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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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THE TRUCK SYSTEM AND THE * DFVIL'S DUST . " HR . FERRAND'S SPEECH IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS , ON WEDNESDAY IN LAST WEEK . Mr . PEEBAKD rose , pursuant to notice , to more for a sfclect committee , to inquire into the existence of frauds in tha -various manufactures of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ; also to inquire into the existence of frauds and oppressions , either directly or indirectly , committed by certain manufacturers of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , npon tie persons employed by them ; and also by the workers of mines , colleries , and railways , upon the labonrers in their employment The Hon . Member also moved the following reBOlntions : —
" That this House considers as highly criminal the conduct of any person or persons who may attempt to induce olliera to give false evidence before a committee of this Honse , and ¦ will inflict condign punishment on all such persons , and ¦ will also direct them to be prosecuted /* - - . ^ " That this Honse frill protect and bear harmless every working man "who gives true evidence before any ¦ committee which may be appointed to inquire into the frauds committed by manufacturers and others , to the isjury of the trade of this country , and of the labonring -classes . "
He said that in rising to perform the duty which he had undertaken , be felt he had placed himself under a heavy -weight of responsibility . Every class of manuiactarera in Great Britain and Ireland had their eyes on him . It was felt by the whole community that we were not in that position to which our skill , capital , and industry entitled us ; and it could not but at the same time be felt that the motions which he had sab ? mitted to the House ought to have proceeded from certain Hon . Members at the other side . But though , perhaps , it might be thought that the motion ought to hate proceeded from others rather than from him , be yet trusted to the kind attention of the House to -grant him a favourable hearing . When he first brought forward the charges -which -were involved in
bis motion , he was induced to do so in self-defence—be was driven into it by the accusations brought against the landed interest ; throughout the whole country men were hired for the purpose ef using the most violent language—placards of the most inflammatory nature were posted in every town and Tillage . The working classes were told that the evils which they had to endure were not impnUble to any accidental occurrences— -were not in any respect imputable to their employers , but ¦ were Bolely owing to the conduct of the landed interest ; it was the landed interest , they -were told , -which deprived them of food—it was the landed interest , they were told , which dried the mother ' * breast , and excited the ont-cries of the famished infant , and no one was fonnd to urge the troth npon the attention of the working classes . He and those who generally coincided in opinion with him did not subscribe to those assertions They repudiated tbe assertion that the landed interest " were 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 & matter which had already been made the subject of a standing order of that House , It was important , be conceived , to let the people know that they would be protected fr # m the effects of any false evidence Which the manufacturers might get op 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 of that Honse . They should be assured of enjoying absolute and perfect security for such o' the Working classes as might he examined before a select committee . The fact was , that the working classes would not venture to com « before a committee of that House if they did not receive such an assurance , for otherwise the prevailing opinion amongst them was , that their utter min must ensue . It was well known
that the late Mr . Sadler had done much -with a view to improve the condition of the working classes , and they bad his testimony to show that those who were called npon to give evidence had been severe sufferers from the consequences of their temerity in so offending those from whom they derived their means of employment . They obeyed the summons of the Speaker , and for doing so they lost the means of subsistence ; and if they refused to obey the Speaker ' s summons , they were condemned to prison and to misery , and their families to distress . Two petitions had been presented to the Bouse by Mr . Sadler , stating all the facts which he bad sow stated . And what now -was the language of
the working classes ? Why , finding that £ 20 , 000 , 000 ef mosey had been voted by that House to put down slavery and oppression among the blacks , and £ 17 000 bad been granted for the purpose of ennabling the Hon . and Xearued Member for Bolton to go to the continent lor the purpose of extending trade , commerce , and manufactures , they could not for one moment believe that the Houfie -would refuse them protection whenever they were summoned to -appear and give evidence before any of its committees . Be thought the House would agree with him in thinking "that Bothmg was more requisite for the extension of trade and commerce than that themerchants and
manufacturers should be of nnsullied character and upright feonour , 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 konour and character cf the nation , and stringent laws were put in force to prevent fraud being practiced f > ith pT at home or abroad . The Act 13 th Bichard II .. c . 2 , was intended to apply to this , and She 5 th ud 6 th Edward Tl . was passed for the purpose of enforcing the true making of woollen clotb . The 43 rd Elizibeth was also passed to prevent frauds in the Tn * Vi-ng of cloths by starching them with flour ; and the 10 th Anne , c . 16 , was passed for the better
payment of the poor employed in tite tnnfring of cloth . All those were Acts passed by their ancestors for the protection of the people ; tut it happened that about fifty yean ago anew and enlightened principle burst forth , and the laws which protected the -working classes were pat down . What had been the consequences ? FrasdJ of the most gross description had been practised by some manufacturers in different trades in this ceuntry , to the great injury cf the merchant both , at borne and abroad , and to the utter ruin of those manufacturers in this country , many of whom ha believed ware anxious to be honest , upright , and honourable men —( b « ar , ieaTi—and who wished to carry to the market an article the sale of which would give them a just reward for their capital , and liberal wages to
the -workmen . But an enlightened principle had Binee then burst forth , and which , making rapid strides , had opened up a new arena £ > r the manufacturer to walk in—( a laugh . ; It was the new principle of many of those men to try Who could undersell his neighbour , who conld compete triih his brother manufacturer at home and abroad , and who conld produce the greatest quantity of goods at the lowest cost , both in price and labour . He had been told by hon . members of that house , that the c-rn laws were tae drag-chain of the commercial and manufacturing interests of this country ; and he had been informed both in the house and out of it , that tie agricultural aod landed ict = res ; s Wtre the causes of tee distress which prevailed in the country , and that if free trade
in corn were permitted , the commerce and manufacture * of England wcuid spTtad into every clime ; that , in fact , there w < _ : nld be n » measurement—if he Blight use that expression—to the extent of British commerce and manufactures . Why , he found that tie merchant * and ma nuf acturers cf tbU cotmtry ¦ were in possession of the South American market from the year 1809 to 1822 or 1823 . At that time Mr . Canning came down to the house and declared that we bad called a new world into existence ; and many of the manufacturers and merchants thought it would be a boundiesB sphere for the traae and Commerce of this country . But what was the consequence of the francs which bad been committed by the manufacturers cf this country ? They themselves ¦ were the first cause to a great extent of our loss of
the South American aiarkct . ( Hear . ) He had beard it stated by some Hon . Members on the opposite Side tf the House that the use of 3 . jut -was indispensably necessary in making calico ; but ke believed that the use of it was forstrly unknown , and that it was never made -cse of until introduced by the manufacturers f jr tbf- purpose of cheating and defrauding their customers —< hear , ht-aru He would no longer make ns « of those expressions upon his own authority ; but be would tdl Hon . Members who denied his statements and said they we e m-l true that they ought to call a committee , &i : d p-o ^ r tUeia uutrue if they could before teat committee— : b « x . btarj . He w » s asking for a committee for the very purpose of proving that his statement" were true . He wonld prodnee the evidence
