The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-19 00:00:00

ANTI-CORN LAW DELEGATES.

The DelegaOs met the usua t
Chairhis day, at Brown's Hotel.
J. B. Stem, Esq.
9f
Among the Members parliament present, we ob-
served Mr. G. W. Wood, itir. Hastie, Mr., Dennistoun,
Mr. Thorneley, Sir B.
Mr. Baines, Mr. Henry Marsland,
p` 11 &Ir. G. A.
Hall, and Mr. Hindle'. Colonel The'v
Young, the Mayor of Birmingham, and the Honour A.
Murray were also present.
The CHAIRMAN reported that be bad received a! letter
from Bradford, stating that a petition in favour of the re.
peal of the Corn-laws would shortly be sent up from that ,
place, that a meeting had been held on the subject, at I
the Chartists attended, and carried en amendment, !
IC
stating that it was useless to apply to the House of Com-
mons as at present constituted; he also reported that seven
petitions had been received from the neighbourhood of Bir-
minghatrethat a petition had been received from Trowbridge
which had received 1,400 signatures. Also a petition from
Burnley, in Lancashire, which had been got up in a veu
short time ; had a delay of a few days been afforded, the pee
titioe would have received upwards of 20,000 signatures. t
A eetition had also been received from Manchester, which
had received 39,679 signatures; from sundry places iu
the neighbourhood of Manchester, which had received up-
wards of 44,000 signatures; from the different trades of
Manchester, which had received 17,366 signatures ; and
another from Salford and its neighbourhood. The total
number of petitions received was 47, bearing 77,068 sig-
natures. A petition from the borough of Marylebone seas
now lying on the table which had received 16,000 signa-
tures. The Chairman further reported that he had re-
ceived a letter from Sheffield, stating that the Master Cut-
ler and Mr. Vickers had been appointed Delegates, and
would arrive on Tuesday.
Mr. WILSON stated that two petitions from Kendal had
been sent to Mr. G. W. Wood for presentation.
Me. BARKER said that the petition from Preston had re-
ceived 9,720 signatures, which, considering the population
of the place, shows how strong and unanimous the feeling
is on the subject.
The CHAIRMAN stated that the petitions from Manches-
ter and Salford bad received upwards of 50,000 names, a
greater number than had ever been attached to any peti-
tion previously sent up from those places.
Mi. ASHWORTH stated that a meeting had been held at
Bolton on the subject ; that the statements of the different
speakers had been attentively listened to ; but that on a
division, 9 to 1 had held up their heads in favour of an
amendment, stating that they did not differ in opinion
from the proposers of the original motion with re-
gard to the injurioue operation of the Corn-laws,
but they felt that under the present constitution of the
House of Commons, justice could not be obtained. Will the
House refuse to listen to our requests in the face of such facts
as these? If the Legislature will not grant our petitions
in a proper spirit, they will have much greater demands
made upon them before long.
Mr. Weta reported that various answers had been re-
ceived by the Evidence Committee to the manufacturing
and agricultural questions; that the Committee were
busied in arranging their answers, to be prepared with evi-
dence in case the prayer of the petition to be heard at the
Bar of the House should be granted. He also read an ex-
tract from an address from the unenfranehised inhabitants
of Cupar, stating their approval of the proceedings of the
Delegates, and that they considered the time was now
come when a repeal of those laws which pressed so hey; oily
on all classes, the Corn-laws .might be obtained. It vp,,es
satisfactory to see that a portion of the unenfranchisce
class was still willing to go along with them. Mr.
Weir then proceeded to read a very voluminous essay
on the present state of agriculture in England and France,
the object of which was to slim in the first place that the
Corn- laws in England were not only unnecessary, but
positively injurious, inasmuch as they prevented the culei-
vation of the poorer soils ; and in the second plate that the
French agriculturist is subject to not less taxation than the
English agriculturist. The land-tax in France is equal to
20 per cent., and the assessment lasts for twenty year:. ,
the rates on land are about 10 per cent. so that the burdens
upon land may be stated at about equal to 30 per cent.
Independently of this, every article of consumption paid a
duty on being brought into any town, which was cl:enomi-
need .an octroi. The indirect taxation on almost ail
articles was as high as it was in England, while wheat ease
only half the price it was in
.England. The landlorr:
generally received half the gross produce of the lands in ,f
the shape of rent, and out of this he paid all out-goings.
The rural population of France were in the happiest state. e
The CHAIRMAN reported the arrival of Mr. Wynn as
delegate from Wolverhampton, with a petition. Also the
arrival of the Hon. Mr Murray, from Edinburgh, as dele-
gate, Mr. Cobden as delegate from Manchester, and Mr.
Coppock as deligate from Stockport. THE CHAIRMAN
also reported that he had received a letter from Hoy, stat.
ing that a vote of thanks had been passed there to the
delegates in London ; and that a petition to each of the
Houses of Parliament bad been sent up—the one to the
Lords to be presented by Earl Minto, and the one to the
Commons by the Hon. J. Elliott. The prayer of the
petitions was to be permitted to give evidence at the Bar,
proving the injurious operation of the Corn-laws, mad.
praying for the total abolition of all these laws, nut nece,
sary for the revenue of the State. Three deligates from-
Greenwich brought up a petition from that place, to which
5,150 signatures were attached.
Mr. COBDEN stated that he expected the Manclrester
petitions would arrive to-day.
Mr. EWART stated that a petition would arrive in favour
of the Abolition of the Corn-laws from Newcastle-upon-
Tyne. The Agricultural Address had been di awn up by
the Committee appointed for that purpose; but as it was
thought one or two additions might be made with nil-
vantage, the publication of it was, for the present, post_
poned.
, Mr. CLOSE announced to the Committee that

