The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-29 00:00:00

MORNING- SUN

THE CORN LAWS
AN]) COMMERCIAL REFORM.

St. LUKE'S.
of St. Luke was held on Monday evening in the chapel of tof
A public meeting of the inhabitant householders of the parihsb
workhouse, City-road, to take into consideration the propriety t.,
pi esenting a memorial to her Majesty, praying that het-Maks i
tt
will take measures to continue the deliberations of Pailiamen
without intermission, until the laws which regulate the trade in
corn shall be so settled as to secure to the
supply of food at the cheapest rate. The requisition was sig. et:
by a great number of the most respectable and infloentialinn%
Litants of the parish. The room was densely crowded, an".
great number, we were informed, went away unable toeft,
admittance. Mr. t hurel.vvarden Jay was unanimously'ean
to the Chair ; when 1110
Mr. WALKER read the reply that had been reeeived, ~.
Mr. Wakley in answer to an invitation to be present it tr,
meeting, in which he stated his ability to be present-Wer.
people a plentiful
depend on the proceedings of the House. He expressed, b wi_.:
ever, his sincere hopts that the efforts of Reformers wettlnli 11
speedily successful in establishing in this country, not e 117
free trade in corn, but a wholly untaxed food for the ro,
Mr. Walker, in moving the first resolution, said that theT
portance of the question they were met todiscuss, was indicated.lo
by this greatness of the assemblage he saw around him: 11,.. en
further indicated by the number of petitions which had:e,,
presented to the Legislature on the subject. The numb eret 'l5
u
natures to those petitions during the year 18.11,, --„
1,t;00,000, being an increase of more than halt a million the
tures, when compared with the number of petitions sgatstltbst
Corn-law in 1815, the year it was enacted; that.shtM- ~- 4
the people had become feelingly alive to the evil reshro,
from the measure.—( Cheers.) The resolution he had to Poi
pose was to the following effect:—" Tbas this meetipg4l,ioo
with feelings of apprehension and alarm the recent kleclara',o
of the present Government, that no material:alleviation 9fure',
distresses of the country can be effected by the LCgthers•
and that it is their intention to adjourn all further' d etion
tions for several months." A few months, was long t';sibel
with a starving family to wait for relief.—( Hear, hear) (1,1
had no tax N
upon bread previous to the year 177°4tros
was then first imposed by a selfish aristocracy for. Ttli •''' re'
purposes. The tenor of the speeches of the 31erribers etjg
sent Ministry at the hustings at the recent electiensM,...,
want of practical sympathy with the miseries of the r',.. rio 0
(Hear, hear.) Would they tolerate such a Ministry e;-„ in.
of " No.") They would unite reason and effort t0e,F.11....•
great national movement, and make known the nationii.O:44-of
(Loud cheers,) They would endeavour to make tbe'P'fi 0,
Commons a counterpart of the national will, and if iter
the Corn-law would soon be abolished.—(Cheers.) 'tea to
ALEXANDER ROBERT SHAW, Esq., had been reqtteS--,Gte-
second the resolution. He, and every man, had a great 1.40
rest in the question of the Corn-laws, and he would -POLO
by reference to his baker's bill he now paid 30/. per get
for bread. If the tax on bread were. taken off he wel*.Uhho
at least for ninety per cent. les., and that would Oa,'
,e- duct-
to save 12/. or 14/. a year, which he might apply 'NM wed
tion of his children, or in any other way that,he, Vg - 'sr
desirable.—(Cheers.) The distress in the countrYiliPtere
palling. Commerce was languishing, and mantifacturfs.i the
standing still. What was the cause ? Sir R. Peel said: t,_llestgek
Corn-laws were not the cause. He ascribed it to Joint': i 1/1