of persons of great experience and influence even . asioDg Hon . Grectitmen opposite , and other evidence of manufacturers of tee b ehest respectability , men of fifty years baaing in business , and also of working psople , who -would come beiore the committee , if prop r protection were afforded them , atd prove the trull ) of every wora he baa mitred . He felt so strongly in his O » n mind conviction of tiie rectitude of the position be now held , xhat he faailessly asserted , if any rule cf Hie House would prevent his second resolution being granted , be irould a * k for a committee without it , and be would prove bis case by the evidence of merchants , m-iiufacuircra , cjfcr * synien . tradesmen , artisans , labaurfcrs , and other * . A son of the late Mem > er far Xfbda Mr . Bainrs . bad published a work , A History of
the Cotton Manujacture , which was reviewed In Tail t Magazine for Ayni 1835 . It was considered a work of great merit , and tec ften consulted by all ptnoas connected with lit co ' -ton trada He iilr . Ferrand ) hiu never bttid * f ar . J one * tempting to depreciate iii'r -wort Tht rrV ! P * t-r in Taifs Magazine a ! a :-" We shall extract b . u < De wnttnee upon a practice troicb , we bive hcara , is banishing foreigners from onr m .-tei . an . ; ira . i ^* ibsm to conncries where this dugr > fnl pr cic ~ is unknown : — ' To improve the appearance of the cloth , it is usually passed through fctarch in * c ul wncaiei . u-ur . ufttn mixed witiJ porcelain day ana calcium sulphate of lime , by which the cloth is xna e differ , ai .-i appears to Lave greater substance and sfev tth tb » n u proses to ha » e af car being washed , — - a Cr-nffiKUic * oBginaJiy devised for the pnrpose of
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fraud , 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 n » t 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 sufficiently clear . Is the yarn not worsened by using a proportion of what in the United States is accounted waste J" That proved that paste was first adopted for the purpose of fraud . He would now submit other evidence to the House , for he was not going to make assertions on his own
authority merely , but upon such authority as he trusted would induce Her Majesty ' s Government and the House to conclude that it was high time for them to interfere . He -would now read to the House the letter of a gentleman whe had paid great attention to this process . [ The Hon . Gentleman here read a letter which he 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 The History « f Paraguay under Dr . Francia , " by Mr . Bobinson , a merchant settled there , from which it appeared that 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 filled up with starch , he
ordered one end of the pieca to be washed , in order to demonstrate the fraud , and then would only allow the merchant half price for his article . Why , aaid he , the Jews are cheats , but Englishmen are downright swindlers—la laugh . ) When he ( Mr . Ferrand ) read the description given by Mr . Robinson hia blood boiled to think that Englishmen had so far debased the character of tb . 9 merchant of this country —( hear , hear . ) " Bring me , " Baid Dr . Francis , " goods from honest Germany—the English care for nothing but lucre and gain . " Conld they doubt , then ,. the way in which they had lost their trade ? Why bad they lost it ? Because the manufacturers had ceased to be honest , and had become ravenous after filthy lucre , saying to each other that the system suited their purpose—ibear . )
Would the House know the manner in which these tricks and fraudB had been carried on in Swituriand ? He . would refer them to No . 4 , of Chambers' Edinburgh Journal , of the 19 th of February last , where , m an article entitled " A few Weeks on the Continent , " he found the following passage : — "The bulk of the Swiss , it would appear , clothe themselves in materials made by the hand in their own humble dwellings ; and what they buy must be substantial and worth the money . English printed calicoes are rarely seen , although they are much lower priced than those of Swilseiland , because the people have no confidence in the durability of the coleurs . The Swiss goods of this class are not only beautiful , but stroDg 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 at Zurich that be did not believe a single piece ever -was sent to this country , the whole that were passed eff as Swigs 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 trashiness of quality of most English tissues is excluding them from the only open market in Europe . " He would now read to tke House a letter from a highly respectable Bhopkeeper in Liverpool , who forwarded him a piece of what was called the lower sort of white shirting . When he received the sample and the letter , be could scarcely believe that the poorer classes were so cheated and plundered by the manufacturers ; and be
wrote down to Liverpool to ascertain the character of tills 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 proof of your assertion that a large quantity of flour is used in the manufacturing of calicoes , 4 c ., I beg to hand you a fair sample of the lower sorts of whits shirtings , manufactured in this county , and of which you will perceive the poer man ' s food forms the greatest proportion . " One portion of that piece of cloth he ( Mr . Ferrand ) sent to the Right H&n . Baronet ( Sir R . Peel ) , and another to the Noble Lord opposite ( Lord J . Russell ) . Although an attempt had been made to fasten upon him the accusation that he
had charged the manufacturers generally—nay , universally , with , being dishonest , he had only declared that there Were fraudulent manufacturers , and be was sorry to say that their number was increasing , and that they were driving the honest manufacturer out of the markets . He would trouble the House with an extract from a work by Air . Babbage . The Economy of Manufactures , respecting the frauds in the lace manufacture , as brought under the notice ef that House by a Committee appointed to investigate the subject : — "The lace trade affords other examples ; and in inquiring into the complaints made to the House of Commons by the framework-knitters , the Committee obsarre , that , ' It is singular that the grievance most complained of 150 years ago should , in the present improved state of the trade ,
be the same grievance which iB now most complained of ; for it appears , by the evidence given before your Committee , that all the witnesses attribute the decay t > f the trade more to the making of fraudulent and bad articles than to the war , or to any other cause . ' And it is shewn by the evidence , that a kind of lace called ' single-press , ' 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 distingohh the difference between 'single-press * and ' doubla-press lace ;* and that , in another similar article , called * warp lace , ' such aid was essential . It was also stated by one witness , that ' the trade bad not yet ceased , excepting in those places where the fraud had
been discovered ; and from those places no orders are now sent for any sort of Nottingham l&ce , the credit being totally ruined . " * What said the book en the stocking trade ! "In the stocking trade similar frauds have been practised . It appeared in evidence that stockings were ma-de of uniform width from the knee down to the ankle , and being wetted and stretched on frames at the calf , they retained their shape when dry ; but that the purchaser could not discover the fraud until , after the first washing , the stockings hung like bags about his ankles . " He begged pardon of the House for detaining them by quoting so macb , but as there was so important public business before them that night , and as the question he was urging was so very important , and as he was
most anxious to discharge his duty , he trusted they would permit him to occupy their time for a few momenta longer . He was anxious to substantiate every word he had uttered in tkat House . They had often heard it asserted that there was much distress in the country , and they had as ofttn heard it imputed to the Com Laws . He emphatically denied that statement , and would read a paragraph from tae Nottixgham Journal of April 15 , to show how trade was rui ea by the frauds of the manufacturers : — "The cotton cut-up bose trade , which has now become an extensive manufacture in this vicinity , has somewhat improved , whilst the syatem of drop-offs is fast extending in some of the vUlsges south of Nottingham . These drop-oSs are stockings made withont narro wings at the
heels and toes ; instead of which , the heels are made full -wid ; h of the usual length , the web that should have been narrowt-d two stitches at a time gradually , is then pressed off wholly , a slack course 1 b made in one of the u ^ els in the usual way , and the httls are joined and-tnrDtd off , by looping the slack course m the usual manner . The frand now commences ; the two flaps of tke heels are turned inwards , and are suniewuat neatly basted down by the stamer , the hvetB are then seamed , or rather sewn , in the usual method , ana to a casual , inerperieceed , or inattentive observer , have all the appearance of being fnll-wrought hone Nothing can be more unpleasant to the wearer ; the joining of the toes being effected in the same manner , by drop ping off , ' instead of narrowing—the deception being , that the toes and htels are turned off in the usual way .
