SCOTLAND.

The "great Anti-Corn-law demonstration" at Glasgow took place on Friday and Saturday. Deputies from the principal towns of Scot- land met the Anti-Corn-law leaders of their commercial metropolis at twelve o'clock on Friday, in the Trades Hall. In the absence of Mr. Alexander Johnston, M.P., the President of the Glasgow Anti-Corn- law Association, who was ill, Mr. Walter Buchanan took the chair. He briefly explained the object of the meeting-which was to follow the ex- ample set by other manufacturing districts, and to collect information. The reports of the Deputies, each on his own locality, were then taken. They occupied the whole of the Friday morning, and where proceeded with on Saturday. In general they seem to have been framed on a series of questions issued by the Anti-Corn-law League. The first report, however, was of a different kind : it was given by Provost Hen- derson of Paisley-

They had not sent any written answers. The first query put, as applied to Paisley, should have been reversed : not how many of the population are em- ployed, but how many of them are unemployed? With them unemployment was the rule and employment was the exception. Comparatively few of the workmen of Paisley were employed : they were broken up, and to be found wan- dering about in every town in the country, begging for bread, independently of those thousands whom they had at home, supported by charity. As to the amount of wages, he could not consider their present remuneration for labour deserving the name of wages. The earnings of many of the weavers might be set down at from 3s. 6d. to 34. per week ; which was all they bad to maintain a family; and while it required 3s. 6d. a week to provide for a criminal, it was as surprising how they could exist as it was surprising how soldiers could un- dergo the privations of a campaign. It was true, like the soldiers, they were in life, but, like them, they survived but the broken-down shattered remains of what they formerly were. As to the number of mills employed, but few of them at Paisley, some of them were on full, and some of them were on short time. In the neighbouring town of Johnstone, which was exclusively a cotton- spinning place and which up to the present time bad never known depression, one-half of the mills had been unemployed for months, and latterly others of them had gone on short time. The returns from Glasgow were very elaborate : they consisted of a report on the state of the poor, taken from returns of the agents of the City Mission, by Mr. Blyth ; statistics of the power-loom weavers, by Mr. Campbell ; statistical tables of the state of manufactures, drawn up by Mr. Watt, from information furnished by the Anti-Corn-law As- sociation; with some other documents. The Glasgow Argus gives the "conclusions" draw from the tables on the state of manufactures, which we copy entire- The Statistical Committee of the Anti-Corn-law Association having issued schedules to the proprietors of eighty-six weaving and spinning factories, for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of machinery and also of the number of people employed at these works, together with a general knowledge of the state of the trade and the condition of the people during the years 1835, 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, 1840, and 1841; sixty-five of these schedules have been promptly returned, containing the required information.

WEAVING-FACTORIES.

On. a careful examination of Table No. 1, there appears to have been 533 power-looms working at these factories in 1836 more than in 1335, with an in- crease of 41 males and 148 females employed. In 1837, there were 733 more power-looms working than in 1836, with an increase of 20 males and 247 fe- males employed. In 1838, there were 1,384 power-looms working more than in 1837, with an increase of 267 males and 1,243 females employed. In 1839, there were 649 more power-looms working than in 1838, with an increase of 38 males and .1,108 females employed. In 1840, there were 800 Nore power- looms working than in 1839, with an increase of 64 males and 185 females em- ployed. In 1841, however, there has occurred a decrease of 144 in the number of power-looms at work; male, workers employed 191, and of female workers employed 1,089.

SPINSING-FACTORIES.

On a careful examination of the preceding tables, there appears to have oc- curred in 1836 a decrease, as compare! with 1835, of 5,233 spindles in operation -of male workers employed 190, and of female workers employed 527. In 1837, however, there appears an increase above 1836 of 28,291 spindles in operation- of male workers employed 265, and of female workers employed 760. In 1838, there were 54,994 more spindles in operation than in 1837-more males em- ployed 226, and more females employed 341. In 1839, there were 22,355 more spindles in operation than in 1838-more males employed 114, and mote fe- males employed 287. In 1840, there were 11,896 more spindles in operation than in 1839; but in the same year a decrease occurs, as compared with 1839, of male workers employed 11, and of female workers employed 26. In 1841,

there were 3,772 more spindles in operation than in 1840, but a decrease of male workers employed of 63, and of female workers employed 235.

