The Express.
London, England, 1859-08-24 00:00:00

ME 812111 IN THE BUILDING MIA&

Yesterday, in consequence of souse failure or mis-
apprehension of the arrangements for the distribution of the
money amongst some of the labourers locked out, a consi-
derable number of that body who received no part of the
dividend assembled Woe the Parlours' Arms, and from
their language end demeanour it soon berme evident that
they had some grievance to complain of. They demanded at
once to ess Mr. Potter and to get money. Their demand
not having been immediately complied with, they threatened
to break Into the committee-room, and even to use perste&
violence. Mr. Potter, however, In a short time appeared
at the window of the ?adonis' Arms, and demanded
of the man what they wanted. The men replied, "We want
our money." "You have had it," was Mr. Potter's reply.
" Wye not had It," shouted the men. Mr. Potter replied
that 1161. had been given to the labourers' delegates for them,
and if they bed not received their quota of Is. Id., they
would no clout receive it on applying to their respective
Meade cams. Same of the men replied that they bad been
there, and were told that there was no money for them; that
the delegates had received only 401. from the con-
tinence, and that it had all been distributed. Mr.
ratter then produced • receipt for 1761., signed
Ity the laboeuxe' delegates, Mears. °realism, Jammu, and
Nam. This produced something like order for a time, k
.d.
the UPON WV/ renewed, and threats of personal violence
the epteresos were slain freely used.
' r. None g brickleyer, then presented himself at the
window, and said: Pillow workmen,—l will tell you exactly
1 what we have dote with the mousy we have received. The
amount of mousy which we sent to the bricklayers in order
to pity them Is. Id, a head, which was all we could give, was
681.; to the masons we sent 291., to the painters 191., to the
plasterers 331., to the carpenters and joiners 1621.,
and to the labourers' committee, through your delegates,
1761. In addition to this we paid the Woolwich mash-661 in
number the stone-sawyers, smiths, and plumbs. To
Trollope's men alone we paid 1201.--(A Voias—" TVS, they
got it all, and we got none.") Steady, my friends. Why
they were the men that you called out for the nine bows, and
they most be maintained.—(" Aye, aye, that:fright enough.")
—We paid to them men 12s, each for the me:Asada, end
84. 61. for the labourer. That amounted to between 0001.
and 7001., which was the whole of the money that wee col-
lected. The mosey we received was equally divided amongst
the whole lot, labourers and mechanics alike, and the amount
paid was Is. Id. • head. If you want anything more plain
and straightforward than that perhaps you will tell me.
When you come in this way to test the integrity of men who
ere trying to do their bottler you, it is neoessary that the posi-
tion we stand in should be fully known. We fear nothing.
The point is this. If the masters bed not shut
up their shops, and locked the men out, we should bays had
ample funds to cony out the nine hours' movement; but the
misters having locked out the Mel, who amount to thou-
sands in number, how do you think that we can guarantee
you snytbing like a tangible support ? Do you know bow
much we should want to give you anything like a tangible
support P Why, 20,0001. or 30,0001. a week. The fact Is,
my binds, this is • question of principle against capital ;
sad If you are not prepared to stand for a week or two
against the oppressive means which the masters are using
against you, why than the working man must fall. 13ut the
country is only just now being aroused, and to-nigbt the
trades' delegates are to meet to see what assistance can be
given you. They met last week, and 'dimmed till to-night,
ad In the meantime they were to lake the opinion
of their Dermal societies. To-night we shall know
what the result has been. The 1001. which we re-
ceived from the Amalgamated Engineers, and the 201.
which we received from the hatters, have been equally
divided amongst you, and thole amongst you who have not
got their quota will receive It en applying at the proper
houses. Moreover, we have sent mix delegates to ranee up
the country, but there has not been time to receive any funds
from them. To-mantre, no doubt, the masters will open
their shops, and will renal the domunent to you for signa-
Wm. If you am prep* to sod as becomes men you will
not sign that document, and they will be obliged to open
without insisting on your signing It. (Cheers and uproar.)
To-night we shall select differ ma houses, where committees
will sit from every large firm in the metropolis.
The names of those houses will be made biome, and then I
hope we shall have no more such crowds as this around
these doors. This is a question of principle against capital ;
and if you do not act like men, you will lose; but if you sot
like men, why of course you will win. (A Voice, "We want
our rights.") do do se all, sad I should like to see every
ose of you hold up his hands as a signal that you will never
sign that detestable declaration. (Every hand was held up,
and the speaker retired, amidst cheers, from the window.)
A meeting of the executive committee of the Central Asso-
ciation was held yesterday at the London Coffee-house, Mr
Plucknett in the chair. Only one member of the oommittee
was absent. Mr. Trollop*, we were ieformed, reported to
the meeting that his firm had now 127 men at work,
all of whom had gone In under the declaration.
There did not include gilder*, carvers, cabinet-milkers,
upholsterers, but were ordinary operatives of the building
trades. He thought that he might fairly he eseeidered to
have resumed work, and that being so, he maw no °blondest°
the meters opening their shops at once. After some dims-
MOO, however, it was unanimously resolved that it would be
inexpedient to reopen the shape until Mr. Trollops bad en
adequate number of men engaged in all the branches of the
trade. The letter of Mr. Jams was also mestiord at the
meeting, but it was not considered t0...a sufficiently peons to
call for sty !pedal remark.
The metrltag adjourned till Tuteday next,