The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-25 00:00:00

it is impossible that I, who long have represented the 1
free trade interest of a great adjoining town, should allow my-
self on an occasion like the present, to sink into opprobrious
and ignoble silence.—( Hear, hear.) Now, gentlemen, what-
ever efforts I can humbly lay at your disposal, are, I assure
you, most readily yours. True to the cause which we origi-
nally engaged in together, I will stand or fall with
you, and like you I take my stand on no mode-
rate principles—moderate is too good a word.—( Hear.)
I would say on no compromise of principles.—(Cheers.) I
exhort you to march forward boldly with your banner un-
furled, as I see it worthily inscribed in this room—" the re-
peal, the total repeal, and nothing but the repeal of the Corn-
laws."—( Cheers.) It is most unusual to see, after such a
meeting as last night, an assembly so numerous as this, and
which proves that the spirit which actuates you is not tempo-
rary or effervescent, but that it springs from conviction,
and from a part of the steady and well-founded con-
victions of your own minds.—( Hear, hear, and cheers.)
Gentlemen, I have considered it my duty to attend the meet-
ing of the Delegates of the different towns assembled here to-
day. I confess I heard with astonishment the details they
laid before us of the appalling increase of the trade of fo-
reigners, and of the alarming decrease of our own.—(Hear;
hear.) It was to be expected, that so soor. as the silent but
steady operations of peace had made themselves perceived,
that those foreign nations, which had long been behind us,
would make certain decided advances, but that those advances

would be so rapid, and in such a disproportionate ratio to our
own advances, was what some of us were not prepared for, and

which strikes us at once with alarm for the future, and fills us

that under any clreurnstances could foreign grain be impoe e i into this
.Geritlernen.—(Laughter.) 1 now give you, " Earl Fitzwilliam and the
country at less than from 45s to E.os. the quarter.—(Hear, hear.) Now, few enlightened Peers who sup; Oct the repeal of the Corn-laws."--
I say that the agriculturist of Scotland, even at the high rents which he (Much cheering.)
at preient pays. to which the English rents bear no comparison, if he Colonel Teostesox having been called upon by the chi-Armen to pro-
could procure a steady price of ees, to eos. the quarter, would a pose the next t ast, was received with the most enthusiastic cheering.
thousand times rather have that than the system now-a-days which He said, before 1 propose a toast which has been committed to my care,
leads us to have grain one year at 395., and the next at ass., or I must take a Ivantage of some of the impo rant facts we have just
90s. the quarter. Under such circumstances farming is a mere lot- heard sated by our frier& from Nottingham ; and I beg that I may he
tery, and a lottery of the very worst description,a lottery in human allowed to impress upon your minds, from these facts, the utter unu.
food. Besides, lam far from being convinced that it would Wily and absurdity of the i lea so often thrown in the face of the m nu.
trots any soil out of cultivation because of the introduction of free facturers, that they have protecting duties.—(He r). Now go to
That would not be the case, and I will tell you why. Since Nottingham, and look at the loom the pride of their city, and of their
re war agricultural produce has fallen in value. You may all recol- hearts, driven out from its strong-I old ; and ee htn the ci.mfort tI a:
tea the time when grain was selling at 120 s. the quarter, and you is given them, that they have a protecting duty of twenty per cent
have seen it within the last three years, in 1835, at 398.—(-tear, on foreign stockings. (Hear, and cheering) I ask you, was
hear.) Has that had the effect of throwing land out of cultivation ? there ever such a trumpery vision put before men whom it was intended
It has not by any means.—fLouri cheers.) On the contrary, we are to t elude?—(Cheers,) Let me take that case as an example of
going on, day after day, improving our waste lands, but I will tell _all the protection these duties have promised you. I will put the
you what would rejoice the agriculturists—if you will, by the free im. ca:' of Nottingham, and I will contend, that if the trade were free, the .