the petition of the Anti-Corn-law Association of Notting-
ham was receiving the signatures of the inhabitants' of
the eastern division of the county, and the signature a
Lord Radcliffe, a very extensive landholder in than
district, would be the first signature to that petition.
Mr. THORPE said a petition had been sent from lialirax

signed by 4,673 persons, praying for a total end immedi-
ate repeal of the Corn-laws, and that evidence might be
given at the bar of the House.
Mr. Iltistnzv, M. P., had called in consequence of a re-
mark made in the Morning Chronicle of Saturday, with re-
ference to a motion of which he had given notice for the a"P -
pointment ()fa Committee to search the Journals for prece.
dents of hearing Counsel and evidence at the bar having been
heard. The remark in the Chronicle was, that this was ,n
attempt to forestal Mr. Villiers's motion of Tueslay, lie
should be very sorry if an idea were to go abroad, that there
was any disunion among the advocates of their cause.
had thought he should be only la3irg the foundation for
Mr. Villiers to act successfully.—( Hear, hear.) He
wished to take the sense of the Committee m the sub.
jeer. If the Committee were of opinion that it would be
better to let the debate take its regular cow se, he would
immediately go to the House and withdraw hi, notice of
motion.

Mr. JosErtl PARKES believed that all parties were fully
informed on the subject. There were no precedents
against what they asked, and it was not neces'sary to find
pree,dents in its favour. Perhcps it would be as well if
the Hon. Member were to abandon his notice.
Mr. liisnr,sv would do anything to meet the wishes of
the meeting, but was far from thinking that if precedents
were found, they would not have a greater i fluenee on
Members. He had only been influenced in the course he
had taken by a desire to promote the object they all had in
view.—( Loud cries of " Hear, hear.")
Mr. BA INES said the original motion of Mr. Hindley
in the House of Commons was to have precedents read, a list
of which he held in his hand, but was told by the Speaker
that it would be more regular to have a Committee ap-
pointed to inquire into them. They all knew Mr. Hind-
ley's object in what be had done could not be to impede,
but to accelerate their cause.—( Cheers.) it appeared to,
him (Mr. B.) that it would be too late now for the Com.
mittee to do them any good, and therefore, under all tl.c
circumstances, it might be desirable that the motion should
be withdrawn.

