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

CORN-LAWS.

TOWER lIAML ETS—(YESTERDAY.)
A public meeting of the inhabitants of the Tower
Hamlets, took place yesterday at the Court-house, Osborne.
street, Whitechapel, for the purpose of considering the
propriety of petitioning Parliament for a repeal of thc.,
Corn laws.

At one o'clock the Chair was taken by Wit,LtAim TOOKE
Esq. The present and late representatives for the Borough',
William Clay, Esq., and Dr. Lushington, and scveral
of the influential inhabitants of the district were present.
Mr. CLAT moved that William Tooke, Esq., do take
the chair.

The motion being cruried unanimously,
Mr. TOOKE said that he was happy on all occasions
to render himself to the claims of the impor-
tant constituency of the Tower Hamlets—( Hear, hear)..._
but especially when the question was not merely one of a
political nature, but a contest for existence itself. He felt
that this question bad a claim on the attention et
gentlemen of all shades of opiaion.—(Hear, hear.)
The conclusion he had come to was in favour of
of a total repeal of the Corn-laws. He would not enter
into the details by which he arrived at that conclusion, they
had frequently been laid before them by the then only Repro.
sentative of the Tower Hamlets. He would state to them
the object of that meeting in the words of the petition
it was proposed to present to the House for the abolition of
the Corn-laws—namely, " That laws made to prevent
the importation of corn are an encroachment of the few on
therightsir ret
uorfnthe o
r manyhi, ;i n tdhnesyt
industry
e; par invac thetiie labouring
present
a f a
throughout this country proves that they injure the tOrpad, f
P
this country, aud should no longer be followed." To
e‘ti
tion for the repeal of these laws was the purpose for which
they were assembled. He would now lay before them sho
resolutions and petition.
JOHN SIMPSON, Esq., a Magistrate of the county of
Middlesex, moved the first resolution. The resolution
was to the effect that the prosperity of every- commercial
country like Great Britain depended upon its manufac-
tures, and that the flourishing state of agriculture must
ultimately depend upon its manufactures.—(cheers.)
Twenty-five years had elapsed since peace has Prevailed
throughout Europe, and yet the price of provisions
to the labouring man was equally high then as now.
—( Hear, hear.) It was high time such .4), state of
things should be put an end to. Was it to be endured
that the artisans and labourers of that country were to ba
compelled to work eighteen or twenty hours a-day to ob-
tain only half the- supply of food that their co-artisans
earned on the Continent? :Immediately after the peace in
181 b, and subsequently, in 1 821 to 108n2s8i,d thee rat
icoanseofori:lhro
agriculturists was taken into the
stihnec,ehtho country, Peace
iniyaalsnetontieaenpd
up
phc
iprincipalehgil opbrieecot
of
ff tcheenactHmecanrt,s passed
was
theo
portion
subject,
of grain.—(andth e he
communityvent u red
whoseto as .
He had
therelookedthwreausgt
sort that
absurdtheants
ohiadthb:easn
rsioeumitautrearliailillytelreessstseneodf
(Hear.) Year alterinyetahre,irinboanaelfs,haanpde oar
eanroes,ueltr,WPasartlhiaa-t
ment had interfered
the artisansou rsa-day,
we re compelled either to work eighteen or
h
or to see their families starving around them.
He trusted the time was not far distant when these laws would
be repealed altogether. Then Englishmen would be en- •
abled to start fair with the manufacturers of the Continent':
It cost the corn-grower of the Continent 10s. a quarter to
import food into Great Britain, and was not that pro_
section enough for ell British landowners ?—(l,oed
cheers.) Indeed, it was more than, in justice and
fair play to their fellow-creatures, they ought to have,
Many supposed that the rents were now what they Were
50 or 64) years ago. No such thing. There was scarcely
an estate in the kingdom which did not make double th-e
rent it formerly did. If a stop were not put to the Present
system, it would come to this, that the labouring people would
leave the country—go abroad to the Continent, where they
would get bread cheaper tihmaangintheeythcouldrpeproeCahlrseoffailtbia:
home. It was absurd to
Corn-laws would injure the landed interests; that was
nothing but bigotry and prejudice.— (Ilear, bear.) /..
might be said that if bread was dear one time it
way
cheap at another ; but he asked what Was the
use to a man of haring bread cheap in June, if
were starving in February, and unable to purchase it? 57
(Loud cheers.) After expresing his entire concguertrteinnecOr:
the resolution, Mr. Simpson concluded by submitting it Co
the consideration of the meeting.
