The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-22 00:00:00

TilE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 1841.

THE WEATHER.

ROYAL GALLERY OF SCIENCE, ADELAIDE-

STREET.

NOON, JAN. 22
30.45 In.

WALSALL ELECTION.

(Faom the Auti-Cro n-faro Circular.)
The movement of the League at Walsall has called
do 1M upon it, as was anticipated, censures both loud
and deep, from parties whose interests arc, or who think
their interests are, likely to be injured by it. The an-
nouncement of Mr. Lyttleton's retiring from the con-
test was received on the part of the leading Ministerial
organs with a
yell of execration against the League.
They have since assumed a tone of greater forbearance,
without desisting, however,
from hints, that although
the League may
be spared now, a rod is in pickle
which may be laid,on in time ; but the minor provincial
Ministerial organs are still busy, either calumniating
and denouncing the Leante, or seeking to undermine it
in the esteem and good-swill of its more wealthy and in-
fluential members.
We repeat, that all this anger and hostility, covert
and avowed, was anticipated, and that therefor. it can
neither move our temper nor shake our resolution.
The determination on the part of the League to take
up a course of independent action, to move right on-
ward to the attainment of its great end, regardless
what effect its policy might have upon the relative
strength of political parties, was the result of pro-
tracted and anxious deliberation. It was adcpted
after a careful scrutiny of every argument for and
against. It was not adopted in anger. For the
Conservative party in Parliament, which has hitherto
been opposed to them to a man, the League could
have no predcliction ; for the Conservative party out
of doors, many of t%hom co-operate with them, they
entertained no hostility ; feeling but a desire to convert
them all. To those Liberal statesmen who have sup-
ported them they were, and are grateful; but in the
phalanx of Ministerial supporters, and in Ministers
themselves, experience had taught them to repose no
confidence. We will not affect to deny that the equi-
vocation of many Ministerial Whigs, and the superciious
scorn of the Premier, have at times moved the delegates
of the League to anger ; they are men, and must feel
as men. But the resolution which they have again and
again announced, to pursue their immediate object,
leaving political parties to sink or swim, was adopted
after the transient ebullition of passion had passed away.
It was adopted as any other resolution tending to for-
ward the views of any other Association, (Railroad
Company, Joint Stock Bank, or the like), without the
slightest vindictive feeling towards any man or set of
men.

We refer to the discussion raised by the proceedings
of the Walsall election as proof that the League are
carrying their resolution into effect in the same dis-
position of mind that animated them when they adopted
it. Mr. Lyttelton refused to cooperate with them,
and therefore they opposed him. Mr. Gladstone vil-
lifies and misrepresents them, and therefore they repay
his scorn and hatred with scorn and hatred as deep and
lasting as his own. But they have neither assailed
nor lent their influence to any party in the State. They
have shown their readiness to support the candidate
who would actively befriend them, totally disregarding his
ulterior connections. Above all, they have afforded
no ground for complaint to Ministers. If circumstances
have convinced them that it is not to Ministers but their
own exertions that they are to look for the repeal of the
Corn-laws, they have not set about their work by trying
to elevate themselves to the rank of a political party, and
make or unmake Ministers. They made their first over-
ture to the Ministerial candidate. When repulsed by
him, they confined their opposition to him, and did
not extend their hostility to his party. They have
continued to advocate their cause as simply anti-Corn-
law, not as anti-Ministerial, notwithstanding the obloquy
and railing, and the more dangerous, insidious attempts
to break up the League, with which they have been
visited on the part of the Ministerial organs.
The railing accusations brought against the League
on this occasion rest mainly upon three assumptions :-
Ist. That Mr. Lyttelton was a Liberal. 2d. That
Mr. Lyttelton, had not the League interfered, was cer-
tain of success. 3d. That the League ought to have
had a candidate ready to aet up before it despatched
a deputation to Walsall. We will review these assump-
tions aeriatim.

