The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-01 00:00:00

S,. tr

• , rerzer.
you have accomplished your great Ma, .711 is Ana, m one
sense, that there is no existing mode, by which man, woman,
or child, was taught or led to the trete, which dos not
claim to a certain extent a portion of leer tribut of praise.
Bat when that was done, it was still 'necessary that their •
efforts should be collected into certaizijeadiag channels,
which would convey your wishes to tgai4ipple nerves of
those whose duty it was to hear and to obey.--(Lond 'cheer.
ing.) I need not tell you that I point to the consti-
tuencies of the country. You are a constituency, but
you are not all. In speaking to you I speak to all,
and if I point backwards to the success that is passed
I also point forward to the success that will be needful
afterwards.—(Hear, hear.) If it does so happen that we do
not all separate, then, the study of what is gone by must be
our direction for the future. Remember, then, that so soon
as it becomes manifest, through the legitimate organs of
I power in this country, that the popular will has decided on
the great point on which we meet to speak this evening, the
question is decided. If one power will 'not grant what thee
popular will demands, another power will take its place and
do it. Have but the will, and if one power grant it not, it
will but hold forth an opportunity for another power to bid
higher. I can imagine many "things, which, with your
habits and opinions, you wish for the cessation of
as hurtful to the interests of the world, and most preju-
dicial to you comforts at some expenditure. Useless expen-
diture is the tree which corrupts your domestic happiness,
and you must and will lay the axo to the root of that tree
and in no long time, you must meet again to congratulate
each other on a second series, of which the first was but the
harbinger. Already your power is felt. What did I hear
last but that the effect of your economical habits is rising
upwards, and the Lords of the Admiralty are about to take
stock at Christmas.—(Hear, and laughter.) There is hope
in that I say; pay more, there is the certainty of success in
it. You have hardly shown yourselves,: and here you have
conquered—when you do show yourselves what demand will
you be obliged to stop at, that you may have retrenchment,
peace; for peace is the pledge of retrenchment, as war is the
great outlet of national expenditure. It is an old saying,
that to have peace we must be prepared for war. Well,
suppose I close with that sentiment. You want to be
prepared for, war. I have a principle which is not bran
new, but which has some novelty on this sub-
ject. Suppose it is a settled object that we must
prepare for war. Let us bear in mind, that in, the uncer-
tainty of all human events, we do not know but that at
some future time it may be necessary to make a great na-
tional exertion. What are we to do ? Look around at the
men—the conduct of your neighbours--to whom every man
can point, who have risen from small beginnings, till their
wealth now appears to have no end. How did they come ,
by it ? Not by spending every shilling as fast as they
got it.—(Cheers.) Not by borrowing at the pawnbrokers.—
(Great laughter and cheering.) No man ever heard of them
in these latitudes ; and what is funding by a natio i but tor..
rowing at the pawnbrokers.—(Lond. cheers.) What can
be more clear, if there be any analogy between' public
and private prudence, than that the way to be pre-
pared for war is not to spend all beforehand ?
Take the case of France. It is possible that a compact
of the despots of Europe might invade that country, and so
induce the same necessity for defence as in former times.
What then ? Are the people ofFrance to keep,themselves
prepared? No, the last thing we hear of them is that they
propose to reduce their army by 120,000 men. I congratu-
late them on the happiness which will fill 120,000 French
cottages when all these men come home.—(Lead cheering.)
What dancing and merrymaking there will be.' What
crop of honest popularity for the Government which shall do
this. And, would it not give them strength ? Would not
every man, each with two more by his side,
come forward again, if foreign invasion rendered it
necessary for the • service of their country ? Now, in
Heaven's name, if there is any prudence in this, do
leave us in this .country a few shillings to fructify in
our pockets.—(Loud cheers.) Yon have ways and means
which none know better than you, to make an
honest economy increase and multiply, if only you are al-
lowed a little in store, and why should the management of
the State be different from the management of our private
concerns? I believe that a sense of this truth has reached the
nations of Europe. Well, let us take the lead in this as we
have done in other questions—let us hazard a little, do not
wait till others step into, the front before you—but let us an-
nounce to the world that the people of England have asked
their Government, and that their Government did not refuse,
to take the lead in removing the greatest evil in the way of
human happiness.—(Cheers.) There is work before you.
