The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-27 00:00:00

THE P.RICIIIBB UPON THE CETSIS.

There has just been published an important letter,
which has been addressed by the Right non. B. Disraeli
to the Earl of Dartmouth, in reply to a memorial, ex*
pressing confidence in his Premiership, forwarded to the
right hon. gentleman by the Council of the National
Union, and of the Constitutional Associations connected
with that body. The letter is as follows :
" 10, Downing•street, March 24, 1868.

"My Lord,—l have received with pride and gratitude
the memorial of the Council of the National Union, and
of the Constitutional Associations connected with that
body, in which they express their confidence in me, and
their ' thorough determination' to support by all means
in their power the Government I have formed by the
command and with the approval of her Majesty.

" Such expressions of feeling on the part of influential
bodies of my countrymen are encouragingly opportune.
"We have heard something lately of the crisis of Ire-
lan6l. In my opinion the crisis of England is rather at hand;
:or the Impose is now avowed, and that by a powerful
party, of destroying that sacred union between Church and
State which has hitherto been the chief means of our
civilisation and is the only security for our religious liberty.
—I have the honour to remain, my lord, yours sincerely,
(Signed) " B. DISRAELI.
"The Right Hon. the Earl of Dartmouth."

THE TRADES UNION COMMISSION.

T--

The Trades Union Commissioners have held another
sitting at their office in Great Queen-street, Westminster.
There were present Sir W. Erle, chairman, the Earl of
Lichfield, Lord Elcho, M.P., Sir D. Gooch, M.P., Mr.
T. Hughes, M.P., Mr. J. A. Roebuck, M.P., Messrs. F.
Harrison, Merrivale, Brooks, and Matthews ; Mr. Traill
acting as secretary.
The witnesses examined were Mr. Woods, a coalmaster
in the Church Gresly district, where the destitution has been
existing between the miners and the coalowners for the
last twelve months ; and Mr. Henry Briggs and Mr. A.
Briggs, of the Whitwood Collieries, South Yorkshire, and
who have been working these collieries for the last two,
years on the co-operative or industrial partnership prin-
ciple. Mr. Normansell was present on behalf of the Opera-
tive Miners' National Association.

Mr. Woods was first examined. He entered into lengthy
details concerning the origin of the existing dispute in the
Church Gresly district, and gave a general denial to the
statements which had been publicly put forward by the
men. The masters opposed the introduction of the Miners'
Union into the district, because they knew it would desire
to interfere as to the manner in which they should con-
duct their business. The reason why the masters had
opposed arbitration was because they had obtained the
services of as many workmen as they required, and them
workmen were quite satisfied with the terms under which
they were engaged. He gave several illustrations of what
he alleged was trades union tyranny and dictation.
The Messrs. Briggs, in their examination, deposed more
particularly to the working of the co•operative system
they had introduced into their collieries, and described the
great advantages that had resulted from it, both morally
and pecuniarily, to masters and men. Since its introduc-
tion strikes had been unknown, whilst previously they
were in constant collision with the union. Their men were
mostly members of the South Yorkshire Miners' Union, a
very powerful body. They had every reason to be satis-
fied with the result of the system they had introduced,
and thought it would tend to great good were it generally
acted upon in all establishments where a large amount of
labour was performed.

On Wednesday the commissioners met specially for the
purpose of taking the evidence of Mr. Pickles, one of the
managers at Messrs. Briggs' collieries, as to the many ad-
vantages attending the co-operative system of working as
applied by the Messrs. Briggs. That which had formerly
been antagonistic was now all in harmony.
The commissioners sit again on Tuesday next, when
several of the working miners are to be examined.