The Express.
London, England, 1849-06-11 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.

COUNTY MBITING AT GLOUCESTER.
Oa Saturday a very numerously attended meeting
of the landowners, farmers. and other inhabitants of Gloom.
tenths, was held at the Shire Hall, Gloomier, to take into
consideration the disowned state of the agrieetural interest,
and to determine what steps should be takes thereon. The
Shire Hall, which is calculated telt( Id about 3,000 Perim.
was densely crowded, and on the Olden& wen Hari Docile,
the Marquis of Worcester, M.P., Sir W. Weinstein, H.P.,
Sir H. Crawley Downy, Grande, Berkley, Meg., M.P.,
Humphrey Brown, Beg , M.P. the Rev. J. Edwards, the
it Rev. B. Lyre, Capt. Somerset, b. Bowl , Esq., S. Burley,
isq., C. B. L. Helm, Esq., B. W. Joss Bu., W. Hart-
land Mi., W. Allen, Eiq ,C. Bailer t_ ~ to Ita.
The High Sheriff of the seetaty, W. arryrrn PRIM
Eaq., was called to the chair, and Nee Under Sheriff having
reed the requisidoe convening the lallefti, .
The CHAIRMAN briefly erased the baMiess. He said
that a lieuy menu a ellstmem me .I dews the agricul-
tural as weE es the minnilmenbetiMeseM aolr:•dy could
delft, though Sere might lte a Siftwese of opinion se to
the mode el elleviatiog that dinsus. (Cries of " You are
a free teeisr.") He was net ping to express his owe
opinion ea that eseesles. bet he begged that a fair and la-
perdel beesting meal he given te -all the speakers whatever
their opiate= might he—(applause)—aa should that not be
the sue, a legitimis bemuse might be fairly drawn against
those who !puma auk a filar ezpreedu of opinion that
they were area of Weft the truth. (Hear, hers.)
The CH AIRMAN Bra tug letters from Viscount Cam-

den„ the Duke of &Wort, Lord Redesdale, Lard Dyne vor
Sir M. Set* teal ether gentlemen, exposing their meet
at balegmeside le aged.
lar. P. MATT. a tenant farmer, came forward,
arid» lend eheers,to propose the first resolution. All the
farmers wanted was equathanded justice. They were
not going to parliament pining and whining, but to de-
mand their eights. (Cheers.) They wanted to give a fair
day's wages for a fair day's work. (Cheese.) In 1842 the recr-
eate in his neighbourhood wee, for the hall year ending in
Korth, 4,3701., and the price of corm 47.. per quarter ; at
the lest half year the poor rate wee 6,8901., sad the yin of
ern was 30s. per quarter. (Cries et ",325.") The prod.
sine were now upwards of 40 per amt, cheerer, and the
per rate. 30 per not. higher. That was the effect of free
MIL (Uproar, and cries of " Nousense.") The si=
here proceeded to read extracts from speeches of Sir
Peel, delivered prior to Introducing his free trade measure,
to show the disadvantage of free trade. (" Oh, oh.") Si;
Robert Peel admitted that the farmers were overtaxed and
yet he afterwards put the property tax on them. (Cries of
" Serve you right.") After releasing free trade Sir Robert''
soli the farmers to kee traders. (Uproar.) What had
government done fines that time ? They had sot take* off
say taxes, and it therefore became their duty to deemed
thew government. (Applause.) There rust not be luxury
tm the idle and slavery to the industrion. (Applause.)
And K they were to have free trade in corn they must have
sheep government. (Cheers. They must commence at the
root of the tree, end reduce the dews», of the Queen,
Prince Albert, sad the ministers of state. (Cheers.) All
sinecure end melees obese must be abolished. (Cheers.)
Their local =dem was always inereseing, and they lately
had saddled oar thins a police, which cost him more is a
year than had eves been stoles from bin in 30 pan. Thus
acne, there were expensive gaols, in which the idleness
Wen se well Id as to give a prelim to poor labourers to
.see & aria& (Chien and aproar.) The fundholder
god %ten of this taxation. (" On ") The ennuis*
tense bonne' to the »tad an of 80,0001., and em-'
*gig or 1,000 sass, did sot pay local
tenrien email to the farmer rented at 8001. *year. ("Ok,
oh," mid uproar.) And then, whoa they did not want
there hands they turned them off to be kept by the
Jannis. (Criss of " Fats, false," and uprear.) They were
told that they mast call is science to improve their farming,
but they must leave off improvements If they got no roma-
'gratin. (Cheers.) Glonotatershire was unheated for
improvements, and Rarl Duds set up a fans for Lionel( to
try those improvements, and took part in a faros at Covent-
garden Theatre. called " Oammating the farmers," and raid
wheat could be grown at 3s. 6d. a bushel. (Cann and
laughter ) The speaker concluded by moving • resolution,
to the effect that extreme distress prevailed among all cleans
coonected with agriculture in this country.
