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

GREAT MEETING of the LEAGUE.

NOT IN THE CABINET.
Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland Earl of BESBOROUGII.
Commander-in-Chief
Master-General of Ordnance Marquis of ANGLESEY.
As the Cabinet, of course, professes to be only a revival of
the old Whig Cabinet, it admits of no other criticism than
a general inquiry into the merits of such a revival. Before
we drop a word on that subject, it may be as well to re;
late briefly whatever has come to our knowledge of
nature to throw light on the construction of the Cabinet as
it now stands. \V e believe we may say that Lord John Rus-
sell has spared no pains to increase its strength by the ad-
dition
an of new elements. On receiving her Mejesty's com-
mands to form a Ministry he sought interview with Sir
Robert Peel. The ex-Premier received him with every sign
of assistance, and
of cordiality, gave him a general promise
undertook that he would not oppose any measures Lord John
Might bring forward, simply becausethey proceeded from
that quarter. To this he added expressions, the force of
which may have been overrated, but which
implied the
absence of all wish for a return to power. On this, it is said,
Lord John ventured to ask for what he considered a fair
iledge of Sir Robert's sincerity. He requested that the ex-
Minister would acquiesce in three of his late colleagues,
Whose names our readers will probably anticipate—Lord Dal-
housie, Lord Lincoln, and Mr. S. Herbert, accepting seats in the
new Cabinet. To this Sir Robert is said to have replied, that he
felt unwilling to interfere in so delicate a matter, that he
would offer no opposition, but could certainly not recommend
a step which would be liable to unfavourable comment, as
indicating a too great tenacity of office on the part of those
youthful statesmen. As we yesterday intimated to our
readers, Lord John Russell returned on Wednesday from
Osborne House, charred with an expression of her Majesty's
wishes that the Duke of Wellington would still continue in
command of the army. To this request his Grace yielded
a dutiful compliance, in conformity with his views under
somewhat similar circumstances in 1827. At the same time
he said that he considered his political life now ended, and
that he should now never open his lips in Parliament, except
lon subjects connected with his office. Lord John Russell
ieereupon felt himself encouraged to make the same request
he had
Duke
lutreviously made with imperfect success to Sir R. Peel.
e at first returned much the same answer as his late
colleague. He was subsequently, however, induced to give his
consent to a letter, of which
Lord John sent copies to the
above-mentioned three members of the retiring Cabinet.
Their replies left Lord John Russell no hope of their assistance
as members of his Government—for the present at least.
Some of our readers will possibly be grieved to find that a
Cabinet which has risen into power on the back of the measure
carried by the League, should bear so little outward sign of
nympathy with that body. In the first place, however, they
will discover some pledge that their misgivings are not
founded in fact, in the circumstance that Lord Grey now
views in a more favourable light the difficulties that led him
to break with the Cabinet attempted last December. The
question, too, of offering a seat to Mr. Cobden received, we
are informed, long and repeated discussion. Of course the
admission of a great and triumphat agitator to the councils
of her Majesty and the Executive Government of the nation
was a proposal likely to present same unfavourable aspects
to persons such as Ministers, NV hig or Conservative,
usually are. We have reason to believe that no un-
becoming jealousy was displayed. There are cir-
cumstances, however, which will occur to all our readers as
offering at least a temporary impediment in the way of that
gentleman's acceptance of office, His business, it
.istewe(.
well
known, is one peculiarly dependent on personal
a m nsuper
Once, so much so that Mr. Cobden himself considers
for the
periodl
amends
of political retirement necessary to make
loss he has suffered by his genrnouinsadgenviofitcieonnt
stnobascrpiputbilnin
his public
cause, and on the same ground
has been set on foot byfriends and admirers. However,
v
a communication has, we believe, been made by Lord John
Russell, with the acquiescencel of his intended colleagues, ex-
Pressing his deep sense of Mr.
