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

BRIBERY BILL.

The SOLICITOR-G EN.EI? Asi,
thoa dg
ol
ttiellryo-
übeenh hwa to
nole of its so carefully as he could
this
have wished ;
• nimalindshteatleldadtnhoatt been able
of it he -4t the same time, from what he had seen
' saw that it was quite im yeSsible that th:: Bill
c°111(1
pass in its present state, Without pointing out
..,ne defects of the Bill, he would suggest to the Noble
Lord that it should be referred to a Select Committee
up stairs to put it into proper operative shape. That
he thought would be a much more convenient course
than going into Committee of the whole House now.
Mr. C. WOOD said he had looked through the Bill
with great care, and he had come to the same opinion as
had been expressed by the Right Hon. and Learned Gen•
tleman opposite.
Mr. MACKINNON said he had given notice that he
should move that this Bill be committed on this day
six months. After what had taken plane ho should not
now enter into that discussiet4 tie thought what had
passed had shown the justice of his motion. He did not
now wish to interetipt the business of the House, but he
must say that he thought it impossible for any Commit,
tee so to amend that Bill as to make it proper to
.pass
into a law without entirely altering some of the princi-
ples of the Bill ; under these circumstances he should
postpone his motion ibr the third reading being put off
till the third reading came before the House.
Lord J. RUSSELL regretted that the Hon. Gentle=
man opposite objected to the principles of the Bill, Ile
(Lord J. Russell) conceived the principles and objects of
the Bill to be correct ones. He agreed with the Right
Hon. Gentleman opposite that the defects of the till
would be better discussed in a Stied COmmittee than in
a Committee of the whole 'louse. lie was quite willing
that a Select Corathittre should be appointed. He should,'
therefore, on Monday, move that such a Committee
should be appointed.—(Hear.)
After a few words from Mr. AGLIONBY, the matter
dropped.
NEW WRIT FOR BUCKING HAUSHIRA

On the motion of Mt. H. BAIIINCi, a flew writ was
ordered to be issued for the dottnty of Buckingham, in
the room of Sit IV, Young, deceased.
SUPPLY—DISTRESS IN THE MANUFACTUR-

INU DISTRICT •
The House having, on the :nation 0? Mr CLERK,
resolved itself into a Ootiltilittee of Supply, and the Right
Hon. Baronet having moved the estimates for Chinmund
the miscellaneous estimates;
Mr. WALIJA.CE rose And 41a, that in hringitig for-
ward the motion of whith he had given notice relative to
the depression or trade and the distress which prevailed
among the labouring classes, it was his anXions desire
to discharge the duty he had undertalien the thatiiier
which could least lead to arty softof eicjtetilent
those whose interests were So &try involVed in the
question. The n'ije'4t which he had in ,view Witg.tliat
there shotild ite ti discithdOn in tli4 c I-toil:4o; Which
would hring to light the ttettO .i,t(ti.te of the distress which
pteVaded these kin ems from one end to the other.
While he r:Ould devote his own particular attention
chiefly to those localities with which he lefts nide in:
timately acquainted, and hall in Manner
in-
trusted him with their cite . le itiviied
Member's, who teptnonted tile his,
labouring nude deep disitite,, to take their share
in the 4isello4ittl, and to bring before the lime
stitch fitcts as might have come to their know:
ledge, and to illustrate their statements y t ich
pies as would tend to include het Al4eSty s Ia
take into their consideration that wide'-spread—that
un-
precedented distress which preVailed throughoet the Oil;
pire. Having prefeeed it with these re* wbidSo he iebrideifed
he should best discharge hit duty once
into the task he had undertaken. He would first call
the attention of the House to the'state of the mercantile
metropolis in Scotland—the condition that qh**cii, WM
in. Whilst he thus prefaced Ultak ire lid to gily; he
would state he would bring information before the
House ; and he should not trouble the libuSe with
anything in the shape of !Aimed bf
others, without being perfect prepafed Eornmunicate
the name of his informant. lie was prepared also to
give her Majesty's Ministers every informations if re-
quired; and if it were respectfully demanded), N wttatd
not at all withhold the name of his itikniAnt 1):Ota any
Gentleman on either side of the House. his eQvct was
to state nothing but that which he believed to be trite=
to state accurately and fairly, so as to command the
utmost attention, not only of her Majesty's Ministers,
but of the House at large. Now, he had; in the first
place, to state, that the general trade of the coutttfy,
he believed from one end of the kingdom to the other,
was in an exceedingly distressed state, and that they
would find that no one class could even obtain general
employment, without which no country could exist. He
believed that he should best discharge his duty by read.
ing no documents but those which he believed could be
taken. -Ile would first read a letter, dated the 1 1 th
Jute. It said that trade was in a much worse
state than iu January last. The numbers of the
unemployed had increased during the last six
weeks. The number of persons si ho had been as-
sisted by the relief fund was 12,000. This did not
prove the number out of employment, for these persons
generally never applied for reli?f until they had been
supported as long as they possibly could by selling their •
furniture and clothes. Wages had fallen in every depart-
ment, and there was every prospect of their continuing to
fal. Many of the manufacturers had recently discharged a
large ntinibe-r-of workpeople, and the general feeling was,
that this would hc.contintyd to a still greater extent. That
hate,: was dated the lath of June: The next letter was.
dated the 18th of June, which stated that the town was
woefully ettickeu. Upwards of 250 soup-tickets had beep

