The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-08-15 00:00:00

TURN-OUT OF FACTORY HANDS.

It is somewhat remarkable that the anniversary of the
late memorable strike in the manufacturing districts
should have been selected by the mill-operatives at Ashton
for another trial of strength betwixt themselves and their
employers. Another general turn-out has been effected
in this place, the principal features of which we proceed to
lay before our readers. On Friday week the spinners in
the employ of Mr. Buckley, at Ashton, turned out in con-
sequence, as alleged, of a reduction of wages. They pa-
raded the streets during the day, and in the evening held
a large meeting, which was presided over by Pilling, one
of the chartists lately tried along with O'Connor. Meet-
ings were subsequently held on almost every day in last
week, from 5000 to 6000 persons assembling on each oc-
casion, and always dispersing without committing any
breach of the peace ; and though the streets were daily
crowded with groups of working people of both sexes,
who lounged listlessly about, there was no interruption to
the general quiet state of the town. It is understood that
the turn-outs have come to the determination of confining
the turn-out strictly within the limits of the town of
Ashton. On Friday all the mills at Stalybridge continued
working, but all those in Duckinfield were stopped, with
the exception of two. At Ashton the number of hands
who have turned out amougts to 12,519. The men have
issued an address to the master spinners, setting forth
their alleged grievances and enumerating the prices at
which they will consent to return to work ; and Mr.
Buckley has published a letter, in which he states that he
was only effecting a reduction in his establishment to place
it on the same footing with other mills. It is stated that,
at Stalybridge, the operatives are making arrangements to
propose lists to the masters before they turn out; and the
only question with them is, whether they should or should
not defer the tnrn-out till after that at Ashton has ter-
minated, and the factory hands there shall have returned
to their work.
The Manchester papers of Saturday contain long re-
ports of the speeches made at the various meetings ; but
we cannot from any of them discover a single new fea-
ture in the existing differences. The police and military
are fully prepared for any outbreak ; but from the appa-
rent temper of the men we cannot see ground for alarm
that any such unfortunate occurrence will take place.
The lists of prices, &c. agreed upon by the men were to
be submitted to the masters; and as a general feeling of
conciliation appears to prevail on both sides, hopes are
entertained that the strike will very shortly be brought to
an end. Te this conclusion the good cense of the opera-
tives will doubtless lead them, notwithstanding the scur-
rilous invectives in which Pilling and a few others, whose
trade is agitation and disorder, indulge against their em-
ployers.
The fact is, we believe, that a large number of the
spinners are exceedingly averse to this movement, know-
ing it to be a very foolish affair • but they are unfortu-
nately under the controul of others, led on by three or
four designing men, who find agitation a far more easy
and profitable employment than working at their own
trades ; and who are, therefore, at all times ready to in-
stigate quarrels between the men and their employers,
utterly reckless of the misery and wretchedness which
they entail upon the former.

SWEEP FOR THE ST. LEGER.—There is now open
at Mr. Whiteman's, the Brunswick Hotel, Hanover-at.,
a sweepstakes for the St. Leger, which offers considerable
advantages to those who adventure small sums in such
amusing speculations.—See Advertisement.
A deputation, consisting of William Dixon, jun., Esq.,
from Liverpool, chairman, and James Moore, Esq,,
chairman, from Bristol, accompanied by Sir Howard
Douglas, Bart., had an audience with the Chancellor of
the Exchequer on subjects connected with the wine and
spirit tiade.

MURDER.—We gave in our last the first portion of an
inquest held on the previous day before the borough co-
roner, on the body of Margaret Dillon, whose death was
occasioned by injuries received from a man of the name
of Rollen, who was in custody. On Tuesday, Mr. Arnott,
surgeon was examined, and after the depositions of se-
veral witnesses, the jury returned a verdict of "Wilful
Murder" against the prisoner, and he was committed
under the coroner's warrant to take his trial at the next
assizes, the witnesses being bound to appear in recogni.
sauces of 4100 each.