The Express.
London, England, 1861-03-28 00:00:00

RAILWAY MIEVOZENT INSTITUTE.

The third enniverearyiestival of this valuable,
although yet infant, institute was held, yesterday
at the London Tavern. The chair was taken by thei7lttlit
Hop. the LORD Maros, supported by diatom= and Sheriff
Abbise, Sheriff Lusk, Alderman Rose, G. 0. Lever, Eel.,
Herr Schmidt, of Vienna,Mr. Knight, South Eastern Hatt-
wen n Mr. J. Doming, Manchester, Mears. W. S. Parker, W.
L. &eyetooth', D. Sleveniou, J. Noble, J. Swinyard,
In propos* the taut of the eves*, the Loan Maros
maid that • recent ileum showed that 130,000 persons were
on the railways of the United Kingdom. Now he
Im asitrlya in the habit of estimating that each mature
employe represented • family of five persona, and taking
thitt average they would find that the railway interest
numbered some three-quarters of a million of
Surely amid such • number funds might be found persons.
ortrt-
porting an institute like the present. He believed that the
scheme of the institution comprehended insurance against
accident, and that, be thought, was • feature which, in
itself, should recommend it to all railway oompanies. A
traveller going a single journey might take his chance, but
a guard, or an engine driver, or a stoker, who travelled in.
oessently, was Imperatively called upon to secure his
familiofitri the eloper of &entity. Having dilated at
some on the various advantages of the institution,
his 'p rasobaded by Ovum " Prosperity to the Instil.
connected with the -Health of the Honorary Seers.
tars, kr. Dixon.' (Cheers.)
Mr. Duos in returning thank. gave a sketch of the
greet of the institution. Founded in 1868, it bad raoeivsd
up to 1861 • total at 3,9071., of which 2,800/. bad been in.
vested in Four per Cent. Stick. All claims on the in-
stitution had been satisfied, and, above all things, they had
effected life ueurancee up to 80,0001. He should not, how-
ever, be satisfied until they had assured a million. They had
1001. annually of subscriptions, one item only, he was sorry
to say, belonged to a railway company. (Hear, hear.) The
income was 1,1251., and he trusted that the results of that
evening would be large]) to increase the amount.
The nest toast Ina "The House of Commons, proposed
by Sheriff Assad, accompanied with the named Yr. G. 0.
Lover.

Mr. Lars returned thaului ; after which the esinetary,
Mr. Barr, rind the list of subscriptions, wlitfill_tailther
with donation, and 'collections. wade total of 700 i. Mr.
Alderman Roes gave the healtb of the Right Hoe. the Lord
Mayor, which was rapturously receivW, and his lordship
hawing returned thanks the proceedings terminated shortly
afterwards. Mr. Harker was the toastmaster. His
and Mama Yonag and Montan Smith were the
vocalists.

TIORITIONIAL TO • CLIZOIII•N.—A handsome
teetimonla was last week presented to the RAM C. J.
Heatboote, /LA., on his retiring from the iscambency of
St. 'Menu, Stamford-bill. The testimonial consisted of a
silver salver and a sum of 8231. (the balance of the amount
collected), the salver bearing the following iascription :
" Promoted to the Rev. C. J. Heatheote, 'M.A., by hie
parishioners and Mends (with a further takes of their
afectlosate retard), on his retiring from the Oneumbemey of
St. Thomas*, Stamford-hill, after realms labours for the
welfare of he flock during a period of 34 years. The
saltation took place at the residence of C. Et Butler,
M.P., S
who gave an entertainment to Mr. Heathoote and
teetinwelal committee on the occasion.
Rentftzte or TNT AMKRICAN TART/T.—The etti-
cidal pones of the new American tariff is regarded in
Canada with astonishment and gratification, mingled, how-
ever, with the conviction that it cannot be mastabeed. It
most ruin New York and establish the St. Lawrence mute.
Its afoot mud be to make smuggling largely profteblettnt
whenever that is the case smuggling wOl take plea.
ago the Hoe. Yr. Merritt proposed as the tree pulley
(heeds to threw of all import duties, to fill the sioemfty
with goods from Europese marts, and trust to soevaises
to take then acmes the lies. By this be twisted out that
aa lenneme Weiser would be done by the St. Unman,
route, and back freights afteded to the endways and lam
and river craft which Woggle down the wafts, of the
W. Without Canada monies to this policy the
trailed States seem to be ambitious of foreleg it open her,
aid averting trade from New York to the 84. Lawreaes.—
• Clueedieet Mews.

