The Sun.
London, England, 1852-11-03 00:00:00

THE CONTINENT.

SPORTING NOTES.

FREE TRADE BANQUET
AT MANCHESTER.

SPAIN.

No. CCCXL.
EPSOM AUTUMN MEETING.

Advices from Madrid are dated the 28th cult. It
was said that the Government intended to send
General Manuel de la Conch; one of its int >it illus-
trious officers, to repreßent the armies of Spain at the
funeral obsequies of the Duke of Wellington..
There was a report that the President of the
Council intended to put the Government salt !nines up
to sale.
Madrid Bourse, Oct. 28.—The Three per Cents.
47 1-16 paper; Exchange on London, 50 30 paper.

Mr. Dorling, as usual, successful in all he undertakes,
has given us for to-morrow a ;strong list of sport. It will
commence at half-past twelsee with the Match between
Abdailah and the Greek. A:t one, the Paddock Stakes
of 3 sous. each, 25 added (over the mile and a-quarter
course), will be run.
At half-past one, we have the first stake of any note
marked for decision, namely, the Beddington Stakes of
100 sovs., added to a Handicap Sweepstakes of 10 soya.
each, half-forfeit if declared by nine o'clock this evening
(one mile). It is impossible at the present moment
to say what will start, but it seems the list will include
the top and bottom weights, who now hold the positions
of first and second favourites. Notwithstanding Exact's
performance at Newmarket, winning as she did, cleverly,
with Sat 81b up, I cannot fancy that, with the stiff finish
at Epsom, she can carry 9st successfully. Little David,
Lady Louise, Gossip, and Ethelbert have no attractions
fur we. Bsverlac and Corybantes, at Tat 81b each,
are more suited to the course than any of those
whose names I have just now given. Miss Agnes
at 7st 51h, and Miss Tennyson at 7st 41b, are of no use
here. Michaelmas Maid, after the curious proceedings
about her which took place at Newmarket, I shall de-
cline meddling with. Valour will, I believe, give way
to his stable companion, Charming Woman. Psaltery
is a runner, more I know not. Diomedia, I should say,
is a very deubtful runner. Ellen, and the Faugh- a-
Bellagh filly, I thiek, are made sate by the Charming
Woman, who at Est 71b ought to run very forward.
Lady Flora, Shropshire Lass, and Mrs. John are hope-
less. Hatchet has many friends, and I think the ground
and distsnce are in his favour. At Est 61b he is not
overweiah ted ; neither is Little, Swift, at 6st 41b. Frenzy
at sst lalb, and Tobolski, at Sat 71b, are let loose ; the
running of the former, however, being much the best.
Tobolaki's only previous performance was running a
bad fourth, and last to Pride, at Egham. The race,
in my opinion, will be with CHARMING WOMAN,
Hatchet, Little Swift, and FRENZY: the first and last
named for choice. The horses entrusted with the prin-
cipal emu= of the cash for this race, are Tobolski,
Exact, and Hatchet. Pelion, Cheddar, Katty Darling,
Amszen, Eulogist, Ireland's Eye, Hobby Hera°, Alti-
tude, and Feramorz, have paid forfeit.
The Epsom Autumn Handicap will be run at a quarter
past two, and is over the New Derby Course. The field
will probably comprise Hobbie Noble, Candlewick, the
Proctor, Allegro, Dulcet, Don Pedro, Vermuth, Tested,
the Varmint, Plumstead, and one of Lord Clifden's.
The running of Suarry and Chief Justice is doubtful.
The merits of the animals I need not discuss at length,
but merely state that the race, in my opinion, will be
confined at the finish to the Varmint, Candlewick, and
Tested—the VARMINT, if that is Dawson's intended, or
Tested, in all likelihood, proving to be the winner.
The Bentinck Plate in its result will depend so much
on the previous races that I shall not attempt a selection
of the winner. This stake brings the day's sport to a
conclusion.

