The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-16 00:00:00

ANTI-CORN-LAW MOYEMENT.

'On Thursday evening a public dinner took place in the
Music Hall at Leeds, delegates from the various towns in the
West Riding attending to hand in their list of subscriptions
in aid of the Quarter of a Million Anti-Corn-law League si'and.
Besides many of the chief manufacturers, in the riding, and
the Mayor of Leeds, Mr. L. D. Luccock, who occupied the
chair, there were present, Mr. Cobden, M.P., Mr„. Marshall,
Mr. Aldam, M.P., Mr. Bright, M.P., Colonel Thompson, Mr.
E. Baines, jon , &c., the meeting altogether numbering about
four hundred.
After the cloth had been removed,
TheCirmnstax proposed "The health of her Most Gracious
Majesty. the Queen."
The other loyal toasts having been given,
The CHAIRMAN rose and said—l have the honour to pro-
pose the " Health of those Members of the House of Commons
who supported Mr. Villiers' motion."—(Loud cheers.) The
chief of those Members are now on my right and left hand.--
(Cheers.) Rendered only the more formidable by.defeat, the
members of the League save gone through the length and
breadth of the land, not as vanquished foes, but as cm-
quering heroes. Associated with them is a gentleman who
sits on my left, the representative of the town of Leeds; long
may lie be spared to fight with them the battle of free trade,
and share in their renown.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. Aenasi, who was greeted with loud cheers, acknow-
ledged the toast. He regretted that of the Members of the
House of Commons, who had voted with Mr. Villiers, some
one more able than himself fitly to respond to it was not
there to address them. But he was relieved in finding
among them men who had acted a foremost part in the move-
ment against the corn-laws, men of great ability, and who
would amply compensate in their addresses for any deficiency
of his. There seemed now a prospect of a settlement of this
question by the repeal of laws so injurious to their interests.
—(Chairs.) The principles of free trade had been distinctly
recognised as true by the most able members of the present'
Government. They had heard from Sir R. Peel that true
policy required us " to laity in the cheapest and sell in the
dearest markets." Sir J. Graham had called the principles
of free trade the maxims of common sense, and the able dis-
courses of Mr. Gladstone on matters of trade showed the
irresistible tendency of his mind to consider free trade as at
once incontestible in theory, and demanded by the actual
circumstances of the country.—(Cheers.) Severe, indeed, had
been the lesson by which the present Ministry were taught
the danger of a scanty supply of food for the people. The
distressing scenes of 1842 were still too vividly painted in the
minds of all to allow any one to palliate the horrors caused
by dear bread.--(Cheers.) The history of these islands for
the last quarter of a century exhibited a successive series of
good and bad harvests. During the years of plenty abun-
dant food had given general prosperity and commercial ac-
tivity—in the years of scarcity, dearness caused depression
and stagnation ; they were far advanced in the cycle of abun-
dance, and must look ere long for a reverse. Should they be
unprepared for it? Should a system be continued which
would entail the same misery as before?—(Cheers.) The
prosperity of the trade of England, and the well-being of her
people, ought to depend no longer on the precarious yield of
the harvest within the narrow limits of the British islands.—
(Cheers.) The basis of the supply of food should be ex-
tended to the Baltic;- the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, the
Hudson, and the Mississippi, and distress and starvation,
such as the country had passed through in late years,
would be inflicted only in the extremely rare and
even improbable event of all the sources of supply failing
at the same moment.— (Cheers.) New facts were con-
stantly presenting themselves, demonstrating the necessity
of a repeal of the corn-laws. But a few days ago there
was a report of a French Minister to the Chamber, on the
progress of that country in wealth and resources. The ad-
vance of the United States was still more formidable—their
population doubled itself in twenty-five years. • In a short
period their population would be greater than ours; in half
a century, a mere moment in the existence of a nation, it
would be little less than double that of the British island.
If the increase of our numbers, and of our power, is to be
restricted by the narrow limits of the small island we in-
habit, this nation would not for long be able to sustain the
proud position it now occupies; but allow the energies of the
people fair play, give commerce free expansion, and it would
soon occupy a position of more decided predominance.
