The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-06-30 00:00:00

tould not give the Hon. Gentleman the credit of originality there- •
fore. As to the common law, adverted to by tile lion. Baronet, he
i would leave it to the Judges, but would observe, however, that if
1 we should return to the common law we must repeal all the statutes,
and it would be necessary for the Hon. Gentleman to make eves a
more inflammatory speech than he had done that night.
Mr. E. ELLICE said there were two parties interested in this
subject—the master and the men. If manufacturers were to be
Justices, the persons tried before them should have an appeal to
another ceurt, and he should move for an amendment to that effect.
On the whole, however, he preferred the urovisione of this Bill to
that brought in by the lion. Member (3lr. If ume.)
Mr. Secretary PEEL could not allow the observations of the
Hen. Baronet (Sir F. Burdett) to pass without a few comments.
The Hon. Baro let seemed to forget that the present Bill was found-
ed on the resolutions of his lion. Friend, the Member for Mont-
rose. The Hon. Member for Montrose said, exclude the com-
mon law, and the Government bad exactly proceedad in this resolu-
tion. Before Gentlemen voted on this subject, he begged them to
consider the transactions as detailed in the evidence, which had ta-
ken place in Dublin under the lion. Gentleman's act. It was not
his (Mr. Peel's) intention to throw any censure upon the law intro-
duced by the Hon. Gentleman, he merely meant to assert that it
did not afford sufficient security against the violence of the many ;
(hear) and that it was not sufficient to insure that freedom of em-
ployment to capital, which was admitted on all halal to be desira-
ble. It was a notorious fact that an instrument was invented, and
used in Dublin and Glasgow, for the purpose of dashing vitriol on
the faces of persons obnoxious to the workmen. The evil bad
realty arrived at such an alarming extent that no man could be
responsible for the peace of the country it' this Session had passed
without the interposition of the Legislature. The Honourable
Baronet proposed that nothing should be done until next Session
of Parliament. Some measure would then probably be introduced
with the principle of which the Hon. Baronet could not possibly
agree. The evil too by that time would probably have increased to
• magnitude which might be fatal to the peace of the country.
Mr. T. WILSON thought it was necessary to protect the work-
men against themselves. Under this view of the subject he should
support the proposed measure.
Mr. BRIGHT objected to the summary jurisdiction given to
Magistrates to convict upon exparte evidence. Such a principle,
if he understood right. watt contrary to all former precedent.
Mr. Secretary PEEL said the clause to which the lion. Gentle-
man objected, wan brought forward by the lion. .lember for
Westminster (Mr. llobhouee on a former occasion. Here was a
precedent, theretiore, exactly in point.
Mr. C. ORA NT said the summary jurisdiction was also sup-
ported by a precedent, to be found in the Bill introduced last year
by the .Hon. Member for Montrose t and the present Bin was de-
cidedly-in accordance with the Resolutions proposed by that Hon.
Gentleman. Ile was surprised the Bill had met so much opposi-
tion, for it was calculated to produce great benefit.
Mr. DENIIAN said, the question was, whether the proposal
act was likely to produce the proposed effect. lie (Mr. Denman)
was of opinion, that the existing law was quite sufficient to correct
all the evils complained of. At all events, he would deprecate
legislative enactments on such a subject, and leave the muter and
men only to rely upon their mutual good conduct. Ile was sure it
was not intended to give an unfair advantage to any patty by this
Bill ; but in his opinion, some of the clauses were highly objection.
able. The evil would work our its own remedy, and be found amply
sufficient. If two or three clauses were struck out, the Bill would
meet with general concurrence.
The petition was then ordered to beheld upon the table.
Upon the motion that the petition be printed,
Mr. HOBHOUSE rose to declare, that he was as warm a friend
to the preservation of tranquillity as any of the Right Honourable
Gentlemen opposite, but that he conceived the most effectual way
to disturb the tranquillity which now confessedly existed was
being too precipitate in passing the Bill which wu that evening to
come under the consideration of the House. Notwithstandiag all
that had ban said of the crime of throwing vitriol in the faces of
persons. he had the testimony of a Member well acquainted with
the state of Scotland, that that offence did not prevail there to the
extent stated. He thought that it was just ground of complaint
that no witnesses had been examined, as nothing could be more in.
consistent with the true principles of legislation than proceeding to
enact laws affecting individuals, without permitting those indivi-
duals to produce evidence, and be heard by Counsel at the bar of
that House. He (Mr. Hobhouse) had been accused of using vio-
lent language. Without admitting that be had used violent lan-
guage, he would deny that in times like the present—in times of
perfect tranquillity, violent language, if It had been used, could
do any harm ; but if they went the length of enacting such a law,
he hesitated not to foretcl that discontent and violence would be the
inevitable consequences. All thet the parties asked was a fair trial,
and to that he thought them justly entitled.
Mr. HUME denied that he had used any inflammatory language.
Ile had only spoken the'truth, and in dotng go he had claimed for
the workmen nothing but justice. lie denied that the Act of last
Session had the effect of suspending the common law in reference
to combinations producing duiturhaece and breaches of the pee,"
He could not conceive wily it should be imagined that at present
there existed a necessity for passing any new measure, seeing that
tranquillity prevailed throughout every part of the country. He
then dwelt at considerable length upon the ignorance of Ministers
on those subjects, and on the gross injustice of legislating without
permitting the parties to give the evidence at the bar of that House
which they were so anxious and so well prepared to give. He fur-
ther denied that any of the ill-effects arose from the Act of last Ses.
sion, which Right lion. Gentlemen opposite had been so forward
in attributing to it.
Mr. Secretary PEEL could not let such misrepresentation pass
He had never attributed to the operation of the Hon. Gentleman's
Act any of the evils which now existed in the country. He had
taken every pains to guard against such • mistake with respect to
him. lie was tired repeating contradictions of that mistatement.
Sir F. BURDETT said, that among the several opponents to
wham his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hittite) was replying, it was not ex.
unordinary dist he might be itiaecurate as to particular individuals.
lie (Sir F. Burdett) thought that the Right Hon. Gentleman, the
President of the Hotted of Trade, had attributed some ill-effects to
the particular provisions of the Act of last Session.
Mr. HUSKISSON-T" I neverdid."

