The Express.
London, England, 1847-01-18 00:00:00

PROVINCIAL.

The local papers of Saturday contain numerous reports of
meetings held to various parts of the country for the relief
of the distress existing in Ireland and Scotland. In all cases
these gatherings have been numerously attended by people
differing in religious creed and political opinion, but cordially
agreeing in the expression of deep sympathy for our suffer-
ing fellow-subjeets, and all proving their sincerity by putting
their hands into their pockets. Amongst the towns promi-
nently active in this work of charity, we find Sunderland.
Bristol, with a noble subscription of nearly 6,0001., Bradford
1,5001., Leeds 3,0)01., Halifax 1,6001., Wakefield, Walsall,
Lichfield, Leek, Hanley, Burdens, Stafford, nod Norwich.
The Catholics of Liverpool held a meeting on Friday, when
they raised upwards of I,Bool._towards the fund.

MUCH Die TREES PREVAILS in Lancashire and the neigh-
bouring manufacturing districts. The machine-makers of
Preston are feeling severely the pressure of the times. The
orders given by the spinners for new machinery are nearly
all withdrawn. Where one hundred men were employed,
only four or five are now engaged. At Bury none of the
mills are working full time. The extensive mills of Messrs.
Greg have been at a stand for six weeks, and those of Mr.
L. R. Openshaw have been stopped since the beginning of
last week. The foundries are also working shorter hears
than usual. The shopkeepers are loudly complaining, and
many families are in great distress. The applicants for re-
lief increase every week, and it is In contemplation to esta-
blish soup kitchens. At Wigan the large mills of Messrs. Eck-
eraley are nowworking only four days a week. At Blackburn
short time is to be continued for another month. The distress
of the working classes of Bradford nidaily increasing. It kr
m.i.rs, from the returns of the relief committee, that on the
Bth inst. 172 cases were relieved, including 791 persons; on
the 11th, the cases rose to 189, or 864 persons; and on the
13th a still further rise took place, the cases being 202, in-
eludmg persons. Other towns are in an equal'y Ms-
tiered condition.
CURIOUB ACCIDENT AT A THEATRE.—On Monday night
a man in the gallery of the Liverpool amphitheatre, who had
left his place during one of the acts, missed his footing while
endeavouring to spring into his former seat, was precipitated
over the railing into the pit, a depth of at least thirty feet,
and fell upon two ladies. The bench upon which they were
sitting was split, but marvellous to relate, with the exception
of a few bruises, the man and the ladies were, we (Liverpc.al
Mercury) believe, uninjured.
A MEETING IN FAVOUR OP OPENING THE PORTS was
called at Manchester on Friday night, which led to an ex-
traordinary scene. The meeting had been called in the
Town-hall, at seven o'clock, in a room capable of holding
probably 2,000 people, but the doors were besieged before
siz o'clock with applicants for admission, at least equal to
its capability of accommodation, and by seven not only was
the room densely crowded, but many thousands were col-
lected in King street, Cross-street, and other approaches. The
steps of the hall and the colonnade were also crowded with
people, together with the lobby and staircase, and thus the
pressure from without at one time was so great that it was
thought serious consequences must ensue. In this state of
things the parties holding the meeting determined to divide
their forces, and.have an open air assemblage, in addition to
the meeting within doors—a course which met with the ap-
probation of the superintendent of police, who directed a
number of officers to keep the street clear of carriages and
other means of disturbance. Outside Use hall, Mr. A. Heywood,
bookseller, was called upon to preside, and inside Mr. J.Watta,
draper, took the chair. The same memorial was adopted
at both meetings. It set forth the great distress and starva-
tion existing throughout the country, and more especially in
this neighbourhood, in consequence of the dearness of food
and the general want of emplivment, and called upon
government to remove the remaining duty of 4s. upon corn,
and to suspend the navigation laws. The speakers detailed
some cases of frightful distress, and it was stated that
amongst other trades which were in Bering, at least two
thousand people belong to the fustian cutters and hatters
were out of employ. The memorial w carried unani-
mously in both meetings. The meeting i,f the hall lasted
nearly four hours, and when a meat number of
persons had left it, after the carrying of the memorial, a
Chartist moved a resolution, and succeeded in .uirrying it,
calling upon government to inquire into the comanct of
Individual said to be employed in forestalling the otarkets
and buying up corn. The meeting, or meetings, pies anted
• marked contrast with the gathering which took plat.` in
the Town-hall, three months ago, for the purpose of memo,
rialising government to open the ports. Thin, the pressure
of scarcity had not begun to be felt here, and was only seen
in the distance ; now, it is present, and its hideous
and dreaded features have been ISM by thousands

At the former meeting, the hall was barely filled;
on the present occasion three such buildings would hot have
held the numhers presenting themselves for admission. It
has been said that these famine meetings of the north are
dreaded by all thinking men in other parts of the kingdom;
and, certainly, any stranger witnessing the meetings on Fri-
day night must have gone away with a mind deeply, if not
fourfudy, icipre,sal with the scvnes they presented. It is
right to state, perhaps, that the meetings were only ad-
drissci by working men, and that the leaden of the late
League took no part in th-ru.
CnEsinitE.

REPRESENTATION OF CRESTEIL—The Cheater Chronick
hints at matters which have rendered the Eaton family un-
popular in that city—the withdrawal. it is said, of sub-
scriptions to sundry societies. Our connmporary says:—•' If
any events, however, should interfere to disturb the cuonec
tion as it has latterly subsisted between the citizens and the
house of Eaton, it cannot most certainly be charged upon
the former. In the meantime, however, a movement is on
foot, promoted by some gentlemen of liberal polities, to in.
duce Sir Wm. Stanley, of Hooton, to announce himself a
candidate.