Fellow Workmen!

Suffering from a long sway of cruel tyrannical oppression, roused the sleeping intellectual powers of the oppressed labourers, and in the last contest, in 1831, between the useful working classes and the owners of the coal districts of the Tyne and Wear, it will, by every candid person, be allowed, that great energy of mind, and proofs of sound clear understanding were displayed by the workmen in defence of their rights, indeed, it would be almost impious and ungrateful to an all-wise Providence to imagine, that amidst such an immense hive of men gifted with minds like other human beings, no one could be found, who, having surmounted the obstacles of his condition, could contribute something towards the moral improvement of his fellow labourers. Fellow workmen ! you are well aware that by your united efforts and confidence in each other, in 1831, you succeeded in relieving yourselves from a system of slavery which had been the growth of many years. All we asked was a fair remuneration for our labour ; scarcely however had we obtained those concessions, when our masters, under the most shallow pretences, violated their pledges, and attempted to place us in that miserable condition in which we had been, before the binding in 1831. In this they unhappily succeeded, by giving to one half of the collieries the wages demanded. But this was the serpent that stung us to death ; for our master obtaining a supply of coals from those who were at work, were enabled to keep unemployed the other half of the collieries, thus compelling the latter to take reduced wages, and breaking up the Union that then existed amongst the whole. They also brought thousands of men into these two counties to supplant us. Then they turned the unemployed portion out of their dwellings into the streets, with their families and furniture, and gave their habitations to strangers. Now, my friends, this has taught us a useful lesson. "Experience makes fools wise." Had we made a general, instead of partial strike, we should have preserved our Union and had a fair remuneration for our labour. But as they defeated us that time, and have continued to oppress us year after year - one reduction after another, unto the present day ; we therefore see clearly that nothing but a general union of all the colliers of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland will be beneficial to our interest ; therefore I call upon all colliers to unite is such a union if they want to better their condition.

As long as we keep disunited we will never cease to be tormented. Our disunion produces all our calamities, therefore, we must ourselves find the remedy. We must examine and reflect upon the events that have taken place, and profit by experience; for it is a folly of men to work their own destruction - it is their wisdom that must set them right. If we have been ignorant in time past, let us get understanding. Since the evils of society flow from ignorance and inordinate desire, men will never cease to be tormented till they become intelligent and wise - till they shall practise the art of justice founded on a knowledge of the various relations in which they stand, and have the laws of their own organization.

Fellow mortals, who despair off the human race, upon what profound calculation of reasoning and events is your judgement formed? Have you scrutinized the organization of sensible beings, to determine with precision whether the springs that incline them to happiness are weaker than those which repel, or rather, viewing at a glance the history of the species, and judging the future by the example of the past, have you hence discovered with certainty that advancement is impossible? Let me ask, have societies since their origin made no steps towards instruction and a better state of things? Are men now as they have been - destitute of every thing, ignorant, stupid, and ferocious? Are there no nations advanced beyond the period when nothing was to be seen upon the face of the earth but savage freebooters and savage slaves? If individuals have, at certain times and certain places, become better, why should not the great mass of the pitmen improve? If particular societies have attained a considerable degree of perfection, why should not the progress of the general society advance? If the first obstacles have been removed and overcome, why should the succeeding ones be insurmountable?

Fellow workmen, the first obstacle is already removed, viz.: the establishment of the Great Union, which is making its rapid progress throughout England, Scotland, and Wales; and there is nothing that can stop its progress, except we do it ourselves, or by secret enemies in our camp ; but I sincerely hope this will never more be the case. But I hope that every hewer, putter, deputy, stone-drifter, and every man that is employed down the pit, and about the pit, will see the necessity of uniting with his fellow workmen. If we were once strongly united in one grand chain of union, and were truthful to each other, all the powers of earth could not hinder us from obtaining a fair remuneration for our labour. If we were united we would have public opinion on our side, and remember, the coal owners themselves have confessed, that while we were united our power was equal to theirs, and, by a temperate exercise of that power, we could obtain that justice at their hands which has long been denied us.

