The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-11-23 00:00:00

BANKRUPTCY COURT.

(Before Mr. Commissioner PERRY)
ALLEGED NEGLECT ON THE PART OF A SOLICITOR.—
IN RE JOSEPH PEVERELLE. —Yesterday this case, which
was one of adjourned last examination, came before the
court. It will be in the recollection of our readers, that in
the course of the past week the bankrupt's uncle stated that
the bankrupt had induced him to increase his Claim on the
estate from £lOO to £4OO, and that when this subject was
under discussion, Mr. Pemberton, solicitor, who had pre-
viously appeared for the bankrupt, intimated if this were
found to be really so, he would no longer appear for the
bankrupt. Accordingly, when the case came before the
court, the bankrupt was represented by Mr. Martin, of the
firm of Neal and Martin, solicitors.
Mr. MARTIN then informed his Honor that he knew no-
thins about this case, unless what he saw in the newspapers,
and -he had to ask for the adjournment of the case, to give
him time to ascertain what the facts really were, so as to
enable him to do justice to the bankrupt. He should retire
if no adjournment were to take place, because he knew
nothing about it, and Mr. Pemberton, as his Honor was
aware, had refused to appear.
Mr. YATES : We had better wait until Mr. Pemberton
comes.
The COMMISSIONER : I think Mr. Yates in a few minutes
can possess you with the state of the facts.
Mr. MARTIN : I was only communicated with at half-
past ten o'clock this morning.
The COMMISSIONER : The facts lie in a very narrow
compass.
Mr. MAnTrN• saw how they lay with regard to this par-
ticular debt ; but of course if I am to attend to it, the
bankrupt will have to disclose the real facts of the case, for
and against.
The COMMISSIONER : I suppose Mr. Pemberton will be
here.

Mr. YATES : I think he should be here by all means.
A messenger was then dispatched for Mr. Pemberton.
Mr. YATES : I think we ought to know whether he re-
presents the bankrupt or not ; and if not, his reasons for not
doing so.
Mr. MARTIN thought it better that Mr. Pemberton should
appear for the bankrupt.
Mr. YATES : He has led him into these difficulties, and
ought not to desert him.
The messenger who was dispatched for Mr. Pemberton,
then communicated the result of his message to
Mr. YATES, who stated to the Commissioner, that Mr.
Pemberton had gone out, and that his clerk did not know
where he was gone. He (Mr. Yates) wanted Mr. Pember-
ton to come there, as he wanted to say something to him,
and of him, before he was done.
Mr. MARTIN said he saw Mr. Pemberton five minutes be-
fore he came into court, and he thought it was a case
in which Mr. Pemberton ought to appear and carry it
through.
The COMMISSIONER : It must be embarrassing to a cer-
tain extent ; but as far as the most important parts of the
case go, as I said before, Mr. Yates will soon apprise you of
all the facts. . .

