The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-12 00:00:00

AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.
GLOUCESTER. SATURDAY NIGHT.—To-day a very nu-
mereueirate nded mt,etiree of th 1 eeio ;mere farmers,
and etaer inhabitants ef Gleuc,stershire, was held at
the Seire in this t ,wn, aJ tike into cen.ideratien
the die resit d state of the agricultural interest, and to I
determine whet steps should be taken thereon. The Shire
Hall, which is calcniated to hold about 3,000 pera ns,
was densely crowded, and on the platform we oeserved
Earl Ducie, the Marquis of Worcester, M.P. ; Sir Was.
Codrington, M.P.; Sir H. Crawley Bower, Grantley
Berkeley, Esq., M.P.; Humphrey Brown, Esq., M.P.;
the Rev. J. Edwards, the Rev. E. Lyons, Capt. Somer-
set, D. Bowley, Esq., S. Bowley, Esq., C. B. L. Baker,
Esq , E. W. Josephs, Esq., W. Hartland, Esq., W.
Allen, Esq., C. Buller, Esq.. &c., &c.
On the motion of Mr. GRANTLEY BERKELEY, the
High Sheriff of the County, W. Griffiths Price, Esq.,
Wee called to the chair.
The UNDER-SHERIFF having read the requisition con-
vening the meeting,
The CHAIRMAN briefly opened the business. He said,
that a heavy amount of distress weighed down the agri-
cultural as well as the manufacturing interests nobody
could doubt, though there might be a difference of
opinion as to the mode of alleviating that distress.—
(Cries of "You are a Free Trader.") He was not geing
to
.expreas his own opinion on that occasion, but he
begged that a fair and impartial hearing should
be given to all the speakers, whatever their opinions
might be—(Applause)—and should that not be the case,
a legitimate inference might fairly be drawn against
those who opposed such a fair expression of opinion,
that they were afraid of herring the truth. The Chair-
man then read le,ters from Viscount Camden, the Duke
of Beaufort, Lord Redesdale, Lord Dynevor, Sir M.
Beech, and other gentlemen, expressing their regret at
being unable to attend.
Mr. PETER MATTHEWS. a tenant-farmer, came for-
ward, amidst loud cheers, to propose the first resolution.
All the farmers wanted was eqUal-handed justice.
They were not going to Parliament pining and whining,
but to demand their rights. They wanted to give a
fair day's wages for a fair day's work. In 1842
the poor-rate in his neighbourhood was, for the half-
year ending in March, 4,3701., and the price of corn
475. per quarter ; at the last half-year the poor
rate was 5,390/., and the price of corn was 30s. per
quarter.—(Cries of 325.) The provisions were now up-
wards of 40 per cent. cheaper, and the poor-rates 30 per
cent. higher. That was the effect of free trade.—(Uproar,
and, tries of " Nonsense.") The speaker here proceeded to
re*d extracts from speeches of Sir Hubert Peel, delivered
pr'.or to intro becing his free-trade measures, to show the
tisedvantage of free trade. Sir R. Peel admitted that
the farmers were overtaxed, and yet he afterwards put
the property tax on them.—(Cries of " Serve you right.")
After opposing free trade Sir R. Peel sold the farmers
to free-traders.—(Uproar.) What had Government
done since that time? They had not taken off any taxes,
and it therefere became their duty to demand cheap go-
vet nment.—(lmmense applause.) There must not
be luxury to the idle, and slavery to the indus-
trious. And if they were to have free trade in corn,
they must have cheap government. They must com-
mence at the root of t-e tree, and reduce the allow-
ances
of the Queen, Prince Albert, and the Ministers of
Sate. All sinecures and useless offices must be abolished.
Their local taxation was always increasing, and they
lately had sad lied on them a police, which cost him
more in a year than had ever been stolen from him in
thirty years. Then, again. there were expensive gaols,
in which the prisoners were so well fed as to give a
premium to poor labourers to commit crime. The
fundhelder paid no portion of this taxation. The
manufacturer doing business to the extent of
80,000/., and employing 800 or 1,000 men, did
nut pay local taxation equel to the termer rented
at 800/. a year.—(" On, oh," and uproar.) And
then, when they did not want their hands, they turned
them off to be kept by the farmers .—(Cries of "False,
false," and uproar.) They were told that they must call
in science to improve their farming, but they must leave
off improvements if they got no remuneration. Glou-
cestershire was celebrated for improvements, and Earl
Ducie set up a farm for himself to try those im-
provements, and took part in a farce at Covent-
garden Theatre, called " Gammoning the Farmers,"
and said wheat could be grown at 3s. 6d. a bushel.
Now they did not hear much of that farm now,
and the balance-sheet had not been produced. Then
there were the scientific farmers at Cirencester Col-
lege, the London shopkeepers, and others, who bad
tried farming in Gloucestershire, when wheat was at
seven shillings per bushel, and failed ; and yet the
poor clay-headed farmers, as they were called, were
expected to carry on their terms when wheat was only
five shillings per bushel. Now he found that manu-
facturers had some protection; ten per cent. on cotton,
ten per cent. on *ilk , fifteen per cent. on velvets, &c.
If they were to have free trade in corn they
ought to have free trade in everything, with great re-
redactions in rent and taxation, or they could not go on.
Pa liament refused t listen to them, and if they con-
tinusd in their preseat course they must wait on the
Queen 100,000 strong, and telling her that the Ministers
were ruining the best streng,h of the country, call upon
her to dismiss them, and call to her councils men who
would pursue a system of government which would give
the people employment. The speaker concluded by
moving a resolution, to the effect that extreme distress
prevailed among all classes connected with agriculture in
this country.
Mr. DAVID BOWLEY seconded the motion.
