Forest of Rossendale. 321 



it not more reasonable to believe that the inventive genius of 

 Britain would have sought scope for its development in situations 

 more favourable to its growth ? The cost of production would 

 necessarily have been such as to debar our goods from every 

 foreign market. And what then about robbing the poor of their 

 domestic employment, thereby endangering the peace of the 

 country ? The whole thing is so preposterous that it would be a 

 waste of words to discuss the propositions, were it not that by scru- 

 tinising the errors of our forefathers, we may gather some lessons 

 of wisdom that will prevent our falling into the same quagmire of 

 folly, and lead us rather to pursue that more enlightened and 

 liberal policy which has contributed so largely to the advancement 

 and prosperity of our country. 



In 1820-1 Power-Looms began to be introduced into the district, 

 and in the following year the meeting referred to was held to pro- 

 test against their use, as being calculated to injure, and eventually 

 to destroy, the system of domestic employment. The writer of a 

 Pamphlet, dated 1823, reviewing an article which had appeared in 

 the Manchester Guardian criticising and ridiculing the views of 

 the manufacturers expressed at the meeting in question, strongly 

 reprobates the conduct of those who, in the pamphleteer's opinion, 

 were unpatriotic enough to countenance the use of the Power- 

 Loom. His remarks, perused by the light of the' present 

 unexampled extension of the cotton trade, and the vast sums of 

 money, in the shape of wages, which it distributes amongst the 

 operatives, are amusing enough. In one place the writer, who 

 styles himself "A Friend to the Poor," remarks : — " It is impossible, 

 humanly speaking, to find any adequate employment proportionate 

 to the hand-loom. Whether machinery can be multiplied to an 

 extent beyond its demand, will be proved if power-looms become 

 general, and the experiment may perhaps be made when it is too 

 late to recall it." And again— " It remains, therefore, to be 

 proved who are the best benefactors to their country — they who, 

 from motives of avarice and self-interest, encourage the use of 

 power-looms, regardless whether the poor be employed or not ; or 