As it may be fairly assumed that those works for which schedules have not yet been received bear on an average the same proportion in their various cir- cumstances, such as the extent of the works and the number of people em- ployed on full and on short time, these particulars may thus be estimated for the whole of the 86 works in and around Glasgow :

Number of males emplojed at 66 weaving and spinning power-

loom factories in 1841 1282 Number of females 6756

-8038

Number of males working only two-thirds time at a corresponding reduction of wages in 1841 901 -Number of females on two-thirds time at reduced wages in 1841 2824

- 3725

Number of males thrown out of work by the stoppage of works by fires, &c. in 1841 433 Number of females 648 - 1081 Estimate of number of workers employed at those works from

which schedules have not been obtained-males 414

Females 2182

- 2596

Estimate of the number of workers on short time at 21.works from which schedules are not obtained-males 391

Females 912 - 1203

The average amount of the weekly wages of cotton-spinners has only been asked for and obtained at one factory ; but as the rise and fall in the amount of wages paid to these operatives has been very nearly the same in all the other factories, the following may be taken as the general average- Amount of weekly wages paid to each cotton-spinner during 1835, 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, 1840, and 1841. Year. Weekly Wages.

1835 £2 111 1836 2100 837 2 9 9 838 2 1 3

A. corresponding decrease has taken place in the wages of other workers em- ployed at these works, though the wages paid to other parties have never been so high as those of the spinners. It will be perceived, from the above state- ment, that the amount of weekly wages of those operatives has rapidly fallen since the price of grain rose so high.

COTTON-FACTORIES.

The great majority of parties who have supplied the information embraced in the sixty-five schedules received, bear a uniform testimony to the fact that the trade has sustained a gradual but rapidly progressive depression since the year 1838. In some instances the mills have been going fall time, but a great proportion only partial time, while others have been stopped altogether. The causes assigned are foreign competition and over-production. The condition of the operatives is described in some cases as being worse than ever known, on account of their not having full employment, and the price of food so high. It is stated that one or two of the works, which are represented as standing, are ,likely to remain so for some time to come, in consequence of the depressed state of the trade. It is also stated that the greater number of the people have been unable to find employment anywhere eke, and are at present in a destitute state. Some proprietors of works again state, that, from the efforts they have hitherto made to keep their mills going, the greatest part of the evils of the de- pression has fallen upon themselves. It is farther stated that this cannot con- tinue much longer ; for, unless a speedy change is effected for the better, they will be forced, for self-preservation, to stop their works entirely.

There is, says Mr. Blyth, in the report of the City Mission, speaking of their agents' returns, "a melancholy sameness of the want of em- ployment, and consequently want of the common necessaries of life, with all the evils that are the usual concomitants of deep poverty." An. extract will bear out the remark : the returns are made by agents of the Mission "who labour in the suburban districts, whose inhabitants are chiefly dependent on the staple manufactures of this city"-

" An agent who labours among a population of 1,600 states, that 600 are band-loom weavers, 400 are females employed as winders and clippers, the remainder of various occupations; estimates the rate of wages of weaving 5s. per week, winding Is. 6d., and says, 'the people of this district have been almost reduced to the farthest point of which endurance can reach. Life has to the great body of them few if any of those comforts which renders it desirable. I have now laboured among them for nearly six years, and I have been frequently upon the point of abandoning the district ; the mere sight of so much misery associated with the most praiseworthy industry, being more than I could well bear.'