to deceive tae purchaser . By these practices , one stockinger is made to produce three or four times as many bose as when they are made m a proper manner . This has a greater tendency to curtail employment in the hosiery , than steam or any other invention bas in other manufactures , with this marked difference , that the superseding of human labour in ruoi't other branches of industry is the rrfnlt of ingenan ) and an extension of tbe arts ; in hosiery it is quite the reverse , as these frauds are a rttrogradation in ingenuity and skill , tending to produce interior wotkpe-opie as well as Inferior manufactures . The hosiery villages in tbe vicinity are fait getting isi-laten , or
rather selected , in their employment . Thus , the hands n Bulwell are principally employed in making cotton gloves ; . Ruddingvon , in making drop-tiffs and fancycaps ; Carlton , in mating socks , principally worn in the United States ; Hucfcnall , upon cottui . fancy hosiery ; Arnold , Calverton , and the villages to the east , are most employed in waiim ; full-fashioned hose ; wbibt Staplefurd and Sandincre are engaged principally in making warp lace ; but iu most of these villages tbe stocfcwgera are in a most destitute situation , arising from scanty employmei > t-an < i low wases . " It was on bebaif of these ni ^ n tbat br asked for tke Committee—on behalf of tl . ose men wiiu
could sot protect themselves ; anu ho trusted that ru-™* n who had heard the statement but woula cheerfully assist hhn in his object . The Hod . Gentltmen opposite . Who were engaged in manufactures , bad promiseJ that no impedimeEt would be thrown in his » ay ; he . boped they would now perform their promise , gram him the Committee , and he would prove evtry ai l' ^ ttion be had made . Then , as to watches , the rttceptiun was just as bad ; he bad a letter from a manufacturer . which , with permission of the Bouse , ha wouid read : —" Sir , —1 speak of tbe disclosures you have lately been Trntr '" 5 in Parliament as tofrauus in xnauufacturrb . It is now a long time since I broached that bubinct
and suggested that the old plan of stamping our cjulhs and linens , &c , should be resumed ; u » mg n aid the argument thai unless this were oone , tbe character oi the countjy would be lost , as each succtSMVe swwalrT would say to himself , It will serve my turn . 1 believe theclotbs sent out are oittn only tit fur wadding That the prints become blanks at tirss »» £ hing , l know , but I hart no suspicion tbat evt-n the cU tn nstsU was equally infamous . I have heard that ruunuus of needles have been sent out without e > es ; bc : ^> ur » ni » mof virgin steel , that remained - virgins ia all points , refusing to be of the slightest use ; that watches from this country go only half as hour , and axe losing all
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chaiacter ; that clocks only go once round ; that out muskets were only dangerous to the owners till the Tower preof was restored , aud that the American woodsman has found our axes such , tbat 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 epress the villanies of a parcel of scamps "—( laughter . ; They might laugh , but it was those f raud s that had ruined the trade cf the country , and it was high time for them to show that the Legislature of tbe present day were as jealous of the character of the country as it was 5 uO years ago . He had also a letter from a most respectable
manufacturer of Yorkshire , of fifty years ' standing , and b . e said— "You have not overstated anything as respects this neighbourhood , for I do not think there is a manufacturer of flushings , diuggeta , paddings , or pilot 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 manufacturers 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 ; Uien , of course , this country derived some advantage in pulling them up ; latterly they have come polled up ready for use , they on the Continent having obtained from this neighbourhood tbo machines fer pulling up the ra ^ s .
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 manufacturers 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 sixth-fourth piece to stand on the list , it would do bo of itself ; besides , this is not the worst evil—for when these goods come to lay some time , they generate a worm or moth , which will very soon con sume a whole piece ; in fact , such goods get worn out in
passing from one to another without any making up , and probably get returned again to thiB country in the shape ef rags , lo undergo a second resurrection , or perhaps a third . " And another fr&ra an old manufacturer in Leeds , who said— " I have a fact connected with the woollen manufacture which you are at liberty to make any use ot you think proper . There is a manufacturer in tbifr town ( who ia at present a member of the Whig-Radical town council ) who baa made it a regular practice to buy old stockings , and grind them up , aud mix them along with his wool in manufacturing blue cloths . He -was thus enabled to undersell his honeit neighbours , who used nothing tut wool . Well may our manufacturers lose their character in foreign markets . " But he had still higher authority .
