The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-31 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 31, 1853.

THE STRIKES.

MR. HUME AND THE STRIKES AT PRESTON.
Of all our public men, perhaps Mr. Hume is best
entitled to attention when he speaks on the subject
of Strikes. For more than a third of a century he
has taken a prominent part in every attempt to im-
prove, by legislation or otherwise, the condition of
the working people. His letter to the chairman of '
the Operatives Association in Preston ought, there-
fore, to have weight with masters and workmen .
alike. The interests of both are involved too deeply I
in the present struggle for them to do other than
welcome most heartily any suggestion for arbi-
tration,
or anything else, that may promise a speedy
arrangement of disputes which impoverish, without
exception, all involved in them, and which in a greater
or less degree injure the whole community. " Blessed
are the peacemakers;'" and with this text on their I
lips and in their hearts let the letter of Mr. Hume
be taken into consideration by the disputants--capi-
talists and labourers—at Preston, Wigan, and else-
where. Our correspondent says :
PUZSTON, OCT. 2).
The president of the Operatives' Association in this town
has received &letter from Mr. Joseph flume, in which that
gentleman, after giving his decided opinion th..t " all
strikes, whether of workmen or of masters, are injurious to
both and detrimental to the public interests," and after
glancing at the repeal of the combination laws in 1824, thus
refers to the Preston dispute : " You declare that workmen
have always been for arbitrmion, and that the masters have
refused that fair course. lam nut in a condition to know
whether you are correct or not ; but wbiclieve'e party have
refused to refer their differences to arbitration, have much
to answer for, both so the public and to the parties who
have become the sufferers thereby. I consider the benefits
of free-trade to be great, and to be increasing. The freeing
of labour, in 1824, from the shackles that then interfered
with and bound the working-classes was the commence-
ment of that great movement; and I do yet hope that the
good sense of both masters and men will enable them to see
the advantage of doing what was the object in view by the
repeal of the combination laws—of referring all disputes to
arbitration." In a postscript, the writer adds : " 1 see on
the list of advocates for arbitration to settle the disputes of
nations, instead of having recourse to war, many master
manufacturers who are at this moment in strife against
their men ; and I do hope that a little consideration
will induce those masters, and all masters, to meet
with the readiest means every application from the
men for the settlement of these ruinous strikes, in which
innocent women and children and small traders become the
victims." This afternoon about 6,000 of the unemployed
sasembled in the Orchard, to hear addresses from their dele-
gates. Mr. E. Swinglchurst (chairman) adverted to the
closing of the mills in Burnley and Ramp, where, he said
he had advised the hands to apply by hundreds kr parm,
ebial relief. Mr. Walton (Blackburn) suggested that unless
I the mills were speedily re-opened, the operatives of Preston
should remove to other towns, where they could get paid
for their labour. In Blackburn alone one-half of them
might find employment by-and-bye. Mr. George Cowell
reminded the assembly of the approaching municipal elec-
tions, and urged them to do all they could to prevent the
re-election of those " cotton lords " at present in the coun-
cil. They must support men who would vote for the ap-
pointment of a stipendiary magistrate, and thus rid the
bench as well as the council chamber, of cotton. Mr. Brown
(Blackburn) intimated that when they had obtained an ad-
vance of wages they must make application to the legisla-
ture for a reduction of the hours of labour. Mr. Rhodes (of
Stoskport) vindicated the justice of their demands for in-
creased remuneration by reference to the advanced prices of
manufactured goods. Mr. Luke Wood (Stockport) briefly
addressed the meeting on the lock-out at Padiham, stating
that the masters there would re-open en Monday if the
hands would pledge themselves not to contribute to the
support of Preston. The proceedings terminated at half-
past four o'clock.

THE RIOT AT WIGAN.

(FROM A SPECIAL

)NDZNT.)

