The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-30 00:00:00

SATETRDAY E-VENING, JULY_ 3a,__1842.

AN I'l-CORN-LAW CONFERENCE.
The Delegates met again this morning shortly after
twelve o'clock, at Herbert's Hotel, Palace-yard; Mr.
P. A; Taylor in the Chair.
The UHAIRMAN commenced the proceedings by read •
ing the following letters :

"TO THE CHAIR lAN OF THE ANTI-CORN-LAW CON-

FERENCE.

"Bicester, July 28, 1842.
" Dear Sir,—Ours is altogether an agricultural dis-
trict, and therefore the following facti will speak for
themselves. Three years ago there was not one
good house untenanted in Bicester. The still grow-
ing. distress of the nation had not then reached
the occupiers of good houses in our .neighbourhood.
Only two new louses have been erected within
these last three years in our town ; and yet there are at
this • moment no fewer than thirteen good houses, in-
cluding some good shops, in this small place unoccupied.
The high price of provisions, but especially of bread, -is
.the principal lock by which these houses are kept shut.
" Tit ere are many good field-labourers in this neighbour-
hood, who have not averaged more than three days' work
in the week, during the whole of this summer ; and what
will become of them, if spared to see the winter, God
only knows. Shopkeepers have declared to me that their
trade was never in such a bad state before. A mason
informed me a few days ago that he has been compelled,
having nothing to do, to discharge his men, and that he
did not know • what to do for want of employment for
himself. He added—' A few years ago, when corn was
cheap, I could make 5/. sooner than I can make 1/. now.
All the. money that people can get is spent on bread.'
I have here given you the good man's own story in his
own words. A clergyman, to whom I lent The Sun the other
day, said—' I see now that the Corn-laws cannot stand;
they must be repealed, for though we advocate them
they are not the
" When with you in town a kind gentleman gave me
a few tracts, A Dialogue on the Corn-laws, between a
Gentleman and a Farmer,' one of which I gave to a
farmer, who has, as the consequence of reading it, be-
come a firm advocate for the repeal of the Corn-laws.
" Excuse my sending you these facts ; they are naked
facts, and I have no time to make them either longer
or shorter. .

" With best wishes for your prosperity and happiness,
and praying earnestly for the speedy, entire, uncon-
ditional, and everlasting annihilation of the Corn-laws,
and of all Provision-laws.

" I have*the honour to be, clear Fir, yours faithfully,
" W. FERGUSON.

" To P. A. Taylor, Esc."
"Finsbury-street, London, July t. 9, 1842.
" Dear Sir,—As a member of the Anti-Corn-law Con-
ference, I am anxious, according to my abirty, to pro-
mote the good cause that has called us to..lether. Allow
me, then, Sir, to suggest the propriety of writing,
through our Chairman, to the Wesleyan Conference,
now sitting in London, praying them to take into their
serious consideration, the present distressed state of our
country, and urging them to use their influence with the
Government in behalf of the starving millions. lam
sure the Methodist ministers are deeply concerned, or
ought to be, in the welfare ol the people from whom
they derive all their support, not only for themselves
and families, but the various institutions of Methodism,
some of which are at the present moment suffering for
want of supplies. And, I would ask, what Means could
be used so likely to recruit their funds as a repeal of the
Corn-law, which would cheapen the people's bread, and
obtain for them employment, and thus enable them
to give to the cause of religion that which the landlords
pocket on the high price of food ?
" The Methodists, as a body, have done much to en-
lighten this nation, and I trust they will lend their assist-
ance now in the cause of justice and humanity, in pro-
curinc, labour for the idle, clothes for the naked, and
bread for those who are ready to perish.
" I am, Sir, yours, respectfully,
" ALEXANDER RENFREW SHAW.
" To P. A. Taylor, Esq., Chairman of the
Anti-Corr-law Conference."
" TO TIIE CHAIRMAN OF THE ANTI-CORN-LAW LEAGUE.
" Honiton, July 27, 1842.
" Sir,—On behalf o 7 the friends of the Loague in this
place, we beg to congratulate the Delegates in having
obtained an interview with the Premier, and compelled
him to hear stubborn facts. We have no hopes of ulti-
mate success, but as the result of continued application
and perseverance. The powers-that be, will never yield
to the claims of justice and humanity, until compelled
by an oppressed and injured multitude. We regret that
the friend who represented us at the commencement
of your sitting, was obltged to leave town after a few
days. The motto of every friend to the cause must
be—" On w ard."
" The pressure is comparatively little felt in this place,
but still there is sufficient -to lead many to feel that
something is wrong in the state of affairs. The poor-
rates are steadily increasing. For instance, in the year
1838, the amount paid on a property was 1/. 17s. Gd. ;
but on the same property the amount paid, for the year
ending 1841, was .11. 12s. 11d.
" The dull cattle at the fair last week, ma,

