The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-05-12 00:00:00

t dictatorial mandates of the central Committee of the

• It is no longer possible to manage their affairs with comic
or advantage, nor to enter into any contract with security. A
good faith and sympathy between master and workman seen
to have been destroyed, and instead of that identity of intere
which was formerly recognised, workmen have
diced against their masters, and feelings have been ent„
of a most painful nature to contemplate.
Employers can no looser deal with their workmen in their
individual capacity. The purchaser of labour cannot agree
upon terms with those who have labour to dispose of; because
another party arrogantly steps in, and possessing an organised

mit any, 'i•ecainisea

been r

Goth parties, anti dictates conditions whiChi are a."sinimical7
reason and justice, as they are in themselves cruel to the work
man, and insulting to the master. This unjust interference

however, has been acceded to by the operative classes (in maul
thousands of cases most unwillingly), but their tacit acguies•

ave now to de

general union who support their demands by the weight of
well-organised association, while the employer has only his in-

dividual strength to sustain him in the conflict, where Li
are so fearfully against him.

The result has been, that in many places rather than enter
into a conflict with the unions, contractors have had to submit
to demands the most arbitrary and humiliating. In some in-

stances the entire control and management of their business
have been taken out of their hands, inflicting upon them heavy
pecuniary losses, and in other cases involving contractors in
absolute ruin and such has been the extent to which dictation
has been carried, that firm and unyielding resistance has be-

come a necessary duty, unless the order of things is to be in-
verted, and the employer become the slave and the tool of the
workman, directed as the latter is by a secret and irresponsible
tribunal which exists by forced contributions, which reigns by
terror, and whose principles are repugnant to every notion of
s. British liberty

The priaciikle is at once conceded that the operative cissses

nave a legal right to combine to raise the price of labour; it is
equally clear that it is also the right of those who have the right
to purchase it, to combine to prevent that price being unjust,
or more than they can afford to pay. An imperative necessity
now exists for all employers •to enter into an association for

ipport and pr.otiction, because it is dangerous for any
man to enter into a large undertaking without having some
guarantee that he may be secured against ruin by demands
vthich the terms of his contract prevent him from acceding to.
This necessity is not of their seeking. It has been forced
upon them by the trades' unions, and by the severance of those

ties which formerly existed. In forming a protective associa-
tion for employers, its first members desire to place on re-
cord their regret that such a resolution is necessary; but it is
their solemn and deliberate opinion that no other mode exists
by which they can successfully resist the demands of the trade
clubs of the workmen. They desire to place on record the fact,
that no attempt has been made by them to reduce wag

:es, to in-

operative classes. On the contrary, wages have been advanced
—the hours of labour have been lessened, and the workmen
have their privileges increased, by the concession of minor
points which only caused a pecuniary sacrifice on the part of
masters; But hew features have been exhibited—new inten-
tions disclosed. Flagrant acts have been deliberately commit-
ted, and painful as it is, the conclusion is most reluctantly
forced on the employers that organization such as that which
now exists, can Only be successfully met by counter-organiza-
tion,—that individual security can only be found in the asso-
ciation of bodies, because if an individual has to defend himself
against a powerful combination, he must be overwhelmed.
That tradesmen may continue to conduct their business with
safety—that they may contract as usual for works both of a
public and private nature—and that they may be able to fulfil
those engagements into which they are required to enter—they
have now met for the purpose of enrolling themselves in an as-
sociation, which it is intended to establish upon a broad and
permanent foundation, and where every member may find that
protection and security which is so essential for the general
welfare of society, as well as for his individual interest.
The association is founded for self defence, and if it has to
take up an aggressive position, it will be forced to do so by the
acts of the operative unions, and under such circumstances, its
members will be prepared to act in unison and with vigour.
While the trades' unions make no unreasonable demands,
this association will remain quiescent, but united. When those
unions are dissolved, this also will expire; but while individual
employers are interfered with, or particular localities selected
for a strike, this association will be ready to act with prompt-
ness, and to take such determined steps as will bring strikes to
a speedy termination.
This association will always be found ready to give encou
rag-ement and protection to those work
themselves from the trades' unions, or wht
by affording to them, as much as possible, constant employ-
ment, by giving them the means of bettering their condition,
in all cases giving them a preference in the winter season, or in
seasons of depression, over those workmen who are the mem-
bers and supporters of clubs which are found in hostile array
against the employers.
Every master, tradesmen, or contractor engaged in building
or public works, is therefore invited to join the association, and
to give in his adherence to its general principles. The rules by
which it will be governed, the details which it must necessarily
embrace, and various other matters connected with it, will Pro-
bably be better left to the committee of management which win'
have to be appointed.
Moved by Mr. G. C. PAULDING, of Mancheste^
Mr. ICi ',PIN, of Liverpool,
. That the declaration now read be adopted.-
mously.
Moved. by Mr. TOMKINSON, of Liverpool, seconded by Mr
GWYTHER, of Birmingham,
That the interference of the trades' unior
mate conduct of business—their -attempt
dictate conditions which cannot be acceded to—to coerce those
of the operative classes who are unwilling to join them, and th,
bad feelings which they have excited between employers ar
workmen are all deserving of reprobation; and this mee'
resolves that it will discountenance all attempts which
made by any club to interfere between the buyer a-
.• •

