The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-16 00:00:00

DRUGGISTS.

MEETING OF CHEMISTS AND

A nmuerous meeting of the above trade was held yester-
day at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, Strand. Mr. PI-
GEON in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN said, before the business of the meeting
began, he begged to congratulate them upon the result
of their opposition to the Bill which had been introduced
by Mr. Hawes, which deeply affected and would have in-
jured the trade, and through them the best interests of
the public. That opposition had been successful through
union, and he trusted that that union would be continued,
in order that they might be enabled to defeat any future
attempt upon their right to self-govermnent.
The SECRETARY then read the Report, which detailed
the steps which bad been taken in opposition to the Bill,
and strongly recommended that the trade throughout the
country should form ;:a into one large association,
in order to show that they wet c able to govern themselves,
and yet at the same time given full securities to the public,
that they were able for the duties of their station.
Mr. PAYNE had much pleasure in moving that the Re-
port be adopted, and that the thanks of the meeting be
given to the Committee. He had no wish to speak
harshly of any one, but be knew that the public were be-
ginning to find out that the prescriptions made up in the
druggist's shop were mare conducive to their health than
those sent in by the surgeon. He believed he was autho-
rized in saying that that feeling had extended even to the
Throne—(Cheers)—so that the health which was dear to
all was placed in the hands of chemists and druggists.
They were able to govern themselves—they could draw
up rules for their own guidance and the protection of the
public. He had pleasure in seeing so much union amongst
them, and he trussed it would continue and increase.
The resolution was seconded, and agreed to unanimously.
Mr. DINNEFORD moved that the Report be printed and
circulated.

Mr. HUDSON seconded the motion, which was agreed to
unanimously.
Mr. WILLIAM ALLEN said his brethren of the Com-
mittee had requested him to move, " That for the pur-
pose of protecting the permanent interests, and increas-
ing the respectability of chemists and druggists, an As-
sociation be formed, under the title of the Pharmaceutical
Society of Great Britain.—(Cheers.) In the course of his
experience he had seen many attempts made to lower and
depress the character and standing of the chemists and drug-
gist; be did nor, however, mean to use a harsh expres-
sion to any one or any body, but he woulesay that the in-
terests of the public were deeply involved in the freedom
of the trade of the chemists and druggist.. As English-
men those engaged in that trade had certain rights and
privileges.—( Cheer?.) He had travelled frequently on
the Continent, and he had many times seen the trammels
under which tradesmen there carried on their business—
those trammels were totally incompatible Kith the privi.
leges of Englishmen.—( Cheers. ) No doubt some reform
was necessary, but it ought to originate with themselves,
and not come from the Apothecaries' Company, or any
other body. He trusted that he would never see any
regulations in force which would hinder or prevent any
Englishmen from buying any medicine he might fancy
would do him good, unless he did so through the medium
of the Apothecaries' Company.—(Cheers.) He antici-
pated much good to the trade generally, and especially to
the public, from the establishment of the Society.
Mr. BELL had much pleasure in seconding the motion
of his friend Mr. Allen. The spectacle which then pre-
sented itself to him was most gratifying, as it was unex-
pected. They were now a united body, which had here-
tofore been a disunited one, and he hoped it was the
dawning of a new era in the trade, which ho trusted
would be blessed.

The Resolution was agreed to with acclamation.
Mr. MONSON moved, " That the present Committee I,e
requested to frame laws and regulations for the govern-
ment of the Society, to be laid before a general meeting
for their approval.
Mr. DAVEY seconded the motion, which passed
_unani-
mously.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, who returned
thanks, pledging himself, and the wholesale trade generally,
to the objects of the Society.
The great majority of those present signed as members
of the Society.
The meeting then broke up.

IMPORTANT MEETING OF ELEC-

TORS AT BURY.

