The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-17 00:00:00

placard they had put out was not a fair average state
.ment of of the earnings. The abatements made from
the wages of power-loom weavers were unjust. He
had never been in a factory but once in the whole
course of his life, at Oldham, and then the shuttles
and machinery had such an effect on him that he was
tormented with the rattle of the shuttles for several
weeks after. For his part, he would not work in
a factory for a guinea a week. The trade he followed
was shoemaking, where there were never any abate-
ments. The chairman then introduced a power-loom
weaver named John Matthew, who said they had
met together that morning because the millowners
had prevented their going to work. The question
now was between capital and labour. He hoped
every one would be peaceable. Formerly men had
been imprisoned for what they had said at public
meetings, and for combining together in an unlawful
manner. He would not be entrapped. There was
no combination amongst the operatives. The
weavers of Messrs. John Hilton, Kay and Son
had turned out for an advance of five farthings
per cut, because their masters had demanded that
they should put four more picks to the inch than they
had done previously. The weavers had put 72 picks
of 39's weft to the inch for l lid.'per cut ; the masters
had lately made the weft 36's, and wanted four picks
more to the inch for the same price ; but the weavers,
knowing there was more work in the latter, demanded
an advance of five farthings per cut. When the manu-
facturers reduced the number of picks to the inch,
they always reduced the wages in proportion. On
the 17th January last, the millowners held a general
meeting at the Queen Anne Inn, Heywood, at
which they determined to send deputations to Ashton-
under-Lyne, to see what prices were paid there ;
but they had never made the result of their in-
quiries known. Some of them had said that, at Ash.
ton, there was a bounty of Is. paid extra to those
weavers who could bring out nine cuts in a certain
given time. The speaker concluded by saying he
would advocate for the rights of labour according to
the tenets of Scripture ; he would meet any manufac-
turer on fair grounds, in public or in private, and
discuss the merits or demerits of Messrs. Hilton
Kay's weavers' demand.—The Chairman then came
forward and said, he understood it was rumoured
in the neighbouring towns, that they were going
to burn effigies ; but the Committee of the turn-
outs denounced such proceedings, and he hoped no
one would attempt to do anything of the kind. He
would advise them to insult no person on any account,
for a Committee would be got up in Heywood, by
whom the conduct of the manufacturers' combination
would be investigated, and the result laid before the
Members of the House of Commons, as early as
possible. The procession was then formed, head©d
by the band of music ; it consisted of about three
hundred females, and from five hundred to six
hundred men, mostly young, who proceeded through
the principal streets four abreast. Apprehensions had
been entertained in some quarters of riotous proceedings
on the part ofthe turn-outs; indeed, it was said they
in-
tendedaban-
doned, to march to Rochdale, and stop the mills there.
at
oti
We are inclined to believe that these rumours
ha de
time i
I. if any,
intention,fo
which
n at n iin fact.a afterwards
There was
cloned, of burning some of the obnoxious masters in
effigy. During the whole of the day, everything
was perfectly peaceable, though numbers of opera-
tives were strolling about the streets. Captain Wood-
ford, chief constable, Captain Shepherd, assistant
chief, and the superintendents from Bolton,
Bury, and
Rochdale, together with a number of ' policemen from
Bury, were in Heywood.
The hands at one mill were at work on Monday ;
and, we believe, continue so, in consequence of the
notice there required not having yet expired. The
operatives paraded the streets during the day. At
half-past three o'clock in the afternoon, a meeting of
the turn-out weavers lately in the employ of Messrs.
John Hilton, Kay, and Son, was held at the Britannia
public-house, Wrigley Brook, when it was resolved to
continue the strike until they got the advance of five
farthings per cut. It was also agreed upon, that a
statement of the proceedings at Heywood should be
drawn up as early as possible, and forwarded to Messrs.
,
Duncombe and errand, Members of Parliament.
®t half-past five o'clock in the evening, a meeting of
the operative hand-mule spinners, and self-acting
winders, was held in the large room at the Duke of
Wellington public-house, for the purpose of devising
means for the support of the. operatives in those trades
during the strike, when it was agreed to send dele-
gates to Manchester, Rochdale, Bury, Bolton, Oldham,
Ashton, Hyde, and other places, to solicit subscrip-
tions from those who are employed in the same
branch of business. It was stated that the weavers at
Messrs. Hacking's mill, which had been stopped
three weeks in consequeuce of an accident to the ma-
chinery, had commenced work that morning, but had
received a fortnight's notice. The proceedings passed
off in a peaceable manner. The mill-owners have
had several meetings ; they maintain that
they give fully as high wages for the
same kind of work, as can be got at other
towns in the neighbourhood of Manchester, and
they say that Messrs. Hilton, Kay, and Son,
have offered their hands an advance of three farthings
per cut, which they are of opinion will make their
wages quite equal to those paid by other firms. The
masters whose hands are out had a meeting at the
Queen Anne, on Monday evening, but what passed
has not transpired. Many of the turn-outs assembled
in the street, opposite the inn, while the masters were
deliberating, but all was peaceable and quiet.
Yesterday morning delegates were sent to various
towns to solicit subscriptions for the hand-mule
spinners and self-acting winders who are out. The
simple facts of the case relative to the general strike
appear simply to have originated under the following
circumstances :—There are hands at ten firms and
twelve mills, including those of Messrs. John Hilton,
Kay and Son, who are now on the strike. The
weavers at Mr. Kay's mill turned out for an advance
of five farthings per cut, on account of having four
picks more to the inch of three hanks coarser weft
than previous. The masters have offered an advance
of three farthings per cut. The manufacturers
whose notices expired on Friday have offered to
allow their hands to resume work, on condition that
they will sign a paper, by which they engage not to
make collections in the mills for the support of the
turn-out weavers at other places ; but the hands have
as yet declined to accede to this condition. When
our report left Heywood, late yesterday afternoon, all
was peaceable and quiet, and there appeared every
probability ofits continuing so.—Manchester Guardian.

QUICK TRAVELLING.—We have been favoured
with the following extract from a letter dated Boston,
December 31, 1844 :—" I left Quebec on Friday morn-
ing, the 27th of December, by way of the Gosfore-road,
Canaan, Lancaster, and Plymouth, to Boston, 346 miles,
where I arrived on Monday, the 30th of December,
with a day and a half to spare before taking passage by
the January steamer. I would recommend this route as
decidedly the best, cheapest, and most expeditious for
passengers from Quebec hence. It is 100 miles shorter
than the route by Three Rivers. Mr. Bailie, who runs a
line of stages from Canaan, will undertake to convey
passengers from Quebec to Portland in 36 hours, and
from thence to Boston in four hours. I could have
come in much shorter time; and when a line of stages is
established on this route, the expense from Quebec to
Boston would not exceed 31. 10s. to 31. 15s."—Quebec
Gazate.
John Davies, Esq., hat manufacturer, of Chester-
field, who died a few days ago, has bequeathed 4,5001.
for the support of religious objects of strictly evangelical
character and eminently useful tendency ;-2,0001. to the
Derbyshire Congregation Union, for aiding in preaching
the Gospel in destitute villages, supporting poor ministers,
and erecting
Union of the county of Salop, for the same purposes ;
chapels ;-2,0001. to the Congregational
and 5001. for the poor members of the Church in Os-
westry, under the pastorage of the Rev. John Davies.—
Shrewbury Chronick.