Star.
London, England, 1823-07-17 00:00:00

tuatien of prices in general trade, the failure of em-
ployment, and the casualties which such- a body, so
circumstanced, were liable to, it was better that they
should reside in the midst of a metropolis like Lon-
don, where othei employment might be found,-or
succour administered to them, than be violently de-
tached from it. This was no theoretical case ; for,
notwithstanding what his Noble Friend (Lord Bex-
ley) had.said respecting the disturbances which took
place among the weavers in former times, nothing
was so common as frequent and violent disputes be-
tweeif the masters and men before the existing Acts.
• - What had since been the case ? He was able to run
over a course of fifty years, where, instead of alter-1
nations of doubtful tranquillity with renewed disturb-
ances, the weavers of Spitalfields had exhibited a pat-
tern to the rest of the population of this &eat metro-
polis, not only of loyalty, but of exemplary morality.
They had been tried by distress of all kinds, through
the general failure of trade, so as-to have excited the
deepest sympathy for their sufferings ; yet neither the
extremity of want nor the failure of all employment
bad once seduced them to listen to the voice of poli-
tical agitators, or misled them from the path of duty.
While they were surrounded by disaffection, and
beckoned to its ranks, the weavers of Spitalfields re-
mained quiet, patient under calamity, and hoping for
better times. He, however, was aware, that if the
present Bill should pass, it would be passed by their
Lordships from the conscientious belief that they
were consulting the interests of both masters and
men. With respect to the reitrictions on trade, and
particularly the silk trade, he Might appeal to the
example of Coventry, where then* were no.restric-
tions at all: and yet what had • that city presented,
but a spectacle of misery at large? It was urged in
defence of the Bill, that the silk manufacture had not
increased in London in proportion to the country at
large; but he would maintain that this increase of
manufacture in the country was of itself a positive
good. He should never wish, however, for the mere
sake of political tranquillity, to chive any body of
trades out of London ; yet, if by not repealing the
Acts in question, there should ensue a diminution Of
trade in London, while the difference was transferred
in favour of the country, it would be better for both.
Allusion had been made to a compromise between
the masters and men ; and it was contended that the
present Bill must pass, because that compromise had
failed to Le brought about. lie would distinctly
deny this: for he world rather that their Lordships
should take up the matter in a different way; and,
having once proposed an arrangement far to both
parties, that their Lordships should compel, if neces-
sary, both to accept of it. He would prefer, on this
• ground, that the Bill were partially adopted to its
being thrown entirely out. Machinery and manufac-
tures were not yet in their proper state; for, at pre-
tent, the manufacture of London was almost a beau
ideal manufacture. But if the present Bill were to
pass, then, instead of from 50 to 60,000 persons well
employed in the manufacture of Spitalfields, there
carrying on their business in the bosoms of their fa-
milies, and partaking of all the dearest affinities of
civilised life, their Lordships would find a number of
large buildings with hundreds of manufacturers iso-
lated in them to the destruction of moral and social
habits, in order that some few masters might make
large fortunes. It was upon these considerations he
filt it proper to move that the present Bill should be
read a second time upon this day six months.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that he would al-
low the subject of the Bill to be a critical one, but he
really could not agree to many things which had
fallen from his Noble and Learned Friend who had
last addressed the House. In one undoubted point,
however, he was happy to find there existed no dif
ference of opinion on either side, and here he alluded
to the conduct of the petitioners ; for no body of men
ever had conducted themselves with more loyalty,
more peaceableness, or more marked respect to that
House. But, feeling that even such persons were
under an error as to their own interests, no consider-
ation of their merits in other respects should prevent
'his doing his ditty on this occasion, by calling on
their Lordships to legislate for them. The present
Bill stood on distinct grounds. It came upon the re-
commendation of the Committee on Foreign Trade ;
it originated in the other House, and from that House
was brought up to this; and yet, alter this long or-
deal, their Lordships would not proceed till evidence
had been taken, and Counsel heard against the Bill.
But he differed from his Noble Friend (Harrowby),
as to the general effects of manufactures on morals ;
and such a doctrine should be qualified in some way.
