The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-20 00:00:00

Ito-

MORNING EDITION

-.. .
z:ETING AT MANCHESTER, -7---'dtheyh 4 (Abridged from the Manchester Guardian.) , ' state a made bad debts to the amount of 6,2501;
CORN, SUGAR, AND TIMBER DI.. TIM, • —(Hear)--50 'others in Newtown 'district, 6,2451.
dred firms a
A requisit.
id on; signed by no fewer than thirteen -10 - (Hear)-50 others in Deansgate had made bad debts to
individuals, merchants, banhofe, traders, the anintint of 5,0511. ; and 50 others in the neighbour-
, last
otherv,eeic inhabitants of the borougls hood of Portland-street, had made bad debts to the
hi presented to the 35. hi of-Manchester, was amount of 6,118/. So that these 260 provision-dealers had
made bad debts to the amount of 23,644/. When they saw
questine- or of Manchester, re-
bita t• 19 t° cenr•-ne a public *meeting of the inha- this,and looked on the enormous tax paid to the landlords,
nS of this ). ' - let every one make it his business to do what he could
th,eir wsint sorough, for the purpose of expressing
for the repeal of these laws. His firm conviction was,
- ketisY• '" 4t the present crisis. In the course of
- - srit Was generally known that the Chartists, as that if we had the repeal of the Corn-laws we should
vltentl, had determined to muster all their force, with a then have prosperity in this manufacturing district ; and
W of
defeating the object of 'the meeting ; and that that it would also benefit those who at present could not
they had resolved upon attempting to place one of their see that the agricultural and commercial interest must
as
vn party in the chair. Chartist placards were posted rise or fall together. -
on
the walls, and carried by men through the streets of Sir T. PeerrEa said, having taken an active part in
the. borough headed "Beware of Whig treachery." It this investigation, stated' by his friend Mr. Kershaw, he
on' " the men or Manchester" to be at their posts; could vouch that it was true.—(Cries of "We know it.")
jet their motto be, " The Charter and no surrender ; He could assure them there were 2,000 families that
Ron, down with the Whigs !" had not a bed to lie' on ; and they might depend on
~_The meeting was held yesterday at the appointed this statement.
hour 1 but the requisitionists were admitted by ticket, The MAYOR. then put the resolution, which passed
1n a quarter past ten o'clock, for the purpose of hold- almost unanimously, there being only six hands held up
ing a meeting to consider the resolutions to be proposed ' against it. '
Mr. T. BAZLEY, jun., moved the third resolution.
at the public meeting—an admirable precaution against
the violence of the Chartists in taking the chair by force. Ministers had proposed changes of a very moderate
Precisely at eleven o'clock, by order of the Mayor, the character ; but, as far as they went,' we might venture
doors were thrown open, and the Mayor, WILLIAM
to approve of them, and be thankful that at last sound
,s,
41EILD, Esq.
having taken the chair, amidst loud and principles were recognised by Ministers of State in both
mcontinued applause, said that, in compliance with the Houses of Parliament. He confessed that his sympa•
thies and expectations were with the present MiniSters,
ost numerously signed requisition ever presented to the
_authorities of Manchester, he had convened this meeting and not with that political party who had enacted the
in.Pon a subject of the greatest importance to every one of obnoiious laws we were now met to oppose.—(Ap-
-4f a subject that perhaps could scarcely be surpassed in plause.) The time of the Legislature had been con-
111Portance by 3 any that could be brought before us. He sumed in party conflicts and petty struggles, and the
had taken the chair, according to the power vested in great class interests had been paramount, while the great
body of the people had been held in slavish subjection.—
s!°' by law—(Hear)—he wished to allow fair and free
eiseas • (Hear, hear.) That was an astounding fact, that these
s sion.—(Hear, hear.)
, gr. Alderman KAY moved the first resolution. He said class-sections taxed us to a greater extent' than Govern-
he was .meat did for the exigencies of the State.—(Hear, hear.)
w as not there on the present occasion to say that we
We were, compelled to pay for. our food and our colonial
were obliged to the Ministry for having brought these
producefrom 50. to• 100, per cent. more than we could
Questions before us ; because he was one of those ,
these
thought that Ministers. ought to have propounded obtain these comforts of life for in the, open markets of
the world—(Hear)—while, ,s we were the cheapest
Inuese questions much earliei•—•(Hear, hear)—and that
" was the people 1 • who could settle this
aonequestion, producing manufacturers on the face of the earth, we sell
whenever it was to 'be decided ; and that if the people to others our labour at a cheaper rate than they could
*are wanting to themselves 'on occasions like the Obtain our produce for in any other quarter. Was it
. and they and their
present, when assembled for the purpose of carrying the juste then, that our working daSseS should continue' to
Voice of thousands, ay, of millions, to the `places where
be placed in that state of thraldom,
tlllose abominable laws Might to be altered, they had only families starve while capital was daily decreasing ?-•
"
ernselvesto blame if they let theSe oppoitunities pass. (Cries of No, no.")
