Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-02-26 00:00:00

THE NORTHERN TIMES, ,SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1859

-A-POPULAR 'HISTORY

WORKING CLASSES.

(Addressed to the Workiw Classes themselves.)

PART THIRD

CHAPTER, FIRST

ANCIENT , GUILDS AND MONpPOLIES EXISTING

HROUGHOUT THE TUDOR AGE

-THE OBSTA-

THEY FORMED TO INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS

-TRADE UNIONS,

-- STRIKES

JUSTICE OF THESE

- CRUELTY AND

.-PRINCIPLES RESPECTING

THE REGULATION OF WAGES

In my last part I adverted to the changes con-
pent on the introduction of commerce and

manufactures, and to the influence of the.reforma-
lion on the condition of the working classes,

throughout the period of what is popularly known
as the Tudor Age. I shall begin the present one
recurring to that period for the purpose
ly some of those municipal laws
which were found necessary at the commencement
___tional industry to foster and advance the
xlanufacturing arts, but which served afterwards,
by their continuance, to act as obstacles to its
development, so soon as it had taken root
It is a.wel'

of noticing

of na

understood maxim among political
rat whatever seeks to encourage
monopoly and restrict competition in trade is de-
structive to the interests of the bulk of the people.
Individuals or associated bodies are the only bene-
eters by such measures as will tolerate these ; the
community at large are invariably the sufferers under
Monopolies of every kind are unwarranta-

economists, t

id unjust, when they are extended towards
productions that have not the merit of being
fight . into existence through the combined
ill and industry. It is true we
enongh assent to the justice of granting
1 monopoly to the person who executes a
piece of mechanical contrivance, or invents
something new in machinery, either of which may
leave cost the laboured ingenuity of years to
construct and discover. Such a protection, in
short, is essential as well as favourable to the
development of skill and industry ; and. besides,
ware not this afforded, the result would be, that
few persons would be found willing to devote
their time and their mental resources together'
towards their prosecution. The case, however,
becomes widely different when we come to
substitute natural for artificial productions, and to
extend the like privilege of monopoly. to these.
The same justice which we recognise in the
former instance, becomes uumistakeable injustice in
the other ; and in whatever way we view the
subiect, the same conclusion is inevitable.
throughout the whole reigns of the Tudors
these hurtful monopolies were allowed, and even
remained in operation long afterwards. All,
in fact, may be said to have been under
monopoly at this period. There was scarcely
sn article, whether of the natural S production
.f the earth or of the production of
man's manufacturing labour, that was not invested

operation

in individuals who, by virtue of their privileges,
were enabled to fix on such articles an arbitran
and extortionate pI

Aural conse-
wnce of such unfair priiileges as these was, that
ng them only became rich, while the
were made the sufferers by requiring to

•
&come.

se mono-

a. Nor were tn,
nternal trade alone. They were
mercantile bodies, who
trading with foreign
My readers will a,
-,nbtless remember
t during the reign of Henry tLe Scienth.we
de. people then making great c
dust the monopoly of foreigners, and 'w.
om-hpiclahinitns
veign grew to such -a ferment as to
duce outrage, and ultimately lead to their exput
sion from the country ; but. the inconsistency of
this conduct is singularly attested in the fact that
the very system of foreign monop6ly so rigorously
suppressed, was succeeded by
a, more universal and
searching monopoly of • -

con rPnt-.'a

also conferred, upon IL

dad tile exclus:

right c.

