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

A. RUTIIERFURD, Esq., M.P., who was received with loud
applause, said—The circumstances which have this day
called us together are, indeed, such as not only to justify,
but to require, from every influential community, a strong
expression of their sentiment with respect to the national
crisis in this matter • and, undoubtedly, in such a meeting as
this, the object which we have now before us is not only pe-
culiarly expedient, but especially important in a community
like Leith, which, for its connexion with the corn trade, as
well as the general commerce of the country, has material
advantages in point of information on the subject, as well as
material interests to press. I am very happy to have an
opportunity to attend you here to-day, and to express my
complete and entire concurrence in the sentiments which I
see so generally pervading the meeting.---(Applause.)
venture to propose to this meeting, in anticipation of that—if
the folly of Government will force us to further measures of
agitation—a resolution which demands the removal of these • • •
laws. The resolution is, "That the existing corn-laws are
at all times productive of evil, but are peculiarly so in the
present emergency of the country, by excluding the relief
which could be obtained from abrod; and that the continued •
apathy of the Government, under present circumstances, is •
highly reprehensible and full of danger to the people."—
(Applause.) I take it that' the fate of tile existing Coin- •
laws is doomed ; and I take it further to be clear that with
the present system the corn-law, and the whole •system of
corn-laws will fall. The arguments for a free trade in corn
are now happily _ triumphant ; they are in themselves
so clear, that all except interested parties, or parties who
are still interested in the maintenance of a fixed duty,
are convinced Of their truth. There is some plausibility in
the argument for a fixed duty—not, I think, a sound argu-
ment, however—but for the sliding-scale, all our experience
goes to show its inutility and disadvantage. I profess that
all the consideration I have been able to give the subject has
only satisfied me—and I believe satisfied all who are
open to conviction—that it is absolutely and entirely un-
tenable. The sliding-scale puts an end to all foreign growth
for your market, and for any market, excepting for the im-
mediate prospects of supply. Who will sow his seed in the
spring time, when he is uncertain of a buyer in the harvest,
and when be may be left with corn in his hand, which is not
necessary for his own country, and which will not be allowed
into yours ?—(Hear, hear.) Those who supported the sliding-
scale refused the point of a fixed duty. They said a fixed
duty won't do ; the only thing that would do, they said, was
a sliding-scale, and therefore they imposed a sliding-scale on
the country as an experiment. Well, they have got their
experiment made, and if they are now obliged to give it up,
as indefensible, as I am persuaded it is, these men cannot
fall back on the question of a fixed duty, but must join us in
the question of a free trade in corn.—(Bear, hear.) A great
defect in the r•lidiug- scale is this, that it gives no en-
couragement at sll to, and, indeed, it quite prevented,
growth abroad to supply our market. Another gross defect
in it, and a most singular fallacy is, that a harvest should
only be deficient in point of quantity. It was said by the
proposers of the sliding-scale that their system was an ad-
mirable one. They said that whea the harvest was small
the prices rose, and that they rose in proportion to the small-
ness of the harvest. Well, when the prices rise, we open the
ports, say they ; a little at first, but afterwards to a greater
extent ; and this supply which we let in, in the extent to
whiCh we .open the ports, is exactly-Ouivalent to the deli- • ...-
•---
ciency in the quantity of the harvest, so that the people are`
supplied as nearly as possible with their ordinary quantity of
fond. Now, this sounds all very well ; but alas, who shall
tell me that the only difference is the harvest of one year
from another is the difference in quantity ? Is there no
such thing as a difference in quality ? Are we not now
suffering, and in a marked and signal manner, from the dif-
ference also of quality ? And if the quality of the harvest
be bad just look at the absurdity of the statement of the
supporters of the sliding scale—if the quality of the harvest
be bad, the badisess of the quality keeps down , the price,
which the deficiency in the quantity should raise ;
and the sliding scale fails entirely.—(Hear, hear.)
But there was one great advantage promised by Sir R.
Peel to flow from the sliding-slale. It was hisgrand argument
when pressed for a fixed duty. He said that if they adopted
a fixed duty, they might depend on it that the law would
not stand the first season of want and scarcity which would
occur. They would be obliged to forego 4s. or ss. of bxed
duty, as the people would rise against it, and it should be
taken off, and the law would become ineffectual ; whereas a
sliding-scale would gradually open the ports, and there would
be no violent contest between the practice of trade and the
law of the country. Sir Robert held this to be a •
conclusive argument. See, now, how Providence and the
necessities of the country will destroy everything that
seemed most plausible at first. The sliding-scale has
been for three years in existence. These had been years
of prosperity, and it now happened that on the first oc-
casion on which it could be tried, in the first season
in which there was a deficiency, the sliding-scale has been
found defective; and I don't believe that there is a
man in the community, excepting those parties who met in
Cabinet Council by themselves, who was not of opinion that
the sliding-scale must, like a fixed duty, give way before the
dangers which threatened the country, and that the ports.
without regard to this system of plausibilities and theoretical
argument, must be opened to let in food for the people. I
. venture to think that you will accord in the sentiments I
have propounded, and, therefore, without detaining you
further, beg leave to propose the resolution entrusted to me.
—(Cheers.)
;-LAMES Mares% Esq., secondedthe motion.

