Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-06-30 00:00:00

progress made, during the last ten years, in the increase of
shipping and trade, the extension of docks and warehouses
for their accommodation, the improvement in the condition
of the industrial classes, the substitution of wholesome
dwellings for dark, damp, and unventilated cellars and
courts, in which thousands upon thousands of them
were congregated, have been so great as to -be almost
incredible,_ were not the facts patent to all. In the United
Kingdom generally the same unmistakeable proofs of
progress are manifested. Exports and, imports have bees!.
nearly quadrupled. The people have- more employment
and higher wages, and, of course, are better fed and better
clad. The population has greatly increased, and th.o
fearful amount of pauperism has diminished, not only
relatively, but absolutely. With some millions raw a :f popula-
tion there are some thousands less of paupers. The results of
the repeal of .the Corn Laws, and of the partial modifica-
tion of the -Customs and Exciie lawa, show the desirability
of further progress in the direction of free trade.-, We have
designedlyeused, the phrase " comparatively fi.ee trade in
cornr. becauSe there instill a tare of.one shilling per quarter
on all -foreign corn imported, which at present prices
amoSints' to a tare of 21 per Pent., 'and into that extent a
protection duty in favour of the hothe grower, 'at the expense
otthe eonsumer.of all home-grOsVn grain. We know that
it is said to be levied for registration purposes only; but we
know also that one penny per quarter. would amply suffice
to pay-all the expenses really incurred by registration, That
tax, ought to be abolished as literally a protection one.
BO it, is in: the general -duties of Customs and Eicise
that. there is the greatest necessity. for a sweeping
reform in'accordance with the fundamental, principles of the
Anti-Corn Law League. From these duties, that from
is
shackles on commerce, manufactures and indhstry which
ought to- be free as air, two-thitds of the revenue and the
taxes are raised. The British tariff still contains between
400 and 500 articles chargeable: with duty; many of which
do noterealiee the coat of collection, while all, without
exceptions are obstructions to commerce and to the extension
of trade, . both foreien and domestic. We find by the
finance accounts of the year ending March,. 1853, that the
total produee of the customs duties in that year
was £23,290e570, and to that. sum eleven articles only
contributed £22,465,145 ; or within eonsideralgt less than
a million of the sylfole a:noriat. We, sir, are in favour of
au entire revisiaa__c.lfwir financial. system as slink
make taxation a: 'fair'' and an . inevitahle payment to` the
State for services rendered by the State, •insteld of heitig,
as at present, levied mainly*on the necessaries at luxuries of
life. We• advocate direct taxation as the only means 'of
obtaining perfect freedom . for trade and industry.
We are,. therefore, for the total abolition of Customs and
Excise duties as speedily as
.may be, and in the
meantime we thiale that no person, however widely•he may
differ from us on that point, can deny that in the present
state of our tariff there is ample room for further modifica;:
tion—the simple fact being, that it is most difficult to
determine.- whether the injurious or the uhsurd moat re-
dominate in its arrangements: As we believe that pef eet-
freedom of trade Was the ultimate object .of the Anti-Cornl
Law League—although it slid dissolve When the first step
only was accomplished.- so we hope that in you, sir,: its
most distinguished champion and advocate will be found for
that principle in its entirety. And'should . you find that
the tender of office has been made to you iu good faith, and
that.it is the intention of her Majesty's present ministers
to persevere in the path of commercial ee,orm Of which you
were the- practical apostle, andin which the late Sir Robert
Peel was confessedly your *disciple, we do 'most
.confidently
hope that you will not permit any mere personal considera-
tion to deprive you of the opportunity of officially furthering
and crowning your great work. The statesman
achieves the accomplishment 'of that task; will earn for
himself a name above all Greek, or Roman, or British fame..
Accept, sir, our most cordial congratulations on 'the re-
sumption of_your moat
:honourable priblio career, 'and with:
them our heartfelt praverathat your life may long be spared
in health and strength to plead the people's .cause in the
people's*house of parliament."
The Chairman said he would be happy to hear the senti-
ments of the gentlenien present on the two addresses.. There
were some little differences, but they generally aereed. The
object was-to congratulate Mr. Cobden on his return. There
were other matters introducod in• the second addrese, and i'
was for the meeting to consider whether they would accept
one or the other.
Mr. Jeffery.: Or both.* .
The Chairman: Or both. (Laughter, and cries of no, no .