"Another says, 'regarding the present state of the working population as compared with former years, I believe it was never so bad as now ; and I knew it is much worse now than at any time since I came to the district, nearly three years ago. I know a considerable number that are absolutely unem- ployed, and are now in the very depth of destitution, that were formerly in comparative comfort.' And adds the following fact= I may mention, that the other day a young man who has been out of employment for three or four months, was found by a neighbour eating raw corn, without attempting to separate it from the husks, pat as we would give it to a horse. Fortunately, his neighbour was able to assist him a little and in a day or two he got some employment; but he had been without fool for days, and he had no friend in Glasgow, and, being a decent Eighhuidman, he got the shelter of a house from a countryman, who was also out of employment.' And concludes by remark- ing, that those who lately assisted their fnends are now badly off themselves, and that matters will come to a crisis if a change for the better does not speedily take place. "Another observes, 'there are many sober working men who have sold almost every thing they had in their houses, to procure food for themselves and their children; and some of them are so far reduced that they are almost in a state of nudity, and consequently cannot leave their houses even to beg for bread.'" The reports from the different towns present generally the same pie- tore: factories standing idle or partially employed ; large numbers of people out of work ; increasing inability on the part of the people to pay rents, in consequence of stopped or greatly-reduced wages ; in- creasing inability to purchase clothes ; increasing inability to purchase the necessaries of life, and the disposition to purchase them in the smallest possible quantities ; the increase of irregular pawn-shops ; then, concomitant of the inability to pay rents, an increased crowding together of the people in single houses and even single rooms ; and increased pauperism. The report from Pollnkshaws says- " Although the whole manufacturing population of this parish have, with exception of the calico-printers, been either wholly or partially employed during the past year, it is not to be thence assumed that they are in a state of prosperity, or eves comparative comfort; for while the owners of mills, facto-

Year. Weekly Wages.

1839 £1 19 3 1840 1122 1841 1160

ries, bleach-fields, and other public works, are loudly complaining of want of a profitable return for their invested capital, and have in some instances, if not in all, been carrying on business more out of compassion for their workers, and with a view to keep them together, than with any hope of profit—the working population have been suffering severely from reduced rates of wages and other causes incidental to the present state of trade. Taking a general view of the population, it is easy to perceive that their condition is undergoing an unhappy change for the worse; and the deputies take the liberty to submit the following proofs of this unhappy change.'

The proofs are details of the facts enumerated above. The first is strikingly told in an instance of the inability to pay rents- " Of the rents of tradesmen's [workmen's] houses and loomsteads due at Martinmas last, not one in ten has yet been fully paid. Mr. John Ralston, late Provost of Pollokshaws, is factor for seventeen of the most extensive pro- prietors in Pollokshaws. The yearly rent of 186 dwellinghonses and 113 loomsteads under his charge is 696/. 5s.; the number of tenants 182; of whom 26 only have paid the full amount of their rents due at Martinmas last. From others he has received partial payments, varying from Is. to 10s.; while of the rent of 76 houses and loomsteads not one farthing has been paid. Mr. Ralston states that the difficulty of recovering rents is increasing every term ; that house- property is consequently falling in value ; that the tenants' effects would not in one case in ten pay the expenses of sequestration; and that in numerous in- stances he knows that families have no bed-clothes, and in almost every case ornamental or valuable furniture has disappeared from the houses."

The trade of Aberdeen presents some peculiar features. The report delivered by Mr. Wilson states, that "monopolies were destroying their shipping interests." Tables are given which show, that while the imports in British vessels are decreasing, the imports in foreign vessels are increasing. The imports in 1834, conveyed by 90 British vessels, amounted to 14,697 tons; in 1837, 96 vessels conveyed imports to the amount of 16,606; in 1840, the numbers were 90 vessels, 15,678 tons. The numbers with respect to foreign vessels were, in 1834, 31 vessels, 2,276 tons ; in 1837, 68 vessels, 5,000 tons • in 1840, 120 vessels, 8,250 tons. This was attributed to the greater cheapness with which vessels could be provisioned abroad— As it took 30s. to purchase in this country the same quantity of wheat which could be bought in Hamburg at 12s.; and while beef was 6d. here, it was only 2d to 3d. there at farthest. Another disadvantage under which the shipping interest of this count7 was placed was, that they were forced to pur- chase wood from the landlords tu England, or be content with the rotten fir of Scotland, as they could not import the superior timber of the Baltic. He held it to be quite clear, that except the timber-duties were repealed their shipping interest would go to ruin. He would state a fact in connexion with this which would show the manner in which the thing operated. Only the other day, a vessel of 700 tons, built of Scottish fir, had been launched in Aberdeen, and he was aware that it was only registered at Lloyd's five or six years ; and what was the reason that this ship was built of such a perishable material ? Nothing more than this, that the owner could not get Baltic timber, could not afford to build it of Southampton oak, and was forced to go to Braemar for such wood to build his vessel as would be shaking in every spar before it went half-way across the Atlantic.