Mr. DAVID ROWLEY eroded the motion. In personal
abuse there was no argument, bat he knew that there were self-
ith landlord', selfish manatectarers, selfish libellee's, he., and
therefore they ought not to try to rundown any particular elan
He was a protectionist, but he wished equally to protect all
. clans., 'specie ly the poor man, against the foreigner.
(Cheers.) He was as fond of cheap breed as any man, bat it
was of no use to have cheep breed without mosey to buy it
—(sheers)—es was thews by the distress in Inland, though
food was @keeper in that country than it had ever been be-
fore. (Cheers.) He had been chairman of the Cirencester
'Jain for many years, sad he never knew distress so peers-
lent as it was at present. (Hear, hear.) He would tell them
the reason the farmers bad not money to pay their labour-
er., and were discouraged by the prospects before them—
(cheers and uproar)—of proceeding with farming ersettelem
lie could instance a ease of one farmer who had reined bit
expenditure in labour only by 2001. per same, that
mast of coarse f( et the labourer. He add that flee trade
had not benefited the people ; it wee a humbug sad delu-
des. (Cries of " No, no.") Were they not mid that if
they had free trade the exports of their maaefesteree would
increase, instead of which they hid been »deed P Cries
of " No, no," and uproar.) He said it was so. (A Voice
How was the cars paid for then ?) Why, by gold. He
would show It by figures, which he was told were cornet.
In 1846 the exports were 51,227,0001. ; la 1847 they were
61,605,0001. ; and in 1848, the year of free trade,
they were only 46,323,0001. (" No, no," and up-
roar.) He was aware that they were told that this was the
effect of the disturbed state of the eontinent. (Cries of " tie
it is.") Now, that wee humbug, es there had been no die-
Jerkin». in Rinds, and the exports to that coun were
reduced by 600,0001. (" Oh, oh," cheers, and uproatryr ) He
thought it was all humbug for legislator to take duties off
foreign goods, and then for boasts to be made that their
ladies went to court in British manufacture,. (Cheers.)
That wee humbug. (Cheers.) He was for reduction in
»satin, es Urea could not be kept up with English prod».
tins at continental price'. They must pay the interest on
the debt. (Ceies of " Oh, ob, do away with the yeomanry.")
Do away with the yeomanry if they could, but who were the
parties who really proposed reductions at the head of the
state) The speaker proceeded for some time to contend
that tree trade was, from first to last, all humbug, sod the
people had been humbugged. (Imams sheering.) Under
the measures of the government, the Sports of slave-labour
had increased fivefold within the Ws few years, end 4/1
their free trade inatsures were delusion sad humbug.
The resolution was then pat, sad declared to have been
caned, amidst Mussing and dapping of beak
Mr. J. KRARSIRAW moved the seem& resolation, that
"the distress could only be attributed to the elects of »nut
legislation, which lest the occupier of land to bear $ larger
share of local and general tannin them ether clones—
(cheers sad ones of ' No, no" )—Seeso it left him open to
competition from the foreigner." If they add pat their
taxation upon a footing with that of the Castrate, they
could compete with the whole of the wend. (Cheers.)
Distress squally existed in the manufactenag and sericul-
ture' districts ; but the manufacturers »seined worse and
children, while the farmers employed
_Wrehetied nen.
(Chem.) The tamers never aniOnyeti palgia without
having the money to pay them, while reauthetorwre paid
3s. or 4s. in the pound time ir time, and went an as
infem. (Hear, hear.) He montane& thee they mast have
an equalisatios duxes, or they must all be Mod (Cheers.
and ale sof Olt, eh.") Local tazatica Ise dud nasty bad
increased within the last ten years 260 per east , and the
farmers were not in a position to pay, and they were there
tore (*lapelled to reduce their laborers and tradesmen.