There was no doubt many gentlemen present, who were no
members of the Reform eAssociation, by whom the, second
address had been drawn up, and he thought those gentlemen
would not be implicated. He should ratherone only was pre,
sented. (Hear, hear.) He was not prepared to play fast
and loose
with politics. He would either .follote out, a
straightforward, honOurable course; or he would retire
altogether ' • flesh and blood* might 'fail, but as long as the,
spirit held out he was determined to hold that course.
(Hearebear.)
Mr.. Macrae moved that Mr. Brown's address be presented.
Mr. Riley seconded the motion.
Mr. Jeffery said, with regard to the remarks of Mr.
Macrae, he had stated there was no principle involved ;
but on-that point they would beat. issue .at once. In the
person of Mr. Cobden they recognised the, very • imper-
sonation of A great_ principle —free, unfettered trade
and the address was not only 'an individual and local
matter, but, .it would go forth on the wings of the Press
as a matter in which every individual was.interested—out of
this country as well as in it —and he thought it would fall
short of, the object in view if they simply -confined
thetneelves to domestic matters at Liverpool: He
thought, tinder these circumstances, they should ' not
content themselves by simply accepting Mr. Cobden as a
private individual. He was the property of the whole
world, and why should he not be treated as such. It was
taking the more extended view. of the question. that the
address which he' had read had been penned. He felt great
reluctance to say anything in, oppesition to. Mr. Brown, and
he would sacrifice any persoaal foaling rather than do so.
But in the present case a greet-principle was 'involved, and
he would ,ask, did the address prepared .by Mr. Brown
fully enunciate that prinCiple„ and make known the estima-
tion in which 'they held Mr. Cobden's worth.*' But if there
were gentlemen there that could not agree with Mr. Brown,
let them agree to differ and see if both' could not be pre-
sented; •

A Gentleman here observed that, on his hearing the first
address read, his feelings were entirely with it. It was
individually Mr. Cobden that they should congratulate, and
there was no man in the country who deserved their.confi-
dence more than Mr. Cobden, and he thought it would he
as little as they could, in deference to Mr. Brown, to adopt
his address.
Mr. Rawlins said, nobody 'could say that he would not
approve of Mr. Cobden, and he was exceedingly sorry to
differ froth Mr. Brown ; "not in anything- he had said in the
address, • hut there was so much in the one- read by Mr.
Jeffery, that he would be very sorry that the present ap-
portunityshould be lost in presenting it,' not only to Mr.
Cobden, but to the country' at large. (Hear, hear.)
It did go a long way in recommending direct taxation, in
oppositiou to indirect taxation. He would not say one word
as to what Mr. Cobden might do ; but as they had expressed
in that address a hope that he would carry out the principles
of. free trade, he did hope that this opportunity would not
be lost in presenting the address read by Mr. Jeffery.
Mr. Shell hoped there weula bexoslivision. on the subject
of 'an address to a man that was se well known as Mr.
Cobden. ' He thought it 'was unneeessary to go at much
length into detail, as it seemed to him to be the reverse of
a compliment to Mr. Cobden.
Mr.. Molyneux agreed with the remarks of Mr. Shell, and
proposed that both addresses be presented.
Mr. Boult said the free-trade question had been at a
stand-still for some time paSt, and they all knew that there
were protective duties remaining, arid that such things as,
raw material for manufacture,were sometimes levied upon.
He did not think that reformers would be able to carry their
measures without a full- expression of the people without.
He seconded the proposal of Mr. Rawlins.
After some farther discussion, 'Mr. Jeffery withdrew his
address, and Mr. Brown's was'unanimously adopted.
Mr. Gladstone then vacated the chair, in order that Mr.
Brown should take it and sign the 'address as chairman of
the meeting.
Mr. Jeffery then said, as they had come to a resolution,
it would be their next duty to carry that into, effect ; and he
therefore moved that a deputation be appointed to present
Mr. Cobden with the address at the Adelphi Hotel.
Mr. Gladstone said he thought it would be well for as
many of them to go -as might find it, convenient, and
requested that the members of the Financial Reform
Association remain behind, in order to take into considera-
tion the propriety of presenting the address read by Mr.
Jeffery as from that body.
A vote of thanks was then proposed to the chairman, and
the meeting adjourned to the Adelphi. Hotel.
THE PROCEEDINGS AT THE ADELPHI.
A large number of -gentlemen assembled in one of the
rooms at the Adelphi, and in a short time Mr. Cobden made
his appearance, and was hailed with cheers. After the
private congratulations of several gentlemen in the room,
Mr. Brown, addressing Mr. Cobden, said that he had just
come from a large meeting of the inhabitants of Liverpool,
which had been held for the purpose of deciding upon an
address to him Afr, c01)41) Ou his return. to hks Ratiya
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