Mail 30,] 



THE NEWSPAPER. 



^ hc hai t^monicat. .inc. the l„t,*ht.. debate. He the system.-Mr. B f rna, recommended ILord Ashley n ot to take 



had no fresh arguments to adduce in favour of the proposition he 

 had submitted. The inevitable consequence of a 10 hours re- 

 striction would be a great reduction in wages; and so satisfied 

 -was he of that, and that disappointment of the most poignant 

 kind would ensue — disappointment leading to the most fatal 

 results— that there was no effort which he, for one, was not pre- 

 pared to make rather than incur the danger of such disappoint- 

 ment—Mr. Beckett stated that the deputation of which Sir J. 

 Graham spoke, had waited on him, and that they were in favour 

 of an eleven hours restriction.— Mr. Aldam confirmed Mr. 

 Beckett's statement, that the general opinion of the head manu- 

 facturers was in favour of eleven hours.— The committee divided 

 on the original motion of the Government to fill up the blank in 

 the clause with the words " twelve hours."— For the motion, 183 ; 

 against it, 186. Majority against Ministers, 3.— The committee 

 then divided on Lord Ashley's motion to fill up the blank with 

 the words "ten hours."— For the motion, lSlj against it, 188. 

 Majority against Lord Ashley, 7-— Sir J. Graham then stated 

 that he would take till Monday to consider the course 

 the Government would adopt under the circumstances.— Lord 

 Asnt-EV said, although defeated on that occasion, he would on 

 all legitimate occasions assert the principles he had advocated. 

 On that principle he would persevere to the last hour of his ex- 

 istence j and at no very di>tant period he confidently hoped, by 

 the aid of God's blessing, to see it triumph. 



Monday. — There was a crowded attendance of members to hear 

 the decision of the Government on the subject of the Factories 

 Bill.— Sir J. Graham prefaced his speech by an expression of 

 the profound respect which Government entertained for the 

 opinion of the House of Commons, when constitutionally de- 

 clared. But there was another duty paramount to even that of 

 yielding to the feelings of a majority— that of an Administration 

 refusing to adopt a policy which they really believed to be in- 

 jurious to the welfare of the State. The Government had ma- 

 turely, deliberately, and carefully considered the course to be 

 adopted; and it appeared to them that theie were three alterna- 

 tives consequent on their threefold defeat, twice on Monday last, 

 and once on Friday. The first course was a compromise, and as 

 the House had, on Friday night, rejected both a "ten" and a 

 €i twelve " hours limitation, the compromise would appear to be 

 the adoption of an "eleven " hours Bill. The second course 

 which might be taken, was simply to drop the Bill, and leave the 

 law as it now stood. The third course was the dropping of the 

 present Bill, and the introduction of a new one, embodying such 

 provisions as were likely to receive the sanction of the House. 

 With respect to the subject of a compromise, he entere;! into 

 considerable details. Compromises were frequently justifiable 

 and expedient ; but to render them so, it was necessary that they 

 should be advantageous in their nature, and effect a settlement 

 of the question in dispute. Now, Government did not think 

 that the adoption of M eleven n hours would be a safe or expe- 

 dient compromise. In the first place, it would be most injurious 

 to the master manufacturer— to the capitalist. A diminution 

 from twelve to eleven hours might appear, at first sight, to be of 

 very little consequence. But that limitation was a restriction of 

 the action of machinery, which both in woollen and in cotton, 

 but especially in the latter, would be productive of most se- 

 rious consequences. In the cotton districts, as he had been in- 

 formed, it was frequently necessary, in busy times, to work longer 

 in order to retrieve the losses of other periods. Now, the re- 

 striction to eleven hours would not only affect rates of profit, 

 but even the permanence of the employment of capital, and the 

 prosperity of the master manufacturers was bound up with that 

 of the state. But this diminution of one hour daily would also 

 seriously affect the workman. He affirmed, once more, that it 

 would cause a reduction of wages from fifteen to t\Venty-two 

 per cent.— a reduction which would lead to more dangerous 

 combinations amongst the workmen themselves. But, great as 

 the change would be, it could not be more so than the surprising 

 nature of some of the arguments by which it was supported. 

