The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-26 00:00:00

GRIEVANCES BEF ORE SUPPLIES
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
Stn,—We really were anxious to see in your popular
columns the petition which Mr. Perry left at your office
some days ago, which, if you have read it, you will, have
seen was discussed and unanimously agreed to at a
public meeting held at the King's Arms, Philip-lane,
City, on the 14th inst.
That petition advocates the principle
_of the right
which the people have to call upon their representatives
to take into their consideration the grievances which
most seriously affect them before they proceed to vote
the usual supplies, and the chief of which grievances are
specified.
The petition, with the full approval of Mr. S. Craw-
ford, had the somewhat anomalous heading of To the
Honourable the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland,
who represent the 950,000 British subjects who possess
the right to exercise the Electoral Franchise;" and you
know its fate. By a singular fatality, however, all the
morning papers of this day have stated that it was from
Rochdale; and we are desirous, not only_thatyou—sli-6ild•
give it insertion in a paper which so faithfully advocateS
the cause of the many, but that you should correct the
above-mentioned misnomer.
Mr. Crawford will not fail to call the attention of the
House to the contents of the document in question.
We are, Sir. your most obedient servants,
G. W. PERRY,
A. MORTON.
Hart's Hotel, Aldersgate-street, City, Feb. 23.
P.S. Since writing the foregoing, we have seen your
paper of this evening, and regret to see that you have
fallen into the same mistake that the morning papers
have committed. Be assured that those who drew up
the petition feel that they have no reason to shrink from
seeing the utmost publicity given to the petition in ques-
tion. Nay, they are desirous to lay it before the whole
of their fellow-subjects.
[We have not seen the petition referred to. Probably
it has been mislaid, and our Correspondents will there-
fore oblige us by sending another copy.]

THE FACTORIES BILL.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

"LITERATURE..
BAYNES BAYLY'S POEMS. 2 Vas.
Bentley, London, 1844.
In tbeie volumes we have a reprint of the whole of.
Mr. Bayly's poetical works, accompanied with a
biographical sketch of the author from the pen of .his
widow, from which it appears that he was born in
the year 1797, so that at the period of his death, in
j 1839, he could only have completed his forty-second
I year. From the account ere given of him we should
-judge him to have been ah
man of the most friendly-1
and carripanionable qualities ; and indeed his poems
show this; for they:abound intender, amiable senti-
ments; -expressed in chaste, and perspicuous
language. As they were chiefly intended for the
drawing-room, it was
-not necessary that they should
be conspicuous by-manly
nerve and vigour,- and ac-
cordingly we find written no bold, striking thoughts
or images, but instead—in-.thee more serious songs
and ballads at least-r-a vein of gentle, pleasing melan-
lancholy. As a lyrical writer, Mr. Bayly is sur-
passed only by Moore, in ease and grace and melody
of versification. Not a few of his earlier ballads—
especially his " Oh no, we never mention her," and
"Friends depart, and memory takes them," 'are still
popular, hnd are long 'likely to retain their 'popula-
rity, if only for the beauty of the music to which
the words are set.

observe the Factories Bill brought in by Sir
James Graham and Mr. Manners Sutton was issued on
Friday, the 9th inst. It states that the law for regu-
lating tho employment of children and young persons
in factoties needs amendment. Then follows an inter-

pretation clause. No child under eight years of age to
he employed in factories. How humane i Nor any
young person to be employed under sixteen years. From
this it would appear a boy or girl is reckoned a child
until they reach sixteen. Children not to work more

