The Sun. — London, England, 1816-11-27 00:00:00

w re celled upon to contribere. It had been preetically proved, fleet any extension of the pre sent assessment, instead of adding to the number of the contributors, only served to swell the list 'of those who were driven to the necessity of tip plying for relief. The utter inability of the inure wealthy. ittbahitants of this district to supply the watt ts of these famished multitudes was aggravated by a general depression of foreign trade, at which, however, they did not repine, regatoling it as one of the consequences of peace, an event so propitious to the general interests of the colliery. To one circentstance, however. he etedd Hot help adverting, becatt'se lie was convinc ed tiett it filter : ltedpowrrfidly to increase the pre vailing ttifficulties, and to . aegment that tertiltle pressnre,:t.thielt Mite overwhelmed the unfortonate manufacturer* °Otis neighbourhood—he alluded to the practice of impottin t eforeign silks by those of our coundymen who travelled abroad, and the ead and 'incredible addition which was thus occa sioned 16 local distress, and to individual suffer it Mule of the females whom he had then the „happiness inset present would, he was convinced, besitaie to divest themselves of such ornaments, ;noirthey fully ascertain the nature of those de plererhle atflictioes at this moment existing in the recreates of Spit altields. One fact might be men limied as illestrative the effect already produced by:those effi;ctioes. it teas Well known that the eutrattee, auto the Brain -house lee! been always ititheeto eoesidered, as the last misfortune of the pool' titan--.as the finateextioction of his independ ence, and of veto feat thlr hope—as the slimy and bitter eecessity that snapped asunder till the tics of kindred: But the wretchedeess 'Which he had described had produced an insensibility to these things ; the poor-house was looked at with en vy, as the only asylum against the calamities of itlidn Ciliate want, and an active competition bad been awakened for the ptivileg,e ut acitnission.— (Applensele-elt was not, however, to be inferred, that their workhouse was a place of Inxerious ac contetodation, or that it Was not already crowded to the utmost possible degree. Every bed had long'beeti (Jet:u lder! by three persons, and a recent tttictificire to their - number bad filled every bed with. four. ft was with heartfelt sincerity he invited every imlividttat;iyhO h6rd hint to 'visit these abodes of sickness and want, to contemplate the positive tail, the (sodas , pangs, arid to consider how they must be embittered in many instances by the remembrances of ancient happiness, 511(1 by those feelings that torture the man who bas collet, from respectability to pauperism...— Au experience of some duration had enabled him to assert, that the.existing distress of the eaietriet in question was wholly, Unexampled none he knew physicians who were • prepared to certify thkt many, and particularly children,' bed Wen swept'off by new diseases, of which ab roinelkce was the only copse, tied necessary food the truly cure.—(Applense.)--If decorum would permit it, k was untotopily.hi his power, as an eye-witness, to expatiate on scenes of yet darker nii,ery*oll caste of ectomil starvation, on that of a huntatt beieg, who, whilst life still lingered within liini , llttit Aremlybecome the prey of the worms. waS.but last Friday that a man was fancies in this situation lyiog ie a field, and whose first expressOm was, oe being restored to his Senses, to thank Ileaven that he (tail neither wite etor eltihiren. No item of individual toittery, howeVer, could 'furnish an estimate of the aggregate amount. In ordinary times the pour were the best friends of the poor, they were etteelted by the'hond of mutual assist "nee, and the knowlett: , ,e ot what diSlless wasplu creased ttleir sensibility to that of their brethren. Maneeexamples of noble sacrifices amid of gene rous feeling towards each other had ,come tO the knowledge of the Committee. The wretched felt for, because they understood the pains of wretchedness ; but it was scarcely possible that the seam lively sympathy Shotild be felt by the OA Mao, who was ClAted soft raiment, and , whose table every (ley genitive! with - plenty, It was still upon him that the claims of misery must, ;Wilco geuerif anti int okrable, altimetely rest, and the thee had arrived when his bounty ought to expand itself beyond the distribution of his table's crouthS. Let not their view he confined to the poor 11.1 rn diSCOMICeted from: his family he who could perhaps bear himeelt firmly up against the pressure of his own misfortunes, but whom the looks of his wife, and the cries of his eltilifren e might dissolve even to the effeminacy of tears.— Let it be recollected, too, that importunity often o btained what retiring merit would blush to ask for. mthappy sufferers whose cause lie at tempted to plead, looked tip to that assembly as sitting in judgment on their Case, and awaited with trembling arid unspeakable anxiety the result of their deeision,—(Applatise.)