Mr. MARTINEAU seconded the resolution. A r ,
with it, as he did most completely, he should have be'llg
exceedingly sorry not to haze come forward to put ehe-n
shoulder to the wheel, for the purpose of
of laws so oppressive es the Corn-laws. The fou-edad,
tiou of the p-esent Corn-laws was instituted in
by which the importation of corn was totally 1815,
Prevented
when its price was below 735. When it was above that
Price the duty was regulated at is., but if below 70s. or
715., the duty was 103. 6d., which amounted to nothing
, less than a prohibition. _(Hear, bear.) They asked

for a repeal of the Corn-laws because they considered
them unjust and oppressive, not only to the manufacturing
and labouring population, but, on the long- tun, to the
agriculturists thetroelvea. Fur the purpose of sh 'owine
these he had taken the averages of corn for a long period,
tot fur five, or ten, tut for fifty years previous to
17i0.--( Hear, hear.) Ile had taken that 'year because ho
considered that up to that period this country was more an
agricultural than a manufacturing country.—( Cheers. )
The exports of the country up to that time consisted
chiefly of woollen manufactures in Yorkshire and Nor-
folk. The great iron mines of the country were not
then discovered.—( Hear, and cheers.) The average price
of corn for fifty years previous to 1770 was 31s. Eld., but
subsequent to 1770 the average price of corn for the fifty
years fo!lowirg was Elf's. 61, and at that time there was
no bounty of ss. to support the prices. It was therefore clear
that until this country became a manufacturing country
the home market for corn was a poor one ; but since its
maeufeetures increased the earn grower had the highly
roteunerating price of 625. 6d. From the manner
in which the agriculturists spoke upon this subject
they would have us belieee that they were the lords of the
creation—(Cheers)—but if a census were taken, they
would he found only to form a third part of the population
if the country. The agriculturalists now had a much bet-
ter bounty than 5e., for they had the bounty of the menu-
factoring di:eriete.
Mr. ATetIERLEY them rose to move an amendment, amid
great uproar and confusion, which lasted for several minutes.
The CUAMMAN requested (amidst loud cheers and much
confusion) as en act of courtesy, that %Ir. Acherley of Lei-
cester-square be heard on this to. solution. —( Renewed cries. )
He wa; quite sure the object of the meeting would be pro-
moted by giving him their patient attentien.
Me. ACIIERLEY said that the emendment he had to pro-
pose on the resolution was foueded under existing circum-
stances. In referet.ce to the fact that agricultUrcri held
their land contrary to the constitution of England.—( Loud
cries.) lie begged to be heard ; he had a t isk
in the country ; he came forward to advocate prin-
ciples interesting to all, and not of one sect or ano-
slier. Ile did not come among them as a firebrand
but for their real interests.—( Applause.) On such occa-
sions he liked to see age in the Chair. The elders of
every congregation were the best able to reason on the
circumstances. The principle of the amendment was
plainly this, that all land, by the Act of the year
1760, was held by impeachment of waste. Under the
enormities committed by these letters patent of George
the Firsts the people could not hold land unless they
held it tinder impeachment of waste. His amendment was
base d upon the constitutional principles of the kingdom that
elhery man should exercise the elective franchise.—(Loud
deers.) Whether they were Tories, Whigs, or Radicals,
they should all support that proposition. He contended
that it was the cultivation of the land to its fullest extent
that would give happiness and prosperity to the country.—
Oh and hisses.) The manufacturer who had embarked
a miiiien of money in trade, if he did not get a return
fur it he could go to Belgium, Holland, or Switzerland.
