The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-30 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, NOVEILBER 30, 1841

1 those who eat it. Was not this, then, a competent
reason: for the misery that existed amongst the working
classes 2—(Hear, hear.) With respect to the agricul-
tural labourers, the owners of the soil did not give
them any more than they could help, but the
agricultural labourers increased in number also, and,
as a consequence, they were li:weed by competition for
work to take less and less wages. They were pinched
. down to short alloWance and starvation pay, and it
need not be wondered at that they presented the same
hungry and palid faces as the operatives in the manu-
facturing districts.—(Cheers.) The farmers were in-
jured by the system, and the landowners also (except
that class of landowners who seemed to have a patent
for keeping their children at the public expense), by
preventing the opening of new channels of industry,
which would enable them to give respectable stations to
their children without splitting up their property. What
was the case now ? If the landowner made one of his
sons a lawyer, there were more lawyers than briefs—
(Laughter)—if he made him a clergyman, there were
more parsons than ti►the.pigs—(Laughter)—and if he
made him a doctor, there were more doctors than pa-
tients who could pay.—(Laughter.) Besides this,
there was such a thing as land being increased in
value, in consequence of foreign commerce. There was a
notable instance in the repub.ic of Genoa, where land
was universally poor in quality, producing only a little
fruit and a little oil, but Genoa in its time, and till
other nations undersold it, was a mighty trading re-
public. A great portion of the wealth of the world
passed through the hands of the merchants of Genoa.
Its merchants were princes. But rich men were fond
of land ; they liked parks and gardens, and the conse-
quence was that the rents of land in Genoa rose to a
height they never would have reached if the people had
been confined to the small quantity of oil and fruits that
the land produced.—(Loud cheers.) Venice was an-
other notable instance. Venice, though built on a few
mud banks, was once the queen of the world, through
her commerce. Some might say that the people of a
country ought. to confine themselves to the produce of
the soil of their country ; but he should like to know if
Venice would ever have been the queen of nations if
she had confined herself to the few mud-banks on which

it was built ?—(Loud cheers.) The;;;;;Coldinae
care, and not lose their home trade. Why did the old
butter-woman go to the town, and not sell her butter in
the village?—(Laughter.) Because she knew she
would get more for it in the town than in the village
where it was created.—(Cheers.) Stop one of these
old women, and say, " You are coming away from your
home market." She would answer, " I know that very
well, but I am going from my home market to a better."
—(Cheers.) There was also the question of machinery,
which he had no wish to evade. He confessed that the
opinion he had formed as to machinery was, that in the
long run there was vastly more of a balance of good and
evil than any man ou the face of it would think.
He knew an eminent individual who had sprung
from the working classes, who had told hint that for
seven years together in the great metropolis of London,
he diligently endeavoured to discover a case in which
machinery had finally ended in diminishing employment,
and could not. He had not found one. Many of the
working classes had come to him and represented that
they were likely to endure great suffering by reason of
the introduction of machinery, and he had said, wait a
while, and come again to me, and they did come again,
and confessed that they were agreeably disappointed.
The printers and compositors complained of the intro-
duction of a machine for printing, which was going to
be carried on by steam, that would so cheapen print-
ing, that authors could print 500 where formerly they
only printed 250. He told them to wait awhile, and
on inquiring the result afterwards, they confessed that
the printing business had so far increased, in conse-
quence of the introduction of the machine, that they
had just as much work as before. A still more remark-
able instance was that of the printer's pressmen, who
came and said, we must necessarily be ruined if steam
is to do what we formerly did by the labour of our
hands. " We, said they, pulled the press formerly, now
steam is to do it." He examined those men after, and
they acknowledged that it had not turned out as they
expected. A great deal of work was done by steam,
and the consequence was, there had been so much of
what printers call bye-work, that is, odds and ends, still
to be done by hand, and which was increased in conse-
quence of the great increase of the printer's trade, that
these men confessed, on the whole, that their condition
was just as good as it was before.—.(Cheers.) If they
were to rival foreign nations, how were they to do it but
by making use of the ingenuity which Providence had
given them, and multiplying their productions by im-
provements of all kinds. It was but a week or two
ago, that an intelligent operative of Manchester sail to
him, that nothing made men invent machinery like
want. The Corn-laws had been the great inventors of
machinery. The profits of the masters and the wages
of the men had been reduced. And the great cause
of the invention of machinery had been the urgent
wants of masters and men, sharpening their genius, for
it was said, " necessity is the. mother of invention," and
so increasing the natural progress by which machinery
would have otherwise advanced.—(Cheers.) He
wished he could impress on that society, that machinery
was the least likely thing for men to agree to prohibit.
They all used machines. A plough was a machine, a
spade was a machine, and so was a small-tooth comb.—
( Laughter.) He did not see any chance of persuading
men to revert to their former practice of doing without
them. It would be returning back to the habits of a
savage state. So far as foreign commerce was con-
cerned we should be cut down in the scale of nations.—
(Hear.) He thought there was a great. mistake in
talking of the comforts of our ancestors. He doubted
those same comforts of our ancestors. True, there was
more of the land capable of cultivation, and fewer
people living on it ; that was a good reason why they
should live in more comfort than under their present
restrictions.--(Cheers.) What was required was the
opening of the commerce of the world to honest industry,
the ceasing to prevent the manufacturer from carrying
his goods abroad, or what amounted to the same thing,
to prevent him bringing back the goods which would
pay. Then he thought they should see a cessation of
the present misery. It was almost useless to talk of pri-
vate charity, or of public charity either, with a starving
population. The constant complaint was, that the
men who paid the poor-rates were as poor as those
who got them, and that it was only by the most stre-
buous exertions that they kept themselves on that side
of the mark line, as a hair which separated them from
paupers. (Cheers.) Had he (Colonel Thompson) a
thousand pounds to spare, it should be given in this
way. He would go and pay the tax on a portion of
American flour in Liverpool, and then he would bring
it to Huddersfield, or Leeds, or Manchester, and sell
it at the natural prices, and tell them, " Here you have
the corn for 2s. that would have cost you 35., hut I
have paid the Is. for you into the landlord's pocet."—
(Loud cheering.) He could not but think a system of
charity of that kind would place the monopoly in a
strong light, and might shame their legislators into
taking off the tax.—(Loud cheers). Thy would see
that he had purposely avoided all questions of a poli-
tical nature. He was known to hold as strong poli-
tical opinions as most amongst them, for he had always
held his colours out.—(Cheers.) He came -there,
moved, perhaps principally, certainly in a great degree,
by the belief that to put down this prominent evil would
be the most effective way of striking a blow against the
evils that oppressed them elsewhere. What did it
spring from, but the circumstance of a particular set of
men having seized upon, and become possessed of, power
to legislate for others.—(Cheers.) Let them have
something like equality of legirletion.—(Loud cheers.)
They would not then see mischief like that he was en-
deavouring to expose. Still they must bear with him,
if, in the exercise of his private judgment, he did what
they thought wrong, in believing that this was the point
upon which, to speak in the language of Cromwell, "the
Lord had delivered them into our hands."—(Loud
cheers-) Take them on this sore point, and he believed
they could turn them as easily as a blacksmith did a
piece of heated iron.—(Loud cheers.) Having these
strong opinions, do not let them blame him for uttering
them ; do not let them qnarrel with him, if they found
they did not entirely agree with their own. (Colonel
Thompson concluded his lecture by repeating his offer
to answer any question, and sat down amidst loud cheers.)
Mr. EDWARD CLAYTON said, he had a book in his
hand which stated that if' all the foreign corn grown
were poured into England, it would not satisfy the
people of England for twenty one days,
of corn was produced
could be procured.—(Hear,
gentleman stated, then the
Colonel TnoupsoN said, they had never asked to
get what they could not, but what they could. Tho
question
riculturists had nothing to fear ; if not, he thought
bhe aror.a)d,w
butl
If
ai
agriculturists tsw oaatt s whatquantity
ntt quantity
e o u
it was still better. It was stated that in America
there was land that would produce food enough to feed
two worlds such as the present—(Cheers)—but they
.did not put them in cultivation, for the simple reason,
that we would not buy it of them.--(cheers.)
Mr. CLAYTON—It was Mr. Fawkes, the Chairman
of Morpeth and Milton's Committee, who stated it.
He found that the silk trade of Dublin from 1801 to
1819 was in a prosperous condition, but in the latter
year the protection duty was taken off, and there was
a free trade in silk., and the effect was that the Dublin
silk trade was ruined. There was one effect of free
trade. He would say, first let them feed and clothe
themselves, and then let the residue go abroad.—(Loud
cheers.) Three acres were stated to be competent to
produce food for live persons. We had in round num-
bers on this island thirty-one millions of human beings.
These statements were taken from Porter's progress of
the nation. If they had suMtgiozy of land in this
country to grow food far CAa e hundred millions of peo-
ple, why sliould these be such an outcry for an increase
of foreign trade, seeing that as fast as foreign trade had
increased, so had the working-gangs wages decreased.
TiAemelsetN—Thore appeared to be three ques-
tions included in what the speaker had said. As to
the putting down of the silk trade in Dublin, he never
denied that it was possible to get up a trade by means
of monopoly, but the trade in that case was kept up at
the public expense.—(Hear, hear,) Here they had a
trade ef this kind. That waa no reason why they who

