The Sun.
London, England, 1825-06-29 00:00:00

1'111: LONDON JOURNALS.

DAILY•
Extractyrom the Morning Puj;ers, June 29, 1825

[TI!E TlMEa.]

The Parliamentary Report In this day's paper
contains a variety of interesting and important
topics-, to which at present we must be content
with a bare reference. The Deccan prize-money
question—the conduct of the Spanish Govern-
ment with respect to the claims of British mer-
chants—and the case of Mr. Kenrick—all re-
quire particular attention. But, pressed as we
are for room, we must even now observe, that
we do iint see how Mr. Kenrick, although the
House has come to no decision against him on
one of the extraordinary charges brought before
it, can, with any advantage to the administration
of justice, execute the duties of the judicial of-
fice, while another and more serious charge is
pending against.hirn on the public records of Par-
liament. Surely Mr. Peel or Mr. Wynn will
give him some friendly hint, which may spare
him a second mortification on the Welch circuit.
His brother Justice (Mr. Maine) ought also to
be spared the repetition of the unpleasant cir-
cumstance which occurred on the last occasion
at Beaumaris and Carnarvon.

[NEW TIM Es.]
As the Session draws rapidly to a close, the
business of Parliament presses for a termination.
Natters of great consequence therefore seem to
pass with little of the interest that they might
naturally be expected to create. The Work-
men's Combination Bill is perhaps the most in-
teresting, as it is in truth one of the most import.
ant measures brought before the Legislature for
several years. ft abolishes all former enactments,
and it adopts a principle which is founded on the
most entire justice between the workuiran and his
employer. It has been unjustly supposed that
the measure was levelled against the workmen
alone ; whereas, in point of fact, it provides
equally against combinations of masters and
workmen, and is regulated by the most impartial
spirit of equity between them both. Combination
is at least as much an evil to the workmen as it is
to their employers. It proceeds on a false prin-
ciple, inasmuch as it seems that the fund
out of which labour is to be paid is under
the controul of the manufacturer, whereas
it comes from the consumer, and depends upon
the demand. Suppose a manufacturer has a de-
mend for 1000 ton of goods, at the price of 100/.
per ten, and that the raw material costs him 301.
per ton, he may give 601. per ton in wages and
other expences, and yet leave himself a profit of
101. per ton ; but let the price fall to 80/. per
• ton, he must either lose 10,000/. or he must re-
duce the wages of his workmen. Now, if they
resist that reduction, what do they do but cons
tend against absolute necessity ? They expect
their employer to pay them when there is no fund
out of which they are to be paid. In this state of
things he is compelled to resort to a cheaper sup-
ply of labour ; but his former workmen combine
to insult, assault, and perhaps murder, the men
who are willing to work•at a cheaper rate. Should
not the law interfere in such a case as this ?
We do not say that the law should dictate the
price of labour. Quite the contrary. It should
allow every workman to demand what he thinks
fit for his work ; but then it should not allow
• any one workman to controul any other. I.et
. us take a case mentioned in the Report of the
Committee on the COmbination Laws. Two car-
penters, named Hendrick and Chambers, thought
tit to work for Messrs. IVl'Mahon, in
Dublin, under the rate of wages regulated by the
-bOdy of carpenters. Had they not aright so to do
Was not their labour their nwn ? Who was en-
Jitled to interfere in any manlier whatever be-
tween them find their etriployers ? They were,
however, separately attacked, ettai by a large
party of workmen -armed with bludgeons;
who beat them' is>everelj ; and Chambers had
his skull. fractured, aitildied.-.rif his wounds. Will
• it be said that there should be no law to reach,
or if possible to prevent, Mich outrages as these?
. The facts developed by-JOU Kean at Glasgow
were still mere atrocious. These men were for-
mally liked, sworn, and paid, to commit assassi.
• nation ! It is said these crimes have been few in
number. The fact is hot so ; they have been
numerous. But if they should hereafter be rare,
:what then? Why, the law made to meet such
cases will he rarely called into action. Of such
a law it may he emphatically said, ""it is a terror
to evil doers, •butnot to them that do well."—
Workmen who 'are willing to Contract fairly
with their. employers need not entertain any ap-
prehension of the proposed law. On the con-
trary, it will protect them against iiolenCe and
outrage, from other workmen whO are not dis-
posed to act fairly. Combination, either among
masters or workmen, is unjust, and nothing is
necessary to defeat it but competition. if in any
trade there were fifty orb bundred masters, who
combined to give only half the wages which the
. trade could well affbrd, what would be the con-
. sequence New mrist-lr§ weuhl start up, who
would pay higher wageS; end yet be Able to no.:
dersell the combiners io•the market. it is most
naiiiifest that a' free anil-uncontfiltiled- contract
~.between masters and workmen, is for the 'real
benefit -of both. To secure that frgedbovis th 4
sole object, of the present Bill ; and the Mini:
Sters..who bring it in are thei.ekti4 entitled to the
warmest gratitude both of the iiorkinen and 'of
bi§'erriptoyer:

EBRITISH PRESS."
In the House of Lords last -ni-ght the Bill for
abolishing Frivolous Writs of Error was re ad a
second time. The Lord Chancellor was appre-
' • lrensiye that greater e►il than benefit would re.;
-. suit from the change, as litigious defendants
4...w0u1d, he thought, be induced to plead the ge
• !writ! issue, and consequently there would be ati
increase of delay and expellee, instead of the
expected diminution. We perfectly agree,
however, with Mr. Peel, that the appreltentiod
of new evils ought not to deter us froth
thig ant eti.d to those which we know actually to
exist. if =ham pleas should hereafter be rr,sort,
ed to, for the purpose of defeating the ends of