 He had heard it alleged, on Friday night, that there were moral 

 wages as well as money wages; that lower were better than 

 higher wages for the sake of the workmen themselves. But he 

 was sure that a forced legislative reduction in the only com- 

 modity which the workmen possessed would be attended with a 

 deterioration in their moral condition. They had, moreover, 

 been told that a new social condition required new principles of 

 legislation, and on this ground they were urged to a limitation 

 of the hours of labour. It would be far better, at once, not to 

 determine the maximum of labour, but the minimum of wages. 

 But the adoption of sach a course would be thecommencement of a 

 Jack Cads system of legislation. For while the adoption of the 

 11 hours would be dangerous to the State and detrimental to the 

 workman, it would not settle the ten hours agitation. The de- 

 legates of the operatives, assembled in Manchester so lately as 

 Sunday last, had resolved that they would never abandon their 

 exertions until they had succeeded in carrying a ten hours Bill. 

 Passing to the second course which was open to Government to 

 adopt, that of dropping the Bill, and leaving the law as it now 

 stood, he saw many objections to it. The principle of restrict- 

 ing the labour of young children to six hours and a half daily had 

 already been sanctioned ; and there were other provisions which 

 were likely to be approved of, the advantages of which he would 

 not like to lose. There was then the third course, that of aban- 

 doning the present Bill, and of bringing in another containing 

 such provisions as were likely to receive the sanction of the 

 House. But Government were still,wiih all respect to the opinion 

 of Parliament, determined to resist all limitation of the hours of 

 labour to less than twelve hours. He coucluded by proposing 

 that the Committee should be postponed till Frilay, when he 

 will move to rescind the order, and ask for leave to 

 bring in a new Bill. — Lord Ashley said he was taken 

 by surprise by the course which the Government had 

 adopted, and would postpone all debate till Friday. He 

 reminded the House that it had solemnly, by three suc- 

 cessive divisions, rejected the twelve hours; and, alluding to 

 the term Jack Cade, said he did not repudiate the tille, for the 

 insurrection of Jack Cade arose from the people writhing under 

 a burden too heavy to be borne. With the people at his back, 

 and Jack Cade as their leader, he would still persevere in his 

 agitation ; and he hoped that those who had hitherto voted with 

 him would stand by him on Friday next. — Lord Howick recom- 

 mended Lord Ashley to resist on Friday next the discharge of 

 the order, because if he allowed the Bill to be withdrawn, the 

 Government would introduce a newB ill still more objectionable, 

 and Lord Ashley would then have to reproduce his clause; and 

 if that were carried a-ain, the Government would drop the Bill 

 altogether.— Mr. Brothkrtox regretted that the Government 

 had not acceded to an eleven hours' restriction, which he be- 

 lieved would have met general concurrence.— Captain Rocs had 

 heard that evening a great deal about Jack Cade, but there were 

 proofs m the Bill about the inspection of surgeons, &c, which 

 made it not unlikely that some Wat Tyler might arise, for Wat 

 Tyler, they might remember, destroyed a man for taking liberties 

 With h:s daughter. He did not understand on what principle the 

 House of Commons was to regulate the hours of employment 

 between employers and employed.— Sir R. Ixglis taunted the 

 Government with the course which, in the entire possession of 

 their faculties as well as of their tempers, they had resolved 

 upon adopting. He demanded of Sir R. Peel, whether a minute 

 of the Cabinet had been made that it was the opinion of that 

 Cabinet that 93 Members who generally supported them, and 

 who on this occasion had voted with the noble Lord, were 

 leagued together to uphold a Jack Cade system ?— Sir J.Gra- 

 ham considered he was the proper person to. answer that 

 question. The resolution he had stated was the resolution of 

 the entire Government; but the particular expression was alto- 