;lelo man should be allowed to hold large tracts of land in
parka while the poor were starving.--(" Question.") There.
was the Marquis of Aylesbury, who had fifty miles of country
in the County of Wilts, like a dog in the manger.—( Roars
cf laughter ) He was heir to a large property, of 6,0001.
per atrium himself, and he knew the value of that species
property.of Why there were three commercial men now
in Itslgiurn, who were formerly the rulers of the trade
in London, and d— him if these men were not now un-
derselling their own countrymen in the market.
(Laughter, and cries of " fleas, hear.") Mi.. Atcherly
ter:eluded by moving his amendment.
Mr. B. `liana, of Union-street, seconded the amend-
ment. He could not say, like its mover, that lie wes heir
to 6,0001. a-year, for he believsd he would not be exag-
gerating if he said he was not worth sixpenny-worth of
e:eteals Hear.) The gentleman who proposed the
first resolution had told them that the repeal of the Corn-
laws would bring peace to the country, but had it done so
in France, when the Duke of Orleans, with 50,060 men,
was required to quiet the starving population of Lyons?
Although they had some of the wealthy classes
among them to. day who expressed a sympathy in their
distresses, taken as a body the capitalists were the enemies
of the working men.—( Hisses, and much upraas.) When
any attempt was made by the starving artisans to obtain a
small increase to their wages in order to procure the ne-
cessaries of life, how did these men act ?--4 Hear, hear.
The Are

hers for this borough be requested to give it their
support."
Mr. CHARLES WOOD said that he was sure the meeting
would have ten times its effect when it went before the
Legislature, supported by the signatures of the loner
classes.—( Cries of " Working classes.") He begged to
second the resolution proposed by Mr. Goidle.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
Mr. CLAY then rose to address the meeting, and was
greeted with deafening shouts of applause, intermixed
with hisses from that part of the crowd where Mr.
Acherley, who again attempted to address the meeting,
had taken his stand. When order had, in some measure,
been restored. Mr. Clay prooeeded to address the meet-
ing. Since he had had the honour of being connected
with the Tower Hamlets, he recollected no occasion of their
coming together at which he felt more proud and gratified
than the present.—(Tremendous cheering.) It would
have been to him a deep mortification, both on
private and public grounds, if the men of the Tower
Hamlets had not taken that station which became
them in the efforts that were being made through-
out the country to get rid of the present obnoxious
system of Corn-laws.—( Cheers.) As their Member he
should have fought the battle with less spirit if he had not
had the sympathy and the assent of his constituents. He
was glad, however, that the Tower Hamlets had been
roused by the storm that was directed against the Corn-
laws, and he trusted that the time was not far distant when
those discreditable enactments would be swept away alto-
gether.—( Cheers.) He had learnt with the greatest
pleasure that the promoters of this meeting had deter-
mined that it should not be a party question, and when he
first came there that morning he found men of the great-
est respectability, inhabitants of the Tower Hamlets—men
whom be was proud to call his friends, but who differed
with him on many political points, he found them ready to
join them.—( Cheers.) In the adoption of the course
they bad taken, in his opinion they had acted wisely, for if
there was a single question that should be held apart from
parties, it was the repeal of the Corn laws. They might
rest assured that no party would ever dare to make it a po-
litical question.—(Cheers.) No Ministry, whether Whig
or Tory, would move its repeal—(Cheers)--and it never
could be carried but by. the exertions of the people—
( Cheers)—nor unless all classes, whether Whigs, or Tories,
or Radicals, joined in one zealous and unanimous effort.
Let them, therefore, hear no morel of party spirit on this
subject—(Cheers)—but if there are to be parties, let them
be called the Big Loaf Party and the Little Loaf Party.
