The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-11 00:00:00

.

Mr. SIDNEY SMITH said, as a member of the Conference, he was
anxious to impress upon the speakers the necessity of brevity, as
it was improbable the Conference would sit longer than Saturday,
and twenty-four Delegates being in attendance, it was necessary
that their constituents should know they had recorded those opinions
which they were sent there to express.
Mr. Asnvower, a Delegate from the Sussex Anti-Corn-law Asso-
ciation, said he should profit by the hint just dropped, and be as
concise as possib.e. He represented a county which had to struggle
with much difficulty and great discouragement in giving an open
and candid expression to its feeling. It was represented by ten
Tories in Parliament, and he thought rt‘ least ten Delegates should
represent it in the present Conference- The town he had the
honour of representing contained a population if 14,000 persons,
and in that number there were only 130 electors; and therefore it
was important that the representation of the Anti. Corn-law Asso-
ciation of that district should express their opinions and feelings.
He could detail distress in his neighbourhood which would bring
contrition to the heart of any man save a Premier. A new Poor.
house had been built there, and yet since its erection it had been
debated whether it should be -enlarged, or the overplus of the
paupers turned out.—(Hear.) In the month of November upwards
of 250 able-bodied labourers ap;slied for shelter and a meal's vic-
tuals, while they were wandering the counry seeking for that work
which. notwithstanding their anxiety to get it, was denied them;
and this in the county of Sussex, the hotbed of monopoly.
and tithes and parsons.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) He had been
deputed by one of the largest meetings held in the district which
he represented, to express their sympathy and cordial concurrence
in the object of this Conference; but he was desired, at the same
time, to state their firm conviction that it was useless to be peti-
tioning year after year—(Loud cheers)—merely to be made sport of
by State hacks and trading politicians.—(Hear, hear.) And he was
also desired to ask if they were prepared to carry out those measures-
which would be of real and practical benefit to the people—if the
small shopkeepers, and those dependent upon the lords of the soil,
were to carry on the struggle until they were ultimately crushed ?
He wished the Conference to declare energetically that they would
no longer submit to those intolerable laws. There was a feeling
now amongst the working classes which required that some great
moral demonstration should be made to brino; Sir Robert Peel to his
senses. He had heard of the sacrifices of the citizens of London
in the olden times—he had heard of the females selling theit,
jewellery and plate to procure the sinews of war, and he
trusted that myriads would uow come forward and make some
great movement. He apprehended that it was unnecessary to
enter upon statistical delails—they had had misery until humanity
had sickened at it. In collecting signatures for a petition on the
subject about which they were now met, he had witnessed such
distress as he had considered impossible to exist without he had
witnessed it personally. Action was now what was wanted, and
not talking, and he hope t he would be able to tell his consti-
tuents upon his return that the Anti Corn.law Conference was
actuated by a firm and undaunted resolution to struggle to the last
for the repeal of the Corn-laws.
Mr. STERLING said the greatest distress existed in all parts of
Scotland, fully equal to anything that could be found in this great
metropolis, or any of the manufacturing towns throughout the
country. They were told that if any one was its want and over-
come, warm,n
ne
e od r,
ibtepyroefictleodthneodt,h"inyget; gav e
1 him
not nd said to him
and
of what avail was it that the Government admitted that distress
a thatof which
existed, and professed to sympathise with the sufferers, whilst they
‘ he Bel3stoode
did nothing for their relief?—(Hear, hear.) Sir Robert
Peel admitted that the proposed alteration was not likely to
confer any material benefit upon the country. Was it
not then an insult to the nation to propose. such a remedy ?
(Hear, hear.) But there was one admission in his (Sir Robert
Peel's) speech which was of very great importance. He said the
duty which he proposed would be an adequate protection to the
agriculturists. If the proposed duty were adequate, it followed
that the present duty was far more than adequate; and there-
fore, to the extent of the differe ice, upon his (Sir Robert Peel's)
own admission, the people had been robbed.—(Hear, hear, wad
cheers.) He (Mr. Sterling) did not think the efforts of Anti.
Corn-law Associations had as yet been unsuccessful; it was to
them, at least, that the proposal of this measure was to be at-
tributed. They were. charged with using inflaminatorylanguage.
He believed that they were the peacemakers who had stood in
the gap between the oligarchy, the selfish legislators, and the
suffering, the disinterested, and the almost maddened people—
(Hear, hear)—who had stemmed the torrent of dissatisfaction and
prevented the outbreak of Chartism throughout the length and
breadth of the land.—(Hear, hear.) He had been deputed to at.
tend that Conference, not by his own congregation alone, but by
the whole population of the town, all of whom, with very few
exceptions, had signed a petition for the total and immediate
repeal of these Corn and Provision laws. He had been Instructed
by his constituents to consent to not, ing less than their total repeal.
'fhe Rev. FR/NCIS Btsuop, of Warrington, next addressed the
meeting. He said he rejoiced at the firm tone taken by the Con-
ference; at the determinatioi manifested to stand on the broad
ground of principle, to look at the great question before them in the
light of truth, to demand justice and nothing less.—(Cheers.) He
was deputed to that Conference by a large meeting held at War-
rington, on Monday evening, a meeting of both sexes. He was
proud to stand there to represent the feelings, wishes, and views,
with respect to the Corn-law question, not only of his fellow-towns.
men, but of the women of Warrington, 6,000 of whom had memo-
rialised their Queen, calling upon her to exert her influence as far
as it could be constitutionally given, on behalf of her oppressed and
suffering subjects.—(Cheers.) The cause had raised a mighty
moral influx since the junction to its ranks of their fair country-
women, whose influence, when exercised as it finally was, on behalf
of humanity and benevolence, was all potent and irresistible. -As
he was leaving the meeting to which he had referred, he was
met on all hands by the injunction—" No surrender, no
comproaaise—no half measures—total,total repeal."—(Cheers.) He
rejoiced that he would be able to render an account of his steward-
ship, without any misgivings in this particular. That the Con-
ference had manifested a determination not to be driven from the
rock of principles by the wily professions, the puil promises, and
i the dexterous sophistries of that man of words—Sir Robert Peel.
He bad never anticipated any gaudgaudfrom such a quarter. He had
borne in mind, on that occasion',who expect nophing, far they will not be disappointed."--
the remark of Burke, "Blessed
Laugh r.) Enepting nothing from the GovernMent he bad not
a(re theyte

