The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-21 00:00:00

GUST
,01, 041,

vo t in:stitutans'?,L:l6, I have observed a distinct con-
nection, and, of late, have been obliged to refuS'e many
applications for collections to charitable and rcligiOus
institutions, the great majority of my congregation
being now barely able to support themselves.
Question 11. Have. you ,found any falling-off in the
numbers of your congregation in consequence of the'di
tress occasioned by the high price of feed ?--Answer.
Many who a few years ago were respectable, and contri-
bated cheerfully and liberally to the funds of the congre-
gation, are now unable to pay seat rents; and numbers, in
consequence of the want of decent apparel, who were
regular in their attendance on ordinances, never appear
in the church at all.

- Question 12. Has there been any decrease in the at-
tendance of scholars at your Sunday Sehools, and if so,
to what cause-do you attribute it?---Answer. The atten•-
dance of the children of the humbler classes has greatly
decreased; and, upon the, parents being visited by the
teachers,. it was distinctly ascertained that a deficiency
of suitable clothing was the cause. I find it to be the
opinion ofthe most intelligent and' enterprising commer-
cial gentlemen in the locality, that the depression of trade
and the gradual diminution of well-paid employment to
the working classes is occasioned solely and entirely by
the food monopoly.
Several other Rev. Gentlemen laid before the meeting
thany striking and interesting facts relating to the con-
dition of the labouring classes, and the share which the
Corn-laws have had in producing their deteriorated con 7
dition, when the meeting separated.

The following is a more full account than we crave
yesterday of the proceedings at the meeting on Wed'nes-
day evening.
The Chairman resumed his seat shortly after four
o'clock, by which time the hall was densely crowded in
every

•
The Rev. Mr. THOMPSON, of Swansea, rose to move
the first resolution—" That, influenced at once by feel-
ings of sympathy for the suffering poor, with whom their
official duties bring them into daily contact, and by a
deep interest in the success of that religion whereof they
are ministers, this Conference feels itself only acting from
a strong sense of duty in examining into the causes of
the existing distress, and, after the example of the Sa-
viour himself, in employing its utmost influence to alle-
viate or remove it."
The Rev. Mr. SPENCER seconded the resolution. He
congratulated the conference on their proceedings up to
that time. As ministers of religion they were bound to
relieve distress. The Corn-laws produced distress ; there-
fore plainly it was their duty to oppose them. Pure reli-
gion, they were informed in the sacred writings, was to
visit the poor and fatherless in their affliction, and what
would they say of the man who would walk into the
poor man's house, and, seeing the cause of his affliction
and distress, would take no steps to remove them? None
knew better than the Ministers of religion the cause of
the misery prevalent throughout the land. That know-
ledge had brought together the powerful and influential
assemblage he saw around him.—(Hear, hear.) Out of
144 hotiseholders which constituted his parish, 126 were
in favour of free trade. The landowners thought them-
selves the .best judges of what was for the good of the
country, and maintained that, as a class, they were best
fitted to form a right opinion. Admitting that to be so,
he would convict them out of their own mouths, for the
landowners of the Continent and America, who were by
far the larger number, united in condemning unani-
mously the existing Corn-laws.—(Hear, hear.) After
showing the advantages that would flow to the country
at large from a repeal of the Corn-laws, the Reverend
Gentleman resumed his seat amidst loud cheers.
After a few words from the Rev. Mr. PHILLIPS, of
Liverpool, the resolution was put and carried unani-
mously.
The Rev. Mr. FLETCHER intimated that, in addition to
those who had already spoken, not fewer than fifty Mi-
nisters had been specially deputed by their congregations
to address the conference. These gentlemen were natu-
rally anxious to fulfil the trust reposed in them, by lay-
ing before their brethren the facts which they had been
requested to communicate and bearing upon the ques-
tion they had met to discuss. He would, in the name
of the Committee, press upon the succeeding speakers
the necessity of being as brief as possible in their state-
ments, as there was much business remaining to be
transacted. It was contemplated to address her Ma-
jesty.—(Cheers.) That illustrious lady, as appeared by
that day's Gazette, had appointed the Hon. and Rer.
Baptist Noel one of her chaplains.--(Loud cheers, which
were repeated again and again.) Besides that, a petition
was to be drawn up and presented to Parliament.—
(Cheers.) He would not say much about Parliaments
then. They had a better Parliament there.—(Cheers
and laughter.) They were also to prepare an address
to the country—an address to every minister of religion
—to every congregation—and, lastly, to the Methodist
Conference. (Tremendous cheering.) There were
50,000 Methodists in the kingdom, and not a Methodist
there. They must tell the people, and they would tell
them.—(Loud cheers.) To-morrow would be devoted
to the communication of facts and not speeches. They
would prepare the documents which he had mentioned
at the earliest possible period.
The Rev. Dr. PAYNE, of Exeter, moved the next re-
solution. All protective duties were a blot upon their
statute-book, and they should get them expunged as
soon as possible.—(Hear, hear.) Only let the Govern-
ments of the world let science, and trade, and commerce
alone, and they would thrive better than under their pro-
tecting care.—(Hear, hear.) He concluded by reading
the resolution," That, in the face of the facts which have
come under their notice in their own respective neigh-
bourhoods, no less than by statements laid before them,
the Ministers composing this Conference cannot avoid the
'painful conviction that much of the wide-spread distress
of the present time is attributable to provision laws, in-
asmuch as they limit the supply, and thereby, enhancing
thetost of the common necessaries of life, fetter indus-
try, trepress enterprise, divert the legitimate employ-
ment of capital, and spread discontent and heart-
burning through the land." He denied that ministers
were unable to grapple with and understand the prin-
ciples of political economy. Their habits of thought
and'closo and consecutive reasoning, peculiarly titled
them for its study. After recommending his brethren
to render themselves still more conversant with that
science,—

