The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-06 00:00:00

SATURDAY

I freedom which he cenferred upon us. don't let us mesh
him
statue to him in cur ere at towns.—(Heer, bear.) him and insult the world by erec'ing a monument or
Gen-
tleman, I haste told you of the advantage the poorer
classes have dsrived from the iteportetien of this vast
amount of human subsistence. I have semetimes specu-
lated, in looking back, on what have been the mischiees
and the misery inflicted on the people by
the restric-
tions which so long prevailed on the supply of the articles
food.—(Hear, hear.) Now, I don't think from 1815
down to 1848, during which you have had tumults,
conspiracies, rebellious mobs, machine,breakings, pike-
makings, drilliegs, and all those horrid symptoms f
almost incipient insurrection—l say, gentlemen, I don't
think there is an instance amongst these melancholy
events in modern history that I could not trace to the
operation of these corn-laws. The spy system—coer-
cion Bills, gagging Bills, Peterloo—all those horrid and
disgraceful scenes which we have had—all those black
Acts which defeco our statute-books, that coerce the
people, after being goaded almost into rebellion, have
sprung from this system. Look back to the history of
our country, and I believe every one of those transactions
can be traced to the operation of these laws.—(Llear,
hear.) And it is so because these laws keep up a sys
ternatec scarcity of corn in this country. When a bad
harvest hefel us, then, as we had no store of food, and
nobody cultivating,—as there are now millions in the
Mississippi valley, in the Ukraine, or on the fertile plains
of Frauee,—as we had nobody preparing food for us, I
say, when scat city came, even if our ports were open
under the sliding scale, there was no provision, and
there was very little naodificutiou of famine.—(Hear,
hear.) And then I ask those who ate seeking to
disturb this system of free trade, which gives
a mere equal flow of the necessaries of life to
the people ci this country,—which insures them from
those panics, and consequently against that excitement
and those scenes of turbulence to which I have been
alluding,—l atk them to consider what has been the
effect of free trede in corn, which was accomplished by
gtie 0f1846, upon the interests,interests—
iof this country during
tt hh ee Ap
onl
tii-cCaol r
an
n- lda ws L
oc
ieaal
the late period of revolutions and excitements through-
out the continent of Europe! Why, how much of oar
of the League in 1846?—(Hear, hear.) I remember, in
Ft r
ea
bn
rquuai
rl lyi ylsi n4Bt this
whilecountry
ssitting
n g maybe traced to the triumph
fn
the House of Commons,
about seven o'clock in the evening, when the news
reached us of the revolution ill Paris, and the flight of
Louis Phillipo and the Royal Penally from that city. It
was one of those incidents so overwhelming in its influ-
ence that it bad almost the effect of suspending the pro-
ceedings of the House. In a moment everybody was in
conversation with his neighbour as to the effect of this
extraordinary event. I was sitting by the side of Mr.
Hume,ae s n
said
d la
ire instantly
b e rtof
House, sat himself down by Sir R. Peel, and whispered
in his ear the news that had just arrived. " This
m
and, crossing over the
attempting to govern
in the Legislative As-
caso rope,
opinion out of doors"—
soofritythe
(Hear, and applause)—and, pointing significantly
to the Protectionist party sitting on the benches just in
sbeymbaly, numerical majority
mj
his rear, added, " It is just what these people wanted me
to do, but I would not."—(Renowed applause.) He
(Sir Robert) expressed himself in exulting terms as to
the beneficial effects of that policy which he had esta-
blished not two years before, and I have not the least
doubt in the world that at that moment every Protec-
tionist—every monopolist who had a head upon his
shoulders to think at all, felt grateful that we (the Free-
tradt ra) were not still holding our great meetings in
Covent-garden and throughout the country. But these
men forget these things, and these silly men—(Laughter
and applause)—these silly men are LOW talking of re-
viving this question. I say they are silly men, because
the followers, the rank and file of th© so-called Protec-
tionist party, are sincere—they believe in what they are
what shall we
attempting to do; but say to the leaders,
e usi 1 '
who have been profiting by this don for the last four
or five years, and now that they have got into power,
want to throw overboard protection altogether? I say
we can have no kind of sympathy or commiseration
for them whatever. They would, if they could enable
their blind followers to accomplish their object—they
would lend themselves to a system, in trite of their own
innate convictions, and lead the country back again to
that state of conflict to which I have referred, and that
train of evils from which we have so happily escaped
during these past few years.—(Applause.) Now, it will
be the business of this country to get rid of this question
for ever. I have said it is for the interest of the people
that this one thing should ,be done, though in saying this
I do not sus it is to be carried on to the exclusion of
other important questions—as reform in Parliament, or
what other movement may be before you—but I say you
will be better able to do those things when you have re-
ceived this charter of the bread of life. When you have
received abundance of food, with its chances of abun-
dant labour, you will be better able to eater upon that
now campaign you have conceded, well drilled, and,
having beaten your opponents in one thing, you will find
it is just the same party you have to beat in the other;
for the monopolists in corn are, atter all, the monopo-
lists in political power. We may have in our ranks
men who go various lengths in political reform and the
question of the suffrage, but, at till events, I scarcely
know anybody who voted in favour of the total repeal of
the corn-laws that is not willing to go onward also in
the path of reform—(Applause)—whilst, on the other
hand, they who would deprive you of the privilege of
eating an untaxed leaf, they aro the very men who will
kebp you out of the pale of the constitution, and who
will take advantage of their power to tax you in other
things pretty roundly as well as the loaf.—(Hear, hear.)
By settling this question and securing for the working
classes freedom for their industry, and the greatest abun-;
dance, under the laws of nature, in the supplies of food,
we are placing them in the best peasible position to
fight any other battle.—(Hear, hear.) I have seen lately
in London, Lancashire, and elsewhere, facts to show that
the working classes are in a better position to fight their
battles—battles upon the wage question and other ques-
tions of that nature—than they ever were before. They
have " waxed fat and kicked."—(Laughter and cries of
"Hear, \ hear.
"e But lam not going to enter upon that
question Low—there are faults on both sides—but
when yon find the working people in a condition to
strike—whether it is for wages, regulations in trade
or set up and battle for a share in the re-
presentative system of this country-(Laughter)—
I say, when I find them able to sustain a contest of
that kind, it is always a proof to my mind that they
are better off than they were before.—(Hean) There-
fore, do not let any one persuade you to withhold your
efforts, or put you back. Go on. Let this matter be
settled. Lay it up in your hearts; talk of it at your
own homes and fireside circles, in your workshops and
among your neighbours. Let every man, woman, and
child be prepared to
settle this question now, and,
having settled it, we shall have taken one more step in
the path of eternal truth and justice, and you will
have arrived nearer the attainment of other objects, in
whatever path you may choose to go next. (The ROD.
Gentleman resumed his seat amidst loud, enthusiastic,
and long-sustained cheering, having spoken for three-
quarters of an hour.)
The MAYOR then put the resolution, and it was car-
ried unanimously, and followed by loud cheers. He
then called for " the contrary," a call which elicited the
response of a hearty laugh
Mr. E. BAINES then moved the following resolution,
which was seconded by Mr. 3. D. vcco ,
L CK and unani-
mously agreed to:—
. That, in furtherance of this object, this meeting ur-
gently recommends to the election committees of the
borough of Leeds 41,,z1 the West Riding of York to take
immediate measures to Secure the return of free-trade
Members by their respective constituencies; and that,
with a view to the prompt expression of general opinion
in the present political crisis on the permanent de-
fence of the existing policyof free trade, this meeting
determines to revive the LeedsAnti-Corn-law A
e Leeds ssocnte
'ion."

