The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-19 00:00:00

THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.

ANTI.CORN-LAW MEETING.

FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
TlMES.—After an amount of hesitation which would have
done credit to the judgment of a much more cautious states-
man, Lord John Russell has at length undertaken to form a
Ministry. Nor has it been a mere pretence of coyness. As
late as Wednesday evening, if we are rightly informed, hi,
Lordship communicated to Sir Robert Peel that a more deli-
berate view of the prospect before him had confirmed the
reluctance he had felt from the first, and that if Sir Robert
would remain in ()Mee and carry out the opinions which had
led to his resignation, Lord John Russell and his friends
would render all the assistance in their power. Sir Robert,
however, declined to be Premier by the mercy of the Whigs,
and to enter into engagements which might possibly be the
subject of future dispute. On this refusal, and finding the
responsibility thus thrust upon him, Lord J. Russell at length
plucked up the courage to give her Majesty, yesterday even-
ing, a positive answer. We may expect, therefore in a very
few days to find the New Ministry fairly under way.
Sir Robert Peel's perseverance in resignation is credit-
able or not, exactly as he chooses to follow it up in the House.
If the difficulties of the case are as great as we believe them
to be, and as the Premier elect apparently rates them, Sir
Robert Peel has consulted at least his own case and conve-
nience in retiring for a while from the helm of affairs. We
will not doubt that with a majority in the existing Cabinet,
with so many outdoor influences and so many public neces-
sities to back him, he would have been able to carry a total
and even immediate repeal of the corn-laws through both
Houses. The retiring Premier's difficulties have not been
those of execution. They have rather consisted in the re-
conciliation of friends—in the explanations which the measure
would entail—in the adjustment of so new and bold a policy
with all that has come before, and possibly with much
that remains to be done hereafter. If the corn-laws must

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, WEDNESDAY.—In COM pliance
with a requisition bearing the signatures of 1,145 inhabitants
of this borough, the Mayor appointed a public meeting to be
held in the Guildhall this day at noon, " for the purpose of
considering the propriety of adopting a memorial to her Ma-
jesty, praying her Majesty in Council to throw open the ports
for the free admission of grain of every description during the
present scarcity."
At the hour appointed the spacious hall was well filled,
many of the leading merchants, magistrates, aldermen, and
town-councillors being present, as well as a large number of
shopkeepers and other inhabitants of the borough. The
meeting was, indeed, one of the most numerous and influen-
tial that has ever been held in that ancient and venerable
edifice, comprising many of opposite opinions on general
politics, but agreed in their opposition to the principle of the
corn-law.
The Worshipful the Mayor of NRWCASTLE presided, and on
opening the business, said, he considered that every restric-
tion upon the trade of the country was injurious to that
trade ; still more, that every duty levied for the sake of pro-
tection to enhance the value of one species of property at
the expense of the rest, while it did no service to the per-
sons it was intended to protect, was an act of injustice and
injury to every other member of the community, more es-
pecially those dependent upon their labour for maintenance
and support.—(Applause.)
Mr. A. Nielson, an Alderman of the borough, extensively
engaged in the glass trade, moved:—
"That the evidence from all quarters as to the state of the
potato crop, throughout the three kingdoms, is such as leads
to the conclusion, that unless prompt and effective measures
be taken to mitigate or obviate the calamity, these realms
must inevitably in a few months experience the horrors of
scarcity, amounting to famine."
Mr. C. RAYNE, a member or the town-council, and a mer-
chant of considerable standing, in seconding the motion,
observed, that no Act of Parliament had ever been more
instrumental in producing unhappiness and misery among
the people at large than that for levying a tax on corn.—
( Applause.) In every point of view in which it was con-
sidered—whether as restricting the operations of commerce,
limiting the supply of the necessaries of life, or diminishing
the just reward of labour—there was no infliction ever im-
posed on the country more odious and injurious than the
corn-laws.—(Applause.) They had now arrived at a most
important crisis. At the present moment the country was
without a Govemment.They had Se en a strsmg Government dis-
solved. Until lately they might have taken a lease of its
power for very many years to come; but, in a moment, under
the omnipotent power of public opinion, that Government
had wasted away like snow from the hedge; and it was fir
the people, by demonstrations such as this, to say ivhether
they would give encouragement to their leaders and friends
at this critical period, and by showing a bold front enable
them to take possession of the helm of affairs, and lead them
on to victory.—(Applause.)
The resolution passed unanimously.
Mr. CRAWSHAY, of the firm of Hawks, Crawshay, and
Co., iron-merchants, said, that if no corn-laws had ever been
made, the failure of the potato crop would not have been a
thing to disturb the safety of this mighty empire.—(Ap-
plause.) It was a most remarkable fact that during the last
:30 years there had been a development of wealth and in-
dustry in the country to which the whole history of the
world afforded no parallel; and yet it appeared, that while
we had been continually boasting of our rising wealth, and
industry, and ingenuity, and skill in everything that makes a
nation great, we had yet, by some mysterious, some unfa-
thomable error, been deficient in obtaining the most simple,
the very first and necessary element of prosperity—a suffi-
cient and abundant supply of food. Now, there were many
articles of consumption that we depended upon the fo-
reigner almost entirely for, such as wool, cotton, &c.
There was no restriction upon the importation of these
articles, and a scarcity of them was never known. From
this he inferred that if the commerce of the country
were left free—if they had the whole world to draw
their supplies from—the corn harvest might be deficient—
the potato crop might fail—hut the people of this country
would never be in any danger of famine or distress.—(Ap-
plause.) Let them try free• trade by the test of experience,
and they would find that in a few years not only commerce,
but agriculture too, would flourish under it.—(Applause.)
rhe time for action had come—the time for argument had
passed. They had seen a strong Government dissolved, be-
cause its chief dared not persist in maintaining the corn-laws,
and now he hoped that the Government that should succeed
them would be prepared to repeal the corn-laws totally, im-
mediately, and uneonditionally. Mr. Crawshay concluded by
proposing the following resolution :
" That this would never have happened but in consequence
of the cruel and impolitic restriction on the import of grain
into these kingdoms—restrictions which go to prevent any
available stock of wheat being held as a resource in case of
failure of harvests, and which also diminish both the power
and the inclination of foreign countries to furnish supplies of
grain on the occurrence of such junctures."
Mr. W. B. Pnoczon, a member of the town-council, hav-
ing seconded the motion, it was carried with great accla
mation.

