The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-28 00:00:00

F, J.L3iIJARY 28,
.1848.

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IVand labor were are now diverted into empredoceneeirais
(Opinion al enume)
Mr. Cobden next read a quotation from • speech of neer
✓oue Cretnieux, and said ; These extracts are rather lass bat
I thought it would interest you to know what was peas IL
a popular assembly representing the activity, the popular
opinion of the chief manufacturing town of France.; and
when you see such sentiments as these applauded in the
wthey are in a French assembly, why will sou, the people
°Manchester b,elieve that France is the nation of banditti
I which tome pa
pers have represented. (Applause.) I don't
mean to say that there may not be prejudices in France to
root out, and even prejudices in England to extirpate, but
this I do say, that it is not with a few insignificant peewee
in Paris—mea without station, stake, or influence in Frans;
it is not with these that we should attempt to pick • quar-
rel ; it is to such men as these that we should bold out the
right hand of fellowship. (Applause.) Now, I will be
practical with you on this question of the armaments, ea it
L probable that I shall not speak to you again on the subjses
before it comes before the house. It is, I repeat, a qua-
tion for civilians to determine • military and naval ass
have nothing to do with it. I Wish it to be understood that
I am not going to enter into the technicalities of war;
do not) claim for the civilian that ho has the alienate
practical knowledge of the horrid trade of war—(applause);
I only stipulate far this, that while in a state of profonnd
peace, it is for you, the ratepayers, to decide whether you
will run the risk of war, keeping the money in your pockets,
or whether you will allow an additional number of men to
live in idleness in read coats or blue jackets, under a pretence
of protecting you. (Hear, hear.) I say this, I am for
acting justly and fairly, and holding out the olive branch
to the whole world ; and I will then take upon myself, so
far as my share goes, all the risk of anything happening to
me, without paying for another soldier or another sailor.
(Loud applause.) But it is not merely the question
of whether we are to have great armaments that
you as civilians are competent to decide. You have already
expended ter year seventeen million ruling in armaments,
and this is a question which you are able to decide—whether
that is the best possible use you could make of your money.
(Applause.) Have you inquired, for instance, whether the
navy for which you have paid so largely is really employed
in the best wee, or at all events, to the way best calculated
to do that which these men profess themselves to be to
N 3110119 to do, namely, protect our shores. (Hear, hear, and
applause.) Now, where are all our great battle ships gone to ?
I will venture to say there is not more idleness or demora-
lisation going on in any space on the fare of the earth than
there is in the ships of war for want of employment.
(Hear, hear.) Where are these great line of battle ships,
which you pay for, to be found . Occasionally they sail
out, making • great display of power, science, and other
attractions; but they do not go to Hamburg or the
Baltic, where there is so much trade: no, they do not go
there ; the weather is rough, and there are not many
attractions on shore there. (Laughter.) Well, do they
go to the United States, where we do one-fifth or one-sixth
of our foreign trade? On the contrary, the arrival of
an English man-of-war is recorded in the newspapers
as a rare occurrence. The naval men are idle, and
therefore they do not very often go there ; in fact they
are not wanted anywhere where there is commercial
intercourse. (Applause.) At the close of the late abort
session, I moved for a return relative to the stations of
our ships. When that turns up, I should not be
surprised if you were to read that you have had
naval forces in the Tagus and Douro, and on the coast of
Portugal which would not fall much short of the American
navy. Now, Lisbon Is a pleasant place, as I will vouch for,
having seen it ; the climate is delightful ; and there are
geraniums in the open air in the month of January.
(Laughter.) I do not quarrel with the tastes of the
captains and admirals, who are quite willing to spend a
twelve month in the Tagus if you will let them. (Ap-
plause.) By way of pacifying you for the cost, you are told
that they ate there to promote the English interest. But
I can assure you it is nothing of the kind ; your fleet has
been in the Tagus at the absolute disposal of the Queen of
Portugal and her ministen, in case they! should raise the
indignation of the people by their misconduct. This is a
subject upon which every gentleman—nay more, every lady
who pays taxes upon sugar and other things to support
these idle people. is interested. Wiihoei wistsiug to
appear disrespectful, I may state that Portugal is one of
the smallest, poorest, and at present, in many respects, one
of the moat abject of European countries; and what can
England gain by takingsuch countries under her protection.
I don't wish to be supposed to use an atrocious sentiment, or
to use the one 1 am about to utter in any other way than as
an economical argument; but positively, if the earthquake
that once demolished Lisbon would come again and sink
Portugal umler the sea, it would be an immense gain
to the Enalish people. I am aware that there exists
generally in this country a great aversion to foreign
politics, which is doubtless attnbutable to the fact, that
foreign politics have never done us say good. (Hear hear.)
