his face against every improvement that would cheapen manufactures. He fears that facility of manufact will decrease the quantum of employment, and has not learnt, that in whatever proportion price is reduced, sumption and the demand for labor is increased. broods over imaginary evils, and becomes restless querulous. He associates with the discontented of class, and from that moment becomes a slave. He has longer a will of his own, he must obey the ordinance the society. They take the law into their own hands, "suspend their masters from employment." By the ration of this act, they often compel their masters to mit to whatever they direct. Their victory becomes ter of triumph and gratulation to every class of workn It excites the envy of all those who are not under the trol of the act. They ardently desire what they call "protection : " "that protection which vultures give lambs, covering and devouring them." This delusion, p erful in its effect, has been widely disseminated, and indu ously propagated. It has within these ten years produ most extensive and formidable associations by which this has been revived and enforced throughout the country.

They have also pressed parliament for several year inflict severe penalties on the violation of this obsolete pernicious statute, under which violation our manufact have so greatly prospered. This, however, would content them. It must be extended to all the other ma factures which, it is notorious, have, without its assista florished beyond the most sanguine expectation, and to such as are yet unknown.

This enormous confederacy has the workmen of almost every trade, Pam.

VOL. III.

drawn into its vo

Q

and its influence

No. V.

tends to the remotest corners of the isle. Its means are commensurate with its extent. The spirit which produced it must be laid. It has exhibited its pretensions; and if this country is still to enjoy the commerce of the world, they must be resisted. The question must now be put to rest. It cannot remain as it is. If it be not repealed, it will be enforced. If it be partial, oppressive, vexatious, impolitic, and impracticable; if it be unfit for the present times and for a commercial nation, it ought not, whatever. may have been its origin or its object, or even its utility in the infancy of trade, to remain an hour longer on the statute books. But its repeal becomes imperiously neces sary for the protection of trade when such colossal attempts are making by ignorance and prejudice, not merely to revive and enforce it, but to extend it, with additional restrictions, to the various manufactures hitherto free from its restraints, and also to bring within its power the discoveries and inventions of "ages yet unborn!!!"

CONSIDERATIONS, &c.

As

one of the chief objects of the union of mankind in society is to restrain the strong and vicious, to protect the weak and innocent, if the former are permitted to proceed in their depredations with impunity, and the security of the latter, either in person or property, is violated, the very advantages proposed by the fundamental laws of that necessary compact are altogether lost.

Who can read the frequent accounts of the daring robberies and extensive thefts which have been lately perpetrated, without being alarmed for the safety of his property; or peruse the melancholy detail of atrocious murders, without feeling some terror for his own personal security, and without blushing for the character of our country, in which such enormities have been committed?

These remarks, however, are by no means intended to gratify an idle spirit of complaint; they are made with a view of pointing out the necessity of applying some speedy remedy for evils which are already grown to such a head, and which appear to be still increasing. No further apology, therefore, is thought necessary for this attempt to direct the attention of the public to a subject of such immediate interest.

It will hardly be said that the present establishments for the prevention of robberies and other crimes are fully adequate for the purposes for which they are intended: but by this observation no complaint is intended to be made against those establishments. It is impossible to advance any thing against their vigilance, activity, or information; but it is obvious that the chief employment of those institutions is rather in the detection than in the prevention of crimes; and though they are at all times ready to interfere in the latter capacity, whenever called on for that purpose, still their exertions must often necessarily be confined; and when we consider the extent of this metropolis, and the amount of its population, as well as the infinite variety of depredations which are every day planned and executed, it is impossible to conceive that these limited establishments can, even in this respect, comparatively speaking, produce any extensive or considerable effect.

In considering the different expedients which have been resorted to for the protection of the immense and valuable property with which this city is enriched; in considering that system of preventive jurisprudence which we must suppose to be the result of the experience and wisdom of many ages, it really is difficult to restrain our laughter, when we are obliged to describe, as the most numerous body for the nightly guard of our persons and property, the useless, weak, and decrepid crowd of watchmen. When we are in real danger, it seems almost an insult to our fears to allude to this class of men as our chief hope and reliance.

As brevity must be the characteristic of these few remarks, it will be necessary to forbear enumerating the numberless instances which might be adduced of robberies perpetrated almost under the eyes of these men. However, were they in fact ever so active and vigilant, it is impossible, according to the present system on which they act, that they can be of the smallest use in the prevention of robbery; for in what does their watching consist? Each watchman has a small district to guard; at the striking of the clock he leaves his box, goes his round, calling the hour, and returns in about half the time which is to elapse before he goes his second round; the remaining half he sleeps in his box; and when the clock strikest the half hour, he sallies again from his hiding-place, and between sleeping and waking goes exactly the same round.