furnished, and it was calculated that 1,000 persons had 1
partaken of the soup. There were 1,000 men unem- 1
ployed, but they had reason to believe that ten times that
number were out of employment in the city of Glas-
gow, and were still on the increase. , The next
he would read was a printed document, which he had in-
quired into, and he believed to be correct. It stated
that considerable difficulty existed in obtaining
information, but they had every reason to be-
lieve that one thousand persons were out of employment.
The Hon. Gentleman having concluded reading the
document, went on to say that one of the great causes of
the House not being informed on the present state of
matters was, that no authorised inquiry had been made
into the distressed condition of the people. He believed
that it would be. found that throughout the country
generally the authorities were more anxious to conceal
the state of matters than to make it known to the Go-
vernment. The Honourable Gentleman next called
the attention of the House to another communi- .
cation from the unemployed in Glasgow. It stated—
" During the last week there have been several
large meetings of a portion of the unemployed
in the Green, where the causes of their pre-
sent distress, and the best mode of alleviating it, have ,
been amply discussed. At a meeting of this kind on
Thursday, it was resolved that, on the following day,
they should proceed en masse to the city, for the purpose
of soliciting charity. On Friday forenoon, accordingly,
several hundreds of them assembled at the Royal Ex-
change, with the view, it appears, of commencing their
tour of mendicity through the city, by soliciting as-
sistance from the gentlemen who attend the room. A
benevolent gentleman, whose sympathies were ex-
cited by the appearance of so many of his fel-
low-creatures seeking bread, resolved on spend-
ing a sum of money for the purchase of loaves,
and proceeded, accompanied by the greater portion of
the unemployed, to a baker's shop in Argyle-
street, where he bought a considerable number of
loaves, and handed them out to the crowd, by whom
they were greedily accepted. The pressure, however,
became so great, that the police were forced to interfere,
and, for the protection of the gentleman himself, who was
pressed on all hands by the crowd, he was taken to the
police•office, where he was of course at once set at

liberty by the lieutenant on duty. The unemployed
again returned to the Exchange in considerable num-
bers, and loitered about for some time, when they
were informed, .by the superintendent of police, that
they could not be allowed to congregate together
in the streets, but that if they wished to huld any
,communication with the authorities, they had bett2r
repair to the City-hall, which would be opened for
their reception. The entire bcdy then moved otf to the
City Hall, from whence they sent a deputation to wait
on the Lord Provost, to whom his Lordship explained

the measures which were taking by the Relief Commit-
tee for the supply of their wants, and urged the im-
propriety of their assembling on the streets in the tumul-
tuous manner referred to. The deputation expressed
themselves satisfied with his Lordship's statement, and
promised to use every effort in their power to prevent a
repetition of the scene which had that day been ex-
hibited. This promise, we have reason to believe, the
deputation fulfilled to the utmost ; but, in spite of their
solicitations, it was resolved, at a meeting afterwards held,
to assemble aga'n on Saturday at the Royal Exchange.
On Saturday forenoon, in terms of the resolution, a
large number met in front of the Exchange, but, upon
being remonstrated with by the police, they went away."
That he contended was a most unprecedented state of
things, and showed how necessary it was that some
speedy measures of relief should bo adopted. The
Hon. Gentleman then read a short paragraph, describ-
.

ing the extent and degree of the distress in Glasgow as
follows :—" The unemployed are still increasing, notwith-
standing the vigorous efforts of the relief committee to
continue them at the miserable employment which great
numbers of them eagerly compete for. There are, alto-
gether, upwards of 1,000, with daily applications from
scores of other miserable u reeks of men.' The follow-
ing may be considered as a fair estimate of those engaged
at work, such as it is :
Working as labourers on the Milton Estate 3OO
At the Quarry Hogganfield
Breaking stones, &c., at Duke-street
Do. do. Parliament-road
Point Look-out—Garsenbe-road
Weaving

