The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-29 00:00:00

N N G JUit ,Y 29, 18421

e The number of children attending the various day
,ehoels has considerably fallen off, from the poverty of
their parents.
"The increase of the number of paupers in the union
workhouse is es follows :
January 1537 46 January 1840 ,
~ 1838
, 180 ihm B3 ~ 1842
"but- door relief is Increased in the same proportion.
" In January 1837 the number of paupers residing in
the house belonging to the parish of Brsdport was 32, in
1842 it is 66, being about doubled. The union consists
of 19 parishes, and the total number of paupers being
fully quadrupled, shows that there is a larger increase in
the agricultural parishes."
Mr. CII,WMAN, of Loughborough, next addressed the
meeting. Ile said, having had occasion within these
few days to visit the hosiery districts, I took the oppor-
tunity to make inquiry respecting the state of the popu-
lation, and although delegates had been here from those
towns, perhaps a few facts he had collected might add
to fill up the picture of distress. already presented
to them. At Hinckley, which he did not visit, the
:season foe their goods is over, and the hosiers were
fetching in the presser of each stocking frame, a part
without which it cannot be worked, from all in Hinckley
and the four surrounding parishes. Total or nearly
total silence is therefore by this time reigning in their
workshops. The little business latterly been done here
has been in the hands of persons of small means, who
have sold the goods for less than they cost in order to
tense funds to ,eo on with, trusting to reimburse them-
selves by a reduction of the workmen on the next lot.
It is clear that only the most deplorable want of employ-
ment would suffer the existence of such a state of things.
At Leicester trade is somewhat better than it
was 'a few weeks ago ; their season is just com-
mencing, Yet at the height of the season they reckon
on having fierce 1,000 to 2,000 hands out of employment.
At the end of the season, about next November, they
will be in the same state as Hinckley is now. Antici-
pating this, they are reserving 1,0001. of a late sub-
scription to assist in sustaining the extreme pressure
they expect then. If Sir Robert Peel should happen to
lica'r that Leicester is better off now than a few years
since, he will doubtless quote it as a proof of returning
prosperit3', whereas it is merely the effect of the re-
turning season, It should be borne in mind, that if
all were right, Leicester would be better off all the,
year round than it is now during the few months of
the season. Onahni,sortant function of capital is to lay
up goods made by reguL'zr and continuous industry,
until the season comes for the,: appropriate use. This
function of capital the present syseem suppresses, and
the demand is so reduced that it ma; be supplied
by a fitful and sessional production. Leiceetee is some-
what relieved by a great deal of spinning being ~,hme
ANTI-CORN LAW CONFERENCE. there for exportation. This, while it helps for the md-
ment, is grievous evidence of decay. The yarn ex-
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.) ported was heretofore worked up in Leicester. He
Mr. Crossley read to the meeting the following letter: (Mr. Chapman) was in company with a manufacturer
"TO MR. CROSSLEY. who has a machine in. his possession which he believes
" Brighouse, near Halifax, July 23, 1842. would make stockings much more rapidly than the corn-
Sin—l now sit down to attempt a description of the mon stocking-frame will do ; but he remarked, that at
state of this neighbourhood for your use in discharging present, the rate of wages is so low, that no possible
your duties in London. I confess I scarcely know where saving by improved machinery will pay the risk and ex-
to begin, not that I have not material sufficient to work pease of setting it to work. Loughborough is acknow-
upon. God knows I have too much of that. lodged on all hands to be better off than any other town
" Within the last fortnight the stone merchants here, in the hosiery districts. Yet here a singular fact oc-
almost to a man, have cut down their workmen to half- curs. Inquiring of a medical friend the state of various
time, viz., three days a week, in addition to a reduction institutions in the town, the conversation fell on the
of wages upon these three days, and the principal em- Dispensary. He said. iat now many workmen, who
ployer of workmen in Southowram (Mr. Freeman) says when in the receipt of good wages, spent 20s. or 30s. a
that he shall be compelled to force another reduction in year with an independent medical practitioner,now go to
a week or two. What are left of the fancy. weavers and the Dispensary, and the cases have so much increased,
