The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, MAY

than 5 per cent. on the tlepostt of English stock, the Consol The Duke of Wellington had said in the House of Lords
Market has Been in a h.-avy state all the day. that Earl Fitzwilliam did wrong in saying that the Corn-
laws had been enacted simply for the protection of the land-
owners, that they did not care at ail for pelt; and their
only object was protection. But whoever heard of pro-
tection as something ultimate ? Protection was a means
and not an end ; anti the protection wanted was a pro-
tection of pockets.—(Great cheers.)
The motion was then put by the CHAIRMAN, and car-
ried unanimously.
The Rev. DAVID JONES moved " That the alarming.
increase of disease in the land was attributable to the
high price of provisions and to the stagnation of trade,
and that the principles of religion; humanity, and justice
required that there should be a free supply of the neces-
saries rather than the luxuries of life."
The resolution was seconded by the Rev. J. GUTHRIE,
and on being put by the Chairman, was carried unani-
mously.
On the motion of Mr. Alderman R. WiLsoN, seconded
by Mr. JOHN JONVITT WiLsoN, a petition founded on th.•
above resolution was agreed to, and having been signed by
the Chairman on behalf of the meeting, was dispatched
to the member for the borough, George William Wood,
Esq., for presentation to the House of Commons.
A vote of thanks was then given to the Chairman, and
the meeting broke up.

PRICE OF SUGAR.
EFFECT OF MONOPOLY.
Table showing the ex-euty price of West Ind;a Sugar, in
Mincing lane, and comparing the sime against ti at of Fo-
reign Sugars : London, Ma:, 14th, I'4l.
The Gazette of this evening will quote the aye- Per cwt.
ra.,st price of British Plantation Muscovado Sugar,
exclusive of duty, at
The quantity. of West Indian Sugar sold in this market, en
account of the importers, in the week ending the Ilth instant,
according to the returns made on oath by the West India Sugar
Brokers, in conformity with the Act of Parliament, and on
which quantity the above price is computed, consisted of
1,053 hhds 94 tierces and 4 barrels.
In consequence of the avowed intention of the Government
to reduce the duty on Foreign Sugar, there have been no sales
made in them this week ; the quotation of price, therefore,
remains as before, about 19s. per cwt. for Manilla
Sugar, being, taking quality for quality, about
16s. per cwt. cheaper than West India Sugar.
During the present week, owing to the opinion which prevails
in Mincing-lane, that the Government will not be able to
carry their measure for the reduction of the duty on foreign
sugar, prices for West India and Nlauritius sugars have ad-
vanced about 4s. per cwt. Should Ministers be in a minority
en this important question, their defeat will be mainly attribut-
able to the hostility which the Anti-Slavery Society have shown
to the measure. Strange to say, this Society has on this occa-
sion fraternized with the West D.dian body, for what reason
no person can tell, unless to favour sundry theoretical notions
about the welfare of the emancipated blacks ; or it may be,
with a view to protect the produce I f some estates i❑ the West
Indies, which the Society has taken under its management and
patronage. Be that as it may, the opposition of the Society
to the Government could not arise from an appre-
hension that slave labour sugar wort d be introduced
to British consumption, because the members, who may
be said to represent the Anti-Slavery interest in the
House, actually opposed the measure before they knew how
the details of it wou.d operate. From whit has since trans. ired,
it appears that it was the intention of the Government to re-
duce the duty on Sugar raised in tho e countries which are
tributary to the East India Company to 325. per cwt., and
on other Sugars grown east of the Cape of Goal Ho, e to 365.
per cwt., and on clayed Sugars, of which the whole produce of
the Brazils and of Cuba consist, to 425., which latter duty would
have operated to the total exclusion of those :-ugars from our
markets, for the Sugar refiners of this country with the British
Sugars, at a duty of 245. per cwt., and the other East India
Sugars at 325. per cwt., would have been able not only to
keep Havannah and Brazils out of the British markets, but
they also, with the exception of Russil, which countr), fosters
and protects the Sugars from Cuba, would have expelled these
classes of Sugar from every market in Europe. Allowing the
Sugar duties, therefore, to remain as they are, is tantamount
to giving direct encouragement to slave-labour Sugar.