for the manufacturers of the north had btten committing such disgraceful frauds , tbat the Government had been obliged to take tbe matter op ; they found it necessary , in order to protect theiUBelvca , 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 : — " Tbe 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 poition of wool made from woollen rags , known by the terms of 'woollen waste , ' or ' shoddy , ' or other than new wool , it ahall subject
the whole of the supply to be rejected , and tbe honourable board will not have any further dealings wit& the parties so offending . " These were the . practices of these rogues—the scoundrels—iloud laughtrn —the infamous rogues , for he could call them nothing else ; and instead of laughing , Hon . Members ought to blush for shame that their countrymen were capable of committing bucq infamous frauds . Having laid such shameful cases before the House , they would agree with him that he had proved all the charges be had brought against the manufacturers . But if the Honse had still any doubt upon the matter—If they thought the evidence was still deficient—then let them grant the committee . Was it not high time that the Government should interfere in order to put a stop to
those practices which were . ruining tbe trade of the country , and punish th « guilty ? A poor man committing a trifling fraud was punished heavily , while tnose who were fraudulent by wholesale escaped . There was . indeed , one law for tbe 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 waa 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 the manufacturers were in the habit of paying in goods , in place of money , and many firms settled with their workmen only once ia
three , six , or eight months . On that subject he had a letter from a highly respectable gentleman , who said" Sir , —In consequence of the spirited part you have taken on a recent occasion , and fer which , with every friend of humanity , I feel indebted to you , I beg leave to lay before you the following statement : —On Monday last , March 21 st , application was made by a poor weaver , named Irwm , to the Board of Guardians at Cockermouth for relief- He is in the employ of the firm of -, Carlisle , gingham manufacturers . It was stated as a reason why relief should be afforded him , that the material recently given out by that firm to their operatives was so wretchedly bad , that it took six weeks to weave what , if the material was good , they conld readily do in three . Two of the Guardians
conversant in auch matters were deputed to examine into this statement , and report to the Board . Their report fully confirmed the poor man ' s statement , and they produced a specimen of the warp fully corroborating this . Yet such is the thraldom in which these unfortunate creatures are held , that the wife most earnestly entreated that no steps might be taken under tbe act of Parliament , lest her husband and a crippled son should be thrown in consequence out of bread , as they could ao 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 send , bat it was dyed , and the effects of the colour might ( as I supposed ) have further injured
tbe texture . " He had told the House that these poor men were paid in goods in place of money . He had a blank form which was used in many factories , in which there were charges , for rent , fuel , cash stopped , aud cash overpaid—that would happen very seldom , he thought ; but then followed fines , the most iniquitous of all things ; for the masters hung up a set of rules , which the poor labouring man could not nnderstaud , if he did nothing else from Monday to Saturday , nor could he by any possibility help infringing suine of them , by which money was stopped from him On the truck in cottage * he had a letter from a -workingman , t < ut be . must not disclose his name , or he would become a marked man , and would hot get work at any factory , unless he changed his name . He suid ,
"Masters of one of the largest mills nave houses , and compel their vrork-people so live in them , or whether they do or not , they must pay for them ; and those who do not live in ihem , let them to other people . The masters etop their rents out of their wages , for these tyrants h » v « p . iwerto do so—some about 3 s ., others 3 * . 6 U , 4 s . per week , and so on . The oppressed get them lee , some for about 2 s ., some fer about Is . 6 d ., others Is . per week , and in two instances they have let them fjr 4 ( 1 . a-wetk . Until lately they kept cows , and forced all that lived under them to have oue quart of milk a-day . and in some instances three quarts a-day , because they have three woikpeople of a family . When they kih their cows tbey compel their workpeople to have shares of n ; tn * -y sell it at the very top price , wnetber it be jjuod or bad , and they force them to these things , or
tbey uiu&t turn face ubout . If they happen to speak a word , they ' will give ttieiu a character with which they canuot get any more work in ttie town or the country > -ither . These are some of the glaring tricks of tbe » e corn law repealers , these hypocrites w « ho tell the working aavee that they wish them to have their rights , that tiifey wish tt > em t > have their liberty ; but it is all funge , ibey are the saute as their leaders , the anti-corn law league , they are downright impostors . One of them is now raising his reiit ^ f . » r voters , whiie bia hard-working ») 0 Tt-s nad hard work to keep bwity and soul together btforr . " Was that a system that the Government ou «; ht to tuitrat « for any longer period , now that it had come to th-ir knowledge ? The aon . member proceeded to ivad tbe following letteTsfrom a clergyman of the church of England : —
" Wolverhampton , April 2 , 1812 , " Sir , —I atu sure I need not apologise for the intrusion of a perfect fctianger upon your valuable time , it my s-taitniuut will tend , even in the ( -lightest degree , to iuJtner the praiseworthy object yuu have in View Of tXyuisiLg the iniquities ef the truck system . ' 1 regret to say that I have too many opportunities of wm . fcSbiiyj the working » f this tyrannical system in my own parish , and Mr Viiliers need go no further than the buroueh which he represents for proof that » great portion cf the distress now existing amongst tb ' poo i « -caused by tbe payment of wages in provisir , 0 £ instead of money . •* I will mention one instance with which I think you bh < uld be made acquainted ; others can be brought forward if required ; but this is a car * which I have taken particular pains to investigate s- _
•• One « £ the most active partisans of V , Villiers , and a principal member ef Mb committee at toe-election , wl ; .. » was by the late Administration ruade a magistrate for the county of > t jfforil , is & chief partner iu tbe — - colliery , -where the truck Byatern is carried on ni' -re iif . unousl > than iu any otht-r Vorks in tbe neighf .. iarbiK ! Q . The nit-n are paid one e in four and sometimes fave wt * ks , -when they may y totive their wages in itK'nvy ; f they tlenmud it , i-iu thf . man who made such ileBiaud would ia a !) probaoih ^ y bo dismissed : bat as it is n .-t possible for ttirir faiv iliea to wait till the # xpiration of tde month for Vao means of subsistence , they are compelled to go to-the * ' Tommy shop , " as it is called htrre , a ticket ta whieh is given for any goods ctury muy require . Tlie f mue of some few of the articles ui this shop , compared with that asked by the shopkeepora in . vks iQwp , I have ascertained , and it will
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ahow you at once the dishonest advantage taken by the oppressors of these poor men—At Totarny shop . In the town , perlb . per lb . Hogar .. sd . ... 7 £ d . Salt butter ...... l 5 d . andi 6 d .... 10 d . andlld . Bacon ..... ; . „ ...... gd . ... 7 £ d-4 T . ea --.. ........... 8 j . ... 6 i there being adifferenee of more than 50 per cent , on the article « f tea . ;¦ * ; :. \ ¦** ¦ * ; . \ , ., ; :. -:..- ' -: ¦ ''"''¦¦ .. "I shall not object to your using my name as the author of this information should iw truth be disputed ; but _ at the same time I may add , that 17 * ould not willingly Imve my name made public .
" My attention has long been directed to this horrid system , and in July laat . a letter of mine ; under the signature of ' The Mfner ' a Friend , ' appeared in the Wo ' txrhampton Chronicle , but ¦ no good resulted from it " I shall-have . great ' pleasure in giting you any further information on the subject _ " During the severe weather in 1841 , when soup was distributed to our poor at a penny a quart , it is a fact , which came to tbe knowledge of ray curate , that some of the families , in the receipt of nominally good Wages , actually declined a ticket for the soup , on the plea that they had not the penny to pay foi it , as they received their wages in goods " » " Welverhampton , April 13 > 1842 .
