The Sun. — London, England, 1841-04-05 00:00:00

ill oN the said CO! ace wbere4lte . be hour of bol , then «nd tile" d to r,tur l L, an :pry, on P 3l° ' e seal of April, in t v , t hundred ao' ea c alled over: ) call him ouL the Do° long discus' 3 , .t et oc currea his judgm A er n f vas depri,eu judgment 0: by the Arc at urday f or !, adtnitteclictou 0 f ,ire hrine e Iler, the 10 01 ' r Audi, hi, ow esbi.;. -t g, talon O' ' r , of Ili' r:of .0110- aislo, of lig"e . .mate ad ro o , diciolAY r e ; two grail": the CO 1111 ` 1 ; alid ith re at' on t , s . the la the stsm: Ir ie .oug eve ry o. n up frec icing ilf allY ess ady its Pe cui t l y nude 01 1 il te ost pry that ' DEP' Z ll°' s't j ot' g, l ,e edr to ;I.le ie r / e ' is o ,l° erul3"' 7 la .1 „,e• ble A tiar , t bere ft) 'di ded i 'd :• the l ' j • a • • reel es () e' exP l ' a riie . s s au •ese ° e is pa' the t pe f r oill it w bicl l l l , o , bas P 0 1 c" o i . V' 0 1 F, a tl e tur e6 ' l Je w vim . o-P l3ce ); ) 1 7 ;,;ecut' fro- E'rs 'Val ! rio , ar t his Go% 4t, We t a boot Iv a ,(1 t he knc)beci" usta iu , iai , MORNING► ED►ITIO ESTAIINSTER LOAN SOCIETY. On Saturday a public meeting of the Proprietors and D,-,henture-holders of the Westnaioster Discount, Loao, and Investment Society was held at their offices, No. 10, Bucki ng h am - street, S tran d , for the purpose of considering t h e expe di ency of convert i ng t h e Institu tion into a Joi n t St oc k C ompany . At t h e h our ap pointed for tilting the Chair (when the Board-room was crowded, there being upwards of thirty members pre sent), the Secretary real a letter from the perpetual Chairman of the Company, Mr. Cornelius O'Brien, M.P., to the e ff ec t th at h e . regretted to be unable to come to London to attend the meeting, but having read the Report of the Managers, whi , th was submitted to the Proprietors on this occasion, he considered it most satisfactory. He was gratified at the continued P r osperity of the Institution, and he highly approved of the Proposed formation of a Joint Stock Company. Mr. CROSSE (the Barrister), was then voted to the Chair. The SECRETARY read letters from the Honourable E. BYng and Mr. Bridgeman, M.P., expressing warm neerobation of the management, and a deep interest in t he Prosperity of the Society, which they considered e9 ° 4ll e advantageous to the Proprietors, and bene ficial to the industrious classes ; but they at the same t ime apolcgised for unavoidable absence. A similar letter from Sir Robert Duplale (dated from La Rochelle, the -)3d of March) was read, in which the lion.l3lronet requests his debentures from the pre sent Society, to he converted into shares in the new Comp any. The CHAIRMAN said—Gentlemen, the success which has attended this institution from its commencement, t he magnitude of its operations in a short period, the tepidity with which they have recently increased, have i nduced the mrnagers to call this meeting for the par 13°se stated in the noti c e, i n o r d e r th a t the business of toe Society may be enlarged to an amount proportionate t° the demands made upon it by the wants and the f 'yetis of the public. The chief manaecr (Mr. Charles Kerry Nicholls) has prepared a report of the progress present condition of the Society, which will now he read by the Secretary, and will enable the meeting te decide up o n the proposition which we are assembled t 0 consider. The Secretary then read the following Report The Westminster Discount, Loan, and Investment So st,l,as established in the month of May 1839. The in -3‘itl.Y was utio n originated with a few enterprising gentlemen of uh itantial property, who carried the undertaking into n e ' , ect entirely upon their own capital and resources, with- 6 -lit any assistance from the public. In this respect, the l'st steps of the Society were dii.tinguished from the preli fl'iliary course o f most C ompan i es. I n th e es t a bli s h men t ° f such companies it is acneraily the case that nothing is cer tain to the shareholders hut an enormous outlay in the first instance In the formation of this S )ciety the expen ci'tore for a dv er ti sem . nt s , offices, clerks. came trom the pockets of the founders, and no part of the amount was ?te r charged upon those who have since united with them 41 raisin g the Institution to its present higa and important a'lon. Our operations began with a loan of only 5/.. e t, in the course of eleven monthQ, up to the time of the general meeting, we had put into circulation a capi tal of 20,0001. ; and now, in less than two years, our 1 ' a 'zactions have amounted to more than 80,000/. The P_ortion of that capital contributed by the public in the 7 11 Y of i nvestmen t h as b een com p ara ti ve ly sma ll, amount -41,g. to about 2,0001., but it has been productive 4 (l ' great advantage and acknowledged gratification to the . e Positors themselves. For they have received in every instance an unexpected bonus of two per cent. in addition the agreed interest of five per cent. The advant ages e°oferred upon the working classes by this Institutim form 44 i mportant consideration in this Report. They are P r e'vf d by the fact, that in almost every instance the bor. t'tver haying paid up his or her loan, has applied for and Obtained another. In most cases the improved circurn :tances of the borrower justify the Society in granting, n U his friends in guarante , inn, a larger loan, and in every , -rist ance the parties have acknowledged a benefit conferred. „ Our succseis in this department is mainly produced by ~ "e care taken to ascartain that the applicant for a loan is :13erson likely to turn it to good account, and by allowing u' l entire m on th t o th e borrower to make the hest use of th e s money b e f o re any part is repaid. In the mean time, 'e turas the whole amount is his trade at leas-t twice, and : 11 () ' -n etimes oftener. The repayments are made in the antler most easy to himself, and the interest is paid in :: 114 so small in proportion to his gains. that practically 15 never felt, and the effect to hint is the same as if the Zturn of the principal by instalments were the only pay opt required of him. 'n th e discount department important Resistance has been rendered to small trmiesmen, and sometimes to men extensi ve b us i ness , b y di scount i ng bill s o f l ow amoun t s , 11 t r'h otherwise must have remained until due in the desks Of t he holders, for bills of 15/. and even 201., are nearly ~:m a rketable, and rarely find their way into circulation, the Pt by such facilities as this Institution afford:. Trades sfr: of high respectability are frequently put to great s f ,;, t ts whilst bills of that description are lying by them ledr,ess, and such persons have experienced and acknow sed the advantages of this Society to a very large of e a ' vast results which have been obtained with funds J o i e Society hitherto employed, suggest the formation of 48 t h 's ‘ Stock Company, with a capital of 100,000/., and th Would, in effecq, circulate as 400 000/. in two years, 40 - 4 Publ ic will readily appreciate the importance of the 4 ,'ertaki ng . N or i s i t matter o f specu l at i on t h at t h ere i s demand for the em pl oyment o f t h at sum . Th e progres .vg e increase in the amount of our transactions has ex ceeded the most sanguine expectations, and it is impossible to calculate what may be its limits. The reading of the Report was frequently inter l'l'Pted by loud applause. i Mr. J. W. BRYANT then rose and said—Sir, 1 have t a ken a deep interest in the prosperity of this Institu tion from its commencement ; perhaps more from a r egard for my more enterprising friends with whom it °riginatNl, than from any expectation of great emolu ment to myself; but certainly not from any anticipation Zet the results in respect to public good and private gain .1 114 :11 their jud gmen t an d energ y h ave pr o duced. It , 3 been m good fortune to observe from time to time 1;1 11' y Practical proofs of their sound principles, and of the i ll, ability, bil Witt, and integrity, and consequent success, , f 7 Whi c h t h ose pr i nc i p l es h ave b een carr i e d i n t o ope -1,". It has a l so b een a p ar t o f my experience to oh- C r te th e f ata l consequences w hi c h h ave e l sew h ere fol 'wed from the absence of such principles and the R,le‘ct of su c h practices.—( Hear, hear.) The Society +3 formed with two objects, neither of which has ever ;en lo st s i ght of i n the course of its proceedings, and l ) , thn ah these might se e m, upon a superficial view, to th - In deoenclent of each other, I am fully convinced a t their connexion is so close—at least, in an past it ution of thi s kind—where the one is not b eer the other will never be attained.—( Hear, O) The first was a greater profit than could be o t t; 4 'ned by the employment of money in any se o q e r novel undertaking—the second to obtain that t With the greatest possible benefit to the Indus. i n P° !'s classes. These were the objects for which such fr: tit utions were designed by the Legislators who ti t eed the law for their enrolment, and who, as their o ti ,'"quent acts have shown, understood, like some Sfl'Z l : designers moral and artistical, very little of the It? hi ‘; in taste or usefulness, which their own works Q, 4 produce, when completed.—( Applause and u tt'r.) The first Loan Societies' Act . was passed % il l . the best intentions ; and, wherever it was fairly thtludiciously acted upon, it answered the purpose of th: legislature. It served to a great extent to take btLl'idustrinus classes out of the hands of the pawn trh-"rs, and of those persons in the legal profession 14' befor e that Act, made it a business to discount 4 4 ° . 