ebe 13robincesi.

A special general meeting of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce and Manufactures was held on the 13th, to cousider the propriety of petitioning Parliament to repeal the Corn-laws. The meeting was the largest of the kind ever assembled in Manchester. Mr. George Wil- liam Wood, M.1'., President of the eltamber, having been called to the chair, opened the business of the day, by giving a history of Corn-law legislation since the peace, and its injurious eflects on the connuerce and manufactures of the kingdom.

wear

to tit,• pentiou. flout ''..1 i r.'••;!I , 1,!fe- 11.11e, he drawn that the Chandler zip; te :tee'itc vont- la w of some sort. Viewing the effects of the selfish l•eislation of the landowners, he would strongly oppose the continuance of ;my protect- ing duty on corn —

Th.. effects of excluding foreign corn had been to induce foreign nations to

1111110,e 111101I our matuttitetures. We had disresi:arded their remota- stram.i, against bur ubjust exclusion of their 1)0,10.1 exchange lire ours, and we all Oa now turn to look at the effect of our selfish policy. In 1820, we ex- ported to Russia 13,208,857 yards of cotton cloth; in 1S37, our exports to that commy were reduced to 847,022 yards only. In 1820, we exported to Prussia 5,442.333 yards of cloth; now we exported not a yard To Germany, in 1820,

we exported 470;3S,285 yards; in on ex s to that country had IhIlen off to 38,581,533 yards. In fact, the cut:sequence of Intl policy hal been to

re- duce our exports to Europe less by 20 per cent. than their ammint during the fleey ears atter the establishment of peace. Our exports to Northern Europe were less by 7,-100,1n0 since 1832, than they were tle.• first five years after the war.

or tt .s this all—a more fearful state of fling-Arad mimeo : those countries had

became manufacturers themselves ; and ue, instead. of being manufacturers of cotton goods for them, had bet outs merely the spinners of their yarn, while our poor weavers were reduced by it to a state of wrs.; chedness and suffering, which admitted of no hope. To show the truth of this last statement, he would call attention to our exports of cotton twist. In 1820, we exported to Russia Si:162,34711os., while last year the quantity exported amounted to 23,91(1.019. To Germany and Prussia, in 1820, we exported 11,662,6131..ilbs.; last year, 111,109.1(1111bs. To the Visited Netherlands, in 18..a0, we exported 2:12,-17411)6. of callow. twist ; while last year our exports of that artiele had risen to 17:157.23211os. These were our exports to Northern llama.; and our trade was not only going to de,truction there, hat we were ta.t losing our ground in Southern Europe, where a similar policy has being adopted to that pursued in the North ; and we should tidal that while in te,20 we exported no twist to France., in 1837 the exports amounted to:Z-1,02511h, 1 u the Sala(' manner, our ex- ports had increased during the same period to (Sihraltar from 61,1S2 ts.i2S0,11-11bs.; to Malta and the Ionian Islands, front W8,161114.. to 371,7110111,..4 to Italy from 1,291,261 to 9,118.9:Islbs. ; to Turkey, from 5-12,09316 to 1,047,871lbs. But the exportation 141- raw materials was not confined to cotton alone ; labour was so nuieh cheaper on the Continent, that, true as the needle to the pole, famivfiretures were finding their way to the cheap figml. In 1820, our exports of woollen yartt were only 3,02416s.; in 1836, it was 2,546,177Ibs. The same pro- cess WAS going on with respect to linen yarn ; and on examining the exports, it would he tbund that while in 1820 we exported not a pound, our exports in 1835 were 4,474,3041bs. The total export of cotton yarn in the -tine period had M- ere:is...I from 23,0:12,525 to 103,106,5291bs.: and t,c found now that wat.p; were sent a!sosaul sized and dressed reads- to be put into the loom ; tints affording every facility iisr the most unskilful workman to wsave them into piece. Bet the cottou-spinning of our rivals was rapidly increasing— On looking at the cousumption of cotton in foreign countries, he found, that whereas in 1808 the United States consumed only 100 halts of the raw mate- rial, in 1836 she had converted into mautdinctures no hss than 237,000 bah a. Mr. Samuel Fletcher niox.ed that a petition be presented to I'arlia- ment for the repeal of the Corn-laws.

The motion having been seconded and carried unanimously, Mr. Wood read the petition intended to be proposed to the meeting, from the chair. There is no occasion to rive an entire copy Of this doeu-

lined. as it consisted chiefly- of a recital of the well-known arguments against the Corn-burs; but the latter i .trt, which appeared to sanction the continuance of so notch of the existing duty es might serve as a counterpoise to the protecting duties on manufactures, gave rise to touch discussion, and is as follows—

It remains to notice the tv.0 chief argainerb; nr.:441 ill fasoor of the system.

I . danger of foreign ter a sunly of food up•at.

•

There is a s, /ally ag.4inst tlos in the ordmary ,orki•.gs of self-inter ...t. `tillers profit along anti buyers, mil hese au ii,t,•c.st h•ss snow; to prevem 41,,y ravine et ow ,ainexion.