How harmlessly and innocently a colliery master can read the bond about the 20th March, with a countenance as pleasant as a May-day — with a smile or laugh on his face sufficient to coax a bird from a tree, year after year, for twenty years back, with this introduction: “Lads, it is not worth my while to read it, there's hardly any alteration this year from the last, but to keep up the custom I'll read it.” He knows if he does not, it will not be a bond — but he keeps that to himself. He does not tell you. Well, off he goes pell-mell, twopence or threepence off the score price — a penny per yard off the headways and walls — a penny off the rank — a penny per day off the drivers, and a penny off the trappers, with a little matter off the shifters, and every body else. “I told you it was not much reduction : hew another corve a-day, that will make it up.” Then follows three cheers, and God save the King or Queen. I wish you would keep your eyes open in order to see, and your ears open in order to hear, and your tongues loose in order to speak when occasion requires. But you are so well acquainted with the reductions that have taken place since the last strike, that there is no need to make any comment upon them. But in the present year, 1843, the masters of several colliers have made a reduction of no less than 20 per cent. off their horney handed labourers' score-price, and 3d. per score off the putters, and the like proportion off all men that are employed down the pit, and about the pit-top; then there is the arbitrary system of plunder, in the shape of fines, by the infliction of which it is nothing strange to hear of several pitmen, after a hard day's work, coming to bank in debt for there are agents who are ever indulging in petty acts of oppression, by which the men under their power are made miserable. If we suffer ourselves to be tormented and tyrannized over any longer, — if we suffer this opportunity to pass away, our doom will be sealed for ever.

There are families already actually in a state of starvation — there are men that have not one morsel of food in their houses for days together, and who have been obliged to beg a few turnips for the children to break their fast. If we allow this year to pass over, the next year we will be in a worse condition than the hand-loom weavers are at present; that is, living on three or four shillings a week. How long can a collier live on skilley or such like food? My friends, think of these things for a moment. We are worse treated than the children of Israel, who were compelled to make bricks without straw. Our masters bind burthens upon our backs grievous to be borne, while themselves will not touch them with one of their fingers.

This year our masters have bound only three-fourths of their men, and the most of the other men that are left unbound, are only to work when the masters think proper to permit them. It is my humble opinion that the masters intend to turn all the unbound men off in the slack time of year, when the coal trade is bad, and then they will be obliged to apply to the parish for relief, and small relief it will be that the poor law guardians will give. Our masters will not set these men on again until next binding, — they will keep them out of employment for fear of a strike ; then they think that they, the men, will bind themselves to any price the masters have a mind to offer, and that they will be compelled to bind themselves at any price ; when they are allowed to more relief from the poor law guardians. There is nothing to hinder these things taking place but the Union. “United we stand, divided we fall.” Our future prosperity depends upon this movement ; and if we fail, the rising generation will have to curse the day that ever they were born. Fellow workmen that have not joined the Union, join it without delay. Our masters will try many schemes to get us divided. They will offer to give us more score-price if we will leave the Union, but be aware of the bait; stand true to one another, and as sure as the sun rises to-morrow, so surely will we be paid a fair remuneration for our labour.

Then let us on with our Union, and let it spread its wings unto the uttermost parts of the globe, until a convenient season, when we will strike the blow, — for machinery cannot be applied to hew coals and without coals our manufacturers and merchants cannot carry on their operations, and they cannot work their steamers, nor factories, nor steam-looms. If therefore all the colliers strike work together, it will put the country into confusion, and we shall accomplish the object that we have in view ; which is, that men may enjoy that liberty which is every Englishman's undoubted right and privilege ; and that the iron hand of oppression may be laid low, — servants treating their masters with that respect which is due to them, and masters using their servants in a manner that will reflect honour upon themselves. Such is my earnest wish and desire. Soon may these expectations be realized, — then we will repeat the following lines with pleasure.

No longer blind and prone to lie
In slavery profound;
But for redress aloud we cry,
And tyrants hear the sound.
We'll submit no more to tyrants' rage, —
The magic wand is broke :
We hail the bright and glorious age,
And cast away the yoke.
Our Union shall ever spread its way,
Our labour to maintain ;
and expel the tyrants' sway
As we our rights regain.

Fellow workmen, I have shown you the necessity of uniting to protect our labour. Our legislators have never enacted a law to protect our labour, so it is highly necessary that we should protect it ourselves and do our own work. There is no branch of business that can protect themselves as well as the colliers against the iron hand of oppression ; because there are no men who are acquainted with pit-work that will envy our business. There is not a trade under the sun that is subject to so many awful calamities and destruction of life as pitmen are.