ing memorial to her
" May it please your-
Mr. T. PLINT *
m long spaecb, proposed the follow-
, in a
MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
" To TEE QuEEN,p4 aiesty :--
tiajesty—We, your Majesty's
loyal acd devoted subjects jeets, conscious of the earnest so-
licitude which your
peLuaiesty feels for the weltare and
:et% and impressed with a deep
happinesssense of theef dYanugre s
of commercial policy which,
of those great leh now threatens the security
during the last four measures
your Majesty's subject"
the prosperity and yearssoci have so greatly conduced to
contentment of all classes of
alarm the accession tia, have seen with distrust and
party resolutely bent 0
in
salmi
chief members of Which Power of a Government, the
restrictions on the trade are the accredited leaders of a
restoring odious and unjust
"That your memorialists,
lemn and emphatio prote ,intvdhuislteryr
ebefotrhdeincgoun try.
i:ts
to reimpose, in whatever shape any and every attempt
their so-
to
means, pre-
pared aerori
etpidlsoht,
oaprereoepsfiiirsemt
alaryen,pd ebdryseufeetivadeterad that t a zs. e s o n th e food
a large majority of the
aggression on the rights of ittits a policy, as an unjust
trade and commerce, and ' the freedom of
believe
Majesty's subjects.
thissi.strsocial and domestic
well-being of the great mass of -
" That your memorialists
certainty on this subject are nal,eve that doubts and un-
certainty
jeopardise all trading and atvd to disturb and
alive a spirit of agitation and nrestrial operations, to keep
entire nation, to foment false listlessness throughout the
apprehensions, and that very hopes and foster injurious
policy demand an immediate and sound reasons of state
of a question fraught with such decisive settlement
disunion and disquietude to , uch manifest elements of
all classes of your Majesty's
subjects.
" Your memorialists, therefore,
respectfully beseech your majest would loyally and
in-
terests of your subjects to be poet not to suffer the
of a temporising Administration not
to the exigencies
ties that may conflict with Sound maxims
any party difficul-
tional policy; but that your Majesty.l:naxims of eonatitu." 1
of your Royal prerogative, .411 in the just exercise
now pending between the respon Possible
the great issue
Crown and the people at lar,soL•ule advisers of the
to be forthwith and
finally determined by a speedy dissolution of Par-
liament.
Y
" And your memorialists will
Mr. D. GREEN having ti
seconded ever pray."
memorial was unanimously adopted by the resolution, the
Councillor KELSALL then moved—the meeting.
" That this meeting tenders its best
Cobden for his eminent and untiring thanks to Mr.
cause of free trede,—and rejoices tob exertions in the
event of a dissolution of Parlians n believe that, in the
tuencv in the empire will be againe t
, , the first consti-
ing him, the chief champion of commercial
by
indus-
trialreturn-
freedom, as one of its representatives;
and
further express its earnest hope that and would
the struggle on
which he has now entered will shosti
complete and flea' triumph of th, great
terminate. in the
advocacy of which his whole politicalprinciple to the
life has been
devoted.'
Councillor CARTER having seconu ,
a ed the resolution, it
was most heart ity responded to by and
the meeting,
carried by acclamation.
M. COBDEN hell again eftaio I.v"tati ,
, and wo met