The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-21 00:00:00

THE INDUSTRIOUS CLASSES.

The following are extracts from a very sensible
address lately issued by " The Institution for
Bettering the Condition of the Industrious
Classes
:"
The Institution earnestly recommends the formation, in
every parish and town, in the kingdom, of—
A Committee for the protection and encouragement of
the industrious classes :—The members of this Committee,
to consist of enlightened and worthy persons, of every
rank and station in society; so as to unite the experience
and co-operation of the rich and the poor, and to promote
that union and mutual regard so essential to the real in-
terest of every class, and so secure a barrier against every
inroad of injustice and violence.

The immense importance of suppressing drunkenness
by every proper means. To this end, the co-operation of
every Christian, every reasonable person, should be
earnestly directe; and none can be at a loss for the most
pressing reasons, for urging the indispensable necessity of
sobriety to every one who prefers comfort, respectability,
and future happiness, to squalid want, unnatural diseases,
untimely death, and the more terrible, but scarcely less
certain alternatives—domestic di-cord and cruelty, the
commission of the most revolting crimes, and the utter
misery of human and divine retribution. The countless
records of the shocking effects of drunkenness, will con-
vince every one, that it is incompatible with comfort or
happiness; and that it justly merits the place which the
Gospel assigns to it amongst the most flagrant crimes.
In a pecuniary point of view, it causes such waste as to
render even liberal wages utterly insufficient for mere pre-
sent comfort ; and futurity is left exposed to every vicissi-
tude of misery.
The Committees, or sections of them, might constantly
form and carry into effect, plans fer augmenting the wages
of good workmen, or rendering them more adequate to
their expenses, and for procuring employment for workmen
of good character ; and, with reference to the great in-
terests at issue, to watch over the progress of manufac-
tures, &c., and prevent the loss of vast markets from illicit
practices and deteriorated articles ; and also to use every
exertion to render war.simpossible, and our friendly rela-
tions with Foreign States advantageous to all parties.
Other plans for leading every family and individual to
make some provision for future cont►ugenciea, old age,
&c., which should be encouraged by every proper means.
Plans to turn these savings to advantage, so as to improve
the general circumstances of the owners ; plans of small
loans for tools, or small undertakings, which have been
successfully adopted and managed by the ladies of one of
- our noble families, in the north of England ;—plans for
assuring supplies of good food at the fair market price, so
as to enable the poor to:lay out their money as advan-
tageously ;as the wore wealthy classes; and for hav-

_ .
ins duties regulated so as to render them more pro-
&Al: and less burdensome. The Corn-law question
might be so treated in these Committees as to prevent in-
justice to any party ; and the Institution suggests the
propriety of examining whether justice and good policy
do not recommend a reduction of the corn duty at least
commensurate with the augmentation of our population
sinee 1827. Taking that augmentation at about 1 per
cent. per annum, or perhaps 20 per cent. in all, the pro-
portionate reduction of duty on 62e. would be about
12s. 5d., leaving the duty on that price at 12s. 3d. per
quarter, and the other duties in proportion. It seems to
be admitted, that our average crops have been insufficient
for our population ; and this fact, and the excessive price
of butchers' meat, said to be caused by the want of pas-
ture, seem to justify a reduction of duty, at :least propor-
tionate to the annual increase cf population ; and may
serve as the basis of a further yearly reduction, so as to
meet contending views of justice, and finally to relieve the
staff of life from duty, without any violent perturbation.
Such views may deserve the attention of landlords, as
serious fluctuations in the value and security of property,
pubic revenue, &c, may occur, should excessive duties ou
corn still expose the country to sudden and exhausting
drains of gold, which might at least be mitigated, if not
wholly avoided, by the facilities which would result from a
regular and gradual importation. It is grievous to reflect
on the hard trials which now press upon the less fortunate
workmen, numbers of whom scarcely gain 4-sths of the sum
required to enable them to exist, without injury to their
health. This most painful fact has been fully proved by
recent investigations ; and the Institution calls upon all par-
ties to adopt some means of reducing the burdens of the
wcrthy and industrious poor. By a general and patient
effort, the relief granted by the Poor-laws might be ren-
dered far more efficacious. The honest and industrious
should be distinguished from the undeserving applicants,
and be so tenderly dealt with as to soothe their feelings in
distress, and encourage their worthy efforts to live by their
own industry. Our Jewish congregations adopt many
kind and successful regulations, tending not only to relieve
present want, but to re-establish their unfortunate bre-
thren, and thus stop the progress of pauperism. Should
such an example be lost on Christians? Our care for the
welfare of such classes will lead to the discouragement of
itinerant beggars. This Institution has been informed by
an excellent Magistrate, that, in his own district, the con-
tributions collected by such individuals are found equal in
amount te the whole poors'srate ; though the great extent
of the indigent population makes that rate not less than
5.. 4d. in the pound, upon nearly the full rents of about
10,000 houses. The pecuniary pressure, and still worse
results, of such an evil must be obvious. The plan should
be adopted of sectional relief Committees (pursued with
success in Prussia), or even a still greater subdivision,
making the contributors really acquainted with the re-
lieved, and rendering the system far more advantageous to
both parties. The Committees should never lose sight of
the very great advantage of small allotments of land,
enabling the poorer classes to grow their potatoes and
other vegetables, and affording them agreeable and profit-
able occupation when they are otherwise unemployed.
Some reasonable and healthy recreation should be encou-
raged, but so as to amuse the whole family, and not with-
draw the husband and father to some brutish debauch,
apart from, and to the grief of his poor wife and family.
They who love the gracious Giver of all their worldly ad-
vantages—the only safe foundation of enduring happiness
—will gladly make the worthy poor partakers of the funds,
&c., they set apart for the purposes cf hospitality and en-
tertainment. They will respect the heevenly command,
and will become partakers of the transcendent blessings
consequent on its fulfilment.

