The Statesman.
London, England, 1819-06-14 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY. JUNE 14, 1819

" The Cause fer which HAMPDEN fdl in the Field, and Similar died on the Sclffold I "

pill.: JOURNAL .f NEW VOYAGES sod
A. TRAVELS. Nn. IV.CH he pablilieed me 'nimbi , uhe
cNY. rum .knot irto•livisa of the Travel. et the
Slareitin de CH A VEAUVIRIJX. ee lialt :
........—.. - .

shill be glees to lb. inhabitants of the country `o• I
vetoed; and by which, especially, the most helpless
part of the population shall be protected from mine.
ciliary opproasion. Allow sae, my Laid, to apply
these principle' to tbe subject of this loamy. From
clines which it Is unnecessary berg to captain, Ike

N'• I. Cos Mimed WISH lißl'aresset of the Y.i.ge
B.lier Rat._ _ _

No. 11. PRIOR'{ Voyage la the Indian hem.
No. 111. EvrarMoos amass the Pablie Bstablisb-
meats of lb* gaited Kiaadons.
illther Noshes mai be hitt at 9..somen. M. inboards,
of all Bosia.ellems or of Sir Richard Phillips and Co. Bride-
short, Br4dge.areet.

salsa of mere Emma Isboisr lies been In sash re-

diced that the smoking man in this antlntitor coon-

tries is new placed ender circnntatancos ter sore en-
favisurshie to his happiness than the serf nr villain
. .

Ox rex EMPLOYMENT o► CHILDREN IN
IU4NUFACII9RIES.

less ender the feeds! system, •r than the slave was
in soy of the nations of antiquity. 1 have saying,
widths the last three years, been but ton often
oldie to refuse the murices of men willing to Purl
their strenath to the very uttermost, vibes those sera,
vices were offered and urged unon me by entreaties
most dimressing its decline, at wages which engirt not
afford the *Nakao., ter himself and family, the
most bare and common necessaries of life. With the

TO THR RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF LIVF ROOOl..
Mr Loto,—Permit me to address your Lordship
in your capacity of Prime Minister of the Buhl. la
Empire, on • 'object of national concerti, which,
though it has excited considerable interest in certain
quarters, appears not to lie understood or sppeaciated
by the Public at large, in any degree commensurate
with its real importance. A Bill on the Employ.
ment of Children la Manufactories has been rued
twice in the Howse of Commons, paned throgrgh the
Committee, and its blanks filled up, mad is to bo read
a third time the first Monday in April. 1 noticed
the debates which took place on its first and attend
evading, sod have just received a copy of the Bill as
amended by the Committee.
The Bill is opposed, it seems, by a comber of
active wealthy cotton spinneys, goad wen of ballot*
several of whom are Members of the Bosse of Com-
mons, and who are nimble of raising • formidable
oppositios to any measure. which they Imagine will
affect their interests. Its supporter are those who
diem the practices which at present prevail is our
manufactories to be in many cams injurious to the
children. Tin subject, however, seems to be takes
up by both parties on very confined graved& Its
estensive bearings gro the general interests of the na-
tion have been very imperfectly, if hardly at .11 con-
sidered ; and its strong claims nn the attention of
Govenemost sod of tho COW ry, in consequence very
feebly Waisted upon. The manufact look at it
simply as allertingle men, under an alarm that the
regulations proposed may in omit, wily or other di-
misish a fraction of their profits. The fear of Inns
,of pecuniary gain to men trained is the principles of
trade and masofectares is eery oatmeal. Their sta•lon
in society, and, in many instance:, their very sob.
sisteace, depends on success in their severs% octopi.
limas. Their labours end anaietios ton are very gram,
and .saps is a few instances which in coneeqesince
are always promineat, they ere very ictiletpately
remersetaterl for their toil and care. Under thine,
circumstances it Is re 00000 biro to tended, that Petry
object mast be viewed by them through the medial.,
of mereastile ealcolatios : and no one can jaraily
bison them for, or be surprised at, the jealnes
tivity which they eshibit on all occasions where their'
interests, real or imaginary, are attacked. For these
and ode* masons, the natural coarse of erode, mane-
factures, and commerce, should not be disturbed,'
except when it Interferes wigs measures affecting the
well-being of the whole community ; in which case
minor considerations ought of course at all times to
Sine way. •1 he prettier; which prevail is oar manufac.l
wrists form, in a peculiar manner, one of these es.
ceptions. They interfere with the best is.
wrests of society, wi'beet benefit to soy particular
or to as y individual t sod very little PROMS.
lion, 1 presume, will demonstrate to your Lordship,
the troth of this Estement. Generally speaking, the
occupation which mantersctureg under theesisting ar-
rangements afford, is mote or less unhealthy to those
employed in them ; who are called upon to sacrifice
'their strength and substantial comforts for the advert.
up of others, and not unfrequently for the benefit
of their enemies. The numbers thus employed now
constitute an important part of the population—so
indeed, se necesserily to disseminate the good or
evil eaers, of the practices which obtain among them,
over every corner of the empire.
These prattlers are. lir, The emploement of
children before tliry pelmets sufficient strength for
their work ; before t4ey con be initiated in their no.
ceisary dosustk duties; Ind before they can acquire
any fixed moral habits or k nowledge that may render
them useful, or not injurious, members of the cool.
minify. And 2tily, The employment of adolos,
both male sod female, in sitcations unfavourable
to health for an escessivo and unreasonable nem.
her of hours per day. The Bill before the
!louse of Commons is intended In apply to the
former evil only, sad to remedy which it is sure-
ly eery inadequate. It permits children to be em-
ployed at nine years of agorfor twelve hoormaard a halt
per day, allowing them au boor and a half daring this
period fee meals and for 'smite in the open air. &yeti-
ence proves that men may be habituated by early
practice to consider flip moat inhuman and bleharous
customs, not only with indifference, but as amuses
moots from which they derive elgeitite enjoyment.
Even the best natural dispositions may be trained
with ease to delight in cannibalism. It would be
clearly unjust, therefore, to blame manufacture es
for practices with which they have been familiar from
childhood; or to suppose that they have lets hero-
oily than any oilier class of man. 'Those prettier
however, to which they have been familiarised fecon
early life, are nevertheleva unjust in the eittemo to
their fellow.erestures, and peculiarly injurious to the
best interests of tte country. To detail ell their
monogamic's would exceed the limits of a letter;
end it it presented that a sketch of the outline of
them will be 'albeit's! at one* to disclose to your
Lordship the high ion; grimace of the %object, and to
establish iu dais to toe immediate attention of Go.
vertimeat.
To govern well and jrially, is to fond arrangements
by 'thick t Le greatest bent Ste that clteanotaneel admit