Mr. YATES : I have a few short words of examination to
take from the bankrupt, and then we will wait and see if
Mr. Pemberton will come.
Joseph Peverelle examined by Mr. YATES : Were all the
books and papers produced before the arbitrator returned to
you by Mr. Pemberton ? That is more than I could say,
for I did not see them for a long time after ; I saw the
papers, but did not look them over until we sent them to
the court.
Do you mean to represent that you gave up to the mes-
senger all of such papers as were returned, to the best of
your knowledge ? All that was left.
You stated before that you had produced to the messenger
a basket in which they had been returned, and emptied it ?
Yes, I think we did.
Are you prepared to furnish any further statement or ex-
planation as to what had become of the property saved from
the fire ? No, not more than what I have done. Have you
been in Birmingham since you were here on the Bth of No-
vember ? No. Are you aware that Mr. Pemberton con-
vened a meeting of your creditors, to be holden in the Stork
Hotel. in Birmingham, yesterday, in order to submit to them
a proposition on your behalf? Yes. Did you instruct him
as to what proposal he was to make ? No, I did not. Do
you know who did instruct him ? He asked me what we
should do, and we came to that proposition before. On
Friday he asked me what he should do, and at last he said
will you do this, and I said yes. Do what ? To call this
meeting at Birmingham. I want to know what instructions
Mr. Pemberton got---what terms was ho to offer to the cre-
ditors ? lOs in the pound. Was it arranged what proposal
Mr. Pemberton was to make ? He was to offer them
ten shillings in the pound. Where was the money to
come from ? He was going to pay the remainder of what
was short ; he offered to lend me what was short to pay 108
in the pound. Was anything said of how it was to be paid
back ? After I got into business I should pay him so much
at a time. Was nothing said with regard to your wife
finding the money ? Not that lam aware of. Did you see
your uncle, Louis Peverelle, after his examination here on the
15th and 17th November ? I did not. You did not see him
since at all? No.
Mr. YATES : Perhaps your Honor would send one of the
messengers for Mr. Pemberton, as proceeding from the
court ?
The Com:memo's= : I do not know how I can do that.
Mr. Pemberton seems to have refused to attend on behalf of
the bankrupt ; but if you wish him for examination I can
summon him.
Mr. YATES wished Mr. Pemberton would come, as he
had to say something in his presence which he could not
well say in his absence. Mr. Pemberton went along with
his bankrupt through all his meanderings up to the present
moment, and it was a case similar to many which had oc-
curred in that court.
The COMMISSIONER : Don't you say Mr. Martin you will
act, if there is a short adjournment ?
Mr. MARTIN : Yes, I think I am bound to act for the
the bankrupt if he come to me. If there were an adjourn-
ment, I would know the facts of the case, which at present
I do not know.
Mr. YATES would submit in the present stage of the pro-
ceedings, whether this was not a case in which the examina-
tion ought to be adjourned sine die. He had not asked the
bankrupt whether he had seen Louis Peverelle's statement,
for this reason : that there might be an inquiry elsewhere ;
but it was manifest that the bankrupt was well informed of
the fact that Louis Peverelle's claim against was only 100/.
He did not ask the bankrupt to admit anything; he had
better not say anything that might prejudice his case ; but
no doubt he had ascertained the fact that Louis Perevelle
had stated that his debt was not only 881. as against the
bankrupt, but that the bankrupt was perfectly well informed
of the fact [Mr. Pemberton here entered the court]; and
his honor saw the cause assigned that this debt should be
fraudulently increased from 881. to 4011. in the balance sheet.
They now had evidence, which should be considered incon-
trovertible, that under the bankrupt's own handwriting the
debt had been increased, and therefore he (Mr. Yates) must
presume that such was the case, and that the balance sheet,
as it stood at present, was a fraudulent construction. That
was' one proposition as regarded the balance sheet itself.
Another point was that a considerable amount of property
was given up to the bankrupt after the fire, which had evapo-
rated in some shape or other, and they had no tangible
account of it at all. The bankrupt carried on his trade and
personal expenses as if he were carrying on business in the
ordinary way, whereas, according to his own statement, he
was merely converting the property he had into money, and
living on it. That also was not accounted for. The other
facts in the case involved a very grave charge indeed. It
had been stated by Mr. Pemberton and his clerk that they
had handed back to the bankrupt a basket containing all the
papers and books which had been furnished to the arbitra-
tors, and, no doubt, every description of evidence necessary
for the case was produced before them. All those papers
were returned to the basket according to the statement of
Mr. Pemberfon.
Mr. PEMBERTON : The whole of the papers that came
tome?
Mr. YATES Yes ; all that were produced before the arbi-
trators.
Mr. PEMBERTON : Yes.

Mr. YATES : All the papers which came into Mr. Pem-
berton's hands, and were produced before the arbitrators
were returned to the bankrupt, and they included a great
mass of notices and documents which were never seen since,

All the documents that came into the hands of the official
assignee were a few burned papers, and some of those of the
most importance. It would, therefore, be for his Honor,
on those three propositions—fraudulent concoction of a debt;
secondly, not perfectly accounting ; and, thirdly, for not de-
livering up his books and papers which belonged to him • it
was for his Honor to say whether that did not afford such a
state of facts as to authorise the court to adjourn the case
sine die. As Mr. Pemberton was present, the court snould
hear his explanations why he bad left the bankrupt.
The COMMISSIONER : Mr. Martin expressed an opinion
that Mr. Pemberton should continue to appear for the
bankrupt.
Mr. 1114RTn9 ; That is, my opinion.