But I will venture to say, that if you will change that
apathy into an active superintendence of the doings of the
foreign minister, you will save a great deal of money; and
that at all events would be one good result in these bad
times. (Applause.) Well, now, gentlemen, what I want
to bring to your conviction is this: If the people in
Brighton; if the old ladies of both sexes in Brighton, are
frightened that they may. be taken out of their beds some
night—(laughter)—why 11 not the fleet brought out of the
Tagus and ordered to cruise in the Channel. We find ships
of war leaving Portsmouth, and sailing direct to Malta ; for
Malta is the great skulking hole for our navy. (Great ap-
plause.) 1 was at Malta at the commencement of the winter,
in the month of November ; while I was there one of our ship
of the line arrived from Portsmouth ; it had come direct ; it
had left England with a crew of 1000 hands, and arrived
in the harbour of Valetta with 999, one person having
died on the passage. It went, as I say, into the harbour of
Valeta, and there it remained while I travelled from Malta
to Naples, thence to Egypt: and to Greece, and when I
returned to Malta there was the vessel lying in the harbour
of Valetta still. Her chief officers had gone on shore to live
in the clubs, and the subs and rest of the crew found the ut-
most difficulty in keeping up even the appearance of a pre-
tence to useful employment, in heisting up the sails and
taking them down again, and in scrubbing the decks.
(Laughter) Well, I was introduced, as it happened, to
the American consul at Malta, and he spoke to me on the
subject. He said, "We Americans consider your navy to
be 'very slack." " Why, what do you mean by being
sleek?" "Oh," he replied, " the crews of your ships are
too idle ; they are not worked enough. Yoe cannot have •
crew in a good serviceable condition if your ships are kept
lying in harbours for months together, like this vessel now
here. We have never more than three American Tenets in
the Mediterranean, and only one that is larger than a frigate,
but the instruction from our government is this—that the
American ships are never to be kept in port at all. Well,
every man and woman in this country is competent to
form an opinion ; and I say if, when I go to Parliament, they
talk to me about increasing the armament of the country,
I will tell them, if they are frightened for the Channel, to
bring home the ships lying useless in the Tagus.
(Applause.) One word now, rather personal to myself.
I made a few remarks lately at a meeting at Stockport,
which were accidentally elicited from me, is consequence
of a voice in the crowd shouting out—" But ant tax-
ation something to du with it "—and then I alluded, under
the impulse of the moment, to the army, the navy, and the
ordnance, as the only great item of expenditure on which a
reduction of taxation could be effected. Thereupon, the
paper in London, for their own sake no doubt, stated that I
wanted to sacrifice the whole of the army
.and navy. Now,
gentlemen, I have no hesita'ion in declaring what are my
opinions upon the subject. I stated, at Stockport, very can-
didly, what I will state now, and what I stated in my writings
12 years ago—that you cannot have any material reduction
in our armaments until a great change shall have taken place
in the public feeling of the country with regard to our foreign
policy. (Hear, hear.) The English people must first abut-
den the notion that they are to regulate the affairs of the
whole world. I wish to do no injustice to the minister that
maintains our armaments, nor do I blame him for it now;
but all I wish is to invoke public opinion upon the folly of
conducting our foreign policy as it has been conducted it
times past, and this I will do on all occasions. (Applause.)
When the public opinion—the majority of the public opinion
of the country is on my aide, I shall be content to re my
views on this question carried out, but until that time I
consent to be in a minority, and in • minority I will remain
until I can make it into a majority. (Cheers.) But, gen-
tlemen, the question is not that which this paper in Man-
chester has so mystified in its latest number—whether we
shall dismantle our fiesta. That is not the question. The
question is, will you have an increase in your army and navy?
When I admit that public opinion does not go with me to
that extent that I could carry out my views for a reduction
of our armaments, I at the same time maintain, speaking
for the West Riding of Yorkshire—(applause)—speak for
Lancashire, speaking for London, speaking for Edinburgh,
and speaking for Glasgow, that public opinion is with me.
(Tremendous applause, which wail renewed again and again,
the company ris:ng to a man.) And if that public opinion
is expressed, and expressed through public meeeings like
this—for I have no hesitation in saying that a large portion
of the press of the country has abrogated its duties on this'
question—if, I say, public opinion on this question is u-
praised In public meetings, before the estimates are brought,
cm is the House of Commons. there will be no lastesse
et rrow armaments. (Applause.) Bat whether that IMO-
holathwe take plane or not—l speak for myself es an
eat member of parliament—not one shilling shall
Ll= to the estimates for the maintenance of the ar-
sionsate without my hush' the house to a division upon
of (Great aggkoss) Gentlemen, I began by
this goastios with the question of free trade, and
IMllow essfiksislas 110 fie question of free hde is
jeeparibed aD set awaspe by the course which it
Ear, by some to la& wNh respect to our national
I naive papaw ilewi Pans ; and in Paris, let

