The Sun.
London, England, 1827-03-05 00:00:00

MEETING OF THE MECHANICS AT LIVER-

POOL.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
In the course of Thursday bills were posted about the town in-
viting the Mechanics to assemble at the Golden Lion, for the pur-
pose of forming Petitions to both Houses of Parliament, on the
Repeal of the Corn Laws, the Reduction of the Public Expendi-
ture, and the proposed Additional Grant to the Duke of Clarence.
In consequence a meeting took place on Friday evening, the
211 instant, in the great room of the inn above-mentioned. About
eight o'clock nearly two hundred persons were present ; the num-
bers were greatly increased in the course of the evening.
Mr. Joi.' EWING was called to the chair, and explained the
object of the Committee in calling that meeting, after which the
following series of Resolutions was read :-
Ist. That great distress, which has so long prevailed over the
Manufacturing districts, has made rapid strides amongst the
Working Community of this great Commercial Town—numbers
of whom, desirous of work, are wandering about the streets and
quays, in destitution, or so seldom employed, that they can sup-
port only a precarious existence ; while others are reduced to seek
an asylum in the work-house. . _

2. That this distress is attributable principally to the Laws
restricting the importation of Foreign Corn, rendered more into-
lerable by the weight of Taxes imposed to supply an extravagant
expenditure of the Public Revenue.
3. That the monopoly granted to the land-owners by the pre-
sent Corn Laws is subversive of the natural rights of free subjects,
inasmuch as it compels the people to derive a great portion of their
food from sterile soils, the expensive cultivation of which en-
hances the first necessary of life, until it is scarcely attainable by
the industrious workman, who, were he a free agent, could pro-
cure, in exchange for his handy work, an ample supply from
foreiga countries, in lieu of that raised from barren lands, at the
same moderate price which would fairly remunerate the proprie-
tors of good land at home, from which the consumption would
be mainly supplied.
4. That the corn laws are nationally, as well as individually,
abhorrent to sound policy and philosophy, by interdicting the in-
troduction of grain—the staple commodity of many other States—
they prohibit that commercial intercourse which would give em-
ployment to our destitute workmen, and benefit all classes ; and
they drive those States to retaliate by a rivalry in manufactures,
-,vhich threatens eventually to supersede us in foreign markets,
notwithstanding our superior skill and industry,—while they
foster hostile feelings against us, which may again plunge the
country into desolating wars.
5. That the, experience of years has amply proved that the
corn laws, enacted professedly for the benefit of the agricultural
interests at large, but evider.itly intended for the aggrandisement
of a comparatively few landowners, at the expence of the mani-
fold consumers, who constitute the real strength of the nation,
have not realized the expectations of those who framed them.
That the tenants of land, struggling under exorbitant rents and
imposts, and contending with a precarious climate, are exposed to
frequent insolvency and distraint, and the agricultural labourer is
reduced to a partial dependence upon the poor rates, which, in
some districts, amount to the average of the rental.
6. That the outcry of the landowners against the abolition of
the corn laws, on the ground that it would produce devasta-
tion by throwing lands out of cultivation, is not support-
ed by reason or by experience. That the free in-
troduction, in exchange for our manufactures, of foreign
corn, would still leave prices sufficiently high to remu-
nerate the home grower on good soils, at reasonable rents,
while the poor lands would be available for patronage; and
by enlarging commercial intercourse, would increase the wealth
and comforts of the people. The expences of cultivatiori would
be reduced ; rents would be still adequate to the respectable main-
tainance of our gentry, and every product of labour being ren-
dered cheaper, our manufactures would flourish without rivalry,
and the several great interests of the nation, in place of being
pitted against each other, would enjoy in mutual good will a state
of increasing prosperity.
7. That the wretchedness, discontent, and incentive to crime,
produced amongst a large portion of people by the want of employ-
ment, are evils which may be removed, or greatly mitigated by
the extension of the principles of free trade to the article of Foreign
Corn, and by a reduction of taxes; and that this meeting do,
therefore, firmly, but respectfully petition both Houses of Parlia-
ment to repeal the Corn Laws, and to restrain the public expen-
diture, abolishing a.ll unnecessary official appointments, with a
steady view to the reduction of the present exorbitant and para-
lysing extent of taxation.
S. That this meeting cannot avoid deploring that his Majesty's
Ministers, with an apparent apathy for the sufferings of the