Mr. PEMBERTON said he should have continued in
this matter, but that he was so cenvinced in his own
mind, that day fortnight, that the question with
regard to the debt of Louis Peverelle was merely some ques-
tion raised by Mr. Hamilton, the assignee, and that the
debt was founded in truth, and that £4Ol was really and
legally owing to Louis Peverelle. He stated at that time,
and his Honor would remember it well, that if he found the
bankrupt had done that which Mr. Yates hinted at then,
he (Mr. Pemberton) would have nothing further to do
with him. He had thought, and did think,
that he could not, certainly, with cpnsistency
or regard to his own character appear there for Joseph
Peverelle ; but if his Honor thought he was bound to go on,
and to appear for him, he certainly should do so, because he
had some words to say on the case. With regard to the
debt, until Louis Peverelle presented himself before the court
that day week, he knew nothing but that the debt was
founded in fact. He had sent the bankrupt to the most
respectable practitioner they had as an accountant, Mr.
Blease, to prepare his balance sheet, and when he (Mr.
Pemberton) noticed the debt increased, he called the atten-
tion of the bankrupt to it, and he stated that was the correct
amount ; that he had the invoices from his uncle, and that
the amount was, as there stated; £4Ol. He told the bank-
rupt to be very particular with regard to the mention of

every debt, and particularly with regard to this debt of Louis
Peverelle's ; and so far as he (Mr. Pemberton) was concerned
no blame whatever could attach to him in the matter. Mr.
Yates said there was blame attaching to him (Mr. Pember-
ton) but he did not see how it could lie ; he called the
bankrupt's attention, and Mr7Blease called his attention to
this debt, and the court had before it the statement the bank-
rupt had produced to Mr. Blease. He knew not why any-
thing should have been said about him, for he would be
sorry to be a party to any fraud, nor would he attempt to
deceive the court.

Mr. YATES at once admitted that he had attributed blame,
both publicly and privately, to Mr. Pemberton ; also that he
should have gone much further before be could claim to be
free from blame ; and as the matter was now before the court
he (Mr. Yates) should make a few observations on this case,
more especially as this was not an introductory case in which
clients from Mr. Pemberton's office had, at certain stages, in
pressing through the court, been detected in the commis-
sion of fraud, and it had become very necessary
they should have been left, and passed over to other hands.
He did undoubtedly lay great blame to Mr. Pemberton; he
had explained to him privately why he did so, and he knew
it perfectly well. And he (Mr. Yates) did say that if Mr.
Pemberton had exercised vigilance, if he had taken due cau-
tion and due care on his part, the bankrupt would not stand
there, as probably he would have to stand elsewhere, to
answer for the fraud which he had perpetrated. His Ho-
nor would see that the fire took place on the 24th of De-
cember. The bankrupt then placed himself in the hands of
Mr. Pemberton, and he called a meeting of the bankrupt's
creditors shortly afterwards, in order to represent to them
the state of the bankrupt's affairs, and of inducing the cre-
ditors to forego proceedings which they were taking against
the bankrupt. Mr. Pemberton stated to the creditors there
was an abundance of assets. That meeting was held, and
they had on the file of proceedings the resolution passed by
the creditors ; it was in Mr. Pemberton's handwriting, and
was somewhat complimentary to himself, " Resolved, that
Mr. Pemberton has made such a satisfactory and plain state-
ment of Mr. Peverelle's affairs, we are quite satisfied the es-
tate will pay 20s. in the pound and do sanction the giving
up to the bankrupt of property to the amount of £500."
At that meeting, and all meetings, both previous and subse-
quent the bankrupt's liabilities were represented to amount
to £l6OO. It was quite true in the list there was a blank
left to increase it to the amount of the debt of Louis Pave-
relic ; but the calculations,:‘the adding up of the figures,
introduced of necessity an amount of about £lOO. On ano-
ther occasion another list was made out ; it represented the
same sums, and the liabilities were again made to amount to
from £l6OO to £l7OO. The bankrupt's policy of insurance
was for £2OOO, and that was represented as so much assets,
and that there was an abundance to pay all the creditors,
and thereupon they handed to the bankrupt property to the
amount of £5OO, on the assurance that they were to be paid,
and that the debts of all the creditors amounted to £l6OO.
Thus the state of things went on; Mr. Pemberton prose-
cuted the case, and having got an award for £1475, he again
called a meeting of creditors, at which a list was again pro-
duced, and the liabilities were represented at between £l6OO
and £l7OO.