WIGAN, SUNDAY.
Here I am then at Wigan, having walked up from
the railway station to the Royal Hotel through a
street strewed with window glass. It seems as if a ge-
neral assault had ended yesterday, and the inhabitants
were putting their houses in order to-day. Some of
the shop fronts seem utterly shattered. The public-
houses have been the especial objecteof the vengeance
of the rioters. Scarcely a fragment of glass remains
in any window of an inn or hotel, the whole length
of the way through which I have passed. The
volleys of stones have been in some cases
so fearful that the fronts of the windows have
bees literally stove in. It is fair time, but
there is no laughter and no fun, and the
stalls, many of them at least, have been wrenched to
pieces to furnish weapons for the rioters. The town
is crowded, but not with pale faces, like the Preston
men. Hard, heavy, reckless countenances, set upon
broad projecting huge shoulders; arms and fists
adapted to tell oxen; spare bodies, supported on
thin legs, form the type of the Wigan workman.
The streets are crammed with specimens of this
clan. They move or stand about the streets strewed
with the ruins caused by their own handiwork last
night, with a carelessness, an insouciance, an appa-
rent feeling of security, that is anything but encou-
raging to the lookers-on. They look like so many
Onions, after pulling up trees and rocks, and flinging
them at random for their pastime. They seem to
dread nothing and to hope as little. As you pass
along the battered sides of the streets they stare at
you without moving, and you have to pilot yourself
with a discretion that virtually makes the path you
wish to go three times its usual length. Push on
nevertheless ; the Royal Hotel, the point of the
chief assault, has to be reached, and the obstructions
must be overcome as best they may. You pass by
' the Victoria Hotel, and there through the intervals
of the planking that is pat up to keep the weather
' out in the absence of windows, which the Orsons
have demolished, you see visions of red coats. Look-
ing in at the door-way you find that the house
is apparently under military occupation ;
soldiers are visible everywhere. " Lancashire
Witches," vi ith shawls, or cloaks, or aprons pic-
turesquely pulled over their heads, are looking at the
soldiery with an evident admiration that would ex-
cite anything bat pleasurable feelings in the minds
of their Onions were the latter sufficiently clever to
find it out. Go ea and you come to a regular stand-
still. You must make up your mind to fight your
way if you want to get on at all. On looking up to
a point to which all eyes are directed you see the
cause of the stoppage. You are in front of the Town-
hall. It is crammed with soldiers, who are looking
down upon the crowd from a position which we must
suppose is prescribed by the tacticians as
essentially military, since we know of no
class but soldiers who adopt it. Tho top
sash is pulled down, and the soldiers are looking
over it. A few steps further and you are at the
Moot Hall, filled also with soldiers from the floor to
the roof. A long balcony runs along the front, and
two soldiers are pacing up and down as sentries.
You would stop and ask yourself where you are, but
your time is limited. A few desperate plunges and
you come in front of the Royal Hotel. It is to be
hoped you did not know it in times past, or you
would not recognise it again. Its features are
strapped and bandaged and plastered like those of a
fortunate Irishman the day after Donnybrook fair.
Fight your way through the crowd at the door.
Turn to the left, and observe, when your
eyes are accustomed to the gloom, your humble
servant, listening to an intelligent coal proprietor,
who is doing his best to explain the cause of the
strike, which has been the cause of the riot, which
has been the cause of the smashed furniture, and so
on. We will not go into that subject just yet, as
we hardly know whether we elan have time. What
we want you to do is to look at the room. Every
pane of glum is smashed : there is scarcely a splinter
left. 1% eathcr-boarding is nailed in front of the
window higher than the bottom sash. A large pier
glass over the fire-place, which is on the right hand
side of the window as you look outwards, is crushed
into a hundred bits. A picture on the side of the
room opposite to this has suffered just as much;
while the side opposite the window, on
which was hung a valuable oil painting,
is almost stove in by the hurricane of
stones thrown by the mob. You will see by this
description that the stones must have been hurled
from every available quarter of the compass. After

you have contemplated the state of this room, every
article of furniture of which is damaged, walk into
the room to the right of the door, where the land-
lord is dining with a few of his friends. This is
equally dark, equally damaged, equally uncomfort-
able. The Orions have done their work well here
also. If you aro curious walk into a few more rooms.
In one you will see a heap of the fragments that
have been removed from the various rooms. They
are sufficient to fill it. In another you will see a
whole side of the room laid tare.

