The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-08 00:00:00

SCARCITY OF FOOD.

(From the Norfolk News.)
The following memorial from Norwich to Sir Robert Peel,
praying for a temporary suspension of the corn-laws, at the
present important crisis, was forwarded to him on Thursday
evening last, after having received about 500 signatures of
some of the most respectable gentlemen and tradesmen of
the city, in the course of a few hours. This number would
doubtless have been much increased if another day could
have been allowed

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR It. FEEL;FIRST LORD OF

THE TREASURY.

The Memorial of the undersigned Inhabitants of the City of
Norwich,

Sheweth,—That your memorialists partake;in the general
alarm excited by the failure of the potato crops, and the
deficiency in the wheat crops, which have occurred simul-
taneously in Great Britain and Irelaud, and in many of the
nations on the Continent of Europe.
That the scarcity and the consequent privation to the poor
throughout her Majesty's dominions, to be apprehended from
these causes, will be felt with peculiar severity in the city of
Norwich.

That the operatives of this city have just emerged from a
lengthened period of distress, unexampled in the memory of
any living citizen, if not unparalleled in the history of
civilized countries—a distress which, though borne with
patient fortitude, has, in many instances, induced a condition
of slow starvation—a distress which the Poor-law, and the
utmost efforts of private charity, have been found alike
utterly inefficient to relieve—a distress, in the recollection of
which, your memorialists cannot look backward without
affliction ; nor forward, under present circumstances, without
absolute dismay.
That the rate of wages now earned by these operatives, a
rate not likely to be soon raised, and not certain to be long
continued, is but barely sufficient to sustain life ; the impend-
ing advance in the price of food must, therefore, plunge them
during the coming winter into aggravated want. Necessity,
it is said, has no law; the present emergency, as it appears
to your memorialists, calls imperatively for the temporary
suspension of that law which limits the supply of food.
For the sake of warding off, as far as possible, the antici-
pated sufferings of the poor citizens of Norwich, as well as
the distress which is threatened to their fellow-subjects in
Ireland, and in other parts of the empire, your memorialists
entreat her Majesty's Government to suspend, for such time
as they may deem expedient, all DUTIES ON IMPORTED
ARTICLES OF FOOD.

CITY OP LONDON GENERAL PENSION SOCIETY.-
A very numerous meeting of this excellent charity took place
on Wednesday evening last, John P. Hayward, Esq., in the
chair. The Secretary, Henry F. Richardson, Esq., addressed
the meeting at considerable length on the desirability of in-
vesting one moiety of the donations above 51. instead of the
whole, thus enabling a large increase to the payments to the
pensioners, whilst, at the same time, the permanent fund was
gradually increased. Mr. Richardson stated that the life-
fund now exceeded 6,0001., and from all the inquiries he had
made from many munificent donors to the charity, he had
no hesitation in stating that the feeling was that the Society
bad already gained sufficient permanent stability to authorise
the plan, and that it would live more in the hearts of its sub,
scribers and the public if the rigidity of its laws in this respect
was relaxed. Mr. Richardson then entered into a variety of
arguments and calculations to prove the soundness of the pro-
posal, and expressed hisanxious hope that, ere long, he should
have the happiness to announce to the pensioners that a large
increase was made, and that, in all probability,the full roma
soof
nt tthe
epne nasni onno su
nine
ei gdhtthseh ofirntlayn
cbi
ael acnotni cdiiptai
otned .
of Mr.R
e.
sico chiaert(yl
and stated that R. S Holford, Esq., of 15, Bolton-street
517.c5cas.dai
lly
Mr. Cutler, and several other gentlemen, then addressed the
s nhaadn annualpresentedi
bthuet
ogne. n eisroiru.s
Ddeoptiva
ttyi onßoefdf2oCr/d., andd
that it is expedient to suggest to the subscribers that one
moiety only of the donations above Si. be funded. Thanks
were then voted to the chairman, and the meeting adjourned
for a week, then to confirm or reject this important resolution.
SOUTHAMPTON, PETERSFIELD, AND LONDON DI-
RECT RAILWAY.—A numerous and influential public meet-
ing of the inhabitants of Petersfield was held in that borough
on Wednesday last, John Ring, Esq., the mayor, in the chair,
to consider the propriety of supporting this line. The De-
puty-Chairman of the Company, Joseph Lobb, Esq., addressed
the meeting at great length in explanation of the details of
the undertaking, after which a series of resolutions (which
will be found in our advertising columns) in approval and
support of the line were unanimously earned.