PUBLIC MEETING IN SOUTH-
WARK IN SUPPORT OF THE MINISTERIAL
MEASURES FOR GIVING THE PEOPLE

CHEAP FOOD AND FOIL COMMERCIAL

REFORM.
A numerous and highly respeotable meeting of the electors
of the Borough of Southwark was yesterday held in the Town,
hall, at one o'clock, JOHN HotstEs, Esq., High Bail;_rai, in
the chair, for the purpose of taking into con ideation the
propriety of petitioning the Houses of Parham:ent to support
the measures of her Majesty's Ministers increasing the
revenue by reducing the different duties on colonial produce,
in orde •to avoid the imposition of new 'taxes; and far giving to
the people cheap food and increased employment, by reducing
the duties on foreign grain, a:ad thereby enabling other coun-
t! ies to take our man'afactures in exchange for their
pro.tuce. The meeting was convened in compliance with
a requisition bearings the signatures of about one hundred and
twenty of the mast respectable and influential firms in the Bo-
rough, and co.n.aining the names of g‘,ntlemen of every shade
ofpolitical ',pinion, in proof of which we may observe that
while the first s'gnature to the requisition, is that of Messrs.
8., W., and T. Hawes, geniemen whose liberal principles are
well kno,a n ; the second is that of John We4ern, Esq., the
banker, one of the stanchest Conservatives in the Borough.
At one o'clock the High Bailiff entered the Hall, and was re-
ceived with loud demonstrations of ,a; isfaction ; he was accompa-
nied by Mr. Alderman Hor.-..phrey, M.P., one cf. the Illtmbers
for the Borough, who was lousily cheered, and was shortly after-
wards followed by B. Wood, Esq., the other Member, whose
appearance was the signal for the most enthusiastic :cheering.
Among those pretent we observed Mr. J. T. Harris, Mr. Cooper,
Mr. Vouslee, Dr. Bedford, Mr. J. Lain MOM Mr. Jackson,
the Depu'y High Bailiff, Mr. J. Curling, mid M. It eston.
The HlGfi BAILIFF having taken the chair, addressed the
meeting as follows :—Genth men, I have vivisect this meetingof
the inhabitants of Southwai k to be assembled in compliance
With the requisition numerously and respectably signed. I!eel
it to be my duty, andit is also a pleasure to me, as the presid-
ing officer of this ancient borough, to give its inhabitants the
amplest opportunity of expressiug their sentiments, not only
upon those subjects which are connected with their own lec
but also upon chose which affect the infers' is id* the nation at
large; and I have the greater ,aei,fac ion in ciang togeth,r
the inhabitants of this borough. beeai.se I know, from long ex-
perience, that all their meetings are characterised by that libe-
rality arid good fe-ling which render their proceedings orderly,
and the duty of the Chairman not only easy but agreeable._
( Cheers ) I shall now cause the requisition to be read, and
then call upon those now assembled topripoo some resolutions
for the adoption of the nteetiiig.—( Loud iheers.)
The requisition having been read,

GREAT ANTI-CORN-LA W MEET-

ISG AT KENDAL.

On Monday evening last, the 10th instant, in conse-
quence of a requisition presented to the Mayor, a meet-
ing, of the inhabitants of Kendal was held in the Town
Hall, for the purpose of considering the proposed altera-
tions in the- import duties now under the consideration
of Parliament. JAMES MACHELL, EsT, the Mayor, was
in the chair.

The CHAIRMAN opened the business of the meeting by
reading the requisition, and expressing a hope that the
meeting wonl&listen with patience and attention to the
speeches of the several gentlemen who would address
them on the subject.
Mr. ISAAC WILSON, of Kent-terrace, rose to move
the first resolution. It gave him great pleasure to see
so numerous an assemblage on that occasion, as it showed
him that they took the same interest on the subject now
before Parliament that he himself did. If ever there
was a time when it was necessary for the inhabitants of
the town of Kendal to show what were their wishes upon
the Corn-laws, that was the time. They had all seen that
the trade of the town was declining—more especially the
trade which they had with foreign countries. He was well
aware what was the cause of it : it was because foreign
countries could not send back their corn in return for the
manufactured articles of this country. If we would take
their corn they would take our manufactures ; and both
the master manufacturers and the operatives would re-
ceive great advantage from free trade both in corn and
in the manufactures of this and other countries. On these
grounds he would move That the meeting regarded the
exertions of all monopolies that fetter and crush industry,
and which have already told with such alarming effects
upon the trade of the kingdom as part of a system which,
if continued, must sooner or later bring ruin upon the
nation at large ; that the interests of all classes, especially
of the agricultural and manufacturing labourers, Impera-
tively demanded their abolition, and required the esta-
blishment of such a system of free trade as would open
to the wants and products of this country the supplies
and markets of the world."

