The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-09 00:00:00

SIR ROBERT PEEL

MANCHESTER ADDRESSES.
(From the Manchester Guardian.)
The following communications have been received
from Sir Robert Peel, in answer to the Addresses for-
warded to the Right Hon. Baronet from the different
bodies in this town, which we have already noticed:—
Drayton Manor, July 3, 1846.
Gentlemen—The severe pressure of public business,
which did not admit of delay, has deprived me, until
this day, of the opportunity of returning my grateful
acknowledgments to the bankers, merchants, and manu.
facturers of Manchester, who have signed the address
which I have recently had the honour of receiving from
that town.
I thank them sincerely for the approbation of my
conduct which they have expressed, and especially for
the justice they have done to the motives by which alone
I have been influenced, in recommending and supporting
to the utmost of my power, important measures con-
nected with our commercial policy, which have at length
received the sanction of Parliament.
Though I have felt it to be my duty to relinquish
office, I shall be prepared to lend, in a private capacity,
my cordial assistance in the continual application of the
principles on which those measures are founded.—l have
the honour to be, gentlemen, your faithful servant,
(Signed) ROBERT PEEL.
The Mayor of Manchester.
The President of the Chamber of
Commerce and Manufactures.
The President of the Commercial Association.
Malcolm Ross, Esq., &c. &c.

. _ .
TQ THE DIRECTORS OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

AND MANUFACTURES AT MANCHESTER.

Drayton Manor, July 4, 1846.
Gentlemen,— I have this day had the honour of re-
ceiving the address from the Chamber of Commerce and
Manufactures at Manchester, transmitted to me by the
president.
That address I shall not fail to communicate to the
ettivir.X.e.mbers of the GoYernment 11110121 as been lately

It was mainly through their cordial and zealous co-
operation that I was enabled to conduct to a successful
issue, the measures which it was my duty to propose at
the commencement of the present Session, for the re-
moval of many of the remaining restraints on commerce,
and for the repeal of taxes on corn, cattle, meat, and all
the first necessaries of life.
To myself personally this address must be peculiarly
gratifying, on account of the place from which it pro-
ceeds,
and en account of your connexion with manu-
facturing interests and occupations, to which lam so
deeply indebted. My late colleagues will, lam confident.
fully participate in the satisfaction which I have derived
from an address which approves so warmly of our con-
duct, and does such ample justice to our motives.
In returning my acknowledgments, allow me to make
a remark, which could not be addressed more appropri-
ately to any other body, and in the truth of which no
other body would, I am confident, more readily acquiesce.
Although, as might naturally be expected, the mea-
sures for the repeal of the corn and provision laws were
encountered by a very able and vehement opposition in
Parliament, yet full justice has not been done to the
great moderation and forbearance which were generally
displayed by that class of the community, which is im-
mediately and practically concerned in the occupations
of agriculture. They were equally displayed by that
class in every part of the empire, in Scotland and Ireland,
as well as in this part of the United Kingdom.
During the whole progress of the measures through
Parliament, there was no disposition on their part mani-
fested to offer or encourage any obstruction not required
for the purposes of fair discussion, or to insist pertina-
ciously on the continued maintenance of protective duties
for the benefit of a particular class.
Of this I am confident, that nothing passed during
the heat of the conflict which, now that it is closed,
ought to prevent the establishment of cordial harmony
and good-will between the agricultural and manufactur-
ing classes.
It is indeed to be hoped, that one of the happiest re-
sults of the measures which have been sanctioned (as I
believe, finally and irrevocably sanctioned) by Parlia-
ment, will be the determination of constantly recurring
and irritating discussions, and the removal of all causes
of jeolousy and contention between those who, though
occupied in different departments of industry, have in-
terests that are inseparably interwoven.
I thank you for the hearty good wishes you express
for my welfare. I can claim no credit for any personal
sacrifice in relinquishing office.
With whatever pertinacity I would have adhered to
it, if such adherence had been essential, or manifestly
conducive to the final success of the commercial mea-
sures of the present session, yet, now that they are
I am satisfied that, in the present state of affairs, and
thosepassed,
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not feelings little akin to
in the present position of political parties, it is for the
ffiorce rewgirteht.
public advantage that the power which official station
confers should be transferred to other hands, and trans-
ferred without a protracted struggle.
Being so satisfied, I cordially rejoice on every private
ground that I am relieved from a burden which was be-
yond my strength, and am exempted from sacrifices for
which nothing could compensate but the ability to render
public service.
Be assured that, in a private station, I shall give my
continued support to those principles of commercial
legislation which have been approved equally by the
deductions of reason and by the results of practical ex-
periment, and that I shall rejoice in the progress of all
measures, adopted with due caution and circumspection,
that shall be calculated, by extending commerce, to give
additional security for general peace, and by ensuring
their just reward to skill and industry, to lay the best
foundation for the intellectual and moral- improvement
of the people.—l have the honour to be, gentlemen,
your faithful servant,

ROBERT PEEL.
Thomas Batley, Esq, President of the Chamber of
Commerce.
The Mayor of Manchester, &c. &c.

FRENCH PLAYS.—Her Majesty and Prince Albert,
accompanied by Prince Leiningen, and attended by the
Viscountess Canning, the Hon. Miss Devereux, Lord Ha-
warden, Colonel Seymour, and Colonel Arbuthnot, honoured
Mr. Mitchell's benefit last evening with their presence.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady
Augusta Bruce, the Baroness de Speth, Sir George Couper,
and the Hon. Captain Murray, also honoured the theatre
with her presence. There were also present his Royal
Highness Prince George of Cambridge, Prince Louis Napo-
leon, the Duchess of Beaufort and party, the Duchess of
Sutherland, the Duchess of Beauclerc and party, Lord and
Lady Dalhousie, the Countess of Kinnoul, the Earl of Shel-
burne, the Marquis of Titchfield, Lord and Lady Aylmer,
Lady Charlotte Guest, Lord Willoughby, the Earl of Ork-
ney, the Marquis of Clanricarde, Lord C. Fitzroy, Baron
Hugel, the Marchioness of Donegal, Baron and the
Countess Rothschild, Lady Fitzroy Kelly, Sir W. Massey
Stanley, Sir George and Miss Talbot, Sir John H. Lowther,
the Hon. Spencer Cowper, Sir Henry and Lady Meux,
Lady Grey, Lady Jodrell, Madame Van de' Weyer, Hon.
Miss Campbell, Sir Henry and Lady Webster, Hon. Mr.,
Abbott, Sir H. Webb, Lady and Miss Quentin, Hon. R.
Lawley.
Dispaches were received yesterday at the Colonial-
office, from the Governers of the Mauritius, West Aus-
tralia, and Malta.