Report of the Conference of Trades Delegates, Held in the Town Hall, Leeds. On December 2nd, 1871. Called to Consider the Statements Made by Wm. Newmarch, Esq., In his Address to the Social Science Congress Lately Held in Leeds.

The errors charged upon the unions, and the slanders charged upon their motives generally, has doubtless arisen from actual ignorance, and a partial and one-sided selfishness. The few representatives of the operative classes present felt grieved at what they knew to be false and unfounded charges upon the facts, purposes, and objects of Trades Unions, and so represented them to the Leeds and District Trades Council; and they felt so strongly upon the matter as to resolve upon a general council meeting of the trades, with a view to challenge Mr. Newmarch to prove his allegations, and to substantiate his charges. The rule was to fix an average wage accordingly to the fair value of the labour of the majority of the men, and it was the object of the unions to legislate not for the inferior men, but for the average skilled workmen.