The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-29 00:00:00

SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY 29 1848,

IRISH SPECIAL COMMISSION.

CLONMEL, JAN. ')5.

MURDER or MR. WILLIAM ROE.—The follow ing
is the conclusion of the evidence for the prosecution :
The Hon. Mr. French examined by the ATTORX EY-
GENRRAL.--I am a resident magistrate of this county.
I remember the day Mr. Roe was shot- As soon as I
heard of the matter I went to the spot, which I
reached about one o'clock. There was a large pool
of blood on the road, opposite the plantation. I went
inside the grove and saw branches of hawthorn, evi-
dently broken by shot. That was nine or ten yards
from the place where the body lay. I examined the
ditch, and observed the impression as it a person had
been lying on it. A right line drawn from that spot
would pass through the broken hedge, and along
where the blood was. A man at that opening would
see a person passing on the road. There is no gripe
outside, but a growth of grass inside. The inipres-
sion I observed was fresh, and close to it I observed a
piece of paper [paper produced], which is in the
same state as when I found it, only that it now bears
my initials. There are four letters on the piece of
paper, R. G. A. N.; and on the other side are some
figures, like a sum, with a line under, and an appa-
rent total of 118. 3d.
To the COURT—It might have been a portion of an
arithmetical process, but I cannot say that it is. I
also found some wadding.
Constable Halloran was here examined. He de-
posed that he found a piece of paper he now pro-
duced under a bed in the house the prisoner lived in.
The latter piece of paper was handed to Mr. French,
whose examination was then continued. He sta'ed
that the two pieces of paper originally formed one,
and when they were put together it appeared that
the total of lie. CI was made up of two sums of 6s.
and ss. 3d.

The two pieces of paper were then examined by the
Court and jury.
Examination continued—l pointed out the differ-
ent places at the scene of the murder to the surveyor,
and also the house where the prisoner lived at the
time. It was an outhouse belonging to his brother
James. On examining the field side of the planta-
tion, I found some broken branches of hawthorn.
That was about seventy yards from the prisoner's
house. I was handed the gun-cane carried by Mr.
Roe on that day, and found it capped and loaded.
There was what appeared to be the mark of a foot-
step on the grass in the field, as if a person leaped
over the ditch, or from it.

Cross-examined by Mr. ROLL/MON—A stone fall-
ing from the ditch would make the mark I allude to.
There was grass on the headland. Con Loughnane
was arrested along with others. It was the day after
the murder the piece of paper was found in the pri-
soner's house.

Head-constable Hallam deposed that he searched
for the prisoner immediately after the murder in his
own house and elsenhere, but could not find him for
a considerable length of time. He was not arrested
until the 26th of December.

The girl, Mary Lonergan, the prisoner's niece, and
who refused to answer when examinod in the early
part of the day, was again produced. In reply to the
Attorney-General, she stated that she heard the
shot; saw the smoke in the plantation, and saw the
prisoner, her uncle, in a field near the place. She saw
him coming up from the ditch. After she saw him
she went into her own house, and saw Judith Sullivan
there. The prisoner's wife was also there. The
prisoner was walking at the time she saw him. He
was coming from the ditch of the plantation. She
could not tell how far he was from the ditch. He did
not come into the house after that.

Cross-examined by Mr. ROLLBSTON—I was taken
by the police after the murder, and kept by them
since. I did not hear that James Lonergan was
charged with this offence. Since I left the table I
was told by Mr. Cox, the police-officer, that if I did
not come up and give my testimony I would be sent
to gaol, and that only for him I would have been sent
there before.

Cam, Just Rolleston, there was an order
made out for her committal.

Mr. ROLLIISTOX—Who was in the room with you
since you left this ?—Mr. French and Jr. Cox.
W..as there any other gentleman there P—There
was, but I don't know him.

