The Express.
London, England, 1861-04-10 00:00:00

THE SOUTH LANCASHIRE WEAVERS.

The town of Ashton on Monday presented all the
appearances incident on a population in the midst of the ex.
citemeut of • strike. The streets, particularly in the vicinity
of the Marketplace, where the meetings of the operatives
are usually held, were thronged with the unemployed,
among whom unquestionably considerable distress prevails.
A public subscription has been set on foot for the relief of
those in immediate want, and on Monday about 1,000 loaves
were distributed. Au earned dispositiou has been murky
tested on the part of the operatives to meet their em-
ployers, and deputations warted on the owners of vanout
mills in Ashton and Dukinfleld, with a view of ettectieg an
arrangement. The masters do not recognise any general
association of the operatives; and the latter, consulting
their taste in this respect, sent deputations consist-
ing of persons who had been employed at the mills
they wore appointed to visit. In some iustinees the de-
puties were women. The deputies were commissioned to
ask the masters if they would give the bands the amount
foe which they first struck. To this gyration, it is under-
stood, they, received a decided and emphatic negative. They
then asked if the masters had any proposition to make, and
if they were willing to appoint a deputation to discuss the
question with a selected few of the operatives. No direct
answer was given to this question, there not having been a
meeting of the masters held for some time, and none of
those consulted being prepared to sower for their friends.
Yesterday morning • meeting of the operatives was
to be held in the klarket•place, and the result
of the interview with the masters would be an-
nounced by the persons who acted as deputies.
Ajneetiog, attended by at least S,OOO persons, took place on
the Plantation Ground, Stalybridge, about four o'clock on
Monday, Mr. John Black presiding. The chairman said the
meeting had been looked for with great eagerness, es the
result of the deputations to the masters would be announced.
He then called upon the deputies to announce to the meet.
lug the result of their call upon the masters. This was
done by each deputy, the result heiug that the masters bad
stated to each deputy that they should meet in Manchester
on Tuesday, and the result of what was done would be
communicated totbe operatives onWednesday (this) morning.
The meeting was then adjourned until Wednesday.

The committee of the House of Commons ap-
pointed to inquire into the operation of the Poor-law, met
yesterday, Mr. Villiers in the chair. The other members
=were Lord Stanley, Mr. Estoourt, Mr. Keltewich,
Edward Howard. Lord It. Cecil, Mr. Alderman
Sidney, Sir A. Buller, Mr. M. ?Claw, Mr. Ayrton, and
Mr. Walpole. The Rim Yr. ht• Gill, incumbent of Christ
Church, St. George's-in-the•Esat, was called and examined.
REPItraIiNTATION 01 SOUTH LANCASHIRE—A
meeting of gentlemen who have signed the requisition to
Mr. Gladatooe was held yesterday afternoon at Manches-
ter, Mr. It. N. Philips in the chair. That gentleman stated
that a very few days ago he scut out circulars to nearly all
the electors in the Salford hundred ; and already there
was a return of 4,100 i pledges to vote for Mr. Gladstone
iI
the right hon. gentleman should be brought forward as a
candidate. Of that number 1,14 i.) were from persons who
requested to have their names put on the elec-
tion committee. Mr. George Wilson was proposed
as chairman of the committee for the Sal-
ford r hundred. Some gentlemen present preferred that
Mr. Philips should be am:anted to that position, as more
likely to conciliate all sections of the liberal piney. It was
argued that while the prejudices against Mr. Wilson, which
in certain quarters had acquired 'Willem., were bnd oa
unjust misconceptions, those prejudices must nevertheless
be seganlel as facia, and not ;pored, at the peril of divi-
sions in the liberal ranks. Mr. Philip protested firmly
against the election cry of "dictation ' raised more thaw
owe duriug late years against Mr. Wilson and his political
...mates, and declined the office of chairman of the com-
mittee. Ultimately, however, he was induced to accept it,
end Mr. Wilson was elected vice-chairmaa.

EYSLLLIDHIILNT OT THE BASS of THE VICTORIA
TOWEL—Heraldic full length flags, glided with gold leaf,
are being placed is the pawn of the great lions rampant that
adorn the base of the Victoria tower, and are attracting
much attention, the glittering pennons contrasting 'owe-
what strangely but brilliantly with the dirty and decaying
Mose in which their leonine majesties are sculptured.