Mr. WEsToN rose, and was received with loud cheering.
He said he felt ratified at having been called upon on the pre-
sent occasion to ;propose for their adoption a petition to the
Houses of Lords and Commons—(Cheers)—although he
feared that the nervousness which he experienced in addressing
so numerous an assembly would revent him from doing justice
to the subject. I hose who were aware that in political
sentiments he was generally opposed to her Majesty's present
advisers, might perhaps feel surprised at his coming forward on
the present occasion, but he felt that the measures they were
now proposing ought not to be discussed as mere party coesi-
derations.—( Cheers ) They were measures involving the
will-being of the whole community—(Cheers)—of the mil-
lions not only of this country, but of the whole world.—
(Cheers.) He had always been favourable to a change in the
corn-laws, and to that point he should particularly address
himself in the observatious he was about to make to them,
not but what he agreed in the other measures of comno rcial
reform which had been proposed by the Government.—( Loud
cheers.) He thetteht the present a most favourable moment
for considering the propriety of revis ng the laws relating to
the,importation of corn, because as there was not any great
abundance of corn in the country, so that the sho,k of any al-
teration would not be severely felt, while, at the same time,
our regulations had so discouraged the growth of corn in fo-
reign countries, that even with a duty of 2s. 841., which was
the amount of duty during a portion of the last year,
the amount of foreign corn in our granaries, together
with the amount of unconsutued British grown corn. would
be barely sufficient to carry us on to the harvest
Was that a situation in which any country ought to be placed
by its Government?—(Cheers.) It was the first duty of esery
Government to see that the people were provided with a suffi-
ciency of the first necessary of li'e.—(Cheers.) Let what
would happen, the multitude must be fed—(Cheers)—and he
was satisfied that while the present system discouraged the pro-
duction of corn abroad, it did not encourage the production of
it in this country to anything like the extent which had been
supposed. The present system was, in fact, a complete
failure.—(Cheers.) It had not answered the purpose for
which it had been devised, and was detrimental even to the
corn-grower himself.—(Cheers.) Another objection which
he had to it was the great irregularity which it occasioned in
the money market—(Cheers)—and all those who heard him
must be aware how much the derangements of the money
market, occasioned by the operation of the Corn-laws, had
tended to cripple the commerce of the country.--( Cheers. )
The disastrous effects produced during the last four
years by the operation of the Corn-laws had
been most extensive.—( Cheers.) With regard to the
agriculturists themselves the mea ure proposed by the Govern-
ment left them fair protection. It was not such a sweeping
measure as hail been represented, and the proposed protection
was in tact much greater than it appeared to be at first sight,
The proposed duty itself was to be Bs. Now, before the corn
could reach the port from which it was to be exported, a charge
of ss. or 6s. per qteetter would have been incurred for car-
risge, and the charges for freight would ae,ount to ss. or 6s.
more, so that with the duty the agriculturists would still have
a protection of 20s. a quarter, and if they were rot able to
grow corn profitably with a protection of 20s a quarter, the
sooner they left off growing corn in his opinion the better.—
( Cheers.) It had been supposed by many that the effect of the
Government [imposition would be to inundate the country with
foreign corn. He did not. apprehend that such would be
the ease. It might lower the price of corn in this country.
and so far it would effect a benefit to the peoile of this coun-
try ; but the principal good which he expected from it was,
that it would rag-e the price of labour abroad to an equality
with the price of labour in this count ry.—(Cheers. ) If they
could make the foreign labourer receive for his wages the
same amount that the labourer received for his wages in this
country, then the competition between this country and fo-
reigners would be a fair one.—( Cheers.) He b. lieved that
no mischief coo d possibly ari.e om the proposed alteration,
and he had great pleasure in proposing the petition for their
adoption t—( Loud cheers )
Mr. W. HAwEs, in seconding the motion, said that
in the observations which he was about to address
to them, he should endeavour to enlist their sympathies
on behalf of their poorer fellow-subjects. He could
not address them more appropriately than as fellow-
citizens.—(Cheers.) He appeared to them on behalf of the
interests of the country against the class interests of the mono •
polists. —(Cheers.) They had not conic there to support one
class to the exclusion of all consideration for the sufferings in-