—(Cheers.) In answer to this, the bugbear of danger from
foreign dependence had again been raised. When the seas
were covered with our, corn fleets, with increasing trade,
would not our naval power be amply strong enough to pro-
tect them ? This very dependence would give greater
energy to our naval character, and perpetuate England as
the mistress of the seas.—(Cheers.) Open the ports, let
the corn trade become regular, take the surplus of a harvest
whenever and wherever found, and the regularity of our
importation would soon drive the bulk of the trade into
the hands of the British shipowners.—(Cheers.) We
were so far dependent on foreign trade that one 'month's
suspension of it would inflict thegreatest injuryon the country.
The example of England in adopting a free-trade policy was
now producing a very sensible effect upon the conduct of
other nations. France, whose object had hitherto been to
make protection more strict, was relaxing her tariff; and
although, in items of little importance, it must be viewed as
indicating a changing policy. In Spain the tariff had been
prohibitory, but a great party appeared to be springing up !n
that country favourable to a freer trade. The states of
Prussia, in a very remarkable address to the King, gave in
their adhesion to principles of increased commercial freedom,
and recommended the reduction of import duties. Even the
anti-tariff party in the United States seemed on the point of
effecting their object. If then the moderate advance to free
trade which had been made in England bad had such results,
could it be doubted that the complete adoption of it would
give an example to be followed, after no very long interval,
by the bulk of the civilised world ?—(Cheers.) Before sitting
down be might say that he had attended the meeting
at much personal inconvenience, but the absence o
a Member of Parliament might be construed into the indif-
_

Ference of a constituency, and he was determined that no in-
ference should be drawn so much the reverse of the truth.—
(Cheers.) The object of the meeting was to receive the re-
port of the progress of the subscriptions towards the League
fund. One hundred thousand pounds had formerly been
raised. It was called " a great fact," and commented upon
as evidence of zeal not to be mistaken, by the leading journal
of the country. It was now proposed to raise a quarter of a
million, to realise a fact greater than the preceding one, and
a more powerful proof of earnest resolve.—(Cheers.) The ap-
plication of the funds of the League had been exhibited to
the public; they had been employed in enlightening the
public opinion by the discussion of the principles of free trade
at frequent meetings, and by the circulation of pamphlets on
the operation of the corn-laws. The League had lately
adopted another course, by establishing a machinery to fa-
cilitate the acquiring of votes. lie entirely approved of
their measures, and he anticipated very shortly entire suc-
cess to their movement.
Mr. J. G. MARSHALL being called on by the Chairman,
rose and said—The toast I have to propose to you is that
mighty League, of which we are all, I believe, members ; but
which is more especially represented amongst us by our two
distinguished leaders, whom we have the pleasure of seeing
to-night on each aide of our Chairman.—(Cheers.) We are
prepared, I hope. to greet our guests with substantial evi-
dence that the men of the West Riding have given a hearty
response to that practical appeal made to them by the noble
example of the men of Manchester.—(Cheers.) And surely,
if we needed any confirmation to the strong internal convic-
tion we each of i‘s feel that our great cause is identified with
truth and justice, and deeply fixed in the hearts of the people,
it would be found in the marvellous wa in which, on every
great emergency—whenever existing means of action appear
insufficient or exhausted—the League, as by an electric
shock, by an inspiration of power, suddenly becomes instinct
with new faculties, new energies, redoubled strength.—
(Cheers.) And I hope we may honestly add, what is indeed
a still higher boast, a still higher evidence of the elevation
and purity or our principles, that this power which is put
into our hands—a trust for which we are most deeply re-
sponsible—has been, with as little exception as is consistent
with human fallibility, constitutionally and conscientiously
wielded. We are at last approaching the final struggle.
We must now make distinctly known our determination to
accept nothing less than the final and entire repeal of the
corn-laws.—(Cheers.) This firm adherence to our principle,
so necessary to our own safety, is admitted even by our oppo-
nents to be the only consistent and manly course ever taken.