You ask the cayse of all this. Expect to hear it
told in various manners, but after comparing them
together you cannot be wrong in coming to some-
thing like the following as a true statement of the
facts. The proprietors of the coal mines of the dis-
trict met together yesterday for the purpose of con-
sulting as to the propriety of accedinz to the terms
offered by the men. The meeting held at the Royal
Hotel was private, but the fact soon oozed out, and it
became soon generally known that no concession
would be made. Large crowds of colliers soon as-
sembled before the house, and by their appearance
' some assault was feared. One gentleman who left
the hotel in a gig was pulled out and ill-treated.
The excitement gradually increased. Suddenly a
storm of missiles sae hurled against the
windows of the hotel, and a simultaneous attack
made upon it from all quartirs. The proprietors had
barely time to retreat, when the house was in pos-
session of the mob, who commenced operations very
significantly by extinguishing every light, and then
smashing the furniture. They then rushed down
the street, taking care to smash the lamps and put
out the lights. Wigan was in a state of complete
darkness, thoroughly given over to the possession of
an infuriate mob. It is a bright fact in a gloomy
narrative to tell that there are very few instances of
plunder recorded during the four hours in which the
mob held the town. With a few exceptions, they
contented themselves with committing acts of atro-
cious mischief. I must hero break off for the pre-
sent, for the train is nearly due.

THE REPORT OF OUR LOCAL CORRESPONDENT.

The turnout of colliers and factory operatives at Wigan
has for tome time past occasioned fears that peace would hot
be maintained ; and on Friday evening an outbreak of nn
alarming character took place. At 'Wigan, as at Stockport
I and Blackburn, under similar circumstances on previous
occasions, the small police force at the disposal of the au-
thorities is quite inadequate to such emergencies, and the
mob once incited to ♦iolence carried everything before
them. Extinguishing the gas lamps, they succeeded in
throwing the town into utter darkness, and under cover of
the night they proceeded to commit acts of the most wan-
ton violence on property of all kinds coming within their
reach, though happily no lives were sacrificed during the
riot. For upwards of four hours the town was entirely at
their mercy.
The population of Wigan, according to the last returns,
was 32,000, and of these about 6,000 factory operatives hove
bccu on strike from six to seven weeks, and nearly 5,000
colliers have been on strike five to six weeks. With the
factory operatives little has occurred during the strike to
vary the trying monotony of the idle life they have led.
They have had several public meetings, but their late em-
ployes have rarely come into contact with them, except
when a deputatton has been sent to obtain an interview oc-
casionally. With the master colliers matters have stood
on a different footing. They have had periodical meetings
at the Royal Hotel, is the centre of the town, the time ❑s
well as place of meeting being known ; and it is not sur
prising that, regarding them as the arbiters of their fate,
the colliers should have assembled from time to time to watch
the place of meeting, endeavouring to gain encouragement or
information from a word or gesture as the more frank and
friendly disposed of their employers passed in or out. One
of these meetings took place on Friday afternoon, at four
o'clock, Mr. Peace, manager of the collicries belonging to
the Earl of Crawford aad Baleares, in the chair. At five
o'clock, the meeting terminated ; and by that time several
hundred colliers had congregated in front of the hotel, and
manifested great anxiety to know the result of their masters'
deliberations. The decision of the meeting soon oozed out.
It was that the pits should be thrown open, and that the
men might resume work at the prices they received when
they struck ; but even this was with the condition that the
masters could close the pits again at the end of a fortnight,
if the men did not return to work in large numbers. An
impression had prevailed amongst the operatives that if the
masters did not yield toe whole 16} per cent. demanded,
they would at least at this meeting agree to offer half that
advance, and when the actual result became known, an
excited feeling began to he manifested by the colliers, and
they continued about the hotel and Market-place.

