The Sun.
London, England, 1826-07-18 00:00:00

ticipated. Wages have not been reduced so much as was
expected, and perhaps required by the state of the trade ;
but, instead of further reduction, all the large establish-
ments have reduced the number employed, and limited
the time of work. The state of the hardware and metal
trades of Birmingham and the surrounding counties is, we
regret to say, much depressed the last few weeks, without
any immediate prospect of amendment.--Jackson's Oxford
Journal.
On Friday a meeting took place here (Dublin) at the
Weavers'-hall, between the manufacturers and operatives in
the silk-trade, for the purpose of fixing on a scale of prices
to be paid, during the present distressed state of the trade.
After considerable discussion, the manufacturers agreed to
meet the operatives in the same place at. 11 o'clock the
willie
' hboePteldie an arrangement satis-
factory It was stated
next day,
t 0 wb
ohtehn , it
partiesis to
that, after another fortnight, the funds by which the com-
mittee at the Corn Exchange had been hitherto enabled
to give employment on the roads to the distressed opera-
tives would. be entirely exhausted.--Dublin paper.

Prilinie letters- from the South mention that the poorer
classes are reduced to an extreme condition, in conse-
quence of the high price of food at present. The potatoe
crop of the last year was indifferent, and wilat remains is
much deteriorated, and unequal to the demand. Notwith-
standing the bad quality of what is still in the market, old
potatoes are advanced in the Cork market to 14d. the weight,
consisting of 211bs. which is more than three times the
ordinary average price. The state of the country is de-
scribed to be truly wretched? by some very impartial and
obseriing correspondents.—Dublin Correspondent:

MIDDLETON, JULY 16.---,About„ 12 o'clock last night
the inhabitants of this place were surprised by the sudden
appearance of 200 or 250 men, armed with sticks and
bludgeons.
At the time of their arrival every thing was going on
as usual in the place—shops and public-houses were open,
and people were looking after their ordinary concerns.
But the unexpected intrusion of these strangers caused an
instant change in the appearance of things—every body
was filled with mamma or alarm. The rioters came
from towards Manchester, and halted in the market-place.
—Some of them were heard to say, " Here are shops, we
eau help ourselves to provisions, and here are shoes, let
us each get a pair." They came in military array, and
halted in their ranks at the word of command. By.their
speech, their leaders were knoWn to be Irish. One num
spoke aloud, and said, "If any honest man is prepared
with arms, and disposed to join us, he will be made wel-
come"—but nobody came out, not one inhabitant of Mid-
dleton joined them.. Presently a noise was heard, and a
cry that the soldiers were coming. Some then left their
ranks' but the main body passed. up Wood-street, and re-
treated across a place called Archer-park, and the Gieat-
park, into the old road to Manchester, by which rout they
escaped. Themilitary, a party of the Queen's Bays, now
made their appearance, accompanied by Messrs Norris
and Foster, Magistrates, the Boroughreeve of Manchester,
and several constables; and had it not been for their
timely arrival, there is every reason to believe that the
work of plunder would have commenced. Nothing, how-
ever, was now left for them to do; but to look after odd
stragglers, two of whom Were taken and conveyed to
Manchester,- having confessed they Came with the mob.'
Three others were taken .this morning :hy,a watchman:
And one is now in the dungeon here. He, is'a young
man, poor, emaciated in appearance.. He sty' he MIS in
'Si. George's road when the mob came up, :and he was
compelled by them to fall into the ranks, and to .come with
them to Middleton. After the retreat of the rioters, the
soldiers paraded the !streets and lanes, .and were received.
at several places with hootings and shouting, and other
expresiiona of disapprobation, but no atones were thrown,
tult*ny violence offered. At one tirilo, tins soldiers took
two young men into etwoify •bolouging to the town.
Whilst searching them, one of the lads cried out, " I ha
but. three-hapence, an yo muxina tak it." " No, no," re-
pliqd the warriors, " we won't take your money, my lad,
we would much rather give you some."
The general appearance of the rioters was meagre, and
they seemed to have but little order amongst them. , One
was heard to say" he'd bed—d if he went. s,ny further,
there were so many masters- to please."' .TheT were, no
doubt,, some of the most destitute, and, consequently, the
most desperate of the community. A feir : who were
starved out of their miserable holes, as rats are sometimes
dflwneil out by water.