Cleaning `,..4allowgitte-burn
20
Dos March burn 3O

1,093
Besides the above. about 2,000 persons are supplied with
bread and soup daily, at the prentises ill St, Etideh's
Wynd. For the pour miserable souls reduced daily to
these sad alternatives, we are entitled to state, that those
in employment at manual or other labour are assiduous
and attentive, while all are gratefuratid thankful. We
may also state that the above does not by any means
include all the unemployed of Glasgow, There are
hundreds starving. in misery and edge, Wile tioeld ntlt
bear the thought of being marshalled- up to the soup
kitchen, for an allowance of the pauper's fare, and
thousands besides, who could neither break stones
on the highway, nor rake the mud out of such
filthy drains as the Gallovvgate Burn." In
a letter, dated the 14th tune, whieh he had received
from a friend of hit, and who had good means of ewer-
taining tho trath, it was stated " trade is much worse
since January. Many mill-owners, &c. dropping their
113114, and more expected to do so. Manypersons think
mat matters will be even worse. yet, and a general heavy
and gloomy feeling pervades society. In the home trade,
something has been deing lately, arising from the usual
demands at this season of the year, but this demand is
now over, and the home trade has also become heavy.
On applying to-day at the office of the relief committee
for the unemployed, I find about 3,000 heads of families
for the city and suburbs, out of work, and
the rough calculation is that about twelve thousand
persons are dependent on this fund at present. Be-
sides these, many indviduals are supposed to be with-
out employment,., but who have not applied for relief,
having some small-men:l3 --of support left, by pawning
their clothes, furniture, &c. Such is the state of
things, which it is the pleasure of two thirds of your
Honourable Houses of Parliament should exist in this
once flostrishing community. Our trade is drying up,
its foreign springs being in a state of gradual dimi-
nution, and our home trade will decay along
with it. We are a doomed people: The curse
of aristocracy is upon us. Do what you can
to help us ,• you may depend upon the accuracy of
these brief details I have given, had I been disposed
to colour them, they would have looked much worse."
Such ales the state of things in Glasgow ; and the situa-
tion of the manufacturers, shopkeepers, and shippers
of the country surrounding Glasgow, was equally bad.
A private communication, dated the 18th of June,
which he had received from an active and intelligent
resident of Itilitiarneek, where the carpet manufacture
had been as thriving as in any other part of the kingdom,
stated, "During the tithe I was engaged lately to distribute
some 40/. among the unemployed, it was heart-rending to
hear in detail the amount of miser y and destitution re-
lated by some of, the recipients; who declared they had
neither bleat, Coals; iidt• eldthihg for a long time, having
sold every saleable article they had pfefidue id Melting
application fur relief. I shall only give.one shade in this
picture of human misery. One day a person applied to
me to lay his case before the Committee. He had been
feet of eitiployeietit Silky *Urinary, His wife had been
badly for some years with tatlittig, and had not one bit
of meat either for her or himself. I knew tine man to be
it respeetable resident in the place, and he was well
known to the Whdle of the Committee to be so. He re-
ceived is. 6d. They could ndi PO him more owing to the
pressure of the app,idants; the lace heing4thetetimes lite-
rality thebbech 'Fuld ease it Ott it fair sample of scam of
it
ligngs who were served with 6 . dn. The most clef girth
to adults) and threepence for each child, and I ttin soft-
anions that tedree df them could be found at the present
iiidreetit ifiiii lire dragging tint a miserable existence ;
' who have, rib kind Oye al pity or hand.to helps' who
Cainuit find *bili; afid fl;hd dre unable to lirettit stones, or
wok at olit-door labour. the turisoii &di each dieteese
is seemly heard of in our own neighboutliiddelf bid dill
in whisper•e,
.; Is obvious. 'lf you go to the
Millie Elf Clbo tile free
tlher will tell you that sin
is the dg cage tit' .Ydiii etitig; If you ask the
elder flit relief, he wi l shake his head at you.
It foil appi id ill!: itithoiltieg thel say . they
have no power, and melt Oh *ittl infi4dai
tion. If you apply to the editor of a Iril
newspaper lie will burn the article. Beg, and you will
be apprehended, and put in prison ! These are but the
dutlinte df a true deified ill liting character, and if pre-
eerited to the ofitie of triif afigioefitot; tvollid tell
th4ici a Old ichiblll it iibii pil64httecl ih. promote
sympathy, might induce fear.' The peftietilais of
the next case which he should mention he had fedelc*l
from a person well acquainted with the situation Of the
working-classes. The letter.was dated Kilmarnock, 20th
tulle 1=1; At Pd fUrtilef period ri'dtl the working classes
here sd ill clad fluid ill todi SA tid iitterli uiikle to pay
the rents of their houses; or the &a° deets *MA Mil,
hate 663itftt3ted i and .I am informed by the captain of
Hied (vibti )kiiiiite fill state of the people better than
-any man here) that ati nlinietiOet litiinber df the working
classes have sold or pawned every &tide they could
MOO into the merllet-=that now they have nothing In
itie tillaPe dfPersdiltil properit ne fall beck uponi and that
the most precarious employment, tied the most
Scanty wages; . alone stand between them rind
Wteeetidn: Ad immense number of emigrants have
left this 15lace, add bully hundreds are anxious to go, if
they had money to pay their piteesget to Cllieda.
They ate willing to risk any conceivable calamity,
father than reitaill Where evident starvation awaits
them: May Goa • grant teat pot attempt on
the present adasien may be attended with fa-
voneeble fesillte." Another letter stated that the
‘VoViliiik Znii-sei iiiife 11l a ItitAt -deplorable state
of heartless apathy. lie thought it would not be
dispeted that the. Goverpment had allowed the work-
-14 r4a,*.t: 10 frill intd sail a itato di destitution as that
they ilia iho* no means,u,r fe!!t'qii±i thvityvlro. It
should be his endeavour to bring their case before :14
House, that whether any relict be ()Tented or not,
there should be an expression Or will, it sue
means were not afforded,. He how came to the
case of that ill-fated community,l 14
had been heard, though all had ti el yet t'bcetho much
known to them. lie came© to the case of Paisley and
its neighbourhood. The people of Paisley, accord-
ing to the petition which he presented the other
day, felt that their situation had been but par-
tially dealt with. The letter was dated the 19th
of June. All his (Mr. Wallace's) communications were
direct. He had seen, with great pain, that the distress
had been increasing from that time till the present, and
lie thought some means should be pointed out for their
relief. He (Mr. Wallace) should point out no means
but he should show the distress that prevailed, and he
should be glad if those Hon. Members who should fol-
low him in this debate would point out the distress in their
-districts and confine themselves solely to that particular.
The writer of this letter stated, " I see from the papers
the manner in which the Government have shuffled ouc

