The Express.
London, England, 1862-12-03 00:00:00

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TUE LANCASHIRE DIEITIIO2B.

COUNTY Immo AT MANCITES'rER.
MANCHESTER, Dec. 2.
A county meeting of the inbabitanta of Lanca- I
shire, convened by the Lord-Lieutenant, was held in the
Teem-hall this day. Among those present were the Earl •
of Derby, Lord Stanley, M.P., the Earl of Sefton (Lord-
Lienteuaud, the Ead of Wilton, Lord likelmendale, Lord
Egerton of Tattoo, Lord Grey de Wilton, M.P., Lord
Edward Howard, M.P., the Hon. A. Egerton, M.P., Mr-
Wilbraham Egerton, M.P., Sir T. Heaketh, M.P., Mr.
Beeler, /LP., Sir Robert Gerard, the Hon. G. Cavendish,
Mr. W. J. Legh, ?LP., Colonel Gray, M.P., Sir H.
de Trafford, Colonel Blackburn& Sir J. L. liardney, Canon !
Stowell, Colonel Mann, Sir J. K. Shuttleworth, Mr. H. B.
Parnell, C. Turner, M.P., Sir K Armitage, Sir T. B. Birch,
the Mayors of Manchester, Preston, Warrington, Ashton,
Blackburn, and Stockport; Messrs. H. Ashworth, S.
Ashton, N. Eckersley, T. Clegg, J. Heald, R. Ascroft, L. •
Heyworth, Entwine, W. A. F. Saunders (High Sheriff), do.
On the motion of the High Sheriff, the Earl of Sefton, ;
lord-lieutenant of the county, was called to the chair.
The LORD-LIEUTENANT briefly explained that he had con-
vened the meeting in consequence of a requisition he bad
received from the executive committee of Manchester, and
that its object was to obtain a declaration of the intentions
of those who were connected by property, or other ties,
with the county, in case the present alarming distress in the
cotton districts should coutinne. They bad openly given
out that they were desirous of receiving assistance from all
parts of the country, and in answer to their appeal very
large sums of money had been contributed ; but they had
been fairly reminded in the public prints, and by their
private friends, that more was expected from those whose
landed property, or sources of wealth, were more particu-
larly connected with the distressed districts. The noble lord
celled upon the Earl of Derby to move the first resolution.
Lord 1/Eime rose to move the first resolution. The noble
earl, in his speech, paid a high tribute to the " noble
manner" in which the operatives had borne their sufferings,
sad alluded also to the " sacrifices " which many manatee-
terse* were making for their workmen. He repelled
the imputation that Lancashire had failed in its duty, and
by amines of figures he showed the " insanity "of increasing
the rates in certain depressed districts. His lordship quoted
some statistics, which appeared in our columns a few days
ago, and which may shortly be reamitulated here, to
enable the public to form an estimate of the intense pressure
on these districts. He said that of 365,000 persons engaged
in different manufactures, 40,000 were in full work,
135,000 on short work, and 180,000 out of work altogether.
This number, he added, was likely to be greatly
increased in the ensuing six weeks. His lordship con.
eluded by saying :—The last objection upon which
I will make an obearvetion is, that Lancashire has not done
its duty in this distress, sad that consequently other parts
of the country have been unduly called upon to, contribute
to that which I do not deny properly and primarily belonged
to Lancashire. It is very hard to ascertain with any cer-
tainty what has been done by Lancashire, because, in the ,
first place, the amount of public subscriptions among them-
selves gives a very inadequate idea of what really has been
done by public and private charity. (Hear, hear.) I do
not mean to say that there are not individuals who have
grossly neglected their duty in that respect ; but,
on the other hand, there are persons who have
displayed most princely and munificent liberality
and generosity—(cheep),—and who have made sacri-
fices of which no person out of this county can
form the slightest conception. At the same time I
admit there are instances of niggardly feeling which really it
is hardly possible to believe could exist. (Hear, hear.)
Perhaps you will allow me to read two or three extracts
from the confidential reports which have been made to us
seeveepp week from different districts, by the gentleman whose
eervioss have been placed at our disposal by the government.
Hs says 1. Nearly 3,000 operatives out of work. Most
of them are the hands of Messrs. ' • and Mr. -- at his
own cost employs 555 girl in sewing 5 days a week, paying
them ed. • day ; sends 76 youths, from 13 to 13, and 332
adults, above 15, five days a week to school, paying them
from 4d. to Bd. a day, according to age. lie also pays the
school pence of all the children. Mr. -- has hitherto paid
his people two days' wages a week, but he is now preparing
a scheme like Mr. —to a great extent. I should add that
in addition to wages Mr. -- gives bread, mop, oaths, and
clogs. 2. Mr. has at his own expense caused 50 or 60 din-
nees to be provided for sick persons every day. 3. Messm—
er, giving to their hands 3 days wages, about 5001. a week. Mr.
and Mr. are giving their 130 hands, and Mr.
their 230 hands two days' wages a week. I may mention
that Messrs. are providing for all their 1,700 hand,.
(Cheers.) 4. A. peat deal of private charity exists, one
firm having spent 1,400/. in money, exclusive of weekly
doles of bread. 5. Messrs. are providing all their old
hands with sufficient clothing end bedding to supply every
want, so that their subscription is merely nominal. 6. The
ladies of the village visit and relieve privately with money,
food, and clothing, or all if needed urgently. In a few
cases distraint has been threatened, but generally the poor
are living rest free. 7. Payment of rent is almost un-
known. The agent for several landlords &sauces me that he
