The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-25 00:00:00

.
affectmg only the inferior produce, had been emi-
nently serviceable to the poor without prejudicing the
farmer. Most of the charges which were originally
brought, with so much apparent good faith, against
the new tariff have successively vanished into
thin air, dissipated by facts which its assail-
ants have been wholly unable to contro-
vert ; and the mischief to the meaner order
of the opponents of the Government is, that the facts
evolved at every successive agricultural meeting is
sure to disturb one or other of their anti-ministerial
theories. Their towards agricultural associa-
tions, since the exclusion of political topics from their
discussions, is therefore easily to be accounted for.

FACTORY OPERATIVES'
DISPUTE.

On Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, a large
number of persons working in several cotton mills of
this town, were summoned by their employers for
neglecting or refusing to work. The cases excited
much interest, and the Town-hall was crowded to
excess each day. The iudividuals summoned con-
sisted of power-loom weavers, self-acting piecers, and
some spinners. After a long hearing of the cases, the
Mayor spoke very feelingly to the defendants, and
seemed desirous of acting with fairness betwixt work-
men and employers. Commitments were pressed for
in several cases, but the bench, upon receiving a
promise that the parties would return to their work,
refused to commit in any case; advising the men,
when they were not satisfied with their work or
wages, to give the regniar month's notice, to serve
their time, and then leave. As far as we learn these
proceedings arise from a desire on the part of the
operatives for an advance of wages, which some of
the masters hesitate to give, at least to the extent re-
quested. Yesterday the Town-hall was again the scene
of great excitement—a great number of cases similar
to the above having to be heard. Several promised to
resume their employment, but we are sorry to add
that the following refused so to do, and were each
committed to the House of Correction for one month
and hard labour :—Joseph Redhead, Thomas Boar,
Henry Foster, Philip Spencer, and Wm. Stephenson
—all spinners with Mr. Worsley. They had pro-
mised on Wednesday last to go to their work, and
Mr. W. did not bring the cases to a hearing on that
day, but they had not fulfilled their promise, and as
they still persisted in not working, the Mayor with
very great reluctance ordered their committal. There
were also twenty-four summonses against females
employed by Messrs. German and Petty, for refusing
to resume their employment. These took up a long
time, and the Mayor addressed the parties at consi-
-1 derable length with great earnestness and affection,
urging upon them their duty to fulfil the contracts
they had entered into, for they nearly all seemed de-
termined not to do so. The cases were allowed to
stand over till Monday, Messrs. G. and T. promising
to receive those who came back to their employ-
ment. There were two cases selected for hearing
first, separate from the rest—Jane Ratcliffe and
Betsy Clarkson. After very considerable time had
been taken up in trying to persuade them to return
to their work, but to no purpose, they were com-
mitted for one month to the House of Correction.
Richard Watkinson, a boy in the employ of Messrs.
Horrocks and Miller, was committed for one month :
his case was heard previously on Wednesday.
During the earlier part of the week, the power-
loom weavers in the employ of Mr. Gardner, not
having their wishes granted with regard to an ad-
vance of wages, have been sitting idle at their looms.
Thirteen of them were summoned for so doing before
the magistrates on Thursday. Immediately on read-
ing these smmmonses a turn-out took place, and a
meeting was held at the Marsh on Wednesday even-
ing, which was adjourned to Thursday morning, when
a procession of weavers was marshalled, and proceeded
to the Town-hall in a body, when the cases above re-
ferred to were heard and excited great interest. The
parties promised to return to their work and serve the
notice required by their employers.—Preston Guardian.