Star. — London, England, 1823-07-17 00:00:00

tuatien of prices in general trade, the failure of em ployment, and the casualties which such - a body, so circumstanced, were liable to, it was better that they should reside in the midst of a metropolis like Lon don, where othei employment might be found, - or succour administered to them, than be violently de tached from it. This was no theoretical case ; for, notwithstanding what his Noble Friend (Lord Bex ley) had.said respecting the disturbances which took place among the weavers in former times, nothing was so common as frequent and violent disputes be tweeif the masters and men before the existing Acts. • - What had since been the case ? He was able to run over a course of fifty years, where, instead of alter- 1 nations of doubtful tranquillity with renewed disturb ances, the weavers of Spitalfields had exhibited a pat tern to the rest of the population of this &eat metro polis, not only of loyalty, but of exemplary morality. They had been tried by distress of all kinds, through the general failure of trade, so as-to have excited the deepest sympathy for their sufferings ; yet neither the extremity of want nor the failure of all employment bad once seduced them to listen to the voice of poli tical agitators, or misled them from the path of duty. While they were surrounded by disaffection, and beckoned to its ranks, the weavers of Spitalfields re mained quiet, patient under calamity, and hoping for better times. He, however , was aware, that if the present Bill should pass, it would be passed by their Lordships from the conscientious belief that they were consulting the interests of both masters and men. With respect to the reitrictions on trade, and particularly the silk trade, he Might appeal to the example of Coventry, where then* were no.restric tions at all: and yet what had • that city presented, but a spectacle of misery at large? It was urged in defence of the Bill, that the silk manufacture had not increased in London in proportion to the country at large; but he would maintain that this increase of manufacture in the country was of itself a positive good. He should never wish, however, for the mere sake of political tranquillity, to chive any body of trades out of London ; yet, if by not repealing the Acts in question, there should ensue a diminution Of trade in London, while the difference was transferred in favour of the country, it would be better for both. Allusion had been made to a compromise between the masters and men ; and it was contended that the present Bill must pass, because that compromise had failed to Le brought about. lie would distinctly deny this: for he world rather that their Lordships should take up the matter in a different way; and, having once proposed an arrangement far to both parties, that their Lordships should compel, if neces sary, both to accept of it. He would prefer, on this • ground, that the Bill were partially adopted to its being thrown entirely out. Machinery and manufac tures were not yet in their proper state; for, at pre tent, the manufacture of London was almost a beau ideal manufacture. But if the present Bill were to pass, then, instead of from 50 to 60,000 persons well employed in the manufacture of Spitalfields, there carrying on their business in the bosoms of their fa milies, and partaking of all the dearest affinities of civilised life, their Lordships would find a number of large buildings with hundreds of manufacturers iso lated in them to the destruction of moral and social habits, in order that some few masters might make large fortunes. It was upon these considerations he filt it proper to move that the present Bill should be read a second time upon this day six months. The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that he would al low the subject of the Bill to be a critical one, but he really could not agree to many things which had fallen from his Noble and Learned Friend who had last addressed the House. In one undoubted point, however, he was happy to find there existed no dif ference of opinion on either side, and here he alluded to the conduct of the petitioners ; for no body of men ever had conducted themselves with more loyalty, more peaceableness, or more marked respect to that House. But, feeling that even such persons were under an error as to their own interests, no consider ation of their merits in other respects should prevent 'his doing his ditty on this occasion, by calling on their Lordships to legislate for them. The present Bill stood on distinct grounds. It came upon the re commendation of the Committee on Foreign Trade ; it originated in the other House, and from that House was brought up to this; and yet, alter this long or deal, their Lordships would not proceed till evidence had been taken, and Counsel heard against the Bill. But he differed from his Noble Friend (Harrowby), as to the general effects of manufactures on morals ; and such a doctrine should be qualified in some way. What had raised this country, what had constituted