—lle begged leave to Move, that the Report 'which had been read ()Ott he adopted by time present Meeting. Mr. ALERS observed, that the occasion upon which this Meeting was convened was most dis tressitig to every man who telt for the sufferings and miseries of his fellow creatures, The judg mem Ait , l feeling of the Mteting were not strongly eAllt-1 for to ,mileviate the distresses Of time poor in tit w d;it(ict, lay altar notnifieeneee Sce;tes of on, evtiOplrd dktrest %re're disclosed—seettee not ly ing ie the l ian as o f Gierutatty, or in 'any foreign "t: hot in the metropolis of Eitgland; The wr<'-tehetiebelPiess.• and starving, hulk Lion's now ennteht for relief, not EIS intpativnt, and cuipable,but as humble and innocent sufferers. Perhaps there never was an occation which preseeted so notch tut sery,hitt which wasattended hyso little crime:llmq had not themselves sought relief,hut their sinferines had been discovered thtengh the 'henevoleot and tirdttotts application of Mr. Buxton and others, 'Who hall so meritoriously exerted themselves in so good a cause. They had not been abroad amoug, turntdotous assemblies, raising tairo::tent in the minds of theie fellow-cemetrynreit they had not 13-:ett occupied in the destruction of their em ployers' property ; butt they had peacefully and, calmly resigueo themselves to that Being who would. bear their prayers and redress theirgrierances. was now eppareet by the behaviour of these intli vidnals, and it was a lesson fought to the coat munity at large' which never eltould be forgotten, that it was poSsible to endure distress without, be ing drivel* to ferocity, anti that it was not neces sary to have recourse to those violent measures, itt order to obtain an alleviation of their Nisfor— ;ones, They had applied to atir feeling.: and one judgment—they had trusted to their Divine Crea tor, and had noW foetid that they had not sought in•totin. He - hopes! that the Meeting would hold out another lesson to the country of equal im portance, and show that such modest and decent behaviour should not pass without meeting its just reward. This was the only means to obtain sympathy for their sufferiogs such conduct Ile served the highest praise, and the highest reWard, lie ti listed that the generosity of. the institution which had been so lioniMurably entered into would hold out. that most important lesson, and by that means not only benefit the afflicted, but those who might one day or other be placed in the same situation. If his feeble voice could reach so far as those wretched hovels where - misery reigned alone triumphant, he would tell those unhappy people to persevere in the honest path they had chosen, and to trust in their God : their prayers had heen heard, and they would be rewarded. The Almighty God, from whom mill good arose, had listened, and they might be certain that their dis tresses would be alleviated. Under this•convic tion, and entertaining theSe ideas, he had great honour in-seconding the first Resolution, that the Report just read be agreed to. The question was put, and it was agreed to una nimously. - Mr. li at E said, that in coming forward to ad dress the Meeting, its proposiug the second reso requiriug an immediate subscription, he felt as much as any Man the importance of the occasion 'on which it was - convened. Ile - was perfectly well aware that there existed more distress in the dis trict of SpitallieldS - than had been ever recorded in the pages of history, and that upon the benevo lence of this Met Ting depended the welfare and happiness of many hundred families who were now literally starving in' their wretched- hovels. He tea,. happy to see that so much 'pains IW been taken, and so many exertions had been made to al leviate these distresses, and that at last the right rouse had been taken tolifford relief, us well as to wove - the industry of these poor individuals, who were ready nod willing to work ift hey could find any thing to do. He believed that the fact really was, that in the quarter of Spitelfields time principal part of the poor of the metropolis was congregated. NVith respect to the poor-rates, it had already been justly remarked, that it was a thing impos sible to increase them : the poor housekeeper who was now rated could give but a very small pittance, Ro d perhaps requited nearly as much himself as those to whose relief he was subscribing the money which was to purchase the subsistence of himself and his family. The poor laws Of Queen Eliza beth' had been framed with much caution and deli beration; but yet such was the present extreme dis tress, that the poor of Spitalfields were left without relief t o struggle with their poverty. They werevisit ed—their case was investigated ; but the overseer leaves these wretched beings with the painful re flection, that the small pittance he afforded from the parish was not sufficient to purchase food for .their subsistence. The only proper remedy, then,. for these evils, was to increase the labotir ; not by giving donations, which would alone tend to the increase of idleness ; by this means the hungry would be fed, and the naked would he clothed. The money collected would be placed in the bands , of the Committee of Association, which would apply it in such a manner as would supply the urgent wants of the indigent but indostri, us poor. He .concluded with moving the second re solution, • that subscription be ~opened imme diately for the relief.