The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-21 00:00:00

NATIONAL DISTRESS AND HOME
COLONIZATION.
On Friday evening a numerous public meeting was held at the
Social Hall, John.street, Tottenham-court-road, to take into con.
sideration the present distress of the country, and the necessity
for the adoption of home colonies, as a remedy for that distress,
with benefit to all, and injury to none.
W. D. SAULL, Esq., took the chair.
Mr. NIIWALL proposed the first resolution—" That, in the
opinion of this meeting, the appalling distress which now mere
or less afflicts every branch of industry in this country, is the
result of numerous bad laws and misdirected arrangements, which
confine the beneficial results of the present advanced position of
scientific and mechanical skill, to the aggrandisement of the larger
capitalists, whilst the mass of the industrious populatit.n, by whom
the profits of the capitalists are produced, are sunk into
the most abject state of wretchedness, and are left at the
will of their casual employers, to perish in the streets and
cellars of our towns and cities, without even food, clothing,
or comfort, equal to that afforded to any other labouring animal."
In support of the resolution, Mr. N'ewall commented on the present
state of the distress of the country. Especially, he referred to the
statements :of the Hand-loom Weavers Committee last year, as
to the wretched state of the weavers in the three kingdoms.
The motion was seconded by Mr. Maas 10T and after the ex-
pression and explanation of some objections by a working man, who
thought the part of the resolution relating to capitalists not sta.
cientiv clear, the motion was carried unanimously.
Mr. LLoVo Jones moved the second resolution :—" That in the
opinion of this meeting, although the concession of a free t rade in corn,
and other articles of foal, would very largely increase the traffic eft he
nation, and augment *the resources ef the Exchequer, yet thegreat
mass of the people would not be improved thereby physically, men-
tally, or morally, seeing the power of the manufacturers, derived
from money and machinery, would still remain to enablelthern, in
the fluctuations of a competitive market, to sacrifice the industrious
artisan, in their blind desire to promote their own selfish interests."
Mr. Jones remarked, that now the two great opposing interests of
the country were contending about certain political measures,
which measures were spoken of by each party in connection with
the interests of the working classes, it would perhaps he well if the
people themselves would honestly and calmly speak out their own
opinions as to the motives of these parties, and as to the efficacy of
the measures which are proposed by them for the relief of the public
distress. The resolution states that repeal of the Corn laws would
increase traffic. This he thought nobody could well doubt. But
there was another question which the people had to decide, namely,
whether an increase in trade, on the principles on which it had
hitherto been carried on, could permanently or extensively benefit
them.—(Hear, hear, hear.) Mr. Jones then went into the
commercial statistics of the country to shew the great increase
which had taken place in the trade of the country.
in juxta-positionao which it appeared, that the greater the increase
the more continual and corresponding had been the decrease in
profit and wages ; and one fact advanced showed, that in the case
of dyed and printed goods, which required the greatest labour,
there the greatest diminution of price had taken place ; so that, by
the returns of 11134, it appeared, that under the increase of de-
mand for these goods since ISM, above double the quantity of cloth
was at thia former year given, for less money than had been received
for half the quantity in the dear 1820 —(Hear, hear.)
He insisted that it was unfair to predicate future prosperity front
an extension of our trade, inasmuch as the past increase had not
yielded prosperity to the people. The fact was, that our means of
increasing our machine power was so great that we could over
supply any demand ; glut the markets.; thereby cause stagnations,
which lead to a number of working men being thrown out of
employment : competition for work amongst these men must follow;
the cupidity of employers will least them to employ the cheapest,
end thus must wages fall to the lowest point of subsistence.—(Hear,
hear.) Notwithstanding, he would recommend all to look for a
repeal of the Corn-laws. They were unjust in principle, and to a
certain extent injurious in practice, and therefore ought to be re-
pealed. But whilst the people do this, let them not give sanction
to the fallacies put forth by those who clamour so loudly fur
the repeal of the Corn-laws, as the upholders of those laws find
their greatest strength in attacking the exaggerated statements of
those who are the professed advocates of repeal. The people (he said)
must be honest to themselves. They must tell these parties that
it is their own particular interests they are looking after, and not
the interests of the working man.—(Hear, hear.) The working
people must a far as possible take their own affairs into their own
hands, and work unceasingly for the amelioration of their own
condition. They must estimate every proposed change at its proper
value, and then there would ant be that sickness of heart arising
from disappointed hope. Their progression would be steady and
rapid, and their happiness would be commensurate with the hopeful
and living nature of their endeavours.—(Hear, hear.)