Banks, over-trading, and machinery. That it could IA) teat
from Joint-Stock Banks was evident . from the ftet
{Tb
of late years they had not transacted' near sou°
ae•i
business as before. Without machinery they co .010 $
have supplied the foreign .market. Dlachinery Her.)
blessing to the country when fully employed•--(tiise to
Ile had been speaking of their enemies, he would nentiiilel,,
their friends. One of their Representatives, Air• 'l3Ol
had said that au Bs. duty would not conduce to the hethei•
the people—( Loud cries of " He does not say so," and-argued
yes," followed by great confusion)—and therefore he.-11„0---'
that he (Mr. Wakley) was in favour of the presents" -;oulii
(Great confusion.) He trusted that he (Mr.
have an opportunity of denying this statemeet, if he e 0 lO;
(Great confusion, and cries of " Give it him," " ll'''. I.'olo
quest on him," and great laughter.) He cordially,sef co.
the resolution. It was of no rise to petition the House °I noef.
mons. They had no confidence in the House of Cur°-
Wakley I ode
constituted Great cheering ) e iforw
Mr. WEST, a venerable old gentleman, here came -er i tbs
and requested to say a few words in corroboration °gpli,
previous speaker, as to the comparative cheapness 94,0tbei
sions and co.nfort of the agricultural labourer previculs ar
enactment of the Corn-law.—(The speaker's great 00.'01
venerable demeanor commanded great respect, and-) 50P
loudly cheered.) He was a farmer's son at 13eecles, II s, $
folk. When he was a boy the very finest wheat :old at
cheap
coomb, or 28s. a quarter. Every necessary of life was t psi
in proportion. As fine pork as ever was seen was SOW a tot;
3d. to aid. per lb. Butter, a pint of 23 ounces, at 6ci•lis 0
good fat geese, at 2s. 4d. a pair ; and a couple of good ftless
r id
10d. Every labourer then kept a keg of nice beer--the
then no duty on malt—(Hear)—he had a pig in the st3.6eilisi
possessed other comforts not to be seen now ; for in trav tops
through the same part of the country now, there was °obis
cottager in ten who had a pig in his stye or a keg a beer low
house.—( Hear, hear.) He was a collector of rents in al 100
lily in tlu.t district. A great number of the tenants ha° et tb,
out of employment for some months', and he could not beol
rent. He saw so much of the misery of the poor that hisolb°
bled for them.—(Cheers.) He hoped Mr. Wakley lvi.„°berfs
called to account, for he saw that he was ratting.—('
and roars of laughter, with cries of " Where is he r) ' fair to
A CHARTIST here stepped forward 'and said, it was utatell
condemn Mr. Wakley before he was heard. He believ
to be an honest man.—(Cries of " Question.") . 'i,joo
The resolution was then put and carried amidst treincr.:
cheering, about half a dozen Chartists only opposing it. is ifi. the
Mr. PaLuseit moved the next resolution—" That ; cor
opinion of this meeting, the Legislature has the power "sliiis
terially alleviatingethe distresses of the countr, bY.vePeoittS
the preeent Corn-laws, and lowering high pryotective
on all articles of general consumption."
Mr. STAFFORD ALLEN seconded the motion. IAiCII
Several gentlemen spoke in support of the .motion.._,,,
was carried (with two dissentients) amidst great cheer'steeth
Mr. HALL moved the adoption of a memorial to th Ilse
praying her Majesty not to prorogue Parliament un' TT,
Corn-laws were taken into consideration. ',AA
Mr. DE LA RUE seconded the adoption of the melti—„Giree
asnud.oesexcofriodredprtehsaetrntahteionm. eniTorhiiasl bep
It was then put and carried unanimously, and neat ;Ice. 01
unanimously. eon Ras
meeting of the District Anti-Corn-law Assoeia,4oper
announced for that day week at the Hope Taveret moia de
street, to take measures to commence a more strenuous
proposition
ned
wastothoe :
termined opposition to the Corn-laws than heretofore.

