The National Register. — London, England, 1818-04-12 00:00:00

cci74L,et.c • r No. sGl.—Vor.. XI. POLITICAL DISQUISITION. Tat MANUFACTURING SYSTE M. -Si It R. PSALM BILL. • WE regret that we have been unable: to pay an . earlier attention to this subject, deeply aoonected as it is with the principles of humanity and justice, and with those feelings which come home to us all, individually, 10041 1 ~611itfiefeiVhigt confer honour upon us,' tab a nation. We have always considered the situation of the manufactureec labourer as highly deserving.of com miseration—when we contemplate an individual work ing for fifteen hours a day in a crowded and heated room,.sna.ching his hasty meals, and hurrying back vein to his confinement, to earn-a scanty pittance that scarce supplies for the maintenance of his family, when we reflect that by these means he is deprived of the invaluable blessings of case and exercise, that during six days of the week he has 'not a moment's leisure for recreation or improvement; that his mind is neglected, while his health is impaired ; can the hesitate in admit. t ing that this protracted, deratitin of labour. is- unnatu sal and unjuss ? Can we think with complacency of the situation of thousands of individuals, who are so circumstanced, and the labour of whose hands produces such a tide of prosperity to.the country ? Do they not merit some attention—aro they not in a great measure, the instruments of our a.^ealth, and the support of our affluence? What, though a few pounds in a year were taken from the gains . ..)l their merciless employers, .what that . Igir the rapacity of the speculator were checked, and his impatifinee compelled to bear a-short delay— vehat:are all these, in-comparison whit the lives, health, sad comfort of the multitudes who labour, that. others may enjoy, while themselves are depressed, neglected, and despised ?' What can be sucuss.isiconsistent than the. ireglarintrailtatia4iftlantrai'lnktteettnothile we do not afford the poor the time to profit by it—wc g:ve with one haud,.wha'e, we take away with the other —we subscribe to Bible and to School societies, because they affect not our worldly interests ; but we deny the poor man two or threehours in a day either for the pur poses of improvement, recreation, or rest. Under this system, what. degree of monl advancement can we p: , !-:sibly hope for ? We confine a man for six days, pro bably with a number of ignorant anA dissolute compa nions, and what probbility is there that be will spend the seventh in u becoming manner ? We furnish him with an excuse for irreligion; we do not aCord him. the slightest opportunity for the acquisition of know ledge ; and the Ilatural consequence is, that vice' and ig,norance arc left in full s:: ay. If such are the evils resulting from a system that has only as yet bean con sidered as applying to men, how much more will our indignation and sympathy be excit.ul, when we find the same discipline and habits i , -Apcsed upon children— i:stlints of the tenderest years, who arc thus early shut (alt from the reviving it.iluence of the sun, mid doomed to ra, , s the first ' cars of their existence in a piam that has all the coacomitant miseries, though not the 1lb:o -1 vi,. restr;lint of a pristm Ali that has been said re :,)ecting the coosequ,uees to men, applies with tpafold foree to the ;nupltn:nwit of children in such a They tire taisea at a period rate: their :01a , ‘e!ers and .:‘,:positioa:: vac just beginning to dcvelopc )•; - .lasclves;: hen they arc destitute of knowledge of kind, an:l they are at or.ce hurr4e(l to a:school, net virtue, bat of vice—! of use ivstructiNn, but of nrt, intrigne, selfishues. I),:pri..-d of tuition, f.:•inta:ninatel by perni.•;:ms an:l debased in .atelleet, we eunaot be sur; , rit42.4 at the great propor m of crime which always pertains to a large mann fusturing town, and which has canna the qsteni to be f s.: , :re.tA by eiery intelligent aikl benevolent observer. ft is net our meaning (though we have always hes'...:!it: ; . to is calkl: ::vmcr. -• • ' to• tisf Il i .o,at3onat liner 9'd. 1 it taitittr+ Our ;Auto, ConOtitution ant itabid. SUNDAY, APRIL IL 1818. System) to decry these establishments altogether, sac we should belorry to be supposed so blindly inimical to commerce, which haicentributed so largelrto our peek perky and glory ; we know that there are certain evils attendant upon trade and