The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-09-04 00:00:00

CONTEMPORARY PRESS.

ANTI-CORN-LAW FRAUDS.
(From the Newcastle Journal)
The returns of corn fraudulently purchased in the
single market of London are almost equal, says Mr.
Handley, to " one fourth of the aggregate amount of
" corn sold in the one hundred andforty-nine other cities
and towns of England Wales," where, according to the
corn law, the averages are ordered to be taken. The
same villanous practices are resorted to by the same set
of wealthy plunderers in the marke,s contiguous to
London, of Guildford, Uxbridge, &c., so as to help
high averages, and raise high prices upon the poor by
a famine artificially created. And yet we are told there
is no law to touch these bloodsuckers—these leeches
of the nation's substance and the poor man's food.
For there is little question that the purchases were
really made and paid, as from one part of the holders
and fellow-conspirators to another, and that bank
cheques can be produced duly drawn and paid, in proof.
For such a description of people as corn regraters and
forestallers are not to be caught tripping. They have
been too often convicted not to have become wary, and,
like London thieves, who after frequent appearance at
the Old Bailey become so astute as not to be in want
of Alderman Harmer or any other thieves' attorney
any more, so the corn factors can manage to break
through the meshes of the law without troubling the
Board of Trade for an opinion, or caring for the people
who take and calculate the averages.
Thus it is the agriculturists are plundered and basely
betrayed on all hands. When through the rascally
manoeuvres of these famine breeders the prices of corn
are raised through swindling averages, why then their
brethren and confederates of the anti-corn law pack
open in full chorus against the iniquity of corn laws,
and quote the outrageous breach of them as the best
and most conclusive of all reasons for their entire abo-
lition. Upon the same principle the offender against
any law may plead his transgression against it as a
proof of its prejudicial consequences and the advise-
ableness of its erasure from the statute book.
This is the line of argument taken by the Sun and
the Morning Chronicle, and at a convenient distance by
the Globe, which sneaks along in the wake of these
journals, as not daring to take a lead of its own, but
humbly following where bolder coadjutors lead the way.
The 8214 asserts that the whole poverty and distress of
the working glasses are chargeable npon the dear corn.
This is easily said, but where is the proof ? It will be
necessary to shew that the people were better off, some
four or five years ago, when wheat was at from 325. to
365. a quarter, than now when at from 60s. to 705., as
the case may be. The price of bread corn is one ele-
ment poly, and the least, of the prosperity of the arti-
zan and general operative, The more important ele-
ment is plenty of Work at fair wages: The Morning
Herald, the most able and uncompromising advocate
of the agricultural interests, has placed this argument
in en unanswerable point of view, The penny diffe-
rence more or less in the price of the quartern loaf is
in fact of the slightest signification if an equitable
standard of wages be maintained, and there is not one
sane labouring man in the country, always excepting
Elliott the mad Sheffield poet, (all poets are more or
less crazy,) who cares a rush about any such foolery,
so long as he is not ground down in his wages. That
poor cracked poet, or maniac Elliott, may not indeed
know it, but nobody thinking and writing in sober
prose is ignorant of the fact, that all the cry against
corn laws means in reality reduction of wages ; for,
say th anti-corn law grinders, we cannot compete with
foreigners in the production of coal, iron, cottons, and
woollens, because hread ;:tutY4 are clearer here than
abroad ; that is, that wages are higher here than there.

For if wages were not higher here they could produCe
much cheaper than abroad, because having so much
better machinery, and workmen so much better skilled.
Therefore it is indisputable that the cry nominally
against corn laws is a miserable pretence, and means
in fact and in sense a cry against the wages of the la-
bourer, which the great manufacturers would pare
down, old put the difference, as they generally do, into
their own pockets, Wiring the labourer to the mercies
of the 'No* Poprl,4ty pr XQ 4417 pth9r gprt of starva-
tion at his choice.
It is a fact which does not tell to the credit of the
body at large, several respectable, inoffensive, true-
hearted members of which we know and highly esteem,
,as among the last to countenance such practices, that
the chief qnti-corn law grinders and fraudulent falsifiers
of the averages, grp of the Quaker tribe—not of Mark
Lane only, but elsewhere: ip the country at large, as we
could name and prove if we would, gild one of these
days may.

THE LATE DIABOLICAL ATTEMPT TO MURDER

AT LUDLOW.

