The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-04 00:00:00

quences, first, because they were the authors of "the pre
sent restrictive laws against the introduction of food, and
secondly, because they have failed to adopt the necessary
measures to avert so fearful a calamity."
Mr. JOHN BOUSELEY said, that they had heard Mr.
Cooper and the resolution he had proposed. The corn
question was one of great interest, and had been so freely
discussed, that all the well-informed persons of the com-
munity were familiar with it. There was no second
opinion ab eit it. He had lived a long time in the bo-
rough of Southwark, and had many friends who dif-
differed with him in opinion, but they all agreed with
him on one subject, viz., the repeal of the corn duties. He
hoped the time was not far distant when the Conserva-
tive interest would listen to the wants of
,the millions,
and take those measures that would alleviate them.
Mr. WILLIAMS, a working man, said that the question
before them was a very important one, and the reason
that the repeal of the corn-laws had been agitated was
because it would make bread cheap and increase manual
labour and wages. He did not know which he had
most to complain of, the increase of prices of provisions
or the decrease of wages. The question was whether
the opening of the ports would not reduce the prices of
ease materials. If so, that reduction would improve the
condition of the working-man. Would it not also take
the reins of government out of the hands of the _landed
proprietors and place it in the hands of the maeufacttar-
leg class, who were better qualified to hold it?—(A voice
trom the end of the room, " Yes, to be sure it
would.") He begged that gentleman would not make a
noise, there was plenty of talent in that room to put him
down, or correct him, if he was wrong.—(Hear, hear.)
One gentleman who had spoken had said that the duty
was a 14s. duty. And it was necessary to know what
reduction of prices the removal of that duty, by the
opening of the ports, would cause. It would take lid
from the price of the four pound loaf.—
( Hear, hear.) That was an object, hut the
question would arise, whether, when the corn came into
the hands of a grasping manufacturer, he would not
swallow up that 14d. With regard to manual labour,
had we not enough of it. Did we not see petitions daily
coming from the manufacturing districts praying that
the women might be exempted from work, and allowed
to remain at home ? But the manufacturers preferred
female labour, and would not do so. The working classes
were oppressed.—(A Voice, " Look at Lord Ashley and
the buteher boy.") He did not care for Lord Ashley.
He did not pay him to speak there.—(Loud laughter.)
He was a working ;man, who worked 18 hours per day,
who had seven mouths to feed, and he spoke for his own
interest and the interests of his fellow workmen, as the 3
were inseparable. He would like to see how the opening
of the ports would benefit him. Provisions were being
daily taken out of the country, and sold to supply the
wants of foreign powers. He would recommend, that
instead of opening the ports they should shut them, and
keep in what food they had left.—(A tremendous storm
of yells and hisses followed this remark, and it was some
time before order was restored.)
The CHAIRMAN hoped that they would allow the
speaker to proceed, or else put him down by fair argu-
ment, not by noise.
Mr. WILLIAMS proceeded. At every meeting. of this
kind he had observed an attempt made to stifle inquiry.
They called out for fair treatment for themselves, and
yet put down those who would propose the means of
doing it. They cried out for liberty to express their
wants, and yet would not allow them to be expressed.—
(Cries of " Question, question.")
(The Chairman again interfered for silence.)
We have to complain of the high price of food, and the
low price of labour • but the price of food was not so
bad as the price of labour. The reason of that decrease
was, because every man who had a little money and could
buy the raw material cheap, sets up as master, manufactu-
rer, got their wives and children to work for them, and then
not finding-a sale for the goods, they hawked them about
and undersold them to their own loss and the injury of
their trade.- He- enew a gentleman -connected with the
League, whose men were earning from 7s. to Bs. per
day, but he said that he could not give that : he intro-
duced a wearbee: of :boys,. mid evben, in tonsnquence of
their refusal to-weirle, they' Were -brought before a maj
gistrate, he said, that the competition allowed would
net enable him to pay high wages. He hoped the work-
ing classes would see their own interests, and exercise
their own discretion. The speaker was then pro-
ceeding to make some statement against Lord
Londonderry, but was put down by loud cries.
Lord Londonderry has given a large amount of money
to the League.—(Cries of " Sit down.) Is this the
way to arrive at the truth of this great question ?
Amidst hisses and roars the speaker went on to say,
that the aristocracy, of whom he was not a paid sup-
porter in seeking their own interest, benefitted the in-
terest of the working classes, but with merchants, whose
god was their gold, these classes need not look to par-
ticipate in the good. Another burst of disapprobation
called the chairman to his feet, who said that the speaker
was certainly keeping pertinently to the point, but he
ought to consider that after speaking so long, there
were othere in the Meeting who wish to address them
A few more remarks on the illiberality of the working
men at public meetings concluded what he had to say.
