find a place in that rapidly extending roll. Yet they are facts and circumstances of important, as well as of melancholy interest, and ought not to depend upon the imperfect recollection of those who were men and women at the time, but who are every day becoming fewer and fewer. The sad history has been narrated in these pages in a somewhat condensed form; and, as a beacon and as a warning, it ought to be had in everlasting remembrance. There is probably no place in which it could be more fitly recorded than in a volume which relates the chief incidents and labours of the life of one who became the detector of these criminalities.

53

CHAPTER IV.

CORN LAWS AND CURRENCY.

"Of all things an indiscreet tampering with the trade of provisions is the most dangerous. My opinion is against an overdoing of any sort of administration, and more especially against this most momentous of all meddling on the part of authority, the meddling with the subsistence of the people."-BURKE.

MR. DEACON HUME's career as an author commenced in the year 1815 by the publication of an anonymous pamphlet, which he used to say was not worthy of being remembered. If he formed a correct estimate of its merits it has met with its desert, for it is either unknown, or not known to be his. The codification of the laws of the customs, which has been already noticed, was his next effort. Before we proceed to remark upon what seems to have been his third publication, attention may be directed to the circumstance, that on the 7th of December, 1833, there appeared in the Morning Chronicle the following notice of a meeting at Manchester:

"RIGHTS OF INDUSTRY.

"We copy from Cobbett's Register of this day the following strange article, which bears the above title. The matter appears to us in a very serious light; but at present we cannot offer any remarks upon the sub

ject. The Manchester paper of this day will probably

notice it.

"Prince's Tavern, Prince's Street, Manchester,

66

Monday, November 25, 1833.

"At a meeting called at the above time and place of the working people of Manchester, and their friends, after taking into their consideration—

"That society in this country exhibits the strange anomaly of one part of the people working beyond their strength—another part working at worn out and other employments for very inadequate wages-and another part in a state of starvation for want of employment:

"That eight hours' daily labour is enough for any human being, and under proper arrangements, sufficient to afford an ample supply of food, raiment, and shelter, or the necessaries and comforts of life, and that to the remainder of his time every person is entitled for education, recreation, and sleep:

"That the productive power of this country, aided by machinery, is so great, and so rapidly increasing, as from its misdirection to threaten danger to society by a still further fall in wages, unless some measure be adopted to reduce the hours of work, and to maintain at least the present amount of wages."

"It was unanimously resolved,

"1. That it is desirable that they who wish to see society improved and confusion avoided, should endeavour to assist the working classes to obtain for eight hours' work the present full day's wages,' such eight hours to be performed between the hours of six

in the morning and six in the evening; and that this new regulation should commence on the first day of March next.

"2. That in order to carry the foregoing purposes into effect, a society shall be formed, to be called 'The Society for promoting National Regeneration.'

"3. That persons be immediately appointed from among the workmen to visit their fellow-workmen in each trade, manufacture, and employment, in every district of the kingdom, for the purpose of communicating with them on the subject of the above resolutions, and of inducing them to determine upon their adoption.

"4. That persons be also appointed to visit the master-manufacturers in each trade, in every district, to explain and recommend to them the adoption of the new regulation referred to in the first resolution.

"5. That the persons appointed as above shall hold a meeting on Tuesday evening, the 17th of December, at eight o'clock, to report what has been done, and to determine upon future proceedings.

"6. That all persons engaged in gratuitous education on Sundays and during the week days, be respectfully invited to make arrangements for throwing open their schoolrooms to the working classes for two hours a day (say from one to three o'clock, or from six to eight, or any other two hours more convenient), from the 1st of March next, and that all well-disposed persons be invited to assist in promoting their education when time for such purpose has been secured to them.

"7. That subscriptions be now entered into in aid

of the fund to be raised by the working classes for the execution of their part of the proposed undertaking.

"8. That another and distinct subscription be also entered into for defraying the expenses of the persons appointed to visit the master-manufacturers, and for other general purposes.

"9. That the workmen and their friends use their utmost efforts to obtain further subscriptions, and that all well-disposed females be respectfully requested cordially to co-operate in this undertaking.

"10. That a committee of workmen and their friends be now formed,* with power to add to their number, and to appoint a secretary and treasurer for the Manchester district of the society, described in the second resolution.

"11. That this committee be instructed to procure as soon as possible a convenient office in Manchester, which shall be called "The Office of the Society for National Regeneration.” †

"12. That circulars reporting the proceedings of this meeting be immediately printed, and sent to the masters in every trade in the United Kingdom.

* The following is a list of the committee:-John Fielden, Esq., M.P., Joshua Milne, Esq.; George Condy, Esq.; Messrs. John Travis jun., J. W. Hodgetts, George Marshall, William Clegg, Joshua Fielden, Thomas Fielden, John Doherty, George Higginbottom, James Turner, Wm. Taylor, Philip Grant, John Wyatt, George Scott, John Scott, Joseph Scott, Henry Greaves, John Brodie, Wm. Wills, and Robert Owen, Esq.

†The office of the society is No. 48, Pall-mall, corner of Kingstreet.