck in cottages he had a letter from a workingman , but be must not disclose his name , or he would become a marked man , and would not get work at an > factory , unless he changed his name . He saidi "
Masters of one of the largest mills fcave houses , and compel their work-people to live in them , or whether they do or not , they must pay for them ; and those who do not live in them , let them to other people . The masters stop their rents oui- of their wages , for these tyrants have p » wer to do so—some about 3 s ., others 3 s . 6 d , 4 s . per week , and so on . The oppressed get them let . sonic for about 2 ? ,, some for about 1 b . 6 d ., others Is . per wtek and in two instances they have let them fjr 4 : 1 . a-Week . Until lately they kept cows , and forced ail that lived under them to have one quart of milk a-day . an J in some instances three quarts a-day , because they hjiTc three woikpeople of a family . When they kilt thuircows they compel their workpeople to have shares of it ; they sell it at the very top price , whether it be K » ud or bad . and they force them to these things , or
they muit turn face about . If they happen to speak a Word , they will give them a character with wbich they cannot gut a . ny more -worX in tbe town or tbe couutry itber . These are some of the glaring tricks of the * e corn law repealers , these hypocrites who tell the working saves tbat they wish Inem to have their rights , that they wish ti . ern t j have their liberty ; but it is all fudge , they arc the sauxe as their leaders , tbe anti-corn law ltu % ue , they are downright impostors . One of them is uuw raiuiug tiia lent- f- ^ r voterB , while his hard-working slaTt-s bad hard work to keep bwdy and soul together before . " Was that a system that the Government ought to tolerate for auy lunger period , now tbat it bad come to th' -ir kuowledge ? The hon . member proceeded to read tbe following letters from a clergyman of the cburch of England : —
" Wolverhampton , April 2 , 1842 . " Sir , —I am sure I need not apologise for the intrusion o > a perfect stranger upon yonr valuable time , if my statement will tend , even in the slightest degree , to furtner tae praiaowortny object you have in view of exposing the iniquities of the truck system . 1 regret to say that I have too many opportunities of witnessing tbe working of this tyrannical system in my own parish , and Mr Villiers need go no further than the borough which he represents for proof tbat a great portion cf tbe distress now existing amongst tbe poo is caused by tbe payment of wa ^ es in provisions instead ol money . "I will mention one instance with which I think you should be mads acquainted ; others can be brought forward if required ; bat this is a , case which I have taken particular pains to investigate ;—
One ¦ f tbe most active partisans of Mr . Villiers , and a principal member ef bis committee at the election , who was by the late Administration made a magistrate for the county of Stafford , iB a chief partner iu the colliery , where tbe truck system is carried on mura ^ famously tban in any other worts in tbe neightH / urbot / d . The men are paid once in four and sometimes tive weeks , when they may receive theii wages in money if they uemand it , tat the man who made such avtu-ujiQ would in all probability be dismissed : but as it is not possible for their families to wait till tbe exc-rauou of ti . e month for the means of subsistence , they are compelled to go to the ' Tommy shop , ' as it is calieri here , a ticket to whieh is given for any goods itiey may n-qmre . Tbeprice of some few of the articles * t this shop , compared with that asked by the shop * keepers in tb » to wo . I have , ascertained , and it will
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show you atonce the dishonest ad vantage taken by the oppressors of these poor men—At Tommy shop . In the town , ¦' . ' ,. ' ¦ ¦¦ perlb . per Ib . Sugar ...,.,.., ........ 9 d . ... 7 £ tl . Salt butter ...... i 5 d . and 16 d . ... 10 d . and lid . Bacon .............. 9 < j . „ . y ^ d-Tea .............. ,. 83 . < g , 53 . there being a differenee of more tban 50 per cent , on the article ef tea . ^ ' ¦' . : . "I shall not object to your using my name as the author of this information should its truth be disputed , but at the same time I may add , that I would not willingly have my name made public .
