Byron’s Social Doctrine 21
a boy named Ludd, who had broken a frame some years
before because he felt that it was the cause of his poverty.
The rioters were admonished and threatened, but to no avail.
Finally, the military was called out in an effort to curb the
frame-breaking. This action served only to fan the flame,
and, with brief intervals of quiet, the rioting continued
throughout the early months of 1812.
Contemporary accounts of these uprisings indicate that
the sympathy of the populace, as it was exhibited in the
press, was not with the rioters. There seemed to be no idea
of providing relief for these sufferers. They were guilty of a
crime and should be punished for it. There is also evidence
in these accounts that the weavers were not bent on whole-
sale destruction of everything which came before them. They
had not reached a stage of mob violence. The following ac-
count is a good example of the disposition of the Luddites:
In one house they had much trouble to obtain a light;
and, while rummaging a cupboard to procure one, they dis-
covered some plate and other valuables; but, having ob-
tained a bit of paper, they shut the door, nor touched any
thing in the house but the frames, which were the object
of their vengeance. In another house it was well understood,
that from fifty to seventy guineas were kept by the master;
but, having exercised their wrath upon the obnoxious iron,
they left the gold in possesion of the owner. . . . They
wanted . . . the destruction of those instruments which
prevented them from obtaining a Bvelihood. One poor man
begged of the rioters to spare two frames that had been
the fruit of his industry for many years: his request was
granted.5
Certainly this is not the description of an Tmdisciplined mob.
On February 20, 1812, a bill, increasing the severity of
punishment for frame-breaking, was passed by the House of
Commons. As it was introduced into the House of Lords, it
(1) rendered the offence of frame-breaking punishable by
death, and (2) compelled owners of frames to give informa-