small pittance they asked, they could in fact only
gradually starve, amidst wretchedness of which the
wealthy no form no adequate conception. Under
these circumstances, the working man and his family
are now truly become, even in this country, pitiable
objects. Yet it is from this class the wealthy derive
all which they bold. The rich wallow in an excess
of lotteries injurious to themselves, sclely by the la-
boor of wan who are debarred from acquiring for
their own use a sufficiency eves of the iodispensible
articles cf life,—mach less any of those numberless
comforts which they see evened them. And yet, if
their capabilities were permitted to be brought into
action, they could multiply these in such attendance
as world not only afford themselves a participation
in thaw, but would yield to the higher dames a still
larger ropertion of wealth than the latter can pos-
sibly obtain under existing circumstances. Such
being the facts, my Lord, which at any time I can
, prove to the satisfaction of every intelligent reflecting
mind, sorely the working man and his family have a
fair and jest claim for some aid and protection from
the Legislature of their country. In a majority of cases
he is now, oh equired,ccriepelled by dire notes.
j city to labour 14, 10, or even iS -Moen per day in
employments from which oftenevery ides of comfort
I must be banished, whit* are frequently very en-
healthy, and sometimes revolting to human nature ;
bet. my Lord, his and his &tighten, and even his
children. male and female, of a tender age, a'. how
subjected to the same necessity : they most all thus
labour, when they tan parrere work even of this
a retched description, to support a bare atistenee.—
To effect more than this many of than never hope,
Ant live in palatial fear, should sickness overtake
them, that they must sooner or later be compelled
to accept even this, in the degrading capacity of
pariah peepers.
Yes will, I am sere, my Ler.% readily grant that
this state of things cannot last ; that its conti
will annihilate every proper feeling between the go-
verned and their rulers; and that confusion and
misery seat go on increasing. If you ask me tfhere
is the remedy ? or ay, es modern politicians are
apt to do, that the evil in lime will core itself, I
contend that there are remedirs; and I deny that the
ail, if unchecked, will cure itself in any other way
than by perpetually increasing the necessity for the
adoption of those remedies. A truly enlightened
111111111111118 will avert, by wise ameliorating ODOOSOM,
those increasing evils, which, if permitted to pro.
eyed unremeglied, will inevitably derange the social
system which it is his duty to direct and cat-
trail. Past history exhibits no combination of cir-
cemstheees which bears any analogy to the present
crisis: the time existed when knowledge and
misery were so closely and extensively united. That
such an union can be of lung duration is impossible;
one or other must prevail ; end no mind competent
to look into futurity can be at any loss to conjecture
which must yield to the other. The only safe course
which Governments can now pursue it, not to op.
pose, bet to lead sod direct, knowledge. Those
Governments which will net or cannot act thus will
have increasing difficulties to encounter, which no
attificial power, opposed to the permanent welt•be-
ing of the People whom they g , tin long with.
I stand. I tryst, my Lord, the British Government
is not destined to he one of these. I feel confident
that there is too touch good intention and intelligence
Atm amongst us to permit Ibis *ell to be ingicted
on a nation en wane' to artifice its temporary late.
rests to the security of its future liberty and happi-
ness. It is these considerations which induce me to
Wog before your Lordship those natural remedial for
.silting evils which can be alentreffecteal. Security
can weir be found only in that system of policy which
regards the proper training, edoestion, end edam-
apses employment of the working classes, as the
primary objects of Governcaso. Every other reme•
dy which may be attempted will prove a mere plllin
tie., anti now a very short-lived palliative. But,
my Lord, how utterly vain most it be to attempt
these objects while in large a part of the population
as I have described—while not adults onls of either
sea, but even children of a tender age, art co:y.ll,d
In lobe& in unhealthy occupations for 14 r.r 15 h ur.
, p..r day I Such s practice has arisen from the blihil
efforts of ignorance, that, in its earns's• to caper
kook's/ate wealth, destroys the only autos ma., of
securing its permanence and its benefits. The 01..
posers of the ameliorations proposed would then h
themselves great gainers by tt.eir aflopti..o. Lot tie
. subject be viewed fairly, even as ann• of roe,. cain or
pecuniary profit only, and it would be racy to pt or •
Ito the ontiaection of •arry one IS he ha, not it. P.
stained to become a mere inasufacturer, or whose
mind hes not been too deeply imbued with ft.:- ire.
jailor, of trade, that all parries inteire.t.-d most ir•-
cesmrity be gainers 1811110, I he 111(alitiatIll which copy
wow to be adopted,—that is, that more wealth than
be crested foe all, at a less cost tad wi:h more cern-