And they told you that you would he sent to gaol
unless you gave evidence 7—They did, Sir; Mr. Cox
said he saved me from the gaol.
To the ATTORNEY..GENERAL—My father was in
Clonmel that day„ and did not come home until
night, when the police were taking me away to
Cahir.

Eugene Moran, a police-constable, deposed that he
arrested the prisoner on the morning of the 26th of
December. Ile saw him running across the country,
and pursued and arrested him. Witness had been
looking for him several times before, and on the pre-
vious night in the same neighbourhood. When ar •
rested he said his name was John Lonergan, but
witness vs as in plain clothes.
Dr. Robt. Russell proved that the gunshot wounds
were the cause of the death of Mr. Roe. There were
eleven wounds on the body. The gun was loaded
with swan drops, almost the whole of which passed
through his body. One of them penetrated his heart,
and one passed through his right lung. Death must
have been instantaneous.
The case for the prosecution closed here, about
half-past seven o'clock.
The CIIIEF JUSTICE said, as it was not likelvthat the
case could he eatisfactorily concluded that evening,
and as the prisoner's counsel plight wish for time to
consider the evidence for the prosecution,' it would be
better to adjourn till next morning..
The Court then adjourned.
The jury were not allowed to separate, but were
accommodated with dinner and beds in 'the grand jury
room.

JAN. 26.

The Chief Justice took his seat on the bench this
morning at ten o'clock. The Chief Baron did not sit
to-day, owing to illness.
The trial of John Zonergan for the murder of Mr.
William Roe, WAS then proceeded with. The pri-
soner was placed at the bar, and, as on the previous
day, exhibited much self-possession, and seemed to
pay a good deal of attention to the proceedings.
Mr. RoeLusxors addressed the jury for the defence.
The SOLICITOR-GENERAL replied; and
The Cuter JUSTICE having charged the jury, they
retired for about an hour, and found the prisoner
Guilty of the murder.
The prisoner was then removed. He heard the
announcement of the verdict with a considerable de.
gree of firmness.
MALICIOUS ASSAULT.—Patrick ltrullanpy, Patrick
Ellard, Denis Brien, George Hewit, and Patrick
_Mickey, all young men, were indicted for having on
the 26th of September, at Knockadeene, assaulted
Edward and Judith Mullanpy, doing them grievous
bodily harm ; the prisoners were also charged with
having injured the property of the prosecutor. The
indictment was under the Whitehoy Act.
Edward Mullanpy deposed that on the night in
question, whilst himself and his wife were in a hut,
watching a field of turnips, seven men came to it, and
one of them, who was armed with a pistol, knocked
him down. His wife and daughter were next knocked
down, and whilst he was on the ground, one of the
party fired at him, and wounded him in the leg ;
the witness identified all the prisoners but Brien,
and said that Ellard was the man who fired the
shot. After beating him they pulled down the
hut, and told him to " take that for what hap-
Pe nesi yesterday.' One of the prisoners was his
nephew. The circumstance alluded to by the party
was, that on the previous day he pointed out his bro-
ther's goods to a bailiff, who seized them under a
decree. He went security with his brother for meal,
but witness had before that night paid his portion of
the debt. The party called each other by the num-
bers 1,2, 3, &c., and threw fire on one part of his
oats, and water on another:
The prosecutor's wife and daughter were examined
to corroborate his testimony.
Dr. Edward Kitson described the wound on the
prosecutor's leg, and said it could not have been in-
flicted by a gun or pistol shot. His wife had three
severe wounds on the head.
Mr. ROLLESTON addressed the jury for the defence,
but examined no witnesses.
The prisoners were found Guilty, and sentenced to
be transported for seven years. Upon this sentence
being pronounced, loud cries were uttered by the pri
soners friends. Some persons in Court said, " God
be with you boys ; and a girl who wept bitterly ex-
claimed, "Oh, "
my one only brother, am 1 to lose him!"
The sentence of transportation in this case seemed to
have coma by surprise upon many in court, as well
as upon the prisoners and their friends.
At six o'clock the Court adjourned till ten o'clock
next morning.

