The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1839.

had.—(" Yes he has," from the same person, and cries of
Turn him out.") If Mr. O'Connell had rightly wielded
the po,eer and influence he had over the Irish people, Ireland
would not still have remained in such a degraded state.—
( Hear, hear.) The men of Lancashire would not allow
Stephens to be trampled on by any Government.—( Never,
never.) Before O'Connell's base, bloody, and brutal Whigs
should victimise Stephens, he knew they would lose their
lives, and Stephens was worthy of their lives.--( Hear,
hear, and loud cheering.) He was worthy of all the sym-
pathy and support they could give him, and he ( Mr.
Deegan) should feel much pleasure in telling the men
of Ashton and Staleybridge, the glorious outburst of feeling
that had manifested itself in Bolton..—(Cheers.) He would
now tell them a fact, which he hoped the gentlemen of the
Press would be good enough to give publicity. The Whigs
were circulating a pamphlet written by a man of their own party,
for the very purpose of murdering the children of the poor. It
abounded with arguments to prove the necessity and expedi-
ency of checking the increase of population, and urged that a
law should be passed to prevent any married couple from
having more than three children.—(Cries of " Shame !
shame !") A new gas company was to be formed ; that
gas company was to send out a medical man, and
after the poor mother had borne her lovely child,
nine months in her womb, and had suffered the intense anguish
of child-bearing, the Whigs proposed to give the little infant
a dose of Whig gas, quietly to destroy it.—( Shame, shame.)
When things came to that pass, it was time to give over
Qpeaking. [ A person in the crowd said, " From what
authority have you that ?"] It was written under
the name of " Marcus"—any one could purchase it at
Messrs. Eton and Ogle's, in that town—( Hear, hear, hear. )
It. was no use petitioning. They must have Whig muskets.
—( Hear, hear.) They had as much right to have muskets as
the linen-drapers of Leigh had. A linen-draper of Leigh
told the Magistrates he had " a pair of right good uns."—
( Laughter.) Let the people be prepared with " a pair
of right goood uns" also, and their judgments
would tell them when to use them. —(Loud cheering.)
In conclusion, he would wish them a happy new year, and
trusted that next year they would have no occasion to call
these meetings.
Mr. WARDEN moved the following resolution :
" That we continue to place the fullest confidence in
Feargus O'Connor, Esq., and the Northern Union,
and disclaim all connection with Daniel O'Connell, consider-
ing him the greatest enemy of the working classes of this
empire."—( Great cheering.)
The career of Mr. O'Connell had exhibited a degree of
uculency that had not been shown even by a political
demagogue.—( Hear. hear.)
Mr. Warden then read the following extract from an Ad-
dress of the Precursor Society, in The Sun of Saturday last,
which he said was written by Mr. O'Connell, and which would
show what a miscreant that man was. It was as follows :

'• And moreover, they state, as a reason for refusing to disclaim
the bloodthirsty Feargus O'Connor, that they are unwilling
to lessen his usefulness'—aye, his usefulness'—that is the
very word they use. So that, according to them, a man might
suggest the burning of factories and homesteads 1" He (Mr.
Warden) would a3k, Did Feargus O'Connor ever suggest the
burning of factories and homesteads ?—(Cries of " No, no.")
—the resorting to armed violence and sanguinary insurrection,
and the commission of high treason itself, and still be consi-
dered useful to the purposes of the London Working Men's
Association." That was a specimen of Dan's recent elo-
quence.
Mr. SULLIVAN seconded the resolution, which was carried
unanimously.

The neat resolution was proposed by Mr. Dewhurst, and
seconded by Mr. R. Jones—

" That the attainment of the principles contained in the
People's Charter, will necessarily lead to the repeal of all
laws inimical of the public welfare. This meeting discoun-
tenances all agitation for the accomplishment of partial mea-
sures." Agreed to.

A vote of thanks was then given to the Chairman, and the
netting broke up.

PRICE OF SUGAR.

