The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-15 00:00:00

the repeal of this obnoxious law were so formidable
that they would exterminate any Ministry who wished
to abolish it.—(Cheers) Now he (Mr. Villiers)
thought there was not much danger in that respect.—
(Cheers.) They had been told that the protectionists
were able to follow closely in the steps
of the League that they were about
to raise a large sum of money for the purpose of
meeting them in every attempt—(Laughter)--that if
the League raised a quarter of a million of money,
they would raise half a one—(lncreased laughter)—
and they had been told by Mr. Newdegate, the
Member for Warwickshire, that the physical force
they could bring against the people who were for free
trade they had no idea of at present.---(Great
laughter.) He (Mr. Villiers) thought there was
some prophecy of thAind two years ago, when these

protection societies first appeared—at least he was
much mistaken if he did not venture to prophecy of
them in that place, that they would soon speedily
disagree among themselves, and soon after disappear
—((sheers)—and it seemed that he was not very much
out of his calculation in that respect, for he observed
that Mr. Miles had said, " He was glad to see his
friends again, because he had been asked what had be-

come of the local protection societies ?"—(Laughter.)
He then inquired what the mother society was about,
and the answer that he got was, that it also was doing
nothing. The central society was idle, and the local
societies were doing nothing, but waiting the direc-
tions of the central one.—(Cheers and laughter.)
Now that the protectionists were aroused, and their
machinery, such as it was, placed in operation, it ap •
peared that the arguments they employed were all of
the old species. A good deal had been said of Dukes,
and certainly, lately, they had figured in some strange
scenes. If the Duke of Norfolk spoke of a panacea
for the distress of the labouring classes—(Loud
laughter and ironical cheers)—the Duke of Richmond
expressed himself as if sinking into the earth with
shame at its declaration ; and, on the other hand,
in what satisfied his Grace of Richmond, the Duke
of Norfolk saw nothing but absurdity and folly.—
(Loud cheers.) And how did these two Dukes pro-
pose to meet the crisis ? While the Duke of Nor-
folk proposed that which was likely to burn the insides
of the labourer, the Duke of Richmond recommended
the burning of the Times newspaper.—(Great
cheering and laughter.) It seemed, that however
much the Noble Dukes may differ in opinion, that
their logic ends the same, which was to resort to fire.
—(Loud cheers.) This was the instrument with
which they aimed to keep up the protective
system. But they. ought to be cautious how they
talked of burning, in case it might be taken up more
eagerly than they desired.—(Hear, hear.) It
was a lesson which might not be easily
forgotten if it ever was learned ; nay, it was a lesson
which the labourers had learned once before.—(Loud
cries of " Hear, hear.") But what was now to be
the policy of the few who stood out for the perpetua-
tion of monopoly ? They were going to raise a fund
to do battle with the League. If so, looking at the
specimens of these protective gentry who had been
before the public, and presuming the half a million
—(lronical cheers)—they were preparing to raise was
to circulate their speeches, the League, he was quite
sure, would claim that sum of money as a contribu-
tion to their fund.—(Loud and general cheering.)
Nothing, he was sure, would contribute so much

