The CASE of the Woollen-Drapers of London and Westminster.
IN the Eighth and Ninth Year of His present Majesty's Reign, an Act was passed, entitled, An Act to Restore the Market of Blackwell-Hall to the Clothiers, and Regulating the Factors there. Which Act, the Woollen-Drapers not looking upon themselves to be concern'd in, did not then make their Application to the [...] Honourable House of Commons; but finding (to their great Grief) that Act to extend to the Destruction of the Woollen Manufacture in general (the Encouragement of which, the House of Commons has always intended) and to the great Damage of the Woollen-Drapers of London and Westminster in particular; have therefore humbly Petitioned to be heard against a New Bill brought in for Enforcing the said Act, and laying fresh Grievances upon the Woollen-Drapers, &c.
Reasons why the Drapers look upon themselves to be Sufferers are,
First. By the making a New Law, obliging them to give Notes for Goods bought (otherwise than with ready Money) upon a severe Penalty; whereas it has been always in the Power of every Man in Business, to dispose of his Goods as he thought fit himself, either for ready Money (with which alone very little Trade can be carried on) Bond or Note; so that there seems to be no Necessity for the extraordinary Interposition of the Legislative Power, in making an Act for that purpose.
Secondly. The drapers cannot but think their Case to be very severe, by being very particular; for if other Traders, and the Gentlemen with whom they Deal, were obliged either to pay ready Money, or give their Notes (as the Drapers are by the late Act constrain'd to do) that then they would have no Reason to offer their Complaints to the Honourable House of Commons, but do their Duty in a chearful Submission.
Thirdly. What will be extreamly grievous to them, is the design of the New Bill, which obliges them to pay Interest at Six per Cent. for all Sums contracted for, and not paid at the Day, whether occasioned by a Neglect in having it call'd for, or a present Incapacity in the Merchant or Draper in complying with it.
Objection. The Reason why the former Act past, was purely in Consultation to the Ease of Clothiers, that they (Living at a great Distance) might (at their coming to London) know who were their Debtors, and where to make their Demands; which Accounts, some Factors perhaps, have somtimes refused to give them.
Answer. There is no Trade, where every Man is Honest, and if it has ever been a Clothier's ill Fortune to meet with a Factor that has not been so, he has no more than the common Fate that all Men in Business are expos'd to, and has the same Right (that other People have) to the Laws of the Land (with which, thank God, we are well provided) for the doing himself Justice.
It is very plain that where the Retailer is discouraged, that the Trade must sink, besides, the ill Consequences that must attend Trade in general, by passing such Bills, are pretty visible, by reducing Credit to so narrow a compass, and giving occasion to many vexatious and litigious Suits of Law, by these Notes being put into Strangers Hands, who will not look upon themselves to be tied up by any common Rules of Decency, but consult perhaps their own Necessities, and as frequently, a Spirit of Malice and Contention.
In Order therefore to the better Establishing the Trade between Clothiers and Drapers, it's hoped that it may not be thought inconsistent with the Wisdom of the Honourable House of Commons, to permit a Bill to be brought in, Excluding all People from Retailing of Cloth, within the Liberties of the Cities of London and Westminster, who have not served an Apprentiship to the Trade of a Woollen-Draper, which Encouragement of the Draper, will absolutely redound to the Benefit of the Clothier, whose Interest the Drapers are very ready to promote upon any other Terms than the being uneasie in their own Imploy, to which the giving of Notes, very much contributes; for a Relief from which, they have recourse to the Wisdom of the Honourable House of Commons, who they are assured, are not less Ready, than Capable to Redress them.