-ests, having enjoyed their roast pork at the expense of the
ruin of others, go on in the course of their practical experience to
have their roast pork, heedless.of the general ruin which their sys.
tern must involve.—(Ch_ers and laughter.) He looked with con-
siderable fear to the consequences of maintaining the present sys-
tem. A spark of hope still lingered in the breasts of the
working classes, but he looked with dread to the time when that
should be extinct.—(Hear, hear.) Could it be expected that
men would lie down and starve in the midst of plenty ?—(Hear.)
Could it be expected that they should stand by quietly and
ee their wives and children sinking into the grave through hunger
side by aide with a pampered and over.gorged aristocracy?—(Hear.)
It was not in human nature to endure these things with patience,
or to submit to oppression, to this extent without turning on the
oppressor.—(Hear, hear.) If the Monopolists did not listen to the
voice of justice they would be compelled to yield to the demands'
of forge.—(Hear, hear.)
The Rev. Mr. STRACUAN, of Forfar, presented himself to the
meeting, and said it was a subject of rejoicing to, him to find, that in
the provinces the people were alive to their duty and their interest.
He had received a letter this day from a landowner and farmer in
Scotland, who assured him that the conviction was rapidly spread.
ing amongst the class to which he belonged, that a total repeal
of the Corn-laws was as desirable for them as for those engaged
in commercial pursuits.--(Loud cries of " Hear, hear," and cheers.)
He was glad to say that on this subject, even in the Established
Church of Scotland, there was a rustling amongst the dry banes,—
(A laugh.) In his own parish, the elders, sixteen in number, the
managers, twelve in number, and all the heads of families, had
petitioned for the total repeal—(Cheers)—and the women, to the
number of hundreds, memorialized the Queen.—(Renewed cheers.)
All class legis'ation was a sin—(Cheers)—and it was the duty of
every man to do all in his power to put down the legislation which
took away the poor man's loaf.—(cbeers.) Whilst those who sup.
posed that they monopolized all the intelligence, as well as the
wealth of the country, were higgling like huxter wives about 6d.,
the people outside were deliberating whether there should be any
duty at all. —(Cheers ) Whilst Sir Robert Peel was discussing
the merits of the sliding scale, he was in fact taking the course by
which he and the monopolists must slide into the tomb of the Capulets.
Sir Robert Peel must be displaced.—(lmmense cheering.) It was
high time they should awake out of their sleep, and every good
man should be at his post, aiding the poor man to recover his
rights—(Cheers)—and one of his first rights was the right of sup-
plying himself and his family with sufficient clothing and food.—
The Corn-law was nothing but a mouth tax—(Cheers)—it was
a tax upon the poor man's finances. It was a tax which said
to him that out of every loaf he made use of he should give one-
third to furnish sauce fer the ri.rh man's plum-pudding.—(Hear,
hear.) In Scotland it was formerly the custom to make a whole
country-side thrall to some particular mill, and the miller, who was
frequently a rascal, plundered the people of their meal. At
length they found it was more to their interest to pension off this
miller, and pay him for doing nothing, and then they could go to
some honest miller. The aristocrats were thrall-men, and it would
be better to know what would really satisfy them, than to let them
go on stealing their meal.—(Cheers and laughter.) When he
first went to Dundee lie saw a man being scourged through
the town, with this label on his hack and on his breast, " James
Cowie, convicted of theft." He thought it would be no great
harm, if a similar label were pinned upon the back and breast of
the Duke of Buckingham Or what was it but theft of the worst
description, to steal a portion of the poor man's bread ?—(Loud
cheers.) In destitute districts, the poor were living below the
starvation point. That might seem at first to be impossible, but it
was easily explained. At the beginning of the year, a family might
be well clothed, and have plenty of furniture and bedding. They
earned during the year barely sufficient to supply them scantly
with the necessaries of life, their clothes were wearing out, and
they had no means of renewing them. Was not that being below
starvation point ? If a cabman spent every day the earnings of his
cab horse, it must be evident that when they were worn out, he
would be without the means of subsistence. There were thousands
sinking daily into this state of deplorable wretchedness. They
were told they were a discontented set—that they had stave eman-
cipation (they paid well for it, by the by)—Catholic emancipation--
the Reform Rill. This was good in part ; they were all good, but
why should the people cease to cry as long as they were deprived of
their rights, as long as they lacked food and were destitute of cloth-
ing and of e location ? So long as that was the case, honest men
would do well to be discontented.—(Cheers) Sir Robert had been
groaning with heaviness for five months. He called the nation to
witness his delivery, and he had brought forth nothing.—(Cheers.)
Peel's proposal was a mockery to a starving people. He would not
now enter into a Scripture argument as to the iniquity of the Corn..
law ; but he would call upon them to reject both a sliding scale and
a fixed duty, which afforded but a poor prospect. and to look to the
brawny arms and acute intelligence of those classes who were
anxious to restore the prosperity of the nation. Two doctors bad
now tried to heal their galled backs, but they were both quacks.
They would heal their backs and feed their bellies if they would
feed on what those quacks would sell them. There was the rub.
Where was the man that would slide with Peel or fix with Johnny ?
As every doctor has his hobby,
It is even so with John and Bobby.—(Laughter )
The one prescribes a fixed birch,
The other boasts a sliding scourge,
Stand fast to Eight. Lord Russell cries,
Slide up to Twenty, Peel replies.
What ! Doctors giving stone for bread,
While half are starving, half are dead.
—(Cheers and much laughter.) Mr. S. went on to say, that he
trusted they would not put themselves under the regimen of such
doctors ; that if they would trust to the intelligence of the country
and the firmness of the people ; that they would aid and assist in
every good work ; if they did so assuredly, when they were united,
those who would tyrannize over them would be forced to let the
reins of power drop from their hands.—(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN here intimated that a circular had been issued by
the Executive Committee, inviting all the Members of Parliatnent
and all the clergy of this city to attend a meeting of this Conference
on Saturday next, at 11 o'clock, at the Crown and Anchor Tavern,
when every facility would be afforded for Inquiry and counsel.'
The Chairman also stated that he had just learned that Mr. Villiers
had again this evening, given notice in the HouseofCommons,that
he would move for the total repeal of the Corn-laws. Ile regretted
also to say, that Lord J. Russell had contented himself with giving
notice of a motion to the effect that any alteration in the Corn-law
by a depression of the sliding scale was inadvisable.
Mr. BUCKNIASTER, of Buckinghamshire, next addressed the Con.
ference. He said he felt great pleasure in presenting himself as
the representative of a large agricultural district.—(Hear, hear.)
He thought the agricultural bearing of the question had been over.
looked in'some measure. He had personal cognizance of the fact,
that in the county of Buckingham—that county which was to be
especially protected by the sliding scale—there was fully as much
distress as in the manufacturing districts. There was as much real
suffering experienced by the labourers in Buckinghamshire at the
present moment as in the manufacturing towns of the North of
England. In that county the farmers were getting bankrupt,
and the same state of things that existed in the years 1834 and
and 1835 was again be experienced.—(Hear, hear.) He
was stopping in 'Buckinghamshire, and was written to from
Uxbridge to endeavour to get as many petitions as possible for a
repeal of the Corn-laws, in one parish in Buckinghamshire. He
had the notice on the Wednesday, and by the Friday he had a
petition signed by upwards of two hundred, for repeal. The wages
of the labourers in Buckinghamshire never increased anything
like the increased price of food. It was out of the power of the
farmer to regulate the wages of the labourer. The manufacturer,
with the farmer, can no more regulate the wages of the labourer,
than they cats regulate the motion of the sun ; it was quite out of
their power, and acted on different causes. In 1834 and 1835,
the labourers of Buckinghamshire had, on an average, Ss. a week ;
two hundred were working at 6s. a week, able-bodied men, having
wives and large families ; stone had more than 9s. 6d. ; and could
it then be supposed that those men were in the position repre-
sented by a bloated aristocracy—(Hear, hear, hear)—namely
that they were better off than the labourers of the Continent ? The
question was not whether they were better off than them or not,
but whether they were so well off as they
.ought to be.—:(Cheers.)
In one case in Buckinghamshire, a labourer had fallen down on the
farm flout actual exhaustion for want of food. In a parish,
Cholesbury, in 1834 and 1835, the farmers could not cultivate the
land, and the adjoining parishes were obliged to contribute to the
poor-rate of that parish. The consequence was that the land was
thrown out of cultivation, but some individuals were sent to the
working men, and asked them if they could cultivate the ground ?
They replied " 0 yes," and the land was divided into small. allot-
ments ; it remains in small portions to this day, and was paying a
higher rent than ever it paid beforeavhile the men were bringing tip
their families in independence, without the help of either farmer or
landowner. Those who thought that land would go out of cultivation
appeared to imagine that tithes and rent were necessary to the culti-
vatron of the land, while it could be very well cultivated without the
assistance of either.—(Hear.) It would be a very good day for the
working man when the land did go out of cultivation. Thin
Corn.laws,and those who upheld them, had been proved to have been
guilty of theft, nod he could prove that they seers guilty of mu,
der, for murder, whether perpetrated with a knife or by the depri-
vation of food, was In fact the same. The people must do all in
their power to obtain repeal. The House of Commons were but
the representatives of the aristocracy; they (the Con-
ference) were the representatives of the people—of the
backbone and sinews of the nation—the working classes. The
agricultural labourer was always best off in those years. when
bread was cheap, and, therefore, it was to their advantage that the
Corn.laws should be repealed. They had beaten tdhe NVhigs on this
question, and they could and would heart
ttohedTories on it also, for
oonfe portion of the
they had it completely in their PoweWhen they at'
tacked the Corn-laws first, many of the Whigs, being monopolists
themselves, were against them, and thdeuytsiaeid if the Corn-laws be
repealed, so also will be the timber
ds, the duties on West
rthatiefworhiel'lcethwtehedeeuttyy n and the labourer must
Indian produce,and other piotections lianu
.it being generally very
difficult to draw a man's conscience through his breeches pocket,
they were deaf to the cries of a sufferings and starvine Feople on
this question. The agriculturist a
eeavtery honest man to
est benefit on the
of Bucki
greatest number. The Duke nSham, that prince
a civil'
of humbugs, who is a disgrace to
andieed country, and those I
like him, can go to the Continent get their food and
artisan
aitlibel upon the great
com-
munity,t
oon
tluxuriesh iekanalytdpaiotpcuhwlelatsPe,
" Be fruit.
stay at home. Some would attemaptttetumptrowvaes that the country was
pursue that course which wou d onfer the gr
command. All the
ful and multiply" was his declaration of God ?
Y wanted was fair
n , and h
play, and justice done to every
plan
matter of e advocated the repeal
of the Cormlaws because it was a tehehecause upon justice, because it was
depended whether
should have preferred e rur eedr
were,
remaining
one
a n
d
r upon him as a Delegate
were
" that bourne whence no travellerti_ returns,"
.eti Peel had only
scotched the disease ; but they Eh° ld I
G:a :md matter enraetufr ee ehnactyw, was
iM know that nothing
would
great masses of hislcouSnutlyhtnael
short of a total repeal of these laws satisfy the people of this
Corn-laws. He stood
country.--(Loud cheers.)
silent, were it not that he felt Ise could not do so conscientiously,
restedfe
Mr. Trtoalt'soN, of Northwich,
there fully prepared to advocate_ooda and unqualified re-
peal of all taxes upon the f
cfaroloin7siidnaeiraifnraggveotuharne
dr,e)fistpiado
etsoi,b,ttaiiilsi yrbesodvveh:racilos
ofthe
thefthe people. Had
there beets a low duty proposed by Ministry, they should have
been in a much worse position than an that in which they now
stood. Yesterday they were on the ground-floor, and now they
were upon the platform, and were prepared to advocate those
measures which were necessary to effect the proposed intentions,
and that was to put bread in the mouths of the working men.
He was determined to advocate the question at all hazards, and
be was determined when he returned home to adopt such a measure
as would make their operations more efibctive. He perceived a
want of organization amongst the Corn-law repeaters, and he re-
solved that he would procure largeand well-bound book
instil up
which would last for years, and nn the mind of every
man with whom be conversed, the iniquity of those laws ; and
induce every man, woman, and child who could write to sign

