The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-25 00:00:00

minority in each country has been enabled to hold the
ascendancy over the disunited and disorganised majority.
You will perceive that I have thought it neces- ary to
dwell more at length upon the description of machinery
by which your plans are to be carried out, than
upon the means you shall adopt for the adjustment
of the several differences that exist between you and
your masters, or that may hereafter occur. Gentlemen,
you will also observe that I have not only abstained from
comment upon all =airs upon wlich you must neces-
sarily be better instructed than myself, but that I have
also abstained from noticing any political questions with
which, from my position, I might be supposed to be
more conversant than yourselves. ,I have thought this
the wisest and best course for the achievement of our
common object, which I understand to be "a fair day's
wages for a fair day's work."—(Cheers.) Gentlemen,
whatever view the curious, the idle, or the timid, may
take of this great movement, I lissure you, it gives rise
to very serious considerations in my mind. If this be in
truth, as I believe and hope it is, a fair representation of
that growing spirit of Englishmen of which we hear so
much, and to curb which requires so much artifice and cun-
ning, its matured deliberations must go to the world with an
irresistible effect.—(Cheers.) You have looked with
anxious hope to each political party, and to every poli-
tical party, for that amelioration in your condition
which you have at length wisely decided can only bo
effected by your own united energies. Gentlemen, those
who shall scan and criticise what may be decided upon
by this representation of the industrious English people,
should recognise in your intentions the practical carry-
ing out of their own theories. They one and all admit
the vast increase that has taken place in the national
wealth, while they are compelled also to admit your
legitimate title to a share of it, but by some inexpli-
cable deficiency, in what may be called the
division of legislation, all have failed to put you
in possession of your admitted rights. If then, as
no man can deny, that the genius and industry
of our people have given rise to a vast accumulation of
national wealth, and if the principle of professing philan-
thropists be true, that you are pre-eminently entitled to
your share of this new-born wealth, I can characterise
this assembly no otherwise than as the new-born genius
of England righteously, peaceably, boldly, and honestly,
looking for its share of the property that itself creates—
(Loud applause)—while your willingness to submit your
social claims to be arbitrated upon by others, must con-
vince even your traducers that your demands are so
just that you are indifferent as to the character of the
tribunal to whose judgment they shall be submitted.
Gentlemen, if you see prudence, safety, and success
in the course that I have pointed out, as I
never recommend what I am not prepared to attempt,
and believing your cause to be just, your motives honour-
able, and your objects desirable, I shall hold myself in
increased estimation if I can be instrumental either within
er without the walls of Parliament in advancing your in-
terests.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, however the self-
satisfied, or the expectant may ridicule this your peace-
ful endeavour to achieve your right, I feel fully im-
pressed with the importance of the working hand, and as
fully resolved upon persevering with you, until we test
the value of English union, English organisation,
English justice, and Englishmen's bravery.—(Cheers.)
Gentlemen, our councils must be so pure, that we may
defy the espionage of the Home Secretary, as well as the
legal lash of the Attorney-General ; what my judgment
prompts me to advise, my heart will encourage me to
support, while the justice of your cause and the strength
by which it is hacked, will preclude the necessity of
other than perfectly peaceful, mild, and constitutional
means for its achievement. Gentlemen—lf out of this
first important experiment in the right direction should
arise an annual representation of the industrious people
of England, and you deem it necessary to manifest the
outward and visible sign of your greatness and power, as
your several opponents have done by the erection of
club-houses as places of resort—(Hear, hear)—and as a
means of multiplying and concentrating your resources,
I shall be most happy to assist in any way that can tend
to the furtherance of that or any other object promotive
of the national cause.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen—Feeling
pride as an Englishman and honour as a man, in the
situation to which your confidence has this day called me,
and rejoicing exceedingly that my humble exertions in
your behalf should entitle me to your esteem. I shall
now conclude the remarks which I have deemed it my
duty to offer, and shall open what I proudly call
" Labour's Parliament"—(Cheers)—by inviting those de-
legates who have anything to urge to proceed to business,
trusting that your deliberations may prove beneficial to
yourselves and satisfactory to the country.—(Cheers.)
