true!) There must be something rudi→ cally wrong to have produced this state of things; it has been ascribed to various causes-some years ago, to the transition from "war to peace." During the last session of Parlia ment, we heard of its being caused by over-trading ruinous speculations, an over-issue of paper-money, &c. &c. But one great cause, and, in my opinion, the greatest of them all, and respecting which I trust you will this day express your opinion, was completely lost sight of, viz., over taxation. "under the pressure of distress, "which is wholly unexampled in its "extent and duration; which has al"ready brought to insolvency and "ruin, great numbers of manufac"turers and dealers, and merchants, "whose honest acquisitions appeared "to have placed them beyond the "reach of embarrassment; which is "daily augmenting the difficulties of "those whom it has not yet over"whelmed; which has deprived of "all employment many thousands of "skilful and industrious families of "the labouring classes, degrading (Applause.) This was indeed "them into miserable dependants on "the scanty pittance furmshed by the "poor-rates, and by charitable relief; "which is continually adding to the "number of those who are so de"pendent; which is, at the same "time, gradually forcing down into "the ranks of the necessitous, many "of the persons by whom those rates "have been paid, and that relief has "been given; and which is thus "threatening to involve, in all the "horrors of starvation, this most "thickly peopled portion of the "three kingdoms." brought forward by that faithful and indefatigable friend of the people, Mr. Huine, but he could obtain no support, scarcely a hearing on that subject.-(Applause). A question of great importance, the Corn-Laws, will be brought before you by gentlemen far more qualified for the task than I am. I will, not, therefore, occupy any of your time with it.. Taxation will, in all probability, by others be entered upon, but I must join my efforts to theirs in endeavouring to direct your attention to this all-important subject. I contend, then, that we are called It is fortunate for me, though upon to pay far more than we are able dreadfully unfortunate for the coun- or ought to do, and unless we are try, that no oratorical powers are speedily relieved by a considerable needed to induce you to adopt it, reduction, this country must sink in but I will avail myself of the pri- the scale of nations,-or, in the envilege which moving a resolution phatic and prophetic language of gives me, to make a few observa- Earl Grey, "If this were not done tions. For a number of years back, (that is, inquiry made into the state fluctuations and changes of a most of the country, and relief granted) violent nature have taken place; these distresses would come on from at one time we appeared to be all time to time, in an aggravated form, prosperous and happy; suddenly a and would ultimately produce such cloud arises, and a storm is gene- a convulsion as he hoped the country rated, which, in its descent, over- might recover from hereafter, but whelms and destroys all before it. which the present generation could These convulsions have come on pe- not pass through without producing riodically, but none of them was a degree of suffering which he was ever so distressing, ever so frightful, not prepared to describe or express." or caused such general destruction to The necessity of a reduction of the trading world as the one under taxation was, in the spring of 1822, which we have so long suffered; for, brought before Parliament by that from the highest merchant, down to the great Statesman, Mr. Brougham, in humblest weaver, all are alike pros-a motion he made, pledging the trale.-(Applause and cries of True! House to lessen the burdens of the people; he concluded a most lumi- the habitations of some of the applinous and able view of the causes cants; those of you who may not which had brought the country into have had such opportunities, can the state it then was in, and which hardly form an idea of the wretched he justly attributed to our vast ex-state to which many of them are rependiture; and declared, "That the duced. I have, in company with our only hope of relief to the suffering highly respected Chairman, entered classes lay in a determined reduction an apartment, probably three or four of the taxes which oppressed them. yards square, in which we found a The celebrated Mr. Burke, in his man, his wife, and six children, hudfamous speech, delivered near fifty dled together round a few embers. We years ago, on Economical Reform, asked, where is your furniture?—We observed, in glowing language, the have none but what you see, was the misery and ruin which over-taxation reply. And what do you think it was? entailed upon a people. Fortified for seats, a few loose bricks; for bedby such high authority, I again de-ding, a piece of tattered wrappering, elare my firm and solemn conviction, rolled up in a corner, with shavings in that to over-taxation a great part of it; and only one such bed for eight the distress and misery now felt may persons. We inquired, where is your be attributed. Ministers have either food? Answer-We have none, nor gone too far, or not far enough. any means of procuring any. This Free trade, cheap food, and reduction was not a solitary instance. I could of taxes, in our situation, should be detail scores, even still worse than this; simultaneous. When a prudent in- but your feelings and my own would dividual finds his income reduced-be too much worked upon, for it and all individuals are, I fear, now would "a tale unfold, whose lightest in this situation-he conforms his word would harrow up your souls." expenditure to that reduction. I ap- (Applause.) Dreadful as their conprehend a similar line of conduct will dition is, it becomes, in point of exapply to countries. The people who tent, comparatively light to what is find the money have a right, and are endured in other parts of the country. surely justified in telling their Go- I have the authority of an extensive vernment, in respectful but firm manufacturer, Mr. Edward Pollard language, that they are no longer in of Burnley, in stating, that out of a a condition, or are willing to pay