Tne resolution was then put, and declared. to have
been carried, amidst huzzeing and clapping of hands.
Mr. J. KEARSHLW moved the second resolution—
" Thet the distress coul I only be attributed to the effects
nt recent legislation, which 1.-ft the occupier of land to
b tar a larger sb ire of local and general taxation than
other classes—(("h ers, and cries of No')—though it
1-47 him op-n to competition from the foreigi.r." It they
cealif put their taxation upon a footing, wi.b that
of the c intieent, they could cemp•te with the whole of
the werld.—(Cheers.) Distress q tally existed in the
manufacturing and agricultural disi rites; but the menu
facturers employed women and children, while the tar-
mere employed able-bodied men.—(Cheers.) The far-
mers never employed people with iut having The money
to pay them, while the manufacturers paid 3s. or 44. in
the pound. time after time, and went on as before.—
(Hear.) He maintained that they must have an equali-
sation of taxes, or they must all be ruined.—(Cheers,
and cries of " Oh. oh.")
Mr. 0. F. Osseow seconded the resolution.
Earl Deem then came forward amidst the loud st
cheering and uproar. The meeting had been convened
to take into eon-iiteration the cause of agricultural dis-
tress. He had never heard of the requisition tilt he sew
it advertised, though he would hive signed it whh
pleasure.—(Cheers.) Those who knew him cou/ii
hardly suppese that he did not feel for the sufferings
of his fellow-men. He had nut been invited to the
meeting, but he had come lest resolutions should
be proposed to which he ceuld not assent--(Cneers.)
Farmers were very susceptible people—they were easily
elevated and easily depressed.—(Cheers and uproar.)
Oil, he was in good temper, and he would try to put them
in one also.—(Cheers.) One day a few years since he
went into an agricultural district to have his hair cut, and
the barber said that he appeared to be better than usual.
He asked him on what he grounded his opinion, and he
replied because his (Lord Ducie's) hair was so crisp. He
said that he cut the hair of a good many farmers, and he
could always tell the state of the market by it. When
the market was bad their hair was quite limp, but when
the market was good their hair was beautifully crisp.
That proved their susceptibility. Well, knowing how
susceptible the farmers were, he thought they might be
misled by tarty leaders, if he did not attend to warn theta
of their position. They were led in 1841 to reject a fixed
duty, which was then preposed.—(Criee of "Sold.") Well.
if they liked it better, they were sold in 1841 by parties
who induced them to reject a fixed duty, in order not
to benefit the farmers, but to step into the shoes of the
Ministers. It was a comfortable position to be placed
in, to find that in moving an amendment one had
nothing to say against the previous speakers ; in fact,
the first two were the jolliest free-traders he ever heard.
He was now abut to move an amendment to the re-
solution before them, because it attributed the dis-
tress to the repeal of the corn-laws.—(Cries of
" No, no.") Then, w hat did " recent legislation ' znean
Now, Mr. Matthews complained of the want of cheap
government. So did he. That gentleman wanted to
have a reduction in local rates. Se did he. Well, to do
that, they ought to petition in favour of Mr. Hume's
8,1 l for joining the ratepayers with the magistrates in
their government. Then Mr. Matthews wis against
church-rates. So was he.—(Appl ,u,e.) They said
that the present distress was owing to the corn-lawn
of three months old —("Oh, oh," " False," and a cry of
" Three years.") Three )vane why, they had had
corn at 105 a. within that period. The real cause of the
distress was the bad crop, and infamous quality of last
year.—(Cries of "False, false!" "Oh, oh!") Why,
good corn was now worth 50.;.—(Cries of "False,
false, we cannot get it.") They had no good
corn to sell. He was talking to NE. Guizot
the other day about the anarchy and rerolu.
lion existing on the Continent, and that great
man had saul, that it' they had not removed that mon-
ster grievance, the corn-laws, this country would have
been in as bad a state as any other. Now, it the corn-
laws had not been repeal. d, and they had been forced
to feed the poled:Aden on their own damp and unwho!e-
some wheat of last year, they would have been subject,- d
to the cholera.—(Cheers, uproar, and tries of " Nonsense,
and the cholera is not here.") The chclera had been
ravaging, the Continent, and the seeds of it were in Eng•
land, aye, even in that town, and that heel would have
made it worse.—(Uproar, cries of " Question," &e.)
lie begged to conclude by moving his amendment—viz ,
Thet this meeting regrets the depression under which
the agricultural interest is lab Raring; but believing that
it will revive with the general improvement of trade
and commerce, has only to express its gratitude to God
for the continued peace and security this country has
enjoyed, and the present prospects of an abundant
barveet, so essential to the general prosperity of the j
cauntry."

.`fr. SAMUEL Bowlxv rase to second the ananndment.
lle could not understand why the question could not be
discussed in quietness, as the interests of all par-
ties were equally concerned. Could any one sup•
pose that the country could have gone through the
revul•iun it had without occasionit, considerable dis-
lr,ss? The tradesman had suffered in his profits, the
iman'iiile:urPr had suffered, the railway speculator had
%v,.;1, it must ba felt through all classes,
and tLe farmer could not Qxpoet to escape. If the
farmers were in sash miserable distress as they stated, it
must have been brought upon them by protection.
Well, as free trade had only existed three or four
mouths, if that had caused them to lose all their money
they must have had but very little to lose. Now what
*Ss protection to do? Was it to raise the price of
corn? —(Cries of "Yes.") We!l, if a man had 9s. a week,
hebad to pay 6s. a week for bread, and if the price of
corn was raised one- fifth, it would tax the poor man to the
extent of 3/. 2s. 4d. per annum. If a gentleman had
1,0'004 a year, he generally only spent 1.40 th for bread,