their names in it, and pledge themselves never id e...4.reSe their. ex-
ertions until they succeeded in effecting the repeal of thosi'
which had starviiki chit industrious countrymen. It was quite un-
necessary for him to add to the pletuto any scenes of woe which he
himself had witnessed ; the picture was already too dark such
things were enough to harrow the feelings of any man who had
a spark of humanity within him. They must now endeavour to
secure the remedy. One of the Means of doing so, was to unite
themselves more closely to the working classes. They
had stood at ton great a distance fiom them—they had not suffi-
ciently amalgamated with them. Many of them had peculiar views
--the Chartists, for instance—in which they could not concur; but
let them unite all their differences in one general effort to obtain the
repeal of the Corn.laws.—(Hear, hear.) Tke question Was a grow-
ing one—it had got fast hold of the public mind. Never had it beeti
so well understood as now. They would go from that Conference
not only with their minds enlightened on this subject, but with
their arms nerved for action. He woo not prepared to take the ad-
vice of one of their legislators, to make emigration the remedy for
the distresses of the country. As a patriot, he loved his country,
and had no desire to leave it ; rather would he endeavour to assist
in eradicating those evils, which had grown up in the Constitution
before they were aware of them. He was determined to make his
children lisp the repeal of the Corn-laws, to teach them in infancy
that those laws were oppressive, and to endeavour that they should
grow up with.that impression.—(Hear, hear.) ,Much might be done
too by instilling the same expression into the minds of children in
the day schools and Sabbath schools; they should be taught that
they were opposed to morality and to religion. As a Christian
man, belonging to a Christian church, he had treated this as a great
moral and religious question; and if It were so, it should be in-
stilled as such into the minds of the youug.—(Hear, hear.) In con-
clusion, he was happy to have an opportunity of expressing his con.
currence in the plans and principles which had been set forth in
that Conference, and of declaring thus publicly his firm determine.
tion not to ceaso to agitate this question until the great object
which they had in view had been attained.—(Cheers )
GRIFFITH EVANS, Esq., (Chairman of the Carnarvon Conference)
said the meeting could not expect from him anything like a fluent
speech. Did they understand his native language, he could relate
to them facts which would make their ears tingle and their hearts
thrill. He would crave their indulgence for a few minutes ;it was
the first time in his life that he had attempted to address an Eng-
lish audience in their own language.—(Hear, hear) After travelling
more than 200 miles to represent the people of Merionethshire,and
part of Montgomeryshire, he should not feel justified in returning,
without having said something on their behalf. It had been said
that night by a very fluent speaker, that the farmers of Bucking.
hamshire were calling for a repeal of the Corn laws. He could '
tell them that the farmers of Merionethshire, and of the principa-
lity generally; were demanding their repeal. The poor were there
getting poorer still.. The farmers were sinking with the working
men in so ftightful a degree, that unless something were speedily
done, they would sink in one common ruin. The working men
might be called the foundation stone of the country. If there were
any property, it was in the strength of the working man. The
great Lord might lose his estate; the rich Duke might lose his
money, the Baronet might lose all his indulgences and all his
grandeur; but the working man had the power of gaining
his bread by the labour of his hands and by the sweat of his brow.
In 1829, corn was high. In his part of the country, barley was
the principal growth ; in that year the price was 48s. per
quarter. Wages were low at that time. He (Mr. E.) in that
year paid his head servant 9/. a year, and his harvest men 10d. a
day, with food. In seven years after barley was fallen to half the
price, but he paid twelve guineas a year to his head servant, and
the wages of the harvest men was 12d. and 14d. a day. The re.
suit was that the people Reed happily and in plenty—(Year, hear)— a
they were well fed and well clothed. There were able to take their
places in church, which they could not do in 1829, nor in any one
of the three last years.—( Hear, hear.) Some people talked of
emigration. What benefit would that do the country ? It would
take away all the useful, all the industrious and able part of the po.
pulation, and leave only the fag end.—(Laughter.) The prosperity
of the people must be in proportion to the demand for the products
of their labour. In consequence of there being no demand for
their labour the poor-rates were doubled.—(Hear, hear.) He could
not see how the farmers could be injured by the people having
employment —(Hear, hear.). He was himself a landowner, and
farmed besides about 2,000. acres (Hear, hear)—and he had given
fu I consideration for years past to this question, and he could never
find out how this system could do good to farmers or landowners.
Bit, in fact, those persons were blinded by the tithe-owners, who
had a peculiar interest in the Corn-laws through the operation of
the Tithe Commutation Act.—(Hear, hear.) If a clergyman had
an income of 400/. a-year out of .tithes when corn was 41. a
quarter, he would have that income reduced to 3001. when
the price of corn was reduced to 3/. a quarteer.—(Hear.) He
did not speak of clergymen alone, but of tithe-owners of all
kinds. By the Tithe Commutation Act, the amount of the
tithes was made to depend upon the price of corn; so that to
the tithe-owners it was a sliding-scale like Peel's.—(Great laugh-
ter.) He repeated that he did not only speak of the clergy, butlof
all tithe-owners. Many of them (were men who never put on a
surplice, and many were ladies.— Hear, and a laugh.) Yes, many
ladies had properly in tithes; and others had the power of ap.
pointing their friends to rectories and bestowing on them a title
to receive tithe. No class, however, but the tithes-owners
alone had any real interest in the Corn-laws.—(Cries
cf
Hear, hear.) And, speaking of the clergy, he must ceitainly
say, that he should be glad to see the clergymen of London
coming forward on this quest ion.—(Cheers.) The people of
Wales were looking with anxious hope to this large Conference,
and hundreds were at that moment on their knees praying to God
that this Conference would have some influence with Parliament,
and would prevail on the Legislature to grant them some relief.—
(Hear, hear.) The aristocracy in his neighbourhood called him a
spouting demagogue.—(A laugh.) But he could take all that as
coolly as Sir Robert Peel himself—(Cheers and great laugh-
ter)—and neither sneers nor taunts would make him
turn his back Upon the cause. (Hear, and cheers.)
They had not in Wales been enabled to get the assistance of any
ministers of the Gospel. They had gone about to the different
towns and villages, but they were not granted admittance into
Town-halls; public-houses were closed against them—chapels and
places of worship were closed against them ; and what did they de ?
Why they borrowed a cart and went into the street—(Loud cheers)
—and there they were attacked and called all manner of names, yet
still they went on.—(Loud cheers.) A minister of the Gospel had
come to him, and said that no man professing Christianity could
act in the manner in which he (Mr. Evans) was acting. He asked
if Christianity did not consist in seeking justice for one's neigh.
bour?—(Loud cheers.) Did not Christ do so when he related the
parable of the Priest, the Levite, and the Ssmaritan ?—(Cheers)
He referred him to the Ist chapter of Isaiah, and asked him if he
would call Isaiah a spouting demagogue and a political firebrand?