of their conduct here, in the Duke of Wellington's
answer to Lord Kinnaird. It is quite clear that unless
some great effort be made to secure provision for the
starving manufacturing population, during the approach-
ing winter, by such a motion as yours, Parliament will
be adjourned, and they will be allowed to starve and die,
or have their lives preserved by the bounty of their
neighbours in any way it can be attained. Here things
are looking worse and worse at present, the time for
making preparations for the autumn trade is at hand,
and our most experienced manufacturers assure me there
is no prospect whatever of the great mass of the un:

employed tieing taken up this year." He had received
another letter, dated 28th June, a great part of which was
occupied with statements as to the disposal of the funds
which had been sent from various parts of the country
for the purpose of relieving the distress. The Hon. Memb. r
then read the letter.—" The stocks of coarse goods made

for the manufacturing districts and Awl-ican market
are still heavy, there having been no sales in these mar-
kets for long, and no appearance of any. The clergy-
men's committee was formed at the beginning of winter,

to meet a special case. The members—of churches had,
in general, been able to maintain themselves. They are
generally thoughtful and well doing. But the distress
had been so long continued—no hope of amendment—
the winter intense, many of them suffering very severely,
and yet ashamed to go down to the level of a common
pauperism. They had always bean a rampart against
pauperism, and we wish to maintain their spirit of
independence, and furnish supplies in a way as little
likely as possible to interfere with it. The clergy
of the various denominations agreed to issue a cir-
cular to the churches, to enable us to make col-

Intim. Our application met with a liberal response.
Et was designed at the outset, that we should act