* the poor in the district of Spitalfields and its vicinity. Mr. Joststt NATI. felt great pleasure in second ing the motido. So much hail already, been said upon this most interesting subject, that he con ceived it necessary for him to say but it few words, which would be chiefly applied to the considera tion of the temper and spirit with which this very l a rge portion 'of time people in the metropolis bore their unparalleled and unexampled distresses. This he could nor but admire, and it never should be forgotten. The Spitatfields Benevolent So c i e ty had paid 15,000 visits to the chambers of ml ies , poor people ; and lie halt to state with pleasure, that out of the two thousand-two hundred pounds Collected by that society, not one farthing had b een spent hut on the spot, and in the sight of the wants and miseries of these victims of wretched ness. There was a resignation to, Divine Proyi. dence apparent in every family, and in every countenance : religion had taken deep root among them, and bad taught them ° hear their sufferings with hope and resignation to the will of Him who knew all their wants. All this arose from the ltnntvledge of the Holy Scriptures, which had been so meritoriously spread abroad by that, ex cellent institution the Bible Society,. as wall as other societies of a similar nature, and urged by a similar f e eling,.tbe endeavours to improve the mo rats of their fellow-creatures. However the neet ing might differ about the cause and origin of these miseries, no one doubted but that they existed, and all came by the .hand. of Divine Providence. Although we were shield ed• from the destructive (sword of war, femine. existed ; and it became the imperious duty of every. Englishman, by .economy, and retrenchment, H to do all in his power to. alleviate the-slistresses of his fellow-countrymen. All men should lay their Bands and hearts together in the common caosei and he sincerely hoped that the present would be the first of a series of meetings called together to lieve the distressed poor, and that they would go on, without ceasing, until the desired and long-wished for end were accomplished. There were many hundred labourers who could not get employ:- ment,and who were literally starving, with their. Wives and families, without the least prospect of helping then! by their exertions. There were -at •present, out of. fifteen thousand looms in the.dia trict, ten thousand laid by unused, and not less than forty-fiVe thousand persons were out of em plOy. It had been remarked, • that the labouring poor had been turned off from every establishment; and, depressed and dejected, they had sought for , relief in the city. They had done their utmost for themselves, and now sought relief front others, to save the starvation of their wives and families. It was evident that Providence designed by this Meant to exercise the benevitlence of the rich, and to try the temper and patience of the poor suf ferers. He that came from heaven to save,-acted the pail of a father to the world, giving to all who. 'lest-rya to Inc rematled ; and who woniti not de sire to become his -disciple, and follow ;the steps of his Saviour I He, therefore, with great cordi-' ality, would second the motion. (A paper was at this moment put into the hands of Mr. Pratt, and -he continued.) A piiper has just been hand ed to , me by the Reverend 'Mr. Yates, which I have great pleasure in. reading to yott. It is from a benevolent female, (Mrs. Price, of Chelsea,) who has subscribed to forward the ob— jects of this Meeting one bundled pounds.--•-(Great Applause.)