ine dm sale o) -..se a.
lead some to ask—How is it? But, generally, the farmers
credit what their Tory chiefS tell them—That all present
distress is owing to the recklessness and bad management
of the late Ministry.
" Happily a more intelligent class is found in some
parts of the country ' • and, supported by such, we hope
that the League will never abandon the principle on
which it was framed, nor cease in its efforts, until its
object is accomplished—namely, the total abolition of
the unrighteous Corn-laws.
" We are, Sir, yours very respectfully,
THOS. GROTIBE, R.N.
" WILLIAM WRIGHT."
Mr. 0. BEACON wished to ask the Chairman if any
members of the League had entered into communications
with clergymen or gentlemen of the Methodist persua-
sit n, for the purpose of urging them to advocate the cause
of Corn-law repeal. Gentlemen of that persuaSion seemed
strangely insensible to the efforts made for the abolition
of the Corn-law.
The CHAIRMAN said that no communication had been
entered into on the subject to which Mr. Beacon had re-
ferred. He certainly could not help feeling surprised
that the leading members of the Methodist persuasion
seemed so indifferent to the agitation now going on
throughout the country for a repeal of the Corn-laws,
especially as a great portion of the members of that de-
nomination were greatly interested in the question.
Mr. SIDNEY SMITH said that though the clergymen
of the Wesleyan persuasion did not in general seem dis-
posed to countenance the efforts of the Anti Corn-law
League, many individual Methodists sympathised in
their endeavours. The fact was that the Wesleyan clergy
seemed to have a tendency towards the Church. He re-
membered that when Sir G. Murray stood for Man-
chester, in opposition to Mr. M. Philips and Mr. Greg,
he had the support of Dr. John Bunting, who came down
specially from London to assist him in his canvass. Dr.
Bunting might be considered as a sort of Pope among the
Wesleyan Methodists.
Mr. I3ROOKES stated that he had reason to know that
a rumour which some parties seemed anxious to propa-
gate to the effect that a change for the better had taken
place in the trade of Manchester, was altogether un-
warranted. He believed that no improvement had
taken place in the trade of Manchester, or could be ex-
pected while our commercial policy remained unchanged.
The experience which he had had led to the conviction
that it. was nothing but the improvement in machinery
which had prevented this country from being beaten out
of the market.
Mr. S. SMITH said at the present time the consumption
of sugar by the people of France was three times as
great as the consumption of this country, and it sugar
were admitted as it ought to be into this country, no
one could doubt that there would be a corresponding in-
crease in the consumption.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. PHILLIPS. of Melksham, Wiltshire, said that the
neighbourhood in which he resided was in a worse con-
dition at present than it had been at any former period.
To give some idea of it he would state that he was told
the other day by a man who had a small field, the grass
of which he wanted to have turned into hay, that on
the circumstance becoming known he had applications
from no less than forty labourers. his own trade,
which was the cloth trade, he had been obliged to re-
duce one-third, not by discharging,; any hands, but by
putting them on short time. Be had found it absolutely
necessary to curtail his operations. He trusted that the
country would at length be convinced that the word
protection simply meant taking money out of one man's
pocket and putting it into another man's pocket.
Mr. CLARK, deputy from the parish of St. Pancras,
said that he had that morning received a letter from
Nottingham, stating that there was no prospect of in-
creased work for the stocking makers of that town, and
that four hundred were turned out of work last Wed-
nesday. The party who wrote the letter had not the
least idea. of his making use of it at that meeting.
Mr. BONNER, of Walsall, said he wished to read to
the meeting the following let:er :
" Bilston, July 28, 1842.
" My dear Sir,—To day the miners have continued to
visit the collieries still at work, and they have in every
instance compelled the men to desist. I have heard of
four or five parties going about, each consisting of 400
or 500 persons, principally young men and boys.
" The company I saw myself pass front Morley, through
Bradley and Ilalefields, thence to Barber's-field, and
Stonefield, consisted of about 500 persons, and they
effected their object, although the proprietors of the
works were by. I have beard, in one or two cases, they
plugged the boilers, so as effectually to prevent the
mines being worked, and they threatened to injure any
man they
.might find at work after notice ; and they
made inquiry as to the stock of coal in the iron works,
saying they should set fire to any large stock they might
find. Unfortunately for the iron men, there are no
stocks, so that should the colliers stand out only one
week, most of the mills and forges must also stand, thus
increasing the evil by throwing more out of employ-
ment than there arc now, which must not be. Daring
their progress they have asked for food and drink in such
a menacing way, that they have obtained it from the
publicans and other respectable inhabitants to the extent
-of what was in their houses. None of the parties are,
however, composed of Bilston miners ; they appear to
come from Bloxwich, Walsall, and Wednesbury ; and
our miners appear not to like being compelled to give
over work three days before their notices for a reduction
of wages expire. TWO hundred special constables were
sworn in last night, and the military (a detachment of
Dragoon Guards) arc at Walsall. One man has been
taken up by our constables this afternoon, and sent to
Wolverhampton, and an inquiry is now going on into the
circumstances ; and as to the persons engaged in stop-
ping Messrs. Frimstone and Dimmack's mines at Bun-
ker's-hill colliery yesterday. We have no business, and
so many porters come round that we are obliged to lock
our doors, for it is difficult to get them to go away with-
out they obtain something. If this state of things con-
tinues a few days longer, we shall have a great increase
of distress, and it is impossible for the masters to give
the wages rsqu'red by the men, and sell iron at its
present price, without bringing ruin to themselves ; be-
sides, there are no crlss, or nearly none, even at the

ruinous prices now qUoted. The future is fearful to
contemplate ; yet the present state of things has one
good effect—it is bringing many to think with.ns, who,
a few weeks ago, consider( d us wild and visionary.
There is an increasing conviction in the MindS of the.
masters and tradesmen that we must get the' trade with'
the United States opened again, and that nothing will
do this but a repeal of the Corn-laws. The Guardians,
at the meeting to-day, have decided to give the stone-
breakers their bread, meat, and oatmeal as last week,
but there will now be a great increase to the number
needing relief. The working men deserve great praise
For their patient and peaceale conduct under so much.
privation and distress. They are now daily approaching
a stage of suffering which will very likely produce what
may convice Sir Robert Peel and his colleagues that the
distress is reel. I should not be surprised at our
county Members, who have hitherto supported his
policy, uniting in a memorial for him to adopt more
liberal measures with respect to trade, which, if they
would do, it could not be long ere our wishes were
accomplished, and the country again prosperous.
" I am yours, " ROBERT BEW."
" To the Rev. W. H. Bonner."