independently of the general relief coennittee. This
was departed from, to avoid any appearance of schism.
Wo agreed to pay over to the General Committee the
sums which we received, on the understanding that we
should from time to time receive such sums again as we
needed, after having stated our c se, and when the Com-
mittee had judged awl determined in the matter by a vote.
On the whole, the arrangement wrought, well, and an im-
mense deal of good was done. The ministers in this way
distributed upwards of 3,0001., assisted by all the sessions
of the various churches, Established and Dissenting. At
the breaking up there was 1,5001. of our fund in the
hand of the Relief Committee. We did not sticke
for repayment. We knew that many who col-
lected did so with the view of relieving the die-
tress generally. We had got nearly all we needed,
and the balance of what we had paid in had
been expended in relieving the general distress. We
were therefore satisfied. The greater part of the people we
supplied being well-conducted and rst-rate tradesmen;
had got work, and we had no doubt that old women and
young women—a considerable number of women still re-
mained on our list—would be supplied from the Govern-
ment stores. But, no I Commissioner Twisleton laid
down the rule, that no tieW applicants should be received
on any pretext—that the surrounding villages should be
excluded. We did think, when the people who had been-
on the soup kitchen were transferred to the stores, there
would have been no objection to admit those who had
been on the ministers' fund, and would have enAol ed
the same privilege, and all the more that the balatice.
due to them had been expended for the general distresi.',
But nu ! The Commissioner was not to be moved. I
drew up a memorial to the Government at the request
of the General Relief Committee; which was signed by
Sir W. Napier and other Magistrates. Sir James
Graham replied, it had been sent to the London Commit-
tee, and I believe something is now doing for the sur-
rounding villages, but a deaf ear was turned to me for
relief to the few that tertiairled on our fund. Some of
them Wete redeeed to great distress, but from the cir.
etunstanees I hare referred to, the parties being all of
excellent character, they have been among the first to
get work. The mode of operation was painfully harsh
and untieteaqtrily ao. There were people who,
rather than submit to receive charity, would have sub-
mitted toprivations of which persons in the upper ranks
'have never dreamed. Some express surprise that the
young men here generally do not enlist. They should
know that Seotchmen never do so when sober. They are
too reflective for that. If they wish to enlist, let them
furnish them with work and good wages. The more
thoughtless will get drunk and then enlist, but r.ot till
then. The very lowest of the people are getting more ci-
vilized in reference to war than some who rule over them."
The Hon. Gentleman then proceeded to read a letter
front a clergyman of the Established Church in Scot-
land, dated June 25—a gentleman of Conservative poli-
tics, but who was universally respected. The writer
said-" Ist. My opinion of the whole scheme of the Go-
vernment interference with our local charity has been
from the beginning (and every day confirms it), a most
Uncalled-for thing, that it has done much mischief—that
it has increased greatly the expense instead of lessening
it, and that the persons at the head of it here have shown
themselves totally ignorant of the habits of the Scots.—
ild, I have all along contended strongly against the plan
of stores, becatise they degrade the minds and condition
and feelings of our more respectable operatives, because
they are making very necessary articles for families
which the stores do not, and perhaps cannot provide, and
because the articles in the stores are often of bad quality,
while the superintendence—a very expensive thing too—
can never be so strict as that of an honest man over his
own concerns. Moreover, the villages do not get anything
from the stores ; and why should their inhabitants be
put upon a different footing from the town ?-3d. With
regard to the recipients from the stores, I may say, with
perfect accuracy, that they are thankful for what is given
them, while they feel, that it is given in an ungracious
way, and, I am certain that the difficulties of winter were
conquered, and the peace of the community preserved by
a system precisely the reverse of what is now going on—
,a system, more economical, by far than the present, and
a system which consulted the people as human beings,
while it sympathised with them under distresses for which
they assuredly were not responsible.-4th. Any reduc-
tion in point of numbers on the lists, as effected by the
new men, is more ideal than real. The re-
sult of two scrutinies, made for the very purpose
of finding fault, has confessedly confirmed the
substantial accuracy of the whole.-sth. A grievous
act of injustice has been done by the Commissioner, and
is going on—viz., the refusal to give, in any case,
above 6s. a week to one family, however large, coupled
'with the rule, that a lad above 16 counts as an addi-
tional case, though living under the same roof. The