THE BUILIEAT STRIKE.

Yesterday evening a meeting of the workmen
engaged in the building trades was convened for the pur-
pose of stating the grounds of theft opposition to the system
of employment by the hour ea promised by the master
builders. The metros took plat* in St. James's Hall,
which was densely crowded in every trt, near 5,000 per-
sons Wog pteeent. Mr. HOWILL (a eklayer) was ailed
to the chair.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening theprOceedings, expressed his i
oonviction that a crime had arrived in the nine hours' move-
meat, at which, if they meted with care, moderetMe, and
promptitude, the, should spin e decided success. They
be
mustcareful what. they did bu , t they must maintain
their position, sod not be shaken from it by the opposition
of the prem. The marmoset commenced three years ago
resolutions were proposed, end a memorial presented to the
mestere, het after a time the mestere sat elith•closed doors,
and infused to receive their deputations or attend to their
memorials. Yet the trade coatieued to agitate the ques-
tion, to call meetings, and to lay their grievances* before
the public, acting above-board and openly. They all knew
the circumstatiose of the strike of Messrs. Trotlope's men in
ceesequence of the discharge of one who happened to be a
member of a deputatiee to the meters, and the loekweir
sod the presentation of the docurne.oit, width wets it e.}4
sults. They knew the Weenies in which the men were en.
gaged to best the Masters' Amosiatiors upon the point, and
they knew the privations and hardships that many of their
number endured rather than rebuilt to the terms imposed
by the masters, which they considered morally degrading,
and the aid they nocsivect in theicepoveruent from all other
bodies of working men le Great Britain and Ireland. They
went on with the seen.* m 'spite of oPix*Wq led
although some of the newspapers had dared $e tell theA
that they were starved into submission, he ventured to rIW
elan in that assembly that the men heaths Masters'Allem
chigoe upon " the document." (Cheers.) If the masters
were not beaten why did they not bold to "the document,*
and why did they but keep their workshops stocked With
those who had accepted it and those they had brought
from the country? The men returned to their work, but
they did not forget what they had endured for the ,she
or a pest question. A public meeting had been hold in am
of the ventral towns to ascertain the feeling of the
OODDWy upon the question, and resoludoes were maid
in favour of a reduction of the hours ef Moist, se a Ineenute
absolutely necessary. It had been said that the ease who
took part in this movement WOO! men who liked ration
bet r than work, but all those present knew that • prin-
cipal movers were men who laboured with them upon the
scaffold, and toiled for their breed. (Rear, beler.)• 'Meet- '
Inge were held, and a memorial had gone forth to the res-
ters from the eve trades, sad it migbt have been supposed
that the sondem would have taken the advice of their best
friehds, and met the met upon the question. They bad not
done this, but they hail given an answer by the notice
posted oe Friday week, in certain workshops In London,
that after the Zltel of March the men would be paid by the
hoar at the rate of 7d., in order to do away, se it was *-
t="4with any further agitation on behalf of the ohm-
movement. (Hisses.) The masters had not come as
• body to treat with the men, and offer them these terms,
but bad preferred to select a certain number of workshops
at which to try the question, that they might guard themselves
mooguising the settlementof the dispute by associations.
The , Immediate effect of these resolutions upon the men
was a determination not to adopt them, as it was an oppo-
sition to the privilege for which they had struggled for
many years. They discuseed the question, and appointed a
deputation* inset the masters upon the subject. The
men had berm misrepreseeted in this instance—they had
not struck, end they bad taken no steps to do so, but the
employers had adopted resolutions, end put it to the men
that they most either take work upon the terms they per
• or bare their employment. It was, therefore, no
strike on the part of the employee, but to all intents and
pummels a lockout on the part of the employers. The
men were determined not to adopt the new terms, and on
Friday last, of their own accool and without indignation
meetings, they left their employment. They therefore
DOW stood in this position, that a certain number of their
fellow-workmen had been locked-out, because they would
not accept terms which the trade as a body repudiated.
And he asked whether the emaciated trades would not sup-
port them men who were now gaming on this account!
He believed he spoke the sentiments of everyone in that
,sating when he said those men would receive the very hest
iniort. (Cheers.) The Timer said that this was prac-
tiadly the same question m that which arose at the time of
the first lock-oak bet this he totally and entirely denied,
sad if the press had sot the honesty to t the
question in its proper light, let It a least re-
main silent and give the men feu play. They eked now
in a rather singable peal** sad it was neesesery to state
their reason for Grooming terms which were thought by
some to be much tor their advantage. They had fought
hard for and bad obtained a reduction in the number of bona
of employment on Saturday, and the revolt had been that
the men had gone straighter to their homes than they were
*fore in the habit of doing, and had been benefited in
many aspect by the alteration. Were they, then, by
ectil to the terms now proposed by theirmater; to
that privilege! No, the feeling of all the oPe-
rativee In the building trade was to stand to the 4 o'clock
on Saturday to the lent. (Ohms) Another reason why
they refused this addition to their wages,. as it had been
*Ned, was because it entirely did away with the principle
of a recognised day of work for the artisan, and it was not
only unfair to the operative but prejudicial to
the intermits of the employer, that • man
should be liable to be discharged at any moment.
liven now the masters took every means to shorten the day
of labour, and if this measure was wised they would wring
out of the men the greatest amount of work in the summer
months, sad in the winter, when they bad more need of
money, they would be employed the shortest number of
hours. Another roam why the operatives would not accept
the masters' new resolutions wee, that those amongst them
who were rifle volunteers would, for the time neossiery for
drill, be deprived of their wages, even if the masters who
were connected with the volunteer movement did not take
advantage of the hour system to get rid of their men early,
is order to attend drill themselves. They were determined
upon these various grounds to protest against the adoption
of this system, and the meeting—one which many &tierce:ate
would like to preside over—showed the enthusiasm of the
operative builders upon this teethe= vital question.

