The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-30 00:00:00

THE STIN, LONDON, MONDAY, MARCH 30. 1840.

QUESTIONS TO COEN cONSER
VATIVES AND DEAR BREAD MEN•

EVENING E_DITION.

CORN-LAW DELEGATES.

The Delegates again met in very considerable num-
bers on Saturday in their Rooms at Brown's Hotel, Pa-
lace-yard. J. B. Smitla,Esq., in the Chair.
The Minutes of last meeting having been read, the
Chairman said letters bad been received from Bedford
and from Tonbridge, the former a purely agricultural
district, announcing the adoption of petitions and the
spread of anti-Corn-law opinions even among the agricul-
tural interest. The petitions were numerously signed.
Mr. SEwEL begged to state that many labourers might
be got up from the very heart of Essex in order to give
evidence of their miserable condition.
Mr. SIDNEY SMITH said when he was in Essex many
1 gross mis-statements were made by the landowners and
farmers as to the rate of wages, but they were at once
contradicted by their own labourers, even while he was
lecturing. They stated that they never got more than
Bs. a week of wages and no more.
Dr. BoWRING said he had been informed that some
Member of the House of Commons complained of some
language used by hies in that room, and said that he
threatened Members with coercion. It appeared
also that the Member in question, although he was
not to be coerced to do right was coerced to
do wrong, for it was said that he intended to
vote against Mr. Villiers' motion.—(Cries of " Name,
name.") He alluded to the Member for Preston. He
had never given expression to any words in that room
which he did not think for the advantage of the cause,
and he had no doubt that opposition of such a character
(if true) would tend also to its great advancement.
Mr. LIVES'''. was not competent to give any as-
surance upon the former part of Dr. Bowring's state-
ment, but he knew the latter part to be without founda-
tion, and that was the most pleasant part for them to
hear. He and his colleagueihad met the Member in
question in the lobby, and, a though he complained of
• some words used by the Doctor, he assured them that
he would support the motion of Mr. Villiers.—(Haar
at.)
The members of the Delegation then reported th
they had waited upon several Members of Parliament.
Mr, E. J. Stanley and Mr. Hindley were in favour
Lord
of
an inquiry into the operation of the Corn-laws.
Dalmeny was in favour of the total and immediate re-
peal ; but he thought the country was not prepared for
it, and would therefore support a small duty, which
should gradually be reduced till all was gone.
Mr. Crompton, the Member for Thirsk, said all his
% constituents, with but one exception, were in favour of
- the present laws, therefore they had nothing to expect
from him. It was however observed that at some future
day the worthy Member would find that many more of
his constituents were repealcrs. Mr. Bolling had not
yet made up his mind, and was open to conviction.
Messrs. Marsland and Blackburne were decidedly
against the agitation, and would vote against the motion.
- They were afraid of the effect of any change upon the
agricultural interest.
Mr. COATES said all their great object was to save
"the farmer from those calling themselves his friends.
Mr. BOULTBEE thought it of much importance to
' impress the minds of Members of both Houses that their
object was not to injure the interests of the agricul-
turists in any degree ; and he thought that proposition
1 as easy of proof as any one problem of Euclid.
ii.
It was here suggested that it could only be done by a
long statement, which none of them would read, and
that if Mr. Boultbee would so convince the Duke of
Buckingham, the League would erect a statue of gold
in his honour.—( A laugh.)
' Mr. BOULTBEE said he had already offered to con-
vince the Duke, but he refused to have any correspon-
dence with him--he was deaf to the charmer, pipe he
ever so sweetly.—(Laughter.)
The CHAIRMAN said they bad had separate inter-
views with Sir R. Peelth and Sir .1. Gid raham, but the
ngy
had ended in nothing—ey were afra ot but
t
upon foreign countries for food—much of our land
would he thrown out of cultiration—foreign countries,
as had before been done by Prussia. might put a duty
on their corn.' and in the event of a bad harvest the
, country would be starved, &c. &c.—( Laughter.)
Mr. G. GREG reported that another Report from the
Petition Committee had been printed, bringing it up
to the 20th of March. The number of petitions pre-
sented up to that period was 377, signatures 279,907
in favour of repeal. Against them the number was
448 petitions, tic iatures 27,269 ; but since that period
there had been nearly double, and would add upwards of
200,000 signatures in favour of the repeal. Three pe-
titions had been presented, praying for an alteration,
signed by 177 persons.
On the suggestion of Mr. AiNsworma it was agreed
1 to that the Chairman should write to Lord J. Russell.
Mr. Labouchere, and the Chancellor of the Excheqult
soliciting an int:Li-view.
Mr. RAW2ON reported that other three labourers had
arrived and were in waiting.
The CHAIRMAN said, many of those labourers who
had been coming up had been completely trightened
? from doing so. being told that it they did so they would
1 be transported.—( Laughter.)
IA DELEGATE said there was an important mistake
t in the report of the examination of William Holman on
i o)d i
1 Thursday. In the if • i 7,, Chronicle of yesterday, it
was made to appear that Holnian's (laughter of ten
I years of age was able to earn Bd. per day. That was
I a most important mistake, as the evidence was that she
Inever earned anything, but the wife was sometimes able
to earn 81 one day in a week. He proposed, there-
! fore, to reeal Mr. Holman.
Another DELEGATE said it was right in the Chro-
nicle, but wrong in The Sun.—(Cries of " No, no.")
HI had made a mistake—the report was right in The
San, but wrong in the Chronicle. The mistake was an
I important one, and was calculated to do much mischief
i if not corrected.
I William Holman, the firm labourer from Tann-
+ ton. wits then recalled, and examined by the Chairman.
i You said before that you have a wife and four chil-
: dren ?—Yes, Sir.
Ho •t• much does your wife earn regularly ?—She
goes up to master's regularly once in three weeks to the
- wash-tub, for which she is paid Bd.
Putting altogether her summer work, such as hay-
making, weeding, and anything else she does, how much
do-s she earn upon an average ?—Putting everything,
it may reach one day a week throughout the year—not
, more. - _ __

