The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-17 00:00:00

CORN LAWS.

MEETING OF THE WARD OF CRIPPLEGATE
WITHIN.

A very numerous and respectable meeting of the inhabitants
of the Ward of Cripplegate was held yesterday afternoon, at
the Ward School-room, in Phillip-lane, pursuant to a notice
upon a requisition to Sir M. Wood, the Alderman of the Ward.
In the ah4lice of Sir M. Wood the chair was taken by Mr.
Deputy Jaques, at half-past two o'clock.
On taking the chair the worthy DEPUTY begged to call the
attention of the meeting to the purpose for which it had been
convened. A requisition, signed by many of the most re-
spectable inhabitants of the Ward' of Cripplegate Within,
had been forwarded to Alderman Sir M. Wood, requesting
him to call a meeting for the purpose of discussing the ques-
tion of the present system of Corn-laws, and to consider the
propriety of petitioning Parliament to repeal them. Alder-
man Wood regretted much that feeling it to be his duty that
the meeting should be called, he could not be with them, in
consequence of his absence in the country. He had, how-
ever, answered the requisition, and stated that if it could be
postponed until the 6th of February, he would feel great
pleasure in attending it, considering as he did that its object
was one of great importance.--( Hear, hear.) Under these
circumstances he (Deputy Jaques) had taken the chair, and
he felt assured that he would be enabled to perform the func
tions of his office without difficulty, from the kind feeling and
good humour which prevailed amongst the inhabitants of the
ward.—( Hear.) He well knew that the present system of
Corn-laws was one which required amendment, and that
something should be done in reference to them which would
relieve the distress which prevailed amongst the manufac-
turing and labouring classes ; for unless something was done
those interests of which this country so proudly boasted—its
manufacturing interests—would be destroyed.—( Hear, hear.)
He would now resume his seat, satisfied that its conduct would
prove gratifying to the public, and to every individual amongst
them.--( Cheers. )
The requisition calling the meeting was then read.
Mr. Hociee, in proposing the first resolution, stated that
he felt glad to observe the interest which was manifested in
the business with regard to which they had been convened.
The Ward of Cripplegate took the lead in the sale of the
manufactured produce of the country, and such an evidence
of feeling, therefore, came with a good grace from them,
and he trusted their example would be followed by all the
other wards in the City.—( Cheers.) The .first resolution,
which was only one of a series, merely tended to give ex-
pression to their feelings in reference to the present high
prices of corn, and the continued advance of these prices. Per-
haps, then, he would be allowed to make some few observa-
tions as to the tendency of the Corn-laws generally.—( Hear. )
He had given his attention to the subject since the year 1813,
and he felt assured that the result of Corn-laws had since then
uniformly been for evil, and not for good. Such laws were
both impolitic and unjust.—( Hear.) They were impolitic as
having the effect of cramping our foreign trade ; for it would
be allowed that wherever we took our manufactured produce
in foreign countries, we took thence foreign commodities in
return—we would not take our manufactures to America, for
instance, if we did not want its tobacco and coffee in exchange.
Thus, the system which prevented competition in America
with other countries, limited our trade and our returns in pro-
portion.-_( Hear.) But this system was also unjust, as it
taxed the bread of the poor man for the benefit of the land-
holder.—( Hear.) And it was not only unjust to this country,
but to those countries from which supplies of corn were de-
rived. Germany and that part of Prussia which was not iden-
tified with the confederacy—that portion which was watered
by the Vistula—those states regarded our corn trade
as a nuisance, for when corn was at a low price
here, the effect of the present scale of duties was
to leave their corn to rot in bond, or in their own granaries—
it could not be imported here.— ( Hear, hear.) On the con-
trary, when the prices in this country were high, we went to
those states with our money ; we raised corn there to a famine
price.—( Hear.) It was no wonder, then, that they were
discontented, and that restrictions were imposed upon our
commerce.—( Hear.) It had been said that if the Corn-laws
were repealed, the total ruin of the farmers would ensue—as
to this there were different opinions, but his was that the
farmer would ultimately benefit; for all must allow that, in
such a case, the rents must be lowered to meet the case.