Mr. Cobden's services and conse-
quent claims, and conveying also the prospective offer of a
seat in the Cabinet, contingent on Mr. Cobden finding him-
self some day in sufficient health and wealth to discharge
that great responsibility without danger to his life or for-
tune. Proposals have also, we have reason to believe, been
made to two other prominent members of the League; and, 0)
although in one case they were, also from private reasons, r
unsuccessful, it is not improbable that at least one gentleman
who has distinguished himself by his public advocacy of
corn-law repeal will enter Lord John Russell's Government.
The Cabinet which has resulted ,from these nego-
tiations and failures of negotiation is not more aristocratic
than Cabinets usually are, and therefore need not on that ac-
count excite the suspicions of the most thorough-going friend
of the people. That it does not contain more of the popular
element is clearly not owing to any lingering spirit of exclu-
sion in theleader. He has done his best to give it a compre-
hensive character, but found himself limited to the personnel
of which it was inevitable that a Whig Ministry should be
composed. It deserves, what it will probably obtain, a fair
trial at the hands of all parties. We are not t aware of any
particular .objection to which it is liable, unless itt ben atnbe,
Right Hon. Baronet selected for that very important a
arduous place, the Board of Control. Surely it was not
necessary to inflict on us, his return to that office,. the
painful recollections of his form_ey career, especially when his
sure us that his failure was qualificatio such as to as-
m?st unfortunate official
lions are
something more than misfortune.

.MINISTERIA
MOVEMENTS.
Lord John Russell had interviews yesterday morning with
the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Earl of Clarendon, and Vis-
count Palmerston.
Earl Grey called on Lord John Russell yesterday.
At four o'clock a very numerous meeting of the leaders of
the Whig party took place at the residence of Lord John
Russell.
Among those present were, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the
Earl of Clarendon, the Earl of Auckland, Earl Grey, the
Earl of Besborough, Lord Cottenham, Sir John Cam Hob-
hunse,_Sir George Grey, the Right Hon. E. Ellice, the Right
Hon. T. B. Macaulay, the Right Hon. H. Labouchere Sir
Denis Le Marchant, Mr. C. Wood, Mr. Tufnell, &c. ,
Lord Edward Fitzalan Howard, who was formerly pri-
vate secretary to Lord John Russell when in office, was in
attendance.

The meeting sat for two hours.
At half-past six o'clock Lord John Russell left CI ha
gace for Buckingham Palace, to have an audienceleosfher-
Majesty.
The Noble Lord returned to Chesham-place from Buck-
ingham Palace at a quarter past eight o'clock.
At ten o'clock there was another numerous meeting of
the heads of the Liberal party at Lord John Russell's private
residence.
Lord Lyndhurst does not relinquish the Great Seal until
Monday next. A communication on the subject passed
Yesterday
ea between Lord Cottenham and the Noble and
rued Lord.
The Duke of Devonshire had an interview with Lord John
Itussell on Wednesday.
The Duke of Bedforol dined last evening with Earl Spencer.
in St_ I

COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
thJULY 2.—Her Majesty left Osborne Palace for London
is di.
ern steaming out of the harbour in the Fairy yacht,
~,,Thyl____llltig_ll. the mercantile. fleet (abontotware)n.tyTshaiel,aphrsionoccie-
Z,l am`fte American ships loaded with s g
exception, have been left behind, and all the carriages w
hz'as-s ir is expected to be short, as the whole
iothf the
e
former occasions Majesty's and the two dressers vans. On
taken. the horses and carriages have also been
When Sir Robe
the Royal Familbert
The sons and lau'wellii
?eel left Osborne Palace the whole of
proud of her Majesgt to the belch to see ace oft:
yozlng Princess from Yams the
ers of the Emerald Isle onghtfotro be
having chosen a wet-nur.se
The following fashionablee
gst the daughters of Erin.
es
:..._
have taken houses at Cow I Lord Faversham, Lord Sandwich Sir BellintalidaymFGarroahiaamm: Thcmas Hallifax, Esq., Sir Edmund
Sir Edwai'd Paget, Mr. Marsham,SlLr aPson, Mr. Powell.
Captain Lyon, and Mr. Ackers. Applications for houses have
been made by the Marquis of Blatidford, the Earl of Wilton,
the Marquis of Aylesbury, the Duke of Beaufort, Mr. Hope,
Mr. Kennard, and several other fashionable&
ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE.
