The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-03 00:00:00

dividuals, who would introduce the subject of the Corn
Laws, contending that Ministers had it in their own power
to put an end at once to the present, and we suppose they
meant also all;future, distress, by for ever opening the
ports to the unrestricted impo►tation of fortio corn. In
answer to these ill-advised individuals, the Lord Mayor
declared, that as the Meeting was one merely for the sake
of charity, he could not hear any thing introduced which
was irreleiant to that great object; but his Lordship fairly
stated that he was willing, upon a proper requisition being
presented to him, to call a Meeting for the discussion of
the question which had been alluded to. The Meeting was
about to separate, when a general call for Mr. Pest in-
duced the Home Secretary to address the assembly. He
cautiously and most properly stated, that he appeared there
as a private person, not as a member of his Majesty's Go-
vernment; but, after noticing the splendid munificence of
the Sovereign in favour of his suffering subjects, he gave
us the cheering Information, that in most of the disturbed
districts the great body of the people had endured their
miseries with most exemplary patience ; at the same time
assuring us and them, that if some misguided men among
them still continued to violate the peace of the country and
destroy the property of their employers and neighbours,
they must be checked by every legal means which the Go-
vernment has at its disposal. The Meeting was then dis-
solved, after having entered into one of the most munifi-
cent subscriptions ever known in this country of liberal
charity and disinterested lunnavitif
The distress of the working classes, arising from their
want of employment, has excited the sympathy of every
class in the nation. There is not any country on earth in
which misery or every kind is more promptly or more
effectively relieved than in our own. In no country do the
rich come forward mote willingly, or more liberally, to
supply the wants and minister to the necessities of the
pour. Never, therefore, was an attack more unauthorised
than the one contained in the following article in the Chro-
nide of yesterday :
" We would fain hope that the troops which Govern-
meta are conveying rapidly to the disturbed district" will be
able to keep down the unfortunate people. Relief ought
at the same time to be given to them. The state of aban-
donment in which the poor famished creatures have so
long been left, is really far from creditable to the higher
ranks of this country. If they really felt not:ting, policy
ought to have taught them to appear to sympathize with
their unfortunate countrymen in their protracted suffer-
ings. We may be assured that this indifference, and the
persuasion generally entertained that the calamities of the
country, which press so heavily on them, are chiefly attri-
butable to the landowners, have deeply incmsed them
against the higher ranks."

Is there either truth or justice in thus indirectly charg-
ing the calamities of the country on the landholders ? Can
any calumny be snore undeserved than that which repre-
sents the higher rank, as totally destitute of feeling for
their suffering fellow-creatures, and calling upon them to
assume, from ppl icy , the semblance Of that humanity which
in reality they want, anti at least appear to sympathize
with sufferings to which actually they arc indffii,rcut `? At
any other crisis than the present, such slander would not
deserve refutation ; but we have•already remarked upon
the systematic endeavours of a certain party in the country to
separate the working classes; in affection and interest, from
those above them. They tse tliscribcd in the paragraph
just quoted; as being " deeply Incensed against the higher
ranks :" but, in spite of the pains taken to mislead them,
they entertain no such feeling; and no attempt can, at:this
perilous moment, be more malignant or more mischievous,
than to represent the landholders, and that class who, from
their wealth, ought to be, and are, the natural protectors of
the poor, as being their natural enemies—careless of their
misery, and callous to their privations. There is surely
enough of unprincipled outrage afloat, to make it at least
superfluous to hold up the imuluwilers as having canctlled
all claim to forbearance. The destructive spirit which al-
ready agitates the rioters in the manufacturing districts,
does not require the efforts of any faction to goad it to fur-
ther extent ; and those who really wish well to their inte-
rests would rather exhort them to measure back their
steps, than give any fresh direction to their spirit of de-
struction. '

We have only room to direct the attention of our readers
to Mr. Cssumu'a propcsitionsfor letting the bonded grain
into consumption, and for allowing foreign corn to be im-
ported into this country during the recess of Parliament,
at the discretion of Ministers, when the price shall be
above 653. per quarter. The discussion has been adjourned
till to-morrow.

CITY, TUESDAY EVENING.

The unexpected proposition, relative to the admission of corn,
that was introduced to the notice of Parliament last night, pro-
duced a favourable effect in the City this morning, and was
hailed as the first measure towards a total change in the Corn
Laws. Pcrsuns who congregate much about the Royal Exchange
arc apt to deal in the marvellous, and are elevated or depressed
to a numb greater extent than circumstances will often admit of.
On the present occasion, it was confidently anticipated that com-
merce would rtvive, the Colonial market become firmer, and the
general export trade be materially relieved. We have little
doubt but that these advantages will follow in the train of that
measure that the Ministers, so much to their honour, arc proposing
to the consideration of the Legislature. But still we do not anti-
cipate such immediate results from it as the speculators on the
Stock Exchanges appear to do.
The Meeing at the City of London Tavern was looked to with
considerable anxiety, and probably had its influence on the money
market, or at least the bears made it, as well as the corn subject,
subservient to their temporary purposes; and in the one instance,
they declared that an influx of corn would take money out of the
market to purchase it, and thus depress the funds ; and in the
other, that the country must be to a deplorable condition before
such a Meeting as the one held to-day would have been con.
vened.

Console opened heavily at 77g. and therefore they did riot
long maintain that quotation, tlechein ; but a re-action af-
terwards occurred, a bich brought them toy, at which they closed.
The New Scrip was Y dis. ; and Batik Stock, for money, 198, and
for the account, 227. Exchequer Bills were 9s. Ins. premium.
In Mexican and Colombian Bonds a slight rise occurred ; the
former being in dem Intl, at anti the latter at 40} Greek
Bonds were ; and New Spanish ditto, 5.
The Times, to the plenitude of its anxiety to produce dejection,
had in its City article, yesterday, a long, anti confused paragraph
about Savings' Banks, evidently concocted without any reference
to documents. We can aisle. that at present no loss has been
sustained by the Government in consequence of sales on account of
these Banks.

The Puke of Newcastle, the Bishop of London, Lord
Robert Seymour, Lord Bridport, the Hon. B. Ilouverie,
M.P., Mr. Portman, M.P., and Col. Eyre, have all within
the last two months become patrons of the old Charity
School of Marylebone, which maintains and educates GO
boys and Go girls, the children of the poor parishioners.
Yesterday the Lord Mayor rave a sumptuous dinner to
a large and elegant party. There were present the Lord
Provost of Edinburgh, S:r James Shaw, Sir Charles and
Miss Flower, Alderman and Mrs. Lucas, the Governor of
the Bank of England, Mr. and Mrs. Rothschild, Sir Peter
Lautie, Mr. Manning, M.P., &c. We cannot but -ob-
s( rye that, whatever be the distresses without, the Lord
Mayor seems determined that no check shall be put upon
' the hospitalities within, the Mansion House.