,He observed that in the House of
legislation
Ile .observed in the whole course of the , Lords, Lord Ashburton had declared that protection was
'segislation of this country, one course was steadily par- a kind of component part of the 'British Constitution ;
and that from the. time of the Norman conquest to the
:led by the viz., to benefit themselves at the
Present moment, protection had been the rule 'of the
expense of all other classes of the community, and to be P
theyenireis
s regardless of the misery, destitution, and want Legislature.—(Hear.) Now, he would tell his Lordship
that the. Normans robbed our Saxon forefathers of the
had forced on the people, provided they could get
soil—(Hear)—and • that the menials of an adventurer
into their own pockets- for their own purposes the large
became the lords of the land • and then he would give
?au Which they obtained from us, by the laws they had
his Lordship joy of such authority.—(Laughter.) But,
direct in a manner ten times more odious than any
for the Duke of Wellington to declare in his place that
aireet taxation they _could impese.'—(Applause.) How-
ever they might attempt_ to practise that maxim which the. taxes on corn were levied upon the people to render
us independent of other countries, in the event of a wars
ever
had learned from. ancient times, of dividing, and
was a policy much more to •be deplored than the other.
0 thereby governing us,—onAhis question at least, where
—(" True," ".We'll : not erect . a monument to • him."
escr bellies and pockets were. concerned, there was no
Let us buy freely 'of every land—(Hear, hear)—and,
difference of opinion amongst us.—,(Greatsa lause.) He
concluded by moving
the st resolution. PP
' by 'our commercial intercourse with : the world,. make
Sir THOMAS POTTER was received with loud and ion every man our friend, and then we should not need to
chg '
Ray hadeer ng..
uttered and he considered this a most women- Ile agreed in every word that his friend Mr. contemplate war.—(" Hear," and cheers.) Until our
commerce could be placed upon the solid foundation of
toes
and important meeting. He had just come from
exchanging one substantial comfort of life for another,
•
',olldon, having been travelling all night in order to be we should have fluctuations and repeated intervals of
re_sent, and he would. have travelled three nights to meet ' distress, with perhaps an occasional gleam of prosperity, •
42enu•—(Cheers.) He could assure them, that there was only to be succeeded by an increased depth of suffering.
-rat anxiety in London to hear the result of this meeting. —(Hear.) Let us struggle then for our rights ; for our
i'set. was in the House of Lords at 'seven o'clock the night labour ought to procure for us food and every comfort;
"nre, and there heard the Earl of Ripon enumerating
it was ordained by the Almighty that it should be so.—
he prospects(Applause.) Will you not help us to open our doors,
• wer •of the country, and making it out that we
and let the tide of commercial and 'social prosperity-flow
$
se e m a progressive state of improvement.—(Hear.)
11 read over an account of the exports, and made it in upon us ?—(Cries of, "Yes," "We will,' and , great
out that cheering.).
• , the last year's exports were far greater than in
VII other year ; and then there was a great " hear, hear, ' Mr. J. B. SMITH, President of the Manchester Cham-
s's ar," amongst their Lordships.-4A voice—" Exports ber of Commerce, was greeted with loud cheers. 'He said
.-4 n2achinery.") Ay, machinery and yarns too. Why, he had much satisfaction in seconding the resolutiOn just
..,7 did not believe there were a dozen Peers in the House proposed, because it involved an important principle,
sent
Understood anything about the subject. The pre- which should never be lost sight of. He held that no
7.'ent was the cause of every class, of Tories, Whigs, Ra- Legislature could justly impose any taxation, except for
_ulnals, and Chartists ; -And he hoped every class would the purposes of revenue.--(Hear.) All protective duties
I'e most zealously in carrying these resolutions and were nothing more or less than legalised robbery.—
theirl... memorial to the foot of the Throne.—(Hear.) The " Hear,"' and cheers:) The measures proposed by Go-
fue of the country was in their hands ; and if they only vernment are a step on the way to the abolition of Mono-
!Poke out, and spoke loudly, they would have these griev- Polies, and as such he accepted them with pleasure—
'inces redressed. He knew that the great bulk of the po- (Hear)—but we Must never lose sight of the question
Pulation was sefferines and, in fact, -every class was suf- till the monopoly was altogether abolished.—(Cheer§.)
