The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-17 00:00:00

GREAT MEE
TH

TING AT LEEDS
E CORN-LAWS.

DEFEAT OF MR. FEARGUS O'CONNOR.
Lamm, JAN. 15, 1339.
A public meeting consisting of several thousand persons,
has been held this day in Leeds, called by the Mayor on a
very numerous and respectable requisition, and held first in the
Court-house, and afterwards, from the impossibility of actsom-
rnodating in that building a ,quarter of the persons desirous
of attending, in the spacious area of the coloured cloth-hall.
Unusual interest has been excited in consequence of the
attempt of Mr. Feargus O'Connor to overturn the proceed-
ings of the requisitors, and to substitute for the resolu-
tions they had prepared an amendment in favour of Uni-
versal Suffrage. This attempt of the torch-man to de-
feat by a side-wind the reasonable and honest intentions of
the requisitors, was not merely designed (as most of his
efforts are) to obtain notoriety and eclat, and to carry on his
revolutionary schemes, but had also a concealed object of
personal importance to himself. In the year 1834, when
Fcargus represented the County Cork in the House of Com-
mons, he made a speech most strenuously opposing any mo-
dificafon of the Corn-laws, and denouncing Mr. Hume's
rnotisn in favour of " a fixed and moderate duty on the im-
port at all times of foreign corn," as calculated to ruin the
landed interest, and especially the people of Ireland. This
doctrine is of course as unpalatable to the working men of
England as it was palatable to the farmers of the county
Cork ; and hence Feargus has now turned quite round on ti.e
subject of Corn-laws, and pretends to advocate their total abo-
lition ; whilst at the same time be endeavours to draw off the
attention of the working classes from a subject so inconvenient
to himself, and to mystify the question by mixing it up with
Universal Suffrage ! This is the key to O'Connor's conduct:
he has becon e the false and treacherous friend to the cause of
whir's he was in 1834 the open enemy.
In pursuance of his designs, a placard was rublished on
Saturday last, vilifying the requisitors, And culling on the
working classes to attend and defeat them ; and this morning
anotber placard on green paper was issued, of which the follow-
ing is a copy :
Men of Leeds—Attend the meeting, at the Court-house
this day, at twelve o'clock. Fcargus O'Connor will be thu,
to assert the rights of labour."
The consequence of these invitations was that all the " phy-
cal force" men attended, and of course the rest of the inhai.i-
tants went to the riveting for a very different purpose. The
result has been that the blu tering Feargus has sustained a
most signal defeat, the weakness of his followers is exposed.
and the men of Leeds of all classes have shown their g. od
sense in defeating the nicks of this agitator, and recording
their strong opinion of the injustice and impolicy of the Corn-
laws.

