The Sun.
London, England, 1832-03-17 00:00:00

FACTORIES 'REGULATION BILL.

On the motion of Mr. SADLER, the crder of the day for
the second reading of the Fartcries' Regulation Bllhaving
been read,

Mr. SADLER said, that the petitions which had eh
ready been laid upon the table of the House showed that
the measure he was advocating was popular, though not a
patty question, hut merely ode which sought to liberate
a cruelly degraded mass of the population, and to limit the
duration of infant labour, which ought not to he exceeded
with impunity, but to render it consistent with health,
end to deliver them from a system of oppression rarely to I
be seen in any age in the civilized world.—(Hear.) He
was reel aware there existed objections to legislate on
such matters, but he would contend legislation was called
for to remedy great evils) and he was satisfied that if he
even laid before Ore house the levier cases of hardship and
distress, out of the many he was prepand to prove, he
should be entitled to support in the measure he had under-
taken. The position of society in this country was such as
to warrant the applicetion of the system he was about to
advocate, though he admitted that if property was
more equally divided, legislation with resp ct to la-
bour would become mote complicated ; but now, when
the means of employing the many was in the hands of
the few, the employed and the employer did not meet on
equal terms in what was called the market of labour. He
was not, he could assure the House, an enemy to those
mechanical inventions which reflected so much creuit on
the talent and enterprise of the country. He wished to
see them flourish. But, in his opinion, steps ought to he
taken to prevent too much infant labour from being em-
p'oyed (and being employed so severely) in connectit n
with them. In confirmation of this opinion, he might
quote the observation of the !ate Sir Robert Peel, who
had said, " I view with dismay the indiscriminate etn-
ployment of the infant poor in the manufacturing districts."
The fact was, that in consequence of the system which
prevailed, our improvements in machinery, instead of
bt ing a blessing, were calculated to inflict a great curse on
the country. It was said, that the children thus employed
were under the direction of their parents, who might be
considered in the light of flee agents. This was frequently
stated in their voluminous reports published on this sub
ject, But no assertion could be more fallacious. There
were two classes of persons whose children were em-
ployed. One of those classes was compelled to send their
children to work in 'he factories, or they must starve.
It was very well known that relief would be, in many
instances, refused to those who had children able to work,
if they did not allow them to he so employed. Could a
man thus circumstanced be called a free agent ?—( Hear.)
It was a mockery, and an insult to his feelings, to speak
of him as such. It was clearly proved, by the evidence of
Dr. Ashton and others, before the Lords, Committee,with
respect to many parents, that it was " their poverty, and
not their will," which consented to allow their children to
be occupied in this manner. To believe that such was
not the factlipkies to suppose that the parents of these child-
ren were mo .sters. There was, however, another class,
who might be considered monsters—monsters produced by
this very system. He alluded to individuals who were
profligate enough to live in idleness, supported by the un-
wholesome and exhausting labour cf their young children.
He could quote authorities of the highest credit to prove
that fact. Note he would ask, were such parents as these
individuals to whom the physical, moral, and intellectual
interests of innocent and unprotected children should he
intrusted ? It was decided by the first Court of Justice in
the country, that where parents did not watch over their
offspring with due attention, the children might be with-
drawn from their guardianship. This principle, he koew,
had only been laid down in cases where the children of
those possessing, or expecting to possess, large property,
were concerned. But was he to be told that while the
children of the rich were thus protected, there was no law