others engaged in the fancy trade in Rastrick, are in a that the managers have been obliged to solicit charity
pitiable state of destitution ; but you are aware that sermons from the various religious congregations in the
those who could have emigrated to other lands, and others town. An annual ball, in addition to subscriptions, ,
are now preparing to follow them, aided by the as- formerly sufficed for the support of the institution ; I
sistance of the Poor-law Guardians. Some of them but merriment is not now enough ; a stronger principle
never picked a shuttle since Christmas ; others have not —religious charity—must be appealed to. It is, how-
had more than a month, and the best not one-third of ever, especially to be remarked, that the majority are
employment. One man, John Firth, of Castle-hill, now starvation cases, and so common are thesee that a
in Rastrick, weaver, lived in his own house two years large vessel is constantly kept at hand of a preparation
ago, when lie was obliged to sell it for debt, end has of gentian and cascarilla, from which the starving appli-
since lived in it, but never paid one farthing of rent, and cams are served. This preparation, by restoring the
on Monday last he told me had only ea: ned six shillings tone of the stomach, induces a feeling of hilarity to which
since Christmas, and this was by haymaking, and had it the sinking operative is too much a stranger; and although
not been for. what he picked up under the hedge but- lie may have no better prospect than heretofore of obtain-
toms he should have been starved to death. I, have ing needful food, it relieves hiin for a time of the depression
known him all my life as a sober, industrious man. occasioned by the want of it. The gentian pot has, there-
Another man in Bone-gate (William Armistead), a stone fore, become quite a favourite with the working-classes
scourer, is setting cards, and can only earn a penny a there. When a dinner or two can be procured for any
day on an average, if lie makes three halfpence he has to of these half-famishing applicants, they are not heard of
work late and soon. Another, James Wood, who is a again as patients. And this takes place in a town
better hand, works hard a whole week for a shi ling— whose condition is admitted by every body to Zbe better
and remember these are fathers of families, too. than that of any other employed in the same manulae-
." I could not set forth the number of empty houses in tare. At the committee of the Anti-Corn-Jaw League,
Rastrick, but in a short time I believe one-half, et,lease, -, a very intelligent working-man said, that he estimated
will be tenantless. In Bone-gate, out of thirty able- the advance of distress to be ten times that of the Poor-
bodied men, only three are employed. On Tuesday last, rates—that is, if the rate rises one per cent, the dis-
between the George Inn and the railway station, a dis- tress rises ten per cent. ; so much misery does, he thinks,
tance of about 300 yards, fifty-seven were counted stand- exists amongst those who are not yet sunk so low as to
ing all out of work. need the aid of the poor-rate, and, of the greater number
" The unemployed here have looked forwards to the who will suffer almost any extremity, rather than enter
hay harvest with certain hope of relief, but, alas! they the union house. Without asserting the numerical cor-
are
miserably disappointed. Last year only 2s. 6d. a rectness of this ratio between the rate and the distress,
day was given for a good haymaker : this year ls. 2d. the'speaker remarked that the observation showed that
only is given, and thankfully received. It may be ne- there are amongst . the operatives, men who closely and
cessary to state who it is that is giying these low wages. accurately observe that which passes around them, and
I may say it is general, and, as an instance, I will give that, if the proposed ratio be only an approximation to
you One of your nearest farmers, James Manley. Mr. the truth, it gives a most terrific amount of misery. piss
.Mooney, of Fartown, has had all his hay made by able . inclination to enter the union-house does not here arise
bodied men out of Huddersfield for their food only, and from tiny want of comfort in the house itself. A gentle-
has refused scores more who offered on the seine terms. man who had lately gone over it, told the speaker that
" The effects of this destitution are now beginning to its comfort, and the quality and quantity of the provi-
. tell upon the middle classes in more ways than one. The sions would, in present circumstances, be really a tempta-
unemployed will not starve. Hunger is a sharp thorn, i teen to great numbers of working-men in that vicinity ;
and it is driving them into the fields. Where potatoes but the unwillingness arises from an. honourable reluct-
