Star.
London, England, 1818-02-20 00:00:00

COTTON FACTORIES.

Sir ROBERT PEEL rose to move for leave to
bring in a Bill to regulate the hours of labour of ap-
prentices in the cotton factories. About fifteen years
ago he brought in a Bill on this subject. lie had at
that time 1000 apprentices in his employ. Since that
time the business had much increased. At present
in Manchester there were not less than 20,000 per-
sons employed in the cotton manufactories, and in
all the• factories more than three times that number
were employed. A great portion of them were chil-
dren, under nine years of age ; and these unfortunate
little victims were called up before day-light, and
employed for 15 hours in the day, a portion of labour
far beyond their power, and by which their health
was destroyed, and their lives shortened. This was
proved by their appearance ; those who were thus
employed never attaining their full stature, or living
to attain old age. After some further observations
on the subject, ihe Honourable Baronet moved for
leave to bring in his Bill.
Lord LASCELLES felt this to be a subject of
very great importance indeed. If these children were
taken from under the protection and controul of their
parents, he should consider this as a proper subject
for legislating upon ; but they were, in fact, what
were called free labourers, under the controul Of their
parents, who employed them as they thought proper.
He was desirous to do justice to these poor children,
and to interfere in their behalf, if real cause of com-
plaint existed ; but he thought, before the House
proceeded to legislate, it should be put in possession
of all possible information on the subject.
Mr. WILBERFORCE said, the House was very
much indebted to the Hotiourabie Baronet; and be

hoped the House would =vend its iudem..,
i.e measure to be proposed, as 11,.
dictated by prudence, humanity.
Mr. W. S-MITH thought theie ‘izs s.,
dente upon the Report of the Coir.n.ittee
authorize this measure.

~v
C' , n

Mr. PHILLIPS defended the conduct cr....-.
nufacturers, which, he conteuded, was
mane. He was a partner in one of the
curies, which had been establidied for upv .
years, and the average of sicknc.:s :•,
not more than one in 100 ; and although ti
upwards of 1000 of these children empic •
factory, the average expense to the Pucir:
these persons was not more than 5/. i: ..'4
factory paid to the rates. He was
was nut a factory of any kind
plaints might nut have been
had been used to obtain t.;,ern:
been, for some time past, to canvas t.r.s .•
employed in the factories, to (..bt-iin
them.

Mr. FINLAY entered his protest atra.:
being considered as resulting from any tr:
fore the House. There was nu Fut': e:
except in the case of one workman at
and even that case proved nothing, so.:t
of Parliament was insufficient to keep a
doing wrong. Some medical me: ha
mined before the Committee, but tl:c
that they had no knowledge of cone%
A friend of his had told him not to be
said, for they had told him that he
six months, yet he lived much bvio..l
He warned the House not to entertai.
this importance without discussing it f-k:
mated his intention to debate the Bill in t

Sc

Mr. PELL said, the argumeil:s of
for Manchester amounted to nothir,g. He
doubt that Gentleman's manufactoty Wls,
himself, well regulated, and therefcre,;:e
the regulations of such manufactoriN as -re7,
conducted. It was proved before the
that in the manufactory at Blackburr,
were employed 17 hours a day, and ever.
twelve on the Sunday, in clear.sing
This was proved by a p.erson who had left a
in the manufactory of £BO a year, to ac:c?t r.
of A... 50, and that Gentleman (3lr. Moss
that-on the bankruptcy of tlie person at t'..!
that manufactory, the chddrer. v. :e
Lancaster in a cart, and told to beg thuir .
they rot to their parishes. He put it to a:— sr.l•:
say, if a child of seven or -rears of :tie. •;.,
be confined for 14 or 1.5 hoors a da7 a
tory, without injury to its healfr..
Mr. CUR WEN sai'd,.ihat. he had :r.spc:•.e.'.._
factory in Lancashire, since it had becr,
hands, and he found it regulated with e; t:
the health and comfort of the children. Tv 7
introduced into the manufactories a perfect
ventilation ;an also machinery to col:en cea
fly, which was so injurious to the children's
He thought Parliament *Ought to he very C.::: :3
how it legislated between parent and
of the Bill would be to render a greater qu:ner
labourers to perform the same work, ar.d ci
lower the wages of each ; and if it were co: 7-
House would he besieged with pe-..tions.rs,
them to follow up their plans of anieli.7.r.ar...
fixing a higher price to their labour, ads...
that unless they did so the present ir.earn
have injured instead of served them: t.:!;.r.
ference would render another necessary.
impossible to say where such a system
Sir JOHN JICKSON thought, as t!..?
given their attention to the arncioratica c..-
tion of slaves abroad, they could r.ot ir.reas
their fellow-subjects at home.
possible that children kept at %yolk fors •
could be brought up with a doe impres,:
moral duties. Ilehad had much cor.•:ersatt,
subject with many persons cor.nected
mills, and particularly with the conducto:
tablishment at New Lanark, ar.d the geneTa:
was, that something was necessary to be dcr.e.
hoped, therefore, that the Bill would be cr
through the House ; it came front an excellent
ter, for it was impossible to select a persou
perienced in the business than the Hc':. Baror.st

6 "'~

Sir J. GRAHAM thought it wry repreher.
prevent persons from labouring, if they WOU.e.
17 hours a day. It might be proper to
for the comfort of children and apprentices.
to abridge the hours of free labour. An
had gone abroad, among the Lrhoureri is t•.e
of England, that Parliament was about to
the hours of labour, and to increase
This measure would go, he was af:.l.!. to rr.:
nufactures ; and though I.e would no:
bringing in of the Bill, yet he would
every future stage.
Mr. B. SHAW thought the parents cf
would not suffer them to work beyond
Leave was then given to bring in the 8.:..
ARRESTS IN SCOTLAND.
Lord A. HAMILTON presented three
one from William Rubertscn and arothe:
vid Smith, and a third firm an "..
name we could not learn, complai-;-i
sustained by them during five rnont.n.
in Scotland, under the Suspension of the •
pus Act.

Mr. Fl NL AY said the allegations ecntaine,i
were false ;—the Petitioners were r.ct
under the Habeas Corpus Suspen.sion Act.
the Habeas Corpus had not been suspende,i
land. They were nut ill-treated, fur thei;
knowledged how much they felt obliged tc
for his kindness, and to the Sheriff in parties.
had taken care of their families; but this
had refused to have any thing to do with t1:(-76:
tions, knowing them t 3 be a ti sue of falsthcc......-.
to their complaints of being detained five :,-• -
they might have demanded to be brought:,
within sixty days after their commitment.
Lord A. HAMILTON said, the Hon.

had not disputed one of the facts,
h?d been discharged without a trial. It
been proper or improper to arrest them. he c. 7
go into that question. but he was sure that
imprisoned they ought to have had a trial.—L'i
the table.

Sir ROBERT PEEL bought up the Cotton Ma7v:-:',:
Labourers Bill, which was read a first time, ar,d orf,rc' •
read a second time on Monday next, and to br priord.
The Llection Laws 11111 was recomrnmed, abd rrzrot4,.

rrtt Isms orlered to Ir., received

the Report of the Madder Du-
given to bring in a MI to coati-

id reading of the Gambling Sap-
iervations from Mr. Baran, Sir
CHART, the Bill was withdrawn,
(Mix would bring forward ano-
Lijourned.