The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-22 00:00:00

RAILWAY ROBBERIES.

--sasa---•
The following copy of a statement made by Daniel
Garrett relative to the railway robberies, though hitherto
withheld, may afford some s• rvice to the public:—
. " On board the Barrette transport, Dec., 1845.
to.:Telricasilewitii,s,slito:icosnt, practices began with me about
thirteen months ago, when I was living in idleness close
and used to go on to the platform
to see the trains come in; and there it was I. got into
conversation with the people of the railway, and joined
a connexion. . My' first parcel was a carpet bag,
which was taken on the arrival of a train as if I was a
passenger; but that mode of acting became dangerous,
as, on several occasions; the cowners intercepted their
property, and, but for the timely assistance of a con-
federate, I should not have escaped so easily. Other
methods were hit upon, which if made known may pre-
vent such practices in future. 'We found it best to work
at dark. ,tiometirees.a passenger, would be watched, asd
ir any parcel of his promised. well, he would be dodged
through to the train, and, when he Lad passed on, ss Ith
the confederate we managed matters easily; for, whore
practicable, he would put the luggage in the wrong
place, or with a wrong ticket on it, or boldly give it to a
cenfederate as bis luggage to go with him in the train
instead of in the luggage van; a confederate would ride
a short or a long trip, and then claim the particular
article, or walk away with or without the conni-
vance a the guard, depending on his being
in the secret or not. It was by going as a
short passenger that we were Lisle to effect these
things ; or else would, on the -arrival of the train, boldly
seize anything, and if stopped, it could be attributed to
mistake. It was at th'e junction lines especially that we
were able to work as well without the assistance of the
railway man as with it. The passengers were gone out
into the refreshment-rooms, and there was another by
which we could start off to another place. In these va-
rious ways, the game was played ; first one way, then
, another on one line, then changed about to another, in-
tending to change from line to line in succession.
" Mr, Hartley's box of scrip, which was valued at
40,0001, and supposed to have never reached the line,
was not taken away from the train till we reached Wol-
verton ; and, if passengers will go away from their
luggage without having it labelled, or seeing that it goes
with the train, or leave it at refreshment-Looms, they
must expect to lose it. I was not a thief by profession.
I had been a valet and confidente of several noblemen,
travelling with them, and never wronging them of a
shilling. Unhappily . for me I got into the debtors'
prison, Whiteeross-street, three years ago, for a crini.
con., which I fear spoilt me for honest labour. Our
parcels we had before divided, and returned to the
Owners any papers ; and althongh about twenty-five
have been traced yet there were very many
more, and as fast as they were taken they
were sold at various places, the marks being erased
to avoid detection ; but this scrip sorly puzzles us.
My first impulse was to go to the continent, where
my extensive knowledge would disguise me. That
was opposed, and we determined to wait. A reward
was offered, but difficulties presented themselves, and
in the dilemma, Maynard's services offeree, and he in-
troduced a friend of his, a chymist, from the neighbour-
hood of Brunswick-square, and they cone )cted the cor-
respondence and fictitious names with Bash and Mullins,
but they were very anxions to get possession of the scrip
and I - believe that Mr. Hartley is indebted to me for
its restoration. The " earnest" of our power to restore
was shown Mr. Hartley -by returning him his keys,
which were the "first instalments." Mr. Bush paid the
1501. in gold, no notes, and was grateful to Maynard
and shook hands with him. He came to his house in
his carriage. This gave us boldness, and when the next
box of papers, Mr. Pranae's, turned up we had less hesi-
tation. Those small packages were the easiest to carry
off; but whether that was taken before the trains left, by
asking the porter for it, to take into the train with any
person, or at the end of a short journey, I forget; for
those cases were so numerous, and the work of an in-
stant, and where the confederate was in the machinery,
the wrong labels put on, or wrong parcels so easily given
out, that I will not venture to say. Maynard negotiated,
but unguardedly, and I told him so ; but he was head-
strong, priding himself on his " position," and appear-
ances. He arranged and went to his lawyer friend to
draw out the necessary papers for the restoration ; he
and I then went to the city together in a cab ; he left
me at Blossom's Inn, and went on to Guildhall to settle
the affair. I waited some hours, and then went home to
my lodgings, from which we had started. I felt quite
safe, as I was only known to six people in connexion with
Maynard, and they were in the mess ; and there was
nothing against me to show that I had not found it, as
was said. In the evening I was fetched out by Maynard's
man, and went to his lawyer friend about it and May-
nard's arrest ; but we all agreed that nothing could be
done to him for negotiating a reward, and I went to him
next morning, with his " Man Friday," to assure him
of support, and again went to him, and provided
a criminal lawyer ; but finding myself watched, j
did not go again, but took means to prevent any evidence
against myself, and felt secure in my incoaniace and
change of dress every day. When the discovery of
other matters, and especially Bush's, was made, and I
was " wanted," as I thought, but not known, I resolved
to leave England, and began quietly ' to realise ; but
then came the squabbles between the agents of the com-
panies, and their disapprqval of what had been done
against Maynard, and stoppage of other investigations ;
that gave me confidence, and I determined to remain,
but forsook my lodging and old pals, and traded by
myself on several lines, even under the very eyes of the
police who wanted me, yet did not - know me, except
as a gentleman's servant, and above suspicion, whilst
I have spent hours in their company, and sent
spies, to volunteer information and assistance. I felt
certain all further purauit was cooled down and stopped,
and_ went on for weeks at the old game; we also resorted
to various expedients to put them on wrong set nts, and
deter them from pursuit, if they were intent on it, and if
passible to get. Maynard off, as we certeinly should on
the charge of negotiating. We believed those had sue-
(seeded too; but I found out that I was again watched,
and I resoliedto raise cash and leave England, but I had
as my share the most troublesome things, because if any.
thing happened I was more safe than the others (the
railroad men), so that I had to realise and cautiously,
and had done so to a large extent, and should have been
off in a couple of days, when I was arrested six weeks
after Maynard; then I foolishly thought my physical
strength would release me, and offered two bribes, for
which I am very sorry, as I believe those persons only
did their duty under very discouraging circumstance. *
" I have said enough to put persons on their guard;
the past cannot be helped, and I hope my end will be a
warning to those who hate honest labour. " D. G."

THE LOST CAUSE of PROTECTION

(From the Prussian Unirersal Gazette.)
In spite of the deep obscurity which sti.;', envelopes
the plans of Sir Robert Peel in referenee to the abo-
lition of the corn. laws, both part4es in the coun-
try have, nevertheless, lost rlo time in arming
themselves for the combat. The League is deve-
loping its immense and far-stretching power in the
greatest subscription list that has ever been opened in
a country, headed by the names of all the considerable
manufacturers of Lancashire, with sums of 1,000/. and
5001. each ; whilst the smaller contributors of 1001.,
50/. and 20/. are lost in the gigantic sheets of the Times.
It is worthy of remark, that the League, the more
powerful it becomes in its furtherance of the cause of
free-trade, by means of the support of the most eminent
manufacturing :and mercantile names in the kingdom,
appears so much the less dangerous as a democratic body,
which might be led astray from its lawful object to the
pursuit of less praiseworthy ends.
The meetings of the agriculturists have, on the other
hand, only served to proclaim the passion, the stupidity,
advocates
which
have not
be ong
whilst I s the t
been
more fortunate in a ridiculous and ineipid corn-law mani-
festo which appeared in the last Quarterly Review, and
emanated from the pen of Mr. Croker.
The corn-laws must be repealed, even if no argument
could be established in favour of such a measure, merely
ail e thebut
withi- Chi-
nese, on account of the unexampled absurdity of the grounds
nadduced
not
ti
protectivewn
idtehfe drpcaeuo
tf,vy
advocatesa tehepoenxsis
at inn dg t
nh aeka ev system.yw
r l.
bullets,
painted cavalry, and fearful threats against their firmly-
advancing adversaries; they lay dncertain disastrous
events as the inevitable consequence arepe al
assump-
tions mthe
corn laws, and proceed on the ground of
of these
tions to build arguments, as if the same were established
facts—ay 1 and as if they were the objects for which
the free-trade party were contending. Tbus they affirm
that half the corn lands in the kingdom would be
thrown out of cultivation, and that the entire downfall
of agriculture and of the country would be the un-
avoidable result of such a measure. To all this a
short but decisive answer may be returned. What effect
had all this agitation, and what effect has the impend--
ing abolition of the corn-laws, upon the value of land!
in England ? Its value has never been higher than
at the present moment ; the investment of capital
in landed property has never been so much sought as
now ; never has land been mere readily purchased ; and,
generally speaking, there has never been less land offered
for sale at low prices than now. If, accordingly, the
arguments of the protectionists were correct, they might
still hasten to avail themselves of their own foresight, andl
sell their landed possessions before Sir R. Peel has ruined
the country; and in a few years after the repeal of the corn •
laws, they might even (if their prophecies should be con-
firmed) buy in these landed estates again at a clear
profit of 30 per cent.! Not one of them, how-
ever, notwithstanding all their outcries, will under-
take such an operation upon this assumption ; the
landed proprietors know full well that in a densely
populated country like England, small in extent, Vet`
colossal in wealth, the value of land regularly rise s, with-
out reference to the price of an individual production of
the soil ; and they even acknowledge that, the phantoms
raised by themselves are only phantoms, whilst they
wish by their instrumentality to frighten others, but
make no attempt to escape themselves. Assuming the
very worst contingency—viz., that the profit arising
from land, viz., rent, might be somewhat diminished--
the landed proprietor would only be placed in the same
been reduced.
position as the fundholder, who, after the reduction
of the interest of
possession of
the same, or even a still greater, amount of
nevertheless, no doubt that, both in and out
capital, although
thethaennnuaat
annual income
hascnod-mebt'finds
himself
of Parliament, the contest will be a hot one. The ses-
sion, which commences on the 224, will be unusually.
