The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-08 00:00:00

THE WAGES MO DEMENT.

The unemployed weavers of Preston attended in large
numbers at a meeting held in the orchard at 9 o'clock
yesterday morning. It was announced that the amount
received by the committee exceeded 2,000/. being about
200/. more than had been obtained in any previous
week.

Mr. TEOMAS RHODES (who presided) congratulated
the assembly on the augmentation of their resources,
and gave promise of still further increase a fortnight
hence.

Mr. GRIMSHAW moved the first resolution, which was
as follows :—" The operatives of Preston, in public
meeting assembled, having read the decision of the em-
ployers on the 4th inst., not to re-open their mills only
on condition that the wages of the operatives be re-
duced the 10 per cent, granted to them in August last,
hereby most solemnly declare their unalterable resolve
not to accept such terms, but to maintain inviolate their
just demand—namely, an unconditional 10 per cent."
It had been said that they were not good generals in
making their demand now, when trade was bad, food
dear, and winter approaching. Now, in his opinion,
this was just the time to try their strength, and to show
their mettle. If they could manage this winter—if they
could stand the frost and snow, the highness of provi-
i sions, and bad trade, they should be able, when trade
revived, when provisions became cheap, and when sum-
mer returned--they should then be able to redeem
labour from that degradation in which it had hitherto
been engulfed. (Cheers.) They had every confidenco
in being able to weather the winter ; for sooner than
they should be defeated, their fellow-operatives in other
town had promised to send the entire proceeds of one
loom each, which would amount to 4,0001. or 5,0001. a
week. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. GEORGE COWELL seconded the resolution. He
said he had been told that the operatives were robbing
the whole of the shopkeepers of Preston. He had no
doubt the shopkeepers were suffering, and suffering ma-
terially ; but he scrupled not to say that whatever
might be the amount of suffering, of privation, and of
poverty existing in the town, the operatives' committee
were not responsible for it, but the parties who had
closed their mills against an unoffending people. (Hear.)
Although the manufacturers were scampering about the
country in order to curtail the subscriptions flowing into
Preston, he was happy to say that those subscriptions were
weekly increasing. According to the statement of a
delegate in town yesterday, one of the principal mill-
owners in Blackburn had given 6d. a loom to every
weaver who came to the help of the factory workers of
Preston. (Cheers.) He held in his hand a letter stating
that the manufacturers of this town had been to Bolton
for the purpose of persuading the masters there to close
their mills ; but he was thankful to say that hitherto
their mission had been fruitless. (Hear, hear.) The
writers in those newspapers which sought to run the
operatives down, did not attempt to prove that trade was
in such a position as not to warrant the advance of wages
now claimed, because Blackburn, Stockport, Accrington,
Darwen, &c., were paying that advance, and none of the
manufacturers in those towns murmured about it. He
therefore contended that those millowners being in a posi-
tion to give the'required advance, the millocracy of Preston
could do the same if they liked. (Hear, hear.) This
week, when all the money had arrived, they should have
3001. more than last week. He had no doubt the sub-
scriptions would continue to rise ; and if it had not been
for the manufacturers getting Bacup, Bromley, Padiham,
Newchurch, and the surrounding districts to close their
mills, the committee would this week have had 3,000/.
But never mind that. They should still go on increas.
ing until they had 3,0001. for the weavers alone. New
channels were daily opening up ; every post brought
fresh overtures of sympathy and support, and they might
depend upon it victory would be theirs. (Cheers.)
The resolution was then submitted to the meeting, and
carried by acclamation.
Mrs. MARGARET FLETCHER addressed the assembly on
the impropriety of married females working in factories
and neglecting their children and household duties.
Every man was entitled to a fair day's wages for a fair
day's work, by which she meant that he ought to have
such remuneration for his labour as would afford him
the means of maintaining himselfand family in comfort,
of keeping his wife at home to attend to domestic duties,
and of educating his children. (Cheers.) The speaker
concluded by moving the annexed resolution That
the married portion of the females in this town do not
intend to go to work again until their husbands are
fully and fairly remunerated for their labour."
Mrs. ANN FLETQHER (sister to the last speaker)
seconded the resolution, and it was carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN announced that when the 10 per cent.
question was settled, there would be such an agitation
raised respecting the employment of married women in
factories as the millowners of this country little ex-
pected. (Cheers.)

- Several' other addresses having been delivered, the
meeting separated.

WIGAN.

The town has remained perfectly quiet since Friday,
and nothing has occurred at all likely to call for the
interference of the military force, a detachment of which
is still at the Saw-mills, the scene of the attack on Mon-
day evening last. A meetinc, of the magistrates took
place at the Town-hall yesterday morning, when it was
resolved, in accordance with a recommendation from Lord
Palmerston, to summon 500 special constables from the
list of 10/. householders ; or, if the number cannot be
made up from that list, the deficiency is to be supplied
from other classes, at the discretion of the special con-
stables. It was also resolved to recommend to the
Watch Committee, at its next meeting, a considerable
increase in the police force of the borough. Only one new
prisoner has been made. He was brought before the
magistrates yesterday, and remanded till Wednesday ;
the other three prisoners, who had been remanded,
being then committed for trial at the assizes. It
does not appear that any of the turnouts have yet
availed themselves of the opportunity afforded by the
masters of returning to their employment. About
1.; o'clock yesterday morning about 40 of the hands
in the employment of Messrs. Woods and Son,
Trencherfield works, presented themselves at the
establishment, and were recommended by the managers
to try and assemble the whole number, which comprises
about 1,000 spinners and weavers. At 10 o'clock about
two-thirds of them were collected, and there appeared
to be a mutual expectation on either side that the other
party had sought the meeting in other to yield ; but, on
the workpeople being informed that they might resume
employment at the prices which they were receiving in
May and June last (which would in some cases amount
to a reduction, and in others to an increase on the
rates paid at the time of the strike--six weeks ago),
they declined to do so, and quietly dispersed. This cit.-
cumstance will probably have its effect on persons who
have been solicited for alms by the turnouts, the latter
pleading that they were willing to return to work, but that
the masters would not allow them, A meeting of the
turnouts was being held at Wigan yesterday, and another
at Scholes ; but the result has not transpired, though
the circumstances was considered symptomatic of a
disposition to yield. An official report has been received
by the authorities, stating that the colliers at Messrs. J.
Blundell and Son's, Pemberton colleries, who returned
to their employment on Wednesday and struck again on
the following day, without any apparant reason, agaia
resuming work on Saturday ; but we are positively
assured, on the other hand by persons professing to be
well informed, that this is not the case, and that four
miners who did attempt to go to the pits were waylaid
by the other turnouts, and compelled to go home
again.
j e
The meeting of the clergymen, tradesmen,d .anduothd cers,
which was held on Thursday evening and adjourned
Saturday' with so
continuancemest ps fo for
of
the
removal ofthe the viewdistress of adopting
occasioned bythe
the dispute, resulted in the appointment of
the Rev.
putation to wait upon the employers.
Mr. Cronshaw and three Dissenting ministers as a de-