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from the Edition , in Six Volumes , and published at £ 2 10 s . Part 20 is just issued . Part 21 will be ready tuia next week . The first Volume comprising up to Part 15 , may be had bound in strong Cioth , price 5 j . 6 d ., and embellished with an excellent likeness of Voltaire This is undoubtedly the cheapest Volume ever presented to the liberal Publio , containing 614 pag « g of closely printed matter , small type , purchased expressly for the work , double columns , and more than usual care has been taken as to the correctness of the text . The Second Volume is rapidly approaching completion . * May be had of all Booksellers . Also , VOLTAIRE'S ROMANCES AND TALES in Penny Nos . and Fourpenny Parts . ThiB Edition a lnienaedto comprise tho whole of these celebrated Works , and will be the first uniform and oomplete publication ever offered to the English Reader , and at a price so low as to place it within the reach of all THE DEVIL'S PULPIT , by the Rev . R . Taylor , in 46 Numbers at Twopence each , forming a series of Lectures and Discourses , boldly exposing aad unmasking the prevailing Superstition . In 2 yols ., cloth , boards , Nine Shillings . DIEGES 1 S , by the same Author . Numbers 15 and 16 are this day published . A number of this work will appear every week until completed . It is supposed that it will not exceed 48 Numbers . Originally published at Oae Guinea . W . Dugdale , printer and pnblisher , 16 , Holywellstreet , Siraud .
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BOROUGH OF LEEDS . NEW PRISON . NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN , That the Time for sending in PLANS , &c . is Enlarged from ttie 20 th June to the 1 st Avgusi next . By Order , EDWIN EDDIS 0 N . IWn-Clsbk . 58 , Albion-Street , Leeds , 17 th May , 1843 .
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CONSOLIDATION OF THE TURNPIKEROADS AND HIGHWAYS . SUGGESTIONS for Consolidating the Funds and k ? Management of the Turnpike-Roads and High * ways within the Borough of Leeds , and placing them und r the direction of the Town Council , being , 1 st , an Appendix to a Report which R . Bayldon was directed to make to that body as to the probable Financial Effects that would arise to the different Townships within the Borough of Leeds ia the event of the 19 th Clause of the New Tornpike B ; ll passing into a Law , and 2 ndly—The facts relative to the Lengths , Debts , Expenditure , and Tolls co ^ necte ^ with the Turnpike Roads within the Borough of Leeds , as also tha Lengths and Coats of Repairs of the Highways within the same , being a Summary of R . Bay / don ' s Reports , presented to the Mayor and Town Council , A ril 4 th , and May 3 rd , 1843 . AH Municipal Voters for the Borough of Leeds may have a Copy of this Work , Gratis , on applieation ( during the month of May ) to Mr . H . W . Walks , Briggate , Leeds . RICHD . BAYLD 0 N . Hunslet , Leeds , May 17 th , 1843 .
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TO EMIGRANTS . WILLIAM TRANT , Licensed Passagi Broker , 35 , Paisk Lane , Leeds , begs to inform Persons about to Emigrate that he can furnish them with Passage Tickets on the most advantageous Terms ( whereby they will avoid any Delay in Liverpool ) and secure Passages in superior First CJass Ships , all Coppered aiid Copper Fastened , a Regular Succession of such Vessels sailing every Week during the Season . The following will sail immediately : — FOR NEW YORK . Mass * chusrt 5 Capt . Wilson 900 Tons AsDRtw scorr ..... ~ Emery 800 « CAnROLotCARROLTEN « . Bird 1100 ~ Kola ... ^ Jameson .... 1000 - Luconia „ Porter 1050 ~ FOR QUEBEC Dauntless Capt . Rogers 1000 ~ For Terms of Passage and Time of Sailing , ' apply to WILLIAM TRANT , Licensed Passage Broker , 35 , Park-Lane , LEEDa . Tickets to secure Passage 5 s . each , which is i « - turned at Liverpool upon paying the Faro .
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THE FACTORIESfBILL . 4 . meeting of members of Parliament and gentlemen roDnwted wiih the manufacturing cis * ric ; - » was held on Tuesday , M « iy 9 , at the Brit ^ h Hot *! ocsspur-Eireet , London , for the purpose of hearing the opinions of mtllowners , with reference to the Factories Bill now before Parliament . From 70 10 0 prams assembled , among who we recognised the following Members of Parliament : —Mr . A ' w north . 14 r . Brocklt-hnrsr , Mr . W . T . Evertoa , i ! r . F ; e'den , Mr . W m- Fielden , Mr . Ferrand , Mr . Gre * rail , Mr " W . Hardy , Mr . Hindley , General Johnson . Sir John Jo " f . D-ione , Bart ., W . S . Lascelles , air . J . W . Patten , Mr . Siratt , Mr . S-ansfield , Sir George Sirckland , Bar-., Mr . Toilemacbe , Mr . Walker , Mr .
Wilbraham . and Mr . Grirosditeh . Oj the motion of Mr . Hardy , M . P-, the Kon John Src . rt Wcniej , M . P ., was called to the chair . The ChaI 2 Ma > - . eaJd . he considered it his dnty at © nee to acquie * 6 in the proposal that he shou ' . d take the eh »; r , inasmuch as there waa no obj cfion m&ce toi " . As he ha « l been called unext ^ etec ^ y to that pcfc-i : : on , it won ! d not become him to offt-r ubs ^ n aliens nptn ire nature of ibe meeting other ihon ; o ? ay , thas he irusi-d he should be of use in concueurst the bu > ine ? . ~ : cr which ihey were assembled . Ch ^ rs . ) He W 3-- orry that he was called to occupy the cuair a « a gnb- ' ,.-. Bir > forfcs irierd , Mr . Wm . Beckett ,, whore nsKi stood a : the head oi the circular which has b-.-en
is ^ ur-1 . a ^ d w&s bare presided , but who was tow so ui . w-ii as to be una-ble to attend ; he held in nis hai . i a note from Mr . Beckett , expressing Li ? c ^ appoi _ : nient at b-rint usable to bs present , as he was am :-.- to tear the opinion of the Factory zna ^ -rs upon t ' . e provisions o ; the Factori ** ' Bi > i . H * " ni ? a-d .= o much wi : h respect to the cireumetst . - - in which ha stood , he though i it would be jd ^ i cvnclr . c ve to the business oi the d&v , ii h " Eh ;> -1 . ^ 3 ve ihe fnriter proceedifl ^ s iu rhe ba _ ids of tho ^ wno bad devoted their time and trouble-to oon-Tenirj ; -his meeting ; they w-uid know beutr thau he ho . v : o lay the business be / ore them , and he could oah -a > , ? o far as be was concerned , that if n should bei : i hi ? uower to lend any assistance towards the main obj-.-ci o ; tbe E * eiiBg , or to take any & ; ep which £ h <> -- ; id tend to the satisfactory settlement of this mo * -. iisportant question of the h ' -urs of labour of jou--a persons , it wculd afford him the higher satisfac . i--n to c-e ~ o .
