, 1874-06-28
GLADSTONE AS AN ARBITRATOR.


Tie Aston E1all tOilefy tlfuEk III consequence VI
| a notice OF reduction Of IS Per cent III thel1
| wages, and it appears from letter addressed bY
the Managing Director MIR. Hansou)to tho Right
| Hon. ". E. Gladstone, that not only had the
| wo1imen refused to accept compromise as to
| terms but they Ind refused 10 resume work on
| any terms unless four non-u union meu, who had
| been working during the strike, we're dismissed.
| Under these circumstances Mr. Hanson laid the
matter before Alr. Gladstone asking whether
men who would thus uuwarrautably interfere
with the liberty OF their fe|low-woskmen wei 9
such as ho would be disposed to continue in the
tenancy Of the cottages his estate. Alr. dlad-
| stone replied as follows:
HAwAnpAs CASTLE CHESTER. June 8: 1874.
MY FE1EHps: have received letter fron Mr.. Han
eon, Of the Aston Hall Colliery Company referring to
the questions pending between that Company and
the miners lately employed in the pitt and Askin my
intervention owner Of Of the dwellings which
| the miners inhablt.
DO not consider that have any title to interfere
landlord aud owner Ct the I at the solicitation
Of Que patty, III any question relating to wages.
But Mr.. Hanaon.s letter brings In another matter
having connection With wages. 1t III one connect
ed win the worknans liberty of act1ou und very
desirous to make known to you without dclay Lo ne-
CATION which has been laid before ne.
take the liberty Of asking you to meet at O'Clock
tomorrow, which, am told, would be convenient
hour for you, o. tie vesry-room, Ha~nEdei that We
uauy have free aud friendly communication to-
gether.
ncigai,or,cod in there should be occ1Aou to
quest bis presence renain, MY friends your faithfu1
servant, " Z. GLADSTONE.
To the miners being tenants Of mire.
In response to the Invitation. the vcstry-room
was crowded, aud Alr. Gladstone met the miuers,
accompanied by Mrs. Gladstone and the Rector.
Mr. Gladstone at once opened the proceedings
by au explanation OF the relation i'll which he
stood to them, and reading the letters given
above, the latter OF which he had requested his
agent, Mr.. ]. s. Vickers, to circulate. He then
proceeded to say: l should be worth very little
to you or anybody else il I were here for any
other purpose than tba1 Of speaking tho truth
Painly and outright; and think it Is my duty
to believe everything Mr. Hanson tells me
and he is, believe, a very upright and honor
able man. But must confess l am 10th to be-
lleve that this demand llas been made +; hut if
understand tho 1acts, they nre these qnes~
ton arose between you and the Aston Hall Col
wages ou can 10 gss the "fs Settss sas if i
they are used well, none can have too
much ;apd if they are used i'll, none can have too
little. Hear, hear.l A question arose in regard
to the amount Of wages, and, as understand,
jority of the workmen, as they thought fit to ac-
cept the wages offered by the Company, or to
make some Germs with them, ind continue work
upon those terms. The majority, in the e1orciso
OF their undoubtea right don't care pin
whether the instructions came from the Central
Union or not If they choose to put confidence in
it-refused to work for 1ees than what they con-
sidered to be the valne OF their labor. But those
mon that thought otherwise, though there were
only four, had as good right TO form al opin-
ion as the majority had. And if we have come in
this country to day when the majority shall
endeavor to put down the minority, and re-
fuse freedom Of opinion to those who are
fewer in number, in my opinion the country
will be one Of which should say the sooner We
get out OF it the better. (Hear.] I am told these
four men committed no other offeusa than that
OF differing in opinion from the others. l can
understand their being sore and being annoyed
Il don't doubt that at all / am told they cnmd
mitted no other oiIense. except working upon
terms which you thought injurious to your posi-
ton, to certain limited extent of their holding.
Il different opinion to that which you hold. But.
as the allegation stands. these four men, for
that 1ense of having worked upon terms which
you think should not be accepted, are now IN the
predIcament OF having befriended their employ
ers, who are now told to dismiss them, Or the
general body OF miners will not 70 to work in the
pit. Well, am very 10th to Believe that tdemand
has been made upon these grounds, aud shau
be very glad in friendly manner. to have some
conversation, and would first ask il l correct
in my statement.
John Wilmington admitted that the right hon
o1able gentleman was right, that they could not
resume work till the four men were dismissed.
Mr. G1adBtone-That is a very SERIOUS matter.
These men have done nothing. What right have
you to ask that they shall demand certain wages?
I don't suppose you will deny them the right to
work for what they please. What is the uature
everybody else !: Liberty Of Judgment aud Of
action, and that is tho foundation Of your right.
It is not because you arc greater number, and
that others are smaller number; but because
you have title to liberty, and that liberty which
The people Of this country won for themselves,
and have enjoyed for many generations ia the
liberty Of the few as we'll rs tho liberty OF the |
many; and il one workman chooses to wotk for |
nothing III the face of 900 other men, he has as
good right to do 30, as the 1000 have
r1.n+ ,uy;H ~1r f-, j