" My attention has long been directed to this horriff system , and in July last , a letter of mine , under the signature of ' The Miner ' s Friend , ' appeared in the Wolverhamplon Chronicle , but no good resulted from it , "I shall have great pleasure in giving you any further information on the subject " During the severe weather in 1-841 , when soup was distributed to pui- poor at a penny a quart , it is a fact , which came to the knowledge of my curate , that some of tbe families , in the receipt of nominally good wages , actually declined a ticket for the soup ; on the plea that they bad not the penny to pay for it ; as they received their wages in goods " "Welrerbampton > April 13 , 1842 .
" Sir , —In reply to your inquiry respecting the quality of the goods sold at the truck shops , I have frequently seen bad salt butter from these shops at 15 d and 16 d ., while at the retail shops good was sold at lOd . and lid . a-pound ; the sugar at 9 d ., and inene instance at lOd . per pouad , not so good as at 7 jd . \ flour ot a very inferior quality at Us . a bushel / white I find that at the very time the best was 10 s . at the mill . " Since my last letter , I have ascertained from a huckster upon whom t can depend , that she is in the constant habit of receiving goods bought , at the truck-shop in exchange for milk , potatoes , &c , as the men in some instances never recaive money ; of course such barter is not made Without a loss to tue labouring man . "
He begged to call the attention of the House to tbe following communication he had received as to the city of Carlisle : — " Hundreds of the working classes are grateful for the fearless exposure of the deceptions and villanies practised by the master . manufacturers and cotton-Bpinners of this , country . Tbe truck system has been carried on for eighteen years by one © f the largest firms in this district ; they have some hundreds of cottages , which they force their workpeople to occupy , for which they have to pay thirty or forty per cent , more than others . The jnaate * manufacturers ; who employ weavers here to the number of 3 , 000 , supply them with shuttles , biddies , and brushes ( all of which the weaver has to find ) , and for Which they charge enormously high . You might be furnished with a full
and accurate exposure of tha truck system , and other matters of deception as practised here , provided the parties furnishing it Were secured against future persecution . Protection is absolutely necessary . " Then as to Scotland , he would lay bsfore the House the following statements : —• ' Coatbrtdge , near Glasgow , nine extensive iron works , at which an immense quantity of people are employed . Each ironwork baa its store , and a considerable portion of tho wages are paid in goods , at a profit to the masters of fifteen to twenty per cent- above the common retailer . Some of these masters have acted as conspicuous members of the anti-Corn Law League . "' . " Paisley . —Working man . Specir men of the nefarious system pursued by our Corn Law repealing masters . Most of them have stores , or
cottages , for their workers , particularly those who are the greatest Repealers , and their workers are obliged to purchase from such store , and take their cottages , or if not , - no monger work for . them . They are charged about twenty to twenty-flve per cent , above the market price for their goods , with an inferiority of article . The master printers in this country not content with the above system of robbery / adopt another system of robbery more grievous than the above . They make them work from one to four hours extra per day , which is called overtime , and give them nothing for it . Be so good as not to give up my name , as the master printers would punish uie by not employing hie . " He had also received this letter from a poor miner : " Sir , —It is with inexpressible pleasure 1 write to you ,
having carefully read all the speeches and remarks you have made in Parliament , and find that you are one who wishes the welfare of the toil-worn and cruelly-used British artizin . 1 see you mean to bring on a motion before the house on the 18 t ! i instant ., which , if carried , will be the cause of bringing to the world an exposure of the robberies and cruelties played off by our employers upon us miners Every coal and iron master in and round this extensive mining district are law maker *; and believe me , the laws they make and put upon their office doors are of the most hideous caste . We are obliged to bend under them , for should any of us resist them , aa some actually does , we are pounced upon by them , carried before the sheriff , or magistrate of the district , who never fails to decide against the miner , on