to advance the cause of free trade than

the circulation of such speeches as these protective
gentry had been in the practice of delivering.—
(Cheers.) In looking through them, one-half seemed
to contain nothing but complaints and arguments, if
such they could be called, adverse to the cause they had
undertaken to defend.—(Cheers.) Their arguments
went to show that it was proper to make food difficult
of access to the population ; their case one impressing
the expediency of diminishing the quantity of suste-
nance—of making bread dear and scarce, instead of
plentiful and cheap.—(Loud cheers.) They said how
foolish it was to endeavour to bring plenty to the
door of all; that it was better that wheat should be
dear and trade restricted, than trade s hou lake free and the
corn-laws repealed.—(Hear, hear.) These were the
arguments, such was the policy, of the parties engaged
in the present protection movement, than which no-
thing could be more conducive to the cause of the
Anti Corn-law League.—(Loud cheers.) Mr. Miles,
on Monday, at the meeting to which he (Mr. Villiers)
had already referred, made a statement respecting
what the trade and position of this country with re-
gard to America would be if the corn-laws were re-
pealed. Now that statement, which seemed to be
considered the strongest argument on the occasion
against the measure proposed by the League, was the
strongest that could have been urged in its favour—
in fact, it was conclusive in support of the advantages
that would result from the adoption of free
trade. What was the position at the present moment
of these gentry in the country ? They had arrayed
themselves together for the purpose of preventing an
abundant supply of good and wholesome food to
the people. What the Queen had uttered they ob-
jected to. She had declared herself satisfied that a
deficiency had existed in the supply of food, that the
season had been unfavourable, and that she was ready
to give her assent to any measure of relief that might
be proposed to meet the exigency—(Loud and long-
continued cheering)—while these gentry declared
they would steed between her and the
people, and prevent that measure of relief being
carried into effect.—(Hear.) They declared that
they would take their stand on behalf of scarcity, and
stand between their Sovereign and a suffering people,
determined to deprive them of the abundance of the
earth. They forgot, or did not seem to know, that
the population of these islands was increasing an-
nually at a prodigious rate ; and that their half mil-
lion fund would not succeed in putting food into
these additional mouths.—(Cheers.) It was to be
raised, not for that purpos, but to aggravate the evil
of scarcity already too extensive, and to deny the
earnest cry and prayer raised by the population of
this country for a plentiful supply of healthy food.—
(Loud cheers.) Such was the position of the British
aristocracy, who boasted and gloried in their pride
and power, taking under their surveillance and direc-
tion fish, and flesh, and fowl and declaring that re-
garding these they would stand to the prices of 1841,
and no other—(Loud cheers)—as a question
involving the protection of the constitution of the
country.—(Loud cheers.) In how little a position
were the protection gentlemen placed by such pro-
ceedings as these.—(Hear, hear.) In 1846 they de-
clared that the sliding-scale should remain stationary,
and that there was no deficiency of food for the popula-
tion. That which had been yearly increasing in in-
tensity for the last forty years they declared has no
existence. But at last they must be brought to
know it ; say what they would, treat it as they
would, to the acknowledgment of the pending danger
must they come. That scarcity existed, and had been
gradually increasing, had been declared, not alone at
at least
—but that plenty of
labouringg atherieg smoefn thaeiseerktiendd,
thatbut at
they Goa
knew of no plenty—(Hear, h. ear)
where important
the
forty years.— What a
food had at least
years.—(Loud
eernieedeenfied,,
Hteoart,hheemar,,f)o.r, the last
contrast did the account of these poor men present to
what these advocates of protection would fain make
them believe.—(Hear, hear.) He deemed it right to
state that no exertion on the part of the advocates of
free trade had been spared to bring under their (the
protectionists') attention the effects of a scarcity of
food—that a scarcity of food produced poverty, and
poverty created disease.—(Hear, hear.) The sup-
porters of monopoly never have affected to
disbelieve the increase of the population of
the country, but they have never been found
using any exertions or power to meet the wants of
this new population. They did not seem to see that
the effect of a deficiency of food was to send thousands
and tens of thousands into gaols and union work.
houses, to become the victims of crime and de-
gradation, and premature death.—(Loud cheers.)
Not a word about all this did they find spoken
at any of the protection meetings that had
been held during the last three months--(Cries
of " Hear, hear")—but on every occasion the twaddle
was how to make food dear.—(Cheers.) They looked
not at the danger that threatened, but maintained
that they held firm to the existing system, and that
the duty on corn should at least remain as great as at
present. Whenever there was a protection meeting,
such were the sentiments declared.—(Hear.) And
this in the face of the acknowledged failure of the potato
crop—a crop which had failed, not only in this
country. but in other countries, and which was
likely to fail again. The disease had previously vi-
sited other countries, and experience had proved that
if there was a failure this year there would be a
greater the next, and a greater than that the year
after, and so on for several years ; and yet these
gentry say that not an iota of the protection now
given them should be abandoned—that no sen!e oitf
.
their duty to the poor will induce themf do"tois their
" Sufficient for the day is the evil the
should he
motto. That such evils had ha
happen again, and that they (the people)
Providence.
contented under such visitations of
occurred, and would
which re-
Seasons of scarcity had happened, and would
the nature ofallthpereetxeceutiseens
country
recurmade
throughout
thewas
pport
but which they
of that system
would fain attribute to the Deity.—(Loud cheers.)
And this system they had maintained by keeping the
counties in their hands, and using them for the pur-
smuelteetdingsfroimn :eulfish legislation,
pur-
poses and convenience of a few great families.—(Loud.
cheers.) Till the county representation was freed
from the thraldom of these great houses, there would
be no hope of realising that freedom of industy, and that
improvement in the people, so imperatively required.
Lord Stanley on a former occasion, had told them
how these things were managed. A few families
met together a short time before an election, and
decided as to who the Member should be ; and with-
out consulting any one further, they dec'ided, and
always in favour of some family or clasa interest
in the Member so appointed.—(Hear, heact.) Such