be repealed, and Sir Robert is wise enough to
see it, there is very intelligible prudence in a
sworn protectionist, hand and glove with the
landowner, stepping aside for a half-session or so while a
more suitable operator does the work of.the state for him.
We can easily enter into the feelings of a surgeon who re-
signs his patient into rival hands at a crisis which his own
bungling has hastened, with the intention of resuming his
sway when the danger is past ; or who withdraws every
time it is absolutely necessary to depart from his system.
That is plain enough. The question is, whether Sir Robert
Peel's resignation is mere than this,—whether it is generous
as well as convenient,—whether it is patriotic as well as
comfortable; and this question Sir Robert himself is the man
to answer. There is somehow a strange and unpleasant sus-
picion that Sir Robert Peel has not resigned in that simple
bond fide sense which the kind and candid have been delighted
to suppose. There exists a suspicion, founded either on some-
thing dropped from Ministerial lips, or more probably on a cer-
tain peculiar estimate of Sir. Robert Peel's character, that a
mere repetition of the old Conservative farce is all that

is mead. The Farmers' Friend is once more to appear on
the boards, rustic and lugubrious, homely and picturesque.
With much bucolic grumbling, he is to submit to Lord John
Russell's naked proposition for repeal. That duty done, that
pledge redeemed, he is to indulge in those boundless facilities
of expostulation and complaint, which a negative position
always allows. He is to tell us all what he would have done
for the farmers, what compensations and alleviations of their
hard lot he would have provided, had it been left to him.
His bosom thus overflowing with hypothetical pity, and his
hand full of might-have-been bounties, he will resume his
wonted sway over the tender and confiding agriculturists,
and with their aid once more send back Lord John and his
colleagues to the abstractions of science and consolations of
philosophy. The only difficulty will be a decent pretence
for a quarrel; either one lumping grievance, or half a dozen
smaller ones, which, on the rule that " every little makes a
mickle," will add up into a no-confidence resolution this ses-
sion, or a counter address at the beginning of the session after.
The difficulty, however, will be rather in doing the thing de-
cently than in doing it at all. We protest betimes against the
assumption of this impossible character. The man who pre-
tends to be the farmers' friend at the expense of any other
friendship, and to protect land at the expense of any other
interest, imposes on the credulity of his dupes, as much as
the " wise man " who deals in amulets and charms. In the
present state of things promises of agricultural protection
are worth just about as much as the notes of the " Bank of
Elegance," for which a poor creature was murdered the other
day, and another poor wretch will shortly be executed. If
the agriculturists had one whit more sense than their cattle,
they would deliver the next person who tried to cajole them
with these empty promises into the hands of the police, as a
common impostor. There lives not the man who can pro-
cure for them a certain price for their corn. Whoever under-
takes to do so, let the farmer shut the door in his face, and
warn him off the premises, as he would the rogue who un-
dertook to supply a given amount of rain and sunshine, or to
make all his ewes bear three lambs a-piece. Did we not
know that there are still people who dream of protection,
and that consequently there will still be others ready enough
to turn that delusion to their own private account, we should
not so earnestly deprecate the revival of this melancholy
farce. But there are protectionists who may be brayed in a
mortar, yet their protection will not depart out of them.
The credit of the country, if not the interest of the poor
simpletons themselves, demands that the nuisance of a
perpetually recurrent imposture should be abated. It
is disgraceful to have your Joseph Ady, in or out
of Parliament, everlastingly writing to the provin-
cials to inform them, that on a trifling pre-payment
" they will hear of something to their advantage."
We have said nothing whatever to the prejudice
of Sir Robert Peel's perfect right to divide the House against
the new Premier on every question substantially worth a
division. Nor, with our experience of Lord John Ruesell
and the Whigs, can we deem it at all impossible that such
questions should soon arise, even in this very session. Our
expostulations only come to this—that Sir Robert Peel hav-
ing felt and demonstrated, for the nonce, the impossibility of
maintaining agricultural protection, should never again re-
'ive that heartless hoax—that exploded hutnl,mg. Should
he renew his advances upon the landed interest, public
opinion should stand between him and his weak and credulous
victim, the " sheriff's child that can't say nay." To throw
up the game of protection the moment it becomes impossible,
in order to resume it at the very first opportunity, will not
be fair dealing to Lord John Russell, who h now saddled
with the accumulated difficulties of thirty years' error. Sir
Robert Peel and his party, by their class legislation, have
broken into pieces the social unity and mutual dependence of
agriculture and trade. He has at last tried to put the parts
together, and failed. Thus far he has shown as much humi-
lity as discretion in resigning the work to other hands. It
would be the mere waywardness of a spoilt child to cast that
mended unity to the ground, and so frustrate the intervention
which he himself has solicited.

