The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, ArorsT 24, 1859

workman engages to quit a master's employ because
some other workman is engaged by the master who
does not belong to one of these Unions! As well
might all persons who have insured their lives re-
fuse to deal with any who had not. Let the work-
men abolish all their unrighteous organisations,
designed only to coerce men as well as masters.
Let them be rendered benevolent societies merely,
and all difficulty would, we are persuaded, be re-
moved. Pledges are always unpleasant, but cir
cumstances may render them necessary ; and till
the workmen abandon the pledges they require
from their fellows, we are not prepared to adopt
Mr. JAMES' view of the pledge required by the

masters.
Already the masters must have sacrificed a large
amount in unemployed stock and capital during
the fortnight just elapsed. What their loss is,
however, no ono can easily estimate. The loss to
the men is more apparent. No fewer than 9,618
of them received their dividend last Monday. Sup-
pose 10,000 only to have lost the receipt of 30s. a
week for the past fortnight, this alone shows a loss
of £30,000 entirely thrown away—just as much
lost as if so many sovereigns had been flung into
the Bay of Biscay. It is a dead loss to the men.
They have lost the exercise of their industry and
its profits for the fortnight, and that fortnight they
can in no way recover—indeed, in their trade less
than in many others.
We confess that we looked with melancholy
feelings at the facts we recorded yesterday. It is
but the beginning of the strike, and yet these 9,618
men received but about a shilling a-week from the
Conference, in addition to two or three more from
their unions. They were, to be sure, the " lock-
outs," and the gentlemen who enjoy the rank of
"men on strike," enjoy also an honorarium of rather
more than half what they used to earn when at
work. But already, we fear, hundreds of these poor
men and their families must begin to suffer some
privations, privations which will increase every
week. Some may exhaust their little treasures
lying in the savings' banks, but we fear the majority
have no such resource, and if the struggle continue,
in all probability the pawnbroker will be the chief
gainer; while thousands during their whole lives
will have to rue the folly of selling themselves into
servitude to Unions and Conferences, and Mr.
Secretary POTTER.
It surely must be little better than madness, after
all, for men who are confessedly earning five or six
shillings a day to try to settle the nine hours' ques-
tion by punishing themselves and their poor fami-
lies as much, at least, as their masters. In this
free country it might be discussed in so much less
costly methods, that we must think the operatives,
in the present case, the wretched dupes and victims
of a few designing men. It generally turns out that
some man who likes to " take it easy," with a ready
tongue, and, perhaps, a ready pen too, makes him-
self a little king over his fellows, and what the
vast majority of the men would resent, if proposed
to them singly, as sheer folly, they shout for at a
club meeting with the rest of the misled ones, and
next morning are ashamed to confess that they
were all fools together. Thus what few would have
agreed to in cool judgment, is adopted in excite-
ment, and adhered to through false pride and shame.
Highly probable is it that the present movement
was inaugurated in some such fashion as this.
Meantime the men should know that the public
cannot possibly feel anything like pity for men who
have thrown away wages amounting to £BO a-year
and more—the salary of hosts of clerks and curates
—because they want to take one-tenth from their
Labour ; or, what is the same thing, to add one-
tenth to their wages.

The report of the seventh general meeting of the
Great Western Railway Literary Society has just
been published, and gives a most satisfactory ac-
count of the prospects of the society. The great
number of volumes in circulation prove its utility
and efficiency, and show how readily the members
avail themselves of the opportunities of mental
cultivation, and recreation afforded them. The
total number of volumes now in the possession of
the society is 3,103, 344 volumes having been
added to the library during the past year ; 282 by
purchase, 56 by bound periodicals, and six by do-
nations. We should be glad to see the lest item
increased during the present year, since it is an
excellent opportunity for those who take an inte-
rest in the diffusion of wholesome literature to en-
courage a praiseworthy undertaking. The monthly
circulation for the last year has been 989 volumes
or 11,868 in the course of the year. This large
number shows a considerable increase over pre-
vious years, and testifies to the success of the
society. Lectures have been instituted, given
by well-known lecturers and the result has ex-
ceeded the expectations of the committee. The
chairman, directors, and high officials of the
company have, with their accustomed kindness
and liberality, encouraged these efforts in every
way. The committee hope during the ensuing
winter to renew the classes which they introduced
formerly. The financial accounts are most satisfac-
tory, and the general prospects of the society ap-
I pear to be all that its warmest well-wishers could
desire. As the non-secretary observes at the close
of the report—" What incalculable benefits may be
derived from a well-organised literary society !
li'very age may alike feel its benefits. The youth's
mind may receive a steady cast and impress from
the desire of literary research. The tyro may be
enabled and encouraged to complete his studies
from the facilities afforded him, and to pursue the
uneven and arduous track of knowledge in maturer
age ; and, amidst the bustle and business of life,
the periodicals and the press furnish him with in-
telligence on almost every imaginable subject ; and
in the decline of life the library supplies him with
fireside instruction and amusement." We trust the
society will go on and prosper in the course they
have so worthily followed, and that their success
may be commensurate with the merits of their in-
stitution.

Her Serene Highness the Princess Hohenlohe-
Schillingfurst and the Prince Wittgenstein have arrived ai
Long's Hotel from the Isle of Wight.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Lothian have
left Claridge's Hotel for Brickling Hall, Norfolk.
The Marquis of Bristol has returned to town
from visiting Lady Molesworth at her seat, Pencarrow, in
Cornwall.
The Duchess of Parma is now at Haarlem with
her brother, the Count de Chambord.
The Emperor Francis Joseph has just entered on
his 29th year, having been born on August 18, 1830.
Count de Morny, after having been present at
the fetes in honour of the army of Italy, has again left
Paris for Trouville, to rejoin the countess.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston entertained
at dinner on Saturday the French Ambassador, Comte and
Comtesse de Cetto, Lady W. Russell, Mrs. L. Fox, Count
Isturitz, Earl St. Germans, Hon. E. Ashley, Sir Henry
Holland, Right Hon. C. Villiers, &c.
THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHT.—Mr. Carter, the
treasurer of this elegant theatre, has fixed Thursday, Sep-
tember 1, for his annual benefit. The entertainments on
this occasion will consist of a celebrated drama, a serio •
comic opera, and a variety of other amusements of a very
attractive description. The high respect in which Mr.
Carter is held by his friends will ensure him a crowded
house.
ACCIDENT AT THE FORESTERS' FETE.—An
accident of a serious nature occurred about 8 o'clock last
night, near the Crystal Palace, to a party returning from
the fete there. Two omnibuses laden with visitors -were
returning home to Greenwich, and were proceeding down
the road towards Svdenham Station, when just at the dip
of the hill opposite the brick-fields near the Longton Hotel,
the front omnibus suddenly, and without notice, pulled up,
which obliged the rear omnibus driver to do the same so
sharply as to snap the pole, and the vehicle was overturned.
Nearly all the passengers were moreorlesshurt—some very
severely. One poor young fellow was obliged to undergo
amputation at the Greyhound Inn, the operation being per-
formed by Dr. Corbould and Mr. Wilkinson. Mr. Stutter
has a surgery full, six or seven claiming his aid, one with a
compound fracture of the leg. A very severe scalp wound
was also dressed by Mr. Lang. Many others were obliged
to wait until they reached Greenwich. The cause of the
accident, it is understood, may mainly be attributed to the
very reprehensible practice of driving heavily laden vehicles
down hill without a drag. There were as many as 18 pas-
sengers outside when the omnibus overturned.