THE WEATHER, THE PARES, &c.—Yesterday the
various parks presented a very gay and interesting ap-
pearance, owing to the immense number of persons
visiting them, either for the purpose of personal enjoy-
ment or gratifying themselves by viewing the per-
formance of others on the ice. The surface of the Ser •
pentine was as usual very much crowded in all ihoie
parts where the ice was safe, and several members of
the Skating Club were present, during the day. The
ornamental water in the Regent a• park, the round pond
in Kensington-gardens, and the lake in St. James's-
park, were severally visited by many thousands during
the day, and happily nothing be) and a few casualtit a in
the shape, of accidents occurred. Durin the night the
g-
thermometer was as low as 17 degrees. The quantity of
ice on the Thames is enormous, and navigation above
except by a few of the small st..amers which
persevered in threading their way yesterday in the face
of extraordinary difficulties, is entirely at a stand-still.
DEATH OP SIR GEORGE MOLTINzikUX,
have to record the demise of Sir George Molyneaux.,
Bart., of Castle Dillon, county of Antrim, at the early
age of 35. He succeeded to i
the title on the demise of
his father, in 1841. The family s a branch of the sawn,
of liolyneaux.

GRAND FREE-TRADE DEMON-

STRAIION AT MANCHESTER.

MANCHESTER, /TAN. 28.—A grand free-trade en-
tertainment, such as could scarcely be given in any
other country in Europe, took place here yesterday,
at the Free-trade Hall, in honour of the return to
Parliament of such gentlemen as had been members
of the National Anti-Corn-law League.
In addition to the attraction offered by the presence
of the men whose names we give below, a kind of
after-dinner repast had been provided, and the price
of admisaion was 3s. 6d. each person. The immense
nod commodious hall was crowded. Twelve tables,
running the whole length of the, hall, and at each of
which sat 120 people, tilled the body, whilst the gal-
leries, capable of containing about an equal number
with the body, were also completely filled. On the
whole, there could not have been less than 3,000
people piesent, and those all of the middle class.
At serail o'clock the chair was taken amidst the
most vehement applause by Mr. G. Wilson. Around
him were many of the most distinguished free-traders
of the country; amongst whom we noticed Mr. Cob-
den, M.P., Mr. T. M. Gibson, M.P., Mr. Bright,
M.P., Ur. Brotherton, M.P., Mr. Henry, M.P., Co-
lonel Thomson, M.P., Mr. Heywood, M. P., Mr.
Thomas Thorncl3, M.P., Mr. J. Pilkington, Mr.
Ewart, M.P., Mr. Gardner, Mr G. Thompson, M.P.,
Mr. John Dixon, Dr. I3owring, M.P., Mr. John
liams, M.P., Mr. James Kershaw, M.P., Mr. C.
Ilindley, M.P., Mr. R. A. Thicknesse, Mr. J. B.
Smith, Mr. Matthew Wilson, and many others.
When quiet was restored, _ _

