The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-05 00:00:00

THE BRITISH PRESS.

mince generally, that may be stated now; but what applies to John
Tester, he will take the opportunity of answering himself.
Mr..RAwn—Sly remarks will apply solely to that part of the
address which relates to John Tester's wages while in our employ.
MICHAEL DantY—lfJohn Tester cant of answer ynur charge
against him, it is right he should personally bear the blame.
Mr. RAND—The ground of my objection to what he has said is
this: we have stated to the public that John Tearer's wages have,•
within a given period. amounted to a certain auto ; he has published
another atateintnt, and has said that ours is incorseo, and that we
are therefore unworthy of credit; on this subject I will meet him
aiiy where, and at any time.
One of the Committee--Mr. Rand, when you come again, bring
your book with you, if you please.
Mr. RAND—]lost unquestioeably I will. (11r. Rand now
retired.)
MICHAEL DALET-If the master% would cornp and meet the
men en Frirweather.green in this gentleman!). manner, uur dif-
ferences would soon be at an end.

The business, which was of a very uninteresting kind, then pro-
ceeded.

The Citainscag addressed the meeting in a tone nf despondency
He hoped on that day to have had something niece pleasing to corm
munirate to them. Their difficultiea, he said, were many, the
distresses of the poor am great, and he gave them what consola-
tion he coild in a serioua addrtos. He adverted to the reasonable-
ness of their wages. and the manner in which they had conducted
themselves. He expressed a fervent Isiah 'hat their strength might
be equal to their day, and that the Almighty would forward their
design in the enUrse of his providence; and concluded by exhorting
them to meet their difficulties with fortitude and march on with
courage.

311CHAEL DALEY said it was astonishing to hear the surpris-
ing.expresaions that were made at a n eeting which he attended last
week, where they had a Union of 10,000 strong. the men promising
to give them a noble gift, by subscribing five shillings each. He
wasead to see one of their master* present; he called it a manly
and a gentlemanly act. .Ir. Rand was a gentleman who did not
wish to grind his workmen ; Mr. Wood, Jr. 3 Garnett. and Mr.
Marshall, were of the same class; the men did not strike against
them, but they struck against the men. It the firms of Margeriaon,
Nrrete. and Cousens, would come forward and publish their books,
there would be somelting to look at. The wretched abodes, and
the starved and ragged appearance of the children of their work.
men, would prove that they deserved striking against. The men
struck against them to make them come up to the prices paid by
other metiers, and thorn manufseturns ought to make common
cause with the men against those firms. They had received several
encouraging letters from their worthy secretary,
T. EVMLEIOII saw in a statement n.ade by the masters some
time since, that a gond woolconitier could earn 225. and a comber
of inferior sons —but they would be glad to take 15s. per week.
They also stated that the trade lIHM soon learnt, and with little
expense, and if so, he would ask how it was that men should be
at it 10, 16, 20. and 30 years, and yet not be able to do the
work to the satisfaction of the Bradford masters? The Committee
would endeavour do what they could to get them supplies. They
did not boast how many thousands they had, because they did not
want any one to know any tiling about it.
J. THonNTON said, their cause was known by all the inhabitants
of Great Britain, and they were ready to support them to the ut-
most of their power. While they cautioned to strive to break that
chain, which, if suffered to exist, would bind all tile country, the
masters would fail in stopping their supplies. The masters had
stated that women and children could earn from 12s. to 14a. per
week, when a man could not earn tr, .re than 10s. and at present he
could not earn much more than as. He contradicted the statement
that low wages were a blessing to the country, and instanced the
state of the inhabitants of' Lancashire in proof. He hoped, there-
fore, they would stand forward to protect their rights in a political
point of view.
WALWOIITH—The week that had passed bad given the Com-
mittee another proof their firmness. They last week passed a
resolution of great importance, and they had been charged with
haring done it with precipitancy, but their future conduct would
prom that that was rot the use. Some would say that where
wages were low, the people are peaceable and orderly ; hut where
high wages predominate, and prosperity is enjoyed, disorder is the
consequence. Fact proved to the contrary, inasmuch as ignorance
was the parent of crime, and the cause of ignorance iv the state of
low wages, which actually adds to the increase of immorality.
High wages would aLo be beneficial to the country at large. If 3a.
per week in advance were paid to the working classes, it would
cause a circulation of 3.00111. per week mare than formerly, which
would be 116,0001. per. annum. It had been said that wearers
could earn 10a. 12s or 12s. 6J. per week on an average, taking men,
women, and children. This was not the cave. He had been a
weaver several years, and by working on the finest pteces, sixteen
hours a day, he could never earn more than 14s. per week. He
regretted that their Secretary was not there that day ; if he had
done wrong it was right he should bear the blame before eery one
of diem, and he hoped he would be proved a public liar before
them all, if he could not prove what he said to be true. (They
cannat do it—if he (Mr. Rand) had not known he had been away
he would not have come.) Although the manufacturers had met
to devise plans to starve them to death, yet be would treat them
with every due reapeet. Their plans had all failed. their mountain
had not yet been delivered of a mouse, because powerfal execution
requires skilful device, and in this they had been very defective.
Not one of the statements of the roamer, had injured the men.
THOMAS EVELEIOR said, be had received a letter from De.
vonshire, stating that some statements had been inserted in an
Exeter paper, calculated to deceive and mislead the public against
their interests. Ile wondered much that any one should be so
foolish as to carry news all the way from Fairweather-green to
Exeter, a distance of 300 miles. He had sent letters and papers to
counteract their tendency.
Thanks were voted to the Chairman, and[the meeting separated
about half-put four o'clock.