The hey. Mr. HAnviE, of Glasgow, seconded the reso-
lution. The Reverend Gentleman read several state-
ments regarding the locality with which he was con-
nected. It appeared that there was a vast extent of suf-
fering, the consequence of which was a great and ra-
pidly increasing demoralization in the habits of the
people. After some energetic remarks on the impor-
tance:of increasing, and indefatigable exertions in procur-
ing, an abolition of the Corn-laws,
The CHAIRMAN put the resolution, and it was carried
unanimously.
The Rev. Dr. ErrcHlE, of Edinburgh, moved the
next resolution to the following effect :—" That, be-
lieving the law of Almighty God, as revealed in his
Word, ought to be in all cases the rule of human action,
that any allowed deviation from it, either in individual con-
duct, or in the affairs of nations, must incur the Divine
displeasure—a:li convinced that a monopoly in bread is
anti-Christian in its principle, this Conference, while it
seeks the abolition of the provision laws on other high
and important grounds, more especially deprecates their
continuance as a great national offence against that Being
by whom kings reign, and princes decree justice." It
afforded him great pleasure to address so immense and
august an assembly. He had laboured for forty years
for the abolition of slavery, and had happily lived to see
the success of his efforts.—(Cheers.) The cause of hu-
manity was involved in the great question they were met
to discuss. The Corn-laws must be abolished, and upon
religious principles he protested against their longer con-
tin u ance.—(C h eers.) _ _