The Cliaiumere said that, casting his eye over that
vast assemblage, characterised by more than its usual
precision of arrangement, the only source of regret
to him was that the committee, in their excel-
lent judgment, had not selected some other person
better qualified than himself to occupy the position
which he occupied that evening. The chief object
of that meeting, as most of them were aware,
was to celebrate the return to Parliament of those
gentlemen who belonged to that much-abused
but nevertheless successful confederation—the Anti-
Corn-law League.—(Cheers.) And he thought no
one who reflected for one moment on the character and
composition of that audience, would hesitate to say
that it was an occasion not unworthy of them, as they
were most worthy of it. In the first place, it was
not merely a local meeting. They had gentlemen on
the platform honourably known in their respective
localities for the services they had rendered to their
fellow-countrymen. It was not to do honour to one
man but to a number of men—it was not to celebrate
a victory obtained by one constituency but by many
constituencies—it was not to record a triumph carried
to a successful issue in some small pocket borough, but
to record results which were—patent to the people of
England for successes unexampled in the history of
all former elections. But remarkable as had been the
victories, more remarkable still had been the selection
of the candidates. They had been told that it
was contrary to all former custom and usage,
that all the regulations of . elections had been set at
' defiance in the selection of the men who had been
returned to Parliament to represent some of the chief
counties. It had been said that they had selected
men whose great grandfathers had never been heard
of.—(A laugh.) That might be true. Very possibly
the men who had been so honoured by their country-
men were not high in title nor great in birth. It was
very likely they were not connected with those fami-
lies from whom candidates were usually selected ; but
it was a poor compensation for a constituency to find
that the only right its Member had to represent them
was founded on his alliance with some great family in
the county. It was a poor compensation to reflect
that their Members were related to my Lord Turnip-
tops, or my Lord Mangold-Wurtzel, who had repre-
sented them for many generations.—(Cheers.) The
mea of whom he now spoke had stood upon their
own merits, upon their own titles and qualifica-
tions, and those titles and qualifications had been
such that the highest aristocracy in the land had
fled before them when they appeared.— (Cheers.)
Some had been chosen, like the lion. Members for
Salford and Wolverhampton, on account of their long
and faithful services to the people. Others had been
selected because they were the head of the highest
mercantile and manufacturing establishments of this
kingdom. Others, like the lion. Members for Man-
chester, for Oldham, and for the Tower Hamlets,
whose eloquence had passed like a talisman throughout
the whole of England, or who had incorporated their
opinions with the literature of this country, and had
taught to an admiring nation the sublimest truths of
political science.—(Cheers.) Those were their great
political leaders in Parliament who had exposed the
subject even before the Anti. Corn-law League was
established, and had proved in the teeth of hostile
majorities the soundness of their opinions at a time
when little respect was paid to them. And last, though
not least, thf re was one there that evening who, since he
had last addressed them in that hall, had been received
as the accredited and acknowledged runbasalor of
free trade and peace in every city on the Continent.
(Tremendous cheering.) Taking them one and
all, and all in all, nothing extenuating nor setting
down aught in malice, he did not believe, in the his-
tory of public meetings, that the eye ever rested upon
a number of men possessing public confidence to the
extent possessed by the gentlemen around him.—
(Loud cheers.) It was not to be expected that a
meeting like the present, with some 3,000 persons
present, and every pulsation of which must be felt
throughout the land, should pass off without some
allusion to the success of those principles which had
recently been carried into practice in this country, and
though no doubt some of the speakers to follow him
would much better discuss the subject than he could