the population of ten thousand persons, no enormous demands made upon them less than eight thousand of them re-and that they must be consider-ceived relief only last Friday! I have ably reduced leaving to the wisdom also the authority of a gentleman, inof the legislature from and where the capable of exaggeration, who has exretrenchments may be made. Yo tensive print works in the neighbourare, no doubt, aware of the great dis-hood, in- stating, that in no very tress which, since the commence- extended circuit round Pendle-hill, ment of this year, has prevailed, and there are at least eighty thousand perwhich still continues amongst the song in a state of the most frightful working class of this town and neigh-destitution, comprehending,probably, bourhood, more particularly with twenty thousand families, most of those employed in the cotton busi-whom still get up in a morning withness. To endeavour to alleviate this, out having the slightest article of food a very liberal subscription has been to eat in their houses, and no certainty entered into by the wealthier part of of obtaining any that day! Good the inhabitants. I was thought wor- Gon! what a state to be in. Imathy to be appointed on the Commit-gine to yourselves, a mother with an tee for distributing this charity, and infaut at her breast, crying and in the execution of that duty, have struggling to extract nourishment visited, along with my colleagues, from those sources from whence it had been accustomed to derive it- MR. SHUTTLEWORTH, on [Great emotion was here audible in moving the second Resolution, said, the meeting--tears were given--they in furtherance of the very important could not be withheld from a picture purposes for which this Meeting has so vivid, yet so true.]-and which, assembled, I have now the honour to from the mother's deprivations are submit to its consideration a motion now dried up. Imagine to your- against the Corn-Laws-(Cheers); selves, a father, surrounded by his and I assure you that I do this with clamorous and famished children, the most perfect satisfaction, because, wailing in vain for food; and then in my judgment, there is no question say, if in the midst of misery and of public interest which surpasses in wretchedness like this, it is not in- importance that to which this mocumbent upon us to call for the sc- tion refers. Whether we regard the verest economy in the public expendi-injuries which the existence of the ture, in order that every available means may be adopted to relieve the country from a state so dreadful.(Great and continued applause.) Corn-Laws, under every motification, has inflicted on this country, the inevitable destruction which certainly awaits the continuance of such MR. DAVID HOLT gave his de- would result from its abandonment, a system, or the advantages which cided approbation to the foregoing we cannot fail to be impressed with Resolution, and bore his testimony the conviction that our attention as to the extent of misery and dis- could not be directed to any subject tress just described. He expressed of greater consequence. (Applause.) an opinion that, under present cir-That a system like this should have cumstances, it was not in the power been persisted in, after the mistaken of individual charity to reach as far views and principles in which it ori as the people's necessities, and that ginated had been fully and repeatednothing could impose an effectually exposed-after it had been inconcheck to the present deplorable state testibly demonstrated that it involved of the working classes but some wise the grossest injustice on one part of and powerful act of Government, the community for the advantage of such as those advocated in the Re- another; after it had been shown, solution he seconded. that it presented the most formida MR. LILLY now addressed the ble obstruction to the general prosassemblage. For some minutes he perity of the country, is a fact, which was listened to with patience. He I shall leave those to reconcile to the began, however, shortly to laud the integrity and the wisdom of Parlia measures of Government, and to ex-ment, who are still like Mr. Lilly bepress a warm confidence in the purity and correctness of ministerial intentions generally. Several murmurs were heard. The Meeting exhibited symptoms of impatience. It had become known that he was one of the ill-omened cavalry who acted | on the 16th of August (this was the 17th,) and he was soon overpowered. The Chairman repeatedly asked a patient hearing; but remembrance, and his pertinacious recurrence to unseasonable language and gratuitous opinion, caused such a tremendous expression of disapprobation, that he was compelled to withdraw. hind me-(Cheers and laughter)— spect to corn, entitles it not to any being desirous of extenuating the degree of public approbation or con- evils of taxation. Those evils are fidence.-(Cheers.) It has now been certainly great; but great as they are, busy upon this subject for the last I trust it may be easily shown, that two centuries, and in reviewing its they are not fairly chargeable with proceedings during that period I can the monstrous aggravation of justidiscover scarcely any thing but a fying these laws. Whatever taxes constant and anxious endeavour to are now raised in this country are so promote the interests-to gratify the distributed, that they fall with some sordid feelings, of that particular degree of equality on all descriptions class, of whom, unfortunately for the of commodities;-they fall quite as country, Parliament is almost entirely much on wrought manufactures as composed, to the exclusion on this on agricultural produce, and they subject, of that general consideration cannot, on that account, afford any for the rights and interests of the facilities for the introduction of fo community at large, which is essen-reign corn. It must be obvious that tial to all just and enlightened legis- in whatever degree we import foreign lation. To raise the price of corn, corn, we must export some other for the purpose of benefiting the article to pay for it; and if taxation growers of that article, seems to me, has operated on all other articles to have been almost the only object equally with corn, the importer of of the