The Sun.
London, England, 1862-08-06 00:00:00

WEL C 0111 E 7 0 THE FRENCH DELEGATES

OF LABOUR.

_ea meeting was held last evening, at the Free-
masons' Hall, for the purpose of welcoming the
French delegates who have been chosen to repre-
sent the different French workshops in this country,
and who have visited England tor that purpose, and
to see the International Exhibition. Above 70 of
the delegates attended, and were met by the com-
mittee, representing various sections of English
workmen, and a large number of artificers and their
friends. An exceedingly nice tea was provided,
after which the party adjourned to the great hall,
where a public meeting was held ; Mr. Nicholay
the chair.

A tl

Letters of apology were read from several mem-
bers of parliament ; amongst them the following
"94, Piccadilly, August 5, 1869.
" Sir,—l send you my promised contribution to your tea.
party.
" I am glad that you are going to give a welcome to the
working men of France who have come to visit our Exhibi-
tion, and I hope you will explsin to them that there ought
to be emulation but no jealousy between the productive in-
dustries
of England and France.
" Each country produces things which the other country
wants, but neither country will make a free gift to the other
of thinks which it has cost labour and m ney to produce.
Therefore, when one country sends its productions to the
other the country which receives the importation must pay
for it by sending in return an equal value of the products
of its own industry. Consequently the more the commerce
between England and France increases the more enc urage-
ment and employment will be given to the productive
energies of the people of the two countries.
" This truth is well understood in England, but is not so
generally acknowledged in France.—l am, Sir, yours, &C.,
" Mr. G. E. Harris. "PALMERSTON."
The delegates on entering the room were heartily
cheered for several minutes. Order being restored,
the chairman briefly addressed the meeting, after
which an address from the English workmen was
presented to the French delegates by Mr. Harris on
behalf of the committee. The following is an outline
of the address :—The committee commences by
stating that the English workmen seized with glad-
' ness the occasion of the presence in London of the
French workmen to tender them the hand of fellow-
ship, and to bid them a hearty welcome. The Ex-
hibition had brought them into friendly intercourse,
and they rejoiced that the age of ignorance and
darkness had passed away, that they met as chil-
dren of toil, and that the reign of brute force had
been replaced by that of moral force. They stated
that they feel that the time was not far distant
when they would be able to take their legitimate
places in the organisation of states and of societies,
and when men would understand that their interests
wereidentical. They deprecated selfishness as an-
tagonistic to co-operation amongst the working-
classes, without which they believed there could be
no good understanding between employer and em-
ployed. They then pointed to the alteration in the
position of the working classes likely to be brought
about by the introduction of machinery, r a
d in
solving the question of what was to become of. the
unemployed occasioned by it they required the co-
operation of men of all grades, philosophers, states-
men, historians, employers, and working men of all
countries. They believed that by the exchange of
thought and observation between working men of
different nationalities they could get nearer to the
real secrets of the economical workings of society,
and they hoped that now they had grasped each
other's hands they would see that as citizens and
working men they had the same aspirations and
the same interests to defend. They expressed a
hope that future international means of communi-
cating their thoughts to one another would arise,
and that every day would witness some new link in
the chain of love which should bind the working
men of all countries together. They rejoiced that
they no more looked on foreigners as enemies. They
h id felt the warmth of their hearts, and the loving
grasp of their hands, and called them brothers—and
" Brothers of France, once more, and for ever, wel-
come to our shores," were the concluding words of
the address.

