The Express.
London, England, 1852-01-13 00:00:00

THE STRIKE.

AGGREGATE MEETING OF WORKMEN.

Yesterday, at 1 o'clock, at St. Martin's Hall, Long-
sere, an aggregote meeting was held of the workmen en-
gaged in the various brooches of the iron trade, " to con-
sider their present position and to devise means fur the
tutor,—

The large hall was densely crowded ; and, as we heard,
hundreds went away unable to find hearing room. We did
not notice that any of the employers were present ; but on
the platform were several gentlemen unconnected with the
engineering trade and in attendance simply for the
purpose of expressing sympathy with the meu. Among
these were Lord Oodcrich mid Mr. A. Vansittart. The chair
(in the absence, occasioned by indisposition, of Mr. M into,
President of the Council of the Amalgamated Society), was
taken by Mr. CORMACK.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the business of the meet-
ing, said that he was a hard-listed British mechanic, and
had never had time or opportunity to fit himself for such a
position as that to which he had been called on this occa-
sion. He was, however, among his fellow-mechanics,
wonting with them in the same cause, and they would
think it enough if he was as earnest as they themselves were.
(Cheers.) This was a time for earnestness ; and he hoped
they would enter seriotnly and solemnly upon the business
watch they had met to discuss. (Ilene, hear.) The engineers
had entered on this contest in a good spirit ; and he did not
doubt that his office on this occasion would be one with
light duties. (Cheers.)
Mr. CrillEtt (a young working man) moved That
many of the employers of London and Lancashire having
closed their workshops, this meeting is of opinion that
their conduct is unjust and particularly oppressive to non-
members and labourers, and pledges itself to use every
exertion in obtaining subscriptions in behalf of all who are
thrown out of employment. ' Ile regretted that it had
been necessary to have another public meeting in teferenes
to this dispute between capital and labour. But the fault
was not new with the men ; and in the position into which
they had been forced he hoped that the men would do their
duty. (Cheers.) It was not a dispute affecting themselves
alone ; it concerned all similar trades in the country. They
had entered on a struggle and they were determined to go
through with it—(cheers), peaceably, but at the Mile time
with that firmness and energy which had always hitherto
characterised the acts of their trade. (Cheers.) They were
resolved that might should not be absolute over right.
(Cheers.) At the last public meeting which they had held
it had been a matter of general comment and regret that
they were not favoured with the presence of any of the
employers. They had had from the first only one object in
view—fair play ; and hence they had been mations to have
the employers among them, in order that all the good might
be done which was to be derived from fret and open and
full discussion. However, on this occasion they were
better off than on the previous one: fur he rejoiced to say
they had now among them a large number of employers.
(Cheers.) Ile did not mean those who were burn to be
employers—he did not mean those with whom they were
now disputing; he meant those who had passed their
lives as workers, and who having saved something
from their earnings, were now at last determined to
set up for themselves. (Cheers.) This was what
the masters had now done—they had driven the
men into setting up as their own employers. (Cheers.)
The capitalists had waned fat on the profits of the labour
of others; and the men knew it, and now they who had
worked so long for others were preparing to take the em-
ployers' places. (Cheers.) And as it had come to this, the
public must do their duty. and be hoped that those who
were the purchasers of thine things of which the engineers
were the producers would come forward to patronise the
men in, their self-defensive struggle, and would cease to
patronise the individuals who had proved the oppressors of
the men. (Cheers.) It was quite certain that the work
which had been done must continue to he done by
some one; and who was to do it but that class which
had done it for years? The operative engineers were
both willing and able to do it ; and that could
be said truly of no other parties. They (the opera-
tive engineers) could produce is their own workshops
that which they hid hitherto pro lured in the work-
shops of their oppressors. They could do it as well
—nay, he believed they could do it better ; for
when men worked for themselves, they could
work ten times as well as when they were but la-
bourers for the profit of others. (Cheers.) The men had done
their duty. They had invited the masters to meet them—
