Ss 
1843.] 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
421 
but one person was removed from the rooms on the 
grounds of intoxication, whilst no single case of theft 
occurred. The numbers of visitors were on Monday, 
13,410, Tuesday, 2,439, Wednesday, 10,061, Thursday, 
1,386, and Friday, 4,843. 
Thames Tunnel.—The number of passengers through 
the Tunnel last week was 66,175, and the amount of toll 
was 2751, 
Queen's Prison.—The well-known privileges attached 
to the ‘‘ Rules of the Queen’s Bench”’ ceased on Saturday 
week, when the Marshal sent his officers to call the rulers 
within the walls. The privileges of rulers have thus ter- 
minated, after an existence of many centuries. Captain 
Hudson, R.N., has been appointed keeper of the prison. 
The salary is 8007. per annum. 
Inquesis.—An_ inquest was held at Camden Town on 
Tuesday, by Mr. Wakley, on the body of the Rev. Samuel 
Kidd, Professor of Oriental Literature in University Col- 
lege, whose death took place under the following circum- 
stances :—The servant in deceased’s family deposed that 
the last time she saw him alive was on Sunday night, at 
prayers, before the family retired to rest. He then 
appeared better, and more cheerful than usual. On 
Monday morning, she was alarmed by hearing a loud 
f£cream, such as was usually uttered by deceased prior to 
going into fits of epilepsy, to which he was subject. She 
found deceased lying on the floor, black in the face. She 
raised an alarm, but he was discovered dead. Mr. George 
deposed that he had, with Dr. Taylor, made a post mortem 
examination of the body, and found great congestion of 
the lungs. When he first saw deceased, he was in such a 
position as to stop the circulation of the blood. He had 
no doubt that he died from congestion of the lungs, pro- 
duced from want of circulation of the blood, whilst in a 
fit of epilepsy. The Jury returned a verdict to that effect. 
Mortality of the Metropolis.—The following is the 
number of Deaths registered in the week ending Saturday, 
June 3:—West districts, 130; North districts, 161; 
Central districts, 194; East districts, 187 ; South dis. 
tricts, 203. Total, 875—(445 males, 430 females.)— 
Weekly average for the last five years, 903—(461 males, 
442 females,) and for the last five springs, 854. 
Wrobinctal Welvs. 
Birmingham.—In reference to the recent strike of the 
nailors at Bromsgrove, the Birmingham papers state that 
most of the workmen having returned to their work, and 
tranquillity being restored, the troops returned to Bir- 
mingham on Saturday, and the additional police force is 
also withdrawn. 
Bristol.—The Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol has 
Pronounced sentence in the case of the Rev. G M. 
’Arcy Irvine, stipendiary curate of Redcliffe Church, in 
this city, who was charged under the Church Discipline 
Act with having celebrated an illegal marriage on the 29th 
January last, between two persons of the parish of Nail- 
sea, Somerset, knowing at the time, from credible inform- 
ation, that such parties were neither of them resident in 
the parish of St. Mary Redcliffe, and also that they were 
within the prohibited degrees of affinity. The Bishop, 
after stating the facts of the case at some length, sus- 
pends Mr, Irvine from all the functions of his office in 
the diocese for the space of one year, condemns him in 
the payment of 57, towards the expenses of the proceed- 
ings, and revokes the licenses granted to him as curate 
of St. Mary Redcliffe and as stipendiary chaplain of the 
Bristol House of Correction.—It is understood that his 
Royal Highness Prince Albert has fixed Wednesday, the 
19th July, for his visit to this city, to witness the launch 
of the Great Britain, sister ship to the Great Western. 