flicted upon the rest of their fellow-subjects.—t Ch, ers. ) They
had come there to promote the well-being of the great ma-s of
the manufacturing and labouring classes.—(Cheers.) The
Government had brought forward a measure for the freedom
of trade, by which that principle was not indeed carried so far
as he could have wished it—(Cheers)--but it was a much
greater measure than any that had ever before been brought
before the country--(Cheers)—and he hoped the country
would not forget to support those who had thus manfully come
forward to the assistance of their suffering -fellow country men.
(Cheers. ) They had proposed to diminish the duties on many
great articles of ccnsumption. The first article to e hich he
would allude was the article of timber. They were obliged to
use bad timber instead of good, with a duty of 31)0 per cent.,
and the good timber was prohibited simply to promote the in-
terests of one class of traders only, and that class now inter-
fered to prevent good timber being introduced which, while it
would be of great benefit to the country, would also inctease
the revenue. It was 'aid that this was only a rich man's ques-
tion, but such was not the case. It was a poor man's question.
The poor man was more interested in our having a supply of
good timber at a cheap rate, than was generally imagined, for
while the cost of timber for large houses amounted to only 10 per
cent. on their value, the cost of timber for small houses amounted
to 30 per .cent. This was, therefore, a poor man's mea-
sure.—(Loud cheers.) That an increase of con-
sumption at a lower duty, tended to increase the
revenue was proved by what had happened with regard to
coffee. The duty had bsen reduced in 1824 on one species of
coffee from 2s. 6d. to Is. 3d., and on another from Is. to 6d. ; the
duty in 1824 on coffee amounted to 400.0001.. the dnty at pre-
sent paid on that article amounted to 900,0001. They all now
had coffee greatly cheaper, and yet the revenue had been etior-
mousli, increased. The same thing had happened, to a less
extent, with regard to tea. With regard to sugar, the Govern-
ment. proposed still to leave a protection to the West India
interests ; and those interests, to prevent this measure, which
was for the general good of the country, being cat-lied into
effect, now for the first time professed that they were
actuated by intense sympathy for the slaves, whose free-
dom they had so strenuously opposed oily a few years
ago.—( Loud cheers.) But that was only a shallow
pretext for covering their want of sympathy to the suffering
labouring closes in this country.--(Cheers.) They had not
dared to appeal to them on the subject.—( Cheers.) They had
boasted of their Operative Conservative Associatiens. Had
they called them together and fair), stated the case to them,
anti then called for their opinion ? They had not done it.—
(A voice from the crowd tt Yes.") He should be glad to
know where and when.—(Cheers.) Was there a petition
stating that while foreigners paid 3d. per lb. for their sugar, we
ought to be forced to pay ed. per lb. for ours. Would
any one sign such a petition ?—( Cheers and laughter.) Sugar
was now become a necessary of life to the millions, and to the
millions he would appeals—(Cheers.) Would they support a
tax upon those whose voices were unheard and unrepresented in
the House of Ceimmons.—(Cheers). '1 hey all knew what
a little luxury was, and they would strive hard to make this
little more, and they would cone nd, for that purpose,
against
them inopoly of any class.—(Cheers.) He would contend for
entire freedom of trade, for then right to buy their commo-
dities at the cheapest market, and to sell their labour at the
dearest.—( Loud cheers.) The next was the question of corn,
a question including all the others, and which, if they couid
carry, freedom of trade must fall. The question of cheap
fond was the measure on which the existence of the Liberal
Government must depend.__( Cheers.) The happiness of the
people depended upon it. The qaestion was, were they to have
cheap living with plenty of employment, or dear living with
little employment. Tney found countries with plenty of fond who
were willing to take our manufactures but who had nothing
but corn to give us in exchange. We refused to take it.
Other nations produced manufactures. In those natio. s food
could be obtained at a cheaper ra.e, and the consequence seeS,
they were underselling 'is. He did not ask for a free trade in'
corn without some protection, but he thought Bs. was too high
a one ; but he was
that
willing to accept it for the present. to see •
how it would equal their • expectaions, and let tho-e wiseeeetw:
supported the existing monopoly beware how they
‘refusesf
offer, for it was not likely they whh,
again have so, good JP;
0ne....-(Cheers.) It was said that we aught not .to- aeleri4
upon foreigners for a supply oreoed, bait' eve 'did depend
upon them 11.9 w for a !Ipply of .cotton,
them for f6cd; alt ttericb did-not. Whenthe'dutY
and the poor depended

