The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-08-18 00:00:00

"'tit ST.ATESMAN:

.26—b7ithSS OF Tne COTMN SPINNERS of

MdNUiIH:.sTRK.
E

We the Mule Cativo 'vomiters of Manchester, con-
sider it a duty incumbent upon us to address the
Public at the present junct.,re, to contradict the many
false statements sod .oisrepreseutations that base
appeared in lipt Public. Parrs.
We are stated in all the Papers to have turned out
for an advance of wages : this we admit to be in part
true---trot not absolutely so. Two years ago, when
our employers demanded a reduction of ten hanks,
they affirmed that the state of the market imperiously
called for such reduction ; hot whenever the markets
would admit of an ailvance, they would willingly
give it. We depended on their honour, and con-
tinued to labour for more than twelve months at the
reduction propoft.d. About ten months since, on
comparing the price of cotton and yarn, we found that
the markets would allow our employers to fulfil
their promise; we, therefore, solicited them to that
purpose, and only wished to be re-instated in the
same prices we worked.at previous to that reduction.
Some declared they could not give it; others, they
would trot; but the greater part, that they would if
ethers did, but they should trot like to be the first.--
Thus we continued working and soliciting for the
lait eight months, though the demand for yarn hasp
been unprecedented, and the consequent rise in twist
great, they hive still refused our just rcqueat ; and
in order to cause a belief that trade was in a dectirses
ink; state, gave notice, that their mills should only
work three days in the week, which appeared so ex-
tremely ridiculous, that the very children employed

in factories laughed at it.
It is asserted, that our average wages amount to
thirty or forty shillings per week—it is evident;
that this statement was made by some individual either
ignorant or interested, and is es false in fact, as ma-
licious in asserting. In 1816, the average clear wages
of the spinners in Manchester was about '24s. they
were their reduced from twenty to twenty-five per
cent..l and have ever since laboured under that r.-duc-
(ion. And it is to be remarked, that the spinners re-
lieve their own sick, as well as subscribe to other ca-
sualties ; therefore when their hours of labour, which
are from five in the morning until seven in the evening
(and in some mills longer) of unremitting toil, in
rooms heated from 70 to 9U degrees, are taken into
cosisideration, we believe the Public will'siy with us,
that no body of workmen receive so inadequate a com-
pensation far their, labour.
The twat thing we would advert to,~,is, our em.
pinyers have asserted, that if they submit to our pre-
sent request (which they admit is reasonable), it
would not be long before we demanded another ad.
trance of ten banks more ; whatever some individual,
may have said we know ttr.thing of, but the great
Majority of spinners have never said or intended any
ritich. thing. And we hereby declare, that, we are
willing to enter into a treaty with our employers on
fait aryl honourable terms.
• We..believe there is no species of labour so fraught
'frith the want of natural comforts as that the spin-
tiers has to contend with ; deprived of fresh air, and
subjected to tong confinement in the impure atmos-
phere of crowded rooms, contiuually inhaling the
particles of metallic or vegetable dust, his physical
powers become debilitated, his animal strength
dwindles away, and few survive the meridian of life,
and the grave is often the welcome asylum of his
woes. His children! but let us draw a veil over the
scene, our streets exhibit their cadaverous and de•
crepid forms, and any attempt to describe them would
be imtiossible.
Let it not be understood that we attach blame to
our employers as applied to these calamities, they
are perhaps inseparable from the very nature of the
employment, and our masters may lamest but can-
tiot redress them. All we ask is a fair and candid
invest'i'gation into the grounds of our complaints, and
-we are confident that both justice and humanity will
decidecin our favour.
We solemnly declare as men, as fathers. as loyal
subjects, and well-wishers to a Creatitutipti, the
spirit and letter of which will not coantenauce any
thing like slavery and oppression, that we. cannot
obtain with the greatest possible industry'thi•ammon
comforts and necessaries of life, at the present low
prices ; to labour hard is not an easy task, but to
labour hard and want is impossible. Let our mas-
ten consult their own hearts, and as the seat of jus-
tice and-bumanity, they will not long hesitate to grant
our just request.
What you may generously think proper to assist
us with, in thus endeavouring to regain our Ju sr
nrours, you may rest assured trill be most thank-
fully received.

