Star.
London, England, 1826-08-19 00:00:00

-fc

ust be confineder taxes'which apply exclu-
fgeZ it, and he wooll what were these at present?
w seNtelfkoy. The Corn Laws were passed;
as a protection Ind indemnity against 1.5 or 16 millions
of taxes, which mere since repealed; and, unless the
country opposed the landed proprietors, they wdbld
succeed in retaining the equivalent after the taxes were
repealed—(Cheers.) From the best calculations which
had been made, 38 millions were paid in this country
for corn, over and above what it was worth elsewhere.
Such a claim as this, on the part of the agricultural
interest, was monstrous, beyond all p trallel in history.
He knew of nothing to compare with the spirit which
actuated the agricultural interest, except the Arab
Chief mentioned by Voltaire, who wished not only for
everything within his power. but also for what be-
longed to every body else—(Cheers).—lt had been said
that other commodities, eesides corn, had protecting
duties. There may be some who set a •alue on such a
patronage, but be was confident it was the feeling of
manufacturers generally. that they deplored such pa-
tronage—(Cheering).-The trading interests of the
present day were not liable for the restrictions on com-
mercial liberty; they ought rather to be compensated
fur the losses sustained by such regulations. If we
prevented imports, we prevented exports, and lost all
that might be made by the exchange—(llestr)—whilst,
as manufacturers, we call for a repeal cif protecting
&ties, let us disclaim all protection for ourselves, but
the cheap administration of laws which scented the
possession of property, liberty, and life--(Appletere).—
Front the extent and variety of British commerce, from
the insular situation of the country, it must become the
granary of Europe, if the Corn Laws were repealed. It
was now understood that several Members of the Ca-
binet were determined to modify these laws; and in
confirmation of this he would refer to the following
extract of a speech of Mr. Huskisson at the Liverpool
election :
" That the commercial measures, for which he was responsible,
had been undertaken by him, that be might show the landed into-
rest that they took an erroneous view of the subject, if they imagined
that their monopoly could any longer be allowed to stand on the
sante foundation as that on which it rested in 1819. These measures
bad. in his opinion, prepared the way for a safe alteration in the
Corn Laws, under such regulations, with respect to duty. as would
swore. at a moderate, reasonable, and steady price, a sufficient sup-
ply of that first article of consumption, and thus obtain that which
was the only legitimate foundation of power and source of wealth,
namely. comparative ease and ccrnfort to the labouring classes."
It was necessary that such opinions should be sup.
ported against the landed interest, and it was further
necessary to give that support with all the spirit and
energy which Was called for, to break down an odious
monopoly. He then moved—
" ed. That, in the opinion of this Meeting, the alarming distress
in the neighbouring districts cannot be effectually remedied with.
out a change in those laws which forbid the importation of foreign
son, until corn of home growth shall have attained a p;41.4 which
it is impossible for the people of this country to pay ; w laws,
therefore, amount to an exclusion of that coin. and which exclusion
operates to the injury of the manufacturing classes, mist the nation
at large. in the four following ways :
First—ln enhancing prodigiously the prices of the
prime necessaries of life. Second In shutting out from
British markets all those foreigners of various nations,
whose need of the goods which we make is surpassed
only by our need of the corn which they offer in ex-
change. Third—ln making it the interest of those na-
tions to encourage, by all possible means, the progress
of native manufactures, thus not only depriving us of