do, yet he trusted they would permit him to congra-
tulate them on the improved tone of their opponents
during the last election. The principles which had been
expounded in that hall were generally admitted by
every man who presented himself for re-election The
success of Sir R. Peers free-trade tariff was admitted by
almost every one except the most extreme monopolists,
whose small notes were scarcely reported in the public
papers —(Hear.) The success of the free trade tariff
of America had been equal to that of Sir R. Peel's in
this country ; and how rapidly public opinion in this
country operated upon the intelligent and enlightened
classes on the Continent might be gathered from the
reception which Mr. Cobden had met with abroad.—
(Cheers.) It certainly did appear that their old friends
the Protectionists had entirely left the field—No. 17,
Old Bond-street, was deserted, and not the boldest
amongst them would presume at this moment, or had
presumed since the last election, to propose at any
small gathering of farmers the re-enactment of the
corn-law after its expiration in 1849.—(Cheers ) lle
did not think that they would venture to fight Lord
J. Russell if he were to do that which, as Prime Mi-
nister, he ought to do, and suspend it until the time
for its expiring came in 1849. They intended to make
a fight upon the navigation laws, hut with a long pull,
a strong pull,
_and a pull altogether, the navigation-
laws must go overboard as the corn-law had gone
before them. They would fight, also, a desperate
action on behalf of the West Indian interest ; but lie
had no doubt his friends would be ready for them on
that question, and that the IVest Indian interests would
share the fate of the Protectionists in corn. When the
Protectionists failed of success, however, they in-
variably attempted to invent some great public
swindle, in order to obtain an equivalent for what
they had lost, and the time when public spirit was
inert had invariably been selected for the infliction of
grievous injuries upon the country. It was for them
to be on the watch, to meet together frequently, to
join with their representatives, and to give them their
) cordial support, in the full assurance that, united
together by common sympathies and common in-
terests, there was no power existing in this country
which could long resist the effect of such a public
opinion as they would create.—(Cheers.) There was
one particular connected with the last election which
to him was the most satisfactory of the whole,
and that was, that there had been a greater
importation into Parliament than had ever before
been the case of men connected with coimnerce and
commercial interests.—(Cheers.) Hitherto they had
had agricultural Governments, and aristocratic Go-
vernments, legislating for commercial people. They
had now a great number of representatives connected
with commerce, who had no interests to serve but
such as were connected with the interests of the
whole population of this country, and he must say
he looked with great faith and reliance to those men.
—(Cheers.) The present new project of a large ex-
penditure to increase the military safety of the
country would meet, he doubted not, with a similar
fate to that which had befallen the corn-law ; for he
felt deafly in his own mind that every honest free-
trader who knew his principles would be found voting
in Parliament against the advance of one single
sixpence for increasing the defences of the country.—
(Loud cheers.) But whether or not he placed his
reliance upon public opinion—it was from that
that his friends around him first received their
commissions to go through the length and breadth
of the land propagating their opinions—it was
that which made them meet there from week
to week to receive the popular sanction and support,
and it was that which had finally gained for them the
triumph which had led to the dissolution of the
League. A long time had elapsed since such a meet-
ing had assembled, and there was a party no doubt
who thought that they might trifle with the people,
but they forgot the power of that puissant organiza-
tion which took the mace of the giant, hurled them
from their counties, and placed in their stead the true
representatives of popular principles, the tried chain-
' pions of liberty and truth.—(Loud cheers.) The
lion. Gentleman concluded by giving the first toast
• The Queen—may her reign be long, peaceful,
prosperous, and happy," upstanding, uncovered, with
three times three.