l!ring s but it was the duty of those in more competent Monopolists had always been great prophets of evil,
ruaastances to look to the working classes.—(Hear.) when their monopolies were to be touched. He remem-
, was told that on Friday last there were 4,000 or 5,000 bered its being prophesied, that if the, slave trade were
horses •
ses in Hyde-park, with splendid equipages ; and he abolished, Liverpool would become an insignificant fish-
'did not deny that these people had a right to spend their ing town.-4Laughter)—but what was Liverpool now ?
Money as they liked ; but he thought they should first Again, when it was proposed to abolish the East India
see that their fellow-creatures and fellow-subjects were Company's monopoly; Committees of-the Houses of
not in a state of extreme destitution.—(Cheers.) The Lords and Commons were held, before whom witnesses
fact was the people of London were ignorant of our con- of the first character, merchants of the first eminence,
dition here ; and, unless we spoke out loudly, our griev- came forward to show the great evils that wduld follovi:
antes would not be known,much less redressed.—(Cheers. from the opening of the trade to the East Indies and.
The Rev. JAMES SCHOLEFIELD was received with loud China to the whole of our merchants, instead of con-
hisses • and • groans, and cries of " You're a Tory fining it to , the. Company. The East India Company
*Chartist," which lasted for some minutes.—The Mayor held a special Court, at which they solemnly passed this
7.` begged that Mr. Scholefield should be heard.—Mr. extraordinary resolution :—" That no addition could be
`facholefield again tried to speak, but the hooting conti- made to the- trade 'of the East Indies and China
Hued. He said, if I could be of service to the cause— (Laughter)—that the Company had suffered loss in at-
that i▪ s my reason for being here—(Whistling and tempting to extend it ; and that the opening of the
hisses.) You want cheap bread, you want cheap coffee, markets of the outports to trade would be no other than
Ina all the necessaries of life you want cheap. You want ruinous transfer of it into new channels, to the destruc-
ahs,
tion of many costly establishments, and the beggary of
ll_ r, and to be rewarded for your labour.—(Renewed
~_°°_ ting, which 'prevented the remainder of the sen- many thousand industrious individuals."—(Laughter.)—
',"„arce from being heard.) The Chairman begged that Notwithstanding all these fearful forebodings, the trade
. nr. Scholefield should be heard.—Whistles and groans.) was opened, and what were the consequences ? At that
17, s SCHOLEFIELD—Your Chairman has said, I am to time the trade to India and China amounted in value to
r.7_l,leard ; but, as you will not hear me speak, I will 1,874,000/. Hear what dreadful ruin followed the open-
‘ . y,T the amendment I have got to propose.—(" Go ing of tha trade !In 1839 our exports thither amounted
. . andthe read it to Nightingale.") He then read it, but to 5,600,000/.—(Hear, hear, hear.) When they heard
sif noise was so great that it was impossible to hear a the Duke of Wellington telling them, that, if the Corn-
single sentence.—Mr. ELIJAH DixoN next presented laws were 'repealed, we should all be starved—(Laughter)
self amidst hisses and cries of " Put him down,,, —they could refer him to that resolution of the East
-1- ory tool," " Nightin 1 " &c. The
"Nightingale," e, Chairman ens India Company. If they heard the Duke of Bucking-
deav°ll d ham bemoaning the fate of the poor agricultural labourer
,r, re to obtain a hearing for him, but in vain.
who got Bs. or 9s. a week now, and lamenting how much
s, The amendment was lost by an overwhelming ma-
""Y• The • ori milresolution •
g was carried amidstloud
ed
aPplause, remember the East India Company.—(Laughter.) The
Mr.