Last evening the great demonstration in favour of
Freo trade took place at the Free-trade hall in this
town. The object of the meeting was to afford an
opportunity to the advocates of unrestricted commercial
intercourse, on the eve of the meeting of Parliament, of
declaring their firm adherence to those principles of
Free trade which received the sanction of Parliament in
1846. The public announcements of the meeting de-
scribed it as a " banquet," but, unless the " feast of
reason" is regarded by the men of Manchester as a com-
pensation for the more substantial viands, the entertain-
ment certainly had no pretensions to such a designation.
It was, in fact, a mere dessert, and its character may
best be judged by the following bill of fare, which would
scarcely be objected to by the advocates of vegetarian
I diet :-4,000 pies, 4,800 meat sandwiches, 3,000 fruit
sandwiches, 2,000 raspberry and strawberry tarts, 1,000
black currant tarts, 3001bs. of biscuits, Semi. of grapes,
4awt. of raisins, cwt. of almonds, 3cwt. of figs, 6,000
pears, 6,000 apples.
Among the gentlemen who accepted the invitation of
the League were—Mr. M. Gibson, M.P., Mr. Bright,
M.P., Mr. Cobden, M.P., Mr. Alcock, M. Y., Sir James
Anderson, M.P., Mr. Barnes, UP., Mr. W. Brown,
M.P., Mr. Bass, M.P., Mr. H. Berkeley, M.P., Mr.
Brotherton, M.P., Mr. Biggs, M.P., Sir R. Bulkeley,
M.P., Mr. Ball, M.P., Mr. H. Brown, M.P., Mr. Brady,
M.P., Captain Bellew, M.P., Mr. rossley, M.P., Mr.
Crook, M.P , Mr. J. Clay, M.P., Mr. Cheetham, M.P.,
Sir W. Clay, M.P., Mr. Cogan, M.P., Mr. Dunlop, M P.,
Mr. Esmonde, M.P., Mr. Eccles, M.P., Mr. Fagan, M P.,
Mr. C. Forster, M.P., Mr. Geach, MT., Viscount Godo-
rich, M.P., Sir G. Goodman, M.P., Mr. Gardner, M.P.,
Mr. Greene, M.P., Mr. Hadfield, M.P., Mr. Heywood,
M.P., Mr. Ingham, M.P.,
Mr. Kershaw, M.P., Mr.
Kinnuird, M.P., Mr. Kennedy, M.P., Mr. Keogh,
M.P., Mr. G. Langton' M.P., Mr. Lucas, M.P.,
Mr. Milligan, M.P., Mr. Serjeant Murphy,
Mr. John Macgregor, Mx.,
Mr. Milner, M.P., Mr.,
Oliver* M.P., Mr. Otway, M.P., Mr. P. O'Brien, M.P.,
e.l Mr.fied.
P. Ricardo,
srMv
Shelley,, r
Mr. Potter, M.P., Mr. Pellatt, M.P., Mr. Pilkington
sM.hPO, e
M.P., Mr. J. Sadleir, M.P., Mr. M P., Mr.
Serjeant Shee, M.P., Mr. F. Scully, M.P., Mr. Swift,
Roebuck,
r M.
'P 9
Sadleir, M
Mr.
M.P., Mr. Thornely, M.P., Mr. Thompson, M.P. Mr.
Thicknesse, M.-P., Mr. Wilcox, M.P., Mr. M. M.P.,
M.P., Mr. Urquhart, M.P., Mr. Devereux, M.P., Mr. W.
D. Seymour, M.P., Mr. M. Philips, &c. The invitation
was also uccepted by several members of the late Par-
yrw.
mor,tch,dMiarg.hH. e
junrry.,RMoerb.
uMcko,whaotwt,evMerr:
iviri a
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arldllMP
and Mr. Ricardo, and some others of the number we
have mentioned, were eventually prevented attending.
Letters expressing regret at being obliged to be absent,
were received from Mr. J. D. Fitzgerald, M.P., Mr.
C. S. Butler, M.P., Mr. Glyn, B 1 P., Sir G. Pechell,
MX., Lord Radnor, Mr. Phinn, M.P., Mr. Milnes
M.P., Mr. Shafto, M.P., Sir William Molesworth,
M.P., Mr. Grace, M.P., Mr. William Williams, M.P.,
Mr. Locke King, M.P., Mr. Duffy, ma.., Mr. M.
Dunne, M.P., Mr. Cowan, M.P., Mr. Locke, M.P.,
Mr. Townley, M.P., Mr. T. F. Lewis, M.P.,
Sir J. Duke, M.P., Mr. Peto, Mr. Laing, M.P,
Sir G. Strickland, M.P., Mr. Bouverie, m.p , Mr. J. B.
Smith, M.P., Mr. Kirk, M.P., Mr. G. Duncan M.P
Mr. J. Wilson, M.P., Mr. Headlam, M.P., Lord F. L.
Gower, Lord Monck, Mr. V. Smith, M.P., Mr. M.
O'Connell, M.P., Mr. Miall, M P
M.P., Mr. T. Q...Jancombe,
M.P., Sir D. Norreys, M.P., Mr. F. Peel, M.P., Sir c.
Wood, M.P., Mr. Lowe, M.P., Mr. Strutt, M.P., Mr.
Hume, M.P., Mr. Currie, M.P., Sir B. Hall, M.P., Mr.
0. Ricardo, M.P., Sir W. P. Wood, M.P., Lord R. Gros-
venor, M.P., Mr. Weatbead, M.P., Mr. V. Scully, M.P.,
Mr. Mitchell, M.P., and other members of Parliament.
When the meeting was resolved upon in October,
2,700 tickets were issued for the accommodation of ladies
and gentlemen at the tables, all of which were taken up
within four days. Additional provision was subsequently
made for the admission of persons whom it was impos-
sible to provide with seats, and, including those who had
merely titanding-room, considerably more than 3,000
personstust have been present.
The arrangements for the accommodation of so large
a number of guests as were admitted to the banquet may
be briefly indicted as follows:—Along the body of the
hall, at right angles to the platform at the west end,
were 16 parallel lines of tables covered alternately with
white and pink drapery. In order to facilitate access
to the seats, a wide avenue crossed the ball about the
centre of the lines, so that there were altogether 32
tables in this part of the building; half of these afforded
seats for 56 persons at each, and the others for 62 each,
making 1,888 in all. In each of the two side galleries
were two lengths of tables, with seats for 76 persons at
each, and four tables in the front gallery, with seats for
224 persons. On the platform were six lines of tables,
with seats only on one side, accommodating 72 guests
and 167 vice-presidents.
At half-past six Mr. G. Wilson entered the hall, and
took the chair amid loud cheers from the vast assem-
blage, which became enthusiastic as Mr. Cobden, Mr.
Gibson, and Mr. Bright made their appearance after
him. Grace was said, or, rather prayer offered, by the
Rev. D. M'Kerrow. _ .