 gether his own. He had takeu that expression from the 

 Examiner newspaper, and had no idea of applying it to Lord 

 Ashley, or any hon. Member who voted with him, bat only to 



the advice given to him by Lord Howick, but to wait his 

 opportunity, and move the insertion of his clauses in any 

 Bill that might be introduced by Government, and if the 

 preamble of that Bill would not permit it, then to move an in- 

 struction to the committee.— Lord Saxdon, in an endeavour to 

 extract what really were the intentions of the Government, asked 

 whether the intended new Bill would contain any regulations of 

 the hours of labour of women ?— Sir J. Graham said, it was his 

 intention, in the Bill which he should introduce, to insert a limi- 

 tation of adult female labour to the period of twelve hours.— Lord 

 J. Russell thought that the phrase "Jack Cade" was infelicitous, 

 as applied to the conduct of such Conservative members as Sir 

 R. H. Inglis. Giving the Government credit for their sincerity, 

 they might allow that others were equally sincere in supposing 

 that the industry of the country could be maintained by giving 

 protection to the labourer, without supposing the adoption of 

 any new or dangerous principle in legislation. — Mr. Hcmk was 

 glad that the matter was to be postponed till Friday next, as it 

 would give the country time to breathe, and to recover from its 

 surprise. He warned the House against rashly adopting princi- 

 ples which would lead them to interfere with the freedom of la- 

 bour, to an extent scarcely to be calculated on ; and urged freedom 

 of commerce, rather than interference with labour.— After some 

 observations from Mr. Borthwick, Mr, C. Blllkr adverted to 

 some comments of Sir J. Graham on his speech of Friday night, 

 respecting new principles of legislation being required for a new 

 social state of things, and blamed the Home Secretary, in an amus- 

 ing way, for not having then answered him, instead of waiting till 

 that evening.— Sir R. Pkel did understand Mr. C. Buller to have 

 avowed that he supported the ten hours, because it was the 

 commencement of the application of a novel system of legisla- 

 tion to a new state of things, and which he was prepared to 

 push as far as practicable. The Government had always looked 

 upon this question as a most important one to the interests of 

 the country; and considered that they were performing the 

 first duties of a Government in resisting a proposition which 

 they thought would prove so detrimental to the working 

 population themselves. He hoped that on Friday next the House 

 would come to its deliberate consideration, not in a party spirit, 

 but with a due sense of its importance.— After some observations 

 from Mr. Morrison in support of Ministers, Lord Stanley re- I 

 marked that though there was no difference between the Govern- 

 ment and Lord Ashley on principle, as to interference with factory 

 labour, there was a very important one of detail, which they 

 considered to be of great consequence to the commerce and in- 

 dustry of the country. It would, therefore, neither be a wise 

 nor a worthy course in them to hold any doubtful language on 

 the subject, or to lure on the working classes with any vague 

 expectations of their ever granting that which they believed 

 would be injurious to the interests of those for whom Lord Ashley 

 benevolently but mistakenly laboured.— Mr. Hawes reminded 

 the House that the Government had it in its power to compen- 

 sate the working classes for any fall in wages, through the adop- 

 tion, in conjunction with restriction of labour, of a liberal com- 

 mercial system.— Mr. Aglio.vbv, Mr. Ewart, Dr. Bowring, Mr. 

 Mitchell, Mr. Escott, and Mr. Brocklehurst wound up the 

 debate, and then the question of the Factories Bill was postponed 

 till Friday.— The Mutiny and Marine Mutiny Bills, and the night 

 Poaching Prevention Bill passed through committee. — The In- 

 demnity Bill and the International Copyright Bill were read a 

 third time and passed. — On the motion of Sir R. Peel a select 

 committee was appointed to inquire as to what means can be 

 adopted for the improvement of the law respecting the trial of 

 controverted elections. 