lie was sorry to hear it announced that the Conference
would break up on Monday next ; he trusted that the
facts detailed in that letter, together with the alarming
state of the country in general, would induce them to
abandon their resolution.

Mr. HOLLAND, from Liverpool, then said,—Sir, It is
my painful task to confirm the accounts you have already
land before you by Mr. Heyworth, and other gentlemen
from Liverpool, of the state of trade there generally.
Although the distress of the working classes does not
meet observation so much as in the neighbouring towns,
which are purely manufacturing, yet, on inquiry, the
complaint of want of employment is universal, especially
amocg the shipwrights, iron-founders, machine-makers,
sail-makers, and all trades dependent on foreign com-
merce and shipping. You have already had a report
from the Town Missions, as to the distress of the work-
ing-classes in thole districts, to which I may add, that
the workhouse is crowded with a larger number of in-
mates, than is generally experienced here during the
winter months. The number of unemployed masters of
ships is increasing, and the shipping interest is labouring
under more severe depression than has ever been known ;
the numerous sacrifices which are being made in
colonial built ships, (the larger descriptions of
which are, indeed, quite unsaleable) re-acts upon
the price of home. built ships, which can only be
disposed of at ruinous rates. Vessels may be chartered
fur a lower figure than can be warranted in the dullest
times, the only alternative being to lose money by laying
them up, or continue sailing them with a very question-
able chance of paying their expenses. The fact of this
want of employment for shipping is conclusive as to the
inactivity which,prevails generally in our foreign trade ;
nor is the home coasting trade in any better plight, the
freights, from my own experience as being interested in
some of these vessels, having fallen to unremunerating
rates. In fact, I believe that no foreign trade holds out
any profitable employment at present for the merchant
and shipowner ; nor is there any large article of
import that is now brought here to pay a profit, and with
very few exceptions, a loss is sustained by the importer,
and low as prices were at the close of last year, a much
lower rate has now to be submitted to. The mercantile
community of Liverpool being mainly agents for the
transmission and exchange of the products of the manu-
facturers, the larger share of these losses is sustained by
the manufacturer, who gets each day a less return for his
goods ; but, notwithstanding; the effects are thus removed
in some degree from our Liverpool houses, still, a large
number who are themselves engaged in the export and
import trade are suffering extremely, especially those
connected with our colonial establishments. All foreign
markcta are glutted with our goods ; yet, in order to get
rid of their stocks, the manufacturers are compelled to
continue their shipments, thus competing against them-
selves and aggravating the evil. It is easy to say the remedy
is to be found in limiting production ; this could only be
accomplished by the infliction of still greater distress on
the operative classes, and by the annihilation or abane
donment of the mills and machinery of the capitalists.
Nor is it less an error to argue that an increased export
of cotton goods proves a diminution of the state of dis-
tress and uneasiness complained of. The larger propor-
tion of such exports are of cotton, on which the least
amount of labour has been expended ; and the value of
exports, when measured by the value of the imports re-
ceived in payment (the only true measure), shows a di-
niinished amour arrived in return. It is self-evident
that this must continue to be the case so long as we re-
fuse to receive in exchange in foreign markets those
articles which form the bulk of their productions, ani
which are precisely those that would be consumed to an
almost indefinite extent by the now unemployed masses
of our population. The remedy, it is plain, is in our
own hands, but what Sir Robert Peel terms the existing
interests, insist on our not being allowed to apply it. I
may instance the trade to the Brazils, a country fruitful
in products which we stand in want of, particularly sugar
and coffee ; a country which, despite our refusal to take
anything of moment, excepting the cotton and hides, in
direct exchange, still consumes four millions sterling of
our goods. The constant reduction in the price of
goods here stimulates a progressively increasing amount
of exports to the Brazilian market ; the Brazilian shop-
keeper, who is already a debtor to us generally
for a twelvemonth's previous purchase, is com-
pelled in self-defence to buy more of our every day,
cheaper goods, or to shut up his shop, and be himself
supplanted by another man. The necessary result is a
constantly augmenting amount of stock cn credit, and
an increasing difficulty on the part of the Brazil shop-
keeper and trader to meet his engagements, owing to the
impossibility of our taking the only payment 7he can
offer in direct exchange, and to his being tbrown upon
the already-overstocked market or Continental Europe.
Unless a change speedily take place the inevitable re-
sult must be the ruin of our Brazilian debtor, and the
loss of great part of what he is owing to us. Sugar from.
Brazil is now offered in bond at the miserably low price
of thirteen shillings per cwt., or less than,lid. per lb.,
whilst our colonial sugar is Charged to its at three times
this price. Nor must we forget that we thus lose nearly
