The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-14 00:00:00

MORNING SUN

THEATRE ROYAL, _DRURY-LANE.
A fancy ball, under the direction of Signor
Vinefra, and at which Mademoiselle Cerito was
to have appeared, was advertised for last evening
at this theatre. It was announced that the danc-
ing would commence at ten o'clock, At that
hour, however, there were very few pers.uis
present ; and at half after ten the numbers
had not materially increased. No musicians
baying made their appearance, some symp-
toms of impatience were manifested, when
Mr. Eliason advanced to the front of the
orchestra, and addressed the audience as fol-
lows :—" Ladies and gentlemen, I am deputed
by Signor Vinefra to state that he regrets ex-
ceedingly that it will not be in his power to pro-
duce Mdlle. Cerito this evening, as she is too
-much indisposed to attend, and he desires me to
-add that the money will be returned at the doors
to all those who have purchased tickets." A
:person in the gallery here called out, " Cannot
we have some music ?" in reply to which Mr.
Eliason stated. that he could say nothing on that
subject, and retired. There was a slight mani-
festation of disapprobation at this announcement.
The greater part of those present immediately
left the theatre ; sonic few, however, lingered for
.about half an hour longer, when the extinguish-
.mg of the lights compelled them also to retire.

-
CORN-LAWS.
':Last evening, Mr. Sidney Smith, the well-known Corn-
law Lecturer, delivered a lecture upon the Corn-laws in
the Temperance Hall, High•street, Shoreditch. The
hall was crowded to suffocation some time before the lec-
turer entered, the seats being principally occupied by
l'Peratites. The raised seats in the hall were occupied
by *great number of well-dressed ladies, who seemed to
listen with much attention and interest to the learned
lecturer. Mr. Sidney Smith entered the hall at about
tare nty minutes to eigt, and was receied with loud
'ehe''rlPg• Soon afterwards the Secretary to the Shore-
ditelt Anti-Corn-law Association arrived, and the busi-
ness of the evening commenced by
Mr. BINGLEY moving Ino vi that Mr. Solomons should take
the Chair, which beino seconded, a persou in the room,
who we understood to be a Chartist, rose, and said he
wished to ask whether Mr. Solomons was a friend to free
discussion.'