that should be applied to the protection of the poor
man's offspring.—(Hear, hear.) It that position were
once allowed, then they could no longer boast that there
was an equal law for the rich and for the poor.—(flear,
hear.) The present system was destructive of human lie.
What had been said with resp ct to the mortality amongst
those employed in the factories was perfect truth. Few
of the spinners ever exceeded the age of 40, and the COll-
- W3S that the number of orphan children was
very great. A 11ev. Gentleman, who attended particu-
larly to the Sunday schools in the neighbourhood of the
factories, made it a particular item—a particular subject
of remark—that the number of orphans attending those
schools was extremely large. When such was the case,
he demanded whether that immense body of infant ope,
ratives, who, under the existing system, had been brought
into the market, some without natural protection, and
others not receiving from their parents that care and at-
tention which ought to be extended to them,--he de-
manded whether those children ought riot to be protected
by a law which would shield them from that over-labour
to which they were at present exposed ? In every
civilized society the protection of the infant poor had
always been an object of great interest. So it was
formerly here ; but the altered state of the times
had rendered ineffective the exertions of those who
laboured in the cum of humanity. Mr. Han-
way had turned his attention to this subject, and en-
deavoured, by legislative enactments, to remove some of
the evils which oppressed the infant poor. Mr. Ark-
wright's experiments had, however, totally changed the
situation of the poor ; and that which he now stated
would hereafter, though at present a matter of certainty,
become a point of historical doubt—namely, that un-
offending and unprotected infancy was obliged to work
twelve, fourteen, nay sixteen hours a day, and even
through the whole of the weary night, in order to swell
the fortunes of individuals. This system was pursued till
thousands of children in the dewy morning of life wen:
sacrificed. He had here no recourse to fiction. It was
the history of thousands and hundreds of thousands of
those who had been employed in the manufacturing din
tricts. Sir Robert Peel endeavoured to alter the system
but he was defeated. His Bill was sent to a Select Com-
mittee, hut it came out in a shape very different from that
which it had originally assumed. The attempts of the
Right Hon. the Member for Westminster (whose mea-
sure, if successful, would have rendered the present effort
unnecessary) had also been abortive. All these exertions
in favour of humanity were defeated, and the excessive
la'.our of infants had been continued, to the disgrace of
this country. He knew that it had been asserted long
ago, that nothing was more healthy than the exercise
which these infants were obliged to undergo—nay, it
had been alleged that night-work was not only not in-
jurious to the constitution of children, but that they ac-
tually preferred it to working in the day. This was de-
clared by several interested individuals; but a propesitien
more insulting to common sense could not possibly be made
When it was gravely asserted, as it had been, that the
breathing an atmosphere, the heat of which was SO degrees
and upwards was not prejudicial to health; and that it
was so far from being oppressive, that the children were
exceedingly fond of it—so fond of it, indeed, that children
would scarcely allow the overseer to open one of the win..
lows,—what could they think of such a statement ?
(Hear.) But they had been farther told that the labours
of the children for twelve hours were so pleasant, that in
the last, the twelfth hour, they pursued their avocation
with more spirit than at any other time.--(Hear, hear.)
He wondered, if that were the fact, that a few more hours
were not added to their exertions, for then, by a parity of
reasoning, they would be sure to work themselves into a
perfect ecetacy of delight.—(Hear, hear.) Such statements
as these had, before now, been made before a Select Com-
mittee, and probably would be made again, but the country
was no longer to be insulted by such monstrous proposii.

