The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, S

Rugby, the latter would be enabled to throw any ob.
tructions they though proper in the way. Now he,
(Sir It. Peel) had .too much confidence in the good
sense and honour and justice of the London and Bir-
mingham Company to suppose for an instant that they
would throw any obstructions in their way. Nay more,
he believed that it would not be for their interest to do
so ; but should the event prove otherwise, of this he
was sure, that that same Legislature which granted
them their monopoly, would never for a moment tole-
rate them in throwing obstacles in the way of another
company.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) The only
other point on which he felt it necessary to .make
an observation was the opposition offered by the
landowners on the line ; and he must say that
he had a great respect for these parties, and for
the circumstances in which they were placed ; and he
thought the proprietors of railways were bound to deal
liberally with them, and to make great concessions for
the loss of their property and for the violence done to
their feelings.—(Hear.) The more humble the man,
the more would he respect the feelings which induced
him to retain possession of his land.—(Cheers.) He
trusted, therefore, that the Railway Companies gene-
rally would adopt the principle (which he felt certain
the Extension Company would see the justice of acting
upon) of dealing most liberally with the proprietors of
land.—(Cheers.) There was one gentleman, Sir
George Chetwynd, from whom they had experienced a
very formidable opposition, the railway passing for
four miles through his demesne. He was al-
most the only landed proprietor who had ap-
peared against the railway, but he did hope that,
on application, Sir George would be inclined to forego
the opposition which he at present entertained to the
measure.—( Hear, hear.) The meeting would now take
three circumstances into consideration. First, the
saving of twenty miles in the line ; secondly, the great
majority of landowners who were in its favour ; thirdly,
that the Company was most respectable, and prepared
with the money to make the line, and ready to incur the
risk. With these three elements, then, was it possible,
he would ask them, that any opposition could prevail
against it ? His opinion was that it was not ; and he there-
fore trusted that the meeting would continue to give to
the Company their cordial support, and show to them
that their opinions respecting its advantages remained un-
shaken and unchanged. Could any one doubt for a mo-
ment its benefit to the town of Tamworth ? Tamworth
had been pointed out before the railway was thought of,
as the natural line of communication between London
and Manchester, and it only remained to them now to
give to the proprietors of the Extension Committee
the assurance that the opinion of the great mass of the
inhabitants of Tamworth, representing the intelligence
and property of the town, was in favour of it, and he
need hardly say, if such was the case, that they might
rely upon his (Sir R. P,'s) persevering and cordial
support.—(Cbeers.) Since he last had the pleasure of
meeting them, experience had tended to confirm the
advantages of railroad travelling, both as regards
safety, economy, and rapidity. It was at one time
doubted whether any benefit would arise from adopting
this new mode of transit ; and he acknowledged that
it was impossible to see the momentum with which
passengers were carried along, without feelings
of apprehension for their safety ; but experi-
ence had shown that, although there might
be occasional accidents, yet, on the whole, commu-
nication by Railways had been proved to be vastly
superior in point of safety, as well as velocity, to the
old method.—(Loud cheers.) He perfectly well re-
collected that many of his own friends had hinted to him
doubts whether the adoption of Railroads would not
lower the price of oats ; and some went so far as to say
that horses would be a complete drug.—(Laughter.)
Many of those who now heard him were able to form a
correct estimate of the real value of such apprehensions.
The fact was, that all these great improvements rested
on each other, and worked together to promote the
general prosperity of the community,—(Cheers.) The
Right Hon. Baronet concluded by expressing his opi-
nion that there should be no unequal taxation on this
point, that all modes of communication should be left
entirdy free, and that the present rate of tolls charged
by Railways was too high, greatly too high, for their
own interests.—(Loud cheers.)

OPEN lONS OF WORKING MEN.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,--1 am astonished to see Mr. Day, of South-
wark, who, they tell me, is a Radical, bringing forward
Mr. Walter, a Tory, for Southwark, who is, I under-
stand, a partner in the Times paper, an enemy
to all reform. What have the Tories done this last
sixty years? Looking over a book of the most remark-
Ale events in George the Third's reign, one thing I
observed was, that they borrowed five hundred and
twenty-nine millions of money. What for ? To carry
ou a war against the liberties of the people, and tax the
necessaries of life to pay the interest. The Corn Bill,
the Sugar and Tea duties, make the loaf 4d., sugar
aid. a lb., and tea 2s. 2d. a lb. dearer. Butter would
be 6d. a pound cheaper, if the duty was taken off the
corn and butter. I can remember fresh butter 6d. a
pound, and flour 30s. a sack ; and if we had the taxes
taken off the necessaries of and put on property,
we should have it so again, which would not hurt men
of property. For if I had 1001. a year from the
Funds, and I was taxed 20 per cent., having my provi-
sions so much cheaper, I should be able to keep my
family as well, and have money in my pocket ; and my
poor neighbour, with his littlo, would be able to live.
Trade would increase, and wttges would be better, as I
can remember before the war. I know this would be
the case. There ought to be tax on houses and lands,
on funded property, and profits arising from all Compa-
nies where a dividend is paid ; but not on shopkeepers,
who for one year may gain a hiu ndred, and the next lose
as much.

As both the Tories and Whigs have been weighed in
the balance, and found wanting,—as they both declare
we shall have no more reform—and none but devils
would tax the necessaries of life therefore I hope,
in every town where there is isn election, the electors
will bring forward the Radicails, and let us try them.
If there is not a reform there will t be a revolution. I do not
know one person in Southwark t. hat is satisfied, amongst
the working classes or little tradesmen. The e!ectors
have it in their power to save the country, and they
ought to vote for those men wb o will endeavour to get
these heavy burdens removed from the poor. The
Poor-law is an evil, and must b e altered, but nothing
compared to the taxes on the! necessaries of life. I
think Mr. Roebuck, the late M ember for Bath, would
be voted in for Southwark, if h,a were brought forward.
I hope some tradesman will brio ig forward a Radical, and
they shall have my vote ; I never will any more vote for
a Whig or Tory.—l am, Sir, 'our humble servant,
W. C., A WORKING MAN,
And Elector of ti le Borough of Southwark.
Southwark, August 29, 1839 .