The Sun. — London, England, 1840-03-30 00:00:00

THE ST I N, LONDON, MONDAY, MARCH 30. 1840. QUESTIONS TO COEN cONSER VATIVES AND DEAR BREAD MEN• EVENING E_DITION. CORN-LAW DELEGATES. The Delegates again met in very considerable num bers on Saturday in their Rooms at Brown's Hotel, Pa lace-yard. J. B. Smitla,Esq., in the Chair. The Minutes of last meeting having been read, the Chairman said letters bad been received from Bedford and from Tonbridge , the former a purely agricultural district, announcing the a do p tion of petitions and the spread of anti-Corn-law opinions even among the agricul tural interest. The petitions were numerously signed. Mr. SEwEL begged to state that many labourers might be got up from the very heart of Essex in order to give evidence of their miserable condition. Mr. SIDNEY SMITH said when he was in Essex many 1 gross mis-statements were made by the landowners and farmers as to the rate of wages, but they were at once contradicted by their own labourers, even while he was lecturing. They stated that they never got more than Bs. a week of wages and no more. Dr. BoWRING said he had been informed that some Member of the House of Commons complained of some language used by hies in that room, and said that he threatened Members with coercion. It appeared also that the Member in question, although he was not to be coerced to do right was coerced to do wrong, for it was said that he intended to vote against Mr. Villiers' motion.—(Cries of " Name, name.") He alluded to the Member for Preston. He had never given expression to any words in that room which he did not think for the advantage of the cause, and he had no doubt that opposition of such a character (if true) would tend also to its great advancement. Mr. LIVES''' . was not competent to give any as surance upon the former part of Dr. Bowring's state ment, but he knew the latter part to be without founda tion, and that was the most pleasant part for them to hear. He and his colleagueihad met the Member in question in the lobby, and, a though he complained of • some words used by the Doctor, he assured them that he would support the m otion of Mr. Villiers.—(Haar at.) The members of the Delegation then reported th they had waited upon several Members of Parliament. Mr, E. J. Stanley and Mr. Hindley were in favour Lord of a n inquiry into the operation of the Corn-laws. Dalmeny was in favour of the total and immediate re peal ; but he thought the country was not prepared for it, and would therefore support a small duty, which should gradually be reduced till all was gone. Mr. Crompton, the Member for Thirsk, said all his % constituents, with but one exception, were in favour of - the present laws, therefore they had nothing to expect from him. It was however observed that at some future day the worthy Member would find that many more of his constituents were repealcrs. Mr. Bolling had not yet made up his mind, and was open to conviction. Messrs. Marsland and Blackburne were decidedly against the agitation, and would vote against the motion. - They were afraid of the effect of any change upon the agricultural interest. Mr. COATES said all their great object was to save "the farmer from those calling themselves his friends. Mr. BOULTBEE thought it of much importance to ' impress the minds of Members of both Houses that their object was not to injure the interests of the agricul turists in any degree ; and he though t that p ro p osition 1 as easy of proof as any one problem of Euclid. i i. It was here suggested that it could only be done by a long statement, which none of them would read, and that if Mr. Boultbee would so convince the Duke of Buckingham, the League would erect a statue of gold in his honour.—( A laugh.) ' Mr. BOULTBEE said he had already offered to con vince the Duke, but he refused to have any correspon dence with him - -he was deaf to the charmer, pipe he ever so s weetly.—(Laughter.) The CHAIRMAN said they bad had separate inter views with Sir R. Peel th and Sir .1. Gid raham, but the ngy had ended in nothing—ey were afra ot but t upon foreign countries for food—much of our land would he thrown out of cultiration—foreign countries, as had before been done by Prussia. might put a duty on their corn.' and in the event of a bad harvest the , country would be starved, &c. &c.—( Laughter.) Mr. G. GREG reported that another Report from the Petition Committee had been printed, bringing it up to the 20th of March. The number of petitions pre sented up to that period was 377, signatures 279,907 in favour of repeal. Against them the number was 448 petitions, tic iatures 27,269 ; but since that period there had been nearly double, and would add upwards of 200,000 signatures in favour of the repeal. Three pe titions had been presented, praying for an alteration, signed by 177 persons. On the suggestion of Mr. AiNsworma it was agreed 1 to that the Chairman should write to Lord J. Russell. Mr. Labouchere, and the Chancellor of the Excheqult soliciting an int:Li-view. Mr. RAW2ON reported that other three labourers had arrived and were in waiting. The CHAIRMAN said, many of those labourers who had been coming up had been completely trightened ? from doing so. being told that it they did so they would 1 be transported.—( Laughter.) I A DELEGATE said there was an impor t an t mistake t in the report of the examination of William Holman on i o)d i 1 Thursday. In the if • i 7 , , Chronicle of yesterday, it was made to appear that Holnian's (laughter of ten I years of age was able to earn Bd. per day. That was I a most important mistake, as the evidence was that she Inever earned anything, but the wife was sometimes able to earn 81 one day in a week. He proposed, there ! fore, to reeal Mr. Holman. Another DELEGATE said it was right in the Chro nicle, but wrong in The Sun.—(Cries of " No, n o.") HI had made a mistake—the report was right in The San, but wrong in the Chronicle. The mistake was an I important one, and was calculated to do much mischief i if not corrected. I William Holman, the firm labourer from Tann + ton. wits then recalled, and examined by the Chairman. i You said before that you have a wife and four chil : dren ?—Yes, Sir. Ho •t• much does your wife earn regularly ?—She goes up to master's regularly once in three weeks to the - wash-tub, for which she is paid Bd. Putting altogether her summer work, such as hay making, weeding, and anything else she does, how much do-s she earn upon an average ?—Putting everything, it may reach one day a week throughout the year—not , more. - _ __ ..._. __ Then she only earns SI. a week ?—Yes. And your eldest child—you said ten years old—does she earn anything ?—No, never. In answer to questions put by Lord Nugent, the witness said—There were allotments of land in the neighbourhood of where he resided, but none in his parish, -not within two miles of him. Sonic of the allotments were taken by the poor, but more by tradesmen, such as carpenters or bricklayers. He once had an allot ment himself ; ho had a quarter of an acre, for which he paid Bd. a perch. He only grew potatoes and greens upon it ; never had any change of crops. He worked it all himself, nights and mornings, or when he had a broken day's work. It was four years ago, and then his children were too young, to assist him, and his wife had to mind the house. Children might be profitably employed in the allotments, lie did not understand bushels, but he grew only potatoes, and he got six or seven bags of eight score each. They were then worth 2s, 3d. He never made 1/. by it. The farmers in his parish never set out any allotments, nor did they ever draw coals in the summer time to sell in winter at summer prices. Witness got some through the minis ter of the parish, having some tickets for coals to give away. Received no help from the farmers. By the CHAIRMAN-11 , 1d not been able to purchase any clothes for some years. The last thing was a coat ; that was five years ago. He did not now go to church, because of the want of proper clothes to go in. His wife was unable to go on the same account. Some of the children went, but they were very badly off for clothing. They had only one thing, and were obliged to wait in bed while his wife washed them. By Dr. BowalNG—Only one of them went to a Sun day School, for which he paid nothing. By the CHAIRMAN—Had not been able to go to church for three or four years, in cons( quence of the want of clothes, and that was the ease with many of his ;n his neighbours. Th ere were many families riighbeur hood who had no beds to lay upon ; they l slept upon l straw.—(Cries of "Sh ame ." ) I n 1835 iei week wages ; Is. 6d. for cid er , an d i s. 6d. tr a o i l i l d 1 7 1 s, h a e parish, in consequence of havin g t wo c hild ren , now four children, no allowance fro m th e pariseh had allowance for cider, and only Sc. a week. B rea d' no much dearer now, and consequently he was much worse was off. His children had b een christened , but in order to take them, his wife was obliged to borrow a gown and a bonnet. It was usual to give the clergyman sixpence for chrurching, but their's was a good man and always returned it to the woman. By Mr. YOUNG—Did not know the date when he lost; the Is. 6d. from the parish ; he had it before the establishment of a Board of Guardians in the parish. The wares did not rise at all with the introduction of the Board of Guardians. Wheat, barley, beans, and potatoes were principally grown in the neighbourhood, no oats. In good seasons the crops were good, from 33 to 40 bushels of By wh h e t at e . CHAIRMAN—Five or six years ago there were not so many potatoes grown as now. The labourers were obliged to eat potatoes now because they could get no thing else. The labourers would much prefer cheap bread and the ch ea p er i t was the better for t h e l a b ourer . There never was any difference in their food on Sundays from other days. Although he sp and Is. 4d. In potat oes ent 3s. 10d. on bread every week out of his z.. 5., there were many occasions not enough for ' Often asked for more, when he them. He had a fire shovel, buwtasn unable h to give it e u i tn e .o r f s to n n u g ff s e , rs p . ok H er e , or fender ; he had two candlesticks b would be very glad to have these things' he had more to eat. His loaf ought to weigh -albs. but it was often short by 6 ounces. The witness hating withdrawn, Lord NUGEST begged to offer a few remarks upon fhe allotment system. For the last 14 or 15 years he he had been in the ha b it of setting out allotments on a small scale ; he wished he h ad the power of doin g I . at upon a larger. He le t them at 11. a roo d , he paying ' ill rates. 