her gigantii strength in these latter years, but her in creased power of manufacture by machinery? He would appeal to the agriculturist as to how far the application had assisted and advanced the culture of his Mil. He would pursue the question in other ways, in all directions of life, and from each was nearly the same answer to be looked for. But his Noble Friend, %%bile so properly dwelling on the example set by the manufacturers in Spitalfields, might have glanced at the manufacturing town of Birmingham, whose con duct might serve to exempt great manufacturing towns from the deterioration which his Noble Friend s rentark might be supposed to imply. The l aw which empowered Magistrates to fix workmen's prices, so far from being the general law of manufacturers, was only the taw of London, and the result had been that silk manufactures had extended to other parts of the country. By the operation of the old Act, the estab lishment of silk manufactures was restricted within tea miles of the Royal Exchange; but that restriction had not been held to extend to Surrey, and the con sequence had been that there was now a mill at Streatham, within five miles of the Royal Exchange. The question then was, whether they should give a confirmation to the old law ? If the effect of that law followed the course of all natural effects, it must ope rate in a prejudicial manner. In point of fact, it did operate prejudicially. Circumstances might p revent that effect from being immediately felt by. the wea vers, but such was the fact, and the effect of the Bill no re before their Lordships would be to relieve , tha i weave • He should support th e third reading of the Bill, because he thought that it would promote the substantial interests of all parties. The LORD CHANCELLOR took -it review of the different Acts by which the Spitalfields Act had been confirmed. He found that that Act had been passed in the 13th year of the late King ; that upon the po licy of the measure, good or bad, a similar Act had passed nineteen years afterwards, and another nine teen years after that—so that he found that the policy ofthe Act had been acted on for nearly half a cert. tory. The question then was, whether these different Acts of Parliament, the policy of which had been se long acknowledged and acquiesced in, should be ab solutely and instantly repealed? He thought the wisest way would be to proceed to a change gradu ally, not instantaneously. If the forrnerActs were all at once repealed, he should like to know. (sup posing the Bill for that purpose to be read a third time this night, and to receive the Royal Assent on Friday) how any person could be able to tell what the contract was in which he was engaged with his employer? He agreed with the Noble Lord who had last spoken, in thinking that the restriction which in terdicted the establishment of all mills within ten miles of London, was a most absurd one—nay, he would go farther, and say, that he would not hesitate to repeal every Act which fettered the employment of property, wherever the owner might wish to em ploy it. But in repealing the whole of the Acts on the subject for the last fifty years, he thought that it would be better to proceed by degrees, and so to re concile the changes to the minds of those whose inte rests they would affect. In acting towards a body of men so universally acknowledged to be most loyal and most industrious, he thought that they ought not only to consult their interests, but to convince thein ithat they were consulting their interests. If, there fore, he Were called upon to say Content, or Non content, on the present Bill, he should say )`ion-con tent; at the same time not doubting th at if the mea sure were carried, it would be from a conscientious' sense of duty on the part of those who opposed him. .Lord ROSSLYN suggested that the Bill should be amended by retaining only that clause in the Bill which would repeal the restriction imposed by the ,present law upon the employment of property where ever the owner might think fit. He should vote for the third reading of the Bill as thus amended. Lord ELLENBOROUGH supported the proposi• lion of the Noble Lord (Rosslyn). Lord BEXLEY shortly replied. The further Consideration of the Bill was then post poned until to-niorrostV.—Adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS. The House met at four this day agreeably to adjournment. A Petition was presented from Inverness by Mr. Wetteseer, praying for an increased imposition of duty on Barilla. Mr. HUME presented a Petition from the Inhabitants of Nottingham against the Combination Laws Repeal Bill.