The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-07-22 00:00:00

JOURNEYMEN HATTERS.

Utvion-Hat.t.—The greatest part of yesterday was
occupied in hearing a complaint made by the master
hatters of London and Southwark, against John
Laing, Josiah Preath, John Walter:, and John Clark,
journeymen batters, for illegally conspiring, together
with divers other of the trade, far the pstrpose of con-
trolling the business of the master manufacturers.
About six weeks at the.jonrneymen hatters alien,.
the metropolis struck for an advance of wages, and as
soon as the circumstance became generally knowr,
their example was followed by every branch of the
trade throughctit the kingdom. Committees were
formed at Manchester, Birmingham, Mucriesfield, and
other great provincial towns, but the principal •ne
was held at the house of Wißiala Strong (alto had
been a hatter himself), the sign of the Salmon, in
Union•street, Borougit, which was known as th,,
" Turn-out-house" in the trade ; here the Cen.r. I
Committee, of which Laing was the Secretary, held
their meetings, from day to day, to receive the cout•
munications of the Provincial Committees, and to
adopt the necessary measures against those journey-
men who, in defiance of their orders, preenmed to
work for any masters who did not accede to the new
regulaticits: A poor man, named John Dyer, who
continued his work as before, was Oriel by this self-
eleeted 'hotly in the stun of five guinea', which he was
uhligril.tu pay by weekly instalments.
The toasters bad sent placards to ♦arious parts of
the country, besides advertising for hands in the
bytilon papers ; but so general was the strike, and ss
determined the workmen, that not one would return
to their employ, unless the masters would bind them-
selves to raise their wages, and not keep more than
two apprentices at a time. This the latter could not
consent to do without greet injury to their own inti-
rests, and finding that there was no likelihood of a
friendly compromise. and being in pass. scion of facts
sufficient to warrant a pretecution, they to•.k odt a
warrant against the Secretary and as many oftbe Com-
mittee as acre knAvit to t:•em. At an early hear ye,..
tertlay morning the officers proceeded to the Salmon,
where they found the four prisoners, whom they t.•ua
into custody; and at the sante moment the postutaa
cattle in with five letters, two of them directed to " Mr.
Laing, Secretary to the journeymen hatters, Tornmit-
house, London;" and the- others for the journeymen
hatters generally. '1 licse letters, together with the
prisoners, they hronglit to the office.
The Solicitor fir the prrocentian called rllliam
Bloater Daniels, who prov..ll that a strike Eat! taken
place auutrigat the :tatters, and that the Resolutittes
produced were those acted on by the trade ever since.
'4,4 Resolutions were expressive of the foregollig cur

cuttsuataoO
John Collins, of Lambeth-marsh, proved that tle
signature to those Resolutions was the hand.writing
of the prisoner Laing.
Mr. Strong, t: e. landlord of the rendezvous, was
called. 1;e stated, first, that the journeymen twarrs
met at his house to cam luct the affairs of a I;tti Jai
Society ; he afterwar,k, however, admitted the read
object of their itive:ing, hut said they came only on. e
a month ; he shortly afterwards admitted Oa th, y
met nearly every day.
The Solicitor read the letters, after an unsitc s><ful
from Mr. Manures clerk. The first was
from Manchester, enclosing 34, and s'ateci, that 3..
More hail lwen sent to Mactlestiehl, and 21. to Itrey
that the men at each of tho-e places wereyery deter-
milled to see it out ; and that, in pursuance of a plan
sugffested in London, they hail applied for assiktatier
to the other trades, who had co:ete forward with the
greatest spirit ; the Stockport weavers had raid io
4f. 17s. ; the shoemakers 21.; the teller trades hard.
nut yet given any definite answer, but they were ex-
pected to assist ; in consideration of whist, the bailers
should help them in like manner, when they were in
trouble. The other letters were (coin other parts, an,l
nearly similar; hot the bliteelesfirld letter afkiell, that
in consequent.. of an appeal which the multi rs 1'3.1
made to the pollic in that part, they wre obliged to
pot forth a contradictory address, a eory of whirl'
ti.o-y inclosed. It algu•reqm.sted them' to snake in•
9ptiries into the character of one firay, a Lon :us
master, suite of whose work had lately male its up-
piaratwe ;it !lactic:44l, under snspicious sirs m--
stances; and if he was not a fair dealer, to send theto
word, and they world prevent the sale of any more
of his matinfaonre in that town.
31r. Cl,AMicnas said it was clew- to him, that a sys-
tem of the most alarming emtibitia:lon was on t
and it must be repressed. It seemed the hatters were
not content with the support they gave each other, bitt
they most call in the assistance of other trades; it .oiria
eon:ilia was permitted, every trade that liked to strike
would be enabled to resist their toasters nil they
brought them to their own tt rms.
1 hey were all ordered to be committed, hot th, y
pet in bail, anti appealed against the convlet:cti.

On 'I hursday ni •Itt James Heron, a journey tout. kit-
ter, was brought to the offiec, charged with uu out-
rage at the shop of Mr. _Tiffin, a master hisave, iti
Castle-street, St. Saviour's.
„ It appeared that the prisoner entered the prenti:es
li between xis; and sev-u o'clock in the moist-, and Le-
gan to abuse two men who were there workitse a: the
old priers; he put his fist up to one wisos'it heLd, anti
told him he would ',do for him," and made !tt t a
noise as to being Mr. Tiltm from hit canaille hou,r
to the workshop. 'I he prisoner then diteeiod Isi...tba.e
to him, and was given into custody. -1
The defendant said he was in it-icita, and that shout
site. weeks ba4 be Winked
strut* with theo4nd that lsts iteeitirg 1,25.
a week from the .itee -durijs le' time he u a. 4
idle. e A i•J ...i.i• •• a!
Vf ilirr. 43 a; ittereetty Awe,_ .
i He was COMPRlOKtetpterr . Atwin at
I Erixton, for two nsOothll b.,!, I, ,s v, .

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