There is,
animated, and it is not impossible that Sir R. Peel, after
being overthrown in the present House of C omr.dena
upon the corn-law question, may find himself eor:ipelled
to dissolve Parliament before Easter, I can r,nly hope
that the universal dread of the u p blic iumnvenience
arising from such a measure, and th
con-
viction of the universal necessity o f a final decision
of the corn-
law question, will IA some degree
and 112053.itilate the ionsf tea -en the opposition.
.ultra-Tory opponents
of. 41.0 thubal trar zon.

THE CORN-LAWS.
MEETING AT NORWICH._

Noawrot, JAN. 20.—This evening a public meeting was
cosvened by advertisement at StS Andrew's Hall, in ' this
city, to which all persons interested in agriculture were eves
cially invited t o attend. The hall, which will"hold 4,000
persons, was quite crowded, and the 'arrangements for the
accommodation of the press were very good, but a mob o(
ruffianly fellows surrounded the inclosed space set apart for
the reporters and made it. very difficult of approach. . •
The chair was taken by Mr. Betts, the Mayor; and the
greatest excitement WaS awakened in consequence of the
rumour that Mr. Wodishouse, M.P. for NOrfolk, had accepted
a challenge from Mr. Cardin to'rneet him and discess the
great question of the repeal of the corn-laws. The 'city
throughout the day was thronged with strangers as well as
groups of townspeople, discussing incidentally'the object of '
the meeting. The proceedings commenced at half-past six'
o'clock. Mr. Cobden arrived-first, and was much cheered;
Mr. Wodehouse arrived.sooa afterwards, and was hailed with
partial cheering and laughter.
The MAYOR rose and said, be. wished every person to be
fairly heard. That was an -Engliehman'a privilege. He did
not pretend to know which was right or which was wrong
on the present question; but lie had quite sufficient force to
keep order, and he meant to have it kept. The Anti-Corn-
law League of the city of NOrwieh were understood to have
possession of the hall till Mr. Cobden had addressed the
meeting. -
Mr. CoBDEzr then rose amidst enthusiastic cheering,
which was again and again renewed. He said—Mr. Mayor
and gentlemen, it gives me peculiar. pleasure on this occa-
sion to address you in this magnificent hall, because I under-
stand we are favoured with the presence of a gentleman dis-
tinguished as a leader of the agricultural .protectionists; one
noted in the House of Commeeis by his talents, competent to
a lead in that influential body Of onr fellow-cotintrymen,
and who; I am sure, will be able here to statethe case of the
p-otectionists as successfully as any member of that body.
.Now, gentlemen, as I understand, this meeting is intended
to afford an opportunity for a discussion between those
who entertain opinions similar to my own and those who
favour protection to agriculture,. I shall confine-myself pretty.
much on this occasion—(Clamour)—to the discussion of the
' effects of 'protection upon agriculture.—(Renewed clamour.),
If those men are not perfectly quiet I shall .call on the Mayor
to ask them to leave the.meeting; for I have no Idea of allow,-
ing 5,000 people to be annoyed by the conduct of ten indivi-
duals.—(Cheers) I will confine myself to the effects. of pro-
tection upon agriculture, for I will take it for granted that
there are no men here connected with manufactures who are'
not, as we are in the north,. favourable to free trade in pros
visions. I will assume ,you want no argument from me to
convince you that .it is better to have abundance of food
than an artificial and legalized scarcity of food. And now,
taking for granted that the manufacturers and traders of
Norwich are favourable to abundance and cheapness—that
. you want no arguments from me to show that it is your in-
terest to have abundance and cheapness, we will address our-
selves to the consideration of protection as, it affects the
agriculturists. I proceed another step. I intend to define
what I mean by agriculturists. Nothing has-misled so much
as the neglect of deanitions as we •go along. By agrieuls
turists I mean men who labour. on the land. -• Agricul-
ture means lahouring the land. .Agriculturists means..
the tenant-farmer who works with his head if 'riot,
with his hand, and it includes the labourer who works with'
his hand.—(Cheers.) It is only the farmer and the labourer
who are entitled to.come near the definition of 'agriculturist.
—(Cheers;) It is true we have landowners who call them-
selves agriculturists—men who -probably never had one acre
in their own hands to aultivate,' or who receive their rents
and probably live at Paris,, Rome,. or Naples, or spend their
time at Cheltenham, Brighton, or London—men who receive
their rents, and then come forward pleading the cause of the
agriculturists Sand say to the farmer and to the labourer "We
are all rowing in the same boat."s—(Great cheering. and
- laughter.) The question we have to discuss to-night is—
first, what interest the farmer aed farm-labourer have in the ,
corn-laws. I say here; ai I have said a thousand times bent;
that the farmers and farm labourers have no interest in. the-
corn-laws . If the corn• laws do what we are told they do=-
keep up up the price of grain—why then one inevitable cones
quence follows—rents must, be higher here than on the cons
tinent.—(Cheers.) So long as you havetwenty men bidding
for every vacant farm, yountay be quite sure rents will re-
main up to the full extent the tenant is able to pay. If
the fanner could see that an SAct of ParliaMent could
secure him 80s. aqnarter for his wheat, -doubtless he
would be Willing to pay a 'higher rent than if he got. 4tla.
a quarter fur his wheat, and'any Aet of Parliament which.
doss really succeed-.in raising artificially the, prices of corn
and provisions, why, that is a rent-law—(Great cheering)—
and I believe there are not two farmers at this meeting Of
in the country, with heads on, their shoulders sufficiently
good to entitle them to be left at large without a, keeper—
(Cheers and laiighter)--,who would. not be quite willing
to admit that, inaae Icing rup,,Acta.of Parliament that raise
the price of wheat are Acts of Parliament in some degree to
raise the rent of land.—(Cheers.) Then, why all this
clamour on the part of the farmers in behalf of the corn-
laws ? What do they hope to get by the maintenance of
those laws ? What have they got by their maintenance in
times past ? At the protection meetings what has all. the
outcry been but that farming is a bad trade ? -What good,
then, does protection do to farmers,? You have had. that
protection—you have had a majority in Parliament—you
have thrown up your caps at hustings for,, the men who
promised protection—you have ten landlords in Parliamia
fur one manufacturer or merchant—you haye
,liad it all
3-our own way, and yet I say farming is a bid trade, and I
know it has been a bad trade.-(1-lear' and' loud cheers.).
- I'll tell you why' it is a bad trade; It has been a bad trade'
because yon have had Acta of Parliament meddling with'
your trade.. You have had Acts of Parliament proposing to.
secure certain prices for your produce, and ..the farmers have
taken their farms expecting these prices; but when
_they
have gone to market they have found the market prices not
up to the Act of Parliament prices.—(Laughter..) They
have reckoned their rents tipon. these Acts of .Parliament
prices, and paid them out of the market pricii, and been
losers by the bargain.. I need not go over now the history of
the corn-laws since 1815. I have done it already is this
very room. I showed you in this very room thatyoar first
break down in 1822 was owing to the corn-laws. You, had a
• law passed in 1815 to secure you 80s. a quarter. In 1822.
wheat was selling at half that price, and in a number of the
Ni,rwielt Mercury in 1822 there were no fewer than 168 edver- •
tiseineias of farmers to be sold up.—(Hear, hear.)
then, you have had two or three times since the. pricei down
to nearly one-half the prices the' Adt of Parliament pros
inised you. You know the distress which followed upon
farmers in consequence. I need not go, back upon it; every,
man here of my own age can recoiled it.—(Hear. hear.)
But I hear an Hon. Gentleman near me, the Member for
one of the divisions of this county, cheering me when I
Allude to the distress of the farmers,— (Cries .of " No, no,"
from Mr. Wodehouse.) lam not saying that he• exults in,
it, but when we are cheered. in the House of Commons by
one Moor opponents we always think, that,something !Talcs',
is meant by it, and I take it that the Hon. Gentleman means
to infer Oat protection has not secured the prosperity of the
farmers. But probably the lion. Gentleman has some; other
way of accounting for the 'distress of the farmers than 1.
have. Well, all I stiptliate for is, that he shall confine him-
self, on the -present occasion. to corn, and If they, have
had distress In spite of protection, what is the use of rousing
the whole country and fighting- the battle of protection, ea;
if the only thing it did was to benefit :the farmer:ea, I. aps
peal to past experience, to prove that the farmers have not
been prosperous with protection; but I'll go further, and
maintain, that the farmers ,have not only not been , pros-
peretis, bnt that they have done worse .as men of latislitese—
I mean they have made less money than other classes of
the community. There is not a farmer in tbesountry'
who would: not respond to • this • assertion immediately..