When the Chairman had concluded reading the above,
he suggested that the Secretary should read his report,
which he did. The substance of it was to the effect,
that this meeting was called in order to carry out a better
and more perfect organisation of the working classes
than now existed ; and the object to be effected by this
new and perfect organisation was, to enable the work-
ing classes to insure a better defence for themselves
against oppressive monopolists and capitalists. This
suggestion was made in consequence of the Committee
feeling deeply impressed with the great necessity that
existed for a good and clear understanding existing be-
tween the employer and the employed ; and in order to
secure the latter from acts of injustice and oppression at
the hands of the former. But great caution would be
necessary to be exercised in the formation of the laws
and rules, in order to avoid serious mistakes made on
former occasions. Every inducement was recommended
to be held out to individuals belonging to ether trades
who had not yet joined, to do so, in order that all should
make common cause ; and every support should be given
to that portion of the public press that should give the
fullest and most impartial reports of the proceedings of the
meetings. The report concluded by recommending a total
abstinence from the discussion of political topics.
The report was unanimously agreed to.
Air. WILSON, boot-maker, and member of the Com-
mittee, next addressed the meeting. lle said the Com-
mittee had instructed him to suggest that they conceived
that the best line of proceeding for this meeting to adopt,
in the first instance, would be to appoint a secretary ;
and, in the second, to appoint a sub-Committee, through
whom should come to the general Committee, and
thence to the meeting, all suggestions made by indi-
vidual representatives.—(Hear, hear.) Every one in
this meeting should admit the necessity for this line of
proceeding from the knowledge they had of the past.—
(Hear, hear.) It was also most desirable that a good
understanding should exist between the working classes
and those upon whom they were dependent.—(Hear,
hear.) With these observations be would conclude by
saying it afforded him great pleasure to move that Mr.
Thomas Barrett be elected secretary.
This proposition was also unanimously adopted, and
Mr. BARRATT having returned thanks,
The CHAIRMAN said he conceived that the suggestion
of the Committee, that had come through Mr. Wilson,
namely, to appoint a Committee in the first instance,
was a wise and prudent course, and the one by which the
trades were most likely to benefit their cause.—(Hear.)
Mr. ROBSON, ladies' shoemaker, begged leave to be
allowed to suggest that as a means of raising a discus-
sion by which to ascertain the feelings and opinions of
the delegates now present, they should be called on to
say what suggestions they had to offer before the Com-
mittee be appointed.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. RATRAY, calico-printer, Crayford, Kent, said he
had been sent there not so much for the purpose of offer-
ing any suggestions, as to listen to those that should be
offered by others ; but from what had already taken
place, he would respectfully recommend that the admi-
rable address of their chairman should be printed and
distributed amongst the members, for he conceived it
contained the gist of all that they wanted for a beginning.
—(Hear, hear.) He looked upon the address as an im
portant public document, and if his suggestion should be
adopted he would send some of them to Scotland and the
North of England. He would suggest that 1,000 copies
be printed, and that the report just read be printed with
It, as had been suggested by a member.
Mr. JONlieb, representative of the fustian cutters of
Manchester, said, there appeared to him to be some differ-
ence of opinion as to whether the address should be
printed or a discussion entered upon first. Now, he
could not see why both could not be done at once and
the same time.—(Hear, hear.) It appeared to him that
the one was not at all inconsistent with the other.
The address contained many very valuable, practical
suggestions, and, therefore,it could not be too extensively
distributed amongst the trades.--(Hear.) Then, with
regard to the course to be pursued in discussing sugges-
tions, he would recommend that an alphabetical list be
made out of the representatives of the trades, and that
the chairman should read out the names from that list,
and, in doing so, should call upon the representative
whom he named, to state what were the views and opi-
nions of those whom he represented.
The question was then put that 1,000 copies of the
address be printed, which was agreed to.
The CHAIRMAN said he then held in his hand a list
similar to that mentioned by Mr. Jones, though it was
not alphabetical, and he could easily go through- it ; but
he would, at the same time, say that it appeared to him
to be the most u'eful course to appoint the committee at
first. Whether that committee was to be a select one, or
" a committee of the whole house," as they said in Par-
liament—(A laugh)—would be for the meeting to deter-
mine ; but, if that committee should be appointed, they
would have the address and report before them, and
having taken both into consideration, then they could
meet again, say to-morrow, or the next day, and that
would appear to him to be the more fitting time to raise
the discussions alluded to.—(hear, hear.) If that sug-
gestion met the approbation of the meeting, perhaps
some member would propose it.
Mr. ROBERTSON, bookbinder, had great pleasure in
making the proposition ; and, in doing so, he begged to
say he quite concurred in the views of the chairman. He
was aware that there were in the room representatives
from Bristol and other places who had suggestions to
make, and if these were first made to the committee,
when the committee brought up their report would be the
time to raise a discussion upon it.
Mr. DUNNING, bookbinder, begged to second the
motion. He conceived that this course would afford the
Committee an opportunity of ascertaining how far the
suggestions of the delegates , and those of the Chair.