..._. __
Then she only earns SI. a week ?—Yes.
And your eldest child—you said ten years old—does
she earn anything ?—No, never.
In answer to questions put by Lord Nugent, the
witness said—There were allotments of land in the
neighbourhood of where he resided, but none in his parish,
-not within two miles of him. Sonic of the allotments
were taken by the poor, but more by tradesmen, such
as carpenters or bricklayers. He once had an allot-
ment himself ; ho had a quarter of an acre, for which
he paid Bd. a perch. He only grew potatoes and greens
upon it ; never had any change of crops. He worked
it all himself, nights and mornings, or when he had a
broken day's work. It was four years ago, and then
his children were too young, to assist him, and his wife
had to mind the house. Children might be profitably
employed in the allotments, lie did not understand
bushels, but he grew only potatoes, and he got six or
seven bags of eight score each. They were then worth
2s, 3d. He never made 1/. by it. The farmers in
his parish never set out any allotments, nor did they
ever draw coals in the summer time to sell in winter at
summer prices. Witness got some through the minis-
ter of the parish, having some tickets for coals to give
away. Received no help from the farmers.
By the CHAIRMAN-11,1d not been able to purchase
any clothes for some years. The last thing was a coat ;
that was five years ago. He did not now go to church,
because of the want of proper clothes to go in. His
wife was unable to go on the same account. Some of
the children went, but they were very badly off for
clothing. They had only one thing, and were obliged
to wait in bed while his wife washed them.
By Dr. BowalNG—Only one of them went to a Sun-
day School, for which he paid nothing.
By the CHAIRMAN—Had not been able to go to
church for three or four years, in cons( quence of the
want of clothes, and that was the ease with many of his
;n his neighbours. There were many families riighbeur-
hood who had no beds to lay upon ; they
l slept upon
l
straw.—(Cries of "Shame.") In 1835 iei
week wages ; Is. 6d. for cider, and is. 6d. traoilild 171s,hae
parish, in consequence of having two children,
now four children, no allowance from the pariseh had
allowance for cider, and only Sc. a week. Bread' no
much dearer now, and consequently he was much worse
was
off. His children had been christened, but in order to
take them, his wife was obliged to borrow a gown and
a bonnet. It was usual to give the clergyman sixpence
for chrurching, but their's was a good man and always
returned it to the woman.
By Mr. YOUNG—Did not know the date when he
lost; the Is. 6d. from the parish ; he had it before the
establishment of a Board of Guardians in the parish.
The wares did not rise at all with the introduction of the
Board of Guardians. Wheat, barley, beans, and potatoes
were principally grown in the neighbourhood, no oats. In
good seasons the crops were good, from 33 to 40 bushels
of
Bywh hetate. CHAIRMAN—Five or six years ago there were
not so many potatoes grown as now. The labourers were
obliged to eat potatoes now because they could get no-
thing else. The labourers would much prefer cheap
bread and the cheaper it was the better for the labourer.
There
never was any difference in their food on Sundays
from other days. Although he sp
and Is. 4d. In potatoes ent 3s. 10d. on bread
every week out of his z.. 5., there
were many occasions not enough for '
Often asked for more, when he
them. He had a fire shovel, buwtasn unableh to give it
euitne.orf
stonnugffse,rsp.okHere,
or fender ; he had two candlesticks b
would be very glad to have these things' he had more
to eat. His loaf ought to weigh -albs. but it was often
short by 6 ounces.
The witness hating withdrawn,
Lord NUGEST begged to offer a few remarks upon
fhe allotment system. For the last 14 or 15 years
he he had been in the habit of setting out allotments
on a small scale ; he wished he had the power of doing
I.
at upon a larger. He let them at 11. a rood, he paying
' ill rates. 7he farmers around bad the land at 21 10s.

