The Sun.
London, England, 1842-08-02 00:00:00

" TO P. A. TAYLOR. ESQ.

" Dear Sir,—Being informed by this morning's post
of the probability of the Conference breaking up its
sittings in a few days, the Committee of the Leicester
Anti-Corn-law' Association, being anxious to express its
thanks to the League. have directed me to forward to
you the accompanying resolution, praying most earnestly
that this righteous agitation may speedily be crowned
with success. " I am, dear Sir,
" Your most obedient servant,
" T. P. HULL, Secretary.

" Leicester, July 30, 1842.
Resolved,—That the Leicester Anti-Corn-law Asso-
ciation have observed with much admiration, the energetic,
persevering, and highly useful services of the Anti-Corn-
law Conference assembled in London ; that they feel
confident a cause so essentially just in its principles, and
so momentous in its consequences, must ultimately be
successful, and they trust that the enlightened and
patriotic men who have thus far conducted the business
of the League, will presevere in their agitation,t until
they ealize the accomplishment of their g object
that this Association begs to express their most hearty
thanks to the National Anti-Corn-law League for their
indefatigable exertions on behalf of suffering humanity,
and promise the League upon every future occasion their
prompt and contittous support."
TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ANTI-CORN-LAW LEAGUE.
" Dear Sir,—The speech of Mr. William Brook, one of the
Deputies, at the interview with Sir Robert Peel, has induced
me to send you the following official statement ; believing, as
I do, that his speech will give a wrong impression to all who
read it, as to the amount of distress in this district, which is
very great and alarmingly on the increase :
" Amount of paupers in April, 1840
66 April, 1841
46 April, 1842 9,431
Increase in the quarter ending July, 1842
Total

10,992

" So that out of a population in this union of 100,000, we
have nearly every ninth person a pauper, receiving relief, to say
nothing of the thousands in distress, who, from their dislike to
the Poor-law, will rather starve than have relief.
" I snake no comment on these facts, but leave them for you
to make what use of them you think proper.
" I am, dear Sir, yours faithfully,
" BENJAMIN ROBINSON,
" Huddersfield, July 30. " Guardian for Huddersfield.
" P. S. I have sent Sir Robert Peel a copy of this statement
by the same post."

