The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-28 00:00:00

end Commons in Parliament assembled So
that Mr, ROEBUCK' indiscretion, as it was
thought to be by the more gingerly and mealy-
mouthed of our politicians, turns out after all to
have been in one sense alone discreet, there, at
that time in the popular branch of the Legislature.
Mr. HORSMAN'S equally bold speaking somewhat
to the same effect a few hours afterwards, being
in like manner, in its turn, productive of good—
for inasmuch as the sittings when this tone was
adopted by independent representatives like the
members for the boroughs of Stroud and Stu Meld,
(and cheered (remember that!) again and again by
the House of Commons)—the sittings at which those
startling incidents occurred, it will be row recalled
to mind on both sides of the Atlantic, dated earlier
than, and not subsequent to, the repulse of the
Federal Fleet from before Charleston !

The result of the debate on Lancashire last night
was, on the whole, very satisfactory. Mr. PER-
RAND spoke at great length, and was at conside-
rable pains to describe the state of affairs in the

cotton districts. He explained that he had not ar-
rogated to himself any right to bring forward the
claims of the operatives, but that he had received
numerous letters from them requesting him to do so.
The hon. member very properly deprecated the con-
duct of Mr. POTTER, who had watched his move-
ments very closely, and endeavoured to frustrate the
object of his motion. First, he had proposed
referring the whole matter to a committee upstairs,
and now he proposed an amendment to the effect
that " a Royal commission should be appointed to
inquire into the present state of the cotton manu-
facturing districts, and report on the best mode of
relieving the distress existing therein." Mr.
FERRAND said that such a scheme would be viewed
with dismay by the operatives, for it would in-
evitably cause delay when immediate action was
desirable. He then animadverted upon the conduct
of the cotton manufacturers, whom he declared to
have had ample warning that a crisis might soon
arise in American affairs, and many well-informed
persons had assured them it was madness to place
confidence in a supply of cotton from America only.
He then referred to the system of overtrading, and
quoted a sentence from a letter from the late Mr.
FIELDER, in which he urged the manufacturers to
manufacture less cotton and more honesty. He
reminded the House that the cotton trade of England
had existed for 90 years, and he made this state-
ment not upon his own authority but upon that of
those who studied the question, that during
that time there had existed three generations
of the English race, but the cotton trade had
during that time destroyed nine generations of fac-
tory operatives. After referring to events some
time back the hon. member returned to the question
of the day and said, " again Mr. RATHBONE GREGG,
one of the largest spinners in Lancashire, spoke in
1831 of the degrading condition of the cotton opera-
tives, and pointed out the imperative necessity for
the alteration of a system which left them no time
to be wise, and no leisure to be good, and he should
like to know whether in the present day there
could be found a single man who did not feel
anxiety for this state of things. They were in-
debted to the noble and magnanimous conduct of
the operatives themselves for the present tran-
qnillity of Lancashire., The manufacturers had
broken faith with them, had violated pledges, had
locked the mills against them, and the warning
which was given by Mr. Gregg 30 years ago was to
be taken into the deep consideration of her Majesty's
Government at the present moment. It would
have been well indeed for a noble lord when he was
going to or returning from his festivities in Scotland
if he had spent one day amongst thesepoor people,

and seen with his own eyes and heard with his own

ears their painful sufferings, and he would then
have been able to tell those hon. gentlemen who
sneered and laughed at these things that it was no
laughing matter." It would have been well if Mr.
FERRAND could have avoided the introduction of so
many irritating topics, but nothing could have ex-
cused the exhibition of merriment at such a theme
as that introduced by the hon. member. The
sufferings of the people of Lancashire are too
solemn and sacred to be treated in such an
unbecoming tone, and met with such a spirit as

that evinced last night by the hon. members be
hind the Treasury benches. They found it con.

venient to forget that they were listening to s sub.
jeot that should have awed them into respect, and
if they could not sympathise with grievous sorrows
nobly borne, they might have affected a virtue if
they had it not, and at all events have comported
themselves with ordinary courtesy. Those men
whose families have been on the brink of starvation
for months, will not feel otherwise than hurt

and mortified to notice the constant introdnc-

tion of " laughter" in the report of the de
bates. Mr. FERRAND said that the Chancel

for of the Exchequer had shown that these
men worked hard and did much to increase the
prosperity of the country. But the right hon.
gentleman only took the master's side, the golden

side of the question. He wished to present the
workman's side, the iron side of the question.
In conclusion he stated that the operatives would
feel deeply indebted to Lord PALMERSTON for his

kindly giving him an opportunity of introducing

heir case before Parliament. Mr. POTTER then

proposed his amendment to appoint a royal commis-

sion to inquire into the state of things. He thought

such a proceeding would quiet the public mind, and
he hoped Government would not refuse to sanction
his proposal, Mr. VILLIERS then said that he ob-

jected to botht he proposals of the hon. gentlemen
who bad just addressed the House on this important
subject. Mr. Villiers stated that a royal
commission would give us no information
that we did not already possess,
and he also consi-
dered that emigration
Was a desperate resource to
which he hardly thought we were yet reduced.
The right. hon. gentleman then stated that Lanca-
shire and Cheshire could furnish employment to
100,030 men in drainage and other works for

wo months, and that he had employed

competent persons to inquire into these

works, and that he had the gratification
to inform the house that in three weeks a sufficiency
of employment could be found. On the receipt of

this intelligence both Mr. FERRAND and Mr. POT-

TEn withdrew their motions. This promises to be
highly satisfactory, but Mr. FERRAND may con-
gratnlate himself upon having hastened the Go-
vernment in making these arrangements, since
nothing Was mentioned on any previous oc-
casion of their intention to make such plans.
At all events no harm is ever done by
bringing such questions before
the House
and the more they era dilated upon, and the longer
they occupy the time of our legislators, the better
for all partiee concerned, since a full and free dis-
cussion of all such matters is essential to their
right comprehension, and also to the due atten-
tion being paid to them by officials in high places.
It will be a joyful day for England when her long
depressed and inactive operatives are again in em-

ployment, and when the busy sounds of toil and
traffic replace the dull, void, and dreary

vacancy of inaction. The way has been
long, dark, and tedious that these energetic