~~

to tellyuy'llnun a band of bee traders emaciated to-
gether lithe pale their weekly sesta, as we of the League
ewe pelaildiegese. flee elm Wimeetiett of the people. It
is 'weal by 11. Duda 1, am& that paper of last week is as-
teeny mo.urelag, fa see cloth and ashes, over the remarks
of a preveous wedther of another Paris paper (the Yorsitetir
Industrie°, with& keel wildngly maid that England was not
sincere in her het Mob paw, toolair that it had not been
V4in Banos ; thee 111110 bid so faith in its principles;
tltia she was fag agatamanta to take that by
fares which she had beim lam& to take by fraud. Now,
gentlemen, I exhort my imeatzpmen everywhere to resist
this attempt to throw odium upon oar principles. We be-
gan our advocacy of free trade believing it would bring in
Its train peace and harmony NOM all *Atkin ; but the
most enthasisetio free trader mune es never said, u some
of the papen now say, that we expected a millennium after
we had obtained free trade. We never expected anythiez
of the sort—we expected that other nations would require
time, as we had, to carry out our views ; but what we did
hope was this, that the continent of Europe would net, at
all events, have seen that we were the first to doubt aa to
the tendency of our own principles, and that we should be
arming (meatieee against those from whom we expected to
meet only with friendship. We thought, sad we endeavoured,
to make free trade the harbinger of peace. When we
planted the olive tree we never expected its fruits to be bad
in a day, but in due season we hoped to "ether them ; and,
with Heaven's help and your help, it shall yet be so. (The
hon. gentleman resumed hia seat amidst great appleuee.)
After a pause of a
.quarter of an hour, an order that the
waiters might replenish the tables with viands, the chair-
man called upon Colonel Thompson to propose the next

