The Sun.
London, England, 1850-01-12 00:00:00

Obtninix

LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 12, 1850.

We recently felt it to be our painful duty to allude
in terms of well-merited censure and reprehension to
the objectionable tone and manner of Mr. COBDEN'S
address to his constituents at Leeds. We clearly fore-
saw the evil results that would follow the threats and
menaces against his political opponents in which the
Hon. Gentleman thought fit to indulge on that occa-
sion. The emphatic cautions which he then
addressed to the Protectionist party against, any
attempt to disturb the existing state of affairs or to
resuscitate the departed corn-laws, have al-
ready produced their natural fruits. He declared
that the former agitation was, in consequence of his
earnest entreaties, quietly and logically conducted,
but that he could not promise the same freedom from
" illicit processes," and other logical errors, in the
new contest. He plainly indicated that reactionary
efforts would be suppressed with the strong arm—
that his followers would resort to turbulence and vio-
lence, in place of reason and argument—and that
" physical" might, on future occasions, be substituted
for " moral" force. Such hints are seldom ne-
glected. The multitude is ever but too ready to
give the widest interpretation to such inflammatory
harangues, and to proceed to extremities never con-
templated by the orator. We do not suppose th. t
_ _

Mr. COBDBN had any conception that his speeeh

would have led to such riotous and illegal proceed-
ings as disgraced the town of Stafford on Thursday
last, or that his !‘ warnings " would be so promptly
fulfilled, but such was their direct tendency, and we
cannot help considering the Honourable Gentleman
to be in no small degree responsible for the disturb-
ances and outrages that took place in the midland
counties within the present week.
A meeting of the Staffordshire agriculturists had

for some time been in contemplation. Certain Noble
Lords were anxious to make an imposing demonstra-
tion in favour of protection, and the greatest exer-
tions were made in order to obtain a numerous attend-
ance of farmers. Thursday, the 10th instant, was
fixed on for that purpose, and the doors of the Shire-
hall had scarcely been thrown open when every part
of the building was thronged with an eager multi-
tude, anxious to take some part, although, perhapQ,
not a very friendly one, in the proceedings. The ap-
pearance of the first speaker was the signal fur
disturbance. Lord ST. VINCENT, we are told,
came f,)rward and attempted to address the meeting,
" when a most discordant noise, consisting of hisses,
groans and yells, &c., was set up which lasted severe
minutes." This was scandalous enough ; for every
man who feels that he has truth and justice on his
side will gladly listen to the arguments of his oppo-
nents, and render to others that which he claims for
himself, the full and fair opportunity of giving free
utterance to his opinions. But noise and clamour
did not satisfy the dissentients. But a few sentences
had been delivered, when " several disturbances
took place in the body of the hall, and amidst the cries
of police' and murder' a general fight took
place; both parties appeared to be pretty well armed
for the fray, and a set-to a la Donnybrook com-
menced. After about fifteen minutes' good fighting,
the police were let into the hall, through a side door,
and they at once set upon all those who appeared to
show the slightest symptoms of disagreement with the
conveners of the meeting." This summary interven-
tion procured some degree of silence fel-
a few seconds, but for a few seconds only.
In a brief period the noise again became so violent
that it was utterly impossible to hear a single word,
and the Noble Lord sat down after proposing that
Earl TALBOT should take the chair. This was
seconded by Lord NEWPORT, M.P., but the pro-
ceedings were carried on in dumb show, " groans and
hisses" being occasionally varied by " great confusion
and fighting." The Gallant Earl had, however, no
sooner come forward than a large stone was
flung from the body of the meeting at his
head. The formidable missile erred from the
mark at which it had been directed, but, unfortu-
nately, fell upon the forehead of Mr. lowLxit, a gen-
tleman who was in attendance to report the proceed-
ings, and who happened to be standing by his
Lordship's side. A serious injury was the result,
a large contused wound having been inflicted, and
the unfortunate gentleman was conveyed away to re-
ceive the surgical assistance he required.
After this atrocious outrage upon an innocent and
unoffending man, who was merely performing his
duty to his employers and the public generally, we
are told that—

