The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-29 00:00:00

STATE OF THE PEOPLE IN LAN-

CASHIRE.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
Most of our public journals are at this •ime on-
copied with the success of our foreign diplomacy, and
the prowess of British arms, and feeling as an English
ought to feel, proud of our success, I too, am not with-
out emotions of this kind ; but when we contrast such
matters with the wretchedness and forlorn condition of
our people at home, the mind sickens at the thought.
How often do we hear the exclamation, " Oh that the
Government were as successful at home in causing prol-
ix rity and comfort !"
The state of the manufacturing portion of Lanca-
shire is deplorable indeed, both for roasters and men,
the continued reduction in the prices of goods and
yarns, has almost, if not entirely, ruined both. Reduc-
tion in wages has taken place on reduction, masters
to sustain themselves have sought out less expensive
modes of working, thousands of operative spinners and
care-room hands have thus been thrown out of employ -
ment in the depth of winter. Scores, if not hundreds
of mills are entirely stopped, because their owners are
ruined ; two or three families huddled together in one
house, in a state of destitution and wretchedness, and
the country swarming with pitiable objects craving cha-
rity from an exhausted people, desirous to work but not
able to find it. Oh my country ! my bleeding country !
who shall show thee any good? Have the Government
taken any step to mitigate or relieve this general suf-
fering? Why, nothing has been done, or, at least, no-
thing effectual. They seem to think that that is a busi-
ness of ours, there's to do state homage, receive their
salaries, and levy taxes ; perhaps, for our consolation,
they may point to the glory of British arros, a poor sub-
stitute, indeed, for the prosperity and happiness of a
p ople. It is an old maxim, that a country cannot be
well governed where the industrious and right-minded
arc in tile depths of poverty, whether it be by Whig,
'fury, or Radical.
We know the Corn-laws, the landlords' taxing acts
have had their share in producing this wretchedness,
and if their authors hal intended to have destroyed the
prosperity of the commercial classes, could they have
done it mare effectually ? Not they, their triumph is com-
plete. Take the following as a sample of our condition :
On a recent survey of ttso toe,. —a parish of Ash'
under-Lyne, there appears to be nearly 800 empty
homes, and seven or eight empty cotton mills, amount-
ing to a loss, to their owners, of at least 10,000/. a
year : In Oeiliam, a still greater number, and heavier
loss ; and the other manufacturing towns of Lancashire,
are similerly circumstanced. It the Chandos' pets had
suffered a thousandth part of what is suffered (Lily in
corninere',al Lancashire, their cry would have reached
the heavens, the Government would have been assailed
by every means.
Tne people here despairing of any relief from our
and legislators, at least such as can, arc fleeing to
foreign coun'rics to seek that bread and comfort which
their o.:n denies them, carrying their skill aral industry
to set up rival manufactories. Is this to be wondered
at ? Not it, indeed ; it is the result of despa'r of any
change for the better. With our legislators, commerce
and the prosperity• of it are small considerations ;
it is of no value, but as it can be made to administer to
the pampered appetites of the bread taxers. I wonder
it these gentry ever read that significant fable of " the
boy (a landowner no doubt) ar.d the goose that laid
golden eggs ;" they arc killing commerce that they may get
golden prices, and they will have ultimately to exclaim,
with trim, " what fools we have been."
We have had ail kinds of " commissions of inquiry"
except or.e, and that the most important, " a commis-
sion to ir.quire into the actual condition of the people,"
aye, the working millions ; but that, to be sure, is of
small consideration. Court extravagance, in fact extra-
vagance of every kind, is crying Tax ! tax ! the people
can yet bear more." Was it for this that the people
rose in their majesty, caressed and hugged the " whole
Bill, and nothing but the Bill?" Nothing of the kind.
In that reform they thought they saw good and
paternal Government—happy and prosperous days to
their firesides and their homes. This was the motile ;
but how little did they dream that their enemies would
so soon make tlait measure almost as effective fur partial
lee,islation as the Old Sarum system of nomination.
But the reader may exclaim, these things arc known
too well, but where's the rem sdy ? Then we say, re-
form the Reform all, so as to make it an instrument
of good ; effectually reduce the expenses of the State,
as to require less money from the people—let the
starving artiz An and field labourer purchase bread at
the best market—let our monetary affairs be put on a
sounder footing, not one day causing apparently great
prosperity,, and another ruin and misery, and • Britain
may yet become "great, glorious, happy, and free."

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERN-

MENT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Slit.-1 am astonished to find that an American
writer ot some celebrity asserts, that Representation
is a discovery ot modern times ; for it is a fact as
certain as history can make it, that the present Civil
Constitution of *England was introduced by the Saxons,
who when they made themselves masters of this
kingdom, established a form of . government in it. si-
milar to that which they had been accustomed to live
under in their native country ; and this government,
like that from whence they came, was founded upon
principles of the most perfect liberty.
My authorities for this assertion arc " Petyto's
Rights of Com. ;" " Brady's Comp. History ;" " Ra-
pin's and Squire's Inquiry."
Every freeman was a member of the Watenag,emote.
—Tacitus de Govern. c.