" Why should ye be stricken any more? Ye will revolt more and
more. The whole head is sick"—that was the King—" and the
whole heart is faint" that was the Parliament (Cheers as)
laughter)----end unless some purge was administered to it—unless
it were soon cured of its faintness, it would ruin the country.—
(Cheers.) Again he called upon the ministers of religion in this
great metropolis to come forward and join them. He hoped to see
them and to hear them at the Conference. The country was look-
ing out for them. They heard of the speeches at Missionary Meet-
ings and at Bible Soc,ety Meetings, and they were pleased to hear
of there—but who could believe they were in earnest, when they
said they sought to convert the world to Christianity, if they did
not now come forward to save the poor from starvation ?—(Loud
cheers.) He would call upon them its the words of Isaiah, chap.
lviii, v. I—" Cry aloud spare lift up thy voice like a
be trumpet."
—(Loud cheering.) St. Paul said, .‘ Let every soul subject
unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God ; the
Powers that be are ordained by God." He was sure God never
gave Sir Robert Peel power to starve the nation.—(Loud cheers.)
He might have effectual means of starving the nation, but that
was not power, but oppression, " For there is no power but of
God."—(Loud cheers.) Then there was the other Sir Robert—
Sir Robert Inglis, who was about teebring forward his motion for
Church Extension; that was, for the extension of burying-grounds.
He would like to go to the House of Lords, and call upon the
Bishops, who would have plenty of fees for consecrating new bury-
ing-grounds for burying the people, who were starving, from these
accursed laws.—(Loud cheers.) They hoped in the country to
hear good news from the metropolis that the ministers of the Gos.
pel there were toot backward in well-doing, but that they would see
them standing by the side of a starving population.— (Cheers.)
'l'. EGER, Esq., of Grinstead, Sussex, next addressed the as-
sembly. He said that after the extent to which the meeting was
protracted, he would be very brief. He bad listened with great sa-
tisfaction to the last speaker. He too could say with the gentleman
that lie was an humble land-owner, occupier, and farmer. He
had no means of sustentation but as a landlord. He was con-
strained to confess that he differed from the last gentleman who
spoke, for the landowners were not interested, as it was with them
a question of rent. In his (Mr. E.'s) locality the rich man told his
serfs in reference to the last election that they were safe as regarded
the Corn-laws by the majority that had been obtained—nay, that
if Sir R. Peel flinched, they who brought him into power would
turn him out. He (Mr. E.) had not the happiness to come from
a large district, but then those who had deputed him were in favour
of the repeal of the Corn-laws. (He (Mr. Eger) differed from the
gentleman who had just addressed them with so much eloquence,
who had been much more severe upon the Whigs as being mono-
polists than he would wish to be. They knew the Whigs to be
honest, but from the publication of Sir R. Peel, it appeared that
his plan was nothing more nor less that' to increase
the difficulties of importation into this country. In
fact, Sir Robert would raise the duty instead of
reducing it. Hitherto they had open perts at 735., but the ave.
rage was now to be 745. before they could reach the Is. duty. He
was living in a portion of the country where the rich man would
not allow his tenantry to possess a conscience.—(Hear; hear.) He
(Mr. Eger) stood alone to grapple with those gentlemen who advo-
cated the doctrine of monopoly in his neighbourhood. At the
last election a gentleman came up to him and said that he was
surprised to find himself adhering to the party to which he was
attached. His (Mr. Eger's) reply to him was, that his surpriso
was greater that that gentleman should adhere to the opposite
party. As regarded labourers in his district, he never paid less
than twelve shillings a week to each labourer. But he knew there
weee labourers in that district who were in extreme want. Indeed
he saw a man lately there in the hands of the police, and upon
inquiry be learned that the man was In custody for stealing poles.
The poor fellow said that they might send him where they
chose; that lie could not be worse off than he was, for that he
had but eleven shillings a week, and eleven individuals had to be
supported out of that suns. Its fact, unless the restrictions upon
trade and manufactures were taken off, this country would be a
very undesirable one to live in. There was scarcely a hedge that
could stand in the winter time, nor a pole that could be left stand.
nig for any length of time, for they were all taken by the distressed
peasantry as fuel, since the high price of food took every fraction
from them, lie had known abil seen men who would willingly
have given the names of other persons than Darby and
Fuller, who were' the misrepresentatives of the Eastern
Division of the county of Sussex, but they could not,
and though he had a triplet of votes for a triplet
of counties, yet he was virtually unrepresented its Parliament, ex-
cept by one Member for Middlesex. It had been stated that, from
the constitution of the present House of Commons, they had no.
thing to expect. But he had also heard a friend say, that he had
great hopes of Sir R. Peel. He confessed that he could not sym-
pathise with him, for he had expected just such a measure as he
had propounded; the effect of which was to raise prices, and to
humbug the people.—(Cheers.) If a tub could be thrown out to the
whale, Sir Robert Peel was perfectly willing wills all his
,plausibi-
lity to do it, but as to making any regeneration for this country, it
was not in him—`• We cannot gather grape' from thorns nor figs
from thistles."--(Hear, hear) He heard, with pleasure, and singular
delight, the sctech of a young and talented man, who had, he be-
lieved urged his views wills great sincerity ; hut be was afraid, if
his counsel was followed it would be just the very thing the To-
ries would like. Only let them have the opportunity of exercising
their lead and steel, and they would soon put them down.—(No,
no.) But by peaceable agitation they should be able to carry far
more terror into the Tory ranks than all they could ever do by
force. It was this manifestation of brute force that had driven
back the cause of public liberty to ad extet,t 'which
it was not within his power to calculate.—(Hear.)
The riots in Wales had given the alarm to the timid, had perhaps
decided the wavering, and took from the public liberty its greatest
power. Yet he thought the circumstances of 1842 were not tobe coin.
pared with the struggles of the seventeenth century. He was happy
to say that they had not now to ssruggle with the Sovereign.—
(Cheers.) In the seventeenth century the struggle was with a de-
ceitful King, but their Sovereign had done all she could do.—
(Loud cheers.) Slue had constitutionally done all she could for
her people. The question had beets submitted to the electors,
whether they would have dear bread or cheap bread, whether they
would hese free trade or restriction. And never let them forget that
the Whigs, in the first year they were in power, brought down in
their Budget a proposal for the repeal of the timber duty. There
was a majority against it, and therefore they abandoned it ; and,
though they never came up to his mark, yet, if they compared one
party with the other, it was Eke comparing the glow-worm with
the light of the meridian sun. He, would now only add, that if
the Duke of Richmond was any authority at all, he told them that
the Corn.law was a question of rant. He said, if they were
repealed; he should lose half his rent; he would be obliged to have
fewer acres of lawn, and therefore fewer gardeners ; fewer plea-
sure.grounds, and therefore fewer labourers ; fewer horses, and
therefore fewer grooms ; fewer coaches, and therefore fewer coachmen.

