The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-27 00:00:00

STATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR
THE PROTECTION OF BRITISH INDUSTRY
AND CAPITAL. . .
A public meeting of persOns connected with the agri-
`'' cultural, commercial, colonial, manufacturing, mining,
and shipping interests, who are favourable to the prin-
ciple of moderate, jest, and equal protection to every
interest of the state, was held yesterday in Drury-lane
Theatre. The meeting was convened for twelve
o'clock, but at that time there was but a very
poor attendance indeed. The pit was partially filled,
so was the centre of the second tier of boxes, and
the front of the lower gallery, but the dress
circle and other portions of this magnificent theatre
presented a beggarly account of empty benches. A very
showy platform, covered with crimson cloth, ornamented
• with gold lace, was erected on the stage, while the noble
personages who graced it with their presence were ac-
commodated with some of the gaudy property ch airs which
one sees intryluced into the banquetting scenes of dra-
matic reptesentations. The platform was surrounded by a
numerous body of farmer-looking individuals who did
the applauding part of the business in right good ear-
nest, and were most vigilant in seizing upon every point
that aold in favour of protection and high-priced corn.
The whole scene, however, formed a somewhat damag-
ing contrast to the crowded and excited state of the
'masa that always characterised the meetings
of the Anti-Corn-law League, though it must
be admitted that the parties who made up the
majority of the audience to-day carried with them
$ more comfortable and well to-de appearance, indi-
cating anything but the ruin and distress which they
allege that the successful efforts of their rivals
have brought upon them. At one o'clock the Duke of
Richmond, K.G., took the chair, amidst much applause,
the meeting in the meanwhile having been considerably
augmented, but still, though numerous and respectable, it
scarcely did more than partially fill the theatre. Amongst
the influential persons present were observed the Mar-
quis of Downshire, Lord Redesdale, the Earl of Malmes-
bury, the Earl of Eglinton, Earl Talbot, Earl. Stanhope,
Sir John Tyrell, Bare, M.P., Major Beresfurd, M.P.,
R. Spooner, Esq., M.P., Alderman Sidney, M.P., the
ilarquis of Grassy, and Hon. C. Cavendish, M.P. There
were also aboa half-a-dozen ladies present, and two in-
dividuals in smock frocks were observed in the pit, but
they looked more like dressed-up coalheavers than farm
labourers.
The CEAIRCtAN, in opening the business of the day,
regretted that the chair was not filled by a more able
man; Rho although he had been recently suffering from
indisposition, he felt that he should have been wanting
in his duty to his Sovereign and his country if he had
neglected to attend, and given their opponents
an opportunity of saying that he was luke-
warm in the cause.—(Cheers.) He did not ad-
vocate protection for one class only—he would
have it extended to all, and he was glad to find that the
operatives and industrious masses of tho country began
to think that they were so tar interested in this reac-
tionary movement that it would restore to them labour
which a ruinous policy had transferred to the foreigner.
—(Cheers.) Having said thus much, it only remained
for him to explain the objects of this meeting.—(Hear.)
No doubt the majority of his hearers were aware that a
large and influential meeting was held a short while ago
in the Hall of Commerce, at which a report had been
drawn up, and the present meeting had been convened
to adopt• and approve of that report.—(Hear.)
- The Secretary of the National Association for the
Protection of British Industry and Capital, by
whom the meeting had been called together, then
read the report, but its length seemed to be too much
for the strength of his lungs, and the voice and services
of Air. Higgs, the well-known toastmaster, had to be
called into requisition to put the meeting in possession
of some of the information it contained. The report
itself was a very voluminous affair, but as the intro-
duction disclosed the real objects of the association,
it will be enough to give ifs spirit. It denounced
free trade as a mockery, a delusion, and a snare, and ex-
plained that the eterticns of the association would be
directed towards restoring a moderate system of pro-
tection. Already the movement had produced results
far exceeding the Most sanguine expectations of the-
managing committee, tend they argued from this their la-
bours would be ultimately attended with complete success.
To give effect to these:, objticte it was proposed to
concentrate in the reetinpolig—ifie vast but scattered
power of individuals resident in all parts of the United
Kingdom and the British Colonies, connected with
the-agricultural, colonial, commercial, manufacturing,
trading, mining, and maritime interests, who are
favourable to the principle of such protection
To apply .the power so centraized, to dissemina-
ting sound information on the controverted ques-
tions of free trade and protection ' • and to opposing,
by every constitutional and legitimate means,
the organized efforts of free-traders. A list of
noblemen and gentlemen who had promised to support
the movement was read and received with considerable
manifestations of pleasure. The names of the Noble
Chairman, Mr. Disraeli, and Lord Stanley in particular
were greeted with tremendous cheers.
The Earl of MALMESBURY then presented himself as
the mover of the first resolution, adopting and ap-
proving the report. After adverting to the Pro-
tectionist pledges given by Sir Robert Peel,
on taking office in 1841, the Noble Earl went on to re-
late the events which led to the dowufal of the corn.
laws. Only three months before that cceurrence Sir
R. Peel pledged himself to support these laws; so bad the
young men whom he had tutored as politicians, and whom
he lead raised to office, and yet those young men, in a
brief space after their return to Parlia:n,mt to support
protection, consented to a measure, while in Cabinet
C )uncil assembled, wllich was to strike a disastrous
blow at one of the greatest interests of the nation, and
destroy at one fell swoop the honour of public men. He
did not blame spy man who refused to remain ever
pledged to mtottrs of detail; but what he denounced
Sir Robert Peel and' his party for was, for nol
being obstinate on a question of principle.—(Cheers.)
