The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-02 00:00:00

originally an injustiee which ought never to have been corn-.
mitted.—( Cheers. 1 The argument made use of by the Right
Hon. Gentleman, that we ought not to reduce the duties on out
imports until foreign nations should reciprocate, was a specious
one, and not an invalid one in instances where there was any
chance of such reciprocation taking place. But according to
that argument it would appear that we were the parties
yielding. Was such the real state of the case ? Looking at
our tariff, including the Corn-laws, it was the most hostile
'fake
the free trade of any country in the world.—( Cheers.)
the Brazilian tariff. They imposed a duty of 15 to 20 per
cent. on come of our manufactures, while, on their staple com-
modity, auger, we imposed a duty of 350 per cent. They k
of the recent duty of 20 per cent. imposed by France uponßritish
thread? Why we imposed a duty of 1,200 per cent. epon French
talked
brandy. For all these reasons the first proposal ought to come
from us. —( Cheers.) It was nothing but the energy
of our people
and the natural advantages of our country that enabled the ex-
pert foreign trade to bear up in the limner it had done against.
these restrictions.—(Cheers.) Thu speech of Gen. Tolbecque,
the American senator, showed in what light our tariff was re-
garded in that country.—(Tire Hon. Member here read an
extract from the speech alluded to, in nhich the speaker urged
the Americans to make the tariff more stringent, in consequence
of the adherence of England to her system of Corn-laws.) The
adherence of the Right Hon. Baronet to the sliding scale would
he looked upoa in America as indicatiag a desire to perpetuate
restrictions, and to give up all commercial intercourse with that
country.—( Herr.) Although he agreed with the principle of
making the property classes bear the burdens of the country, he
denied that, the Income-tax would produce that effect. The
Income-tax would be paid out of the fund from which the
wages of labour were paid. and he felt convinced that the
burden of the Income-tax would be borne by t belabouring clavier,.
The Right Hon. Member for Whitehaven (Mr. M. Attwood)
had said that if the principles Of free-trade were beneficial to
nation:, America would be the most prosperous country in the
world. But what was national prosperity ? A country was
not prosperous in which the few were rich and flourishing, and
in the enjoyment of vast incomes ; bet that cominueity wee
truly prosperous, in which there was a large deinand for lehour,
and in which the wages of labour commanded au abundance
of the necessaries of life. In that sense America was prosperous,
and those advant'ges England did not enjoy. In this country
the splendour of the few offered a striking contrast to the
misery cud the privations of the great body of the people. We
had, as had been stated by the Right Honourable
Gentleman the Secretary of State for the Home Department,
on a former evening, 1,200,000 persons theiwu for support
on the poor-rates. That was a melancholy state of things, eed
proved that there was something rotten in the social system of
this country. And now, that unparallelel distress prevailed
throughout the country the Government had recoarse to
charity balls and charity sermons fe: its relief. He looked
upon this expedient as unwise and humiliating. He would re-
mind the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite that the landed in-
terest could not expect to prosper if manufacturers were de-
pressed. He believed that the Government, by the course
they had taken, had confined themselves to the symptoms of
disease as they appeared on the surface, and that they had done
nothing whatever to strike at the root of the existing evils.
Mr. W. WILLIAYS then moved that the debate should be
adjourned till Monday.
Sir 11. PEEL said that he tosk it for granted that several
Hon. Gentlemen were still anxious to address the 'louse on the
subject of the debate of that evening ; and he should, therefore,
offer no objection to the motion for its a-journment, much as
he confessed lie regretted :that such a course should have been
taken. lie hoped, however, that the House would hear in mind,
that the necessities of the public service required that the rotes
of supply should be taken without delay. He had hitherto
abstained from bringing those votes before the House, from
a,
desire that the tariff should be passed as early as possible. Hie
trusted that when the debate was concluded on :Monday night,
there would be no objection manifested to give those votes
which would be required for the service of the country.
The motion for the adjournment of the debate till Monday
was then agreed to.