Mr. SIMPSON seconded the resolution. which, on being
put by the Chairman, was carried unanimously.
Mr. E. GIBSON moved the second resolution, " That
the high price of sugar, the protection so long exclu-
sively enjoyed by the West Indian planters, and the
danger of entirely closing our trade with the Brazils, as
well as the financial state of the country, called for an
immediate alteration of the sugar duties to the full ex-
tent proposed by the Government, and the meeting con-
templated with indignation the possible rejection of so
wise and necessary a proposition.
Mr. &nix WIIITWELL seconded the resolution. He
did so because he conceived that the measure which had
recently been proposed in Parliament was wise, judicious,
and, above all, necessary. They were all aware that the
I price of sugar was now such as to exclude many per-
sons from consuming the usual quantity. Why was it so ?
It was not because there were not consumers enough, nor
yet because there were not in the world at large parties
who would not buy the produce ; but because the markets
were closed to them by the Legislation which had hiterto
guided the Government of the country. The new sys-
tem, he conceived, must necessarily meet with the ap-
probation of all wise and sound thinking men. Govern-
ment had now come to that point when the
finances of the country were not sufficient to
defray its expenditure. IVhether the affairs of the
, nation had been conducted in the most prudent man-
ner or not he was not prepared to say ; but, at all
events, the expenditure exceeded the income ; and the
question was, whether the people should be called on to
pay additional taxes, or whether such a plan should be
introduced as would not only prevent the thing from
bearing hard upon the community, but would benefit
and bless them in every point of view. That was the
great scheme which the Government had proposed for
adoption. If they would look at the state of trade at the
present time, they would see gloom, melancholy, and
wretchedness everywhere pervading it. The Gazette
was filled with bankrupts—and despondency had yielded
to despair. Gloom was spread over every countenance
—every one spoke of distress, and no one knew where
it would end. Why was it so ? It was because the
manufacturers of this country met with opposition from
abroad. Foreign nations were introducing British
manufactures into their looms. Indeed, by its policy,
this country had compelled them to do so. Had we con-
tinued to take their corn, foreign nations would never have
resorted to any other mode of labour than that of raising
corn. The consumer of any produce was the person who
paid the maker of it. Those who employed the working
classes indeed paid them ; but they were not the ori-
ginal paymasters. The consumers were, and the law as
it now existed was one of the chief causes that operated
in preventing the manufacturer from carrying his labour
to the best market. He would give them another reason
why trade abroad was more plentiful than in this country,
it was because they could produce things at a much
lower price. He had got two loaves made as the best il-
lustration of the subject. " This (said he) is the six-
penny loaf which is now selling in the shops, and this is
loaf which Lord John Russell proposes. I think there
is some disparity between the two ; and I do not think
that this (handling the larger) is such a despicable affair."
—(Cheers.) That perhaps might be a homely illustra-
tion, but he thought it preferable to give them ocular de-
monstration of the fact. There must be, he contended,
a change of system if this country was to be benefited--
a system of fair play and no favour. The principles of
free trade were those which, in the end, would benefit
the country ; they were necessary to the existence of
the people, and the continuance of the prosperity of the
country. For these, and many other reasons which might
be specified, he begged leave to second the resolution.—
Carried unanimously.
The Rev. EDWARD HAWKES rose to move the next
resolution, and was received with loud cheers. After
making some remarks on a passage in the Earl of Win-
chelsea's speech in the House of Lords on Monday, the
be taxed
theneveroughtupon people
livedt
was because
e c
directuse
cause of death. That had been practically found to be
the case, the deaths among the poor in dear
generally much greater. Governments ought years
h being
food to come as rain does, and to be imported t to per nit
parts of the world. But, why, it mightbe from all
said, come
forward now, when Government were proposing•
im-
pose a tax on bread. The reason was because to
he tax
now proposed was a great diminution of
the evil.
Were a repeal not to take place, and no relief given to
manufacturing industry, there was reason to expect that
such a state of things would ultimately be r ueeci
between the rich and the poor , as wouldp
even-
tually end in the destruction of the one or the other.He therefore begged to move " That, in the opinion of
the meeting, the indispensable means of supporting hu-
man life ought not, under a wise system of legislation, to
be subjected to a taxation of any description ; yet be-
lieving that the alteration of the duties upon grain pro-
posed by Lord John Russell would be a vast benefit to the
country, it viewed with cordial satisfaction such a change,
and would meet with determined opposition all attempts to
frustrate the approach to a more equitable system."
Mr. THOMAS WILSON seconded the resolution, and
took the opportunity of informing the meeting that the
Kendal Anti-Corn-law Association had it in contempla-
tion to extend their boundaries, and invite their country
friends to unite with them in endeavouring to obtain a
repeal. They were not afraid of thro ,ving themselves or
the cause they' supported on their agricultural friends
throughout the country, and inviting them to join and !
form Associations. The agriculturists would not be in-
• red in any way, but rather benefited by a repeal of
these laws, and he had
d no doubt they would heartily
respond to the call.—(Great cheers.)
The Reverend GILBERT ELLIOTT, of Kirby Thore,
also spoke in support of the resolution. The statement
just
which Mr. Thompson, the Secretary; had made in-
ducsd him to say a few
words on the subject. He had
said it was the design of the Anti-Corn-law Association
of Kendal to endeavour to extend the field of its opera-
tions into the surrounding agricultural districts. He (Mr.
E.) had come to Kendal for the express purpose of request-
ing
that such a step should be taken. Every farthing
which he had arose from tithes or from land,. and if any
change whatever should take place in the produce of the
land he would individually suffer. But he was so much
persuaded that 'there was no fear of any change for the
worse, that he had himself from the first entered into'.
the views of the Corn-law repeaters ; and he' was sure
that they had only to make the agricultural population-ac- [
quainted with the true state of the ease to convert them into f
101004 Cot - mega's' u tbeiasolves;*(oteere.)