effect of this has been, that in some cases 16s. has been
drawn by one family, while another, larger far, but
all under 16, gets only 6s. This was stated to me yes-
terday by two Magistrates.—While the men at out-door
work have been provided, very properly, with barrows and
other implements, their repeated petitions for shoes have
been harshly rejected. * * * The more I reflect on the
state of our town, the more I am convinced that nothing
will save it and the commercial interests of the-
country but a total revolution in the commercial tariff,
and a sweeping away of all restrictions." He had also
to read the following, and to bear testimony to the
sentiments of gratitude entertained for what had been
done by her Majesty with respect to the Paisley ma-
nufacturers. The letter was dated Paisley, June 20 :
"From a return just made up and shown me. o-dav, the
number of cotton-spinners, machine-makers, and saorth,
idle, in Johnstone, is 1,254. The number employed is
duly On About seventy persons have been transported
to Canada from Johnstone, by subscription, to lighten
the pressure. Trade here has been going back for some
weeks, and still continues to do so. There is no prospect
at present of improvement. The goods made are princi-
pally the better description for the home market, and
little for the foreign. A shawl merchant told me
to-day he usually employs five hundred weavers for the
American market at thia season ; this year he has not
one, and does not expect to have one for some time. The
prospects of the new American tariff, he assures me, has
completely
_closed .that market against Paisley goods.
The queen's shawls were the principal cause of our slight
revived Ist spring. That class of goods affords to the weav-
ers good wages, if they are continued at the same pattern.
They have not been continued in general, and in conse-
quence the weavers' wages have been eaten up by the
6harges in the mountings of their webs. The condition of
diepeopleherels most alarming, and the House of Commons
should he ittiplered to do something for them, and others
similarly situated, before it breaks up for the season."
Having been prevented by the forms of the House from
presenting a petition then in his hands, he would read it
its the House. The petition was from the inhabitants
tilirtisley, and signed by six thousand persons, every
oflB 4 whom were the recipients of the charity
which IA Wen sent from various parties for their
use. (The Honourable Gentleman read the petition
through, for which we regret to say we cannot find room.)
The Hon. Member went on to say that in virtue of the
authority given him by the petitioners. he thought it
Wet to have the petition printed with the Votes, and he
Mitt' ifew brought it to its present use. He next called
attentiitfl PY tin advertisement for tenders for the
by Mr. Ttwilletro:frrforatfieeha{Governmentrelief agent, had
gentleman. lie would
tits doubt emanated
fdw teed a petition of the fathers of families employed
in the 6tdiie quarries, to the Provost of Paisley. (The
Honourable detitlefrtsti then re..Nl the petition, and
a letter from a clergyraan of the Church of Scotland,
describing githe extent of the distress in Paisley.)
The people were living on the smaileet possible sums.
The letter recommended that Honourable Members
should change places for a short time with these
unfortunate! men—try living on one penny a day, and
then perhaps they might be able to comprehend the
situation in which gni were placed. The documents
which he was next about fee oleos he should refer
to with very great pain. They cotitaiered an account of
the town which he represented—a tow which he had
been acquainted with all - his life, and whien he had
seen rise from an insignificant to a flourishing
place of trade. Greenock had obtained great celebrity,
and was well known to be unrivalled in the art el `hip-
building. During the last year innumerable strangers vi-
sited the town, which was then full of business and occupa-
tion; and the House would be able to appreciate the state
to which the town was reduced, they 'nigh tjudge of its
...hh from the language used by the Chief llagis-
low c,,._. '^neuage of the petition that had been
trete, and the e....., ' Non. Baronet. The Hon.
addresseeto the Eight _.— a letter addressed to
Member then read an extract fron. ~;,.. with the
hittleetif by the Chief Magistrate, whise-, - ~,a are
other dotentients, are so voluminous that N.
',ti.
('
.
obliged to omit them, and proceeded to state -.1
amount of the subscriptions that had been enter fa
into rot the relief of the poor. He was sorry to occupy
the time of the Right Hon. Gentleman and of the
House, but he felt that he had a duty toperfo_rirt.su.bl.t
was stated that the sum which had been rais_d_,b!
scription for the relief fund was about je number of
~, oug
.m
exclu-
sive of 6001. appropriated to Paisley. The
unemployed, instead of diminishing,
and good
the increase. The prospect of an early _
seemed to be on
har-
vestos,
isbeleemtoedctoonbteemtphleaotenlysgehronandstoaftehose.thiintgws was imThat letter was dated
with-
out feeling great alarm.
the Lath. Thre was another, dated the 16th, in which
it was stated that if the depression
raise y funds from
continued much
longer,. they would be unable to
• -