all the carrying trade back from the Brazils, foreign
bottoms competing with us at extremely low rates to
the continental ports. This result, too, is obtained after
paying twenty millions to our coloniai'monopolists, and
after a loss of twenty-five millions to tho public during
the last seven years in the shape of the enhanced price
of sugar. Nor has a proposition which was lately made
for allowing sugar to be used here, for feeding cattle, and
other agricultural purposes, been listened to. Is it
strange that distrust of our motives, and' a gene-
ral outcry against our one-sirled intercourse, should pre-
rail ? The same picture may he drawn of our operations
in Havannah and other markets. I shall not now dwell
on the pretext sometimes advanced about not eaeon-
raging slavery ; this subterfuge is too gross, and has
already been sufficiently exposed ; and all such attempts
at coercing nations must be stigmatised as they deserve,
whilst we continue to violate the principle we propose
whenever it suits our purposes. In our trade to the
River Plate the same results are manifested ; we refuse
to take what would prove the most valuable article they
produce—namely, their beef, except after paying a duty
of Bs. per cwt., which becomes almost prohibitory,
,when the value of the article here is considered, my
opinion being that it would become of very large
consumption at a selling price of 2d. a 2i-d. per lb., but
cannot come within the reach of the class who would
consume it, and who, at present, seldom or never taste
meat at a higher rate. Thirty thousand tons of this
beef were exported last year from Montreal alone,
nearly all which went in Brazil and Spanish ships to the
Brazils and the Havannah, thus depriving ourselves of a
most valuable trade, and furnishing the slave holder
with a cheap and nutritious food to promote his
business. If a market were affOrded here, 50,000 tons
of this beef might be brought from those countries
in our own shipping, giving at the low price of Id. ster-
ling per lb. an exchangeable value of about half a mil-
lion sterling, all which would be paid for in our
goods. The same argument applies in a still stronger
degree to our intercourse with the United States (whose
agricultural products we have hitherto proscribed), and
although the new tariff may, we hope, open some
trade in this quarter, yet it is evident the high duties
retained must naturally abridge any benefit that would
otherwise be obtained from the vast amount of food pro-
ducts that she could give us ; and which, if permitted to
be exchanged on terms of reciprocity, would, we have
every reason to believe. raise up such a powerful interest
in fli'vour of a free trade with this country, as would
cement our friendly relations, and settle the tariff and
boundary questions far sooner than any diplomacy can
effect. I might extend these remarks to almost every
country with which we trade, and point out the same re-
sults, but I should be occupying too much of your time,
and probably re-stating what you have already heard be-
fore. I shall limit myself, therefore, to the foregoing
remarks applied to those countries with which I am myself
acquainted, but I cannot refrain from observing, that a
complete reply is furnished by these facts to those
who, like Sir Robert Peel, advance the proposi-
tion that, under present circumstances, improvements
in machinery' may prove an evil. It must be evident
that, were exchange unfettered, such improvement in ma-
chinery, by producing a larger quantity of cheaper
articles of clothing, is equivalent to breaking up a new
and fertile soil, for the production of food, inasmuch as
you can thus present the settler in the new country with
a great amount of stocking in exchange for his food and
stuffs, thus inducing him to throw his labour into this
new channel ; thus every improvement in machinery
would be hailed with eelige;t by all parties,
as conducing to increase the amount of com-
inodities which each party can offer in exchange;
and the improvements in machinery can only be nega-
tive in their beneficial results, when, as in our instance
here, a constantly increasing production of clothing
stuffs is met by a stationary and' non-progressive
amount of focd commodities with which to be ex
changed. This is is our case. An immense inequality
exists in this country between articles of clothing and
tliose of food. We are not allowed to pass a limited
held of production to correct this, but are told to trust to
the chances of the season, and when, as in this instance,
an adverse season ocurs, the disease presents itself in
an aggravated shape.—(Hear, hear.) It is true
that a remedy is attempted to be found by a relax-
ation of the prohibit, ry system in the new Corn Bill,
but this cannot prove effectual; and if we look at the
present working of the 'new law we find that the pro-
visions which it holds out to the. gambler must prevent
it from ever becoming a trade of barter for the regular
merchant. A large amount of corn, probably 1,500,000 '
quarters, have been bought in foreign markets by the
speculator under the impression that the crop here might
prove a small one, in which case prices might rule high
here,,and the duty proportional ly low. The foreigner,
equally alive to these scheme s, obtained a much higher
price than would have been l aid under ordinary circum-
stances of a free trade ; but with the present prospects
of a fair average crop here, the speculator is now paying
a duty of Bs. per quarter, besides having to take a low
price afterwards, thus suffering a serious loss in the shape
of the extra price paid to the foreigner. In short 1. o