Carmarthen.—The Welsh papers this week give fresh 
&ccounts of ‘ Rebecca and her Daughters.’”’ It appears 
that warrants of. distress had been issued against the 
Parties fined for defrauding Water-street gate, and the 
“onstables were proceeding towards Talog for the purpose 
of €xecuting them, when they heard the sound of a horn, 
and Immediately between 200 and 300 persons assembled 
together, with their faces blackened, some dressed in 
Hocus caps, and others with their coats turned, so as to 
© completely disguised, armed’ with scythes, crowbars, 
and all manner of destructive weapons; and, after cheer- 
ing the constables, defied them to do their duty. The 
Constables had no alternative but to return to town with- 
out executing the warrants. The women were seen run- 
Ning in all directions to alarm their neighbours ; and it is 
pepPosed that some hundreds were concealing themselves 
a ind the hedges,and did not intend to make their appear- 
a fe unless their services were required. The magistrates 
ine at the Town-hall to take the matter into consideration, 
the itis Supposed that some active measures to suppress 
movement will be forthwith adopted. 
Ca aera the House of Commons on Tuesday, 
wake ain Berkeley said he had heard that Mr. Mayer, the 
Rehr who wrote the letter to the Secretary of State 
situatin® to Mr. O’Connell, had been dismissed from his 
mae 7a in the Customs at Gloucester. If this was not 
tne © wished to ask if it was intended to keep him in 
employment ? Sir T. Fremantle said that Mr. Mayer 
-©€N appointed as a temporary or extra clerk in the 
om-house, during the absence of one of the clerks, 
t his examination before Mr. Hall, by whom he was 
bail on the charge of misdemeanour, direc- 
his sen Sent to the Custom-house at Gloucester, that 
hie would in future be dispensed with. 
Wednes to —Another fire broke out in this town on 
of Peers in the extensive soap Manufactory 
y meats in 2 eae ae oe which 
esti new, was entirely destroyed. The damage is 
Hokage co 14,0007. to 18,0007. Meetings have been 
6 the week, at which resolutions in favour of a 
petition to Parliament on the subject of the frequent fires 
in the town were unanimously carried. 
Maidstone.—On Friday last the great meeting of the 
county of Kent, called for the purpose of taking into con- 
sideration the depressed state of agriculture, and of all 
other branches of British industry, was held on Penenden 
Heath. The weather was extremely unpropitious ; the 
wind blew with great violence, and incessant torrents of 
rain poured down throughout the day. Yet, in spite of 
the weather and the exposed situation, from 1,000 to 
¥,500 persons kept their position from the beginning to 
the end of the meeting, which lasted nearly five hours. 
The High Sheriff briefly opened the business of the meet- 
ing, by adverting to the subjects mentioned in the requi- 
sition, and requested a fair and impartial hearing for all 
who might address them. Earl Stanhope then came 
forward and said that they had met there for the express 
purpose of considering the causes of the grievous distress 
which afflicted the country, and which pressed so heavily 
and severely, not upon the agricultural classes alone, but 
also on every productive class in the country. Since the 
passing of the New Corn-law of last year, and the adop- 
tion of the new Tariff system of the present Government, 
a fearful and lamentable change had visibly come over the 
fortunes and prospects of the country, and its present 
situation was anything but an encouraging one. But 
not to deal altogether in general assertions, he would 
call their attention to the fact, that since these measures 
came into operation there had been a decline in the price 
of corn and cattle to an extent of from 25 to 30 per cent. 
Now, the annual produce of Great Britain in grain alone 
amounted to about three hundred millions sterling, and 
taking the loss to the country at only 25 per cent., it 
appeared that, under the operation of the new Corn-law 
and Tariff, it has been already plundered to the amount 
of seventy-five millions. This fearful calculation of loss 
was upon grain and other products of the soil, and did not 
include the loss which had likewise accrued to the agricul- 
tural interests from the decline in the prices of cattle, 
This was enough, he contended, to show that their situa- 
tion was a bad one, and he warned them to bear in mind 
that, bad and gloomy though it might be now, it might 
become still worse. In some districts of the country rents 
were at present paid by farmers, not from the profits of 
their farms, but by drawing upon their capital; whilst in 
others, farms, in many instances, have been altogether 
abandoned, the occupiers of them being unwilling to take 
others after leaving them, and not caring even to inquire 
at what rents others could be procured. Such was but a par- 
tial exposition of the disastrous effects produced by the 
p di aging prospects of theagricultural producers. 