• ¦ " Sir , —In reply to your inquiry respecting the quality of the goods Bold 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 Ibd . and lid . B-pound ; the sug » r at 9 d ., and in ene inatanca at lOd . per puuud , not so good as at 7 id . ; flout of a very inferior quality at lla . a bushel , while I find that at the very time tae best was 10 s . at the mill . " Since my last letter , I have ascertained from a huckster upon whom I can depend , that she ia in tbe constant habit of receiving goods bought at the truck-shop in exchange for milfc , potatoes , &c , as the men in some instances never recaive money ; of course such barter is not made without a loss to the labouring man . "
He begged to call the attention of the House tq the 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-spinners of this country . The track Bysteni has been carried on for eighteen years by one ef the largest firms in this district ; they huve 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 master manufacturers , who employ weavera here to the number of 3 . 000 , supply them with shuttles , hiddles , and brushes ( all of which the weaver baai to find ) , and for which they charge enormously higb . You micht be furnished with a full
and accurate exposure of tha truck system , and other matters of deception aa practised here , provided the parties furnishing it wete secured againet future persecution . Protection ia absolutely necessary . " Then as to Scotland , be would lay before the House the following statements ;— . ' * Coatbridge , near Glasgow , nine extensive iron works , at which an immense quantity of people are employed . Edch iron work has its Store , and a considerable portion of the wages are paid in goods , at a profit to the masters of ^ f teen 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 .. Specimen of the nefarious system pursued by our Cory 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 Buch store , and take their cottages , or if not . no onger work for them . They are charged about twenty to twenty-five 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 boars extra per day , which is called overtime , and givo them nothing for it Bb bo good as ; not to give up my name , as the master printers would punish we by not employing me . " He bad also received this letter from a poor miner : " Sir , — It is with inexpressible pleasure I write to you ,
having carefully read all tae speeches and remarks you have ma-le in Parliament , and find tbat you are one who wishes the welfare of the toil-worn and cruelly-used British artiz-jn . I ate you mean to bring on a motion before the house on the 18 tU in&tanr * , which , if carried , will be the cause of bringing to the world art exposure of the robberies and cruelties played off by our employers upon us miners . Every coal and iron master in and round thjs 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 , as 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 of the work , and you must abide by them . ' In consequence the victim baa either to go to Bridewell , or pay £ , % or £ 3 of expenses : the latter he is not able to do , so he is imprisoned and bis family starved . There is a general law practised at all these works which I will tuku the liberty of exposing . ; If any miner allow hia father , his brother , or his son , to sleep one night under tbe roof of hia house , and they are employed at any other work but the work he is employed at , the unfortunate miner is charged double rent for each fault , and compelled to pay , i t being a rule at the work I Our employers have almost all victualling stores at their works ; the miners are compelled to take all the provisions they need from these stores , 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 his earnings . I know many industrious miners who have not bandied a Bhiiiing of their own earnings these four years ; and it is 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 , by starving poor men into their measures . At works Where there is not a Bt * re , the miner has to pay one shilling for every pound he lifts , at any other time than pay-day , which is bad enough , but nothing to a store . " Ttie pernicious system he was exposing extended also to Ireland : — " In Portland , county of Waterfprd , a wealthy firm , who lately offered
£ 80 000 for a property , carry oh the infamous truck system in full operation . The operatives are compelled to lire in houses built by their employers , exorbitant rents are demanded which are Btopped out of their weekly wages , and a shop , with numerous articles f . ir sale , is attached to the premises . The poor people are not paid tbeir miserable earnings in money , but in bits of printsd 'tokens , ' which ¦ ' will only pass as an equivalent for card paper , ( marked with the name of the firtui called goods at this truck shop belonging to the mill . I need , not tell you exorbitant profits are made . " But what ¦ would tbe House say when he tolfl thenii that under this system , which extended through England , Wales , Scotland , and Ireland , the workpeople were compelled topay for anti-C (> rn Law pamphJets ; fined sixpence for
speaking , and one shilling for singiag ; called upon to obey rules which they could not help breakinn , and fined enormously for doing so ; . < f money lent , usurious interest exacted —( hear , hear ) He WiBhtd particularly " to draw attention < to the following : —On th « 14 th of Decmber a manufacturer was convicted before the Shtffield magistrates for paying waRes in cloth ; he asked £ 2 a yard ; the workman gave £ 1 15 s-. am sold it for iis ., proved before the nwRtstraUis to b , its full value , and a quarter of a yard not fit foi use ; fined . £ 10 and cost ' s . Two more £ 5 und costs . Now he wished to observe that when the-H < w . Member for Wolverhampton bad , on a former occasion , read a statement from a person residihg in hia | Mr . Fetrnnd "«) part of the countryj that statement asa-erted wliat was
utterly uutrue , namely , — -that he had anplied the charge- he made to alt the manufacturers of Yorkshire , whereas he had only applied thert \ to some , und those belonging to tho League . Tfaia statement , moreover , had been supported by fraud ar . a forgery —( hear , nea ; ) —for many ofi the BiKhatut < s 9 were positive forgeries ; and some of those who -B . fr ned were making seventy percent on the poor- ( iM" , hear . ) The Hon Member then read the folio win , g . __ . «' .. xhe tottoiriag passage , extracted from the repo ' . t ( p . 552 ) of H . S . ObHOinan . Esq ., of the Middle Ter ,, piei an assistant Ci < mmissioner fyr inquiring into tf je condition of the handloom weavers in the Uni '^ d Kin gdom , in . 1838 , will show that not only doe the truck system prevail in the West Riding of / orkahirej but that any complaint ob
the part of the ? / eavers is generally followed by loss of employment , » s was stated in the House of Commons by Mr . BuiftV . id Ferrand : — ' At rdle , where I ndd a public inqvu xy for the townships of I < ile . Shipley , Ecclesbil ) , and Bolton , a written - st itMtneii . c ' was handed -t- ^ coroplainibg of ibe existence- « f th * tru ck system . at a small hamlet called Windhill . in the tirstnamed township . It is a fact worthy of notice , thac 1 was ^ jegged not to aek questions on the poii-. t , as anj tosl ' . jjjony on tbe part of a weaver who had Buffered tt <> m the custom Would kaye been tillowed r « y loss of *> ' Jiplpyment . I Was , however , assured hy many persons , both employers and weavers , that the allegation was correct . ThiB shows how completely impotent in