regular merchant can venture where the 'lottery of
chances is thus made still more hazardous by the law.
It might be supposed that as the accomplishincnt of the
objects for which the late Corn-law was ostensibly
framed had utterly failed (namely, to secure an equal
and abundant supply independent of foreigners), giving
the framers of that law every credit for sin-
cerity in • their good intentions, they would abandon
it entirely; but the reverse is the case and the
bondholders now cling to the retension of the same prin-
ciple, although their motives for so doing must now be
viewed as solely of a selfish character. They insist
upon being allowed to attempt to supply the inequality
which confessedly exists between the two articles of
food, and the products of manufacturing industry ; to
do this they have only to take poorer soils into culti-
vation, which is the same thing as using an inferior
medium. And then they turn round anti complain of the
continued improvements in machinery, which the ma-
nufacturer makes. So long as the other products of
British industry are thus compelled to be exchanged for
food raised by this inferior machinery of production,
instead of being allowed to obtain the largest amount of
food from the most fertile soils in every quarter of the
world, so long must the inequality of the 'supply of
food to that of other goods, or the so-called
over-production of machinery and under pro-
duction of agriculture, be felt, and our industrious
classes continue in the present state of distress.
Such a system cannot, in my opinion, be too strongly
reprobated, and the fact of one class in the community—
and that a small one—thus creating such a general de-
rangement of the state of our social body, and causing
the distress which we see around us, is sufficient to
arouse the indignation which is now becoming so gene-
rally expressed. But I think it should not be forgotten
that the power thus injuriously wielded by a certain
class is based upon their having possession of the land.
Now, the property in land is of that kind which has the
least right or title to be made use of for merely selfish
purposes, to the prejudice of the public. The right of
the State Government to a ground rent payable to it as
representing the public by the landholders, and the
way in which the latter have contrived to get it converted
into a miserably small annual sum, instead of paying in
proportion to the increased value of their rentals, has
already been sufficiently expressed to the world; but the
claim to a ground rent from the landholders to the State,
can never be extinguished by any such pretended com-
mutation for a fixed sum, and the principle itself dates
from the first institution of property, and we see it re-
cognised in all the States ofEurope. It cannot then, Isay,
be too str aisl,y repeated and urged to the people of this
country, that it is at the hands of that very class e ho ought
to contribute more than any other to the comfort and well
being of the community—being in fact the farmers of the
soil for the public, and paying a ground-rent to the public
for the use of the same—that it is at the hands of this
class, in whose so-called property the public has such
an undeniable and prior interest, thut they (the people) are
doomed to have famine inflicted on them, thus super-
adding insult to injury. Bnt we are told by Sir It. Peel
that the principles of free trade, though undeniably good
in the abstract, cannot be carried out, owing to
existing interests—in other words the landholding mo-
nopoly interest. How far the presumed rights to injure
the public for their own supposed benefit may be carried,
when it has no other foundation than the robber's plea;
that of being the strongest., unless, indeed, a prescrip-
tive right have grown out the practice of it, remains for
the people of this country to determine ; but is it your
part, gentlemen. to arouse them to the facts of the case,
and to show Sir Robert Peel that there is a far larger
interest than any of those who resist the applica-
tion of right principles, namely, the interest of the
people of England, who demand justice at his hands.
It must be matter of much regret to all of us, that
principles thus admitted to be true by the Goverument,
cannot prevail by the mere force of argument, but that
you should be called upon—by the declaration. of the
Minister himself, that he cannot overcome the influence
of existing powerful interests—t 6 have to continue an
appeal to the people on the one hand, and to the fears of
these opposing interests on the other ; yet is there no
alternative left us by the Government, and the progress
we have made, and the justice of our cause, leaves, no
doubt of the result in my mind. Although lam well
aware that this Association cannot take up any
agitation of a political character, I shall venture to make
one remark in connexion with politics, particularly as
the subject was lately adverted to in a speech by one of
your members, !lamely, that it cannot be 'disguised,
that in all appeals to the people to accomplish some great
national reform, it does become an appeal to their
numbers, determination, and physical as well as moral
force, and that the Reform Bill and Catholic Emancipa-
tion were thus carried. It was a mistaken notion, it
now appears, that the Reform Bill would cause
the appeal to reason and justice in that House to
supersede the necessity of again agitating the
people ; but as all such agitations do place society
on the verge of convulsion and of disruption, and where
the rebellion of the belly may, as Sir James Graham
says, sweep away all the social barriers, if a famine super-
venes in our present distress, before any remedy has been
applied.--I do say, Sir, that I for one should very much
prefer to see the people admitted to the enjoyment of
political rights, and have all these questions discussed by
their 'representatives in a deliberative; assembly : and,
although I regret that I am aware this Association can-
not, as a body, join the movement which has been
made in that direction, yet I trust no sentiments'
adverse to such a movement will be heard here, and that,
in their individualscapacity, we shall find numbers of the
middle class joining to obtain their rights fur their