"For nearly half an hour the Chairman was endea•
Touring to address the meeting. During the whole of
the period the rioting was at its height in the body of
the hall, the policemen who were present being totally
insufficient effectually to quell th• disturbance. A
large number of the rioters were, however, ejected
by the farmers, and the chairman ordered the doors to
be closed. This was no sooner done than the mob
outside commenced pulling up the stones of the court
yard in front of the Shire-hall, which they hurlei
through the windows with such violence as to break
whole frames out at one stroke. The mob inside, in
the meantime, tore up several benches and forms, with
which they armed themselves. After some sharp fight-
ing, in which some scores of heads were broken,
"Lord Talbot again addressed the mee:ing, but it
would be totally impossible to give anything like an
outline of his Lordship's speech, the riot and confusion
entirely preventing the reporters from hearing. Wile.,
his Lordship resumed his telt, a large paving stone
was hurled through the window at him, but, as in the
previous case, his Lordship escaped unhurt."

Mr. TURNER, the next speaker, was commencing
to address the. meeting, " when the mob from without
opened another battery against the windows, and the
stones came flying into the hall in every direction."
The report then declares that

" The appearance of the place at this period became
most alarming; battles were taking place in all parts of
the body of the hall, and the stones were pouring in
through the windows A 3 fast as a heavy shower of rain,
much to the terror of those in the galleries."

After another vain attempt to stern the torrent of
violence and outrage—
" The superintendent of the police informed his Lord-
ship that it was quite impossible for him lot ger to hold
out against the mob, as his men were knocked down in
all directions.

" The messenger whom Lord Talbot had sent to the
Mayor returned, and stated that his Worship refused to
act at all in the matter, as he considered it to ,he the
duty of the county magistrates.
" The mob, finding that they were now quite un-
checked in their violence, commenced battering in the
doors and windows in the most determined manner,
stones weighing from 401 b. to 501 b. being thrown in
amongst the meeting.
" Lord Talbot, with some difficulty, stood forward,
and said, the Mayor of Stafford having refused to assist
in putting down the riot which is now existing outside,
.1 cannot, as a county magistrate, allow the property of
the county to be demolished in this way, and, therefore,
I declare the meeting dissolved.
" Upon leaving the Shire-hall, Lord Talbot and his
friends proceeded to the Swan Tavern, where he was
followed by a mob of nearly 1,000 persons. Whilst his
Lordship was in the act of crossing the road some mis-
creant struck his Lordship in the breast with a brick.
This was the signal fur further destruction, for the mob
immediately commenced smashing the windows of the
hotel where his Lordship and his friends were staying.
His Lordship, on receiving the blow on his breast, coolly
told the mob that they were acting very unlike English-
men. From the hotel the mob made their way to the
railway station, where they received the farmers as they
came down to go by the several trains with showers of
bricks and stones. Upwards of 100 persons are more
or less wounded, some with broken heads, some with
black eyes, &e. One gentleman, who was going down
to the station in his gig, was so severely pelted that the
horse took fright, and the driver was thrown out.

And this was the conduct of Englishmen in the
19th century, of those who once prided themselves
on a love of fair play, and fair and manly conduct
towards all opponents. Well might their proceed-
ings be stigmatised as disgraceful in the highest de-
gree to all concerned, either as instigators or alders
and abettors in the dastardly outrages. We blush
for our countrymen while recording events such as
could scarcely have taken place among a horde of

uncivilized barbarians. Was this the mari-
ner in which they desired to exhibit
their fitness for the calm and deliberate exercise of
the elective franchise, of which a large and liberal
extension is demanded ? Is it thus that the progress
of liberal measures can be secured ? No ; the mos
inveterate opponent of the popular cause could IR t
devise a mode of inflicting greater damage to the
principles of democracy than the rioters of Stafford
effected by their insane and reckless acts. And we
regret to say that the language of Mr. COBDEN at
Leeds was calculated to produce still more mischiev-
ous results, for it gave colour to the assertion that
the disgraceful outrage was sanctioned and connived
at by the leaders of the democratic movement.