the trade of supplying their wants, but raising them up
against ns into most dangerous rivals in the trade of
supplying the wants of those other countries, the mar-
kets of which are equally open to all; and, Fourthly—
In introducing the spirit and practice of hazardous spe-
culation into the fo, merly steady and regular business
of all persons concerned in raising or selling the pro.
ducts of the land, making the prosperity even of the
farmer, and the supply of the fruits of the earth, to
depend, not upon the industry of man, nor on the
bounty of the seasons, but upon a system of averages,
managed with so much falsehood and fraud, as to
produce the most deceptive and injurious results."
Mr. M. PHILLIPS rose to second the resolution; and
although he appeared in the dubious character of ma-
nufacturer and landed proprietor, he had no hesitation
in saying, that whatever (Aber causes, besides the Corn
Laws, contributed to the present distress, there could
be no remedy without an alteration of those laws; and
even that measure. without a reduction of taxation,
ould net have the desired effect. Those two great
measures were absolutely necessary in order to put the
country on an equality with foreign nati.ns, and then
we might again arrive at that superiority, which our
skill and capital had enabled us to maintain.
Mr. 31,Wtekteats rose, and took out a paper, from
which he was abut to road an Address, in the com-
mencement of which, he stated, that he was a working
man, and unaccustomed to public speaking, and the; e-
fote he sought the indulgence of the Meeting, which
was granted with considerable liberality, whilst he tra-
velled over a variety of topics. At length the meeting
became impatient, and when he was comparing the
Civil List to the salary of the President of America,
the Chairman :minded him of the subject before the
Meetine, and, at the suggestion of some other persons,
he withdrew.—The Resolution was then put, and car-
ried unanimously.
Mr. A. Paz urea said, that after the picture which
bad been drawn of the prevailing distress, he would not
detain the Gentle t en present by dwelling further upon
it; but the Meeting would only do halt their duty it
they stopped at suggesting a repeal ot the Corn Laws
as the only remedy. The strong expression' of feeling
sarli:ch would go forth „reseeding the Corn Laws would,
be hoped, be accompanied with a similar Resolution on
the subject of taxation. His friend, Mr. Shuttleworth,
had proved, in his eloquent discourse, that the Corn
Laws were a tax of 38 millions, or 71. 10s. on each
family in the nation ; but whatever be the amount of
necessary taxation, we should see that the money col-
lected should not be expensed in a wasteful and extra-
vagant excess. (Hear, hear.) He contended that, by
a system of rigid economy, there might be a saving to
the State of ten millions. A century ago the whole
expenditure did not amount to four millions. The
machinery of the State was the only one that had not
undergone simpl fic .don and improvement. (Hear.)—
lie hoped and believed the present meeting would be
followed by various others, which, he was sure, would
have a great effect in preventing the gradual increase
ot the public expenditure. He then moved—
"3d. That while ascribing so many evils to the operation of the
Corn Laws, this Meeting cannot refrain, at a time hke the present,
from declaring their btlief that Much of the evil under which the
whole British people suffers, is take traced to the enormous amount
of taxes levied in this kingdom; In amount which, to its present
extent, this Meeting is strongly of opinion, is unnecessary for the
purpose of i Government, anxious only t., promote the public wel-
fare; seeing that, besides the peat sums applied in discharge of
the interest of the National Del a revenue several times as great
as the wbetlitTevenue of Ea:gland, is expended in the maintenance,
apparently designed to be perpetual, ot an immense standing army ;