Tuesday. — The second reading of the Chichester and Brighton 

 Railway Bill was carried, on a division, by 99 against 48. — 

 Several other Railway Bills were advanced. — Colonel Wood 

 (Brecon) moved for leave to bring in a Bill to exempt from toll 

 all lime conveyed on any turnpike road in Wales. He explained 

 the general purport of the Acts of Parliament that regulate this 

 subject in Wales, and the great hardship with which this toll, an 

 impost on manure, is found to bear upon the small agriculturists 

 in Wales; indeed he believed it to have been really the primary 

 cause of all the late disturbances. While lime bore the heavy 

 toll he thus complained of, the artificial manures in general, 

 such as guano and bone-dust, paid no duty at all. — Mr. Hume 

 said this was an attempt to relieve the landowners by relieving 

 the farmers, and he objected to any measure that went to relieve 

 these classes from burdens borne by other people.— Mr. Manners 

 Sutto.v would not object to the introduction of the Bill, but was 

 not prepared to support it in its future stages.— Alderman 

 Thompson said that the whole subject of turnpikes in Wales 

 required consideration and reform.— Sir J. Walsh said that great 

 excitement and expectation prevailed on this subject in the 

 Principality. — Mr. Laboucherk apprehended, that to allow the 

 introduction of the Bill with the intention of ultimately rejecting 

 it was, on the part of Government, a course which would occa- 

 sion great disappointment in Wales. If Government had made 

 up their minds to reject it, they would do better not to allow its 

 introduction.— Sir J. Graham thought it might be deemed dis- 

 courteous to refuse the introduction of the Bill.— Mr. Baring 

 presumed that the Government had the whole report under their 

 own consideration, and if so it was a strange proceeding in them 

 to allow an individual member to introduce a piece of legislation 

 affecting only one very small point of the Commissioners' recom- 

 mendation.— Mr. Morris, Sir W. Jolliffe, Mr. Darby, Mr. 

 Trbvor, Lord Ebrixgton, and other members, took part in the 

 discussion, each advert ng to some particular or local point, and 

 a division was called for, when leave was given to bring in the Bill 

 by 6s to 42.— Mr. Hltt moved that the House should resolve 

 itself into a committee on the Corn-laws, for the purpose of con- 

 sidering the resolution: — "That it is expedient that corn im- 

 ported into the United Kingdom from the British possessions of 

 South Africa/Jnd.a, and Australasia, be made subject to the same 

 duty which is levied on corn imported into the United Kingdom 

 from Canada." He urged the claims of our other colonies, 

 superior even to tho^e of Canada, to a privilege similar to that 

 which had been conferred on it ; pointed out the capabilities of 

 Australia for growing wheat, which could be imported at a rate 

 and in such condition as would enable it to compete with any 

 other grain in the market, while its quality was exceedingly fine 

 —facts already tested by experiment : on this department of his 

 subject entering into considerable detail. He then adverted to 

 the Cape of Good Hope, the grain growing characteristics of 

 which were not dissimilar to those of Australia— to India, where 

 there prevailed a strong desire that a similar privilege should be 

 accorded to it, as had been granted to Canada; and concluded 

 by a general plea in favour of all our colonies, to whose trade 

 with this country the addition of a corn trade would be a great 

 boon, however small at first it might be.— Mr. Ma.volks seconded 

 the motion, and, in doing so, dwelt on the especial claims of 

 India to consideration.— Mr. Glaostovk could not imagine that 

 the difference between five shillings and one shilling was so 

 great as injuriously to interfere with those experiments in the 

 importation of corn from our other colonies now going on. 