Mr. TOWNSEND, a shoemaker, wished to make a few
remarks in reply to the last speaker, who was a working
man like himself. He thought working men at public
meetings, the only opportunities they have of expressing
their opinions, ought to know how to conduct them•
selves. It had been said that there would be a reduction
of five farthings on the 41b loaf, this certainly
would be acceptable to every working man in Britain.—
(From the former speaker, "It will go into the hands of
the manufacturers.) On that subject he had invariably
found, that when prices rose the English manufacturers
have increased the workmen's wages—in the case of
shoes a penny a pair more. Free trade between America
and Britain will increase labour; there would be 15,000
pairs instead of 5,000, and surely that state of affairs is
much to be desired. Free trade is progressing. Lord
John Russell has given in his adherence to the
system, and just to-day he had heard that Lord Lon-
donderry had renounced his former policy in favour
of it.—(Laughter.) He saw in to-day's Times that the
ports are to be opened in January; by that time he
trusted they would have more experience of Dr. Buck-
land's maxim—
Pease pudding hot,
Pease pudding cold,
Pease pudding in the pot,
Nine days old.

—(Laughter.)
Mr. FAIRCHILD, a working man, than addressed the
meeting. He said there was every prognostication of a
famine ; and whom are they to blame ? The Minis-
ter? No. The working men ? No. It is the will
of Providence ; and this meeting was held to
consider by what means they could avert the
coming danger. The ports ought to be opened. He
had never found that when 'food was cheap wages were
low. The contrary, according to his experience, had in-
variably been the true state of things. Let there be an
outlet for the manufactures of the country by the repeal
of the corn-laws, and the working-classes then may have
corn to what quantity they wish, and besides the inter-
course would convert enemies, and those who threaten to
become so, into friends. Is it not according to com-
mon sense but that if there be but twenty men
to do sixty men's work, they surely may have what
price they choose for their labour? All here are in fear
of famine. Why should it be so ? There are twenty
millions of acres in the Mississippi uncultivated. Ile
should rather say that, if there be demand, thirty mil-
lions may be brought under cultivation. The aristocracy
have scouted and sneered at the working-classes. What
have they denied them ? Political education—they have
denied that. They must rouse themselves, and show
the aristocracy there is knowledge among them—that
they know their duty and their interest, and now is a
time specially calling for energy.
Mr. APSLEY PELLAT said he would not throw the
apple of discord among them on the present occasion,
but raise his voice, with those with whom he might differ
on other questions, against the further continuance of
the taxes on food. He was for the fullest and most ex-
tensive freedom in the interchange of commodities, espe-
cially in the article of food. Some of the speakers had
spoken of bakers and blacksmiths, and he would ad-
dress them as a glassblower. He admitted, therefore,
that his, as well as other trades, might temporarily
suffer from the importation of articles from foreign coma-
tries,ibut what would be the result ? It would stimu-
late the people of this country to greater exertions, and he
had such confidence in the energy and skill of the work-
ing men of England, that they were able, if only fair
play were given them, to compete successfully with the
labourers of any portion of the globe. The Hon. Gen-
tleman, after referring to the condition of Jersey and
Guernsey, as an illustration of the benefits arising from
the absence of the protective system, concluded by quot-
ing from a lAA, which the speaker said he highly re-
vered. It was from the book of Proverbs, and was as
follows :—" lie that withholds corn the people shall
curse him ; but a blessing shall be on the head of him
that shall sell it."—(Loud cheers.)
JOHN ROBERTS, a working man, next addressed the
meeting, and said that while he fully agreed in the
necessity of repealing the corn-laws. still he cautioned
them against trusting too much to the members of the
Anti-Corn. law League. He had watched them for some
time, and he had great suspicion of their honesty and
good intentions.
Mr. HUMPHERY, M.P., expressed himself delighted
with the course the meeting had taken, as he thought
none better calculated to discuss the question of the
corn-laws than working men, for they felt the pres-
sure arising from them. It was lamentable that
while there was every evidence of a scarcity, there
were great quantities of graiu in warehouses
being destroyed by rats, mice, and other ver-
mine. He recollected about thirty years a circum
stance that very forcibly illustrated the working of the
corn-laws. There was a quantity of grain which he
knew of, that after being imported, lay in bond seven
years, at the end of which it was entirely destroyed ; it
was altogether unfit for food.— (Loud cries of "Shame.")
He believed that Sir Robert Peel was, as Mr. Wakley had
said of him, made of squeezable material, and would be
forced to yield on the question of the repeal of the tax
on food. He (Mr. Humphery) had lately been in France
for about six weeks, and he learned that Leuis Philippe,
the King ef the French, was a perfect Liberal ; he was
us much a free trader as Mr. Cobden, and would gladly
consent to repeat all taxes on food, if the people of that
country would consent to it. A previous speaker had
said that America was not in a position to supply as
with food. It 'night not be at the present moment ex-
actly in a position to grant them all they wanted, still
they could giant them a considerable supply ; end even
now it was introducing grain under the rose into Ca-
nada, for the purpose of importation into this country.
By repealing the corn-laws, however, an impetuf would
be given to the growth of corn in the United States, by
Mhicth here would be no danger of a future scarcity. 'Lord
John Russel, he (Mr. Humphrey) was glad to see, had
declared for free trade, a measure which he (the speaker)
had always advocated, though he had doubts of its con-
summation being so early realised as some thought.
The Tunes newspaper had that morning stated that
OA Ministry intended proposing, early in January, a