A table was given of the number of vessels that left Aberdeen and Peterhead in ballast—British, in 1834, 75 vessels, 12,650 tons ; in 1840, 105 vessels, 22,050 tons : foreign, in 1834, 17 vessels, 1,332 tons ; in 1840, 75 vessels, 4,890 tons. A table of goods exported to America from Aberdeen showed, in 1834, 5,221 tons ; in 1840, 2,320 tons.

Reports were also put in from Dundee, Girvan, Kirriemuir, Kirkintil- loch, Auehtermuchty, Maybole, Kilmarnock, Kilsyth, Salteoats, Bank- foot, Cumnoch, Mauchline, Largs, Stranraer, Milton, Duntocher, Kil- winning, Danse, Irvine, Forfar. At a sitting on Saturday morning, a letter was read from Mr. Hugh M`Kenzie, making some inquiry as to the effect which the abolition of the Cora-laws would have upon the condition of the hand-loom weavers ? The Chairman replied, by stating that the repeal of these laws would benefit the hand-loom weavers as it would benefit all other classes ; as there was no doubt that the wages of labour could only be raised by an increase in the demand for that labour; and that demand could only arise from an additional stimulus being given to manufactures, which a repeal of these restrictions would produce. Mr. Sturge of Birmingham was requested to give his opinion on the same subject ; which he did, in complete accordance with that of the Chairman. Mr. Sturge took an opportunity of stating the doubts which he entertained with regard to some of those gentlemen in Parliament who had become sudden converts to a total repeal ; and he advised the people to watch them well, and see that the country was not again be- trayed, as it had been on the occasion of the emancipation of the Negroes.

An Anti-Corn-law banquet was held on Friday evening. More than two thousand persons assembled, and numbers were disappointed of -tickets. The chair was filled by Mr. James Oswald, the Member for , the city ; the Vice-chairmen were Mr. John Tennant of St. Rollox, Mr. Walter Buchanan, Mr. Lumsden of Yoker Lodge, Mr. Alexander Gra- ham, and Mr. William Gray. Among the guests were Mr. Charles Gray, Chief Magistrate of Gorbals, Mr. Sproul, a farmer, Mr. Ruther- ford, M.P., Mr. Duncan, M.P., Mr. Wallace, M.P., Mr. William Ewart, M.P., Provost Henderson of Paisley, Provost Bain of Greenock, the Provost of Ayr, Mr. Robert Bartholomew, Chief Magistrate of Calton, the Reverend Dr. Heugh, the Reverend Dr. Wardlaw, Professor Buchanan, Professor Gordon, some of the chief merchants of Glasgow, and Mr. James Aeland. Lord Belhaven sent a letter of apology for himself and Mr. Gibson Craig : they were on their way from Edin- burgh, but they found the roads impassable. The Marquis of Breadal- bane also sent to say that he was kept away by unavoidable engage- ments.

The first speaker after dinner was Mr. Ewart ; who commented at considerable length on the evidence which had been collected. He be- lieved that Parliament had been so unceremoniously dismissed after the last short session, in the hope that cireumstances would alter, and that "the gale of prosperity might again have filled the relaxed sails of our commerce and manufactures." To that hope on the part of Mi- nisters he feared that the country would respond with one universal ne- gative. Mr. James Deacon Hume had recommended the revision of the Corn and Provision laws ; but he had also suggested a number of se- condary reforms. Mr. Ewart believed that Sir Robert Peel would not repeal the Corn-laws ; but that he would give a number of those se- condary reforms— "Perhaps Sir Robert Peel will take part of the advice which I have referred .to, and abolish the tax upon some of the raw material of our manufactures. To do so would be following out a sound principle in political economy. But willnot Sir Robert Peel abolish the tax which presses upon the raw *material of man ? Corn and other provisions are the raw material which the Author of our being has allotted for the support of man. and the same reason which would influence the abolition of the tax on material of manufacture should the more potently recommend the abolition of the tax on that material by which the artisans themselves are supported."