7he farmers around bad the land at 21 10s. ~~''.ic t, _ 4 ~ "Rift I)'` an acre, but they very seldom paid the rent in full, and were always grumbling. On the other hand the poor persons who held the allotments paid up their rent re gularly, and they were so much sought after, that he had always many applications on hand.-( Hear.) Mr. G. GREG said it was a most important statement. If the poor man without means almost could not afford to pay 4/. an acre and support himself, and the farmer could not pay at much more than half price, s urely that was a decisive proof that it was necessary to apply some great and active stimulant to the latter in order to oblige them to put forth their energies which now, under the protection of the Corn-laws lay dormant.-(Hear.) He suggested the expediency of having the evidence of some practical farmers as well as labourers. In answer to a question, Lord NUGENT said the rates paid by the farmer would bring the costs of his acre to between 635. to 655. He did not, however, speak posi tively upon the point. James Vickery, a farm labourer, from Great Tor rington, in Devon, was then called in, and in his exami nation by the Chairman, said-He arrived in town last night. He worked for Mr. Bragerton (or Braginton), and received from him 9s. a week in money. He had no other allowance of any kind. His family consisted of himself, his wife, and six children ; they were respec tively twenty-two, twenty, eighteen, sixteen, eleven, and three. The four youngest lived with him ; the other two maintained themselves. The one aged eighteen could earn from Is. to Is. 6d. a-week at gloving ; the one aged sixteen was a boy-he was a little simple-he had a want, and could do nothing. The one at eleven earned nothing, as he did all in his power to keep her at school. His wife could not do much, but she did all she could with her needle to assist, but her average earnings were not above 6d. a-week-she earned that at gloving. He got 9s. a-week when working for Mr. Bragerton, but when he worked for farmers got only 7s. -that was the common wages around the neighbour hood. When he worked for Farmer Goss, a tenant of Lord Relies, he and ell the other labourers had only 75. aeweek, with a quart of cider per day, which was worth 2d.-his wages were then equal to Bs. a-week-the 7s. was always paid in money. Mr. Bragerton was a far mer, but he was occupied in the merchandise of the ca nal. Witness generally worked on the farm, but was often employed on the canal, puddling or so. It was probably on that account he got 9s. from that gentle man. The whole of their earnings did not exceed I Is. a-week, out of which he paid 3s. 6d. for bread. He had not always to buy potatoes, as he reared some him self. He had no allotment, but he kept a pig ; he saved the dung and any refuse, which he gave to the far mer, for which he had a quarter of an acre forgrowing po tatoes on during the year. He fed a pig throughout the year, which he killed, and so had generally a bit of bacon to eat. He fed the pig upon what waste he had, but bad to buy from seven to eight bushels of barley for it, at ss. a bushel. Never drank tea. His wife had a little occasionally, but very seldom. They drank herbs. He bad a bit of a garden, and grew peppermint, which they used for tea. Never had any sugar-no, they could not come that. Generally used three-quarters of a pound of candles in a week for the daughter to see her work. Had very seldom had any shambles' meat at his table. He had a rasher of bacon and some potatoes for dinner if he was at home, but if at work in the fields, he took it with him, and then had no potatoes. They used salt, but never cheese, except they bought a couple of pennyworths, by way of a great rarity. At night they had nothing but a few fried potatoes. His coals cost Is. a cwt., and they used a cwt. and a half. He had no privilege of cutting wood, they were not allowed to touch a stick. He paid 3/. We. a-year for his cottage, and had to pay a poors% rate and a wa) (highway) rate ; they were each as. or 3s, 6d. a-year. Did not pay any Church-rates. He could not find much clothing. The things he had on then were his best. The jacket he now wore he had had for five or six years. He only wore it on Sundays. Had not bought any garments, except the jacket, for seven or eight years. He bought his breeches second hand seven or eight years ago, and those he only wore on Sundays. The clothes he wore every day were very mean. He could show them a pair of breeches of which they had never seen the fellows, he would be bound.-( Laughter.) He was obliged many times to sit down and mend them, which, he thanked God, he could do. In mending them he had put one piece on the top of the other so often that he dare say they weighed now nearly forty pounds.-(Laughter.) The reason he mended them so much was that he did not like to go ragged. He had been married nearly thirty years, and he got his breeches within a very few weeks after that time.-(Laughter.) Had bought only one pair of breeches since he had been married, but he had a pair of sail canvass trousers which he purchased about three years ago. That was all he had had since he was married. Had a little short smock frock, which he bought about a couple of years ago. The linen for his shirts was bought tram the packman, for which he paid by small sums. lie had now two linen shirts which he had for years. Ills wife also bad the mate rials for her garments from the p Ickman as did also his children, or they would be obliged to g o without any. Could not say how long it was his wife had had any clothing. Supposed that she had had a gown in the course of the last twelve months. Could not say how much it cost. His oldest girl had her clothes from the packman. Their shoes they paid for weekly. Gave Bs. 6d. a pair for his own shoes, for which he paid weekly. He had himself two pair of shoes ; those he had on then were the best, and he had them going on for three years. He was obliged to have a new pair of every-day shoes every twelve months, or his feet wou:d be on the ground. Married people, in the district in which he lived, did not get more than unmarried men. Some of those who got 7s. a week, managed to have bacon every day. Since he lived in the house he now occupied. he had only been able to raise about a pound and a half of bacon a-week for himself, his wife, and three children. Had lived in the house he now occupied seven years. Since his wages bad been raised to 9a , he had been able to get a pig. In 1835 he had only 7s. a week, and cyder. The price of barley-corn then was about 2s. 6d., or 3s. a bushel, now it was ss. or 6s. Was much better off then than now ; could have more of a belly-full. Could not get more clothes then, because rearing a family was expen sive. His wife paid much less money for her clothing wow, than she did years ago. Always eat barley bread. His family could consume more than one pig a year, but they could not get it. By a DELEGATE-Do you save anything out of your earnings ?-Oh, God bless you, how could I ? Well, when you get old what will become of you ?- lam sure I don't know, but if I am unable to work I have a club from which I shall get 6s. a-week. By the CHAIRMAN-Paid Is. a-month to the club. but it would not support him if he was old and unable to work. Could only have a certain sum from it now in sickness. Owed now three quarters' rent, and could not tell how be was to pay it. Was not in arrear in 1835 for rent. Was more in debt for rent now than ever he was before. The average wages of all la bouring men in his neighbourhood was 7s. a-week. The labourers on Lord Rolle's estate only got that sum, ex cept those who worked for Mr. Bragerton, and he paid all his men 9s. a-week. There were no railways in his neighbourhood, but there was a canal came up there. All his rates were paid; The condition of the people in his neighbourhood was in a much lower state now than it was in 1835. They hardly knew how .to get bread to cat. He had two beds and two bed-rooms in his cottage. He and his wife slept in one room and his four children slept together in the other. At one time five of them slept in one bed ; some of them lay at the head of the bed, and others at the bottom, foot to foot. Went to chapel, which he supposed was all the same as church, on Sunday. Went there three times last Sunday. His little girl went to school ercry day, and the elder one on Sunday. Gave 2d. a week for the little one's schooling, but nothing for the big ones. One of the beds he had was a feather bed, which he bought before he was mar ried, and the other was a husk bed. Had only two chairs, but some of them sat on three-legged stools which ho made himself. Had a grate which he made himself out i of old bars of iron. Had no fender or fire irons. Got three candle sticks, two pots, and a tea kettle. By Mr. STURGE-The people who get 7s. a week never get meat for a regular thing, they sometimes have a dish of broth or so. By the CHAIRMAN -Thirty years ago, when he mar ried he got 7s. or Bs. a week with some cyder. Used at that time to take job work, and there were times when he got a little chance of making more. He lived better, a great deal better then than he did now. He could af ford himself a little wheat then. Thirty years ago the labourers in his parish were much better off than they were now. H e h a d never received parish relief. Mr. STURGE-Those w ho got 7s. a week we re able to get a little bacon now and then, for which they paid 7d. or Bd. a lb., but they could not get much of it. 7s. a week were able to keep m obliged to buy him when he By the CHAIRMAN SO HOW long do A DELEGATE-.CHAIRMAN -Some o aps f i sm e al l l a a b n o d ur r e e r a s r w hi h m o . wet -past six in pig, but then they were p each day to earn 18d. a week,ts ytohuer morning, daughter a h s sit knocks off about nine in the ?