CHRONICLE.—The principles of , the new Government,
we need scarcely say, will be those proclaimed with such
decisive clearness in the letter of Lord John Russell to the
electors of London. Most warmly and unfeignedly do we
congratulate the country upon the fact that we are at length
to have an Administration whose great and immediate object
will be the total abolition of the corn-laws. The delay which
took place before Lord John Russell felt justified in adopting
his final determination, and which has caused so deep and
general a feeling of anxiety, will now be felt to be a powerful
guarantee that the grand reform will be accomplished. Lord
John Russell's hesitation arose from no doubt as to the policy
which, as Minister, lie should advise her Majesty to adopt.
Upon that point, after full deliberation, his mind was made
up before the resignation of Sir Robert Peel. Thoroughly
satisfied that the protective system is mischievous to all
industrial interests in the country, and seeing at
length a period arrive at which the corn-laws threatened to
produce, not merely pecuniary loss, but famine and social
disturbance, Lord John Russell declared, in a tone of calm
resolution by which all England has been moved, that the
commerce in the food of the people should be ,absolutely free.
As to the course, therefore, which this eminent statesman
would take, if invested with the powers of Government, there
could be no doubt. But before assuming those functions, it
was a grave and even embarrassing question as to the best
mode of securing the success of the measure, the speedy adop-
tion of which was so essential. In the first surprise caused
by the strange and sudden dissolution of the late Govern-
ment, it was not clear whether corn-law repeal might be
hastened or retarded by the formation of a Liberal Cabinet.
It was not clear how far Lord John Russell could calculate
upon support; and with any probability of failure staring
him in the face, he could not but feel, in accepting office, he
was exposing the principle of free trade to the utmost hazard.
At best it was evident that a free-trade Cabinet would
have difficulties to contend with which no statesman could
despise, and therefore it was impossible not to feel that over-
confidence or precipitancy might have the worst consequences.
These various difficulties and doubts have been thoroughly
considered, the means and the mode of carrying through the
work have been carefully investigated, and the result is, that
Lord John Russell is now Prime Minister. The country,
therefore, will have full assurance that what the new Cabinet
undertakes it will accomplish. The sagacity of the new
Premier in the calculation of political forces has never been
doubted, and his resolute, reliable character will satisfy all
men that the battle for free-trade will not be lost through
any fault of the leader. Lord John Russell is, indeed, a
chief whom Englishmen can rally round with hearty good-
will. Unimpeachable integrity, practical wisdom, a high-
toned attachment to popular principles, cherished try ances-
tral recollections, and shown in a long seri.:::s of personal
services to the cause of freedom—these are characteristics
which may well inspire enthusiasm for a leader, and which will
call forth whatever is best and noblest in England to the aid of
Lord John Russell. It is assumed or pretended by the organs of
monopoly, that a measure for tbro-wing open our ports to the
importation of food must necessarily be defeated in the pre-
sent House of Commons. We cannot regard such a result as
at all probable. Is it to be supposed that a public necessity
of so awful a character as to break up one of the
strongest of Govreannents, has totally failed to impress the
Conservative lklembers of the House of Commons ? Have
they not ir;cellects to comprehend, or hearts to feel, the
evils, tte prospect of which has overborne the hesitation of
so r;,,any of their own party out of doors ? Are Members of
r. arliament alone stagnant and insensible, when the whole
country is alive and in movement ? It would be an insult to
the many humane and high-mindedmen who sit on the Con-
servative benches to suppose so. If the Conservative party
had no better basis than that of maintaining the poor peon-
y advantages which the land aristocracy derive from
a monopoly of the people's food, it would be the most
ignoble confederacy that ever existed in a free country.
But the corn-law is in truth not connected with those
ancient institutions which it is the professed object of the
Conservative party to preserve. It is no support to the
Church, but a danger, if its maintenance be placed on the
same ground with that of the Establishment, or if the clerical
order appear in the false position of struggling to keep up a
regulation intended to promote scarcity. It is no support to
the Throne, which is far removed from the contamination of
such alliance. Nor is it a support to the heriditary aristo •
cracy, whose social position and legislative privileges would
be more exposed to peril by a vain effort to keep up the
corn-laws than by all other causes put together. Under
such circumstances, it is not unreasonable to calculute that
the proposition with which the new Ministry must meet
Parliament will command a majority in the House of Com-
mons. But if this expectation should prove erroneous, the
result of an appeal to the people cannot be doubtfpl
•The
great bulk of the intelligent middle class,.
electoral power is vested, is of one miry in whom the
if the present House of Comm- on this subdect, and
mind, the decision of the does not represent that
moning another. • nation must be sought by sum-

Mr. C. LARKIN then rose amidst loud cheers, and ad-
dressed the meeting in a long and spirited speech. He con
crested the reception he had met with a few years ago at a
meeting convened by the Mayor for a similar purpose, when
Chartism, rampant and riotous throughout the land, ob-
structed the expression of public feeling, with the reception
he experienced that evening, and inferred therefrom that
Chartism was now to be found "nowhere," while, in spite of
the joint efforts of Chartists and Tories, those men who had
put their hand to the plough and never looked back—who
had been constant in season and out of season—who had
gone from house to house, from village to village, from town
to town, from county to county, and united almost a nation
in one loud and unanimous demand that trade should
be free, were at length in the ascendant.—(Cheers.) He
doubted very much whether any man in that meeting
could tell him, if asked, whether Feargas O'Connor were
numbered with the living or the dead.—(Laughter.) But in
what place was not the name of Richard Cobden hailed with
rapture and pronounced with applause?—(Cheers.) In this
the hour of triumph of his principles, they owed a tribute of
homage to the spirit, the boldness, and ability of his eeeer-
tions. Having referi...l c=crtioi. in a strain of the
warmest eulogy, Mr. Larkin continued :—I have said that
the League would survive until its object was attained; and
how near do we approach to the attainment of that object?
it is within our grasp, if we be firm, daring, true. We must
allow of no compromise.—("None," and cheers.) We must
care for the influence of no names. We must be fascinated
by the spells of no party. We must not permit ourselves to
be cajoled or deceived. Whig or Tory is only another name
for the public enemy. They are but different names for
aristocratic factions which, for thoir own purposes,
have deceived, betrayed, and oppressed the people. What
are the watchwords of faction to us ? What are Mon-
tagues or Capulets—Guelphs or Ghibellines—Whigs or Tories
to us ?—(Loud cheers.) We are contending for rights, and
must not permit ourselves to be the dupes of names, or the
playthings of faction or party. I care not from which fac-
tion we extort our rights—for, mind, we have to extort them.
At the present moment neither faction is your master, but
both, if you be vigilant and true, will be your slaves, ready
to do your bidding. Russell must be nothing to us; Peel
must be nothing to us—but the utter extinction, the com-
plete erasure of these accursed laws from the statute-book,
must be our only object. Whoever willdo this best, mist
completely, let that man be honoured with the people's
choice.—(Applause.) If Peel—Peel ; if Russell, Russell. Let
us not trust in the justice, or hope for " immortal services"
from any aristocracy. Let us trust in the leaders of no aris-
tocracy. Let us not put our trust in chariots or in horses,
but in the name of the Lord—in the absolute justice of our
cause, and in the integrity with which we espouse and ad-
here to it.—(Loud cheers.) Mr. Larkin concluded by pro-
posing a memoriai to the Qmeen, pointing out the danger of
a famine, and praying for a speedy measure to avert such a
calamity , at the same time directly attributing the present
state of things to the "cruel and impolitic restrictions upon
the import of grain."
Mr. S. LOWERY, timber merchant, having seconded the
motion, it was unanimously agreed to.
Another resolution, hailing with delight the letters of Lord
J. Russell and Lord Morpeth, and the consequent resignation
of Sir R. Peel, as strong evidences of the progress of free-trade
principles, having been carried in the usual way,
Mr. BLAGBURN said, before the meeting separated, he
begged to submit a resolution, which was, in substance, that
the meeting could not separate without expressing its disgust
at the horrible messes that had been recommended to the
working classes in lieu of wholesome food, such as mangel-
wurtzel, curry powder, and bone water; and that, as re-
spected the declaration of the Duke of Richmond that he
would leave the country if the corn-laws were repealed, so
long as upwards of a score of commercial firms '(which he
enumerated) were left among us, the Duke of Richmond
would never be missed.

