The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, lie had given notice of a motion for this day respecting the cotton manufacturers; it was a subject of great importance, and one to which the attention of the House had been for some time directed. Ill a concern of so extensive and 473 complicated a nature, it was impossible but that differences must frequently arise, which required as speedy a mode of settling as possible, and that must be by the establishment of a local jurisdiction. That idea was adopted in that House, and a bill passed upon the subject. It was however afterwards found not to answer its purposes, and it soon ceased to be acted upon. In consequence of this, the cotton weavers made an application to Parliament about two years ago, and prosecuted their application the whole of that session, but from the quantity of public business then depending, no proceeding took place upon it. In the last session the subject was renewed, and a bill was brought in, but it was found impossible to bring it to a satisfactory arrangement. This led to an apprehension on the part of the weavers, that their hopes would be defeated, and he had therefore undertaken to bring the business forward in the course of the present session. This was a subject of great importance, both from the extent of the trade which was concerned, and the number of person interested in it, and therefore it was obvious that these disputes ought to be settled as soon as possible. It was now brought forward as a public measure, which he thought was more likely to ensure its success than if it was brought forward by either of the parties. It was under these circumstances that he was induced to bring forward this measure. He would not now express any opinion upon the mode that ought to be adopted. All he wished was, that the subject should be fairly and fully considered. If the present bill was found incapable of improvement, it would be necessary to repeal it. At present be should content himself with moving for the appointment of a Committee to consider of the most effectual mode of arranging the differences between the cotton manufacturers and the persons employed by them.
Mr. Rosesaid, he wished that the attention of the House might be called to this subject, in order that there might be no farther delay. The act relating to the cotton manufacturers and their servants, originated in a petition from the journeymen weavers and their masters, for the purpose of settling the disputes which had arisen between them. The bill was depending a long time, and no objection was made to it. When, however, the bill was passed and was to be carried into execution, the masters took a most extraordinary way to get rid of its operation. By the provisions of the bill an arbitrator was to be appointed to decide the disputes between the masters and journeymen: some of the masters, however, 474 appointed arbitrators who lived at the distance of 300 miles, and appointed a place of meeting at an equal distance, thus entirely defeating the object of the bill. The subject was again brought forward last session, and a bill was brought in, which, at the period he left town, in July, he considered to have been finally settled 5 it was, however, afterwards withdrawn, and the subject still remained for discussion. The cotton manufacturers, it appeared, objected to any interference between themselves and their journeymen, except that of the magistrate. He saw no reason why a law might not be passed applicable to that object. In the silk trade more had been done, as the magistrates had been enabled to settle the rate of wages. This law was passed in consequence of continued disputes between the masters and workmen, in the course £ which the latter had been guilty of the greatest excesses. This law might be extended to the cotton trade with much less difficulty, as in the cotton trade there were above 1O00 articles to become the object of the wages of workmen, whilst in the cotton trade there were not above 100. He thought the present subject was one of considerable importance, and that the consideration of it ought not to be delayed—A Committee was then appointed in conformity with the motion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.