The Sun.
London, England, 1828-04-22 00:00:00

WAGES.

Mr. D. W. HARVEY wished to call the attention ef
the Right Hon. Gentlemen (Messrs. Ifuskisson and Bankcs)
to the petition which he was about to present; as it referred
to the policy of free trade, with which their names were
principally associated. The departure from that policy
might be regretted in the speeches of these Right Hon.
Gentlemen, when measures bad been introduced to coun-
teract it; but be besought those Right Hon. Gentlemen
and the Government, while they extended protection to the
rich, not to deny the means of subsistence to the poor.
There were many thousands in this country who could not
procure Is. a day for labour; and how was it possible that
such persons could exist if the primary article of subsist-
ence, bread, was made dearer at a time when the demand
for labour and the wages for it were contracted? The Pe-
titioners ditlnot ask for any monopoly=for any exclusive
privilege—for au undue advantage of any kind ; but
merely prayed that the higher and wealthier classes
should not receive extravagant protection, which must
he attended with ruin and starvation to the bumbler
classes of the community.
On the Metion for bringing up the petition,
Mr. FYLER observed, that the petitioners did not re.
quire any fixed legislative standard of wages. All that,
theyrequired was, . that occasional arrangements might be
made with respect to wages by a Committee composed of
the employed and the employers. To agree to this propo-
sition would, at least, quiet the minds of the petitioners ;
and might have the effect of preventing great fluctuations
in the rate of wages.
Mr. C. GRANT was ready to de full justice to the
motives of the petitioners, although he could by no means
acquiesce in the prayer of the petition. The Hon. Gen-
tleman, who spoke last had adverted distinctly to what the
Hon. Gentleman who presented the petition had, with
more skill, only glanced at. It was evident that what
they required was an Act to regulate the rate of wages.
[The Right Mon. Gentleman here read a part of the peti-
tion, which prayed that a Law might be passed establish-
ing a Committee of the employers and the employed, by
which Committee the rate of wages should from time to
time be regulated; that monopolies and taxation should
be abolished ; that corn should be admitted free from
duty ; that all pensions, sinecures., &c. should be re-
duced, &c.]—ln the. first place, there was no .neces-
sary connection 'between these objects. It might be
very advantageous to abolish monopolies and taxation ;
but it did not follow that it would be advantageous to
fix the rate of wages. But for the sake even of the peti-
tioners themselves, he must protest against any legislative
interference on the subject of wages. If there was any
one principle more firmly established than another, it was
that any such interference must be injurious to all parties,
and must press with especial severity on those classes by
whom it was in this instance required. With respect to
the rate of the wages of the silk weavers particularly,
there was certainly nothing in their case at present that
called for any interposition on their behalf. Four or five
years ago the best workmen certainly obtained from 255.
to 30s. a week ; but that was for a description of manu-
facture not now in demand. The wages obtained at that
period for manufacturing the ordinary Bros de Naples
were only 10s. or 12s. a-week ; at present the majority of
workmen received eight-pence a.-yard for weaving, and
were able to weave five-and-twenty yards a-week; making
their wages sixteen or seventeen shillings a-week. If any
proof were necessary of the benefits arising from the prin-
ciples of free trade, it would be found in the present con-
dition of the silk trade.

Mr. HUME believed the petitioners were in a great
error in wishing to have a rate of wages legislatively esta-
blished.

Mr. A. DAWSON denied that the petitioners asked
Parliament to regulate the rate of wages.
Mr. P. THOMPSON expressed his firm conviction,
that if any Act were passed to regulate the rate of wages,
not a twelvemonth would elapse before petitioners would
crowd to the House to implore its repeal. if over there
had been a triumphant illustration of the principles of free
trade, it existed in the present state of the silk trade ;
which had increased within the last eighteen months more
than it had done for the preceding forty or fifty years.
He was willing, however, to support that_part of the peti •
Lion which prayed for an unrestricted importation of corn.

Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN very much doubted if the
Silk Trade had improved generally, in the manner repre-
sented by the Hon. Gentleman who had just spoken; al-
though in some descriptions of articles it might have done
so. The very statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman,
that the workmen who, four or five years ago, could make
thirty shillings a week, make now only sixteen, was a
proof of this. He considered that the proof of the pro-
sperity of that, or of any other trade, was to be found in
the importation of the raw material, and the exportation
of the manufactured article. New, with respect to silk,
we exported a great deal of raw material, and imported a
large quantity of manufactured goods. For his part; be
was quite at a loss to know what kind of reciprocity had
been established between this country and France on this
subject. It was undoubted that there had been a great re-
duction of the profits of weavers, and of all persons con-
cerned in the Silk Trade. The petitioners threw the
House into the dilemma of answering their question, why
they protected other trades if they did not protect theirs.
Mr. C. GRANT had not asserted that workmen gene-
rally had received 255. or 30s. a week, whilst they were
now receiving only 17s. What he had asserted was, that
whilst some were receiving to the extent of 255. or even
30s. per week, the generality %vete in the receipt of only
12s.
Mr. D. W. HARVEY explained.

After a few words from Mr. FRA.NKLAND Lawn, Mr.
Alderman THOMPSON, and Sir G. Pniturs, the petition
was ordered to be printed.
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