The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-01-15 00:00:00

.t is not our fault : but we thin

better of them as a class than to sup'

) oblivious of th

;e that they can

We feel surprised that Sir Joshua Walmsley should

have given utterance to the shallow sophism that " the
corn-laws had enhanced the price of food, and obliged

the community to pay almost double for the necessa-
ries of life

n. the price of corn, instead of being as
it now was at 60s. and 70s. per quarter, would, with a
free trade, be down at 405." It is scarcely consistent
with Cocker to say that 60s. is nearly double 40s. ;
nor is it consistent with fact to assume that from 60s.
to 705..1s the average price of corn under the operation
of the corn-laws : from 50s. to 60s. would have been
much nearer the truth. Still less is it consistent with
reason to assert that corn would be absolutely cheaper
under the operation of the free-trade principle. Rela-
tively it would be so for a season that is to say until
a monopoly of the supply could be secured by foreign
growers and English importers of grain. But even
supposing that the price of corn could be permanently
kept down—which could never be done unless an unre-
stricted supply could be secured—the working classes
would derive no benefit whatever from the

relative

cheapness of that necessary of life. It should be re-
membered that the Anti Corn-Law league would never

have expended a farthing in agitating the question of a

free trade in corn, if they did not calculate upon such
a reduction of wages as would enable them to compete
with the foreign manufacturer. We intreat the work-
ing classes not to suffer themselves to be gulled on this

point. Let them reflect whether, with a reduction of
Gs. Bd. in the pound in the amount of their wages, a
reduction to the same extent in the price of corn would
be any benefit to them. The thing is palpably prepos-
terous.

We feel no surprise, however, when we find Sir

Joshua

Valinsley declaiming against the protection of

forded to' our colonial prod

The free trade piffle-

sophers are certainly consistent in one thing:--:they
profess the most ineffable hatred towards every thing
which is of essential advantage to Great Britain. They
would fling British agriculture to the dogs, and would
express no concern if all our colonial territories were
submerged in the depths of the ocean. " Success to
foreigners" seems to be their ruling maxim. They
say that

if we could take the productions of other
countries, duty free, in exchange for ours, we should
have more manufactured goods to return to them."
Indeed ! How much more of our manufactures was
taken by the corn-growing countries of the continent
during the time that corn was introduced free of duty
into Great Britain ? Had we not to pay six or eight
millions of hard cash for foreign corn in the course of
1838 and 1839 ? If the productions of other countries
were introduced, free of duty, for home consumption,
what would be the inevitable consequence ? Foreign
manufacturers would immediately undersell us in our
own markets. It is utter nonsense to assert that with
all the appliances of British skill and industry, and
with wages reduced to starvation point, we could com-
pete with foreign manufacturers. Labour must neces-

sarily be cheaper on the continent than in this country,
even supposing the trade in corn to be perfectly free.
The large amount of taxation necessary to pay the
interest of the national debt renders it impossible that
we could compete with the lightly taxed manufactu-
rers of the continent. But this is not all. The mere

addition of the cost of freight and the importers' pro-
fits to the price of foreign corn must rendez: corn dearer
in this country. The consequence of the free trade
principle would therefore be, that the cabinet-makers,
shoemakers, tailors, saddlers, coSchmakers, and hatters
of Hamburg, Bremen, and other parts of Germany,
would supersede the same classes of British tradesmen ;
Belgium would obtain a monopoly in the iron market;
and France, Belgium, and Prussia would exclusively
supply this country with manufactured fabrics in silk,
wool, and cotton. That man must certainly be "in-

sane" who imagines that such a state. of things would
be of any advantage to this country.

We cannot but admire the candour displayed by
Sir Joshua Walmsley in preventing any opposition to
the views which he propounded to the "insane" meet-
ing of Wednesday evening. The mild and gentle-
manly tones in which he threatened to eject Mr.

Palmer and another gentleman from the meeting ex-
hibited in a strong light the amenity of his dis Position
the urbanity of his manners, and the strict imparti-
ality of his conduct. It would scarcely have suited his
purpose to allow any one to undeceive the working
classes on the subject Or the Anti-corn law humbug.
He acted most prudently in refusing a hearing to Mr.
Palmer. It would have been inconvenient to have
permitted that gentleman to demolish the flimsy and
shallow reasonings of our would-be representative.
His command over the police saved him from this
'painful humiliation.

We observe that the corn• law repealers concluded
their procpedings on Wednesday by giving " three
cheers for the Repeal of the Union." This fact con-
vinces us that the operatives of Liverpool had nothing
to do with the meeting. It was evidently composed of
Mr. Rosson's Irish brigade. We can scarcely believe
that any decent English operative would venture among
such a set of vagabonds. Any resolutions emanating
from such a meeting, even with Sir Joshua Walmsley
as president, must be unutterably contemptible.