It was amusing to find, at the meetings of which the Marquis
of Chandos and other noblemen and landholders, of the same
opinion were present, that all their sympathies were offered
and given to the agricultural labourer and the farmer—their
own rents appeared to be mere dust in the balance.—( Hear.)
This was not the opinion given by the Duke of Wellington,
under whose Government the old laws were modified. That
straightforward Nobleman had said he did not deny that the
purpose of the law was to keep up the price of corn ; that it
was, in fact, so intended, in order that the. landholders in
this country having property should be enabled by its en-
hancement to keep up the dignity of the position which they
held.—( Hear.) This was straightforward and honest ; but
the sympathy of those landholders who had signalized them-
selves at the recent meetings seemed to be given altogether
to the labourers and farmers. How truly so he would leave to
the meeting to form a judgment. There might be a differ-
ence of opinion in the meeting as to the course which should
be pursued in reference to the Corn .laws—whether there
should be a modification of them—a fixed duty--or a total re-
repeal. But the present resolution could not affect this ; he
would, therefore, reading it to the meeting. It was—
" That this meeting views with alarm the present high and
increasing price of corn, producing, as it cannot fail to do,
great distress amongst the poor; and which, but for the
hitherto providential mildness of the present season, would
have subjected the population, already too much exposed, to
such severe privations as might have led to tumult and confu-
sion, attended with the most disastrous consequences to the
peace of the community."
Mr. DUTHOIT said that he had been requested to second the
resolution. There was no person who wished well to this
country who did not know that a strong competition in busi-
ness of every kind existed, and who did not desire that this
country should not exceed all others in its manufactured pro-
duce. This was a large commercial country, with a great
capital circulating through it, and yet, with its taxes upon the
bread of the labourer, they were called upon to compete with
other countries. What, he would ask, had destroyed Ant-
werp? Bad laws—a system of oppression ; and then the bur-
dens placed on manufactured produce. Thus, and from these
causes, Flanders had sunk.—( Hear.) What, then, must be
the result when they found that the price of bread in this
country was double that in Hamburgh ?—( Hear.) How could
they, under such circumstances, compete with the manufac-
tured produce of other countries?—( Hear.) Foreign coun-
tries had taken, and were daily taking from us, our most
valuable operatives and artizans ; the imperial establish-
ment, near St. Petersburgh, employed about 300 hands
—it used from 2,500 to 3,000 bales of cotton annually
—it made from 25,000 to 30,000 pieces of sail-cloth,
and great quantities of cotton bagging also; and in various
other branches did an immensity of work. It possessed a
large establishment occupied in machine-making, which was
continually at work, supplying every part of the country
where new spinning establishments were being established.
Nay, more; all the hands were either English or Scotch, and
the heads of the establishments were all Scolchmen ; and a
spinner in Russia had only to send to these factories, and
he could obtain the machinery requisite for his purpose
complete. These facts showed that the best portions of our
population were leaving us, not being able to obtain the
means of subsistence, and this was mainly attributable to the
Corn-laws.—( Hear, hear.) For a man having a family of
seven or eight children could not afford to maintain them,
when his wages were not raised, and when he was subjected
to an increase of expenditure to the amount of thirty per
cent. —( Hear, hear.) In reference to other countries,
Russia also has established numerous manufactories of
her own, and the effect they have had upon the commerce of
this country you will perceive by the following estimate.
The statements as copied from the table of the Board of
Trade, or from the Custom-house returns. In 1820, we ex-
ported to Russia 13,203,851 yards of cotton cloth, in 1837,
only 84,722—sixteen times in 1820 as in 1837. In 1820, we
sent 5,442,535 yards to Prussia; and in 1837, we did not send
a yard. To the German States in 1820, we sent 47,658,285
yards; in 1837-38, 581,535 yards, less by 10,000,00(1 of
yards. Now, gentlemen, let us look to our exported yarns,
eed ‘,e •;h6il by the c,.),1):N11-;,;:n of the increese ere- e
the decrease of the manufactured cloth, discern how the
Corn-laws bad crushed the best hand-loom weaver down to
his present deplorable state of privation. Taking the ag-
gregate amount of the cotton twist exported to Russia,

Prussia, and the Getman States in 1820 I find amounted
to , to
20,677,602,b5. weight; v,hilst in 1837, it am ounteuv
17,576,351111:; , more than an increase of 50.000, 0001bs.
