"As the demands here specified are of so reasonable a nature, and as, moreover, they are unquestionably calculated for the benefit of the employers as well as the employed, the Society confidently hopes that you will accede to them, and, henceforth, a mutual confidence may be sustained between ladies and their maids, and that they will, for the future, consent to lace each other's stays, and dress each other's hair.
"It only remains for me to add that your ladies' maids, members of this Society, will cease to answer your bell, though you may ring it ever so often, should you decline to act upon the new regulations; and, further, I think it right to apprize you that, in that case, they will think it no longer necessary to keep any family secrets with which they may have made themselves acquainted.
"I am, Madam, Your obedient, humble servant,
"Sarah Brown,
"Secretary to the Grand United Lodge
of Operative Ladies' Maids."
People hardly knew what to make of these Trades' Unions, and, at their beginning, they seemed to be somewhat antagonistic to authority, and decidedly subversive of existing institutions. And, perhaps, in the first flush of his emancipation, the working man had somewhat crude ideas of his position, and was a little too fond of processions, meetings, and showing himself in public. For instance, on April 15th, there was a riot of a serious description at Oldham. On the previous day, two members of a Trades' Union, at a meeting of their body, were arrested by some policemen, after a desperate struggle. They were on their road to Hollinwood, near Manchester, under the custody of two officers, for the purpose of being examined, when a large crowd attacked the officers, whom they beat severely, and rescued the prisoners. This occurred in front of Bankside Mill, which belonged to a Mr. Thompson, who was disliked by the Unionists on account of his employment of "Knobsticks," or men not belonging to the Union. These "Knobsticks" had been provided with arms for their defence, but, as it turned out, used them for offence; for, appearing at the windows of the building, they made a foolish display of their weapons, and fired blank cartridge at the passing mob. One gun, at least, must have been loaded with ball, for a man named James Bentley was killed.
This so incensed the mob, that the windows of the manufactory were immediately demolished, the dwelling house of the proprietor entered, and a total destruction of its contents effected. The liquors were drank in the cellars, the cabinets rifled and broken, the victuals eaten, and about £50 in money stolen. One of the lower rooms was filled with printing cloths, to which the mob set fire. The arrival of a party of lancers eventually caused the dispersion of the mob. The two Union men who were rescued afterwards surrendered, and were liberated on bail; meanwhile, the town was in a state of great confusion. A meeting of upwards of ten thousand operatives was held next day on Oldham Edge or Moor, at which resolutions to support their fellows were made. At a coroner's inquest subsequently held on the body of the individual who was shot, a verdict of manslaughter was returned.
The Times of May 5th gives the following as—
"The Oath of the Unionists.
"I (each party here to repeat his name), being in the presence of Almighty God and this assembly, do voluntarily declare that I will persevere in maintaining and supporting a brotherhood known by the name of the United Operative of the Grand National Consolidated Trades' Union of Great Britain and Ireland, and I do further promise that I will, to the utmost of my power, assist them, upon all just and lawful occasions, to obtain a just remuneration for our labour; nor will I, knowingly, ever fill the situation of, or finish the work of, any brother who has left his employer in obedience to the ordinances and regulations of the Consolidated Union aforesaid; and I call the Mighty Power who made me, to witness this, my most solemn obligation, by which I bind myself, that neither hopes nor fears, rewards nor punishments, nor even the law of life itself, shall ever induce me, directly or indirectly, to give information respecting anything contained in this lodge, and that I will neither write, nor cause to be written, anything appertaining thereto upon paper, or upon anything else whatsoever, but for the purposes of the aforesaid Union: and I do further promise to keep inviolable all its rules, signs, and secrets. Neither will I ever give consent to have any of its money divided, or appropriated to any other purpose than to the uses of this lodge, and for the end of the aforesaid Consolidated Union. And may God keep me steadfast in this my most solemn obligation."
It was for taking unlawful oaths, probably of this kind, that six men had been convicted at Dorchester Assizes, a fact which so worked upon the Trades' Unions of London, that on April 21st they met in their might to the number of thirty thousand, in Copenhagen Fields, and proceeded in procession to Whitehall to present a monster petition (which it took twelve men to carry) in the convicts' favour, to the Home Secretary. Lord Melbourne refused to receive it, thus brought, but consented to see a deputation. This did not suit the agitators, and, as the only answer they could get was that Lord Melbourne had seen a copy of the petition; that he did not disapprove of its language; and that, if that petition should be presented on another day, and in a becoming manner, he would receive it and lay it before the King;—they retired, taking the petition with them, rejoining and reporting their interview to the main body of the procession, which had halted on Kennington Common. This broke up the meeting, and the crowd melted away, having behaved most peaceably. On the 24th the petition was presented to Lord Melbourne by a deputation from the Trades' Unions, and laid before the King in the usual way.