wished to drive an honest trade, should be compelled
to submit to support a dishonest one.--(Cheers.) He
did not exactly collect the terms of the second ques-
tion. The third was on the subject of land. It had
been said there was land enough to find food for a great
number of people ; he (Col. Thompson) would ask
them—Why did it not do so ?—(Loud cheers.) Were
they to suppose that through some strange defect of
intellect the agriculturists were not able to cultivate
their land ? Was it to be supposed that they required
the manufacturers of Huddersfield to go and tell them
how to produce more ?—(Cheers.) If they produced
it, there were plenty to cat it ; and if they did not, they
would take the liberty to believe it was because they
could not.—(Cheers.) _

Mr. CLAYTON—IIe has not given a straightforward
answer to the list question.—( Hisses.)

Col. THOMPSON—Perhaps I have mistaken the
question. If you will repeat the question I will try to
amend it.

Mr. CLAYTON—The lion. Gentleman seemed to
doubt his statement as to the ielource: of England.
The speaker then real from a work he had in his
hand a detailed statement of the number of acres in
Eagland of different qualities to prove his assertion.
lie mimed, that if the people had the power to
get on the land, they could make it produce what
he had stated. how was it they could not get
there!—(Cheers.) They had the resources to make
them happy anal comfortable, but class legislation had
degraded them below the level of brutes.—(Loud
cheers.) Then, as to machinery. In the year 1796
we exported from this conntry more than twenty-three
million pounds of cotton, while in 1841 we exported
more than four hundred and sixty millions, yet when
we exported the smaller quantity, in 1797, the wages
of the hand-loom weaver were 265. Bd. per week, while,
when we exported the largest quantity, in 1840, they
were only .ss. 6d.—(Shouts of " Shame, shame.) Mr.
Clayton then read some statistics to show that in 1820,
we exported one hundred and thirty-four million pounds
of cotton, for which we received seven million pounds
sterling, while in 1834 we exported two hundred and
seventy-one million pounds of cotton, for which large
quantity we only received between seven and eight
millions of pounds sterling. These were from Porter's
Tables.

Colonel THOMPSON—The gentleman produced state-
ments of the quantity of manufactured goods sent
abroad in certain years, and he then produced state-
ments affirming that wages of labour were less in those
years when the quantity sent abroad was greatest. He
(Colonel Thompson) should rather have wondered
under the existing state of things, if it had beea other-
wise. Those years he supposed included in them the
Corn-law years. The very statement he had been
making there that night, was that the prohibition had
reduced the profits of the manufacturers, and the
wages of the labourers. The manufacturers were forced
to carry on a losing instead of a gainful trade.—(Loud
cheers.) Wages had always risen when corn had
fallen in price—(Hear)—and they had always fallen
when the price of corn had risen.—(Cheers.) The
argument put forth by the speaker was one that would
suit Sir Robert Peel or the Duke of Wellington.
They brooded over lists, and they said, " We do
not find your trade has been diminishing." They
said, "Your trade must have diminished before the rob-
bery shall be stopped." That was to say, a man had no
right to complain at the Quarter Sessions of a robbery,
so long as the exports had been increasing.—(Laugh-
ter.) But what reason had been advanced against
him on the Corn-laws ?—(Hear.) Supposing a great
quantity of goods were sent abroad, would they be any
worse if they were allowed to bring back what they
wanted ?—( Hear, hear.) What strong inducement was
there to endure hunger, and beg for a bad market ra-
ther than a good one ?—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. CLAYTON—The years he had mentioned in-
cluded a period both before and after the Corn-laws
were enacted. He quoted from Marshall's Statistics
the fact, that ten years before the Corn-laws were
enacted, a quantity of wheat was imported at 4/. Bs. Bd.
a quarter, and ten years after the Corn-laws were
enacted a quantity of wheat was imported at 3/. 18s.
How did this happen, if the Corn-laws were so great
'an evil ? Colonel Thompson asked for a good market.
The best market of all was the home market. By re-
decing the working man's wages to send their goods
abroad, they reduced their best market at home. As
to machinery, he did not say it was-a curse in itself, but
he said it was a curse as now applied.—(Cheers.) He
glanced at the progress of machinery in the cotton trade
and said that now one man could do the work which was
formerly done by 6,142 men.—(Hear, hear.) It was by
the unlimited powers of machinery, and by the want of
power in the working men to protect their own labour,
that they were in their present condition. As to free
trade, it appeared from what Colonel Thompson said,
that Genoa fell through free trade.—(Cheers.)
Colonel THOMPSON—With respect to Genoa, it was
not free trade, but somebody else ruined Genoa's free
trade—(Loud cheers)—and when Genoa's free trade
passed away from her, then she fell. (Repeated
cheers.) They had heard about the home market. He
could come to no other definition of the home market,
except that it was one that offered two quarters of
wheat for what, in another market, they could sell
for three.

