The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-08-16 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STAXD4RD.

Sin,—The following extracts from Mr. Babbage's work on
" The Economy of Machinery," may be of use to the Liverpool
workmen, in enlightening them upon the probable consequences
of their present combination. Of use, that is to say, if they
would condescend to read or at-tend to them,. aud.if the directors
of the Mechanics' Institutes would employ lecturers in instruct-
ing the mechanics in such branches or knowledge as these, in-
stead of geology and hydrostatics, and " the affinities of lan-
guage," they might do some ttood, instead of ministering to
emptiness and vanity. Mr. Ba'bbage may perhaps be admitted
as an authority, because he is " a reformer of the first water."
" The effects arising from combinations among workmen are
almost always injurious to themselvvs. There are instances in
which the public suffer by increased price at the moment, but
are ultimate gainers from the permanent reduction which re-
sults; while the improvements which are often made in ma-
chinery, in consequence of a strike,' most frequently do an in-
jury to that class that gave rise to them." As an instance, he
says, about twenty vears ago the skelp-forgers in a gun-barrel
manufactory stri".k for an advance of wages. 'the superintend-
ant immediately turned his attention to the subject, and dis-
covered a new method of forging them, which effected a great
reduction of human labour, and rendered it the work of any
common man, whereby all skill was excluded, and dexterity was
no longer required.
Again, the skelp welders struck for an advance some time af-
terwards. The consequence was, that the contractor bad re-
course to a mechanical plan of welding by rollers, which dis-
pensed with the necessity of human labour at all.
Mr. Babbage then woceeds to observe, "That combinations
among workmen are froductive of s-eri2us incenvenience.among
themselves is admitted by all parties. The little capital they
possessed, which ought to be hoarded for days.of illness or distres,,
is exhausted! habits of idleness are formed • the kinder feelings
of the heart are chilled, and passions are called into action inju-
rious to the happiness of the individual, and destructive of those
sentiments of confidence which it is equally the interest of the
master and his workmen to maintain. 'lf any of.the trade refuse
to join, the majority too often forget the dictates of justice, and
endeavour to exert a species of tyranny which can never be per-
mitted to exist a free country."
"In conceding, therefore, to the working classes, that they
have a right to combine, it ought ever to be kept before their
attention that the same freedom which they claim for themselves
they must allow to others; and while every effort which kindness
can dictate should be made to show them the true consequences
which will result from their conduct, the strong ar,n of the law
should be unhesitatingly applied to prevent them from violating
the liberty of their own, or of any other portion of the community."
Again he quotes from the evidence before the committee on
the fluctuation of manufacturers' employment, "Any violence
used by the workmen against the property of their masters, and
any unreasonable combination on their part is almost su,re 11414 to.be
iivurious to themselves," as the conibination Of the Ltiddites iu
Is 4 ottinghauashire alone drove a great. number of lace frames
from that district, and caused establishments to be formed in
Devonshire.

We know what has happened to the shipwrights in Liver-
pool, and that the ship-building trade has been bait driven from
the port; and though houses roust be built, still the plasterers,
and bricklayers, and joiners'may depend uPon it, that their
present combination will eventually injure'themselves—inone-
diately, if they are defeated, but eventually, even if they should
succeed for the_ present in gaining the victory; a victory,, how-
ever; which, opposed as they are by public opinion, it is impos-
sible they ever should gain. If; however,' thay-chnte to perse-
vere in combination, let them recollect that compul,ory combi-
nation is "a tyranny which can never be permitted' to' exist in a
free country." There must be no oaths, no drawn swords; lire
law must put this down.—Yours, 'UItD.EIt.

The contest for the honour of collecting the parish rites of
Liverpool ended yesterday at four o'clock, by the election of
Mr. Zachaliah B. Houghton, who was declared duly elected.
We beg to congtatulate this gentleman on his success.