Forest of Rossendale. 3 1 7 



The period under review was a sad one for the working classes. 

 A lengthened season of commercial distrust had succeeded the 

 previous years of prosperous, though speculative, and therefore, in 

 a measure, unsound trade. The general want of confidence had 

 caused a run on the Banks, and in the provinces no fewer than 

 fifty-eight had succumbed to the pressure of the times. Each day 

 brought news of the failure of large mercantile and manufacturing 

 firms of long standing. Low wages, diminished employment, and 

 in many districts entire cessation of labour, were the consequences 

 of the universal want of confidence which prevailed. 



But this was not all. Our Legislators, unwise in their day and 

 generation, by their restrictive imposts on food and merchandise, 

 contributed more than all the other causes put together to cripple 

 commerce and manufactures, and to bring about the all but 

 universal national distress, most severely felt in the manufacturing 

 districts, and the consequent disaffected condition of the Lan- 

 cashire operatives. With Legislators ignorant, as a body, of the 

 fti-st principles of Political Economy, how could it reasonably be 

 expected that the untutored worker should be alive to the evils 

 which pressed like a hideous nightmare upon the industry of the 

 country ! If men professedly born to hold the reins of Government, 

 and shape the destinies of the state, could be found sixteen years 

 later (in 1842) to condemn the increase of machinery, (/') is it 

 matter for surprise that the operatives of 1S26 should have 

 entertained mistaken views on the self-same question ? 



AGAINST THE HUNDRED OF LEYLAND. 



No. of Looms. {, s. d. 

 Mr. Sudell, Chorley, .. .. .. lOO £^,^,2 o o 



The total sum recovered is ;£i6,534 173. 5d , and the costs of the several 

 actions will amount to about ;^3ooo in addition. In the two actions yet to be 

 tried, the damages are estimated at ;£'253 os. 6d.— the .total cost to the 

 County amounting to nearly ;^2o,ooo. 



(i) A distinguished member of the Government in 1S42 informed a deputa- 

 tion that waited on him from the manufacturing districts, that the whole of 

 the distress arose from the increase of machinery. 



