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NOTE I. 



THE WORKING MAN. 



TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES. 



SIR, A short time ago I gave you an illustration of the 

 liberty-loving tendencies of the Trades' Unions in the in- 

 stance of the Brickmakers' Union at Manchester, who, 

 fearing the competition of a machine brickmaking com- 

 pany then about to be established, determined, if possible, 

 to prevent its ever having existence. Their plan of opera- 

 tions was very simple, but most effective. 



The Committee of the Operative Brickmakers' Union 

 resolved that no bricks should be supplied to any con- 

 tractor or builder for any work he had in hand who 

 directly or indirectly rendered any aid to this brickmaking 

 company in the erection of their contemplated works. 



Under this embargo the most eminent firm of builders 

 was compelled to withdraw from a contract with the Brick 

 Company into which they had inadvertently entered, and 

 such was the influence of this mandate that the Company 

 could not in all this free trading city find a builder who 

 would undertake to help them in the establishment of 

 their works. I related how the Company were driven to 

 substitute a wooden house for a brick one, and to get the 

 timber and the erection framed in Liverpool ; how they 

 were compelled to have recourse to an iron funnel instead 

 of a brick chimney ; and how one builder more courageous 

 than the rest fell under the censure of the Union because 

 he procured for the Company the loan of a set of " shear 



