The Express.
London, England, 1850-01-24 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING. JANUARY 24, 1850.

vote for this Or auldidate to go to parliamellt.
(Chute.) I say, therefore, that rasa Frighten themeless
overlatelh shoat these thine You might safely go beck
to the Old Sam mot and lot system of esseldniog every
bud Of a lardy to be • gibs's, that lea fres man and
sensing him to be a free man, paying the pun' rate and
tams let that mss lase a voice Is the sepresentaUon.
(Eathualeetkl sheering) As you contemplate Import-
ant obootoli la this eonatry by moral means alone,
I advise *TUT manto think well, wheelie, he can fulfil all
the dudes thee are imposed upon him, U he does not do
semethlog towards arming himself with political powers le a
constitutional way, and helping those who are struggling
legally to gam changes in the represeateUen and in the
admiaistratioa of the affairs of this country. I ask all men
who have never thought of purchuing sweaty qualification,
to watch the promsedinp of parlianteat dosing the next
session. Them von will me nine-tent* sof the members tor
counties voting, in the first place, for little luavu—(langh-
ter); in the next place voting systematically against en
effectual reduction of taxation; voting, is the titled place,
is almost • casuist bo fy against every measure for
effecting a thorough reform of the representation of the
country. (Hear, heat.) You will find aine-tenths, at
lust, of the smutty members voting in a compact phalanx
against every messure which you have set your heart most
epee- (Hear, hear.) Weil, the question is how to cor-
rect that? Don't blame those few men in the House of
Commons whom you us fighting with • majority of 3 to 1.
Don't moor at those who an fighting against en invincible
majority; but what I ask you to do is just to Inquire,
every man, whether he has done what he could do to help
those men in parliament who are trying to do something
tuition. (Hear, hear ) I tell youhoneetly it is not • very
pleasant thing to be night after night knocked
about in minorities. It is pleasanter to be. la
an assembly where the majority goes with you.
(Hear.) I have no doubt that we shell see a great
movement made is this country, In endeavouring to effect
thou measures which we consider Mehl) necessary for the
prosperity, the security, and the happ:ason of the whole
pimple of this country. (Loud cheers amidst which the
eon. gentleman resumed his beat, having spoken for an
hour and 20 minutes )
At a later hour,
Mr. COBDEN, in responding to the vote of thanks, said ;
One of the most embarrassing things that can possibly so•
company the public life of one who has bat a just estimate of
his own feeble services, must be to have to encounter • kind
and cordial and too Battering • reception, such as I witness
here to-night. I assure you that I entered this meeting, as
I do upon every other public occasion, with a deep convic-
tion of how little at y one man can accomplish la this age
epos any public question. (Hear.) Something has been
said about the representation of this ltidiog. There is some
little disadvantage when one represents a large constituency
like that of West Yorkshire—that in going from one district
to another one is always followed by the public press, and
you must tell • different story, eltheugit one always wants to
speak in something like the same sense to each district. We
can't talk in private. What I say to you at Sheffield mast
be known sot only hen, but in every other polling diarist,
and not only to the liberals, bet to our opponents. (Hoar.)
Notwithstanding all that I think, our policy is peculiarly
the policy of frankness and of openness. (Heir, hear.)
Everybody knows that for a man to be representative of the
West Riding of Yorkshire, whilst it is the greatest
political honour he can enjsy, whilst it undoubtedly gives
him additional weight in the representation of the county
( provided there be one condition fulfilled which I will, in a
moment, refer to), yet nobody can deny that the represents-
ton of this vast district, with its local affairs, does add very
much to the personal toil of a winter of parliament.