Mr. J. PARKES said there were gentlemen in the Home
who would he fully prepared to discuss the question
precedent, if that question should arise. If Mr. Hind ley's
Committee had been appointed and had made a report of
the precedents, that report could only be quoted in the same
way as all the journals of the House could be quoted by
Members.
Mr. EWART said Mr. Hindley's motion might be made,
and the Committee appointed to-night. Every one knew
t tut Mr. Hindley would not have taken this course unless
he had communicated with Mr. Villiers.—( Hear, hear. )
Mr. lIINDLEY said ho did not mention the circumstance
to that gentleman. Mr. Villiers had stated there would
be some objection in point of form to hearing Counsel,
and it was in consequence of that, his (Mr. Hindley's) at-
tention bad been called to the subject.—( Hear, hear. )
After a short conversation it was agreed that Mr. Hind-
ley should be permitted to withdraw his motion, and the
Committee adjourned.

_--
SKELETONS.--Last week, the workmen em- I
ployed on the railway in Falkirk Moor, came upon some htin- an ,
bones about two feet beneath the surface. Two skulls were dug
out, and the perfect skeleton belonging to one of them. At!first, the
rumour was that the latter must be the remains of a shopkeeper,
who disappeared at the time the Union Canal was forming, and whose
house was much frequented by Irish labourers.
This dark tale with
all its minutim is still, however, shrouded in mys•ter y. One of the
skulls is of large dimensions.—Scotsman.
on workmanthepremies7af I employed
rrnployed
Perkins, at
in
ungOkinSdoa,t,unradtahyatclhaedsteLs, a
Leek Wootton, he was astonished at discovering, in the thatch, a
bird's .nest with two young ones in it. We understand that the bird
is of the kind which is generally called, among the villagers, the
" Fire lied Tail." The fact, we believe, is remarkable at this pe-
riod of the year.--IT'arwick Advertiser.
FATAL COLLIERY ACCIDENT.—A melancholy
accident has occurred in the Dinas Colliery, near Newbridgo. A
stone of great weight, at least 50 tons, fell on two men and a lad,
and instantly terminated their lives. The roof is one of the very
best in the whole coal district : tile stall was only about six yards
wide, being newly turned; but a joint occurring just below theplace
where the coal was removed, occasioned the tragical event,: Which
no human care could have averted.—Cambrian-
DEATH FROM FIGHTING.—On Wednesday an
inquest was held on the body of Richard Roberts, who died
fr eiit
the effects of lighting in a public-house in Chadwick.strect, Vaux.
hall.road. The Jury found a verdict of Manslaughter, and Caul;
kill have to take his trial at the ensuing assizes. T
VCrpOol
CAronicle.
The Fisheries on the Tweed commenced last
in violence
Friday with very auspicious success, the trouts taken have beea
Katy numerous, and four of the waters below the bridge have had
pedhurs..
their " calling," namely, their first salmon.—Bertaick Advertiser.
THE WEATHER IN DUBLIN. —Dublin was
, but
again visited on Wednesday night by a storm almost equal i
eivtening, in.
to that of the memorable hurricane of the 7th ult. The gale (s.
addition
W. commenced about eleven o'clock, and continued till six on T •by
day morning. The roofs of several houses have been &tri)
we have not heard of any serious accident. High winds
railed to an extraordinary degree since Wednesday have pro.
es easing at times to the fierceness of a hurricane.
feared that we shall have much damage to record in " t°
be
to the fearful amount consequent on the hurricane which vhited
us on the 6th of January.
DEATH FROM DRINKING.-011 Monday an
inquest was held before Mr. Curry, on the body of Jane Barns, ,od
tw.---tve
forty-two, who died on Sunday from excessive drinki r • '
Chronicle. .rpooi