u and grooms and coachmen, the poor Mud be s---
So, because the Duke of itiennion rang. owittrrsveeds ananddgatrhdeeninerteg:
toils 6f the nation destroyed! He should
hap-
pines, of the people and lower rents. other declare for tisr
The Rev. Mr. Garnet, of Manchester, said he stood there
the representative of ten congregations, and he might, therefore,
justly cigim the indulgence of the meeting whilst he inflicted a
speech upon theist. On Sept. tith a general prayer meeting was held
throughout the country, in accordance with the suggestion of:the Con.
ference of Ministers, held at Manchester, at which his congregation,
consisting of 800 souls, determined to form an Anti-Corn-law As.
sociation. He had not heard that any other congregation had
acted similarly, but he thought scarcely any other coarse could tend
more strongly to forwent the objects which that Association had in
vieW. No sooner was it known that he was coming to that Confe-
rence than he received several letters from various congregations in
Blackburn, Oldham, and other places, requesting him to represent
them at that meeting, and, at the same time, saying the total and
Immediate repeal alone was to be advocated, and that any other
coufse was to be protested against. He was glad that the
measure of Sir Robert Peel had not been more liberal in
its provisions, for, In consequence, their arms would be strengthened
and they should be enabled to gain fresh vantage ground month
after mouth. He should trouble them but hide farther, than to
assure them that he would be able, from personal observation, to
inform the ten congregations by which he was deputed, that this
Conference was the most cheering sight which it was his happiness
ever to have witnessed.
Mir. SYDNEY &slum, as Secretary, and one of the Executive Com-
mittee of the Conference, begged to state that the Committee would
meet at nine o'clock to-morrow morning (this day), and the
Conference would be held at eleven o'clock, when he hoped
all the gentlemen present would make it a point- to be
punctual in their attendance. He could not conclude without
Congratulating the meting upon the presence of the Welsh land.
owner (Mt. G. Evans), who, he trusted, would make the Bucking-
hams of the present day swallow the leek to the smallest end, as the
Welshman of old did.— (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN said the Conference and the speaker were much
indebted to the meeting for the patience and decorum with which
those who addressed the meeting were received. He should observe
at the same time that he had been very much in the habit of being
present at public meetings, and was not unacquainted with the
interior of the House of Commons, and it had seldom been his lot
to hear such a succession of able and talented speeches
as lie had heard that evening, and that the constituencies had
done Oh themselves and the cause which they advocated infinite
honour by the gentlemen whom they had selected as Delegates.
With such men it was impossible to doubt the triumph of mind and
intelect over interest, ambition, and power. With the hope that
they should have a good attendance to-morrow, he should take
his leave.—(Loud and long-continued cheers.)
On the motion of Mr. EGER, seconded by Mr. BUCKMASTER,
a vote of thanks was unanimously passed to the Chairman
and the Meeting separated shortly before ten o'clock.