Mr. CLAYTON—He would ask, what amount of
power would it take to obtain the repeal of the Corn-
laws? and if that amount of power would not also get
passed a certain law or enactment, by which the people
would be enabled not only to repeal this one single law,
but all others that bound them down in the scale of
social existence ?

Colonel THOMPSON said he was quite willing to give
his opinion on that question. He looked at the House
of Commons, which, as things stood now, was in con-
siderable power and influence. It was reported that,
at this moment, Sir Robert Peel had a majority of 140
against the Corn-laws. In a House of 600, that made
about three in favour of repeal of the Corn-laws, to five
on the other side. When a late motion on the subject of
the suffrage was made in the House, thirty-nined voted
for it ; but there were some splits, and therefore say there
would be twice as many for it ; suppose there were
eighty, and eighty in a house of 600 made a propor-
tion of three to twenty, just four times as many against
the suffrage motion as the repeal of the Corn-laws.
Now, if anybody thought they could get the large
bolt into the hole, when they could not get the small
one, he should be glad to hear him. There was about
one third of the aristocracy who had pretty strong
leanings to freedom of commerce. He could not see
the sense of refusing to follow up this line, because
there was another where the chances were worse. It no
more followed that because obtaining the Charter would
secure the power of making other reforms, therefore
the Charter was the only thing to be gone tor, than it
followed that putting salt on their tails was the way to
catch birds, because when we had the power to put salt
upon the tail we should have power to catch the bird.—
(Cheers.) These were the reasons why he held to the
opinion, that they ought to allow each other to take
their separate ways, and not do anything to interfere
with each other.--(Hear, hear.) Suppose, when the
abolition of the slave trade was agitated, some one had
turned round and said it was no use trying to abolish
the slay e trade, nothing but a bloody revolution would
ever accomplish it ; go for Universal Suffrage, and then
they would abolish the slave trade. Where should
they have been. The slave trade was abolished in
1808. They might get Universal Suffrage in eighteen
hundred, and the largest number anybody chose to
add.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. CLAYTON said, if they had not a majority
of the House of Commons for Universal Suffrage,
they had a majority of the people. The people
had made a decided stand for the full measure of
their rights. They would struggle for nothing short of
their rights. The middle classes were now becoming
more liberal, because the people stood aloof and would
not help them in their party measures. And if the
people stood firm to their position, they would be
obliged ultimately to come to them. It was the pres-
sure from without that would carry the People's Char-
ter.—(Loud cheers.)
Col. THoMrsoN—He thought there was a tendency
in the people to overrate.the power they had, for at the
same time they admitted that the complaint they all had
to make was that they had no power at all.—(Hear,
hear.) He would ask them the question, would their
power be greater or less if the prohibition were abo-
lished that cut down the food of all ?—(Hear and
cheers.) Did he advise them to trust to any pro-
mises ? God forbid. He had seen instances lately of
men doing their utmost to stretch a point in this direc-
tion. On this subject he would only say---" Blessed
are they that expect nothing, for they shall not be
disappointed.”—(Laughter.) All that he came there
for was to invite as many as were of bis opinion to go
on, pressing at all events this principle, that we will not
oppose one another.—(Cheers.) If one party could do
away with one evil, and another party could do away
with another, they might shake hands, as the English
and the Prussians did after the battle of Waterloo, and
congratulate themselves on their success.—(Cheers.)
Here a person of the name of Samuel Binns came
forward, but was received with much hissing and dis-
approbation.
An operative in the body of the meeting, whose name
we could not learn, said they found their exports in-
creasing to a great amount, and at the same time their
wages bed been decreasing. That had not been for the
want of a market. They found the manufacturer set-
ting up a machine that would do as much work
as a thousend men, and giving the man who
worked it, ten shillings, or say a pound a week.
Where did the benefit go to, but to the very man who
" "
set up the machine—(Shouts of No, no," and Yes,
yes;') He wished Colonel Thompson to show how,
and where machinery was calculated to be a blessing to
mankind. If they could get the whole world for a
market, and have machinery to produce it, and only just
as many labourers as could work that machinery, then
there would not be any material injury from it. But
this could not be the case, because other nations would
have machinery as well as themselves.—(Hear, hear.)
Wages had decreased as machinery bad increased. "
THOMPSON—He was not aware that he had
used such au expression as that machinery was a bless-

