The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-27 00:00:00

tric telegraph, however, had proved to that yeomanry
that there was such a place a 4 London, and such a river
as the Thames, studded with its miriads of vessels,
and they had sworn by the God of their
fathers that these ships shall continue to be built by
British artizans on British ground and with British oak,
and that before one plank shall be struck from the
wooden walls of Old England, they shall make one
struggle that shall shake the island from end to end like
the throes of a coming earthquake.—(Cheers
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.

The Cuanteweehen announced that the next resolu-
tion would be moved by Sir Allan M'Nab, a man who
had risked his own life in defence of peace and order
during the revolutionary war in Canada.
e Sir ALLAN M`Nan was then introduced to the
meeting. He announced himself not to be an En-
glishman or a Scotchman, but a Canadian, the son
of an old Scotch soldier who had more than once
wielded his sword against the enemies of his country.
He was a native of Upper Canada, which, previous to
the repeal of the corn-laws, was in a most flourishing
condition, but since free trade had been adopted in this
country its trade had fallen into the hands of
the Americans. lie concluded by moving a re-
solution, " That the application of the priuciph s cf
free trade to British colonial policy has produced the
most disastrous effects in colonial interests, ruining in
the West Indies the proprietors of estates, while it has
stirauleted. the slave trade and aggravated its horrors,
and in the North American colonies causing discontent,
which, ripened into disaffection, may endanger the con-
nexion with the mother country."
Mr. BOSANQUET seconded the resolution, and having
recently returned from the West Indies, he could bear
testimony to the fact that tree trade had almost destroyed
those colonies, while it had increased slavery and the
slave-trade.
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
Mr. G. F. YOUNG moved the fourth resolution, as
follows:—
That the shipping interest, together with many
important branches of British commerce and manu-
factures, are at present in a state of extreme
depression, which can only be removed and pros-
perity be permanently restored by a return to the
principles of protection to British industry and capital,
and that this meeting deeply regrets, that, pursuing the
principles of free trade, her Majesty's Government have
succeeded in forcing through Parliament, contrary to
the express wishes of the p ople, the Bill for the Repeal
of the Navigition-laws, convinced that in this sweeping
extension of those principles to navigation, British mari-
time commerce wilt be severely injured, and the national
defences be consequently endangered."
He at ributed much of the success of free trade to the
name which it bad hypocritically and falsely assumed.
Free trade was based upon the principle that if we take
American cotton, which the soil of this country cannot
produce, free of duty, America should accept our main.
factures free of duty in return. Under these circum-
stances, the policy which the country was now pursuing
was the greatest delusion that had ever been
palmed off on a credulous people.—(Hear, hear.)
Her Majesty's Ministers bad too long played and trifled
with the great interests of the country—they had too
long merle ducks and drakes of them; but he would tell
her Majesty's Ministers that there was a limit even to
endurance, and they had very nearly reached that limit.
—(Cheers.) He might be looked upon as a thoughtless
speaker, considering the present state of affairs in
Europe; but he had lived long enough in this country
to become convinced that no political change could be
produced in it without peaceful agitation, and his last
wards to the farmers were—agitate, agitate, agitate.
Mr. JOSIAH BOOKER came befove the meeting to se-
cond the resolution as a miner, a mill-owner, and a ma-
nufacturer, and gave it as his opinion that unless the
present political policy of the country were re-
versed it would ultimately degenerate, it not entirely
overthrow the institutions of the country.—(Cheers.).
Every trade was suffering from its effects, particularly
iron manufactures. There were 679 furnaces in this
country connected with the latter trade, of which at
least a third were standing idle, while, as regarded the
tin trade, the manufacturers had been compelled to re-
duce their prices 20 per cent., which had reduced his
annual returns 20,0001.—(Hear, hear.) He had the
honour last year of filling the office of Hth Sheriff of
the county to which he belonged, and during his term of
oillce he had to sign warrants of c xecution fur halt a mil.
lion of money—a fact which clearly demonstrated the
distress and suffering of the districe—(flear, hear.) He
would leave the hatter, the glover, and the other do-
mestic manufacturers, to tell their own tales—it was
enough for him to relate his (win ; but he had
no doubt that if the truth were known they were
suffering as much as bimself.—(Cries of "Hear, hear.")
'The resolution was then put tram the chair, and car-
ried, like the others, amidst much applau'e.
Mr. SPARKHALL, printer, of Cheapside, on rising to
propose the fifth resolution, read the following state-
ment

" There are, as may be easily proved, no more than
about ten in every thousand of the labouring population,
who can be benefited by free trade. Mr. Spackman, an
authority that will not be questioned, states, in page 147
of his • Analysis of the Occupation of the People,' that
about 800,000 (being, as nearly as it is necessary
to calculate, thirty in every thousand of the popu-
lation) are emplofed in our factories ; that is
to say, in the silk, cotton, woollen and flax factories,
which produce the staple manufactures of the kingdom;
and from which' alone it would be possible to increase
our exports to any considerable amount. In these fac-
tories the average of wages is only about Bs. 3d. per
sm lc; and of the 47 millions of our exports last year, 33
millions were the produce of these departments_of
facture, according to the Go i4riament returns, which are
1 as follow:

Cotton manufactures

~ yarn ... •••
Linen manufactures

£l6 770,868
... .5,927 956
... 2,802 823
~. 489,878
~. 585,033
.. 5,740 634
.. 776,175

„ Jaqi
Silk manut actures
Wuullea manu:acture3

~ yarn

.Z 33,093,367
This is about one third of the whole amount produced
in those factories: therefore only one-third, or not more
than ten in every thousand of the labouring population
can be benefited by the increase of our exports, even
supposing a free trade would increase the number em-
ployed in our factories ; which, however, I deny would
ever be the effect of free trade, or of a free im-
portation of corn ; but we will suppose our ex-
port trade to be increased to double the amount of
the, exports of last year—suppose it to extend to ninety-
four instead of forty seven millions and that it neces-
sarily, required double the number of hands to produce
that amount., What would or could this amount to after
all, but employing ten persons, at the most, in every
thousand, more than are at present employed? Whilst,
on the other hand, there are 118 in every thousand
employed upcn the lands (page 144 same book), who
must suffer from a reduction in their wages to meet the
foreign competition."
The Hon. Gstutleman concluded by moving the following
resolution :

" That the gen3ral adoption of the principles of free-
trade must lower wages and depress the labouring, classes
of this country to the level of the lowest class in com
pc tipg countries."

- Mr: APPLEING, an operative weaver, seconded the re-
solution; which, like the others, was carried unanimously.
Mr. FRESEFIELD then proposed. and Mr. BALL se-
conded, the following resolution :—" That from the pecu-
liar circumstances attending the last general election,
and the strong reaction since produced by clear-bought
experience on the public mind, the present House of
Commons does not, in supporting the ruinous policy of
free trade, faithfully represent the sentiments of the
people; and that considering the urgent necessity for a
change of system—for the preservation of all the best
interests of the State—it be strongly recommended to
all constituencies immediately to address the Queen,
praying that her Majesty will be pleated to dissolve the
Parliament and appeal to her people."
This re.,olutiou having been carried, thanks were
voted to the Nuble Chairman, and the meeting, which
had considerably thinned, broke up shortly after six
o'clock.