tound t

There were other obotae!r2s, however, existing at
his.period, which helper',very,
materially to op-
pisse industrial -progress , I refer to the inimtni-
ies- Which were -pante
our large manufacturi* ci.to Corporate bdies.' 411
no towns ShoW how -essential
frgeflant is to indusir b Ti. inay.Oe stilted, indeea,
f the most of tlit
:se owe their existence to these
when. the industrious orders at
to experience the oppression which
the 'different 'trade and incorporate
'i'emoved themselves from those cities
in which those were held in full form,
down in other places, in 'order to
-.eir arbitrary jurisdiction. In this way
u'll4r dam, Sheffield, and Manchester, rose from
ere once obscure hamlets to their present
.guished "position of being now the most
ent manufacturing towns in the kingdom. (2.)
sere is a case quoted by writers on Political
xeonomy, called " the Shrewsbury case," which
strikingly illustrates the mistaken course •of the
Chartered- societies against the freedom of in-
thistrY. The mechanics connected with the iii3t-
tery . of drapers' incorporated in that town, it
appears, complained that artificers, neither belong-
ing to their company, nor brought up to their
trade, had iiitiomitted with and occupied the said
trade; having no knowledge,' skill, or experience of
the same, to the great hindrance, they added, of
aix 'hundred people of the art of shearmen within
the said town. The Legislature listened to this
representation, and expelled the rival artizans.
Six years Afterwards, however, the act was
repealed, with this avowal, " that it was now
InEely to be the greatest cause of the impoverishing
and undoing of the poor artificers ; for, that since
the passing of the act there were fewer persons to
set them to work than before." This is a very
' • 11itstration of the tendency of that sort of
- -eh some persons would have tried
later. The complaint here noticed
precisely that which was made against
nery; and there is little doubt that A:repeti-
tion of the po

nmuniti

'se out

thstir

o

islation

four centuries

y of a former yeriod would pro-
t t similar results, involving the destruction of

dustry and sacrifice of all partie

it inny~e said thit the- operatives have invariably
been made the sufferers. This might easily be
proved by an appeal to numerous facts : I shall
content myself by simply refering to a few. In
the fourth Parliamentary Report, respecting
artizans and machinery, it is, related that one
of the partners of an extensive cotton factory, of
Glasgow, fettered and annoyed by the constant.
interference of his workmen, removed to the state
of New York, where he re-established his
machinery, and thus afforded to a rival community'
at once a pattern of our best machinery and an
example of the best mode of using it. The
Croppers, again, of the West Riding, of Yorkshire,
and the hecklers, or flax dressers, cpuld, if any
still survive their disasters, unfold a tale of woe
on this very subject. Their earnings at one time
exceeded those of most mechanics ; but the
frequency of strikes among them, and the
irregularities in their hours and times of working,
compelled employers to substitute machinery for
manual labour. Their trades in consequence were
suspended. The manufacturers at first, it is true,
saved - little or nothing by the substitution of
machinery, but then it formed a more
peaceable and unfailing agent. The colliers
of Newcastle, and I might add the ship
carpenters of Liverpool, have been reduced to
greater humiliatidn than heretofore, by discomfi-
ture of their combinations to raise or unreasonably
to uphold wages. In Ireland, too, the means
adopted with a view of keeping up the wages of
skilled labour above the level of the English mar-
ket, have been one of the chief causes of its
depressed state in that country at the present
time. Dublin, which was once so famous for its
silk weaving, possesses now little or none of that
branch of industry, and the poplin trade is
expected to follow, while the combination of ship,
carpenters has driven from the city nearly all the
the ship building it formerly enjoy-ed. But why
go on multiplying such like illustrations. Modern
history is replete with examples of like disastrous
results. Trade, in fact, at every period, has been
destroyed or compelled to shift its locality or mode
of operation, from the extravagances of combina-
tion, monopoly, and petty tyranny. As has been
pertinently remarked by an able writer, it cannot
thrive under such restrictions and interferences,
any more than the Chinese foot, or an infant of the
last generation, with its swathing and bandaging,
or, than a plant that is being meddled with and
removed can obtain its natural growth and
development. _