toast.
The CiLtramax here rose and said he bad now great
pleasure in calling on his excellent friend and fellow-towns-
man, Mr. Kershaw, the new member for Stockport.
JAMBS KERSHAW, Esq., M.P., then came forward and
said :—Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, whilst I cannot
but feel :grateful to the committee who have had the ar-
rangements for this festival for permitting me to stand
before you this evening, I nevertheless do feel that I can-
not with propriety detain you for many minutes. Indeed
I was initructed by the chairman not to occupy more than
from ten to fifteen minutes, and I am sure that is the ut-
most time, considering the advanced period of the evening,
and the distinguished and eminent individuals who have
yet to address you, that you will with patience mooed te
me. The rapid flight of time, therefore, and the deep in-
terest with which you are waiting to listen to others, ad-
monish me on the present occasion to be exceedingly brief,
and not only so, but I do feel sincerely that it wou'd be
impossible for me to interest you much on this occasion. I
can, however, Mr. Chairman, venture to say that Twill in-
troduce to your notice a toast, or a sentiment, which will be
acceptable to every lady and to every gentleman, I believe,
in this vast hall. The sentiment is, " The Electors of
South and North Lancashire, the West Riding of York-
shire—(hmar, hear)—and the other constituencies who have
returned Free Traders to Parliament." (Loud applause.)
I anticipated for this toast the reception—the hearty re-
ception—which you have given it; Etna if we dwell for a
single moment upon the state of matters, especially to the
two counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire, a few years age;
if we re-fl,ct on their position with regard to the represen-
tation of those counties, I think we have great reason to
rejoice and to take courage in the circumstances in which
we are now placed. (Hear, hear.) I know not how
to spoik in terms of sufficient gratitude when I refer to the
conduct of those noble men in the West Riding of York-
shire who did themselves honour in placing in parliament,
as their representative, our distinguished friend Mr. Cobden.
—(Cheering.) Now, if I inquired for a single moment into
the instrumentality by which all this has been effected, I
must refer:it to the great confederation'of men formed in this
city for the purpose of promoting freedom of commerce.
It was attributable to the League that existing prejudices
were scattered, and the prevailing darkness resting on men's
minds was enlightened. It is to that League, powerful inns
opening, but omnipo'ent in the end, which accomplished
for us those great triumphs which now we are celebrating,
(Applause. It might be deemed ungrateful on my part, if I
did not for a tingle moment refer by name to the borough
of Stockport. (Hear, hear.) I only do so fur the purpose
of observing, with regard to it, that I have been elected by
that constituency after stating my firm adherence to the
principles of freedom of commerce and civil and religious
liberty. (Hear, hear.) By these lam determined to abide ;
by these I am determined to stand or fall; and, however
humble my talents, I trust I shall ever be found in the
British parliament giving my votes at least, and I hope
they will ever be found,in favour of civil, religious, and cone-
mercial freedom. (Applause.) I beg, therefore, to propose,
" The Electors of South and North Lancashire, the West
Riding of Yorkshire, and the other Constituencies who hays
returned Free Traders to Parliament." (Drunk in bumpers,
and with three hearty cheers.)
Colonel TItOMPSON, M.P. for Bradford, rose, amid,t lona
and reiterated plaudits to propose the next sentiment. He'
said—l wish I could impress upon you how politic it is to put
your trust neither in Houses of Lords nor in Houses of
Commons, but to look to your own assemblies ; for the ex-
pre-sion of public opinion is the means by which you are
to ward off the evils which you fear, and to obtain the good
you prize. I must put myself forward as a man
who has not been convinced of the possibility of
doing without war now and hereafter. We shall always
have a great deal too much of it, I fear; but we
must take such meami es will produce the maximum of divi-
sion of the evil, rather than to league ourselves with the
efforts which are certainly not completely adapted to the
nation's mind. All must wish the time to come when
armies and fighting men shall no longer be required; I
wish the time was arrived when we could do without
surgeons, for instance, end I wish also the time was come
when we could dispense with lawyers. (Loud laughter,
and applause.) Not the slightest objection shall you find
me making to the dispensing with these classes of persons
when the time shall come that we can do without them.
(Hear, hear.) Indeed, I will not stand upon the reten-
tion of the clergymen when we can profitably dispense
with their services. All these are pawns and offices
which we must endure; for though our object in
wishing their removal would be a good one, it is a ques-
tion whether we can, by doing away with them, produce
what we wish to achieve. (Hear, hese.) Now, I have not
put it to you that it is impossible to do without war, for: I
am persuaded that we cannot wholly dispense with our ar-
maments; but I now put to you whether we cannot do with-
out those costly preparations for war which is proposed to be
forced upon your stomachs and purses. Why, if the period
lied been picked out in which the greatest quiet prevailed, it
was now ; if there had been at any period any necessiuy for in-
creasing our warlike preparations, it would have been in years
long gone by. Shall I tell you what is myopinion of this alarm?
Seventeen years ago there was a happy change in France,
which brought on her a happier change, because a mare suc-
cessful one—the enactment of the Reform Bill, which is one
glory, and which we hope to live to be enabled to improve_
(Cheers.) Now the wise and the violent alike point to some
danger of a renewal of the scenes of the French revolution,
and that it cannot be long before there must be a crisis in
France. Let us hot a, if there be, that it will turn out fur
the benefit of the human family at large, which it most cer-
tainly will do, if it promotes the happiness of that gallant
and meritorious nation. If it does, we Englishmen shall be
in some sort the better for it. (Applause.) I know nothing
else so likely at this moment to arouse the sentiment of poli-
tical reform as this event will do. This is what these par-
ties, these alarmists, feel ; this is what they want to prepare
against and to defeat, when they propose to fortify the
Thames and loop-helkTemple Bar. It is not the French
they want to keep away ; it is reform that they are afraid
will be brought home from the other aide of the Channel
Have not our missionaries gone forth through the nations of
Europe, and sown the seeds of lasting and permanent peace ?
I hope that the storm has blown over ? I 13-Here the parties
themselves are beginning to see its utter folly. We shall
not, I trust, See our prospects of the universality of free trade
drowned by the rolling of the dram. I hope they will excuse
me, as an old soldier, if I challenge any man to prove that
there is any shadow of a prospect authoriding the course
which has been taken and the alarm attempted to
be raised. The toast I have to propose to you
is this— " The Anti-Corn-Law League, the labours
and success of which have rendered such essential ser-
vice to our country and the world at large." (Applause.)
Joux Banner, Esq., M.P., on presenting himself, was
received with repeated burets of applause. When silence
was restored, he said—l have been asked why this meeting
has been convened, at a period when the political world was
so calm, and the objects for which we so often
attended in this room were for the most part
accomplished My answer has been that we were going
to meet together for the purpose of doing honour
to a great principle which has triumphed, and to
another principle which is marching on to a still greater
triumph—that which embodies the demand that, in future,
the opinions of the people shall guide, and that the interests
of the people shall be the objects of, the government in
this kingdom. (Great applause.) Of the ant principle
which we have so often spoken of in this hall I will new
speak. If ever there was a course pursued by a great public
confederation, which was justified by result, I say we may
point to the principle of free trade and the bourse pursued
by its earnest and practical agitators from this platform.
(Immense applause.) Did we not hear for years that it was
the true policy of this country to be totally independent of
foreigners ? And yet, now, we have to make the confession
that by the supply of food from these same foreigners, some
millions of our countrymen have been kept alive during the
last 18 months. (Hear, hear.) Were we not told that the
best security for • permanent supply of food was to give
protection to the cultivators of our own soil ; and is it not
now proved that after thirty years of strict protection to
the agriculturists of this country, millions of our country.
men would have died of famine, if it had not been for the
applies of food from abroad ? And were we not told that,
when we had importations of food from abroad we should
have abstracted from us in return large sums of gold, and
that same gold would go to build up rival manufactories in
fareign states ? Well, we have had large imports of food,
and large exports of gold in payment for it ; but where has
been the retention of the gold by foreign countries ? Is it
not coming back to us as feat as it went? (Cheers and
cries of "Faster.") And amore than that, has not the
country that took the largest portion of the gold trebled
its purchases of our manufactures within the last twelve
months. (Hear, hear, hear.) And there never was ex-
hibited a more magnificent proof of tits soundness of any
position than the lot twelve months have shown. But
what are the political results?—for there are political
results, of no alight moment, which have followed the
triumphs of the free-traders of England. The repeal of
the corn laws is to the political world like the breaking up
of • long frost : you find, when the river is unbound, that
vast masses of its become disjointed and float away ; now
they teach each other, and now they separate again, but
they all flow on to their own kindred ocean. And what is
it, m parliament and out of parliament, but that puttee,
even • party, one of the earliest ever banded together, has
been separated, weakened, disjointed, perhaps for ever?