the ground that 'these are the rules cf the work , and you must abide by them . ' in consequence the victim has either to go to Bridewell , or pay £ 2 or £ 3 of expenses : the latter be is not able to do , so be is imprisoned arid hia family statved . There is a general law practised at all these works which I will take the liberty of exposing , if any miner allow his father , his brother , or his son , to sleep one night under tbe roof of bis house , and tbty are employed at any other work but the work ho is employed at , the unfortunate miner is charged double rent for each faul 1 , and compelled to pay , it being a rule at the work 1 Our employers have almost all victualling stores at their works ; the miners are compelled to ttke all the provisions they need front these storea , at a rate price far
above the market or any grocer " s shop ; . They wish the miner to have nothing left at pay-day , yet they strive to have him out of debt with them also , by keeping hia belly to match bis earnings . I know many industrious miners who have not handled a shilling of thoir own earnings these four years ; and ( t ia a general feature in the trade , when they wish to reduce wages , or introduce any new rule , that they shut their store , and never fail to gain their point , oy starving poor men into their measures . At works where there is not a stwe , the miner has to pay one shilling for every pound be lifts , at any other time than pay-day , which is bad enough , but nothing to a store . " The pernicious system he Was exposing extended also to Ireland : — " / n P . / rUanU , county of Waterforrt , a wealthy firm , who lately offwred j £ 80 000 for a property , carry oh the infamous truck sybtem in full operation . The operatives are compelled to live in houses built by their employer ^ , exorbitant
rents are dtiuan « e < l 1 which are stopped out of thou weekly wages , and a shop , with numerous articles for sale , is attached to the premises . ' The poor people are not paid their miserable earnings in money , but in bits of printad ' tokens , ' which will only , pass as tuv equivalent for card paper ( marked with t '; e name of the firm ) called goods at this track shop belonging to the mill . 1 need not tell you exorbitant pr < fl « s are rnade . " But what would the House say when he told them , that under this system , which extended through Entfliind , Wales . Scotland , and Ireland , the workpeople were compelled to pay for anti-Corn Law pamphlets , fined sixpence for speaking , and one shilling for singing ; called upon to obey rales which they could not help breakiii *; , ' and fined enormously far doing so : of money lent , usurious interest exacted—( hear , bear ) He wished pirticukrly to draw attention to the following : —On thti 14 tb of December a manufacturer was convicted before tbe
Sheffield magistrates for paying Wages in cloth ; b ^ asked £ 2 a yard ; the workman gave £ 1 15 s ., ami sold it for 11 s ., proved before the magistrates t < . tw its full value , and a quarter of a yard not fit toi use ; fined £ 10 and costs . Two more £ 0 and coatx Now he wished ib observe that when tfie Hon . Member for VVolverhamptonhad , on a former occasion , read a statement from a person residing In his ( Mr . Ferr < ind'& ) part of the country , that statement asserted what was utterly untrue , namely , —that he had aoplied the charge * he made to all the manufacturers of Yorkshire , whereas he had only applied them to some , and those belonging to the Lvo ^ ue- This statement ; moreover , had been supported by fraud and forgery—( hear , hear ) —for many of the signatures were pbaitivu , forgeries ;
and some of thosii who signed were waking severity per cent on the poor - ( hear ; hear . ) The Hon . Member then read tbefollowing : — - ' The following passage , extracted from the report ( p . 552 ) of H . S . Chupinau , Esq ., of the Middle Ttsmplo , an assistant Coinmiasioner far inquiring into the condition of the bandloom weavers in the United Kingdom , in 1838 , will show that not only does tha truck system prevail in the West Riding of Yorkshire , but that any complaint on the part of the weavers is generally followed by loss of employment , as was stated in the House of Commons by Air . Buifield Femiuh-r'At Idle , where I held a public inquiry for the townships of Idle . Shipley , Eccleshil ) , and Bolton , a written stitfirient was handed in , complaining of the existence ot the truck system at a small hamlet called Windbill , in the firstnamed township . It ia a fact worthy of notice , that I was begged not to ask questions on the poiRt , as any
