The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-08 00:00:00

were all aware of What their e2r.duct waF.

when these men now came forward and stated they had.
tile welf,:re of the labn9rng c!asies at he was net
such a stupid as to swallow that down. —( Cries of" Ques-
tion.") M. 'niers, uho was President of the French
Chamber of Deputies. and an Loncrary member of the Me-
chanics' Institute, bad stated that the mechanical power of

Great Britain was equal to 500 millions of working men
at the windlass.—( Loud et ies of " Question," " Off, off,'

and much uproar.)
The CHAIRMAN said that the speaker only claimed
five minutes if they would give him their attention.—
(Cries of " Go on.")
Mr. Toms continued, that in consequence of the clamour
he called on persons favourable to his principles to pi evemt
a bearing on the other side.—(Cries, " Off, off.")
Mr. LAWRENCE said that he had never seen a meet-
ing in the Tower Hamlets where a hearing could
not be had. He }Aped they were not going to
begin to-day. The gentleman from Leicester-square
had rendered the terms waste lands and registered lands

eery intelligible to them all. He saw clearly that a gen-
tleman like him with 6,0001 a-year must have a great inte-
rest in lieepieg up the price of corn, and would be desi-
rous of inducing the meeting to pass an amendment on
Aar petition. —( Much applause.)
Mr. SPENCER rose amidst loud cries of disapprobation.
.--(Criea of " Hear Spencer.") He wanted to come as
an honest man before them, and to be governed by no
trick. Theiet was a statement abroad that the repeal of
the Cone -laws had never been agitated until they
agitated Uni,-ersal Suffrage. He was in favour of the
b
abolition of the Cortielaw''ut why should this lead them
from the main olj-ct. ~I'P present House would not
grant a repeal of the Corn-laws. Be would say, have
practical men •do away with the property ;:ualification. It
was time for ;hem to legislate for themselves. He saw
about him mechanics, who were not remunerated
for their labour. The Corn-laws were first agi.
fated by the cotton manufacturers. He would not
have them blinded by such conduct.—( Confusion.)
It would become them as Englishmen, deprived of their
rights, to insist on Universal Suffrage.—( Confusion, and
ins of " Question.") Who would benefit by the repeal
of the Corn-laws? The great and wealthy.—( Renewed
uproar.) To support extravagant rents they put on the
Corn-laws, A gentleman, a Tory of course, had said to
him that the abolition of the Corn-laws would ruin the
landed proprietor. The people had no protection
agaiest mercantile men, unless they could legislate for
themselves. Notwithstanding the repeal, how would they
be protected ?—( Great confusion, applause, mingled with
cries of " Off, off.") He hoped they would give no peace
to t' e Gevernicent until they granted Universal Suffrage.
(Cries of " Chair, chair.")
The CHAIRMAN said it was the practice to read first the
original motion and then the amendment. That, as his
duty, he should do, but he must first observe that the ob-
jectof their present meeting was a Corn-law question. He
went, perhaps, as far as they could with regard to Univer-
sal Suifrege, but it was foreign to the object of the meet•
be'. He then read the original motion and amendment ;
and on being put to the meeting the former was carried by
a very large majority.
Mr. GUIS,-)N said that he was obliged to disapprove
of the sentiments that had bean advanced.—( Hear,
hear.) To say that the progress of trade was of no im-
portance to the Tower Hamlets, was to say that they could
exist if the light and air of heaven were ceded:id, It
was upon the people as on a broad basis that all legislation
Should rest. This was a plain simple bread and cheese
question. They had been told that wages fluctuated with
the price of breed. It was not so. The tendency of these
taws was as ceriein as that of the needle to the pole.
Ile would do all in his power to teach the owners
of_r the soil that the people would net give their labour
d their skill without a fair return. He hoped they
would always he inquiring how the social interests of the
country were to be secured, but the sure means of obtain-
ing their end was not by leaving the object of the meeting
togive their attention to another. Haley proceeded longer as
The Legislatnre had proceeded since the year 1815, not only
the sun of England would be set, at the aristocracy said, but
the happiness and pt ace of the people would be lost for ever.
Ho beg ged leave to move the following resolution : —" That
Cleo repeal of the Corn-laws will benefit the manufacturer, ,
by extending commerce; and the landholder, by causing a
greater and more steady demand for his produce, in the
supply of the manufacturing population. That the Cern-
Jaws do not make this country independent of foreign
neply; hut endanger the sufficiency of food, when seasons
ere ttefavourable."

Mr. Hentann seconded the resolution. He trusted
those attending the present meeting would not forget to
sigru2l;... petition.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
Mr. LAURENCE moved the third resolution, which was
to the effect that the repeal of the Corn-laws would give
an impetus to commerce. In coming forward upon a sub-
ject like the present, they should take care to be under-
stood. It was a question whether the dear loaf did not
prevent commerce, and no ono could doubt that it did.
Were they prepared to say that, be the consequences what
they might, the landowners alone were to he protected ?
(Cries of " No.") Yet such was the effect of the present
Corn-laws. They were driving all the commerce of this
country to other shores; and it was only the other day that
a friend of his told him he could not get 'some articles ma-
nalactured at Birmingham, because the mannLicturers of that
town were employed in making machinery for foreign coun-
tries, to enable them to manufacture articles for which they
Were obliged before to come to this country. Except the
People came forward unanimously, they would never get a
repeal of the Corn-laws.—( Cheers.) The working classes
were peculiarly interested in having that law repealed ; and
he trusted, notwithstanding all that been said by the gen-
tlemae from Leicester-square, that they would be unani-
mous in demsfhding its repeal.
Mr. HINDLEY seconded the resolution.
Dr. BORLAND was a friend to the repeal of the C
and he trusted if they did not abolish these laws the
11'°111e would rise as a man. The worthy Doctor gauged
"naiderable amusement in the meeting by producing two
loaves, one made in France and the other in Eng-
land, asking them to look at the difference.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
ir• HALL moved the following resolution :—" That
al
aw, 3 made to prevent the importation of grain, are en-
de:.nnleuts by the few on the rights of the many, and
iinels:e the labouring man of a fair return for his skill and
try; and that the present unanimous expressital of
,'ani
on throughout the manufacturing districts against the
ormsv,9
,„d proves that they injure the trade of the country,
should no longer be tolerated."
eaIIr•aFAIRRIE seconded the resolution, which was carried
aalensly.
Als. ci
th,s Lnie moved the following resolution : —4, As
01 borough is peculiarly interested in the abolition of the
arn.laws, it called upon the inhabitants to sign a petition
kiir"Ying the foregoing resolutions, to be
presented by
r of this borough, and
ton, in the event of hisbeing seconded by Dr. Cushing_ returned; and that the Mem.