than six hours and a half daily. How beautifully this clause
would work fora journeyman cotton-spinner (and his
employers), who employ from six to eight hands, the
one half of which are generally under 16 years of age.
It shows how absurd it is to attempt to legislate on a
subject not properly understood.
Young persons and women not to be emplOyed.more
than twelve hours a day, nor to work after half-past
s,even_o!elock in the evening, and to cease work on
'--Sattirdays at half-past four o'clock. This has long been
the general practice. One hour and a half to be allowed
for meals. Now this is decidedly too little, and no
good reason can .he shown why people employed
in factories should not be allowed two hours for
meals, as well as masons, carpenters, smiths, and
in fact- all artizatis, and even day labourers. Now;
it often happens that public works are so situated
that -dwelling-houses cannot be obtained near to the
work, which often coinpelst he work people to walk half
' a mile, and others a mile, to breakfast and dinner ; or
to be at the trouble • and expense of having their food
carried to them. How painful it is to'see hundreds of
men, women, and children coming out of factories at the
breakfast hour, and running es if they were on a life
and death message !—not having as much time allowed
them by their employers as to say may. God bless me and
my food. These great exertions must be very hurtful to
many of them. Now this bad system must have ori-
ginated with some very selfish master, and others have
followed, the bad example, to protect themselves against
those selfish men from underselling them.
In place of the proposed alterations in the Factories
Bill, had Sir Jaines introduced a ten hours' Bill, and

COURT CIRCULAR.
WINDSOR-, SUNDAY.—Yesterday her Majesty and Prince
Albert took their usual morning's walk The Royal :Family
were also taken out for their usual airing, die Prince of
Wales and the Princess. Alice in a carriage,. attended by the
Dowager Lady -ryttelton, and the Princess Royal on her pony.
Sir Robert Peel arrived at the Castle about two o'clock,
and after having hid an audience of her Majesty, took his
departure on his return to the metropolis.
Her -Majesty, his Royal Highness Prince Albert, her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Kent, and the Household, attended
Divine service this morning in the private chapel in the
Castle. Archdeacon' Wilberforce and the Hon., and Rev. C.
Leslie Courtenay officiated. •

prohibited all boys and girls from being employed in
factories under 11 or 12 years of 'age he would have
conferred a very great blessing on both old and young
so employed ; the general voice of the country would
have been with him. A few interested, selfish indivi-
duals might and would have disapproved of the measure;
but what of that ? The boys and girls at 11 or 12.,
yeari of age would have been able to work the ten hour's
without injury, their employment_ being generally
light. By this plan, all complex rules and regulations
would have been avoided, which would have:
prevented a world of trouble, vexation, and
expense. Were half a dozen of boys and girls-at eight
•or nine years of age brought before the House of Porn
1110.a5,-and—the Members asked, will yOu make a law
authorising such mere children to be wrought in •fac-
tories ? I should think the unanimous answer would be,
certainly not ; would you have us to disgrace our-
selves? The truth is, it is only the children of worth-
less and dissipated parents that find their way into fac-
tories at eight or nine years of age. Honest and in-
dustrious parents would not allow such young children
to go into a factory.
The laws of the land should be made to protect such
young children, instead of putting it into the power of
worthless parents to subject their offspring to worse
than slavery. It is to be hoped a British Parliament
will not allow such a foul blot ever to stain their records.

Saturday was the birth-day of his Royal Highness the
Duke of Cambridge. Her Rpyal Highness the Duchess of
Gloucester gave a dinner in honour of the day at her resi-
dence; Gloucester House. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke
and Duchees of Cambridge and the Princess Mary were pre-
sent. A seles4,party of the nobility and gentry had also the
honour orreceiving invitations.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the
Princess Mary returned in the evening to Kew.
The French Ambassador and the Countess de St. /Wham,
the Turkish Ambassador, and nearly all the members of the
Diplomatic Corps, and, also most of the nobility and gentry
in towncalled during the 'day at Cambridge House, and left
their names for the Royal Duke.
The Duke of Cambridge. attended Divine service yesterday
in the Chipel Royal, St. James's. The prayers were read by the
Ilev. Dr. Knapp, the lessons by the Rev. Dr. Wesley, and
the Communion service by the Rev. Dr. Sleath and the Rev.
Drs.-Knapp and Wesley. The sermon WU preached by the'
Bishop of Lichfield, who took his text from the Lamentations
of Jeremiah, chap. iii., verses 40 and 41. The musical ser-
vice was Barrow's, in F, the Sanctus in-F, Gibbon, and the
Anthem, "I was in the spirit," Blow.
The Marquises of Salisbury and Winchester, Lords Clive,
Eliot, Ernest Bruce, Cantilupe, Wharncliffe, Vivian, and
Forester, were among the nobility present.
The Duke of Wellington and Lord Ingestre attended the
early service in the Chapel Royal, St. James's, yesterday
morning. The Rev. Dr. Wesley officiated and preached the
sermon.