COMBINED EFFECTS OF BOUNTY AND OF MONOPOLY,

Table showing the ex-duty price of West India Sugar in Mincing_
lane, and comparing the same against foreign sugars :

London, Jan. 5, 1539.
By the last Gazette quotation the average price of British Per cwt.
Plantation Muscovado Sugar, exclusive of duty, at 3ss. 10d.
MAscovado Sugars raised by free labour in the Manilla have
brought this week from 225. to 235. (id per cwt., being
about 13s. per cwt. less than the average price of West
India Sugar.
The
on refined Sugar having been reduced to 35e. Sd.
per bounty o
cwt.,n
no sales for exportation have been effected this
u
week in that article.
This reduction still leaves a clear bounty—allowing Is. per
cwt. forthe duty on the poisonous dirt contained in the
Muscovado or moist Sugar—and which is extracted from
it by the process of refining of ... los. Sd.
British Treacle is worth 9s. per cwt. in the foreign markets. The
same has been sold this week at 31s. per cwt., being an excess of price
paid by the British consumer of 225. per cwt., in other words 225.
per cwt. on Treacle contributed by the poor man towards West India
Bounty, and not, as it is erroneously supposed, towards revenue.
COFFEE.—The duty on West It.dia Coffee, the price of it ranging from
9Ss. to I 355. per cwt , is 565. per cwt., about 50 per cent, ad valorem.
The duty on St. Domingo Coffee, the average price of it being 425. per
cwt., is 140 s. per cwt., or about 300 per cent. ad valorem. The protec.
tive duty, therefore, on West India Coffee is equivalent to 250 per cent.
It will be remarked by the above statement that the average price of
West India Muscovado Sugars exceeds the price of Sugar raised by
free labour in the Manilla by 13s. per cwt.

The gross amount of revenue derived from Sugar is usually estimated
in Parliamentary discussions at five millions sterling per annum, being
the proceeds of a duty of 245. per cwt. ; as, therefore, 245. per cwt.
give five millions, 13s. per cwt. (the effect cf monopoly) will give
2,600,000/., demonstrating, as clearly as figures can do, that the British
nation pays a tax of 375. on each cwt. of sugar it consumes. If the
whole of the money collected by these means went to the Trea-
sury, the circumstance would merely form grounds for consider-
ing whether or not such a heavy per ccntage impost was judicious;
but as only 245. per cwt. are received for the public use, and the re-
maining 13s. per cwt. go out of the country to enrich the West India
Sugar growers—the 13s. per cwt. being nearly the value of the Sugar
itself beforethe charges of bringing it to market are added to the costs
of production. The whole system displays a wanton and profligate ab-
straction of money from the pockets of all classes in the British nation,
for the purpose of enabling a comparatively few Colonists (who, be it re-
membered, have already drained the country of 20,000,000/.), to live
idly and luxuriantly. The monopoly law, conferring these iniquitous
advantages ought, therefore, to be forthwith rescinded ; and the friends
of the people in the House of Commons will, with justice, be liable to
an accusation of drowsiness on their parts if they grant one shilling
towards defraying the costs of maintaining the Beauharnois and other
Canadian Estates' owners in possession, until this wicked monopoly,
second only to the " Devil's Law," is abolished.

Next week we intend giving the gross amount of the value of all the
monopolies enjoyed by the West Indian proprietors.

MR. STEPHENS.

(From a correspondent of the Times, who was present at the
re-examination of Stephens.)
_ _