I ' . T- Wm Rand , of Bradford , Yorkshire , ea ; d he trim d in the Srt ; rlacs he should be psnn ;? tt <} , as a fc : c : y misttr . Trfeo bad long taken a c ^ ez ) in : « vst in tbp-i'j ^ ct of factory legislation , to thank tLoso merabrf- * < -f PsriiaiBrat ^ ho bsd edeveced tkis nietjiia ? , « cd for : -v : urg TBt-rcbifa cnnecied witb those eountiej wb rr manufacture -where carried on , and for inviting fee ? - 37 c ^ ntleiu . n -srfco wtrs more ininudiat . ] y eonuect ^ -i ^ tb auy measure for tht Itrgisi-tion of factories — s . ¦ -j ) H « tn ^ ted tbat he bsJ too derp a secse of pri i " . ety . and was tc > o » tll str . ire of his cwo incompeten j - ^ drs ^ tfa ? ir-e % " -j > s Ilirongh ih © bis ^ cry yf facti-ry leei-.-.-i . n . Th-re hid b&tn do fewtT than St-Ten or
e : ?^ t fac :- _ > ry b ;' : ls . and as maEy abortive a' . ttinpu » t in ,- ' r . ng inese bills , and be thought that hitbtrto f . \ ct alcr ^ M--H . i prove thitfictory iegiaiation had no * . by ? n Barb-iict .-ry . He thoogbt the present meeting offered the ti .- ^ t prospect for a aatirfactory BetUtmtnt of thit qct - * <» n . that bad ever yet presented it * eif . He Wj . s but- ihiitli * oig ^ t of » be Grirernment « onld onl y h * to pa * s i bill ¦ whicn tb ^ u'd K- heartily c ^ -cvsratfcd in by the ' -coij mastera wn- ^ ¦ w Ja ! i 'iuiBt the G " ? crnnicn * . in can-j . r > e it oat in all its proTisions ; aad be was sure zact a measure could only bo accomplished with tbe ass " -nee and adviee cf pracucal Ben ; aitd he trusted the ? — -ne of this m ^ etiLB \ rould be -tbe adoption of a law j the GjTerniatnt af this cenntry , -which bhouid he ° . : testing to the factory di « tricta . With ttc ^ e
few rtmarhs he ¦ would t-xpreai his . opinion that the ? r-senl bill before the H <> ose of Commcns , bor * ' -h- cLarseU-r tad wonld ab&re tie fate of all its TT ^ iecesiors . It wonld be an unsatisfactory bilL He i ; i coicb to thst eoacluiion afttr cartfu . iy reading it i ~ -t ; and he so- * came U > express the reasons ¦ wb'c . Md led bits to that cr-nclnsion . Tbe object of tbe i "" U "wss the rrgulalior . of tbe eicplojmuit of cbildrrx ^ u' ycurg pt-rsoiain factories , and fox tbe better Ksro ^ Ga of children in . the factories . In orU-r to tff .: 'his oyj ^ a the bill ditided the work people in ' o class *;; she first class comprising those from eight to thirt-c . - years of sc 9 , and the sesond cla * 8 th ^ ee from thrr ^ r-B to e'gh ' e-n as effected males , and thirteen to tTrtnry-orfi ? j affected fexnslei The first clan waa to
work J-aif time , er ex hours a day ; the second class m : ¦• * otk tvrelre hours actual labour per day . The fiwt t ; - _ iS -sras to go to scho-ol a eertsin nuoiber cf hours in e-ch ^ ay uuri-g their euspl ^ yni ^ t—not when they Were urenspkjed— tfc- J Were rtquired Ij bring certificatc- tr m tile scboo . 'iuiiier cf t 3 Ticg complied with t iiis rr ' ijTilition , acd unless tfeey did so they could not return tr- wcrk on the following Monday . It appeared to h ' - ^ u xbr , % this was in itielf an tusctajent which " »« -u ! c 's-rj saricu « ly teed to the non-employment of tho ? - children . It was hia firm coETiction that ifcat enEctm ^ tt , conpled with many others whieh he Tsouid no - r . ; . « r enumerate , w ^ a enough to enfure their nor .-ea > r' ^ iiieat- He ha -in his hand a paper signed R . H . Of" rz . the CbsiiEoan of the Aaso : iatif > n of Mill-¦
O « : -- ^ 'n = ! Tic ?" -e 9 ti £ r . ssaUcg tJiat » ccb were the paiu ajji : { izitiss attache ** , to that bill ¦ with regard to the fciti . ; . i : ; f-at of chv . «* Ts .-n , tbit it ¦«? & % thaii opmioB tbat buc - thry would rat be employed Rt all . 1 hen he ( Mi K i . oi wculd ask if they wtre nr-t empioytd at ail , if i" e ¦¦ syenee of their education were to be proTide < s for out - _ f heir wagt £ aa the Bill euacted , how -were they to obt ;•¦!• -. - ucition Et all ? He tor his own part won ! d K » y hat there W 13 no possibility of education unless there irai a i' -E 5 ! bility of eniploymtr . t , and there was no po « - ib ^ ' ity of employment coupltti tnth t > . eee Taxations en ' 24-: ? L--nts . He th ^ cdit then the iasne as reg arded that c- a -would be total idleness np to 13 . coupled with ignviai . ee , 13 ^ 1 fle tti uld ask Hon . Members in that room ¦ srbsthrr the stat * of society in Manchester ,
Glasgow , aiid Yorkshire , would not present an awfui picture ¦ with ¦* \ \ k * population up to 13 unemployed and ucedc ^ Trra ? It was the nature of lads if they were not doi&sr ^ -i « to be doing Dl ; he thought there could not be a kTriiter carRt r . flvvted on them than tba > of dooming them u » idlfe ^ rsa . iticai , bcai . ) He had writttn to one of ti j-mor partners in his own concern to know -what had b * r ^ n the -p- ration of the rel » y system , and he had replio . t-iai thrte-fourtb ^ of the children under 13 ha 4 be * n ciimissfcd . ; ar . d thj , t he was looking out for substi ! u -s for the reins-aing one-fourth , ( Hfeii , hear . ) If -cc > »;« tbe c * se in his neighbourhood , « bit was the cafe in Glasgow ? Mr . G .-erg said he ^ rould call aUr'Bt-ij n to t ' . c fact that since the introduction of the Acj cfr ^ ting the system ef working by relays , tbe
childrtB uu-irr th ^ rtten years of age had been almost alt daemi = s- < i . ir . G ' i-gow be belieTednone [ the \ Ford " none' ' nnc-criin ^ jj wcie tcpioyed under that a ^ e , andTery few in oth « r piirs cf Scotland , ( bear , iear . ) and the fwo factviy ri : str-et 9 of E-iglaod of Mr . Hornrr ar , d » ilr . Saxja-i-rs the cumber had fallen from 38 941 in 1835 , to 24 ut-0 aad odd in 1 S 3 S , and in ilr . Homer " s districl it h&Q ia . ien from 11000 to 7 . 000 since taen . ( Heari They birf not b ** a able to ootain returns fiom She other distr ^ o , but tte reduction in their i-UTnefcis wisincTery du » - ' 1-ty gre-. t . Tbe almost certain optration of the preset bill , be did not hesitate to say , would be the wUfcd . a ^ ra ! of cL > Kr *> n altogether frLin Wcil-rc ^ uiated mih ? i their total depriradou of employment . The Tuerf ik > of a reduction in the wa ? e = Would uffcr no
indusx a rt eitEer to the parent to sesd ttein or the r £ a »" -fr ' . o employ them , compared mJi the Bttiiie regulattc-i . : o irfcich they rendered ttemselres liable by em .- J--v : e « tbtm ; and Pariiament wculd fi :. d i ' . atU in the c arrf cf a year or t-wo in the predicanjent of haTiag passed a Istt proTiding for the regulation i > f a class cf c :, u .: rcn ¦ which the law would hafc thToWu cut of the rpb » re of labour—( hear , hear .. And yet af : er that BtaH-i ; j * . aaa irtL midfe known tLcy ssi ^ i t ^ ey youla h * - ii -It to ceiicede that pin « . f the L : U ; - . hey said W e doD ' t wish to employ children yjun ^ er than nire ; or !>¦ n Line io thirteen mere thai * six ardhaif h-urs . " lh ^ . . ti ) -- ' - concede them ; tut bow ? S .. I ty ^ JopfiL ? throj . ui by rtjrctiDg theia . They sild tbey -wcuid Dot tir v . "; f > . ttciii . " Was that the k : iid i >{ conc « -8 s . ion the
