Star.
London, England, 1831-01-27 00:00:00

THB SPITALPIELDS IPZAVERB.
Last Saturday night, pursuant to adjournment, a meet-
ing of the journeymen silk weavers of Spitalfields and its
vicinity, took place at the Camden's Head, Bethnal green-
road, for the purpose of considering the propriety of forming
a General Trades Union ; and, also, of petitioniug the
Legislature for a " Wages Protection Bill,' as well as to
discuss other trade affairs.
Mr. Joss. en Purrox having taken the Chair,
The Secretary read the proceedings of the previous meet-
ing ; and, after two Committees had made lengthened re-
ports of their interviews with othel Societies, so as to lead
to the formatiim of a General Trades Union,
Mr. Joie Po roe said it was currently reported, and
very gloomily believed, that the Act which regulates the
silk duties will expire the sth of July next. He did not believe
&A a report had any foundation in truth. He was in the
House of Commons when Mr. V. Fitzgerald brought forward
his motion respecting a stipulated period for the Bill to ex-
wire ; and, although the bill was printed for the considerationof
the Members of the House, and that different copies of it had
found their way into the hands of those most interested, still
it was found to be completely silent as to time, and that no
I period was stated for its expiration. The Committee, or those
interested in the hitherto management of the trade on the
part of the journeymen, have not latterly been at the west-
end of the town on trade attire; and he believed the report
to have originated in the facts that since Mr. Poulett Thomp-
son became Vice-President of the Board of Trade, several
of the silk manufacturers applied to him to have the duties re-
moved, and be pledged himself to have them taken off next
year if he should then be in office. It was well known that
sines 1826 the iniportation of every article in the broad-silk
lice hod eleriniogly increased; and two Years ago, when the
Governmeat reduced the duty on foreign thrown silks from
ss. to 3s. 6d. per lb. the English throwsters, in order to meet
the coinpetitiou, sire obliged to improve their machinery,
and reduce the wages of labour. By these means the impor-
tation was reduced, and the English manufacturer repossessed
himself of his own market; but the French throwster, taking
advantage which an Act of Parliament afforded him, and of
the example set him, also improved his machinery, and re-
duced the wages of his labour, by which means be is likely
to reinstate himself once more in the enjoyments and in the
profits of our home market; and thus our government, by
raising a rival competition between the two countries, is pro-
ducing the inevitable destruction of the labourers of both. It
was a melancholy fact, yet no more melandholy than true,
that the reduced value of English labour given to foreigners
by far exceeds the amount of our annual taxation. His
Majesty's present Ministers might be sincere in their pro-
mises of reforniiiii the Parliament and reducing taxation,
but he could assure theni Unit nothing would give security
to the productive classes in general, or tranquillity to the
country, without" a Wages ProteCtion Bill," and in looking
for that there would be none of the principles of free trade
violated, nor any thing that could alarm the most ardent
theorist. Neither do they look for legislative or magisterial
interference, as to the wages of labour, all they required
would be a short Bill to make valid and binding upon the
whole of the manufacturers and journeymen of any district,
any contract or agreement entered into by a neijoritv of
them, and that the same 'should continue until removed by
another similar and subsequent agreement.
RoacaT NOQuaT said be thought the operative claim's
were entitled to protection. The Aristocracy, the Commons;
the landed and funded interests, were all protected, eed *pone
but the weakest of all were left unprotected. If the NI 414 -
ter said to them (the mechanics), you shall have a Parlia-
ment reformed to your own liking—you shall hara hpunge
drawn over the national debt, and a repeal of the coelftlaws. .
—then indeed might he with safety rely on a co-operation
of the productive classes. But it appeared to hiet the object
was to starve them into madness, and drive them veto acts
of desperation and folly, and then instruct the Archbishop
of Canterbury to beseech Heaves to avert then calamities
which they themselves had brought on the country. He
defied the world to produce such a class of men as English
mechanics. On what part of the ocean, or in what embat-
tled tied, where man met man, arm to arm, and knee to
knee, did they not prove themselves the breve:at of the brave
And he would ask, was not their skill and industry at hoine
only to be equalled by their bravery abtoad ! Did they not
produce every thing that could give contentment, ease, and
luxury, to their more fortunate fellow countrymen ? Anti
was it too much to ask in return a very small part Of their
own earnings ? He concluded by itiOnpelehilinF the ap-
pointment of a Committee to prepare a petition to the lefits-
lature, praying for a " Wages Protection Bill," which • pe-
tition should be submitted for approval to a general call of
the trade.