THE SPIRIT OF THE TURF.
P.S.—Allegro is in great force for the Autumn Han-
dicap.

SPORTING 1N TELLIGEiVCE.

WORCESTER AUTUMN MEETING.
TUESDAY.

Sweepstakes of 5 son,. each, and 25 added, for three-
yot.r-olds, &c. One mile and a quarter. 4 subs.
Mr. Tufts's f by Don John, dam by Mundig, 4 yrs,
9st 71b (A. Taylor) 1
Mr. B. Land's General, aged, lOst 71b 2
Mr. Marsh's Forest, lOst 71b 3
Betting-6 to 4on the filly, who won in a canter
Handicap of 5 Boys. each, and 40 added. The winner
to be sold by auction for 80 sous., and the second to
receive 101. One mile. 15 subs.
Mr. Lees's Deceitful, 4 yrs, 7st 101 b (Hiett) 1
Mr. Goddard's Priam the Third, 3 yrs, 7st 41b
Mr. Smith's Gauntlet, 5 yrs, 7st 41b 3
Mr. Brown's Lucy, 6 yrs, Sat
Mr. J. Day's Snowstorm, 6 yrs, 7st 61b 0
Mr. Foulkes's Lady Bibina, 6 yrs, 7st 21b
Betting-6 to 4 agst Deceitful, and 7to 2 agst Priam
the Third.
The favourite made all the running, and won in a
canter.