But the evil did not confine itself to the farmers alone—it 
extended also to another class of the community, who 
have a right to look to the Government for that protection 
to their industry to which they were entitled. Farmers 
could not be discouraged and suffering without labourers 
being, as anataral consequence, depressed. The labourers 
felt the pressure as well as the farmers, and were now 
working on all hands at diminished wages. In some places 
their wages had been reduced from 9s. per week to 7s. But 
what was worse than all, there were many who could not 
procure work for themselves at any price, and great 
numbers were thereby deprived of employment, who were 
both able and willing to provide themselves with subsist- 
ence. The measure which the Government had provided 
and carried into effect had driven hundreds of them from 
their employment into prisons and union workhouses, 
where he was sorry to say their poverty was punished as 
acrime. The stagnation of industry was general. The 
great majority of the interests of the country were suffer- 
ing, and capital could, with the utmost difficulty, find for 
itself a profitable investment. Ruin and revolution were 
advancing upon them with rapid strides, and the evils, of 
which the country had already but too much reason to 
complain, were aggravated by the recent proposition of 
the Government—the new Canada Corn-law. Farmers 
had been taunted with last year swallowing a camel, and 
now straining at a gnat. The reason was, perhaps, that 
their stomachs were so full with swallowing the camel, 
that there was now no room for the gnat. But had they 
followed his advice, they would have swallowed neither 
camel nor gnat. His advice to them was, that they should 
not trust to the present Ministers, who by their conduct 
had {proved themselves utterly unworthy of confidence. 
He had also advised them not to trust to Members of Par- 
liament, who were sometimes but too ready to forget their 
promises to their constituents. The noble Earl did not 
appeal te the landlords. It was his duty to defend, and 
he was anxious to defend, the rights of the farmers, and 
also the rights of the labourers, the most numerous and 
meritorious class of society, and most valuable and im- 
portant to the state. The times were critical, and we might 
expect convulsions, in which neither life nor property would 
e safe. He would, therefore, recommend a close and 
cordial union among all the productive classes of the com- 
munity for their mutual defence. ‘The noble Karlin conclud- 
ing moved that a petition be presented to both Houses of 
Parliament, and that the High Sheriff be requested to 
sign the same in the name of the meeting. He then read 
the petition, the prayer of which demanded full and 
adequate protection to all branches of industry, Mr. 
James Ellis seconded the resolution. Mr. George Beaton 
then moved as an amendment, that the Corn-laws were 
injurious to the community at large, without being bene- 
ficial to farmers, and that a petition be presented to 
Parliament, praying for the abolition of all protection ; 
and suggested an amended petition to the effect that the 
Corn-laws were contrary to common sense, common 
humanity, common justice, and common Christianity ; 
that they were of no advantage to the producers of food, 
as they rendered farmers more liable to panics than they 
would otherwise be, and praying for the abolition of the 
bread-tax and all commercial monopolies. The Earl of 
Radnor observed, that the proposition made by the last 
speaker was perhaps not worded as he himself should 
have worded it; but as to the substance of both the 
petition and resolution, he cordially agreed with them. 
Thongh not worded altogether to his taste, he yet had no 
objection to second thera—for the proposition made to 
them by the previous speaker was in substance an oppo- 
sition to all poli ad this opposition been con- 
fined to the Corn-laws he should have willingly concurred 
in it, but he was all the more willing to do so now, as 
it embraced a wider field. It was futile to expect to 
secure prosperity to farmers by legislative enactment. 
Produce a general prosperity throughout the country, and 
the farmers must necessarily partake largely of it, with 
the other classes. On, the grounds he had now stated, 
he begged to dissent from the proposition of the noble 
lord. With respect to the Canada Bill, they need care 
but very little about it. It would produce little or no 
effect in lowering the price of corn. Canadian corn would 
not come into the country without being called for. Its 
corn was needed, and therefore its lands would be culti- 
vated. Men would emigrate to the colony, and capital 
would be sent out to keep them in employment. The 
demand for food was increasing in this country every 
year, at the rate of about 1,000 fresh mouths every day. 