According to one account, two coal proprietors (and to
another, Mr. Peace, jun., and a coal preprietor) left the
Royal Hotel together about half-past six o'clock, and
walked through the Market-place towards Wellgate, fol-
lowed by a large number of colliers who hooted and pushed
them. They took refuge in the shop of Mr. Charles John-
son, watchmaker, Wellgate ; but a scone was immediately
thrown through the window, and they then went into the
Bog and Partridge public-house, close by. It is said that
as they were going in, one of them (some say Mr. Peace,
jun.) showed a pistol, and this only excited them the
more. The mob remained nearly half an hour in front of
the house, hooting and cheering derisively ; but in the
meantime the police. beaded by tho chief constable, had
come to the spot, whilst the obnoxious parties left the house
by a side door. The mob now turned upon the police, and
hooted them ; and not content with this, they next com-
menced throwing oyster shells, stones, and other missiles.
Seeing that the presence of the puck° excited the mob, Mr.
Sims, the chief constable, thought it advisable to withdraw
his force to the police station, and accordingly gave orders
to that effect. As the police were marching back through
' the market-place, the crowd cheered lustily, but the chief
' constable, who was in the rear, was stoned and otherwise
assaulted, and attempts were made to throw him dawn.
When the force had got back to the police office, informa-
tion of what was going on was sent to Mr. Nathaniel Eck-
ersley, the mayor, who arrived at the office in a fewminutes
afterwards. Mr. Cook, draper, and Mr. Thomas Byrom,
grocer, borough magistrates, were also sent for, and a con-
sultation took plane on their arrival, which ended in the
two latter gentlemen going to the Royal Hotel, with the
view of addressing the people, and advising them to be
peaceable and to disperse. They arrived there just as the
mob, now about • thousand strong, returned iron the
attack on Mr. Johnson's shop, the Dog and Partridge, and
from their pursuit of Mr. Marilee!' Peace, and began to
threaten the Royal Hotel. Mr. Minkel' Peace and
his father had become much more unpopular
than the other coalmasters, it appears, in conse-
quence of the latter having brought 150 colliers on the
previous day from Wales, per London and North Western
Railway, to supply the place of some of the turnouts at the
Earl of Crawford's colliery—men who were at that moment
lodged and provided witn food in a saw-mill at the colliery
in order that they might not come in contact with, or be
annoyed by, the turnouts. When Mr. Cooke and Mr. '
Byrom saw the threatening position which affairs had as-
turned, they conceived, from the temper of the mob, that
anything like advice or mild remonstrance would be in vain,
for the hotel would be attacked, and they therefore returned
to the Police Office, and suggested their fears to the chief
magistrate.
It may be desirable here to interrupt the narrative to
mention one or two facts which will convey a better notion
of the subsequent proceedings than if we inserted
them in another place. And dust, as to the posi-
tion of the IL >yet Hotel. This is the principal hotel in
Wigan, and stands on the eastern side of the Market-
place, which occupies the crown of a hill forming the highest
point of the town. The principal streets leading from the
Market-place are:—Wallgate to the Bouth,Standishgate to the
north, and Millgate (in which the police-office is situate) to
the cast. The Royal Hotel (called sometimes by its old
name, the Eagle) in situate at the corner of Staudishgate
and Mitigate. Wallgate, leading from the market-place
to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Station and
to the North Union Railway Station (both of
which are near its southern extremity), is the great tho-
roughfare of the town. The annual autumnal cattle fair
had commenced that day, and the weekly market was
holding at the same time: so that, besides the mob of turn-
outs, the market-place and three thoroughfares here indi-
cated were crowded with stalls, cattle, and many people
from the country.
The Police-office, in Millgate, stands something more
than 100 yards from the Royal Hotel and market-place
The force stationed there when complete inc,udea a chief
constable, one sergeant, and nine policemen ; but on this
occasion one man was ill, and ono or two others were ab-
sent from various causes. An auxiliary force of 50 special
constables had been sworn iii to meet any emergency that
might arise from the strikes, and this force, consisting of
artisans (and what is remarkable, so far as we could learn,
not including a single shopkeeper), might now have been
of great value had they been courageous and reliable men.
On learning the opinions of his brother magistrates the
mayor hastily summoned a number of these specials, and
with six of the regular force sod 21 specials he and his two
brother magistrates went to the front of the Royal Hotel.
The mob had watched the master colliers out and hooted
them as they left the hotel, and a scene of great uproar
and confusion presented itself when the mayor arrived,
which became worse and worse every moment. The mob
seized awns, and, when they could not find these, potatoes,
turnips, and other veectithles from the market stalls,
and hurled them at the windows of the hotel.
Mr. William Marshall, standing by tho side of the
morr in front of the hotel, was struck on the eye
with one of these missiles, and another gentleman was hit
behind the head. His worship gave one of the leading
ruillaes into cuctody, and tour Policemen proceeded with
him towards the police-office, hut ho was rescued by the
mob. The mayor had two of the regular police still by his
side, het the brave spceiala, when be turned to look fur
these, they were nowhere to be seen! The mob from this