could not from his receipt& pay the property tax ; but no
distraint' are made. 8. The bulk of the rents are not col-
lected, sod distraint& are unknown. 9. The mill-owners
are chiefly cottage-owners, and are asking for no
rent, and sacrificing • large amount of in-
come they had a right to count upon.° We
require in the executive committee that every com-
mittee shall send an account of the amount of local sub-
scriptions. We received an application from one district for
relief, and refused it, as it appeared there bed been no local
subscriptions. On inquiry we find that there wee only one mill,
which belonged to some young men, who since last February,
when the mill closed, had paid more than one-third of the
rates of the whole district, and were suffering at that mo-
ment a yearly loss of 3001. in the rent of cottages, for which
they were not exacting a single halfpenny. That is one
sample out of many I could allege, which shows bow persons
at a distance may be deceived by the amount apparently
placed to the credit of this or that individual. (Cheers.)
But I will throw out of consideration the whole of those
amounts—the whole of that unparalleled munificence on the
part of manufacturers which never appears in any account
whatever. I will throw out everything done in pri-
vate and unostentatious charity—the supplies of bed-
ding and clothing and food, which do not ap-
pear in the public subscriptions, and I will anpeal
to the public subscriptions alone. Upon the authority of
Mr. Commissioner Farnall I find that, excluding altogether the
subscriptions in the Lord Mayor's list, and dealing only with
those foods-administered through the central executive com-
mittee, there is, including Dome subscriptions known to be
coming in this year, a total sum contributed which amounts
to 540,000/. Of that sum we have receved from the co-
lonies, and it is a most gratifying fact, nor less than 40,0001.
We have received from the rest of the United Kingdom
100,0001., and we have received from the county of Lan-
caster itself, in round numbers, 400,0004 out of the
540,0001. which has been contributed. I hops that these
figures, which I give on the estimate and authority of the
government poor-law commissioner, will be sufficient to
do away with the imputation that Lancashire at this crisis
is not doing its duty. But if Lancashire has been
doing It. duty, and is doing it, there is no reason
why Lancashire should relax now. We are not
yet at the height of the distress. It is estimated
that at the present moment there are 355,005 persons en-
gaged in the cotton manufacture. Of those :155,000, 40,0(10
Only are in full work, 135,000 are at short work, 180,000
are out of work altogether. and in the course of the next
six weeks that number is likely to be greatly increased ;
and in the meantime the weekly loss of wages is estimated
to be not less than 137,000/. This is a state of things which
calls for the moat active exertion of all dames of the com-
munity. (Cheers.) I am happy to say that it has been
nobly responded to, from the crown down to the lowest of
her Majesty's subjects. At the commencement of the die-
taries the Queen,with her usual:munificeuce' sent us a dona-
tion of 2,0001. The first act of his Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales, on attaining his majority, was to write
from Rome and request that his name should be put down
for 1,000/. And now to go to the other end of the
scale, only two days ago I received from Lord Shaftes-
bury a donation of 1,1001. from some thousands
of working men who are readers of a periodical called the
British Workman. He tells; ne that that sum has been
contributed by many thousands of persons, and that he
has even had contributions from the brigade of shoeblack
boys. Upon the part of all dames" there has been the
greatest amount f liberality displayed; but it would be
unjust to the working man and to the poor of every dis-
trict if I did not my that in proportion to their means they
have more than contributed their share to the general
subscription. (Cheers.) In no case hardly that has come
to my knowledge have I known of a poor man grudging the
contribution he was able to give ; but I know of many
cases in which be has gives more than common prudence
justified him in giving. With these observations I have
only earnestly to request you this day to do your part to-
wards the furtherance of this good work. I have no appre-
hanaioa that, if the distress should last for five or
six months looser, the spontaneous efforts of in-
dividuals and public bodice, and the contributions
raised in every part of the country, will fall short
of that which is needed for enabling the popu-
lation to tide over this deep distress, and I earnestly hops
that, if it becomes necessary ultimately to appeal to parlia-
ment as a last resource, the representatives of the
coustiy will not grudge their aid. I do hope and believe, I
however, that with the esaistance of the machinery of the
bill passed last year, and which will come into operation
after Christmas this great manufacturing district will be
spored the further humiliation of coming before parliament
as a claimant or suppliant for the bounty of the nation at
large. (The noble earl resumed his seat amid great
cheering.)
Sir R. GERRARD seconded the resolution, which was
unanimously agreed to.
The Mayor of MaNctirarsa then moved the following :
"That the expectation at first entertained of an early
mitigation of the present distress has been disappointed by
the constant increase of its intensity, so that the ruble-rip-
Sons contributed with the hope of alleviating a transient
calamity should now be increased to mast the aggravated
evil."

The Mayor of laviaroot seconded the resolution, which
was supported by Mr. A. E0.131T011, M. P., mod would to.