By the natural operation of very obvious causes, the domestic clothiers are gradually forced from the vicini ty of large towns, since near them land rises in price much Frouner, and to a greater degree than at a distance from them ; and it is a great convenience, if not abso lutely necessary, for the domestic clothier to have a small portion of land attached to his cottage.
The establishment and extension of the factory system naturally excited the fears and jealousy of the domestic clothiers ; and, in order if possible to put a stop to it, in 1806 they applied to parliament to put in force the laws respecting apprentices, and the number of looms. The first law was passed in the time of Queen Elizabeth, at a time when the number of our distinct trades was not above 100, whereas now they are between 600 and 700. The factory system creating a great demand for manu facturers, induced the proprietors of large factories to take many who had not served the legal length of ap prenticeship ; whereas the system of apprenticeship be ing more congenial to the domestic system, those who followed this system had no temptation to break the law. The other law, which, in their petition to parliament, the domestic clothiers wished to be enforced, is commonly called the weaver's act. It was passed during the 3d of Philip and Mary, and in certain cases, and parts of England, limits the number of looms in one building ; but on their application to parliament, it was shewn that this act does not extend to Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumberland, or Westmoreland. The petitioners also wished, that the statute of the 5 and 6 of Edward VI. which they contended applied to the gig mill, should be put in force. Of this statute, the committee, in their re port on the evidence, recommended the abolition.
From the report and evidence on this occasion, the following facts and circumstances may be selected, as illustrating the state of the woollen manufacture in gee nercl, and especially in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The acts of parliament relating to this manufacture, which are still on the statute book, amount to nearly 70, and may be divided into three classes: 1st, Laws for regulating the conduct of masters and workmen, and for preventing fraud and embezzlement by journeymen, &c. These in general are wise and salutary, particularly one passed in the 29th Geo. II. by which masters are pre vented from paying their workmen in goods; 2d, Laws prohibiting the exportation of certain materials and im plements, all of which have been passed in the reign of his present Majesty ; and 3d, Laws which controul the manufacturer in making and selling his cloth, particular ly those which prohibit the use of certain articles of machinery. Among those may be included the law re specting apprentices, and the weaving act already men tioned.
The committee, in their report, pointed out what in their opinion were the advantages and disadvantages of the domestic system, as distinguished from, and contrast ed with, the factory system. According to them, one peculiar recommendation of the domestic system is, that a young man can always obtain credit for as much wool as will enable him to set up as a small master manufacturer, while the public mills enable him to command the use of very extensive machinery. Another advantage of this system is made manifest, on the failure of a market for any particular kind of goods; since where this sys tem prevails, it does not throw a multitude out of em ployment, as it does when the stroke falls on the capital of a great individual. In the domestic system the loss es spread much, and it is remarked, that the domestic clothiers seldom turn off their journeymen. On the other hand, the domestic clothiers necessarily waste much time in carrying their goods to the fulling mills, &c. which might be saved, if the factory system, in which all the operations are carried on under one roof, were adopted.
Perhaps, however, the most important point of view in which these systems can be contrasted, respects their influence on the morals and habits of the people; and there can be no doubt, that if the distinguishing excel lence of the English character results in a great mea sure from their domestic habits, or if domestic habits are favourable to propriety and steadiness of conduct, the domestic is preferable to that of the factory system. Viewed in this light, which however is more the object of the moralist than of the statistical enquirer, the do mestic system of Yorkshire, in which the manufacturer not only works at home in the midst of, and in company with his family, but also on goods entirely his own pro perty, is undoubtedly the most valuable and useful. Next to this must be placed the system, common but not universal in the west of England, according to which the workmen work at their own houses, but on goods not their own property. Here the domestic habits and their consequences May be the same as are produced by the first system; but that feeling which arises from the consciousness of the possession of property, which not only stimulates to industry, but also keeps up regular habits of conduct and independence of mind, must be wanting. In the scale of the moralist, the factory sys tem must stand lowest, though, as applied to the wool len trade, it is not so dangerous to the best interests of society, as when applied to the cotton trade. The caus es of this we shall afterwards attempt to point out, when we come to compare the state of the manufacturing pa pulation of the woollen and cotton districts.