Handicap Sweepstakes of 10 sou. each, h ft, and 3 only
if declared, with 100 added. Two miles. 29 subs.,
6 of whom declared.
Mr. G. Drewe's Odihatn, 4 yrs, 7st (Charlton) 1
Mr. Rowden's Happy Joe, 3 yrs, Est 2
Mr. Davies's Titterstone, 4 yrs, 7st 61b
Sir W. Booth's Banton, 5 yrs, 7st 41b 4
Mr. Cocper's I Inthe, 4 yrs, 7st 61b ... p 0 ,
Mr. Hutchinson's Young England, 5 yrs, 7st 41b
Mr. Dawson's Lerry wheat, 3 yrs, 7st 31b 0
Mr. Crossing's Madame Wharton, 4 yrs, 6st
Mr. Darling's Thunderbolt, 3 yrs, Est 41b
Mr. Buckley's Royal George, 3 yrs, 6st 0
Betting-2 to 1 agst Lerrywhent and 6to 1 each agst
Odiham, Titterstone, Happy Joe, and Thunderbolt.
Won easy by six lengths.
The Selling Stakes of 5 Bova. each, and 25 added, for
three-year-olds and upwards. Winner to be sold for
150/., &c. One mile and a quarter. 9 subs.
Mr. Wile's Miss Talbot, 4 yrs (201.), 7st 61b
(Aldcroft) 1
Mr. Lyster's Priam the Third, 3 yrs (301.), 7st 61b 2
Mr. Rowden's Lady Speedy, 5 yrs (201.), Bst
Colonel Clowns's Dr. Husband, aged (301), Bst 91b... 0
Mr. Day's The Moor, aged (301.), 9st 31b 0
Mr. Mason's Haresfoot, 4 yrs (201.), 7st 9lb 0
Mr. J. Day's Anti-Radical, 3 yrs (201.), Est 41b 0
Mr. Flintoff's Taley, 3 yrs (201.), Bst 21b 0
Mr. D. Samuel's The Gift, 3 yrs (200, 6st 41b 0
Betting-2 to 1 agst Priam, 4to 1 agst Dr. Husband,
and 6 to 1 each agst Taley and Anti-Radical.
Won on the post by a head.

After rather more than half an hour spent in disposing
of the viands.