Alderman WALKER then presented himself to monopolists in Parliament had been throwing out all
move the
sorts of baits ; and they thought they had caught a great.
that he second resolution ; but the uproar was so great
whale amongst the saints.—(Laughter.) The taxi=
th could not at first be heard.—The MAYOR put it
a_ , e meeting whether Mr. Walker should be heard, tion on corn and provisions alone amounted (accord-
.c
Lnearly every hand was held up for him.—Mr. ine to the evidence of a man who was better quali-
fiee'd to give evidence on that question than any other
t
ord "El" then said, s that the Corn-laws were passed in order to rm.; it had been stated in the House of
person, Mr. Deacon Hulme) to more than fifty millions
der
--.(Hear, hear.) This taxation was levied in
us us independent of any other nation for our corn. per annum'
a manner which we did,not see. When a fixed duty was
14
_confessed he had a suspicion that the real reason
levied upon corn, we could see the operation, and the ex-
. plieluPPorting these laws was to keep up rents and the
tent of it ; but, as had been said, a fixed duty was a fixed
• 5,,,.. . 44 the(4. corn, and to render the landlords .independent
injustice, and he hoped this was only a step, and it would
'/`s- rese people. The landlords could fall back on their
, - able ..reeS ;
, they had resources which would not only en- depend upon the people whether it were only a step, to
I,', d elfin to live in affluence and splendour, but, 1' lfully the total abolition of the fixed duty.—(Cheers.) But
as; °vele
look at the tax on sugar. According to the present law,
1, ?et.... Ped, would enable them to compete with the fo-
we could have' none but 'British colonial sugar, as the
Port grower. Surely we were not to be taxed to sup-
,i, ei.el' au indifferent system of agriculture. He knew suf- duty of 7d. per pound on foreign sugar was suite prohi-
in jut of agriculture to be aware that good agriculture bitory,—(Shame.) The consequence of this was, that
an,7l";aost every- county in England was the exception, our colonies not growing enough sugar for us, the price
lietfr_titat bad agriculture was the rule.—(Hear.) He be- rises ; and last year it was so high as to put it out of the
(cheoll it was again in our power to repeal these laws— power of the mass of the country to buy it. He had in
rne e,rl)—if, at the next election, we supported such his pocket a memorial sent to him per Great Western
tillsthl 11-Y
as would advocate that repeal, then, and not steamer, from some unknown hand, and which he had
ac,, then, should we obtain it ; and, if we did not thus received only on Saturday last. It was the memorial
1161
,N,ve should have right afterwards to complain of of Joshua Leavitt to Congress, praying for the adoption
it
Ins, unjustly taxed. If the Corn-laws were repealed, of measures to secure an adequate market for American
chess°teuiCi• amazingly increase the constituency of Man- wheat. This memorial was presented to the American
s,. rinasmuch as it would enable many now living in Congress, and by them ordered to be printed.. He
'1 houses to become 10/. householders. • stated in this memorial the astounding fact, that a large
Mr. Berman
KERSHAW cordially rose to second the tract of country, comprising about half a dozen States,
Weution, which his friend, Mr. Walker, had proposed. forty years ago had only a population of 50,000 persons,
th ring, :as he did, in its affirthations, he hoped that and now the population was 2,970,000 people.—(Hear,
• e Ineetino. would pass it in hear.) There was an increase forty years ! These
,s_o
'ftu n.' There could not be a doubt that there was People grew nothing but agricultural produce ; they
greate misery and suffering in this district, produced by were. all in want of our manufactures ; but they had
fn se suicidal laws, which denied the right of the people nothing to give in exchange for ;them but their corn and
tO„Lt exchange the produce of their industry for the pro timber ; and Mr. Leavitt complained, that, for want of
!I. Ti▪
ons of other countries. Was there any distress in markets for their produce, they were unable to consume
this eountry ? Was there any misery among our work- various comforts supplied by manufactures, &c. He
I.ollgr classes ?—(" Yes.") Was there any misery among said, " The best authorities agree, that a very large pro-
merchants and manufacturers ? Could •sell
spinners portion of the misery which we hear of among the tic-
their yarns tory children is the result of the Corn-laws-=(Hear)—
their at a profit ? Could manufacturers dispose of
goods at cost price ? Were the calico printers first diminishing the employment and the wages of the
employed ?—(" No. ") Was the dyer better off ? parent, and then raising the price of his provisions,.
