aws with the help of the crisis, the want which it entailed, and the
general excitement. At this time, the Conservatives being in power, the
Liberal bourgeoisie half abandoned their law-abiding habits; they wished
to bring about a revolution with the help of the workers. The working-
men were to take the chestnuts from the fire to save the bourgeoisie from
burning their own fingers. The old idea of a "holy month," a general
strike, broached in 1839 by the Chartists, was revived. This time,
however, it was not the working-men who wished to quit work, but the
manufacturers who wished to close their mills and send the operatives
into the country parishes upon the property of the aristocracy, thus
forcing the Tory Parliament and the Tory Ministry to repeal the Corn
Laws. A revolt would naturally have followed, but the bourgeoisie stood
safely in the background and could await the result without compromising
itself if the worst came to the worst. At the end of July business began
to improve; it was high time. In order not to lose the opportunity,
three firms in Staleybridge reduced wages in spite of the improvement.
{232} Whether they did so of their own motion or in agreement with other
manufacturers, especially those of the League, I do not know. Two
withdrew after a time, but the third, William Bailey & Brothers, stood
firm, and told the objecting operatives that "if this did not please
them, they had better go and play a bit." This contemptuous answer the
hands received with cheers. They left the mill, paraded through the
town, and called upon all their fellows to quit work. In a few hours
every mill stood idle, and the operatives marched to Mottram Moor to hold
a meeting. This was on August 5th. August 8th they proceeded to Ashton
and Hyde five thousand strong, closed all the mills and coal-pits, and
held meetings, in which, however, the question discussed was not, as the
bourgeoisie had hoped, the repeal of the Corn Laws, but, "a fair day's
wages for a fair day's work." August 9th they proceeded to Manchester,
unresisted by the authorities (all Liberals), and closed the mills; on
the 11th they were in Stockport, where they met with the first resistance
as they were storming the workhouse, the favourite child of the
bourgeoisie. On the same day there was a general strike and disturbance
in Bolton, to which the authorities here, too, made no resistance. Soon
the uprising spread throughout the whole manufact