A
JUNE 26.—Medina cuRRIVALS.
London, and proceeded for Ltteb
ymington.
Sir B. R. Graham, Bart., from
27. Fairy Queen schooner, lion. W. Hare, from Lyniing' ton; Resolution schooner, Duke of Rutland, from South-
ampton; Heroine cutter, Sir J. Rivett Carnac, Bart., from
London.
30. Whim cutter, Charles Brett, Esq.,
from Dartmouth ;
Stormfinch cutter, Lieut.-Col. Bowers, from Poole, and pro-
ceeded to the eastward; Peterel cutter, Earl of Ilchester, from
vi-,,vmonth.
fu,-.!r 1. Gitana schooner, J. DigLy Murray, Esq., from
Southan:Tton.
2. Frisk cutter, Richard Frankland, Esq., from Waterford ;
Brilliant schOuer, G. H. Aekers, Esq., from SoutbamptP.R.
SAILINGS,
Jug 27. Alba:Toss yawl, Sir Wm. Gallney, Bart., for
Topsham. ; Duke of Marlborough, for Leith and
28. Wyvern schoom
,I 1 HE STATIONbIand,
Resolution,
Inverness.
OCamillaUT
YACHTS AT
A4DeenA-13,
Schooners—Fairy
Magic, Gem, Gitana, Brilliant.
Gan mede, Turquoise, Duchene,
Cutters—Sparrowhawk, Apsara, Peterel, Whim, Snake,
Witch, Osprey, St. Margaret, _ . y
Noran, Eudora, Heroine, Frisk

On the occasion of the Thames Regatta Mr. Lumley
had a dejeuner at Fulham. Amongst the company were,
the Duke and Duchess of Bedford, the Earl and Countess of
ißective, the Countess de St. Aulaire, the Duke of Cleveland,
the Earl of Delawarr, the Earl of Lonsdale, the Marquis of
Clanricarde, Mr. and Lady Caroline Sandford, and the Hen.
Miss Vivian ; their Excellencies the Ministers of SwSweden,Denmar k, Sardinia, Wirtemburg, and Saxony ; Sir William
Abdy, Mr. and Mrs. Grote, Mr. Hubert de Burgh, the
Countess Han-Han, Dwarkanauth Tagore, Duke de Melfort,
Sir John Lowther, M.P., Mr. Broadwood, M.P., Mr. Bald-
win:, M.P., Mr. Mackinnon, M.P., and Miss Mackinnon,
Mr., Mrs., and Miss Prinsep, C9ptain and Mrs. Ogle, Mr.
Parnther, M. de Berg, Baron de Barth, Baron Oscar
Bjornestenea, Mr. and Misses Mitchell, Viscount Ranetagh,
Mr. Hodgson, M.P., and Mrs. Hodgson, Mr. Dodd, M.P., and
Mrs. Dodd, Lord Harry Vane, Marquis of Grkinhy, Earl of
Munster, Colonel Dawson Darner, M.P., Viscotis;t canter-
'fiery, Mr. and Mrs. Horace Twise, Sec.
ENORMOUS INCREASE OF GENETIAL AND DISTRICT
PosT.LETrEas.—Within one hour of the afternoon of yester-
day, not less than 753 letters, exclusive of amrspapers, were
posted at the receiving.house in Moorgate-street, and during
the last quarter of an hour at the close of the day in Lom-
bard-street Office, 3,000 circulars were posted.
Mr. Sergeant Talfourd was sworn in yesterday as
'Queen's Sergeant, before Lord Lyndhurst. This honour
-was unsolicited, we believe ; and the last act (certainly riot
the least creditable) of the retiring Chancellor's judicial life.