Mr. King read the draft of a very pointed petition which
he had prepared, and intended to submit to a general
meeting.
After much discussion the appointment of a Committee
was adjourned.
Thanks having been voted to the Chairman, the meeting
separated.
DISCOVERY OF A DEAD CHILD IN SROOTER'RaILL
WOOD.
A few days age the remains offs child was discerned in Shooter's.
hill wood under vary cetraordineny and *hocking circuilitanced:ailidie
following facts were elicited at dos inquiry Were Stlr../aprph Cantor,
the coroner, which took place at Mr. Emig's, the Chiquori Inn,
Ritharn t—
hin J. Minis.
the noland eirdiellgt
Wedoesdai morning,l9th inmost, he see ev.
With
the eisrgynsen of the' on on a _aisles, and had
With tbent a couple oedema ; they scoured wtma *hoot I I
ifekok, Ord were about to leave what the degis " a thick part of
and did not eons book is their welimotrn call ; this *.
thou* witness and his
ofrinottpatke Rtßew,thetlyillw Ihrogrortt
etosee esewLyntelering w 41311 ttlo:; wee busily and oagerlf
trend
sad
girreti ltre baecr sad
edy of a deed Istintsativis. The lever ek.
tresittiss bid beenedydowelmiel brthe imiltale. Wham nod
Mr. Myers Mat dig hest the dist f4r,_mid meteediel hammy
into the'viragr, Wheel 'y gave rmiffos of the einem.
steam to the constable, who unmoved the untdlolui names for need
The body was undmased, but wrapped in a piece of cloth.
ilatuaiitilpa.parsatly boss uned
ited nadir the worth a few inchea; and We digs
hating scented it out, lt up.
The Rev. Mr. Myers stated thou be was with his Mend when the
shocking discovery was made in the weed hnnoediaeoly Selina :Henry's
cottage. The rev. gentleman corroborated Mr. Norris is his statement
in every panicalar, adding, that be was terribly alarmed at the atom.
stamp, that be did not stop to examine the object, but loft it with die.
Pot Adds his &MO, to gin the constable notice of the affair.
It was hors staled, that the spot who the infant waa found was a seri
',path saiO the wood, hem the toed.
r. Silas Salaam, serge's, of Mtbms, nand, that he bad am-
mined the wombs of the badj ef_ dessassd infant, whlcle teas in a •
sad oaten( demeopsoldon. Isgi wan_ pawed, as bad been
stated, by the Oaten. He was of "Isles tbet Ake body bad beim dial
ago** moth, and from Its appeamaes it had bairns ill asswi
cella; and be was of 'opinion, frem oetward signs, Mat
bora alive.
The Jury,.farololo coasa rstarnsd a verdict that the de.
wised child lambkins was fiendllakkal MO In the wood, but bow or by what
asses limas tkoes, thmenuane stelines limo the karma
Sala or W001..-71mmilmenesterday evening, there was the lair
tatsaslra sals.stwast at asetsvars that kw tam .plass at one Me
he wow, oposidetsble period, and dm pest nom was ors. ded with
deans and inailadintivrs.Theists (MR •Ls number) essapelsed 02
10 bop of
biles et New 011111111AVOIllan (leases, sod °NW's ""a isrfa
of Sr balm Punt 'pi
Wed. et2iits° pimp by Mr. T. sat issiwil spar% I
ihesemosi peedgesgAeie sow
pelt. Yostigallsse 7d tole. IS
dig& The Spot* how
Is. Ad. to la. aid. The Gunman 1.. nd. to Is. lid. Tbe Pm, s.
gal Is. to Is. ad.—Enna lots were withdrawn, not hav ag strived in
time.—The sale lasted four hours.