SOMERS—TOWN. .tivici •031
" A meeting of the inhabitants of Somers-town and 1 ogee
took place on Monday night at the Beehive Tavern:l, to•wo
street, for the purpose of taking measures with a vie
~ Majegi,
adoption of the necessary steps for memorialising her attend
on the distresses of the country. A very considerable sseh.
ante, principally consisting of the middle and workiltiol.
was present, and after several able speeches, a me
read and act:opted, and the meeting separated.t°

KENWN. ao'
r
A public meeting of the inhabit ISH—TO
ants of Kentish- tog) fo 0,
the vicinity has been convened at the AssemblY3rere
to-morrow. The general address to the Queen is dally
ing a great number of signatures.

HULME TOWN'S MEETING
In compliance with a requisition, signed by ooveli m
respectable rate—payers in the township, the overseers 5 in v,
a public meeting of the inhabitants, which was beloolltill
large room of the Giobe Inn, George-street, Several 1,
evening last. The room was crowded to excess. :selefAs
lotions were passed, and a memorial to her Alaiesi.l elr
and transmitted to Mark Philips, Esq., p., for the P.,.
of presentation.

BURY. f etiripoi
A public meeting was convened of the township %jeep,: to
the authorities, on Wednesday last, to petitiOn the ;led
rp To
to prorogue Parliament until an inquiry has been inst.'
the causes of the present distress. J. Walker, Esq.'
Chair.
The first resolution, declaratory of the object of the 1 %-e
was moved by the Rev. F. Howarth, and seconqd toy";
Woodcock, solicitor, and, on the motion of 20r. J. itrpucorcOlie
conded by Mr. Fletcher, surgeon, a petition,, also in %red lop
with the object of the meeting, was adopted, and or'vviedet:,,,r
for signature at various places in the town, and to be for t'¢ to
Frilay to the Member for the borough, for presenlat'°-
Alajesty.

FALMOUTH. reqe ctsPv
In compliance with a requisition numerously and as viol th be
signed by the inhabitants of Falmouth and -ting
S. Blight, Esq., the Mayor, convened a public luee of 50
held on Friday evening, "to consider the propril iti
tioning both Houses of Parliament not to sePar:tri 1041:0
address the Queen not to prorogue Parliament, u 0309
has teen instituted into the causes of the distress Preorigiostp
This requisition was signed by 83 names, and thAenoreoi,ill
of it had prepated the resolutions, petitions, and haSoto
submit to the meeting. It seems, however, folnised,S.:, of
issued yesterday afternoon, that some persons cuter'fireso,„"ol4
apprehensions as to the expediency of a public elrn h SP-t,
sympathy in favour of the suffering classes, lest; %cite eijoie
operate prejudicially to the interests of Falmoulh:nng on,
ment of the Packet station, and the Mayor, act
apprehensions, postponed the meeting.

THE POTTERIES. .a bucl' pad Near 300 of the friends of Reform met at the P pfteriir,
sembl)-room, on Monday evening, the 20th 13tlaws, for
eloquent lecture on the present injurious Cor"„reparE"..tir
P Hargreaves moved that a petition be immediately ..nt PPrre,
signature, praying her Majesty to eontinuelier Pres`ediateiii,
ment until suitable measures be devised for the
lief of the distresses of the country, which was secon ..;;
S. Prince, jun., and received unanimously.
tb°
S'
CORN-LAWS AND THE IRON Tnit'
The follow letter is from Sir J. J. Guest, Bart., one. ,
oc
greatest iron masters in Wales : core' vitt
Sir—With respect to the action of the present .oialthi.
upon the iron trade, there can be no doubt of their IA !jje
effect. A Very large portion of the iron manufacturesilitlo
country is exported to the United States of America,
tied
present very distressed state of the trade is mainif,caror
the diminished export to that country, not only of t"Ae
terial, but of the articles of hardware and cutlery and Re 0
of depression would have been very much obviated
have taken from the United States the corn and butt-0104'd'
they have much to spare, in return for our iron and 7-0160"
I should think that the iron trade of this district (°' 00,4-de
gan and Monmouth), employs at least 50,00 Persr ef ‘Pjar
gives subsistence to 100,000 in addition to that nurnbe otr?
ra ives. Their wages range from 12s. per week (ibrd forTeo6,
ers), to 18s., and to 2.55. for colliers and miners, er,..10.00
sons employed in the processes of iron making from 11310
per week. Boys and women proportionately lessibe distr.ter
think tha: the amount paid in the iron trade of .101.15
falls little short of one-and-a-half million to two
• ttetic ling per annum.
" 1 am sorry to say that at this moment we havoc aorPor gooifirf
example of the fallacy of the argument of of
neigh?, of
high wages, and the reverse. wages
hoo have, within the last three months, been redur(2B9;si.
cent., whilst flour has advanced from 4s. 6d.,YeGtO
6s. 6d. JOll,-`.
of the
,ed
Ott
" Dowlais, Aug. 14, 1841."
'OO- et
401

taken it. Edinburgl)li,
some
NB URGH.
It is matter of some surprise that no moverafn Itlll9'iiO4'
the Town Council, to
to
Parliament till it has inquired into the existing. (Jis"fir o_, e
eixnutnitahleisevhereyr vieaideistatyblneart:oribii:
country. We can hardly believe that this arises fro ri ~.t n 0
Chartists Edinburgh is as much called on to spe a"..tcr,P
it was during the llefoirn Bid agitatior. Its clia''''' 0., 0,
stake. Scottish Pilot. ate se°
i• A Oh' 00° dt
On Tuesday evening a meeting of the United
g,egation, Lothian-road, took place. Petitions t9ebtQfilrei,A's-01
of Parliament, for the immediate and total repeal °ithi lie""
Corn-laws, were agreed to. •.t the same tilr-c, •• '
the congregation agreed to address her .111,jesty& ,:
tale

AB eit,-de
A requisition is in the course ofltl/EP; signature, regoo r4r
Lord Provost to calla public meeting, for the PIT
morialising the Queen, &c.