A meeting of the General Council of the League was held
cn Thursday, at the Town-hall, Manchester, " for
the purpose of considering what course the League shall
take, now that the Bill for the repeal of the corn-laws has
received the royal assent." Mr. George Wilson, Chairman
of the League, presided on the occasion. 'Among those pre-
sent were, Mr. Richard Cobden, M.P., Mr. John Bright,
M.P., Mr. W. Brown, of Liverpool, the new candidate for
South Lancashire, in the place of Lord Francis Egerton ;
Mr. W. Rawson, Treasurer of the League; Mr. W. B. Wat-
kins, Mayor of Manchester; Mr. W. R. Callender, Mr. J.
Mellor, Liverpool ; Mr. W. Bickham, Mr. Henry Ashworth,
Turton ; Mr. W. R. Greg, Mr. Duffour Dubergier, the Mayor
of Bordeaux ; Mr. W. Hargreaves, Milnthorpe ; Mr. G. Thomas,
Bristol ; Mr. C. Thomas, Bristol ; Mr. W. Tottie, Bristol ;
Mr. J. Molineux, Liverpool ; Mr. W. Evans, Manchester ;
Mr. T. Woolley, Mr. J. B. Smith, Mr. A. Prentice, Mr. P. A.
Taylor, Mr. J. Finch, Liverpool ; Mr. C. Rawdon ; Mr. J.
Harvey, Mr. R. Mather, Mr. John Mather, Mr. Thomas
Mather, Mr. Glynn Abbott, Holywell ; Mr. W. Rathbone,
Liverpool ; Mr. John Cheetham, Staleybridge ; Mr. Douglas
Jerrold, Mr. Thomas Thomasson, Bolton; Mr. W. A. Wil-
kinson, London, &c.
The CHAIRMAN said, Gentlemen, I have no doubt that all
the members of the council who have received invitation to
attend here this esy, are prepared to expect that the specia
business of this meeting will have reference to the course
which this great organisation shall adopt, now that the
chief purpose for which it was established is virtually accom-
plislied.—(Hear, hear.) There will be submitted for your
consideration resolutiorp which have engaged the anxious
attention and consideration of the executive counciL I would,
by no means, have it for one moment supposed, that because
they are so introduced and so recommended, it is intended
to restrict the opinions of any gentlemen, members of the 1,
council"ho may entertain different opinions, or who are
disposed to discuss the propriety of the course which we
propose for your consideration, but that on this, as on all
previous occasions, the fullest and freest discussion is invited
by the members of the executive council, from those of the
general governing body.—(Hear, hear.) I rejoice, as lam
confident all members of this association must do, that we
meet no longer to sharpen our weapons, or to prepare to
concentrate our forces for another attack upon that absurd
system of legislation which has for seven years in-
vited our especial opposition. The corn monopoly,
thanks to the last Bill which has passed the Legislature,
has now its days dated and numbered. Although, prhaps,
if the League had been invited to prepare that measure, or
if they had been consulted on its preparation, they would not
have allowed the prolongation of its existence for a single
day, yet, as provision has been made for its final extinc-
tion in 1849, as during the time intervening all .its horrors
will be removed, we propose to take a common sense view of
the subject, and discuss it as if it was altogether done away
with.—(Hear, hear.) It is due, then, to ourselves and to the
public who have intrusted us with such unlimited authority
for the last seven years, that we should inquire whether, in
the administration of their affairs, we have ever violated a
single pledge, or departed, on one single occasion, from the
principles which it was our duty to support and lay before
t hem.—( Hear. ) We all know that the only restrictive
provisions of our organisation were these :—that we should
seek on all occasions the total and unconditional abolition of
the corn-laws, and that we should seek it peacefully, legally,
and constitutionally ; that, on the one hand, all men who
joined this association should join it, knowing that they should
be privileged from being dragged into the consideration of
any other question, and that, in doing so, they should be free
from penal and legal responsibility. Now, perhaps, if we were
called upon to defend ourselves, we might say, What other
question has the League touched or interfered with? And I
might ask, What man has suffered penal or legal conse-
quences from becoming a member of this association ? But
as it will only take a few moments to show yoa, that from
the first we have adhered to our principles, I propose, in a few
words, to show you the means we have made use of, and
leave you to judge whether they have been such as are likely,
with the least delay, to secure the accomplishment of our
object. We all know the origin of the League—we all know
that at a meeting in September, 1838, held in this town, at
which that accomplished gentleman, Dr. Bowring, was pre-
sent, a number of gentlemen resolved to form an Anti-Corn-
law Association—that that association grew larger and
larger, extending its influence. Shortly after its formation
the merchants, traders, and manufacturers of Manchester
held a meeting near this place, and there voted for the pur-
pose of supporting the Manchester Anti-Corn-law Associa-
tion 3,0001., which was afterwards increased to 6,000/. Thus
armed the Anti-Corn-law Association convened a meeting of
delegates from all parts of the kingdom • they assembled in
Manchester, and resolved to form an Anti torn law Asso-
ciation throughout the kingdom. The delegates returned
home, empowered by the meeting in Manchester to convene
a meeting in London in February, 1839. Those meetings
took place, and then it was resolved by the merchants,
`raders, and delegates there assembled, to petition Par-
lament that thty might present evidence at the bar
A' the House of Commons. Mr. Villiers made a motion
to that effect. The petitioners were Mr. Greg, Mr. J.