Mr. GRZENNLADE proposed the first resolution—" That in
the °pillion of this meeting long boon of toil, and the
physicial exhaustion which they produce ere incompatible
with the proper cultivation of the iutellectual capabilities of
the workman, and that ten hours' labour is no longer neces-
sary, on account of the introductionfand prevalence of ma.
chinery." He was disgusted, he said, to have anything to
do with those from whom " the document" emanated, and
he was surprised that • philanthropic man like Yr. Pato
could have been apmty to such a measure. The men had
memorialised and entreated the employers again and again
for mime of their grievances, but they had been tented
with insult. An interview with the Central Amociatioa
Mid been refused them, and they were at length forced to
other mew to make themselves beard and understood.
Past experience told them that with the hour system they
suet work the time the masters required them to
work, or have • black mark made against their
DAIMON and if they did not resist this last act they wield
find that they were even in a worse position, and more in
the power of the employers than at present. There wee no
promise of the masters that they could depend upon, and he
hoped that the meeting would be unanimous in repudiating
the terms of the ()antral Association, which they could not
motive as • boon to the employee.
Yr. ihrithastAir, bricklayer, seconded the motion.
Kr. Gao. POrfiß then roe to address the meeting, and
was received with loud and prolonged cheering. He said
they bad assembled once more for the purpose of reporting
the progress made in the past, and of adopting additional
measures toes/um their triumph in the future—the triumph
they believed to be near at hand. (Hear, hear.) The prin-
ciples of the nice hours movement were gradually but
tartly making their way in the minds of the working classes,
and of the public of this country. They sought a reduction
in their bouts of labour, that they might be able to dis-
charge properly the duties which devolved upon them as
citizens of a free state, in order to do which it wee nem-
eery they should have a certain amount of time for domes-
tic intercourse and for the cultivation of their intellectual
faculties. No one conversant with the working classes
would deny that improvement amongst them was needed.
Existing evils were being pointed out by many, and happily
not a few were working for their removal. " Let the work-
ing classes elevate themselves" mid some, and sneeringly
asked what cause them was for special movement on their
behalf. He said she " Let the working classes elevate
themselves," for personal effort was at the foundation of
every genuine advancement ; but he mid at the same time
let every unoeceenuy bar be removed, sad let the
working men be placed to • position to cultivate
their minds. The preaest length of labour ex-
hausted the energies of the working men, and rendered
it almost impossible for theca to progrthe in mental
attainments, and migrate social intercourse, whim& wee eo
essential to their happiness and well-being. A mu, after •
day of excessive toil, was inclined for nothing bat aleep,and
if be bad a teak to perform he had too frequently to resort
to Wombats. Overwork, too, rendered him more liable to
theme and early death, and, as a natural conathasmos, it
would always follow that there were a great number of ap-
plications for parochial relief, heavy taxation was neeenary,
and all pesawa in the community were to • certain
aim by the question. He quoted the *violate or=
Shaftesbury. Sir Janes Graham, nod others, to show that
the effect of shortening the hours of labour was mot to
redoes prethelive power, and challenged the masters to
show WM they would sustain any actual lose by the comes-
slow el the nine loan' labour. He urged as another
=for the concession that the introduction of machinery
id amond the productive power of the country with-
Oat he as way benefiting the working man, and that,
Mteemal labour was superseded, it was necessary to ensble
• woo to hold his position that he should have opportuni-
I ties for intellectual advancement. There were 400 or 500

