like this, is one which every citizen should inform himself of, and vigilantly watch; one which justifies the organisation of the National Association of Mill- Occupiers; one which renders Mr. Horner's tone of assumption deeply offensive; one, we may add, which cannot continue to exist in a free country, Such an anomalous condition of affairs must and will be rectified, however absorbing other interests may be. The issue of the next campaign in the East is, in the apprehension of wise men, of less consequence than the removal of late excrescences,—the unwholesome growth of an unprincipled sensibility,—which have overgrown the good old Common Law, which is found sufficiently protective of the workers in every other department of industry.
Our readers have seen that the Inspectors and the Secretary of State first took for granted that casing the shafts was required by law; and then backed out of this position, and threw their whole force into a recommendation of rectangular hooks,—wondering how anybody could make a difficulty about them. One particular of the conduct of the manufacturers was held up to special reprobation,—their warning to the mill-owners and occupiers to make no compromise, as to rectangular hooks or otherwise, till the bearing and scope of the law were ascertained, "there being reason to anticipate an attempt to divide the union of the trade on this subject." This recommendation was exhibited as a wanton defiance of law and authority, and threatening of human life and limb. Events have proved that the Committee of Manufacturers had reasonable ground for their warning. During the backing out from the casing order, Sir George Grey said in Parliament: "If it were supposed that the Act required a solid casing round the shafts, extending sometimes to a mile in length if the whole measurement were taken, it would subject the mill-owners to a ruinous expense; and by a recent decision of Mr. Justice Cresswell, it had been held that the Act was sufficiently complied with where it was proved that proper precautions, such as a reasonable man