~~''.ic
t, _
4 ~

"Rift

I)'`

an acre, but they very seldom paid the rent in full, and
were always grumbling. On the other hand the poor
persons who held the allotments paid up their rent re-
gularly, and they were so much sought after, that he had
always many applications on hand.-( Hear.)
Mr. G. GREG said it was a most important statement.
If the poor man without means almost could not afford
to pay 4/. an acre and support himself, and the farmer
could not pay at much more than half price, surely that
was a decisive proof that it was necessary to apply some
great and active stimulant to the latter in order to oblige
them to put forth their energies which now, under the
protection of the Corn-laws lay dormant.-(Hear.) He
suggested the expediency of having the evidence of some
practical farmers as well as labourers.
In answer to a question, Lord NUGENT said the rates
paid by the farmer would bring the costs of his acre to
between 635. to 655. He did not, however, speak posi-
tively upon the point.
James Vickery, a farm labourer, from Great Tor-
rington, in Devon, was then called in, and in his exami-
nation by the Chairman, said-He arrived in town last
night. He worked for Mr. Bragerton (or Braginton),
and received from him 9s. a week in money. He had no
other allowance of any kind. His family consisted of
himself, his wife, and six children ; they were respec-
tively twenty-two, twenty, eighteen, sixteen, eleven, and
three. The four youngest lived with him ; the other
two maintained themselves. The one aged eighteen
could earn from Is. to Is. 6d. a-week at gloving ; the
one aged sixteen was a boy-he was a little simple-he
had a want, and could do nothing. The one at eleven
earned nothing, as he did all in his power to keep her
at school. His wife could not do much, but she did all
she could with her needle to assist, but her average
earnings were not above 6d. a-week-she earned that
at gloving. He got 9s. a-week when working for Mr.
Bragerton, but when he worked for farmers got only 7s.
-that was the common wages around the neighbour-
hood. When he worked for Farmer Goss, a tenant of
Lord Relies, he and ell the other labourers had only 75.
aeweek, with a quart of cider per day, which was worth
2d.-his wages were then equal to Bs. a-week-the 7s.
was always paid in money. Mr. Bragerton was a far-
mer, but he was occupied in the merchandise of the ca-
nal. Witness generally worked on the farm, but was
often employed on the canal, puddling or so. It was
probably on that account he got 9s. from that gentle-
man. The whole of their earnings did not exceed I Is.
a-week, out of which he paid 3s. 6d. for bread. He
had not always to buy potatoes, as he reared some him-
self. He had no allotment, but he kept a pig ; he
saved the dung and any refuse, which he gave to the far-
mer, for which he had a quarter of an acre forgrowing po-
tatoes on during the year. He fed a pig throughout
the year, which he killed, and so had generally a bit of
bacon to eat. He fed the pig upon what waste he
had, but bad to buy from seven to eight bushels of
barley for it, at ss. a bushel. Never drank tea. His
wife had a little occasionally, but very seldom. They
drank herbs. He bad a bit of a garden, and grew
peppermint, which they used for tea. Never had any
sugar-no, they could not come that. Generally used
three-quarters of a pound of candles in a week for the
daughter to see her work. Had very seldom had any
shambles' meat at his table. He had a rasher of bacon
and some potatoes for dinner if he was at home, but if
at work in the fields, he took it with him, and then had
no potatoes. They used salt, but never cheese, except
they bought a couple of pennyworths, by way of a great
rarity. At night they had nothing but a few fried
potatoes. His coals cost Is. a cwt., and they used a
cwt. and a half. He had no privilege of cutting wood,
they were not allowed to touch a stick. He paid 3/.
We. a-year for his cottage, and had to pay a poors%
rate and a wa) (highway) rate ; they were each as. or
3s, 6d. a-year. Did not pay any Church-rates. He
could not find much clothing. The things he had on
then were his best. The jacket he now wore he had
had for five or six years. He only wore it on Sundays.
Had not bought any garments, except the jacket, for
seven or eight years. He bought his breeches second-
hand seven or eight years ago, and those he only wore on
Sundays. The clothes he wore every day were very
mean. He could show them a pair of breeches of
which they had never seen the fellows, he would be
bound.-( Laughter.) He was obliged many times to
sit down and mend them, which, he thanked God, he
could do. In mending them he had put one piece on
the top of the other so often that he dare say they
weighed now nearly forty pounds.-(Laughter.) The
reason he mended them so much was that he did not
like to go ragged. He had been married nearly thirty
years, and he got his breeches within a very few weeks
after that time.-(Laughter.) Had bought only one
pair of breeches since he had been married, but he had a
pair of sail canvass trousers which he purchased about
three years ago. That was all he had had since he was
married. Had a little short smock frock, which he
bought about a couple of years ago. The linen for his
shirts was bought tram the packman, for which he
paid by small sums. lie had now two linen shirts
