352 THE OPERATIVES' 1 PARLIAMENT. 



the masters have yielded to their demands, rather than risk a stag- 

 nation of trade ; but the expense of keeping up the price of labour, 

 in defiance of the profit of the manufacturer, is more than the gain is 

 equal to ; besides an immense degree of misery to the various classes 

 under their control, and injury to the public and the revenue, by de- 

 teriorated goods and stagnation of trade. 



Another very powerful and extensive Union has been formed in 

 the north by the Builders, who have made themselves conspicuous by 

 their parliament at Manchester, and their dictatorial proceeding at 

 Liverpool. In the spring of last year they commenced business, by 

 issuing orders to the master-builders of the town and neighbourhood, 

 that from that time they should, on no pretence, take any jobs by con- 

 tract, under pain of the displeasure of the Union. The following 

 letter was sent to Mr. Holmes, of Liverpool, by the committee : 



Liverpool, llth April, 1833. 



t( Sir, In consequence of an information received by our Society, that 

 your job in Canning-street is a contract job, we felt ourselves in duty 

 bound to furnish your men at that job with a notice to that effect, and in 

 consequence of such contract to leave that building directly. You will 

 please to understand that previous to their return we require to see your 

 contract in our club-room, to be examined by our Committee appointed 

 for that purpose. When we receive this information we will be happy 

 to be, Sir, 



" Your most obedient humble Servant, 



" The Operative Society of Bricklayers, 



" CORRESPONDING SECRETARY." 



Thus, by interfering with the private arrangements of trade, a man 

 was no longer master of his own business. 



The committee then, in their wisdom, issued a series of resolutions, 

 making it imperative on the masters to obey them. " The masters, 

 who presume to disobey these laws," commences this precious docu- 

 ment, (C which, like those of the Medes and Persians, are unalter- 

 able (!)," were obliged to pay a fine imposed, or were left without a 

 single workman. Messrs. Patterson, masons, at Manchester, were 

 ordered to pay four shillings a week to each of their workmen 

 who had struck, by order of the Union. Many instances of similar 

 absurdity were committed by these individuals in their fancied 

 strength. One of their manifestoes runs thus : " We consider that 

 you have not treated our rules with that deference you ought to have 

 done ; we consider you highly culpable, and deserve to be highly 

 chastised !" For upwards of six months the vast building operations 

 of Liverpool were checked by the machinations of these petty tyrants. 

 The consumption of bricks, which had averaged a million weekly, 

 were reduced to twenty thousand ! and a master builder stated that 

 he had paid 11,000/. less in timber duties, and 800Z. less on bricks, 

 than in the preceding year thus exemplifying the characteristic of 

 the Unionist that of extreme selfishness, and total disregard of the 

 interests of other trades. And the little excuse for this conduct on the 

 part of the workmen appears from the fact, that no attempt had been 

 made by the masters to reduce wages, nor had any interference been 

 contemplated with the privileges and practices of those in the employ. 

 The wages of a journeyman in the trade had never been less than 