fellow men, and thus giving a pledge of their sympathy
for them, and of their indisposition to see themselves
compelled to resort to these appeals to the people out of
doors to force measures of justice from the Government.
Mr. Moonn rose for the purpose of calling the atten-
tion of the meeting to ttie etlect which the Corn-laws
had upon Ireland, which was solely and purely an agri •
cultural country. If agriculture—meaning thereby far-
mers and labourers—we: e to derive pie ttection and support
from the' protective system of the Corn-laws, then the
farmers and labourers of Ireland ought to be the most
prosperous in the world. It was now some years since
Henry David Inglis made the tour of Ireland, and wrote
an account of his journey. Speaking of the rate of re-
muneration received by the labourer, that gentleman said
he was quite confident that if the whole yearly earnings
of the country were divided by the whole number of
labourers, the result would give under 6d. a day for each
labourer in Ireland ; in speaking of their habitations, he
said the only difference between the best and the worst
of' the mud cabins was, that some were water-tight and
some were not ; air-tight he saw none—windowless all
scarce any chimneys ; no such thing. as furniture
to be seen, unless a broken stool or two and
an iron pot can be considered furniture. In Lein-
ster, Munster, and the lower part of Connaught,
beds were far from common, and bed-clothes were
not nearly sufficient. He went on to say that the
destitute, infirme and aged formed a large part of the
population. and that three-fourths of the people died of
destitution. " Their rresent condition," he said, "is
shocking for humanity to contemplate, and a reproach
to any civilised country." He (Mr. Moore) would now
beg to refer them for, a moment to the evidence given
before the Irish Poor-law Commission. From inquiries
made of that Commission it appeared that the wages of
the best labourers of Ireland, in the best parts of
Ireland, and at the most favourable times, were 10d. a
day for three days a week, or only sd. a day ; that
gave to the labourer an annual income of 6/. 10s. ; there
was no source whence his wife or children could earn
a farthing ; and out of that 6/. 10s. he would have most
probably to pay a rent of 11. 10s. a year for his cabin.
It was further stated in this beols that 3,000,000 might
be taken as the average number of people in Ireland who
would need relief or parish assistance in the winter, and
from the months of May to August. Now that was
from an authority that must be credible. It was not
prepared by an Irishman seeking to gain something
for Ireland ; it was not prepared by a Corn-
law repealer, but it was prepared by an English Poor-
law Commissioner, sent over there to inquire into the
state of the country. That was the condition of the
country, and that was the condition of the labouring
population, as protected by the Corn-laws. He now came
to the small fanners, and their condition was little better
than that of the labourers. The small farmer had scarce
a better house, and scarce better provisions, than the
labourer; he was obliged to sell the whole of his produce
to pay his rent. The Corn-laws did indeed keep up the
price of food in their markets, but it gave the whole of
their produce to the landlord. The farms of Ireland
were very small—an acre and a quarter was considered
a good-sized one—and if a man once got such a one, he
would consider himself happy and comfortable, and
settled for life ; and they were thus minutely subdivided,
as stated by Mr. Cobden in his " England, Ireland, and
America," to meet the desperate competition of a people
who had nothing but the land to resort to for employ-
ment. They had then the labourers in a state of absulu:e
destitution—for they could not consider a man earning 10d.
a day three days a-week in any other condition, and they
had the farmers, as a mass, in constant and unnecessary
destitution. Then the whole of the farming and labouring
population oflreland were protected in a state of con-
tinued destitution by the Corn-laws.---7jlear.) There
was no amount of money scarcely that could, not be ob-
tained for the land. He (Mr. Moore) had known 1001.
offered for the good-will_ of a farm of five acres, paid
simply for being allowed to enter and live' there ; a rent
of thirty shillings an acre was paid besides. A man had
no outlet there for his faMily but the land ; sons and
daughters mast either have land themselves or become
labourers on the land for others ; and as the kondition
or the occupier of a small piece of lend was a little bit
better than that of the labourer, they preferred having
a little land themselves to becoming the serfs of the serte
of the landlord. Ireland had ao occasion to continue in
that condition ; her sons were active and industrious—
her soil the richest in the, world.—(Hear, hear.)
The fact was, that wheat cropping was unfit
for Ireland, that the Corn-laws held out unnatural
inducements to continue wheat cropping, that the land-
lord, keeping out of the country, never turned his at-
tention to agriculture, and that he knew eothing at all
about his land, save that he received so much from it
every year. These were the causes to which Ireland's
ruin was to be traced ; the people would be slow to give
up their present habits, but they must do so before Ire-
land regained her place am, ng the nations. (Mr.
Moore then read a letter from a practical farmer, to
show what might be obtained from the land, if the pre-
sent system of wheat cropping was abandoned.) That
letter showed that their present system of agricul-
ture, fostered under the Corn-laws, kept the farmer and
labourer in incessant poverty, and proved indisputably
that whilst manufactures advanced in this country, and
whilst the means of being useful extended in every thing,
agriculture had not kept pace with the race of Improve-
ment. The people were becoming more and more im-
poverished ; and those who were connected with the
land, thought they did all they could if they wrung from
the workman upon the land the whole of the profits he
could raise from it. Now, see what would be the effects
upon Ireland if the Corn-laws were repealed. The
great product that Ireland seemed fitted to produce was