was high the poor could not afford to buy food althoueh the
rich could; ani when the ',rice was raised so high as to admit
foreign corn, it roust be evident that the poor then depended
upon foreigners for the supply of food. Holland and Switzer-
land depended upon toreigne, s fur a supply of food, and they
never suffered in e.onsequence, and why should we be so fear-
ful? Why shou.d not we become the gr.'at depot for the Corn-
trade of the world?—(Cheers.) Then the landlords said they
were entitled to pr tection on account of the taxes whi
pres,ed on them ; but what proportion dfd they bear
of the taxes? In England the taxes upon the neces-
saries of life amounted to 73 per cent. of the while taxation
while the taxes upon Lind amounted to only 33 per (Tot., while
in France the taxes upon land amounted to between 50 or 60
per cent. upon the who e taxation.—(Cheers.) There was a
combination of class-interests in opposition to the proposed al-
terations which could only be met by combination on the part
of the mi:lions for whose benefit these alterations were pro-
posed—(C'heers)—called upon the millions to rally round the
standard of free trade.—( Cheers. ) Let the union be perfect,
and let them take the present measure as a fist instalment.—
( Loud cheers.) To take a first step in the way of tree trade.
let the unite and crush the class ire eros!s. When the
monopoly in corn was destroy, d, the others must fel—
( Cheers.) Let them return only those Memheis to Parlia-
ment who were pledged to free trade.—( Loud cheers.) Let
them not be misled by such extravagant assertions as had been
recently made in the House of Lords.—( Cheers, and laughter.)
Let them get free trade, and then education would
flourish, because parents would not then be obliged
to send their children to the factories to earn a scanty
subsistenCe, but would be enabled to maintain them
by their own labour, and to afford them time for educa:
tion. The factory question had long been a favourite with the
Conservatives. But let them have a free trade, and factory
laws would be unnecessary, because children would not he re-
(Mired to work in order to earn a scan.), subsistence.—(Loud
(beers.) There would be then no necessity to waste time in
discussions on the Prier-laws, because there would then be an
ample demand for labour, and an ample supple of food for
those who wou:d work. and those who would not work ha,'
no right to be kept in idleness.—(Cheers.) Let them rally
round the banner of free trade which Fad been unfurled
by her Majesty's Ministers, and her Majesty's reign would
thon be celebrated in the history of the country, as having be-
s owed the greatest blessing on the nation, by the destruction
of a most odious monopoly.—(Loud cheers.) He had great
satisfaction in seconding the motion. The petition, which
prayed Parliament to support the measures of commercial re-
ffrm which had been introduced by her Majesty's Government,
was then put from the Chair.
Mr. J. Roar. rose, amidst loud cries of " No Chartists," to
propose an amendment. He fully, agreed in the statements
made by the preceding speakers, but had no hopes of ()Main-
ing any redress from the House of Commons, as a present con-
stituted.—( Great uproar.) He looked upon this as a merely
political rue. The Mieisters had never brotight forward any
practical measure of reform.—(Great confusion. 1
Sir. Vouserit rose to order. Mr. Rose was not an elector,
and therefore could not propose an amendment.
The HIGH MAILIFF then addressed a few words to Mr.
Rose which were inaudible, after which Mr Rose sat down,
ol7serving that it h:id been decided he could not speak as he
was eat al elector.