manufacture that are un avoidable ; and,. however we may prefer the mud harmless tendency of agrieukural pursuits, we do not wind to be convinced that` viitligt s t#idnite Will hat 'alone lensed evieustry ; ii , a:.:entitand iheL.thaire are ills that may - and might to be checked—habits:and prectiaes that are destructive tfc the health and weds of the individuals who are engaged in them, and which • it is the duty of the Legislature to watch over and amend. We are disgusted with the pretences of the interested in favour of the oppressive regulations that subsist ; while we rejoice to think that soma of the power will be taken frog teem—th a t they will no longer be suffered to measure the labour of others, poor children especially, by their own avarice. It is now two months• since the Petition of the men employed in the Cotton Factories was presented to the House of Commons by Sir Robert Peel ; brought up by persons, whose emaciated appearance, the Honourable Baronet observed, had excited him to tears. Ihe humanity of the British nation is never appealed to in vain—and a Bill was immediately brought in for the regulation of the hours of labour, &c. By this Bill, children arc preserved from being taken into employ before the age amine years, and Clerk, from that period to the age of sixteen, they arc placed under the protection of Parliament, not being obliged to work more than 11 hours, exclusive of meals. And yet this concession is bat small, it is barely sufficient to answer the purpose, and it still leaves many of our objections unreir.oved. It is, perhaps, all that the Legislature can, do, assailed as their ears are by the outcries of interest, and the approbsesisuswatipiniiiiaigit, :411041.0ii We are warm friends to. the promotion of industrious habits, we are aware of the advantages of having these early instilled into young minds,.but the idea of devot ing the happy and invaluable season of youth, entirely sacrifice•l at the shrine of gain, we do abhor. The pe riod of nine years is still too soon ; mor•e time should be devoted to moral and intellectual culture—and then- the steady occupation of consistent industry would be appreciated as a blessing by the poor, while a mild and humane system would be productive of the highest benefit. to society at large. The introduction of this measure reflects the highest honour on Sir It. Peel —he deserves the blessings of the unkirtunate suflbrers, and we doubt not he has them. We• :-hall not trust ourselves• to speak of his opponents, though we cannot help remarking, lbw singular it is, that so many liberal gentlemen;. wha arc foremost in promoting charity, when it touches not them, and liberality in the abstract, and liberty every where but in Lancashire, should set themselves in opposition to this plan, when tho justice of it is so obvious and the evil which it proposes to remedy is so great as to aroL:se every latent feeling of humanity in the heart.. GENERAL ELFCTION.—Mr. Gordon is now actively canvassing the Borough of CrieLiade.—Mr. Du Cane has ‘vithdrawn his offer of hreoz.ting a Candidate for the Borough ofMahlon.—There wi:l be three Candi dates for the County of Carmarthen, and the same num ber fix the Borough. For the former, Lord Sey mour, the present member, the 116 n. G. 'l:digit Itice, and Sir J. 1 Lmlyn Williams. For the latter, the Hon. J. Campbell, the present member, .1. .Tones, Lsq. 111.1 ) . for Pembroke, and Captain J. G. Phillips, N.—The lion. C. 11. Hutchinson is' now canvass,ing Mr. Latham has withdrawn his name, as a Candidate for the Clunty of Cork, in consequence of Mr. Fon.- sunby having started. By a return made to the House of Commons, it ap pears, that the number of persons executed for forgery within the last 28 years, amounts to !,),e‘..:. Of thc , ,e„ . 7 4 3 wore forgeries on the Bank of England. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE 01' LORDS. . . • Aloqn.sv, Atniu.6. LOrcTEttIKINE rose to pubtpont a Motion , of which he had given notice, tespeetits, persons .•rested for Libels, in con sequence of.tbe absesickor Earl terey, who hid intimate.' 00 1 / 4 Lis intention, of *Avert toshject-4141,1*.10b1e Lord int iiin v he (Lo rkW 't i' l iffuld liiiwititelsewatclay., Adjournsid till IVeiWsttqh . • .) ~.." . 7'.•',- :..if.-,., ~ :.. ' , ..7..iits;. • . - Petitions against the Leather Tax were pelreented Asia Durham, Chester, Southwark fie. The Earl of Snagyesavay moved that the arohileeta,ire• men &c. of the Fire Companies, should attend the Committee on the Chimney Sweepers' Regulation RM.