it iX ; but. C,

11kt Al 111 'Urge (lUa.,;iti

the great quantity of eater, the superior sun, -and
great and constant care that were required to lo
it to perfection, rendered it impossible to ,-cultie
it in very large quantities—a square rood, andeiveti,a pe
frequently, being the extent of a flax fie/1-'
of Ireland, which was the pert best adapted for The c.
-01 J
tivation of flax, grew none ; in fact, 100,000 aei.a
the whole extent of Ireland occupied in the groeiPg
flax. He was not prepared to say at present whorOliel
could find a market for any largely increased quantity"
flax, but he knew that they could in Ireland, without
difficulty, grow twenty times as much as at preser:
This would give a staple manufacture, a staple traile
Ireland ; that trade would be partly with England,
with France, but principally with America ; end fro',,
the island of Valencia, en the west coast of Ireland, tb
transit to America would be both safe and speedy. Et'o'
Valencia to New York, in the, the ship might Store
straight line ; the distance was about 2,700 miles, :eel OP
passage might be performed in eight days by swine. Iry
land had no trade now, and as surely as her-trade o
destroyed by a law designed for the purpose, so sure,,
would the trade of England be destroyed under a /for,,'
signed to protect the land. The distresses of Ireland:o,o
to be attributed to a system of agriculture, fostered fl
Corn-law, unfitted for the country ; and he wouldrcl
mind them that they could not get rid of that systol.°oo
they got rid of the Corn-law, and called the atfeut •
of the people to the best means of improving their!,
dustry on land.—(Hear, hear,) They would then 09r,
Wish manufactures in Ireland—a linen manufact!„,
would be the first ; that would find employment for ;
unemployed portion of the people ; it would repres,eo
an improved system of agriculture ; instead of bOle
employment one season of the year, they would 11%,
employment the year through ; instead of starvinfier
home, they would have the means of exporting to cafe
nations ; instead of being a country at which the peel
of the world looked with astonishment, and wonde
be
why it was so impoverished, its western ports eoeld,.„;
crowded with ships from all other.quarters of the ghril,
instead of being a country where no railways existent id
ould be the pathway between this and America ;
Ireland would have railways stretching out their Flo
breadtharms throughout the length and of the lane
England and America had ; they would get their br‘;
from America, and send them linens in return ; and,l
stead ofthere being agrowingcompetition fur laud, ve.''
brought destruction on the eeople, and ruin on f'oe!;
would be employment for all, plenty for all, peace 000
hold her sway, and property would be secure through`
the whole country.—(Loud cheering.)
, 440
Mr. ItAWSoN said that a gentleman, - Mr. le
Platt of Glossop, one of the delelegates had
,just held
the North of France to examine the state of the splinti
establishments there. lie would by the I..ave of
Chairman ask him a few questions. What kii,ty
'machinery as compared with ours, do you finddine
north of France ?—I consider the machinery 11,6-5,1,1
fective. What are the masters giving in wages
thousand hanks ?—They are giving from three 10.:50
times as much money wages for 1,000 'l':fo
as we are giving. What :mullet of money is ;;10
to the French cotton spinner—say for• spin
one pound of number 40 twist ?—Four pence per li(),e
in English money. What dues the English spinner y
ceive in money for spinning a pound of the same nul9:;
`of twist ?—On improved mules not quite one IA
What amount of money wages eeekly will the le4
spinner make on the average spinning this quit
yarn ?—From 20s. to' 255. 11 hat does the 1' (1-0
spinner earn vveekly at 4d. per lb. for spinning
15s. Then to w hat do you attribute the higher o'utev
earned weekly by the English operative, seeing tito
French spinner gets four times the money the Pie
workman receives fur an equal: weight of yarn ?
Wt
tribute this wholly to our superior machinery. Mei,
French cotton -spinners improving their machinery ia
Decidedly ; from what I saw they are at present tap
their attention especially in that direction. Are j-er
any new machine making establishments that camerrlere
your own observation in the North of France ?-""`et bf
are several. I saw one myself lately estabiishe'pe
English machine makers at Lisle, and from the nlsd
in which that establishment is fitted up and comfort
ileel
they are able to manufacture machinery on the Po
improved principles. Should you think, from oltt,?.if
saw, that with the price at which yarns are send); 0
France English capitalists, with such machinery oie9
now constructed there, would' be able to realize a
—I am convinced that an English cotton sPi otv
establishing concerns in France with the moderild,
chinery would realise a very handsome profit indee we
With regard to the opinion that machinery 05360
cause to which the distressed condition of the opera
might betraced—
• e e
Mr. PLATT begged to observe, that about lonrobif
ten years ago he had his machinery very consid•e,44
improved, and he now employed three times as
hands as he did previous to that time. • obiel/
Mr. S. SMITH gave a short account of a meeting
ropf
was held a night or two ago at Chelsea, where 13! ve
of all conditions in life, and of all trades, includinfir 5 and
makers, plasterers, carriers, &c., came forwar,_(l,;irr!'
testified to the depression at present existing in tHi.st be
spective branches of industry. He also stated t% the
had received letters from various Associations:,,,tio
country, stating that they were anxious to .sendteo
to the Conference to strengthen their handsi „ssare
them for the exertions they had made. 37.1,
them that they had effected much good. before Ll°
Smith) believed there would not be tin w' ,re be:
them '
breaking up of the Conferetce, to receive d ally ac'
he believed that it would be of service to sen
Acosusnoctiao ft go
no oadt thatian
.Manchester.
tbe ene n done to
*s•S'
The CHAIRMAN then said---••The.tirne has now arTI
for adjourning. I had thwught I should have been !JO
to have announced to you to-day, whether or not,'
Conference would break up on Monday. It appears ~P:e4
all means to influence the Government have been
—it appears that but little moreean be .clone stibstittai!es
by this Conference. We' hive received eommunioAL
the ~kati-Corn
of distress from all parts of the country, and tile'D
Har :
e
little more to communicate on that point. The Le's
state of- the country; and the manifestations which ;0
become greater than they are at present, act in t'so ``ir
In the first instance, it makes many who are, hel..eoe'
sirous to be at home ;- and in the second p',ace, itor;"
afford some argument, that if the distress of the CO%
should manifest itself in a greater degree 01,
has hitherto done in disturbances of the public Pe )10
or what is called so, which is taking food without .041/
life cannot be sustained—(Cheers)—it might be d',sl,,ei!'
that the Conference should still sit. On 3:1°'0"
next we meet again at the usual hour ; I hopeis ler
tendance will be as full as possible, because it tfir
bable that the question will be submitted, whether
(o',
time has arrived for the termination of the Config or
or whether it would be expedient for us to construe the
labours. The Conference is now adjourned till
usual hour on Monday.

