The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-07-04 00:00:00

THE MARCH OF THE LOCKED-OUT
LABOURERS.

The special correspondent of the Da a y Neu*, writing from
Cambridge. on Monday night, says :
The b mg- talked of procession of agricultural labourers
' through the Northern and Midland Counties has at
length begun. This morning Mr. Taylor, the General
Secretary of the National Union, selected about 70men
in the Newmarket district, and started f roni that town for
Cambridge shortly after one o'claik, arriving there about
six. All the men wore blue ribbons, and some carried
. flags, while others collected money along the route. The
lon was headed by a waggon drawn , procession by one horse,
! on which were placarded the words "money-boy,"
from which one was given to understand that
ample provision had been made for conveying
almost any sum that would be forthcoming. The
weather, taking all things into consideration, was
everything that cffild be desired for the commence-
ment of the march—not too hot or too cold, with a few
drops of rain to lay the dust, so that under these cir-
cumstances the first day's work was by no means
severe, considering the distance-13 miles. The object
of the march, as defined by one of the men, who, by
the way, all appeared exceptionally quiet and respect-
able, is to "excite public sympathy and to collect
subscriptions," to which may perhaps be added, "for
the purpose of improving their moral and social con-
dition, and that of their class generally." From Cam-
bridge they proceed to Bedford rid Paton and
Gamlingay, where they will arrive in the course of to-
morrow, doing part of the journay by rail. Among the
more important towns which they propose visiting
are Wolverhampton, Sheffield, Birmingham, Coventry,
and Nottingham, where the final demonstration is to
take place, probably on the 11th July. In some of
these towns there are, as is well known, large and
influential trade unions, who will, in all probability,
march in procession with the labourers through their
respective towns, besides affording them material help
ffi a pecuniary point of view. On arriving at Cam-
bridge the men were supplied with a substantial dinner
through the liberality of a local gentleman, and after-
wards proceeded to an open space known as Midsummer-
common to hold what is usually described as a de-
monstration, but which on the present occasion was
nothing out of the ordinary way as regards open-air
meetings. A large waggon did duty as a platform. and
on it were the chairman, Mr. Hall, a member of the
Cambridge Town Council, Messrs. Taylor, Ford, and
one or two others. The spectators below were tolerably
large in numbers—perhaps two thousand, but most
of them seemed to be there more out of curiosity than
for any other purpose. Resolutions were carried up-
holding the right of combination of labourers, and
according sympathy and support to the men. Mr.
Taylor said the action of the labourers was not due
to agitation, but to the dissemination of the principles
of Unionism in rural districts. The farmers had
adopted Unionism, though of an unjust kind, and as
they employed as secretary a lawyer, they had no
rlhotcloteosbjelalatih,oeurelarbos irsnohtaivnintetddenlieltir,
this
" pilgrimage " a pleasure trip, but a means of circu-
lating the facts of the case throughout the country, in
order to elicit sympathy and support. It was stated
by other speakers that there were three thousand
Union men in Cambridge district. After a collection
had been made, the pilgrim labourers formed a pro-
cession through the streets, amid steadily-fallivo, rain,
and were then told off to their respective quarters for
the night.

The marching labourers assembled on Tuesday
morning on St. Paula-square, Bedford, every man
answering to the roll-call. None of them were appa-
rently the worse for their two days' march. Mr Taylor
offered to send any back who were tired of the march;
but all were eager to go on. After promenading the
principal streets of Bedford, the troop took the train
and proceeded to Olney.