- She gets up about half Does she work at home ?-Yes, Does she ever get more than 18d. ? S • she gets 25., but it's very seldom. - otnetimes By the CHAIRMAN-Do turn h off y ovu l sn always evening. youg . get sthe does as to much as you can eat?-Oh, no : I am often forced e before I get a bellyful, and so is my wife and chil dren. We always divide all we have amo t i o neachother, and make it go as far as we can. le s without myself , because I don't like to see the go children want it. poorßy a DELEGATE-The generality of labourers in his part of the country consumed barley bread. Mr. LEES-If food was generally cheaper, you would be able to live for less money ; would you not ? -Certainly. Well, then, what would you do with the money you would have ?-Why, I should put garments on our backs. The CHAIRMAN-Have you heard anything about the Corn-laws in Great Torrington ?-Yes, there has been some talk about them for the last half year. What talk ?—Oh, they wished they were off ; but some people there were persuading us against them being taken off, as they said it would be bad for us if they were ; but I know we wish they were thrown aside. When they told us that it would be worse for us if they were thrown aside, I said it was impossible ; that, do whatever they would, they never could make us worse than we were now. Mr. RAWSON here produced two loaves for the in spection of the Delegates, one of which he observed was a specimen of the bread given to the convicts and 'elons in the Penitentiary, and the other that upon which the bold peasantry of England, who had been so em phatically termed the " country's pride," were obliged to subsist. Nothing could equal the astonishment expressed by the Delegates on inspecting these two specimens of the staff of human life. The bread given to the prisoners in the Penitentiary though brown was sweet, light, and wholesome, whilst that upon which the honest agricul tural labourer was obliged to subsist, and which he could alone procure by toiling under a scorching sun, or subjecting himself to the piercing cold of winter, was black as ink, heavy as lead, and more calculated to produce disease than to sustain life. Mr. O'CoNxxen observed that, from the evidence of the witness, it appeared that the English agricultural labourers were worse off than the Irish peasantry, for they could always get a bellyful of potatoes, and they were wholesome. Witness—The poor in the workhouses live much better than I can do at home. They live upon much better bread than labourers. They have bread made of wheat, and I have bread made of barley ; some days they have three-quarters of a pound of meat, and other days soup. I am obliged to live on barley bread, and never get any meat except a slice of bacon now and then. Mr. GIBSON—As I understand it has been proposed to introduce barley bread into the Union Workhouses, because it is the article generally used by labourers out of the workhouse ; have you heard of such a proposition in your neighbourhood ? Witness—l have bread that they intend to mix some barley with wheat in the poor-house, but I believe it has not taken place yet. It has been talked of. Mr. GIBSON—It was proposed to introduce it in the Grantham Union, and I believe after some discussion among the Guardians, the proposition was carried. A DELEGATE—Oh, no. I was told by one of the Guardians the other day that it was negatived by a great majority. Mr. GIBSON had been told it was adopted. Mr. RAWSON had consulted with some of the Poor lew Guardians, and he was informed that in some of the Unions the poor hsd three-quarters of a pound of meat a-day, together with potatoes and bread, all of which was very good. Mr. HOWELL, of Manchester, stated that he had been into Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, to endeavour to obtain information as to the opinions entertained there on the Corn-laws, and he could assure the Dele gates that he found the greatest difficulty in obtaining the least information whatever. He found the people there steeped in ignorance, and they appeared to have no idea whatever of their political rights. In Bicestcr, he saw a family who had no grate in their house, they had a small fire on the floor around which they all sat. When he went in it was then supper time, and that meal consisted of nothing but a piece of bread, and they had not tasted bacon or meat of any description for the last five months. In the course of the last fort night they had managed to buy a quarter of a pound of lard into which, when melted, they dipped the chil dren's bread and potatoes. There was not a circulating library in the whole town ; there was not such a thing as a newspaper there, and the people generally were obliged to cat barley-bread of such a nature as to en tail upon them disease instead of nourishing their bodies. The coals they used cost them Is. 9d. a cwt., and they were not allowed to take any timber from the estates on which they worked. The CHAIRMAN observed that as Mr. O'Connell hail done them the honour of attending there that day, for the purpose of stating some important facts, they had better delay the examination of further witnesses to Monday. From the statements made by the witness who had just been examined, the condition of the pea santry in Devonshire appeared worse than those in Ire land. The witness then left the room, but was re-called at the suggestion of the Rev. Mr. Brewster of Paisley ; and in answer to questions put to him stated, that he and his family consumed about I i lbs. of bacon a week, and that scores of times he haa gone without any him self, in order that the children might have mere. Teat the pig he had kept weighed about 15 score, and that after it was gone they were obliged to buy bacon, or go without. Did not sell any part of the pig. The CHAIRMAN-You have often gone without any bacon yourself, because the children should have it ? Witness-1 have, because I had not the heart to take it from the children. Mr. O'CoNNELL, in rising to address the Delegates, was most enthusiastically cheered. The subject that he wished to say a few words upon to the meeting was as to its legality.—(Cheers.) \\Then he came into the room yosterday, he was informed that doubts existed as to the legality of the deputation or delegation—( Hear)—and that it was desirable that they should know precisely whether such an objection could be raised. In this state of things, lie had felt it to be his duty as a law) er of some standing, to look into the English law upon the subject, in order that he might inform the meeting what it was. In Ireland. there could be no representative or delegate from any body formed for the purpose of altering any law or ans thing in Church or State, and therefore be stood there not. as the representative of the people of Ireland, but es the representative of their wishes.—(Cheers.) In Eng land, however, the law was (lifferent ; here they were entitled to 'nave a convention, a bad name, considering what had taken place under that denomination ; but in England they could have a convention of deputies or re presentatives, provided its members were elected by what might be called a primary assembly, that was the people of any district coining together for that purpose. To illustrate that, he might say that the Chamber of Commerce of Manchester as a body could not appoint deputies legally ; but every member of it, acting in his private capacity could meet together and could appoint deputies. Any portion of the English people acting in their private capacity, could appoint deputies or dele gates, but no association could, however respectable it might be, except its members acted in their private capacity and not for the body. In their private capa city alone they could meet legally. Having stated this, he would, in passing, just advert to what had been stated to be the difference between the Irish peasant and the labourer who had just been examined. He did not think that in the South of Ireland such a thing had existence as that which had been stated by the in tel:igent labourer who had just been examined, and who, with such simplicity and truth, had detailed the miseries and privations he was obliged to suffer. In the South of Ireland there was not that famine from week to week, and month to month, and year to year, there was not that stinting of the appetite. No, in that part of Ireland they had their bellies full, they had plenty of potatoes, and that was excellent food compared with the bread that had been exhibited in that room that day.—(Cheers.) They had not the other comforts of life which the witness had stated that he had ; their clothing was not so good, but they had their bellies full. He was glad that these facts had come out that day from the examination that had taken place, and he could assure the meeting that it would be a stimulus to him to exert himself to the ut most to alter the present state of things, and above all to give to every Englishman food to eat of a nature that was calculated to cherish his body, and not to engender disease.—(Cheers.) How was that to be done ? was the first question.—(Clicers.) They must first simplify the real meaning of the Corn-laws, put it in a shape that everybody could understand it, and he thought he could not do that better than by saying the true meaning was this—The landlord under it said to the manufacturer give me your money, and I will give you back some of it.