CORN-LAWS-MINISTERIAL
PLAN. •
RESOLUTIONS INTENDED TO BE PROPOSED IN
THE COMMITTEE ON THE CORN-LAWS—By
SIR R. PEEL.
I.—That the following Duties shall be paid upon the Impor..
tation of Corn, Grain, Meal, or Flow, in lieu of the Duties
now payable thereon ; viz., if imported from any Foreign
Country :

WHEAT:-
Whenever the average price of Wheat, made up and published
in the manner required by law, shall be, for every quarter,
Proposed Present
Sliding Sliding
Scale. Scale.
the duty shall be,
20s. Od. ..... .365. 861.
Under 51s. for every quarter
51s. and under 525. ... 19 0 ...35 8
525. and under 535.
535. and under 545.
545. and under 555.
555. and under 565. l7 0........31 8
565. and under 57a.... 16 0 30 8
575. and under 58s. . l5 0 29 8
58s. and under 595. l4 0 28 8
595. and under 60s.
60s. and under 61s l2 0 ...26 8
Gls. and under 625. .... 11 0 ',..25 8
622. and under 635.
635. and under 645.... 9 0... 23 8
645. and under 655.
655. and under 665.
665. and under 575. 00 8
575. and under 58s.
535. and under 695. l6 8
695. and under 7os.
70s. and under 7Is.
71s. and under 725.
725. and under 735.
735. and upwards