Mr. Ewart toasted " The total and immediate repeal of the Corn- laws," amid loud applause. This was followed by the health of Mr. Charles Villiers and his supporters in the House of Commons, proposed by Mr. Walter Buchanan. Mr. Fox Maule returned thanks. He cited the opinion of practical agriculturists that " they could get on tolerably well even if the Corn- laws were repealed " ; especially if agricultural improvements were car- ried out. Then he adverted to Mr. Christopher's speech at a late meet- ing in Lincoln-

" I cannot say that I have received much satisfaction from its results; but things took place at that meeting, where Mr. Christopher developed his plan of a reform of the Corn-laws, that have given me the greatest satisfaction ; for when I read that he whom I had seen in the House of Commons, and other friends around me had seen, denouncing with the fiercest wrath and the bitterest enmity any who who presumed to touch these sacred and inviolable laws—when I have seen that gentleman pour forth torrents of indignation against my friend Mr. Villiers, I cannot but hail with some satisfaction the admission made to the Lincolnshire farmers, in words admitting of no doubt, that the time had come when the voice of public opinion was not to be resisted and a change must take place in the Corn-laws. This, indeed, is con- solatory.; but as to Mr. Christopher's plan, I think we may whisper to him that it is not the plan which public opinion will sanction."

Mr. Maule indulged in a side-hit at emigration-

" It is not for me to anticipate what her Majesty's Government purpose on this head [of the Corn-laws]; but one channel into which I see their minds are running, and which I view, I confess, with some alarm, as tending rather to inflict injury on the country than to confer a benefit on it, is an extensive system of emigration. I have no objection to a wholesome voluntary efflux out of the country of the superabundant population. I have no objection to sees country so fruitful in sons as England is, establishing her nurseries in all parts of the globe, to raise up other sons, a he, if peril were apprehended, should stand by the Mother-country in her hour and day of adversity. To such a system it would not only be impolitic but very absurd to object : but I do object, and I object most solemnly, to a wide door being thrown open, through which emigration can scarcely be said to be voluntary, but through which a starving populace, tempted by the magnitude of the plan and the prospect of the success held out to them beyond seas, shall be pushed into a system of expatriation, terminating not only in increased misery to themselves abroad— increased misery, because terminating not only with none of the advantages they were led to expect—but with all the recollections of home and country hanging heavy at their hearts, when home and country are no longer theirs- Such a system is dangerous to the country, by removing only the healthy and able-bodied of our population and locating them in the Colonies, while we leave the unhealthy and infirm to be maintained with a scanty population at home."

In proposing the sentiment that "The Corn and Provision laws are producing a constant increase of immorality," Dr. Heugh, on that score, vindicated the right of ministers of religion to take part in procuring their repeal, not in their religious capacity, but as citizens specially bound to watch over morals public and private. He finished with these words- " From my heart I pity that poor man—poor though rich, poor though clever and talented, poor though powerful—who, I believe, is at this hour neat his wits' end in devising expedients (for in whatever he may be poor, in expe- dients he is rich) to make the worse appear the hotter reason ; who, if report speaks true, has been getting up mock statistics, has been sending unsuccessful missionaries to this and the other noble duke, and sending out his scouts in all directions over the European Continent, to reconcile us to this sapient sliding_ scale, and to persuade the people of England that they will never be happy till they consent to have bread dear at home and markets shut abroad. But from the great the immorality of these laws is descending upon the poor they are rendering the people discontented, restless desperate; they are giving to the under-stratum of British society the fearful character of a heated volcano, stirring its mighty fires for a vast heat—a terrific, a ruinous outburst. Sir, that is precisely the catastrophe which from our hearts we deprecate ; which, with all the influence we can exert, in our persuasions of men and in our pray. era to Almighty God, we shall endeavour while we live to avert. But to our rulers we say avert it also ; work with us ; give the people cheap food; do not dash the cup of hope from the lips of the famishing, the long-suffering people. We ask morality, we implore mercy, we demand justice—justice and mercy, which are the pillars of the throne of the Eternal, and which alone can give stability to ours." Mr. Patrick Maxwell Stewart was intrusted with the toast "Th. abolition of all Colonial monopolies of sugar, coffee, and other tropical produce "; and he took the opportunity a asserting that the Colonies had by no means enjoyed unalloyed protection. He was not averse from removing Colonial protection ; he would admit slave-grown sugar ; but it became a national duty to retain the right of search, by which the horrors of the middle passage should be exposed and abolished; and he insisted that the Colonies ought to be allowed to import their labour whence they chose.