ROBERT PHILLIP, Esq., seconded by IRCHIBALD YOUNG,
Esq., moved that a memorial be sent to her Majesty's Minis-
ters, calling on them to give immediate directions for opening
the ports.
The meeting, which was most unanimous, then broke up,
after a vote of thanks to the Chairman.

SIR R. PEEL and the LIVERPOOL.
MEETING.

LIVERPOOL, TIJESDAT.—The Liverpool Times publishes the
following reply from Sir R. Peel to the memorial agreed
upon at the meeting in the Amphitheatre, on the evening of
Friday last :

" Whiteball, Dec. 1, 1845.

" Sir,—l have had the honour to receive your letter of the
29th ult., accompanying a memorial of the inhabitants of Li-
verpool, in public meeting assembled, expresAtig their opi-
nion that measures ought to be forthwith adopted for pro-
viding for the immediate admission by law of all kinds of
food, duty free.
" I will not fail to communicate the memorial to her Ma-
jesty's confidential servants.
" I have the honour to be, Sir,
"Your obedient I,ervant,
" ROBERT PEEL.

" William Brown, Esq."

HORRIELE MURDER in CLIFTON.
It appears that a woman named Bridget Barrett coliabibtal
with a man named Mannion, by whom she had a child. It
having lately come to her knowledge that lie was about
being married to another woman, she being aware of his mode
of living, and some secrets connected, threatened to expose
and prosecute bins if lie did not marry her. In order to.
quiet her, he held out some promise of marriage, and induced
her to sell a cow she had to pay the marriage expenses. He
enjoined on her the most strict secrecy, stating that he had
no money, and that his friends would be enraged with him
if they heard it. It was arranged that on a given night they
would be married, and that they should go the mainland on
that evening from the island they lived on, Errielannen, a
distance of a little more than half a mile, to Roundstone,
where the priest lived. Bridget Barrett, however, before
going to the mainland, told her sister the particulars, en-
joining her to keep the matter secret. The sister, however,
did not do so, but told a male acquaintance of her's all she•
heard, and lie being curious to see them off, hid himself
behind a rock on the shore, and plainly saw Mannion,,
with his brother-in-law, Thomas Cosgrave, and Bridget.
Bassett, enter a boat together, and push off towards the'
mainland. He remained there a considerable time awaiting
their return, but there were then only two men in the boat.
At this very time, on the opposite shore, there were a num-
ber of persons playing at cards. The door of the house they
were in being open, one of them remarked that he surely
had heard the scream of a woman crying out " Oh, my back
is broken !" However, Bridget Barrett was nowhere to be
heard of. Suspicion having fallen on those parties, one of
them, Mannion, was sent to our county gaol a few days ago.
After a good deal of search and inquiry had been made the
body of a woman was washed ashore where the accused and
Bridget Barrett had previouly got into the boat. The body
was at once recognised as that of Bridget Barrett, although
much disfigured, the hands and legs having been literally-
torn off; it is thought they were tied together, and then tied
to an anchor, which is missing from one of the neighbour's
boats. The place about it was dragged, and it is supposed
that the drag came in contact with the body, and tore it
away from the anchor. Much praise is due to Mr. Jones,
ILK, for the diligent exertions he made to discover the:
perpetrators of this murder. On the body being found he,
sent for Andrew Hosty, Esq., coroner, Tuam, who held an
inquest on the body, on the days of the 24th, 25th, 26th,
and 27th instant. The following is the verdict :—" We find
that the said Bridget Barrett was allured into a boat in the
harbour of Rosaenule, in the county of Galway, by James.
Mannion and Thomas Cosgrave (Dominick), both of whore.
wilfully murdered the said Bridget Barrett on the high seasr
in the bay of Roundstone, on the night of the 10th of Sep-
tember last."—Galway Indicator.

