The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-03 00:00:00

Tilt SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY
„EVENIN-G, JULY 3, 1846.

—(" Hear, hear," and cheering.) I ought, in order to •
enjoy the full pleasure of an agitator, to be differently
constituted, and I don't think nature ever inteaded me
for that line.—(Laughter.) I say it most unaffectedly,
that I entered upon the career of agitation without the
slightest idea that it would ever have conducted me to the
poins to which I have arrived.—(Hear, hear.) I had not
the most distant idea of it. I don't think circumstances
would have warranted me in taking the step eight years
ago if I could have seen what it w'ould lead to.—(Hear, hear.)
We got into the groove and were pushed along, and we
found ourselves carrying a train of good hardy spirits who
would not leave us ; and having given us their support we
were impelled forward in the groove at an accelerated
speedi and with a constantly accelerated sympathy. Well,
gentlemen, you will hardly credit it, when I say that with
respect to myself, I have precisely the same feelings now
with respect to the ordeal of public meetings that I had
when I began this agitation. It is a matter of great reluc •
tance and difficulty for me to appear before an audience at
all.—(Hear, hear.) Many people would think that we had
our reward in the applause and éclat of gublic meetings, but
declare, upon my honour, that it is not so with me, for the
inherent reluctance I have to address public meetings is so
great that I don't even get up to present a petition in the
House of Commons without reluctance. I therefore hope I
may believed when I say that if this agitation terminates
now, it will be very acceptable to my feelings; but if there
should be the same necessity, the same feeling which has
impelled me to take the part 1 have would lead me to parti-
cipate in a new agitation—aye, with tenfold more vigour after
having had a little time to recruit my strength.—(Loud
cheers.) Well, gentlemen' we are going to dissolve; those
good spirits must disband, and I am not quite sure that
it is nut wise and proper that it should be so. Now, we
have been kept together for seven years without one single
dispute—without anything to cause the slightest aliena-
tion. We have had the bond of freemasonry and bro-
therhood so closely knit about us, that I don't think
there has been a keen word in the happy family of the
Anti-Corn-law League.—(" Hear, hear," and cheers.)
Well, that is the spirit in which we should break off. Were
we to continue our agitation, when the object for which we
associated is gained, I am afraid that the demon discord will
be getting in among us. It is in nature so. It is in our
moral nature necessary that, when an organised body has
performed its functions, it must pass into a new state of
existence, and become differently organised. We are dis-
persing our elements to be ready for any other good works,
and it is nothing but good works that will be attempted by
good Leaguers.—(Cheers.) Our body will, so to say, perish,
but our spirit is abroad, and will pervade all the nations of
the earth.—(Renewed cheers.) It will pervade all the
nations of the earth, because it is the spirit of truth and
justice, and because it is the spirit of peace and goodwill
amongst men. I move—
"'t'hat an Act of Parliament having been passed provid-
ing for the abolition of the corn-laws in February, 1849, it is
deemed expedient to suspend the active operations of the
Anti-Corn-law League, and the Executive Council in Man-
chester is hereby requested to take the necessary steps for
making up and closing the affairs of the League with as little
delay as possible.
" That the accounts of the receipts and expenditure of the
Lea?ue, now presented, be passed.
" That after payment of the first instalment the subscribers
of the 250,0001. League Fund be released from all further
liabilities.
" That in case any serious attempts be made by the Pro-
tectionist party to induce the Legislature to retrace its steps,
or prevent the final extinction of the corn-law in February,
1849, the gentlemen who have hitherto so ably fulfilled the
duties of the executive council be hereby authorised to call
the League into renewed existence.
"That this meeting views with feelings of unfeigned ad-
miration and gratitude, the long, arduous, and invaluable
services rendered to the League by the chairman of its
council, George 'Wilson, and hereby authorise the executive
council to present him, and to request his acceptance of, a
sum of not less than 10,000/., to be paid out of the funds of
the League.
