The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-09 00:00:00

„f ,

THE ANTI-CO„RN-LAW
CONFERENCE.
(THIS DAY.)

(Continued from our Afternoon Edition.)
Mr. JOHNSON, of Derby, said it had generally been
his good fortune to be able to speak better of the condi-
tion of Derby than other Delegates from other districts.
It was not so now, however, for he was sorry to say that
Derby was suffering a greater degree of distress than it
'had hitherto done under any circumstances whatever.
. Derby contained 35,000 inhabitants, and there were,
perhaps., a greater variety of manufactures carried on at
Derby than in any other town with the same popula-
tion ; and it might have been thought that - the very
fact of such a miscellaneous trade would have
kept distress away from that town. Their manufactures
consisted of silk throwing, silk hosiery, gloves, silks,
velvets, jewellery ; they had several foundries, machine-
makers, white lead and flour manufacturers. Now he
would first call their attention to the foundries.- One of
the greatest in- the place paid wages to the amount of
1401. a week a short time ago ; the proprietors of that
foundry had since added a new branch of business to
their establishment, connected with certain parts of rail-
way carriages ; and yet, with this new branch,
added to their establishment, their weekly wages
only amounted to 501. ; being a difference of
aO/. within the last few years. In the machine-maker's
trade the business had fallen off one-third. Mr. Fox,
- the great and well-known machine-maker, who formerly
employed 70 men, in December last employed only 50,
anal now only from 25 to 28. Two years ago, Mr. Fox
could not have taken an order to have executed in a less
period than six months • and in their present con-
dition, with only 25 hands, three-fourths of the lathes
and other enach'nes were laid up in stock.
There were in the town three or four millwrights: In
one establishment, which he selected as an example, he
found that there were two years ago 28 persons em-
ployed. The owner never had occasion to discharge
a hand until very' recently. In December last the number
diminished to 15, and it was now reduced to eight. In
silk-throwing the number of mills standing was about
seven or eight- Some new mills had been built during
the last four or five years, which were engaged in
throwing the very finest Italian silks for the purpose of
making fine laces, and it was owing to this circumstance
chiefly, that the hands were continued in employment.
With respect to the article of ribbons, which was a new
and extensive trade, he knew one firm which had em-
ployed 300 hands in that department of manufacture.
They were now every week hiring away the very best
description of hands.
The CHAIRMAN said he was sure the gentleman who
was addressing the meeting would excuse a few minutes'
interruption in order that a resolution of great impor-
lance might be proposed.
Mr. G. THOMPSON said he had been requested to
bring before the meeting a resolution of a very im-
portant nature. The Executive Committee had delibe-
rately reviewed the proceedings of the Conference up to
that time, and they had anxiously considered what was
their duty in reference to the future. Though many
remarks had been hiade with reference to the want of
practical measures, and to the inutility of their opera-
tions, it was the opinion of the. Committee that very
great benefit had resulted from their proceedings.—
(Hear, hear.) They had not indeed received any ex-
press ground of hope from the Prime Minister, but the
statements which had been made in their various meet-
ings could not hut tell with such effect upon the country
as would compel the Government, in spite of wealth,
power, and influence, to yield to the just demands of the
starving people.—(Cheers.) It had appeared desirable,'
therefore, to the Executive Committee that the Com-
mittee should not break up.e-(Hear, hear.) He did not
mean that those gentlemen whose duties, ministerial
or otherwise, required their presence elsewhere, should
leave the conference ; but there were a number of
geatlemen who had determined that they would net
not leave the metropolis, but would remain together in
an organized form, for the purpose of effecting the object
for which they had assembled. In the present crisis of
the question, considering the state of the House of Com-
mons, and the motions pending in that House, con-
sidering, too, that the tone and temper of many
Members was already favourable, and might be
encouraged by the presence and sagacious counsel of men,
from all parts of the country; it appeared most important
that that body should continue its sitting, and even that
efforts. should be made to increase their numbers.—
(Cheers.) He must be permitted for one moment to
congratulate the meeting upon the character of the De-
putation which had waited upon Sir Robert Peel, upon the
ability with which the interview was conducted, upon the
value and importance of the facts which were stated, and
upon the weight of the counsel which was so honestly,
so plainly, so inartificially, so pathetically, so solemnly,
tended to her Majesty's Ministers. He believed that no
depw.ation ever felt more the responsibility which rested
upon them. Their hands, as far as that Deputation was
concerned, were clear of their country's disasters, their
consciences were delivered.—(Hear, hear.)- It had been
intimated that, possibly, the Conference might merge its
existence in the existence of a body which should corn-
I rise other e'ements, and endeavour to obtain other ob-
jects. It was thought desirable that that should not go
forth to the public until all hope had been en-
ti ely excluded by the contumacy the hard-
hear ednese, and the immovable injustice of the present
Government and the two Houses of Parliament. Under
these circumstances, it had been resolved by the Execu-
tive Committee to submit, for the adoption of the meet-
ing, the re solution which he held in his hand. One
**eject which they hoped to attain, by Continuing assem-
bled, was the Amoral of the apathy which existed in
the metropolis ; and they had a proof last night, in a
meeting of three thousand persons, that the people of
London could be awakened to a just sense of the suffer-
ings of their countrymen.—(Hear. hear.) He begged
respectfully to move—
" That this Conference being deliberately of opinion,
'that its continued exertions are imperatively demanded,
both by the alarming condition of the country at large,
and the position of the question in London and being of
opinion that their efforts liave already been attended
with effect, detseemine to remain sitting, and to use
every constitutional means for the attainment of the ob-
ject for which the Conference has been assembled."
Mr. MOORE 19*;_to—samora--tha -ipeseehrttenr. ithad
teen stateariarthe House of Commons last night by an
Zion. Member, whose name was associated with devil's
dust, that the people were not with them to which it
Was most properly replied, that the people were only
not with them because they thought their measures
would be ineffectual—it was not because they did not
think that the Corn-laws were a curse, but because they
were beginning to be hopeless. They had heard a letter
read that day, which showed the progress of the discon
tent. Let them continue to call upon the Governmen