What had raised this country, what had constituted
her gigantii strength in these latter years, but her in-
creased power of manufacture by machinery? He
would appeal to the agriculturist as to how far the
application had assisted and advanced the culture of
his Mil. He would pursue the question in other ways,
in all directions of life, and from each was nearly the
same answer to be looked for. But his Noble Friend,
%%bile so properly dwelling on the example set by the
manufacturers in Spitalfields, might have glanced at
the manufacturing town of Birmingham, whose con-
duct might serve to exempt great manufacturing
towns from the deterioration which his Noble Friend s
rentark might be supposed to imply. The law which
empowered Magistrates to fix workmen's prices, so
far from being the general law of manufacturers, was
only the taw of London, and the result had been that
silk manufactures had extended to other parts of the
country. By the operation of the old Act, the estab-
lishment of silk manufactures was restricted within
tea miles of the Royal Exchange; but that restriction
had not been held to extend to Surrey, and the con-
sequence had been that there was now a mill at
Streatham, within five miles of the Royal Exchange.
The question then was, whether they should give a
confirmation to the old law ? If the effect of that law
followed the course of all natural effects, it must ope-
rate in a prejudicial manner. In point of fact, it did
operate prejudicially. Circumstances might prevent
that effect from being immediately felt by. the wea-
vers, but such was the fact, and the effect of the Bill
no re before their Lordships would be to relieve, thai
weave • He should support the third reading of the
Bill, because he thought that it would promote the
substantial interests of all parties.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took -it review of the
different Acts by which the Spitalfields Act had been
confirmed. He found that that Act had been passed
in the 13th year of the late King ; that upon the po-
licy of the measure, good or bad, a similar Act had

passed nineteen years afterwards, and another nine-
teen years after that—so that he found that the policy
ofthe Act had been acted on for nearly half a cert.
tory. The question then was, whether these different
Acts of Parliament, the policy of which had been se
long acknowledged and acquiesced in, should be ab-
solutely and instantly repealed? He thought the
wisest way would be to proceed to a change gradu-
ally, not instantaneously. If the forrnerActs were
all at once repealed, he should like to know. (sup-
posing the Bill for that purpose to be read a third
time this night, and to receive the Royal Assent on
Friday) how any person could be able to tell what
the contract was in which he was engaged with his
employer? He agreed with the Noble Lord who had
last spoken, in thinking that the restriction which in-
terdicted the establishment of all mills within ten
miles of London, was a most absurd one—nay, he
would go farther, and say, that he would not hesitate
to repeal every Act which fettered the employment
of property, wherever the owner might wish to em-
ploy it. But in repealing the whole of the Acts on
the subject for the last fifty years, he thought that it
would be better to proceed by degrees, and so to re-
concile the changes to the minds of those whose inte-
rests they would affect. In acting towards a body of
men so universally acknowledged to be most loyal
and most industrious, he thought that they ought not
only to consult their interests, but to convince thein
ithat they were consulting their interests. If, there-
fore, he Were called upon to say Content, or Non-
content, on the present Bill, he should say )`ion-con-
tent; at the same time not doubting that if the mea-
sure were carried, it would be from a conscientious'
sense of duty on the part of those who opposed him.
.Lord ROSSLYN suggested that the Bill should
be amended by retaining only that clause in the Bill
which would repeal the restriction imposed by the
,present law upon the employment of property where-
ever the owner might think fit. He should vote for
the third reading of the Bill as thus amended.
Lord ELLENBOROUGH supported the proposi•
lion of the Noble Lord (Rosslyn).
Lord BEXLEY shortly replied.
The further Consideration of the Bill was then post-
poned until to-niorrostV.—Adjourned.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.
The House met at four this day agreeably to adjournment.
A Petition was presented from Inverness by Mr. Wetteseer,
praying for an increased imposition of duty on Barilla.
Mr. HUME presented a Petition from the Inhabitants of
Nottingham against the Combination Laws Repeal Bill.—Or-
dered to be printed.
Mr. lIU 31E presented a Petition from John Oakville, of
Whitehaven, complaining of the operation of the Act of the Ist
Geo. IV. for the summary punishment of trespassers, and pray-
ing for its repeal—Laid on the table.