1 low amount for the sake of the costs, which en th• in the event o f t h e i r not b e i ng ta k en up . Th e ta'he'ts of th e A c t were t h us F ar i n man y i ns t ances at ci.l:red ; and those uncertain and often disastrous asso nit,ns call e d money c l u b s were di scourage d, if no t 1 1;1 Vier given up as lonr , as the Act of 5 and 6 4 14 IV. cap. 23,. was in' force. But ti as that Act e j 4 (l w " erY other must depend for its working upon , ta i .' 4l "rot an d goo d f a i t h o f those who undertake to Ilild rY it into operation, the success of the Societies formed th en 4r i it has b een var ious.—( Hear.) In sonic cases ihoi e `ins been on the part of the Managers gross in -41)(i ce- -in others gross indiscretion—( Hear, hear.)— tti ri a lar ge num b er o f t h e S oc i et i es are a t th is %oh aidttl„tiankrupt, a f ter p u bli c procee di ngs at law which t he —e rn no credit, and inconsiderate loans which did chit thriftless borrowers no good—( Hear, hear)— tofiniquitous conduct, I am sorry to sty not al erirt,t-"er unfoided, although made with too little dis -1,5, 'nation, were brought in Parliament against the Societies generally, and the blame was thrown whiehthe Act of the sth and 6th of William IV., c. 23, ,It in fa ct , w h erever i t did fail, failed only because a t m , acted upon with prudence and good faith.— "It.) The Act of the 3d and 4th of Victoria, I -; was consequently passed in great haste, upon d ay of the Session, 1840 ; and its effect has " necessity,to suppress or embarrass most of i t So e • • • avail themselves of 8 1 3 , 0 _, .ieties which attempted to . Hear.) It was certainly a strange e at. en el' for the Legislature, which allows 20 per !Ike of s Pawnbrokers, who receive a substantial Incort i,44 Propert into their hands, for every loan, and 'Oll. l trouble) of irquirv, as to the character of the we e Si CCF~t t or th e va l ue o`' the security, to allow but 12 to L oan S ac i et i es. —( 14 , ar.) It was impos ,‘l've ens l ls t ° to upo n that law—(Hear)—and those who 93 t t ). a vnured to do so have found out its worthless f -Pa t ""eir cost I am aware that I trench upon ii (4 ' ) i I me which the delicacy of some gentlemen would B?t cannot think that, in the important irlr. un of this day, we have nothing to do with 'I lsf,rrrfections of the law, or with the faults and ` (ll~u °es of Societiesprofessedly similar to our own. ••,' i t •', think it right to state on this occasion, th at we have flourished, and must conttnue 4ii , and It • lir t 1 14 7' 1 0 —although discontent, ni loss, and (ll.iar.) f4groe.rrittended the progress of of t, ili c!st,} )jis r hn 'T e l t the great , inet . .ca o se i business o f ortu nr nit e y , that tuereis for the Z l : l o l i i t :i lli r a e b n i ~00,t of % capital lon, inay alreadyh muchat its disposal ; and by the Driv e4Ditalist we . arc , I trust,.a . Oo p ut on to . i n nv t i h t e e t i chti g Q viva s to join with us for parficip.tt lt3 4e and public good, which this institu- Y and which must be c ombined to render o ld er Q , 3 „ 1 ,., . 4sef tl i . "le establishment permanently prosperous (Hear.) This latter principle has been discovered to be essential for the lending of money, use ful even by an institution o f whi c h the Qu e e n i s ,cueen is patron, and Lord J.Rassell, Mr. Slane), and other statesmen and philanthropists are Directors, and which was esta blished for the lending of money to the industrious, without any profit to the capitalists who contributed the funds in the way of donation. With all their in fluence and resources, their oversight of the true com mercial principle brought them to this state, that not very long ago they were obliged to suspend operations for five months, until they got in enough of their dis persed capital to go on again. flre have had no difficulty or delay in our business for a single hour. I have had in my hands the last Report of the Society to which I allude, and I find that they declare the mercantile or reciprocal principle (on which we have always acted) to be the only safe one, in lending money so as to do good ; and they are now acting in other respects upon our plans in minor detail. They do so as far as they can, consistently with their institution being carried on, without profit to themselves, which condition is enough to prevent their ever making it extensively or perma nently useful. The Loan Society (if I may so call it.) established by the great Benjamin Franklin, was also purely benevolent, and when I tell )ou all that is known of its history you may guess for yourselves what was its ultimate success. In 1781, when he was in Paris as diplomatic agent for the American republi cans, he lent a French gentleman ten guineas on this con dition, that the borrower as soon as he could afford to repay it, should lend the same sum to another honest man in distress, upon the same condition—(Hear)—" so that," said Franklin, " my ten guineas may go round the world, doing good, until a scoundrel stops them at last." —(Great laughter.) Sir, our ten guineas are " going round the world, doing good"—but we take better pre cautions than even the wise economist of the New World, that " no scoundrel may stop" their circulation. —',Much applause and laughter.) Inked, there is no other monetary establishment in the world which has its funds so well secured. For every 1,0001. which we lend, we often hold the security of nearly 800 house keepers, each bound in a small sum, compared to his means. What bank, or merchant, or company, of any kind, can boast of an assurance so safe as this? But there is room for circulating with that safety, and, at the same time, with the good which Franklin contemplated, even a much larger sum, than we propose to raise by shares. The ativantlges to the Shareholders are so ob vious and so gr , -at, that if we fixed the capital of the Company at 200,0001. instead of 100,000/., I have not the least doubt that it would be speedily subscribed. Thanking you, gentlemen, for your kind attention, I beg leave to move the resolutions, which have been placed in my hands. He then read the following reso lutions : 1. That this meeting has heard with greet satisfaction the Managers' Report of the progress of the Institution from its commencement, and of its present flourishing condition. 2. That it is gratifyin,q to the P.oprietnr and Deben ture-holders, that the profitable return derived from their investments has been attended, to so large an extent, with benefit and sati,fiction to the 3. That this meeting, considering the important advan tages obtained by the Proprietors and ti , e industrious classes from the proceedings of this Institution hitherto, and that larger capital, applied to its objects, will produce the most beneficial results, hereby adoot the recommPnda• tion of the Manager, and resolves that the Society, from this day, do become a public Joint-stock Company, under the name and title of << The Westminster Loan and Invest ment Joint-stock Company." 4. That the present Manag ers, who have conducted the Institution to its high state of prosperity and security, be requested to continue their valuable services, to prepare a deed of settlement, and to take such measures as they may deem necessary for carrying the foregoing resolution into eff et. Mr. POWER seconded the resolutions, which were carried unanimously. Mr. HOLT moved the sth resolution, to the effect— That the warmest thanks of the Proprietors and deben ture holders are due, and are hereby given to the Mana gers of the Society, and especially to Charles Kerry Ni. cholls, Esq., for his able conduct in the arduous office of Chief Manager ; for his skill, laboriousness, and diFcre lien, in the discharge of the onerous and varied duties; ea(' far the kind ness a n d g o o d t em per by which he has conci liated the best feelings of all who had transactions with the Society.-e-( Much applause. ) He said that he had had opportunities of observing the admirable conduct of Mr. Nicholls in managing the af fairs of the Society, which was so marked by discre tion and forbearance combined, that there bad not been a single occasion to refer to law, in the case of any loan under 20/., since the establishment of the Society. Mr. KEY WOOD, in a highly-eulogistic speech, se conded the resolution, which, like the preceding, was carried unanimously, and amidst applause. Mr. NiCHOLLS them said, Mr. Chairman and Gen tleinen—l beg you will accept my sincere acknow ledgment for the compliment with which you have honoured me and my colleagues. Tne duties of the office which I have the honour to fill are arduous, and can only be discharged by my constant application from morning till night. But in that application lam sus tained and encouraged by the success which has hitherto attended our institution. This Society is well suited to the wants of the public ; it has been con ducted on strictly commercial principles, and carried on with fairness and prudence, as well as with spirit. It has been expedient to give occasional indulgence to persons who were not always able to observe strict punctuality ; but that indulgence, I am happy to say, has not often been abused. That we have had every success—that we have done great good—that mutual satisfaction and advantage to us and to our customers have attended our proceedings, are gratifying truths ; but it would not be true to say that we have had no trouble at all. From my experience of the past—from my intimate acquaintance with the wants, feelings, and habits of the industrious classes of this metro polis—l do not hesitate to predict that this Company will, ere long, be the most important and most useful establishment of the kind in this country. Mr. WALTER moved the 6th resolution : That the thanks of this meeting are 11 reby gratefully presented to Cornelius O'Brien, Esq., M.P., Chairman of this Society ; to the Honourable Edmund Byng, Sir Robert Dugdale, and Hewitt Bridgeman, Esq., M. P., for their exertions and support in behalf of this Institution. He said that this Institution was amongst the first of the kind established in the metropolis, and at every meeting the members had to congratulate each other upon its transactions, ‘vlii6i had been alike satisfactory to them, and to th ose {vho had availed themselves of its assistance. In an eloquent speech of considerable length, which was warmly applauded throughout, he expressed his perfect concurrence in the formation of the new Company, and, in conclusion said, that the dis tinguished and highly honourable gentlemen who were named in the resolution, and to whom the meeting owed its most cordial thanks, formed, by their support of an Institution destined to benefit the industrious classes, a link in the chain which should bind the latter more closely to the institutions of their country, of which those gentlemen were the pillars and ornament.