Mr. E. ARMITAGE, the Mayor of Manchester, pro- I
posed the second toast without verbal comment. The
toast, which was as follows, was drunk Kith enthu-
siasm " The free trade Members of both Houses of
Parliament, success to them in their endeavours to
complete the overthrow of all monopolies."
The Right Hon. T. M. GinsoN, who was received
wi▪ th rapturous applause, then said—As one of the
free trade Members alluded to in the toast which has
been submitted to you by our worthy Mayor, I beg
leave to return my warmest acknowledgments for the
kind manner in which the toast was given, and for
the cordial reception which it met with at your hands.
And in expressing myself in these words, I feel that,
on the part of my colleagues, the other free trade
Members of the House of Commons, I am but
stating w hat they would say were they addressing
you, when I say that they feel deeply the kind manndr
in which this sentiment has been received.—(Cheers.)
I feel not altogether free from diffidence in attempt-
ing to address so imposing an assemblage as is now
gathered within this spacious hail. I ought, perhaps,
you would say, to feel something like the old hunter
when he hears again the sound of the well-known
horn, as this is not the first time I have had the
honour of addressing a meeting in the Free-trade
Hall, but I assure you, when I reflect how many
there are here who from experience and reflection
have acquainted themselves thoroughly with the im-
portant subjects we have met to discuss, I cannot help
experiencing something like a feeling of embarras-
men t ; and for your kind indulgence, therefore, I am
sure I shall not appeal in vain.—(Cheers.) I have
felt it my duty to be amongst my constituents to• day
upon this important occasion. I have felt it a duty
paramount to all other considerations to be here, for
though the Anti-Corn-law League is now dissolved,
I can look hack with pride and satisfaction to having
been a member of that great and intelligent combi-
nati▪
on vof men which by the force of reason and in-
struction formed that powerful instrument, public
opinion, with which the Minister of the day was
able to abolish that odious monopoly, the mono-
poly of corn.—(Loud cheers. I look back, I say,
with pride and satisfaction to having been
a member of that association, and to having aided, in
whatever humble manner it was in my power to aid
their efforts, and still more I glory that these efforts,
have been crowned with success. Nevertheless, I can-
not but feel that at this moment I am addressi▪
ng an
assemblage in Manchester during a time of great olepres-
sion of trade, during a time no doubt of great anxiety
ansongst many engaged in commercial pursuits, and
at a time when a great struggle which has been going
on has not yet disappeared.—(Cheers.) But m y al-
lusion to that depression of trade is with the vi▪
ew of
expressing my opinion that the free trade policy has
had nothing to do with producing it—(Cheers)—
that, on the contrary, it would hare been much
greater had not free trade measures been adopted. It
is to be hoped, that though the present moment is
one in which confidence is much shaken in the
commercial world, yet that there are at present cer-
tain elements on which we have a right to calculate in
reference to future prosperity. If I sin rightly in-
formed, the stocks of manufactured goods are mode-
rate, we have a low price of the raw materials of
manufactures,. and we have, I trust, a prospect of a
moderate price of provisions. We have all those
things before us, and with the restoration of confidence
I think we are justified in looking forward to a
restoration of prosperity.—(Cheers.) But let me ask
those who visit the free trade policy with all this
distress, to condescend to particularize and to point
out the particular taxes which, had they been left
unrepealed, would have prevented the misfortunes
which surround us. Let them tell us what duty on
any article in the tariff would, had it been unremoved,
have tended to mitigate the distress. Is it the duty
on cotton ? Is it the duty on wool ? Is it the duty
on glass ? Or, duriug the time of a famine, would it
have been wise to have retained the duty on matters
of subsistence ?—(Loud cheers.) Let us then know
what are the duties which ought to have been
retained, and which, had they been retained, would
have prevented this commercial pressure. We are
accused of having advocated a policy which has im-
paired the revenue. Impaired the revenue ! Can gen-
tlemen who make that assertion have drawn a com-
parison between the income of the country now and
its income before the free trade policy commenced,
viz., 1842, taken in connexion with :the alteration
which has been made in taxation ? What are the
facts ? The income of the country made up to the
sth January, 1848, the last statement which has been
submitted to the country, was something like
47,500,0001. The income similarly mode up to the
sth January, 1842, amounted to 44,300,0001.—
(Cheers.) But what has been clone with taxation in
the meantime ? True, you put on an income-tax in
1842, amounting to 5,500,0001.; but, on the other
hand, you took off the Customs and Excise duties,
amounting in all to upwards of 8,000,0001. You put
on 5,000,000/. and took off 8,000,000/. of Customs and
Excise, leaving a balance of reduction to the amount
of 3,000,0001, and yet your revenue, as made up to
th.s sth .January, 1848, is greater by 2,500,0001. than