people, and a contempt of economy should, at the present time,
make a proposition for an additional allowance of 9,0001. per
annum, to the annuity of 9,5001., (besides the income of pro-
fessional appointments) paid from the public purse to his
Royal Highness the Duke of Clarence, as they consider that
such grant which is professedly unsought for by the Royal
Duke himself, is altogether unnecessary ; and that though of
small amount in the general expenditure, it involves a principle of
extravagance, pregnant with danger to the national interests, and
derogatory from that loyal and respectful' feeling which it is de-
sirable should always be entertained for every member of the
Royal Family, by the humblest, as well as the highest subjects of
the realm.
9. That a petition founded on the Resolutions just put, be for-
warded to both Houses of Parliament.
10. That the thanks of the Meeting be given to Mr. Ewing,
for his able conduct in the Chair this evening.
Mr. Woons spoke at considerable length after the reading of
the first resolution, and sat down amidst general applause.
The 2d, 3d, 4th, sth, and 6th Resolutions were read and
passed without any remarks.
After the reading of the 6th resolution,
Mr. Woons again rose, and remarked, that if the free impor-
tation of corn were allowed, we should have a more plentiful sup.
ply of cheese, butter, and flesh meat. for the land which was for-
merly cultivated for the growth of corn would be converted into
pasture land.
A Mr. ATHERTON here rose, but had scarcely introduced his
speech, when he became confused, and stated, that the number of
the meeting, and the presence of Mr. Rushton, quite paralysed his
efforts in addressing them.
Mr. IltmiTort, upon this, rose and said that nothing could
give him more pleasure than thus to witness the endeavours of
the labouring classes, to free themselves from the burden under
which they were now labouring. He should never have entered
this meeting if he could have contemplated that his presence
would have suppressed the expression of such feelings against these
unjust laws, which have for so many years been existing. The
mechanics, he had been told, had no senses,—not spirit enough
to manage their own business. He had come to this meeting to
learn, from mechanics, a lesson to guide his future conduct.
Mr. ATHgarros having gained a little confidence, said, that the
want of labour might be attributed to the pernicious effect of the
Corn Laws. The ports had in a manner been open to other
countries to come here ; but it was not giving the artisan the op-
portunity of meeting his labourer, for he could live at a cheaper
rate in his own country.
A MECHANIC here observed, that to substantiate the allegation
in this resolution (the 7th) that wretchedness did not exist, we
needed no proof whatever.
Bth. After the reading of the Bth resolution, several mechanics
made sensible and severe remarks upon the appropriation of so
large a share of the public money to the support of the Clergy, and
proceeded to exhort their brother artisans to come forward to de-
fray the expence of their petition.
One of the Meeting here remarked, that the Duke of Clarence
had now an opportunity of gaining the affections of the people, by
merely denying himself that which he needed net.
Mr. RUSHTON said, that there were two "classes of society, the
ornamental and the useful ; and he felt proud in addressing that
gclraseastspvtiacshurseuptpo see themortsth so sooneinterests of
follow b
thecotunetry. It gave him
example
of their
Manchester neighbours, at whose Meeting the speech of a poor
weaver would have graced the House of Commons. He perfectly
agreed
this
should
eptkbisesroen petition.
Cries that a request
After some little confusion, it was agreed that the petition
with the
haveres ol übt iaodr i
some which
consideration. ad
that
should he presented in the House of Lords by Lord King, and
in themade
House
t oG
Gen:
CommonsGaseone byo support
Alr. Hrtus
Cries for Mr. John -Smith (of the Liverpool Mercury) from
the meeting being very general, that Gentleman rose and ad-
dressed the meeting. He was very much flattered by these calls,
and equally surprised because he was not there present for taking
a part in any discussion, and thought that the meeting should be
carried on by them, and then the Legislature might perceive what
wisdom there was in what they called the lower classes of society,
but which he considered the useful, industrious, and working classes.
He had abstained from seconding any of these resolutions, because
lie wished the speeches to be confined to the Mechanics alone.—
He would have moved some of these resolutions, but he wanted
them to erect a monument of their own minds. When he
looked round, and witnessed the distress that was prevailing, the
thousands who were now suffering from want, it caused him to
exclaim that, the safety of the people is the supreme law, and
that the legislative power should be directed to alleviate these suf-
ferings, before any other subject was considered. They had his
best wishes for the promotion of their petition, and that the
people of England might be as happy as they are now miserable.