There was misery and distress, such as he until sheer want drives him to sacrifice his children
bread. Thus, while we (Americans) are wanting
never remembered during a comparatively long life for
which he had, spent= amongst them.—(Hear, hear.) goods (not, indeed, the necessaries of life, but the
For nearly a quarter of a century had he been • engaged comforts of civilized and refined life), our national
revenue falling short, and our granaries bursting with
• in-assisting to- conduct a large trade, but he never knew
1 abundance, England's mills are standing still, and her
times like--the present.--(Hear, hear.) What caused this
distress ? 'The resolution stated that it was the conse- poor perishing with hunger.—(Hear.) standing`
the com-
mon instincts of our nature, the enlightened and philo-
. quenee of suicidal laws—laws which sapped the founda-
sophic benevolence which' regards human happiness as.
fs .t.oll of our prosperity—laws which were monstrously
• unjust-1 •
els ; _
es. as\ 3 which prohibited our • exchanging our tali- the great object of human society. and government, re-
ai!7s) °..'! with the people of other countries, who would send' quires a faithful examination of this system by all na-
-4741.1,, "in return cotton, corn, sugar, coffee, and every neces- tions." These were most enlarged and philanthropic views,
l miry of i• and he rejoiced to see them taken by our brethren on
.•11
tc,
life.--(Applause.) They
would not. be content
i. '' ° have- thethe other side the ' Atlantic. When he saw our ships
'• the hi • prosperity of this great country hindered for
leaving our ports, not laden with our manufactures, but
this ;Refit of a class '; that the trade and commerce of
trust:4)lin try should become locked up in monopoly. He with freights far more precious—with our toolsswith
that they would show that they understood • our machinery, and with our industrious artisans,—he
their I
' . "'II' interests, confessed that his heart sank within him.—(Hear.)
, ...... • 4._ and that they were now prepared to state
' te, `'" the -Legislature. When they called to: mind the atrocities of Louis
e ' ,
,propis (1, what they wanted. Ministers had •
the Fourteenth in the revocation of the. edict of Nantes,
5.,51:,.,i
.a.txelin.ll fixed duty of 88., but he said a fixed duty Was
and the banishment from France of th.e• industrious
at►-.•tilbs The pLilojsoustlier(llear.) But he
heatws disposed to act on
Protestant manufacturers, who were driven to seek
ast,h le•swanted, hepvki.ical principle, that if ould not get all he
asylums in• England, where they laid the founda-
-4 ,;3'ilknot
_, , give u his ell d take. all he could get ; but he would
tion of our manufactures ; when we reflected upon
5, es- reiatin to p claim to the whole. He had an account
the atrocities of• the Duke of Alva, who drove the wea-
's,, ,eonditigononthexamination which had been made into the
related. to 10 rj working popylation of this district. It vfrs from Flanders also to seek an asylum here ;we must
. ,
Of these ~ 2 families, comprising 45,591 persons. views these acts with disgust and horror. But what
country which
families, thereinil were,
hand-loom weavers, English; 627 should we say to the laws of our own
2 6'3 children ,812 children ; of Irish, 924 famillbs, and banish our industrious artisans, to seek in foreign 'lands
•• r , i • mal • f that which they were denied in their own ? It was true
I,s„families, , ting a total ofand-loom wea' •
d & and 4 485English;'
o 1.;• hand
t eas were not driven out by the sword, or the strong :, various trades r , children, Of English', in "
. Irish,
d of
persecntion ; but they were effectually driven away by
fill 3,476 families,es, an 19 G 29 children ;of '
Y ' and 8 - Childs-'' laws which proibit them from exchanging the products
It; . Of English families f ~ 16 n—making a total
', ,:-:i to showwhat was the 8,581, and 21.345 children. Now, lof their industry. in their own land, for the :produce and
read to them anothere condition of these families, he would 1 the food grown in other countries.—(Hear.) He believed
that, at present, we only knew one portion of the pro-
of age, and dependent thereie. ()f children under 12 years
•12 years of age, pal-thrill •
were 15,856 ; children under posed financial measures ; the Customs' Bill was not yet
ployed, 699 : more tha 3; employed, 415 ; ditto full •• em- brought in—(Hear)—and he was happy to hear that the.
5.,,, partially employed;l n 2 years of age, dependent, ) '
4,275; i
i Customs' Bill would contain provisions for doing away'
families
1 with all pro i .—( ear, tear, and loud cheering.)
• •• of out of em loudly
employed, 3,229 ; heads
Y, 2,149 1 He knew that by the law at present—and an atrocious
'tit, : 4,793 ;in full employment, ; partially employed,
CBI, 0,-
y 1,430. (Hear
itr , 12-:. - Another investicrat . ( ear hear.)