The resolution was seconded by the Rev. JEROME
CLAPP, of Appledore, Devon, put from the Chair, and
agreed to nem. con.
The Rev. Mr. GILES, of Leeds, came forward amidst
loud cheers to move the next resolution :-44 That the
laws which restrict the importation of the prime neces-
saries of life are, in the judgment of this Conference,
essentially and manifestly unjust, and operate with pecu-
liar hardship on the operative classes, by at once limit-
ing the market for the disposal of the fruits of their
labour, and raising the price of food when they are least
able to procure it."' The history of the Corn-laws was
a piece of unmitigated injustice. The very year the
Highlanders were starving for food, no less than 956
quarters of Russian corn were thrown into the river,
having been kept for two years in bond and become unfit
for use. After explaining the system of juggling in fix-
ing the corn averages, practised- by the corn-factors in
Mark-lane, the Reverend Gentleman entered fully into
the nature and effect of the Corn-laws, and showed their
injurious influence upon all classes of society, both at home
and abroad, and resumed his seat amidst loud cheers.
The Rev. Mr. ARCHER, from Antrim, Ireland, came
forward, and was very warmly received. The wages of
the common labourer in the part of the country from
which he came, were no more than from three shillings
to five shillings and sixpence a week—(Hear, hear)—and
the amount of wages, so far from increasing, was conti-
nually diminishing. He could hire ten, twenty, or thirty
labourers in his flock at five pence a day, and almost any
number could be had for ten pence a day. They might
figure to themselves the condition of the families of such
unfortunate men. He was asked whether the wages did
not rise sometimes ? His reply was, no, they never rise.
—(Hear, hear.) The proprietors of the soil never,
under any circumstances rose the wages.—(Cries of
" Hear, hear.") That was a plain statement of facts
which would carry conviction to every honest breast.
The venerable gentleman resuming his scat, was greeted
with the warmest acclamation.
The Rev. T. SWAN, of Birmingham, then addressed
the COnference. The facts which had been mentioned
that day were sufficient to cause the very granite stones
to cry out. They proved that millions of white slaves
were to be found in this country. Their task was, if
possible, to emancipate these slaves.—(Cheers.) He was
sent there by the unanimous vote of a church of 800
members, and his venerable brother Morgan was sent by
a unanimous vote of 600.—(Hear, hear.) Their people
were in advance of them. He was, to his shame he ac-
knowledged it, wafted into that august assembly on the
wave of popular will.—(Cheers.)
The resolution was then carried.
The Rer. Mr. M'KERRow intimated that Mr. George
Thompson would address them to-morrow—(Chens)—
and that Mr. O'Connell was also expected.—(Cheers.)
The Rev. Taos. Antis/sox read the next resolution:—
" That in the undeniable fact of the reciprocal depen-
dence of the several branches of the human family, this
Conference, recognising the admirable provision of the
All-wise, Beneficent Creator for securing their indivi-
dual happiness, maintaining their peaceful intercourse,
and enhacing their collective welfare, in consequence
feels itself solemnly bound to declare its uncompromis-
ing hostility to those legislative enactments, which pre-
vent the ever-increasinir population of this country from
exchanging the products of their manufacturing industry
and skill, which they are especially enabled to proffer,
for food which they so much need, and which other
countries are so well able and most anxious to give in re-
• turn for them."

It was seconded by the Rev. Mr. EDWARDS, of Not-
lin a am, 'arid tarried unanimously.
The 6,llowin,g,resolutionS were then respectively pro-
posed, and being seconded, were agreed to unanimously
That no of eetual relief- can be supplied. either by
parochial assessments or the benefactions of private or
associated charity,- that the necessary remedy for the
existing distress is full employment and adequate rerunneration ; and that it is vain to hope to elevate the la-
bouring classes from their present depression so long
as the existing system of provision laws continue to in-
terpose bet Ween the bounty of God and the necessities of
his creatures." •

" That this Conference, deeply interested in the main-
tenance of the various benevolent and religious institu-
tions which exist in our coantry, and which depend for
their support on the general prosperity of the commu-
nity, is penetrated with the conviction that the resources
of runny of those institutions have been already materially
aft eted by the prevailing distress, and fears that unless
that distress be speedily and effectually alleviated, Chris-
tians, instead of enlarging, must contract their sphere of
benevolence."

Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the
Conference broke up at a late hour.

IRELAND.
MIZ. O'CONNELL IN DROGHEDA.
DHOCIIEDA, TWELVE O'CLOCK, MONDAY NIGHT.—
Mr. O'Connell arrived here to-day shortly before three
o'clock, to attend a meeting that had been convened by
the inhabitants, to petition for a repeal of the Legisla-
tive Union. The Honourable .and Learned Gentleman
was also invited to a public entertainment got up by the
patriotic trades of Drogheda, which took place this
evening at the Linen-hall. He left Dublin at eight
o'clock in the morning, accompanied by Tom Steele
and Mr. O'Neill Daunt, and at Balbriggan, and other
places along the line of road, the party were met by
thousands of the country people, who greeted Mr.
O'Connell and his friends with the most enthusiastic
shouts of acclamation. In the town of Drogheda
the houses were decorated with laurels and evergreens.
Every street and alley wore a verdant appearance.
The procession returned from where it met Mr. O'Con-
nell in the same order as it had left the town ; and
about half-past two reached the West-gate, when the
ni.mbers assembled amounted to upwards of twenty
thousand. The whole cortege then, proceeded to ,the
Merchant's-quay, opposite the shipping, where a large
platform was erected for the accommodation, of the
speakers.
. .
Mr. O'Connell was attired in the Volunteer uniform,
and appeared in excellent health and spirits.
On the motiol of JOSEPH M'CANN, Esq., secendeitby
Mr. JOHN COLLINS, Nicholas Boylan, Esq., J. P. of Hit-
town-house, was called to the chair amid loud cheers.