(Oh. oh.) That was the wrong end to bogie with, hut they
were *impelled to do so, as they amid net redacts their land-
'aids or the demands made upon them by the tax gatherer.
(Cries of "Oh." and "flannel Howley.") He bend te
tell them that if thane was en equalised» of taxes be wield
be a free-trader ; and if they took off the malt tax lend beer
would only eat 2d. a pot instead of 6d. (" Oh, let us get
it.") A farmer nasal:4lP interested in the »dein» ef the
malt tax than say other pmsoe, se he was the only
that gave beer to his n, whisk to a farmeralifv=
sera cost 201. a year, which at pretreat rates was worth 801.
(Cheer")
Mr. J. F. ONSLOW seconded the reedunew. After the
practical speeches they had heard little remand he him to
say. The distress was Go great that there was no differ's*,
in *WM relative to it. There were two modes propped
elthedylog that distress. The ens the putting a all
Amy en foreign prodweismo--(cheers, aria of "N o, so,"
wrear)—the ether, the taking off the protection which
ihe misuiseturrs and the tradesmen at present enjoyed.
Raid DIMS than came forward amidst the leadestobeer-
leg sad uproar. The nesting had bees sinvemed to tale
Ines oessidiesnie the cones of agricultural digress. He had
ark bred of the requisition till he saw it avenged,
theoglelie would have signed it with pleasure. (Cheers.)
Theis who knew him could hardly suppose that he did not
Mel forint sufferings of his follow men. He had not been
invited to the netting, but he had come lest resdations
should be proposed to whisk he could not sweat.
(Cheers.) Farmers were very susceptible people—they
Ware easily elevated and easily depressed. (Chien
ad uproar.) Oh, be was in a good temper, and
ha would try to pat them in one also. (Cheers.)
One day a few years daps be went into en agricultural dis-
trict to bars his hair cut, and the barber said that he &p-
-pond to be better than usual. He asked him on what he
;rounded his opinion, and he replied because his (Lord
Dries) hair was es crisp (laughter). He said that be cut
the hair of a good many farmers, and he mend always tell
the Mate of the market by it. (Laughter.) When the
market was bad, their hair wee quite limp, bat when the
-market was good their hair wee beautifully crisp (Laugh-
er.) That proved their susceptibility. Well knowing
hew essisptible the farmers WITS, be thought they might be
midi& by Party leaders if he did not attend to warn them
of thekposition. (Hear) They were led in 1841 to reject
a bed .fin, which was then proposed. (Cries at "sold,
sold.") Well, if they bled it better, they were sold in
1841 by parties who induced them to reject a fixed Bs. duty,
Is row net to benefit the farmers, but to step Into the shoes
of the annisten. (Chars, and cries of " oh, oh I") It was a
emnfortabie redden to be placed in, to fled that in Roy-
leg ea encloses erne had nothing to say Naar
tb Previous speakers ; la fed. the first two were
is Juliet tree-trader he ever beard. (Cheers.) Re wee
new skin to rove an amendment to the rosdadea bare
=ons.bouwase It attributed the distress to the rerstisolotte
(No, no.) Then what did" recent
Mesa We, Mc Matthews complained el the want el
ewe gesammeat. So did he. Tint gentlemaa wanted to
have a irked= fa local rates. So Mlle. (Chem.) Well,
le dos Ihat, dry aught to prides Is Wok of lir. Hump's
MB OR jthikere rawer with the isegistrstes is their
praramal. Then Mr. Matthews was against

church-rates. (Cheery.) So was he. (Applause.) They
said that the present distress was owing to the corn-laws of
three menthe old. (" Oh, oh, false, and a cry of three years.")
Three yeses Why they had eon at 105 s. within that
period. The real cause of the distress wee, the bad crop
and -infamous quality of last year. (Cries of " False, false,
obi oh.") Why, good con was now worth 60s. (Cries of
" False, fake, we cannot get it') Then they had
no good men to sell. (Oh, oh.) He was talking
to 11. Quint the other day about the anarchy
end revolution existing on the continent, and that
great man had said, that if they had not removed that
' menstu grievance, the con-laws, this country would have
hem ht as bad a state as any other.
