The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-11 00:00:00

THE SPITALFIELDS WEAVERS.

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THE TRICKS OF THE ANTI-LEAGUE ASSOCIATION.—On
Saturday night, at nine o'clock, a numerous meeting of the
Broad-silk Hand-loom Weavers' Union was held at the
Crown and Anchor, Waterloo-town, to agree to a memorial to
the Board of Trade for the purpose of ascertaining if the silk
trade was to be included in the Commission appointed to in-
quire into the state of the cotton-spinners, and also to receive
communications in reference to the late proceedings of the
Anti-League Association. Mr. Le May in the chair.
Mr. BURROUGHS, the Secretary, having stated that at the
previous meeting it was agreed that a memorial should be
presented to the Board of Trade, said that one had been pre-
pared, which he read, and which it was unanimously resolved
should be forthwith communicated, the purport of it being to
know if the Spitalfields weavers were to be included in the
Commission'of Inquiry into the State of the Cotton-spinners,
lately appointed by her Majesty's Government.
The CHAIRMAN then called upon the Secretary to give the
meeting information relative to the Anti-League Association,
to which he and a weaver named Sherrard had been appointed
delegates, when the Secretary, having stated that his col-
league would give an account of the proceedings, as far as
they were concerned with the League,
Mr. SHEPRARD said, that according to an arrangement
with Mr. N. Doran Maillard, who attended the last meeting
of the weavers, he and the secretary met the committee of
the Anti-Leagae Association on the Monday evening, about
five o'clock. Mr. N. D. Maillard and a few gentlemen were
there. Aker speaking upon the business about to come
before the meeting, he mentioned to him that he and the
secretary had been requested to appear there to support the
resolutions, that they had lost nearly two days, and that it
was but just they should be paid for their time. Mr. D.
Maillard then took a half-sovereign from his pocket, which
he gave to him, and remarked that he had no money in his
pocket to remunerate the secretary, but that he should hea
from him on Tuesday morning. The secretary, however, has
never heard anything of his half-sovereign.—(Loud laughter.)
He then stated that while in the committee-room a lette
was put in his hand by. Mr. Maillard, who at the same tim
charged him with having been instrumental in getting th
Chartists to attend the meeting. [The speaker read the
letter, which was written by a person named Mentz, one of
the members of the council of the Char ists, and was ad-
dressed to Mr."Maillard. The purport of it was that it was
the intention of the Chartists to be early at the meeting, and
to appoint their own chairman, and that the class leaders
had obtained a large quantity of tickets, which were dis-
tributed very extensively. A committee of three persons had
been appointed to draw up resolutions to oppose the Anti-
League Association, and to propose an amendment in favour
of the principles of the Charter.] They were all aware what
sort of chairman was appointed, and what was the result of
the meeting.—(llear, and laughter.)
Mr. BURROUGHS observed that it would be remembered by
the meeting, when Mr. N. Doran Maillard appeared among
them, he stated that Mr. Oastler had promised *to be at the
meeting of the Anti-League Association 'held last Monday.
He wrote, in consequence, to Mr. Oastler, for information
about a fortnight ago, but that gentleman did not receive his
letter till last Saturday. He sent au_answer to it, and in.
that letter he denied that he had promised to be present at
the meeting, observing " that whoever told you that I had
been asked to take the chair at the meeting about to be held,
that I declined, but that I prOmised to be pre.sent—l say, who-
ever told you so, told you that which is untrue."
Scvaal weavers observed that Mr. Maillard stated that
Mr. Oastler would be at the meeting, and that he was asked
1 to take the chair.
Mr. BURROUGHS then proceeded to state that Mr. Oastler
' had forwarded copies of two coinuiaicatio nscwhiCtr were