B. Smith, and others ; the motion was negatived, and
the delegates separated. A month elapsed, when they were
again invited to meet at Palace-yard. They met. Mr. Villiers
brought forward a resolution, inviting the House to agree to
the formation of a committee for the consideration of the abo-
lition of the corn-laws. That motion was again negatived;
whereupon the delegates assembled, and there and then re-
solved, at the suggestion of Mr. Cobden, to form this asso-
ciation which we have now met to dissolve.. They voted
that its head-quarters should be at Manchester, and that
for the sake of communicating with its members and intro-
ducing notices of all its proceeding to the public, an Anti-
Corn Law Circular should be established, the first number
of which was published in April, 1839. Thus armed, the
executive council at once proceeded to work. We engaged
lecturers, sent them thrcughout the country, they held
meetings and discussions; they were interrupted, but they
always conquered. Thus the Anti-Corn-Law Association
was formed throughout the country, and at the end of 1839
upwards of 100 towns joi.red the Anti-Corn-law Asso-
ciation. Our course of proceedings during that year was
simply confined to lectures, the distribution of the stamped
publications, and public meetings. In 1840, we commenced
those large assemblies for which Manchester has been sum
so famous. In January of that year there was erected or,
the spot that is now occupied by the site of the Free Trade
Hall, a pavilion, where on the 13th a public dinner was
given, at which 4,000 of the members and friends of the
association were present; and on the 14th, 5,000 operatives.
Delegates attended that meeting from all parts of the king-
dom. At the meeting on the 14th the delegates resolved
again to assemble in London, at the opening of the Parlia-
ment : they met in London, when Mr. Villiers again brought
forward his motion. The debate closed without a division.
The delegates separated and returned home, and made their
reports to those who had delegated them. In March of the
same year they again assembled at Brown's Hotel, Palace-
yard. Mr. Villiers again brought forward the resolution,
and it was negatived by a large majority. The delegates
again separated, resolving to adopt other means for insurini.,
the success of this great agitation. To the end of 1840 few
changes took place, our proceedings being confined to lectures
and the distribution of publications ; but in November, 1840,
the delegates again met, and voted confidence in the execu-
tive council, and recommended us further to proceed. In
1841, as you all know, Lord John Russell gave notice of his
ti thin gs in w
eet proportion.iefe before
the resolution for wheat to be admitted at a duty of Bs., and
oAedeuissntorluyt.ionTtiomokmpolnaoce;elaisT,l
our le
questionr
throughout the counties gained their elections. During that
election we were numerically worse than we were in the pre-
vious Parliament, but there was sent to Parliament one ally
to Mr. Villiers, whose return was worth a score of those we
had lost during the election.—( Hear, hear.) Previous to the
meeting of Parliament, and well knowing the great majority
against the League, we applied for aid to those who, in We
times of privation and distress, had shown it to be their special
duty to attend to the wants and privations of the poor, the
Dissenting ministers; and in July of that year there was held
for four days, an assembly of men which, I am prepared to
say, speaking the opinions of all who had the privilege o!