(Hear.) Now, I will tell you what gives to • member of_par-
hareem groat additional weight as a member of the West
Riding—lt le when it is known that he speaks the sentiments
of a majority of the West Riding electors. (Cheers.) It is
that which gives me in the House of Commons (without any
adventitious aid on my own part) which gives me upon the
subject of this great and little loaf ten times the weight
of any county member in the House of Com-
mons that can vote against me. (Load cheers.) It
is simply and solely became* it is known that in
voting for this big loaf instead of the little one I
express the opinion of the great majority of the inhabitants
of the West /tiding of Yorkshire. (Renewed cheers.) It
is on this account that I feel rejoiced that in my absence,
when I was more than • thousand miles from you, you did
me the honour to elect me to the »presentation of the West
Hiding of Yorkshire. Undoubtedly it is an advantage
which I never expected, and ore which arms me with ten-
fold power to resist this insane attempt at a reactionary
movement in this question of tree trade and protection. And,
gentlemen, upon any question upon which the West Riding
is pronounced, upon wnich this vast constituency is known
to eatertain a settled conviction, it will um your
representative with vast authority and I have no
hesitation in saying that ultimately, and at no
distant time, any question upon which the West
Riling is decided must b. come the adopted policy of
the government of this country. (Loud cheers.) I remem-
ber that your late deservedly popular representative, who
now sits in the upper house—(cheers)—shortly after hie re-
turn from America, gave to the West Riding a title which is
given to one of the states of the American Union, which is
supposed to decide brit, vote the po:icy of that union, and
which is called "the empire state.' I remember his calling
this '• the empire county." It is a happy comparison, and
one which is strictly borne out by the facts, for there is no
doubt in the world that not only will every question upon
which the majority of the West Riding has given a
deliberate decision, become the policy of the country ;
but, on the other hand, I have no hesitation in
saying—and all experience backs me out in the opinion—
that no policy can be realised tai this country, no gnat change
of p ilicy can be adopted, to long as the Wes; Hiding of
Yorkshire has not pronounced in favour of it. (" Hear,
hear," and cheers) Now, gentlemen, I mention this to
show what it is that gives the power to the representative* of
the West Riding; it gives me no power if I am expressing
an opinioi in the house, or giving a vote in the house on
which I may be charged with unfairly representing the
opinions of the West Riding of Yorkshire. In the next
Place, 1 menu o. it to show to every inhabitant of the West
kidiag of Yin kshire what • vast amount of poli.ical power lies
dormant in this conney, and what • vast metority of the male
inhabitants of the West Riding are indifferent about be-
coming depositors in this prodigious political power, which
is lying dormant and waiting for teem to exert it to pro-
duce the reforms which are necessary foe the country.
(Hear, hear.) Why, ninon* in seven of the adult inhabi-
-ants of the Wilt Riding are voters for the county. If one!
in seven of those who are now excluded from all share in
the election of members of parliament were to make up their
minds to quality, in order to carry out the v:ews which, I
will undertake to say, that one-seventh entertain, and
which are in harmony with my own, they could do more for
the carrying out of national reform than the same number
of men in any other part of the United Kingdom. (Cheers.)
Theepsestion with reference to the future representation of
the Wad Riding is in the hands of the electors, and you will
be:good enough to consider me—except in reference to the
repeal of toe corn laws and tree trade—merely as an indivi-
dual with whom you may deal as you please ; but who has
no tie whatever to this district unless it be in connexion
with some great principle that you want to see carried, and
for the accomplishment of which I am perfectly willing to
work. (Cheers.) In alluding to my humble efforts, something
has been said of peace, and of war loans. lam not goiug
to enter up n that subject now, further than to say I
consider tree trade and peace to be natural allies. (Hear,
hear.) All pod questions go together. • Religious liberty,
civil liberty, conmeScial liberty, political liberty, are four
sisters—they are all of one family, and cannot easily be
separated. Giving the big loaf instead of the little one
leaves you with money for the purpose of education and
moral improvement, for the purpose of buying freeholds,
and what riot. Then the lreehold movement implies
temperance—(cheers)—moral reform, and peace. They will
all go together. Hitherto we have only been suspend-
ing the fighting, and always resting with arms in ear hands.
There are more armed men now on the continent
of Europe than ever there were in the height el Napoleon's
wary. (Saame !) There were more men with bayonets and
muskets in their hands la the autumn of 1847. when I was
on the continent, than there were in the time of Napoleon—
more effective arms f men—more men abstracted from labour
and industry, to be kept in idleness and waste by the rest of
the oommooity. (Great cheering.) Then came the revo-
lution—in the midst of all the bayonets came
the revelation of 1818. All these governments
toppled over, the thrones rolled over and mingled
with the dust, notwithstanding all these bayonets,
The governments r covered themselves, and where there
used to be four soldiers, now there are five—(laughter)—
add so there are more soldiers than ever on the continent of
Europe. It is not a small matter—sending five mil-
lions and a half of money into the coffers of a man like the
Emperor of Russia. Five and a half millions of money
woald go a great deal further in provisioning and in sup-
porting an army in a country like Russia than it would in
Western Europe, and Ido feel it humiliating—l feel that, in
a certain sense, we are greater barbarians than he is—
that we are pouring out the gains of our industry and com-
merce to be wasted by that despotic monarch in • manner
no: only injurious to his own people but pernicious to the
interests of the what' of Europe. The hon. member con-
cluded by again empr. lain. his ackaowledgmenta to the
meeting for the kind and flattering reception they had given
to him, and sat down amidst great cheering.
Mr. Alderman SCHOFIELD moved a vote of thanks to
the chairman, which was seconded, and curled by acclama-
tion. The proceedings closed at 20 minutes past 10, with
three cheers for Mr. C ibden. and the company separated
apparently in high gratification.

THE PUBLIC BREAKFAST.
SHEk'FIELD, JAN. 23.