—(Great cheering.) That was the real meaning of the Corn-laws, as it respected the manufacturer. It was worse than that ; he did not think that he had described its atrocity in sufficiently strong words.—(Cheers.) The landlords did not give back to the manufacturer his money without making him labour for it ; no, they make him toil and spin to regain part of that which they have wrung from him.—(Cheers.) That was really the short abstract of the Corn-laws.--(Cheers.) It was based upon nothing but robbery—(Loud cheers)—and they might depend upon it that the moment the people of England understood it that way, no power on earth could pre vent its being repealed.—(lncreased cheering.) He could call the landlords nothing better than robbers.— (Cheers.) He knew that among them there were men of the most honourable feelings, and who would not be guilty of the slightest infringement on private pro perty for all that the world could produce. The Duke of Richmond would not do such things in his private capacity, but in his landlords capacity he was doing that which no temptation on earth would induce him to do as a private individual.—(Cheers.) So much for the manufacturer, and now for the agricultural labourer. He was not in a better condition than the manufac turer. When the wages rose the price of corn rose too, but the rise in wages was greatly overbalanced by the rise in corn. The CHAIRMAN—There has been no rise in wages. for the witness told us that the wages thirty years ago were as much as they are now. Mr. O'CONNELL—That made the case stronger. He thought that it had been stated that there was some rise iu wages, but that the rise in the price of corn doubled it, If the agricultural labourer got no rise in his wages, what, he would ask, became of the argument that an increase in the Corn-laws increased wages and therefore extended its blessings to all the people in the kingdom, who were told that they only wanted a Corn-law to increase their wages, and with it a propor tionate increase in their comforts.—(Cheers.) The Corn-laws were based on robbery and plund e r, and nothing else.—(Great cheering.) What had the la bourer to give to his landlord for it? His labour, the sweat of his brow.—(Cheers.) The labour here was very different to what it was in Ireland ; there labour was not toil, but health—(Cheers)—it was the human health that the landlords in this country got from the labourers.—(Cheers.) While, at the same time, by the laws which were extended to protect them, they made it difficult for the laboursr to preserve health.—(Great cheering.) Having said thus much, he wished to call the attention of the meeting to what fell from Lord Melbourne yesterday. He said it was impossible to re peal the Corn-laws, and he had a right to say to that. Why ? Because by the present machinery of legisla• tion they could not repeal them—(Cheers) —it was in sufficient—it would not do the work.—(Great cheering ) What, he would ask, would any manufacturer present, or in Manchester, or elsewhere do, if his machinery was not sufficient to perform his work, would he not send for an Arkwright or a Watt, those great be nefactors of the human race—(Great cheering)— would he not send for them to improv it—(Cheers) —and if that was found impracticable, would he not substitute in its place new machinery ?—(Great cheer ing.) So with respect to legislation, if it was found unfit for its purpose, it must be improved, and if that could not be done it must be remodelled altogether.— (Great cheering.) He had been told that they should exclude polities from their Delegation ; he admitted that party politics and local party politics ought to be ex cluded and ought not to be permitted to enter into their discussion ; but general national politics, when discussing a great measure that was calculated to benefit the whole country, could not be looked upon in the light of party politics.—(Cheers.) His opinions were known ; he was (a borough Radical — (Gre at chiering)—beit he would thus address an honest C orn-law To ry — for there wer e to honest hi m , men yo u your first reveryst duty g is r a d e—Lghter to feed u the poor—(Ch ee rs)— )—he would say your humanity, your duty, and your religion tell you that to feed the poor, to clothe the naked, and to relieve the distressed, is your first and most sacred duty ; no mat ter what your politics are, no matter what such men as Peel and Stanley and Graham may tell you ; from a far higher authority than their's—from the words of the God of all himself, contained in His sacred Book—you are told, nay commanded. as your first duty, to feed the p o or.—(Tremendous cheering.) If it was found, then, that the aristocracy had taken such a position, that the Minister of a coun try—which had never yet been struck down in the battle-field—that had never yet yielded or quailed to mortal foe—(Great cheering)—whose flag had "braved a thousand years the battle and the breeze."—(Continued cheering) If it was found that the representative of the Sovereign of that country told the people that it is impossible to do justice to the honest labouring classes; what remained to be done ?—(Cheers.) Lord Melbourne did not beat about the bush, he defied you to point out that he was in error, when he told you that the Corn-laws could not be repealed ; and has he told you an untruth ? No. What chance have you of such a measure going through the House of Lords ? —or the House of Commons, as at present constituted ? The principal speakers, even Whigs and Tories, all will be against you in the House of Commons ; even such a voice as was collected in that room.—(Great cheering.) And there never was such a delegation collected in the county before, or one that had done so much good, for there were those who spent hundreds of thousands to give clothing to the industrious classes. Yet with all this, with its popular voice at its back and the agricultural classes in their favour, they had no chance of making any impression without the most material alterations taking place in the representation of the country.—(Cheers.) Ministers were their oppo nents. All were combined against them and they might as well throw stones against the wall, or as they said in Ireland attempt to keep out the sea with a pitchfork— (Laughter)—as to suppose in the Legislature, as at present constituted, they could carry this measure.— (Cheers.) He was now speaking of the difficulties that surrounded them, and if he was asked what ought to he done, he would say, extend the basis of representation. —(Great cheering.) More of the people must be re presented.—(Cheers.) He did not want to preach any doctrines on that subject—he would not say what the extent or the basis of the representation should be ; that was another question ; but this, he would say, that it was impossible to succeed if the voice of the people did not reach the Houses of Parliament—not as the passing wind, but as the voice of authority and command. — (Great cheering.) Let them tell their representatives you must do such and such things, and, if you refuse, another that will shall be substituted in your place. — (Cheers.) If a clerk or agent did not do his duty, his employer discharged him from his service ; so the peo ple, if their representatives d;d not do their duty to them in Parliament, ought to have the power of turn ing them away .—(Checrs.) He hoped that in what he had stated no gentlemen would suppose that so humble an individual as himself intended to dictate the course they should adopt ; he was there to sustain his own political opinions, and in his conscience, between his Creator and himself, so convinced was he of the necessity of the course that he had proposed, that if he thought IToryism would advance it, he for one should wish the advance of Toryism. It was curious enough that OK Corn-laws had brought the people to consider this ques tion. They found that in the cycles of years there came good crops, and in another cycle famine ; they had been told from Holy Writ that for seven years of famine there were seven years of abundance, and that in those times they should lay by for had seasons, and that could he done if the Corn-laws were repealed, but in the present state of things it could not. Reverting to his clan coun try he would say that the absentee landlords took away the annual fructification of the country, and the only chance left for Ireland was the extension of manufac tures there. Tile profits of these manufacturers could not be absentee profits—(Cheers)—if manufacturers were introduced capital would follow it, the master's eye fattened the horse, and in this instance the master's e3e would secure the profits of the establishment.—(Cheers.) Such a course he was sure was calculated to benefit the Irish people, and by its advocacy he was only doing his duty to that country. He had read with great pleasure the excellent speech of his friend Mr. Baines, jun., de livered there the other day, clearly demonstrating that exports were not always to he considered as the crite rion of a nation's prosperity and that of its manufactures, but might sometimes be caused in consequence of a decreased demand at home.—(.Cheers.) It was well that there were gentlemen among them, who could thus ably meet the fallacious arguments of the landlord ; it gave him the greatest pleasure, that the son of his esteemed friend had shown such talents and research on the subject.—(Cheers.) He was convinced that his speech would go through the land, and make many converts.—(Cheers.) It showed them the great minds they had to aid them in their struggle.—(Cheers.) Those present in that room represented Britain, in their endeavours to obtain justice for all.—(Cheers.) They must not think of carrying the repeal of the Caen-laws, while they were imprisoned in the clutches of the aristocracy.—(Cheers.) He thanked God that the days of Chartism had gone by : its atrocities had been disclosed, and the mills of Manchester had not been stopped, or its artizans starved, by its sacred month.