I beg pardon for troubling you with this letter ; I in-
tended it for Sir James Graham, as you will see by the
alteiations, but have changed my mind. If you think
proper to give it a place in your excellent paper you
will oblige a constant reader of The Sun ; should you
decline doing so, there will be no harm done.—l remain,
Sir, your most obedient servant, A. C. R.
Glasgow, Feb. 22.

The Duke of Cambridge attended Divine serviceyesterday
afternoon, in Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley-street. Major
Stephens was in waiting on his Royal Highness.
Sir Robert Peel left town on Saturday morning, to have
an audience of her Majesty, at Windsor Castle. The Right
Hon. Baronet returned to town in the afternoon, by the
Great Western. Railway, and arrived at his residence, in
Whitehall-gardens, soon after four o'clock. Sir James
Graham and the Chancellor of the Excfiequer had interviews
with the Right Hon. Baronet after his arrival.
Bishop Griffiths had an interview with Lord Stanley, on
Saturday, at the Colonial-office.
Major Jebb transacted business on Saturday, at the Home-
office.

Sir Robert Peel had a grand Parliamentary dinner party
en Saturday, at his residence, in Whitehall-garden&

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
WORCESTER STEEPLE CHASE.

Handicap 'for the Royal Birth-day Stakes.—Gay Lad,
12st 101b—Cheroot, 12st 7 lb—Peter Simple, 12st 7 lb—Van-
guard, 12st Mb—Robin Adair, I Ist 71b—The Page, list 101 b
—Regalia,.llst Sib—Consul, list 71b—Discount, list Mb—
Tally-ho, list 21b—Carlow, I 1 st—Lather, list—Creeper, list
—Wilts, 11 st—Lottery, 1 I st—Marengo, 1 I ft—King Cole, 11st
—Culverthorpe, lOst WM—Little Peter, lOst 101b—Tom Tug,
lOst 101b--Roulette, lOst 101b—Ragged Jack, lOst 81b—
Cora, 10st 81b—b cby Eastgrove, lOst 71b—Brilliant,10st4lb
—Charity, lOst 41b—Forget-me-not, lOst 41b—Lady Hark-
away, lOst---:Josephine, 10stro--Flight, 9st-10113.
To declare on or before Monday next, March 4.
SWINDON STEEPLE CHASE.
Handicap of 20 soya. each, 10 ft, and only 5 if declared by

Thursday next.
Cheroot, 12st--Vangvard, lOst 61b—The Page, list 101 b
Discount, list 91b—Tally-ho, list 71b—Carlow, list 21b—
Creeper, list—Lottery, list—llfarengo, lOst 101b—Box-
keeper, 10st 101b—Peter Swift, lOst 101b—King Cole, lOst
10Ib—baleb Quotem, 10St 101b--Culverthorpe, lOst 10lb—
' Fitzwilliam 10st 101b—Bolus, lOst 51b—Charity, 10st—
Chance, 9st 81b.