which he had for years. Ills wife also bad the mate-
rials for her garments from the p Ickman as did also
his children, or they would be obliged to go without
any. Could not say how long it was his wife
had had any clothing. Supposed that she had had a
gown in the course of the last twelve months. Could
not say how much it cost. His oldest girl had her
clothes from the packman. Their shoes they paid for
weekly. Gave Bs. 6d. a pair for his own shoes, for
which he paid weekly. He had himself two pair of
shoes ; those he had on then were the best, and he had
them going on for three years. He was obliged to
have a new pair of every-day shoes every twelve
months, or his feet wou:d be on the ground. Married
people, in the district in which he lived, did not get
more than unmarried men. Some of those who got 7s.
a week, managed to have bacon every day. Since he
lived in the house he now occupied. he had only been
able to raise about a pound and a half of bacon a-week
for himself, his wife, and three children. Had lived in the
house he now occupied seven years. Since his wages
bad been raised to 9a , he had been able to get a pig.
In 1835 he had only 7s. a week, and cyder. The price
of barley-corn then was about 2s. 6d., or 3s. a bushel,
now it was ss. or 6s. Was much better off then than
now ; could have more of a belly-full. Could not get
more clothes then, because rearing a family was expen-
sive. His wife paid much less money for her clothing
wow, than she did years ago. Always eat barley bread.
His family could consume more than one pig a year, but
they could not get it.
By a DELEGATE-Do you save anything out of your
earnings ?-Oh, God bless you, how could I ?
Well, when you get old what will become of you ?-
lam sure I don't know, but if I am unable to work
I have a club from which I shall get 6s. a-week.
By the CHAIRMAN-Paid Is. a-month to the club.
but it would not support him if he was old and unable
to work. Could only have a certain sum from it now
in sickness. Owed now three quarters' rent, and could
not tell how be was to pay it. Was not in arrear in
1835 for rent. Was more in debt for rent now than
ever he was before. The average wages of all la-
bouring men in his neighbourhood was 7s. a-week. The
labourers on Lord Rolle's estate only got that sum, ex-
cept those who worked for Mr. Bragerton, and he
paid all his men 9s. a-week. There were no railways
in his neighbourhood, but there was a canal came up
there. All his rates were paid; The condition of the
people in his neighbourhood was in a much lower state
now than it was in 1835. They hardly knew how .to
get bread to cat. He had two beds and two bed-rooms
in his cottage. He and his wife slept in one room and
his four children slept together in the other. At one
time five of them slept in one bed ; some of them
lay at the head of the bed, and others at the
bottom, foot to foot. Went to chapel, which
he supposed was all the same as church, on
Sunday. Went there three times last Sunday. His
little girl went to school ercry day, and the elder one on
Sunday. Gave 2d. a week for the little one's schooling,
but nothing for the big ones. One of the beds he had
was a feather bed, which he bought before he was mar-
ried, and the other was a husk bed. Had only two
chairs, but some of them sat on three-legged stools which
ho made himself. Had a grate which he made himself out i
of old bars of iron. Had no fender or fire irons. Got
three candle sticks, two pots, and a tea kettle.
By Mr. STURGE-The people who get 7s. a week
never get meat for a regular thing, they sometimes have
a dish of broth or so.
By the CHAIRMAN-Thirty years ago, when he mar-
ried he got 7s. or Bs. a week with some cyder. Used at
that time to take job work, and there were times when
he got a little chance of making more. He lived better,
a great deal better then than he did now. He could af-
ford himself a little wheat then. Thirty years ago the
labourers in his parish were much better off than they
were now. He had never received parish relief.
Mr. STURGE-Those who got 7s. a week were
able to get a little bacon now and then, for which they
paid 7d. or Bd. a lb., but they could not get much of it.
7s. a week were able to keepm
obliged to buy him when he
By the CHAIRMAN SO
HOW long do
A DELEGATE-.CHAIRMAN-Some oapsfi
smealllaabnodurreerasr whihmo. wet
-past six in
pig, but then they werep
each day to earn 18d. a week,ts ytohuer
morning, daughter a
hs sit
knocks off about nine in the
?-
She gets up about half
Does she work at home ?-Yes,
Does she ever get more than 18d. ? S •
she gets 25., but it's very seldom. - otnetimes
By the CHAIRMAN-Do
turnh off
y ovul sn
always
evening.
youg .
get
sthe does
asto much as
you can eat?-Oh, no : I am often forcede
before I get a bellyful, and so is my wife and
chil-
dren. We always divide all we have amotioneachother, and make it go as far as we can. les
without myself, because I don't like to see thego
children want it. poorßy a DELEGATE-The generality of labourers in his
part of the country consumed barley bread.
Mr. LEES-If food was generally cheaper, you
would be able to live for less money ; would you not ?
-Certainly.
Well, then, what would you do with the money you
would have ?-Why, I should put garments on our
backs.
The CHAIRMAN-Have you heard anything about
the Corn-laws in Great Torrington ?-Yes, there has
been some talk about them for the last half year.