hre grown there is scarcely a field or a garden in lime to give up their liberty and independence ; against
Brighouse, Rastrick, and Southourani that does not pre- this sacrifice, numbers of them struggle to the last extre-
, sent effects of the —, I was about to say midnight mity of Want. The opinion of Mr. White, a large menu-
thief, but I will say of the perishing workman. On fact urer, of Loughborough, of the effect of the repeal of
Tuesday night, Benjamin Gooder had seventy or eighty the Corn-laws on the American trade has not been suffi-
yards stolen, and, this, too, in the field adjoining your eiently adverted to. A large Boston merchant had said
own dwelling-house. This week, William Avison, James to him, that, on that repeal taking place, he would take
Thornton, and I may add, all the little farmers in this fe,m Fa/gland the goods he now procures from France
neighbourhood, are bemoaning the loss of their potatoes, and Germany ; far here lie could pay for them in Ame-
cabbage, and turnips ; and what can they do ? I asked rican produce, while there he could not. Chartist meet-
Gooder's wife what she would do with the persons who
robbed their fields if she could find them out—whether ings are held in the market-place every evening. There
eeem to be here three descriptions of Chartists ;—first,
her husband would prosecute ? but she, very character- honourable and considerate men of all classes in society,
ietically, said, smiling—" ,No, he had more like fill theta from the large manufacturer to the lowest workman, who
their bellies." The fault ie not theirs, it lies at the doors think the Charter the fittest instrument of national ha'
of those whom you are sent to convince of the error of provement, who zealously defend it, but who
their ways ; but, Sir, we have little hope of redress from help the progress of any. other cause which
them, and if you tell them the general feeling here, it is se. ms CI them likely to improve the condition
that the sooner there is a revolt the sooner will the of the people—these are increasing in number ;
hungry be fed.—l am, Sir, yours obediently, second, zealous and honest, but misinformed noisy men,
" THOMAS JESSOP. whose attachment to the Charter is little but bigotry,
" P.S.—Two years ago, now, Messrs. Hepworth of and whose obstruction of all other efforts is doing nothing
Brighouse had from twenty to thirty journeymen em- Id mischief to themselves; lastly, every public move-
ployed ; they have now three, and in this town there are inent drags after it the refuse of society. The men who
not six journeymen in the trade of a joiner and cabinet- would cry with Lord George Gordon, "No Popery;" at
maker in work at all. "T. J.'' Birmingham, "Church and Nine and at Nottingham
A short conversation took place on the present value or Bristol, "Reform;" who would be rick-burners in
of hind in Yorkshire, Mr. Crossley stating that the land Sussex, and Luddites in Yorkshire—these men now find
in the neighbourhood of Brighouse was not more than the cry for the Charter the most convenient cover for
two-thirds of what it had been two or three years ago. their dishonest purposes. It is to be feared that con-
Mr. FINCH (of Liverpool) communicated the follow- tinued distress—the hunger which makes men mad, and
ing letter, from a party engaged in the iron trade of the constant influence of bad example—are driving or
Liverpool : twducing some of the well-disposed into this desperate
" Mr. Dills, of Darlaston, called upon me this morning class, and that the term " spread of Chartism," means to
(25th July), and says that an attempt is making to re- too great art extent, the spread of this dangerous and un-
duce the thick coal-getters from 4s. to 3s. 6d. per day, happy spirit. But what can we say strong enough of the
and it is expected that the consequence will be a general system which keeps up such a state of things ? If all
turn oat of all the colliers. Avery erroneous impression went right, there would be no influences on which a
of the wages of colliers was given by Sir Robert Peel in man's happiness materially depends which would ortii-
the House of Commons last week. when he stated that narily be so much out of his daily sight and touch as
the dispute was between 4s. and 3s. 6d. per day. It is those of a political kind. Just as the organic functions
trne that is the universal wages given for the thick coal- of animal life are performed without consciousness, so
getters, but the thin coal-getters, and the ironstone- should the rightful duties of the Government take effect
getters, are reduced to 2s. 9d. per day ; and none of the on the people, without their being driven to the necessity
colliers scarcely are doing more than two or three days' of daily, unceasing, harassing, and dangerous agitation.