" Bacup, near Rochdale, July 30, 1842.
" My dear Sir,—As I hear you are still in London, I think
it any duty to let you know that trade does not increase in this
part of the country. A good deal has been said about trade
being better, and the Guardian and some other newspasers
h. ave reported it so ; however, we have not experienced any
improvement at all in prices, and with the exception of we
thought a little more inquiry about a fortnight ago, there has
been no alteration for the better. On the contrary,
for the last week we have been worse. I am a
Guardian of a poor-law union in this neighbourhood,
and the applications for relief are on the increase
and as haymaking is ever (at which many of the poor get em-
ployment), our rates will increase most rapidly. except we
have a decided improvement in trade. Masons, joiners, stone-
getters, &c., who depend upon out-door work for their liveli-
hood, are fast getting out of employment, and as their trade
has been very slack for some time, they have no funds to fall
back upon, and will nearly all have to go to their townships for
relief. Cottages, which in 1835 and 1836 got up in rent in
this neighbourhood at least 30s. at four pounds value (and at
that time it was a favour to get a cottage near
us, some of our hands having to come two miles
to their vvork), are now lowered as much as they
got up then, arid there are thirty empty ones within a short
distance of our works. It must be recollected that these thirty
have all been tenanted. I think you know that our house at
Manchester is very extensively engaged in business, and I
will give you extracts from two letters I received from my
brother, dated the 21st and 23d inst.
"He says, I have nothing more to advise you about. It
appears to be as we anticipated, viz. that the little improve-
ment we had last week would soon disappear. It has entirely
done so.' Then after stating the extremely low prices that one
description of cloth was offered at, he says, ' Is this a good
trade? Is this improvement ? I say not. The Guardian
when he says the improvement he mentions for last week con-
tinued up to the time he wrote his article this week, does not
tell true, and I fear he knows it. He is anxious to quote
things better, and so am I, but not when I know it is not
true. Honesty is the beat policy ; but newspaper editors don't
appear to think, or at least they don't act as if they thought so.
I hear the report of the state of trade in the Guardian has
been quoted by Sir Robert Peel in the House of Commons.
It answers Sir R. Peel's purpose, and even if the Guardian
should contradict what he has reported, Sir R. Peel will not
allude to that in the House.'
" You will see by these extracts, &c., that our trade is not
improving, and that distress is increasing. I hope, before you
leave London you will be able to make an impression on the
Government. I think from the accounts in the papers they are
becoming rather alarmed, but, of one thing I am quite certain,
that if they believed in the distress as it really does exist, they
would be ten times more alarmed. It is quite evident, the
pressure increases every week, and, except something is done,
which will have an almost instantaneous effect, we shall be very
soon indeed at a complete stand; and, if we are so, who can
attempt to foretell the consequences.
" 1 remain, yours respectfully,
" ROBERT MUNN.
" Cullingworth Mills, near Bradford, Juiy 26, 1842."
"TO P. A. TAYLOR, ESQ., CHAIRMAN OF THE ANTI-CORN-
LAW CONFERENCE.
" Sir,--Though living on the confines of the moors I read
with heartfelt satisfaction the report of your proceedings daily
in the pages of The Sun, and I am persuaded that
in the most
remote and obscure parts of the country the people are looking
with hope and intense interest, far more on your proceedings
than on those of Parliament.
"Distress, which is proved to pervade society, is awakening
inquiry in every mind; and the firm conviction that the causes
of that distress are traceable to the Corn-law concentrates the
execrations of the masses upon the heads of those whom they
regard as protected robbers, and their blessings on yours.
" If anything could incite the people to revolt and retaliation,
it would be the deep and sullen sense of injury inflicted on
them, which all the sophistry and art of interested and ingenious
politicians cannot move from their minds. But there is an en-
lightened conviction gaining ground, that society cannot be
well regulated by war; and this conviction, in connection with
the influence of religion on thousands of the suffering, induces
them to look with intense interest for some other means of de-
livering them from the unnatural famine occasioned by the ac-
cursed Corn-law. I have read the report of your proceedings
only to discover what practical plan of relief the Conference
may have to propose, and have hardly had patience to read any
arguments, however able, so satisfied ant I that the Corn-law
is unjust and impolitic, and that all our evils are referable to it.
" Of the various plans proposed, the refusal to pay direct
taxes seems to be the mo't effectual, as well as being peaceful
and constitutional; but it is justly doubted whether it will
ever be acted on to such an extent in Britain as to effect a
change in the law.
" 'l'o stop all the mills in the country (another plan proposed)
would be attended with immediate anarchy, and the temporary
dominion of all the most unprincipled in the lower ranks of the
suffering poor, and God knows our wicked laws are tending
' rapidly to increase their number.
" All seem to be agreed that the most effectual plan would be
to effect a union between the lower and the middle classes.
Without this, 1 am persuaded nothing can be done, and it is
right they sh d e united, fo they both suffe frm the giant
monopoly. Baul t. sobme speak asr if nothing morer wereo required.
It is true the united demand of the people obtained Catholic
Emancipation and the Reform Bill, but these two great mea-
sures left the control of the national weallh, secured by the
Corn-law. still in the hands of the Ari,tocracy.
" For what purpose, then, ought the middle and lower classes
to be united? Not in order to prepare for war on the principle
of physical force. This, even were it successful, would throw
us back into a state of semi-barbarism from which ages might
not redeem us. Why, then, adopt a menacing tone if war be
not intended. But these are, there must be, other means by
which a united people may thwart the measures and resist the
, power of a dominant but small party. What are those means ?
To the solution of this important question permit me to call the
attention of your Conference.