Tho meeting was held at twelve o'clock in the Court-house,
Mr. O'Connor and his men having been there half an hour
before. The bench was filled with merchants and manufac-
turers, and the body of the Court-house was crowded with a
mixture of tradesmen and working men. The Mayor, end
E. Bairns, Esq., M. P., followed by the requisitors, on entering
the }.all were received with loud cheers.
The Mayor (JAMES HOLDFORTH, Esq.) took the Chair, end
opened the meeting by reading the requisition. He then pro-
ceeded to make a few introductory observations, but he had
spoken a very short time when the place became crowded to
excess, and a loud cry arose of " Adjourn, adjourn."
Mr. EDWARD BAINF.S, jun., then rose, and said that he was
informed that there were outside of the building hundreds, and
even thousands, who could nut gain admittance to the Court-
house, end he, therefore, moved that the meeting do adjourn
to the Cloth-hall yard. The motion was instantly carried by
reclamation, and the meeting adjourned to that spacious area.
There were then assembled on the ground seven or eight thcu-
sand men. The Mayor and the requisitors took their station on
the broad steps of the Cloth-hail, and the business proceeded.
The M IYOR, in opening the proceedings, regretted that the
assemblage had been compelled to adjourn into the open air,
especially when the weather was so inclement. He, however,
had cheerfully submitted to the inconvenience, and he'had no
doubt others were actuated by a similar disposition.—( Hear.)
It was not his intention, as their Chairman, to enter at large
into the question, inasmuch as there were several gentlemen
present who would be able to present them with facts deserving
of their most serious attention. A great mess of information had
been communicated to the public during the last few months, and
they, as intelligent and observing men, could not have failed to be-
come acquainted with the subject of the Corn-laws as it then
stood.—( Hear, hear.) He was extremely anxious that the
price of corn should be made cheaper, and he was undoubt-
edly of opinion that either a modification or a repeal of the
present laws was absolutely nrcessary to ensure prosperity to
the manufacturers, and comfort and happiness to the working
classes.—(Cheers.) To cff:ct this object numerous difficul-
ties would have to be encountered, They would have to
grapple with the great landed interest, but he trusted they
would show to that portion of society that the interests of the
people required equal protection.—( Hear, hear.) The mer-
chant and manufacturer were placed in a most painful position
by the operation of the Corn -laws. The trade of this country
bad been sacrificed to a great extent, and there was every
reason to believe that, unless an alteration was effected in the
present system, the most ruinous results'must follow.---( Hear,
hear.) He would not detain the meeting longer. The ques-
tion was in their hands, and all that he asked was, that every
speaker should be listened to with that patience and attention
which the great importance of the subject demanded.
Alderman GOODMAN moved the first resolution, in a speech
of some length, in which he urged the necessity of a strenuous
exertion on the part of the public to obtain a repeal or mo-
dification of the Corn-laws, as the only means of preserving
the manufacturing greatness of this country. The resolu-
tion was as follows :—" That in the opinion of this meeting
all men have an inalienable right to the free exchange of
the produce of their capital, skill, and labour, for the pro-
ductions of the people of their own or of foreign nations ;
and that all restrictions on the interchange of nations are un-
just in principle, and as they tend to direct the industry of
each into its least profitable and beneficial channels of em-
ployment, and to foment national animosity, and are most im-
politic and injurious."
Mr. Alderman WILLANS seconded the resolution.
The MATO* was proceeding to put the resolution to the
meeting, when
Mr. FEARGUS O'CONNOR presented himself and said—
Prior to the putting that resolution, I wish, Mr. Mayor, to
offer a few observations to the meeting—( Hear, hear from a
few voices in the crowd.) Mr. Chairman, and Working.
men of Leeds, I agree wholly and entirely in every word
which has fallen from the Mayor. I agree also with what
has fallen from the proposer of this first resolution, and more
espedially when that gentleman told you that 1-ie best way
ito acquire knowledge was byintercommunication with the
labouring classes.--( Hear, hear.) His Worship, the Mayor,
told you in the Court-house, that the redress of your griev.
ances must depend upon your own strength, and from this
platform he has told you it must depend upon your know-
ledge, and upon your judgment, and to that knowledge and
to that judgment I now appeal.—( Hear, hear.) But, Gen-
tlemen, I would wish that this intercommunication between
the employer and the employed were less like angels' visits
—few and far between.—(Laughter.) And it is because I
have a respect for your knowledge that I am now going to
appeal to your judgment, and to that solely, and the amend-
ment which I shall propose to this first resolution is in
order to test your self-esteem and your self-respect, and to
show that I am wishful for a more extensive repeal of the
Corn-laws than even that resolution would go to effect—.
for I am in favour of a total repeal of the Corn-laws.---
(Cheers, and a cry of " Were you when Member for
Cork?") The question is, whether or no the Corn-laws
shall be repealed for you (pointing to the merchants and
others on the busting), or for you (pointing to the opera-
tives. )—( Hear, hear.) Gentlemen, if the Corn-laws are re-
pealed by a class, that repeal will be productive of advan-
tage to a party only—(Loud cries of " No, no," and " six
points I")—whereas, if the Corn-laws are repealed by all,
they will be productive of advantage to all.—(Hear, hear, and
No, no.) And gentlemen, although I have heard much„both
at this and previous meetings, with reference to the object to
be attained by a repeal of the Corn-laws, I have not forgot
that, when proposing this question to Parliament last year,
Mr. Clay, an honest and upright gentleman, a manufacturer,
let the cat fairly out of the bag by telling the House that with
regard to the repeal of the Corn-laws it was that we might
have cheaper food, and that the manufacturers might get their
work done for lower wages, in order that they might be able
to compete with the cheap-bread foreigners abroad.—(" That's
it lad; d—n the Corn laws.") In Birmingham they have
tried this question, and in Glasgow and other places they have
tried it, and in each and every one of those places they have
fairly failed.—(Loud cries of " No, no.") Gentlemen, we
will try this meeting. The proposer of this resolution says
there should be a free interchange of produce between all
people of all nations.—( Hear, hear, hear.) I agree with
him, gentlemen, but I do not hear a word. in that resolution
of the unjust taxation of the country, which makes it im-
possible to compete with other countries.—(Hear, hear,
hear, and Question, question I) Who says question ? Why
this is the whole question.—(No, no ! and cheers.) The
question, working men, is whether or not you are to be en-
trusted with the safe keeping of that which your masters
tell you you ought to possess. I agree with them you ought
to have a repeal of the Corn-laws, but you will agree with me
when I say if you are entitled to a repeal of those laws, you
are also entitled to the distribution of the good arising from
that measure.—(Cheers.) If they are sincerely (the mer-
chants, &c.) in favour of a repeal of the Corn-laws, I don't
see any reason why they should object to my proposition,
which goes at once to repeal, the total repeal, of the Corn-
laws. But, gentlemen, mind this, we are told the agricultu-
ral interest is to be attacked, and that it is to be vitally at-
tacked. Well and good, so it ought, because it is an odious
monopoly, and I suppose it is considered a branch of the na-
tional faith, but until you settle every other branch of the na=
tional faith all at once—namely, the money-mongers, die.,
Jews, and the capitalists, you do no good.—( Question.)
These gentlemen (pointing to the hustings) cry question, ,as
if I was only to holloo out Corn-laws, Corn-laws, Corn-
laws.—( Hear, hear, hear.) That they appear to think suffi-
cient to rouse your opposition. Why, if I had heard nothing
more, and if, in considering the subject more minutely, I
had not derived more information than many who are
now called upon to decide the question, I `should shout
the cry of " Abolition of the Corn-laws—abolition of the
Corn-laws I" the best argument I had ever heard.— ( Laughter
and cheers from his own friends.) It is said food would be
cheaper. These words " cheap" and " dear" are relative
terms; and when we are told about competing with foreigners,
there is nothing said about the general improvement taking
place in South America, France, and Belgium. Why, do
not you suppose they would very soon put an ad valorem duty
upon our manufactured goods, and that France, in her grow-
ing strength, and America, in her new republic, would prevent
us from underselling them in their own markets? One man