—(Cheers.) Now was the time for all ration ally to rally on the great work of the repeal of the Corn-laws.—(Cheers.) Let every man lay his hand upon his heart, and ask his conscience whether he was sincere in his wish to repeal the Corn-laws ; and if lie was, let him adopt the means that would secure the great end he had in view.—(Cheers.) He trusted that the great example that Ireland was setting them, in that universal temperance of the measures she had adopted, would have some weight. Let them be firm and determined, and, like Ireland, they would obtain their end.—(Loud cheers.) In that country great changes had been effected, no man was injured in bringinc , them about, and he thanked God that not a drop of' human blood tarnished the victory. —(Cheers.) He implored of them to act with tem perance, but with a determination to carry the great object they had in view, namely, that of giving food and clothing to the labouring classes.—(Cheers.) Let them, in order to carry so great a work, look to the machinery of Parliament. Let them improve it if they could, and if not let them remodel it.—(Cheers.) They must be aware that they were now about being being defeated ; they would have more supporters, s but they were sure to b e defeated ; and even if they in the House o f Commons, they were sure to be defeated in the House of Lords, where, with the exception of the Marquis of Westminster, Earl Fitz- Willi am , an d about a dozen other Noble Lords, all were against them. To withstand this it required great de termination. Let that determination be displayed, and eventually the contest in which they were engaged must be decided in their favour.—(Cheers.) No one was be d they had in view—(Cheers) —or would more re y was a question of to take any step to secure it—it . Loud cheering.) more zealously attached than he was to the great object life and death—of bread and blood.—( And (observed the Learned Gentleman) may that great God who governs all, and will judge all according to their works, inspire us with the manliness to cast away all party feelings and objects in determining on the in view. [The Hon. and Learned Gentleman The Rgev,.iMt was e a ß s con cluded amid loud cheering, which lasted for several means best calculated to attain the great end we have mi nutes.] and Learned Gentleman that he was wrong in suppos oenst wishedth o ase t e o n d inform ant tht than ne Hon.ever. ing that Chartism was at an end ; in Scotland it was no gone by, but Chartism such thin had not. Mr. O'CONNELL observed that what he meant by He admitted that Physicalism had Chertism was physical force. The Rev. Mr. BREWSTER trusted that such an ex tension of the suffrage would be asked as it was just to demand and just to give. What he meant by Chartism was universal suffrage. ImEowresT Mr. O'CONNELL observed that when he spoke of the state of the Irish peasantry he spoke of only one pro vince in the South of Ireland. The meeting then separated. The Delegates meet again to-day at Two o'Clock. THE ROYAL ARTILLERY. —Orders have been received to suspend the enlistment of recruits and volun teers to this corp, the complement being made up. Would it be right to enact laws prohibiting any article of foreign manufacture from this country, until the average earnings of operatives and labourers through the land exceeded twenty-five shillings per week ; and then only admit the ports to open with a graduated scale of duties that would prevent the decline of wages ? If the answer be " yea," why not do it immediately, and give the working classes the benefit of Conservative Legislation as well as the wealthy circles ? lithe answer be " nay," where is the equity of legis lating to keep up the price of corn and enrich land lords, to the depressing of commerce and the oppressing of labouring men ? If the poor should say, " Taxes are high, provisions arc dear, and our habits are improvident ; we must have laws to increase the rate of wages :" Would you not reply, " Good men, you are wrong, and we should not be right if we imposed burdens on others to meet your improvidence or covetousness ; you must bring your expenses to your income, and be contest ? May not the working classes say, and say with rea son, truth, and justice on their side, " Then abrogate your oppressive Corn-laws, reduce your establishments to your means, and do unto others as ye would that they should do unto you ?" If you say, " A return to peace, after a long, ruinons, and expensive war, rendered legislation necessary to prevent the bankruptcy of the landlords:" May not the labourers reply, " Was it just, was it Christian, to ruin us to recover yourselves ?" If you say " We must have a remunerating price for corn, or our farmers can neither live themselves nor' pay our rents," may not many of the poor say " For want of a fair day's wages for a fair day's work our families pine in want and waste in disease ?" Yea, might they not add, " It would be better for you to want the aboundings of luxuries, than for us to perish for want of common necessaries ?" Do you say—'tis the arrangement of Providence that "the poor shall never cease out of the land ?" God has also said "he that withholdeth corn the people shall curse him, but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it."—Proverbs xi, 9.6. How will the pro- Corn-law men escape ? Have not thousands of quarters of grain decayed in bond since the introduction of Corn-laws ; and have not many of the children of sorrow pined and died under the very shade of those corn depots by the river side ? If the mouth of Old Thames wereasked, how many quarters of spoiled grain have been buried beneath your wanes, what would he say if he could speak ? Will you, gentlemen, carefully read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest" the following passage from God's word, before you again legislate to oppress the poor, or pray 'legislators thus to continue preventing the people having cheap bread ? " Hear this, 0 ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, saying, when will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn ? and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat, making the ephab small and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances of deceit ? That we may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of shoes, yea and sell the refuse of the wheat. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, surely I will never forget any of their works. Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? And it shall rise up wholly as a flood, and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will dzrken the earth in the clear day. And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation, and I will bring up sackcloth upon your loins and baldness upon every head ; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day." W. W. W. THE VALUE OF TIN. (From the Morning Advertiser.) I was one morning at a coffee-house, making some ca culations on the relative value of the precious metals and meeting accidentally, at the same table, an Ame rican gentleman, I put some questions to him respecting the American coins, viz.—the Eagle and the Dollar. He was very polite and communicative. " Sir," said he, "our cash arithmetic is more simple than yours ; first, because we have it decimated ; next, by having only two denominations. Why, Sir, the great varieties of your coins are like your several orders in society— Royalty, Aristocracy, and Democracy ; they are so nu merous. Your farthings, half-pence, pennies, groats, and sixpences, are the Democracy ; your shillings, half crowns, and half-sovereigns, are the Aristocracy ; and Royalty is truly represented in your beautiful Sove reign." " Yes, Sir," I said, " God bless her Majesty ; you are quite right." " Sir," said he, " You mistake me ; I mean the Coin." .‘ Oh, I beg pardon," I replied. " However, I quite agree with you, that our gold is ♦ery valuable." " Ala, Sir," he said, " there is one metal which I consider the catholicon of all others ; it is uni versal in its application ;it describes all others. With it, a man may be anything ; without it, Sir, a man is nothing—a mere nonentity." I now began to entertain a hope that I had come in contact with a happy being who had discovered the Philosopher's stone. " Pray, Sir," said I, " may I take the liberty of asking what metal you mean ?" " Sir," said he, with a sigh, " I mean TIN. In America it is highly valued ; but here it is absolutely idolized." " It mounts on eagles' wings ; kings it makes gods —and meaner creatures kings !" as Shakspeare says. What a poet he was to be sure T. but I dare say that lie, as well as a great many other queer poets, often wanted TIN. Poor Otway would not have died through hunger, if he had had TIN. A man may get as drunk as a Lord—ay, or even as the Marquis of W--, if he has TIN ; and, if he were sober as a Judge, no one will respect him without TIN. How very good natured re• lations are when they think you have TIN. How very friendly your friends are when they fancy you have TIN ! How very sensibly all ranks are affected by TIN ! How courteous tradesmen are when they hear your TIN ! How the Ladies smile upon you when they see your TIN ! How polite are all Attorneys when they s'ncll your TIN! How the Clergy pity and forgive a sinner will has the least taste of TIN ! In brief, the members of the bar itself are charmed with the feel of TIN ! Thus the five senses, by a sort of animal magnetism, are tickled by TlN—hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, feeling. Sir, a man who has no TIN might as well be " sans eyes, sans ears, sans nose, sans mouth, sans every thing." But a man who has TIN, even if he lost his teeth, need never want a mouthful. " In America, I once asked an Irish gentleman how it was that his countrymen were so admired by the ladies ? Ah, sure,' said he, it is because we look so TIN-dedy, and smile so TIN-derly, and talk so TlN derly, that many a lady who had TIN could not avoid saying, Oh ! Paddy, my darling, I am TIN-derly yours ! The match is made up with a l►ttle TIN-der flame, and then they are happy enough, provided they have TIN.' " Believe me, Sir, that, although Brass has been sometimes useful, it is nothing new without TIN. What is a statesman in the eyes of your Commons without TIN ? What is an orator without TIN ? He might as well be as dumb as an oyster. What is a religious good man ? No matter what his faith may be—he has no hope here—he can exercise no charity without TIN ! " All over the world TIN is prized ; but particularly in England. Yet it is very difficult to obtain 'FIN. You want more in circulation—your prosperity would be more con-TIN-uous with a greater plenty of TIN." Brother Jonathan, I believe you're rght. GEORDIE O'BOTHER. Quere—ls TIN the philosopher's stone ? RETIREMENTS.