" That the members of the executive council of the League
are entitled to the warmest gratitude of the League and of
the country, for their high-pnntipled, laborious, and most
successful exertions during the seven years of our constitu-
tional agitation ; and that a committee be appointed, con-
sisting of Mr. Joseph Brotherton, M.P., and such gentle •
men as he may associate with himself, to determine on some
suitable testimonial to be presented to those gentlemen out
of the funds of the League.
" That the Council of the League, whilst discontinuing its
own operations, cannot be insensible to the intimations given
by the leading Protectionists in both Houses of Parliament,
of a determination to contest the ensuing general election,
with a view to obtain the repeal of the Corn Importation.
Bill ; and, under these circumstances, the Council offer their
earnest recommendation to the free-traders in the Parliamen-
tary constituencies to continue their vigilant attention to the
registration, so as to be-able to return a decided free-trade
majority to the next House of Commons."
Mr. J. BRIGHT, M.P., rose to second the resolution, and
was greeted with loud cheers. He spoke as follows :—I need
not say that I participate to the fullest extent in the feelings
which have been expressed by Mr. Cobden—feelings which
must arise, I believe, in the hearts of most of us, when we
contemplate; the fact, that this is in all probability the last
meeting of the Anti. Corn-law League.—(Hear, hear.) lam
at this moment impressed with a feeling of the greatest pos-
sible delight that the object for which we have been banded
together is at length accomplished ; but that feeling is tinged
with one of another character, when I remember that in all
probability we are now about to separate from- friends with
whom we have been long connected, and that have no
longer in pursuit an object which has been the dearest and
most cherished of our lives.—(Hear, hear.) At such a meet-
ing as this, and in such circumstances, I would be the very
last man to utter one syllable of unworthy exultation over
those who have been defeated.—(Hear, hear.) I would not
add one word to the unpleasant sensation of a party whose
hopes have been altogether destroyed ; I would not say any-
thing that should add to the exasperation and the bitterness
we have introduced to some extent between various classes
of this community during the protracted struggle which is
now concluded; but I am of opinion that this final meeting
may have some result beyond that of merely determining to
wind up the affairs of this League—that it may have some
result, that upon it we may point a moral, and may learn a
lesson—we may contemplate the past, and we may for a
little survey the future.—( Hear, hear.) To the public, the
men especially who don't think very deeply, the bject
of the Anti-Corn-law League is accomplished when the
corn-law is repealed ; but if a thinking and philosophic
mind were asked what the League has done, I am of opi-
nion that his answer would include many other points
and many other things beyond the repeal of a particular
statute.—(Hear, hear.) We have taught the people of
this country the value of a great principle.— (Hear, hear.)
They have learned tliat there is nothing that can be held
out to the intelligent people of this kingdom so calculated
to stimulate them to action, and to persevering action, as a
great and sacred !principle like that which the League
espoused.—(Hear, hear.) They have learned that there is in
public opinion a power much greater, than that which resides
in any particular form of government ; that, although you
have in this kingdom- a system of government which is called
" popular" and called " representative," a system which is
clumsily contrived, and which works with many jars and
clatters, that still, with a great principle, and with great
labour, and with great sacrifices, all those obstacles are
overcome, and out of a machine specially contrived for the
contrary justice and freedom at length is achieved for
the nation ; and the people have learned something beyond
this, that is, that the way to freedom henceforward is not
through violence and bloodshed,—(Hear, hear, and loud
cheers.) Why, there can be no power on earth with which
we can ever be again called to contend more powerfully
than that which we have overthrown on this question—(Hear,
hear)—for we have had the particularprivileged class banded
together, many of them strong in prejudices, many of them
believing that their personal and class interests depended
upon the views which they then held being maintained ;
and we have had also mighty prejudices and ignorances
among the people to contend with ; and yet all these havebeen
dispelled ; and there is nothing in the whole United King-
dom at present to oppose us except the miserable remnant of
the ignorance which once prevailed.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.)
I take it that there is no better lesson for the people to learn

from it than this,—that by persevering effort, that by no in-
fraction of moral law, by strict obedience to the principles
which we believe to be enjoined by the Christian code, they
can obtain so great and signal victories, and victories which
are not tarnished in the gaining, and victories which can
never be lost,—more great and more glorious than any other
nation ever achieved by force of arms.—(Hear, hear, and
cheers.) But this Anti-Corn-law League will stand before
the world as a sign of a new order of things.—(Hear, hear.)
