The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-01 00:00:00

ING DISTRICTS.

The house having, on the motion of Sir G. CLERK,
resolved itself into a Committee of Supply, and the, Right
Hon.. Baronet having moved the estimates for China and
the miscellaneous estimates,
Mr. WALLACE rose and said, that in bringing for-
ward the motion of which he had given notice relative to
the depression of trade and the distress which prevailed.
among the labouring classes, it was his anxious desire
to discharge the duty he had undertaken in the manner
which could least load to any sort-of excitement among
these whose interests were so deeply. involved in the
question. The object which he had in view Was that
there should be a 'discussion in that House, which
would bring to light the actual state of the distress which
pervaded these kingdoms from one end to the other.
While he would devote his own particular attention.
chiefly to those localities with which he was more in-'
timately acquainted, and which had in a manner in-
trusu d him with their case, he invited other
Members, who represented constituencies like his,
labouring under deep distress, to take their share
in the discussion, and to bring before the House
such facts as might have arrived at their know-
ledge, and to illustrate their statements by such exam-
ples as would tend to- induce her Majesty!s Ministers to
take into their consideration that wide-spret; d—that un-
precedented distress i‘hiell prevailed through the empire.
Having prefaced. it with these few words, be conceived
he should best discharge his duty by entering at once
into the tusk he bad undertaken. He would first call
the attention of the House to the state of the mercantile
-metropolis in Scotland—the condition that Glasgow was
in. Whilst he thus prefaCed what he had to say, he
would • state he would bring information before the
house ; and he should not trouble the House with.
anything in the shape of • printed documents, or
others, without being perfectly prepared to communicate
the name of his informant.' He was prepared also to
give her Majesty's. Ministers every information, if re-
quired; and if it were reSpectfully, demanded, he would
not at all withhold the name of his informant from any

Gentleman on either side of the House: His nbj et was

to state nothing but that which he believed 'tAi. be true—
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 country,
•he believed from one end of the country 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
tal:en. He would first read a letter,. dated the 11th
JLne.

It said that trade was in a much worse

state than in January last. The numbers of the
unemployed had inert ased during the last six
weeks.- The number of persons mho 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 relicf until they had been
supported as long as they possibly could by selling their
furniture and clothes. Wages had fallen in every depart-
.