—( Applause.) Mr. MARDENBURGIS seconded the resolution, which was carried like the others with great applause. Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the meeting separated. COURT OF SEWERS OF WEST MINSTER, AND PART OF MIDDLESEX. An adjourned meeting of the Court of Sewers for the City and Liberty of Westminster and part of the County of Midilleiex, will he held at the Sewers'-office, in Greek-street, Soho-square, to-morrow, at Twelve o'clock. Among other proceedings are the following:— To receive Report as to the Drainage Bill introduced by Lord Norrcianhy in the House of Lords. To consider (at Two o'clock) as to signing warrants for levy upon the Churches and other newly rated pro perty in the Eastern Division of the Westminster Sewers. To receive a Report of the Solicitors of the circum stances con.nected with the case, and opinio❑ given thereon by Sir William Horne and Sir John Campbell in 1833, as to the right of the Commissioners to dis train for arrears of rate. That the present system of collecting the Se xers rate be taken into consideration. That, {or the future, the Sheriff be directed to sum mon a S pecial Jury on all occasions. CIL RISTENING OF THE COUNT OF PARIS.— " The christening of the Comte de Paris," says the Cour rier Francais, " is definitively fixed for the 2d of May. There is to be a dinner of eight hundred persons, in the great salon of the Louvre, after which M. Auber's grand consort will be performed. On Monday evening last, after the rehearsal of the concert, the King, wishing to see what effect the salon would produce, had it lighted up in the same way as it is to be at the christening. The lights of the rich lustres striking on the pictures produced a brilliant effect. Extensive preparations are making in the grand apartments of the south facade of the Hotel de Ville for a splendid dinner, to be followed by a ball. The plans for the fireworks for the fetes of May are already prepared ; they are composed of various allegories con nected with the christening. The musical pan of the ser vice at Notre Dame will he performed by the singers and musieian.s of the Grand Opera, the Opera Comique, and the Conservatoire de Mu , ique." The same journal state; that for the occasion of the King's fete and the christen ing, an extensive amnesty is under consideration for pol'- tical offenders, which will include Prince Louis Napoieon (this we much doubt); and that in execution of the Royal ordonnance of July 6.1834, containing promises of indul gence in favour of condemned persona in the colonies, who have been remark able for their good comb Act since their condemnation, the Minister of Marine is waiting for the lists of propositions of grace from French Guiana, Sene gal, India, Martinique, and Guadaloupe, in order that he may place them under the eyes of his Majesty. LIVERPOOL PENNY TRIBUTE TO Row- LAND HILL, ESQ.—The plate about to be presented to Mr. Hill is a splendid silver richly engraved salver, about twenty inches in diameter, and it is now to bo seen in the shop window of Messrs. Wordley and Mayer, in Lord street, who were commissioned to prepare it expressly for the occasion It hears the following inscription :—" Pre sentel to Rowland Hill, Esq., by the subscribers to the Liv:rp9ol Penny Tribute, in token of their gratitude for the active, persevering, and successful exertions , to which the country is indebted for that inestimable boon, the General Penny Postage, isIDCCCXI.I." ~~. 1 .~~~. -__. THE sUN, LONDON', MONDAY, APRIL 5, 1841 CHARTISTS AND CHURCHMEN. On Thursday we gate an account, furnished by a Correspondent, of the Annual Meeting of the Bath Protestant Association held in that city on Tuesday. IVe have since received a more detailed account of the strange proceedings, and we give them at full length, in order to show what the good sense and firmness of the middle and lower classes can do when fairly opposed to the selfish and political priesthood. The Rev. H. Stowell and the Bath parsons were shame fully defeated. Their opponents h, d the best of the argument, and out numbered them by ten to one, even in the city of Bath where the clergy are supposed to be omnipotent. From t'ae small number of the inhabitants of Bath that mounted the scaffold with the plotting clergy on this occasion, we can foresee that the despotism which the priesthood have exercised for some time,: is drawing towards a close : During the last fortnight the walls of this city have been extensively placarded, announcing a meeting at the assembly raoms, for 1 uesday evening, March 30, at seven o'clock P.M., precisely ; for the formation of a " Bath Protestant Operative Association." A se cond series of bills were subsequently issued, st;lting that the " Rev. Hugh Stowell, of Manchester, would address the meeting, the attendance of the working classes is particularly requested"—and " tickets of ad mission may be procured of all the Bath booksellers." These tickets were, as also the bills, signed ‘c F. Fysb, Secretary" (a person whose name and conduct have be come somewhat notorious), and required the parties using them to be " amenable to the chair." It was also announced that James Lord, Esq., of ae Inner Temple, barrister-at-law, would attend as a depu tation from the London Protestant Association. As the hour of meeting approached, numbers of people, particularly the .working classes, were seen flocking to the Assembly Rooms ; and many hundreds were ex cluded from the impossibility of getting tickets ; and the lobby and passages leading to the large room of meeting was filled by persons anxious for admission. At the hour appointed for commencing the business, the room, which holds from 1,500 to 2,000 persons, was well filled. About twenty minutes after the hour appointed, great impatience was manifested by the meeting for the commencement of the proceedings, cries of " Chair," proceeded from every quarter, and, amidst stamping of feet, and other signs of disposition to proceed to the ob ject of the meeting, Mr. R. K. PHILP arose, and was received with loud cheers. He said—" Ladies and Gentlemen,—We are met this evening for the purpose of forming a Bath Protestant Operative Association ; and as the business that will be brought before us, is more particularly connected with the working classes— (Here Mr. Philp was interrupted by several gentlemen who ru,ched in upon the platform, and cried out, " Sit down, Sir,---you have no right to sp alt," " What are ou doing, Sir ?" &c. &c.)--I am about to propose a Chairman. Rev. Mr. TOTTENHAM—We have a Chairman alre-tdy appointed. Mr. PHILP —By whose authority? Mr. TOTTENHAM—We have chosen him.—(HisF,es.) Mr. PHILr—You have no right to elect a Chairman for the meeting. It will be most proper that we have an operative in the chair, and I propose Mr. Thomas Bolwell.—(Loud cheers.) The motion being seconded, a gentleman on the plat form cried out—" Mr. Wilton is alre4dy in the chair." Upon the motion being put, a forest of hands were held up for Mr. Bolwell, followed by loud and long-con tinuPd che,,rmg,. Mr. BOLWELL rose amidst hearty plaudits to ac knowledge the honour conferred upon him, and to open the business of the meeting, when he was assailed with noisy interruptions from several gentlemen on the plat form, who persisted in keeping Wilson, Esq. in the chair, against the will of the meeting, and threatened to call in the police, which drew forth loud and long contioued hisses and groans from the audience. Mr. Alderman CRISP, amidst tumultuous cheer ine, rose, and stated that the meeting had, by an over whelming majority, chosen a chairman. That it had waited more than twenty minutes after the time fixed, and that no chairman was announced in the bills con vening the meeting ; there could be no question but it was the duty of the few individuals on the platform to yield to the overwhelming majority that had elected the chairman, and, as the cards of admission required, " be amenable to the chair." (Here there was tumultuous interruption from the parties ou the platform, who de nied Mr. C.'s right to speak, when he, Mr. Crisp, re quested those in the meeting who were willing to hear hint, to hold up their hands, upon which a forest of hands appeared, and, on the contrary, about a dozen, exclusive of those on the platform. Mr. Crisp then proceeded) Are you satisfied now of my right to speak ?