The Statesman.
London, England, 1814-02-21 00:00:00

CHAMBER OF MANUFACTURES
AND COMMERCE.

Ent,
19th Jae. 1814.
IT haring been represented to this Chamber, that
IL preparations are making fur introducing into the House of
Commons two Bills of as opposite tesidenq ; the one in con-
formity with a Pelham presented to the Home, by the Right
Honourable George Ruse, ors the 28th day of April last, for
the purpose of regulating, extending, and rendering more 01'i-c-
-leat the Act of sth Eliz. cap. iv. sec. 31, entitled " An Act
contaising divers orders to secure the rights of Artificers, Ap-
prentices," &e. and another, under the sanction of Mr. Srjeant
(Wow, for the purpose of repealing so much of the raid Sta-
tute as inflicts penalties on persons working at or exercising
trades, to which they have nut served-a scree 'can' appren-
ticeship.
Resolved onanimmisly.
I. That, in the apiiiion of this Chamber, the operation of the
said Statute must he to promote and increase the inconvenieoces
it professes to remove. inasusuch as it enfeebles that spirit of
enualatiois which, whilst it is the only security to the public
for their being supplied with the best work, span the most fa-
vourable terms, ensures to the artificers that enemies of the
anatiet which the excellence and cheapness of a maaniattsre
sever MM to entuoseed. • - .. ..
I. That any extend's' of the said Statute, or even its coati-
astaace, if enfoeced, would not °sly be highly injurious to the
trade of the United Kingdom, hot particularly oppressive to
engaged itt manafaciursi, by depriving them of the li-
berty olf disposimg of their time, labour, and capital, in the
way melt likely to camber to their own dewlap.
3. That the institution of Apprenticeships is in its nature re-
ciprocally beneficial, and by so means a sacrifice no the part of
the Apprentice, which requires a legislative provision to secure
exclusive privileges either to the Master ur Journeyman, as the
skill find expertness acquired by seveai years' steady employ,
soda judicious and ingenious masters', will always secure a de-
. child preference with those who have employment to oar, or
Woe who wish to purchase the produced labour.
4. That the enforcement of the said Statute, by preventing a
workman from exercising aay other trade than the one which
be has firm acquired, would prove a restraint upon bis rightful
library and ingeouity, and would oftentimes, during the AMC-.
Mations of commerce, reduce him to beggary.
5. That If the Statute in question had been enforced, it would
bare • tal to a serious impediments to the establishment of
turns as are istoaded for the exclusive supply of
or occasional markets, inasmuch as individuals could
sit eudestly have been bound apprentices to such manufac-
-1 tures, nor could capital have been safely embarked thereto.
6, That the prosperity, extent, and excellence of the manu-
factures of this town, are to be ascribed principally to the laure-
-1 strained freedom of every artificer to exercise his talents in such
wanner as he thinks proper.
7. That owing to the varying taste of the public in regard to
, the demand for manufactured goods, and to the changes in the
foreign political relations of this country, to which it is at all
times exposed, the prosperity of most of the branches of trade
in this town is extremely fluctuating, sad consequently that the
most severe and extensive misery would, at times, prevail, if as
excessive number of workmen accustomed to exercise any one
trade, were restrained from relieving themselves by turning their
industry to some other more profitable employment.
8. That if the Statute in question had been enforced in regard
to the oumemus class of industrious artisans who have found
employment during the war in the manufacture of arms in this
I town and neighbourhood, it would have bees impossible to
have provided the stockof arms which the security of the State
has required ; and, when a peace shall have been concluded, the
workmen hitlirc engoged in this extensive manisfactare wonid,
two
m
on such a slattern' excluded fro all employment whatever.
9. That the pis is opinion of the impolicy of the said statute
has been long and clearly expressed, by au almost ealfords ob-
jection to enforce its provisions; that it was enacted when the
coerce
rof the country mei vary limited, and 'Derail
oci les imperfectly understood, and that it le on-
ti the increasing magnitude and importairceof the trade
Nil aeseufrctures of the United Kingdom.
10. That la the opinion olf.thls Chamber, the prosperity of the
Swim( Birmingham nod Rs neighbourhood, and the wettere
lad independence of its artisans, as well as the general pros-
perity of the maanfacteres and commerce of the British Em-
pire, render it important that measures he adopted for support.
We Bill intended to be introduced into the House of Com-
mby Mr. fierjeaut (holm t more especially as any exten-
sion of the Statute. in questioa wnnid he prodoctive of in
in distress throughout the numernes populatiou employed in
the various manufactures of (hit town and the Outstanding dis-
trict.
IL TERTIIIS DALTON, Chairman.