—The undermentioned officers have retired from the army this week :.—Cornet and Sub- Lieut. Bromley, and Cornet and Sub-Lieut. Greville, Ist Life Guards ; Cornet and Sub-Lieut. Peyton, 2nd Life Guards; Lieut. Peters, ith Dragoon Guards ; Lieut. Stack, 24th Foot ; Capt. O'Brien, 53rd Foot ; Capt. Kemp, 80th Foot ; Lieut. Maxwell, 88th Foot; Ensign G. Thompson, Ist West India Regiment.— United Service Journal. CAPT. G. SMITH'S INVENTION.—The Lords of the Admiralty have ordered the Medea steamer know lying. at Woslwich) to be fitted with Captain George Smith's inven tion of life-boats over the paddle-wheels, and forming part of the paddlo-box. The Pacific Company are also building two vessels on the same plan in Messrs. Curry and Young's yard, Limehouse. Captain Hatter's vessels for the Niger expedi tion are to be similarly built.— United Service Gazette. We find it repeatedly stated, in the Constanti nople correspondence of our Contemporaries, and indeed in the Foreign Journals also, that the Turkish Ambassador, who was proceeding from Constantinople on a special mission to the Court of St. James's, had for his object to assist at con sultations about to take place here on the great Eastern ques tion. We are enabled to state that, on the contrary, the single object of this special mission from Constantinople is to present to our gracious Qw:en the congratulations of the Sultan on her Majesty's most auspicious marriage. The distinguished person appointed by the Sublime Porte to assist at the consultations of its allies in London is Nourri Effendi, sometime Turkish Ambassador to the Court of Louis Philippe, and we understand that his Excellency will arrive here to-mor row, or on the next day, for that purpose.— Observer. NEWCASTLE AND CARLISLE RAILWAY.-- The annual general meeting of the shareholders of this Com pany was held at the Assembly Rooms, Newcastle, on Tuesday last, and was numerously attended. A dividend of 61. per 100/. share, for the last year, was declared. The follow ingrgjn is an e x tr ac t from the Report of the Directors Du the last y ear m uch has been effected towards the doubling of the whole line ; and as soon as those portions whirls are nearly completed shall be opened, only seventeen miles will remain to be doubled. As a proof of the credit and solidity of the undertaking, the Directors state that the Company have been able to fulfil all their engagements during the late severe pressure on the money market, without forcing into the market the quarter shares remaining at their (iii-posal, which must have been attended with a great sacrifice. A i .ore favourable opportunity having now offered, those quarter shares have been brought forward for sale, at a reasonable premium, and have been accepted to a very consi derable extent. It appeared by a statement made up from the weekly summaries of revenue, that, as compared with the pre vious year, the increase in rec ei p ts durin g the last y e ar had been as follows :—Passengers, nearly 23 ; parcels, above 33 ; goods, 81i ; coals, 27 1 4, ; lime, 10; and stone, nearly 31 per cent. ; and, in consequence, the actual receipt of the year 1839 amounted to 87,4211 Is. 9d., being 26,165/. 9s. above the re ceipt of the previous year. And to show the further prosperity of the concern, it was added, that up to the 7th March in this year, the revenue had exceeded that, of . the same period in the year 1639 by 23 and one-third pee cont. ' 44. Ec; EASTER IGENCE TURAEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, MARCH 7.—The Count de Pontois, the French Ambassador, paid a vi tit yesterday to Reschid Pasha. Report says that politics were the order of tha day. It is confidently asserted at Constantinople that the utmost harmony prevails between the Porte ana France. The Greek Patriarch was deposed yesterday, in conse quence of the political intrigues in which he took part against the English Government in the lonian tiles. lie is to be Fueeceded by the Bishop of Nicomcdia, Anthymos. M. De Cordova, the Spanish Charge d'Affiires, signed yesterday the treaty of commerce whiCh has just been con cluded between the Porte and her Majesty the Queen of Spain. The treaty of commerce which has been some time pending between the Porte and the Envoy of the King of Greece was definitely concluded on the 29th of February, and signed to-day. M. Zographos embarks to-day on board the Stam boul, to return to Greece, passing by Smyrna. Namik Pasha has just been named Military Governor of Salonica. The Austrian Internuncio gave a magnificent fete on Saturday last, to which all the diplomatic body, and the most distinguished families of Pera assisted. His Highness the Sultan presided on Sunday, for the first time, at the Grand Council of Justice. It is rumoured in public that the marriage of the Sultana Ave with Ahmet Fethi Pasha will take place in the course of the month of the Moharem, which is about to commence. It is not definitively known where this ceremony is likely to be celebrated. Other letters from Constantinople state that the Aus trian Internuncio had had a conference with Khosrew and Reschid on the 26th of February, and stated to them confidentially that they would do well to recommend direct negotiation with Mehemet Ali, in order to finish the sooner ; that France having determined to oppose by force every oppression against Mehemet Ali, there was no doubt that the other Powers would draw in ; that, at all events, if Austria could not prevent a contest between France, England, Russia, and Prussia, it would re main neuter, and that if it had not held the same language to the Porte it was because it expected to bring about an arrangement with the different Powers; but that those expectations are now at an end, in conse• quence of the last notifications which have been made by the Cabinet of the Tuileries to those of Vienna, St. Petersburg, London, and Berlin : thnt, in truth. none of the latter bad accepted the declaration of France, which is for the inheritance of Syria, but that there was no doubt of its taking place, the four Powers having no de sire to split with France ; that Austria and Prussia were secretly desirous of a friendly arrangement being made oetween Stamboul and Alexandria ; and that the con ferences which were about to be held in London would in no way alter the resolutions of France, who, far from uniting herself with England and Russia against the Viceroy, would send him succour in case of attack ; and that, therefore, the most prudent course to adopt would be to renew negotiations with Mehemet Ali. This language has surprised and disconcerted the Decemvirs, who sought an interview with Lord Ponsonby, which took place the following day, the 27th. Sekip Eftendi has been named Ambassador to London, and has left for that place. It is in contemplation to put in circulation in Constantinople bank-notes for 50,000,000 francs : this measure is looked upon as an evident sign of distress, and it must produce in the country the worst ef fect. The conduct which M. de Pontois pursues at the Divan, as well as at the embassies, is a proof that France will not recoil, and at which the true friends of Turkey rejoice. .1 . was secretly arranged between M. de Boutenieff and .he Porte, that a Russian army of 30,000 men should be in readiness upon the frontiers of Asia, and that it would advance upon the simple notice of the Divan, without awaiting further orders from St. Petersburgh. Fresh re inforcements of troops were expected to be sent to Malatia and Koniah. EGYPT. ALEXANDRIA, MARCH 7.—The Malta packet not having arrived, we arc without news from Europe, and arc still in ignorance of the results of the fresh proposals sent from London. Here defensive operations are still carried o❑ with the same vigour. The Viceroy, who only waited for the French packet before lie departed for Cairo, left last :light on board one of the towing barges. At Afteh a steamer awaited his arrival, and this evening his Highness sleeps at Cairo. His journey will not be longer than eight days. He relies upon the means of defence which his country possesses. Selim Pasha, General of Division, who commanded in the Hedjas, has just arrived in our city : it is reported that he will assume the command of the Bedouins, who have great confidence in him. Kour schid Pasha, General of the Yemen army, was also ex pected very shortly. The news of war having attracted some Poles, Carlist Spaniards, and others who anticipated that their services would have been accepted in the Pasha's army, their expectations have been frustrated. Decidedly England threatens Egypt, and, as a proof, you will hear that Colonel Hodges has succeeded in get ting up some races, nearCissar's camp,which were attended by all the Consuls, every person of distinction in the city, And by several ladies, who were dressed in riding habits. The Queen, who was chosen by the aristocracy of the sub ' scribers, is a lady from Marseilles, Madame Rho, being majestically seated on a species of throne, decreed the prizes to the victors in the most graceful manner. MALTA, MARCII 