The motion having been seconded, was put and carried
with acclamation.

The CHAIRMAS then declared the meeting dissolved, and
[eft the chair amidst loud and long-continued cheering.

RAILWAY LITIGATION.
A very influential meeting was held on Wednesday last,
at the office of Messrs. Amory, Sewell, and Moores, 25,
, Throgniorton-street, by gentlemen interested in railway
projects, with a view to the equitable arrangement of just
demands, and the resistance of claims obviously made
under the impression that the dread of ruinous law
charges would induce compliance ; as also to ascertain
the legal liabilities of committee-men, shareholders, and
applicants for shares ; and further, to elicit the actual
circumstances of various railway projects, and which
are matters far too weighty and important for individual
responsibility.
It was unanimously resolved that, for the accomplish-
ment of such purposes, a society should be formed, to
be called the " Railway Mutual Protection Society."
William Collins, Esq.,.P., was unanimously called
to the chair.
D. W. HARVEY, Esq., proceeded to explain in detail
the objects of the proposed society. He stated that his
attention had been drawn to the subject by friends who
had received, as members of provisional committees, or
as scrip-holders and allottees of shares, applications from
solicitors, printers, engineers, and others, for the pay-
ment of large sums of money. Such applications excited
alarm ; and, as they were now becoming very general,
some plan must be devised by which equitable claims
might be arranged, and unfair demands resisted. Nor
was it less desirable that the actual condition of very
many railway projects should be ascertained, as there
was great reason to apprehend that many of the plans
deposited at the Board of Trade, and with the Clerks of
the Peace, were so imperfect, owing to the haste with
which they had been got up, as to render it highly
probable that not one quarter of the seven hundred
plans deposited would stand the test of examination be-
eore a Parliamentary Committee. It must be manifest,
that to embark on a sea of litigation with effect, or to
institute the necessary inquiries into the state of the
various project-, would be to entail upon individuals great
labour and serious expense, and that, too, in a cause
which involves the interests of thousands. Judging from
the numerous inquiries which had been made of the
solicitors since the previous advertisement, it would
seem that few persons of station or property were
exempt. An individual who might be bold enough to
undertake such litigation would have to encounter so
much difficulty from the combined resources of bodies,
corporate in their nature, and possessed of large funds,
that mortification and defeat must be the inevitable result.
To him and his friends, therefore, it was clear that such a
itate of things could only be successfully met by an asso-
ciation. of poi sons interested in the objects he had men-
tioned. Ile then proceeded, at considerable length, to
detail the plan of the society. The particulars were re-
ceived with great interest, and met with the unanimous
ipproval of the meeting. Mr. Harvey then strongly
enforced two considerations upon which the friends
•)f the proposed society insisted. First, that while
-very member of the society would have access to
the opinions of eminent counsel intended to be
,aken, as also to the best advice which the com-
mittee and solicitors of the society could give, yet
every subscriber would be at liberty to choose his own pro-
fessional adviser. Secondly, that no proceedings, either
,f attack or defence, would be adopted which were not
obviously just, and preceded by strenuous efforts to
accommodate the matter upon equitable terms. Mr.
Harvey then mentioned, by way of illustration, a case
which had within a few days been placed in the hands of
the solicitors in whose house they were assembled. A