The first resolution was proposed by Mr. B. B. STAF•
FORD and seconded by Mr. O'DONEGAN.
Mr. O'CONNELL came forward amidst loud cheers to
address the assembly. The Hon. Member said, I come
here to-day to begin the agitation of the Repeal of the
Legislative Union.—(Loud cheers.) Every thing we
have done hitherto is as nothing compared to that vital
question.—(Cheers.) The Whig party are virtually out
of office ; in the course of three weeks they will be en-
tirely out of office, and the Tories will be in power. One
thing, blessed be Heaven, and one thing alone remains
for us, and that is the Repeal.—(Hear and cheers.)
How many of you are Repealers ?—(Cries of " All,
all !") Then hurrah for the Repeal.—(Renewed cheer-
ing.) My purpose was always the same.—(Hear.) I
was a Precursor for Repetl, because many and many an
honest and conscientious man told me that we would get
from England, and an English Parliament, all Ireland
wanted—that if we only asked multitudinously for those
measures of relief which Ireland wanted, an English
Parliament would grant them to us. Well, I made
the experiment, and Ireland backed me in my exertions.
The charm now is over—there is no longer any expecta-
tion of getting anything from a Whig Ministry, and
every honest man must now rally round me in looking
for the repeal.—(Cheers.) I want to know what chance
we have if we look to an Imperial Parliament for re-
dressing our grievances.—(Hear.) The first great griev-
ance is the Church nuisance. In Ireland the Church
temporalities are in the hands of a fraction of the people.
—(Hear.) They say they believe us to be in error ; we
return the compliment, and we say we believe them to be
in error, and I won't consent to pay them for the propa-
gation of error.—(Cheers.) In Parliament they tell
me that the grant to Maynooth is given for the support
of error. I say to that, take away the 9,0001. a year
for Maynooth that you say is given for the support
of error, and I will take away the two millions a
year which the Established Church in Ireland gets
for what I think to be the support of error.--(Cheers.)
I know only of one remedy for that evil, and that remedy
is to be found in the middle of College-green, opposite a
certain statue.—(Cheers.) I have news for you. I in-
tend that my statue shall be in that place, instead of the
fellow that is now there.—(Cheers and laughter.) I came
here to ask you to help me to do that.—(Cheers, and cries
of " We will.") Why, it would be worth your while to go
from this to College-green to look at the statue of an Irish-
man, for there never was one raised to an Irishman in Ire-
land since the English came here. No, not one, even to
Henry Grattan.—(Hear, and cheers for Henry Grattan.)
The next thing of which we have to complain is the
measure of Corporate Reform given to Ireland, and on
this point the most insulting and outrageous oppression
has been perpetrated on the people of Ireland.—(Hear,
hear.) In England they got a full measure of corporate
reform several years ago, but in Ireland it is only com-
ing to us now, and so is Christmas. Well, before Christ-
mas we, will have, not a full measure of corporation
reform, but one instalment of it—and let me tell you,
and it is some comfort to me to tell you, that on the 27th
of October next the present filthy corporation is at an
end.—(Cheers.) I will tell you what we will do ; the
best. thing that can be done, is to make arrangements to
bring the carcase of the old corporation here. Oh, no ;
we will bring it up higher—we will have the funeral on
the banks of the Boyne, and we'll erect a pillar opposite
to where the pillar now stands at the other side, in com-
memoration of the old corporation of Dublin.—(Cheers.)
I will tell you that there never will be another battle of
the Boyne in Ireland—(Loud cheers)—and for one rea-
son amongst others, the Irishmen that fought the
Boyne were satisfied to save their lives by flight ; but, if
the Irish ever have to tight that battle again, no man
will leave the ground but the conqueror.—(Cheers.)
There is the elective franchise in Ireland, and the present
state of it is another of our grievances, Na man can
have a vote that has not 104 ft-year clear out of his
holding, and that makes, in fact, 201. by the construction
given to the Act of Parliament. Well, in England,
a man who has a holding of the value of forty
shillings a year has a vote. England is a richer
country than Ireland, and yet the franchise is lower in
England than in Ireland. It is a gross insult to us to
make that distinction between the two countries.—
(Hear.) Do you know anything of how the administra-
tion of justice will be conducted if the Tories get into
power ? I will. tell you. They will make judges of
every man who has been most virulent in his bigotry
and hatred towards us. Those are the men that the
Tories will select to put on the bench, and what remedy
have we for that grievance ?—we have no remedy but
the Repeal.—(Cheers.) As I talked awhile ago about
_burying the old corporation of Dublin, I will tell you
what we'll do ; we will got an old dead rat and roll an
Orange scarf about him, and put him in an Orange
coffin, and call him the defunct corporation of Dublin,
(Laughter.)—
" I will plant a laurel tree, and call it liberty,
Says the Shan Van Voght.
And I'll take an Orange rat, that is both big and fat,
And I'll call the corporation that,
Says the Shan Van Voght.'
Let 'us struggle for Repeal.—(Cheers.) A shout will not
do ; you must join me manfully, and enrol yourselves
under my banner.—(Cheers and cries of "We will. )
Remember that the throne is filled by an illustrious lady
who shows the utmost superiority of intellect, and the
greatest purity of heart. Oh, may God bless hell—
(Cheers.) She is conquered by the Tories as well as we
are, but she has strength in her prerogative to break the
Tory fetters, and we will help her to defeat them. Three
cheers for the Queen.—(Loud cheers.) Let us, for ever,
banish disloyalty, tumult, and turbulence amongst us ;
let us meet in open day, in the presence of the Magis-
tracy, in view of the police ; let us combine constution-
ally and legally, until one universal shout is raised from
Cape Clear to the Giant's Causeway, and from Conne-
mara to the Hill of Howth, for the restoration of our
native Parliament. Then, hurrah for the Repeal !—Mr.
O'Connell sat down amidst loud cheering, which lasted
for several minutes. _ _ _