MINES AND COLLIERIES RILL.
On the motion for the third reading of the Alines mi Col—
lieries Bill,

Mr, -AINSWORTH said he hoped the Noble Lord would
not, on that occasion, press the third reading of tha Bill.
There were deputations in London who were anxious to ex-
press their opinions, and he hoped the Noble Lord %%fluid post-
pone the third reading, in order to give a further opportunity
of discussing its provisions. The Lion. Member concluded by
moving the adjournment of the debate.
The SPEase.tt havin., put the question,
Mr. FORBES said he had received communications from
coal-owners, who stated that although they approved generally
of the Bitl of the Noble Lord, there were some provisions which
were ext remely objectionable.
Mr. VlLLimis and Mr. HuatE opposed the third reading,
on the ground thn,t there ought to be further opportunity of
discussion.

Lord ASHLEY said he was extremely sorry that ho could
not acquiesce in the proposal to adjourn the third reading.
The communications which he had received were of a very
different character from those received by the Hon. Gentlemen
opposite, stating that the Bill would conter the greatest possible
benefit on tho working classes, and he was desirous of seeing
the Bill brought into operation nithout any unnecessary delay.
Mr. STANSFIELD said if the House passed the Bill in
its present shape, they would almost annihilate the coal trade.
Mr. B. DENISON said there was a general feeling in the
'Vest Riding of Yorkshire against the provisions of the Bill.
He did not wish to oppose any obstacle to the benevolent inten-
tions of the Noble Lord, but he hoped ho would see the pro-
priety of consenting to the adjournment.
Mr. PROTHEROE supported the third reading.
Mr. HODGSON HINDE said, if the Noble Lord pressed his.
motion to a division, he would feel it his duty to vote asainst
the Bill, in order to allow an opportunity of further discussion.
Lord PALMERSTON supported the motion.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the House
divided, when the numbers were—
For Rut third reading
For the adjournment
Majority against the adjournment
On our return to the gallery, we understood that Mr.
AINSWORTH had again moved the adjournment.
Lord ASHLEY deprecated the obstruction thrown in the•
way of the Bill, and urged the third reading.
Mr. AINSWORTH explained that, in opposing the thirsf
reading, he did not for a moment wish to countenance the atro-
cities it was directed against.
Mr. PROT HEROE thought it was better it should be
cussed in a fuller House.

After some conversation,
l‘lr. AINSWORTH defended his motion for the postponing
the third reading ; he shooild be contented to let it proceed if
he were allowed the opportunity to bring up a clause respecting
the hours in which children were to he allowed to work.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the house di.
vided. The numbers were—
For the adjournment ..
Against the adjournment
Majority against the adjournment
Mr. LEADER thought it would be well that the third 'Tad_
ing of the Bill should not he pressed that evening. J 6 WOUld
be but fair to afford the cppmients of the measure an '01)%01 tu-
nity of stating their views. He should, therefore, ID'ove the
adjourument of the debate.
Lord ASHLEY said that he found it would .00'weless to at-
tempt to pass the Bill that evening ; and hes therefore, felt
himself compelled to accede to the motion, of an adjournment
of the debate. He would agree that it sbeauld be postponed till
Monday next.
Sir T. ACLAND suggested that the Bill shoUld be th read a third time, and that the lir.o. Member for Bolton sh.ould
bring up his clause on Monday, when it might be discu.T4ed by
the House.
After a short conversation this suggestion was :agreed to,
and the Bill was then read a third time.
Mr. GLASD'I'ONE gave notice of his intentiontc; move for
leave to bring in a Bill relating to the linen trade of Ireland.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the
House adjourned at Half-past -One o'Clock,