And there is in parliament and out of parliament a glimersCa
strong, and all-pervading tendency in favour of liberal ray,.
RIM and greater freedom of trade. (Applause.) And he
what are we tending ? Why, to some things that have not
been yet mentioned here to-night. See what has team
place in your own town, your own parish ; and look at what
has saaeatay taken place elsewhere, with regard to the /pis,
swpa beach. I have never said a syllable since ever I smite
is 115WIs against the Church of England as a re,
Wlaae hod). At this moment I can appeal to
of intelligent and pious churchmen, itad
I I wit Slaw whether they are not driving in the direetioa
I haws long travelled in ? Are they not of °puska
dos it would be better for religion that bishops were ow
made by prime ministers. Then, again, there is the
twastiaa of tenure of land, and the mode in which it
trawmitted from hand to hand, and from father to age,
That question is important to England and Scotland, ywell as to Ireland. The gross evils to which the country
has lama so long exposed under this system, which arose
a time when the population was thin and the people
powerless, should no longer be continued. As sure as this
Parliament has admitted to you foreign supplies of fecal, se
sure, before long, will freedom be given to tenure of land,
(Applause.) I have not said much about the war-cry which
has been lately raised, but every one who knows me believes I
hope, that I ever advocate the cause of vice, as much from
my connexion with a society which, as a religious society, is
seautently a peace society, as from my own firm conviettona,
wad that I must, therefore, go along with the friends of peace,
(How, hear.) I hear on ens ry side that there has been
Wairmic, but Ido not believe it at all. There has not
ham sock a panic. My honourable friend, the member for
Ike West Hiding, has been astonished at what he has read in
the London papers, and has fancied that we believed all that
was in them. As anothe r instance of hie cred uli ty—( Laughter)
—when he was in Spain, he wrote me a letter about the tints
when there was supposed to be some quarrel between Lord
Palmerston and s me one in Paris, about the marriage of the
Spanish Queen, and he begged and implored that we would
not get a war cry here, but keep it down. I believe the
whole of this cry and panic has been a sham. I would, how.
ever, ensure you that I do believe that no man in England is
more innocent of raising the cry, nor mar.- unwilling that it
should be raised, than the present prime minister of England.
(Rear, hear, and applause.) It would be madness in a prime
minister, and madness in any man who wishes to see the
nation prosper, at this period, to get up a;ery like tau, or in
any way env orage it. Greater expenses, greater taxation,
are all things which every minister would, if possible, avoid.
I do believe that Lord John Russell hex no more to do
with this cry, and has no more sympathy with it, than has
any person on this platform or in this room. Now I think
I can give you the secret of this. In this country it is the
system for men possessed of 'one property not to divide it
!pally amongst their children. (Hear, hear, and laughter.)
Now an honest cotton spinner, or shopkeeper, or calico
printer, who has *managed to scraps together 20,0001. or
30,0001., gi nerally divides this tolerably equally among all
his children. Ido not know how any man with natural
&Motions, or any honest man, can do otherwise. But the
mere property a man gets--especiahy if it be is green
fields—the more he is disposed to behave unnaturally, and
the more it is the custom he should not divide it squally
amongst his children. I think Colonel Thompson has hit
the point when he says that the object of this system is to
make one man so strong that he can compel the public to
keep the re.t of the family. The fact is, as Col. Thompson
says, numbers are pressing upon the means of subsistence,
and they must have sufficient scope for their energies,
these energies being—doing nothing, and living upon the
taxes. (Laughter.) I beseech you, as you value all the
victories you have won—as you value all you may yet
anion, make a firm and resolute resistaiice to everything
that may instigate a hostile feeling towards forego coun-
tries, or that may induce you to spend law zonal in military
or naval armaments. (Loud applause.) The popular power
is spreading every day. Lot it be an enlightened power,
and it will be a blessing to us. (Hear, hear.) Oh, it is a
glorious time; when thousands can here meet together in
greater freedom than we have heretofore—free to discuss,
tree to approve and condemn—the measures of those who
move in the highest places to direct the policy of this great

