The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-05-21 00:00:00

HOUSI OF .COMMONS.—MoNDAv.

Mr. M. MILNEs resumed the adjourned debate on the
Factory Bill, designating the labour for long hours as the
white slavery of this country, and contending that we
should be ready to snake as great sacrifices to check it as
we had done already-for the emancipation ,of the slaves in
our colonies.

Mr. WARD Said.' :S it had been shown., that the factory
labourer was better off than any other .class of workpeo-
ple, there was no.eretenec of any interference with them.
By the adoption 'of the principles of free trade, he felt
confident they would cause the dcnaand for the ten-hours
limitation of 'labour to cease altogether.
Mr. M'GEt-z..-,nv said the operatives were of opinion
that the additional wages paid far the long hours went
into the pocket cf the doctor and not into their own, and
that they were willing to submit to a restriction of wages
for the-rake of mental improvement and recreation.
Mr. BRIGHT opposed the motion, contending that Lord
Ashley was proceeding upon incorrect information, and
that agross delusion had been practised upon the opera-
tives.

Mr. F. SHAW said he had upon all the divisions which
had taken place on this question voted with ;Lord Ashley,
and he had heard no argument of sufficient weight to in-
duce him to think he was in error in the course he had
pursued. At the hazard, therefore, of breaking up the
government he should vote for the motion of the noble
lord.

Sir R. PEEL said it might have been wrong on the part
of the Government to limit the hours of labour to twelve
in the day, but that error was no apology for those who
proposed to limit them to ten. The right hon. baronet
entered into a series of calculations, in order to show the
immense mischief which he contended would be effected
by the reduction of the hours of labour from twelve to
ten. In England, the hours of labour were already con-
siderably less than in any other country in Europe or the
United States. If the house thought, after all that had
been said, that they should prrsevere to enforce the res-
triction to ten hours, they must do so under other guides,
for he could not consent to hold office for the purpose of
carrying out a policy which he believed to be so very in-
jurious (Cheers.)
Lord J. RUssELL thought it not right to mix up this
great question with a ministerial question of confidence, i
for there was an end to argument fit was converted into
such a question in a house in which the Government must
have so large a majority.
Sir R. INGLIS and Air. COLLET addressed the house,
which then divided, and the motion of Lord Ashley was
defeated by a majority of 29i to 159.
On the question that the bill do pass the motion was
agreed to by a majority of 136 to 7.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—TvEsDAY.

The house was principally occupied in the discussion of
a motion by the Marquis of NORNIANBY for certain pa-
pers which, it was supposed, would illustrate what is
termed the " spy system" in Ireland, by explaining the
proceedings in the case of the two ballad singers accused
of singing and vending seditious songs.
The motion was-agreed to.