Mr. PEkBERTON : Between £l7OO and £lBOO

Mr. YATES : There had been an increase then. They
were after a lapse of five or six months represented at £lBOO ,
a calculation was made as to the amount of money in the hands
of Mr. Pemberton, to see what composition it would pay, and
it was found that it would pay a specific composition, and
the bankrupt was to go on again. At this time it was repre-
sented by Mr. Pemberton, not in fraud (he did not see or
impute to him any fraud whatever as regarded his debts,
only irregularity), but he had stated, and stated truly, that
he was assured by the bankrupt, and it was all along his
conviction, distinctly impressed on his mind, that this debt
was only £lOO, or thereabouts. Shortly after this, in con-
sequence of the arrangement not coming to pass, then it was
the bankrupt, instructed by Mr. Pemberton, because he
could not understand the process himself, presented a peti-
tion to the court for passing through under the arrange-
ments clause.
Mr. PEMBERTON : Advised not by me, but by Mr.
Cutler, who was one of the principal creditors, and a resolu-
tion was passed to that effect.
Mr. YATES : The matter was then handed over to Mr.
Blease, when the business of an attorney might be said to
have concluded. Mr. Blease was directed to prepare a
balance sheet, and then the bankrupt orders Mr. Blease, or
rather furnishes it in writing-, to put down Louis Peverelle
as a creditor for £3OO. Where he (Mr. Yates) attributed
gross blame and neglect to Mr. Pemberton was this, tbat if
he were indignant it was at the moment the fraud was
about to be perpetrated he ought to have spoken out, when
he himself had been made the instrument of fraud. It had
been represented to the creditors the debts only amounted to
a specific sum, and he had induced them to give up to the
bankrupt a very considerable amount of property, and if
anything could have brought conviction to his mind that
this debt was a fraud, then was the time to show his indig-
nation at the conduct of his client in permitting him (Mr.
Pemberton) to be a tool in carrying out the fraud. But this
was only a small part of the endeavour to show that Mr.
Pemberton must have known of necessity that this was a
debt for £lOO. They hid it in evidence that Mr. Pemberton
had produced before the arbitrators all the creditors. It
was a very natural and correct proceeding that he should
prove all the goods purchased by the bankrupt from the
different creditors before the arbitrators ; but it did so
happen although he produced creditors for £5O and £6O,
and various other different sums, -yet he never gave any evi-
dence of the existence of Louis Peverelle. He never pro-
duced before the arbitrators a tittle of evidence to show that
a shilling was due from the bankrupt to Louis Peverelle, and
with that impression, by his representations he had itiducel
the creditors to act, and he permitted the bankrupt to prac-
tice fraud, although he had within himself a know-
ledge forcing it on his mind, as a matter 'of
necessity, that the bankrupt was perpetrating fraud
What he did charge him with was, that he took no trouble
to prevent the bankrupt from committing a gross fraud on
the creditors, which would have gone on unseen, had it not
been for the vigilance of the creditors and the assignee.
Therefore, he said, Mr. Pemberton was morally responsible,
to a great extent, for this bankrupt's misdeeds. He had
placed himself before the court in a very awkward position,
from which he could hardly contemplate what might be the
consequences ; and if Mr. Pemberton was to forsake the
bankrupt at any stage of his career at all, it should not have
been when the exposure had taken place, but rather at the
moment when exposure would have resulted from inquiry.
Mr. PEMBERTON said there was always something within
a man's breast which told him when he pursued an honor-
able and upright course. He felt that he had pursued an
honorable course in this case from the first to the last. He
had acted disinterestedly ; he had no motive to serve, and
his reply to Mr. Yates's observations would be made in due
course. The fire took place in December. The whole papers
and books were consumed.