Mr. lIUME resumed. The Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Peel)
had said, that the hands of Government ought to be strengthened,
and adverted to the state of Ireland and Scotland in support of his
opinions.
Mr. Secretsry PEEL again interrupted for the purpose of saying
that what he said was, that, front some cause or other for several
years past, the laws regarding the combination of workmen had
not been found to afford a sufficient security from the outrages of
the turbulent and the ill-disposed. Ills wish and his object were,
that some such laws should be enacted, as would protect those who
had been hitherto the unodending victims of violence and outrage.
Ile then referred to Campbell's evidence; from which it appeared,
that it was the opinion of that witness, that much advantage would
accrue to the interests of trade if there were passed en Act similar
to the Ellenborougli Act, making capital, however, not the attempt
but the actual throwing of vitriol, and other such substances, with
intent to do bodily injury. With regard to the city of Dublin, he
would call the attention of the Douse to the circumstance, that
before one Divisional Police Office, there had, in the short space of
nine months, been brought no less than sixteen cases of crimes aris-
ing out of the spirit of combination. That such effects were pre-
valent throughout the empire, was not to be questioned ; but he
was far from making that a matter of personal Imputation on the
Hon. Gent. (,lr. Ilume), he only adverted to it to prove his own
forbearance. Ile entirely acquitted him (Mr. Flume) of any injus-
tire. In conclusion, he implored the Douse not to separate, and re.
turn to their homes without giving to the public and the interests
of trade, that security which the existing condition of the workmen
loudly demanded.
Mr. lIUME, in again resuming, made a few further observe.
Lions. in reply to what had fallen from Mr. Secretary Peel, after
which

ATTORNEY-GENERAL rose to exprom much sur-
prise at the opposition which the Hon. Member for Aberdeen had
thought proper to say he would give to the Bill of his Honourable
Friend (Mr. Wallace), after the communication which he had had
with him (Mr. Hume.) He (the Attorney-General) had in his
possession a copy of the Bill, in which die lion. Gentleman (Mr.
Hume), after expressing his concurrence in the principle of that
measure, had made some corrections as to matters of detail, all of
which were assented to except two.
After a few words from Mr. T. WlLso,r, and Mr. Ilumw, the
Petition was ordered to be printed.
COMBINATION LAWS' A lIEND3IENT BILL.

Mr. WALLACE moved the bringing up the Report upon the
above BilL
Mr. HUME again commenced hls observations in opposition to
the Bill, and the House being very thin, the lion. !`!ember said
the question required more attention on the part of Members, and
he should accordingly move that the !louse be counted.
The House was then counted, and 42 Members being found pre-
sent, the discussion proceeded.
hie. HUAI E then went CM to condemn the Bill as being unjust
and oppressive towards the men, and partial in the favour with
which it viewed the masters. The Bill of last year gave sufficient
power to the masters. With that power they had pat down a corn- '
binution at Glasgow, and caused the men to retool to their work.
The masters in the contest with the men had completely succeeded.
The masters agreed together, and coerced the men into their own
terms, and now that House were passing a Bill, leaving the men no 'I
means whatever to punish the masters. This was most unfair, and
the Bill proposed would be most unequal in its operation. The
Hots. Gentleman then read a letter addressed to him by a commit-
tee of the operatives at Leicester, in which, after commenting upon
one of the clauses of the Bill (a copy of which had been sent to
them), which they considered most objectionable, they begged and
entreated that they might not be bound by such an unjust law.
The least thcy asked was, that they might rot * made amenable
to a magistrate, but be open to a trial by a Jury. They hoped the
House would wait until further Information had been obtained upon
a question so important to . their interest*. Could the House ex-
pect, after such an expression of feeling on the part of these per-
sons, that the law would ever be respected, or become effectual. or
useful ? He had received another letter, dated from a committee
room at Boston,in which the clause,cons pelling men to give evidence,
or rendering them liable to an indefinite period of imprisonment, was
very strongly objected to. The Hon. Gentleman then proceeded to
observe, that the masters had it in their own power to keep the
men peaceable. It only required theta to give the men a permanent
emprgement. In every use where contracts had been entered into
between masters ar.d workmen the:e had been no disturbance what-
ever whereas, in those cases where masters held their men liable
to be turned off without any warning, was it too much for the men
so Lin wristanc-zd to say—. you are at liberty to discharge us when
you plumate, and we are at liberty to leave yrs' unless you will in.
crease our pay." A motets carpenter addressed him sesterday,
and alibi he had contracted to build a house trithin a certain period,
and that all his men bad struck for higher we.ges. He (Mr. Hume)
asked why he had not bound them to him till his contract was com-
pleted ? The answer was, that such a course was never adopted.
lie replied that it was adopted, and referred to the eipbuitdcre,