The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-04-16 00:00:00

not lois'f,r wages.

vancing such absurdity—such transparent humbug
If wages are not to be lowered, bow shall our commo-
dities find a more easy vent in foreign markets than
they do at present; and if they are to be lowered,
what advantage will the operatives derive from altering
or even 2bolishing the corn duties ? Here is a dilemma
out of which we defy the democracy of free trade to
escape. Cheap bread does not imply low wages, said
Mr. Thornely, else why the great number of vessels
now in the docks of Liverpool advertised to take emi-
grants from the labouring .portion of the population to
the United States and to Canada ? Would these la-

bourers emigrate except for the inducement of higher

wages in those countries ? This was his proof that
cheaper bread would not lessen wages in this country.
Surely the honourable member for Wolverhampton
(the colleague of Mr. Villiers) must have been jesting
when he adduced this fact by way of proving that a
different price of bread in this country would have no
effect upon wages. In America it is the inadequacy of
the supply of labour to the demand which causes the
high rate of wages ; but let the proportion of demand
and supply be altered in favour of the latter, and wages
will immediately come down ; and commerce being re-
gulated by the price of food, there is no parallel in
the cases which he attempts to compare. In this
country the labour market is overstocked, and the price
of food is the most important ingredient which regu-
gulates its hire; in America a state of things exactly
the reverse prevails, and wages are consequently de-
termined chiefly by the supply in the market, and not
by the price of corn; and they are high not because
corn is cheap, but because labour is scarce. The ho-
nourable member says that all the representations about
the cheapness of corn bringing down wages are a " de-
hision" ; but we say that any other representation is a
delusion, and nothing but a delusion, whilst the rela-

tions of demand and supply as to labour continue such
as they now are. Oh, but there will be an increased de-

mand for our manufactures in consequence of the corn
trade being opened; but what will produce that, unless
by lowered wages we shall be better able to compete
with the domestic manufactures of foreign countries ?
We are assured by Sir Joshua Walmsley, another great
cheap-loaf authority, that " if we should cease to be an
exporting country of manufactures, we should sink as
rapidly as we have risen."
But how have we become an exporting country ? It
was not by having an unprotected agriculture that we
became so—by subjecting the heavily taxed British
farmer to a ruinous competition with the lightly taxed,
or the altogether untaxed, serfs of Poland and boors of
Germany. It was not with such a system we pros-
pered; and with such a system it would have been im-
possible for us to have arrived at that position of inde-
pendence and great political consequence which we
have enjoyed. But we have been now so long at peace
with the world, that it is imagined, we suppose, we are
never to be at war adain, and that every other conside-
ration must give way to our trading interest. Well,
be it so. We abolish our corn duties then, not to
lower wages but to increase exports ; the farmers and
gentry are despoiled to give a little additional employ-
ment to our shipping, and to supply the factory people
with cheaper bread, and some trifling increase does take
place (let us suppose) in our exports; "Peter" is robbed
and " Paul" is paid ; let us suppose this, although if
employers are to derive no direct advantage from the
change of system, we cannot conceive how it can well
be ; but no matter—let us suppose it. But then agri-
cultural industry is prostrated ; inferior soils are thrown
out of cultivation ; rents fall ; and distress necessarily
overtakes all whose fortunes are bound up with the
produce of the soil, and its price in the market. Now,
do the manufacturers imagine that they will sustain no
loss in the home market in consequence of this fata-
lity, which would perhaps more than nullify all their
gains derived from a trifling increase in their exports ?
Here is a " respect that should giVe them pause," if
they will only look at it.
The " little Corsican," in spleen and spite, vexation
and bitterness of soul, did, once upon a time, call us,
in the way of contempt and disparagement, " a nation
of shopkeepers ;" but he had found to his cost, that
we were " ugly customers" as well, and that we have
a way of "dealing" both by wholesale and retail—and
though preferring to be civilians, in general, that we
can shew fight "sometimes." But there are twaddlers
amongst us who really take this speech of the defunct
Corsican as if it contained a serious truth, and who
would have us act as if we really were what the " sa-
tirical knave" said here. Yes, they would sweep away
our farm-houses—let our corn-fields run to waste—
pauperise our gentry, and exile our " bold peasantry—
their country's pride,"—in order to cover the whole
land with factories, and train the rising generation in
the healthful and intellectual operations of factory la-
bour. Fins reformers these—men of great souls, and
wondrous patriots. But we beg pardon—the phrase
is "children of light"—they are children of light; so
Mr. William Rathbone calls them. And certainly by
his splendid oration on the stage on Monday, he gave
great proof that he is himself a most promising babe
of the illumination. He boasted on this occasion that
they had ensnared the Tories by'the recent meeting in
the Court House, and committed them to the principles
of free trade. Why, what meanness and trickery are
here ! But the statement is absolutely untrue. The
Tories were not ensnared, whatever intention might
have been entertained to that effect by Mr. W. Rath-
bone, or his cofreres—nor were they committed to any
thing beyond what they are now perfectly willing to
abide by. The Corn Duties were specially exempted
from the matters to be discussed at the Court House
meeting ; and there is not the slightest inconsistency
in assenting to a general principle, but maintaining,
at the same time, that there are exceptions to the rule
which must be strictly and rigidly guarded.

