The Sun.
London, England, 1829-04-27 00:00:00

SPITALFIELDS MEETING.

A meeting of Spitalfields Silk Weavers took
place on Saturday, at the Crown and Anchor,
Waterloo-town.

The CHAIRMAN directed the attention of the meet-
ing to a resolution passed at a prior meeting, relative
to petitioning his Majesty at the Levee on Wed-
nesday next. It was then resolved " that a petition
be presented to his Majesty, praying him to com-
mand his Ministers to revert to those Laws under
which the Silk Trade flourished, and which were
the support of thousands of his Majesty's then happy
but now starving subjects, viz., the prohibitory laws,
and that the same be accompanied by the body of
the trade."

Mr. DUCE considered that the present Mi-
nisters had made up their minds to ruin the
country ; therefore he thought the best and only
way would be to petition his Majesty to dismiss
them. Until they were replaced by others no good
could be expected.
Other speakers expressed the same opinion, yet
thought the present resolution should first be carried
into effect, and, if unsuccessful, they could send ano-
ther petition, praying for a new Ministry, which
would pay attention to the solicitations of the people,
and redress their grievances.
The resolution was ultimately deferred until Mon-
day (this day), when a general meeting will be
called.

Mr. PROUT, of Macclesfield, said he had to in-
form the Meeting that the resolutions passed at
Macclesfield agreed in spirit with those passed at
Spitalfields. After the petition to his Majesty is pre-
sented (said Mr. P.), if the Ministers refuse to give
attention to and relieve the general distress, the
whole population have an indubitable right to de-
mand compensation.
Mr. POYTON adverted to Meetings complaining
of distress taking place all over the country. The
oppression was felt in other places as well as in
Spitalfields. The country districts were united in
opinion with London, that the proposed new mea-
sures were calculated to decrease the value of silk
goods rather than enhance them ; consequently the
prices for weaving will be low, and more distress
must ensue. He and his colleagues thought that
the Ministers had been imposed upon by certain in-
dividuals for their own sinister ends ; therefore nn
application was made by letter for an interview with
the Ministers, by the London, Manchester, and
Macclesfield delegates, but Ministers appeared to
close their ears; for a direct refusal, instead
_of a
compliance, was what they had received from the
Board of Trade. No approach could the committee
now obtain to the Government, to make known to
them the discontent, dissatisfaction, and alarm, their
pro-posed new measures had created. The mea-
sures, he said, were most impolitic, and would have
the effect of sowing the seeds of did ord between
the master and journeymen, and would destroy all
the loyalty and affection of the trade to Govern-
me►it, which had so long subsisted. The people of
Coventry had met, and deputed two or three per-
sons to officiate for them in London, who are ex-
pected to arrive en Monday.
Mr. LEWIS said the answer of the Board of Trade,
denying them an interview, was similar to all their
measures. The Committee had repeatedly visited
the Board of Trade, yet not the remotest idea
could be obtained from Government of the measures
they meant to propose before they did propose them.
What inference could be drawn from such secrecy ?
If their measures were wise, politic, and jest, why
refuse a Committee of Inquiry ? Why refuse the
application of the Committee for an interview ? Be-
cause they (the Ministers) well knew that a mass
of distress, misery, and ruin, would be brought for-
ward to clearly and explicitly show and prove the
evil tendency of the free trade system to any perso►►
unless he were a pensioner or sinecurist, who was
paid by government to vote as they pleased.
Messrs. ELEMENT, BOLTER, and Fox, followed
on the same side ; after which the Meeting separated.

The following are the letters which have passed
between the weavers and the Board of Trade, to
which allusion' is made above :
" Abbey-street, April 22, 1829.

" Sir—l am directed by the silk-weavers' committee of
Spitalfields, and the deputies of Macclesfield and Man-
chester, to solicit an interview with the Board of Trade,
at as early a period of time as may be convenient, on the
subject of the resolutions submitted to the House of Com-
mons, on the ISth instant, for the future regulations of
the silk trade of this country.—l am, Sir, &c.

" WM. GROVE.
" To the President of the Board of Trade."
To this application the next day the following
answer was received :

" Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade,
" Whitehall, April 23, 1829.
" Sir—l am directed by the Lords of the Committee of
Privy Council for Trade to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter of yesterday, wherein you request that the
committee of Spitalfields weavers, and the deputies from
Manchester and Macclesfield, may he allowed to wait on
their Lordships. The state of the silk trade generally is
now under the consideration of the House of Commons.
His Majesty's Government have stated their view of the
subject, in which the House have fully concurred ; and,
as the question has been so frequently discussed at the re-
peated conferences which have taken place at this Board,
their Lordships cannot foresee an advantage to be derived
from a further personal communication in the present
state of the question. If, however, the committee of
weavers have any new matter to offer, their Lordships will
be ready to receive any written communication, and to
consider it attentively.—l am, Sir, &c.
" Mr. Grove, &c. &c. " THOMAS LACK."

On Saturday evening a lad was sent by his
employer, a skin-dresser, in St. Luke's, with a quantity
of sables, of the value of upwards of 1001., to the shop
of Mr. TAKUSH, furrier, in Newgate-street. On his way,
he was overtaken by a genteel youth, in black, who told
him his master had given him the wrong parcel of skins by
mistake. They were for Mr. WHITE, in the City-road,
and must be given up to him, he said, and he (the lad)
must directly go back for the right parcel. Foolishly
enough the boy did as he was desired, and gave up the
bundle ; and on returning to his master's house, as may be
supposed, it was ascertained that he had been the dupe of
some artful villain, who must have been aware of the coin-
tents of his bundle.