work per week. While the stomach, or heart, or brain of a man are
" 'the League and Anti. Monopoly Associations, with healthily fulfilling their proper purposes, he feels
the assistance of the colliers, have the power of cem• them not; but when they become diseased, lie is ren-
palling the aristocracy, in less than one month, to alio- dered painfully conscious of their existence. So it is
fish the Corn-laws altogether, and to compel them also with Government; and a constant state of necessary po-
to grant the People's Charter. Let the colliers in all litical excitement is ample proof that something is radi-
parts of the kingdom cease working for one month, and calls, wrong. At Nottingham everybody is indignant at
the thing is done ; they have only to insist upon these the silly or wicked assertion of Mr. Gaily Knight.
Measures, before they go to work again. This is the "Worse
most simple and efficient measure that could be adopted and worse! worse and worse ! worse and worse!"
is the universal cry. Very lately a number of gentlemen
to get all we want, without spilling a drop of blood, or met fur the purpose of commencing a subscription for time
esusing any commotion of any kind. The city of Lon- relief of the distressed operatives, and hoped to obtain
don would be without fuel, and all other concerns must 1,0004 in aid of it from the Manufacturers' Relief Com-
eortie to a stand till it was settled? mittee. They found, however, that the number of per-
The Citelusiem said this would not be understood as sons to be relieved was so great that all they could hope
a recommendation of the Conference, but it was a proof to raise, dispensed with the utmost parsimony, woul4 not
of the great feeling that was abroad against these laws. last more than three or four weeks. This seemed more
Mr. 'l'. EwENS (of Bridport) read the following letter:— like tantalizing the people than relieving them, and the
" Bridport is chiefly engaged in the manufacture of sail attempt was given up. There are numerous benevolent
cloth, nets, lines, twines, and shoe-thread. societies attached to the different places of worship in
" The state of trade in this town is extremely de- Nottingham. Many of' these have given written state-
pressed 1 in most of its branches there is net more meats of their belief that distress is not only severe with-
than half the usual employment. out former example in that town, but is rapidly
" The importation of flax and hemp, the staple com- increasing. Many instances occur of almost total desti-
modifies of the manufacture, has fallen off more than one
third, it being, in 1838, 2,778 tens, and in 1841 only up,
tution of furniture, and anew class of brokers has sprung
who deal in the miserable remnants of the conve-
-1,677 tons.
niences and comforts of better days. Deaths, and it is
"The number of manufacturers in the town and
feared not a few, have occurred from starvation. The
neighbourhood has been greatly reduced by failures and
Magistrates have suppressed the practice of large bands
declining business. In 1837 there were upwards of sixty of men
going begging in the town, but these bands have
persons so employed, at the present period the number is now betaken themselves to the country, and lay farm-
reduced below forty. houses under contribution. The feeling of the people is,
" Wages have decreased in almost every description of that God gives plenty, and man starvation. The
labour since 1838, generally to the extent of 10 per cent.. speaker was much struck with the remark made by the
and in some cases much more. The amount of weekly wife of a working man, that it was grievous to see what
'wages paid in the town, on a moderate computation, does plenty God in his goodness had spread over the fields,
not exceel one half of what was paid two and three while they, and thousands more, could not touch it.
