THE LABORERS' MOVEMENT IN ENGLAND.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 870, 9 October 1874, Page 3

THE LABORERS' MOVEMENT IN ENGLAND.

The area of the .agricultural excitement in the eastern counties is threatening to extend itself indefinitely over the whole eastern coast j and day by day as the lock-out continues, both masters and men are becoming more and more embittered in their feelings against each other. Owing to Joseph Arch's illness, the duties of leader of this movement have devolved upon Mr Geo. Ball, formerly an agricultural laborer in Lincolnshire, and for the last twelve months one of the general delegates of the National Agricultuaal Laborers' Union. For several years he had been an ardent Methodist local preacher, an occupation which has supplied him with an admirable training for the present conflict, he speaks with great force and precision, aud at times rises into a rugged, austere kind of eloquence, which exercises a marvellous effect upon his rustic auditors. His meetings are conducted very much after the fashion of the open air conventicles formerly held in that part of the country. He is an admirable singer, and taking his stand in the marketplace, invites his hearers to join him in offering up one of the agricultural hymns. These soa< r s are of a semi-religious, semi-political character, and most of the laborers know them by heart. Singing them with all the fervor of religious devotees we need scarcely say that the effect is singularly striking. Here is one of their favorite hymns " Lord, as Thou didst invite of old, We, weary, heavy-laden, come. Thy roused, uprising poor behold, And those with hopeless misery dumb. Beneath our feet we tread the lie That our great wrongs are Thy design ; That we in want should live and die, While others share the corn aud wiue."