THE GRAND BANQUET GIVEN
BY THE CINQUE PORTS TO THE DUKE

OF WELLINGTON.

The Kent Tories, some two years ago, got up an
affair which they miscalled a "grand banquet in honour
of the Duke of Wellington," and which they further
stated to be "given" by the Cinque Ports to their illus-
trious Warden. The matter was a gross imposition
upon public credulity, for the purpose of obtaining a pal.
try party advantage at the public expense. It failed of its
object ; it not only failed as a party demonstration, but
was soon known to have involved its projectors in consi-
derable loss. This was mortifying
.
« Loss of fame,
Although it grieved them sore,
Yet loss of pelf, full well I ween,
Has grieved them ten times more."
The tradesmen who supplied the delicious viands
and costly wines, and appropriate decorations of the
pavilion, have been anxiously concerned to obtain
payment of their demands, large balances of which re-
main unliquidated. Last week the clerk to the Town-
Council of one of the Cinque Ports informed the assem-
bled functionaries at their meeting, that he had been
served with a writ of summons for a considerable sum
claimed as their quota of deficiency due for the said
Wellington banquet. The functionaries looked dis-
mayed. They had no funds at their disposal for such
purposes ; and seemed to express by their rueful coun-
tenances the regret they felt that so glorious a feast
should produce so sorrowful an after-reckoning. We un-
derstand that the writ served is the commencement of pro-
ceedirga which are to be followed by actions against all
those of the Cinque Ports which concurred in the project,
and sent deputies to the banquet, if upon the forthcoming
trial the plaintiff succeeds in fixing the port selected for the
experiment.

In the meantime, 't is fair to ask whether the entertain-
ment thus prepared for the Duke of Wellington was an
honour or an insult? Would the Duke have condescended
to grace the scene with his presence, or have lent his
name to give eclat to the ‘‘ grand banquet," could he have
anticipated that the tradesmen who supplied the good
things for the occasion would have been bilked of their
claims by those who invited him to partake of their hospi-
tality ?—Evening Paper.

BREAD TAX.
TO THE EDITOR Of THE SUN.
Sta,—ln the leading article of your journal, nearly a
month ago, you stated that the evil inflicted on society by
the bread-tax, and its injustice, were such that it ought to
be resisted, and you seemed to regret that no way per -
vented itself by which it could be resisted, unless by the
wealthy merchants and shipowners.
At the very time when the opi,:ion was given by you
there issued from the pleas, in the West Riding of York-
shire, a pamphlet on the subject called " Daily Bread, or
Taxation without Representation Resisted, being a pl in for
the Abolition of the Bread-tax," by one of the million,*
showing clearly the way by which a successful resistance
might be made by the people themselves.
In the populous districts of Lancashire and Yorkshire
the pamphlet is obtaining a very extensive circulation, and
creating a deep interest, and measures are in the course of
progre's for putting the plan in practice.
Its legality is ungurstionable—this is admitted on all
hands. The Anti-Corn-law Circular has said of it,
" The plan is at once bold, startling, yet perfectly legal."
Even the Morning Chronicle has admitted, " For aught
it appears the przeess would be perfectly legal." Again
it says, ,t Whatever the wisdom, justice, or expediency of
any one step of the process each is yet free from the
charge of unlawfulness. The proposition is legal, and it
is entertained." The Morning Chronicle does more than
admit the legality c f the plan, for it afterwards says,
" Analogous experiments have heyn tr cd on former
ot:s These experiments won a place in

. . . Th,s'y were scout rl with great super-
ciliousts, but they (:id the work•"t
I have the means of furnislaiog you with a copy of a letter
on the subject from the author of " Daily Bread" to a
member of the Lcague, the whole or part of which appears
to me suited for publication in The Sun.
I am, Sir, yours respectfully,
A REPEALER.

The Sun gave a long extract from the pamphlet
above-ruenticned on its first appearance. The letter re-
ferred to by our C,rresoondent is too long for our columns
at present.—. FD qUN

London publisher, Effingham Wilson.
t Morning Chronicle, April 13.

EDITORIAL CORRECTIONS.—A Devonport
paper contains a letter referring to the British Asseciation
with a postscript correcting erroneous statements as to tLe
time of their meeting. It is thus printed •—" P. S. As
inaccurate statements hava appeared in some of the news-
papers respecting the time of meeting at Plymouth, it is
right to,announce that the Council has finally determined
that the opening shall be on the 90q: ( !!) cf July, and to
close on the 4th of August."