years ago at the same period of the year, and it is worthy Meny are becoming exasperated, not only with the pro-
of remark that the highest wages have generally been sent Government, but with all government; oppression
paid when the price of bread lies been lowest, and as is making them mad. It is grievous, too, to be told that
bread has advanced in price they have declined. distress has commonly fallen most heavily on those who
"For many years there have not been so many persons were industrious and provident in better days. It takes
out of employ ; the poor-house is completely crowded. much suffering to break down their praiseworthy feel-
and the rates greatly increased, with great difficulty in jugs of independence ; besides which, as they then
collecting ; seventy, persons and upwards at a time have trusted only to their own industry for a livelihood, now
Leen summoned before the Magistrates for non-payment. that fails them their whole stay is gone. As to the
The number of collections for the poor during the year coining winter nobody would speak of it without a
1386 did not exceed six, while nine were required for the shun der. At the whole of these places the object he
'past year, and an equal, or greater number, will be purmued was to induce their local friends to procure a
wanted for the present year. • elan strong, and immediate expression of public opi-
" From 1832 to 1837 unoccupied houses were scarcely iii, n,
known ;and although, durin this eriod, a considerablein order that the success alread attained in prin-
g p
cii
le might be pushed into act before the approach of
number of houses were built, they were occupied as fast terrible winter.—(Cheers.) He said to them, timer,
as they were finished; but noweowing to the want of em- whatever the Conference might have done as a means o_
ployment, the poor are crowded into small tenements and
lodgings, and there are numerous instances of families, ) üblic instruetion, it could do nothing
ieresal or suspensio iof those laws, hut as.
ha macs
pressure
who formerly occupied 101. houses, from poverty, and the transmitting the pressure from without—the
"'al
js
"htlitn'el
necessity of selling their furniture for means of subsist- Itleaerprehesar.)
once, being compelled to live in rooms at ls. and is. Gd. If they could find no stronger
modeh e ofm expressingte their
must come from the people themsOves—(
memorialise
per week. The number of unoccupied houses is now
very large, and consequently there is but little employ-
opinions and feelings,
Members of Parliament to stop thp?upp eli s; for lines i
. t
matt for masons, carpenters, bricklayers, plasterers,ye • such a
th t could not be accomplished,.
a stoppage
be the strongest form in which
painters, and glaziers,
he urged_ t
menial would, perhaps,
" Drapers, grocers and other shopkeepers, all unite in themselves.—(Hear, hear.) At
they, could ex will not hear a Chartist. Their
told they
saying that their weekly sales have considerably fallen
Hirckley lam for them
off, and that they never, at any period, took so little destitution is too advanced to listen to any
immediate relief. At Leicester and
ready money, which their dealings with the poor chiefly nians.but those of
consist of. . Loughbactugh a few, who 0,11 02 yes Chartist, but
press.

but at the same time they had given an indirect encourage-
;Pent to the nefarious traffic. The Gallant Officer conclude.]
by moving that an address be presentdd to her Majesty, praying
for returns of the several sums df min* paid to the Registrar
of the High Court of Admiralty on ti.-tcount of th# proceeds of
the slave vessels and their cargoes captured under the Act of
.the •2d and 3d of Victoria, cap. 73, and the dates when such
sums were paid, and if any and what instructions have been
.stied by the officers of th- Vice-Admiralty Courts relative
to the remittance of sash sums.
Sir G. CLERK said there was no abjection to give the
Gallant Officer the teturns which he *tried for.
After a few cbservitions front Capt, Pechell, Sir C. Napier,
And Sir G. Cockbu.n, the motion was agredd to,
MEDICAL CHARITIES IRELAPITY.
Lord ELIOT obtaia .d leave to bring in a Bill to regulate
ere medical charities in 'helm,.
MIDNIGHT LEGISLATION.
_ .

-
Bilston, July 23, 1842.