_A
,ed.;
France, Gibraltar, Malta, and the lonian Islands, Italy a
the Italian Islands, Turk, y real the ,r,t, we ,
the aggregate in 1820, 2,003.0001b5. eight of yal ant t,
1837, 14,172 708ib,., F..,ven times es o;uch. he 1.71,41.,_rt':
States would use in the present year upwards of 0,11-4,
thousand bales of cotton, which was more than or re-third )d
the amount exported to England and Scotland, which %/A,
cause a great decrease in our export of the mantifact
article, and this was mainly attributable to the tax on bread.
( Hear, bear.) He would now call the
attontion of the
lag to the article of hosiery. (Mr L'uthci, here exhiluyae,
several samples of hosiery, of German cianufacture.) Ong'
of these articles was produced in German:, at Iss.
could not be had here under double the price, the article 1)0,
as good as could be produced here, with the exception
n.
slight defect in the manufacture of the heel,_(' Hear.) rin_c
meeting:u could
eu
asheprrewluunceederh4l2s. Germany
This
wfoorol2d7s.
convince6d ,
otherbe sold
that Great Britain must succumb to other coup ttries as rill
garded her manufactures, unless steps were takem to repeat
the Corn-laws; for unless corn could be had at a cheteir
rate, they could not pay to their workmen a price for t
R 4theco
abour which would enable them to live.-( Hear, and' cheero,
Mr. AMBROSE MOORE then suggested that all the reseo„
lutions should be read before that proposed was agr(!ed 0, ,1
although he had no objection to this. yet i;e might, if
quent resolutions were of nature he could not Ag.re: first
All the resolutions were aecordiogly read, and. the I°
having been put, was unanimously agreed to.
jcct which they had met to discuss was one of the hiohes,t.;2l
Mr. LART rose to propose the second resolution. 'rbest
tance to the whole country. The question was not a poTtb,
one-it was a question between the few who compose° 70
landholding interest and the vast mass who constituted
people. All the various Corn. laws which had been ,enactor
from time to time had been mischievous failures. The o,,id
these laws was passed in the time of Edward I V., when it "for
appear there was a superabundance of Corn in the country;,ho
this law gave a bounty of ss. a quarter to every foreigner the
chose to export the product. He would not touch upon d
intervening changes in the law, but mention that, the last 0
1801 imposed an import duty of 6d, a quarter, which vrago
1804 increased to 245. 3d. a quarter, when the price of C.D.
was under 50s. In 1813, wheat advanced to 61. a quarter;
1814 it fell to 645. ; in 1815, the Corn-laws were alte,."e,
again ; and in 1828 they received the shape which t''
Core at this day.-( Hear, hear.) Well would it have bee7,e
for the country had no laws ever been made on the silken(
It was said if you destroy the agricultural interest, ro
will you be able to pay the taxes 1? Now, he was far It° og
wishing to destroy the agricultural interest ; but he could
help remarking that the agricultural interest paid but a ver9)
small proportion indeed of the taxe.t.;on.-( Hear, Vali
Again, it was urged by the landlords, " Oh, but we wanks,
sr a are you against the chance of bad hare ests, here and 00
where, by keeping all possible land in cultivation, and there,
a deal of bad land which we should be obliged to leave tineal
tivated if we were not encouraged by large protecting &tile
To this it was a sufficient answer, that the interest of ete
whole community was not to be set aside for the sake of a lee,
hundred thousand barren acres, which could besides be ad,./1".40
tageously applied to other purposes than raising corn "lc,
the unwilling soil.-(Hear, hear.) It was argued, too,,t;e",
the agricultural interest, as the landowners called themseille,
had as much r;ght to protection as the manufacturers. ‘)
as a manufacturer, asked for no protection-( Hear, bicio
-least of all, would he desire to be protected by a tax o°o7
should operate injuriously upon all other classes of the re ,
munity, p
and which should imperil the very existence of ite
country.--( Hear, hear, hear.) He thought it a great P 4
that some means had not been taken for petting the inhabitsuir
of towns and the country labourers into more frequent cono,
nication. It would be a very easy matter to show the agric 01v