—Or dered to be printed. Mr. lIU 31E presented a Petition from John Oakville, of Whitehaven, complaining of the operation of the Act of the Ist Geo. IV. for the summary punishment of trespassers, and pray ing for its repeal—Laid on the table. Mr. HUME presented a Petition from a person of the name of John Murray, stating that the prevalency of the dry rot in the Navy was attributable to the change from the ancient practice of felling the timber in winter, and allowing it to remain until the summer before it was used. Mr. HUSKISSON said that the subject had occupied much of the attention of Government, and accurate estimates had been formed of the comparative value of timber cut in summer with that cut in winter. Mr. HUME said he had been requested by the Member for Winchelsea to ask that the Petition he had presented on the 9th of June from Mr. Plunkett, relative to Sir Edward Stanley's conduct, should be printed. Mr. GOULBURN said be should certainly object to the printing of the Petition, containing as it did, several statemente reflecting deeply upon the character of Sir F.dward Stanley, which could not by possibility be refuted during this Session. While upon this subject he might perhaps be permit ted to allude, and to reply as far as he could, to a statement made some even ings since by the Hon. and Learned Member for Wincheisea, which certainly conveyed to the public mind a very urfavourable and undeserved impression of the conduci of Mr. Baron M'Clel lend. The House would recollect that the statement was founded upon a Petition which came from a Gentleman of the name of Quin. The Petitioner had stated that upon this trial the Judge had acted with an obvious partiality; that he had left the Court in which it was his turn to have presided and taken his seat on the Nisi Prim; Bench; that be had afterwards, in his charge to the Jury, told them that the assault had in strict law been com mitted, but that in honour to their good King, they would find a verdict fi.r the defendant. All this the Learned Judge solemnly denied in a letter which he had received from biro, and his state ment was corroborated by the Counsel on both sides. He thought it right to give this contradiction to the statemetrjnade by the Hon. Member for Winchelsea. Mr. HUME withdrew his motion for printing the Petition. Mr. HOBHOUSE presented a Petition from 5000 Inhabit ants of the County of Somerset, praying for the Radical Reform of the House of Commons. This Petition bad been committed to the advocacy of his Hon. Colleague, who had, to the last mo ment, vainly flattered himself with the bope of being able to pre sent this Petition. He now, however, yielding to the necessity of indisposition, had consigned it to his imperfect advocacy, and he should now do nothing more than simply present It to the at tention of the House. He should remark, however, that it came from a County in which there formerly was to be found but few Reformers—amply proving that the people were at length roused to a sense of the necessity of an effectual reformation of that House.—The Petition was ordered to be printed. Mr. Secretary CANNING presented certain papers, contain ing copies of correspondence with Foreign Powers relative to the Slave Trade. On the motion of Mr. Secretary CANNING, the House ad journed until to-morrow. THE SPITALFIELDS WEAVERS. Our Readers will see by our Lords' Report, that the Silk Bill came under the consideration of the House last evening, and that the third reading of it was postponed till to-day. Many thousands of the weavers were standing in Palace-yard and the avenues leading to the House of Peers, anxiously waiting to hear the result of their Lordships' deliberations on this measure, where they conducted themselves in the most peaceable manner, although their feelings were evidently much excited. They bowed respectfully to every Member who passed into the House, and al though the rain came down in torrents during a great part of the time the weavers were in Palace-yard, they remained immovable there, so interested were they in the proceedings that were raking place in Par liament. As soon as the postponement of the mea sure was announced to the grouper assembled on the outside, by their more fortunate brethren who had contrived to get below the Bar of the House of Lords, they gave three hearty cheers, considering the delay in the progress of the Bill an auspicious circumstance. They then mooed on in separate parties to the Ex chequer Coffee-house, which is now removed to Old Palace-yard, where the Committee of the operative manufacturers were sitting, and announced the glad tidings there. Two hackney-coaches drew up at the door, which were instantly filled with the Members of the Committee. Many of the workmen got on the boxes- and roofs of the hackney-coaches, which drove off at a slow pace, accompanied by the great body of the industrious and well-conducted manufacturers, so much interested in opposing this Bill, whose coun tenances strongly indicated the success they antici pated, which we sincerely hope they will meet with this day from their Lordships. kNklatat THE EVENING STAR• LONDON. r•IN/•.•= , •••• THURSDAY, JULY 17, 1823. THE FUNDS. STOCK EXCHANGE, TWELVE O'CLOCK. Consols opened this morning at 84, went down to 83/, and, up to this hour, they are 80,1, with a brisk Market, and a good deal of business doing. FOREIGN FUNDS. - _ Spanish Bonds opened this morning at 53, fluctuated to 32*, and rose again to 35i, }. French Scrip keeps steady at 21. Current Prices :—New Spanish 531 1, New Prussian 85i, Russian 84j, Danish 88, Neapolitan 751, Colombian 57i 1. Vunou, June 30.