Mr. Sotomows said, if he would be silent for a few
minutes he would answer him. The object of that meet-
ing was not for discussion. He (Mr. Solomons) was an
advocate for free discussion at all times. He had always
been so, and he trusted that he shoulol never degrade
feu aself as a man professing liberal principles.—(Cheers.)
If i t was the opinion of the meeting that he should take
the Chair, he should gladly do so, but he must state
that /he object cf that meeting was a lecture, and not
eiscms:on.—(Cheers.)
The proposition was then submitted to the meeting,
and carried without a dissentient.
The CHAIRMAN then rose and said that he was happy
;to see so large a meeting convened for the purpose of
furthering one of the most important considerations—one,
iadeod, in which all were deeply interested. His first
duty was to ask for silence for the learned lecturer. He
11"tts satisfied that when he looked around him, and saw
'so many of the •fair sex, that would be a sufficient
guarantee that the information they were about to re-
ceive, would be received with attention and good order.
--(Cheers.) He asked them for their support, and told
them again that the object of the meeting was not dis-
cussion, and he hoped that no gentleman would forget
the propriety of it, and interrupt the learned lecturer.
Ile would, therefore, with their permission, introduce
Mr. Sidney Smith to the meeting.—(Cheers.) And he
•was certain that the information they 'would receive on
the great and important question before them, would tend
re ry much to improve their minds and induce them to
dritw conclusions whereby to benefit the whole coin-
moitity.
.a r. SIDNEY SMITH then came forward and was re-
ceii -ed with a burst of cheering, which lasted for some
minutes. He said he was come there, not so much for
the ourpose of delivering a lecture, as for the pur-
pose of asking them a question. That was what had
brought them there ? Was it to say whether the
_poor sh ould be fed—was it to say whether labour should
have its rights ? He would not insult their understand-
ings by well a supposition. He believed they had come
there to .act, for the time for action had come.—
(Hear, Ilea:, and loud cheering.) The merchant was
bankrupt, the manufacturer was without business,
the industrious mechanic was without employment,
the agricultural labourer was starving, the revenue had
fallen short of the expenditui 1, the Queen had ap-
pealed to her people, and her people had answered to
the best of their ability ; and yet all had been of no
avail, for classes of society were suffering distress
and misery throughout the country, although this coun-
try possessed means of wealth not enjoyed by any to the
same extent. In this great metropolis there were hun-
vireds of individuals that wanted the common necessaries
life, and yet, with all this accumulated evidence of
-nikery, they saw one class, and one class alone, in this
•convtry wallowing in wealth, while the other was in a
:state of destitution, misery, and despair. That class
wthich slid nothing for itself, which did nothing for the
'country, and arrogated to themselves the power of
making tht: laws for the poor, were still seeking to in-
crease their yower; so that the great end of Government
was altogether reversed—the greatest happiness of the
.greatest number.—(Cheers.) If any one indulged in
-,the hope that the Tories would give them more than
Itt te Whigs, he (Mr. Smith) thought the events of the
las t month must have completely undeceived him. What
a soecimen they had of the Tamworth quack doctor,
who said he would do nothing for the patient till he had
received the fee.—(Cheers.) If he were an honest man
and w true patriot, he had it in his power to make this a
happy %country as well as a great one. But now that he
had rs•tceived the fee, he refused to do anything
for the• patient.—(Loud cheers.) He would turn
to that individual who had been introduced
into the Cabinet without office that he might not be
responsible to the people—he who was extolled from
one side or the country to the other as having acquired
.his fame as being the best cutter of throats—that iron
2.hike, who gave up Salamanca to three days sacking,
le. '1 the women to the violation of his atrocious soldiery,
any 1, to crown all, he w;:o had looked on the death of
—aud this man—this iron-
Marshal Ney—(Cheering)
hear ted Duke—he who haver was capable of a
nook• sentiment, was being beslobbered by the aris-
tocr icy as the greatest Of men. For what
was he great ? This man v,'as Leing beslobbered
by IN Thig and Tory, by the aristoc.-acy of both parties,
as a d 'emigod. Let them listen tow hat he was about to
read, I '4l the statement of this man, at the very time
when tl ris party that do nothing for themselves, or any
body Oc •, are lauding him to the skies,. What did this
t
man says t a time of the deepest distress, when the poor
labourer w, as starving in the streets, and w.ho dared not
go home, ft'r fear of being driven to distraction by the
cries of his 4..hildren for bread ? He says, "He had in
the course of his life been in various countries in diffe-
rent parts of the world, and had opportunities of know-
ing the circumstances of the various classes of their in-
habitants ; but in his whole experience, England was the
only country in which he had ever found that the poor
man, if possessed of honesty and industry, would be quite
• certain of acquirn ,g a competence. Instances of the
truth of this offers d themselves every day to every
khody's observation, and it was only last week that
as signal illustration occurred. In the very lowest
rat. ks of life, not only could a competence be ac-
quired, but immense riches might be accumulated."
'Thus were the men who were starving insalted by this
'stat extent, which was no more than saying that every
poor man mast neither be a dru.l.kard or idle, or he
would be well off.—(Cheers.) It ,was only for them to
rise in their strength, and teach Lords, Marquisses,
Dukes, and slidinm scales—(Cheers)—their places. The
time was come when they would no longer submit to their
tyranny.—(Loud cheers.) They had been able to wrench
from them Catholic Emancipation, and they were able
to wrench from them these atrocious laws. The same
strength which had raised the Revolution in 1668 could
again crush the Aristocracy. The Learned Lecturer
then took a very ext ended view of the working of the
Corn-laws, entering eery largely into details. He con-
trasted the price of provisions in America with England.
-AR America, where there were no Corn-laws, provisions
mere less than one-half the price they were in Englrnd.
'rte Learned Lecturer rend to the meeting a weekly bil
of a family residing in Cincinnatti, contrasting it with
-shill of the same articles in England. In America the
prices were—

3 stones of Flour, at Is. lid.
2oz. Tea, li-d.; i-lb. Coffee, 2d 0 4
lilb. Sugar, at sd.
41b. Beef, at 4d 1 4
31b. Mutton, at 2d.
21b. Bacon, at 2d.
21b. Butter, at 3d. 0 6

7 4

_.ln England the prices were— s. d.
3 stones of Flour, at 2s. 8d 8 0
2oz. Tea, Bd. ; alb. Coffee, 6d 1 2
lilb. Sugar, at 8d 1 0
41b. Beef, at 7d.
51b. Mutton, at 61d.
9`lb. Bacon, at Bd.
21 b. Butter, at ls. id.

17 71
T he Lecturer then went on by facts and arguments to
pt ove that the Corn-laws were equally detrimental to the
agricultural labourer as to the manufacturing one. The
Cc rn-laws, he said, were only invented and maintained
tot the purpose of raising and keeping up the rents of
tiu landholder. The landholder's motto was—

That crime is great in man or woman,
Who steals a goose from off the common ;
There is a crime which still was worse—
Stealing the common from the goose !
tughter and cheers.) The Learned Lecturer then
e Ided a very long lecture of nearly three hours, having
eel). Ji. itened with attention to throughout.
e CHaritmar: proposed a vote of thanks to the lec-
/Lire.; vith three times three, which was responded to
1140 st . b eartily
bj r. 3IDNEA: S3IITH briefly returned thanks, and called.
11101 them to come up and enrol their names as Mem-
"ere of the Branch Association. He was glad to see so
man yof the fair sex at these lectures. They were in-
dnecinterei.ted in this question, for he believed that the
Con 1-laws caused more young men to remain bachelors
tluts anything else.—(Cheers and laughter.) He always
Le Ito see the bonnets ; wherever they were they were
81' re to suzceed in any undertaking. The bonnets
tlrt ied Slave Emancipation and the Penny Postage, and
tel • could carry the repeal of the Corn-law.—(Cheers
a ad laughter.). He concluded by proposing a vote of
'acs to the Chairman.
Tt ae CakutritAN returned thanks, and concluded by