" My dear Sir,—Things are much in tic same state
here, only we begin to thmx we have nothing to hope
for from any steps that have been or can be adopted nova
to relieve us, and are disposed to sit down quiet and wait,
~.etnts. On Wednesday the men employed in breaking
stones at the Union-house set off in procession after their
dme„,„,:-. through Wolverhampton, Bilston, and Wil-
lenhall; their e:'biFet was to show the rate-payers who
wer so employee, and thus give an opportunity to
edis-
cover any impostors. About 350 started, but a thunder
; they were peaceable and or-
storm dispersed some, 3.0 at. last 200 reached the Swan
Bank, opposite my house
derly, but a poorer body of men need not be seen to cone
vince our rulers that, as a natiort, we are going down,
and that our artisans and labourers tell shortly lose all
their old English character. In the evea:ing bodies of
from 10 to 20 visited the shopkeepers, and ,for the first
time demanded relief. The notice for a drop Pf the col-
liers' wages expires next Saturday, and I am Pld they
will not submit; the consequence will be this end of the
county will require military as well as the Potteries',. thus,
increasing the evil to the middle classes. More furnaces
are to be " blown out," and a further reduction has taken
place in the price of iron this week. All will not, how-
ever, procure trade and employment for the people, while
we refuse to take in payment for our manufactures what
the farmer has to pay with, and what we want most,
cheap food." Should the colliers of both ends of Staf-
fordshire and those in Shropshire stand out for
their wages, the iron works and potteries must.
stand for coals, and then we shall have a fear-
ful increase to the number of the unemploesel
The Chartists have called a meeting by placards on ti e
walls throughout the district, the meeting to be held set
Swan Village, West Bromwich (a very central point) ota
Monday next. A Mr. O'Neil is to address them, and they'
are to deliberate what steps they shall adopt to prevent,
their " being ground into the dust ;" and the placards;
say further—`• That by powerful resistance they (the
I forgemen and miners) may obtain all that they want."
The language used at their (the Chartist') room in
1 Stafford-street, lam told, was very strong, and a plan
for their future operations was promised to be disclosed
in a few days. There is a heaving of society that indi-
cates the working towards some crisis, Alid I fear it will
not be long 'ere it overtakes us in one' common min-
Our overseers are appealing this day to the Poor-lave
1 Commissioners for further help to collect the rate, and
attend to the removal of the poor. In their memorial
they say that they do not expect to obtain from the
I,OOC/. still owing upon the rate granted on the 16th of
April last, more than 200/, and thit it will be as much
trouble to get that sum as it used to be to collect ' the:
whole rate. That during the last three weeks,,, front' the-
-Ist of July to the 21st, seventy-one orders of ttllttkiiStial
have been made out, and last night fourteen ratiwtiire
made out, being sufficient work for the Assistta4 i;telle
seer without expecting tim to collect rates.
te-.
" Believe me to be, yours truly,
ROBERT :13E1V1

" ROY. W. H. Bonner, London:' „.
" Bilston, July -as, 1642.,,
"My dear Sir—Events have made progress.
towards a crisis here, within the post
.ten days ; and at
the pretent moment our town is quite a scene of alarm..
We have just bad a body of men --near 500—front tile
neighliourheod, march into the town, who are now con-
sulting whether they Shull go round to the houses and
help themselves, or whether they shall go and stop all
the pits in the neighbourhood. I have
,this motrcut
had a gentleman with me who has been through Wolver-
hampton, Willenhall, and Walsall to.d.v and he reporis
an immense number of colliers and miners were assene-
Wing in that district, and going round to stop all thee
works. Tie left them taking the direction to our pits at•
Bunker's-hill. We are now, I am persuaded, entering
upon a scene of confusion ; Bread or blood' is chalked
upon the walls, and it is openly talked of to have ta
regular disturbance next Monday at our wake. Already'
we hear of marked men. I could give you the names
of several of our ironmasters thus marked for popular
vengeance. Last week a party came to my home ;
on
the door being closed, they cried out, `li s no use
shutting the door ; open it, or we will burst
it open, and help ourselves ; we want bread, and
bread we will have.' On some loaves being given
them, they. left. Surely the men who have grasped
the reins of power cannot be so blind and be-
wildered as to imagine that such a state of things in a
district like this can last many days, or that it is safe to
allow it to be so. I envy not their position ; I would
not, for all their power, be subject to the dreadful and
bitter curses denounced upon their heads—curses ,ieep
and long, by the unemployed, as they stagger, throvgh
weakness, from our doors.