Our shopkeepers,. our...drapers, our grocers, our coach.'
builders, every trade or profession you please our
lawyers, our doctors, every -other class, has made money
And bec9ene prosperous, more °elms ; but, as 4 rule, farmers
have gener:illy been unprosperous. Now, why ahould.it
so? why shestki farmers not make money as well as other
people ? Why sEf;mld farmers he the host unprosperous per- ,1
sons in the community?" I can only account for it from
that they have 'been...Specially protected' by Menibers of Par.',
liament,--( Laughter. ) They have- had' much dry-nursing-1
by county Members—(Continued laughter)—that they have
never grown up into ,healthy. Maturity ; they have been
zickety bantlings, and as they grow up, though they have
now been under this system for 30 years and odd, they .must
Atilt have crutches given to theen.—,(Hear.) Well, we hear
a good deal at these protection meetings about the over, ,
gown capital engaged in manufactures ; and is it not vary
odd, that the inanufactyrers; a/behave no protection, and
who want .none, should Make out- better than the farmers
with all their protectioei that:County Members; should be '
fighting night - and day -in' the' House of Commons, and
coming down to public, meetings and rousing the whOle
country to keep up • protectioa--that protection hieing
intended to secure the farmer, the home trade. with-
out which you cannot possibly , live, , and. at the
same time our manufacturers .in Lancashire -.end York-
shire, who are selling their goods . probably to the
Chinese some 12,000 or 15,001 miles off, are, making money,
and the farmer!, who have had the home market secured to
them without any competition, can't make any money at all?
Well, then, take the agricultural labonrers. Why, they are
at the bottom of the sealei the very loweet scale of the ladder
—( Hear, hear)—makieg less than 7s. or Bs. -at week.—(Cries
of, " No, no," "Yes, yes," and other sums- named.) Nell,
I won't pretend to settle the - question. Nothing,' I find, 'i9
'so difficult as to, settle the .rate,of wages anywhere. - I find-
that in Wiltshire the wages .are 65., 75.,_ and .Be. a week, but
I hope they are double in, Norfolk. , But,. whether or not,
this I will undertake to saystivin a pretty wide knowledge.
of facts, that, the whole country through the lavest paid la.;
bourer is the agricaltutal labourer.—(A voiCe. " No; no.")
Now, anybody that denies that must not have' had his eyes
and his ears open for the "lasttwa or three years.- NoWs.wht
is it that the agricultural labourers An %Vete-paid shad any.
other labourers? . I would ask the gentleman who denies.,
that the agricultural labourer is paid less than the -mantifitc-:
Luring labourer how .is it that the ; lahoirarA are running
away from agriculture to. manufactures ?- Did any, eue!eeer
hear of a Man running away, from 112 s. a Weekstse
( Laughter.) But I can imagine, it, possible ,tb4 he would.
leave Sc. to get 12s. But how issit that the egri4turati
. laboureris hot badly off? I Will not. go :beyond One fata,r,s,
that the farmers, see st rule throughout the gauntry, are defi-
cient in capital foi their land ; that they have not "a eriffi.cieat.
capital for the acreage they occupy; and where theta is an
insufficient capital, there you .hare badly paid and miserable
labourers. Now, Ido not apply my remarks simply tp Narl-
folk, for I believe Norfolk.. and London are two of the beat
counties .Engles, but I speak of the eountry generally:
case lezTettatoy
tahtaetteialis af .nation.'e use,, and not A Nerfolk
o tamers in tuns country, as 4. rule,.
have not one hale the capital thei,eaght•to zieri the
men in the Hotite of Commons don't daily this, for r have
told them so there: • -
Why, just because,
they are under-the- delete's. e t)svisits thoisfrthe corn-lawns You
have had landlords living uponleeen?.
crip ital efiuceessivetenante .
in this country. If youlad'llla arm tenanta advert/set' to
be sold up in the Nurteich Me, of the- dititress
which must have existed einem; tiestabiluda
when all the capital was swept .away to r.parlot;l4l:tf:tr S'
Lci
tie farmers -left without the means of .employing thel Vas
(A voice— That was owing to an alteration of:
"
the currenc).) Well, If .it be owing tq the.-alteration
in the currency, call your currency meetings, hut den't:gp to
the protection meetings, and tell the farmers there that it is
Protection that makes them prosPerons, and when I show
roes • e
on tell
me t t •
you that they are not Praalle 4
currency that they are not so. I•have 'ob.
owing to the cur but
this •
taking your own course, qLite•
jection to your ket •ump behind Nit up .4oti-Cdrai-'
resolved upon, that you su arj
doe not. w uiryhhas'
law League, as a bad boy, that $
post-chaise, to .anyerrands for other
self, jumps' behind „,., ,
an ,cheerio • lt is,
ers St
people who employ him.-(4-4111VaL
prospered, awl that the
admitted that the farmers have .pot prosp
ed
labourers have been distressed s. protection hisnot preveut
that-.(Hear, hear.) • . Let us try,, then, j' 'We cannot -do with-
out protection. It ro said that neither &Oa)) fanners nor
manufacturers can compete with foreigners. Why not? 4xe
yew. not as good-and as clever?' Will Ton siibmit to have
~vossr coward ears cuffed as the farmers do?-Laughter and
ch.Vl:l6l-
bay, been literally ashamed of my Countrymen
when have.heard accounts of theseprotection etinas
Dukes, koala, end, • • me p
.of whomi I shout
be but ;Teat burley farmers, ampule
and declaring Us the f pismy,, mot together, .weeping
ruined if Ow • 'ara- • ace wtt4. country that theyi will he
atU no protectedTit.n. Gen
omen held a white handkerchief •s' Amid'
iittghten) The, *ilat to Ist '
to his eyta.L:__,'
- •

lausaiana and the Poles, the Germans- and the Dutchmen.— exist?—(Clamour.) - The :amendment he intended to pro 7
(Laughter.) - They. Are protected: 'We don't ask them to pose was as follows :7
send abroad and -compete with farmers at their own doors; 1. That this meeting, wailst it is
h duly, sensible of the in-
as we manufacturers do; - We-don't aak'them to send their estimable blessings derived from
with
eenjoyn eet,efcornmer-
to China, and sell it there at what they can'
get after cial liberty, is still impressed the. belief that what is
United States, 14 nothing:morethan-a beau-
over the expenses, of freight and- duty ; yet ,we find• called" free trade," to use the words .o.f Mr. Clay, formerly
these meu meeting together, and blubbering -mid mourning President of the .
over the bars idea that they should be called upon to com- dial vision, existing only in the imagination of_.philosophers
ete with. foreigners, either here, or at their own doors.— and theorists, and practically. repudiated by all nations, since
(Cheers.) It is aurPrising to hear one of those dukes and an indispensable condition to the aduptionaf it by one nation
squires, when presiding at ptiblic meetings, tell the farmers is its adoption by all.
that they will be all ruined if the corn-laws should he re- .. 2. That in ii a levying a. tariff of duties, care should be taken
,
pealed ; and that if ' foreign'. corn' were 'ever introduced we • that all the great interests of the country,. viz., agriculture,
should be unable to-pay taxes. 'Where is the country that manufacture, navigation, and the mechanic arts, should, as
is not taxed? ~I should like to find out 'such a country. far as may, be practicable, derive.equal advantage from the
,rakightientgii ivititea matter
is attmerea onfthyextreme
ar
revenue importance
. Show. me the Government,arhether Turkish or Russian, that incidental protection which a just system of revenue duties
standa
standard,
will work for nothing, mid I will go and live there.—(Hear may
and laughter.) And, farmers, if you had ever- travelled as understand i
d
you ought you would not be gulled' in the way that you are. both as regards its maximum or its minimum in respect of
Foreigners are taxed to the extentof all they can pay,ilat-
amount ; and also as to the mode in which such duties should
as you are.—(Hear, hear.) That appears to me to be the be levied, whether on the principle of a duty ad valorem, or
• chief end of Government, as far as I know.--(Some confusion bp taken in any other way. : ,
-took place here in consequence of a rush ' made by seaeral 3. That. the teram "Protection to domestic industry" are
persons-at a side-door to foece an entrance, and the inter-. of popular import ;• but they should apply, under a just
,ferenceof- a policeman, who ejected - one. or two of their.)'.. system, 'to all the various branches of industry in the
How the protectionists would like' hi • have such competition country. That the farmee'or planter; who .toils yearly in his
for admission to their meetings - a--,(Hettr, hear.) The fields, is engaged in "domestic industry," and is as much en-
protectionists talk of the emu of- the tenant-farmers by titled to have his labour protected as the manufacturer, the
the repeal of the corn-laaw& I ask you, whether .there have man of commerce, the navigator, or the mechanic, who are
not been in the House of Commons • three motions calling engaged also in domestic industry in their different pursuits.