men now locked out—the marten had taken the aggressive—
and they had got themselves Cato &scrape ; but to the oreilil
of two of them they had got out of it aimed', and the ope- .
retires must make the °them do the same. The men they -
Fa-
"ddtthbuiu:sgiannt°2lo(..mosuPP ripaabuleruZstutlrelfzwi niwre:lryuve".rathoelnittatolele:hvintminThir,bheywbefit.7so'
red
support hi money—ten thousoud sispenoss would pro-
be
required for those who were locked out. if 100,000 work tl
-
MS subscribed ld. & week it would produce au income of
240001., which would be amply sufficient to make Messrs.
I{elk and Lucas give in. But they hadjot to work •'' •
alone. A public meeting in theft favour been held at
Derby, and they had been promised support from Maocler .
field, Chester Stafford, Newcastle, Gosport, Birkenhead, •
Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham, Hull, Manchester, Darwin,
Glasgow, Dublin, Blackburn, Wolverhamptou, Sheffield.
and Proiou. Let every man subscribe his money ; let him'
keep sway how the publichonse and save his money, tar •
pent gulf was openft betwees ebe 1111SACTN sad WVATIIeD,
whoa .might cause the workmen much suffering, but which
would bury the fortunes of some of the touter builders in dust,
and ashes. Men who had eprung from the working gleam
were so dippided that they would bear nothing from their
employ e, bet it would be at length More to their &desisted*
than to that of the men to hates to Lim appeals made to
them.
The resolution was thee 'put, end eareimi
Cistern (joiner)
seconded the following resolution:—" Tina meeting is of
opinion. that a reduction of . the bourn of labour would
greatly .benefit%ths working woo, awl it bs. now time , ,
would not be injurious to the'intereits .4 any other class of
the ootdniUnity, and thin !Mottos pled me ***Una use ell
lepl MOOR to obtain a. maximum by of nine holm at the
present mite of wages,"
This ems also unanrmously carried, and 'rote, of thank.
having been amnia lathe abeam.. the meeting separated. •

-Ii

HARKONIUKS -NEW MODEL.-
CRAMS, MAUL sad Ca, 101, Moria&atrest