writ had been served on a respectable professional gen-
tleman in the country, who had allowed his name to be
placed upon the provisional committee of a projected rail-
way. The claim was for 1,6001. due to a printer. The
gentleman consulted his own solicitor, who advised
that the opinion of an eminent counsel should be taken
un various points of law, as also that a barrister of high
standing should be retained. It was just at the moment
when the unhappy defendant was ruminating upon this
preliminary outlay, that his attention was called to an ad-
vertisement headed " Railway litigation," and straight he
came to town. He was informed that in point of law there
was little or no defence, and that at all events he would
obtain the best opinions at the moderate outlay of two
guineas, by joining the society to which the advertise-
ment referred. But his great advantage would consist
then in the determination of the society to shield him
.rom oppression, for upon reference to the list of the
provisional committee, upwards of eighty in number,
more than silty were found to be men of substance and
station, and who, if friendly interference failed, would
be compelled to contribute their proportion, and
that at their own cost.—(here several gentlemen
stated that they were in the same predicament.) After
Mr. Harvey had given his reasons for the liability,
easy to be enforced, of the members of a commit-
tee, as well by creditors as amongst the members them-
selves, he proceeded to a class of cases still more nu-
merous, and, in point of law, still more difficult to deal
with—that of the allotters of shares. While there was
too much reason to apprehend very many projects had
their origin in the professional activity of solicitors and
engineers, with no other objects than their own exclu-
sive advantage, and as such, must be doelt with as
fraudulent contrivances, yet there was no reason to
doubt that there were many projects very desirable
to be accomplished, and intended to be carried out
in a manner honourable to all parties. The recent
panic bad descended upon the good and vicious schemes
with unsparing equality, and had thus exposed the one
and frustrated the other. The proposed society would
receive allotters of such opposite schemes in a very dif-
rcremt spirit: To the allotted in a, line never intended to
be formed, and having little else for its object than pro-
fessional plunder, it would be said, "resist to the utmost;"
while the allottee in a useful line, honestly pursued, would
be told that, unless the committee and solicitors were
authorised to tender the payment of a liberal contribu-
tion towards expenses inseparable from the under-
taking, and of which a satisfactory account would
be required, such party would receive no countenance
whatever from that society; but where such an overture
of contribution was declined, the party aggrieved would
receive the ready assistance of the society. It must be
well kno4Nn to gentlemen present that many railway pro-
jects were winding themselves up, but upon terms most
unfair. He instanced a case of his own, in which he had-
paid 2/. 12s. 6d. per share upon 100 shares, and he had
just Bien informed by a copious circular that the com-
mittee had resolved to return 405., and to retain the resi-
due for divers little contingencies—among others, the pro-
secution of an engineer for a neglect of duty. Some men
might consider 40s. a godsend, and so it would be if
nothing more could be obtained ; but, for one, he was
not prepared quietly to contribute 621. 10s., under the
impression that it was idle to contend with a powerful
committee with large funds at their disposal. But all
men were not as resolute, and he would ask in what
way could an individual so circumstanced protect him-
self so effectually as by mutual co-operation? In one
case the many struggle for the many, in the other the
individual for all. (Here a gentleman said he thought he
knew the railway alluded to, and that he was in the same
plight.) After many other remarks, to which the com-
pany listened with great attention, Mr. Harvey read the
proposed rules, which, upon full discussion by many of
the gentlemen present, were unanimously adopted, and
ordered to be printed.

THE SCOTCH IRON TRADE.

There appears to be no end of new iron works. We have
just heard of several works about to be erected, but four cer-
tain—viz., one in the parish of Lesmahagow, another near
Wilsontown ironworks, a third at Dalmellington, and a fourth
near Kilmarnock—each of them will probably commence
with four blast furnaces. It may be interesting to estimate
the production when the projected works tire in fell opera-
tion. There are in blast, at present, ninety-one furnaces,
and it is expected that twenty-five additional ones will be
in blast in time months. Now with the several new fur-
naces above -mentioned, there will be in blast nest year, no
fewer than one hundred and thirty-two furnaces. These
furnaces will produce the enormous quantity of seventeen
thousand tons weekly, or eight hundred and eighty-four
thousand tons annually, which, the English production
of one million two hundred thousand, will give a total pro
duce of two millions of tons of pig iron annually. So large
and increasing a production accounts for the grOtt accumu-
lation of the stock of pig iron (the stock in Glasgow is es-
timated at upwards of two hundred and fifty thousand tons),
notwithstanding the extraordinary demand Made for this
article for the purposes of railway tottipanies.•; There is a
singular feature in the Scotch iron trade not generally known,
but which must be rectified before the trade be put upon a
secure ba,sis.,7,We allude to the fact that, although the rails
now universally used are made of malleable iron, there are
in Scotland only sufficient malleable works to convert
the produce of fifteen furnaces into that description of iron.
The Scotch ironmasters are also shut out from the benefit of
the numerous English malleable ironworks, which may be
said to be supplied with pig iron of their own manktfacture.
The total quantity of Scotch pig iron takeii to England, and
manufactured there, is so trifling that it is not equal to the
produce of nkore than a very few of our blast Ibrosti4 The
late high prices, we fear, will be found tbhive had a most
if
injurious effect upon the titib, both by stimulating the
production to 1!1\ erfoittrious extent, and t: cuttin o the
.
export a I,,tig iron` for, uncle!: 'End hew duties imposed by
the Zollverein, foreigners cannot afford to take our
Pig except at low
,pflets. And When. it is
:;membered that in 1842 (the lait year in which
the Continental e#poits Were considerable) the amount of
pig iron &ported from illasgow alone was seventy thousand
tons, it will be seen how important it is to cultivate this
branch of the trade, -And this can only be 'erected by keep-
ing pri.cGs moierate. It is it liaihiltl fact that, since 1842,
the exportation 'Pig iron bas all but ceased. Under thes•
cliec :oe price of course rpart
uM stances, we are at a loss t.? conceive 1--uw
tto
will
been erected as litany
iron
malleable iron Works as there are pig iron works, the trade,
ibsetoexbpeodrtisepdoisebdu?,,fu.
we fear, will suffer great depression in consequence of the
constant accumulation of stock. On account of the many
ntSilhothulel ,;
has
railways in course of formation or projection, there must be
a great demand for malleable iron; we are, therefore, sur-
prised that this branch of the trade has hitherto escaped the
attention of our capitalists.—Glasgow National