tione.—( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Member next proceeded '
to animadvert on the evidence of eertttis medical men,
on a former oceaslon, with teepect to the effect which la-
bour, for a long period at a time, was likely to have on
the longevity of children. One of these gentleman bed
stated, that he did not think, if a child of eight years old
were obliged to stand fe'r twelve hours a day, that it
would be ine:rioes to health. This occurred before the
Lords' Committee; and the elms gentleman being pressed
as to the probable effect which would be produced if a
child were kept standing for 23 and finally for 24 hours,
answered, " This is put to me es en extreme race, and 1 I
cannot arniern any limit to the labour of a child." Now I
he (Mr. Sadler) wiehed to have a I.mit assigned to this I
labour of children, and that House would net do its duty
if it did not clearly define that limit.—(Hear, hear.)
Another of these learned physicians gave it as his opinion
that there was no necessity for giving to young persons any
time for instruction or arnusement.—(Hear, bear,) And
a third, when asked whether the dust of the mill was not
!prejudicial to health, aotwered that he could see no de-
cided di:el.:lee Stirong!!t these children. But he would ask,
what was It that in the rosy morning of life rendered the
cheeks of these children pale and colourless, but the at-
mosphere they breathed, and the labour which they un -
derwent ?—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman then
proceeded to advert to the flax-mills, to the silk and
worsted-mills, to the cotton-mills, and the flannel menu-
facture in Wales, in all of which, he argued, there was a
great sacrifice of human life, in consequence of the pre-
sent system ; and to prove the correctness of the position,
he read extracts from a variety of correspondence. The
consequences of the labour endured in these manufactures
were, loss of appetite, pulmonary complaints, asthma, and
deformity. He might be so far allowed to advert to science
as to say, that at an early period of life the tnna'
frame could not hear such constant labour. The
bones were then pliant, they gave way under so notch
exertion ; and in those places where the system of em-
ploying children most pt evailed, deformities of the spinal
process, and other deformities of the very worst character,
were prevalent. Besides deformities, the children were lia•
ble to severe accidents. Here the Hon. Member mentioned
some instances of accidents, in which children were se-
verely injured. On, of the great vices of the system teas,
that female children were forced to undergo an improper
degree of labour. This was a most distressing part of the
system, for it was well known that female children were
less able to bear excessive labour than males. The system
of tines for not coming early enough to the factory, was
another addition to the hardships of the sufferers ; for the
families of the poor children had no clucks, and therefore
in order to come early enough, they were obliged to rob
themselves of part of the little time they were unemployed,
and no one who had been in the manufacturing parts of
the north of England could have failed to have noticed
the pattering of little feet upon the pavement for nearly
half an hour in succession. He did not wish to do any
thing for effect, but he could teat refrain from producing
to the House one of the instruments of torture that had
been sent to him as specimens of what were meld in fac-
tories, and applied to the arms and breast of the poor chil-
dren. (The Hun. Member here exhibited a thick and
heavy leather strap, which produced a pretty loud report
when applied to the talus.) He had been assured that
these instruments were applied to the arms, the breasts,
and even to the mouths of delinquents; and it was not
merely suffering which they produced, but degradation.—
He had only received these instruments this morning; hut
he hoped it was not too late to introduce a provision in
his Bill, whereby those who amused themselves in these
practices might have some amusement themselves in the
tread-mill.—(Hear, hear.) The natural effects of this
demoralizing system were seen in the increase of crime in
the manufacturing districts. Whilst in England, in three
years, II:e proportion of criminals to the population was
1 in 1,255 ; in Lenceshire, including the rural districts,
it was 1 in 500.—( Hear.) The Hon. 'Member then
went into a variety of statistical details, to show the com-
parative mortality in Manchester. It had been stated by
some writers at 1 in 74 ; but he had found it to be, in one
parish, 1 in 37. This spoke at once as to effects of the
system. The calculations made as to the durability of life,
showed that in London, the mean duration of life was
32 2-10th years; in Paris, 31 years; but in Manchester,
it was only 24 2-10 years.—(Helr, hear.) It was re-
matkable that the proportion of persons who survived
the age of 40 in Manchester, was smaller now than
what it was in 1780. The term of labour which he
proposed in his B:11 (10 hours a day) was that proposed
by the late Sir Robert Peel ; and this was the term
which most of the medical authorities mentioned as the
utmost limit ; and a legislative enactment was necessary,
in order to protect the most humane masters against the
rivalry of those who were less so. The universality of the
term amongst other labourers, and the words of Scripture
itself, showed that the termination of labour should cor-
respond with that of the day ; and both field labourers and
artisans, ceased from work at sun-set. Even adult felons,
sentenced to hard labour, were, by Act of Parliament, not
allowed to be employed beyond ten hours a-day. In the
hulks the time was fIA- hours in summer, and two hours
less in winter. This was. in effect, offering a premium to
crime. The House had even regulated the labour of the
slaves in the Crown colenies. By an Order in Council of
the 241 of November last, no slave was to be worked at
night, and only from six o'clock in the morning till six in
the evening ; and all the slaves were entitled to an inter-
mission of labour from eight till nine o'clock, and from
one till three ; so that nine hours was the limit prescribed
to the labour of the adult slave. Those between fourteen
and sixteen years of age were allowed to be worked only
six hours in each day.—(Hear, hear.) He wished tire
, rules of the House weulii permit him to present at the bar
twa or three of these helpless and suffering infants
for he was sure that their pallid features and wretched an-
pearance would make such a powerful appeal to the hu-
mane consideration of the House as could not be resisted.
The Government had proclaimed a general fast ; and he
thought they had acted right iu so doing. But let them
now consecrate that fast by doing an act of justice, by re-
lieving the sufferings of the afflicted, and by letting the
oppressed go free. He apologized for having taken so
much time of tire House ; but before he sat down he could
riot help expressing his regret to understand that it was
toe intention of Government to propose that the Bill
should be committed to a select committee up stoics. He
was aware of the danger which the Biil ran by being sub-
mitted to a private Committee, and be would rather see it
discussed in a Committee of the whole House ; where each
individual would be held responsible to the public for
whatever propositions he chose to make. The Hon.
Member concluded by moving the second reading of the
Bill. •