portation of foreign grain, render the price steady, then we will know Tern toes of the Easot 5, who are u sderselling them in the foreign
exactly what we are about. Besides, it must be recollected that we have market, would new be warmed by Nottingham:stockings.—(Cheers and
in Scotland leases, and most of those granted within the last 19 years, laughter) Then come the monopolists, who have put down the trade,
are grain leases, that is to say, in one year we have 90s. or 100 s a quer- and they say, " Oh, you have protection."—(h?ear.) Gentlemen, that
to Protection is a preteetien against nothing Will • you take and accept
ter for grain, and another year 395. or 455. a quarter, and according
the price of grain, so is the amount of the rent we receive. What, so feeble a plea as this, that you have protection against the interference
o
then, is the effect of the existing laws upon the landed proprietors ?f foreigners, wren, but for your enemies, foreigners would never have
Why that in 1835 he received just half the amount of rent that he re.
been permitted to interfere ?—(Hear, and cheers.) They have urged
th sby taking advantage of the circumstances in which the trade is ..
ejects this year. What condition (toes that place the landlords in ?
That they get into dents and difficulties, because they don't know the Place,! ; but let me here remark upon one remaining fallacy, which
,
amount of their incomes. If in one year they receive 5,0001. and in the tiring my short stay in this town 1 have heard much impressed upon
next year 10,0001., that will be eventually ruin to them if they be not the rather se. drive minds of the Manchester manufacturers—(Laughter)
—a great bugbear I am told, and this is that if the trade with the con.
more attentive to their affairs than landlords generally are. I contend,
therefore, that the present laws are not prejudicial to them. With re. tinent in Coin was opened, the agriculturists there would lay on duty
on that Corn, It has been held out to you, in lerrorein, that the move.
gard to the effect these laws have upon the price of labour, and the
to by
working man's comforts, it is clear that in many , ways they are most
moot here
re
that consummation. If that was the case,abolish the dot e. on Corn would be met
what duties
prejudicial to his interests.—(Hear.) Sir, I need not go to Russia abroad to prevent
would be our conduct? they contend that we would not be acting con.
or Prussia, or any of the other nations of the Continent, to find out the
sistently if we did not all cut our own throats, lest somebody else
comparative weight and price of their loaves, but I will take the penny
should do it for it for us.—(Laughter.) Suppose, however, we take our
1 oaf of 1835, and compare it with the penny loaf of 1839. Why, the
loaf of 1839 is within one ounce of being only half the weight of that chance and escape, some of us may be missed by the assassin, at least
we s tould hope so. But ha. e not the inhabitants of these countries
of 1835.—(Hear, hear.) The labourers are Paying the same price now,
in 1839, that they did in 1835, while the one loaf is double the weight also a just sense of their rights ?-(Hear, hear.) We have heard
of the other—that of 1835 was 13 ounces, while that of 1839 is only that these countries contained nothing but agriculture-
7IA ounces. Now, gentlemen, in the face of that statement, how dare that their manufactories were few and small. What chance then
d
any man come forward and assert that the present system has no effect
woul
ma there be that the manufacturers would be able to near down the
upon the price of labour ?—(Hear) I ask you if the wages of the demands of the more name: Gas aril powerful class who are interested
labourer has increased in the same proportion as the price of bread ?
in opening a free passage for their corn to this country? (Loud cheers.) •
It has not. The labourers throughout the ceuntry receive the Why, in the middle of the war, when it was attempted to stop the
trade in pitch and tar with Russia, ask the Czar or his successor what
same wages now as in 1835.—(Several voices, " Less, less.")
was the result—that very Czar was found dead in his bed one morning.
That may be so here, gentlemen, but in some parts of Scot-
and with all his despotism, he could not keep his subjects' hands from
land we have seen the condition of the labourers, and
we are making some addition to their wages at our own cost. At all his sublime throat. (Great laughter.) Such was the condition of those
rulers who on the continent attempted to go against the interests of th
events their wages has not increased ; and when it is considered that a
overbearing masses of their subjeCts. I mention this fact, to show yo-
man earning from 10s. to 11 s. or 12s. a-week, is able with the same
how small may be your tear, how unreasonable your apprehensions.
sum to purchase only half the quantity of bread that he could in 1835,
—(Cheers.) But now, gentlemen, there is a new cause of terror.
those men who propagate among the working classes that these mon-
News has come from London, and the "Globe'' received this day in.