After the usual loyal toasts had been drunk.
The CHAIRMAN said, with respect to many who were
now present it would be impossible to ask their admira-
tion of a meeting in the Free-trade Hall, on the score
either of its members or its novelty; but he did think
that when they considered that at the present meeting
they had among them distinguished guests, a very con-
siderable proportion of the members of the House of
Commons, and in addition to that, those who most truly
might be called the representatives of the industry and
energy of this country, collected from all parts of the
kingdom, then this meeting must be admitted to be in
some respects unprecedented. (Hear, bear.) Why
was it that this question still retained its hold upon the
public opinion of this country? Fourteen years ago, as
they recollected, it was the most neglected of all public
questions; no statesman of any eminence dared touch
it; almost all rising men in Parliament refused to look
at it, as one of the most uncompromising subjects in the
whole calendar of national grievances. It was reserved
for some seven gentlemen, three or four of whom
were now present, to initiate the idea, to draw public
attention to it, to draw around it an organiza-
tion, greater perhaps than ever was known in
this country previously. They saw that idea
gradually grow and increase in magnitude until it
absorbed nearly every other ; they saw Ministers,
who formerly had deemed it almost the height of absur-
dity, become its great apostles and teachers and pro-
mulgators ; they say it afterwards become the rallying
point of the antagonistic feeling of the country, then be-
come an Act of Parliament, and become handed down
to posterity as their contribution—at least of the good
things of the world—to their successors. (Cheers.)
Three years ago, at a similar meeting in some respects
to the present, they ushered in a great era of free trade
amid rejoicings. Those who had been known to each
other in that arduous struggle for many years—those
who had left all their pursnits and sacrificed all their
connexions for the prosecution of this object, took their
final leave of each other there. So far as they were
concerned, ho did not believe one gentleman present at
that time ever anticipated that, within the range of the
remotest possibility, they over should be called to-
gether again upon this subject in that hall. (Hear,
bear.) They left, it might be said, unlike other
generals, the field in possession of the van-
quished enemy. They marshalled themselves
under now leaders, casheried their old officers,
hoisted their old flag under new generals. They took
possession, as it appeared, of the forlorn hopes of this
country, and through meetings, speeches, marchings
up to London to wait upon their great leader, and
marchings down again with assurances from their great
leaders, the Free-traders looked on with the most perfect
indifference. There was certainly one occasion when
they felt some little annoyance at the observations of the
noble earl at present at the head of her Majesty's Go-
vernment, and that was when, early last year, he assured
a deputation from every county of England, which had
met first at Drury-lane, and was then adjourned to St.
James's-square, one and all, that if there was in any
district in England any one who entertained the idea
that there was in his mind any flinching or change of
opinion, ho authorized them to go back and announce
to those whom they represented, that such was not the
case, and that, in the memorable words of the Duke of
Wellington, he only wished for an opportunity, he said,
to say, " Up, Guards, and at them.' Well, gentlemen,
at tsitt time, certainly, they felt themselves a little
ruffled, but they consoled themselves with this
fact, that the noble earl had omitted to notice
certain portions of the subject, which were certainly
necessary to his success ; first, that the Earl
of Derby is not the Duke of Wellington, and that
they (the Free-traders) were not the French. (Loud
cheers and laughter.) So long as those wore their
practical amusements, the people of this country showed
no evidence or traces of anxiety. But early this year
a change came over the complexion of parties. They
fonnd the Noble Earl, the head of the Protectionists, also
the head of her Majesty's Government, and called to
administer the affairs of this country according to the
principles which he said he was bound in all honour to
maintain. They saw him surrounded with all those who
had uniformly backed his opinions during the last seven
years; all the great offices of the state occupied by men
who, rank and file, had no recommendation or antece-
dents in this country but as genuine, downright Protec-
tionists; and under these circumstances was it surprising,
or not at all to be anticipated, that the people, feeling,
perhaps, some temporary alarm, began to think that the
time was come when it would be necessary to inform the
Noble Earl at the head of her Majesty's Government,
that a demonstration should be made which should imme-
diately, on the slightest appearance of danger, spon-
taneously burst forth to an extent beyond any of which,
from any previous anticipation, he could have the least
idea? Under these circumstances, the merchants, traders,
and manufacturers of that district met at Newall's-build-
legs, in Manchester, on the 2d of March, and in the
short space of 25 minutes put down somewhere about
27,0001., which sum was afterwards increased to 70,0001.
(Cheers.) Since the Lague was reconstructed, it was
certain that they had heard very little of processions
up to Drury-lane. He believed that building was now
to be had very low indeed. And there was not much
said about Protection now at the Carlton, where, at the
beginning of the year, there was always so much noise
made on the subject. Somebody must have caused all
this, and as to who it was he left them to draw their
own conclusions. There was one thing which they were
bound to do, and which they wore met now to put in
operation,—to take care that this question was brought
to au immediate settlement one way or the other.
(Great cheering.) Experience of the bonefita of free
trade had given the working man an interest in this
clustion stronger than he_ever felt before, lb knew as

The Scurry Handicap of 3 soya. each, with 20 added,
the second receives 10 sous,, half a mile, 8 subs., was
won by half a length by Mr. Jones's Exchange, 2 yrs,
41b (Cliff); beating ilr. Jones's Flora, 4 yrs, Bst 71b;
I,lr. Shopherdson's Itburiel filly, 3 yrs, Bst; Mr. Owen's
Carine:ta„;3 yrs, 7st 71b; and Mr. E. Herbert's Gauntlet,
5 yrs, 6st 41b.

BETTING AT MANCHESTER—TUESDAY.
WORCESTER STEEPLECHASE.
3 to 1 agst Bourto❑ (t)
4 to 1 agst Proceed (t)
EPSOM HANDICAP.
5 to 1 agst Varmint (t)
6 to 1 agst Vermuth (t)
6 to 1 agst Hobble Noble (t)
8 to 1 agst Don Pedro (t)
8 to 1 agst Tested (t)

'RES FOR 185.

