The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-22 00:00:00

THE PBESTO.Y STRIKE.

PRESTON, APRIL 21.—There seems to be some mys-
tery connected with the week's income of the powerloom
weavers. On Monday, in accordance with the informa-
tion furnished, we reported that the subscriptions amount-
ed to about 2,050/. Last night, however, on obtaining
the balance-sheet; we found among the receipts the folloW-
ing iteni :—" My box is open ; take your needs-4001,"
What this means does not appear ; but it
.is reasonable
to presume that the amount has been borrowed to make
up the deficiency caused by th)s withdrawal of the Stock-
port contributions, &c. Including,this 5001.,_ the week's
income reached 2;160t. 16s. • 94d.—about. the average
amount. The total expenditure was 2,118/. Bs., leaving.
a balance in hand of 421. Bs. 9id. The subjoined ad-
dress, which indicates the present feeling of the leaders
of the movement, accompanies the balance-sheet :
" Friends and Fellow-operatives,—The Committee of the
Preston Lock-out, in, presenting you with this report, beg to
return their sincere acknowledgments to all who have aided
the cause of labour by their donations during this very pro-
tracted dispute, and, in so doing, bee to impress upon every
working man and woman the absolute necessity and import-
ance of remaining true to the cause a little longer, and this
week send in more contributions to meet the increased
tyranny of the oppressors and tho wants of the working
people. We regret to have to report the strike of nearly
the whole of the factory workers of the town of Stockport,
which calamity has been brought-about bythe withdrawal
of the 10 per cent, given to the workpeople by the em-
ployers at the end of the recent turn-out in that town.
Of this strike and its effects we will not now speak ; our
opinion will be reserved for a future day. One thing is
evident—there are now more people out on strike than can
be supported, unless many more districts can be organised
or increased contributions obtained from those who have
hitherto supported the contest. We cannot ask many of
the districts to do more than they have done; they have
done their duty right nobly. Unless every weaver in
every district can anti will pay 7d. per loom, nothing can
be done towards supporting the people. The people of
Preston must be supported; they are not yet defeated, nor
will they be sio as long as the operatives stand true to them.
Look to Preston, for Preston isthe battle field. The people
of Preston, having the first claim on public
sympathy and
on the sympathy of their follow-workmen, must not be
neglected while they remain out ; they have at all events
'been true to their order, and will for ever deserve well of
the people, whatever may be the result of this long and
severely contested struggle. If the time is not at hand,
the day of the capitalists' downfall will yet come, and in
the future the power of labour shall bo triumphant. Mind
is progressive, union is progressive good is progressive;
and as these things go onward evil and wrong must de-
' crease; and finally the power of the people shall be the
most powerful of all powers. May the day soon come, and
may all of us help it on, is the sincere wish of those who
will never despair, of those who will never cease to agitate,
until the people get their own."
The report of the Mediation Committee has elicited
the following appeal :

" To TETE BRITISH PUBLIC.
" Fellow-countrymen,—The time has arrived when I
think it my duty to place before you a true and correct
statement of facts connected with this unfortunate dispute
that has for 31 weeks been pending in these districts.
" 1. A public meeting of the inhabitants of Preston, on
the 29th of March last, appointed a Mediation Committee,
for the purpose of endeavouring to bring about an arrange-
ment between the employers and 'the employed: The
Operatives' Committee submitted to that committee cer-
tain proposals which they considered seasonable and fair.
" The Committee of the Associated Masters refused the
offer of the Mediation Committee, and, in.reply, says the
` Rate of wages cannot be settled.by mediation, but must
be left to the free operation of supply and demand.'
" We think, after this, that it would be a waste of words
to enumerate what we have done since the commencement
of this struggle to bring about an arrangement. Our aim
and object has been to be reasonable, just, and honest both
towards ourselves and the country at large. The object of
the Masters' Association has been, and still is (if we take
their public documents as proof of their intentions), to set
at defiance reason, justice, and humanity, and rely upon a
fallacious dogma in political economy.
"2. This is Easter week—a week in which all the ma.
nufacturing districts will have been more or less idle, and
consequently will have less wages than ordinary to draw
at tho weok's end.
" In order to work-upon the feelings of the factory ope.
ratives of Lancashire, and induce them to commit a suicidal
act, by withholding their support from Preston, the mas-
ters' association and their emissaries have during the last
few days been industriously circulating a report all through
those districts where the principal support comes from*
that the operatives of Preston are resuming work by hun-
dreds—that we are abandoning the contest.
" Allow-countrymen, for 34 weeks the operatives of
Preston have nobly struggled to resist this unjust and un-
holy aggression' upon their daily earnings ; anti, though a
few may have succumbed to the tyrannical screw which
has been brought to bear upon them, yet tht great body
of the operatives are as firm and as determined to persevere
in this struggle as they were at the commencement.
" Every mean and low artifice- that it was possible to
adopt has been used to overthrow labour and labour's cause,
but hitherto in vain. I trust that the sons and 'daughters
of toil will prove that they are equal to the emergency,—
that, while Preston honourably battles in defence of labour's
right no trickery on the part of our antagonists will induee
them to withhold their aid and support. •
" Divide and conquer,' is the tyrants' rule. Let our
motto still be ' United we stand, divided we fall,' and suc.
cess will crown our efforts. . .
"Preston, April 20. " GEORGE COWL L."