BARLEY.

Whenever the average price of Barley, made up and published
in the manner required by Law, shall be, for every Quarter,
Under 265. the Duty' shall be, for every Quarter 0 11 0
265. and under 275... 0 10 0
27a. and under 30s 0 9 0
30s. and under 31s
31s. and under 32s
325. and under 335.
335. and under 341. ".. 0 5 0
345. and under 35s
355. and under 36' .
365. and under 37.
375. and upwards
OATS.
Whenever the Average price of Oats, made up and published
in the manner required by Law, shall be, for every Quarter,
Under I9s. the Duty shall be for every Quarter
19s. and under 20s 0 7 0
•20a. and under 23s 0 6 0
'
235. and under 24s 0 5 0
245. and under 25s 0 4 '0
255. and under 26s 0 3. 0
265. and under 27s
275. and upwards
RYE, PEASE, AND BEANS.
Whenever the Average price of Rye, or of Pease, or of Beans,
made up and published in the manner required by Law, shall
be, for every Quarter,
Under 30s. the Duty shall be, for every Quarter .... 0 11 6
30s. and under 33s
335. and under 34s 0 9 6
345. and under 35s 0 8 6
355. and under 365.
365. and under 375.
375. sod under 3ss.
38s. and under 393.
395. and under 403.
40s. and under 41s.
41s. and under 425.
425. and upwards
WHEAT, MEAL, AND FLOI:11.:-
For every barrel, being one.hundred and ninety-six pounds ;-
A duty equal in amount to the duty payable on thirty-eight
and a half gallons of Wheat.
OATMEAL :-
For every quantity of one hundred and eighty-one pounds and
a half ; a Duty equal in amount to the Duty payable on a
quarter of Oats.
MAIZE OR INDIAN CORN, BUCK WHEAT, BEAR
OR BIGG :-
For every quarter ; a Duty equal in amount to the Duty pay-
able on a quarter of Barley.
2. That it is expedient to amend the Laws relating to the
mode of taking and determining the Average Prices of Corn.