TEE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING-, NOVEMBER 3, 185%

well as Lord Derby, or that ingenious trifler the Chan-
' cellor of the Exchequer, who found the money. (Laugh-
ter.) He therefore called on the distinguished gentlemen
on that platform to lend their able and energetic efforts
to bring it to an immediate and satisfactory issue.
(Cheers.) He begged leave to propose the " Health of
the Free-trade members of the House of Commons."
The toast having been drunk most enthusiastically,
the whole assembly rising to cheer.
The CHAIRMAN called on Mr. Cobden to respond, as
the representative of the largest constituency in the
kingdom. (Great cheering.)
Mr. COBDEN, M.P., on rising to respond, was received
with most enthusiastic cheering, the whole company
rising and giving cheer after cheer for some time. He
said,—Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I am much obliged
to my friend, the chairman, who has explained to you
the reason why he has chosen me to return thanks
for the toast, on account of the extent of my con-
stituency rather than any personal merits of my

own, or I should not have had the presumption
to appear before you to represent so numerous
and so influential and distinguished a body of
men as those for whom I have now the honour of re-

sponding. Gentlemen, a portion of the Free-trade mem-

bers of the House of Commons have been tried men, end

herefore they need no voucher from me to commend

them to your confidence; but tbero is a very largo por-
tion of the present House of Commons consisting of new
and untried men. Many of these are now before you,

and I have no doubt whatever that when they appear on
the arena in Westminster they will be found as true and
faithful to their pledges and recorded principles as any
_ _

of those with whom I hare had the honour of fighting
and winning some Free-trade battles. (Cheers.) Now
gentlemen, I was very glad to see one sentiment so
loudly applauded when it fell from our respected chair-