Everything theds-ite and others had predicted would re-
sult from tne repeal of the corn-laws had come to pass.
The poor had sunk deeper into poverty; the farmer,
who in one year sowed his wheat under one law, and
reaped it under another, was c n the verge of ruin,
and imminent and exam! distress had begun to
exhibit itself amongst all classes of the community. In
proof of this he need only mention one fact. The poor-
rates had increased this year 700,0001., and this too under
a law which was to secure the country cheap bread. Tho
cry of the free-traders was—" Drive everything down;
make everything as cheap as possible;" but though that
might be a good principle to go upon for a young
republic, it was madness to apply it to an ancient
monarchy with a fixed debt which required 28,000,0001. a
year to pay the interest of. The practice of this country
at one period was to make the foreigners pay as much as
possible, and he still held that to be the best
principle to go upon. Now, if the present system were
continued, one of two things must be done ; either they
must reduce the expenditure of the country 40 per
cent., or the interest of the public creditor 20 per cent.
Was there a man present, or in the country, who could
lay his hand on his heart and say that reductions in the
army or the navy could be safely made ? Do that, and
depend upon it the streets of Eegli,h towns would
not long be undisturbed by the jingling echoes
of foreign spears and sabres ; while, on the
other hand, reduce the interest of the public creditor,
and what would became of the much-lauded English
honour? An yet, with their West Indian colonies de-
stroyed; with the commercial navy of the country falling
to decay,end the royal navy sinking in its supremacy,
something must be defile to stop the presentdownward ten-
deuoy of the Governmee tof the country, or a nation which
boasted of being greater oven than the Rennin empire
itself, which was acknowledged to be the cradle of liberty,
the palace of civilization, and the home of affluence
and comfort, would become a ghastly spectacle of misery
and starvati m.—(Cheers.)
Major IiERE3iORD, in seconding the resolution, de-
clared himtelf to be the representative of the farmers of
Essex, and he could assure the meeting that to a man
they were suffering from the baneful effects of free trade.
The time, therefore, had arrived when they must go to
work in earnest. The shipping interest of the country
had joined them; so had the West India colonists, and
they had only to gain over the commercial and shop
keeping interest to insure the recovery of regenerate
England. —(Hear, hear.)
The resolution was then put from the chair, and de-
clared to be carried unanimously, although some few
hands were held up against it, and a voice complained
that the meeting would cot hear any one speak against it.
The Marquis of DOWNSHIRE moved the second resolu-
tion as follows:
" That the agriculturists of England and the
labourers they employ are at this moment involved in
the
greatest difficulty and distress, while in Ireland the
condition of the population
beenpulat caused in Englandionisre.roltin
to humanity;
that these evils has
Wethhe in-
discriminate admission of torte produce,
t
e
also greatly aggravated the miseries and 'distresseshaosf
Ireland; and that unless just protection be atan-aea
against the competition of countries comparatively un-
taxed, the ruin of the present race of Euglish farmers,
and the destitution of the agricultural labourers, are
in-
evitable,
nor will it be possible that Ireland can be re
covered from her present deplorable condition."
He had no sympathy, he said, for such men as Sir Ro
bert Peel, nor had he ever taken of the Right Honour,
able Baronet's " hell broth."—(Laughter.) Sir Robert
Peel's conduct was too disgusting fur him to have pa-
tience to discuss it. His advice, however, was, at the next
general election, to send the supporters of Sir Robert
reel and the Whigs to the right-about.—(Cheers.)
Mr. JOHN ELLMAN, of Lendpert, Lewes, Sussex,
seconded the resolution, and said Government would be
made aware of the prevailing distress in his part of the
country, when they attempted to collect the hop duties.
In his pert of the country 12,0001. was invested in a farm
just prior to the repeal of the corn-la as, and upon the
faith of Sir Robert Peel's pledges in 1841 and 1842
which hadlteen depreciated by the free-trade policy One-
third, as at the present moment the farm would not fetch
8,0001. It was ridiculous to tall him, as the Duke of
E4ford had told ono of his tenants, that the landlord
would take the fermi off the purchaser's hands at the
ori4ical pries. The man who made use of such subter-
fuge s as that to support free trade was unworthy of
respect, for it was uttt rly impassible that he couhld restore
Lis tenant to tile Position he held on entering‘
Captain HYRAX supported the reslutons, aindrarm
ridi-
culed the idea that anything like a wise or a sound po
-
licy could be expected from the Manchester
who
had had the hardihood to stigmatise the British school,farmertishk
sailor as a fool, and denounce the Britishh
baioliolordas a
awash d
and degraded sot. His very
bloodland and ploulighe-aerr,obfweatrbeh.n3
he heard the tiller of the
e
boundless waves vilified in this way,—(
Too often had he seen the British sailor
battling against the elements and shedding his blood
in defence othhis country, and he had no hesitation in
giviiig the lie to those who dared to call him a drunken
and degraded sot. The Legislature, who ought to be
their protectors entertained but a very low opinion of
the yeomanry of the country. L4i1.713:i and the eke.