16. —The news from Greece is gloomy; the King does not dare to punish the Philorthodoxian con spirators, and in the mean time anarchy reigns throughout the kingdom. It is in vain to suppress highway robbery. With such a state of affairs, too much reliance cannot be placed upon the promise made at the commencement of the year, " that the receipts would cover the expenses of 1840 ;" that eventful period has not yet happened for Greece. I shall content myself with giving you some news from Tunis, which it is reported is threatened with a rupture with Naples. You must remember that a young Neapo litan, who was accused of the murder of a Moor, was thrown into prison, and would have been put to death had it not been for the intervention of the Consular body. The King of Naples having sent a frigate in order to con vey his complaint, it appears that the Consul, who was the bearer of the despatches to the Bey, was very badly re ceived by the Governor, who almost threw them in his face. He was not satisfied with perpetrating that insult. The Consul had, as well as all his colleagues, a country house at the Marsa, upon which the Nea politan flag floated. He was informed that he would be required to take down his flag-staff, and to limit him self to having only one or. his town residence. The Con sul not having paid any attention to such a threat, Janis saries were sent with hatchets to cut down the mast. It is asserted ,that Naples will avenge itself of this insult, and it is expected that Neapolitan vessels of war will make their appearance before Tunis. Far from increasing their armed forces in the Mediter ranean, the English seem to wish to reduce their squa dron. To the four vessels which have sailed for England must be added the Rodney, which left on the 14th. Ad miral Stopford is still here with the Princess Charlotte ; . it is still rumoured that he is likely to be superseded, and that his successor is expected with two three-deckers, the Queen and the Britannia, but still there are no advises from England as to their departure. POLITICAL SUMMARY OF THE MORNING JOURNALS. The Morning Herald of this day, speaking of the inter- ' view that took place on Friday between Lord Melbourne and the anti-Corn-law delegates, observes—" In perusing the remarks of Lord Melbourne it is impossible not to be struck with the evidences of his Lordship's natural shrewd ness, as well us with the indications which present them selves of his Lordship's prepossessions in favour of our existing industrial arrangements. Lord Melbourne has, obviously, a clear perception of the great truth, that the best interests of England are based on the protection of English agriculture. But while his Lordship cannot so far sin against his earliest and deepest and best founded convictions in reference to the social arrange ments that prevail in this country, still it is the misery of his present position, that he dares not give effect to these convictions, in opposition to the selfish interests of a large body of the " Liberals" by whom he is maintained in office."—The Morning Post observes, wish reference to the approaching discussion on the Corn la ws —" The wily enemies of the Corn-laws, and some of their weak friends, speak much of the great feeling which exists against the present system. They descant upon the numerous meetings adverse to the Corn-laws, and the petitions arising from those meetings. All this would be very well worthy of respectful attention, if such proceedings were spontaneous and genuine. But they are no such thing. All this demonstration against the Corn-laws is artificial. It is an agitation pro duced by means of hired agitators."—The Times thus refers to the question of Church Reserves in Cannda :- 6. The affair of the clergy reserves in Canada is, the religious public will observe, likely to undergo a close in vestigation, as the Bishop of Exeter has, through the Archbishop of Canterbury, given notice of a motion this evening for copies of certain despatches on the subject, addressed to Lord Bathurst and Mr. Huskisson while Se cretaries of State ; and the Most Reverend Primate him self takes up the subject on the 10th of April, by pro posing an address to the Queen, requesting that her Ma jesty would not give her assent to the bill of the Senate of Upper Canada, enacting the sale of those reserves and the distribution of the proceeds. We are glad that we have brought this subjeet before the country, though in one respect we were mistaken ; we thought the land originally granted to the Clergy was to be taken from them, and parcelled out to the Papists and various sects of Dissenters, whereas the land is to be sold, and the pecuniary proceeds thus distributed —one qu trier to the Church of England, another to that of 6cotland, and the other two remaining quarters to the ad herents of the Church of Rome and the several species of dissidents from the Church of England."—The Morning Chronicle. commenting on the Government system of education, remarks as follows :—" We perceive, from some Scotch Newspapers which have been forwarded to us. that the assistance voted by the Committee of Council on Education for the erection of new school-houses in Scot land, has been received with a gratitude which has found expression in the public journals ; and we trust, therefore, that the Church of Scotland will not be slow to avail itself of the general sense of the importance of the assistance afforded by the Government, in extending the plan of its normal schools, in soliciting local contributions for their support, and in grounding on these local subscriptions a new and just claim on the Government for liberal grants to place these institutions beyond the reach of the caprices of popular favour." It will be seen that the Conservative candidate for Inveraess-shire will be allowed to walk the course. Mr. Mille, in an address to the electors, says—" I have had an interview with Air. •.irant of Glenmorriston, and have been informed that neither he nor any other of the party politically opposed to me, has the intention of c ontesting the representa tion of the county upon the present occasion." The nomina tom iF fixed for Tuesday next, the 31st inst.— Edit.iinryh d yer/ iso*. EVEN ENG EDITION• -.1... TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. 1 Sir—l 'awe great pleasure in stating that a meeting was held to-day in our Guildhall, convened by a requisi- i Lion signed by nearly 100 operatives, at which a petition ‘ for the total repeal of the accursed C orn Laws was Lula- I nimously adopted, Nearly the whale of the speakers were working men, and there was not the slightest attempt to ( create a division either in favour of the Tories or thn Chartists, as has been too often the case at Anti-Cora - law meetings. Though the meeting was held in the mid dle of the day, and at a time when most working men are anxiously looking forward to Saturday ni g ht, a grcat number were 'present, taking the greatest interest in, and paying the greatest attention to, the proceedings. The chair was occupied by an operative named John Richard son. Trusting the example of the working men of Wor cester may be followed all through the country, I remaiu, Sir, your's t espectfully, A CONSTANT READER. Worcester, March 27 HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE. Bellini's serious opera Beatrice di Tenda, the second new opera of the season, was presented on Saturday evening. The following is the cast :—Philip Maria Visconti, Duke of 111113 , ! 1, Signor Coletti ; Beatrice Tenda, his consort, Mad. Persians.; Agnese del Maino, Madlle. De Varney ; Orombello, Signor Ricciardi ; Anichino, Signor A. Giubilei. The scene is in the Castle of Bianco ; time, in 1418. Philip, Duke of y ou ltn, • unhappy with his consort, Beatrice Tenda , che rishes a gy passion for Agnese. She, in her turn, loves Philip. Beatrice, jealous and enraged at the conduct of Philip, and, probably to be even with him, encourages the advances of Orombello , Signor of Ventimiglia. Agnese, to gratify her revenge, puts certain fabricated proofs of Beatrice's guilt into the posses sion of Philip. She is summoned before the Judges, pro nounced guilty of infidelity to the Duke , and ordered to be decapitated. Beatrice is led forth to execution ; the henh e man, with his axe, appears ready to inflict the blow, w Agnese rushes in and confesses her guilt. The curtain fails. The great character in the opera is Beatrice , and Persiani gave the music with matchless grace and finish. The scena between her and Philip, where he pro duces the papers already alluded to, as proofs of her infidelity and rebellion, commencing with the words, " Questi d'amanti popoli," was exceedingly clever. Of quite a different descrip tion of music is the last scena, when led to execution Beatrice encounters Agnese. The whole of this, but especially the por tion beginning, " Ah ! la morte a cui m'appresso " was on e continued outpouring of deep and impass i one d feeling. Per siani was in excellent voice The part of Philip is the next in importance. and Coletti, by the able manner in which he sang and acted in this new character, must have dissipated all regret or the absence of Tamburini, if indeed his fine personation Of f r orquato Tasso were not sufficiext for that purpose. Coletti well supported Persiani. His noble and manly tones, when he denounced Beatrice for her rebellion—" Qui di ribelli s udditi" electrified the house. Of Mademoiselle Varney we ought to have before spoken. Though not a prima donna assoluto, in" deed not pretending to such an eminence, this young lady well prove invaluable in secondary parts. T he ballet of La l'aren tule followed the opera. Fanny Eisler delighted every eye by the exquisite grace of her (lancing : she was enthusiastically ap plauded. Her Majesty the Queen, Prince Albert and suite, the Queen Dowager and suite, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Princess Augusta, with a long list of noble families, were pre sent, and remained to the close. The house was crammed. NORWICH. On Saturday evening a gentleman of the name of Bell (for- I merly one of the Chartist leaders, and now the proprietor of a new paper called the Farmer's Journal) delivered a lecture in the Corn Hall of this city, in defence of the existing Corn- • law. The attendance did not exceed two hundred persons, amung whom were probably from forty to fifty respectable farmers of the surrounding district. The lecture commence d at five o'clock, and occupied about two hours, when, there being of no light, the proceedings necessarily terminate d. A farmer considerable property arid respectability was in the chair; and although several opponents of the law were present, the proceedings were orderly throughout. At the close of the lecture, Mr. Marshall (the late Mayor) stated to the meeting that he understood from Mr. Bell that both sides should be heard, but which, from the absence of light, could not be ; he (Mr. Marshall) therefore begged to know if the advocate of the Corn-law would be willing to die" cuss the question, in all its hearings, with a gentleman adveet" d ing tho necessity and policy of repeal. Mr. Bell at once avesc his willingness to do so. - Mr. Marshall then begged to intro.. duce to the meeting a gentleman from Manchester, Mr. AC ' land, one of the lecturers of the Anti Cor n-law League. 