What talk ?—Oh, they wished they were off ; but
some people there were persuading us against
them being taken off, as they said it would
be bad for us if they were ; but I know we wish
they were thrown aside. When they told us
that it would be worse for us if they were thrown aside,
I said it was impossible ; that, do whatever they would,
they never could make us worse than we were now.
Mr. RAWSON here produced two loaves for the in-
spection of the Delegates, one of which he observed
was a specimen of the bread given to the convicts and
'elons in the Penitentiary, and the other that upon which
the bold peasantry of England, who had been so em-
phatically termed the " country's pride," were obliged to
subsist.
Nothing could equal the astonishment expressed by
the Delegates on inspecting these two specimens of the
staff of human life. The bread given to the prisoners
in the Penitentiary though brown was sweet, light, and
wholesome, whilst that upon which the honest agricul-
tural labourer was obliged to subsist, and which he could
alone procure by toiling under a scorching sun, or
subjecting himself to the piercing cold of winter, was
black as ink, heavy as lead, and more calculated to
produce disease than to sustain life.
Mr. O'CoNxxen observed that, from the evidence
of the witness, it appeared that the English agricultural
labourers were worse off than the Irish peasantry, for
they could always get a bellyful of potatoes, and they
were wholesome.
Witness—The poor in the workhouses live much
better than I can do at home. They live upon much
better bread than labourers. They have bread made
of wheat, and I have bread made of barley ; some
days they have three-quarters of a pound of meat, and
other days soup. I am obliged to live on barley bread,
and never get any meat except a slice of bacon now and
then.
Mr. GIBSON—As I understand it has been proposed
to introduce barley bread into the Union Workhouses,
because it is the article generally used by labourers out
of the workhouse ; have you heard of such a proposition
in your neighbourhood ?
Witness—l have bread that they intend to mix some
barley with wheat in the poor-house, but I believe it
has not taken place yet. It has been talked of.
Mr. GIBSON—It was proposed to introduce it in the
Grantham Union, and I believe after some discussion
among the Guardians, the proposition was carried.
A DELEGATE—Oh, no. I was told by one of the
Guardians the other day that it was negatived by a
great majority.
Mr. GIBSON had been told it was adopted.
Mr. RAWSON had consulted with some of the Poor-
lew Guardians, and he was informed that in some of the
Unions the poor hsd three-quarters of a pound of meat
a-day, together with potatoes and bread, all of which
was very good.
Mr. HOWELL, of Manchester, stated that he had been
into Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, to endeavour to
obtain information as to the opinions entertained
there on the Corn-laws, and he could assure the Dele-
gates that he found the greatest difficulty in obtaining
the least information whatever. He found the people
there steeped in ignorance, and they appeared to have
no idea whatever of their political rights. In Bicestcr,
he saw a family who had no grate in their house, they
had a small fire on the floor around which they all sat.
When he went in it was then supper time, and that
meal consisted of nothing but a piece of bread, and
they had not tasted bacon or meat of any description
for the last five months. In the course of the last fort-
night they had managed to buy a quarter of a pound
of lard into which, when melted, they dipped the chil-
dren's bread and potatoes. There was not a circulating
library in the whole town ; there was not such a thing
as a newspaper there, and the people generally were
obliged to cat barley-bread of such a nature as to en-
tail upon them disease instead of nourishing their bodies.
The coals they used cost them Is. 9d. a cwt., and they
were not allowed to take any timber from the estates
on which they worked.
The CHAIRMAN observed that as Mr. O'Connell hail
done them the honour of attending there that day, for
the purpose of stating some important facts, they had
better delay the examination of further witnesses to
Monday. From the statements made by the witness
who had just been examined, the condition of the pea-
santry in Devonshire appeared worse than those in Ire-
land.
The witness then left the room, but was re-called at
the suggestion of the Rev. Mr. Brewster of Paisley ;
and in answer to questions put to him stated, that he
and his family consumed about I i lbs. of bacon a week,
and that scores of times he haa gone without any him-
self, in order that the children might have mere. Teat
the pig he had kept weighed about 15 score, and that
after it was gone they were obliged to buy bacon, or go
without. Did not sell any part of the pig.
The CHAIRMAN-You have often gone without any
bacon yourself, because the children should have it ?
Witness-1 have, because I had not the heart to
take it from the children.
Mr. O'CoNNELL, in rising to address the Delegates,
was most enthusiastically cheered. The subject that he
wished to say a few words upon to the meeting was as
to its legality.—(Cheers.) \\Then he came into the
room yosterday, he was informed that doubts
existed as to the legality of the deputation or
delegation—( Hear)—and that it was desirable that
they should know precisely whether such an objection
could be raised. In this state of things, lie had felt it
to be his duty as a law) er of some standing, to look
into the English law upon the subject, in order that
he might inform the meeting what it was. In Ireland.
there could be no representative or delegate from any
body formed for the purpose of altering any law or ans
thing in Church or State, and therefore be stood there
not. as the representative of the people of Ireland, but es
the representative of their wishes.—(Cheers.) In Eng-
land, however, the law was (lifferent ; here they were
entitled to 'nave a convention, a bad name, considering
what had taken place under that denomination ; but in
England they could have a convention of deputies or re-
presentatives, provided its members were elected by
what might be called a primary assembly, that was the
people of any district coining together for that purpose.
To illustrate that, he might say that the Chamber of
Commerce of Manchester as a body could not appoint
deputies legally ; but every member of it, acting in his
private capacity could meet together and could appoint
deputies. Any portion of the English people acting in
their private capacity, could appoint deputies or dele-
gates, but no association could, however respectable it
might be, except its members acted in their private
capacity and not for the body. In their private capa-
city alone they could meet legally. Having stated this,
he would, in passing, just advert to what had been
stated to be the difference between the Irish peasant
and the labourer who had just been examined. He
did not think that in the South of Ireland such a thing
had existence as that which had been stated by the in-
tel:igent labourer who had just been examined, and who,
with such simplicity and truth, had detailed the miseries
and privations he was obliged to suffer. In the South
of Ireland there was not that famine from week to week,
and month to month, and year to year, there
was not that stinting of the appetite. No, in
that part of Ireland they had their bellies
full, they had plenty of potatoes, and that was
excellent food compared with the bread that had been
exhibited in that room that day.—(Cheers.) They had
not the other comforts of life which the witness had
stated that he had ; their clothing was not so good, but
they had their bellies full. He was glad that these facts
had come out that day from the examination that had
taken place, and he could assure the meeting that it
would be a stimulus to him to exert himself to the ut-
most to alter the present state of things, and above all
to give to every Englishman food to eat of a nature that
was calculated to cherish his body, and not to engender
disease.—(Cheers.) How was that to be done ? was the
first question.—(Clicers.) They must first simplify the
real meaning of the Corn-laws, put it in a shape that
everybody could understand it, and he thought he could
not do that better than by saying the true meaning was
this—The landlord under it said to the manufacturer
give me your money, and I will give you back some of
it.—(Great cheering.) That was the real meaning of
the Corn-laws, as it respected the manufacturer. It was
worse than that ; he did not think that he had described
its atrocity in sufficiently strong words.—(Cheers.) The
landlords did not give back to the manufacturer his
money without making him labour for it ; no, they make
him toil and spin to regain part of that which they have
wrung from him.—(Cheers.) That was really the short
abstract of the Corn-laws.--(Cheers.) It was based upon
nothing but robbery—(Loud cheers)—and they might
depend upon it that the moment the people of England
understood it that way, no power on earth could pre-
vent its being repealed.—(lncreased cheering.) He
could call the landlords nothing better than robbers.—
(Cheers.) He knew that among them there were men
of the most honourable feelings, and who would not
be guilty of the slightest infringement on private pro-
perty for all that the world could produce. The Duke
of Richmond would not do such things in his private
capacity, but in his landlords capacity he was doing
that which no temptation on earth would induce him to
do as a private individual.—(Cheers.) So much for
the manufacturer, and now for the agricultural labourer.
He was not in a better condition than the manufac-
turer. When the wages rose the price of corn rose too,
but the rise in wages was greatly overbalanced by the
rise in corn.
The CHAIRMAN—There has been no rise in wages.
for the witness told us that the wages thirty years ago
were as much as they are now.
Mr. O'CONNELL—That made the case stronger. He
thought that it had been stated that there was some
rise iu wages, but that the rise in the price of corn
doubled it, If the agricultural labourer got no rise in
his wages, what, he would ask, became of the argument
that an increase in the Corn-laws increased wages and
therefore extended its blessings to all the people in the
kingdom, who were told that they only wanted a
Corn-law to increase their wages, and with it a propor-
tionate increase in their comforts.—(Cheers.) The
Corn-laws were based on robbery and plunder, and
nothing
else.—(Great cheering.) What had the la-
bourer to give to his landlord for it? His labour, the
sweat of his brow.—(Cheers.) The labour here was