tnxp7/1•

fort lo vech. Bel 1_ need est *very yew ler.!..

ihip'r time +ilk the &Nails of ma tresinonti. n..warr

only to these whose ideas have been confines! •ithii
the 'limits of • ce•Min chit, sod who ere eensepnent.
ly Incompetent le any process of manning in nyhteit
it is neees•sry to slew s•ui►iy as a whole, end ant in
little delimited mod Sefton Seel ed p,.:ion•.
Tee govelion le now before the Lesletil ore and the
coentry, where I have long swished rn .ee It. hit Its
priar•iples relight be fairly and f. 'y diserossetl hr
ti•atessa►a who hive no interest, pilau.; real or ima-
ginary, In the pxes►nt firair.r.ion of iao hest•b.
Isilo. end beppsnets rf their fellow.e,oetivoil—ssh,..
only emigres@ afterwards is pirl.ts relief I regrets

he•.np►, to we that 116,

.
In. Rat before ono tantalite 1n it. ortt•on' rniatt arts
unadolusto to reinotly tb of"t ono *vitt. ow(
tilkielt Ism ago slight to '11•0 M• 11 •.11.11Pietw!. It.
etiarlmomis kink DO intoodod a...-linritinn• to e ,ttnn!

mint 'slily* and permit childros it nine 'IOU 4 rola
to M employed in Owe Irons that print, t.l It; Fiore
of .Re, it hoots anti a half p►t tiny, aliening only