We could not in this country produce sufficient additional 
food to supply this constantly increasing demand; and 
why should agriculturists be afraid of importing corn from 
abroad? They have always received the largest prices 
when the largest importations were made, and the lowest 
prices when importation was limited. For the last 170 
years Parliament had passed, he believed, upwards of 
140 laws for the protection of agriculture—each more 
stringent than its predecessors, either putting a higher 
duty on corn, or the price at which corn would 
be admitted at a higher rate. The two last attempts 
might certainly be regarded as an exception. Experience 
had taught them that none of these expedients had suc- 
ceeded. The plan of restricting the importation of corn 
had been tried over and over again. It was now time that 
we tried the other course. They must be satisfied, how- 
ever, that it was foolish to interfere by legislation. He 
would again repeat his cordial concurrence with the senti- 
ment of the resolution, which he seconded, and with the 
prayer of the amended petition for the repeal of the Corn. 
laws and all monopolies.—Sir Edward Knatchbull fully 
concurred with the noble Earl that the general fall in 
prices was not to be attributed to the new Corn-law or the 
new tariff. The farmers had received no injury from 
those measures. They were salutary measures, and their 
ultimate result would be to place the interests of this 
country on a safer and more secure basis than hitherto. 
At all events, they have not been productive of the present 
low prices and wages. These could be properly accounted 
for. The noble ‘Lord (Stanhope) had told them, that on 
the eve of the last harvest, two millions of quarters of 
wheat were imported into this country. Reckless specu- 
lation had placed this corn in bond in expectation of abad 
harvest. It was, however, an abundant one, and they 
were then compelled to pour their corn into market at a 
loss to themselves and to the injury of the farmer. These 
were the causes of the present low prices and wages. He 
was sorry to see that confidence did not at present prevail 
to any great extent among the agriculturists. He was 
anxious to re-establish this confidence. The want of it 
arose from an erroneous supposition on the part of the 
agriculturists. They supposed that the late corn-law was 
passed only as preparatory to greater changes yet in store. 
He believed no such changes were meditated. The noble 
Lord (Stanhope) did not believe that such was the case, 
He himself gave his assent to that measure, because he 
firmly believed it would be a lasting and permanent one; 
and it was his settled conviction, that when the late corn- 
law was contemplated and carried into effect, the Govern- 
ment no more thought of further change than it did of a 
total abrogation of the corn-laws. He would advise the 
farmers, if they valued and wished to maintain the prin- 
ciple of protection, to adhere to the law as it now is ; but 
if they agreed with the noble Lord, let them use their 
influence to abolish it ; let them guard the law as it now 
stands, for in that only consisted their safety. If they were 
only as firm and as vigorous as the advocates for corn-law 
repeal, they would be able triumphantly to sustain it. In 
regard to the Canada Bill, the agriculturists had nothing 
to fear from it. Instead of injuring their interests, 
it was, in his belief, an additional protection to 
them. He would explain to them the grounds on which 
such a belief might be made to rest. In the first place, 
such was the opinion of free traders themselves, and they 
had thus openly expressed themselves, both in and out of 
Parliament ; and in the next place, it established the 
principle of protection in Canada, and England and Ca- 
nada would mutually assist each other in maintaining the 
necessary protection. The farmers would; therefore see 
that this bill gave them greater protection than before. 
As the law now stood with the duty varying from Is. to 
5s., the average duty paid for some time back had been 
about 2s. The amount in ths way of protection would 
now be 4s. per quarter,— 1s. paid by the Canadian 
exporter to this country, and 3s. paid to Canada. We 
should not, it was true, get the 3s. paid by the American 
on importing his wheat into the colony, but the loss 
would be inconsiderable. Mr. Plumptre followed amidst 
much confusion in justification of the vote he had given in 
favour of the Canada Bill. Mr. Hodges, formerly Mem- 
ber for the county, then proposed a third resolution, 
affirming the advantages of a fixed duty of 12s. over a 