- T-r r:r rlr . •
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.GREAT ANTI-CORN-LAW, -ISI4ET-
•
ING AT GLOUCESTER.,
TRIUMPHANT-RECEPTION OF MR. COBDEN,;M:P.,-
' , • AND A DEPUTATION -OF _THE LEAGUE::
"GLOUCESTER, SATURDAY' APTERNOON, TEE. -24.—One of greatest 'and Most important-county Meetings was held
to.day„ at noon, at the Shire Hall.. in the city of Gloucester,
fee the purpose of receiving Mr. Cobden and' a deputation of
The Anti-Corn-law League, in order to; hear the sentiments
'Bf those gentlemen relate to the question- of removing all
'restrictions as to a -free trade in corn. The meeting was one
,oft the, most imposing and enthusiastic demonstrations us
favour of free trade ever witnessed hi this county. The Shire
Hall. was literally crammed to Suffocation, upwards of: 4,000
perions being present, and hundreds went away, who. were
unable to gain admis,siOn. .
_ About month ago a requisition, most 'rumen:4oly and
influentially signed, was presented to the High Sheriff; re-
questing him to convene a county meeting, on the subject of
.the cern-laws, which that gentleman refused to com.plfwith,
alleging that the requisitionists_ "did not represent the
feelings of the freeholders of the county." This requisition
received the signatures of no less than upwards of one hun-
dred and fifty great landholders • of the county; embracing
among that number two Peers of Parliament, sit of the
Afembers of Parliament connected with the county, and about
tvreety magistrates, as well as several of the most .eminent
practical agriculturists of -the vale of Gloucester. On the
refusal, the requisitionists, with the:Earls Dude and Radnor
at their head, determined to call a county meeting on'their
own responsibility, in order to, afford the tenant and practical
farmers of the vale of Gloucester an. opportunity of 'hearing
the arguments of-the League.:
• The leaders of the " Anti-League" exerted all their influ-
ence among the farmers of the-Cotswold hills to induce them
to refrain from attending the meeting, and not to listen to
the " balderdash" of the "-Lancashire strangers." A re-
commendation was also given to the fariners that they should
commence a system of ' exclusive dealing." It was realb'
a most gratifying sight to witness that the farmere, not-
withstanding all the persuasions and entreaties of the mo-
nopolists, determined to be present at the meeting, and
attended in considerable numbers. "At any rate," said one
of those sturdy yeomen to a brother agriculturist, "at - any
rate, it-would de no harm to hear what the-great Parliament
men had to say on free trade in corn." • •
Shortly after eleven o'clock the deputation from the
League took their -station on the platform: Mr. Cobden
was received witha burst of tumultuous applause.
On the platform we noticed earl Ducie, C. E. IlandfOrd,
On., the late High Sherlffof the County, E. Holland, Esq.,
late High Sheriff of WOrcestershire, C. Staunton, Esq.,
brother to the Member . for Stroud, Mr. Codden, Cel-
Thornpion; and Mr. Moore, the deputation from the League ;
and the following Magistrates of the county Whitwicke,
E. Kendal,-L. Clatterbuck, J. Raymond Barker, L. S. Austin;
and Anthony Fewster, Esqrs., besides several other gentle-
men whose names we could;not ascertain.
On the motion of C. ROWLICt, Esq.,. seconded by C.. E.
HANDFORIN ES4I., the Right Hon. the Earl of Ducie was
called to the chair, amidst bursts of acclamation and re-
-peated demonstrations of respect.
His- LORDSHIP said he deeply regretted that accidental
circumstance's alone; had deprived them of the pleasure of
the presence of his Noble Friend, Earl Radnor, who- was
heart and soul in the cause.—(lioud and continued cheering.)
It was, only at the eleventh hour that his Noble Friend-was-
deprived from 'giving his support and countenance' to this
important meeting—(Cheers)—on account of illness. ' He
-had received letters of apology from the two Members for
the city of Gloucester, who, however, fully concurred in the
object of the meeting, as well as several other Members of
Parliament, who were detained in London expecting the di-
vision on Lord John Russell's motion.—(Great applause.)
Several other friends of the cause and champions of free-
trade were also unavoidably absent; but, while regretting,
he had only to look around him, and from the vast as-
sembly by which he was surrounded, which represented on
this occasion the wealth and intelligence of the county, he
was fully satisfied that himself and brother magistrates were
perfectly justified in calling this meeting, notwithstanding
the refusal of the High- Sheriff to comply with the requisi-
tion.—(Loud and protracted cheers.) Had he not occupied
the chair, he would have embraced the opportunity of de-
fending his conduct in giving his most cordial and hearty
support to the Anti-Corn-law League.—(Loud cheers.) In-