—He hoped the same example would be followed' by the rest of her sex, who were at all times so liberal in cases of distress to distribute their bounty to the ailicted. Before he sat down he would make one other remark Only. He did not think that there was any class of persons who were more proper to be called upon on the present occasion to assist the labouring poor than the do mestic servants, who tnight come forward with small contributions, and be a very gre at assistance. It should be recollected that these sd.....vants of the hothehold were fed, and wages reguittly paid to then) ;so that they never could be s-aid to want ay these means, even if the contributions were ex tremely small, yet in some degree it would assist in feeding the hungry anti clothing the naSt d. He wished this point at least to be taken into con sideration. _ _ The Reinlotion for an immediate subscription was then read, and agreed to unanimously. Mr. llsrataaT proposed that a Committee, con sisting of the Lord Mayor and several othei Mem bers, whose names were read, be formed for the purpose of apportioning the subscriptions collect ed iu consequence of the present meeting among the different Charitable Associations organized for distributing it. He thought it superfluous to make any observations after • what had been already said, and would not take up the time of the Meeting, which might be much better employed. He. was 'one of those who thought that the Association of the London Tavern was formed neither at the proper time, nor on the proper plan. • It was too much for one Aociety to thilik of relieving a whole kingdom. Local so cieties seemed most fitted for effectual assistance, but he regretted to see that they met With so little patronage, from those whose aid might in crease their funds, and whose example might ex tend their influence. Ile would have desired to have seen in the present Meeting, supporting the worthy Chief Magistrate, some of the Directors of the Bank of England, and more of the poli tical characters of the City. lie would wish to ssee men of influence, When they retire to their estates in the country, throwing their exer tions into the general means of alleviating dis tress, stimulating anti itivigoratitm,iocal associa tions. When the country was tfilkatened with a formidable and implacable enemy from without, the common danger united all hearts and hands in its defence, and the exertions of all brought us out of the contest in triumph. Now we were threatened with a more dangerous enemy from within, in that distress which, by being aggravat ed into despair, might end in disturbing the peace or hastening the ruin of the nation ; and we ought to be equally zealous and united in contriving and applying the means of safely. If to want and scarcity was added a severe winter, there might be occasion for the exertions of the wisest aod mast patriotic to prevent discantent from show ing itself in a manner destructive of our happiness, if not of Our ultimate security. The Meeting had heard the feeling and eloquent description of the distresses of Spitalfields. He did . not helierowben he first heard of them, that they could in reality exist to the extent mentioned, because be did not think that human beings conki live tinder such complicated misery : but he had himself yester day visited the District, and he was prepared to believe all, though no language could express the half.—(Applause.) Sir Tuomxs BELL seconded the resolution nam ing the Committee. Mr. MOSIRIS gave an account of the exertions of the society for thedisttibution of soup in Spital- . fields, &c. of,. the origin of the society., of the numbers of persons it had supplied., of the funds it expended in some of the years of greatest dis tress, and of the4tantity of soup distributed on the morning of the meeting. The number of fa milies who applied to the public kitchen on the day of the meeting was 3,400, 200 of whom could not be served. The LORD MAYOR then put the resolution, which was carried unanimotisly. Mr. BUTTERWORTH begged to propose a vote of thanks to the Gentlemen who had signed the requisidon which had led to the present meeting. He took the present opportunity of saying, that the Gentlemen engaged in the silArale had, not withstanding its depressed state, 'held a meeting last Week to consider of some means of relieving the poor journeymen, and bad subscribed a sum of 1,500/. This sum had been partly expended in the purchase of 300 chaldrons of coals to be distributed amongst the poor. —(A pplause.) —With regard to the soup society, he must do them the justice to say, that of the, kind it was the best conducted Le had ever known. Its merit was not confined to the judiciontness of its distribution, -but consisted also in the real goodness of the Soup, in support of which he might safely appeal to no I-lon. Baronet (Sir W. Curtis), who was an admirable judge of such matters.—(A laugh.) The benevolent society was also entitled to, the amplest acknowledgments ; many ot them were unknown to the public, but their record was on high. He knew members of it, who, after reit• ing from the fatigues of the day's business, spent their evenings in visiting the alleys and cellars ot the poor, anti often ministering to their bodily wants, in providing for the education of their children. Sir W. Cuterts seconded the motion, and ex pressed his sense of the notice taken of himself - , though the occasion WAS of that nature, that he hardly knew how to smile at it. The Resolution was then put, anti carried. Mr. MARRY ATT, congratulated the Meet ing on its abstinence from ell political feelings, they bting absorbed in those of humanity had charity. He moved the