—Will the paltry few on the platform dare bid defiance to the will of the vast assembly before them ? —(Loud cheers.) The gentlemen on the platform deny that a majority of the meeting are in favour of Mr. Bolwell presiding over them. I now request all those who desire Mr. Bolwell to take the chair, to hold up their hands. (Hete again a multitude of hands ap peared, and on the contrary being put, some two dozen, exclusive of those on the platform, appeared, thus electing Mr. Bolwell a second time, by an overwhelming majority, to preside. Mr. Crisp turned again to the platform, arid said, " Gentlemen, are you now satisfied? Upon which cries of " No, we have our own chairman," proceeded from several gentlemen, with brandishing of umbrc las, and other hostile demonstrations, amid loud yells ned hootings from the body of the meeting. Mr. Crisp then e .id) The fact is, you have come here to dictate to the meeting, and not to hear its sentiments. You vainly imagined that you had a population to deal with, like those of past times. The eyes of the people, how ever, are now open. They are no longer to be deceived, deluded, and humbugged by such proceedings as yours. lud cheers.) Your object is to collect together Church and King mobs, and restore the days of Lord George Gordon. The days of trickery and delusion are past—the people now reason, and think for themselves. --(Tremendous cheeeng.) At this part of the proceedings, an effort was made to place Mr. Bolwell, as Chairman, upon the plat form, but the parsons put themselves in a fighting attitude, one of them seizing Mr. Bolwell by the throat, and thrusting hint violently back. He was manfully supported by some friends around him, who placed a chat , for him upon the reporter's table, when several gentlemen, leaning over the platform, seized hold of it, and a at; uggle ensued for the possession of it, between the " shepherds" on the pl itform, and their " flocks" below, the chair being ultimati ly wrested from them, amidst loud laughter from the meeting, and a cry of " Felice" from several parties on the platform. Here Captain Carroll, with a small band of police, made his apraranee from the ante-room on the plat form, giving ri e to gre tt excitement in the meetinz. Mr. Alderman Crisp, addressing Capt. Carroll, said, " I am surprised, Sir, to see you are here, acting on the part of the few gentry around you, in opposition to the will of this vast assembly. Teere is no necessity for your interference—the people arc proceeding legally to ' express their sentiments. You must withdraw those men I wilt be answerable for the peace of the meet ing ; there shall not be the slightest offence against person or property ; the room shell not be damaged, nor a hair on the head of any person on the platform be hurt, if the police are withheld front unjust inter ference. But if it is persisted in to keep the police men here, with the view to over-awe the people, in the exercise of their just rights, I will not be answerable for the consequences that may ensue. Shortly after Capt. Carroll and the police withdrew. Mr. BOLWELL, turning to the platform, said, "Ba verend Gentlemen—lf you do not behave yourselves, and allow the business of the meeting to proceed, I must have you all taken out."—(Loud cheers.) Here a conflict of words ensued, between the front row of gentlemen on the platform, and those immediately be fore them below : the parsons sometimes coaxing and sometimes raving. It was attempted to obtain a hear ing for Mr. Stowell, by one of the reverends declaring " he was the man, if the people desired to hear a good speech." Mr. STOWELL here called, once more, for the sense of the meeting respecting the Chairmen,. Upon Mr. Bolwell's name being put, and that of Mr. Wilson, the former was again, elected, by, if possible, a larger ma jority than before—Mr. Stowell, with others on the platform, being the principal supporters of, and hold ing up both hands for, Mr. Wilson. Mr. Stowell then called for a division of the room. Mr. Crisp said it was impossible—the meeting was so crowded, it would create a dangerous tumult. Such a proposal could be only made to create a riot. If they wanted to divide the sheep from the goats, he knew where the goats would be. Mr. Bolwell had already been elected al most unanimously to the chair, and it was an insult to the meeting to make such a proposition.—(Deafen.. ing cheers, and cries of " Belwell.") Several " gentle men" added to the confusion of the meeting, by stamping, whistling, and using noisy cat-calls, particu larly in the orchestra—a contrast with the conduct of the " lower orders " who were present, and to whom were repeatedly applied the epithets " noisy rneh" " tools of Popery," &c., by their s pi r it ua l p astors. A reverend gentle nap shouted out, " I t was our Chairman who had the majority." Mr. Parer s rid, " Rev. Sir, de vou know the liar shall have his portion in the l Ike ?"—(Great cheering —confusion on the pla , form.) Compvrativ. quiet being obtained, Mr. BOLWELL, the duly elected chairman, rose amidst tremendous cheers. He said—Ladies and Gentlemen, a very large majority of this meeting has been pleased to confer on me the honour of electing me to preside over the present im portant meeting, for which confidence I tender my warmest ac knowledgements.—(Great cheering.) Yqu are called together to-night for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of forming a Bath Pro testant Operative Association. It may be proper to observe, that I find myself placed in some difficulty, not having had an opportunity of knowing the precise routine in which the gentlemen who convened this meeting intended to submit the business to your consideration. Ido not mention this circumstance for the purpose of throwin any blame on the gentlemen whose duty it was to make the necessary arrange. ments. I beli e v e t h ey were not aware o f m y being in town, until I had the honour of meeting them in the capacity of Chairman of the present meeting.— ( Laughter, and cheers, and " They have got a 'Farrar.") Judging from the bills that have been issued, several gentlemen will address the meeting in favour of its ob jects, and resolution s will be submitted for your ap probation or rejection. I hope you will give an at tentive hearing ; and if any gentleman should feel inclined, from a difference of opinion, to address the meeting in opposition to the sentiments of those who support the object for which we have been cal!c.l together, I trust you will give a fair and im partial hearing.—(Cheers.) I have my opinions—but they will not sway me in the exercise of my power as Chairman.—(Loud cheers.) I shall now call upon any gentleman who may be 'prepared to submit a resolu tion.—(Great cheering.) In the course of Mr. Bolwell's address, considerable interruption was caused by some of the " peace makers" handing a huge carpenter's mallet to the pseudo Chairman, designed to belabour the table at which he sat, in order to drown the words of the speaker. The worthy gentleman, however, chose rather to brandish its huge wooden head, amongst the many others on the platform, to the no small amusement of the spectators. Mr. STOWELL, turning to Mr. Wilson, attempted to address the audience. Mr. BOLWELL inquired whether Mr. Stowell re cognised him (Mr. Bolwell) as chairman ?—(Cheers.) Mr. STowELL—lt is no matter about that.—(Loud cries of " Oh, oh ; yes it does.") Mr. BOLWELL-I have been appointed to preside over this meeting three times, and you yet bid defiance to thg people's choice. This is an insult to the opera tives of Bath that cannot be borne. Unless you re cognise me as chairman, I will not permit you to speak.—(Tremendou s cheers.) Mr. STOWELL persisted, in vain, to effect a hearing. He moved in dumb show, amidst deafening hisses and groans. Mr. R. K. PHILP, on getting up, was received with general applause. He proceeded—Ladies and Gentlemen, we have been called together, as the ope ratives of Bath, to form a Protestant Association ; and now we are assembled for the purpose, the reve rend gentlemen who called this muting refuse to per mit us to express our opinions upon the matter.— (" Shame, shame.") But, my friends, we are not to be made the playthings of any body of men, whatever their station or calling. The gentlemen on the platform, and a few more sprinkled around the room, are the only ones who have raised their voices against the appoint ment we have made to the Chair. But how many ope ratives are there upon the platform ?—(None, none.) Then what right have they to interfere with the legiti mate expressions of our opinions ?—( Loud cheers.) It is for us to decide whether we will have the proposed Association or not. Are we to be called here, and to allow a few interested persons to decide for us ?—( No, no.) The Church is the most formidable enemy of the people.—(Cheers.) The most obstinate opponents of that great measure of political reform, the People's Charter, have been the clergy.—(Cheers.) The influence of the Church is exerted against every measure likely to benefit the country—against every kind of civil or religious liberty.—(Cheers.) It is our Christian Church that has imprisoned Thorogood and Baines for the non-payment of Church-rates—they conscientiously differing from the tenets of the Establishment. It is our Christian Church that has imprisoned Hetherington and Cleave for pub. lishing a work, the author of which had conscientiously expressed his opinions upon matters of religion.—(Loud cries of "Shame.") It was a Church minister,who, whilst Frost was awaiting his trial, exerted every influence from the pulpit, over his parishioners, against him.--(Shame.) his the Clergy that is seeking to do away with the harm less amusements of the people, and is ever seeking to drive them into church, and cram bibles down their throats.—( True, true.) The Bishop of Exeter, in the House of Lords, watches with eagle eye every oppor tunity to crush the people, and every particle of liberty they have left. In Bath, the clergy had influenced the authorities to take proceedings against several poor but honest tradesmen, for merely selling instructive cheap papers on Sunday, to those working men who, from un fortunate circumstances, could not buy them on Satur day night—for this they put two individuals in the stocks, and fined two others.—(Loud cries of " Shame," " Away with them.") And are you, operatives of Bath, prepared to form an Association, which shall assist the clergy in their work of oppression ?