There is a highly important truth connected
with this question which the working 'classes
would do well to learn and understand, and
,it is
this—that they cannot force wages beyond
.a
certain limit without injury to, themselveS. A
slight acquaintance with some of the principles of
political economy will:make this easily comprehen-
sible. If, for instance, wages are raised so high
that the gains of the employer, on the sale of his
commodities, are reduced below the average profit
of capital, it is clear that he will either withdraw
his money from so unproductive an occupation, or,.
as in the instance of the Glasgow manufacturer,
remove his business to another place, where it can
be carried on under more favourable circumstances.
In either case the occupation of workmen is gone,
and thus grasping at too much they' lose. all.
It is essential likewise to observe here another
important maxim in political economy—namely,
that . the price of labour, like the prices of coin-.
modifies, is determined by. the proportion between
the supply and demand : in other words, the same
- laws which govern the price of bread, govern the
price of labour—if there be demand, the ptices will
rise, if there be no demand, no combination can
ever raise them. This May be'verrsiniply illus
-
trated. We all know the .effect which a
.plentiful
or 'deficient harvest has 'in raising or reducing, the-
price of bread. If it be rumoured in the. Corn
Exchange that the market is scantily supplied
with corn, every one knows from experience that
there will immediately take place a rise in the
nrice of wheat afterwards. And so in like manner
s
'h -ild the supply of any articles of foreign im-
port bt; interrupted, or less than usual, a "similar
imincii..ate advance takes place in tte price 'of
these articles. This is a tact of such common
knowledge and. occurre_;iee, that it need not be
enforced : but the great effect on. prices of a trifling
excess or deficiency in the supply, perhaps not
so apparent. Yet every practical Man,
agricultural, commercial, or inanufac-
turing, is well aware that the excess of the supply
of u (1 ommodity brought to market will depress
that commodity 1:1 Price, and not only in the
ratio of that excess, but in a muchhigher
,ratio ;
and that, on the other hand again, the supply being
less than the demand, enhances the price 'in a
disproportionate manner. . •
This results from a very obvious principle—
namely, that quality, and every other
.incident
being alike, there cannot be two prices for the same
article. Suppose the supply is abundant, and, that'`
some of the sellers have more than their usual
quantity to dispose of: finding that their stock on
hand rather exceeds the usual amount, they
naturally feel impatient to begin selling; 'they
therefore try to force the market—that is, they
offer their goods 'at something less than the
accustomed' prices. Now hete comes. the point...
One man cannot sell dearer than his neighbour ; 'if
he attempt it, no one ;will deal with him : in self-
defence he, also, reduces his price : the example
rapidly spreads among all the sellers; and thus,.
from the circumstance of one or two persons having
rather more to sell than usual, the price ;of the
whole commodity in the market is reduced. On
the other hand, if, in place Of a redundancy, there
is a scarcity, the operation is analogous ;' in that
case sellers will hold back, and the increased
competition will be among; the buyers; each of
the latter being apprehensive from the aspect of
the market that he will not' be able to lay in his
usual stock, will be stimulated to offer a higher
price than usual ; and the example . being once
given, it will be followed by all in the same
predicament. Precisely the same principle governs
the market of labour. Suppose in a body of 500
workmen there are 50, equally good with the
rest, who cannot find employment; in this instance
the rate of wages will not be determined by the
450 employed, but by the 50 unemployed. .As a
matter of course, masters will employ those whoin
they can hire at the lowest wages : if the 50
unemployed offer to work for 20s, in lieu of 255,
they will discharge that number of their ,present"
workmen to make room for them. But the surplus
of labour continuing undiminished, and the
workmen disehai•ged, urged probably by the same
necessities as their unemployed predecessors, they .
too will be compelled to offer themselves at 20s
a week, and thereby supplant 50 more of their
employed fellow-workmen. In thiS manner the
reduction of wages will extend through the entire
trade : the trifling redundancy of 50 workmen,
like a trifling excess of commodities in the market,
reducing. the wages of the entire body of
operatives. (4.)

whethe

(4) Wade's Political Economy of the Industrious
Orders.