upon that House—for there are no tenant-fariners there— The joint labours of all these clesssee.conatitute the aggregate
to show what are the ' burdens upon agriculture, and of the domestic industry of the nation, and they are, equally
they - uniformly - voted against the inquiry ?—(Hear, entitled .to the nation's • protection... .No one of them can
hear.) " They tell the farmers 'that they have peculiar bur- justly Claim te..be the, exclusive recipients :of protection,
dens. We tell them in the Heise that they have peculiar 'Which can only be afforded -by. increasing burdens, on the
exemptions. .1 have told them, as I tell them now, that if "domestic industry" of the others. - - •
they will. show a • burden . borne 'by ' agriculture and the 4. That whilst this meeting, depends with confidence
landowners, which :is not borne •by 'manufactarers and upon the justice of Parliament for the maintenance of the
traders, .I will show them-that 'five" times the burden is rights of the agricultural interests of this country, it cannot
borne by the latter classes.—(Hear, • hear.) If, then, the centeMplite with indifference the combinations of interested
agriculturists have no peculiar burdens, what right have individuals of vast money power, whose professed object is to
they to protection any more than any other class of the. destrey the independence and control the free agency of Par-
-community ?—(Cries of "Hear, heir.") We say, if they have liamenf, and. whose leaders have
.given daring publicity to
peculiar- urdens we will exempt them lye say *e have, no their intentions to Undermine and control . the ,freedom of
desire that any class 'of the community. should have either election;- and that, such being the instruments by which the
peculiar burdens or exemptions. • We say that they should "agricultural interest isampegned„,this meeting .pledges itself
•be .fairly arranged; and, if. we have any othertaxation, let to oppose, by every legal and constitutional mode, such st-
ile have: a fresh; arrangement,- in which all shall be fairly tacks Upon, our most valued institutions, .and to Maintain
treated,7-(flear, bear.) But when we seek for a statement inviolate the freedom of election and the independence of
of accounts, they come to farmers' meetings, and say, "We Parliament, not merely as regards the eastern And Western
cannot compete with foreigners, on account of our burdens."' diyisions of the county of ,Norfolk, but also 'as comprehend-
-(A laugh.) I say this scheme of protection is one-half a - ing the city and 'county of Norwich, the . borough of Great
Political hoax, and the other half arises out of politicitaigno- Yarmouth, -the borough of Kings Lyen, and the, borough of
rance.—(Hear, hear.). The men who play the gameaaed the' Thetford, whose electoral privilegee may, either now Or here-
men who are played upon by the players, make up the two after, be brought tohaeard, by being sebjectao inroads of a
. classes of dupes and impostors.—(Laughter.) The landlords similai character., . _ - - • . -- •
—the -,political landlords I mean—wish •to exercise supreme (The reference to"" Philosophers and theorists"in the amend-
-
autboritrin-this country, and they frighten the farmers in meat was received with great laughter and clamour.) He
order to drive them to the poll._ They bellow for "Protection did not know whether ay the' forms of the meeting lie was
to agriculture."—(Laughter.) ...There is nothing like a good precluded from further discussion: He was perfectly satis-
",cay At an election.—(34ear,•,hear.)...Ay, but that old banner fed to sit down with this deelfteation of his resolution. The
of 'protection .is most terribly. soiled nand torn of late.— resolution which had been moved included .-.the sugar duties,
(Laughter.) ',don't think the. farmers will rally round it the malt tar, and everything. He wait rejoiced to see • Mr.
again:--(Cheers.) I want to see the farmers put upon the Cobden, but regretted the. absence, of Mr. Bright. It was
same footing as . the tradesmen and ether:classes are ; and impossible to view, without sentiments- of the greatest indige
that they do not make their trade a species of party politics. nation; the excessive bitteineas with which Mr. Bright ex-
.No trade will ever -answer that is mixed up with politics. pressed himself on 'every occasion,-(Clamour, . and cries of
.If anybody. conies: to protect you tradesmen, shut up shop, " Queetion;" in the •midst of which). - . •
, and turn to honest pursuits.---(A laugh.) Having urged • The llfavoit aose, 'and 'seid it was the right of an English-
eliis.usuel arguments in favour of farms being let on leases of man to be heard, fandathe more readily' they listened to Mr.
nineteen or twenty yeare; and on mercantile terms' and that - Wodehouee, the sooner would .they hear Mr. Cobden 'again
they should not be suffered baba infested and injured by wild in reply. If the interruption Were persevered in he cer-
animal's, nor the leases clegged with covenants ineueious, to tailly would dissolve the meeting; and then they would hear
the tenant-farmer, the Hon. Gentlemao said, you must- be • nothing:- . .
' allowed to do as youlike, and .'the best you
.can with the Mr. Vonanousa said, he only asked the meeting to hear
land, having no restrictions- as to how yoe are to dress and him patiently for a single moment, till 'he called on them to
crop. it, or adeptit for the preservation and hunting of game.. Neal' in mied that not- a thousandth: part'. of Mr. Cobden's
..I say. that one-half of theeigricultnriats are dupes, and the speech-referred; in the slightest degree,, to the resolution
other impostors. In the first place, the farmers are made „ which:fellowed.aa(Great clamour and laughter 4. a .
tools -of,. as politiCal farmere, by the. landlords; and, in the Ma. A. IleautoNee-Westaere, said their eepresentative, Mr.
next place„ they. ere•staved off from inquiry into the game- . Wodehouse, had been checked by noise 'and interruption.—
laws tenure, and the like.—(Hear, , hear.), In conelusione (cries of "No, no," -and clamour.) Well, then, he had not
'Ma. Cobden argued that .the landlords would me. get less been checked, by interruptions. He had been checked.—(Re-
, rent if' the :farmers were freed from. the mischiefs com- newed-clamoar.) Mr. Hammond then proceeded to state
mitted by, game,: and froth ancient covenants. prejudicial . that he would answer Mi. Cobden himself; bet he .would not
:.to -the 'proper • cultivation of land. If any landholder in say anything bent:of that geatlernau. .li'llatavere they to say
Norfolk 'would- let his land on such terms, and ' for a 'of the man who told them at one time that the landlord was
lease :of nineteen or twenty: years, he would under-. the only party to be affected by the repealaafthe corn-laws,
take -etc . get .-him .- a tenant.—(Heare- hear.) Yet - the while .teenight hi had eaid-thatthe landlord would not suffer.
. landlords told. the farmers. that -such changes would ruin air: Cobden hid said that the agriculturists had had too
there.,-(Hear, hear.) What could -. be more degrading teach protection. He (Mr. Hammond) was ready to show
than to, tell the farmers. of England that: they were the Bri- that they had too little:- -What had been the effect of the
`fish' lion, and that if they_ only -shook . their mane and • reduction of protection in 1842? Hid it aotlowered prices
wagged their tail, the. miserable ..monufacturers would be • of wheat sS.or'los. a comb! ••• Mr.- Colideti ' bad ' referred to
thrown off like dew drops,—(Laugliter_and cheers.) • They the, number Of- sales • •of fartifers'.atock in 1822. ' Now, he
were told that they were loyal, men, that they upheld our -(Mrs Hammond) wiehed-the. ineetingto-retnemboa What had
institutions in Church and Sta:e, that they were the founda- .takeneplace- it the time `referred to. Itivaa certainly most
tion upon which the Throne* and the aristocracy rested; and- imereper and unjust- to attribute thealistrees Ola.that -period
that they.had fought the battles of the country at Waterloo . to -thetorn-laivs. :It. was . edely attributable to Peel's Cur-
and Trafalgar.--,(Laughter): Whya if I were addressed in rene.y Bill, which ;doubled-the , farmer's' debt, while it 'left
that way ( exclaimed the Hon.-Gentleman) byabody of men,', him .only half the means of Paying it. . ',For six years, ending
I should think .of the fable of the fox.and the crow, wherein • and'including the year 1809; the total cash currency of the
the fqx flattered the crow that :she , had amost enchanting cOuntry• averaged 44' millions" and some odd' hundreds. The
voice, and, deceived .by.the•.`f.soft sawder," she oPenedher - average priceof wheat dining. the ' same period was ..80s. 2d.
beak to sing, -and down dropped:the cheese which she had For seven yearsi'ending and includingthe year 1825, the total
held in it, and:which was all the fox, who ran off with it; cash-; currency averaged 30 millions some odd..hundreds, and
wanted.—(Great laughter.and cheering.). I venture to pre= the-priee of wheit averaged 60s. ' Pot 12 years, ending and
'diet that when -the corn-laws are abolished—as abolished: including- the year 1843, flietOtel
,casa currency wee. 28
„they:will beee(Great cheering)—(A cry—" Three cheers fur millions, and the average price of *heat was 52.1. This, he
-the Abolition of the corn-laws,'? which were heartily given) maintained, Witaitiaiiidence of the depressing effect Of the
--you will sea no more of . those painful and humiliating efr- currency 'measure 'on the interests of the farmer.. Mr.
