The Sun.
London, England, 1862-04-25 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—Allow me to call the attention of your
readers to the fact, that the Act of 1844 operates as
a gigantic swindle on the interests of both em-
ployers and workpeople, unintentionally no doubt,
but nevertheless it is a fact.

The Act alters periodically the value of the
measure by which the labour of the operatives and
the goods of the merchant are measured, producing
the same effect as if false weights and measures
were used at times for the benefit of the monied
class to the prejudice of all other classes.
In illustration of tht fact, imagine a pair of
scales for the purpose of weighing value, put a
piece of cloth, or any other product of labour,
worth in ordinary times of trade and credit a pound
sterling, into one scale, and into the other a pound
either in the shape of a sovereign or Bank note, and
the scales will balance each other.

Now, let a monetary panic occur, such as took
place in 1847 and 1857, arising from gold being
taken from the Bank of England, and the money
of the country reduced to the same extent by the
destruction of Bank notes as compelled by the Act
of 1844, and mark the consequences.
The price of all stocks of goods in traders' hands
will fall from 30 to 70 per cent., as was the case in
those panics. For the sake of clearness we will
assume the fall to be 50 per cent., or one-half the
value. The owner of the pound sterling in that
case gets double the quantity of cloth for his
money, whilst the merchant or manufacturer gets
only 10s, instead of 20s. for his article.
The manufacturers then, in self-defence, must
either reduce the wages of their workpeople, or run
short time, or close their mills, and turn them
adrift.

In this way does the law, by altering at times
the measure of value, ruin hundreds of masters,
and reduces thousands of the working class to
beggary and starvation.
The conflict created by the Act of 1844 is not
between labour and capital—men and their masters
—but between masters and men on the one side,
and money and dealers in money on the other.
To remedy the evils of this unjust law let masters
and men unite in petitioning Parliament for the
establishment of a National Bank of Issue, to
which shall be transferred the sole power of issuing
Bank notes, now enjoyed by a limited number of
bankers for their own benefit, by which means the
value of money, the measure of value, will be kept
steadier, and a sum of upwards of £30,000,000
obtained for alleviating the burdens of the people.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, •

HAMER STANSFELD.
Highfield, Windermere,
24th April, 1862.

REPRESENTATION OF LAIJIBETH.

Yesterday evening a meeting of the electors of
Lambeth, called by Mr. W. C. Sleigh, the barrister,
was held at the Horns Tavern, Kennington. Mr.
Sleigh having been introduced to the meeting, and
very warmly received, said he believed he was the
only avowed candidate before the electors, although
Mr. Doulton had received a requisition to come for-
ward. As the borough would be at the disposal of
the electors at 5 o'clock next Monday evening, he
thought it right to come forward thus early to so-
licit their support. Adverting to the political topics
of the day he contended there ought to be an exten-
sion of the suffrage. Hitherto-the test had been pro-
perty, but that he thought was not a fair, universal
test. He would rather that intellect and talent were
entitled to a vote totally irrespective of property.
He thought no plan of reform would be complete
without the ballot. Church-rates he held to be a dis-
grace to the country. The gross hardships arising
out of the unequal pressure of the income-tax he
would seek to remedy, and would also endeavour to
bring about an equalisation of poor rates through-
out the metropolis. He was opposed to useless wars.
He pledged himself that, whatever might be the
circumstances, he would never retire from the con-
test until 4 o'clock on the day of the poll. At the
same time he would pay nothing beyond the legal
expenses, relying on the voluntary and unremune-
rated services of the electors. Mr. Houston moved
and Mr. Doble seconded a resolution affirming Mr.
Sleigh's fitness to represent the borough, and pledg-
ing the meeting to support him. Tnis was met by
an amendment, proposed by Mr. Knight, to the
effect that, while the meeting fully agreed with Mr
Sleigh's views, it was inexpedient to commit itself
to any declaration, inasmuch as a requisition is to be
presented to Mr. Doulton next Monday evening.
Mr. Goddard seconded the amendment, and a ter-
rific uproar ensued. When the chairman had an op-
port unity he put the amendment to the meeting. It
was lost, and the resolution in favour of Mr. Sleigh I
was carried by an overwhelming majority.

SLAVE EMANCIPATION IN THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA.—The New York Times says of the bill for
There is here no genuine humanity
teoffetchteinbglatchkis; ofbojre
the Tli:cussion of so immediate and urgent
a measure is already banishing from the district all those
who are designed lo be the beneficiaries of the bill; and by
the time it shall have become law, the slaves will all have
been exposed to that most fearful of dooms, a sale to the
South,"