The Sun.
London, England, 1842-08-06 00:00:00

TO THE HON. THE PROVOST,I
MAGISGRATES, TOWN - COUNCIL, AND
OTHER INHABITANTS OF THE TOWN OF
GREENOCK.
Having endeavoured in vain to impress on the Minis-
ters of the Crown the absolute necessity of something
being immediately done for the revival of trade, the em-
ployment of the working classes,, and the sustenance of;
those of the people who could not find work, I have left
my place in the House of Commons with unmingled dis-
may and disgustat the treatment those vital questions
have received from the Queen's advisers, and have re-,
turned home with the determination of laying. before.
you, very briefly, the part I have taken in bringing for-
ward these matters, togethei with the opinions I have
formed regardinr, your future interests and those of the.
country in general
The public prints will have informed you that the
House of Commons has been occupied for nearly a fort-
night with one discussion after another regarding the
existing general distress. The debates I allude to were
on motions by Mr. Bannerman, Mr. Villiers, and myself,
(for Lord Howick allowed the valuable motion to be pro-
posed by him to end in smoke ;) and you may have
seen that, in spite of all the varied forms in which the
universal distress was represented, and incontestibly
proved, the Queen's advisers decidely refused, in the
most explicit manner, to give anything like a promise or
pledge that they would propose any other measures for
the restoration of trade, and the employment of the
millions who are idle and starving, than those which are
unavailingly in force already, namely, the new Corn Law,
the Tariff, and the Income-tax.
Firmly believing that the Corn-law is a cunningly
contrived delusion, and that the Income-tax will be a
fearful drag on the industry of the country, and that the
tariff would do but little to relieve us from our dismal
condition, I lose no time in stating to you that, unless
some other measures be resorted to, I see no reason to
expect that trade will revive in time to relieve the wants
of the suffering millions, or to save from ruin and des-
truction the capital remaining in the hands of the pro-
ductive classes.
The Ministers of the Crown have declared, both
publicly and privately, that they will not consent to the
application of public money for the support of the starv-
ing population. Nay, more, that they have unequivocally
stated that the poor and less wealthy must be supported
by those around them, who are still a little more wealthy
than they are. This is an awful state of society, involv-
ing a responsibility by one party, none the less fearful
because it is undefined in extent and in degree, than
painful on account of the consequences too certain to
follow ; while to the poor, the destitute, and helpless, it
presents nothing but the certainty of continually aggra-
vating misery.
No part, however small, of the fifty-four millions of
money which is to be wrung from our pockets in this
year of unexampled distress, is to be applied to keep the
starving millions from being starved by hunger, na-
kedness, and cold ; for this enormous taxation is all to
be applied to other purposes, which in the eyes of the
Ministers of the Crown are more legitimate and urgent
objects for the application of the taxes, than the preser-
vation of the people ; and more than this, they have re-
fused to raise a sum for the express purpose of meeting
the present unexampled exigency. This is a ttue and
faithful picture which cannot be contravened irons
authority.
The next point for your consideration, I think, is
what can be done in such circumstances ? As your re-
presentative in Parliament, I can do no more than I
have done ; and on this ground, and this alone, it is that
I have in despair quitted the House of Commons, in
order to lay these matters more speedily before you ;
but, though absent, I am free and unfettered, and may
hntnediately resume my duties should there be occasion.
I have nut paired off. First, because something un-
foreseen may turn up on which I might, by an instant
return to London, serve your interests and those of my
country. Secondly, because I distrust equally both of
the factions who contrive by turns to misgovern and op-
press the people of these realms, and would not pair off
in favour of either. I receive my Parliamentary papers
daily in course of post, and watch every movement
which they indicate ; so that were anything useful to
be brought firward, and at all likely to prove successful
against morn than a hundred of a majority, who support
Sir Robert Peel in everything he proposes or resists, I
should be ut my post in thirty hours.
But I see no prospect whatever of anything being
done in Pailiam:nt for the suffering millions; and, there-
fore, I shall' venture to suggest for your consideration the
, only measure which appears to me likely to make an im-
pression on the Ministers of the Crown, and which, us yet,
ties not been fairly tried. I continue to believe that the
Queen is kept in ignorance of the extent and suffering, and
the actual condition of her agonised subjects; and also of
the truly alarming state of te.e country. As a last re-
sort, therefore, f would rejoice to see a deputation of
trustworthy men sent from every town in the kingdom,
to obtain, as a body, an audience of her Majesty, so as
to represent at the foot of the throne, to the Queen in
person, a faithful picture of the appalling state in which
their fellow-subjects are, accompanied by an earnest en-
treaty that she would not prorogue Parliament until
something be done to alleviate their sufferings, and give
hopes, at least, of an improvement in their condition ;
or, if Parliament must be prorogued, it should be so
only on the clear understanding that it be summoned
again early in October, so that the then state of the
country should be full}, considered, andprovision made
accordingly for the coining winter.
This appears to me as the only measure which could
be resorted to with hope of success', and I would fain see
it fairly tried ; fur, although it is true that the Ministers
of the Crown, and their never failing majorities in the
LOrds and Commons, have been, by the late proceedings
in both Houses of Parliament, made more palpably re-
. .
sponstole than usual, still I could wish, in such a fearful
crisis as is now in progress, that the Queen herself should
be waimed in the most solemn and impressive manner,
p f the real state of the nation, so that the three estates
of Queen, Lords, and Commons, may be all united in the
fearful responsibility.
It is with sincere sorrow I am induced, through a sense
of duty, to make this communication, which is done, be
assured in the firm conviction of all I have stated being
bat too true. I have the honour to remain,
Your faithful servant.
Kelly, July 19, 1842. ROBERT WALLACE.

