The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDA

He came to him and said, " Give me something to buy foot!,
or I shall perish. This is the second day on which I have not
broken my fast." Now that was not a solitary instance, es
there were thousands of such instances in the place in which
he resided. He would not trouble the meeting further, but
tveuld conclude with a few lines, which he thought most ap-
plicable to the present subject :
" Oh for a lay, loud as the surge
That lashes Lapland's sounding shore !"
Oh for a voice of storm, to rouse the people from their
• trance,
Ere independence be no more;
Ere England sinks beneath the Tory glance !
Ye torpid powers ! a boding fear pervades my melan-
choly soul,
And whispers, in the muse's song,
Your energies have slept too long.
Oh, yet, if it be not too late.
Arouse, and try to avert your fate.
Strain every nerve, swell every vein,
To rend the intolerable chain,
Jet union guide, let union bind,
Your hearts, your councils, and your mind.
'Tis only thus ye now can hope,
With England's deadly foes to cope,
And happily, yet, you may prevail ;
But, e'en should every effort fail,
Your glorious struggle in so good a cause
Will win immortal glory and applause.
• The demons that oppress our isle,
•
And their dark legions of dismay
May for a season tyrannize, •
While England shudders at their swaye
But, like the sun enthroned on high
Beyond the fierce destroyer's course,
Britannia's guardian, Liberty,
Mocks their vain rage—defies their baffled force.
Her patriot sons shall brave this gale—
Brave the tremendous breakers' roar—
Turn our remorseless tyrants pale
Upon eed Albion's sea-girt shore !—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. ORIEL, of Devizes, felt that he had a duty to discharge
in laying before the meeting the wretched condition of the poor
in the parts in which lie resided. He did not think that agri-
caltural diitresshad been full represented at the meeting. He
b. lieved that the miseries in the agricultural districts far sur-
passed those in the manufacturing. He had travelled into
one hundred villages in Wiltshire, and the distress pre
railing there was mostalarming.—( Loud cries of " Shame.")
There was a time when poor labourers were enabled to keep
fir their own use a pig. That blessed state of things was al-
tered now ; if they got a pig at all now, it scarcely could be
called for their own use ; at any rate, it was not for their gus-
h nance ; their pigs were given to pay rent and rates, and not
even the offal was left for the family.—(Cheers.) He had
been into houses where the inmates had subsisted for a long
time on barley bread arid potatoes without tasting other food.
Oil this they live from week to week, and from month to
month, whilst there may be seen, perchance, the farmers'
flitches of bacon hanging up in corners of the wretched cabin
for the purpose of being dried. Mr. Oriel then proceeded to
read statements which he had gathered from several families
of the labouring class in the neighbourhood of Devizes. These
accounts presented pictures of the most harrowing distress ; in
most of the cases referred to the cabins or huts of the inhabi-
tants contained only one room, where the families, consisting
in the instances quoted, of seven, eight, and nine chil lien, lived
and slept. The average wages received for the support of a
whole family did not exceed 95., being about. Is. per week per
individual. As before stated, their food consisted of nothing
but barley bread and potatoes; and the head of one family de-
clared that he had not tasted meat, cheese, or butter for three-
quarters of a year.—( This recital of misery appeared to excite
ft clings of great syra.i athy in the breasts of the auditory.)—
No condition could be more unhappy than that of the agri-
cultural labourers who toiled in humble obedience, but who
never touched those goods of nature which their labours con-
tributed to raise. The condition of that class was deserving of
the utmost sympathy. They were well aware how abject was
their state ; but they did net dare to give expression to their
real feelings, so complete was their dependence on their aris-
tocratic masters.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. Jolter TowLE, of Oxford, next addressed the meeting.
Ihe district from which he came was purely agricultural. lie
believed that the picture of the condition of the agricultural
labourer was net over elrawn by the gentleman who had pre-
ceded him. The farmers' labourers in Isis district received, in
general, but seven shillings a week, which left them but one
shilling a day to support a family consisting frequently of
seven persons. He remembered, that when he was a young

man, farmers' servants received ten shillings a week and ten
pounds a year. A young man in the same situation now re-
ceived but three shillings and sixpence a week. He had, in
travelling to London, questioned one of the class, from whom
he had received that information, and who told him, on further
inquiry, that his breakfast was bread and lard, his dinner
was bread and lard, and his supper was bread and lard.