the law , howsoever stringent it may be , where both employer and employed will consent to vfolitte it . The employed la compelled to submit ; tbe constantly overstocked state of the labsnr-markut places him at the mercy of the master , and the same conditiou prevents him taking a single step to expose the fraud to which he is subjected . At Churwell , south of Leeds / another form of truck waa exhibited to me , a * txisting at Bijeston , where Ja a factory employing between twenty and thirty handloom weavers . It is the pmctice of the owners of this factory to oblige- their weavers to take part of their hard earnings in cloui , in some cases less than half being paid in money . "" Auu bow as to Biruifngham he would read tbe following : —
«« XO THE EDITOR OF AEIS S GAZETTE . " Small Arms Department , Birmi gbntn , March 10 , li 842 . "Sir , —Great complaints have been made to me lately by the labouring men In the gunlock trade , and I yesterday visited the neighbourhood of Weduesbury and Darlaston , where that branch of manufactaxd ia principally carried on , and I find that the practice of pajring the workmen byitruck , or * tommy , " obitia
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called amongst the men , ha 3 been , and is at the present moment carried on to a ruinous extent . To all those persons who are employed aa contMctors for the : supply of musket locks for her Majesty's service ( many of whom , however , I must say , have not lent themselves to the practice ) , 1 have given notice that I am determined to put down such a nefarious and illegal syatern in every way in my power ; and that so far aa those supplies are concerned , I shall insist that the lock-fliers do receive the wages agreed upon in money , without snbteifuge , trick , or evasion , either by tickets upon other parties , by discount , by pretence of loan , or by any other dishonest contrivance . Toe labourer is worthy of his hire . A fair allowance is made for it in tiie contract price , and he has a right to spend his money as he Will in the best and cheapest market . . ¦¦ : ¦ . ¦¦ ¦'¦•• '¦ -. ' ¦ ¦' ' . '' ¦ ¦ ' ' . ' ' . - " ¦ . ' , - •¦ • ' ¦ ¦
"If you will have the goodness to make this , my resolution , more extensively known , through the medium of your widely-spread publicatisn , it may be the meaus of beuefltting : » very desetving class of workmen by drawing attention to the destructive practice ; aud you will at the same time confer an obligation on . ' ' . '¦ -: . ¦ ; . ¦ .: ¦¦ . ; ¦ ¦ , - .:. . ¦ ¦• ¦ ; . / .: ' ' «« Your very obedient , bumble servant , <• George Lovell ; Her Majesty's Inspector of Small Arms . " If he wanted any confirmation of the justice of his claim he need not go far for it . He would remind the House that this was not the first time the working classes bad , by their advocates , appealed to the House for protection , and that their claim had , ere this , been
recognised , On the I 7 th of February , 1795 , a motion was made by Mr . Whitbread for a protection of labour , seconded by Sir R . Peel ( the present Right Honourable Baronet's father ) , supported by Fox aud Sheridan , and admitted to be just by Pitt , who saoctioned the : payment of wages put of the poor-rates- - Then in July 5 , 1830 , Mr . Littleton moved to bring in the Labourers ' Wages Bill , on whieh Mr . Huskisson said-- ' * If any Hon . Gentleman would take the / ' -trouble '' ia : inforra himself as to what was passing in Staffordshire , and in part of the cotton arid clothing districts , be -would find that a very great portion of the distress now prevailing there waa 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 avarice of the master and the necessities and comforts of ' the workmen . "Why should we not extend tbe same protection to those Who had no friend to guide them , and who looked up to the Legislature as their shield against the extortion of those 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 acknowledge that on the score of humanity and feeling he gave his support to the bill , and should do so even if it were opposed to the doctrines of political economy , with which , however , he contended , it was perfectly eonsistent " Oa the 3 rd of May , 1830 , Lord Stanley presented a petition from tho manufacturers , tradesmen , and others
of Beaton Norris , against the truck system , and stated "that this Bystam 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 manufacturers who did not adopt it as to the workmen who were its immediate victims . " On the 5 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 classes ; and he could conceive nothing more likely to reduce , them to a state of servitude than that their master , who might be getting j £ 8 , 000 or £ 10 , 000 a-year by hia manufactory , should take from them £ 2 , 000 or £ 3 , 000 more by dealing in bacon and cheese . He hoped that if this bill were lost by the means 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 —( hear , hear ) . 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 —( hear , hear ) . If the Government resist the motion , the responsibility of rejecting it will be theirs —( cries ofhear , bear ) . . There is , let me assure them , an intense feeling abroad upon the subject . Tcere are , not far distant , honeat manufacturersj who have come from the north at their own expence to give evidence upon this committee , and to declare that they must either be honest themselves and retire from trade , or be as dishonest as those who have till now oppressed the poor and disgraced the country—( hear , hear ) . There
ore those , not far distant , who are ready before a committee of this houae to feubstantiate those claims for justice which there * and there only , they' can assert— - ( hear , hear ) . In their name I appeal to your justice for that protection Which here alone they can seek , and wbich here they have an inalienable right to elaun--( hear ) . 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 do hope that the Government will discharge the duty they owe co the public as the guardians of the country ' s honour , and of the sovereign ' s dignity ( feeling that dishonour at home or abroad must sully the lustre of tbat sovereign ' s diadem)—that they will discharge that duty by agreeing to the motion , which I urge on the unassailable principle that the " labourer is worthy of big hire . " ( Load cbeew . )
The hon . member afterwards acceded to an amendment proposed by Sir Jakes Graham , that a select committee should be apppointed " to inquire into the operation of the law which prohibits the payment ot wages in goods , or otherwise than in the current coin of the realm , and into tbe alleged violation and defects of existing existing enactments , " bat intimated that the question would not rest where it was , as the frauds were of such a nature aa must speedily bring them , to an issue with the public .
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timpevial Sj&avUatntni
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HOUSE ^ ^ OF LORDS . —Friday , AprU 22 . A conversation arose on the motion for tbe third reading of the Irish Spirit Duties'Bill . Lord Monteagle pointed out an inequality in the imposition of the duties on spirits distilled in Scotland and Ireland , the Scotch distiller being allowed a drawback not enjoyed by the Irish distiller . TneEuri of Wicklow expressed his fears that the increased duty would lead to illicit distillation in Ireland , and counteract the progress . » f temperante . After a converBation . the puke or Wellington postponed the third reading of the Bill till Monday , in order to inquire into tha facts pointed out by Lord Monteagle . The Corn Importation Bill was read a third time and passed ; and alter some other business , the House adjourned . Monday , April 25 . The iriBh Spirit Duties' Bill was * on the motion of the Duke of Wel . iugtan , read a third time and passed .
