The Sun.
London, England, 1840-01-21 00:00:00

THE CHA it.TISTS.

FROM A CORRESPONDENT.
The following Memorial has been adopted by the people
cf Bath, and has already received a great number of sig-
natures

Memorial of the undersigned Inhabitants of Bath and
Adjacencies, to her Most Gracious Majesty Queen
Victoria,
" Most Respectfully Sheweth,
" That your Memorialists have heard, with the most
painful feelings of regret, the sentence awarded to Juhn
Frost, Zephaniah Williams, and William Jones, by the
Special Commission, at Monmouth, and assure your Mr-
jesty, that they consider the unnatural and unnecessary
severity of that sentence to be a disgrace to any Christian
country, and incompatible with the enlightenment of the
ace; and your Memorialists, being of opinion that your
Majesty's gracious and benevolent nature will recoil at its
barbarity, with confidence entreat your Majesty to exercise
your prerogative to prevent the execution of the sanguinary
sentence.

" That your Memorialists earnestly call the attention
of your Majesty to the fact, that the Jury who found the
prisoners guilty, accompanied that verdict with a recom-
memhtion to mercy.
'• That your Memorialists assure your Majesty, they are
of opinion, that the present perilous position of these un-
f irturiate men is to be attributed to the numerous unre-
dressed grievances under which the great mass of your
Mdjesty's subjects are suffering.
" And your Memorialists venture to suggest that the
time has passed, and the age does not require, examples
of blood and terror to render society secure ; and with a
full conviction that the execution of thee men will have a
tendency to excite the public mind, and render still more
hazardous the peace of the country, your Memorialists ur-
gently implore your Majesty to extend your Royal pardon
to them, and thus secure around your Majesty's Throne
the esteem and admiration of your People.
" With every confidence in your Majesty's merciful and
magnanimous disposition, and a hope that the immense
number of your Majesty's Memorialists will ensure your
benevolent consideration, your Memorialists, in conclusion,
sincerely pray for your Majesty's future happiness and long
reign over a loyal and contented people."
It is expected to be presented by Lord Brougham.

CHARTISM and the CORN-LAWS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Having read the admirable speeches of Loads
Brougham and Stanhope, reported in your last Friday's
Sun, I cannot refrain from offering a few facts in corrobo-
ration of what those Noblemen advanced. They have
declared that Chartism is spread far more widely, and
comprises far greater numbers than the Government have
any idea of ; and that "this spirit is not confined to our
large towns and manufacturing districts; but is ex-
tended to our villages and agricultural population. Now,
I have lately been on a totr through some of our chief
agricultural districts; and I can bear witness to the truth
of the above statement. I have been astonished to find
Ch artist Lodges and Associations in the very heart of
Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk ; at such places as Dunmow,
Halstead, and Ludbury ; the whole labouring population
for miles round Epping are Chartists ; and frequent meet-
ings have been held during the last few months. This I
learned from personal observation. Most of the village
beer-shops in this district take in the Norther?: Star, and
many of them receive regular parcels from London,
containing tracts for distribution, &c. I was informed
by a labourer, that a few weeks before my arrival a dele-
gated meeting had been held at Waltham Abbey, and that
twenty-two villages had sent delegates—l believe a man
named is the chief leader. At almost every village through
which I passed in the county of Essex, I heard complaints
from the farmers of the insubordination of the working
classes, and that designing agitators were leading them
astray. In some places I was even informed that' the
labourers were armed ; but I never observed any arms in
the cottages which I entered. I was surprised to find in
the most " out-of-the-way places" in the world, the people
well acquainted with passing events. I had been led to
suppose that the peasantry were the most ignorant and
besotted in the world, but I was greatly deceive. I never
saw more sensible and shrewd persons than some of the
village husbandmen of Essex and Suffolk.
In Norfolk the Chartists have been very active. I learnt
at Norwich that associations had been:formed at Ayslshaw,
Walshann, Repham, Dereham, and many other places.
\Vages in this county are comparatively good, compared
with other counties, but, nevertiAess, the peasantry are in
a most miserable condition. Eight shillings en 103. a
week is a poor pittance to support a family with, and wheat
at 80s. a bushel. I have spoken with the labourers of this
county as to their condition in 1835, when wheat was 60s.
instead of 80s., as at present, and the common answer to
my inquiries was—" We were much better off in 1835
than we arc at present." So much for the Corn-
laws. If the League were to send a lecturer to
this county, I am sure he would be received by
the people with open arms. The labouring popu-
lations of the districts I have mentioned are Chartists,
because they think, and have been informed, that Univer-
sal Suffrage is the only remedy for the evils under which
they labour ; but if they were shown that in the present
state of things that measure is impossible of attainment,
and that the repeal of the Corn-laws would produce all
the benefits they expect to flow from the attainment of
the Charter; they would, I am sure, give active support
to the Anti-Corn-law League. That something must be
done, I am firmly convinced ;ithe state and feelings of the
people arc such, that a very little more sufferi, g will drive
them into open rebellion. Allow me, then, through your
idely circulating paper to call upon the men of London
obe up and doing en the Corn-law question—allow me to
call upon them to send lecturers to the agricultural dis-
tricts, and, by meeting and petitioning, overthrow the ac-
cursed corn tax. By doing this they will entitle them-
selves to the blssing of posterity, and save their country
from the horrors of a revolution.

I am, Sir, your obedient humble servant,
A TRAVELLER.