testimony on the part of a weaver who had suffered from the custom would have been followed by loss of employment . I was , however , assured by Miany per * sons , both employers and weavers , ; ibat the allegation was correct . This shows how completely impotent i «> the law , howsoever stringent it may be , where both employer and employed will consent to violate it . The employed is compeHed to submit j the constantly overstocked state of the " labeur-inaifcat plauea hini at the mercy of the master , and tboaaiue condition prevents him taking a single efcep to expose the fraud to which be is subjected . At Churwell , south of I ^ fcdB , another form of truck was exhibited to me , aa existing at Beeston , where is a factory employing botweeu twenty and thirty handloom weavers . It is the practice of the owners of this factory toJ oblige their weavers to take part of their hard earnings in cloth , in some cases less than half being paid in money . '" Anu now aa to Birmingham he would read the following : — -
"jo the editor op aRiss gazette , " Small Arms Department , Birifli'gham , March 10 , 1842 . "Sir , —Great complaints have been made to me lately by the labouring men in the gunlock trade , and I yesterday visited the neighbourhood of Wednesbury and Darlaston , where that branch of manufacture i& principally carried on , and I find that the praotiee of paying the workmen by JUuck , of 'tommy , ' as it is
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called amongst the men , haa been , and is at the present moment carried on to a ruinous extent . ' To all those . persons who are employed as contractora for the supply of musket locks for her Majesty ' s service ( niany of whom , however , I must say , have not lent themselves to the practice ) , I have given notice that I am determined to put down such a nefarious and illegal system in every way in my power ; and that so far as those supplies are concerned , I shall insist that the lock-filers do receive the wages agreed upon in money , without subteifu ^ e , trick , or evasion , either by tickets upon other parties , by discount , by pretence of loan , or by any other dishonest contrivance . The labourer is worthy of his bira . A fair allowance is made for it in the contract price , and he has aright to spend his money as be will in tbe Dest and cheapest market . ' - ; -.: •¦ : . ' . ' ' . ¦ : ¦ ¦ ¦ . , ¦ ' ¦¦'¦ ¦ . ' ¦ ' - - ' : ' . . ¦'
v If you will have the goodness to make this , my resolution , more extensively known , through the medium of your widely-spread publication , it may b <> the means of benefitting a very deserving class of workmen by drawing attention to the destructive practice ; and you will at the same time confer an obligation on , ' ' •; . "Your very obedient , humble servant , > "George LovELL , Her Majesty ' s Inspector of Small Arms . " If he wanted any ^ confirmation of the justice of hia claim he need not go far for it . He would remind tbe House that this was not the first time the Working classes had , by their advocates , appealed to the House for protection , and fiat their claim had , ere this , been
recognised . Oa the 17 th of February ; 1795 , a motion Was madeby'Mr . Whitbread tor a protection of labour , seconded by Sir It . Peel ( the present Bight Honourable Baronet ' s father ) , supported by Fox and Sheridan , and admitted to be juvt by Pitt , who sanctioned the payment of wages out of the poor-rates . Then in July 5 , 183 Q , Mr . Littleton moved to bring in the Labourers ' Wages Bill , on which Mr . Huskisaoh suidH" If any Hon . Geiitleman would take the trouble to inform himself as to what was passing in Staffordshire , and in : part ; of the cotton , and clothing districts , he would find that a very great portion of the distress now prevailing there was not so much owing to Want of employment as to the undue and unfair competition to which the truck system gave rise , by making the Whole
trade a struggle between the aval-ice of the master and the necessities aiid comforts of the Work men . Why should we not extend the same protection to those who had no friend to guide them , arid who looked up to : the Legislature as their shield against the extortion of thoso who regarded only their own advantage , and never thought of the sufferings and afflictions of those whom they employed ? It -was upon these grounds he was ready to ackuowledge that on the score of humanity and feeling he gave his support to the bill , and should dp so even if it were opposed to the doctrines of political economy , with which , however , he , contended , it was perfectly consistent . " On the 3 rd of May , 1830 , Lord Stanley presented a petition from the manufacturers , tradesmen , and others