sinuations had been cast upon him, and some very unfair
statements had gone abroad relative to his conduct.—(Hear,
hear;
_shame, shame.) He should, perhaps, better consult
the unanimity of the meeting if he refrained from making
any remarks on the subject till the close of their proceedings.
—(Loud cheers.) He was surrounded by a great number of
influential landholders and tenant-farmers, who had been
taught to consider the League as the enemies of themselves
and of their-interests ; but he trusted that before they left
this meeting, the arguments, good temper, and gentle-
manly feeling, of his moot excellent friend bk. Cobden—
(Loud cheers)-;-would convince them that these opinions
were founded in .error, and based on ignorance ; and that the
object of the League was, not to injure the agricultural in-
terests, but to benefit every class- of the community, from the
peer to the peasant.—(Great cheering.) He was one of the
largest landholders of this county; yet he had been publicly
accused of, being inimical to the best interests of agriculture.
He could only say for himself, that he believed few men took
greater interest in promoting the prosperity of agriculturethan himself. He was one of those who wished to see it
flourish, and "God speed the plough" was his motto.—
(Tremendous cheering.) Upwards of three-and-twenty
years had he been engaged in agricultural pursuits, and his
entire energies had been devoted to its improvement.—
(Cheers.) His reason for becoming the advocate of free
trade was that he verily believed, from his heart and iseiil,
while the manufacturing and every other interest would
benefit by it, the- interest and prosperity of the practical
working agriculturist would experience the benefit of free
; trade in a ten-fold degree.—(Loud, long, and continued
cheering.) His Lordship said, having expressed these sen-
timents to the tenant-farmers, he would now call upon Mr.
Cobderi.—(Cheers.)
Mr. COBIIEIT, M.P., was greeted with the most enthusiatic
cheering from all parts of this vast auditory. The applause
having subsided, the Hon. Gentleman said—lt always
afforded him the sincerest gratification to deliver his opinions
relative to free trade among practical farmers.—(Hear, hear.)
He rejoiced in doing so in the presence of such men whom he
saw around-him; and he was happy that he had now an op-
portunity, for the first time, of addressing the highly respect-
able and intelligent farmers of the vale of Gloucester.—
(Cheers.) He (the. Hon. Member) would caution them, at
the Outset of his speech, not to take fright, or feel the least
alarm at the name of the Anti-Corn-law League—(Hear, and
laughter)—the terrible League—(Continued laughter)—
against whom they bad been cautioned in such horrifying
terms, by those who took upon themselves the high sounding
appellation and title of the farmers' friends.—(Cheers.) He
could assure the farmers-of the Cotswold hills and vale of
Gloucester, that the League had no cannibal propensities
about them; they would neither devour the tenant-farmers
nor their cattle ; nor would they destroy the interests of their
'calling.--(Cheirs and laughter.) He trusted he should be
able to prove to, them that by reason of the corn-laws the
tenant-farmers were placed in an infinitely worse situation
than they would be were the restrictions removed, and they
had a free trade in corn. Now, he would ask them what was
the meaning of the corn-law ?It was this :it was a law to
make corn sell at a higher price.than it would without a corn-
law; this was admitted on all hands, and not denied by the
monopolists. Well, then came the next question for the te-
nant-farmers." Does the price of land rise or fall with the
price of cool ? He would ask, would land let at the_ same
price when corn was 20s. a quarter, as when it was 805.2
Cries of " No, no.") Well then, if it would not, the object
in keeping
.up the price of corn must be doubtless to keep
up the price of land, or, in plainer terms, to keep up the
rents of the landlords.-4Cheeret) Admitting his propo-
sition to be correct, supposing corn was raised to 100 s. a
quarter, the farmers Could not possibly, by the remotest
chance, be one bit better off.--(Loud cheers.) Why, the
farmers of Gloucester were not so dull of intellect but they
must see this. It was, no abstruse doctrine; the whole
question lay itt a nutshell; the farmers not only got nothing
by the corn-laws, but, on the contrary, were, in point of
fact,- losers- by this protection, unjustly so called. He was
addressing practical men, and, therefore, he would illus-
trate his- meaning. In
.1815, the Legislature passed a
law,- after a determined opposition, for the purpose of
maintaining wheat at 80s. per quarter, and from the
year 1815, down to 1822, the rent of the tenant far-
