The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-04-12

WHITE SLAVERY m ENGLAND.
Barbaroas Treatment Of Children in the
English Factories,

We rive below debate W the British House Oi Som
mons upon bill to prevent the employment OF children
u.der fourteen years Of age in the bleaching snd dyeing
works and 70 prohibit their being worked over ten hours
Per dsy The debate shows that system OF slavery e1
N England quite as barbsrous anything yet discovered
~ the country bv Mrs Stowe or her asssaue We CON-
end The debate without further renaksto the Attention
Of the white slaves OF New England
Mr. OsooK moved the second readiDgof the Blesch'ng
ma Dyefng Works bill
uropssed introduce measure materially interfering
with the operations OF important branch OF industry
and sought to NEEDLE with the relations between
nssters and operatives IN any particular trade, was
eoCnd 70 show rear case for the necessity Of egsa
present instance He commended thar the
which caufed the committee In 1855 TO report against egs
snen had - IN ~, any . way Snansea the ,, change s
SexpedNnt now that any legislation should take
place. The bill proposed 70 place bleaching and dyeng
works under the operation OF the Factories act but he
maintained that there analogy between the opera
lions carried in these works and the operations carried
q iacsores Tne owners Of factories had very great
advantage not the OF bleaching works
n the circumstance that they worked with their
perry whereas, the beacher dyer did work with
W, and employed himself such work Is was committed
- his charge. The factory could 90 the
and work every Of the time allowed by law but
Ma beacher dyer depended for the supply Of his
aaer on nucnstng such as orders from
se1ended on seasons and proper supply OF water Con-
sequeptly, the work was slack occasionally and
q times, when vessels sailed for distant markets,
there was push Of work. (rhe honorable
member here quoted evidence given TO this effect
before the committee OF 1851 He would mention
smother showing that the Of Acto
Iies the of bleaching and dyeug works
very differently situated. In cotton mills machinery
could any moment be stopped and operations resumed
next day the very point at which the work stopped
Saa be b
which depended on certain amount Of time being oocu
pied in them. If the honorable member for Bolton
Ma
seriously the operations OF important trade without
sOmpisbing his object. Women aud children with few
exceptions not employed in bleaching and dyeing
but TO limited extent only in the operations Of finishing
nakg Up and sorting the goods after the bleaching and
dyeng were completed. The honorable member in con-
etency ought 10 extend the operation Of his bill to caen
derpg and packing establishments, and must not stop
even there but 60 until he included within the measure
hundresses and washerwomen. (rhe honorable gentle
man sgain quoted evidence in corroboration
Of His statenens) The honorable member
nee did appear to be aware Of the notorious fact
that the leading beschers and dyers took especial
for the education OF their workpeope and accordingly the
preamble OF the present bill stated that legislation
necessary in order that the children might be educated
The report of the committee recommended that soms
anicable arrangement should be come to between
ters and workmen, In order as far possible 70
leseen the hours of work He had inquiries with
respect rearly all the large bleaching establishments in
lancashire and one owner with whom he communicated
stated that he employed l27 persons but only under
Of age that the earnings Of the men we're 4s 3D.
the year 1859 the average daily duration of employment
was less than eight hours ana half Messrs Brdeson,
Of Bolton stated that they had made all practicable
tons IN conformity with the repor. OF the committee
Nessrs Rdgway's establishment the hours during 1859
had not exceeded 10Y Messrs. Sykes Co. Of Stock.
port, employed 12l persons bleaching Hnishing and
making mp, OF whom 81 men, whose hours ia 1859
sversged nine AZ whose average was the same and
50 women and girls, who worked the average eight
hours day The honorable gentleman quoted other H.
stances to the effect the longest days work which
three, four, and i've hours If honorable member
making his hay he would occasions ally want his
lands to work rather longer than usual and
Ne bleaching trade. (Hear, hear) In the immediate
neighborhood OF bleaching works cotton mills existed
where the hours Of work we're limited to 1oX per
day; but, while the factory operatives were DESTROYS
OF exchanging their employment for the clean and
pleasant labor Of bleaching, there not eogle
wished into factories Surely the operatives
must be the best judges Of their comfort and advan
q those employed in bleaching. Now, he had obtained
hom the Halhwell Church Sunday School Sick Fund So
cty rstuIn, which showed that they had in the school
girls and the number Of these who had become chagea
bic to the sick fund during 1859 only five, rather
employed cotton mills who we're also upon the school
@ comprising az boys and 163 girls there had been 50
Ack during the year. twenty per cent (Hear,
hear) From personal experience he could say that he
never saw more healthy and thriving set OF operatives
Than those in the bleaching works OF lancashire. The
strong and athletic, the boys hardy, and the
women generally robust and healthy. looking very die
rent from the wan seasresses and ilners assistants
q London respecting whom appeal had been made to
Parliament to limit their hours Of labor improve their
condition (Hear hear Believing the bill to be piece
an amendment that be read a second time that day six
months (Hear, hear.)
Mr. RonsucK-I am about to speak on this question
under somewhat peculiar circumstances. Very early In
NY Parliamentary Lord Ashley, now the Earl OF
shaftesbury, introduced bill of this description being
ardent political economist, as now, opposed the
measure, and drew distinction, which draw now, be-
tween women and children and men, Women aud chill
aren hold not TO be sui juris they not OF
aAemseves but under control of other people.
would not interfere between and those with whom
hey make contracts for employ but would certain
pSoyers. However, opposed Lord Ashley at that time,
and was very much inf lenced in opposition by what
he gentleman Of lancashire said. They declared then
that the last half hour Of the work performed by
their operatives which made all their profits, and that
took away that last half hour should ruin tho
manufacturers of England. listened TO that statement
md trembled for the manufacturers Of England-(a
n.shIout LORD Ashley persevered Parliament passed
The present the factories Of this country nave been under
Hase control and appeal to this House whether the
nuAcurers Of England have suffered by this legislation
SCheers) But the honorable member for Manchester
still, fnd makes the objection He gets up and
has kept of view the evils for the prevention OF which
We now about to interfere. (Hear hear.) He has
not told US what was laid before the committee and what
ton But viii read some facts from Mr. Tremenheere's
xepor and will then appeal to the House OF Commons to
the fathers and brothers Of English and children
they will NOT interfere 70 put down this tremendous
evil. (Hear) There sentences in the book
ssse1 ssSa s s sp "s sna III .s ND s e. s
AoscMaT manufacturers are likely TO suffer,
wiii not be party to the perpetua.ion * any such
atrocities a. find recorded, and do hope that the gen
0emen Of England will not be parties 10 them either
(Hear, hear.) Says the honorable member, "the
bleschers servants 10 the public the demand for
work comes upon them at uncertain times, and there
70 analogy between the Of factories and Of bleaching
end dyeing works" Now, don't care straw whether
not there any analogy in this respect bat Am
sns0sy II. ,ns ou.s
them whether the beachors servants OF the pub
nc or their own masters They infct misery upon the
people they employ (Hsar) That 10 the question: aud
having prevented this misery in the let inter
Iere prevent In the other Hear) Twin now quote
few passages from Mr. Tremenheere's report Here 10
ehe statement OF John Hsmer, Ansher-
have been fourteen Year, The bleaching trade.
employed at Messrt Hollus foole bridge, Bolton.
sevniy sent co.k at FIRE ocok ard oori tn .ir ss
aae hours e young ne adahs) Iare tired
aAoqh song and healthy aan, Ga. Thaoe
~ bed side hen get Of morning. and my fingers