of Heaton Norris , against the truck system , and stated "that this syfctini gave great advantage to a few rich men , who acquired immense profits at the expence of the labourers—a system that was as injurious to the manufacturera who did not adopt it as to the workmen who were its immediate victims . " On the 6 th of July , 1830 , Sir Robert Peel said— "The great evil of the present day was a tendency to diminish the enjoyments of the poorer classts ; and he could conceive nothing more likely to reduce them to a state of servitude than that their master , who might be getting £ 8 , 000 or £ l 0 , 0 ti 0 a-year by his manufactory , should take from them ¦ £ 2 , 600 or £ 3 000 more by dealing iu bacon and cheese . He hoped that if this bill were lost by the meana which the Hon . Member ( Mr . Hume ) possessed , and might use to defend it , the working classes would understand that it was he who was responsible for the
consequences . " The Hon . ' Member concluded as follows : — " Sir , —I have done my duty in bringing this question forward—( heari hearj . The responsibility rests on the House and on the Government of dealing with the claims for justice and redress of honest manufacturers and distressed Workmen —( bear , hear ) . If the Government resist the motion , the responsibility of rejecting it will be theirs—Scries ofhear , hear ) . There is , let me assure them , an intense feeling abroad upon the subject . There are , not far distant , honeBt manufacturers , who have come from the north at their own expence to give evidence upon this committee , and to declare that they must either b « honest themselves and retire from trade , or be as dishonest ; as those who have till now oppressed the poor and disgraced the country— -r ( hear , hear ) . There are those , not far distant , who are ready before a committee of this house to substantiate those claims for
justice which there , and there only , taey can assert—( hear , hear ) . In their name I appeal to your justice for that protection which here alone they can seek , and which htre they have ail inalienable right to claim—( heaT ) . This motion may be lost ; but if it be , it will be : lost to the serious injury of trade and commerce ; it will cause heart rending affliction to thousands of the working classes who are anxiously awaiting your decision— - ( hear ) . And ardently I < Jo hope that the Government will discharge the duty they owe to the public aa the guardians of the country ' s honour , and of the sovereign ' s dignity Reeling that dishonour at home or abroad must sully the lustre of that sovereign ' s diadem)—that they will discharge that duty by agreeing to the motion , which I urge on the unassailable principle that the " labourer ia worthy of his hire . " < Loudcheers . )
The hon . member afterwards acceded to an amendment proposed by Sir James Graham , that a select committee should be apppointed " to inquire into the oparatiau of the law which piohibite the paymtnt of wages in goods , or otherwise than in the current coin <; f tha realin , and into the alleged violation and defects of existing existing enactments , " but intimated that the question would not rest where it was , as the Lauds were of such a nature as must speedily bring them to an issue with the public .
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HOUSE ^ F LORDS . —Friday , Jpni 22 . A conversation arose on the motion for the third reading of the Irish Spirit Duties' Bill . ¦ ¦ Lord MoNTEAGLE pointed out an inequality in tbe imposition of the duties on spirits distilled in Scotland mid Ireland , the Scotch distiller being allowed a druwbaqk not ei ) joyed by the Irish distiller . Tue Earl of WiCKLow expressed his fears that the increased duty would lead to iUicit distillatioa in Ire * land , » ud counteract the progress ef temperance ; After a converaatiou . the Duke of Wellington postponed the third reading of the BUI till Mondayi in order to inquire into the facts pointed out by Lord Monteai ? le . The Corn Importation Bill was read a third time and passed ; and aftar some other business , the House adjourned .
Monday , April ' 25 . The Irish Spirit Duties' Bill was , on the motion 0 ! the Duke of Wei . ing ton , read a third tune and passed .