Mr. PATRIK BOYLAN proposed the nexuternetssoplueeticoini:
F:
Mr. STELE seconded it in a very eloquent
Mr. JOSEPH APCANN, Baymount, proposed the next
resolution, which was seconded by Mr. fluoli O'NEILL.
Mr. JAMES MARKEY, and some other speakers fol-
lowed ; after which the immense assemblage separated.
THE DINNER.
This entertainment took place at the Linen-hall. The
number of tickets issued was 500, which were all bought
up at an early hour in the day ; and several persons
went away who were unable to obtain admittance to the
dinin*-room. Nicholas Boylan, of Hilltown,
most
ably tilled the Chair Mr. Collins, of Drogheda, presided
as Vice-President. On the right of Mr. Boylan sat Mr.
O'Connell, Mr. Markey, of Walshestown ; Mr. Patrick
Markey, of Sarsfieldtown ; Mr. Nicholas Marker, of
Naul-park ; and Mr. Thoms Steele. On the left of the
Chairman sat Mr. Berkeley B. Stafford, of Moyne,
county of Louth ; Mr. Patrick Matthew, William O'Neil
Daunt, the Rev... Mr. Langan, and the Rev. Mr. Kelly.
Letters, apologising for their absence, were read from
John O'Connell, Esq., M.P. ; Henry Grattan, Esq.,
; Most Rev. Dr. Croly, Right Rev. Dr. Blake, and
Right Rev. Dr. Cantwell.
After the customary toasts, the Chairman gave " The
Repeal of the Legislative Union."—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. O'CONNELL rose, and was received with enthu-
siastic applause. We are now engaged in a new struggle.
—(Cheers.) The Catholics of Ireland had gone through
three ordeals. They had been three times in power
since their religion was persecuted in this country, and
they never persecuted in turn.—(Hear, hear. A Voice :
" And they never will.") Never. We are the
descendants of those who refused to persecute, and we
have a more thorough conviction of its enormity than
they had. England persecuted for conscience sake,
and religion was blotted out there. Catholic Ireland
never persecuted. Like captive Israel, she was bound
with c nig? ; vet, being freed from them, has not one
spot upon her history to call to her recollection the pain-
ful effects of religious persecntion,--(Loud cheers.)
.We
now come to the political question of Repeal; and I want
to know how many of you will submit to the present
state of things ?—(A voice " Never !") Will you sub-
mit to have the ecclesiastical revenues of the land in the
hands of the clergy of the minority ?—(" No, no,") And,
let me ask, what chance have you that an English Par-
liament will remove the injustice? It is a claim not de-
manded, or a crime not committed in England—it is a
crime not committed in Scotland; and Ireland will never
be tranquil, and she never ought, as long as such an in-
cubus is allowed to exist. I will not detain you by en-
tering into the (lentils of the Corporate Reform question.