The Express.
London, England, 1849-06-27 00:00:00

es be had since exhibited, he (Mr. Ellen's) took the hrm,
and within six months from the time that the lease was
signed the corn laws were altered, and the property was de-
preciated at least one third.
Captain JAMES HYHAM, of Suffolk, adds seed the
steno, in support of the resolution, and stated that the pre-
ens movement, like every greet interest, had been attacked
in detail, hat they were not to be daunted by the speeches of
the Merdwater solsool, who had endeavoured to mike them
she oldest& of satire aed obloquy. They had called the
Bridal farmer a fool, sad had stigmatised the British sailor
as • degraded int. (A laugh.) He felt the strongest indig-
nation against the men who could um ouch language, and
when be refLeted upon the brave deeds he had seen per-
fenced by the mailer of this country he was proud of the op-
ts -rtunity of standing forward in his defence. He would that
one of his traduceneould stand by his (Capt. Byto em'a) aide in
the hour of danger, in order thistle might prove to him that the
sailor was not that drunken and degraded sot he was repre-
sented to be. (Hear, bear.) The greedy men of Munches
ter should be taught there was another God besides that
which they had sworn to worship.
The resolution was then put from the chair and carried
unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN next introduced Sir Alan M'Nab to the
meeting as a gentleman who, when it was attempted to
crests • revolution in Canada, risked his life for the preser-
vation of peace and goad order.
Sir A. M'NAB said that he would not boast of being an
Englishman or a Seoul:man, bat he was the son of en old
Scotch ',ldler, and was born in Canada, one of the most
valuable colonise her Majesty possessed. That colony was
six times as large as England and Wales, and, being originally
founded by British subjects who had preserved thew alle-
giance, the desire to remain under the protection of the
British flag remained Wong ; and he could state that there
was no more loyal population than that of Upper Canada.
(Hear, hear.) No portion of
Canada the British empire was
more prosperous than Upper previo
free-trade system which they bad been forced to adopt by
the mother country. (Hear, bear.) He had amid it was six
times as large as England and Wales, and if properly treated
might be made a sale and advantageous receptacle for the
surplus population of this country. There was no finer
wheat-growing country than the tracts which lay between
the three lakes Erie, Huron, and Ontario, but in conse-
quence of the abolition of the protective duties by this coun-
try, without • corresponding relaxation on the part of
America towards the colony, the market for wheat had been
destroyed. He concluded by moving the following reso-
lution :
That the application of the princip!es of free trade to British colonial
policy has produced the most disastrous effects in colonial interests,
raining in the West Indies the proprietors of estates, while it has sti-
mulated th- slave trade and aggravated its borrow, and in the North
American colonies causing discontent, which, ripened into disaffso-
tion, may endanger the connexion with the mother country.
Mr. BOSANQUET seconded the resolution. He had re-
sided many years in the West Indies, and having recently
returned to this country he could hear testimony to the fact
that the greatest possible distress existed in those colonies.
He bad found upon his return to England that the prin-
ciples of free trade bad taken hold of the country, and it
was to the existence of those principles that the distress in
the West Indies was attributable. Very little need be said
upon this part of the subject, for it was admitted on all
hands that those colonies were in a state of ruin. He had
seen an advertisement in a newspaper which stated that
gentlemen who have estates to abandon in the West In-
dies will fled a purchaser by applying at ouch • place, and
the other sire of the same journal was filled with a list of
insolvents whose property was situated in the same colonise.
(Hear, hear.) The Desolation was then put and carried
unanimously.
Mr. O.P. YOUNG proposod the fourth resolution, which

was as fellows :
That the shipping interest, together with many important branches
of British commerce and manufactures, see at menet in • state of
extreme depreMoe, which can only be removed and prosperity be
permanently restored by a return to the principles of protection to
British industry and capital, end that this meeting deeply regrets,
that, pureeing the principles of free trade, her Majesty's government
have succeeded In forcing through parliament, centrary to the ermine
wishes of the people, the Bill for the Repeal of the Navigation-laws,
convinced that in this eweeping extension of those principles to Md.
plan, British maritime commerce will be severely injured, and the
national riefeircsbe cedroquently endanger d.
The school of_ political economy which he had been always
orto held out cheapness as a panacea for every evil.
es:dwas there a greater delusion, because, if carried to its
utmost limit, he would show that it must have the effect of
transferring the property of the country to the tax-gatherer.
(Hear, hear.) The annual value of the property of the
country was 450,000,0001., and the amount of taxation was
60,000,0001. Thus, abut one-ninth of the property of the
country must be applied to meet the demands of taxation.
Now, if it were good that the price of the loaf should
fall to 6d., it followed, it the pr:eciple were correct, that it
must be good that it should fall to one penny, but the aggre-
gate produce of the country would then be reduced to
50,000,0004, or about a sum sufficient to meet the demands
of the tax gatherer. (Hear, hear.) It followed, therefore,
that to act eiv a principle to any extent which was fallacious
must be attended with injurious consequences to the country.
(Hear, hear.) lie then proceeded to argue at con-
siderable length that the shipping interests were placed in
the same posii ion of denote as those of the agricultutists,
and concluded by pledging himself never to cease agita•ion
until they obtained a retracteti: n of those measures to which
such wiffo4preaff misery and min were due.
Mr. J. BOOKER seconded the resolution, and said he ap-
peared before them ON a miner, a millowner, and a manu-
facturer, for whose intended benefit these great alterations
had been made in sue. laws. They had been promised a
tide of prosperity withtut bounds, but the result had utterly
fat Vied all the prophecies and all the promires which had
been made by the advocates of free trade. He was himself
more immediately connected with the manufacture of iron
in t his country, and ho would endeavour to give them come
idea of the sate of that branch of commerce. For the manu-
facture of iron from the ore there were 672 blast furnaces,
and of these there were 74, which was upwards of one-fourth,
sten ling idle.
Mr. E. SPARKHALL, of Cheapside, moved, and Mr.
APPLING, of Spitalfields, who stated that he was an opera-
tive, @minded the following resolution, which was unani-
mously curled
That the general adoption of the principles of free trade mustlower
wages and depress the labouring classes of this country to the level of
the lowest clam in masoning countries.
Mr. FRESHFIELD proposed the 6th resolution, which
was as follows:
That from the peculiar circumstances attending the last general
election, and the strong reaction since produced t y dear.bought ex-
perience on the public mind, the present Muse of Commons does sot,
in impporting the ruinous policy of free trade, faithfully represent the
sentiments of the people and that considering the urgent necessity
for a change of epstein—foe the preservation of all the best interests
of the state—it be strongly recommended to all eoustituencies imme-
diat,y to address the Queen, preying that her Majesty will be plumed
is dissolve the parliament and appeal to her people.
Mr. BALL having seconded, it also pis-ed unanimously.
Thanks were then voted to the noble president, and the
meeting separated about 6 o'clock.