MiNCIIEsTER, JUIX lg.—Last night a meeting of se-
veral thousands of the working classes took place near
Aneosts-street, at one of the outskirts of the town. The
object of it seemed to be, how to remove their present
distresses. The crowd was harangued by several speakers
—One, particularly, dressed in a blue frock coat. There
was something said about the. Middleton people and their
delegates, and about taking up atms, and delivering them-
selves front present difficulties, At this period, three
persons made their appearance, and stated that the Mid-
dleton people were armed and ready to come out. It was
then resolved to march to Middleton forthwith, and join
the body there. They accordingly set off for that place,
but were quickly followed by the soldiers and several Ma-
gistiutes, who dispersed them, and took a number of pri-
soners. _ _

A posting bill, of which the following is a copy, is here
circulated :

PUBLIC NOTICE.

We, the undersigned Magistrates for the county of Lancaster,
have observed with great regret that certain evil-disposed persona,
strangers in Manchester; have, within the last few days, , been
endeavouring to excite the peaceable and well-disposed inhabitants,
by inflammatory language and addresses, to acts of outrage and
insubordination; and in 'furtherance of their, ,wicked object, have
given notices of public meetings to be held in the evenings of
several days in the present week, at which such strangers have
been the principal speakers, and the meetings have been protracted
to bite hours of the night;

Now, we do hereby declare our opinion, that all such meetings
are illegal, as having a tnanifeet and direct tendency to a breach of
the peace, which it is our duty to protect.
We therefore caution all persons not to attend any such meet-
ings, nor in any respect to be induced, •by the wicked and mis-
chievous, to engage in proceedings which mast bring upon them
all the consequences attending such illegal conduct.
J. NORRIS.
J. SILVESTER.
JAMES BRIERLEY.
J. , HIBBERT.
J. FOSTER.

Given under our hands this
15th July, 1826. New
Bailey Court House.

DISTRESS LN THE LIBERTY.

(From the Dublin Patriot.)

The distressed weavers, employed at labour on the
roads, have addressed the following Inemorial to the
Lords Spiritual, Temporal,,Clergz, and Gentlemen of
.
the City and County of Dublin, c.—,-
That your memorinalisti:
furgr some
t
likely
ly
time to
acknowoleipdgre
es,sylotsur;
liberality by relieving their distress • nevertheless, the cause of their
distress still continuer, and
OOd to add tn,OUr calamity, it is announced to UR that our wages
aorateotoheof
trhelleifiicemddefrol,eimogonueesehoil:ieuxght:nteet:il.)enetwollv7daY,
Gentlemen,frinn thewe
are of the woollen and cotton business, and Cannot procure ern-
ployment 4 any price—the fact of which some of the most respect-
us
ebrl a ultimo %nut )
pmanufacturerseh f
te v e
ui :the Noe
tobpburiseiiifnet ttuirg:,,filowlryholiouxo;
la)nretiadciPpairtlestsWonliettflirnege'ebieitft'cg it by
i• way
°f
idle
charity?
No
we,
general character 'is humanity. Now,. Gentlemen, for humanity's
sake, let us not be reduced to work for what would not, procure us
one meal of potatoes, not mentioning paying rent; or many other
expellees that attend families.

" Therefore, your memorialists most earnestly hope that You
will take our, rose into, your must humane cunsideratium k"il
humbly call on pat fin. a continuanm of yotir liberality until
trkde riot, mid request,that .You use, your
fe.Vour with, the Qouvitit,tep at the; r..4change, contiitYl
the shilling per day, for which act of benevolence your tnemn-
influenoe in their:
rialists will retain the warmest sense of gratitude, and will ever
Pray"