Tv11,1,'Ilei.., to war are cli..elsed, and war its••1f is pr,t c.:t••41. by lie • IrWielly

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1 4110L, tilIttlUa gft.11' np bet Ilatiltlij .otttilli: 1,1 ,• !I by the it... it a regular and profitable eummetee. •• all , l ,boigei 01 f••rei:11414.4.••ailenee, howeeer, Ile its eXa,t .tt present; ;0.4, it 544.•44.141 be diminished, nut iiiereas,l, by the .• noae r•.,g.s'ar system.

'114.• iweessity of vuenring, by prohibitory duties, a r; r::;, , ice to she .00ss rrs Of COL II. i, a hu III. VI( tIpttll.

" .111 U110.01111 Niallall(11 Ui runaiii,eratiou couNI nut be ,• 1ahli i !, as it must 14041-pcioletit on tits quality aml situation of land, and Oh 4.41,44,-, IA in its imitate. with 5, loch the Legislature e.lanot41,11.'dour twi..4 in• orbits:it y ill its es•rat:,,u, I.:II...Air:1.4 some, tollitur: ti, al- uI1,1,o r.. and thwttia114 w illy the changing opiunnis 4,1 ' • e/44101of r it intinerat: pr,b1.6”/1 is road,,,' errs unit f 1".fi a.: 10.pl ter'! on If vwilor findiry. '14. it III nets aldress llonourahle 1144,4.0 on •I, pmt.'s 'they 41, 1,4 desire the ht oh

• equal

:ea; 7.'0 • the Mule is roll, V•■111, of otuor ilk t1 sober

e.1 vt extr elk ••._, ..; eqoahle covr.•,.t, t}! • v.:mt.: ur the •

I utieJitalii i.it,1,:ents wt. re i!tv' tv it, • ,!•.. part in

the tlebiee hieh costval. lit hosting. that 1,, ,1 te

Pekile; seid. that hiiiltiu the lust see a ,,..•ars tile .price of primed. calhates 1,..,1 ; v. a ...lere‘.ally ing to coolie:1;kt.; tie lade to a ■ I ...IV Pi II- it:14-•••ssl,iht OW, V. IMP toot iiertuit ti h. I:- ; 1' 0 NI1

1.al■iPti of earn-g..ote II. Smith, thou wit. of 1::•• France, in 1812, COIISIllatql only 262,719 bales ; in 1836, her consumption amounted to :353,04)5 bales, and there were no fewer than sixty cotton-mills in the course of erection. In Austria also, a rapid increase was taking place in cotton manufactures ; and in 1837 she had 650,(100 spindles at work, and 100,000 more in preparation. Similar progress Was making in Bohemia, the Tyrol, Lombardy, Naples, and Salerno.

So also in other staple articles of British foreign trade. Mr. Smith showed that foreigners were manufacturing hardware, hosiery, silk goods, furniture, tlx. at a cheaper rate than they could be produced in England, with all its advantages of capital and machinery— The Saxons supplied as Mall cotter Ill/Silly to the United States alone as we did to all the world. He held in his hand a beautiful specimen of their ma- nufactures of white cotton gloves, which cost only 3s. 6d. per dozen at Ham- burg. He held in his hand also another specimen of gloves of foreign manu- facture, and one of similar quality of' the manufacture of this country ; but while the price of the English goods was 65. per dozen, those of the Saxon ma- nufacture were purchased ut Hamburg for 3s. 2o/. per dozen. Ile had before him another specimen of' beautiful stockings of Saxon manufacture Whieh at Hamburg sold fist. 12s. 41:d. per dozen, while the stockings of the same quality of English manufacture Which he held in his hand you'd not be had for less at Nottingham than 2:3s. per dozen. It was a lamentable fart, that Saxon ho- siery and g104-4, were now regularly imported and sold in this country at lower prices than they can he made here, and will undoubtedly- shortly entirely de- stroy this large branch of our inanutitentres.

Nothing could be more unsatisfactory than the recent interview of the Chamber of Commerce with 31r. Poulett Thompson. That gentle- man's reply to every question of monopoly brought under his notice was invariably—" It is a very important, but a eery dijfiealt question." Truly, it was difficult to reconcile monopoly with free trade, and the same difficulty would exist to the end of titne : but Mr. linskisson had encountered and overcome greater difficulties when he first broached the principles of free trade to the Legislature.. 3Ir. Smith then speci- fied many articles on which heavy duties had been repealed by Mr. Iluskisson, to the material advantage of all parties interested in their production and consumption. lie expressed his desire that the Man- chester Chamber of' Commerce should announce their readiness to give up all protecting duties on manufactures, and thus anticipate the ob- jections of agriculturists.

Mr. J. C. Dyer advised a demand for absolute repeal of the Corn- lases- Nothing but universal agitation would effect their object ; and it was strange that Manchester and the country at large should lave remained so long asleep till the verge of such awful danger as that with which we were threatened from the Corn-laws. Though painted, it was necessary they should look the subject tiiirly in the thee. He had observed the thoughtful looks of members while 311.. Smith was detailing his alarming array of facts illustrating the falling-MI in tate eXptIrtS. Still be knew, from sources of information on which be could rely, that no power in Europe could yet compete with Eugland it' she had only. a eair chance. But i411;:t could we do under our present heats burdens: We ought to st rug!.le to main I Ilat Sala rimity which we Illt,St,Setl, and to demand most strenuously those concessimos twin Goverotatent Were IlVel,t,Itry to the SalVatittil Of the coast. t.