NI. Richard then read an address in French,
which he presented to the English committee, of
which the following is an outline:—" The way to
progress is difficult to tread in, and we now enjoy
the success which crowns all our endeavours; and
we cry unto all, Courage, fellow-workmen! Let
us not slacken our onward merc'n, for the future
belongs to us.' Yes, brethren, the suture is ours—
our fate depends on ourselves. Let us shake off the
apathy- which, up to this moment, has maimed our
will. We did not arrive here without feeling some
apprehension, for prejudices still exists in certain
countries, and in spite of all we knew about the
largeness of your views we feared to fall victims to
the influence of nationality, and to meet with but a
cool reception. Your kindness has proved that you
understand that all working men are brethren, and
that too many interests invite them to be united not
to do so. National divisions have vanished before
reason and before the influence of progressive ideas.
The labouring classes of all nations must march on,
hand in hand and heart to heart, to conquer their
liberty by a sacred unity of efforts. We feel an
inexpressible delight in this hearty meeting to be
able to forget the bloody wars which have so long
divided us. The frontier duties, by a gradual de-
creasing, will allow trade to expand. Our two
nations, each freely developing its special genius,
will be as two sisters animated by a noble emula-
tion. No more will science be a mu”derous weapon
in the hands of nations, and engines and tools will
become the instruments of civi;isation. To cope
with engines is certainly terrible, for they are, like
a herculean labourer, never tired—always standing,
and never stopping. They are passive servants of
a re proachless exactitude, and of a sobriety which
no human being will ever reach. In time of mur-
derous wars, when all exportation is shut in, they
are dangerous rivals, but in time of peace they
become powerful and useful auxiliaries. The
wonders of human genius cannot be enemies of
humanity itself. We may now hope for a world
inspired by a new faith—a world, the motto of
which will be these three words—all three manifes-
tations of one same principle—Justice, Solidarity,
and Love. You well know that we can handle
tools better than speech. It is with a deep and
a heartfelt emotion that we thank you for your kind
reception. To you, working men, our grateful
thanks are conveyed in a brotherly embrace; and I
be convinced of our thankfulness, and receive it in
our name and that of our fellow working men in
France."

M. Richard and Mr. Harris then shook hands
and exchanged the above addresses, the other dele-
gr tes and English workmen having also shaken
hands amidst tremendous cheering, the meeting was
addressed by Dr. Worthington, Mr. Charles Mur-
ray, and several other gentlemen, and did not con-
clude till a late hour in the evening. The utmost
good feeling and cordiality appeared to prevail be-
tween the workmen of the two countries, and the
visitors from France must have left the room Well
satisfied with the cordiality of the reception with
which they met.

HOP INTELLIGENCE.—The South Eastern Gazette
reports the progress of the hop crops in various parts of the
country. We select reports from some of the most impor-
tant plantations. Maidstone,
night will have a beneficial effect—The
shower of Saturday
measure stop it from turning yellow.
on the Line, and in some
unkindly, and
quantity of bins looking Still there is a large
much ; but should the
good mould not inct ease,
which will not do
an average grow a
are still improving. crop. Sittingbourne.—The hops.
we may yet upon
They are remarkably free flow vermin
and coming fast out into burr. Rochester.—The planta-
tions are still lookinghay.Theeaiher of
remarkably well,
the past week Condition of
the plant, Pickingverythesome
istroeuxnpdecs
the
plants were last week
Suffering much frcm the drought, but the rain of Saturday
night has revived
them. In this locality a plantation of
about :SO acres it - :
is estimated by experienced judges will
I
Produce from 12 to 14 cwt per acre. Many hops adjoining
are good and clean, and are giving promise of grower g g more
than an average crop. A beautiful branch of hops, con-
taining about 16, was plucked the other evening in the
Reddling ground, and had a very healthy appearance.
Farnham, Alton, and Country Districts, August 2.—Since
our last report there is a aecided improvement in our plan-
tations, and with the continuance of the high temperature
a good crop may be expected. Worcester,—The Worcester
Irgraid says : —We are unable to report any improvement
in these plantations during the past week, for although the
weather has been as suit able as could be desired in ordinary
seasons, the plant this Year has suffered so much 'from
bight, and the bine so deficient.
that it is now too late fcr
any material imProveraent, ;i the result must be one of
1 the smallest crops Nve hoe had for Nome years.