Ist. Mr. Lyttelton, it is said, is a Liberal. What is
the meaning of the phrase? It is easy for any man to
say, " I am a Liberal ;" and if unreasoning adhesion
to a party in office, supported by those Members of
Parliament called " Liberal" for want of a more accu-
rately descriptive epithet, be sufficient evidence of libe-
rality, it is equally easy to prove the assertion. Now
we have our definition of the word liberal. That man
is liberal who will assist us in procuring a sufficiency of
food for the people—anybody opposing us, whatever he
may call himself, is illiberal.
2d. " But for the interference of the Anti-Corn-
law League Mr. Lyttelton was sure to be returned."
This is untrue, and was never asserted, even by Mr.
Lyttelton's friends, until he bad withdrawn from the
contest, and thus rendered it impossible to prove the
contrary. Let Mr. Lyttelton speak for. himself. In
his retiring address he says, " I regret to say, that
in many instances where I had every reason to expect
prompt and cordial support, 1 have met with either
lukewarm neutrality, or decided opposition." It is
after this unqualified confession that he proceeds to
say, " in addition to these discouraging circum-
stances I have had to encounter the avowed hostility
of the agents of the Anti-Corn•law League." We
pass over the unwarrantable misrepresentation of the
League contained in the sentence from which our
last quotation is extracted ; it is enough for our pre-
sent purpose to have shown that, even before the
League came into the field, Mr. Lyttelton had reason
to
.distrust his prospects. It was not until after Mr.
Lyttelton had withdrawn that his paid lawyer ven-
tured to insinuate that his prospects of success were
good ; for Mr. Bolton's letter to the Morning Chro-
nicle dues not go the length of asserting that his re-
turn was secure. It is only the partisan commenta-
tors upon Mr. Bolton's letter in the newspapers who
go the length of making that round assertion. We
do not hesitate to affirm that. Mr. Smith has received
more pledges of support than Mr. Lyttelton had, or
could have received, had he been left to oppose Mr.
Gladstone without interference. Add this consideration
—that Mr. Smith is supported, after the most frank
and explicit declaration of his opinions, and because of
that frank and explicit declaration ; whil:t' Mr. Lyttel-
ton was supported by many who disapproved of his
views, not on account of their willingness to keep their
differences in abeyance, but because his views had been
kept concealed from them.
3d. " The League ought to have bad a candidate ready
to put up before they interfered. This is the language
of pro!essional or trading politicians, and in their mouths
it is not unnatural ; but it proceeds from a total mis-
conception of the objects of the League and the character
of its members. We use the phrase "professional or
trading politicians" without any intention to insinuate
disrespect. A class in society, the business of whose lives
is politics—that is, legislation and administration—is as
necessary as a class of lawyers, of teachers, or the like. It
is of such that the parties of the Government and of the
opposition, which must always exist in representa-
tive constitutions, are composed. The business of
professional politicians, of either party, is to persuade
the constituencies, by giving them a majority in the
Legislature, to place them in office, and when they are
in office, to manage the public business of the country
as well as they can. We do not question the talents,
the sincerity of professional politicians ; we admit the
necessity and propriety of availing themselves of every
vacancy in the representation to endeavour to gain the
scat for one of their party, but in addition we contend
for the right of the constituencies to say to one or other,
or both perties of professional politicians, " We have
no confidence in you ; we will not vote for one of you
until he promises, besides supporting his party, to do
us this or that piece of service." The Anti-Corn-law
League consists of constituents ; there is not one pro-
fessional politician among its active members. The
Anti-Corn-law League is of no party ; it does
not take upon it to set up candidates, except in
cases of stringent necessity ; it leaves that to the
professional politicians, who arc always ready enough
to produce candidates. Menenius, a favourable
specimen of that aristocracy which in all
societies seeks to arrogate to itself exlusively
the profession of politicians, called the malcon-
tents of Rome " The belly ;" the Anti-Corn- Law
League
to be called, they arc the
accept the metaphorical designation ; they arc
contented
party of the belly.
Their cry is, eve must eat ; repeal those laws which
prevent
our earning an honest subsistence ; we pref. r
some ru'ers to eau?, but the differ( nee between them all
is as nothing to our craving for food." The eating interest
is in the field, not as candidates for senatorial honours,
but determined to support no politician who will not
leave industry free to eat its dear-bought meal in the
sweat of his bow. We are constituents, not legislators.
Our policy is not to ask admission for ourselves into the
Legislature, but by our independent position to force
from those who are ambitious of getting there the advo-
cacy of our claims. We leave to the professional poli-
ticians the setting up of candidates ; but we are no longer
to be wheedled into supporting them by fine words ; we
want something to cat. There are many other good
things a good Government can do for us, but not if we
arc starved while it is doing them. The eating ques-
tion the Only one which admits of
no
delay. is
We, the head and hand labourers of the
country, arc determined to do the work of professional
p
oliticians • ions no longer without food ; we have made an
" Eating Union," and have made a strike. We do not
set up a third party of professional politicians ; but if a
the first in order ;
third party think of setting up for itself, it should have
our support if it zealously and sincerely aid us in our
efforts to get bread. Oa these grounds we say that
our accusers would have had no right to complain even
though the League had brought forward no candidate
for Walsall. The League is not a league of statesmen
but of constituents. True statesmen, instead of railing
at it, would avail themselves of this new element of pub.
lie opinion to work out good for the country.
On these grounds we rest the defence of the move
rnent made by the Anti-Corn-law League at Walsall.
They heve driven no Liberal from the field ; they have
not driven a candidate secure Of his election from the
field; in bringing forward a candidate who has better

