as Symonds {214} relates, a general strike of weavers
had taken place in 1812, which was brought about by
a secret association. It was repeated in 1822,
and on this occasion vitriol was thrown into the faces
of the two working-men who would not join the association,
and were therefore regarded by the members as traitors
to their class. Both the assaulted lost the use
of their eyes in consequence of the injury.
So, too, in 1818, the association of Scottish miners
was powerful enough to carry on a general strike.
These associations required their members to take
an oath of fidelity and secrecy, had regular lists,
treasurers, bookkeepers, and local branches.
But the secrecy with which everything was conducted
crippled their growth. When, on the other hand,
the working-man received in 1824 the right of free
association, these combinations were very soon spread
over all England and attained great power. In
all branches of industry Trades Unions were formed
with the outspoken intention of protecting the single
working-man against the tyranny and neglect of the
bourgeoisie. Their objects were to deal, en
masse, as a power, with the employers; to regulate
the rate of wages according to the profit of the latter,
to raise it when opportunity offered, and to keep it
uniform in each trade throughout the country.
Hence they tried to settle with the capitalists a
scale of wages to be universally adhered to, and ordered
out on strike the employees of such individuals as
refused to accept the scale. They aimed further
to keep up the demand for labour by limiting the number
of apprentices, and so to keep wages high; to counteract,
as far as possible, the indirect wages reductions which
the manufacturers brought about by means of new tools
and machinery; and finally, to assist unemployed working-men
financially. This they do either directly or
by means of a card to legitimate the bearer as a “society
man,” and with which the working-man wanders
from place to place, supported by his fellow-workers,
and instructed as to the best opportunity for finding
employment. This is tramping, and the wanderer
a tramp. To attain these ends, a President and
Secretary are engaged at a salary (since it is to
be expected that no manufacturer will employ such
persons), and a committee collects the weekly contributions
and watches over their expenditure for the purposes
of the association. When it proved possible
and advantageous, the various trades of single districts
united in a federation and held delegate conventions
at set times. The attempt has been made in single
cases to unite the workers of one branch over all
England in one great Union; and several times (in 1830
for the first time) to form one universal trades association
for the whole United Kingdom, with a separate organisation
for each trade. These associations, however,
never held together long, and were seldom realised
even for the moment, since an exceptionally universal
excitement is necessary to make such a federation
possible and effective.