anditwastobedonespeedily。Whywerethemastersofferingsuchlowwagesunderthesecircumstances？Shameuponthem!Itwastakingadvantageoftheirworkpeoplebeingalmoststarved；buttheywouldstarveentirelyratherthancomeintosuchterms。Itwasbadenoughtobepoor，whilebythelabouroftheirthinhands，thesweatoftheirbrows，themastersweremaderich；buttheywouldnotbeutterlygrounddowntodust。No!theywouldfoldtheirhandsandsitidle，andsmileatthemasters，whomevenindeaththeycouldbaffle。WithSpartanendurancetheydeterminedtolettheemployersknowtheirpower，byrefusingtowork。Soclassdistrustedclass，andtheirwantofmutualconfidencewroughtsorrowtoboth。Themasterswouldnotbebullied，andcompelledtorevealwhytheyfeltitwisestandbesttoofferonlysuchlowwages；theywouldnotbemadetotellthattheywereevensacrificingcapitaltoobtainadecisivevictoryoverthecontinentalmanufacturers。Andtheworkmensatsilentandsternwithfoldedhandsrefusingtoworkforsuchpay。TherewasastrikeinManchester。Ofcourseitwassucceededbytheusualconsequences。ManyotherTrades’
Unions，connectedwithdifferentbranchesofbusiness，supportedwithmoney，countenance，andencouragementofeverykind，thestandwhichtheManchesterpower-loomweaversweremakingagainsttheirmasters。DelegatesfromGlasgow，fromNottingham，andothertowns，weresenttoManchester，tokeepupthespiritofresistance；acommitteewasformed，andalltherequisiteofficerselected；chairman，treasurer，honorarysecretary：——amongthemwasJohnBarton。Themasters，meanwhile，tooktheirmeasures。Theyplacardedthewallswithadvertisementsforpower-loomweavers。Theworkmenrepliedbyaplacardinstilllargerletters，statingtheirgrievances。Themastersmetdailyintown，tomournoverthetimesofastslippingawayforthefulfilmentoftheforeignorders；andtostrengtheneachotherintheirresolutionnottoyield。Iftheygaveupnow，theymightgiveupalways。Itwouldneverdo。Andamongstthemostenergeticofthemasters，theCarsons，fatherandson，tooktheirplaces。Itiswellknown，thatthereisnoreligionistsozealousasaconvert；nomasterssostern，andregardlessoftheinterestsoftheirworkpeople，asthosewhohaverisenfromsuchastationthemselves。
ThiswouldaccountfortheelderMrCarson’sdeterminationnottobebulliedintoyielding；noteventobebulliedintogivingreasonsforactingasthemastersdid。Itwastheemployers’will，andthatshouldbeenoughfortheemployed。HarryCarsondidnottroublehimselfmuchaboutthegroundsforhisconduct。Helikedtheexcitementoftheaffair。Helikedtheattitudeofresistance。Hewasbrave，andhelikedtheideaofpersonaldanger，withwhichsomeofthemorecautioustriedtointimidatetheviolentamongthemasters。Meanwhile，thepower-loomweaverslivinginthemoreremotepartsofLancashire，andtheneighbouringcounties，heardofthemasters’advertisementsforworkmen；andintheirsolitarydwellingsgrewwearyofstarvation，andresolvedtocometoManchester。Foot-sore，way-worn，half-starvedlookingmentheywere，astheytriedtostealintotownintheearlydawn，beforepeoplewereastir，orintheduskoftheevening。Andnowbegantherealwrong-doingoftheTrades’Unions。Astotheirdecisiontowork，ornot，atsuchaparticularrateofwages，thatwaseitherwiseorunwise；allerrorofjudgementattheworst。Buttheyhadnorighttotyrannizeoverothers，andtiethemdowntotheirownProcrusteanbed。Abhorringwhattheyconsideredoppressioninthemasters，whydidtheyoppressothers？
Because，whenmengetexcited，theyknownotwhattheydo。Judge，then，withsomethingofthemercyoftheHolyOne，whomwealllove。Inspiteofpolicemen，settowatchoverthesafetyofthepoorcountryweavers——inspiteofmagistrates，andprisons，andseverepunishments——thepoordepressedmentrampinginfromBurnley，Padiham，andotherplaces，toworkatthecondemned“StarvationPrices，“werewaylaid，andbeaten，andleftalmostfordeadbytheroad-side。Thepolicebrokeupeveryloungingknotofmen：——theyseparatedquietly，toreunitehalf-a-milefurtheroutoftown。Ofcoursethefeelingbetweenthemastersandworkmendidnotimproveunderthesecircumstances。Combinationisauawfulpower。Itisliketheequallymightyagencyofsteam；capableofalmostunlimitedgoodorevil。Buttoobtainablessingonitslabours，itmustworkunderthedirectionofahighandintelligentwill；incapableofbeingmisledbypassionorexcitement。Thewilloftheoperativeshadnotbeenguidedtothecalmnessofwisdom。Somuchforgeneralities。Letusnowreturntoindividuals。Anote，respectfullyworded，althoughitstoneofdeterminationwasstrong，hadbeensentbythepower-loomweavers，requestingthata“deputation“
ofthemmighthaveameetingwiththemasters，tostatetheconditionstheymusthavefulfilledbeforetheywouldendtheturn-out。Theythoughttheyhadattainedasufficientlycommandingpositiontodictate。JohnBartonwasappointedoneofthedeputation。Themastersagreedtothismeeting，beinganxioustoendthestrife，althoughundeterminedamongthemselveshowfartheyshouldyield，orwhethertheyshouldyieldatall。Someoftheold，whoseexperiencehadtaughtthemsympathy，wereforconcession。Others，white-headedmentoo，badonlylearnthardnessandobstinacy。fromthedaysoftheyearsoftheirlives，andsneeredatthemoregentleandyielding。Theyoungermenwereoneandallforanunflinchingresistancetoclaimsurgedwithsomuchviolence。OfthispartyHarryCarsonwastheleader。Butlikeallenergeticpeople，themorehehadtodothemoretimeheseemedtofind。Withallhisletter-writing，hiscalling，hisbeingpresentattheNewBaileywheninvestigationsofanycaseofviolenceagainstknob-stickswasgoingon，hebesetMarymorethanever。Shewaswearyofherlifeforhim。Fromblandishmentshehadevengonetothreats——threatsthatwhethershewouldornotsheshouldbehis；beshowedanindifferencethatwasalmostinsultingtoeverythingwhichmightattractattentionandinjurehercharacter。AndstillsheneversawJem。Sheknewhehadreturnedhome。Sheheardofhimoccasionallythroughhiscousin，whorovedgailyfromhousetohouse，findingandmakingfriendseverywhere。Butsheneversawhim。Whatwasshetothink？Hadbegivenherup？Wereafewhastywords，spokeninamomentofirritation，tostampherlotthroughlife？Attimesshethoughtthatshecouldbearthismeekly，happyinherownconstantpowerofloving。