LUDLOW, MONDAY EVENING.-It was fully expected that
Misters, the young man charged with the atrocious attempt
to murder Mr. Macreeth, at Ludlow, would be finally ex-
amined and committed this day, it having been the opinion of
Dr. Lloyd that he would be so far recovered as to enable him
to give evidence. He, however, is not yet pronounced out of
danger. Last night he was considerably worse. This re-
sulted partly from his own imprudence. The unfortunate
gentleman is said to be extremely fond of fish, and,
contrary to the direction of his medical adviser, who
ordered that he should partake of no solid food, he requested
the servant to procure him some fish, of which he partook.
The effect of this was, that portions of the fish absolutely
protruded from the wound in his throat, which had not fully
closed,—a partial, although not a dangerous, relapse was the
consequence. The most active measures have been resorted
to, by Superintendent Lewis, of the Church Stretton Dis-
trict of the county constabulary, for the purpose of disco-
vering whether or not the razor which was found had been
purchased or lent to the prisoner. The following advertise-
mnent, by direction of the Town-clerk, has been purchased
in the provincial papers :
" THE RECENT ATTEMPT TO MURDER AT LUDLOW.—
To Hawkers, Cutlers, and others.—Any person who has
recently sold a razor, marked Ellin, cast steel,' having a
black handle, to a person answering the description of the
prisoner, is earnestly requested to communicate the particu-
lars to the Ludlow magistrates."
This advertisement has as yet been answered in no way what-
ever ; but the superintendent of the Church Stretton division
of the rural police, who has been actively engaged during the
present inquiry, has traced one important fact, which, on the
next examination of the prisoner, may lead to the full con-
viction that he (Misters) was the man who committed the
horrible act. The fact is this, that Mr. Lewis, after diligent
inquiry, has learned from a hair-dresser in Shrewsbury, that
a person answering the description of the prisoner called at
his (the hair-dresser's) shop and was shaved on the Satur-
day preceding the day of the attempted murder. The follow-
ing morning the hair-dresser discovered that a razor was
missing, but having no suspicion of the prisoner, and not
having as yet seen him since in custody, this matter is left
for further investigation. It is said, however, that a consi-
derable difficulty lies in the way of identification, inasmuch
as the hair-dresser states that the razor missing from his shop
was stamped " Ellen, cast steel," whereas the razor found is
marked " Ellin, cast steel."

This morning the prisoner was brought up for examination
before the Mayor, John Smith, Esq., J. Hutchings, and H.
Smith, Esqrs. The prisoner still preserved that coolness of
manner and possession of mind which he has manifested dur-
ing this protracted inquiry. The court having been opened,
it became generally known from that imprudent act as stated
above en the part of Mr. Macreeth, that that gentleman
would not be in such a state of convalescence as to admit of
his examination. The Mayor accordingly called upon Dr.
Lloyd, whose testimony was to the following effect : " I have
still been in attendance upon Mr. Macreeth. He is not in a
fit state to be examined this day, yet I may say that he is
going on favourably. He still remains at the Angel Inn.—
Probably in a week (Monday) he would be in a state of
health to be examined without danger. Lase, night he was
not quite so well as he had been; 1 have given orders that
none should see him except his immediate attendants. I
cannot say even now that he is fully out of danger, My opi-
nion is, that it would be more conducive to his health to
examine Mr, Macreeth at the Angel lan, rather than in a
crowded court," _ _

Superintendent Lewis then produced a coat, known to be
the property of the prisoner. It appeared that, contrary to
the statement of the prisoner, he (the prisoner) had been in
Shrewsbury the preceding week, and left the garment in
question at the Unicorn Inn, from which house he had been
ejected in consequence of his being unable to pay his bill.
On the production of the coat no observations were made ;
but it being understood that evidence of considerable weight
would be forthcoming on a subsequent day, the Mayor, ad-
dressing the prisoner, said—" Josiah Misters, we cannot
come to a close in this unfortunate transaction without first
taking the evidence of Mr. Macreeth. His state of health
will not permit him to be examined this day ; we, therefore,
remand you until Wednesday week. On that day you will
be taken to the Angel Inn, and examined in his (Mr. Mac-
reeth's) presence. After that you will be brought to the
Guildhall here, for the hearing of further evidsficp against
you ; and I do hope that on that day wp sh4ll bring this la-
mentable businesi to a Jose. You therefore stand remanded
until Wednesday week." The prisoner was then removed
in the custody of an officer. The utmost excitement pre-
vails, cot only in Ludlow, but in the country.