Go ^ n : _ i ! -ent wanted ? Non-fcroploymtnt aiid non -inatrD <* t : .-r . Or vt ^ s : t that the Government sought to imj . ru »^ the mito ; acd tuorals of that class ? He ( Mr . Eai >^) begged to say thit the tfiVct of t his law -would be j gc r _ nce and icier . sas up to ttirt ^ tri . Ttat wm a spt . cttclc for iltmbt . reof Parliaxnt ^ t to loo k at ! Was it Evt eEongh to £ 11 the mind of every r > . fl-. cLiEg man iritl- a < arm ott , ai . fl tTen every urjr « . fl ^ ct-Eg mind ¦ with i . ' - rm by and bye ? What was the prospect with regi ^ 'i te tbe secoEd class—they wtre to work twelve boc- - - ~ a d *» y arraal labcnr , indepandent of tire time for m « .: 5 ar . o gr-ing to and returning from wort He Wt * 1 s ---k any gentleman in thit room J he could lay his uiiid upon his heart aad see a population ucedu-Cit-i -. i . ' : unirEtruc :--d up to the age of thirteen then
tak-t - - ^^ urof ths * . duration ; be would atkif that wou '_ : _ t p-rpttua . e iin ^ j-iEce up to twenty-ote ? He aaid u- would k * tbe intTitehlts result : the first cl&is Wca . . r ^ _ naqnaliaHlf-oai education for want of empl ... yn ci v . and tLt st * class for want of tioe—i JLond ctt * r « i- H \ s i ^ tettioa w : s not to appeal to tbe feeliEg » of ty geiitleiEin , but to his common sense , and be -would say thct tbe iasue uf tbia Bill -would be , in a few word * np to thirteen , igrioracce and idleness combined , up to tTTeniy-oce esct-ssiTe toil and no instruction . If that ihea , were the inevitable remit of this bilb he wen'd ask if it vrza one which oncht to pass . He « aid it ourtit cot te pass , bot he should not be performing bis duty in coming to London to point out tee defects of this bill if be did not also point out a plan which appeared toiim to be deserriu g of attention . B « s-liad thought » f a plan , and be would give his reaaous in
support of it He did not mean to say that his \» a » the only plan that -would be beneficial ; be was open to eotrvfetaoB on tbe matter , and be trusted be should ' oarer obctisately adhere to any particular nostrum of tb own—( hMtt , hear ) . But , now , « uj > po » e fo ? a jaoment Qat tberdayiyatem were adopted , what would be tbe «« 4 of itf Wby tbey would bring np Jo a calling twice the menbez of persons who sX the age of thirteen oould find smployment at it If in his own establishment be bad fifty relay children , when tbey arrived at the age of thirteen be eould but employ twenty-five of tben . and be w » ulti have to torn adrift tbe other twehty-flTe , who would set as an incubus npon the Iftboar market for the remainder of their days , pressing npon tbo 6 e employed towards reducing their wages . Such would be Xhd effect of tbe relay system , and bo he bad come to tbe conclusion that the relay system , if ttzried out , would be productive of most serious and
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c : "" str us coniequiizotb—ihear . h « = cj ) . And if it were Mit c-xncil out u f chii'ireri w . ^ ukl t ^ ve do educition . Hew tl . fc-n could tbey escape tbe two reralta of these t * o f-yf . cms ? He wonld now beg to state the plan which tt / aid rca-t fc : e own views . Be thought tbBt a pn . ptr Factory Bill should embrace the following points , and no others . It should embrace tbe age of admission into tbe mi'ls ; tbe duration of labour in tbe mills ; it should provide for the time for meala wilbin the mills ; for protection from exposed and dangerous raachiaery , nncer tbe jn'igHient of practlea ; meD to tzy wnat wu so , —noi of every factory inspector , but of troctical men ; aiso provide for the washing and proper attention to the cleanliness of tbe establishment ; it should be abort , simple , and practical —( bear ,
hear)one of which labour should not be bo contracted as to he Torthiess to the eniplvyer , n *» r too long , so as to lntrvf-re vr . th th * moral and physical welfare of tbe V-rtits engaged . Those were vbe three great points , and he thought it desimblt' that labour should be uniform in its duration . Having regard to these points tbe-i , not forcing upon partie 3 toil wb ' . ch they were una' le to s \ ib' tin . or lawiux so contracted as to be of no advantage to the employer , he had come to the conclusion that tbe btst age of admission into the mills was at the age ot tun years—ihear )—he mentioned ten because the whole amount of medical evidence proved that at that ai ? e with proper intervals for meals , they ctuld enter the mil . s , if tbe labour were not too long c ^ atiuufi ; and be recommended thai tbt-y should not
luoour nic-re than Ud hours actual labour per day , for the who e of tb « mill workers up to the age of twentyoce ytare ; afttr that isle they were- piactd bt-yond tbe liiiiit * if je »» . 3 . tive iattifereti * . tfcty were adults and frte agfcDi * ; bu : wbilst they -were not free agents , and and wiiJst ir . hera miglit contract for them , he , for or . e , Wi . nld not concent to sul-j . ct them to a toii which must in after years rjise a s ^ liit of hostility against their friends and masters , who maue them do i ^—( bear . ) He would recon . Rieuii , tbt-n , ; hat they fcbuu ' ul enter tbe iv . ills at ten years of age , and vtoik ttn hours a d » y , and that was a len * t& of labour which , he thought , was compatible with Bume litue improvement in cVining R ; aoote—( bear ) It mi § ht bs objected that these parties would not go to these schools , but be thought th ^ y would . He knew tb&t ifttr wotkinc twelve Luotb a day , the
children went to Sunday 8 cbocls every Sabbath ; be feartd it wag iodued a remarkable circumstance , but such were the habits of the yfung people , that vhey voluutarily wei ^ t to school upon the Sunday , though tbey had no recreation during the wnk ; ttking this into corsideration . ha did thir . k that with ten hours labour , they would , to some eir . cnt , attend evening Schools . ( Hear ) He might pe-rbapa be aiked what bu proposed with regard to education ; be would ovrn that to be a most difficult subject , a subject for tbe gentlemen to consider , and not lor the factory masters , but bn thought tbey were bound so to conduct their establishmtnts as not to deprive them of tbe oppo : tuoity of learning something , and he i&ought teat tm >> lcying tbe children but ten hcnTB a day , leaving eff work at six , would go far to- ^ ajila attaining that great dtsidtratum . ( Cheers . ) lit concluded by submitting tbu following suggestions for tfee approval of the nicet'ng -.
—Proposition 1 st . —Tnatthe Factories' Bill now before the House of Commors prrposes for al ! children from eigbt to thirteen years of utc tnp . csnjf-iitj , - « h ch have a nir » ct tendency to prevent them from obtaining employment ; and as the Bui provides that tbe education ef t > t * e parties shall be paid for ont of their wages , tbey will consequently be left without the means of acquiring that highly important advantage . 2 nd—That tbe system of relays proposed by this B-. U would , if carried out . have tbe effect of bringing np to factory labour double the number of persons who , at the age of thirteen , would be able to find employment in factories . Thai it would abo tend to draw numbers into tbe manufacturing districts where the population is already too large to find employment , and would thus have an injurious tfftct upon the wages of labour .