There is agitation before it can be done; and what harm
will there be in you when agitation is done with you?—
(Cheers and laughter.) By some people that word agitation
is very unjustly treated; ter though there is a harmful and
injurious agitation, there is also a healthy agitation, which
is necessary to the existence of life. We have lived in agi-
tation all of us. It has brought no harm to us, nor to any-
body else, that we know of.—(Cheers and laughter.) Let
us go on then.. I hops we shall not be alarmed, though
we see some small symptoms of another agitation. Let us
endeavour to do our best to improve the constitution that
we may leave our posterity something to be grateful to our
memories for, as we have to the memories of those who pre-
ceded us. I propose that we should drink to the health of
those constituencies which have returned free-trade Mem-
hers to Parliament.—(Loud cheers.)
M. Beionr then came forward, and was warmly received.
He said—Amongst the thousands present for the purpose of
rejoicing over the final end of the corn-laws, he claimed to
be one of those who had so much reason to rejoice. He had
been looking back mentally to thirty-four years past, when
the position of this country was very different to what it was
at present. On the 17th of February, it:would be thirty.
four years since Lord Ripon offered to the House of Commons
resolutions of great consequence. One of those resolutions
asserted the desirability. of taxing corn ; and a Bill, founded
on that resolution, was introduced iu March ; two days after
it was brought in, and passed its second reading; and seven
days after it passed the House, with a hurry that the House of
Commons would not employ on a Bill affecting dogs in draw.
ing carts. In the course of twenty days it passed the Lords.
What was the object of that Bill? To raise the price of
corn to eighty shillings per quarter, and whenever it reached
that point. the country was in a state of confusion. It wag
tracing back that law they saw the great revolution they
had effected. He (Mr. Bright) conceived that the Corn Bill
of 1815 combined within itself all the tyrannies that Govern-
ments had exercised over the human race. The corn-law
was passed to make the consumers give a larger amount to
the proprietors of the soil than they bad a right to. How did
the proprietors of land look on the League? They locked
on the League with disgust, and when at dee moment
their possessions might have been wrested from them, were
it not for our victory, they were not thankful to the League.
Why? It was not until 1838 that population had so in-
creased, and that competition had become so sharp, that
combinations were formed, and in the following spring the
Anti Corn-law League was established.—(Cheers.) Within
the last week he had been looking over the first pamphlet of
the League, and in the first number there was developed
something like the programme of the whole thing. Mr.
Paulton was then lecturing gratuitously. That lecturing
was continued up to the sth of December, when he (Mr.
Bright) and Mr. Cobden read the celebrated article in the
Times, announcing Sir Robert-Peel's intefftion to repeal the
Corn-laws, which he had made great efforts previously to
sustain. Amongst other places to which Mr. Paulton wen
was Tamworth, but he was refused the use of the Town•
hall by the Mayor. The people of Tamworth are
extremeip cautious—( Cheers and laughter)—and the con-
sequence was no lecture could be given in Tamworth. He
hoped, however, that the people of Tamworth had since read
the lectures which had been delivered to them and to the
country, upon this subject, by their celebrated Member.
—( Hearty cheers.) The Hon. Gentleman referred to the
presence of two farmers on the platform (Mr. Hope and Mr.
Miller), and said that he wished that the land of the country
was at the disposal of the capital and skill of the country.—
(Great applause.) They did not speak of force during their
agitation, though he had been honoured by the notice of a
Noble Lord, who stated that they were dangerous
parties. He was listening to the Noble Lord when
he was reading a paper in the House—and, though
he did not wish to turn the Members out of that'
House, hi did wish that the people should.. be so repre-
sented as to control the House of Lords.—(Cle..ers.) When
meetings were held in this hall, and in Covent-garden
Theatre, the country became aroused to the necessity of corn-
law repeal, and without risking something worse, the Go-
vernment could not hesitate to turn round and repeal the
Act they had hitherto supported; they had no compromise,
the thing was a wicked pretence, and they demanded its
repeal, and it was granted without a compromise; there was
a complete capitulation; they marched out; the reason
of the people was triumphant, therefore it was complete.-
(Cheers.) What was to be done for the future? There was
nothing which they wished for that was unattainable, if the
same means were used.—(Cheers.) As a people we have
found out we have some power.—(Cheers.) We have dis-
covered we were not born with saddles on our backs,
and ;country yentlemen with spurs.—(Laughter.) We
have also found out that we can use and combine our powere.
