New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-04-23
Bri,i.h Political Movements.

British Political Movements.
To the mere political Spectator, the most I'M
portant item of the news received from England
Yesterday is the new expedicnt Of the founderlng
Minister to relieve the grooming Treasury from
an amour, equivalent to fifty or sixty millions OF
principal, by reduction Of the Three and Hall
Per Cents, first for ten years, to three and quar-
ter, and then to THREE per cent. The capital
upon which the proposed reduction Is TO be made
is two hundred and fifty millions of pounds ster-
ling and the saving TO the national income, IN
the item of interest on the National Debt, will be
II $50 900 per annum. An intermediate Stock
IS to be created bearing per cent. interest for
ten years, but after that 3 per cent. only This
is a movement of some Importance to all persons
interested in the British Funds; and, although
it is generally considered that it requires the con-.
sent of both creditor and debtor TO change the
terms and conditions of contract, yet our Eng
lish papers say that this plan appears 10 meet
with almost universal favor. If Pennsylvania or
Mississippi were to do such thing, we suppose
the Rev. Sydney Smith would have fit OF
Mysteries on the occasion.
A discussion had been held in the House of
Commons on Lord Ashlcy's amendment on Sir
James Graham's Factory Bill, for limiting the
hours of labor 10 ten instead Of twelve hours per
day-a proposition (says the European Tines
of such magnitude, that if carried, it would re-
strict, it is asserted, manufacturing products one
sirh, involve loss of little less than twenty
millions sterling annually, and reduce the
wages of the operatives in the same proper
ton. Yet this amendment, in a full house, and
against the most powerful Minister of mod
ern times, was carried by majority OF eigdf-
In subsequent debate, owing to the strange
amagamation Of parties, Lord Ashley and the
ministry were both defeated The Government
proposed TO ill the blank in the bill with the word
''twelve;" on this proposition they were beaten
by majority of three; the Committee again d.
vlded on the motion for filling the blank with the
word tcn," when Lord Ashley was left in 4 mi
noritv of xeUen Hardly any debate or division
in the parliamentary history of the country has
shown such an utter rending asunder of the orcl-
nary ties of party.
After some deep consideration, Sir James Ora
ham, as tho mouth piece ofthc ministry, announc
ed the withdrawal of the bill, with view of
introducing those parts TO which the House had
agreed that the passing of ten
hours bill would be followed by the resignation
of the Government. In the course of his speech,
borrowing the phrase from the Examiner, nc de-
nounced the Jack Cade' legislation of the hn-
manity philosophcrs-a term which gave great Of
fence to the dssentients, and for which the Home
Secretary was, on the instant, and has since, been
bitterly assallcd. Lord Ashley expressed his de-
termination to stick TO his coors, but two nights
after, he wavered, and, from fear of damaging
the Government, consented to give up the notion
of forcing his pet project through the House.
The subject was again before the House on FIJI
dav, when leave was given 10 introduce new
bill, which Sir James Graham explained TO be the
same in substance as the one Withdrawn, except
that the clause for fixing the time of work torwo
men and young persons was omitted. The qucs
ton is TO be taken after Easter
Thus ends for the present the consideration
of one of the most striking attempts al interior
cnce with the industrial and social condition Of
the factory population, involving the considcra
ton of wages, profits, and the employment of
capital-suhects hitherto considered beyond the
reach of legislative reStricton--which has ever
come before the Imperial Parliament. The de-
bates have evolved some remarkable speeches and
some startling doctrincs-the non-intcrventionsts
con,cnding that the restriction OF labor to be just
ought 10 be impartial, and be made to extend to
all classes of operatives-domestc servants,
dress.makcrs, hand.loom weavers, who toll at
hoMe: and all trades, such glass blowers, brass
founders, the Birmingham and Sheffield opera
lives. who mostly inhalc tainted atmosphere,
and arc subject 10 pulmonary consumption and
other fatal diseases in plying their craft; nay,
that If the state is to be the arhtor OF the domes-
tic relations it ought in justice 10 protect all class
cs from doing themselves harm, and prevent the
upper classes from killing themselves by their en-
ccsscs in the pursuit of pleasure or OF prohigacy.
On the other hand, the condition of the labor
ing population in the manufacturing districts, it
is maintained, is abhorrent 10 the laws OF nature
that the high temperature, the excessive fatigue,
and the nature of the work in the mills, cngcn6er
disease and destroy lie; and that the State is
bound to iNterfere on behalf of the moral and
physical welfare Of its subjects. incidentally,
the subject of free trade and extended employ
ment, the repeal of the Corn laws, the state of the
rural as compared with the town population, have
been pressed into the discussion, and the moral
which the whole points IS very unhattering as to
the condition, mental and physical, of the g tur-
dy artisan" and the =" bold peasantry who con-
sti,u,e the sinews OF England's greatness.