The Sun.
London, England, 1839-12-25 00:00:00

case.

MEETING ON THE CORN-LAWS
AT GLASGOW.

(Abridged from the Glasgow Herald, Tory paper.)
On Saturday last, a public meeting was held in the
Town Hall, in consequence of a requisition which had
been addressed to the Lord Provost, for the purpose of
considering the present Corn-laws, with the view to
petitioning Parliament for their repeal. Shortly after
the hour appointed, the Hall was densely crowded.
Mr. WILLIAM Mit Ls was called to the chair.
Messrs. Oswald and Dennistoun, the Members for the
City, were present.
Mr. MILLS stated the objects for which the meeting
had been called.
Mr. JOHNSTON, in a short speech, moved the first
resolution, which was seconded by Bailie Small. It is
as follows
" Resolved Ist, That Great Britain does not, on an
average of years, produce sufficient food for its inhabi-
tants, whilst on the other hand foreign countries, from
the uncertainty of British demand, are not prepared to
supply our wants in deficient seasons. That during
the two years now ended no less than near 4,620.000
quarters of foreign grain have been imported, amount-
ing in value to 12,000,0001. sterling, a large part of which
has been bought at exorbitant prices, and paid for in
gold. That this great and sudden drain of bullion, by
rendering money scarce, has depreciated all kinds of ma-
nufactures and produce, has paralysed trade, and, by
draining the coffers of the Bank Of England, has threat-
ened the country with the disgrace and ruin of a na-
tional bankruptcy.
" That these effects may be clearly traced to the
operation of the Corn-laws, and that a recurrence of
similar disasters must be expected, so long as they exist.
That, therefore, in the opinion of this meeting, the na-
tional safety imperatively demands that these laws be re-
pealed."
Mr. Mora (the late Delegate to the Chartist Con-
vention) then claimed a hearing, amid a round of ap-
plause from his friends. He would go hand in
hand with the proposers of the resolution, in
seeking a repeal of the Corn-laws ; but he wished
a clause to be added to it. After reading the
proposed additions, Mr. M. dipped pretty largely into
the arena of political discussion—spoke of the mortal
incubus of the national debt, which, in all justice,
should have been paid by those in defence of whose pro-
perty it was expended—said it had the effect of inflict-
ing an additional 16d. per lb. upon tea, 2s. upon to-
bacco, and that two-thirds of the whole thing were paid
by the working classes. In proposing his addition to
the resolution, he felt no sympathy in the world for the
landlords, but conceived it to be fair that such a reduc-
tion should take place. The supplementary resolution
of the Chartist Delegate was as follows :—" Accom-
panied by such a reduction in the taxation as will en-
able the agriculturist, as well as the manufacturer, in
their altered circumstances, to enter into successful
competition with the comparatively untaxed foreign
merchant."
This was duly seconded. After a little considera-
tion, Mr. JOHNSTONE said he had no objection that it
should be added to the resolution, and the whole were
accordingly put from the chair, and carried unanimously.
Mr. WALTER BUCHANAN moved the second reso-
lution. In doing so, he entered at considerable length,
and with much ability, into the statistics of the sub-
ject. The Hon. Gentlemen concluded by reading the
second resolution, which is as follows :
"2d. That our manufacturers are suffering severely
from foreign competition. That notwithstanding the
undoubted superiority of this country in capital,
skill, and mineral wealth, several of the nations of con-
tinental Europe, as well as America, are now not only
manufacturing for their own use, but are exporting to
other countries, and even, in some instances, are under-
selling us in our own markets. That the true remedy
for this evil is to render more equal the price of grain
at home and abroad, and thereby to assimilate our cost
of production in manufactures to that of our foreign
competitors.

" That the corn growing countriaa of Europe and
America, whose rich soils are naturally fitted for agri-
culture, still declare themselves willing to exchange
their produce for our manufactures. That at this mo-
ment, in particular, America is largely indebted to Great
Britain, which debt she possesses the means of paying,
if we would receive the surplus grain and lour of her
last harvest, thereby affording cheap food to our work-
men, remittances to our merchants, and renewed or-
ders for our manufactured goods. That owing to the
want of some such regulated system of commercial ex-
change, and to the derangements resulting from the
Corn-laws, many factories have been of late shut up,
wages have been reduced, while the price of food has
been enormously enhanced, gradual impoverishment is
overtaking our manufacturing capitalists, and disaffec-
tion is rapidly spreading among our working population."
A Mr. LANG, one of the Chartist orators, expressed
his anxiety to hear the opinion of the Representatives
of Glasgow upon the prospect which now existed of the
hopes of the working orders being realized.
A Mr. PATTISON, also one of the Chartists, attempted
to make minced meat of Whig doctrine and policy, and
concluded by proposing, as a rider to Mr. Buchanan's
resolution, a declaration in favour of the Charter, or in
other words moved, as the opinion of the meeting, that
the grievances under which the country laboured would
not be redressed till every man of sane mind, unconvicted
of crime, and who had attained the years of majority;
should be directly represented in the Commons' House
of Parliament. This was received with a tremendous
burst of applause by the men of the moleskin jackets ;
and Mr. Moir proceeded to aid the Chartist ebullition,
by declaiming against the base Whigs granting to the
Queen a civil list of 1,200 sovereigns a day, when it was
plain to all men that she could neither eat nor drink
such a mass of bullion.