time had everything their own way, and the mayor and
magistrates having held a hasty consultation, went to the
Electric Telegraph office at the North tinian Railway sta-
tion, and forwarded a message to Preston, 16} miles dis-
tant, for the aid of the military. Subsequently, at half-
past eight o'clock, sent a epeeist messenzer by railway
train. The barracks, however, are at Felvrood, 31 miles
further, and as the soldiers had retired to bed when the
message arrived, and as a consultation had to be held
whether it was safe for the military to leave Preston, where
an outbreak was not unlooked fur, much time was lost
before the troops could be put in motion.
The shopkeepers, during the disturbances we have de-
scribed, were seized with a pana', and most of them preciei-
tately closed their establishments. After breaking the win-
dows of the Royal Hotel, the m th, which now included
mere factory operatives then colliers, proceeded, at a little
after S o'clock, down 111illgate, destroying the police office
windows, extinguishing the gas lamps, and breaking the
glass shades. They then returned and watt down Standish-
gate, committing the same violence. The less darieg in
these acts of violence cheered and encouraged those who
most distinguished themselves. Many of them had sticks.
as well as pockets full of stones ; and others armed thcru•
selves with staves by destroying the frames of the stalls, iu
the market place. About half-past S o'clock they
attacked the Moot-hall and the Town-hall, and
broko a good deal of glass. They then proceeded
down Wallgate, extinguishing the gas-lights, breaking
many of the lamps entirely off the pests, and hurling stones
thro Agit every window where a . was visible. They
broke the widows of the Clarence Hotel ; threw stones
into the Pcst-effiee, kept by Mr. Wall, bothseller and sta-
tioner, destroying his glass-cases and other property inside;
and demolished the front of the Victoria lintel. Hosing
gone as far as the railway.stetions in thin direction, they re-
turned, about 9 o'clock, arid commenced a second attack on
the Royal Hotel. This time they entered the hou,e, tore
down the curtains of windows and beds, smashed the pier
and other glasses, the glass in the pie lire frames, took
away some liquors from the bar, and finally attempted to
set fire to the house. The attempt, however, was happily
frustrated. A cry arose to "blow up" the house; but
there was fortunately neither gunpowder nor blast-
ing apparatus colliers know so well how to use,
The mob next made another excursion down Wallgate,
and on reaching the opening onposite the Victoria Hotel
'proceeded up it to the house of Mr. James Taylor, a partner
in the firm of T. Taylor and Brother, cotton spinners—a
lofty three-story building, which they attacked both back
and front, entirely demolishing the windows. An attack
was made on Mr. Esplin's shop, well stocked with jewellery
and watches, and the shutters and windows were broken,
but just then a heavy railway train crossed the bridge over
the street close by, and a ftlse alarm that the soldier.; were
at hand from Preston being raised, a precipitate retreat
was made. The mistake having been discovered, the over-
seers' offices, the Olen of the Board of Health, and other
public buildings were attacked, and bad their win•
dews destroyed. A cry of " Johnson's" was here
raised, and the mob rushed down Green-street, to-
wards the house and mill of Me. Johnson cotton spin-
ner. Mr. Johnson and his family had barely time
to effect a retreat through the garden, when the mob
attacked the house, breakirg open windows and doors, and
. entering the drawing-room and parlours to destroy the
furniture. A valuable finger organ, a pianoforte, some