ing ; if he had used that term, he should have been un-
derstood as meaning something different from what he
had on his mind at the time. What he stated was,
that machinery was the result of the ingenuity implanted
in mankind by the Creator, and which would be brought
into action whether they or he would !Deno!. The great
relief to the injury arising from machinery, and what in
the end would turn it into a good rather than an evil,
was the having a perfect freedom for disposing of the
products of machinery.—(Cheers.) But if they tied
them up from disposing of its products, no man could
doubt that it would bean instrument of destruction ; but
then it was the tying up, and not the machinery which
was the cause.—(Cheers.) A rope was a very good
thing in its way, but if it were tied in a particular man-
ner about a particular part of a living man, it was likely
to
,work him exceeding woe.—(Laughter.)
I.le operative again rose and said, if they increased
their trade fifty times, they would have increased
machinery to do the work, and then there
would be again plenty of labourers out of employ-
ment. Where would be the benefit to these men ?
1 ile henefit would go to the masters who employed the
machinery.—(Loud cheers.) Then they would have
as princely merchants in England as there were in
Genoa.—(Cheer:.) If they looked abroad, they found
other countries increasing in machinery as well as
themselves, but had they taxes to pay as the people of
this country had ?—( Hear, hear.) A man abroad
might live for 10s. a week better than Englishmen
could on 20s. a week. England must not expect to
have the whole world for a market, as she had before
the French Revolution. There was a great quantity
of land in this country capable of improvement, but if
they did away with the Corn-laws, instead of bringing
land into cultivation, they threw it out. "%hat, then,
would they do with the agricultural labourers? They
might, indeed, come into the manufacturing districts,
and this was what the manufacturers wanted, as it would
enable them to beat down wages.—(Loud cheers.)
Col, THoetrsoN—The objector who had just sitten
down had introduced an entirely new question, and he
was glad he had done so. He had entered on the
question of the agricultural labourers, and the effect to
be produced by allowing free exchange of goods for
foreign corn. Put the converse case. Suppose some-
body were to come to them and say, " We come to pro-
pose to the manufacturing interest, especially to the
manufacturing operatives, that a prohibition should be
put on the exchange, of goods for corn. Do you not see,
manufacturing operatives, in bow many ways this will
benefit you ? By your paying an extra price for corn
the landlords will be able to employ more labourers on
the land, and these must be taken from the manufactur-
ing ranks. There is a cheap and easy way of raising
the condition of the manufacturing operatives, that,
you should subscribe to pay an unnecessary price for
the landlord's corn."—(Hear, hear.) He thought there
were few men, who would adventure to present them-
selves before the maufacturing operatives with such a
proposal as that.—(Hear, hear.) The disadvantage
arising from the landlords not employing any more la-
bourers than they could pay for out of their own
pockets, could never be a disadvantage to them, the
sufferers.—(Hear, hear.) If the manufacturers were to
make a proposol to put a bounty on foreign corn, they
might say in turn " You shall see how we shall im-
prove manufacturing employment; it will raise wages,
it will bring away some of your agricultural labourers.
Do allow us this bounty on foreign corn directly?" They
knew what a hopeless case that would be. Why
should they then allow the agriculturists to force the
opposite case on them:?

The Operative in the meeting—But you have not
told us what you would do with the labourers thrown
out of employment.

COI. TiIOAIPSON—In the first place be believed
there would be none.—(Cheers.) He was prepared to
state his belief that the repeal of the Corn laws would
be a great good to the agricultural labourers. Instead
of being forced to take any wages as at present, they
would have the opportunity, from the growing industry
of the country, to sell their labour, and that of their
children, at a better price ; they would have a share in
the benefits resulting from the extended trade.

Mr. BINNs—( Hisses)—wished to know if the open-
ing of the China trade had benefited the people of
England. He contended that it had not.

Cot. THOMPSON thought it rested with those who de-
nied that it had not been beneficial, to prove that it
bad not been so.

Mr. Biters—(Hisses.)—Since the opening of the
China trade there had been a great reduction in wages.
—(Loud and continued laughter.) Perhaps these gen-
tlemen did not know that the China trade was a mono-
poly ; but it was.—(Renewed laughter.) It had been
a monopoly. He could tell them it was opened some
years ago, and wages had fallen since. (A Voice—"ls
it a consequence ?"—Laughter.)
Colonel THOMPSON thought the meeting did not
seem convinced there was that connexion between the
opening of the China trade and the reduction of wages
the speaker thought.—(Laughter.) The old wives who
got their tea cheaper would be able to tell him some-
thing about the advantages resulting from opening the
China trade.—(Cheers.)
Mr. VLA ERS contended that the cause of all mono-
' polies was, the monopoly of legislation, and he called
upon them, in the name of his country, and of all that
was near and dear to them, to go on for universal
suffrage—(Loud cheers)—and demand that all men
should be represented in the House of Commons, and
then they would redress all their wrongs.—(Cheers.)
Colonel TIIOMPSON said, that the question involved
in what the gentleman had said was, the main question
which had been debated that evening. He reiterated
his opinions as to the policy which Chartists and Anti-
Corn-law men should pursue towards each other,
namely, to let each other alone.

A person in the meeting said Colonel Thompson
stated that he did not think any agricultural labourers
would be thrown out of employment, but he did not
explain why he thought so. If they threw this coun-
try into a grazing country, as the Corn-law repealing
gentlemen said—(Cries of " No, no," from several
parties). The speaker resumed, and said he had heard
Mr. Batley say so, and he now said no. If they threw
this country into a grazing country, then one labourer
would look after a grazing farm, while it would require
ten to look after a plough farm. What became of
the nine ?

Mr. BATLEY said he had intended to have remained
silent, but he had been pointedly alluded to. He dis-
tinctly and emphatically denied the charge imputed to
him.—(Cheers.) He had been completely misunder-
stood if ever he had been understood to say that this
country should be throughout nothing but a grazing
country. He did say we were over-corn cropped in this
country, and that there was land in the country brought
under corn, which ought not, and would not,
be so under a free trade in corn.—( Hear.) There was
land in the country which would never pay for growing
corn at European prices—(Hear, hear)—and if there
was a free importation of corn, that portion which was
thus foolishly brought into cultivation, would go out of
cultivation.—( Hear, hear, and cheers'.) His opinion
was that such an impulse would be given to agricultural
improvement, that more corn would be produced by
the land fit for cultivation, than was at present pro-
duced by all, fit and unfit together.—(Cheers.) It was
well known that there was the utmost difficulty in ob-
taining shambles meat for the supply of this country,
and if it were not for the supply from Ireland, they
could not get the very limited portion of food our starv-
ing population now required. He thought it could not
be easily disproved :that this country was much better
calculated to produce cattle in many of its districts than
wheat. It they could get corn from abroad the soil
would be cultivated in te manner best suited to it. He
wished also to say a word as to the argument respect-
ing agricultural labourers. We were an increas-
inm'population, and in spite of everything to be done
and said to the contrary, we should go on increasing in
population. But we did not increase in land. Food
might be obtained from abroad, only by exchanobit, for
it the produce of this country. Labour was like other
commodities, and it was a mistake to say that mas-
ters beat down wages ; the fact was, that in the com-
petition for employment, one workman beat down the
dainddnotthedno
wages of another. But by an extension of commerce,
the demand for labour would be increashe.le,
eigpthailoo.inniment would the labourer migh—tmokakevohjicse7 nAbbmaoarl
of machinery.")
so now. Nothing but increased em
of machinery
the
en-
able him to do it.
What,A gentleman
was sai d
it, abolitionthat
reduced n
tfnery wouldo
f labour do ii tn.
itltbr
were
urneede,kt
iiwon where r; ea
Kf there
noegrr
eepr
arifet wass, nep
ror
eimts
taecirhta.
was ) .—(A person in
—(Loud cheers.) He would' only makneoWtoenmilatictrhheiemnne:rrykilf
What they wanted was increased employment ; they
commerce,
thatoernelye,oabntadintheyd
increasedcoul
cheers.) b y breaking And
they the shackles
h employment by extended
onlyi obtain extended com-
merce
es of commerce.—(Loud
couldek onlypr do that by an united
public opinion.—(Cheers.)
t united
one party ht
ed en
publiccam e
opinion
oqua t
By
ny,
coming and assailing another? Was it to be
obtained by parties saying to others, " If you will not say
our shibboleth, we will drown you ?"—(Loud cheers.)
If you will not subscribe to every article of our political
creed, we will denounce and oppose you ! He said
this was contrary to reason, to common sense, and to
Justice.—(Loud and repeated cheers.) If they were
all convinced, and he believed nine-Tenths of those pre-
sent were so, that the Corn-laws were an evil, why
could they not unite to repeal them ! They might do so
without compromising a single political principle.
A person in the gallery said, Col. Thompson bad
stated that the Corn-law Repealers and the Chartists
might shake hands together. Now, to carry this out,
if the Corn-law Repealeas would go for the Charter, the
Chartists would go with them for a repeal of the Corn-
laws.—(colun
eelbTeeuors.s)tesote said he did not come either to
offer or to ask concessions. He could not pledge him-
self for either one party or the other. There were
Tories and cold Whigs amongst the Corn-law Re-
peelers ; it was not to be expected that they would
egitato for the Charter. He came to ask the
Anti-Corn-law men and the Chartists, who both
agreed that the Corn•laws were an evil, to cease