Mr. HUNT seconded the motion.
Lord ALTHORP thought that the Hun. Member bad
stated the strongest grounds for the appointment of a
Committee of inquiry ; but he did not think that he had
applied his facts to the particular Bill before the House.—
(Hear, hear.) Undoubtedly, if the facts stated by the
Hon. Member were true, some regulation on the subject
was necessary; but, without intending to impute to the
Hon. Member any disposition to misrepresent, he must
say that some of his statements appeared to be absolutely
incredible.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman
had described the employment of children in cotton
factories as being productive of much ill health.
He was not disposed to contradict the statement of
the Hon. Member; but he would ask him whether it was
probable that any sort of manufacturing occupation could
be an healthy as agricultural labour. The lion. Gentle-
man then entered into a long detail of the evils arising out
of the present system ; but he had not alluded to the in-
conveniences which presented themselves on the other side
of the question. If the House restricted the employment
of children in factories, what would be the effect on the
labouring classes and on „the children themselves? The
necessary effect must be, that wages would be diminished,
and if the Hon. Member's Bill were fully carried into ope-
ration, there would probably be no children employed in
factories at all ; arid thus the benevolent intentions of the
Hon. Member would only tend to inflict greater injury,
and create more distress among the labouring classes than
they at present suffered.—(Hear.) He did not agree with
the Hon. Member in thinking that a Committee was as
improper tribunal for the examination of this subject. In
his opinion the matter could be much more satisfactorily
investigated there than by summoning witnesses to the bar
of the House. He hoped alterations would be made in
the Bill, for it was impossible for him to support it in its
resent shape.—(Hear.) The subject was one of great
importance, and he did not wish, whatever might be the
decision of the Committee, to pledge himself in any way
to further the progress of the Bill.
Mr. J. T. HOPE believed that the Hon. Member who
introduced the Bill had been actuated by the best motives;
but he thought therneasure proposed not calculated to
effect the object whico the Hon. Member had in view.
He believed, that the measure never could be carried into
effect, for be had no doubt that as soon as it was passed, if
passed it should be, its provisions would be evaded.
Lord MORPETH expressed his pleasure that the Bill
had experienced no opposition in the present stage. Ile
advised the friends of the measure to reserve their strength
until it should be necessary to exert themselves in support
of it.
Mr. JAMES gave full credit to the Hon. Member for
Aldhorough ; but he doubted very much whether he would
be able to effect the object which he had in view, He
feared that there was only a choice of evils ; the children
must either work or starve. The root of the evil was