Mr. Wallace, who gave "A just and equal system of taxation," de- clared that he did not expect the (loin-laws to be soon repealed. The subject ought to be brought forward as soon as the session begins ; but they might depend upon it that trade would never thrive till the present Ministry be out ; and they might depend upon getting some capital measure when the others come in.

Several other toasts were drunk ; and the assemblage broke up at eleven o'clock, with three cheers for the Queen, Prince Albert, and Mr. Fox Mauls.

• At the sitting of the Edinburgh Anti-Corn-law Conference on Wednesday, a series of questions was put to Mr. John Amos, a farmer of Alderston Mains. Being asked whether farmers would not be likely to derive some advantage in the value of' farm-pro- duce generally, were the trade free and the manufactures and trade of the country rendered more prosperous, he answered—" I should expect higher prices for wool, and also for fatted animals. Wool in 1836 fetched double the price it does now, when corn is so much higher than it was then. I think that more attention would be paid to raising cattle and sheep if corn were cheaper ; and were the country in a prosperous state, a greatly-increased quantity of such would be wanted." He was asked whether he thought "that much of

the arable land would be thrown out of cultivation if wheat were as low as 488. or 50s. per quarter ? " He answered—" I do not think that any considerable quantity would be thrown out of cultivation ; inasmuch as I consider light, inferior soils, valuable for raising turnips, which is useful for producing manure to the land ; and the extra grass is valuable for rearing young stock, and preparing them for being fed, when land is under a rotation of crops ; and consequently I do not think that much fewer agricultural labourers would be required."

The Duke of Bucclench has generously added the very liberal con- tribution of 1001. to the collection lately made in the parish-church of Dalkeith in aid of the unemployed operatives of Paisley.—Scotch Re- formers' Gazette.

Tuesday's Gazette announced the presentation of the Reverend Wil- liam Reid to the church and parish of Kettle, in the Presbytery of Caper Fife, vacant by the death of Mr. Peter Barclay.

An opinion of the Lord-Advocate and Solicitor-General has been laid before the Presbytery of Elgin, declaring that if they were to give effect to the Veto Act against the presentation of Mr. Wylie, to whom the living has been given, they would act illegally. Accordingly, the Presbytery have directed the induction of Mr. Wylie. The seven mi- niaters of Strathbogie were suspended and deposed for adopting a similar course.

It is understood that a college in connexion with the Episcopal Church in Scotland will be established without delay. The site will be North of the Frith of Forth, probably in the neighbourhood of Perth ; and it is intended that the students shall become boarders in the establishment. The purposes to which the funds will be devoted are the erection of a chapel, with halls, and other suitable buildings. It is also intended to found a number of bursaries, or scholarships ; and it is proposed that subscribers to the amount of one hundred guineas and upwards shall have a perpetual right to nomination in favour of young men, a de- duction of 10 per cent being allowed in such cases from the current rate of annual payments for board and education. Committees have been appointed to carry the object into effect, and the Bishops have given their full consent to the plan. At the last meeting of the members of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, a grant of 1,0001. was voted in furtherance of the design.