I:VENING SU

running against each other.—(Cheers.) He would have
them each run against the common enemy, not one hin-
dering another, but wishing that each might see cause
to rejoice in the other's success.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. THOMAS CAPSTACK then proposed a vote of
thanks to Co:oncl Thompson fOr the lecture delivered
before them, and his frankness in answering the ques-
tions put to him.
Mr. BAKER seconded the motion.
Mr. PITKETIILEY sAid he fiat risen with the inten-
tion of seconding the inoCon. Though he differed from
Colonel Thompson in many of the opinions he bad ad-
vanced, yet be gave him the greatest possible credit for
honesty and sincerity, and he looked upon the circum-
stance of his being brought there as a good omen.—
(Cheers.) He believed there was no man who wished
better to the community.—( Loud cheers.)
The motion was then put and carried unanimously,
with the exception of three hands ; and
Colonel TuomesoN briefly acknowledged the honour
done him.

After a vote of thankg to the Chairman, pasted una-
nimously, the an eting separated.

SURREY COUNTY MEETING.
THE pRiNcE OF WALES.

In accordance with a numerously signed requisition
to William Leveson Gower, Esq., the High Sheriff of
Surrey, yesterday was appointed for holding a county
meeting at the Spread Eagle Inn, Epsom, for the pur-
pose of adopting addresses of congratulation to her Ma-
jesty, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, and her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Kent, on the late auspicious
event of the birth of a Prince, heir apparent to the
Throne, and to express the augmented gratification of
the county from the official reports of the unimpaired
health of her Majesty.
The High Sheriff presided. There were also present
11. Kemble, Esq., J. Trotter, Esq., and E. Antrobus,
Members for the County ; Colonel Challenor, the Rev.
Mr. Rodgers, J. Rouser, Eq., 1). Barclay, Esq., Captain
I'arratt, C. Barclay, Esq., W. Crawfurd, Esq.. Under-
Sheriff Abbott, and several other gentlemen of influence
and station in the county, and the attendance would
have been much more numerous but for the flooded state
of the country.

Before the proceedings commenced, Captain Parratt
apologised for the non-attendance of the Earl of Love-
lace, the Lord-Lieutenant of the county, and accounted
for it by stating that his Lordship was engaged in im-
portant business in Somersetshire. Mr. Trotter apolo-
gised for the absence of Mr. Dennison, the other Mem-
ber for the cAmty, which he said was occasioned by
severe fit of the gout.

The Hum Sn'imiri. addressing the meeting said that
it was convened in consequence of two requisitions most
numerously signed, and it gave him the greatest plea-
sure to acquiesce in the prayer of those requisitions,
and he felt satisfied that the meeting in expressing
their congratulations upon the late auspicious event,
were only expressing the unanimous sentiments of the
whole county. Her Majesty, by her conduct since she had
ascended the throne, had endeared herself to all classes
of her subjects, and was loved and revered by them all,
and they would therefore gratefully ofter up to her their
congratulations at her recovery from the severe trial she
had recently undergone, and also express their gratifica-
tion at the auspicious event which had taken place-
When they looked back to the history of their country,
it was not difficult to account for the predeliction which
existed for female Sovereigns; for it was under the sway
of a female that this country hod attained the highest
pitch of glory—and from what they had experienced of
the mode in which her Majesty had exercised the great
prerogatives that were entrusted to her, they had every
reason to believe that her rule would be equally glorious
to the country ; and that from the bright example the
young Prince would see before him, and the education
he would receive, that, under Providence, they might in-
dulge a well-grounded hope, that when he should toe
called on to govern this great empire, that he would fol-
low in th footsteps of their beloved Sovereign.
A loyal address to the Queen, alit' addresses also to
Prince Albert and the Duchess of Kent, were then
moved and seconded, and unanimously agreed to.

MARYLEBONE LITERARY AND

SCIENTinc INSTITUTION.

The Choral Society of this Institution gave their
second monthly concert for the season at their rooms,
Edward- street, Portman-square, last evening.
The audience was fashionable, awl very crowded ;
indeed so thronged was the attendance, that members
• who arrived, even before the concert commenced, were
• obligel to leave, being unable to gain admittance.
The entertainment was divided into two pans. In
the first, which consisted of sacred pieces, were princi-
pally to be noticed three movements from the credo of
llaydon's Mass, No. 3, as also an " 0 Salutaris llostia,"
very well sung by a young lady and gentleman, both
pupils of M. Le Jenne. who presided at the piano. The
national anthem, " God save the Queen," terminated
this part. The pieces composing the second part were
better suited to the taste of the audience that generally
assembles at these concerts. There were several pretty
ballads, in which Miss E. Terrey, of the Adelphi Theatre%
was by no means the. least conspicuous ; she elicited un-
bounded applause, and was decidedly and deservedly the
favourite of the evening. Her singing of the univmally
admired " Kate Kearney," drew forth a rapturous encore;
and in " The Hunter of Tyrol" she acquitted hersr.:ll
equally well. Among the other pieces deserving of mice
we may mention t.,,:poforth's glee for: five voices,,l,lo)me
Bounteous May ;" Sale's "Butterfly,'' excellerily sung
by two gentlemen; and " Dertnut _store," by Miss Pitt.
" Deli con te," from Bellini's opera of Norieu, was given
by two young ladies in a style that, dieted merited
plaudits; and " Una Voce," from 11 Barhiere, by a young
lady who accompanied herself on the piano. •
The instrumental part included twenty performers,
among whom were some professionals. The execution
throughout was good, and if we missed that perfection
and ensemble to be met with only among professed artistes,
yet it is but justice to say that the whole offair was cre-
ditably sustained, and passed oil' with eclat.
We are happy to find that this institution, which had
been drooping hitherto, is quickly returning to a state
of prosperity, and daily receiving additions to its members.

PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION.
TO THE
.EDITOR OF THE SUN. •
SIR,--Whilst Sir Robert and Lady Peel are
giving a series of splendid banquets to the fortu-
nate faction who have again contrived to get
their rapacious mawleys into John Bull's pocket,
and Sir Robert is carefully dressing up state-
ments of savings' banks, &c., to prove that the
country is in a most flourishing state, it is de-
lightful to find the godlike work of charity
going on, without distinction of party, in nume-
rous parts of the country. I venture to suggest
that the fund raised for the poor be divided into
two distinct parts—one to purchase food, the
other for warm clothing. Thus those, and there
are many, who would object to contribute to buy
bread, when only a fraction would find its way
to the poor man, and the rest stick in the land-
lord's pocket, could, without any violation of
their feelings, subscribe to the clothing fund. I
respectffill3 submit this hint for your considers-
tion, and am, Sir, your humble servant,
THOMAS BRITMSLEXT.

DISTRESS AT BLACKBURN.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
say—Being of opinion that brief statements
of the distress of the country, circulated by your
valuable paper, may direct the attention of the
community, and perchance, of the Government to
its cause, I trouble you with the following.
Our condition in Blackburn is bad, but our
prospects are worse. Failures are numerous, and
more are apprehended. Subscriptions for the
relief of the destitute are contemplated, and a
considerable sum will probably be raised foT..that
purpose. But, Sir, we want justice. The people
are willing to work for their support, let the
Government but give them justice, by removing
the iniquitous bread tax, and alms will be unne-
cessary. A FRIEND OF THE POOR.
Veshouldbe,lad to receive similar
toll'eathtei
oitse
)titiTitetshfertoittileiaotteldielriy;otwh;!_nunEcua. nbt:l,2la7idddress

THE PRINCE OF WALES.—A meeting of the
Noblemen and Gentlemen. Coinmissioners of Supply,
Justices of the Peace, and Magistrates of towns, of the
county of Renfrew, convened by Sir William Milliken
Napier, convener of the county,
in compliance with a
numerously signed requisition, was held on Thursday, at
one o'clock afternoon, within the County Hall, Paisley,
for the purpose of adopting congratulatory addresses to
her Majesty and Prince Albert, on the auspicious occa-
sion of the birth of the Prince of Wales. The meeting
was more than usually- well attended. This, in addition
to the exuberant feeling of loyal satisfaction so generally
experienced at the late joyous event, was in all proba-
bility partly occasioned by Mr. Wallace, having pre_
viously announced his intention to move an addition to
the Address, for the purpose of communicating to her
Majesty the heartrending distress which prevails in
that district. On the Convener, however, professing his
ns
g.
twillingness to call another county meeting, in accordance
a
with Mr. Wallace's views, the amendmeift was not
and loyal addresses were unanimously agreed to. - -"'
.
The following from Geneva, of the 19th inst.,
is given by the Debats .—" The Council of State
osefn publicibled o
to-day,i)illopinion,
r land,
resolvedl%iSliing toto anticipatelalithe demandsol low i e the
f
changes :—A reduction in the numbers of h
of the Council ; a partition of the initiative members
the two Councils ; an acknowledgment of thee between
petitioning ; a repeal of the second paragraphright of
Constitution, by which no alteration can be of tile
constitutional Charter without the assentof made in the
two-thirds in the two Councils. These a majority of
said to have been voted, after a longamendments are
debate, by two- thirds of the members of and
animated
It is, however, doubted whether this measure the Council.
calm the agitation N Villah is increasing measure will
feared that the people will consider ; it being
sions as calculated to put out of
f the conces-
two chief reformations demanded their minds the
of March 3, viz., a wide reform in the the Association
a general municipal law for the whole tle electoral law, and
this may be, it is now certain that the canton. However
1814 will be modified. We are at the Constitution of
of State, anticipating the legal assured that the Council
tion of the legislative bod • _period for the convoca-
Monday, the 22d inst. Las fixed its meeting for
The Augsburg Gazelle states
that the staff of
the Austrian army is about to be considerably reduced,
beginning with the Artillery,
economy is to be adopted in:ind that a sytem of great
Prussia with regard to th e
Landwehr

EVENING SUN

MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS.

FROM THE MORNIAIG PAPERS OF THIS DAY.

POST.— The new Spanish Minister, Senor
Sancho, has, we find, reached London, as was
anticipated. The Commissioners charged with
the Thee per Cent. capitalisation of the coupons
of the Active Debt may be looked for almost
immediately.
• The failure of the small, but respectable, bank-
ing7house of Messrs. Hector and Co, of Peters-
field, of which some mention was made in the
City on Saturday, appears, tmfortunately, to be
confirmed. The liabilities of the concern are
estimated at 30,0001. The effect of the failure of
the Chi Chester Old Bank, recently made public,
on the local interests of the neighbourhood, was,
from all accounts, greatly mitigated by the
seasonable interference of some members of the
Lennox family, and other influential residents
of that part of the country ; but, although
Messrs. Hector and Co. are said to be sanguine
as to the payment of a good dividend, we do not
hear that they have as yet been able to make
any arrangement that can be attended with pre-
sent benefit or relief to the holders of their
notes, and creditors generally.
CHRONICLE.—The banking-house of Hop-
kins, Druid, and Co., of Arundel, has been com-
pelled to suspend payments. In these alarming
times of monetary pressure and commercial dis-
tress, the fluctuations or contractions and expan-
sions that have taken place in the currency ne-
cessarily demand attention and inquiry. We
have frequently traced back the serious contrac-
tions in the currency to the stringent operations
which the Bank of England was compelled to
adopt in self-defence, after the abstraction of
7,000,0001. of gold from her coffers in a few
months of the year 1839, to pay for food to the
people after the bad harvest of 1838, whereby
the gold in the Bank coffers was pulled down
fi•oni 9,600,000/. in December, 1838, to 2,500,000/.
in August of 1839. We have shown repeatedly,
by facts and figures, that from that time to the
present the Bank has been labouring hard, and
that with all her appliances of the screw the Di-
rectors have never got much over 5,000,0001. of
specie in their coffers since that time, and at the
present the stock of bullion does not exceed
4,500,000!., while it is threatened with a spring
,drain to pay for further importations. The cir-
culation of the Bank drooped from 20,249,409/.
in July, 1838, to 15,823,0001., in December, 1839;
and in December, 1840, it stood at 15,714,2001.,
while the bullion at the last-named period was
Only 3,942,000/. These are clear results from
plain causes.
SUN.---We have had very little doing all day in any of
the Markets, and prices were flat, except as regards
Spanish Stock. Money was scarce. Consols for im-
mediate transfer brought 88?-, to 89, and for the open-
ing 891 to 89g. Exchequer bills were depressed to lOs
gild 7s. premium, and India Bonds to ls. premium and
ls. discount. Bank Stock was dull at 164, and India
Stock at 249, being the previous value. The New
Three-and-a-Half per Cents. realised only 99 to 9811.
Spanish Active Bonds were quoted 24i in the morn-
ing, and 25 to g bore the close of business. Portu-
guese New Five per Cents. went up from 324 to 331 to
while the Three per Cents. were at 20. Brazil Bonds
were markol 581, and Colombian 19. Dutch Two-and.
a-Half per Cents. were .521 to t.
There was no. positive decline in the Share Market,
hut very little inclination existed to do business. Great
Western :Railway Shares were at 141 to 15, and South
,1 stern 16i to 17i prem. Brighton were 13+ to I$L,
and North Midland 35 discount.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
TATTE IZS ALUS.-YESTE RDA Y.