their own resources. On.the 18th, it was stated that if
they did not soon see symptoms of an improved state of
trade, he had no doubt the Magistrates would think it
their duty to make representations to Parliament as to
the destitution existing in - that town. He feared that
any attempts to raise additional supplies would prove
unsuccessful. He now came to the memorial presented
to that House by the Provost, the Magistrates, and the
Town-council of the town of Greenock. In that me-
morial it was stated that great distress had existed for
the last few months amongst the working classes of
Greenock. In the month of March last a public meeting
of the inhabitants was held, at which arrangements were
made fur the purpose of raising funds for the benefit of
the unemployed. Upwards of 2,00C1. were raised, by meal.%
of which four or five hundred persons were relieved.
They were obliged to resort to' the expedient of pawning
their furniture. Since the month of June last. 1,960
hands had been discharged in that town, more than
threeefifths of the number employed, and the other te 0-
fifths would have been discharged ere this, but for the
humanity of their masters. The memorial also statea
that the people had been called upon for poor-retest
although the distress was increasing. The document
was signed by the Provost of the town, and several
other Magistrates. He believed the distress extended to
all the principal towns both in England and Scotlend.
(The lion. Gentleman then read a list of towns in which
deep suffering was stated to prevail.) He felt eel"
suaded that it some remedy were not devised for the
evil; the star of those kingdoms would set ere loll*
Ile thought that the universal distress which prevailed
might be summed up in a few words. Trade was de-
stroyed, taxation was a grievance, want of employment
was also a grievance, and the danger was rapidly in-
creasing. He should be glad to hear if any of her Ma-
jesty's*Ministers were able to contradict the statements
he had made. lie had endeavoured, in the shortest time
the forms of the House allowed, to bring the subject be-
fore the House. He would not attempt to ascribe causes.
neither would he venture to prescribe a remedy, as it Was
not his province, nor did he possess the qualification•
lie had made these statements, and he would be bound to
prove them before a Committee, and he would prove that
the distress existed to a much larger extent than he had
' stated. lie had no hesitation in saying that the
country was in a most ruinous and depressed states
The time was ceme when they must turn the scale, fot
unless some measures, which had not yet been proem's'
gated to the country, were brought before Parliament,'
the most disastrous results would follow. It was with
this view that he would submit his resolutions to the
House. lie hoped her Majesty's Government would
give them their immediate attention, as he had stated
. that the last resolution was the one upon which he most
depended. The'resolutions were :—" 1. That the trades
.and manufactures of this country are labouring under
;great embarrassment and difficulties. 2. That the indnss
• triotie classes are also suffering many privations, and se'
tier° distress. 3. That this state of things has bee"
gradually advancing for several years, and is now 01'.'
tending iii a most alarming degree: 4. That the alters`
Lions made in the Corn-laws, and in the duties on imports
and exports, coupled as these have been with an Income-
tax, to add nearly four millions of taxation to this already
heavily burthened country, cannot be expected to afford
that relief which the continually declining state of trade, and
the distressed condition of the people, so urgently require,
5. That the 'welfare of her Majesty's faithful people, 3114
the future peace and security of the country, imperatively
demand that effectual measures shall immediately b 6
taken to rescue the working classes from the privations
and offering they have so long borne, with a degree of
patience and fortitude whith specially entitle them t°
the affectionate sympathy of their Sovereign, and to the
respect; commiseration, and assistance of this House,
6. That therefore an nimble address be presented to
her Majesty, praying that her Majesty will be graciously
pleased to refuse her consent to the prorogation of Par"
liament, until a diligent and searching inquiry shall be
instituted into the catrees of the unprecedented distrese
existing at present all over the kingdom ; and there"
alter, until her Majesty and this House shall have beeo
assured, by her Ministers, that effectual means are se,'
cured to provide sustenance for the unemployed and
their destitute families, until their sufferings shall b°,
terminated by a demand for their industry and wages foe'
their labour," He should not object to a resolution el
a similar object, though the terms were somewhat dl
ferent from his own ; but the principle must be the same`
Mr. WALKER, who was totally inaudible at the '
commencement of his speech, was understood to Wei:,
plain of the dreadful distress of the cotton spinners ''''
Lancashire, who were wandering about the country i°
hundreds, in the most abject state of poverty, beins
quite unable to obtain a day's employment. In his owe'
immediate neighbourhood in Lancashire there was 4
large foundry which used to give employment to vs°
hundred persons. That establishment was, within the
last two months, broken up, and all those persons werc
thrown out of employment. The House had now tek,rl
up the subject, but he felt satisfied that they woe'
never arrive at a proper remedy until they removed tl'`)
restrictions which fettered commerce. t
The question having been put,
Dr. BOWRING confessed that he felt oppressed with
the burden of a heavy responsibility, because the distress
of the district with which he was connected was eve"
greater than that of other places ; and if he could dread : e
that this House, representing, as it ought, the intelli'
gent", the benificence, and the sympathy of the countreSv ...,
could separate without taking into consideration the state e•'
of the suffering millions, then he should wholly participate;
in that despair which was gradually taking possession o"
suffering labourers and deserving multitudes. Thee
never was a period in the history of the country requires
ing more the attention of the Legislature than the prese