PUBLIC DISTRESS.
Yesterday evening a meeting of Afinisters and Gentletnes
connected with several of the Dissenting Congregations in
London, was held in Devonshire-square Chapel, 13ishopsgate-
street, to consider thopresent alarming distress and destitution
so generally pervading the country, and to arrange the preli4ni_
naves for a general meeting to be held during the en autog
week, to devise the best means of alleviating it.
'l'. W. A r,Ex NuLa, Esq., a member of the Society cf
Friends, took the chair at seven o'clock precisely.
Mr. CARLISLE, Secretary to the Provisional Committee,
said the present meeting was held in contequenee of the reso-
lution of a meeting convened on Friday, the 22d ult., which.
stood adjourned to this day. Its object Iva% to consider the best means of bringing before the public in strong relief oto
present appalling misery under which the labouring clan sea
were pressed down. Perhaps in this stage of the procoedi age
the best course to adopt would be far Mr. George Thomp, fon,
who with himself appeared on behalf of the Delegates at pm:sent
sitting in Palace-yard, to read extracts from the commu
bons which were addressed to the body from different parts of
the country, descriptive of the distress which prevailed.
Mr. GEO. THOMPSON rose and said he should read a few
brief extracts from a vast number of communications addressed
to the body which he and Mr. Carlisle had the honour of re-
presenting at this meeting, by several gentlemen who had the
best means of acquiring authentic information respecting the
state of the population in the manufacturing districts. Mr.
Thompson then proceeded to read an extract from a letter from
Sheffield, which stated that the American packets brought the
most discouraging news for the manufacturers, a"nd that the
people, who were a short time back in a comparative state aff
independence, were now obliged to seek refuge in the
workhouse, in. consequence of the decay of trade.
Some time back the writer was able to employ
700 men, gut now in consequence of the laws
which. wevented
the free exchange of labour for the commodity available to
those with whom the commerce of England w hadrie on,
that number was reduced to 200. An assurance been given
to him from an eminent American capitalist that if he were he emigrate to America with tools and expert artisans able to traits
ethers, a certainty of making an ample fortune awaited him .
The love of father-land, so inherent to Englishmen, prevented
him accepting the offer, but if times continued getting worse,
es they had done for the last few years, a sense of duty teevards
his family would compel him to seek another and more profit-
able field for industry and enterprise. Mr. Thonar son con-
tinued to read several letters from Wigan, Conglet.on, Auch-
terardar, the iron and pottery districts in Staffordshire,
from Knaresborough, and from Wakefield, all detailing scenes
of the most soul-harrowing misery. The letter from the last
named locality stated that during the winter months numerous
families lived upon turnip-tops, and detailed the cases of some
families who derived subsistence from the wages of their chile
dren, at present employed in the coal pits, who, if Lord Ash-
ley's Bill were to become law, would be thus deprived of r,ll
means of support. He should confine himself to the extracts
which he now laid before the meeting ; but be regretted to be
compelled to state that this was but a fraction from numbers of
letters which the Committee received, and which had been
handed to many Alembers of Parliament, in order that they
might be able to substantiate the facts stated by Mr. Wallace
in bis motion that evening in the House of Corutnor,s.
In reply to Mr. lleban, Mr. Trromrso stated that the
resolution, which
dis-
tress districts was nearly as painful as in the.
'alTtimaFinrgid.
seconded by Mr. SCORLE, and passed 'unanimously Re.
done
been appointe4:l to arrange
Afterr long
La:
pl
r desultoryp os edptehreesoofn;vlsleore,s,fai conversation,
ntereligious
Aina.
at
it'sit distress
sth ts esddable.
oThfeh alayt meetingi relative°fu
tent
tchu
IC,rlelsettpuetl
now so prevalent in the country."
the preliminaries previous to next Friday's meotint7,
G EU. TiIosIPSON announced that the delegas met on
A provisional Committee having
Tuesday next, at two clock, at Brown's Hotel,
Shortly after which themeeting separated. ace -34 r

DEATH OF LORD J AMES TOWNSEND..—Died, on
Tuesday last, at Hutton Lodg-e, Yorkshire, the seat of
his nephew, Henry Lodge. Yorkshire,
Lord Jam es Townsend,
in the 57th year of his age, eaptair, in thiN Royal Navy,
and NavalAAide-Campd-de-Camp to her Majesty. His Lord-
ship.'s last command in 1831 wrLs as Commodore on the
Sokith American station in the Dublin. frigate. The
death of this gallant nnd kin d-hearted officer will by
deeply regretted by a numerou.s circle of friends.
A marriage his just tak.ctn place, at Vienna, be-
tween the Count de Dietrichstein, the Austrian Minister at the
Court of Belgium, and the Coup.tess Pototka.