A TALE OF MYSTERY.—About 40 years_ ago,
person in this neighbourhood, in horrible circum.
stances, of the name of Slater, a clothier by trade,
but who in the harvest months geneially 'went into
the agricultural districts, to labour as a reaper,-
disappeared in a very mysterious and unaccountable
way, and was never since heard of still leaf S4turday.
Time had healed the wounds which such an event was
calculated to inflict in his domestic circle, and all
enquiry after him had long since ceased. But last
Saturday., while one of his sons, who is arespettable
manufacturer at Yeadon, was transacting some busi-
' nosh' in. a the
at Keighley, an aged man
came into the room and begged for a small sum to
boy a gill otbeer. In the course of conversation the
name of Slater was mentioned, when the old man,
repeating the name, said, " is your name Slater ?"
and added, " aboot forty years ago, I killed a man
of that name, and buried him in the corner of a corn-
field about twelve miles below York." This extra-
ordinary declaration combined with the time, and the
mangler of thedisappearance of the senior Slater, fixed
the attention of Ms son, and the old man was warned
to consider the nature and probable consequence Pith
kairld "declaration, lest the fate of Eugene-Aram
should be his. lie then began to waver, and •said it
was not he that killed Slater, but he was, killetkand
he could point out the 'pot where he was buried:
The friends of the deceased felt themselves railed
upon, of course, to institute an enquiry into OW.
transaction; and yesterday, Mr. Slater, attended-by
the constable of Yead,on, and accompanied by the
old man, whose name, for the present we think itJ
proper to withhold, passed through .this-loaisi bet
their way to York, to investigaTe the circumstances
- upon theipot, and if Pisosible to *cravat this tale of
mystery.—(L tech 4ilereuri,)

_

- y ...

NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.

DRAG, AUG. 17.—Came down from the River last I
evening and sailed, the Pilot, Wallace, for New-
foundland.—Arrived and sailed for the River, the
Hobe, Carder, from Waterford; Henry, Fox, from
Palermo; Whim, Bar-chary', from Hull for ditto. 1
Cowed, Auo. 17.—Arrived the schooner Venus,
D.'►ey, from Cork, with four Officers sod about 100
soldiers of the 68th regiment, for Albany Barracks.
PORTSMOUTII, AUG. 17.—Arrived the Tiber fri.
gate, from Guernsey and Jersey, with the Bishop of
Winchester and suite.—Sailed, the Atalanta, Swiney,
for Jamaica.—Came into harbour his Majesty's ship
Vengeur.
FALMOUTtI, AUG. 15.—Arrived the Albion pilot-
boat, from the Rebecca,
,Pritchard, from Jaiinsica,
in 45 days, for Luncluti.—Sailed the Heron gun-brig
on a cruize.
NORTH &HELM, Aura. 15.—Arrived the Elite,
Boswell, from Da,is.'s Straits with 10 fish, about 160
tuns of oil. The Darlington, Baulton, in going to
sea struck frequently on the bar, but gut over, and
proceeded on her voyage to London.

LAW !NTS LLIGENGE.

COURT OP CROMER*, Ava. 11.

OPEILA.MOUSE.
WATSRS V. TAILOR.
• The Loan CumsteLlott.-4 suppose, Mr. Mille."
by your being here, tbat.yeu expect my judgment as
t.. the Opera.house; I mean, you expect me to de.
cide respecting that part of it which relates to the
mortgage?
Mr. MI U.S.—Yes, my Lord, we weit for that.
The Lours CU A NCELLOIL—Then both you end Mr.
Tarrant had as. well come tn.morrow, fur Edon%
think it is in my power to do it this, day.