—( Laughter.) Now he was a Big Loafian.—( Increased
laughter.) Let all struggle upon such political ques-
tions as they thought would tend to the good of the people,
but fur God's sake let them have cheap bread first.—
( Cheers.) Men always quarrelled much more amicably
with full stomachs.—( Hear, ar,d laughter.) Having said
thus much he would say a few words upon the great and
important question of the Corn-laws. He was bound, as
the Representative of the Tower Hamlets, to state to his
constituents what his solemn opinion was upon that ques-
tion.—( Cheers.) He believed there was not another
nation upon the earth, with the exception of England,
whose Statute book was disgraced by lawa more unjust or
impolitic than the Corn-laws—( Cheers)—because their
decided effects were to lessen the comforts, and limit
the enjoyments of every class in society.—(Cheers.) It
lowered the profits of the capitalists, the capital of the
manufacturer, and the condition of the operative.—
( Cheers.) It lessened the demand for labour, while it en-
hanced the price of food.--( Cheers. ) He concurred fully
in what had been stated by those who had preceded him,
that to the operative the repeal of the Corn-laws was a
quctionof the most vital importance, and he was astonished
at the ignorance displayed by those who attempted to per-
suade the operatives that the working classes were not
interested in the question, because they had been told that
as the price of food fell wages would fall in the same pro-
portion. —( Cheers. ) lie would ask any one present
whether when the price of food had risen wages had risen
with it? Wages had not risen with the price of food,
and they never would, as long as the Corn-laws existed.
Why ? Because they enhanced the price of food at home
and lowered it abroad. The master manufactu-ers there
had every advantage over the master manufacturers here,
and the result was that those as ticles were now manufac-
tured abroad for which they were formerly obliged to come
to this country.—( Cheers.) Tire consequence was that
the workmen there had plenty of work, and were giving
at the same time a less price for provisions.—(Cheers )
It was ridiculous to say if the manufacturers here had
plenty of work they must not give better wages. Was it
common sense that, under such circumstances, they could
come to their workmen and say, as we have got so much
work to de you must take less wages.—( Cheers.) There
was no class of the people that was so deeply interested
in the abrogation of the unjust Corn-laws, and be the man
whom he might who would attempt to persuade them that
they had no interest in the subject, they might take it
from him that he was the worst friend they had.--( Cheers.)
What is wanted in this country ? There arc skilful manu-
facturers, operatives unequalled for honesty and industry.
Did he compliment them? He scorned to do it. What
he told them was notorious, an English workman would
do twice the work of another man. \Vhat then is wanted ?
Scope for their industry—a field for manufacturer and
artisan. He would suppose that some miraculous inter-
position brought millions of acres of fertile land where
the English Channel now flowed. Would hands be want-
ing to cultivate them ? A repeal of the Corn•laws would
as effectually bring Silesia and America within the reach
of the Englishman, as if by miraculous interposition they
were brought home to their own shores. They had all the
means of providing those countries to which he referred
with the blessings of civilization, and those countries, on
the other hand, had the means of finding soil and scope.
What did their Legislature do ? It stepped forward to
prevent the interchange of those blessings which it had
pleased an Almighty Being to scatter on every family of
' man. Much had been said of the agricultural interests.
It had been said that it formed a third of the population,
while the manufacturing interest constituted a half. Now,
there was no class of the agriculturers except the landholder
who bad any interest. The farmer had no interest. The
working man had only the interest of every other working
man. Even the supposition of benefit was confined solely
to the landowner. If they persisted in their opposition to the
repeal of the Corn-laws they would be worse off, because they
would have to support those who would by their working
be thrown out of bread. He would make an observation
on what Sir Robert Peel had asserted in his speech of the
night before last. The gentleman who seconded the Ad-
dress spoke of the increase of our exports. He had seen
the paper from which it had been read. He never read a
paper from which more fearful omens could be taken. What
were those exports? The raw materials of manufactures,
machinery, copper, and cotton-twist. Every year finer and
finer qualities of cotton-twist were exported. With these
views he should only say, he accepted with great pleasure
the duty they thought fit to impose on him of presenting
their petition to the House of Commons, and that 'it would
be a source of great pleasure to him when his friend and
colleague came back to second him.—( Loud cheers.)
