The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-18 00:00:00

KENDAL ANTI-CORN-LAW

ASSOCIATION.

(From the .Kendal Mercury.)
The Council of this Association have had several meet-
ings since our last. On Friday, the Bth inst., they p
a resolution expressive of the deep regret aod
G. IndW.
ig-
nation with which they had read ;he speech at t.
Wood, Esq., on seconding the Address to the Throt...e, be-
Wood,
that it was calculated to mislead the House as to the
ass.ed
real state of the manufactures of this country, and had 0.1;
posed the Anti- Corn.law cause to serious detriment; •
and a copy of the resolution was directed to be forwarded
to G. W. Wood, Esq. A letter was received from Mr.
Wood, in the following terms, addressed to the Secre-
taries

Westminster Feb. 12, 1839.
DEAR regret much to learn, Westminster,
your letter of
the sth instant, and the accompanying resolutions of the
Executive Council of your Association, that the remarks
which I made on the general trade of the country, on se-
conding the Address to the Throne, on the first day of
the Session, are considered to have exposed to detriment
an object which they are endeavouring so earnestly and so
properly to promote.
It would indeed be unfortunate if such were the case,
and I should feel it a matter of great personal mortifica-
tion as well, inasmuch as I go heartily along with your.
Association in desiring to see their object realised, and
have been endeavouring to contribute to its progress, for
the last three months, to the utmost of my power.
Dexterous use was made in the debate of the WO t°,
which I referred, to raise an argument to the prejudice of
our cause, and the public announcement made by Sir 172.
Peel, that night for the first time, of an opinion on his po,
that the Corn-laws should not be interfered with, was el'"
culated to produce, and did produce, the expression of grC
satisfaction on the part of those Members, connected with
land, who intend to resist repeal or change.
The circumstance has been made to recoil on myself,
in
my opinion, somewhat unfairly, by some of my Lancashire
friends, inasmuch as the general truth of what I said on
the trade of the country has not been challenged, and the
circumstances themselves are of too much importance, and
too obvious notoriety, not to have been pressed into the
discussion, whether alluded to by myself or not.
The remark made to me, at the meeting of the Dele-
gates on Saturday, when I was speaking to them on the
subject, was, that the statements I made were correct, but
that there was an important omission, in my not haring
commented on the nature of each class of exports, on which
the apparent increase in quantity, in 1838, bad arisen.
I endeavoured, in addressing the House last night, to
remedy this alleged omission, and with regard to negl
ing it on the night of the Address, I think it will be 012°
visa's, that when speaking as seconder of the Address, de-
tailed commentary, on that occasion, would have bee
viewed by the House as out of place, and not strictly) ew'
fisble, and that it would therefore scarcely have been SO'
viceable to us.
The details which I did furnish, exhibited the real fee"
of the case, to those familiar with such subjects.
A further circumstance is, that the Corn-laws would
of
themselves come, in a very few days, under the particular
eiscussion of the House, which made it inexpedient, t°
my mind, to endeavour to force them, at a dibadvantagef
Into imperfect and premature discussion that nights „
Should it be the pleasure of the Executive Council
entrust their petition to my care, I shall be gratified an.,
honoured by the circumstance, but whether they thiok
proper to do this cr not, they may rely on its prayer receiv
ing my support, and on my best endeavours, at all tittle*
to promote and insure success.
I am, respectfully, dear Sir s,
Your obedient humble Servant,
GEO. WM. WOOD.
Another meeting was held on Wednesday eveningl...aali
to take into consideration the explanation offered by tvil.
Wood on bririOng forward his motion on Monday evening'
The Mayor occupied the Chair. The explanation of Mr.
Wood was deemed satisfactory by a majority of the Cna°-
cil, and it was moved by Mr. Wilson, and seconded by Mr.
Ycates, that the petition be forwarded to him. 01.
1,
Hawkes moved, and Mr. Samuel Rhodes seconded, that
be sent to Mr. Villiers. The motion was ultimately ear;
by a majority of ten against four. Mr. Hawkes the,
announced his intention of moving that the signatures Le;
these of the working men and electors who joined in wr
vote of Saturday evening, should be erased. The Mayor
thought ;t was not competent to him to entertain suc'w
motion, and it was withdrawn. The petition, which bas
received 2,666 signatures, and is about seventeen yards
long, was sent off on Thursday.