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HOUSE OF GOMMuNS , Fbiday , Araii . 22 . On the motion of the aecond reading of the Income Tax Bill , Mr , Charles Buxlkb rose to move that it be deferred for 8 ) x months . Wb ^ tews might have beea his f ^ are on the first proposition of the income tax , they -. id been greatly enhanced by the perusal of the bill . ' '« created a host of comnusaionerSj armed with very . xcrjiordinary powers , a . ton . to the habits and / dispoBiti um of Enclishiuen . Tbe tariff which was the conwvitrati « n for tiie lnafnie t « & . b *« t been supported by tbe
moat contradictory arid inconsistent arguments . fo » SMiueximesit was conteaded lh * l it would lower the cost of living , and at . <• their tunes this was denied . On his own side of the House di ^ ct taxation bad been praised , as being a be ter and more honest moda of raising a revenue thau by indirect t « xnti « n . But direct taxation was at , once unequal , and ui-just in its applicationliterally a resource of barbarous times . As to the argument that the income tax would only fall on the Wcilttner classes , it was understood even by the Chartists thenisflvt-s . whoaaw that any diminution Of tfae labour-fun < i would be felt by tne . labourers .
Alt Ewabt , while deprtiCvitiii ? the income tax , was yet an iniv ; cace of ttin fair application of the principles « f dirtct taxation While approviag of the tariff , 80 far -as it went in the direction tf free trade , he objected to the proposed tax on exported coats , aa being detrimmul not only to th » foreign coaV trade , but to our steam coniniercial navy . sir John Waishe corisi *(* reil that the inequality cb-irtud <> n tan ui&iin ? - t = x was inherent to all taxation . On this ground lie viiidicite > 4 trie Income Tax Bill , as being in its propiist-U ope , raTi «>< . at once as comprehenmve and as tqvial its jny auuti rax could be , framed
toliinbt a gre > t , eineraein-. y itie tariff was aboon to tho tiading and c '/ iumercial clavses ; anil it was perjrcily rca , stinat } it ihut , thf-y should contribute their » b » ro to Hiiil ; t > up t-ios-e deficiences caused by . wars undcr ; ak « n f . ir the : pr-t-cti' >' n of their interests ^ -such as that if Ohiiw . from his own personal knowledge , he C 6 ui « l . it 8 tlfy to Um esittence , in France ,: of a national Udsttiity , wliich ' . cuultl not bo 6 vei-looked by any one jealous it the uommv and security of this country ; und for These rtvieunw , in addition to the existence of an a"uu inceRaity . he voted for the imposition of an income tux . ' .-... ¦
Sir William Clay point « l out how the income tax wouM operatn iu it ^ uupufttiuu on capital employed in farniintr , &BC ( Hi » p * red w'th orhersources of income ; and while givin ? due orttiirto The reductions of tfae tariff , did not tbinh that there wa-. * jitntra compensating advantage or a ntcVsHity for toe income tax . . . ! : ; Mr . WAKLtv w ,. uiu fiave supported a graduated inconiH tax , at * tnrowiug tut- chief . urden on ; the wealtr ; irfr clujistf . ; But tho pi- -eat iucomfc tax would fall L-tiitfly mi i he ihiiu * tfi : > u . c . iw > es . ' He admitted that but of doots there vea » no iv « li v , atjainst a propertj tax , ami tuat X \\< - tiU'Uc bei . ^ il that Sir Bobert ; Peel hadjiiadM ; i fi ijjantic tfivrt to ovurcomt . our . national dit&cuiU'H . Buc . * vin- ! Ttt . e ( . u'vichau become acquainted with tit . i . pur ^ ciou f tilth fjicome tiuc , they would bectiihe iiLve t > thu iiuvuiu ; iid vuiuo of direct taxation , and % > if . y wout ina -s ? yu a " sliding scale" in ^ ^ tbe imposition of that * tition . / /
j » ir . i > sitiivU cins \ deT « l that tlse deficiency in out Indian tinincea was owing to the policy of Uie Ufa Q ovferntrtent ;
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Mr . CHBI 8 TIB was decidedly of opinion that sucb an inquisitorial impost as an income tax should be reserved for the last extremity , and eyen then bo resorted to under a serious responsibility . He argued against its injustice and inequality , and instanced various caSea , iliustwtive cf the hardship of its infliction on professions and trades , as ; compared with the owners of land . - - ¦ ' - ;• • ¦ ¦ ¦ - - '¦¦ ¦ " ¦ ¦' ¦ "¦ ¦ ' ¦ ¦ '•' ¦ ' ¦ --¦' ¦¦¦" : ¦ MrV Smythe did not wish to discuss the question of the justice or injustice of the income tax ; he would give his vote as one of confldence , and while ho admitted the inquisitorial nature of the measure , he would support it as required by a great emergency . After sbme observations from Mr . TV . O . Staniet and Mr > Scoxx , the latter of whom admitted tha * there was not a strong feeling in the coantry against tha income tar , 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 beBches bsing but scantily occupied ) , when the second reading of the' bill was / carried by 155 to 76 . After some other business , the Railways Bill was considered in committee . Some discussion took place on various clauses . . ; \ " ; A division occurred on a motion by Sir William JOLUFFE for omitting the 11 th clause , the debate turning oh the question in whose bands should be vested the care of gates leading across railways—the occupiers of the adjoining lands , or the railwaycompanies . The result of the division was—For the clause 103 ; for the amendment 104 ; majority against the clause l . - The House then adjourned . Monday , April 25 . Mr . Hume took the oaths and hia seat for tbe Montrose burghs . ' : : \ -
Mr . REDI ^ GtON , the Chairman of the Southampton Election Committee , reported tbe committal of John Wren , forrtfusiDg to answer a question ; and moved that he be called to the bar , and interrogated . After a conversation he waa brought to the bar . and expressed a willingness to answer the question , if the House should decide that he ought to do so . Another discussion followed , in which most / of the . leading men and legal members of the House took part , during which considerable difficulty appeared to be felt as'te . ' the proper mode of procedure . John Wren was recalled to the bar , and informed that he was bound to answer any question which the CoramUtee , after hearing his objections , should decide on pressing . : ; ' ¦ ' •/• ¦ . '¦ ¦¦' . ¦¦ On the motion for going into committee on the Inc » me Tax . \ ¦ "' . ¦¦¦ ' "'¦ . ¦ . ¦ ¦ . . - ' ¦ :- ¦ ¦ .- . . :. '¦ - : . : .. :-. - . } -:
Mr . WaIlace rose , m pnrsruanco of a notice , to move that it was more expedient to resort to an issue of Exchequer Bills than to an income tax , which , however , he said he would not press , if certain assurances were given . / ¦'' . , - \ '"¦ : -.. ' " : - "¦ / : ¦/ ; ' ¦ .: / ¦ ' / - / Sir R . Peel , after deprecating Btate'loans in time of peace , repeated his former declarations , that , in the determination of tbe 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 R . Peel would have grappled with monopoly in the way he had done , be affirmed that the corn monopoly , under the new bill , was still amply sufficient to compensate the landed interest for their share of the income-tax . But while regretting ; that com and sugar had not been dealt with in a way corresponding to the wants of the country , he gave
due credit to the reductions proposed on the next important article , that of timber . He shoold have no > objection to see the entire revenue of the country raised by direct tax&tien ; but before he would resort to an income tax in the present distressed stats of the manufacturing community , he would reduce the public expenditure in salaries , pensions , &c . Only a small portion of the Queen ' s income , £ 69 000 , was at her own disposal ; the rest was Bpent on lords and ladies , and in maintaining the frippery of a court which outrivailed jtbat of Louis XIV . In addition to reducing the Civil List , he would also impose a tax on real property by descent , and he was glad to find that his views on this subject were obtaining greater currency . He was afraid that the income tax would add te the difficulties of the country , aud was convinced that the reductions 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 tho income tax should commence from the 5 th of April , 1842 , and some questions were put as to the time when , the tariff should come into operation . The Chancellor of the Exchequer reminded the House that the tariff was to be permanent , and the income tax temporary . / Sir R . Peel said that aa the tax was to last for three years , it was- immaterial whether it commenced in . April or July , but that it would be convenient that it should have effect from the commencement of the financial year , on the 5 ± of April . This was accordingly carried . A debate arose on schedule A , involving the question whether a person deriving | a clear income from land , but incurring losses from some ptber trade or occupation , should be allowed to subtract the loss from the one from his gain in the other , and thus be taxed on hia net income from both ; - ' .