0119 hour anti a half for meal,' and •jerri..• in ihr

open sir. I hew.. vie &obi Oh► Nen..arable g.tnh.r

with whom this Bill originated. and •rho has cl..votetit
so much time to the sol.ject, Is aware that these en.
segments we very inadequate to men the raiding
evils. Ile was probahl♦ afraid to ask more. test he
should increase the opposition of thew. who think
themselves interested in linnet eating an optitrainn •n
their fellew•erestsres, worse than any elvers of the
same attest with which the human nee has Seen hi-
therto afflicted. We are unacquainted with any
floe, incest or 'seders. that has entered Ito hon.
d►eds of thousands of children, of seven to twelve
years of age, to work incessantly for 15 howl per
day in an over•heated unhealthy atmosphere, allow.
lag them only 40 minutes net of that floe for dinner
end change of sir, which they breathe often in damp
cellars or in garrets, in confined narrow streets se
dirty lanes. And this system of oppres.ion will
be sanctioned by the British Legislature if the Bail
proposed shall be allowed to pass in its pres•st
stale; for it is in evidence taken heron. d Commit.
tee of the Ilneve of Commons appointed to In-
vestigate the subject, that such prartices prevail
in other manufactories as onliesle.y as the cotton.
It moot for a moment he supposed that Ole Logic.
eaters will now compromise its distorter by giving its
countenance to such abuses. Far better otn„id it be
that the evil shield remelt In its (WI est.nt, these
that t►e poor *offeror shamed he 'stocked lay mkt.
meets which merely hold eel a 'mete paler% relief to
those employed In one branch of nor neanufact ~,,,
while thnesands wed hundreds of thousands in other
situations are left to esperience all the oppression and
slavery of whirls I now rompliin.
My Lind. I do hope that this important tubjecll
will be taken spend defended by the Minions of the
Crown on its broad end ire. principles ; I toast they
will p►ovbt' the counter at large, that revolutinn ete
violent reformation is not neee•asry in compel theta
to protect the oppressed and the hooting ;end that :net
ere willing of themetstres to begin the u rk of graded.
reformation et that point from whk • alo^• any bend.
dal reformation can ever commence—tltal is, by
attending well in the proper training and edocatinn off
the riling gegerstios. Let this point he adopted
the polar star of the domestic policy of Great
and it may safely be predicted that her past 11-rting
prosperity sod success will become as shadows whom
contrasted with her future permanent anent and
glory. A fortunate opportunity at the proper me•
meet now presents itself to begin this admirable
work, and let us belie is will be seised with *edit,
by our most entghtenerlSiatesmen,whodiscardinit else
ignorant and d.g•sding feellags of party, will units
all their efforts in a nine in which all have a glees•
mon interest, and by the adoption of timely previa.
five measures, founded on principle% leading to union
and good-will among mankind, wilt overcome those
galls in thy weal system which new in every dlrostloit
threaten forcibly to dissolve all setting Givermenontei
and institutions. Bat, my Lord,—and I pot Mil
question to you as a practical itatesenn,—con the
habits of the rising venation by well and properly
formed while they continue to be iesmared almost
from infancy within our demoralising anti unhealthy
manufactories for 14 or 15 hours per day? Or ca.
.her, my Lord, could th greatest enemy to hansom
nature devise mere effeetell means by which to blight
every hope of improvement or happiness to men
Could such a being in the plotting& of his running
and hatred, so surely settle in any enter way a Oasts
mg MS! on human beings, or so certainly inflict
upon them form and degree of misery to whit*
h►ir nat,.•e is ti.ilite? r.•lesnee one seep, beyond
a mere pretence to SlMPlionif Ih• +retc'•d roitintriai
of the walking ekes,—the sole instruments by
which our necessaries, nor errnfnrts, end one (wearies
are p•ndaeed, they awl h. ve.,tee.•.l Irons :het up.
erasion to which they ate wive explorl, avid their
e.ildren m•.st tie plies(' nailer -irearitstaures in which
they may he train* I in h •tits useful to : einselees
..14 to sortely. If •r•e Bill now w.f.. e the 1..gi.15.
tiro secure nit 11.e.e ol,j.CtC, it 1610 not effe t E.ty
thing ilnit Ind toil much bcier be left smarm .
steal of ennfi t ,e t:•.j,trnsisiers of that Art to rattan.
outgo not►•• •hould even I to sit manefuetu►ut
white•., rot an in plicate holism. losteed
of children b•i• t admitted at nine seers or say its
work in Gore.•., mitt. It haws nett a bat/1w day,
with ..nly liner and a half f••r notlll.llsod ICH. •
tiwas
no child a! csaidi be admitted to work in any wanes•
f rite and out for Harnett
eery
hef.re ton
year. Ise weir. old
hal Pia hears per day omit he to Ill•
•r..ijos,
.11b"
Y""g " old
fur
chug time one 1,..er for
per day, stiowlng th^ra o• 1
leavinglo hours
breakfast and another for dinner,
•t,„ I no m•nuraetanr
peree,rend
fh•n
w...es
yet full and constant weal, wide) is one MOM then