^ 1 .. . HOUSE OF COMMursS , Fbi ^ ay , April 22 . On the motion of the second reading of the Income Tax Bill , Mr . Chaiiles Buller rose to move that it be deferred for six nionths . Whatever might , have been bis fears on the first proposition of the income tax , they had bewn greatly enhanced by the perusal ef . the bill . It - created ' a host of cphimissiouers , armed with very * xtraoydinary powers ; a'iun to the habits and dispositionsof Enijlishinth , The tanfiF . which was the consideration for the income t » x . had been supported by tbe
most contradictory and inconsistent argumBnts , for RonieUmes it was contended that it would lower the cost of living , and at , Other times this was denied . On hia own side of the Hou-ie dinct taxation hod been praised , as being a be ter ami more hontst mode of raising a revenue than by indirect taxation . But direct taxation was at once unequal ; and unjust in its applicationliterally a resource of barbarous timea . As to . the argument that tUe Incbme tax would only fall on the Wralttiier classes , it was understood even by the Chartists them 8 « lve 8 . who saw that any diminution of the laboiir-fuhd would be f « lt by tbe labourers . . r
Mr Ewart , while deprecating the income tax , was yet an advocate of the fair application of the principles uf direct taxation . While approving of the tariff , so far as it went in the direction of free trade , he objected to the proppsert tax on exported coals , as being detrimental not only to the foreign coal trade , but to our steam commercial navy . ¦" . : ¦ Sir John Walshe fconsidered that tte inequality charged on the incuuiR t ^ x was inherent to all taxation . Qa tins ground h « vindicated the Income Tax Bill , as bteiftg . in itt » pn > pr « ed operatien , at once as ^ comprehensive and as equal as any-such tax could be , framed
to meet a great emsrgency . The tariff was a boon to tb « i ttading ami cimimercial classes ; and it was perfectly reasonable that they should contribute their share to luufce up those deflciencea caused by wars undtr ^ ikeu fur tbe protection of their interests—such as that if China . From his own personal fenowledge , he could u-atify to the existence , in France , of & national hostility , wt . ich could not be overlooked by any one jealous v f ihts nonour and security of tbia country ; and ror these reasuns , in addition to the existence of an ac-tuai laceasity , he voted for the imposition of an income t ;> X . ' -: ¦ ¦ - ¦' ¦ : - . . ¦¦ . '¦ :. - - ;"'¦ ¦ . .. ; :-- ' ¦'¦¦ : ¦ :
' Sir William Clay pointed out bow the income tax would operate m its imposition on . capital employed in fanning , as compared with other sources of income ; and while givinu due credit to the reductions of the tariff , did not think that there was either a compensating advantage or ^ necessity for toe income tax . Mr . Wakley would have supported a graduated income tux , aathrowiDg the chief i ; urden on the wealthier classes . But tho present income tax wonld fall chiefly 6 ii t he industrious classes . He admitted that oat of doors there was no feeli g against a property tax , and that the public believed that Sir Robert Peel had mad * a gigantic effort to overcome our national diffieuitus . But when the public bad become acquainted with the . operation of this income tax , they would become alive to the nature and Value of direct taxation , and they would insist on a " Bliding scale" in the imposition of that taxation . ;
Air . i >> sHA £ i . r considered that tke deficiency in oar Indian finances vraa owing to tbe policy of the late Government .
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¦>¦ ' - . ilr . CHRISTIE was decidedly of opinion that such an inquisitorial impost 08 an income tax should be reserved for the last extremity , and even then be resorted to under a serious responsibility . He argued against its injustice and inequality , and instanced various cases , illustrative cf the hardship of its infliction on professions and trades , as compared witb the owners of land . : ' " ¦ : ' ::: ¦ - ¦¦ ' .. •¦ '; -- ' ¦ ' - ' . ' - : .-. '¦ ¦ . - ' - . » Mr . Ssiythe did not wish to discuss the question 01 the jaetvctt ot injustice of the income tax ; he would give bis vote as one of confidence , and While he admitted . the inquisttorial nature of the measure , h © would support it as required by a great emergency . Aft ** some observations from Mr . W . O . STANLEr and M [ r . SCQTX , the latter of whom admitted that there was not a strong feeling in the country against the income tax , but said he opposed it from a conviction that it was proposed as the price for maintaining monopoly ..
A division was called for ( the opposition benches being but scantily occupied ) , when the second reading of the bill wa 8 carried by 155 to 76 . After sonis other busiatss , the Railways Bill was considered in committee . Some discussion took place on various clauses . , ! A division occurred on a motion by Sir William JOLLIFFE for omitting the 11 th clause , the debate tVning on the question in whose bands should be vested the care of gates leading across railways—the occupiers of the adjoining lands , or the railway companies . ' Thcs result of the ' ¦ " division was- —For the ciause 103 '; for the amendment 104 ; majority against the clause 1 . The House then adjourned . Monday , April * 2 b , Mr Hunie toob the oaths and his seat for tho Montrose burcliF . . : :
Mr . Reimkgton , the Ghairnian of the Southamptoja Election Comniittee , reported the committal of John Wren , for rtfu 8 ing to answer a question ; and moved that he be called to the bar , ! and interrdgated . After a conversation he was brought to the bar and expressed a willingness to answer the question , if the House should decide that lie ought to do so . Another discussion followed , in which most of the leading men and legal , members of the Houae took part ^ during which cbneideraWe difficulty appeared to be felt as to th % proper mode of procedure . : John Wren was recalled to the bar , and informed that he was bound to answer any question which the Committee , after hearing his objections , should decide on / pressing . . On the motion for going into committee on the lucerne Tax , ¦'¦' ,. ¦ ¦ ' ¦ ¦¦ : ' " . ¦ , . ' ...