hileitioes., The farmers will. not • then be brought to ether Cobden had tried': to'' prove . that - protection
.was : of no
and treated like .children.,-like school girls—to be .flattefed,, use le the fernier.' ;He (Mia Henn-non
to have soft sawder laid on,,not with the brush, but with the tale 'that it'wee of gatiat Use :not eular. te
,the farmer, but to
d) .would Main-
trowel. I wonder they don't see through it. Ithink they do. every individual works with his own bands.(A 'Voice,
But I want to see all that nonsense abolished- The.faimer's "'Pro've it.") ' The free-traders have, tried to charm the.peo-
vote will then be his own—(Loud cheers)—and the latidlOrd ple with the
.cry of cheap bread; they had talked of the eig
and tenant, instead of laying, their heads together tbr the
loaf, and of the increased quartets of food in the country ;
:maintenance of an interest opposed to that of the community, but they had always kept out of view that cheap food Meant
will lay their heads together to do as much for each other as low•wages.—(Liughter, and cries of sa'NO,..no.") What they
they can •in an honest way.--(Cheers.) Both landlord' and ' 'meaet was that they could not compete with the foreigners
tenant, i -think, must Sad considerably indebted to me and because they eat cheaper bread than the people' of tbiacoun-
the League for telling them that we are going to abolish the 'try, and because wages were higher. here than they; Were
.cernelaws.... Andave- will :do, it--(Loud. cheers.) The old there, and God knew they were low enough here too., He
edifice is looking very shaky,. but you will • see it tottering (Mr. Hammond) did not grudge ..Mr. Cobden the
.thonsends
and crumbling before six aveeks ..are. over.—(CheeM.) 1 he had made by manufacture a, but he' did abominate the
want to do this without 'exciting. the alarm of the eartieS "gross delusion which he preshed upon ;the minds ofa those
concerned. I have held meetings froth Dorsetshire to ',Aber-. men out of whom he carved that moiley, that it was. the
deenshire ; - the League, a few years ago, expended 16,000/, landlords of- Englied
,who,. by their attempt :to keep, up
.in enlightening- the farmers;' but no sooner was my• back the 'Price of bread, deprived these men of food,• This was
; -e-
-tornednthao -alp -got protection societies, which say to the not the
portion of
merely deprived the inanufactimere of a
farvers—..!, Don't mind what Cobden has-been saying., You certain portion of their proats. (Ilootings and laughter.)
cnn't.thrivee-you can't hope to hold your farms to any good What did that great League authority, .Mr. Deacon.'Hume,
purpose
.unless,, you are protected against the Russiads, the say on this matter? In answer to a qpestion put tO him
Poles, and. the Americans.. if .you don't trust .114 you by Mr.
of the House of Commone. whether he Villiers, when lie .was examined before. a Comenittee
will all be, ruined." And. now in . what a • precious messcontemplated placing
they are all landed 1,---(Cheers and laughter.) -. Now they the working man of this country oe the same footing its the
are going to have the coan-laws repealed, and, they working men of other Countries. Mi. Deacon Hume expli-
eitly said, that he would place. lain on the same footing.
I know it. As to- this galvanized movement among the far-
mers,: we know all about it. It has originated with a few Well, what did Mr. Baring, another League authority, say on
landlords—not the most intelligent of their class-...vrho have -.the subject He said, "I will not 'deny [fiat the desire and
sent about their agents to rouse the farmers. They eennot policy of the men-engaged in trade, whatever may be said of
get aboie 60, or 80, or .100 persons to attend their meetings. its inhumanity, is to screw down the rateof wages as lOs" as
Then -they.. get their speeches .put in the- Morning Post or poisible."-4 net of -"Question.") .He saw that thole re-
the .3forning Herald,, and:this eort-of thing they call a !great marks were not very palatable, so lie would try. another, tack.
national-demonstration.-41,aughter-). Then, what do we see 7--(Laughter.)! He would- ask why should they believe why
on the other side?. ...A. meeting is called at Oxford, and every should' they trust a body of men beund together by the
hand is held
.up:- in . favour. of free _trade.. At Brighton a ' ateongeettlei of interest to aggrandiie themselves at the ex-
thousand . people are seed bolding up their hands for free pense of the rest of the country ?..-(Ceiee of " No, no," and
•
trade,- and only six against it.' •At Exeter' a meeting, called confusion:) • Why, 'whit had they. done here i They had
by the Mayor, is unanimous in favour of free trade. i And
conic to a soft-saw-den" the tarniersewhich, however, they had
-.with all thosameetings in favour of free trade the protection- most thoronghlYiti g. :T
failen doinhiw...carne to tell,the far-
iste are unable to call A single meeting in a single town in the, mers their . business, when the feet-was, that they did not
kingdom. The game is up, Mid they know it.--(Cheers.) We
know the commonest`• peat of the farmers' business.. They
meet in Parliament 1)111 bursday, and whit hascome of this -came there to deseribe the landlords as tyrants,. who drove
greet proteetionistePartY 2 ..--.Wbare. is .. their. own Prime their tenants to the pen' like sheep. lie (Mr. Ilemmend) 'a's
Itlinister, whom they made to,n_phold the corn-law?.— (Cheers s landlord, .denied that altogether. Ile.denied t bat any land-
- -
and laughter,) Run away- This, state of. matter reminds lord in Norfolk dare coerce his tenantry.—(Cbeers and
me of an anecdote which I ~ once laughter.) . Before Concluding he wished to say a.few words
asked a gentleman; who had to deposit stakes, .whose hands' heard. A friend of mine-
'about 'the use which Mr, 'Cobden would make ef the present
meeting. lie would. say that he lied been opposed by a few
he had deposited the stakeein ? In the hands of Major- -
so-and-so," was the reply.- " Yes. but," said my friend, booby .conntry,gentlemen=(Langiiter):—D.nt ' that he • toad
succeeded , in .convincing and persuading the-: great hady
" who will.- hold -the. majoe?"--(Laughter.) In, -184 t the' .
of the ferniera of Norfolk that protection mad,l bean.. of no
feriners,put.the stakes In &r.Robert Teel's. hands, and) now
they, want, aomebody-to hold Sir Robert•—,(Renewed laugh- benefit to theni. He ' (Mr. Hatuniond) sincerely . hoped
ter and. cheere.) 1 ask ,your . worthy • representatiie .to that the farmers Would that night . show-by. their ices '
limeale out candidly-to-night what. his real opinions are as to that this was'a fallacy.. Mr. Cobden had said hundred times
jiroopeets,of protection, for I thinkbe will agree with me that 'he had all the farmers with hint . who had any
a, this, at least, that if .protectiOn is- likely ;to be abolished, brains in' their heads.. He (Mr. Hammond) tipped that to-
nothing can be so ruischievousa nothing is so greatly to be eight it Would be elioaria that all the farniere.who.badbiains
deprecated, as that the farmers of this country. and kingdcna *'their.' heads' 'were in favour of protection..-(Latigliter.)
should be longer deluded. With the idea : that • protection, is to 'He knew that they had many fanners with them who had
be maintalned,—(Hear, bear.) I ask that Hon; Gentlemen to brains in their heads, who
their. capital, ;who
o cu
invested. ltivated. their lands, who
,h.em-
join
with me to-night in. acandidavow
al -as to the prospects .lalaYed their energiql, w,
of maintaining protection. I can see but one danger from spent their money upon nriproving the
•land, belonging, he
the Immediate- abolition of the duties on corn, and that -is nd anotheriPitted, to mether party; but did they ,net rinike such a
entirely :occasioned . tor ,the absurd course followed •by the bargain 'as they Were, safe hy 2-41-lear,. hear, and laughter.)
protectionists. The protectionists. have .already robbed the Was all the- nonsense true .that had .been eittered, by, Mr.
farmer of ss. the quarter on his - wheat for the last six. 'Cobden about , lettang lead .to one Min,' and :a.- butcher
, week& or two months by, the-panic evlacletheY have created. , running a sheep overt it again?--(Cries of ." Yes,") ,He
• If there best panic Among, the farmers,.
;that will be - entirely' (Mr. Hammond)- di not., deny .: that there were ~,cases .cases ,of
owing to the preaching and teaching of the arotectiOnista and injustice.. Ile' tinieght it Wee a case of injustice .*here &
all,l have been trying. to do .fer the farmer is undone. ' I shall man let hie land to another to ,sport, Over and perhaps' to
now do my best to obtalu free-trade in corn instantly, if: itla -I gentlemah , frcini. Mincheiter and Nottaigham,who cared
• to be got •at 011•-,-(Oheers.)'
_Noir.- we are going' to Pirlia:. for n,ottehig but miskin-g.a niarcantiletransaction ;Of . it' avh
/mut with Sir} R. reel determined fir itinerate -shintslf frorn' 'kept 'bates and 'rabbits, riot foie- spoithig,„eut toiend to°
the Hon..• Gentleman and his partyt--,((,Cheers.) 'There are market., This he - did: consider 'ae a grivone•lainetice ;_but,
two; men in the:Heusi of Commons ' whevalone Call . lead !that, fortunately; auelf. cases Wein Tara,: few, , Mr.A;olAttl: hat' de-
bray tesek
.rents frein;theiratenantte, but
House—Lord J. Russell or Sir R. Peel. :The,Hon. Gentian:4n - scribed' the' ' landloidaaa the mosauejeetanen, en...thaaaCe of.
will admit • that such ..ia.thsk.case.; Lord - John Russel la our' the 'atirth, who. net,
toadish.— -Loud cheers.) Sir R. Peel was their leader— Laub biassed their political' printiples. Now he (Mr, Hammond);
AWAY. But that is nit the worst of ita had canvassed tile western division-of Nortollt,lll,4 for him-
He he is run
He carries with him Sir- J. Graham and Mr. , Gladstone, the self„ but for a' friend,. and he had had eccesion., to see' the
only two
men who could po est blYbe conceived capable of lead- - screw applied mueli.bglitpr.by attorneys or: nrioneyraeriveners,
••ing.the House. - •IVell,'then, what is to become of the protec- than ever hteheh.eLeadsegeane w
it
iel
bstlaridtolorielenc.rew thMr.Ceo„bfrdaennoailsseo.tolidf. .
tionist partyofthe 100 Or 1 p forloin,looking gen tlem en, avi th,,them
their hearts in their shoes and their Chinsdown to their waists? Mr.. Cobden wished to increase the franchise in this country,
. They may ravilteSir It Peel, bat the' conntry will any they, why did. he not, in. the Hotise of Commons, bear Witneas to
:a Obetp.pointed, z,They areimpotenti and will sink lower and his desire ? . But the fact:was, that he only wished to in-
, re. . ..
