The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-19 00:00:00

TILE P.R_ESTON STRIKE

[PROM OUR OWN REPORTER.]
PRESTON, Saturday Evening.

Two or three weeks ago I mentioned that Messrs. Napier
and Goodair (a firm unconnected with the masters' associ-
ation,) had commenced running short time in the weaving
department of one of their large mills. The hands, upwards
of 400 in number, have now resumed full time. It appears
that the temporary restriction of work was caused by the
weavers consuming. more yarn than was manufactured by
the firm, who, in the present state of trade, declined pur-
chasing. Being now about to open a new mill, they will
be able to supply the weavers with yarns of their own
spinning.

As an illustration of the condition to which some of the
unemployed are reduced, it may be recorded that at a meet-
ing of spinners held in the Temperance-hall last night, an
operative named Giles Howarth, made the following startling
statement :—" There is suffering, said he, in the town of
Preston, and such suffering as few have any idea about who
are not familiar with the homes and haunts of misery. I
myself know a family who have visited a slaughter-house
regularly, and fetched blood and used it without, anything
like groats or bread to mix with it. There is also another
man who has been without food until he has been seen
picking the bits out from the wash that was put by for pigs.
These statements are not made at random, they are the
result of observation, and, added the speaker, they brand the
manufacturers of Preston with infamy."
At the' weekly meeting held in the orchard this afternoon,
from ten to twelve thousand of the unemployed assembled.
Mr. Waddington, of Preston, presided.

The CHAIRMAN said they had everything to encourage
them to continue in the course they had hitherto pursued.
The people of the outer districts, like the people of Preston,
were more determined every day that came. He was in one
district on Wednasday, where they were running short time;
and on account of their running short time, they
had doubled their subscriptions. (Cheers) Yesterday, the
committee received a letter from Hyde where they were
now working short time. Previously their subscriptions
were £6O per week : but to-morrow, they would receive
£lOO. (Cheers.) At a place called Selmont, the looms
were standing all last week, and the people had actually
subscribed 6d. per loom to Preston. (Cheers) He antici-
pated that the weavers' fund for the ensuing week would be
£2,500, and that in the week fcllowing it would he increased
£3,500.
_ _

Mr. COWELL exhibited five notice papers, as a sample of
those issued to the operatives of Burnley, when the mills were
closed. The Burnley` masters, said he, have a curious way
of disfiguring these documents, in order that they may ma)c.e
known who are " stump orators" and who are not. I have
got five of these papers, and there are five classes of opera-
tives in Burnley. I have one here belonging to a man who
is a "stump orator." The man is never to have work in
Burnley while he lives. But lam happy to tell you the
operatives have now got forty-eight looms, and they are de-
termined to keep these men in Burnley, whether the masters
will or not. (Cheers.) The second paper has a narrow
printed border at one edge distinguishing it from the first,
which is without ; this indicates a doubtful character. He
may be forgiven if he will go and humble himself, and say
" please, master, if you'll only employ the once more, I'll
never have anything further to do with a trade union."
Here is another (producing a third paper) not quite so bad
as the rest. On presenting this at the next place he goes to,
the master will look at it and say—" 0, I see ; you are not
quite so bad as some ; and if you will. promise me never to
have anything to do with a trades union, nor support any
turn-out or lock-out, whether local or distant, I will find
you work." Then I come to a fourth, with a private
mark across it ; this belongs to a full-grown man,
who never did any wrong in his life (Laughter.) You
see this fifth document, with two stamps upon it : when a
man presents this, he is at once known as an inoffensive
character—one who has never taken an active part, in any
agitation—who is entirely passive in the hands of the
masters. Now, the Burnley people have furnished me with
these papers, in order to convince the public of the tyranny.
the imposition, and the rascality of their employers. The
speaker then noticed an article in the ilf,nchester Guardian,
in which it was insinuated that the delegates were running
away with £25 out of every £lOO collected. In reply, he
showed from the 14th report, that whilst the delegates only
received £22 Bs. for the week, (and there were about a
dozen of them), they had brought in £2067 13s. 7d. Was
that, he asked, taking £25 out of every £lOO ? (Cheers.)
Speaking of Blackburn, Mr. Cowell said—l feel confident
that the largest millowners in Blackburn will never consent
to take off the 10 per cent. which they have given to their
workpeople. (A voice, "they dare not.") The Blackburn
masters are men of honour • and though the Preston manu-
facturers go there to persuade them to combine with them, I
feel confident they will never do so whilst the present prospe-
rity exists. All you who are determined never to resume
work until you get the 10 per cent. hold up your hands.
The vast assembly unanimously responded.
Mr. BnowN said he had been present at a meeting at
which one of the Earl of Wilton's agents attended. That
gentleman stated, that the Earl having heard of the resolve
of the factory operatives to erect mills, he had promised to
let them have three acres of land for a nominal consideration-
- - j“.a—auu w ieuu teem
£2,000 on approved security. (Cheers.)
Mr. GRIMSHAW gave an account or large meetings he had
attended during the week at Heywood, Todmorden, Padi-
ham, and Burnley, at all of which places, he said, the people
were as zealous as ever on behalf of the operatives of Preston.
The meeting then dispersed.;