heavy taxation, and the corn laws. Whilst these existed
it would be impossible frir ns to compete with ether coun-
tries without having revturse to extraordinary exertions.
He deprecated legislative interference between the masters
and their workmen, }Realise he considered it an attempt o
bolster up a had system.
Mr. SCHONSWAR spoke in favour of the Bill, and
said that if only a hundredth part of what the Hon. Mem-
ber for Aldborough had stated were true, such a system
should not be allowed to continue.

Mr. S. MACKENZIE contended, that the Hon. Mem- I
ber had not made oet a eeee to prove thet children under
nine years of age had been exposed to cruel treatment.
From len to the present moment, attempts had been made
to regulate cotton-Isetories by Parliamentary enactments,
hut they had all failed ; and he did not imagine that the
present Bill would be more successful.
Lord W. LENNOX said that the sesteM so eloquently
denoeeeed be the Hon. Member for Aldboroueli was a
disgrace to humanity. He had seen a statement in which
it was proved that in one factory the children worked for
79 hours a week. Ile trusted that Parliament would not
longer continue such a system of slavery. He voted for
the measure, which went to extirpate British slavery, he
opposed tie system which was a disgrace to a civilized
community, and he could bring forward instances of chil-
dren badly fed, badly clad, fearful of their cruel oppressor's
punishments, who had (ellen victims to a system, that no
tumid of West India cruelty could exceed.
Mr. WILBRAHAM thought that some enactment on
the subject was necessary.
Mr. LENNARD trusted that the appointment of the
proposed Committee would not create such delay as to
prevent the passing of the Bill during the present session.
The pujrlic felt a deep interest on the subject, and justly
so ; and he considered that what was stated in the preamble,
and what therefore must have been proved up stair., was
sufficient to induce the Mouse to give the Big a cordial
support. The statement that in many cases children were
employed during the whole night in these manufactories,
was quite enough to make it imperative on the House to
iwerfere on their behalf. He could not think that any
one could fairly complain that the Bill went too fir, when
it allowed children to be worked as many hours as a felon
condemned to hard labour is•allowed to be worked
in our gaols. But it was not only on the ground of
humanity that he supported the Bill of the Hon. Gentle-
man opposite. He thought that the children of all classes
ansi more especially in our crowded towns, should have
some leisure for mental improvement. This could not be
where they were liable to be worked fourteen, or sixteen,
or eighteen hours out of the twenty-four. It had been
said, that former Acts on this subject had been evaded.
He hoped this would he guarded against by his Hon.
Friend, and if this object could not be otherwise secured,
he hoped that the Bill, when it should come again before
the House, would enact that the mills should cease to work
after a certain hour. This would be a sure means of ac-
complishing the object which he had in view.
Mr. HEYWOOD approved of the principle of the Bill,
but thought its provisions directly at variance with in
principle.
Mr. P. HOWARD feared that the Hon. Mover's zeal
outran his discretion. The measure appeared impracticable.
Mr. STRICKLAND approved of the Bill, and entreated
the House to pass it as promptly as possible. He hoped
that the penalties would not be made too high.
Mr. HUNT said, that if Members were to inspect the
workshops, no evidence of medical men would induce them
to believe that the employment of children in such places
was not prejudicial to their health. An Hon. Member
had expressed a hope that the psneltites to be inflicted by
the Bill would not be heavy. Now he hoped that they
would Ire as severe as possib'e, and that one half would be
given to the informer.
Mr. KEARSLEY thought those who wished to prove
themselves the real friends of the labouring classes would
oppose the Bill.
Lord NUGENT said that many Hon. Members had
unnecessarily been discussing the principle of the Bill
which was sanctioned by the anise.
Mr. BLAMIRE observed that the population in agri-
cultural districts was more immoral than that employed in
manufactures.

The Bill 'mai then read a occend time, and ordered to be
committed.

The other Orders of the Day were dispose:l of, and the
House adjourned at T.vo o'clock.

BURY-ST.-EDMOND' S ASSIZES, MARCH 16

(RECVIVED THIS MORNING.

The Assizes for the county of Norfolk commenced here
to-day, the Commission bring opened last night.
About twelve o'clock the Judges entered the Court, Mr.
Brun Vatuci-twu presiding in the Critrunal Court.
The Grand Juries for the county and liberty were ad-
dressed at some length by his Lordship, and the cases most
requiring attention, in the calendar, pointed out to their
notice.

Several cases of petty larceny were disposed of. A
charge was tried against two prisoners for stealing two
mires, on the sth of December last, from Mr. Waller, of
Sutton. The evidence was clear against tioe prisoners, and
they were both found guilty, and sentenced to be rans-
ported for life.
A case of sonv... interest was next tried against a boy
named Jolly, apparently about eighteen years of age. It
was a charge of house-breaking and robbing a widow of a
considerable amount of money in gold and silver.
The trial lasted for some time, and the prisoner was de-
fendrd with much zeal and ability by Mr. Prendergast.
The Jury, after a short consultation, found the prisoner
Guilty—sentence, transportatitio for life.
There are not Iris than seven or eibht game cases to
he tried.