in support of what the Ministers themselves have denominated the
"deed weight;" in the payment of greatly disproportioned *mu
to the ()dicers of State ; in supplying by pensivro and sinecures the
means of extravagance to great numberi of individuals and families
to whin:tithe public never was indebted for any, the smallest portion
of service • and in various other chart's, for which the most pros-
pezOill soiwittieo any country ever knew could furnish no excuse,
and which, in this country, after the exhaustion of a twenty-five
years war, are as unjustifiable in their principle as they are oppres-
sive and destructive in their effects."
Mr. Caorr seconded the resolutiol. He tho.lght the
causes of the distress were, a diminution of the currency,
the corn laws, and excess of taxation. It would be ini •
possible for this country to compete with foreign nations
without a repeal of the Corn Laws; and even Sir T.
Lethbridge thought fee trade should begin with them.
The resolution was then put, and carried untanimously.
Mr. HARVEY rose, to propose a resolution on the
subject of the currency. It had been truly stated, that
the Corn Laws were oppressive, and the evils of taxa.
tion were also properly complained of; but he thought
the fluctuations in the currency more oppressive than
either. This Gentleman went into a long detail of the
operations of the Bank of England, from the year 1797
to the present time, with a view of shewirrg the Mis-
chievous effects of its operations. He then moved-
- " 4th. That the enornmus pressdhe of the Corn Laws, and the
taxes, has been aggravated, to an incalculable extent, by the arbi-
trary changes that have been made in the value of money by the
operation of the messureTor causing a return to cash payments: the
abstract wisdom, and necessity of such measure, however injurious
in its immediate consequences, this Alerting does not In the least
dispute; but which- measure, being unaccompanied with any re-
mission of taxes, or any alteration in the Corn Laws, has had the
effect of lowering (in many eases to less than one.half) the prices of
all descriptions of produce and of goods, except those whisk the
Corn Laws and the taxes.have unnaturally kept up, and of lessening
in like proportion, the income, the profits, and the wages of every
man not dependent on the land and taxes."
Mr. &mosso seconded the resolution. He stated, that out of
eighteen respectable calico-printers, in Cannon-street, within the
last eighteen months, ten had stopped payment, and be attributed
their fosses to the changes in the currency.
The Resolution was then agreed to.
Mr. B. Hoe BROOK wished, in moving the second Re-
solution, to advert to some arguments which had been
brought forward against the proceedings of the present
Meeting; it had been said, the only effect of such meet-
ings would be, to urge the agriculturists to obtain
pledges from the Members whom they returned, to vote
against any repeal of the Corn Laws. la IrelAnd, such
meeting would have another effect, that of supporting
Ministry: in the course they had taken. He then moved,
" Stb. That for all these manifold and aggravated evils, this
Meeting Is ilisnly of opinion, no adequate and lasting remedy con
be applied, except by a repeal (as prompt and effectual as may be
consistent, with the regard which is due to those interests which
have been created by the present artilkial system, and which de-
pend upon fit of every law which enhances the prite of bread,
and obstructs the manufacturing and oommercial prosperity of the
station; and also by an immediate abolition of taxes, to an amount
which this Meeting does not presume to specify, but which, to
produce the desired results, must be so great as to put an end to all
Government expenditure, beyond that which shall be suited to the
akered value of money, and directly conducive to the freedom and
"oakum of the kingdom; that, therefore, au Address and Petition
l'em this Meeting be presented to his Majesty, most earnestly and
respectfully stating those views which this Meeting has taken of thi'
causes and remedies of the dreadful condition to which dies, die-
trick are reduced, and most humbly beseeching him that he will be
gradoualy pleased to assemble the Parliament feathwith, and to re-
commend the immediate adoption of these great measures, which,
and which only, can, in the opinion of this Meeting, prevent hie
loyal and suffering people from being hurried into the perils and the
crimes of some awful convulsion, and which only can restore per-
manent prosperity to all parts ads Majesty's dominions."
Mr. Ammo seconded the Resolution, which was carried
unanimously.
It was then moved, that the following Address be presented by a
Deputation, or in such other way as the Committee think proper
to adopt.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, for his
proper conduct in the Chair, and thus peaceably has
terminated a Meeting, respecting which so much alarm
had been entertained. It was conducted with the utmost
decorum and impartiality, if we except the interruption
experienced by Mr. Lilly, which was strongly censured
by the Chairman.