The question was raised by Mr . BENJAMIN WOOD , and , after considerable discuasion , Sir KoiiERT Peel promised to tate the subject into consideration . . : ' > Schedule B was voted ; and on schedule C , Mr . F . T . Baking asked if foreigners holding British stock were to be subjected to the tax ? - ' - : ' Sir Robert Peel answered in the affirmative , and Mr . Hume complained that a breach of public faith was committed by subjecting the funds to taxation . Mr . BlCARDO proposed an amendment ,-the purport of which was to make a dlstiaction , in levying the tax , in favour of terminable annuities , * The Chancellor of the Exchequer affirmed ^ thafc the value of these annuities had hot been affected by ibQ knowledge of the fact that they were to be subjected to the tax equally with other secureties . After a discussion , a division took place , when Mr . Ricardo ' s amendment was rejected by 253 to 117 .
On arriving at Schedule D , it was agreed , after a brief conversation , to postpone further consideration of the bill till to-morrow . ; Sir Robert Peel said that he would bring on toe tariff before the third reading of the Income Tax Bill . The House resumed , and , after some other businew , adjourned ..
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Recognition . —A curion 8 inc ! dni . t occurred during the recent march of the 78 fcti Highlanders through Birmingham . It appears that some of the men had brought over from Ireland a bottle of whisky , of which a scTJeaut of police was endeavouring to deprive lEeuij when the Serjeant of t > e re « iment ^ gazibj f in'ten ly at him , owned him as » dest-rter from the 78 th thirteen years before , and took bin prisoner . / . ¦ .- ¦ . ' / .. ' . ¦ : \ ¦ ..-. ¦ : : ¦/ : - ' ^ ^ " Supposed Mtjbpeb . —Some excitement has been caused in Wolstantoa _ and the nei ^ h ^ onrhood by the dificovery of the remains of the two infant children in a pit of water in a field at the Bradwell Farm , in
the parish of Wolstantoh . It seems that on Tuesday morning several men went to the pit , a short distance from the tnnjpike-road , with a view of getting water-creseea , when their attention ysss directed to an unusual substance floating on the top of the water near the aide of the pit , which , on being got out proved to be the leg and thigh of a child . The pit was afterwards emptied , an other numaa remains found , some of them imbedded in the mud . Tbe remains were subsequently examined by two medical g . ntlemen ^ and proved to be those of two ohildrenone of them a child of from eighteen month * or two
years old ; the other is quite an infant . From the very decomposed state of the bodies , it is not oalikely tbat they have been immersed in the mater from twelve to eighteen months , and probably longer . Theve is little doubt but there has : bevu some foul play in this transaction , but to whom guilt attaches remains at present shrouded iu the greatest mystery . At the corouer ' s inquest , which was held on the day following , nothing vtau adduced tending to throw any light on the oocurrence . The jury returned a verdict—** That the bodies were found submersed in the pit , but how or by what means tbey came ( hero no eYi 4 « QM » P 9 eafe 4 ( o the jury ;* . / / :. ¦ : . -: ¦ , '¦ / . ; - / v . ; / -: " : - : ; V- ¦
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THE NORTH ERtf STAR . ¦ : ; ^ ^ - . ^; . ^' .::. ^ V ^ : 3 f : ^
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THE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL CHARTER ASSOCIATION OP SALISBURY AND ITS VrCiUlTY , TO FEABGUS O'CONNOR , ESQ . We , the undersigned , do most respectfully address you on account of your indefatagable zeal and unwearied . exei tions- in the cause of real reform , to impress on the minds of tbe multitude that it is the Charter which can aloae secure their rights , their privileges , their freedom , and their independence ; and seeing that ia endeavouring to accomplish this praiseworthy object , you have tt « t only fallen back from the ranks of the prond aristoccray , but have made sacrifices ef . wealth , of health , and of every comfort attajaable by a person of your rank in society ; and have also endured as a martyr
for « ur cause ail the horrors of a prison . Under these cisaumbt mct-8 therefore we hail you as our patriot , and do . most eincexly trust and anticipate that you in your tnvels will as soon as it is possibly convenient , be pleased to visit us , that the blind , dark , benighted , and j » riest-ridden classes of this strong hold of Conservatlsm k this cathedral city may once heat the ¦» oice of Fearnus O Cooaor ; that the cry for freedom , inflnpedance , and justice to tbe poor may ring through our streets , and that the shout for civil and teUgious liberty may send back its echo from the walla of our cathedral ; and that the people may be convinced tbat they are oppressed , and will still continne to be oppressed ee > long as they suijcotub to the present form of administration .
With sitcere wishes tbertfure for the accomplishment of your fclorlous design , with sincere thanks for your valuable labours , and with the strongest invitation wo cangive you : to ' . visitu » , ' . . We Bubscribe ourselves , ; Yours , truly , ( Signed in behalf of the association , as per resolution ) John Wilkinson , Sab-Secretary . SaUsbury , April 19 , 1842 .
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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-ncseproduct428/page/7/
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