—bletalliques 801—Bk. Sh. 9211. July I.—bletalliques Sh. 921 1-6. • 2.—Metalliques 80 15-16—Bk. Sh. 925. 3.—Metalliques SI Sh. 926 7-10. PRICE OF STOCKS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Bank Stock 225 1 / 4 3 per Cent. Reduced 83 1 / 2 3 / 4 3 /8 . 3 per Ct. Cons. 82% Yg 5 / 9 3 th .per Cts. 95 5 /s 96-4 per Cts. Old 100 1 A 100 4 per Cents. New 101 101 1 A 1 / 8 Bank Long Annuities 21 1.16 India Stock 256 1 / 4 —lndia Bonds 48s. 50s. South Sea Stock 93% ' Exch. Bills (E 1,000) 24.5. 27s.—Small 255. 28s. pr. . ' sb Cons. for Acct. 84 83 7 / 8 84% Vs. It is now positively fixed, that Parliament shall be prorogued on Saturday nest, by Commission. A Return has been received to the Order made by the House of Commons on the Bth inst. for an Esti mate of the Income and Charge on the Consolidated Fund for the year 1823, ending the sth of January, 1824; sheering more particularly bow the surplus arises of £8,700,000, as estimated for the year 1823. The Income is stated to be as follows : Customs - - Excise Stamps Post Office - " Taxes - Other Branches of Revenue C 7,900,00 0 25,500,000 6,650,000 1,400,000 5,910,000 400,000 £47,760,000 The following is the charge: Interest on Unredeemed Debt - Civil List - - - - 12 28,100,000 - 1,0.77,000 - 893,000 . 100,000 - 2,800,000 Interest on Deficiency Bills - Military and Naval Pensions - Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt 5,000,000 X 39,050,000 9,710,000 Surplui - X 47,7601C00 The surplus of £8,700,000, adverted to in the I order, was the estimated probable future surplus ofi the Consolidated Fund, after allowing for the whole' of the taxes repealed prior to the presentation of the estimate. It has been one of the peculiarities attending the present war in Spain, that nearly the whole of the intelligence r'e'lating to it has come through one only of the parties; hence has arisen that imperfect know ledge of the real state of affairs which exists. Were we to believe the Bulletins, we should infer that the French army has been completely successful; that they found friends, and not enemies; and that the march from Bayonne to Madrid and Seville was but a military promenade. That there have been skir mishes, the Bulletins acknowledge; but then the dis- charge of a few muskets, to the tune of Five le Roi, killed or put to flight a host Of the Constitutionalists, and a dispatch was sent to the Minister at War, an nouncing that the French army had again 64 covered itself with glory'—glory easily purchased, certainly, for it was merely by killing some half-dozen Spa niards, and wounding perhaps as many more. On some occasions the losses of the Spaniards have been stated at several hundreds; and indeed the losses and _desertions of the Constitutional forces recorded in the official Bulletins of the French army, if fairly enu merated, would amount to double the number of troops, regular and militia, that Spain has had in the present campaign. _ _ _ That the main body of the French Army has reached the capital of Madrid, and Seville, anti even penetrated to the walls of Cadiz, is certain ; but what then? BONAPARTE'S Army swept the whole of Spai, and Portugal, and by force or fraud got possession of almost every fortress ; which in case of any reverse was ready to receive them, and to maintain a formi dable position'until reinforcements could be obtained. Not so the present French Army, which kas not pos session of a single town that can afford it refuge in case of disaster ; and as for the inhabitants of Spain, we suspect the Duc n'AsocouLmez has as little moral' hold of them as BONAPARTE had. The French Army in Spain is, in fact, placed in a very critical situation ; 1 it is so extended, that if the Spaniards could bear upon any one point of it in tolerable force it must have to sustain aver; hazardous and disadvantageous combat. Spain has at least three armies yet ; those of MINA, BALLASTZROS, and MoRILLo, all of which are led by able Generals, whose fidelity may be relied on ; and it is not to be expected that they will remain idle while the main body of the Frinch army is employed in besieging Cadiz. The movement of BALLASTE- Roa's division towards the Sierra Morena, the passe., of which are sneasily held by a handful of men, indi cates an expectation that the French troops will net succeed in taking Cadiz ; and should they be cont. pilled to raise the siege their retreat woultl not lre easily effected. Of the intentions of MonlLco w•e Are ithoui any positive information. His situation iq Galicia gives him the means of marching on Madrid whenever he thinks it can be done to advantage ; lure do we believe there is sufficient force to prevent his junction with BALLarrenos, should such a move. ment be deemed necessary. It was stated at the very commercemert of ti e campaign, that the Spaniards would avoid grata' engagements, and suffer the French to penetrate fu