sent. The Right Hon. Baronet admitted that there were
1,200,000 relying for support on the public, and coilw,e-
they view without alarm and anxiety one-tenth of th.uf'
population reduced to such a state ? An expense Of
eight millions had been incurred in the prosecution 0,
wars, which many Members of that House considere'.
to be wanton and unnecessary, and all those means hi
which relief could be afforded to the people through tb,,,,e
removal of commercial restrictions were shut out. It
~
not only intolerable but perilous to allow the people it,
remain in their present state—no person could answer
the consequences. There was a point beyond which
human patience could not extend—beyond sybi)
patient endurance would be exhausted.—(Hear, heath
The Right Hon. Gentleman held the reins of power frel c
greater force than any Minister whom they had seen Id
many a year. He knew that any proposition of his wooLe
be carried by the House. He had acknowledged t,
amount of suffering in the country, and he (Dr. IP, t wiio
ring) could not believe that they were to be dismissed r
their homes with the tale that nothing could be done f 4
..
the people. A country like this really ought not to (le,
spair. It had again and again been said, that the sP ',
tudes of the country were greater than those of 91%,
other. The people were industrious and intelligloc
Capital was so plentiful that means could not be found 'cd,
its investment. They had the ocean at their contra
and yet it was a fact, that the Government ruled O'
s,
millions who were in the greatest distress, and cons l,
quent despair. And yet these were the men to wi);:ei
they owed their power ; those were the men who .I.of
caused their reputation to be known in every nati°°ere
the world ; those were the men, millions of whom ''',is•
suffering, and no means were taken to relieve their dig'
tress. The Poor-laws made most imperfect provision 'pe
the sufferings of the people. If they were efficient,``
would exist. In the district with which he' ces
connected, they were wholly inefficient. You might
re,
from house to house, and find neither bed nor fure° tee
and the population were sinking lower and lower ie ost
scale of humanity. The present state of things was its
perilous to the public peace. He had much pleasure
seconding the proposal of his Hon. Friend.
delAtfl
Mr. AGLIOSBY was not willing that the ~,etre
should close without some observations. If be ,5 be
asked what remedy he had to provide he sholieleb
obliged to confess that he saw no remedy whatever. opi
was no party question ; and he could not think tbstooo,
one would be so unjust as to say that the Right err
Baronet and his colleagues were indifferent to tile
sent state of distress. He regretted that the Golfer" the
had not taken what he considered the best reroeet't he
Corn-laws, into better consideration. On this p0.i1:,, re'
did differ with them. Could he see any legislatfft tee
medy that could be applied he should be willing tb ere'
House should extend its period of sitting in order te),,,,e1,
vide it. The subject, was, however, surrounded wee
great difficulties. The distress which prevaile.oos'
known to every one, and lie believed it would he
~,101,31°P
sible to exaggerate its intensity. In the- town of Ll,!betcee,
with which he 'was more intimately connected, the 1;5.
..19 Fl'oi
ing classes were exposed to the severest privatl°,,,ote Pi; !:.,,
was under these circumstances that he gave hi 6,110, thijele
favour of the resolutions, for all parties agreed leed t11a.P.,,
distress was general and overwhelming. Ile fee_'`eoe'..,l,
there was not such a prospect of a good harvest 5.:011/1tri•i-,3
induce them to hope favourably of the state of the ss ,t
, -110, it*.
during the coming winter. that et, en;
Sir JAMES GRAHAM said he was glad., ;„st Stii
had given way to the Hon. Gentleman who 1131:7'sseeto,r1
down, for although he (Sir J. Graham) had 110 biters 'vor
complain of the language used. by Hon. 31e°3 test es
had taken their seats, yet he could not but sslir ,Jaoe,
Hon. Gentleman had done that which he (Spiest)tee
Graham) conceived was only justice to her 0410 ea
Ministers. In the first place he had directitbe acenlbe
that for the existing distress they were not !,°,„,i the' bat •
responsible, and in the next place he had stecer of del je
believed that it was impossible that any Mere'. elieessir;)e
House could more deeply feel for that distre,es ,e be ..,,,,,vs
her Majesty's Government. In the first etweio oft:blie
J. Graham) would strongly deprecate the useereete I?taele
guage in that House which had a tendency t°,e ineel din-
eft despondency.
of
such l
aHn
gue wa
ge
es
`woulduit e satisfiedb e
to shakethat tpP....:e.sb Trite e reteset e 5
and by shaking public credit materially eggthe intseicoe
distress itself, and diminsh every respect fs'r It; 1051, the
of this country, and shake its institutions. ~,,t o
Due
that in many parts there was great suffering,o;er,
to,
other hand there was great wealth and aird gre‘ef °
-ty had displayed great public virtue ,_.iroter
~tets
tPib:nae, which was consonanr with the ;veiell:;,,e.lll,'
le em-erned by are presentative system, r per 1,,e
,lii,nefsortpliti)u-rt7i,os-en-n5.t.„,;17 stood forward as oneet.:tp"r",°,ssioef,r; t.iee;
would refer to one,
_,rd,cly ~noi",.
appeared to him L:e have fa len inielse_t sat . , p
_t
who had. Ju'
oreeent 1 ilia
tfhbogiseuver:ipdreessGioenisitleamp..p7u.
but he to Gen
..t.
tore of a desponding chte-acter, Honourable 11 r"'o
red to him to r ,sto tle
that woeld not he realised. lehx°rect ~, end fit
.tsherie,t
man *tat..il that they might ' „ht, that , vl estop
;eon, he (Sir James Graham) tin:tie:et' ,eat tee Verao,
bad harvests, It was to be anticipe;ember
ride to_vo.
was to be a geed one. The 1.19_21;in, forw: tl 'e j6)3ee
had produced documents, on u ,in_t,:isied Lti, ee eee
Lion, which had been studio}sl‘Y.ard the qiaisp .eser its,
Member who had brought f` ,
admitted, to the fullest.
isted ; but he thought the
duty if it did not, 'itr that gresetuld a' ''t' 015
extGenoveriele'let the cowl le 11°-
flour and charaet r of theni ',t' "ecroleutrwt'rd lijil3' ore
the- cuues.ee that the Brihtia-di es(” ~t
concerned, impose NsVuheeini ttl;_eath:l:l°lllawriti:alle.(i 51:e_Ch.,Liirte.,
i,:ii::..11ec,c,9:
areunlcoanoyleli;,a;:tit4eant.t,ohemy,sl.4ra.
tiboruc'.°_gijo'fve°ould PP'

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