ItANGOR CATUEDRAL.
The LORD CHANCELLOR. said this was motion.
for him. to confirm the Master's Repnit.. it was
proper that this venerable edifice should be kept In
full repair, and the Master's Report bed made foil
peuaisinn for that ;_ for k required two etereeyers to
he called in to examine the 'dike, but they bad dif.
fewd very materially befvrien' theniseleei; and,
therefore, he thought a third surveyor should he ap-
pointed. Ths lielirpOilit was, whether the Master
showld appoint the estate left for the Cathedral to be
diitided among the Gentlemen of the Choir. That
sum was left for the maintenance of the Gentlemen
of the Choir, and the question was, whether the per-
son called the Precentor, and the Vicar's Choral,
were, or were not, to have a share in that fund.—
lie thought nn the whole, the Master's Report
should be confirmed, and when he said so he meant
that the Precentor and the Vicar's Choral were to he
paid in proportion to their duty. Ilia Lordship then,
at !aon)P length, went into the facts of the case, but
they were not of the t.,,iehtest public importance.
Three bankrupt petitions were then decided, but
their contents were totally uninteresting, except to
the parties.

WIIEELER V. MALINS.
- This sses the coo. of an injunction to prohibit the
Defendants and others from using a patent vt hich the
PlArita had otstainorl for heating and Jryin4 malt.
The LORD CHANCELLOR, at very great length, went
OTPf the case, and then stated that this Wig not
a case in ullich he could dissolve the Injuncs
lion, fur he did not think that sufficient grounds
weie made out for his doing so. lie ordered the
Messrs. Matins to keep a strict account of all the
malt they sulk) or made under this patent, and to de-
liver the same every fortnight, as also to keep a
faithful list of the persons to whom such malt was
sold. This he ordered them tq do, on affidavits.
No other case of imporfanceeatne on.

Yesterday evening a 'urge arm tif one of the trees
in St. Jamea's.park..broke off with a tremendous
crash, and MI to the.ground.• Fortunately there
were no persons within its retch,da the moment,
otherwise they must have been severely hest. It Is
rather sigolor, that this 81411 hid not projected hori.
zuntally hut rather obliquely tipwerdi, that at the
time of its fall there was not a- breeze slit-ring, and
that it broke off about a foot above where it joined
the parent stock. Though the tree from which it fell
as well as the arm itself were in full leaf, yet the
broken port was quite dry and sapless, so much, in-
deed, that large branches were afterwards torn from
it with as much rare as 011 P might break a reed. IVe
understand that several similar instanteshave occurred
in various parts of the country. •
Sundiy night the house, of Mr. Alessnltor,in the
New.road, *as broke into ant; plundered bf vajle.j
shies to the amount of 5012 'ft tipileartiid the thieves.
had broke in at the beck kitchen..lndio**, by wrench-
ing the screws out of one of them winilosilitiatters
with some instrument. They.efterwardstad to un-
pick the door lock lathe bottom! of jbo stairsorAd
and also thelniki of the porlour and chest of draw-
ers, siker whirl they'effecteif Without in tfie lease
disturhing.thatareily.- ... • •
Sunda nitht some villeins entered the !rouse
of Mrs. ipset, in Love-lone, Mile-end, • and stele
watches and articles of plate to a Coriderable amount.
Crisp, the Oedistiitin, fifit3/41 in doing 110 miles
in 24 hours► lie heti &tat. 7%' 'WheO he was
seized with a giddiness and pcostration of strength,
Loving only 38 miles to go, and eight hours to do it
in. He is:recovering, and expresses his determination
to try it again.
NUT Tutsni'v, the 25th blatant, the State Lot-
tery finishes Drawing, what' 11**0. Pates of Thirty,
Thoesand Pounds, Sterling Money.' ind Fifteen
other Capitals,, must be all drawn. One ot.the Cs.
pitalsis entitled to 1,000 Sotereigos and. Four Pipes
of Wine, and it is perhaps not unworthy of
tbat,the.erily.Cetiitil yet drawn in the present Lot-
tery was. Nu: 357, whiCR was entitled to 1,000 So.
, vereignsreed-4 Pipes af.Portscir.M'adeire, or 4 11111411.
heads of 'Claret it was•sald,,by Rists,• and what is
~ nether remarkable, it has falleu to thastot of a Gentle.
nasn.iallampshire, who, a. few I4.leties since, ob-
.laJned a 00;000 Prize also of BicH.
i• . AlOgrallX, the- celebrated liugilist, died at Gal-
way, Ireland, on the 4th‘inst. in 'a room occupied by
,t4,ben.d of the 77th Begintesst,;,wliere he bid been
maintained the last two months, and humanely at-
tended by three people of coloor.

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