The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-06-28 00:00:00

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other States—those of the North of Europe for instanceo-were at
liberty to bring from different countries their produce, and carry it
to England ? Thus, were ships belonging to Swedes or Danes at
liberty to proceed up the ;Mediterranean, and bring from France
and other countries bounding that sea the produce of their soil and
their Industry ?
Mr. HUSKISSON was not exactly aware whether the Honour-
stir Gentleman meant to inquire what alterations had taken place
• in the Navigation Laws, Or to inquire how those laws at the present
moment mood. The laws passed in the reign of Charles 11. might
'be considered the origin of our Navigation Lew*, and under those
•
the ships of other countries were at liberty to bring from foreign
wares their produce. with the exception of certain articles, most of
which were of considerable weight and bulk, and which were called
the enumerated articles. By the Art which his Right Honourable
Friend (the Chancellor of' the Exchequer) introduced in the year
18e2, the old law was altered and the enumerated articles were put
under new provisions. The produce of Runia—its masts for in-
stance—if landed in France. might be brought from that country
in French ships. None of the enumerated articles could have been
brought in that manner prior to the introduction of his Right lion.
Friend's Bill. This and the modifications required by our inter-
' oourse with America, was all the caange which our Navigation
Laws underwent since the time of Charles IL The States of
America possesied advantages denied to European countries, for
they were all free to carry each other's produce.
1,1-311: REGIS.
Mr. HOBHOUSE presented a petition from John D. flurrsge.
Attorney of Southamp•on, cot iplainiog of abuses in the borough of
Lyme Regis —Ordered to lie on the table.
COMBINATION OF WORKMEN.
On the question that the House should resolve itself into a Com-
mittee an the Combination of iVorkmen Bill,
Mr. WALLACE rose.—lt appeared to him that the only prim-
' tical course was, to inquire what the actual state of combination in
the country was; to examine what was the mature and extent of
its operation ; to see how far it affected the good order and well-
,,,inring of society, as well as the condition of trade and the prosperity
Of the manufacturing interest ; and finally, to determine, as far as
the information before them would permit, witether and how far
the removal of the restrictions which existed previous to last Ses-
sion had been attended with benefit or otherwee ; whether had
riot the effect of encouraging rather than diminishing the system of
combination throughout the country ; and whether in truth there
had not actually been a great increase—an almost unbounded ope-
, nage of in rower and affects. Of thirteen roses which had recently
- ' cone under his observation, not less than seven had arisen since
last Seesion. it would be heard with just feelings of apprehension,
that those combinations were everywhere formed with dangerous
• art and contrivance. They were constituted with perfect regularity;
they hail their presidents, their secretaries, and their committees.
Nothing in his opinion could be more injurious to the true inte-
rests of trade, than that a few individuals s'sould in that way mo-
t nopolise influence and power which they were so ill qualified to
use ; and it was not to be doubted, that in all such combinations,
much, if not all the real pewee' vested in a few busy individuals.
Lord Bacon had said, that in Council It was material whether the
Council sat at a long or a round table--for if at the former, a few
at the upper end managed all as they thought proper. Those com•
binations, so deetrunivt aa be conceived to the best interests of trade,
'assumed to themselves the most sweeping powers. They were to
tectete the nature and hours of employment; they were to deter-
mine the amount of wages; by them the number of apprentices
wee:. to be regulated. and the persons from whom they would
except employment fixed upon. The managers of those com-
binations took upon themselves to govern, from the merest
tr'lle, up to the enmity of pointing out objects for assassina-
tion. That dangerous system was organised throughout England,
to an extent most dangerous--an extent which, it allowed unre-
strained operation, would at no distant period deprive the trade of
this country of meet of the advantages which it at present enjoyed.
Ire Ireland the effects of combinations were most severely telt.—
l'hey had produced in that country not less than between seventy
and eighty outrages, in full forty of which severe bodily injuries
' had been sustained, and there had been three eases of murder in
' open day. In Scotland, combinations were carried on upon a sys-
tem still more regularly organized. He would call the attention of
the House to the oath taken in Scotland, by the members of those
Associations. He then read the oath, which was nearly to this et,-
tett :—" I, A. B. do voluntarily sweat in the awful presence of
Almighty God, that I will execute with zeal and alacrity all which
I may be commanded to do by a majority of the Society, even
though called upon to assassinate those who may deserve that pn-
nishment, and that 1 will freely contribute for the support of bre- ,
Oren out of employment ; and finally, that I will not divulge any
portion of this oath, unless appointed to administer it on the ad-
. mission of a member." Such w A the obligation by which those
persons bound themselves ; nor could he conceive any thing more
• dangerous to the interests of trade, or the peace of society. He
next adverted to the confession of a man named John King, who
had been convicted of a conspiracy to commit murder. From the
confession of that man it appeared, that there were belonging to
the Association with which he was connected, two Committees,
and one of these was bound, from time to time, to make reports to
the other, which eras called the Select Committee, and these were
r:en not known to the operatives, who held their meetings
every Saturday. The statements generally, of the facts which
disclosed the economy of these Associations, were derived from.
ice most unquestionable sources—from the evidence of dis-
nterotted persons, in the coune of judicial proceedings. As-
sociations of that nature were particularly seductive to the work.'
ire, chases; men were led on step by step, from beginnings
almost imperceptible, to crimes the most revolting and atrocious.
alley always began by proposing objects the most moderate, and
apparently laudable. for the purpose of including within their
ranks as many of the operatives as thew possibly could ; they then
proceeded from demands to menaces, and from those to acts of vio-
lence and outrage. Previous to the Bill of lost Session, the opera-
tive!' were under the impression that their entering into those corn.
