32 2 History of the 



they who from motives of benevolence endeavour to promote their 

 domestic employment, and consequently their moral happiness and 

 comfort. Notwithstanding the many self-interested individuals 

 who advocate the use of power-looms, (and I am well aware that 

 wherever self-interest and undue prejudice prevail, all just 

 reasoning loses its effect,) the time may not be far distant when the 

 subject must be brought to a fair trial. The argument resolves 

 itself into a narrow compass. Power-looms will produce cheaper 

 goods than hand labour ; if so, those who employ them have a 

 decided advantage over those who do not ; therefore, they must 

 either become general, or a tax must be imposed upon them to 

 make the wages equal to that of hand labour. If power-looms be 

 generally introduced, what is the substitute for hand labour, to 

 support the great number of people who will thereby be deprived 

 of employment ? These questions must be answered unequivo- 

 cally, and until they be so practically, the peace of the country may 

 be endangered, and a lawless rabble will make it a pretext for 

 committing" all the mischief in their power." 



Further on the writer says : — "After all that has been, or can be 

 said upon the subject, speculative individuals will pursue their own 

 interest : but that ought not to be suffered without restrictions, 

 where, as in this case, the daily bread of millions is at stake. It is 

 impossible to view the subject disinterestedly, without the most 

 painful apprehensions, whether as it involves domestic employment, 

 the peace of families, the removal of our manufactures, or the 

 depopulation of the country. All these, and many more calamities 

 that might be mentioned, are connected with it." And by way of 

 climax he adds, — " The employment of the labouring poor ought 

 to be one of the first objects, either in a political or moral point of 

 view — as it regards the prosperity of the country, or the welfare of 

 society. To useful mechanical improvements, having a tendency 

 to promote these ends, no well-wisher to society can have any 

 possible objection ; and those persons who encourage speculative 

 gain that will deprive the poor of their bread, let them answer for it. 

 Those mechanical inventions which are calculated to take from the 



