The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-24 00:00:00

Mr. Cobden at Rochdale,

ROCHDALE, Wednesday Evening.

The Rochdale Reform Association, stimulated by
the recent movements of the Conservative party in
the borough, held a political soirje to-night in the
large machine works of Messrs. Thomas Robinson
and Son, which long before the appointed hour was
densely crowded in every part. It was estimated
that upwards of 6,000 persons were present.
Mr J. Tatham, the Mayor of Rochdale,:presided,
supported by the principal gentlemen of the town
connected with the Liberal party. Mr Cobden, M P.
for the borough, attended, but Mr Bright, M,P., to
the great regret of his fellow-townsmen, was pre-
vented from being present by the recent death of a
son of much future promise. Mr Cobden, who
arrived in Rochdale on the previous day, met with
a very enthusiastic reception, and cn taking his seat
on the platform, accompanied by Mr George Wilson
and Mr Jacob Bright, was loudly cheered.
The CHAIRMAN briefly opened the proceedings.
He expressed his gratification at the numerous at-
tendance, and hoped the proceedings would be con-
ducted withorder, although it:was possible that many
on the outskirts of the crowd would be unable to
hear their esteemed member, who he hoped would
for many years to come represent the borough and
favour them with his company on similar occasions.
Itwould be presumptuous in him to detain them long
but he could not help stating his satisfaction at the
success which had so remarkably attended the polie
tical efforts of their esteemed representative. Those
principles were becoming gradually established, and
but for free trade the pressure of the horrible Ames
ricers war and the cotton famine would have been
so great that in his opinion the working classes in
this country would not only not have had food to
eat, but not even homes to live in. He deprecated
Government interference with private enterprise in
supplying the wants of the public services, and
hoped that Mr. Cobden would not cease to bring
the subject before the House of Commons until he
had not only convinced that assembly, but had wit.
nessed the vast manufacturing establishments of the
Government given up. (Cheers.)
Mr. Ald. ASHWORTH then proceeded to move the
following resolution :—" That this meeting expresses
its sincere sympathy and condolence with Mr. J.
Bright, M.P., in the domestic bereavement which
has prevented his attendance, assures him of the
high esteem in which he is held bj his fellowstowns•
men, and is grateful to him for the valuable assist-
ance he has always SO cheerfully given to the
Rochdale Reform Association." He said that he
sincerely regretted to have such a resolution placed
in his hand. There was no man in the room, nor
in the country either, who did not heartily sympa-
thise with its object. The event would call forth
their sincere regret, but it would not fail to show
how greatly Mr B:ight was respected by his fellow.
townsmen. It had been said that he was less re.
spected and less loved where he was best known,
but it was a most malignant lie. No one dare ven-
ture to hazard such an assertion in Rochdale.
They might regret that domestic feelings had pre.
veiled over political ties, but it was a happy thing
for this country that such feelings were so warmly
cherished ; and he was sure that while deploring
the absence of Mr. Bright, they would prefer that
he should have stayed away under such circum-
stances. Mr. Bright'e name was indelibly asso-
ciated with the greatest legislative events of recent
times. By the repeal of the corn laws was effected
a bloodless revolution, which had produced enor-
mous benefits, not only to the manufacturing dis•
tricts but to the whole country. Had not the corn
laws been repealed he should have regarded with
the utmost dismay the crisis through which the cot.
ton manufacturing districts were Low passing. He
referred to the views of Mr Bright and Mr Cobden
oa the foreign relations of the country, and asserted
that during the last two years the Government
had in its foreign policy paid the greatest homage
to these two illustrious neen. The greater portion
of the aristocracy was ready to intervene in the
American war, but Mr Bright and Mr Cobden had
educated the people of this country, and they were
now able to control the foreign policy of the Go-
verament, and bid deli Ince to the influence of any
oligarchy. To these two men the country owed it,
warmest thanks, and long after they had passed
away the truth of their principles would prevail,
and generations to come would bless the day when
these two incomparable statesmen were known.
(Cheers.) England was slowly but surely adopting
their principles as its own, and he was certain that
she would never desert or pneve herself recreant to
them. (Cheers.)
Mr J. PETRIE briefly seconded the resolution,
which was carried unanimously.
Mr COBDEN, who was received with enthusiastic
and sustained cheering, the audience rising as he
stepped to the front of the platform, said—Mr
Mayor, ladies, and gentlemen, before I commence
the few remarks I have to offer, I must be per-
mitted to declare my profound sympathy with the
expression of condolence which you have just offered
to my esteemed friend and your absent and bereaved
neighbour—a feeling which I know is felt by thou.
sands here tonight, and which will be shared by
millions in all parts of the world. (Hear, hear.)
May he be consoled by a consciousness of the
deep sympathy and sorrow with which his
affliction will be everywhere received. (Hear.) Nor
can I allow this occasion to pass without a reference
to a blank in our ranks upon the platform tonight.
I have never before attended a meeting in Roch-
dale at which our lamented friend Alderman Livesey
was not present. By his death the most numerous
portion of the community of Rochdale has lost an
amiable neighbour, and in many cases a powerful
protector and advocate. I believe all classes and all
parties will concur in inscribing this epitaph on his
monument, viz., that he was an honest, con-
sistent politician, an earnest and true friend.
(Hear, hear.) Now, gentlemen, when I see before
me this vast assembly, the largest meeting on one
fluor I have ever had the honour of attending, I
regret that I may perhaps be unable to make you
all hear what I have to say ; bat if those of you
who are on the outside will have the patience to
practise a little of that non-intervention of which
Mr Ashworth has spoken—l mean with your elbows
and toes—(laughter)—l will endeavour to reach the
ears of all present. In coming before you in pur-
suance of that good custom of a representative visit•
ing his constituents at least once a year, it is not
much my custom, as you know, to recapitulate what
has occurred in the preceding session of Parliament.
I have generally taken it for granted that you have
been paying attention to what has passed, and that
you do not require any retrospective review of
event/. I am, now, however, disposed to make an
exception from that rule, and to offer the few re-
marks on what happened during the lastesession, in
order to illustrate and enforce the question of
non.intervention, and to show you how, in my
opinion, the proceedings of the session have led
to a complete revolution in our foreign policy,
and have put an impassable gulf between the
old traditions of the Foreign Office and the
principles which I hope to see adopted in the
conduct of our foreign affairs. During the thirty
years since I first, by pen or voice, gave utterance
to my sentiments in public, I have always
attached the utmost importance to the principle of
non-intervention in the concerns of other nations.
(Hear, hear.) 1 have looked upon it, indeed, as a
fundamental article in the creed of this country, if
we would either secure good government at home
or preserve ourselves from endless embarrassment
or complications abroad. You may remember when
last I addressed you how 1 complained of the con-
stant violation of that principle, and how I com-
pared the state of the country, always looking after
the affairs of foreign countries, to what would be
the case in Rochdale if your town erencil were en.
gaged in managing the affairs of Leeds or Black.
burn instead of attending to their own business.
(Hear, hear.) Well, when we met last session, the
Queen's speech announced the impending negotia-
tions respecting Schleswig and Holstein. From
the opening debate on the Queen's speech down to
the end of June, which was particularly the close
of the session, I may say, without any exception,
the whole attention of Parliament, as far as the
action of the two great parties who contend for
power and place are concerned, was given to this
question of Schletswig.Hoistein. I am not going