44.. . .
families
: t, ion was made, which.altogether prohibitedfrom coming into
, and lambs, were
.011 ,4%-..,v, , having 5,565 children, b.related to 2,000 , •
..,,,., . saw nose weekly earnings were 5281., elng 8,866 persons- i this country. This prohibition, he understood, was no
sr, !Ise. average '
- • of ls. 9 .H. per head lO3. 10-4 d. *vi'- ' longer to continue ; the Government were determined to
1 , •per week fo_ , , gi wing an,
, aholiih it—(Great cheering)--and therefore,he hoped,
•„. us v„.and for 200 e, T
~ iii; - each , 0 families tes an average f ' ti,866 persons ' • ,
'lase ''' •• to '4414 Another ' • p 5.._44 a week , ivheii their whole measure of commercial reform was
-se) ,•,: • .0 correct • • • investigation was . for known, it would be something well
worth contending for.
je, "'I . 2 0 this, if corr • ection were needed •road order
Itl —(Loud and Tong cheering.)
1,.,
incense ther families, •.
related to st "L
amounted enly to 628/. 10s. iod. lk, 71- , - of out a, whose weekly 1
1 .sidered that we had made, since we last met, an immense
•1 • '• . n Y 18' 6i4•
per
had - 'giving an averarre
=-0` week in. r e per week, or 6,. lid. per family
.' advance in the great question-of free trade. We were
:••.,; . • some districts of the tow '
COis ue •n the -people__ 4, doomed, in this world, to move forward step by step ;
'• -. .•• , . -• • ths, ,eq nie of
their novert had been •- ' • - .._F who wouidssise them Y, feeding upon : there was no other 'way (If getting on ; there was a be-
-, The poor tad . credit, in the hope of better ginning, a middle, and an end, in all things ; 'and he
• ig, 454,10 t 50...,
.tiot been able to p,,y their debts ; , hoped that we were getting into the, iniddle:of:thig guts-
-4 Mere were 50-provision-dealers who tifte'liov%;. But we must • not pause :there i: 44- :mutt
not give up our principles, because Wien:nett had 4ffeed•

to do some part of our business for us ; we must stick
to principle, and do our business also for ourselves. And
times were coming which, he believed would be very
favourable to those who would stick to their principles,
and who depended upon the 'people to support them.
The Whig Ministry had not the power to offer us the
instalments they spoke of ; nor was he one of those who
would sa-mction the calling out for instalments, when he
had a ju3t debt to claim. The Whig Ministers had
not the power to offer "it ; but -they say,. " We'll 'fight
alongside to enable you to get it ?" Were the landowners
likely to give it us 2. Had the Duke of Buckingham or the
Duke of Richmond said, " We'll give you an Bs. fixed
duty ?" No ; and on the very day that this was proL
posed by Ministers, corn was paying 235. Bd. a quarter
duty at the Customs at Liverpool.—(Hear.) That was
the law that the Duke of Buckingham and Sir JaMes
Graham would stand by, and they and their order
were stronger than the Whig Government ; therefore.
we were not in a situation to accept this instalment .;
but we say to our debtors who dispute the debt, ." We
will go on proving our debt before the people of Eng,.
land ; and, if we work as we ought, we shall not only
get an 8s fixed duty, but 20s. in the pound."—(Cheers.)
We were as much entitled to immediate repeal as to an
Bs. fixed duty. They talked of " protection ;" but he
wanted to'ask what protection that labouring man had
got whom he saw before him ?—(The •None at
all, Sir.")—What protection have twenty millions of the
people of this country, who depend, and whose families
depend, upon their daily labour for subsistence ? He
would subscribe 1,0001. to the Manchester Infirmary,
if any one of thoe noble breathtaxers could prove be-
fore an impartial jury that the labourer of this country
had, or could have, the slightest legislative protection.—
(Hear, and cheers) ".Protection !" .whenever • they
heard that word again, let them remember what was
said by Col. Thompson, who found out those things years
before us,—" Protection always means the robbing of
somebody else."—(Laughter.) Ay, and in our case in
England, it meant the robbing of the labouring classes
for the benefit of the landowntr—(Hear)—the taking out
of the pockets' of 'the poorest of the poor, to put into the
already gorged pockets of the richest of our landed
aristocracy—(Hear) the slicing off one-third of the
bread-loaf of the poorest widow and poorest orphans
in this town—that was the meaning of " protection."