parties, and believing everything that these political jug-
glers have told them, have reminded me of a bumpkin
on a village green watching a juggler, who is pulling
ribands by the yard out of his mouth and swlllo wing
fire, and believing that he is doing all that in the course
of nature, and not by mere artifice and legerdemain.
(Laughter.) Now, gentlemen, I have had some oppor-
tunity of witnessing the effect of this long continued de-
lay upon the interests of agriculture. Yon ere prospering
here in the manufacturing districts, and if they are not
prospering in the farming districts of the south of
England to the same extent, it is very much owing to
the fact that those engaged in the rural pursuits of this
country have had their attention and energies di-
verted from their own individual pursuits by the
delusion that has been practised upon them. The
agricultural labourers of this country are not, I tun sorry
to say, so well off as they should be, though they are
certainly better than they were under the auspices of
Protection. But I sometimes hear it stated that you are
short of labour in this part of the country. Now,
having resided some time in a purely agricultural dis-
trict of England, I venture to say that the wages of
agricultural labourers in the southern counties—inelel-
ing Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Ken',
Sussex, Surrey, and all the counties southward, includ-
ing Devon and Dorset—the wage's of agricultural le.
bourere, the heads of families, honest, industrious
men, do not average 9s. a-week, and in Dertetseire end
Devonshire many aro working at 7e. a-week. They are
getter off than they were under the regime of Protection,
when the price of the loaf was double what it is at prA •
sent; hut they are not so well off as they ought to h-;
and "the reason why " is, that there is not capital
enough in the agricultural districts to give the people
full employment. You cannot improve the condition of
the labourers in the agricultural districts of England
and I want to see them improved there, rather than to
see them compelled to come here for employment—
(Cheers.)—more effectually than by investing capital in
the cultivation of the soil, with the view of affording
them employment; but if you want to deter the flow
of capital to the land yon cannot do it more
effectually than by keeping up those delusions under
which the farmers of this country are looking to Mr.
Disraeli and Lord Derby for their safety, rather than
to the increase of their capital and the application of
skill and industry to the culture of the land. (Cheers.)
In the interest of the agriculturists, therefore, I call upon
the Free-traders in the House of Commons to bring this
question to a decisive issue. (Cheers.) Now, gentle-
men, will this suit political parties ? Will it suit the
old game of Whig and Tory ? I hold that we are not to
consult political parties in the settlement of this ques-
tion. (Hear, hear.) When we first assembled in Man-
chester fourteen years ago, we resolved that we would
keep this question distinct and free altogether from the
old political combinations, and it was owing to that re-
solution alone that complete success was the issue of our
agitation. Had it been otherwise—had we joined the
Whig ranks—it was impossible that Sir Robert Peel
could have taken up this measure. It was by hold
ing entirely aloof from both Whigs and Tories that
we enabled Sir Robert Peel to take up and to settle
this great question. New, do political parties want
to procrastinate this question that they may play
a game of delusion, in the hope of mixing it with
some party struggle, tripping each other up, and
having Free-trade in reserve as a small and infini-
tesimal subject for party discussion? If so, have no-
thing to do with any political party whatever. (Hear,
hear.) We want to bring the matter to an issue—
(cheers)—and having cleared the question of protection
out of the way of all parties, we leave them to make
some new combination. Indeed there is no honest man,
whatever party he may belong to, who wishes to see
progress made with any other question, who is not inte-
rested with us in removing the questions of Protection
and Free-trade from the category of political discussion.
(Hear, hear.) I know that it is very fashionable among
certain politicians to say, " Why don't your Liberal
members of the House of Commons get together and
form yourselves into a party?" Some people out of
doors will say " You should form a Radical party."
Others will say " Why don't you form yourselves into
a progressive party?" I must confess I think that all
people who look to members of the House of Commons
to form parties or to determine the policy of the coun-
try have a very insufficient notion of what it is that con-
stitutes the force of political movements in this country.
(Hear, hear.) What is it that makes Free-trade now
a powerful political question that gives to the
question of Free-trade the vitality and force which
it possesses in Parliament? It is not because a few
members of the House of Commons got together, and
determined that they would make a party question of
'Free-trade. (Hear, hear.) Free-trade did not become
a powerful question in the House of Commons or among
politicians until some men, rather young in years, and
who had never before been known as politicians, engaged
most actively and energetically in the advocacy of the
principle out of doors, and by means of such meetings as
this, gave an impetus to the question which enabled
members of the House of Commons to carry Free-trade
as it was carried. But if anybody supposes that till this
question is settled any members of the House of Com-
mons could form themselves into a party for any other
object, unless the people out of doors indicated what
they wanted, and prepared a question for Parliament to
deal with,, such person has entirely forgotten the history
of the Free-trade agitation, and must be totally ignorant
how parties are constituted in the House of Commons.
(Hear.) Therefore, whatever other subject may be most
yours out of doors—whether you want an extension of
the suffrage, ballot, or any other measure, you are inte-