Until now this country has been ruled principally by the
class of great proprietors of the soil. Every one must have
foreseen, as trade and manufactures extended, that the
balance of power would at some day or ether be thrown into
another scale. Well, that time has .come—(Hear, hear)—
and the rising of this League seven years ago was sufficient
to have pointed out to any statesman that the power of the
landed aristocracy had reached its height, and that hence-
forth it must find a rival and an opponent to which eventually
it must become subjected.—(Hear, and cheers.) Now, we
have been living through a revolution without knowing it.
In 1832 the House. of Lords deemed itself a power in the
state irresponsible except to heaven, and took upon itself to
say that a law should or should not pass. The House of Lords
now makes no such pretensions; Lord Stanley declared,
" God forbid that your Lordships should set yourselves against
the clearly expressed will of the people"—( Hear, hear)—and I
heard (for I listened to most of their debates on this ques-
tion)-1 heard several other Members of the House of Peers
make use of very similar expressions.—(Hear.) They there-
fore understand :their position now—that they meet there,
not directly representing certain constituencies or elected by
them, but still that they are supposed to represent the people
to some extent, and that they are responsible to public opi-
nion for the exercise of the power which the constitution
has intrusted them with.—(" Hear, hear," and cheers.) But
it is in this and a neighbouring county that the great ele-
ment of power in this country is henceforth to be found.
Lancashire, the cotton district, and the West Riding of York-
shire, must govern England.—( hear, hear. )
The meeting was afterwards addressed by Mr. R. IL Greg;
Mr. Edward Baines, jun., Leeds ; Mr. P. A. Taylor, London;
Mr. William Brown, Liverpool ; Mr. John Cheatham,
Staleybridge ; Mr. F. R. Atkinson, Manchester; Mr. G.
Thomas, Bristol ; and Mr. John Whittaker, Hurst. Mr.
Cobden moved a vote of thanks to Mr. George Wilson, chair-
man of the League, for his invaluable services. By the re-
solution conveying this vote, the executive council are au-
thorised to present to Mr. Wilson the sum of 10,000/.
Mr. J. B. Smarr seconded this resolution, and it was ably
supported by Mr. Josern BROTIIERTON,
Thelproceedings terminated at half-past two o'clock.

TT Letts, Sons, and
Co., has just published a neat little edition of the
ne
arranged alphabetically. The book
itself is so small, that it can be carried in the waistcoat
pocket, or enclosed in a small envelope' for transmission
by post (its weight is under a quarter of an ounce), while
LwE Britishs Tariff, BRITISH TARlFF.—Messrs.
the type is clear and legible, and the whole neatly got
up. Messrs. Letts and Co. have conferred an obligation
on the mercantile world by this elegant and opportune
publication.
The Chevalier Bunsen yesterday visited the New
House,Zea-
leaxnpdresslyi,y
toinspect a sideboard which has been made
the
col=
find of the Ring of Prussia, from
the rare and beautiful woods imported from the colony
by Mr. Levein. His Excellency expressed his entire
satisfaction with the novel and remarkably fine effect
produced by the combination of these choice woods, and
too much praise cannot be bestowed upon Mr. Levein,
who has designed and executed this beautiful piece of
furniture, which the directors of the company kindly
permit the public to inspect at their offices.
COACHING.—Since the opening of the North British
Railway, the Highflyer and Quicksilver coaches, from New-
castle to Edinburgh by the western road, now run between
Berwick and Newcastle, in addition to the mail, the Magnet,
Union, and Royal William. The coaches between Edin-
burgh and Berwick are discontinued. As Old greater por-
tion of the traffic between the two countries will, until the
way, be brought by this
six coaches will be suffi-
ce
route,oi
emn tp ttri oiisnt
so conveyance,
doubted th e eale
whetheroauniadnt
shßail
pro-
bability, be put upon the road. Two of them, we belieye,
Paten
will run from Berwick to Newoutle, Woolen—Scotch