Mr. STETHRNS rose to propose an addition to the resolu-
tion. Ile was for the repeal of all protecting duties', and
thought the principl, ought to have been carried out in the
petition. He hart
.• nough of party. Both Whigs sod To, acs,
when in power, had negb,cted the interest of the people. Ile di i
not obje,t, to the introductory portion of the petition, but he
thought 'they ou&st to go still further and pi titian for a tax
upon property. Covenants wee institu'ed for the protection
ete property—they paid for the protection of their persons by
their liability to im ressnn nt and to their serving in the militia;
:mod i:roperty ought to pay by a tax for ;h, protection afford tl
to it. The c norinous debt had been incurred for he protect on
of property at ,t,e tine the peopl. were not represented. and
whin they were cslled on to discuss fiscal qu tstions they should
go to th, root of the evil. He would therefore propose, as an
addition to the petition, that the House should be prayed to
support the commercial refo-me of the Government until su h
time as Parliament should be induced to adopt th, only just
prLiciples of taxation—viz., a tax upon property.—(Loud
cheer-.) He doubted not rat some one would be found to
second that proposition. although he had spoken to no one on
the subject.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. WESTON would second the proposition, and was glad of
that opportunity of stating his opinion on the subject. He con-
sidered it art error to soppose that any great permanent increase
to the revenue could accrue front a duty of Bs. a quarter.
upon corn, because in times of scarcity it would be imitossible
for any Government to levy such an impost ; it would be pre-
posterous, end what no Government could think of attempting.
Therefore they must look to some o:her source of revenue. The
aristocracy, whether Whig or Tory, were all alike, and were
always doing every thing in their power to enrich themselves
without thinking of the community at large, and therefore he
thought that a property tax which should affect them, would
be the best tax that could be imposed.—(Cheers. )
An Ececvoa in the body of the meeting here endeavoured,
amidst unceasing uproar, to obtain a hearing in exlianati,m f
the doctrines of the Charter. They were called together, he
said, for the purpose of taki.lg into consideration the necessity
of repealing the Corn-laws and reducing the ;mice of sugar.
He approved of their object, but they should also consider what
were the motives of • Lord John Russell in proposing them.—
( Hear, hear, and cries of No, no.) He would ma ntain that
the Min,stry ha I not supported the interests of the people.
.1 hey came forward with duties which were humbug and no-
thing but humbug. —( Uproar. ) Let them give tne people
a fair price for their labour and they would no'. care what
price was paid for food.—(Cheers aid hisses. 0 It would he
of no use to attempt any.hing until they were fairly represent, d
in the House of Commons, and Universal Suffraoe become
the law of the land. —( Cries of Question, and great uproar. )
The speaker, who attempted to proceed in spite of the mani-
fest sense of the meeting, was at length obliged to conclude by
moving the following amendment :—" That her Majesty be
petitioned to dismiss her present Ministers, and to substitute
such men as would fairly repreSent, the people by giving them
Universal Suffrage."—( Great confusion.)
Another Chartist rose to second this amendment. The
meeting, however, refused to hear him, &nee he was not, as
the requisition required, an elector of the Borough. The
speaker in vain protested the' he was an inhabitant, and that
tkat was not freedom of discussion. His words, spoken in
dumb show, were completely drowned amidst the cries of the
meeting; and he was finally compelled to give way, after this
scene ILA con'inued for some minutes.