Even the more intelligent farmers all say, let the question be
really settled; either maintain the present corn-laws, if pro-
tection is right, or if not, repeal them boldly and manfully at
once.—(Loud cheers.) But whilst rejecting all com-
promise of principle, we should greatly injure our cause if we
did not, as we grow stronger, become still more careful that
the manner in which we urge our claim should be temperate
and conciliatory towards our opponents, many of whom, we
may hope, unconsciously prejudiced by self-mterest, may,
by such a course, be brought over to our cause, and thus
render our moral triumph still more complete.—(Cheers )
But I will not speak any longer of our cause as in progress
only. We have a right at this moment to look not only to
a last struggle, but to a final triumph.—(Cheers.) Of the
result of such a triumph I would say a few words. There
are some amongst the most honest, but perhaps among the
more timid, friends of this cause, who fear that this moment
may be closely followed by some disappointment—that the
echoes of unfounded expectations will be dying around us in
murmurs and repinings. "The people have been red," they
say, "to hope too much from this measure of relief. From
the moment the corn-laws are repealed every working man
will look to find cheap and abundant food, and supply the
wants of his family; and cheap and abundant food clunot
follow at once on a season of disappointing harvests—harvests
which throughout Europe have been deficient." It is true
that such false expectations may more or less have been en.
tertained, and that some present disappointment may ensue;
but we may hope that this evil can be but of small extent—
we know that in its nature it is but temporary. We must
look that the permanent expectations of our people are not
may
yvours be continued,
ill-founded. We have enough of well-founded expectations
genendeavour of the League
to give them, expectations neither narrow thioorppeoorirg.
hWtlye,haanvde
not led them to hope too much. It is hoping too little that
creates any danger of disappointment. Let our endeavours,
tlamalas•ad perifia-
copiafrlntdlbineenneceoha.rnttsn-
tasgaronw..---ft
01
hopeirenit,
ebhneansruelgodhno.gu redoubled, eer
ndn,attyhh
eas
atpyet,rhs peopleleeevte
arinnr
to throw a full clear light upon our true, our attainabltehoebjreocott.
The League has held out no false expectation.—(Cheers.)
eatol
say it is the first great necessary,e indispensable
...• giving to the
perma-
nent elevation in the condition of the people.
step,No , bat we
from which a thousand other
iso-
latedW e
m haveeaennorte putiin
i itself
fh sufficientt her ep
t sand undeniable (Cheers.) It removes a
andvashy pressure from
people of this
the first necessary of
country, in the supply life, the com-
mandf all the markets in the world, though
of the resources o
seasons and of trade will still exist, the variations of the
frightful fluctuations
will cease to produce the
' and as much stability as human, means can
our industrial resources,ef
expe-
rience, secure will
cause of industry.—(Cheers.) The moment
be given to the
I d theLeaguewill
that the corn-laws are repea e cease to exist;
ought we to start forwardwith joint
and that instant also .
harmonious council in a new race of enterprise.
energies and great work of education Then shall we see the in its
largest sense carried out o
intelligence and in a scale commensurate with
the wants, and with the shall power of this
great nation.—(Cheers.) Then we see our towns,
. under the favouring _
• auspices of prosperous industry, relieved
crowded cellars and undrained streets, the
from the danger of
(Cheers.) Will the men who
abode of fever and of misery:
ot thousands for th
have given their hundreds removalt of a
their heats ande
physical grievance,
notopenbe, greater eir purses
and give equal, or if need
.contributions for the
p itual elevation of their country ?
—(Cheers.) Will the men
Legislaturee ed by their
the whole to
persevering endeavours moving
ine
dfoid their hand
improve their supplies of
a and necessaries,sin indolence
and apathy when the comforts next in their hearths
im-
portance, are wanting about and .
trespass on o
homes?—
(Cheers.) I will not further
your time, as you
will now be anxious to bear other speakers..
.lou are anxious
warmth with which Mr. Cobden
to show the enthusiastic a
and Mr. Bright was received, and by the extent of your
subscriptions also, what it is difficult to express in words,
your high and grateful estimation of the indefatigable labour,
the unfailing moral courage, the energyand
first to last.—(Cheers.)
which
have characterised their career frome
I beg to propose " The League" as toast.—(Cheers.)
Mr. COBDEN, who, on presenting himself, was received
with the most vociferous and protracted cheerincs, in
e, the
midst of which the band struck up, "See, the conquering
hero comes !" spoke as follows :—'f he League, to-night, l las
been well received and well spoken of, and that is something
rare in these times, for we certainly hive been the be abused