prospects
of SUCCCS than the re,ired candidate, they hay.
done more than any person was entitled to ask o` them.
We have de:elt at this length upon the particulars of
the Walsall election, although, for our own parts, we
do not think that failure there ought in the least
to detract from the public confidence reposed in the
League. Ail that. the Leegue was bound to do in its
electoral agitation was, to urge upon electors en every
occasion the propriety of supporting no candidate of
any party who refused to pledge themselves to the
total and immediate repeal of the bread-tax. Seeing
that the electors of Walsall seemed in danger of neg
lecting this duty, the League sent a deputation to
remonstrate with them. Finding the electors sincere
in their desire to lend their influence to oppose the
bread tax, the League co-operated with them in their
search fur a proper candidate ; and one having been
found, the lecturers arc aiding in the canvass. All this
the League had a right to do ; was in consistency bound
to do. The League has done its duty : it is not re-
sponsible for events which are beyond its control. Our
actions are our own, and for these we are responsible ;
events are in the hand of Providence, and for those
we arc not responsible. La the result of the Walsall
election what it may, the League will persevere in the
' course of policy they have adopted. Whenever the
interfere in an election, and their interference will be
limited only by their power, it will be with a view to
enforce a pledge for total and immediate abolition of
the Corn-law. From this declaration it will be seen
that we do not seek even in our present situation to
conciliate support by affecting a wavering in our reso-
lution which we do not Wel : neither do we provoke
opposition by expressions of vindictiveness which are
alike alien to our feelings. Our course is prompted
and directed by stern apathetic convictions, that it is
our duty to act thus. Our motive rises above the low
region of personal hostility or partisanship. We have
a task to discharge which forbids our giving car to the
whispers of liking or disliking.
Our avowal is made. If any political party finds in
us opposition, it must be because it insists upon march-
ing over us. If any who have hitherto acted along with
us listen to the insinuations of enemies, and dissent,
we cannot help it. We have got hold of a principle
which we know to he true, and we know that princi•
pies are eternal, while the wishes and pursuits o! men
arc eternally changing. George Canning declared that
he would oppose Reform to the uttermost. The wave
of ItutOrm has swept over George Canning's grave.
So with our cause. It will triumph and endure when
Peel and Melbourne, and their protty conflicts, are
forgotten.

No hostility, no breaching, will draw us from the
path upon which we have entered. Wc are supported
by conscious rectitude, and by the approbation of those
whose good opinion we value. We speak not merely
of those who are, like ourselves, constituents merely—
we speak of statesmen, in the strictest sense of the
word. As a specimen of the encouragement wy,e meet
with, we subjoin a letter which we have received from
a gentleman, universally acknowledged to possess a
high intellect, as extensive accomplishments, and as un-
bending integrity as any in Parliament—be the other
who he may. We may add, (what will with some be
a better recommendation,) that he gcnerally votes with
Ministers :
" I know not whether it is the Manchester Anti-Corn-
law League or not that has started our friend Mr. Smith
for Walsall, but I hope that the League has the credit of
doing so, for there never was a more politic step. The
penny postage was won by such tactics. It is the true
way to make both parties, as well Tory as Whig, wince
under the pressure of this question, whenever they arc so
nearly balanced that Corn-law repealers can step in and
turn the scale between them. The uffict will be to mako
the Whigs inquire of every candidate they start for any
future borough vacancy whether he will pledge himself to
support the repeal of the Corn-laws or not. Whenever a
vacancy occurs, and these tactics are available, they should
be brought to play. It is the only way to give import-
ance to the repealers."