3 rd . —Tt ^ t proposed period twelve hours daily labour ( txciuaive of time for ratals , ) for all persons from thirteen to twenty-one years cf age , especially as most of them art females , is more than is consistent with their moral and physical welfare , and with the proper per * form&neft of domestic duties . 4-h—Tnat any measure for the regulation of the labour of joun ? persons in factories , should provide for such labour being of uniform duration , and not by relays . That tbe hours of labour should not be so abridged as to prevent a reasonable expectation of employment , nor to restricted is to interfere with the physical and moral welfare of tbe workers .
Teat having due regard to these important considerations , it is desirable that no child should be admitted into the factory under ten years of axe—that the hours cf daily labour for all persons above ten , and under twenty-or . e should be ten , txdusive of two hours for meals at proper intervals—snd that their labour should cease at six o cioii in tbe tveuirg . That , l > y thi 3 arra : gtment , parents might , to some extent , avail themselves of tve-rjing schools far the workers , and it would also allow ail children wtder ten years of age to have the full benefit of education by any gt-ncral plan ¦ which the Government may provide ; but with the Bill cow before the House of Commons , those under tbirtten would be throim cut of > mpjoy . meut ar . a those above thirteen would Lave no time for instruction .
Mr . Morris , of Halifax , wished to ask whether it was intended to work ttn hours a day during six days of the week , or whether they Btould wcrk shorter hours ob Saturdays as now . Mr . Rand said his idea was that they should close upon Saturdays as the bill specified , that was at half-past four . Mr . Morris waa asked whether Mr . Rand meant that no system of relays would be useful , or that it was the changes that made the present system bad . Mr . Bam > said tbe various enactments coupled with the children were of such a character , that masters would not be tronbled with them at alL
Mt Wm . Brook , of Hudderafcld , would wish to ask the object for which the meeting had been convened . Was it for the purpose of obtaining information , or was it with a view that gentlemen of the Hou&e of Ominous might be asked to support any pian which might be agreed on ? If so , in his bumble opinion , they were gc mg to dispose of a question of the last importance to this country , as a manuiacturins nation , in a very hasty manner ; and he submitted that it was a question which ought not to be disposed of in such a manner . The Chairman said so far as be could answer , be should say the object of tbe meeting was to consider
the qnestion in agitation with respect to the hours of labour , with the view of ascertaining bow far tbe senments and experience of the gentlemen present abonld concur trith any proposition for the amendment of the regulations affecting Ubcur in factories . ( Hear . ) Mr . ^ AND re marked that the siicular pointed out tbe o : ^ Kt of the meeting ; they had not xaet to carry anything , but simply to ascertain what would be tbe most practical measure , and lay the result of tbe meeting before the Government He thought the Factories ' Bill originated in a far mure liibitt-d and obscure source thau that meeting , for be did not know a single soul ttit approved of it .
Mr . Fjelde . n , M . P ., said , beirg of those whose names were attached to tbe circnLir , be felt called upon to state bis reasons for affixing his name . Mr . Rand and Mr . Walker , who Bad been down in town calling upon Members of Parliament , called upon him and proposed that this meeting should be held . The objections of Mr . Brook , he thought , might be answered very shortly ; he proposed thit a committee of the House of Commons should decide what was proper to be done . He must know that committee : if ter committee of the House of Commons had betn appointed to no avail .
They had a committee in 1 & 40 , when the factory cl-uses were discussed serialim ; and a report was laiU before the House . The facioty owners of Lancashhe anti Yorkshire not btiag eatUfkd with what was recommended in that report , but thinking that t , better bilmight be passed , had come there for the very pr . per purpose of stating their views tv Hon . Members of that House , who might call tie attention of Parliament to tbe sui ject Several gentlemen were present from Lancashire and Yorkshire ; and he had bo doubt that if Hon . > i embers would listen to them , they would ebtain much valuable information .
Mr . Wilson Patten , M . P ., said he attended the meeting to hear the opinions of persons connected and acquainted with the subject , rather than to pass resolutions . Sir Geoege Strickland , M . P ., Baid the two Hon . Members who h&a la ^ t addressed Use meeting had explained so clearly what he was going to say , that he felt it would be supererogation to say more . He bad received a circular some time ago , and be had attended t-j ste what was its imprestion upen manufacturers , tLa : Le might know what part to take in the House of Commons os this most Important subject He should bave felt it presumption to have addressed that meeting , were it not many years ago he took up the subject ; he was then a Ten Hours man : be resolved to see that
carried out to tbe fullest extent , so that no one under twenty-ene years should work more thau ten hours ; tnat did not , ho wtver , meet with concurrence , and there appeared to be a disposition in favour of an Eight Hours BilL In answer to tbe observations of Mr . Brook , he would say , that above all things he would deprecate a committee of the House of Commons ; be bad sat on them all from Sadler ' s down to tbe last cmmittee , where much evidence was adduced relative to tha relay system , and that was an impression very much in favour of a six hours relay system , which arose from the fact that in many eases tbe eight hours relay system bad degenerated into a six when tbe eight would not work ; and many witnesses distinctly stated that tbey preferred a six hours to an eight hours reity system .
Mr . Beicht , of Boebdale , said there appeared to be a difference of opinion upon this question , and from all be bad beard it was sot likely to be diminished . Some thought there should be no legislation at all upon this subject , and then were for having all matters connected -with them regulated by Act of Parliament . His own opinion went with tbe first ef these . He said he believed that all legislation upon this subject was wrong ; be did not particularly object to legislation so fax as it bad gone , because be believed public opinion had been -with it , but it was most certain if they did go on patching and tinkering this question , that no sort of satisfaction either to employer ex employed ever could result Mr . Hand wished this questioa to toe
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settled , be ( Mr . Hiight * in «* t say , he thought b'j was locking f . r sou-etbiug iu » p <« isstbld ; h « was standing on tbe bai ; k while the river flowed by . He thought it was vain and useless labour to endeavour to reconcile e ! rn ; en : s whi « h were irrconcilable ; he should be very happy to say " aye" to the proposition that tbe present Bill was very bad , but he should say " no" to ih » remaining propositions , and be believed if the great body of the woiiing classes were polled , that a great majority of them would say " no" to the same propositions .
Mr . Kat , of Bury , rose to express his thankfulness to the gentlemen who bad convened this meeting , and bo felt happy that Mr . Bind had been able to propose c plan for their consideration . He was rather surprised at tbe remark that all attempts at legislation were useless and unnecessary . He must «» y that tictory legislation had done a great deal of gocd —( hear ) . To bis own knowledge since he had batn connected with cotton factories , mills were In the haWt of ruDning Dot merely twelve , but thirteen , fourteen , and fifteen hours a day , —ihear ) , —and if tb «» y h » U made Ac * s of Parliament to prevent crnelty to animals , in the name of aU that was good , why should they not pass an Act of Parliament for the protection of buman labour—and if cruelty had been practised as could be attested by thousands ot living witnesses , he oould not see why the legislature should not interfere and do what they could to prevent its recurrence—( hear ) . Ha had woiked in a factory
himself , and he would say that so long as they worked children twelve hsurs a day , sixty-nine hours a week , tbey were detracting from their moral capabilities and perceptions , snd he was sure they impaired their physical strtDgth . Mr . Bright said that the matter had not been much agitated ; he was sui priaed at that when they had seen thousands of persons passing through the conntry last year pul ing tbe plu « s ont of tLeir boilers and stopping their milis ; one of their demands being thi-. t tbe mills should not be worked more than ten hours a day . He was of opinion that till they determined to reduce tb bc-urs of labour te ten hours all factory legislation would fail in attaining those objects wbifh it was desirable to attain ; and tbat he knew Was the opinion of the working people in his district . Gentlemen whose ruiils were in large towns were not so intimately acquainted with the habits and opinions of their workpeople as others where the people livtd upon the establibbment , as they did in his .