(Cheers.) The man who had already his estates, which
never could be stolen from him, was not content with
his acres, but must dip his finger into the cupboard of
the poor hand-loom weaver.—(Applause.) They would
tell the people that the object of those who wanted to
repeal the Corn-laws,-to put down this bread-tax, was
to reduce wages. He would jnit ask the working men
present—had - the bread-tax kept up their wages ?
No, no," and great cheering.) If it had not kept up
their wages, then how had it protected the workmen and j
labourers? No-they had no protection -for their labour;
they sometimes had been foolish enough to ask for it ;
thinking that, -because the landowners had protected '
themselves, they would protect the working men. He
remembered petitions being presented to the House of
Commons from the hand-loom weavers, praying the
Legislature to regulate their wages, to give them a
higher rate: of wages, or. to_ prevent theni going further
down. • And.. what.was the Answer they. received ? The.
Noble bread-taxers treated their petitions with scorn ;
they laughed at them ; they said; " These poor igno-
rant people know nothing of political eConomy—
(Laughter)—we cannot keep up the rate of wages ;
we have no power over the rate of wages ; that is re-
gulated upon totally independent principles, by the
lawS of 'supply and demand." And yet these were
the very men who had passed a law to keep up the price
of bread, tnprotect themselves, at the expense of those
very labourers, when they confessed they had not the
power, at the same time, to keep up the rate of wages.—
(Hear.) Was there ever so mighty an injustice as that ?
—(Great cheering.) His friend Mr. Smith had truly
said that the monopolists were hanging togethermo-
nopolists in sugar and timber, and coffee and corn, would
all hang, and, he- hoped, would all be hung together.—
(Laughter.) But the most wonderful thing was, that the
bread-taxers had all at once been seized with qualms of
conscience, and had become the most religious men on the
face of the earth.—(Laughter.) Oh, no ! they could not
hear of our eating slave-grown sugar. Why, he (Mr.Cob-
den) was standing inslave-grown produce; his hat was lined
with slave-groWn produce ; his pockets contained slave-
grown produce,- in the shape of gold, and silver ; and he
had a snuff-box in his pocket, filled with slave-grown
produce. He was literally crowned, clothed, and his
pockets lined with slave grown produce ; and so were
these noble monopolists; yet they said, " We can't think
of the poor people of this country getting their sugar 2d.
per pound cheaper, for fear they should promote slavery."
—(Hear, hear.) This sudden conversion of these bread-
taxing monopolists to the cause of religion and humanity
reminded him of the distich

,4, When the devil was sick, the devil a saint would be ;
When the devil grew well, the devil a saint was he."
—(Laughter.) And so with these bread-taxing monopo-
lists—when they found a heavy battering-ram dealt right
Into their middle, by little Lord John Russell, they
nulled sick, and were seized with a sudden fit of sancti-
fied morality—(Laughter)—but if. they should ever be-
gin to feel themselves safe as to their bread-tax, we should
hear no more of their religion or their morality, he would
be bound.—(Laughter.) We must set up for ourselves
the standard of free trade, and_we should have the Whigs
flocking to our standard, if we remained true to our
principle ; for they knew that they could not fight with-
out the people, without whom the Whigs could not carry
even their Bs. fixed duty. He believed, if we were to lay
down our righteous principle of total and immediate re-
peal, we should be as powerless as the Whigs ; there-
fore, let us be true to our principles, but never let us
commit the folly which some would fall into. of kicking
those who are advancing towards us. He was not !dis-
posed to quarrel with those who would help him over the
first impediment in his Way ; he saw a distant summit
which he wished to crown ; and he should' be all the
better able to climb it if he could get some stout, sturdy
fellows in the meantime to help him along the road. Let
Manchester make a demonstration ; the people in London
did not really understand our feelings or wishes; they knew
nothing of the suffering here. Why, let a man walk the
streets of London, and see it thronged with the equipages of
these bread-taxing nobles and commons in this gay sea-
son of May—how could these people know any thing of
the distress here while living in that state of splendour,
and when the only persons they came in contact with
below their own rank were the rich,. fat, and pampered
menials waiting upon them ? Let Manchester make a
demonstration that would show to the people of Eng-
land at large, and to the Government, and the aristo-
cracy in
.particular, that they were in the deepest state
of suffering ; that they knew the cause of their suffer-
ing, and that they were determined that that cause
should be immediately
.removed. Let us hoist the
banner of " Total and immediate _repeal of all mono-
polies," which were all robbery ; ,and let us take care
we give offence to no man but the bread-taxing and
other monopolists. With them we must hold no terms,
and never think of getting anything by favour from
them ; but, if others, more in error than through wil-
fulness, had obstructed us before, let no taunts be used
to them, but let us ask them to help us. With hypocrites
and monopolists we would keep no terms ; but war to
the knife with monopoly, which meant robbery. He could
not have conceived that the bread-taxers could sink
themselves lower in his estimation. than they had done,
by seeking to profit from robbing the poor, by means of
the Corn-laws for the last twenty-five years ; but they
had sunk themselves lower still by their last ten days'
exhibition. The Mahommedans had seven hells, and
gradations of torment for each.particular crime ; but the
very lowest and hottest of all these hells was for hypo-
crites.—(Laughter and cheers.) He did not know where
the bread-taxers might go ; bUt the deepest of all places
of torment was assigned-. to hypocrites. But they had in
fact no bread-taxers in Mahommedan countries. The
Grand SeigniOr did not dare to impose, a bread-tax in
Turkey ; and even Mehemet. Ali, the tyrant of Egypt,
had not got a bread-tax. In fact, no country was blessed
with a bread-tax but England ; and the men who passed
and who now support it were as vilehypocrites as they
were bread-taxers. We wanted but union, and let us
give a cheer for nniversal suffrage foi' the bread-tax.