meat, and there, was every prospect of their continuing to
fail. Many of the manufacturers had recently diecharged a
large number of workpeople, and the general feeling was,
that this would be continued to a still greater extent. That
letter was dated the 111 h of June. The next letter was
dated the 18th orJune, which stated . that the town was
woefully stricken. Upwards of 250 soup-tickets had been
furnished, and it was calculated that 1,000 persons had
partaken of . the soup. There were 1,000 men unent
ployed, but they had reason to believe that ten times that
number were. out of employment in the city of Glas-
gow, arid Were still on the increase. The next
he would read wits a printed document, which he had in-
quired into, end he beieved 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 condidion 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 Hon. Gentleman next called the atten-
tion of the House 'to another communication- from the
unemployed in Glasgow. It stated that meetings of the
unemployed had been held to consider the causes of, and
the most efficient remedy for, the distress in that city, and
among other circumstances mentioned,ithat a gentleman,
seeing the excited state of ethe distressed persons, had
gone into a baker's.shop for the purpose of purchasing
bread for them, but the pressure had become_ so great,
and the desire for relief so excited, that the police were
obliged to interfere, both for the protection of the gen-
tleman himself and for the preservation of the peace.
That he contended was a most unprecedented state of
things, and showed how necessary it was that some
speedy measures of relief should be adopted. The
Hon. Gentleman then read a short paragraph, describ-
ing the extent and degree of the distress in GlaSgow. In
a, letter, dated the 15th June, which he had. received
from a friend of his, • and who had good means of ascer-
taining the truth, it was stated that 3,000 heads of fami-
lies were out of work, and that 12,000 were depending
on the charitable funds . 'for their support, and that
there Were many now out of employment who, being
possessed of a little means, disposed' of their clothes and
.furniture rather than apply for relief. The writer con-
tinued by saying it was such a state. of things as two-
thirds of the House had voted for, continuing, and
that the curse of the aristocracy was upon them.
Such was the state of things in Glasgow, .and situa-
tion of the manufacturers, shopkeepers, and shippers
of the country surrounding Glasgow, was equally bad.
In a
.private communication, dated the 18th of June,
which he had received from an active and intelligent
resident of Kilmarnock, where the carpet manufacture
had been as thriving as in any other part of the kingdom,
it was stated that an individual who was out of employ-
ment fur a considerable time,.applied for rc:ief, as he had
no food for his Wife or • for himself. received one
shilling and siipenee from the person whose duty it
• was to distribute alms. 'Shat case was but a sample of
many others. The writer went on to state what he be-
lieved was but too -true. If you go to the house-
of God the preacher will tell you that sin is the
cause of your suffering. If you ask the elder
for relief he w ill shake his head at you. If you
apply to the authorities they say they have no
power, and meet you with intimidation. If yeti apply to
the editcir of a local newepaper he will .burn the article,
and you will be committed to prison. The particulars of
the next case which he should mention he. had received
from a person well acquainted with the situati' 'n of the
working-classes: The letter was dated June 20, stated that
itt no period were the working-ehisses so ill fed, and
he was informed by the Captain of - tbe Police • who
was well acquainted
.With the conditions of the poor,
that immense numbers of the working classes had sold or
paWned every-article Which could have been made
available, and they had now no property to 'fall back
upon. An immense number of emigrants had lett
the place, and many_ hundreds were desirous to go
to- Canada. willing to risk life, limb, every thing,
rather than remain at .home to. -starve. Another
letter stated that the working classes were in a
most .'deplorable state. Ho thought -it would not be
disputed that. the Government had -allowed the work-
ing classes to fall into such a state of destitution as that
they had now no means .of relieving themselves. It
should lse his endeavour to bring their case before the
House, that whether any relief be granted or 'not,
their should. be an expression of - if the
means were nut afforded. He now came to the
case of that ill-fated community, of which so much
hail been heard, though all had not yet been made
known to theiu. He came to the case of Paisley and
its neighbourhood. (The Hon. Gentleman here turned
his back on the gallery, and was inaudible for Some time.)
The people of Paisley, according to the petition which he
presented the other day, felt that their situation had been
but partially dealt with. The letter. Was tiated the 19th
of J tine. All his (Mr. Wellace's) communications were
direct. Ile had seen, with great pain that the distress
had been increasing from that time till the present, and
he thought some means should be pointed out for their
relief. He (Mr. Wallace) should point out no means
but ha should show-the distress that prevailed, and he
should be glad if those Bore Members who should fol-
low. hiM in this debate would point out the distress in their
di-tricts and confine themselVes solely to' that particular.
The writer of this letter stated, that it was quite c:ear
that unless some- great effort wits made to psce ire pro-
.
vision atfor..l4e,-otassing., poor during the approaching
winter, Parliament wouldise prorogued, and they would
be allowed to starve.-(Hear, hear.) Experienced
manufacturers had . stated that there was no
prospect of the great mass -of the unemployed
being taken on during the present year. He had received
-another letter,
.deted.2Bth 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-Member
.then read the letter. Many persons had expressed surprise
that the young men of Paisley' bad refused to enlist into
her Majesty's forces._ Now let the Meuse hear
what this Gentleman said upon this sub-
ject. After noticing • •the fact that such surprise
had been expressed. he said, •those who expressed it
ouelit to know that Set:whim:a never do enlist
when sober.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) If they
wished them to enlist, they must first make them drunk.
The Hon. Gentleman then
.proceeded to read a letter
fro m a clergyman of the Established Church in Scot-
laral gentleman of Coes, native
.politicss but
who was universally respected. The writer con-
demned the Government s% stem of • interference fir
the relief of the distress in Paisley. There were many
necessary articles not to - be found in the
Government stores, and those to be found
there were generally of a bad quality. Having
been prevented by the form of the House from
presenting a petition then in his hands, he would read it
to the lionseS The petition was from the inhabitants
of Paisley,
.and sigm d by six thousand persons, every
one of whom. were the recipients of • the charity
which had been sent from various parties for their
use. The Honourable Gentleman then read the petition
through, stating the distress which existed in Scotland.
The Hon. Member went on to say that in virtue of the
authority given him by the petitioners, he thought it
best to have the petition printed with the votes, and he
had now brought it to its present use. He next called
attention to an advertisement for tenders for the
relief of ' the pour, which, though not signed
by. Mr. Twissicton, the ' Government agent,
had no doubt emanated from that gentleman.
He would now read a petition of the fathers of families
employed in the stone quarries, to the Provost of Paisley.
The lion. Gentleman then read the . petition, and
a letter from -a clergyman of 'the Church of Scotland,
describing the extent of the distress in Paisley.
The people were 'living on the smallest possible sums.
The letter recommended that Honourable Members
should, change places for a short time with these
unfortunate men by living on one penny a day, and
then perhaps they, might be able to comprehend the
situation in which they were placed. The documents
which he was next about_ to open, he should refee
to with very great pain. They contained an account of
the town which he represented—a town which be had
been acquainted with all his life, and which he had
seen rise from an insignificant to a nourishing
place. of trade. 'Greenock had obtained great celebrity,
and was well known to be unrivalled in the art of ship-
building.—(The Hon..Mernhei so frequently turned his
back on the gallery. in the course of his speech, that our
report is necessarily curtailed in a variety of instances.
• (LEFT -SITTING.)