Of the few Derby favourites mentioned in the course
of the afternoon, the Lord of Holderness and Bailin-
lieele alone were backed with any spirit ; 25 to 1 was
laid twice against the first, and several parties were
anxious to invest upon the same terms, but the general
offers fell five points short ; against Ballinkeele the odds
quoted below were laid to about 3001., the betters and
takers being very fairly balanched. If we except a dis-
position to back William de Fortibus, there was no other
change. For the Oaks, Passion was again in force at 7
to 1, taken eagerly ; 1.,200 to 100 was also taken, " bar
one," but the name of the filly
.was kept a profound
secret ; offers to take 30 to 1 each about the Duke of
Rittland's Bizare filly and Mr. Thornhill's Eusebia. No
others mentioned.

THE DERBY.
9 to 1 agst Colonel Anson's Attila
14 to 1 agst Colonel Peel's Chatham—taken
i3O to I agst Mr. G. Clark's Lord of Holdeniess
;10 to 1 agst Mr. faber's Ballinkeele—taken
35 to 1 agst Mr. J. Day's Curator
40 to 1 agst Mr. G. Clark's William de Fortibus—t.
50 to 1 agst Mr. Cooke's Palinunts
1000 to 15 agst Mr. Osborne's Master Thomas—taken
100 to 1 agst Mr. Bird's Dr. Allen
25 to 1 agst Barrier and Defier—taken
1000 to 50 agst all the Mares—taken

TR OAKS.
7 to I agst Mr. Sadler's Passion—taken
12 to 1 agst " bar one"—taken
4%.7i to 1 agst Mr. Thornhill's Ensebia
1 agst Duke of Rutland's Bazarre filly
43 to i agst Lorl G. Bentinek's Topsail

THE LAYING OF THE FIRST
STONE OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE.

The Lprd Bishop of London has been applied to by
the Gresham Committee to write the inscription for the
first stone of the Royal Exchange, to be raid in January
liext by Prince Albert, and his Lordship immediately- ac-
quiesced in the kindest manner. The preparations will
be upon a scale of elegance and splendour worthy of the
occasion. The entertainment to be given by the Lord
Mayor at the Mansion-house to Prince Albert Will be
the first grand entertainment of the
.Mayoralty of Alder-
man Pirie, the first day of which Mayoralty has been dis-
tinguished by the birth of the Heir Apparent to the Crown.
The following, brief extracts from the Corporation Re-
creds have reference to the two occasions on which a
Inilar ceremony was performed by Royal personages :
" 1667.—8 e, it remembered that the King's Majesty
Ring:charles d came to the Royal Exchange on the 23d.
Octoer, anno 14;07, and there fixed the first pillar thereof,
which is that standing in the west side of the north en-
trance. He entertain:Ad by the City
.and Company
,with a chine of beet; grand dish of fowl, gammons of
bacon, dried tongues, anchovies, caviare, Sze., and plenty
of several:serts of wine. ,He gave, 201. in gold to the
workmen. The entertainment was in a shodd, built and
Adorned on purpose in the Scottish Walk.
1570.—1 n the year a thousand five hundred and
strventte.; on the 23d of Januarii, the Queen's Majestic
attended ‘l,itit her Nobilitie, came from her house iu the
Strande, calL,tl Summerset House, and entered the Citic
by Temple Bar, through Fleete-street, Chepe, and so by
the north side of tl;e Bourse .to Sir Thomas Gresham's,
in Bishopsgate, where she dined. After dinner liar Ma-
jesty, returning, througim Cornhill, entered the Bourse on
the south side end, after that she had viewed every part
thereof above the ground, especially the Pawne, which
was richly furnished with all sortes of the first wares in
the Citie, she caused the time Bourse by an Herald and a
trumpet to be proclaimed the Royal Exchange, and so
to be called from-thenceforth and not otherwise."

AMERICAN CENSUS, JUNE 1, 1841.
.F'ree whites.—Maßes
Females

Free coloured persons.—Males... 186,467
Females 199,778

14,189,10 S

386,245

1,246,408
Females 1,240,805

2,487,213

Aggregate •• ''''''' ....... 6-9,J66 ************************* 0 r "
On board vests of war ..............
............ 6,100

!717,756 ; in commerce
Total 17,068,666
Employed in Agriculture, ?
117,.575 ; in manufactures, 791,545 ; in sea navio•atior;
56,625 ; in inland navigation, 33,067. ; .in learned pro-
Sessions 65,236 ; students and pupils in colleges and
schools,' 4,493,900 ; number of whites. 1.,
above twent,
years of age who cannot read or write, A9,693.—r 4
...ite-
rary Gazette.
------------—_