LANCASTER ASSIZES, MA.RCII 14.

TRAFPES V. ITAFIVEIL._

This was a Special Jury cause involving a question of
great importance to commercial men, and the proprietors
of factories, and works of that description. The plaintiff
marital a Miss Fielding, who had then a mortgage for
near 12,0001. upon the property in question, which con.
sisted of prints, works, and machinery, at Girstang, and
belonging to her two brothers, Joseph and Jeremiah Field-
jog. The mortgage deed included the freehold premises,
and also all the steam engines, mill gecr, heavy geer, ma-
chinery, &c., which could in any way be conveyed as fix-
tures. In November, 1830, the Fiehlings became bank-
rup's, and in the April following the assignees took pos-
session of the property, and, according to the statement of
Mr. Pollock (who stated the plaintiff's case to the Jury),
tore down all the machinery, sold the timber and some of
the geing geer for old materials, ripped the lead from the
cisterns, and sold it for old metal at a twentieth, and in
some cases even a fiftieth part of its worth when it was
fixed, and left :nothing but the immoveable parts of the
ste:tm-engines and a water-wheel, except some wooden
frame-work, which would not pay the cost of forcing from
its place.

In support of this statement an engineer, named James
Whittaker was called, whose evidence went to show that
though the solid parts were placed in the walls, and in the
ground, yet the machinery was attached to it by screws
only, and could he easily removed.
Mr. J. WILLIAMS, for the defence, said this single wit-
ness, in this little bit of his evidence, had already furnished
matter for five hours' cross-examination, and it was ulti-
mately agreed to refer the investigation of the facts to a
gentleman of the bar, and to carry the matters of law to
the Court above.

CASEY AND OTHERS V. BATESON AND OTHERS..

This was a Special Jury cause, and created great inte-
rest among the mercantile men of Liverpool and Man-
chester.
The action arose out of the only transaction which had
ever taken place between these parties. The plaintiffs, it
appeared, were determined to hays a bit of speculation
with that celebrated and extensive merchent, the Pacha
of Egypt, and accordingly purchased of him a couple of
cargoes of cotton, which were brought to Liverpool by
two vessels, named the Vigilante and the Adelaide. The
defendants were einp!o)ed as the brokers, and the cotton
was accordingly landed and plac• d in their warehouses in
November last. The defendants paid the freights and
du, ain the usual course of trade. Some sales were soon
effected, and on the 12th of December th. plaintiffs wrote
to the defendants for a statement of the account between
them. On the 17th of December an account was for-
warded to them by the defendants, which contained a
statement of the freights, dues, and expenses, the cotton
sold, and the stock in hand, which then amounted to 379
bags, worth about 2,6601. Ott the debit side of the account
there was a charge for insurance. At the bottom of the
account was written " errors excepted," and the document
was signed by the defendant Bateson. Four days after
the signing of this account a fire broke out in a neigh-
bouring countinghouse, and spread with such rapidity to
the premises of the defendants, that the warehouse was
cor,sumed, with the content., without the possibility of
rescuing any thing whatever from the flame'. The cotton
was all consumed, and this action was brought to recover
the value.

On the part of the defendants it was set up that the
entry of the item for insurance in the account delivered to
the plaintiffs on the rith of December, was a mistake. That
in fact the goods were not insured.' That no instructions
had ever been given by the plaintiffs to insure them ; and
that it was not the custom for the broker, to insure goods

in such cases, unless they had advanced money upon them
as a loan beyond the freight and dues, which were always
paid by the brokers in the usual course.
Several witnesses were called to prove that it was not
the custom for brokers to insure without instructions,
unless they had advanced money to the owners.
The Learned JUDGE, in summing op the evidence, oh
served that an agent or broker was not bound to insure
goods intrusted to him without an understanding or a di-
rection to that effect. That the mistake of the clerk must
he t :ken to be the mistalre of the master. If the Jury
thought there was nO mistake thew would find for the
The Jury, after having retired for a considerable time,
brought in a verdict for the plaintiffs—Daii.„res 2,6601.
Mr. Justice ALDERSON tried two cases of rape this
morning, and finished the calendar. To-morrow he will
give his assistance in civil cases.