not to dissolve Parliament until the people had been re-
lieved. They had had an interview with Sir Robertreel.
Why should they not seek interviews with the other
Members of the Government, and with all those Mem-

berg of Parliament who did not concur in their object?—
(Fleur, hear.) He believed that they had the power of
~impelling the Government to relieve the distresses of
the c.:ople before they dissolved Parliament, and in th.•
hope that they would use that power, he cordial')
seconded the resolution.

The resolution vas then carried unanimously.
The Rev. W. bfASSIE, of Manchester, said he had not
as yet had the honour of addressing the Conference, and
he therefore wished to :lay a word or two on behalf of
those whom he represented. He proposed that the re-
solution now adopted
_be circulated amongst the corre-

spondents of the Conference. He was deelily impressed
with the solemn and religious responsibility now resting
on every man who wag aware of the present state of the
country. He' believed that every man would have
Nen repaid amply if they came and mingled their sym-
pathy, and banded themselves together, not for the pur-
pose of considering abstract questions of political
sconomy, but to consider the operation of the laws on
the condition of their follow-countrymen. He would

propose that the Executive Committee should cause
circulars to be addressed to the ministers of all religious
denominations, and grateful he should feel if the minis-

of the Established Church were_to join them, and

Catholio clergy also. He should also ad-
vise that circular be addressed to the Roman Catholic
. . _ _

bletropolittn:, requesting him to call the attention of his
clergy to he p:esFnt state of the country, and he was
sure that tTiey would be the first to sympathise with the
poor. B 4 whatever might be the denomination of the
clergy to whom the circular would be addressed, they
should be entreated to make a solemn appeal to Heaven

on behalf of their famishing countrymen, and to pray
to God that He might be pleased to avert from our com-
mon country the fearful calamities now impending over
us in the ruin of our commerce, in the prostration of our
morals, the destruction of our institutions, and eventually