Thanks of the Meeting to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, for his promptitude in convening the Meeting, and for his Conduct in the Chair. Mr. Altteram ATKINS ICCOridCii the sod pAid some high compliments to psi,. proceeding to contrast the conduct of those fur whose relief they were about to pro vide, with that of the Spafields Meeting, whose only object was disorder and invective against their Governors, when he was interrupted by hisses, and cries of "no politics." The Motion of Thanks being then carried unanimously, The Loan MAYOR, in expressing his acknow. ledgment, took occasion to observe, that it was alway a source of satisfaction to his own mind to find himself the instrument of accomplishing any good. He believed with regard to the idea which had been thrown out., that u contribution of one penny from every household servant would pro duce a fund of several thousand pound s. Another very effectual way of contributing would be by the gift of old clothes, which the Committee of Cie Soup Society h Spitalfields would be bar py to receive. Perhaps the Lidies might be in duced, during the high price of grail', to imitate his example, in prohibitin4 the use of puddings and pies, till the price of the quartern loaf shoula be reduced to a shilling. He called opt] all to lend their active assistance to the Magistriaes , form themselves into small local associations, and to bring those distressing objects %ski, whom the public streets and bridges were crowded belote the Magistracy, that their real wants and slow' tion might be inquired into. Itjbese exertions were generally made, the time might soon arrive. when not a single pauper should be seen Wan * deriog in the metropolis. 'J he subscription then commenced, and a very considerable sum was given brlot e assembly separated. DI 41 I a c THEATRICAL REGISTER. Performed Last Night. Danni-LAZE.—Xing Richard the Third; Doke of Gloucester. Mr. Kean; Lady Atwe, Miss Boyce. After %illicit, Th e Bridal of Flora, and The Midnight Hour. CovENT-Cantu;.—The Provoked Huslminl; Lord Valli!, Mr. heinble; Lady Townly, Miss O'Neill. Atter whicbt The Broken Sword. MAILS. ARRIVED-5 Waterfurd. Duc-1 Libt)un, Malta, 11114" burgh. PRICE OE TM% DAY AT TV Bank Stock,... tiSi 3 per Cent. Red. .. 6411 3 per 4 per Cents 77-11 per Cent. N. rkno 9 sToc KS tE E O'C LOCK. Datil; Aun...... 16113401 India Bonds, . Old Ann. ..... ..... Excl.). ..... ..tis. los. pr. Cons. fur Account.. .6i 60 - - COURSE OF EXCHANGE, Tut4SAY, Novemai:ll iltHd... Amsterdam .. 40 89 Ditto, at Sight . AnnterdaM • • 12 6 . • Ditto, at Sight it 3 Rotterdam l2 ` 2 Vs ' ' Antwerp ,: 6 Ex.Moner Hands , G *- ' Altonatirgh :3l i gi L I E. .. Park, 3 Day's-sight • Ditto ISourdeAus, ditto . Pritukfortou the Main ..... .... • Madrid Cadiz Seville . • , Billion. Gibialtar Leghorn Genoa... 43 --Menke .......... -, Malta i 46..--Naides .. . ....... 37i #,. Palma* 1.611011 Oporto Rio Janeiro ................................................... 1 550 1 55 r ."' Dub1in........ 10f -Cork.... 11 per Cent. Agit, (lithe Bank on Holland.... it r -- na Oki Portugal Gold, in Coin .............. .... 1 8 1..3 1 8 ' Foreign Gold, iu Bars .................... 3 4 10 New Dollars 4 Ili Silver, in Bars, Standard .......... SI ........... 46 HIGH wAnft AT LONDON BRIDGE TO-MOr Morning, 31 m i nu t e s a ft e r 9. 1 gretting, 66 THE SUN. "L." , P 1 1/141:KI; AVInAlr LONDON, WEDNESDAY, NOPE4IIBER 27: 1826' It having been erroneously reported th at the Secretary of State, on receiving from Afr• 11°41 . the Spa- fi elds Petition, h a d ,igni fi ed t hat it s hoults be laid before the PRINCE REGENT) and t hat thg answer of his Royal Highness should be gent (0 t r Mr. HUNT, we think it necessary to inform at ; Readers, to most of whom, however, the ( 0 ' perhaps is known, that the PRINCE llEGetfr never gives an Answer to a Petition except f r ont the Throne, and only when the Petitio n comes one the Corporation of the City of Londo n, or fr°lll one of the Universities. it tire have no Foreign Pallets to-ii ph A nti 1 c Pre are glad to confine our s.jew tit the subi"`" i senteti for contemplation at home. tion of the PEINCE REGENT , The Gazette of last night contaius a 1 " c11 %, ordering tlO t I " - Parliament shall meet on the 28Ii i of Janll3llnell ~,t A for the dispatch of business,HE N T us' excliiiiiVelY s,eo in TSU of hursday, the 14th ult.- - I t ' 4 ' s iota contains an Order in Council tevoking ft r y- di. . Order for obliging ships coming front the * 0 terrattean to perform quarantine, in Cooseq ued of the pique at Noya. C. 4101 Good sometimes of 80, an" Folly benefit out there is no may be derived. The poor.of t t k l fle e u h p i se:en:kin irneg7Bnetn: h rei thatice the public-spirited Lord COCHRANE itas CllO4OO House telling hut that had be been s t large l' s tniglit have thought fit to attend the Mansi°". from experience, how much mischief such ia P te r r i : Meeting yesterday,. and we know ,