, lower in .pnblie,.eninion- as the session advances, , Well, *hat crease the franchiSe for a 'particular purpose, and nothing
.cOntes.of : the protectionists ?ad tallaha farmers at once the .eise4. • But he-(Mr. Hainmond) frankly • said - that he ,dis-
game Is up{ you may. talk, of anything youelike, but if any . approved of this interferende with the representation of this
one speaks to you again of protection, you, should :ask him, country altogether:; but hallo. more disapproved of it: than
,i Do you mean, to.. hoax,,us?,"-4(Clieens .and. laughter.) • A .he 'did of, -.the interference -'oftha.-Carltim and Reform Clubs.
egentlerean has addressed s< note to me aakingMe to:explain-, Hethought,all 'interference bad,. ';-110 begged to • urge apon
host; if the corn-laws ere repealed, the tastes are lobe paid. '. . therneeting not to heled. Away by aim, false iseetements, of
'Wadi:4ft object to ..pay- the gileetala [)axes, ' :We object pnly Mr. Cobden—for false he naaintitned • they-were: - lie (;Mr,
'to Pay-taxis to tilt HonAlentleinan'if ftteride...,-(cheere;aed Hommondlattintttedthatlieliadrailid to convince the meete
leughteaa aenever.lieerd of agitations being•got 'up teomain. Mgl that his violas were right.. ../le was., soria, .to say that
tain a tax for the Queen's revenoe,'' If the gentleman Who •lie. had.. been weak in argument_ although .etreng rn, the
'Patti taff,l4oololßViit:ShOlif me 'IOWA W 4141410 for - the I be:- knowledge of what- eais :fight. a 'lle had not Ahn.ahilityrto ad-
nefit of theQueentto pa ,taxes to somebody else, then Twill dress. Ifiem.ailie-anght,-.
_lautl.M- bogged the .farmers to re-
exPlein-bal,difficulT, Mr, Cobden next proceeded to-repeat
his statementi.on eaohjeet „ of. the eeelifieetiois, -Het did • las, a quarter.—(Ories..of r lift .1.,.; .N 4,1.44,310. of. laughtpr.)
Mau-1190-a a_that.a daia/S- _aavarevitllpretection meant. wheat at
not: advance ' this' money, neither • did the League, Tha It .meant, the loweet,•pPeeible-wages for !all...kinds of labput
`Majority 'of that meeting , were. .free-traders;' and he 3f-a- Cohn bad 4.141a1a41 : theta that ..their labourers were only
begged of-them t° 'give .Mr. 'Weldillonse ii. right frank. recerying. Bs., Per .week, • H 9 Ihir..ldammend)..einployed; a
and hospitable" Welconrea 'lf :.that' teroatiemete ,were net it -gefiat many 'labourers, and at this -moment they . were re-
very Plucky' ona,- hi would not .have- • been there that Relying lle• a week ; inoreOT•er, Abe/ earned. 51, 12s. 6d, in
night. Having shown thatthenorn-liwa-Were no Venefit to hipiest, • Mr, ITAI1)10.114 ' conoludeo, .hy '. arging- the farmers
fayrner,4ebottrer, or'everr landlord, Mt. Cobden, in emichiaion, • to, continue -to. hold together, and AIL thie-bobbery of .the
said,—if .that fron, Gentleman and • hie-order-,-itthe aristo. League Would. Wale to nought, •-• • • - •• • •-• • ' • •
:cratey of this eountryee-eyeepa'• infatuated as, to persist in - Mr: Barn, then came forward and begged to'be allowed to
fighting this battle agaimist.thiu people, on -that most anhil. enake a few obsereationi- • Ile' denied- that the corn-lave of
lowed of 'a n. groood*,..a..bread tax--,then. I. wen them, if 1814 had been' passed- with- a view of. securing 80s. a quarter
they put.us. te it, wa. .yrill show- that the power 7 WhiCh the fer,whearl as: 'Mr,.. Psbclert•bad Stated, firof ec_tualispg ot
middle and hidustrlouse elaaeee posess is „sufficient •to 'put . price of wheat in any '-aveyi bat arather for tali Paraese P. !
Mein' the usurpations of a privileged ,Riaili, The trial of :giving protection to' the British farmers against the risk of
. strength betireen-t hi people and the aristocracy has t en earn rowing in frotn•ahroid.. in eiseh •abtnidance 'for to'beat
'Preeeafiseieheie; inhutny countries and age's: It never proved down the prices here till. the-grower would be-rulned by the
successful, aniFtherairlirtoereey may depend upon it their_ ate- competition: With reference tibthe•depreSsidit Which occurred
'• teinliterill ,not prove taceessful - here,--( The lion. Gentle- among 'the• farmers in 182'2; to Which Mr. Cobden bad alluded,.
...man reauM64- -Ida seat amidst ' loud • and ' -long: '-eontleillea .1h
at Ives ewine•enet to thecorn-leiy; .:baa to the aeati ahtii
eleteringia e a - • a a
.; ~ - . - -. • - -a ' ' • - .•18ii there4as..an. nonsnaliy.4l34ntiapt hatlzeit..- "4c 0.,T P.
'Mr,—; GitAir,''l*lA'oPoacidthe rfit isalatien as fOlIOWB: to Mr. Jacob, there were that; yea} no fewer .thaii 4.000.1 :
-t 4 That thb %,3'ilte - ' ,••• •' 1.. -•• ' • • $ quarters bf wheat above the average; in• addition to wiaice
e -lavfie. and all ether laws designed to re-
stfiet teade--imiter 'pretenee 'Of' 'there were I,ooo,ooo.quarters- imported from Ireland; and it,.
unjust in principle and inaurnius- in operation, and ought t
protectieg particular classes, Are
be forthwith abolished;" was owing. to.tbia e*oeseof4,9oo,oooquartera that Prices were'
seconded the reaolu.tioi.:-, . ,:. o beaten
. downeand so eietney farmers ruined.- The corn-law had
ile.tendel to
with
this depression in Oleo. Matters were
Mat. Wonkitanasa rose amidst Cheering and clamour, .
said, that an presenting himself befete the. meetin -11
that his fiAat expre‘sion ought to be Oria of duty toe,,,eirdes ehlt• .. ' ' 'but they would heyebeep te
bad anoug
~w 1 the corn-law,
. .ll
and' times tyurse withoet 'it, They were told thet, there were vaet
atifehtliaes'ef cOrti.in .A.Merita,nnd th t if we pa ly had free trade
we iheuld haVe an' abundant supply •
mayor:
,of, ecreafrom America,
He attended here in'clefeience'to 'that gentlemiin'ea ' and That she ' would take our commodities in return. This
agthority.. Hei',(lSlJ: Wolohan/3e) hal addressed a =letter. to ,soundedill very well in th y, but it would hive do in rac -
the electors 0 orfolki•-telling them that. thongh there were tice: ; One effectof th • :la; • ' _ . _ r p_ _
wint uctton- of,American corn would
' indications .of a scarcity, the.statements is-to a Amine were.. be, that It Weida eweepely ya • all the .milling property Inthie
exaggerated.;.
grossly bat that at • all' times, and under • al) country; for Anieriea Coro d' send
,our in such vest qaanti:
nee& an allegation of scarcity Ought AO, make it a ties, as lie virily believ awould' , reduce: the valued -manna
gciPst4--- • t.-- Hewn sked,if .thorn -wasnut '' '' ' •
• t matter of laterea •,... ,
ParalllPP .•••• •the ' :
hi hint effracteor_ on part of Mr 'll
pruarty ,t, thsAt §o.ner pent,,; so 4 advised everybody-who
E As to look to theMaeleesbefore a
something Of ane,laa.... ._.t fi . smallest de to the P 4 e P.', .... _ ... , . ,
,tb.y. 4,-or.ocaod
• t auttding, ea tt the ~ „ _gre,,,free trade in corn. . flebelieved.thatUr. Cobden..would, not
Cobden in noreed to -.
Wohlleer 'week, .aeo was- suippq.i.,,949?!;. . den?, that the capital inipllSAlL:pip4 RAM „,,„,,e-t,,lii„, ntua
.17 w ..,.: ..., .
...

Ito the capital employed in all cotton-mills in the kingdom.
—(Cries of " No, no," and laughter.) Then they were told
. that there would be no interruption to this beautiful inter-
change; but he (Mr. Ball) assured the meeting that there
would be an interruption. America could send corn cheap;
but in the Baltic corn was cheaper still, and therefore men
would go with sovereigns in their pocket to Odessa to pa--
chase corn, and beat America out of the field. Again, was
it just and proper that we should be dependent on America
for corn—that we should import 4,000,000 or 5,000,000 quar-
ters from America when it was possible to increase our own
produce to that amount?--(A voice, " Then why don't you
do it?") Every quarter of English wheat we imported dis-
placed so much English labour. And there was another con-
sideration worth mentioning, that when Great Britain should
cease to grow corn adequate to the wants of her population,
America might insist upon our giving up Canada before she
should give us her corn. He contended, also, that the ruin
of the agriculturist, which would inevitably follow the with-
drawal of protection, would involve the ruin of the villlge
blacksmiths, the wheelwrights, the shopkeepers, &c., who
were at present principally supported by the agriculturists.