strous laws are in their favour are villains and scoundrels, and ought
form us, that unanswerable argumen s hare beet p at forth against the
not to be believed.—(Hear, and cheers.) Then they say manufactures
removal of the Corn Laws, in the " Quarterly Review."—(Great laugh-
are not so material to agriculturists as many people would lead them
ter.) It is Lot the first time I. hive met the " Quarterly Review," and.
to believe; I could show you many facts to prove the advantage agricul.
turists derive from manufacturers. I will give you one instance, which escaped Scot free.—(Laughter.) I have endeavoured, as was my duty,
occurred in the county with which I am connected the county of
to inform myself as well as I might touching the bearings of these un-
answerable arguments, and so far as I can gather it, from the source of
Clackmannan. It is very small in size, not more than ten miles rho Globe's information, it appears to be this, that the landowners and
square. Fifty years ago the rental of that country did not amount in their organ reckoned up all the evidence and arguments used when
all to 5001. a year. Within the last fifty years it has increased, and the they laid on the Corn-laws, and especially dwelt upon the necessity
value of the land in that county, solely from the manufactures which there then was to make compensation to the landlords for the fall of
have been introduced into it, has increased to above 150,0001. a year. price attendant upon the peace. You of riper years answer me one
—;Chests.) We area small county, but, next to Lanarkshire, we pay question; is it in your memory that the landlords ever offered you
more taxes, more revenue to the Government, than any county in compensation for all your sufferings by these wars ?—(Loud cries of
Scotland. Does not that show the importance of manufactures?— " No.") Why, gentlemen, it was in nature, that when those wars, that
(Hear, hear.) If any of you wish to establish a tnanufactory in Clack. were as much theirs as any other .persons, and rather more—(hear)-
mannan, I will give you the land for nothing, if you will build your had cut off the supplies of food, that they should have reaped the bee
mills upon it, and allow me to derive the advantage that nefit ; but is it justice., that other classes who have borne,. the ills
will naturally flow from it.—(Cheerr and laughter.) If you abolish the and miseries of these wars should be made to compensate the landlord*
Corn-laws you will give a great and increasing value to
large
portions for the return to peace ?—(Loud cheers.) One more argument being
of my native country—thOse portions where there is no cultivation
at all here I think it right to mention, because it comes from men of profound
—you will give a great and increasing value to the billsacide wallies
gravity, solemn and wise, and it is this. You are then told that the'
ee
of Scotland—you will raise the value of all the sh tur 'yu
landlords, in a case of this description, which they took especial care to
will raise the value of the wool. Even although it should'pias eshavetheeef. keep to their solves, did so burden and weigh down themselves by enact-
feet of putting some of our land out of cultivation , what would it be ments;which they matte in thtir own disfavour, that they have a right
for? Not because we could not grow cheap grain, but because we according to the principles of political economy to lay a tax on your food
might find it more profitable to make use of it otherwise. One other in order to di,burse themselves their expenses. Let me offer an
observation with regard to the working classes. I would impress on antcaite to your attention on this point, the tale is not
every man present, on every master, and on every individual who unites original. I claim nothing but the application.—(Hear, hear.) In the
as I hope we all do with the working classes. I would impress on them the
empire of China, records go back to the time when the use of fire Was
urgent necessity, not of addressing them in large bodies, but familiarly
unknown for culinary purposes. It did so happen that one day a house
entering into their cottages, sitting down with them by their fire-sides, was burned, and a poor pig therein was roaster). The flavour of roast
entering upon a free and frank discussion of those subjects that are in- meat for the first time saluted the Chinese council and people, and it
teresting to them, and you will find the great majority v ill go along was voted so good that " the Brother of the Sun and Moon," the.