very different to what it was in Ireland ; there labour
was not toil, but health—(Cheers)—it was the human
health that the landlords in this country got from the
labourers.—(Cheers.) While, at the same time, by the
laws which were extended to protect them, they made
it difficult for the laboursr to preserve health.—(Great
cheering.) Having said thus much, he wished to call
the attention of the meeting to what fell from Lord
Melbourne yesterday. He said it was impossible to re-
peal the Corn-laws, and he had a right to say to that.
Why ? Because by the present machinery of legisla•
tion they could not repeal them—(Cheers)—it was in-
sufficient—it would not do the work.—(Great cheering )
What, he would ask, would any manufacturer present,
or in Manchester, or elsewhere do, if his machinery was
not sufficient to perform his work, would he not send
for an Arkwright or a Watt, those great be-
nefactors of the human race—(Great cheering)—
would he not send for them to improv it—(Cheers)
—and if that was found impracticable, would he not
substitute in its place new machinery ?—(Great cheer-
ing.) So with respect to legislation, if it was found
unfit for its purpose, it must be improved, and if that
could not be done it must be remodelled altogether.—
(Great cheering.) He had been told that they should
exclude polities from their Delegation ; he admitted that
party politics and local party politics ought to be ex-
cluded and ought not to be permitted to enter into their
discussion ; but general national politics, when discussing
a great measure that was calculated to benefit the whole
country, could not be looked upon in the light of party
politics.—(Cheers.) His opinions were known ; he was
(a
borough Radical—(Great chiering)—beit he would
thus address an honest Corn-law Tory—for there were
to honesthi m , menyo u
your
first
reveryst
dutyg is r a d e—Lghter
to
feed u
the poor—(Cheers)—
)—he would say
your humanity, your duty, and your religion tell you that
to feed the poor, to clothe the naked, and to relieve the
distressed, is your first and most sacred duty ; no mat-
ter what your politics are, no matter what such men as
Peel and Stanley and Graham may tell you ; from a far
higher authority than their's—from the words of the
God of all himself, contained in His sacred Book—you
are told, nay commanded. as your first duty,
to feed the poor.—(Tremendous cheering.) If
it was found, then, that the aristocracy
had taken such a position, that the Minister of a coun-
try—which had never yet been struck down in the
battle-field—that had never yet yielded or quailed to
mortal foe—(Great cheering)—whose flag had "braved
a thousand years the battle and the breeze."—(Continued
cheering) If it was found that the representative of
the Sovereign of that country told the people that it
is impossible to do justice to the honest labouring
classes; what remained to be done ?—(Cheers.) Lord
Melbourne did not beat about the bush, he defied you
to point out that he was in error, when he told you
that the Corn-laws could not be repealed ; and has he
told you an untruth ? No. What chance have you of
such a measure going through the House of Lords ?
—or the House of Commons, as at present constituted ?
The principal speakers, even Whigs and Tories, all
will be against you in the House of Commons ; even
such a voice as was collected in that room.—(Great
cheering.) And there never was such a delegation
collected in the county before, or one that had done so
much good, for there were those who spent hundreds
of thousands to give clothing to the industrious classes.
Yet with all this, with its popular voice at its back and
the agricultural classes in their favour, they had no
chance of making any impression without the most
material alterations taking place in the representation of
the country.—(Cheers.) Ministers were their oppo-
nents. All were combined against them and they might
as well throw stones against the wall, or as they said in
Ireland attempt to keep out the sea with a pitchfork—
(Laughter)—as to suppose in the Legislature, as at
present constituted, they could carry this measure.—
(Cheers.) He was now speaking of the difficulties that
surrounded them, and if he was asked what ought to he
done, he would say, extend the basis of representation.
—(Great cheering.) More of the people must be re-
presented.—(Cheers.) He did not want to preach any
doctrines on that subject—he would not say what the
extent or the basis of the representation should be ; that
was another question ; but this, he would say, that it
was impossible to succeed if the voice of the people did
not reach the Houses of Parliament—not as the passing
wind, but as the voice of authority and command.—
(Great cheering.) Let them tell their representatives
you must do such and such things, and, if you refuse,
another that will shall be substituted in your place.—
(Cheers.) If a clerk or agent did not do his duty, his
employer discharged him from his service ; so the peo-
ple, if their representatives d;d not do their duty to
them in Parliament, ought to have the power of turn-
ing them away .—(Checrs.) He hoped that in what
he had stated no gentlemen would suppose that so
humble an individual as himself intended to dictate the
course they should adopt ; he was there to sustain his
own political opinions, and in his conscience, between his
Creator and himself, so convinced was he of the necessity
of the course that he had proposed, that if he thought
IToryism would advance it, he for one should wish the
advance of Toryism. It was curious enough that OK
Corn-laws had brought the people to consider this ques-
tion. They found that in the cycles of years there came
good crops, and in another cycle famine ; they had been
told from Holy Writ that for seven years of famine there
were seven years of abundance, and that in those times
they should lay by for had seasons, and that could he
done if the Corn-laws were repealed, but in the present
state of things it could not. Reverting to his clan coun-
try he would say that the absentee landlords took away
the annual fructification of the country, and the only
chance left for Ireland was the extension of manufac-
tures there. Tile profits of these manufacturers could
not be absentee profits—(Cheers)—if manufacturers
were introduced capital would follow it, the master's eye
fattened the horse, and in this instance the master's e3e
would secure the profits of the establishment.—(Cheers.)
Such a course he was sure was calculated to benefit the
Irish people, and by its advocacy he was only doing his
duty to that country. He had read with great pleasure
the excellent speech of his friend Mr. Baines, jun., de-
livered there the other day, clearly demonstrating that
exports were not always to he considered as the crite-
rion of a nation's prosperity and that of its manufactures,
but might sometimes be caused in consequence of a
decreased demand at home.—(.Cheers.) It was well
that there were gentlemen among them, who could thus
ably meet the fallacious arguments of the landlord ;
it gave him the greatest pleasure, that the son of his
esteemed friend had shown such talents and research on
the subject.—(Cheers.) He was convinced that his
speech would go through the land, and make many
converts.—(Cheers.) It showed them the great minds
they had to aid them in their struggle.—(Cheers.)
Those present in that room represented Britain, in
their endeavours to obtain justice for all.—(Cheers.)
They must not think of carrying the repeal of the
Caen-laws, while they were imprisoned in the clutches
of the aristocracy.—(Cheers.) He thanked God that
the days of Chartism had gone by : its atrocities had
been disclosed, and the mills of Manchester had not
been stopped, or its artizans starved, by its sacred
month.—(Cheers.) Now was the time for all ration-
ally to rally on the great work of the repeal of the
Corn-laws.—(Cheers.) Let every man lay his hand
upon his heart, and ask his conscience whether he was
sincere in his wish to repeal the Corn-laws ; and if lie
was, let him adopt the means that would secure the
great end he had in view.—(Cheers.) He trusted that
the great example that Ireland was setting them, in
that universal temperance of the measures she had
adopted, would have some weight. Let them
be firm and determined, and, like Ireland, they
would obtain their end.—(Loud cheers.) In that
country great changes had been effected, no man was
injured in bringinc, them about, and he thanked God
that not a drop of' human blood tarnished the victory.
—(Cheers.) He implored of them to act with tem-
perance, but with a determination to carry the great
object they had in view, namely, that of giving food and
clothing to the labouring classes.—(Cheers.) Let
them, in order to carry so great a work, look to the
machinery of Parliament. Let them improve it if they
could, and if not let them remodel it.—(Cheers.)
They must be aware that they were now about being
being defeated ; they would have more supporters,
s
but they were sure to be defeated ; and even if they
in the House of Commons, they were sure to
be defeated in the House of Lords, where, with the
exception of the Marquis of Westminster, Earl Fitz-
William, and about a dozen other Noble Lords, all were
against them. To withstand this it required great de-
termination. Let that determination be displayed, and
eventually the contest in which they were engaged must
be decided in their favour.—(Cheers.) No one was
be d
they had in view—(Cheers)—or would more re
y
was a question of
to take any step to secure it—it .
Loud cheering.)
more zealously attached than he was to the great object
life and death—of bread and blood.—(
And (observed the Learned Gentleman) may that great
God who governs all, and will judge all according to
their works, inspire us with the manliness to cast away
all party feelings and objects in determining on the
in view. [The Hon. and Learned Gentleman
The Rgev,.iMt
was
eaßs
con-
cluded amid loud cheering, which lasted for several means best calculated to attain the great end we have
mi-
nutes.]
and Learned Gentleman that he was wrong in suppos-
oenst wishedth o aseteon
d informant tht
than
ne Hon.ever.
ing that Chartism was at an end ; in Scotland it was no
gone by, but Chartism
such thin
had not.
Mr. O'CONNELL observed that what he meant by
He admitted that Physicalism had
Chertism was physical force.
The Rev. Mr. BREWSTER trusted that such an ex-
tension of the suffrage would be asked as it was just to
demand and just to give. What he meant by Chartism
was universal suffrage.
ImEowresT
Mr. O'CONNELL observed that when he spoke of the
state of the Irish peasantry he spoke of only one pro-
vince in the South of Ireland.
The meeting then separated.
The Delegates meet again to-day at Two o'Clock.