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, Jane 30.
The SPEAKER took the Chair at Ten minutes before
Four o'Clock.

THE DRAMA.

Lord MAHON (in continuation from our Third Edi-
tion) said—lt would be most desirable that no ;fer-
mented liquors should be allowed to be-drank in places
devoted to, dramatic enterlainments. The state of
morals in their theatres could not be attributed to the
morals of the c tontry, for the drama was better regu-
lated in other countries, where morals were more foom%
Ile did not say that the two great theatres were not en-
tith•d to some privilege ; that was a matter for full
deliberation and inquiry ; but of this he was certain,
that - the mode in thich the monopoly existed
at present was against the public interest. A better
state of things was necessary. By the present arrange-
ment the small theatres were debarred from receiv-
ing certain playS bc.cause they could not perform them.
Sir Walter Scott was opposed • to . the monopoly
of the patent theatres. That monopoly was inju-
rious to all parties—Ao the proprietop, the ma-

nagers, and the pablic. It was well known that
Mr. Charles-Mathews had lost considerably during his'
management tic Covent-garden, and Air. Macready, it sr'
peered, was a loser during the last season at Drury-lanee
He therefore put it to the House whether this was
state of things that ought to be suffered to continue.
Ile did entertain a hope that at• a moment of
more leisure the subject would receive the considee
ration of the Government. But no Pleasure
would prove satisfactory, in which the licensing depart-
ment was not also a matter of consideration ; he thought
the power of the licenser ought to be more limited,
and if maintained, it should at least be differentlY
exercised. He also thought that the appointment ought
not to be in the gift of the Lord Chamberlain,
but of the Government. The manner in which
he was remunerated was also objectionable.—(flear.)
He was desirous that the country should be great in ern'
as well as in arms, and he hoped that her 11-jestY.B
Government would do everything they could to reset
°
the stage from its present state of degradetioe
and decline, and that that justice would be done to
dramatic authors of the country which they eni"Y.`,
themselves. The Noble Lord concluded ty 'ne)"
for copies of any communications which has.' been ti".
dressed upon this subject to .the Secretary of State lot
the Home Department, in the course of the present yetn'
Mr. G. KNIGHT seconded the motion. The coeeltil;
.elon to which the Noble Lord had arrived was tiellirel
the same at that at which a Committee, a wile
he was -a member, and which sat .about t4"-
. years ago on the subject, had arrived. Wlec
respect to the law of copyright relative to dranis.je
authors, he believed it subjected them to greater here
ships than any other. class of authors, because they
obliged repeatedly to drive hard bargains, and then tt!'
had great difficulty in getting their money ; besides tin's:
they were subject to piracy from the provincial theatre.
'l'lie law in France was utfferent from the law in t 11,1;
country. In France eo party was allowed to hog .
piece acted at a theatre without having Pr'ee
viously had the consent of the author. The Commit! 0
which had sat upon the subject, had come to the deeiswnt
that it would be advisable to pass a similar enaeoeis.
in this country. But whatever might be the eettlee
for the existing evils which the House might adopt, t:le.ee
could be no doubt that dramatic literature was e"l4' .
to their countenance and protection. note
Sir JAMES GRAHAM confessed that he had ell
paid the same attention to the subject then before iv
House as the Noble Lord and the lion. Gentleman wee
had preceded him. The question appeared to be the
of some difficulty, as neither the Noble Lord nor ej
Hoe. Gentleman had been able to form any deepet,
opinion as to the course it would be desirable toad re
He would, however, gladly give his best consideration
the
any measure that might be brought forward by teo
Noble Lord or any other person, and he should hOt'oel
objection to produce the papers that had been nin:
fur.—The return was then ordered.
RUSSIA AND P(LAND. • et
Mr. GALLY KNIGHT rose to move for coPie:ei,
(Tie* ukases bearing date the 18th of September latie
