HC Deb 08 May 1811 vol 19 cc1017-20
Lord Archibald Hamilton

presented a Petition of several persons residing in the town of Paisley and Suburbs thereof; setting forth, setting forth,

"That the petitioners, in consequence of the depressed condition of trade, have of late been subjected to difficulties unknown at any former period; and that at present such is the low state of the Cotton Manufactures, that great numbers have been thrown out of employment, and the wages of those that are employed have in general, within the last ten months, been reduced two thirds so that it requires great exertions for an individual to procure the necessaries of life; and such is the general distress, that of a population of about 30,000, upwards of 1,200 families, who formerly supported themselves by their own industry, are reduced to the necessity of receiving precarious and temporary assistance from their humane and more wealthy neighbours; and that the present calamity, though first felt by the manufacturers and operatives, has not been confined to them alone, but has extended to almost every rank and profession, involving in ruin many respectable individuals of large capital; bankruptcy has succeeded bankruptcy such an alarming extent as nearly to destroy all confidence betwixt the manufacturer and merchant; and that the present depressed state of our manufactures is chiefly owing to the exclusion of our commerce from the continent of Europe, and the stoppage of our trade with America, in consequence of the orders in council and the blockading system; and that the present mode of returning members to the House by such a small part of the population is the primary cause of the evils which this country labours under, as it destroys that connection which ought to exist between the people and their representatives; and that a full fair and free representation of the people in parliament, is absolutely necessary, not only to give energy to the state but confidence to the people, who, being restored to that place and those privileges in the constitution to which they are well entitled, would cheerfully submit to the sacrifices which they might be called upon to make, in order to preserve the independence, and promote the welfare of their country; and praying the House to take into consideration the present alarming state of the country, and to adopt such measures as may appear to them best calculated to afford relief."

Mr. Curwen

did, not see how any relief could be afforded, but though a friend to reform, he was convinced that their distresses had been as fully attended to as they could under any plan of representation.

The Petition was ordered to lie on the Table.

Mr. Houstoun

presented a Petition of several heritors, manufacturers, merchants, mechanics, and labourers of all denominations, residing in Lanark, Ayr, and Renfrew shires, and the manufacturing places adjacent, which was read; setting forth,

"That, in consequence of a rapid decline of trade, and a general stagnation of business, the labouring classes of the Petitioners have been of late subjected to sufferings exceeding in extent and severity any thing of the kind ever known in that part of the kingdom; and that at present, such is the reduced and ruined state of the Cotton Manufacture, with which the evil originated, and with which every other profession uniformly suffers, that, of 30,000 looms, which were all employed in June last, about 15,00 are, at present unoccupied, and the weavers, wandering in all directions in search of work of any kind, which can rarely be found, while an equal number of women and children, or others, who depended on these chiefly, if not wholly, for employment, are also laid idle; and that even those weavers who are at present employed, owing to an unprecedented reduction of prices, cannot average more than five shillings per week, after deducting unavoidable expences, a sum not sufficient for an individual, and bearing no proportion to the maintenance of a family; and that a common, rate pf prices for weaving was drawn up and agreed to by the manufacturers there in 1792, which both, parties considered fair and reasonable, and though temporary fluctuations in trade sometimes occasioned trifling deviations, yet so long as the said regulations were considered the common standard, so long the Cotton Manufacture flourished; but these were unfortunately broke through, and an irregular mode of payment substituted in their place.; disorder of Course overran the trade, and an ill-directed parsimony on the part of the several manufacturing individuals accelerated, the mischief, and has at last completed the ruin irregularity had unhappily begun; one manufacturer broke his price, and another followed his example, till contending with one another for the cheapest made goods, the conscientious employer, willing to let his workmen live by their industry, was at last forced also to reduce his prices, to secure himself a chance in the market; and that to such an alarming extent has this erroneous scheme of reducing the weaver's wages been carried, that the prices paid at present do not amount, in many instances, to more than one fourth, and on a fair average are not equal to one third of that paid for the same fabrics twenty-eight years ago; so that, taking the advance on provisions, house and shop rent, and on the implements used by the weaver into the account, the price at present paid for weaving twenty-four yards of some fabrics will not procure more of these necessary articles than the price of three yards of the same fabrics would have procured at the above period, nor what four and a half yards would have paid for in 1792: in this way have the operatives been reduced to poverty, and in place of their employers being benefited by their loss, unless in a few fortunate instances, it has contributed, perhaps more than any other circumstance, to the general bankruptcy, and the present low state of commercial credit; nor was it possible it could do otherwise, every reduction of wages having a direct tendency to reduce the market, not merely for goods made at reduced prices, but also the value of the whole manufactured stock undisposed of, obliging the speculator who had overreached his capital to sell below prime cost to save his credit; and that the present sweeping calamity, so rapid and destructive in its progress, and which the petitioners are convinced has been brought about, in no small degree, by this system of reduction though first felt by the Cotton Manufacturers and Weavers, has by no means been confined to their deportment of trade, the petitioners of every other profession depending in one way or other on the above branch, have all in their turn been involved, and are at present suffering a share of the general distress; a very considerable number of the journey men house carpenters, cabinet makers, and tailors, are out of employment, while those engaged are generally limited in their working hours; the blacksmiths, masons, and, others connected with buildings are also but partially employed even at reduced wages; and the peti- tioners in general are one third of the whole, entirely destitute of work; and that the petitioners are aware that some of the facts above stated may appear exaggerated, but, conscious that the most incredible circumstance can be attested by any number of witnesses, they are ready to substantiate them before a Committee of the House; and praying the House to take the urgent case of the labouring: classes of that part of the kingdom into consideration, and devise such means for their relief as may appear best calculated to afford them employment, and wages."

Ordered to lie on the Table.