FUNERAL OF THE MARQUIS OF BHISTOL.—The mortal
•remains of this,.much esteemed and venerated noble-
man were removed yesterday morning from his late
residence, Ickworth Park, Bury St. Edmunds, where
they were conveyed froniSt.•James's-square, on • Tuesday
last, by special train on the Eastern Counties
.in accordance with the wish of the deceased
peer. The funeral arrangements were of a moat
unostentatious character, and were carried out by Messrs.
Banting; upholsterers, St. James's-street. As the time for
the starting of the fnneral cortege drew nigh, the park
was densely crowded with the tenantry. From an early
hour in the morning the minute bells of the various
churches in the neighbourhood were tolled, and the
trading establishments were partially cloSed. The prin-
cipal monrners Were the immediate relatives and then&
of the late venerable peer, with the mayor and town
council.. The cortege consisted of a "lid of feathers, pages,
coronet and cushion. The' Coffin' Was of Spanish maho-
gany, lined with white satin; enclosed in a stout leaden
one. The outer coffin was- cOiered with rich crimson •
e•
ai lekb
,Gweintohathverleve
erto,
wwith giltn sahneddl
be,si t annadil 'Liodr otnbeet
aorNmres
peer r
of the deceaied pe •
surmounting the plate, 'which bore
the following inscription :—" Frederick' William, Mar-
quiS of Bristol ; born 1769 ; died Feb. 15, 59 18. " The
pall, which was of black silk velvet, bore the escutcheon
of the late marquis

MONETARY AND 'COMMERCIAL. ,
LIVERPOOL, Friday Evening.
A moderate business has been done in the Liver-
pool Cotton Market to day, the sales reaching
7,000 bales, of which 1,500 were taken for specu-
lation and export. The market closed very quietly.
Of the week's business Messrs Wright, jun., and
Co. say:

Our last circular advices were dated 18th instant, and
forwarded per Europa, at which time our cotton market
closed steadily. The opening transactions of the week
under review were more circumscribed, and the tone of
the market was subdued. The American accounts had
the effect of inducing importers to offer their stocks
with increased desire to realize, and spinners having
previously operated so freely, and. holding a present
supply, were not so eager in their purchaos. In prices
no material change can be noted. The current qualities
are scarcely so saleable at last week's rates, but are not
quotably lower. The finer classes are scarce, and
sparingly submitted at extreme prices ; the ordinary
grades are, however, more difficult to move at a
slight concession, and are more likely to be adversely
affected than the better classes, from the reports of the
quality of recent receipts at the American shipping ports.
The political horizon is still crowded with suspense, and
opinions on the snbject of peace or war vacillate daily.
Hostile preparations continue unabated on all sides, and
it is difficult to understand their meaning, if tranquillity
is to be preserved. CommAcial transactions are conse-
quently biased by caution, and
.public securities still
remain heavy.' Money matters are easy, and the elements
for expansion of trade are favourable, when contending
governments remove the obstacles. To-day's market
offers no change worthy of particular comment. The
sales are estimated at 7,000 bales, 1,500 to speculators
and exporters, at prices within the range of quotations,
and offerings free. The total sales of the week, including
what has been forwarded from the ship's side, amount to
42,0.50 bales, of which 32,740 are American. Speculators
have taken 3,710, and exporters 6,150, leaving 32,190
bales of all kinds to the trade. The import for same
time is 52,441 bales, of which 44,865 are American.
The quantity known to be at sea from American ports is
about 100,000 bales.