with you in this good cause, the abolition of the Corn.laws. (Cheers.) Chinese mperor, enacted that a roasted pig should be supplied to the
I call on you not to fear the great body of those working men who are Royal table every day, and that a house should be set on fire to coos
now called the Chartists, because I know it is a fart that there are
it —(Roars of laughter,) Now, gentlemen, is or is not that the invea-
mighty divisions in that body on this subject; and I have but little tion of the landlords, first say that they have taxed themselv,
doubt when they see you are really and truly its earnest—when they and then that they must put you and the country t°
see that this agitation is not a- Whig agitation for party purposes the enormous loss and expense which we all feel and bewail, bY
—is not an agitation that the master manufacturers may derive the this clumsy aid urnatu al mode of :legislation. Give me the
benefit from it, but that they are truly interested in it, a great body China man and his pig, for he is the more reasonable
of them, the majority of the Chartists will unite with you most cm'. man of the two—no differerce do I see, except that which ' P
dially in attaining this object.—(Cheers.) We held a meeting the nga test our own legislation.—(Hear,• and laugh er.) Truly did 01
other day in Edinburgh for the purpose of agreeing upon an address frie d who prec ded me, threw out dark hints about people who are
to Lord Durham. We were told we dare not hold a meeting. We not here wanting wisdom. Gentlemen, it is not here that old won°
did, however, and carried it through triumphantly. Lord Durham
mud be looked for, but it is right that they should learn some toil'
wrote an answer, and I firmly believe you will find in Lord Dutham
mason of our opinions.—(Hear, hear.) Excise me, gentlemen, If
.1
a cordial supporter of the cause you have at heart. (Hear, hear.) In c m ,eak with earnestness. I stand here for the poor an—to advocal`
conclusion, I wou dobs,ve in the words of Lord Grenville, that mo the cause of" th ~ sp( ctre-like manufacturer." Now does nothing snail
them when they inivetnatinethelleytitritasot:frtele,rm ? Was there ever such a Po°6
impoly is the parent of scarcity and dearthness ; and I would pray
that. the present members of the house of Russell would take a lesson
I,irnegsssiothnraoiwidnininjustthiceier, ought Only
out of the book of their noble relative—that they will think as he didrewarded nr
d whoed b sub
b having' I bear'
and follow his example.—(Loud cheers.) of " H ar
,hear.") Now those men who have suffered. the mole
The CHAlRMAN—Accustomed as we are, Gentlemen, to hear the from this' iniquitous system, are not so advanced in the knowlede
empty declamations of landlords, it is really quite refreshing to hear a of t- e facts of their position as others. They have not the
rational one.—(A laugh) I propose that we drink the health of the same means of obtaining information. Their time is passed in hale
Hon. Mr. Murray.—(('heers.) The toast was drank with three times
and severe toil, while you have been gathering the fruits of knowledge,
three, the results of which will fall in happiness on yourselves and them]
(Chetrs.) I know that you are all awake to the great delusions nt'
tempted to be practised on you by your enemies. With regard to an°.
the question th..t ha. been alluded to—the factory question—l lines
not what are your sentiments, but I speak my own feelings. It is pet
sib'e that there may be hard masters, but it always has been my 61.""
p.esuasion that the main outcry which has been raised against the far'
t try evils, was neither more nor less than a blind to distract attentiel
from the real question.—(Hear, hear.) It men are overworked'4
children are reduced to toil, while their years are tr,iequit to it'
what is the cause, but some great evil in our rzenerat polief,
which drives them to that sad necessity. Are' you to. still
thin cause of these poor people by charity.—(ll-fear, hear, hear
here is real charity. By meeting in this manr,er wet you .deace'
them and yourselves from the tyranny that oppresses them. Give that
answer to those who speak of the factory evils—go the wise way to w0r..4
~,i
and aid us o remove the Corn-laws, and tl en you will find:yourselvesu`;
nefited.— (Loud cheers.) Genii( nren, I need not txcase myself for,wineift
up this l ist time I shall address you—(Cries of " No, no' 1-with an !!"
hortation once more to take my advice., and ask enough.—(Hear and 1
laugh.) You will find to efforts spartd to make you fall shot t of the PL'
of your desires. I tell you now kite thing, that as a last resort the Isel.;
lords, like a bunted fox, as a last shift of their craft, will tell you 07
there must be a shilling duty on corn for the sake of having -statistic";
returns of the quantity of that commodity imported. Now, how rate 3,7
miilions, think you, wc,uld:you pay in the course of a few years for ti"
sake of indulging the taste of these statistical amateurs ?—(1-let
hear, and laughter.) I ask you, would it not do as we
there was a bounty of a shilling a quarter on the foreign corn ill'
ported.—(Thunders of applause.) I see, gentlemen, that you alr'i
with me. I have been wandering much from the object for which ;
rose, and I must now return to the original and real object ofmy appearilit'
hefore you. I was sent here to do honour to the citizen in this gees
"
assembly, whom the public voice has called to the honourable sitUP
tion of your chairman.—(Loud and general Cheering.) You are le_'
timately acquainted with these energies and 'virtues which have led r"„
to confer on him that highly distinguished office. I shall be muchmistatfr
if the country does not learn to take up the same estimate at 3°f,
hands, and if the recollection of your energies be not preserved in °-
shape of the memory of him who is the chosen Chairman of-the .Asse6l'
bly at Manchester, who put down the Corn-laws, and gave to England
A'
the title to lea a commercial country.—(The Gallant Colonel retool"
his seat amidst loud and long continued cheering) •
The toast was then drank with all the honours.