LANCASTER, MA Cll 15.
(RECEIVED THIS MORNING )
SENTENCES OF THE WIGAN RIOTERS.
James Bendy and James Parkinson, the two pri-
soners who were convicted yesterday of a riot and outrage,
in which Sir Robert Holt Leigh, Bart., was so inhumanly
beaten, were this morning brought up to receive sentence.
The Learned JUDGE told the prisoners, that it was the
most disgraceful riot in which they had been concerned
that he ever recollected to have taken place. The indi
vidual whom they had so cowardly Licked and abused,
had had a narrow escape of his life, and they might think
themselves fortunate that lie bad so escaped, otherwise they
would have been tried for murder. He then sentenced
them to he imprisoned in his Majesty's gaol of Lancaster
f tr two years.
James Wilding, Peter Phimah, }Marion G
and a number of other of the rioters who had taken a
conspicueue part in demolishing tint house of Mr. James
Hodson Kearsley. breaking open the prison, and other out-
rages, were tried, found guilty, and sentenced to eighteen
months' imprisonment. Roger Apperton, who was re-
commended to mercy by the Jury, received sentence of
six months' imprisonment.
Henry Lighttown and John Rothwell, who were con-
victed of burglariouely stealing in a dwelling-house under
very flagrant circumstances, had the sentence of death
recorded against them, wi.h an intimation from the Judge
that they would be sent out of the country for life.
John Jenkinson, Barnaby Hook, and James East-
/aim, natives of Preston, stood indicted for killing and
slaying Thomas Parkinson at Preston. It appeared from
the evidence, that the deceased was a strenuous partisan of
the Stanley family ; and the prisoners were the supporters
of, and attached to the Hunt family in the recent election
at Preston. The prisoners on the evening of the day laid
in the indictment, went to the deceased's window shutters
and annoyed him very much, by crying out " Hunt for
ever," " 'Down with the Stanley's," and " Up with the
Hunt's." Parkinson who was somewhat in liquor, rushed
out of the house and attacked the prisoners, knocking two
of them down. At length Barnaby Boole struck the de-
ceased on the back of the neck, and threw him down,
when on the ground he waskicked by all the prisoners,
and upon his friends coming to his assistance, and lifting
him from the ground, he was quite dead. Several wit-
news were called to prove that the deceased tell in aim-
ing a blow at Jenkinson, and the surgeon who examined
the body stated, that the deceased died of the concussion of
blood upon the brain, which might have been caused by
an excitement, combired with the fall ; under these cir-
cumstances the Jury acquired the prisoners.
Joseph Longworth stood indicted with having com-
mitted a rape upon Susannah Booth, at Radcliffe, in this
county. It appeared from the evidence, that the prisoner
had behaved in a very beastly manner to the prosecutris,
but the evidence was nut sufficiently clear to convict. the
prisoner, and he was accordingly acquitted.
The business in the Crown Court has concluded ; and
it is expected that the labours Mr. Justice Patteson in the
Nisi Prius Court will finish to-morrow.
THE MANCHESTER A GI TAT ORS.
This morning the four individuals, Robert Gilchrist,
William Ashmore, Edward Pun au, and Nathan
Broadhurst, who were convicted on Monday of tumultu-
ously and illegally assembling together at Manchester,
were brought up to receive the sentence of the Coup.
Broadhurst held a bundle of papers in his hand, which be
appeared to be arranging preparatory to a speech.
The Learned JUDGE addressed them by their names,
and said that they had all been convicted of tumultuously
assembling at Manchester, contrary to the law, and at such
assembly, it appeared from the evidence adduced, they
had uttered inflammatory and seditious speeches. It was
now his duty to pass a sentence upon them commensurate
with the offence for which they had been found guilty.
Ile had deferred until this time passing senten,e, in order
to give them an opportunity of putting in affidavits
relative to the case, in mitigation of punishment. He
had received several affidavits which, however,
were not material, neither would they tend in any way
to have the desired object, for they merely went to
impeach and contradict the evidence adduced against them
by the several witnesses at the trial, which evidence was
believed by the Jury, and upon that evidence they were
found guilty; and he—(the Learned Judge)—perceived no
reason to discredit himself. Their offence was not one of a