Some di,cussion subsequ, ntly took place as to the nature of
Mr. Stephen's proposition, ‘shich seemed to be consid,r ,d not
as an amendment, but an addition to the original motion, and
which received the approbation of the meeting.

Alderman Hesteneatt next rose and said that he should be
sorry to find that in the midst of idle contentions they should
lose sight of the great object which they had met to discurs.
—( Hear, hear.) Vs hatever might be the nature of the reso-
lu which they might adopt, they should enter into the con-
sideration it them with that c lmoess which their importance
deserved. For his part he did not think that this Mii.isterlal
measures went far enough ; but at the same time he felt they
ought to support them until they got something better.—( A
cry et " Ihat will never be in your time," and laughter.) lie
acknowledged that there would be great difficulty in obtaining
justice from the Heusi, of Commons, while the landed in-
terest predominated so largely there. Ho did think letvv-
ever, that the claims of the people if perst verimily enforced, must
fina.ly prevail. He remembered that. Sir R. Peel, in a debate
in the Howe of Commons or' the equalisation of the sugar
duties on a former occasion, decl tred that though opposed to
to the measu e his interest might be supposed to point the
other way, as he had no concern in the matter but that of the
great body of the consumers. No; he (A derman Humphery)
wished that the country at large cold be persuaded that their
interests were opposed to the continuation of the present pro-
tecting duties; th ,t they would rise unanimously for the repeal.
He Only wanted them end every other constituency to fit ce on
th it Representatives pledges to that effect. The monopolsts
hail no objection that the people of England should purchase
s aye-grown sugar when the price reached 7d. or 80., while
they imposed a duty which ainourited to exclusion when the price
was low. It was the same with corn, which was only admitted
under similar circumstances. Again, coffee, tobacco, and other
slave grown articles were allowed to be imported into this
country. He remembered that his Right Hon. Friend the
Member for the Tower Hamlets ( Dr. Lushington) had told
him that he spent 1001. in snuff—(Laughter)—and yet it was
all slave produce on which he had no objection to lay out so
large a sum. The fact was, that one could hardly heli ye that
those who raised the Anti-Slavery cry were s.ncere, consider-
ing the many contradictions in which they were involved. For
his part he was an advocate for a repeal of ali protection, arid
he thought until that repeal was earned that the people would
not be tairly dealt with.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. B. Noon said that he believed there never was a ques-
tion under the consideration of the people of England which
concerned them so nearly as that on which those around him
were assembled that day. He thought it was impossible for
airy one not to see that our welfare deeply depended on the
commercial measures now agitated in the House of Commons.
He wished to curtail as much as possible the observations he
had to address to the meeting, but the nature of the subject
would require some explanation. They had heard it stated
that the Ministry were to be bl ,med for not having brought
forward these measures at an earlier period ; and he for one
was agreed in that opinion. He felt that Ministers were to be
blamed; but ought the people on that account now to determine
on rejecting this measure? He could not certainly *p-
rove of such a mode of proceeding. He was one of a number
of Members of the House of Commons who had before forced
this question on the attection of the Government. More than
than two months ago 140 Members had assembled, and entered
into resolutions as to the course which ought to be taken for
the purpose of raising., the revenue sufficiently to meet the ex-
penses of the country, and at the same time not to infringe on
the fair and legitimate claims of any class in the country. The
object of those Members was to enlarge the basis on which
taxation should rest, and to open the trade of this country to
every article of foreign produce, and at the same time not. to
press too severely on those particular interests of which they
had heard so much. They wished to admit sugar, coffee, to-
bacco, cotton. tin.her, and corn, on the payment of a fair and
reasonable duty, an" not to press on those who had rsk el their
capital iii a reliance on existing protections. What h" was
then stating was no secret; their resolutions had been published,
andediffused throughout the country, and that very morning
the newspapers told them plainly and honestly and truly that
the propositions lately brought forward by the \linistera of the
Crown were the propositions of the -Radical party in the
House (f Commons, So far at least those Members laid fairly
represented the taishes and the interests of the people of Eng-
land
ohne
himself'
nc
withand somfeurlelydsiasyciunsgsedth,
la.id ; and it was such n:en that the British constituencies should
y
send to Parliamont. The question of the Corn-laws had been
with any observations upon that subject. He would content
sugar, there were a few observations whiclhinhOeL
dent advocates for abolition. 'With regard to the article of
a laacrde
quantity
yfioifathtahtehwe
awsould not trouble them
wgsisthtehdetomsoastt,
mit
pinordt'eed
to them. It appeared that we were now annually importing
three million cwts. from our own colonies in the West
hundredfive
in conse-
quence East Indies. During the list year, however, we had int-
quence of the high prices, hal been able to pay the duty of 635.
gr 01,1 s thousandugarwhich,
h hc ts . from
per cwt. But. what was the price of slave-grown sugar at pre-
sent, and what was the price of the sugar of oer West Indian
co.onies? -i he price o. slave-grown sugar was now from 17s.
to 245. per cent., while the price of colonial sugar was tiara
455. to 475. It sh.'uld be remembered at the same time that
it had
abteaen.,
tandemipttreied,byofMsr..iwGe- n
e
Gladstone,
',in the House of Com-
mons, that the Slav sugar was of a better quality than the
other. What was the consequence of that? The consequence
was sugar here was the
c' itcrion of the price of sugar in foreign markets, our neigh-
bours in Germany and France, and 'the people or the United
States, received their suoar at from 275. to 34e. per cwt., while
the British public paid for' theirs bOa. per sent. They were
thus paying an
extra price, upon sugar, of 4,798,0001.
(Near, hear )—and sugar became an article of taxation which
did not add to the revenue of the country, but went into the
pockets of the West Indian lantern.
They were told, how-
ever, thlAt it would be horrible p
to allow slave-grown sugar to be
sold in this country, as they Would give encouragement to the
slave:trade by
Ant' the slave sugar was allowed to.
tha means:: be refilled here, far-the-,u mit of exportation and sale' in.
other ;countries, last
jiar -had ri-fined 1.20,0c0 cwt. of-,
slaslavelug attif vihrt beeline; of it ? hy, the sugar so
flitott!sh?,:k cov 345.v4 became worth frornl6to to:
't •
311,.,A1**t.."iks t-So sea ihe[Contfnetit Nit price vhilathes
and' '-Eugiarid stet Ees: or 906. mod: •
TheYtrclillt itcAritiiiiintiiyher,e, and paid for. it 6d. or
of the Alallritius themselves for 4d. per Polll4.4lkar' 314r')
7d. a lb., w ile they refined slave sugar, and sold it to the people