—(Shouts of " No, no.") I glory in your determination ; those shouts will strike deep into their hearts ; when they wake on the morrow, they will have a very different estimation of the sentiments of the operatives of Bath, than ever they dreamed of before.—(Loud cheers.) I will now propose a resolution.—(Here Mr. P. was inter rupted with whistling, thumping, stamping, &c,, from the pl eons: and the orchestra—the attempt was to pre vent the resolution being heard.) The resolution is : " That in the opinion of this meeting, seeing the vast revenues al:cady applied to Church purposes, and contemplating the distressed condition of the people ; taking into account, also, the opposi tion given by the Church to every measure of political Reform calculated to benefit the coun try and extend civil and religious liberty, it is inexpe dient to form a Bath Protestant Operative Association. But this meeting pledges itself to use every effort to effect such political, social, and religious reforms, as shall place the Church upon a more just basis than at present, and bring complete justice and liberty to the whole people."—(Tremendous cheering.) Mr. C. BOLWELL, on rising to second the resolution, was received with loud cheers. He said it gave him great pleasure to End that the time was come, when the operatives of Bath were resolved to conduct their own business, instead of, as hitherto, permitting it to be con ducted for them, by men whose interest it was to keep them in bondage.—(Tremendous cheers.) The State clergy of this country—taking them collectively, and with reference to their whole acts—were the most vicious, immoral, despicable body of men existi ng .— (Cheers.) They have shown themselves to be ene mies of every institution having for its object the real happiness of the people. The clergy have ever shown themselves ready to persecute those men who have endeavoured to instruct the people in a know ledge of their rights.—(Loud cheers.) Who was it that ?or their imprisone dopinions' fi ve h un d re d o f the people ' s best friends f sake ? The Government, by the express sanction of the clergy.—(Cheers.) Woo imprisoned Thorogool and Baines for non-payment of Church-rates ? The villainous St tte clergy. Who per secuted Hetheringto n and Cleave for publishing Has im's opinions on religion ? Toe money-hunting, tithe seeking clergy of this country.—(Loud and long-con tinued cheering.) But though they had acted thus outrageously, they had the daring impudence to call on the operatives of Bath to assist them in their wholesale plunder and persecution, which they have been practis ing for so many centuries.—(Cheers, and " It won't do here.") The working classes are made the victims of the other classes, and are insulted and enslaved. The clergy have aided to bring the starving millions to their present deplorable condition.—(Cries of " True true." " They take care of themselves.") If it were not for the advanced and increased power of public opi nion, the clergy would inflict torture—would bring the stake and the rack to all who differed from them in opi nion. But the people were not to be deluded as in days of old—they are not to be led by profligate and designing men, In their pulpits, on the Sabbath, they taught the doctrine of equality : but did they ever carry the principle into practice ?—(Cheers. " No, not they.") The conduct of the gentlemen on the platform this evening is calculated to open the people's eyes, and show them wolves in sheep's clothing.—(Bravo.) The Church has ever been the bitter enemy of the people ; and, desiring, by every possible method to curtail her power. I second the resolution most cordially.—( Loud cheers.) Mr. BOLWELL asked if there was any amendment ? —(Great confusion existed on the platform, but there was no attempt to oppose the motion.) The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, when not less than a thousand hands were held up for it, and, on the contrary, not one. This was followed with loud cheers. Just before the resolution being put, the pseudo Chairman, thumping the table with the mallet, cried out, " I dissolve this meeting, which was met with loud laughter, and cries of " Don't run away !" About this time a working man held up a paper (the Northern Star), e xclaiming, " This is our Star," which was followed by three hearty cheers. Mr. PHILP proposed the thanks of the meetirg to Mr. Bolwell, for his able and impartial conduct in the chair, which being seconded, was carried with hearty applause. Cheers were given for the Charter, and Mr. Alder man Crisp. Mr. BOLWELL returned thanks, and declared the meeting dissolved. After several minutes had elapsed, and the respec tive parties were about to retire, Mr. S. BARTLETT mounted the platform, and called the attention of the meeting to the necessity of discussio n for the sake of elicit ing truth. Mr. Bartlett spoke at some length upon the diversity of opinion on religious subjects, and , concluded by hoping the meeting would permit Mr. Stowell to ex plain his &jeers before they sent him away. Mr. STOWELL commenced by regretting the har mony of the evening had been disturbed. As a minister of God, and possessing a desire at all times to promote peace, he could truly say he had not alio wed his temper to he rufil ql throughout the whole proceedings. I woisld ca ll f or the sa tsughter)—h ecause Mr. PHILP—Why, Sir, you threatened t o ca ll a po liceman to me, because I exercised my right t o spea k . M r ciertvi I sdid ;roans, ain and I deemed the conduct of those who were ersdeavourino to ascend the platform most unruly.--(C r i es of " Oh, oh.") And it s — s e r 0 certainly ly was very clear the majority of the meetiag were for Mr. Wilson takit ig the chair.. (Loud and vociferous cries of " No, no, m. 0." Don't insult us." " Tell the truth," &c., from all parts of the meeting.) He . feared that many press int had lent themselves as the tools of popery.—(Lau f eater, " Oh dear!") He had met a gentleman of Bath in a ra;l way train, who told him that a good Protestant Ope rative Association might be formed in Bath.—(Cries of "Go back by the next train.") He had made such liberal speeches, that he could not fail to please the people of Bath, for many who had heard him had set him down for a thorough-going Radical.—(Soft soap.) But he was open to declare himself a red-hot Tory.— (Cheers from the persons, and groans and yells from the meeting, with cries of " A bad lot al'.ogether.") His motto was to fear God and honour the Queen.— (" What's to be done with Prince Albert and the babby ?") He had done much to relieve the distresses of his own starving flock. He wished more attention had been raid by the nobility and gentry to the wants of the people. He must say they were too widely se vered, and the best way to unite them was to form such associations as he had come there to establish. He would as soon sit down, on the three legged stool with the poor man, as on the cushioned chair of the rich. He was an advocate of religious libe r ty, b u t h e wou ld beat down Romanism —(Oh, oh.) He would not de stroy the man, but he would destroy the principles of the Romanist'. lie had met with a poor Irishman by no means unintelligent,who rasa Papist—he said he declared to him, that if the priest directed him to burn his only child, a sweet little girl, he would do it.—(Disapprobation.) Was that a power any man ought to have over the mind of another ?—(No, no, no.) The same man had told him he believed the priest to stand in God's own shoes. —(A voice, " And so do you.") There, there ! (em phatically) that's an honest man—there, he has toll the trnth.—(Great and long-continued disapprobation.) He had always made it a practice to invite the Re manists to discussion. Did they want the Pope of Rome to rule in these Protestant dominions ?—('' No, no," " Nor the Bishop of Canterbury either?) He would willingly meet Bishop Baines and the whole squad of Prior Park, in controversy.—(" Don't malign them behind their backs," " What have you done with the property taken from them answer that—l never fear to answer a question. You all admit it is no harm to take stolen property from a thief !—(" Oh, oh, then it ought to he taken from you !") we only took that which belonged to us before. Protestantism ex isted before Romanism. At the Reformation, the Church was not formed but reformed.—(Confusion.) Mr. CRISP rose, aed, taking out the bill convening the meeting, said he had not come to hear a tirade against the Catholics.—(Loud cheers.) There was now no Chairman. The business had already concluded. Mr. Stowell had, however, commenced maligning the Catholics in their absence, which was illiberal, and wholly irrelevant to the object of the meeting.— (Cheers.) The time of Mr. Stowell had expired. He must now come to what he desired to say respecting the Association he would form, and then permit another person to reply. Mr. STOWELL then complained of interruption, and said he was sorry to observe the people of Bath did not know how to behave, as well as his townsmen of Man chester.