very light nature ; they bad in a populous town, propagated
illegal meetings ; and at such public assemblages,
they had by seditious and inflammatory speeches
addressed to the people then congregated, endea-
voured to excite and create disaffection amongst
the labonring poor. He did not look at a poor
man as a being inferior to a rich man, speaking of them as
men only, but he did look upon many men as inferior to
others, both in point of intellect (with which some were
more highly eifred than others) and education, and men
not possessing qualities fitting them to discuss questions of
importance, both as regarded the mattets of the State and
otherwise, should not meddle and interfere ; and he con-
sidered that their capacities were so far inferior as not to
be able to judge upon and discuss correctly the questions
and subjects which they had taken up ,n themselves to do.
Notwithstanding the offence for which they had been con-
victed, they were shown to have committed a high offence
against the religious institutions of the country, by tumul-
tuously assembling for p purposes on the Sabbath,
a day when they ought to have been attending to their re-
ligious duties. On that day, so alarming was the charac-
ter of the meeting, that the attendance of the military was
required on the one hand, and the attention of
the authorities, the magistrates and the constables, on
the other ; were such proceedings tolerated society would
be no longer safe ; and it was his duty, by the
punishment he intended to inflict upon them, to endeavour
to deter others from going such lengths in future. If they
possessed talents, why not exert those talents to a proper
and Beneficial use, cultivate them for the benefit of society,
and endeavour by assiduity to become wis. r and richer;
but it appeared as though they bad devoted what abilities
God had given them, to politics only, which they did not
understand, and which would never be the means of doing
them any good, or of imparting good to others, but much
harm, as it required men of the greatest research and
comprehension to interfere with politics or that mighty
engine the State. Supposing that they (the defendants)
were called upon by their employers to make a piece of
complicated machinery for the manufacture of silk or cot-
ton, they would naturally reply, that not understanding
the nature of the machine, it would he impossible to con-
struct one. The same reasoning applied between them
and the State, and not knowing the complicated machinery
of the State, it was impossible for them, with reason on
their side, to interfere with it or to direct others. The
Learned Judge having concluded his observations, sen-
tenced eachlof the prisoners to twelve months' imprisonment
in the goal of Lancaster.
Broadhurst inquired whether he might be allowed to
make a few observations ?
Mr. Justice ALDERSON—No ; the case is concluded,
and I cannot hear you.
Broadhurst (in an insolent tune)—l wish to kauw
whether I can have a new trial ?
Mr. Justice ALDERSON—You cannot; the case is dis-
posed of—go away.
Broadhurst—Then, I must submit ; but, at the same
time, I shall say that if it had not been for the manner
in which the Judge summed up, the Jury would not have

convicted us. -
The other defendants made no observations.

DERBY ASSIZES, MARCH 15.

The Judges arrived here from Nottingham yesterday
evening, and opened the Commission for this county. This
morning, having first gone to church, they proceeded with
the hu.iness. There are 13 cause.. entered for trial. The
calendar contains the names of 65 prisoners—an unusually
large nuraber for this county. Three of these are for high-
way robbery, one for horse-stealing, one for sheep-stealing,
11 for breaking the gaol of the borough of Derby, and li-
berating the felons there confined last October, eight for
burglary, mix for riotously assembling, and the remainder
for larcenies.
Mr. Baron BATLEY presides in the Nisi Prius Court.
No case is yet tried. There is one on the list which is for
compensation against the Hundred for darasge done by the
rioters in October list.
Daniel Donnelly, aged 30, was indicted for a highway
robbery, committed by assaulting Mr. C. Heathcote, in
the township of Markworth, putting him in bodily fear of

his life, and taking from him a gold watch, a sovereign,
and other articles, hii property, on a night in August last.
Sentence of dvath was recorded, but the Learned Judge
intimated that, as it did not appear any great degree of
violence was used, his life might be spared, on the condi-
tion, however, of being transported for life.