The Sun.
London, England, 1825-05-04 00:00:00

Congress) with a corresponding force of light
vessels. This display of naval strength for
so young a Power, and so economical in
its expenditure, does it infinite credit ; and
there is every appearance of its soon occupy-
ing the second rank among the, Maritime
States: But even then, an almost immeasurable
distance would exist between the United States
and this Country ; and we. may regard With less
envy the efforts of our Trans-Atlantic friends, as
our own exertions, instead,, of abating, will pro-
bably receive every year an additional
.hnpulse.
All our pursuits, as well as the whole drift of our
policy, have a decided tendency. to secure that as-
cendancy at sea which we have so:long held.;
and only, one contingency could compromise
:it. Should .there .be a reign,, for example, in
which a military_mania OW4 prey4il,77-Whe.q the
army should enjoy the:exclusive favour of the Sove..
reign, and the Navy be systematically neglected,
•—in this case the naval grandeur of, England might
sufferi,a. ttemporary. eclipse. In,the present en,
lightened and patriotic reign, there is no room. for
such-gloomy forebodings; Auo we trust_ the con,
tingency we have alluded to, will never happen,
as it would be not only inconsistent With our
maritime greatness, hut with our commercial
superiority and our rights as a free People.

[MORNING POST.}
Last night in the Commons, the important
subject of the. Combination Laws was introduced
by Mr—Cartwright ; who, in presenting a Peti-
tion from the Manufacturers of Northampton,
complaining of the repeal of those laws, inquired
whether it was the intention- of the President
of the Board of Trade to "propose any. measure
on the. -subject_ ? Mr.. Huskkson stated " that
'it was already under the consideration of
a Committee up stairs ; but that there. w.as
no intention- in that . Committee- to- propose
any. measure •to prevent the workmen from
combining to consider anti agree ' upon
what wages they ought to receive. At present
their. • conduct was • so different from Allis,
however, that-it became absolutely. necessary. to
Strip them-of .all power, beyond that extenter--
They not!,only combined in not. working, but
they presumed to dictate to -their masters whom
they should and whom they should not employ.
He should. he the last man .to. propose the re-
enactment of -the old Combination Laws. He
was .for -every man carrying his labour •to the
best market ; but -as he thought the tyranny gf,
the many was worse than the_ tyranny. of the.
few, he ,saw, -every reason for changing' the exist-
ing "state of things; which _really threatened to
destroy the peace. and prosperity of the,nation.
It was absolutely necessary to advise some mode
of denting with them." This-uecressity was.ac,
knowledged by almost..every;Member present,
and as -it was expressly declared that there WO
no intention of interfering in any way with-Bene-
fit Societies, there is no doubt that whatever
measure may be. brought in to represi 'the evils
of combination, will meet' with general 'approba-
tion. The Resolutions moved..by Mr, Iluskis--
son the 'day before, relatively--to-lionded and
Canadian Corn, were then-reported, and ordered
to be made into a .Bill. _ -

•
[MORNING HERALD.]
Last night,.on the occasion oia.petition,presen
ed by,Mr.Cartwright from the Masters of Nord
ampton, complaining of combinations amongst the
workmen, an extended conversation _arose on the
subject of•the Combination Laws, the labours of
the Commons' Committee now sittitig on that
subject,' :Atid the intention's of ,Ministers. Mr.
Cartwright; wished to know whether the Com-
mittee. were likely to propose any alteration
of the law., or: whether- the- Government had
any measure to propose for its amendment.--•
Mr. Huskissont.eplied that he, bad objectinn
to arrangements amongst . men • regarding- their
wages, &c. ; but said he must complain of those
-combinations'which -went do dictate to the mitk-
ters,'ns to whether they should take apprentices,
employ. women, &c. The woollen trade, in-many
parts of the country, and several trades iitt Lon-
don, were -now sustaining serious injurious from
those combinations, which:he contended were. be-
pond the fair objects of arrangement amongst
the workmen. As he deemed the tyranny of
the many to be worse .than that of the few, he ex-
pected• that the Committee, who at no. distant
day might make their' Report, would. recommend
some remedies for.those•evils.- Hehad, however,
no idea to- pro:pose the re-enactment of the old
Combination Laces. Mr. Phillips complained of
the .excesses. that had been :committed by the
combinations. of -workmen in different parts. of the
country„ But Mr. „Hume denied. that there had
been any:violeut excesses (Dublin excepted), and
complained that The:, Ministers. and- those who.
had made such ;statements, had only heard the
tales one side.. He maintained the right of -the
Inl.n to ;regulate their:wages. Ile said Honour-,
able Members would, keep- their wheat till ,thei
could get 00s. a_quarter for. it, if they -saw -any.
chance of procuring such price ; they. would- keep
it out of the market, if they, perceived the,like,
lamed of a great advance ; and if: men could not
get- what they called regular wages, had they
net a right, if they pleased, to keep out of • the
market ? I f there were enactments -on-a different
principle, there; would be-one law to raise the
prices of corn, and-'another to- -keep down the
prices of labour. Mr. Hume added, that several
workmen had already -been examined before the
'Committee, -tnd ethers were to be examined,;.
and he -thought- their ecidence would place
the question -in a different point of view
from what seemed to be desired by those
who complained of the Act repealing the
old Combination Laws. Sir M. W. Ridley, and
tither Members of the Committee, trusted that a
Report would-not,be precipated, as there were
many. witnesses (operatives and others) to• be ex-
amined ; but it was added, to allay the alarms of
several, trades,- that -there had not- yet been -ex-
pressed by the Committee any
intention totecom.
mend any interferenCe with the friendly funds. of
any of the trades. Mr. Baring described the
re-
peal of the Combination Laws as a most. mist
*chievous measure ;
could hardly be stated that the repeal had as vet
while .INlr—Etliop said, that it