• binations were something in their naturs illegal, but from the time
that Bill was passed, they naturally enough imagined that it be-
came as well praiseworthy as legal, to enter into those associations.
In fact, they now thought it almost, mrritorioss to join them.
lie was not • friend to the statutes which the bill of last Session had
trended ; but he owned that he wished for a restoration in part, at
!east; of the common law as it existed before the passing of those
Statutes ; still he was not for going the full length of the old corn.
noon law. The Bill of last year went beyond the resolutions of the
eommitteem, and so far he disapproved of it. If they were allowed
to continue in their present career, it would destroy the system of
competition, on which the prosperity of British trade depended.
In Ireland there had been a combination to prevent the introduc-
tion of English iron ; and at Newcastle there had been one
to prevent the use of blocks prepared by machinery in London.
I iader the operation of such circumstances he did not wonder at
the interference of the operative classes with the employment of
apprentices, sod their endeavour to subject all the masters to their
own terms. Neither was it surprising they were less disposed to
meet their employees upon equal terms than formerly. This was
all attributable to the influence of illegal combinations and tiesoria.
mons upon the operatives; for it was impossible to conceive but
•
that their own interest and that of their families, would cause
the workmen to return to their employment, if they were not pre-
vented by the apprehensions of the violence to be expected from
these associations. The consequences likely to ensue from oppo-
sition to the wishes of such associations must be Indeed formi-
.
liable, to produce these effects upon the minds of the men. This
was only a picture to what was passing all over the country, and
he would put it to the lion. Gentleman (Mr. Hume) whether it
was not for the interests of the workmen, as well as the masters,
to abolish such a state of thing's The first step he proposed to
take to remedy the evil was to define in the intended Act for what
purposes associations were to be permitted among masters and men.
Coder the operation of the common law all combinations of what
nature soviet were illegal. The Bill proceeded on that principle,
but made exceptions in favour of one particular association, neces.
asry in point of Justice to the interests of individuals. One great
bond of trade societies consisted in the collection of subscription.,
to be appropriated to the support of persons out of employment in
their rerpeCtive occupations. Those subscriptions were undoubt-
edly, in annoy cases, appropriated to the support of men unem-
ployed voluntarily, and by means of combination; but in other
instances they were applied to praiseworthy objects : so that there
would exist a great difficulty in attempting to specify all the parti-
cular instances of illegality or otherwise. In framing the Bill of
'set year he believed the same difficulty had been felt in distin-
guishing the difference between the two last named objects of
associations. It would be unreasonable not to permit combination I
toe purposes contemplated in societies for the regulation of trade,
t' - hours of labour, and other necessary objects. But in all calms
I lt o: compulsion, or where combinations were entered into to the
of effecting any purpose by means of threats, intimidation
violence, which mode. be lamented, was that usually adopted
by workmen, he wished the law to cheek and prevent such anode-
nuns. In ....eh cases be was desirous that a summary jurisdiction
should be adopted and applied ;an further made more easy of
• application, by doing away with the necessity of a previous infor-
mation, and rendering conviction possible on the evidence of one
witness only. lie thought the lion. Gentleman himself could feel
no objection to the proposed alteration. lie had now stated the
principal features of the Bill. and he was aware the expectations of
many persons would be inevitably disappointed. Many might
think that a system of Parliamentary vengeance, rigour, and seve-
rity should have been applied. But he thought the present was not
'1 a cane in which such a course of proceeding was necessary, and
thoueh he doubted not the courage of Government when necessary,
yet on the present occasion he was more disposed to err on the nee
of clemeecy than severity. If necessary, he had no doubt of the
willingness of Parliament to a. and vindicate its authority. If
throueli aey unhappy obstructions to trade, by meant of combine.
• tem, the consumption of this country could not be supplied by
home manufacture, we would then have to look to foreign countries
for a supply. This was a difficulty which, he trusted, would never
occur; but he thought the present Bill calculated to avert the ne-
cessity of such a proceeding, and that conviction had operated to
induce hiss to loing it forward.
It. ROBERTSON rose amidst loud calls for Mr. Hutne,
and said, lie felt it his duty to oppose some theories on commercial
eubjects, which had of late become fashionable in that House.
cnentry had originally, in the early period of its history, em.
pined itself principally in the importation of manufactured poi.
duce from foreign countries; but as it advanced in knowledge and
eiv.litrion, it relinquished that practice for the Importation of the
raw material, which it afterwards manufectured and sent forth into
wrtien markets. It appeared, however, of late to be the policy of
4:overnment to attempt to aggrandise the commerce dr foreign
batons t a policy in the propriety of which he could not concur,
looking upon the opening of our port., and other similar measures,
as a most utiscbievous proceeding. Indeed the state of the coun.
if
r lIIISKISSON rose to order. The lion. Member would
recollect the the state of the country was not the question before
the House.
The SPEAKER could not precisely determine whether the Hen.
3/ember was in or out et order. However, be could say that he