THE ROYAL ARTILLERY.—Orders have
been received to suspend the enlistment of recruits and volun-
teers to this corp, the complement being made up.

Would it be right to enact laws prohibiting any
article of foreign manufacture from this country, until
the average earnings of operatives and labourers through
the land exceeded twenty-five shillings per week ; and
then only admit the ports to open with a graduated
scale of duties that would prevent the decline of wages ?
If the answer be " yea," why not do it immediately,
and give the working classes the benefit of Conservative
Legislation as well as the wealthy circles ?
lithe answer be " nay," where is the equity of legis-
lating to keep up the price of corn and enrich land-
lords, to the depressing of commerce and the oppressing

of labouring men ?
If the poor should say, " Taxes are high, provisions
arc dear, and our habits are improvident ; we must have
laws to increase the rate of wages :" Would you not
reply, " Good men, you are wrong, and we should not
be right if we imposed burdens on others to meet your
improvidence or covetousness ; you must bring your
expenses to your income, and be contest ?
May not the working classes say, and say with rea-
son, truth, and justice on their side, " Then abrogate
your oppressive Corn-laws, reduce your establishments
to your means, and do unto others as ye would that
they should do unto you ?"
If you say, " A return to peace, after a long, ruinons,
and expensive war, rendered legislation necessary to
prevent the bankruptcy of the landlords:" May not the
labourers reply, " Was it just, was it Christian, to
ruin us to recover yourselves ?"
If you say " We must have a remunerating price for
corn, or our farmers can neither live themselves nor'
pay our rents," may not many of the poor say " For
want of a fair day's wages for a fair day's work our
families pine in want and waste in disease ?" Yea,
might they not add, " It would be better for you to
want the aboundings of luxuries, than for us to perish
for want of common necessaries ?"
Do you say—'tis the arrangement of Providence that
"the poor shall never cease out of the land ?" God
has also said "he that withholdeth corn the people shall
curse him, but blessing shall be upon the head of him
that selleth it."—Proverbs xi, 9.6. How will the pro-
Corn-law men escape ?
Have not thousands of quarters of grain decayed in
bond since the introduction of Corn-laws ; and have not
many of the children of sorrow pined and died under the
very shade of those corn depots by the river side ?
If the mouth of Old Thames wereasked, how many
quarters of spoiled grain have been buried beneath your
wanes, what would he say if he could speak ?
Will you, gentlemen, carefully read, mark, learn,
and inwardly digest" the following passage from God's
word, before you again legislate to oppress the poor, or
pray 'legislators thus to continue preventing the people
having cheap bread ?
" Hear this, 0 ye that swallow up the needy, even to
make the poor of the land to fail, saying, when will the
new moon be gone, that we may sell corn ? and the
Sabbath that we may set forth wheat, making the ephab
small and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances of
deceit ? That we may buy the poor for silver and the
needy for a pair of shoes, yea and sell the refuse of the
wheat. The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of
Jacob, surely I will never forget any of their works.
Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn
that dwelleth therein? And it shall rise up wholly as
a flood, and it shall be cast out and drowned, as by the
flood of Egypt. And it shall come to pass in that day,
saith the Lord God, that I will cause the sun to go
down at noon, and I will dzrken the earth in the clear
day. And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and
all your songs into lamentation, and I will bring up
sackcloth upon your loins and baldness upon every
head ; and I will make it as the mourning of an only
son, and the end thereof as a bitter day."
W. W. W.

THE VALUE OF TIN.