—(This was received with a burst of disappro bation. Unable to bear which, Mr. Stowell seized his hat and cloak, exclaiming " I can stand this no longer," and made his exit, followed by his " Reverend bre thren" who retired to console each other over their disgraceful defeat. Mr. CRISP remarked, that they were now skulking off, escaping from that chastisement he intended to have inflicted. To answer all the calumnies that Lad been heaped upon the Catholics, for ages, would oc cupy the entire time of the professors of the Catholic faith. It would be as useless for him (Mr. Crisp) to attempt to answer the infamous calumnies and false hoods which the disgraceful Bath Chronicle was for ever heaping upon himself. What had the Protestant clergy been doing with all the property and power they had possessed for the last 300 years ? In Catholic times, at least, three were no degrading Poor-law unions —(Loud cheers)—the churches were repaired, and the poor maintained, out of the Ecclesiastical reve nues. Ttiey had brought the country into a state of in describable misery and wretchedness. After some fur ther remarks, Mr. C. concluded by saying they were now endeavouring to cajole and delude the labouring classes into an union to prop up their tottering fabric. —(Tremendous cheers.) The meeting then quietly broke up. CORN-LAWS. At a meeting of the Town Council of Manchester on Wednesday last it was unanimously resolved to petition both Houses of Parliament for the total and immediate abolition of the Corn and Provision-laws. At this meeting Mr. Cobden, as usual, made an excellent speech, as did Mr. G. Wilson, and we must place sonic of both gentlemen's remarks before our readers. Mr. COBDEN, who brought forward the question, said—l must avow my belief that the question of the Corn and Provision laws is as much a local question in Manchester as that of Poor-rates. Police-rates, or any other local matter ; inasmuch as I believe that a vast amount of your local expenses arise out of the operation of these laws. I may, I believe, further congratulate you and the town generally, that we are now arrived at that point in which there is no one to be found in Man chester who is in favour of the Corn-law as it now stands.—(Applause.) The only question now is, as to the change we seek. In a small pamphlet, which I puh• lished five or six years ago, called 4‘ England, Ireland, and America," I stated that I had no objection to a fixed duty on corn, any more than I had to a fixed duty on coffee, or sugar, or any other produce. Some gentleman in London, a stranger to me, but a friend to truth, wrote me a letter, drawing my attention to the difference that existed between levying a duty on an article grown at home and one which was of foreign produce only.—(Hear, hear.) I confess a very little inquiry satisfied my mind that I was entirely wrong. My first duty, under such circum stances, was to change my opinion, and to advocate what I then believed to be right. A duty on corn must obviously be a tax which will press on the lowest classes the heaviest, and the pressure of which will be just in proportion to their inability to pay the tax. It has been mentioned in that admirable document, the " Report of the Commissioners of Inquiry into the State of the Hand-loom "Weavers," consisting of Mr. Samuel Lloyd Jones, Mr. Hickson, and Mr. Senior— these gentlemen gave it as their upinion, grounded on experience and extensive inquiry, that an ordinary fa mily of the labouring class consumes ss. worth of bread in a week- They then suppose that a duty of 10s. a quarter is levied upon wheat ; and that duty, they say, would amount to 10 per cent. upon the in come of a labouring man, whose family was consum ing ss. worth of bread per week. Now the same duty upon a nobleman, with his 20,0001. a year, would not amount to the fraction of one-hundredth part of one per cent. upon his income. So that it must be obvious that a tax levied upon wheat, in other words a tax upon bread, must be an unjust tax, even as a tax for the purpose of revenue. But the tax upon the importation of wheat into England is not levied for the purpose of re venue alone, but for the purpose of protection ; it is for the purpose of raising the price of corn grown in this country ; that is the avowed object of the Corn law.—(Applause.) The consequence of that will be, that for every shilling which you pay upon the foreign corn that is imported into this country, you pay—and previously pay—a shilling upon every quarter of corn grown in this country ; and that tax for protection or monopoly is paid to the landowners before the duty can be levied upon the corn that is imported from abroad. —(Hear, hear.) Let us then suppose that the duty was 10s. a quarter, and the amount of corn produced in this country annually was fifty millions of quarters ; suppose, also, that the amount of other provisions, meat, butter, eggs, and so on, is, as is estimated by a high authority, equal to fifty millions more ; making the total of the home growth equal to one hundred millions of quarters ; and if 103. a quarter be levied on foreign provisions, that would be paying a tax for protection of fifty millions a year, before one shilling cordd come into the revenue at all. And suppose you imported corn and provisions from abroad equivalent to five millions of quarters, you would then pay to the revenue 2,500,000/., whilst you would have previously paid for monopoly fifty millions. That is obviously so clumsy and unjust a mode of raising a re venue, that it cannot be supported for one moment, on the principles of either justice or expediency.—(Ap plause.) Now, of course, it will not be supposed that I am contending that the landowners pocket the whole of this money ; a great deal of it goes for waste. And I could not better illustrate the way in which it is wasted, than by supposing a case with reference to another article of produce, one which will be familiar t,, all the gentlemen present. I will suppose that the whole of the cotton which is consumed in England was grown in England ; and this I believe is not an impos sible case. I hold in my hand a specimen of cotton grown in Manchester (by my friend Mr. Bazley, in his engine house), which in staple is superior to any of the cotton exhibited in this market, superior even to the Sea Island cotton. Now, I have requested Mr. Baz ley to favour me with an estimate of what would be the cost of growing the whole amount of cotton which we consume here in this country. This is his calculation : " The minimum cost of a glass-house, with a steam or hot-water apparatus, to cover a statute acre of ground, including the preparation of sod, would be 7,0001. ; upon which the least possible charge for inte rest may be rated at 5 per cent. Three or four la bourers or cultivators may be estimated at 1501. per annum altogether; and coals for heating at 501. per annum. A charge for tear and wear, with an allowance for damages by storms, cannot be supposed to be over calculated at 2001. per annum, or nearly 3 per cent. Hence we have— Interest at 5 per cent. £3so 0 0 Wear and tear Labour Coals Rent, nil. £750 0 0 Now the maximum produce of cotton would not exceed .5001bs. per statute acre per annum, therefore the cost price would be 30s. per pound ; and, presuming the quality to be equal to the average of Sea Islands, which may be taken fairly . at Is. 6d., we have a cost twenty times as much as that of the first-class cotton in use anywhere. About a million statute acres would grow the whole of the cotton consumed yearly in Great Britain and Ireland. " Now let us see how much it would cost for mono poly, if we were to produce all the cotton consumed in this country. I will take the quantity at present worked up at 500 millions of pounds a-year, and the price at 12 millions sterling. This cost of 12 millions would then be increased twenty-fold ; the cotton which we now use would cost 240,000,000/. ; and the price paid for monopoly would be the difference between 12 millions and 240 millions." Now supposing such a state of things as this to be arrived at ; suppose that we had a million of acres co vered with glass, and two or three millions of labourers employed in these hot houses ; and that we had a body of men, plumbers and glaziers, who, along with the owners of this land, had the possession of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, I have no doubt at all that very good arguments then might be found, I have no doubt that every argument which is now advanced in defence of the system of Corn-I mws, might be urged in defence of our growth in this country of the cotton we consume. There would obviously be very great injury inflicted on the masses of the people—in fact, I suppose the people still to purchase clothing, but vou may judge at what a price—(Great applause)— Now, this is precisely the operation of the Corn-laws. The waste is to bring bones from South America, to bring soda from South America, to manure our land, to cover over what should be rabbit warrens, or clay beds, or what should be turned into brick fields, with an exotic soil, to enable us to grow corn here ; in fact, we are bringing manure, rather than we will bring corn. —(Applause.) Now, I am sure it may be shown from these facts that the domi nant class in this country are wholly exempted from taxation. Allowing for the very small amount which they pay for taxes on beer, tea, coffee, sugar, &c., articles which press much more heavily upon the mid dle and lower classes than upon the rich,—if we take into account what they pay of those taxes, and set off against it the amount which they levy from the labour ing classes, principally as a tax upon corn, I think it might be shown that the dominant class are not only wholly exempt from:taxation, but actually profit by the fiscal laws of this county.—(Applause.) Now, gen.: tlemen, this is a state of things boding fearful con sequences. What was the cause of the anarchy and the revolution which took place hi France Was it not that the noblesse had exempted them selves from taxation,. that they had raised the price of bread, that the poor P eople were made to pay the whole of the burdens of the State ; was not that the cause of the revolution in France? And we have now the same amount of injustice, but only in another form, in this country, which in France led to the overthrow of the Government of that nation.