MODEL OF DUBLIN.—We recommend our readers to visit
this very ingenious model. It is the best worth seeing of any
that has of late been exhibited.

" TEN THOUSAND A YEAR."-Mr. Martin's clever drama
of this name has been just published. We have enjoyed a
hearty laugh over it, while the recollection. of the capital way
in which it was played at the Liver is fresh in our memory.
We are glad to see this demand for a drama first played in
Liverpool. It is very amusing; the dialogue is well sus-
tained and full of spirit. We recommend it to those who
have a taste for dramatic literature. •

DEATH BY FALLING INTO A CELLAR.—On the after-
noon of Wednesday a little girl, Elizabeth, daughter of Mr.
Moses Moss, Clarence-buildings, Mansfield-street, fell into
an unprotected cellar, in that neighbourhood, and was se-
verely injured. She was carried home, and two surgeons
were immediately in attendance, who paid her every atten-
tion ; but she died at three o'clock yesterday morning, in
consequence of the injuries she had received. An inquest
will be held to-morrow.

DEATH BY BURNING.—On the sth instant, as Catharine
Bell, a woman 67 years of age, who .was much addicted to
drinking, was sitting alone, and partly undressed, in the cel-
lar in which she lived, under No. 14, New Bird-street, a
spark from the candle ignited her clothes, and she rushed into
the street, in a blaze. A man named Smith went up to her,
and succeeded in putting out the fire. She was soon after
attended by a surgeon, but lingered on until Tuesday morn-
ing, when she expired. In the opinion of the surgeon, the
immediate cause of death was the burning, though the de-
ceased had previously injured herself by inebriety. An in-
quest was held yesterday on view of the body, and a verdict
of—died by being accidentally burned—was returned. Some
other parties,--abandoned characters—live in the cellar, but
were all absent when tha accident occurred.

YOUNG MEN'S ESTABLISHED CHURCH SOCIETY.—Last
evening a most admirable sermon was delivered in St. Jude's
Church by the Rev. Hugh M'Neile, to the members of the
Young Men's Established Church Society, on " the position
of the Christian ministry relatively with the civil ruler, and
the connection between a national establishment of the church,
and the permanence of such Scriptural position." The rev.
gentleman selected his text from the 13 and 14th verses of the
2d chapter of the First Epistle general of Peter—" Submit
yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake,
whether it be to the king as supreme, or unto governors as
unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil
doers, and to the praise of them that do well." The dis-
couase, which we understand will speedily be printed, occu-
pied about an hour and a quarter, and was listened to with
the most profound attention by crowded congregation.

BRISTOL AND EXETER RAILWAY.--The contracts for
eleven miles:of this line (from Bridgewater to Taunton) have
all been let so as insure the completion of the whole distance
within twelve months. The terms are £lB,OOO a mile, in-
cluding the permanent way, and every other expense. This
line is now likely to return a handsome dividend to the pro-
prietors, as well as confer incalculable benefits upon the
surrounding country.
THE SiLK GOWN.—" To be or not to be" is the question
which is now agitating the Wesleyan body throughout this
country, on the snbject of wearing clerical gowns in the pul-
pits of the Society, by its itinerant ministers. Mr. Welsh,
in a pamphlet which he has published, states that the system,
if adopted by all the itinerant preachers, will cost the Society
£7OOO a-year. The Rev. S. D. Waddy, the most popular
Wesleyan preacher in this town, having had a silk gown pre-
sented to him by some ladies in his congregation. has ap-
peared therein in public, but his so doing has not met with
the approval of the office bearers of the Society in Hull. The
Rev. Mr. Bunting, at Manchester, also appeared in one on
the same day as Mr. Waddy, which circumstance being
strongly disapproved of, Mr. B. has withdrawn himself until
the Conference, when the matter will come on for discussion.
—Hull Paper.

REPRESENTATION OF LONDON.--A number of citizens
have pressed Sir Peter Laurie to allow himself to be nomi-
nated at the next election : he has accepted their invitation.

COMM-0150U NA PIER

It will afford our readers no small gratWeatioa to loam

that in all probability Commodore Sir Charles Napier will
grace by his presence a public dinner given to him by the
inhabitants of Liverpool, on landing in Europe after his
glorious achievements in the East. Immediately on its
being ascertained that the Commodore was on hoard the

Oriental, a requisition was set on foot, with praiseworthy

alacrity, expressive of the sense entertained of the great
services rendered by him to our beloved country, and to the

interests of Europe, and requesting the honour of his com-
pany to a public dinner immediately on being released from

quarantine. This was signed in a few hours by about two
hundred of the priceipal gentlemen of the town, of all par-
.nd was headed by the signature of the Mayor. A

deputation, consisting of the Mayor, John Garnett, William
Brown, John Taylor, William Stewart, T.• C. Dunlevie,
Jaques Myers, R. Woodward, J. Pollock, Esqrs., and other
gentlemen, yesterday proceeded in the Redwing, which was
kindly placed at their disposal b:- Captain Bevis, to the
Quarantine Ground, to present the requisition to the Com-
modore, and the result of their interview leaves no doubt
that the object of their visit will be attained. A meeting of
the requisitionists is convened to-day, and will be found
advertised in the usual place. The gallant old veteran is
expected to land to-day at one o'clock, and no doubt will be
greeted, as he deserves, with a 'hearty welcome.