Mr . Bright explained tbat bo « Jid not mean to say that legislation upon the subject had done no good ; his opinion was that it had dene tome good , for public opinion was with it . Mr . WaLKEB , of Bradford , depiecatir-jr nnd condemning as be Btronsly div \ tbe rcD » i \ rk » made by Mr . Bright , was happy to find he had eonceded the point by stating that public opinion was against him . The arguments of Mr . Bright might have been used forty years ago , and tbey need not have come tbcru in 1843 , to be told tbat young persons were not to be protected , that no necessity txisted for protecting those who could not protect themselves . He trusted tbey hart m »<) o a greater march in the way of improvement than to beg any attention to such views ; be had no doubt that
many of the inct h-fluential Members of the House of Commons entertained right views upon this important subject , and thut when an opportunity offered they would biing it to a satisfactory conclusion . He rejoiced to say tbat the principal coucerns in cotton , fl . ix , woollen , worsted , anil he might add silk , desired a diminution in the heura of labour . Ho confidently stated that many of ibe largest concerns in all those branches wouM be happy to sec the hours of labour reductd from twelve to ten . He hoped thtn that Honi Gentlemen would not be influenced by those who say that they had no wish for tinkering in legislation , but tbat havinu been culkd together , tbey woulu concur in some measure which wculd effectually promote the welfare of th ? bodies and sculs of the young persona employed in their factories , < Sco .
Mr . Mi live , of Oldbara , bad been for ten years a strong advocate of the Tea Hoars Bill , oa the ground that to work longt-r was injurious to the health and morals of tbe children and young persons . He advocated it too on behalf ot those who were thrown out of work by the present system . Why should they work to deatb five-sixths of tbe population for tbe puiporfe of throwing tbe other sixth out of work , and filling the gaols and workhouses with them —( hear ) f He wanted to knuw what injury could arise to any class by allowing them all to work ten hours , instead of five-sixths working twelve hours a day , anJ oco-sixtb working
none at alL He never beard a speech with more pain than be listened to Mr . Bnghfs . He bad a great respect for Mr . Bright , but bis opinions were diametrically opposed to every single sentiment be had expressed . He ( Mr . Milne ) was prepared to nay that the Ten Hours Bill would be of advantage to tbe employer . He contended then that it was as much for tbe benefit of the master as tbe man to reduce the hours ef labour ; and the only proper principle on which to regulate the hours of labour was to continue to lessen the number of hours till the whole of tke labouring population had employment
Mr . MORRIS presumed that tbe meeting contained gentlemen who were too sound political economists to be carried away by tbe arguments of tho last speaker . There were always two parties to a bargain , and it was very well to raise tbe price by reducing tbe supply , but he doubted very much whether that would be practicable . He begeeci distinctly to say , that in his opinion the reduction of the hours of labour to ttn hours a day would be prejudicial to tbe masters and tbe children . Mr- Hi . ndlet , M . P ., thoucht they should now
adjourn . It was four o ' clock , aiid tbe corn law question was coming on , and tbey had niany petitions to prtstnt . He thought it highly necessary that this discussion should be continued , and be was desirous . tbat tbe fallacies of the last speaker , and of Mr . Miln ^ should not remain unanswered , be should move tbat the meeting adjourn till the next day , nt twelve o ' clock . Mr . BRIGHT was understood to say that he should protest against any resolutions being brought forward at the next meeting . The meeting then adjourned .
ADJOURNED MEETING . The adjourned meeting of Members of Parliament , and Miilowners from the four counties of York , Lancaster , Chester , and Derby , upon this subject , was held on Wednesday , May the 9 : b , at the British Hotel , Cocks-pur-street . The Hon . J . S . Wortlty resumed the chair . Mr , Ellis , cf Cast )* field , Bingley , waa in the possession of the signatures of the owners of twentyfour mill 3 , representing their opinion upon the subject of the hours ot lanour . He might say , generally , that if it were thought adviseablo to alter the act now in force , there was no objection on the part of these millowncrs to its being altered to the extent proposed by rhe bill , it being very near the practice existing in their mills now .
The Chaikman said it appeared to be the impression of the meeting yesterday , tbat they should not come to 3 ! iy distinct vote on the occasion : they only wanted to hear the opinion of gentlemen connected with the factories , for the information of members oi Parliament . Mr . Ellis read tho instructions he had received They wtre as follows : — " It is tho opinion of tho owners of mills in Keighley , Otley , and Burley , in the West Ridiug of the County of York , that it is not advisable to interfere t ' ur herwitb the hours of labour , than is proposed to be done by the Government factory bill now before parliament . "
Mr . Rand said they had met for tue purpose of laying before nie .-ubcrs of Parliament , their respective opiuious as regarded the hours of labour . and the age of admiss'ou into tho factories , and th <; ir reasons for such opinion .-. ; for upon the soundness of tbo reasons depended the worth of the opinion to the Governnuut . Th ^ rc could be no doubt that the object of thu Government in proposing ihi 3 bill , was not to fix hours for the exclusive advantage of the masters , but so to fix them as to bo consistent with the moral improvement of the population . ( Loud cheers . ) If gentlemen lost sight of that fact , and consulted only their own private inttr ^ ts , they lost
sight of the very pith of the reason which induced the Government , to Biir at all in tbematter . ( Hear . ) He would now bj £ to ask Mr . EU 13 one question , which he trusted he would answer with the same frankness as he ( Mr . Rand ) had stated his reasons , yestp rday , for the plan he proposed ; it nas this" Whether a period of twelve hours actual labour for young persons , chicflyly femaies , with two hours for meals , the time for going and returning from tha mills , occupying nearly fifteen hours , were , in his judgment , compatible with their moral improvement , and wiih tho proper discharge of domestic dnties 1 "
Mr , Ellis should say that the plan Mr . Rand proposed yusUTday , would not obtain the object he had in view . He was quite satisfied , for his own part , that evening schools were altogether insufficient for the purpose of educating the people . He ( Mr . Ellis ) had been for the List thirty or forty years much interested in the sntjtct of education ; in his neighbourhood they had a national school , containing two hundred and sixty scholars . In his opinion , however , evening and Sunday schools would be by
no means adequate for the purpose . The persons usually found willing to instruct in Snuday Schools , were generally very incompetent to tbe duty , and much more fitted to be scholars than teachers . As to the physical part of the question , that was a question fitter for medico ] men to decide than for himself . He should say there were few neighbourhoods where the morals of the people were better ( ban in his own , if he might judge of morals from the number of convictions that took place : the number of convictions for assault did not exceed
thvrty-ttree in a year , m a population of 26 , 009 . He thought that waa a pretty good proof that they were not in % bad etate as regarded peace and order . Mr . Rahd should be sorry to appear pertinacious in a matter of this kind , but he would beg to submit that that was no answer to his question , which he begged to repeat to Mr . Ellis . Mr . Ellis made no reply . Th * Chairman would wish to ask Mr . Ellis one question , with respect to the working of the enactments whioh provided tor relays ef the young children . Great ol j ction had been made to that system in some respects , and he should be glad to know Mr . EUis ' s opinion opoa it . Mr . Ellis said he had been engaged to that sort of employment upwardb of iorty years , and he had
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never seen anything like a difficulty in it wh ^ rc parties did not employ an undue proportion of very young pt-rions . Ho hnid n » t . however , any childrea who worked more thau six hours , the eight hours rolay having bean found productive of much inconvenience . The children in his establishment , between tho age of nine and thirtecen , formed about 10 per cent , of tho wholo population employed , but in the worsted business he knew the proportion was much greater , in some cases aa muoh as 33 per cent . He thought whore there was a ready disposition to aid the legislature , thu system might easily be carried out . Mr . Aldam , M . P , said , one objection which had been raised to the system waa , that they brought up a greater number of persons to the factory employment than could be employed as adults . Mr . Ellis was unable to speak to that point ; he never found any inconvenience to result from it . to
Mr . Aldam bt- ^ ed ask how long Mr . Ellis had praodsfd the six hour system . Mr . Ellis said about uvo year ? . Ha ad * ptud it after conferring on the . subject , with . vir . Saunders , theFacioiy Inspector , who strongly recommendott him to try it . Mr . Bkccklehurst , M P ., thought the plan of Mr . Ellis might suit Kei ^ hley Uiiiou v « ry well , but Mr . Rand ' s plan was much more comprehensive . The buniness of silk throwing would be entirely destroyed by Mr . Ellis ' * plan . He would propose for silk that children from eight to ten years of age should oniy work six hours and a half , and attend schjol , a » d from ten to thirteen , work ten hours a day , and from thirteen , according to the provisions of the BUI .