The resolution being seconded by Mr. B•RNES,
An amendment was proposed by Mr. Jas. HILL, " That amongst
those bad laws referred to in the first resolution, there are none so
oppressive and fatal in their consequences as the Corn and Provi-
sion-laws ; anti this meeting declares the total and immediate re-
peal of these odious imposts to be urgently required ;" which being
seconded, and put to the vote, was negatived, and the original
motion carried almost unanimously.
Mr. SKELTON proposed the third resolution—" That it is the
opinion of this meeting that industry must be ennobled by being
rendered attractive; that for this purpose it is requisite to combine
in due proportionsa land, capital, labour, and skill, and to ensure
to each that just proportion of reward which shall stimulate all to
the attainment of the united advantages of such a combination;
that for these purposes, home colonies, or new townships, each
adapted for the accommodation and permanent employment ef from
1,000 to 2,000 persons should be established forthwith, under the
direction of the State, and subject to a guarantee of all existing
interests; and, that thus, not only would the present resources of
this nation its wealth, skill, and industry, be gloriously developed,
but every difficulty of our present position would vanish like the
morning mist before the effulgence of the noon-day sun, and
health, wealth, and prosperity would make the hearts of all to re-
joice in old England."
The motion was seconded by WILLIAM HALL, Esq., and carried
unanimously.
Mr. RI ALL moved the fourth resolution :--" That in the
opinion of this meeting the measure on the subject of the Corn-
laws, announced by Sir Robert Peel as the organ of her Majesty's
Government, is unstatesmanlike and contemptible; and failing as
it does, after so much delay, to afford any prospect of relief of the
distress of the country, is an insult to a patient and suffering
people, and can only be viewed as an indication that the landed
aristocracy of this country, now in possession of the reins of Go-
vernment, are destitute of all sympathy with the industrious
class^s, and are resolved, if permitted by an outraged people, to
persist in a course of selfish policy, which renders it necessary that
the industrious classes shontd, as often advised, take their own
affairs into their own hands, declaring their moral independence in
a manner intelligible to all, and endeavour to persuade all men to
work out their redemption in union upon the land, and avoid all
servitude to the higher classes ; declining at the same time the use
of taxable csmmodities, and withdrawing savings' bank funds to be
invested in the purchases of estates, so as if possible to avert the
impending awful physical revolution."
The motion was seconded by Dr. LOSKE, and carried unani-

mouily.
After the adoption of another reso!ution, as to the presentation
of petitions, and also a memorial to the Queen by Robert Owen,
Esq., in person, the meeting separated.

ROYAL INSTITUTION.—Mr. Richard King,
the surgeon and naturalist, as well as for a great part of the time
the sole conductor of the expedition in search of Sir John Ross, and
author of the narrative of the journey, delivered a lecture on Friday
evening at the Royal Institution, " On the Boundaries of the Polar
Seas.' After taking a very rapid review of the progress of disco-
very from the 15th century to 1818, he dwelt somewhat at length
upon the surveys made since that period by Ross, Parry, Back, and
Messrs. Deese and Simpson. The survey of the latter officers, it
appears, has fully confirmed the views the lecturer entertained in
)836 of the polar coast south of the isthmus of Boothia, wherein he
differed with Sir George Back. The melancholy suicide of Mr.
Simpson has gives Mr. King an opportunity of again urging the
Government to adopt his plan at a cost of 1,0001. only. This plan
was given at length in TAe Sun of January 15, 1836 , but a part of
the contemplated survey at that time has since been made, and a
new line of coast has in consequence risen, in Mr. King's opinion,
into importance in relation to the long-agitated question
of a N. W. passage. ,Mr. King proposes that the Government
should despatch an expedition, consisting of one officer and six
men, towards the close of April, from Montreal, in Lower Canada,
by the visual route of the fur traders to the Athabasca Lake, and,
having obtained an Indian guide, make direct for the Fish River by
a route well known to the Indians. on :the head waters of that
stream It is proposed the expedition should winter, and having as-
certained the position of a tributary to the Great Fish River, which
takes its rife close to the proposed s% intering ground, in the ensuing
spring follow its course, and afterwards the main stream to the Arc-
tic Sea. By coasting along the eastern boundary of the Great Fish
River e•tuary, Mr. K. is of opinion there will be no difficulty in reach
ing the land of Boothia Felix, or, in case of its insularity, the Hecla
and Fury Strait. In the latter case the northern eonfiguration of
America will, he complete; but if the former should prove to be
as Sir John Ross has described, it will be necessary b. follow that
land to its northern limit, which will determine its connection with,
or separation from, the land of Cape Walker. If separated from
that land, and the dividing sea prove of any extent, the grand
problem of a practical passage from the Atlantic into the pa-
cific by the Arctic Ocean is at once solved. Then the tending of
the coast line of the Gulf of Boothia is but of minor importance;
nevertheless, if the season be not too far spent, Mr. King con.
siders it desirable to add its boundaries to our knowledge.
