Round the chamber,
more than once, they moved with slow and awful step. Suddenly
that movement ceased; there was a pause of a few minutes; at
length a voice spoke. "I denounce John Briars."
"Why?" said another.
"He offers to take nothing but piece-work; the man who does
piece-work is guilty of less defensible conduct than a
drunkard. The worst passions of our nature are enlisted in
support of piece-work. Avarice, meanness, cunning, hypocrisy,
all excite and feed upon the miserable votary who works by the
task and not by the hour. A man who earns by piece-work forty
shillings per week, the usual wages for day-work being twenty,
robs his fellows of a week's employment; therefore I denounce
John Briars."
"Let it go forth," said the other voice; "John Briars is
denounced. If he receive another week's wages by the piece,
he shall not have the option of working the week after for
time. No.87, see to John Briars."
"I denounce Claughton and Hicks," said another voice.
"Why?"
"They have removed Gregory Ray from being a superintendent,
because he belonged to this lodge."
"Brethren, is it your pleasure that there shall be a turn out
for ten days at Claughton and Hicks?"
"It is our pleasure," cried several voices.
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