the revenue made up to the sth January, 1842
(Cheer.r.) There can't be anything very rotten in a
policy which, by a reduction of duties has increased
the revenue. And let it be rememhered that that policy
was commenced in 1842, after you had been trying thc
opposite Filler of attempting to increase the revenue of
the country by adding to the Customs and Excise.
You had added five per cent. to the Customs, and
they did not yield by one-half the estimate that was
submitted to Parliament. That experiment proved a
total failure, and it was after that failure that the
country fortunately adopted the experiment of resort
ing to direct taxation, and of trusting to that source
for its revenue, giving by the reduction of indirect
taxation a further development to the industry and
trade of the country.—(Cheers.) If we take the
simple figures of the Excise and Customs by them-
selves, they also present a remarkable justification of
the policy pursued by Sir Robert Peel ; for after a
reduction of 8,000,0001., of which 7,000,0001. applied
to the Customs duties alone, the whole of that revenue,
with the exception of some 700,0001. or 800,0001. had
been replaced by the country. There is another charge
brought against free-traders in reference to imports
and exports. We are told that our imports are worth
more than our exports, and that is made a great
charge against us. I reply to that, that if they
are so much the better; it would be a strange thing
if merchants were to export their produce to foreign
lands, only to receive in imported produce goods of
precisely the same value. Let us hope that there is
something like gain in the exchange of commodities,
and that if our imports have exceeded our exports,
the country has been the gainer.-- (Cheers.) But it
is said that the balance between exports and import-
has been paid for in treasure, which has caused a drain
on your bullion, and thus has interfered seriously
with commercial interests. All I can say in answer
to that is, that if the balance, as it is called, has been
paid in bullion, it was because bullion at that time
was the cheapest and fittest commodity to export, and
that there was greater gain by exporting bullion
than there would have been by attempting to export
other commodities.— (Loud cheers.) But the old
doctrine of balance of trade is not one to be re•
vived now. I had hoped, till I saw it mentioned
in Blackwood and in the Quarterly Review,
that it was dead and buried, never again to be
restored to existence.—(Cheers.) I hope I may not
be considered trespassing on your time in attempting,
I know, to defend the free-trade policy, which
truly hardly needs a defence, but really we have
been so much abused by the organs of the Protec-
tionist party, and we have been told that we are such
wretched prophets, and that we have held out so
many expectations which have met with disappoint-
ment, that I cannot refrain from saying a few words
in defence of a policy of which I was, and am still, a
hearty and cordial supporter. (Great applause.)
Talk of prophets—are we to forget the prophecies of
the Protectionists, that all the fair lands of England'
were to be thrown out of cultivation, the finest estates
reduced to rabbit warrens, or tenanted only by wild
fowl and grouse ?—(A laugh.) Do you forget the
alarming menace held out by a Noble Duke, who said,
" If the corn-laws were repealed he for one would
leave his native land, for England would not be worth
living in ?"—(Great laughter.) But let us congratu-
late ourselves that we still have that Noble Duke
amongst us—that he has not yet left his native shores,
and I hope he may long live in them, to render better
service to his fellow-countrymen than he has hitherto
done.—(Cheers and laughter.) I remember many
such predictions. I have heard many within the
walls of the House of Commons. I remember Mr.
Hudson, the Member for Sunderland, saying, in
February, 1846, that it was not a question of rent;
. for was his firm opinion, that if rents were entirely
aboli▪
shed, the farmers of England would be unable to
culti▪
vate the soil under the new law, and that the
soil must be abandoned altogether and left waste, be-
cause a remunerating price could not be obtained for
the produce. lam glad Mr. Hudson proved not so
sound a judge in those matters as he has shown him-
self in the conduct of railways. In railways he has
no doubt proved himself a shrewd and able man, but
as a prophet I think I may safely back the very worst
prophet the Anti-Corn-law League ever produced
against Mr. Iludson.—(Cheers.) The worst case,
however, they say, which can be brought agai▪
nst us,
is the West India case; for they tell us that. we have
brought ruin and disaster upon a great portion of our
fellow-countrymen. I have heard with great
sym-
pathy—every Englishman must hear with garrett, that
of the
any portion of his fellow-countrymen. on an.yp
earth's surface are suffering deep distress , but I must
say it is no novelty to be told of the distress. of the
West India interest. It is not. the first time we have
heard it said that West India estates are not worth
cultivating, and that they must be abandoned. In-
' deed I doubt very much if we were to go carefully
' through Parliamentary documents and the memorials
addressed to public offices, if we should not find
' statements quite as alarming as those recently made
by the West India body. Ido not deny the distress,