PRICES TO-DAY : -
N. Orleans Fair, 7r... . Middling, 7d Ordinary, 41d to bid
Mobile „ 7 d ,, 6d ,, 5d to 61d
Atlantic , 7
Total taken for consrmption, 1'859, 360,350 b15....18'58, 360,150 bales.
.„ export (actual) „ -30,575 „ „ 19,625 ;,
American Brazil Egypt'n E. India W. India Total
Stock this day... 321,340 18,000 21,720 21,030 270 381,910
Same time 1858...99,780 22,460 4,580 76,510 4,210 207,510
Messrs. Edmund Jardine.. and Company, in
their circular, say :- •
Our market opened with a considerable diminution in
the activity of the previous three weeks, and as the news
per Africa on Monday was still further in favour of the
bUyer; prices gave way, resulting on Tuesday in a full
decline of
it
per lb. from Friday's currency. Since then,.
however, it has assumed more tone,.and -holders have'
recovered 1-16 d. per 1b.,-on Which basis we give our
quotations for middling and the lower grades of American,
fair and upwards being scarce and much sought after
having maintained their position, except in Boweds which
we quote 1-16 d. down Sea Island, Brazil, and Egyptian
are without change. The lower qualities of Surat are
about id. per lb. down, and the other descriptiOns are
also easier.. 3,500 American, and.2lo Surat on speculation.
1,052 American, and 1,807 Surat for export -leaving
to the trade 32,190 bales. •
Only a small amount of business has been 'done
in the Liverpool Share Market, and' prices have
been scarcely so firm, closing as follows : Cale-
donian,. 834, 831 ; East Lancashire 95 ; Lanca-
shire and Yorkshire, 951, 951 ; Lancaster and
Preston 'new quarter shares, S p London and
North Western, 95, 944, 95 ; Midland, 101 ; South
Eastern, 21 15-16, 22 ; Dutch Rhenish, -4 13-16 d
Grand Trunk of Canada, 7t- ; Great Western of
Canada, 15 13-16. • .
The Corn Trade throughout the county con-
tinues dull, and no important change in prices can.
be reported. At Wakefield to-day.there was only
a•• small business done, but holders showed an in-
disposition to accept lower prices. In Liver-
pool the attendance at* the Exchange was
not large, but there . was a moderate demand
for wheat at Tuesday's quotations.; The flour
trade was very inactive, but there was no.
change in prices. '
The Manchester Goods market showed. no change
to-day, (71riltinefital buyers continue to operate
with great "caution, limiting their purchases to.
immediate and pressing wants. Producers con-
Ainue fully 'employed, and prices are well
sustained. •
The London Stock Market opened with
much the same feeling as yesterday, but
prices became weaker, and . subsequently
rallied again, closing much the same as,
yesterday. •• Consols, at, noon, were quoted .95Z-,
951, .and closed at 951, to 951. The.ciosifigi prices_
-for. other securities were : 3 per Cents, 951, 96 ;..
Bank Stock, .229, 231 ;,Exchequer Bills (large and
small), 34, 38 pm.
The. Lon don Market for Railway Shares influenced'
by the Stock market, was tolerably steady ; but the
amount of .business done was not large.- 'Towards
the, close, quotations had a tendency to im-
prove. . The final closing . prices were as
follows :-Ambergates; 6y, 62 ; Caledonians,.
831, 84 ; Ditto pref., 103, 105 ; Eastern,
Counties, 60, 61; . East Lancashire, 94, 96;
Edinburgh and Glasgow, ' 70*, 71 • Great
Northern, 104, 1041 ; Do.
A., 87, 89 ; Do. 8.,
137, 138 ; Great Westerns, '56, 561 ; Lanca-
shire and Yorkshire,- 95, 951; Brighton, 108*,
1091; London and North Western, 95, 952 ;
London and South Western, 911, 92+ ; Man-
chester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, 37, 371;"
,Midland . Stock, 101,, .1011 Notth British,' 58,
58ti,; . Do., pref., __ll2, 114; -North Eastern--
•!Berwicks, 921, 93 ; :Do., Leeds, 47*, 48 • Do.
Yorks,- 771, ; :North Staffords, 5, .41 ; South..
Eastern, 73,. 731 ; Turkish, 90, '94; New, 102,1,
103:; Great Western of Canada, 15 15-16, 16 146;
New, 4 9-16, 4 7-16 ; Grand Trunk of _Canada,
7 7-16, 7 9-16. ~ • ,
At the ordinary general meeting,of the proprie-
tors of -the• directors. of the' Chartered Bank of
India, Australia, and China, held yesterday, at the
London Tavern, T: A. Mitchell, Esq., in the chair,
the followinc, report was carried with 'acclamation.
It was considered very favourable, and recom-
mended a dividend at the rate of five per cent. per •
annum. . .
There was a 'fair demand for money yesterday
in commercial channels, but the rates remain low,
first class bills being taken at 2to 2-1 per cent. At
the Bank scarcely any business was done.
The news of ford Cowley's mission has had an
instantaneous and important effect upon the con-
tinental stock markets. The Austrian funds, the
fall in which had been most serious during the two
or three, days previous, experienced a rebound of
ai3Gut 12 per cent. ,on Wednesday at Vienna,
Frankfort, and Amsterdam.
Further considerable purchases of silver having
been effected yesterday for the outgoing Bombay
steamer, it is thought that the aggregate will
approach £300,000. About £50,000 in silver,
destined for the East, reached the Thames, on
Wednesday," from the Continent.