Dr. LusnINGTON said, that in whatever situation it might
please God to place him—whether as their representative
or in a more humble situation, his earnest hearty exertions
would be employed isa support of that measure they were
now convened to consider. He had had some opportuni-
ties of kno-ving the period of 1815, when the Corn-laws
were imposed on the public. He remembered the prophe-
cies that were then made. and he would take the liberty of
saying that there was no evil that has not occurred which was
then foretold by the opponents of that measure. Lord Liver-
pool, then Prme Minister, had said that they would be
contented when the price of a quartern loaf reached Is.
Now, one of the arguments then brought forward was this,
" What will become of you if you should be at war with
various countries of the world, and yet depend on them for
your supplies?" The answer was plain. The experience
of the world had shown that you cannot starve a great
country. The attempt had been made by no less a country
than Great Britain. In 1791, when the war with France
commenced, the proposition was made for starving that
country. In the year 1794 was France starving ? What
was the state of England? Tie fact was this, we, who
had threatened starvation to France, were the first to give
orders to our Navy to seize on every vessel laden
with wheat and appropriate it. In 1814 Great Bri-
tain paid France two millions for her grain. Such
was the result of her attempt to starve a free country.
This great argument against the importation of foreign
corn has been proved to be fallacious by all past experience.
He would now give them an instance of what those laws
had done in the Tower Hamlets, In 1831, a merchant
imported considerable quantities of foreign wheat and
placed it in bond. It remained wasting and rotting fur
six whole years. The prices were not sufficient. The
consequences of the keeping of that corn were, that the
bonds were cancelled at the Custom House, and the corn
sunk. At that time want and distress were plen-
tiful enough even here, but in the Western Islands their
fellow-subjects were in a state of starvation. He would be
brief, because the most important arguments had been al-
ready stated to the meeting. The subject of the petition
was interesting to all the inhabitants of this country. It
was the interest of the landed proprietors, if they knew their
own interests. And now that he had stated to them some
of his opinions on that subject, he would say that in none

did he concur more entirely than in that entertained by the
operatives throughout this country. He saw the price of
corn was injurious to them, their wages could never keep
pace with the price of bread. They had to contend against
a great and miervibeiteing power, but they were not alto.
gether withont friends among agriculturists, and those ex-
tensive landowners. He had read with pleasure the ex-
pressions of Lord Vernon the night More last—" My
Lords," he had said, " I pray you to consider this ques.
tion ; think of your responsibility—pause before you pro-
nounce this sentence on your fellow-men." There were
others who held those opinions. But he did not rely on
the names of this Nobleman or of that, but on the truth of
our cause, and on his firm conviction that such evidence
could be given of the bad effect of the Corn-laws on the
manufacturing interests, that none could fail to understand
to apprehend. But on this point they must be unanimous,
sinking for the moment all little differences, reserving for
other times all contests on other questions, however great
and important. He feared not the result ;he had fought
many more difficult battle; ' • he had been in minorities of
20 and 30, and had gained his eau.a.--( riogd cries of
"friiree cheers for Lushington.")
Mr. CLAW stint they had yet another duty to discharge,
a most agreeable one, to move that a vote of thanks be
given to the Hon. Chairman for bia admirable conduct in
the chair. ile had never witnessed more ability, and to that
he attributed the successful result of the meeting. The
motion was put and carrind with applause.
The CHAIRMAN rose to inform the meeting that the pe.
tition would be left for signature at the Court, end the
meeting then broke up.
The following is the petition agreed to at the meeting :
":To the Honbneable the Commons of the United King-
dom of Great Britain ad Ireland, in Parliament as-
sembled. The petition of the inhabitarits of the borough
of the Tower Hamlets,
" SnEwEru,
" That your petitioners q.re inhabitants of the largest
borough in the kingdom, comprising the principal manu-
factories arid the great shipping interests of tire Metropolis,
and are therefore deeply interested in the -prosperity of the
commerce and manufactures of the country.
That the present system of Corn-laws has encouraged
the establishment of manufactories in various parts of Eu-