Mr . Wallace rose , in pursuanco of a . notice , to move that it was more expedient to resort to an issue of Exchequer Bills than fcp an income tax , which , however , be said he would not press , if certain assurances were given . . ¦ ' ¦ ' - ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ . ' ¦ . ;¦ / '¦'¦"¦ ¦ •;• " Sir R . PEEL , after deprecating state'loana in titne o € peace , reptated his foriner declarations , thatv in the dettrminatioa of the Government , the income tax and the tariff : were inseparably connected . Mr . Hume appealed to the House to permit him , on this his first opportunity , to state his views on Sir R . Peel ' s financial measures . After declaring that he had not expected that Sir K . Peel would have grappled with monopoly in the way be had done , he affirmed that thecorn liionopoiy , under the new bill , was still amply sufficient to compensate the landed interest for their Bhaie of the income-tax . But while regretting that corn and sugar had not been dealt with in a way corresponding to tbe wants of the country , he gave
due credit to the reductions proposed on the next . im . « portent article , that of timber . He should have no objection to see the : en tire revenue of thecountry raised by direct taxation ; but before he would resort to an income tax in thepresent . diBtKssed stats of the manufacturing community , he would reduce the public expenditure in salaries , pensions . &c . Ouly a small portion . of the Queen ' s incom « , £ 60 000 , was at her own disposal ; the rest was spent on lords and ladies , and in maintaining the frippery of a court which outriTiilled that of Louis XIV . In addition to reducing the Civil List , he would also impose a tax an real property by descent , and he was glad to find that his views on this subject were obtaining greater currency . He was afraid thut the income tax would add ta the difliculties of the co-untry , aud was convinced that the leduttioDs of the new tariff were only the beginning of greater changes . The House then went into committee on the bill .
Some conversation arose on the proposition that the inc me tax should commence from the 5 th of April , 1842 , and some questions were put as to tbe time whett the tariff should come into operation . The CHANCELLOR of the Exchequer reminded the House that the tariff was to bo permanent , and the income tax xemporary . . Sir R . Peel said that as the tax was to last for three years , it wiis immaterial ; whether it commenced in April or July , but that it would be convenient that ifc should havt ? tffect from the commence went oi the financial year , on the 5 : h of April . This was accoruingly carried . A debate aTose on schedule A , involving the question whether a person deriving ] a clear income from laud , but incurring losses from , some otner trade or occupation , should be allowed to subtract the loss from the one from bis gain in the other , and thus be taxed on his net income from both .