srwaa
hii dlow heah
ya
had
trptoaej
inedde
projects,
sd,
Mr. CHRISTMAS, of Raymond-buildings, Gray's Inn,
reason to apprehend, owferwehieexi hrethmeerleywtoo much
a
upwardsros tantyh e
fi n toaon, coeo 0
io. of
tvoawrai or
du
ss
vele no tuss,
suspiciousmihn
their origin, and not less so in their management.
He strongly urged the great importance of calling
upon the promoters to satisfy their subscribers as
to their present state and prospects. He thought
every honest provisional committee would readily
respond to the inquiry. His clients and he were most
ready to give their fullest support tot a society, the ob-
jects and intended rules of which he entirely approved.
Several gentlemen present were anxious to open their
budget of grievances,oom and some pointed allusions were
made company
ypraolso to
posingthaedßireoyctallinvnotrothEoxfetesrp,aituo
a line in Canada, and
Railway, but the Hon. Chairman intimated that no
reasonable time would be sufficient for the detail of rail-
way grievances.
The rifles having been agreed to seriatim,
Sir W. LoWttoitV moved that D. W. Harvey, Esq.,
should be appointed the president of the society, and
that the thanks of the country were due to him for
having originated this impottant Undertaking, Which
was unamiously adopted by acclamation ; as was also
the appointment of Messrs. Amory, Sewell, and Moores,
to be the illoiititots i and Me. FL P. Davis; of the firm of
Sir JohniGuest and Co., to be the treasurer of the so-
ciety.
Upon the acknowledgment of the honour done to his
firm by their appointment, Mr. Aitoitt observed that he
and his partners had been primarily induced to connect
themselves with the society by its great public utility and
the peculiar legal condition of railiVay projects; and he
desired that it should be fully understood that while the
advice of their firm would be cheerfully given to every
member, that there Wits notithie3bselsitgiihrtoeostr
hoeblciogualtdiognivtoe
engage their professional services.
Upon acknowledging a vote of thanks to the chairman,
that gentleman, observed that h
of his cordial approval of the society was the immediate
payment If his subscription. This etanaple was followed
by uptivaras.of forty gentlemen ;present, and a list of
nearly one hundred persons, chiefly residing in the
country, wits given ins

DItEADPVL lieciDET ';.0., I • Pyomsa.--Yesterday
character, occurred
on board the Oliphant steam-paeket, 110 W lying
Hi the Pool.
The name of the person to whom the accident occurred is
Archib:l„44.C.ia,,a, i,,,u0 Wiui ivi.T.,;..., c1T_',.."12.7fd unon the
morning; in ecCiderit of a very serioni . .
which had to
GreetVestern railroad, as a stoker. Yesterday morning, he
lying with his knees and a portion of
was
He had been at the
engine-room
engine
Murray, a trtoer:oll
ardnii
entipgotirbttioit i
nihrlt hid
iihse
Idutiesitbgnien
seioloirtinitobni evening:the
naginas i
into
tteos:u
:1
it
jai i
ii s e a i
when
found the poor fellow
his body upon the burning Clade.wrsitbneilneaitt.h the fire,, fiberein,,gen:inkthede
"lethPerr hie
ell'as7n4:thitelisi:ghlvesa3t
fdriotorhtlituhye
bfujirrnneedet liweiasogiell4nig
up he was quite senseless, and was immediately conveyed to
the br,--" ' '
,--- —.p.m!, wnere it was stated
hope of his recovery. It appeared the poor fellow was subiect
to fits, and it is supposed that brie hid come itPoii.hitii befOre
he Eoiild call ibt assistance.tlnfoittinatery, Ciisiles iti a
' married man, and his wife was on deck at the time of the
accident, having •,:Z;LC id see min oil The Shriek, 119wevet,
proved too much for the poor woman, and she no* lies at her
lodgings, in Paul-street; Irinebury, in a very dangerous state.
titAsoott
,4A`'.;104014 T4APE DEC.. Io.—Since
this day Week tneie navo been several itietnationa iiiiiilteil
but we quote the price exactly as A that date—say 728.6 d.
nett. To. day a sale was - made at the above figure, and
another at 765. credit—buyers scarce. A considerable parcel
offered at 745. was not disposed of. We are sorry to hear of
a failure in Liverpool connected with .this trade,--Glasgow
National.

ALACKFRIARE-PIER. AND THE WATEBUBIIN STEAM-
BOAT COMPANY.--Yesterday trforning Waterman No. 8
stopped at this pier as wile!) btit was not permitted to land
any passengers. One passenger, named Martin, jumped off
the boat on the pier, and succeeded in landing unknown to
the police. The mato not being able to fasten the boat' in
the usual way, he threw a rope round the beams which sup-
port the pier, but a couple of the Thames police got in one of
their boats, and were about to cut it away, when it was with-
drawn. During yesterday thousands of bills were distributed
in Bridge-street, Fleet-street, &c., to the effect that the pub-
lic could go to Greenwich, from Blackfriars Free-pier, for Id.,
by the Watermen steamers.

STEAMER FOR DENMARK.—There is now building
by our celebrated townsman, Mr. R. Napier, and nearly
finished, a splendid ircn steamboat, of 240-horse power, and
300 tons register. She is commissioned by the proprietors of
the Christian VIII. (formerly the Vulcan of Glasgow), and
is intended for the passage between Kiel and Copenhagen.
She is expected to prove one of the finest and fastest boats
that has ever left the port of Glasgow; and we are glad to
find, from such a vessel being ordered by our neighbours. of
Denmark, that they begin ie valiie time and comfort not lees
than we ounelyes do.--Glaggow Courier.

DARING ROBBERY IT A SILVERSMITH'S.--Thurs•-
day afternoon, between four and five o'clock, a young man
having the appearance of a sailor, deliberately broke a square
of glass in the shop window of Mr. Griffiths, silversmith, of
Piccadilly, and stole a silver funnel, with which he de-
camped. A boy, who observed the transaction, gave infor-
mation to one of the shoptnen, but the thief effected his escape.

TEM REMOVAL OF QUEEN-SQUARE POLICE-
OFFICE,---The new building for the police-office in Vincent-
square, Westminster, is nearly comploted. and will be opened
for public business soon after Phriatvnas, when the present
inconyanient:place -in..QUeen-equare r'rill be given up. _The
police station in the New-way is air, N 1 10 removed to the'
back of the new office in Roc4eilter-i ow.

