Star.
London, England, 1819-08-03 00:00:00

bread-cern, settled; ibr the tut be tarok species
of fabourZat a quantity indispentible to the austauanoe
or the labourer. When 'Payments in money came to
lon'Substituted for mutual convenience, the money-
price of labour wasseplated by the price of corn.—
In process of time this scale of equivalence has been
lost sight of, but it is high time that it should be re-
vived and acted upon.
Is any one benefited by paying a less rate of wages
fir the manufacture of goods than will enable the
workman to live? On the contrary, every person is
injured. We have not as a nation, nor can we pos-
sibly derive, any profit by selling or by exporting
goods below print* cost. The labour being part of
the cost, if not flay paid for, is, to the extent of thk
difference, a. sinking of capital—and the issue, if pert
severed in, must he ruin and poverty.—We have just
received from Manchester an Address to, the Mau
facturers on this subject, signed " A Mamifactuper,'
which puts a part of our argument in a pretty Or:
light, and from which we therefore mike the ktllowi

ins extract •
" (Jerusalem—The deplotable situation to which
the Weaving Classes in the Cotton Manufacturing'
Districts are reduced. induces"me to come forv4l:4o
their behalf, and to offer to your consikalatiose the
following observations and remarks, in rtu
will coincide with me that something ought imme:
4iately to be done, to put a stop to the country ma-
nufacturers reducing weaving below all possibility
of existing by it, and continuing to give less than
most of the town's manufacturers do, by n to 5 per.
cent. on the sale price of most goods at present
wanted. In the absence of foreign demand (now our
manufactory has arrived at so great a pitch), great
sacrifices in various descriptions of goods are made.
" A few leading London and country buyers, who
monthly or oftener, visit this narrket, are so very
keenly sought after by necessitous wage-reducing
men, that an awful fall in the price of goods is the
natural consequence. Larger quantities, and cheaper
lots, time after time, are forced on them, and that
they may not be under-sold by their competitors, let
the goods go at a fair profit on the invoice price.—
The astonished draper after purchasing such goods,
goes home, tickets his new-bought stock 5 to 10 per
per cent. less than he has heretofore sold-similar goods
for, and immediately undersells his neighhours, and
depresses a considerable part of the stock he had left
on hand. And who has caused this evil?
" The inconsiderate manufacturer, by the abomi-
nable system of reducing labour when the slightest
depression is felt in the market. I was informed by
a very extensive buyer, on Wednesday week, who
resides not a hundred. miles from Skinner-street,
London, (very much M his credit be it stated) that
the very low price of goods at the present moment
was entirely owing to the manufacturers, and that if
weaving averaged one-third more, he and other,
buyers should not purchase one piece less—and every
London and country buyer with whom I have lately
conversed have made similar declarations.

"All foreigners in town admit, that full and over-
stocked markets here, cause glutted and flat markets
abroad ; and that when their markets are over-
stocked, no merchants have more difficulty in effect-

ing sales at saving prices, especially when a few bales
of goods, bought by individuals more fortunate than
their neighbours, in meeting with a sacrificing manu-
facturer, make their appearance ; that their stock
on hand, fairly bought, is neglected, or considered
dear ; that evil instead of good, and embarrassment
instead of relief, is the natural consequence of dimi-
nishing the price of weaving.
" These regular foreign stock-holders come fresh
into the market with all these circumstance, full in
view, and are consequently determined to have goods
cheaper than before—and who can blame them
Why should a man who gives relief by purchasing
extensive quantities, and supporting a steady prudent
trade, be superseded by a trifling buyer ?
‘4 The man of trifling means, and mean purchases
under such circumstances, Lecome a common injury;
and he and the oppressing manufacturer should be
alike treated, viz. put under proper restraint by whole-
some regulations of the price of weaving ! !
" We produce goods at extreme low prices, en-
tirely to the advantage of the home and foreigq con-
sumers, while a population of one million employedi
and otherwise interested in the cotton manufactory,
have not the means of becoming consumers to half the
extent they would, if a price, below which weaving
should not be reduced, was fixed. The following
statement will shew, in addition to the foregoing
observations, the necessity of some regulation ;-
1810, 1814,'1816, and the present year, have given
four striking proofs of over-trading !!
Look at the re-action of our too-much extended
commerce, and the facilities of our merchants, spin-
ners, and manufacturers. In 1809, the import into
Great Britain of cotton amounted to 440,380 bales,
and in 1818, 665,300 bales; increase 224,920 bales.
When we spun 3,500 to 5,000 bales weekly these pe-
riods came only every five to seven years. But no
sooner do we spin 6,000 to 7,000, and now nearly
8,000 bales per week, but we have four of the most
awfully ruinous periods in nine years that oifr ledgers
or memories can furnish. Every additional draw-
back of this kind sinks the value of weaving lower
than before; and I am persuaded, that if we go on
to spin nine to ten thousand bales weekly, un-
less the export trade for twist doubles or trebles,