ANTI-CORN-LAW DELEGATES.
NAMES OF DEPUTY, NAME OF ASSOCIATION OR CONGRE.
GATION, PLACE OF RESIDENCE, AND COUNTY.
Arnold, John, Anti-Corn-Law Association, Whitechapel, Mid.
dlesex
Anderson, John, A. C. L. A., Bishopsgate, City of London
Allen, William, A.C.L.A., Bishopsgate, City of London
A udley, William, A. C. L.A., Marylebone, Middlesex
Angas, Caleb, Baptist Congregation, Driffield, Yorkshire
Abbott, .1. L., Tabernacle ditto, Finsbury, Middlesex
Akroyd, John, A.C. L. A., Halifax, Yorkshire
Ashworth, Henry, A . C.L. A., Bolton, Lancashire
Aytoun, James, A.C. L. A., Edinburgh
Armitage, Phineas, parish of Halifax.
Ashford, R. Henry, A.C. L.A., Bethnal-green, Middlesex
Angas, E., A.C.L.A., Driffield
Armitage, E., A. C. L. A., Manchester, Lancashire
Ainsworth, A. C. L.A.
Atkin, Isaac, Wesleyan Congregation, New Basetford, Nots.
Ashdown, Charles, A. C.L. A.. Stratford, Esiex
Acton, Joseph, A.C.L.A., Wiga 1, Lancashire
Austin, Mr., A.C. L. A. , St. Martin's. in-the-Fields

Blench', Wm. Thos., A.C.L. A., Queen-street, Wapping
Baxter, Edward, President A.C.L. A., Dundee, Forfar
Bunter, G., Carlisle A.C.L. A., Cumberland
Bright, John, Rochdale A.C.L.A., Rochdale, Lancashire
Brooks, John, Manchester A.C.L. A., Lancashire
13Aop, Whitechapel and Stepney A. C. L. A., Mile-end,
Stepney
Bengay, W., St. Margarets's A.C.L. A., Westminster
Briggs, Captain, Hammersmith A. C. L.A., Curling-plate,
Hammersmith
Besley, Wm., Manchester A., Lancashire
Byson, W. H., Camberwell A., Old Kent-road, Surrey
Bird, Wm , Hammersmith A., Brook-green, Aliddlesex
Bowling, John, Hammersmith A., Angel-lane, Middlesex
Brown, Chas., Hammersmith A., Hammersmith, Middlesex
Burr, Thos., 33, Cannon-street-road A., Middlesex
Myth, .r. S., Glasgow A., Glasgow
Buckley, Abel, Ashton Wheyne, Ashton, Lancashire
Bexley, Daniel, jun., St. Ann Auxiliary, Westminster, Mid-

dlesex
nannings, Mr., St. Leonard, Shoreditch, Middlesex.
I3ingley, Mr., St. Leonard, Shoreditch, Middlesex
Binckets, Mr., Paddington, Green-road, Bayswater
Beason, George, Metropolitan, 6, Exeter-place, Dover-road,

Surrey'
Low, G. 1., St. Mary's, Newington, Dover-road, Bow
Binnlam, R., Somers Town, Beehive, Middlesex
Black, Dr., Metropolitan, Chelsea, Middlesex
Bannard, Captain, W., R.N., Rotherhithe, Goldsworthy

terrace, Surrey
Bates Wm., Whitechapel and Stepney, Whitechapel, Mid-
dlesex
Bates, Thos., ditto ditto ditto
Bealby, ditto ditto ditto
Burford, Ephraim, jun., Bow, Stratford, Essex
Bew, Robert, Free Trade, Bilston, Staffordshire
Boult, F., Liverpool, Lancaster
Bowns, Dr.
Brotherton, J., M.P., Salford
Bannister, H. J., Keppel-street Chapel, London, Middlesex
Booth, Joseph, Mitcham, Surrey
Banger. James, Mitcham, Surrey,
Boykett, Tabernacle, Moot-fields, Aliddlesex
Boutems, J. F., Brentford Reform Association, Brentford,
Surrey
1133:,a,i;tbeii4Jeo,
sJeoplii'n,llliatpritiasnt,'Eagle-street, 8 Tysal, London
Bali, Alexander, Young Men's Free Trade, Glasgow, Lanark
13.,wring, Dr., M.P.
Bowler, William, Southwark, Bring-street, Southwark
Barker, John, Albany
.Chapel, Frederick-street, Middlesex
Buckmaster, John, Leighton Buzzard, ditto, Beds and Bucks
Bateman, Mr., A.C.L. A., St. Martin's-in-Fields, Middlesex
Buchanan, W., Glasgow, Lanark
Bailey, Joseph, A. C. L. A., Ilkeston, Derby
Batley, Joseph, Huddersfield, Yorkshire
Bill, Charles, A.C.L., Coventry, Warwickshire
Braby, James, Kentish Town Auxiliary, Middlesex
Brown, Abraham, Baptist and Independent, Belper, Derby.

shire
Bill, Charles, Anti-Monopoly, Coventry, Warwick
Bray, Charles, dttto, ditto, ditto
Boultbee, William, A. C.L. A., Birmingham, Warwickshire
Bear, J., Nottingham, Notts
Biggs, William, A. C. L. A., Leicester, Leicestershire
Baker, Isaac, Huddersfield Operative, Yorkshire
Briggs, Edward, Rochdale, Lancashire
Brown, E., Tabernacle, Praed-street, Paddington
Bradoley, Richard, Established Church, Rochester, Kent
Bruce, 111. D.

Cotton, Mr., Whitechapel and Stepney, Stepney, Middlesex
Cheeseman, Mr., St. Mary's, Newington, Dover-road, Bow
Cannon, Mr., St. Ann's, Almonry, Westminster, Middlesex
'Crellin, John, St. George's-in-the-East
Cox, James, Camberwell, A. C. L. A. , 8, Grove-place, Cam
berwell, Surrey
Clevs, Thomas, General Baptist, Hinckley, Lincolnshire