He was anxious that the people should have an increasing'
intelligence, to show them how to use ..wer.—(Cheers.).
There was a revolution taking place in 'entry which
was bloodless, but would the Czovernm • _aril from the
past? He believed that Government wo not learn.--
(Cheers.) Their Government would not learn as long as they
were irresponsible to the people.—(Cheers.) For thirty
years they allowed the corn-laws to exist, and the result hal
been to spread democratic feeling, and the people were look_
ing at the Government with a different feeling from 71:sr
it would, had these laws never been passed. Het with
Bright) Bright) yished he could look upon the Government
of
respect. Look at the House of Lords.
of Richmond was one of its ornaments,inabtnito rim
it not humiliating to see that House Pas,'_inrgs.ra From th
the Bill repealing the corn-laws.--( "
aCtoeea new era. Mir.'"
night he (Mr. Bright) looked
pcnipnnoiral:praliop)os:angr.
tßhrei g
chht
hisaladnmd
;anbyutdtishaesrteerwsaast
co
nommpee
; political action in the
I:liscussed, and he trusted that
11 this in the iudi'e
cations which existed of
condition of
stoehfrufrilendedtheovemeBriSt
pcouunblitcryq.
--(uestiljoPnarcsaLLit be the of would be useful for the
s thefet
healthy
dr
what they had learned r%rnoryjotilesgt,wo,gooodditoouswchorien-hlawwe wee
A UP
mo
otroabuttalynan,il
future; and whilst
.th
about to expire
member that there w
seek to be successful,
e
-law struggle."
aspire and • it by these means whi
we labour to o
religion sanctioned.—( concluded by
whilicand oenaettttim.see.nativin.ocaltweede.
Wellingtonvas to give sing n
tD9uke.ofe
prey
wri.sittio.bnAfateeladissotnue.th—i.d;:nAtrue,
trad-
ing and commercial classes, and to make them
the possessors of
scale, to keep down
the the land a position in the social
ofgi
vEen giltanad
higherhad been
positiont o elevate
i—ntChehe e r 8
the aristocracy and to agriculture. secondary to
teeihart.thth 3111eatobthjeec
the landed interest,
might sell beef and bread andhav conn)tx7l.leAwmhoutle
aPendlicto
of the country, but if he sold c a place in the Government
calicoes or dealt in clothing he
was not to be trusted. The repeal of the corn-laws was a
the spirit of feudalism.—(Cheers.) Ho (Mr.
Gibson) was of opinion
that free-trade would promote peace,
and. show: to the world that they had: confidence in their
principles, they should reduce the expenses of their fighting
establishments, which weighed so heavily upon them.—
(Cheers.) The Right Hon. Gentleman concluded by pro.
posing " The Agricultural, Commercial, and Manufacturing
Interests," whose welfare is beat promoted by the removal of
all legislative restrictions.— (Cheers.)
Mr. Horn, of Fenton Barnes, was Milled upon, and re-.
sponded in a brief speech. (This gentliman, at a few mi-
nutes to twelve o'clock, concluded his observations, and at
their close a party of singers, who were stationed in the gal•
lery, sang Mackay's celebrated song, " There's a good time
coming, boys." That time had come, protection had ceased ;
and he proposed that they should show their appreciation of
it Ify giving three tremendous cheers.
The call of the Chairman was, as twelve o'clock strue!c(:
responded to in the most enthusiastic manner. The
company rose en masse and cheered most vociferously for
several minutes, hats and handkerchiefs were waving, and
the cheering was again, and again renewed. At the conclu-
sion of the cheering, Mr. George Thompson addressed a few
observations to the meeting, and the proceedings terminated
at half-past twelve o'clock. •
M ,td Yv ident of the Caul

he resident ol .ue
-arquis of Lansdowne (Loi
cil) gave a fuli dress dinaer yesterday, at Lansdoune Rouse.
to the mover and seconder of the address in the House of
Lords, several of the Cabinet Ministers and Officer§ of but.
of tha QLloeleo jdougehplda alaci a party of Pen&

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