The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-05 00:00:00

claimed that she meant to overthrow first the
Giant Monopoly, and then turn their guns against
the other monopolists, and she beat them all
though banded together, and used the vanquished
to overthrow those who yet held their ground.
Cotton was a mighty power then—politically it
was gun-cotton ; now it has shrunk back to its
natural commercial quality. Manchester will
never have again so noble an object, so noble a
foe, and so glorious a triumph. It thoroughly
understood its ground and its object, and that
object was entirely national. It forgot that its
object was all important to itself, as its
eyes opened to its importance to the whole
community. But Manchester ever since has been,
like so many conquerors, objectless. Its league
wanted t) throw ant its vast powers into some
new conflict, but could find nothing worthy of its
former organisation and efforts--the great leaders
seemed to think they could lead on every other
question as they had done in that which was pecu-
liarly their own ; but they found themselves
sunk to the leadership of coteries. They have
commonly had useful reforms in their pro-
gramme, but they all had one great defect for
Manchester : they were not essential to the
prosperity of the cotton manufacture. The
public met in their Free-trade Hall, met to hear
and to clap, but did not leave to work, to sub-
scribe money, and to petition by the thousand.
Manchester has nothing in hand which she can
take up as specially her own, and yet substan-
tially the nation's. She is, it is true, a useful
and a great ally, but no longer a Premier City.
Hence the vast difference between the speeches
of last Thursday evening, and those of former
years. In the place of the terrible home thrusts
and the impassioned declamation, at which thousands
used to rise and wave hats and handkerchiefs, with
unappeasable and vociferous cheering, we had lec-
tures and behaviour cool as in the House of Com-
mons—behaviour, indeed, much more quiet than
frequently distinguishes that honourable place.
Good sense, useful statements, pleasant political
banter, and a sound resolution or two—nothing
to petition for—nothing to subscribe for, were
the character and the results of tie meeting. The
most enthusiastic part of the proceedings
was perhaps the unanimous re-election of
Mr. BRIGHT by the universal suffrage of
the vast assembly, a proceeding in which,
I though having often had occasion lately to differ
with the Hon. Member, we yet cordially concur
with the electors of Manchester. We believe that
in the House all classes value Mr. BRIGHT as one
of their ornaments too much to wish to lose him,
and that, with the exception of his well-known
crotchets, he is unquestionably a first-rate mem-
ber. We should like to have all the best ability
of the country in Parliament, even if not on our
own side.

Of course Mr. GissoN, the chief orator of the

evening, was great on peace, penny newspapers,
and the paper duty. He intends to carry the
repeal of the last, and, singularly enough, two
Chancellors of the Exchequer have seemed to
wish to gratify him. It is much desired by the
Manchester folk, not, we must own from literary

motives, but that it may cost them less to pack
their goods. This intellectual argument, it will
be remembered, was used with great emphasis by
Mr. GLADSTONE. Add to this, that the duty
almost crushes the penny papers of Messrs. GLAD-
STONE, LEWIS, and GIBSON, and it is not unlikely
that the duty will go. The mismanagement of
the war, the pitiful results to what they ought to
have been, the shameful treatment of the two
Crimean Commissioners, are all topics on which

we could endorse nearly all that was said ; but

whether Russia ought to be stopped in her
course of European burglaries, these gentlemen
thought it not worth while, or not prudent, to