The Express.
London, England, 1849-04-12 00:00:00

rORICMEN NOW AND IN EARLY TIMER

Sidney Smirke communicate* the followingto
MLA strobes of the Bri.der : A perusal of the little hook
mans by air Balthasar derider, is the seventeenth century,
waded " Counsel sad Advice to a.l Builden," leads me to
jos a few observation. at a sta*lstical nature, au/spited by
MO data which the treaties affords, concerning the price of
Matt and maenads if the latter half of the a. venteenth
eidury. Many, indeed mat at the prises, are stated in the
Melt es loosely as oat to mink if say safe tompsrism with
M WINS Int 'be like Irak at the psalm day. Let me,
however. lake few af Delthasaes prim,—such as do
lilt of sant asama, sad Ist a- pima beside them what
may be fstely sea maths present fah average peke of
Ile isms works: _

Priest prism
Ilskia. ye tbsems• lib W. bb•
• mei at reassed beftskuest. a ....
131.
libliblymb. Your. aid 1111.111 iiii:....kaiiiiii
bk. roe red
Ps& bar N. pa busikeL.- . bl 4.
laih INA rims% `oak km lii:iairiii irra......:::::::: ild.
ebbroost. it O. GI
Lidos eald.
bobbin. Inks. Malik% boas, ht., MIL— -d. le M.
UM outtare.. pv art... MR
WI; Si. lb MM. pa. A. IL WC

ke appestat, hum the above comparima, that the priers et
goo works of whisk the value is comp sod of labour rather
lbw of material were kw a compared with present prime
Whit time prices an somperativelv high of whisk Lobos;
Ihms a les impootaat element:. Sir Balthasar, unfortun-
ady, dem .rot give us the Ingle of wcielmmon Is Ith ,day •
lot fie sees:elm of Mr. Macaulay, in his rosmtly psbilehed
kimagy, ample widows ea this satirist. He slows
ogg the ordinsey pay of a Allied Welkllllll was da. to 711.
pfr wok, wham the erdisary pay of a labours, was 4..
go week Campers them with the prism Inge' of work-
s" wad we shall lad thati=essise sere than four time"
at seek as they did at the in grades. Hornig thus
shoos how low the scab workman • wages was is theme
god lid days," let les *squire into the racessary ezposoes
is workman. Oa referring to the table wives by Adam
bib of Me pekes of wheat, it will be saw dm*. „wigs
peka, ham the year 1637 to 1700 beclusive, was 61s. per
goarteri tie illectination was anorammo, for in 1648 ft was
gad Italy a year afterwards it was 35e. 64.,—but the
glow was 81e. But what is the present price ? About
ea.—extreardiaarily low at the pressed momeat. I an
mom hat the ammo of the kat 'tempers is little more
Ikea Na It is therefore plain that darts; the comamm-
weskit, msd subsequently, a workman must have paid about
as such for his bread as he new pays, whilst be received
show lose than one quarter of his present wave. I have so
Arm at bard so to the prim of meat, bat Mr. Macaulay r-
aids as that hundreds of thiamin& of families rarely, or
never, toadied It, and it probably did not then fovea as
mtido ei ordinary cotisumption amoeg the working claws;
Mimi, the risk asti expense of twines, cattle to the Llndon
ushot la those days, would alone justify the presumption
OM meat was a comparatively high-prised luxury. Mr.
lissaalay bes also ascertained that the priori of the following
"skies in 1666 were nut merely relatively, but actually,
hiker Ikea le 1848:—via., sugar, salt, male, candle', soap,
does, stookian, and, generally, all articles of bedding and
tisk*. Then, as now, them commodities comprised nearly
all the propel tomatorts of a Isbourii g son. If we oven
leek beck to so recent a period as the year 1800, I have it on
emeellew living totimosy, that des worts of a geed mason in
Dodos was only 16e. per week, who now receives from 384 to
33.. 111 the year 1800, wheat was, am an "virago of fir.
mars, ea ap, can by the tables give. in Tooke'. History of
hiss," 90.. 6d. per quart., ; and, indeed, daring • year of
great scarcity &bent that period, the quarters loaf, for which
we now pay 7d. or 8d , cost Is. WA It is. indeed, most
gratifyieg to trace the real and progressive improvement in
the snadition of the working man since times to which many
ars toe apt to Isok beck with a vogue feeling ot regret.—as if
the beam competition of later times had reduced both the
suss of somploymoot and the reward of labour. It seems,
however, to be a law ef our nature that, with the growth of
OW
material gratificatious of life, there grows up also
(ad in a still motor degree) an increased wish to obtain a
hew share of then ; sad hence it is that contentment is
BM head to keep pace with improvement.

BURTHENS ON LAND.

MEETING AT OXFORD.