Mr . Walker remarked that Mr . Eilis had alluded to his own works in tho countay : tho objection applied ruoro particularly to lav ^ o towns , where the population would be made o largo in consequence of the doubio relay system . The Chairman said he had been told that the difficulty would be in tho country whore there would not b-3 a sufficient number of children for the relays . Mr . Bkccklehurst remarked that the Mayor of M&cclesiield had lately taken a census of that town , when it was found that there were 1700 adult weavers walkiug about , and not one child under eighteen years of ag < i unemployed . Mr . Harrison , of Bury , coucurrpd with Sir G . Strickland in advocating an Eleven Hours' Bill .
Mr . Kay , of Bury , said in many of the mills in large towns the owners would not employ children tinder thirteen years of age at all . They were , therefore , to ramble up and doivn tho streets , and to do what they pleased He should very much recommend niillowncrs to take into their consideration that which Mr . Rand had so ably staged , whether twelve hours labour was really consistent with a proper feeling of humanity towards their workpeople . Mr . Brook thought it was agreed that Mr . Rand ' s resolutions should to-day be taken into consideration with a view of considering them in detail . As to tbe fir ^ t nsoiuiion , he would not say one . word except that heen ' . iroly agreed with it . The second was an mter fallacy . To suppose that , was to suppose that
the persons who were enabled by law to work twelve hours a-day remained stationary , and did not pro greas into ati . y other department of manufacture As they attained Btrengtii , and ability , and informatiou , they woro gradually taken from the piecers to be / ceder ? , where they would feed two carders , or a carder and and a scribbler . That this would introduce then a double numbtr of persons into the factories was a fallacy—( h « ar , hear . ) He then read the third resolution , and asked if there could beany thing more unreasonable than to suppose that that would be ( he case ; the ordinary wa ^ es of piecjrs was 3 d . 6 d . a-week , and in some places as h' ^ has 43 . bd . f ^ or the young'T branches engaged in that business . But they only got half that
amount , that was Is . yd . subj ct to a reduction of 31 . a week . The income to the tamily therefore did not exceed Is . 6 * .. Suppose a man ' s family consisted of five children , he would not have m »> ro thau two who oould work , ; at that description of work , thut would be three shilling ** a week , but that would bo a sufficient inducement for any man to change his residence . With regard to the 4 th resolution ^ he might perhaps subject himself to the charge of inhumanity in what he was going to say ; but his opinion was , and it was not a very recent opinion , but one founded upon great experience , and it was the opinion of the most celebrated men iu the medical profession , that the persons employed in mills in his neighbourhood , where they regularly worked twelve hours , were
more healthy—he said more healthy—than the children who were allowed to roam about , » nd who were unemployed . They worked in a temperature , certainly not like that of the cotton mills in Lancashire , which was by no moans consistent with health ; and he was told tho effect of the oil was by no means insalubrious ; and he believed it w&s admitted by the Factory Inspectors that the children who caine under their inspection were taller of their years than those engaged iu any other employment . With mgard to tho pressure upon tho physical powers , he wculd take it upon himself to say that there waa nothing like work in the woollen trade , as compared with the work of an agricultural labourer , a mason , a bricklayer , or any other
labourer ; all that was required was attention , but beyond that there was nothing at all that deserved the appellation of labourer . If this were passed young females of the age of eighteen would not bo allowed to work the regular hours as by the present law ; he could see no reason for that ; he believed young women at eighteen were an much at maturity as they ever would bo— " The proper performance of domestic duties ; " on that he would say , that all facory labour 01 labour of any kind other than domestic labour , had a tendcucy to produce that evil , and unless they took steps to annihilate factory labour , that evil which W 88 inseparable from the system must continue . How could they teaoh young women engag-d ten hours a-day , the culinary ait , or washing ,
or getting up of linen , cooking , or other domestic work ? The next resolution he thought that had been already referred to in the first proposition , and certainly relays never oould work well or would bo submitted tp by the employer , except when there was a great demand for labourer-. Ah he observed yesterday , to reduce the liours of labour from twelve to ten would have the efivct of destroying one-sixth of all the mill property in the kingdom—( a laugh ) He hoDcd he was not misunderstood . Unquestionably if they could work the mills as much as they were capable of being worked , and H they were prevented working them two hours a day , if he understood figures , it must have the effect , of depriving them of the employment , of one-sixth of their property and of its value .