The refusal of Mr. Stephens to-day to cross•examine or
take any notice of the former witnesses drove the Counsel for
the prosecution to OF; necessity of bringing up another wit-
ness of tke name of Dean. It was known previously that the
whole of yesterday and the day before, had been employed in
seeking men who were able to strengthen the case against Mr.
Stephens, and it is not a little surprising, after the labours of
the Magistrates, supported by the Bow-street officers, to find
their labours result in so weak a display. The result must have
been anything but satisfactory to Mr. Stephens' enemies, it
being a well-known fact that all the report of the new witness
with reference to the Ballot must have been a pure invention of
his own, it being a clearly ascertained fact, known to every person
acquainted with Mr. Stephens and his proceedings, that the
Ballot is a question upon which he never speaks. The altera-
tion which Mr. Coward made in his former statement, nullify-
ing decidedly the most important part of his former evidence,
must satisfy every unprejudiced person that his statements can
have no authority against the prisoner.
Many respectable persons have expressed their sorrow at
witnessing the presence of that truly excellent man, Mr. Fos-
ter, the Chairman of the Quarter Sessions, placing himself
under Mr. Kcnworthy's authority in the court over which he
( Mr. Foster) has presided for so many years with so much
credit to himself and the town of Manchester.
Such a sensation in court is not often observed as was pro-
duced by Mr. Brandt's unwarrantable interruption of Mr.
Stephens in his defence ' • and the matter of the interruption
caused an expression of feeling which cannot be described, it
being perfectly understood by every one that the prosecutors
dared not produce their informer. Mr. Stephens's answer to
this assertion of Mr. Brandt will be read by the public, and
particularly by the bar, with the greatest interest.
The public mind was prepared for the disavowal, by Mr.
Kenworthy, of the expression imputed to him by the editor
of the Manchester Guardian, during the former examina-
tion-4' We are determined to commit him to Kirkdale."
No such disavowal was made, although pressed for by Mr.
Stephens. The fact, therefore, that Mr. Stephens has been
brought before a bench predetermined to commit him is con-
firmed beyond a doubt.
In justice to Mr. Stephens, it must be admitted that his
whole conduct in the management of his case was admira-
ble ; and during the whole of his concluding speech, which
was in itselt a pattern of self-possession, good judgment, and
eloquence, a pin might have been heard to fall, particularly
when he was alluding to the conduct of Mr. J. E. Taylor and
the Hon. Fox Manic, relative to the fire at Ashton—a matter,
by-the-by, about which strange accounts are to be beard. Mr.
J. Law, solicitor, attended as Mr. Stephens' legal adviser,
and, judging from what took place, he seems the man best
fitted for such a post.

THE CORN-LAWS.—We are glad to see that Col.
Thompson is to give a public lecture on the Corn-laws, at
the Central Committee-room of the Marylebone Reform
Association, 50, Great Portland-street, on Tuesday even-
ing, the Bth January, at Half-past Seven o'Clock precisely,
the admission is free. Petitions, it is added, for the total
repeal of these inhuman laws, lie in various parts of the
Borough of Marylebone for signatures, of which, upwards
of 10,000 have been obtained in three days for the total
repeal.
At Guildhall yesterday, in the course of an exami-
nation of a man charged with bigamy, the fact of the first
marriage having been performed by a Catholic priest in
Ireland was proved, whereupon the prisoner declared that
at the time in questioh he was drunk, and the priest was
drunk, so that he considered it no marriage at all. The
Magistrate thought otherwise, and committed'him for trial.
The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge
has generously subscribed the sum of one hundred
pounds towards the erection of the new Episcopal Church,
Inverness.—lnverness Courier.

MANSION-HOUSE.-(THIS DAY.)

EXTENSIVE FRAUD ON THE CITY OF LONDON UNION.—
Hannah Wright, who is upwards of 80 years of age, and ex-
ceedingly infirm, and her daughter Charlotte Cooke, were
brought before the LORD MAYOR, under the following cir-
cumstances :

Mr. Thwaites, one of the relieving officers of the Union,
stated that Hannah Wright had for several years past been in
the receipt of relief from two parishes, having been paid 4s. 6d.
per week by the parish of St. Mildred, Poultry, and 7s. by
Allhallows, Lombard-street. Up to the year 1836 she had
received :from St. Mildred's parish 1691. 17s. 6d., and from
the other parish 111/. ; since which time she had received
about 301. from each parish. Her daughter was in the habit
of fetching the money from the relieving officers ; and about
a fortnight previous to Christmas she applied for something
additional in the shape of clothing. In consequence of this
application witness called on the old woman, and gave her
ten shillings. An alteration having been lately made
in the mode of paying the weekly allowance, the fraud was
discovered ; the daughter then stated, that she was afraid her
mother had been doing wrong.
The old woman, in answer to questions by the LORD MAYOR,
said that her husband died about fourteen years ago, and that
he had obtained relief in this manner, and she had continued
to do so. She believed that she belonged to Stepney.
The LORD MAYOR thought the daughter was more to blame
than the old woman, and directed the matter to stand over in
order that further inquiries might be made.
Mrs. Wright declared that her daughter was innocent of any
fraud having been committed.
The defendants were directed to attend again in the course
of a few days.