into the country. So far their plan has been atli;ered to, though, perhaps, as much from inability to make the necessary resistance as from design. Whether the time is now come for commencing more active operations, will shortly he seen. A protracted w, :: . fare must be ruinous to France; to the Spanibb armies it is of less consequence—they are not likely to hazard a great stake at once, if their object can be obtained without risk. It has been discovered, that the position of th e French troops round the Bay of Cadiz is by no means safe; for, the main object of their visit to Se v ill e having failed, they now find themselves 110 leagues from Madrid, and double that distance from 13.1}onne, Should the Spaniards make a bold attempt, and any thing disastrous happen to the French in Andalusia, or to the Duke in Madrid, it would be impossible to effec :t a retreat from one extremity of Spain to the other; nor would they ever be able to embark troops on board the French ships, at least %;thoutthe loss of their horses. The population of Svain, ever listless they may now seem, would, in case Way decisive bloi,v - being struck, rally round its armies and impede the retreat of die French troops, while thegnr risons in the rear would sally foth and commit glen havoc on the flying enemy. We are far from asserting that such will be the case, but it is not very improba:le. —lndeed, if the Spaniards do.reall y think the Cote. tution worth fighting for, or should prefer it even a a choice of evils—they have it in their power to fret themselves from the French at any moment: and we believe some alarm is felt in Paris lex the safety ci the army, which is scattered througholt the country without a single point d'appui, and a ith barely de , means of keeping up the communication between the different divisions. In Catalonia, where MINA has, with a mere banal of men, baffled a French Marshal and a division cf 15 or 20,000 troops, the campaign is likely to &Ace a very decisive aspect. We stated yesterday, on the authority of a dispatch from Marshal NIONCLY, gat the French troops expected to invest Bat.eionare the 10th inst. Two divisions, those of CURIAL Si DONNADISV, together with a brigade of re,erve, are appointed to this service; and a pretty severe one is likely to be, to judge from the strength of the gar. rison, the zeal of the inhabitants, and the activity ad number of the Constitutional troops stationed in the immediate neighbourhood. MILANI and LLoBERA occupied a position withi 7,000 men, close to the town; but there are calm. dictory accounts respecting MINA himself, only they all agree in saying that he was suffering from indb position, brought on by excessive fatigue during lit late operations. It is stated in one account, that k was encamped under the cannon of Montjuy,which' a short distance west of Barcelona, with about 5, men, who, added to the troops before enumera would make a total of 12,000. If the foregoing computation could be relied A . would shew that MONCEY is engaged in an and that will require, on his part, besides great skill, lazing vigilance and indefatigable activity. MILANS and LLOBERA, there are three other tenants acting under MINA, and perhaps his w disposable force may amount to 20,000 men, for . most part veterans, and of tried courage and In the different fortresses there are probably more, chiefly militia, but so zealous in the cause, they are as good as old troop:, particularly for di service with which they are charged. Such si force would long be able to defend Cap lonia, were all the rest of Spain in the bands cf lb French; but a country cannot be said to be concakli while it keeps possession of the whole of its forouo and such is the case with Spain; notwithstandisyl i boasted successes of the French, and their prediall of a speedy and successful termination of the or. tin Frankfort Papers to the 11th inst. and the Observer to the sth, reached us - this forenoon. only article of interest they contain, is an accost the obstructions to the European trade at • nople. The following are extracts: CONSTANTINOPLE. JUNE to. Public tranquillity has not been disturbed but the difficulties to which European vessels est, posed in their navigation continue to be dicial to the merchants. AU the European have in vain attempted to put a stop to these proceedings. Nay, two European brokers seized, and, notwithstanding the remonstra. their Ministers, have received the bastinado. lh moment, thirteen vessels under different flags alt mined at the arsenal. We are gill without news" the Archipelago. FROM ANOTHER LITTER, SAME DAT& Perfect tranquillity prevails here, which is great measure owing to the rigour of the A$ Janissaries. Every day he causes some Men, persons to be strangled, sometimes belonging!: Orta, sometimes to another; and as these alin take place without disturbance, it seems can!: the reform which has long been contemplated carried into effect. The Captain Patha has gone out of the Dixd°ll. .J .:w:~.. • .. . - ''' L-; V Wi of se] bi! • in , Cs of vo Du fel CA