We understand that it is the intention of many in-
fluential natives of the Principality, resident in this
town, shortly to convene a public meeting, for the pur-
pose of petitioning the legislature against the -propos'ed

scheme for uniting the dioceses of St. Asaph and Ban-
gor, and of abstracting from the amount of their sine-
cure incomes, for the support of a bishopric at Man-
chester, whilst so many livings in North Wales remain
so inadequately endowed. We are glad to hear that a
provisional committee has already been formed, and
that steps have been taken to insure the attendance of
several eloquent opponents of the above obnoxious
plan. We shall feel happy in rendering all the assist-

ante in our power to forward so praiseworthy an object
as that which our Welsh friends have in contemplation.
'The inhabitants of several places in North Wales have
already taken the initiative in this matter; and we have
no doubt that the exertions already commenced will be
followed.up with becoming spirit by the Welsh inhabi-
tants of Liverpool.

We trust that one of the first topics that will engage
the attention of Parliament, during the approaching
session, will be the progress of the repeal agitation in
Ireland. A glance at any of the Irish papers of the
present week will convince even the most sceptical that
the spirit of disaffection is rapidly spreading, in every
direction, throughout Ireland. - At the great meeting
which took place last week in the county of Westmeath,
upwards of. 50;000 persons attended. When appealed
to by Mr. O'Connell, this vast multitude declared them-
selves unaniirously in favour of repeal. It is now as
evident as daylight that the Popish hierarchy and priest-
hood are decidedly in favour of the repeal movement.
The dinner given the other day at Mullingar was at-
tended by great numbers of these reverend and right
reverend agitators, all of whom spoke, in the most un-
equivocal terms, in favour of separation from England.
For instance, Dr. Higgins, the titular Bishop of. Ar•
dagh, declared that the Roman Catholic Bishops "would
never be found to stand aloof, when the cause of the
nation and the interests of their people were in ques-
tion ;" adding that they had the example of some of
the Popes of Christendom, who boldly advocated the-
rights of, their people." But, as if these boasts *ere not
sufficiently explicit, he-proceeded to say—" We look
upon the pad which we are now taking in the struggle
as an imperative duty, and we have one and all arrived
at the determination of becoming repealers, because we
have ceased •to place hope on any other efforts." - Is
this language sufficiently strotik* to 'convince tile Globe
and Morning Chronicle that the priests are•at the bottom
of the repeal movement ? If it be not, we request the
attention of the ministerial scribes to the speech of
another titular, delivered at the same meeting. The
Right Rev. Titular, Dr. Cantwell, of Meath, said—" I
am convinced that the repeal is a holy cause, for I am
of opinion that it is the only, means by which we can
hope to make our country prosperous—our people
happy—and the throne more secure. We will, then,
one and all, priests, bishops, and people, unite in a cause
that is to bring happiness to our native land." This
plain and intelligible language must surely dispel the
delusions of the ministerial press. It proves that the

or t4e en

ever hilly'

Ly cant a

,mberniont

in view, hoy

!curar o

At the meeting to which we have referred, the titular

of Ardagh boasted, that in his dioc

AlOne, he cot

number one hundred clergymen repeaters, and ex-
pressed a hope, that before many months should pass
away, he should be enabled, with the assistance of his
clergy, to enrol four hundred thousand. repeaters.

When such boasts are thus openly made by the !tarn-
ish pretates- of Ireland, it is high time to draw the at-
tention Of Parliament to the subject of this repeal
movement. We trust that a single week will not be
allowed to elapse before some spirited member of the
House of Commons will boldly take up the question,
with a view to the interference of the government. Let
the boasted loyalty of the Melbourne ministry be tested
upon this subject.

LOCAL NEWS

We are glad to perceive that the key. D. James and the
churchwardens of St. Mary's, Kirkdale, are collecting funds
to relieve the poor of that populous suburb, at this inclement
season. Mr. James is to preach on their behalf on Sunday
nest. 'lt would be well if church collections were to be ge-

neraliy made,—the churchwardens distributing the funds so
raised to the many who are now sufferers ; and. especially to
those whose necessities require to be sought out. it is in this
way that the Church of England would prove " a blessing to
those who are ready to perish." ,
TESTIMONIAL OF RESPECT TO JOHN DIXON, ESQ., EN-

GINEER TO THE BIRKENHEAD RAlLWAY.—Passing Mr
Doke the silversmith's shop in. Lord-street, yesterday, on

attention was drawn to a very handsome sil.ver salver ex-
hibited in the window. giOn inspecting it we found the fol-
lowing inscription, neat displayed in a circular shield in the
centre :—" This slight testimonial of affectionate regard pre-
sented to John Dixon, Esq., civil engineer, by his pupils, at
the close of the works on the Chester and Birkenhead Rail-

way, January, 1843." The salveris executed in Mf. Poke's
first style; it is costly and tasteful, and will form a useful
and ornamental appendage to a sideboard. The value is 30

guineas

CAUTION.—There appeared in the Guardian of Saturday
a paragraph, copied from the lirmingham Advertiser, re-
specting•a_robbery.committed ;it the house of Mr. Sr,"'

New Inn, Brea

Smith,
5,n pro-

grove-street.Arminglom,.by a k

fessing to be a Fienchnian, OS had been stopping .there a
short time. A persofiexactlyantwering the description took
lodgings at No. 44, Dale-street, on Wednesday last, under
the name of Mr. Charles, stating that he had just arrived by

the London train, and represetaing, himself as a traveller in
the shawl trade. He left the house on Friday afternoon, and