—(Three cheers were given, and Mr.. Cobden resumed
his seat.)
• Mr. DuocAN said it had been stated,:that, if the Corn-.
laws were repealed, it would destroy Ireland, and sink it
into misery. Now, he would ask • any.lrishman there,
could Ireland be in greater misery than it was ? Go to
Liverpool, and ask the 120,000 Irish slaves
.who came
over here to seek a living, did the Corn-laws benefit
them ?—(" No.") In the county of Galway, bordering
on the sea, the rent of land had increased
from 11. to 31. an acre within the last three years.
Until within these three years, the people were.
allowed to gather sea-weed from the shore to manure
the ground. for _their potato crops ; but now they had to
pay 71. an acre for it. They then thought they might
go into the sea and take the slime and mud ; but for this
they had to pay. al. 10s. an acre. Now they were going
to try the,effect of saline water, and he supposed that
even this they would be charged so much a gallon for.
An Irish landlord, the other day, went to one of his
tenants and said, .‘ I am very glad you are a teetotaller,
and you must now pay me 10s. more for my land.',:'—
(Shame.) Why,, there was not the smoke of a factory
in the whole land ; it was all agriculture ; but their
sufferings would cause them to join hand in hand with
us for the repeal of these laws. As to the proposition of
Ministers, he would take ss. in the pound, and look for
the rest afterwards.
The CHAIRMAN, then put the' resolution, which passed
unanimously.
Mr. Wm. RATHBONE GREG, in moving the fourth
resolution, said, he was a West India Proprietor, and
the proposition of Government would tut off a larger
portion of his income than he could well afford to do
without, but he was also a manufacturer, but so strongly
did he feel that the repeal of the Corn-laws would
benefit him ten times more than the repeal of the Sugar
duties would injure him, that he was come there to sup-.
port it. They had now an opportunity of getting the
Corn-laws repealed ; but if, from any prejudice or ~.rem-
issness they let this opportunity slip, they might never
have another. They were all aware, that the other day
the Duke of Wellington declared against any alteration
in the Corn-laws.. He (Mr. Greg) hailed that as a happy
omen ; for they well remembered, that ten years ago
the Duke of Wellington declared solemnly and empha-
tically against another great measure, which the next
wear became the law of the land, and he had no doubt
the same result would follow this:
Mr. THOMAS HoPKINS seconded the resolution. He.
hailed the meeting of this day as the commencement of
another system, when they could call for those measures
which were calculated to relieve, and would, if carried,
give them relief, and
ui:et
neßendsuadtbtooi
grant
ht
isnreetemte
ntwnhteooeedrrnictehot
won;
two
tirt
itdhbceia
dtoyl hlelovitn)Lahl
snaee snidss;
lature. He did not wish to use the word command in
nd
n
gaangiemdprompemanr sense.uidi jacpto
saentdubwlyeresitthtienyg
'lle trusted that there was a sufficient :amount,. of .good.
indivielhelll;Zreg°-.pe'rscaleVilliereictill,4i- pniarttifeulnalarrrya, but,. if moncipcdies
food,..was. it:to birfiuPPsati.o4t this ftnoranouspopu,:,

_