The COMMISSIONER : Not the whole of the papers. Some
of the papers were the only mode of detecting this fraud.
Mr. PEMBERTON continued—All, with the exception of a
few, and those were partly burned, These were in a basket,
and were laid before the arbitrators. All the papers, with
these exceptions, had been destroyed. He (Mr. Pemberton)
collected certain papers for the purpose of taking proceed-
ings, and he called a meeting of the creditors, and he laid
before them, as he conceived (and this was conceded to
him), that which he believed to be a true representation of
the liabilities of the bankrupt. Those liabilities amounted
to £1,600. Before that, however, he had the stock valued
by one gentleman, Mr. Natali, who was a creditor for £136,
and also by a r. Charles Peverelle, a creditor for £lO6,
who was unconnected either with the bankrupt or Louis
Peverelle. They valued the stock at £2,000, and he laid
before the creditors this statement, and stated, seeing that
he was only owing £1,600, there would be a residue for the
creditors. The matter was referred to arbitration, and the
arbitrators found for £1,475. He (Mr. Pemberton) did not
allow a week to expire after the 22d of July ; another meet-
ing was called, and the the whole was laid before the credi-
tors, After the meeting in July, he again wrote a circular,
and addressed it to each individual oreditor, requesting him
to bring in the amount of his account, and amongst others,
to.Loais Peverelle. The creditors who did attend, attended
with their accounts, and the amounts were put in in his
own handwriting. The bankrupt then proposed to pay 6s. Bd.
in the pound, leaving him a sum of £l6B to carry on business
with. Some of his creditors, to the amount of six, did not
agree to this, and Mr. Cutler, of Birmingham, one of the
principal creditors, and who had the whole management of
the matter; he (Mr. Pemberton) saw him in Liverpool, and
Mr. Cutler stated to him that there was no other plan for the
bankrupt but to petition this court for an arrangement. A
meeting was called in the office of Mr. Cutler's son, who was
a solicitor in Birmingham, and it was recommended that the
bankrupt should petition the court. He (Mr, Pemberton)
then handed over to the bankrupt all the invoices and other
documents he had ; he dot all the bills and invoices which
had been before the arbitrators that had been sent to him—
that was proved by himself (Mr. Pemberton). He told him
to take all those papers to Mr. Blease's office, and he gave
the bankrupt every assistance he possibly could. When he
(Mr. Pemberton) found the amount of debts increased to
£2400, he naturally made what inquiry he could to see how
it was increased. He found that Louis Peverelle's claim was
increased to £4Ol, and he asked the bankrupt how he had
arrived at that amount, and he answered that he had invoices
to that amount sent him by Louis Peverelle —that he had
large dealings with him, and that he had owed Louis Peve-
relle money since the time he was in business in Bristol, and
that increased the amount. Could he do more than call the
attention of the petitioning trader to this amount ? Was
there anything in this which could induce him there was
any fraud ? Certainly not. He never had the least idea
but that the bankrupt was an honourable man. His credi-
tors were all perfectly satisfied with his conduct, and agreed
to his representations. The petitioning trader's balance-
sheet was then filed with this debt of £4Ol. Seeing that all
the meetings had been unanimously on the side of the bank-
rupt, he went over, by appointment, to Sheffield, to get their
powers of attorney and proofs there. Mr. Hamilton was
present at that meeting, and that was the first moment he
(Mr. Pemberton) heard of that debt being questioned, Mr,
Hamilton said he did not think that debt was correct—
" very well," he (Mr. Pemberton) said; ‘i if that is so you
have a right to question any debt, and I shall say nothing
farther, nor will I take your affidavits or proofs of debt."
He then came away, and appeared before the court on the
day named to file the petition ; but between the day of filing
the petition and the day of hearing, he heard of a debt of

£l5 which had been omitted from the balance-sheet, and he
called attention to the fact, and he would not allow the
bankrupt to swear to the affidavit. So, throughout
the whole of the proceedings he never shrunk from any
consequence, and he was conscious of no collusion whatever ;
on the contrary he thought Louis Peverelle's debt was one
of 1001. He should most assuredly have called him before
the arbitrafors if he thought the debt was anything like the
amount afterwards stated. He should have called him even
if it were 1001., but for another reason, namely, that Mr.
Natali and another had valued the goods. But if this were
not bone fide, was he (Mr. Pemberton) to know the bank-
rupts private concerns. He called his attention to the debt ;
he placed him in the most respectable hands he could ; and
he thought Mr. Yates's observations were, to say the least
of them, ungenerous. He had done everything disinte-
restedly ; he had done nothing without the sanction of the
creditors from the commencement of the proceedings to
where the matter then was.

The COMNLISSIONER : With respect to the particular ob-
servation, I think, as Mr. Martin expressed a willingness to
act for the bankrupt, that a short adjournment should be
allowed in justice to the bankrupt, and ougt to be allowed.
But I should like to know what Mr. Martin considers a
short adjournment ; whether he would be prepared to take
the case to-morrow ?
Mr. MARTIN : Not to-morrow. The balance sheet re-
quired correction, and he was not ready. It would be im-
possible to take it to-morrow.
Mr. PEMBERTON . Mr Yates asked why he did not in-
quire more into it. He could not do more than call atten-
tion to the debt. Could he do more than ask him how he
had arrived at that amount ? He answered him that he had
received invoices ; that he had them, and that was the right
amount, and if there was any doubt on the subject, they had
the bankrupt's schedule or list of debts in his own hand-
writing, as produced to Mr. Blease.
The COMMISSIONER : I should have said where are the
invoices.