31r. Colskn contended, that by adopting the petition. the Chamber would go back from the opinions maintained in the petition of last

year : which prayed Mr a repeal of all p:':/relive duties, lea% ing such

only as were required for purposes of revenue. 31r. Smith's valuable facts west make a strong impressiott, and the flambee should pause

beibre they adopted a petition evidently very hastily drawn up. Ile deeied that the Co;.11-law of 1827-8 was a relaxation of that of 18 IS ; dough 31r. (I. W. NVood had expressed that opinion 'fu understate t this subject clearly. it WaS neces.,ary to rella. to the very dif- ferent state ut the currency in 1815 and in 1S28; at which hitter period it had undergone an appreciation of about twenty-tite per cent. That this point was

very well understood by the confederates—he might call them conspirators— who passed the present last, was very evident to all who read the proceedings in

Parliament of that time. Indeed, the alt, ration in the currency was urged by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, sir. Robinson, (who let the eat out of the hag when hard pressed by Sir Edward linatchbull and the fanatics of the agri- cultural party for a complete monopoly,) as it reason for passing the hill ; and Sir Francis Burdett, who was in 'favour of the high duty on corn, consoled his parts. by telling them, that whilst the Currency-law remained in force, they would not be wen se oil by the change. An appeal to the duties at the two periods filly justifies this opinion. In 1815, corn was admissible, duty free, at SO& ; and by the law of 1828, it is admitted at a shilling duty when the price in the home market reaches 73.1. Taking into account the change that had taken place in the currency., by which the sum of Ms. in 1815 had been made equivalent to 60s. in 1828, the landlords actually raised the monopoly some IS per cent. higher by the change.

Ile mentioned some facts to prove that the exportation of machinery- front England to the Continent was extensive— Whilst at Dresden, he was shown over a large machine-making establish- ment by an Englishman, who took him into a large room tilled with machinery for spitiniug flax with Gore and Wesley's patent improvements : "'.'his," said he, " was brought out from England at an expense of 35,000 dollars for models, and 1 am engaged to superintend the copying of it." At Chemnitz, also in Saxony. he visited also a large establishment organized and conducted by Eng- lish mechanics for the manufacture of machinery. And it happened, that on the very day he was there, the place was decorated with evergreens and laurel branches for tltt purpose of doing honour to the King and Queen of Saxony, who paid a visit to the premises. lie found at Prague, in Bohemia, an esta- blishment belonging to an Englishman for making machinery for manufactures. And at Vienna, there were two of our countrymen accommodated under an imperial roolearry.hig on a Similar trade. At Elberfeld and Aix-la-Chapelle, he also found large machine-making businesses carried on by Englishmen. At Liege there is a similar concern, the largest in the world, belonging to Mr. Coekerell, who was born at Haslingden, in this county, and who employs nearly three thousand hands. And at Zurich he found the large establishment of 31r. Esher, with an Englishman at the head of the foundry, and another at the head of the forge, casting five tons of iron, brought from England, into spindles, rollers, aind wheels for the spinners and manufacturers of Austria, Saxony, or Bavaria. In almost every large town there were English mechanics instruct- ing the natives to rival us. Now he contended, that every one of those artisans was expatriated from their native country by act of the British Parliament They carried their labour abroad because our Corn-law will not allow them to exchange the results of their industry for the corn and food of other countries. Ile quitted the Continent at Antwerp for England; and he would, tell them what were his feelings after walking through the deserted Exchange of that once f manes emporium, and looking at its almost deserted harbours,—in %clothe by the way, he observed American, not English vessels, which had been the bearers of the coffee and sugar of Cuba. Whilst looking at these evidences of departed greatness, and reflecting upon the cause of the deca • of Antwerp—of the atrocities of the Spanish General Alva, who banished the skilful weaver and the capitalist of Belgium to foreign countries—he felt a conviction which lie still was sorry to entertain, that the rulers of this country were pursuing precisely the same policy as the Spanish Governor in Belgium, or Louis the Fourteenth by the revocation of his Edict of Nantes ; that our aristocracy was playing over again the same part in a different character; and unless prevented by the efforts of the suffering people, it would end as in Belgium, in the ruin of the empire. (Loud cheers.)

He concluded by moving an amendment, that the Chamber should reassemble in the following week to pass a petition for the " total repeal of all protective duties whatever." A desultory discussion followed. Several members objected to Mr. Cobden's proposal, that it was absurd to petition for what they had no chance of obtaining. Others doubted whether Mr. Cobden would gain any thing by an adjournment. Many other members would attend the adjourned meeting, and it would be seen that there was a strong body for the less extended demand. Mr. J. C. Dyer said, that the petition was not so strong as that of last year ; and if they had retrograded. let them say so at once. For his part, he did not approve of moderate injustice. Finally, the meeting was adjourned till the 20th.