CARLISLE PATRIOT, Saturday, November 18, 1843 / ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE...............................PART 1 (to the Editor of the Carlisle Patriot) THE MANUFACTURERS AND THEIR LABOURERS LETTER 1 _________________________________________________________ SIR, - I am grateful to you for the opportunity you have offered me of bringing before the public, what I, and a great majority of the working classes, believe to be the true cause of the distress prevailing amongst the manufacturing operatives -- and which it is the interest of a selfish faction to attribute to a totally different source. Although hooted at the late public meeting here by the well dressed bullies on the hustings, I trust before I have done to make it appear that my views are, at least, as well founded, and my motives as commendable, as those of the monopolists, in talk, MESSRS. COBDEN, ASHWORTH, AGLIONBY, &c., who figures on that occasion. I will notice first the most prominent and positive of the axioms of the free-traders, as advanced by MR. COBDEN, viz : That the prevalent distress in the manufacturing and other districts is solely attributable to the existence of a protective system of Corn Laws, and that the application of machinery to our manufacturers has been an unqualified blessing. In connection with this, it is a fact deserving of some attention that the sliding duties on the import of corn, and the general use of machinery in manufactures, so as to supersede manual labour to any great extent, commenced at nearly the same time, viz., 1815. Previous to that time an adult operative in full employ produced as the result of his labour about TWO pieces of calico in a week. NOW, with the aid of machinery, two lads of fifteen or sixteen years of age can produce TWENTY pieces of the same article in the same time - and I may here observe that the wages of labour have been reduced in proportion. This of itself goes far to account for the depreciation in the condition of the manufacturing operative, and the Anti-Corn Law faction are so well aware of the fact that they will never meet the question; on the contrary -- as in the recent instance, whenever they have the power, they clamor down all allusion to it. It is plain, however, that if two BOYS, in a given time, can manufacture ten times as great a quantity of any commodity, by the aid of machinery, as a full grown MAN can without, that the money value of the adult's wages is ruinously reduced in proportion as the system prevails. It is true the manufactuers say calico is cheaper in consequence, and, therefore, the workmen can buy it more readily than before; but surely this does not atone for the evil. Part 2 of this letter will follow..................................................................................................................... ===============================================================================================