mers was increased, -while, corn in reality was only 425.
per quarter.—(Cries of " Shame" from different parts of
the room.) • Well, once more the law was altered, and the
sliding scale introduced in order to keep the price of
corn at 635. or 645., and yet, with land
valued at the seine price as 1835, the corn
averages for the year gave a price of 395. 4d., while in the
month of December of that 'year the farmer was selling his'
wheat at 365., or just 28s. under Act of Parliament price.
This was the injustice to the tenant farmer: he rented his
land at Act Of Parliament prices and sold his corn at Market
prices, and so when he went to pay his rent he found he had
been compelled to sell his corn at 10s. or 12s. under the price
Which the landlord gave for his land. This was injustice to
the tenant; he (Mr. Cobden) would now come to the injus-
tice to the labourer.—(Cheers.) It was an awful fact that in
the agricultural districts the labouring population were earn-
ing less; and were considerably worse off than in any other -
part of- the country. 'Why, the manufacturers had been
accused of growing rich by grinding down the labourers ;
now he (Mr. Cobden) paid in the establishment to which he
belonged somewhere about 20,000/. a year in wages ; he em-
ployed 600 hands; those who were skilful in their business
earned from 20s. to 355. per week, and sometimes extra; and
even common labourers, employed at work which:a bricklayer's
labourer, or a. man fresh from the tail of a plough, could
perform* as-well. as anyone else, even theee earned from 12s.
t 0.145. per week. The Honourable Gentleman pledged his
word he had not an able-bodied man on his premises earn-
ing less than. that sum.---(Cheers.) He did not speak of
wages as a matter of boasting—wages were no charity—
masters only gave what was the market price of labour,
and he (Mr. Cobden) did not give higher wages than his
neighbours; but those were the general wages of the manu-
facture in which he was employed. Let the farmers con-
trast those wages with what they were giving to their own
labourers. He did not blame the farmers -for giving- so little
—(llear, hear)--it was no fault of theirs—(Cries of "-Net,
:no")—they, gave what they could afford, and what the state.
'Of competition in the labour market justified—(Hear, hear,
and cries of " That's it.") Still he understood the wages in. ,
the agricultural districts of Gloucestershire were miserably
low. A statement had just been put into his hand by a
gentleman,..a member of the Board of Guardians of a neigh-
bouring .union, wherein was a statement of a man and
his wife and four young children earning Bs. per week. This
man applied for relief, but his, application was refused, thus
pror 'rig that his case was only the common state of his
neighbours. Another man was mentioned, who had also a
wife and four young children ; his wages were 7s. per week,
and he was, receiving relief; and although he would not
mention names, he might state that this man was working
for a gentleman who made himself very conspicuous at the
Anti-League meetings, and talked very loud!), of protection
to the agricultural labourer.—(Cheers, and cries of "Shame,"
and " Name him?') Now in the very union of which he had
been speaking the cost, of maintenance in the union work-
house was 2s. 4d. per .head per week, and yet here were
labourers only receiving half that amount, or ls. 2d. per head
to maintain their families. Was that a case to go to Parlia-
ment for protection ? Was that a state of things to be main-
tained by Act of Parliament.—(Great cheering.) Away
With such cant ; away with the idle and crocodile tears
which pretended to flow for the interests of the labourer,
while he was receiving just half the wages which it cost to
maintain the pauper in the workhouse and the criminal in
the gaol.—(Burste-of theering,) In - conclusion, he would
caution the farmers to. examine the matter for themselves—
(Hear)—te endeavour to act for themselves, and to keep
themselves clear of political landlords—(Hear, hear)--and
above all, things, to eschew the miscalled protection of Acts
of Parliament. It was' said at the sea ports, when a vessel
seas seized by the custom-house authorities, she was marked
by a broad arrow ; and this was called, in the cant of the
ports, the devil's claw. The intcrmeddling of the State with
agriculture was the devil's claw, and this had been on the
shoUlders of the farmers fOr the last twenty-eight years ;
and they might depend upon it they would never prosper
until it was removed from them)—(Loud cheers.)
The Hon. Gentleman's *address, of which the above is
scarcely an outline, oseupicetnearly.two hours in delivering,
and wes cheered in the most enthusiastic. manner through-.
-out.'"Ofilliresuniing his seatat the' entire- nieetieg. robe- and.
greeted him with three times three hearty cheers.