rrrrrr events thought beneficial ; and I doubt whether
nine hoots of regular and active employment, este-
buished as the measure of daily labour to be required
!men the working classes, would not be still more
economical end profitable for the century.
I a• fully aware of the clamour which these pro.
positions will at first call forth from the blind avarice
of commeerr•. ; lot commerce, my Lord, trains her
children tut PPP only their immediate or apparent in.
tenet ; their ideas are too contracted to carry them
loppind the passing n►►k, m••eth, or year, at the
utmost. They have been taught, my Lord, to con-
sider it to be the 0114.114;0 of wisdom to 'spend mil.
lines of capital, end years of eatratudinary saentific
appliestion, es well as to sacrifice the Wraith. metals,
end commode of tie great mess of the subjects of a
mighty mph', that they may eselessly improve the
man efactute of, and increase the drue.and fair, pies,
needles, and threads;--that they may hare the sin.
gals, satisfaction, after immense care, labour, end
aII on their own parts, to destroy the real wealth
and streegth of their country by gradually und►rmin-
ing the metals and physical signer of its inhabitants,
tor ilia sole end of relieving ether tuitions of their dee
there of this enviable proven. if pin, needle, end
/breed melting. I treat, my Lord, it is not by such
*en Mat 01111 T greet national concerns are liencefer.
!reed to be directed. if their voice is to predominate
Is, aye crrenells, the vital Interests of the country
tweet soon be wetly walked to the grossest penul-
ts! errors. II is the creed of this class, that fro
.fart se 'wilco should he spared to Impress those
Wiles baubles. and losideli which whey perfected,
tee A no Intrinsic rules whatever, which cannot add
• peptide of strength or comfort to the empire;
while any attempts to ameliorate the condition of hu.
roan beluga ere decried es unnecessary and vislonery,
as travelling, out of tie prop►r business of life,
which to them Is solely sod etclosisely to accumulate
wealth—wealth, which is not only acquired at the
✓apenee of 'eery thing that is truly great or saleable
its the charlotte, of a nation, but which, when se.
quired, is .ulna, nay, in the highest degree juju-
sieve to the/evolves and utilities. It is, my Lard, to
soch kind of influence as I have now described that
the best interests et the country have been sactificed
for years ; and a the Government cannot proceed
without such aid, Ie• is not difficult to see to what it
will speedily lead.

Should it bo urged upon you, my Lord, that these
aid other ameliorating measeres will giro soeb a all.
gimbal to population, that the world will soon be
too small for its inhabitants, I cannot imagine that
year Lordship will corstemplate such an argoareol
pith any alarm. I intend to take an early alopecia.
oily of showing that this dread of as eases' of pops.
lotion has no better foundation Than nista fur the
Nursery tenors of ghosts and hobgoblins ; that at this
momeat the earth is a comparative desert ; that all
its present ishabitauts are suffering for the want of •
much mere 'Blooded population ; and that when Ihr
subject comes to be properly understood, no real
evil will ever be apprehended from ibis source.
Bing strongly impressed with this view of the
subject, I have felt it ',dirty impeoutire upon me thus
publicly to recommend to you Lordship. es Prime
Alieisler of the Comulty. to adept, by woes of the
13111 stow andm tiro eonsidttration of the Legislator',
a declared principle of gradually cod oretematically
raforesing the growing evils of the country by well
and properly forming the habits of Ike rising genera.
hilte. It is obtlionsly a memory preliminary to this
mock et reliprosii•o, that the manufactorer should
relinquish the premature end oppressive employment
of children. Tha.imporlsoce of tiro subject of this
latter feeders It eassesisary to apologia' for having
this oceopini Ito moth of your Lordship's lime. lis
•ssorod, that with every nopee feeling of respect for
the long sacrifice which you have made of your pri-
vate mrosionar in the discharge of public duties,
I gnosis my Lord,
Yoe/ Lordship'. moat obedient humble servant,
IlleMleelnh lOWA 10. 1118. . ROBERT OW I:Y.

• No real airral,lSrt Me brewed Iwo enabling our faski.ma•
h:e kohl,* I. aurvbase Me faro tool ramllas at swo-fuersit of
the former prices; but to promisee them at this price. loamy
rnois•arod, of our population have rsi.ted amidst diwthe sad
NiftldbedDrlo, and both nation prooassorely to the grave.