ore ins mos: SRACIOVI Dunn?, 0110110 Z ?Ur rummy, or THE

IMMO XVINIIO/1 or SMUT Our Ant Ass sexerse, cuts, DgriNDOZ
Or In rams, Ike. Ste. ace.
" The Address and Petition of the Laypayers of Manchester, at a
Meeting, held at the Manor Court-House, this 27th day of August,
_ .

1316, pursuant to public advertisement. for that purpsile ;

I. MOM 111011011.11 sautwarn—That your Petitioners deem the time
to have arrived, when it is their duty to lay before your Majesty a
statement of the distressed and alarming condition of a great por-
don of your Majesty's subjects; or the causes by which your Pe-
titioners deem that condition to have been produced ; and of those
remedies, the timely applleatien of which appears absolutely news-
sary to prevent, in England, consequtoces as disastrous as any that
ever bsfel a civilised country.
" The discharge, therefore, of this their duty, your Petitioners
beg leave to state to your /dainty, that this town of Manchester,
and the great manufacturing districts, of which it is the centre
and the mart, are now suffering under the pressure of distress,
which is wholly unexampled in its. duration and extent; that this
dustless has already brought to idsolveney and rein, great aumbsrs
of ingenious and enterprising manufacturers, dealers, and mer-
chants, whose honest acquisitions had apparently placed them
beyond the reach of embarrassment; that it is daily augmenting
and multiplying the dilliculties of those whom It has not yet over.
whelnutd; that it has deprived of all employment many thousands
of skilful and industrious families of the labouring classes; that
it has degraded them into minable dependents on the scanty pit-
tance furnished by the poor rates, and by charitable relief; that
it is continually adding to the nenler of claimants for this pittance,
while it is also forcing down into the rank, of the necessitous
many of the persons by whom the rates have been paid, and the re-
lief has been given ; that while, from this camel the legal fund for
the poor has been becoming kss productive, the fund created by
charity is almost totally exhausted; and that thus there is, muck rea-
son to fear that the approaching winter will see involved, in all the
horrors of starvation, the most thickly-peopled portion of your bla.
jest y's dominions.
" Your petitioners presume to present to your Majesty, their
decidegt upiltion, that the alarming distress in the manufacturing
districts cannot be effectually reme4ied without a chatigein those
laws of this kingdom which forbid the importation of foreign
eons, until corn of hoonsirowth shall have reacbed a price which
it is impossible for the people of this country to pay; which
laws, therefore, amount to a positive exclusion of that corn, and
. .

which exclusion operates to the injury of the manufacturing
classes, and of the nation at large, in the four following war:—
First In enhancing prodigiously the prices of the prime neces.
saris; of life. Secondly, In shutting out from British markets

all those foreigners, of various nations, whose need of the goods
which your Majesty's subjects make, is surpassed °Mr by the need
of your Majesty's subjects, of the food w'bich those foreigners ogler
in exchange. Third, in making it the interest of those nations to

encourage, by all possible means, the proves, of native manufae•
tures, thereby not only depriving Great Britain of the trade of sup-
plying their wants, but raising them up against her, into most
dangerous rivals, in supplying the wants of those other countries,
the markets of which are equally open to all; and fourth, In

introducing the spirit and praciice of hazardous adventure into the
formerly steady and regular business of all persons concerned in
raising or selling the products of the land ; thus making the success

of the farmer, and the supply of the fruits of the earth, to depend,

not on the industry of man, nor nu the bounty of the season 4 but
upon a system of averages, which is managed so falsely and flea-
dulently as to ptoduee the most deceptive and injurious results.
4. While, however, your petitioners are ascribing so many evils
to the laws against the importation of corn, they cannot refrain from
declaring their deliberate opinion, that another most grievous cause
of the misery under which the whok body of your Majesty's sub-
jects is suffering, is the enormous amount of the taxes levied in this
kingdom; an amount which, to its present extent, your petitioners
are strongly of opinion, is unnecessary for the purpose of a Govern-
ment anxious only to promote the welfare of yaw Majesty's people ;
for your petitioners have learned, by the annual accounts issued by
your Majesty's Ministers, that, besides the sums applied in discharge
of the intense on the national debt, a revenue, a:Taal limes as great