Mr. Cobden had cast ridicule upon his opponents, and used
sundry illustrations to excite laughter. He had pointed to
the portrait of Nelson in the ball, a name which should
secure their love of the aristocracy —(Laughter.) Mr. Cob-
den was most illogical in arguments, but of good temper.
He was a gentleman indeed.-4 Hear, hear, and cheers. )
His excellent manner of receiving Mr. Wodehouse, his
general courtesy and good feeling would make him (Mr.
Bill), thongh he differed from Mr. Cobden, go away from the
meeting much better pleased with that gentleman than he
was when he entered it.—(Cheers.) He had been told that
he should meet a lion; but he saw nothing of the lion but
the skin. A speech less calculated to impress the under-
standings of people than that of Mr. Cobden he had never
heard.—(Oh, oh, and laughter.) He should, therefore, sup-
port the amendment.
Mr. COBDEN rose amidst much cheering, and said—Be-
fore the resolution is put I wish, in accordance with the
rules of public meetings, to offer two or three words
in reply. (Some disturbance was created by a small knot
of persons at the extreme end of the room, which eli-
cited cries of "Turn 'em out?") No, don't turn anybody
out. In five minutes I hope to put some common sense
into their heads.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) Why you are
more disorderly than the House of Commons.—(A person
near the platform made a noise, and was ejected.) It is
only a young lawyer who is a land agent.—( A laugh.) When
I came here I expected from the accounts I received in
London that there would he " a great shindy," as it was
called. I did expect, at all events, to hear a great speech
from the Hon. Member for Norfolk ; but he has said nothing
in reply to my arguments.—(Hear, hear.) He was very
ready to answer Mr. Bright, who is not here ; and, no doubt,
if I had been absent he would have answered me.—(Cheers
and laughter.) But if Mr. Wodehouse has not given us a
speech he has seat forward a substi:ute to do so—a volunteer
in the cause, and you have heard his speech.—(Laughter.)
Whatever you may think of the quality of it, it is quite as
good as I generally hear on, that side of the question.—
(Cheers and laughter.) But I think the third speaker, who
moved to the rescue, did certainly display more capacity to
treat this question. He has told us, in answer to my re-
marks, something about the failure of the farmers in 1822,
which arose from the abundant• seasons of the previous two
years, which exceeded by 4,000,000 quarters the average pro-
duction ; and his argument amounts to this, that the far-
mers were ruined by the bounties of nature.—(Hear, hear,
and laughter.) And if there is anything new in that argu-
ment, it comes to this, that the farmers would be most pros-
perous if they had the least possible production from the
soil.—(A laugh.) Is there not something foully unnatural
in that?—(Hear, hear.) Must there not be something fun-
damentally wrong in the trade of the fermer? I have no
occasion to appeal to your judgment. Your moral and reli-
gions feelings rise up in rebellion against such an argument
as Olt the blessing of abundance ruins the farmer. Why,
then, does the Church offer up prayers and thanksgivings
for abundant crops?—(Hear, hear.) I told you why the
farther is ruined by abundant crops: his rent was fixed with
the expectation On his part that he is going to get 80a. a
quarter for his wheat. The Hon. Gentleman tells us he
held oat no such promise.. But I put it to any candid
farmer whether it has not been the general delusion from
1815 •to the, present day, that the farmer could regulate
the price at which he could sell his wheat? Sir Robert
Peel by his last, Act proposed to secure from 555. to 58s.
a quarter ; and is not rent fixed according to that valuation ?
So it was from 1815 to . 182-2, as any old farmer will
bear me out. In 1815 the law said that no foreign wheat
should be brought in until the price reached 80s.
The farmers believed in that delusion ; the landlords
pandered to it; and the land-agents fostered it. But if rents
were fixed on corn instead of money, abundant crops could
never be otherwise than beneficial to the farmers, at what-
ever price it might be sold.—(Hear, hear.) In 1835 the
average price was under 40s. ; and you know the ruin that
came upon the English farmers. But what was the state of
the Scotch farmers? One of the most intelligent farmers in
the East Lothians told me that lie never made so much
money, as in the year 1835, when half the farmers in England
wore completely ruined. Why, because the Scotch farmer
paid his rent in. so many quarters of corn, let the price be
whatever it might.—(Hear.) Bnt the Hoa. Gentleman says
you will ruin the millers by the introduction of American
flour, for there was more capital invested in flour-mills than
in manufactures.—(Laughter.) And then in the next
breath he said that would not last long, for we should ,go
and get corn at a cheaper rate from the southern provinces
of Russia, and from Moldavia and Wallachia. What does
that amount to? That the millers will find more employ-
ment and the people cheaper food.— (Hear, hear.) The
Hon. Gentleman talks at one moment of our being coin •
pelled to go to America with our money in our sacks'
mouths, begging with bended knees for food from Brother
Jonathan; and he also talks of our farmers being able to
grow 4,000,000 quarters of wheat above the average quan-
tity.—(Murmurs,) A person has anticipated me, and asked,
" Why don't they grow it, then ?"—(Hear.) The gentleman
says that if we import 4,000,000 quarters we prevent the
growth of corn, and the cultivation of land in proportion.
Well, if the people can eat the 4,000,000 quarters more of
wheat, why is it not grown for them ? and why are they
made to eat potatoes instead of bread ?—(Cheers.) When
these gentlemen talk of throwing the poor land out of culti-
vation and of depriving the labourer of his employment,
mind it is their argument and not ours. I have always held
a different doctrine., The poor soils will be better cultivated.
than they are now.—(Hear, hear.) Let me tell those gen-
tlemen who wish to frighten the agricultural labourers, that
there is no force in that argument. It was well dealt with
at Goatacre.—(Cheers.) A labourer said, " Let me have
four acres of land of the same rent that the farmer pays,
and I will maintain myself, wife, and six children far
better than I can upon my present wages."—(Hear, hear.)
I wish I could see a prospect of land being cheaper.—(Hear.)
But if these are the arguments with which we are to be
staved off from the adoption of the principles of free
trade, let it be understood, that if farmers are frightened,
if the farmed tenantry are in a panic, if the value of stock
is depreciated? if, the soil is neglected and reduced to
three-fourths in its worth through the absurd teaching and
preaching of absurd protectionists, let it not be imputed to us.
I say that, with the utmost supplies we can get from abroad,
the food the people are likely to have will be dear enough ;
and if there should be a want of food, it will not be because of
an inundation of food, but because there are more mouths
than there are means of supply.—,(The Hon. Gentleman sat
down amid loud cheering.)

they joined with several others, equally curious, and
oin f
ctluhdein ti
g ve
m ofr .
Villiers, wliomthheaCdoeu nnteeilehdadr been
twice a week, month after month, did they meet together
and discuss that' question. The result was before
hand of
Parlia-
ment, and had distinguished themselves to a very remark-
' composed,
:world
three,
remark-
able degree in their uncompromising exertions to succeed
in obtaining what they originally declared, and which had
since proved the truth, to be the best and wisest legisla-
tion; he meant the repeal of the corn-laws.—(Cheers )
Their success was gratifying, the whole country was in
their favour, and warmly and earnestly applauded their
opinions ; and there could, therefore, be very little doubt
that even the strongest of Governments, and even the most
obstinate of Ministers, must give way to, and acknowledge
the might of a public opinion, so unmistakably and so gene-
rally expressed.
Mr. J. FOGGO seconded the resolution.

The CHAIRMAN then put the amendment, for which be-
tween twenty and thirty hands were held up. On the
original resolution all the rest of the multitude voted, and
the Mayor declared it to be carried by an immense majority.
Colonel THOMPSON and others afterwards addressed the
meeting, which, after a vote of thanks to the chairman, broke
up at a late hour.
Arrangements for expressing this most important meeting
were facilitate, by both the Norfolk and Eastern Counties
Railway Companies. To. Mr. Roney and Mr. Clay in par-
ticular thanks are due for their attention.

GREAT FREE-TRADE MEETING
-IN MARYLEBONE.
On Tuesday a large meeting was held in the Riding-
school, Albany-street, Regent's-park, called by the Anti-
Corn-law League, for the purpose of expressing the opinions
of the inhabitants of Marylebone regarding the corn-laws at
the present crisis, and principally of hearing the addresses of
several gentlemen on the advisability of taking immediate
means to extend the 40s. freehold franchise throughout the
metropolitan counties. Upwards .of 3,000 persons filled the
body of the building; and on the platform, amongst others,
were Sir William Baynes, Mr. Bagshawe, Rev. Mr. M'Crea,,
Windsor; Professor Keye, Mr, J. Ivamey, Mr. Wingfield,
Mr. Reay, Dr. Heath, Mr. Foggo, &c.
