The Express.
London, England, 1859-05-28 00:00:00

TIM COALVHIPPER6' 871111C.E.

Last night a numerous meeting of coalwbippere
was held at the Phoenix Tame, Ratcliffe:roes, for the pur-
pose of taking into considerstlon the best means in their
power to unite the whole body for the protection of their in-
terests. When the present meeting was called the men were
on strike for an Mcrase of pay from 6d. to 9d. per ton for
whipping cab., th, entailer sum not being sufficient, accord-
ing to the representation of the men, to provide bread kr
themselves end their familia. It appears that the strike has
been so far eucceseful, ea the employee., within the last day
or two, have cemented to pay the advance demanded.
Mr. Siefert Fete who wee called on to preside, said—
Now, men, they brought you down toe starving peke—were
you satisfied, or could you live at • starving pries of Bd.?
(No no.) Are you wheal with 94.1' (Yoe, end with no
lea.) Well, it depends on yourselves whether you get that
9d, and keep it. (Hear, hear) Them are persons who make
thousands out of your hard iaboer, and it la a abases in a
Christian country that you who labour should not be able to
live by your labour. (Chew.) Your oppsysaar will try to
divide you in order that you should not have a continence
of the 9d.: but Use true to yourselves, be united. and you will
keep it. You would not get any more work if you worked
for 6d. than if you worked for 9d. (Hear, haw.) We have
tried that on, and we found that it would not do. (Hear,S
beer.) We thought the model office would do us good, but
It turned to our dmedvantage. and left us worse than before.
I now call on Mr. Foley to address you.
Mr. FOLEY said he was not going to propose any resole- I
Ilea, for what they wanted war, not paper resolutions, but
the resolution of men not to work at a earvation price.
(Cheer..) Let them tot listen to deigning men, who told I
them it was better to work at sixpence a ten than not to
work at all. Let three tell Shoes men to clear out the ship •
thermal's.. (Hear, hear.) The coalwhippers were in • I
pendia position, and the legislature recognised that position,
because they passed a special set of parliament for thaw. I
They mast get • fair price for their labour, end be allowed to I
spend the money they earned when they wished, without '
being compelled to go to the public-house. (Hear, hear)
They wanted no middle-men. (No, no.) The; leds did I
not fall by the rise of the ware of the men. Coals nee by
the amperes or shilling • ton and net by the halfpenny or
panty, which they would do if the price wea regulated by the
wages of the men. It was for au interested purpose that the
public were made to believe that the price of coals would rise
if the men got higher wane. The ample question for them
to consider wee whether 6d. or 9d. would do them most good.
(Cries of " Ithespence. The sixpence would not give us dry
breed.") Let them, therefore., ODOM to • resolution that they
would net work under 91. (Cheats.)
Mr. J. DST was glad to see reporters of the press present,
because he could show the humane public that the coal-
whippers were the most oppressed people In the world. It
was all very well to talk of free trade, but free trade had don
Sham no good. (Hear, hear.) Wherever a hundred of coals
was sold their labour was sold, snd with that labour was sold
the slave who laboured. (Cheers.) There were gnat sold
at every sale that took place at the Coal Hiding.. (Hear,
hear.) They knew, and ha knew, that they could not even
gin dry breed to their children et 61. a ton. (Hear, haw.)
They ware not mestere of their own labour. They could
not sell their own labour. (Hear' hear.) It wee bought at
the Coal Exchange without their knowing anything of the
bargain made, and without their consent. ((Hear, bear.)
The loaf was up, the price of seamen was up—lol. bounty
for sailors—(Amar, hear)—everything was r inept the
labour of the poor cadwhippas. (Hear, hear.) They were
brought to the present state of things by starvation, and by
nothing she. He wanted enough to enable him by his
labour to support himself and his seven children. He wee
not ashamed to say he could not get it. (Hear hear.)
Whilst the parliamentary office was to existence their chil-
dren had at least bread, and they were rent to the schools,
but now they were too ragged to go to school. They were
obliged to go about, and tried to peak up a bone, or a bit of
rusty hoe, which they might sell for a halfpenny. That
was a aid ;date of things, but it welt the truth, and he hoped
his fellow-workmen would not consider he was degrading
them by stating it before the public. (Hear.)
Mr. Feyent add he could hardly call the present state of
things a etrika, for they demanded an innate of price, and
they got that herein. (Hear, hear.) He amid vouch kr
the sheer poverty and degradation of the cardwhippers and
their families since the abolition of the Ccelethippers Act in
1866. (Hear, beer.) tip to that time they could sell tter
labour, but now they were treated lite elave, and helots, for
their labour was sold on the condition of their becoming
drunkards. (Hear.) In 1856 they were told that the men
would not be paid through the public-house if the set were
allowed to drop. Bat that promise had not been kept.
(Hear.) That meeting was a proof that it had not been kept.
(Hear.) It was the duty of the legislature, therefore, to re-
place them in the position they stood in 1866. (Cheers.)
The present audition of the coalwhippers did not result
from any desire on the part of the coal trade generally, but
was • consequence of the acts of a. few coal dewlap in the
Coal Exchange. The coal masters were now willlag
to give Bd. to the men. They had BJ. some lime sgo.
Why, then, did they reduce the wage' of the men '
to eld. ? Public °paten was en the side of the
men for their cause was jut. He hoped that Mr. Ayrton
would introduce his bill early in the coming lOW= and
that it would be premed to an issue as soon as poesible.
Whatever was the result the men would at all events know
what they had to expect. (Hear, hear.) He believed they
would succeed, for they had krone support in their favour.
He should conclude by moving that the beet thanks of the
snaring be given to Lord Kinnaird and Mr. Alvin for the
tattiest they took in this question, coupled with a request
that they would press the eubject on the attention of the

legbdatirre.
Mr. Fouts seconded the resolution, and said that a letter
had been reosivod from Lord }Onward ',Wing that he had

o!!) hope! of the t espinkof the bill then eve;:

(Cbecrs.)

The Didion wes"pat Gni ofirried with sorlamatiOa.
Mr. Toter said that it was important that they should
take steps to keep up the advance they had ohttinci. The
committee width had been (tram 1 would hold weekly meet-
ings for this purport), and he trusted they would receive aid
from the men In accomplishing that object. (Hear, beer.)
He hoped they would not only be united for this put pore,
but that they would to able to term a society for the support
and relief of their disabled and aged members. (Hear, boar.)
The roettmg, which was very ortialy, but at the same
time enthusiastic, then broke up.