The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1860-05-09
AnEils white Slavery Of Children
ih her BIeachIng Works

j. IN Enktanu Tue nrst Branu Scneme OF agita-
. ting American slavery had its exhistence, and
the sending over Of GxeAsE THoEPsoS, an EN-.
sary ofan anti-slsvery society, was the CON.
nencemeut ofthSt continuous agitation, which,
after the lapse OF years, has had the effect iu-
tended, jeopardising the safety of the Union
From England money has flowed into the Uni
ted States like water, to keep up the excite
snent and to embitter the feeling, and it has had
Use feet.
Granting that which we do not believe, that
they who thus extend their efforts to do away
with slavery in the United States are actuated
by sspirit Of philanthropy, after Teading what
follows, the question might well be asked why
charity should notbegin at home, and Englands
frst'care be for the white slaves OF her factories
snd bleaching works, where young children are
treated with brutality from which the heart
yrscoils with heprorS
We give below debate in the British House
OF Commons upon bill to prevent the employ
ment Of children under fourteen years ofa.e in
the bleaching and dyeing works, and to prohib-
ut their being worked over ten hours per day
Uhs debate shows that a system Of slavery ex-
hists in England quite as barberous as anything
yet discovered in this country by Mrs. STOWE
or her assistants
The question being on the second reading of
che Bleaching and Dyeing Bill, Mr.. TURNER
made long speech against it, in which he said
that believing the bill to be piece of med
ding and useless legislation, he should move, as
an amendment, that it be read second time
that day six months" an amendment, which, if
carried, would have been virtual defeat Of the
bill.
Mr.. RozpucK-I am about to speak on this
question under somewhat peculiar circumstan-
'css. Very early in my Parliamentary career
Lord Ashley, now the Earl OF Shaftesbury, in
trodueed bill Of this description. being an
ardent political economist as am now, opposed
she measure, and drew . distinction, which |
draw now, between woman and children and
men. Woman and children hold not to be
sai juris; they are not masters ef themselves,
but are under tho CONTROL Of ether people. /
would not interfere between men and those
with whom they make contracts for employ
Msnt, but would certainly interfere between
woman and children and their employers
However, opposed Lord Ashley at that time,
and was very much influenced in my opposition
by what the gentlemen Of Lancashire said
They declared then that it was the last half hoRr
Of the work performed by their operatives which
made all their profits, and that if we took that
last half hour we should rain the manufactu
rsrs of England. / listened to that statement,
and trembled for the manufacturers OF England
liment passed the bin which he brought in
From that time down to the present the facto-
ries efthis country have boen under State con-
troll, and appeal to this House whether the
manufacturers of England have suffered by this
legislation? (Cheers.) But the honorable mem
Der for Manchester still, find, makes the same
objection. He gets up and-prophecies all sorts
OF evil il we interfere now; but he has kept out
Of view the evils for the prevention of which
we are now about to interfere. (Hear, hear. j.
He has not told US what was laid before the
committee, and what Mr.. Tremenheere desert
bes in the course Of his investigation. Bat
will read some facts from Mr.. Tremenheer's re-
port and will then appeal to the House Of Com
mons, to the fathers and brothers of English
woman and children, If they will not interfere
to put down this tremendous evil. CLEAR. J.
Thare are some sentences in the book now IN
my haud which make my blood creep, and
AZ. LIo hos, aka and tails
that the Manchester manufacturers are likely
to suffer, say, let them suffer. (Hear, hear. }
I, at least will not be party to the perpetua-
ton af any such atrocities as | find recorded,
and lido hope that the gentlemen of England
will not be parties to them either. Clear hear.)
says the honorable member "the bleachers are
servants to tbs public; the demand for work
comes upon them at uncertain timet, and ther'
Is no analogy between the case Of factories ant
and Of bleaching and dyeing works" Now,
don't care straw whether there is any analogy
ID this respect, but am sure there is analogy
in the suffering, Cheers and. ifso, the inter
ference OF the House is as unnecessary now al
it was than, whether the bleachers are servent
Of the public or their own masters. They in
fict misery upon the people they employ
(Hear) That is the question; and having pre-
yenetd this misery in the one case let us inter
fere to prevent it in the other. (Hecr) vii
now quote few passages from Mr.. Tremherei
report. Here is the statement of John Hamer
hnisher:--
~ have been fourteen years in the bleaching
trade. was employed at Messrs. Hollins a
Toola.bridce. Bolton. = One morning we wen
to work five O'Clock and worked till SIX O'CLOCK
the morning after (twenty five honrs) All tn
sets were the same hours (the young with TN
adults.) have been 30 tired thougl
lam strong and healthy man. that have Of
ten to sit at my bedside when | get up oil
morning, and my fingers are SO stiff and sor
that cannot dress my self II feel thus u
red, what must the yonng girls and boys ieelF
Hear. hcar.) Let the honorable gentlemen
remember that this is an inquiry made only
year and half ago. (Hear, hearD) Here
the statement of Elizabeth Hilton, fiitcen, AM
Sarah Higston, sixteen:-
We came to work last Friday morning q
hsffpas six lat Mr.. Ridgeway Bridson's bleach h
works: Bolton.) We worked all Friday nigh
ill half past five on Saturday morning (twent.
three hsurs.l We did not sleep at any tim
aurning the night, except on Saturday mornirn
az halEpast five we laid down to sleep on TN
hooking bog. and slept tilta little after seyel
(fess than two hours, sleep,and with the clothe
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