111.„ A c land stated that the Council of the Leag ue, on hearinb of the announcement of Mr. Bell's lecture, had di' meted his attendance, in order to a full and fair consideration of this important question by the citi zens of Norwich and the agricultural populatio n of the dis trict. He regretted being obliged, on that occasion, to a bstain • from any attempt at an answer , but he w ould say of the lecture . that it was as gross a tissue of sophistry as he h a d ever hea rn i. and as he would engage to show. He could not think.uest-1 0' leaving Norwich without putting th i s g reat national q,- in a correct point of view before its inhabitants. He would6;S...- liver two lectures on the subject, and was very happy to h i t; Mr. Bell so readily accept the challenge for a discussion . ea rnestly besought all who heard hint to hear both sides, s in no other way could they obtain an accurate or honest eon elusion. Mr. Bell subsequently observed that he was so circum s tance , 6 1 as to be unable to meet Mr. Acland, except on a Saturday , - when Mr. Acland replied that , howeve r he re g retted such 0,2 claration, he would meet him on that da y . Mr. Bell said," , was not sure of being able to leave Lon don before SaturoaL week, but that he would communicate with Mr. Marshall the subject. We understand Mr. Acla nd has announce }iii intention of lecturing in favour of t otal an d immediate rere& the evenings of Tuesday and Thursday next. Our inforno(.. observes that the people of Norwich and the farmers f '1;04 folk, need enlightenment on the Corn-law question, a 5 t he if not more, than the inhabitants of any other d i str ict " kingdom. Mr. Edward Ellice, jun., paired off on J..r l- , night in favour of the motion for suspending the King of 11 nover's pension, with Sir R. H. Inglis. It is said in the City that authentic accocnt Ss received within the last day or two from Canton river, rep re' sent the Chinese merchants as being really alarmed le ,,rt impending war should cause a scarcity of British goon` a v China ; and that in consequence of this apprehension, th! were making great efforts to effect an exchange of COMlDOditit 3 with the British vessels. We are sorry to learn that Miss H. Fancies health still continues so precarious that she has been advisec i f l 7_ her medical attendants not to return at present to her < n e e d soon, bur to wait: at least until Easter, when it is to be hop the weather will be milder. In the meantime Mrs. w' arke t and Mrs. Edwin Yarnold supply her place at the Hal oo es tolerably satisfactorily, and we are glad to hear that the , 00 /, have been good. It is said that Webster pays Macread?' _l os e a-week, and Power 1201. How can the Lessees of Ti s ' e _ t i i n pay stars in this way without being sooner or later in difficulties? RAILWAY BY KENDAL.—We are g lad to 11:: that Francis Whishaw, Esq., the eminent engineer, employed on this important work, and the promot ers of t ; n ee dertaking are using every means to secure its adoptiln• uo is every reason to anticipate a favourable Report from t"` vernment Commissioners.—Kendal Mercury. We understand that Viscount Palmerston 11 : 15 1 ,, selected Mr. Alcock to be the British Commissioner fct,ars e settlement of the claims of the British military an d naval wi r 7, i l on the Portuguese Government. The efficient and iniPatofta manner in which Mr. Alcock discharged his duty as Coin the.. sinner in the investigation of the claims of thy Legion on for s Government of Spain, must necessarily indicate his tit nes - r er. the inquiries upon which he is now about to enter.— Obsersp THE VOYAGES OF THE ADVENTURE A e of BEAGLE—The following remarks on the second volonvieer this important work are extracted from the interesting* says in the last number of the Quarterly :—" We now turn, have have Reviewer, " to Captain Fitz Roy's own volume , whic have have found even more entertaining than that which 'we „Oa just laid down. Taken altogether it leaves a most favouro ad impression of the writer's intellectual endowments, as n o .h i e. 4 of his moral qualities. The chapter on the southern A b °Lol e of South America is very well done combining con , '" tie on research with shrewd and original observation, and the their the Horse Indians of Patagonia throws much light 01 4 the manners and superstitions. The opinion entertainektujoh is Geographical Society of the importance of this exis' n ot ° expressed by that body when they state that the Royal prof - tba was awarded to Captain Fitz Roy for his surveying :‘ , o I °,, coast of South America, from the entrance of the 11 `" eeas" Plata on the east coast, to the Port of Guayaquil on the . , . to in of Peru—for the zeal, energy, and liberality shown by the conduct of the survey—and for the various geogval tb . e, discoveries made by him during its progress, as well a s in en ° circumnavigation of the globe. To which we have only t° —' He won it well, and may he wear it long.' " of CLIMATE ON THE HAIR.—The effect - off mate upon the hair is very great. Extreme cold is apt Pat to and wither the roots ; and, on the contrary, extreme behead. enervate and weaken this important integ umen t of the. fact ' The most extraordinary thing connected with the prenetl the is, that one counteracting agent should be endowed tr , in singular virtues of preserving the hair , in health and b_n.,°,_uetbov either the torrid or frigid zone ; and it is a question, w or 00 14 ROWLAND ' S MACASSAR OIL is most used in wax0,...1 e or countries. At the Court of Russia, the above delighti . : h os ; servator of the hair is lauded with extraordinary enn t na while in India, the consumption of Rowland's M acassar tßje mense ! MURDERS.—Notice has been issued f r° ; ( 1 ; the; office of the Secretary of State, offering 2001. rewallicked and discovery of two persons, who, on Monday night, at ta in the barbarously murdered Shadrach Lewis, of Parkydroffae, b county of Pembroke. On Monday, David Evans, in i i; the keeper of J. Wynn Eyton, Esq., was found murdered 1000 wood near Northorp, near Coedy-Haucue m ine. Th e f ' 3 r0 1)0! perpetrator committed the act for th e pur pose ° "„ g Evans of the money he had upon him. Edward ici—e' 3 a ral o- torious poacher, has been apprehended on suicion of ~o ur ier tins he murder, and has been committed f sp or trial. of Wales. t" THE CORN-LAWS.—" For Repo," t o a wl's' Corn-laws, up to the 6th of March—petitions, 129 ; attirr; 158,033. " Against Repeal" petitions, 232 ' c ation 1° 11,124. Average number of signatures to each P the repeal, 1,302 ; to each petition against repeal, 46 • Gra c- as FASHIONABLE ,PARTIES. — His t o an Archbishop of York entertained the Duke of Welling numerous party at dinner on Wednesday, in Grosv,en_d°r:aael...tat The Marquis and Marchioness of Cholmondeley. n'i on c a rlw_ ti dinner party on Tuesday evening, at their manalon _ ve a ra. P _, House-terrace. Mr. and Mrs. Lionell Rothschild, gaadaciistians dinner,Wednesday evening, to Lady Peel, Miss peSi!tatforil tehha§ of guished party, in Piccadilly. The Marquis of HertfordCOun dinner party on Tuesday evening. The Earl a es l_r e oni `ri Tankerville gave an elegant dinner, on Wedn tl in Great George - street. a den was foll d il h , d be! .. n r On Monday last, Susan C larke ase 1 0 in her bed by the side of her daughter. Dece ear ed m et ill for some time, but nothing alarming had a rt i er da ti g jest disorder up to Sunday last. About five o'clocaei agssoar, awoke and spoke to her mother to put her feet . " receiving a n / a'a ot uP' hers as they appeared very cold, but not r eee c i . site g the deceased's back being turned against the tow e. th s h reat is Plymoutha d looked A sijv a o t urn ig e r i rmother,a aw,heanrrsahnetc.ibee,hieldfoaredlifolneiAssioct:ay..this (Edinburgh), from Oliver Twist, was P rod ( ic lifie ralCa' thi ln e ll is of the Jack Sheppard school, but with a The 111 3 t best s'. l P i. I little adaptation the effect is admirable. , av ino nY f s r of the heart are touched, and its finest feelingasrater. is ably dramatised, and abounds in plot and fli ‘r tee the most masterly portrait in thepiece was .31 • ( ; cf I f noi n), t , Hawkins. To do justice to it woad rvquire the peri l no do self. The piece was entirely successful, a nd increase in favour with the publie.—Seots man• of his late accident. His Lordship was out s of Lord William's hounds on Monday. Among the g •• l y , to -boro u ; -1 ' , ..„. Lord Milton has quite recovered fro:ithtlgoeidffrre!Ctt2ls: am this v, , .7ek have been the. Itillop \ Toll:„, Di Feriting Mi n i s ter 01 N_____ ..mo peee. f '~