— ( Hear, hear.) What caused the downfal of Venice ? The aristocracy there was allowed, by placing their names in a golden book, to become pensioners upon the State ; they thus defrauded the people of their property, and then came the revolution. And what difference does it make to a nation whether the aristocracy are allowed, by placing their names in a golden book, to live upon the labour of the people, or whether they do it by the passing of Corn-laws mysteriously and cunningly framed for answering the very same end ?—(Hear. and applause.) I therefore cannot consent to the continu ance of such a law, with such consequences before me, because it is supposed that certain inconveniences, or certain evils might arise in another direction, if we repealed that most unrighteous law, and repealed it totally and immediately. But Iby no means say that the law which repeals the Corn-laws imme diately shall not comprise a measure which relieves ex isting interests. Ido not say that a measure may not be devised for doing justice to this farmers, at the same time that it shall do justice to the great body of the people.—(Applause.) Therefore, we must not continue this law—we must not perpetuate this crying injustice, on the assumption that no means would be afforded of adjusting the differences which might exist between landlord and tenant.—(Cheers.) I do not think that any one will dispute the justice of putting an imme diate end to such an inordinate, such a crying iniquity as I have been describing.—(Much applause.) But the expediency of so doing may very fairly come un der our consideration. I have given much attention to this subject, and have made many inquiries about it amongst agriculturists themselves ; and I find that the universal opinion is, that if the Corn-law is to be abolished, to be totally repealed, then the best thing for the farmer is that it should be repealed immediately and not gradually.—(Applause.) I had that once illus trated to me in a very forcible manner by a farmer, a plain roan, with whom I was conversing, who said—" If you take off a shilling a year, until you get it all off, it will be like cutting off that sheep-dog's tail one inch every day, instead of taking it off at once."—(Applause and laughter.) If you repeal the law at once, you give the tenant a good ground for ti e reduction of his rent, and the farmer is enabled to go to his landlord with a strong case for adjustment ; but by a vanishing duty, which shall gradually go down to nothing, you will give rise to a fresh series of bargains every year. But there is another view which the alarmists take of this question, that a total and immediate repeal of the Corn-laws would give rise to a sudden inundation of corn from abroad. Now there is nothing which is more fallacious than this. There is not a great stock of corn abroad, not even in the world at large. Ido not think that at any period the surplus of corn in the world, after pro viding for the wants of the whole of the people, would be equal to half a year's consumption in England. Not an arm in Europe, not a shilling of capital in Europe, is unemployed ; all arc employed, but in what are they employed ? Has it not been oer standing complaint here for years that capital has been diverted from agriculture to manufactures, that, instead of beating their spears into plough shares, they have worked up their iron into spindles ; that, instead of rearing their children to the plough, they have bred them to the loom and the jenny ; and that the capital which should have been employed in the cultivation of the soil, in rendering streams navigable, and in the con struction of canals, and other facilities for the trans mission of their agricultural produce, has been devoted to the productions of manufactures, has been invested in the erection of warehouses and mills?—(Applause.) Now, to divert that capital back to agriculture must be a work, as we all know, of very considerable time ; and until that capital has been so directed back to agricul ture, there can be no great increase, no sudden influx of corn consequent on the repeal of our Corn laws.—(Great applause.) It is on these grounds, both of justice and expediency, that looking to the interests of the whole of the community, I think that if the Corn-law is to be abolished, it should be immediately abolished. It is on these grounds that I would submit with all deference to your attention, the question of presenting a petition to Parliament for the total and immediate repeal of the Corn-laws. I would exhort those who have any fears on this ques tion to endeavour to satisfy their minds what is strictly just in this case ; and having done so, I would say leave the consequences to the God of justice—be just and fear not.—(Loud applause.) I beg to move that petitions be presented by this Council to both Houses of Parliament, praying for the total and immediate repeal of the Corn-laws.—(Applause.) Mr. GEORGE WILSON was one of those who could never see why these laws should have been enacted. If he asked the agriculturists themselves what right they had to protection, they did not claim it as e principle just in itself, but on the ground of a number of taxes which, as they said, fall upon land exclusively. From that list he found it alleged that they bore 65 per cent. of the Poor's-rate, or 3,226,2.58/. ; that they hear the land-tax exclusively, which is 1,196,991/. ; that they bear half of the assessed taxes, equal to 1,823,578/. ; and about 300,000/. in highway rates, making a total of 6,544,827/. per annum, which falls upon land exclu sively. Now, if we for a moment looked at the effect of this on the amount of corn grown in the country—taking that amount at fifty-four millions of quarters—we should find that it did not amount to more than 2s. Gd. per quarter, and against this we had to pay 663,279/. upon bills of exchange, 2,060,000/. upon probates and legacies, 1,021,814/. upon marine and life insurances, 2,243,294/. to the post-office, and 660,000/. duty on paper ; making a total of 6,648,000/, paid by the commercial classes as a set-off against the duties borne by the landed interest. Taking it merely as a question of taxation imposed upon the agricultural and commercial classes respectively, then he found here were taxes levied on the one exclusively which could be placed as a set-off against those borne by the other, so that the agriculturists had clearly . no claim to protection on this ground whatever.---(AP plause.) But he confessed that he did no t con sider it as a commercial question. He was inclined to consider it as a question affecting .the poorer a the classes ; and the amount of poverty existing at country, as shown by the communicatio ns m receiv o re of b th e e time Anti-Corn-law Rooms, convinced urge nefits to trade which were to be derived frome o and a party of gen tlemen, nt i f t. the necessity of repeal than any other arg Some time ago Mr. Ashworth, of Bolton , - from personal observation the sta te of t denten, went round from house to hous ehe por, tooa, and sce h ascertain would just read them the result : fearful 3oiton p fr ic o t m ur t e h o e f the 1 1 1i s c h b wo e r x tl i i ste n d ext in of ope ration of the Corn-laws. Ha said a number gentle dis‘t'rel\sisr • t i n e of 1.400 individuals, whose found 300 families, consisting gentle men who had visited the w orking classes there had drLerttlae. t s , 1051. 1 ls., whi c h w as week, or, deductinot amount to more than 130/. par n o ren whole income did equal to 150. per head per week. Out of 3,200 houses in the par . ish they found 409 empty. Tnat of the houses oc cu p ied, 1,000 of them wer e found tenanted by families who bad only 18d. per week to Eve upon, 1,200 whose income was under 25., and nearly 1,200 whose income was under 2s. Gd. per head per week. Of these poor people 1,601 had only 500 beds amongst them, 58of them sleeping three in a bed, 185 five in a bed, 7S six in a bed, 42 seven in a bed ; in one place eight' bad only one bed between them, and 23 were ,t wholly without a bed to rest upon." In juxta-position with this harrowing account of dis- MORNING EDITION. tress in the town he placed the following representation of the condition of the agricultural labourer by an autho rity whom none would question. It was frotia.a4 ter in a recent number of the John Bull, signect-,, ' s Rudgc., D.D., llawkchurch." Dr- ItudgnikOttr to have taken a very warm interest in the cmigra6l6 ues tion ; and his reasons for doing so were amply set forth in his letter : " If it shell be asked why I, as an humble individual, have been so much interested in matters of this kind, the following is given as an answer :—The agricultural labourers of my parish are dreadfully oppressed by betterp Nno think eva,ev situation zyt their aaa a e nin:rondbtnd temporal mi nr feel Hence 0 elwhich nasi ccel anehd condition yi exm they ca u e asi their friend; w g g i ao s eni h t dl gc t t o ooon s ues e ttm e a theseani thememigration, rwwas oetot rot objects placed te,:r esa andutt d. to when applied to I strongly recommend the measure. Whet are the average wages per week of agricultural la bourers in my parish ? At the utmost only ss. 6d. per week, after deducting Is. 9d. or 2s. for the miserable cot tages in which they live. Will any one say say that ss. 6d. is sufficient to feed and clothe a man and his family ? But there are times in which they do not receive even this pittance—times in which work is not to be had —is not, therefore, constant ; and I have the names of about forty or fifty young and able-bodied men, who, during the last autumn, could obtain no employment. In such a state of poverty and uncertainty I have said to all who have called at my house for information and ad vice, why not emigrate either into Canada or New Zea land, where your condition would be bettered—your work constant, your wages good, and your passage to the latter colony would be paid ? These persons have applied in every direction