ILLINOIS
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
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Project Unica
Rare Book & Manuscript Library University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign 2015L ¿Uu.	lJ <u <Laa
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REA	SON	S
Why the Bill, intitled,	“ A Bill to regulate the	Prices of
“ Labour, the Hours of Working, and the taking of “ Apprentices in the Hat Manufactory,” lhould not pafs into a Law.
AGAINST the Firft Claufe, by which the Statute of the 8 Elizabeth, and i James I. are intended to be repealed.
REASONS
I. BECAUSE thofe Ails have for almoft Two Centuries been found to be very beneficial both to the Matters and Journeymen, as by limiting the Number of Apprentices, and pointing out the Qualifications for Matters, all Strangers and Foreigners have been prevented from ufurping an Authority to carry on the Bufinefs in Oppofition to Perfons who have ferved their Apprentlcefhips, and who by thofe Means become the moft proper Perfons for managing and continuing fuch a Manufactory,
II. BEC AUSE it is notorious, and will be proved, that there are already too many Hands in the Bufinefs, who have regularly ferved their Ap-prenticethips and are themfelves inritled to all the Privileges of Matters. It would be extremely hard for thofe Perfons to be fupplanted by Foreigners and Others who fhould chufe to take it on them to become Hat-Makers, without having ferved any Apprenticefhip, or been brought up ¡n that Way: To fupport this fecond Realbn, there are many People from Mdnchefter, Brijkl, Newcaftle-under-Lim, Jtjhby, Liverpool, Chefter, 03c. who can t'ettify that many Journeymen Hatters are now obliged to feek for Employ in Coal-Pits, at Hedging and Ditching, Isc. for Want of being fet to Work by the Matters; fo contrary to Truth is it, that thebe is a Scarcity of Men.
Ill BECAUSE the Legiflature have not long fince contemplated the Point reipefling the taking an unlimited Number of Apprentices m large Manufactories, and have found it a Matter of Evidence and Policy to reftrain fuch a Proceeding. By the Act of the Thirteenth Year of his prefent Majefty, Chap. 68. inritled, “ An Aft to impower
“ the Magiftrates therein mentioned to fettle and regulate the «ages
“ of Perfons employed in the Silk Manufactory, it is enabled, “ That no PerTori or Perfons, being Silk Weavers, fhall have in his or “ their Service at any one Time more than Two Apprentices, upon “ Pain 0‘ forfeiting L every Offence the Sum of Twenty Pounds." If Lcfie it had been confidered that it would be ufefol to Trade to lay 0/1«! large Manufactories, it is prefumed that the Legiilature would have dofii fo by the Silk Weavers Bill.
AGAINSTt

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AGAINST the Third Claufe, for f,,PP,-effing Combinations.
REASONS
IV BECAUSE it is apprehended that this Claufe will operate fo as to ' defeat the Laws of Humanity; by hindering the Perfons employed in the Hat Bufinefs from contributing towards the Relief of any Sick or Diftrefled among« them, by which many Families may be lent into Workhoufes and carried into Parilhes for Relief, who might otherwife, by the Donations of their Fellow-Creatures, be enabled to fupport themfelves.
y BECAUSE this Claufe does not extend to prevent the Combination of Matters as well as Journeymen, as it is well known the Matters have lately had many Meetings amongft themfelves, and are now combined
to dittrefs the Journeymen, and to lower their Prices of Working.--
Fiat JuJlitia, ruat Ca'lum.
AGAINST the Fourth Claufe, by which a Juttice on Sufpicion may grant a Warrant to fearch I loufes, &c. for embezzled Goods.
REASONS
VI. BECAUSE this Claufe will be productive of One of the greateft Evils which any Nation or Body of People can labour under—the Uncertainty of Ceneral W arrants. This Claufe impowers any One Juttice of the Peace; upon Complaint that there is Caufe to lufpeCd that any Materials to be ufed in the making or working of Hats or Felts are concealed in any Dwelling Houle, &c. by W arrant under his Hand and Seal to any Conftable, CSV. to enter into and fearch any fuch Dwelling-Houfe, &c. and upon fuch Search, if any Sort of the aforefaid Materials fliall be found, ihall feize and apprehend the fame, and the Perfon and Perfons in whofe Houfe, Lie. the fame ihall be found, and bring him, her, or them before the fame, or lbme other or more Juftices; and if the laid Perfon or Perfons lliall not give an Account to the Satisfaction of
fuch J ntices, then fuch Perfon or Perfons Ihall be-------------- “ fent
“ to Prilon,” it is luppofed is meant to be inferted. This Claufe, if fuffjred to pafs, will, befidcs being unprecedented, be One of the moft opprettive Ones that can be invented. One Juttice has a Power to order and dettroy the Property and Peace of any Family without Proof that any Stolen Goods are there; and if any Goods are found, whether they be the Property of the Man who keeps the Houfe which may be entered, or not, he mutt be hurried away to a Juttice of the Peace, and probably before a Juttice in the Hat-making Branch, to anfwer how he came by the Goods. It is known that in and about London there are many who buy Hare Skins, Lic. of old-cloaths Men, to carry on little BufinciTes : Upon every Matter therefore of this Kind, all the Avenues, Lie. of Rag-Fair, Duke's Place, &c. mutt be hunted to produce the old Jew who has fold this Man a Hare or Rabbit Skin, and if this Witnefs cannot be found, a Prifon it is likely will be his Doom. It is againtt all Rule and Order, for a Man to be obliged to bring Witnefles
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to clear himfelf, before Witneifes have been brought to prove a Charge againft him. Is it not the Cuilom at the Old-Bailey to prove that the Prifoner dole my Goods firft ? If fo, Why Ihould this Claufe invert the Law of Order? It is hoped the Legiflature will confider this, and not fuffer a Man to be puniihed before his Accufers make good the Charge againft him. What an Effe61 would it produce if every Tradefman of the City of London fhould be obliged to lend to the IVeJt-lndies, or even to Manchejier or Birmingham, for a Perfon to prove that he had bought his Goods of him !
It is particularly to be obferved, that as this Claufe now (lands, the Goods to be feized need not be mentioned in the Search Warrant.
AGAINST the Fifth Claufe, for afcertaining the Prices of Work in and about London.
REASONS
VII. BECAUSE if the Legiflature afcertain the Prices of Labour, as by the printed Bill it is fuppofed they will, there can be no Neceflity for referring any Thing touching that Point to be fettled by the Juftices of the Peace.
LASTLY, BECAUSE although the Title of the Bill is, amongft other Things’, « To regulate the Hours of working,” the Body of the Bill does not contain one Word or Syllable about iuch a Regulation,
AND upon the Whole, It is greatly to be feared, that if this Bill ihould pafs, it w'-ll Drodudlive of the moil ferious and fatal Confequences. 1 he Jour-nevmei ■* ike Over-run of Invaders in the Branch, will be reduced to the greateft Diftrefs, and many of them and their Families become burthen-fome to Parilhes.
IT is therefore hoped, that for thofe Reasons and many others which occur on reading the Bill, the fame may be thrown out, and each Party concerned enjoy that Peace which has lafted for thefe Two Hundred Years in the Bufinefs, and which would not now have been difturbed, had not the Mali met to cruih the Men, by endeavouring to lower the W ages which have been paid them for many Years pail.ffainft the BILÍ.