Mr. HUME presented a Petition from a person of the name
of John Murray, stating that the prevalency of the dry rot in the
Navy was attributable to the change from the ancient practice
of felling the timber in winter, and allowing it to remain until
the summer before it was used.
Mr. HUSKISSON said that the subject had occupied much
of the attention of Government, and accurate estimates had been
formed of the comparative value of timber cut in summer with
that cut in winter.
Mr. HUME said he had been requested by the Member for
Winchelsea to ask that the Petition he had presented on the 9th
of June from Mr. Plunkett, relative to Sir Edward Stanley's
conduct, should be printed.
Mr. GOULBURN said be should certainly object to the
printing of the Petition, containing as it did, several statemente
reflecting deeply upon the character of Sir F.dward Stanley,
which could not by possibility be refuted during this Session.
While upon this subject he might perhaps be permit ted to allude,
and to reply as far as he could, to a statement made some even-
ings since by the Hon. and Learned Member for Wincheisea,
which certainly conveyed to the public mind a very urfavourable
and undeserved impression of the conduci of Mr. Baron M'Clel-
lend. The House would recollect that the statement was founded
upon a Petition which came from a Gentleman of the name of
Quin. The Petitioner had stated that upon this trial the Judge
had acted with an obvious partiality; that he had left the Court
in which it was his turn to have presided and taken his seat on
the Nisi Prim; Bench; that be had afterwards, in his charge to
the Jury, told them that the assault had in strict law been com-
mitted, but that in honour to their good King, they would find
a verdict fi.r the defendant. All this the Learned Judge solemnly
denied in a letter which he had received from biro, and his state-
ment was corroborated by the Counsel on both sides. He thought
it right to give this contradiction to the statemetrjnade by the
Hon. Member for Winchelsea.
Mr. HUME withdrew his motion for printing the Petition.
Mr. HOBHOUSE presented a Petition from 5000 Inhabit-
ants of the County of Somerset, praying for the Radical Reform
of the House of Commons. This Petition bad been committed
to the advocacy of his Hon. Colleague, who had, to the last mo-
ment, vainly flattered himself with the bope of being able to pre-
sent this Petition. He now, however, yielding to the necessity
of indisposition, had consigned it to his imperfect advocacy, and
he should now do nothing more than simply present It to the at-
tention of the House. He should remark, however, that it came
from a County in which there formerly was to be found but few
Reformers—amply proving that the people were at length roused
to a sense of the necessity of an effectual reformation of that
House.—The Petition was ordered to be printed.
Mr. Secretary CANNING presented certain papers, contain-
ing copies of correspondence with Foreign Powers relative to
the Slave Trade.
On the motion of Mr. Secretary CANNING, the House ad-
journed until to-morrow.

THE SPITALFIELDS WEAVERS.

Our Readers will see by our Lords' Report, that
the Silk Bill came under the consideration of the
House last evening, and that the third reading of it
was postponed till to-day. Many thousands of the
weavers were standing in Palace-yard and the avenues
leading to the House of Peers, anxiously waiting to
hear the result of their Lordships' deliberations on this
measure, where they conducted themselves in the
most peaceable manner, although their feelings were
evidently much excited. They bowed respectfully to
every Member who passed into the House, and al-
though the rain came down in torrents during a great
part of the time the weavers were in Palace-yard,
they remained immovable there, so interested were
they in the proceedings that were raking place in Par-
liament. As soon as the postponement of the mea-
sure was announced to the grouper assembled on the
outside, by their more fortunate brethren who had
contrived to get below the Bar of the House of Lords,
they gave three hearty cheers, considering the delay
in the progress of the Bill an auspicious circumstance.
They then mooed on in separate parties to the Ex-
chequer Coffee-house, which is now removed to Old
Palace-yard, where the Committee of the operative
manufacturers were sitting, and announced the glad
tidings there. Two hackney-coaches drew up at the
door, which were instantly filled with the Members
of the Committee. Many of the workmen got on the
boxes- and roofs of the hackney-coaches, which drove
off at a slow pace, accompanied by the great body of
the industrious and well-conducted manufacturers,
so much interested in opposing this Bill, whose coun-
tenances strongly indicated the success they antici-
pated, which we sincerely hope they will meet with
this day from their Lordships.