The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-06 00:00:00

MEETING OP SI/.IC wedrens.

On Wednesday evening a 31 eetine of Jonerierwen mk.weavre
took place at the Brunswick I. hand, Mile-End-road. At a .lees.
ing held on the 29th of. August. a Committee was anneinted for
the purpose of preparing an Address to hia Majesty, renresenting
the dietressed condition to which they sine mimed, implorine
his Majesty'', gracious patronage for the MA trade nfslpitafgekG and its vicinity. The 'feeling of Wednesday was caned toucan
the Report of the Committee, and to hear the Address read.
Mr. ROBERT BOULTER W's% called to the chair.
Mr. POTTON, one of the Committee, mil the resolutions of tba
melon,' Meeting, which, disclaiming any intentt.a of interfering
aith the high decisions of the legislature, declared it time's?, that
an humble Address should he presented to him Majesty, tiK goy,'
Family, and the Nob Ity end Gentry of the United Kingdom, is Fitronizo and encourage the silk trade of Spitalfields. Mr. Payton
raid, Coat in pursuance of these resolittions, the Crinimittee had
prepared the draft of an Address to his Majesty, which wow be
submitted to them, fur stair approvaL The Committee, h$
said, fully arid confidently anticipated a mmt graciouw answer to
their Address from his Majesty; and upon that answer would be
grounded their Address to the other members if his Majesty's
family, and to the Nobility in general ; and they might expeat
from it the moat important advantages to the interests of their nails
in general. Ile therefore entreated their most earnest attention to
the reading of the Address.
Air. W. Tstosgreorr, jun., then read the Address, of which the
following are extracts :
`• They further beg leave to represent that in consequeree of the
repeal of the Spitalhelds Acts, the introduction of foreign wrought
silks, and the competition arising from that new messure of Govern.
mentjtlie weavers of Spiudfields have experienced the greatest ad.
versities and misery ; their tae of wages haling been reduced to so
low a state as to render an application to the parish funds in many
instances absolutely necessary, to preserve them from utter stern.
Lion, even when in full and constant employ. That this reduction
in the price of labour fa ruinous to the morals and constitution of
the workmen ; the Celia hours which they arc forced to labour tend.
ing to shorten the duration of life, and crowd the parochial
workhouses with orphan children ; thus virtually producing no real
advantage to the public. inasmuch as it causes an ahsolute rmlun.
darey taw-lode in the market, without any increase in the number
of consumers.

" TlWyprofess the most profound aspect for the decisions of the
Legisiature, and feel a conviction that his Majesty's enlightened
Ministers will do all in their power for their benefit; and the
Government will doubtless perceive the dreadful consequences of
having a pauper population of so many thousand individuals, io
the very centre of this ram metropolis, with the dreary prospect of
a fast approaching wintrr befcee diem.
" They, therefore, supplicate his 3lajesty's gracious interference
in their behalf, by patronizing as much an possible the Spitaidelds,
in preference to foreign silks, and profess their capability of making
their manufactures superior to the choicest productions of the
French loom, or the delicate fabrics of India, provided Me IRoyal
Pierorage is graciously vouchsafed to than."
The Address then concludes with a renewal of the expressions ot
loyalty and firm attachment to his 3lajesty's person, family, and
Government.

Mr. THOMPSON said that no class of men was more Al used
than the journeymen weavers, not sn much by his 3lsjeaty's Llo-
vemment as by many of the silk manufacturers, who, baring ex-
erted thernselvert to get the Spitalfielda' Acts ropealed, t:ok advan-
tage of the repeal to reduce their prices so low, that, with their
most endeavours, the men could barely obtain sufficient to support
a miserable existence. In some branches of the trade, a man, by
working hard from morning to night, six days in the week could
only earn about 10s. Some among them, he admitted, were better
off, but they were very few indeed, perhaps not more than one out
of every fifty of the persons then present. Let them look at the
result of such a state of things. In place or that spirit of inde-
pendence for which their forefathers were renowned, instead of
that spirit of freedom that impelled them to step forward to meet
the enemies of their country, whether foreign or domestic, he re-
gretted to say that many of them had so degenerated as to become
the cool coleulators of crime, and more a reproach than, as their
ancestors had been, ornaments to their country.
Mr. %Vat.tas also dwelt at much length on the nil, which he
said had resulted from the repeal of the Spitaltields' Acts.
The meeting was afterward, addressed by Mr. Raawicx and
Mr. Fox, who stated that since the opening of the ports 129,000
pieces of foreign silks had been imported.
T:,e Address to his Majesty was unanimously adopted, and
thanks having been voted to tke Chairman, the meeting separated.