listening to their discussions, has never yet been equalled on
any other subject in this country. Parliament met; the
Ministers were defeated; Sir R. Peel was restored to power;
they were proposing to separate without the slightest consi-
deration of the relaxation of the corn duties, when a meeting
was held in this hall in September, to protest against the
prorogation of Parliament until the subject of the, corn-
ed laws
had been again considered. A deputation was appointby
that meeting to wait upon Sir R. Peel, and to him was con-
veyed the resolutions they had passed. Thus was finished
1841. Most in Parliament were hostile to us ; we had
only a few who sympathised with the principles of the
League. In the House of Commons we had two able men,
who were prepared on all occasions to discuss this question ;
and it was discussed, and the benefits arising from the
discussion consequent upon the dissolution are such as will
form an era in the agitation of this question.—(Hear,
hear.) The winter of 1841 now exhibited an increasing
amount of distress, suffering, and privation, and then
for the first time the ladies of this and the principal towns
in England met together and agreed to canvass from
house to house and door to door, to promote a memorial
to her Majesty, humbly imploring her to instruct her
Ministers to bring in a Bill for the relief of the distressed
community. In the depth of winter, in thishalf towofn, the
the
ladies who were not otherwise engaged in be
bazaar, canvassed and obtained upwards of 100,000 sig-
natures to their memorial. They did more in 1842 ; they
had a bazaar in the Theatre Royal, Manchester, from which
was netted, for the use of the League, during the succeeding
year, 'a sum greater than the revenue of the League for any
previous year, amounting to 100,0001. Thus armed, we com-
menced the year 1842. As before, our principal movements
were petitions, lectures, and publications; but in the com-
mencement of 1842, Sir R. Peel brought forward another
amended sliding-scale. The delegates were then met in
London, and they denounced this sliding-scale; a meeting
was convened in Manchester for the same purpose ; it was
there denounced, and the principles of the League were
voted to be the only principles upon which a good Bill could
be frarnad, and in every town this principle of the repeal of the
Corn-laws was introduced without opposition. Mr. Villiers
all
then brought in a measure for the first time, proposing that
duties upon the importation of foreign corn should then cease
and determine. It was rejected, 395 vating against it, and
92 for it, leaving 303 majority against total repeal. Follow-
ing this, came the disturbances, to whichl will not refer be-
yond this, that every attempt was made in that critical time
by the monopolists to connect the League with
the
promotion of that disturbance. It is due to • the
League to say. that it suspended none of its ordinary meet-
ings in consequence ; it, Its due to the League to say, that itn-
mediately after that it commenced its weekly meetings—
those meetin which have since formed so important a move-
merit th•tandee promotion of this object. In 1842 we closed,
having m
llttle progress in Parliament, and under the
persuasion that
your principle. the commencementother measures must be used forthwith, in
again met, ta.ondadroe
Leglslature
resolved
of the new Parliament, to induce the
At the end of 1842 we
en a
ravewlovtfo hold a weekly meeting. We re-
solved,
fieely,
previous session, to distribute in-
formation much more
; and we especially among the farmers
giioustation,that
and farm labourers
subscription should Ztlaillskesed for, namely,
seumresoolfyr, for the purpose of the
the amount of
sAf)OO/. The weekly meetings became more important and
coming
inpgreva
were r&,tsyed to the Corn-Exchange, and
then was erected
that building wh',..eh now stands a monument of the energy
of the men who conduct the Imague—the Free Trade Hall.
—(Loud cheers.) 50,0001. was a 'erne sum to collect in
days, without the object for whia. it was asked being
especially es:plained to those who contributed. , 'For that
purpose, and at the invitation of the principal merchants
and influential persons in ;;larost every town in the country,
Mr. Cobden and Mr. Bright visitc.', essisted by Colonel
Thompson and Mr. Moore, all the large towns pf Scotland,
end most of the large towns of England, and received coa-
tributione, which 4owed in, exceeding our expectation.—
(Loud sheers.) We opened the Free Trade Hall in January,
1843, announcing that 44,0004 had bean coneeted, We then