issued by the Russian Government and relating t°,efe
adMinistration of the affairs of Poland. • .11e0
claimed the indulgence of the House, he said he ba`'ol,d
desire in bringing the subject forward to open an eo
sore, or perpetuate a convenient annoyance. De '00;
went back to a narration of the circumstances that to.
place at the Congress of Sovereigns in 1814, and qa°,
letter of the Emperor Alexander to the celebrated 1%-`"tio
• usko. The late Lord Londonderry addressed a note Tee
Congress of Vienna; containing an exposition of
views of the Government upon -the Polish questienene
which it was treated as an European question. re'llie
Tallyrand, on the part of France, and Austria aibliler
sia, concurred in those views, considering the in°rfeee'
,deuce of the Polish nation to be necessary fur the 'lO/04
and peace of Europe. It was in conformity with
-views that articles were drawn up, uniting the Dit,cl3Yef.
Warsaw with the Russian empire, under the tit'ule
Kingdom. with a Government and army of its 0" n'e'clee
the year 1818, a charter was given to the Polish nov
by the Emperor Alexander' Since that period the.
v
peror had changed his mind with respect to Polen'e tot
had forget all his promises to Stanislaus. ih u.ladoft
stand there to deny the right of the Emperor t°lay
the course he had done with respect to r°,ooe
but- he thought the Poles were entitled to ebed
consideration. At all events, the Russians it
h'
no right to destroy the constitution of Poland,sh
out obtaining the assent of those who were parties
t or
treaty of Vienna. The two ukases for which he Vfer
were issued in the month of September, 1841, ant: "wit
pleted.the annihilation of the independence of I°etter
The effect of these was to assimilate Poland to anY "wet
province of Russia. It was manifest from other O. to
that it was the deliberate determination of
blot out Poland from the list of nations ;
principle was carried out with the utmost rigout4e
only asked, looking at the political and religious e. to
meats of Russia, whether there was not an intentiteee
erase Poland from the list of nations ? The very hell t°
of the provinces had been changed to assimilate flit
Russia ; the Russian uniform and colours had beeilerte
stituted for the Polish ; eve# the weights and mead the
and the style of the calendar had been changed, an oe:
Poles compelled to adopt the usages of Russia in 'lg het
thing. Ile thought he had made out his cage; obef
formerly been considered as an European quest"'
'3y
nationality of Poland was secured by the Troo°
Vienna, and there was nothing in the present positted
Russia which rendered the course she had taken ;oe
safe to the rest of Europe than in 1814. He read ".etet
tract from the speech of the President of the PO'
Warsaw, in support of his views, and stated that Teir
lieved in any exertions they might make they wou'let
ceive the assistance of France. lie believetleee
if Russia were sincere in her professions of Li)
toward England she wooled best show it by 'teo
ing her treaties.—(Hear, hear.) lie could not
it could be to the advantage df Russia to keep alive' the
constant jealousy. He might take an example foal,
conduct of England towards Ireland, which for Once
was treated exactly as Poland was now tee° ehd
Russia ; after centuries of oppression the atteroy etel
entirely failed, and now a different system hnedl:l
commenced, e, hick, though it had not yet pe°1!1:",e00
the fruits that could be desired, yet be hoped
still produce a rich and abundant harvest. et
MESSAGE FROM -THE LORDS. et;;e4
Messengers from the Lords appeared at the 01."7:,if
brought up Certain Bills.
„.he
RESUMED DEBATE. toe- 0
Sir F. BURDETT seconded the motion, hecaesitir
looked Upon' it as an eat nest of those inquiries h;,epliej
be made on the subject of Poland ; and he tin' eeiel,
Majesty's Government would, at a proper tlinl,l4'
under proper circumstances, take the subject taw` ht
consideration. wee e
Mr. HUAIE was glad that this subject wits peenttl
before the House; he trusted anopportunity w° elyeet
forded to the people of this .country to wilee!e; ee`e
stain that attached to them for allowing the
to be destroyed. He hoped the time would O w- VI:,
°°
that nation would be reinstated in their right''' ht.
Government and people of- this country had Chetl