In the Bankruptcy- Court yesterday, the meeting
for consideration of the certificate of Messrs. Oak
and Snow, bankers; of Blandford Forum, was ad-
:
bourned until the 6th of May, as meetings have
een called with a view, to effect a compromise
with the creditors, and to supersede the -bank-
ruptcy._ -

The dividend on the stock of the Edinburgh and
Glasgow Railway Company is officially announced
at the rate of 31 per cent. per annum, heing the
same rate as that declared for the corresponding
six months of 1857.

The Midland
_Railway traffic return shows this
week an increase. of 2,747/. ; the Manchester,
Sheffield, and Lincolnshire, an increase. of 734/. ;
the North Eastern,, an increase of 1,1231. (com-
pared .with the "actual" receiptS for the corres-
ponding week of last, year) ; the Lancashire and.
Yorkshire, an increase of 2,847/. • the East. Lanca-
shire, 'an increase of 944/. ; and the Eastern Coun-
ties, an. increase of 1,0851.

The shares of the Atlantic Telegraph Company
have improved to 2201 to 250/ upon the an-
nouncement of the conclusion of the company's
neg9tiations with government.
The Emigration Commissioners have engaged
the ship Vater. Smidt to convey pasSengers from
Birkenhead to Adelaide.

A circular issued by Messrs. W. and A. Gilbey
calls attention to the fact indicated by the Board
of Trade returns, that whilst the consumption of
"wines of every other country,
(shows, a falling off,
the use of wines from the Cape of Oood'Hope has

largely increased, and they now stand third on the
list in quahtity.
.

The Assyrian has arrived from Shanghae with
621,100 lbs. of tea, and 1,207 bales of silk.
The position of the market for American
securities is thus noticed by Messrs. D. Bell, Son,
and Co :

Although the actual transactions in American securi-
ties during the past week have not been large, there has
been a fair demand for the several State stocks, and
rather more inquiry for railroad bonds of the first class.
The market continues very firm, and prices steady.
A return published yesterday, entitled " Bul-
lion," shows in a tabulated form the amount of
gold purchased and sold in the form of bullion by
the Bank of England in the ,year 1858, specifies
whether it was bar gold or foreign coin, and also
shows the excess of payments to, and receipts
from, the public of British gold coined within the
samt period. No silver bullion appears either to
have been bought or sold in 1858. The total
value of the gold bullion bought was 10,823,9861.,
of which 8,894,8751. was in bar gold, and the re-
mainder in foreign coin. The value of bullion
sold was 2,712,1961., of which 2,509,954/. was in
bar gold, and 202,2421. in foreign coin. The ex-
cess of British gold payments to the public was
2,985,9621., and the excess of receipts from it
2,415,664/. ; 880,5001. was received from the Mint
during the same period.

BANK OF ENGLAND RETURNS.
Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth Vic.,
cap. 23, for the week ending Wednesday, Feb. 23,
1859 :

ISSUE DEPARTMENT

DEBIT.
Notes issued

33,565,315 Government Debt 11,015,100
Other Securities
Gold Coin and ot her 19,0,0,315
I Bullion

£33,565,315
BANKING DEPARTMENT.

£33,565,315

DEBIT. £ CREDIT. £
Proprietor's Capital. 14,553,000 Government Secu-
-10,696,147
Rest
Public Deposits
Other Deposits
Seveßiln-day & other I 749,788 I 1 Gold and Silver Coin
ls

16,256,758
13,226,830
862,233