as the wbols Mange of England a century ap, is sspeatisii is tas

' maintenance (apparently designed to be perpetual) of an immense
standing army ' • in the support of what your Majesty's Minister.
have denominated the " dead weight;" in the payment of largely
disproportioned salaries to some Of the Officers of State ; In
supplying by pensions and sinecures, the Means-of extravagance to
great numbers of individuals and families from Whom the public
hive never received any, the smallest portion of service; and in
various other charges, for which, as your petitioners humbly beg
leave to submit to your Majesty, the most prosperous condition that
any. country ever knew, could furnish no excuse ; and which, in this
country, after the exhaustion of a twenty-five years' war, appear to
your bumble petitioners, to be as unjustifiable in their principle as
they are oppressive and ruinous in their effects.
" Your petitioners most humbly state to your Majesty, their full
conviction, that the enormous pressure of the Corn Laws, and of
the Taxes, has been aggravated, to an incalculable extent, by the
arbitrary changes in the value of money, produced by the operation of
the measure for causing a return to cash payments. Your peti-
tioners, so far'from disputing the wisdom or necessity of this mea-
sure, have long borne, in silence, the injury of its immediate conse-
quences, and been willing to make great sacrifices, in order that a
circulating medium, of full intrinsic value, might be established
throughout the kingdom. But this great measure, so necessary, so
wise, and so just in itself, having been unaccompanied by any re-
mission of taxes, or any alteration of our Corn Laws, has bad the
effect of lowering, in many eases, to less than one-half, the prices
of all descriptions of produce, and of goods, except those which the
Corn Laws and the taxes have unnaturally kept up, and of lessening
in like proportion, the income, profits, and the wages of every man
not a landlord, nor a dependant on the taxes.
" Seeing. therefore, that the manifold and aggravated evils which
your petitioners have humbly set forth to your Majesty, appear to,
have arisen from those causes to which your petitioners have at-
tributed them, your petitioners are firmly of opinion, that an ade-
quate and lasting remedy is to be found only in the repeal (as prompt
and effectual as may be consistent with the regard which is due
to those interests that have arisen out of the present artificial system,
and that depend upon it) of every law which enhances the price
of bread, and obstructs the manufacturing and commercial pros-
perity, of Great Britain, and also the immediate abolition of
taxes to an amonut which your petitioners do not presume to
specify ; but which, that it may produce the desired results, must
be sufficiently great to put an end to all national expenditure beyond
that which Mull be Gaited to the altered value of money,
and directly conducive to the freedom and greatness of the kingdom.
Your petitioners, therefore, most earnestly beseech your Majesty
to assemble the Parliament forthwith, and to recommend the im-
mediate adoption of those great measures which, and which only,
can, as your petitioners are fully convinced, prevent your suffering
but loyal people from being hurried into the perils and the crimes
of some awfnl convulsion, and which only can restore permanent
prosperity to all parts of your Majesty's dominions.
" And your Petitioners shall ever pray."

THE EVENING STAR.

LONDON.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 1526.
STOCK EXCHANGE, TWELVE O'CLOCK.

Consuls opened this morning at the sante price they left off at
yesterday, 7111 for the Account; soon after the market became
heavy, and Consols were done at 781 : but up to the present time
they may be quoted at 7111 for the Account, and for October 71$
buyers. No business of consequence is doing.
In the Foreign Market there has been some fluctuation in Co.
'Nubian and Mexican Bonds, which fell at the commencement of
the market ; since which they have got up spin.
Current prices : Old Spanish 10$ I, Mexican 411, Colombian
32, Peruvian 24 26, Russian 83$ 1, Greek Bonds 13 it, Bra•
silian Shares II to 11, Exchequer Bills 14 to 16 premium.
CITY, TWO O'CLOCK.

The Consol market is almost deserted, and nothing is doing.
Consols bare beep, the whole of the forenoon, at 781 for the
Attcount, and 7118 for October. The Foreign Market is also dal
at present, and little is doing.