STRIKE AMONGST THE MINERS
AT AIRDRIE, &c.

(From the Glasgow Courier.)
A large number of the coal and iron-stone miners em-
ployed about Airdrie, and in the extensive mines for
several miles around that district, we learn, struck work
on Monday morning for an advance of wages. A gene-
ral excitement has consequently prevailed in the neigh-
bourhood of the several works since—particularly in the
vicinity of Airdrie and Coatbridge, where some outrages
on property have already been committed, the perpetrators
ofwhich are alleged to have been a portion of the idle miners.
On Tuesday a large meeting of the miners was held on
the banks of the Monkland Canal, at a place called the
Pottery—they came, from all quarters—Airdrie, Holy-
town, Bellshill,Chapelhall, &c. Their proceedings at the
meeting were very orderly, but as they passed through
Coatbridge, to the number of about 4,000, almost all
of them carrying sticks, they cheered most vehemently, to
the great terror of the inhabitants. The farmers all round
are naturally a good deal alarmed, but the law will no
doubt afford them efficient protection. At the meeting
referred to several propositions were gone into. One or
two speakers—these the more violent—proposed an im-
mediate strike, as the only means of bringing matters to
a crisis. Au amendment was proposed, to the effect
that they should continue at work fourteen days,
until they had earned a little money and then
turn out. Another resolution was brought forward
by one or two of the Chartists amongst them, that
they should not strike at all, but petition their masters
fora rise, and also the Government for provisions free
of excise duty. Nothing definite, however, was come to,
and the meeting was adjourned till a general gathering,
to be held yesterday, on the north bank of the Clyde,
immediately above Dalmarnock-bridge, to which the
colliers in this neighbourhood were invited to attend.
During the forenoon, accordingly, considerable num-
bers of the miners, principally armed with large
sticks, were seen flocking to the general rendezvous,
for the purpose of deciding upon the terms of the pro-
jected general strike—a portion of those who are
receiving the present maximum rate of wages not
having yet entirely abandoned their work. At
one period the persons present all miners were
calculated to amount to between 3,000 and 4,000.
The proceedings commenced about one o'clock,
and continued until two o'clock, when a de-
putation appointed by the meeting set off for
Glasgow, to lay their grievances and claims before the
masters resident there. Considerable excitement. pre-
vailed, and occasionally burst of cheering welcomed the
sentiments of some of the speakers. After the deputa-
tion had been sent oft; the men agreed to wait out until
five o'clock for an answer. The general feeling seemed
to be, that if anything like reasonable terms were pro-
posed, it would be as well to accede to them, and return to
their employment. It was stated that many of the
masters in the iron trade will be compelled to come
to terms, as their supply of coal is nearly all made
use of, and unless the men resume, they will have to ex-
tinguish their furnaces. Others, however, surmised that
many of the masters, having large supplies of coal, arid
but a short demand for them, will be very glad of the
strike. It was almost six o'clock before the deputation
returned, and even then they had nothing to communi-
cate to the meeting, farther than that they had been
unable to find out or obtain an audience of any of their
employers. In this state of things it was ultimately re-
solved to hold another large aggregate meeting to-day,
in the neighbourhood of Buillieston. The assemblage
then quietly dispersed. According to the statements of
the colliers themselves, about a year ago the average
wages of colliers in this district were as high as 4s. per
day, which, allowing them to work four or five days a
week (and this is considered a fair amount of labour for an
ordinary working collier), gave them from 16s. to IL per
week.. They are now paid, and have been for many
months—the iron-stone miners on an average of Is. hod.
to 2s. a day, the colliers at 2s: 3d. to 2s. 9id. The
labourers paid last year at 12s. is week, are now paid at
Ss. Tliey desire to have them back to 10s. The col
liers and miners ask 4s. a Ala,, which they insist theh
masters can well afford to pay. The miners are most
exasperated against the contiactors ; the contractors, on
the other hand, blame the masters. In consequence of
'au application to Col. Fleming, C. 8., Commander 'of tin
garrison here, by Mr. Sheriff Alison, a troop of the 611.
Dragoons, under the command of Captain Crichton, and
accompanied by the Sheriff himself, marched at six
o'eloA yesterday evening for Airdrie, the centre of thi.
disturbed district ; and two companies of the 66th Re.
giment of Infantry, under the command ofCol. Johnston,
and accompanied by Mr. Sheriff Bell, proceeded, per
railway, for the same place. Troops have also been
ordered from. Edinburgh and Stirling by express. Tic
folloWing is a list of the places and number of the pit!
stopped work:, roviops to yesterday, at aIJ of which the I