Forest of Rossendale. 319 



Rossendale, and places adjacent, held at the house of Mr. George 

 Ormerod, the Black Dog Inn, Newchurch, on Thursday, the 7th 

 November, 1822, the following Resolutions were adopted : — 



"Resolved — That it appears to this meeting that the invention of 

 Power-Looms for weaving by the aid of steam or water, is 

 calculated to transfer manual labour from the cottages of the poor, 

 and to leave them destitute of employment, by substituting the use 

 of machinery ; as unnecessary as it is uncalled for. 



" Resolved— T\i'sX this meeting cannot but deplore the evil conse- 

 quences that must result to a very numerous and industrious 

 population, throughout the manufacturing districts, if some method 

 be not speedily adopted to restrict the use of such machinery. 



" Resolved — That as well-wishers to society, and to the general 

 prosperity of trade and manufactures, we cannot contemplate the 

 increase of unnecessary machinery (which is calculated to rob the 

 poor of their domestic employment, and thereby endanger the 

 peace of the country) without painful apprehensions ; and whilst 

 we admit the benefits of machinery to a certain degree, we are 

 aware that it may be multiplied to a most ruinous and mischievous 

 extent. 



"Resolved — That this meeting strongly recommends some 

 legislative enactment for the protection of manual labour ; and is 

 of opinion, that an assessment upon Power-Looms for the relief of 

 the poor, annually made in every parish where they are used, 

 would be the most fair and equitable ; such an assessment to be 

 laid by a majority of lay-payers in vestry assembled, estimated and 

 proportioned according to the extra profit derived from the use of 

 Power-Looms, over that of weaving by manual labour. 



" Resolved — That, for the purpose of carrying these resolutions 

 into effect, a committee be appointed of all the gentlemen present, 

 five of whom may be competent to act. 



"Resolved — That these resolutions be published in the Man- 

 chester Chronicle, the British Volunteer, the Leeds Intelligencer, 

 the Blackburn Mail, the London Courier, and the St. Jame^s 

 Chronicle." 



