358 



motion. In Scotland, above all other places, the proceedings of this 

 Union have been marked by atrocious violence, and it is not a little 

 curious that men who do not hesitate to bind themselves to murder 

 and the destruction of property, and have acted with a ferocity pro- 

 portioned to their promise, can, from reverence to the day, refuse to 

 discuss measures, which, according to their manifestoes, are their 

 only safeguards from " poverty, degradation, and crime." We re- 

 member hearing an anecdote of three Italian ruffians, having their 

 daggers raised to the throats of their victims, falling upon their knees 

 on hearing the sound of the vesper-bell. Truly, these vagabonds had 

 a touch of Scotch morality ! 



In conclusion, we would entreat the ringleaders of these misguided 

 men to pause, ere, by proceeding too far in their unjust career, they 

 plunge their thousands of blind unthinking followers indeed into a 

 situation of " poverty, degradation, and crime ;" for on the leaders 

 of these Unions will eventually fall the disgrace and ignominy due to 

 their acts. For the ignorant we cannot but feel compassion, and 

 would treat their prejudices and weaknesses with every consideration, 

 but we fear it is not with ignorance alone we have to deal. The off- 

 spring of ignorance conceit and presumption are conspicuous in 

 their councils, and these are more difficult to tolerate. But we would 

 at all times rather persuade than enforce; and we trust that, as educa- 

 tion gains ground, men will be brought to see that the interest of 

 one class is inseparably connected with another that the fluctuation 

 of trade alone will regulate the price of labour and that the situation 

 of the operative of this country is not influenced by the manufacturer, 

 but by the policy of the Government, which, be it wise or not, will 

 effectually prevent the labourer being richer than he is until the ma- 

 nufacturer can compete with the foreigner. This is not a favourite 

 doctrine with our government, owing to the vast aristocratic influ- 

 ence by which it is swayed ; but, did England see her true policy, 

 all taxes on food would be abolished all restraints on trade taken 

 off; then might this country, with her vast capital, her unrivalled 

 machinery, her coal and iron, her rail-roads, rivers, and canals, be- 

 come one huge workshop, and undersell the world. Then might 

 the labourer indeed command his comforts ; but while food is fet- 

 tered, trade restricted, our goods barely keeping pace with those of 

 foreigners, how can the workmen expect more than his share of pro- 

 fit ? If he obtain it, it will remain but a short time with him, be- 

 cause it will be taking unjustly from another class. But we hope 

 the workman will see his interest better that he will not attempt to 

 take by fraud what he cannot obtain by justice but wait, even with 

 slender means, until the legislature can devise some real and effectual 

 changes for his benefit. 



We will close this article with an extract, which will be curious 

 to many ; it contains an account of the inauguration of members to a 

 Union Lodge : 



" A short time back the magistrates at Exeter made a forcible entry 

 into an apartment in that city, where the rites of a Builders' Union were 

 proceeding, when men were discovered with their eyes bandaged, and also 

 a skeleton, sword, battle-axe, and all the other paraphernalia, exactly as 

 described in the following scene. A London journeyman, who entered a 