tural labourers that they were, in fact, as mach oppressed by
the landowners and their Corn-laws, as were the populatiorr..gy
towns.-( Hear, hear.) He had prepared some slight stetig
tical references. which would strongly illustrate the existio'e I
state of things :-In 1820, we exported to Russia 13,203%es
yards of cotton cloth ; in 1837, only 847,022 ; sixteen two;
as much cotton cloth in 1820 as in 1837. In 1620 We 5,11,
5,442 535 yards to Prussia, and in 1837 we did not send A Yards,
To the German States, in 1820, we sent 47,658,285 Y 8 71,,
and in 1837, 38,581;533 yards-less by 10,000,000 Yarie
Looking to our export yarns, it would be seen, by the corePBo,
son of the increase of yarns with the decrease of exported Intl
factured cloth, how the Corn-laws had fatally crushed the of
tish hand loom weaver down to his present deplorable stater
privatioa. Taking the aggregate amount of the cotton tio,
exported to Russia, Prussia, and the German States in la'10;
he found that it amounted to 20,677,604 lbs. weight; "diposa
in 1837, it amounted to 77,576,351 lbs., more than an inc,f' 70
of 50,000,000 lbs. To France, Gibraltar, Malta, and the
lonian Islands, Turkey and the Levant, we exported in d is
aggregate in 1820, 2,003,000 lbs. weight of yarn bt
1827, 14,172,708 lbs. ; seven times too much. Well
our weavers complain-well might they be in a state of s‘ll.e.i'll
edness, when one-half of our imported raw cotton went 04!,,:g
the shape of yarn. He might mention, too, another strig
fact, that a friend of his at Nottingham, the son of a man " e
had once carried on an immense manufacturing concern the
now found that he could actually export his various goodstr°7,
Saxony and other places, and re-export them to the Medic b'
ranean, &c., at a far greater profit than he could realite„,e,
manufacturing them himself in England ; and he had et)"„s,
quently altogether given up the latter branch of his bueaw
._( Hear.) If this were the case in one class of cominei
enterprise, there was no reason why it should not be eV'
so in others. He concluded by reading the second resolet2°,l„
" That the present system of Corn-laws, founded on a
and varying scale of duties, whilst it produces high prwee.
has completely failed in its purpose of preventing extrewo
fluctuation in the price of corn, or conferring any permariele
benefit on the agricultural interest, has operated to the elic
yg
sion of our manufactures from foreign markets, occasionerb°,o
of employment to our population, caused the labour-market a
be overstocked, the rate of wages to be reduced, and crested
all the evils of excessive competition in every department,i
trade, and has been, above all others, the means of allovni,
other countries to successfully rival us in the cheapness of d'e
productions, and will in a short space of time annihilate oa.
of our manufactures altogether." A to
Mr. E. WILSON, in seconding the resolution, referred e,
the various Acts of Parliament which had been passed in rye
ference to corn, all of which their experience had proved eg
be inoperative in preventing a fluctuation of prices, °ll,O
being beneficial to the agricultural interests. When corn
sg
even at 80s. a quarter; the landlords endeavoured to extraetio
t
large a rent as they could, in reference to this price, and
bter
farmer was just enabled to cultivate the soil without i!..„.74
ruin to himself. A circular letter of the Marquis of StaT
to his tenantry, in 1822, proved this, for it set forth that tue-ii
rents should be calculated according to a scale, depending,be
the average price of grain, leaving the tenant scarcely ;
means of subsistence. Such a system of vassalage could 00
be beneficial to the agriculturist, who was always compaile,a-,01,t
pay a rack-rent for his tenement ; and it not only injured a•ag
but the trading community generally.-( Hear, bear.) 'he
this was not the first time that this subject had been under t
consideration of the City of London, tor, in 1826, some vets
fb
strong resolutions, in reference to it, had been passed by ",
Common Council of London, even at a period when the cl°",-
trine of free trade had many opponents there.-(Mr. Wils°t, here read the resolutions referred to.) He considered tbill
the state of things in 1826, which called forth these re,,,1:7
tions, was exactly similar to that which existed now.