Atter a few words from Joseph Brotherton, Esq., M.P.,
Groaoa THOMPSON, M.P., rose, and said :—I have been
moved to-night to an extent to which I b.lieve I never wu
previously moved by the proceedings of any meeting I ever
atteuded. If lam not greatly mistaken, we shall irom to.
night date the commencement of a new era in reference to
foreign polities in this country. I never was so struck
before as to-night, with the marvellous consequences flow-
ing from the agitation of the free trade principle. If it
should come to pus that the intelligence of this country
shall take upon itself to inquire into the origin and authors
of wars, if it should assume to itself its undoubted pre-
rogative since it has to furnish both the treasures and
the blood, C. know the grounds of the quarrel, and the
' means that have been resorted to to bring about • peaceful
termination of the quarrel, who are to sustain it it its lists
are to be entered, whose hearths are to desolated, -and
whose pockets desecrated, and whose packets are to be
emptied. I say if this should come to pass, then the other
benefits flowing from tree trade will sUk into comparative
insignificance before the majesty of a people wresting a pen
from the hand of a foreign secretary hitherto wielded to
plunge nations in wars, and deluge the world with blood,
and claim for themselves the right of settling by reason
and the law of kindness, the quarrels hitherto determined
by the power of the sword. (Cheering.) A higher destiny
and mission seems to be reserved for him who has led us in a
preceding struggle. God grant him life snit health and
wisdom, and courage, and men to support him. N. cd I hope
for that ? Now, sir, we have heard of wretched prophets to-
night, and I may be among the number, but I may venture
to foretell that the Free 1 ra4e Hall of Manchester will be
more than a match for Apeley Houseland the Horse Guards
put together. (Great cheering.) I heard that there had
been, within a given time, '20,000 applications at the
Horse Guards which they had not been able to comply with.
Do you see anything in that ? Is it now that we are to go to
war with France, now that we are to revive the eringuished
animosities, now that we are to adopt again the irrational
phrases and degrading epithets of 50 years ago. when
France herself is setting us an example which we might do
well to follow. (Hear.) Why, east were the toasts given
at the sixty reform banquets of France. This bas been one
of their touts at least: " Fraternity, liberty, equality." Let
no echo from those shores the shouts that have been raised
there, and I am sorry to say stifled so far 'as Paris is con-
cerned, for the banquet did not come oft there. Lt t us send
back the echo " Fraternity, liberty, equality." (Loud cheers.)
Gentlemen, the toast that I have to support couples peace
and free trade with the cause of the people's rights. The
people's rights? And on the subject of the people's rights,
a a ord to the working classes. Brethren, before 'you fight
know what you are going to fight for. (Applause.) I
charge the working clones from the platform, if there
should be a call made upon them to enlist or to em-
body themselves in the militia, to demand from the
Government that makes the appeals for them,
what they are fighting for. (Cheers.l It has been truly
said that any calamity like that of war between us and an
adjacent country, would roll back the tide of reform with
respect to popular rights ; would stagnate, nay,
more than stagnate, would cause • retrogression
in that movement which has been going on so
peacefully, so unobjectionably from year to year
in this country. Then, as we have our rights, and
desire not to see them abridged, sad desire to extend them
to others not favoured with the possession of them, let us
drown the war cry in a louder cry, which angels will echo
L from the skies, of " Peace on earth, good will to men."
Josue BROOKE, Esq., (Manchester), proposed, and ED-
WARD ASHWORTH, Esq., seconded, votes tf thanks to Hr.
Milner Gibson and the other members of parliament who
had attended the meeting. The toast was received with
nine ht arty cheers, the company upstanding. The meeting
broke up at at a quarter before twelve o'clock.