. „ •
'ENVI;AREP OLLAND Esq., of Dumbleton, rose to ,propooe
'the *first re:Ado which was to the effect that proteetire
'ditties were - ii6VOnly injurious to commerce, but to the .iii-
,teresti efagrkaltureals'o; and that' free -trade would promcite
the interest_ and, prosperity of the whole community. Mr.
lTolland stated that he was a landowner and a land culti-
vator ; the whole of his income and the support of his
milt' was_ derived from the soil, and therefore if free trade
would, as alleged; ruin the cultivator; destroy the rent of the
landlord, and throw land out of cultivation, he, of all men,
ought to eppewit---;(Ckeers)-4ut, so far from that, he cor-
dially agreed with the resolution, and cordially nnited, heart
and-soul with the • objects -of the League. lie had been :a
~practical farmer fof many years, and his iipinioris in ravoar
of free trade were baSed on his own experience and observa-
• tion; lie had looked attentively to the proceedings of the.
Anti-League societies, but had _found no single argument
brought for Ward which at all shook his prthously.ferined
opinions. The corn4aws, while theY were framed ostensibly-
-for thp benefit of hne' class, dkr no real good to that -elms, at.
the same time that they were an injustice to the other classes
of the cOmmunity.—(Loud cheers.) He cordially proposed
the resolution. -
Mr. JOSIAII HUNT, of Almoudsbury, a practical tenar4
farmer of" eat exPerience, seconded the resolution.—(Loull
cheeri.)- He had long been opposed to the Corn-laws.- He
was convinced they were no benefit to the tenants, and were
only designed to raise rents -.and to keep the tenantry sub-
servient to the politlcal domination of the /andlord.—(Cheers.)
If he needed anything to fortify his opinion on the corn-
laws, it, was the fact of the best practical agriculturists in the
kingdom entertaining the same views. There was the Noble
Earl Ducie—(Loud cheering)-one of the first practical' meh
of the day—his name had alWays been held up as the best
landlord in the county.—(Cheers.) His Lordship's tenantry
were the most thriving tenantry in the county—(Cheers)---
and-yet he was heart and soul a repealer. Then there was Earl
Spencer—(protracted cheering)—a 'man whose opinion on
agricultural matters was quoted far and wide—he was a
repealer; and he' had himself heard the pro-corn-law Meni
ber for the western division of the county say that he could
not get over the fact of Earl Spencer being in favour of re-
peal.—(Cheers.) He (Mr. Hunt) believed that with free
trade the cultivation of the land would be improved—the
produce of the land would be increased—the independence
of the tenant secured, and his prosperity greatly aug4
mented.—(Cheers.) He could fully bear out what Mr. Cobden
had said about the agricultural labourers—their waged
were miserably low, and yet the farmers could not pay more:
In his own parish hundreds of families lived on 7s. per week
—their fare was worse than that of the pauper—whole farni-1
lies of grown up- children slept in one room, to the total
disregard of the decencies of life, and to the total de -1
struction of feelings of propriety and morality.—(Cheers.
It had been said the lend had to bear peculiar burdens, but i
should also be said the farmers had peculiar exemptions
(-Cheers)—and if the farmers' windows were untaxed, an
his riding horse and his dogs free of duty, it was not to benefi
him, but that he might be able to pay higher rent to ,hi
landlord.—(Hear and cheers.) He cordially seconded th
resolution, believing that a repeal of the corn-laws woul
improve the prospects of the tenant-farmer, and promote th
physical, moral, and social condition of the labourer.
On the resolution being put, two persons made their way
to the platform and moved a counter-resolution. The design
was evidently to obstruct the business of the day, but the
resolution was put and carried by an overwhelming majority,
only about a dozen hands being held up against it. The re-
sult was received with. loud cheering.
C. E. HANFORD, Eaq., moved a vote of thanks to thelo-
potation who attended from the League. He fully concurred
in the object of the meeting and the principles of free trade.
—(O Beers.) As an instance of the increased value of land
under the corn-laws, he could state-what occurred within his
own experience ; an estate in the county of Gloucester' was
purchased about a hundred years ago for a certain price, it
was not situate near a town, and had no ether adventitious
advantage, and yet that estate had been sold, lately for a sum
ten times as large as the purchase-money a hundred years •
ago.—(Cheers.)
C. Simerolc, Esq., of Stroud, seconded the motion. He
contended that free trade benefited the manufacturing inter- •
eat, and that it would also benefit the agricultural interest. ,
The motion was put and carried, with only two dissen-
tients.