Mr. PEMBERTON : I called attention to them.
The COMMISSIONER : Where are they I should have said
Mr. YATES : I would have them.

Mr. PEMBERTON believed that Mr. Yates was doing this
in a way which he thought was right, but he could assure
him he was wrong. He asked him for the invoices, and the
bankrupt said he could not lay his hand upon them. He
wished his Honor would ask the question. Did T ask you
(to bankrupt) for the invoices, and whether you had them ?
BANKRUPT : You did.
Mr. PEMBERTON : What answer did you give me ?
BANKRUPT : I could not find the account.
Mr. YATES: Did he ask yon to send to your uncle's for
copies ?
BANKRUPT : He did not.
Mr. PEMBERTON : If he had them furnished for a parti-
cular purpose, I did not see any necessity.
Mr. YATES : If he had not done so, I would have sent
him out of my office.
After some further conversation, it was arranged to
adjourn the case to the 19th December, to allow time for the
necessary corrections to be made in the bankrupt's balance
sheet, the commissioner remarking that the only reason he
did not dispose of Mr. Yates's application was, that the bank-
rupt was not represented by a solicitor.

THE STRIKES IN THE MANUFACTURING
DISTRICTS.
P R.E S T 0 N.
FROM OUR OWN C ORRESPONDENT.

TUESDAY NIGHT.

Several of the Preston delegates have recently
visited the metropolis, for the purpose of confer-
ring with delegates connected with various trades
relative to the strike. Their mission has resulted
in the issue of an address by the central committee
of the " National Association of United Trades."
From this address we make the following ex-
tracts:—

FELLOW WORKMEN,—We feel it to be our paramount
duty to call your attention to the contest now raging between
the manufacturers of Preston and their hands. The ques-
tion, one originally of wages, seems to have assumed a
character in which the merits or demerits, the reasonable-
ness or the unreasonableness, of the workmen's requirement
is entirely put aside, and an absolute submission, at all
times and under all circumstances to the arbitrary dictates
of their employers is insisted on, and their constitutional
right of combining for the protection of their labour is
denied them under the pain of starvation.
We hold that the rights of British Industry. can only be
maintained and PROTECTED, by a National Union of Trades
based upon and regulated by principles of reason, justice,
and equity; we consider that strikes, with all their unques-
tionable evils, are inseparable from the existing relations of
labour and. capital, but th..t under a National Labour Con-
federation all differences would be arranged with mutual
satisfaction by peaceful arbitration. It would be impossi-
ble for any combination of capital successfully to oppress
labour when nationally combined for its own protection, but
all experience has shown that no isolated combination of
trades, however strong in numbers, resources or intelligence,
can withstand the onslaughts of capital, backed as it ever is
by its OWN Press and its owN Government. Need we point
to the unsuccessful struggles of the Manchester and Liver-
pool Builders in 1846, or to the more recent case of the
Amalgamated Engineers, wherein the self-same
movement which is being now attempted by sthe mill-owners
of Preston, was the too-successful mean whereby those
powerful bodies of workmen were defeated.
Fellow workmen, we unfortunately have at present no
National Confederation, but, unless something approaching
to a NATIONAL CONTRIBUTION be instantly raised,
the rights of labour through our fellow operatives of Preston
will be outraged to a degree hitherto unparalled in the
annals of industry, and by its success will pave the way to
its gradual but sure and permanent subjugation.
We, therefore, earnestly call on you to assist, by your
contributions, the men who are now so nobly struggling to
maintain their and your industrial freedom. Let the expe-
riment be tried, whether British industry is to be, in future,
the bond slave of capital.
Assistance to be USEFUL must be IMMEDIATE and CON-
TINUOUS. A contribution of two-pence per week from one
million of working men would settle this affair in a month.
Let not then a moment be lost. It is your interest and
duty to rescue the men of Preston from the barbarous op-
pression of their task-masters.
The address was extensively circulated in Pres-
ton to-day, and seems to have added to the confi-
dence the operatives entertain in their ultimate
success.