convulsion of the empire. He hoped this suggestion
would be agreed to, and that the ministers would request
the prayers of their congregations in behalf of the dying,
the perishing, and the famishing people of the country—
(Hear)—and that the country itself would be saved
from anarchy and ruin. By such a course they
would make their tyrants tremble ; for the greatest
oppressors were the greatest cowards in' the presence of
that great God who protects the poor—(Hear, hear,
and cheers)—and if such were the case, no matter
whether their tyrants were composed of a landed axis-
tocritcy, or were personified in the Prime Minister alone,
they would tremble when they were aware that suppli-
catfons were universally offered up, on behalf of the
roar, to the. throne of Almighty God, who would jus-
tify His name as the friend and protector of the poor
and the oppressed.—(Cheers.) The Rev. Gentleman
concluded by proposing the following resolution, which
was seconded by Mr. Alderman Kershaw, and passed

unanimously :
" That his resolution, embodied in a circular, be ad-
dressed to all the correspondents of the Conference."
The Ver. J. MORGAN, of Stourbridge proposed the
nett resolution, which was as follows
Resolved, That a circular be prepared, addressed to
ministers of religion and their congrcgations in the
tne:ropolis, imploring their supplications on behalf of
the distressed people, that God in his mercy may arrest
the fearful calamitics impending over the country."
Mr. JOSEPIr FRE:ARSON having seconded it, the follow-
ing circular was adopted on the motion of the Rev.
Mr. lifouGAN
"Dear Sir,—The details of suffering and distress which
ihive been laid before the Conference during the last five
days are most fearful.
" This day the Delegates have had an interview with
the 'Premier, who thanked them for the information,
confessed the ACCOUIItS of the distress were incontroverti-
ble, abd promised to lay:the statements before the- Go-
verinent. The
.Conference is of opinion that unless
something be immediately dune to relieve this wide-