A fire, which consumed the house and all it con-
tained, broke out on Tuesday morning at Mr. Peyton's, 5, Kent-ter-
tacc, Old Kent-road. The family all escaped to the adjacent
house. Mr. Peyton Is insured in the Pheenix. 'Fire origin of the
fire is as yet undiscovered.
REGULAR AMAZON.—On Sunday, the 9th
u't., M. Emilien, a young and dapper merchant's clerk, went
with a party of friends to a masked ball. Emilien had, doubt-
less, in order to " get up his steam" for the exertions required
from all the devotees of 'Terpsichore, refreshed himself with such
copious libations before going to the ball, that when be ar-
rived there he could hardly manage to dance in time. He
therefore, like another Pinson, amused himself by playing
tricks upon those around him. Happening to pass by a
quadrille party, in which one of the dancers was cutting the
most absurd capers, our merchant's clerk seized him by the
waist, eacialining "1f I had not caught hold of you, my fat
fellow, yow.would have broken your head against the cor-
nice r The dancer (ungrateful fellow) only replied by giv-
ing our friend a blow in the stomach which stretched him at
full length upon the ground. The young man, infuriated at
this brutal assault, got up, and was about to rush upon the
fat dancer, when the friends of the latter came to his assist-
ance. The companions of the clerk also came to the assist-
ance of their friend, and a general melee ensued. They all went
out, and a fierce encounter would no doubt have taken place,
hail not the cold night-air somewhat cooled their distempered
brains. There was one exception, however. The young
merchant's clerk, whilst the two rival parties were entering
into explanations, darted angry looks upon the fat dancer,
Rho, in return, flashed fire from his great eyes, which
strongly resembled the two lanterns of an omnibus ! After
a few taunting expressions, both rushed to the encounter.
The clerk darted upon his antagonist, who, being equally on
the also, gave the poor quill-driver a kick which stretched
him on the pavement, and finished the business, by so batter-
ing his face with his fists, that the blood gushed; out in tor-
rents. At the cries of Emilien, the guard came up and ar-
rested the two combatants. On arriving at the station, judge
of the seri:vise and humilia.ion of the merchant's clerk, when
he found that the fat devotee of Teipsichore, by whom he had
bren 5,, soundly thrashed, was one of the softer sex—in short,
a woman ! by name Madame Eleonore ! Emilien, whose mas-
querade costume was completely spoilt, independently of the
injuries inflic,ed on his person, cited Mademoiselle Eleonore
before the Correctional Tribunal, where ho demanded 120 f.
damages fur the destruction of 1 is costume and the expense of
the b indages and leeches which he had been compelled to ap-
ply to his wounds. An amusing scene of recrimination and
mutual abuse took pace in Court. The Amazonian Eleonore
was finally sentenced to pay a fine of 25f., and 60f. damagez.—
Gazette des Tribunaux.
DIVISION OF TIIE NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—
An arrangement has just been decided on by the Judges, by
which the heavy busines of the Northern
lessorthernhastCeirineutirtanwsacilltitb,ge
sooner brought to a termination, with
it, and consequently less dissatisfaction in the suitors than
heretofore, York and Liverpool will form in fact, though not
in name, a distinct circuit of themselves ; while by the Nor-
thern Circuit will be understood the counties of Durham, Nor-
thumberland,
Cumberland, Westmoreland, and North Lanca-
shire. Mr. Baron Park and Baron Rolfe go to York to try.
prisoners, While Mr. Justice Wightman proceeds to Lancaster,
Appleby, and Carlisle alone, sitting in both Courts, civil and
criminal, for the trial of prisoners and the hearing of causes.
At Durham and Newcastle he will be accompanied by Mr.
Baron Rolfe. .
The Temps says, that the Committee oti the Budget
bas this year derided on not dividing itself into sections; but
examining 'lithe details of that measure jointly.