Mr. J. Hums;, at the hour appointefi. took the chair and
'on opening the ProceeilingS, 'after having requested silence
and attention from the vast assembly, in listening both to
those agreeing in, and to those opposing the opinions en-
tertained by the majority of those present, said, that' as they
possessed a constitution the object of which was to deal with
all equally, they should, as honest men, whenever they found
that particular laws. which had been enacted proved partial
to one portion and oppressive to another portion of the com-
munity, do their duty and carry out the views of that consti-
,tution in such a- way as should repeal the injustice and re-
store the right.,-(llear, hear.) He did net .appear before
them as a mere tyro in public speaking, advocating ,a cause
'for the first time, but he came there to tell them the result
of his experience, and to declare that the sentiments on the
particular subject in question, and on all other subjects in
the discussion of which he had ever taken a part, were now
the same as when 34, years ago.he entered the House of
Commons. With what, a difference, however, did he now
express. those opinions ! At that period there were few, if
any hopes of seeing the laws against which the whole country
now protested, repealed. Little' prospect of such complete
and.ample success as_ that which now attended the almost
universal appeal made by the people against the system from
which they proved they derived no benefit —a system which,
it was now 'found, was.and only had been sustained for the
limited advantages of a numerically insignificant Class.--
(Hear, hear.) Axel when in. England, as in all other coon-
the voice or the people was unanimous and energetic
in its declaration for any good cause, no Minister existed
but would see, if he had common sense, that it was his
policy, if his sense of justice did. not urge him, to yield
to the dernand::—(Cheers.) They had now met not
only to declare that .they would no longer remain quiescent
under the preteetivalaws, but also to prove that these laws,
which were enacted, for the express purpose of benefiting a
class, did In reality not benefit that class, while their inevit-
able and known effect. was to injure and deaden the progress
carrandystathboise views lity the indiusneturmy
incumbent
fiZonn themation.--acit, and espe-
ioar,) To
cially on those exercising the constitutional privileges in that
P°Pl4l°llBll, "(AO, to use every exertion in their power. The
power of electing the representatives in Parliament was entirely
in the hands of the middle class, and if that class now acted
honestly, what they desired would speedily be effected to the
benefit of their countrymen and of their kind. If the country
had been, fairly represented in the House of Ceniniona those
laws would never have passed. .Theie ohject, that'night' was
to take into eqnsideration, and to pass resolution pledging
t4e111"117"44°14 means as for, the future would
secure to' them representatives who would legislate for the
people, and not for the private profit of a portion alone of the
community. In ,a. few days—in 48 hours—they would, it
was not improbable, receive from the Premier a declaration
that such legislation should be adopted at.onoe and far ever
but if tlo sUch, or,
contrary declaration weiz made, and that
ft 1T2c14 110 nq one'eould 'as yet tell, then he (the Chair-
man) trusted theywould all buckle to like men, conscious
that they were injured, and determined to .be righted.—
Vuiutla Cets,) The Hon. .Gentleman•conclueed by intro-
clng -Professor Key.sto, the notice of the meeting. -
lie
Professor KEYE rose to.propose t first resolotloO7
"That this meeting.euters its solemn protest against thecarn-.lawN Eix,linpelitic and unjust; and urges their total,
Professor Keye
ediate, and unconditional repeal.'
P then continued—Like the Hon. Chairman,
though the term of years was somewhat shorter, he had,
since he had arrived at maturity and exercised his reason,.
been of opinion that protective laws were inlurioua and lie
•
elite: for situeir total, tininediate; and unconditional repeal."
had, (-)11 end eve of,icasic,,o in' big poVier, been the
It happened happened that when he, then a young man, left the Uni-
versity of Cambridge, he came to London with Mr. Villiers,
whose acquaintance he had the p!Pacaqg 4t'6)l.'
lage' wno was tile first Vantlein'ild'ihat ever proposed the
total repeal of the corn-laws; and both being led to inquire
18 to the beneata Ulm might be derived from free.trade,

Mr. R. JlToortE then rose and addressed the meeting at
great length,' but owing to the press of matter we are
compelled to omit his speech.
The resolution was then put and carried.
Mr. BAGSHAW proposed, and Mr. R. BAGSHAW seconded,
the second resolution

" That this meeting tender its most cordial thanks to the
Council of the Anti Corn-law Leauge for the attention given
to the registration of electors, congratulates them on the
progress of the 40s. freehold movement in the counties, and
pledges its support to win the counties of East Surrey, Hert-
ford, and the other metropolitan counties."
The CHAIRMAN then made some remarks on the fallacy
which he stated prevailed as to the landed interest being the
most powerful, supporting his position by referring to the
income-tax returns, which evidenced that only one-sixth of
the whole tax was paid by that interest; and by the fact,
generally he believed known, that if the middle cruses in the
boroughs only exerciie their rights honestly, the agricultu-
rists could only send. 258 members out of the 658 of the en-
tire representation to Parliament. in conclusion he put the
resolution, which was carried unanimously.
Thanks were proposed by Mr. MOOSE to the chairman, and
Mr. HUME having briefly replied, three cheers were given for
the League, and the meeting broke up.

THE ANTI CORN-LAW LEAGUE.
(From the Daily News.)
The most significant movement of our times is the agitation
which has now fir several years been conducted by the Na-
tional Anti-Corn- law League. A few days, at most, will
show whether it has done its work and gained its victory, or
only reached a crisis when its strength will be tasked for the
severity of a final struggle. But, no continuance of resistance
can render the result uncertain, or postpone it to any very•
remote period. All that resistance can do is further to de-
velop the new power which has arisen, and, perhaps, enlarge
the sphere of its influence. The League is not a creation of
certain wealthy and discontented manufacturers; it is a
symptom of the condition of society; a decisive symptom, in-
dicating transition; and the legislative note of that transi-
tion will be the abolition of the corn-laws. The wheels have
revolved; the hands, point to the hour, and the clock must
strike. The characteristics of this agitation are obvious.
They reveal the secret of its success. It originated with no
political party. By no political party has it been cherished.
Till recently, it found little favour with Whigs or Tories, the
aristocracy or the working classes. It grew amid indifference
and scorn. On no prevailing prejudice could it fall back for
aid. No religious or other class affinity linked it to great
masses of the people. Its progress has been by individual
conviction, that conviction being accompanied in its advance
by the strong perception of a common interest. The League
has agitated by instruction, and excited by demonstration.
Even the economical truths it taught had not the stimulus
of novelty. They had long been the world's property,
though as little understood as the worth of Aladdin's lamp.
A few manufacturers, feeling the injurious working of the
system took to conning the pages of Adam Smith. They
rubbed the lamp, and the genie appeared. The League seems
to us to be a less understood thing than the principles it ad-
vocates. It is a reality quite as interesting as any that
Smith or Ricardo, Mill or Malthus, have investigated. Our
statesmen do not yet quite comprehend it. The common
herd of politicians is terribly bewildered. Protectionist
Dukes have about as distinct a notion of it as Marcellus had
of the Ghost when he proposed, if it would not stand to strike
it with his partizan.
"It is, as the air, invulnerable,
And our vain blows malicious mockery."
The League is only the exponent of a living thought which
has come into the world, and must work its work by the
necessity of its own vitality. Only thus considered, does it
become intelligible. Look at those seven men of Manchester
who first banded themselves in this great cause, became the
germ of the Council, and have not since failed one day, some
or other of them, of meeting and consulting for its promo-
tion. Look at that scene of untiring labour, presided over
by the piercing, though quiet thoughtfulness of George
Wilson, whence issued tracts by the ton weight, till, to every
elector, the means of judging had been offered; where the
statistics of every city, borough, and county are accumu-
lated, and the opinions of every elector known who has
avowed them by his franchise. Look at those magnificent
subscriptions, from the fifty thousand pounds at which the
clubs laughed as an impracticability, to the quarter of
a million, at which they do not laugh. Look at those
übiquitous League missionaries, with simplicity, earnestness,
and de—otedness, that might have sufficed in other days for
the establishment of a religion, living only in their work and
finding it their life. Look at those unprecedented meetings
in the metropolis, held sometimes week after week, with un-
diminished interest in facts and arguments, to which it would
previously nave been deemed most preposterous and rain to
invite the attention of a popular assembly. And look at that
uncontested verdict which the West Riding of Yorkshire, the
first fruits of county representation, is prepared to pronounce
on the question between the League and its opponents.
There is something in all this not to be explained by "hired
oratory," " corrupt expenditure," " hatred to agriculture,"
"cunning tactics, ' and other less decent assumptions, which
pass current at Protection meetings; something not dreamed
of in the philosophy of Old-street; but which belongs to
the irresistible agencies of social change and renovation.
It is unnecessary to qualify our perfect confidence and
satisfaction as to the tesult of this agitation by any ex-
hortations to unremitting effort. The friends of free. trade
will persevere. The truth that is in them must work itself
out. The inhabitants of Westminster did well, though the
revelations of Monday are so near, to meet yesterday, and
add their testimony to that of the city of London and the
provinces. Again and again will the people of Manchester
gather in their tens of thousands. The purchase of freeholds
will proceed in its course towards an enfranchisement alike
unexpected and ominous. The quarter of a million subscrip-
tion will, if necessary, swell to half a million ; or, by pro-
longed hostility, reach a million. The leaders of this cause
will move straight on, undisturbed by the tactics of Parlia-
mentary party. The many cannot un- know what they have
learned, nor an enthroned principle be forgotton or case aside
like some temporary ccntrivance of a faction. Greatly mis-
taken are we as to what the agitation is, in its reality and
vitality,, unless it contains and combines ie elements of con-
tinuance up to the moment of complete success. Anil; then,
when the material good is gained for which we look to corn-
law repeal, there will also r main the intellectual and moral
benefits accruing from the development and discipline of the
public mind in the process.of its accomplishment.