The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-22 00:00:00

PUBLIC DISTRESS.

A meeting was held on Monday at the Montpelier Ta-
vern, Walworth, to address her Majesty, and petition
Parliament for redress of grievances. The room, soon
after eight o'clock, was nearly filled by working men,
many of whom brought their wives, who were accommo-
dated with seats on the platform.
Mr. BROWN, having been voted to the Chair, declared
in appropriate terms his desire to give every person a
fair and liberal hearing. The meeting was called to
consider the great distress of the country ; secondly, to
petition the House of Commons for a remedy. So far
as the existence of distress was in question, he thought
the reports from Paisley, and even in Walworth where
they were then assembled, must remove all doubt. The
National Petition, which they were then called upon to
advocate, had already been signed by 10,000 in the
Borough of Southwark. He had no doubt it would re-
ceive a large addition to those signatures within a short
space of time.
Mr. W. BALLS proposed the first resolution :—" That
it was the opinion of the meeting, that the distress which
then pervaded the country was solely occasioned by class
legislation." He proceeded to enumerate the many in-
stances of suffering among the working classes in Not-
tingham, Bolton, and other parts. The artisans of Eng-
land were in a state of starvation. In Ireland, during a
considerable length of time, one-third of the population
had been living as mendicants. The present state of so-
ciety was unnatural. Those who made garments and
produced food, were without food or garments. The
cause of this unnatural state was class legislation. The
legislatorslad denied the working classes the benefit of
their labour. TheAhad sanctioned a debt of eight hun-
dred millions, with which the working men had no con-
nexion.—(Hear.) They had introduced the game laws,
and supported the law of primogeniture, introduced in
the time of William the Conqueror, to keep up the
power of the Barons and rivet the chains of the people.
They had also of late years passed no less than 1,948
Inclosure Acts, depriving the poor industrious parts of
the community of millions of acres. Having adverted to
the expenses of the army, and navy, which were upheld,
he said, in the Legislature to support the sons of the
aristocracy, he asserted that the repeal of the Corn-laws
would not benefit the people. The time had gone by.
The workmen on the Continent were then the rivals of
this country. The only remedy for the misfortunes of
the country was the extension of the suffrage to the
working classes. Sir W. Jones had said the possession
of the franchise made the difference between a freeman
and a slave. The Charter claimed by the working
classes alone would be the means of rescuing the people
from their present degraded state. He concluded by
moving the resolution b adopted.
Mr. R. RIDLEY seconded the resolution, and stated,
with great talent, the present hardship and sufferings of
the distressed operatives. _ _ _

The resolution was put and carried unanimously.
Mr. WHEELER then read the National Petition to tl •
House of Commons —(the same voted at the Southwark
meeting)—which was adopted.
Mr. MAYNARD sta! ed that nothing could be further
from the intention of the Chartists than the violation of
property. They did not want a revolution; but merely
the rights which belonged to their class, and to all their
fellow-subjects.
The next business was a memorial to her Majesty on
the subject of the offences committed by Frost, Jones,
and Williams, and praying her Majesty, on the birth of
the Prince of Wales, to grant those individuals a pardon.
The memorial was agreed to.
The petition to the House of Commons and memorial
to her Majesty were then referred to the Members for
the county to be by them presented.
Thanks having been voted to the Chairman for his ex-
cellent conduct in the chair, the meeting adjourned.

DISTRESS OF THE COUNTRY.
MEETING OF THE DISTRESSED SPITAL-

FIELDS WEAVERS.

On Saturday night, at nine o'clock, a numerous meet-
ing of the Spitalfields weavers was held at the Knave of
Clubs, Club-row, Bethnal-green, for the purpose of re-
ceiving the Report of the Committee, in reference to the
steps taken towards the relief of the unemployed and dis-
tressed weavers in that district ; Mr. Boddington in the
Chair.

Mr. CLAISSE, the Secretary, having read the Report of
the many eases of urgent destitution in the neighbourhood,

Mr. JENNINGS said that the Committee had been now
four weeks engaged for the benefit of the weavers. They
had waited on bankers, manufacturers, and gentlemen of
Property without any remuneration. They had done all
they possibly could for their distressed fellow-workmen.
A WEAvliat said that much sympathy had been ex-
precised for the Spitalfields weavers ; but, though they
had now been some weeks caning for relief, none had
been offered. They had heard of distress in Bolton,
Manchester, Paisley, and other manufacturing towns,
and relief had been afforded; yet the distress was not
greater in those places than it was among the weavers
of Spitalfields. There were 8,000 looms unemployed,
and taking three persons from each loom, made 24,000
out of work.---(Hear, hear.) How many were there who
would now be glad to have a few coals, and some bread
for their families!—(Hear,hear.) Many will be starving
if relief is not afforded soon.—(Several voices, " They
are starving and dying.") He should move that a meet-
ing of the unemployed weavers be forthwith called.
The resolution having been seconded, and several
weavers having spoken to it,.
Mr. Fox said that the pro
seem i 1 a
r meetingwhether
tOrrd oe f r
a t
o s i
had been discussed by the Committee. It was, however,
e
thought better now to
wait, P
inl'i
be
district meeting would called.. If the money in the
Lord Mayor be given for
hands of the
persons in whom they have no confidence, then they
meeting. three could call a general district Teat
weeks
ago
the necessity for relief was said to be But, from
e
some cause, this extraordinary delay
has occurred.—
(Hear, hear.) Now the gentlemen have another move
on the board. He consideaed that the best cour so
Was
to see what plan would be recommended.
Mr. WELSH moved an amendment that the considers_
tiou of the resolution be adjourned to Tuesday night.
A WEAVER seconded the amendment;
when
The CHAIRMAN, having observed that
they
could
question at
proceed any further in the discussion of
that late hour (twelve o'clock), put th the ci
e amendment,
which was lost. The meeting then broke up.

MERCHANT SEAMEN'S COMPANY
The Quarterly General Meeting of the Court of
Directors of this Company was held yesterday, at the
office of the Company, 25, Birchin-lane, Cornhill. The
meeting was a mere routine one, and called for the pur-
pose of following the directions of the Act of Parliament
incorporating the Company, which provides that a general
meeting of the Directors should be held each quarter.
Some of the accounts were submitted to the Directors,
which were confirmed ; after which several petitions
from individuals interested in the Company were pre-
sented to the Court, and the meeting adjourned, having
sat only half an hour. Nous but Proprietors were present.