On Tuesday evening, a meeting of the electors of
Bury, convened by circular, was held in the Commercial-
buildings, to meet a deputation frem the National Anti-
Corn-law League. The room was crowded to excess by
an intelligent and attentive audience. About half-past
seven, R. Walker, Esq., M. P. for Bury, entered the
room, accompanied by Mr. Alderman Brooks, and Mr.
Alderman Cobden of Manchester, John Bright, Esq.,
of Rochdale, and several members of the Bury Anti-
Corn-law Association.
On the motion of EDMUND GRUNDY, Esq., of Park-
hills, R. WALKER, Esq , was called to the chair
amid the cheers of the meeting.
The CHAIRMAN said they were all aware that the pre-
sent meeting had been called together at the request of a
deputation from the Anti-Corn-law League. These gen-
tlemen wished to confer with the electors of Bury as to
the best means of getting rid of the Corn-laws. On that
question he trusted there would be unanimity among
them. It was not a question of party, but one
which affected all parties alike. Within the last
few years the agitation for the repeal of these
laws had been cars ied on with much spirit, and if it
could be continued with equal energy, he had no doubt
but it would speedily prove succes.tful.—(Cheers.) It
was not necessary for him to state his opinions on this
question, for they all knew very well what these opinions
were. For the last five and twenty years he had looked
upon the corn monopoly as the greatest curse which
sflicted this country.—( Hear, hear.) The Corn-laws
were not merely impolitic, they were unjust, and had been
enacted by the landowners to suit their own selfish pur-
poses. It was the landed aristocracy who had been mainly
instrumental in involving us in these wars with France and
other nations which saddled us with the national debt;
and )et, in spite of their having done so, they refused to
pay their share of that debt. They had enacted the Corn-
laws for the express purpose of taking the taxes off their
own shoulders, and placing them on those of the labour-
ing classes.—( Hear, bear.) Viewieg the question in this
light, he lamented to find that a certain portion of the la-
bouring class had thought proper to lend their aid in sup-
port of the bread tax. He would not say a single word
against the political doctrines of those men to whom ho
alluded. They had a tight to advocate these opinions as
much as he had to advocate the opinions he held. But he
objected in the most decided terms to the course they had
pursued in obstructing the agitation for a repeal of the
Cern-laws. He would not trespass further on their
patience, but conclude by introducing Mr. Alderman
Brooks, of Manchester, whom he was proud to call an old
friend, and he might add, the friend of mankind.
Mr. Alderman BROOKS, who was warmly cheered, said
he had beets sorry to hear that the electors of Bury were
rather lukewarm in the cause.—( Hear.) Why were they
so? he begged to aek. Did they not suffer as much
from the present system as their neighbours did ?
( Hear, bear,)—and if so, why not give their utmost
attention to a question which, if once settled, would put
an end to all that suffering ? To any man who felt luke-
warm in the cause he would say, just look at the price
paid for food in this country, and bear in mind that one-
third of that price is caused by the landowner's monopoly.
Why should they not try to save that third ? Would it
be no gain to the poor man to be able to provide food for
himself and his family for 10s. a week, instead of paying
15s. ? Would he not in that case be able to lay out
the ss. he had saved, in buying other articles, which would
promote trade and give an impulse to manufacOres ? But
they were told that this would not be the case. Their
' opponents contended that if food were one-third cheaper
wages would just fall in the same proportion. This was
the most absurd fallacy that had ever been broached.
When was the time that wages fell ? Was it not
when food was scarce and dear? When was it that work-
men
were so much in demand as to cause wages to rise?
Was it not invariably in those seasons when food was
plentiful and cheap ?—( Heer, hear.) It had always been
so hitherto, and surely it would continue to be so in
future. Those who pretended that the members of the
League wanted to reduce wages, had surely their eyes to
the evils of the present system, or else they must have seen
that a bet•er invention for reducing wages could not have
been devised. It was impossible to keep wages from falling
so long as we had laws to forbid foreign trade. It was only
by the continual extension of trade that employment could
be found for our working population, and unless they were
fully employed nothing could prevent wages from being
reduced. He was connected with the foreign trade
himself. He sent out goods to Brazil and other
countries, but he did not send one- half of what he might
do if he were allowed to bring food in exchange for those
goods--(Hear)—and they must remember that every in-
crease of the quantity of goods for which a market was
found gave employment to an additional number of bands.
In order to procure the abolition of the Corn-laws, all
classes must unite. It was not a party question, as Mr.
Walker had said—it was a religious question. The Bible
was in favour of free trade. That was what they ought
to tell their ministers, for the purpose of converting them
to the right way. But it was said that the members of
the League went too far. Well, let us know what length
those persons would go who make that objection. Were
they in favour of a fixed duty ? If so, what would they fix ?
One would say be was for Os., and another for 18s.