 During the progress of the Canada Corn Bill, the Government 

 had distinctly declared that it would not consent to disturb the 

 whole Corn- law system of the empire for advantages so small as 

 would accrue from extending similar advantages to our other 

 colonies. Besides, there was no exact analogy; for the three 

 shillings duty imposed by the Canadian Legislature on corn im- 

 ported from the United States, was an essential portion of the con- 

 ditions by which we admitted Canadian corn at !#. Our Aus- 

 tralian colonies were importing rather than exporting countries 



D844. 



every encouragement should be afforded to India^h,.* fvTT — ^ 

 of the voyage, and the various climates, presented i en8th 

 obstacle, for even flour could with difficulty bear the * 8en °. as 



frequently turning sour before it reached this countt traasit » 

 was only under the influence of such high prices as i*lL* n 2 lx 

 the actual advantage of the one shilling dutv tha* Z • afforcl 

 be brought from thence. He contended that Mr Hut h V ouUl 

 gether failed in making out a case for interference or th * °* 

 advantages which would arise from the adoption of hUmV e 

 would counterbalance the evils which would arise from th • 

 which the change would excite.— Mr. Labouchfre .., panic 

 the motion. He could not see why a difference should b pporte<1 

 between Canada and our other colonies.— Lord Stavlby V*^ 6 

 there were any great or real necessity for what Mr Hun if 

 posed, owing to the price in this country rising to a great h m!" 

 or to there being a deficiency of supply which the colonies cS 

 make up, then he was ready to admit that he would have maa 

 out his case. But, as such was not the case, and the colon- 

 were last year warned not to expect to be placed on the foof 

 on which Canada had been placed, and as it had been shown tiff 

 the colonies named in the motion could not import corn at 

 lower price than that at which corn was now admitted into thi* 

 country, he must resist the motion ; and he must say, he neve 

 heard a case that was less made out, or which appeared to him 

 to be of less importance, or for which the House could be le^ 

 disposed to alter a law of infipite importance, and of infinite de 

 licacy, and one which involved some of the most important in* 

 terests of this country. The House divided— For the motion 4" 

 —Against it, 117— Majority against the motion, 70.— Sir' 

 Staunton moved that the House should, on an early day re 

 solve itself into committee to consider the propriety of present" 

 ing an address to her Majesty, praying that a suitable provision 

 be made for the widow of the late Dr. Morrison and the other 

 surviving members of his family, in consideration of the eminent 

 public services rendered by him, and his eldest son, in China.— 

 Sir R. Peel objected to the motion, on the ground that the case 

 of Dr. Morrison's widow and children was not such a peculiarly 

 hard one as to warrant the House in adopting the unusual cour> 

 proposed. The widow was in the actual receipt of a pension of 

 200/. a year for herself, and 25/. each for her five children. Her 

 eldest son was appointed by Lord Aberdeen to a situation in 

 China, with a salary of 300/. a year, and with the prospect, un- 

 der gojd conduct, of an ultimate salary of 600/. a year; and her 

 second son had been promised by Lord Aberdeen suitable em- 

 ployment under Government as soon as he should attain an age 

 that fitted him for filling a public office. Under these circum- 

 stances, and knowing that there were hundreds of other claim- 

 ants, whose cases were much stronger, that it was impossible to 

 satisfy, he hoped the hon. Baronet would not press his motion. 

 Upon this Sir G. STAuxton withdrew his motion. 



Wednesday.— Mr. Muntz moved the second reading of the 

 Birmingham Corporation Bill. — Mr. Dugdalb moved as an 

 amendment that it be read a second time that day six months. 

 The House divided— For the second reading, 67 ; against it, 77 ; 

 majority against the Bill, JO.— Lord Ashley announced that he 

 would not oppose the withdrawal of the Factories Bill. The 

 noble Lord said, " It is not my intention to offer any opposition 

 to the proposal of the Government. I know that in so doing I 

 surrender many advantages which I now possess. But I think 

 it is my duty, when I can, without compromising any principle, 

 to consult the convenience of the House and the Government. 

