The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-22 00:00:00

Great Britain and Ireland, in_Parliament_assemblea.-7

The humble Petition of the Inhabitants of the Borough of
Manchester, in Public Meeting assembled—

Humbly Showeth—
That, in the opinion of this Meeting, the State taxes ought
to be imposed upon the different classes of the community with
a due regard to their ability to sustain the public burdens ; but
a duty upon foreign corn—in other words, an impost upon the
bread of the people—is a flagrant violation of this just prin-
ciple, inasmuch as it taxes the poorest man as heavily as the
richest upon the first necessary of life, consumed in nearly equal
proportions by all.
That a still greater injustice is inflicted by the Corn-law ;
for, as the duty upon foreign corn, however small the quan-
tity imported, raises equally the price of the whole of the home
produce, a tax is thus imposed for the purpose of protection
far greater than the amount contributed to the revenue ; and
this tax is paid by the people at large to a comparatively few
rich proprietors of the soil, and for which they derive no be-
nefit in return.

That Divine Providence has given to different countries a
variety of productions for the common benefit of all mankind;
that the Corn-law prevents a free exchange of the products of
our industry for the corn and food of other countries ; thus
impiously interposing a barrier between the bounties of the
Creator, and the wants of our industrious population; and
thereby frequently subjecting them to the evils of disease, de-
moralization, and premature death.

That, in the opinion of your petitioners, the Corn and Pro-
, ision-laws are contrary to the principles of religion and mora-
lity; and they pray that they may be immediately abolished.
And your petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray.
Moyed by Air. ROBERT GARDNER, seconded by 11Ir. C. H.

JONES, and resolved :-
5. That, cordially concurring in the sentiment recently ex-
wessed in the House of Peers by a Noble Lord and a Right
lleverend Prelate, that " the moral and religious improvement
of the poor is inconsistent with their physical degradation,"
this meeting invites the assistance of every philanthropist and
Christian, anxious for the spiritual welfare of his fellow-crea-
tures, in the endeavour to abolish laws which, by restricting
the supply. of food and diminishing the supply of labour, tend to
the rapid Impoverishment and degradation of the great body of
our labouring population.
Moved by Mr. SAMUEL STOCKS, seconded by Mr. JAMES

HA 'UPSON, and resolved—

6. That th's meeting sympathizes with all those who are de-
sirous of putting an end to monopolies of whatever descrip-
tion ; and it has seen with pleasure the declaration made at the
late public meetings composed of men of different political
parties in Gla,gow, Liverpool, and Salford, that fiscal duties
ought not to be imposed for other than purposes of revenue.
As a revenue duty upon corn necessarily implies a far heavier
tax for protection, this meeting confidently relies upon the co-
operation of the advocates of a revision of our import duties in
its efforts to exempt wholly from taxation the articles of corn
and other provisions.
(Signed) WM. NEILD, Mayor.
The Mayor having left the Chair, it was taken by Sir
Thomas Potter, when it was
Moved by Mr. ROBERT GARDNFE, seconded by Mr. COBDEN,