THE SUN, LONDO.N, FRIDAY EVENING DECEMBER 19, 1845.

FRENCH RAILWAY NEWS.
(From the Railway Express.)
PARIS, TUESDAY, DEC. IB.—The adjudication of the
Lyons and St. Quentin lines were the great topic of intdr-
est, until the Ministerial crisis in England took place, when
every other consideration gave way before it. Prices were
steady, though rather tending downwards, when the startling
intelligence from your side of the water gave an impulse to
their descent, which has since continued. The set-
tlement of the account is expected to pass off
favourably, and if so, I consider a rise must
inevitably take place. The Paris Bourse is rarely all down
or all up for more than three days consecutively, and there-
fore I look for an improvement. I still, however; consider
the market, though getting stronger, far from settled, and
think that before Christmas the quotations will again decline.
Trade is exceedingly bad here, and the givers of etrennes
(New Year's gifts) will this year, it is said, be found but few
in number compared with former years : and still it is
from this custom of giving handsome presents on the
jour de ran, that many of the fancy trades of
Paris derive a considerable portion of their profits. The
quantity of goods sent to the provinces for this period of the
year, is really astonishing. With trade low, and money
scarce, bond fide purchases cannot be expected in railway
shares, and without real investment the market must go
down. Let it be remembered that the Strasburg, Nantes,
and Lyons shares are yet to be placed, and that will take
some little time.
I mentioned in a former letter the embarrassments of M
Isot, the agent de change, and his being obliged to resign his
situation. He has since fled from Paris, and, melancholy to
say, his brother has blown out his brains. Both were highly
honourable men, but got involved in difficulties from M.
Falcon's failure. This afflicting affair caused a very general
feeling of regret in this city.
The St. Quentin Companies are in great consternation here.
They feel that they have acted most foolishly in not entering
into terms with Rothschild, as whatever one of them obtains
the line, is certain to see its shares go below par immediately.
Rothschild declares openly that he will send in a tender lower
than3B years (how much below that period is of course a se-
cret), and defies any company not to lose money if oppcsed to
his Northern line ; the several companies ere now endeavouring
to make some arrangement, but the matter is most difficult,
as the law here is most severe in such cases. Before the
books and lists were deposed, everything was fair and allow-
able, now it is almost impossible. The directors could, it is
true, make terms for themselves, but that would be to throw
their subscribers overboard and cover them with dishonour.
By some ingenious turn, however, the matter may be ar-
ranged.
The change of Ministry in England is looked to here with
great interest. There is no doubt that it exercises much in-
fluence on the lines of the French railways ; for as nearly
half the subscribers in some of the lines are English, any-
thing affecting the amicable relations between the two coun-
tries would very materially lower the prices of such lines.
Hitherto the effect has not been exceedingly important.
HALF PAST FOUR.—Everything has been buoyant to-day,
and the tendency has been decidedly upwards. The Northern
opened nearly 20f. higher than yesterday, and drew every-
thing up with them. The report is, that M. de Rothschild
is likely to come to an arrangement with both the Fampoux
and St. Quentin lines, and that the whole three will be under
his management. This news, if true, would, no doubt, send
up the prices of the three lines considerably.

MANCHESTER AND SOUTHAMP-

TON RAILWAY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sin,—The Directors of this Company have read with
great surprise a statement in your paper of yesterday,
to the following effect : _ _ .

" One of the most energetically urged projects of the late
railway mania season, was the line purporting to be from
Manchester to Southampton. Fire and six pounds premium
were freely given ; and when Mr. Hudson joined the direc-
tory, and had 25,000 shares allotted to him, it was thought
to be without limit to the value of its shares, and was to
carry all before it. The impracticability of getting over the
Cotteswold hills was overlooked, and plans and sections were
deposited with fall confidence of success, and yet circulars are
now issued abandoning the line from Swindon to Cheltenham,
and disconnecting altogether Manchester and Southampton.
The shareholders are now asked to sign a new deed, and
agree to new stipulations."

—The Directors are at a loss to conjecture upon what
authority a statement so extraordinary can have been
propagated, and they instruct me to give it the most
direct and positive contradiction.
They have not issued any suck circular as you allege,
nor have they abandoned, or for one moment entertained
the slightest notion of abandoning, that part of their line
between Cheltenham and Swindon, or any other portion
of it; on the contrary, the deputy-chairman and the so-
licitor are now upon the line, prosecuting the usual ar-
rangements consequent on the deposit of the Company's
plans for the entire scheme.
Equally unfounded is it that "the shareholders are
now asked to sign a new deed and agree to new stipula-
tions ;" no "new deed" or "new stipulations" have
been either required, or are intended.
The statement that when Mr. Hudson joined the di-
rection he " had 25,000 shares allotted to him," is also
utterly at variance with the fact • the arrangement in
question being simply this, that the Midlands Company,
and not Mr. Hudson, in his individual capacity, take a
certain amount of capital in the Manchester and South-
ampton line.
It is to be regretted that statements tending to mis-
lead the public and the shareholders should be put forth
without due inquiry, which, if mad. in this or any other
instance where explanation is desired, would be cheer-
fully and frankly responded to by, Sir, your obedient
servant, JOHN WHEELER, Secretary.
19, Great George-street, Westminster,
Thursday, Dec. 18, 1845. .

[The statement-alluded to came to us from authority
upon which. we have always placed full reliance. We,
however,-tninrritin Whteler's contradiction.—En: Bun.]