' fine engravings, paintings, and their frames, were demo-
' lashed in a short time, and damage was committed to the
amount of about 500/. here they took the fire from one of
. the grates, and placing it in the middle of the drawing-
' room floor placed on it some tablecloths, furniture, and
other combustible ma:erials, and so left the housa to be-
come a bonfire. On their retreat, however, Mr. Johnson 1
and his family re-entered the house, and were ultimately
able to counteract their design. Passing through the
garden, part of the mob destroyed some rustic garden
chairs, and threw a lug of wood through the
glass of the conservatory. The next rendezvous was
the house of Mr. William Tipping, cotton spinner, living
in the same outskirt of the town. Here they broke the
, windows and deers of the house, but did not enter. They
contrived, however, to do a deal of damage. Retracing
their steps to the heart of the town, a third attack was
• made, about 10 to half-past ten o'clock, upon the Itayal
Hotel. They trove surrounded and attacked it back and
i front, broke more windows and furniture, end destroyed
whatever came in their way. Atter this, two shops, situate
in distant parts cf the borough from each other, were en-
' tered and sacked of their contents. One was the shop of
Mr. John Liptrot, of Wigan-lane' provision dealer, and the
r other that of Mr. Isaac Wright, provision dealer,
I Dulington-street. These parties are supposed to
, have been singled out for spoliation, because they
had refused to contribute to the turn-out fund sinco the
r strike. An attack was made upon the shop of blr. Collin-
) son, pawnbroker, Stnndishgate, and clothe, of 5/. or fit. iu
value were taken. Mr. Collineon offered the party a move-
' reign not to destroy his stock (after they had broken his
windows), and, after calling for a light to see if the govt-
. reign was a good one, they accepted his offer and decamped.
At length (at half- past eleven at night) the military
arrived, consisting of 1.30 rank and file of the 34:12 Infantry,
t under the command of Captain J. Wilt. The mayor and
, some of the magistrates placed themselves at the bead of
the soldiery and went through the town, but they only
Came up with au insignificant party of stragglers from the
rioters. Of these they apprehended hve youths, mostly Irish,
who had evidently taken part in plundering the provision
dealers, their pockets being stocked with tea, sugar, to-
bacco, biscuits, &c. The prisoners were lodged in the
lock-ups, and the town gradually asaumtd a state of quie-
' rode, the soldiers took up their quarters at the Victoria
• Hotel and the Moethall. _ _

Oa Saturday all was quiet up to a late hour in the crew.
ing, the military still being present. Great numb( rs of
glaziers and other workmen were busy repairing the houses
which had been attacked, so as to keep out the weather,
whilst the streets were crowded with groups of wondcring
strangers from the neighbouring districts, who had of tae
partly oat of curiosity and partly to see the fair, which la'ts
until Akisday evening. Ihe magistrates met between one
and two o'clock, and the Rye prisoners underwent a short

examination, but they were remanded until Monday. In the
afternoon the magistrates proceeded to draw up a letter
communicating the particulars of the riot to the Secretary
of State for the Home Department, and afterwards issued
a public notice, warning all inhabitants to leave the streets
after; dark as soon as they had completed their lawful
business. We believe the riot act was not read during the
disgraceful scenes of Friday niaht, so that there will be no
means of obtaining for those who have suffered this sad de-
struction of property any compensation from the county
funds.

THE QUEEN'S YACHT.