Mr . Harrison remarked that th # value of property depended on the manner of working it and tho profits of the trade . Mr ^ Brook did not see how that affected the propos tion , Mr . Harrison said it most certainly did affect the proposition . Mr . Brook really did not see much in tho remark . The gentleman who spoke last adverted to some remarks wjth which the meeting was favoured by Sir Geo . Strickland yesterday , and he ( Mr . Brook ) quite concurred in the view he took of those remarks . He
was aware that there were extremo opinions , and ho thought that all parties should be ready to make some concessions . The public had agreed that a factory bill should begin when the firBt factory bill was paused , it was passed under circumstances prejudical to the millownors ; frequent cases of abuse had been committed , and some humane , persons , one of whom was in the room—( hear , bear)—headed an agitation upon thu subject , and the resuk was that a factory bill waa pa- ^ eu tn the total absence of proper information ; and that mill-owner would have b ^ er . a bold man who dared come fotward then to doftud
himself from the oharges of cruelty witn which as a body they were stigmatised . Gentlemen of as great humanity as those who headed the agitation felt themselves prostrated , and had not moral courage enough to defend themselves from the charges heape agaiustthem . Tho view he took of the question as regarded shortening the hours of labour was this . He held that it would be difficult , it ' not almost impossible for the manufacturers of this country to keep a footing against foreign competition , and he thought it became the legislature to be cautious how far they attempted to increase the difficulties which at present oppressed the manufacturing population of this country . He had before hintod , however , that concession became all ; they were all members of a great and intelligent . doubt had the
community , and no they eamo objeot in view . He for one , by the way of getting a proper settlement of the question , though he was in the habit of working twelve hours , would not mind agreeing to a bill of eleven hours . He did not thi ; : k thai that would deprive him of a twelfth pirt of his property , but it would deprive him of some , and no one could deny it . In the woollen trade in Yorkshire , tho people worked by the piece , and if work should be plentiful , he had no doubt the men who were responsible tor the performance of the work , would take the opportunity of cleaning the machines during the work hours , as they would hsive such an interest in turning out a large quantitj % f work in the week . Nothiug would give him ( Mr . Brook ) so mucQ pleasure as to see some plan of education brought forward by the gentlemen whioh would
be capable ofbeiug worked , paying a respect to all the opinions and scruples of the community at large ; but to fetter any individual class of tradespeople , and to vex and annoy them in the conduct of their business , was ao utterly unjust aad so bad in principle that he should lcok upon it as the greatest evil that could happen to the factory masters—( hear , hear . ) No man eould be more convinced of the necessity of education than himself , but he would say that the people of the manufacturing districts were better and greater , notwithstanding all the obloquy that had been thrown upon them , than those of the agricultural labourers . He had no other remark to make than simply to Bay that if any good should result from this meeting , he should feel very thankful to the gentlemen who had called it , and he should be glaxi to give any assistance to an Eleven Hours Bill . Mr . John Wood , of Bradford , having felt himself alluded to by Mr . Brook , freely confessed that he was very early engaged in obtaining the public
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support to an ameliorat' -on 0 ? fasti ry labour , and perhaps the meotiug would think ho waa jiiscifi'd in doing eO i when they know that tens of thousands of children , some as young as seven years of a ^ e , began work in the morning at six o ' clock , frequently earlier , and continued their labour uniforrafy till seven at night , frequently till eight or nine , with but the short interval of half an hour for meal " . It was his habit never to asperse any branch of factory employment . ( Hear , hear ) Ho merely entered
into these abuses with which he was familiar , and which he could no longer permit to continue without attempting some improvement . ( Hear , hear . ) He therefore , from year to year , etrugglod with his friend , the late Mr . Sadler , whose name be honoured , to obtain a system more consistent with humanity and Christianity ; and it was the happiest recf-lleetion of his life that th . 3 first Bill that passed , affecting his own branch of business , might be considered as the result of those early labours in which he" had engaged . ( Hear , hear . )
Mr . Hindley said if he had the framing of an Act of Parliament ho would bring m a bill for twelve hours from the commencement to the termination of labour leaving half an hour for breakfast , and osie hour for dinuer , and he would permit young persons to enter the mill at eleven years of a , ^ e . That was what he would reeotnnieu'i , but he would not conceal that the great barfy of the masters wouid not agree to it . Mr . Milne beliaved that legislation had done a great deai of good ; were it uot for legialactoa , the supoly of goods in the market now would have created Huch a glut as to have thrown tha people out of employment . It , then , louder hours than swoiv »; would have caused greater glut in the market , and
would have thrown a number of people out of . employment , tiie reverse mast follow ; f they worked lesa hours ; the glut would bo less and afterwards they should bo able to employ mrsre hands . He did not think that working > horier hours would dimmish the value of mill properly ; his opin i on was , that by working shorter hours thty would ia a year or two not require more hands but the masters would get more profit . It was a fixed principle that- the smaller quantity of an article was thrown upon tho market the greater price it commanded . H tho supply , of labour to the markot were reduced it woulu have a tendency to raise the value of labour ; if the people did not work more then ten hours u would diminish tho supply of labour , and would therefore
increase the value of it to the benefit of both masters and men . He was of opinion , however , that they should discuss this question in relation to its raoral and physical effects upon the employed . ( Hear . ) He believed that long hours had the same bad physical effects upon adults as upon children , though the Government would not legislate for persons over 21 years of age . He did not . think , howover , that the Government acted upon the right principle in that ; he perfectly agreed that Government should not interfere with tho liberty of tha subject , hut there was no liberty when once they entered a factory , fceveral gentlemen had expressed a strong objection to any made or vote this
motion bein ^ taken upon subject ; he did not know why that was . The me ; ting was called in order to -express to members of Parliament tho opinions of millowners and he did not see how members could know what their opinion was unless a vote were taken . Many gentlemen had not spoken at all , and it was impossible to kno ^ their sentiments without taking a vote . He should not make a motion himself but he would suggest that tfre feeling of the meeting should be taken as to a Ten Hours' BUI . ( Hear , hear . ) He was glad to hear Mr . Brook express himself favourable to an Eleven Houra Bill , which was advocating the principle in opposition r . o tho relay system .
Mr . Rand said when he oime to the meeting yesterday be « auio under the conviction that they ought to have a Factory Bill of ten hours . He came .. there with a mind open to conviction , not with a determination to adhere to any plan of hi 3 own , but desirous ot hearing every reason that could be urged a ^ a ujst it ; and he couid honestly ssy that ho had not heard oue gali .-factory , sound reason for a . departure from his principles ; i he might be wrong . Mr . Brook had consented to * come down to an Eleven Hour Bill , but before he consented to ' that ho di .-tinctly told the meeting that concurrently with the factory system i'seH , it was in vain to look
for moral impr ^ veiueut or domestic comfort amongst the females in the factories . It' he ( Mr . Rand ) entertained that op'nion he would say " perish the factories , " but ho did not ; ho had no desire- to revurt to the days of domsstic industry , when the p > o ^ le manufactured by hand iu a possibly damp and unwholesome cottage ; he believed the factory system might be ma . < ie a blessing to England and consistent with the moral welfare of tho people . ( Hear . ) If that might be so , ho wouid ask if it were not their duty so to legislate that such should be tho result , and he balived tha system could be managed iu such a manner as to produce that result .
Mr . Walker observed , with regard to a remark of Mr . Eihs's about medical evidence , that he could furnish him with a whole host of" medical evidence " upon the subject . Dr . Hawkins said the hours of labour should be limited to ten hours a cay , and stated that that was the opinion of the majority of tho medical men of Lancashire ; there was no doubt on that subject whatever . ( Hear , hear . ) He might go further ia relation to what had / alien from Mr . Brook , and qnote the opinion of a practical man whom he ( Mr . Walker ) 3 hould like to have been present , ho mennt Mr . Greg , who said that a reduction in tho hours of labour was most important to tho Bianufacturing population to any alteration in their moral 01 physical condition ; it might be urged in opposition that all legislative interference was , an evil , and so forth , but it was an evil said Mr . Greg , which necessity and policy may justify , and which justice and humanity imperatively demanded .
Mr . Walkkr , M . P . for Bury , wished to know the namo " of the pamphlet of which Mr . Greg was the author , for ho believed he had written upon both fiiaos of the question . ( A laugh ) Mr . Walkkr replied that the author was Mr . Wm . Groi ; , and that the pamphlet was called " An Inquiry into the State of the Manufacturing Population . " He might also quote from Mr . Kcnworthy , a gentleman who employed 2 , 000 power looms ; and who oii ^ ht to be an authority , and he was firmly convinced that ten hours was the full period that a person should be employed . ( Hear , bear . ) If they agreed to a Ten Hours Bill ( hey would do
what wu . s right towards tho working people ; and if the con * equcnce shou'd be less profit to the masters , he contended that the temporal and external welfare of the young people should not be bartered for tho sake of gain . ( Hear , hear . ) But he thought there would be no serious loss to either party in the long run ; and he had no fear whatever of tho conquences ; he knew many gantlemen who would be glad to see the hours of labour reduced to tea who would indeed be delighted to have it so , for they would the » havo a population around them who wouid regard them not aa tyrants , but as friends . ( Hear . )
Mr . Brook hoped the meeting would remember thai , ! heiti was a marked dist i nction between cotton and wool . His remarks were confined to wool , Mr . Walker's applied to cotton . If there were an objection to working twelve hours in wool , he should nay there was as great an objection to working ten hours in cotton . The nature of the one was far sup rior to the other . The temperature of a cotto . i mill was exceedingly hi ^ h , whilst in ajwool establishment it was not too high . Mr . Walker said that was not exactly the question ; it was not the naturo of the labour , b « t it wa ^ the robbing tho children of tho time which they required for moral improvement . They should be content with ten hours of laeir labour , and let thorn spend the remainder of thiMr time as they chose .