Such was the condition to which the Corn-laws reduced the

agricultural population.— ( Hear, hear.) He had struggled
himself to retain the land of his forefathers—his paternal pro-
) erty—but he was not able to effect it. He had been a tenant
to the Earl of Manvers, and with all his endeavours he coted
not keep his family together.—(clear, hear.) The farmr,
which were occupied by tour or five persons formerly, were now
in the hands of one, and of course fewer labourers were
employed. Mr. Ainsworth and others were now in the pos-
session of thote farms. But he was glad that at length per-
sons of influence were coming forward to relieve thorn from
the operation of those causes which had produced ruin to the
farmers.--( Hear, hear. ) He had been present in the morn-
ing when an allusion had been made to the scene by which
the Corn-law had been introduced, and he was a little boy
when one of the persons who had been shot fell at his feet;
and he knew that six balls of cartridge had been served to
the troops on the occasion, but he hoped to see England freed
from her oligarchy and her bad laws.—(Cheers.) In Oxford,
when they first started the Corn-law agitation, they were
laughed at, but at length they became so strong as to be
enabled to send a deputation to wait upon Mr. Langston, re-
yuesting him to stand for Oxford, and they were able to place
him at the head of the poll, 11,000 plumpers having been voted
f .r him.
The Rev. Mr. WILLIAMS, of Carnarvon, said he brought
with him forty-one congregational, and thirty-seven general,
petitions, from the mountains of Wales, having '21,470 signa-
tures attached to them. They were entrusted to him fur pre-
sentation to her Majesty. He should read to the meeting a
petition which had been adopted at a general meeting of minis-
ters held at Carnarvon:—
TO HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY.

represented, he'would liave been impeached.—( Hear.) The May it please your Majesty,—We, your Majesty's loyal and dutiful
Minister of the Crown was responsible for the conduct of the subjects, being Christian ministers of various denominations, repre-
Sovereign ; and when Polignac advised Charles the Tenth of 'suiting numerous congregations, and enjoying the sympathy and
France to put restrictions on the press, he was impeached and cordial concurrence of many absent ministerial brethren resident in
banished, and the revolution of 1830 was the consequence. agricultural as welt as the mining districts in North Wales,—have
(Cheers.) Sir Robert Peel ought to be warned by his ex- assembled in Carnarvon, during the first and second days of Decem..
ample. He said that over-production was the cause of the ber, 1841, to communicate our experience and convictions relative
distress of the country, and that the hours of labour ought to to the operation of the laws, which by restricting the amount, and
be curtailed ; but what an insult to the females of England to increasing the price of food, providentially available for the inha.
tell them that short hours would redress their wrongs.— bitants of this land, repress the resources of the country, and afflict
( Hear, hear.) He was working in a factory himself for the labouring people ; and are desirous to approach the throne and
thirteen hours a day, and he allowed that the hours were too address to the ear of our beloved Sovereign an expression of our
many; but when they ceased to be employed, would the ari- i sympathies in relation to the deeply interesting position in which
stocraey support them ?—( Hear, hear.) Let them but have a merciful Providence has placed your Majesty, as a Mother and a
the power of exchanging their labour for the bread which f Queen ; and also to declare our sentiments in reference to the laws
others had to give them if they were not prevented from doing which so widely affect the happiness ofour fellow subjects.:
so, and they would require no aid and no assistance. It was alleged The depression of trade, and the consequent poverty and suffer-
at one time that over-production was the cause,; at another, log of our people, prevent them and us from mingling in festive
that over-population was the cause ; but did not one argument celebrations on the occasion in which the God of all mercies, in in.
destroy the other ?—(Cheers. ) They were recommended to finite goodness, has preserved the life of your Majesty, and be-
emigrate ; but he would advise the people not to do so ; Eug- stowed on your Majesty and your people a Prince destined, we
land was made for them, and they were made for England.— Live, after many years, to become the ruler of these realms. Yet
(Cheers.) Sir Robert Peel, with his usual cunning, entice- we trust our evpressions of congratulation will not be deemed less
voured to set the Ministers of England against them, by mak- '
, loyal and afiectionate, while thus assemleed to address your Majesty,
ing the Corn-laws depend on the Tithe Commutation.—( Hear, we hail the birth of your Royal Sou, as heir of our native British
hear.) He said the Tithe Commutations were founded on the Kings, for whom are reserved the highest Sovereign honours be-
system of averages. There were mighty interests opposed to longing to this ancient Principality, and descending by long here-
them, but the people of England before defeated Charles the ditery succession from the Second Edward, born its the castle whose
First, and they beat the aristocracy in 1832, and would do so venerable walls surround us. May the Prince now born be long
again—( Cheers)—and nothing less than their total abolition preserved, and made wise for the Government of his people, and be
would satisfy them. They would turn out Peel, and they the source of continued comfort to his Royal and Illustrious
would turn out Lord John Russell, if he did not satisfy them.— Parents.