spread distress, the most deplorable consequences may
arise. 'The case and position of the people is desperate.
To prevent outbreak, and avoid convulsion in the coun-
try, it is necessary, if possible, that the House of Com-
mons should not be prorogued till measures are taken
to procure justice for the people.
" After the interview with Sir Robert Peel, the Dele-
gates met at Palace-yard, and passed the following re-
solutions [for which see another part of our Report].
" Allow us, therefore, strenuously to urge you to send
up zealous Delegates to the continued sittings 'of the
Conference.
" There is no time to be lost. Be up and doing.
"I am, dear Sir, yours respectfully,
(Signed on behalf of the Conference),
"P. A. TAYLOR, Chairman."
Mr. O'Coierrer.r. rose amidst tremendous cheering, and
said, he did not mean any unbecoming levity when he
styled this meeting a Conservative'one. He did believe
it to be conservation of the constitution of social order,
and intended to protect the people against themselves, as
well as to protect them against their oppressors. The
State was at the present moment in peril. He had raised
his warning voice in the House of Commons last even-
ing, but he had there met with little sympathy, and less
support. He would advise them to adopt his old motto,
Hereditary bondsmen know ye not,
Who would be safe, themselves must strike the blow."
. The only fact that they were all agreed on was the
enormity of the distress—the pressure of that distress—
the continuous nature of that distress, and the total want
of any proposal on the part of the. Government for its
relief.—(Hear, hear.) He understood that when they
had waited on Sir Robert Peel this morning, Sir Robert
had kept his mouth closed.—(Cheers.) There
would not have been so much harm in that,
if the people also had not been obliged
to keep their mouths closed for want of food.—(Hear,
hear.) It was a sad thing that a man should take and
should keep the Government of a great nation like this
—should admit the dreadful state of the distress exist-
ing—and should offer only mere lip-service expres-
sions of sympathy—(Cheers)--and admit that he
had no project for its relief.--(Hear, and cheers.)
Let them tell him any locality in which the distress did
not prevail.—(Cries of None, none.") Was there one
halcyon spot—one oasis in the desert?—(Cheers.) Could
they find him any locality, however small, in which dis-
tress did not prevail ?—(A voice in the room, "Down-
ing-street.") Downing-street, he was told. The Gentle-
man must excuse him, but he did not believe they
were so very comfortable there.—(Cheers and laughter.)
In Downing-street they had an interest in the prosperity
of the nation, because „the more prosperous the nation
was the greater would be their share of patronage.—
(Hear, hear.) But they bad an equally tremulous
interest in the security of the State, because there
was not one of them but must feel the immi-
nent danger that they themselves must be in if
the country was at its last hour—(Hear, hear)—and if,
instead of social improvement, they were to have the
frightful yell of revolution.—(Loud cheers.) He depre-
cated that.— (Cheers.) He was sure that there was not
one who heard him would not agree with him, that
there was no political change that would not be too dear
if `it were purchased at the expense of a single
drop of blood.—(Cheers.) If their counsels should be
taken—if their advice should be listened to—the country
would be safe.—(Loud cheers.) But if the Premier
continued silent, and the Parliament neutral, God
help the suffering people.—(Loud cheers.) It was
now time to speak out.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.)
He would not say so if he did not think it necessary, and
in his opinion one of the most alarming symptoms of the
present crisis was, the dumb-like stupidity of the Go-
vernment.—(Loud cheers.) In London they did not see
that distress. All those who possessed any property
flocked to London.—(Hear, hear.) They did not hear
the cry of the mother, as she put her child to bed with-
out food. They did not see her hunger-famished
countenance, her languid step, or hear the throbbing
of her heart, as she wished her first-born dead
that it might escape from the pangs of hunger.—
(Cheers.) They saw those things ; the Government did
not. The country was in great misery ; particular state-
ments might be denied, but those were but straws upon
the torrent. The straw might be removed, but the torrent of
misery went overwhelming the whole coun trv.— (Cheers,)
In Ireland they were in great distress ; from Belfast to
the south-west coast the people were crying for food.
—(Elear, hear.) But although Ireland was suffering,
there was no patriotic Englishman who had a greater
feeling for the distress of England, who was
more desirous of alleviating it, than himself.—(Cheers.)
He came there for instruction as to what he was to de.
-- (Cheers.) He did not care being taunted as factious.
—(Cheers.) In all his efforts in the cause of civil and re-
ligious liberty he had been called factious, rebel, traitor.
lie cared not what they called him.—(Cheers.) Much
had been said of a factious opposition to the public busi-
ness in the House of Commons. What public business
could be more urgent than to provide food for the starv-
ing people ?—(Uheers.) The people were , starving.
There were 1,500,000 quarters of corn, which by a reso-
lution of the House of Commons might be let out of
bond in a week, and they would not let it come out, be-
cause they were determined to keep up their rents.
If they had fermented the Anti-Corn-law agitation with
a little agitation upon the extension of the Suffrage—
(Loud cheers)—it would have been better. Did the
House of Commons represent the people of England ?
No.—(Loud cheers.) It represented only that class
whose interests were diametrically opposed to the peo-
ple, whose interest it was to make the poor man pay a
shilling a slice for his bread, and that was protection.—
(Cheers, laughter, and cries of " Robbery.") That was
a "good word—it was robbery, direct robbery. Lord
Howick, it seemed, had proposed a 6s. fixed duty. He (Mr.
(O'Connell) was as opposed to that as he was to a sliding-
scale. A fixed duty was a fixed injustice, and he trusted
that the Conference would repudiate such a proposition.
The Reform Bill did good by abolishing the nomination
boroughs, but it did harm by bringing them back in
another shave. The representation had now reached
the corruption point. If in a constituency of 2,000, there
were 800 Whigs and 80(1 Tories,, the other 400 would
get 101. or 201. a-piece for their votes to them ; the
balance, as was in the ease of Harwich, the last six
votes, might get 5001. each. The representation
was composed of the landlord class, and without uniting
themselves to the people they never could overcome that
class legislation. (Cheers.) However honestly,
zealously, conscientiously, and charitably they might
struggle, their struggle would be in vain, unless
they joined with the pesple.—(Cries of " Hear.")
He and his friend Thompson fought for the black slave,
and ne had o_nntion, wh.t.,ei-,-tfrat after having ob-
-ra ree om for' the black man, the same thing should
be denied to the white man.—(Hear, hear.) It was too
bad.—(Cheers.) It was too afflicting. But, above all,
the calamities which followed from it were manifest.
They had the 800,000,0001. of debt pressing on the in-
dustrious portion of the country, and keeping from them
the full power of competing with foreign nations, caused
by misrule, and the people not being represented. They
must stop him if he was going too far.--(No, and loud
cheers.) He wished not to deprive any man of his
opinion. He was not there to offer the slightest offence
to those who differed with him in political opinions, but
he was there to perform a sacred and solemn duty—a
duty that he owed to those numerous constituencies,
more than one of whom had sent him to Parliament—a
duty he owed to, the Scotch people, as well as a duty
he owed to thepeople ofEngland.—(Loud cheers.) They
had heard him with much patience. They had heard
many men address them, but they had heard no man
more sincerely anxious than he was for the promotion of
the cause.—(Cheers.) They wanted two things. They
wanted to give the people food—they wanted to give
them employment—they wanted to open the channels of
commerce for them. They did not want to drive them
to violence or outrage. They wished to preserve every
man's property. That man was not honest who would
wilfully consent to the destruction of a farthing of an-
other man's property. It was no matter whether
it was paltry thieving or open violence. Whether it
was a single pickpocket or an entire multitude that
committed the crime ; the crime was only greater in the
one case than in the other, in consequence of its greater
facility. They were there for conscience sake, as well
as charity, to protect property, and, as he said before,
to be the conservatives of social order.—(Load
cheers.) In making this struggle it was not enough
to be roused by animated speeches addressed to them, and
many talented speeches they had heard. It was
not enough to admire the sentiments they contained.
This was not a question of talk, but of action.—(Loud
cheers.) It was not a question for the ebullition of sen-
timent, but unremitting practice. A political writer in
Ireland—who did not mean to do so—gave advice to the
people consisting of three short words, " Agitate !
Agitate ! ! Agitate ! ! !"—words of ill omen in a