114. SAMUEL BO WLEY rose to second the amendment.
Meld not understand why the question could Oct be di►
erwit (a taistorn, as the interests of all putt," were equally
011M11111111111L Osald any ate suppose that the county could
hoe PM Omsk the revulsion It kad without occasiocing
cons! erable distress? The tradesman had suffered in his
rofits—the manufacturer had suffered—the railway specu-
lator
bad suffered. (Oh, oh.) Well, it mast be felt through
all classes, and the fanner could not expect to wipe. It the
farmers were in such miserable distress as they stated, it
must have been brought upon them by protection. (Cries
of" Ob, oh," and " No, no.") Well, as free trade had only
exited three or four months, if that bad calmed them to lose
all their money, they must have had but very little to loss.
(Uproar cheery, and win of " Turn him out," which lasted
some mittens.)
Mr. ONSLOW called upon the meeting to hear Mr.
Bewley.
Mr. BOWLEY was afraid he Ind spoken too plainly.
(Renewed uproar.) He wad not understand what they were
hissing at. (Uproar and ales of "go on ; don't be four noun !
let's have fair play !) He did not mind a sentiment being
objected to; but if he was stating anything teat wee =-
true and foolish, the better it was for those who oppeeed
(Laughter.) Instead of tee country laying out so muck
money in railways, which would only give them 2 or 3 per
cent., it would have been better laid oat on the land at 6 per
ceat. He knew tenant farmers wee would gladly pay that
smimat is money to improve their farms. (Hear, hear.)
The landlords should do this instead of keeping farms merely
to create political voters to be driven to the poll. (Chewy.)
Let them carry out free trade to the full, earl get security for
the tenant, and they might be all happy and contented toge-
ther. (Cheers.)
Mr. ORANTLEY BERKELEY, 11. P., as • colonial pro-
prietor, said that their interest had been leading • forlorn
hope against free trade for some time. He did not complain
of free trade, but he contended that before it was ever intro-
duced the ministers ought to have made a general and great
reduction of tuation—(cheers)—both the colonies and Eng-
land ought to have been put into preparation for the change.
(Dagen) If there had been a reduction of the malt tax
and the expenditure of the country modified, they would
have been prepared to have given a trial to free trade.
(Hear, hear.) He did not think that free trade was yet
half felt in its effects, or that the fanners had dies
charged half the labourers they would have to do.
There must be a great reduction in tuft and expendi-
ture before they could compete with Ramie and other
countries. (Cheers.) Mr. Cobden was fated in fo-
reign countries because the conning foreigner was aware
that England was not prepared to compete with foreign
countries in the market he had opened. (Chess.) If they
were to continue in the present system, he advised the tenant
farmers to strike for a reduction of rents—(cheers)—that the
rich /1116 might feel the effects of free trade as well as the
poor; and by that means, and that only, they would raise •
petty, both in the Ludo and Commoner, who would compel
the government to make a reduction is taxation. (Cheers.)
I Sir WILLIAM CODRINOTON, M.P., then presented
himself amidst loud cheers. Nobody regretted more than be
did the necessity for that meatiw and he highly approved
of the orieinal resolution then before them. He thought that
all taxes premiog on the farmers ought to be removed, and
thus free trade might have a chance; bat under existing
circumstaaces it was impartible to compete with the foreigner.
(Cheers.)
The Marquis of WORCESTER, who was also received
with load cheers, supported the original resolution, and con-
tended that the opinion of M. Goisot, with regard to the no-
vernmest of this country, was not worth much, seeing that
he could not goyr rn his own country.
Mr. HUMPHREY pROW N, M.P., seconded the sawed-
ment of Mr. Grantiey Berkeley. He had always been a free
trader, and he hoped he should see the system carried fully
out anaclg all classes of the community. (Cheers.) Coder
a system of protection they bad had committees to inquire
tato agricultural distress both in 1821 and V" Oki
neither instance could they come to any determieedsa en
the subject for its relief. (Hear, hear.)
Lord DUCIE having withdrawn his amendment in fume
of that of Mr. Grantley Berkeley,
The question was put, when the show of hands appeared
to us to be as nearly as possible equally divided, but the
chairman, after consulting with other gentlemen, declared
the amendment to be negatived, a result which was received
with loud cheers and counter-cheers. The original modes
was then put and carried.
Resolutions having been peeled, pledging the meeting to
use every *Hat for endeavouring to obtain an alteration in
the present system, petitions were adopted to both houses of
parliament is accordant' with the resolution; and thanks
being voted to the chairman, the meeting separated.