A NOVEL, BY THE
TIM MATCH-MAKER,
AUTHOR OF " COUSIN GEOFFREY;
writers (observes the AND "THE MAltn Y""-
INC MAN."—Among that class
Court Journal) which ranks as
peculiarly o
this
can
novel
c
lovely and vtery accomplished _authoress
,e
presume, of
holds a distinguished place. No one,
be indifferent to the unaffected charm of style, the acute
perception. into motive, the caustic, yet 4
place, the racy indi
weak•
good-
humoured exposure of awithal, "
.
vidual personal sketch, the pathos, the well timed power,
the ever easy drollery of Miss Ferrier (author of` Mar-
riage," " Destiny," &c.), of Miss Austin, and of`
tlie
writer of "Cyril Thornton." And in the lady to whan om d
we owe " Cousin Geoffrey," " The Marrying Man,
" The Match-Maker," will be found all these imputed
merits. Those scoarges of society, the real vischio
makers, were ae;ver before so broadly held up to the ridi-
cule and contempt they merit, as in these three volumes ;
and although the satire is pungent in the extreme, yet is
the good faith so obvious, that we doubt not a great
moral result will be attendant on their perusal.
In consoquence of the great inconvenience felt.
attended with injurious effects, to persons' eye-sight its the country,
by their not being mabled to be properly suited with Spectacles,
&V.. and which have come under the notice (to some extent) of the
Messrs. S. and B. SOlornons, Opticians, &c., at, Albemarle-street,
Piccadilly, opposite the York Hotel, and 76, King William-street,
City ; the have contrived a mode by which individuals at the most
remote part of4lio globe Call be suited with their Newly-invented
Spectacles, as correct as if the person were present ; by those who
have never made use of Spectacles, stating the number of inches they
can see moderate sized print from the eye, and those who are snaking
use of Spectacles by sending them, and making the same statement
when in use. Immediately the Newly Invented Spectacles are
placed before imperfect vision that mist and dullness which appear
before the eyes is at once rely oved ; every object becomes clear and
distinct, so that the most aged imperfect sight becomes bright anti
brilliant, and is brought to its Youthful, natural, and original state.
Their Sound Magnifiers Invisible Voice Conductors, will enable
...
~ persons at an advanced age, and of 40 and 50 years' standing of 411.14, S 7 eaffense-doeAsess to join i
41 general conversation, and to catch the
...: sound of a distant low swaker at a public assembly ; they are not
;5.:.1j-„, ' In the least.pereeptitle, /for more uncomfortable, than having a
C.-;,... •.--_,.. small piece of fine wool in its place. The Sound Magnifiers, I nvi..
(-••••Th
^ffnf r Ode Voice Conductors and Spectacles, are sent daily (by post) to
.. various partsof the country. 29, Albemarle-street, Piccadilly, op_
t`= posite the York ITotel, and 76, Xing William-street, City,—No
---)___ connection with persons of the tame name.
=-4-4....:
_‘.......:...).
. --.....,._.....'
1111 a.

0( rZ .k4i47
L

~~~
=-

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Ino2l THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
GLOBE.—The sensation produced by the
abrupt termination of the Michaelmas Term, and
the adjournment of the Court of Queen's Bench,
on Thursday last, has by no means diminished.
The act itself was extraordinary, and wanted that
to which lawyers attach commanding import-
ance—precedent. The manner in which, it.
was done is also commented upon as partaking
more of temper than of dignity, and as
therefore calculated rather to diminish respect
for the Court than to reprove with effect the
absence of Counsel, or to promote the public inte-
rests, by securing a more regular attendance of the
Bar. There can be no question that the absence
of Counsel from the Court, when the case is
called on for argument or for trial, is as disre-
spectful to the Court as it is unjust to the party
who has retained and actuully paid for the an-
ticipated advocacy. Lord Denman, by suddenly
closing the term, in consequence of the absence
of Counsel, in cases which stood in the paper, in-
flicted severe injury on the parties, whose inte-
rests were thus necessarily postponed. Thus pu-
nishment was inflicted upon them of no ordinary
weight, although they were altogether innocent,
both in intention and in act, of the " disrespect
to its dignity," which the course adopted by the
Court was designed to punish. Lord Den-
man's conduct in his high office is generally
marked by consideration combined with dig-
nity. The suaviter in mode has seldom been
found blended with the Artiter in re more
happily than in the conduct of this exalted
judicial functionary when presiding in the Court
of which he is no less the ornament than
the oracle. Conceding to Lord Denman this un-
constrained testimony of well-earned commenda-
tion, we the more deeply regret the absence of
his usual consideration, and the momentary sus-
pension of his proverbial equanimity, in the pro-
ceeding to which we have alluded. The reason as-
signed by his Lordship for this proceeding was, we
think, insufficient to justify the extraordinary step.
If " the time of the Courts of Justice be the pro-
perty of the public," as his Lordship observed when
animadverting on the absence of Counsel from
their posts, then the public functionaries, who
preside as Judges in those Courts, and are paid
by the public for their presence and services,
should not be too prone to consult their personal
convenience when the public interests call fbr its
occasional sacrifice. A very short retirement
by the Judges from the Bench to the adjoining
Chamber would have enabled the attorneys to
have gone or sent for the Counsel they had re-
tained, and thus have obtained their presence.
STANDARD.—Lord John Russell has writ-
ten to certain persons at Plymouth, in reply to
an address of condolence. There is not much in
the letter, but the following sententious apology
for the abortive budget, justifies a remark
" They attempted, above all, to subject the ad-
mission of foreign corn to a known and moderate
duty, in place of a scale so curiously adjusted,
that it baulks the farmer at one moment and
starves the people at another, while it defrauds
the revenue at all times."

Allowing for monstrous exaggeration, Lord
John's view of the Corn-laws has some founda-
tion. These laws, though they do not " baulk
the farmer" as is .proved by the rapid advance
of agriculture, or starve the people, as we see by
wheat at als. the quarter, after four successive
bad harvests, certainly do temper prices, so as
to prevent desperate speculations in agriculture,
and to control, though they cannot prevent,
desperate speculations in commerce. Thus
they • certainly do support prices at one
time, and reduce them at another, so as to keep
a steady supply ; but what does Lord John mean
by "defrauding the revenue at all times ?" the
phrase with which he completes his triad.
Does his Lordship maintain that food is natu-
rally a proper object of taxation, or that corn
can he justifiably taxed at any time, except
with the view of rendering justice to all classes
of the people—a constant supply? Lord John
must either mean this, or he writes non-
sense. Where there is no right there can
be no wrong, and a fraud upon the revenue can
be committed only upon the hypothesis that a
revenue is due. But is a revenue due from the
food of the people ? Perhaps the Morning Chro-
nicle, or sonic Corn-law lecturer, will answer us.
Lord John says that the Ministers who have suc-
ceeded to him and his colleagues have an easy
task; and an easy task no doubt they would have,
if, like the Whig Cabinet, they had no care ex-
cept to keep their places; for few will propose to
dismiss Sir R. Peel's Cabinet, in order to bring
back their predecessors. But with a war in
China, a war in Central Asia, jealousies in
America and on the Continent, a repeal sedition
in Ireland, and an toiti-Corn-law sedition in
England, a deficient harvest, and a revenue
minus the necessary expenditure, Sir Robert.
Peel has certainly inherited no " bed of roses; "
but still there i 3 no cause for despnding when
Sir Robert Peel is Prime Minister.