NO COMPROMISE-NO SUR-
RENDER !
TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sirs,—The enclosed was issued, I believe, yesterday.
I have taken the liberty to intrude the nonsense upon
your consideration, believing, as you do, that such par-
ties are doing good to the popular cause. Should you
think it worth commenting upon, an article upon
the subject, in your paper by Friday will oblige many
of your readers.—Your obedient servant,
Bath, Dec. 17. A.
To the Landowner!, Clergy, Yeemanry, Tradesmen, and other
Inhabitants of the county of Somerset.
The Committee of the Wincanton and Yeovil Society for
the Protection and Defence of Agriculture and Native In-
dustry, as the representatives of the First District of the
County Association, feel it to be their duty to call your im-
mediate attention at this eventful crisis. The enemies of
our cause say that protection can no longer be defended, and
that we have no leaders. This is a weak invention of the
enemy—don't believe it.
Sir John Tyrrell has proclaimed to the farmers!of Essex
that a base attempt at a further betrayal of your interest
has been made iu the Cabinet by Sir Robert Peel, but that
he has been opposed and defeated by that illustrious hero,
the Duke of Wellington, aided by Lord Stanley, Lord Wharn-
cliffe, Lord Granville Somerset, Mr. Sidney Herbert, and
others his late colleagues. The attack will now be made on
you by a united body of Revolutionists, Radical!, Free-
traders, and Whigs, headed by friend Bright, Richard Cob-
den, and by Lord John Russell—by that man who has just
had the audacious impudence to proclaim to the citizens of
London, that we are bordering on famine, and on the strength
•f that unwarrantable falsehood has demanded of her Ma-
jesty that the ports be immediately opened for the admission
of all kinds of foreign grain, and that for the future corn,
meat, butter, cheese, and all other foreign agricultural pro-
duce shall be admitted duty free.
Brother farmers of Somerset—yeomen of England—will
you submit to the ruin of your properties, and the starvation
of your labourers, on the lying pretence of impending famine,
at the bidding of Cobden, Bright, and Russell? Never.
Then let your rallying cry be—long life to the hero of
Waterloo—success to the illustrious Duke of Wellington, his
Grace the Duke of Richmond, William Miles, Esq., and the
united body of British yeomen.
Gentry of Somerset, we call upon You at once to stand for-
ward and take that part in the approaching struggle which
public duty demands. You have too long been restrained
by a treacherous leader, but the spell is now broken.
Yeomen of Somerset, we call upon you as you value the
success of your cause and the safety of the country, to be
firm—to be resolute—to be determined. But at the same

time be steady—wait events—act with judgment, caution,
and discretion. Look well to your leaders, and be not de-
ceived by disguised enemies or doubtful friends. Beware
of those who talk of compromise. Our watchword is—no
compromise—no surrender. Pledge yourselves to no man ;
rest on your arms well prepared until our illustrious Com-
mander-in-Chief again gives the word—" Up boys and at
them."—By order of the Committee,
1.1. G. ANDREWS, Hon. Sec.
Aimpton, near fiherborne.

ATTEMPT TO MURDER A PoLICEMAN.—About
eleven o'clock on Wednesday night, as policeman Turner,
N 210, was going down White Hart-lane, Tottenham, and
while passing a field, the property of Mr. Robinson, Clay
Wall, farmer, he heard two men in conversation. He looked
throlegh the hedge, when he observed that they had a sheep
in the the cornet of the field, which was being pressed down
by one of the men, who was kneeling upon it, and who appeared
in the aet of tying its legs. Turner instantly leaped over a
gate and proceeded towards the men, who, upon seeing him,
ran away. Turner pierstitel them and overtook one, when
after a struggle he overpowered hitn. His companion hear-
ing from him that he was seized returned to his assistance,
when taking a knife out of his pocket, exclaimed, "
him, I'll do for him," and, at the same time, plunged it
into the leftside of the policeman. The blow caused him to
fall. While on the ground one of them forced the staff out
of his hands, and with it struck him several violent blows
on his head, from the effects of which he was rendered in-
sensible. About an hour afterwards it was reported at the
Tottenham station-house by the visiting sergeant that Tur-
ner was nowhere to be seen. Sergeant Butcher, in conse-
quente, sent Frith; N 217, and Davies, 301, in search for
him. About one o'clock they heard the spring of a police-
man's rattle in the above field, In which they found Turner
trying to mime himself; being almost senselees: and his hat
was by his side, cettpletely broken in. They conveyed him
to tji:: station-house, when it wad etiseovered that the knife
with which Turner 11;.'l been stabbed had passe.) through his
thick leather belt, his twe Coat; and waistcoat, and leene-
fretted a fib. The incision in the belt was .;:!.
)out an inch
widei and seemed as if it had been done with a pig sealigh
terer's knife. Dr. Hall was immediately tailed in, who
stated, that but for the protection of the belt, the knife must
havo inflicted a deadly wound:
. •
liErrnucTilii Finn AT llTANnvronTit—Yester;.
day morning, shortly before one o'clock, a fire, wiiieh for the
great alarm in the neighbourhood,
epice of three noie:: caused
broke out upon the extensive belonging to Idr. R.
Bell, raw.thill proprietor and lucifer-match manufacturer,
situate in Garrett-lane; Waudswotth. It originated in the
saw-mill departniefiti a building seventy feet long by fifty
feet wide. This contained a large quantity of timber, pro-
!
pared for making into matches. Owing to the combustible
nature of the stock, the progress of the fire was inconceivably
rapid, and in less than half an hour after the first discovery
the flames could be seen from the different metropelitan
bridges. Pour engines belonging to the town were quickly
at the scene, and were followed by the _SoluTowsarstk btr, i dagneci
road brigade engine, with another from Chn
also those belonging to the County
and West -of r2ngland
Companies. The river Wandle was immediately in tho rear,
from which direction the firemen set to work most vigorously ;
but it was nearly five o'clock before they had succeeded in
extinguishing the flames. By that period the contents of the
place in which the fire began were destroyed, and the build-
ing nearly consumed. Several of the adjoining premises are
also severely damaged. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Mr. Bell was uninsured for stock, but the buildings-were in-
sured in the County Fire-ofricc