(Cheers ) He begged to return thanks for himself, and the In the midst of our warm and grateful feelings, excited by
operatives who sent him, for the patience with which he this auspicious event, and whilst cherishing the most affec-
was heard. ' tonate veneration for the person and dynasty, and an ardent
Mr. TAYLOR, jun , from the Young Men's Anti-Monopoly attachment to the Throne, of your Majesty, we are solemnly
Association said, he was seat by those whom he represented to conscious that we are met to discharge an onerous and grievous
witness the consultations of his elders and
,betters. They duty in laying before your Majesty our impressions and convic-
thought it might be a good exercise for the rising mind to coos as to the character and operation of the Corn.taws. We
come there to refute the arguments or statements of the Prime are surrounded by, and, in the discharge of our avocations, come
Minister.—( Hear, hear.) It was said his arguments were into daily contact, with multitudes who depend on their industry
only fit for the nursery, and they deserved to be met only by for their honest maintenance; we witness their struggles and
the piping treble of infantile scorn —( Hear.) It was a , sympathise with them in their sorrows and privations. But
melancholy thing for the character of England end English- i though language be inadequate to describe the scenes of heart.
men to see a man like Peel at the head of the Government, rending, wide spread, and ever deepening distress with which our
supporting the Corn-laws with such arguments as those ducy makes us painfully familiar, we are constrained to attempt to
adopted by him, and to see a man of his talents, made the tool of convey to your gracious Majesty intelligence of the fact that thou.
monopolists. It would be less disgusting to a man of feeling, if . sands of your loyal and industrious subjects are in destitution, to a
the support of these laws were for his own interests, but very great extent, of the common necessaries of life; and, besides
to see him turn round, and with such arguments as he u-ed, : the prevalence of levers and other diseases, suffer many of the
endeavour to crush the power which had raised him to his • consequences of famine in a land of plenty. We venture respect-
Dung present
degradationpiteh of
tothegreatness,
m mind
dwoaf s ,
every indeed,
E ,}glilkismaehlytno. bring syshameshamee fully, but confidently, to trace these miseries to inadequate employ-
men of London, and he entertained no doubt but the young fluctuations in trade but are the legitimate and necessary effects of
men of every other town in England, conceived that th ey had laws, which produce artificial scarcity and enhance the price of
even a greater interest in the repeal of those laws than their bread, and, preventing the increase of labour and conunerce, lessen
fathers, because they had a longer life before them; and their the remuneration of industry. •
fathers had lived in the days before the declension cf English I We have but too well accredited testimony regarding other
commerce and English prosperity, and when they were able parts of your Majesty's empire to remain in doubt whether others
to make a competence for the future. It used to be said, some suffer as do our flocks and neighbours in the Principality. We
years ago, that when a slave touched the shores of England he read of tens of thousands of skilful and willing craftsmen who sub_
became a freeman, but such could no longer be said now. It mist on the scanty pittance of public charity, and the seasonable cf.
was not in the power of the aristocracy to prevent them getting forts and contributions of humane individuals— a kind of monetary
a repeal of the Corn-laws ~• that had been crushed before, but maintenance calculated to impoverish the donors, and debase the
mush might be attributed to the apathy -amongst the middle ifeelings and character of the recipients, without any permanent be-
classes. It arose from a want of a cordial union. The middle nefit to the community.
classes had not, in many instances, done their duty In full reliance on the sympathy and parental solicitude util-
es they should, and much of the distrust which fornaly evinced by your Majesty towards those who suffer, and for
arose amongst the working-men arose from this fact. He did the happiness of your people, and encouraged by yeur Queenly do-
nut mean to say that the Chartists had acted wisely in the course termination to " rule in righteousness," we humbly, yet earnestly,
they had taken—the principle of the Reform Bill was that no entreat that the constitutional prerogatives vested in you, as our
man should be taxed without his own consent, through his re- Chief Magistrate, may be so exerted, as to your wisdom may seem
presentatives ; but the working-classes had gained no Raven- i fit, in order that, at the earliest opportunity, the legal restrictions
tage by this, and thus it was little wonder that they threw thetres on the sale of articles of food may be expunged from the statutes
selves into the arms of Close who tried to ensnare them. He of your realm, and a free commerce with all the nations in the
having been a lecturer, and having attended many a meeting, bounties of a universal providence be established for your people.