not once, not twice, but dogmas of times; and not one of
them had as yet had the courage or the fairness to come
forward to argue this business honestly. (Cheers.) Well,
the men, at any rate, occulled a position as strong
as that of the masters; and they would hold to it to the
last. Therefore, he said, let all be of good cheer; they
would cling to one another; and at last and worst they
could only be driven to beg, They would raise up their
own little workshops, and therein they would labour for the
common interest of all. This they had resolved to do, as
being the most beneficial step which, under present cit.:tuns
stances, it was possible for them to take. It was a most
gratifying ani encouraging fact that in undertaking te dos
this they had met with the approval and the proffered aid
of many impartial gentlemen. These gentlemen had are
forward with their thousands, eager to assist ; and to them
let the working men be grateful. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. JAMES POTTS seconded the resolution. This
was an eventful day for the English working-classes. This
was a fight for the whole of their trade ; and the result
would decide whether they were to continue the passive
slaves of capital or would rise late the ceedliticsa of kir-
pendent men. This was no new gasethe sheet whisk they
were disputing. It was one whisk hid toss saWW Ise
years in their trade. Long before the lieskity
was formed the associations which prerdaTthat body Ms.
cuastigthis matter; but not until that obtained
and:influence through the gene Society
they been enabled to prefer them deka& with a chase of
succeeding in them. The Antakprated Society withstood
for a considerable period the baportunities audressed be
them from all parts of the country ; but et last they
found the feeling against overtime and pieeewbrk was enli-
vens] among the men, end they were obliged to give way.
And, when they did resolve on moving, they moved in the
proper manner. They sent out to all their branches, in all
corners of the kingdom, schedules for filling up, and to be
returned to them. They put plain rnestions, asking plain
yes or no in legend to piecework sad overtime, and up-
wards of tele at the tiers replied that they were for the
abolition Of eyeemestie scathes awl piecework ; 16 only
tiling no, and It sae eeprsedejthithealves in favour of
piecework. (Chests.) Now, Mee sash a return, was not
the Amalgamated Society fully jethisit he sending out the
seethe which had led to the nesse step of the
rashes? The conduct of their tapployers was mast
najustillable. The employers het terned out some rd
who were to as way connected with the pressmikp if the
Anialgweeted Society. If there wee et be - let
it fall es the men who had come te the ski who
would eel shriek from their remintiee, to over-
time led yieseweek. It was a them he the =Men lei lie
spigot men wile W always steed thew, and wise lei
entered into me winstmg with the The masters aright
think this wail saw disunion le the Weds. But such SOW
duct was sMrly train to meek the thee
NKWTON sere forward to mewl the resehe
lion, and the ease cog gave him a eke esthasethe recep-
tion. He rid : Wks the em s& of the Amalgamated
Society last met the body of waken, they peeadeed their
members that they would de week these • and he
thought the premiss had been fiddlied. la the lint place
they had promised moderates sad deseetise in all their
actions ; and they bed dues asthieg yet whieh could be
found fault with ewe by these who were tippled to thew
Ile believed that the rating the es sesame la Us deleintle
nation to be passable led ntedemes es thimble meating
been, and be believed am that the Tusrally wile as
fully persuaded as the Amalgamated week be of
the beneficial effects such a Wee a wt. (Soar,
hear.) They had nut escaped sore serum for the absegster
of their demands, but he we phased to refer to thew
newsaapers which at first univesestly condemned and the
nounced them, but which, sines, bed greatly mmoisnaind
their tone, and now would eesmbewed to ages with
them. the had said, on the verqy bet esseilea
on which they had met, that the Laadsa
had been deceived and deluded into this conshinatimulaieW
proof that they did not undantsed the genuine demands of
their men wee in the chreumatamee that, at the ate et, the
correspondents of the as ted the Amalga-
mated Society as dYtiast demands. the
Amalgamated Society deeded that they had ever sanc-
tioned or suggested any proceediegs, the object of which
was to throw certain men washing at certain machines
out of work ; and clearly it was the duty of
those who 'ied that such a course had been
taken by the Amalgamated Society to bring forward
sore document to substantiate their charge. But no such
document had ever been or could be produced. (Load