(From the Morning Advertiser.)
I was one morning at a coffee-house, making some ca
culations on the relative value of the precious metals
and meeting accidentally, at the same table, an Ame-
rican gentleman, I put some questions to him respecting
the American coins, viz.—the Eagle and the Dollar.
He was very polite and communicative. " Sir," said
he, "our cash arithmetic is more simple than yours ;
first, because we have it decimated ; next, by having
only two denominations. Why, Sir, the great varieties
of your coins are like your several orders in society—
Royalty, Aristocracy, and Democracy ; they are so nu-
merous. Your farthings, half-pence, pennies, groats,
and sixpences, are the Democracy ; your shillings, half-
crowns, and half-sovereigns, are the Aristocracy ; and
Royalty is truly represented in your beautiful Sove-
reign." " Yes, Sir," I said, " God bless her Majesty ;
you are quite right." " Sir," said he, " You mistake me ;
I mean the Coin." .‘ Oh, I beg pardon," I replied.
" However, I quite agree with you, that our gold is
♦ery valuable." " Ala, Sir," he said, " there is one metal
which I consider the catholicon of all others ; it is uni-
versal in its application ;it describes all others. With
it, a man may be anything ; without it, Sir, a man is
nothing—a mere nonentity."
I now began to entertain a hope that I had come in
contact with a happy being who had discovered the
Philosopher's stone. " Pray, Sir," said I, " may I take
the liberty of asking what metal you mean ?" " Sir,"
said he, with a sigh, " I mean TIN. In America it is
highly valued ; but here it is absolutely idolized."
" It mounts on eagles' wings ; kings it makes gods
—and meaner creatures kings !" as Shakspeare says.
What a poet he was to be sure T. but I dare say that
lie, as well as a great many other queer poets, often
wanted TIN. Poor Otway would not have died through
hunger, if he had had TIN. A man may get as drunk
as a Lord—ay, or even as the Marquis of W--, if
he has TIN ; and, if he were sober as a Judge, no one will
respect him without TIN. How very good natured re•
lations are when they think you have TIN. How very
friendly your friends are when they fancy you have TIN !
How very sensibly all ranks are affected by TIN ! How
courteous tradesmen are when they hear your TIN !
How the Ladies smile upon you when they see your
TIN ! How polite are all Attorneys when they s'ncll
your TIN! How the Clergy pity and forgive a sinner
will has the least taste of TIN ! In brief, the members
of the bar itself are charmed with the feel of TIN !
Thus the five senses, by a sort of animal magnetism,
are tickled by TlN—hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting,
feeling. Sir, a man who has no TIN might as well be
" sans eyes, sans ears, sans nose, sans mouth, sans every-
thing." But a man who has TIN, even if he lost his
teeth, need never want a mouthful.
" In America, I once asked an Irish gentleman how
it was that his countrymen were so admired by the
ladies ? Ah, sure,' said he, it is because we look so
TIN-dedy, and smile so TIN-derly, and talk so TlN-
derly, that many a lady who had TIN could not avoid
saying, Oh ! Paddy, my darling, I am TIN-derly yours !
The match is made up with a l►ttle TIN-der flame, and
then they are happy enough, provided they have TIN.'
" Believe me, Sir, that, although Brass has been
sometimes useful, it is nothing new without TIN. What
is a statesman in the eyes of your Commons without
TIN ? What is an orator without TIN ? He might as
well be as dumb as an oyster. What is a religious good
man ? No matter what his faith may be—he has no
hope here—he can exercise no charity without TIN !
" All over the world TIN is prized ; but particularly
in England. Yet it is very difficult to obtain 'FIN.
You want more in circulation—your prosperity would
be more con-TIN-uous with a greater plenty of TIN."
Brother Jonathan, I believe you're rght.
GEORDIE O'BOTHER.
Quere—ls TIN the philosopher's stone ?

RETIREMENTS.—The undermentioned officers
have retired from the army this week :.—Cornet and Sub-
Lieut. Bromley, and Cornet and Sub-Lieut. Greville, Ist Life
Guards ; Cornet and Sub-Lieut. Peyton, 2nd Life Guards;
Lieut. Peters, ith Dragoon Guards ; Lieut. Stack, 24th Foot ;
Capt. O'Brien, 53rd Foot ; Capt. Kemp, 80th Foot ; Lieut.
Maxwell, 88th Foot; Ensign G. Thompson, Ist West India
Regiment.— United Service Journal.
CAPT. G. SMITH'S INVENTION.—The Lords
of the Admiralty have ordered the Medea steamer know lying.
at Woslwich) to be fitted with Captain George Smith's inven-
tion of life-boats over the paddle-wheels, and forming part of
the paddlo-box. The Pacific Company are also building two
vessels on the same plan in Messrs. Curry and Young's yard,
Limehouse. Captain Hatter's vessels for the Niger expedi-
tion are to be similarly built.— United Service Gazette.
We find it repeatedly stated, in the Constanti-
nople correspondence of our Contemporaries, and indeed in the
Foreign Journals also, that the Turkish Ambassador, who was
proceeding from Constantinople on a special mission to the
Court of St. James's, had for his object to assist at con-
sultations about to take place here on the great Eastern ques-
tion. We are enabled to state that, on the contrary, the
single object of this special mission from Constantinople is to
present to our gracious Qw:en the congratulations of
the Sultan on her Majesty's most auspicious marriage. The
distinguished person appointed by the Sublime Porte to assist
at the consultations of its allies in London is Nourri Effendi,
sometime Turkish Ambassador to the Court of Louis Philippe,
and we understand that his Excellency will arrive here to-mor-
row, or on the next day, for that purpose.— Observer.
NEWCASTLE AND CARLISLE RAILWAY.--
The annual general meeting of the shareholders of this Com-
pany was held at the Assembly Rooms, Newcastle, on Tuesday
last, and was numerously attended. A dividend of 61. per
100/. share, for the last year, was declared. The follow-
ingrgjn is an extract from the Report of the Directors Du
the last year much has been effected towards the doubling of
the whole line ; and as soon as those portions whirls are nearly
completed shall be opened, only seventeen miles will remain to
be doubled. As a proof of the credit and solidity of the
undertaking, the Directors state that the Company have
been able to fulfil all their engagements during the
late severe pressure on the money market, without
forcing into the market the quarter shares remaining at
their (iii-posal, which must have been attended with a great
sacrifice. A i .ore favourable opportunity having now offered,
those quarter shares have been brought forward for sale, at a
reasonable premium, and have been accepted to a very consi-
derable extent. It appeared by a statement made up from the
weekly summaries of revenue, that, as compared with the pre-
vious year, the increase in receipts during the last year had
been as follows :—Passengers, nearly 23 ; parcels, above 33 ;
goods, 81i; coals, 2714, ; lime, 10; and stone, nearly 31 per
cent. ; and, in consequence, the actual receipt of the year 1839
amounted to 87,4211 Is. 9d., being 26,165/. 9s. above the re-
ceipt of the previous year. And to show the further prosperity
of the concern, it was added, that up to the 7th March in this
year, the revenue had exceeded that, of
.the same period in the
year 1639 by 23 and one-third pee cont. '