Some time back we were rejoiced by the announce-
ment that the French Republic had made a positive
advance in practical freedom by abolishing the pass-
port system. Such was indeed the word• of-mouth
declaration of the PRESIDENT himself, and we are
disposed to believe that such a declaration was meant
as something more than a verbal compliment. Never-
theless, travellers still complain of the customary
annoyances—diminished in some instances, but far
from being entirely abolished. Whether this is owing
to the misconduct of :commissionnaires and other un-
derlings, or whether it be attributable to the ordinary
delays attending every species of reform, we can-
not say, but we earnestly trust that it

does arise from no more serious cause. It is quite
impossible that the passport system can be now con-
tinued. In such a matter retrogression is out of the
question It would be almost easier for the Govern-
ment to impose some new burden than to continue
one they had offered to remove. That the passport
system is a burden, and a very grievous one, no ir.-
dividual who has travelled on the continent will gain-
say. In no instance is the boasted freedom of En-
glishmen more apparent than in their unre-
strained power of locomotion. A man who has
been accustomed to traverse any part of his native
island at a moment's notice, no sooner sets his foot on
a foreign shore than he feels himself a prisoner. All
his motions are observed—
" Set in a note-bock,
Learned and conned by rote;"

and at the same time the magic name of " Liberte"
is always before his eyes, and the boasted privileges
of Republicanism resound in his ears. The anomaly
of such proceedings is most glaring. Freedom is a
thing which must be felt to be appreciated, and the
abolition of royal prerogatives is but a sorry
boon to the populace if it be unaccompanied by the
abolition of all restraints upon the rights of tree
citizenship. That an arbitrary power should
wish to hold a check upon the movements of
its subjects is natural enough, and ♦ery
excusable, but how a free constitution can imagine
the state invested with any such authority is to us a
matter of amazement. Theoretically there is as much
reason for issuing lettres de cachet as for maintaining
passports. The only excuse that the advocates of the
system can allege is, that it may occasionally serve to
prevent the escape of criminals. We do not retort
that it never does prevent such escapes ; but, we ask,
even supposing the truthfulness of the argument, is it
reasonable or just that the movements of every
innocent man should be watched and restrained
in the remote possibility that he may be an escaping
criminal ? Such an idea is positively ridiculous. It
is unnecessary, however, to dilate on the grievances
of passports now—those grievances have been ad-
mitted to be intolerable, and their retention by a free
republic has been recognised as an impossibility.
Why, then, is there any delay in carrying out the re-
form ? Why does the Republic, which in its infancy
took " fraternity" for its motto, and in the heart-
inspiring eloquence of LAMARTINE proclaimed peace to
all nations and good will to all men—why does the
Republic hesitate to realise those promises by giving
to the world an example of her right appreciation
of liberty and her recognition of fraternal claims ?
Let her open her gates to men of all nations, let the
free-spoken Englishmen, let the boasting American,
let the irresolute Italian, and the would-be indepen-
dent subjects of the EMPERORS f:el when they enter
the territories of the Republic that Frenchmen are
free in deed as well as in name. It is late in the day
to urge the
.matter now, for the PRESIDENT has
already pledged himself to remove the grievance
and it must be removed!

The revolution which steam has effected in tra-
velling accords happily with the fraternizing spirit
of the age. The sword is being superieded,by this
pacific power. No Peac• Congress can compete with
the efficacious agency of the steam-engine. It was
felicitously said, in reference to the admiration
of the Americans for SIIARSPERE, that
" What our mighty lion lost
Our mightier swan shall save."

With due reverence for the influence of " the
Swan," we think the sentiment literally true as regards
the steam-vessel. The rapid inter-communication of
England and America is doing more to fraternize the
inhabitants of the two nations than the ordinances of
GRENVILLE and the determination of WASH-
INGTON ever did to disunite them. Similar is
and will be the influence of railroads throughout
the Continent of Europe. Without in any way di-
minishing the force of patriotism, the rapidity and
facility of voyages and travels, bringing together
men of remote nations, and exhibiting to each the
peculiarities and affinities of all, impresses all with a
fresh assurance of the brotherhood of man, and in-
vests each, so to speak, with the citizenship of the
world. Is it fitting that such a work should be marred,
that such a glorious progress should be impeded by
the retention of a petty system of espionage worthy
only of an age of tyranny, and tolerated only
by those to whom custom reconciles all things,
until even

" Oppression appears sacred in its venerable wrong?"
We congratulate, and we have already congratu-
lated, the French Republic and the French Pliksi-
DENT on their happy recognition of this fact. We
would now suggest to them the consideration of a
very excellent maxim—B is dat qui eito dat.