see the treaty of Vienna carried out. Ile cenoo
the people of Poland, and he regretted to see the 4
in which they were treated. . ,
rowdy
Mr. MILNES said that the question was suriogo.,,
with great difficulties. It might not be desirable see eof
ear en the question of Poland, but he (lid eot,e-et 'l,e
a protest might not be sent by -a Government IP:1
frierffy with Russia. Although this country 1,111 pe'e
very little in the matter, all that it had donee-e1
honest, and straightforward, and manly. -1 eeee, of
only followiug out the, conduct.of the Governtqiiial De
political parties in protesting against these vi°4lo,ot
the treaty. He eas anxious that this protest
ese aceie
made, more with reeard to the future than tevieetle;
time, for he • did think that circumstances in),/g
which would render these protestemost valualt'erisde
other sovereign, less firm than the present, mig tie roe
Russia, who might give freedom to Poland, 07 pile
respond to the feelings of the whole of civilise
He believed it would yet be found, that the n:0101'
of Poland had not been deStroyed; that that n tete, e
was indestructible. Poland had formerly heeneor
wark of Europe against the Turks, and, heizosSii'the
would yet be the. bulwark of Europe against e
Mr. I'. M. STEWART took it for grante'e
motion before the I louse would be acceded e teet-a„e ;
Right Hon. Baronet. There was no doubt gee' 4ePtee
culties surrounded the question of Polish ihdecji cell"
and an individual addressing a popular asser!ite
st
subject, had further to contend with the neeesfohe t roe'
pressing those feelings of indignation to whic eieeti ettcd
meat which Poland had experienced had etetetenrete`
There• was only one weak point in his Friendio'u e it e
but that was the turning point of the quest eeeeedeeet'
that the reason why no assistance had o°olo `tell,
the Poles was the revolt of 1830. Now' able AO
part, he believed that that was a most juse-e,ere ;tee,
and in that opinion he was borne out b, tee neco'
burton. Ile believed, unless something ters'i!tol'ie
of a mild remonstrance was made, the pbeerl7. etevl„, h°
Poland from the map of- Europe would e
llconsequence. The present was the time ' oes ett3i
protest on the part of this country against. ,celii"Deelre
the Poles had received, and the manner in
eed, rev
sin had broken through treaties. He h'ile;old )550',
those remonstrances took place, Russia
i() the
her aggressions, • not only to Poland, but trusted LI)
he trio d'
sions of this country. In conclusion,
documents moved for would be printed.
oeleber t°
Sir R. PEEL and Sir R. hews rose t to tih'et
dress the House, but the former gave waPtinctio i4grb
Sir R. H. INGLIS would submit one disns 004.1 eV
House. It had been said that there wo's „peatc,llie
On the part of England as any Catholice,e toe et
the proceedings of James or Elizabeth. pn.,eeet.
murred ; they had nothing to do with an)sion, hoetfie?!
Lem ;seripta of the treaty. The •dise,nseiel then tee
must do good, as-it had been cenductea,here wawa"
calmness and temper. But he thought n. 14c 0.0'4,,
nical objection to agreeing to the Itotnu'eeepal.sr,
objection to ask in this House for the Vale je mry erii)toe
tiOns of another Government. The I'Leee been 01,4
were the parties to that treaty had ne resole' role,
upon it ; and before the Home made enY tho 4 ,
withtlle them.()
il%toauciadscuosnbeeldire
"(s),d t° dto
moral influence of Englend being 1.! eeilet
teed
Emperor to treat his Polish subjects eni;to OP! ete;`t,
terent . from that in which he hit' t tileitieroj
have treated them, but be th()l'll'nd
diplomatic interference.
not to go beyond rope:
execpti
with c teat ~,thetioee
toßboe cheurdtain that jectiosiice
mentioned, he concurred in the vi
,%-lernta, t°rtu • dis
stated, and he,thanked the Hon. •ti wog neeate
ham for the manner in which lie
,d its tea) I. ; to
tion before the House, as ho • eidep,lo
cussion would have a beneficial influel "e•et
he
Sir B. PEEL said lie was not sociirY telt,l st
0,
the,propesal of his Iron. Friend, laee'alisge
to-refer to the obserVations he trared.
_xistsgirceseteti,;
difficulty of a technical nature miet e I
mot.° (Id to 140
similar nature was made, and it with.
hie
Houso.—(Hear, hear.) lie agr!r• .
duction of the papers. But in 183.2
lavas
acc.edeitaii
- •

. g
;OCeigtail