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

BURNLEY.

The master spinners and manufactures of Burnley held
a meeting on Saturday afternoon last, to consider certain
terms upon which a great portion of the " lock-outs "
agreed to resume work, and the propriety of continuing the
closing of the mills or re-opening them. The result of their
deliberations, which was waited for with great anxiety by
the operatives, who assembled in crowds opposite the place
of meeting, was the following address :
" To the Operatives of Burnley and the Neighbourhood.
"In consequence of extensive combinations of the work-
people employe I in the cotton mills of this district, we
were, some months ago, compelled, in self-defence, to form
a masters' association, not for the purpose of regulating
wages,—to do which permanently we believe to be out of
the power of any association, either of masters or men,—
but simply to annul the action of the union of workpeople,
and to prevent the masters from being obliged, one at a
time, to yield to ever-increasing demand and encroach-
ments, which would, in the end, have brought ruin on both
parties.
" To meet the acts of the trades' unions—to put an end
to the subscriptions for the support of turn-outs—to show
that, for the future, combined efforts would not be allowed
to be brought to bear on individuals, or even on single
towns -in consequence of certain acts of insubordination
and violence on the part of some workpeople—and also to
escape serious losses from badness of trade, the masters'
association resolved to stop their mills on the 28th of
October.

" The depression in trade still continues, and even grows
worse, but, as we know that many of the operatives would
at an early period, have been glad to rid themselves of the
trammels of the union as we think it probable that opinions
more in accordance with our own may have spread during
the suspension of employment, and as we feel anxious, if
possible, to prevent the severe destitution which must be the
consequence of a protracted stoppage, we have resolved at
the risk of loss to ourselves, to give the opportunity of re-
suming work to those who think this unpleasant contest has
lasted long enough.
" We cannot, in the brief compass of' an address, state the
reasons which have led to the adoption of the terms and con-
ditions, upon which each class of work-people may return to
their employment. Those terms may be learnt on applica-
tion at the respective mills.
" But one condition we deem indispensible, and compliance
with this will alone enble ns to hold out the hope that we
can relinquish our associated capacity. It is, that no col-
lection be made amonr, our work-people for the support of
either local or distant turn-outs.e

"We do not intend to enact any promise to that effect
from any individual, but we plainly state that we shall
resist such a course by all the means in our power,
even to again having recourse to the total stoppages of our
mills.

"We cannot without a great change in our prospects,
hold out the expectations of working full time, but, so long
as a reasonable spirit is manifestd by the operatives, we have
every wish to do what we can to prevent distress and to pro-
mote their prosperity,
" We think every one must see that nothing is gained by
these combinations and counter-combinations, and we hope
that mutual good understanding and enlightened views will
lead both parties to rely solely on that system of individual
arrangement which is indispensible to long-continued pros-
perity. This, we imagine, is the good which may be ex-
tracted from the evil which we have all so much deplored.

"It is our intention, if our views are agreed to by a
number of workpeople sufficient to carry on each depart-
ment of employment, to open our mills on the 28th inst.
" THE ASSOCIATED SPINNERS AND MASTERS
OF BURNLEY.

" Burnley, Nov. 19, 1853."
The above address is pretty well received by all exced
the weavers, many of whom state they will remain out

little longer before they agree to the late advances being
being taken off. It is, however, confidently expected that
sufficient hands will go in to enable the masters to run
their mills. The subscriptions to the funds of the " lock-
outs" have been very small ; their first and last division of
funds was only 2d. per head. The little public sympathy
they obtain is attributable in a great measure to their ex-
treme extravagance during the season of prosperity and full
employ. Hitherto everything has passed off without the
slightest act of violence or intimidation on the part of the
workpeople.