rested in clearing the ground of this Free-trade contro-
versy. Get rid of this out of your path, and then,
like sturdy, honest Englishmen, set to work, bringing
out some men not above 30 years old, because :you will
want some time to do it ; and whatever is just and
right and politic, if you only work for it, you will be
sure to succeed in obtaining. (Hear, hear.) Now I
should not wonder if we should be met by some wise
politicians with the question—What are you going to do
if you turn oat the Government ? How will you make
another? Well, I think that question is much easier of
solution after the experience of the last six months than
it was before. (Laughter and cheers,) I don't think we
shall ever be in any great difficulty in finding a Govern-
ment, after the experience of the last Government.
(Renewed laughter and cheers.) We have a Cabinet
now, I believe, comprising a dozen very worthy and
respectable men, but I venture to say there are at least
500 men in the body of this hall who are quite as
competent to fill the office of Cabinet Minister as
those gentlemen. (Laughter.) It has been shown
that it does not require that you should have an-
teaters who were Ministers before you ; it does not
require that yon should have been chin deep in " red
tape" all your days (hear, hear) ; it does not require
that you should have a broad coat of arms, or even
a crest—(A. laugh) ;it does not mattor what lineage or
race you belong to—(Laughter and cheers)—there is no
sort of embargo henceforth against anybody being a
I Cabinet Minister. (Cheers.) Therefore, the difficulty
we used to be met with is everywhere lessened. (Hear,
hear.) But we started—the Free-traders started, by
declaring that they bad no political rights to serve.
(Hear, hear.) I confess I won't be chargeable with such
transparent hypocrisy as to affect the modesty of not
being able to be as good a Cabinet Minister as some
half-score gentlemen now in office. (Great cheering.)
I hope it will not be supposed that I have any ambition
to fill any such office—(Some laughter)—l have no such
desire. (Hear, hear.) Not that I think, where people
can hold office and hold their own convictions too, it is
not a most honourable and desirable post, a post which
gives men great power to do good. (Hear, hear.) But
I think nobody will charge me with having any ambition
of that kind, in wishing to see the present Government
brought fairly to brook, and compelled either to give in
on the question of Free-trade, or to go out as Protec-
tionists. (Hear, hear.) But, I think, we are fairly en-
titled to say this—that whatever else the men may
be, we insist upon having a Free-trade Administration.
(Cheers.) And when I say a Free-trade Administra-
tion, I mean a body of men, if they are to be the men
now in office, who shall distinctly and emphatically re-
pudiate all the doctrines they have been promulgating
in their past lives upon this great question.
greater
and better men than they (cheers); and Heaven forbid
that in these times of marvellous change, when the world
itself is undergoing transformations almost like the ka-
leidescope, where we see such incidents occurring to
upset all calculations and combinations in the physical
world, I should deny it to men at the eleventh hour, or
the eleventh and three quarters, to recant all they have
said upon the subject of Free-trade and protection.
(Hear.) But it must be emphatic. (Hear.) They
must say that Free-trade does not lower wages (hear,
hear); they must say that Free-trade does not cause a
drain of geld from this country (hear, hear); they must
say that Free-trade has not thrown land out of cultiva-
tion in this country (hear, hear); they must say that
the land of this country is still worth something (hear,
hear); and they must say that wheat, good wheat, has
not been imported into this country, and cannot be,
at 245. a quarter. (Hear.) Those are a few of the
things they must say, when they said the
very opposite before. (Hear, bear, and cheers.)
And we must have no accampaniment about " compen-
sation." (Hear, hear.) Do you look in your dictionary,
and see what the word "compensation" means, and you
will see that if there is any compensation due at all, it is
to those people who, from 1815 down to 1846, were
kept upon short commons by the aristocracy. (Cheers.)ote
Recollect that when we launched our League woened adopted
for our motto—" Total, immediate, and unwcell,ditee
but I
repeal." (Hear, hear.) Corayensattel!.)
I boldly
deny that there is any loss. (Sear,
declare, and challenge the adversary deny it, that the
lultural land, taking
value of land in this country,
one acre with another, (Ilear, hear.) Ido
and one4a.griunty with another, is
greater now than it was in 18a4re
not particular cases;
not mean to say that thereat,
great landed proprietors
where, for instance, som of
were foolish enough tsi revent railroads coming into
their neighbourhoods, in which there may not be found
some empty mansions and stagnant country towns.
That is the fault of those whoop.osed railroads., as they
did Free-trade, and everything else that is good.
(Hear, hear.). But that is more than compensated by the
vast increase in the value of the land where railroads
have been allowed to run.. (Heat..) But taking one ,
with another, I am prepared to maintain and prove that
the value of land has not diminished since 1844, before
the Corn-laws were touched by Sir R. Peel. (Hear,
hear) But I do not mind if it had. Have not the
landlords had their share of compensation already in the
advantages Free-trade has given to them, in the price
of living, and in other ways? (Hear, hear) And, be-
sides that, if they had had no such advantages,. I main-
tain that no class of men in this country can have a
vested interest in laws. (Hear, hear.) Individuals may
have a patent right and may be entitled to compensation
if their individual interests are invacted for the benefit of
the country at large; but classes, great classes, such as
drapers or grocers, or any other class, can have no claim
to compensation when their interests are affected. Take
the 91100 of the hiwYers; We heye lately bad Mt