numerous laws, which Parlia- foreign corn, receiving his payment ment has enacted for the regulation in those other articles, would be able of the corn trade. Those laws abun- to obtain no more for a given quandantly prove that the corn growers tity of his produce, if he sold it to of this country are also its legi-la- us when we were pressed upon by a tors; and that in that capacity, how-heavy taxation, than he would if he ever elevated may have been their sold it to us, and we had no taxes pretensions to disinterestedness and whatever. Supposing our taxation independence, they are not, upon had raised the price of corn 20 per this subject at least, entirely superior cent., the foreign corn grower would to the control of selfish and sinister have an inducement to that amount influence-(Great cheers.) As le- to bring his corn hither; but if, at gislators, indeed, the corn growers the same time, our taxation had have acted, as if they had no interests raised the price of every thing else to consult or recognise but their 20 per cent., the foreign corn grower, own; as if with all the national au- receiving his payment in commodithority, all the national welfare was ties at this advanced rate, would be vested in themselves; as if they in precisely the same situation as if alone were entitled to float upon so- no such advance had taken place. ciety, like Leander on the Helles- This reasoning shows that the taxapont, combining all things in their own tion which enters equally into the. bady price of corn, and into the price of all other things, does not expose the home grower to the risk of injury from foreign competition. The argument, therefore, which the advocates of the Corn-Laws derive from taxation, must be limited entirely to those taxes which fall exclusively or unequally upon the land. Whatever taxes press disproportionately on agriculture, operate to the amount of that partial pressure, as an encouragement to foreign cultivation, to "At once the pilot, passenger, and bark." (Great applause.) The most prominent pretext which is urged in support of the Corn-Laws is, that the taxation to which the corn grower of this country is subject is so much more burdensome than that to which the corn growers of other countries are liable, that he cannot bring his produce to market against foreign competition. I am very far from the prejudice of our own; and I am for claiming indemnity; and yet it willing, most freely willing, to admit is principally against these, trifling that such taxes furnish a reasonable as they are, that all the array of claim for indemnity to the full amount Corn-Laws is required as a protecof the injury they inflict. What then, tion. It is principally for these most upon this principle, are the nature paltry imposts that all the calamity and amount of the taxes, for which of a restricted trade in corn is to be the agriculturists are now justified endured. (Applause.) To show the in claiming an indemnity? If this extent of that calamity-to show the question had been proposed in 1815, tremendous disproportion between when the present Corn-Laws were the indemnity paid to the agricultupassed, the answer would have re- rists, and the injury sustained by quired an enumeration of several them-to show, in short, "what most heavy and oppressive taxes, great events from little causes which do not now exist. At that spring," a very brief calculation will time agriculture was burdened with suffice. In 1765, when the popula assessments on farm horses, farm tion of England and Wales was only servants, farm carriages, and on a six millions, Mr. Charles Smith, an variety of other necessaries, to the eminent economist of that time, as the amount of about two millions and a result of a careful, laborious, and inhalf; it was burdened with taxes on telligent investigation, estimated the malt, and other articles of produce cousumption of grain at fifteen milto the amount of about five millions lions three hundred and fifty thouand a half. It was burdened also sand quarters. In 1800 Mr. Chalwith so considerable a portion of the mers estimated it at thirty-three milproperty-tax, as to make the total lions and a half quarters. In 1812 taxation with which it was directly and 1814, when the subject of the chargeable about fifteen or sixteen Corn-Laws was under discussion, millions. As a protection against Mr. Western and Dr. Colquhoun these taxes, the present Corn-Laws estimated it at about forty millions of were passed; the landed interests quarters. Now, from 1811 to 1821, insisted upon an indemnity, and they a period of ten years, the population of obtained these laws. Since then the United Kingdom increased from they have repealed the taxes for about fifteen and a half millions to which these laws were principally about twenty millions, or short of one. contrived as an equivalent, and are third; we may, in my opinion, safely nevertheless now struggling (and take the increase from 1812 and 1814 unless the country oppose them with to the present time, which is a longer a determination which it has not period, at the same, and assuming the manifested yet, I believe they will increase of consumption to be in the successfully struggle) to retain the ratio of the increased population, we indemnity. These taxes having been shall have to add to 40 millions of repealed, the only charges, we may quarters the consumption of 1812 say, upon the land which now re-and 1814, something less than one main to furnish the advocates of the third (I shall call it in round numCorn-Laws with a hook on which to bers twelve millions), to show the hang their case, are an insignificant amount of the present consumption. part of such assessments and rates as This calculation raises the present fall more heavily on the country than consumption to fifty-two millions of on towns, together with that propor-quarters; so that if the price of grain tion of tithe which comes out of the be on an average fifteen shillings profits of stock. These are the only per quarter higher in this than in charges upon land of which I am surrounding countries, then the conaware, that now afford any semblance sumers of this country have to pay of justification to the land-owners to the growers, to whom the Corn |