- _
WESTMINSTER REFORM SOClETT.—Tuesday Right
at eight o'clock, a highly influential meeting of the electors of
Westminster, members of the Westminster Reform Sosiety,
was held at Stannard's Hotel, Charles-street, Covent-garden:.
" to take into consideration what measures shall be adopted(
by the society, under the apprehended scarcity of food."
There were genelemen present from the whole of the parishes.
Mr. Front was appointed to the chair. After some discussion
Mr Austin stated that the country was in a most perilous%
situation, as it was well known that such was the deficiency
of the wheat crop, that they had not a sufficiency of corn to'
last till the harvest. He moved the following resolution:—
" That in consequence of the failure of the recent crops of
corn and potatoes, a public meeting of the inhabitants of
Westminster be convened, to memorialize her Majesty to
direct the immediate opening of the ports for the admissioili
of foreign grain free of duty, and to adopt such measures OP,
the present crisis may seem to require." The resolution was.
agreed to unanimously, and a numerous committee of all the,
parishes was formed to carry out the object, it being left to
them whether a requisition should be presented to the High
Bailiff.
DESTRUCTION OF A SHIP NT FIRB.-011 Tuesday
the following letter was received concerning the discovery of
the wreck of a burnt ship, ashore on the Devonshire coast„
near Bideford :—" On Saturday morning, about daybreak, a
Mounted
cColoaysetiGiyu,awrdhilSeervonic
%theattalookehe cOnt7,
tchoreplo3rreall_
noticed a ship on shore off
_Welleombe. Having given the,
necessary alarm, be proceeded to inspect it, when he found.
preventive station u
else was without masts and bued down to the water's-edge..
she Appeared to be about four hundred tons burthen,
1% ith timber, from which, it is presumed, she is from Ame- •
rica. Mr. Staff, the chief officer of the Coast-guard station,
lost no time in adopting measures to save her cargo, which
floated out of the wreck as the tide rose. Nothing was foist&
on board to lead to her identity, every portion of her, with.,
the exception of the lower part of the hull, being destroyed."
It is more than probable that she is the same vessel that wee:
passed in flames on the 10th of last month by the Diamond,.
of Exeter, and supposed to be the Abeona, of New Ross,.
from Quebec. If she proves to be the same, the crew have
been all saved.
SERIOUS ACCIDENT TO THE LADY OF LIEUTENANT,
Wactonie, R.N.—We regret to state that Mrs. Waghorn, the
lady of Lieutenant Waghorn, met with an accident last week...
by which she received a compound fracture of one of her legs..
The accident occurred on the way from her residence at Snocle-
land to Strood in a four-wheeled carriage, driven by tb'su
man-servant, when the horse sbyed at a donkey in the road,.
and started off. The servant begged his mistress to keep . her-
seat, telling her he should be able to pull the horse up; but
she became alarmed, threw herself out, and thus unfortu
nately her leg was fractured.
METROPOLITAN DRAPERS' ASSOCIATION.—Tuesday
night a public meeting of assistants to drapers in the eastern
districts of London was held in the Theatre of the Eastern
Institution, Commercial-mad ;G. F. Young, Esq., in the
chair. The meeting was addressed by employers, clergymen,,
and others favourable to the lessening of the hours of labour,.
and to the propriety of affording assistants an oppor-
tunity of improving themselves mentally and morally.
Amongst the objects of the Drapers Association, the secre-
tary stated that one was the raising of 5,0001. as a "pits' fund.