The Noble CHAIRMAN having presented the vote of thanks!
in due form to the deputation,
Col. THOMPSON and Mr. MOORE briefly returned thanks.
Earl Ducie having left the chair, and the same having been
taken by L. Clutterbuck, Esq., a vote of thanks was proposed
to the INoble Lord, and carried by acclamation.
Earl Ducts, in returning thanks, said he must take that
opportunity of refuting an insinuation which had been cast
upon his motives by a gentleman signing himself " A Vale
Farmer ;"` that insinuation was, that he (Earl Ducie) had
property in the neighbourhood of Manchester, and that he
supported repeal to enhance the value of his own property.
He need scarcely give that charge his flat contradiction.—
(Tumultous applause.) The bulk of his property was in an
agricultural district, and he should scarcely go to injure that
in order, to improve any small interest he might have in
Manchester or elsewhere. He advocated free free trade be-
cause he believed it would benefit agriculture and improve
the condition of the people generally, and because he felt
with Lord Grenville, that everything was injurious to the
country which impeded the free current of natural industry.
—(Loud cheers.)
In the course of the Noble Lord's speech he made an allu-
sion to " the packed jury which condemned O'Connell."
The effect of this observation on the meeting was electrical.
The whole company rose, and, amid waving of hats and
handkerchiefs, gave several distinct rounds of applause,
which interrupted the proceedings for several minutes. An
allusion to the Irish being treated as brethren, in the earlier
part of the evening, also gave rise taa similar demonstration.
The proceedings closed about five o'clock, having occupied
nearly six hours, and was one of the fullest meetings ever
remembered in the county of Gloucester. The Earl Ducie,
Mr. Cobden, and the deputation, were loudly cheered on their
way from the hall, mingled with a few hisses.
The agriculturists, who attempted to interrupt the har-
mony of the meeting, experienced the most signal and in-
glorious defeat