The Sun.
London, England, 1838-12-24 00:00:00

for their Toryism and love of tithes, always take the part
of the farmer against the labourer, in order to keep friends
with the farmer that he may pay his tithe with less re-
luctance.
This state of things existing, it may be expected that I
was received with pleasure and satisfaction in every parish
I entered. Working Men's Associations sprang up in each
village, and I was enabled, after being down there a few
days, to hold a public meeting at Charlton Downs, near
Blandford, which, notwithstanding threats of the most vio-
lent description from thefarmers and parsons, was attended by
6,000 people, mostly agricultural labourers, who carried the
resolutions in favour of the People's Charter unanimously,
notwithstanding the attendance of about 200 farmers, who
were drawn up on horseback for the purpose of intimidating
the labourers by their presence. Since this several of the
farmers have discharged their men, because they will not
sign a paper pledging themselves not to belong to any As-
sociation whatever, and to work for 12 months at 7s. per
week. Mr. Fooks, of Whitchurch, discharged 8 ; Mr.
Fowler, of Slingston, 8 ; Mr. Besent, of Kingston, 2 ; Mr.
Tovey, of Spitsburg, 1 ; Mr. Northover, of 'Folpuddle ;
and Mr. Lanes, of Houghton, have also discharged
their men. Some of the men discharged applied for relief
to the Board of Guardians, at Blandford, stating they did
not object to working for 75., but declined to leave an As-
sociation, legal in its objects and rules. The Guardians
refused any relief whatever, and informed them they
should neither have work nor relief unless they left the As-
sociation and found two bondsmen who would be answerable
for their not joining again ! The men refused this alter-
native, and they have been suffering the greatest privations
since. In the village of Kingston alone, there are 10 men
thus out of employ, with their families, consisting of nine
women and 22 children, all of whom have for the last three
weeks been living upon the charitable assistance of the
shopkeepers and their fellow-labourers in the village.
Such, Sir, is the present condition of the peasantry in
the county of Dorset ; and I am fearful that other
counties in " Merrie England" (?) are in a similar state.
One remarkablefact is, that the labourers in this cmAlr
to a man desirous of a Repeal il the
—orn,ams, though
they think that to obtain the repeal they must first obtain
the Suffrage.
Trusting that this statement may be deemed of sufficient
importance to obtain it a place in your Journal, and pledg-
ing myself to its accuracy—the truth of which can be con-
firmed by the tradesmen in Blandford, and other towns in
the county, I am, Sir, your's, respectfully,
ROBERT HA RT WEL L. Compositor,
Member of the London Working. Men's Association.
P.S. It being the intention of the London Association
to try the right of the Poonlaw Guardians to prescribe the
above condition, previous to giving relief, and the men
requiring assistance to keep them while the case is pending.,
subscriptions, in aid of these objects, will be received by IL
Hartwell, 85, Cornwall-road, Lambeth ;orby W. Lovett,
Secretary of the Working Men's Association, 6, Upper
North-place; Gray's Inn-road.

WORKING MEN'S ASSOCIATION
MEETINGS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR—Will you permit me to inform your readers, that
the public meeting which was reported in your paper of
last evening, and at which I spoke, was not a meeting of
the London Working Men's Association, but of the De-
mocratic Association ; and further, that no public meeting
has been called by the IVorking Men's Association since 11w
meeting in Palace-yard. There have been several meet-
ings lately held in different parts of the metropolis for col-
lecting the national rent, for the purposes of the Delegates
who have been appointed to watch over the CHARTER AND
NATIONAL PETITION (and which some have called a Con-
vention), and which meetings many of our members have
attended ; but they have not been called by the As-
sociatian, but by the Rent Committees in different parts of
London, or some other persons.

I remain your obedient servant,
W. LOVETT.
6, Upper North-place, Gray's Inn-road, Dec. 22.

THE ARMY.

The 96th is positively to go to New South Wales, but
they are not likely to move from Dublin to Chatham for
some months. If the truth must be told, we have no regi-
ment to replace them, and our military force in that coun-
try is much smaller than circumstances warrant, one of the
usual results of " penny wise and pound foolish" policy.
After the Ist of January, 1839, no deduction is to be
made from the pay of regimental officers employed on
the Staff.
It is reported that additional troops are to be sent to the
West Indies, in consequence of the withdrawal of the
nth and 69th to North America.

It is not at all unlikely that Sir R. D. Jackson may re-
tain the command of the Northern District during the
winter.

We are much surprised to find that the imposition of
charging fees on military commissions has not been noticed
by some of our military Members in Parliament. A report
has, we believe, been made by a Committee appointed to
inquire into them, recommending their abolition, and why
that report has not been adopted by Lord Howick is for
his Lordship to say ; as far as we are concerned we say it
ought, as officers have expenses quite sufficient attached to
their calling, without paying those for which they receive
no equivalent.
It is stated, from Calcutta, thatthe 33d Regiment would
not leave Jubbulpore till the .3d of December, instead of
the 15th of October, in order to avoid the effect of the
unhealthy season in the Sepoy regiments, The 10td
Lancers and the 2d Regiment of Light Cavalry were to be
at Delhi on the Ist of November, to join Major Pew's
camel battery, and form with it the left wing of the field
army. The march, owing to the nature of the roads, was
expected to be one of great difficulty.