.`"
labourer was reduced to a state little above starvation, le
the farmer was just within a few shillings of bankruptcy;
el
had no inducement to labour, for if he did exert hilos
the produce of his exertion would be taken by his landlord;
Again, the manufacturer could not consume the bread whic.
was grown by the agriculturist, for he was driven by opPr,e/a
sive taxation to a foreign market. Mr. Wilson then procee°,e„
to quote at length from an address of Lord Fitzwilliam to tl•-
landowners of England, showing that the Corn-laws were ity
operative, and conferred a benefit upon a small class, and 06,
;
the wealthiest of the nation. In consequence of the Corn-10,;
(continued Mr. Wilson) a heavy per tentage, varying from
to 90 per cent., was imposed on manufactured articles in PI,
land, being the cost of labour upon the staple produce.
hoped that the present meeting would prove to be merely
commencement, and that the agriculturists and the manufac'
turers would not cease in their exertions till justice was der°
to them.-( Cheers.)
Mr. AMBROSE MOORE then addressed the meeting, and said
that he was happy to find that it was not one of a party eharac'
ter, but one convened to discuss a subject in which every lobs':
bitant of the ward was interested. He did not agree with th'e
observations of those gentlemen who regarded the conduct n'
the landlords to be oppressive for personal interests to be pr°-
moted by base purposes, for the landholders might as well ill'
sinuate such motives in reference to the manufacturers, wb°
obtained great profits for their pursuits in trade.-(Hear.)
Neither charge would be a fair one, and intemperance 0",
not the way in which to settle the question. Such Meet,
ings as the present would do good, but he had been pre'
sent at others where itinerant lecturers endeavoured to age'
tate the public mind, which had quite a different tendency's
-( Hear.) The question might be resolved into three part;
-whether they preferred a free trade, a graduated scale e`
duty, or a permanent and fixed duty.---( Hear.) Did they
consider that a free trade in corn would do good ?-("
yes.") He meant would it do good to all classes ?-(" yes.
He did not think they could pay the national debt by a t"'
open corn-but he would ask, were they prepared to force,
all protective duties ?-( Yes.) Some might say " Yes,
and some " No ;" but this, he considered, would in a great
measure depend on the fact whether they dealt in the al.'
ticles protected or not-( Hear, hear)-and if they denied
protecting duties to the agriculturist they must be prepared
to deny them also to the manufacturer.-(Hear,) Let them
imagine, then, that there were no duties upon corn imported.
The question then was, should they say to the cultivators 0, ,'
the soil that if they raise an ample quantity of bread we shah
give them the preference over other countries, in order
to secure a supply; for if so, then must there be a protect'
ing duty upon foreign corn.--( Hear, hear, hear, and No, no.)
He would not advocate the enormous protecting duty now in.
rer dtwh nyi
whilst
hl oio oonksl
.de d(
hi
uaitvnyet into.._(
0-fiuxi(deHdneora
tar
t.
be)e
tfoAon
duty?inetuh
eehr qi
Hnu eessottmihooena
gwo:1
posed ; but the subject was one, therefore, which should be
newoxhtae_mt whether
stances, yet Is. would be too much in others. Again, he re-
nt the piaurtye ey
ewt
ths
eayl lv
coulday high
not
gh ee rd en,
oarnnd
withoutnow
collecected when the ports were open to foreign corn, and yet
when
there
paying
hryasig his p
price
for it.-( Hear, hear, hear.) He had heard gentlemen say that
n ,ti,vi,.l.standing the high price of corn and the had effects of
(
ct'S, that theSc!, lavts tv:Te, nevertheless, inoperative
practicaliy-how could this be so ?-the positions were irre-
concileable.-( Hear, hear, and no.) He had also heard it
said,
,that a repeal of the Corn-laws would leave the poor ,
lands uncultivated ; then should we not have a smaller quo-