Mr . Harrison said there was no difference between the temperature tf cotton and wool mills . In the mills of Mr . Kenwenhy , however , ha believed there was considerable difference , which consisted in the difference between fine and low spinning . Mr . Kay said the gentleman referred to was not Mr . Ken worthy of Manchester ; he believed Mr . K . ' s temperature was not high . Mr . Walker , M P ., said his brothers were very largely connected with the cotton trade , and he had therefore thought it his duty to consult gentlemen interested in that trade , and ascertain their opinions , and he found that there was a general
dissatisfaction with tho law as it at present stood . He thought there was a gveat disposition to come to & compromise with the labourers a ? to the hours of working . Different opinions did exist , but the great majority of reasonable and well-disposed manwfac'urcrs were in favour of a short time of working . ( Hear , hear . ) The general feeling appeared to be that there should be a uniform time of working tor children and adults , and so far aa he could judge , tiio majority were in favour of making ton hours with the children rather than have tho reby system . ( Hear , hear . ) Ha believed the relay sysferu was not adopted at ail in Bury , containing 70 , 000 inhabitants .
Mr . Kay remarked that . there were one or two ivho worked upon it . Mr . Walker , M . P . continued—He was nof aware of it . But ho knew there was a great disposition against it , for tho system was so troublesome , and Inspectors had so much power , that masters would rather employ persons above thirteen years of age , than they would be troubled to steer clear of all the meahes aud nets spread for them by the present law —( hear , hear ) . He saw tho difficulty of relays , and of having much labour unemployed from six to thirteen years of ago , and Bhould they come to a vote in the HouBe of Commons , he Bhould vote for a Ten
Hours Bill ; but , seeing so many influential manufacturers present , he should lik « to have their unanimous opinion , because that would have a great effect upon the Government . So long aa the present system continued , the females could not be educated : they became mothers in a state of ignorance ; and he thought one argument in favour of a diminution of the hours of labour was the respect they ought to bave for the female character—( hear , hear ) . He thought that the manufacturers and spinners present should come to a unani-nous vote , whether in favour of an Eleven or a Ten Hours' Bill , and he thought that by some compromise they ought to do bo . Could
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they no : do it by having a Ten and a half Hours ' B U ? Suppose to befcinwork at bix and woVbtiii < fij ? tfc , th-n half aa hour for breakfast th work till twelve , then begin again at one anS work untill six o'clock at night , that would be ten and a half hours . They wouid allow no limit f « r t < . a , aad he knew from experience that a man could de as much in a short day as he could in alonf day—( hear , hear . ) He knew that when Manehester fair was in prospect or a fete was coming on they had 20 per cent , added to theamaunt of production in a given time , and he was confident if tha pJL pie knew they were oaly | to work ten hour 3 and a half , that thoy would Work with greater spirit than they did now—( hear , hear . ) He chougni they would go a great servtco to humanity , and would not be injuring the trade , if they came to a resolution to that effect —( hear , hear . ) At the same time he did not wish to intrude hig opinions—( hear . )
Tho Chairman said the last speaker had remarked tVat in the town of Bury there was no one manufacturer who had worked by relays , perhaps he would be good enough to explain how they escapo the system of relays , because children under thirteen years of a ^ e , w ? re limitrd to eight hours labour . Mr . Walker , M P ., said that they had not a child under thirteen years of age in their factories —( hear hear . ) With respect to Mr . Greg ' s pamphlet he would remark that Mr . Greg wrote it when he » a youug man , and he ( Mr . Walker ) highly approved of it ; but about , Sve years ago Mr . G . wrote a pamphlet on tha other tide , and he belived he was now a uvsive hour man—( Alauzh . )
Mr . ( hketham was afraid that the feeling ex . pressed by the gentleman who had just sat down with , regard to au unanimous vote , could not be realized , for it appeared that in that room as elsewhere thsy were divided . The questioa presented itself to him in two points of viow , the 1 st a question of humanity , the 2 nd a question of policy . Oa the iootiiitf oi' Humanity , tea hours was correct , and eight hours would be still better , but it did not accord with policy ; and when he ( Mr . Cheetham ) saw the ; rade of this country bound and fe ; tered , ik appeared to him that Government should first seek CContinued in our Fijth page . )
Now Publishing Ia Penny Numbers And Fourpenny Parta, Voltaire's Philosophical Dict1ona.Ry, Without Abridgement, Verbatim
Now publishing ia Penny Numbers and Fourpenny Parta , VOLTAIRE ' S PHILOSOPHICAL DICT 1 ONA . RY , without abridgement , verbatim
Local Markets.
LOCAL MARKETS .
Leeds Corn Market , Tuesday May 16 th . —The arrival of Wheat to this day ' s market is rather larger than last week , other kinds of grain small . Fine Wheat has been in limited demand at last week ' s prices , but the second qualities have been in hotter demand , and prices fuliy supported ; the chambered qualities very dull . Barley little alteration . Oats and Beans iu better demand , and prices rather dearer .
WAKEFIELD CORN MAREET . Friday , May 19 th—There is a good arrival of Wheat to this day ' market , mostly of fine qoajity J the holders are firm in demanding fully last weefcs rates , which ha ^ caused a slow trade . Barley is steady in price , the fke samples off red find buyers . Oats and Shilling are in improved demand , tfle former at an advance of id . per stone , and tne latter 6 d . per load . Bcaas must be noted is . per quarter , dearer HuDDERSFiiiLD Clotii Market , May 16 . — To-d ay , as last woefc , aui for many weeks previous , the business transacted was not great . Fancy Woollens stui sell best . Tiie warehouses are uot so busy , nor IB there any preset oi tbeir being so . Tho town was extremely lull of visitors in consequence of it being the May fair , but their sport was maoh damaged &y the rain which continued all the evening .
Leeds :—Printed For The Proprietor Feargit 8 O'Connor, Eaq. Of Hammersmith, Count*
Leeds : —Printed for the Proprietor FEARGIT O'CONNOR , Eaq . of Hammersmith , Count *
Middlesex , by JOSHUA BOBSON , at bu w ing Offices , Nos . 12 and 13 , Maiket-streeV Briggatei and Published by ihe nd * Joshtja Hobsos , ( for the eaid Fbarows O'Conkob , ) » t hia D ™ ' ling-bonse , No . 5 , Market-street , Brfggate ; M internal Communication tainting between the No . 6 , Marketatreet , and the Mid Nos . 12 and 13 , Market-gtreet , Biiggate , thna consUtating the whole ot the said Printing and Publishing Oflce one Promise * . A . U Communications must he addressed , Post-p « d » * ° Mr . Hobsok , Northern Star CMfice , I-e ^ s , ( Saturday , May 20 , 1843 . )
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<\ THE NORTHERN STAR . r
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), May 20, 1843, page 8, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1213/page/8/
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