The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-22 00:00:00

saver they would have to give was this, that every argument
was brought forward to show the necessity of hearing evidence at
the bar ; that without precedents being quoted, or reasons stated,
all inquiry was refused ; that they had no other answer to give
them, but that the House of Commons met their prayers with
a direct refusal.--( Loud cries of Hear, hear. )
Sir GEO. STRICKLAND said that the Hon. Gent. who had
Just sat down had made an attack on open questions. Now he
had a leaning in favour of open questions, and lie would state
his reasons. There was no occasion to take a desponding view
of the question on account of the part Ministers had acted. He
was astonished at going out in the minority with so large a num-
ber of them.—( Hear, hear.) What would have been the con-
sequence if they had made this a close question ? They were
not all agreed—that was quite clear, and then the Administra-
Abarvinust have been broken up. Who must they have had in
its plat..*:? A Peel Administration, and a Corn-law House.
Whether theyiwould have existed very long, was another ques-
tion. —( Loud cheers.) Although he had a doubt in his own
mind whether a Cord-law, and a Tory Administration would
have had a long existence'at this time of day, yet Sir Robert
Peel had had a serious lesson taught him by, going put of-office
the last time ; because, if he had stuck to the helm, he might
have been there to this moment. That was his (Sir
George S.'s) opinion. Then, if this had been a Cabinet
question, and the Administration had been broken up, he saw no
materials for forming another, but one who would be much
more hostile to this and all other Liberal questions which they
wished so successfully to terminate.

Mr. COBDEN rose to order. They were opposed to every
Administration that was not for a repeal of the Corn-laws ;
but they were not political.—( Hear, hear, and laughter. )
Sir GEORGE STRICKLAND was only considering it in a prac-
tical point of view, but had now finished his observations on that
part of the subject.—( Hear, hear.) There was only one other
point he wished to mention, and that was in reference to' what
fell from Col. Thompson. He thought Col. Thompson's obser-
vations were extremely important as to what ought to be their
conduct towards the landed interest, but more especially
towards the aoricultural labourers, though he was afraid there
had been a tregree of apathy, even among the manufacturing
labourers. They appeared not to understand their own in-
terests, but when it was shown to the manufacturing and the
agricultural labourers that this was a question of the bread-
Casket he thought they would turn ro ml and support. the Ant'-
Corn-law party.—(hear, hear.) He was happy to hear the
observations that hail fallen from Col. Thompson, who had
great experience on this subject, and he thought the agricul-
tural community was not sohastile to them as was supposed. For
his own part he could not believe the labouring classes could
have any feeling but one, that the free importation of the food
of life would tend greatly to their benefit.—( Cheers. )
Mr. WYNNE, of Wolverhampton, and Mr. VICKERS, of
Sheffield, addressed the Meeting, showing how greatly the
export of their manufactures had decreased.
Mr. RAWSON said that Sir Robert Peel, in reply to Mr.
Villiers' statement, respecting cotton hosiery, stated that the
average exports for the last seven years was 537,0001. per
annum, anti that the declared value of the exports for 1838
was 650,0001. Now he (Mr. Rawson) found from
" Bourne's Glance," which corresponded with various
statements he had seen elsewhere, that the exports in 1838 was
only 447,191 dozen, value 219,967/. Now, without being ac-
cused either if presumption or of that special pleading so
manifest in the Right Honourable Baronet's speech, he would
have drawn a very different inference from the Right Hon.
Baronet's facts, had they been correct, as it had been repeatedly
stated that th., pressure from our foreign rivals only became
intense In the year 1631 or 1833, before which time our ex-
ports had increased, in 1831, to 791,954 dozens, but which
had since decreased, in 1838, to 447,391 dozens, being
less in 1833 than in 1831 by 333,355 dozens.
Now they ought to have gone on increasing at a
per centage equal to the increase of population, and he thought
that if the Right Hon. Baronet called this a hopeful case, the
phrenologist would find that organ very much developed, if not
diseased, if all were true that had been stated.—( Laughter.)
He could state on the authority of Mr. Cobden, who received
the information from the largest manufacturer in Channitz,
named Hecher, that while we exported 447.391 dozens last
year, the Saxons exported 1,500,000. The fact was this branch
of our manufactures was almost in a state of hopeless decrepi-
tude; and Sir Robert Peel had shown that he was a much
better man at figures of speech than at figures of arithmetic.—
( Hear, and laughter. )
Mr. SMITH then vacated the Chair, and it was filled by Mr.
Stansfeld.

Mr. Wein slid he had now the pleasant task of proposing a
just tribute to one who had presided over them with so much
tact and urbanity.—( Cheers.) That gentlemen had risen in
his esteem every day since he first met him in Manchester. At
the close of the meeting there Mr. Smith said, " We shall meet
again." lie (Mr. Weir) echoed the words then-he echoed
them still.—(Hear, hear, hear.) They were defeated
now, but they only retired like broken waves, to re-
turn with greater force.—( Hear, hrar, hear.) lie begged
to move a vote of thanks to J. B. Smith, Esq. for his able
zcalo.ts, and impartial coeduct as Cha'rman of their meeting,
(Cheers.)
Mr. EWA ItT with the greatest plssible pl.asuro v.conded
the rei,Aution. While that. gentleman had conducted all their
proce,dings w!th the greatest skill an! urbanity, he had not
been deficient in th.t due de,otee of vigour without which all
their movements might have been in ‘aiti.—(Heay, he,r.)
He coagratulateJ the i. on the result of the debate, for he had
not spoken to a single Member 4,f the Ilouse of C mimoes w- to
had n's expre-sed his surprise at the large number wh,
voted in the min rty. They now stood well before the
country, and he felt convinced that they owed a great deal of
the advantages they had gained to the skill, zeal, and unabated
vigour accompanied by the greatest discretion of the gentleman
who had filled the chair.—( Hear, hear.) They must meet
again.---( Hear, hear.) Whether they met once, twice, or
thrice this he knees, that finally they would meet to triumph.—
( Cheers. )
The vote of thanks was carried with great applause.
Mr. SMITH returned thanks fer the kind expression of the
feelings of the gentlemen present. He had done_nothing more
than his duty, and he was determined to proceed with this
question till a total repeal of the Cora-laws and 'the pro-
vision-laws was obtained.—( Cheers.)
The meeting then broke up. 'Pr 110 f-Z s-mi t