• )
The far-famed races of Goodwood, with thelt DP
scenes of excitement, are gone by for a season, and lb bell'
race we arc likely to have to report will be at Lord
./.oc",aity
seat in Staffordshire, Shupbnrough Hall, where, it i° s'soll
rated, vast numbers will go in the hope of obtniniligbot
portion of the costly and valuable contents of this
mansion. Mr. George Robins will commence his olotroti'
bours there on Monday next. The sale will.continue pre.,
a period of sixteen days (Sundays excepted). During 1",
sent week the visitors have been very numerous. Ibe:cietr,
is exceedingly favourable. especially in respect to the itseot'e-el'
collection of pictures and statues. The wines are annou°c,
be incomparably fine, particularly the splendid Cabitset
pagne, of which there is still forty dozen remaining, (Pier
ningham's Sillery. There is altogether more than oi,4'
bottles of wine. The library is as valuable as it is est;
and will occupy the three first days of the sale exclusiveu'tef
At Brighton, and other places along the CO
Sussex and Hampshire, on Wednesday night, the weatbe'rif
esf
beautiful, while one of the most awful thunderstorms oo„,fietts'
visited London, and a considerable portion of Mici"
Surrey, and Kent.
45 #
MISS ADELAIDE KENIBLE, A BRlDE.—Thet3,„ri,
marriage between " Adelaide Kemble and John SO'lr,
were proclaimed in the city churches here on Sunday last
gentleman, who is about to lead this highly-accompli,he 4/11
and distinguished vocalist to the temple of Hymen. !,s;rsl'l,
Count Sartoris, and is reputed to be possessed of c010w,," ''
wealth. The lady, we believe, although generally ite°;,?'
this country by her maiden patronymic of Kemble, is It
fir's
and, we have been informed, has two children by her fir'
haul living at Milan.— Glasgow Chronicle. :t11;
THE WEATHER AND THE COUNTRy
.-~Trlttt lief
standing the unsettled state of the weather during the ti'°
part of last week, in this neighbourhood, the greater
oef tb
of the hay then out has been secured, and antieipationsvier;
corn harvest are beginning to haunt the mind of the
Last night the air was exceedingly close, with indicati'ilerv„
high state of electricity. Fine weather is now desirable re"
iipening both of corn and fruit, the latter of which tta,s
more abundant throughout the country: ConsideraloV
hers of Irish labourers have already arrivetl, and insY,
rir
served persevering in a south-eastern course.— Sheffieio ote
CURIOSITY AT WINDSOR CASTLE,—..A vei) totir
resting natural curiosity has lately arrived at Windsor d 0
where it has been placedupon a large pedestal in the for
vestibule (leading to the Waterloo Chamber), to erfri
public are admitted. It was recently in the Royal C°°,gn
tory at Kew (having been sent as a present to the Sovererei t"
this country, from China), whence it has been eransWorrr
Windsor Castle, and evinces, in a peculiar manner, th deL;
ordinary perseveiance and ingenuity of the chine,e,we it;
ring the progress of the growth of plants, have disco%) tea°,
means of so transforming or training their root,. tfiogol:f
them assume the shapes of various animals. The. foot
curiosity referred to, is supposed by some to be: the tb,e
the large Chinese dog .rose, and by others te-,1 of
root of the vine. It is about three feet in lengtiiiary re'
proportionate height, and bears a close and extreel tail, and
semblance to a lion, having the legs and feet, beau'
body with its shaggy plane, most rudely perfect. An;
ALTERATION OF THE BANKRUPT LAW."...- no
merous deputation waited yesterday, by appointmext.l3oo
James Graham at the Hume-office, on the subject of t
rupt Amendment Bill. There were present Mr. 1-3'"Weevit'
Sir M. Wood, M P. Mr. Masterman, AI. P., Mr.
Al. p., Mr. Mark Philips, IV. P., Mr Cobden. 31• is.,' iorsl'
Parker, hi. P., and several other Members of Per 16,016
Alessrs. Dillon, Caltlecott, James, Smith, Spence, AP°
attended as the Chairman and Ci.mmittee of the London AZ:cieti
tine: and Mr. Taylor and other gentlemen from the Law Grg'
of Manchester. '1 he deputations were received by
ham, accompanied by the Attorney and the Solicitor-_,-: vie/
Mr. Commissioner Holroyd being also present. 11...ttnesr5 e
stated at some length the views entertained by the er
ef
the London Association, who solicited a postponement wor'
measure till the ensuing session, with a view to its Sql;
fully considered and amended. The postponero t
e.nheflield, •
ported by Mr. Mark Philips, Mr. Parker, of
that the"
Alatthew Wood, and other Aleinbers, on the ereoSt'"d
session, and that their constituents had not had time
had not expected that the Bill would be pressed
.hro.tiqeheopti:,..9
der its provisions. Sir James Graham received,
tations made to him with marked attention, and
_h boubte
communicate them to the Lord Chancellor (vvh° hacl
as to the course
in the Bill), to consult with his colleagues
be adopted. A Vert'
i„dov -na.. -
RATHER 'CUTE.—A celebratcu
d his frie",.
penurious wife who, on a recent occasion, rer. red
the gsocaeo
in the drawing-room eith a single candle.
ther stands..
candle, that we may see where the
ness, my dear," said his Lordship, —to let us_h„are a 'ec
thuendreerrto.eli,tb°,