The question was raised by Mr . Benjamin Wood , and , after considerable discussion , Sir BoiiEBT \ PEEL promised to taKe the subject into consideration , v . ' ; ; Schedule B was voted ; and on schednle C , Mr . F . T . Baring asked if foreigners holding British stock were to be auhJHCte'i to the tax ? : ' Sir ROBERT Peel answered in the affirmative , and Mr . Hume complained that a breach of public faith was committe ' d by subjecting the f onda to taxation . Mr . Ricardo proposed an amendment , the purport of which Was to make a distinction , in levying the tax , in favour of terminable annuities . The CHANCEULOB of the Exchequer affirmed that the value of these annuities had not been aflfected by the knowledgs of the fact that they were to be subjected to the tax equally with other seuureties . ¦ After a di * cussion , a division took place , when Mr . Ricardo ' s amendment was rejected by 253 to 117 . ;
On arriving . at Schedule D , it was acraed , after abrief convei'sation . 'to postpone further consideration of the bill t II to-morrow . . . ' ' . ¦¦ Sir ROJBKKT Peel said thai he would bring on the tariff before the third reading of the Income "tax Bill . The House resumed , and , after some other business , adjourned / '¦' . "' -.. ¦¦ :
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THE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL CHARTER ASSpCIATION OF SALISBUKY AND ITS VIClNlTy , TO FEARGUS OeoNNOK , ESQ . We , the undersignert , do most respectfully address you on account , of your indtfatagable z-eal and unwearied exertions in the caiise of real reform , to iniprfesa on the niiuda « f the multitude that it is the Charter which Can alone secure their rights , their privileges , their freedom , and their independence ; and seeing that in endeavouring to accoinpliMb this praiseworthy object , yon have not only faileu back from the ranks of the proud aristoccray ,. but have made sacrifices of wealth , of health , and of every comfort attainable by a person of your rank in society ; and have also endured as a niartyr . for our cause all the horrors of a priaon . Under these
circumst incts therefore we bail you as our patriot , ana do most sincerly trust and anticipate that you in your travels will as fioon as it is possibly convenient , be pieased to viaituB , that the blind , dark , benighted . an < i priest-ridden classes of this strong hold of Gonserratisai , this carhedral city , may once hear the voico < f Ftarjiua O Conuor ; that the cry for freedom , inilepedanco , and justicB to the pow niay ring-through our streets , and that the shout for civil and religious liberty may send back its echo from the walls of our cathedral ; and that the people may be convinced tbat they are oppressed , and will still continne to be oppressed & < i long as they succumb to the present form of oAminiatratioa .
Withsitcere wishesthertfjrefor the aeconiplisbment of your slorious design , with sincere thanks for your valuable labours , and with the strongest invitatiou we can give you to visit us , We subscribfi ourselves , Yours , truly , ( Signed in benalf of the association , as per resolution ) John Wjlkinsoh , Sub-Secretary . Salisbury , April 19 , 1842 .
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Rkcognwion . —A . curioas incident occurred during the recent march' of the 78 th Hi ^ hiaudtrs throuRli Birmingham . Ic appears that some of the meu had brougnt over from Ireland a bottle of whisky , of whieli a a « rjeaufc of po ) ice was endeavourin : g to ciepriy « tbem , ¦ when . the ss ^ rjeant of t' e reciment , gazing intealy at him , owned him as a degt-rter troa the 78 th thirteen years before , and took him prisoner . ; Y-.. : . : ¦;¦ : ;¦• ' Y" ¦ ' ¦ ¦ : - \ - : : ¦ Supposed Mukdeh . —Some excitement has been caused in Wolstantda and the neighHourhood by the discovery of tho remains of the two infant children in a pit of water in a field at the Bradw ^ H Farm , ia
the parish of Wolstanton . It seems thit on Tuesday morning several men went to the ~" pit , a short distance from the turnpike-road , with a view of getting water-cresses , when their attention was directed to aa unusual substance floating od tho top of the water near the Bide of the pit , which , on being got ont proved to be the leg and tbigh of a child . Tho pit was afterwards emptied , aa other bumau remains found , some of them imbedded in the mud . Theremains were subsequently examined by two medical g' ntlemen , and proved to bo tho 3 a of two childrenoite of them a child of from eighteen months or two
years old ; the other ia qnite an iofant . Prom the very decomposed state of the bodies , it is not nn-• likel y that they haye been immersed in tbe water from twelve . to eighteen months , and probably longer . There is little doubt but there has ^ eea some foul play in this transaction , but to whom guilt attaches remains at present shroudeii' in the greatest mystery . At the coroaer ' s inquest , which was held on the day following , nothing was adduced tending to throw any light on the occurreneo . The ury returned a verdict ^ - " That the bodies were found submersed in ! the pit , but how or by what means they came there no evidence appeared to the ury . " . - . y " - ¦ ¦¦ '¦ ' ¦ . ¦ ¦ ¦ >¦ ¦ : ¦ ;' - -- ' .- - '" v . yv . ; - ; . / . : : ¦
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¦¦¦ ' ¦ ' THE NORTHERN STAR . V ¦ ¦ , . - - - : y . ' -Ty ^
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), April 30, 1842, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1159/page/7/
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