Flow long this right of being personally present in
the Parliament continued, and when the practice of
representation was first introduced, cannot be deter-
mined with precision, but let the custom of represent-
ltion be introduced when it will, it is certain that
from thenceforward every freeholder had a right to
vote for Members of Parliament.—See 2d Inst. 27,
and 4th ditto, 2. .

This right of representation is still more evident by
referring to the Statute, Ist Hen. c. 1., which limits
the right of election to resident freeholders—but yet
every resident freeholder, be his freehold ever so small,
had a right to vote. And this right continued till
it was taken away, by the Act of the Bth of Hen.
VI. c. 7, which excluded, or disfranchised all but
forty-!hilling freeholders.
The American writer quoted by the Times, lays it
down that ail men have from nature equal rights, which
in the social state are not relinquished, but held in abey-
ance.
This is another mistake ; for, on reference to " Vat-
tcl's Law of Nations," " Locke on Civil Government,"
and " Wollaston's Kul. of Nat.," it will appear that
although mea in a state of nature, are absolutely free
and independent of one another, and of course of
all sovereign jurisdiction, yet that when they, by their
own voluntary act, enter into society, they must submit
to the laws by which they agree to be governed ; and
thereupon the natural rights are extinguished, and ar.)
not in " abeyance," as asserted by the American

author.
Every person who by modern enactments is denied
his share in the Legislature, to which he had an un-
doubted original right, is, in effect, excluded from the
benefit of the British Constitution ; therefore, I respect-

fully submit that the " modern scheme of representa-
tion" as now practised, cannot be properly described
as a noble discovery of the most proper way of bringing
the democratic principle into action.
I am humbly of opinion that a scheme of represen-
tation which would unite the Reformers of the Uoi!ed
empire is perfectly practicable ; and 1 may hereafter,
if agreeable, trouble you with the particulars.—l hay e
the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient, humble
servant, VALENTINE BLAKE.
December 25, 1840.

EMIGRATION TO THE WEST INDIES.—On
Wednesday a meeting was held at the City Court-house,
for the purpose of dissuading the people from emigrating
to Jamaica in the Robert Kerr, now in this port. S r
David Roche, M. P. took the chair. The meeting was
addressed at considerable length by Counsellt r Moore, the
Delei:ate of the Anti-Slavery Society, who dwelt forcibly
on the miseries and destructive consequences likely to at•
tend such a step, The Chairman, William 'lowly, EF-q ,
Thomas Steele, Esq., and Thomas Shannon, E,,q ,
lately arrived from a similar climate, also cord mned the
mea,ure in the strongest terms. A resolution was then
unanimously adopted to that effect. William White.:Esq,,
inc respected President of the Chamber of Commerce,
and his brother, John White, Esq , attended the meeting,
as agents for the Emigration Company ; but the opposi-
,ion was so stormy, that those gentlemen had to retire,
without being allowed to:give any such explanations as
they could on the subject. Mr. White, however, stated
that there were three times as many applications to him
as he could comply with, and that he had returned the
money lodged to every one of them that required it, and
would continue to do so up to the moment of theyessel sailing.
It wa,, also stated by Counsellor Moore, on the authority
of the Right Rev. Dr. Ryan, the t Roman Cath,l c clergy-
man from this diocese has an intention of going out in the
vessel; and that he, with some of the Society of Friends,
aoplie,l at the office to know his name, and would nut
ho informed. A vote of thanks to the etiairm3n, and to
Counsellor Moore, concluded the proceedings, which
lasted three hours. Lima ick Chronicle.
On Saturday night, about half-past 11 o'c'ock,
fl,-e was di,eoveren at No. 9, Prospect-terrace, Gray's
inn-road. The fire escape stationed at the Founding, be-
longing to the Royal Society for the Protection of Li!e
from f''ire
E,i wasom q,u kon the spot, when the conductor,
Thomas
foundcl it necessary to force open a strong
:s
iron gate, placed at the entrance of the street, with a crow
bar before he could apply the escape to the burning pre-
mises. Fortunately there werelno lives in danger, and he
then assisted in saving the goods. Shortly afterwards the
Society's water cart escape arrived from Bedford-row,
when a number of buckets of water were used, which stayed
the progress of the flames until the arrival of the engines,
when, by the exertions of the firemen the fire was confined
to the upp, r part of the boil. e.
IMPORTATION OF HORSES.—We understand
that a great number of horses are now weekly imported into
Ireland from different parts of Wales.-- Washman.