From the GAZETTE of THIS NIGHT.
---
WAR.OFFICE, JAe. 29.
2nd Life Gds.—Copt J. S. Dodeworth, from b.-p. Coat., to beset.
vice R. Blase, who each.; Lieut. the lion. R. N. Lesley, to be es*,
by par. vice Dodsworth, who ret. ; Comet and Sub-Lieut. the Boa.
J. H. D. Astley, to be Scut., by pur., vice Lawley ; Lieut. T. 0. L. C.
Gwyn, from 6th Drag. Gds., to be cornet and sub-lieut., by par., vies
Maley.
Bth Drag. Gaornet A.A. M. Campbell, from 9rd Light Drop,
to be lieut., bytnir. vice Garin, aPp_. to 2nd Life Oil,
3rd Light Drags.,—Cornet G. E. P. Rauntze, to be lieut., by put,
vire J. D. White, who ref.; G. T. ELicketta, Gent, to be cornet, by
pur., vice Kauntae.
11th Light Dnurs.—Cornet and Adjt. W. Ennis, to have the rank
of lieut. ; Cot. E. A. Osolt;to be lieut., by pur., vice Alexander, who
let. • M. W. Wilson, Gent., to he cornet, by pur., vice Cook.
12th Light Drags.—W. Thacker, Gent, to be vet. avg., vice Brett,
ap p to Cavalry Depot at Maidstone.
14th Lt. Drags.—Lieut. H. E. Reader, from the 39th F., to be lieut.
vice Greenham, who exchanges.
Coldetream Reg. of F. Guards—Ens. and Lieut W. C. Lyon. to be
lieut and caps, by par., vice Melville, who ret..; Ens T. F. Reit from
the 63rd Reit., to be ens. and lieut., by cur., vice Lyon.
19th Reg. of F.—Brev..Major R. Denny, from the 58th F., to be
copt., ace Parrott, who exchanges.
31st P.—B. J. Leeson, gent., to be eat, by pun, vice Seraflields
promoted.
39th F.—Lieut. W. Greenhorn, front the 11th Lt. Drop., to be
UM., vice Reader, who exchanges.
50th F.—Ena., with temporary rank, C. Macdonald (Town Major of
Montreal), to be ens, without par., vice Heaton, dec.
56th F.—Ens W. W. Bassett, to be lieut., by pur., vice Satuidela,
who retire; M. Cowen, gent., to be ems, by pur., vice Bassett.
58th F.--Capt. W. T. Parrett, from the 19th F., to be caps., vice
Denny, who elebanges.
60th F.—Major Lord C. J. F. from b.-is. nnat, to be major,
vice J. H. Trevelyan, whe es. • Breit- rJ. Temple, to be motor,
by pur., rite Lord C. J. F. Ituirell, who ret. ; Lieut. D. lone., to be
cant., by pur., vice Temple; See..thut. J. P. Batteraby, to be drat.
lieut., by put., vice Jana; C. W. P. Lillingston, gent., to be see,
lieut., by pur., vice Battereby.
63rd F. Ens E. R. C. Sheldon, from the 30th F., to be ens., vies
Rola, app. to the Coldstream Beg. cf F. Guards.
70th F.—J. A. Rae, gent., to he can., by pur., vice Sheldon, app. to
the G2rd Y.
75th F.—Lieut. W. Brooke.. tole rapt., without pur., vice Brevet-
Major J. Bolton, who ret. on fultpay.
fist F.—W. H. Stanton, gent, to be ens., by pur., vice Lemont,
word ires.
93F.—Lieut. J. F. A. Hartle, to be adjt, vice Macdonald, prom.
in the 117th F.
99th F.—Gent. Cadet A. F. Smith, from the Royal MIL Cot, to be
sm., without par., vice Fraser who resign..
Barvrt—Major C. J. F. Roiaell, of the 60th F., to be lieut.-col. is
the army; Capt. J. S. Dodsworth, of the 2nd Beg. of Life Gds., to be
weer in the army.
MIOCOSANDCX.—The Christian names of Era. Armstrong. of the
93th F., are John Herbert. The taltgy of Britt-Major J. F. 1..
cßaelnl2eadl alert:ln g 127
d'eptsd uted allowantei on the 28th
Jan., 184
Erratum in the Cle:.etfe of Mit Jan., 1648.—F0r Gent. Cadet W.
'I. from the Royal Mil. Col., to be ens in the bith F., vice Mockler,
^sat. Cadet W. Bell, to be,
BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED.
_
-- merchant.