The CHAlRMAN—Gentlemen, I rise to return you sincere thse!
for the kind manner in which you have drank my malt.'
With your encouragement and, support Ido not doubt of our final sus
cess.—(Cheers ) The greatest mark of respect you can pay to the rj
to stick by me.—(Cheers.) Encourage and support the Committee, an
then, when we have won the battle, we will meet again and rejoice 0:,
gether.—(Loud cheers.) Then we will invite our friends the lendlor,'
—I don't mean the chaw.bacon landlords—(Laughter.) There i, ,I
pleasure in the company of stupid men ; but I mean such enlighten'
landlords as the Honourable Mr. Murray.—(Continued cheering':)
Gentlemen, I have now the pleasure to give you, as a toasty
the Deputation from Bolter).
,eit
Mr. H. ASHWORTH returned thanks, They had undettaken aP-
end worthy cause, and he hoped they would do nothing unjust or ell'
worthy in effecting their object, which was the total and immediate re;
peal of the Corn-laws. The manufacturers had their alternatives--°A-
was, which he hoped would never take effect, the expulsion of caPit-
skill, and industry from the country.—(Hear, hear, and cheering)
He had hoped in the buoyancy of commerce the trade of, the courier/if
might again recover a healthy tone.—( Hear, hear.) If cheap: food 4,
not come to them, why might they not go to it ?--(Loud cheering' ) ',I
leaving these things they wou'd not run the risk of encountering ',
overbearing landed aristocracy, giving theirs dear food and discussi°,,'
time-bills with their own work people. They could not long g 0 °,
with ruin staring them in the face without an effortto improve thej,
condition, and their last alternative was, a reduction of wages.. Pio
they coolly contempkted starvation wages.—(Loud cheers.) Wetl„.‘
the working men stand up in favour of an isolated few. the gainers "d'
these laws, and disregard the interests of those who employed th ern ?-i,
(No, no.) In what would all this end, if the wages of the working ni'"
had to be reduced ? The consequences were dreadful to . contt WWI,
In seeking to improve their condition as manufacturers,
,they did ii
seek to wrong any other interest, they only sought that Which /frt,
rightfully theirs, and they must ask it, though respectfully, r#
earnestly and manfully. --(Cheers.) It was said these darts;
were to protect the landed interest. He would ask, Genthemen, irhri,
had b tcome of that Protection ? After 23 years' protection, the agric° t
tural peasantry—once " their country's pride"—now become the 1,1°,-$
pauperised and ignorant of our working population.—(Cheers.) The of
years' protection had done nothing for the farmer—file yeomanry +'
by.gone days—deluded by the false hopes of the " farmer's frieo,:e
hed sunk, and lost their capital, and were nrsw become 'y
creatures of their landlords, not daring to stand by trie 1
ownd opinions at an election.—(Hear, hear, and loud cheerve
nn
did
the landowners appear the richer for it ? 04 the contrary, if,e,
I migt judge from their continual cry to Pallier:emit of " Give, VA. ,'
give!" they were always full of poverty; and the words "too be'''
00
written by Lard Liverpool upon an urgent application, reminded -:
of the great effrontery and sturdiness of aristocratic begging.—(Cheer
In working eut of the new Poor-law, in which the landovifi ft,
bad taken so conspicusus (he could not say disinterested) a P°;st.
they here pleaded the necessity of refusing crat-door relief in aid of sva: ,
to the poor persant on the ground that they ',sere thereby exalting tbec':f,
racter of the able-bodied labourer in making him depend on his own e%,..ft
tions for suppf,rt, and that he wo.ild 'hereafter thank all benefaet;id
there who supported the New Poor La'm Bill. Now he (Mr. A.) o°-rd
say, cut off the protective duty in aid of rents, which the teed'', f
has wrung from the country as thep/ ea of right; convinced him therejos
that you exalt him as an indecent' ent landlord, and in days to cone
will have to thank his enlightened benefactors of Manchester—(Cheer-u.