—Ordered. The Noble Fowl then presented a Petition from the Grand Junc tion. Canal Company, vindicating themselves from the impit tations cast on them, and prayimg to be examined before a . Committee. _ _ _ Lord LeutsennALE eaid belied had an interivew with Mr. Coe, the Secretary of the Company, which instead of re- Moving die impression on his mind, had-only confirmed U. A wimp* existed to a.. great extent, and he hoped the measure now in the other House would check it.—Petition received. • THURSDAY. Lard SOMERS end Lord HOLLAI i) presented various Peti— tions against the Leather Tax. The latter observed. that he thought it his ditty so to do, notwithstanding the decision in another place. There were varions unnecessary establish. menu which might be reduced, and• this Tax would not thin be required. Petitions remit ed. Audi esses and congratulations, were unanimously °Mere.) on the Motion of the Earl of Liverpool, to be presente,l to the Prince Regent, the Queen and the Princess Elizabeth.:— Adjourned. FRIDAY. Petitions were !winded against the Leather Tax from variuns places. On the Motion of Lord Lauderdale, the Lords were sum moned for Thursday next to consider of State of the Carreney. 'Fite Marquis of LANDIDOWNE moved an-Address to the Prince Regent for Copies of the Report of the Commission. ers appointed to inquire into the Fess of Courts in tee United Kingdom.. Iu the course of Ins observations, the Noble Lord• mentioned some cases of extreme hardship arising Irony enormous fees, more especially in Ireland. Lord Lis Eh JOL gave the Motion his cotallal support, h• t was glad to find the instances wevorontiood to Ireland,•und *satin woo ao taapatagadi up** the bards ofdepartmenis;' Ile Mation was agreed to nem diss.—Adjlurned HOUSE OF COMMONS. MONDAY, APRIL 6. Mr. J. SMITH presented a Petition from Messrs. Longman find Co. Booksellers, in favour of the Copyright Bill, setting. forth that they hall lost :it: , 001. in the last 4 years by being obliged to give 11 copies of each work to ditlerent Institu tions. Ordered to he on the table. r. Its mmEtts:.i. 1 pre -ea tid a similar Petition from Messrs. Licit-button and Co.. Mr. J. SS' tiTil presented a Petition front Cambridge against the Bill. Alderman Woon presented a Petition from the waterman on the river against the Hotherhithe Bridge. Mr. WHOTILSLIA recont:aended au iliCI Me of the Water men's Fares. Alderman Woon said, the Court of Aldermen had power so to do. Petition received.. . . Mr PEEL presenteil a Petition from 1731 persons in Man ehester, of whom 9 were ph:.sicians, and 21 surgeops, is favour of the Cotton Factory Bill. Mr. PtilLtPs said there was a dilerence of opinion among physicians on the sitlkicet. Sir. F. BUItir:TT observed that to keep children at work from four in the morning till ten at night could not but be in. jui ions to their health and morals. Petition received. LEITEER TAX. Lord .A:rttortPt; moved the second reading of the Leather Duty Repeal 11111. Mr. C. tin 'NT jun. said that every trade had been fa creasing. in burden from taxation except the Leather l'ratte, which till Isl 2, had not paid more than a eiiirtlo d..:v from the rein of Queen Anne. Tait hi:rt.le,e( prorkelivw ness of the Tax was a woof that the ire did not sotiscr from it. No nroand had :town laili i.etieal of the measure, which woald be ahnist to the o..usperity of the n uances and the pithlL: reed:: of Le moved that . the Hill lie read a be...!4)T11i lime lint sdi months. Lord .‘f.T1t111:1'1: said, if this :e it woaiel he impooiihlt. for 'our nailer, to .•ic superiority . s ! l ; : r e t i s'tee he bail cu j): , l: . c' Li.s :wi er would Le over the torcigh tanners. Lord itev ithcr l t L l : a I l e Mr. BENWN ObSci'vra 1.1.:1 1:1C ft't his COU11:y teat stromt the Tax. M tt Ul' i'Lii!..ms by hundreds had beet. pre scoied flue 1 . .. A. We only W. 11!: a ftW 5.161 taxee on staple mantifat lutt. to ruin Hy, itlr. 1, , Fll?!`•(. UUN sttoae I that the lA - other Trade was 'in creasing to to•uqwrity. nod that the T.. tlid hut Come from the porket ci the tanner but the consumer. Mr. t; nouratam denied that another tax must besilbstituted if tlds were ri pealed. The expenditure mildit lie reooe..l in proportion— this had berm dune lu a former inetanct. Le , (11 - _, 111 T •