" There was an immense meeting at Swan Village,
near West Bromwich. I have not heard the result.
Excuse these hasty lines, and believe me, &e.
" P.S.—Yesterday (our market-day) we might just as
well have closed our shops ; there is really no business
doing."

" Bilston, July, 27,1842
My dear Sir—On Monday the town was very quiet,
as the meetings at Swan Village and Walsall tempted
many to go there. At Swan Village the meeting was
very large ; seine reports say from 10,000 to 15,000;
but I think, from the best authority, there were front
5,000 to 7,000. The Rev. Mr. Stocks succeeded in get-
ting a hearing, but their great man, Mr. O'Neil, was th
principal speaker. He advised peace and obedience to
the law, but used very strong and imploring language.
I hear Lord Dartmouth passed the place during the
meeting. In the evening meetings were held at Wed-
nesbury and Bilston, and the people were very importu-
nate for relief'. At Walsall, after holding a meeting, a
body of miners set off to the collieries at Bently, and
stopped those men they found at work. Yesterday morn-
ing the men employed breaking stones at our Union
house, finding the guardians intended to pay them :l.
instead of llb. mutton and oatmeal, and considering it a
drop of wages, refused to go to work, formed themselves
into a procession. and marched through Wolverhampton,
Willeuhall, and Bilston. About 300 passed my house.
They then returned to the Union house, and threatened if
gelid was not given to commit violence. After consult-
ing Mr. Bill, a Magistrate, the guardians who could be
got together, about six o'clock, p.m., agreed to give them
, the wages as if they had worked, so that the men gained
a great victory. 10-day they are working at the old
wages, and are emboldened to ask for a Sunday allow-
ance, as well as for the six working days. The.board
meet again to-morrow, as the applications for relief are
much on the increase. The miners in the neighbour-
hood of Walsall were all stopped by those already out of
work ; after a meeting at Wednesbury, they went round
in a body of from 200 to 300, soliciting relief. The
tradesmen gave them food, and, in some instances, mo-
ney; to the amount of 2s. and 3s. at a house. To-day
has, however, has been the most important ; large bo-
dies of from 200 to 400 have passed through this dis-
trict, either compelling the men at work to desist, or
else giving them warning of the consequences if found at.
work next week. The notices for a reduction of wages
expire on Saturday night, and they are determinedt not:
to go in at the reduction. This ii"crlnredn" eastbur and°
passed through the country betwectr. •
from )I'V-el-
and c
Bsariald;lef,h-.ey.
cAbouticd 4aoot
Bookerslla,e eop cm toil
Collie,.}'
o_ucfr.
polled the men to leave work ; also at the .0111 Holes
stances took bread and meat by force, and in many cases Colliery ; they then came up the town, and in some in-
the shopkeepers gave them what they demanded, and
sonic closed their shops altogether.
" The Magistrates are now at the King's Arms Int.;
swearing ill special constables, the town is in a very
alarming state, and though I do not fear a riot, I do fear
the men will take food where they can find it, and thus
subject themselves to the law, and the town to the ex-
pense and unpleasantness of having a military force
place:i in it. Besides I see no prospect of amendmeut,
for the manufacturers have almost no orders, and are,
not able to sell the little they do sell but at a serious
.
- not
honest in saying the accounts loss. Sir Robert Peel is not, cannot be ignorant of the
state of things in this and other manufacturing districts,
a state of things hourly getting worse, and he is
common ruin of distress are exaggerated.
I am surprised
Government do not leave everything
else, and turn their attention to the condition of the
starving thousands, daily increasing around them. One
revivedappears
charity awaitwill
nioftohn
uirgtratlforeuiss,
anttodt
poor-rates will shortly bring us all to one common level.
I am more
and
more convinced that free trade measures
are just and right, and will remedy our distress.
" I have just heard that 400 colliers or more are gone
to the neig bouthood of Dadley from Wednoabury an