stile of prosperity in the material and political
world, but words of absolute necessity where the
country was diseased, and the public sufferings un-
bearaMe. They would look forward if the. Conference
agitated ; they would confide in them if they agitated.
While the House of Commons held out no hope, let
the Commons Corn-law Conference be animated to
greater exertions, and they would give hope to the
peope. Let them not sink under the criminality
arising from despair. These topics had occur-
red to them many and many a time. Oh I let
the recurrence of them not prevent them from determi-

nation to act. The City of London itself, perhaps, was
not agitated upon the question as it ought to be. They
must take means to learn the statements of the great

city. He had already described the kind of golden
stream that was running through the land from the
west end of London. That Pactolus could spread its

influence over the country, and yet the country knew
not a cessation from actual misery—from actual
starvation.—(Hear.) He hoped they would petition
the Parliament again. There was nothing so uesful,
when a man was determined to act, as a repetition of his
story. Let them pour in upon that Parliament their ap-
prehensions, and they would make them honest in spite
of themselves. Whatever course they pursued, he (Mr.
O'C.) was at the service of that Conference.—(Loud
cheers.) He stood with one, two, or three in thg House
of Commons, and they were called a factious Opposition.
He was as factious an Oppositionist as either of the three.
He ,conjured them—he could not say to reflect, for they
did so, but to recollect what they had undertaken.
They had the confidence of the people. Let them vin-
dicate that confidence, and not think of going until
they had done something for them. They must not go
back with merely saying they had seen the Premier,
who had express d a whining sympathy for them. If
they could do nothing, the fault was not theirs. It was
apeople of England were broUght to a state
y
must have an end. It must end either in
N hfaecn t
suffering
that
the grave, or by a convulsive movement. There was no
hope i asaying they must look for a sunny day, or a
o better
arvest.
Such was nonsense and absurdity.
The sun had risen, and night would come over the
people, and still there would be starvation. They must
rise, then, to exertion. The Government's power lay
them,
in a close phalanx ; their power consisted in the army
and nary. They had the Church with
disparagement -
—(Hear.) He did not mean any to the