—--- - -
oaa at the lugeet and mart influential meetloga
flog bee ewe token place is this county, was la. Id yesterday
la the Cesavy Hall, Oxford, to oho iota consideratioa the
mart depressed state of agrieutture, and the sups news-
smy lobe adopted to obtaia relief. The high sheriff, 8. W.
GAIDDIIIII. previded, supported by Lord Norms,
*P., J. W. Ibnloy, E.q., M.P., W. 8. Blackstone, Esq.,
LP.. J. H. Linemen, E.q., MP., C. Peen, EN., H. Pey-
la, = q., Reston, Esq., and nearly all the leading
tritultaista of the county.
Xr. Jossen Gu.i.crt, of Haseley-court form, proposed,
mil Mr. Psalms, of Hill farm, !seconded, the tint resolution:
" not this mooting views with alarm the present de-
ord state of agriculture, and every day's experience con-
tras the belief that, unless immediate relief be afforded,
tie wire ruin of British industry, with all its attendant
owls sad disastrous malts, must inevitably and speedily
Xt. Honiara, of Waterperry, proposed, and Mr. GOD-
ION, of Chipping-Norton, seconded, the second moist-
gm: _ . .

" That it is the opinits of this meeting, that the present
nisously low prices of apricultaral prods,* may fairly be
Masted to the partial free-trade measures lately adopted,
mi that the greaten injustice will be indicted on the British
irons, and all who are dependent on them for support,
Inns the heavy taxes Imposed on British industry are im-
nediately repealed, and • gnat reduction in the public ex-
ellailitive effected."
lb. Baoextzsa, of Oxford, miller, premed, end Kr.
lIIIDUToN, of Cntelow, seconded, the third resolution :
"That the legislature having adopted • principle of free
Mk end as foreign corn and cattle are admitted duty free,
sedans brought into immediate competition with ear own
Podese, It is unprincipled and unjust to tax our own
=so enormously when manufactured into malt; and
nag is therefore of opinion that a total repeal of the
&alma matt and hops, which press with nada* severity
es the farmer sad the labouring community, ought in
tames juries to be conceded."
lb. J. Gamer= pr,iposed, and Kr. W. Conaanowoora,
of Caddied's, seeoeud, the ninth negation :
" Midges embodying the above views be pre,ent„d
h ball homes ..1 parliament, and signed by the high•sheriff
Mien of the g."
lb. BLACKSTONE, M.P., voile in favour of therm/n-
-*BBi end Mr. Lawton, K.P., Kr. Henley, M.Y., and Lord
&mem egalaelt.
the reeentione were carried nnanimonsly. A vete of
Osaka was carried by acclamation to the high sheriff. The
WM' was attended by above a thousand persons.

MEETINO IN DEVONSHIRE.
OR Mundt, • public in. eting of ogrienitoristo took
lime at !doddery, for the purpose of soasideriesg the woes-
Ig of petitioning the legislature for isemedia • Mier trona
he nesting burbles now pressing urea the agrienltural in
beet W. R. 11101.1SW01111, Esq,, was milled to the chair.
Hr. I'. II TOMS, Calico, saved the Arm resoludoes. He
NM be believed the preettet fteredom of arleultare was
bed is the reftUris el lay prise : he was
rseetreell M fliMeabsred oa preouleso. The burden en
Illitelter• were disprocertisestely heaviCes.espeet to the
Maar the sedmisnoteet alas gear. the way rates, die
"Rif Mak sad lesi, though not ken. the tart Is
hfieume to the begose•tax, as observed that the farmer
Mb, OM, win toned on that saw, although he sight be
*MR VIOL of that snout This we asenifeetly
Task weeds Ma. Feeling that the agriculturists had
PO OW for east List at the present time, he would move
us bet resolution as fellows :
"!bank is the ~pinion of this meeting that the present
.."'"a of aoricultorel produce is mainly to be attributed
~tlsttmerslof protective duties, end the oppressive bur:
Ins lode! es land ; and that, Vouch be not speedily averted
ilakeitisture, the utter ruin of the British farmer will
la de lareitsble result."
11.. R. ROE, E q., Onaton Hall, sold he bad very Arrest
in 'mud ing the resolution moved by Mr. Tans
t_ellineel with what bad been said about the oppressive
'Win re tend tad on the egriculturists; but that .as so
elf u. derrood and felt by the me. Ong, that nothing
11.1 be said upon It. This, however, 'sled be regarded
b I Ladlard's question, and be believed it ece spoken of by
Noe people ; it was a landlord's question, and therefore be
2lttended it was a tenant's queetion also. It might be thought
?cm a lendiord, be came there with the eft sirs to keep up
"6 NM. but be would avow that he was not more in-
._ in leg up rests than in the welfare of the
rut firmer and the !tenderer who cultivates the tarns,.
ti den that if them were not some improvement, ruin
ti,t_Likw. sod the art affected wr uld no doubt be the
firretss, then the lend; ,rate and the labhurers. If the
end not farm well, the labourer would be thrown
"1:..71,10ne, and the landowner deprived of his rent. lithe
Om mud not afford to farms se Itibly se be desired the
-thieh already had. he bead, been ad pted, was
.2MIIIII the number of Li/ 1111)31114PM; and the consequence I
atig,"l "184 profiles cut of work came upon the rotes,
sat be Paid Mg the laid. K. believed that the