for work, but without success ; and I could send out to-morrow one hundred and twenty-three agricultural labourers, including their wives and children, provided they could raise the tutus suffl eient to pay for their outfi►." The publication of these statements brought another from Batley, Yorkshire, which, though he had occupied much of their time already, he would read to the meet ing. The writer of this communication said : " Sir,—While perusing your valuable Journal of the 14th instant, I met with an article, headed " Appalling distress of the Lab surer and Artisan,' in which you give an extract from a speech made by Mr. Ashworth, at the Bol'on tea party, containing a deplorable account of the distress prevailing in that district. I, Sir, quite agree in the opinion expressed by you, that the distress of the working classes is far greater than is generally known or supposed to exist. lam the more confident that this is the case from some facts which have recently come to my knowledge on this subject. A few benevolent indivi duale,:retiding in the centre of this village, conceiving that considerable distress prevailed in the neighbourhood, commenced a subscription for the relief of the most needy in their own locality. The sum realised was about 40/., to be distributed in food, and some cotton sheets for beds. In visiting the dwellings of the people we found some of the inmates not only without food of any kind, but also so destitute of covering to their beds as to render it impossible for them to obtain anything like warmth at this inclement season of the year. The situation of some was truly heart-rending. In one house there were the wife and three childen. On in quiring into their circumstances, she said, " Jim has gone out on the road to-day ; but he has not been able to go before for the last fortnight, having got so me dross into his ey e while breaking stones." Bursting into a flood of tears, she said, point ing to one of the children (I use her own words), That child is caling (wasting) away for the want of proper support ; she has been iii, and now wants something to raise her, and we cannot get it for her.' It is true the woman was kneading some thing for bread, but it did not appear to be made either of fliur, barley, or oatmeal ; if it contained any portion of these, it must have been in the smallest quantity ; it had every appearance of bran mixed with water. It may be said by some that this was an ex treme case. It was, in some respects ; but, in other instances, it was not only equalled, hut even surpassed. In another house that we visited we found the oc cupants, a young man, his wife, and child, in a mise rable state of want. One of the neighbours, a poor widow, said to us, Have you been at that house ?' pointing to the place. lam afraid of finding them dead in bed, when I get up in a morning, for mere want. It is very little I can give them,' she said, but I give them all I can spare, in order to keep them alive.' These cases are not singular. Another case, which came to my knowledge last night, I will mention. Speaking to a neighbour on this subject, he said, I have had a woman at my house this afternoon (Monday) who has eaten nothing since Saturday.' He was an operative, but he gave her some cold meat, which, he sa:d, would very likely make her ill, having been so long without food. In such a state of things are we to expect anything like satisfaction or good-wili among the labouring classes of society ? It is impossible." But,lesving this argument out of the question, and re verting to the state of the poor, he felt convinced in his own mind that this was the strongest point. 'file facts he had read to them were better than any argument or speech that could be made. The poor were nearly starving, and they ware daily getting worse. This was a fact which could not be looked at with indifference, even by the landowner ; and the conviction must ulti mately force itself upon his mind, however startling, that this was a state of things which could not con tinue. THE LORD'S DAY QUESTION. (FROM A CORRESPONDRNT. On Tuesday evening, the 30th of March, a public meet ing of the friends of the better observance of the Sabbath was held in the Church of Scotland in this town. There were no placards out. The meeting had been called by announcements from the pulpits of various chapels and churches on the Sunday evening. William Chapman, Esq., was called to the chair, and introduced Sir Andrew Agnew to the meeting, who ad dressed it for a considerable time on the pregress of the better observance of the Sabbath, and on the increase of societies on the subject. He pointed out the necessity of testing the subject on the question of the Post-office, and showed how in London, the largest, city in Europe, the shutting of the Post-office occasioned no inconvenience there. He contended that the mail might cease every Saturday night at twelve o'clock everywhere, and com mence again at twelve on Sunday night. He pointed out the morel deterioration induced in those who were wrought on Sundays, and instanced a case of canal boatmen, who had been highly improved by being allowed to work until twelve on Saturday night, and rest on the Sabbath day, and commence at twelve on Sunday night. He called on every one in their sphere to exercise their power and in fluence, and put a stop to Sabbath desecration. When the Chairman was about to close the proceedings, Mr. Robert Lowry rose, and said he was a friend to the go better observance of the Sabbath , and wished to say a few begged them to to he on n oi t -d h s e . platform,(Cri es obfe ( " T r , o L th o e w p n la ) tfo b r e m gg .' dis miss from their minds all apprehensions that he was op. r posed to the proper observance of the Sabbath. A day of was of momentous importance to the working man, to give relief to his toil-worn frame, and no privilege ought to be more highly prized. He was lately in a neighbouring country, and he telt the absence of that quiet calm ne cessary, to the enjoyment of rest, which could not be en joyed with pleasure when one saw his fellow beings toiling around him ; but if legislation began where was it to end ? He would like to see men protected from being forced to work on the Sabbath day, but would it end there? Would there not be an attempt to bind and regu late their minds also? No free labourer would work en a Sabbat'u day if he could avoid it. Work was not a thing men loved so well that they wished ever to be at it ; it was only to satisfy their necessities that men laboured. In speak ing on this subject he had been told that among the weavers in Spiialdelds the clank of the loom might out be heard on the sab'eatim-day. Was there aught so pleasurable in silting in a cold, cheerless room, or a dirty, lonely garret weaving, that a man would t ether do so than be abroad enjoying God's free and health-invigorating air:? No, it was necessity that induced him to labour, perhaps to finish the piece that had and who needed there were labourers who ware not free, common hackney coach, or to enable him to procure his Monday's breakfast. But protection. Why attack t vv h i e len the carriage of the rich conveyance for the p Parliament,that hired male and them petition be not allowed to do any Man ' fensle servants of the rich Bishop or Pjer could be used for their pleasure? Let the Sabbath day, and of worship they be face to attend , ans , place they that that day. It was all well thus to protect men from choose on d to work, but he would like to see those around being force ner ' of work within their gates on Lim act consiste ntl y , and attem p t to remove t he evils that sea night, an d thus take days.einHe was afraid religiou s t , e i cause , mew t o work for food on the Sabbath day. He did not think much of t h e mo r ality er improvement t h ose mas t er s could give their men who would w or k t h em ann seven a t td v twelve owr o'clock c h l e o cfskr a o bm o h n at Saturdaythhem inwouldn They had once had fines inflicted f or not attending thyerEst3a'-. blished Church on Sundays, and un d er t h at law many of the Society of Friends had been severe l y fined, and it might come again, if legislation once begun. He bad heard, that n i g ht, visiting of friends and ether walks called a breach of the Lard's day. Now, men differed as to their mode of worshipping God, and he bad yet to learn that it was neces sary to be within four stone walls in any church or chapel to do so. The worship off e r e d from a . ' free heart on the mountain side. or ocean shore, in the vast temple cf Nature, teas as holy as any offered in a church. Religion was a thing of the heart, not of form and ceremony and pro fession. Ile protested against all interferenee with men's religious freedom. Aftema.'ds Mr. Williams attempted to speak, but was most uafeirly treated by the chairman. Mr. Williams offered to discuss the divine origin of the Sabbath, and said that legislating on it ought to be opposed by Dissenters, if conFhtent. The chairman abruply closed the meeting. No resolutions were put, but a vote of thanks to Sir An ' drew, by time chairman, also one to Mr. Lowry, by Mr. Williams. Newcastle on Tyne, April 1. CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.---TiliS session, which is t h e sixth during the present mayoralty, and the seventy-vighl since the establihment of the Court, com ro„,:ng tlis day. In consequence of a great number of prisoners being tried at Chelmsford, Maidstone, end Kingston Assizes, who would otherwise have been com mitted to Newgat the calendar is, is a numerical point of view, comparatively light.. It contains, however, several o';argei of a highly penal and some of a sanguinary character. As there are several prisoners under a course of examination at the police-offices, the Court is likely to he c.ccupied the entire week.