Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/196

 1 82 History of the Radical Party in Parliament. [1822- the Catholic Association. In the debate on the address, Brougham declared that with regard to the first two points the South American colonies and free trade the policy which the Government had at last adopted was that which the opposition had long advocated, and was only an accept- ance of Liberal principles. This was true, but it was no less true that, but for Canning's wisdom and courage, both principles would have had to wait much longer for adoption. As it was, every step he took was accompanied by obstruction and animosity in the Cabinet, and was, in fact, leading to the break-up of the party in whose name he was acting. The Act obtained by Hume in the session of 1824, for repealing the laws against the combination of artisans, had been followed by violent proceedings in many parts of the country, which alarmed capitalists and forced themselves upon the attention of Government. The terms in which the restraints of the common law had been removed were too sweeping, and doubtless encouraged ignorant men to follow illegal and dangerous courses. So there was panic where there had been sudden liberality, and on the 2pth of March, 1825, Huskisson moved for a committee to inquire into the working of the Act. The committee recommended the repeal of the law of last session, and the enactment of provisions by which the action of the common law was restored, with the condition that an exception should be made to its operation in favour of meetings and consultations amongst either masters or workmen, the object of which was peaceably to consult upon the rate of wages to be either given or received, and to agree to co-operate with each other in endeavouring to raise or lower it, or to settle the hours of labour. Combinations to control employers by moral violence were again subjected to the common law. Hume and Burdett both protested, and with reason, that sufficient time had not been allowed to judge of the permanent effect of the new law, but the recommenda- tions of the committee were carried by large majorities. It was the Catholic question which engrossed the chief attention of Parliament during the session, and the first form