The Sun.
London, England, 1829-09-19 00:00:00


~~

THE itIBBON TRADE.

• (From the Coventry Herald.)
- We are sorry,..to' announce another misunder-
ma-riding betweenitlew of the ribbon manufacturers,
--and the- operativ:ii of this City, in consequence of
'-''ttOtice'freing-gi4lten by part of the former that they
should make another reduction in the price of labour.
The intelligence soon spread dismay among the
men, and on Monday evening they prepared for re-
sistance, by giving the crier orders to call a public
meeting for Tuesday morning at nine o'clock. They
met, according to the notice, in the Hollow Field at
the end of Much Park-street, when Mr. Adams was
called to the Chair. He proceeded to state the
cause of the meeting, and applauded the contlnct of
the former Committee. A Mr. JehrAon next pre-
sented himself, and proposed that they should go in
a body, peaceably, to ail the manufacturers in the
City, and request them to sign an agreement to
abide by the last agreed list. To this they assented,
and then moved off along Much Park-street, to Mr.
R. Woodcock's warehouse, which they found closed;
they then proceeded regularly through the City,
and, Ive believe, the whole of the manufacturers
that were to be found did sign
In the course of their proceedings, they met with
Mr. Herbert in Mill-lane, whom they immediately
surrounded. Several attempted to strike him ; but
others, less violPlit in their conduct, defended him
from the thre7,rened assaults. Under these circum-
stances, Mr. Herbert consented to return to his
-warehouse, and the mob followed. Mr. Herbert
then assured him of his willingness to pay whatever
prices were paid by the trade in general, but he
would riot sign any list. The crowd filled the ware-
house, yard, and all the passages leading to the
warehouse, and during the discussion with the
leaders, the most alarming threats were vociferated,
the mob repeatedly calling to each other " drag him
out—drag him out !" A servant, who attempted to
pass through with some articles of domestic use, had
them instantly demolished, and the whole of the de-
meanour of this misguided multitude evinced a rea-
diness to commit the most frightful excesses. For a
full hour the house was thus beset, when the mob
were induced to depart, having obtained the une-
quivocal assurance from Mr. Herbert that he would
pay the prices which were paid by the other manu-
facturers.

In the course of the afternoon, they went in a
body, to Mr. Woodcock's house, at Hearsall Com-
mon ; when they arrived there, the shutters were
closed; and we are sorry to add, the work of de-
struction immediately commenced by the mob;
reckless of consequences, they proceeded to take
the fruit from the trees, tore them up by the roots,
and committed other acts of mischief. Intelligence
was conveyed to Coventry, and Mr. Alderman Vale
instantly set off for the scene of destruction. When
he got there he set before them the impropriety of
their conduct, and told them if they would go home
peaceably, the Magistrates would meet in a body
and listen toany thing they had to propose, but acts
of violence, could not, nor would riot, be counte-
nanced. Following the advice of the Alderman,
they dispersed.
On Tuesday evening, the Magistrates had a
meeting at the Public Office, and drew up the fol-
lowing notice, which was circulated throughout the
City early on Wednesday morning :
" The Mayor and Magistrates are exceedingly
concerned in learning that disputes to some extent
are subsisting between the Ribald Manufacturers
and the Operative Weavers. The Mayor and
Magistrates will feel most happy in giving their
best assistance in healing such differences; and will
cheerfully hold a Meeting, to hear the matter dis-
cussed, at any time they may be requested; but
they must observe, that if any proceedings having
a tendency to riot are resorted to, the parties im-
plicated will be rigorously prosecuted."
On Wednesday the operatives met again in the
Hollow Field, when three of their number related
the answers received by flick deputations from the
manufacturers, which seemed to give them satisfac-
tion, and they then quietly dispersed.
NUNEATON.--A strange scene took place in this
town on Wednesday. It appears that Mr. Dankes,
ribbon manufacturer, of Coventry, employs a number
of operatives in Nuneaton; and on Wednesday, Mr.
Taylor, his foreman, had occasion to go there about
the work. An unhappy impression had taken pos-
session of their minds that he was the occasion of
the present low prices for labour; and under that
impression, they began to abuse him, and from
abuse they proceeded to acts of violence ; they placed
him on a donkey, and made him ride through the
town, the mob at the time pelting him with missiles
of every description. This lasted for about one
hour in the middle of the day. We understand he
can recognize a number of the ringleaders, and war-
rants, we hear, are issued agdinst several of them.