Let the landlords lay ash'‘e their plumsy protective snachine.iy, and '°4
stitute the self-acting machinery of self-interest—and instead of pars lag
t
their patriotism for having
(by the aid of their tenantry) produced of
blades of grass where ty
,sly one grew before, let Ihem learn, troll' ~i
unpretending manulac'
.urers of Manchester, that in this respect he lof
only studying his own ' business, and had no higher claims as a benefecre
to his country_thae i the manufacturer who produced two or tile
shirts at the r.l ;vious cost of one.-- (Cheers) The farmer, 'O.
ceasing to rely
' °T •on the fluctuating averages of the markets, and tr:ipi!
ing no hinge-, tc, his landlord's generosity in returning a portion 0' ~ill
d
nominal re Mal , would take longer leases, embark his capital an
vi ,i
as the fa,-..mer, s of Scotland had done, and acting upon a corgeCt vie 4.
w his o-
a inte rest, would raise the best of cattle and the best of er
pd
emrearativ ely regardless of the bauble inducements, the
ecoj
isr,ary pr
ize meddles of the landlords,—(Hear, and loud Cho et
i tie regre :den thht amid all the profusion of talent around, one sbou ,0
I absent:. .his friend Richard Cobden.—(Cheas.) He was provelltal

Mr. Mutual' returned thanks.
Mr. Rewsoe rose to propose the next toast, and said, Gentlemen, I •
Tee only reason 1 can assign to you for my temerity, in attempting
to address a few words to you, is that I made a few statements to the
Association connected with the stanch of manufacture that I am en-
gaged in. I was urged to say a few words at the Chamber of Corn.
mere; as to the overwhelming competition with which the cotton
hosiery of Nottingham had to contend ; and finding, as I uid, on
that occasion, that the Newspaper reporters are excellent at inflating
heavy matters—(Laughter)—if any statement that I can make can,
be made available, in any way, to the great cause that we ale
engaged in, it will amply satisfy me fur the pain and em-
barrassment I feel at this moment —(crest cheering.) Gentlemen
Tnose who were present on that occasion will perhaps recollect some of
the statements then made. I have found since, from conversation with
a gentleman from Kimnitz, that the Saxons have increased in this
branch 1,500 per cent. I find that white they have increased in the
cotton manufacture 15 per cent. we have only increased 10 per cent.:
now if they go on for twenty-four years more, increasing in the same
ratio, they would not only supply the whole world by exportation, but
would export goods to the moon.--(Great laughter.) The Saxons, I
understand, the last two seaeons have been in Leicester buying up
yarns to commence their manufacture in this part of the trade. I
consider this, as regards the Leicester people, in the light of a notice
to quit ; and let me tell them, after receiving such notice, they will
speedily be served with the ejectment from the markets.—(Laughter.)
It has been stated by a gentleman of great statistical knowledge that
there has been an increase in the number of frames of all kinds since
1812,from 29,590 to 33,000, making an increase of 3,000 frames, or
about 10 per cent. In Saxony, in the same time, there has been an
increase of stocking frames of 1,500 per cent.—(Hear, hear, hear.)
Now this important branch—the staple manufacture of our country,
which amounts to about two millions per annum, and which was
discovered by, and has been in the possession of the country since the
year 1589, or two hundred and fifty years, mould these laws con-
tinue for a few years and no new circumstances arise on the
Continent, even with a protecting duty of 20 per cent., this manufacture
would speedily disappear from amongst us. The Saxons have, within
the last four or five years, doubled the whole of their cotton menu.
facture of all sorts ; in the last twenty-four years the whole of our ex-
ports in real or declared value has only increased about 6 to 10 per
cent., though the increase has been in the same time in the ex-
ports of France about 212 per cent.—(Hear, hear, hear.)