 Therefore I take this course on the full understanding that the 

 Government will immediately introduce another Bill, and will 

 take the discussion upon it on the earliest possible day after 

 Easter. I presume that the House will not ask me now to state 

 what coarse I may feel it my duty to pursue on that occasion; 

 but I beg leave to state that on Friday I shall offer no opposition 

 to the withdrawal of the Bill, and I beg to add, that I havecorae 

 to that determination with the full concurrence of my noble 

 friend the Member for Sunderland."— Sir J. Graham then gave 

 notice that it is his intention to move on Friday, that the order 

 of the day for the House resolving itself into committee on the 

 Factories Bill be discharged ; and that after that order of the day 

 shall have been disposed of, he will move for leave to bring in 

 a Bill to alter the existing laws for regulating labour in factories 

 If the present Bill should be withdrawn, and leave to introduce 

 a new Bill should be obtained, he will move that it be read a 

 first time on Friday and printed, and will fix the second reading 

 for an early day after Easter.— Sir R. Pkbl took occasion to cor- 

 rect a misreport of an expression which fell irom him on Monfla) 

 night, and which he felt satisfied arose from the low tone in 1 wrncu 

 he spoke. He had been reported to have said that the factory 

 question was " no party one," whereas the expression he naa 

 really used was, that it was no "departmental" question.-Lora 

 Worsley. in consequence of indisposition, postponed the com- 

 mittal of the Commons Inclosure Bill to the 26th «' AP" 1 :'"" 1 "! 

 County Coroners Bill and the Masters and Servants Bin weic 



postponed till after Easter. „vinHc 



Thursday.— There was only 34 Members present at 4 o uo«.», 



and consequently there was " no House." . . h : P fl7 



Friday.— After a great deal of preliminary business ciue.y 

 connected with Railways, Sir J. GRAHAM said, before ne 1 no 

 the order of the day relating to the Factories BUI, lie i w« 



_..•.-_. = __ ***«.. n° 1 ,.!.;.;.» numerous*!} !>i£«'cu, 



call the attention of the House to a petition, name !°^L a mea 

 by manufacturers of Manchester, who employed j g 



women, and children, stating that, in their opinion, " u ' red . 

 of labour were contracted, the price of wages nm si dc i . 

 —Lord Howick, and several other members, presenieay f 



praying that no restrictions mijcht be placed on tn e ^ 

 labour.-Lord Ashley, Lord J. Ritsskm., Rnd n ?„ "j nraving 

 presented petitions in favour of the Ten Hours Bill, J aim v > 

 the House not to allow it to be withdrawn (left sitting; 



CITY. 



Money Market, Friday.— Consols continue at 

 to £■ : New Three-and-a-Half per Cents. 102| 



to 



A 



J' 



98| 

 and 



Suffolk, giorer— E 

 City, fruit-merch 



of Newtown. M« 



! uui'iiicrt, josh «™..i ■— ■ j .« Ki)[»iK" 



S.aiHA.S. Lavr, of Oxford-street, and olj> Wl ,, 1AM ,, 



Mtt-I. Ecmmley, of Liverpool, J^KX*,****; 



ntgomery.h.re.flannel-manutH.mrer-J. hoUwrer-*- 



scrivener, Doncsuter-H. H. Whisht, cattle-dealer, 

 •hire. 



in the article of grain, as appeared by taking a period of 

 fourteen years— Van Diemen's Land excepted— which, how- 

 ever, sent its surplus to New South Wales, the Mauritius, 

 and other nearer markets than this country. So, also, the Cape 

 of Good Hope received more grain from England than it had 

 hitherto ever scut to it, or was likely to send. He agreed that 





metropolis «* it% VitMi^ ^ 



Central Protection Society.— At a meeting of t * g.^ 

 ral committee, held at the residence of the " u * Ro0lD i 

 mond, the following arrangements were made . ^ 



were taken at 19, Old Bond-street, and a ,ecr ^jfd, 

 pointed, to whom all communications are to o w ^ 



at the Society's rooms. The office hours were n ^ 

 from ten to four daily, during which time „„ tn i,»oaiIJ 

 will attend. Reports were received, ana u ^ 



adopted, from the Finance, Correspondence, ai ^ {bg 

 tion Committees. Numerous letters were rea ^ |0 . 

 country, expressing a desire to co-operate w ^ Ia 



ciety, and several large sums were added to m 