A lull having having at length taken place, Mr.
Mills, the Chairman, put Mr. Buchanan's resolution,
and a great number of hands were put up in its favour,
amounting, so near as we would estimate, to two-fifths
of the whole assemblage. Although he admitted that
the resolution had not been carried, he positively re-
fused to put the Cnartist addenda, and the rage of the
party became furious. There was a general uproar, and
half-made speeches, with uncourteous howls, proceeded
from every part of the hall. At this time, we must say
that things wore a very alarming aspect, and as there
seemed no likelihood of a return to good humour or
stillness, Mr. Mills arose, and being followed by the
members for the city and the other gentlemen who oc-
cupied the platform, bolted by the ante-room of the
Tontine Inn. This offered a very safe mode of retreat,
and had the gentlemen we have alluded to been neces-
sitated to make their way down the body of the hall,
it is our impression that they could not have reached
the Trongate without rough usage and skirtless coats.
The Chartists having it all their own way, now made
a rush to the head of the room, which the others had
left. The Chartist addition was put, and carried, of
course, amid tremendous applause, and adjudged to be
stuck to Mr. Buchanan's resolution , but here a diffi-
culty arose, for it was discovered that the other party
had run away with them. A Committee was, however,
appointed to put all things to rights.
And thus, after three hours' speechification and uproar,
was tripped up the heels of the Corn-law Meeting.
Seriously speaking, the conduct of the Chartists was
unfair and unseemly in the extreme, and from the speci-
men of their proceedings and dispositions which Satur-
day presented, it will be the prayer of decent men to be
kept from all companionship with the squad.—Captain
Miller attended in an anti.room ; but after the Chartists
had stormed and carried the platform, it was deemed
judicious, so long as no blows were struck, to let their
vehemence expend itself in the natural way, which of
course it did. It was really a pity to see one of the
most beautifully decorated rooms in the city, contain-
ing Flaxman s statue of Pitt, which cost 2,0001., the
scene of such a broil.

The following arc the remaining resolutions intended
be proposed, had the business gone on in the manner
which the promoters of the meeting 'anticipated :-
3d, That all classes are suffering from the operation
of the Corn-laws, with the exception of the landowner,
for whose sole benefit they were framed. That the
shopkeeper and tradesman are deprived of their custo-
mers among the working classes, whose whole earnings
are required to purchase food. That the like want of
demand is felt by the manufacturer and merchant, and
even the revenue of the country has suffered from the
inability of multitudes to pay for articles of luxury. That,
lastly, and above all, the interests of the poor require
that food should not be taxed. That it is unjust and
cruel to maintain laws for the sole benefit of a class,
which have tended to deteriorate the condition, to pro-
tract the hours of labour, and to increase the privations
of the working classes,
4th, That a petition should be prepared, and com-
mitted to Messrs. Oswald and Dennistoun.

Fraser's Magazine for January (besides the
accustomed variety of articles) will contain a paper of
great interest, and one of unusual length, entitled, " Pre-
face to our Second Decade." I. Sketch of Politics from
the English to the French Revolution—l I. The Peace
of 1815, and its Consequences, to 1820—III. The
Case of Queen Caroline-IV. The Prosperity and Panic
of 1825—V. Canning ; or, the Disunion of the Tories
VI. The Duke of Wellington, their breaking in 1829,
and dispersion in 1830—VII. The Whigs—Vlll. Our
Course of Criticism—lX. Our Politics and Theology—
X. Our General Literature ; our Portrait Gallery, and
its Necrology—XI. Our Quarrels and Libels—Xll.
Prophecy of a return of the Tories, and a Programme
of what we will do, and what we will not do, in that

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The preliminaries of the union of Baron Fortes-
use,
cue, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Lady Dover, sister
of Viscount Morpeth, are already arranged. The an-
nouncement of this intended union appeared, it will be
recollected, in this journal a fortnight since. It is said
that the Duke of Buceleuch is expected to visit this
county, and so sojourn at Torquay. The Viscount
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