Neither figures of arithmetic nor figures of rhetoric can mere fully
demonstrate to my mind the exceeding ruinous impolicy of these
wicked and odious laws,—(Cheering.) Our friends from Nottingham
are gone, and I only am left to say a few words more on our disasters.
I saw a remark in a speech of one of our friends at Liverpool,
that posterity would wonder such laws were ever enacted.
Let him recollect that a Legislature, in a former age, passed laws
to burn our grandmothers as witches; and can you wonder, then,
that the lawmakers of the present day should pass laws (how.
ever intended) that have the effect of starving their grand-
children ?—(Great laughter.) Though much may be said on both
sides, I think the advantage decidedly in favour of the present legislators,
though I cannot say so much for the sufferers of the present time. The
old women, 1 conceive, will have greatly the advantage over them with
posterity, as they were generally poor, ignorant and friendless, and
could not be expected to make a stand against their oppressors, but the
sufferers under the present law are seen stalking about every day, at
least, in the apparel of men, and,: one would have supposed, capable
from their intelligence to have watched over, and taken care of
their own interests. But, up to the present time, how stands
the fact ? Whatever posterity may think of the wisdom of the
legislators of the two eras, or whatever they may believe of the witch.
craft of our grandmothers, we may be assure.] when speaking of the
permanent misery and mischief indicted on the country by these laws,
they will never accuse us who have suffered them so long to
diserace the statute book of being conjurors.—( Laughter.) Don't de.
opals then ; we have tee
got red of the law against witchcrafe though t
old ladies themselves could make no effete ; but strange to telt, though
the judges and lawyers of the crown, of that day, all at once stayed their
hands, they could not, or dare riot, at once attempt their total repeal, as
there would have been a similar commotion in the houses of Parliament in
that day, and especially amongst the Bishops, as there will be in
1839 in asking for a total repeal of the laws we complain of. But re-
collect, Gentlemen—and I hope it will be a warning to the coming Par-
liament—the law against witchcraft was at length entirely repeeled=
and as mischief enough had been already perpetrated, no
new ones of a modified character were enacted in their stead —(Hear.)
We have a Minister at the head of the department for Trade and Com.
merce, who, if there is any fitness in things, is chosen by his colleagues
for the office on account of his knowledge and extensive information on
such subjects. Have the Government and the Legislators consulted
and followed the advice of this official authority on this subject, as they
would have called on the Judges in matters of law ? No such thing!—
(Hear, hear)—perchance they may have taken the advice of the Minister
of War, or the Home Department, as if, in wanting to make a will,
you call in the physician, or, if sick, the lawyer. Indeed, for years
past, various heads of this department have been in advance of the
legislator, the general Government, and the country, on such subjects—
especially that great man whose untimely loss we so much deplored—he
had the courage to make the first attack on this hydra, this monster
evil monopoly. And in opposition to an outcry raised against bim by ig.
norant millions who were fearful of suffering by a change of which
they understood not the spirit. And however various the opinions that
may have been expressed respecting the manner in which the pre-
sent head of that department did his duty on a late occasion, I
have heard but one as to his sound and extensive knowledge and strong
convictions on that subject. Indeed, a subordinate officer of that de-
partment has just written a work that would have done credit to the
greai father of political economy, Adam Smith, himself. —(llear,
hear,) With all these varied light on this subject what is .it we want
to enable us to rub off this corroding rust that is so deeply tarnishing
the brightness of our national prosperity. It is the wish and the
will of a united people asking simultaniousty for their rights.
In 1815, to their credit be it spoken, ten Peers entered their protest
against the passing of that Bill, and who clearly saw its consequences.
Amongst many other powerful reasons urged by them. Take the
following:—
" We cannot persuade ourselues that this wilt ever contribute to pro-
duce plenty, cheapness, or steadiness of price—monopoly is the parent
of scarcity, of dearness, and of uncertainty."—(Loud cheers.)
Fut the riches of all is, and I am sure if you do do not recollect it you
will excuse me for naming it. The protest goes on to say, on all these
particulars, as regards this question we think Parliament almost entirely
uninformed. Let no one say that we have not had patience, we have
had a long fit of it, it has lasted twenty-four years. Let those speak
now who never spoke before, and those who used to speak still speak the
more.—(Great laughter and cheering.) I had nearly forgotten my toast.