FAArtots Jaratrits, Lore-lene, City, corn merchant.
BANKRUPTS.
~.TlioxAs ELLISON, Luton, Bedfordshire, plumber.

• AEOLIAN laza nava', Braintree, Bra
m poem.
ZDWARD MALTED, Upper Seymour-street, Hweewequart,
bricklayer.
JOSIPE WALTIMIL IJOIOD-OZEEty Southwark, bottle MIN-
OMAR
JOSEPH TOILNIBIL, Newmarket, readier.
' Jona lemon% Albion-enure Wert, Islington, builder.
_ AMIN COLEY HVGIIIIS 0130111 T, Churokatreet, Hackney,

lesTebM.
Smear SHELDON, Bretfoe'd, corn dealer.
SAMUSL WOOD YOUNGMAN. Norwich, wine merchant.
•Csaates Cocaine, Shepherd's-place, Grosvenor-square.
011TH merchant.
. ANTHONY ORRIX, St. IVES, HUDEillgtlolMhife, Toterinary
"FrAZLES BUKROWS and Join Joe. PARKET/. PlmelliX•
wharf, City-road-basin, coal merchant.
JOHN WHITE, Shrewsbury, auctioneer.
JOHN WILLIAM WATSON, Shrewsbury, enlivener.
Eritrean PIACI, Lrominater, farmer.
EDWARD GOUGH, Wei, Shropshire, druggist.
JOHN GADSBY, Coventry, wine merchant.
ANDREW hicialsom, arm., Cheltenham, hotel keeper.
JACOB MOSILZY, Neath, Glansorganshire, watchmaker.
BAILNAH.D LINDSAY WATSON, Bath. hotel keeper.
JAMBS BROMLEY, Kingston-upon-Hull, glees
HANNAH HUSBAND, Richmond, Yorkshire, innkeeper.
Samoa'. Lie, Think, Yorkshire, confectioner.
Titoitas B "ILLS. Liverpool, licensed victualler.
WILLIAM CHAVEN, Birkenhead, road maker.
PHILIP JAMES ANTILL, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, wine
merchant.
SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.
Jamas KAY, Glasgow.
ROBIRT GRANT, Lybater, merchant.
JOHN SMITH, EdinburghLtailor.
ALIBICANDRIt MITCHELL, Paisley, scourer.
Jaime Witutit, Uddingston, plough manufacturer.
NATHAN POLLOCK, Paisley, grocer.
MINES MONTIATH, Galashiels! manufacturer.
FRANCIS CALDWELL, jun., Ardrossan, merchant.
JAMES BELL. Haddington, engineer.
THOMAS Kum, Glasgow, engineer.

BANK OP

craw W»e ..........

161102 bill
...04.5..V.034

■r for the Week ending Jen. 22.
1L1T3110.2.
u.vernment £11.5111000

Other Seeuritlen 1.984..900
Gold Coin and Bunion 11.122.378
Silver Btollon ...... 1.4.311.880

ri.o4lSlon' 04pItal
sot . 3- ;26,364
Ilnclud
tt.v.
Comm • Ig NIVABIMin•
DOA., 464 Acca) 4,083.4.1
Other Deposat.‘ 10,774,870
Norin-day &ad other 'Mlle 923,271
L 34,039,980

PAZT3I BST.

Government
&warlike
Unclad. Dead Weight
Annuitr) —• 01.464,6d5
Other &caritas 14.310,363
Note.
Uold sad Sliver Coin 617.547

.
I 124,039,5030
IL MARSHALL. Chief (Molar.

Jan. 27. 184 S.

SUGAR.—The Average Price of Sugar, the produce of the
British possessions in America, computed from the retun s
made in the week ending the 2.5. h day of January, 184 S, is
235. 4jd. per cwt. Sugar, the produce of the Mauritius. is
per cwt. Sugar, the produce of the East Indies,
is 275. lid. per cwr. The average price of the two fore-
going descriptions, jointly, is Ms. 31d. per cwt.