vorknien. who di

Carried unani

as with the legiti

~tit-, MIS meeting asserts ought to be attended
with perfect freedom to both parties.—Passed unanimously.
Moved by Mr. MARSDEN, of Bolton, seconded by Mr. BOOTH.
MAN, of Leeds:—
That the time has now arrived when an association of the
master tradesmen is imperativelfrequired, it being the opinion
of this meeting the only way in which the unjust and unreason-
able- demands of the trades' unions can be successfully com-
batted, and security be afforded to every man in conducting
his affairs.—Passed unanimously.

Moved by Mr. WYLIE, of Liverpool, seconded by Mr.
EDWA EDS, of Manchester :
That every member now present do sign the declaratior
which has been read, and he hereby pledges himself to assist ir,
carrying out the objects of the association.
Moved by Mr. WALKER, of Birkenhead, seconded by Mr. KAY,

of Munch,

That a committee be now formed for the purpose of drawing
up rules, and making all the arrangements for the extension
and consolidation of the association, and that such committee
shall have power to appoint a secretary, who shall be a solicitor
of standing in his profession, and to call in his aid in the forma-
tion of the laws by which the association shall be governed.—
Passed unanimously.

Moved...by Mr. HOL.mit, of Liverpool, seconded by Mr. JOHN
it:HINSON of Liverpool:—

That the following gentlemen be appointed for the purposes
stated in the last resolution, with power to add to their number :
Liverpool—Mr. Tomkinson, Mr. Samuel Holme, Mr. Kilpin,
Mr. John Johnson.

Birkenhead—Mr. John Walker, Mr. John Hoganll.
ifanehesf er—Mr . Bellhouse, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Paulding,

Kay.
Ilirminah,

Mr. Briggs, Mr. Gwyther, hlr. Pashby, Mr

Davi
Leeds—Mr. Benjamin Russell, Mr. Joseph Wood
it—Mr. James Marsden, Mr. James Walsh.
'on—Mr. Stephen Fawcett, Mr. Richard Crightm..
Manuel Whittaker, Mr. Willoughby Shepperd
Samuel Bann, Mr. Samuel Hunt.
Mr. John Evans, Mr. John Bootle.
.Siudielit—Mr. George Smith, Mr. John Harrop.
Wigan—Mr. Thomas Ellis, Mr. James Fairclouah.
Blackburn—Mr.. Henry Ibbotson, Mr. Richard }lacking.
Burp—Mr. Thorhas Barnes.
Passet unanimously. • • •

LIOW
Pres.;
Oldham—M
Storl.•nnrt—

Ldjourned till called toot'
be association.—Passed ur

Mcded by Mr. Kilpin. seconded'by Mr. Tomkinson :
That the best thanks of the meeting be given to the chairman
for the able and satisfactory manner in which he has conducted
the business brought before him.—Passcd unanimously.