could bear testimony to the willingness of the working classes I The Rev. W. STOKES said, the district which he represented
generally, and even of the Chartists, to be on good terms with in the Conference contained about 20,000 inhabitants, who
the middle classes. A better feeling was fast growing amongst were chiefly engaged in the same trade, and were the last who
them, and from this union of intelligence and strength he had would be likely to feel the bad effects of the Corn-laws ; vet
the best hopes of success.—(Cheers.') , ' misery was exhibiting itself in the most appalling shapes. wln
The Reverend Mr. Moacwie, Rapt. at Minister from Stour- his parish the size of their workhouse had been doubled within
bridge, said that it had been his pleasing duty, Sunday four years, yet they were obliged to put the paupers three in a
after Sunday, to pray that God might be pleased to give employ- , laid. Poors'-rates had been doubled ; they had now four
ment to the poor, and to remunerate them for their labour; ' double rates a year; the guardians of the poor did not know
but he felt that to offer such prayers and not tin -:elp to carry what to do with them, where to put them, nor how to employ
them out by exertions, was to serve God with the lip, but to ' them. Yet these were men of iron—honest, skilful, and
withhold the requisite act. Let no one, then, minister or par- ' patriotie—perfectly opposed to the lurking character of Sir
tizan, say that he, a clergyman, hail no right to take pses in Robert Peel. They had selected him (Mr. Stokes) as their
seeking for a repeal of the Corn-laws, if that could be called Delegate, and warned him against a compromise. We must,
politics.—(Cheers.) He was sorry to say that distress was sail they, have a total surrender, or we are ruined.—( Cheers. )
spreading on every side. On Monday evening a friend told Last week 36 artisans took their passage to America; hun-
him that a few years since there were in Worcester 147 master dreds were prepared to folio* glom, and 50 men were engaged
glovers; now there were about 30.—( Hear, hear.) One of to go and establish a hollow-ware factory in Spain. In tact,
the working glovers had not earned 55. during the last three now foreign countries wanted not our goods, but our men.
until the year 1841,
ago, earned 24i. a week ;
months; and this case was a specimen of too many ethers. The West Bromwich Guardians had at length agreed to a me-
He
at the rate of 2
(61r.
M•) himself knew an artizan who, some years niorial to Ministers, stating that pauperism had been increasing
, nothing to do, In thewo his wanes were radually reduced from want of. employment—that, therefore, they besought her
Isim.enidltle(,
fg Duringot
his Is
threei
misery
set
rowy•ro
his
fourit day'.s work. in the Majesty's Munsters to devise some means of supporting or em-
week months he had ploying the poor. Now, if every Board were to adopt this
soon died ofwife lay in, and course, Ministers would be soon brought to their senses. He
that all the lienrfwerselnaveee,ryan;d ftehremirlfirlieenthdes
hoped the consequence of the afflictions of the poor would not
dreg. Now, wwaoats, amidst the wailings of her famishing chit-
fall
the f
al
catn: adducedsshere tbhve rt
he
ec waso
not this murder in detail?—( Hear, hear. ) upon their successors;, but really he often wished to go to
But the whoe land resounded with
heartily joined in people were so situated, we could not be said to enjoy liberty.
was glad to say somei e far-famedltoped
the present agitation. '
fist
cries
ministerso f woe. lldi (Mr.. A.11..:5i
Rev. Thomas Swan, who presii.e,
over the largest comma • lse,sl'er, would have the effect
of awaking
districts, was 11, • • racating denominations in ihe mining c i sn. . the attention of
their most zealo our rulers in time ; if they did not, he dreaded
spirited meeting at -Stourb • us co-operator. They had a
ti
on of what might follow.—( Cheers.) the. conternpla-
w as, "No surrender;ridge a few days since. The cry 11 _ _ ..,..0f..,
and a total • Mr. JOSEPH DAYLEI, llkeston, Derby, then f
Corn-laws." He hoped this and immediate repeal of the
__ .
neral.—(Cheers ) - ward. He salt the Society which sent him to this on. C ' erence,
. though of very short duration, was one of 0
Mr. .r. H. LEWIS, of Stroud, connexion with the Anti-Corn. law Rae most spirited in
a district of 40,00 t) inhabitants,oud, bad a tale of woe to tell from
three Delegates to this epealera ; that Society
the golden valley, bli which was once called had sentwith Conference, and he had
t was now the valley of de- brought him sevenl petitions,of signed by 4,000 inhabitants,
solation. The determination
garded the repeal of the Cof
his constituents as re- out of an entire pcliouoatdioetnails
of the
Mr. Bayley then nor-
compromise. They would hav°rn-laws, was no surrender, no rated sonieiaarrow b
amongst the the destitution and misery
of the Corn and Provision-lawes nothing
less than a total repeal which existed
h emwe la'sg a labouring classes in the neighbour-
cation to him, their Delegate, to. find that It was a gratifi- hood whenee
when, in Delegate.th He thought the time had
now of the same determination that the Conference was come now,E however,lala should' do his immortal Nelson's words,
would relate an occurrence e *---( Hear and cheers.) He " Every _ng 1 im
.___ duty." He trusted they
o a recent date.on and aettate.—Hear. He would •He resided in would go say one wordon
Stroud, and last week a person who hadofthe'Land-ta Last
x. Session Robert
him, and who, when trade was at one time worked far the sübject
in England
good, earned 3/. or 41. a week. stated that the Land-tax far exceeded that ' paid is