The public breakfast to Mr. Cobden took place this
morning, in the Cutlers' Hall Nearly two hundred ladies
and gentlemen eat down, o enprising the elite of the gentry,
eterenants, manufacturers, and other trader of Sheffield and
its neighbourbo d. THOMAS Boum, Esq., the Mayor
of the borough, presided; Mr. Cobham and Mr. T. A.
WARD sat on the right of the char; Mr. Alderman
WILLIY Cod Mt RICHARD SOLLY were OR the lett. &Is-
m! other leading merchants and some ladies also had seats
at the princ pal table. The breakfast equipages having been
removed,
Hie Worship the MAYOR rose, and in the name of the
netting welcomed Mr. Cubden.
Mr. COBDEN.—Af•er, axon sing his gratification with the
reception he had experienced, and at the presence of ladies
on the occasion, fro. the vivid recollection he had of their
services in the struggles of the League, the honourable went-
, bet continued : —I really do think that in the agricultural
districts the dia Ines we have heard so much said about is
confined to a 'try small portion indeed of the population. I
don't believe the agricultural labourers, for instance, are
worse off than at any lormer period. how they can be in
a wane position than they were I cannot conceive. The land•

orates may probably feel some Inconvenience in the bre-
Bon rate, and the farmer, I fear, will be subject to • promo?*
until the landlords bar some to an arrangement with them.
The great bulk of the community in the agricultural die•
trier are labourers and their families, and for one farmer
then are five labourers; consequently, In those districts the I
abolition of the corn laws has been an advantage to five
against one who may suffer by cheap bread.
tZhisreg ra.) And in addition to that, if you take the whole :
mannfamaring districts, the metropolis, tad all your great
towns suffering I believe only in the transition state,only for a
time, it leaves as little allay of dianaffectioa and suffering
In this rat and munificent range as we could expect.
(Cheer. You may take this as a strong proof that the re-
peal of corn laws has been of great benefit to the mom of
the parr of this country is a whole, sad that is the great
Improvement that has taken pre* in the home trade.
Mr. Cobden concluded by expressing his conviction that
with the improvement now going on in trade the people
would also make great program in education and moral
improvement- He had always found the prover In such
times to be exceedingly rapid, and he was rejoioed to think
that temperer, would now come to aid them much more
in this onward march of improvement. (The hon. genle-
man sat down amidst great cheering )
Mr. COBDEN almost immediately rose spin for the pin-
' pose of proposing the thanks of the meeting to the mayor for
preeidlig en this occasion.
An incident occurred at this period of the meeting which
gave rise to much amusement. A gentleman, whose name was
afterwards said to be Sandereon, rose in great excite-
ment and with strange gesticulations, addressed the
meeting, stating that he was one of the unfortunates
who came from the rural districts, and wished to know
from Mr. Cobden what they were to do. Whin there was
protection they could just keep their heads above water,
bat now they were completely under, and unless the manu-
facturers kept them up they must sink. He wanted to
know what was the remedy for the agricultural classes—
what the tenant former was to do ? The reduction of rents
would not meet their eau. He believed the ge rental
of that eounty was but 113 s. an acre. He bellesed they
must have a renewal of a sliding scale, and a fixed duty
besides. (Great laughter.)
Mr. COBDEN said the gentleman had put a question, but
he had not furnished him with sufficient data, it he was to
be called upon to prescribe. He did not tell him what
quantity of laud he held, what the rent was, what the con-
ditions of the lease were. He should have to feel his pulse
and know what was the matter with him, before he could
pretend te preeeribe a cure. It might be that
was paying too much rent, or it might be
he was paying rather too little for he had
known that to be productive of exactly the
same results. (Much laughter.) If it was a question of
rent, he must go to his landlord and make fresh terms ; he
could not go to ether people and expect them to make
tenet,
The hon, gentleman was proceeding to say he should like
to know whether the questioner really was a tenant lamer
for it was a question such as was not likely to come truss a
tenant :armer,—some pereon here exclaimed that the gen-
tleman was a tanner from Rotherham, and he then aokn.ve
ledged he did not hold land himself, but knew many farmer,
and had a great sympathy for them, though doing well in his
own business. (Great laughter.)
Mr. COBDEN observed with much humour, that a tanner
might be a judge of leather and know something about
tides, but he could not understand how it was he came to
speak for tenant farmers. Somehow the tenant farmers
rover did tome to speak for themselves. The land owners
were always ready to speak ler the tenant firmer, and
saying all sorts of things in his name. (Laugh"er.)
Toe landlords were the farmers' friends, but he
heard of tanners enlisting fur them before. There never
were men who had so many friends as the tenant farmer.
Mr. FISHER seconded the vote of thanks to the chair-
men, and the company, who had assembled at 10 o'clock,
separated about one.